Chapter 19 — Dragon Heart and Crown prince

Chapter 19 — The Dragon Heart and Crown prince

Morning light filtered softly through the drapes.

Lucen stirred awake, his hand brushing against something warm and soft. Blinking the remnants of sleep from his eyes, he turned—only to find Dina curled up beside him, her angelic face serene in slumber.

"…Dina?!"

Panic surged. He'd fallen asleep before returning her to the summon space. His heart raced—this was a breach of protocol. But just as he reached to rouse her, his hand paused. Unconsciously, his fingers brushed her silver-white hair. It was so soft, so… peaceful. For a moment, he forgot the chaos of titles, systems, bloodlines, and prophecy.

Then—

"Good morning, Master."

The voice came from behind. Cold. Deep. Displeased.

Lucen froze. Slowly, he turned. Luna stood there, partially cloaked in shadow—her aura stiff. From the very first day they'd met, Luna had never revealed her full face. She wore her hood like armor.

Lucen, playing off the tension with his usual charm, smiled. "Good morning, Luna." He reached out to brush her hair in return.

But as his fingers grazed her hood, it slipped.

For the first time, Luna's face was revealed—smooth and radiant like carved obsidian, her skin a rich dark tone with undertones of starlight. Her eyes gleamed like green diamonds. Black hair fell in waves to her waist.

Lucen's breath caught. She was—

"…like a fallen angel."

He stared, momentarily entranced, thinking absurdly, "Good thing she hides that face. If not, we'd need guards just to fend off the flies..."

The tension thickened.

Behind him, Dina stirred. She yawned, eyes half-lidded with sleep—then froze upon seeing Luna. "Eh…? When did Master summon another one?"

She didn't recognize Luna at first glance.

Lucen sighed. It was far too early for this. Two beautiful girls, unresolved tension, and now his mother's summons to breakfast.

After calming Dina and offering a quick apology to Luna, Lucen changed into his outfit—prepared by the maids. A tailored black-red suit, lined with golden embroidery and accents. Elegant. Regal. Almost… too formal.

As he walked down the corridor, staff and servants gave him odd stares.

"Luna," he asked via mind-link, "is something wrong with my face or clothes? Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

"Yes, Young Master…" Luna replied, a little embarrassed. "Your face is… problematic."

Confused, Lucen paused to glance at passing mirrors—only then realizing. For the first time, he had brushed his bangs aside. Only a portion of his long black hair covered his face now. The rest was swept up, revealing sharp features, striking eyes, and a princely aura that stunned onlookers.

The Dine Room

Lucen arrived to find his mother, Cristiyana, and both grandparents already seated.

Cristiyana gasped, covering her mouth. Even Malcnoh and Silviya blinked in surprise.

Lucen self-consciously touched his face. "Is there… really something wrong with how I look?"

Cristiyana burst into warm laughter. "No, my son—quite the opposite. Where have you been hiding this face all this time?"

It was a rare moment. Everyone smiled. Everyone laughed.

For the first time in either of his lives, Lucen felt a flicker in his chest—a spark. Warmth. Home. Family.

But just as the atmosphere reached its peak…

Lucen's gaze shifted. His instincts, honed by years of vigilance in the Vermithorne family, kicked in. He scanned the dishes.

Something was wrong.

He double-checked the utensils. Then—his eyes narrowed. A faint shimmer.

His hand shot forward. He seized his grandfather's spoon.

"What… is this?"

A chilling silence fell.

His aura surged.

A storm of power burst from his body—raw, unstable. The Dragon Heart ignited, reacting to his fury. The system chimed:

[Congratulations. Dragon Heart Exclusive Skill Unlocked: Dragon Fear]

An overwhelming wave of mana—tainted with bloodlust—swept through the room.

Boom!

Servants collapsed to their knees. The maids cried out. Even Silvia and Malcnoh instinctively released their own auras to stabilize the room.

Lucen's appearance shifted—eyes glowing blood-red, black hair whipping in unseen wind. He was the storm made flesh.

Suddenly—

Cristiyana embraced him from behind.

"Calm down, Lucen… please. It's okay."

Her voice pierced through the rage. Slowly, his breathing steadied. The inferno died down. But the damage was done.

The dining room door burst open—armed royal guards flooding in.

"Your Majesty! Is there an intruder?!"

Commander Alem, the captain of the 1st Royal Guard Battalion, stood at the front, shocked to see the maids kneeling, trembling.

Malcnoh raised a hand. "Banor, escort the staff to the medical ward. Lucen—explain. Now."

Lucen took a deep breath. "There was poison. In both grandparents' spoons."

Malcnoh's expression shifted. "You got that angry… just for that?"

Lucen met his grandfather's gaze with silent affirmation.

Malcnoh laughed heartily. "What a loyal grandson I have!"

Silviya scowled and elbowed him. "We're royals. Small traces of poison are added to our meals to build resistance."

Lucen blinked. "What?"

Cristiyana smiled gently. "But how did you detect it, Lucen? Even I couldn't tell."

Lucen paused. Then answered smoothly. "I've studied poisons. I can detect them by scent and color. And my mana… reacts to certain toxins."

A half-truth, but enough.

Commander Alem, still stunned, stepped forward.

"Your Majesty… Are you implying the monstrous aura just now… came from the Crown Prince?"

Malcnoh grinned. "That's my grandson, Alem."

Alem stepped forward, then knelt. "Crown Prince Lucen… I request to witness your power. Just once more."

Lucen looked around. Everyone nodded.

He exhaled, then released his aura.

Black-red energy flooded the room, heavy and oppressive. The walls groaned under the pressure. Some soldiers gritted their teeth—others collapsed again.

Then—

Lucen triggered Dragon Fear.

Instantly, a crushing weight pressed down. All knees hit the floor.

Alem trembled. This wasn't aura. This was dominion. The only time he'd ever felt something similar was decades ago—when Malcnoh had revealed his transcendent power.

"This boy…" he whispered, eyes wide, "…he's not even ten."

Alem knelt again, deeply.

"We, the 1st Royal Guard Battalion of the Great Rebeka Empire, offer our Greeting to the Little Sun of the Empire… Crown Prince Lucen Re Rebeka!"

And thus began Lucen's first true step as Crown Prince—his legend, no longer written in whispers, but in power.

His new chapter had just begun.