The dim hallway echoed with the tense conversation between father and son. The door was slightly ajar, and Lord Scorch's voice boomed, "How could you make this decision without considering the consequences?"

"I did consider them, Father. This is my final decision," Rowan replied, his eyes resolute but avoiding direct contact with Lord Scorch's fierce gaze. His stance was firm, exuding an unexpected confidence.

Lord Scorch sighed heavily, his voice tinged with weariness. "Fine. Do whatever you want. I’ll give you time to rethink this. I hope you come to your senses."

Rowan's eyes hardened. "My answer won't change, not today, nor tomorrow, Your Majesty." With that, he turned and exited his father's study, leaving the oppressive atmosphere behind.

Rowan Scorch, the 14th child of the Scorch family, was only thirteen but already bore the weight of his family's disdain, particularly his father's. His father feared that Rowan, despite his initially apparent lack of magical ability, would someday seek the throne and wouldn't hesitate to kill for it. Rowan's nature had been cold and serious since childhood, but as he grew, he discovered his latent magical abilities—an unprecedented, formidable power that set him apart even more.

As Rowan walked down the dim hallway, his posture was straight, and his expression was cold. Suddenly, he noticed a young girl hiding behind a pillar. She appeared younger than him, with striking red eyes and hair, dressed in the uniform of Arcane Haven Magic Academy. He stopped and studied her intently.

*Who is she?* he wondered. *She must be from the Scorch family with those red features, but what is she doing here in the academy uniform?*

Before he could say anything, the girl stepped forward, her hands nervously fidgeting. "I... I need to tell you something important," she stammered.

Rowan's eyes narrowed, and his expression remained icy. "What is it?" he asked, his voice cold and impatient.

The girl took a deep breath and, in a rush of courage, blurted out, "I love you!" She immediately closed her eyes, as if bracing for his response.

Rowan was taken aback, the words echoing in his mind. He steadied himself against a nearby table, overwhelmed by the unexpected confession. The girl, seeing his reaction, bolted back behind the pillar.

"Wait! Who are you?" Rowan called out, his voice commanding, but the girl had already disappeared, her words lingering in the air.

Shaken but resolute, Rowan returned to his father's study. "Your Majesty, I've reconsidered. I want to attend the magic academy," he said urgently.

Lord Scorch raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Hmm. I expected as much. But why the sudden change of heart?"

"Because I realize that I cannot achieve my potential studying privately. It would be better to explore new horizons. And I am the rightful heir to the throne," Rowan declared, his tone serious and unwavering.

Lord Scorch's face contorted with a mix of anger and frustration as he processed his son's words. Rowan smirked slightly, relishing the moment, and left the study, leaving his father to stew in his conflicting emotions.

**Arcane Haven Academy**

Rowan walked into the bustling lunch hall, his posture straight and proud. He scanned the room for an empty table, preferring solitude over company. As his gaze wandered, he was taken aback to see the same girl he had encountered in the hallway—the girl who had inadvertently inspired his decision to attend the academy. Despite the flicker of happiness he felt, his expression remained cold and stoic.

He approached the table where the girl sat, casually eating an apple. She was flanked by two other girls, all laughing and chatting. Rowan couldn’t help himself; he walked over and stood before her. The girl, mid-conversation, turned and looked up at him with a dismissive glare.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked rudely, still chewing her apple.

Rowan stood firm, his confidence unwavering. He lowered his head slightly in a show of respect. "Rowan Scorch," he replied.

She laughed mockingly. "And why are you here?"

"I wanted to ask you something," Rowan said seriously. "Are you the same girl who said 'I love you' to me in the hallway of Scorch State yesterday?"

The girl sighed dramatically and then burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. She turned to the girl on her right. "Did I say anything like that?"

"No, you didn’t," her friend replied, smirking.

She then asked the other girl, "Did I say something like this?"

"No, you didn’t," the second girl echoed, grinning.

The girl looked back at Rowan, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Then it means you’re a liar," she declared loudly, mocking him.

The whole hall erupted in laughter, everyone joining in to make fun of Rowan. His face reddened with embarrassment, but he maintained his composure. A boy stood up from a nearby table and sneered, "If you love her, why didn’t you say it clearly? Why lie? Look, I’ll teach you how it’s done, baby boy. Watch and learn."

"Seraphina, I love you!" he declared sarcastically, earning more laughter and a thumbs-up from the girl.

Rowan's patience snapped. He turned around, his face expressionless, and fixed his gaze on the boy. The boy smirked, "Now what—" he didn’t finish his sentence as Rowan summoned his fire magic, lifting the boy into the air.

"What’s the meaning of this?" the boy shouted, struggling. Other boys tried to intervene, but Rowan, in a fit of rage, threw anyone who got in his way.

