Chapter 49: Correcting the Wrong

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A question crossed his mind

Was I the cursed one, or was it the world?

As someone born a prince, despite all the problems between him and his empire, he enjoyed a respectable life as a crown prince. Yet he was ungrateful, failing to appreciate his good fortune, and his arrogance was as high as the mountains, leading him to dare to make such a terrible decision as running away from home

And if you were to ask how a spoilt prince, not yet even twenty, would end up far from his servants and guards?...

Well, bound in chains, he gazed with dead eyes and a sorrowful heart at the masked figures below as they vied to... buy him

1,000 gold pieces

1,100

2,000

5,000....

As a handsome child, it was clear that these perverts were very keen to buy him, but why wasn’t he terrified?

Suddenly, the city’s alarm bells rang out, and within seconds he was drowned out by the screeching of a flock of red harbinger birds circling above the city. Before anyone could even react, a red mist spread through the city, and people gradually began to go mad whilst the monsters descended for their supper

In less than five minutes, the auction house was reduced to rubble, and huge, beautiful red birds tore apart the masked customers, who had been transformed into succulent morsels for them

He remained standing where he was, his hands and feet bound in shackles and a wide collar around his neck, watching the symphony of death and misery that gradually faded away.

He did not even bother to hide, for both humans and monsters behaved as though he had never existed in the first place...

Years had passed since he ran away from home... and he had witnessed this familiar scene of death and destruction ever since, in every city he had entered... without exception...

He raised his eyes towards the gloomy sky and asked

Is this world cursed, or is he?

A simple question... but he never found the answer.

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"Young master, this is Vilen."

I looked dejectedly at the book in my hands for a moment, but let it slip from my grasp onto the floor as I stretched out lazily on the sofa in front of the heater

"Come in."

I gave the signal

so Vilen entered and bowed respectfully to me whilst I looked at him, my head hanging over the armrest of the sofa in exasperation

Hmm. Actually, this is the first volume of my favorite novel

*The Perfect Death : The harbinger of disaster*.

Since the fourth volume hasn’t been published yet, and as I’m frustrated by that, I haven’t found the enthusiasm to read another novel, so I’ve decided to reread this one... That said, this doesn’t mean I’m not angry; it’s actually been more than three years since I read the first volume because this bloody author only writes one book a year, so yes, I was keen to reread it, given that I’d forgotten most of the events at the start of the novel

And if you were to ask me why I don’t just grab that scoundrel by the scruff of the neck and force him to write the whole novel for me and put an end to my misery, well, as you can see, my dear... this damned author is the son of one of the continent’s most powerful clans. So when I asked the Grand Duke to kidnap this son of that clan for me

as an outcast son, I was reprimanded and cast out... I even used Rosa to ask the Grand Duke, and although he agreed—he even granted her permission to use one of the Shadow Knights from our family’s Hall of Shadows to carry out her orders—

But the person my sister and I had carefully sent never returned, so that wretched kidnapping operation failed... and even Rosa, as Korvekar’s spoilt daughter, had exhausted her luck.

So I looked thoughtfully at my servant for a moment, then decided to speak.

"Vil."

"Yes, young master."

"Do you know?"

"I’m afraid I don’t understand the question, young master."

"Yes... right... f*ck you."

"...."

"..."

For a moment, there was silence, which Vilen broke as he bowed to me once more, his face sad, perhaps because he had noticed the book on the floor.

"Please forgive me, young master, but I have come on the orders of His Grace the Grand Duke."

"What is it this time?"

"The Grand Duke summons the young master to the southern gate of the castle to meet your soldiers and knights."

Right... for some reason, it seems the Grand Duke intends to get rid of all his children from Korvekar these days. He’s sent Ivar and Roxana to the capital, and Rolan—who, as it turns out, wasn’t a ghost after all—to the south, whilst Rosa and Roman are off to the Academy.

Do I care?... As a outcast son, I’ve nothing to do with what’s happening. Let’s go and explore our mother’s legacy.

So I got up from the sofa and gave him the order while stretching.

"Have my bath prepared."

"The bath is already ready, young master."

"I see... Then prepare my military uniform."

"Yes, young master."

Since I’m going to lead an army, I must at least look like an army commander.

After all, I’m the outcast Korvekar, not the reckless Korvekar.

After my bath, and with the maids’ help, I put on the white military uniform.

In the Empire, there are colour codes for the official uniforms of the Imperial Army.

For example, in the North their uniform is white, in the West it is red, in the East it is gold, in the South it is brown, and in the imperial capital it is black.

And naturally, as with anything to do with the army, you can consider the colour of the uniform to be a form of bigotry, pride and their endless military nonsense.

I can assure you that if I were to wear red, I’m certain those northern soldiers of mine would look down on me, even though the western army is also under the Grand Duke’s command

But if I were to wear something like black or gold, forget it—even if I were the Grand Duke’s son, I wouldn’t be surprised if I were sent to the other world whilst I slept, as the man who trampled on their dignity and betrayed Korvekar.

Why am I complaining so much?

I looked at my reflection in the mirror in frustration... It doesn’t suit me at all... I look like a proper ghost.

Never mind... It’s not as if I’m off to meet my bride.

I set off accompanied by my retinue, but stopped after a short walk when I caught sight of a familiar maid. What was her name?

"Her name is Liya, young master."

As if he were reading my mind, he replied,

"I recall giving orders to have her transferred to Ivar’s service."

"None of the first young master’s servants went with him to the imperial capital."

It seemed as though she sensed we were approaching, or had simply heard our voices, turned round and was startled to find me behind her. She got up from the floor where she had been mopping and hurriedly bowed to me.

"I apologise, young master, I didn’t mean to..." Before she could finish her sentence, her foot slipped slightly and she kicked the basin of water... She looked pitiful, and I noticed black bruises on her hands that hadn’t been there when I’d met her a few days earlier.

Utterly clumsy, utterly weak...

"What is her domain?" I asked Vilen.

"Her realm is called the Free Sky."

"And?"

"It’s a stretch of sky with absolutely nothing in it. Lord Radmir helped her because she’d originally applied to the trainee knights, but it was no use—she couldn’t bear the psychological strain of falling forever, so she gave up and applied to work as a maid in the palace."

"Oh... I see. Submit a request in my name and see if it’s possible to transfer her to the group of maids who will accompany me on the campaign."

"Yes, young master ."

Since Ivar is actually getting married, it’s clear he’s no longer her knight in shining armour—unless this is a story of marital infidelity, in which case Ivar would fall in love with her whilst hating his wife and divorcing her for her sake because she was bullying her. So I’ve decided to remove this bad luck from my dear brother’s life... I’d feel guilty if his marriage were ruined because of me, having sent a pitiful maid to his side, only for him to fall in love with her...

Let’s set things right, then... and take responsibility for this sweet... and clumsy little thing.

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As I was heading for the southern gate of the castle, it took me only about half an hour’s walk to reach the gate, where I found the Grand Duke standing before an entire army carrying banners of the Gorny-Krai province and Korvekar.

But I was disappointed to notice that none of my siblings were there; I mean, even if I am the abandoned son, no one knows when we’ll meet again... I can’t even see little Rosa. Although I didn’t tell her, did the Grand Duke not send word to them either?

As far as I know, everyone except Ivar is still in the castle

Man, this is harsh...

Forget about it. Let’s just go.