"Welco to Ashstone, Master," chid the servants as Vyan erged from the magic portal and took a momt to soak in the sce.
Here he was, standing atop a mountain altar, staring at a large domain that was now appartly his to boss a.
From rags to riches, holess to hoowner, Vyan was living the ultimate glow-up for real.
"So, all of this is mine?" he asked kind of in a daze. He still found it hard to digest that his life had tak such a one-eighty turn in the span of forty-eight hours.
"Yes, the whole grand duchy," Bedict confird.
Vyan nodded, suddly feeling like a kid who just inherited a lemonade stand, except the lemonade was a grand duchy and the stand was... well, a grand duchy.
And th tered into his sight of vision was Lincoln Magnus, looking like he just stepped out of a comrcial ad for a fancy suit boutique. Vyan couldn't help but wonder if the suit was worth more than all his organs combined.
"Lord Vyan," Lincoln started, with ough formality to make a royal wedding seem casual. "Welco to your rightful place."
"Thank you, Lord Magnus." Vyan exchanged pleasantries with Lincoln, who had be keeping the grand duchy's finances on lock since dinosaurs road the Earth. Okay, maybe not that long, but you get the idea.
"Thanks for holding down the fort, Lord Magnus," Vyan expressed, guinely thankful.
But th, Lincoln assured him, "I will keep holding it down until you figure out which way is up, so don't worry. Take your ti," and suddly, Vyan's Spidey sses were tingling.
Sure, Lincoln seed loyal and all, but sothing slled fishier than a seafood buffet on a hot day.
However, according to what Bedict inford him, this was the guy who managed to keep the grand duchy afloat ev after the Ashstone family's demise and the Imperial family snatched their prized seaport faster than they could say 'no swiping.'
So he decided not to dwell on it at the momt and wrapped up the obligatory greetings.
After that, they embarked on their journey to the Ashstone family's main residce. Appartly, it had be as lively as a ghost town since the tragedy, with only the servants keeping the cobwebs at bay.
"Ashstone is quite the looker," Vyan remarked, taking in the picturesque cityscape.
The city was so charmingly put together, it almost made him forget he was plotting revge against the sa folks who were currtly flashing him their pearly smiles.
Sure, he was not exactly blind with rage against his family's injustice just yet. After all, he had only discovered his blue-blood lineage, like, yesterday. But that simring desire for payback against the empire? Oh, it was there, alright. And it was ready to set the world on fire—figuratively speaking, of course. Or, was he?
He wasn't about to let bygones be bygones, especially not with the traitorous emperor—the architect of his less-than-stellar life so far. No forgivess, no rcy. Just a good old-fashioned serving of poetic justice, coming right up.
"We have arrived," Bedict announced, snapping Vyan out of his revge-filled daydreams.
Peering out of the carriage window, all Vyan could muster was a asly, "Wow."
As the carriage rolled up the grand driveway, flanked by ancit oak trees straight out of a fairy tale, Vyan couldn't help but feel like he was tering his own personal kingdom.
Seriously, it was like sothing out of a fantasy novel!
Beyond the gates? Well, let's just say the gards were straight-up masterpiece-worthy. ticulously trimd hedges, flowers bursting with color—it was like Mother Nature herself had gone on a decorating spree.
And don't ev get him started on the lake. Sere, shimring waters that practically begged for a dramatic stroll along the shoreline. No doubt, this place was the epito of luxury.
But the real showstopper? The manor itself.
Rising up like a majestic architecture against the backdrop of the landscape, it practically scread, 'Welco to the lap of luxury, boy.'
Stepping out of the carriage, Vyan was greeted by the servants, who probably practiced their curtsies in their spare ti, yet they managed to make him cringe like before.
As he made his way to his new bedroom, he couldn't help but notice the upgrade. Seriously, this room was bigger than his tire existce up until this point.
"This is where the reigning Grand Duke resides," Bedict announced, practically bowing at the door.
"But I'm not the Grand Duke yet," Vyan pointed out, because, you know, facts.
"Because my master deserves the best treatmt after everything you have be through," Bedict let out, probably with a dramatic flourish for good asure.
"Thanks, Bedict," Vyan replied, flashing him a grateful grin that said, "I could get used to this."
———
The next day dawned, and guess who decided to grace Vyan with their presce? None other than Lincoln, now accompanied by his personal bundle of joy, Clyde, who looked like he just stepped out of a neon rainbow.
"Wow, ar't you just a sight for sore eyes," Clyde gushed, eyeing Vyan like he was the last slice of cake at a party.
Vyan, on the other hand, was left feeling a little... what's the word? Oh yeah, awkward.
"Clyde, manners, please," Lincoln interjected, probably regretting every decision that led to this momt in parting.
But did Clyde list? Of course not.
