As the morning sunshine gently filtered through the heavy curtains, Fainyx was awakened by the soft, familiar voice of Estrella.
"Young Master, please wake up now. You need to get dressed so you can say goodbye to your family before they depart."
Fainyx sat up and climbed out of bed, stretching his small limbs. His dark violet eyes showed not a single trace of exhaustion, looking as bright and alert as if he had slept for an entire day.
'I only slept for two hours, yet I still feel completely energetic.'
Over the past few years, he had realized that he never really needed much sleep. When he was just an infant, he had spent his nights sneaking into the mini-library back in the annex while Estrella and the other servants were sound asleep.
Even after he was relocated to the main estate, he spent his nights practicing magic, attending brutal midnight training sessions with his two masters, and continuing his independent research inside the Aetherium once they left.
There, he would upgrade his golem constructs, refine experimental spells, and train his skills until dawn.
Only then would he slip back into bed for a brief rest.
Yet, no matter how little rest he got, he never felt tired or sluggish throughout the day, and he had never quite figured out the biological cause behind it.
Even in the past, when he had lost consciousness after the head maid, Jaren, struck him against the stone floor, waking up after a brief nap had completely restored his vitality as if his body naturally accelerated its own recovery.
'Is this an innate passive ability from my core anomaly, or perhaps a lingering perk from reincarnation?'
He thought about it for a moment before deciding not to dwell on the matter.
Regardless of the reason, having boundless stamina was hardly a bad trait to possess.
He took a quick, refreshing shower, changed into the clean, comfortable clothes Estrella had prepared for him, and made his way down the grand hallway toward the dining hall.
When he entered the room, he found the rest of the family already gathered around the long table.
"Fainyx, good morning," Adam called out with a warm grin.
"Morning, little brother! How was your sleep?" Liam asked cheerfully, waving a fork in his hand.
Fainyx pulled out his small notepad, writing a quick greeting for them to see.
[ Good morning, everyone. I slept well. ]
As he greeted his brothers, he noticed Duke Arthur watching him from the head of the table.
The man's gaze was heavy, carrying a quiet, complicated emotion in his sharp eyes.
Fainyx paid it no mind, choosing to ignore the scrutiny entirely.
Truthfully, things had felt rather awkward around his father ever since he witnessed the Duke's private breakdown during the aftermath of the drama he made while in his office.
Just as Fainyx took his usual seat between his two older brothers, the heavy dining doors were abruptly kicked open with a loud thud, followed by a chorus of energetic shouting.
"Good morning, everyone! What a glorious morning we have today!"
"Morning~!"
Hestia and Alexander strode into the hall with bright smiles.
The moment their eyes swept across the room and locked onto Fainyx and his two brothers, their expressions morphed into something predatory, resembling a hungry pack of wolves that had just spotted three helpless lambs.
"Awww~ look at our three adorable little brothers sitting together! Such absolute cuties~!"
"I completely agree, sister~"
Moving like silent shadows, the twins vanished from the doorway and reappeared directly behind the three young boys, wrapping their arms around them in an inescapable, joint bear hug.
"Let go, Auntie!"
Adam yelled, squirming furiously in his seat, though his efforts were completely useless against Hestia's overwhelming physical strength.
"Call me Sister Hestia, geez! We are still young and beautiful, you know~!"
"Please refer to me as Brother Alex as well..."
"Uhm... Au—I mean, Sister Hestia, Brother Alex, please let go of us... we can't... breathe..."
Liam groaned, slumping over the table as his energy drained away.
Fainyx was caught dead in the middle of the massive hug, feeling the air slowly getting squeezed out of his lungs.
'I can't breath... Father, please intervene or do something useful...'
He turned his gaze toward the head of the table, offering a silent, stoic plea for rescue.
Duke Arthur cleared his throat loudly, setting down his cup as he addressed his younger siblings.
"Hestia, Alexander, unhand the children immediately. You are suffocating them."
