Snow fell slowly over the vast capital of the Valtherion Empire, covering the marble streets and towering spires in a quiet white veil.
At the center of the city stood the Imperial Palace, a structure so enormous it was often mistaken for a city of its own. Golden towers pierced the sky, and ancient magic barriers shimmered faintly above its walls.
This palace was home to the most powerful bloodline in the world.
The descendants of Caelus Aurelion.
The man who had conquered half the continent six centuries ago.
The man who was still alive.
Within these walls lived princes and princesses whose strength could shake kingdoms.
Yet among them…
There was one child no one spoke about.
The Training Grounds
In a quiet corner of the palace gardens, far from the royal training arenas, a boy swung a wooden sword.
Slash.
Slash.
Slash.
His movements were awkward.
Slow.
Unrefined.
Anyone watching would think he had no talent for the blade.
The boy stopped and wiped sweat from his forehead.
His black hair was messy, and his simple training clothes lacked the elegant embroidery worn by royal heirs.
This was Leon Aurelion.
Age: Ten.
Title: Illegitimate Prince.
His mother had once been a palace maid.
She died shortly after his birth.
Since then, Leon had lived quietly in a small wing of the palace rarely visited by the royal family.
No one bullied him.
But no one cared about him either.
To the palace staff he was simply…
the forgotten prince.
Leon raised the wooden sword again.
Slash.
Slash.
Slash.
His arms trembled from exhaustion, but he refused to stop.
Because today was important.
Today was the day every royal child waited for.
The day they turned ten years old.
The day they could choose their Guardian.
The Guardian Ceremony
In the Valtherion Empire, every prince or princess was allowed to select a personal guardian upon reaching the age of ten.
Guardians were not ordinary bodyguards.
They were powerful warriors who would:
Train the prince or princess
Protect them in battle
Serve as mentors
Many guardians were legendary figures.
Generals.
Swordmasters.
Archmages.
Even members of the empire's most elite forces.
But there was one rule.
A guardian had the right to refuse.
Each royal child was allowed three choices.
If all three refused…
They would live without a guardian.
Leon lowered his sword.
He knew the truth.
Most of the empire's strongest warriors already served his siblings.
His half-brother Draven, the crown prince, had warriors practically begging to become his guardian.
His sister Seraphina was already being courted by three powerful archmages.
And Leon?
He had never even spoken to most of the empire's elite warriors.
Two palace maids stood near the garden entrance.
They whispered quietly.
"Is that him?"
"Yes… the illegitimate prince."
"Poor child."
"I heard today is his guardian selection."
The other maid shook her head.
"Who would accept him?"
Leon pretended not to hear them.
He had heard worse before.
Instead he looked toward the palace.
Toward the massive central tower where the Hall of Guardians awaited.
His hands tightened around the wooden sword.
Even if they rejected him…
He still had to try.High above the palace gardens, on a balcony carved from white stone, a tall man watched silently.
His silver hair flowed in the wind.
His eyes were ancient.
Older than the empire itself.
This man was the founder of the empire.
Caelus Aurelion.
Although he had abandoned the throne centuries ago, he occasionally observed the lives of his descendants.
Today his attention had been drawn to the boy training alone in the snow.
Caelus watched Leon swing his sword again and again.
Clumsy.
Weak.
Yet stubborn.
The Sovereign Emperor smiled faintly.
Because while Leon's swordsmanship looked unimpressive…
The old emperor could see something no one else noticed.
A strange fluctuation of energy around the boy.
A power hidden deep within his bloodline.
Something even the Eternal Emperor had never felt before.
Leon placed the wooden sword on the ground and took a deep breath.
The sun was rising.
Which meant the ceremony would begin soon.
He turned toward the palace.
And began walking.
Toward the hall where the strongest warriors in the empire would be waiting.
Toward the moment that could change his life forever.
Behind him, snow continued to fall.
And far above the palace towers…
The Sovereign Emperor whispered softly.
"This child…"
"May become something extraordinary."