In a garden full of beautiful flowers and tall trees, a narrow path led to the center where a young man, sixteen years old, was practicing his swordsmanship.
His name was Aiden de Ravenspire Winrose. He stood at 174 centimeters tall, with a very handsome face, sky-blue hair, and deep blue eyes. Weighing around sixty kilograms, he was healthy and fit. Aiden was the third child of Gideon de Ravenspire Winrose, the Duke of Elarath, a prominent region in the Empire of Marinthia.
Breathing heavily, Aiden paused his training and muttered in a tired voice,
"That should be enough for today, right? I'm really tired."
He began walking toward his room. Aiden lived in a massive mansion, about ninety meters long and forty meters wide. It took nearly ten minutes on foot just to reach his room from the garden. He had recently turned sixteen, and tomorrow he would attend the Solstice Knight Hall, the Empire's knight academy. He was an aspiring knight.
Upon entering his room, he headed directly to the bathhouse attached to it, where two female servants were waiting with his clothes.
"You two, put the clothes down here and go outside," Aiden said. His voice was strangely enchanting—enough to make the servants giggle as they left.
The first servant, who had brown hair and eyes, whispered,
"Wow! The young master's voice is always so enchanting."
The second servant, a somewhat pretty girl with black hair, replied,
"Yeah, no matter how many times we hear it, his voice always sounds pure and kind of manly."
Aiden sighed as he overheard their conversation.
Roughly five minutes later, his bath was done. Since it was already evening, he dressed slowly and made his way to the dining hall for what might be his last family dinner for months. He didn't know how long it would be before he'd share a meal with them again.
When he entered the dining hall, he saw his father, mother, brother, and sister already waiting—an unusual sight since they were all usually busy.
His father, though around fifty, looked like he was in his mid-thirties. With a strong, handsome face, red hair, and red eyes, his presence was commanding. He was known as one of the strongest men in the Empire.
His mother, Alina de Ravenspire Winrose, also looked very young for her age. With striking blue hair and eyes, her beauty was exceptional. Aiden had inherited her features. She was originally from the Frostmere family but had changed her surname after marriage. In the past, she was one of the Empire's most powerful mages but later chose to leave that life behind to manage the household.
His sister, Lucia de Ravenspire Winrose, was nineteen, with red hair and red eyes. She was very beautiful and currently a student at the Empire's most prestigious mage academy—Celestara Magus Hall.
His brother, Aaron de Ravenspire Winrose, twenty-two, also had red hair and red eyes. With a handsome face like their father, he had already graduated from Solstice Knight Hall and now served in one of the Empire's strongest knight orders: the Knights of the Silver Flame.
Aiden greeted his family.
His father said,
"You're already late. Sit down."
Without protest, Aiden took his seat. The table was filled with a variety of delicious dishes—clearly prepared for this special occasion. His siblings had even set aside their busy schedules to be here.
Lucia said teasingly,
"Aaron, tomorrow is a very big day for you. Be sure to behave."
Aiden replied quickly,
"Yes, sister. You don't have to worry."
Lucia smiled.
Aaron added,
"Make sure you follow the rules, don't skip training, and try to make some friends. You're already this old and still friendless."
Aiden blushed but answered,
"Yes, brother."
Their parents simply smiled at the warm exchange.
After dinner, Aiden bid goodnight to his family and went to bed early. He didn't want to be late tomorrow.
However, there was one problem—he had been suffering from dreadful nightmares for almost nine years. Whether by fate or coincidence, this night was no different. But he endured it and managed to sleep through it.
When morning came, sunlight was already breaking through the windows. Aiden quickly brushed his teeth, took a shower, and had breakfast in his room. He packed everything he needed into a storage-type magical bracelet.
Before leaving, he went to see his parents one last time—but to his surprise, they were already waiting for him at a teleportation circle, along with his siblings.
His father said simply,
"Good luck."
But those words alone were enough to warm Aiden's heart.
His mother gave him a tight hug and said,
"Take care."
He nodded and replied,
"Thank you, Mother. Thank you, Father."
Lucia said with a smile,
"We'll miss you," and hugged him tightly.
Aaron patted Aiden's head and said,
"Be careful."
After saying his goodbyes, Aiden stepped into the teleportation circle.
In an instant, he vanished—and what awaited him on the other side left him speechless.