"Oh~ sorry about that, hehe," Hestia giggled, reluctantly releasing her grip.
"Our apologies..." Alexander murmured, stepping back.
The Duke ordered them to take their respective seats, and the twins complied without further protest, though they continued to shoot fond, lingering glances at the three boys throughout the meal.
'These two are truly terrifying in their own way...'
Fainyx thought with an internal sigh.
The Duke gave a subtle hand gesture, prompting the line of waiting servants to step forward and serve the lavish breakfast. The table was soon filled with a mouthwatering spread consisting of savory braised boneless chicken glazed in a rich sauce, perfectly torched crème brûlée, and assorted seasonal vegetables carved into artistic patterns.
"Let us eat," the Duke commanded calmly, picking up his utensils.
The rich, aromatic scents of the freshly cooked meal filled the dining hall as everyone began to dig in.
Fainyx methodically ate everything placed before him, cleaning his plate with steady efficiency. Despite consuming mountains of food during every meal, his body seemed to burn through the nutrients instantly, never gaining an ounce of excess weight regardless of how much he ate.
As the breakfast progressed, Adam and Liam eagerly asked the twins about their academic life at the prestigious academy.
Hestia proudly boasted about taking first place in the practical combat evaluations, having personally knocked out every single male challenger in her division.
Not to be outdone, Alexander explained how he had dominated the written theory exams, surprising the upper professors by casting an intricate, multi-circle spell he had personally developed from scratch.
"When you three finally reach the proper age to enroll, you might even see the two of us acting as your instructors, kekeke! Isn't that right, brother?"
Hestia laughed playfully.
Alexander gave a solemn, dignified nod in agreement.
As the meal finally came to a close, Duke Arthur set down his silver utensils and turned his full attention toward his youngest son.
"Fainyx... there is something I wish to ask you."
The entire table grew quiet as the Duke stared intently at the small boy.
"...Is there a specific gift you would like me to bring back for you when we return from the capital?"
'Uhm... what in the world has gotten into the duke all of a sudden?' Fainyx thought, slightly bewildered by the unprompted generosity.
He picked up his quill and wrote a polite response on his pad.
[ I would be deeply grateful for any gift you choose, provided it is not a toy, please. ]
"I understand," the Duke replied softly, a faint sense of relief passing over his features.
"I shall endeavor to find something suited to your tastes."
He stood up from his seat, adjusting his formal coat.
"I will now prepare the necessary travel documents. Adam, Liam, finish your meals and ensure your belongings are packed. We depart at noon sharp. That includes you two as well, Hestia and Alexander."
The Duke turned and strode out of the dining room.
The moment the doors closed, Hestia and Alexander let out a collective sigh, while Adam and Liam exchanged confused glances.
Hestia leaned toward her twin, whispering in a low voice that easily reached Fainyx's sharp ears.
"See? He was completely nervous about asking the boy what he wanted. Sigh... our older brother truly is an absolute idiot when it comes to expressing himself."
"Indeed, sister... his social skills leave much to be desired..."
Alexander agreed quietly.
Adam and Liam remained oblivious to the whispered exchange as they finished their drinks and hurried off toward their rooms to pack for the three-day trip.
A few moments later, Fainyx found himself trapped once again.
Hestia had scooped him up into her arms, cradling him like a giant stuffed animal while Alexander left to supervise the carriage arrangements.
"Haa~ you are simply far too soft and fluffy, Fainyx..." Hestia cooed, rubbing her cheek against his messy silver hair.
"If only I could smuggle you back to the academy with me, everyone would finally see what a precious little angel you are~!"
'No, thank you. I have absolutely no desire to be paraded around a school as an exhibit.'
Hestia continued to ruffle his hair until it looked like a total bird's nest, prompting Fainyx to let out an exhausted, internal groan.
He caught sight of Estrella standing by the doorway and looked directly into her eyes, sending a desperate, unspoken plea for help beneath his stoic expression.
