Seven years have passed since the controversial birthday event of William. At this age, he began learning magic from a private magic teacher named Master Elric. Although initially considered foolish by some because of his strange behavior, William began to show tremendous potential in learning magic.
Guided by Master Elric, William studied diligently and slowly began to understand the basics of magic. He learned about elemental control, potion-making, and various other magic techniques. Although he sometimes made mistakes, William kept trying and never gave up.
One day, while practicing magic, William remembered the events of his past that made him be treated like a fool.
William: (to himself) I will never forget how they used to look at me. They thought I was stupid and useless. But now, I will prove that I can be a great sorcerer!
Master Elric, seeing the serious expression on William's face, approached with concern.
Master Elric: Is something bothering you, William?
William: (nodding) Yes, Master. I am recalling my past, when people doubted my abilities.
Master Elric: Remember, William, the past is part of your journey. It's what shaped you into who you are now. Don't let others' doubts make you doubt yourself. What matters is how you see yourself and what you do to achieve your dreams.
One day, during his magic training, William tried to fly on his broomstick. However, due to a mistake in the incantation, his broomstick suddenly lost control and William fell, landing directly into a trash bin.
Master Elric: (laughing) Oh, William, you've really made a mess today.
William: (blushing) I'm sorry, Master. I didn't mean to...
Master Elric: (interrupting) It's okay, William. Every young sorcerer has moments of chaos like this. What's important is that we learn from our mistakes. Just like how incantations must be spoken correctly, life must be lived with attention and caution.
When Graham and Troy saw William fall off his broomstick, they couldn't help but laugh.
Graham: (laughing) Wow, our little brother is truly foolish, isn't he? Who falls off a broomstick?
Troy: (laughing along) Absolutely hilarious! Who would believe that he's a prince?
The two of them looked at Master Elric with disdain.
**Troy**: (in a challenging tone) And who are you really, sir? What right do you have to teach us magic? We are royal children; we don't need to learn from someone like you.
Master Elric, although offended by Troy's harsh words, remained calm and wise in his response.
**Master Elric**: (calmly) I accept criticism with an open mind, however, I hope you can give respect to my position and knowledge. I am a sorcerer who has long experienced in the art of magic, and I know what is best for William's development as a sorcerer.
Impolitely, both of William's older brothers challenged Master Elric. "If you are so great, then fight us," Troy said.
The challenge from Graham and Troy made Master Elric pause for a moment, considering the situation before him. He knew that as a teacher, he had to set a good example for William and not give in to pressure.
**Master Elric**: (seriously) Very well, if that's what you want. We will have a magic duel. However, remember, our goal is to learn and grow together, not to hurt each other.
Graham and Troy looked enthusiastic, both ready to show their strengths. Master Elric prepared himself, taking a stance ready to start the duel.
**Master Elric**: (chanting calmly) "Ventus Ignis!"
A whirlwind of hot wind blew from Master Elric towards Graham and Troy, but they quickly dodged and retaliated with their own magic.
**Graham**: (chanting) "Terra Barriers!"
A wall of earth appeared in front of him, protecting him from Master Elric's attack.
**Troy**: (chanting) "Aqua Shield!"
A shield of water surrounded his body, making him protected from enemy attacks.
The magic duel was intense, with attacks and defenses exchanging. However, in the end, Master Elric's strength and experience proved to be stronger than the two princes.
**Master Elric**: (ending the duel calmly) "Sufficit!"
With his final chant, all the magic vanished, and the atmosphere returned to calm. Graham and Troy were panting, acknowledging Master Elric's superiority in the duel.
**Graham**: (respectfully) We accept this defeat gracefully, Master Elric. We learned that true strength is not only in magic but also in wisdom and experience.
**Troy**: (agreeing) We will respect you as our teacher and learn earnestly from you.
Thus, this magic duel not only proved Master Elric's strength but also became a valuable lesson for Graham and Troy about the importance of respecting and learning from others.
After the intense magic duel, Graham and Troy began to see William in a different light. They realized that despite being considered foolish at first, their brother had tremendous potential in magic.
The three of them began to practice together, exchanging knowledge and skills. Graham and Troy provided tips and tricks from their experiences, while William proved his rapidly increasing abilities.
**Graham**: (impressed) You are truly amazing, William. I never imagined you would become such a great sorcerer.
**Troy**: (agreeing) Yes, we were wrong to underestimate you before. We are proud to have a brother like you.
Slowly, their relationship began to improve. They no longer saw William as a foolish brother but as a talented and potentially great young sorcerer.
Despite showing rapid progress in his magic training, one day William suddenly reverted to his lazy and unwilling-to-train nature. He felt that his brothers were already enough to protect him and no longer felt the need to make an effort.
**Graham**: (worriedly) William, what's happened to you? Why have you suddenly stopped training?
**William**: (lazy) I feel that's enough, Bro. You and Troy are here to protect me. Why should I bother learning magic?
**Troy**: (gritting his teeth) Don't be foolish, William. You know how important training and developing our abilities as sorcerers are. If you continue like this, you will fall far behind.
However, Graham and Troy's words did not influence William. He remained adamant in his stance and showed an increasingly challenging attitude.
**William**: (stubbornly) I'm tired of all this. I want my life to go back to normal, without having to bother learning magic.
William's stubbornness worried Graham and Troy. They didn't want their brother to go back on the wrong path after making so much progress. However, they also realized that the final decision still lay with William himself.
While William continued to sink into his laziness, the neighboring kingdom, Shioroine, began to pay attention to the Veldrome Kingdom. They sent spies to observe weaknesses and shortcomings in the defense of the kingdom.
In the midst of William's ignorance, the Shioroine forces were preparing to attack the Veldrome Kingdom. They had planned a massive assault to seize power and resources from their neighboring kingdom.
However, William remained indifferent to the lurking threat. He continued to rely on his brothers to protect him, unaware that the fate of his kingdom was at stake.
**Graham**: (with concern) William, we must be prepared to face the threat from Shioroine. They are not playing around with their intention to attack us.
**William**: (lazy) I'm sure you guys can handle it. I just want my life to go back to normal.
With William's indifferent attitude, the Veldrome Kingdom became increasingly vulnerable to an attack from Shioroine. Whether William would realize his mistake in time or whether his kingdom would fall into the hands of the enemy, that would be a mystery to be revealed in the next chapter