I Became the Progenitor Vampire Chapter 331 – Chapter 331 Chapter 333 Prince Anos Revenge Memoir (10000

Chapter 331: Chapter 333: Prince Anos' Revenge Memoir (10,000-word Mega Chapter) Additional Plot, Skip If Disliked~ Chapter 331: Chapter 333: Prince Anos' Revenge Memoir (10,000-word Mega Chapter) Additional Plot, Skip If Disliked~ “Hahaha, you think you're fit to become a prince of the Nolan Empire?? What a joke even the goddesses would laugh at.”

“Your mother was a lowly maid, and the blood flowing through your veins is the most despicable of all, you've completely disgraced our royal family.”

“Your magic talent, I heard it was ruined by a group of thieves?? Hahaha, how pitiful…”

“You're that weakling and coward… Prince Anos??

I am the daughter of Duke Aonke, noble duke blood flows through my veins, I would never marry a piece of trash like you!! The marriage contract we had is now void!”

“Anos, your mother committed suicide last night because of your existence, ashamed, she took her own life with an alchemy poison made by the Keneili Snake Clan, I personally watched her body decay bit by bit, Anos, if you kneel and beg me, maybe I'll pity you enough to return your mother's skeleton to you… Haha, are you touched? My… dear brother…”

“Brother…”

“Brother…”

A demon-like voice echoed heavily in Anos's ears, as if to devour his soul.

“Ah!!”

Anos abruptly opened his eyes, sitting up instinctively, and stared wide-eyed at the room illuminated by the magic lamp, gasping heavily, his back soaked in sweat.

But even after waking up, that nightmarish scene still lingered in his mind.

His hands instinctively grabbed the blanket tightly, the insults that were engraved on his soul spurred anger from deep within.

Those, all of them, were his enemies, the ones he intended to take revenge on!!

Anos Nolan, born to a maid, the most disgraceful existence within the Nolan Royal Family.

The name Anos was a joke in the Nolan Capital, a prince that even the beggars on the street would mock.

Because, everything about him was far too lowly.

From the day he was born, he was viewed as a disgrace.

So it was with those jeering princes, and so it was with his father whom he had never met.

For his birth was a mistake.

A laughable mistake.

The country drunk, getting a child with a lowly maid bought from the slave market–wasn't that a colossal mistake?

If not for an ancestral decree, perhaps that humble slave maid would have turned to bones before she even bore him.

After being born with the title of prince, Anos never received any favor from the king; even that father he never met always saw him as a disgrace, after all, having a child with a lowly maid–how could such an act be worthy of his royal dignity?

And this was just the beginning.

From childhood, Anos grew up in a discriminatory environment, barely revealed to have mage talent, but had his talent destroyed on the day of the test by a few level 3 thieves.

Previously, a young commitment to marry the daughter of the newly prominent Duke Aonke family was arranged, but once the Aonke family secured their position in Nolan Capital, Duke Aonke's eldest daughter came and mercilessly tore up the marriage contract.

This once again made Anos the laughingstock of Nolan Capital.

Of humble birth, low talent, not to mention being publicly humiliated by a fiancee tearing up their engagement–Anos, although bearing the title of a prince, lived a life even more pathetic than a beggar.

Had he been just an ordinary person, perhaps nobody would talk about him, but under jealousy and envy, insulting a prince brought more pleasure than insulting anyone else.

Thinking thus, Anos Nolan took a deep breath; his young face filled with stubbornness and defiance.

As long as he hadn't died, he would never give up, unless he stopped breathing, nothing could halt his steps toward revenge.

Although he possessed a surname viewed as a glory in the Nolan Empire, Anos always considered it a disgrace, an ingrained disgrace in his bloodline.

“Sending me away to the southern provinces from the capital, slaughtering all my guards, stripping away all my possessions… Do you think that will stop me?”

The seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy, his inner rage was tumultuous.

But moments later, he slowly suppressed his fury, a vision of a captivating figure with long black hair and sparkling eyes softened his heart.

Suddenly his expression softened.

“Three years, Feiyana, just three more years.

After three years, I will return to the capital, and I will make those damned bastards pay for everything… Feiyana… wait for me, I won't let you marry that lame old noble from the north, never!!”

