System Ascension: The Vermillion Legacy

CHAPTER NINE

Aiden wanted to go for Elizabeth and her father right away, but then he heard that the King was sick, and it was rumored that he would lose his life if care was not taken.

He also heard that Elizabeth’s father had gone there in an attempt to heal the King. Aiden, who had unlocked his healing abilities, goes to the castle under the name Draken Winters, trying to make sure that Philip didn't recognize him.

Aiden strode confidently into the castle under his new identity, Draken Winters. His heart beat with a mix of excitement and cold resolve as he approached the grand halls, knowing that Philip Lurande was inside, desperately trying to save the sick king. 

For years, Aiden had dreamed of avenging the wrongs Philip and his daughter Elizabeth had done to him, and now the opportunity was within reach. But he knew he couldn't simply seek revenge through brute force; he had to use the cunning he learned in his years of survival. If he could save the king, he could bring Philip and his family to their knees.

Upon arrival, he was immediately met with disdain. Philip recognized neither the strength in Aiden's eyes nor his disguised appearance. Instead, he sneered at an intruder—nobody.

"You! Who let this fraud into the castle? Do you think the King's health is a joke? If you value your life, leave now before I have you thrown out," Philip said while waving a dismissive hand.

Beside him stood the second princess, Alexia, who seemed just as unimpressed. She glanced at Aiden with a look of contempt, her lips curling in disdain.

"You're wasting our time. What can a crook like you possibly do for the king? Do you fancy yourself a miracle worker?" she said in an angry tone.

Aiden clenched his jaw but remained silent. He would not be drawn into a petty argument with them, not when he had the power to turn their jeers back on them. He looked past their insults, focusing instead on the frail king, who lay pale and motionless in his chambers, breathing shallowly.

Aiden turned to the king and said in a calm tone:

"Your majesty, if you grant me permission to try to heal you, I'll require nothing but a royal promise in return."

The king looked at him skeptically, a faint frown forming on his brow.

"And what exactly do you want from a stranger?" the king asked.

"If I succeed in healing you, I ask that you grant me the hand of the second princess, Alexia, in marriage," Aiden said.

The room fell into stunned silence. Philip and Alexia looked at each other, horrified, while the king raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.

The king laughed weakly. "And if you fail?" he asked.

"Then I offer my life as the price, but I can promise you, your majesty, failure is not an option for me," Aiden replied without hesitation.

The king smirked, leaning back. He was too ill to truly believe this young man could be anything more than a clown.

"Very well, Draken Winters, heal me, and the second princess will be yours. But if you fail... you will die by sundown," the king said.

Aiden nodded, his heart steady. He was confident in his abilities, especially now with the system guiding him. Kylian, who had been watching from the doorway, approached Aiden with a worried look.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Kylian whispered, his voice trembling slightly.

Aiden placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It won't take long. Trust me, Kylian."

He turned back to the king and raised his hands, focusing his mana as he drew upon his newly unlocked healing abilities. The system guided him step by step, identifying the poison coursing through the King's veins and pinpointing its cure. 

With intense focus, he summoned his mana, letting it flow from his hands in a warm, glowing light that enveloped the King's body.

Minutes ticked by in tense silence as Aiden worked, ignoring Philip and Alexia's muttered insults and disbelief. He poured every ounce of his mana into healing the king, feeling the poison reducing with each passing moment. Finally, he saw the King's skin begin to regain color, his breathing steady and strong once more.

The king opened his eyes and sat up, his expression one of pure amazement.

"I'm... I feel... strong again! How is this possible?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with surprise.

Aiden lowered his hands, breathing heavily but triumphant. "Your majesty, you are healed," Aiden said.

Philip and Alexia could only gape in shock, their faces drained of color. Just as they began to process what had happened, Aiden turned his gaze toward them, his expression hardening.

"Do you recognize me now? Or have you forgotten the last member of the Vermilion family, the family you betrayed?" Aiden said quietly, his voice cold.

A stunned silence filled the room as Aiden reached up, loosening his cloak and letting his true self be seen. His eyes burned with a fierce intensity as he stared down Philip, his voice calm but laced with the anger of years of suffering.

"I am Aiden Vermilion, and I have come to reclaim what you stole from me. You thought you could strip me or my family's honor, destroy my future, and go unpunished. But today, I am not the same boy you cast aside," Aiden said.

Philip stumbled back, his face twisted in disbelief and horror.

"Impossible... I thought—"

"You thought wrong, and now, I'm here to see justice done," Aiden interrupted sharply.

The king, now fully alert, looked between Aiden and Philip, his brows furrowed.

"What is the meaning of this, Lord Lurande? You betrayed the Vermilion family?" the king said.

Philip stammered, struggling for words as his face turned pale. Alexia, equally shocked, seemed at a loss, her earlier contempt replaced by fear.

Aiden took a step forward, his gaze unwavering.

"This is only the beginning, Philip. Everything you took from me, I will reclaim. You and your family will face the consequences of your actions," Aiden said.

Philip's face twisted in rage, but he was powerless in the King's presence. Aiden's revelation had exposed him, and the look of fear in his eyes told Aiden everything he needed to know.

As for Alexia, she could only look at him, her expression conflicted. She had insulted him, mocked him, and yet she realized she was bound to him by the King's promise. Aiden's face held no mercy as he looked back at her, a reminder that he had won a part of the justice he sought.

With Kylian by his side, Aiden left the chamber that day, knowing he had struck a decisive blow. The path before him was clear, and he would continue until every wrong was righted and the Vermilion name was restored to its former glory.