Worried about the possible problems the mysterious heart stone might cause for his newborn son in the future, the king decided it was time to speak directly with the one person he trusted most in such matters—Marcus Stark, the Head of the Kingdom's Medical Association.
Marcus was not just the finest healer in the Starfire Empire; he was also one of the king's closest friends. As luck would have it, he lived right next to the royal castle in the grand headquarters of the Medical Association, making it easy for the two of them to meet often. On most days, their conversations were lighthearted—talking about new happenings in the kingdom, sharing ideas, or simply spending time together as old friends.
But today was different.
This time, the king was not coming over for friendly conversation or casual updates. He came as a concerned father, carrying the heavy worry of what the future might hold for his newborn son, the little prince of the Starfire Empire.
As was their usual custom, the two first met in a way that seemed completely ordinary to anyone watching.
That afternoon, Marcus made his way to the king's castle just as he had done countless times before. Passing through both the outer and inner sections of the palace, he moved freely without question. Being the Head of the Medical Association and one of the king's closest companions, Marcus was well known and respected by everyone in the castle. Guards, servants, and attendants alike greeted him warmly as he passed, offering polite words such as, "Good afternoon, sir," and "Hello, Sir Marcus."
No one gave his visit a second thought. To all who saw him, it appeared to be nothing more than another routine meeting between two old friends, as natural and familiar as any other day.
Meanwhile, the king was waiting in the great royal garden, seated in a beautiful white chair beside a finely decorated table laid out with afternoon snacks and tea. Sunlight filtered softly through the trees as he calmly sipped from his cup, looking as composed as ever—until he noticed his old friend approaching.
As Marrus approached, the king set down his teacup and greeted him with a warm smile. "Ah, Marrus, there you are. How goes everything, my friend? I hope the physicians in your halls have not worked you too hard today."
Marcus let out a small laugh as he took the seat across from him. "Nothing I cannot handle, Your Majesty. Though I must say, healing the kingdom is far easier than keeping all my young apprentices from making foolish mistakes."
The king chuckled at that, shaking his head. "Then it seems we both carry heavy burdens—you with your apprentices, and I with my court ministers."
For a while, the two old friends let the conversation remain light and easy, speaking of small happenings in the kingdom, amusing stories from the palace, and the everyday troubles of their work. Between words, they enjoyed the afternoon spread before them—warm tea, fresh pastries, and delicate snacks—allowing themselves a brief moment of peace before turning to the more serious matter that weighed on both their minds.
At first, it seemed like nothing more than two old friends sharing tea and passing the afternoon in casual conversation. Their laughter blended easily with the quiet sounds of the garden, and to any observer, the meeting appeared perfectly ordinary.
But slowly, the warmth faded from the king's face. His smile disappeared, replaced by a grave and troubled expression, as though the weight he had been hiding could no longer be concealed. Turning toward Marrus, he lowered his voice and said, "That is enough of the act, my friend. We are fully secure now—no one will be able to overhear what is said from this moment on."
With that, the king gently clapped his hands.
At once, a magical circle sprang to life around them, shimmering faintly before becoming nearly invisible to the naked eye. It was a barrier so finely crafted that only the most highly trained eyes or the strongest magic users could even detect its presence. Yet at the very top of the hidden seal glowed the unmistakable crest of the Starfire Empire, a mark that warned even the boldest of masters that none might dare cross into the protected space without the king's direct permission.
Marrus stared at the barrier in open astonishment, his eyes widening as he sensed the immense power woven into it.
The king noticed his friend's expression and allowed himself the faintest smile. "Beautiful, isn't it?" he said, a hint of pride in his voice. "It took me quite a lot of effort to set it up."
"Now, enough of the chit-chat—let's get to the real reason I called you here, shall we?" the king said, his voice still carrying a casual edge, though the concern beneath it was impossible to miss.
"Yes, my king. I know why you have called for me," Marrus replied, bowing his head slightly in respect before straightening again.
The king leaned forward, his expression growing heavier as he set aside all pretense of light conversation. "Then let us speak seriously, Marrus, my friend. I want to know everything we have discovered about the Heart Stone so far—and how it may affect the future growth and development of my baby boy."
Though he tried to keep his voice steady, the worry of a father fearing for his son could be clearly heard in every word.
Marrus let out a slow breath before answering, his tone calm but thoughtful. "All right, then—here is what we know so far. The Heart Stone is still a complete mystery to us, and much about it remains beyond our understanding. But what we have discovered is that it is acting like a small mana generator inside the prince's body. It is constantly feeding tiny traces of mana into him every second of his existence, gently strengthening his mana circuits and improving his natural reserves without requiring any effort from the prince himself. I must admit… it is something truly extraordinary."
The king frowned, his fingers tightening slightly around his teacup. "It cannot all be good news, can it?" he asked, the worry in his voice impossible to hide.
Marrus gave him a measured look and nodded faintly. "For now, strangely enough, it is. At present, the Heart Stone seems to function as nothing more than an extra mana-producing organ fused into the prince's body. It is not harming him in any visible way. But as for the future…" He paused, his expression darkening just a little. "Who can say? We can only hope for the best and pray that nothing dangerous awakens as he grows."
Those words settled heavily between them.
After a long silence, the king finally closed his eyes and accepted the truth for what it was—an uncertain fate beyond even his power to command. Whispering a quiet prayer to the heavens for his son's safety, he rose from his chair, thanked his old friend for his honesty, and bid him farewell before returning to the castle to spend the rest of the evening with his family.