Edward woke up suddenly, his body drenched in cold sweat. The room was still, the faint glow of the early morning sun not yet peeking through the heavy curtains. Something had stirred him from his sleep, something he couldn't quite place. His heart pounded as he tried to steady his breath.

He turned his gaze to the small table beside his bed where his father's book lay. His eyes widened as he noticed a faint red glow emanating from the cover. The book was pulsating softly, and then, almost as if by magic, words began to appear on its surface—"The Greater Key." The letters glowed a deep, ominous red.

Edward's chest tightened as the realization dawned on him. The appearance of these words symbolized his father's death—his father had passed away.

In a panic, Edward threw off his blankets and rushed toward the door. He had to see his father, to confirm the terrible truth. A truth he desperately wished was a lie.

But just as he reached the door, a sharp cry pierced the silence, stopping him in his tracks. It was a cry of pure anguish, a sound that made his blood run cold. He recognized it instantly—his mother.

He stood frozen just outside the door, unable to push it open. His legs felt like lead, and all he could do was press his back against the wall and slide down to the floor. The weight of the moment crashed down on him, and the tears he had been holding back all night finally broke free.

It was almost morning. The cry had stirred the entire household. Servants and guards hurried down the halls, their faces pale with dread.

The butler was the first to arrive at the king's room. Pushing it open, he revealed the queen crying over the king's lifeless body. The butler approached, touching the king's neck to confirm what he already knew. The king had died.

Edward's brother, Rick, came running and stopped when he passed by Edward's room.

"What's wrong?" he asked, panting from running.

Edward looked at his brother's confused face. "Dad died," he said emotionlessly, feeling a numbing sensation rise in him, preventing any emotions.

"What?"

Edward watched as his brother's expression changed from confusion to disbelief and finally to horror. Rick couldn't believe it. He knew their father was very sick, but they had been assured he was being attended by the best physicians in the kingdom. Denial rose in him; he couldn't accept it. He had to see for himself.

He left Edward's side and continued running toward their father's room. Edward watched the departing figure, wishing this was all a dream, a nightmare he would soon wake up from.

...

The bell tolled, its sound spreading through the entire kingdom. It rang ten times, its resonance carrying an inexplicable force that made everyone stare when it rang.

The sun had already risen. News of the king's death spread like wildfire. Some people were happy because they could finally carry out their businesses, others mourned with the royal family for the great king they had lost, while for some, it meant nothing, and they went about their lives as usual.

Standing in the great castle, Edward looked at the scene. He was wearing his imperial clothes. His uncle had sent a letter that he would be coming, so preparations to receive him were being made. Behind him, Rick stood in the same clothes as his brother.

"You knew he was going to die, right?" Rick asked with a hoarse voice.

"He called me over before dinner."

"Why didn't you tell me anything then?"

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Edward turned to look at his brother. "I didn't want to believe he would die, and at that time, saying so seemed to bring it closer."

Rick looked his brother in the eyes. He could see concealed grief, but other than that, Edward showed no emotions on the outside.

Him and his brother were one year apart but right now he thought it was more than that.

"Uncle will be arriving soon. I'll be leaving first, then."

With that, he left the room. It was their father's study, but after his death, Edward had become the new owner as the crown prince and soon-to-be king.

The room was fairly large, with shelves full of books and scrolls about the dealings of the kingdom. But to Edward, nothing was more important than the red book on the main table.

He looked at the book. He had long decided to take on the role of king. Although young, he knew he would manage. Reaching for it, the blood-red words still glowed. He opened the book and started reading.

Magic was not something only mentioned in fairy tales; it was real. Most people didn't know this because there were not many wizards, and the royalty made an effort to hide it. Due to its immense power, if news of its existence spread, all the power-hungry factions would tear the kingdom apart in search of it.

Although it wasn't widely known, truly powerful factions in the kingdom had one or two wizards.

What made magic a truly terrifying power was its versatility. For example, the red book described two types of magic. One was fuelled by souls, which one gained by killing. In return, one could cast spells ranging from water creation to time reversal. Spells were directly proportional to soul consumption; this was described as soul magic.

The second type of magic mentioned in the book was summoning magic. One could summon beings from the abyss to do their bidding, but in return, one had to sacrifice something of equal value. Sacrifices ranged from one's own body parts to their bloodline. Sacrificing one's bloodline meant killing everyone one was related to, including oneself. This in turn summoned something related to what was sacrificed. The payment was done after the summoned being finished its task. The downside was that most of the time, people died during the payment process.

All this was mentioned in the red book. Edward could see why it was the family's heirloom.

He tried doing some soul magic but could only produce a cupful of water. After all, the only thing he had ever killed was a rabbit, which had also happened by accident.

And so, time passed with him reading and memorising. After four hours, a maid came to inform him of his uncle's arrival. He quickly hid the red book in a secret compartment in the table and left with the maid.

...

The Grand-Duke's entourage*[1] slowly approached the capital. Edward was already outside, preparing to receive his uncle. At his side were his mother and brother. Their little sister was not present; she had fainted when she heard the news and hadn't awoken yet.

As the entourage finally reached them, the Duke quickly emerged from the main carriage. Edward's mother stepped forward to greet him, but the Duke ignored all formalities and hugged her.

"Sister, I'm really sorry for not being there," he said. Although aged, his voice felt reassuring.

"My lord, it's not your fault. His time had arrived," Edward's mother responded.

They quickly let go of each other, resuming the formalities. The uncle swept his gaze around and looked at Edward. Although not officially crowned yet, Edward was now King Edward V, replacing his father, Edward IV.

The uncle bowed towards him. "Grand-Duke Richard greets the king."

"Uncle, please, there's no need for that," Edward said, becoming a little uneasy due to the sudden formality.

In the past, their uncle was like a second father to them, so seeing him like this made Edward uncomfortable.

"My king, you must get used to this," the uncle said in a solemn tone, which was more educational than respectful.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, they quickly entered.

Things seemed to pass in a blur with the arrival of the uncle. The preparations for the funeral sped up. The Duke arranged for the funeral to be held after Edward's coronation, a month later. He was appointed as Lord Protector of the Realm and in charge of teaching Edward the necessary lessons to become king.

And so a month passed. During this month, Edward had his hands full with private study with his uncle and reading and memorising the book, spending most of his time in the study room.

On the day of the coronation, as Edward prepared himself for the ceremony with the maids helping him into the royal clothes, soldiers burst into his room, swords drawn.

"What's the meaning of this? Do you plan to kill your king here?" Edward demanded.

Although he had a small body reflecting his age, his demeanour was that of a great king.

"King? Don't make me laugh. Commoners should know their place," a man in royal clothes said with disgust in his eyes. His elderly face only magnified the disdain.

He took out a golden scroll and opened it. "...'I, as the Grand-Duke of Gloucester, regret to inform you all that Edward and his siblings are not legitimate heirs to the throne. As such, their attempt to inherit the crown through trickery is considered a great treason towards our great kingdom of England.'"

AUTHOR's note: [1]:When a Grand Duke travelled from one place to another, the collection of people, belongings, and equipment that accompanied him was referred to as his "entourage"