The morning sun cast long shadows across the cobblestone streets of Hellmund as the capital city slowly awakened to another day. Merchants were already setting up their stalls in the grand markets, the aroma of freshly baked bread mingling with the subtle hum of mana-infused air that permeated every corner of the empire's beating heart.
At the center of this magnificent metropolis stood the Imperial Palace, its white stone walls gleaming like polished marble in the early light. The structure was a testament to both architectural brilliance and magical engineering—towers that seemed to defy gravity, bridges of crystallized mana connecting different wings, and protective barriers so complex that they were virtually invisible to the naked eye.
Within these hallowed halls, a figure in pristine white royal attire made his way through corridors lined with portraits of past emperors and legendary heroes. Juno had undergone quite the transformation from the casual forest dweller who had spent the past week tormenting a confused teenager. Gone were the practical traveling clothes, replaced by formal court dress that somehow managed to make him look both distinguished and approachable.
His purple eyes caught the morning light streaming through stained glass windows, creating an almost ethereal quality as he walked. Despite the formal setting, his demeanor remained characteristically relaxed, a subtle smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he acknowledged the various palace staff he encountered.
"Good morning, Captain Torres," Juno called out to a stern-looking knight who immediately straightened to attention. "That's quite the impressive posture you've got there. Been practicing in front of a mirror again?"
The captain's weathered face cracked the slightest hint of a smile. "Just maintaining standards, sir. Can't have the palace guard looking sloppy when important meetings are taking place."
"Wise policy. Though between you and me, I think the real test of a guard's quality is whether they can stay awake during those meetings." Juno's grin widened. "I've seen grown men fall asleep standing up when the council gets into one of their philosophical debates about taxation policy."
"I'll keep that in mind, sir," Torres replied with obvious amusement.
Juno continued down the hallway, exchanging similar pleasantries with several other guards and servants. His easy manner seemed to put everyone at ease, despite the obvious tension that permeated the palace atmosphere. Word had clearly spread that something significant was happening—the kind of something that required the immediate recall of the empire's strongest asset.
As he approached the council chamber, the casual conversations died away, replaced by the formal protocols that surrounded the highest levels of government. The guards flanking the ornate double doors snapped to attention, their faces masks of professional composure.
"The council is waiting for you, sir," one of them announced.
"Of course they are," Juno replied with mock solemnity. "Can't have the fate of the empire decided without proper dramatic timing."
The chamber beyond was a perfect representation of political power concentrated in one room. The circular table at its center was carved from a single piece of ancient wood, its surface polished to a mirror shine and inscribed with protective runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. Six high-backed chairs surrounded it, five currently occupied by individuals whose collective decisions shaped the lives of millions.
Sir Richard sat with his usual calculating expression, fingers steepled as he studied reports scattered across the table before him. His sharp eyes missed nothing, and his reputation for strategic thinking was matched only by his ability to deliver uncomfortable truths with diplomatic precision.
To his right sat Katrina Wolf, a woman whose silver hair and lined face spoke of decades spent in service to the empire. Her keen intelligence was legendary among the nobility, and her knowledge of both magical theory and practical governance made her one of the most respected voices on the council.
High Priest Nicholas occupied the chair furthest from the entrance, his perpetually sour expression suggesting that the world had been personally designed to disappoint him. As the head of the Church of Lux, he wielded considerable influence over the empire's spiritual affairs, though his tendency toward dramatic proclamations often put him at odds with more pragmatic council members.
The remaining two council members—Elder Marcus and Lady Vera—were older statesmen whose primary contributions came from their vast experience and institutional memory. They rarely spoke during meetings, preferring to observe and offer wisdom when asked.
At the center of this gathering sat Empress Amelia Fernando, and her presence transformed the entire atmosphere of the room. Despite being only twenty-two years old, she commanded absolute respect from advisors three times her age. Her striking red hair was arranged in an elegant style that managed to be both regal and practical, and her green eyes held the kind of sharp intelligence that could dissect complex political situations with surgical precision.
