Chapter 7: The Observant Brother

Leonis stood still, his grip tightening on the sword. Caelum's question hung in the air, quiet but loaded. He knew his younger brother was no fool. Caelum had always been observant, more perceptive than most gave him credit for. In the novel, Caelum had been a neutral force, not directly in the power struggles between the other princes, but he was always watching, always calculating.

Leonis decided to tread carefully. He had to maintain his new facade—this was his chance to turn things around, to make use of the knowledge he had from "Beyond Horizons." He couldn't afford to raise suspicions, not yet.

"Perhaps I've just been hiding my potential," Leonis said, forcing a casual tone, though his voice still carried the weight of authority. "Father has always expected more from me, and I figured it was time I started meeting those expectations."

Caelum stood, his gaze flickering to the destroyed dummy again. "Meeting expectations by cutting a dummy in half with a chipped blade? That's quite the leap from the stories we've heard about you."

Leonis met Caelum's eyes, his mind racing. His younger brother had undoubtedly noticed the shift in his demeanor, the sudden improvement in his swordsmanship. The old Leonis would have shrugged this off, but the new Leonis had to confront it head-on.

"I've been reflecting," Leonis said, walking over to place the sword back on its stand. "I'm the first prince, the heir to the throne. I've realized I need to live up to the name Perdium and not tarnish it any longer. Besides, I was growing tired of the way people talked about me."

Caelum crossed his arms, studying his older brother carefully. "So this is about reputation?"

"In a way," Leonis replied. "But it's also about power. I've been wasting the gifts given to me. I'm not going to squander them any longer."

For a moment, Caelum said nothing, his sharp gaze fixed on Leonis. Then he smiled, a slow, knowing smile. "Well, it's about time."

Leonis blinked, caught off guard by the response. "What do you mean?"

Caelum shrugged lightly. "It's about time you started acting like the future emperor. We've all been waiting for it, even if the others won't admit it."

There was a pause as Caelum stepped closer, his voice lowering slightly. "But be careful, brother. The others won't like this change, especially Caius. If you're really serious about turning things around, you'll need more than just a clean slash on a training dummy."

Leonis narrowed his eyes slightly. Caelum's words, while supportive, carried a warning. In the novel, Caelum had always been neutral, but he wasn't afraid to play his cards when the time came.

"I'm prepared for what's to come," Leonis said confidently, though inside, he knew the real challenges hadn't even begun. "Besides, I know exactly how this will play out."

Caelum smirked, clearly intrigued by the cryptic response. "Is that so? Well, I look forward to seeing it. Just don't make the same mistakes you've made in the past."

Leonis clenched his jaw, his mind flashing back to the old prince's reputation. "I won't."

Caelum gave a slight nod and began heading toward the door, but before leaving, he paused. "By the way, Father has summoned you to the council tomorrow. Something about your 'change in attitude.'" His eyes gleamed with amusement. "It seems word travels fast."

Leonis's stomach twisted slightly. A summons to the council was not something he had expected so soon. The council was where all major decisions for the empire were discussed—war strategies, alliances, internal affairs. His father had never invited him before. The old Leonis had never cared for it. But now, Leonis knew this was another pivotal moment.

"Thanks for the warning," Leonis replied, keeping his expression neutral.

Caelum smiled one last time before disappearing through the doorway, leaving Leonis alone.

Once Caelum was gone, Leonis sat back on the edge of his bed, staring at the sun through window. His mind was racing, filled with the possibilities of what was to come. He had mastered the first step of Iveen's technique, pushing his mana circles to their peak state, but that was only the beginning. He still had to unlock the full potential of his swordsmanship, his mana, and most importantly—the legacy of the progenitor.

Leonis thought back to the novel, to the way the council had always been a place of political maneuvering. His father, Emperor Valerian, was a stern and powerful leader, respected by all but often distant and hard to please. Caius, the second prince, had always vied for their father's approval, and if he saw Leonis stepping up, the tension between them would only grow worse. Eonis, the third prince, was a six-star swordsman and had always been a steady, reliable force, though more focused on battle than politics. And Caelum, though supportive, was still a wildcard, neutral and detached.

Leonis knew he had to be prepared for the coming challenges, and the council would be his first real test. But before that, he needed to sharpen his skills even further. The training wasn't over yet.