As Dravon descended from the horse-drawn carriage and set foot on the porte-cochère of the Silverlake residence, the wind blew so strongly, tossing his hair and palace cloak. However, unexpectedly, the Silverlake residence appeared grand and luxurious, resembling a palace. With tall and large buildings adorned with beautiful architecture and genuine gold embellishments on the walls and ceilings. Not to mention two statues of women holding a bouquet of flowers used to welcome guests on the terrace. Dravon realized every inch was made of gold, diamonds, and various rare gemstones. Compared to the Silverlake family's residence, the Lotus Palace was truly nothing."I fail to understand why Princess Silvanna left everything she had in Valorus for the city of Umbravale," Dravon muttered as William joined him. "I fail to understand why she endured being the Crown Princess when my brother didn't treat her well. With wealth and status of this magnitude, she could have married a Crown Prince fr
One year ago.The birthday celebration of the Crown Princess of Varidianth was always grand. The party took place in the heart of Varidianth, the dazzling city of Remirer. It invited nobles from all corners of Varidianth and extended invitations to Princes and Princesses from neighboring realms. It was a well-known secret that Princess Seraphina enjoyed extravagance and revelry.Usually, the party was a joyful affair, featuring performances by the world's most famous bands, delicious foods, dance floors with disco lights and DJ games, and even some alcohol-infused beverages.But that night, Kieran attended the party with a somber demeanor. Surprisingly, it caught the attention of almost-drunk Princess Seraphina. The girl suddenly sat on Kieran's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her black hair smelled like blueberries, Kieran's favorite scent."You know, Nyxshade," Princess Seraphina whispered in his ear. "I want to leave this place. With you."Kieran tried to ignore the gazes o
The night before.The lights in Lord Grand Duke Elios' working chamber were seldom lit, but since the arrival of Miss Silvanna's coffin, they consistently glowed. Lord Grand Duke Elios returned home and never ventured out of that working chamber again.As a servant with six years of tenure at Silverlake House, Lana found herself not truly acquainted with Grand Duke Elios, unlike her fellow servants accustomed to Elios's eccentric work habits. Lana, however, is entirely unaccustomed. She yearned to be the one who serving tea and meals to Mr. Grand Duke Elios, offering blankets, and gently reminding him to rest. Unfortunately, those opportunities remained elusive, as her duties were confined to the task of dusting the walls.Lana understood that her thoughts about The Grand Duke should be restrained, yet observing his conflicts with his parents over the funeral arrangements, she couldn't help but feel a sense of compassion. Particularly when the Duke's own parents, Lana's superiors, orch
On the cold and rugged stone floor of the prince's bath chamber, Dravon sat with both knees drawn to his chest. His hands held an open book, reading it while muttering the incantations inscribed within. Each spell had its own recitation rules for success. The incantations in this book were meant to be spoken softly and swiftly, yet Dravon recited them with a normal tone and an unusually slow pace, merely attempting to memorize them.Suddenly, the door of his bath chamber swung open. Dravon squinted as the light from his room flooded the bathroom, obscuring the newcomer's face. However, Dravon couldn't mistake the tall and composed figure, a blend that made them appear enchanting and unapproachable."Will. Maybe we should set boundaries on when you're allowed to visit," Dravon remarked. "I'm genuinely uncomfortable right now.""I fail to understand why you're so upset," William Zephyr stepped into the bath chamber, sitting cross-legged in front of Dravon on the stone floor. "I heard yo
Tonight, the sky hung heavy with clouds over the city of Rainvale, causing the ground around the forest to be muddy, and the air damp and cold.Amidst the towering pine trees, Kieran Nyxshade ran swiftly. His boot-clad feet occasionally stomped on puddles, splashing mud in all directions, including onto his attire.In the darkness, his holy sword gleamed brightly, while his cursed sword was barely visible. As Kieran spotted a dead soul soaring toward him, he leaped and spun in the air, sword extended. His blade sliced through the dead soul perfectly, causing the demonic creature to burst into a cold puff of smoke and dust.For a moment, Kieran stopped and took a sip of water from his bottle. After drinking enough, he leaned his back against a pine tree and pulled out Eliora's diary. He wrote the number thirteen in a table and smiled. It seemed Serena was right. There were indeed more dead souls wandering to the west of Rainvale."I'm so tired," Kieran gazed wearily at the overcast nig
Kieran's words instilled tension in the air among all members of the hunter group that is abruptly silenced by his utterance. Some seemed to believe, while others looked horrified. However, Julian still harbored doubts."Out of the myriad cities in the land of Varidianth," Julian said skeptically, "Why have they chosen to attack the city of Rainvale?"Kieran nervously moistened his lips. "Actually, I was merely speculating," he confessed. "I've heard from a source that malevolent magic must be performed counterclockwise. Therefore, after assaulting Umbravale, the southern kingdom of Varidiant, I believe their next target will be the eastern part of Varidianth."The revelation briefly left Julian fell silent. He grazed his chin with the back of his hand, seemed contemplating the given information. "So," Julian started, his voice suddenly became hoarse, "you believe that they will select Rainvale here due to its largest population compared to other cities in the eastern kingdom of Varidi
When Grand Duke Elios Silverlake returned to the manor, Lana had just finished cleaning one room. She was quite slow because she had to first find cleaning equipment, and believe it, it was a painful moment as all the cleaning tools in Nyxshade Manor were strange and resembled robots! Lana had no idea how to use them at all. So, she had to clean the room with a cloth. After this, Lana really wanted to swear never to follow her young master again. But she knew it was impossible for a loyal servant like her."Good job, Lana," Master Elios said, placing a food package on the table. It made Lana wonder when was the last time he had a meal that wasn't prepared by the Silverlake family chefs? It must have been a very long time because she couldn't remember. The Grand Duke went straight to the bed and lay face down on it."Thank you, Your Grace," Lana said. "I'll go clean the next room."Master Elios immediately lifted his head and looked at Lana with a surprised expression. "What do you mea
On the grand balcony of the Sablecrest Manor, Dravon boredly observed the knights of the Sablecrest family practicing. From up here, they all seemed strong and well-trained, but that wasn't what Dravon sought in his plan. He needed the ability to blend in and not stand out, allowing him to infiltrate Rainvale easily while remaining protected."Prince Dravon," a servant suddenly entered the balcony. It seemed the man struggled to find Dravon as he often moved in his leisure time."Has Kieran Nyxshade been found?" Dravon inquired, taking a slow sip of his coffee. He never instructed palace servants to do anything other than inform him of the latest news on the Nyxshade search. Therefore, this servant must have come to deliver such news."Not yet, Your Highness," the servant replied with a neutral expression. "But I've heard other rumors."Dravon took another sip of his coffee. "It better be good news," he murmured. Somehow, the coffee didn't have much effect on his drowsiness. Perhaps D