'Young Master!' Ellen exclaimed, running through the Lawrence residence.
The maid, a young woman with brown hair and round glasses, grabbed the waist of her white linen dress and ran, trying not to trip.
Her flat sandals echoed against the wooden floor as she sweated with worry.
'Young Master!'
She ran to a glass window that revealed the entire garden of the estate. Ellen expected to see who she was searching for, but instead saw Duchess Camille alone, trimming her plants.
Young Master Lawrence was one year and ten months old. He was learning to walk, but preferred crawling around the house and hiding from his nanny.
Theo had taken advantage of a single moment when Ellen turned her back to dash through the house. Between curtains and wooden furniture, he managed to slip out of sight and head outside.
Crawling down a sunlit corridor, he felt overwhelming heat run across his forehead. Sweat trickled down and fatigue overtook him—abnormal for a child with so much energy.
Reaching the terrace door, he took advantage of the maids' mistake. It should have been closed and sealed, but it stood wide open.
Outside was the Duke of Lawrence. Sitting cross-legged on the lawn, he completely relaxed his body. Focusing only on the emptiness within his mind, Ethan Augustus Caesar meditated in an ethereal vibration.
Theo's amber eyes gleamed like gold as he entered the small cloister.
Seeing his father like that, emanating so much energy and such intense heat, was almost like beholding a deity.
Ethan, the third son of Colonel Leon Caesar and second brother of the Emperor of Romerian, possessed an unmatched presence. The one who had self-disinherited from the imperial family radiated a flaming energy mantra that altered the very climate.
It was not the sun.
It was Ethan.
Wings of fire formed upon the ground like a red curtain, soon spreading along the walls and leaving burn marks behind.
Ethan's white hair levitated under the atmospheric pressure.
Theo crawled forward, positioning himself between two Corinthian pillars, and admired his father. So disconnected from reality that he parted his lips and barely blinked.
Without understanding the true catastrophe before him, Theo found it beautiful…
But to the men who witnessed it, the impression was different. It was pure oppression.
No one should approach Ethan at that moment. His mantra was Imposition itself—a spell of protection or attack. In that state, it would incinerate any living being that came near.
Because of that state, the Duke's training field was supposed to be isolated. The doors locked, all windows shut, to prevent fires in the residence.
Yet the maids' mistake that day placed Theo exactly where he should not be.
Constant danger stood before his eyes.
'It's so beautiful…' Edward commented, sitting at a window above the training field.
The Duke's younger brother admired the scene from his room while the head butler, Etrian, arranged a study table.
'One year away… but it's impossible to forget this feeling.'
Edward glanced toward the base of the window, analyzing the structure's quality.
'Even protected by these walls…'
'You were with Sir Elijah and Colonel Leon Caesar, were you not? Even so, is Lord Ethan more impressive?' Etrian asked, simply to keep Edward from talking to himself.
'What a bad joke… Elijah doesn't even come close to being frightening. Father may have all those military titles, but… no one I know can compare to Ethan.'
The butler frowned slightly.
'You know, young lord… I lack general knowledge about core levels or Deviant ranks, so I cannot offer an opinion…'
Walking to the window, Etrian observed his master.
The veil Ethan created was perfect. Even for someone who did not understand energy flow, the perfection was obvious.
As if a storm had fled from the sun…
'The aura Lord Ethan emanates is pure and divine.'
'The Phoenix is almost forgotten beside your brother's brilliance… It doesn't even seem like she is the primary source of his power.'
'The Phoenix is merely a method for channeling my brother's power…' Edward affirmed, unable to hide his admiration.
Etrian returned to his tasks while the young lord kept watching.
Both fell silent, each lost in his own world—until reality interrupted them.
Edward suddenly straightened and blinked quickly.
'Ah! Grab my bag near the door, please. There's a letter in the smaller pocket. It's from Sir Amiah to my brother…'
Following the instructions, the butler retrieved the bag and found the letter. The white envelope adorned with a black serpent did not hide its sender.
Looking at the seal's crest—a serpent with open jaws, whose fangs and tongue formed the letter a—he was certain.
'Sir Amiah, the Chaotic Serpent… It's been a long time since I've seen him here,' Etrian commented, handing the letter to Edward.
'Yeah… He couldn't attend Te's birth, so he gave me this to deliver when I arrived at the duchy.'
