Lucius realized the tree Cardin was looking at was the same tree Mikhail almost knocked down, and which Anette had slashed in her defense. He guessed that after they left the garden, strong restoration magic must have been used to return everything to its original state.

The garden was originally designed as a training ground for the imperial family’s powers since the establishment of the palace.

Lucius remembered training with the late Emperor in this very garden to awaken his powers.

〈You incompetent fool! To not awaken your powers at fifteen, you’re a disgrace to Alkan.〉

〈…….〉

〈No choice then. From next week, I’ll have to train Cardin as well.〉

〈But, Your Majesty, Cardin is only three years old. How can we…〉

〈Age doesn’t matter. After all, he is also of Alkan’s blood. There have been royals in history who awakened their abilities at five.〉

But weren’t they in situations where their lives were threatened, having to flee with their wet nurses due to rebellions?

Lucius couldn’t bring himself to voice this thought, anxious that his inadequacy would put his young brother in a life-threatening situation.

The late Emperor, noticing Lucius’s troubled expression, twisted his mouth.

〈Are you afraid that the bastard will awaken his powers before you and vie for your position as Crown Prince?〉

〈How could that be…〉

〈If that scares you, awaken your powers sooner.〉

Lucius clenched his teeth as the Emperor turned and left.

That night, Lucius awakened his powers.

He would never forget that incredible experience – the feeling of a different flow of air enveloping and swirling around him. It was a moment of pure joy, finally awakening the long-desired abilities, no longer disappointing his father, and feeling the confidence of being the Crown Prince of Alkan.
But the greatest joy for Lucius was knowing that he could protect his younger brother. Naively, he believed that once he awakened his powers, the late Emperor would not push or threaten Cardin as he had done to him.

Little did he know that the awakening of his powers would become another seed of misfortune and a shackle that would bind him…

“Brother.”

At that moment, Cardin broke Lucius’s train of thought.

Lucius slightly lifted his head to look at his brother, who had grown taller than him without him realizing.

It felt like only yesterday when Cardin, clingy as glue, stubbornly insisted on studying alongside his brother.

As Lucius managed a bitter smile, Cardin asked, “You kept Mikhail’s awakening a secret from everyone, right?”

“……Yes. Don’t even mention it. I’ve already been thoroughly grilled by your sister-in-law.”

Lucius responded lightly to the direct question. It wasn’t a lie. Charlotte, worried about Mikhail’s wandering behavior, was furious when she belatedly learned that it was all due to his awakening and that the Emperor had kept it a secret.

She regretted not being able to recognize young Mikhail’s solitary struggles in the garden.

“It was inevitable. We all thought he wouldn’t awaken until at least ten years old…”

Typically, the awakening of powers occurred in early adolescence, and since Lucius himself was a late bloomer, he had assumed Mikhail would be the same.

In fact, it wouldn’t have mattered if Mikhail never awakened his powers.

Lucius had wanted to leave his son a stable kingdom and position, with or without such powers.

“So, was that the only reason you kept it a secret?”

“……Cardin.”

“Or was it because he has the same powers as the late Emperor?”

“…….”

Lucius, who had hoped to casually bypass this topic, grew tense at the mention of the late Emperor’s abilities.