The day passed by in a blur for Allison.

She refused to leave Edwin's side even for a moment, and her maids brought her meals to the Royal Physician's chamber. She ate her food there, her attention focused solely on her son.

The following morning, as the first rays of sunlight filtered into the chamber, Edwin decided it was time to open his eyes. As he slowly opened his eyes, a tender smile graced his lips.

Edwin couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of happiness seeing his mother, Allison. She was seated on a plush chair next to his bed, her head resting against the edge of the single bed.

Her presence filled him with warmth, and he couldn't help but smile softly to himself. 'Seeing her after so long feels so good,' he thought.

With a gentle motion, Edwin reached for a glass of water placed on a side table beside his bed. The slight rustling of the sheets and the clink of the glass stirred Allison from her light slumber. As she opened her eyes, her heart swelled with blissful relief at the sight of her son sitting up in bed, his eyes wide open.

Her heart soared with joy as she whispered to herself, "My son, you're finally awake!"

"Mhm~!" Edwin responded with a soft smile.

Allison wanted to rush forward and embrace her son, but she restrained her excitement while being mindful of his injuries.

"You've been through quite a lot these past few days," Allison whispered, gently brushing her fingers across his hand.

Edwin spoke softly, "I was fortunate that no wild beasts stumbled upon me. I would regain consciousness briefly and then fall back into slumber."

Allison couldn't resist asking, "You were found near the lake in the forest below the palace's cliff. How did you end up there?"

Edwin had prepared his response for this question. He wore a slightly sheepish look as he replied, "I had an accident while returning to the palace. I fell into the river."

"You should have been more cautious outside the palace. You ought to have had guards with you or informed someone," Allison scolded, her tone tinged with concern.

Edwin couldn't help but furrow his brows upon hearing his mother's words. He yearned to explain that his situation wasn't merely a result of carelessness, but rather, he had been intentionally targeted.

However, he restrained himself from saying anything further as he noticed the heavy, dark circles beneath his mother's eyes. Edwin's thoughts turned somber as he considered, 'Those dark circles under Mother's eyes... She must not have slept well while I was missing. The stress she must have endured…It must have been dangerous considering her weak heart condition. If I tell her about being targeted, it will only burden her more. I can't add to her worries and flare up her condition. I have to keep this hidden.'

"I'm really sorry, Mother. I know I was wrong," Edwin responded softly, his head hanging low.

Allison noticed her son's downcast expression, and her stern facade softened. She spoke softly, " I was terrified that something terrible had happened to you. It took us so many days to find you, and during that time I had begun to fear that I might never see you again. "

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Edwin lifted his head and saw his mother's eyes brimming with tears.

"I won't worry you like this again," Edwin replied, his heart heavy with guilt for making his mother cry.

With a firm tone, Allison declared, "...Starting today, you'll always have guards with you, and you won't be allowed to leave the palace."

Though Edwin wanted to protest, he merely nodded and accepted her decision, saying, "Alright, Mother. I won't make you worry anymore. I'll stay in the palace."

As they discussed these matters, the somber and serious atmosphere hung in the air for a while. Eventually, Allison summoned the maids and requested them to bring some food and juice for Edwin.

She knew that after all these days, Edwin must be famished.

Indeed, Edwin's stomach rumbled with hunger at this very moment.

It was one of the reasons he had awakened early this morning. He was eagerly awaiting the sunrise while yearning for water to quench his thirst and food to satisfy his hunger.

Before long, Edwin's appetite and thirst were satiated with a delightful spread of dishes and refreshing juices.

The following days seemed to pass by in a blur for Edwin. His body was healing rapidly, much to the surprise of the Royal Physician.

The physician couldn't help but ponder in amazement, 'I didn't anticipate such a swift recovery. His fractures are healing remarkably fast, and even the muscle swelling has diminished considerably. Those bruises... they've vanished altogether. It's almost too quick.'

