《The Tyrant Wants to Live》 CH 1 Prologue ¨C Fake Life It was a fake life. I followed the life of another and followed his habits and actions throughout his life for at least 40 years. I couldn¡¯t even remember my name anymore. The tyrant¡¯s shadow and dummy. If he was in danger of dying, I must die instead. That¡¯s what my life was all about; there were several dangers over the years. Poisoning, terrorism, raids, treason. With each additional crisis, other fake emperors died. When the enemies sounded their triumph, the tyrant, who reappeared like a ghost, held a feast of blood. He killed, again and again, leaving not a single person alive. Even their relatives and all those who were associated with them were killed. Even the dogs and the puppies wagged their tails at them. He chased and killed them all. And each time the enemies were piled up, the dummies were slain. One, two, three, four¡­so many died it was hard to count. But I was the last one left. ¡°This time, it¡¯s your turn. The emperor¡¯s ill, and be his mask while he recovers.¡± It was a simple command. The moment I first ascended the throne as a fake. I faced resentment, anger, and murderous intent. I felt it. I¡¯m going to die. But was it luck, or was it the words of a tyrant? The emperor did not wake up, and the length of time I was on the throne grew longer and longer. At first, I was just there to die. ¡°Listen. Send the Imperial Knights out to subdue the monster horde that arose along the outskirts and make the surrounding lords work together to mount an offensive.¡± ¡°The times are difficult. Adjust the tax rate and forbid the excessive collection from the lords.¡± ¡°Kill them because it¡¯s an unsettling idea? Isn¡¯t it because it¡¯s an idea that annoys the nobles?¡± I did everything to live. But the blood spilled by the tyrant was too much, and the empire was rotten from root to leaf. I was neither enough of a great saint nor a great emperor to handle it alone, and I was just a fake emperor who just struggled to stay alive. That was me. In the end, as fated, catastrophe arrived. My brief reign was nothing more than trying to pee in your pants for warmth in the winter, and disgruntled nobles and people revolted across the empire. The crisis didn¡¯t end there. When the empire collapsed, the countries suffering from our pressure came together and invaded. Subsequently, monsters marched across the continent with a demon behind them. The destruction of the continent came as the curtain of this play closed. And the first sacrifice of this destruction was¡­ ¡°It¡¯s all over.¡± It was me. The emperor disappeared somewhere, and I was the only one who was neither fully a fake nor an emperor. Screams, shouts, and the sounds of murder echoed across the city. A bloody sunset was cresting over the horizon as an army of invading rebels and demons took the castle. A fake emperor sat alone on the throne in wait for the end. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to run away?¡± ¡°You came? It was getting lonely here.¡± The imperial secretary and mysterious archmage visited me. The person who recorded the history of the empire from the beginning looked down at me and spoke. ¡°You couldn¡¯t change your fate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I was swept away by the fate of a tyrant.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been only for a while, but how did it feel to be real?¡± ¡°It was refreshing. But¡­.¡± I was going to die anyway, so there was no reason to hide my identity. Watching the sunset sinking in a mirror of my death soon to come, I rested my chin on my palm and pondered for a moment. ¡°I regret not living my life.¡± I spat out a single line of regret. ¡°What if you had lived it? Do you think it would have changed the fate of this crumbling world?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know because I never did. But I couldn¡¯t change my own destiny.¡± The archmage smiled a little at my lighter tone. ¡°Then take this opportunity to live.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your own life.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t change your destiny. Devour it. That is the way you will live.¡± ¡°Devour¡­my destiny?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The wizard¡¯s whole body was dyed black as he set his back to the purple sunset, and his blue eyes gleamed. Red, black, and blue. It felt mysterious. It was also engulfing my body. ¡°Catch the Emperor!¡± I could hear the sound of the palace gates breaking and the voices of the rebels leaking through. They were far. They didn¡¯t invade. It just looked like a play, a dream, beyond a barrier. However, it soon faded as unknown letters became clear before me. And I, who lived my whole life as a fake emperor without a name. [The one who devours mysterious fate] [The traces left by the former bearer of mystery encroach upon you. They chose this destiny to devour instead] [The Greatest Destiny: Devouring the Fake Life. It changes destiny] [A new destiny has been born] I returned to the real emperor¡¯s childhood. CH 2 Really Became a Prince. Ironia, the Iron Empire. Fermat was the capital of this most powerful country on the continent, and in the remotest place of that imperial city was the Strong Steel Castle, also known as the 11th Imperial Palace. Recently, the palace held a tension that didn¡¯t match its elegant ivory-colored appearance. ¡°Did he not say anything today either?¡± ¡°Yeah, he just stays in his room.¡± ¡°What about meals?¡± ¡°The amount of food he leaves is decreasing, so it seems he¡¯s eating again.¡± ¡°Should I say this is good or unsettling?¡± A precarious peace reigned over the palace. However, the servants and maids who stayed in the palace couldn¡¯t shake their anxiety. The maid rolled her eyes at the attendant¡¯s troubled face and glanced around. ¡°No way¡­it wouldn¡¯t be a prelude to the culling of servants, would it?¡± At her hesitant words, the servants grew tenser. ¡°Shh! Don¡¯t you know that words like that bring disaster? Do you want to see everyone here die?¡± ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m sorry.¡± When the attendant scolded her, the maid shook her head with tears. ¡°I-It¡¯s just that I¡¯m scared. I heard that those who enter Hall 11 are just consumables¡­that in the end, everyone dies¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. All the employees who went there before me are dead. We¡¯re here to take the place of the dead. So¡­.¡± As the attendant stopped speaking with a creepy expression, everyone focused on him. ¡°Let¡¯s all do well, huh? If we don¡¯t want to die.¡± The others nodded and then hurriedly left. And. ¡°Why are they having this conversation where I can hear it?¡± I was lying in bed listening to them talk. Ten days had already passed. ¡°Since I became Arhan Forma Jean Lorenzo de blah blah blah blah of Ironia.¡± Ten days since I really became an emperor. To put it bluntly, I wasn¡¯t the real emperor, but in the real emperor¡¯s childhood, so I was a prince. Me, who¡¯d been playing as emperor my entire life. ¡°You mean the 11th Prince Arhan?¡± I became the 11th prince of the Ironia Empire. I couldn¡¯t believe it at first. In fact, I still couldn¡¯t believe it. But after ten days of agony and torment, I decided to accept reality. ¡°Whew.¡± I climbed out of my purple silk duvet. It took a while to get out of the spacious bed, and the sensation of standing felt unfamiliar. I stumbled over to the full-length mirror dazzling with gold and stood beside the bed. ¡°¡­Did I already have a coming-of-age ceremony?¡± I saw the face of someone who had just lost his baby face and was starting to become a young man with pale blonde hair and slightly gloomy purple eyes. These long drooping eyebrows and the mole on the side of my nose exuded a strange charm. I was also tall, about 187 cm, even considering my youth; however, despite this splendid appearance. [Confirming your own destiny] [Your destiny: The Worst Tyrant] [Looking at the low-rank destiny] [Misfortune, risk of assassination, a little talent, greed, decadence, deep anger, cruelty, suspicion, rebellion, obsolescence, self-righteousness, arrogance¡­] Really, the worst of the worst. I realized it yet again. ¡°It is amazing that such a human exists in the world.¡± How could the country ever run properly under someone like this? ¡°How did he become emperor?¡± I only had doubts and suspicions. