Five years passed in the blink of an eye.
The Veythros manor was quiet in the early morning, sunlight filtering through the tall arched windows of the library. Dust motes drifted lazily through the beams of gold light, settling on shelves of ancient tomes stacked all the way to the ceiling.
Curled up on one of the plush carpeted reading nooks was Ikurus, now twelve years old, fast asleep with a book still open on his chest. His head rested comfortably on Allec's back, the two boys having clearly lost a battle against exhaustion sometime around dawn.
Papers, notes, and half-eaten pastries were scattered around them like evidence of a study session gone horribly off-track.
Footsteps approached.
A soft clearing of the throat followed.
Allec's father, Master Riven, the head librarian, stood over them with an amused but tired expression. His spectacles sat low on his nose, and in his hands he held a small silver bell he clearly intended to ring if the boys did not wake peacefully.
"Boys…"
Neither moved.
Riven sighed and nudged Allec with the tip of his boot.
"Allec. Ikurus. Breakfast. Now."
Allec jerked awake with a startled inhale, nearly knocking Ikurus off the cushion. Ikurus mumbled something unintelligible, blinked twice, then sat up straight and yawned so wide it cracked his jaw.
Riven crossed his arms. "Your father sent me to fetch you both. They said, and I quote, "if you are not seated at the dining hall in ten minutes, they will drag you there themselves."
Allec groaned. "Father, we were studying. We didn't mean to fall asleep."
Riven raised an eyebrow. "Studying, yes. The handwritten notes are very convincing." He glanced at the half-eaten pastry. "…The Kolugi crumbs, however, tell a different story."
Ikurus stretched, his dreadlocked hair falling over his face before he pushed it back lazily. "We'll be there soon, Master Riven."
"You will be there now," Riven corrected. "Both of you. Washed. Dressed. Presentable. Not smelling like dusty shelves and old paper."
Allec scrambled to his feet. "Yes, father!"
Ikurus followed with far less urgency, but he did stand and give Riven a polite nod. "Fine… but can we take the Kolugis with us?"
Riven pinched the bridge of his nose. "Out. Both of you. Before I fetch master Rokash."
That got Ikurus moving.
The two boys dashed from the library, half-awake, half-laughing, and fully aware that if they were late again there would be consequences neither wanted to test.
Ikurus and Allec walked at an unhurried pace through the long marble corridor, still half-groggy from being dragged out of the library. Behind them, they could faintly hear Master Riven muttering to himself as he cleaned, followed by the unmistakable sound of someone munching loudly.
Allec snorted. "Well… I did leave those for him. I hope it doesn't ruin his appetite later."
Ikurus glanced back, rubbing one eye with the back of his hand. "Knowing your old man, those pastries will probably be his only meal today. I just hope he doesn't shuffle around my notes. I was almost done with that alchemy thesis."
Allec's eyes lit up. "Wait… you mean you cracked it?"
Ikurus nodded, a slow satisfied grin spreading across his face. "Yeah. Took a while to find the missing ratio, but if the formula works, we can make something that will take this entire continent by storm. And it'll fatten our pockets nicely on top of it."
Allec grabbed his shoulder, almost bouncing with excitement. "You mean that drink from the other world? You can make it again?"
"Just hold on a little longer, Ally," Ikurus murmured confidently. "You'll taste it again soon. This time, better than before."
The boys shared a wide grin as they reached the grand double doors of the dining hall. The head butler was already waiting for them. He bowed deeply to both Ikurus and Allec, expression completely professional despite being clearly amused by their sleepy appearances.
"Good morning, young masters. Welcome."
With a practiced sweep of his arm, he pulled the tall doors open.
The scent of breakfast wafted out in a warm wave.
And inside, the entire family waited.
Ikurus was now twelve years old, and Lucien had grown as well. The seventeen-year-old carried himself with the easy charm expected of his heritage. Demetrius, now fifteen, smiled gently at Allec and Ikurus as they entered the dining hall. His smile lingered mostly on Allec and he tapped the seat beside him with a quiet invitation. Ikurus instead slid into the spot beside Lucien, who greeted him with a fist bump before grabbing another pastry.
In the years that passed, not much had truly changed. Abella and Celine had settled comfortably into their decision to be Lith's two wives. They had found a sisterhood in one another, and Lith was grateful they got along so well, even if their shared enthusiasm at night often left him drained for an entire day afterward. It was a fact the two women took almost too much pride in.
Rokash, now a bit older, had handed most major responsibilities to his son and embraced retirement the only way an old warrior could: through peace, rest, and the small joys of a quiet home. Arria enjoyed the calm beauty of the household more than ever, especially since Ikurus had come into their lives.
