The Third Prince Of Darkness

"I accept with pleasure the great honor that His Majesty King Richard Asina Lenistark has spoken to me about. Long live Asina! Long live the great King Richard!"

With these words, the entire hall began to cheer in the same manner.

"Long live Asina! Long live the great King Richard! Long live the new son of the sun, Ethan!"

As the loud cheers continued, I approached the throne he was seated on, and Richard also descended from the throne and came down the stairs. When we finally faced each other, I knelt again in front of him and extended my hand upward towards Richard. Richard slipped the emerald ring from his hand onto my index finger, then took my hand and pulled me up.

After embracing me tightly, we turned together and faced the nobles, saluting them.

"Long live Asina! Long live the great King Richard! Long live the new son of the sun, Ethan!"

We began walking together in front of the nobles. With every step, the cheers resonated throughout the hall, reinforcing the strength and unity of the kingdom at this moment. As I walked side by side with Richard, I felt a mix of pride and the weight of the responsibility.

After a while, we reached the end of the grand hall. Richard stopped, turned to the crowd, raised his hands, and silenced the hall.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era for our kingdom!" he announced in a booming voice. "Eat! Drink! And celebrate!" Then King Richard exited.

With Richard's departure, the large doors closed once again, and the intense emotions within me gradually gave way to a peaceful calm. Most of the nobles were still applauding me and Richard, but I stood in the middle of the hall, greeting each of them. These greetings were a form of reassurance to the lords and ladies from every corner of the kingdom.

The new son of the sun, Ethan, had accepted his responsibility.

After a brief meeting with a few advisors who remained with me, it was finally time to withdraw to my room. As I exited the hall, the light hit my face. The emerald ring Richard had given me sparkled on my finger. It was more than just a piece of jewelry; it symbolized the great responsibility placed upon me. This ring was the emblem of the next Asina king.

However, it also meant that my position on the continent had strengthened. This meant that I would soon be occupied with many unnecessary tasks. Therefore, I needed to leave the capital as quickly as possible and head to the Dragon Academy. Thus, I departed from the throne room, which was still in a celebratory mood.

Unfortunately, this would likely increase the number of cold, harsh, and frightening descriptions of me. But, honestly, it wasn't so bad if the nobles viewed me that way.

Thus, I made my way to my room and intended to end this important day unusually quickly. In a few days, I would need to leave and head south. From there, I was to meet with Roxanne and enter the Southern Kingdom. Yes, I'm talking about the Southern Kingdom of Alpshar.

The teleportation device to the Dragon Academy was located in the Island Federation, and people usually traveled first to the Tamerid Empire and then made a long journey by ship to the Island Federation.

After all, it was more difficult to pass through there due to it being previously fragmented by the southern clans. However, I had already sent an official letter to the Southern Kingdom requesting permission to pass through their lands, and they responded quickly and granted it. Likely, Alpshar was currently busy suppressing a major rebellion, so I wouldn't be in danger.

As for why I wanted to pass through the Southern Kingdom... well, it was a maneuver to avoid my brothers or enemies. Liam or anyone else couldn't easily defeat me in a one-on-one fight, but what if a hundred people ambushed me? Could I defeat a hundred people? Not at the moment, so to avoid potential dangers, I would travel to the Island Federation from the south.

From there, I needed to go to the Herumzan Kingdom to resolve a few matters and then travel by ship to the capital of the Island Federation. So, I had a long journey ahead of me.

Regarding the palace matters, I had transferred everything to Isabella, and my mother would be given a document proving she had permission to govern the newly acquired lands starting tomorrow. Yes, from tonight, I would be a landowner. After all, traditionally, the fertile lands belonging to the royalty were transferred to the rightful heir.

So, all the royal lands except for the capital and its translation now belonged to me. After going to the Dragon Academy, I would inform Isabella and my mother via letter about what to do with those lands.

Additionally, I temporarily transferred all the companies I had established under my false identity, Arthur, to Isabella. Thus, Isabella would remain further from the palace but also far from Richard, which was something I very much desired. Richard had just acquired two new concubines, had even forgotten Fiona. But still, it's never harmful to take precautions.

With these thoughts, I closed my eyes. Remembering that I needed to wake up early to prepare for the journey ahead, I quickly fell asleep.

The next morning, before the sun had risen, I awoke to the coolness of a gentle breeze that parted the heavy curtains in my room. I quickly got up and dressed in comfortable travel attire. The journey ahead would be long and arduous, so I needed light and durable clothing. Before leaving the room, I took one last look at the emerald ring Richard had given me; it symbolized my place in the kingdom.

After gathering my belongings, I stepped outside. The palace corridors were still empty. Before having a final meeting with my new advisors, I wanted to visit my mother, Isabella, and my sisters. I first went to my mother's room. When I knocked on the door, she told me to come in with a sleepy voice.