Anos knew his mother was murdered, knew his magic talent was destroyed by thieves hired by others, knew his assignment to the city of Green City, a city he had never been to before, had been orchestrated.

But he was too weak, too weak to fight back against his enemies.

Now his only hope lay in the territory assigned to him.

With this thought, Anos clenched his fists.

If he could get a rich land parcel in Green City, manage it well, perhaps in three years, he might have a chance to exact his revenge.

He had only three years left; after three years, the girl he loved most, who had not only given him all her savings to help him escape the Nolan Capital but had also suffered severe injuries in the process, would fulfill her marriage contract–marrying a nobleman over 60 years old with a lame leg.

Damn the marriage contract, damn the family alliance!

Bang bang bang~
Suddenly, the knocking on the door interrupted Anos's thoughts.

“Prince Anos, Duke O'Kelly requests your presence.”

The voice of an outside guard came through the tightly closed door.

O'Kelly Nolan, the City Lord of Green City and also the governor over the entire southern province, was a member of the Nolan Royal Family.

As a member of the royal family, Anos, despite his low status, still carried the bloodline of the Nolan Royal Family. Therefore, when he left the capital, he could be assigned a piece of territory.

Yes, a piece of territory that belonged to him.

Though this territory required approval from the controller of the southern province, Duke O'Kelly, it was still his own land.

This piece of territory was Anos's only hope…

“I'll be right there.”

After responding, Anos took a deep breath, turned his head, and glanced at the modest room–the City Lord's residence provided for servants' living quarters… and also his room…

He didn't pay much attention to these details. After today, he would have his own land, his blue eyes filled with a hint of longing and hope.

He stood up and went to the mirror.

In the mirror appeared a handsome young man with blue eyes and golden short hair, dressed in luxurious noble clothing,
but discordantly, his emaciated body looked so frail and powerless, unable to support the weight of his lavish clothing.

He adjusted the somewhat disordered clothes on his body, which his mother had sewn for him when she was alive and were now the only presentable clothes he had.

Anos bit down on his teeth, his inner anger buried deep.

“Let not your emotions control you.”

These were the words his mother had cautioned him with; he had never dared forget them.

After a long time, creak–, the door opened, and two guards at the door looked at Anos, who emerged with a somewhat odd expression.

“Prince Anos, you have been wearing this outfit since arriving in Green City three days ago. Perhaps it's time to change, especially since you are meeting the Duke today…”

Anos, expression unchanged, shook his head, “No need. Let's go.”

Saying so, he walked straight out, two guards behind him revealing a hint of ridicule, “I always thought the legends were false…

I can't believe this Prince Anos is really such a waste, can't even afford a proper outfit, and yet he is still a prince?”

There was a perverse pleasure in their derogatory language, a low-ranking guard insulting a noble prince; look how mesmerizing that was.

“It's said that Prince Anos was born to the King and a maid, always despised by the King, otherwise he would not have been sent away from the Nolan Capital…”

Another guard also didn't spare his own mockery, relishing the pleasure of seeing someone of such high status reduced to lower than their own.

Human nature always has a dark side… mocking a once great person provides a thrill much greater than deriding a street beggar.

Ahead, Anos hadn't heard these derogatory remarks; he still held a sliver of hope for tonight's banquet.

If assigned a good piece of land, if managed earnestly, there would eventually come an opportunity for revenge…

The past humiliation and hatred, I will repay with blood…

After the skirt of the Night Goddess enveloped the earth, the air entered a state of pitch black and silence.

However, in the City Lord's residence, the gown of the Dark Goddess seemed to have turned transparent, the magic lamps along the corridors brilliantly illuminating the path, unaffected by the darkness.

Walking through the winding path, crossing the luxurious frescoed corridors, it took a full twenty minutes before Anos, led by the guards, reached tonight's banquet hall.

He could already hear the bustling noise inside from a distance.

After the guards behind him left, Anos approached the banquet hall, slightly surprised by the indifferent guards beside him, but said nothing, intending to push open the semicircular doors engraved with holy angels himself.

However, a guard standing by coldly stopped him.

“I'm sorry, today is Duke O'Kelly's official banquet, and uninvited individuals are strictly forbidden from entering.”

Hmm?

