Coming-of-Age Ceremony

My Coming-of-Age Ceremony was quite the event. As Fili's only son and prophesied savior of Demacia, nearly all the dignitaries of Silver City were in attendance, including the King.

Celebrities from other towns also sent representatives with gifts. My previously empty mansion was suddenly filled with people, their cheers, congratulations, and chatter blending into one.

Fiora, the renowned sword master of the Laurent Family, naturally couldn't miss it. Today, she broke her usual habit and didn't wear her training clothes. Instead, she wore a sea-blue formal dress, and her short hair had been meticulously styled by a servant, making her breathtakingly beautiful.

I approached the King to greet him and inquire about Prince Jarvan's whereabouts. The King's answer surprised me:

"I haven't seen him since he lost to you in that match. He must have gone out to train, ashamed of his own incompetence. It's a good thing for young people."

The Prince ran away? Did this training lead him to become the hero he is today?

If my background story is correct, he also met the Dragonblood Warrior Sivir. I never expected that I would be the one to facilitate all of this. How interesting!

Garen also came to offer his congratulations on behalf of the House of Lightshield, along with his inseparable tag-along, Lux. Today, she wore a pink gown, looking like a princess ready for a ball:

"Happy birthday, Leivo! You're an adult now. You're two months older than me, so I guess I have to call you 'brother.' It's a shame you'll be serving in the army when my Coming-of-Age Ceremony happens, so you can't congratulate me."

"Don't worry, if there's no war, I'll definitely come back to attend your ceremony!"

"Really? That's great!"

Lux was overjoyed. Already innocent and lively, she now looked as adorable and endearing as a little bird that had just learned to fly.

When I looked at Garen, I noticed a hint of amusement in his eyes. I wondered what he was thinking, and then he pulled me aside to reveal his intentions:

"What do you think of Lux?"

"She's very beautiful and has excellent social graces. She certainly carries herself like a lady of the House of Lightshield."

"Do you like her?"

"I think everyone likes her, don't they, General Garen?"

"Hahaha, once this war is over, if you return safely, I will propose to Lord Fili on your behalf. You two are a perfect match!"

So, Garen wanted to set us up!

"Brother, what are you two talking about? Lord Fili is looking for you!"

Lux, who had spotted us from a distance, called Garen over, leaving me bewildered.

Being able to obtain a beauty like Lux, who could topple kingdoms, was something many people dreamed of. However, I was not one of them.

In my eyes, she was just a pretty girl, no different from fine jade or fresh flowers.

Fortunately, Garen mentioned "after the war," so I had plenty of time to figure out how to refuse.

Sage Tabor also brought people with him. I was surprised that, at his advanced age, he personally came to attend my Coming-of-Age Ceremony. He walked with trembling steps and brought me gifts and a prophecy:

"Child of the Laurent Family... the gods... have once again... brought me... revelations about you: A lone warrior... fights, an enraged giant... wails."

"Respected Sage Tabor, what does this mean?"

"I... don't know either. It's literal. The lone warrior... should refer to you. The enraged giant... I'm not sure. It should be related to... the Giant Stone, which is the gift I'm... giving you."

The old man painstakingly took a small box from his pocket:

"This stone... is a treasure... passed down through generations of the Tabor family... My ancestors said... it held... a secret, but... after so many years... no one has discovered it. Therefore... I'm giving it to you. I hope you... can find something."

Sage Tabor took a long time to say just those two sentences.

The Giant Stone he gave me was a crystal-clear, round stone, very beautiful. Although it was called a Giant Stone, it was only about the size of an egg and came in an exquisite small box. I thanked him, closed the box, and handed it to Noviya.

There were nearly a thousand other gifts, large and small. Since I didn't know any of the attendees, I politely made small talk and brushed them off. Even so, it took a full half-day.

The ceremony began at noon. I read the oath of loyalty to Demacia and my family, which I had long memorized. Then, Fili presented me with a ring inlaid with a green emerald. Finally, the tedious ceremony concluded amidst the cheers of the crowd.

Next were the banquet and the ball. Fiora accompanied me as I toasted the distinguished guests and made introductions, though I had no intention of remembering them.

By the time the banquet ended and all the guests had departed, it was already evening. As I was about to head back, I noticed a carriage parked not far from the main gate, still there. I wondered what was going on.

The carriage was small and exquisite, pulled by a little white horse that was pure white with not a single dark hair. It was incredibly beautiful!

As I was wondering whose carriage it was, a small head suddenly popped out from inside. It was Lux.

"Lux? Why didn't you go back with General Garen?"

"Can you come up, Leivo? I have a few things I want to tell you."

Seeing her melancholic expression, I didn't know what had happened, so I got into the carriage. "What is it?"

"There are two things. First, thank you for keeping my secret about being able to use magic. Second... Second, my brother drank too much today, and I overheard him talking about an arranged marriage between our families, meaning between you and me. Would you agree?"

I didn't know why Lux was asking this, nor what answer she wanted to hear, but my feelings wouldn't change:

"I don't want to get married yet. I just want to defend Demacia. For now, I think we're better suited as friends."

After hearing my answer, Lux was first disappointed, then became happy:

"Oh, is that so... Right, I also think we're better suited as friends. It's all my brother's fault for making such foolish arrangements. By the way, Leivo, I heard you're not leaving until the day after tomorrow. Can I ask you out tomorrow?"

"Of course, it would be my honor."

"Okay, I'll head back now. I'll come pick you up tomorrow."

"But where's your coachman?"

"You don't know yet, do you? My Angel is very smart. She can understand me, so she doesn't need a coachman at all."

The little white horse neighed upon hearing its owner's praise, looking very proud, as if it could truly understand human speech.

Since that was the case, there was nothing more to worry about. After seeing Lux off, I returned to my room to rest.

The next morning, she arrived as promised, having Noviya call me out:

"Hi, Leivo!"

"Morning, Lux. Where are we going?"

"You'll know in a moment. Let's go!"