The start

"Wake up, young master. Your father is looking for you to bid you farewell."

Blaze opened his eyes to the sound of the housemaid and replied, "I'm coming." The maid left the room to continue her work, and Blaze got out of bed, washed his face, changed his clothes, and headed to the dining room. He found his father having breakfast with Luthor. "Good morning, father. Good morning, Luthor."

"Hello, my son. Come and have breakfast with us."

Blaze walked over to the dining table and sat in the chair. He asked, "Where's Mother?"

"She's still upset with me, my son."

At that moment, they heard a voice outside the palace. "Where are you, Andrew? It's time to leave!"

"It seems your friend, Sir Baston, has arrived, my lord."

"Yes, it's him, Luthor. It seems he heard about the summons and came. Well, it really is time to leave." Andrew and Luthor rose from the table and headed toward the palace's front door, followed by Blaze. When they opened the door, the street was quiet, as the Wolf's castle was located in the nobles' district in the imperial capital, given to Andrew by the emperor for his great achievements in war along with the noble title of Wolf. Then, the silence was interrupted by a person outside.

"I can't believe Andrew Wolf is returning to the battlefield after being absent for four years." The person standing outside was named Baston, from a high-ranking noble family known as House Rock, and one of the empire's ten knights, ranked fifth. House Rock was known for its tall, muscular men, making them heavy knights.

"Baston, lower your voice. It's still early, and people are asleep."

"It's just that I'm happy about your return! Haha!"

Baston looked at Luthor. "Luthor, you've grown. We haven't seen each other in a while. You look strong. Well, I'll test you later. Blaze, I can't believe how big you've grown too! Come here, Blaze, let me take a good look at you."

Blaze approached Baston. "Hello, Uncle Baston."

"Hello, son. Darn, you've inherited your father's intimidating eyes."

"Baston, watch your language around the boy." "Ah, sorry, my friend, I misspoke." Baston bid farewell to Blaze and quickly retreated to his horse because he knew his speech was full of curses and feared angering his friend.

After Andrew put everything he needed on his horse, he turned toward the palace door and didn't see his wife. He sighed and walked toward his son. When he reached his son, he knelt down to his height and spoke, "My son, it seems your mother is upset with me and doesn't want to see me. Give her my regards. And if anything happens to me, promise me you will take care of your mother. Always remember you are not alone, and you have people who love and care for you, okay, my son?"

"Yes, father."

The father looked into his son's eyes and stood up straight, placing his hand on his son's head and ruffling his hair. He looked back and didn't see his wife, so he turned and mounted his horse. The three men then set off for the capital's gate after saying goodbye to Blaze. Blaze stayed there, watching until they disappeared into the horizon. He heard footsteps approaching and, when he turned around, he saw his mother coming. The mother looked at her son and asked, "Did your father leave?"

"Yes, mother, he's gone." Blaze noticed his mother's clenched fist.

"If you were worried about him, Mother, why didn't you come to bid him farewell?"

"Don't meddle in grown-ups' business. Come in, let's start studying." The mother turned and headed to the palace, while Luthor looked behind him, not seeing a trace of his father, and followed his mother to begin studying.

As the three walked toward the gate, Baston stepped forward to ask his friend, "Andrew, is she upset with you for participating in the war?"

Andrew turned to his friend and sighed. "It seems that way."

"Well, I think she's right. After what happened to you in the last war, we thought we lost you. Even Luthor couldn't stop crying."

Luthor's face flushed red. "No, I wasn't crying. Even if I did cry, I was sixteen."

Andrew and Baston looked at each other and started laughing. "Haha, don't worry, Luthor, we know."

As they laughed, they heard a voice, "Sir Baston, Sir Andrew, it seems you've both been summoned this time."

When they turned around, they found a young man wearing the guards' armor at the gate bowing respectfully to them, indicating how much respect the ten knights of the empire commanded. Baston responded, "No need to bow. We don't care for that," and winked at him.

The three men passed through the gate quietly, and no one dared search them because they were held in high regard. After passing through the gate, they headed north, as the empire's border with the three kingdoms lay to the north, and that's where the war would take place.

Blaze and his mother were studying quietly in his room when he asked her, "Mother, why is there a war?"

The mother looked at her son and replied, "Haven't you read that in the history book I gave you?" Blaze looked at his mother and smiled innocently, and she understood why and responded, "It dates back to the founding of the empire. A man founded it three thousand years ago, in the year 3045, with one hundred men. He was the strongest, and they crowned him emperor. The next strongest were five men, and he granted them the largest provinces to rule under him, giving them the highest title, Duke. They ruled the empire together. There were no other kingdoms or empires, so they didn't name their empire. But more than 500 years ago, a civil war broke out due to food shortages and political corruption. Three dukes agreed to revolt and form their own kingdoms and sovereignties. The emperor at the time didn't like this and ordered the recovery of the empire's lands, but he couldn't because the three kingdoms were united in their fighting. When he was on his deathbed, he ordered his successor to reclaim the lands. The wars continued to this day, with one side defending its sovereignty and the other wanting to reclaim its lands. After many wars and many deaths, the people of the empire harbored resentment toward the people of the kingdoms, and the reverse is true."

The mother paused to see if her son was paying attention and asked him, "Do you understand now?"

"Yes, mother, I understand. But where are the kingdoms located?"

The mother looked at her son helplessly. "Even geography, my son?"

The mother sighed and picked up the empire's map. "My son, the lands of the empire are in green, and its flag is the rising sun. This flag was chosen because the empire was declared at dawn, and it can be considered as if it were a new hope. The founding emperor took Daylight as his family name. As for the lands in white in the east, west, and south, they are either unexplored or forests inhabited by barbarian tribes and powerful beasts. After several failed attempts to explore them, all exploratory journeys were canceled, and no one has attempted exploration in a long time. The lands in red are the lands of the three kingdoms: the northeast with the white unicorn flag is the Kingdom of Peace, led by the former royal and ducal family, House Freya. They are known for their integrity and great horsemanship. The northwest with the forest flag is the Kingdom of Yggdrasilla, named after the myth of the world tree. It is ruled by House Forest, a family of known wizards close to the element of the forest, a rare and powerful element due to its unique properties, as it can be used for offense, defense, and healing. The middle with the bear flag is the Kingdom of Camelot, led by House Norton. They are known for the strength and toughness of their men due to the harsh living conditions there. I hope you remember that next time, my son."

Blaze looked at his mother and asked, "So which kingdoms will my father fight this time, mother?"

The mother sighed, answering her son, "All of them, my son," and looked out the window.