The Third Prince Of Darkness

The nature of magic can seem complex at first, but over time, it becomes more understandable. The only thing that allowed me to defeat Limahlat was using my magical power in the most practical way possible. However, in this fight, the dark element, in addition to my other main four elements, was extremely helpful to me. As my dark elemental power grew, I gained new abilities recently.

Specifically, I could now see clearly, even in complete darkness, allowing me to perceive things even at a distance. So I could penetrate very clearly even in the fog, which was a very useful skill.

Of course, since I spent most of my time at the academy developing my other elements, my dark element grew slowly. However, dark element was still one of the most powerful abilities in the world. Naturally, with the current strength of my dark element, I couldn't beat a powerful dragon right now , but the dragon couldn't beat me either

As for where I was at the moment, I was resting on a bed. After my wounds were treated, I was asked to wait, so I had drifted into thought to pass the boring waiting process faster. It seemed that soon I would be given my reward or rewards. Considering that I had been kept here for about half an hour, a guard would probably come through the door soon to inform me.

Knock-knock-knock

When I heard three knocks on my door, I turned my head and looked at it. It was still a bit early for the award ceremony, but I sat up and called out in a muffled voice, "Come in!" The interesting thing was, I felt perfect throughout the entire fight, but now I felt terrible. Every part of my body ached, and I was so tired that I didn't even want to move.

When the door finally opened, Ellera walked in, followed by Kayle, Violet, and Evangeline. My eyes searched for Roxanne, but when Evangeline closed the door, I realized she hadn't come. I had actually seen Roxanne among the spectators during the tournament, but her absence here made me wonder if there was a serious problem.

"Ethan, you were so cool! Watching you jump and fly around to win the fight made me admire you!" Violet said.

I stared at her in shock for a moment. She had called me by my real name, but since I was about to reveal my true identity anyway, I didn't say anything.

"Well, well, well. So, your real name is Ethan... Let's see, two princesses from Asina kingdom and lastly, Princess Evangeline, who is engaged to someone from Asina, is here. Although I haven't heard the name Ethan before, I can guess that you are the prince of Asina, am I right?" Ellera said, looking at me with a slight smile.

Violet looked at me apologetically, but I patted her head to let her know it was fine.

"Yes... I am Ethan Asina Lenistark, the third prince of the Asina kingdom. Now you know my true identity," I replied to Ellera.

Ellera only smiled and took a seat in a chair in the distant, shadowed corner. I then turned to the other two girls, who had remained silent throughout this process. Kayle looked a bit uncomfortable, while Evangeline kept glancing at my stomach and looking away with flushed cheeks. When I looked down, I realized I was shirtless, with my entire upper body exposed.

One of the passive abilities provided by the dark element kept my body extremely healthy... and also, from what I had understood from the nights I spent with Roxanne, it kept me in superhuman health. Anyway, I think Evangeline was probably embarrassed to see my highly developed muscles.

Violet sat down in a chair near me, and Evangeline took another chair. "Are you angry with me for my behavior during the fight, Kayle?" I asked, looking toward Kayle, who stood on my right, opposite where Evangeline and Violet were seated.

"No, I'm not... I'm just angry at myself for being too weak to put up a longer fight with you," Kayle said, lowering her gaze. She was genuinely upset with herself for losing so quickly.

Smiling slightly, I said, "Don't blame yourself; you're not weak... I'm just too strong."

Violet looked shocked by my words and frowned, saying, "Look at this arrogant man!"

Ellera, standing in the dark corner with only the silver rings in her eyes glowing, spoke up, "But he's not wrong. Having witnessed Limahlat's strength firsthand, it's incredible that he won without suffering a serious injury."

Knock-knock

The door knocked twice this time, and I guessed it was finally time. "Come in!" I called out loudly.

When the door opened, I was surprised to see an unexpected visitor. A beautiful woman with golden blonde hair and a with extremely bright blue eyes poked her head through the door.

