In a desolate, shadow-drenched land beside the sea, a strange, black sand-like substance drifted through the gentle wind—floating, twisting, as if alive.
A lone figure sat on a worn bench, staring into the distance. His face was blurred, obscured as if the world itself refused to remember him.
Then, slowly, he turned—gazing toward the endless void beyond.
"As expected... it failed. The new kingdom is far too cautious," he murmured.
His voice was deep and ethereal, like countless grains of sand grinding softly against each other in an unseen current.
A pause.
"Well... I've done my part. It's time for me to go."
As he spoke, his body began to unravel—starting from his side, flaking away like dust caught in the wind.
Piece by piece, he faded, vanishing slowly into the dark breeze, until nothing remained.
.....
Ding!
("Dear passenger, we have reached our destination.")
The soft chime stirred me from sleep.
The train doors slid open with a gentle hiss, letting in a cool breeze that kissed my cheek. I stepped out, and the familiar sight of the misty forest greeted me — quiet, ancient, and shimmering faintly with enchantment.
Tiny lights floated between the trees — not fireflies, but will-o'-wisps, their glow playful and soft. A fox-like creature with feathered ears darted behind a root, watching me with eyes far too curious to be wild. Up in the branches, a glass-winged owl blinked slowly, as if recognizing me.
I smiled as I stepped onto the moss-lined path, the stones beneath my feet warm with lingering magic.
I really missed this place.
I was home.
---
Meanwhile, in Ashviel City…
In a quiet villa, bathed in gentle morning light, two beautiful girls sat on the sofa, sharing a quiet breakfast.
"So he really went back to his hometown?" Arenya asked flatly, her voice unreadable.
Elaris scowled, biting into a piece of meat like it had personally wronged her.
"That bastard James Lee didn't even check in or say goodbye. I hate him!"
She chewed aggressively, muttering under her breath.
"You should've just manipulated him from the start," she added coldly, tone calm but chilling. "Then he wouldn't have left."
Arenya didn't immediately respond. She picked up a leaf-wrapped morsel from the table with delicate fingers.
"I considered it. He was interesting, so I held back. I even tried once when we first met… but his mental defenses were solid. Maybe I should've pushed harder."
She paused.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the leaf-wrapped food. Just a moment — barely visible..
"…Or maybe it's my fault too. I was too harsh. I shouldn't have gone back without a word."
Elaris sighed, her chewing slowing down as her frustration faded.
"Don't bother. There are plenty of interesting people in the world. James Lee's just one of them."
Arenya stared at her plate for a moment.
"…Right. So, where are we going next?"
"Let's head back home," Elaris said, stretching lazily. "Like James Lee said — we're still too weak to be out here."
.....
Pat. Pat.
Chirp!
Glimmer—giggle...
My footsteps merged with the forest's quiet symphony. The damp earth cushioned each step, while scattered beams of sunlight danced through the misty canopy above.
Judging by the angle of the sun, it was somewhere between 8 and 9 a.m.
I sighed, stretching slightly. This forest is way too vast... Walking through it on foot would take forever.
"Hm... Let's find a teleportation circle nearby."
I glanced around, brushing aside a few fallen branches and damp leaves. Sure enough, just beneath a mossy tree and a layer of rotting foliage, a faint shimmer caught my eye — etched into the stone below was a teleportation circle. Faint, but intact.
My family had placed these circles all across the forest — scattered, half-hidden, and wildly inconvenient.
Honestly... I crouched beside it, brushing the surface gently. Wouldn't it have been easier to set up a large formation that sends you anywhere instantly?
Maybe the cost was too high. Or maybe — knowing my family's interest for the aesthetic — it was just for atmosphere. Probably both.
I studied the rune patterns carved into the stone. Complex and flowing like water — and completely incomprehensible.
Chirp! Chirp!
I looked up.
A tiny bird with golden-tipped wings peered at me from a branch overhead, its beady eyes glinting with curiosity. For a moment, it fluttered down as if to land majestically on my outstretched hand — striking a pose with me like some forest prince.
Then—
Plop.
It pooped.
"Wha—hey!" I dodged to the side just in time, my expression twisting in disbelief. "You little—!"
I flicked my fingers forward, sending a gentle pulse through the air — a soft frequency tuned to lull small animals to sleep.
The bird let out a surprised chirp, then spiraled gently into the bushes with a soft flutter-thud.
"That's right. Sleep there and reflect on your sins," I muttered, brushing invisible dirt off my cheek. "Don't mess with this handsome face."
