A royal knight stormed into Jin's office, boots thudding against the polished floor. He bowed quickly, urgency in his breath, and handed over a sealed scroll.
Jin, Commander of the Royal Knights, broke the seal without a word. His sharp eyes scanned the contents. A heavy silence filled the room—until it was shattered by a low, venomous murmur.
"These damn fools… they've crossed a line no should."
House Venir. Human experimentation. One of the Empire's greatest taboos had been defiled.
Rage flickered in Jin's chest like a slow-burning fire. His thoughts raced as he considered which elite squad to deploy—until his gaze shifted to the shadow gathering in the corner of the room. He didn't flinch.
With a subtle wave of his hand, he dismissed the knight. The door closed. Silence fell again.
Standing facing the balcony, Jin spoke coldly.
"How long does Your Highness intend to watch from the dark?"
From the shadows, a figure emerged—a young man draped in black robes, his long white hair catching the faint light. Eyes like ice, sharp and unforgiving. It was none other than Isla, the First Prince of the Empire.
A slight, knowing smirk touched his lips.
"Keep your knights out of this commander. I'll handle this one myself—investigation and judgment."
Jin didn't turn. He stared out into the night.
"Make sure it's clean."
The prince vanished into darkness.
Elsewhere, in the quiet comfort of the royal palace, Lucas sat at the edge of his bed, thoughts adrift, nearly surrendering to sleep—until a figure appeared on the balcony. No sound, no knock.
It was Isla again, scroll in hand.
Without preamble, he spoke.
"We leave tonight. House Venir. Just the two of us."
Cloaked and mounted, the two princes rode through the night, unnoticed by guards, unseen by the common eye. Their mission was silent, sanctioned only by the Emperor and the Knight Commander.
House Venir lay to the west—a small noble estate surrounded by farmland and a quiet town. Richard Venir, the enigmatic patriarch, had always kept his distance from court. Two sons, different mothers, and a legacy wrapped in mystery.
Years ago, whispers of missing villagers stirred the wind around Venir lands. But with no formal proof, and no imperial interest, the rumors faded into silence.
Now, the truth has surfaced. And it reeked of blood and magic.
By midday the next day, the brothers arrived.
Something felt wrong.
The streets were too empty. The windows shuttered. Taverns and shops closed tight, as if the town itself was holding its breath.
The only open tavern was dimly lit and nearly silent. Inside, a few peasants whispered nervously between gulps of cheap ale.
"People vanish in the night," one muttered. "No one dares walk after sundown."
"And the estate knights?" Lucas asked, his voice calm.
"Do nothing," the peasant hissed. "They turn a blind eye—or worse…"
When the sun dipped below the horizon, the princes moved.
They approached the estate, shadows drawn long by moonlight. With each step closer, a cold, unnatural energy pressed against their skin—thick, like a fog of death.
Isla narrowed his eyes.
"This isn't just heresy. It's something darker."
Being a master in infiltration,Isla takes care of investigating on his own.Lucas power drew too much attention.He need to deal this silently as he intends to do something more than just judgement.But this part is only known to himself.
He activated his arts.
Heavenly Dark Art – First Form: Nihilist Cloak.
With a ripple of shadow, his form melted into the dark. He slipped through walls like smoke, tracing the layout of the estate. His movements were silent, swift—he was a ghost among shadows.
He found the entrance to the basement. Guarded. Sealed. And worse—protected by advanced alarm magic. The kind only taught in the mage towers of Dracia.
Isla didn't enter. Not yet. He marked every path, every passage—preparing for the ambush.
When he returned to the inn, his expression was grim.
"Dracia is involved," he said.
Lucas sat up, sharp.
"You're certain?"
"Only tower mages could set that kind of ward. This isn't just forbidden research. This is chimera creation. Humans fused with monsters. Abominations."
They formed a plan.
Lucas would storm the basement. Isla would handle the estate's head above. Two blades. One strike.
But before they left, Isla's voice turned icy.
"Remember—no matter what we find… do not kill his first son."
Lucas nodded once.
And together, cloaked by night, they moved out.
Into the heart of darkness.