The Heir's Secret: 1-1 Nightmare

The Heir's Secret

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The youth wakes up from a nightmare and struggles to shake off lingering dread...

Info

Style: No dress-up component Required: Olive Goodwill Lv. 6 Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 1 , 1 , 1 , Blueprint: Enduring Glory

Enduring Glory

Dialogue Choices

There are no dialogue choices in this stage.

Transcript

Expand for script.

• Servant: Be careful, Master Langston!

• Anxiety is evident on the face of a plainly dressed young man as he trails behind a child who barely reaches his waist.

• Servant: Who made you angry today?

• The child stops and casts a sidelong glance at the young man, exuding a hint of authority.
• His chubby cheeks add a touch of humor to the scene.
• But the young man dares not laugh.
• He grimaces and remains silent, because the child is Master Langston, Duke Hernando's only child.

• The child pulls a long face and hands the reins to the doorkeeper before stepping into the Duke's residence.
• The doorkeeper gestures at the young man, curious about what happened. The young man shrugs.
• A gentleman donning a smart uniform and a monocle approaches them. He takes the dusty jacket off the child and replaces it with a fresh, clean one.

• Mr. Walter: How was your hunt today, Master Langston?

• The child clenches his fist.

• ???: Please stop calling me that!

• The sudden outburst surprises Mr. Walter.
• As a seasoned butler, Mr. Walter's previous experiences have prepared him well to handle sudden situations such as this with ease.

• Mr. Walter: It's my pleasure to oblige.

• Mr. Walter: Would you prefer to be addressed as 'Marquess'?

• The boy looks defeated. He shakes his head in frustration.
• Mr. Walter notices a faint shimmer of tears in the boy's slightly reddened eyes.
• The boy lifts his chin and looks straight at Mr. Walter.

• ???: I apologize, Mr. Walter. I was being stubborn earlier.

• ???: You may continue to use the name you're used to.

• The boy's answer leaves Mr. Walter feeling troubled.

• Mr. Walter: Master Langston, I could never be angry with you.

• He raises his hand to pat Master Langston's head, then awkwardly withdraws it, remembering his place as a butler.
• Mr. Walter doesn't notice the fleeting disappointment in the boy's eyes.

• In the dimly lit bedroom, muffled sobs can be heard coming from within the velvet quilt.
• The door unlocks with a loud 'click'.
• The room is silent, as though the person beneath the blanket has fallen asleep.
• The visitor moves carefully, their footfalls muffled by the plush carpet.
• She taps the blanket gently, and the sobbing resumes after a brief pause.

• Mrs. Melly: I heard about what happened, Master Langston.

• She lifts the blanket. The child's face has turned red from holding his breath.

• ???: Everyone else has a name but me!

• Mrs. Melly: A name is just a label.

• Mrs. Melly: Your name doesn't define you, Master Langston.

• Mrs. Melly's kind eyes and soothing voice seem to comfort the child.
• The boy's eyes well up with tears. He reaches out to embrace Mrs. Melly.
• Mrs. Melly's smile fades. She takes two steps back.
• The boy falls off the bed.
• Mrs. Melly kneels on the ground, her head bowed in respect like a bronze statue.

• Mrs. Melly: Have you forgotten what I told you, Master Langston?

• Mrs. Melly's voice is as frigid as the surface of a frozen lake.

• Mrs. Melly: You must believe you're invincible, Master Langston.

• Mrs. Melly: Never reveal your vulnerabilities to anyone.

• The boy clutches his swollen ankle.
• Despite his young age, he already knows the feeling of isolation, as if he's locked away in a cold, stone fortress all by himself.
• After a long moment of silence, he finally speaks.

• ???: Not even to you, Mrs. Melly?

• Mrs. Melly bows her head even lower, maintaining her silence as a sign of growing deference.
• After staring at Mrs. Melly for a while, the boy eventually climbs onto the bed, still in pain.
• He doesn't want to tell Mrs. Melly that he's injured.
• At least, not tonight.

• ???: Master Langston? Ha ha! That sounds ridiculous!

• ???: Did your parents not give you a name?

• ???: Ah, you don't have a mother, do you? I heard you've never met your father either!

• ???: His parents must have abandoned him because he's not a good boy!

• That's nonsense!
• Despite his best efforts, his father refuses to even grant him the dignity of a name.
• Why does he not have a name?

• ???: Master Cyrus?

• The rough voice pulls the youth back to reality.
• Master Cyrus...
• He has a name! His name is Cyrus Langston!
• The youth repeats the name in his mind, struggling to wake up from the nightmare.
• Still in a daze, he realizes that it's already his second year in the North.