Of course, I didn't harm it — just a harmless frequency. No need to scar the poor thing for life.
Turning back to the teleportation circle, I squatted beside it again.
Now then… how do I activate this thing?
I thought for a moment, trying to recall what my mother had told me years ago.
"To activate one of our family's circles, just release a resonance — or hum. It will recognize your presence by the tone."
"…Ugh. Seriously?"
I groaned and stared at the runes, unimpressed. "This is so unnecessarily complicated. Must've been one of my ancestor's bad taste ".
Still grumbling, I took a deep breath… and began to hum. Low and quiet at first — a simple, aimless tune that drifted through the morning air, mingling with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant birdsong.
I kept humming.
At first, nothing happened. The circle just sat there like a bored stone pancake.
Then—
Fwwmmmm.
A deep vibration pulsed beneath my feet. The patterns on the circle began to glow — blue, then shifting to a soft golden hue. Light filled the cracks in the stone and rose like mist, wrapping around me in a warm, tingling current.
"Finally," I muttered, straightening as the circle brightened.
The air thickened, humming in tune with me, and a gentle tug — like fingers slipping into my collar — pulled me upward.
Zhhwummm...
The world twisted.
Forest turned to light. Leaves blurred. The sound of birds faded into static and then silence.
Then—
Thmp.
My boots touched solid ground again.
I blinked.
I was standing just outside one of the hidden entrances to my house — not a gate, but a wall formed entirely of thick, colorful vines. They arched upward like nature's cathedral, crawling skyward and locking together in elegant curves. Their colors shimmered — emerald, violet, and silver — with soft-glowing petals blooming in slow motion.
Around me, the land was alive with magic.
Lush shimmering plants clustered at the base of the wall, their leaves sparkling faintly as if dusted with starlight. Some had luminous bulbs like glowing fruit; others had long tendrils that reached toward the sky, waving slightly as though sensing my return.
One plant near my foot chimed softly as I stepped near, releasing a puff of sweet mist that smelled like rain and sugar.
"This familiar vibe..." I murmured, taking a slow breath and closing my eyes.
"I really missed it."
"Already feeling nostalgic after just three days outside?"
A familiar voice rang out.
I opened my eyes.
The wall of vines had parted silently, and standing in the middle were my father — Duke Valerius — and my mother, Seraphine.
"Why are you back so early?" my mother asked gently, pulling me into a warm hug.
"I…"
I froze for a moment, realizing I hadn't come up with a solid reason for returning so soon. Wouldn't it sound pathetic?
Then again… isn't it normal for a child to feel embarrassed about something like this?
Yeah. There's nothing wrong with that.
So I just told the truth.
"The outside world is too dangerous. And… I'm too weak."
"It's good that you understand and came back early," Duke Valerius said with a nod and glance toward the forest with faint tension.
"Your brother was excited to hear you were coming back," Seraphine added with a smile.
"They'll probably ask you all about your experience — so get ready."
Behind us, the wall of vines slowly closed, sealing off the entrance as we walked along a path filled with magical butterflies flitting on and off the colorful flowers.
After a short walk, we arrived at the garden — where Caelan and Thorne were.
Caelan, as usual, was seated on a bench, still buried in that thick book about magic.
Meanwhile, Thorne…
Well — fighting a cat might be a bit of an exaggeration.
It was more like the cat was playing with him. No matter how hard Thorne ran or tried using trickery, the cat effortlessly dodged every move and casually smacked him like a lazy master teaching a lesson.
"Dad! Don't let the cat move!"
Thorne's eyes lit up as he spotted his savior — and quickly asked for help.
Duke Valerius didn't know whether to laugh or sigh at the sight of his son struggling so hard against a simple house cat.
Although… this cat wasn't exactly ordinary.
Meow!
The cat suddenly froze mid-pounce — its body restricted by invisible force.
A pair of glowing hands materialized and gently grabbed its back, lifting it up and preventing further movement.
"Catch ya!" Thorne shouted triumphantly, hugging the immobilized cat.
After playing with it for a while and finally letting it go, Thorne turned and finally noticed me.
"Lucien!? Why are you back so early?"
He circled around me, wide-eyed, clearly curious.
"What did you see? What happened out there?!"
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"Uh... I met a pair of twins on the train, then fought someone who could transform, and then... that's it. Now I'm back home."
"Wow! So exciting! But—"
Thorne leaned in closer.
"Were the twins beautiful?"
