"I will feel much better after having a good night's sleep," Lucian said. He looked at Selena, hoping she would agree to talk tomorrow if the matter she wanted to talk about wasn't urgent.
Selena hesitated, her voice soft and worried. "It is important, Lucian. It is about your future. A letter arrived today from the Ivy Rose Academy."
She took a breath and continued, "As you know, every noble must attend one of the prestigious academies for five years once they turn fifteen. It is the only way to be properly educated for your rank. Ivy Rose is one of the most famous academies on this continent, and they have invited you to their entrance ceremony."
She paused for a moment and continued,
"But you must be careful," Selena warned. "The ceremony is just a disguise; it is actually a difficult entrance test. To be accepted, you must be chosen for a specific class within one of the academy's departments. If no professor selects you, you fail the entrance entirely and cannot attend."
She stepped closer, her expression serious. "The professors must also follow a very strict set of rules. They cannot take bribes to let someone in, and they cannot fail a student just because they dislike them or have a grudge against them. This system ensures the test is fair for everyone.
Every student must rely on their own talent alone. Because of this, many commoners also take the exam to try their luck. The academy offers scholarships, so if a commoner is talented enough to get in, they can study for free. For them, graduating from Ivy Rose means they are set for life."
Selena looked at Lucian and let out a long sigh. "I just wanted to ask if you want to go. You have been sick for so long and have missed your chance to socialize with other nobles. I think it would be a good opportunity for you. Earlier, I was planning to reject the invitation, but since you have started to recover, I wanted to ask for your opinion. It is okay if you don't want to go; I will not force you. I will respect your choice."
Lucian remained quiet for a moment, letting her words sink in. The room was still, except for the noise coming from outside. He knew that as a noble, he was expected to attend the academy. He had always wanted to make friends his own age, but he couldn't because of his illness. The only person he knew was Magnus, who came to play with him from time to time. He felt a rush of excitement at Selena's words.
"I understand," Lucian said with a bright smile. For a moment, he forgot all about his pain and the heavy emotions he had been feeling. All he could think about was the invitation. This would be the first time he could meet new people and live like a normal person. After suffering for so long, he finally had the chance to fulfill his wish.
But as he started to reply to Selena, something happened. His vision turned blurry, and it felt as if a heavy weight had been dropped onto his shoulders. His body grew weak. He saw Selena's lips moving, but he couldn't hear a word she said.
Then.....
Thump!
Lucian hit the floor, out cold.
"Lucian!" Selena screamed at the top of her lungs. Her voice echoed down the hallway. Hearing the cry, servants rushed from every corner of the house to see what had happened.
Ugh!
I can't move, Lucian thought to himself. My body feels so weak. Even lifting a finger feels difficult. I know this feeling, it's the same as when I got those memories from another world.
As he lay there, a ray of light hit his face. His vision began to clear. He tried to wake up but couldn't; it was as if there wasn't a single ounce of energy left in his body. He looked around and saw his family sitting a little further from his bed, trying not to disturb him.
His brother Julian, and his sister Selena, were caught in a heated argument. Even his mother and father had worried looks on their faces. Lucian tried to hear what they were saying. At first, the words were muffled, but after focusing, their voices became clear.
"He has still not completely recovered from his illness!" Julian said with an angry, worried look. "Even if the fever is gone, he is still too weak to attend the academy."
Selena paused for a moment. She couldn't argue with that. After collecting her thoughts, she replied softly, "It's not that I want to force him to go. I was only asking for his opinion when he suddenly fell down."
"But still..." Julian wanted to say more, but he held himself back. He understood Selena's intentions; she simply wanted Lucian to have a choice. He couldn't blame her for any of this. The only thing he could blame was the cruel fate that kept tormenting his younger brother.
To keep the argument from getting worse, Lucian used what little strength he had to call out to his brother and sister.
" Julian... Selena."
The voices in the room stopped instantly. The heavy tension snapped as Julian and Selena rushed to his bedside,forgetting everything about their argument.Julian reached the bed first, his heart racing, while Selena moved to the other side. Just moments ago, they had been shouting, their faces red with anger, but now all of that felt distant and unimportant. They both looked down at him, their eyes wide with concern, waiting for any sign of movement. The room was quiet now, the only sound being the steady hum of the machines and their own frantic breathing.
"Lucian! You're awake!" Selena cried, reaching out to take his hand. Her eyes were red, showing she had been crying while he was unconscious.
Julian leaned over him, his face tight with concern. "Don't try to move yet. You gave us a real scare, last night Lucian. The doctor said you just pushed yourself too hard."