With everything unfolding as Zeun had envisioned, a sly smile played out in his thoughts. He understood the harsh reality that awaited him outside the castle walls – he was a mere walking bundle of Platinum Coins for the hungry nobles.
This world was cruel. Recognizing the game being played, Zeun requested a personal audience with the King in his 'emotional' tone.
As the royal court wrapped up and the King concluded the proceedings, Zeun was granted the privilege of staying as a guest in the palace.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zeun decided to explore the palace's enchanting garden. As he strolled through the pathways, he couldn't help but marvel at the grandeur and beauty that surrounded him. The vibrant colors of the flowers, the soothing rustle of leaves, and the intricate design of the garden captivated Zeun's senses, offering a moment of respite in the midst of the court's complexities.
Zeun felt wonderful after strolling in the lovely garden. The garden's beauty and peacefulness had a positive effect on him, making him feel lighter and giving him a break from all the complicated things in the royal court. The calm surroundings and the beauty of the garden helped ease his emotions. It was like a breath of fresh air, making him forget about the court's complexities for a while.
In the embrace of solitude amid the natural beauty, he cherished the quiet company of the untouched surroundings. Yet, an unexpected intrusion disrupted his tranquil moment.
In the distance, a breathtakingly beautiful girl strolled gracefully, attended by maids. She had a well-proportioned body that highlighted her graceful curves. Her blue hair flowed down her shoulders like a tranquil sky, and her chest and hips were perfectly balanced, enhancing her regal poise. She carried an air of both youth and sophistication, leaving a lasting impression on those who saw her.
Their eyes briefly met, but he wasn't captivated by her beauty. Instead, an unexpected irritation flared within Zeun, as if someone had trespassed on his personal sanctuary. Funnily enough, the garden wasn't truly his, but his actions said something else; the unwelcome feeling persisted. With a resigned sigh, he chose to evade her presence, seeking solace in the confines of his designated guest room.
Upon witnessing Zeun's nonchalant demeanor and his apparent irritation, the princess was amazed by the boy's reaction. Intrigued by his unusual response, she felt a mix of curiosity and amusement.
'Interesting,' she mused. 'Someone not swayed by my appearance. This is the first time I, a princess, have been ignored in my own royal palace... very bold of you, little boy.'
Intrigued, she decided to delve deeper into this mystery. Turning to her maid, she instructed,
"Find out more about that audacious little boy over there. His calmness caught my attention, and I want to know what makes him so indifferent."
The maid nodded and swiftly went off to gather information, leaving the princess contemplating the intriguing encounter in the vibrant garden.
"Who are you, little boy, unaffected and unintimidated by my presence? Not even putting this Princess in your eyes... Interesting... very Interesting... I shall also see how long you can be like that."
Zeun, unaware of another looming headache, was sleeping soundly in his room after dinner.
In the middle of the night, Zeun jolted awake in the eerie stillness, drenched in cold sweat. The haunting nightmare from his childhood had revisited him, clawing its way into his restless sleep. He involuntarily screamed,
"Moommmmm....." his heart pounding with the echoes of a past that refused to fade.
"…huff... uff....huff huff...." He sat up on the bed, gasping for breath.
To calm down, he grabbed a cold glass of water. "Gulp... gulp... gulp... gulp... haaàahhh hahhh.. Not again.." He murmured to himself.
Looking around, he found himself in the fancy guest room in the royal palace. "Oh! Now I remember, I'm at the palace..."
Craving solace, Zeun sought the palace garden. Under the moonlight, the green foliage shimmered, and the cool stone path offered quiet comfort with every step. A gentle breeze, laden with the perfume of blossoms, gradually soothed his frayed nerves until a sense of peace settled over him.
Lying on the gentle grass, Zeun pondered, "Things have changed. I'm Zeun now, and the world has shifted." With hands covering his face, he whispered, "Wake up, Zeun! Aahhhh!"
"No more Earth's safe haven or the comfort of your mother's embrace," he consoled himself. "You've got to transform, man up, yaar!"
Taking deep breaths, he focused on his surroundings before meditating to regain composure.
