Zephyros leaned against the door to Kael's room and smiled. "You have the day off today, Kael. We're going into town. Let me show you around the capital of the Eastern Kingdom."
Kael's eyes lit up. He hadn't ventured beyond the borders of his small village since he was born. They quickly got ready, hopped into the horse-drawn carriage his uncle had arranged, and set off. As the wheels rolled along the dirt road, Zephyros asked:
"How's your training going? Have you gotten used to it?"
Kael answered while watching the scenery outside:
"My training is going very well, Uncle. Thanks to Master Grimm's drills, my body doesn't feel as heavy anymore. I've also started to gain better control over fire magic. Master Pyros told me
about Signature Spells. It's a spell technique unique to mages of the 6th Ring and above—every mage must create their own signature spell once they reach that level. In fact, having a signature spell is one of the academy's graduation requirements."
Zephyros nodded. "Yes, Kael, every master mage has a signature. It's a wizard's secret trump
card; some manipulate the environment, others create pure destruction. Remember I told you
about the 9th-Ring wizard Luminos? The name of his Signature Spell is 'Cathedral.' I once witnessed it; in an instant, the entire battlefield was trapped inside a massive, spiritual cathedral."
Kael blurted out excitedly: "Uncle, I'd really love to see Luminos!"
"Ah, that old monster?" Zephyros laughed. "You wouldn't want to meet him, I assure you. Look, we're almost there, Kael. There lies the heart of the Eastern Kingdom!"
As the carriage rounded the hill's slope, Kael's breath caught in his throat. On the horizon, the S
ilverwing Castle rose up, reaching toward the clouds. The white marble towers glistened in the sunlight. Right beside the castle stood the Academy Building, the pinnacle of the art of magic; with runic rings floating around it, it looked like a living monument.
When they entered the city, Kael experienced a complete culture shock. Huge dwarves, delicate elves, and beast-like races with lion-maned hair lived side by side. The Eastern Kingdom was the
most liberal of the five kingdoms; here there were no chains, only the sounds of trade and magic.
The Eastern Kingdom was the least discriminatory of the five kingdoms; slavery was banned,
and the rights of every race were equal. As they made their way through the crowd, they
stopped in front of a massive stone statue. The statue symbolized the intertwined hands of different races. Zephyros spoke, pointing to the dwarves around them and the animal-like caravan of merchants joking cheerfully:
"This place feels strange, doesn't it, Kael? Back in your village, you only saw humans, but here the world is boiling in a single cauldron."
Kael replied, gazing in awe at an orc passing by who carried a massive axe on his back: "Yes, Uncle... Everyone is so different. It's as if everyone's been friends for a thousand years."Zephyros smiled slightly, but there was a serious gleam in his eyes.
"Because the Eastern Kingdom is founded on a single principle: 'Talent trumps bloodline.' In other kingdoms, if you're an elf, you might be a slave, or if you're beast-like, you can only do manual labor. But here, if your spirit is strong or your craft is unique, you can even sit at the king's table."
As Kael looked out at the crowd in the square, his uncle placed a hand on his shoulder.
"This freedom is beautiful, Kael, but it's just as dangerous. The peaceful coexistence of such diverse powers depends entirely on how much pressure those at the top can exert. If that balance is broken, this city will turn into the world's greatest battlefield. That's why everyone here must push their own power to the limit to preserve the peace."
Kael clenched his fist. "So being strong here isn't just about survival—it's also necessary to uphold this order…"Zephyros nodded. "Exactly. Now come on, let's quiet that rumbling in your stomach. Look, that werewolf's pies up ahead are famous!"
They approached a small food stand by the roadside. Standing at the stand was a vendor of the wolf race, with gray fur and pointed ears.
"Hot meat pies! The best in the kingdom!" the vendor called out. Zephyros bought two and handed one to Kael. When Kael took a bite of the pie, he was enchanted by the spicy flavor that spread through his mouth.
"Thank you, sir!" he said with a smile. The vendor responded by wagging his tail slightly.
