Carsel's Point of View
All the way back to my room, my thoughts whirled like a storm.
Star affinity. Exclusive to the Stellaris Empire. A destroyed family.
Mom was a support—not a mage with a star affinity. And Dad... I don't even know who he is. She never talked much about him, only that his name was Althair and that he was a good man.
But if this affinity is exclusive to the Imperial family, how did it come to be in me?
First possibility: Mom lied about my origins. But why? What was her purpose in hiding the truth?
Second possibility: Dad is a surviving descendant of Stellaris. But why has he never met me? Why has he left Mom alone?
Third possibility: There's something I don't know about my own birth.
What does it all mean?
I opened the bedroom door, closed it, and leaned against it. My breath felt heavy in my chest.
Mom, what's something you're not telling me?
But there was no answer. Only the silence of this small room.
I stared at the mirror in the corner. The face staring back—a face covered in sweat, dusty, and dirty.
I think I should take a shower first.
...
A while later—after my shower was over.
Mama.
The mysterious figure led her out of the Heartwood. He moved through the shadows—shadow affinity, a branch of darkness. He had a specific goal: to lure me out.
Why? What did he want from me?
And more importantly: where was she now?
I couldn't just sit here waiting for answers to come. I had to be proactive.
Seraphina said I was going to Ostrivien Academy. An elite academy with the largest library on the continent—there must be information about affinity, about interdimensional gates, about anything that could help me find her.
And if Seraphina wanted to weaponize me, I would use it. I would become strong—strong enough to not rely on anyone. Strong enough to protect the people I loved.
I looked down at my right hand—the one that had been holding the crystal and emitting golden light. Stellaris Affinity.
A powerful affinity.
If this was all I had, I would use it. No matter where it came from.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A knock on the door made me jump.
"Carsel, Lady Seraphina asked for you in the library."
It was Marta again.
I took a breath and straightened my shoulders. "I'm here."
Time to work.
---
Seraphina's Private Library — Afternoon
The library was larger than I expected. Towering shelves, wooden ladders to reach the books above, a large table in the center covered in parchments and maps.
Seraphina sat in the main chair, her reading glasses perched on her nose. More academic. Less intimidating.
"Categorize these parchments by date," she said without looking up. "Oldest on the left, newest on the right."
I began my work—reading the dates, organizing them. But my eyes couldn't help but glance at the contents of the parchments.
Crop reports. Troop movements on the border. Inter-empire trade. A letter from "Lyanna von Skystone"—a name that sounded familiar from yesterday at the auction.
"Don't read the contents," Seraphina said without looking up. "Just the date."
"Excuse me, Lady."
But I had already grasped the information: the Heartstone Empire was strengthening its defenses on the northern border. There were tensions with the Skystone Empire. And there was secret trade with... the Grand Church?
Interesting.
When I was finished, I stood. "Done, Lady."
Seraphina took off her glasses and inspected my work. "Neat. Detailed. Good." She looked at me. "Now take that book." She pointed to a tall shelf with a ladder.
I climbed the ladder and retrieved the dusty tome.
It was titled: 'A HistoryofAffinityand Bloodlines.'
I climbed down and handed it to her, and Seraphina opened to a specific page—as if she already knew where to look.
"Read this," she said, pointing to a paragraph in the middle of the page.
I silently read:
"The exclusive affinity of the Noble families is absolutely dominant. Even if one parent is a commoner with no special affinity, if the other possesses an imperial or noble affinity, the child will inherit that affinity with the utmost purity. This is an indisputable law of blood—a sign that God has chosen a particular bloodline to lead."
The sound of my heartbeat drowned out Seraphina's voice.
If this is true, then one of my parents—Mom or Dad—must be of direct imperial lineage.
Mom is a support. Not a star affinity mage.
Which means...
Dad.
The Dad I never met. The Dad I never told you about in detail. Dad named "Althair."
Who is he, really?
"Do you understand?" Seraphina asked, looking at me with overly searching eyes.
"Yes, Lady." My voice was hoarse than I intended.
"Good." She closed the book. "Put it back."
As I climbed the stairs again, my mind was full of unanswered questions.
Mom, who is Dad really? Why didn't you ever tell me he was of imperial descent?
Or—did you not know yourself?
