Scapegoat

Darkflow Tower was surprisingly built in a spectacular location.

"How can a building that tall stand firm in the middle of a lake?" 

Selena commented in amazement after seeing the tower.

"Maybe with extraordinary technology."

"No, it's probably thanks to an artifact."

I don't really understand the science or technology of mortal creatures like humans, elves, or dwarves. 

But the Aesir recorded it all in Asgard. 

As the owner of Heaven, I found those records and shared the knowledge within them with the Zodiacs.

Using that ancient knowledge, Aquaria used it as the foundation for her business.

"No one expected that the lake, which was once dirty and toxic, long a source of anxiety for the capital's citizens, would become as clean and beautiful as this after they bought it."

Unknown to the royal family, this lake had been infected by ghosts. 

I just had to defeat those ghosts to clean and purify the lake.

"Do you, as a member of the royal family, regret letting it go?"

"I don't know, it wasn't me who let it go, it was my father. 

Maybe he's regretting it now for letting the lake go."

Water is the source of life, and a lake is where water gathers. 

Now, the largest water source in the capital is owned by a foreign party.

"But the fact is, you couldn't clean the lake, could you?"

"Yes, that's a fact. Even so, thinking about the huge profits they make just from selling water makes my heart ache."

"So, what are we going to do at Glory Source Mall?"

Glory Source Mall is a three-story mall built around the lake. 

It's the largest mall in the world, as well as the first of its kind. 

It contains all kinds of products and services from companies under the Darkflow Group.

This mall also played a role in making the capital's shopping district quiet.

"Let's buy some ice cream."

***************

"By the way, why did you turn down Alvis' proposal? 

He has wealth and honor, born as the heir to the Incester family; he's also strong, recognized as the second strongest after your sister; besides, he's handsome, many girls want to marry him. 

I think you'd be happy if you married him."

"All those things are exactly why I don't like him. It's disgusting!"

"Then what kind of man do you like?"

"A man like you, who lacks and has no advantages."

Ah, so that's it... I really understand you.

I finished my ice cream before steeling my resolve. 

Even though I'm not good at motivating people, I can't bear to see Selena like this. 

More accurately, I don't want to see my past self in her.

"You know, standing still or walking is a mistake. 

But it's still a fact that walking is better."

"What are you talking about? 

When eating ice cream, we should sit. 

That's noble etiquette. 

Didn't your family teach you?"

"That's not what I meant. 

Earlier in class, you fell asleep. 

It wasn't because you didn't want to interact with Alvis, but because you didn't want to be compared to your sister."

"Shut up. Don't talk anymore." 

Selena turned her face away in annoyance.

"Standing still will only make you keep being humiliated. 

Walking is worse, you've tried, but you still get humiliated. 

But the last one is better, because little by little, you improve your life."

"It doesn't make sense. 

All the efforts I make are ultimately in vain, I can't surpass Helia's achievements. 

It's better to stand still."

"If you keep that up, you'll live in humiliation. 

Close your eyes, shut your ears, ignore all the insults; that way you can walk. 

Don't care about what others say, they just want to bring you down. 

Walk slowly, and the situation around you will get better."

"It's easy to talk. 

The fact is you don't know anything about me, even my suffering."

"I know about you, even your inferiority complex. 

You rejected Alvis because he's better than you, he's more superior and inferior than you. Marrying him would only worsen your inferiority complex."

"...Shut up." 

Her voice was deep and low, full of hatred.

"But you like someone like me, a weak person full of flaws. 

You can feel better than me, you feel above me, you feel higher than me. 

That way, you can feel a little satisfied; you can feel proud, that there's someone lower than yourself. But that won't cure your inferiority complex."

"...This is the last time... I'm asking you to shut up!"

"You will continue to be humiliated, compared to your genius sister. 

That's why, walk, don't stand still, change-"

Slap!! My face was slapped. 

Selena couldn't stand my words any longer. 

Her eyes were even brimming with tears.

She walked away, leaving me, with her head down.

I could see her back, full of sadness and loneliness.

"I'm really not good at motivating people."

**************

On the morning of the national holiday, the academy was closed.

I continued my activities as usual. 

Bathed, ate the breakfast made by Aria, then relaxed while watching the city with a cup of coffee.

Suddenly, the black bracelet on my left hand vibrated.

"Someone's knocking on my dorm room."

The second son of a baron shouldn't be living in a penthouse. 

Publicly, I lived in the dormitory provided by the academy.

To know if someone was knocking on my dorm room door, I installed an artifact there. 

That artifact was connected to the bracelet I wore.

With this, I could go to my dorm room whenever someone knocked on the door. 

This method was indeed troublesome, but it was all to keep my identity from being exposed.

At the speed of sound, I went to the dormitory. 

I entered my room through the window.

After opening the door, I knew who had knocked. 

Wearing white armor and blue cloaks, they were royal knights.

"Rhysmyrk, you are under arrest on suspicion of kidnapping Princess Selena."

"Eh?"

Who is Rhysmyrk?

***************

In a dark room, its location unknown, Selena awoke from her unconsciousness.

Selena rubbed the back of her neck, which was in pain. 

She remembered that yesterday, someone suddenly struck her neck unexpectedly. 

After that, she lost consciousness.

Opening her eyes, Selena realized she was in a prison cell. 

Beside her was a sword, and she wasn't tied up at all. 

But in this cell, she wasn't alone—there was also a handsome man with slicked-back black hair, Alvis.

"Alvis, what have you done to me? Where are we?!"

"Of course, I kidnapped you."

"Why did you kidnap me?!" Selena asked angrily.

