Episode 7: Regal Betrayal: Shadows in the Imperial Court

Episode 7: Regal Betrayal: Shadows in the Imperial Court

Burakkuhōru tamashī tensei: Kyōju no tamashī ga i sekai ni suikomareru VII

After a battle that shook countless planets and galaxies, and even caused stars to explode due to the immense power of Sova and Tava, the cosmos was left in a terrifying state. The people of Aelonisova, who watched the fight from space-time distortions hundreds of millions, or even billions, of light-years away, were left truly stunned. If not for the vast distance, Aelonisova would have been obliterated by the sheer force of the battle.

Meanwhile, the headmaster, who witnessed the event, was also shocked. He was grateful that the fight had taken place so far away from the children. Regaining his focus, he returned his attention to the academy's student selection event, instructing his staff to bring out a large stone block to detect the magical power levels of the students.

One by one, many candidates failed to meet the required level for academy admission but were given the opportunity to re-enroll at the age of nine (1 Ovazhila 1 Liv). Those who successfully passed both the magical power test and the written exam could choose between the Quqi (Magical field) or Nolkei (Knowledge field).

Ariana and Yanwe immediately chose the magical field. When it was Yorian's turn, he stood before the choice and asked, "Can I choose both?"

At first, the staff member was surprised and questioned if Yorian was serious. But upon seeing his determined face, the staff member finally agreed. Yorian chose both fields, which shocked the other students and left them with many questions.

The headmaster then announced that all who passed were now officially registered as candidates and did not need to re-register for years, unlike others who typically began enrollment at age six (1 Ovazhila) for a four-year period (1 Liv 2 Virg). Yorian felt happy, as he was among those who received the official acceptance sheets from the headmaster. Ariana, too, was overjoyed. As Yorian pondered what to do next, a question that had been bothering him came to mind: why had Yanwe attacked her own deity?

He tried asking Ariana to question Yanwe, but Yanwe was rude to Ariana, which nearly led to a fight if Yorian hadn't intervened. Finally, Yorian decided to approach Yanwe himself. He walked up to her and asked.

Strangely, Yanwe was unusually friendly towards him and replied calmly, "I admire you. I saw how amazing you are, so I didn't want the person I admire to die."

Hmm... Admiration. I guess I have a fan now. But she's a Tavanist, so why would she protect me? Am I more important than her own deity? Is she a heretic? What is it? Yorian wondered to himself.

"But he's your own deity, you're a Tavanist, aren't you?" Yorian asked Yanwe.

"You want to know so much, don't you? Anyway, I don't care about the gods. You're amazing, and I don't know, I just felt the urge to protect you. Maybe it's because you're a royal asset, but I'm not sure about that feeling. Oh well, thanks for talking to me. It's rare for me to be approached like this," Yanwe said.

Hmm... yeah, she's still a child. It's no wonder she doesn't understand these "strange" feelings. Maybe I should test her. Yorian thought.

"Thank you, most beautiful princess on the continent. I apologize for taking up so much of your precious time," Yorian said.

What will her reaction be? Yorian wondered.

"Eh?! Oh, you're welcome. It's no problem at all. Thanks for the compliment. Even though I get that a lot, it feels genuine coming from you, unlike others. Okay, I have to get back to my guard. I'm heading to the palace. Maybe we'll meet again sometime," Yanwe said, looking slightly flustered.

Hmm... just as I expected. She seems confused, too. Yorian thought.

"Hey, what are you doing talking to that cheap diamond?" Ariana said, startling Yorian.

"What did you just say?!" Yanwe retorted angrily.

"What? All you do is use your privilege. I trained on my own," Ariana said smugly.

"Ugh, here we go again. Stop it! Let's go, no fighting," Yorian said, dragging Ariana away.

"Bro! I wasn't finished!" Ariana complained.

"Even your brother won't let you fight, and you're still trying to pick a fight with people. You're pathetic!" Yanwe provoked.

"Hey, you damned princess!" Ariana fumed.

"I will not let you go," Yorian said, holding her back.

