Kael's footsteps sounded heavy as he entered the house.
His hair was still wet, his clothes dirty with dirt and grass, and his breathing hadn't fully steadied yet. But somehow, a small smile formed on his face. Maybe because, for the first time, Elmond said that tomorrow they would finally begin magic lessons.
As he stepped into the main room, the warm aroma of broth greeted him.
"Kael, you're home?"
His mother's gentle voice, Lady Reina Alvan, came from the kitchen.
"Yeah, Mom..." Kael answered weakly as he collapsed onto the sofa. "Didn't have to carry rocks today… just buckets of water."
His mother chuckled softly and came out carrying a tray with warm tea and honey bread.
"Your training really does sound... intense."
Kael clicked his tongue.
"This isn't magic training. This is old-school soldier training. I might as well be sent to the battlefield already."
"But you endured it," his mother said, sitting beside him. "I'm proud of you."
Kael dipped the bread into the tea and ate slowly. Warm and sweet.
The atmosphere at home soothed the storm he had just been through.
"Mom," he said, "if I'm starting magic lessons tomorrow… can I show off a little to people?"
"As long as you don't set the backyard on fire, go ahead."
Kael chuckled.
They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the peaceful evening.
Until his mother spoke in a flat but sharp tone:
"Oh right, speaking of fire... either the day after tomorrow or next week at the latest, your fiancée's family will be visiting."
Kael froze.
"...F-fiancée?"
"Yes," his mother replied casually. "The one you've forgotten because you've been too busy training and almost dying every day."
"I didn't forget... just, not ready. I mean, we're still kids, right? Why do we have to be engaged?"
Lady Reina gave her son a mysterious smile.
"Because the noble world is full of politics, dear. But don't worry. I won't force you to marry tomorrow."
"...So the day after tomorrow is still on the table?"
Kael let out a long sigh.
"Please don't tell me my fiancée is the cold-type girl who's insanely good at magic and calls me 'weak' the moment she sees me."
His mother stifled a laugh.
"You've watched too many dramas."
"I live in one, Mom..."
---
The next day.
Same morning. Same Elmond's voice. But something was different:
Today, Kael wasn't told to run.
Instead, he was taken to an enclosed training room with stone walls, where soft blue magical light glowed from crystals in the ceiling.
Kael looked around like a child walking into a toy shop.
"Wow... this looks like a mage training room from novels!"
Elmond nodded.
A wooden table had already been prepared in front of them, along with scrolls and a few small magic stones.
"We'll start with the basics. Sensing mana. Feeling it. Channeling it. Then... controlling it."
Kael sat upright, eyes sparkling.
"Finally... magic!"
"Silence. Focus first."
Kael sat cross-legged on the soft fur carpet, right in the center of the room.
In front of him, Elmond placed a magic stone—a small transparent crystal with a faint blue glow inside.
"First, we'll learn to sense mana," said Elmond. "If you can't feel it, don't expect to control it."
Kael stared at the stone intently.
"So… I just stare at this until magic comes out?"
Elmond sighed.
"Not stare. Feel. Focus on your body. Breathe in, breathe out. Slowly. Then notice what moves within you."
Kael closed his eyes.
Breathe in.
Out.
In again.
Slowly… he tried to dive into his own body. At first, just the sound of his breath and heartbeat. Then, gradually… something. A faint warmth flowing from his chest to his arms.
"There's... something," Kael murmured. "Warm. Faint. Moving slowly."
"That's mana."
"Seriously? I thought that was my digestion..."
"If you can still joke, you're not focused enough. Again."
Kael grunted but obeyed.
This time deeper. Slower.
After several minutes, he began to distinguish mana from other bodily sensations. Mana felt like warm mist flowing gently beneath the skin. Hard to explain. But real.
"Good," said Elmond, observing from the side. "Now, direct that flow to your hand."
Kael frowned.
He tried to shift the warmth to his palm. It felt like trying to spoon water with a slotted spoon.
