Christopher stared coldly at Loraine, his hand raised again for another slap. But before it could land, a knock echoed through the chamber.
Knock. Knock.
A voice called from the other side of the door, "Prince Christopher, His Majesty has summoned you."
Christopher clicked his tongue in annoyance. He looked at Loraine with disdain, then gently patted her head mockingly, as if she were a pet. Without a word, he turned and walked out.
He entered the King's chamber—lavishly decorated, with a large diamond-studded table in the center. King Adam Zadberg sat calmly, sipping tea from a polished copper glass. His gaze met Christopher's.
"Sit down," the King said, voice firm.
Christopher obeyed, sitting across from him with a blank expression.
The King continued, "Your brother will be leaving for Quad Academy in the north. Since he awakened a pure ice talent, it's the best fit for him."
He paused for a moment, watching Christopher's reaction.
"You, however... You have awakened both the Absorber and Fire talents. Cube Academy in the central region is where you belong. Their faculty will help you master both abilities."
Christopher gave a slight nod. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
The King raised an eyebrow. "Don't call me Majesty. I'm your father."
Christopher said nothing more. The decision had been made—he would depart tomorrow.
---
Meanwhile, in a luxurious room elsewhere in the castle, Clinton sat in silence, deep in thought. Sunlight filtered through the velvet curtains as he stared at the intricate carvings on the marble floor.
So... I'm now the second prince of Velmora, he thought. Son of an SS-ranked King. This kingdom—Velmora—is vast, and I'm currently in the capital city, Libas.
He clenched his fist lightly. And on top of that, I awakened a pure Ice talent—rare and extremely powerful. My younger sister, who has an average Water aptitude, will be accompanying me to Quad Academy in the north in just three days.
A smirk slowly crept across his face.
If I really am getting a second chance at life... then I'll enjoy it to the fullest. I'll grow stronger, marry a beautiful woman, raise a powerful family... and maybe even become king myself. Haha... yeah. I'll do that.
Back in the village… Aric's POV
After turning Darcy into my slave—and her Slave Will hitting 300%—she does everything I say. No hesitation. From interrogating her, I've figured out a few things about my current messed-up situation:
1) My so-called "job" isn't really a job. I'm basically a freelancer—cutting wood in the jungle, hauling it back, and selling it to the village chief's shop… for 1 copper per log. It's a scam. Straight daylight robbery.
Sure, there are other shops that pay more, but the nearest one is 40 kilometers away. I can't make that trip every damn day. Not with my current stamina. Still, I'll need to come up with a plan.
2) This house? Yeah, it's running on me. Food, money, everything. Aunt tries to help when she can, but her business has been in the gutter for months. I can't rely on her. I'm all this house has.
3) My priorities are simple—but urgent.
First, I need a solid source of income. Something faster than chopping wood like a slave myself.
Second, I need to get stronger. Train, evolve, and turn this Slave System into a real weapon.
Third, I need to find a way into the Kingdom Intelligence. That's where the real money, power, and information is.
And finally—the Soulbeet Herb. That's the key. Whatever the system wants it for, it's important. The sooner I find it, the sooner I can upgrade everything. And the sooner I can finally live the life .
As I sat alone in the only room of the house, planning out my next moves, I could hear Darcy outside scrubbing clothes, water splashing rhythmically.
The door creaked open.
I turned—and froze.
It was Sarah, my stepsister. Early twenties. Normally distant, reserved. But today… she looked different.
She was wearing something I hadn't seen before—a fitted purple outfit, like something a medic might wear in the old movies clinics. Sleek, professional, but cut in a way that hugged her curves more than it should have. The color clung to her skin, outlining every motion as she stepped in. Even her gloves looked elegant, like she had just stepped out of a royal infirmary.
But her eyes weren't soft. They were sharp. Cold. Furious.
She marched up to me. Without saying hi or hello her first words were
"I saw what you did," she said, voice low and biting. "At Aunt's place."
The air thickened. My thoughts scattered. What did she see? She couldn't have known about my X-Ray skill…
She stepped even closer.
"I saw you masturbating. In front of the wall."
Shit. My cheeks went hot. I didn't know what she thought she saw—but it clearly didn't look good from the outside.
I stayed quiet, hoping it would blow over. It didn't.
"Don't stay quiet!" she snapped. "Answer me—why the hell did you do something like that, out in the open, where anyone could see?"
"I… I don't know," I mumbled. "I guess… I feel alone sometimes."
That stopped her. She looked at me strangely. Like she didn't expect that answer.
Then she stepped closer.
"I'll come to work with you," she said softly. "From tomorrow."
What? No. No way. That would ruin everything.
"N-no, really, I'm good now. I feel better," I stammered. "You don't need to—"
She cut me off. "No. You need someone to talk to. I'm bored at home. We'll make more money if I help. It's decided."
I stared at her.
She wasn't taking no for an answer, I would need to change my plans .