Time continued to pass, and Yorian kept developing his abilities. He traveled across the territories of Aerca—from Ltiktra to Lontra, Pitra, Mendra, Kontra, Isra, and Usra—studying their cultures, technologies, and magical abilities. He honed his skills.

He trained to control the natural and spiritual energy of the Mendra people, honed his physical strength with the Kontra people, engaged in active discussions with the Lontra researchers, learned about marine life from the Isra people, and studied psychology and mental powers with the Usra people, among others.

He trained his Physical, Mental (magical mental abilities), Knowledge, and Magical abilities—a rare feat for anyone. Usually, soldiers only trained physically, while mages focused on knowledge and magic or mental and magic, but Yorian trained in all four, astonishing everyone.

Meanwhile, Ariana trained like crazy to increase her magical power to surpass Yanwe, who was also training to defeat Ariana. They competed fiercely against each other and often fought in the forest while gathering Quts energy. Yorian was always the one who had to separate the two girls.

These events continued for six years. Yorian was now ten years old. He had trained his physical body relentlessly, along with his mental abilities, unlocking Menpos (mental positive) and Meneg (mental negative), which he still found difficult to control. His knowledge of Aelonisova and his magical abilities had also increased to level 35 (pure Quts, not attribute boost).

As Yorian progressed, the two girls who constantly chased and rivaled each other underwent significant personal and physical changes. Ariana, now one Ovazhila and one Liv old (roughly 9 years), was displaying the first signs of her Va Tribe lineage and the instability of puberty.

Ariana's Transformation (The Empress Horns): Framed by her long, flowing snow-silver hair and delicate pointed elf ears, a magnificent set of horns had fully developed. From each temple, the main horns extended horizontally to the sides—hollow cylinders of pristine white that looked like elegant. Intricate gold filigree wound around their surface, pulsing with arcane energy. Within the hollow center of each main horn, a thinner, sharper pale gold core-horn extended further outward, like a lightning rod for focusing Quts transmission. On her forehead, a pair of smaller upright horns matched the golden accents. From the main horns, thin silver chains dangled, suspending three small diamond-shaped crystals that caught the light—reflecting her dual Light and Darkness attributes. A fitting symbol of her complicated nature. This regal adornment marked the accelerating presence of her dominant Va Tribe genetics, which fueled her explosive growth and competitive Kuudere nature.

Yanwe's Development (The Pressure to Compete): Princess Que Yanwe Lin did not exhibit the same physical changes as the demonic Ariana, but her mental and magical growth was equally intense. Driven by a newfound, complicated emotion toward Yorian (a mixture of admiration and a secret crush) and a fierce desire to reclaim her position as the strongest student, Yanwe trained relentlessly. She channeled her Heicain Masu Yooy Oyyo fire attribute, pushing her control to its limit. Her competitive spirit, mixed with her growing pride and aristocratic arrogance, made her a perfect, explosive foil to Ariana's quiet aggression.

These events continued for one Ovazhila. Yorian was now 1 Ovazhila 1 Liv 2 Virg old (10 Years). He had trained his physical body relentlessly, along with his mental abilities, unlocking Menpos (mental positive) and Meneg (mental negative), which he still found difficult to control. His knowledge of Aelonisova and his magical abilities had also increased to level 35 (pure Quts, not attribute boost).

Ariana and Yanwe also reached level 35, the same as Yorian. They continued to fight in the forest while gathering energy, which always left Yorian scrambling to stop them. Their habit was seemingly unstoppable.

Yorian could have entered the academy at age nine, but he had forgotten because he was so focused on his adventure to gain knowledge (a combination of his thirst for knowledge and the wanderlust of a young child). So, he ended up entering late, at the same time as Ariana and Yanwe. He didn't care about being late; the important thing was that he could satisfy his curiosity and competitive spirit.

At that moment, he saw Yanwe, who looked a bit awkward. Yorian thought she was either a fan or had feelings for him, but he didn't pay much attention. Ariana, on the other hand, saw Yanwe and immediately started to act like a dog barking at another dog, ready to fight.

