[March 6th, 2012 - 6:02 AM]
[The Imperial Palace - Emperor's Office]
Perspective: Rosaline Valentine
I froze.
He had no magic... yet he surpassed me in everything?
I stared down at the massive, trembling Paladin kneeling before us. My mind was racing, trying to process the absolute absurdity of his words.
"What did you just say?" I demanded, my voice dropping to a dangerously cold, ruthless whisper.
Lionel flinched, keeping his head bowed. "It was... it was that exact same feeling of absolute terror I felt years ago, Your Majesty. I have only felt true fear twice in my life as a soldier serving this Empire. Once was during my training stages, when I was stranded in enemy territory for weeks, alone against hundreds of Valerion units..."
The Paladin swallowed hard, his massive shoulders trembling.
"And the other time was when I faced Subject 000981 in the Foundation."
My eyes widened in sheer shock. I stepped forward, glaring down at him with an intensity that could melt steel.
"What do you mean, 'face him'?" I hissed, my aura flaring dangerously.
Lionel looked up for a brief second, his eyes widening as he saw my unrestrained anger for the first time in his life. He quickly averted his gaze back to the floor.
How? My heart hammered violently against my ribs. How can my son... how can Kaiser be alive? After all these years, I believed I had lost him in the destruction of the Decaying Foundation! And now, our own Paladin is claiming he is back?!
"Rosaline. Calm yourself. I can explain this." Noctis said, his deep voice cutting through my spiraling thoughts.
I whipped my head around to glare at the Emperor.
"You will remain silent, Noctis! Did you know?!" I snapped, pointing an accusing finger at him.
"I only recently confirmed his identity in the woods." Noctis replied calmly, meeting my furious gaze. "I did not want to burden you until I was completely certain."
"You kept my son's survival a secret from me! I will deal with you later!"
I turned my cold, terrifying glare back down to the kneeling captain.
"How did you get permission to visit the Decaying Foundation years ago, Lionel?" I demanded.
"Sir Reed Vexley requested my presence." Lionel explained, his voice shaking. "The Empire had ordered him, the greatest Knight of the Realm, to test a child. He was incredibly bored and frustrated by the insulting order."
"And you fought him?"
"Yes. Reed had me step into the simulation first to warm the boy up."
"And what happened?"
Lionel closed his eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath as the traumatic memories resurfaced.
"I stepped in expecting to easily disarm a toddler." Lionel began. "But the moment I raised my heavy blade... I saw his stance."
"What about his stance?"
"It was terrifyingly perfect. There were absolutely no openings. Every single time I shifted my weight, his stance adapted flawlessly. It was as if he could read my muscle fibers before I even moved."
"You are a Paladin." I spat coldly. "Are you telling me you were defeated by a 4-year-old?"
"I couldn't land a single strike." Lionel confessed, the shame evident in his cracking voice. "He moved like a ghost, dismantling my guard in three moves. I faced my first absolute defeat that day."
"And Reed?" I pressed, my expression freezing into a mask of pure, absolute coldness.
My son had forced Imperial Knights into submission.
"Reed fought him next," Lionel muttered. "For the first time since his knighthood, Reed Vexley was pushed to his absolute limit. He faced his first ever draw. Neither of them could land a hit."
"It was that exact same fear I felt in the Whispering Woods last night," Lionel continued, his eyes haunted. "Facing the boy named Kaiser... he had those same cold, calculating blue eyes. That exact same adapting stance. But this time, it was different."
"How so?" I demanded.
"He wasn't alone. He had a lightning mage, Axel, constantly covering his back. The boy was completely weaponless, yet he utilized his friend in flawless guerrilla warfare. Using the fog of war and crude traps, they systematically dismantled my elite unit until I was the only one left standing."
Lionel gripped his bandaged knee, his knuckles turning white.
"I was terrified to face him, remembering what he did to me in the Foundation. But I tried. I pushed my limits," Lionel explained, his voice thick with humiliation. "But just like back then, I couldn't land a single hit. He dodged every strike with zero wasted movement. Then... he utilized some unknown martial art to literally twist my heavy broadsword right out of my hand."
Lionel pointed to his heavily bandaged leg.
"Before I could react, he threw a highly corrosive acidic substance directly at my knee."
"It was a concentrated fluoroantimonic acid compound," Noctis intervened calmly, explaining the horrific chemical. "It bypasses standard aura defenses and eats directly through the bone."
"I tried to use healing magic immediately, but it was too late," Lionel muttered. "The acid had already melted through the cartilage. As my leg gave out, he kicked me square in the face and took me captive."