Instead, he barrelled right in for a handshake like he was being awarded a grand prize. "Pleasure to et you, my lord," he chirped, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Vyan, still recovering from Clyde's charm offsive, managed a weak, "Likewise."
And just wh Vyan thought it couldn't get any weirder, Clyde wt full fanboy mode. "Oh, my God! You ar't just a pretty face, but your mana is also off the charts! You must be like the chos one or sothing!" he exclaid, practically vibrating with excitemt.
Vyan's eyes wided, equal parts impressed and bewildered. "How did you know?"
Clyde puffed out his chest like a peacock in mating season and proudly mtioned, "I am a mage myself, my lord. And not to toot my own horn, but I am kind of a big deal a here."
With a hand on Vyan's shoulder that scread 'stranger danger,' Clyde reassured him, "Trust , with a little practice, you will be giving every mage in the contint a run for their money."
Vyan glanced at the hand on his shoulder, th back at Clyde, wondering if this guy was for real. The man, who dresses like a human highlighter and thinks he is the greatest sorcerer, was giving him this assurance? This guy was literally crazy.
"No, no, don't look at so suspiciously. I am confidt that you can be the best mage this empire has ever se! Just let be your teacher! I can teach you what you will learn at the magic academy in five years in just one year!"
As Clyde prattled on about magical pottial and rainbow-colored dreams, Vyan couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, this guy was one spell short of a full grimoire.
"Um, okay?" Vyan sowhat agreed.
"That's great! Alright, list up, my lord, you are about to get schooled in the fine art of magic by the self-proclaid best magic teacher in Haynes," Clyde cheered, sounding more like a carnival barker than a sage mtor.
Before Vyan could ev process the offer more seriously, Lincoln swooped in like a helicopter part on steroids. "Sorry about him, my lord. He's a bit... well, let's just say he is quite not right in the head. Can't teach an old dog new tricks, if you catch my drift."
Vyan suppressed a grin. "No worries. He's... tertaining, to say the least."
Despite Clyde's scatterbrained antics, Vyan found himself warming up to the guy.
Sure, he was about as subtle as a fireball to the face, but there was sothing strangely dearing about his chaotic ergy.
Clyde practically bead at Vyan's response. "See, Father? I'm the human embodimt of charm. No one can resist the Clyde magic."
Lincoln sighed, looking like he was contemplating retiremt.
And th, like a whirlwind of chaos, Clyde grabbed Vyan's wrist and bolted off.
"Touching nobility that carelessly can get you executed—" ignoring Lincoln's frantic protests like they were backg noise at a crowded tavern, they whisked away.
"Where are we going?" Vyan asked, trying to keep up with Clyde's breakneck pace.
"To the gard, my pupil!" Clyde exclaid, his thusiasm infectious.
Once they reached the gard, Clyde wasted no ti in getting down to business.
"Alright, my lord, let's see what kind of magical mojo you have got hiding up your sleeve."
Vyan raised an eyebrow. "I hav't ev unlocked my magical pottial yet."
Clyde waved off his concerns like they were pesky gnats. "Details, my dear lord, details. You dive in and let see what we are working with. Close your eyes and channel that inner spark."
"What inner spark?" he asked, totally clueless.
Clyde slapped his forehead dramatically and explained, "Okay, get this. There are mana circuits within you. Just conctrate and try to trace the lines of that circuit, and wh you do, focus the flow of the circuit towards the cter of your palm."
With a resigned sigh, Vyan shut his eyes. But as he focused on Clyde's instructions, all he could feel was... well, nothing. Nada. Zilch.
"I don't sse any circuits inside," Vyan muttered, feeling a bit like he was playing a ga of magical hide-and-seek with himself.
Clyde clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Co on, focus! Tune out the noise and tap into that inner mana powerhouse of yours."
Following Clyde's guidance once again, Vyan took a deep breath and tried again, this ti with a bit more patice and less impding sse of doom.
And lo and behold, he started to feel sothing—lines of ergy coursing through his body like so kind of mystical power grid. With a newfound sse of confidce, Vyan directed his focus to the cter of his palm, channeling the ergy like a pro... or so he thought.
Before he knew it, screams erupted a them, and Vyan's eyes snapped op to chaos.
"Fire! Fire! Fire!" the maids shrieked, probably cursing him as they thought about picking a differt employer.
"What did I do?" Vyan's eyes were wide as he surveyed the sce—a once pristine gard now ablaze like a bonfire at a beach party.
Clyde, ever the proud mtor, could not contain his smirk. "Looks like soone's got a flair for the dramatics. You just turned this gard into the hottest spot in town. Literally."
Vyan's jaw dropped. "I did this?"
Clyde nodded excitedly, looking like he was the one who earned the achievemt. "Yes! You, my lord, have officially joined the ranks of gard arsonists. Congratulations!"
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