'I can't be a pushover anymore, nor can I crumble under "simple" obstacles. Life is simple after all. What's the point of all those mangas and webnovels if I can't apply knowledge from them, right? Any sane person would do that. Let's take things slow; I'll try not to be overly sentimental (slips may happen) and I will be...he he...'
"Hahah haha ha..."
Putting his hand on his face and peeking from between his fingers, Zeun, thinking like a maniac, burst into loud laughter, the echoes dancing in the silence of the garden.
Zeun thought: 'Life is unpredictable; who knows the future? I just have to work hard and focus on my goals. Let the world get fucked up.'
~~
The next morning, Zeun found himself in another part of the garden at a tea table, standing before the King. He dismissed the maid serving tea before locking eyes with Zeun. The King's tone was colder and sharper than usual.
Zeun flinched momentarily, sensing the invisible pressure the King directed at him. He could tell something was wrong, inwardly sweating.
'Did I get caught? Will I get executed? Is my identity exposed, or...' Before he could think further, he heard King Russel's cold voice.
"Zeun, a commoner, huh? Residing in Kroton village for over 8 years, his earlier whereabouts unknown. He lives with his mother, never leaving their wooden house. The only sightings of him were during his infancy with his mother. She used to be a hunter but stopped after getting pregnant with another child. The father is unknown. Both the mother and sister vanished on the day a letter reached the auction house. Last seen at the periphery of the Everlost Forest."
Russel frowned as he read the last part of the paper in his hand.
"Don't you think something is fishy? It's as if she deliberately wanted to avoid this meeting with us?" The King inquired of his female Royal guard standing behind him, casting a scrutinizing glance at the child before him.
The guard respectfully responded, "Your Majesty, it does seem unusual. Perhaps there are reasons unknown to us, but caution is advised in such matters."
The guard's reply is crucial , her strategic and diplomatic and shrewd response. She avoids directly accusing Zeun or Helena, instead counseling caution, which buys Zeun time and avoids escalating the situation into outright hostility. She provides a safe, neutral ground for the King to pause his aggressive line of questioning.
Inwardly heaving a relieved sigh, Zeun expressed gratitude to the guard in his thoughts, remembering her beautiful tanned face and promising inwardly to repay the favor one day.
However he was surprised at the King's detailed recitation of his background, right down to the number of years in Kroton village, his mother's profession, and their reclusive life, underscores the vast reach and meticulousness of the royal intelligence network.
This validates Zeun's earlier fears of being watched. It also subtly emphasizes the limited information the King has on Zeun's pre-Kroton life, confirming that his past-life origins remain hidden.
Observing the nervous and stiffened child before him, King Russel sighed as he eased off the pressure.
Truth be told, this amount of pressure meant little to Zeun, who had trained his body for years and developed a saturated mana vein before his tenth birthday. Thus, this much pressure was nothing to him, but to avoid suspicion he acted like any frail commoner child would. Honestly, it would be suspicious if a barely ten-year-old, who hadn't even gone through his awakening, could remain calm under the pressure of one of the strongest individuals in the Kingdom.
Russel de Voldamort understood that life as a commoner was not simple. His grandfather was a commoner before his father became the King, overthrowing the last Voldamort King who was evil and cruel to his subjects.
Passing the ring back to Zeun, the King conveyed, "The blacksmiths who appraised the ring stated it's not made in the Adel Empire. It's likely from the Huanfu Empire."
The King sighed before continuing, "The situation is a little complicated, and an imminent war may break out at the borders between Voldamort and the Rosewood Kingdom."
As he uttered those words, the female guard attempted to interrupt, considering the information was a top secret of the Kingdom. She couldn't fathom why her wise King would share such sensitive details with a ten-year-old kid.
Voldamort and the Rosewood Kingdom were adjacent, separated by the Everlost River, which originated from the Everlost Forest. The forest spread for more than 300 km in diameter, covering over 40 percent of the border between the two Kingdoms.
The Voldamort Kingdom belonged to the Adel Empire, while the Rosewood Kingdom, Zeun's family's Kingdom, belonged to the Huangfu Empire.
