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Love Among The Ruins Of A Crown

SolAce1
7
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The average realized release rate over the past 30 days is 7 chs / week.
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Synopsis
In the world of Elarion, a land ruled by elves and governed by strict laws, half-bloods are treated as lesser beings, forced into lives of servitude with no voice or freedom. After dying in his previous life filled with regret and poor choices, a seventeen-year-old boy is reborn into this harsh world as a dragonkin half-blood. Stripped of dignity and bound as a slave, he is forced to endure suffering at the hands of those who see him as nothing more than property. As he struggles to survive and come to terms with his new reality, he begins to question the rigid system that governs Elarion and the role he is meant to play within it. With a past he cannot escape and a future he cannot yet control, his journey becomes one of survival, change, and the search for something more in a world that has already decided his worth. But in a world where status is everything, even the lowest existence may hold a truth powerful enough to challenge it.
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Chapter 1 - THE WORTHLESS ONE

In a land far beyond the imagination of humans lies the world of Elarion — a place where peace, rules, and justice are the top priorities of the elders who guard and maintain its secrets. It is ruled by elves, though other creatures of all shapes and sizes live within, serving the crown. In this land, where peace is a priority, an unexpected variable — one that will disrupt the balance — is about to awaken.

---

Killion Valley, Elarion. Year 1988

The wind blew, sending a gentle breeze my way. He opened my eyes only to see an unfamiliar sky. Feeling groggy, he took it as the lingering effect of sleep. Sitting up, he looked again, but the sky still appeared the same.

"Since when did the sky look green?" He thought to myself.

He scanned my surroundings, hoping to find something recognizable, something that connected to the fragments of memory still in my head. But the moment he turned, the sight before him froze him in shock. Dragons. Dozens of them, soaring through the sky.

He jumped up in fright, only to realize he was naked. The abrupt movement brought a stabbing pain to his head, and then like floodgates opening , his memories rushed back, filling the gaps, explaining the reason he was here.

He had been a normal boy in his past life — seventeen years old — but he'd wasted it all doing the wrong things. He was in a cult, a gang leader, a drug addict, and promiscuous. He treated people like tools, like they weren't worth a second glance.

A sharp pain burned at his neck. He reached up and realized a cold chain bound him to a wooden stake in what looked like a courtyard.

"What the hell? Is this some sort of divine retribution for the atrocious deeds he committed in the past? If figure out what's going on, I have to behave accordingly. Maybe this is my chance at redemption," I thought.

Hours passed. I had nothing to do but replay my thoughts — reliving my past and regretting every decision that brought me here. I'd always been a coward, but now, without anyone to rely on, I felt truly vulnerable.

Looking around, I realized the courtyard was spacious but completely in shambles. Weeds sprouted everywhere the tiles had cracked, as if trying to tell the world they deserved a chance at life as well.

The sunlight burned fiercely against my skin. I couldn't even be bothered to wince from the pain, even though it was hard to bear. Pillars lay broken and scattered around me. Only the one supporting me remained intact, standing alone and connected to nothing — just like myself.

Minutes later, someone walked in — a tall, gruff elf man dressed in shabby clothing. His piercing green eyes matched the hue of the strange sky, and his blond hair shimmered under the light.

The way he was dressed made me wonder whether clothing was scarce in this world — since I was naked and the first person I'd met looked barely better off.

"Eat up," the gruff elf muttered, placing a tray before me. He turned to leave without another word.

My mouth was so dry I could barely speak. I bent down, drank some water, then called out with what little strength I had.

"Excuse me! What am I doing here?"

The elf froze mid-step, probably surprised by my outburst. Then, turning sharply, he barked.

"Shut up, slave boy! It's bad enough that I have to tend to you, and now you expect me to lower myself by talking to one of your status? Behave yourself, or your meals will come once a day, brat."

His voice was so fierce, so full of venom, that I couldn't bring myself to reply. I just watched him go, staring at the food beneath my feet. Normally, I was a food addict — but right then, I didn't have an appetite for anything.

Days passed. The gruff elf continued his duty, feeding me without speaking a word. He was the only elf I'd seen so far. Using the metal tray as a mirror one day, I discovered that I wasn't human anymore. I was dragonkin — though unlike the ones I'd read about in Earth's stories, I had no tail, only a pair of sharp, curved horns that I thought looked… kind of cool.

