4 years later, Lucius became a child, while totally unaware of his origins, he began the first chapters of his current life at the baron's mansion. The sound of servants, maids and aides laughing filled the corridors, and each passing day brought new surprises as four-year-old Lukas wandered around the gardens and passageways.
In one of the warm, golden rooms of the baron's mansion Lukas stumbled upon, his mom that has hair as beautiful as the moonlight, Sera, called him over with a gentle smile.
"Hey there, my sweet little sunbeam," she said warmly, "there's someone special I want you to meet."
Lukas followed his mom, with his eyes open and curious. Head maid Thalia stood in the middle of the room, radiating a serene strength. With a gentle introduction, Seraphina said, "Lukas, meet Thalia. She looks after our home and makes sure everything stays balanced and happy."
With her keen eyes and friendly attitude Thalia knelt down to Lukas and said,
"Good morning, young master Lukas."
With a joyous demeanor, Sera added, "Thalia isn't just in charge of the house, she's also the one that knows the cool things hidden here. If you ever want to know some secrets, Lukas, she's the one to ask!"
Lukas, surprised with her mother's words, nodded in approval. "Secrets?" he asked
His eyes grew wide with curiosity. Lukas's face lit up with a smile at the idea of uncovering hidden secrets with Thalia's help.
As Thalia spoke, the door slowly opened, and Vance peeked into the room with a cute wobble. Vance's eyes met Lukas's stare with a welcoming spark, but there was a hint of shyness in Vance's stature.
Thalia chuckled gently as she spotted the confusion in Lukas' eyes.
"Ah, Lukas, let me introduce you to my son, Vance," she replied, smiling warmly. "Vance, this is young master Lukas, the person that you will be aiding from now on.”
"H-hello, young m-master" Vance said, his voice soft and hesitant as he struggled to bow down in front of him. Lukas was excited to meet Vance, thus he didn't hesitate to introduce himself.
"Um, h-hi Vance, I'm Lukas" he muttered, as his small hands reached out for a handshake. "W-wanna, you know, be friends and maybe e-explore with me?" As Lukas nervously extended his hand, Vance's eyes brightened with a timid but sincere smile.
"O-okay!" Vance said, as his shyness quickly replaced by excitement. He nervously shook Lukas' hand, solidifying the foundation of their newfound friendship.
In the doorway, Thalia and Sera exchanged joyful glances, their hearts soothed by the sight of their children briefly bonding. Thalia's eyes twinkled with glee, and Sera's gentle grin conveyed the happiness of the eventual first meeting between both of their children.
"Thalia, just look at the both of them," Sera said with a smile, "our little sunbeam and his wonderful friend. It melts my heart to see them getting along so well."
Thalia nodded; her eyes fixated on the two children. "Indeed, ma'am. Their friendship will be a gift in itself."
As Lukas and Vance, still hesitant but brimming with excitement, began to converse about their ideas to explore the uncharted places of the mansion, the environment resonated with the natural, unfiltered delight of happiness and joy.
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Lukas and Vance raced through the bright corners of the baron's mansion, going through their childhood joys. Lukas, an explosion of mischief, enjoyed ventures that kept Thalia and Vance on edge. Lukas delighted in his youth, climbing walls and chasing imaginary creatures with enthusiasm.
Vance, the steadying force behind Lukas' enthusiasm, struggled between engaging in the fun and avoiding any disasters. Despite Vance's doubts, Lukas' contagious laughter and vibrant energy eventually won him over.
They unearthed stories about Draven's history one day while exploring the mansion's library. Lukas gathered stories about heroes and mythological animals, which sparked an idea. Lukas discovered dusty swordsmanship books and proclaimed while standing on top of books, raising the book up high,
"Vance, let's become knights like in the stories!"
The next day, Lukas struck on Vance's hand, his eagerness building. "Hurry up, Vance! Let's get to the training grounds before the sun rises high and it gets too hot!"
"Wait up, young master! You're moving too fast," Vance pleaded, exhausted as his small legs tried to keep up with Lukas' swift pace.
When they arrived at the training grounds, their eyes widened as they observed the situation. The land's knights engaged in rigorous training, and Vance's father, Evander, was at the center of the action. He was clad in iron-forged armor, his stature rippling with each movement, and he displayed the art of swordsmanship with utter excellence.
Lukas, eyes sparkling, turned to Vance,
"Wow, Vance! I heard that the cool knight is your dad, he is like one of the knights in the stories we read yesterday!"
"Yeah! He's my dad and he’s super duper strong!!" Vance added, awe evident in his voice.
Evander noticed the two and approached them with a pleasant smile.
"Young master Lukas, Vance, my young warriors in training! What brings you to the training grounds today?"
Lukas replied, with a burning passion and big smile on his face,
"W-we want to be knights like you, Mr. Evander, We want to know how to defeat bad guys!"
Evander chuckled while he ruffled Lukas' hair. "Ah, the aspirations of every young soul. But you both are a bit too young for proper training. Let's just wait till you reach the age of awakening, and then I'll personally mentor you, young master."
Lukas' face sank into a frown, disappointment was visible in his eyes. Vance, being the soothing friend, softly patted Lukas' back.
"Don't worry, young master Lukas. We'll learn and become knights together one day."
Evander noticed Lukas' sadness and quickly added,
"But how about this? You can observe us do swordsmanship training today. How does that sound?"
Lukas' frown dissolved into a bright smile, and they leaned in with great expectation to see the knights in action.
As the swordsmanship training progressed, Lukas and Vance became invested in the stunning display of skills. The clash of swords and the swift movements of the knights drew them in.
However, the thrilling display was cut short by Thalia's voice calling Lukas to lunch.
"Young master, it's time for lunch," she said. Lukas reluctantly averted his gaze from the training, assuring himself that he would return later after the meal.
With Vance following behind, Lukas made his way to the mansion's dining hall, exiting the training grounds. Thalia put together a delicious spread, and the aroma circulated the air as they approached. The duo sat down to eat, talking enthusiastically about the knights' remarkable movements.
Evander excused himself and proceeded to the mansion, where Lukas and Vance were eating. Before entering, he told the knights to get back to training after a short break. Inside, he smiled warmly at Thalia and expressed gratitude for the great meal she provided.
After a hearty meal, the knights’ training resumed and both the young master and his aide spent the day enthusiastically observing the movements of imperial swordsmanship and their flowing curiosity teeming throughout the training grounds.
The day ended as the sun met the land, entering the dusk phase. Lukas and Vance headed back to the manor to conclude their day with the delight of a dinner. As night struck, with the moon hovering over the manor at midnight, its moonlight pierced the halls of a prestigious hallway, leading to an ominous door.
A person’s footprints echoed throughout the silent hallway complimented by the clanging of iron. The person cladded in full iron armor approached the iron door and opened it with great courage. Strong aura filled the room as a man sitting in a seat behind a table welcomed the person that entered while displaying a sense of overbearing threat. The person bowed down on his knees as he greeted the person in front of him with caution and respect.
“I greet the master of the manor, Lord Silver.”