Aeros groaned as he sat in bed, his entire body aching from yesterday's training. The system had promised progress—but all he felt was pain. He was about to roll over and enjoy another five minutes of well-earned rest when he realized something was... off.
His bedroom door was slightly open.
Aeros frowned. No one entered his room unless necessary. Servants knocked. His siblings barely acknowledged his existence. So who—
Then he felt it. A presence. A heavy, suffocating pressure that made the air still.
He turned his head slowly.
Julius Cromwell stood by the window, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
Aeros' brain short-circuited. His father—his terrifying, war-hardened, cold-as-ice father—was in his room? Why?!
"Ah—" Aeros barely got a sound out before Julius's piercing gaze cut through him like a blade.
"You slept in," Julius said flatly. "Pathetic."
Aeros blinked. That's the first thing he says?! No 'good morning'? No 'how's your training'? Just straight-up pathetic?
Julius let out a long sigh, shaking his head. "How disappointing. I thought you'd at least have the sense to be awake by dawn. But I suppose expecting that much from you was foolish."
Aeros's eye twitched. Was this some sort of reverse pep talk?
"I—" He cleared his throat. "I trained late last night."
Julius raised an eyebrow. "And? Your enemies will wait until you're well-rested before attacking? Weaklings make excuses."
Aeros clamped his mouth shut. He was pretty sure he wasn't about to be attacked first thing in the morning, but he wisely chose not to argue.
Julius exhaled sharply and turned his back to him. "Get dressed and meet me in the training courtyard. You have ten minutes."
Aeros gulped. "For what?"
Julius shot him a sidelong glance. "A lesson. Or do you intend to waste more of my time?"
And just like that, he was gone. The door shut behind him, leaving Aeros frozen in bed, still half-dazed.
"…What just happened?"
The system window popped up in front of him.
[New Task: Survive Your Father's Training]
[Objective: Endure whatever insane test Julius throws at you.]
[Reward: ???]
[Failure: Crippling Disappointment]
Aeros stared at it blankly. Then he groaned into his pillow. What was his father's deal?!
In the Courtyard, Aeros stared at his father, Julius, with a mixture of dread and confusion. This man was known as the Iron Fang of Aetherion, a war hero whose presence alone sent seasoned knights into a cold sweat. And here Aeros was, standing before him in the training courtyard, completely unprepared for whatever madness was about to unfold.
"You are weak," Julius said flatly. "That ends today."
Well, good morning to you, too. Father. Aeros sighed inwardly. The situation had gone from bad to worse in record time. Not only had he woken up in a world he didn't recognize, in a body that wasn't his, but now he was expected to fight his absurdly strong father? Could this day get any worse?
"I'll give you three chances," Julius continued. "Defeat me in one round, and I will acknowledge your growth."
Aeros nodded hesitantly. That sounded reasonable…until his father tossed him a wooden training sword that felt way too heavy. Oh great, this is gonna be humiliating.
And standing off to the side, arms crossed, was Eleanor "Ellie" Cromwell, his so-called childhood friend and distant cousin. She watched with amusement, a smug grin plastered across her face.
"This is going to be hilarious," she said, shaking her head. "Try not to embarrass yourself too much."
Aeros barely had time to blink before Julius vanished from sight.
Then—
BAM.
Aeros was flat on his back, staring at the sky, wondering if he had just died.
"What…just happened?" he croaked, struggling to sit up.
Ellie's laughter rang out like a bell. "Oh gods, that was pathetic! Did you even see him move?"
Aeros groaned as the system window popped up in front of him.
[Skill Acquired: First-Hand Experience in Getting Destroyed]
He wanted to cry.
Julius crossed his arms, looking as unimpressed as ever. "You have a terrible stance, zero awareness, and no combat instincts. Are you even my son?"
Aeros coughed, trying to recover his dignity. "I—I wasn't ready!"
Julius sighed. "Excuses."
Ellie smirked. "Come on, Aer, even I could do better than that. And I'm not the one fighting the strongest warrior in the kingdom."
Aeros clenched his fists. Okay, that's it.
From a shaded pavilion overlooking the training grounds, a woman watched with quiet amusement.
Lady Selene Cromwell, Julius's second wife and the mother of his eldest son, was a striking beauty with silver hair and sharp violet eyes. Unlike Julius, her demeanor was warm, though tinged with a quiet sadness whenever she looked at Aeros.
She had never been particularly close to him—not out of dislike, but because of the tense nature of noble households. Still, as she watched Aeros struggle against Julius, a small smile played on her lips.
"Looks like he's inherited more than just his Mother's stubbornness," she murmured.
Beside her, Adrian Cromwell, Aeros's eldest brother, leaned against the railing, arms crossed. "He's still weak," he said, though there was no cruelty in his tone. "Father's not going easy on him."
Selene chuckled softly. "Julius never goes easy on anyone."
As Aeros stood up, Ellie's teasing continued. "Are you sure you don't need a pillow? That fall looked painful."
"Ellie, I swear…" he grumbled, shaking his head.
Julius lifted his wooden blade again. "Again."
Aeros focused. This time, instead of blindly rushing in, he tried to watch Julius's movements.
His father lunged.
Aeros barely managed to dodge—not gracefully, but enough to avoid an immediate knockout. He quickly swung his sword, only for Julius to block it effortlessly.
Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Huh. Not bad."
Julius, however, wasn't as impressed. "Your reaction speed is still abysmal."
Aeros gritted his teeth. "I—I dodged, didn't I?"
His father's response was to sweep his legs out from under him.
BAM.
[Skill Upgraded: Basic Combat Instincts (Lv. 1 → Lv. 2)]
Lying on the ground for the second time, Aeros wheezed. "I hate this."
Ellie leaned over him, smirking. "That was slightly less embarrassing."
Aeros groaned. "Glad I could entertain you."
Selene, still watching, couldn't help but chuckle at Aeros's frustration. "He's growing," she murmured, her eyes soft with something close to pride.
Aeros pushed himself up, his body screaming in protest. He knew he wasn't strong. He knew he wasn't fast. But something inside him refused to give up.
He exhaled. Focus.
Julius moved again. But this time—
Aeros saw it.
A flicker of instinct surged through him. His body moved on its own.
Instead of dodging outright, he redirected the force of Julius's attack, spinning just enough to absorb the blow without taking full damage. He countered with a precise strike—
Julius blocked it, of course. But his expression finally shifted.
Ellie gasped. "Did he just—?"
For the first time, Julius had to parry seriously.
They exchanged blows, Aeros moving far sharper than before. His muscles burned, but his body felt lighter, more responsive. He felt…alive.
Then, just as quickly as it started, Julius ended the fight with one swift motion, disarming Aeros in a heartbeat.
Silence filled the courtyard.
Ellie's jaw had officially dropped. "What the hell?"
Aeros panted, looking up at his father, who was staring at him with a blank expression.
Selene's lips curled into a knowing smile. He's stronger than you thought, isn't he, Julius?
Then, without a word, Julius turned and walked away.
A system notification popped up.
[Hidden Potential Detected: ???]
Aeros collapsed, utterly drained.
Ellie looked down at him, eyes still wide. "Who the hell are you?"
Aeros groaned. "No idea. But I think I need a nap."