Morning arrived with a profound, unbroken quiet.
Fainyx slowly opened his eyes, blinking into the dimness of his bedroom as he turned his head toward the window.
The sky outside was painted in faint, hazy strokes of gray and blue, signaling that dawn had not yet broken.
He glanced at the small clock resting on his bedside table, noting that it was exactly four in the morning.
With a careful stretch, he felt the lingering soreness woven into his muscles from last night's reckless exploration, yet something else felt entirely different.
He closed his eyes briefly, drawing his focus inward to his mana core, it was completely full and perfectly restored.
He blinked in genuine surprise.
'That is remarkably fast...' he thought, a faint smirk touching his lips.
'After creating an entire spatial domain and nearly emptying my reserves, I expected a lingering exhaustion. Instead, my mana flows so smoothly... Should I go all out inside Aetherium today and test my absolute limits?'
Curiosity easily won the brief internal debate. He opened the portal with a quiet hum of energy, feeling the familiar shift in the air before stepping through the shimmering threshold.
The very moment his feet touched the grass, he heard the unmistakable sound of flowing water Fainyx froze in place.
That gentle, rushing sound absolutely had not existed last night was driven by a sudden spike of curiosity, he followed the noise, walking carefully past the modest cottage he had shaped, until his eyes landed on a breathtaking sight.
A beautiful river streamed gently through the surrounding forest, its crystal clear water beautifully reflecting the soft, artificial morning sun overhead.
He stood there and stared, utterly speechless.
'I did not make this...' he reasoned, his mind racing to understand.
'I specifically created the trees, the soil, and the sky, but I never imagined a river.'
He walked slowly toward the end of the water source, watching as the current flowed directly toward the invisible white boundary wall of the domain.
Yet, defying all logic, it continued moving forward even though there was nowhere for the water to actually go.
It did not stop, nor did it overflow as it simply functioned perfectly.
'I am not going to question this...' he decided with a sigh.
'This space must be stabilizing itself. Or rather, it is evolving entirely on its own, even when I am not actively feeding it mana. Perhaps when I created the foundation of a world, it automatically generated the necessary components for balance, like a water cycle, breathable air, and a functioning ecosystem. Gosh isn't this completely impossible for a human to create... how did I even created this...'
Crouching beside the riverbank, he noted how pristine the water looked before tentatively dipping his fingers into the current.
It was cold and incredibly refreshing.
After a brief moment of hesitation, he brought his wet fingers to his lips.
It tasted exactly like normal, pure spring water, prompting his eyebrows to lift in pleasant surprise.
"The water here is perfectly clean," he murmured softly to himself.
Having a private domain with a reliable water source, breathable air, and absolutely no observers was an ideal situation.
He brushed his hand against the ground, feeling the soft, rich texture of the earth.
'I could actually farm here...' a sense of ease washing over his chest.
'I could grow plants, experiment with crops to see if they survive the mana density or perhaps even replant the Kalmia here.'
Glancing back at the rushing river, a sudden temptation overtook him. He slipped off his slippers and stepped barefoot into the shallow edge.
The freezing water wrapped around his ankles, pulling a sharp gasp from his lips, but the sensation was wonderfully refreshing.
He walked slowly upstream to investigate where the river originated, only to find that it simply materialized out of the boundary wall, as if the space itself was endlessly generating it.
"This place really is evolving," he whispered in awe, continuing his exploration until he abruptly stopped beneath the sprawling branches of a large tree.
'Am I imagining things... Is that...'
He blinked hard, making sure his eyes were not deceiving him. Several red things was up in the tree, hung heavily from the branches, some glowing bright red while others were still pale and unripe.
'Is that an apple!' he thought as he screamed in his mind.
He had read countless botanical records in his mother's library, and he knew for a fact that apples did not exist in this world.
Even during his visits to the bustling markets in the games in his past life, he had never seen a fruit shaped quite like this.
'It is highly possible that this manifested directly from my past memories...' he theorized, his eyes locked on the red fruit.
'Since the river appeared to balance the ecosystem, the space must be pulling from my subconscious to conjure things that do not exist in this reality.'
Using a chantless wind spell, he gently lifted one perfectly ripe apple from its branch and floated it directly into his waiting hands, as he took a cautious bite.
'... it's super sweet...'
The sweet and savory juice burst across his tongue, the flavor far richer and juicier than any apple he remembered from his past life.
His eyes widened slightly as a subtle, comforting warmth immediately spread through his veins.
It was not an overwhelming sensation, but it was undeniably present.
'There's a subtle mana inside...' he realized, his pulse quickening with excitement.
'This fruit carries pure mana. It was not artificially infused, but rather naturally grown from the essence of Aetherium itself. If I can process these properly, I could brew high tier mana enhancing potions. I could even use them for cooking... perhaps an apple pie or those pastries I used to watch on cooking shows.'
He finished the fruit slowly, carefully extracting the black seeds and wrapping them safely within a soft handkerchief.
He planned to plant them in the real world to see if they could survive outside the pocket dimension.
After spending nearly two hours exploring the growing forest, testing minor spells, and observing the evolving space, Fainyx finally stepped back through the portal.
The clock in his bedroom read six in the morning, meaning only two hours had passed.
He lay back on his bed, feeling deeply satisfied and perhaps slightly overconfident about his situation.
'My mana pool is vastly larger than I originally thought...' he concluded, recognizing the danger in that realization.
A polite knock suddenly echoed against his door.
"It is the aide, Young Master. Are you awake?"
Fainyx stood up and pulled the door open, greeting the gentle aide Aldred.
