Because of his little sister, Xiera’s constant pestering, Brandon couldn’t avoid being noticed by the Duke and Duchess. Shortly after breakfast, he was called into the Duke’s study. He and Flower, the bck cat, both sighed in relief. The little loli may have been small, but she was certainly annoying. Well, they were now facing a much bigger crisis, one called "parents," which loomed like a flood monster, constantly eyeing them. Whether they wanted it or not, they were always around, always observing, disguised under the terms: motherly love, fatherly love.

  The Duke fixed his gaze on his son and spoke slowly, “Alright, child, where exactly do you want to expand your territory?” He emphasized “independent” and “expand.”

  Brandon could only look at his father, speechless…

  “Fine, no rush. We have the whole day to figure out the exact location,” the Duke continued, his voice ced with sarcasm. “First, we need to consider what you have. According to the traditions of the North, weapons are personal property. Let’s see, your weapon... a practice wooden sword. Don’t worry, it will always belong to you. Oh, and armor—you’re still too small to have your own armor...”

  At this, Brandon lowered his head, staring at the bck cat Flower standing at his feet. The magical resonance between them created a whirlpool of magic, swirling the dust in the air, distorting and shifting in the sunlight. For a moment, Brandon felt like a mouse under the paw of the cat.

  His father’s voice seemed to come from a great distance, growing fainter. Brandon activated his “idiot mode,” zoning out with a bnk look on his face.

  By the time he came back to his senses, his father had finished his long speech. Normally, Brandon should have immediately acknowledged the harsh realities of life, apologized, and agreed to a few humiliating terms to get out of the situation. But, still dazed from his moment of inattention, and accustomed to the special treatment given to him as the family’s “idiot,” Brandon didn’t fully grasp the seriousness of the situation. He lifted his head and instinctively gave his father a toothy grin...

  This, of course, sparked the Duke’s wrath. In the resigned gaze of his mother, Brandon felt the full force of the Duke’s anger. He was picked up and smmed down onto the table, his backside repeatedly making intimate contact with his father’s hand in a series of painful sps...

  And his once inseparable companion, the bck cat Flower, immediately bolted out of the study, vanishing without a trace.

  Now, Brandon was silently reciting the names of Northern heroes, feeling both the physical and emotional sting. He realized he was no longer the silent idiot he once was. He was the son of a Northern family, and he would be subjected to the proper Northern education. With this realization, a deep sadness welled up inside him, and he began to sob uncontrolbly.

  In the face of his father’s towering figure, his petty thoughts, small schemes, and resistance were powerless. Every bit of his resistance dissolved under the halo of motherly love. Perhaps it was this deep, soul-crushing sadness that finally moved his mother’s soft heart. She intervened just in time, stopping the Duke’s violent lesson.

  When Brandon was set down on the floor, finally standing on his own two feet, Flower—like a ghost—reappeared at his side. The intimate bond between them was restored, and the magic between them began to resonate once again. Perhaps it was the excitement of their reunion that caused the magic to surge, creating a powerful vortex that sent a cloud of dust toward the Duke’s face...

  Following the adage “Give a sp, and offer a sweet date,” Brandon limped out of the study, having gained his first territory. Located just a hundred meters from the castle gate, on the east side next to the main road, he had been assigned a tiny plot of nd—a “pyground” for him. From now on, Brandon and Dani, his attendant, could begin expanding their territory together, but they were required to return to the castle before sunset.

  Brandon decided to share this “joy” with Dani immediately. With a determined, though limping, step, he began searching the castle for Dani, who had been hiding somewhere…