The door opened, and as Catherine entered, silence instantly filled the room. Her eyes scanned around shyly before she took a few steps toward me and hesitated. Kayle seemed fully focused on her, watching with a hidden jealousy and attention in her gaze, though she didn't utter a single word. As she approached me, she finally managed to say a few words.

"Oh, sorry… I just wanted to congratulate Sir Arthur, but if this is not a good time, I can come back later," Catherine said, a little embarrassed.

"No problem, Lady Catherine," I greeted her with a slight bow, then gestured to a chair with a smile. "Please, have a seat."

Catherine moved forward and sat down, but her tension was evident in her body language. Ellera, from the background, observed her with no trace of curiosity; she was watching, as usual, with a cold and calculating expression. Violet grinned excitedly upon seeing Catherine, but tensed up slightly when she noticed Kayle's intense gaze fixed on her. .net

Evangeline, too, looked at Catherine silently from her seat. Was that a fleeting hint of jealousy in her eyes, or just concern? She maintained her usual distant demeanor, keeping her face expressionless. However, knowing her interest in me now, I could guess that Evangeline was actually quite uncomfortable with Catherine's presence.

A silence settled in the room as all eyes turned one by one toward Catherine. Kayle's gaze at her was laced with irritation and jealousy. The fact that Catherine might be interested in me only sharpened Kayle's already unfriendly expression. Ellera, on the other hand, kept her distance, watching Catherine with a cold demeanor.

In a hesitant voice, Catherine said, "Sir Arthur... I didn't know you were this strong and... impressive," with a cute smile.

Smiling back, I replied, "It's nice to be known this way, Lady Catherine." After my words, I glanced briefly at Kayle. Ellera's gaze, however, was studying me with subtle intensity.

At that moment, Violet excitedly intervened. "Oh, come on, Lady Catherine, we were all a bit surprised after seeing how powerful Sir Arthur is, weren't we?" Her sincerity softened the atmosphere a little. Kayle shot Violet a barely perceptible look, masking her anger expertly, but her movements revealed her discomfort.

Evangeline subtly glanced at Catherine, trying to hide her jealousy behind a distant expression. I noticed the slight jealousy in her gaze and smiled faintly. " By the way, Lady Catherine. You've only seen a fraction of this power, and if we come to an agreement, I'll assist you with both my strength and intellect," I said, giving her a reassuring look.

In the background, Ellera was watching the scene with a slight glint in her eyes. Seated in a dark corner, the silver rings in her eyes seemed to swirl distinctly. Her cold and calculating expression remained unchanged; after all, everyone in the room except her were princesses of powerful nations. Still, I couldn't fully discern what she was thinking.

Her usually emotionless face was even more inscrutable now that she was sitting in the dark.

Knock-Knock-Knock-Knock

When the door knocked again, everyone turned toward it. It seemed that I had quite a few visitors today.

"How many more women will come to visit?" Evangeline asked in a pointed tone.

The person who entered was none other than the attendant assigned to me, holding what appeared to be a garment prepared for me. He looked quite surprised to see so many women—rather, so many important women—gathered around me. "Mr. Arthur, please prepare yourself. Your reward will be presented shortly."

I smiled slightly at the attendant's expression. Indeed, the presence of so many princesses added a unique air to the room and clearly surprised him. I had a feeling that I would experience moments like this, with all eyes on me, more frequently in the future. I glanced at the attire he brought—a grand, heavily adorned garment with golden embroidery.

I wasn't accustomed to such ceremonial clothes, but I had no choice but to embrace the requirements of this prestigious occasion. Also, since I was about to reveal my true identity, there was no issue with being ostentatious.

All the girls in the room looked at each other, and as if they had come to a silent agreement, they all stood up at once. Catherine, Evangeline, and Kayle walked quickly out of the room , while Violet stood next to me, seeming to understand something about the situation. She turned to look at me and smiled meaningfully before getting up and leaving the room.

As for Ellera, she was, after all, still Ellera. She walked with her emotionless expression until she reached the door, but I noticed a hint of doubt on her face when she turned to look at me before stepping outside.

"Here are your clothes," said the attendant, leaving the garments with me and exiting the room, closing the door behind him.