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just that I continued to think about his existence for the past ten days; another mystery came to mind right now. I could see the fates hanging around in life. I¡¯d already experienced that I couldn¡¯t resist fate, so it would probably go as written. But. ¡°Don¡¯t change your destiny. Devour it. That is the way you will live.¡± The scribe definitely said that. Devour your fate and live. The messages I saw after that were now vague, like a dream. ¡°Didn¡¯t he say I was a devourer of fate?¡± When I devoured the fate of being fake, I became a real prince. For the past ten days, I wondered how to use this mystery of devouring fate. Anyway, I became the worst tyrant. ¡®I have no intention of living like him.¡¯ I wouldn¡¯t repeat the same life again. I knew the number of people the original owner of this body killed, how many wicked things he¡¯d done, and how much danger he faced. I knew how many fakes were going to die for me now. Destiny would grab my hair and lead me in the right direction. If so, how was I supposed to resist that great power? I was like a small praying mantis with arms outstretched in front of the huge wheel of destiny that moved the world. That¡¯s why it was necessary. ¡°Devouring fate.¡± To become a mystic who would devour this messy, terrifying fate. Even if fate grabbed me by the collar and tried to lead me on the right path, even if a mighty current swept over me, I would resist. So for the past ten days, I promised myself. I forged my mind and spirit as if I was forging a sword. I wouldn¡¯t let it go. But unfortunately. [Your destiny: Devour the worst tyrant. It¡¯s too huge of a fate to swallow. Can¡¯t be devoured.] It was impossible to change it from the very beginning. If so, I¡¯d have to change it, starting with small things. To do that, I had to leave this spacious room. I sighed and then stopped as I was about to walk outside. I could hear someone out there. I swung open the door. ¡°Hyeeek!¡± The restless maid was startled when I suddenly stepped out. ¡°I¡¯ve committed a grave sin!¡± She fell flat on the floor and begged for her life. The sin of being terrified to see the prince deserved death. Was this the action of fate? As if a firecracker was exploding in my head, my anger flashed, and I wanted to reach out and squeeze her neck. More servants gathered to watch in the hallway, each of them trembling. But rather than pouring out my anger into fleeting violence. ¡°Haah.¡± I brushed it off with a small sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll spare you this time. Be careful.¡± Then I walked past the maid. That was it. Not knowing why she had survived, she closed her eyes and waited for violence or death to visit her. ¡°Get up, now!¡± The situation was settled only after the other maids flocked and took her away. Everyone was so terrified that they didn¡¯t even care about the prince¡¯s changed temper. However. [No unnecessary life was harmed] [Devoured some of the cruelty of low-rank destiny] [Devoured some of the low-rank destiny anger management disorder] [Digested the devoured fate and converted it to a fate-changing value. By investing the modified value, a new destiny can be sprouted] [Accumulated modification value: 15] It was a huge change for me. [The range of feeling fate has been slightly increased by the effect of Predation of First Fate] [It expands from you to nearby small objects] The mystery of being a fate predator revealed a little more to me as I walked around the Imperial Palace. ¡°Your Majesty, do you need anything? What shall we prepare?¡± The attendant, who had just settled the commotion outside my room, followed me. He would probably expect something like wine, women, or gambling. Originally, this guy would ask for it as if it was as natural as eating. But I wasn¡¯t that bastard. No, I shouldn¡¯t be that bastard. ¡°Nothing. Is this the drill hall?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll get some drinks and snacks right now¡­I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°Is this the drill hall?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­.¡± ¡°I need training tools. Bring them here.¡± ¡°I will call the women¡­y-yes?¡± After a series of stupid questions from my servant, I stopped. ¡°Are you going to make me say it twice? Do you have a spare life?¡± I deliberately raised the corners of my lips. At first glance, it might seem attractive, but I knew. This was the characteristic expression that the prince wore when he killed people. I learned and imitated his gestures, facial expressions, and behavior patterns throughout my life. It wasn¡¯t that hard to act like this. No, actually, there was a little sincerity mixed in. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯ll prepare it right now!¡± Sensing the danger to his life, the servant ran, pale-faced, to carry out his orders. To be honest. ¡°Not bad.¡± It made me a little happy to see him tremble at my words. Yes, I didn¡¯t need to be a pushover. ¡®As long as I don¡¯t kill anyone.¡¯ Avoid unnecessary killing, but use fear effectively. [You devoured sub-fate brutality, anger management disorder] [Added 10 Modification Value by Digesting Destiny] [Total number: 25] Suddenly, I noticed several flowerpots on the way to the drill hall. As I stared at them. [Checking the fate of things] [Plant: Destiny to be used as an assassination tool] An ominous phrase popped up, sending chills up my forearm. I had no intention of dying from being hit by a flowerpot. Even if I died without stopping my fate, it would not be by a flowerpot. No, I didn¡¯t want to die at all. ¡°First, get rid of those annoying flowerpots.¡± I ordered the servants. They hesitated. Strange, but they must be afraid of dying. The moment I was about to raise the corners of my lips again. ¡°T-These are the flowerpots set up by the Empress herself. Do you really want us to get rid of them?¡± One of the servants, who seemed to be in the highest position among them, cautiously asked. My brow naturally bunched at the word ¡®Empress.¡¯ They were probably referring to Empress Elizabeth. His mother, his wrath, his complex, and his only place of rest. However, as soon as he became emperor, he cast out his mother. This was the superficial information I knew from a future that hadn¡¯t happened yet. After hearing the maid¡¯s words, I looked at the white flowers in the flowerpot again, and strange feelings stirred inside me. ¡°Then put it a little further inside. It seems like it might fall any minute.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Unable to order them to get rid of it, I turned around and headed for the drill hall. ¡°I brought them, sir!¡± Rustle! The attendant mobilized carts to load training tools like he was moving the entire warehouse. Soon, objects that were of no use for training were lined up. I felt a throbbing headache starting. ¡°This is a wooden sword made from the finest cedar wood, and the craftsman engraved a pattern in it, so it is the perfect item for the Prince. Oh! This shield was hollowed out to lower its weight, and it was then gold-plated on the outside¡­.¡± Why would you design a shield like that? His explanations went on and on like that. ¡°Enough.¡± After interrupting the servant, I dug through the clutter myself. ¡°Please, give me the order, and I will prepare it myself. Preserve your body!¡± ¡°I will take care of my body. Stop. Stop talking.¡± ¡°Yes, sir¡­.¡± After turning away from the discouraged attendant, I chose four of the most modest bracelet-shaped items and some dusty exercise gear. They were pieces that I could freely control the weight of by squeezing Mana into them. Of course, all the information on how to use them and become stronger was also in my head. Cultivating combat skills was one of the most important bits of training for a prince. Soon, the screams of the indolent prince, which I thought I would never hear in my life, began to resonate through the drill hall. [You devoured low-rank destiny, laziness, weakness, and poor stamina] [Additional modification values ??are acquired] [The low-rank destiny of very little patience was born!] The fate of the prince who would become the worst tyrant began to change. CH 3 The Prince Devours Fate 11th Prince Arhan. Contrary to his decadently beautiful appearance, with pale blonde hair, purple eyes, and the moody atmosphere he projected¡­due to his cruel and eccentric personality, he was rejected by princes and princesses and eventually lost his right to succession. The worst prince. Among the servants of Strong Steel Castle, there was a widespread rumor that if you entered the 11th Prince¡¯s Palace, you would lose your life. In fact, it wasn¡¯t a lie, as corpses were often brought out. But recently, unbelievable days had started in the 11th Prince¡¯s Palace. ¡°Is this a new record?