"Lucien."
"Yes, father?"
"Do you know the name of our vein of origin?"
"…Echobinder?"
Duke Valerius nodded once, his footsteps echoing softly against the mossy path. We passed beneath a low stone arch nearly hidden by tree roots, its surface carved with symbols I didn't recognize—some of them glowing faintly as we passed. The air shifted, turning heavier, quieter. Even the birds had stopped singing.
And then I saw it.
A vast circular structure emerged from the mist, sunken into the earth as if time had forgotten it. Vines clung to its walls, but they didn't grow wild—they coiled in patterns, symmetrical and deliberate, as if guided. The stones were black, veined with something like starlight. Faint whispers—too soft to make out—brushed the edges of my hearing.
My father didn't stop walking. I followed him inside.
No doors. Just open air, and that same deep silence, pressing against my chest like a heartbeat I couldn't feel. The floor beneath us was smooth stone, polished and cold, carved with interlocking spirals. Each step I took seemed to ripple something I couldn't see—like stepping across water without making a sound.
This wasn't the dust-choked training pit I imagined.
The air was fresh. Clean. Perfectly ventilated.
Of course. A noble's training ground should be nothing less.
I paused...
For a moment, I thought I heard laughter. A girl's voice, far away. Then silence again.
"Father...did you hear that?.. I think I heard voices behind me"
"Ignore them," he said without looking back. "They can't touch you."
His calm reassured me.
Still, I glanced to the side—and froze.
An old man in white robes stood beneath the arch we'd just passed. His expression was kind… but his eyes weren't. They burned. Ravenous, Ferocious, as if they saw through my flesh into the bones beneath.
Then he was gone.
"Step into the center," my father said.
I hesitated, then obeyed.
The instant my foot touched the innermost ring, the air shifted again—sharp and electric. Something unseen swept past my neck, fast and cold like a ghost's breath. I flinched but said nothing.
Above me, pale shards of crystal floated in slow orbit, glowing softly. As each passed overhead, I heard fragments—snatches of voices, memories not mine. Laughter. Weeping. A lullaby in a language I didn't know. Not loud. Not clear. But enough to raise the hair on my arms.
"Did our ancestors build this?" I asked.
"Yes," he said.
The pride in his voice kindled something reckless inside me raising my expectations for our viens of origin.
If they can do it then why can't I do the same or... even better!.
"You'll begin here," he said quietly. "Listen closely. It remembers more than I ever could."
My gaze drifted to the far wall—glossy and black, like obsidian turned to glass. Shadows danced across it: a child running. Two men locked in a duel. A woman, kneeling in sorrow.
None of them were us.
My breath stopped.
A boy.
Black hair. My face.
Gone, before I could blink.
I looked to my father.
"Don't chase what hasn't called to you," he said. "Let it come."
I didn't understand.
I really don't..
But as I stood in the heart of this place—surrounded by silence that felt too alive, shadows that moved like echoes, and stone that breathed with something older than blood—I felt it.
A stirring.
Not from the future.
But from behind me.
....
One and a half years later…
In a wide clearing surrounded by thick, towering trees, a young boy stood shirtless, letting the warm morning light fall across his slightly defined body. His black hair swayed gently in the breeze, and his calm eyes looked ahead with quiet focus.
"Haa~…"
Lucien clenched his fists as a rush of magic filled his veins, spreading all the way to the core of his soul.
"I'm too strong now…"
How strong exactly? He didn't know. But if it was his past life, he could probably blast through walls and level a two-story house without trying too hard.
He looked down at his hand, feeling the steady pulse of power within.
"I've finally mastered the power of my Veins in this phase…"
A group of glowing tree spirits whispered nearby.
"Congratulations, young master Lucien, for mastering the Echobinder Veins!"
"No one in a hundred miles can compare to your record at this age!"
"Alright, alright, enough with the praise." Lucien waved his hand, clearly not buying the flattery. "Even among noble children, I might stand out a little, but I'm not unrivaled."
The trees giggled like old men.
"Hehe~ They may have the realm, but none of them have the skills of our young master."
Lucien ignored them. "Where's my mother?"
A glowing bird fluttered down and chirped softly.
"The lady is inside the house, having tea with Master Caelan and Master Thorne, young master."
"Good." Lucien raised his hand and cast a spell. Wind wrapped around his body, cleansing him of sweat in an instant. He looked like he'd just stepped out of a shower—fresh and clean.
"Pitter-squeak!"
"Puff-coo~!"
Two small creatures on the ground bickered over food, even though there was more than enough lying around.
Chirp chirp!
"It's already been eight years…" Lucien muttered, glancing at the little animals by the side of the road.
"I can't wait any longer… I need to go out and see the real world."
Excited, he pushed off the ground, wind magic propelling him forward. Some of the small creatures nearby were caught in the gust and tumbled backward.