Anos furrowed his brows, his posture frozen, “I am Prince Anos, invited by Duke O'Kelly…”

The young guard blocking his way let out a cold laugh, “Prince Anos? Hehe, was there ever such a person in the Nolan Empire? I've never heard of any Prince Anos!”

Hearing this, how could Anos not realize he was being targeted.

His eyes flickered with anger.

“Hmph, are you sure you want to stop me? I don't care who is behind you, but if things get out of hand, are you sure your backers can protect you?!”

His tone was sonorous and firm, showing no signs of retreat.

Though deeply dependent and under others' roofs, Anos was well aware of his advantage. Even if he were unpopular, he still carried the halo of a prince; no guard, no matter how daring, would easily dare to stop him.

As expected, the guard hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he gritted his teeth and did not let him in.

“I'm sorry, without Duke O'Kelly's orders, you cannot enter…”

Humiliation, that sense of being looked down upon, surged again in Anos's mind.

But what could he do? Fight? After his Magic Talent had been disabled, his Level was still 1…

Scold? A prince quarreling with a guard at the front door? It would only be him who would be embarrassed.

Leave? Today was the time to allocate territories; if he left now, all hope would turn into bubbles.

Child, remember, in this world, being weak is the only sin…
These words, advised by his mother on the night before she died, echoed again in Anos's mind.

Weakness is the only sin.

Because he was weak, even the door guard dared to stop him, and the saddest part was that he could not resist…
His fingers slowly clenched into a fist.

His heart roared in this moment.

Become strong, I must become strong!!!

Eeek~
It seemed that the noise at the door was heard inside.

The massive living room door was pushed open, and a young man in luxurious clothing walked out with an indifferent expression and glanced coldly at Anos.

“What happened?”

Before Anos could speak, the guard who had been very indifferent just a moment ago immediately stepped forward, looking wronged, and pointed at Anos to complain.

“Mr. Lika, just now I tried to invite Prince Anos into the hall, but he disdainfully insisted that Duke O'Kelly come out to greet him. He said he was a prince, of noble status…”
Anos watched the face of the guard who was slandering him before him change colors; just as he was about to speak, the young man who had come out coldly said,
“Prince Anos, why are you causing trouble for our guards? Although you are a prince, Duke O'Kelly is your elder!

Hmph, let's leave it at this for now, but if there is a next time, I will definitely report this to the Duke.

Come in.”

After saying that, he didn't even give Anos a chance to reply before turning and walking away.

Leaving only Anos, his body slightly trembling.

Looking again at the guard who had returned to his previous disdainful demeanor, he just felt a surge of blood in his mind.

Do not let your emotions control you… do not let your emotions control you…

Anos struggled to suppress the anger in his heart; he knew it was all part of a conspiracy, intended to infuriate him.

Turning his head, Anos could only pretend as if nothing happened and walked straight into the house.

This 18-year-old youth was at an age of boiling passion, but he had to endure unimaginable humiliation from outsiders.

Yet, he was powerless to resist.

Weakness is the original sin, there are no mistakes in this world, the only mistake is not being strong enough.

“Hmph, consider yourself lucky, great Prince Anos… Haha, it's really a laughable title.”

The guard, watching Anos prepare to enter the house, laughed carelessly.

But his tone was nauseating.

Anos didn't turn back; his fingers were almost clenched to the point of bleeding.

Tap, tap~
Tap, tap~
Treading on the luxurious Derick maple wood floor, Anos entered the banquet hall for this occasion.

Yet his arrival as a prince was even less noticed than a maid's… completely ignored.

The banquet hall was filled with over a hundred extravagantly dressed nobles, engaging in lively conversations.

The magnificent hall was adorned with colorful oil paintings celebrating the great heroic kings who once founded the Nolan Empire.

Although Anos had entered the banquet hall, he was as invisible as a ghost; not even the servants acknowledged his presence.

Even though he was dressed lavishly, he seemed out of place, like a dwarf at an elf gathering, which appeared quite bizarre.

Just as Anos was feeling exceedingly awkward, he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder.

He swiftly turned around to find a middle-aged man dressed in a baron's attire standing beside him.

Anos, somewhat puzzled, looked at the man who had approached him, just about to ask questions when the man spoke first.

“Your Highness Anos, I am Griss Bob, a baron from Green City. I am honored to meet you.”

After these words, Anos felt surprisingly flattered.