"Juno," she said without preamble, her voice carrying the authority of someone accustomed to being obeyed without question. "Thank you for responding so quickly to our summons."
"Your Majesty," Juno replied with a bow that managed to be respectful without sacrificing his characteristic casualness. "Though I have to say, the level of urgency in your message suggests this isn't a social call to discuss the weather."
"Indeed it is not." Sir Richard leaned forward, his expression grave. "We've received disturbing reports from our scouts stationed near the Hiro Wall. The mana presence around the barrier has significantly weakened over the past several weeks, and the wall itself appears to be showing signs of structural deterioration."
Juno's casual demeanor shifted subtly, his purple eyes taking on a more focused intensity. "How significant are we talking about?"
"Significant enough that our most experienced mana-sensors are reporting fluctuations they've never encountered before," Sir Richard continued. "The readings suggest the barrier's fundamental integrity may be compromised."
"I can confirm those reports," Juno said, his voice losing its usual playful edge. "I sensed the disturbance myself while I was conducting training exercises in the Zezon Forest. The magical atmosphere in that region has been... unstable."
Lady Vera spoke for the first time, her elderly voice carrying the weight of accumulated wisdom. "Are we looking at a natural degradation of the magical construct, or is there evidence of external interference?"
"That's what we need to determine," Juno replied carefully. "The disturbance felt organic rather than forced, but the timing raises questions that don't have comfortable answers."
Elder Marcus shifted in his chair, his weathered hands gripping the armrests tightly. "Is this what we think it is? Are we looking at the beginning of the end?"
The question hung in the air like a death sentence. Everyone present understood the implications—if the Hiro Wall was truly failing, the consequences would be catastrophic beyond imagination.
"There might be a chance," Juno admitted reluctantly.
The simple statement sent a chill through the room that had nothing to do with the temperature.
Empress Amelia's voice cut through the growing tension with practiced authority. "You mentioned in your message that you had additional information to report. Something related to these disturbances?"
Juno straightened slightly, his expression becoming uncharacteristically formal. "While I was in the Zezon Forest conducting my investigation, I encountered something—someone—that may be connected to these events."
He paused, seeming to choose his words carefully.
"I found a boy, approximately seventeen years of age. He was discovered completely naked in the deepest part of the forest, with no memory of how he had arrived there and no understanding of where he was."
High Priest Nicholas leaned forward with obvious interest. "A lost traveler? Perhaps someone who suffered an attack by the Remmani ?"
"That was my initial assumption," Juno continued. "However, several factors make this case unusual. First, the timing of his appearance coincided exactly with the moment I first sensed the wall's disturbance. Second, he displayed complete ignorance about basic facts regarding our world—not confusion or memory loss, but genuine lack of knowledge about things every child learns."
Sir Richard's strategic mind immediately grasped the implications. "You're suggesting this individual's appearance is connected to the barrier's deterioration?"
"I'm suggesting the correlation is too significant to ignore," Juno replied. "Additionally, when I attempted to assess his magical capabilities, I discovered he possessed completely untrained mana reserves with an unusual resonance pattern."
Katrina Wolf's eyes widened slightly. "What kind of resonance pattern?"
"Sound magic," Juno said simply. "Completely raw and undeveloped, but with a fundamental strength that shouldn't exist in someone with no formal training."
The council members exchanged glances loaded with meaning. Sound magic itself wasn't particularly unusual, but the combination of circumstances Juno was describing painted a picture that none of them wanted to acknowledge directly.
High Priest Nicholas was the first to voice what everyone was thinking, his weathered face flushing with a mixture of religious fervor and genuine fear.
"It's Lux-sama," he declared, his voice shaking with emotion. "The prophecies have foretold this moment for generations. The summoning of the final chosen one, the fifth to answer the call when darkness threatens to consume everything we hold dear."
He slammed his gnarled hand on the table, the sound echoing through the chamber like a gunshot.
