Caelus was the youngest child in the once mighty Drakenhart family. It was one of the seven kingdoms of Eldrosia and had a history spanning hundreds of years. However, at that point in time, it had lost all its former glory. Its territory had shrunk significantly, becoming the smallest among the seven kingdoms, and its authority had weakened to the point where even its own nobles no longer showed proper respect.
Several nobles openly defied the king, ignoring his commands and acting independently. The possibility of rebellion was not just a concern, it was almost inevitable.
The king himself was weak and timid. He lacked the will and strength to control his own territory. Instead of maintaining authority, he allowed things to fall apart, avoiding confrontation and decisions.
The royal family was no better.
All the princes and princesses took advantage of their father's leniency. Instead of stabilizing the kingdom, they were consumed by internal conflict, constantly fighting over power and influence. They focused entirely on political schemes, trying to win over nobles who held real authority, forming alliances, and preparing for future succession battles.
Caelus, being the youngest son, was completely overlooked. No one paid attention to him. Compared to his older siblings, who were experienced and already deeply involved in politics, he was seen as insignificant.
Who would support a child when there were far more capable candidates?
But that neglect became his greatest advantage.
While his siblings fought among themselves, Caelus did something different, he trained, relentlessly.
From a young age, he was aware of his own talent. He understood that it was something rare, something that couldn't be wasted. Instead of seeking influence, he focused entirely on strength.
He hid his true abilities. To everyone else, he appeared weak, unremarkable, and harmless.
But in reality, he was waiting, waiting for the right moment.
Years passed, and eventually the king died.
With his death, the internal conflict that had been brewing finally erupted. The princes and princesses began their political war openly, each trying to secure the throne and defame each other.
But none of them expected what came next.
Caelus didn't participate in politics.
He wasn't skilled in manipulation or alliances, and he had no influence among the nobles.
But what he did possess was something far more decisive.
Absolute strength.
He slaughtered every single one of his brothers and sisters without hesitation. Not through schemes or negotiations, but through sheer force.
One by one, they fell.
Until no one remained.
At the age of seventeen, he became the sole ruler of the Drakenhart kingdom.
And he didn't stop there.
He turned his attention toward the nobles. Those who had once defied the king were eliminated. One after another, they were killed until no opposition remained and he was under complete control
Beside him stood the one person who had remained with him through everything.
Erwin.
He had once been a slave, working in the stables, someone whose existence held no value in the eyes of society.
Until one day, twelve-year-old Caelus noticed him.
He saw something others didn't, potential to be extremely strong and possibly a very useful and lethal weapon
Without drawing attention, Caelus brought him to his side.
Erwin had no family. No one who cared for him. His entire life had been defined by neglect and hardship.
But Caelus changed that.
He gave him purpose and recognition and a place to belong.
In return, Erwin gave him absolute loyalty.
No matter what path Caelus chose, he chose to follow without question.
He became his sword, and eventually, he rose to the position of commander of the army.
Commander Erwin.
Caelus was an ambitious man, his goal was clear.
To restore the Drakenhart family to its former glory.
And he was willing to do anything to achieve it.
He built a massive army from scratch and began expanding outward. His first targets were the weaker kingdoms, which he conquered one by one. Each victory strengthened his army further.
As his forces grew, even the stronger kingdoms realized the threat he posed. They united against him.
But it didn't matter.
They were defeated.
Not just by strength, but by strategy.
Caelus was a genius when it came to warfare. Every battle was planned so precisely that victory was almost guaranteed before it even began.
But there was one thing he feared more than anything.
Revenge.
He understood that a person driven by revenge could wait for years, even decades, without letting go of that desire.
So he eliminated it completely from the root.
After conquering a kingdom, he didn't just kill the king, he annihilated the entire royal family.
No one was spared.
Not women, not children.
Even the nobles serving under those kings were wiped out along with their families.
Only the families of ordinary soldiers were spared, as he didn't consider them a threat.
It was ruthless.
But to him, it was necessary.
He had a unique way of massacring, he burnt his enemies alive, kings, nobles, women, children, soldiers, everyone suffered the same fate
The wars that followed were soaked in blood. Entire bloodlines disappeared. Those who resisted were crushed without mercy. Even commoners who opposed his rule were killed.
Caelus became a tyrant.
But he didn't care.
A man who had killed his own siblings with his own hands felt nothing toward others.
To him, people were either useful… or disposable.
The only thing that mattered was the name Drakenhart.
Erwin did not agree with these methods.
But he had made a decision long ago.
He was a sword.
And a sword did not question.
So he followed orders.
Even when those orders required him to kill innocent people.
Even when it went against everything he believed.
He carried out those actions with his own hands.
Countless times.
Years passed, and the bloodshed continued.
Eventually, all the kingdoms were conquered.
Caelus called it unification.
Either way, he had achieved his goal.
He became the emperor of Eldrosia.
And those who stood beside him were rewarded.
Only his most loyal followers were granted noble titles.
Despite his ruthless nature, Caelus was not ungrateful. He recognized Erwin's loyalty and contribution above all others and rewarded him accordingly.
He made him the Grand Duke of the East, the largest region in the empire. A former slave was elevated to one of the highest positions in the entire empire, and his status as a slave was erased completely.
Erwin could hardly believe it. He had never fought for rewards, yet he received one beyond imagination. For the first time, he felt relief and gratitude.
After years of bloodshed, he finally had the chance to live a normal life. He fell in love with a woman named Melissa, a fellow slave he had known since childhood. He had always suppressed his feelings before, believing he had no right to love, but now he was free.
He married her and began living a peaceful life with her. For the first time, his life held happiness that had nothing to do with war or loyalty.
But that happiness lasted only a few years until...