Chapter 7:The iron fortress 2
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The instant I regained consciousness, the first thing that greeted my vision was a ceiling unfamiliar to me.
It was nothing like the one I had seen before. Ornate patterns spread across its surface, elegant yet restrained, as if every detail had been placed with deliberate care. As my senses slowly sharpened, I studied my surroundings—and quickly realized that the entire room was different.
It was far larger. Refined pottery rested along the walls, subtle decorations blending harmoniously with the furniture. Even the air itself felt warm, calm… safe.
Where am I?
Then, my gaze stopped.
Leaning against a wooden chair was a familiar figure—
Sylvia, in her human form.
'Since I'm unharmed… it seems she lost a significant amount of her power.'
As I continued staring, she spoke without looking at me.
"Why are you staring like that?"
A faint smirk curved her lips. "Were you captivated by my beauty?"
I scoffed lightly.
"It's impossible for me to be captivated by an old woman who's lived for over a thousand years."
Her golden eyes narrowed.
"Sometimes," she replied in a soft but irritated tone, "I truly regret choosing an idiot like you as my contractor. Especially when I'm the one who keeps saving your life."
A faint smile escaped me.
"Well… I appreciate it."
She crossed her arms, satisfaction flickering in her eyes.
"There's no need to thank me. In the end, you belong to me as my contractor."
"…True. You're not wrong."
Sylvia—my spiritual contractor.
In her true form, she was a small fox with pure white fur and sharp golden eyes. Her human form only manifested after consuming an enormous amount of spiritual energy. When she took it, she appeared as a mature woman with white hair flowing softly over her shoulders, gentle features, and eyes that gleamed like molten gold.
She wore a light white silk dress that revealed her arms, secured by an elegant black belt.
…Annoyingly enough, she was beautiful.
"So," I asked casually, "are you finally done with your depressive phase?"
She lifted her chin arrogantly.
"Huh? What nonsense is this fool spouting now? I merely had matters to attend to."
"Oh?" I teased. "That's all?"
Her voice rose slightly.
"Of course! What else could it be?!"
She fell silent.
After a brief pause, she added quietly,
"…I was a little irritated. That's all."
"Oh? Really?"
I looked at her. "About what?"
She met my gaze calmly.
"You already know the answer. Why ask?"
"…Yeah. You're right."
I knew exactly why.
Sylvia had been with me through every life I had lived so far. Because our souls were bound, she followed me through each reincarnation—from the very first life in which we met.
A thin white thread connected our cores, invisible to all but contractors themselves.
Contractors were exceedingly rare. Even my father wasn't one.
As my thoughts drifted, Sylvia suddenly spoke again.
"I'm leaving. I need to rest. I'll return once my spiritual energy recovers."
"What?" I frowned. "You can rest here."
"There's someone approaching," she replied quietly.
"What—"
Before I could finish, Sylvia dissolved into light and vanished into the Spirit Field.
Moments later, a knock echoed against the door.
"Young master, are you awake? May I enter?"
A servant's voice.
"Yes. Come in."
The door opened, revealing a slender young man with black hair and brown eyes. Before he could speak, I asked,
"Where am I?"
"Oh," he replied quickly, "we're at the Duke's residence. When we came to your room earlier, you didn't respond. We forced the door open and found you unconscious. The Duke concluded you collapsed from exhaustion and ordered us to bring you here."
…So that's what happened.
"How long did the journey take?"
"One full day, sir."
So I'd been unconscious for an entire day.
"…Is there anything else?"
"Yes, sir. Please prepare yourself. Breakfast is ready."
After bathing and changing into the clothes prepared for me, I headed toward the dining hall. As the servant opened the doors, a rare sight greeted me.
The Emperor and the Duke—seated together.
Truly unusual.
The Duke lived alone now. He had three children: my mother, the middle daughter; my aunt, the youngest, absent due to her marriage to a Marquis; and the eldest son—Mark Alaric, heir to the family, currently on a mission in the eastern continent of Acedonia.
I stepped forward and bowed.
"Good morning."
The Duke laughed warmly.
"Good morning, boy. Did you rest well? You were unconscious for three whole days."
…Three days?
"Yes," I replied. "Thanks to your hospitality."
"Hahaha! No need for formality. Sit and eat."
Before taking my seat, I turned toward my father.
"Good morning, Father."
"…Good morning."
'He hasn't changed,' I thought. 'Not even a little.'
Midway through the meal, I spoke.
"So… how did the meeting go?"
The Duke opened his mouth, but my father answered first.
"It went well."
…Unexpected.
The Duke glanced at him, amused.
"Yes. Quite well."
After breakfast, servants cleared the table and brought tea and light refreshments. Taking a sip, the Duke said,
"Daniel, once you awaken fully, you'll return to the Iron Fortress to begin your training. Use today to rest and explore."
…Right after waking up, huh?
"Understood."
He continued,
"Your father will depart tomorrow, as planned."
I glanced at him.
"Yes," my father said. "As scheduled."
After finishing my tea, I excused myself.
The palace grounds were familiar—massive beyond reason. A garden even larger than the imperial one stretched before me, filled with countless flowers. The building itself had four floors: reception halls below, servant quarters above, former family chambers on the third floor, and the Duke's official offices at the top.
Yet what impressed me most wasn't the structure.
It was the atmosphere.
Warm. Calm. Almost autumn-like.
Completely unlike the Iron Fortress—
The place I would depart for at dawn.
Back in my room, I resumed control over Aeon Dominion. Despite my lingering tension, the process was smooth. I managed to draw out a small fraction of its power, and Sylvia's presence felt steadier—close to full recovery.
For now, everything was fine.
All that remained was rest…
And the arrival of dawn.
The real date to go.
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