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already been over 20 days, so it¡¯s a new record.¡± ¡°Will we really be okay?¡± ¡°No one¡¯s been injured or killed, so if this is not fortunate, what could it be?¡± ¡°But they say that after a long silence, there may be a change in the water¡­.¡± ¡°Shh, are you going to jinx it?¡± No one was even hurt for at least twenty days. It could be called a miracle, but the servants¡¯ anxiety didn¡¯t fade. In fact, with each day, their anxiety grew. They were worried about when the mad prince¡¯s temper might explode. ¡°What¡¯s the schedule?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be in the drill hall. Don¡¯t let anyone in. Bring all my meals there.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°If someone comes looking for me, tell them I¡¯m running wild with a knife because I¡¯m addicted to women and wine.¡± ¡°¡­All right.¡± Even while the Lord High Steward, who managed all the attendants, maids, and servants, groaned and pondered his bizarre orders, my progress in the drill hall was unstoppable. It had been twenty days since I became a real prince. For ten days, I grasped the situation, and the next ten days were filled with training. The same routine awaited me today as well. I¡¯d learned so far that no one would come looking for me. No, they avoided me and pretended I didn¡¯t exist. ¡®Even the lesser nobles and merchants don¡¯t visit.¡¯ That was curious. Usually, a prince held great power in the state. The marginal aristocrats or merchants who wished to enter the political world should be stopping by at all hours of the day, yet not even an ant¡¯s shadow was reflected in this palace. ¡°Anyone who comes in contact with the 11th Prince Arhan and gives him strength will not escape severe punishment.¡± It was thanks to the emperor¡¯s threat. I was accustomed to the life of a tyrant from my old days as a dummy, but I didn¡¯t think it would be this bad. ¡°I need to add some weight today.¡± Thanks to that, I was able to secure time for training. The employees here were now mine, and since no one was coming, I didn¡¯t have to hide my efforts. Those shackles became freedom, so for the past few days¡­ [Devoured low-rank destiny laziness, weakness, and low-quality stamina] [Additional 8 modifications were acquired] [Total number of modifications: 146] [Low-rank destiny, little patience has been strengthened] I continued to change the small fates that choked me. [Poor stamina ¨C a temporary increase in reflexes through short-term exercise] [Weak constitution ¨C muscles gained a little strength, recovery slightly increased] [Little patience ¨C endure minor inconveniences] These physical abilities and qualities, close to the worst of the worst, had changed a little. I was still far from done, though. More today than yesterday, more tomorrow than today. I continued to work out. It was a fact that I was changing even though the changes were insignificant in the eyes of others. That was the most important thing and, surprisingly- ¡°I have to increase the weight again.¡± It wasn¡¯t that slow. The amount I could lift had already doubled. It was a small change for one destiny, but the result was satisfactory when several overlapped. ¡°Whoop, whoop.¡± With 5 kg on each wrist and ankle, for a total of 20 kg, I lay on the floor and did push-ups. Then I got up, bent my knees, and jumped high. This high-intensity training made me sweat with just a few sets. After a brief rest, I picked up the dumbbells and exercised my upper body. Next were chin-ups. In the beginning, even one set was difficult. ¡°Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!¡± Now, I was on my way to five sets of twenty each. But just before finishing those five sets. ¡°Damn!¡± Thud. With a sudden surge of anger, I threw away the dumbbells. I ran out of patience, and this destiny sometimes interfered with even these trivial acts. It was better than yesterday, though. [Total number of modifications: 155] That was enough. ¡°Get me some cold water!¡± ¡°We already prepared some.¡± ¡°Oh, you guys are faster these days. That¡¯s good.¡± I complimented them, satisfied they had prepared a drink before I asked for it¡­ For a moment, the eyes of the maid tending to me grew wider. She lay down on the floor with tears in her eyes. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯ve committed a grave sin!¡± She confessed, her head held down. Why? ¡°I was out of place to assume your intent before you finished speaking. Please, spare my life!¡± Ha! I scoffed at her absurd reasoning. ¡°Kyaah! Gasp! I-It¡¯s a purge, everyone. Close your eyes and cover your ears and hide!¡± All the employees waiting around shouted as if a disaster were about to occur. It felt like I had to kill someone to end the situation. I wondered if they put something in the water, but it wasn¡¯t that. Were they just afraid of being praised? That was crazy, but it showed what the prince¡¯s temper was like. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Totally frightened by my silence, the maid kept her head down on the ground and repeatedly apologized. The way the others glanced to the windows made it clear they thought I would finally explode. I swallowed a small sigh and patted her on the back to say it was okay. ¡°No!¡± A thin voice came from somewhere, followed by small footsteps. A young girl with blonde hair and purple eyes that matched mine ran in. She was maybe seven? The girl shook her head and stood in front of the maid. ¡°You can¡¯t kill her! Brother!¡± She spread her arms out to block me despite her body trembling with fear. I was sure I told them not to let anyone inside. ¡°Mother is also coming. You can¡¯t!¡± The girl glanced around eagerly. Was she waiting for our mother to appear? She looked so cute this young. Suddenly, I remembered her venomous gaze at the tyrant. This was Yuriel, the tyrant¡¯s little sister¡­and now my little sister. In their story, as far as I knew, the tyrant didn¡¯t slaughter in front of her. So, he locked her up in a high tower so she couldn¡¯t see his evil doings. ¡°Yuriel, have I ever hurt anyone in front of you?¡± ¡°N-No. But everyone says that you easily take the lives of others¡­.¡± At my question, the child glanced down. I regarded her a moment longer. Glug, glug, glug. Then I chugged the cold water, placed the cup on the maid¡¯s back, and turned away. I didn¡¯t even bother replying. Even if I said something, I thought it would only lead to another misunderstanding. As I calmly turned around. ¡°¡­¡± I noticed my mother, who was silently watching us with a sad smile. She didn¡¯t blame her son or stop her daughter but watched with sorrow. As I faced her, a heat rose from inside me. Why? What feeling did this guy, no, I, have for our mother? One thing was certain: I wanted to see blood. However. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me if you were visiting, mother. Why are you just watching us like that?¡± Straining my little patience, I stood before mother. She shook her head at the question. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yuriel said she wanted to see you, so I guided her.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go now, and when you¡¯re done eating, send me a message. I¡¯ll come to pick her up.¡± She started to leave as if she was used to it. Although I had learned about the emperor¡¯s life, I didn¡¯t know these details. Did he hate his mother enough to refuse to have meals with her? Her back looked lonely as she left. ¡°Uhm-.¡± I couldn¡¯t say the word mother, so I just mumbled at her. She stopped, and I had to force out the words destiny didn¡¯t want me to say. ¡°How about having a meal together?¡± My throat trembled, and I had to chew my lips. The corners of her lips quivered as if I had done something I shouldn¡¯t have. But soon, mother turned to regard me. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I said let¡¯s have a meal together.¡± The first time was hard, but the second¡­ With a look of disbelief, she asked: ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°Come on in.