Fortunately, the retired adventurer instantly understood the look.
"Lady Hestia, please allow me to take charge of the Young Master," Estrella intervened smoothly, stepping forward with a polite smile.
"You must begin your preparations for the royal banquet immediately."
"No way~ I want to stay with my little angel just a bit longer~!"
"You leave me with no other choice, my lady."
Estrella raised her hand, signaling a squad of twenty senior maids who had been secretly waiting outside the hall with curling irons, tailored dresses, and cosmetic kits in hand.
"Lady Hestia~ we have arrived to prepare your styling for the departure! Please hand over the Young Master quietly~!"
the lead maid announced, her eyes gleaming with absolute professional determination.
"N-Nooo~! I don't want to sit through three hours of hair curling! Fainyx, save me!"
Hestia shrieked, clutching the boy tighter.
"That will not be possible, my lady," Estrella said calmly.
Before Hestia could even react, Estrella's hands blurred in a flash of refined combat speed, smoothly plucking Fainyx from her grasp without disturbing a single thread of his clothes.
'As expected of a legendary retired S-rank adventurer!' Fainyx praised internally, admiring the flawless execution of the rescue.
Hestia found herself instantly surrounded by the swarm of twenty determined maids, who efficiently dragged her down the hall toward the styling chambers despite her dramatic protests.
"Nooo~! Don't abandon me, Fainyx~!" her voice echoed faintly down the corridor before fading away.
Fainyx let out a long breath of relief, lifting his notepad to write a quick message.
[ Thank you for the rescue, Estrella. ]
"Fufu, you are very welcome, Young Master," she chuckled softly, setting him down onto his feet.
"Shall we return to your room now?"
[ Yes, please. ]
They walked back to his private chambers, where Estrella tidied up his desk.
"Would you like me to come fetch you when the Duke's carriage is ready to depart at noon?" she asked in a cheerful tone.
Fainyx nodded.
Estrella gave a gentle bow and excused herself, explaining that she needed to assist the attendants with loading the heavy luggage onto the transport carriages.
Since the Nocte family owned a private estate within the royal capital, they were packing an extensive amount of supplies to support the family throughout the three-day banquet festival.
Once the door clicked shut and the room grew quiet, a sudden ripple distorted the space near the center of the rug.
A miniature, glowing spatial rift tore open in mid-air, and a small white figure tumbled out onto the floor.
"Kyuu!! Kyuu-uuu!"
Lumi cried out in sheer panic, scrambling across the floorboards to latch onto Fainyx's trousers, trembling violently.
Fainyx's eyes widened in alarm. He immediately cast a silent locking ward on the bedroom door to prevent anyone from walking in, then scooped the shivering creature into his arms.
"What happened, Lumi? Are you injured anywhere?" he whispered softly, checking the small creature's paws and fur for wounds.
Lumi snuggled tightly against his chest, large teardrops rolling down its furry cheeks.
The little beast raised a trembling paw, pointing desperately back toward the glowing portal it had just emerged from.
"Are you telling me something is wrong inside the Aetherium? What happened in there?"
Lumi merely let out another pitiful whine, looking thoroughly terrified and distressed.
'Don't tell me... did an intruder manage to bypass the aetherium? But how?'
Knowing he had to investigate immediately, Fainyx channeled a thread of his mana to summon his golem clone.
The construct materialized in an instant, dropping to one knee with a respectful bow.
– Fain, assume my form and remain in this room.
Fainyx commanded in a quiet, urgent tone.
–If anyone knocks, pretend to be reading quietly. I need to check on the situation inside the domain.
"Understood, Creator."
Fainyx expanded the glowing rift until it was large enough to step through.
Holding the trembling spirit tightly against his chest, he crossed the threshold, stepping straight into the spatial expanse of the Aetherium.
'I just hope it isn't an enemy...'
He thought tensely as the rift snapped shut behind him.