"What's that boy laughing about?" In the grand throne hall of Synapse's central city, which had been rebuilt from the former Wind King's Castle, Muria looked at his son, who was grinning foolishly. Confused, he turned to his wife beside him.
"You're asking me? If you don't know, how would I? He's your son, after all. You raised him like this!" Mikaela retorted irritably. The whole family was seated in the imperial palace of Synapse, high above the rest of the world.
Muria had assigned their son to the military parade formation, but in the most inconspicuous fleet of floating ships, serving as a temporary commander—a move that Mikaela found overly harsh.
"A crystal eye just flew by, so maybe our brother is laughing because he's going to be on the big screen," speculated Tiffany, the second youngest daughter, who sat near Muria.
"That's not it. Our brother isn't that shallow. Considering the position father arranged for him, he's probably realized that we might be watching him, and that's why he's smiling like that," Gladius, the eldest daughter, accurately guessed her brother's thoughts.
"Poor brother," commented Katia from the side. They too had appeared on the big screen, but as imperial princesses sitting beside their father, the emperor.
"How is he unfortunate? I'm the one who's truly unlucky!" Tiffany, still feeling the sting of having all her personal dragon wealth forcibly taken by her sisters, pouted and laid her head on Muria's lap. Even though some time had passed since the incident, she still hadn't fully recovered from the blow.
After experiencing such injustice, the proud dragon princess had tried to appeal to her parents for help in reclaiming her treasures. But much to her dismay, her mother gave her a two-hour lecture instead.
Thus, feeling utterly wronged, the princess no longer dared to mention the incident again. After all, legendary metals could still be acquired in the future. She had, in fact, discovered her father's hidden vault of these prized materials. Unfortunately, the vault was protected by a complex array of advanced magic formations that she wasn't skilled enough to break just yet. As a result, she had been earnestly studying magic formations.
"Heh." Muria chuckled softly as he stroked his daughter's silky hair. A knowing smile tugged at his lips.
All beings tend to develop a very mistaken mindset: that which is easily obtained is not precious, and only that which is gained through effort is truly valuable.
But is that really the case? Of course not! Many seemingly free things are, in fact, the most precious. Yet, most beings tend to overlook this simply because they are too easily acquired.
Muria had no intention of correcting his daughter's flawed thinking just yet. Instead, he was using it to his advantage, placing obstacles in her path to motivate her to learn on her own, ensuring she developed a drive for self-improvement.
While Muria's family discussed these matters, a small stir broke out at various universities because Aeolos had appeared on the big screen.
Though Aeolos himself hadn't noticed, he was a star student at every school he attended, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who had met him even briefly.
"Holy crap, isn't that Aeolos? I'd recognize that face anywhere! How did he manage this? He's actually part of the parade now! Did he cheat somehow?"
"Man, the difference between people is staggering. I was in the same class as him in middle school, and now I'm out here fighting monsters, while he's sitting comfortably in a captain's chair, commanding a fleet!"
"Is the Dragon Academy that powerful? Based on the timing, Aeolos hasn't even graduated yet, and he's already a commander!"
"Hey, did you see that guy? Aeolos! He's my bro! Back in high school, we were tight! Haha, he's made it big now! Once I graduate, I'll go look him up and ride his coattails!"
"So, you've risen that high already?" A girl with striking golden hair and prominent dragon horns on her forehead watched the screen intently. She was a student at a university designed specifically for gifted dragonborn. Staring at the determined face of Aeolos, she murmured softly to herself.
As the magical camera circled Aeolos, the girl also caught sight of his uniform and the insignia on his shoulder—a rank that even her father would envy.
Unaware of the commotion his appearance had caused among his former classmates and acquaintances, Aeolos remained unfazed. Whether by instinct or something else, he had always found it difficult to maintain close friendships with anyone. No matter how much time he spent with people, none of them held a place in his heart comparable to his parents and sisters.
…
From the moment the Synapse Empire was founded, its capital, Synapse, had been guarded by five million troops. The newly established empire began a continent-wide tour, with key cities serving as checkpoints along the way.
Wherever they passed, the skies darkened under the overwhelming presence of the imperial fleet. No one, not even the most experienced legends or the lofty gods, could remain unmoved by the sheer power displayed by Muria's forces.
When the three-month-long military parade finally ended, the entire Synapse continent fell into a deep quiet. Nearly all criminals had vanished, and for a time, no one dared to challenge the empire's laws or authority.
…
After the founding ceremony, Aeolos shed his enviable officer's uniform and returned to his usual life at the academy, resuming the typical routine of a long-lived species like himself.
He studied, read, accepted assignments, ventured out to slay monsters, got transported into dungeons through strange coincidences, reaped rewards, and returned to the academy to repeat the process. This endless cycle of events continued, and as it did, Aeolos grew stronger by the day, unlocking more and more of his dragon bloodline, which triggered some unusual transformations.
…
In the depths of a dark dungeon, the dim glow of elemental crystals scattered in the corners provided minimal visibility.
With a final, pained roar, a thirty-meter-tall monster collapsed, blood gushing from its neck wound. The stench of its foul-smelling blood filled the air as it sprayed uncontrollably from the injury.
"Another unexplored dungeon!" After defeating the monster, Aeolos glanced around. He hadn't found any signs of previous adventurers. This dungeon, where he had inexplicably been transported, appeared untouched.
"So now that I've beaten the dungeon's boss monster, the rewards should be mine!" He gave a quick glance at the monster's lifeless body, then flicked the blood off his sword and moved toward the ancient doors the creature had been guarding.
With a low rumble, the doors swung open, revealing an ancient hall lined with statues holding spears.
"Why does this scene seem so familiar?" Aeolos frowned as a sense of déjà vu washed over him. He raised his wrist to look at the beautifully intricate sword-shaped tattoo there.
It was a mark he had acquired in a dungeon as a child, likely the most valuable treasure in that place. And now, he had a feeling he was about to obtain a similar mark.
Recalling his childhood experience, Aeolos stepped forward into the deepest part of the hall, standing before a towering statue of a giant holding a spear.
"How many more times will I experience this kind of coincidence?" Aeolos reached out and placed his hand on the giant's foot. Instantly, the hall rumbled to life.
An overwhelming pressure crashed down on him, and beams of light shot out from the hundreds of spear-holding statues, converging on Aeolos, forming a glowing pattern on his wrist.
Aeolos stood motionless, unfazed by the crushing force that would have broken lesser beings. Having encountered countless ancient dragons at the Dragon Academy, this pressure was nothing to him.
Eventually, the pressure dissipated, and the hall fell silent.
Aeolos raised his left wrist and saw a spear-shaped mark, nearly identical to the sword tattoo on his right wrist.
"Every time, it's the same!" Aeolos didn't feel excited about gaining another mark. Instead, he felt an overwhelming sense of frustration.
Just a month ago, following the advice of one of his seniors, Aeolos had decided to try wielding a heavy weapon alongside his sword. After some consideration, he chose a spear.
Now, through another inexplicable coincidence, he had stumbled into a dungeon and gained a spear mark.
Was all of this simply due to his incredible luck? Or was it the result of some unseen force orchestrating these coincidences?
"Father, is it you?" Aeolos whispered softly, his eyes downcast.
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