The palace nursery was unusually quiet that morning, the sunlight stretching in soft lines across the polished floor. Adrian sat cross-legged on the rug, his small hands holding a curious, intricately carved wooden puzzle. His brow furrowed in concentration, though inside, his thoughts raced far beyond his years.
This is simple… but if I manipulate the pieces in a certain way…
He adjusted the pieces carefully. The puzzle, meant to challenge a three-year-old, fell apart in his hands—not broken, just rearranged. The pieces formed an entirely new pattern: a miniature map of the palace with marked secret passages.
Adrian's eyes widened. Oh… wow. That's… unintended.
The door creaked open. Celestia entered, carrying a tray with morning tea and some pastries. Her silver hair shimmered in the light, her blue eyes warm but alert.
"Adrian," she said softly. "What are you doing this morning?"
Adrian glanced up, quickly trying to hide the pattern he had created with the puzzle pieces. "…Playing," he said, his voice casual.
Celestia smiled faintly. "Playing? You look very serious for play."
"I'm… practicing, Mother," he replied, his small hands fiddling with the pieces.
She crouched down to his level, curious. "Practicing what, exactly?"
Adrian hesitated. The puzzle had revealed more than just his dexterity—it had shown a natural aptitude for spatial reasoning far beyond his age. If I explain, they'll know… they'll realize I'm not like other children.
"I… uh…" he muttered, pretending to focus on the pieces again. "Practicing… patterns."
Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Patterns?"
Adrian nodded quickly. "Yes. Patterns. Very important. For… uh… building things."
She studied him carefully. "Building things… hm. Very well, show me what you've made."
Adrian swallowed. Do I dare? He carefully rotated the puzzle pieces. Slowly, the map formed again, a detailed miniature blueprint of the palace, accurate enough that Celestia could recognize secret corridors.
Celestia gasped softly. "Adrian…"
Adrian froze. "I… I didn't mean to… I just—"
She knelt closer, her hand reaching out to touch the puzzle lightly. "…This is extraordinary. How… how could a three-year-old make something like this?"
Adrian's face flushed. "I-I don't know! I just… moved the pieces and it… happened."
Celestia's eyes softened with awe. "This… this is more than skill. You can sense space and form in ways even some adults cannot. Adrian… you have a gift."
Adrian's ears turned red. "I-I'm not that amazing! Really!"
Celestia chuckled. "Oh, my little prince. You don't realize how remarkable you are."
At that moment, the study doors opened with a heavy step. Leon Leonhart, his father, entered, his golden eyes immediately catching the unusual scene.
"Celestia… why are you gasping?" Leon asked, his voice calm but commanding. His gaze then fell on Adrian and the puzzle map. "And… what is this?"
Celestia gestured to the pieces. "Adrian… made this."
Leon crouched down, his eyes narrowing as he examined the puzzle. "He… recreated the palace in detail? Every hidden passage?"
Adrian's tiny hands twitched. "I… I didn't mean to… really."
Leon's expression remained calm but sharp. "This is not normal."
Adrian tried to look innocent. "It's… just a puzzle, Father."
Leon's gaze pierced him. "…A puzzle that recreates the palace, including secret corridors, some I haven't told him about. And you are three years old."
Adrian shuffled in his seat, ears burning. "…I… I just moved the pieces around…"
Celestia placed a hand on his shoulder, shielding him gently. "Leon, it's a gift. He didn't mean to. Look at him—he's only a child."
Leon's lips twitched faintly. "A child… yes. But a child who could, if trained, understand tactics and layouts better than most generals. Do you see the implications?"
Adrian tilted his head, trying to appear calm. "…Implications?"
"You could be teaching him things he shouldn't know yet," Leon continued, his voice cold but measured. "He could memorize every corridor, every hidden room… a child with that kind of mind could be dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands."
Adrian's heart pounded. Dangerous? No, I'm not dangerous… I just want to learn.
Celestia frowned at Leon. "Leon, don't frighten him. Adrian, your father only worries because he cares. That's all."
Adrian blinked. "I… I know." He pressed the puzzle to his chest. "…I didn't want to show off."
Leon softened slightly. "…It doesn't matter if you didn't intend to. Talent like this does not go unnoticed. And you cannot hide it forever."
Adrian's tiny mouth twisted in frustration. "…I don't want to be… special. I just… want to be me."
Celestia smiled gently, brushing back a lock of silver hair from his face. "Adrian… being you is what makes you special. Your gifts… your mind… they are part of who you are. And part of being a royal child is learning how to use your gifts responsibly."
Leon stood, his hands clasped behind his back. "Indeed. And we will guide you. But understand this—power, knowledge, intelligence… they all come with responsibility. Do you understand?"
Adrian nodded slowly, his small fists curled in his lap. "…Yes, Father."
Celestia leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Good. And know this… we love you, no matter how smart or powerful you are."
Adrian's ears turned crimson. "M-Mother! Don't say that so loudly!"
Celestia chuckled. "You can be flustered all you want. It's endearing."
Leon's lips twitched faintly. "…She's right. You will need thick skin in this life. But also courage. And wisdom. And… intelligence like this is both a blessing and a burden."
Adrian swallowed. I already know the burden… but maybe this time I can manage it.
Celestia straightened, gesturing to the puzzle pieces. "Adrian, tomorrow, we will start small exercises to help you use this talent properly. Nothing dangerous, just… training your mind. Do you agree?"
Adrian nodded quickly, eager yet hesitant. "…Yes. I want to."
Leon's gaze softened just a fraction, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "…Very well. But remember—no hiding from us. Your talent must be guided, not squandered."
Adrian pressed the puzzle back together, forming the miniature palace map again. Guided… yes. This time, I won't fail.
Celestia watched him carefully. "My little genius… what will you become?"
Adrian smiled faintly, a mix of childlike mischief and reincarnated determination. "Someone… who protects the people I care about. This time… no mistakes."
Leon's golden eyes lingered on him, a mixture of pride, concern, and calculation. "Then we will prepare you… properly."
The three of them sat in the sunlight, the quiet palace stretching around them. Adrian, small but impossibly bright, held his tiny puzzle in his hands, unaware that the world outside was already far too simple for the mind he carried within.