"Pitter-squeak!"
"Eh?" Lucien slowed down and turned around.
Behind him, a line of tiny critters lay dazed on the grass.
"…Oops."
A nearby tree—the Whispering Willow—shook its branches gently and spoke in a calm voice.
"Don't worry, young master. We'll take care of them."
"I see… Thanks."
"Hohoho~ It's our duty." The tree chuckled, its leafy arms carefully gathering the stunned creatures into its foliage.
With the matter handled, Lucien kept running. Even without using magic, he was faster than a full-speed bicycle.
Soon, a tall wall covered in colorful vines and flowers came into view. As he approached, the wall split open with a quiet hum, revealing a peaceful garden beyond. Servants walked by, some trimming hedges, others chatting about the latest news in the city.
"Did you hear? A family of four from one of the outer villages… drained of blood."
"What? Who would dare commit crimes in our territory? This is the age of advancement, not the old barbaric times."
"I don't know the details, but I'm sure it'll be on the news later. Probably some criminal who'll be brought to justice soon."
Lucien stepped closer, and the servants looked up in surprise.
"Ah—good morning, young master Lucien!"
"What can we do for you, your Highness?"
They looked like children caught misbehaving, awkward smiles on their faces.
Lucien smiled calmly. "Don't worry. I'm not mad about your break. I just ask that you get your work done first, alright?"
"Y-Yes! Of course!" They quickly nodded, grateful for his kindness. Most people would kill for this job—so to be treated so generously by the young master was a blessing.
"I'm actually interested in what you were talking about earlier. Mind repeating it for me?"
"Of course. So, as I was saying…"
Lucien listened quietly, then asked, "What do you think about the killer's strength? Is he stronger than you?"
One of the guards replied confidently, "Judging by the scene, it looks like the attacker is a newbie mage, probably at the Flowing Nerve stage—the second realm of the magic path. But compared to me? He's someone I could beat with a single spell."
Lucien smirked. "Oh? I'm in the Flowing Nerve stage too. So you think you can suppress me as well?"
"N-No! I didn't mean it that way, young master! Please forgive me!"
Ah… I went too far with the joke, Lucien thought, seeing the panic on the man's face.
"I was just teasing. Don't worry, I'm not that petty."
Still, it was clear the man was shaken. Not everyone was as forgiving. Some nobles would kill someone over a careless word.
Lucien continued, "Alright, then. Be honest—between me and that murderer, who do you think is stronger?"
"Of course, it's you, young master!"
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "But how can you say that? You haven't even seen me fight."
The other man stepped forward this time. "My friend isn't flattering you, young master. Compared to us—those without a Vein of Origin—your advantage is massive. Even without magic, your body alone is top-tier in our realm. Your natural defense is like a thick shield, and your power is already supernatural."
He continued, "Only true geniuses or experienced mages can stand on equal ground with you. As for the killer… well, judging by the damage left at the scene, we're not even sure if he could break your defense."
Lucien nodded slowly. "Hmm… and the victims?"
"Only had Initiate Veins, young master. They wouldn't be able to force him to show his full strength."
"I see. And what was the cause of death?"
The guard's voice dropped slightly. "We're not certain. But rumors say the technique used is from a new group called Blood Life. They claim it can help people transcend their mortal bodies and become immortal…"
He shook his head. "But I think it's just a scam to raise people like livestock—for harvesting."
Lucien narrowed his eyes.
"Such a thing…"
"Brother!!"
A cheerful voice called from behind.
"There you are, Lucien!"
Behind me, my younger brother Thorne ran toward us, darting past busy servants and magical creatures that lounged in the garden under the morning sun. Right behind him was Caelan, holding a thick book titled Magic Encyclopedia, the latest edition.
"Look! Look! I caught it! I finally caught it!" Thorne shouted excitedly, skidding to a stop in front of me. He held out his closed palm and opened it with pride.
The moment he did, a glowing insect shot out and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"Wow." I blinked, genuinely surprised. That bug was insanely fast—even I couldn't keep up with it.
"See?! I told you I could do it! Took a little while, but I did it!" Thorne puffed out his chest, beaming.
Yeah… a little while… like a whole year and a half, I complained inwardly, but I didn't show it. On the outside, I smiled and praised him. No need to pour cold water on someone who's happy.
"Not bad. I knew you could pull it off."
My eyes shifted to Caelan. "Oh yeah—is that the new book you bought online?"
"Yep," Caelan nodded, tapping his wristwatch. "This gadget's really convenient."
The watch suddenly shifted form, its display flickering to life with a soft hum. A holographic blue screen appeared in the air, full of apps and virtual features. It looked like a high-end smartphone, but more advanced—there was even a built-in virtual world marketplace where you could browse and buy items in person through projection.
My eyes followed the moving icons briefly before asking, "Where's Mother?"
