On a sunny spring day, birds chirped, and butterflies fluttered around the flowers. The palace was brimming with life, and gentle laughter echoed throughout the empire. But joy never lasts long… Suddenly, without any warning, disaster struck. The winds began to howl violently, and the rain poured down without stopping. The doors were shut, and people hid inside their homes, fearing a hurricane that had arrived at the wrong time of year.
"Your Majesty!.. Your Imperial Majesty!"
One of the knights ran toward the emperor and bowed, panting as he said, "Glory to the Empire!"
The emperor raised an eyebrow and asked coldly, "What is it? Why are you in such a hurry?"
The knight caught his breath before speaking in a trembling voice. "It's Her Majesty the Empress!.. She is about to give birth!"
The emperor's expression changed, and he immediately rushed toward the Empress's Palace, paying no attention to the rain soaking his royal clothes. The only thing on his mind was his long-awaited child... the future Crown Prince.
Thunder roared, followed by the cry of a tiny baby from within.
The emperor smiled faintly and said to himself, "So, you've finally arrived..."
Time passed, yet no one came out to deliver the news. He wondered, "It's been a while since the baby cried. Why hasn't anyone come out to tell me?"
Several agonizing moments passed before the door finally opened. The emperor stepped inside, his heart filled with joy, but his smile vanished the instant he saw the scene before him. The Empress lay motionless, her face covered with a white cloth...
He froze in place before shouting furiously, "What happened? Tell me at once!"
One of the maids stepped forward, her fear evident, and spoke in a trembling voice. "I regret to inform Your Majesty that Her Majesty the Empress passed away after giving birth to your child."
The maid held the newborn out to the emperor. He stared at the infant in silence for a long time... Was he supposed to grieve? Or rejoice? He felt nothing. No sorrow for the Empress who had loved him, and no joy at the arrival of his new child.
For that child... had been born with one ordinary blue eye and one devilish red eye, while several white strands streaked through his black hair.
The emperor let out a strange, broken laugh, like a man who had lost his mind. "Hahaha... Is this what I've been waiting all these years for? Nonsense!"
He then glared at the child, his eyes filled with disgust. "This cannot be my child! I am the emperor, one of the great planets... There is no way I could father a child with the features of a demon!"
Silence fell over the hall.
Then, in a voice filled with cruel indifference, he said, "Kill him."
Everyone trembled and wanted to calm him down. He was genuinely determined to kill his own child, yet no one dared to object. One of the maids stepped forward and drew a knife with a trembling hand, but before she could act, a small voice pierced the silence.
"Father! Please, don't kill my brother!"
A little girl stood before him, tears glistening in her eyes.
"I've waited so long for him... Please, don't kill him. I'm certain he's truly my brother."
The emperor fell silent for a moment as he stared at his daughter, then turned his face away. Who could refuse the little princess's request? Even the emperor, cruel as he was, could not do so. After all, at that moment, she was his only certain heir.
And so, the little boy was saved from death.
"I'll name you... Adrian," Diana said, wiping the tears streaming down her face.
Then she added in a trembling voice filled with emotion, "Don't worry. I'll take care of you, my brother."
Afterward, mourning ceremonies were held for the Empress, and red flower petals were scattered as a final tribute to her.
Days passed, and the seasons changed. Adrian grew up surrounded by love and tenderness, while Diana grew more mature and beautiful.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthdaaaay... Happy birthday to you!"
Diana finished the song enthusiastically and said, "Adrian, make a wish and blow out the candles! Come on!"
Adrian clasped his hands together and closed his eyes, making a little wish before blowing out the candles amid Diana's applause.
"Congratulations on turning five, Your Highness!" Diana said with a playful smile, acting the part of a princess as she gave him a slight bow.
Adrian laughed happily at her antics, then replied with adorable childish seriousness, "Thank you, Your Highness, but I'd like to ask for my present myself!"
Her eyes widened in exaggerated surprise, and she asked, pretending to be astonished, "And what present does Your Highness desire?"
Adrian turned his face away, slightly embarrassed, and blinked as he spoke. "Ahem... I want a kiss from a beautiful girl."
He pointed proudly at his cheek with childish arrogance. Diana laughed at his adorable behavior, then gently kissed his cheek before pulling him into a tender embrace.
"Would you like to sleep in my room tonight?"
His eyes widened with joy, and he shouted excitedly, "Of course! Of course! And you also have to tell me a beautiful bedtime story!"
Diana chuckled softly and said, "Haha, all right. I will."
Adrian and Diana lay down on the bed, and she began telling him a fairy tale in a warm, gentle voice. But Adrian quickly succumbed to sleep.
She reached out and gently brushed her hand over his sleeping face, while a silent tear slipped from her eye. Despite her ever-bright smile, the cheerful girl carried a burden far heavier than anyone her age should have had to bear.
Days passed, and happiness filled the lives of the two royal siblings. As time went on, Adrian learned to read and write and became fluent in reading books, while Diana mastered the use of magic, discovered her abilities, and began working to develop them.
Seven years after Adrian's birth…
The morning was bright and cheerful, and the sound of the two royal siblings' laughter filled the palace.
"Hey, wait for me! Hahahaha, Sister!"
"You'll never catch me, you little rascal! Hahahaha!"
Adrian ran after Diana, trying to catch her, but he tripped and fell to the ground, leaving himself with a small wound.
Diana hurried over to him, looking worried. "Little brother, are you all right? Are you hurt?"
