Drake finished his bath, changed into a black tuxedo with intricate silver trimmings, fixed his messy hair into a short ponytail, then headed to the dining room.
A maid rushed to his side as he descended the stairs. "Young Master Drake, your parents have arrived with a visitor from the Knights Academy. I believe they're trying to enroll Master Nova into the Centurion Program."
"Thanks for the heads-up, Jina," Drake sighed. He could have guessed his parents' plan. Centurions were magic knights directly under the king, used for missions that were usually top secret and high priority. These knights were the second highest rank you could gain as a knight.,
If Nova could complete the Centurion Program, his new position would increase the family's reputation to levels most nobles wished they could reach.
Drake gritted his teeth. He hated this plan. The Centurion Program wasn't as simple as military training; it was a deadly training regimen. You were expected to go on S-class to SSS-class missions to complete the program, and many died in pursuit of this position.
Drake's blood boiled more as he got closer to the dining hall. The maid saw the look of anger grow worse as he approached the doors.
"Wait, sir, please calm down. Don't do anything irrational..."
"Fire Magic: Blazing Strike!"
Drake kicked down the door of the dining room, causing it to fly at the visitor from the Knights Academy, who grabbed it with little effort. The shockwave blew away all the plates on the dinner table.
"What is the meaning of this?" Drake's father, Balrock a white-haired man with short, spiky hair and a full, well-kept beard slammed his hands onto the table as he shouted.
"Old man, you took this too far! You would really risk your own son's life for status?" Drake screamed.
Flames engulfed Drake's hands and feet, while a light blue aura radiated off of Balrock. Drake darted at his father, ready to break every bone in his body.
"Light Forger Magic: Chains of Kronos!"
Golden spectral chains wrapped around Drake's body. The flames on his hands and feet faded as the chains suppressed his mana.
"I'm guessing this is the oldest son you told me about," the Headmaster of the Magic Knight Academy spoke.
He dropped the door on one side of the table, and a loud thud echoed through the mansion.
The Headmaster was a cat beastman, small in stature, around four-foot-three, with golden hair, wearing a white cloak that went down to his ankles.
He circled Drake, looking him up and down. "You moved like an experienced adventurer, but if what your father told me was true, you only have Fire and Earth magic, so you can't be any stronger than C-rank."
Drake tried desperately to break the chains while his parents stood at the side of the table, glaring at him as they wanted him dead.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Hemlock, our eldest has always been a troublemaker. Forgive him for his intrusions," Drake's mother, Madelyn, spoke up.
Headmaster Hemlock giggled. "No need for apologies, dear girl. Your son intrigues me. Boy, is it fear or jealousy? Why don't you want your brother to join such a prestigious program?"
"He can't handle it. Sure, the kid is talented, but that program kills the talented. Five hundred children who reached B-rank before they even turned sixteen, and only ten survived. Why would I want to risk my brother's life for a stupid title?" Tears streaked down Drake's eyes, his voice shook with each word as he stared his parents in their eyes.
"And you two, you selfish bastards, you know you're risking his life but care more about status than your own son."
Balrock screamed back, his voice filled with hate. "Stop acting concerned, brat! We know you're just jealous. You've always been jealous Nova gained a better element, our attention, and our love, while you remained a useless piece of..."
"Shut up! You don't love him, you just want to use him! Tell me, if he had your attention, what is his favorite food, his hobbies, heck, who's his crush?" Drake's voice was filled with pure rage. His eyes went red, and he bit down on his lip, causing blood to flow down his chin.
Madelyn glanced at Drake his word cut deep into her soul but she held in her feeling of guilt.
Balrock on the others hand scoffed. He didn't know the answer to any of those questions, and in his mind, there was no need to. He didn't feel ashamed in the slightest. This was the way of his family after all he was trained to be a soilder from birth as well to him Drake was just spotting nonsense.
"Guards, get this brat out of here." Balrock pointed at Drake.
The guards looked at each other and hesitated for a second before going to take away their young master.
Hemlock saw this. It intrigued him a little more. "Wait now, Balrock, I have a little proposition for your eldest."
He leapt in front of Drake. "Child, if you can prove to me you'll be worth training, I'll allow you to join your brother in the program."
Drake glared at Hemlock. "Didn't you hear what I said? I want him out of the program. I don't want to join it."
Hemlock giggled as he continued to walk around Drake. "Oh, I remember, but you see, once Nova himself approves, I can't stop him. If he passes the test, it's his choice after all. But if you also join, you can keep an eye on your brother and keep him safe. So, what do you say, kid? We have a deal?"
Hemlock snapped, and the spectral chains around Drake shattered and vanished into the air.
Hemlock reached his hand out for Drake to shake, but Drake just glared at him. "What's your motive?"
Hemlock smiled. "Hhmmm, well, you see, it's simple. I found a stone dragon statue holding the dead body of a Goblin Lord on my way over here. Judging by the area, there was a battle between that monster and an Earth and Fire magic user. I'm assuming that was you."
Drake's eyes widened as he realized he completely forgot about the goblin lord's body.
Hemlock put one hand to his mouth while another clutched his belly as he laughed uncontrollably " it was you I knew I smelt that monsters blood on you as soon as you walked in"
Hemlock got closer to Drake his ears twitching and his tail swing back and forth " your for more talented than I realized then you most be the only person in this kingdom to be at A-rank with your elements the most I've ever seen was C-ranks with earth and fire and those were expected knights and adventures. Oh how did you come up with that earth dragon statue spell I've never seen it before"
Hemlock was fawning over Drake his fascination evident from his tail swing wildly.
Balrock grabbed the side of the table his finger digging into the wood he couldn't believe what the Headmaster was saying but he didn't want to go against his judgment and potential anger him " Sir can we return to talking about getting Nova into the program"
Hemlock's ears perked up " Oh right I'll talk to you another time child guards as you were "
Hemlock leapt of the table and the guards grabbed Drake carring him back to his room.
" Light Forger Magic: krono trigger "
The door table food and everything in the room was surrounded in a golden light as they moved back to were they were before Drake knocked down the door.
Hemlock sat in his seat unbothered cutting off a slice of steak as he spoke " Now where's little Nova."
Balrock sighed. "He'll be down in a minute."
Meanwhile, on the upper floors of the mansion, the guards put Drake down in front of his room. "I'm sorry we had to handle you so rough, Young Master."
Drake dusted off his tuxedo. "No need for apologies, you were just following my father's orders."
Drake opened his door, waving the guards away as he entered his room. He made his way over to his bed, taking off his tuxedo and throwing it to his bedside as he crashed onto his bed.
What is wrong with those two? It's like they're just emotionless monsters in human form, Drake thought as he rolled over in his bed, the silk sheets wrapping around him as he turned.
His eyes glanced in the direction of his dresser. Beside it was a painting of two dragons. One was a black mountain drake and the other a white celestial dragon with a golden halo.
The painting was made by Nova as a gift for Drake's 13th birthday. The sight of this painting made Drake clench his fists, his eyes sharpened as he sat up in his bed.
"I'll keep you safe, Nova. I won't let their carelessness get you killed," Drake whispered.