'Hmm... This baby life is so boring! I can't talk, I can't understand the words they're saying, and I sleep more than half the day!'
Lucas lay in the wooden crib. Three weeks had passed since his birth.
'Since the second day, I've been trying to sense mana again, but I get so tired that I fall asleep in less than three hours of meditation...'
'Well, at least I figured out how my baby body works. When I try to say something, it gets translated into crying, but thoughts like these are no problem.'
While little Lucas was deep in thought, a face leaned closer to his crib.
"Good morning, my dear! How are you? Come with me, someone wants to meet you."
He knew that face. He remembered it every day during his previous life. His mother, Marta, stood before him. Although he couldn't understand what she was saying, he smiled every time he saw her.
With the baby in her arms, the woman began descending the stairs to the first floor.
Despite being only three weeks old, Lucas could already focus his eyes and distinguish faces. He had also noticed that he lived in a medieval-style mansion.
'Not only do I have my adoptive parents back, but we're rich too. All the luck I didn't have in my past life, I'm getting now, hahaha!'
The baby in his mother's arms was happy. His adorable laughter echoed as they descended the stairs.
"There's my little Lucas. Look, Will, he has his mother's beauty but his father's eyes, hahaha!"
"Indeed, André, as you say, he's a beautiful child. Luckily, he takes after Marta, haha!"
The two men laughed while sitting on the luxurious sofa. The baby's father was dressed in black and green clothing.
"Let me see the little one," said the man sitting across from André as he got up and approached the baby.
Lucas was already used to visitors. Since his birth, many people had come to see him. Although he didn't understand what was being said, he could deduce that his family was important due to the numerous visits and gifts.
'Another new face...'
The man held the child, lifting him in front of his face. His blue eyes analyzed the baby.
"Caramel skin like his mother, and green eyes like his father... This little guy will break the hearts of the kingdom's girls when he grows up, hahaha!"
"Marta and André, would you mind if I performed a test to check if he has any magical aptitude?"
The man spoke while sitting on the sofa with the child resting in his arms.
"Go ahead. We trust the duke's messenger," said André, glancing at his wife, who simply nodded in agreement.
'What's this? Why did everyone suddenly get so serious?' Lucas thought as his eyes wandered around the room.
Suddenly, he began to feel something. 'This... It's the same sensation I felt when I was touched by mana. Could it be...' As he questioned himself, something began to happen.
Small golden lights surrounded the man and the child. The adult had his eyes closed, reciting strange words, while the baby seemed immersed in the sensation of being touched by mana.
"André, this..." The messenger's eyes were wide with shock.
"My God!" exclaimed the mother.
"How?!" added the father, both stunned by what was happening.
In the middle of the mansion's living room, an incredible scene unfolded. The baby, held in the man's arms, was absorbing the golden lights floating around them. The child, with his eyes closed, wore a smile on his face.
'Yes! This sensation is wonderful!' Lucas was ecstatic.
Moments later, the room was silent. The child now lay sleeping in his mother's arms, a smile still on his face.
"André, Marta. Congratulations!" the messenger broke the silence, speaking softly so as not to wake the baby.
"Your son has the greatest magical talent I've ever seen... At least for holy magic."
"If you agree, I'll inform the duke to request a royal examiner. The ideal age for testing is eight, but given what we've seen today..." the man continued.
"That's fine with me. The little one seems to have loved the sensation of being touched by mana," Marta said as she gazed at the peaceful face of the child sleeping in her arms.
"I agree with my wife. Will, feel free to request a visit from a royal examiner," added André.
"I'll do that when I return to the duke's palace."
"Excuse me, but I'll take Lucas back to his crib. He seems exhausted," said Marta as she stood and headed upstairs with the baby.
"Apologies for the disruption," said the messenger, his eyes still following the child as he tried to process what had happened.
"Tell me, Will, what else brings you here? I know the duke wouldn't have sent you just for a congratulatory visit," André asked after a few moments of silence.
"Then I'll get straight to the point." The blue-eyed man stared directly at him.
"André, the demon army has intensified its attacks in the northern territory of the duke. They've destroyed several villages and are advancing toward the palace."
"The imperial army will take time to arrive. The troops are being pushed back by battles at the empire's borders and have lost territories," the man continued.
André listened without any visible reaction, as if he had already expected this news.
"The duke requests your strength once more." The messenger stood, pulled a letter from his bag, and handed it to the seated man.
André opened the letter, which bore the duke's seal, and began reading:
---
Greetings, Baron Forscher,
I wish I could have personally seen little Lucas and spoken with you, my old friend. However, as William may have already informed you, the demon army has intensified its attacks on the kingdom.
We've located the demon general, but our men cannot fatally wound the great demon, resulting in countless losses.
Thus, I once again request the strength of the Kingdom's Golden Lance: your strength, Sir André Forscher.
Sincerely,
Edmund Carlan III,
Duke of the Americas Empire.
---
After finishing the letter, André remained silent. He had been summoned once more by the duke. Previously, he had been the duke's knight, renowned for his strength and victories in battle. Now, he was a baron—a title granted after defeating three great demons and reclaiming part of the empire's territory.
"André, please consider the duke's request. This may be our last chance to prevent more innocent lives from being lost!" implored the messenger, kneeling. Not out of respect for André's title, but for the strength he had demonstrated countless times on the battlefield.