¡± The joy of the morning sun filled her face at my blunt permission. ¡°Are you eating with us, mother? Great! Let¡¯s eat together!¡± My sister¡¯s joyful voice rang beside me. [You devoured a part of an important destiny! A new destiny was born] [Acquired 30 additional modification points!] [As a result of devouring an important destiny, the fate of the people around you also moved!] [Major changes make Destiny Predation a bit faster] A pleasant series of messages popped up. I was suspecting that, but as I expected¡­knowing the life of this tyrant, knowing what kind of relationship he had with his family, I tried. For the first time, an awkward and light-hearted meal between the family was held at the 11th Prince¡¯s Palace. * * * ¡°Can I come again next time with mother?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Our mother didn¡¯t stop her from asking the awkward question after our meal. I nodded, and the two left the palace satisfied. It was awkward, but it wasn¡¯t too bad. I¡¯d never had a family living a fake life. ¡°Are you going to the drill hall?¡± The steward asked with a soft smile. ¡°No, I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll be in my room, so don¡¯t look for me.¡± ¡°All right. I will let everyone know.¡± After answering bluntly, I started toward my room, and suddenly¡­ ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes, sir?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s Alfred, sir.¡± ¡°I figured I should at least know the name of the steward in charge of the palace.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°But you know, why can¡¯t I find any knights in my palace?¡± ¡°You¡¯d said you would kill them if you saw them¡­.¡± ¡°Belay that order.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Bring in the knights. Not a lot, but enough.¡± ¡°Do you have a specific knightage I mind?¡± The knightage I wanted? No, there weren¡¯t any I wanted¡­except those who could become obstacles or threats later. ¡°Those belonging to the 13th Knightage of the Imperial Palace. If possible, and about the same age as me. It¡¯d be nice to get along with them.¡± ¡°All right. I will give the order.¡± ¡°Great. One more thing.¡± ¡°Please, command me.¡± ¡°¡­I plan to use the Vigo of the imperial family, so please get permission.¡± ¡°I will.¡± With that, I entered my room and faced the mirror. [Total number of modifications: 200] [The modification value has reached a certain level. It must be used to change destiny] I checked the modification points accumulated so far and realized that I had to use it slowly as it accumulated. The reason was: [The destiny Assassination Attempt is near] Another destiny is soon to come. This was the fate that the tyrant suffered throughout his life. As expected, there was no way to escape it. The reason I¡¯d been working out for the past few days was to prevent this danger, but it was also to collect modification points. All to face the imminent destiny. Even though I knew the major assassination cases, there were many smaller ones I wasn¡¯t aware of. To overcome this, there was a destiny that must be changed and devoured. Right now. [You invested all 200 modifications!] [A new destiny was born!] CH 4 I met the power to change destiny An event was just an obvious point of interest. Underneath were numerous overlapping lines of action and intention. Deeper yet, there was a multifaceted side to the cold calculations of politics and profit and the chaos of emotions and relationships. An event was what popped up on the surface when all these things were added together. Destiny was similar, shaped by the interlocking fates of the world and those around you. No destiny existed in a vacuum. If that were the case. Crash! I¡¯d be dead right now. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± A maid passing by witnessed the scene and screamed. With that as the starting point, the employees inside the palace rushed out all at once. ¡°You guys come running as if you were waiting, huh?¡± At the center of their attention was the prince. To be precise, it was the large flowerpot that had fallen next to the prince. It landed right next to where he stood, and if he¡¯d been standing even a little closer, it would¡¯ve bashed his head in. As they each stared at this scene, the prince asked: ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to put it further inside?¡± His voice was like the calm before the storm, portending a ferocious madness. One of the maids, shaking, crawled on her knees forward, head bowed. ¡°I¡¯m sure we brought it in. For some reason, it fell.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± He definitely didn¡¯t say it, but she heard: ¡°Are those your last words?¡± The terrified maid couldn¡¯t answer properly, and her tears dripped on the floor. ¡°It¡¯ll be dinner time soon. Put it away and get a similar potted plant.¡± The prince, who would normally have run rampant and killed many of them to relieve his anger, finished with that and moved off to take a shower. That was it, and it was a miracle. But after the prince disappeared, they were left standing there to thank their lucky stars¡­ ¡®It worked.¡¯ I was overjoyed. It was a life-threatening situation, but the joy of having my plan work exceeded the fear. Actually, was I going a bit crazy? Before going to bed, I figured out what I¡¯d choose. [All 200 modifications ??were invested in the low-rank destiny misfortune! Destiny changed] [A new destiny was born!] I poured it into misfortune. The reason was simple: in facing any event or fate, I needed a key to control multiple variables all at once. Among the options, luck was the most difficult to control with human power but had the greatest impact. A small engagement could lead to big results, and a small misalignment could cause tragedy. But it was the only card that could change any given situation. [Destiny¡¯s misfortune tendencies were weakened. You avoided the worst. The attribute Fortune out of Misfortune will be added] [Fortune out of Misfortune ¨C out of countless misfortunes, luck is triggered with the worst chance] Luck. If I cannot create a positive destiny immediately, I decided to leave it up to luck. And what I just saw was the result. [Destiny Assassination Attempt and Fortune out of Misfortune were activated] [You grasped the destiny early thanks to your improved physical abilities] The flowerpot slipped and fell. Thanks to my previous training, I avoided it entirely, which was possible because I¡¯d heard how it rattled before when they moved it according to my instructions. In this way, destiny wasn¡¯t a single element but a combination of many things. Of course, luck played a role. [Fortune out of Misfortune was activated, and you obtained additional modification points] [With Fortune out of Misfortune, little patience was activated as a bonus] When everything turned to the worst, luck arrived with Fortune out of Misfortune. With the little fortunes I accumulated with my training, I was sure I could attain the power to change my destiny. The moment I turned the gold-painted shower handle, recalling the luck I had today. [You found the optimum temperature at once thanks to Fortune out of Misfortune. Fatigue will recover a little faster] The pleasant temperature that was neither too cold nor too hot hit my body. Without realizing it, a satisfying hum left me. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I-Is it him?¡± The servants and maids, standing restless outside the shower, trembled when they heard the hum. For some reason, they felt goosebumps run down their spines. Then, rumors that the 11th Prince¡¯s madness was developing in a different direction spread around the castle. * * * ¡°Brother! See you again!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I will see you again for sure!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really coming back. I really will!¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promise! Promise me with your pinky!¡± ¡°All right.¡± Mother watched anxiously as I made a promise to my little sister. ¡°Then, be safe going home.¡± As I spoke to my mother, I struggled with this awkward feeling. Still, it was much better than the first time. ¡°¡­See you again. Prince.¡± She carefully promised. ¡°Yes.