The sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the Medici estate. The sky bled into crimson, streaked with gold, as the first sliver of the moon rose—silent and watchful.
Inside the office, Edgar Medici sat immersed in his work, eyes flicking from paper to pen with practiced efficiency. But the exhaustion showed—etched in the crease of his brow, the slump of his shoulders. Removing his glasses, he exhaled slowly and gazed out at the burning sky.
"Another long day," he murmured.
Then, his eyes landed on a small figure curled in a chair across the room. William was fast asleep, the oversized pen still clenched in his little hand. Edgar's stern expression softened.
A weary smile touched his lips.
He stood, stretched, and crossed the room. With gentle arms, he picked William up and cradled the sleeping child close to his chest. As he stepped into the marble hall, servants bowed in silence. Edgar raised a finger to his lips—a silent command.
Arriving at William's room, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. The room was still, lit only by the fading dusk.
Edgar leaned down, tucking William into his cradle, and pressed a soft kiss to his son's forehead. "Goodnight, my son," he whispered.
The door clicked shut behind him.
The stillness returned.
And then—
William's sapphire-blue eyes snapped open, gleaming in the dim light like twin stars.
[HA HA HA! YOU'RE QUITE THE ACTOR, AREN'T YOU? (¬_¬)]
William didn't respond.
[NOW TELL ME WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED! I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE! SPILL IT!]
He yawned, stretching lazily. "I'll tell you tomorrow, Wiz. I'm too tired tonight."
[COME ON! JUST A HINT! OR I'LL NAG YOU UNTIL DAWN!]
A smirk tugged at William's lips. "You're too impatient."
He sighed. "Fine. Here's your hint."
His voice dropped to a whisper. "This world is exactly like the novel."
William continued, calm and composed.
"There are five main continents. North, South, East, West... and the Central Plain. Elves rule the north. Dwarves rule the south. Dark elves hold the west. Humans rule the east. And the Magic Tower governs the Central Plain—a neutral body ensuring peace between the races."
He paused, his gaze sharpening. "We're in the Eastern Continent. The Salajic Empire rules here, led by Emperor Ymir II. It's been the human stronghold for hundreds of thousands of years."
"The empire is divided into four major regions," he said, voice low. "The North is run by the Duchy of Milan—cold, infertile, but militarily powerful. They defend against waves of magical beasts. The South? That's governed by the Cerchi and Anjou families—our breadbasket."
"The East belongs to the Duchy of Bavaria. And the West… to houses like Capet, Wintermere, Ironhart, and Drakemont."
"As for the capital?" He grinned. "It's under the influence of three major noble families: Archy, Valois... and ours—Medici."
[AGHHH THAT'S TOO MUCH TO REMEMBER :( ]
"You'll have to, Wiz," William replied, still smiling. "We'll be meeting all of them soon enough."
Just then, the door creaked open.
A quiet figure stepped in and approached the cradle.
"Sweet dreams, young master," whispered Baroness Mowbray. She settled into a nearby bed, keeping a watchful eye on William.
[HEY! WILLIAM! DON'T FALL ASLEEP ON ME!]
But William spoke softly, his voice like silk:
"Window, off."
The room returned to silence.
The Next Morning
Birdsong filled the air as sunlight spilled into the room. William blinked awake—only to find an unfamiliar face hovering above him.
A boy, perhaps five years old, with striking green eyes and tousled silver hair. His expression was gentle, his eyes full of mischief.
"Good morning, William," the boy cooed.
William recognized him instantly.
Jack de' Medici, he thought. My older brother. The first son of the Medici family. And the second male lead of the story. He'll one day stand beside me to slay the demon lord summoned by the dark elves… but for now, he's just a brat with a nice face.
William's hand shot up, grabbing Jack's bangs and pulling tightly.
"OW!" Jack flinched but laughed. "Do you like my hair, William? Yours will look just like this when you grow up."
William didn't answer. He only grinned.
[IS THAT YOUR BROTHER? HE LOOKS LIKE HE WALKED OUT OF A PAINTING.]
Jack tried to place William back into the cradle. Instantly, William began to cry.
"Don't cry!" Jack whispered, panicking. He picked him back up—and the crying stopped.
Attempt two: William cried.
Attempt three: Giggling.
Jack groaned. "This is unfair. Please, William! If Mother finds out I'm not at training, she'll scold me!"
But William refused to let go.
"…Fine," Jack sighed. "You're coming with me."
Carefully checking the hall, Jack slipped out, carrying his little brother toward the training grounds.
The Training Grounds
A towering man stood waiting, arms folded, posture military-stiff. His long black hair was tied neatly, his sharp features as intimidating as they were composed. He glanced at his pocket watch.
"Late again," he muttered.
Jack arrived, breathless. "Good morning, Sir David!"
Sir David raised an eyebrow. "You're late. And why is the young master with you?"
"It's a long story!" Jack saluted clumsily. "He… wouldn't let go of me!"
Sir David gave him a look of pure disbelief.
"Watch," Jack said desperately, lowering William.
William giggled.
"Uh…"
Sir David's gaze darkened into a sadistic grin. "Congratulations. Since you're such a loving brother, you'll set an example—by training twice as hard today."
Jack groaned. "Unfair…"
[HA HA HA! THIS TEACHER IS PURE EVIL!]
William smirked.
"Not as evil as me."
His sapphire eyes gleamed. "Third Eye."
STATUS WINDOW
Name: Sir David
Race: Human
Age: 38
Level: 70
Essence: Fire
HP: 5,100 / 5,100
Essence: 10,350 / 10,500
Strength: 7,050
Agility: 7,000
Intelligence: 110
Durability: 7,000
Skills:
• Fireball
• Flame Wave
• Blaze Shield
• Phoenix Strike
• Solar Flare
• Flame Cage
• Burning Spear
• Domain of Burning Hell
William's gaze turned calculating.
Sir David… my father's personal guard. Head of the Medici family's military. In the novel, he fought to the death defending us during the Dark Elf siege…
But he never survived.
His eyes narrowed.
"He doesn't know it yet… but his fate is sealed."