Lumino moved through the palace grounds with silent, careful steps—each breath weighed down by the fear of being caught. He weaved between shadows, teleporting a few meters at a time whenever no eyes were watching.
The strain of constant warping tugged at his body, leaving him faint, but he pressed on, forcing himself forward.
Minutes stretched into hours. Eventually, he stopped before a quiet corridor, heart pounding in his ears. His hands trembled as he approached a lone maid walking ahead. He hated this—despised it—but he clenched his fists.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
In one swift move, he knocked her unconscious, catching her limp body before it hit the ground. Guilt stabbed at his chest as he stripped the maid's uniform from her and disguised himself, adjusting the crisp white apron over his frame.
This feels wrong… but there was no turning back.
Pushing a food trolley, Lumino moved through the grand hallways, the wheels rattling softly against marble floors. He caught snippets of gossip and conversation—whispers about Resvika, the queen's rivals, and court scandals. Following instinct, he traced the trail to Lady Resvika's wing.
Her chamber door stood slightly ajar. Lumino slipped inside, heart thundering, and ducked behind a lavish canopy bed. The scent of perfume clung to the silken sheets, suffocating him as he crouched in the dark.
'What the hell am I doing…?'
But it was too late for doubts.
A soft click echoed as the door opened. Footsteps—slow, hesitant—crossed the floorboards.
"I… I finally did it…" The voice that followed was hoarse, trembling. "I killed him… I finally killed him…"
Lumino peeked out.
It was her.
Lady Resvika.
Fresh blood had drenched her pristine white gown, which stained her silver hair with streaks of crimson. The haunting smile on her lips quivered between terror and twisted relief.
Gathering his courage, Lumino emerged from hiding.
Lady Resvika froze—her eyes snapping toward him, wide with horror.
"W-Who are you?! What are you doing in my chambers?! Did you hear everything?!" Her voice cracked, sharp with panic. "That's a maid's uniform—who gave you permission to be here?!"
"Calm down. I… I just want to talk," Lumino said gently, raising his hands in peace.
But before he could say more—
A searing, unbearable heat tore through his back.
"—Agh!!"
His vision swam as he stumbled forward, pain flaring like fire under his skin. The world tilted. His knees hit the floor, and a wet warmth trickled down his spine.
What… is this?
His breath caught in his throat. Blood poured from a deep gash at his back, staining the maid's uniform. The agony twisted into a sharp, blinding pulse that shot through his limbs.
"W-What is going on?!" Resvika screamed.
From the corner of his blurred vision, Lumino saw a figure—a masked man wielding a long, wicked knife. The stranger advanced on Resvika without hesitation.
"Get back! Don't come near me! You… You bastard! Did you kill that maid too?!"
Lumino forced his trembling arm to move. His hand clawed at the floor, dragging his broken body forward.
"No… Don't… Touch… her…"
His voice cracked into a whisper, raw with pain. He couldn't stand. His body wouldn't listen. His vision swirled, darkening at the edges. A sharp, metallic taste filled his mouth as he coughed—blood splattering the floor beneath him.
"Stop… I said… Stop—"
But the shadows swallowed him. His body collapsed, breath shallow, fading into nothingness.
And the last thing Lumino felt before losing consciousness…
…was the cold, sinking weight of helplessness.
--
"It hurts... it hurts so much."
Those words echoed inside Lumino's head like a cruel refrain, circling over and over as if each syllable pressed deeper into the raw wound left on his back. He felt the ghost of the pain lingering, twisting around his spine, but… strangely, it started to fade. Slowly, almost unnaturally, the searing ache dulled until his eyelids fluttered open.
The first thing he saw was the familiar blood-soaked chamber—the same place where he had collapsed.
I'm… alive?
Confusion gnawed at him. He remembered it clearly. The blade, the suffocating agony, the darkness swallowing him whole. Yet here he was, breathing—broken but alive. He reached behind, trembling fingers searching for the wound… but there was nothing. No cut. Not even a scar. Only the phantom of that unbearable torment lingering in his flesh.
How did I survive…?
He couldn't shake the chill crawling up his spine as he stood shakily, knees trembling beneath him. The room smelled of iron—thick and suffocating. Blood was everywhere, pooling in unnatural puddles across the ornate marble. But Lady Resvika… she was nowhere to be seen.
