Chapter 1: A Dawn Without a Star
The dawn of the day was peaceful in the outskirts of the morning, where the noble Rinaldi family resided in their grand mansion. With the first rays of sunlight, the cries of new life echoed through the mansion, announcing the arrival of a new heir to the family.
Inside the lavish room, the midwife stood holding the child, wrapped in a white blanket adorned with the family's golden crest. "A strong and healthy boy, my lady," she said, smiling at the mother, Liana, the third wife of Duke Arden Rinaldi.
The child appeared strangely calm, his eyes glistening with a silver hue, as if reflecting the dawn light. His mother named him Leon.
But in the Rinaldi family, strength is not just a choice; it's a condition for survival. One week after Leon's birth, it was time for the test that all the children of the family undergo: the Mana Test.
In the Hall of Black Stone, where the magical life flame flickered on the walls, Duke Arden stood with his three wives, while Leon's five older siblings lined up beside them. Each of them possessed unique Mana abilities. Behind them, his older sisters stared curiously, while his mother trembled silently.
The midwife placed the child Leon in front of the magical crystal, a measuring tool used to detect the presence of mana in the body. Usually, the stone would glow with brilliant colors when a child touched it, indicating the type and strength of their mana.
But when Leon touched the stone, nothing happened.
The stone did not glow, and no sound was made. Silence filled the hall.
Duke Arden looked at the midwife with a scowl, then turned his gaze to the child with coldness. "Is this a joke?" he asked in a threatening tone.
The midwife shook her head in fear. "Sir, the stone does not lie... the child has no mana."
Her words shook the hall. How could the son of the Duke, from one of the most powerful noble families in the kingdom, have no magical ability? This had never happened before.
Disgusted and contemptuous looks began to appear on the faces of the other wives, while Liana lowered her eyes to the ground, afraid of what was to come.
"A son without mana... He is a disgrace to the family name." Duke Arden said coldly, as if his words were a death sentence. "He will have no place among us
That moment marked a turning point in Leon's life. A life that began as a member of a great family, yet from birth, he found himself trapped in a world of contempt and rejection