2026-07-07 22:39:57
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18. The Scholar of Grimwoods
A week went by. The Emperor had departed Starlight Castle, along with the First, Second, and Fourth Princes back to the capital. Only Cassian and Felix remained in the quiet castle alongside Lucian. But Cassian and Felix would be leaving soon, and they remained distant with each other. Lucian paid no attention to this. He was entirely focused on the grind. Today, his assigned tutor was arriving, and he wanted to be ready. Over the past seven days, he had completely overhauled his routine, starting with brutal morning conditioning to force his hidden Fortification class to do its job. Lucian pushed his legs harder, sprinting barefoot across the castle grounds. His chest was bare, slick with sweat in the crisp morning air. His black blindfold was tied securely over his eyes, but his False Sight mapped every pebble, blade of grass, and stone wall with perfect clarity. He pushed until his lungs burned, finally sliding to a halt in the courtyard. He dropped to his knees, gasping for a
17. Family Dinner
Exactly twenty-four hours after the assassin's blood had been scrubbed from the floorboards, Isabel knocked on Lucian's door. She carried a formal letter from the Emperor. A family dinner had been summoned for this evening. All six sons were required to attend to celebrate Lucian's recent Awakening. Lucian stood in front of the mirror. With his physical eyes closed, his False Sight easily outlined his own silhouette. He had wavy hair, an average build, and was dressed sharply in formal black and white. He couldn't physically see the colors, but Isabel had assured him he looked the part. Isabel stepped up beside him, holding a long, flat wooden box. "Master, it is here," she said. "Good," Lucian replied. He opened the box. Inside lay a thick, elegant strip of black cloth. A custom blindfold. Embroidered neatly at the edge was the name 'Lucy' a quiet and mocking nickname he had decided to own. He had ordered it made specifically for his condition. He knew his False Sight worked p
16. The Night Suns
Lucian slammed his hands against the heavy oak doors, shoving them open with every ounce of strength he possessed. "Father—!" The warning died instantly in his throat. He had sprinted back down the corridor, his heart hitting violently against his ribs. He was absolutely convinced he was about to watch the Emperor of the Valerian Empire be assassinated by a shadow. A stupid thought. He had expected to see a desperate struggle or chaos. Instead, the scene in front of him froze him completely in his tracks. In the center of the vast chamber, Edgar Everstar stood tall and immovable. The dark knight armor statue that Lucian had spotted earlier—the one that had actually been a living assassin in disguise—was now on its knees. The Emperor's massive, heavy greatsword was driven straight through the center of the figure's chest, pinning the assassin to the polished stone floor. Lucian stood breathless in the doorway. He realized instantly how stupid he had been. The Emperor was an adva
15. Offering
The emperor removed his hands from Lucian's head. "I didn't plan to come here, and I'll be leaving this evening, so let's make the most of it," the emperor said. He tilted his head slightly. "Tell me, how does your perception work?" Lucian's pulse ticked up. He didn't know what to say. Everything he could think of might either reveal his false sight or out him as a liar, so he had to tread carefully. "It's... more like creating a false image in my head," Lucian explained, keeping his voice steady. "When something moves, they move within that image. That's how I see it." "How much time does it take you to notice the movement?" the emperor asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone. "As fast as light," Lucian lied. "It sounds like a God-level sight," the emperor concluded. "Yeah," Lucian answered, swallowing the nervous lump in his throat. "And your affinity?" The emperor turned, walking slowly back toward his seat. Lucian followed a few paces behind, his mouth dry. He felt like h
14. The Emperor is Here
Lucian held the flamberge out, executing a series of slow, deliberate swings. The wavy edge cut through the garden air with a faint hisses. It felt perfectly balanced, its weight distributed closer to the hilt, which relieved the strain on his weak wrists. A sharp chime echoed in his mind. [System Notice: First Sword has been successfully bound to your soul.] [Two Weapon Abilities Unlocked]: 1. Hype Strike Effect: Temporarily increases total attack power by 20% upon activation. 2. Step and Go Strike Effect: Forces a sudden burst of speed during a forward step, automatically bypassing an opponent's outer guard to create an immediate opening for a fatal thrust. Cooldown:30 seconds. 'This will be interesting to test out,' Lucian thought, a flicker of excitement stirring in his chest. For a second, he felt an intense urge to trigger the skills right then and there. But a quick mental glance at his depressing status sheet killed the impulse. His Strength stat of fifteen
13. First Sword
Lucian stepped out of his quarters and began the long walk to the royal garden entirely on his own. The corridors of Starlight Castle were vast, lined with towering stone pillars and draped in the deep blue and gold banners of the Everstar lineage. Normally, a prince of the empire wouldn't take a single step outside his room without a trailing entourage of heavily armed guards, attending maids, and political sycophants eager to gain favor. Lucian walked alone. This wasn't because the castle staff was suddenly avoiding him after his Awakening, and he certainly hadn't ordered anyone away. It was strictly a matter of his established value within the court. He was the Blind Prince. Before he placed his hands on the orb today, the empire had considered him practically dead weight. His entire staff consisted solely of Garrett and Isabel, making him the most isolated royal in the entire palace. He didn't mind the quiet. It actually gave him room to think. Right now, Garrett was c
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