?“Miss, your stance is all wrong.”

  ?A week had passed since the family dinner. The spring sun was bright, mocking the grueling atmosphere of the training yard.

  ?Aelira was once again under Mr. Telgit’s stern eye. She swung the wooden sword relentlessly—left to right, right to left. But her small arms trembled, lacking the snap of true power.

  ?“Miss, we aren’t getting anywhere,” Mr. Telgit groaned, rubbing his bald head in frustration. “This is no better than a puppy snapping at shadows. It pains me to watch. That’s enough for today.”

  ?With a heavy sigh, he turned his back on her and walked away.

  ?Aelira dropped to her knees, gasping for air. Sweat dripped down her chin, turning the dust on the ground into mud.

  ?“Even... if you... say that...” she muttered between gulps of air.

  ?Suddenly, the quiet rhythm of the mansion shattered.

  ?Shouts echoed from the main house. Guards rushed into position with uncharacteristic discipline, their armor clanking loudly. Maids darted through the halls, whispering in hushed panic.

  ?“What’s going on?” Aelira pushed herself upright, wiping sweat from her brow.

  ?Lassandra burst into the courtyard. She was out of breath, her usual composure completely gone.

  ?“Lady Aelira! Quickly—come with me! We must prepare you immediately!”

  ?“Prepare me? For what, Lassy?”

  ?“The Hero!” Lassandra exclaimed, grabbing Aelira’s hand. “Lady Vivianne’s request—he accepted!”

  ?“So why is everyone panicking?”

  ?“Because he’s already here! He’s practically at the gates right now!”

  ?“Eh?! But... shouldn’t he have replied to Mother’s letter first?”

  ?“He did! He wrote that he’d arrive ‘within a couple of hours’—but that letter arrived five minutes ago! Hurry, there’s no time!”

  ?Without another word, Lassandra dragged Aelira back to her room.

  Two hours later, a grand carriage rolled up the winding path to the Viremont estate.

  ?It was painted in dark green and yellow, bearing the crest of the Evarard family. It gleamed with quiet prestige, demanding respect without needing to shout for it.

  ?At the estate’s entrance, the entire Viremont family stood in a neat line: Aelira’s cousin Lysric, Uncle Celdric, her parents Vivianne and Wilkram, and finally, the head of the family, Sylas Viremont.

  ?The carriage door opened with a metallic click.

  ?A man stepped out.

  ?At first glance, he looked nothing like a legend. He appeared to be in his early fifties, with long white hair tied back in a messy ponytail. Strands of it drifted in the breeze, framing a broad forehead and eyes as black as coal—eyes that looked like they had seen too much of the world, yet still found it amusing.

  ?He wore no shining armor. No extravagant cloak. Just a worn traveler’s coat that had seen better days and a single katana at his hip that looked equally weathered.

  ?Yet, despite the humble attire, the air around him felt heavy. The massive Viremont estate seemed to shrink in his presence.

  ?This was the Hero—Zaek Evarard.

  ?Zaek’s gaze swept over the assembled nobles. A faint, crooked smile tugged at his lips.

  ?“Huh. The whole family came out to greet me? What a warm welcome.”

  ?From the corner of his eye, he noticed Lysric—standing stiffly, chest puffed out, brimming with pride.

  ?That must be the kid they’re trying to pin on me... Zaek thought, suppressing a sigh.

  ?He stepped down onto the gravel just as Lord Sylas approached with open arms.

  ?“Oho! You still look fine for your age, you old dog!” Sylas boomed.

  ?“Well, if it isn’t our grumpy friend, Sylas,” Zaek replied with a grin to match. “You’re looking too spry yourself. Gathering every last one of your offspring just to say hello?”

  ?Sylas, caught off guard by the casual insult, burst out laughing. “Wuhaha! You might be the only man alive who dares to talk to me like that!”

  ?Zaek forced a smile against the booming laugh.

  ?The rest of the family stood frozen, exchanging uneasy glances. It was likely the first time they had ever seen the terrifying Sylas Viremont laugh so freely.

  ?“Come,” Sylas said, gesturing to the line. “Let me introduce everyone properly.”

  ?He turned to the tall man at his side. “This is Celdric—my heir.”

  ?“It’s a pleasure to meet one of the Empire’s oldest and wisest heroes,” Celdric said, bowing respectfully. “My wife also wished to greet you, but regrettably, she is unwell today.”

