After taking the oath, I left the room alone.
My first task was simple—or so I thought: find the servants' quarters. Yet in an estate as vast as the Vermillion residence, even something so basic felt overwhelming. The corridors stretched endlessly, branching in all directions, adorned with carvings, pillars, and lanterns that glowed softly even in the fading light of evening. I couldn't help but stare in awe.
This place was enormous. I didn't even try to count how many rooms it might have—doing so felt pointless. Still, considering that the Vermillion family was said to be one of the richest families in the world, perhaps an estate like this was only natural.
Eventually, I asked a pair of guards for directions. They didn't question me, merely pointing me toward the servants' quarters and guiding me part of the way. Their professionalism alone told me how disciplined this household was.
The servants' quarters were far better than anything I had imagined. The room assigned to me was spacious, filled with several neatly arranged beds and equipped with various appliances and furnishings I had never used before. I was given a bed near the window.
When I looked outside, my breath caught.
From that window, I could see the Deadrock Forest stretching endlessly into the distance. Even from here, it felt oppressive—dark, ancient, and alive. Just thinking about the fact that we had passed through that forest to reach this place sent a chill down my spine.
As night fell, I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. My mind replayed everything that had happened since I left my town. The offer. The journey. The oath. The name.
Ryu.
Somehow, night arrived before I realized it. It was time to sleep.
But sleep didn't come easily.
This was my first time sleeping on a bed. For most people, a soft mattress would have been comforting. For me, it felt strange—unnatural. I had grown used to the hard, cold floor. Here, my body sank into the bedding, and no matter how I turned, I couldn't find a familiar position.
I struggled for a long time, tossing and turning.
Still, I clenched my fists.
I had to change.
Young Master Aleric had given me an opportunity—one that felt rarer than one in a billion. If I clung to my old habits, I would never be worthy of the trust placed in me. I couldn't remain the same person I had been before.
Taking a firm resolve, I forced my eyes shut.
Just as I was on the edge of sleep, a sound reached my ears.
Grr… grrr…
My eyes snapped open.
My heart began to pound. Was it a tiger? Some kind of beast from the Deadrock Forest? Was something attacking the estate?
Panic rose in my chest.
Then, moments later, the sound vanished.
Silence returned.
I lay there, frozen, listening carefully. Nothing followed.
Was I imagining things?
I let out a shaky breath.
Great… at this rate I'll start seeing ghosts too, I thought bitterly.
Exhaustion finally won. Despite my fear, I drifted into sleep.
—
"Ryu! Wake up! You have training today!"
A voice jolted me awake.
It was the same guard who had shown me the way to my room the night before. For a moment, his words barely registered. My body still felt heavy, my mind clouded.
I almost drifted back to sleep—
Then I shot upright.
"What time is it?" I asked urgently.
"Six thirty in the morning."
My heart sank.
Training was at seven.
That gave me only half an hour.
I scrambled out of bed, asking the guard for directions to the bathroom and whatever else I needed. Everything felt unfamiliar, and I fumbled through the process, but somehow, I managed to get ready just in time.
By seven sharp, I reached the training grounds.
The sight before me left me stunned.
Hundreds of guards were already training.
Some were sparring with bare hands, their movements sharp and precise. Others practiced archery, arrows slicing through the air. Nearby, groups were doing push-ups, running drills, and countless other exercises I couldn't even name.
The sheer scale of it all overwhelmed me.
This is the Vermillion family…
A surge of motivation rushed through me. If I wanted to survive here—if I wanted to prove my worth—I couldn't fall behind.
I began searching for my instructor. I had heard his name earlier… Voor, I think.
As I looked around, a middle-aged man approached me. He had a thick beard and wore simple white clothes that contrasted with the armored guards around him.
"Are you Ryu?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied.
"I am Voor," he said calmly. "Your instructor. I'll be teaching you physical combat."
So this was him.
I straightened my posture, trying to appear confident as his eyes swept over me. I could feel him judging every inch of my body.
"How old are you?" he asked.
"I don't know exactly," I answered honestly. "But I think I'm around sixteen or seventeen."
Voor nodded. "Your weight is about thirty kilograms."
I flinched internally.
"You need to gain weight," he continued. "Before formal training begins, I'll give you a set of exercises. You must complete them every day before coming to class."
Before… class?
I had barely woken up at six thirty, and now he was telling me I needed to exercise even earlier.
I nodded obediently, though I was cursing my fate inwardly.
Still, I reminded myself—this was necessary. I had chosen this path.
Voor handed me a list and demonstrated a myriad exercises. Just watching them made my muscles ache.
"And remember," he added, turning away, "this is only the preparation. Training hasn't even started yet."
I stared at the list in my hands.
So this was the Vermillion family.
My real training had just begun.