chapter 5

Sir Jaeger's Perspective

I am Sir Jaeger, the head sword master of the prestigious Ravenhert family.

But before I became this man, I was nothing.

I was born into poverty—the lowest of the low in Highvale, a state that was ruled by the Valmont family. My father was a farmer, struggling to feed a family of three. Our days were spent in hunger, our nights filled with the fear that tomorrow we might not wake up.

We were on the brink of death when everything changed.

Master Vincent Ravenhert took over as the new governor of Highvale.

He was a kind man, a man of honor. He did what no noble before him had done—he cared for the weak.

He made sure that even the poorest families, like mine, had food to eat, education to pursue, and a life worth living.

As a warrior, he was weak—so weak that he couldn't even kill a pig.

But as a ruler, he was unrivaled.

From that moment on, I swore my loyalty to him.

I trained day and night, honing my skills. By the time I completed my training in the Royal Capital, I was recognized as one of the strongest swordmasters in the empire.

I was even offered the honor of becoming a royal bodyguard to the Second Prince.

But my answer was clear.

I had already decided my path.

I returned to Highvale, taking my place as the head swordmaster of the Ravenhert family.

That day was the happiest of my life.

But life is never kind to good men.

The Fall of the Ravenhert Family

Master Vincent was a ruler of the people, but that kindness came at a cost.

He refused to raise taxes despite our lands struggling to produce revenue. Instead, he sought other ways to secure income.

But every attempt failed.

And when the gold lenders came knocking, he was already too deep in debt.

Habil Greyrat—a vile, greedy man—was among them. He had lent a fortune to Master Vincent, and when repayment failed, he showed no mercy.

The pressure became unbearable.

And in the end…

Master Vincent took his own life.

I remember the night it happened.

The moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale light over the estate.

I found him in his chambers, slumped over his desk.

A letter sat before him.

A dagger was buried deep in his chest.

He had died alone.

He left behind his wife. His two children.

I blamed myself.

I was his sword, yet I had failed to protect him from the enemy that cut the deepest—despair.

Lady Mathilda Ravenhert, his beloved wife, never recovered from the grief.

She stopped eating.

Stopped sleeping.

And soon after… she, too, was gone.

In a matter of months, the great Ravenhert family had been reduced to two orphans.

A six-year-old boy—Young Master Zed Ravenhert.

And a twelve-year-old girl—Lady Aurora Ravenhert.

Neither of them were ready to bear the weight of a noble house.

But they had no choice.

Aurora tried. By the gods, she tried.

She stepped forward as the new head, doing everything she could to follow in her father's footsteps.

But she was just a child.

And the world is cruel to children who dare to lead.

I stood helpless as I watched our estate crumble.

The bills piled up.

The servants left.

The once-proud family of Ravenhert—a name that once commanded respect and honor—became nothing more than a sinking ship.

And then, the worst happened.

Zed's Accident

The young master—a boy too fragile for the world he had been born into—was involved in a terrible accident.

We rushed him to the esteemed doctor of the capital, praying for a miracle.

But the verdict was cruel.

"He may never wake up."

I still remember the way Aurora's face fell.

Her hands trembled as she sat by her brother's bedside, refusing to move.

Refusing to believe that she had lost yet another member of her family.

And me?

I, who had sworn to protect them?

I could do nothing.

I was Sir Jaeger, the strongest swordmaster of the empire.

But against fate?

Even I was powerless.

But then... a miracle happened.

After a year of silence, after we had all given up hope—Young Master Zed opened his eyes.

We rejoiced.

But fate is cruel.

He had lost all his previous memories.

At first, I pitied him. A boy who had already lost everything—now, even his past was taken from him.

But then… something unimaginable happened.

One day, he came to me.

"Sir Jeager, train me."

I almost didn't believe my own ears.

The boy who once ran away from training, who never wanted to hold a sword, now stood before me, his gaze unshaken.

I wanted to refuse.

His body, weakened from being bedridden for a year, was not ready.

But then… I saw his eyes.

They burned.

Not with fear. Not with desperation.

But with determination.

I could not say no.

Thus, I began his training.

From the very first day, I knew something had changed.

This was not the same boy.

He was more responsible. More disciplined. And above all—he was stronger.

And that night…

I realized just how much he had changed.

It was past midnight when I heard the knock on my door.

When I opened it, Zed stood there, his expression blank.

"Sir Jeager," he said in a tone devoid of emotion. "Take your sword and follow me."

I was irritated.

"Boy, it's the middle of the night. What nonsense are you—"

"You'll find out soon."

He cut me off, his voice steady.

Something about the way he spoke made me pause.

The air felt unnaturally cold. The flickering candlelight behind me cast long shadows on his face, making his expression even more unreadable.

With a sigh, I grabbed my sword and followed him.

The hallways were eerily silent, bathed in the dim glow of moonlight seeping through the windows.

I finally broke the silence.

"Where exactly are we going?"

He didn't turn.

"To Lady Aurora's chambers."

His answer made my brows furrow.

And then...

I smelled it.

The metallic scent of fresh blood.

When we arrived near Aurora's room, I saw them—

Two guards, lying lifeless on the cold floor.

Blood pooled beneath their chests, dark and glistening under the moonlight.

They had been stabbed from behind.

Silently, Zed stepped forward.

He knelt beside one of the corpses and pulled a blood-stained sword from the dead man's grip.

Then, without hesitation, he walked ahead.

I followed him.

The oppressive stillness of the corridor made my instincts scream.

We were being watched.

I sharpened my senses—

There!

A shadow moved behind us, fast and silent.

He lunged.

But I was faster.

I turned, grabbing the attacker's wrist, and slammed him into the wall.

