CH 89

Raeyan Vietan.

Raeyan was the direct descendant of Vietan and the only heir among the six great families who was endowed with the power of the darkness.

For the duke and duchess of Vietan, who had long hoped for a child, Raeyan’s birth was a joyous occasion.

They raised Raeyan with both strict discipline and warm affection. Growing up within the confines of the Vietan family, Raeyan had a safe and protected childhood.

Raeyan inherited some of his father’s reserved nature, often having limited expressions of emotions. However, influenced by his affectionate mother, he learned to consider others’ feelings.

But Raeyan Vietan was no ordinary child.

At the age of five, Raeyan ‘s education as the heir went smoothly. The private tutor of the Vietan family was amazed by Raeyan’s extraordinary learning ability.

“To think you’ve already mastered this entire textbook; you are indeed a great student, Raeyan.”

“You flatter me, Teacher.”

Compared to other boys of his age, Raeyan was remarkably calm and mature.

Moreover, there was an aristocratic grace in his every action, and his cautious personality left no room for careless speech.

Because of this, Raeyan became the object of admiration and crushes among girls of his age. Whenever children gathered at parties, Raeyan was always surrounded by them.

To prevent his son from growing up to be arrogant, Raeyan’s father often spoke to him.

“Ray, do you have any worries these days?”

“…..I don’t want to complain, as it might sound like whining.”

“You can’t even tell your father? It doesn’t matter, go ahead and speak.”

Raeyan hesitated for a moment, then spoke hesitantly, avoiding his father’s gaze.

“It’s bothersome when people approach me and try to talk to me at gatherings.”

“Hmm.”

As the Duke of Vietan, it was an expected concern for his son. It seemed like he was excessively burdened. He continued to observe Raeyan, who still avoided eye contact, and asked.

“But there are people who enjoy that attention, aren’t there?”

“But I find it awkward and bothersome.”

“I see. I felt the same way.”

It was natural for people to gather around those in power. Even more so for the young heir of a newly established noble family.

Moreover, Raeyan had a certain charm that captivated people’s attention more than others.

“Right now, most of them are simply attracted to you, Ray, but as time goes on, there will be more and more people around you who will approach you because of your family name.”

“Yes.”

“You must remember that more and more. Remember that you are a Vietan.”

The Vietan is the sword of Wallentian. Be loyal to the royal family and fulfill your duty as the descendant of a hero.

It was a teaching passed down from generation to generation.

Raeyan understood what his father was trying to convey.

“I will not reveal my feelings so easily.”

“Right.”

Raeyan deeply engraved his father’s teachings in his heart. As he stroked his son’s head, his rough hand sensing his son’s understanding, the Duke of Vietan asked Raeyan a question.

“Speaking of which, Ray, it’s your birthday soon. What would you like for a present this year, my son?”

Raeyan’s usually indifferent eyes lit up for a rare moment.

“I would like to raise a hunting dog, Father.”

“A hunting dog… You know, as well as I do, that taking care of a life is no easy task.”

“I know. I will take good care of it.”

Seeing his son’s composed response, the duke smiled with pride.

“Yes. I believe in you.”

What more could one ask for from such an adorable and precious son.

***

For his birthday, Raeyan got a puppy hound from the stables.

For more than a week, he had been trying to think of a name for the cute little puppy that squirmed in his arms.

The Duchess of Vietan, watching from the sidelines, asked him bluntly.

“My dear, until when will you keep pondering over the name?”

“Mother, you said that names are important.”

“Of course, you’re right. But you can’t keep calling it ‘puppy’ forever.”

His mother’s words made sense. Raeyan chose one of the two names he had been considering.

“I want to name him Buster.”

“A splendid name.”

It was a good name for a puppy who was still a puppy but would grow up to be a big dog.

A change occurred in Raeyan’s usual daily life on the day of a gathering that was always held among his peers.

This time, the gathering was hosted by the Duchess of Vietan at the Vietan mansion in the capital. Children from various families were invited to attend.

“Young Master Vietan. Can’t you show me the puppy you’re so fond of?”

