Nathan – POV

  I had completely forgotten to ask my parents about the comparability of our wealth to others. The thought only returned to me when I saw Krizek and Leshner strolling into camp, their presence reminding me of the riches they had helped us acquire. Their casual demeanor, the way they carried themselves with quiet confidence, was a subtle reminder of the treasures they had unearthed for us. It was not just gold and jewels, but artifacts, relics, and the kind of wealth that could shift the balance of power in a kingdom.

  Determined not to let the question slip again, I made it my top priority the following morning.

  “I’m glad you brought that up,” my mother, Dianne, said when I mentioned it over breakfast. Her tone carried a mixture of relief and curiosity. “I was meaning to ask whether it might be possible to allow Anna and Belle to enter your pocket dimension so they can tally our wealth properly.”

  “That may be difficult,” I replied, frowning slightly. “If they are not in physical contact with me, they’ll be thrown out.”

  “Yes, I remember now,” Dianne said thoughtfully. “You were touching us when you first brought us inside.”

  My father, Jakob, raised an eyebrow, his sharp gaze cutting through me. “You’re not bothered about letting others see and count your money?”

  “It’s our money,” I said firmly. “And no, I’m not bothered. In fact, it’s good to have proper accounting.”

  “Accounting?” Dianne repeated, puzzled by the unfamiliar word.

  I cursed myself silently. Shit. I’m such a dumbass.

  “Err… I mean a proper tally,” I corrected quickly. “We’re not earning yet, and we’re constantly bleeding gold. I’ve tasked my minions to continue raiding the treasures of bad men, but that brings me to my question. How does our wealth compare to others?”

  Dianne considered for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she weighed her memories of noble courts and merchant halls. “Well, based on what I’ve seen, I would say we are as wealthy as dukes...or perhaps even a king. But I won’t be certain until Anna and Belle can do the tally.”

  “Really? Wow!” I exclaimed, unable to hide my excitement. The thought of being compared to kings filled me with both pride and a sense of destiny.

  Jakob leaned forward, his tone more serious now. “As you said, our campaign will be very expensive, and we are bleeding gold every day. I appreciate that your minions are raiding bandits and criminals, because we will need far more gold by the end of our journey.”

  “By how much?” I asked, trying to gauge the scale of his concern.

  “Don’t misunderstand,” Jakob said. “We already have more than enough to buy a title and territory...at least a barony. But I anticipate that our retainers will grow in number. Lyle is only beginning his trading ventures, and we have no steady income yet. The problem is that our journey is long, and expenses will continue to pile up, especially once we hire more house guards.”

  I nodded, determined. “Don’t worry, Father. As long as there are bad men, we’ll keep growing our wealth. Regarding the pocket dimension, I’ll ask Krizek about it. He created it, so perhaps he can find a way around the problem.”

  “That would be excellent,” Jakob said. “It will help us keep proper tabs on our wealth. Also, I spoke with Belle about magical contracts. She said she’ll have some ready in three days.”

  “That’s great,” I said, relieved.

  The morning passed without further issues, and before we departed, I sought Krizek to ask about the possibility of allowing others to enter the pocket dimension. To my surprise, he already had a solution.

  He explained that he could craft trinkets, small, enchanted charms, that would allow another person to enter without being thrown out. He asked me how many people should be permitted, and I answered four: Jakob, Dianne, Anna, and Belle.

  Krizek promised to have the trinkets ready in a few weeks.

  With that settled, we struck camp and resumed our journey.

  This time, I rode a horse with Jack assisting me. The experience was exhilarating, the wind rushing past, and the rhythmic pounding of hooves beneath me. My impish sister Serena quickly grew jealous. She demanded that Jack teach her to ride as well. Christine and Shive soon joined in, insisting they wanted horses of their own.

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  In the end, poor Jack found himself exasperated, tasked with watching four energetic children attempt to ride without injuring themselves. The scene was chaotic yet strangely heartwarming. For all our wealth, power, and ambition, moments like these reminded me that we were still a family; children eager to learn, parents guiding us, and loyal retainers keeping us safe.

  As the caravan moved forward, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. Our wealth was vast, perhaps rivaling dukes and kings, but it was not yet secure. We bled gold daily, and the road ahead was long. Yet with my minions raiding the wicked, Krizek crafting solutions, and Belle preparing contracts to bind loyalty, I knew we were laying the foundations of something greater.

