Loclover Kingdom was established over a thousand years ago, with the ruling family being the Blue Clover Family – the Loclover dynasty.
The kingdom was exceptionally stable and powerful, having remained unshaken throughout the centuries. Despite its small size compared to neighboring kingdoms, even the surrounding islands couldn't destabilize its rule.
The current king, Lanoville Loclover, was known for his wisdom and shrewdness.
While recalling these facts about the kingdom and its royal family, the royal delegation arrived at the celebration. To my surprise, three members attended:
A middle-aged man wearing a silver crown. A boy who seemed around fifteen years old. A young girl, probably seven or eight, with braided hair.
They all shared two striking features: dark pink hair and ocean-blue eyes.
As soon as they entered, everyone in the hall bowed deeply.
"We greet the royal family!"
King Lanoville chuckled and waved his hand with a smile:
"No need for formalities! Let's enjoy the party."
That was the expected response. "Displaying humility before the people" – a classic way to leave a good impression without diminishing one's royal aura.
Both my father, Verdi, and I bowed as well, and then the king and my father started a quiet conversation.
Judging by their ages, Lanoville seemed to be in his late forties, while Gustav – Countess Eliana's father – appeared to be nearing his sixties. My father, Verdi, was the youngest duke in the kingdom.
As Verdi and King Lanoville talked, I turned my attention to the royal family members.
Lanoville Loclover:
His dark pink hair was neatly styled, and his face bore the mature features of a middle-aged man. His thick beard enhanced his regal appearance, while he adorned several rings set with gemstones.
Despite his elegance, he exuded a certain modesty, coupled with an unmistakable royal and commanding presence.
Prince Greed:
A fifteen-year-old wearing a fully chestnut-colored suit. His golden sword was an eye-catching accessory hanging from his belt, and he donned a small silver crown on his head.
But what stood out most was his arrogant expression; his face radiated overconfidence.
I don't know why, but I disliked him at first glance. He looks like those young masters.
And the last Princess Lilith, She hid behind Prince Greed. Her sky-blue dress was adorned with white embroidery, and her dark pink hair was intricately braided.
"Shy, isn't she?"
Suddenly, I noticed her stealing glances at me every now and then. When I waved at her, her face immediately turned red, and she quickly hid further behind Prince Greed.
"Huh?"
Those days kids.
Prince Greed noticed this interaction and shrugged his shoulders indifferently. He didn't seem entirely pleased, but he wasn't overly annoyed either.
Anyway, the party will begin soon. It's time for me to step onto the stage.
Third-Person Perspective
Holding a golden-rimmed glass, Verdi scanned the room, his sharp eyes sweeping across the elegantly dressed nobles who filled the hall. A confident yet welcoming smile played on his lips as he raised his voice, addressing the assembly:
"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for taking the time to join us tonight. Your presence truly honors us, and it brings me great joy to welcome you all to this celebration."
His voice carried both the authority of his rank and the warmth of a host eager to share this special occasion. The room fell silent, all ears tuned to the words of the youngest duke in the kingdom, a man as formidable in his duties as he was in his charm.
"Today marks a significant milestone in the history of the Roland family," Verdi continued, his tone growing more solemn. "For today, we gather to celebrate the fifth birthday of my beloved son, Arai."
His words carried weight, for in this kingdom, the fifth birthday was no ordinary occasion. It signified not just another year of life but the formal introduction of a noble child to society, a rite of passage that carried implications for their future standing.
Verdi paused briefly, allowing the gravity of his words to settle over the crowd. Then, with a proud and booming voice, he declared:
"My son and future heir, I wish you a long life filled with health, strength, and prosperity!"
The room erupted in applause as Verdi lifted his glass high, his voice ringing out once more:
"A toast to you all, and a toast to Arai!"
The nobles raised their glasses in unison, echoing his toast with enthusiasm. The sound of crystal clinking together filled the air, a symphony of celebration that marked the beginning of an evening filled with feasts, laughter, and intrigue.
Verdi's gaze lingered on Arai, who stood beside him, dressed impeccably and carrying himself with a composed demeanor that belied his tender age. The pride in Verdi's eyes was unmistakable. This was not just a celebration of a birthday but an acknowledgment of Arai's position as the next in line to lead the Roland family, a responsibility that would one day rest heavily on his young shoulders.
After the toast to Arai's birthday, a line of nobles began forming to offer their congratulations and blessings.
Some of them also handed over their gifts.
After a while, it was Duke Gustav's turn.
Duke Gustav was a man in his mid-fifties, with a broad face, a prominent nose, and a graying beard. He wore a long blue coat and black trousers, exuding the aura of someone of noble rank.