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  ?Zaek gave a slight nod. “A pleasure. Tell her I hope she recovers swiftly.”

  ?“Thank you, Master Zaek.”

  ?Sylas continued down the line. “As you know, Celdric’s older brother is away on a mission. But we’ve got the little one here—Lysric.”

  ?“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir!” Lysric shouted, bowing so deep his nose almost touched his knees.

  ?Zaek nodded again, his interest waning. “Nice to meet you, lad.”

  ?“And here,” Sylas’s tone softened slightly, “is my beloved daughter Vivianne, and her family.”

  ?“Greetings, Master Zaek,” Vivianne said gently, dipping into a perfect curtsy.

  ?“Greetings.”

  ?“It’s been a while, Uncle Zaek!” Wilkram chimed in with a grin, trying to sound casual.

  ?“Yeah. It has,” Zaek replied dryly.

  ?Then, his eyes fell on the small figure hiding slightly behind Wilkram’s leg. A tiny girl with silver hair and big, nervous eyes peeking out at him.

  ?“And this little one?” Zaek asked, tilting his head.

  ?“She’s Aelira, my daughter,” Wilkram said, patting her head. “She’s a bit shy.”

  ?“So she is.”

  ?Something stirred in Zaek’s chest as he looked at her. It wasn’t recognition, exactly. It was... an itch. An intuition honed by decades of survival.

  ?He crouched down slowly, lowering himself to meet her eyes.

  ?“Well, hello there, little fella. I’m Zaek Evarard. Nice to meet you.”

  ?Aelira flinched. Her gaze darted away, and she shrank further behind her father’s leg.

  ?Zaek gave her a soft smile before standing up again. I’ve never been good with kids anyway.

  ?But as he stood, he felt it.

  ?A wave.

  ?It was subtle, barely contained, like the low hum of a thunderstorm before the rain starts. It rolled off the girl in invisible pulses.

  ?This kid’s mana...

  ?Zaek’s eyes narrowed imperceptibly.

  ?It’s massive.

  ?The sensation was fleeting, but undeniable. He glanced at Vivianne. Her lip curled ever so slightly, as if she knew exactly what he had just sensed.

  ?“Shall we move inside?” Sylas asked, breaking the tension.

  ?Zaek, still processing the shock, gave a small nod.

  ?“Lead the way, old man.”

  ?The grand doors opened with a groan. As Zaek stepped inside, the crisp northern air of the manor wrapped around him like an old memory.

  ?Blue-white marble stretched beneath his boots, polished so finely it shimmered like frost under the flickering torchlight.

  ?“Shall I take your sword and coat, Lord Zaek?” the butler asked.

  ?“No need,” Zaek said, waving him off. “Let this old man carry his own burdens.”

  ?They led him to the dining hall. Firelight danced along the long rectangular table, catching the glint of gold-trimmed plates.

  ?Zaek sat at the shorter end, beneath an oil painting of a bloody battle. Across from him sat Sylas Viremont—rigid, alert, carved from stone.

  ?“We can cut the chit-chat, you know that,” Zaek said with a worn, knowing smile.

  ?“Did you lose your patience on the road?” Sylas grinned. “I didn’t gather the whole family just to sit here in silence.”

  ?“I don’t see a reason for you to feel lonely. You’ve got a fine, big family.”

  ?“Family is family. Friends are for remembering the good old days.” Sylas leaned back. “If you can entertain me, I might let you leave.”

  ?“Father...” Vivianne’s voice cut in, sharp and warning. Her patience for her father’s games had run out years ago.

  ?“Tch. Fine.” Sylas waved a hand lazily. “Aelira, Lysric—upstairs. Celdric, you’re coming with me.”

  ?Zaek blinked as the heir rose to follow.

  ?Wait... isn’t Celdric’s son the one I’m supposed to teach?

  ?Sylas glanced at Vivianne, who gave a subtle nod. “Have a nice chat,” he said, his tone bordering on sarcastic.

  ?As the doors closed behind them, Zaek found himself alone with Vivianne and Wilkram.

  ?“So?” Zaek leaned back, crossing his arms. “What’s the real reason? Wilkram, did you drag me out here just to make your nephew look good in front of me?”

  ?“That wasn’t—wait, why would you think that?”

