「 𝚃𝚘 𝚂𝚞𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙲𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝙿𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚎 」

》ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ɪ ʀᴇꜱᴇɴᴛ《

"Brother, I'm sorry I couldn't save you." Every night Hilde cries himself to sleep as the day of Arvan's death approach closer and closer slowly.

»»-------¤-------««

He had accepted his new life as Arvan by now, after 2 weeks he had gotten used to waking up as an infant prince. Everything around here was luxurious, either in gold or decorated with beautiful gems and crystals. He didn't see himself as Cho Ji-tae anymore as some days Lovisa would put on clothes the palace prepared for him in front of a huge mirror, everyday he sees a beautiful baby with blonde almost white hair and golden eyes, he looked like an angel rather than a demon. In the world of this novel, demons have reverted into a tamer form in order to make peace with angels, demons and spirits. So, interracial marriage between the 4 races are widely accepted, even in the royal family of Trosairene. However, Roderic shunned Arvan due to being half-blood, especially considering his mother was a peasant woman. Roderic had once told a servant that Arvan looked nothing like him even though 20-year-old Arvan in the book was described to have the same figure and face structure like Roderic and even dark golden eyes like him.

It is better for Arvan since Roderic barely visits him at his palace, with the excuse of being busy with empire's affairs or too exhausted to even visit. Well. Arvan didn't care. He used this time to gather his thoughts and remember every single plot point and how to avoid his future death. 'Let's see. Hilde was born 6 years after Arvan, or I was born. He came to the palace when he was a year old. Hilde would awaken his water powers when he was around 4, Arvan was supportive of Hilde but would work in secret after that to take down Roderic. Hilde is favored by Roderic to the point that Hilde was seen as the unofficial crown prince when Arvan was already given that title and then a few years later, Arvan died.' He thought, well most of the plot and problems came from nobles and the main villain as Arvan was more of Roderic's problem not Hilde's.

Arvan needed to find a way to get the throne without dying. Of course, he doesn't want to die but being an evil prince seems like a fun idea for him, you don't get the chance of being reborn as your favorite character every day. He just needed to work even smarter than Arvan was, but much more discreet. Which means awakening his dark powers earlier.

Since Arvan was the child of a demon and a human, he was a cambion, a creature much stronger than any regular demon but due to his power awakening late, he was unable to control his power which led to him being easily tricked by Roderic and caught for his crimes.

'Although it'd be weird for a 3-month-old baby like me to awaken his powers.' Arvan thought. So, he should focus more on growing stronger and maintaining his mana so it won't overflow or explode when he awakens his own powers. He should gather more thoughts on the novel. 'Then again why did Roderic hate Arvan? If he wants to use the excuse that Arvan killed the love of his life, Hilde did so too with his 2nd love. If he wants to use that Arvan could not be his biological son, Hilde would be a better candidate too considering he looks nothing like Roderic compared to Arvan.' He thought, but he then decided not to dwell on it, Roderic isn't going to care that much about him and he should be concerned about if Roderic is going to kill him or not.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

3 years has passed, Arvan has grown to be a strapping and active young prince, his platinum blonde hair has been cut several times as it had always reached past his neck, he had also been training his body to get his stamina to increase and his mana balance but still developing.

"How about you and I head out to the garden for tea today, your grace?" Lovisa suggested as Arvan was doing nothing but run around his private palace all day. "Sure." Arvan said, he had grown comfortable with Lovisa over the past 3 years of his new life, it was nice to feel loved and cared for by a mother figure for once. Lovisa got him dressed in his casual outdoor outfit. Arvan was constantly growing and his clothes would barely fit him, so Lovisa always had to request Roderick for more funds in order to supply half of Arvan's closet.

'Arvan isn't raised a silver spoon but a platinum spoon decorated with diamonds!' He thought. The palace's garden was beautiful, even in the end of spring, Arvan enjoyed running around it the most as it was easier to balance his body and not trip himself down on the ground. Most of the flowers' colors were slowly fading as he passed each one of the flower bushes. Then why would a crimson red color paint the grass?

"I told him not to go against me."

A couple of hounds were devouring the flesh of the underling in front of Arvan, the grass was painted red, as the young prince finally noticed his father's presence not so far, under a small canopy, looking down on the scene in front of him. "Good afternoon, your majesty." Lovisa greeted Roderic. "Good afternoon, father." Arvan followed, it is better for him to stay on Roderic's good side in order for his plan to go well. "You've grown. The last time I saw you were during the founding ball." Roderic replied. 'Is that all you have to say, you neglectful bastard?' Arvan thought. "Leave us." Roderic ordered Lovisa, as the noble lady nods and leaves the father and son to be. "We should leave, this may be too much of a grim sight for you." Roderic said, standing up, taking his cane with him. 'Huh, that's weird. The novel never stated that Roderic already had a limp before Hilde was born.' Arvan thought.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

The servants started bringing in their food. Roderic suggested that they both have lunch together, which wasn't what Arvan expected. 'Did I do something to change the plot? It wasn't described that Roderic was affectionate to Arvan.' He thought as he picked up his fork and spoon, maybe their meeting at the garden today changed their relationship. "How are you, father?" Arvan asked with a smile, pretending to be a son excited to see his father. "Busy." Roderic answered, as he starts slicing at the steak served to him. 'Can't you make the conversation much more interesting?' Arvan thought with a nod and smile to Roderic's answer. "It must be hard to be the emperor." The blonde-haired prince said, as he starts digging in his meal. In the novel's side story, it is stated that Roderic was just 17 years old when he took over the throne from his tyrant father, so it must have been a heavy burden to carry at that age. "I'm used to it." Roderic said. Arvan nodded as he continued enjoying the steak, but he couldn't help but noticed Roderic was taking glances at him once in a while. "Your table etiquette is not too bad." Roderic commented.

"Thank you, father!" Arvan exclaimed, of course it was the first time he heard a compliment from someone other than Lovisa and his palace maids. "I should reward Lady Lovisa for being a good nanny to you and teaching you etiquette properly." Roderic said as he finished his meal. "Well then, what else do you want to do?" Roderic asked, his golden eyes looked tired, with dark circles under them. Arvan got off his seat and walked towards Roderic. "Let's go out and play!" He said with a smile. 'Let's just hope you know what playing is.' He thought to himself.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

'What the hell is this.' Arvan thought as he was holding back from crying, while holding onto the soft fur of the hellhound he was forced to ride. Roderic was watching from afar, throwing back a wooden stick every time the hound Arvan was riding brings it back. 'Is this your idea of playing with your son?!' Arvan thought as he was holding onto the hound's fur like it was his lifeline.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

"Your majesty, are you alright?!" Lovisa cried as she held Arvan close, the young prince suddenly threw up on the porcelain floor of the palace. 'Why would I think Roderic would change just from a small meeting?!' Arvan thought as he was almost close to bawling his eyes out. "Let's get you all cleaned up my prince." Lovisa said.

END OF CHAPTER 2