Adrian's POV
I was in Father's arms again. His chest was warm, steady, like a mountain that never moved.
But today… the palace was not calm.
Everywhere we walked, people looked.
Not like before.
Before, they looked because I was the Crown Prince.
Now, they looked because of what happened.
Whisper. Whisper. Whisper.
Noble Lady: "Did you hear? The assassins last night…?"
Noble Man: "They say the Golden Fang appeared."
Another: "Nonsense. He's only eight months old."
First: "Then explain the bodies."
Their eyes went to me. Some curious. Some afraid.
I blinked at them, pretending I was just a clueless baby. But I understood.
They didn't know if I was a blessing or a curse.
…Honestly, I didn't know either.
Celestia's POV
The council chamber was loud when we entered.
Leon sat at the head. I sat beside him, hands folded neatly on the table.
"Order," Leon's voice echoed. The room hushed, but tension remained.
Duke Reinhardt, the first to rise, bowed slightly.
"My King, my Queen… I speak not as a rival, but as a servant of the crown. Rumors are spreading. The Crown Prince awakened a power unnatural for an infant. The Golden Fang… a legend tied to destruction."
I raised an eyebrow. "So what do you suggest, Duke? That we fear our own son?"
The Duke coughed. "Not fear, Your Majesty. Caution. The people talk. If left unchecked—"
Count Marlowe cut in. "Caution? Hah. Admit it, Reinhardt. You're afraid. Afraid of a child stronger than you."
Murmurs spread.
Viscount Hale, pale and nervous, added, "If word spreads beyond the capital, foreign kingdoms will hear. They may see the prince as… unstable. Dangerous."
I clenched my jaw. Their words were like poison, masked as "advice."
"He is eight months old," I said sharply. "Barely able to walk. Does that sound dangerous to you?"
No one answered. But I could feel it—their fear.
Leon's POV
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table.
"My son," I said slowly, "is not a curse. He carries my blood, my name, and the strength of this crown. If any man here dares call him a threat, then remember this—he is only eight months old. If he frightens you already, perhaps it is you who should be cautious."
The room fell silent.
Duke Reinhardt swallowed hard. The Count looked away. The Viscount muttered something under his breath but dared not speak again.
I let my red eyes sweep across them. That was enough to silence anyone.
Adrian's POV
I didn't understand everything, but I understood enough.
The men in that room feared me.
Not because of who I was now.
Because of who I might become.
I wanted to laugh.
Eight months old. No teeth yet. Can barely crawl.
And they already trembled.
Father carried me out after the meeting. I reached up and touched his chin.
Leon chuckled. "What is it, son?"
I gurgled nonsense. But in my head, I thought:
I hear them. I see them. I will remember.
Celestia's POV
When Adrian finally slept, I sat by the window with Leon.
The night air was cool, but the fire in my chest burned hotter.
"They are afraid," I whispered.
Leon nodded. "Of course. Power always brings fear. But I expected loyalty, not cowardice."
"Reinhardt is ambitious. He sees Adrian as a threat to his influence. And Hale… Hale is a coward. He'd rather bow to foreign kings than see us grow stronger."
Leon exhaled, running a hand through his golden hair. "If they keep whispering, it won't stop. Rumors grow like weeds."
I looked at our son, sleeping peacefully in his cradle. His tiny chest rose and fell.
He had no idea how heavy the world already was on his shoulders.
"I will protect him," Leon muttered. "From nobles, from assassins, from anyone."
I reached for his hand. "And I will too."
The Next Morning – Rumors Spread
Servants moved through the halls, carrying trays and gossip alike.
Servant 1: "Did you hear? The prince glowed with golden light last night."
Servant 2: "Not light—fangs. They said fangs tore through the assassins."
Servant 3: "Impossible. He's just a baby."
Servant 2: "Then how do you explain the corpses?"
Even guards whispered.
Guard 1: "If true, he's no ordinary prince."
Guard 2: "He might be the strongest in history."
Guard 1: "Or the most dangerous."
By midday, the entire palace buzzed with one question:
Is the Crown Prince a blessing—or a curse?
Adrian's POV
I sat in Mother's lap during breakfast. Her silver hair glowed in the morning sun.
She smiled down at me, but her eyes… they were tired.
"Don't mind the whispers, little one," she murmured, brushing my cheek.
Father entered, his presence filling the room like fire. He sat beside us, tore into bread, and spoke plainly.
"They'll keep talking."
Mother: "I know."
Leon looked at me. His red eyes softened.
"Let them talk. Adrian will prove them wrong one day."
Mother's voice was quiet but firm.
"Or he will prove them right."
The room went still.
She didn't mean it cruelly. She meant it as truth.
I clenched my tiny fists.
I wasn't sure what I would prove yet.
But one day, I'd decide it myself.
Later – Servants' Gossip Reaches Adrian's Ears
Even though they thought I couldn't understand, I heard everything.
Servant girl whispering: "The prince looked straight at me this morning. His eyes… so sharp. Like he knew what I was thinking."
Boy: "Don't be ridiculous. He's just a baby."
Girl: "Then why did I feel like prey?"
I giggled.
If only they knew.
Leon & Celestia POV
That night, after Adrian fell asleep, we spoke once more.
Leon: "Rumors spread faster than fire. By tomorrow, the entire capital will know."
Celestia: "And foreign ears will hear soon after. Enemies may act."
Leon: "Then let them. If they strike, we strike back."
Celestia shook her head. "Leon… he's only a child. He should not carry this weight yet."
Leon's jaw tightened. "I know. That is why we will carry it for him. For as long as we can."
They both looked at the cradle, where I slept.
Celestia whispered: "Adrian… what will you become?"
And though I was asleep, somewhere deep in me, I was asking the same question.
Adrian's POV
The palace was not quiet anymore.
Whispers grew louder each day.
Some eyes looked at me with hope. Others with fear.
I was only eight months old. But I knew one thing:
The world was already watching me.
And whether I liked it or not, my story had already begun.