  ?“That’s the only reason people bother knocking on this old man’s door these days.”

  ?“If I did ask... would you have said yes?” Wilkram asked sheepishly.

  ?“No,” Zaek replied flatly. “I’m not interested in teaching boys just because their families think they’re special.”

  ?“I... I see.” Wilkram wilted in his seat.

  ?Vivianne leaned forward. Her gaze was calm, deliberate.

  ?“What if it wasn’t Lysric?” she asked. “What if it was Aelira?”

  ?Zaek paused. The playful glint in his eyes dulled.

  ?“What makes you think that would change anything?”

  ?“You saw it, didn’t you? The mana she holds.” Her tone was sharp now.

  ?Zaek frowned. How the hell did she know I noticed? It didn’t even last a second.

  ?“Mana isn’t something you see. I just... sensed it.”

  ?“I don’t care about the details,” Vivianne said. “But I knew you’d catch it the moment you looked into her eyes.”

  ?Zaek sighed. “I’m not taking in a six-year-old girl. No matter how much mana she has.”

  ?“She’s talented. Why waste that?”

  ?“You realize mana alone doesn’t make a hero. Plenty of people with barely a drop have achieved more than anyone else.” He exhaled, looking out the window. “I heard Viremont was struggling, but to think you’d start relying on a child... things must be worse than I thought.”

  ?Vivianne didn’t flinch. Her silence was louder than any shout.

  ?Zaek rose to his feet. “Either way, I’m not interested. Find someone else.”

  ?“What about staying a few days?” she asked quickly.

  ?He stopped, hand on the door. “You're stubborn. What for?”

  ?“Observe Aelira yourself. See with your own eyes if she’s worth your time.” She paused, a dangerous glint entering her eyes. “And... you could use it as an excuse to delay the King’s order.”

  ?A chill ran down Zaek’s spine.

  ?The King’s order.

  ?If word spread that he was ignoring a summons from the capital, he’d be in deep trouble. But how could she possibly know about that? It was a secret known only to a handful of people.

  ?And of course—Wilkram was one of them.

  ?Zaek glared at Wilkram. The man flinched like a cornered rabbit.

  ?“S-sorry... eheh...” Wilkram stammered.

  ?Zaek sighed and faced Vivianne again. “Are you sure you want to push me like this? Threatening a hero isn’t wise.”

  ?“I’m not threatening you,” she said smoothly. “I’m offering a solution. If I know, someone else could too. Stay here, and you have an alibi.”

  ?“Why are you so insistent? She doesn’t need me to be a hero.”

  ?“We need a real one,” Vivianne countered. “A hero people can trust.”

  ?Zaek rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was trapped.

  ?“Tch. Fine. I’ll stay. I’ll observe, nothing more.”

  ?Vivianne smiled faintly, clasping her hands together. “Wonderful.”

  Upstairs, in the nursery, the children waited.

  ?Lysric spun in circles, throwing his hands around. Finally, he snapped, kicking the door.

  ?BANG!

  ?“Damn it! I WANTED TO STAY IN THE ROOM WITH THE HERO!”

  ?“Young Lord, please calm down,” Josef pleaded.

  ?“Shut up! Don’t tell me what to do!” Lysric yanked his hand away and turned sharply to Aelira.

  ?He pointed a thumb at his chest. “Don’t even think he’ll choose you. Once he sees real talent, he’ll pick me.”

  ?“I... I guess,” Aelira murmured, looking at the floor.

  ?“Tch.” Lysric stomped to the other side of the room.

  ?“He is certainly... energetic,” Josef chuckled nervously.

  ?“Yes, he is,” Lassandra replied coolly. “And what about you, Lady Aelira? Are you excited?”

  ?“I’m... not sure.”

  ?Aelira thought back to the man with the messy hair and the sad eyes. He didn’t look like the heroes in the storybooks. He seemed so... human.

  ?“Peh. She doesn’t even know what it means,” Lysric sneered.

  ?“Lady Aelira,” Josef said gently, “there is nothing wrong with not being excited.”

  ?“Is that so?”

  ?“Yes. And I’m certain he’ll accept you as his disciple.”

  ?Aelira’s eyes widened. “How can you be so sure?”

  ?“Because Lady Aelira is sweet and charming.”

  ?“I-I see...” Her cheeks turned pink, and she quickly looked away.