The Azure Palace was beautiful tonight.
Not beautiful in the ordinary sense.
Magnificent.
The kind of magnificence that demanded attention from anyone fortunate—or unfortunate—enough to stand beneath it.
The grand hall had been transformed for the occasion.
Thousands of crimson flames floated above me, suspended inside enormous crystal spheres that hung from the vaulted ceiling like miniature suns.
Their scarlet light spilled across the hall, mixing with the golden glow of the chandeliers and reflecting off the polished marble floor beneath my feet.
Every step I took sent a faint reflection of myself across the smooth surface.
Tall pillars of dark stone rose on either side of the hall, disappearing into the enormous ceiling above.
Each pillar had been carved with intricate depictions of flames twisting around swords.
The craftsmanship was extraordinary.
Long crimson banners descended between the pillars, each bearing the crest of the Azure Palace.
A burning sword surrounded by a ring of fire.
The symbol of the family.
The symbol of power.
The symbol of the blood running through my veins.
Hundreds of people had gathered beneath it.
Nobles occupied the tables closest to the center of the hall.
Generals and high-ranking knights stood along the outer edges.
Elders sat in carefully arranged rows.
Young heirs stood beside their parents, dressed in clothing so extravagant that I suspected some of them were worth more than entire estates.
Servants moved silently between the tables, carrying silver trays filled with wine, fruits, roasted meats, and delicacies I couldn't even identify.
Music filled the hall.
Strings.
Soft percussion.
A slow, elegant melody that seemed designed specifically to remind everyone present that they were standing inside the residence of the most powerful family in the Azure Palace.
Everything was perfect.
Every detail had been prepared.
Every seat had been arranged.
Every dish had been prepared.
Every servant knew where they were supposed to stand.
Every guest knew where they were supposed to look.
Because tonight was supposed to be a celebration.
A celebration for me.
At least, that was what the invitation claimed.
I knew better.
Most of the people here probably did too.
They weren't here because they respected me.
They were here because they wanted to watch.
Some wanted entertainment.
Some wanted to see the Patriarch humiliate the son everyone already considered worthless.
Some wanted to see whether the rumors were true.
The rumors about the boy who had been abandoned for years.
The useless son.
The boy who was supposed to be formless.
The boy who had somehow survived the incident at the academy.
The boy who had recently begun behaving differently.
And above all—
The boy who had been summoned personally by the Patriarch.
I continued walking.
At the highest point of the hall stood an elevated platform.
A massive throne carved from black stone sat upon it.
The throne belonged to one person.
My father.
The Patriarch of the Azure Palace.
He sat there with the calm authority of a man who had never needed to ask for obedience.
Six women sat around him.
His six wives.
Each wore clothing befitting someone of their position.
Silk.
Jewels.
Gold.
Precious stones.
Everything about them screamed wealth and status.
Yet despite all the splendor surrounding them, there was an unusual stillness among the women.
My mother was there.
She sat among the Patriarch's wives, her hands resting quietly in her lap.
Her expression was difficult to read from where I stood.
Beside her sat my biological sister.
She looked composed.
Elegant.
Perfectly suited to this place.
Her eyes drifted toward the entrance.
Toward me.
For the briefest moment, our eyes met.
Then she looked away.
I said nothing.
Neither did she.
My father noticed.
Of course he did.
He noticed everything.
But he said nothing.
His gaze remained fixed on me.
Waiting.
Then—
The music stopped.
The enormous doors behind me began to close.
Creeeeak.
The sound traveled through the entire hall.
One conversation stopped.
Then another.
Then another.
Within seconds, hundreds of people were staring at me.
I didn't need to look around to know what they were thinking.
That's him.
The formless one.
The Patriarch's useless son.
The one who's supposed to be receiving a reward tonight.
I could almost feel their curiosity.
Their amusement.
Their anticipation.
I continued forward.
Tonight, I had been dressed differently.
Nyx had insisted upon it.
And I had to admit—
She had done an excellent job.
I wore a custom ceremonial gown entirely in black.
The material was smooth and heavy, almost liquid beneath the crimson light.
It absorbed most of the light that touched it, making the fabric appear deeper than ordinary black.
The high collar wrapped neatly around my neck, its edges decorated with incredibly fine silver embroidery.
The pattern descended from my collar across my chest.
Flames.
But not ordinary flames.
They were elongated and elegant, almost like blades frozen in the instant before they erupted.
Thin strands of crimson embroidery intertwined with the silver.
Most of the time they were barely visible.
But whenever I passed beneath one of the floating crimson lights, the patterns came alive.
Silver and red against black.
