The Regressed Heir of Ravencrest

The Emperor remained silent for several long moments, his fingers lightly tapping the polished mahogany desk as he absorbed the Sword Saint’s report. The chamber, sealed beneath an invisible veil of sword aura, was utterly still. Outside, the Imperial Palace bustled with ministers and guards carrying out the affairs of the Empire, yet within these walls, only two men bore witness to a revelation capable of shaking the foundations of the continent.

"...Are you certain?" the Emperor finally asked, his calm voice carrying an unmistakable weight. His sharp eyes met Reiner’s unwavering gaze. "There is no possibility of error?"

"There is none, Your Majesty," the Sword Saint answered without hesitation. "I personally confirmed it through my Divine Ability while investigating the cave. He had already entered the Knight Realm before his Awakening Ceremony."

"Hmm..."

The Emperor leaned back in silence, his expression unreadable. His gaze drifted toward the towering windows overlooking the sprawling capital before returning to the Sword Saint. Deep within the Imperial Archives rested countless records chronicling the Empire’s history, yet only a handful had ever unsettled him. One of those ancient texts had been written during the era of the Founding Emperor himself.

It had recorded a single cryptic passage.

"When one breaks through before the Awakening Ceremony... the tides of the world shall shift."

For generations, scholars had dismissed it as symbolic nonsense, while others believed it merely glorified the Founding Emperor’s era. After all, nearly a thousand years had passed without another individual accomplishing such a feat.

Until now.

...Could the ancient curse truly be breaking?

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

If the ancient record was genuine, then this child’s existence alone might signify the beginning of an age unlike any the Empire had experienced in centuries.

"What of the child?" the Emperor asked after another brief silence. "Did you observe anything else?"

Reiner slowly shook his head.

"No, Your Majesty. By the time I reached Ravenhold, he was no longer there. If I were to speculate..." a smile appeared on the Sword Saint’s face, "...Adrian most likely sent him to the Northern Frontier."

"The North truly hasn’t changed."

A rare smile spread across the Emperor’s face as well.

"Every generation they throw their children onto the battlefield before they are old enough to understand fear."

"Their methods remain as ruthless as ever," Reiner agreed quietly.

"And yet..." the Emperor continued, "...they’ve produced another monster."

Both men shared a brief look before the smile faded from their faces.

The atmosphere immediately turned solemn.

"For the time being," the Emperor said, his voice growing noticeably colder, "no information regarding him is to leave Ravenhold."

Reiner’s expression became serious.

"If the Four Great Evils learn of this child’s existence now, they will undoubtedly attempt to eliminate him before he reaches his full potential."

The Emperor slowly nodded.

"Severus Ravencrest still haunts them."

A heavy silence settled over the chamber.

Nearly fourty years had passed since the Great War, yet the name alone remained enough to make powerful factions uneasy. Sir Severus Ravencrest had carved his legend across countless battlefields, nearly annihilating one of the Four Great Evils through sheer military might before disappearing from public view.

If another Ravencrest with similar—or perhaps even greater—potential appeared...

The Four Great Evils would never allow him to mature.

"They would rather sacrifice thousands now than face another Severus in twenty years," the Emperor said calmly.

"Precisely, Your Majesty."

The Emperor folded his hands atop the desk.

"What of Adrian?"

"He continues to grow stronger," Reiner replied. "However, it will likely require several more years before he reaches the next realm."

"I expected as much."

The Emperor’s gaze lowered toward the reports scattered across his desk.

"The Four Great Evils have already begun moving."

"Eclipse established contact with them," Reiner added.

The Emperor rose from his chair and slowly walked toward the enormous window overlooking capital. Thousands of citizens moved through the streets below, completely unaware that forces capable of reshaping the Empire had already begun stirring beneath the surface.

"We still lack sufficient information regarding their true strength," he said quietly. "The Mage Saint’s research has yet to conclude, and we know almost nothing about what they ultimately seeks."

He remained silent for several seconds before speaking again.

"For now... we wait."

Reiner inclined his head.

"The Awakening Ceremony for this year draws near."

"It does."

"And within the next few months..."

The Emperor turned back toward him.

"...we shall convene another meeting."

The Emperor studied Reiner for another moment before asking one final question.

"Have you decided upon a successor?"

The Sword Saint remained silent.

After a brief pause, he slowly shook his head.

"...Not yet, Your Majesty."

"I see."

The Emperor neither pressed the matter nor displayed disappointment. Instead, he simply nodded in understanding.

"Take the time you require."

Reiner bowed respectfully.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"You’ve spent a long time away from the capital."

The Emperor’s voice softened slightly.

"Get some rest."

"As you command."