Carsel's mind raced as he descended the wooden stairs, each step heavy with the weight of a new question. Dad. Althair. A descendant of Stellaris. The truth felt like an abyss that had just opened before him.
Misunderstanding
---
Heartwood - Under the Oak Tree
There was an adult woman with a young boy nestled in her lap.
"Mommy," Carsel called, enjoying the caress of Clara's mother's hand on his head. "What kind of person is Dad?"
"Dad?... He's a tough man in the face of adversity, great at his skills, and takes responsibility for his actions," Clara's mother replied, her cheeks as red as a tomato.
"W-Why is Mommy's face red!!" Carsel got up. "Are you sick?! Why didn't you tell me!? Let's go back home, I'll take care of you! Hey, wait, I'll call Uncle Maru and Uncle Rey to help..."
"Shhtt." Clara put her index finger to Carsel's lips. "Mommy, it's okay, I'm just feeling shy and happy. Sometimes, when we're embarrassed or happy, our bodies send secret messages through our cheeks. They say, 'I'm embarrassed!' or 'I'm so happy!'"
Carsel listened with his eyes glued to the table, making him incredibly cute. "So, red cheeks aren't because you're sick?"
Clara chuckled. "No, honey. Red cheeks are your body's way of showing how you're feeling. It's like a little secret that only we can see. It lets other people know if we're embarrassed or happy."
"Oooooh, I see. Okay, I'm reassured that Mommy isn't sick. By the way, what's Dad's name? I'm really curious because Mommy always praises him."
"His name... is Althair."
---
Back to the present
When his feet touched the cool library floor, Seraphina was waiting for him, the book in her hand replaced by a map of the continent spread out on the table.
"There's been a change of plans," Seraphina said matter-of-factly, her tone returning to flat and final. Her slender finger tapped a spot on the map marking the location of the Grand Academy of Ostrivien. "You won't be going there."
Carsel froze. "What? But Lady said..."
"I said I've taken care of the paperwork," Seraphina interrupted, her plum-colored eyes staring intently at Carsel from behind the reading glasses she now held.
"And I'm the one who's canceling it. The Academy appears neutral on the outside, but it's deeply political on the inside. If you're a high-ranking noble—then you have power there."
"In other words, all students are not equal—they are judged according to their social standing."
"However, that's not the main point."
"The academy is unstable. The other imperial factions—especially Skystone and Moonstone—are becoming too aggressive within its walls. Sending my most valuable asset to a den of snakes would be foolish."
Carsel's heart sank. He had been skimming through books in his room; the academy was where he might hope to find his mother, and the truth about his true family, lay.
According to the books he had read, the academy boasted the world's largest library, outstanding professors, and facilities that pampered its students. If Carsel wanted to grow stronger, then the academy was the perfect place for him.
But now—his only hope of finding clues and gaining strength—was now blocked from him. All the reactions he had been suppressing—compliance, confusion, fear—suddenly evaporated, replaced by something new: denial. This was his first reaction that wasn't just a response, but a desire.
"No," Carsel said. His voice was quiet, but firm.
An indescribable pain erupted in his left chest, tearing at him, burning from within—he fell, his body paralyzed.
However, the pain soon weakened, slowly fading away.
"Get up." Seraphina glared.
Carsel stood unsteadily, though the pain had disappeared. However, his body recognized the pain, or in other words—it was imprinted on Carsel's body and soul.
"Repeat what you said," Seraphina commanded without question.
"I must go there," Carsel continued, stepping closer to the table. For the first time, he wasn't simply responding to an order, but initiating an argument.
"My Lady brought me here because I'm an 'investment.' An untrained and ignorant investment would be useless. The academy library has information I need—information about affinities, about my true family, and perhaps even about that mysterious figure."
"The more I know, the stronger I become, and the more useful I will be to you."
This was the first time Carsel had shown initiative, a spark of rebellion based on logic, not blind emotion. He wasn't begging, he was negotiating.
This was a double-edged sword. The upside was that he would grow stronger, automatically becoming useful to me. The downside was that if he knew too much, it would be dangerous.
That mysterious organization did exist. But the perpetrators of the attack on the Stellaris Empire weren't them.
Seraphina paused for a moment, observing Carsel with an unreadable expression. There was a glint of surprise in her eyes, perhaps a hint of amusement, or even... admiration. Her asset apparently had a mind and a will of its own.