Days turned into months. Six months after my reincarnation, I finally saw someone else — another elf.

He moved with calm precision, inspecting every part of me. I studied him too. He was dressed luxuriously — or at least more refined than the gruff man. A long-sleeved leather shirt, fitted pants, and hair tied neatly into a red ponytail that shimmered with black streaks.

After a few moments, he stood and turned to the gruff elf. "How much will you sell him for?" he asked casually.

"Twelve pecans. Nothing more, nothing less," the gruff one replied.

The red-haired elf counted out a few green coins marked with a leaf symbol and handed them over. Then, pausing, he added, "Wait, make it twenty pecans."

The red-haired elf scowled, clearly irritated, but still took out the extra money.

"Nice doing business with you," the gruff elf muttered, unlocking my chains.

Before I could react, the red-haired elf grabbed me by the arm and pulled me away — fast. Moments later, I was thrown into the back of a wagon. That was the last I saw of the gruff elf, and of that courtyard where I first opened my eyes in this new life.

The wagon I was thrown into was just as shabby as the courtyard. The only good thing was the roof, shielding me from the sun's rays that had been tormenting my skin and making my soul writhe in agony.

The floor wasn't any better, but at least it wasn't as hard and uncomfortable as the courtyard tiles. Even though the tiny splinters of wood dug into my skin, I didn't mind. Eventually, exhaustion took over, and I fell asleep.

PLETHORA HILLS, ELARION

Hours later, I awoke in another unfamiliar place. I sighed — I was getting tired of the slave treatment, but what could I do? Nothing. My life wasn't mine to control.

"The gods should seriously change their sadistic tastes. How can they throw someone who just died into a new world to work as a slave?" I thought to myself.

The red-haired elf walked up to me and, for some reason, decided to yell, "Stand up!"

I covered my ears because of the noise and looked up at him. Here's another sadistic asshole, out to ruin my life, I mumbled under my breath.

"What did you say, you disgusting excuse of a half-blood?" he snapped, glaring daggers that could have killed me if looks were lethal.

I ignored the question and stood up like he asked. Still, that "half-blood" comment stung. Dragons were supposed to have pride — the least I could do to honor that was to stand tall.

I walked forward and didn't bother looking back. A few seconds later, I was brought to an abrupt halt by the pull of the chain around my neck. The pain dragged me to my knees.

He pulled so hard I was afraid my neck would snap. The sand beneath me ate into my back, just as the chains dug into my fingers. I didn't even know how I was able to breathe, because the bastard was pulling like he was trying to force a stubborn mule to work.

"Haha, that should deal with your haughty attitude," the red-haired elf sneered, still tugging.

For the first time, I understood how those I'd once tormented must have felt — the pain, the helplessness. Right then, I promised myself I'd change if I ever escaped this nightmare.

As if dragging me a few meters wasn't enough, he continued to pull me all the way there.

I held onto the chain around my neck for dear life. My hands were bloody, and I was fading in and out of consciousness by the time we reached a small barnyard. Naturally, he threw me into the pig pen.

I started to wonder whether I'd bruised his fragile ego.

The sun was setting. Thankfully, he loosened the chains around my neck. I looked around and saw others like me.

"Wait… he made us the pigs," I realized.

Due to blood loss, I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer and fainted.

When I woke later, I was patched up. A tray of sandwiches and water sat beside me. I ate.

Moments later, footsteps approached.

The others straightened quickly, so I did the same.

A woman walked in. She waited for us to be ready before speaking.

"Taskmaster, we await your orders," they said.

She looked at me.

"You. Get up. Rake the entire yard."

I stood. "Where's the—"

A slap cut me off.

"Since when did half-bloods speak freely?"

I said nothing.

I spent hours finding the rake. By then, I was denied food.

On my way back, I saw a fairy slave being restrained.

Something in me snapped.

I rushed forward and punched the man.

It wasn't strong, but I didn't stop.

Until I blacked out.

---

FOUR HOURS LATER

I woke up to destruction around me.

Then a voice.

"I see you finally decided to wake up, your highness," said a handsome elf.

And I knew this world was filled with people far more dangerous than I expected.