After the Awakening Ceremony concluded, William returned to his palace, feeling the weight of the day's events. Max and Mia, the two children chosen as his retainers, were escorted to their designated quarters. Both of them would undergo rigorous training with the Palace Guards, just as William would, preparing them for their roles by his side.
The next morning, William woke up to the gentle care of his maids, who dressed him and helped him prepare for the day. Despite the excitement of the previous day, a sense of calm washed over him as he made his way to the library—a place where his mother often waited for him.
As soon as he entered the room, his mother's face lit up with a warm smile. She immediately wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. The familiar scent of her perfume filled his senses, and for a moment, all the worries of the world seemed to fade away.
"Congratulations, my dear Wily," she said, her voice brimming with pride. "You were amazing yesterday!" Her words were accompanied by a series of affectionate kisses on his cheeks, making William feel both loved and slightly embarrassed by the overwhelming attention.
She held him close, gently swaying as she cuddled him, her heart full of joy. "You handled everything so well. I'm so proud of you," she added, her eyes shining with a mixture of happiness and pride. William couldn't help but smile, feeling the warmth of his mother's love surround him.
She then handed him a beautifully crafted box, its intricate design hinting at the value of the gift inside. "Go on, open it. It's a gift from me to you, for your adventures," she said with a warm smile, watching as William took the expensive-looking box into his hands.
Eager to see what was inside, William tried to open the box, but it wouldn't budge.
[Use Sila, you idiot,] Sera teased.
William nodded, realizing what he needed to do. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation he had felt the day before during the activation of his Sila. Concentrating deeply, he began to retrace that feeling, reaching within himself to connect with his inner power.
As he delved deeper, William visualized a swirl of multi-colored, rainbow-like light dots inside him. He tried to guide them, and at first, they only shifted slightly. With persistence, he managed to move them a bit further, but it was slow progress—just a few meters at a time.
After numerous attempts, he finally reached the 100-meter mark, but exhaustion soon overcame him. Unable to continue, he drifted off to sleep, still cradling the unopened box.
His mother, Lumia, gently held him in her arms, watching over him as he slept. She assessed his progress, a proud smile on her face. "One hundred meters in eight hours… not bad," she murmured, glancing out the window to see the sun setting.
Before William knew it, the entire day had slipped away, consumed by his practice. Lost in his efforts, he hadn't even noticed the passing of time.
"Here, my lady," a maid said softly as she approached Lumia with a tray, upon which rested a vial filled with a shimmering red liquid.
Lumia took the vial, carefully uncorking it. She gently fed the potion to the sleeping William, her touch tender and loving. As the liquid flowed through him, the pain and exhaustion that had gripped William melted away, replaced by a deep, peaceful sleep.
Lumia gently stood up, cradling William in her arms as she carried him to his room. Once there, she carefully laid him down on the bed, tucking him in with a soft blanket. She leaned down to kiss his forehead, her affection clear in every movement, before quietly exiting the room.
As she left, the maid who had been concealed in William's shadow emerged, taking a seat at a nearby table. Her eyes never left the Fourth Prince, her duty clear—to keep watch over him and prevent any harm from coming his way.
Hours passed in silence until the maid sensed movement from the bed. Without making a sound, she slipped back into William's shadow, disappearing as though she had never been there.
William slowly opened his eyes, rubbing them groggily as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. Confusion settled over him as he glanced around the room.
"When did I fall asleep?" he mumbled to himself.
[You slept after exhausting yourself,] Sera replied.
"I see," William murmured, but before he could say anything more, Sera quickly warned him.
[Your shadow guard is here. Don't say anything that could reveal me,] she cautioned. William instinctively stopped talking aloud and shifted to communicating with Sera mentally. 'Did anything else happen while I was asleep?' he asked.
[No, nothing unusual. You fell asleep from exhaustion, and then your mother put you to bed and left. The shadow maid came out and kept watch over you while you slept,] Sera explained.
[Honestly, it was a bit creepy,] Sera added with a slight shiver in her tone.
[I mean, is she a robot or a doll? How can she keep watching over you without even blinking?] Sera wondered, both intrigued and unnerved by the shadow guard's unwavering vigilance.
William shook his head, replying, 'Royal Shadows are always like this.' He then shifted the conversation, asking, 'How long does it usually take to fully control one's Sila?'
[From what I gathered from the conversation between your mother and the maid, a genius usually takes 24 hours to move their Sila inside them for just a few meters,] Sera explained.
[In their eyes, the fact that you moved your Sila over 100 meters in just 8 hours is seen as a sign of supreme talent,] she added.
William nodded thoughtfully, then sat up in bed and rang the bell beside him.
The sound echoed through the room with a melodious tone.
A moment later, the door opened, and a maid entered, bowing respectfully. "Do you need something, Young Prince?" she asked.
"Yes, I'm feeling hungry," William replied.
"Forgive us for letting you feel that way, Your Highness. I will fetch your food immediately," she said with urgency, bowing deeply before quickly leaving the room.
In less than a second, she returned, pushing a long cart laden with over 50 covered dishes.