The invisible pressure blanketing the chamber gradually disappeared as Reiner withdrew his Sword Aura. The sealed space dissolved without leaving the slightest trace, and with one final bow, the Sword Saint quietly departed the Imperial Palace.

Thousands of kilometers away, beyond the endless mountain ranges separating the Imperial Capital from the Northern Frontier, life continued as though nothing extraordinary had occurred.

Inside the Guild Master’s office in Northwatch, Ethan stood calmly before Evelyn’s desk as the Guild Master’s attention remained fixed upon the mountain of reports awaiting her signature.

A knock sounded against the office door.

"Enter."

The door opened, revealing Robert.

"You called for me, Guild Master?"

Evelyn looked up briefly before giving a small nod.

"Escort Ethan to the Guild Repository."

Her gaze shifted toward another stack of documents.

"And don’t forget to issue his Vice-Captain insignia."

"Understood, my lady."

Without another word, Robert stepped aside, allowing Ethan to leave first.

Evelyn watched the young boy disappear through the doorway before returning to her paperwork. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

Leaving the Guild Master’s office behind, Ethan followed Robert through the bustling halls of the Adventurer’s Guild. Unlike the lively reception hall above, the lower levels were almost completely silent. Guild personnel stepped aside as Robert passed, offering respectful bows before immediately returning to their duties.

As they descended deeper underground, the atmosphere gradually changed. The stone corridors became noticeably wider, their walls carved from ancient grey granite engraved with countless magical formations that emitted a faint silver glow. Every few dozen meters stood heavily armed guards dressed in dark steel armor bearing the Guild’s crest across their breastplates. Their sharp gazes briefly swept over Ethan before settling on Robert, allowing the pair to continue without question.

Neither of them spoke for several minutes.

Eventually they stopped before a colossal metallic door nearly five meters tall. Ancient runes covered its entire surface, intertwining into an enormous magical formation unlike anything Ethan had seen within Northwatch before. Even standing several meters away, he could feel the immense mana circulating through the countless inscriptions.

He reached into his pockets before taking out the silver key Evelyn had entrusted earlier.

"The Guild Repository," Robert said calmly. "Only those granted explicit authorization by the Guild Master may enter. So you’ll need to activate the key yourself."

Stepping forward, he inserted the silver key into the circular indentation at the center of the enormous door.

Click.

The instant the key turned, every rune carved across the metallic surface ignited simultaneously.

A deep humming echoed throughout the corridor as countless layers of magical formations awakened one after another. Space itself distorted before Ethan’s eyes. The surrounding stone walls disappeared, replaced by an endless silver light that stretched in every direction.

For a brief moment, Ethan felt as though he were standing between two separate worlds.

The next instant—

The scenery changed completely.

His eyes slowly widened.

Instead of a simple underground vault, an enormous independent space unfolded before him. Endless rows of shelves stretched beyond the horizon, each carefully displaying treasures that radiated astonishing fluctuations of mana. Ancient weapons rested upon crystal pedestals, their edges remaining impossibly sharp despite the passage of centuries. Countless cultivation manuals floated inside transparent barriers while exotic ores, herbs, beast materials and artifacts occupied meticulously organized sections beneath protective formations.

"This..."

Even Ethan couldn’t help but feel slightly surprised.

"So this is the Guild’s Repository."

Although House Ravencrest possessed one of the Empire’s greatest treasuries, the Guild had gathered resources from every corner of the continent over generations. The sheer variety before him far surpassed what even a Marquis household could normally collect.

It seems the silver key only grants access to the Epic-grade section...

Beside him, Robert quietly observed the young boy.

Ever since the last few weeks, Ethan had continued accomplishing feats that completely overturned Robert’s understanding of what a child his age should be capable of. Whether it was his composure, decision-making, or terrifying combat achievements, nothing about the child seemed ordinary.

Breaking the silence, Robert spoke.

"You may select any two Epic-grade resources. The repository will remain open for two hours. Once your choices are finalized, we’ll leave immediately."

Ethan glanced sideways at him before looking back toward the seemingly endless collection.

A helpless smile almost appeared on his face.

...It seems she still hasn’t forgotten about her little jokes. Is she carrying a grudge coz uncle never explained our relationship.

Robert immediately understood the look Ethan had given him.

He raised both hands innocently.

"...Don’t look at me."

"I had nothing to do with that."

A faint chuckle escaped Ethan before he stepped forward.

Meanwhile, several floors above, Evelyn quietly signed another report before suddenly pausing. Resting her chin upon one hand, she gazed absentmindedly toward the floor beneath her office.

"I wonder what he’ll choose..."

A playful smile appeared across her lips.

"...Hopefully something interesting."

