Arcane Heir: History's Strongest Mage

Michael lay in bed, staring at the ceiling long after his discussion with Melody. The conversation lingered in his mind, its weight still present. A feeling of helplessness tugged at his psyche, but his mood wasn't overwhelmingly grim.

The fact that Melody had opened up to him was a significant step forward in their relationship, altering their dynamic considerably. What had once been a connection built on the comfort of a butler and his young miss now felt more like a partnership—though not the kind of partnership they were pretending to have. No, it was a bond grounded in friendship.

To think that Mary was the King's sister... Michael sighed inwardly, a hint of unease settling in his chest.

Suddenly, everything about the attention from the young nobles in the academy made sense. Melody's relationship with Magnus, too. They were indeed cousins—Magnus being the second prince.

But that raised even more questions. Who, exactly, was Brian Winterborne? And how had he managed to marry the King's sister?

As just a lord of a city, there was no way Brian could have had the status to marry anyone from the royal family—least of all the King's sister, who held little to no power.

While Michael now had a better understanding of the political landscape, he was still missing some crucial details. But for now, this was enough.

The noble families vying for Melody's hand clearly wanted ties to the royal family. Given that tradition still required the woman to marry into the man's family, their intentions were transparent.

At least now he understood why Melody was so popular, though it didn't change much. Michael couldn't help but think bitterly, I'll still have to deal with idiots like Braydon Marbury.

His mood lightened a moment later. If he could distinguish himself in class, he might be able to avoid dealing with the lower-level nobles altogether, leaving only the big fish.

It would be challenging, no doubt, but Michael had always loved magic. Not only had he been tutored by Charles for the past three years, but he'd done so alongside Melody, a prodigy in mana manipulation.

Even she had grudgingly acknowledged his talent.

For the first time in as long as he could remember, Michael felt a new sense of confidence in his abilities. He had secured his place in the violet dorms, alongside Melody and Rudy. Professor Stark's assessment during the entrance exam had confirmed that Michael's potential had not yet reached its peak.

Having been labeled "useless" for most of his life, this was both a shock and a relief. Since joining the Winterborne household, Michael had worried that his soul had reached its limit—that he'd never rise beyond the red rings.

But now? That fear was fading.

I should probably get some sleep, Michael thought, yawning.

Sleep took him quickly, his mind and body drained after the long, exhausting day.

"Good mornin' sunshine~"

Michael rubbed his eyes, slowly emerging from his deep slumber. The familiar voice broke through the fog of sleep, though it took his mind a moment to catch up.

"Shirley?" he asked groggily.

"Huh? Who is that?" a male voice responded, clearly confused.

Michael blinked away the sleep from his blurry vision, only to find Rudy's face just a foot away, sitting at the side of his bed.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice thick with grogginess.

"Not much," Rudy replied with a shrug. "I used to wake up my little brothers and sisters like this back home."

Even in his half-awake state, Michael noticed the subtle pain behind Rudy's expression, which softened his irritation. With a small sigh, he patted Rudy on the shoulder and swung his legs off the bed.

"Are you up for breakfast? Or are you still full from last night?" Michael teased lightly.

Rudy let out a soft laugh and rubbed his stomach with a grin. "I've always got room for more food."

"Good. Our first class starts at nine, so we don't have much time," Michael said as he began rummaging through his clothes from the night before.

"Who is Shirley, by the way?" Rudy asked, his voice tinged with a subtle undertone.

Michael wasn't blind to Rudy's insinuation, but he didn't hesitate in answering. "She's someone very special to me," he replied, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips as he reminisced.

"I guess you could say she's like the big sister I never had," he added, adjusting his belt.

Rather than quip back, Rudy nodded gently. "She sounds wonderful…"

Michael turned to see his friend staring off into the distance, his gaze unfocused. Realizing Rudy was likely thinking about his own siblings, Michael walked over and nudged him. "Let's go. I'm starving."

"Y-yeah."

As they stepped out of their room, they noticed that Melody's door was closed. If they were still at the Winterborne manor, Michael would have already woken her up with tea and sweets for breakfast.

But that part of his life was behind him now.

"Michael?" Rudy asked. "Are you going to wake your girl?"

"No, I'll let her sleep in," Michael replied, lingering for only a moment. After their discussion the night before, he felt much closer to Melody—especially since they had both agreed on their roles from here on out.

They would continue to act as a couple in public, with Melody providing intel on those trying to stir trouble—helping to identify the major players in the noble circle.

At Arcadia, almost everyone had noble ties, whether through direct lineage or recruitment. It would be too much of a hassle to research every student in the academy.

For now, Braydon Marbury and Randolph Bishop were the only ones who had taken the bait. But there would be more—he was sure of it.

Speaking of Braydon… I hope we don't bump into him this morning, Michael thought with a sigh, a headache starting to form.

Planning was one thing, but executing the plan would be entirely different. Still, one thing was certain—Michael needed to grow stronger. Who knew what lengths these young scions would go to in order to secure ties to the royal family?