Getting the trust of Prince Paul, Rick offered the two some premium coffee before continuing their conversation. As they were basically done with the introduction and casual talks, Rick immediately went to the point. “Your Highness, I know that you are orchestrating a revolution against the current regime. I also know how much you love the country and its people. With all due respect, could you please enlighten me as to why you would go as far as opposing your family?” When Rick asked him that question, Paul put a gloomy and melancholic expression on his face and narrowed his eyes, reminiscing about the things he had witnessed and experienced from his family, the royal family. “It’s kind of a long story,” the prince muttered. “You don’t mind listening to my tale?” “Go ahead, Your Highness; I am all ears.”
“Well then, I’ll start. It all started when I was just a little boy…” 𝓁𝒾𝒷𝘳𝘢.𝑐ℴ𝓂
Looking at the ceiling, Paul’s clear blue hazel eyes seemed to gaze off into the distant past.
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As far as he knew, Paul always remembered himself carefreely living in a privileged lifestyle since he was basically born into a royal family. He and his elder brother, Richard the Sixteenth, who were five years older, were born with a silver spoon and enjoyed their luxurious royal life.
Year after year, the two princes grew up and developed their own personalities. In spite of being raised in the same environment and given a high-quality education, the differences between Paul and his brother were significant. Due to his good upbringing under Duke Lancer and some great preceptors, Paul grew up well-mannered and refined. Not only was he smart and excelled in playing musical instruments and doing arts, but Paul was good with martial prowess as well. Even as a child, Paul already knew how to hold a sword and execute it so well that he could fight toe to toe with a low-ranking adventurer. His magic was good, and he could proficiently use two elements, fire and wind, with power and precision.
With the mindset of not being the next king, Paul sometimes did dungeons to gain some raw power and skills. As of now, he was about to reach the two hundredth level, and his strength was currently like that of a B-ranked adventurer.
His physical attributes and skills were not the only qualities that were bestowed upon Paul. As a member of the royal family, Paul was versed in politics and territorial administration. Upon looking up his esteemed grandfather, he grew up as a kind and righteous person who cares about the people around him. He had a high sense of justice and found ways to help people in need. Paul was a strong person, and many recognized his exceptional qualities in terms of physical and intellectual attributes. Many said that he was the perfect fit to become the king. Unfortunately, he was not the one destined to.
On the other hand, as the firstborn, Richard was luxuriously pampered by their parents, the king and queen. From his early life, Richard enjoyed being served with a silver spoon, which eventually caused changes in his life later on.
Years of indulgence resulted in Richard inheriting their father’s notorious traits: obsession with power and fortune, and avarice. As he grew up, his hunger for wealth swelled, and his desire to own everything started to sprout in his mind. However, Richard was always overshadowed by his younger brother, who bested him in every aspect. Unlike Paul, Richard neglected his studies and practical training all the time, which caused his impotence to portray his image. Since he would be the next crown prince, he eventually developed a sense of superiority over himself, which upturned his nose. He started to treat anyone below his level and mocked them; they did not deserve his grace.
Throughout their childhood, Richard had been belittling his little brother by harassing him physically and verbally, condemning him as inferior. Even in public, Richard openly pestered Paul to vent his envy at him. The people around them and even Paul could not do anything about Richard, knowing that he was the crown prince and that he was obviously the king’s and queen’s favorite child. Paul endured his brother’s aggression for years, and it still persists now.
His brother was one thing, but even his own parents treated Paul differently, more awfully. The same as how the king and queen pampered Richard, they evidently neglected the upbringing of their second child. Even though they supported Paul financially, they seemed to see him as nothing more than an obligation. Their aversion to Paul was because, for a certain reason, he was not supposed to be born. They even said to him that he was an unwanted child, which devastatingly broke the fragile heart of the young Paul.
Among the royal family, his grandfather, Richard the Fourteenth, was one of the few people who genuinely cared about Paul. Alongside his grandfather, Duke Lancer stood as a father figure for Paul. Under their care, Paul grew into the person he wanted to be.
As Paul grew up, his consciousness and awareness of his surroundings gradually surfaced in his mind. When he was invited to one of the countless parties he had been to, the innocent Paul opened his eyes and saw how bad the situation the Kingdom of Astley had been through. Due to his age and illness, his grandfather mournfully rested in peace. As much as he loved and respected his grandfather as a ruler and as a family, Paul felt too much grief for a child like him to handle. On his deathbed, his grandfather told him something horrendous that made him appalled, so awful that he absolutely could not believe his nonsense. It was something regarding his condition and the thing that was lurking in the shadows of the kingdom. Upon losing his paternal figure, Paul resolved himself to achieve the dream his grandfather passed down to him. And Paul promised to give justice to his death.
Soon after, his father was immediately hailed as the new king and started to rule the kingdom his way. Upon sitting on the throne and knowing his parents and his brother well, Paul foresaw that the fate of the already rotten-to-the-core county would suffer worse than it ever has.