Chapter 54: True Fear.
As the morning light slowly crept through the tall windows of the guest room, Aiden's eyes opened. His mind was calm, his face expressionless, just as always.
He sat up quietly, the faint golden rays falling across his face as the silence of the room surrounded him. Without wasting a second, he stood up, walked to the small basin, and washed his face.
The cold water touched his skin, clearing the last traces of sleep. After washing up, he changed into the fresh clothes placed neatly on the chair near the bed.
Just as he buttoned the last button on his dark shirt, there was a soft knock on the door. A gentle yet firm voice spoke from outside."Sir Victor told me that I have to show the young sir around the house."
It was Benson, the butler, who had brought him clothes yesterday and guided him to the dining room.
Aiden heard the voice as he walked toward the door and opened it. Benson stood there with a polite smile, his back straight and hands behind him.
The butler's old eyes glanced briefly into Aiden's calm, cold eyes, and in that instant, Benson felt a faint chill crawl down his spine.
The boy's eyes had no warmth in them, no light—only deep emptiness. But Benson, being a well-trained servant he quickly composed himself.
Aiden gave a silent nod, his face void of emotion. Benson bowed slightly and said respectfully, "This way, young sir."
The tour of the house then began.
Benson showed Aiden every corner of the house—the wide hallways lined with old paintings, the large glass windows that reflected the morning sun, and the shining marble floors that stretched endlessly.
They walked through a grand garden filled with rare flowers. The scent of roses and lilies floated in the air, soft and calming. Birds chirped quietly, their voices echoing through the green expanse.
They passed the vast lawn where servants were watering the plants and finally reached the training ground—a massive open space covered with smooth tiles and surrounded by thick trees. Aiden's calm eyes quietly scanned everything.
Benson stood beside him, still polite. "Let's go, young sir. The breakfast should be ready," he said in a respectful tone.
Aiden nodded again and began walking beside him.
As they walked toward the dining hall, the aroma of roasted meat, freshly cooked eggs, fish, and tea drifted through the air. The familiar smell hit Aiden's nose, and for a brief second, he froze.
This smell… it reminded him of something—something familiar that he had lost forever. His parents. The warmth of his home. The laughter during breakfast. His eyes dimmed even more, and the faintest trace of pain flashed across his face before disappearing again.
When he entered the dining room, he saw Mary, Victor, and Victoria already seated.
Mary's eyes softened when she saw Aiden. She now knew what he had gone through. Victor had told her everything—how Aiden's parents had died. She had known Jonathan and Sara personally, and when she heard about their deaths, she felt deep sorrow.
Her motherly instincts kicked in as she smiled warmly at the boy. "Come, Aiden. Sit down and eat breakfast," she said softly.
Aiden looked at her as he nodded once and silently walked to his seat. His expression remained cold, his face calm. Mary didn't mind his coldness—she knew that his heart had been scarred, and it would take time for him to open up.
Victoria, however, didn't share her mother's patience. She glared at Aiden for not responding properly. Her anger grew when he ignored her completely, not even glancing in her direction. Her pride screamed in frustration. Just you wait, she thought, I'll teach you a lesson later.
Victor smiled as he picked up his fork. "Let's begin," he said calmly. Everyone started eating quietly.
As they ate, Victor looked at Aiden and said, "Aiden, why don't you and Victoria have a duel after breakfast? I have to leave for the academy soon, so I can't stay here long."
Aiden nodded calmly.
Victor continued, "Victoria has elemental affinity with earth and wind, so you can prepare accordingly."
Victoria's eyes widened slightly, then turned sharp as she glared at her father. She had planned to catch Aiden off guard, to surprise him. But now her father had just revealed her secret. Her anger boiled inside her, but she stayed quiet.
Mary noticed her expression and said gently, "Victoria, your father did the right thing. It should be fair since you already knew his elements."
Victoria's lips tightened, but she lowered her head and said obediently, "Okay, Mom."
The breakfast ended peacefully. Victor placed his napkin down and stood up. "Let's go to the training ground," he said.
Everyone stood and followed him outside. The morning air was fresh, carrying the scent of dew and earth. The training ground was even larger up close than it had seemed earlier—bigger than Aiden's garden where he used to train every day.
As they stepped inside, Victor turned to them. His voice was firm yet gentle. "You both should only take this as a duel, not a real battle. Try to defeat each other without causing any serious injuries."
