Great Journey: Whims of Fate

On the morning of Bastion's departure for the academy, he finished a hearty breakfast before being summoned to meet his parents.

"Your father would like a word with you before you leave, Young Master," Sibelle said, her tone shifting to something more serious.

"Take me to him." 

Sibelle led Bastion to the center of the castle, where Darius's study was located. In the twenty years Bastion had lived here, he had explored less than ten percent of the castle, and most of that had been just hallways.

If one analyzed it properly, Bastion had essentially lived as a captive since birth. Just because he enjoyed his time didn't mean his status couldn't be considered that of a prisoner.

Of course, he wasn't very conscious of it. He truly enjoyed his time in captivity. After all, he had gone from being a well-off father in his mid-thirties to a young man who could use magic, train his body beyond Earth's strongest athletes, dine on meals better than anything from a five-star restaurant, and live in a castle in another world, all while being served by a devoted maid who satisfied him at the slightest sign of arousal.

He was, essentially, living the life he had always dreamed of, and more. If this was how they treated prisoners, he was perfectly fine with their misconception.

Sibelle stopped in front of a pair of double doors and pushed them open slightly, gesturing for Bastion to enter. Inside, he found his father, Darius, seated behind a desk, while his mother, Esmeralda, stood behind him.

It was quite the thematic welcome.

"Bastion, come, sit," Darius said, gesturing to a chair in front of the desk.

His parents looked tense as they took in his new appearance. He looked like a younger version of his father.

Bastion took a seat as the doors closed behind him.

"You've done well with your studies and training over the years. You've made us proud," Darius began. "At the Royal Academy, you will learn more about this world than you can ever imagine. It will both shock and inspire you. All we ask is that you keep your position as heir to the Diamondhart Dukedom in mind. Can you promise us that?"

"Yes, Father," Bastion replied with a slight bow.

He figured that no matter what world-shaking revelations awaited him, being a duke in what was essentially the starting village didn't seem so bad. He wouldn't mind living this life for the next century.

"Good."

"My love... please," Esmeralda said softly, placing a hand on Darius's shoulder.

With a sigh of resignation, Darius met Bastion's eyes.

"I'm sure you have some complaints about how you were raised. You must have realized by now that you were treated differently from your siblings," he said.

Of course Bastion had noticed. He was essentially estranged from his siblings. They shared a close bond with one another but remained formal and distant with him during meals. After they left for the Royal Academy, he never saw them again, except for those who chose to stay behind and marry.

Since then, Bastion had dined only with his parents. Their conversations remained stale and perfunctory.

He was a parent himself, and he could recognize when adults were being careful of their children. There was no real warmth in their words. Only his mother ever showed hints of emotion, her eyes often clouded with pain.

"I have no complaints, father. In my personal opinion, I have been living the perfect life."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

He truly meant it as well.

"At least allow me to explain," Darius began. "As you know, the Diamondhart family descends from the hero who founded this Kingdom. What the storybooks don't mention is that all the heroes sent by the gods were beings from other worlds."

Bastion had suspected as much, but that didn't make the revelation any less shocking. If it were true, then why was their world still stuck in a medieval state? Was it simply because magic made it convenient to remain that way?

"They were brought here, raised here, and made to fight a powerful enemy. The reason they are favored by the gods is that they come with a great fate, a responsibility. This allows them to thrive where most would fail. Most of them died along the way, either fulfilling their fate or in battle against the demons, while others abandoned their duty, perhaps guided elsewhere by their fate."

"In the end, our ancestor sealed the Demon Lord and won the war. He established this kingdom and vanished soon after, leaving everything to his children. When you become Duke, you'll learn more from the private library in this room."

"The reason we've been distant toward you is because... you, too, are a hero from another world."

Bastion didn't respond. He had already suspected they knew.

His thoughts were more focused on the great fate of heroes. If he ran from this fight, another would await him. Fate was a cruel mistress after all.

"And also because we'll be leaving once you become the Duke. We may never see you again. That goes for the rest of our children as well."

