The year Kiaros turned ten—sumr.
He accompanied the Emperor on an inspection tour of the South.
At that ti, the Emperor was in excellent health.
He had even manifested in dragon form to annihilate a horde of monstrous beasts plaguing the South all at once.
“I want to hurry up and turn twenty-five too, Your Majesty.”
Young Kiaros spoke eagerly as he watched the Emperor. The Emperor smiled gently, patting his head.
“You have to get through the blackout period first, Kiaros. One day, it will co for you too.”
“But that’s all I need to endure, right?”
Kiaros, born superior to others from the start, thought little of the blackout period.
To his eyes, humans were pathetically weak.
As a royal with especially strong Dragonblood, he felt that even more keenly.
“No one knows when the blackout will co, but I hope it passes quickly. They say you can’t use aura during that ti, and your body gets really weak. It’s literally wasted ti, isn’t it?”
“Well, Kiaros, maybe you say that because you’re still an arrogant, immature brat who doesn’t know any better—but it’s not entirely wasted ti.”
The Emperor spoke kindly to his son, who had yet to learn humility or deprivation.
“You’ll gain sothing from going through the blackout. Weakness, too, is an experience. And you—so cocky and spoiled—you might actually grow more because of it. Still...”
He didn’t forget to add, in a lower voice:
“Kiaros, you must endure the blackout well. And whatever happens, never let the world know just how weakened you’ve beco. If you fall, the Empire falls.”
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Kiaros replied lightly. He’d heard since childhood that he was the future of the Empire.
“But, Your Majesty, I heard there’s a huge library nearby. Can I visit tomorrow? I want to read so southern swordsmanship manuals.”
The Emperor had been invited to the southern lord’s castle. Kiaros found the place mind-numbingly boring, so he’d rather explore ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) the fascinating archives of the South.
“Fine. We never know when the blackout will hit, so take your guards.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
He’d been hearing about this for years, but with no sign of it ever arriving, his sense of caution had long faded.
It’s just a library, after all. Don’t want to make a whole big scene over it.
To hide his identity as crown prince, he wore simple clothes and concealed his golden hair under a hood.
He didn’t bother changing his appearance—his shapeshifting ability was sothing he kept secret, even from family.
After reading a few swordsmanship books, his body started to itch again.
Ti to move around a bit.
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As he returned the books to the shelf, his gaze happened to land on a girl sitting by the window.
What’s she drawing so intently? She looks pretty young.
She had pulled a wide-brimd hat down low, hiding half her face.
Her hair was pinned up so neatly that even its color couldn’t be seen.
She wore a long skirt that reached her ankles and old shoes with frayed ribbons.
That’s how he guessed she was a girl.
She hasn’t moved at all this whole ti.
The girl was using a cheap quill to draw sothing with great focus on scrap paper provided by the library. Squinting, he noticed a stack of books about scrolls next to her.
Is she really into magic?
As a Dragonblood, Kiaros had no interest in scrolls or magic.
He simply thought it was impressive that a kid could concentrate so well.
Her tiny hands and feet look like a stuffed doll’s, but she’s scribbling away like that... kind of fascinating.
That was the extent of his curiosity—no more than that. He left for the garden behind the library.
Just as he was about to swing his sword using the new southern technique he had just read about—
Huh?
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