Surprised by the sudden revelation and puzzled about why he was granted the privilege of such sensitive information, Zeun looked at the King.
Zeun: "????"
Zeun thought, 'Why is he telling me this secret information? Is he trying to determine if I'm a spy or not?'
Shaking his head, Russel continued, "Whatever, let it be. Since your village might be involved, I just wanted to inform you. Anyway, what are you planning to do with these papers? We invited you because I thought you discovered something new, but since that's not the case, I shall buy these papers. It's nice quality."
Although the King was outwardly calm, as if the paper was normal good quality, inwardly he was screaming, 'Damn, how can the quality of paper be so good!!! Compared to the paper in this dimensional ring, our top quality paper is like trash even with magic enchantment.' But his outward stoic face showed nothing of his inner excitement.
Nodding his head, Zeun said, "I too want to sell these papers, but I don't want to take coins. Instead, I have a request for His Majesty."
King Russel's eyes held a mix of intrigue and doubt, reflecting his curiosity about Zeun's additional request and a hint of skepticism. Leaning forward with a raised eyebrow, he inquired, "And what might this additional request be?"
"I want access to all possible books related to curses," Zeun said with determination, momentarily pausing before adding, "If you can fulfill this condition, I won't take a penny for the 2 tons of papers in this ring."
.
.
.
After Zeun left, the female Knight's composure changed as she turned to look at King Russel, as if demanding an answer.
The King, not at all offended, looked at the distance where Zeun's back was still visible. "Lady Mira, you know my 'skill,' right?"
Miraina replied, "It's called Eye of Doom, if I'm not wrong."
---
End of Chapter
THANK YOU FOR READING :-)
elab and expl
The Impending War — A Major Plot Twist: The abrupt reveal of an "imminent war" between Voldamort and the Rosewood Kingdom is a critical turning point. This bombshell explains the King's colder demeanor and increased tension. It immediately raises the stakes for the entire story, placing Zeun directly in the precarious position of being an asset in a kingdom on the brink of conflict.
The King's Strategic Gambit: King Russel's decision to share this top-secret war information with Zeun is highly unusual, as highlighted by the female guard's stunned reaction. This could be a calculated move:
Testing Zeun: To gauge his reaction, assess his trustworthiness, or determine if he has any unrevealed insights or connections.
Seeking Desperate Aid: He might view Zeun's unique Mana Paper and potentially unknown background as a valuable resource in a looming war.
Creating Obligation: By sharing such a secret, the King might aim to bind Zeun more deeply to the Kingdom's fate, turning his personal quest into a strategic dependency.
The Guard's Reaction as an Indicator: The female guard's attempt to interrupt and her internal struggle ("couldn't fathom why her wise King would share such sensitive details with a ten-year-old kid") perfectly convey the gravity and top-secret nature of the war information, emphasizing the King's unusual decision.
Zeun's Strategic Gambit: Zeun masterfully leverages the Mana Paper's value, not for coin, but for access to "all possible books related to curses," thus directly pursuing his main objective (Helena's cure) under the guise of finding his 'missing' mother.
The King's 'Eye of Doom': The chapter culminates with the revelation of King Russel's powerful skill, the "Eye of Doom," which presumably grants him deep insight or detection abilities. This explains his earlier perceptiveness and adds a new layer of complexity and danger to Zeun's interactions with him. The King might have been partially swayed by Zeun's emotional plea, but his 'skill' means he likely perceived some truth, even if not the full extent of Zeun's reincarnation.
This scene is a fantastic payoff. Zeun's ingenious request not only secures his access to crucial information for his mother's cure but also provides a plausible (to the King) reason for his actions. The revelation of the King's "Eye of Doom" skill retroactively explains much of his previous behavior and adds a significant new layer of challenge to Zeun's future interactions. Zeun might have successfully tricked the King on the surface, but the King's special skill suggests he saw some truth, even if not the whole picture, making their dynamic even more complex and dangerous. The stage is perfectly set for Zeun's research into curses and the potential confrontations that King Russel's skill might bring.