The immense energy in question could not be explained by the physician until the examination ended.
Little Nero still wore the distinctive smile of a baby that would bring peace to any heart, but unfortunately, at the wrong time, his parents looked at him with fearful faces.
As he grew up, Nero might reveal what could evoke intense fear in his parents.
The tiny baby slowly closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep, his right thumb sucked contentedly.
Edmon and his wife Lissa exchanged looks, filled with great concern about what was happening.
This incident led the family to decide to restrict Nero's activities.
Since the age of 4, Nero was often confined to a room, accompanied by several books.
Today was no different. He was sitting near the window of his room, reading some books about ancient gods.
"These books are really enjoyable!"
he said, unable to take his eyes off the lines of text. An unusual sound reached his ears, originating from the open door.
"Emily!"
Emily smiled upon seeing Nero's joyful face, followed by a warm embrace that he had longed for.
Emily, a young woman 20 years old, worked as Nero's caretaker because she needed employment. She was fortunate to be accepted into Edmon's wealthy family known for their trade in fabrics and clothing. Although Edmon was not a nobleman, he was skilled enough in trading to be known to various nobles interested in the clothing he sold.
"What is Young Master doing?" Emily asked.
"I'm reading a book about ancient gods that Emily gave me!" the child answered, pointing to the book.
Emily was pleased that her gift of books could comfort Nero. However, she couldn't fathom why this seemingly normal child was placed in a somewhat remote building, far from Edmon's luxurious residence.
"Will I be free like those gods someday?"
This question confused Emily. Their eyes met in silence. Emily had to find an answer quickly to dispel the growing ambiguity.
"Y-Yes, of course..."
she accidentally blurted out.
"Really..."
That statement triggered a truly happy look in Nero's eyes. The child then turned away from her, gazing out the window where the sunlight happened to fall, creating a warm and majestic silhouette.
Guilt haunted Emily, knowing that her response was just a lie that might become a mistake in the future. However, she tried to muster a smile to alleviate this fear.
Days passed swiftly, and the presence of Nero had been forgotten by Edmon and Lissa. Undeniably, they had a replacement for Nero in the form of Lyra, who was born five years ago — a little girl who became their new hope.
Now, at the age of 9, Nero's existence remained unnoticed by everyone except Emily, who sat with him in his room.
They played and laughed, clapping hands and singing a birthday song with candles and a cake adorned with a few fruits.
Pilt... Nero blew out the row of candles, followed by Emily's applause, which boosted his spirits. Next was the gift Emily gave to Nero. Wrapped in a white cloth box, his curiosity peaked as Nero looked breathless.
"Please open it!"
Excitement prompted his hands to move swiftly, unveiling the neatly wrapped contents.
One by one the coverings fell away, revealing an object Nero had never seen before — a book with a black cover adorned with a bird wing symbol.
"Wow..."
But Nero's eyes didn't turn despondent or bored; this was the best gift he could receive from someone who cared about him.
"What's this book?" Nero asked eagerly.
"I'm giving this book to Young Master. It's a book about magic and cultivation!"
Nero's eyes widened a bit, and he tilted his head with innocence.
"Cultivation? What's that?"
"Oh..."
Emily hurriedly covered her mouth, feeling foolish for mentioning something that shouldn't be said to children.
"It's like magical techniques!"
"Magical techniques?" Whatever it was, everything he heard fueled excitement.
As the small birthday celebration ended, Emily naturally decided to leave. Nero was left alone as usual. He wasn't afraid; this was how it had always been.
He found darkness and silence more comforting.
Thud...
The large book was placed half-open on the table, its thickness comparable to a grown man's fist.Nero was eager to dive into its contents.
Unbeknownst to Nero, Emily had given him the book that made her afraid — one that haunted her with a dread she couldn't explain. Before going too far, Emily glanced toward the building where Nero was confined.
"Is it okay for me to give him a marad book like that?"
She tried to dismiss her doubts, reminding herself that Nero was only 9 years old.
Nero was still full of excitement as he opened the cover of the thick book. He was confronted with a strange text that he couldn't understand, but it didn't bother him.
Edmon's fear wasn't just based on the physician's words; it was also about Nero's abnormal development. Nero had never learned to read ancient letters or anything related to artifacts, but here he easily grasped the meaning of the book's contents.
Cultivation and magic were contained within the book, just as Emily had said. It was merely a learning tool, but she hadn't been cautious enough — the book was an advanced-level text, usually studied by Level 3 or higher gods.
The first sentence Nero read in the book was large enough to fill an entire clean page:
"Let the Energy Unfold!"
Nero's heartbeat raced; it resonated once but awakened something within him.
His entire body seemed to come alive as if he had dwelled in this moment for a long time.
His eyes felt like they were plummeting from a height of thousands of meters. It was a brief sensation before it subsided.
"What was that?"
To be continued...
A voice echoed from someone who was cultivating at a high place, gazing at the stars on a dark night. The energy that manifested itself was unrecognizable, yet it felt terrifying and powerful. Some even speculated that an event from over 5000 years ago might occur again.
"Wow... what was that? I feel so light..." Nero clenched his fist. His small muscles stood out, and he was filled with a mysterious presence.
"This is truly extraordinary..."