Laura thought back on the breakfast she had shared with her family two days ago as she gracefully descended the magnificent staircase of the Goldheart estate, a friendly smile still lingering on her face.
Raiden's bold declaration still echoed in her mind—that he would one day surpass Kent's Mana Heart Record. The memory made her laugh softly. It filled her with pride… and eagerness.
Laura herself had been hailed as a rare genius when she created her Mana Heart at just eight years old. But her record had been short-lived. Kent had come shortly after, creating his Mana Heart a full year earlier than she had, and his success had eclipsed hers.
Unquestionably gifted, Kent was celebrated as a prodigy who appeared once every five hundred years—a title that had once been reserved for the family's second head.
But now, it seemed Raiden was poised to surpass Kent's mark as well.
Laura was curious to see how Kent would react when his record was broken, but more than that, she genuinely wanted to support her younger brother. Grinning to herself, she murmured, "This will be good for him." A small amount of humility could do wonders.
Recently enrolled at the prestigious BlueHeart Academy—a top institution where the realm's finest young talent polished their skills—Laura had returned home briefly to celebrate Raiden's third birthday. Her schedule was tight since the new term was soon going to start, but after registering, she made sure that she would be there. Her responsibilities would have caused her to miss it, but she was resolved to make the most of her time with him.
And what better way than to let him participate in some real-world learning?
'Sure, I will find him somewhere on the estate grounds,' she thought as she walked out of the house entrance. Raiden was hardly indoors; usually, she saw him running about the estate, engaged in whatever mischief he could find.
Just as she walked into the open air, a loud shout caught her attention. Sprinting across the courtyard came Raiden, his face twisted in what resembled pure terror as he fled a large, agitated horse trotting after him.
Screaming, he glanced over his shoulders, clearly terrified as he picked up speed. The horse neighed and kept galloping behind him relentlessly, its speed measured but set.
Laura sighed, shook her head and crossed her arms. 'This little rascal is always in trouble.'
Then, without hesitation, she quickly shot off to grab the horse. She reached between the horse and Raiden with one graceful movement, her hands firmly gripping the bridle as she soothed the animal.
"Easy, there," she said gently, stroking the horse's mane until it calmed, its head dropping with a relaxed snort.
Raiden stopped beside her, wide-eyed and panting, clearly relieved to be free of harm's reach. Taking a deep breath, he gave her a sheepish smile. "Thanks, Laura."
Raising an eyebrow, she turned to face him, "What on earth were you doing?" she asked. "Did you really manage to anger a horse?"
Raiden gave a dramatic shrug, his face as innocent as possible. "I wasn't causing it to stir. Just, you know, I was in training."
Laura blinked in surprise. Training? "Training on what, exactly?"
Raiden leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially, his grin toothy despite the wrinkles forming on his head. "Stamina. Gotta be ready for my future Mana Heart, right?"
Laura stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing as she shook her head. "Oh, so being chased by a horse was your idea of stamina training?"
Raiden nodded proudly, clearly happy with his argument, and smiled broadly.
Laura's nose wrinkled, though, as she smelled something strange clinging to his clothes. She frowned and waved a hand in front of her face.
"Raiden… what is that smell?"
Raiden groaned and scratched the back of his head. " Ah… I might have borrowed a small bit of animal feed. For… experiments. You know."
"Authentic madness!" Laura laughed. "So the horse was chasing you because you smelled like feed?"
"Maybe…" Raiden muttered, his cheeks flushing pink. "I was just testing a theory."
Laura chuckled and shook her head in mock disbelief. "Well, how about I help you if you're so determined to train?"
Raiden's eyes lit up, only for his face to darken the next moment from suspicion. "Wait… what kind of training?"
Laura smirked and crossed her arms. "That kind where stable animals don't chase you. Come on, little brother. I will show you what real stamina training looks like."
Raiden sighed, his shoulders slumping, but followed her nonetheless; he knew very well that he couldn't get away from this. With curiosity overcoming his fear, he raised his head toward the training ground.
"So… what kind of training are we talking about?" he asked warily.
"Basic drills," Laura replied, her tone matter-of-fact. "Run laps, do stretches, practice controlled breathing. Even if we start small, but soon enough… You will feel the difference."
Raiden grimaced but said nothing as they arrived at the training yard. Laura gestured for him to stand before her, her face suddenly serious.
"All right," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "Raiden, first of all, you have to learn control. It's a good thing that you have a lot of energy, but it will be wasted if you neglect to develop your ability to focus it. If you want to break Kent's record, you will need to learn how to focus that energy."
Raiden nodded fiercely, determination blazing in his eyes. 'Indeed I do!'
"Then pay attention closely." Laura continued, her tone firm yet encouraging. "We will start with your breathing. Controlled breathing will help you increase your endurance and concentration. Now stand straight and inhale deeply—from your belly, not your chest."
Raiden concentrated on breathing, trying to do just as she had instructed. Laura watched him closely, her eyebrows furrowed. After a few tries, he looked up at her with eager eyes.
"Am I doing it right?"
Laura nodded, her stern expression softening into a proud smile. "Exactly. Just keep that up—we will now start moving to the next exercise. We will run several laps around the yard. Get ready."
Raiden groaned but took off as soon as she gave the signal, his short legs pounding the ground as he rushed ahead. Laughing, Laura ran behind him, calling out instructions to keep him steady. They kept going until Raiden's legs felt like jelly and his breathing was ragged. But by the end, a wide grin had returned to his face.
Panting, he looked up at her, a mix of pride and exhaustion in her eyes, "That… was actually kind of fun."
Laura ruffled his hair with a warm smile. "You were amazing, Raiden. Training isn't just about pushing yourself—it's about gradually building your strength. You're getting there."
Raiden nodded, his eyes ablaze. "Thanks, Laura. You know, I am going to be the best—better than Kent, better than everyone!"
Laura laughed and pulled him into a quick hug. "I know you will, little brother. And I will be right here, cheering you on every step of the way."
With his head whirling with excitement, Raiden turned back and headed towards the house. With Laura's support, he had taken his first real step toward his goal. This also made him realize he was closer than ever to surpassing the expectations set by his family.
Glancing up at his sister, he smiled. "This is but the beginning."