Prologue
“You have to die.”
It was a calm voice. As if saying, “Tomorrow’s weather will be clear.”
At those completely contradictory words, the pen I was holding slipped from my hand.
Don’t get dragged into his pace.
I picked up the pen and composed my expression.
But the Crown Prince was already smiling, the corners of his eyes gently curved.
However, within that smile flickered a murderous intent that seemed ready to kill me at any moment.
No, there was no way I wouldn’t notice.
If anything, he was closer to someone who wanted me to notice.
“You saw how my brothers treated you earlier, didn’t you? Even if I don’t bother using my own hands, you’ll be dead soon enough. The only reason I’m not moving right now is because I intend to deal with you ‘personally.’”
“……”
“You must die for the sake of the Empire, to prevent its chaos. And it would be better for yourself as well. You’re going to die in a year anyway, so do you really need to keep living?”
Yeah. I’m going to live.
I’ll live a long, long life and personally close the lid of your coffin, you lunatic.
But I couldn’t say that out loud. That would be the same as shouting, “Please kill me right now!”
Instead, I forced a smile. Even though the muscles in my face trembled.
“Ah, you’re joking too much, Brother.”
“Hm, does this look like a joke to you?”
Before I knew it, the Crown Prince had come close and met my gaze.
The moment I faced those icy, piercing blue eyes, an urge to run surged within me.
No. I have to endure.
Rather than turning my back on this bastard, I’d rather choose to eat caterpillars.
“This isn’t a joke. I could have someone slip poison into your food, send an assassin at night to eliminate you without a trace. I could even kill you ‘by accident’ under the pretense of sparring.”
“Ahaha……”
“Or perhaps I’ll let you choose the path of returning to the Goddess yourself. Ah, if you were to die, what method would you prefer? Since you’re good at shooting, perhaps that? Like this, aiming at your chest—bang!”
The Crown Prince mimed firing a gun at my chest.
At the sight, goosebumps rose all over my body, but I clenched my fists tightly and maintained my composure.
Stay calm. Don’t get shaken by someone who can’t even get the basic shooting stance right!
“So, which do you prefer? I’ll grant your wish.”
“……”
A preference? I’m not insane like you.
As I silently continued signing the documents, the Crown Prince looked at me as if measuring me.
“Ryuan.”
“Yes?”
“With my boundless magnanimity, I shall accept whatever you say. So go on, speak what’s in your heart.”
Oh, really?
I couldn’t miss this opportunity. I opened my mouth at once.
“Brother, you know how sharp the pen of the Arbesque Empire is, right?”
“I do.”
“And that pen is in my hand.”
“Mm.”
“I’m also quite good at darts.”
For a moment, silence fell.
Oops, was that too much?
I stopped moving the pen and cautiously watched his reaction.
Suddenly, the Crown Prince burst into laughter.
“Ahaha! As expected, you’re entertaining, Ryuan. You never disappoint me.”
The Crown Prince’s hand patted my shoulder.
From afar, it would look like affectionate brothers.
But knowing what lay beneath, to me it was nothing short of chilling.
“How can you beg to be killed so quickly? I would have taken good care of you.”
Through the fine but thin fabric, the Crown Prince’s nails dug into my skin.
Damn it. I cursed inwardly at his inconsiderate strength.
“Congratulations. Among the eight brothers, you’ve become the most interesting one.”
Hey, I’m not even a man, and I’m not your younger brother.
I repeated the character for endurance (忍) hundreds of times in my mind.
Endure. Endure. Endure. If I try to kill this bastard, I’ll be the one who dies.
“One year.”
“……”
“Your life belongs to me. You’re someone who must die when I tell you to. So if you survive for one year and show me that you’re worth keeping alive, I might let you live a little longer.”
The Crown Prince smirked and then pinched my cheek.
“Well, in the end, you’ll die by my hand anyway.”
“……”
“Do try your best, will you? Ryubiran Riverbill Arbesque, of a noble bloodline different from mine.”
I told you, I’m not Prince Ryuan.
Chapter 01
“Phew……”
After taking a deep breath, I glared at the mirror in front of me.
Then the ‘boy’ reflected in the mirror glared right back at me.
The boy, who had just reached the brink of adulthood, possessed a shockingly beautiful appearance.
His pale skin was as white as snow, and in contrast, his lips were as red as if they had been painted with rouge.
His fine golden hair, as if molten gold had been poured out, shimmered even without sunlight.
With his slender frame added to it, he was beautiful enough to be mistaken for a girl if one wasn’t careful.
A beauty capable of toppling a nation. Simply looking into the mirror was enjoyable enough to say it all.
However, the most striking feature of the boy’s appearance was his emerald-colored eyes.
Those eyes were astonishingly clear and mysterious, as if glass beads had been embedded into them.
It had already been a month since I began living in this body, but I still hadn’t gotten used to these eyes.
And for good reason. These glass-like eyes were the ‘Neturin’ eyes, possessed by only four people in the world.
These eyes could be hidden, but never imitated.
And they were also the eyes that would drive me to my death.
Smack!
As that thought crossed my mind, I hurriedly slapped both of my cheeks.
I can’t afford to have such weak thoughts already.
“I can do this.”
I muttered while staring intently at ‘myself.’
It’ll be fine. I’ve been through worse than this.
I can handle it.
