Volume I: Chapter 4: The Imperial Siblings

He emerges from the water.

The first prince returned to Fidelpia after taking a bath.

Washing up the blood and grime from the battle.

He was on the verge of losing. His men and subordinates were all taken prisoner, and many of them were executed.

Now, he's going to start from nothing again.

He tugged on his pants and ran his fingers through his drenched hair. He was a man with a complete build, made perfect for such fine movements that qualify him for his sacred weapon.

The Noctis Umbra is a tattoo that extends from the right chest to the right groin.

Jonathan said to him, "Sire."

The Sigmund family's butlers are also threaders. Jonathan has Falcon's eyes and can relocate him from a certain distance, while Stephen possesses great strength, Vladimir possesses speed and agility.

However, at this time he has a little trouble keeping track of his master,

"You're sneakily peeking," Prince Howard remarked.

Jonathan bowed and greeted his lord, saying seriously, "That's a cringy idea, sire."

The prince laughed. "I prefer ladies," he said, followed by another taunting chuckle."

His phrases and expressions were relieving for this anxious subordinate.

He was in a much brighter and calmer mood after what happened. There was no trace of hysteria or any unstable reactions. Probably, it was the aftereffect of Macromonia, it seemed to tame him down for a while.

Macromonia can aggravate negativity and leaves a person calm after reaching the peak of the attack.

Meanwhile, a hooded female archer, after shooting, hid herself to avoid being exposed. She leans backward in the corner and holds her panting breath.

A small argument broke out between two civilians: "The first prince forfeited?" 

'The first prince forfeited?' She thought as she sealed back her sacred weapon.

Everything was cleared, and she can now return.

She made her way back to her room in the palace. Vladimir, her butler, is waiting for her.

Among all her servants and attendants. Vlad is the only one who knows that she is a threader.

"The emperor has already eliminated them," she said, implying an expected phrase.

The sharing of the oath with the Heavens, the first step in the coronation, was announced by the palace with a loud trumpet blast.

The large parade, which was scheduled for the second phase, was postponed in order to prioritize public safety.

The elders wanted to reschedule the second part of the ceremony for tomorrow or the day after. Still, some officials in the council disagreed that other ceremonies would take place after the coronation.

Still, the final event for the 1st day of the coronation will take place tonight.

The new emperor went to his room to rest while everyone was still preparing for the next event.

He closes his eyes and relents from stress and anxiety.

He murmured in a monologue, "Nothing but trouble, old man." It is undoubtedly for the former Emperor, his father.

He pinches the skin on his glabellar, the space between his eyebrows, asking, "You are dead, aren't you?"

He let out a long sigh.

"Noctis umbra," he muttered before using his forearm to cover his eyes 

Midway through a gloomy afternoon, a small drizzle makes its way to the Center Kingdom.

The sound of the rain brings solitude and ease to the weary. So much so that it also washed his thoughts and emotions to ease.

His older brother harbors a big grudge against him and usually beats him before with the use of this noctis umbra sacred weapon.

Just because he was my favorite son.

However, he never retaliates.

Why?

With a dominating aura, the previous emperor would always warn him, "Don't use your weapon against your brother or I'll be your enemy!"

But it was not the reason why he refrained from fighting.

He's aware that he can win.

He initially believed that his brother had nothing to do with the disagreement between him and his old man, but now that another circumstance has emerged, he finds himself in a different situation and now his brother is his direct enemy.

He thought, 'Now is the right time to deal with you. "but first,"

'....'

The atmosphere becomes more still and soothing. The stillness of his room was broken by the sound of rain outside.

He returned to his current state.

"Try to stop me now," he whispered, clearly directed at the former monarch.

At first, he was dragged here when he was a child. He ends up losing things and ends up being hated without doing anything wrong, being forced to kill, and even oppressing others.

All the blame has fallen to him but the only one who is really accountable is none other than his father, the former emperor.

He fell asleep.

He is no longer that naïve young boy but a lost murderer living amidst war and surviving.

It is hard.

Is it possible to forfeit and flee when the only option you have is to kill or be killed?

There is no one that you can rely on.

Even the people inside the palace and around you.

Either you are asleep or awake.

'Why on earth am I even here?' his thoughts.

Bloodstained hands, a loud war cry, and all the pleas of desperation aimed towards him. Then afterward, he marched back coldly to his room cage and was locked up just to see the same scene all over again.

Again and again.

People try their best to live and survive but why does he have to kill?

They are not accountable for how you live but you are now accountable for their deaths.

Each time, a corpse, both motionless and bleeding, dropped to the ground. It will be a new record of a nightmare in which he sees himself in their place, begging not to be hit by the murderer's hand.

As prey and the victim.

It constantly haunts him.

That's the cage he was taken to.

Every victim of the assault stands against him, pointing fingers and declaring his crime.