The room fell completely silent. I stared at the broken Paladin, my mind rapidly calculating the sheer magnitude of this revelation. My son was alive. He was incredibly dangerous. And he was here.
I narrowed my eyes into a freezing glare.
"You will not take a leave of absence today, Captain," I ordered, my voice leaving absolutely no room for argument. "You will wait until Founder's Day is over."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Lionel bowed deeply. "But my knee—"
"I do not care about your knee," I cut him off ruthlessly. "Furthermore, you will not breathe a single word to anyone that you saw Him in those woods. Am I clear?"
Lionel immediately pressed his forehead to the floor. "I swear it on my life, Empress. I will not speak of this again. I... I wish you both rest. I can see you haven't slept properly tonight."
With immense difficulty, the giant man slowly stood up and limped out of the Emperor's Office, the heavy mahogany doors clicking shut behind him.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Without a word, Noctis and I walked out of the office, moving quietly through the heavily guarded, opulent corridors of the palace. We didn't speak a single word until we finally reached our private royal quarters.
As soon as the heavy, soundproof doors closed behind us, the illusion of my calm composure completely shattered.
I spun around, fixing Noctis with a furious, burning glare.
"How long have you known he was alive?"
I immediately raised my hand. A dense pulse of purple mana rippled across the walls, casting a high-tier absolute silence barrier. Nobody could hear us. Nobody could trespass into this argument.
"How long, Noctis?" I demanded again.
"A few months," Noctis answered calmly, turning to face me. "I was reviewing the documentation for the next Academy students submitted by Valerius, and I stumbled across an orphan. A girl named Elfina."
"An orphan? How is some random orphan related to my son?!"
"She is the one responsible for the galaxy-like skies weeks ago on Valentine's."
"What?"
"She is also the one that alone scored Rank Zero in the Academy," Noctis continued. "She scored a higher score than our daughter, Rose, and was even one of the leading members in the Elvian religion situation that occurred weeks back."
"It is not special for geniuses to exist in this Empire, Noctis. What is your point?"
Noctis sighed heavily. He raised his hand, using his magic to pull a set of classified documents from the air and hand them to me.
"Read her profile."
I snatched the papers from his hand, my eyes quickly scanning the text. The orphanage matron's report stated she was an introverted, shy girl who never spoke to anyone. She possessed absolutely no hints of magic early on and was mostly a crybaby who stayed indoors.
That was, until she made a friend. Another orphaned boy who called himself Kaiser Everhart. After that bond formed, somehow, she grew continuously and reached the absolute pinnacle.
I slowly lowered the papers, my eyes widening.
"Kaiser Everhart..."
"Yes," Noctis confirmed.
"You saw him," I concluded, answering the puzzle for him. "And you brought him to the Academy on the whim of her. She is the root to finding my son."
"Exactly."
"I am going to see him. Right now." I declared, turning toward the door.
"No, you are not," Noctis commanded, stepping in my path. "You cannot meet him directly."
"You have absolutely no authority to stop me," I stated coldly, flashing a ruthless glare. "We agreed on an equal rule over this Empire, Noctis. I will do as I please."
"Use your head, Rosaline," Noctis replied pragmatically. "Our son is not a normal kid that will take an Empress's sudden visit as something casual."
"I am his mother!"
"And he is a paranoid tactician. If you show up unannounced, it will only be a matter of days before he finds the truth himself. We cannot force his hand."
I glared at him, the mana in the room fluctuating wildly with my anger.
"So I am to just sit here and do nothing?"
"I have a feeling you will get to see him tonight anyway," Noctis hinted smoothly. "He likes to be unpredictable. It will come to that soon enough."
"He better be there."
"He will be. Just be patient."
"Fine."
I took a deep breath, forcibly calming myself.
Knowing his capabilities, and hearing what he just did to Lionel, I knew Noctis was right.
"Once the treasure of Asura, now turned fear, has returned," I taunted, a slight, wicked smile returning to my face. "Tell me, Emperor... if he were to turn on the Empire, how exactly would you stop him?"
"I would tell him I am his father and call for peace," Noctis replied comedically, completely deadpan.
"That isn't going to work."
"Then we are doomed," Noctis replied sarcastically. "My army isn't nearly enough to stop a kid who throws acid at people. We're not trained against chemists, Rosaline. We were trained to fight sorcerers and anomalies."
I couldn't help it. A genuine giggle escaped my lips, echoing through the silent room before turning into soft laughter.
