"Please reconsider. He is just seven years old. At least, let's wait for him to get awakened." Rivelia looked at her husband with a pleading expression.
"He is not just an ordinary seven year old. He had been trained by the best of the best. He has lived his entire life with adults, so he is more mature than any grown man out there." King Aeron's face was expressionless as he said that.
"I do agree with that, but still. How can he fight the beasts who are twice his size? Each of their instincts thirst for blood. While Arvad has never even left the walls of the palace, how could he defeat them in a raw battle?"
Rivelia's voice was laced with a thick layer of worry, however, King Aeron refused to hear her call. He just calmly shook his head, and gazed at the painting of his ancestor.
He was a broad man with sharp eyes, long beard, and an oval face. He wore a fine tunic with golden embroidery. He had his fist planted on the giant wolf, while it struggled to free itself. There was a broad and proud smile on his face as he looked towards them through the lifeless painting.
"You know the First King of House Aeron? He was the strongest warrior in the history of House Aeron. With his raw fist, he could fight Grade 9 beast by the age of twelve."
"You are neglecting one point, my king. Those hands are fortified by the earth element. Of course he could kill a Grade 9 beast like a chicken. While Arvad hasn't even started feeling mana."
"He has been trained for that. And there is no need for you to worry about."
"How can I not worry? He is my child."
"He isn't…." King Aeron turned around to face her, and said word by word, "He isn't your child. You are only his caretaker, do you understand?"
Rivelia's body trembled under his imposing aura. She had been ignored before. However, he never yelled at her so badly.
The truth in those words was like a sharp edge that pierced deep inside her fragile heart.
She felt the tears threatening to fall from her eyes, but she did not want to look feeble in front of him. She clenched her fist and bowed. "This concubine apologizes for overstepping her boundaries. Please don't take any offense."
Before King Aeron could say anything, she turned around to leave the hall. Her long skirt fluttered as the door closed solidly behind her.
King Aeron took a deep breath, and retracted his imposing aura. There was a deep melancholy in his eyes as he continued to look at the ring between his fingers.
"If you had been here, would you have also scolded me like this?"
—----------
The entire palace was bustling with noise today. Everyone was busy with the
preparation for the departure of King Aeron.
Today, the heir of House Aeron would depart for the coming of age ceremony.
It had been a ritual of House Aeron. After a heir reaches a certain age, he would be left alone to survive at the edge of a forest without any food or basic necessity. Only a weapon would be provided to him.
Moreover, the forest contained many demonic beasts which could reap a life in a matter of seconds. There had been cases that few heirs even lost their lives throughout history.
So, this day was marked as an important day by the people of Aeron City. They did not wish for their protectors to suffer from any disasters. Thousands of citizens of Aeron City would come to the Palace in order to cheer their future lord.
However, something unprecedented was about to happen today. The heir was only seven years old when the coming of age ceremony was declared. This had never happened before.
The rumors quickly spread throughout the empire, and many believed the heir of House Aeron was a genius. The one who had already mastered the ways of battle.
No one around his age could hope to equal him.
Many even suspected that the heir of House Aeron had already awakened early somehow. However, it was quickly denied as a baseless assumption.
The other great houses just looked at the entire thing with contempt. They believed it was some kind of publicity stunt by House Aeron. There must be a great defending treasure in their heir's position which would safeguard his life at a crucial moment.
While the entire outside world was in turmoil, Arvad was excitedly preparing for the hunt.
'I could finally leave this damn palace after so long. Sigh, how I longed for a breath of fresh air.'
As far as he could remember, he had only left the palace two times. First, when he was a small child, and secondly, when he was four years old. He remembered how he cried before his father took him to the wide boundaries of their territory.
Sometimes, he really hated the royal blood flowing through his veins. How good would it be if I was a normal child? He thought.
He remembered his childhood where he wept for nights without anyone knowing. How he wished to have the company of someone his age. How he wished he could play with toys instead of a sword. How he wished he could run like a child instead of a killer with complicated footwork.
Arvad just shook his head and wore the combat jacket above his bare body. The fabric felt cold and weird to his skin which had never left the asylum of an armor.
He was specially instructed to not wear armor today. After wearing the tight combat suit, he took his normal steel sword, and put it in the sheath tied to his waist.
Then, he took out a small dagger and hid it behind his shoes.
Walking towards the large mirror, he looked at his reflection and chuckled.
'At least I look more of a mage than old man Roland hehe…'
Despite the fact that he was seven, he had a well-built, muscular body, almost rivaling that of a eleven or twelve year old kid. Even his face had lost most of the baby fat.
