"painful..."
"It's so painful…"
The happiness that had filled that night vanished like passing dust. Dieyon felt pain — not the kind that tears you apart completely, but one you can't quite locate.
"It's like fire devouring my body, but the pain… it's too close."
He tried to move his hand, but it was heavy — as if a pile of rocks weighed it down. He brushed his hand across his body until he reached his neck… and it was severed.
He gasped violently, his voice trembling with terror:
"My head… is separated from my body?"
The pain burned so fiercely that he screamed with all his might — but the scream wasn't external… it came from within.
"How did this happen? I don't remember anything… If this is a dream, then I must be drowning deep within it."
He touched the spot where the cut was, then jerked his hand away, shaking it as he muttered in fear:
"It's like a volcano erupted inside my neck… it burned me when I tried to touch the wound. No… this isn't the Eternal Dreamworld — this is terrifying reality."
"I never thought I'd die in such a gruesome way… or can I even say I'm dead? Or merely someone in agony?"
As fear and confusion consumed him, Dieyon once again felt the burning heat in his neck. He clenched his eyes shut — though he tried to open them, the pain forced them closed.
Black threads emerged from his neck, connecting to his head, sewing the severed parts back together…
Dieyon partially regained consciousness, gasping as if he had been deep underwater, desperate for air.
He placed his trembling right hand on his neck — there was a collar wrapped around it.
"Am I imagining this… or did those threads actually reattach my head?"
He lowered his head slightly, trying to steady his breath, then lifted it slowly, his eyes widening in shock:
"But before anything else… where am I? This isn't my room!"
The room was somewhat large — a big bed, a bookshelf near the door facing it, and a window through which moonlight streamed in. Beside the bed stood a cracked mirror.
Dieyon rose from the bed, trying to recall something — anything — but his mind refused to help him.
"What a worn-out old room… who could even live——"
He didn't finish his words before a violent headache struck him, knocking him to his knees. Memories poured into his head like a storm of rain.
"Dieyon, son of the Second Sovereign, known as the Nameless One, and his mother, Mirana, the priestess of the Cathedral of Storms. He has a brother called Soul Oni…"
"He lived in the Lucia Empire, located on the continent of Ascana… The Lucia Empire is one of the most powerful across all continents, ruled by the Sovereigns — the Zero, the First, and the Second — and served by their subordinates known as the Reges Fatui."
Then, an image appeared — a colossal palace atop a mountain that pierced the clouds, engulfed in flames.
"The palace was attacked… the Nameless Sovereign and his wife were slain, and his brother was kidnapped by the Reges Fatui…"
"Dieyon was among those killed — his corpse thrown from the peak of the mountain known as the Mountain of the Sovereigns."
The pain subsided, and Dieyon began breathing normally again. He leaned against the bedframe, wiping sweat from his face, whispering in a low, chilling tone:
"I remember now… those Reges Fatui, the sons of whores — they murdered my father, my mother… and kidnapped my brother. And me… I was killed."
He looked at his hand, touching his neck once more.
"It seems… I've returned to life somehow. And if that means anything…"
He stood up and approached the mirror. His reflection bore an expression of pure rage and hatred.
"It means someone gave me another chance… a chance for revenge."
He turned on the faucet and washed his face. A faint golden glow flickered in his eyes — too subtle even for Dieyon to notice.
"The Reges Fatui will pay for their betrayal — for what they've done to my family… and to the empire itself."
As he stared into the mirror, he noticed a figure behind him, leaning against the door, head lowered…
Dieyon spun around instantly — but there was no one there. He grabbed his head and muttered quietly:
'Am I starting to hallucinate? I could've sworn I saw someone——'
He didn't finish his thought before a calm voice interrupted:
"It truly is… a miracle."
Dieyon looked to his left and found a mysterious man sitting on a wooden chair beside the bookshelf. His hair was blond, his eyes green, and he wore a black priest's robe.
"You fall from the Mountain of the sovereigns, your head severed, and then you return to life… only the children of the sovereigns or cursed slaves possess such traits. Am I right, Dieyon?"
He smiled sardonically as he looked directly at him.
"I don't know who you are, but it seems you hold some important information… are you one of the dogs of the Reges fatui?"
"Oh, what a harsh way to treat the one who saved you." He said with a sorrowful expression, then continued:
"Also, know that not all dogs are traitors; some protect you until their last breath."
"And I am nothing but a simple leader of a small village. I found you lying beside the village with your head severed, but I found in you a resistance to death, a love for life."