Throughout his life, he had never been treated with such respect. Although the man was merely a baron, his treatment was far superior compared to Anos's previous encounters.

“Baron Griss, the honor is mine…”

Seeing the somewhat excited and flustered young man in front of him, Griss's smile grew more sincere.

“Prince Anos, you are here today for the allocation of land, right?”

Anos's expression changed slightly, and he looked at Griss with caution.

“Do not misunderstand, Prince Anos. I learned about tonight's land allocation ceremony from a guard of Duke O'Kelly…” Griss spread his hands and then smiled meaningfully.

“Moreover, I inadvertently overheard some information about the lands being allocated today from the guard's conversation… I thought you might be interested…”

Hearing this, Anos's interest was piqued, but Griss's sudden appearance and uninvited favors made him very wary.

“Baron Griss, I want to know what your intentions are.”

There's no such thing as a free lunch, and Anos was not swayed by Griss's information.

Predicting Anos would ask this, Griss said with a beaming smile,
“Prince Anos, once your territory is established, I hope my merchant caravan could benefit from some tax relief in your lands. Believe me, my guild will bring additional opportunities for the development of your territory…”

Hearing this, Anos finally relaxed, understanding that a request was only reasonable and proper.

“Welcome, Baron Griss…”

After hearing this, Griss's smile became even brighter.

“By the Goddess above, this is the best news I have received today. I swear to the Goddess of Wealth, your highness, you won't be disappointed.”

After saying this, Griss stepped closer, leaned towards Anos and whispered.

“There are six plots being allocated today. The best one is near the Eagle River, and the worst one is the Red Moon Territory. The other plots are…

So, Prince Anos, if you wish to develop properly, you need to secure the land near Eagle River…

But under no circumstances should you choose the Red Moon Territory.”

Hearing this, Anos's face showed a hint of contemplation.

“Why shouldn't I choose the Red Moon Territory?”

Griss shook his head, “If you want to meet the Death God, feel free to choose it.”

“Ah??”

“The Red Moon Territory is bordered by the Dwarf Hills to the east and the ocean to the south…”

“Is there a problem with that?”

“The Dwarf Hills are Centaur territory, and those brutal creatures love to raid human nobles, while the southern ocean is controlled by the Fishman Country, which is still at war with us. Anything can happen…

I forgot to mention, there have been ten landowners of the Red Moon Territory before, and without exception, all were killed within the territory…”

Hearing this, Anos instinctively shuddered. Ten owners, all killed?

He immediately realized that this must be a trap prepared for him.

“Baron Griss, thank you for your advice. I think we will become friends…”

Friends? A meaningful smile appeared on Griss's face.

“Yes, we will become friends…”

As they conversed, a new development occurred in the room.

O'Kelly Nolan, the lavish Duke and city lord of Green City, entered the banquet hall under the protection of guards, walking with firm steps.

The crowd around immediately stood up upon seeing the figure of Duke O'Kelly, bowing and greeting this noble of high status with a hand-on-chest salute.

“Good day, Duke O'Kelly…”

“It is an honor to be invited by you…”

“Respected Duke O'Kelly, the Kir family sends its greetings to you…”

The scene was vastly different from the one that had welcomed Prince Anos earlier–it was like comparing goblins to a giant dragon.

A flash of longing passed through Anos's eyes as he witnessed the scene.

If he could possess such power… then he could definitely take his revenge, without a doubt!

Moments later, his dream took a step closer to reality.

For Duke O'Kelly had announced that tonight, he would allocate territories to those of age within the Nolan Royal Family.

Allocating territories was a tradition of the Nolan Royal Family.

After reaching adulthood, the young royals would receive lands, distributed across various provinces, and it was through this method that the Nolan Empire firmly controlled the entire country.

Among those who were allocated territories alongside Anos today were five others, one of whom was Duke O'Kelly's third son–the others were also members of branches of the Nolan Royal Family from the southern provinces.

The Nolan Empire had been established for three thousand years; over these millennia, the Nolan Royal Family had spread throughout the entire country, hence there were always groups of young people receiving land every year.

“According to imperial law, any royal family member who is allocated territory must achieve some accomplishments beneficial for the empire within three generations; otherwise, the land will be reclaimed.

Young gentlemen, land is the foundation of the empire. I hope you can build up powerful cities on your own lands.

