The world of Dwarf 77, as it was known in the records of the universe. A small world, ruled by a single, vast empire. But it was an empire that wore the mask of a republic, where a president was elected every five years to rule in name only.

  This world consisted of two continents, a northern and a southern one. And the true rulers, the powers that moved the strings of fate behind the president's fragile throne, were the masters of those continents: the Five Great Families.

  Among these families, the Van der Wood family, masters of the north, was the oldest and most influential. And in the heart of their private world, in the gardens of their mansion , the story of a young child began...

  Dio world was warm, and it smelled like grass after the rain.

  At the age of five, the gardens of the Van der Wood mansion were his kingdom. He would run between the ancient oak trees that had witnessed generations of his family, hide behind rose bushes whose flowers were larger than his face, and his laughter would echo in the clean air like silver bells.

  Where is the Young Master? a warm, firm voice came from a distance. Today is a very important day!

  Dio suppressed his laughter as he hid in the hollow of a giant tree.

  An old woman appeared, her gray hair tied in an elegant bun, her face a map of gentle wrinkles. It was Mia, his servant and his nanny, and his entire world. She leaped with a grace surprising for her age over the protruding roots of the tree and looked directly down to where he was hiding.

  "Found you."

  How?! Dio shouted as he came out of his hiding place.

  Mia laughed. I have eyes everywhere. She took his hand. Come on, let's go. You won't escape now.

  As they returned to the mansion, Dio said excitedly, Will Father come today, Mia?

  Yes, Young Master. Today is your fifth birthday. He will certainly be here."

  I want to show him how strong I've become! he said, clenching his small fist. I'm going to be just like him one day.

  Mia laughed, her laughter carrying a touch of love. Of course. But first, we must wear these tight clothes.

  Dio wore his small black suit, which made him look like a miniature prince. Mia looked at him tenderly. You will break the hearts of women in the future, Young Master.

  The ballroom was a different world. It was vast, lit by thousands of crystal lights that sparkled on the high ceilings. The hushed whispers and soft laughter of the aristocratic guests were like the hum of a swarm of golden bees.

  From the perspective of a five-year-old, the place was both magical and frightening.

  The world of the dwarves was governed by two paths, and no third; two paths of fate that determined the destiny of every individual. The first path was the path of the Sorcerers, who possessed the ability to summon power from within their souls and shape reality with their will.

  Their power was measured in Circles, from the First Circle for beginners, up to the legendary Ninth Circle, which only a few geniuses throughout history could reach.

  The second path was the path of the Anvil Artisans, masters of matter, who could not use magic directly but possessed the unique talent to infuse Stone energy—the essence of the material world—into weapons, armor, and machines, transforming them into tools of legendary power.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  In contrast, the Sorcerers were completely incapable of doing so. In this world, the fifth birthday was not just a celebration; it was a day of judgment, the moment when the Resonance Stone would reveal a child's path and determine their value in the eyes of all.

  His mother, Maria, came and took his hand. She was as beautiful as a statue of ice, her silver hair cascading over her shoulders. Her smile was bright, but there was no warmth in her touch. She held his hand as if holding a piece of art she wanted to display.

  His father, Corvus, the most powerful man in the world, a legendary Ninth Circle sorcerer, stood from a distance. He looked at him and nodded coolly, a cold, evaluative gaze that held no trace of fatherly affection.

  Then, it was time.

  Silence fell over the hall. His mother led him to a platform in the center of the room. On it rested the Resonance Stone, an ancient artifact of a sacred white metal, said to reveal the essence of every child's power in the family.

  Don't be afraid, his mother whispered, but her voice was tense.

  They placed him on the cold stone. He felt all eyes on him, hundreds of eyes waiting, judging. The sound of his own heartbeat was the only thing he could hear in the suffocating silence.

  He waited.

  And waited.

  Nothing happened.

  The stone remained silent, cold, and white. It did not glow with the golden color that indicated an Anvil Artisan, nor the blue that indicated a Sorcerer's talent. It emitted no resonance.

  Whispers began to spread through the hall like wildfire. What a disgrace... Useless.. A disappointment to the Van der Wood family.

  Dio looked at his mother. The bright smile had vanished, and her face had transformed into a mask of icy anger and deep disappointment.

  Suddenly, his father, Corvus, stood up. The party is over, he said in a decisive voice that brooked no argument. "You may all leave now."

  It wasn't an announcement; it was a dismissal. It was an act of absolute rejection.

  Dio remained standing on the platform, confused, not understanding why the party had ended so suddenly. Mother, he asked in a small voice. Should I get down?

  She looked at him, her gaze empty and filled with disgust. Mia, take him.

  But I want to stay with mom and dad longer!

  Get out of my sight now! she screamed, and this was the first time he had ever heard her real voice, a voice full of hatred.

  Mia took him, gently pulling him along. As he walked, he began to cry. "Does mom hate me? What happened, Mia?

  Mia stopped in the corridor and knelt before him. She took out a handkerchief and wiped his tears. Young Master, it's impossible for your mother to hate you. No mother hates her son. She is just... sad. Just like you. It doesn't matter what happened today.

  I am sure the future holds a great deal for you."

  She took his hand, and they continued on their way. If I become a father, Dio said in a voice choked with sobs, I won't be like my dad. I will stay with my son every minute.

  Mia laughed. "Of course. You will be the greatest father in the world.

  In his room, she put him to bed and began to sing him a quiet song in her warm voice. Warm kitty, soft kitty... Little ball of fur...

  And Dio slept, escaping from his new reality into the world of dreams.

  In another room of the mansion, Maria confronted her husband. You talked so much about how talented Dio would be, Corvus said coldly. And you insisted on holding the test today in front of everyone for the first time.

  Look what happened. A scandal.

  And how was I to know he was useless?! Maria screamed, the word coming out of her like venom.

  Today, you will sleep in another room. Go.

  Breakfast became a silent ritual. His father's chair was always empty.

  His mother would sit at the other end of the table, silent and cold, like a beautiful ghost. The failure was not a passing event; it had become a permanent state, a suffocating atmosphere that filled the mansion.

  One day, Mia said they were going on a trip. He, his mom, and Mia. Was it a trip because his mom was sad?

  They rode in a flying car. His mother was there, but she completely ignored him. You're still with me, huh? she said coldly to Mia. I will always be with you, my lady. And with the Young Master.

  They arrived at another mansion at the edge of the forest. It was smaller, older, and abandoned. An adventure! Dio thought and began to run and explore. It was dirty and dark, but he didn't care.

  When he returned, he found his mother sitting on a sofa that Mia had cleaned. He sat beside her. mom , will dad come with us too?"

  She turned to him, her eyes as cold as shards of glass. Forget that man from your life. You do not have a father. Do you understand? But. "Shut up. Don't say anything. I don't want to hear anything from your mouth.

  Did... did I do something wrong ? he began to cry.

  I told you to shut up! she screamed. You are a man! Stop crying!

  He cried even more, and with him, the spirit of his childhood cried as it died.

  After her tantrum had ended and she had left, Mia quietly came and sat beside him. She took a small piece of candy she had hidden for him from her pocket.

  It's alright, Young Master, she whispered, placing the candy in his hand and patting his head. It's alright.

  It was a small touch of tenderness, a warm flicker at the beginning of his long, cold winter.