"His Grace requests your presence for breakfast this morning," Aldred announced.
Fainyx nodded in agreement, but without any warning, he was suddenly lifted from the ground and cradled carefully in the Aldred's strong arms.
He did not bother resisting. Aldred's hold was remarkably steady and respectful, and more importantly, his tiny legs were screaming in pain.
He had foolishly forgotten that wandering around Aetherium did not magically erase the physical strain on his weak body in reality.
He had overexerted himself again, so he quietly allowed himself to be carried down the long corridors.
The heavy dining room doors swung open to reveal the long, polished table laden with an extravagant morning feast.
There were roasted meats, steaming bowls of soup, freshly baked bread, and delicate desserts.
The rich aroma alone made Fainyx's stomach grumble in quiet protest.
Aldred seated him respectfully beside the Duke, while his older brothers, Liam and Adam, sat directly across from them. The Duke occupied the head of the table, presiding over the meal with his usual silent authority.
As they began to eat, Fainyx took a small sip of his soup.
It was incredibly creamy and perfectly seasoned. His facial expression remained a mask of stony indifference, but internally, he was absolutely delighted by the rich flavor.
'So delicious ~'
Liam watched his younger brother intently, while the Duke also observed Fainyx from the corner of his eye, silently ensuring the boy was not rejecting his food.
When the lavish meal finally concluded, the Duke turned his sharp gaze toward Adam.
"How is your new sword instructor progressing?"
"He suits me very well, Father," Adam replied with a confident, proud smile.
The Duke offered a single, approving nod before shifting his attention to his middle son. "And how are your academic studies?"
Liam instantly stiffened in his chair. "I am doing... well."
A heavy pause stretched across the table. The Duke's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"You must dedicate yourself to learning and studying properly. You cannot simply run around outside and train with a sword all day."
"...Yes, Father," Liam mumbled, pouting dramatically as he poked at his remaining food.
Fainyx observed the exchange quietly, noting that the previously suffocating tension in the room had vanished.
His family was finally speaking normally again.
Suddenly, Liam's face brightened as a memory struck him. "Oh! Something amazing happened yesterday!"
Both the Duke and Adam paused, looking at the energetic boy in mild confusion. Liam turned his bright eyes toward Fainyx, a massive grin splitting his face.
"I was actually petted by Fainyx last night! And he even smiled at me! He let me hug him!"
A stunned, absolute silence crashed down upon the dining room.
"What?" Adam and the Duke blurted out simultaneously, staring at the youngest child in absolute shock.
"He even let me hold him," Liam added, his chest puffing out with sheer pride. Then, his boisterous expression softened into something incredibly gentle and deeply sad.
"He... he also looked exactly like her..."
The final words were spoken in a quiet murmur, but both trained knights heard the devastating comparison loud and clear.
The Duke's hand froze completely mid motion over his teacup, while Adam's intense gaze snapped directly onto Fainyx.
"Can you really smile now?" Adam asked, his voice careful and trembling with sudden hope.
Fainyx immediately pulled out his small notebook and scrawled a single, harsh word.
[ No. ]
He kept his face completely stiff and devoid of emotion, knowing that drawing any unnecessary attention to himself would be deeply troublesome.
The Duke finally exhaled a long, shaky breath, breaking the frozen spell over the room.
"Breakfast is officially finished. I have urgent matters to attend to," he declared, rising to his feet.
He paused near the doorway, looking back at Fainyx with a much softer expression.
"Your restriction from going outside is officially lifted."
With that final decree, the Duke swept out of the room without another word.
As the remaining family members stood up to leave the dining hall, Liam immediately leaned across the table toward Fainyx.
"Do you want to play outside together? I am completely free today!"
Fainyx pulled out his pen again.
[ I am tired. ]
He was genuinely exhausted, and his sore muscles ached with every movement.
"Even if you say no, I am just going to follow you anyway," Liam declared with dramatic flair.
Adam sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Are you actively threatening him now?"
"Says the one who failed to protect him properly before,"
Liam shot back viciously.
Invisible lightning practically sparked in the air between the two glaring brothers.
Fainyx took the opportunity to silently walk away.
' Let them fight. Siblings could argue all they wanted, as long as it kept them distracted. '
However, as he reached the hallway, he heard two sets of determined footsteps trailing right behind him. He stopped walking and slowly turned around. Both of them were standing right there.
'Why are they suddenly following me...?' he groaned internally.
"Are you going straight back to your room?" Liam asked, tilting his head.
Fainyx nodded once.
Adam exchanged a meaningful, unified glance with Liam. "Maybe he should not stay cooped up inside his room all day," Adam murmured thoughtfully.
"I completely agree!" Liam cheered instantly, forming a terrifying alliance with his older brother.
'Why are they suddenly this intensely concerned about my schedule?' Fainyx wondered in dread as the two boys purposefully blocked the hallway.
"Let's play," Liam insisted stubbornly.
Fainyx shook his head again.
Liam crossed his arms over his chest and planted his feet in front of the bedroom door with theatrical determination. "I absolutely will not move from this spot until you agree."
Fainyx stared blankly at Liam. Then, he shifted his gaze to Adam, realizing with sinking despair that the eldest brother had unfortunately agreed with Liam's ridiculous hostage tactics.
He looked back at Liam, let out a deep, tired sigh, and finally gave a single nod of surrender.
He gave up.
The two brothers instantly beamed with triumphant, blinding smiles.
"Great! Let us go!"
And just like that, Fainyx was forcefully dragged into a chaotic morning of playtime, regardless of whether he liked it or not.