"Let's juuuust… not go out."
Normally, that was the plan— or rather, Seven's plan. But why did Iria bring him a set of clothes so early in the morning?
The thing is… he had an event that needed to be attended: Hart's banquet at the main Dukedom tomorrow.
Thanks to this though, he now realized he was currently in the Ascendance Lands, a small territory in the far south bordering a vast forest and mountains said to reach the clouds.
Traveling from here to the main Dukedom would take at least half a day by carriage, maybe longer if the roads were frozen by winter snow.
'Thinking about it… isn't it actually a good idea to hide in the main Dukedom until the day after my assassination? There's no safer place than the main territory itself after all.'
Seven smiled slightly, sitting cross-legged inside the moving carriage.
Outside, four knights flanked the carriage; five in total, if including the driver holding the reins
Across from him sat Iria, stiff and blushing, probably remembering what happened earlier this morning. Seeing the faint frown forming on Seven's face, Iria hesitated before speaking.
"Young Lord, are you not comfortable by any chance?"
"No. I'm just thinking… what kind of gazes would welcome me at the banquet."
He rested his chin on one hand. Truly, he had been thinking about that since earlier.
A child on the verge of being exiled, showing up at a grand family's banquet where every nobility guest probably knew of his reputation. What could they possibly say when they saw the youngest Hart had never formed a single Zi Ring?
He could already imagine the whispers.
But then again…
"Iria."
"Yes, Young Lord?"
"How old was I when I first arrived at the Ascendance Mansion?"
Iria blinked, slightly caught off guard by the sudden question.
She was probably wondering why her Young Lord kept asking things he should already know. But as a servant, she had no right to ask; only to answer.
"You were seven years old, Young Lord. I remember you were still a cute and innocent child, unaware that being sent here meant endangering your position. You thought of it as a reward and gladly—"
"Enough."
Seven frowned again.
He had only wanted a simple answer, not a tragic retelling of the past Seven's stupidity.
Still, it gave him a clearer picture of his current situation.
The Ascendance Lands, as Iria had described them, were a place meant for isolation and where children of Hart blood were sent to grow or 'ascend' before being exposed to the outside world.
A test, in other words.
'But what did that make me, the youngest child of a renowned sword family… who still hasn't formed a single Zi Ring after all these years of isolation?'
He sighed quietly.
'Right. This banquet's probably meant to reveal my 'growth.' And if I fail to meet Father's expectations, then exile will be unavoidable.'
Obviously, that's what would happen.
But that didn't mean he would be thrown out immediately. According to the laws of the Harts, exile was only final once a child turned sixteen.
'Still… how the hell am I supposed to form one in such a short time? I only know the basics from the novel. Damn it!'
The basics of forming a Zi Ring were simple to explain. Specifically, there were three ways to form one:
First, inborn talent.
Some gifted children— like the first daughter of Hart— were born with a Zi Ring already pulsing within their hearts and tattooed on their wrist.
Second, through 'relentless' training.
Children born without one were taught the family's blessing as soon as they could walk. Most people had formed their first Zi Ring before the age of ten, through sheer discipline.
And third, by aid.
Literally.
Someone could channel their own Zi into another's body, forcing the process to happen. But it was also dangerous. If the receiver's body failed to synchronize, both hearts would then explode.
If it succeeded, the donor could never perform the process again since it was a once-in-a-lifetime aid. Because of that, few ever dared attempt it.
There's more risk to it than the gain!
Now… in Seven's case, no one had ever tried. Not even Iria, who bore a faint star on her wrist and proof that she possessed a single Zi Star.
'If I ordered her to do it, would she...?'
The thought came, but he quickly dismissed it. It wasn't feasible anyway.
Iria was a mage. And the third method had a divine restriction; a mage could not transfer power to a warrior, nor a warrior to a mage.
The novel described it as a sin against the laws of the world, an act that could provoke the wrath of the Seven Gods who created every matter.
Seven glanced through the window.
'What about the knights? Especially the one driving had three Rings, if I saw correctly. Still, would they even agree in the first place?'
Outside, the four knights escorting the carriage each bore two Zi Rings glowing faintly at their wrists.
It was now clear to him that forming the second Zi Ring was far harder than the first since from that point onward, it could only be done by one's own strength.
'Damn it. I should just— achoo! Ugh, I feel like crap. Who knew riding a carriage was this much worse than a car? Urgh…'
He leaned sideways, trying to rest his head against the window; but before he could, something soft caught him instead.
'…Soft?'
His head had landed against Iria's chest who moved seat beside him when he was too immersed in his thoughts. Her shoulders stiffened instantly, but she didn't move.
She stayed still, letting him rest.
Outside, snow fell softly against the rattling windows, and for the first time that day, Seven's thoughts quieted.
In the warmth of the carriage and the steady rhythm of hooves against the snow, the boy who had been worrying about exile, power, and death finally drifted into a dreamless sleep.