chapter - 3

Three years sounded like a short amount of time when spoken aloud.

To everyone else, it was nothing.

A few seasons passing.

A few birthdays.

A few more lessons before the most important night of a young mage's life.

But for Kim Taehyung, three years was a lifetime.

Especially when every day inside the Kim Estate reminded him that he was waiting for something the rest of the family had already decided he would fail.

The closer he got to fifteen, the more the whispers followed him.

They had always existed.

But now they had changed.

Before, people ignored him because he was unwanted.

Now, they watched him because they were curious.

Curious to see what kind of magic would appear from someone they had already decided had no value.

The Kim Clan believed blood carried everything.

Talent.

Power.

Honor.

A person's future was written before they were even born.

And Taehyung's birth had always been considered an inconvenience in that story.

"Imagine if he reveals something weak."

The voice came from behind him as he walked through the corridor carrying a stack of old books.

He recognized the voices immediately.

Joon-ho.

And the other young heirs.

They never lowered their voices when speaking about him.

They wanted him to hear.

"I don't think he will reveal anything," another boy laughed. "Maybe nothing will come out at all."

"That can happen, right?"

"Rarely."

"Maybe that is what he deserves."

Taehyung continued walking.

His expression did not change.

That was something he had become good at.

Not reacting.

Not giving people the satisfaction of seeing their words hurt.

But inside, the words stayed.

They always stayed.

He entered the library and placed the books on the table carefully.

The library had become the only place in the estate where he could breathe.

The smell of old pages.

The silence between the shelves.

The feeling that every book contained a world where nobody cared about his family name.

Here, he was not the unwanted child.

He was simply a person searching for answers.

That was enough.

At least for now.

"You're late."

The voice made him turn.

Granny Mo stood near the shelves, holding a candle in one hand.

She was one of the oldest servants in the Kim Estate.

The only person who had ever spoken to him like he was a child and not a mistake.

"I was stopped," Taehyung answered quietly.

Her eyes narrowed.

"By who?"

Taehyung looked away.

"It's not important."

It was always his answer.

Not important.

The bruises from training accidents were not important.

The insults were not important.

The way people looked at him was not important.

Granny Mo hated that answer.

Because she knew where he learned it.

"Taehyung."

He looked at her.

"You are allowed to be hurt."

For a moment, he said nothing.

The words felt strange.

Almost foreign.

Allowed.

Nobody had ever told him that before.

"I know."

But he didn't.

Not really.

Because if he admitted he was hurt, then he would have to admit that he expected something better.

And expecting kindness was dangerous.

That night, something happened that reminded him exactly where he stood.

The Kim Clan held a small gathering for the younger heirs.

A celebration.

A tradition.

The children who would soon face Revelation were given gifts from their families.

Magical artifacts.

Ancient books.

Personal training weapons.

Things meant to show support.

Taehyung watched from the side.

Not because he was invited.

Because he was needed.

A servant had fallen sick, and Taehyung was told to help serve.

He carried plates between tables while the others received blessings.

"May your magic bring honor to our name."

"May you become stronger than the generation before you."

The words filled the room.

Taehyung lowered his eyes.

He wondered what kind of blessing he would receive.

If anyone would even say his name.

Then the head elder noticed him.

"You."

Taehyung stopped.

"Yes?"

"Come here."

The entire room became quiet.

For a brief moment, something inside him hoped.

Maybe.

Maybe today would be different.

Maybe someone would finally acknowledge him.

He walked forward.

The elder looked at him for a long moment.

Then he placed a small object in his hand.

A cleaning charm.

Something used by servants to make household work easier.

"This is enough for someone like you."

The room laughed.

Not loudly.

Not cruelly.

Almost casually.

Like his humiliation was normal.

Taehyung looked down at the charm.

It was not expensive.

Not rare.

Not meaningful.

But he held it carefully.

Because it was the first thing anyone had given him in years.

Even if it was not a gift.

Even if it was a reminder.

He bowed.

"Thank you."

The room went silent again.

Some people looked uncomfortable.

Others looked away.

Because somehow, his gratitude made their cruelty feel worse.

That night, Taehyung returned to his room and placed the charm beside his books.

He stared at it for a long time.

Then he opened his favorite book.

A book about ancient magic.

A book about powers that disappeared from history.

Powers that the world forgot.

His fingers traced the faded letters.

"Magic is not created by what the world expects from you..."

He whispered the sentence from the page.

"...it is created by what exists within you."

For the first time in a long while, Taehyung allowed himself to wonder.

What if they were wrong?

What if he was not empty?

What if there was something inside him that nobody knew about?

Outside his window, the night sky stretched endlessly.

Three more years.

Three more years until the world would finally see what lived inside him.

And for the first time, Taehyung did not wish for power because he wanted to prove them wrong.

He wished for it because he wanted one thing.

A reason to believe he had always belonged somewhere.

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