"My son truly is special for that reason." I smiled proudly. "After all, he was with our daughter tonight. No wonder none of the Paladins could even reach her."
Noctis's sarcastic demeanor faded, his dark eyes locking onto mine with a serious, penetrating gaze.
"It is interesting... when it comes to Rose, you say 'our' daughter," Noctis brought up quietly. "But when it is about him, it is always 'my' son."
"What are you implying?"
"You never use those kinds of language. Even when it comes to the Empire, you say 'our' Empire," Noctis pointed out coldly. "Yet, you forget that you are the mother that abandoned him for possessing no magic."
My smile vanished instantly, replaced by a freezing, ruthless glare.
"And you are the father that put him through absolute hell as a test subject!" I shot back viciously. "He humiliated the Foundation's Level 20 difficulty because of your cruelty!"
"He is an anomaly inside anomalies."
"Is this why you admitted Rose to the Academy?!" I cut him off sharply. "To see who is superior?"
"The Academy is a controlled environment." Noctis replied, his tone cold yet calculating.
"I merely set the stage for the inevitable."
I smirked, the terrifying reality of the situation finally setting in.
"The Decaying Foundation's self-engineered weapon vs the Decaying Foundation's masterpiece." I commented, my eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"You better be prepared for the fallout, Noctis."
"You know exactly what will happen if he discovers his royal heritage, Noctis. He will fight Rose for the Empire."
"He does not desire power, Rosaline. You know that."
"I know nothing of the sort."
"If he truly desired power, he would have either conquered the entire world or destroyed it completely for revenge long ago. But that girl... she changed him."
"Oh? Some orphan opened his cold heart?"
"She held his humanity."
"Do not use my son as a weapon of war for your own political games, Noctis."
"The Empire requires strong pieces on the front. Weapons must be utilized."
"If you use a child to defeat the enemies you are supposed to deal with yourself, I will not hold back against you."
"Then I welcome you to try and stop me."
A heavy, suffocating silence fell between us, the tension in the room reaching a boiling point.
"Regardless..." Noctis sighed, breaking the silence as the oppressive aura faded.
"I do not have intentions like that. A war breaking out is entirely out of the question."
"See that it stays that way."
Noctis unbuttoned his collar, the Emperor finally showing a rare sign of exhaustion after a long, chaotic night.
"We should rest," Noctis suggested, a faint, teasing smirk touching his lips. "If you want to meet your son tomorrow, you better look good."
"I always look mesmerizing."
Noctis chuckled softly, sitting down on the edge of the massive royal bed. He shook his head, an amused scoff escaping his lips as he remembered something.
"He told me an interesting thing earlier... that he had the exact same self-respect as an Emperor. That he didn't go to my house, and I didn't go to his."
"He said that to your face?!" I burst into genuine, loud laughter. "He sounds exactly like you."
"I disagree. His jokes are as good as yours."
"Excuse me? If he was like me, he would have said, 'Your Majesty, your presence is ruining my air quality. Please leave.'"
"And if he was like me, he would have simply stared in silence until the Paladins awkwardly excused themselves."
"Instead, he threw acid. He is definitely your son. A dramatic overreaction to a minor inconvenience."
"The mocking one-liner before the attack? Pure Rosaline Valentine."
"Oh, please. If he inherited your personality, he would have hidden in a dark corner for three hours planning meticulously before striking."
"And if he inherited yours, he would have complained about being ignored and poor hygiene before melting his knee."
"At least he'd have standards! I cannot believe the great Emperor took lip from a teenager and just walked away."
"I was maintaining the peace. You, on the other hand, are about to march into a high school classroom like an overprotective mother."
"I am an Empress gracing my subjects with my presence. If they fail him, I'll just use the acid myself."
Noctis shook his head, laughing softly as the last of the tension finally vanished from the room.
I walked over and leaned back against the headboard, a soft, genuinely fond smile replacing my usual cold exterior.
I wonder. I thought, gazing out the large glass window toward the distant direction of Asura Academy.
With that kind of attitude... is my son living like a little Emperor inside the Academy?
*
[March 6th, 2012 - 12:13 PM]
[Asura Capital - Central Market District]
Perspective: Kaiser Everhart
Alright. Day #1 of being a slave for money. Adjusting the massive, towering stack of luxurious shopping bags in my burning arms.
Honestly? This was a million times better than washing dishes at the cafeteria. They were paying me an extra copper per bag!
The Founder's Day festival was in full swing.
