Morning sunlight spread across the palace courtyard.
Luxe stood calmly, wooden sword in hand, repeating precise movements again and again.
"…Your Highness, your stance has become significantly more stable compared to previous days," Lumi said softly. "Even your transitions between movements are now smoother and more efficient than before."
Luxe didn't stop moving.
"…That is because I removed unnecessary motion and focused only on essential actions," he replied calmly. "Every wasted movement will eventually become a weakness in real combat situations."
Lumi observed him carefully.
"…Your body is beginning to adapt to your training methods, but the strain is still noticeable," she said. "You should consider alternating between physical and mana-based training to maintain balance."
"…Agreed," Luxe replied, lowering his sword slightly. "If I push one aspect too far, the imbalance will slow overall progress."
Later that day—
A palace attendant approached hurriedly.
"Your Highness, a noble family has arrived requesting an audience with you," he said respectfully. "They claim the matter is important and requires your immediate attention."
Luxe paused.
"…Who are they?" he asked calmly.
"The Astrell family, Your Highness," the attendant replied. "They arrived with proper authorization and have requested a private meeting."
Lumi's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…That is the same family we encountered in the forest recently," she said quietly. "Their timing suggests that this meeting is not a coincidence."
Luxe gave a faint nod.
"…As expected," he said. "It seems they decided to act sooner than I anticipated."
Inside the palace reception hall—
Christy stood beside her parents, her expression calm yet attentive.
"…He will come," she said quietly. "His personality does not suggest that he would ignore such a request."
Her father crossed his arms.
"…We must proceed carefully during this meeting," he said. "The Crown Prince is not someone we can treat lightly, especially after witnessing his capabilities."
Moments later—
The doors opened.
Luxe entered calmly.
The room immediately grew tense.
Without hesitation—
Christy's parents bowed deeply.
"We greet the Crown Prince of Valcrest with utmost respect and loyalty," her father said firmly. "Thank you for granting us an audience on such short notice."
Christy followed and bowed gracefully.
"We greet Your Highness, and we appreciate your willingness to meet with us today," she said calmly. "We hope this meeting will allow us to better understand your intentions."
Luxe raised his hand slightly.
"…There is no need for excessive formality in this setting," he said calmly. "You may all rise and speak freely, as this is not an official royal gathering."
They straightened slowly.
Her father stepped forward.
"Your Highness, we came here because of our encounter in the forest," he said. "Your words and actions suggested that you are preparing for something significant."
Luxe walked forward slowly.
"…And what conclusion did you reach after thinking about that encounter carefully?" he asked.
Her father hesitated briefly.
"…That you possess knowledge or awareness that goes beyond normal understanding," he replied. "And that ignoring it would be a mistake on our part."
Luxe nodded slightly.
"…Then you are already thinking in the right direction," he said. "The question is whether you are willing to act on that understanding."
Christy stepped forward slightly.
"…If what you said is true, then future events may affect not only you but also us," she said. "In that case, it would be unreasonable for us to remain uninvolved."
Luxe looked at her carefully.
"…You are correct," he said. "The future will not spare anyone simply because they chose to remain neutral."
Silence filled the room.
"…Then what do you propose, Your Highness?" her father asked. "Are you seeking cooperation, or simply testing our intentions?"
Luxe stopped.
"…Both," he replied calmly. "Because cooperation without trust is fragile, and trust without understanding is dangerous."
Christy narrowed her eyes slightly.
"…Then what must we do to earn that trust?" she asked.
Luxe gave a faint smile.
"…For now, observe and do not interfere unnecessarily with my actions," he said. "When the time comes, I will decide whether you are ready to stand beside me."
Her father nodded slowly.
"…That is reasonable," he said. "We will observe and act carefully without disrupting your plans."
Christy looked at Luxe.
"…Then I will wait for the moment when you decide to trust us fully," she said quietly. "Until then, I will remember everything you have said today."
Luxe turned slightly.
"…Good," he said. "Then this meeting has served its purpose."
After they left—
Lumi stepped forward.
"…You allowed them to approach you earlier than expected," she said. "That decision will increase political attention around you significantly."
Luxe nodded slightly.
"…That is intentional," he replied. "If they begin watching me now, I can control what they see instead of reacting later."
Lumi looked at him carefully.
"…Then your next step should focus on increasing your strength quickly," she said. "Because attention without power will eventually become a liability."
Luxe turned toward the training grounds.
"…Exactly," he said. "And I am already behind schedule compared to what is coming."
That night—
The forest once again became his training ground.
"…We begin with mana expansion today," Luxe said calmly. "The second circle is close, but not yet stable enough to form properly."
He closed his eyes.
Mana circulated—
Faster than before.
"…Increase density while maintaining structure," he muttered. "Do not allow instability to form at any point during expansion."
The first circle rotated rapidly.
"…Almost there," he whispered. "Just a little more control is needed."
Lumi observed carefully.
"…Your mana flow is becoming unstable at higher speeds," she warned. "If you push further without stabilizing, the formation may collapse entirely."
Luxe exhaled slowly.
"…Then I will slow it down and refine control before attempting the breakthrough again," he said. "Rushing now will only set me back further."
He opened his eyes.
"…Again."
The training continued.
Step by step.
Without rushing.
Without stopping.