"That boy—he needs to be brought under our control immediately. Either he becomes an asset we can guide and utilize, or he becomes a threat that could end everything we've built. There is no middle ground in this matter."
The priest paused, his rheumy eyes growing distant as he considered darker historical precedents.
"We cannot forget the lessons of the past. We cannot allow him to follow the path of the first two of the 4 Old Summons . The consequences would be... unthinkable."
The reference sent a visible shudder through the assembled council members. They were aware of the tales of summoned individuals who had turned against the light, becoming forces of destruction rather than salvation.
Katrina Wolf spoke with the measured wisdom of someone who had spent decades studying magical theory and historical patterns.
"While that possibility is certainly something we must consider for the future, I believe we should be cautious about immediate panic. If this person is truly what we suspect him to be, then right now we should be grateful that he represents the fifth summoning rather than fearing he will become something worse."
She gestured toward the reports scattered across the table.
"The historical records suggest that newly summoned individuals require time to develop their full potential, whether for good or ill. We have a window of opportunity to observe, evaluate, and potentially guide his development."
Sir Richard nodded in agreement. "The strategic advantage lies in early intervention rather than reactive responses. If we can establish positive contact and influence before any negative patterns emerge, we may be able to avoid the mistakes that led to previous disasters."
Empress Amelia listened to this exchange with the focused attention of someone weighing options that could determine the fate of nations. When she finally spoke, her voice carried the steel-edged authority that had allowed her to maintain power in a world where strength was the ultimate currency.
"Nicholas-sama, while I respect the Church's historical perspective on these matters, this is not the time for the empire to be governed solely by religious doctrine. We need to approach this situation with logical analysis and careful consideration of all available options."
She turned to face Juno directly, her green eyes boring into his with uncomfortable intensity.
"However, we also cannot ignore the very real dangers this situation presents. The safety of our people and the stability of our empire must take precedence over any individual considerations, regardless of how significant that individual might be."
The empress paused, and when she continued, her words carried the weight of absolute imperial authority.
"If this boy develops any kind of abnormal behavioral patterns—anything that might be considered a serious risk or grave danger to the empire or its citizens—you will eliminate the threat immediately. No hesitation, no second chances, no appeals to higher authority. Is that understood?"
Juno's face showed a flicker of something that might have been shock, though his expression suggested he had been expecting exactly this type of order. The casual mentor who had spent days patiently training a confused teenager was gone, replaced by the cold professional who had earned his reputation as a Knight.
After a long moment of consideration, he bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment.
"As you wish, Your Majesty. I understand the parameters of my assignment."
Before he could turn to leave, Katrina Wolf spoke up with obvious concern.
"Where is this boy currently located? If he's as significant as we believe, he should be under some form of protective observation."
The serious atmosphere in the room underwent a dramatic transformation as Juno's expression shifted back to his characteristic mischievous grin. The change was so sudden and complete that several council members blinked in surprise.
"Well," he said in a deliberately casual tone that somehow managed to convey both innocence and barely suppressed amusement, "I told him to stay with your granddaughter."
The silence that followed this statement was so complete that the sound of Katrina's chair scraping against the floor seemed to echo like thunder.
"YOU DID WHAT?!" she exploded, rising from her seat with the fury of a grandmother who had just discovered her precious granddaughter had been left alone with a complete stranger of potentially cosmic significance. "How could you be so monumentally stupid? Do you have any idea how impulsive and reckless that girl can be?"
Juno's grin widened as he watched Katrina's face cycle through several shades of red. "I thought it would be a good learning experience for both of them."
"LEARNING EXPERIENCE?!" Katrina's voice reached a pitch that probably rattled windows in distant parts of the palace. "You left some mysterious stranger—who might be one of the most important as well as dangerous individuals in the history of our world—with a seventeen-year-old girl who once tried to solve a diplomatic crisis by challenging a foreign ambassador to a magical duel!"