¡± Despite my simple answer, she smiled again and left with my sister. Mother¡¯s black hair, like a night sky, and my sister¡¯s milky silver hair waved in the wind as they left. Looking at their side views, they seemed happy in conversation. [You devoured a low-rank destiny. Additional modification points ??were acquired] [A new destiny sprouted from the effect of Fortune out of Misfortune] [Low-rank destiny Family Love was born] [Family Love ¨C when faced with blood ties, control of madness increases] [Immoral Destiny and Family Love were activated] A different destiny lay in front of me. [You can devour the chosen destiny] Of the two options, I had to choose which to devour. It was rather good, and I just needed to go back and forth between Immoral Destiny and Family Love to get more modification points. ¡°Alfred.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Did you find the person who dropped the flowerpot?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I haven¡¯t yet.¡± ¡°Let me know when you do. I think it will be fun.¡± ¡°¡­All right.¡± Not everyone we call family is actually family. When I was about to turn around¡­ ¡°Sir, I know this is out of my place, but may I ask you one thing?¡± Steward Alfred called to me with a somewhat satisfied look. He judged that my silence meant yes. ¡°How about not inviting the Empress and the Princess for the time being?¡± ¡°You¡¯re being impertinent.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You owe me your life with this, so do what you must do.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± I deliberately spoke with a chilly madness. It meant I should¡¯ve killed him for this, but I chose not to. Understanding this, he deeply bowed his head. Passing by him¡­ ¡°Forbid any invitation for ten days. If you say my madness has returned, they will understand.¡± Alfred, at my words, suddenly raised his head. His warm gaze tickled the back of my head. In fact, even now, the rebellious temperament, arrogance, self-righteousness, and other heaven-mandated destinies bothered me. I watched to attack him and swear. But. ¡®If I do that, I might die.¡¯ Knowing Alfred¡¯s true face, I didn¡¯t dare. In front of him, if his mind was made up, even the pretense of being a prince would be useless. However, I was only bluffing a little by acting with the prince¡¯s personality. [You devoured the low-rank destiny rebellion, self-righteousness, arrogance, and cruelty. Acquired a large number of modification points] [Little patience has been strengthened] [Immoral Destiny and Family Love will change depending on your actions] I gained something new, but that wasn¡¯t the end. [As a result of your actions, the Assassination Attempt has missed people around the target] [As a result of the previous selection, you greatly devoured the Immoral Destiny. Acquired a large number of modification points] [The destiny of related characters changed a little more] Destiny changed once again. As I turned around, reading that the Assassination Attempt missed the people around, I noticed Alfred was gone. Feeling the hairs on the back of my arms raise, I hurried into my room. * * * The next day, I started training again in the morning. [You devoured the low-rank destiny laziness, weakness, and low-quality stamina] [With Fortune out of Misfortune, patience was activated, and you devoured it as a bonus. You will attain additional modification points] [Total modification score: 250] The points I¡¯d collected so far were pretty good. [All of the modification points were invested in Misfortune. You weakened Misfortune. The chance to trigger Fortune out of Misfortune has increased] Again, I invested in Misfortune. I also thought about increasing my physical abilities, but I was able to improve those with exercise first. [Activated Fortune out of Misfortune] A sudden gust of wind blew past. Thud. ¡°Ah¡­?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Bird poop that was definitely flying toward me fell instead on the steward¡¯s forehead. One of my favorite things about the prince¡¯s personality was that I didn¡¯t have to hold back laughter. I was a crazy guy, so no one could say anything, even if I laughed like a madman. While I grabbed my sides and laughed, the steward raised a handkerchief with blush and wiped his forehead. ¡°I have obtained permission for you to use the Vigo.¡± He informed me about the orders I gave him before. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower and have lunch.¡± ¡°I will prepare the vehicle.¡± The Imperial Steel Castle was in the center of Ferma, the capital of Ironia. Given that it was practically a small city in itself, everything was too far away for walking. ¡°Get in, Your Majesty.¡± A vehicle dedicated to the royal family glided smoothly in front of the 11th Prince¡¯s Palace. With smooth curves and wheels that ran with a Mana engine and an interior finished with ivory and silver, I was struck silently by its elegance. Glance, glance. The driver continued to look in the rearview mirror as he drove. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Alfred opened the door to announce my arrival, and as soon as I climbed out, I paused to witness the sight unfolding ahead of me. Vigo was where all knowledge and treasures of the Empire were kept. ¡°Amazing.¡± It was wonderful to see you again. Several square-shaped buildings gathered around a large site. ¡°We will help guide you.¡± One of the imperial wizards in charge of Vigo approached as I stood there. ¡°Only access to the study was permitted.¡± I hadn¡¯t heard that. When the corners of my lips went up, he grew nervous but didn¡¯t back down. Of course, he had his own reasons. ¡°It was by His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± That was it. To think I¡¯d have to pass through without seeing or touching the treasures piled up before me. ¡°The reason is?¡± I still wasn¡¯t satisfied, so I asked him this. ¡°Because you tried to smuggle weapons out of the arsenal and stole jewelry the last time. You even tried to leak Margot¡¯s knowledge¡­.¡± ¡°Stop. Stop.¡± The answer came from Alfred, oddly enough. ¡°Why are you here? Protect the Prince¡¯s Palace.¡± ¡°How can I not follow as your steward?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to watch for accidents?¡± ¡°¡­How could I be?¡± ¡°Your answer was one second late. You owe me another life.¡± ¡°I will repay you.¡± For a moment, the wizard was surprised by the casual conversation between Alfred and me. ¡°Then, I will guide you to the library.¡± As he activated Vigo¡¯s magic. Boom, boom, boom! The buildings started to overlap like blocks until they formed a majestic wall. There were more than twenty of these blocks that made up the library. ¡°Shall I assist you?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to be watched.¡± Rejecting Alfred¡¯s offer, I stepped into one of the alcoves of the imperial castle. No verification process was required; it was confirmed as soon as we entered. Once inside, I took a moment to look around. ¡°I¡¯m glad that only the library was allowed. I can¡¯t use the things from other places yet.¡± With that certainty, I started walking through. As my memory led me, I searched for the books I had read before. It took me hours to roam the library, but finally¡­ ¡°Found it.¡± I found what I was looking for. It was a book, but it didn¡¯t have the shape of a book. Its form was a blazing flame, and what it contained was a strong desire. As I reached out and held the fire that gently tempted me- It spread and devoured my body. [You faced a mighty force that will change your destiny. The great power is about to swallow you up] [This is a mystery that has already been dealt with. You devoured its destiny, the Forgotten and Abandoned Mystery] In the end, I swallowed it. It was a fate I¡¯d faced in the past that I couldn¡¯t use properly. However, this time I devoured a different mystery. CH 5 I Need to See Some Blood The Treasury of Iron Palace secured the most precious objects chosen by the Empire that held supremacy over the continent. In the armory were wonders held by the continent¡¯s Heroes and previous Emperors. It was even said that ancient magic and rituals existed before the Magoen Empire¡¯s establishment were hidden inside. The Treasury held many such wonders, and one of them was a huge library. Records recognized for their intellectual value, various philosophies, art, and fiction was kept inside. Even pre-imperial works were collected if they were thought to be of value, even if their knowledge went against the Empire. The power of knowledge is great. Especially those records of the ancient, mythical time before the land was conquered. [You face a mighty force that will change Fate. The mighty force is about to swallow it up] The mystery of Fate Predation I faced now might¡¯ve existed at that time. However, one thing was certain. ¡®It¡¯s not the first time.