Their words were equally sharp, and their insults made Yorian just shake his head.

"Hey, you spoiled, idiotic princess," Ariana said.

"What, you poor girl? Don't act tough. I'm still stronger because I have better resources," Yanwe shot back.

"Please. You're spoiled. I made it on my own," Ariana said proudly.

"Spoiled? What can you do without your brother, the so-called 'royal diamond'?" Yanwe challenged back.

"What? What can you do without your kingdom?" Ariana retorted.

"Enough, both of you! Can you just be quiet?!" Yorian exclaimed, annoyed.

Yanwe seemed to comply, but Ariana, his stubborn sister, was still defiant.

"Hey, be quiet. Your brother is embarrassed to be breaking up a fight like this, like you're a child."

"Ugh, fine, I'll stop!" Ariana said, frustrated.

Hmm... When will these two ever stop fighting? Yorian wondered to himself.

As this was happening, some upperclassmen who were passing by started gossiping that Yorian was a playboy.

"Look at Yorian, that genius student. He has two girls, and one of them is a princess. He's crazy; he has girls at such a young age," one of them said.

Hmm...? Yorian's telepathy picked up the thought.

"Huh?! Where did that voice come from?" they said, frightened.

It's the guy you're gossiping about. You have no idea how tired I am of breaking up these two so they don't cause a scene at the academy. So, watch your words, you gunpowder-smelling, loudmouthed people, Yorian's telepathy scolded them, annoyed.

Yorian was tired of the people around him, so he grabbed Ariana and went straight into the academy. Yanwe followed them. They ran to the arena, where Yorian let go of Ariana's hand. Ariana, who had forgotten to activate her magical strength, was exhausted from her lack of endurance training, which made Yorian laugh.

Meanwhile, Yorian saw Yanwe enter a room near the gate, probably the noble's lounge, he guessed. He quickly forgot about it and focused on the headmaster's announcement in the field.

"Welcome, students of Yuntanglian Academy, and also all honorable families and guests! Today is a historic day. Today, we welcome a new generation of mages and scholars who will shape the future of the Aerca Continent. All of you here are the best of the best. You have passed the initial tests, proving that you have the potential to be extraordinary. But in this academy, potential is not enough. We believe in hard work, healthy competition, and the spirit of continuous growth. Therefore, today we will hold a class selection through a Magic Tournament. This is not just a battle, but a true test of your skills, strategy, and mental fortitude. The magical power you show in this arena will determine which class you will be placed in. For the top 30 students, they will earn a spot in the most prestigious class, Class A. There, they will receive special education and the best resources we have. Remember, every battle is an opportunity to learn, and every opponent is a reflection of yourself. Show us your true potential. Show us your spirit! Now, let the tournament begin!"

But then someone blurted out, "Sir, what about those who are good at knowledge but not magic?"

"Those of you who are here today are specifically for the Quqi program. The Nolkei program is different. They have five slots, because the number of Nolkei participants is limited. So in each class, there will be 30 Quqi students and 5 Nolkei students," the headmaster answered.

When everything seemed to be answered, the headmaster began. But at the same time, Yorian saw Yanwe leave the royal family's platform. He didn't know where she went, but she left. Curious, Yorian decided to test his mental abilities.

He followed her trail with his spiritual power, and he saw that she went into the headmaster's room. He was confused. What was this royal child doing? He continued to watch with his spiritual power.

He saw her rummaging through documents in the headmaster's room. He didn't know what she was looking for. She kept searching through documents, one after another, until she took one. When Yorian saw it, it was his document.

"Yorian Hadmer Monhaw? Ah, here it is!" Yanwe said gleefully.

He continued to watch her flip through page after page. He saw her smiling, and he wondered about the possible alternatives to her having a crush on him, such as being curious or an excessive fan.

At that moment, he felt the headmaster's aura. Indeed, he was right. As Yorian read his thoughts, he found out the headmaster had forgotten the lottery box. He saw Yanwe still at the headmaster's desk, but he could not do anything as he was in a spiritual form.