Adrian held his foot, trying to hide his pain. "I'm fine. It's just a small wound."
Diana firmly took hold of his foot. "Let me see!"
Her eyes widened when she saw the blood. "Adrian, why are you hiding it, you fool?"
He turned his face away. "I'm not hiding anything. It's just a wound."
She sighed impatiently. "That's enough. I'm not arguing with you anymore. I'm taking you to the doctor."
Diana picked Adrian up and carried him to the palace physician, who disinfected his wound and bandaged it properly.
Afterward, Diana and Adrian went out into the garden. As they were walking, one of the guards stopped them. "Your Highness, Princess Diana, the Empress has summoned you."
Diana looked at her brother and gently patted his head. "I'll be back soon."
Diana arrived at the hall where the emperor and empress were present.
She greeted them and said, "Your Majesty, you wished to see me. May I ask why?"
The new empress spoke arrogantly. "Diana, can you not behave properly? Are you still unaware that you are fourteen years old?"
The emperor sat watching in silence, ignoring the situation and allowing her to speak as she pleased.
The empress continued in a cutting tone. "And what about that devil? Is he some commoner who can play around without a care in the world? I have tolerated the two of you despite your repeated disregard for the rules, but... there is nothing I can do about it. After all, your mother died so young. Perhaps you never learned proper etiquette, so I suppose I must begin teaching you myself."
"We don't need you to teach us!" Diana shouted angrily, cutting her off.
"And besides, we know perfectly well how to behave, and I don't think there's anything wrong with playing in the garden!"
"What? You insolent girl! You dare speak to me like that and claim to be well-mannered?!" the empress screamed before turning toward the emperor. "Your Majesty! Are you going to remain silent?!"
At last, the emperor spoke in a calm but firm voice. "That is enough. Diana, you may leave now... And tell Adrian to come here, alone."
Diana bowed obediently and left the hall.
She walked away in troubled silence, speaking to herself with a mixture of worry and astonishment. "How could Father ask to see Adrian after all these years? He hasn't seen him even once since the day he was born... Could it be that he has finally decided to accept him?"
But poor Diana was naive to think so. She had no idea that what awaited her sweet little brother... was something no heart could ever bear.
Adrian glanced toward the hall shyly and hesitantly before hearing the emperor order him to enter.
The emperor spoke coldly. "Adrian, I will assign you a tutor starting tomorrow. You are a prince, after all, so you must learn to fight and discover your abilities. Otherwise, you will bring shame upon me... although I doubt your strength will amount to much more than your appearance."
The empress looked at him with eyes filled with hatred. "Adrian, if you fail to learn, I will send you away until you come of age... That is a promise."
From that day onward, Adrian began training in the palace under special supervision. He learned swordsmanship, studied texts and manuscripts, and attempted to use magic in the hope of discovering his abilities. Yet, even after three years, he showed no improvement. Worse still... he was completely incapable of using magic.
The news eventually reached the emperor, who had remained patient throughout those three years.
"What did you say? Adrian cannot use magic? Impossible! No one born of noble blood has ever been so weak... let alone a planet like me!"
The tutor bowed before him and spoke fearfully. "I apologize, Your Majesty. I have done everything in my power... but he cannot use magic, and even wielding a sword is difficult for him."
The emperor slammed his hand against the table in fury. "Damn it! What have I done to deserve a child like this?!"
He then issued an order in a stern voice. "That is enough. Empress, send Adrian to the voluntary military enlistment program. That is an order."
The empress smiled with delight. She had been waiting for this moment for years, longing for the chance to get rid of him forever.
Some time later, the news reached Diana.
She rushed to her father's office, her heart gnawed by fear for her brother. She pounded on the door, but the emperor showed no interest.
"Father! Let me in! We need to talk... Your Majesty!!!"
Diana continued, her voice breaking with desperation and pleading. "My little brother must not be sent into military service! If you were going to send someone, you should have sent me instead!"
Tears began streaming down her face, and her muffled sobs grew more intense as she trembled. Her brother had been sent away without her knowledge... She had not even been given the chance to say goodbye.
At last, the emperor emerged from his room. He looked at her with cruel indifference before issuing his orders in an icy voice. "Guards, confine her to the late Empress's Palace, and never allow her to leave. Make sure she is kept under close surveillance."
Diana stared at him in shock, disbelief, and deep bitterness before whispering in a broken voice, coldly veiled by sorrow. "Your Majesty... It seems she has made you forget who we are…"
She then turned and walked slowly toward her mother's palace, her heart shattered, yet refusing to show her weakness to anyone.
Elsewhere...
Adrian was desperately struggling to stay alive. It was a grueling and exhausting ordeal for a child who had grown up surrounded by his sister's love, only to be suddenly thrown into a merciless world. Life was cruel enough as it was, but the worst came a month after his conscription.
A letter bearing the imperial seal arrived.
"Adrian Jonathan, you have been assigned to the front lines by order of His Imperial Majesty."
The knights around him exchanged stunned and incredulous looks.
One of them whispered, "The front lines? Isn't that where they fight monsters day and night? How could His Majesty's own son be sent there? There must be some mistake..."
But it was no mistake... It was the bitter truth.
In everyone's eyes, Adrian Jonathan was the son of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Lionel Jonathan. But the truth that no one knew... was that he had never been a son anyone wanted.
He had been abandoned, left to face a fate he had never chosen.