Leonis woke slowly, the world around him blurry and muted as his body ached from the strain of battle. The first thing he felt was pain all over his body. The royal healer, a master of ancient restoration arts, had worked swiftly to reattach the severed limb. But when he tried to sit up, his body protested, heavy with exhaustion.
The soft scent of herbs and ointments filled the air. He was no longer in the battlefield; he was in his own bedchamber, the familiar luxury surrounding him. He could hear distant murmurs outside his door, the sound of footsteps pacing. The weight of everything, the battle, the pain, the loss settled into his chest.
But beneath it all, there was a flicker of something else. Pride? Determination? He had reached the 4th mana circle of swordsmanship. He had wielded blue fire, magic of a level far beyond what he had ever imagined. And he had slain a beast that had haunted his nightmares from the novel. He had done the impossible.
*But at what cost?* he thought, his mind turning to the men who had fallen because of his decisions. The men he had sent to their deaths.
Just as the dark thoughts threatened to overwhelm him, the door creaked open. Leonis turned his head slowly, and there, standing in the doorway, was his father.
Emperor Valerian Perdium entered the room in silence, his piercing emerald eyes scanning his son's face. He was clad in his royal armor, still bearing the marks of his own battle, his expression unreadable.
"Father," Leonis whispered, his voice hoarse. He tried to rise to greet him properly, but his body wouldn't allow it.
The Emperor held up a hand, signaling him to stay. "Rest," he commanded, his voice firm but not unkind. "You've done more than enough."
Leonis's heart pounded in his chest. This was it. The moment he had both feared and anticipated. What would his father say? Would he praise him? Or would he chastise him for the lives lost, for the failure to protect every man under his command?
Valerian stood at the foot of the bed, his hands clasped behind his back as he studied his son. "I've heard the reports. Of your battle. Of your loss... and your victory."
Leonis felt the weight of those words. He wanted to speak, to explain, but his father's gaze held him silent.
"You did what no one thought possible," Valerian continued, his voice even. "You faced a beast that no mere swordsman could have defeated. You used magic—blue fire, no less—something I did not know you were capable of."
Leonis's heart raced. The Emperor knew. He had seen the reports. But there was something more in his father's eyes, something unspoken.
"You are my son," Valerian said, his voice lowering, "and I have never doubted your potential. But you have always been reckless. You have always acted without care for consequence, without understanding the weight of leadership."
Leonis swallowed, feeling the sting of his father's words.
"And yet," Valerian added, his voice softening, "this time, you have shown something more. You've shown courage. Strength. And for the first time… wisdom."
Leonis blinked, surprised by his father's words.
"However," Valerian continued, his expression hardening again, "you also sent men to their deaths. You made decisions that cost lives. And that… is a burden you will have to carry for the rest of your days."
Leonis looked down, guilt washing over him. He had known this moment would come. The guilt of leadership, the weight of responsibility.
"Father, I—" Leonis began, but his voice faltered.
"Do not apologize," Valerian interrupted, his tone stern. "There is no room for weakness in the heart of a Emperor. Only strength. You will learn this. You must learn this."
The room fell into a heavy silence as the Emperor's words settled between them. Valerian looked at his son one more time, his eyes betraying the slightest hint of something softer, pride, perhaps? Or maybe understanding?
"There is a council meeting in 1 week," Valerian said, turning to leave. "You will attend. There is much to discuss, especially regarding the demonic forces in the east. And you will be given a new sword."
Leonis blinked. A new sword?
Valerian paused at the doorway, his voice low. "My elite men found your sword.. it was burnt along with the beast you defeated & only the handle remained... So i will get sword crafted by the finest Dwarven smiths. It will be waiting for you when you are ready."
With that, the Emperor left the room, leaving Leonis alone with his thoughts.
---
As the door closed, Leonis exhaled, his mind reeling. His father had acknowledged his strength, his courage. But the weight of responsibility, the loss of his men, still hung heavy on his heart.
And then there was the mention of the council meeting. The growing demonic threat in the east. Leonis knew what was coming. The story of the novel had warned him—this was only the beginning. The forces of darkness would rise, and war was inevitable.
He had read every page. He knew every betrayal, every twist, every turn. But living it… living it was another matter entirely.
Three days had passed since the battle, and the world was already changing around him. His father's elite forces had cleaned up the remaining orcs and goblins. The kingdom was on high alert. And Leonis… Leonis had taken a step closer to his destiny.
But was he truly ready for what came next?
As he lay back on his pillow, his missing arm throbbing, his mind drifted to the prophecy. The one he knew from the novel but no one else seemed aware of.
The descendant of the progenitor, the one who would rise above all others...
And if the novel was to be believed, that meant him.
Leonis closed his eyes, the weight of it all pressing down on him. He had reached the 4th mana circle. He had survived his first real battle. But the path ahead was long and filled with danger. He could feel it.
And somehow, he thought, his resolve hardening, I will rise above them all.
The council meeting awaited him. The sword awaited him. And his destiny… was only just beginning.