"To be fair," Juno replied with infuriating calm, "she won that duel."
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"
The other council members watched this exchange with expressions ranging from resignation to barely suppressed amusement. They had all witnessed similar outbursts over the years and knew better than to intervene when Katrina was in full protective grandmother mode.
Sir Richard cleared his throat diplomatically. "Perhaps we should focus on the current situation rather than debating past decisions."
"Past decisions?" Katrina whirled to face him. "This happened less than a week ago! For all we know, Olivia has already imprisoned him thinking he's some kind of threat, or worse, she's decided he is a good object to use for her mana practice "
Juno's expression became thoughtful. "You know, either of those scenarios is entirely possible."
Empress Amelia watched this domestic drama unfold with the patient expression of someone who had learned to work with the personalities of her advisors rather than against them. When the shouting finally died down to manageable levels, she spoke with calm authority.
"Katrina, while your concerns about your granddaughter's judgment are noted, we should remember that if Juno made this decision, he likely had valid reasons for doing so."
She turned to Juno with a raised eyebrow. "You did have valid reasons, didn't you?"
"Several, actually," Juno replied, his tone becoming slightly more serious. "Olivia is one of the most naturally gifted water magic users of her generation, which makes her capable of defending herself if necessary. She's also politically connected but not directly involved in court intrigue, which provides a degree of protection without unwanted attention. Most importantly, she has a good heart and strong moral instincts, which means she's unlikely to harm someone who doesn't deserve it, totally unlike what Sofia would do"
He paused, then added with a return to his characteristic humor, "Plus, I figured if things went badly, you'd blame me instead of her, which seemed like the safer option from a family dynamics perspective."
Katrina stared at him for a long moment, her anger slowly being replaced by grudging acknowledgment of his logic. "You calculated all of that before making your decision?"
"I'm not completely irresponsible," Juno protested with mock offense. "I occasionally think things through before acting on my impulses."
"Occasionally," Katrina muttered, sinking back into her chair with obvious exhaustion. "At least tell me you gave her some kind of warning about what she might be dealing with."
Juno's silence was answer enough.
"Oh, for the love of—" Katrina buried her face in her hands. "That poor boy. Olivia probably thinks he's either a beggar, a criminal, or some kind of romantic interest who appeared out of nowhere. Knowing her, she's already jumping to the worst possible conclusions and acting accordingly."
As the council meeting gradually wound down to its inevitable conclusion, Katrina found herself wondering what exactly her granddaughter might have done to the potentially world-changing individual who had been dropped into her life without warning or explanation.
Given Olivia's track record with unexpected situations, the possibilities ranged from merely embarrassing to genuinely concerning.
---
Meanwhile, in a basement that smelled of damp stone and old rope, consciousness returned to Kai Atsuya with all the subtlety of a mana beast trampling through a flower garden.
Everything hurt.
His head pounded with a headache that felt like someone had decided to use his skull as a percussion instrument for an extended musical performance. His body ached as if he'd been systematically beaten by professionals who took pride in their work. When he finally managed to force his swollen eyes open, he found himself in what appeared to be some kind of storage cellar, his hands securely tied behind his back with rope that chafed against his wrists.
The dim light filtering down from a small window high on the wall revealed stone walls, wooden barrels, and the kind of atmosphere that suggested this space was normally used for storing wine rather than imprisoning confused teenagers.
His face felt tender and swollen, and when he tried to move his jaw, sharp pains suggested that someone had been very thorough in their application of corrective violence while he was unconscious.
"What the hell happened to me?" he groaned, his voice coming out as more of a croak than actual words.
"Hello... Is someone there , hello" he cried out until he could barely even move his head , then a figure emerged from the light , the same old sets of eyes and the same old beauty Olivia ,as she walked past the injured boy asked
"So you have finally decided to wake up , You damn demon"
Kai's confused and injured head could barely comprehend of what he had just heard as he shouted with all his remaining strength "HUHHHH!?".