The palace was quiet. Too quiet.
I shifted in my crib, my baby hands clutching the blanket. Something's wrong…
The door creaked open. Shadows slipped inside.
"Target is here. Quietly," one whispered.
Assassins? Tch. Even as a baby, I can tell.
A cold blade glinted above me.
My body froze, but then—heat surged through my chest. My jaw ached. My mouth opened on its own.
GRRR—
Golden light flashed. Fangs—huge, shining—tore through the air.
"W-what is that?!" one assassin screamed.
His sword shattered. He was thrown into the wall. The other dropped instantly, choking as if the air crushed him.
Silence. Only my heavy breathing remained.
The door burst open.
"Adrian!" Mother's voice cried out. Queen Celestia ran to me, silver hair loose around her shoulders.
Leon followed, sword drawn, eyes burning red. "Who dares—!"
They stopped at the sight. Two assassins lay broken on the floor. And me—just a baby in a crib, blinking.
"Leon… they're—dead," Celestia whispered.
Leon's grip tightened on his sword. "But who killed them?"
I gurgled, trying to act innocent. "Ah… ba…"
Celestia picked me up carefully. "He's shaking…" She held me close. "My poor child, did you see it all?"
Leon's eyes narrowed at the scorch marks across the wall. "No… he didn't just see it. Celestia—he did this."
Her eyes widened. "Leon, he's only eight months old."
But Leon only stared at me, a strange pride mixed with fear in his gaze. "…The Golden Fang. It manifested already."
"The Golden Fang?" Celestia whispered.
Leon nodded slowly. "The power of our line… but stronger. It's supposed to awaken in adulthood, never this young."
Celestia looked down at me, stroking my cheek. "Then he's… blessed? Or cursed?"
I babbled softly, trying to keep my act. "Ma…ma…"
Celestia's eyes softened. "Blessed," she said firmly. "He is our son. No matter what."
Leon finally sheathed his sword. He looked at me one more time and muttered, "Adrian Leonhart… Crown Prince of this kingdom. You're going to shake the world."
I just drooled a little.
But inside, I thought: Golden Fang… so that's what saved me. Interesting.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Adrian finally drifted off, his tiny chest rising and falling. Celestia tucked the blanket around him, brushing a silver strand of hair from her face.
Leon stood by the window, arms crossed, golden hair catching the torchlight. His red eyes still burned with unease.
"…You saw it too," he said at last.
Celestia looked at him. "Yes. The assassins didn't die by steel. They were torn apart by something else… by Adrian."
Leon's jaw tightened. "The Golden Fang."
Celestia shook her head slightly. "Impossible. He's a child. Barely eight months—"
"And yet it happened," Leon cut in, voice low. "I saw the marks. That was no ordinary magic. That was instinct."
Celestia hesitated, lowering her voice. "…Then he awakened it unconsciously?"
"Exactly." Leon's eyes narrowed. "Which means if word spreads, the court will demand answers. Some will see him as a savior. Others as a threat."
Celestia hugged herself. "Leon… he's still a baby. He doesn't understand the world. He doesn't understand power. We can't let them treat him as a weapon."
Leon finally turned to her, expression softening. "I know."
Silence stretched for a moment. Only the crackle of torches filled the room.
Celestia whispered, "He looked so frightened, Leon… even after unleashing that power. He's just our son. That's all I see."
Leon's hand clenched at his side. "…I will make sure he grows up as more than a weapon. But we must be careful."
Celestia glanced at Adrian's sleeping face, her voice firm but quiet. "Then let's protect him. No matter what it takes."
Leon stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Always."
They both turned to the crib. The faintest glow still lingered around Adrian's tiny jaw, golden and fading, like the echo of fangs.
Next Morning
"Did you hear?" a maid whispered as she carried linens down the hall.
"Hear what?" another asked.
"They say… the Crown Prince cried, and the assassins just dropped dead."
The second maid frowned. "That's ridiculous. He's only eight months old!"
"But the bodies… they had wounds. Like they'd been bitten."
"…By what? The prince doesn't even have teeth."
The two froze when a guard cleared his throat nearby. "Careful with your tongues. His Majesty said nothing happened last night. You value your jobs, don't you?"
The maids nodded quickly, lowering their heads and rushing off.
Meanwhile, in Leon's study.
"Already, the servants are gossiping," Celestia said, arms crossed.
Leon leaned against his desk, expression grim. "Of course they are. The Fang leaves a mark. Too obvious to ignore."
"Should we silence them?"
Leon shook his head. "Silencing too many only makes it louder. Let the rumor twist itself. They'll start doubting, adding nonsense. In the end, no one will know the truth."
Celestia sighed. "…You're better at this political game than I am."
Leon smirked. "I grew up with vultures. Nobles, ministers, schemers… They're worse than assassins."
"And what of Adrian?" Celestia asked, her tone softening. "One day, he'll hear these rumors himself."
Leon's red eyes turned toward the window, where sunlight crept into the study. "…Then let him hear. Let him know what kind of world he was born into."
In the servants' quarters.
"I'm telling you, the prince glowed!"
"No, no, I heard His Majesty struck the assassins himself."
"Don't be stupid. If the King did it, there'd be sword wounds, not bite marks."
"So what, the baby really has fangs?"
"Keep your voice down! Do you want to lose your head?"
That evening, Leon and Celestia stood by Adrian's crib.
Celestia brushed a hand over her son's silver-golden hair. "The world is already watching you, Adrian. And you can't even walk yet."
Leon gave a quiet chuckle. "He's my son, after all. Born to make noise."
Celestia smiled faintly, though her eyes stayed troubled. "Then we'll protect him. Together. No matter what rumors say."
Adrian stirred, his small hand curling unconsciously. For a split second, his fingernails gleamed faintly gold before fading again.
Neither parent spoke, but both knew: this was only the beginning.
Adrian's POV
So noisy again.
Every time the maids come close, they whisper.
"Golden Fang… Crown Prince… dangerous…"
Dangerous?
They think I can't hear. But I hear everything.
I may be small, but I am not stupid.
Nanny hummed while rocking me.
I tugged her sleeve. "Mmm…"
She smiled down. "Don't worry, little Highness. You're safe. You're safe."
Safe? Then why does her hand tremble?
Later, I overheard two guards outside my door.
Guard 1: "If it's true, then the boy's cursed."
Guard 2: "Cursed? More like blessed. A power like that could crush enemies."
Guard 1: "Or turn against us."
Guard 2: "…Still, it's the King's blood. Who would dare question it?"
Question it? My father? My mother? No… they looked proud when I used it. But everyone else… their voices are sharp.
At night, lying in the crib, I thought to myself.
So this is the world I was born into. A world where even a baby becomes a rumor.
I clenched my tiny fist.
I don't understand this "Golden Fang." But it's mine.
And if people fear me for it… then I must learn to control it.
The door creaked.
Mother peeked in quietly, silver hair glowing in the moonlight.
"Adrian… can you sleep?" she whispered, even though she thought I couldn't answer.
I gurgled softly. She leaned closer, smiling faintly.
"Don't listen to the rumors, my little star. You are not cursed. You are loved."
Father's voice came from behind her. "Even if the world turns against him, he has us."
Their voices were warm. Warm enough to make me close my eyes.
But deep inside, I already knew.
The world outside this crib will not be so kind.