Danir, now seven years old, was jolted from his morning thoughts by the sudden appearance of a noble carriage parked in front of their yard. From it, two knights emerged, clad in black trenchcoats and gleaming armor, their presence commanding and imposing.
For a moment, Danir froze. Then, understanding dawned—and panic followed.
"No! I don't want to leave my mother!" he shouted, struggling against the knights, but his small frame was no match for the physically imposing Gadreel.
Gadreel, a towering man in a majestic black trenchcoat with a mithril-plated chest, held him firmly. His spiked hair and bearded face gave him a fierce yet disciplined aura. Though he looked intimidating, his eyes held a quiet, steadfast loyalty. This was one of his father Jared Granger's most trusted Knight-Paladins, a warrior who had fought valiantly alongside him in the Demon War.
"I am Yuri of the House of Granger, young master." the other knight said, his deep voice resonating with authority. Yuri, Gadreel's younger brother, bore the same sharp features as Gadreel, though clean-shaven, and with a commanding air of his own. "Your father has ordered that you come to live in his mansion. You would do well not to resist."
Danir's chest tightened with conflicting emotions. Meliorra approached, her eyes glistening with restrained tears. "It's okay, my son." she said softly, placing her hands on his shoulders. "I knew this day would come. This… this is for your path. Just promise me one thing—you'll come visit whenever you have free days. I love you, and don't forget to eat on time."
A lump rose in Danir's throat. Leaving the woman who had raised him with unwavering strength and love felt unbearable. But he knew he had no choice. Clutching the edge of the carriage as he was lifted in, he cast one last glance at his mother.
With a heavy heart, he took his place inside the noble carriage, the wheels creaking as they began their journey. The path ahead led him toward the House of Granger, a mansion of nobility and legacy, and a life that would challenge him in ways he had yet to imagine.
After a day of travel, the carriage finally arrived in Pearl-Shire Town, located in the northeastern part of the eastern continent. Danir's small eyes widened as he took in the scenery, the world outside his familiar countryside home now replaced with the grandeur of a noble town.
When they reached the Granger mansion, Danir's breath caught in awe. The walls were crafted from polished red bricks, rising proudly and perfectly symmetrical, surrounded by carefully manicured gardens that seemed almost unreal in their beauty. He had expected a grand estate, but nothing could have prepared him for this.
Yet, something puzzled him. Despite the mansion's reputation, there were no housemaids in sight, no bustling staff attending to the grounds or the doors. It felt… unusually quiet for such an opulent home.
Before he could dwell further on the oddity, the entrance doors swung open. Standing there was his father, Jared Granger, flanked by his older brothers.
"Welcome home, son." Jared said warmly, his voice carrying a calm authority. "I heard your name is Danir, but… allow me to call you my son. Will that be alright?" He stepped forward and pulled Danir into a hug.
Danir looked up at him in surprise. Jared was striking—handsome in a noble way, with medium-length hair styled in a side-parted curl. His clothing was similar to that of the knights and his sons, a traditional attire of the Granger family, tailored perfectly to fit him.
Every detail—from his posture to the warmth in his gaze—spoke of both authority and kindness, leaving Danir both impressed and intimidated at the same time.
Yuri led Danir to his room, gesturing to the neatly arranged clothing and armor. "Young master, as part of the House of Granger, we wear this black trenchcoat, crafted from mithril-deathworm silk—a rare material harvested from the deserted mithril mines in the western part of the middle continent. This is our traditional attire, and we have plenty of it."
He held up a chest plate, its surface gleaming under the lantern light. "And our armor—chest plates, faulds, gauntlets, boots—everything is forged from mithril, the strongest and lightest of metals. It can only be mined in that region. You'll find it both protective and remarkably easy to wear."
Later, Danir joined a lavish dinner prepared by the two knights. The long table groaned under the weight of dishes, with Jared and his sons seated from eldest to youngest: Zeke, Zebion, Alec, Nezcar, Caspi, Ulfzar… and Danir at the far end, still feeling like the smallest fish in a very large pond.
"Master Jared… may I… visit my mother at least?" Danir asked, bowing his head in earnest, the words spilling out as a plea.
Jared shook his head with a warm smile. "Son, don't call me master or anything lofty. I am your father. How could I deny you that? You are my sons. You may visit her whenever you wish. But while you are here, you must live under my guidance. I want each of you to grow into men who choose the righteous path for themselves someday."
Danir swallowed hard, then ventured the next question.
"Have you… already chosen your job class, son?" Jared asked.
"Oh, about that, I still haven't chosen yet, because I'm still undecided of what I want to choose. Will you enlighten me with your guidance father?" Danir replied.
Jared's eyes softened, thoughtful. "Ah… choosing a job class? That decision must come from yourself, not from anyone else. It is what you truly desire in your heart."