Then he saw the headmaster enter. The headmaster was shocked, and Yanwe was also shocked. She dropped his document.

The headmaster was angry and questioned what had happened. Yanwe, with a broken and shy voice, said, "I... I was just curious!" while picking up his photo and running away.

Ugh, what's wrong with her? the headmaster thought, before tidying up the room with his magic.

When the headmaster was finished and had picked up the lottery box, he returned to the arena. Yorian also saw Yanwe back on her noble platform, her face still red. He saw the king and queen looking at her, confused by her sudden shyness.

He heard the headmaster's thoughts, who wanted to talk about the incident but decided against it. Yorian didn't know exactly why, as he couldn't listen for too long without being easily discovered. Meanwhile, he saw Yanwe still trying to avoid her parents' questions about her strange behavior. Yanwe was not a good actress, and it was easy to tell that she was lying.

Ah, whatever. I already know the reason. No need to linger on something like that. I'd better focus on the event, Yorian thought.

When he finally switched his focus back to the front, the headmaster was still shaking the box. When the headmaster drew a name, it was Yorian's. He just accepted it, even though he was suspicious that it was intentional.

The headmaster then drew another name, which surprised everyone: Ran Draven Valerius. He was an upperclassman, but it seemed he was also late to enter, just like Yorian. As far as Yorian knew, he was now 13 years old.

Yorian walked forward, followed by Draven. Yorian saw that he seemed friendly, although the movements of his orbicularis oculi muscles revealed that he was lying.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yorian. A young genius like you shouldn't end up so quickly. But, unfortunately, our destiny ends here," Draven said.

"It's also a pleasure to meet you, Ran Draven, the crown prince of the strongest empire on the continent. It seems my destiny is to fight a strong prince like you," Yorian replied sarcastically.

When the whistle blew, Yorian immediately advanced at an absurd speed, getting behind Draven and intending to strike the Carotid Sinus point in his neck. But Draven quickly stopped Yorian's hand and punched him, pushing Yorian back several steps.

"Your reflexes are fast too, Draven," Yorian said.

"It's my turn," Draven said, and then launched a mental attack.

Yorian initially didn't feel much, but slowly his mind began to feel dizzy. He remembered the traumas and regrets of his old life, which made his eyes want to cry. However, Yorian quickly became aware and looked for a way to fight back. He remembered what he had learned from the Usra people: to fight a mental attack, he had to gather Quts energy within his consciousness and try not to remember things that could shake his mind.

A faint smile appeared on his face, realizing he had successfully neutralized the effect of the mental attack. Then, he remembered the words of the Usra people again: to attack someone's mind, create artificial trauma that can torment them. Yorian analyzed what could have traumatized Draven from the information and gossip he had heard and obtained, which was the fear of being displaced from the throne and the harsh upbringing from his parents.

Yorian then gathered Quts at his fingertips before creating a mental attack magic formation. Draven was shocked. He didn't expect that Yorian was a Formation Frozilx (a term for someone who can control magic and formation). He thought Yorian was just a Frozilx without a formation.

Yorian didn't pay attention to Draven's shock and immediately shot Quts into the formation, which was then processed and released a mental attack version towards Draven. Draven fought back with mental protection, but his mental protection was successfully destroyed, and Draven was forced to remember his trauma.

Draven felt an extremely severe mental torment, while Yorian saw the opportunity to end it quickly. He then moved in front of Draven and struck the Carotid Sinus and Quts meridian points to make his heart (as a channel for blood and Quts) slow down and make Draven faint. Yorian won by using a little magic.

In the VIP stands, Yanwe was astonished. She watched how Draven, the prince who was considered strong, fell in an instant. Her heart was beating fast, not because of the tension of the fight, but because of a strange admiration for Yorian's figure.

He... he is so different. So calm... as if he has already seen everything. What is this feeling? It feels... strange... but I like it.

Yanwe tried to understand her feelings, but she never could. Her feelings were a mix of admiration, a deep curiosity, and an urge to protect Yorian, even from herself.

