The Flamul castle was shrouded in shadows as Raven, the youngest in the family, roused from his slumber. The morning light struggled to breach the heavy curtains, but Raven was already accustomed to the enveloping darkness in his room. He rose, his eyes gleaming with anticipation for the new day. He pulled apart the curtains, taking in the breathtaking vista outside the castle. Strategically positioned adjacent to the capital, its borders seamlessly connected to roads branching out across the empire. Their advantageous location ensured swift movement for battles on all fronts – both defense and, especially, offense.
"Good morning, young sir. Your morning attire awaits," Cuthbert's seasoned voice reverberated behind Raven. The perceptive steward seemed to have an innate sense of Raven's waking time, consistently there to greet him.
With a swift "thank you," Raven began to dress. While he prepared, the voices of his siblings echoed through the corridors. Tristan, the eldest brother, always brimming with confidence and persuasive eloquence, engaged in a spirited debate with Helena. Her melodious voice contrasted with the sharp tone of her twin, Valeria. The trio epitomized an ongoing sibling rivalry, vying for their parents' attention.
Navigating the castle's halls, perennially accompanied by the devoted steward Cuthbert, Raven made his way to the grand dining hall for breakfast with his family. Grand Duke Harald Flamul, a man of imposing stature with intensely dark eyes, short hair, and a stern demeanor, was engrossed in a strategic discussion with Lady Isabella. Her cold gaze belied the sharp intellect of a natural strategist. The Flamuls, an ancient family, had long served as the Emperor's right-hand advisors. Their role extended beyond mere conquest, encompassing strategic manipulations and even assassination of rival nobles within their claimed territories. The family fostered a unique bond, with each individual's talents honed to perfection due to the potent bloodline coursing through every member of this most powerful clan beneath the imperial family.
The family members always aimed to share their meals together. Following this, Harald managed to squeeze in time to teach both Raven and Tristan the family's fencing techniques. Though Raven was far from being as skilled as his brother, Harald made it a point to impart the basics to him. While Raven had a strong preference for spending most of his hours in the castle library, he practiced diligently to avoid becoming an easy target for his brother's teasing.
"Raven, Valeria, and Helena," the deep, resonant voice of the family patriarch snapped Raven from his reverie, and the upcoming words from his father sent a chill down his spine.
"Today, we're receiving a special guest, my dear friend Markus. He's coming to examine how mana interacts with your bodies."
Valeria and Helena's faces immediately lit up with delight and anticipation. After this visit, they would step into the "Family's Adolescence," a period where they would dedicate themselves to mastering their future roles in Valerian's most loyal and effective machinery – the empire.
On the other hand, Raven tried to remain composed and collected, even though his heart raced. His microexpressions went unnoticed by nearly everyone, except his mother. She turned her icy gaze toward him, observing and reflecting, for now at least...
Breakfast continued as usual, but for Raven, it felt like an eternity. Finally, his father decided to wrap things up, standing up and leaving, his wife accompanying him. This was the cue Raven had been waiting for. He got up and swiftly headed towards his room, only to be intercepted by his older brother, whose favorite pastime was teasing his younger sibling.
"Where do you think you're headed, little bird? So buried in books that you forgot the way to the training grounds? Just today when I woke up feeling generous enough to take it easy on you?"
Staring at Tristan's sinister grin, Raven felt a surge of anger. What their father had said earlier put him on high alert, and he needed breathing space to calm down.
"Not today, brother. I've got something more pressing to deal with," Raven attempted to move past, only for Tristan to grab his arm forcefully.
"Defying our father's established routine, are we?"
Tristan seemed to relish tightening his grip even more, until a calm voice, infused with magical power, stopped his display of "brotherly affection."
"Well, well, young Master Tristan, it seems Raven has a commitment he needs to attend to. Unless I'm mistaken, and it's not you but me responsible for his schedule. I kindly ask you to let us follow our own timetable."
"Don't you have any shame, you old mummy? Using your magical power to threaten a kid seems pretty cowardly".
Sinatra of the Desert, that's the name of human, or better yet, Feral. She was in charge of taking care of Tristan.
You see, every Flamul family member was safeguarded and educated by their respective protectors. As the imperial family's right-hand, attempts on the young ones' lives were rather common, making it the duty of these guardians to shield them from external threats and very occasionally internal ones. After all, power struggles within the clan were a rare sight.
Cuthbert wasn't just your regular butler, he was a mage, wise and mighty, schooled in illusionism and transmutation. He had once served as Harald's protector himself.
Remarkably, that didn't stop Sinatra from extending her murderous intent towards the old butler. A member of the Feral race, or Beastfolk, Sinatra hailed from the lioness class, a true champion of her kind. Her strength and pride, which earned her one of the most crucial roles within the family, also placed her at the helm of the elite force of the mightiest soldiers, tasked with guarding and shielding the Flamul family. Not that Harald and Isabella needed it...
Being in her presence felt like being near a predator. Many men, even Orcs, had felt diminished under Sinatra's gaze – a gaze that grew doubly fierce when it came to protecting Tristan. However, Cuthbert didn't even flinch when he sensed her murderous intent.
"Let's not stir up trouble here, Sinatra. I understand that young Master Tristan is eager to teach little Raven the foundations he's been learning from the Lord. However, we have a tight schedule today. So, if you'll excuse us, we don't want to be late..."
Without waiting for the others' reactions, Cuthbert took Raven's hand protectively and guided him, while Sinatra was stopped from further contention by a quick signal from Tristain. "Cut it out, Sinna. Continuing to play around with them will bring us headaches later on."
After losing sight of the others, Raven hurriedly ran towards his room, with his butler always on his heels. Once there, he locked the door behind him. Feeling the mana take shape and color, making his will's power real, Raven conjured a spell that would make it impossible for anyone outside the room to hear anything from within.
"What do we do now, Professor? As soon as the envoy arrives and tests us, they'll notice my affinity for magic, and I'll be sent to Dad's preparatory school for battle mages! I don't want to use magic for war and conquest; it doesn't make sense, limiting this noble art to destruction."
"We both knew this day would come, little Raven. You were born with an unmatched magical affinity. You need to calm down and stick to the plan! Go to the training center, serve as a battle mage, and once you've achieved enough, request to change your role."
But Pr- Cuthbert raised his hand abruptly, immediately silencing the protests that would follow. "No more time to argue, little Raven. The Lord's envoy has just arrived..."
With those words, Raven's path was sealed against his will...