Ch. 17: New Life [3]

Adrian and Aerilyn continued to enjoy their tea but it wasn't long due to her work and soon she left. Left alone, boredom crept in. Truthfully, he wanted to go outside but his Nanny wouldn't let him, so Adrian asked her to bring him some history books. He decided to begin his investigation of the book given by Nathaniel.

So far, Adrian managed to finish two books but none of them were close to The Void History. However, it was too early to give up because there were plenty of books to dig and right now, he was reading his third book while sitting on his bed.

"Your Highness, it's bedtime," Marie reminded him gently.

Acknowledging her words, Adrian placed the book on his bedside table and settled into a comfortable position for sleep.

Marie smiled warmly, tenderly stroking his head. "Good night, Your Highness."

"Good night, Nanny."

As she turned to leave, Adrian's voice halted her retreat. "Could you summon Fredinand for me? There's something I wish to discuss with him."

"Of course," she replied before exiting the room.

Soon after, Fredinand entered, bowing respectfully. "Is there anything I can assist you with, Your Highness?"

Adrian stared at the head butler and his mind flew. Today, his Nanny woke him at 6 am and he had a hunch that it was the outset of his daily routine. With that, he asked, "Do you have a silent magic device?"

Just like its name, it was a device that silenced a certain range, preventing anyone outside of that range from eavesdropping.

Fredinand shook his head. "Not presently, Your Highness. However, if it is your wish, I can procure one for you by tomorrow."

Adrian nodded, "Alright. Please wake me up at 4 am and don't forget to take it with you, also don't let Marie find out."

Fredinand furrowed his forehead, although he had no idea why Adrian needed it, he nodded his head. "As you wish."

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In the early hours, Fredinand promptly obeyed Adrian's instruction, waking him at precisely 4 am.

Sitting himself on the bed, Adrian asked, "Did you bring it?"

"Yes, I did," Fredinand confirmed, presenting the device as requested.

Adrian acknowledged with a nod, he rose from his bed and began to stretch. The mandated 30 minutes of daily walking had hindered Adrian's muscle-building efforts. Moreover, he was uncertain when the restriction would be lifted, so he decided to exercise discreetly for the time being.

Finished with his warm-up, Adrian instructed Fredinand to activate the device and monitor the time. Shortly, he commenced sprinting. Thanks to the privilege he got as a Prince, he had a spacious chamber that allowed him ample room to move freely.

Initially, everything appeared fine as Adrian completed the first few rounds effortlessly. However, by the fifth round, signs of distress emerged. Cold sweat formed on his brow, and a tingling sensation spread throughout his body. Despite his difficulty breathing and tightness in his lungs, Adrian continued.

"Haa… Haa…"

"Your Highness, it would be best to stop," Fredinand advised.

Ignoring the suggestion, Adrian persisted, each step becoming more difficult. As minutes passed, dizziness set in, and his vision blurred. His stomach churned, and it felt as though an invisible force was constricting his throat.

"Cough, cough!" Adrian's coughing fits grew more intense, yet he refused to cease.

As each moment passed, Adrian's condition deteriorated, leaving Fredinand to watch in silence. Now, he understood the true purpose behind his request for the silent magic device and the insistence on keeping Marie unaware.

He was well acquainted with his nanny's strictness, knowing that her discovery would undoubtedly lead to informing Aerilyn which put him at a disadvantage. And that was why he asked him to turn on the device, it was to prevent others from knowing what he was doing.

Fredinand clucked his tongue inwardly. That brat, he had planned everything. What was more, Adrian dragged him into his schemes.

"Ugh!" Adrian lost his balance and knelt, coughing heavily. After he ceased coughing and regained his breath, he turned to his butler, "Haa… H–how long was I… cough, cough, running for?"

Yet, rather than worry about himself, Adrian asked him how many minutes he had been running. Fredinand shook his head in disbelief and glanced at his pocket watch. "Eighteen minutes."

Adrian nodded in acknowledgment, wiping the beads of sweat from his chin with the back of his hand before making his way to the nearby couch, collapsing onto it with palpable exhaustion.

Approaching with a glass of water, Fredinand offered it to Adrian, who accepted with gratitude. "Thank you," he murmured softly.

"My pleasure," Fredinand replied, his concern evident in his demeanor.

Adrian drank the water eagerly before reclining back on the couch, closing his eyes in an attempt to find some semblance of relaxation and regulate his breathing.

Ferdinand patiently waited next to him and once Adrian's breath returned to its normal pace, he spoke. "Pardon me, Your Highness, but wouldn't it be better if Your Highness just focused on recovering?"

Adrian's eyelids fluttered open, revealing a pair of cerulean eyes. "I lost my memory because I was weak."

Fredinand's forehead furrowed. "Weak?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes."

Fredinand's mind whisked away. He recalled the details of the accident report, it was written that Adrian fell from a height of 25 meters and survived without fractures. Nine assassins' corpses were found in the forest and eight of them confirmed that magic was the cause of their deaths.

