A brutal kick to the stomach sent me flying, and I ended up crashing into the great Iron Tree of Torkoc.The impact tore the air from my lungs.
We were in the courtyard of the Aldrim family mansion, training for me to become a sworn knight of the house. It still felt unreal. Just a month ago, my life plan had been to become a scholar, to spend my days buried in books and scrolls.
Life, however, had other plans.
Sometimes it twists so violently that the only sensible thing to do is let yourself be dragged by the current, before shattering against the stones the torrent carries.
"Bad. Bad. Bad," Selene said without the slightest hint of compassion.
She was a true knight, tasked with training me alongside Hoja, the lord's niece.
"You can't waste a single second," she continued. "Defend, disable, counterattack. Everything must flow. Time is your most valuable resource."
Since she understood how my ability worked, Selene had become obsessed with my physical training. Her goal was clear: to make sure I could withstand using Invictus without destroying myself.
Just like that first time.
Selene was tall, with impeccable bearing. She wore white trousers, a long-sleeved shirt of the same color, and equally white boots. Her hair, tied in a ponytail, did not move a single inch during combat. Resting in her hand was a thin rapier… lethal.
She was strong.Fast.Terrifyingly precise.
If this had been a real fight, a battle to the death, I would already be pierced by multiple thrusts before even thinking about activating my blessing.
The knights of this world were no joke.
"Hand-to-hand training is over," she announced in her authoritative tone.
She was merciless during training, though outside of it she could be surprisingly kind.
Knowing what came next, I squatted down and closed my eyes.
I began to meditate.
I absorbed mana from the surroundings, letting it flow into me, slowly pushing the limits of my Gate. Even though Existence had whispered that my gate was still open by barely a couple of inches, constant exercise helped me widen the gap, even if only little by little.
When I opened my eyes, the sun was already setting behind the mansion.
"Fuck…" I muttered.
Faty approached, dragging his feet, his body covered in bruises. He had also decided to stay and become a knight of House Aldrim, training directly under the lord's tutelage.
An extreme mage.
According to him, Faty's abilities resembled one of his own extreme magic spells.
Lord Aldrim was… peculiar. A demi-human, a pure-blooded stag-man. His presence commanded respect, even unease. Had he been a normal human, he would probably be considered absurdly handsome.
"How did it go?" I asked him.
Faty let himself fall flat on his back on the ground.
"That guy is a monster."
Monsters, I thought.
In this house, everything was. The butlers, the gardeners, the guards… all of them possessed a level that would be considered absurd anywhere else.
I heard footsteps.
When I turned around, I saw a girl in a short green skirt walking toward us.
Without saying a single word, she sat directly on my lap.
Hoja.
The lord's niece.
Fiery, beautiful, dangerous.
A hybrid like me… but infinitely more terrifying.
"Does it hurt a lot?" she asked with a crooked smile.
"Just a little," I replied, resting a hand on her waist.
Her ability was known throughout the entire empire.
Sovereign of Dominion.
A ten-meter radius.
Within it, everything she says… comes true.
One of the few existing abilities capable of defeating Invictus.
We had grown close during training. There was no exact moment. It just happened. We were fighting when she knocked me down… and kissed me.
Dating the niece of one of the twelve lords of the empire was, surprisingly, easy. The lord was permissive, even kind.
Still, when Hoja told him I was her boyfriend, I nearly shit myself.
I remember how he looked at me, with those dark eyes, and for a moment I thought he was going to kill me.
Lord Aldrim.
The fourth most powerful person in the kingdom.The sixth on the continent.
If he wanted to, he could erase me from existence.
A complete monster.
In the dining hall, a beautiful deer-woman maid served dinner. She was a distant relative of the Aldrims.
Violeta.
She hated me.
All because I didn't know how to eat following noble etiquette. She never held back her criticisms.
Even Hoja respected her. She was the only one Hoja listened to.
Hoja leaned toward me and whispered, "My uncle won't be coming tonight."
"And I will make sure nothing inappropriate happens," Violeta growled, glaring daggers at her.
I sighed.
Here we go.
"Young lady, you belong to the main branch of our prestigious family, and every one of your actions is recorded in our… bla… bla… bla…"
I stopped listening.
I knew she wouldn't stop for at least an hour.
I stood up silently and headed to my guest room. Selene did the same. Faty stayed behind, staring at Violeta as if hypnotized.
He had fallen in love at first sight.
I didn't understand why… but he seemed to enjoy listening to her talk.
I shrugged and headed to my room.
That night, lying on the bed, I thought about how much my life had changed.
During the first week, I informed my family and acquaintances about the change of plans. They accepted it without reproach. They even congratulated me.
Lord Rikar and Lord Esnou sent me letters of congratulations, making it clear just how influential the lord of the northern Green Belt was.
A knight…
I never would have imagined it.
And yet, the idea appealed to me more than I was willing to admit.
I placed a hand on my chest.
'I made an oath.''To become the most respected knight this empire has ever known.'
With that thought, I fell asleep.