Desire

Cecilia's eyes couldn't leave Arthur as he approached the Martial King.

She heard the murmurs erupt around her, calling him a madman for daring to approach the pinnacle of power—the very man who stood above all others in strength and reputation.

Yet, Cecilia couldn't help but smile as she watched Arthur. She expected nothing less from him.

The two exchanged words, and then Magnus began laughing aloud, his voice resonating through the hall. People nearby flinched, startled, as if they were witnessing something impossible—like the sun rising from the west instead of the east.

When Magnus's laughter subsided, the two continued to talk briefly before Arthur bowed deeply and turned away, a light smile gracing his lips.

'He succeeded,' Cecilia thought, her own smile widening with delight.

Her gaze followed Arthur as he walked back, only for her brows to furrow when she noticed who he was looking at.

Elara Astoria.

Cecilia knew Elara well. The sheltered daughter of one of the three Radiant-rankers of the Slatemark Empire. She was intelligent, but her naivety left her ill-equipped to handle the complexities of the real world, especially the ruthless games of politics.

Yet, her kind nature, paired with the immense power her family wielded, made it so that no one dared to wrong her.

As she watched Arthur's eyes linger on Elara, a small frown crossed Cecilia's face. She couldn't help but wonder about the connection between them, and why, out of everyone in the room, his attention was focused on the girl who seemed almost too pure for the world they lived in.

She felt a slight thump in her chest.

A pang of jealousy.

'Jealousy?' Cecilia thought.

It was an unfamiliar emotion to her. As the princess of the only empire, she had always gotten whatever she wanted. Material luxuries were hers the moment she set her eyes on them—mansions, cars, the latest tech, jewelry made from the highest quality gemstones. Everything she desired was within her grasp.

Well, almost everything. True love and genuine affection from her parents had never been hers, but she had convinced herself she didn't need that.

Yet this feeling was different. The first time she felt something slipping away.

Cecilia wanted Arthur.

'Since when?' she wondered.

When had her feelings changed?

At first, it had been nothing more than amusement. Arthur was certainly attractive, and she had seen potential in him, but he hadn't been significant enough for her to take seriously. He was someone she could have fun with—someone who could be discarded once her interest waned.

But somewhere along the way, that had changed. His resilience, his fearlessness—even now, daring to approach Magnus Draykar—had caught her attention in a way she hadn't expected. He was different. He wasn't intimidated by her status or by the power others wielded over him. He had goals, ambitions that went beyond seeking the favor of the powerful.

And now, as she watched him look at Elara with a certain determination in his eyes, Cecilia felt that pang of jealousy grow stronger.

She wanted to be the one in his gaze, the one he would fight for, the one he wanted.

'Arthur Nightingale...' she thought, her eyes narrowing slightly, 'I won't let you slip away that easily.'

With a newfound resolve, Cecilia straightened herself, smoothing her gown as she made her way towards the crowd. She knew the games of power, and she wasn't one to back down when she wanted something. If Arthur was a challenge, then she would rise to it.

She would find a way to make him hers, no matter what it took.

Seraphina twirled a strand of her silver hair, her crystalline blue eyes fixed on Arthur.

'He didn't ask me for a dance,' she thought, her lips forming a small pout.

Instead of Cecilia, Elara, or even Rachel, she wished to be the one in his arms. She wanted to be the one dancing with him, just like during the Freshman Ball several months ago. The memory of that night was still vivid in her mind, the way his presence had made her feel special, as if it was just the two of them amidst the crowd.

A hint of red crept across her cheeks as she recalled her last private encounter with Arthur. She quickly covered her face with her hands, embarrassed by her own thoughts.

'What was I thinking?' she wondered.

She had called Arthur her prince. The words had just slipped out, a moment of vulnerability she still couldn't quite believe had happened.

'Truly crazy,' she mused, her heart pounding at the memory.

But despite her embarrassment, a smile tugged at her lips. There was a warmth in her chest, a feeling she couldn't shake. She wanted to be close to him, to support him, to share in his journey. It wasn't just an idle fantasy—there was something genuine in the way she felt about him, and that was what scared her the most.

Seraphina sighed softly, her eyes following Arthur as he moved through the crowd. She took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. If she wanted to be by his side, she would have to make her feelings known. She couldn't afford to be passive, not when it came to Arthur.

'One day,' she thought, 'I'll have my chance again. And this time, I won't hesitate.'

However, amidst the many admiring gazes fixed on Arthur, there was one that he didn't like at all.

It came from none other than the Emperor himself, Quinn Slatemark.

Quinn was one of the three 9-circle mages in the entire world, blessed with dwarven blood from one of his great-grandfather's concubines, giving him an unusually high affinity for earth and gravity magic. Despite being one of the Radiant-rankers, Quinn was often considered the weakest among them, ranking at number ten.

Yet, he was still a force to be reckoned with—a monster in his own right.

Quinn's ambition to elevate the Slatemark Empire to greater heights was well known. It was he who had used Duke Blazespout over a decade ago to launch an attack on the East to claim more territory, only halting when the Mount Hua sect picked up their swords and pointed them at Avalon.

Now, his piercing red eyes were focused on Arthur Nightingale.

The room was filled with powerful figures from Quinn's generation, alongside new budding talents—individuals destined for greatness. It was already extraordinary to have so many geniuses capable of reaching the pinnacle, emerging in the generation just after the one that gave rise to the Radiant-rankers.

Ordinarily, Radiant-rank individuals were born once every two or three generations, not every single one. But this time was different.

This generation had produced even more talents, and among them were true prodigies.

Lucifer Windward, Ren Kagu, Jack Blazespout, and Sun Zenith were the brightest stars of this era.

Each of them hailed from prominent, powerful families across the globe.

Yet there was one talent who emerged from a relatively unknown lineage—Arthur Nightingale. He had decisively defeated Ren Kagu and nearly pushed Lucifer to the brink of defeat, ultimately losing only after Lucifer unlocked his second Gift—an unprecedented feat in the history of this world.

'The Nightingales...' Quinn mused, 'Will their voice pierce the sky once again?'