Esmeralda wore a pained expression. She didn't want to leave her children behind, but it couldn't be helped, they needed to live their own lives.

"May I ask a question, Father?" Bastion said.

"Go ahead."

"Why leave the Dukedom to me? Why not Alexander? Surely he would've been a better candidate."

"He rejected the responsibility after returning from the Royal Academy. We still had enough time to have more children to replace him, so we accepted his choice, until you came along."

"And if I were to reject it as well?"

"Then we would stay and try for more children."

"I see... No need to worry, Father, Mother. I will gladly accept this responsibility, no matter what happens at the Academy. If it would ease your burden, you may bind me with a magical contract."

Magical contracts served as mediums through which promises were enforced, with consequences varying based on the contract's severity. Some were as harmless as notifying the holders of a party breaking the stipulated contract, while others imposed serious punishments such as curses or even death.

These contracts were based on psychology, meaning they activated when a party became aware that they had broken the terms. There were loopholes, such as manipulating one's own mind, but the contracts were restrictive enough that most people already considered the mental strain a form of punishment for breaking them.

They cost about a platinum coin each, so only the nobility made regular use of them.

Darius heaved a sigh of relief and was about to reach for a drawer in his desk when a sharp elbow from behind stopped him.

"That won't be necessary. We believe you," Esmeralda said firmly.

Bastion smiled slightly at the interaction.

"One last thing," Darius continued. "We believe the Demon Lord's seal will break soon. You and the other heirs will likely be the ones responsible for defeating him in his weakened state. I'm sorry for leaving such a burden to your generation, but... we have our own circumstances."

"I understand, Father. As you said, I am a hero. It's my responsibility to see it through."

"You truly make your mother and me proud, Bastion."

"Thank you, Father."

"That is all. You may go."

Bastion rose from his seat, bowed to his parents, and turned to leave, only for Esmeralda to rush forward and pull him into a hug.

"I don't care if you're from another world. You are my son. Don't ever forget that," she whispered, holding him tighter.

"I won't, Mother," Bastion said, returning the embrace.

After a moment, Esmeralda let him go, and Bastion strode out of the study.

"Young Master, your bag has been packed and is on the carriage," Sibelle said from outside the study as they walked toward the front entrance, where a carriage waited to take Bastion to the academy.

"It contains enough assorted clothing and food supplies to last your entire stay," she continued.

"What about armor and weapons?" Bastion asked.

"You've been provided with three full sets of standard Rank 1 knight's armor, three Rank 1 whip swords, and three full-body, diamond-shaped Rank 1 shields, as per your request."

"And Elyra?"

"She has been given three Rank 1 maid uniforms enchanted for comfort, flexibility, and enhanced dark magic, standard issue for shadows. Additionally, she received three sets each of Rank 1 throwing knives, twin swords, and twin daggers."

"What about other clothing?"

"Shadows require nothing beyond their maid uniforms, Young Master. However, she will be issued the academy's school uniform upon your arrival."

"I find it somewhat disappointing that shadows do not dress up. They are people too, after all. Still, I imagine mine will enjoy that freedom in time."

"As you will, Young Master."

"What about funds?"

"One hundred mithril coins, Young Master. It should be enough to last your entire stay. You are free to use it all by the time you graduate."

That was roughly enough to sustain Bastion for a millennium of comfortable living. He would not be able to eat as luxuriously as he did at home, but it would not hinder his development in the slightest.

Combined with the eight mithril coins he already possessed, it should be sufficient to sustain him through three exceedingly luxurious years.

"I'm going to miss you, Sibelle. Thank you for everything. Thank you for taking care of me all these years."

"It has been my pleasure, Young Master."

Bastion arrived at the entrance of the castle, where an armored carriage awaited, with Elyra standing beside it.

He turned to Sibelle and suddenly embraced her, a gesture she returned warmly.

Afterward, he entered the carriage, Elyra following closely behind, and set off toward the royal academy.

As the castle faded into the distance, Bastion couldn't help but feel the weight of the future ahead, one filled with both challenges and opportunities. He was ready to face whatever came his way, embracing the new chapter of his life that was about to unfold.

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