Chapter 79
When Iscarion first discovered it, he still said nothing and simply stared at his father. Had the pathetic man who chased after love finally obtained what he wanted? His eyes, filled with pity, gazed upon his father.
Even at his father’s funeral, just as at his mother’s, Iscarion did not shed a tear. He was only mildly curious. What exactly was this emotion called love that had driven his father so blindly? Having never experienced love himself, he couldn’t possibly know.
His mother had been utterly indifferent to him, and his father had been the same. He would probably never understand.
It wasn’t just love he didn’t know. He also didn’t know the purpose of life. Observing those around him, it seemed everyone was striving to get more of what they had or to obtain what they didn’t have. But he had been born with everything, so there was nothing he particularly needed.
“You must be Swan’s son.”
His uncle, now the Emperor, and Deswan’s brother, Clair, stared at him for a while. Clair then pulled his own son forward and gestured to Iscarion.
“Greet him, Owen. He’s your cousin.”
“Greetings, Crown Prince.”
“……Ah, hello.”
At Owen’s formal greeting, his younger cousin by a year seemed intimidated and tried to hide. He must have felt overwhelmed by the mature eyes and demeanor not typical of their age.
With one empty sleeve dangling, Clair stepped down from the throne and pushed Owen forward again.
“Deswan and I always studied together as children. You two should study and compete well with each other.”
The Emperor’s face, as he joined the two children’s hands and told them to get along, held a peculiar glee.
Emperor Clair had grown up in the shadow of his exceptional sister, always feeling inferior. Although he eventually became the Crown Prince, it wasn’t through fair competition. He had obtained the position because his sister had tried to kill him and made him a cripple, winning their father’s sympathy. It was a source of shame for him.
He was determined that his only son would not inherit such a future. His nephew, resembling his sister and excelling in every way, was close in age to his son. Clair believed that keeping Iscarion close would spark competition in Owen and keep him alert, understanding that the throne was never guaranteed and could be taken if he didn’t strive. Clair used Iscarion as a whip to drive his son.
Unbeknownst to him, his son, who might have become an average emperor at best, was driven to trauma and ruin by this relentless comparison.
“Isca has already memorized that entire book. While you struggle to copy and memorize just twenty pages a day, he is far ahead.”
“You’re destined to be Emperor, so you must surpass that boy in every aspect. If you can’t beat him in next week’s sparring match, be prepared.”
“Owen! How could you not know that? The Emperor’s son, performing worse than the Emperor’s nephew. Ha, is it that you were born a dullard…?”
He constantly compared Owen to Iscarion, not hesitating to punish him. No matter how well Owen did, there was no praise. If he didn’t outperform Iscarion, it was simply inadequate.
Bound by a vow taken at the temple, Clair couldn’t directly harm Iscarion, but he continually sent him to war under the guise of fulfilling his royal duties. Even before reaching adulthood, Iscarion was thrust into countless deadly situations, yet he always returned alive. No matter how perilous the battlefield, he always emerged victorious.
“That boy has achieved another great feat. How do you think you would have fared? You’d have died before the battle even ended!”
The Crown Prince, inherently weak, was increasingly consumed by a sense of defeat. He came to believe that no matter what he did, he could never surpass Iscarion.
Eventually, he became a puppet emperor, obedient to whatever his cousin said. It was a lamentable fate for his father, who had died in a sudden riding accident, leaving no significant legacy.
When his uncle died and his timid cousin, who trembled at his every word, became Emperor, Iscarion felt neither joy nor sorrow. He was simply relieved that he would no longer be sent away for trivial reasons. He wouldn’t have to be separated from Rosen to go to war anymore.
Ever since bringing Rosen into his care, his thoughts had been consumed with raising her, and he didn’t want to focus on anything else.
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