¡¯ The first mystery I encountered wasn¡¯t this fate predation. When I was pretending to be a fake Emperor, I was threatened by assassins while wandering around the treasury, and I ran away to live, but that was when I met it. [You acquired the First Heart among the Flames of the Heart] The Flames of Heart were from the first Emperor and founding father of Ironia, the Iron Empire. The first mystery of Chiron Ironia, the Iron Flame Emperor. I found the roots of a lost empire. Because of this, I didn¡¯t lose the dignity of the Emperor until the end, even though I was a fake. The political opponents who tried to kill me couldn¡¯t step forward. ¡®This time, it will be different.¡¯ I swallowed the flame, but I was convinced. It was the ability to restore my dignity even after the tyrant¡¯s reign spread like a plague. Even though I was a prince with no foundation or ability before becoming a tyrant, it would be different if I had acquired the foundation. Wasn¡¯t that a power to change Fate? When I tried to move again after the flames dissipated. Swoosh! The flame ignited again inside my stomach. [It is a Fate too great to prey on. Sub-Fate Misfortune is triggered, and the power contained in the Flame is flowing back!] This hadn¡¯t happened in my past life. I just had a little flame in my heart back then. But as I was questioning it, the flames spread inside me like wildfire. ¡°Hehehe. Hehehehe.¡± I didn¡¯t bend over in pain but instead sneered. Then I straightened up. Rebellion, pride, self-righteousness, depravity. This body ignored all the pain that wracked it with the feeling of not wanting to lose. Why this was happening evaded me, but one thing was certain. ¡°Even if it hurts a lot.¡± The Fate of madness and tyranny wouldn¡¯t bend even in the face of a mighty force. If other people saw it, they¡¯d probably say I was crazy. But thanks to this madness. ¡®The flame reacted to my blood.¡¯ The biggest difference between my previous life and my present life was my blood. Before, I wasn¡¯t an actual member of the Ironian imperial family, so the mystery couldn¡¯t fully express. But now I was in the real Emperor¡¯s body; that must be the change. The mystery was responding to my blood. And actually, that was perfect. ¡®Run wilder.¡¯ I was looking forward to seeing what greatness this mystery, now that it met the blood of the imperial family, would hold. Even with flames consuming me, I stood tall, a smile of disdain on my lips, my hair unruffled. How long did I endure it? Gradually, the records in the flame flowed into my mind, and I realized how to deal with the violent flame. Pain was the process of reading this book. However, learning modestly didn¡¯t suit a tyrant. ¡°Mystery, listen to your master. You cannot burn me.¡± Give in and prey on it. It must be a mighty force and destiny that was difficult to bear, but this was the command of a mad, self-righteous tyrant. [You did not give in the because of Sub-Fate Rebellion, Pride, Self-Righteousness, and Depravity] [A new Fate is born through the effect of luck in Misfortune!] [You recognized the mystery-devouring bloodline of the Sub-Fate Noble Blood] [You forcibly devoured a greater force!] The Fate of the tyrant swallowed up the great mystery. The searing pain lancing my flesh started to subside, and the flames gathered toward my heart. It felt like I was being branded. ¡°Ugh-.¡± It was hard to even for the body of a vicious tyrant to bear this, and a small groan leaked out. But that was all. His madness and my will wouldn¡¯t allow anything more. Ultimately, the mystery seemed to give up and stayed in a circle around my heart. Pound-pound-pound. A powerful ring of flame swirled around my heart. At the same time, all the knowledge of this power and how to use it was imprinted in my head. It was flame-filled with power but also a book that kept records. Unlike in my previous life, I could now read them. [Sub-Fate Misfortune has moved beyond death. It preys on Fate] [You have built up a Noble Spirit with Sub-Fate Rebellion, Pride, Self-Righteousness, and Depravity. It preys on Fate] [You have acquired 500 Modification Points] [Total Modification Points 600] [Since you have swallowed the Flame, all the effects of the First Heart are put into your body!] [You have encountered the element that will bloom the Sub-Fate Noble Blood, the Flame of Heart. A new Fate is born] [Fate has turned its head by the acquisition of this power] Once again, Fate took a turn. I still didn¡¯t know where it was heading, but one thing was for sure. ¡°It¡¯s going to be stormy.¡± Many challenges awaited me regardless of how much changed. For now, I should head to a place where I can practice with this new power. Just as I was about to leave the library. [Clash of Fates embraces a new one. Weak luck dwells in the Sub-Fate] I burst into a bout of mad laughter at the good news. Ah, I should calm down before I make it outside. The sky was filled with light purple as the sun started to dip below the horizon. It was a shame I wouldn¡¯t have the time to train today¡­but I turned to look for Alfred with the feeling I had achieved something much better. ¡°Are you done with your business?¡± Alfred bowed his head politely as soon as my gaze fell on him. Beside him was a different Treasury Keeper from earlier. When I met this newcomer¡¯s eyes, I felt anger. ¡°Put down your arrogant eyes before I pull them out.¡± ¡°My apologies.¡± It was hard to suppress the rising tide. Should I just leave after swallowing the flames? The Keeper trembled when he saw the red corners of my lips rise, and the purple light of the fading sun glinted off my eyes. It was madness. ¡°I¡¯ll let you live since I like the sky.¡± But today, luck was on the Keeper¡¯s side. The Prince continued to move forward. Mismatched with the lineage of a noble prince, his footsteps seemed to hang, but it wasn¡¯t a flaw. Disorganized yet beautiful, stretched yet dignified. It was only after the Prince got into the car that the Keeper let out a small breath. The heavens saved his life. It was funny, but it was understandable for the 11th Prince. ¡°Whew.¡± Seeing the Keeper was relieved, I also exhaled a little. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t find anything strange. ¡°¡­¡± I felt someone staring as I buried myself into the comfortable seat. I made eye contact with Alfred, who was looking at me through the rearview mirror. My heart was pounding, but I remained calm and relaxed on the outside. ¡°You owe me another life. It¡¯s already been three times.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t say anything¡­.¡± ¡°Your gaze looks disrespectful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Yes, you should apologize.¡± I glanced out to the scenery of the Iron Castle. Mana lanterns that blazed white pushed away the incoming dark from their building wards. ¡°Do you know anything about the Nameless Clerk?¡± I remembered the person who had told me the mystery of Fate Predation. Now that I regressed, he was working as a clerk. ¡°The Nameless Clerk? Nameless¡­it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of them.¡± ¡°You have never heard of them before?¡± My brow wrinkled. I wondered if he was pretending not to know to avoid contact. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°It is true. None of the clerks are anonymous.¡± Alfred¡¯s expression was sincere. It was absurd; I couldn¡¯t believe the Nameless Clerk, in charge of one of the palace¡¯s mysteries, didn¡¯t exist. But knowing who Alfred really was, I knew that no one else would have a clue if he didn¡¯t. There were no employees in the Iron Castle he didn¡¯t know. ¡°Shall we look for him? I will inquire at the Imperial Annals Hall.¡± ¡°Do it.¡± ¡°You look happy. Did you find any good books?¡± ¡°You seem very interested in it. Do you want to owe me again?¡± ¡°I will keep quiet.¡± Alfred suddenly smiled with satisfaction at my blunt answer. ¡°While you were in the library, the 7th Princess visited.¡± ¡°¡­The 7th Princess? What did she say?¡± ¡°She seemed to be in a good mood. Just like you, Prince.¡± He brought it up out of the blue, but I shrugged it off with a frown. Why would that crazy bitch feel good? Alfred gave a hint, and I understood. ¡°Let all the employees join us this evening.