Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start

The morning light streamed through the grand windows of the imperial castle, casting long beams across the pristine marble floors and the gilded edges of the corridor walls. Alex, freshly out of the bath and draped in normal-looking clothes, stepped out of his room. The intricate gold and silver wired patterns etched into the walls gleamed faintly in the light, giving the passage an air of regality.

Servants scattered about, their movements graceful but hurried as they prepared for the day's monumental events. Yet, as Alex walked past, the bustling came to an abrupt halt. Heads turned; whispers followed him.

"That's him..."

"Did you see his eyes? So sharp, so determined."

"He truly is the future of the human race."

Alex heard them, knowing full well that his image was quite good for someone who hadn't been to the imperial city much. It was as if someone had been manipulating things from the background.

He could see the castle guards moving around with strict expressions, their sharp eyes looking out for any oddity they could find. 'I guess Mother did some tweaking to the security management,' he mused inwardly as he was sure that the constant patrolling of even the castle was not something the emperor would order.

Patrolling the castle showed that there was a possibility of internal strife, as the ones inside the castle were all family members. But Vanessa didn't care about that. All she cared about was her son's protection.

'Uncle Maurice must already be regretting leaving the command of security in Mother's hands,' chuckled Alex, imagining the emperor pulling his hair as the image of the imperial family would diminish by this action.

It could be covered up with some lies, but only for the people who couldn't understand things. In the sharp eyes of old snakes from other empires who were arriving, it would be nothing but the emperor trying to confirm the fact that there really was an internal conflict in the family, which, to some extent, was the truth.

"I heard that His Majesty sees him as the future general of our armies."

It was then that Alex heard another murmur, his eyes sharpening a bit, but he paid them no mind, his stride steady as he made his way toward his mother's chambers.

Alex couldn't guess what was happening right now, so there was no use thinking about it. He was an anomaly, with no mention of him even being in the plot, so there was nothing he could find out about himself in the plot. All he could do was face the problems when they arrived.

For now, he focused on the path to his mother's room, as she had told him yesterday that she had prepared something special for him—a fitting attire for his 18th celebration.

The corridor to Vanessa's room was quieter, lined with portraits of Drakathor ancestors. Their painted gazes seemed to follow Alex as he passed, their expressions of stoicism and power a reminder of the legacy he bore.

The Drakathor Empire was a long-standing empire, after all. It was the only empire of humans that was capable of comparing to and even making the demon and vampire empires—known to be some of the strongest—think twice before attacking them. This was when humans weren't even united as one. That was how powerful the empire was.

Soon, Alex reached Vanessa's room's door, raising his hand to knock when her calm, steady voice called from within.

"Come in, Alex."

Nodding to himself, he pushed the door open, stepping into the room that exuded both elegance and restraint. The space was bathed in the warm light of the morning sun, yet it felt cool, its furnishings a mixture of luxury and regality.

By the window stood Vanessa, her back to him, her pale silver hair, which seemed to have a light blue sheen to it, catching the light as she gazed out at the castle grounds below.

He hadn't seen her after he left her covered in the blanket, as by the time he had returned from his date with Mira, Vanessa had already left the mansion with a note saying that she needed to take a look at the security of the castle—the reason why Alex knew that the one responsible for the castle's security management was Vanessa.
Discover hidden content at empire

'She looks to be doing fine,' he noted as he saw her standing strong, unlike the last time when her body would tremble even under the weight of the blanket.

"Mother," Alex said softly, his voice carrying warmth that contrasted sharply with her icy demeanor.

Vanessa turned to face him, her expression remaining the same, but her gaze softened just a fraction as her eyes met his. "Happy birthday, Alex," she said, her voice steady but tinged with an emotion only he could discern.

Stepping forward, she closed the distance between them and embraced him. It was a rare display of affection, one reserved solely for her son. Alex returned the hug, his arms wrapping tightly around her cold yet warm frame.

"Thank you," Alex murmured, his words muffled against her shoulder.

They stayed like that for a while before Vanessa pulled back slightly, her palm lingering on his cheek as she studied his face. "You've grown so much," she whispered, her gaze distant as if seeing both the boy he was and the man he had become. Inwardly, she reflected on how quickly time had passed—how her once cheerful little boy was now a young man.

The image of Alex holding Mira's hand as they went on a date flashed through her mind—a reminder that her son was no longer a child. Her thoughts, however, were interrupted when Alex placed his hand over hers, squeezing gently.

"It's all because of you." Alex shook his head, his voice steady but filled with gratitude. "If not for you, I wouldn't have made it this far. I doubt I would even be alive—"

Vanessa's expression shifted subtly, a shadow passing over her eyes as her finger pressed gently against his lips. "Don't speak of the past, Alex," she muttered, her voice firm yet tender.

Alex nodded, sensing the weight of the memories they both shared. Unbeknownst to him, Vanessa's mind had wandered back to the darkest chapter of their lives—when Alex's father, Prakhar Drakathor, had been taken from them.

She remembered the chaos, the heartache, and the sight of her husband's lifeless body lying amidst their captors. She remembered Alex, only seven at the time, enduring the torture that his father had died under, his eyes hardening in a way no child's should—it was a sight she could never forget.

Even now, the guilt of not reaching them in time gnawed at her, a scar that time could never heal. But at the same time, she was thankful for that incident. It was because of that incident that her son, Alex, started to open up to her.

It was because of that incident that Alex started to love her and see how much she cared for him. And although it sounded selfish and heartless, she really was happy that those things happened—increasing her guilt by folds.

Vanessa's thoughts were broken again by Alex's quiet apology. "I'm sorry," he said, his gaze downcast.

Alex realized that he had said things he shouldn't have. Even if that point was a turning point in his life and the worst moment of his life, Alex was sure that Vanessa wasn't any better.

Vanessa, however, shook her head, brushing his hair back gently before placing a soft kiss on his forehead. "If anyone should apologize, it's me," she said, her voice wavering slightly. "For this cursed body... for never being able to show you the love you deserved."

Before she could say more, Alex's hand covered her lips, a rare sternness in his eyes. "Don't," he said firmly, frowning a bit. "Don't ever say that again. You're the best mother I could have asked for."

Her composure cracked just enough for her eyes to glisten. She pulled him into another embrace, her voice barely above a whisper. "I love you, Alex."

"I love you too, Mother," Alex replied, his voice steady and sincere.

The tender moment was interrupted by a soft click from the inner chamber of Vanessa's quarters. Alex sighed, a wry smile tugging at his lips. 'Hah... this feeling of déjà vu...' he sighed as he saw Vanessa quickly withdrawing from the hug, her expression returning to its usual coldness as she turned toward the door, only to see Mira walking out with a set of ironed clothes.

She seemed to be the one who had ironed them. Her expression, however, although blank, looked strangely confused as she sensed that Vanessa's gaze was extra cold when she looked at her.

But not being able to find the answer, her gaze finally moved to Alex, her gaze trembling a bit, recalling the moment she had spent with Alex a few days ago before her lips moved, and with a strained yet soft smile tugging at her lips, she spoke, "Happy... birthday, Alex."

'Hah... just why are all the girls around me so cute?' Alex sighed again in exasperation at Mira's otherworldly cuteness, returning the smile to her. "Thank you, Mira."

It was now time to get dressed and move to the ballroom of the castle since it seemed like many of the guests had already arrived.