Chapter 2: The Empire's Greatest Mistake

The sun had barely begun to rise over the capital city of Aurelion, yet the entire empire was already buzzing with news.

A Grand Martial Tournament, a once-in-a-decade event, had been announced. Noble heirs, warriors, and mages from across the continent were set to participate—except for one.

The infamous Lazy Lord, Frank Luminous, had refused the Emperor's invitation.

This decision sent shockwaves through high society.

"The Luminous family's heir is truly hopeless!"

"To refuse a direct summons from the Emperor himself… the audacity!"

"He's a disgrace to his family name!"

Whispers spread like wildfire. In the eyes of the nobility, Frank had just sealed his fate.

But none of them knew… the true fate of the world was in his hands.

A Summon from the Emperor

Inside the grand halls of Luminous Manor, Frank sat at a long dining table, lazily picking at his food.

His father, Duke Reinhardt Luminous, paced back and forth, fuming with frustration.

"Frank," the Duke growled, "you do realize what you've done, don't you?"

Frank calmly took a bite of his roasted meat. "No. Explain it to me, Father."

"You refused the Emperor's invitation!" the Duke roared. "The entire noble society sees this as an insult! Do you think the Emperor will let this go?"

Frank tilted his head. "…Yes?"

The Duke clenched his fists. Why was his son like this?

"Listen to me, Frank. A royal summons is not something you can ignore. If you refuse, the Emperor may strip you of your noble title or—"

BOOM!

Before the Duke could finish, the doors to the dining hall burst open.

A group of imperial knights marched in, clad in silver armor, their blue capes fluttering behind them. At their lead was a man dressed in royal garments—Envoy Reginald, the Emperor's personal messenger.

"Frank Luminous," the envoy declared, "by the order of His Majesty, Emperor Julius Venestra, you are hereby summoned to the Imperial Palace. Refusal is not an option."

The knights moved forward, hands on their weapons, prepared to drag Frank away by force if necessary.

A normal noble would have panicked.

But Frank?

He simply took another bite of his food.

The room fell silent.

One of the knights stepped forward, his face filled with contempt. "You dare ignore the Emperor's summons? You truly live up to your title—Lazy Lord."

Frank let out a deep sigh. Why was everyone so dramatic?

He looked at the knight, his golden eyes shimmering faintly.

The knight's entire body froze.

His face went pale, sweat dripping down his forehead. His instincts screamed in terror, as if he were standing before a primordial beast beyond mortal comprehension.

Frank slowly chewed his food. "You're being too loud."

The knight collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath.

The other knights instinctively stepped back. They didn't know what just happened, but for a split second, they felt something… horrifying.

Envoy Reginald swallowed hard but quickly composed himself. "…I hope you understand the gravity of this situation, Lord Frank. You are to meet with the Emperor at once."

Frank exhaled. What a pain.

But he supposed it would be more annoying to keep refusing.

"Fine," he said, pushing his plate away. "Let's go."

The entire room was stunned.

Did… did the Lazy Lord just agree?

Duke Reinhardt could only watch in silence as his son casually stood up and stretched.

He had a bad feeling about this.

The Emperor's Warning

Within the grand throne room of the Imperial Palace, Emperor Julius Venestra sat on his golden throne, his expression unreadable.

Frank stood before him, looking as uninterested as ever.

The nobles and officials present whispered among themselves, sneering at the so-called Lazy Lord.

"He dares show up dressed so casually?"

"A disgrace to nobility!"

"Why did the Emperor even summon such trash?"

The Emperor raised a hand, silencing the room. His piercing gaze settled on Frank.

"Frank Luminous," the Emperor spoke. "Do you know why I summoned you?"

Frank yawned. "Because you're curious about me?"

The nobles gasped. Blasphemy!

But the Emperor's expression didn't change. "Then tell me… why do you refuse to prove yourself?"

Frank's golden eyes met the Emperor's. "Do I need to?"

The Emperor's grip on his throne tightened. He had expected arrogance, but not this level of confidence.

"You are the heir of the Luminous family," the Emperor said, voice firm. "With your background, you should be at the forefront of the empire's strength, yet you choose to waste your life doing nothing. I cannot allow this."

Frank tilted his head. "And if I refuse?"

The tension in the room thickened.

Several nobles smirked, waiting for the Emperor to punish him.

But before the Emperor could respond, a voice echoed within his mind.

"Do not anger him."

The Emperor's pupils shrank. It was the voice of a god—one of the celestial beings who had visited him just days ago.

He looked at Frank again… and this time, he saw it.

A being beyond human comprehension.

For a fleeting moment, the Emperor felt as though he were standing before an entity far greater than himself—something even the gods feared.

Cold sweat dripped down his back.

He exhaled slowly, masking his shock. "Very well, Lord Frank. If you do not wish to participate, I will not force you."

Gasps filled the room.

The Emperor was letting him go? Just like that?!

Frank shrugged. "Thanks."

And with that, he turned around and walked away, leaving behind a room full of confused, horrified, and furious nobles.

The Beginning of Fear

As Frank left the palace, he let out a relieved sigh. Finally, some peace.

But unbeknownst to him, the entire empire had just made the greatest mistake in history.

The Emperor, the nobles, the warriors of the kingdom—none of them understood.

They thought Frank Luminous was an embarrassment to nobility.

They thought he was a useless, lazy noble.

But soon, the world would realize the truth.

That the Lazy Lord was actually the one who ruled over eternity.