The Royal Physician couldn't help but attribute this rapid recovery to Edwin's latent bloodline abilities that must have been stimulated by his recent experiences and injuries, granting him a temporary boost in healing.

However, he had no idea that his guess was completely off the mark.

The true secret behind Edwin's speedy recovery was his conscious use of the Primal Breath technique while confined to his infirmary bed. He was determined to heal as swiftly as possible, channeling nature chakra through his body and harnessing its healing properties.

"Mother, I think I'm well enough to leave the Royal Physician's chamber," Edwin gently broached the topic with his mother.

Allison looked at him, her motherly concern apparent in her eyes. "Are you sure, dear? The physician mentioned your injuries were healing well, but I don't want to rush your recovery."

Edwin nodded, a small smile gracing his lips. "I've been resting for four days, and I feel much better now. Besides, I've missed being outside."

Allison then turned to the Royal Physician, seeking his opinion. "Doctor, what do you think?"

The Royal Physician assessed Edwin's condition carefully before responding, "Your Highness, Edwin has shown remarkable progress in his recovery. If he feels ready to leave, it should be safe for him to do so. Just ensure he doesn't exert himself too much."

Allison sighed with relief and smiled at her son. "Very well, Edwin. You may leave the chamber but promise me you'll be cautious and not overexert yourself."

With medical clearance and his mother's blessing, Edwin left the Royal Physician's chamber, embracing the freedom to move about the palace once more.

Well as they say that there is no true freedom.

True to this phrase, the freedom to move around that Edwin had received came with certain restrictions. He was allowed to roam around his room and the courtyard. Of course, he could also visit his mother in her chamber. But beyond these areas, he had to seek permission.

As days passed and Edwin’s condition improved, Allison gradually expanded Edwin's permissible areas, giving him a bit more freedom within the palace.

One such addition was the Imperial Library, a place deemed safe where Edwin could explore without risking harm.

"All right, Edwin, I'll allow you to visit the Imperial Library," Allison announced, sensing her son's eagerness for knowledge.

Edwin's eyes lit up with excitement. "Thank you, Mother!"

He made his way to the Imperial Library, a sanctuary of books and wisdom within the palace.

Edwin was drawn to the shelves filled with knowledge and history. He began browsing through books on various topics, but his primary interest lay in history.

Edwin eagerly explored the annals of the empire's history, driven by a deep hunger for the stories and wisdom concealed within its pages.

It came as no surprise that his initial exploration led him to the subject of wars. As a young prince in a sprawling empire, it was only natural that Edwin's interest would be piqued by the epic battles of the past.

At present, he was engrossed in a book offering glimpses into three pivotal wars that had not only transformed society but had left an indelible mark on the entire continent of Reyath.

The first of these significant conflicts was known as ‘The Primordial Uprising of Humans.’

Edwin pondered the title. "Fascinating. Let's see what this is all about."

He embarked on the journey through the book's pages.

Little was known about this war, except that it had marked the dawn of human rise. This also marked their discovery and learned to harness the enigmatic energy known as Chakra.

As he read on, Edwin came across a prominent name associated with this war: Novus.

It seemed that Novus had led humanity during this war, guiding them to ascend while imparting knowledge about Chakra.

Moving on to the second major war, ‘The Great Human-Beast War,’ Edwin mused, "This one sounds intriguing."

As the name implied, it had been a conflict between humans and the Beastfolk race, which comprised both beasts and demi-beasts – hybrids born of both human and beast ancestry.

"The humans emerged victorious," Edwin read aloud.

The consequences of this victory were profound, leading to the subjugation of beasts and demi-beasts, who became servants and slaves of humans throughout the Reyath Continent.

The annals spoke of numerous heroes among the humans in that war, their tales recounting bravery and valor. Edwin quickly skimmed through these details, eager to reach the section on the third major war.

The third major war was titled ‘The Rise of the Great Empires.’