The Asura Empire was founded exactly 3000 years ago today by the legendary First Emperor, and the entire capital had transformed into a massive, city-wide party to celebrate. The Central Market District was completely unrecognizable. Every street was lined with vibrant, crimson-and-gold banners. High-tier light mages had enchanted the sky above the market to shimmer with artificial auroras, even in the middle of the bright afternoon. Thousands of citizens, nobles, and tourists flooded the cobblestone streets, tossing flower petals and drinking spiced cider from massive oak barrels stationed at every corner.
The rich noblewomen and wealthy merchants were completely losing their minds at the festival stalls. They were buying enchanted silk garments, rare beast-core jewelry, imported spices from the Elvian borders, and ridiculously expensive ceremonial swords.
And who was carrying all this crap? Me.
"Boy! Take these as well!" a wealthy merchant barked, tossing three more heavy velvet bags on top of the 15 I was already balancing precariously in my arms. They just couldn't stop shopping.
"Yes, sir! Right away, sir! Thank you for your incredible patronage!" I replied, putting on the brightest, most aggressively cheerful customer service smile I could muster.
I had easily convinced this group of wealthy tourists that carrying their own heavy bags would completely ruin the aesthetic of their lavish Founder's Day experience. I graciously volunteered to be their personal pack mule for an entire hour for the low, low price of 5 silvers.
Five silvers! I screamed internally, my eyes practically turning into currency symbols. That's so much! I will be rich!
For the next hour, I hauled what felt like half the marketplace across the festival grounds. I dodged fire-breathing street performers, aggressively maneuvered through massive parades of dancing musicians, and carried a literal mountain of shopping bags without dropping a single one.
When the hour was up, the merchant tossed me the five silver coins.
I walked into an empty alleyway, looked down at the shiny silver coins in my calloused hand, and violently fist-pumped the air.
"YES!" I cheered to myself, doing a little victory dance. "I am so rich! I don't have to wash a single dish for two whole weeks!"
I stared at the coins like they were the Holy Grail.
I need to look for more slave labor immediately, I concluded, nodding solemnly. This isn't just work. This is a booming business!
I wish I was living like a pampered, untouchable Emperor inside the Academy. That's a pipe dream. I am a ruthless, poor opportunist, and I was going to milk this festival dry!
Over the next few hours, I went on an absolute grind.
I wiped down merchant carts, fixed a broken mana-powered cotton candy machine, polished the armor of some incredibly drunk knights, hauled crates of apples for a fruit vendor, scrubbed a bakery floor, handed out flyers for a magic show, and untangled a massive knot of decorative festival lights.
By the time the afternoon rolled around, I sat on a wooden bench and counted my earnings.
10 silvers.
I have 10 whole silvers!
My god... A tear of pure joy threatening to fall from my eye. I am beyond rich. I could buy a whole steak with this. Maybe even two!
Just as I was deciding which cheap tavern to grace with my newfound immense wealth, my phone buzzed.
It was Elfie.
"Hey, Elfie!" I answered, instantly smiling. "You missing out on the festival?"
"Kai..." Elfie's voice came sounding unusually weak and tired. "I don't think I can come to the festival today."
"Are you okay?" I asked, my cheerful demeanor dropping as genuine concern took over. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"No, no, I'm not hurt," she reassured me softly. "I'm just feeling a little sick. I think it's a cold, and I have a really bad stomach ache."
"A stomach ache? Did you eat something weird yesterday?"
"I don't think so... it's just this really weird, heavy feeling," Elfie explained, her voice sounding groggy. "I'm just going to rest at the dorms today."
"Alright. You just stay in bed and take care of yourself, okay?" I told her gently. "Drink plenty of water. I'll bring you back some festival food later."
"Thank you, Kai... have fun for me."
The phone cut off. I stared at the phone for a moment, my brow furrowing in thought.
Elfie would've wanted to spend the entire day with me, I thought, a nagging sense of worry settling in my chest. If she's voluntarily missing Founder's Day, she must be really sick. I'll check on her later myself, but for now, I'll take it as she said. She's okay, just resting.
I put the phone away and looked back out at the sprawling festival.
I really wanted to see all of this with Elfie. The Founder's Day festival was truly a marvel. A city-wide celebration of culture and history. To honor the founding of the Empire thousands of years ago, the citizens were currently engaged in massive historical celebrations.
