Book 2 - The Usurper from the Wilds: Chapter 27; A Prince With Naught

The screen turns on as the chapter title plays "Chapter - 27; A Prince With Naught".

It opens to Yuu as it zooms in on her as she visualizes something once again after an overblot.

Except this time it starts out with Leona standing in a black white void as text boxes appear around him. The first says "From the moment I was born," as the second continues "there's been a boulder on top of me" as the third finishes with "that's too heavy to move." as they disappear and the entire scene changes.

Once again in the younger version of the overblot victim a shadowy fancy castle, or at least the edge of one as a sprawling black and white landscape is seen just behind it with a rising or setting sun. Two entirely blacked out beastman figures are seen, both are attendants or servants for the royal family. Leona is hiding behind a pillar as one of them says "Crown prince Falena is such a bright and cheerful young man. I don't understand why his younger brother has to be so moody all the time." The second one agrees as they quietly shout back "And he possesses such a terrifying power! Imagine being able to turn anything to sand!" A third attendant figure is seen running up to them as they shout at the other two "Both of you, cease this conversation right now! What if someone overhears you?!"

It then switches back to the white void with grown Leona as the boxes read "I bet that'' a second one continues "if I were the crown prince," then the third "this is what they would have said:'' As the previous boxes disappear and his mimic of how they would have acted shows in new boxes. "'Crown prince Leona is a judicious young man–'' then the next box "look how he controls such powerful magic!" then the third finishes "I don't understand how Falena can be so carefree.'" The mimic boxes disappear as only one pops up now that reads "This is all because I was born second." It disappears as two more show in its place "They'd find fault with me no matter what" then the second "ーjust so they could use it as a pretext to praise my brother." Once again there is only one box "No matter what I do, I can never be the best."

It then switches over to an older Leona sitting or rather lying down in his room as a blacked out person shouts at him "Leona! Why weren't you at today's ceremony?" Leona sits up as he asks the person "Ceremony? Ah, you mean the self-indulgent party where you show off your son to the people?" Before he tells the person "Yeah, sorry I missed that. I fell asleep." The figure tells Leona "Showing the people the face of their future king is an important affair." Providing the context that the figure is most likely Leona's older brother, Falena. Leona waves his hand in the air as he tells his brother "Yeah, it's a happy day for sure – also known as the day the despised second son loses what little claim to he had to the throne forever." His brother, the king, shouts back at him "Do not frame it in such terms!" Leona lays back down as he asks "Must be nice to be the firstborn, huh? You can spend every day singing and napping and still become king." His brother says "Leona…" as he walks up to him and puts a hand on his shoulder as he tells him "You may never be king, but you are still wise. There is much you could do for this country." But Leona bats his hand away as he stands up and takes a few steps away from his brother as he sasses back "And maybe if this country selected its kings on the basis of intelligence, I'd be motivated to do something with that wisdom." Before he storms off with his brother shouting out to him "Leona, wait! Leona!"

But before what comes of that is seen, the white void with current Leona is seen as more boxes appear around him. The first saying "Why do I have to spend my life feeling this way." as the second finishes "just 'cause I was born a few years too late?" As they disappear with three more taking their places. The first "No matter how hard I study," then the second "no matter how" then the third "powerful the magic I command…" the three disappear with three more appearing in their place. The first "From the day I was born till the day that I die," then the second "no one will ever acknowledge that I'm better" then the third finishes off "than my brother." Before they disappear as a bunch of boxes appear and disappear in rapid fire "I will never be king." "Why did I have to be born second?" "Why will I never, ever get to be the best?" then "Why?" is repeated in three boxes. But they disappear as another box shows "Life truly is unfair."

Before it all fades to darkness.

But suddenly Grim's voice is heard shouting "Hey! Wake up!" Leona then makes a "...Huh?" noise as the stadium is seen.

Now the sky is back to normal, the ground isn't breaking apart, and there's no longer a bunch of dust or sand in the air.

Yuu, now entirely taken out of Leona's mind and past as she puts a hand over her mouth. But after a quick look around at everyone else she snaps back to normal.

The main way she was able to come back so quickly is because of Grim shouting "I did it! He's awake!"

Leona is sitting up rubbing his head from what would most likely be an absolutely killer head-ache. Grim floats close to his face as he tells Leona quite loudly "I was startin' to think you weren't ever gonna regain consciousness! Now, hurry up and confess."

But Leona is still out of it as he stutters out confused "Wh…What?"

Just then the headmage is seen as he says to Leona and explains "Mr. Kingscholar. Your negative energies accelerated you blot accumulation, inducing an overblot episode." Leona looks harshly at the ground disappointed that it had gone that far. The headmage then asks him "Do you not remember?" as his glaring at the ground could be taken as him trying to remember what happened.

But it seems the words hadn't really registered in his mind yet or at least the implications that come with them as he looks at and exclaims "Wait, ME…?! I overblotted? No way…"

But Grim interrupts the moment saying "And more importantly, the Spelldrive tournament is about to begin." Which got him quite a few glares from those still around.

Yet Grim doesn't take notice as he shouts at Leona "I'm gonna need you to confess that you're the culprit, so I'm allowed to enter!"

Leona narrows his eyes at Grim as he lets out a single chuckle before saying "If this is a joke, I ain't laughin'."

Jack explains to Leona and the other Savanaclaw members "The headmage got Grim's group to investigate the accidents in exchange for letting them compete in the tournament."

This makes Ruggie shout "Whaaat?! THAT'S what this has all been about?!" Grim shouts back at Ruggie "You bet it has! And EXCUSE you?! You were the one pushin' people down stairs for the chance at a little fame and glory!"

Ruggie tries to think of a good answer, making some strange sounds in the process before saying to Grim "W-well… Fair point, I suppose."

The headmage then asks them "Is he correct? Were you responsible for the series of injuries sustained by competing players?" Leona is silent and avoids eye contact before finally admitting "...Yeah. That was me."

The headmage nods before announcing "Very well. Then to begin with, Savanaclaw House will be disqualified from this year's tournament. The rest of your punishment will be decided after I discuss it with the victims." Before asking for confirmation that what he said was understood, "Are we clear?"

Leona begrudgingly answers "...Understood." Ruggie and Jack are silent at this change of events.

But Riddle suddenly speaks up telling the headmage "Headmage, wait."

Just then the screen fades to black and "To be continued" plays on screen before it fully turns off.