Danir's fingers fidgeted on the table edge. "But father… I'm so confused. Everything seems… the best. I want to choose all of them—except on that BladeMagus thing."
Jared chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. "Son, when I first began, I was confused as well. But in time, you will discover what truly calls to you. Something awaits that is meant just for you."
Danir stared at the feast before him, but his mind drifted to the grimoire waiting in his room. Somewhere in its pages lay the path that could shape his life—and perhaps, the strength to protect those he loved.
After dinner, the family gathered in the forum hall—a spacious room specially built for family meetings. The brothers sat around a long, carved wooden table beneath a massive chandelier of crystal shards that cast a warm, luminous glow across the room. One by one, they introduced themselves formally.
"Hello, my young brothers. I am your eldest, Zeke Granger, first son. My mother was of the Lycan race." Zeke said in a calm, humble voice that felt genuinely welcoming.
Zeke had those slightly sleepy eyes with predator-like irises, combined with his long, shiny, shady-grey hair brushing his shoulders, gave him a serene, trustworthy presence. His average build and skin tone were unremarkable, but Danir could feel the sincerity radiating from him.
"This one seems kind… I think he seemed to be a reliable big brother." he thought.
"Hey! I'm Zebion Granger, second son. My mother is from the centaur race." Zebion said, his deep voice jolly and inviting.
Danir blinked. Zebion's human upper body, light brown skin, and horse-like lower body with shiny reddish-brown horse furs and hooves, armored in custom mithril—made him look unlike anyone Danir had ever seen. His reddish-brown hair was neatly kept in a bowl cut, and his face radiated humor and friendliness.
"This is… my brother? How did Father even manage this? Father had that kind of thing of to-try-anything-that-taste-good, Better not think about it." Danir murmured.
"Alec, third son, from the vampire race." Alec said coldly, his tone sharp, almost threatening. "Always watch your back, kid. Don't be a crybaby."
Danir couldn't help but notice Alec's striking appearance: silver-pale skin, pointed ears, red lips, blonde quiffed hair, and a muscular build that radiated power. This guy is such a jerk, he thought, already wary.
"I'm Nezcar, fourth son. My race is obvious. The rest is none of your business. House rule: don't touch what isn't yours, understood?" Nezcar's calm, sarcastic tone carried an unshakable confidence. A dwarf, muscular with light brown skin and a sharp charisma, he gave off an air of unpredictability.
"And another mean guy." Danir muttered silently.
"Hello, brother. I'm Caspi, fifth son of Jared Granger. My mother was from the Duskborn race." Caspi said, calm and melancholic, his shadowy aura capturing Danir's attention.
Caspi's middle-parted shady-grey hair, pale skin, and subtle inborn tattoos marked him as a Duskborn. His elegance rivaled Alec's, though in a quieter, more mysterious way.
"Hey brother, I'm Ulfzar, sixth son of Jared Granger. My mother was Ursaine." Ulfzar greeted warmly, his cheerful tone making him seem approachable. A chubby, round face, curly hair, and brown skin made him instantly likeable.
Danir smiled quietly. "Now I know who I'll befriend— big brother Zeke, Zebion, and Ulfzar seem so friendly I think."
Finally, he straightened his back and spoke with his kid's voice as confident as an adult inside him shining through. "Good evening, father, brothers, and knights. I am Danir, it is my honor to join this family as the seventh son of Jared Granger, the legendary Black-Horseman. My mother was human."
Their ages only gap with just a year from the oldest to the youngest.
"Come along, young Master Danir." Yuri said as he guided him through the halls. "I'll give you a quick tour—and explain a few house rules. I'm Yuri. The other knight earlier was my older brother, Gadreel."
They stopped in front of Danir's room as Yuri spoke firmly, though not unkindly. "House rule number one: always be responsible. When you wake up, clean your room and complete your chores without being told."
Danir nodded attentively.
"Rule number two." Yuri continued, "show respect—to your father, to us knights, and to your elder brothers."
He paused, then added, "Rule number three: never make a mess in the house, and never touch or play with any weapons unless you are given permission. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir!" Danir replied immediately, standing straight and saluting out of habit.
Yuri blinked, clearly caught off guard. "…You don't have to do that weird action." he said after a moment, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. "Strange kid." he thought.
The rules were strict, but Danir could sense their purpose. His father, a noble adventurer, had raised his sons under discipline—not to seek glory, but to become honorable men who would one day stand at the front lines to protect the people of the land.
Now retired from adventuring due to age, Jared Granger had chosen a different path. He had taken on the role of a noble merchant as his secondary job class, using his wealth and influence as a philanthropist. His goal was no longer conquest or battle, but to aid the unfortunate across the world—fighting injustice not with a blade, but with compassion and resolve.
Danir stood quietly in his new room, absorbing everything. "This place… this family…" he thought quietly. "Despite everything I did, I still have the worthiness to deserve this. Now, I'll just have to work hard to deserve all of this."