That very day, Augus left the orphanage, swearing he would achieve great success and promising the others that he would return to help them in the future.
Richard did not take his words seriously, believing that once the boy grew older, he would most likely forget his past.
Life at the orphanage went on as usual for Richard. He continued to absorb Aether almost every day in his spare time.
Without realizing it, two years had passed, and he was now seven years old.
---
[Status]
[Name: Richard]
[Magic Realm: Mortal]
[Aether: 850/1000
[Aether Accumulation: 850
[Soul: Mortal]
[Element Affinity:]
(Fire: 90%)
(Earth: 90%)
(Darkness: 90%)
(Blood: 90%)
(Shadow: 90%)
(Thunder: 90%)
(Iron: 90%)
(Wave: 79%)
(Cloud: 57%)
[Codex:]
Codex of the Dragon Emperor (23%)
[Innate Arcane Art from the Codex of Dragon Emperor:]
Dragon's Roar (Locked)
Dragon's Wings (Locked)
Dragon Transformation (Locked)
[Grimoire: None]
[Arcane Art: None]
---
His progress over the past two years was not as great as he had hoped, for he had initially believed his Aether would have reached 1000 by now.
Unfortunately, the System had divided its enhancements. Instead of focusing solely on his Aether, it frequently increased his Elemental Affinities. Nearly all of them had now reached 90%.
Richard was uncertain why the System ceased its enhancements once an element reached 90%.
Even so, according to the tales of the Dragon Knight, 90% was already considered the pinnacle. Every element he conjured was exceptionally pure, the very peak of its kind.
In his room, Richard sat with open eyes after hours of meditation, having absorbed more Aether.
Now, with 850 Aether within him, the difference was naturally immense compared to when he had possessed only fourteen.
Yet he alone knew how strong he truly was—even though he could only control 85 of his 850 Aether.
His anticipation swelled at the thought of reaching the 1000 mark. That was the key requirement to advance into the Realm of Aether Will, where his body would forge its own Will, granting him full control over every particle of Aether.
At that point, his strength would increase tenfold.
'I won't have to worry anymore about venturing beyond these walls,' he thought.
For all this time, he had never once left the village.
At first, he was content. But as he grew older, his curiosity about the world beyond only deepened, leaving him restless.
Fiuuuh…
He exhaled softly, rose to his feet, and stepped out of his room.
For the past two years, he had spent most of his time confined indoors. At times, he even skipped lunch or dinner.
No one truly knew what was wrong with him. Yet whenever he emerged, he always appeared cheerful, so none could claim he was troubled.
Today, however, Richard decided he would go fishing to ease his weary mind. Constant training had left him mentally exhausted.
With the strength he now possessed, he was confident enough to venture farther than the village outskirts—toward the upper reaches of the river, which bordered a vast forest.
Few villagers dared to tread that way, and there were no fixed paths.
Often, he had to cut through tall grass or hack away low branches before he could move forward.
At last, he stopped beside a tree only ten meters tall but with a trunk so thick it dwarfed the boy.
Not far from the tree, great splashes rose in the water, making him suspect that large fish swam there in abundance.
Settling down comfortably, Richard felt no discomfort from the heat, for he still wore his Cooling Necklace, which remained in perfect condition even after all these years.
Casting his bait into the river, he leaned back, content. For him, even waiting was a form of entertainment, never boring.
But not long after tossing in the line, his eyes widened in shock.
A figure was drifting downriver, carried by the current.
Never before had he seen such a thing.
He fixed his gaze, realizing it was a middle-aged man with curly black hair.
The man's body was tall and robust, his face strikingly handsome.
He wore a black surcoat of fine fabric and large leather boots that gleamed in the sunlight.
Richard needed no guesses to understand: this was no ordinary man. He clearly belonged to a background of power.
'He seems unconscious… but he's definitely still alive,' Richard thought, noticing the steady rise and fall of his chest.
Indeed, the man's breathing was calm, as if he were merely asleep.
Richard hesitated, uncertain whether he should dive into the river.
But after a brief moment of thought, he leapt in. There was no other way to pull the man to shore.
Fortunately, the river was not too wide, though its current was fierce.
Richard swam with ease, seized the man's clothing, and dragged him to the bank.
It was not exhausting for him.
Yet once on land, Richard was unsure how to awaken him.
"Sir…" he called softly. But there was no response.
The man was truly unconscious.
Richard wondered how long it would be before he woke. It was impossible to carry him back to the village.
'Perhaps he'll wake within a few hours. If not… I'll simply leave him here,' Richard thought, before returning to his fishing.
He planned to stay until late afternoon anyway; he could wait.
Here, he was free to do whatever he wished.
When hunger came, he only needed to roast the fish he caught.
"Mmm… what is that smell? Delicious…"
The sudden voice startled him greatly.
His head snapped toward the middle-aged man, who was still lying on the ground. His nose twitched, his lips parted, though his eyes remained closed.
"Sir…" Richard called again, wondering if he was awake.
The roasted fish's aroma must have stirred him.
But when the man gave no reply, Richard frowned.
'What if I try this?'
An idea struck him.
He picked up a cooked piece of fish and held it beneath the man's nose.
At once, the man inhaled sharply.
"So hungry!" His mouth opened as he spoke unconsciously, attempting to bite the meat—but Richard pulled it away.
"Stop!"
The man suddenly grabbed Richard's hand. At once, Richard felt his entire body lock in place, unable to move under the man's grip.
Then, the man's eyes opened.
Surprise flickered in them. He released Richard's hand, seized the fish instead, and devoured it.
"Not bad," he said, glancing at the roasted fish. Then, in a commanding tone, "Boy, roast more. One won't be enough. I need several."
"Yes, sir…" Richard agreed with a smile.
He had already concluded this man was no ordinary wanderer. Offering him food was no burden—Richard was certain the favor would one day be repaid.
He began cutting and roasting more fish.
But then he noticed something strange. The man was staring at him—serious, unblinking.
"What is it, sir?" Richard asked, uneasy under his gaze.
"You…" The man's tone carried both curiosity and weight.
"What is your name? You seem to be of my bloodline. I can feel my blood flowing in you. By my reckoning… you must be the great-grandson of my grandson."
Richard: "…"
While he was still stunned, the man's expression shifted from shock to sorrow.
"It seems… my failure to seize the World Magic Aether doomed the Moonshadow Clan. Once glorious in the Land of Human, my clan must have been destroyed by my enemies. Now, my descendants are reduced to living in these remote forests."
He sighed deeply, regret clouding his handsome face.
"I wonder… are there any others besides you who still survive?"
---