"Boy, my gift to you is this necklace," Duke Gustav said in a deep voice, holding out a silver pendant. "It's called Loya's Embrace, a magical artifact of low-tier rank three. Its effect is to provide an automatic defensive barrier in the event of an unexpected magical attack."
"It can block four level 4 spells and even single level 5 spell before it shatters completely."
It wasn't surprising for Duke Gustav to offer such a remarkable treasure, given the close ties between the Roland and Masaic families.
'So expensive… so powerful…' Arai was left stunned just hearing about its effects.
This necklace was a life-saving treasure!
It was worth noting that the kingdom only had two fifth-tier mages and three fourth-tier mages. The necklace could shield him from one of the most potent attacks known in the kingdom!
"What are you waiting for? Thank your Grandfather Gustav immediately," Verdi said, knocking gently on Arai's head.
Placing his hand over his chest, Arai bowed politely. "Arai thanks Grandfather Gustav for his generous gift."
Hearing Arai's gratitude, Duke Gustav laughed heartily. "If you're truly grateful, make sure to handle your responsibilities well. Don't be as negligent as someone else I know."
Verdi smiled awkwardly.
Countess Eliana was standing beside Gustav, observing Arai from head to toe before smiling.
"Oh, seeing you up close, you do look as smart as your sister described." She tilted her head slightly and added, "As for my gift, call me your 'big sister' first, and I'll consider giving it to you."
'Tsk, are you one of those types, my lady?' Arai glanced at Verdi for help.'You are almost an auntie!'
Verdi merely shrugged nonchalantly, as if to say, "This is not my problem!"
'Seriously? How irresponsible can you be?'Arai sighed, deciding to set aside his pride.
In a childish tone, he said, "Big sister Eliana, what's your gift?"
Countess Eliana, being much older than him, found his submission amusing. Even if Arai added the age from his past life, she would still be senior to him.
She gently patted his head, a satisfied smile forming on her face. "Good boy! Since you're so polite, your big sister Eliana will give you this."
From the pocket of her gown, Eliana pulled out a golden ring adorned with a crimson gemstone. Inside the gemstone, a red liquid swirled like a serpent. The ring exuded an ancient, majestic vibe, radiating a faint, warm aura.
"This…?"
Before Arai could ask, Verdi's voice rang out in surprise, "An artifact!"
"An artifact?" Arai mumbled, perplexed. "What's the difference between an artifact and a magical tool?"
Despite reading many books in the library, this term was unfamiliar to him.
"Of course, there's a difference!" Verdi explained, looking at his son. "Magical tools don't have significant offensive power and are primarily used for various support functions, such as sending messages across distances or assisting in magical training."
"Artifacts, on the other hand, are crafted from the remains of mages or specialized for combat, defense, and similar purposes."
"In term, while magical tools serve auxiliary roles, artifacts possess combat or defensive capabilities."
"Artifacts also tend to have a variety of abilities, unlike magical tools that are limited to support. However, both follow the same ranking system from [4 to 0], based on their strength."
"I see!" Arai nodded, finally understanding the distinction.
Simply put, magical tools were "gadgets," while artifacts were "weapons."
"So, what's the ability of this artifact?"
"Don't cry from the shock!" Eliana said with a proud expression. "Its name is Lasca's Ring, an upper-tier rank-4 artifact. Its ability is to raise the level of any spell by one level!"
"Of course, this enhancement only applies to spells of level 3 or lower. Additionally, the ring has a five-minute cooldown after each use, which increases with higher-tier spells. However, zero-level spells have no cooldown at all."
Verdi, upon hearing the artifact's limitations, lost interest. He had initially planned to borrow the ring until Arai became skilled enough to use it. Naturally, he had no intention of returning it once he claimed it.
Although Verdi was a fifth-tier mage, he only possessed one artifact, which wasn't particularly useful in combat.
Arai, on the other hand, was stunned.
The artifact's ability was… incredible!
An effect that could upgrade spell tiers? That essentially meant he could dominate any mage of the same rank with this ring. It was a doubling effect in practice!
'This aunt gives such amazing gifts…' Arai thought to himself gratefully.
Suddenly, Arai felt thankful for being born a noble. Nobility granted access to treasures like this without effort. Most reincarnated protagonists had to live in poverty and steal weapons or tools from entitled young masters. Here, Arai got his treasure handed to him for free.
'Perhaps I'm the young master those reincarnators target...if I got such a good thing before the awakening rite, how about the next birthday?' Arai chuckled at the thought.