Match after match, Yorian continued to win. He never used his true power, which came from his Cosmic and Yin-Yang attributes. He only used a combination of basic magic and physical strength, winning every fight with ease. He did this to test how powerful elemental attributes were compared to fundamental ones, though it only served to make people more curious about him.

During his fights, he heard Yanwe wondering, "During the test, the attributes that came out of him were so rare. How did they become elemental?" She didn't understand why he, who could use fundamental magic, was only using basic magic.

He kept winning, easily defeating every opponent, until he reached the final round, where he had to fight his own sister, Ariana. This was an intense fight, as he knew Ariana's strength could not be underestimated. She only used the elements of light and darkness to save energy, bombarding him with light arrows and using small black holes to accelerate them, generating immense kinetic energy.

He dodged and countered her attacks for a while. When she thought his power was about to run out, he teleported behind her and threw her down. He then began to gather a little of his strength to create a small U-DABSA (Ultimate Darkness And Brightness Spiral Attack), which shocked Ariana. She tried to create her own version. They threw their U-DABSA at each other, and a powerful explosion ensued. Ariana's U-DABSA was not as strong as his, because she had not fully mastered the technique yet.

After the explosion subsided, he helped Ariana, who was about to fall into her own black hole. The headmaster announced the results: he was the winner, becoming the leader of Class A, while Ariana became the vice-leader of Class A.

Draven, who had been watching everything from afar, was filled with deep hatred. He could not accept his defeat, especially after seeing how extraordinary Yorian's strength was. He felt that someone like Yorian, with an ordinary background, would become a new prince who would found a noble lineage that would rival his ancient family. This thought only fueled the fire of hatred in his heart.

That night, the academy held a party for the class leaders. Suddenly, from outside the academy, a group of criminals led by Draven attacked Yorian's village. They burned, plundered, and killed indiscriminately.

Yorian and Ariana arrived at the location. "Hey, you fool. What are you doing? Don't you have any mercy?" Yorian said angrily.

Draven didn't answer and tried to attack his mind again. However, his attack was unsuccessful. "You're a monster. Why do you call me a monster? Didn't you kill almost 22 billion souls?" Draven replied.

"You wouldn't understand my reasons for doing it," Yorian replied.

"But we have the same goal, revenge. Why don't you join me? Together, we will conquer the world," Draven urged.

"You are only greedy for power. I worked hard and suffered to make the world better. You will never understand my suffering," Yorian said angrily.

"Hahaha, but your initial goal was also revenge, wasn't it?" Draven challenged.

"I'm tired of your manipulation. I'm going to end your life," Yorian said, creating a gravitational pressure around Draven.

However, before he could do so, troops from Ltiktra arrived. They attacked him because he was about to kill their prince. He fought back and killed some of them before bringing Draven to the troop commander.

"He's the one who caused this chaos in the village. Look at the victims. I also have proof," Yorian said, showing the head of a criminal he held in his right hand.

"Forgive me, my lord, forgive me," the criminal said.

"Answer honestly, was it the crown prince of the Kontra Empire who gave you the instructions?" Yorian asked firmly.

"No, I did not..." the criminal replied, his face pale.

"Are you sure?" Yorian said.

"Yes... he... he was the one who gave me the instructions," he finally gave in.

Yorian immediately threw the criminal away and brought him to the middle of the crowd.

A short while later, at the Aerca Continental Court, located in the capital city of Quezareth, Ltiktra, a heated debate took place regarding the criminal actions of the crown prince of the Kontra Empire.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, I am sorry," the Emperor of Kontra begged.

"We will forgive you on a few conditions," the council said.

"What are they, Your Majesty?" the Emperor of Kontra asked.

"First, your son, Draven, will be imprisoned in Fanzung, a notorious demon island prison. Second, you must pay 150 million Tuqs in compensation for the infrastructure and another 150 million Tuqs for the victims."

For context, 1 Tuqs is equivalent to 0.5 grams of gold. So, 150 million Tuqs is equivalent to 75,000,000 grams of gold, or 75 tons of gold. This amount truly reflects the enormous loss.lf.