It had been two days since Lucien's Awakening.
The chamber doors had opened, and light flooded the room—yet the warmth that greeted him wasn't from the runes or golden aura he bore.
It was from Seraphina's trembling voice.
"Lucien… how do you feel?" she asked, her violet eyes glassy but steady. Her hands gripped his shoulders as though afraid he might vanish.
Lucien blinked slowly. His body still ached, but he smiled faintly. "I'm alright, Mother. Just... tired."
The moment those words left his mouth, Celeste broke into quiet sobs and threw her arms around him. "Idiot... we were so scared. You—You weren't moving for hours."
He ruffled her hair with a gentle chuckle. "Did you miss me that much?"
"I thought you'd come out acting all cool," she sniffled, "but you're still the same jerk."
Caelum stood behind them. Unlike the women, he didn't speak right away. His brows were slightly furrowed, arms crossed—his usual stoic demeanor slightly cracked by something deeper.
Lucien met his gaze.
"You've changed," Caelum said simply, walking forward. "There's something in your eyes now… something fierce. Elira had that look once."
Lucien's smile wavered, but he nodded.
"I'll train you harder now," Caelum added with a small grunt. "No more holding back."
In the corner of the room, Maeve stood silently, leaning against a pillar, arms folded. She tilted her head at Lucien, offering a small smirk. "Still standing, I see. Good. I'd have been disappointed otherwise."
Lucien looked at all of them—his strange, patched-together family—and felt an odd warmth bloom in his chest.
He was back. And he wasn't the same anymore.
---
Two days late,the Vaelor estate was transformed.
The great banquet hall, usually reserved for high councils and seasonal feasts, brimmed with life and laughter. Tables covered in white velvet cloth lined the sides, adorned with rare wines, glazed meats, and sapphire-studded centerpieces.
Dukes, Marquesses, Counts, and heirs of countless prestigious houses gathered—drawn not just by politics, but by curiosity.
Lucien DrayvenVaelor, the boy who had awakened under mysterious signs, had emerged not as an ordinary scion, but as a radiant beacon of promise.
Dozens of guests showered him with gifts: enchanted artifacts, rare books, luxurious fabrics, and ancient coins from foreign empires. Every noble, it seemed, wanted to be remembered when Lucien's star rose higher.
But gifts were not the only things being offered.
Lady Miralda, daughter of Duke Kessel, leaned closer than necessary as she handed him a carved amethyst pendant. "For you, my lord. It suits your eyes."
"I see," Lucien said, trying to step back subtly.
Not far off, the golden-haired Lady Anais giggled behind a fan. "He's even more handsome up close. And they say his charm is C-Rank?"
"Astonishing, right? Noah Miller, the chosen hero only had D-Rank"
"Exactly! And Lord Lucien's aura is so composed. Mmh… so mature…"
Lucien endured it all with practiced calm, though internally, he felt mildly suffocated.
Still, he played the role expected of him—nodding politely, offering curt but respectful replies, accepting gifts with grace.
Eventually, the evening wound down.
Caelum raised a toast to Lucien. "To my son—may his light guide this family, and this world."
Applause thundered.
Lucien bowed his head, but something in his mind was already elsewhere.
---
Later that night, as the estate returned to calm, Lucien stood in Caelum's study.
The fireplace cast soft shadows across the walls. Caelum sat behind his grand desk, sipping a dark liquor. Lucien's request had just been voiced.
"I want to go away for three days," he said.
Caelum narrowed his eyes. "No."
"I won't be in danger," Lucien said firmly. "I just need time—alone. To sort through what's happened. Please."
Caelum set the glass down.
"You think I'll just let you wander off into unknown territory after what you went through?" His voice was calm, but hard. "Lucien, you collapsed in that chamber. You were unconscious for hours. Even now, your mana core's unstable. What if something happens again?"
"I know my limits," Lucien said. "And I'm not running away. I'm chasing something. Trust me."
Caelum stood. "Trust isn't the issue. It's my responsibility to ensure your safety. If you die now—if something happens to you—it's not just a personal loss. You're vital to our family, to our future. You don't have the luxury to act recklessly."
Lucien clenched his fists. "I'm not being reckless. There's something I have to find. Something important. I can't explain it fully, but… it could help me grow stronger. Help me stand on my own."
Father and son stared at each other. The tension was thick, like two swords pressing at the edge of a fight.
Finally, Caelum sighed heavily.
"You'll take two guards with you. You'll send a mana flare every evening. If you're late even once, I'm dragging you back myself."
