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The young gentleman whom the crimson‑haired woman addressed as Commander Valehart immediately slumped his shoulders in exaggerated disappointment. The formal greeting clearly wounded him more than a blade could.
"Hey, no need to be formal, Scarlette! We're friends, right?" He protested with a bright, overly familiar smile.
Scarlette crossed her arms and looked at him with one raised eyebrow—an expression that conveyed pure indifference.
"Says who?"
Her voice was cold and flat, and her dull, unimpressed gaze struck him like an arrow. The young-looking Commander let out a dramatic sigh, clutching his chest as if mortally wounded.
"Oh, come on! Don't be like that! You hurt my feelings, my dear Scarlette!"
Scarlette didn't even blink.
"Then, die."
With those ruthless words, she turned around and walked away without hesitation. Her crimson hair swayed behind her as if dismissing him more thoroughly than her words ever could.
The young man froze for a moment, stunned, then hurried after her.
"H–Hey, Scarlette! Wait for me!"
She ignored him completely and continued on her way. The man managed to catch up, immediately chattering about one thing after another—changing topics rapidly, asking pointless questions, and complaining dramatically. Scarlette simply let him speak, treating his voice as nothing more than distant background noise.
She had no interest in entertaining him.
But ignoring him was something she had mastered long ago.
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The persistent young gentleman tailing Scarlette like an excited puppy was none other than Marquis Asterion Varyn Valehart, the current Commander of the Imperial Army of the Silveria Empire.
A name that held weight.
A title respected throughout the Empire.
A reputation that even Scarlette could not completely ignore.
Before he became Commander, Asterion had served as the Knight Captain of the Golden Falcon Squad—the elite group assigned to protect the Crown Prince of Silveria. His leadership was remarkable, but what truly distinguished him was a feat no one else in history had achieved at such a young age.
He was the youngest Swordmaster ever recorded.
Because of this extraordinary talent, and his achievements during times of crisis, he was promoted within the Imperial Army, becoming the youngest Commander in the Empire's history.
Despite being twenty-eight years old, Asterion possessed a youthful face and energetic demeanor. Those who saw him for the first time often mistook him for a teenager who had not yet reached adulthood. His bright auburn hair, earnest sapphire eyes, and boyish expressions made it all too easy to underestimate him.
But behind that youthful appearance lay a life hardened by pain and adversity.
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>>>>>Before He Became Asterion — The Son Named Jeffrey
Asterion Varyn Valehart was not the name he was born with.
Before acquiring the title of Marquis, before gaining recognition and respect, and before rising to the top of the Imperial Army… he had once belonged to a different household.
His original name was Jeffrey Zenon Middleton, the third son of Viscount Middleton, born from the Viscount's third concubine.
In the Silveria Empire, noble polygamy was common. Legal wives and concubines lived under the same roof; each treated according to their status and origin. But nobility was an unforgiving world, and children of concubines were constantly reminded of their inferior place.
Jeffrey's mother came from humble origins. Though technically linked to a minor Baron family, she had been born from a concubine and held no influence in noble society. Meanwhile, the Viscountess—the legal wife—came from a powerful Count's household. She held authority not only over the estate but also over the women and children within it.
Thus, Jeffrey was born into a life of suppression.
He was noble by blood yet treated worse than a commoner.
At the age of ten, Jeffrey enlisted himself in knight training. It was his only hope of protecting his mother and himself from the cruelty of the household. But even there, he faced relentless hardship. His birth marked him as lesser, and fellow noble children took every opportunity to belittle and torment him.
He became an outcast—mocked, disregarded, humiliated.
Within the Middleton estate, concubine-born children were often targeted by the Viscountess. Their mothers lived in constant fear, unable to resist due to their inferior status. Jeffrey's mother was no exception.
And the Viscount, his own father, turned a blind eye to all suffering.
Jeffrey learned early that the world was cruel, and the only way to survive was to become strong—strong enough to carve out a place where neither he nor his mother could be stepped on again.
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>>>>>The Rise of a Prodigy
Despite the discrimination, Jeffrey's time in knight training shaped him. He pushed himself far beyond the limits expected of children his age. Every insult fueled him. Every humiliation strengthened his resolve.
At seventeen, he defied all expectations and became the Knight Captain of the Golden Falcon Squad, the division responsible for personally guarding the Crown Prince. He became the youngest Knight Captain in his generation—the first sign of his extraordinary potential.
His efforts were finally acknowledged when he risked his life to protect the Emperor during an assassination attempt. As a reward for his loyalty and bravery, the Emperor granted him the noble title of Baron.
Almost overnight, Jeffrey's reputation soared.
Nobles who once openly scorched him now scrambled to gain his favor. Yet from the shadows, jealous eyes watched his every move, waiting for an opportunity to tarnish his rising reputation.
But Jeffrey had endured far worse than noble scheming.
He refused to falter.
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>>>>>War at the Western Border — Awakening of a Swordmaster
When a decree ordered him to join the Crown Prince on the western frontlines, Jeffrey did not hesitate. As the Knight Captain in charge of the Prince's protection, it was his sworn duty.
Many nobles believed he would die.
Even the Viscount and Viscountess expressed no objection. To them, Jeffrey's death would eliminate the threat he posed to their legitimate children's reputations.
But that assumption would become their greatest mistake.
The battle at the western border lasted four long years. The Empire struggled to subjugate the notorious barbaric tribes that had terrorized their lands. During those brutal campaigns, Jeffrey faced an unending cycle of ambushes, skirmishes, and assassination attempts targeting the Crown Prince.
One such attempt nearly ended his life.
But it was in that life-or-death moment that Jeffrey awakened as a Swordmaster.
Not only did this awakening shift the momentum of the war, but it also cemented him as a prodigy unparalleled in the Empire's long history.
He became the youngest Swordmaster ever recorded—long before reaching adulthood.
The war ended in victory soon after.
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>>>>>The Commander and the Name He Earned
Upon their triumphant return, the Emperor showered Jeffrey with praise and gratitude. At the age of twenty-one, he was promoted to Commander of the Imperial Army, and his noble rank rising from Baron to Marquis.
As a War Hero, he was granted the right to choose his own marriage—something rarely permitted to high-ranking nobles. The Emperor respected him deeply, recognizing both his strength and his character.
But there was one request Jeffrey desired more than any other.
His name.
The name Jeffrey Zenon Middleton was tied to years of humiliation, cruelty, and a past he no longer wished to bear. His mother had once hoped to name him Asterion, a name inspired by the stars—a name she believed would bring light to his life. But the Viscount had rejected it, deeming it "too grand" for a concubine's son.
Now, Jeffrey—no longer bound by the Middleton household—wanted to reclaim the name originally meant for him.
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