Despite these events, Adrian claimed weakness, even though he possessed the highest rank of all affinities. Fredinand couldn't help but ponder the discrepancy. If Adrian referred to his physical strength, it seemed like an oversimplification. After all, nobody was without their own set of strengths and weaknesses.

Letting out a sigh, Fredinand began, "Your Highness just regained consciousness three days ago, so–"

"No." Adrian shook his head. "How can I stay idle while my enemies are sharpening their blades to cut my throat?"

"Your Highness is a Prince, and there are many who are willing to lay down their lives for you," Fredinand countered, attempting to reassure him.

Yet, the boy just chuckled in amusement. "Well, how sweet. But," Placing the glass on the table, Adrian rose to his feet and faced Fredinand. "What if they separate me like in the last accident? Who will protect me?"

"..." Fredinand remained silent, he didn't answer.

Nonetheless, Adrian pressed on. "Furthermore, I don't want to fall into the same pit, and I can't rely on others my entire life; I don't want to be a burden," Adrian sighed in resignation. "I'm simply doing this for my survival in this cruel world."

Adrian's words struck a chord with Fredinand. Life as the heir to the throne was fraught with peril, with enemies lurking at every turn, determined to eliminate him.

"I hope you can respect my decision," Adrian concluded.

With that, Adrian stepped out into the open space and began his regimen of squats, push-ups, and more. Fredinand watched in silence as Adrian pushed himself through the exercises, his determination shining through despite his evident physical strain.

Adrian may have been young, but he displayed a maturity far beyond his years. Unbeknownst to him, a curve formed on the old man's lips, Graham was right, the boy was indeed interesting. Once Adrian finished his workout, Fredinand offered him a towel with a small smile.

Adrian received it. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Fredinand replied, his admiration for the young prince growing with each passing moment.

As Adrian wiped his face, he couldn't help but notice the peculiar gaze fixed upon him. Sensing something amiss, Adrian voiced his thoughts. "Is there something on my face?"

Fredinand shook his head, his expression was unreadable. "Your Highness, do you know who I am?"

They knew each other's names, so Adrian assumed Fredinand was probing for his true identity. "Someone who could fight?"

Of course, Adrian wasn't a fool to answer it right as that would raise suspicion.

Fredinand smiled benignly. "May I inquire as to why Your Highness thought so?"

Adrian gestured toward Fredinand's calloused palms. "The calluses on your hands." Fredinand stared at his palm as Adrian continued. "The callus that results from hard labor and from learning how to wield a weapon is different."

The old man's smile stretched wide. "Your Highness, I am a well-trained assassin disguised as a head butler assigned by His Grace, Duke Lancaster."

"I see." Well, he knew that much so there was nothing to be surprised about—or not.

Fredinand dropped to one knee before Adrian, raising both hands in a gesture of respect. "Your Highness." 

Adrian shut his mouth tightly. He knew what Fredinand was up to, but this was beyond his wild imagination. "Are you sure about this? We just met yesterday."

"I never once doubted my heart, Your Highness."

After a brief silence, Adrian eventually gave his answer. "Alright."

Adrian extended his hand and Ferdinand wrapped it with both of his own, vowing. "I pledge my allegiance to Prince Adrian Leillucis and will dedicate the rest of my life to the Prince."

"I acknowledge you as my personal bodyguard, and I entrust my life to you," Adrian affirmed, sealing their pact with a solemn vow.

That day, Fredinand swore his loyalty to Adrian.

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Adrian stared at his [STATUS WINDOW] with a face devoid of any expression. 

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[ Adrian Leillucis ]

« Overview »

Title: The Second Prince of the Aeon Empire

Race: Human

Age: 7 year-old

Gender: Male

Occupation: Elementalist - Lv. 3

« Character Statistic »

»Physical:

STR: E-

PDF: E-

TLT: D-

AGI: E-

»Magical:

MAG: B-

MDF: B

»Ability:

INT: A

MP: S-

« Elemental Affinity »

Water: SS

Fire: SS

Lightning: SS

Earth: SS

Wind: SS

« Skills »

[ Incantation ]

Description: Raises the speed of spell-casting.

Rank: SS

« Gifts »

» Chrono's Blessing: [Future] - "The Foreseer"

» Eyes of the Truth: Able to see other people's Status Window.

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Nevertheless, Adrian couldn't help but sigh. It had been a month since he had begun his workout, yet, there was no change in his physical stats–just like the first time he saw it. Was his premature birth a factor in his slow progress? He had no idea, whatsoever.

"Your Highness, we have arrived," Fredinand's voice broke through his thoughts, signaling their arrival.

They came to a stop in front of a grand oak gate, guarded by knights on either side.

"His Highness Prince Adrian is entering!" one of the guards announced.

The gate swung open, revealing a vast training ground. In the center stood two individuals. For your information, today marked the beginning of his regular routine, starting with martial arts training. A boy with black hair turned towards them, offering a wave.

It was Nathaniel.