  The journey was far from over, but each step brought us closer to Shaxaian...and to the legacy we were destined to build.

  After several days, we had another big meeting during one of our stopovers. We had just finished dinner when Jakob asked everyone to gather. His voice carried the weight of authority, but also a hint of unease.

  “I apologize for calling this late meeting,” he began, “but we have something we wanted you to know. Since you are part of our noble house, we decided to share with you something that must be kept secret. You must understand that this secret must never be shared with anyone. I know that your fealty already guarantees that, but a second safety net must be done before we proceed, a magical contract.”

  Everyone was surprised at this news. Everyone knew that the oath they swore to our family was more than enough to ensure loyalty. A magical contract was unnecessary and deemed excessive.

  “Forgive me, my lord, but a magical contract is a bit excessive. Loyalty is already ensured by our oath, which the system enforces,” Lyle said nervously.

  “We know,” Jakob replied, his tone firm, “but believe me, this is something that this world hasn’t seen before. Something...groundbreaking. If spread beyond our house, it will make us a target by everyone.”

  Silence followed. The weight of his words pressed down on the room. Everyone was probably making guesses on what the family secret was that required such measures.

  My modern mind couldn’t see what the fuss was all about. For me, it was just another non-disclosure agreement. Nothing special. Just magical.

  When no one spoke up again, Father said, “Well, your silence is agreement, I guess. Belle will be distributing the magical contracts. I suggest you read them before signing.”

  Once the contracts were distributed, confusion spread when they saw that the children were also given contracts. Their questions were answered when they read that the children would become mages and knights of the house if they so wished.

  That put everyone’s doubts at ease, and eventually everyone signed the contracts. Even the children who could not yet read or write were made to put their thumbmark on the contract using their own blood.

  After all the contracts were signed and collected, Father spoke again. “It is good that you all agreed as to the secret. Let my son show you.”

  They all looked at Jack, assuming he was the one who would reveal the secret. They were surprised to see me, the seven-year-old son of Lord Jakob, standing up and taking the center stage.

  Once everyone’s attention was on me, I summoned a single Shadow Tendril in front of them.

  Everyone gasped at my performance.

  “By the gods! What is that?”

  “He can cast magic? He is still not ten years old! How can he cast when he has no class?”

  I heard all the people murmuring and talking, their disbelief echoing through the camp.

  Serena then came beside me and called a flame on her palms, while Christine summoned an ice shard.

  That broke everyone into murmurs and shouts of amazement and bewilderment.

  “As you can see, my children can cast magic. And yes, they haven’t undergone the advancement ceremony, and yes, they have a class,” Father said.

  “How is that possible, my lord? We all know that it can’t be. Children only get their class after the advancement ceremony. It has been that way since... forever,” Lyle said.

  “Apparently, we were taught lies. The church taught us lies. I do not know for sure as to why they did so, but my son Nathan was the first to discover this technique. And since you are part of House Mayweather-Abensberg, your children will be taught how to access their class without the awakening ceremony,” Jakob said.

  “That’s why you insisted on the magic contract,” Belle mused.

  Dianne’s voice carried a quiet but resolute authority as she spoke.

  “Yes...and we are willing to teach all of your children how to do so, but this knowledge must remain within our house. It cannot be shared with the world.”

  Her words hung in the air like a solemn decree. The gathered retainers exchanged glances, the gravity of the secret settling upon them.

  Lyle stepped forward, bowing his head with a mixture of reverence and eagerness.

  “We understand, my lord,” he said earnestly. “We would gladly allow our children to be taught such techniques.”

  A murmur of agreement rippled through the assembly. Parents clutched their children’s shoulders, eyes shining with a mixture of hope and disbelief. For them, this was no ordinary gift...it was a miracle.

  The realization struck them all at once: this was a boon beyond measure, a chance to rise above the station of mere commoners. It was not only the promise of climbing the social ladder, but the opportunity to grasp power that had long been locked away behind the iron gates of tradition and dogma. For centuries, the church had dictated who could wield magic, binding society in chains of ritual and ceremony. Now, House Mayweather-Abensberg offered a path that bypassed those restrictions entirely.

  It was liberation disguised as instruction. A secret inheritance that could transform their children into mages and knights, granting them access to knowledge forbidden by a tyrannical religious state.

  And in that moment, every oath of loyalty was renewed...not by compulsion, but by gratitude and ambition.