The next morning, Kazuki walked through the quiet corridors of the royal mansion until he reached Emperor Shang's chambers. He pushed open the door gently. Inside, Shang was seated at his desk, scribbling notes with sharp precision, while Arthur leaned against the wall, arms folded in silence.
"Welcome," Shang said simply, not looking up from his writing.
Kazuki stepped in and sat casually on the edge of his father's bed, just as he had done once before. The air in the chamber was heavy with unspoken thoughts. For a while, the only sound was the scratching of Shang's quill against parchment.
Then Arthur finally broke the silence. "So, brother…" His tone hinted at both curiosity and unease.
Shang set his quill down, leaned back in his chair, and exhaled slowly. "Arthur, let me tell you everything. Some months ago, your little brother came to me in the dead of night. What he revealed… was something I had long suspected but never wished to admit."
The scene shifted in Arthur's memory as Shang narrated.
—
That night, the chamber was cloaked in silence when Kazuki entered. His small steps carried unusual gravity as he approached. Shang raised an eyebrow at the sight of his youngest son at such an hour.
"Father," Kazuki said, his voice steady. "I want to talk with you."
Shang studied him carefully. "What is it, son?"
Kazuki sat at the edge of the bed and let out a slow breath before speaking. "I am the Child of the Prophecy… of the Fate's Chosen Path."
The words struck like a thunderclap. For a long moment, Shang was silent—his mind refusing to settle on any response. He did not shout. He did not dismiss. He simply stared, stunned.
Kazuki pressed forward. "It's true. I am… reborn. From the moment I came into this world, I carried memories from before. I remember the very first thing I saw—your face and Arthur's. Later, I recall you sparring, and Arthur visiting me afterward. Things no ordinary child could remember. The brain doesn't develop those memories at birth… so you already know, don't you?"
Shang's breath caught, realization hitting him like a tide. His silence was not disbelief—it was understanding.
Kazuki continued, recounting everything with precision. "When I was eight, Arthur returned to the castle. That day, when a demon attacked the academy, I defeated it. My abilities drew suspicion. Arthur fought me that night, testing me, and though I lost, he grew certain I was no ordinary child. He even sent you a letter about me. Later, when I joined the battlefield, it became clearer. In a single day, I advanced from Body Refining Tier 2 to Tier 3. Many dismissed it, but you, Arthur, and Ezabela noticed. The truth was that I had ventured into the dragon's cave and cultivated there, forcing my refinement forward."
He leaned closer, his tone sharpening. "That was only the beginning. When Landlord Darius appeared, I sensed something was wrong. From then on, I began to weave the plans that brought us here. There are many details you don't need to know—but everything has been deliberate."
Shang sat in silence, listening to his son speak with the composure of a man twice his age. Finally, he sighed, rubbing his temple.
"You know," Shang murmured, "I already knew this. I tried to deny it to myself, but deep down… I had accepted it."
Kazuki's eyes flickered with surprise, but he remained silent, letting his father speak.
"I will not stop you, Kazuki," Shang said at last. "Lord Julius himself confirmed the prophecy. If you are its child, then no denial of mine will change that truth. I know you expected me to overreact, to reject you—but I am no fool. I have lived over forty years and seen more than enough to know when fate itself is moving. Your being the Child of Prophecy… I suspected it long ago. I simply did not want to face it. But no longer."
—
The memory dissolved back into the present. Shang pointed at Kazuki, his voice calm yet resolute.
"And afterward, he told me what he needed. My help in capturing Raizen, in relocating the civilians of North Ryehem, in carrying out his plans that required the empire's hand. I agreed."
Arthur's expression tightened as he listened, his usual composure momentarily shaken. "Oh…" he muttered, his voice low.
The weight of truth settled over the chamber, pressing against all three of them.