Etrian nodded in understanding.
As Edward stood to take the letter and walk through the residence, a scream from downstairs froze both him and the butler.
'Young Master!' Ellen shouted, running below. 'Theo! Where are you?!'
Edward's eyes widened.
'Is Te causing that much trouble?' he asked.
'Children are always up to something, young lord. Ellen doesn't wish to scold him like Marta would… so she spoils him and often loses sight of him. Now that he's learning to walk…'
'What a mistake!' Edward said, intrigued by Theo's upbringing.
They laughed lightly.
But Ellen's screams grew louder, almost tearing her throat.
"Is he alright?" Edward wondered, shifting his gaze toward his brother's training field.
He moved to the opposite side of the window, where he could see the door leading outside.
And then he saw it.
Theo sat between the pillars, admiring his father, nearly touching the grass in perfect hypnosis.
The first contact with magic.
Instinctively, Edward climbed onto the window frame and shouted:
'Te!'
'Young lord, wait!'
Ignoring Etrian, he flung the window open and prepared to jump.
'Theo!' he cried.
Reacting to Edward's aggression, Ethan's mantra surged instantly. The flames climbed the wall like a crawling serpent, ready to incinerate the intruder.
Feeling the heat yet undeterred, Edward leapt over the mantra.
Just before being struck, he shouted:
'Ethan!'
The cry was enough.
The Duke's blue pupils met Theo's amber ones. His most precious treasure—paralyzed not by fear, but admiration.
Realizing where Theo stood, Ethan moved.
To Etrian and Edward, he became a blur. He embraced Theo before the flames reached him.
Edward landed on the lawn as the pursuing serpent of fire was dispersed by Ethan's will.
'Ow! Hot! Hot!' Edward shouted, hopping back from nearly burning grass.
A flash of light shot skyward. A layer of energy covered Ethan as he held his youngest son close.
After seconds of restraining his own power, Ethan brushed Theo's blond hair aside to see his eyes.
The first contact with magic would define what a child would become.
Most feel fear and are traumatized.
Some overcome that fear and see magic as shield or weapon.
But there was one category Ethan feared with his soul.
He widened his eyes at his son's expression.
'Te…' Ethan murmured in shock.
Theo was stunned—with joy.
'Cool!' Theo said, forming the word as best he could.
Moments later, a vibration emanated from him.
His eyes shone brighter, and a fresh breath escaped his lips.
"My son… You reacted to my energy core…" Ethan thought in fear.
He lifted Theo slightly, analyzing him.
"The Phoenix synchronized with you… Your core… awakened without any adverse reaction…"
'Young Master!' Ellen burst through the door.
'My son!' Camille rushed forward.
Ethan held Theo tightly.
'Relax. It's resolved,' Ethan said calmly.
Apologies were offered, but he refused them coldly.
'Ellen, if I'm correct… that teacher, Beatrice, is coming today, isn't she?'
'Yes… Lord Ethan.'
'Does he still cause trouble when bathing?' Ethan asked.
At the word "bath," Theo puffed his cheeks.
'Yes. No offense, but he's a little piglet!'
Ethan laughed, carrying his son.
Once out of Ethan's sight, Theo stuck out his tongue at Ellen and wiggled it.
Unfortunately, Camille saw.
'Hey! Where did you learn that?!'
'What?' Ethan asked.
'It was him, wasn't it?!'
Her eyes turned to Edward.
'What?! I arrived today! I'm seeing him for the first time!' Edward protested.
'You call me crazy? Respect me, you Deviant in training!'
'Stop yelling! I respect you, amateur gardener!'
Camille's pride was struck.
They bickered until Ethan intervened.
When Ethan turned away, Edward pulled down his eyelid and mimicked Theo's gesture.
'I knew it!' Camille said.
In truth, Edward had taught Thays, who later taught Theo.
Later, Edward handed Ethan the letter from Sir Amiah.
Ethan pocketed it, intrigued.
As they walked, Edward smiled warmly at Theo and ruffled his hair. Theo responded with a bright childish grin.
Camille lightly flicked Edward's head. He winced.
Theo laughed uncontrollably.
From afar, Etrian observed with Ellen.
"Even nobles of the highest rank in the Southern State of the Romerian Empire… act as though they bear no such burdens."
He smiled quietly.
"This is how a family should be."