The streets were filled with people wearing traditional, ancient Asuran clothing, mimicking the soldiers and scholars of the First Emperor's era. Floating mana lanterns were being prepared for the evening sky, and massive magical fireworks were already being tested over the distant palace walls, sending bursts of colorful sparks into the daylight. The air was rich with the scent of roasted meats, sweet pastries, and blooming festival flowers. It was a beautiful display of unity and history.
I was so busy admiring a massive, intricately carved ice sculpture of the First Emperor in the center plaza that I completely stopped looking where I was going.
Thud.
I accidentally bumped directly into someone, almost knocking them over.
"Oh, crap, I'm so sor—" I started, grabbing their arm to steady them.
I stopped mid-sentence. Standing in front of me, wearing a simple yet incredibly elegant casual festival dress, was Leena.
She looked up at me, her initial shock melting away as a warm, beautiful smile spread across her face.
"Oh, it's you... Kaiser!" Leena said, her eyes lighting up in surprise.
"Leena! Hey! Uh... I'm actually in a bit of a rush to get back to the dorms, so I should probably—"
"Have you had anything to eat yet?" she interrupted, tilting her head.
"Eat? Well, I smelled the roasted griffin meat, but it's kinda... aggressively expensive."
"Come on! You can't come to a festival and not eat!"
Leena immediately grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the nearest stalls. She bought a massive plate of honey-glazed draconian skewers and two cups of sweet lunar-berry cider. We sat down on a nearby bench, eating together. She even handed me a warm, sugar-coated Asuran pastry.
"Is it good?" Leena asked.
"Good? Leena, this is the greatest thing I've tasted all month! I've literally been surviving on cafeteria bread."
"You don't have to exaggerate. Just eat up!" she giggled.
"I'm not exaggerating! You just saved my life."
"It's just food, Kaiser. You're always helping everyone in class, it's the least I could do."
"Still. Thank you, Leena. You're the best."
"You're welcome, bestie!" she smiled warmly.
Suddenly, a familiar, exhausted voice called out.
"There you are! Leena, what are you doing?"
I looked up to see Rigel staring at the two of us in utter disbelief. He looked like he had been running through the crowd for an hour.
"Oh, hey Rigel!" Leena smiled brightly. "Kaiser was hungry and couldn't afford to buy any treats, so I bought him some!"
"Of course he couldn't!" Rigel threw his hands up in frustration. "He always eats using other people's money! He's a parasite!"
I wiped the sugar off my face. "Hey, Leena. Can I steal Rigel for a quick minute?"
"Steal me?" Rigel asked suspiciously. "Why?"
I leaned in closely to Rigel, whispering so Leena couldn't hear. "Bro. I need two more silvers to buy some highly illegal parts for my radio. Help me out."
Rigel stared at me, his face twisting into an expression of pure nonsense processing.
"Okie-dokie!" Leena chirped happily, clapping her hands. "I'll let you boys catch up!"
"Wait, Leena! Do not leave me with him!" Rigel panicked, reaching out for her. "I got lost for 20 minutes earlier! I will definitely get lost again!"
"Oh yeah, I was searching for you!" Leena remembered, tapping her chin. "I'll be right over there looking at the flower crowns. Don't take too long!"
I grabbed Rigel by the shoulder and dragged him into an alleyway.
"Look, Rigel. Two silvers. That's all I need."
"Are you out of your absolute mind?! I have given you 30 silvers in loans over the past month!"
"And I will pay you back with a generous 10% interest after five years! Assuming you can find me."
"WHY FIND YOU?! Where are you going to go?!"
"I am a man of the myths, Rigel! I cannot be tied down to one location! Just give me 2 silvers!"
"No! You're just going to spend it on something incredibly stupid, like a radio that intercepts imperial communications!"
"It's not imperial communications, it's a frequency modulator! And I need it to survive!"
"You need a radio to survive?! How does that even make sense?!"
"You wouldn't understand the complex struggles of poverty! Come on, Rigel! Be a bro! I'm begging you!"
"Stop grabbing my shirt! You're going to stretch the fabric, this is expensive silk!"
"I don't care about your silk! Think of the radio, Rigel! The radio!"
"I am not funding your illegal engineering projects! The answer is no!"
"Fine! You leave me no choice. I'm calling for backup."
"Backup?! What backup?!"
I immediately pulled out my phone and dialed a number. It picked up instantly.
"Axel!" I yelled into the receiver. "Get to the Central Market Plaza immediately! There are free food servings in the stalls!"
Rigel stared at me in shock as I hung up. "Since when are you two friends?"
Exactly five minutes later, Axel sprinted into the alleyway, out of breath and looking around wildly.
