episode_0001

It was an early morning.

I was walking alone through the palace grounds.

The dawn chill still lingered, and the breeze brushing my face felt quite refreshing.

The sun, just rising above the earth, was casting a golden hue over everything.

The newly sprouted leaves and the already blooming white flowers were shyly gesturing in the blowing wind.

It had been a month already.

Under the endlessly stretching blue sky,

the vast palace gave off a strangely familiar feeling, as if I had lived here all my life.

It was because the memories of the man I had possessed came flooding back entirely.

Nineteen years of life added in just one month.

From his composed voice and manner of speech to his restrained gestures, even the natural grace that exuded from him.

To anyone looking at me now,

I was unmistakably

Eos Caldevrion, the first prince of the Mersenne Empire.

“Hey, you, you wretch-”

“Hurry, run away!”

As I was returning from a walk,

the approaching maids quickly covered their mouths.

Then they hurriedly turned around and walked in the opposite direction or even started running.

Fear filled their occasional glances back.

By now, it had become quite familiar.

Whether it was a soldier on patrol or a maid carrying laundry,

servants or court ladies, whoever it was,

those who came across me generally reacted like this, seeming to want to avoid and escape if possible.

Of course, looking at it from their perspective, it was understandable.

Eos Caldevrion, the abandoned prince of the Mersenne Empire.

His notoriety was far from favorable.

The sole failure of the prestigious royal family, a tainted mongrel with elven blood.

After the death of his queen mother, he became an irredeemable lunatic who drank himself into a stupor every day and engaged in all sorts of depravity.

Then one night,

he ended up killing more than ten palace staff, earning the notorious title of a fallen prince and ultimately losing his position as a prince.

It was a meticulously crafted, malicious stigma at the end of a well-orchestrated script.

But there was no way to reveal the truth.

Both witnesses and evidence were nonexistent.

It had been a long time since I had been thoroughly extinguished.

What remained vividly, above all else, was my infamous reputation.

So, whether I touched a tree in the morning, pressed my ear to the ground, or dipped my hand into the pond, I never dared to come too close.

I didn’t even know why I ended up possessing someone like this.

The only thing I was certain of was that if I continued to stay quiet, I would end up dead at the hands of my stepbrother.

I pondered seriously for a while.

Should I run away immediately by any means necessary?

But as the enemy of the Hwangga, the potential spark of a future rebellion, unless I was a fool, there was no way I could be allowed to live.

No matter where I went, they would undoubtedly send assassins to eliminate me.

So, there was only one option for me: to become the emperor.

That was the only way to survive in this incredibly perilous world within this novel.

Leaving behind the soldiers who avoided eye contact, I returned to the Hwangjagung and finished my meal quickly.

Nevertheless, the situation wasn’t entirely bad.

This novel was my favorite, after all.

From the extensive main story to the considerable amount of side stories, I had rewatched it over ten times.

As a result, I knew in great detail about the major events to come and the characters who would be helpful, as well as how to grow stronger.

So, becoming the emperor might not be entirely impossible.

However, the current empire was deeply entrenched in corruption.

Most of the power had been monopolized by the faction led by the empress and her father.

As a result, the Mersenne Empire would continue to decay rapidly in the future, and a few years later, it was destined to perish miserably.

“Phew-”

Still, I thought it best to live and see what happens first, as I sat on the edge of the bed with a heavy heart.

Knock knock!

Just then, the person I had been waiting for arrived.

With an impolite knock, without waiting for permission, the door was opened by none other than the Crown Prince’s attendant, Glentino Gerund.

A burly man with piercing eyes, he was the loyal watchdog of the empress, who had kept a close eye on me every single day for a year.

“I’ve brought some wine.”

With a haughty expression, he coldly smiled and placed the bottle and glass on the table. It was no different from any other morning, but I knew better. Everything stemmed from the alcohol brought by Glenitno. Even the sudden change in behavior of the esteemed prince, who had killed over ten palace servants and been falsely accused. It was all orchestrated by Glenitno under the guise of the empress’s orders. The special poison in the drink he brought not only intensified aggression, sometimes acting as a sedative, but mostly it was a horrifying toxin that, even in minute undetectable doses, would gradually strip away one’s humanity if consumed consistently. Moreover, the poison also had the effect of sealing the abilities of elves, making it optimal for plunging Eos, the once prince, into ruin. If he had continued to consume it unknowingly, as he had for years, he would soon have lost his sanity completely, transforming into a monster, just as the novel described. Eventually, he would have been caught dancing with a sword in the palace in broad daylight, only to vanish into the mist of the prison. Of course, since the possession, he hadn’t touched a drop. He either poured it out the window when no one was around or into the potted plants in his room. In fact, his daily walks had been to expel the remaining toxins from his body using the power of plants when there were few people around. And today, the detoxification was finally complete. He could now fully utilize the elven abilities flowing in his veins. “Well then, I’ll take my leave.” “Wait.” Without even a simple farewell, Glenitno, who had arrived at the door in the meantime, turned slowly. There was a slight hint of confusion at the new situation, but soon he resumed his usual arrogant expression. “Do you have something to say…?” I always felt it. This guy was truly a man of few words. He hadn’t even used the brief word “Your Highness” once in the past month. His twisted lips and disdainful gaze were equally off-putting. “Come closer.” Glenitno, as if incredulous, smirked and approached with an expression that seemed to ask, “What are you going to do?”

