Zane sat on a marble bench in the garden, staring at the pale sunlight filtering through the hedges. He was still reeling from breakfast — his mother’s words, his sister’s sharp eyes, his own ridiculous sarcasm. He muttered to himself, kicking a loose pebble at his feet.
"Great job, Zane. First day out in two years and you already deserve an award for ’Most Dramatic Family Reunion.’"
The faint crunch of footsteps interrupted him. He looked up to see a maid approaching. She wasn’t one of the chatty ones he overheard last night — this one was older, perhaps in her late twenties, with calm brown eyes and her hair pinned neatly into a bun. Her uniform was spotless, and she carried herself with a kind of strict dignity, the kind that said she wasn’t easily flustered.
She bowed lightly. "Your Highness. A message from His Lord and Her Lady."
Zane frowned. "Why can’t they just say it? We live in the same house. It’s not like I need a postal service between the dining room and the garden."
The maid gave no reaction, simply handed him a sealed envelope on a silver tray before retreating a few paces.
Curious, Zane tore it open. Inside was an official-looking document — an admittance letter, written in neat calligraphy, stamped with the royal crest. His eyes skimmed the words quickly:
Voidborn Prince Zane Aurelian is hereby granted entrance to the Imperial Academy of Arcanum...
At the bottom, the fee was marked: Paid in Full.
Zane blinked, his lips twitching. "Well... that was faster than expected."
Beneath the letter was a small handwritten note. His father’s writing was stern, his mother’s lighter flourishes softening the edge.
Although we do not support this decision, we will not hold you back.
Zane’s chest tightened for reasons he didn’t fully understand. He turned the note over, and a faint clink caught his attention. Resting beneath it was a thin silver band, engraved with faint runes — a storage ring.
He held it up, the sunlight glinting off its surface. He knew exactly what it was, though he had never owned one. A noble’s treasure — it could hold weapons, supplies, even whole wardrobes inside.
Zane slipped it onto his finger, then waited. Nothing.
He sighed. "Right. No mana, no access. Figures."
The shadow at his feet twitched, almost amused.
"I wonder what’s inside," Zane muttered, turning the ring thoughtfully. "A sword? Gold? A handwritten letter saying ’don’t embarrass us’?"
The shadow rose slightly, like it was peeking curiously too.
"Yeah, yeah, I’ll figure it out. But first..." He looked down at the letter again, reading the words one more time, letting them sink in.
"...I guess I’m really going to the academy."