How did I not notice?

  I stared at the plate before me, food vanishing from it with startling swiftness as Leona plowed through the dishes. Morning sunlight bathed the patio dining table in a soft, golden glow, filtered by the pergola's shade and the sheer linen drapes hanging above. Below us, the Town of Ascot bustled with activity, its streets already alive with movement.

  At least her appetite hadn't diminished despite the trauma she must have endured.

  Yet, something had changed. It was apparent to me now. While she still consumed an excessive amount of food, the childlike joy she once showed for each bite was gone.

  Suppressing a yawn, I blinked against the fog clouding my vision. My own current state was not ideal. My eyes burned with the kind of weariness that no amount of rest could erase overnight. This marked my second day running on inadequate, restless sleep, and I was feeling every minute of it.

  Damn it. Apophis had been right—I should have gone to bed instead of stubbornly continuing my Chaos magic training.

  The only tangible benefit of sacrificing my sleep was that I managed to attain Level 2 in Chaos magic through my persistent training. However, Apophis had forbidden me from attempting anything beyond the basics. He insisted on caution, and I agreed to his terms for safety's sake.

  Having overslept, I had unfortunately arrived late to breakfast with my grandmother. If not for Ben and Leona's insistence, I might still have been buried under a pile of blankets, blissfully ignoring the sun's rise into the sky and all I had to do today.

  The savory aroma and taste of Arnold's breakfast food helped revive me. The dishes were embedded with healing magical properties, enough to add a revitalizing edge; however, they couldn't completely substitute for actual sleep.

  I stifled another yawn.

  ~Master, you should consider resting later. A nap would do you good. Rest is necessary for a mind to be in good Order, after all.

  Apophis's voice slithered through my thoughts, his tone tinged with mild reproach. He rested lazily on my left shoulder, entirely uninterested in the impressive spread of food on the table.

  I smiled at his concern, though I knew a proper nap was out of the question. There was far too much to get done on my third day into this round. I hadn't even found time to have a proper conversation with Leona regarding the concerns that Apophis had raised.

  [[ I'll squeeze a quick nap on the carriage ride down into town. ]]

  Knocking out for even a minute or two could make a world of difference.

  "Luca, my dear, why are you so exhausted?" Grandmother asked, her voice cutting through my haze as she refilled my teacup. "The day has only just begun."

  The steam curled lazily from the dark liquid, carrying the earthy aroma of rich black tea.

  Gratefully accepting the teacup, I couldn't help but notice how sharp and composed she seemed. Her presence starkly contrasted my own weariness, but that could have merely been my tired perception.

  Or is Arnold's cooking already working its healing magic?

  I could only hope.

  "I got too caught up in magic training last night," I admitted, sipping the tea. Its bitter warmth helped clear some of the haze from my head.

  Grandmother nodded with an amused expression on her face. "I presume the type of magic you practiced has to do with the ring on your left hand?"

  I glanced at the unassuming metal band encircling my middle finger. The fractured surface of the chaotic artifact caught the light as I nodded.

  "There was a short bit of alarm when that thing was found to have gone missing—until Ben realized you were the one who had taken it," she scolded me.

  I winced. "I should have informed you," I said, lowering my head.

  "It is yours, originally." She waved a hand dismissively. "And if anyone else had dared touch that ring, they'd likely be dead by now. But next time, do us all the courtesy of letting someone know. It will spare us unnecessary concern."

  "I will," I promised, meeting her gaze. After a moment's hesitation, I asked the question that had lingered in my mind since discovering the chamber with the artifacts below. "Grandmother, why do you have so many Chaos artifacts in your possession?"

  She sipped her tea thoughtfully before answering. "Are you familiar with our family's roots and history?"

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "Yes," I replied. "I've studied Ethan Arankagul's rise and the family's involvement behind the scenes in maintaining balance in Adovoria. Kelian, Jair, Eve Arankagul… I've learned about all the prominent figures and how they had operated from the shadows to protect the kingdom."

  Setting her cup down with a soft clink, my grandmother gazed toward the town below. "Our ancestors have often taken unsavory but necessary steps to shield others from dangers that defy comprehension—threats so grave they surpass imagination."

  I blinked, absorbing her words. She seemed to be alluding to something grander than the political and military schemes the family had intervened in. Despite my studies, there was clearly much I hadn't been made aware of yet. I didn't even understand yet why Azgralos was needed.

  "Chaos magic is a particularly dangerous sort of magic—as I assume you know." She turned her head toward me, her eyes focusing on Apophis on my shoulder.

  I nodded solemnly.

  "It's an enticing power with devastating potential to cause great harm because Chaos magic can shift the very reality that we experience," she continued. "Due to how dangerous it can be, our family has shouldered the responsibility of collecting and safeguarding Chaos artifacts. Our historic duty has been to ensure the fabric of this world remains intact, undisturbed by those who might otherwise wield such power irresponsibly."

  "Has Chaos magic ever been misused before?" I asked cautiously.

