My name is Luthren the Second, of house Marner, a noble lineage heeding the title and rank of Viscount in the Empire.
Two days ago, I had enough concerning the abuse I received from my family. Even the peasants under our house were seen at times to be making fun of me.
I was seen as a disgrace to our lineage, being unable to properly wield our gifts for Vice Manipulation. I could barely compete with those of lower birth in our family.
So I decided that I will do something drastic, using the forbidden book I had found during a goblin raid some months back.
I had studied it for a bit but got impatient, I decided to risk it with what knowledge I had which I judged to be enough.
Worst case was that I would die and everyone would be grateful that the waste in the family was finally gone forever.
To my surprise it all worked out, while not as I imagined it. Here I was taking care of the egg or offspring of a great beast slaved to my will.
All I had to do was make sure that it was kept safe and that it grew well. I had barely any loyal followers save for a few.
All of them were of course of lowly birth, my rivals made sure of that since any higher would be a waste to the family. But I'll make do with what I have.
Since then I have been sneaking out of the house and away from the prying eyes of the guards to take care of the egg. I hid it in our of my peasant households since it was the only safe place I could think off.
Safe and easy to reach just in case anything happens. I constructed a small nest for it and have been studying on how to care for beasts.
I was mostly left alone in the family unless some event or time were I was needed, usually was when all the looks and belittlement would arrive.
Since I didn't know what beast I had summoned, I decided to go for the general way of taking care of beasts.
I compiled a list of things to buy and gave it to Pracarious, my butler. I handed him over 10 gold coins just to make sure he got the best materials.
I needed some Vice Crystal's, a few rune heating cards. Those will be the most expensive, some materials for a medicinal bathe and a place to house and feed it once it starts growing bigger.
" Young master, it is time for training. " A knight of our household said to me as I was going through the preparations I would need longterm for the beast.
" I'll meet you there Ser Chris " I replied to him, dismissing him from the library. Ser Chris was one of the many knights who had pledged themselves to my house.
He took a more neutral look on things and saw to it that I received some physical training to better increase my chances of competition.
In his words, " I was from the bloodline of the family, there was no need to assume only the worst from me ".
I shook my head briefly and soon hurried to the training grounds, it was mostly empty since he usually dismissed anyone once it was time for me to train.
" Are you ready Young Master? " He asked as I took up a wooden sword weighing more than an iron sword. I was already getting used to the weight after months of holding it.
" Feels almost light " I said to him with a light chuckle.
He smiled in return to me before soon assuming a serious face, I went closer to him and took my posture.
" Form 1 " He ordered.
I swung from over my head, raising the sword and bring it down with full force.
" Form 2 " He ordered next, circling around me to watch my movements.
I raised the sword in a blocking gesture, pointing it to the ground and using my other hand to reinforce the weight behind it. It ended with it resting the flat end upon my other arm.
" Form 3 " He said, side stepping a bit far from me to provide some distance.
Quickly I transitioned from a blocking stance to an attack stance, being my sword with full force towards the air.
" Remember, we are not dueling the air. Focus your mind, imagine someone else in front of you. Fight the person, kill the person " Ser Chris instructed.
" What is the essence of combat " He asked me.
" To kill the enemy " I replied, maintaining my current posture.
" Form 2 " He ordered as I switched posture, forming the blocking posture.
" Why is it not to protect?" He asked.
" Because you cannot win a fight if you focus on protecting someone, you must attack. " I replied, recalling his previous lessons.
" What is the best way to protect someone? " He asked once more.
" To kill whoever threatens their life. " I replied.
" Does that mean that the best way to defend someone is to attack your enemy " He asked again, adding another order to switch forms.
" No, that would simply get you killed especially with an overwhelming enemy " I replied, changing my forms.
" So when can you apply what I have told you" He asked
" In combat, when my sword clashes with the enemy. " I replied, imagining the scenario before me.
" Good, at ease. Sheathed your sword, go pick up a shield and start running " He ordered towards me.
I did as he ordered, picking up a wooden shield as I soon begin running around the training hall. This was weight training.
We continued like this for the next 3 - 4 hours before he finally dismissed me, by then I was so tired and hungry that I could pass out.
I went to get something to eat from the kitchen, always avoided asking the general maids of the house to do it since it aways alerted my siblings.
I can't really trust then especially since they tried poisoning me on certain occasions, I could never do that since their food is always watched by trusted subordinates.
Plus poisons are hard to come by with eyes everywhere. Once I had my meal, I went to bed and slept for a few more hours before going to check up on the egg.
My movements concerning the egg shouldn't be too eye-catching to warrant the eyes of my family and rivals, best case is they assume I got a pet for myself if they find out about it.
I had Lara lead me to her house where the egg was hidden, I wore a cloak to cover and a mask to cover my identity from the common folk.
The egg was beautiful, having scale like features and a subtle red coloring at its edges. It was black in color and seemed to have grown even large.
It might be a dragon, hopefully it is. Would make it easier to burn the whole family and it's estate to the ground.
I sat down and began redirecting Vice energy from my surroundings and body into the egg. My hope was that this was strengthening it in some way or at least was a way to feed it.
If none of those were something it was doing then at least I was making my presence known so when it hatched, it would see me as its only family.
Pracarious should be back by the next day with the materials, i should think about buying a building and some animals to feed it since it'll definitely need to eat bigger and much more as it starts growing.
Unknowingly I had slept off during the process, laying next to the egg and spending my night in the home of a peasant. I'd say that it was worth it, this was worth it.