The future belongs to you.

Chief Akala, you will preside over this ennoblement ceremony.”

After his brief speech, Duke O'Kelly did not continue to host the ceremony but turned and left after announcing the rules, apparently busy with some urgent matters.

In Green City, Duke O'Kelly held the most venerable position, commanding respect even from the Extraordinary Mage, Lock; no one dared to say a word against his actions.

After Duke O'Kelly left, an old man with a hawk nose dressed in a black tailcoat leisurely made his way through the crowd.

With a wave of his hand, his guards, under the gaze of all present, unfurled a large map made of sheepskin which displayed the southern provinces, with several territories notably marked in red.

“Now, please, members of the Royal Family designated for land allocation, step forward.”

Immediately, five young men, dressed luxuriously and exuding an impressive demeanor, walked out from the crowd, including the young man Anos had encountered at the door.

“Is this Duke O'Kelly's third son? He really is handsome…”

“Oh, my goodness, Marquis Mike's eldest son has grown up so much, we must demand they honor our family's marriage agreement with them upon our return…”

As the five noble youths stepped forward, they instantly sparked countless discussions–youthful, handsome, and soon to be landowners.

All these factors combined to ensure they were the center of attention.

The hawk-nosed butler in the tailcoat glanced briefly at the group in front of him and nodded slightly. The corner of his eye caught sight of the list in his hand as he glanced around the crowd, then slowly said,
“Is there one more? From the Royal Capital, Prince Anos…”

Upon hearing this, the previously bustling hall suddenly fell silent as if someone had choked everyone at once.

Then, someone burst into laughter which could not be held back, followed swiftly by explosive laughter that filled the air with a merry atmosphere.

“Ha ha ha ha, who would have thought that the son of that lowly slave would dare come to Green City to claim land?”

“A prince? Our Nolan Empire surely does not have such a prince; even the king himself has not acknowledged his existence…”

“I heard this Prince Anos is only at level one? Ha ha ha, my seven-year-old son is already at level two, why would the king allow such a worthless person to come to Green City?”

Everyone was ruthlessly discussing all this.

A child born to a former slave maid, one who had been considered a disgrace by the king from birth.

Such a background surely qualified as legendary–of course, the kind of legend that provoked ridicule.

Anos stood there, fists clenched tightly as they made a cracking sound, watching the unrestrained laughter around him.

A rush of blood went straight to his head.

Humiliation–it was like being stripped naked, thrown into the street, and displayed to everyone.

It was a trampling of his soul.

But what made Anos feel even more humiliated was that he was powerless to change the situation.

Yes, he was just a Level 1 waste, the child of a slave maid, a prince regarded as a disgrace by his own father.

He was furious at the injustice of the world towards him, but he was even more angry that he was powerless to fight back when faced with these injustices.

He was almost deprived of even the right to speak out in rebuttal.

Because a rebuttal from a weakling was merely shameless, lacking self-awareness, and a lowly statement that only drew ridicule.

“Prince Anos, don't give up…”

Just when everyone was scoffing, the voice that came from behind gradually pulled together Anos's nearly crumbling heart.

“Baron Griss…”

After turning his head to glance at the middle-aged man behind him, Anos turned around and, with gritted teeth, stepped forward.

The surrounding whispers surged like waves crashing over him, he was like a lonely boat sailing through the storm, at any moment likely to capsize.

The hawk-nosed butler watching the scene showed no change in expression.

Dignity is earned by oneself. Without strength, who is to blame for being humiliated?

“Now, let us begin.”

Without paying too much attention to Anos, the hawk-nosed butler slightly turned and began to signal towards the map held upright by the guards behind him.

“I have marked six areas on it.

Everyone may choose one as their territory, but remember, once the territory is chosen, it will be bound to you forever and cannot be changed.

Your descendants must achieve the feats stipulated by the royal family within three generations to continue holding this land, otherwise, you will lose the right to inherit the land.

Now, begin. You may freely choose.”

After saying this, the hawk-nosed butler spoke no more.

This allocation happened annually, and most of these lands would return to the control of the empire within a hundred years… Very few could continue their family and territory.

Upon hearing this, except for Anos, the other young individuals all turned their eyes towards the leader among them–the third son of Duke O'Kelly.