In one way or another, the child had changed them all. He had helped Lucien and Demetrius grow stronger. He had cured Rokash of the creeping mana poisoning that once threatened his life. He had restored Abella's sight, something she still thanked the spirits for every morning. And through it all, he made sure they knew one thing without a doubt.
He loved them. Every single one of them. And he never hesitated to show it.
Rokash was already waiting for them at the head of the table when the boys entered. He spread his arms wide with a booming welcome.
"Breakfast is ready, boys. We made all your favourites. Ikurus, there's Kalisk meat for you and a fresh batch of Kolugi."
Ikurus raised a brow as he sat. "Did you need something from me? You only make my favourites when you want something."
Rokash burst into a hearty laugh. "Sharp as always. Yes, son, I do need a little favor. I want you to make a batch of king's nectar. A dignitary from the capital arrived last night. She has deep ties in the liquor trade and wants to try a sample. If she likes it, you could make quite a bit of coin."
Ikurus tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I'll need a day to age the nectar. And I'll need to borrow your lavender gold card to buy containers and a few more ingredients. Also, can I borrow Igris for the day?"
Igris, the old butler with decades of brewing knowledge tucked into his sleeves, looked up with a gleam in his eye. Rokash nudged him with an elbow.
"Sure thing, kiddo. I might ask you to grab some jasmine grass for me too. Igris, accompany Ikurus to the market when we get back?"
The butler bowed slightly, still wearing that knowing smile. "Of course, my lord. I have already cleared my schedule."
Ikurus paused mid-bite. "Get back from where?"
Lith finally spoke. "Today is the debut ceremony for the child of an old friend of mine. We served together during the war. The whole household is invited."
Demetrius snorted and looked at Ikurus with a grin. "You'll know him when you see him. But a warning, Count Berfolt's kids are... difficult. Try not to start a fight, I beg you, brother."
Lucien chimed in lazily while reaching for more fruit. "As much as I'd love to see you knock that brat flat on his ass, Demi is right. They'll be annoying. Just bear it for one day."
Ikurus stared at both of them, bewildered. "You two act like I'm some brazen muscle head that starts fights with everyone."
Silence fell over the table.
Ikurus coughed awkwardly. "Fine. Fine. I won't start anything... unless they do."
"Good," Celine said calmly as she bit into a warm muffin. "Now eat, children. We leave in six hours."
A few minutes into their meal, a soft thump sounded by the window. A rolled parchment fluttered in and landed neatly beside Igris. The old butler caught it midair without even looking up, cracked the seal, and scanned the contents. His eyes widened slightly before he handed it to Abella.
As she read, her smile grew so wide it nearly split her face. She suddenly squealed in excitement.
"Ikurus, looks like you'll be having a busy week. Your uncle Eloren is returning from his trip off world. He says he will be here in a month, just in time for your debut!"
Ikurus immediately choked on his drink and spit it out. "M-my what?"
The entire table erupted into laughter.
"Forgot you are a noble, eh? I always did love that about you," Celine teased, shaking her head. "But yes, you are twelve now. It's time to show you off to the other nobles. Don't worry, you have a month to prepare."
Lucien groaned dramatically. "Aw man, we were supposed to spar today. Guess it can wait another day."
Ikurus smirked. "Oh? Did you increase your core capacity like I told you?"
Lucien puffed up proudly. "Yup. I'm a cyan core now."
Rokash chuckled, clearly pleased. "Now now, boys. Eat. We can talk magic later. Finish your plates before the food gets cold."
Ikurus snapped his fingers and a ring of heatless flame swirled gently around the table. The fire didn't burn a thing, but all the dishes warmed instantly.
Arria raised a brow. "You know, Ikurus, for a child who radiates absolutely no mana, how exactly are you able to use magic?"
Ikurus grinned at his grandmother. "Didn't someone say we shouldn't talk about magic at the table?"
Everyone burst into laughter again.
But Abella leaned in close and whispered quietly to Arria, though Ikurus caught a hint of it anyway.
"Ikurus has a different type of energy than us. The Forest Lords called it a mana mutation. It follows the same rules, but the energy itself behaves like antimagic. That is why we can't sense it. It operates on a different frequency."
The rest of breakfast went smoothly, filled with easy conversation and teasing. When they finished, Ikurus excused himself and headed to his room. He grabbed a dimensional storage ring, strapped on his backpack, and met Igris by the front gate.
The butler bowed slightly. "Shall we, young master?"