A new day had begun, and Kael had already been claimed by the children all morning.

  Lysandra and Althea had him grabbed by the arms and were trying to force him to play.

  —“Kel, let’s play house!” —Althea said with excitement—. “I’ll be the mom, Lysandra will be my sister, you’ll be my husband, Ronan will be our son, and Mary and Jane will be our daughters…”

  —“No!” —Lysandra protested—. “I want to be the mom!”

  Kael looked at them with a tired expression.

  —“And who said I wanted to play house?”

  Both girls started pouting at the same time, their faces turning red as their eyes filled with tears.

  Kael sighed in resignation.

  —“Damn it… manipulative girls… you always solve everything by crying so your moms come and scold me later…”

  Then he raised a hand decisively.

  —“Fine. Ronan and I will be the kids, the ugly dolls will be the pets, Lysandra will be the mom, and Althea will be the dad. If not, I’m not playing!”

  The two girls looked at each other and quickly nodded, accepting the deal without thinking too much.

  They immediately started getting into their roles.

  Kael looked at Althea with a critical eye.

  —“Wait… Althea, you don’t look like a dad.”

  —“Huh?” —she replied, confused.

  —“You need to look tougher and more violent. And you don’t have a beard.”

  —“A beard…?”

  —“Yes, the hair Uncle Rowan has growing on his face.”

  —“Ah… but I don’t have that…”

  —“Then you can draw one.”

  Kael took a small piece of charcoal from the yard oven and drew an improvised beard on Althea’s face.

  Lysandra and Ronan immediately burst into laughter.

  —“Ha, ha, ha, ha!”

  Althea got annoyed right away and started pouting again.

  Kael raised a finger, serious.

  —“They’re laughing at you because you don’t command respect. You’re the father, the dominant man who must impose authority. Take this branch and go impose respect… with branch hits!”

  Althea puffed out her chest, striking an exaggeratedly masculine pose. She grabbed the branch with determination and started chasing the other two children.

  —“Come here, my wife and my beloved son!” —she shouted—. “I will impose my authority!”

  The result of the game was clear: Ronan and Lysandra ended up with a small bump each, Althea was furious because all the mothers had laughed at her beard… and Kael ended up beaten up, with several hits for having caused the fight.

  Kael headed toward the kitchen to ask Jacki for some ointment for the pain, while the other three children followed him.

  —“Ow! Do you still want to play?” —he grumbled—. “Or do you want all your moms to scold me again?”

  The three children nodded enthusiastically.

  —“Then you’ll have to wait,” —Kael said—. “I need something for my headache…”

  He stopped cold when he saw, on a table, a basket filled with several oval fruits, brown and rough.

  —“…What…?”

  He slowly approached, his eyes wide open.

  —“No… this can’t be… IS THIS FOR REAL!?”

  Jacki, who was grinding herbs, jumped in surprise.

  —“What is it, young master? You scared me!”

  Kael took one of the fruits in his hands.

  It was identical.

  The size.

  The texture.

  The color.

  The earthy, bitter smell.

  —“This is… cacao,” —he whispered, as if he were looking at gold—.

  —“Real cacao! The cacao tree! This can’t be… it exists here too!”

  Jacki frowned.

  —“The tree… what? That is called a kúmar fruit.”

  —“I use it to make ointments for muscle pain or to dye clothes.”

  —“The pulp turns bitter when it ripens, and the seeds are useless… they’re thrown away.”

  —“The kúmar tree only grows in the Indomitable Forest. There are very few.”

  Kael had to take a deep breath.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  He was one step away from fainting from happiness.

  —“Jacki…”

  —“Are you telling me that you have ALWAYS thrown this away?”

  He lifted a black, shiny seed.

  —“Yes, young master. It has no use. It’s very bitter.”

  Kael clenched his teeth to avoid screaming.

  —“Jacki… this… this is…”

  —“THE MOST IMPORTANT TREASURE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!”

  —“WITH THIS YOU MAKE CHOCOLATE!”

  Jacki went completely blank.

  Caria, who was passing by the kitchen at that moment, stopped when she heard him.

  —“Choco… what?”

  —“Leave all of this to me!” —Kael exclaimed—. “ALL the kúmar fruits you have! ALL OF THEM!”

  —“I’m going to change the history of this kingdom!”

  Jacki didn’t understand anything, but she obeyed.

  —“If you say so… I have ten more in the storage room. I’ll bring them.”

  Kael had already started opening one of the fruits desperately.

  (Pensamiento de Kael):

  NO WAY!!!… This world has cacao! I’m going to create chocolate from zero! I’m going to be rich thanks to the girls!

  His expression was so intense that everyone in the kitchen stared at him without blinking.

  Jacki, Lasan, and even Caria, who had entered by chance, stayed silent.

  —“Young master…” —Jacki asked—. “What do you plan to do with those fruits?”

  Kael raised one as if it were an ancient treasure.

  —“I am. Going. To make. CHOCOLATE.”

  Caria raised an eyebrow.

  —“Again… choco… what?”

  —“A food of the gods. A miracle. A glory of the universe.”

  —“A true magnet for women!”

  —“But first I need to work these seeds!”

  Y así comenzó el proceso.

  And so the process began.

  Kael took a sturdy knife and split the kúmar fruit in half.

  The white, acidic pulp was exposed, surrounding the dark seeds.

  —“Perfect… exactly like cacao.”

  He removed all the seeds and placed them in a wooden bowl.

  Jacki watched the scene, completely confused.

  —“And now what do you do with… that?”

  —“I let them ferment,” —Kael replied with absolute confidence—.

  —“They need to rest for a few days to release their true flavor.”

  The women looked at each other as if Kael had completely lost his mind.