"Stop it, please! It hurts! I’m sorry!" the boy cried out, his bravado gone.

Seraphina, the girl, couldn’t watch any longer. She stood up and used her own fire magic, which was much weaker than Rowan's. Her attack struck Rowan’s hand, making him turn towards her, anger blazing in his eyes. But as he saw her trembling, his anger subsided. He released the boy and exited the lunch hall, his expression unreadable.

"Are you alright, Carl?" students gathered around, helping the boy to his feet. But Seraphina remained standing, lost in thought.

*Why didn’t he...* she wondered, the question lingering in her mind.

Rowan walked through the dimly lit hallway, Seraphina's face haunting his thoughts. A fleeting smile crossed his lips before vanishing into a mask of detachment. Inside the classroom, Seraphina struggled to grasp the teacher's lecture, her mind wandering in confusion. Leaning toward a nearby classmate, she whispered urgently, "What is—"

"Seraphina!" the teacher's stern voice interrupted, cutting through the quiet murmurs of the classroom. "Do you not understand the rules? Why are you whispering?"

"I... I don't understand the lesson," Seraphina admitted, her voice barely audible above the teacher's reproach.

"Out," the teacher commanded, his frustration palpable.

Anger flared within Seraphina as she muttered under her breath, "Damn teacher."

Meanwhile, Rowan noticed the commotion from outside the classroom and approached the teacher with a calm demeanor. "May I be excused?" he asked politely, his status as one of the school's top students granting him a certain level of leniency.

The teacher, acknowledging Rowan's standing, nodded reluctantly. As Rowan stepped into the hallway, he spotted Seraphina, still muttering to herself in frustration. A faint smile touched his lips, but before he could respond to her presence, she turned sharply towards him.

"Why the strange smile?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing as she caught him off guard.

"You— I'm talking to you, mister!" she continued, frustration evident in her voice. Rowan remained silent, his usual aloofness masking any reaction to her outburst.

"Hey, I'm exhausted," Seraphina sighed, her tone softening slightly as she spoke. "Bend down."

Rowan arched an eyebrow, unsure of her request. "What?" he responded coolly, not immediately grasping her intentions.

"Bend down, like a chair," Seraphina clarified, her voice tinged with both annoyance and amusement.

Rowan hesitated for a moment, weighing his options before complying with her unexpected demand. Seraphina wasted no time, seating herself on his back with a mischievous grin. "Am I heavy?" she asked playfully, her earlier irritation momentarily forgotten.

"No," Rowan replied quietly, his stoic expression softening imperceptibly at her playful demeanor.

"You've dirtied your clothes, Rowan," she remarked casually, a hint of fondness in her voice as she used his name. His reaction did not go unnoticed.

"Thanks for letting my feet rest," she added with a small smile, standing up and brushing herself off.

"Now it's my turn. I don't want to owe you any favors," Seraphina declared, her tone firm as she straightened her clothes. Bending down, she patted her back. "Come on, sit."

Rowan shook his head slightly, declining her offer with a brief, "No, thanks," his tone returning to its usual detachment.

"Fine, your call. I offered, you refused. No favors owed," Seraphina said matter-of-factly, standing up and dusting herself off.

Rowan nodded silently, acknowledging her words without further comment.

"If you're not tired, can you carry me now?" Seraphina asked teasingly, attempting to lighten the mood.

Rowan didn't verbally respond, but he reached out and lifted her onto his back once more, a faint hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.

"How many siblings do you have?" Seraphina asked, attempting to divert her own boredom as they began to walk down the hallway together.

"Fifteen," Rowan replied quietly, surprising her with the number.

"Fifteen siblings? Are you serious?" she exclaimed, clearly taken aback. "I only have one, and he died at birth. So, I'm the oldest," she explained, her voice tinged with sadness.

Their conversation was interrupted when Seraphina suddenly spotted Alder, a senior student known for his gentle nature and prowess as a Leaf Mage from the prestigious Verdant family. Without hesitation, she asked Rowan to put her down, and she rushed to embrace Alder.

"Alder!" she called out joyfully, her face lighting up as she ran to him.

"Oh, Seraphina," Alder responded warmly, enveloping her in a comforting embrace. They engaged in conversation, catching up on their day.

Meanwhile, Rowan stood back, observing them with a mixture of jealousy and resignation. "Who's he? A new friend?" Alder asked cheerfully, sensing Rowan's unease.

"Nah, he's nobody," Seraphina dismissed with a wave of her hand, causing a pang of hurt to flash across Rowan's face.

Alder leaned in to kiss Seraphina, but Rowan instinctively reached out and gripped his wrist, stopping him in his tracks.

"What's this, Rowan?" Seraphina demanded, her voice now tinged with both surprise and anger as she turned to face him directly.