The golden rays of the late morning sun poured through the high windows of the royal chamber, casting a warm glow on the silken curtains and polished marble floor. Karl and Luna stood together, dressed in elegant ceremonial attire, preparing for the upcoming Foundation Ceremony. Just as Luna adjusted the hem of her flowing gown, the door creaked open and two young voices echoed through the room.
"Happy anniversary!" said Liam and Alex in perfect unison as they stepped inside.
A smile bloomed on both parents' faces.
"Thank you, Liam and Alex," Karl said with a proud grin.
Luna's eyes softened with affection as she hurried to her sons and pulled them both into a tight hug. "Oh, our cute little babies came all this way to wish us! But don't you have training today? Didn't you ask for permission to skip it just for this occasion?"
But then, as she looked at them again—faces full of innocent joy, eyes sparkling with excitement—she realized the truth. "Ah… Niko must've given you an early task, didn't he? And you completed it just so you could see us."
Both boys nodded.
"Oh, so adorable," Luna chuckled, cupping their faces.
The head maid, Helina, stepped forward with a bow. "Your Majesty, there is still much to be done—your hair, makeup—"
"Yes, yes, I know," Luna said, waving her off playfully. "Alright, children, go to your chambers and get ready. The ceremony is in four hours."
Just as the boys turned to leave, Karl stopped them. "Should we… give it to them now?" he asked, glancing at Luna.
She smiled, understanding his meaning immediately. "Helina, bring me the red box on the table."
The maid obeyed, carefully presenting a velvet box lined with gold. Inside lay two exquisite necklaces—one glowing a soft purple, the other a fiery red.
Luna gently clasped the purple necklace around Liam's neck and the red one around Alex's. "These aren't just ornaments," she said, her voice tender. "Each holds a fragment of the Lord of Light's blessing. They create a powerful mana shield capable of withstanding even an S+ rank attack… but only once. After that, they become normal trinkets."
Liam's eyes widened. A one-time-use S-rank artifact? Even so, it was an incredible treasure.
"Liam," his mother added, brushing his hair gently, "your father gave you a sword, and now your mother gives you her first gift. Do you like it?"
Something about the way she said it nearly brought Liam to tears. But he swallowed the lump in his throat and smiled. "Thank you, Mother. This is the most beautiful gift I've ever seen."
Luna beamed.
As the boys left the room, Karl told Liam to come to him when he ready I have to show you something ok come fast, saying that Liam went and he looked at Luna, a sense of peace settling over him. "They really were happy to receive our gifts."
But Luna's eyes welled with tears. Karl quickly moved to her side.
"Why are you crying? Is it because of our special day?"
She shook her head. "No… it's just… it's been four months since Liam woke up. Four months of watching him run around and smile again… and it still overwhelms me."
Karl gently held her as she cried softly. When she finally composed herself, her eyes grew serious.
"Why didn't you tell me you met Adeline Darkheart in WoodStrp?" she asked quietly.
Karl stiffened. He dismissed the maids with a nod and turned to her. "Luna… she didn't say anything to Liam. I made sure of that."
"But still, Karl," she insisted. "We agreed not to involve her. She's the only one who knows the truth—what really happened that day. I can't risk it."
Karl took a deep breath. "Luna, don't forget—Adeline is the one who protected our son. The least we can do is give Liam the chance to see his savior. I can't keep him in the dark his entire life. The truth is… he can never use mana. That's why we crafted the mana-resistant necklace—so the natural mana wouldn't harm him."
Luna was about to respond when a maid entered. "Young Master Liam is waiting outside, Your Majesty."
Karl gave Luna a gentle look. "We'll talk later."
---
Outside, Liam stood waiting. When Karl appeared, he walked up quickly. "You said you wanted to show me something?"
"Yes," Karl nodded. "Follow me."
They descended through the castle to the ground level until they stood before a massive steel door.
"This is our family vault," Karl said. "You wanted to see it—so now you shall."
He pressed his hand to the scanner. With a heavy creak, the door opened, and light flooded out from within, momentarily blinding Liam.
"Ha! My first time here, I was blinded too," Karl chuckled. "Inside is everything our family has collected: treasures, weapons, artifacts, even unidentified relics from dungeon raids across the world."
Liam stepped inside, his eyes wide. The vault was like a museum of lost wonders—gleaming weapons of every shape, intricate mana-infused items, and ancient tomes that pulsed with dormant power.
He passed a sword labeled Moonlight that shimmered like silver under moonlight. Then, shelves upon shelves of weapon arts—books ranked by stars. In this world, one-star and two-star arts were common among the people. Three and four stars were rare and reserved for nobles. The five-star arts were legendary, created by the first generation of heroes who had fought in the Great War.
Liam knew most noble families held four-star arts, while the Emperor's family wielded a five-star sword art forged by Gabriel Baratheon himself. What rank his own family's sword art held, he wasn't sure—but he was determined to find a technique suitable for someone like him.
He searched for a basic one-star sword art—something that didn't rely on mana. He even considered mana guns as an alternative, knowing his condition. But no luck. Most arts started at two-star level and were deeply tied to mana.
Frustrated, he was about to leave when a small, unassuming book caught his eye. It sat alone on a table in the corner. Dusty, with a worn leather cover.
"Basic Sword Art Without Mana."
His heart leapt. Finally! But then he noticed something odd. The cover was marked with… six stars.
"Six stars? That can't be right," Liam muttered. "No such thing exists… must be a misprint."
Still, he took the book.
Outside, Karl waited. "Took you long enough. Did you pick something?"
Liam held up the book. "Yeah. A one-star sword art."
Karl raised an eyebrow, then laughed. "Oh, that one. My father once came back from a dungeon claiming he'd discovered the first six-star art. Said 'Now one would stop me from reaching SS+ rank now.' He was so proud… until my mother read it and realized it was a basic one-star manual."
Both father and son laughed.
"But it's still a good find," Karl said. "It's smart to master the basics first. It says there are six forms—perfecting them will build your foundation. Now come on, we're late for the ceremony."
Liam slipped the book into his storage ring. "Yes, Father."
"Oh, and one more thing," Karl added. "Use the Mind Transfer Machine to imprint the book directly into your memory. That way, you won't need to study it the hard way."
"Understood."