"To make the Eira faction side with the Incester family."

"...Eira..."

Selena knew her, one of the people she despised.

Many people believed Eira was more suited to be the princess than Selena.

There was even a rumor that they were switched at birth.

That was nonsense.

Although their hair was the same color, they were two years apart in age.

"I have no connection whatsoever with the Eira faction!"

"No, you do.

You're connected to them without even realizing it. In fact, this connection of yours makes my plan easier."

"What are you talking about...?"

Selena was confused.

"Rhys Myrk, your fake boyfriend, is Eira's brother."

"That's a lie..."

Selena only knew that Rhys was the son of a baron, and she knew this from Alvis.

She didn't actually know Rhys's background or his family, because she didn't care.

But now, Selena's mind was filled with sadness.

If Rhys was Eira's brother, didn't that make them the same?

Both had talented sisters, both were ordinary, both were constantly compared.

Yet she had treated Rhys poorly, even when Rhys was comforting and motivating her.

This made Selena feel regret.

"I used him as a scapegoat.

Once Eira finds out that her brother was made a scapegoat, she'll surely oppose the royal family and side with my family."

"Your plan is bound to fail. Eira won't be fooled by your schemes."

"Eira is currently on a field trip.

I've delayed her return by sending numerous people.

She has no idea what's happening right now,"

Alvis replied calmly.

"Eira is a strong person who could easily destroy the capital.

There's no way the knights would touch her brother carelessly."

"With my authority, I changed her brother's name from Rhys Myrk to Rhysmyrk.

A small mistake in writing, but it will have fatal consequences."

"So, you've been planning this for a long time."

Alvis smiled.

"You're right. Once Eira returns to the capital and learns that her brother has been brutally tortured by the royal knights, she'll side with the Incester family.

With Eira's power, we can easily take over the kingdom."

Alvis's plan was cruel; he was making an innocent person endure terrible suffering.

The royal knights would not hesitate to burn someone alive just to extract information.

This fact made Selena feel extremely disgusted and angry.

She grabbed the sword near her and charged at Alvis.

"In the name of justice, I'll execute you right here!"

"Do you know why I placed a sword by your side?"

"To execute you!"

Selena immediately used her full power.

She enveloped the sword with aura and injected all the negative energy into it.

Even though she was weak, Selena believed that her strongest attack could at least injure Alvis.

Seeing Selena's slash, Alvis didn't dodge but instead grinned.

Thus, Selena was able to successfully slash Alvis's chest.

Crash!!! It was Selena's sword that shattered, not Alvis.

"...What? ...Why?" Selena was overwhelmed with despair.

That was her best attack, her strongest strike.

She had hoped it would hurt him.

Was she really this weak?

"Foolish and untalented.

Negative energy is destructive by nature.

If you inject that much negative energy into a sword, of course, the sword will break."

Selena cried over her helplessness, while Alvis only smiled in delight at the sight.

"This is why I gave you a sword."

The Incester family had been performing taboo rituals for hundreds of years.

It was to prevent the Ancient Blood within them from fading.

In this way, they would always produce strong new generations.

Of course, those taboo rituals resulted in defects.

But thanks to the medicine provided by Olympus, those defects did not affect their bodies or strength.

All the defects were concentrated on their minds.

As part of the Incester family, Alvis was a two-faced person who took pleasure in seeing others in despair.

"Hahahahaha!!" Alvis laughed gleefully.

He struck Selena's head, causing her to spin in the air before crashing to the ground face-first.

Selena crawled, trying to stand. But Alvis cruelly stomped on her head.

"Argh!!" Selena cried out in pain, but this was just the beginning.

Alvis drew his sword and mercilessly slashed Selena's back.

"Arg!! Stop! It hurts!! Argh!!!

Please, let me go!!"

Selena begged desperately, tears streaming from her eyes.

But Alvis didn't stop; his pleasure only grew.

"Hahahahaha!! You're so weak, useless, and untalented!!

This is your fate and identity; you can only be a tool for others!"

Suddenly, a person in a lab coat entered the cell.

He immediately stopped Alvis, who was going berserk, and dragged him away from Selena.

"Sir, please stop! We still need her blood! If you keep injuring her, her blood will be wasted!"

Hearing this, Alvis immediately snapped out of it and stopped.

"You're right. This plan allows me to kill two birds with one stone.

Selena, do you know why I wanted to marry you even though you're not as beautiful as my sister? It's because I need the Ancient Blood within you to become part of the Twelve Olympians.

The royal family's Ancient Blood is always strong, even if you're untalented."

*************

The future is hard to predict.

Yesterday, I was dating the princess; today, I'm a criminal.

"I knew he was a bad person!"

"How pitiful that Her Highness was deceived by this playboy."

"He deserves to be tortured before being sentenced to death."

Both of my hands were cuffed, my body flanked by two knights, being taken out of the academy under the gaze of students.

Even though it was a holiday, there were still students staying in the dormitories.

After being placed inside the iron carriage, I spoke.

"Why am I accused of being a kidnapper?"

"It's because of Alvis Incester's report," said the brown-haired knight.

"I'm innocent; this is slander!"

"All criminals say that."

"What's going to happen to me?"

"You'll be tortured with hot iron until you reveal Her Highness's location."

This is bad! Really bad!! My body is even trembling!!

"Enjoy these last moments before you experience the torment of hell, you criminal brat."

These knights are incredibly weak.

No matter how hard they try, they won't be able to injure the Primordial Void Physique.

If they torture me and find out that I'm unscathed, my true identity and power will be exposed.

Aria, please save me quickly!!!!