Panic gripped his heart with icy claws.
Is she… is she alright?
Driven by a cold dread, Lumino burst from the chamber and roamed the palace corridors, dodging shadows, scanning every hall. What he found froze the blood in his veins. Bodies. So many bodies. Knights in gleaming armor lay strewn like broken dolls—limbs twisted, throats slashed, some missing heads entirely. The floors painted in gore.
His stomach twisted violently. He bit down a wave of nausea. He had seen death before, but this… this was a massacre. And yet, as he caught his reflection in a pool of blood—a pale, hollow-eyed figure wearing a maid's uniform spattered with crimson—he felt something far worse than sickness…
What exactly happen…?
He forced the bile down. Now was not the time.
Lumino pressed on, navigating the blood-streaked corridors until he reached the grand throne room. And there—
His breath caught in his throat.
On the dais lay a woman's corpse, draped in royal silks now torn and soaked with her own blood. Slumped beside her sat a young man, not too older than himself, his hands stained crimson to the wrist. His hollow stare pierced straight into Lumino's heart.
"Hey… are you alright?" Lumino stepped forward, his voice tight.
But before the words fully escaped his lips—
FWIP!
An arrow sliced the air, grazing past his nose, close enough that he felt its wind.
Lumino staggered back.
A woman emerged from behind a marble pillar, bow in hand, armored in knight's gear. Her glare was sharp enough to cut.
"Are you one of them… a Revolutionary?" Her voice was cold steel.
Revolutionary? The word meant nothing to him. But it was clear she wasn't here for questions.
"I'm not," Lumino replied calmly.
"Shame."
She raised her bow again—but before her fingers could release, Lumino vanished. He blinked sideways, reappearing beside her, startling her eyes wide.
"H-How—"
But Lumino didn't wait. He flickered again, teleporting straight to the young man, grabbing his arm. They vanished together in a burst of light, escaping just as another arrow shattered the stone floor where they had stood.
Behind them, the knight placed two fingers to her temple.
"We've got a runner. It's the prince, capture and kill."
Lumino dragged the prince down winding halls, searching for any corner of safety, until they collapsed behind a thick tapestry in an abandoned hall.
The boy's eyes stared ahead, blank and lifeless.
"Hey… are you alright? What happened here?" Lumino's voice trembled with urgency.
Silence.
The stench of blood hung too thick in the air. The boy sat unmoving, swallowed by despair.
"I'm sorry… for everything that happened here. But I need your help. I'm looking for someone—"
Still nothing. Lumino exhaled, standing slowly. "Stay here. I'll—"
But a weak tug caught the hem of his skirt.
"Why…?" The boy's voice cracked—a raw whisper. "Why did you save me?"
Lumino knelt, eyes soft. "Why not?"
The boy blinked, as if something fragile cracked open inside him. His lips trembled. Then… he stood.
"You're right. I… I'll help you."
A small, almost broken smile touched Lumino's lips.
"Thank you."
They moved together, quiet and tense.
"Everything… all of this… is the work of the Revolutionaries," the prince murmured, voice heavy. "This is their coup."
Lumino's chest tightened. Was the man who attacked Lady Resvika… one of them too?
"Do you know what happened to the royal consorts?" Lumino asked carefully.
Pain flashed in the prince's eyes. He hesitated… then nodded. "I know. But there's something else I know too…"
He stopped walking, staring at Lumino with unwavering intensity.
"You're not a maid… are you?"
Lumino froze.
"I'm not. I infiltrated the palace. But I swear… I'm not your enemy."
The prince's gaze softened. "I believe you. You saved me, after all."
Lumino exhaled in relief.
"My name is Strio. Strio Theodore." He extended his hand. "And you?" Lumino opened his mouth—
THUNK.
An arrow pierced clean through Strio's skull.
His body crumpled.
Lumino froze, horror ripping through him like a blade.
"Strio…?"
Blood pooled beneath the fallen prince, his eyes wide open, empty.
"You've got to be kidding me…"
A man strolled into view—a figure in a black hood and mask, holding a blood-soaked bow. His steps were casual, almost amused.