"You dare defy me?" she hissed, a chill beginning to permeate the room. "Don't forget the contract on your chest."
"I'm not contradicting you, Lady," Carsel replied quickly, maintaining his composure. "In fact, I'm offering you a way to maximize my value to you. Locking me up here will only produce an obedient slave. Allowing me to study will produce a formidable weapon."
Silence fell over the library. Seraphina tapped her fingers on a map, her gaze never leaving Carsel. She was weighing, recalculating the variables.
"Very well," she said finally, making Carsel hold her breath. "You may leave. But on one condition."
She walked to a glass cabinet in the corner of the room, unlocked it with a small key, and took out a black velvet box. She returned to the table and opened it.
Inside lay a beautiful and unique earring. Not a simple hoop or stud, but a finely polished piece of ocean-blue sapphire crystal, shaped like an elongated teardrop. The crystal hung from a simple platinum hook. Most captivating was what was inside; A silver beam of light seemed to move slowly, spinning like a miniature galaxy trapped in a deep blue ocean.
"This will be your second disguise," Seraphina explained. "The Star Affinity is too conspicuous. You must not use it unless your life is truly threatened."
"And if your life is truly threatened—then you may use the Star Affinity. However, the person you are opposing must die—die instantly." She then took the earring.
"Wear this on your left ear."
Carsel complied. As Seraphina put the earring on, a piercing cold sensation spread from his earlobe to his entire body, as if a drop of water from the deepest ocean had just touched his soul. For a moment, he could hear the distant sound of crashing waves.
"This artifact will give you temporary access to another affinity." Seraphina looked at him gently. "Use it as your new identity at the academy."
Carsel touched the earring now in his ear. It was cold, but a gentle energy pulsed from it.
Echo of the Ocean
Description: An artifact forged from the heart of a crystal found in the deepest ocean trench. It is said to hold the memory of every wave that has ever existed.
Active Power: Grants the user full access to Water Affinity for 12 hours. After use, the artifact will enter a 3-hour dormant period to recharge.
Passive Power: Grants minor resistance to fire-elemental attacks and provides a calming aura to the wearer.
Tier: Unique.
"Don't think this gives you instant power," Seraphina continued, as if reading Carsel's mind. "This artifact only opens a door. How much water you can draw from the ocean depends on how large a vessel you have. Tomorrow morning, in the training room. We'll see how quickly you learn to swim."
Seraphina turned back to her desk, assuming the conversation was over. Carsel stood there for a moment, feeling the gentle pulse of the 'Ocean Echo' in his ear.
How much water you can draw from the ocean depends on how large a vessel you have.
Did she mean: how much power you can draw from this earring depends on how much knowledge you possess?
If so, then the power of this artifact is directly tied to my own understanding and mastery.
---
Seraphina's POV — Night
I sat at my desk—pen in hand, blank parchment in front of me. But my mind wasn't there. My thoughts were on my new asset.
Carsel Von Stellaris.
The last crown prince of a fallen empire, found in the most despicable of places: a slave auction stage. Absurd luck, or perhaps fate, finally favoring me. Of course, I won't tell anyone, not even Father. Carsel is my chess piece, and only I can move him.
With his Star affinity, he's more than just a weapon; he's a claim to the throne. A key to unlocking unimaginable power. But that key is useless if it's not fully in my hands.
Loyalty. That's what I need. Not loyalty born of fear—fear breeds rebellion. I need a deeper loyalty, born of dependence. I must be his sole protector, his only hope, the only person in this world he trusts.
He must believe he needs me to survive. And the best part? He does need me. Without my connections, finding his mother is just a pipe dream. He knows that. That's why he swallows his pride and perseveres.
Sure, I could force her. The contract on her chest gives me absolute authority; I could turn her into a willless puppet if I wanted. But puppets can't think, can't improvise. I didn't buy a puppet. I bought a prince. A broken mind wouldn't do me any good.
Just let her think—she has a choice, like in the library. Let her think she's negotiating for her freedom. In the end, any path she chooses will always lead back to me.
This contract can only be broken if I die—which would put a curse on her—or if I voluntarily release her. She will never be free until I decide she should be.
I smiled at my reflection in the window—a girl with eyes that shone sharply in the darkness.
The game has only just begun. And I already have the king.