Ed woke up from his dream. In the last few days, he had been having a strange dream. A dream about a massive blue dragon chained in a pure white world. It was an empty world, there's no floor, no ground, no sky, no horizon. Only him and the dragon.

They talked about a lot of things. Magic, history, even historical and philosophical discussion. But when he woke up, he forgot almost everything about the conversation. He couldn't even remember the name of the dragon. It frustrated him, but it was only a dream...... right?

He looked right to the window. The world was still dark and there was no sign of the sun going up anytime soon. It was good for him, the earlier he got up, the less likely his father, or anyone to stop him from running away. He jumped from his bed and opened the wardrobe. A small bag befitting of his body sat inside. Even though it was small, it has a spatial magic, allowing it to carry ten times its apparent size.

He opened it and checked if everything he needed was inside. Books, scrolls, golds, foods, adventuring equipment, and everything Theo told him to buy. He headed outside his room after everything was ready.

The hallway was still dark, signifying that the servants haven't woken up yet. Before he walked outside, there was one more room he has to visit. His little sister's.

She was sleeping soundly when he entered the room. The hardest part about running away was imagining his sister's reaction when she found out. Will she be angry, will she be disappointed, or will she cry? He left a piece of a letter on the table next to her bed, explaining everything to her. Hoping that it would make it easier for her. He then kissed her little sister on the forehead.

When Ed walked down the hallway heading to the exit, he saw a shadow of a man in front of him. His body froze and cold sweats broke out all over his body. He turned without making any sound, hoping that the man wouldn't notice him. "Lord Edmund?" His heart skipped a beat, that was before he realized whose voice that was.

"Gramps?" He turned toward the shadow. It was Barnie's voice, the head butler.

"So is it the time you ran away from home?" He asked, there was an undercurrent of sadness in his voice.

"Don't stop me, gramps. Please."

"I won't stop you, Lord Ed. You are free to choose your own path, just like your father once did." Barnie slowly moved toward Ed.

When he got close, Ed was able to see him more clearly. And he could see his blood soaked hand. "G-Gramps. What happened to your hand?"

Barnie was surprised to hear Ed's question and looked at his own hand. "Ah, this? I woke up with a bit of a headache and crashed one of the magic lamps. When I try to pick the shards up, I cut my wrist. It's okay now, but I forgot to wash my hand."

Ed sighed. "Geez, Gramps. Don't make me worry. Can I move now?"

"Sure. But don't use this hallway. There are still some shards that I haven't picked up yet."

"Well, I just use the other." He said as he walked away from Barnie. "Goodbye, gramps." He waved.

"Goodbye, Lord Edmund." He replied with a sad smile. Barnie sighed as he watched Ed disappeared into the darkness. His heartbeat normalize. He was afraid if the young master found out what he was doing.

He turned toward the hallway he originally came. Five dead assassins were lying on the floor. "Oh, dear. I guess I'm not used to restraining my strength."

Ed carefully navigated through his mansion. Mindful to not make any sound. He was happy when he finally arrived at the front door without anyone noticing him other than Barnie, or so he thought.

He wanted to use the backdoor. It would be much safer and much more discreet, but he didn't have the key to open it. And trying to get the key from the servants is not discreet at all.

He looked around at the hallway leading to the front door. There were many paintings of him and his family hanging on the wall. The painting of his brothers, him, and his sister when they were a child. A painting of his whole family. And a painting of him as a toddler, holding the hand of his father and his mother, walking in a field. It was the last painting of him before he became 'a disappointment'. There was a smile on his father's face, a smile he never sees anymore.

It was two years after that painting was made, his father sent him to Aeston to receive a formal education. His academics scores were stellar, but his physical....

He remembered about every summer after that year, when he returned to his family home in Riverside. He would spend the day playing with his sister, helping his mother. Summer was a happy time for him, but every time he saw his father's face, that happiness vanished into thin air. It was right around then he started to have an interest in magic. Though he never tried to truly learn magic until he met Theo years after that.

At first, magic was nothing more than a way to escape his insecurities, escape from the burden his father placed upon him. But after learning much about it and realizing that there were still a lot of things yet to be discovered, it turned into a passion.

He unlocked the front door and slowly opened it. The door creaked, giving his heart a good jump. After he opened it-

"Edmund Lion." Ed's heart stopped beating and his blood ran cold. Fear, anger, disappointment, and a lot more emotion mixed up in his heart. Why the hell does one of the Great Lords of Amaryn. The head of House Lion, the Lord of Riverside, The owner of the biggest port in Amaryn, woke up so early in the morning?

Ed steeled his heart and his will. No matter what his father said, he will not change his mind. "You can't stop me now, father. It's already too late." He said, not looking at his father. He took one step outside.

"If you take another step, Edmund Lion. You will be a Lion no longer." His father gave him a warning. His voice was cold and harsh like always.

Ed turned his head and smiled at his soon-no-longer father. "Then I give you my deepest gratitude father. For bearing with me, a disappointment, and taking care of me these past 22 years. And please give my thanks to mother and brother and sister....." He took a deep breath and took another step. " Goodbye, Lord Edward Lion. I wish your family a happy and prosperous life."