The next morning, warm sunlight slowly slipped through the curtains and fell across Aarav's sleeping face.
"Mmm..."
Aarav groaned softly before lazily stretching across the bed.
Then
"Ah..."
A slight sting spread across his cheek.He gently touched the swollen area before clicking his tongue.
"Damn...That old man really hit hard yesterday. Even after Mom healed it, it still hurts a little."
Aarav quietly sat up and stared at the ring resting on his finger.
He hesitated for a moment before slowly bringing it close to his ear.
"...You there, Vyom? Or did you finally move on to the afterlife?"
No reply came.
Aarav shook his hand a few times and brought the ring close to his ear again.
A long sigh echoed inside his head.
"You do realize we're speaking telepathically, right? You don't need to shake your hand or put the ring near your ear every time."
Aarav awkwardly lowered his hand.
".But you were not speaking...."
"Fine whatever."
A very awkward silence followed .
Eventually, Vyom broke it.
"...You okay after yesterday?"
Aarav quietly looked toward the window.
"...Not really."
After a brief pause, he continued.
"It's not the first time we've argued.He was just... angrier than usual yesterday."
Vyom remained silent.
Even he could tell Aarav was pretending the slap bothered him less than it actually did.
Before either of them could continue
KNOCK. KNOCK.
"Young Master, it is me. Cassian."
"Come in, Cassian."
The door slowly opened.
Cassian stepped inside carrying a tray of water and medicine.
Unlike usual, his expression looked noticeably gentler today.
"Good morning, Young Master."
He quietly placed the tray near Aarav's bedside.
"Young Master, are you feeling better now, or does it still hurt?"
Aarav scoffed because he knows Cassian doesnot care much about him .
"Cassian, are those your words or the Duke's?"
Cassian remained silent.
Aarav gritted his teeth.
"Look at that fake concern. He hit me first, then send Cassian to ask if I'm okay.Where was all this concern yesterday?"
Although annoyed, Aarav held back his anger and remained seated.
Cassian continued.
"The Duke instructed me to inform you that you may take a break from the academy for some time."
Aarav's expression dimmed slightly.
"...I see."Tell him thanks on my behalf."
Cassian hesitated before speaking again.
"...Young Master. I know yesterday was difficult but I truly believe the Duke only wants you to recover peacefully."
A bitter smile appeared on Aarav's face.
"..Recover huh .By what? Locking me inside the mansion so I stop embarrassing him and his title."
Cassian frowned.
"That isn't true."
But Aarav had already looked away.
Seeing this, Cassian quietly sighed.
"The Duke personally arranged a three-month leave for you. He even plans to visit Principal Aldron himself today."
That finally surprised Aarav.
"...He's personally going?"
Cassian nodded.
Then, after a brief silence, he said,
"You should rest properly, Young Master and... try speaking to him again when you're ready."
Without saying anything further, Cassian quietly left the room.
The door softly clicked shut behind him.
Silence returned.
Aarav slowly fell backward onto the bed.
"...Three months."
He stared blankly at the ceiling.
"So I really got kicked out of academy , huh."
Vyom immediately responded.
"Aarav."
"I genuinely don't think your father hates you."
Aarav rolled his eyes.
"Of course you'd say that.You didn't grow up with him."
"Look, he's my father. I know him better than you. I'm just a failure he can't get rid of."
An awkward silence spread through the room.
Then Aarav suddenly changed the topic.
"Vyom , You said this kingdom falls apart in the future, right?"
"But Elarion is literally in its golden age."
"The Empire hasn't invaded in years.The nobles are stable.There's food trade, peace,poverty is at its lowest."
"So how exactly does everything collapse?"
For a moment, Vyom remained silent.
Then he quietly answered.
"Because that peace is a facade and it's already beginning to crack."
Aarav frowned.
Vyom continued calmly.
"The royal family is weakening.The nobles already know it and once they realize the crown no longer holds absolute authority..."
"...greed begins spreading."
Aarav slowly sat up.