Ethan walked slowly through the enormous repository, neither hurried nor excited. Rows of magnificent treasures passed before his eyes. A crimson spear forged from the horn of a peak Lord-class beast. An ancient greatsword whose blade still carried traces of lightning aura. High-grade body refinement arts sought after by countless noble families. Combat elixirs capable of assisting Knight Commanders during breakthrough. Rare defensive armor crafted by master dwarven blacksmiths.

Any one of them would drive powerful cultivators into fierce competition.

Yet Ethan continued walking without stopping.

Robert silently followed several steps behind, his curiosity growing with every passing minute.

Eventually Ethan slowed before one particular display.

Inside a transparent crystal case rested a pair of beautifully crafted silver daggers. Their slender blades reflected a faint blue glow beneath the surrounding formations, while intricate wind-attributed runes decorated both hilts.

"Epic-grade Twin Wind Daggers."

According to the description beside them, the pair had been forged together to maximize coordination between dual-wielding users.

Ethan studied them quietly.

They’ll suit Kael.

Kael specialized in speed and precision.

"I’ll take these."

Robert blinked.

"...The daggers?"

He had expected Ethan to choose a powerful sword or perhaps a cultivation manual.

Before Robert could recover from his surprise, Ethan had already moved toward another section.

After several more minutes, he finally stopped before an elegant pair of silver pendants resting side by side upon dark velvet cloth.

Unlike many artifacts surrounding them, these pendants emitted only a gentle fluctuation of mana.

Their description was simple.

Twin Guardian Pendants.

A linked defensive artifact capable of automatically erecting protective barriers around its paired owners during moments of mortal danger.

Ethan’s expression softened ever so slightly.

Sepharina and... Anna

This would at least provide them with another layer of protection.

"I’ll take these as well."

Robert stared at Ethan in complete confusion.

This kid...isn’t he a swordsman?

I can understand choosing a defensive artifact...But daggers?"

"His choices are... unusual."

He ultimately decided not to question Ethan.

Every remarkable person possessed peculiar preferences.

Perhaps this child simply saw something others overlooked.

Robert retrieved a palm-sized silver artifact from within his sleeve before gently twisting it.The surrounding space rippled once more. In the blink of an eye, the endless repository vanished. They stood once again before the colossal vault door beneath the Guild headquarters.

Robert handed Ethan the carefully packaged artifacts before reaching into his pocket once more.

"This is your Vice-Captain insignia."

A finely crafted badge engraved with the Guild’s emblem rested upon his palm.

"Present this whenever Guild authority or restricted access is required."

Ethan accepted it with a respectful nod.

"Thank you."

Far to the south, within Iron Crown—the capital city of the Albright Dukedom—the grand estate of House Albright stood atop the city’s highest district, overlooking the bustling streets below. Renowned as the commercial heart of the Empire, Iron Crown prospered through countless caravans, merchant guilds, and noble trade routes that connected every corner of the Empire.

Inside a spacious study lined with shelves of financial records and trade agreements, Duke Albright quietly broke the wax seal bearing House Ravencrest’s insignia.

His sharp brown eyes calmly scanned the contents.

"...Another proposal?"

"I’ve already refused the previous one."

His expression remained relaxed as he continued reading.

Then...

His smile slowly disappeared.

His gaze stopped on a single line.

Beast King Core.

The Duke reread the sentence.

Then a second time.

"...A Beast King Core?"

For the first time in several years, genuine surprise crossed his composed face.

Why would Adrian Ravencrest offer something so valuable in a trade agreement?

Beast Lord Cores...

Those were understandable.

But a Beast King Core...

That was a treasure capable of changing the foundation of an exceptional genius, where even the duke families would fight for.

Albright slowly leaned back in his chair.

Recent reports surfaced within his mind.

A mysterious earthquake near Ravenhold. Rumors that the Sword Saint himself had traveled north. Unusual military activity across the Northern Frontier.

He lightly tapped the table.

"Are these events connected..."

His eyes drifted once more toward the letter.

"If Adrian is willing to trade away a Beast King Core..."

"...something significant must’ve happened."

Despite his growing curiosity, another thought surfaced.

My son’s Awakening Ceremony is approaching.

If an alchemist successfully refines this core into an elixir...his foundation will become incomparably stronger.

For the first time since opening the letter, desire flickered across Duke Albright’s composed face.

Whether or not something extraordinary had occurred in the North, the Beast King Core alone made this trade worthwhile.

He reached for a fresh sheet of parchment and calmly picked up his quill.

"Inform House Ravencrest."

His voice echoed through the silent study.

"...House Albright accepts the trade."

Far to the north, Ethan continued walking through the streets of Northwatch with Rune quietly following behind, completely unaware that the choices he had made over the past few weeks were already beginning to move the Empire itself.