“I want to see too!”

Once again, children swarmed around Raeyan. In response to their words, Raeyan nonchalantly replied.

“If there are too many people, the puppy might get stressed, so it might be difficult.”

“Awww….” 

“Perhaps once he’s a little older, you’ll see.”

“………Yes”

With Raeyan’s firm yet gentle words, the crying girl quickly brightened up.

That’s when things got a little out of hand. Without warning, something happened.

As if time had stopped, people suddenly stopped moving.

Even the young boy, who had been running around just moments ago, and the young lady, who had been talking to Raeyan, both came to a halt. All of them were frozen in time.

Among them, the only one who could move was Raeyan.

“……What’s happening?”

Bewildered, Raeyan stood up and turned towards his mother, who was sitting at a nearby tea table, but she too did not move.

No matter how composed Raeyan was, he couldn’t figure out how to handle this sudden event that occurred in the blink of an eye.

It was then.

“Ray!”

Duke Vietan, who was working in the mansion, rushed over in a hurry.

He had sensed the unusual flow of power and came all the way to the garden, the location of the gathering.

“Father, the people have suddenly stopped.”

“Ray, this is…….”

As soon as Duke Vietan picked up Raeyan, people crumpled to the ground.

As soon as they regained their senses, they all stared at Raeyan with eyes filled with fear.

Only then did Raeyan realize what had just happened.

‘Was it… me?’

That’s right.

It was the moment when his power manifested.

News spread throughout Wallentian that the heir of Vietan had manifested an immense power.

The Duke and Duchess of Vietan sat Raeyan in front of them and explained.

“This is the power to control shadows.”

Whether it is living beings or inanimate objects, if there are shadows, their movements can be restricted. He could confine something within his own shadow as well.

However, since it hadn’t been long since his power manifested, it wasn’t easy to control. As a result, even after the first manifestation, the mansion’s servants would occasionally freeze.

“I don’t want this either, but I can’t control my power. It doesn’t seem to be my own strength.”

The Duchess of Vietan hugged her son, who was uncharacteristically dejected.

“You’re still young. They say it’s like that when anyone first manifests their powers. There’s no need to rush.”

“But I can’t continue like this forever.”

Raeyan himself judged his condition as serious. If he didn’t overcome it quickly, it wouldn’t be long before an accident occurred.

At his son’s sober judgment, Duke Vietan nodded solemnly.

“You’re right, Ray. The sooner we get it under control, the better.”

“Teach me, father.”

“Then let us train.”

He trained to control his powers, ensuring they didn’t manifest arbitrarily, and to use them more effectively.

He expanded the range of his powers, refined them more precisely, and placed restrictions on the shadows to prevent any accidental mishaps.

During the training, the duke also engaged in casual conversation.

“Ray, is there any girl at the gathering who catches your interest?”

“No.”

“It’s about time we proceed with your engagement.”

Although early engagements were not uncommon, as the designated heir, it wasn’t considered too early. However, Raeyan’s expression remained impassive.

‘He just wants to focus on training.’

But Duke Vietan was quite persistent.

“She doesn’t have to be a member of one of the 6 great families or from the imperial family. Are you sure you don’t have one?”

“Yes.”

“On this matter, you’re really different from me. When I was young, as soon as I saw your mother, I couldn’t help but chase after her.”

It was amusing to see his son’s chubby face sporting an indifferent expression, but the duke resisted the urge to tease him further.

“If you’re truly my son, someday you might find yourself infatuated with a woman.”

“Well……?”

Raeyan tilted his head questioningly, and then they resumed their training.

‘I’m not interested in women or engagements.’

***

At the age of thirteen, Raeyan could now fully control his powers.

The duke, who believed the time had finally come, took his son to the deepest part of the mansion.

It was the heart of Vietan, a place where only the head of the family and his heir could enter.

There was a gemstone there, and something within it seemed to burn with a crimson hue.

“This is the sealing stone for the sin of ‘Greed,’ sealed by the ancestors of Vietan.”

“I see.”