"Where is the free food, bro?!" Axel panted.
I reached into my pocket, pulled out a single, cheap strawberry lollipop I had gotten as change earlier, and handed it to him.
Axel looked at the lollipop. Then he looked at me.
While Axel was processing the sheer disrespect of the lollipop, my hand swiftly slipped into Rigel's coat pocket. My fingers wrapped around his heavy leather wallet.
I instantly bolted out of the alleyway.
"Hey!" Rigel screamed, checking his pocket. "He took my wallet! Get him!"
"You made me run two miles for a lollipop?! I'm going to kill you, Kaiser!"
"It's a very high-quality lollipop! Appreciate the gift!" I yelled back, running through the crowd.
"Give me back my money! You parasite!" Rigel chased from behind.
"It's not stealing! It's an investment for the future!"
"I'm going to invest my fist into your face!" Axel roared.
"Don't punch him! He'll bleed on my wallet!" Rigel warned.
"You guys are so selfish! Think of the radio!" I shouted.
"Shut up about the stupid radio!" Axel snapped.
I laughed, dodging past a group of musicians and ducking under a merchant's cart. Axel and Rigel were hot on my trail, screaming at me.
But as I rounded the corner into the next plaza, I slammed the brakes, my shoes skidding violently against the cobblestone.
Standing directly in my path was a gang of thirteen heavily armed, terrifying-looking men. They completely blocked the festive street.
At the front stood the gang leader. He was an older, mature man with a scarred face, smoking a thick cigar and radiating an incredibly dense, dangerous aura.
Clinging to the gang leader's boots was a smaller, bruised, and absolutely miserable-looking man.
The small man shakily raised his hand and pointed a trembling finger directly at me.
"That... that son of a bitch conned me and took my 300 gold, sir..." the small guy sobbed, kissing the gang leader's boots.
"Please kill him and forgive me... please..."
Axel and Rigel skidded to a halt behind me, their angry expressions instantly draining into pure horror as all 13 massive gangsters slowly turned their terrifying gazes toward us.
I stood there, holding Rigel's stolen wallet, staring at the terrifying gang leader while the festival music played cheerfully in the background.
Well. I thought. This is big problem.
ohhh I remember him, Maverick right?
Maverick suddenly lunged forward, scrambling to his feet with pure, unhinged rage in his eyes.
"YOU DOG! WHERE IS MY GOLD! YOU ATE MY FUCKING MONEY!" Maverick screamed, swinging a wild, desperate punch at my face.
I instantly dodged to the left in shock, letting him stumble past me.
"Sir Liam Kiano!" Maverick cried out, turning back to the scarred gang leader. "That's him! The scammer!"
Liam took a slow, menacing drag of his thick cigar, blowing the smoke into the air. His dark eyes scanned Axel and Rigel standing behind me.
"Looks like the kid has a little gang of his own/" Liam noted, his voice deep and raspy.
Instantly, the 13 massive gangsters drew their heavy blades. Their magical auras flared violently, casting intimidating, colorful glows across the plaza. But they didn't attack yet. They just waited for the order.
Rigel immediately grabbed my arm and shoved me forward. Axel pointed an accusing finger straight at my face.
"I am not a gangster! I am a victim! He literally just pickpocketed my wallet right now! Beat him up! Go, go!" Rigel yelled.
"Yeah! I am also a victim of a horrible scam! He made me run two miles for a cheap lollipop! Beat him to a bloody pulp!" Axel added.
"You scamming rat! See?! You scam everyone! Your own friends want you dead!" Maverick screamed at me.
"We are not his friends! Tear his arms off!" Rigel clarified aggressively.
"Break his legs!" Axel cheered.
"Cut out his tongue so he stops lying!" Maverick demanded.
Two massive gangsters stepped forward, grabbing me roughly by the shoulders.
"One minute, one minute! HEY! I SAID ONE MINUTE!" I yelled, aggressively pushing one of the giant gangsters off my shoulder. "I DON'T HAVE YOUR MONEY!"
I quickly slipped one hand deep into my pocket, gripping the small, round item I had bought from the market earlier.
"I-I don-t have the money... I didn't eat it!" I stammered, putting on the most pathetic, stuttering voice possible.
"Let go of me! That-t-that i-ss not my fault!"
"Liar!" Maverick screamed.
"That ruthless border control merchant stole i-t and ran away!" I cried, forcing fake tears into my eyes as I pointed into the distance. "That merchant took all of my own money too! My condition is so bad right now, I'm beg-ging a-around the corners for bread and water!"