As Zephyros made his way through the crowd, he grew serious. "Kael, use the mana perception Pyros taught you now. With so many different races and powers here, this is the best place to practice."
Kael closed his eyes. He sent his mana out like ripples created by a stone thrown into a lake, then drew it back. Thousands of different colors flickered around him. Weak and trembling auras, strong and steady auras...
"Uncle, I can feel it, but it's too complicated! Everyone's aura is mixing together. I can't tell which aura belongs to whom," he said.
"It's great for a start," said Zephyros. "When you can distinguish these auras one by one in the future, you'll feel your enemy on your neck even with your eyes closed. By the way, we're going to visit a friend today."
Kael was curious.
They arrived at a magnificent mansion in a quieter but more opulent part of the city. Zephyros stopped at the door and shouted in a voice that echoed down the entire street: "Hey, Hestia!
Come out here, you library mouse!"
The door swung open suddenly. A middle-aged woman appeared, her eyes holding a wise depth but her hair slightly disheveled. "Ah, Zephyros! You old fool, what do you want now?"
"Come on, we're old friends, and I'm still in my 40s!" said Zephyros with a feigned pout.
"Besides, I came here to have a chat over a cup of tea."
Hestia sighed, "I'm busy, Zephyros; I don't have time for your jokes." Just then, she noticed Kael.
"Who's this kid?"
"This is Kael, my nephew. I brought him here for his education."Hestia looked into Kael's eyes. He had a signet ring on his hand, but Hestia's eyes saw beyond the ring—that faintly flickering dark ember deep within Kael's soul.
"So you separated this poor child from his family and brought him to the Central Kingdom, did you?"
Zephyros: "Come on, am I really that heartless? His mother asked me to."Hestia looked into Kael's eyes, "Well, if that's the case, let's go inside."
The inside of the house was a complete mess of genius. There were ancient parchments on the floor, pots of boiling potions, and star charts hanging in the air. As Hestia set the teas on the table, Zephyros whispered to Kael:
"This is Lady Hestia, one of the most brilliant mages at the Royal Research Institute.
Hestia's spirit froze in that moment. Within Kael, a massive shadow—still dormant but breathing—growled as if chained. For a split second, Hestia felt as though she were drowning in that dark
sea; she thought that if the sleeping beast were to awaken, it would plunge not just the room, but the entire kingdom into darkness.
Hestia quickly pulled her hands away from Kael. She stumbled backward and crashed into the
table; the cups fell to the floor and shattered. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and cold sweat
poured down her forehead. Beneath Kael's innocent, childlike gaze, she had seen the claws of a darkness that had been lying in wait from the very beginning. Her lips trembled; she could only whisper, "This..."
"Hestia? Are you okay?" Zephyros asked anxiously.
Hestia spoke in a trembling voice as she tried to compose herself:
"Magic... is an inheritance from one's parents. Sometimes you inherit one, sometimes both. Kael... Your mother was a nature-class mage, but you possess both Fire and Darkness types. This
kind of combination is very rare. Especially that darkness... in a form even I cannot perceive. I'm sorry, I can't help you."
Kael smiled gently. "It's all right, Ms. Hestia. Thank you for trying."After sending Kael out, Zephyros turned to Hestia and asked, "I know you, Hestia. There's no
magic in this world you don't know. What did you really see?"
Hestia looked into Zephyros's eyes with fear. "You're walking around with a little monster, Zephyros. A bottomless monster that hasn't woken from its slumber yet… I hope you realize
what you're doing."
When they stepped outside, Kael asked anxiously, "Uncle, is Lady Hestia all right? Her face
suddenly went as pale as chalk."
Zephyros let out a forced laugh. "Heh heh… I suppose she caught a chill; she was looking after us even while sick. Come on, let's not bother her any further."
When Kael turned around and looked at the mansion, he felt Hestia's piercing gaze fixed on him through the glass. Everything in the heart of the kingdom shone brightly, but the darkness within had collided with another power for the first time today.