Lucien blinked, then nodded with a smile. "Deal."
"One more thing," Caelum added, walking to a bookshelf and pulling a hidden lever.
A small staircase revealed itself, leading downward.
"When you return, you may choose three skill books from our family's treasury. Remember—your skill proficiency determines what you can use. You can only learn a skill that's at most one rank above your current level. Anything higher won't synchronize."
Lucien's eyes lit up. "Thank you."
"I still don't like this," Caelum muttered. "But… you are Elira's son. You wouldn't ask without reason."
---
The next morning, a carriage stood at the gate.
Lucien had already bid his farewell to Seraphina, who hugged him twice before letting go with tears in her eyes. Celeste tried to act tough but ended up shoving a small pouch of dried berries into his hand.
"Don't starve," she said, then added, "And don't die."
He ruffled her hair. "I'll be back in a few days. Save me some sweets."
As he climbed into the carriage, the driver—an old man with sharp eyes—turned and asked, "Where to, young master?"
Lucien's gaze drifted toward the horizon. "Ivy Forest."
The old man raised an eyebrow but didn't question it.
---
Ivy Forest
Nestled close to the town of Atlanta, Ivy Forest was a stretch of wilderness untouched by kingdom borders. It belonged to no noble house, no territory—untamed, mystical, and ancient.
Locals whispered that the forest rejected ownership. Those who tried to tame it often found themselves lost or worse.
The trees were massive, twisting in odd shapes, their leaves whispering even when wind did not stir.
Lucien stepped off the carriage and entered alone.
The canopy above filtered the sun into mosaic fragments. The deeper he went, the quieter it became—until even the birds held their breath.
"Now… where is the white trunk?" he whispered.
He searched for an hour, pacing deeper into the thick foliage.
And then, he saw it.
Among the green and brown, a solitary tree stood—its bark pure white, smooth as marble.
Lucien approached and touched the surface. It was cool, seemingly ordinary. But as he poured mana into it, something shifted.
The tree began to morph. Its trunk rippled, like a pond touched by wind. A hollow emerged—and from it, a small wooden chest slid out.
Lucien opened the chest without hesitation.
Inside rested a single black fruit, shaped like an apple but darker than night itself—and next to it, an egg the size of a football, pale gray with faint golden lines.
He picked up the fruit. "So this is it…"
Without a moment's pause, he bit into it.
The taste was… odd. Sweet, then bitter, then strangely cold. He swallowed the entire fruit in minutes.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then came the pain.
It surged into his eyes like molten steel. Lucien fell to one knee, fingers clutching the ground—but he didn't scream.
Not even a breath escaped.
His face was pale, teeth clenched, eyes unblinking.
And then… it stopped.
A whisper echoed in his mind.
> [Appraisal has been learned]
Lucien gasped and opened his eyes.
---
Status
Name: Lucien Vaelor Evernight
Age: 13
Rank: E
Arts:
— Appraisal (Basic): Allows user to read the status and abilities of individuals or objects. The accuracy and detail depend on user's own mana sensitivity and rank. Some higher-ranked entities may resist or block appraisal attempts.
---
Lucien blinked, blinking slowly as a strange awareness settled in his vision. He turned toward the egg in the chest.
"And now… you, little one."
In this world, every person could form up to three contracts with familiars. These spirit-bound companions varied by tier—Tier 1 being the weakest, Tier 9 the strongest. But no Tier 9 beast had been seen since the Demon Calamity a century ago, when ten percent of the world's population was wiped out.
In the original novel, Noah Miller had stumbled upon this egg entirely by accident. One of his early harem members, a merchant's daughter, had found it during an expedition and handed it to him without realizing its value.
Lucien sighed. "Unbelievable. You were handed power by coincidence."
To form a contract with a familiar, one needed either to defeat the beast in combat or reach mutual consent.
But eggs were different.
They were blank slates. To form a bond, one only needed to pour mana into them over time. The denser and purer one's mana—and the strength of their soul—shaped the beast's final form and ability.
Lucien knelt before the egg and placed both hands on its shell. He closed his eyes, pushing a steady stream of mana into it.
The shell pulsed faintly in response.
"A week, maybe more," Lucien murmured. "Until then… I'm staying right here."
He looked around the clearing, pulled his cloak tighter, and sat down next to the white tree.
Above, the sky darkened with clouds, but inside Lucien's heart, a fire had been lit.
Not a fire of rage. Not vengeance.
But of silent, deliberate resolve.
Fun fact:Noah's companion in the original novel was a.....snake hybrid , Totally befitting ,right?