Kenny drew in three consecutive, deep breaths, struggling to calm the nerves that had flared up without warning. The sound was unmistakable, the low, resonant hum of his father's tech drone.
Its arrival meant dinner would be served soon, and being late was not an option.
He swiftly placed the book back into the cupboard and rushed to the bathroom.
His brother, Rufus, had worn advanced tech armor, the standard gear for anyone spending real time in the Beast Realm.
Kenny, as a mere visitor, had been relegated to a simple environmental suit. He stripped out of the lightweight fabric and stepped into the massive shower.
Water cascaded from all sides, soaking his hair and washing away the grime and sweat of his travels. Yet, the cool spray did nothing to soothe his cramped thoughts.
After drying off, he changed into what passed for pajamas in the year 2248: a sleek, black garment of a smart material that felt both loose and comfortably supportive, molding to his skin as he headed downstairs.
In the dining room, a tall figure was already seated, draped in an intricate black and red tech-suit. Though not battle armor, the tailored garment still made Julian look every bit a warrior.
His hands, deft and sure, worked a knife and fork against a juicy cut of meat.
The Beast King wore a pleasant smile, likely because his favorite son, Rufus, was seated across from him.
The source of Julian's title was etched across his skin: a menacing tapestry of tattoos, each sigil representing a tamed beast. Rufus bore one. Julian wore countless, a living map of conquest.
To those who understood the rituals of taming, the implications were clear, the man wielded immeasurable power. Kenny didn't know the specifics, but he still feared and respected Julian.
Julian's brown hair fell long down his back with the flourish of an emperor's cloak. He paused his meal, spotting Kenny from the corner of his eye. The smile vanished, replaced by a cold gaze magnified by gold-rimmed spectacles.
"Little Ken."
His voice? Was shockingly deep, a rumble of silent thunder. It made Kenny flinch, suddenly feeling ten years younger, a toddler standing before a giant.
"How was your trip to the Beast World? Did you find it... interesting?"
Kenny pulled back a chair, trying to project a confidence he didn't feel.
"It was... okay. Saw a lot of things I've only read about."
Julian gave a slow, considered nod.
"I've decided to hold another banquet for your brother. His graduation to Class B is coming up soon."
He took a sip of wine, his eyes never leaving Kenny.
"I'm sure you're grateful to him as well, considering he secured your entry into the Beast Realm, despite you being from a lower class... even, if it was a one time trip?"
Kenny would have sighed if not for his father's penetrating stare. Grateful? Rufus had used him as a scapegoat and pack mule, making the trip thoroughly unpleasant.
"Another banquet? That cunning bastard."
He kept the thought to himself, reaching for a plate of stew as he dragged out an awkward reply.
"Yeah... I'm grateful."
Julian didn't seem to notice the hesitation. He chuckled, a sound that boomed, then just as suddenly turned ice-cold.
"That raises the question of when you will graduate, Ken. It seems the promise I made is not enough to motivate that weak mind of yours."
Kenny flinched. He almost blurted, Of course it's enough! But he restrained himself.
It wasn't a lack of motivation; it was a fundamental mismatch. His talents lay in mathematics, history, and research, not combat.
In another era, he might have been celebrated. But in these perilous times, only strength mattered.
Besides the promised reward, which he desperately wanted, he also had an egg to return to. Reaching Grade C was a necessity. He gritted his teeth as Julian spoke again.
"Tell me, did you at least hunt alongside your brother? Or... did you simply spectate from the sidelines?"
Kenny could have sworn he heard Rufus snicker. How was he supposed to hunt when Rufus had explicitly ordered him to stay clear of the action? Of course, clarifying that would only invite more scorn.
"Uhh... I..."
Julian interrupted with a dismissive sigh. He reached for a button on the side of the table and pressed it gently.
Everyone waited in silence, the air thick with anticipation of Kenny's punishment.
Soon, Albert, the butler who had retrieved them from the Beast Realm gate, entered.
He crossed his hands over his chest and bowed slightly.
"Yes, Master Julian. You called for me."
"I did."
Julian's gaze remained locked on Kenny, who stared fixedly at his plate of food.
"See to it that the household staff takes a break tomorrow. Kenny will clean the entire bottom floor, reset the training machinery, and input the new command protocols for Sora."
He took a cool sip of wine before delivering the final blow.
"Since you're not learning at that school, you might as well make yourself useful here. Take as long as you need. Once you're finished, you may resume your studies."
With that, Julian rose, his tall frame and broad shoulders rippling with contained power. Rufus followed suit, casting a smug glance at his brother before leaving Kenny alone at the table.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Kenny slumped in his chair, his head in his hands. The weight of Julian's words pressed down on him, suffocating and unrelenting.
"Since you're not learning at school..."
Kenny dropped the pitch in his voice and accurately mimicked his father, before stopping and glancing around.
The phrase echoed in his mind, a cruel refrain that refused to fade. He'd tried, really tried, to prove himself, but it never seemed to matter.
Rufus was the golden child, the warrior, the heir. Kenny was... what? The scholar? The disappointment?
He let out a bitter laugh, the sound hollow in the empty dining room. Cleaning the bottom floor? Resetting the training machinery? It was a punishment designed to humiliate him, to remind him of his place.
But as he sat there, a flicker of defiance stirred in his chest.
Rufus.
He was the cause of all of this, he wanted all the attention and praises, but it was game on. If Kenny made it back to the Beast Realm... well, with that egg, the sky was the limit, literally.
He rose from the table, his movements slow but deliberate. "Fine," he muttered under his breath. "I'll clean this stupid house. But this isn't the end."
His mind raced. If Rufus thought he could keep him down, he was wrong. Kenny had his own strengths, his own goals. The Beast Realm had shown him glimpses of a world beyond his father's narrow expectations.
He'd find a way to prove himself, on his own terms. The goal was simple: get to Class C and gain access to the Beast Realm.
But for now, he had a long, grueling day ahead of him. He glanced at the clock, realizing how late it was.
"Tomorrow's either going to be interesting or really boring."
Kenny had no idea his goal was already in his grasp. The dragon egg's aura had seeped into him back in the Beast Realm, a strange, regal pressure that had sharpened his mind and strengthened something deep in his soul.
The irony was almost painful. He could already perform the technique he'd spent years failing to master, but he didn't know it.
He'd only attempted the first step, felt the sudden surge of power, became shocked, and stopped before trying the remaining two.
If he had pushed just a little further, he would have realized the truth and would have skipped a few boring chapters of his life to get to the real good stuff.