Victoria crossed her arms and turned her head away proudly, while Aiden simply nodded. His eyes were calm, but deep inside, he had no thoughts of holding back.
Victor gave them both a small smile as he said. "Okay. Go to the middle and take your positions."
Aiden and Victoria walked to the center of the training ground, facing each other. The air around them grew tense. Victoria's brows furrowed in anger—she wanted to prove herself. Aiden's calm face made her even more furious.
Victor's voice echoed across the field. "Begin!"
The moment the word left his mouth, Aiden's body moved. Fire mana gathered in his legs, glowing faintly red. He activated Burst and shot forward like lightning. Victoria's eyes widened—she couldn't even see him move properly.
Before she could react, Aiden's leg swung and hit her waist sharply. She was thrown to the ground, rolling across the dirt.
Victoria groaned in pain, disbelief in her eyes. He hit me… He actually hit me! Never in her life had anyone dared to strike her. Her father always held back, never allowing her to feel pain during training.
Aiden's cold voice reached her ears. "Is this how you plan on becoming the best in the academy? Is this all you've got?"
His words cut through her pride like a blade. She clenched her fists, teeth grinding. She wanted to shout back, but her throat felt dry. Deep down, she knew he was right. With the way she was trained, she could never be the best.
Still, anger and pride pushed her to her feet. She raised her hand, and mana swirled. A sharp wind cutter formed and shot toward Aiden.
But Aiden didn't even move. A wall of water appeared in front of him, calm and clear. The wind cutter hit it and vanished instantly.
Victoria froze. His mana conjuring speed, his control—everything was far beyond hers. She felt her heart drop as Aiden's cold voice came again. "Is this the best you can do? Just summon a wind cutter and throw it at me without even thinking? Is this how you're going to become the best?"
Her face turned red. She bit her lip, her eyes burning. Mana began to swirl violently around her. The ground shook slightly as she released more power.
Wind gathered around her, spinning faster and faster. A storm began to form around Aiden. But he didn't panic.
A calm red glow appeared on his hand as he conjured a fire blade. In one clean motion, he slashed through the windstorm, cutting it open.
Then he activated Burst again and vanished from sight. The next moment, he was standing far away from the collapsing storm.
Victoria gasped in disbelief. She quickly formed another wind cutter and launched it at him, but Aiden reacted instantly. He conjured a fireball and sent it flying forward. The two attacks collided midair with a loud boom, scattering smoke around them.
Before the dust could settle, Aiden created a fireball and a water stream at the same time and sent them toward her.
Victoria saw the twin attacks coming and raised her hand to summon an earth wall, but before she could complete it, the two attacks collided midair. Steam exploded outward, blinding her view.
In that moment, Aiden moved. Using Burst again, he appeared silently behind her. When the steam cleared, he stood there, calm and silent, a fire sword in his hand pressed lightly against her neck.
His cold voice echoed. "If this were a real battle… You would already be dead."
A chill ran down Victoria's spine. Her entire body froze. For the first time in her life, she truly felt fear.
Aiden lowered the sword, letting it fade into nothingness. Then, without another glance, he turned and walked toward Victor and Mary.
Victor and Mary immediately ran toward their daughter. Mary's voice was filled with worry as she said. "Dear, are you alright?"
Victor shouted, "Emily! Come here!"
A woman in armor ran forward—her face hidden beneath a helmet. She was their household healer, a Stage 3 dual-elemental cultivator. She placed her glowing hand on Victoria's shoulder, checking her injuries.
After a few seconds, her voice came out, surprised, she said. "Ma'am, she's not seriously injured at all. There are no deep wounds that need healing."
Victor and Mary exchanged a shocked glance. Aiden… held back?
They looked at the boy walking away—his calm, straight posture, his cold eyes, his perfect control as they thought to themselves. How can such a young boy have this much mastery over himself?
Aiden disappeared into the house, his footsteps echoing faintly.
Mary turned back to Victoria, who was trembling, her eyes wide with horror.
"My dear," Mary whispered softly, brushing her daughter's hair. "Are you alright?"
Victoria looked up, tears streaming down her face as she threw herself into her mother's arms. "M-mom… I almost died…"
Victor and Mary comforted her gently. "It's alright, dear," Victor said softly. "Nothing happened. You're fine."
For a long time, Victoria cried in her mother's arms. The proud girl who once looked down on everyone had now been completely shattered by one emotionless boy—Aiden.
Author's Note: From this moment onwards, Victoria will change for the better as she grows beside Aiden.