• The sky outside the window indicates that it's not early anymore.
• Cyrus clears his throat to make sure his voice is low and hoarse before he shouts out to the soldiers outside.

• Langston: Tell Father I'll be there right away.

• Soldier: Understood!

• The youth slides off his bed and splashes cold water on his face, dispelling the lingering dizziness from his nightmare.
• Since his father brought him to the border, he has maintained a strict training regimen. This is the first time he is late for a drill.
• Because of the nightmare he just had.
• He's filled with an uneasy sense of foreboding.

• When Cyrus arrives at the training ground, the soldiers have already formed up. He salutes his father, then goes to receive his punishment.
• Cyrus knows his father will not accept any explanation for his lateness.
• Moreover, he needs to avoid talking as much as possible, at least until he can control his voice well enough.
• Because he has a secret he has to keep from everyone, including his father. One only Mrs. Melly knows.
• Hernando's only child, the future ruler of the duchy, is a girl.

• Soldier A: I want you all of you to pair up and practice! Remember, safety comes first!

• The soldier's commanding voice declares the start of the next set of drills.
• Hernando has the soldiers engage in one-on-one combat every three days to enhance their individual combat skills.
• All the soldiers are given the freedom to choose their opponents, except Cyrus.
• Hernando insists on handpicking opponents for his successor.
• Cyrus has battled Luke, a sturdy and seasoned warrior, for the past three months.

• Luke: Let's begin, Marquess.

• Luke charges straight at the youth with an unsharpened short sword.
• There is no room for courtesy. The youth faces her opponent without flinching, calmly accepting and countering every move.
• Although Luke has a lean build, his extensive experience gives him an advantage over Cyrus.
• The first time they fought, the youth was utterly powerless against him.
• But Cyrus possesses something Luke lacks - an unwavering focus.
• For the past three months, she has been analyzing Luke's attacking and defensive patterns to identify his weaknesses.
• She was almost on par with Luke the last time they fought. It won't be long before she can challenge a new opponent.

• Langston: (Luke lacks explosive strength and tires out quickly after a few consecutive strikes.)

• Langston: (He tends to defend with his right arm. I just need to wait for the opportunity.)

• Have you forgotten what I told you, Master Langston?
• The scene from her dream replays in her mind.
• Cyrus' weapon gets knocked out of her hand while she's momentarily distracted.

• Luke: You lost, Marquess.

• Cyrus bites her lip and glances at her father, who looks visibly displeased. It's obvious that Hernando didn't expect his son to lose so quickly.

• Duke Hernando: Two years of training and you still haven't learned the most important thing.

• Duke Hernando: There's no room for error on the battlefield.

• Duke Hernando: I'm disappointed in you.

• As Hernando rides away on his horse, the youth grabs her sword and turns to Luke.

• Langston: Let's try again!

• Cyrus beats Luke for the first time, but her heart remains heavy.
• She seldom feels this way and conceals her emotions when around others.
• In moments like these, Cyrus often seeks solace in the stable where Tobi, the black horse who has been her companion for years, resides.

• Langston: I'm here, Tobi.

• Tobi lifts her front hooves and greets her owner with a long neigh.

• Langston: Calm down, Tobi.

• Langston: Look at you, your mane is all tangled up.

• The youth fills a bucket with water and guides Tobi out of the stable.
• As the brush rustles against the horse's back, the anxiety and fear triggered by the nightmare begin to dissipate.
• The soldiers have completed their training and are enjoying rare leisure time in pairs or small groups.

• Soldier A: You won't believe what I saw when I was guarding the camp entrance today!

• Soldier B: Do tell! What happened?

• Soldier A: The messenger from the city came again!

• Soldier B: From Leto? If my memory serves me right, this should be his third time here.

• Soldier A: Yes! Can you believe it? The Duke's messenger was sent back without an audience all three times!

• Soldier B: We'll never understand the affairs of these noble families.

• The soldiers feeding the horses continue to chat, but Cyrus is no longer interested in listening.

• Langston: (Was the messenger who was sent back carrying a letter from Mrs. Melly?)

• Langston: (After all, my father has never liked me being close to her.)

• Langston: (Mrs. Melly...)

• The very mention of that name evokes a suffocating sensation from her dreams that engulfs her.
• Noticing her owner's uneasiness, Tobi instinctively leans in and rubs her head against her.

• Langston: Tobi, do you think I should go and clarify things?

• Tobi gazes at her owner in silence, her eyes shimmering with emotion.
• Smiling, the youth places a clean saddle on Tobi before climbing onto the horse.