"Rena didn't tell me there was a maid with him. Hah… revolutions always get messy."
Lumino's heart thundered as rage flared in his chest. The bastard spoke like this was a game.
"You…" Lumino's voice dropped, shaking with fury.
"What's with that look? You want to die too?" The man smirked, licking the edge of his knife.
"We're making this kingdom better. That's why even pretty little maids like you… have to die. Don't worry i'll make it quick." He lunged.
But before his blade could reach—his arms vanished.
He screamed, staring at his stumps as blood sprayed in wild arcs.
Lumino caught the falling dagger, his eyes a dead calm.
Step by step, he approached—the masked man stumbling back, panic wild in his eyes.
"W-What… the hell are you…?"
"You said… you'd make it quick," Lumino whispered.
In a blink, Lumino vanished and reappeared behind him. The cold steel of the knife kissed the man's throat. One clean, brutal slash.
Blood splattered the walls.
Lumino dropped the body, standing amidst the carnage—his heart heavy with a guilt he could hardly bear.
"I'm sorry… Creator. Forgive me… for this sin."
He knelt beside the corpse, closing the man's eyes in silence. Then he stripped the bloodied uniform, donning the cloak, the mask, hiding his face from the world.
"I'll find you… Mother."
With steel in his spine and wrath in his veins, Lumino vanished into the shadows—one step closer to the heart of the nightmare.
--
"Everything's falling apart… and it's all because of you!" The silver-haired woman's voice cut sharply through the humid air of the chamber. Yet, the man before her said nothing.
"Is it really wise to leave the prince alive?" Her eyes narrowed, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "Do you even understand the purpose of this coup? I've built this scenario with precision… and you're unraveling it!"
The pale moonlight seeped through the cracks in the high walls, casting an eerie glow on her face—Lady Resvika, the snake behind the throne.
Her smirk froze as the tall man finally spoke, voice calm like a blade pressed against skin.
"I've already killed the only one who suspected you of murdering the king… my lady."
A sharp, delighted laugh escaped Resvika's lips. "Ah… that filthy little maid nearly ruined my year-long scheme. I should've silenced her myself."
Antonio shook his head. His gloved hands methodically wiped the blood from his dagger.
At that moment, Rena entered with several armed revolutionaries, her face stern. "Reporting in. I ordered David to eliminate Prince Strio. But… I haven't received confirmation."
She hesitated.
"There was… someone else. Dressed as a maid. They're… stronger than I expected."
Antonio paused mid-motion.
Resvika's shrill voice lashed out, "So—is the prince dead or not?! That's all I care about!"
Antonio ignored her, his eyes pinning Rena with silent authority. "Rena… you're not one to hand out praise lightly. Between you and this… maid… who would win?"
Rena clenched her fists. "I would."
"Then it's settled. Finish it. Don't let anything jeopardize tomorrow's coronation."
Rena gave a sharp nod and retreated into the shadows.
Antonio turned coldly back to Resvika. "And don't interrupt me again."
Resvika flinched, swallowing her arrogance. "Of course. My apologies."
This is what happens when you put your trust in gutter scum like revolutionaries, she sneered inwardly. Still… if Antonio ascended the throne, her position would become untouchable.
If only he'd hand over that boy Lumino to me… I wouldn't have to soil my hands like this.
—------
Meanwhile, Rena prowled the empty corridors and dark courtyards. Her sharp eyes scanned the shadows. But David was nowhere to be found.
Until…
There, in the moonlit garden—Prince Strio's lifeless body sprawled on the grass, an arrow still buried in his skull.
At first, Rena felt triumph.
But just a few steps away…
A pair of severed arms.
Her heart sank. She recognized them.
David.
She followed the trail of blood—and found his corpse crumpled beneath a bloodied maid uniform.
Her eyes darkened with fury.
David…
A storm of rage swelled inside her chest. She clenched her jaw. I will find whoever did this… and I will kill them myself.
—
Not far away, Lumino crouched in the shadows of the eastern courtyard. His heart pounded as he spotted Lady Resvika standing calmly beneath the moon—her expression serene, almost radiant.
But beside her… stood a tall man in a mask.