  —“Relax, trust me,” —he added—. “I’m not making poison.”

  He put the seeds into a clay jar, covered them with a cloth, and left them near the heat of the oven.

  The seeds that had already been fermented —the ones Jacki had worked with before without knowing it— would be used for the first test.

  And with more people watching than at a public execution…

  A sharp, acidic but promising aroma suddenly spread.

  Kael smiled.

  —“Exactly. Perfect fermentation. Now we dry them.”

  He spread the seeds on a tray and asked Lasan to apply gentle heat to dry them, turning them with a spoon.

  When they were ready, he gathered everyone in Jacki’s kitchen.

  —“Now comes the magic.”

  He lit the stove and placed the seeds into an iron pot, roasting them while stirring nonstop.

  The aroma changed.

  First earthy…

  Then sweet…

  Then something intense that no one in the mansion had ever smelled before.

  Caria brought a hand to her chest.

  —“What is… that wonderful smell?”

  Jacki froze in place.

  —“It smells… like glory.”

  Kael was on the verge of crying.

  —“CHOCOLATE!!!”

  —“THIS SMELLS LIKE CHOCOLATE!”

  He placed the roasted seeds onto a flat stone and began grinding them with another stone.

  The dark, oily, shiny paste slowly formed under the heat of friction.

  —“Yes… yes! Here it is!”

  Everyone present watched in fascination.

  Kael mixed the paste with a bit of butter and a spoonful of honey.

  He stirred until it reached a thick, smooth consistency.

  —“Done. The first chocolate of the continent.”

  He took a small spoon and gave it to Caria to taste.

  Caria, upon tasting it, stopped breathing for a second.

  Her eyes widened dramatically.

  Then she covered her mouth.

  —“T-this…”

  —“Kael…”

  —“THIS DELICACY IS REAL!! WHAT IS THIS MAGIC?!”

  Ronan, Lysandra, and Althea pushed each other to taste it too.

  Kael, proud and satisfied, declared:

  —“My friends… welcome to the world of chocolate.”

  The news spread quickly. The young master had created something incredible once again.

  Everyone tasted the chocolate, and all the women surrendered to it, especially the four relentless mothers, who treated Kael like an offering to the gods and extorted him in the cruelest possible way.

  —“Give me every detail of this marvel so I can make it at home!” —Freya demanded.

  —“The kingdom of Taratios demands this recipe for the queen!” —Isadora proclaimed—. “I will name you Supreme Ambassador of the Chocolate Republic!”

  —“Please, explain the steps clearly!” —Liora begged—. “I can no longer live without this!”

  —“My beloved son…” —Caria said with a trembling voice—. “You surely prepared this offering for your loving mother. Please! Tell me you can make more!”

  Kael, already at the limit of his patience, exploded:

  —“Hey! I only wanted to make chocolate for the kids so they would leave me alone!”

  —“IF YOU KEEP THIS UP, I WON’T GIVE YOU ANYTHING!!!”

  Without realizing it, only Kael noticed that it had started raining heavily.

  —“Perfect…” —he said, smiling—. “The ideal weather!”

  Everyone was left perplexed by that statement.

  The children looked at him expectantly as Kael turned to Jacki.

  —“Jacki, where is the milk?”

  —“I’ll bring it right away.”

  When Jacki went to get the milk, Kael took a pot and began heating it.

  When Jacki returned, Kael poured the milk into the pot and added the chocolate.

  The aroma immediately filled the entire place.

  Everyone surrendered to the exquisite smell.

  Soon, a large pot of chocolate milk was ready to satisfy the palate of the entire Sungley house.

  Everyone was delighted, especially the children… and someone else.

  Enta approached the young master.

  —“My lord…” —he said with an emotional voice—. “This is the most delicious and incredible thing I have ever tasted… ahhh… I feel like I have returned to being seven years old again… pr… prrr… prrrrr…”

  Tana and Kael noticed it immediately.

  —“Uncle Enta… are you purring?” —Kael asked, incredulous.

  Enta ignored him and kept drinking his chocolate milk, completely happy.

  —“Lord Enta!” —Tana exclaimed—. “You really are happy!”

  —“Why do you say that?” —he asked.

  —“Because you’re purring…”

  Enta jolted in shock.

  —“It’s true!”

  —“Oh, what a cute little kitty!” —Tana said, laughing.

  Everyone laughed and enjoyed a warm afternoon of rain and chocolate milk.

  …

  …

  …

  …

  …

  …

  …

  …

  …

  …

  A new day began at the Sungley house.

  This time, there were no children interrupting.

  No fathers bothering him.

  No mothers trying to smother him with kisses.

  No maids trying to smother him with kisses either.

  Only the training field.

  A master and her disciple, prepared for a battle.

  —“Alright, Kael,” —Freya said—. “We have already learned a lot about dodging and defending… but you still haven’t attacked.”

  —“I gave you a month to train on your own and develop your own strategy.”

  —“I won’t deny that it was nice that you used that time to… make chocolate,” —she added with a smile—, “but let’s see what plan you have to attack me.”

  —“Since this is training and you are my teacher,” —Kael replied—, “I obviously won’t use lethal materials.”

  —“Oh, how considerate…”

  Kael carried a staff and a waist pouch. He was fully prepared.

  This time, they were not alone.

  Soldiers and all members of the house had gathered to witness the event.

  Lord Garbard stepped into the center of the field and spoke with a firm voice.

  —“What we celebrate today is neither an exam nor a ceremony.”

  —“It is a test of the fruit of the hard and constant training of the heir of House Sungley, who will demonstrate everything he has learned and prove that, at such a young age, he is capable of standing on his own.”

  And so the combat began…

  Of a child barely over three years old…

  Against an experienced and veteran mage of countless wars.