There’s no way I’d ‘die again,’ right? No way.
Knock, knock.
With the sound of knocking, a blue-haired mage wearing glasses stepped into the room.
Seeing me standing in front of the mirror, Neos smiled.
However, that smile wasn’t one of joy, but closer to a sorrowful one.
“You missed a button.”
Neos fastened a button on my sleeve that I had overlooked.
His movements were careful and gentle.
After finishing, Neos spoke in a heavy tone.
“Lord Ryuan, it is time to depart.”
“Yes.”
I took a deep breath and straightened my back. It begins now.
From today onward, my name is Ryubiran Riverbill Arbesque.
Soon, as a prince of the Arbesque Empire, I will go to meet the brother I haven’t seen for 16 years.
The Arbesque Empire, located in the western part of the continent.
The reason this empire, with only a 300-year history, was able to grow so rapidly lay in something called the ‘blessing of the Goddess.’
The Goddess Netura, who governs nature, selects a royal with the qualities of an emperor and grants them these unique glass-like eyes along with special abilities.
These chosen royals were called ‘Neturin’ and were considered the sole heirs to the throne.
At present, only three Neturin remain alive.
The 12th Emperor of the Arbesque Empire, the Emperor’s younger brother who once contended for the throne, and a prince born to the Third Empress.
The Third Prince, the only next-generation Neturin, had been rigorously trained since childhood to become emperor and had risen to the position of Crown Prince.
Now, in place of the ailing Emperor, he leads the council and is responsible for half of the state affairs.
Just when it seemed the Crown Prince would ascend the throne smoothly… it was revealed that the Neturin son of the Empress, who had been believed to have died at birth, was actually alive.
In response, the Crown Prince sent word to his half-blood Neturin brother.
Instead of heading straight to the imperial palace, he was told to first come to Arnoan Palace to build brotherly bonds and learn imperial etiquette.
But anyone could tell his intentions were far from pure.
How could he possibly welcome someone who threatened his position as Crown Prince simply by existing?
Especially when they hadn’t even grown up together as brothers.
Thanks to that, I felt like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse.
Sob, sob. I have absolutely no interest in the throne.
I spent my entire life pretending to be dead while living in another empire, so how could I possibly be aiming for the throne?
I wanted to grab the Crown Prince by the collar and tell him to keep that damned position for himself, but there was no way he would take my words at face value.
Please, just don’t try to kill me the moment we meet.
As I walked down the corridor, the servants lowered their heads.
The emotions on their faces were pity and sorrow. The younger attendants looked as if they might burst into tears at any moment.
Anyone would think I was heading to a battlefield.
“Has the person my brother sent arrived?”
“Yes. They did come with a carriage, but……”
Neos trailed off awkwardly.
Hm? Is there some kind of problem?
Could it be that the one escorting me to Arnoan Palace is some brute who might snap my arms? Or an executioner?
Or maybe one of my brothers came?
With all sorts of worries in mind, I stepped into the garden and finally understood Neos’s reaction.
In the center of the garden, still damp with morning dew, stood a handsome young man.
In the Arbesque Empire, where black hair was rare, his dark hair and the tear-shaped mole beneath his eye stood out immediately.
His smile, as if he had something pleasant in mind, was relaxed, his lips forming a gentle curve.
Perhaps he sensed my gaze.
The man suddenly turned with a swift motion.
The moment our eyes met—
Thud.
It felt as though my heart dropped straight down.
I thought he was smiling, but while the corners of his lips were raised, there was no smile in his eyes.
Instead, his gaze carried a cold, almost cruel light.
His eyes slowly traced down my body from head to toe. A chill ran down my spine.
That’s not the look of someone seeing an equal.
That’s the look of someone measuring how much value an expensive object holds.
If I failed to meet his standards, it felt like he would destroy me without hesitation.
Not merely someone who chooses not to buy something, but someone who would erase the object entirely, deeming it unworthy of existing.
That was the impression I got from him.
Crown Prince, just what kind of lunatic did you send me?
“……”
The man strode toward me.
He was far taller than I had expected, and before I knew it, I took a step back. No, perhaps two.
That was, until he suddenly curved his eyes and smiled brightly, as if nothing had happened.
“Well then, hello, Lord Ryubiran! Good morning, isn’t it?”
…Huh?
His voice was high, bright, and almost refreshingly cheerful.
“Did you sleep well? I couldn’t sleep at all because I didn’t want to come here. Honestly. I’m used to being treated like the Crown Prince’s dog, but making me do something like this—isn’t that a bit much?”
“……”
“But just now, seeing your beauty, I feel like all my fatigue has been washed away!”
Before I realized it, he was already standing right in front of me.
As his fingers brushed the ends of my hair, goosebumps rose all over my body.
“Goodness, just look at this blonde hair. Golden strands anyone would envy. You could sell it as it is and no one would even notice, you know? May I take a few strands when we part later?”
“Uh……”
“Well, it’s fine even if you refuse. I can just secretly pluck a handful.”
“……”
“But I’d prefer to handle things like a gentleman. How about this?”
Suddenly, the man dropped to one knee.
Then, instead of properly extending his hand, he looked up at me.
“Lord Ryubiran, would you kindly pluck some of that beautiful hair for me? If you don’t wish to, I’ll just cut it myself.”
Crown Prince, what kind of madman did you send me?
