The mansion was silent at midnight, with only the occasional footsteps of prison guards echoing through the long corridors. They patrolled in disciplined, yet completely unaware of the anomaly lurking beneath their feet.
As they moved, something flickered under the lamps.
A dark, shifting shadow slithered along the stone floor, moving fluidly, as if alive. It twisted and coiled, avoiding detection as it seeped into the cracks and crevices, creeping ever closer to its destination.
Using the backdrop of a prison guard, it moved alongside.
At that moment, a guard froze a bit and looked around.
Humid wind blew around swaying the light lamps.
"What happened?"One of them asked sternly.
The one asked, searched around but then shook his head.
The guards, despite their high B-rank abilities, sensed nothing. The very air felt still, yet none of them realized the unnatural presence passing through their ranks.
Inside the dimly lit prison cell, Regalina shuddered. Her body, bruised and broken, barely held together by the forced healing, trembled with agony.
Every breath was torture. Her once beautiful face was now swollen and bloodied, and her lips cracked from dehydration. She wanted to die, she begged for death.
If only she could go back. If only she had chosen differently.
The flickering light of the lamp cast long shadows on the wall, but suddenly, those shadows began to move unnaturally. The darkness itself seemed to come alive. From its depths, a thick, black goo oozed forward, bubbling like a living nightmare.
A face emerged from the darkness consisting of a twisted, humanoid form with empty, hollow eyes and a smile that sent a chill down her spine.
Regalina's breath hitched. Terror gripped her like never before.
Her scream was cut off as a cold, clawed hand clamped over her mouth. She struggled weakly, her broken body too weak to resist.
A slow, devilish grin crawled across the shadowy figure's face.
"Silence," the voice whispered, smooth and unwavering. "We wouldn't want others to find out, right?"
Regalina's wide, terrified eyes reflected the monster before her.
Kael stood by the window, watching the last remnants of rain slide down the glass. The storm had passed, but lightning still crackled in the distance, illuminating the sky in brief, ghostly flashes. As the light flickered, his gaze caught the reflection in the window—a dark, lifeless image staring back at him.
His eyes, hollow and devoid of warmth, held no shred of empathy.
The history he had read still lingered in his mind, weighing on him like a silent curse. The world he once knew had crumbled, the kingdoms he knew had fallen, and his homeland had long been destroyed. The very place he was born had become a Forbidden Zone, a graveyard of war where only ruin remained.
Everything from his past was gone.
His name is etched into history as a monster. A villain.
A devil giving rise to hatred.
A hatred against him had never faded generation after generation, they cursed his existence.
The irony? He had fought to save this world. Yet, history had cast him as its greatest enemy.
A humorless smirk curled on his lips.
"Honestly, I don't care," he muttered. But then, his gaze darkened. "Still, when I think about those fools who threw their lives away for nothing… I can't help but get angry."
Before he could sink further into his thoughts—
Kael's expression twisted. A thick vein bulged on his forehead.
"It must be those damn servants again. If I don't break a few heads after I get out of here, I'm not Leona— he stopped himself. I mean Kael."
But the knocking continued, persistent and unrelenting.
"Who?" His voice was cold, cutting through the silence.
"It's me, Young Master. Butler Rami."
Kael's gaze shifted. His irritation faded into something unreadable.
The door opened, revealing Rami. The man was tall and aged, yet sharp as ever. His whiskered face was unreadable, his posture disciplined. He didn't waste words, nor did he speak without purpose.
Kael studied him carefully.
"His Highness wishes to see you, Young Master," Rami said, his tone soft yet firm.
Kael arched his brow. He didn't ask why. There was no point as he wouldn't get an answer anyway.
"Let's go," Kael said smoothly, straightening his clothes. He followed Rami without hesitation, his steps steady and confident.
He wasn't the same as before.
In his past life, he had run away, unable to bear the weight of expectations and scorn. He had abandoned everything, hoping to escape his fate.
But that was a mistake.
Power. Influence. Connections. These were weapons.
If only he had allies or underlings, he wouldn't be gang-banged by those dickheads.
This time, he wouldn't hesitate. This time, he would claim his place as Grand Duke.
He would build his forces, seize every advantage, and carve his name into the world once more.
"This time, I will rule."