Prince Lionel stood beneath the crystal chandeliers with a perfect smile on his face.
Elegant.
Refined.
Royal.
That was what everyone saw.
But behind the mask, the Crown Prince of the Hellan Kingdom was irritated.
No matter where he looked tonight, people were whispering about only one person.
William Von Ainsworth.
The Half-Elf had arrived less than an hour ago, yet the atmosphere of the banquet already revolved around him. The young knights admired him, the noble ladies stole glances at him, and even the foreign delegates seemed interested in him.
Lionel hated it.
Not because William was stronger.
Not because he was talented.
But because he stole attention naturally.
Something Lionel had spent his entire life trying to control.
The Crown Prince's golden eyes shifted toward the veiled princess beside him.
Princess Sidonie of Freesia.
One of the reasons tonight mattered so much.
Her kingdom possessed influence, military support, trade routes, and—more importantly—connections to ancient ruins in the Southern Continent.
Lionel intended to leave an unforgettable impression tonight.
Unfortunately…
The princess's gaze kept drifting toward William.
That tiny detail made something ugly twist inside the Crown Prince's chest.
"…Your Highness?"
Sidonie tilted her head slightly.
"You seem distracted, Your Highness."
Lionel immediately smiled.
"My apologies. I was merely thinking about how to make tonight more entertaining."
From within Sidonie's Sea of Consciousness, Morgana smirked.
'Liar.'
Lionel raised his wine glass before calmly walking toward the podium.
The hall gradually quieted.
Even William looked up from his conversation with Wendy.
Lionel's smile widened.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen."
His voice carried naturally through the hall.
"Tonight, we welcome distinguished guests from the Kingdom of Freesia. To celebrate this occasion, our honored princess has expressed interest in witnessing the talents of the famous Knight Commander of the Angorian War Sovereign."
Murmurs spread.
William blinked.
Sidonie also blinked.
She never asked for that.
But Lionel ignored her surprised expression completely.
Instead, his gaze locked onto William.
"Sir William Von Ainsworth," Lionel said warmly, "would you honor us with a performance?"
For a brief moment—
their eyes met.
William smiled.
Lionel smiled back.
Neither smile reached their eyes.
'Dance for me,' Lionel thought mockingly.
'Embarrass yourself.'
Unfortunately for him—
William stood calmly.
"Told you the princess fell in love with me at first sight," William whispered to Wendy.
Wendy immediately pinched his waist.
Lionel's eyelid twitched slightly.
Even from a distance, he could tell the Half-Elf wasn't nervous at all.
That irritated him further.
William walked toward the center of the hall with smooth, confident steps before bowing lightly toward Sidonie.
"I am honored that Her Highness wishes to witness my humble talents."
Lionel almost scoffed.
Humble?
This bastard didn't know the meaning of the word.
Still…
Everything was proceeding according to plan.
Then William summoned a lute.
The moment the instrument appeared—
Lionel's instincts stirred.
A strange pressure spread through the air.
Subtle.
Almost invisible.
But the Crown Prince felt it.
His royal bloodline reacted.
Something… was changing.
William lightly strummed the lute.
A soft melody spread across the hall.
Then—
he sang.
The first note alone froze the entire banquet.
Lionel's expression stiffened.
The Half-Elf's voice carried emotions so vividly that even seasoned nobles unconsciously held their breath.
And while everyone else became captivated by the song—
something impossible happened to the Crown Prince.
[Ding!]
Lionel nearly lost his composure.
A translucent golden screen appeared before his eyes.
[Hidden Requirement Fulfilled.]
[Condition Met: Extreme Emotional Resonance.]
[The dormant authority within your soul has awakened.]
[Unique System initializing…]
[3%... 17%... 41%...]
Lionel's pupils contracted.
"What…?"
[Congratulations.]
[You have awakened the Unique Divine System:]
[THE SHAMELESS SYSTEM]
Silence.
Lionel stared at the floating words in disbelief.
"…What kind of name is that?"
[Warning.]
[The user has displayed excessive hypocrisy, vanity, jealousy, manipulation, and romantic delusions.]
[Compatibility Rating: PERFECT.]
[The Shameless System acknowledges you as its ideal host.]
Lionel almost choked on air.
Inside his mind, an unfamiliar female voice laughed lazily.
�
Lionel's fingers twitched.
"Who are you?"
�
Lionel's smile nearly cracked.
Meanwhile, William continued singing completely unaware that his performance had just awakened something monstrous within the Crown Prince.
[Core Functions Unlocked]
■ Shameless Aura
Increases charm, persuasion, and confidence the more arrogant the user behaves.
■ Face Thickening Passive
Mental attacks, humiliation, and social pressure become less effective.
■ Royal Gaslighting
Allows the user to distort conversations and subtly influence weak-minded targets.
■ Jealousy Conversion
Negative emotions directed toward rivals may be converted into temporary stat boosts.
■ Main Character Theft
Small chance to steal attention, opportunities, or favorable impressions from "protagonist-type individuals."
■ Divine Delusion
The stronger the user's belief in his own superiority, the stronger his resistance to fear effects.
Lionel's breathing became uneven.
This…
This power was perfect for him.
No.
It was MADE for him.
The Crown Prince slowly looked toward William again.
The Half-Elf's voice filled the hall beautifully while noble ladies stared at him with flushed faces.
Even Princess Sidonie seemed entranced.
Lionel clenched his fist.
Immediately—
[Jealousy Conversion activated.]
[Strength temporarily increased by 12%.]
[Charm increased by 7%.]
[Warning: User hostility toward William Von Ainsworth is rapidly increasing.]
Lionel's heartbeat accelerated.
He could feel it.
Power.
Real power.
Not the hollow praise nobles gave him.
Not political authority.
Something absolute.
Something personal.
Something that belonged solely to him.
William's song reached its climax.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince's eyes slowly darkened.
The jealousy in his chest no longer felt painful.
It felt intoxicating.
The system's voice echoed softly in his mind.
Lionel remained silent.
The Crown Prince watched as applause erupted throughout the hall.
Watched as William became the center of attention.
Watched as even the princess couldn't take her eyes off him.
Then Lionel smiled.
A genuine smile.
Cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
"Yes," he answered inwardly.
"I do."
The Shameless System purred happily.
[New Main Objective Generated.]
■ Crush All Rivals To The Throne ■ Seize Every Opportunity ■ Become The Most Glorious Existence Under Heaven
Bonus Mission: ■ Destroy the spotlight surrounding William Von Ainsworth.
Reward: [???]
Penalty for failure: Your rival becomes the true protagonist of this era.
For the first time in years—
Prince Lionel felt alive.