  She chuckled, though the sound was devoid of humor. "Of course. But the worst outcomes have been averted—so far. We wouldn't be having this conversation if they hadn't been."

  I glanced down at Apophis on my shoulder for some insight. His purple eyes met mine.

  ~Hahhhh, whole realms have been destroyed by the misuse of Chaos magic.

  My pulse quickened.

  What?

  I looked down at the fractured ring on my finger with new apprehension. I had steeled myself that Chaos magic could destroy my soul or cause punishment from a higher power for going against the rules of Order. But the possibility of endangering my entire realm? That had never crossed my mind.

  Damn it. I had thought the risks were mine alone to bear.

  ~Master, do not concern yourself. With me by your side, I will ensure such calamities remain nothing more than distant possibilities.

  Apophis' voice slithered into my thoughts again. Yet his words lacked the comforting weight they usually carried.

  Can I really risk everyone I care about like this? Isn't it too reckless—even for me?

  The thoughts churned in my gut like spoiled milk.

  "Luca." My grandmother's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts.

  I looked up to meet her sharp and unyielding gaze. Gone was her usual warmth; her expression was all steel now. Her eyes bore into mine, her dark lips pressed into a firm line.

  "I know you'll handle this power responsibly," she said, each word deliberate. "There are great risks involved—yes—but if anyone can overcome them, if anyone can wield this power for good, it's you, my dear child."

  Heat rose to my face, creeping up from my neck. I felt embarrassed at her earnest tone and expression. My track record didn't exactly inspire confidence, and I doubted anyone else would place such trust in me—except maybe Micah. Even I wasn't sure I could trust myself with this kind of responsibility.

  Besides, there's a vast difference between intending to be careful and actually being careful.

  Her unwavering gaze pinned me in place. I wanted to ask why she believed in me so fiercely. Just where did this confidence stem from? But the words lodged in my throat. Her earnestness made it impossible. If she thought I could do this despite all my faults, I couldn't bring myself to shatter that belief.

  Ah, damn it all.

  I sighed and mustered a response. "With great power comes great responsibility," I said, echoing something Grandov had told Fin after his evolution into a seventh-degree mage.

  "Indeed," she said, her eyes crinkling with a smile. "And I am certain fate will be on your side."

  Her choice of words made me stiffen. 'Fate.' I was sure she intended well, but the word stirred unwelcome memories of the Misfortune Sisters and their role in my mother's absence and the assassination attempt on Micah's life. It was hard to feel anything but bitterness toward the concepts of 'fate' and 'fortune.'

  "Madame," Ben's low voice interrupted, and he leaned down to murmur something into her ear.

  "Well, look at the time. I must attend to business," she said, standing up with Ben's assistance. She paused to glance at me. "Ben, why don't you take Luca to the Summer Festival? It's a delightful event for young people, and Luca can even choose an early birthday present while he's there."

  "Of course," Ben replied, bowing slightly. "Young master Luca, I'll have a carriage ready in the courtyard. Please take your time finishing breakfast. I'll meet you there."

  I nodded, watching as they departed, leaving me to process my grandmother's words. My fingers tapped idly against the edge of my teacup as I stared out at the bustling town below.

  [[ Leona, Apophis, after I straighten out a few matters here, we'll depart for the Desolate Expanse Desert. ]]

  I made up my mind. I wasn't taking any chances. Not with Leona, not myself, and most certainly not the lives of everyone I cared about.

  * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

  "Madame, are you certain it's wise to let Luca handle a Chaos artifact now?" Ben asked, his voice low as he walked alongside Ruth Arankagul, half a step behind.

  He never questioned her judgment, but this was the one rare case in which he felt the need to express his concerns. If things went awry, the potential for complete ruin was far too immense to ignore.

  "Yes," Ruth replied, her cane tapping alongside her. "If it's in his hands now, then it was meant to be. Fate chose this moment."

  "He's certainly improved since I last saw him," Ben said cautiously. "But he's far from Micah's level."

  The Luca who arrived yesterday starkly contrasted the one that Ben remembered from a year ago. He was once a mischievous teenager, always playing pranks with a twinkle in his eyes. Now, his eyes seemed overcast and heavy with newfound knowledge. Yet, his reckless personality persisted, merely taking on a new flavor instead.

  "No, he is not Micah," Ruth replied, her tone sharp. "He is Luca. He has his own unique strengths. You might be nervous about some of the gaps and obvious weaknesses that he exhibits, but we must let matters unfold as they will. Besides, with that snake at his side, the worst will be avoided."

  Ben furrowed his brows. "But what if he can't control it? What if Chaos takes over and undoes everything we've worked so hard to protect?"

  A year is still only a year. No one changes that much in a single year.

  Ruth paused before the grand doors to the meeting room, her dark lips curling into a sly smile as she turned to face Ben.

  "There's no point in worrying. If that's what fate wills, then so be it. Let there be… Chaos."

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