"She's eating with Father. Why?"
"I want to head out… take a little adventure for a while."
"What?!" Thorne yelled. "An adventure?! Count me in!"
"No." I shook my head. "I want to go alone."
Thorne froze. "Alone...? Isn't that dangerous?"
Even Caelan looked up from his watch. He didn't argue, but I could see surprise and concern in his eyes surprise that I do something reckless. We'd all seen a glimpse of the outside world before. The Academy trip with Father had been beautiful… but also terrifying.
I still remembered that journey. Flying high with Father—Duke Valerius—over massive green forests. From the sky, we saw people fighting down below, explosions of magic lighting up the trees. In one lake we passed, a monstrous creature burst from the water—its mouth alone was hundreds of meters wide. But Father just slapped it once. One blow sent the thing screeching back beneath the surface, bleeding and terrified. It didn't come up again.
Even so…
"I'm just going to the city," I reassured them. "Besides, I've got this."
I pointed to the simple necklace around my neck. It looked cheap—like something you could get for a dollar at a street stall. But hidden inside was an emergency teleportation spell that would instantly bring me back home. It could also block all attacks below a certain threshold—and even if that limit was broken, it would still protect me for one second.
One second was enough.
I turned and walked toward the nearby manor, Thorne excitedly trailing behind me, still talking about how he'd sneak out and join me anyway.
Caelan peeled off in another direction—probably heading to the practice field to train magic again.
"Mother probably changed the house layout again…" I muttered as I stepped inside.
The interior welcomed me with warm light and a clean, modern design. Smooth marble floors. Floating orbs of soft gold light hovered near the ceiling. Elegant, but familiar. Just how she liked it.
In the living room, my parents were already done eating. They relaxed on the soft couch, talking quietly and sipping tea like an old couple in a peaceful garden.
I walked in, the scent of vanilla and warm wood filling my nose.
Seraphine looked up from her teacup and smiled. "What brings you here, my dear?"
"I… I want to go outside," I said.
"Outside?" she asked gently. "The forest? Or the outside world?"
Duke Valerius set his cup down, his eyes sharper than hers. "If you mean the Misty Forest, you can go. Just bring some guards. But if you mean the world beyond—then the answer is no. It's too dangerous for you."
"I meant the outside world," I said quietly.
"Then no," he said again, firmer this time. "You're too weak to be on your own."
"But I've already mastered our Veins… and I've reached the Flowing Nerve stage."
"That's still far from strong," he said bluntly. "Too weak to be put on the table."
"But the Aetherium Knights let their young talents go out to train, don't they?"
"They do," Father nodded. "But you only see the ones who return. Do you know how many never came back?"
His words hit hard, and for a moment, I wavered. What if the outside really is too dangerous? What if I die out there?
…No.
It can't be that bad.
If you're careful—if you don't go around picking fights—you can survive. People out there still live. So I should be able to, too.
"I still want to go," I said at last.
Seraphine leaned forward, her voice soft. "Sweetie… have you really thought this through? Even with all the artifacts we've given you, nothing is foolproof."
"Yes." I met her eyes. "I've thought it through."
Between the two, she always understood my heart better.
"You brat—" Duke Valerius was about to raise his voice again, but Seraphine stopped him with a single look.
He clicked his tongue. "Fine. But you're taking a bodyguard. I'll choose one for you."
"No," I said quickly. "I want to go alone."
"What nonsense—"
"I want to see the world with my own eyes. I want to feel what real freedom is like. Not while someone's watching over my shoulder."
The silence stretched. Then Seraphine sighed.
"…Alright. Tomorrow, then. We'll prepare a map and basic info for you."
"I've already prepared," I said. "I memorized which zones are safe and which are off-limits. For example, the mountain range to the west—that whole region is off-limits due to monster activity and a few unidentified ruins."
Father narrowed his eyes slightly. "You've done your homework…"
He stood and walked over, holding out a small silver ring. "Wear this."
"What's this?"
"It holds one full-powered strike from me. It'll activate only if you're truly about to die."
"Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad."
I grinned and hugged my mother first, then turned to my father.
"This child…" he muttered, sighing as he patted my back. "Don't get cocky."
Then—
"How about me? Can I go too?"
A familiar voice came from the hallway.
Thorne stood at the doorway, eyes wide with hope.
"No," Duke Valerius said immediately, not even looking at him.
"Eh?! Why can Lucien go and not me?!"
"Hmph. You haven't even awakened your Veins yet, and you're still stuck at the bottom of Flowing Nerve stage. Any skilled commoner can slam you down with one hand."
"Mom!"
"No sweetie~" Seraphine replied, not even trying to defend him.
"Hahaha!" I couldn't help but laugh at Thorne's deflated expression.
He pouted. "Unfair…"
I stepped outside the manor again, the morning sun brighter than before.
The real world… here I come.