The royal palace had many places filled with grandeur — the gardens, the training yards, and the endless halls lined with marble pillars — but none of them compared to this room in Adrian's mind.
Alden's workshop.
It was messy, loud, and smelled faintly of burnt metal and sweet oil, yet to Adrian, it was a place of wonder. Here, instead of crowns or etiquette, there were sparks of invention, and instead of servants bowing, there was a man with unkempt hair and goggles that were almost always slightly crooked.
And right now, that man was frantically chasing a puff of smoke that had escaped from a strange box.
"Blast it! Not again—Rex! No, don't touch that!" Alden yelled, waving a towel as he stumbled over scattered blueprints.
The golden lion cub, Rex, let out a small mrrp sound, his tail flicking mischievously as he pawed the still-smoking contraption. The box puffed once more, sending a small spark that made the cub jump back and sneeze.
Adrian, standing by the door, tried his hardest not to laugh. He failed.
A soft giggle escaped him, and he quickly covered his mouth.
Alden turned, spotted the young prince, and immediately straightened. "Your Highness! I—I wasn't aware you'd arrived so soon! I was, uh, just testing the smoke resistance of my new device."
Adrian tilted his head, eyes bright. "It exploded, didn't it?"
"Minor combustion," Alden corrected hastily, then sighed. "Yes, it exploded."
Adrian chuckled again, walking further into the workshop. His small boots tapped lightly on the stone floor as he glanced around at all the strange creations — gears, crystals, glass tubes filled with glowing light. Rex padded beside him, eyes wide with curiosity.
"What was it supposed to be?" Adrian asked, crouching next to the box.
"An automatic self-heating kettle." Alden groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Supposed to boil tea on command. But… well, it seems it prefers to boil itself."
Adrian blinked. "You mean it explodes every time you ask for tea?"
"Yes. And sometimes when I don't," Alden admitted.
That made the boy laugh outright this time, the sound ringing warmly through the room. Alden couldn't help but smile. For someone who carried the weight of being Crown Prince, Adrian looked so carefree in moments like this — like a normal, curious child enchanted by the world.
A few minutes later, Alden cleared a space on the cluttered worktable and gestured for Adrian to come closer.
"I was just about to test another invention before, well… that," Alden said, nodding toward the blackened kettle. "Would you like to assist me, Your Highness?"
Adrian's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Of course," Alden said. "Though perhaps let's not tell your father if this one also explodes."
Adrian smiled sheepishly. "Agreed."
Rex hopped onto a nearby stool, curling his tail around his paws as if ready to watch a grand performance.
Alden lifted a round glass orb connected to several thin tubes. "This," he announced proudly, "is a Mana Collector. It absorbs loose mana from the air and converts it into usable energy for small tools."
Adrian peered into the orb. "So it's like… breathing mana instead of air?"
"Precisely!" Alden beamed. "You truly have a sharp mind for your age."
The compliment made Adrian flush slightly. He ducked his head, pretending to inspect the orb closer. "I… just remembered it from a book," he mumbled, though his grin betrayed his pride.
Alden smirked knowingly. "A book you probably finished in one afternoon."
"Maybe two," Adrian muttered.
Rex gave a soft huff as if agreeing that his human was too modest.
As the afternoon passed, the workshop filled with warmth — from laughter, chatter, and the occasional fizz-pop! of mana sparks. Adrian asked endless questions about gears, balance, and energy flow, while Alden patiently explained each one.
At one point, Adrian reached out to adjust a lever, but it slipped and made the entire machine hum louder.
"Wait—Your Highness, not that one—!"
BOOM!
The device released a puff of blue smoke, showering the room in glittering sparks. Adrian blinked in surprise as a few sparks landed on his sleeve, quickly fizzling out.
Rex sneezed again. Alden coughed. Then the room went silent.
Adrian turned slowly to Alden, his expression torn between guilt and amusement. "…minor combustion?"
Alden sighed, then burst into laughter. "Yes, Your Highness. Minor combustion indeed."
They both laughed until tears welled in Adrian's eyes. It felt good — to laugh without anyone watching, without guards hovering or courtiers whispering. Just two people (and one lion cub) surrounded by messy papers and broken tools.
When the laughter settled, Adrian sat on the workbench, swinging his legs. "Professor Alden?"
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"Why do you keep inventing things? Even when some of them fail?"
Alden paused at the question. His usual grin softened into something thoughtful. "Because every failure teaches me something new. Every explosion," he said with a smile, "means I'm one step closer to something that works."
Adrian thought about that quietly, watching the faint mana glow in the broken orb. "So… even when things go wrong, it's not really wasted?"
"Not at all," Alden said gently. "Sometimes the mistakes are the best teachers."
Adrian nodded slowly. Then, more quietly, he murmured, "I think I understand that."
Alden tilted his head. "Oh?"
Adrian smiled faintly, not looking up. "Because I want to be acknowledged for who I am… not just as the prince. I want to make my own path. Maybe it'll take mistakes too, but… I want it to be mine."
There was a long pause, broken only by the soft ticking of a half-working clock nearby.
Alden's eyes softened. "Then you'll make a fine king one day, Your Highness."
Adrian's ears turned red instantly. "I—I didn't mean—! I just—!" He waved his hands, flustered, while Alden laughed.
Rex looked up from the corner, tail flicking smugly as if saying, Told you so.
As the sun began to dip, the workshop bathed in a warm orange glow. Adrian helped Alden tidy up — or at least tried to. For every tool he picked up, Rex managed to knock over two.
"Rex!" Adrian scolded lightly, though he couldn't help smiling when the cub gave him an innocent look.
When they finally finished, Alden handed Adrian a small gear pendant. "Here," he said. "A memento. It doesn't do much, but it's a piece from my first successful invention."
Adrian's eyes widened. "You're giving it to me?"
"Of course. A prince who dares to think for himself deserves a token of curiosity."
The boy held it close, smiling brightly. "Thank you, Professor Alden."
Alden chuckled, waving him off. "You'll outgrow calling me 'Professor' soon enough. Someday you'll be teaching me."
Adrian grinned. "Maybe I'll invent a kettle that doesn't explode."
"That's treason!" Alden gasped dramatically. "Taking my ideas, Your Highness!"
They both burst into laughter again. The air felt lighter than ever.
As Adrian left the workshop, Rex padding by his side, he glanced back at the room. The sun's light hit the broken glass, scattering soft reflections across the walls. For some reason, it felt like a memory he would treasure for a long time — messy, warm, and full of sparks.
He reached down to pat Rex's head. "We'll come back tomorrow," he whispered.
Rex let out a small mrrp of agreement, tail swishing.
As the boy prince walked back toward the palace corridors, the faint sound of Alden tinkering echoed behind him — a melody of clinks, hums, and laughter.
And in that moment, for Adrian Leonhart of Arathia, the world felt wide and bright — not because of his crown, but because of the endless wonders waiting to be built.