Chapter 3: A Sleeping Monster Awakens

The news of Frank Luminous casually walking out of the Imperial Palace spread like wildfire.

"The Lazy Lord insulted the Emperor and got away with it?!"

"Did the Emperor just… let him go?"

"Impossible! If it were anyone else, they'd have been executed on the spot!"

Rumors spread throughout the empire, but no one could make sense of the situation. Why had the Emperor backed down?

Some believed Frank was secretly backed by an unknown force. Others thought he had dirt on the royal family. But there was only one truth—the Emperor had seen a glimpse of his true power.

And it had terrified him.

The Royal Court's Outrage

Inside the Imperial Court, the nobles were in an uproar.

"Your Majesty!" Duke Valorian, head of the Royal Knights, slammed his fist on the table. "Why did you let that useless noble leave unpunished? He disrespected the throne!"

"Indeed!" Count Drevis sneered. "He spat on your authority! Such disgrace cannot be tolerated!"

The court officials all nodded in agreement.

But the Emperor remained silent.

Should I tell them?

Should he tell them that a god had warned him against angering Frank Luminous?

Should he tell them that in the brief moment their gazes met, he felt like an insect before an ancient dragon?

No.

If he told them, they would think he had gone mad.

So he simply said, "The matter is closed. None of you are to touch Frank Luminous."

The court was stunned.

"But—!"

"That is an order," the Emperor said firmly.

The nobles exchanged glances, confused and frustrated.

The Lazy Lord had just walked away unscathed.

And there was nothing they could do about it.

Meanwhile, at Luminous Manor

Frank returned home and immediately collapsed onto his bed.

"What a pain."

Just because he refused a tournament, he had to waste his time going to the palace. If they had just left him alone, he could have been sleeping right now.

As he closed his eyes, a soft knock came from the door.

"Young Master," came the voice of his personal maid, Elise, a girl with silver hair and emerald eyes. "May I enter?"

Frank lazily waved his hand, and the door opened on its own.

Elise entered, holding a tray of tea. "I heard you went to the palace. Did something happen?"

Frank sighed. "They just wanted me to join the tournament."

Elise's expression darkened. "Did anyone insult you?"

Frank shrugged. "The usual."

Elise clenched her fists. She hated how everyone treated Frank. The world saw him as a disgrace, but she knew the truth.

This man was no ordinary noble.

She had seen glimpses of his true power before—a single flick of his finger creating storms, his mere presence making seasoned knights tremble.

And yet, he never used it.

Instead, he just slept, read books, and ate good food.

"Young Master," Elise said hesitantly, "why do you let them talk about you like that?"

Frank yawned. "Because it's easier."

Elise frowned. "But—"

Before she could continue, a powerful pressure filled the room.

Her breathing hitched. It was only for a second, but she felt like she was standing before a god.

Frank's eyes, normally dull and lazy, glowed with an eerie golden light.

Then, just as quickly as it appeared, the pressure vanished.

Frank stretched. "Don't worry about it, Elise. It's not worth my time."

Elise could only nod, though her heart pounded in her chest.

This man… could destroy the world if he wanted to.

And yet, he chose to sleep instead.

An Assassin in the Night

That night, under the cover of darkness, an assassin infiltrated Luminous Manor.

Dressed in black, moving like a shadow, he slipped past the guards effortlessly. His target? Frank Luminous.

"The Emperor may have let you live," the assassin whispered, pulling out a dagger, "but I won't."

He entered Frank's bedroom, raising his blade—

And then froze.

Frank was lying on his bed, eyes closed.

But the assassin couldn't move.

His entire body refused to obey him.

Sweat dripped down his face. What is this? A spell? A curse?!

No.

It was pure, absolute fear.

Frank lazily opened one eye. His golden pupils glowed in the darkness.

"…What do you want?"

The assassin collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

He wanted to run, to scream, but he couldn't even move his fingers.

This isn't a human.

This is something else.

Frank sighed. "If you're done, get out."

The assassin vanished instantly, fleeing faster than he had ever moved in his life.

Frank yawned.

"…So annoying."

And then, he went back to sleep.

The Aftermath

The next morning, the entire underground assassin's guild received a single message.

"Do not accept any contracts on Frank Luminous."

The strongest assassin in the empire, a man who had never failed a mission, had fled in terror without landing a single attack.

This news spread through the shadows.

And soon…

The entire underworld would come to fear the name of the so-called 'Lazy Lord.'