The sleeves were fitted around my shoulders before becoming slightly looser toward my wrists.
Their edges were lined with silver.
The inside carried a deep crimson lining, which became visible whenever I moved my arms.
A narrow black sash wrapped around my waist.
At its center rested a silver clasp engraved with the insignia of the Azure Palace.
A burning sword.
My gown extended almost to my ankles.
The lower portion moved behind me with every step, never dragging against the floor.
My trousers were black.
My boots had been polished until they reflected the flames hanging above me.
Even my hair had been arranged properly.
Silver-gray strands swept backward, though a few had fallen naturally across my forehead.
I caught my reflection in the marble for a moment.
I barely recognized the person staring back at me.
Not because my appearance had changed.
Because the way I carried myself had.
The person who once belonged to this body probably would have lowered his head.
I didn't.
I continued walking.
Kael followed behind me.
Vesper came after him.
Nyx followed as well, along with the remaining attendants.
They were my escorts tonight.
I could feel eyes following every movement we made.
Whispers began spreading through the hall.
"So that's Nullen Azure."
"He looks completely different."
"Is that really the same boy?"
"I heard he lived alone for years."
"He's supposed to be formless."
"Then why does he carry himself like that?"
Another voice whispered.
"Because he's about to be humiliated."
A quiet laugh followed.
I heard it.
I ignored it.
My eyes remained fixed on the platform ahead.
On the man sitting upon the throne.
My father.
The Patriarch.
For a moment, our eyes met.
He smiled.
It wasn't warm.
It wasn't the smile of a father welcoming his son.
It was the smile of a man looking down at something beneath him.
"Nullen."
His voice carried effortlessly through the hall.
I stopped.
My escorts stopped behind me.
Kael remained silent.
Vesper's expression was unreadable.
Nyx lowered her gaze slightly.
I looked up at the throne.
"Patriarch."
The word left my mouth naturally.
A few nobles exchanged glances.
I hadn't called him Father.
I noticed the slight change in his expression.
Only for a moment.
Then the smile returned.
"You've grown."
I said nothing.
"I was beginning to wonder whether you would even remember where you belonged."
A few people laughed.
I didn't move.
The Patriarch leaned against his throne.
"For years, you were absent."
His voice carried an artificial concern.
"You abandoned your responsibilities."
Another laugh.
"You ignored your family."
Another.
"And despite all that..."
He paused.
"...you somehow managed to accomplish something."
He raised his glass.
"At the academy."
The laughter weakened.
Everyone knew what he meant.
The incident.
The monster.
The battle.
The event that had somehow turned the useless, formless son of the Patriarch into someone worth talking about.
My father smiled.
"So, as your father..."
He paused deliberately.
"...and as Patriarch of the Azure Palace..."
A servant stepped forward.
He carried a long crimson case.
He knelt.
My father gestured.
The case opened.
Inside was a sealed document.
"The Azure Palace has decided to reward you."
I looked at the document.
Reward.
Interesting choice of words.
My father continued.
"Your destination will be the Abyssal Frontier."
The atmosphere changed.
Immediately.
Several smiles disappeared.
A few nobles lowered their glasses.
Several younger heirs exchanged nervous glances.
Even those who had been laughing understood what those words meant.
The Abyssal Frontier.
A vast region separating the Human Realm from the Demon Realm.
A territory so enormous that humanity had never managed to properly map it.
Mountains stretched beyond mountains.
Forests swallowed entire regions.
Deserts extended beyond the horizon.
Swamps concealed things that had never been named.
Ruined cities remained buried beneath the earth.
Entire ecosystems existed there that humanity had never encountered.
And everywhere—
Monsters.
Demons.
Creatures that had never seen human civilization.
Creatures that had survived for centuries.
The Frontier was not simply dangerous.
It was a world of its own.
The Human Realm maintained enormous fortresses along its borders because the Frontier was one of the primary routes through which monsters and demons reached human territory.
Humanity had spent generations fighting to keep them out.
And yet—
Humanity had never conquered the Frontier itself.
It was too large.
Too hostile.
Too unpredictable.
The deeper one traveled into it, the stronger the creatures became.
The monster we had fought at the academy?
Compared to what existed there, it would barely qualify as a threat.
A lesser predator.
Something that might itself become prey.
The creatures deeper within the Frontier were different.
Some could slaughter entire armies.
Some could destroy cities.
Some possessed intelligence.
Some possessed abilities that humanity still didn't understand.
Some had existed for centuries.
Others had never been properly classified.
And now my father was sending me there.
"You will be sent there."
Silence.
Then someone laughed.
It began quietly.
One person.
Then another.
Then another.