But after several tries, he managed. Barely.
The magic stone in front of him flickered. Very faintly. But visible.
"I did it?!" Kael exclaimed.
"A little. But yes, a good start."
Kael looked at his trembling hand. His breath was heavy. Sweat dripped from his temple.
"Why does this feel so exhausting when I barely did anything...?"
"Because you're not used to it. Mana is not just energy; it's also a burden. And you're only beginning to learn how to carry it."
Elmond then unrolled a scroll.
"This is the basic mana flow diagram. Memorize it. Understand the pathways. Soon you'll realize why body and magic are connected."
Kael looked at the scroll like a student asked to relearn multiplication tables.
"Can I do it tomorrow?"
"You can. But I won't remind you twice."
---
That day's lesson ended with a session of meditation and simple mana control exercises.
Though there were no flashy effects like fireballs or explosive spells, Kael felt... progress.
Just a little.
But enough to make him sleep that night with a small smile.
---
Three days had passed since Kael began magic training with Elmond.
His days were now filled with meditation, intense concentration, and internal mana control.
Even though his body had grown used to physical training, now it was his mind being tested. And it was more torturous than doing push-ups under a waterfall.
But without his knowledge, for the past two days, someone had been silently observing his every move.
From the second-floor balcony, a girl with long silvery hair stood quietly behind the curtain. Her silver eyes were sharp yet calm, studying Kael as if assessing something. Her gaze was deep, hard to read—as if carrying many untold stories.
She was Irelith.
Duke's eldest daughter.
Kael's official fiancée.
But Kael… didn't know that.
For Kael, who had lost his memory, Irelith was just a beautiful stranger who suddenly showed up at his house. He had no idea about the political engagement, their childhood past, or the reason behind their bond.
Irelith was supposed to come with the Duke's family next week.
But she arrived early.
No main escort. No announcement.
Only a few servants and Kael's parents knew.
She simply said,
"I want to meet him first. Before everything becomes formal."
---
Morning of the fourth day.
Kael woke up feeling a weight on his stomach.
When he opened his eyes—he froze.
Someone was sitting on him.
A light blue satin dress shimmered in the morning light. Her silver hair flowed gently, and her silver eyes stared down at Kael like a scholar observing a strange artifact in a museum.
And her smile… was too calm for someone who had broken into another person's room.
"Morning, Kael. Or... more precisely, my fiancé."
"HAAAA?! WHO ARE YOU?!"
The girl didn't seem shocked. She even grinned, like this was all perfectly normal.
"Morning. Relax, I don't bite. But… you're a heavy sleeper."
Kael immediately sat up, nearly falling off the bed.
"Wait... wait... DID YOU JUST SAY FIANCÉ?!"
Irelith rested her cheek on her palm, still sitting casually on the bed.
"Yup. F-I-A-N-C-É. You, me. Did you forget?"
Kael looked at her with panic, confusion, and a touch of horror.
"I... I seriously don't understand. Really. I lost my memory! I only remembered my name a few days ago!"
"I know," Irelith replied casually.
"...Huh?"
"I know you've forgotten everything. But I haven't. And I'm curious... what kind of Kael exists now, after losing it all."
Kael fell silent. Mouth open, but no words came out.
Irelith stood with graceful movements, then pulled a pair of thin gloves from a small pouch on her dress. She put them on slowly, as if preparing to face the dull world outside.
Before she left the room, she glanced back
She paused for a moment, then added:
"Don't worry. I didn't come here to embarrass you... at least, not yet."
Click.
The door closed.
Kael was still frozen on the bed.
His hand trembled. Cold sweat dripped.
He had just woken up and was immediately visited by a beautiful girl claiming to be his fiancée, sat on his stomach, then left with… a threat of boredom?
He stared at the ceiling and muttered,
"...Why is my personal life scarier than magic lessons?"
[Irelith Illustrations - Kael's Fiancée]
See image here:
👉 https://i.imgur.com/6YESEVD.jpg