The corridors of the royal palace were as Leon remembered them—wide stone halls lined with tall pillars and banners bearing the crest of the Kingdom of Ardentia. Servants moved quietly along the edges of the hallway, bowing respectfully as members of the royal family passed. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, illuminating the polished floors with soft golden light.
Leon walked beside his younger sister, Elira, but his mind was far from calm.
Every step through these halls stirred memories from his previous life.
In those memories, these same corridors had once been filled with smoke and blood. The palace had burned while enemy soldiers marched through its gates. The guards who now stood peacefully at their posts had died defending the throne.
But now everything was different.
The palace was alive.
Peaceful.
Safe.
For now.
Leon's expression hardened slightly as they approached the large wooden doors leading to the king's private strategy chamber. Two royal knights stood on either side of the entrance, their armor gleaming under the palace lights.
They bowed as Leon approached.
"Your Highness," one of them said respectfully.
Leon nodded.
The sight of these knights stirred another wave of memories. In his previous life, these same men had fought to the death when the palace was invaded. Their loyalty had never wavered.
This time, Leon silently promised himself, he would not allow them to die for nothing.
Elira pushed open the heavy doors before Leon could speak further.
Inside the chamber, the atmosphere changed immediately.
Large maps covered the central table, their surfaces marked with small carved pieces representing patrol routes, supply lines, and monster sightings. Several armored officers stood around the room, quietly discussing reports.
And at the center of it all stood a man whose presence dominated the chamber.
King Aldric Valerian.
Leon stopped walking.
For a moment, he simply stared.
The king stood tall beside the strategy table, his broad shoulders covered by a dark military cloak bearing the silver crest of Ardentia. Scars marked his strong face, silent reminders of the countless battles he had fought defending the kingdom's borders. His sharp eyes scanned the map before him with the focus of a seasoned commander.
Even in a room filled with soldiers, he was unmistakably the strongest presence there.
The Shield of the Frontier.
Leon's chest tightened.
In his previous life, this man had died protecting the kingdom.
Leon had watched helplessly as his father fell on the battlefield, surrounded by enemies.
Now that same man stood only a few steps away.
Alive.
Strong.
Unbroken.
"Father," Elira said cheerfully as she entered the room.
King Aldric looked up from the map.
His stern expression softened slightly when he saw his children.
"Elira," he said warmly before his gaze shifted toward Leon.
For a moment, the king studied his son carefully.
Leon felt the weight of that gaze immediately.
Aldric Valerian had never been an easy man to fool. Years of warfare had sharpened his instincts beyond those of ordinary men.
"Leon," the king said calmly. "I heard you spent the entire afternoon training again."
Leon stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Yes, Father."
The king folded his arms.
"Your sword instructor said the same thing yesterday," he continued. "And the day before that."
Leon did not respond.
Aldric watched him for several seconds before letting out a quiet sigh.
"You're pushing yourself harder than usual," he said. "What's changed?"
Leon hesitated.
He could not tell the truth.
He could not tell his father that in another timeline, this entire kingdom would burn and everyone in this room would die.
Not yet.
"I want to grow stronger," Leon said simply.
The king raised an eyebrow.
"You've always said that," Aldric replied. "But something about you feels… different today."
Leon remained silent.
For a moment, the room grew quiet as the surrounding officers pretended to focus on the maps.
Then the king chuckled softly.
"Well, if you truly wish to become stronger, there may be an opportunity sooner than expected."
Leon's attention sharpened immediately.
"What do you mean, Father?"
Aldric turned toward the strategy table and pointed at a location marked near the northern border of the kingdom.
"The outer edge of the Great Monster Forest," he said.
Leon's heart skipped a beat.
The Great Monster Forest.
Even hearing the name sent a chill through him.
The massive forest stretching beyond Ardentia's borders was one of the most dangerous places on the continent. Monsters from its depths frequently attacked nearby villages, forcing the kingdom to maintain constant patrols along the frontier.
In his previous life, the forest had always been viewed as a threat.
But now Leon saw it differently.
It was also a source of opportunity.
"What happened?" Leon asked carefully.
Aldric tapped the map again.
"Two days ago, one of our patrols reported unusual monster activity near this area," he explained. "The creatures are becoming more aggressive than normal."
One of the officers nearby spoke up.
"Our scouts confirmed increased monster movement this morning, Your Majesty."
Aldric nodded.
"I plan to investigate the situation personally tomorrow."
Leon's eyes widened slightly.
In his previous life, this exact event had occurred.
But it had seemed minor at the time.
Just another monster disturbance near the forest border.
However…
Now that he thought about it more carefully, that incident might have been the first sign that something deeper inside the forest was beginning to change.
And if the system was guiding his growth…
Then this might be his first real opportunity.
As if responding to his thoughts, the cold mechanical voice echoed inside Leon's mind.
[New Mission Generated]
Leon froze.
A faint blue screen appeared before his eyes.
Mission: Investigate Monster Activity at the Northern Border
Objective: Assist the royal patrol in eliminating the monster threat.
Reward:
Sword Technique Skill
Constitution Enhancement Talent
Leon's heartbeat quickened.
The system was pushing him toward the forest.
Aldric noticed his expression immediately.
"You look interested," the king said.
Leon nodded slowly.
"Father… can I come with you?"
The entire room fell silent.
Several officers exchanged surprised glances.
Elira blinked.
"You want to go to the forest?" she asked.
The king studied Leon carefully again.
"That area isn't a training yard," Aldric said. "Real monsters roam those woods."
Leon met his father's gaze without hesitation.
"I know."
For several seconds, the king said nothing.
Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"You've grown more serious lately," Aldric said.
He turned toward the officers.
"Prepare an additional horse for the prince."
Elira gasped.
"Father!"
But Aldric simply raised a hand.
"If Leon wishes to see the battlefield, he will learn more there than he ever could inside the palace walls."
He looked back at his son.
"We leave at dawn."
Leon bowed his head.
"Yes, Father."
Inside his chest, determination burned brighter than ever.
This mission would be his first step toward changing the future.
And the Great Monster Forest would soon witness the beginning of the fallen prince's rise.