Rank and order were preserved; this position of a third heir to the Duke was by no means comparable to theirs.

Originally, the position of the prince was the most esteemed here, but clearly, Anos was not qualified.

This prince, without family background, talent, strength, and even regarded as a disgrace by his father, how could he possibly be the one to choose when even the guards dared to mock him?

But as the others waited for the Duke O'Kelly's third son to choose, the overlooked Anos stepped forward two steps and directly pointed at a piece of land in the middle area of the map.

“Your Excellency, I choose this piece of land…”
Suddenly, the surrounding crowd was startled, looking at him incredulously.

Had this waste gone mad? He actually dared to choose before the little Duke.

The hawk-nosed butler nodded, said nothing, and had the guards put a red sticker on that territory.

And the land marked was–Eagle Riverside.

However, Anos did not stay happy for long, the disregarded little Duke immediately stepped forward, glaring furiously at Anos.

“Who gave you the audacity to choose Eagle Riverside?!!”

After saying this, under everyone's gaze, he tore off the sticker and carelessly threw it on the ground, then stretched out his hand for the guards to paste his sticker.

After this action was completed, he still despised Anos with a glance.

“Prince Anos, recognize your status, this is Green City…”

The few noble sons behind him showed the same expressions, ignoring Anos, and proceeded to choose their favored territories.

In fact, before choosing the territories, they had already determined their lands, and if not for Anos's presence, even this ceremony could have been omitted.

The royal family's rules of allocation were nothing more than a formality in their eyes.

A rush of blood went straight to his head.

At this moment, Anos's soul was almost ignited by rage.

Disgrace,
It was an unmerciful trampling of his dignity.

Indeed, he would not hesitate to draw his sword, to tear these damnable nobles to pieces, and to cast their souls into hell to burn.

“The Eagle Territory belongs to the little Duke, the Derick Territory belongs to Marquis Mike…”

The hawk-nosed butler read until the end, then turned his head and looked at Anos, who had already bitten his lips till they bled, and said indifferently.

“The Red Moon Territory, bordered by the Dwarf Hills and the ocean, belongs to Prince Anos.”

“Today's grant ceremony ends here, please enjoy the dinner everyone.”

After the last sentence was spoken, the hook-nosed old steward turned around and left immediately without sparing another look at Anos, whose territory had been forcibly snatched away.

The surrounding crowd witnessed this scene and sneered.

“Hahaha, trying to compete with the Little Duke for territory, how foolish.

Just because you have the title of Prince doesn't mean you get to choose first…”

“Red Moon Territory? Hahaha, what a great place! I heard that the centaurs in the Dwarf Hills love to plunder human property.

The last lord of the Red Moon Territory was minced into meat sauce by centaurs five years ago, wasn't he? How pitiful, Prince Anos. After owning the territory for just a few days, he might become centaur food…”

“Red Moon Territory is also adjacent to the sea, and the Fishman Country has been attacking our coastal cities recently, surrounded by centaurs and Fishmen… Hahaha, I wouldn't dare go to that territory even if it were given to me…”

After the perfunctory grand ceremony, Anos once again became the laughingstock.

Everyone ridiculed his foolishness, and they also laughed at the tragic fate he was about to face.

The Red Moon Territory, that was famously known as the land of death for lords in the southern province.

The land had a total of ten owners, each one without exception, died within their own territory, only a noble who never dared to step into his territory and later abandoned it survived.

Now, this despised Prince Anos was going to be a man doomed to die, which made these nobles gossip and mostly watch the spectacle with mocking and spectatorial attitudes, only a few felt pity for the Prince's tragic life.

But under the influence of music and wine, they soon forgot that pity.

The sky had fallen.

All hope was extinguished when the old steward declared the Red Moon Territory his.

Anos stared blankly at the bright red sticker on the map.

Surrounded by centaurs and Fishmen…

He remembered Griss's repeated admonitions.

The words of the people around him confirmed it all.

The tragic experiences of the former lords of the Red Moon Territory starkly revealed the cruelty and bloodiness of the world.

Those hidden in the shadows must have orchestrated all this.

They wanted him dead, wanted this royal disgrace dead…

If they sent someone to kill him, his status as a prince of the Nolan Royal Family might draw attention; but if he died within his own territory, he would merely become a laughingstock, nobody would care about a failure.