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The purple eyes reflecting the night sky suddenly flashed with blood. * * * Everyone gathered in the dining hall had questions at the sudden order. But when everyone spoke in trembling voices about what awaited them, the Prince they spoke of appeared. He sat down as if it were a matter of course and didn¡¯t spare a single glance for his servants. Soon the food was readied, and the Prince ate it without a change in expression. It was his indifferent attitude, as usual. There was a strange elegance in the relaxed movement; each bite was greedy but not ravenous. The Prince shined alone as the main character, and the employees looked at him from the background. ¡°Bring me the wine.¡± Everyone went stiff at the word wine. The Prince was famous for his temper, and his rage only grew when he was drunk. Today, Satan would appear. Everyone foresaw the tragedy to come. ¡°Here you are.¡± The Butler Alfred brought a glass bottle of brown liquid with dim eyes. However. ¡°Not this one. Something else.¡± The Prince shook his head. Even after that. ¡°Not. Something else.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°The other one.¡± He refused all the bottles Alfred brought. Everyone broke out in a cold sweat under the increasingly tense atmosphere. Some maids choked back tears, breathing heavily even though nothing had happened. Finally, when Alfred brought him a bottle of dark wine. ¡°Right. Pour me a drink.¡± Alfred nodded and poured the wine. The Prince lifted the glass and shook it, leaving a faint trace on the inside of the glass. As if hinting at the blood that would soon flow. He sniffed deeply, then shifted his gaze toward the servants for the first time all night. Then, very slowly, he looked at them individually as if choosing meat for a steak. Finally, he pointed to one of the shivering maids with his chin. ¡°You, come out.¡± Next, he pointed to a servant who clenched his fist. ¡°Come out.¡± The Prince called out several more. ¡°Bring enough glasses for everyone.¡± He set them up and poured the wine. And then. ¡°Pick up the glass.¡± They picked up the glasses. ¡°Drink it.¡± The Prince brought his own up to his lips with a crazed smile. The liquid swayed in the servants¡¯ trembling hands. ¡°If you don¡¯t drink, everyone will die. Even your families, and it¡¯s a crime to go against the mad Prince¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But if you drink it, I will spare the rest of you.¡± ¡°¡­T-that.¡± ¡°Or do you have something to say?¡± In the end, with that subtle question, they broke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I-I was just told to bring it!¡± ¡°So was I!¡± ¡°I was just told that it was medicine good for stamina.¡± ¡°Please spare our lives! Please, Please!¡± They fell to their knees and pleaded their guilt. The Prince suddenly brought the wine to his lips, and he didn¡¯t stop until his glass was dried. Everyone stared as he set it down. ¡°Tell me, by whose order was it? I need to see some blood.¡± The Prince flashed them a blood-soaked smile. CH 6 I¡¯m Bored, So Fight Amid everyone¡¯s silence. ¡°Y-Your Highness!¡± Only Alfred raised his voice. Once he was told to gather all the employees, it seemed like the bloody winds would blow. That was exactly what he expected. The change was only temporary. One day the Prince, addicted to drinking, started training and studying. But he couldn¡¯t overcome the pressure and disappointment in himself, so he returned to his old ways of picking fights and killing the servants caught in his sights. That was just how the 11th Prince was. A repetition of the pattern. Again, this was just a repetition of the pattern. So when the Prince told him earlier to gather the servants, Alfred left the poisoned wine as it was. After all, he wasn¡¯t the shadow protecting the Prince. This had already exceeded his authority enough. The victim was a fool, and the Iron Castle was where tragedy repeated itself countless times. Alfred watched this procession play out again, ignoring the small expectations of hope that had recently blossomed. However. ¡°Why would you drink the wine?¡± The mad Prince drank the poisoned wine even though he had a stronger obsession with life than anyone else. Alfred unwittingly raised his voice when faced with this unexpected situation. ¡°You¡¯re making too much fuss about it.¡± Alfred shut his mouth at the Prince¡¯s indifference. Was this the 11th Prince he knew? His boredom transcended calm. But following that, the Prince continued to eat like nothing had changed. ¡°By whose order was it?¡± ¡°¡­T-that.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t answer. It¡¯s annoying to listen to you. Alfred.¡± ¡°Give me your orders.¡± ¡°Find out whose order it was. Afterward, arrange a meeting. I want to see some blood.¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°The Prince was poisoned, and there must be someone behind it. Is there not enough reason already?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°It is a condition to pay back one of the lives you owe me. That price will be enough.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The Prince glanced at Alfred and smiled. He was too relaxed for someone who drank poison. Wasn¡¯t now the time to worry? ¡°I will call a doctor and a priest.¡± Alfred, who had regained a semblance of sanity after seeing that smile, tried to fulfill his duties. ¡°Alfred.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°You¡¯re acting foolish these days.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a normal thing, so don¡¯t keep making a fuss. Are you going to turn me into a moron?¡± ¡°Ah. But.¡± ¡°The Iron Castle is a place where poison isn¡¯t uncommon. Don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°Yes. I have been reckless.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a small disturbance that will pass quickly. Don¡¯t be so noisy.¡± It felt good to see Alfred unable to hide his bewildered expression. To see that person¡¯s face like that¡­in the past, when I was educated to become a fake Emperor, the shadow directly under the imperial family tormented me a lot. ¡°Your life is fake. Dedicate that lie to the imperial family.¡± ¡°You have no ego, from your gestures to your voice to your thoughts. Be His Majesty. Be an extra life for His Majesty.¡± When I first met Alfred, he was the imperial shadow and the leader of the Black Iron Squad. The cruelest and most ruthless instructor. ¡°After all, it¡¯s a place where people take poison for their own dignity. A place where anything is acceptable as long as you overcome it. It¡¯s that kind of place.¡± ¡°¡­It is just as Your Highness says.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I like it.¡± I gave him back the advice he gave me while pretending to be the Emperor. The glimmer of light in Alfred¡¯s eyes was unusual, but I could tell he was convinced. Alfred, the man who would become the leader of the Black Iron Squad, was certain of my change. And he would report today to the Emperor that the 11th Prince¡¯s behavior was unusual. That was enough. After finishing the bizarre dinner, I got up and headed to my room. As soon as I closed the door, I fell into bed. * * * The sweet smell of wine and the fishy smell of poison carried on my breath. Slowly, I started to feel sick. Although it was painful, it wasn¡¯t unbearable since I had already swallowed the flame. And¡­in my previous life, I had often suffered this kind of pain. My life as a fake was one filled with learning. The dummies were all thoroughly educated about the tyrant¡¯s life, and maybe I learned more than the real one. What kind of food did he like, what were his relationships like, and why did he kill everyone? Among those lessons. ¡°Drinking poisoned wine changed your voice. Drink it all. If you can endure it, you will live. If you cannot endure it, you will die.¡± There was also the process of reproducing the scars left on the tyrant¡¯s body. The man¡¯s voice was savagely cracked, but now my voice was too smooth and low-pitched even when I heard it. Because I hadn¡¯t been poisoned yet. Alfred¡¯s latest succession of signals saying not to call my family, saying that the 7th Princess was in a good mood. They were the power that tried to poison me. So I purposely found their poison. I didn¡¯t know why Alfred put it off until the end, but I could have avoided it by pretending not to know. ¡°Yet it was a hurdle I had to overcome.