The echoes of their footsteps reverberated off the marble floors as Leonis and Caelum walked side by side down the grand hall. The sunlight, filtered through the tall stained-glass windows, painted a spectrum of colors across the polished stone, casting a surreal glow around them.
For the first time since Leonis had taken over this body, he felt a glimmer of hope. He had managed to shift the perception of his family and some of the council members. But he knew the real test was still ahead.
"Brother," Caelum began, his voice soft but curious, "how did you know all that? About the Orcs and Demons? You've never shown much interest in these matters before."
Leonis paused for a moment, considering his response. He couldn’t exactly tell his brother that he had read the entire story of this world in a novel. Instead, he opted for something close to the truth—albeit cryptic.
"I’ve always been watching, Caelum," he said, looking down at his younger brother. "Just because I didn’t speak up before, doesn’t mean I wasn’t paying attention."
Caelum frowned slightly, though his eyes remained wide with awe. “I guess… I never thought about it that way.”
Leonis smiled. He didn’t need to explain further. The new Leonis was someone who had learned from the mistakes of his predecessor, and in the days to come, that knowledge would be invaluable.
They continued down the hallway until they reached an ornate balcony that overlooked the sprawling gardens of the Perdium palace. Leonis leaned against the stone railing, gazing out over the scene. The gardens were as grand as he remembered from the novel—lush green hedges, vibrant flowers in every color imaginable, and marble statues that depicted the empire’s greatest heroes, including his progenitor.
The statue of Lord Kaedric Perdium, the progenitor and founder of the empire, stood tallest among them, his sword raised toward the sky in an eternal gesture of victory. Leonis stared at the statue, feeling a strange connection to it. The prophecy, the power within him—it all started with that man.
“Do you think you’ll ever be like him?” Caelum’s voice broke the silence, his gaze also fixed on the statue.
Leonis turned to his brother, the weight of his words heavy. Kaedric Perdium wasn’t just a legendary figure in the history of the empire; he was also the one whose spirit was said to reside within Leonis now. The prophecy foretold that his descendant would inherit three times his power, but Leonis knew it was still locked away, waiting to be unlocked
Before Leonis could respond, a guard appeared at the entrance to the balcony. The man bowed deeply, his face stern. "Your Highness," the guard addressed Leonis, "the emperor has requested your presence in the training grounds. He wishes to see your progress."
Leonis felt his heart skip a beat. The training grounds? He hadn’t yet been called to train in front of his father since he woke up in this body. The old Leonis had a reputation for being weak and uninterested in martial arts, swordsmanship, or magic. The emperor likely had little expectation of him.
"Very well," Leonis said, standing tall. "Tell him I’ll be there shortly."
The guard bowed once more and left. Caelum looked up at Leonis with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "Father never asks for you to train with him."
Leonis smiled, though inside, he felt the pressure building. "It’s about time that changed, don’t you think?"
Caelum gave a small nod, and Leonis patted him on the shoulder before turning and heading toward the training grounds.
The training grounds were expansive, an open area surrounded by high walls for privacy, with racks of weapons lining the edges and dummies set up for practice. As Leonis approached, he saw several knights already gathered, and at the center stood Emperor Valerian Perdium, watching the soldiers with a critical eye. The emperor was dressed in light armor, his presence as commanding as ever. He was a man who expected the best from those around him—and he had rarely seen that from Leonis.
"Leonis," the emperor said as his son approached." Leonis stood before his father, his body tense. This was his chance to prove himself, not just as a strategist, but as a warrior worthy of the Perdium name. He glanced around the grounds, noticing some familiar faces among the knights—veterans of the imperial army who had served the empire for years. They, too, were watching, likely expecting another failure from the once-disgraced prince.
"Take up a sword," the emperor ordered, pointing toward a rack of weapons.
Leonis nodded and selected a longsword, its weight familiar in his hand. He remembered the techniques and strategies he had read about in the novel. The knowledge was there, he just needed to apply it.
Valerian stepped back, crossing his arms. "Show me what you can do."
Leonis took a deep breath, gripping the sword firmly. He knew how to gather it without causing damage to his unprepared body as shown when he did it during the time he first entered this body (In chapter 2), something the previous Leonis had never bothered to learn. He focused, forming the three mana circles one at his forehead for mental clarity, two more in his hands to strengthen his grip.
The air around him shimmered with power.
Leonis closed his eyes, recalling every 3 star swordsmanship technique he had learned through the novel, channeling the energy into his blade. The knights around him watched with growing curiosity.
With a swift movement, he swung the sword at the training dummy in front of him, the blade cutting cleanly through it. The dummy was cut in a horizontal slash, the waist and the upper body toppling to the ground.
A murmur rippled through the onlookers. The strike had been clean, precise, and executed with a speed none of them had expected from the first prince.
Valerian’s eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable. "Again... with another dummy"
Leonis complied, walking just a few inches over to the second dummy, swinging the sword once more. This time, the blade chipped slightly, but the strike was just as clean, if not more powerful.
The emperor watched silently, his face betraying nothing. But Leonis knew his father well enough—or at least, he knew the emperor from the novel. Valerian was not easily impressed, but he was also not one to dismiss talent.
"That’s enough," Valerian finally said, stepping forward. "You’ve improved."
Leonis sat the sword down back on the rack, breathing deeply. His father’s words were few, but they were enough. He had made an impression, and that was more than he had ever hoped for.
"Tomorrow, you’ll train with the knights," the emperor continued. "We’ll see how you fare in real combat."
Leonis nodded, bowing slightly. "Yes, Father."
As he left the training grounds, Leonis felt a surge of confidence. He had passed the first test, but many more lay ahead. He knew the story, knew what was coming—but now, he had to write his own chapter.
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