He really has different priorities, I thought.
I expected him to ask about the fight.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Caelan had perked up too, listening silently but intently.
I sighed, shaking my head slightly at their expressions.
It was too superficial.
"Hmm... yeah. They're both beautiful. Clear white skin — one had white-purple hair, the other blue. And… they smelled really nice," I added absentmindedly.
"Oh~ our little baby's already getting attracted to girls?~"
My mother, Seraphine, teased gently with a knowing grin.
"Eh? No, no — I was just describing them! For them!"
I quickly denied it, waving my hands.
"Really?"
Caelan questioned from the side, smiling.
"But I still think the Princess is better," he added without hesitation, clearly playing favorites.
"Lucien! Lucien!"
Thorne suddenly bounced toward me, his curiosity reignited.
"You fought someone who could transform? Like—into a dragon? Or a shadow wolf? Or—wait—was it a girl who turned into a monster because you broke her heart?!"
It seemed that after asking about the girls, his attention had finally shifted to the fight.
Lucien blinked.
"No... just a guy with a muscular body."
"Tch. Lame," Thorne pouted, visibly disappointed.
"Muscular, hmm... was it the Bloodlife Organization's technique?"
My father, Valerius, murmured thoughtfully.
"And did you win the fight?" he asked, his gaze focused.
"Uh... I guess you could call it a draw?"
Thorne leaned in again, not letting up.
"Wait! You never said which twin you liked more!"
I sighed.
"Why does it matter?"
"It matters a lot," Thorne insisted dramatically.
"Blue-haired girls are usually calm and mysterious. But purple-haired ones? Dangerous."
Caelan glanced up from his book.
"That's not true at all. Actually, it's the opposite. The blue-haired one is more dangerous — the purple-haired one was kind."
I tilted my head slightly.
"Is it because purple is closer to yellow than blue?"
"Yes! Obviously," Caelan replied with total seriousness, like it was backed up by countless Pieces of evidence.
"The closer their hair color is to the Princess's, the kinder they are."
"Still think purple's more dangerous though," Thorne muttered under his breath.
I turned around, stretching a little. "Mom! I want to eat my favorite food."
"Oh~ How could I forget?" Seraphina tapped her forehead playfully. "Silly me! You must be starving after all that work."
With a light laugh, she vanished into the air — off to the kitchen, despite the fact she could've easily asked a servant or even used magic. But that was just how she was.
Even now, she still preferred to cook with her own hands.
Not long after, she returned — floating gently down with a tray filled with colorful fruits and sizzling, savory meats.
Crunch!
Thorne bit into one of the fruits with a happy hum. "I really want to go outside like Lucien… I'm so excited to go to school."
Hearing that, Duke Valerius looked up thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it, there's news about the new academy. It's going to be integrated into Luxendar Crown Academy. The minimum age has been raised to 14,so you have more time to prepare."
"Really? Why did they change it, Father?" I asked, tilting my head.
"I'm not entirely sure of the details," he said slowly, "but it has something to do with the newly discovered language. Apparently, there were some issues — but the kingdom detected them early and revised everything."
"Is it safe now?"
"It's safe," he nodded. "It's been thoroughly examined by experts. I even tested it myself. It's very effective… though sadly not useful to us anymore. But for your generation, it's a powerful advantage."
He gave a faint smile.
"I'll teach you the new language while you're here, so you can get ahead before the term starts."
After that, we all just relaxed.
Caelan and Thorne kept pestering me with questions about my experience outside — asking every little detail, from how the train felt to what the fight was like. As for Father, he eventually stood and quietly left for another matter, his cloak sweeping behind him.
The garden remained warm and peaceful.
....
Meanwhile, in one of the kingdom's core cities—where towering spires pierced the clouds, and translucent roads wove through magical forests connecting districts in the sky—
At the center stood a tower taller than all the rest.
At its peak, a lone figure in a golden-white robe faced the sun. He stood still, high above the drifting clouds, where magical birds soared in rhythmic arcs, rising and falling like the tide.
His gaze followed a beam of sunlight down to a sprawling, opulent academy far below—where scholars toiled to decipher the recently discovered language.
"Though the anomaly has been found and resolved," he murmured, his voice calm but resolute, "we should continue studying it for a few more years."
"The Academy's opening... should be postponed. No—better to merge it with an existing institution. Less risk that way."
As he spoke, his form began to shimmer.
Slowly, his entire body dissolved into radiant particles of light, scattering into the air—vanishing into the void beyond.