This was the result of hardcore training and enormous diet, which mostly consisted of demonic beast's meat. They were naturally rich in nutrients, and helped greatly in the development of the body.
The white hairs were neatly tied by a ribbon, and shone like snow under the gentle morning rays. He had pale skin which had rarely seen any sunlight throughout his life.
He fished out a mask from his pants, and wore it around his face. It covered his features except his eyes.
The mask had runes imprinted on its surface, and it was made from a rare metal which could defend against any mage's prying mana. He was especially instructed by King Aeron to wear this mask whenever he appeared in public.
Except for his teachers and loyal members of House Aeron, no one had ever seen his face.
He naturally did not like to wear it, and even insisted against it, but in response, he was reprimanded by his father saying that it was a ritual he must follow.
As soon as he wore a mask, a mysterious and noble air surrounded his body, and it made him stand out from the crowd.
However, if one looked carefully, they would find that his shoulders were heavy with tension.
He was nervous. Extremely nervous.
Although he had been trained in the past, this would be the first time he would leave the shelter of those ancient stones.
He had heard about the cruelty of those beasts. How they could rip apart a man as easily with a slight clench of their jaws.
He took a deep breath and exhaled his fears. Just as he was about to leave, he heard a slight rumble not far away. It felt as if a gigantic beast had left its slumber. Even the stones below his feet trembled.
'Imperial Airship?'
He ran towards the window to see it. No matter how many times he saw it, he always felt adrenaline rush through him.
'How can such a big object fly?'
The curiosity of a child overwhelmed him. Even his hairs were raised in goosebumps and excitement.
The Imperial Airship loomed before them with killing intent shadowed under the layers of countless metals. Every edge was refined and sharpened like that of a sword's, capable of piercing through space and time.
Nearly a hundred years ago, the seventeenth emperor of the Artidus Empire gifted the ship to House Aeron.
Since then, it had become one of their emblems. Despite being old, it could travel kilometers in a matter of seconds.
The propulsion formed a storm beneath itself. The crowd cheered loudly when they saw the giant mass of metal hovering above their head.
A slight smile unconsciously found its way on Arvad's lips.
'I really want to make something like this in the future.'
A door knock suddenly interrupted his rising ambition. "Arvad, are you ready? Everyone is waiting for you at the avenue."
"Yes. I am ready."
The door opened with a whoosh, and a sweet fragrance assaulted his nose. However, the smile on Arvad's face disappeared the moment he saw his mother's face.
There were tears stains beneath her bright eyes. Even though she tried to hide them with her signature smile, Arvad was not young enough to not notice it.
He suddenly felt heavy in his heart.
'They must have fought again, and the reason would most likely be me.'
Arvad pursued his lips, but in the end chose to remain silent. He did not want to ruin her efforts. Since she did not want to tell him, then he would also play a fool.
"So handsome. The ladies of the noble family would surely be smitten by your charming and valiant appearance."
"I have no interest in those little girls."
Arvad remembered a banquet in which he was surrounded by young girls who relentlessly offered him candies despite his fierce opposition, and he felt cold sweat forming behind his back.
"Haha. Why do you speak as if you are already an adult?"
Arvad straightened his chest and showed a proud smile.
Suddenly, Rivelia looked around the room, walked towards the windows, and closed the curtains.
"What happen-"
Before he could finish speaking, he was gestured to shut by Rivelia who had an anxious expression.
She took out something from her clothes and put it on Arvad's hand. He only felt a warm touch, and looked towards the foriegn object.
It was a pitch black bracelet which seemingly looked normal at first glance, but underneath its metal, small mana fluctuation could be noticed.
Rivelia smiled and lowered her voice to a small whisper, "Wear it around your hands. It will protect you in dangerous situations."
Arvad could feel the worry, and her body warmth on the bracelet. He slightly clenched his fingers around the bracelet, and then gently opened them.
Slightly shaking his head, he said, "You know step mom, I can't take it."
"Why?" Rivelia's voice went a pitch higher due to shock and disappointment.
"I think that would be cheating. I would be disappointing my teachers who trained me for so many years. It would be letting down the crowd that especially came to witness their future ruler."
"You!" Rivelia took a deep breath to calm down. "Why are you so stubborn? I am worried that anything could happen to you in that wild forest. Won't you take it for me?"
"Don't you trust my skills? I can easily mutilate them with a single slash of my sword." Arvad patted his chest, appearing like a brave warrior.
Seeing his unwavering expression, Rivelia could only give up, extend her hand to take the bracelet, and hide it in her clothes.
"You really have grown up too early."
She gently ruffled her hands through his snow white hair, and smiled.
'But is this a good thing or bad?'