"The border nobles start demanding independence.Corrupt lords secretly cooperate with the Empire.The royal court becomes divided."
"And eventually..."
Vyom's voice grew quieter.
"...civil war begins."
A chill slowly crept down Aarav's spine.
"...What about the Valdens?"
Silence.
Then Vyom answered.
"The civil war is started by Kaiser Draven."
"And Lucian joins his side."
Aarav's eyes widened.
"The Valdens remain loyal to the kingdom but that loyalty destroys them."
Aarav's fingers slowly tightened around the blanket.
"Your father and Arin die fighting Kaiser Draven and the royal family falls."
Aarav froze.
The room suddenly felt suffocating.
For several seconds, he couldn't process the words.
"...No."
His voice sounded weak.
"No..."
"You're lying."
Vyom didn't answer.
That silence terrified Aarav more than any reply could.
Aarav lowered his head.
He hated arguing with his father.
He envied Arin.
But the thought of them dying...
He couldn't accept it.
"Dead, huh? Well... I don't care what happens to them."
Yet even as he thought those words, a lump formed in his throat.
Tears slowly gathered in his eyes.
"...What about mom ?"
Vyom quietly answered.
"...Her fate becomes unknown after the war.I don't know what happened to her.But it isn't good."
Aarav immediately looked away.
His breathing became uneven.
"Mom..."
"No..."
"This can't happen."
"Tell me you're lying."
For the first time, the future no longer sounded like fantasy nonsense.
It sounded terrifyingly real.
Meanwhile, Vyom quietly continued.
"When I first entered this world...all I wanted was to return home."
"I never cared about this kingdom,these people.this world."
A faint bitter laugh escaped him.
"But humans adapt too easily."
"I made friends.I built Dravik.I started caring. I trained everyday so i can grow strong ."
"And eventually..."
"..I wanted to protect this place "
Aarav listened quietly.
"That's why i made dravik guild one of the strongest in the capital in 3 years a
"Also i kept trying to recruit Lucian before Kaiser could"
"everything revolves around him.He's the main protagonist."
A bitter expression immediately appeared on Aarav's face.
"...Of course he is."
"That bastard has everything."
"Talent,recognition."
"People naturally admire him.When teachers speak to him, they sound proud."
"When they speak to me..."
Aarav laughed bitterly.
"...it feels like they're tolerating my existence."
"Even Selena.She was supposed to be my best friend,my fiancée."
"And now all she thinks about is Lucian."
Vyom quietly listened.
Aarav clenched his fists looking down
"Somehow every failure of his becomes heroic."
"And every mistake of mine becomes pathetic."
"That's not fair."
"...Not fair at all."
For a long moment, silence filled the room.
Then Aarav lifting his head quietly asked,
"...Can fate actually be changed?"
Vyom slowly answered.
"I used to believe it couldn't."
"I thought everything was fixed."
"That every tragedy would happen exactly the same way."
Then his tone shifted.
"But..."
"You surviving changed everything."
Aarav slowly looked toward the ring.
"The house that should have been mourning your death today...is peaceful."
"The future has already changed and because of that even I no longer know what happens next, especiallly the future involving you ."
For the first time since the conversation began, hope appeared in Aarav's eyes.
"...So I can save them if I become stronger?"
Vyom answered immediately.
"Yes ,You can and I'll help you."
Fear still remained inside Aarav.
But now there was something else. It was determination , determination to grow strong .
"If I can change the future by becoming stronger...Then no matter what happens..."
"I'll become stronger."
"Stronger than I am now.Stronger than Uncle Ray."
Vyom remained silent for a moment.
Then quietly replied,
"...Good."
________________________________________
Two hours later
"GASP! GASP!"
Aarav collapsed face-first onto the training ground.
Sweat completely drenched his clothes while his arms trembled violently.
"I DON'T WANNA GET STRONG ANYMORE!"
"I WANNA STAY WEAK!"
"LET ME GOOOOOO!"
________________________________________
END OF VOLUME 1
________________________________________