Dieyon was stunned and muttered to himself:
'It seems there is a village under the mountain of the sovereigns… but weren't the surrounding areas of the mountain supposed to be deserted?'
"What are you aiming at with your words? Can you stop with the riddles?" Dieyon's expression asked as he took a defensive stance.
"What I mean to say is that I know what happened to you and to the ruling family… and I also know that the Reges fatui betrayed the empire." The mysterious man spoke in a tone of knowing, as if he were playing at Dieyon's nerves.
He continued:
"I'm merely someone who wants to bring down the rule of the Lucia Empire, to kill the Reges fatui… After the disappearance of sovereign Zero, the nation has become a ruin."
"Even your father could not restore things to their natural state because of internal upheaval from the sovereigns."
'The one in front of me is not ordinary at all — he seems to hide many secrets and possesses much knowledge.' Dieyon muttered to himself.
'And it seems his coup targets only the Reges fatui and not my father… he seems well-versed in how to carry out a coup.'
"What I gathered from your words, which sounded like a fragmented riddle, is that you're planning a coup and want to target the Reges fatui."
"Very smart… A coup needs strong people, which is why I gathered an extraordinary group of those who harbor hatred for the empire, those who lost something precious because of the Reges fatui or even the sovereigns." The mysterious man clapped as he spoke in a steady tone.
The mysterious man stood, extended his right hand, and smiled faintly as he said:
"Dieyon, what do you think about joining Vowless… and toppling this Blaspheming rule."
Dieyon looked at the man's hand and then into his green eyes, murmuring to himself quietly:
'Joining a coup with a group… Vowless are considered disciples? How strange… But I'm not thinking about doing that at all — let the empire and everyone in it burn.'
'My goal is to burn everyone in it, from the weakest soldier to the Reges fatui, in the most horrific ways, just as they did to us.'
Dieyon smiled and then spoke in a voice barely a whisper into the mysterious man's ear:
"I appreciate your offer, but my goal is not to overthrow the rule or save those who live in it. My goal is very clear: revenge."
The mysterious man laughed softly and said:
"What a selfish goal… It seems you do not value the lives of those living in your empire, Prince Dieyon."
He waved his hand and shared the same laugh, pride evident in his expression.
"No, when everything is taken from you… you lose the true meaning of life. So their lives do not matter to me at all."
"Also, I am no longer a prince. After the catastrophe in the palace and watching everything I loved be erased before my eyes… I became the prince of nothing."
"Prince of nothing… what a heavy title."
"You seem determined in your opinion… I will not argue with you about that. But I have another suggestion — would you like to hear it?" The mysterious man paced the room, hands clasped behind his back.
"And what's your suggestion?!" Dieyon asked, surprised.
The mysterious man cracked his fingers and held up six fingers, then said confidently:
"Six months. Why not train here for six months, and then go on your revenge. From here you can train with my disciples and learn different spells."
He stood before him, lowering his head toward him as he continued:
"Boy, those you face are not ordinary enemies — they are of the Demi-god class… Despite the Second sovereign's power, he fell before them, so honing your skills is your best option."
'I don't want to seem foolish, but he's right… The Reges fatui are extremely powerful. Rushing will only lead to my revenge plans being crushed.' Dieyon spoke softly.
'There's no other option in my condition… I don't expect to be able to even kill one of them, especially the "first Reges fatui".'
"I agree, but I will infiltrate the kingdom alone… I don't like seeing people die, because I enjoy the loss of someone." Dieyon pushed a strand of hair back as he spoke with sorrow in his expression.
"As you wish. Now… I will sleep. Tomorrow I will introduce you to Vowless."
The mysterious man gripped the doorknob and looked at Dieyon with a strange smile on his lips.
"Before I go, you haven't told me your name."
The smile disappeared for a moment, then returned as if he were whispering:
"You can call me isaak… Saint isaak."
After saying his name, he left the room and closed the door behind him like a ghost.
Dieyon lay back on the bed, spread his arms wide, and said cautiously:
"I don't know if he's a traitor or not… but his way of speaking and his manner suggest he harbors hatred toward the empire and the Reges fatui."
"But the frightening thing… how did he know what happened? And how does he even know my name?! I must not turn my back on him… he could be a wolf wearing a sheep's mask."
He grabbed his head from the pain, then continued:
"My father, my mother, and my brother… I swear I will send those sons of whores to the depths of Hades."
After Dieyon finished his monologue, his heart heavy with grief for his family and burning with hatred aimed at revenge, he fell into a deep sleep…