Leo sat alone in his room, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on him.
"Ahhhh... I'm so exhausted. They scolded me nonstop," he muttered, rubbing his temples.
Seeking relief, Leo began to meditate, trying to center himself. As he focused, a wave of calm washed over him.
"Wow... I didn't expect this to work so well," he whispered, surprised by the clarity that suddenly enveloped him.
But as quickly as the calm came, it was replaced by a tense resolve. His eyes grew distant, his mind racing with thoughts of the future.
"Five years... I still have five years to train before the dragon attacks."
His voice was firm, filled with determination. "I won't let this peaceful land be turned to ashes again."
Leo wasn't just driven by a desire to protect his family; he felt a deep responsibility to safeguard the entire land of Phyrus.
Phyrus was a tranquil land, located on the western edge of the Serus Kingdom. Despite being a land of commoners, it was home to kind and generous people. For nearly 200 years, the Reinhardt family, a noble house of humble status, had ruled over Phyrus. Though they were considered below average in the eyes of the kingdom, the people of Phyrus respected and loved them for their kindness and generosity.
[The Next Day - Midnight]
Leo sat in meditation once more, his mind sharper and more focused than ever before. He marveled at the newfound strength in his concentration.
"Wow... So this is what it feels like to have two mana cores. My focus hasn't wavered, even after meditating for more than ten hours," he thought, astonished. "Not even in my previous life did I have this much focus."
But a shadow crossed his face as he continued to meditate. "But... it's still not enough."
Though Leo had five years to prepare for the dragon's attack, there were other dangers lurking on the horizon—disasters that could ravage Phyrus if left unchecked.
In his memories, one event stood out: a deadly virus epidemic that would strike on January 11, 1684.
"Two months from now, the virus will spread, and Rey's family will be the first to suffer," Leo remembered with a shudder.
In his past life, Rey and his family had been the first victims of the virus, which they unknowingly spread. The epidemic was halted only after the Reinhardt family intervened, using healing magic to cure the afflicted. But the ease with which the virus was cured troubled Leo. It was almost too easy.
"What if the virus had been more dangerous? The entire land could have been wiped out," he thought, a sense of dread gnawing at him.
Adding to his frustration was the fact that, despite the severity of the epidemic, the culprit behind it was never caught, and the capital's forces never arrived to help. The Serus Kingdom, in its arrogance, had dismissed the Reinhardt family as insignificant, unworthy of noble status.
"But... in this life, I will raise our family to the top and reclaim our honor," Leo vowed, his heart burning with anger towards the kingdom—and especially towards the royal family.
The man who had betrayed Leo, the man who had killed him in his past life, was none other than the future king of Serus Kingdom, Haydn de Pierce.
As Leo's thoughts darkened, his mana began to leak, and a tense aura filled the room. Even the bird perched by the window felt the suffocating pressure.
A knock on the door jolted Leo back to his senses.
"Who's there?" he called out, his voice sharp.
"It's me. May I come in?" a familiar voice replied.
"Oh, it's you, Mother. Yes, come in," Leo said, his tone softening.
The door creaked open, and Claudia stepped inside. Her eyes were filled with concern.
"Leo, are you okay now?" she asked, her voice gentle.
"Yes, Mother. I'm better than I was yesterday," Leo assured her.
Claudia let out a sigh of relief, but her eyes glistened with tears. "I'm so glad to hear that, but Leo... don't let yourself get hurt again. You know how worried we get about you. You were in a coma for two years, and you've only just woken up."
Tears began to stream down Claudia's face as she continued, "Please, don't make us worry again, okay?"
Her gentle smile, filled with love and concern, nearly brought Leo to tears.
"I promise, Mother," he replied, a determined smile on his face.
I will protect it... I will protect that smile. I will not let it fade again.