¡± My way of survival wasn¡¯t escaping but fighting back, and that was the answer. ¡®I even drank poison.¡¯ I had my own preparations and reasons to consider. First, the poison wasn¡¯t that strong. At that time, the tyrant lost only his voice. Second, there was a way to decipher it. The flame in my heart burned out the poison. I raised my will, and the flames around my heart began to flutter. It devoured the poison spreading through my veins. Thump-thump. My heart resonated with the red flame and beat violently. It didn¡¯t last long. Pssh- Smoke spewed from my mouth. Detoxification complete. ¡°No, it was burnt, so it was disinfected, right?¡± And my body and blood vessels were still burning. [Sub-Fate Assassination Threat has been devoured! You have devoured your Fate by your own will and preparedness! You earned a lot of Modification Points!] [You endured the pain using the Sub-Fate Pride, Self-Righteousness, Depravity, and Rebellion. The Noble Spirit is heightened even more. A new Fate is born] [An astonishing achievement twists the direction of Fate] [Your influence will change the Fate of the people around you] [You acquired a large number of Modification Points] [The poison was easily suppressed with the effect of Luck in Misfortune. You embraced the poison in the Flame with the activation of Weak Luck] [You have avoided the Sub-Fate Scar with your physical abilities and the Flame of Heart. By devouring Fate, your weak constitution is improved] I smiled as the satisfying notifications popped up one after another. Then, I closed my eyes. For the first time since becoming the real Prince, I fell into a deep sleep. * * * ¡°Kyaaaaaaa!¡± It was noisy in the morning, starting off with a maid¡¯s tearful scream. ¡°Huuump! His Highness! His Highness the Prince!¡± ¡°The Butler! Hurry up and call the Butler!¡± The loud cries of the servants disturbed my sleep. I didn¡¯t kill anyone yesterday, but they¡¯d been disturbing me since the morning. The moment I woke up thinking that these guys must want to get into trouble today. ¡°Your Highness the Prince!¡± I could see Alfred¡¯s astonished expression as he ran over. I seemed to be witness to that expression a lot these days. However, the intensity of it today was unusual. The reason is: ¡°Who set the Prince¡¯s bedroom on fire!¡± My surroundings explained it. Even though some of the furniture in my room was fireproof, none of it survived. There was the poisoning yesterday, so this time might be misunderstood as an arson attempt. ¡°Thank God, Your Highness. I guess there was no problem since you were in the center.¡± Even Alfred looked puzzled. ¡°Gather back all the employees right now. I will question them along with what happened yesterday!¡± He expressed his anger. Was that an act, or was he sincere? It was worth being angry because it was an assassination attempt against the imperial family. Still, it wasn¡¯t necessary since the target wasn¡¯t the Emperor. I stared at him for a moment, trying to decide which it was. ¡°Alfred.¡± ¡°After poison, now it¡¯s arson. Who is trying to assassinate you like this?¡± ¡°Alfred?¡± ¡°Your Highness, I will find it out myself. First of all, please get yourself together and¡­.¡± ¡°Alfred, listen to me.¡± ¡°Yes. Your Highness. Shall I call them all? Would you like to interrogate the servants yourself?¡± ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Get out. You¡¯re so noisy.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Go find out. I will sleep in another room.¡± Actually, I couldn¡¯t say that I¡¯m the arsonist. What stupid Prince would say that he almost burned down his room while taking care of some poison? It was unacceptable due to my arrogant nature. After all, a tyrant wasn¡¯t the type of person to admit their faults. ¡°Don¡¯t bother me until I leave.¡± The Prince went into another room as if nothing had happened. Was that the attitude of someone who just suffered a poisoning attempt and then arson? For a moment, Alfred watched the Prince as he left with an unreadable expression. ¡°Everyone has gathered. What shall we do?¡± ¡°Tell them to wait.¡± ¡°New Knights are coming soon.¡± ¡°Tell them to wait too.¡± ¡°But¡­how can I tell the Knights-¡° ¡°Tell them to wait! His Highness is sleeping!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry.¡± For a moment, Alfred angrily wheezed. He then organized his clothes and, subsequently, his feelings. ¡°I¡¯m going somewhere, so for now, do as I tell you. Tell the Knights to rest in the reception room.¡± ¡°Yessir.¡± Alfred, confirming no one was around, melted into the shadows. There was a question bothering him recently. ¡®The Prince is acting like a different person? Is it possible?¡¯ It was hard for anyone to believe, but Alfred saw it. The Prince, who swallowed poison and remained calm in the fire, and the mystery of the Prince who breathed fire himself¡­what should he do if he really changed? No, maybe he hadn¡¯t. ¡®What if this is his original self?¡¯ It was a creepy hypothesis, but how else should he interpret the 11th Prince¡¯s sudden and unexplainable change? ¡®It is for the Emperor to decide.¡¯ Alfred, clearing his thoughts, headed to the Imperial Palace. * * * ¡°After all, he got on my nerves from the start.¡± ¡°¡­Why does it have to be us among the Imperial Knights?¡± ¡°We¡¯re nobody, after all. That must be why.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unpleasant.¡± ¡°Be careful what you say. He¡¯s a prince.¡± In the reception room of the Prince¡¯s Palace, several men dressed in blue armor sat apart and muttered to each other. These were the low-ranking members of the 13th Imperial Knights. Though even if they were low-ranking, they, who were proud of their station, didn¡¯t like the idea of being called by the mad Prince. They heard a rumor that his call was a shortcut to failure. Perhaps that was why only the commoners and children of the lesser nobilities were selected from among the Knights to answer. They were being thrown away, so what loyalty could be expected from them? ¡°Hey, Commoner.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Andre.¡± ¡°Right, Commoner Andre.¡± A Knight with a particularly cold expression gritted his teeth and endured the insult. As a commoner who joined the Imperial Knights, such discrimination was natural. ¡°The first scapegoat is you. Keep this in mind; it¡¯s you no matter what.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unfair.¡± ¡°If you think it¡¯s unfair, don¡¯t be born as a commoner.¡± ¡°Should I endure injustice just because I¡¯m a commoner? Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a mere orphan.¡± When he was about to stand and strike his fellow at the unbearable insult. ¡°Are you going to fight?¡± The Knights in the reception room turned all at once to face the drowsy voice. A handsome man watched them through the open door, a dangerous smile hanging on his lips. It was strange. They were Imperial Knights who endured rigorous training to the point that they were said to have remodeled their bodies, but the moment he showed off his presence, all their complaints died down. As the Prince entered, the room was filled with a somber madness and elegance. An unfamiliar sense of frustration bound them. Was it the madness or the Prince¡¯s noble blood? Probably both. The Prince regarded them with a bloody smile. ¡°I asked if you were going to fight.¡± The Knights were forced to reply. ¡°It was immature for me to react to a knight who hadn¡¯t yet been disciplined. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The senior, who insulted Andre as an orphan, bowed his head first and snuck a glance at the low-class knight. A small smirk crossed his face. However. ¡°It sounds fun. Fight.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you to fight.¡± Flop. The Prince, sitting down, spat out an absurd remark. The reason was simple. ¡°I¡¯m bored. So, fight amongst yourself.¡± Just because he was bored. Mad Prince or not, they weren¡¯t aware it was this bad. The Knights glanced at each other. But the Prince¡¯s mouth opened again. ¡°Hey, commoner orphan boy.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°You set the stage for me, didn¡¯t you? What are you doing? Why don¡¯t you draw your sword?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I like tough guys. Show me.¡± The future Swordmaster and one of the rebel officers who died while being insulted by the tyrant, Andre, glanced at the Prince. The Prince continued to smile.