I dramatically fell to my knees, burying my face in my free hand.
"It's so bad I'm eating leaves off trees to fight the hunger!"
"Wahhh... wuee... wahh!" I sobbed pathetically, my shoulders shaking. As the kidney touching acting continues.
"I don't even have money to eat! I feed these two poor beggars!"
I pointed directly at Axel and Rigel. The two of them, completely confused by my sudden crying, just slowly nodded along in agreement.
Suddenly, I shot up from the ground, grabbing Maverick by the hair and aggressively shaking his head around.
"AND YOU'RE DEMANDING MONEY FROM ME?!" I roared in fake indignation. "ASKING MONEY FROM STARVING BEGGARS?! HAVE SOME SHAME! FEAR GOD!"
"He's lying! He ate your money, Sir Liam! He said he'd double the money in 2 days, but he scammed me and ran away! Just kill him and forgive me, please!" Maverick cried, begging the gang leader.
"I don't care about his excuses. Money is money," Liam replied coldly.
"Exactly! Slice his throat!" Maverick agreed.
"I'm going to cut him to pieces and sell his body parts individually on the black market to recoup the 300 hundred gold," Liam declared, stepping forward.
"Yes! Sell his kidneys! Please spare me!" Maverick begged.
I let go of Maverick's hair, a confident smirk completely replacing my crying face.
"Thanks for the time." I said, pulling my hand out of my pocket. "My reaction is done."
I violently threw the item directly onto the cobblestone ground.
BANG!
The flashbang-smoke bomb exploded instantly, blinding the gangsters and engulfing the entire street in a massive, thick cloud of grey smoke.
When the smoke finally cleared twenty seconds later, Axel, Rigel, and I were completely gone.
"Boss! They vanished!" one of the gangsters yelled.
"Find them! Rip the city apart if you have to!" Liam ordered, coughing through the fading smoke.
"Sir! Sir Liam! H-He took my pants!" Maverick cried out in horror.
"What?!" Liam snapped.
"My pants are gone! And my top hat!" Maverick shivered, standing in his underwear.
"Boss... your coat pocket is open," another gangster pointed out nervously.
"My wallet... that son of a bitch took my wallet!" Liam roared, patting his chest in pure horror.
"KILL HIM! FIND THAT RAT AND KILL HIM!" Liam screamed into the sky.
Two miles away, near the docks overlooking the vast ocean, Rigel, Axel, and I collapsed onto the wooden pier, absolutely exhausted. We were panting heavily, our chests heaving after sprinting for our lives.
"Who the hell was that?!" Rigel asked, sitting up and clutching his chest.
"Traveling from Celestine to Asura isn't free, bro," I explained casually, catching my breath. "I had to con a lot of people to get enough money to bring Elfie and myself across the border."
Rigel stared at me, completely dumbfounded by the sheer scale of my criminal record.
I reached into my pocket, pulling out Liam Kiano's thick, luxurious designer wallet. I opened it up, taking out 20 shiny silver coins and 1 massive, glittering gold coin. Once the money was safely in my pocket, I casually tossed the empty wallet right into the sea.
"You are an absolute legend." Axel praised, giving me a thumbs-up from the floor.
Rigel slowly stood up, dusting off his silk shirt with a look of pure disgust.
"You two are just a bunch of pickpockets." Rigel muttered, turning around and walking away down the pier.
"Man, you're no fun!" Axel called out after him.
"Yeah, well I don't want to get into a gangbang situation again!" Rigel yelled back without turning around.
I laughed, tossing Maverick's stolen top hat onto Axel's head.
My slave labor days were officially over.
"Alright, Axel." I smiled. "Write me a song and help me make a radio now."
*
[March 6th, 2012 - 8:30 PM]
[Asura Academy - Class C Workshop]
Perspective: Kaiser Everhart
By the time night fell, Axel and I were both completely exhausted. Axel was slouched against the workshop wall, his throat incredibly dry and his voice rasping from hours of aggressive vocal practice.
"Bro... why did you make me write and practice a whole new song for 6 hours?! My throat is bleeding!" Axel complained, his voice cracking.
"You told me back in the mines that you were genuinely good at singing, Axel. I need your skills for tonight. Is the song done?" I asked, adjusting a small mana wire on the table.
"Yeah, it's done. But why are we doing this?" Axel nodded tiredly.
"Because tonight, we establish dominance." I replied, looking out the window toward the distant Imperial Palace.
