Aurelia Pendragon
That name alone carried weight across the continent.
Warriors spoke it with respect.
Kings spoke it with caution.
And academies used it as an example when describing what a true prodigy looked like.
At only twenty-three years old, Aurelia had already reached the peak of weapon mastery that most warriors spent their entire lives chasing.
Grandmaster level in sword and spear.
Master level in nearly every other weapon known to mankind.
She was one of the Twelve Star Prodigies recognized by the continental ranking council.
A title given only to the most extraordinary talents in the world.
Yet despite all those achievements—
Aurelia Pendragon currently stood quietly on a balcony overlooking the Pendragon estate training grounds.
Watching someone.
Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Again?"
Below her—
A single figure stood in the center of the training hall.
White hair.
Pale skin.
A sword moving endlessly through the air.
Lucian Pendragon.
Her younger cousin.
Aurelia crossed her arms.
For the past several weeks she had been hearing the same reports from the estate knights.
"The young master hasn't stopped training."
"He swings his sword more than anyone I've ever seen."
"He sparred with Sir Garrick again today."
At first Aurelia ignored the rumors.
Young nobles often trained enthusiastically before entering the academy.
It was normal.
But eventually—
The reports became… strange.
"He swings his sword one hundred thousand times every day."
"He asks the knights to beat him without mercy."
"He never complains."
"He just stands back up."
That was when Aurelia finally decided to see for herself.
And now—
Watching him directly—
She understood why the knights sounded disturbed.
Lucian swung his sword again.
And again.
And again.
Each motion was simple.
Basic.
Elementary.
But Aurelia noticed something that most people wouldn't.
His efficiency.
There was almost no wasted movement.
Each strike flowed perfectly into the next.
His stance shifted naturally.
His balance never broke.
Aurelia's eyes sharpened.
"…How long?"
Sir Garrick stood beside her respectfully.
"…Three weeks, Lady Aurelia."
She glanced at him.
"You're telling me he's been doing this for three weeks?"
Garrick nodded.
"…Yes."
"…Every day."
"…Without fail."
Aurelia returned her gaze to the training hall.
Lucian's sword cut through the air again.
Sweat ran down his face.
His arms trembled slightly from exhaustion.
But he didn't stop.
"…One hundred thousand swings."
Aurelia muttered quietly.
"…That kind of repetition normally destroys a beginner's body."
Garrick exhaled slowly.
"I thought the same thing."
"But he adapts quickly."
Aurelia continued watching.
Lucian finished another set of strikes before finally lowering the sword.
Then he sat cross-legged on the ground.
Mana gathered around him slowly.
Aurelia raised an eyebrow.
"…Mana control training too?"
Garrick nodded again.
"He practices affinity manipulation every afternoon."
Aurelia watched silently as faint elemental energy appeared around Lucian.
Lightning.
Fire.
Ice.
Wood.
Even darker energies she couldn't immediately identify.
Her expression slowly changed.
"…Multiple affinities."
The energy disappeared after several minutes.
Lucian stood up again.
He grabbed the sword.
And resumed training.
Aurelia blinked.
"…He's starting again?"
Garrick sighed.
"He always does."
For several seconds—
Aurelia said nothing.
Then she spoke quietly.
"…How many times has he sparred with you?"
"Daily."
"And the results?"
Garrick hesitated.
"…At first he couldn't last five seconds."
Aurelia nodded.
"That sounds normal."
Garrick continued.
"…Yesterday he lasted nearly a minute."
Aurelia froze.
"…A minute?"
The knight nodded slowly.
"Yes."
That was when Aurelia's expression finally changed.
Because she understood something most people wouldn't.
Improving from five seconds to one minute against a high-level knight—
In only a few weeks—
Wasn't normal improvement.
It was abnormal.
Terrifyingly abnormal.
Her crimson eyes focused sharply on Lucian again.
"…Show me."
She said suddenly.
Garrick blinked.
"…My lady?"
"Fight him."
"Now."
The knight nodded immediately.
Down in the training hall—
Garrick approached Lucian.
Aurelia watched carefully.
The duel began.
Garrick attacked first.
A powerful downward strike.
Lucian moved.
And Aurelia's eyes widened slightly.
"…Wait."
His body moved before the strike fully formed.
He sidestepped smoothly.
Countered.
Then retreated.
Again.
And again.
Every movement looked almost automatic.
Aurelia leaned forward slightly.
"…That's not reaction speed."
"…That's instinct."
The duel continued for nearly a minute.
Then Garrick stopped.
Lucian lowered his sword calmly.
From above—
Aurelia stared in silence.
Because she had seen something that made her uneasy.
Lucian wasn't simply reacting faster.
His body moved before the attacks happened.
Aurelia murmured quietly.
"…Precognitive combat instinct."
That level of instinct usually appeared only after decades of battle experience.
Yet Lucian—
Had developed the early stage of it through training alone.
Her lips slowly curved into a small smile.
"…Interesting."
For the first time in years—
Aurelia Pendragon felt something resembling excitement.
Her cousin wasn't simply hardworking.
He was evolving.
Rapidly.
Dangerously.
And if he continued at this pace—
Even the monsters at the Arcanum Academy would struggle against him.
Aurelia pushed herself away from the balcony railing.
Garrick looked at her curiously.
"My lady?"
Aurelia turned toward the exit.
Her voice carried quiet amusement.
"…Don't tell him I was watching."
Garrick blinked.
"…Understood."
Aurelia walked away calmly.
But inside—
Her mind was already making a decision.
She would wait.
Just a little longer.
And when the moment came—
She would test him herself.
Because if Lucian Pendragon truly possessed that kind of potential—
Then the Pendragon family might have just produced something far more terrifying than a prodigy.
Something closer to a monster.
And Aurelia wanted to see exactly how dangerous that monster would become.