Is she… being held hostage?
His thoughts spun wildly. I can't kill again… I can't…
He closed his eyes, steadying his breath.
Just get her out. Get her out… and run.
Gathering every ounce of his mana, Lumino focused—and in a flash, he teleported beside Lady Resvika, seizing her wrist.
Their eyes met. Hers widened in shock.
Antonio turned—cold, sharp gaze locking onto Lumino's in that suspended heartbeat.
But before anyone could react—Lumino vanished with Lady Resvika in a burst of ethereal light.
Moments later, Rena arrived, panting. "Prince Strio is dead. And… so is David."
Antonio didn't flinch. "I know. The boy just took Lady Resvika."
Rena's eyes snapped wide. "What… What is his connection to her?"
Antonio smirked faintly, his mind flashing back to a boy he once pulled from a filthy alley, begging for scraps. So it really is you…
"I know what to do now," Antonio whispered, slowly peeling off his mask.
"We proceed with the coronation as planned. Let him go."
Rena's eyes flared. "What?! David is dead—and you're just letting him walk away?!"
Antonio's voice dropped, lethal and cold. "I'm not delaying my ascension to chase after a child."
"But—"
"It's an order."
Rena's fists trembled—but she spun on her heels and ran into the night.
"Should we go after her?" a revolutionary asked.
Antonio chuckled darkly. "Let her go. That's her choice."
He glanced toward the blood-soaked palace.
'This has gone beyond anything I planned'…And for the first time…
Antonio realized, 'Even,I'm no longer know how this ends.'
-------------------------------
H-1 before the disaster
Lumino staggered beneath the shadow of a withered tree just beyond the palace gates. The night air was thick with mist, dew clinging to the dark grass beneath his boots. His breath came in sharp, ragged gasps as blood trailed from his nose—a crimson line tracing the cost of pushing his teleportation beyond its limit.
Behind him, Lady Resvika yanked at her wrist, trying to break free from his grip.
"Who are you?! What do you want from me?!" she hissed, eyes wild in the moonlight.
Lumino slowly loosened his hold. The sharp chill of the night reflected in his saphire-blue eyes as he lifted his hand to his lips, a silent plea for her to lower her voice.
Then, with one smooth motion, he pulled down his hood and removed the mask. His light white hair fell slightly over his pale forehead, soaked with sweat, framing his sharp, almost fragile features.
A trace of soft glow lingered around him, the afterimage of the magic still clinging faintly to his skin.
"It's me… Lumino." His voice cracked, barely more than a whisper.
Resvika froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief as her hand slowly reached up, trembling, to cup his cheek.
"Lumino? Is it… truly you?"
Tears welled in his eyes, shimmering like the reflection of the moon on broken glass. He nodded.
"This is me… Mother."
A soft, almost broken laugh escaped her lips as she pulled him into a tight embrace. The warmth of her arms wrapped around him—and yet Lumino felt no warmth within. She whispered softly into his ear, "My son… my Lumino… but how?"
Resvika leaned back, her grip gentle but firm as she held his hands. "You… you were in Ernela, weren't you? What about Lucas? Did he let you leave? Did he…?"
At the mention of his grandfather, Lumino cast his eyes downward. A heaviness settled in his chest. He thought of how he had stormed out—how betrayed he had felt when grandpa hid the truth of his parents from him.
"I left Ernela. I… I thought grandpa would be angry. But… I had to see you. Even if it was only once, I needed to meet you, Mother."
For a moment, his words hovered in the silent night—fragile, like the soft break of dawn.
Resvika's expression twisted instantly into a mask of disdain. "Lucas? That man… he's not your grandfather. He's the one who tore us apart!"
Lumino's head snapped up. He felt her grip tighten on his hands as her voice dropped to a venomous whisper.
"That man… he doesn't age. He's a devil in disguise, Lumino. He stole you from me… he took everything!"
Shock rippled through Lumino's heart, his instinct making him pull his hands free. But Resvika quickly masked her expression—reaching out again, softer this time.
"You don't have to care about him anymore," she whispered sweetly. "I love you. Stay with me… forever."
Lumino hesitated.
