Chapter 2

I was shaken awake by violent movement.

The instant I opened my eyes, joy surged through my chest.

Had I gone home?

But the answer was the sound of arguing outside the door.

"Yes, Father, I admit Cedric pretending to be sick to force Elias to donate blood was wrong, but he only wanted to test Elias for all of us!"

As she spoke, she glanced toward my door, the disgust in her eyes growing deeper.

"Have you all forgotten how awful Elias used to be? He spent three months living like a commoner in the slums and suddenly changed completely? Who would believe that?

"Besides, back then, didn't you deliberately pay those beggars in the slums to teach Elias some discipline so he wouldn't come back and bully Cedric again?"

"Enough!" Father barked, cutting her off.

A long silence followed.

I leaned blankly against the headboard, looking at the old-fashioned wooden door. My eyes were empty.

In the end, Father and Mother had still listened to Helena.

From that day onward, everyone in the palace looked at me with scrutiny.

Sensing my parents' indulgence, Cedric's tests became completely unscrupulous.

When he poured an entire cup of boiling water over my head, I did not move.

When he ordered the guards to shove me into the pond, I did not struggle either.

Watching my body sink little by little, Cedric finally lost patience.

Furious, he ordered them to drag me out, grabbed my hair, and shoved me toward red-hot coals.

"Fine, you're not afraid of water? What about burning coals?

"Didn't you say you'd do whatever you're told? Let's see how long you can keep pretending!"

Father frowned deeply. Mother hesitated, as if she wanted to speak.

Helena folded her arms and watched coldly like she was watching a show.

They were all waiting for the old Elias, the spoiled crown prince who never accepted the smallest loss, to fly into a rage and fight back.

Even Cedric tensed and signaled the guards beside him with his eyes, ready for them to act.

But I only raised my head slowly and swept my gaze across their faces one by one.

In the next instant, under everyone's stunned eyes, I threw myself forward, snatched up the glowing coals, and shoved them into my mouth without hesitation.

I stuffed handful after handful in like a madman. The sound of burning flesh hissed in the air, and blood quickly spilled from my lips.

Cedric froze for one instant. Then his face went white.

When he recovered, he lunged over and shoved his hand into my mouth, his voice changing with fear.

"Spit it out! Hurry up and spit it out! That thing will kill you if you swallow it!

"Elias! Are you really insane?"

By the time the royal physicians were dragged in, I was already lying on the floor, coughing up mouthfuls of bloody water.

Inducing vomiting, cleaning wounds, applying medicine...

Throughout the long and humiliating process, I was turned over and over like a broken doll.

Father draped his outer robe over my shoulders with shaking hands, his red eyes cutting viciously across Helena and Cedric.

"Look at the rotten ideas you came up with! Are you satisfied now?"

Mother threw herself over me and broke down crying.

"Elias, my Elias... what happened to you?"

But I only lay there with my eyes open, staring blankly at the transparent panel above me.

My gaze had already scattered.