While handing her the document regarding the management of the lands I had been given, we had a brief chat. Her eyes held both pride and a slight worry. After embracing and bidding farewell, I headed towards Isabella's room.

Isabella had begun to adopt a distant attitude towards Richard and the palace. The new responsibilities she held seemed like a gateway to freedom for her. After a brief conversation, I left her a letter detailing the duties I had transferred to her. Isabella was a strong and intelligent woman; I was confident she would handle the responsibilities well.

Finally, before leaving the palace, I had a brief meeting with a few advisors. Even though it was just for show, I needed to boost my reliability in the eyes of both Richard and the other nobles. During the meeting, the advisors discussed recent developments at the Dragon Academy and confirmed that everything was proceeding as planned.

They also mentioned that I needed to set a time to formalize my engagement to Evangeline, which I said I would handle at the Dragon Academy.

When the meeting ended, I first went to the garden to meet my sisters. I asked the servants to call Kayle, Isabella's daughter, Violet, Luciana's daughter, and Odette. As I awaited their arrival in the garden, a light breeze brushed my face. The garden was illuminated by the early morning light, and the surroundings were peaceful and quiet.

After a while, the servants brought Kayle, Violet, and Odette. The three of them gave completely different reactions when they saw me.

"Big brother Ethan, please take me with you!" my youngest sister, Odette, exclaimed excitedly. Her eyes were filled with a desire for adventure; she really wanted to be part of the journey. I smiled at her, but I knew I couldn't accept her request.

"I'm sorry, little one, but I can't take you to the Dragon Academy," I said. Meanwhile, both Violet and Kayle sat down in front of me.

"But I wanted to see the dragons..." Odette pouted and went to sit on Violet's lap. Although Odette should have been twelve years old by now, she still acted like a child. This was unusual within the strict palace rules.

"Are you going to say it's because of the plans you haven't shared with anyone that you're leaving so soon?" Violet said, pulling her white hair away from her face, her critical eyes becoming even more prominent.

"You guessed right, little girl," I answered in a mocking tone.

"Hey, I'll be turning twenty-five in a few months! You're the one who's still a kid," Violet retorted.

I smiled slightly at Violet's outburst. Despite our age difference, I liked to treat her like a little girl and make fun of her.

"Even when you turn twenty-five, you'll always be a little girl in my eyes, Violet," I said teasingly.

At that moment, Kayle quietly approached me and met my gaze. I immediately understood that there was a deep thought behind her silence. She was always like that, thinking things through deeply before speaking, especially when talking to me.

"Ethan," she said in a calm and resolute voice, "I'm coming with you. What time are you leaving?"

Kayle's determined tone changed the atmosphere. There were unspoken emotions glinting in her eyes that I couldn't quite define. However, she had never voiced these emotions before, and she might not even be aware of them. Despite her tough demeanor, she had always been gentler towards me and had always held me in a special place. Sometimes, this made me suspect she had developed feelings for me.

Seeing the determination on Kayle's face, I paused for a moment. Kayle had always been a difficult person—stubborn, harsh, and wanting to control things. Although her violent nature frightened most people around her, I had never kept my distance from her for this reason. Nevertheless, it would not be right to take her along on this journey.

"I'm sorry, Kayle, but I need to go alone and take care of some matters. Besides, I need to use a different route to get to the Dragon Academy," I said gently but firmly.

A hint of disappointment appeared on Kayle's face, but she quickly concealed it. Despite her stubborn nature, I knew she was very intelligent. Even if she questioned my decisions, she would ultimately respect them. She looked away from me and took a deep breath.

"Alright, Ethan. I hope your plans go as you wish," she said. Her voice wasn't harsh, but there was an underlying note of unease.

After bidding farewell to my sisters, I was ready to set out. As I stepped outside the palace, the mix of excitement and anxiety within me stirred once again. This journey would be a significant turning point, not only for me, but for the future of the kingdom. There was no turning back on this path fate had laid out for me.

I had officially begun my long journey to the Dragon Academy, Roxanne, and the Southern Kingdom.

As I made my way to the palace gates, I took one last look at the grandeur of the palace, feeling a mix of nostalgia and anticipation. The massive doors of the palace creaked open, and the morning sunlight spilled across the grounds, illuminating the path I was about to take.

The journey ahead was fraught with challenges. The route to the Dragon Academy was long and winding, cutting through treacherous terrains and bustling cities. Despite the various obstacles, I was determined to see it through. Every step I took was a step towards the future I envisioned—a future where I would prove my worth and fulfill my responsibilities as the new son of the sun.

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Don't worry, I will make sure that the academy arc, which will probably start in two or three chapter, will not be long and boring