"How dare he act up..." a maid whispered to another, "just because he has the king's blood..."
"But even so, he's also just a concubine's son," another added, "keke."
"What a fool..."
"I hope..."
The whispers faded.
I was so small back then. I didn't know anything but to cry and fuss about little things. But for some reason, they talked behind my back. Of course, I didn't mind it back then because I was a child, but those words soon became abuse.
I didn't do anything wrong; I hadn't harmed anyone. Sure, I might have been difficult to care for since I was an innocent, immature child, but that didn't deserve the treatment I received. Butlers pinched and slapped me for no reason; maids ignored me as I cried for food; and even my own servant bullied me when all I wanted was to get close to him.
"Mother?" the boy asked.
"Yes, Logan?" the woman replied, washing the dishes, her hands rapidly scrubbing the plates.
"Why don't I have a father?" he asked. The woman stopped washing. "You see, I saw this kid on the streets with two people! A grown woman just like you, but there's also a big boy with them, so I asked the boy who that was, and he said it's his 'father'!"
The woman squatted beside him. "Logan, your father is the king!"
"The king?"
"Yes! And he is taking care of all the people in the kingdom, so he can't be with you right now," the woman smiled.
"Can you tell him to play with us soon? Just the three of us? Like that kid?" little Logan asked.
"Of course!" The woman patted his head.
But that time never came. The boy waited, but even after his mother got sick, his father didn't come. His mother tried to tell him he was "still doing his job," but as time went on, he began to hate his own father.
Until his mother died, he wept and wept. But it was to no avail; the servants' abuse became more intense the maids who looked at him with disdain doesn't even try to hide their hat anymore.
Until his father came,
"Come with me," the king said to him, "you are a prince of this kingdom."
Logan bowed. Now you come to me?! Just as I lose my mother? What kind of sick joke is this? Logan clenched his teeth.
But he had no choice. What was he going to do alone?
"Yes..."
Logan eventually came to the castle. He was then announced as the second prince, but his suffering didn't stop there. His half-elder brother schemed pranks against him, but all he could do was cry in the corner with no one to cling to.
Until,
"You're my second eldest brother, right?" a young girl asked, smiling, her hands clasped behind her back.
He stopped weeping and took a glance. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice cautious. He couldn't trust anyone there.
But the girl reached out her hands.
"You really are my brother! We have the same eye and hair color!" she smiled.
She's right; we do. He took another glance.
"Why don't we go play, brother? I don't have anyone to play with; first elder brother doesn't even pay attention to me," she asked, as he yanked logan upwards.
They went outside, holding hands. They laughed, played, and had fun together. it was just like before when mother was...
"Arian!" a woman called out. She was dressed nicely; her white hair and red eyes shone. It was the queen. Her stare was intense; Logan bowed after noticing her.
"Oh! Looks like Mother is calling me. I have to go now, brother!" she said.
"Alright, haha... we'll play again, right?" Logan asked.
"Of course!" she shouted and went to her mother.
"Don't you ever play with that boy again!" the queen scolded her. "Do you understand?"
"But—"
"Do you understand?!" her voice getting louder.
"I... understand." She glanced back.
But Logan was already far away and has turned his back.
...
That smile... it was like Mother's... Logan felt his heart beating.
His fists clenched. I have to protect it no matter what this time, that smile, I don't want to lose it again!
from thwn on Logan had found his own purpose.
As they grew, Logan gained some reputation. cold, arrogant, volatile. He played the villain, drawing attention to himself and away from Arian. It was the only way he knew to protect her.
Back to the present.
Was that a dream? Logan jolted awake and looked at his palms, his heart beating fast as he caught his breath.
My body feels lighter than before! He moved around, swinging his arms.
Has that being finally granted me powers?
He stood up. I should thank him later... though me drowning in that endless sea of blood still terrified me...
Logan continued to ponder. But what about his request? I remember him saying one of the dogs is reversed and I should kill it, what does that mean? As far as I know, no one owns a dog in the castle. Well, I'll figure that out later.
...
At the grassy plains where Lilith is teaching Sol and Josh,
Josh held out both his hands, concentrating. Sweat formed on his cheeks. He willed. A vast amount of mana flowed from his stomach to his palms, then—
nothing happened.
"Pah! This is really hard!" he complained.
"Just keep going; you'll get it eventually. Don't give up," Lilith replied.
"Yes!" He tried again.
I shouldn't give up, no! I will not give up! It was foolish of me to even doubt myself.
He tried and tried and tried again, until—
something formed. First was its blue head, an ear of a rabbit. Then its tiny body, then its limbs—a spirit animal!
Its whole body was blue and slightly transparent, like the deep ocean. It then jumped onto Josh's shoulders.
Josh jumped for joy. "I did it! I finally did it!" he shouted.
"Oh? Not bad. Congratulations on becoming a second-circle mage," Lilith said. "With more practice, you can definitely master it," she added.
"Haah! Congrats, dude!" Sol sighed as he crawled on the ground, panting and sweating heavily.
Josh, looked at sol his eyebrows raised, "...You have it tough, huh?"
"Yeah, what can you expect from a rank-E like me?" Sol replied.
It seems my luck only takes effect in dire situations, sigh. Wait, does that mean I was actually really qualified for the mission back then...? What the hell? The general should make the standards higher.
"Just because you're a rank-E doesn't mean you can't become stronger. It only slows down your growth, and you'll need more resources than others, but I'm sure you'll get up there and become powerful someday," Lilith consoled Sol.
"And when is that, Master?" Sol asked.
"Let's say... about a hundred years or so," she replied.
Sol slammed his head to the ground. "I'll be dead by then."
"Huh? What do you mean? That's a short amount of time if you ask me,"
Sol and Josh stared at Lilith blankly. "You're an elf," Sol replied, his tone flat.
"Oh, you're right.