As cold, comforting water fell on Cassian's pale body, he was lost in his own thoughts.
'Fallen Prodigy, huh' he thought.
That was what people called him now.
Among Theon, Elisa, Helda, Felix, and Vivienne, Cassian had been the first to master mana... when he was just five years old.
From that day, he had been hailed as a prodigy.
At the age of twelve, he even comprehended his family's sword technique.
But before he could properly practice it, he was kidnapped by that shitty organization.
But when he finally returned, he was different.
He stopped leaving the mansion, stopped training, and mostly stayed in his room.
The only exceptions were when he had to eat or when he visited Vivienne.
People started to believe that Cassian had grown arrogant because of his early achievements.
And when Theon began making significant strides, earning the title [Rising Star],
Cassian was given the name [Fallen Prodigy.]
Cassian smirked as he thought about it.
From the game, he still remembered playing as Theon.
At first, defeating Cassian had been effortless. But later, just before his sacrifice, Cassian had grown almost as powerful as Theon.
"Well, whatever," he muttered, shrugging.
Snapping his fingers, he turned off the shower.
A short while later, Cassian emerged from his room, dressed in simple yet neat clothes.
Today was Vivienne's birthday.
And it also marked the beginning of the final phase of the tutorial.
He then looked at the clothes neatly laid out on his bed.
Cassian sighed and muttered, "Do I really have to wear that stuff?"
From one corner of the room, Sylvia nodded furiously. "Yes, Master, you have to wear that. You can't go there in the clothes you're wearing."
Cassian sighed again, 'I know that.'
He picked up the red shirt and was about to put it on, but Sylvia quickly stopped him. "Master you can't hold the shirt like that, it will get wrinkles."
"Let me help you wear it," Sylvia said with a determined look in her eyes.
Cassian was about to refuse, but seeing her determination, he stopped and just nodded.
Sylvia carefully held the shirt and instructed Cassian, "Master, take off your shirt."
Cassian nodded and removed his shirt, thinking to himself, 'Why did I even put this on if I was going to have to take it off anyway?'
As Cassian removed his shirt, his toned upper body, complete with defined abs, came into full view.
Sylvia's face immediately turned a fierce shade of red as she stood frozen, completely forgetting that she was supposed to help Cassian dress.
Cassian smirked at her reaction and snapped his fingers in front of her face.
She blinked and quickly looked at him.
With a confused expression, he asked, "Why are you zoning out? Help me already."
Her blush deepened, but she nodded and quickly got to work.
Carefully, she guided his arms into the shirt's sleeves, ensuring no wrinkles appeared.
Then she moved in front of him and began fastening the buttons one by one.
As she worked, Cassian suddenly placed a hand on her cheek.
Sylvia froze in surprise, looking up at him as his face moved closer to hers.
Her heart raced, and she instinctively closed her eyes.
However, what she expected never happened. When she opened her eyes, she saw Cassian smiling.
"You had something on your cheek, so I cleaned it off. You can carry on now," Cassian said.
Sylvia's face turned an even deeper shade of red, resembling a ripe tomato.
Cassian smirked to himself, 'It's too much fun to tease her.'
Once the red shirt was on, Cassian moved on to the black trousers, ensuring they fit perfectly.
Next, he added a black vest with intricate designs, and black polished shoes and then completing the look with two black gloves.
Sylvia looked at him with sparkling eyes and exclaimed, "You look perfect, Master!"
"Really?" Cassian asked, thinking to himself, 'I don't really like wearing such sophisticated clothes.'
He walked over to Sylvia and gently patted her head. "Thank you, Sylvia, for helping me dress."
Sylvia closed her eyes, her face lighting up with happiness as she enjoyed the moment. "Hehehe."
--------
In a luxurious black car smoothly moving along the road, two people sat in the back seat.
One was a girl with black hair and black eyes, dressed in an elegant black gown that accentuated her features beautifully.
The other was a boy with the exact opposite appearance... white hair and white eyes... sitting beside her.
Elisa glanced at her brother and asked, "How do I look, brother?"
Cassian sighed, rubbing his temples. "That's the third time you're asking. You're looking cute, Elisa," he replied, a hint of irritation in his voice.
Elisa pouted slightly at his tone but chose to remain silent.
After a moment, she asked again, "Brother, what do you think about the surprise Father mentioned?"
"I don't know," Cassian replied nonchalantly, gazing out of the window.
Just as Elisa was about to probe further, the view outside shifted, capturing their attention. A large, magnificent castle came into sight.
The structure was a blend of blue, white, and red hues, its grand design exuding regality.
Tonight, the castle was even more breathtaking as it glimmered with countless lights, decorated elaborately in celebration of Vivienne's birthday.
The car came to a smooth halt in the VIP parking area, and both Elisa and Cassian stepped out.
Having visited this place numerous times before, they already knew their way around.
Without exchanging words, they began walking toward their destination.
Reaching the grand door, they passed through and made their way down the hallway.
The path was mostly deserted since this section of the castle was reserved exclusively for the Duke's family.
After walking straight for about five minutes, they finally arrived at their destination.
As they opened the door, they were greeted by a lively scene.
The room was filled with people... nobles talking, laughing, and some indulging in drinks.
Lower-ranking nobles could be seen eagerly attempting to flatter those of higher status.
This mingling and politicking seemed to dominate the room.
Eventually, their gazes fell upon Theon and the rest of their group.
Elisa immediately walked over to join them, and Cassian followed behind.
Felix smirked when he spotted the two of them approaching.
"Heh, you're both late. Even Helda arrived before you," Felix teased.
Cassian's eyes shifted to Helda. She was wearing a sophisticated white dress that highlighted her curves elegantly.
He couldn't help but recall the endless two hours spent at the mall, giving her and Elisa dress reviews.
Perhaps that was why he had built some resistance to her curves and charm.
Helda noticed his gaze and, with a playful pout, asked the same question as Elisa earlier, "How do I look, Cassian?"
Without much thought, he replied casually, "Beautiful."
Her pout deepened at his lackluster reaction, but she didn't dwell on it too long.
Theon and Felix, meanwhile, were dressed in attire similar to Cassian's, with subtle differences.
Cassian's shirt was red.
Theon's shirt was gold.
Felix's shirt was purple.
Unlike Cassian, neither of them wore gloves, adding their own touch to their appearances.