“It is our duty, Rey, to watch over the sin so that it can no longer roam the earth, and to keep Irkala’s ambition at bay.”

Although he had already learned this fact during his heir education, seeing the Sealing Stone with his own eyes and hearing it from his father was a different experience.

“You are a Vietan. Do not forget that fact. Do not forget your pride as a Vietan.”

Vietan.

“Yes, Father.”

As the heir of Vietan, it was his duty to eventually become the lineage head and fulfill his responsibilities. Raeyan reaffirmed his pride as his father instructed.

***

Life can be unpredictable, and the moment you think something is certain, it can turn out otherwise. Moments of tranquility do not last long.

One night, awakened by an unusually bright light outside the window, Raeyan rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

“Why… How did this happen?”

The magnificent Vietan mansion, known for its beauty, was being engulfed in flames, ablaze with intense heat.

The rose garden his mother loved, the training ground where he and his father would lie down together and gaze at the sky—everything from his childhood that he could remember—was being devoured by the fire, consuming the entire mansion.

“Young Master, you must escape from here!”

A knight from the family rushed into the room, shouting urgently.

“What about Father?”

“My lord…….”

The knight’s words trailed off, and he quickly pulled Raeyan with him.

“We need you to go through the secret passage first–”

Raeyan realized something was amiss from his demeanor.

“What about Mother?”

“She will be waiting at the entrance of the passage. We must hurry. Angellus soldiers will soon storm the mansion!”

Angellus.

“Why would they, one of the Six Great families, do this?” 

Raeyan followed the knight to the front of the manor’s secret passage, where the Duchess of Vietan and his nanny stood together.

“Ray. you must snap out of it.”

Raeyan was surprised, for her mother’s expression, always warm and tender, was frighteningly stern. The face looked so intense, so unlike his mother’s.

The Duchess of Vietan handed him a pouch and said, “From now on, you will escape through this passage alone.”

“But Mother, you must come with me.”

“No, I will stay in the mansion and protect it until the end.”

“Mother!”

“Officially, you died together with me in this mansion.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m doing this to protect you. If I disappear as well, it will raise suspicion.”

With those words, she forcefully pushed her son into the passage.

“Raeyan, you are the sole hope of Vietan. Survive until the end and seek revenge for our family.”

Click, thud!

The door to the passage closed. It was a one-way passage that could only be opened in one direction, so Raeyan couldn’t open the door again.

He tried to use his power to open it, but it didn’t budge. The passage was made of a special mineral that nullified powers.

In his mind, he knew why his mother had sent him alone. It was part of the plan to create the appearance that the Vietan Duchess had died alongside her son.

“Mother!”

And in that moment, the mighty Vietan disappeared from history.

***

Father was dead. Mother was dead. His hunting dog Buster, the mansion’s servants – everyone was dead.

All that remained were the ash-stained robes he wore and the Sealing Stone of Greed his mother had given him.

‘Raeyan. You are Vietan’s only hope. You must survive to the end and avenge your family.’

According to his mother’s last words, Raeyan had to survive.

As befitting the title of the Vietan’s Blade, Raeyan was a skilled swordsman despite his young age. It was only natural for him to become a mercenary.

As long as Angellus existed, it was dangerous to reveal his identity. He changed his name and always wore black robes as a mercenary.

He took on risky assignments, hiding his skills as much as possible to avoid becoming too famous.

But the world was no longer kind to him.

What was supposed to be a simple job turned out to be a ridiculously difficult one. The cave he was asked to clear, where a few lesser demons had taken up residence, was in the middle of an open rift.

He cut through them with all his might and used his powers, but there was a limit.

A swarm of demons closed in on him. Fallen, Raeyan couldn’t help but think as he faced the approaching demon.

‘Is this how I die…?’

Unable to rebuild Vietan, unable to seek revenge for his family, unable to survive until the end as his mother had wished.

Is this how it ends, without accomplishing anything?

His eyes closed tightly. The demons swarmed to him and began to bite him.

As his consciousness faded, a figure emerged amidst the chaos.

“I found you, Raeyan.”

The boy, on the verge of death, had met his savior.