The man grunted in pain, collapsing to the ground.

When I got a good look at him, recognition struck me like a blade.

"The man from this morning," I muttered.

It was one of Greyrat's men.

I reached for my sword, ready to interrogate him—

But before I could react…

Shing!

A single, swift movement.

A flash of silver.

And then—

His head rolled onto the ground.

The body collapsed with a sickening thud.

I stared.

The boy who once feared even holding a sword…

Had just killed a man.

I turned to Zed, my breath caught in my throat.

His expression remained unchanged.

He didn't even flinch.

The blood on his sword dripped onto the floor, yet his grip was steady.

Zed reached for the door handle.

Locked.

He turned to me, his expression unreadable.

"If you may."

His voice was calm, almost indifferent.

I snapped out of my daze, stepping forward.

Bang!

The door burst open under my force, and what we saw inside made my blood boil.

Greyrat.

On top of Lady Aurora.

Her gown was torn, her silver hair dishevelled, her face turned away in disgust.

But her eyes.

They weren't filled with fear—they were burning with defiance.

Greyrat froze.

The moment his drunken, lust-filled eyes met ours, he stumbled off the bed, his face twisting in fear and confusion.

Thud.

Something rolled toward his feet.

A severed head.

Greyrat's face paled. His legs trembled.

Zed stepped forward, his expression as calm as ever.

Then—

Shing!

A flash of steel.

A scream tore through the air.

Greyrat collapsed, clutching his severed arm, blood splattering against the floor.

His screams echoed through the chamber, raw and filled with agony.

But then, through his pain, he spoke

"Hah… You fool…" he rasped, his breath shaky. "You think you can do this? You think you can kill me and walk away? I— I am under Prince Frey's protection."

Zed paused.

For the first time, something flickered in his eyes.

Not fear.

Not hesitation.

But something deeper.

And then—

The air around us shifted.

A heavy pressure filled the room, pressing against my chest like an invisible force.

The candles flickered wildly, their flames bending toward him as if drawn to his presence.

The air itself seemed to vibrate.

Then—

A soft humming sound filled my ears.

I felt it.

A pulse of energy—originating from Zed's very core.

No…

It couldn't be.

My eyes widened.

"Rhu Core Manifestation…"

Impossible.

It was a sacred threshold, the stage where a person unlocked the ability to store and manipulate Rhu.

A stage that only awakened after years of training, typically around fifteen.

In rare cases, it manifested early, but the only known prodigy who awakened it before the age of fifteen was First Prince —at six years old.

And now…

A nine-old boy stood before me, awakening his Rhu Core.

The sheer weight of his Rhu crackled in the air, distorting the space around him.

His cold expression never wavered, but I saw it.

For the first time—

Something ancient stirred within him.

Zed turned away from Greyrat's trembling, pathetic form

Then, lifting aurors unconscious body effortlessly, he turned to me.

"Take her out," he said, his voice low, steady.

I was still frozen.

Still trying to process what I had just witnessed.

But my body moved on instinct.

I took Lady Aurora from him and turned toward the door.

"Send in Greyrat's brother," Zed added.

His voice was still calm.

Still unchanging.

I hesitated for a brief moment.

But something in Zed's eyes told me—

This was only the beginning.

The next day, I went to the dining hall and found young master Zed along with his sister, Lady Aurora, laughing as they enjoyed their breakfast. The soft golden morning light spilled through the large windows, illuminating the long wooden table filled with fresh bread, steaming porridge, and ripe fruits. The air was filled with the rich aroma of roasted coffee and honey-glazed pastries.it was like nothing happened yesterday night .

Aurora chuckled as she playfully flicked a small piece of bread at Zed, who caught it effortlessly and smirked. "Is that all you've got, sister?"

She pouted. "I'd throw something heavier, but Sir Jaeger would scold me."

I couldn't help but smile at their interaction. For a brief moment, it was as if all the burdens of the past had vanished, and the only thing that remained was the simple joy of family.

Aurora turned toward me and gestured. "Sir Jaeger, you've just been standing there. Come, eat with us!"

I hesitated for a moment, but when Zed nodded in agreement, I found myself taking a seat beside them. As I took a bite of the warm, buttery bread, I felt a strange sense of peace. Laughter filled the room as we shared stories, with Aurora teasing Zed about how he used to run away from training.

For a second, I wished this moment would never end. I hoped it could go on for eternity.

After breakfast, Zed and I left for training and lady Aurora was tailing us from behind . We walked through the grand hallways towards the training grounds, the rhythmic tapping of our boots echoing in the stillness. While chatting, I asked, "Young master, what do we do about the Greyrat matter?"

Zed answered calmly, "Sir Jaeger, you don't need to worry about it. I and aurora have already taken care of it. Tomorrow, the royal guards and court officials will arrive to investigate and .."

I raised an eyebrow. "And?"

A confident smirk played on his lips. "And I have the perfect evidence that will lead us to victory."

I didn't know what he had planned, but seeing the certainty in his expression, I chose not to question it further.

Then it suddenly hit me—I had forgotten something important. I turned to Zed, grabbed him by the shoulders, and lifted him into the air with joy.

"Congratulations on unlocking your Rhu core!"

Zed's eyes widened in shock as he flailed slightly. "What are you doing, Sir Jaeger?! Put me down! This is embarrassing!"

I laughed heartily. "Now don't be like that! Let this old man have the joy of lifting you in this moment of happiness!"

Aurora, who had been following us, burst into laughter at the sight of her younger brother being treated like a child. "Zed, you look like a startled kitten!"

After a few seconds, Zed sighed in resignation. I held him up as high as possible, enjoying the rare moment of light-heartedness. It had been far too long since I had seen such warmth within the Ravenhert family.