The sky darkened, and the luxurious surroundings appeared to Anos as lifeless as ancient graves.

His heart, already burdened with humiliation, was struck again.

All hope was gone.

The territory which once fueled his intentions for revenge, was his hope; but now, that land, more terrifying than oblivion itself, shattered the last bit of hope he had.

Endless despair enveloped him.

He remembered his mother, whose tender eyes were filled with reluctance before she left that night, she must have known what she was going to face, she must have.

He remembered his father, who considered him a disgrace to the Nolan Royal Family, whom he had never met in his lifetime,
He remembered the eldest daughter of the Aonke family, who tore up his engagement in front of him.

He remembered his royal brother, who coldly told him in front of him that his mother was killed by a potent poison, even her body had decomposed…

He remembered being attacked by several thieves severing his casting talent forcefully…

He remembered the girl filled with tears, hoping and waiting for his return…

He remembered all the past insults, sarcasm, contempt, ridicule, derision, and humiliation he had faced.

Weakness was the greatest sin.

At this moment, Anos etched it into his soul.

Only with power, could he have everything…

If I could attain power, I would give my all!!

Even if it's my soul!!

A roar surged nearly bursting from his soul.

The prince, who stood in the center of the crowd yet was treated as if he were invisible, clenched his teeth, his lips already showing a crimson hue.

His fingers, exerting too much force, had split his clenched palm open, and the blood slowly dripped onto the white velvet carpet, blossoming into small bloody patches.

Yet all of this went unnoticed.

A waste, who would spare him a second glance?

Anos, as if he had lost his soul, staggered, stumbled, and hurried out of the still joyous hall.

The surroundings, like mountains, heavily pressed upon his head.

Everyone was trampling on his soul, stomping on his skull with their soles, mocking and humiliating him in every way possible.

A waste… a worthless prince born of a lowly maid…

Nightmare-like words constantly echoed in his mind.

Anos, forgetting everything around him, staggered out of the city lord's residence, his eyes filled with dead ashes.

Lost, without purpose, he roamed the streets.

With a splash, after stepping into empty air, he seemed to have fallen into a mud puddle, Anos subconsciously got up, his pupils unfocused, staring meaninglessly ahead.

“Young man, do you desire power?”

Just as Anos unknowingly wandered for a long time, curling up in a street corner, unnoticed by the bustling crowd around him.

A gentle voice sounded in Anos's ears.

His gaze emotionless, his hands hugging his knees, Anos lifted his head to look at the face hidden under the hood, revealing only a high nose bridge.

“Who are you?”

His voice was unnaturally hoarse, like a harsh sound made by rubbing sand on the ground.

Hearing this question, the Cloaked One's eyes, hidden in the shadows, revealed a profoundly meaningful smile.

“You can call me — the Eternal.”

“Anos, do you desire power?

Do you crave immortality?”

“Do you desire revenge?”

“Do you yearn to trample your once-enemies underfoot, tear apart their bodies, and violate their souls?”

“Do you wish to reclaim all that you have lost and make the world tremble for you?”

Anos felt a shiver in his heart, that demonic whisper continuously echoing in his ear.

Striking the deepest desires of his heart.

Power… only power could solve all the problems now.

I desire, I yearn for everything he speaks of.

From hope rising to shattering, suppressed to the extreme, Anos suddenly threw back his head, using all his strength to let out a thunderous roar.

“I desire everything you speak of!!! Everything!!”

“I need power!! The greatest power!!! Even if it costs my soul!!!”

Loud voices echoed through the streets, but eerily, the passersby remained indifferent, seemingly not hearing the beast-like roar.

“Even if, for this, you become a demon?” The shadowy eyes of the Cloaked One flashed, “Even if forever hidden in darkness?

Even if becoming a creature that revels in evil?”

Anos's heart shuddered, but he didn't hesitate for a moment.

“I! Am! Willing!”

Word by word, resolute, his tone filled with irrevocable determination.

“Very well, young man.

From today onwards, you will gain immortality, gain power, gain everything you want…

We will avenge you, help you win back everything you have lost.

Indeed, we will help you ascend to the throne of the Nolan Empire–crown you as the King.

Just remember, we are — the Holy Light Bloodline…”

Chapter end