Within seconds, laughter spread through the hall.
Some people covered their mouths.
Others didn't bother.
A few openly laughed at me.
I stood there.
Still.
My father watched me.
He was waiting.
Fear.
Shock.
Anger.
Anything.
Instead, I simply looked at him.
"Do not misunderstand."
His voice became almost gentle.
"This is not a punishment."
More laughter.
"It is an opportunity."
He raised his glass.
"Perhaps the Abyssal Frontier will provide you with the experience necessary to finally become useful."
The laughter became louder.
I looked around the room.
My brothers were there.
Every one of them.
Some were smiling.
Some were laughing.
Some merely watched.
None said anything.
None defended me.
None even looked uncomfortable.
They simply watched their father humiliate me.
I stared at them for a moment.
And then—
I felt something.
A strange sensation inside my chest.
Fear.
It wasn't mine.
I knew that immediately.
It belonged to the person who had occupied this body before me.
A memory surfaced.
Not a complete memory.
Just a feeling.
The instinct to lower one's eyes.
The hesitation before speaking.
The fear of displeasing the Patriarch.
The fear of being punished.
The fear of being noticed.
The fear of this man.
My body remembered him.
The original Nullen had been afraid of his father.
Very afraid.
I could feel that fear buried deep inside the flesh.
But it wasn't mine.
I stared at the man on the throne.
So that's what you were afraid of.
The thought came naturally.
I understood something then.
The soul occupying this body was different.
The person standing here was different.
Whatever chains had restrained the original Nullen had no authority over me.
His fear wasn't mine.
His weakness wasn't mine.
His submission wasn't mine.
I slowly closed my fingers around the glass in my hand.
Then I smiled.
A small smile.
Almost imperceptible.
But real.
The laughter gradually weakened.
The Patriarch's eyes narrowed.
I raised my glass.
"I see."
My voice was calm.
The hall became quieter.
"Thank you."
A few people smiled again.
They thought I had surrendered.
They thought I had accepted the humiliation.
They thought I had finally remembered my place.
I looked toward my brothers.
"I must admit..."
I took a slow breath.
"...I'm impressed."
Confusion appeared on several faces.
I continued.
"Not everyone possesses the courage to laugh while watching someone being sent to a place where they may never return."
The hall became quieter.
My brothers' expressions began changing.
"Especially when those laughing have accomplished considerably less themselves."
One brother's smile disappeared.
Another frowned.
I looked across them.
"But I suppose remaining silent while Father makes his little joke is safer."
I smiled faintly.
"After all..."
I raised my glass slightly.
"Some people mistake obedience for courage."
Silence.
The words settled over the hall.
Nobody laughed.
Not anymore.
I turned my attention back toward the throne.
"And as for my reward..."
I glanced toward the sealed document.
"The Abyssal Frontier."
I nodded.
"How generous."
My father's expression barely changed.
But I noticed his fingers tightening around his glass.
I continued.
"I've always wondered what my father considered worthy of giving me."
I paused.
"Now I know."
The smile remained on my face.
It wasn't arrogant.
It wasn't forced.
I was genuinely amused.
My father stared down at me.
The entire hall waited.
I raised my glass toward the throne.
"To my reward."
Then I drank.
I didn't sip.
I didn't hesitate.
I emptied the entire glass.
The crimson liquid disappeared down my throat.
I lowered the empty glass.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then—
I released it.
The glass slipped from my fingers.
CRASH.
It struck the marble floor.
Fragments scattered across the polished surface.
The sound echoed through the hall.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then disappeared.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
No laughter.
No whispers.
No music.
Even the servants had stopped moving.
I looked down at the shattered glass.
Then I turned around.
The lower portion of my gown moved gently behind me.
I didn't look at my brothers.
I didn't look at the nobles.
I didn't look at my mother.
I didn't look at my sister.
And I didn't look at my father.
"Let's go."
Kael moved immediately.
Vesper followed.
Nyx came after him.
The remaining escorts followed behind us.
I walked toward the enormous doors.
Step.
Step.
Step.
My footsteps echoed through the silent hall.
The doors opened.
Cold air brushed against my face.
I crossed the threshold.
I didn't look back.
The doors slowly closed behind me.
Boom.
And just like that—
I was gone.
I had entered the Azure Palace expecting a mockery.
I left having accepted a death sentence.
And strangely enough...
I felt nothing.
No fear.
No regret.
No hesitation.
Only the quiet certainty that whatever awaited me in the Abyssal Frontier—
I would face it.
Because the fear that once belonged to this body had never belonged to me.
And I had no intention of inheriting it.
I walked into the night.
Toward the Abyssal Frontier.