"Dominance? Bro, we are starving beggars. Speaking of which, what did you even do to that radio with those 15 silvers?" Axel asked, pointing at my workbench.
"Oh, just a few minor modifications," I smirked.
"Minor? That thing looks like it came from the future." Axel stared at the sleek, upgraded device in awe.
"I call it a 'Smartphone' prototype." I proudly declared.
I picked up the heavily modified device, the screen glowing with a customized, vibrant mana interface.
"I stripped the imperial communication limits." I explained, tapping the screen. "1st, it has a localized short-range frequency disruptor—meaning nobody can track our location. 2nd, I integrated a music interface that stores and amplifies sound files using small wind-mana crystals and friction. 3rd, it has a built-in camera function using light-refraction crystals I coded into the glass. 4th, it has a peer-to-peer messaging system that bypasses the Academy's network entirely. 5th, I added a highly illegal imperial database scanner. And 6th... it has a flashlight."
Axel stared at the device, absolutely glazing me with pure, unadulterated awe.
"Bro..." Axel whispered, his eyes wide. "You're actually a terrifying genius. That is the coolest thing I've ever seen. Can I play games on it?"
"No, Axel, it doesn't have games." I sighed.
Grumble.
Our stomachs growled simultaneously, echoing loudly in the quiet workshop.
"Bro, you are so cheap..." Axel complained, holding his stomach in pain. "You made me work all day and gave me zero meals! And you kept all the pickpocketing money!"
"Patience, Axel," I smiled. "Do you want to eat at the royal banquet tonight?"
"The royal banquet?" Axel blinked. "You mean the Founder's Day Gala?"
"Exactly. Tell me about it." I urged.
"Bro, it is the biggest event of the year! The Emperor and Empress host a massive gala inside the Grand Imperial Citadel." Axel answered enthusiastically.
"Who gets invited?" I asked.
"Literally everyone who is anyone! The highest-ranking nobles, the top merchants, the Paladins, and the absolute elite students from Class A."
"So there's a lot of food?"
"Are you kidding me? They serve legendary roasted beasts, five-star Elvian desserts, and infinite buffets! It is a pure celebration of the Empire's wealth and dominance."
"Perfect. We are gonna eat there." I concluded.
Axel's jaw hit the floor, staring at me like I had lost my absolute mind.
"How?!" Axel shouted, his voice cracking. "We weren't even invited! We don't even have the money to bribe the guards! It's a royal party!"
"We don't need money or an invitation to eat food, Axel." I said calmly, a dangerous smirk crossing my face.
"We need a uniform."
I reached under the table, pulling out the stolen goods from earlier today. I placed Maverick's pristine, expensive top hat onto my head and tossed his custom-tailored luxury pants to Axel.
"I've got some spare clothes," I grinned. "Suit up, bud. We're infiltrating a royal party."
*
[March 6th, 2012 - 9:00 PM]
[The Grand Imperial Citadel - The Crystal Ballroom]
Perspective: Rose Valentine
The heavy, gold-plated doors of the Crystal Ballroom slowly pushed open, revealing the absolute pinnacle of Asuran luxury.
The Founder's Day Gala was a breathtaking display of unimaginable wealth. The ballroom itself was massive, easily capable of holding two thousand guests. The ceilings were incredibly high, adorned with gigantic, floating crystal chandeliers that cast a warm, golden light across the polished marble floors. Intricate, moving paintings detailing the history of the First Emperor decorated the walls, while a live orchestra composed of the continent's finest musicians played elegant, sweeping melodies in the corner.
The room was packed with the most influential people in the entire world. Wealthy dukes, highly decorated Paladins in ceremonial armor, and the elite prodigies of noble families mingled beneath the chandeliers, drinking sparkling wine and discussing the future of the Empire.
I stepped into the ballroom, my stunning, deep crimson gown trailing elegantly behind me. The dress was embroidered with real starlight threads, making it shimmer subtly with every step I took. As the Crowned Princess, my entrance commanded immediate respect. Conversations paused, and nobles bowed their heads in reverence as I walked past.
I ignored them all, my icy blue eyes scanning the room until they landed on the far end of the ballroom.
There, seated on two magnificent, elevated golden thrones, were my parents.
Empress Rosaline and Emperor Noctis sat side-by-side, radiating a terrifying, absolute authority as they watched the party from above.
I took a deep breath, my expression freezing into a mask of perfect, calculating royalty.
Today is the day... My heart beating with cold precision.
I have spent my entire life preparing for this.
I will solidify my absolute claim as the heir to the Asura Empire.