"You're right, Mother… but… I'll still have to convince him. I'll try. I just… I want to be with you. But first… I want to protect you." He looked straight into her eyes. "These revolutionaries… what are they planning? Were you attacked? Were you held hostage? That man… he's their leader, isn't he?"
For a split second, a flicker of something—was it hesitation?—crossed her face.
But then, tears welled in her eyes. Her lips quivered.
"They… they killed the king, Lumino. They want the throne… and they wanted me dead."
Lumino clenched his fists, his body trembling—not from fear, but rage.
"Did they… kill the other concubines?" His voice was low, almost hoarse.
Resvika nodded, a perfect tear rolling down her pale cheek.
"They killed them all—including Lady Trivan and her son, Strio, the prince."
Lumino swallowed hard. The images of Strio flashed in his mind. His heart ached. So Strio is the prince…
Resvika placed her hands on his shoulders, her expression suddenly fierce.
"Which is why, Lumino… my son… you must take the throne."
He froze.
"What…?"
"You are destined to rule! Antonio will crown himself king at eight tomorrow. You must stop him. Kill him… and claim the throne. Only you can save this kingdom."
She pleaded with eyes brimming with desperate hope.
But Lumino felt the crushing weight of doubt gnawing at his heart.
Me? A king?
He was just a boy from a quiet village. He couldn't even confess his feelings to the girl he loved… How could he possibly take on this?
"I… I can't—"
But his words were ripped away as a flash of steel lunged toward them.
Rena.
Her eyes burned with fury as she lunged forward, sword aimed for his throat. Lumino instinctively shielded his mother, just as Resvika gasped—and ran.
"Found you, you bastard!!" Rena roared.
They clashed—Lumino's sharp gaze locking onto her movements. He waited, timing every second, watching until his mother vanished beyond sight.
"You killed David… you piece of sh*t!!" Rena screamed, thrusting her sword forward.
Lumino twisted, narrowly dodging—the blade slicing a lock of his hair.
"You… the one with the bow… at the throne room. What do you want?" he asked, voice steady.
"I came to avenge David! We dreamed of a world without hunger… without cruelty. It almost done, our dream is finally can be fulfilled tomorrow. And you—YOU destroyed it all!!" Her fury drove her into a berserk charge.
Lumino teleported away—but the strain was too much. His body collapsed, blood streaming anew from his nose. His vision blurred.
"So that's all you've got? Die!" Rena lunged again—
"LIGHT SHOCK!"
A burst of brilliant light flashed, throwing her off balance. Lumino tried to flee—but Rena snatched his wrist by pure instinct.
"You're not escaping, rat."
With a brutal swing, she hacked his arm clean off.
"AH—!"
Pain exploded through his body. He crashed to the ground, clutching the bleeding stump.
"That hurts, doesn't it? Now you know how David felt…" She stalked toward him, lifting her sword.
"Time to die."
But—Her eyes widened.
Lumino's irises turned pure white. His body radiated an intense golden glow that surged like a storm of light.
His severed arm regrew—seamlessly, impossibly.
His hair gleamed like molten gold, flowing softly in a supernatural wind. An ethereal, crushing aura radiated from his frame—a power that twisted the air itself, pressing like gravity upon the earth.
Rena staggered back.
"What… the hell… are you?!"
She slashed at him—but a single motion of Lumino's hand reduced her to ash.
A silent burst of searing light swallowed her scream.
And then…He fell.
His glowing body collapsed in the grass, unconscious.
—
From the distant treeline, Lady Resvika watched with trembling hands clasped in prayer.
Her lips curled into a smile.
The Royal Saintess said…
"The world will fall by his hand. He is cursed. Marked by the gods…"
Resvika whispered, voice reverent, "No… that's not true. He is the opposite, he's the god itself."
Her eyes gleamed as she whispered in devotion.
"You descended into this world through my child, didn't you? I will make sure… he becomes king."
Across the capital, the earth shuddered, a deep rumble felt in the chest. Jagged fissures, dark gashes against the bruised pre-dawn sky, cracked the ground.
Before the sun's weak, watery light could fully illuminate the devastation, it was clear: an ill omen. And in that cold grey light, a boy lay still, unfeeling, as the world began to churn and tremble.