Already infamous, the expression on Glenn Tyno’s face seemed to challenge the uselessness of a fallen prince like me. “……” Of course, I couldn’t understand his arrogance. After all, he was the one who had the empress at his beck and call. The current empress of the Mersenne Empire, Herpina Schraine. She, who ordered the assassination of the former empress to become empress herself, was the daughter of Duke Schraine, a prominent figure in the empire. As her husband, Glenn Tyno, the empire’s general, had enough reason to be puffed up by having such people behind him. But he didn’t know. To someone like me, who has already accumulated infamy, there is no further infamy to be gained. Being an infamous figure, nothing could faze me, something he couldn’t even imagine. As I lifted the wine jug, he chuckled once again. It was a contemptuous expression. I leaped forward without hesitation. His eyes widened like spoons. My speed was so astonishingly fast that even I was surprised. Having lived as an invalid for years, the prince’s agility was unimaginable. As I descended perilously close to the floor, it seemed as if I could touch the ceiling, then I swung the jug behind me. Bang! What strength! Like an exploding vessel, red shards scattered, dousing the poisoned wine like blood. It felt refreshing. Then, in quick succession, I struck his head with terrifying force. Thud! It must have been quite painful. Using the earth spirit, I had placed a stone just before the kick landed on his shin. “Ugh!” As expected, Glenn Tyno naturally knelt, laughing like a pig that had swallowed a hot iron ball. I grabbed his hair and forcefully pushed him backward. “Ugh….” His sky-high arrogance had been completely erased. His terrified pupils lost focus and trembled pitifully. The sharp end of the broken jug glowed red in the sunlight. It somehow resembled teeth stained with blood. From the wine dripping off the glass edge, a sweet scent wafted through the air. It seemed to tempt revenge, just as sweet.

Of course, killing is an easy task. Just one stroke would be sufficient. But it doesn’t really help me at the moment. It might even make the Empress more wary, making my future actions more difficult. I’ve been contemplating for quite a while now. How can I become Emperor? The biggest obstacles are undoubtedly the Empress, my worst enemy, and the Crown Prince, my strongest foe. Both of them were extremely formidable opponents. Killing the Empress within the palace was nearly impossible. Even if I attempted it, the Imperial Knights would swarm in before I could make a move. Even if I succeeded, I’d eventually be traced and inevitably face execution. As for Crown Prince Servis, at just eighteen, he already possessed exceptional swordsmanship, standing alongside the empire’s strongest figures. He had even lost to the Knight Commander in a sparring match, a man who had no equals among the knights. No matter what I tried, killing him wouldn’t be easy. So, for now, all I can do is cut off the Empress and Crown Prince’s support outside the palace and secretly gather my own people. For that to happen, I need to gain freedom of movement within the palace. However, the Empress’s people had thoroughly infiltrated every corner of the palace. Since she had already made her son the Crown Prince, I might be eliminated the moment I step outside the palace. So for now, I need someone to prove that I’m always quietly confined within the Prince’s Palace, without raising suspicion. And I had thought of using Glentino for that purpose. If I could make him a double agent and extract information from the Empress’s side, there couldn’t be a better scenario. I released the hand I had been holding, but he still hadn’t moved from his spot. “Ugh… Why on earth… are you doing this…” *** Glentino Gerund. He was the son of the writer Gerund. This morning, he faced the greatest crisis of his life. “In the end, he’s completely gone mad.” Prince Eos Caldevrion. It was none other than Glentino Gerund himself who had made his personality so cruel. Therefore, even in a life-or-death situation where he might become a victim.

No one could be blamed.

But revenge was possible.

“If I let the Empress know about this… ”

The Crown Prince would fall into an even more miserable state.

“Eos, this trash of a man…”

Eos, who was originally the Crown Prince, was a man of exceptionally upright character. Despite being nothing more than a commoner’s son, he always treated even himself with a friendly demeanor, regardless of status or class, and had a kind-hearted nature.

Once, he swept through battlefields like a great conqueror’s son, excelling in swordsmanship.

Inheriting the blood of the Elf Kingdom’s princess, the Empress, he was also excellent in magic.

That’s why she admired him.

And as much as she admired him.

No, perhaps even more. She was fiercely jealous.

His luck that made his misfortune seem even greater.

It was so enviable.

At first, it was jealousy, but then it turned to hatred.

If only she had the ability, she wanted to destroy him by any means necessary.

That’s why she readily accepted the Empress’s proposal without a moment’s hesitation.

At first, she doubted her own ears. It was truly a dreadful proposal.

If exposed, it would be a horrific crime, leading not only to the Empress’s dethronement but also the extermination of the implicated families.

However, the Empress promised to pass on a family to her, who would inherit nothing, if she just did as she was told.

She added that she would be able to enjoy numerous privileges that she had never even dreamed of before.

For someone who was merely a commoner’s son, it was an unprecedented opportunity.

That’s why she agreed.

To tarnish her reputation.

She poisoned Eos, who had been wandering since her mother’s death.

She manipulated events to make it seem as though she had killed people for the sake of the throne.

As always, today too, she brought a glass of poisoned wine.

Hoping that as the Crown Prince’s infamy deepened, his position would become even more secure.

Along with that.

Hoping that she could live in peace herself.

But what on earth is this situation right now?

Eos, who had become almost like a dying person.

Was looking down at herself with a chilling smile.