The sight in front of him was surreal.

Something from the other world had appeared here, the one he'd left behind.

It immediately filled him with homesickness and a longing to return home.

"No, something is wrong here. The material used to make this is not paper."

"It's something different, and it's not that old, having been made relatively recently."

He kept it back slowly as he returned to his chambers, observing it quietly.

He didn't want to be seen with it because he feared being recognized by the maker.

He didn't want anyone to find out about his secret.

Not just because he was afraid of revealing his true identity, but also because he wanted to bury his previous identity with himself.

He wanted to forget his past life, not because he disliked it, but because it was difficult for him to forget the good times he had, the fun, the love, and everything else.

So all he could do was bury it deep within his heart.

He walked into his room, still thinking, and closed the door slowly behind him.

What he didn't notice was that footsteps echoed and a person walked near the pile of junk just moments after he walked away.

This person slowly removed the paper balloon from the heap of garbage, dusted it, and then promptly took it.

If you looked closely, you would notice that this person was wearing a brilliant smile.

***

After a few days, the capital was filled with numerous activities and a festive mood.

There was only one explanation for this: the twilight of mercy. It was a festival that everyone in the race looked forward to, and it happened once every decade.

Since ancient times, this festival has been significant and popular.

Most importantly, it was due to the Aasimarian race's insatiable thirst for blood.

Blood, indeed!

And not just any kind of organism's blood, but specifically the blood of archaic beasts or wild beasts with fiery blood.

The greatest delicacy, however, was corrupted creatures. Corrupted creatures are beast-like beings found throughout Essear. They don't have a home, nor do they have intelligence.

They are a group of beings that have no place in this world but can be found almost anywhere in Essear.

However, most of them have powerful abilities that force them to hunt other organisms for food in order to survive.

It is extremely difficult for them to relentlessly hunt these creatures in various other parts of the world, and it is quite an ordeal.

However, it was considered an honor in this country, and people actively sought them out. The Aasimarian race then uses their blood as beverages and their flesh as meat.

Paul had just woken up and had hurried to the dining room, where he had always eaten his meals, albeit alone.

But he was also fine alone because he found it difficult to accept his parents' existence and had never complained about it.

But there was a large crowd in the dining hall today; it was a group of young men and women sitting and talking to one another.

"Ahh! It's Prince Alar, and how wonderful that you've come down here." The gray-robed elder sitting in the center called Paul's name and told him to sit down when he noticed his arrival.

Paul sat down quickly and appeared nervous in front of the crowd.

"Let me introduce you to them all; they are your brothers and sisters, prince." They all have the same father and mother as you and have returned from their territories since the festival began.

Although the Aasimar race did not live as long as the elves, they did live longer than humans.

They lived up to 300 years on average, and, unlike elves, most of them matured much earlier in their lives.

Above all, every member of the royal family was fiercely independent and ambitious.

This was because the crown of the kingdom did not have to go to the king's children in the end.

They could even go to royal cousins and other legitimate descendants, but this rarely happens because it is far more difficult for such a person to succeed in the royal race than it is for the king's children.

However, this made the king's children extremely anxious about their position, and they fought harder amongst themselves to obtain the throne.

"Hello there, younger brother. It's a pleasure to meet you; I'm Ingohil Ravalar, the second prince."

A cool-looking man in a light red suit sitting in one corner spoke gently to Paul.

He was tall and graceful, with silver hair and long, pointy ears.

But what set him apart were his golden-colored eyes and some strands of golden hair in his hair.

"His bloodline is exceptionally pure." Paul mused to himself as he made his introductions.

He had five sisters who all appeared the same to him, but as they introduced themselves, he could sense their own ambition coursing through every word they spoke.

Nellothel, the second princess, in particular.

She was the third child, following the first princess and the eldest, the first prince.

She wore blackish-red armor and had long, unruly silver-black hair. She appeared fierce and heroic, making her difficult to approach.

She spoke with assurance, and her words were direct and to the point.

The first princess, on the other hand, was the polar opposite. Her name was Laserie, and she was incredibly beautiful.

She had a gentle demeanor and resembled their own mother.

However, she had long since married into a powerful family in the kingdom and had settled in the city in which that family held power.

He gradually adjusted and was having a very good conversation with all of his siblings when the doors to the room were suddenly opened, and a man dressed in a loose purple robe rushed in with an apologetic expression on his face.

"I apologize for being late to everyone. I knew we were all going to meet, but I lost track of time at the market.

"There is a lot going on there that is interesting."

He said this as he sat down in an empty seat.

When he saw Paul, he smiled and said, "Hey there, kiddo, I'm your elder brother Galaden Ravalar, the third prince if I remember correctly."

Then he slowly began to eat his food happily, and the room appeared to have descended into an awkward silence.

Paul was taken aback. He was having a good time eating and talking with the rest of his siblings when this person walked in and everything changed.

Just as he was about to say something, he was interrupted by Galaden's voice.

"Ahem, I forgot to mention it, but I am also the future king of Ravalar, just in case that didn't slip through my dear siblings' lips."

Suddenly, the silence was deafening, and the rooms around it quieted down as well.

Before Paul could respond, the entire room erupted in yelling, and utensils shattered on the floor.

Nellothel even drew her sword from its sheath and yelled at him, "Who died here and made you king, you incel!"

As Paul felt a hand pulling him outside, the room descended into chaos.

"You don't have to intervene in their affairs, Prince; simply ignore this. They are people of great power and influence, but they are also constantly fighting one another."

The gray-robed elder dragged Paul out of the room quickly.

"Elder, why are they fighting?" As he inquired, Paul was intrigued by the situation.

The elder sighed loudly and turned to face Paul, saying, "From time immemorial, people have divided their land, separated the world into their own territories that they own."

"But alas, nothing truly belongs to a person, and when they eventually die, someone else gets to own this territory," the elder said as he took him in his arms and walked on.

"This is the glorious legacy that awaits you, my dear prince, but nothing in this world is free."

"The cost of power is greed, greed that blinds the heart and soul of every living being."

As they approached the castle's balcony, the elder gradually became quiet. On the eve of the festival, the city was beautifully and lavishly decorated.

Surprisingly, most of the streets were decorated with white fabric and various decorations that were strangely covered in white.

Paul was thoroughly immersed in this when he casually inquired of the elder.

"How come I didn't see my eldest brother, the first prince, here today, Elder? Is he going to show up later?"

But the elder's face contorted suddenly, and he responded solemnly, "Forget about your eldest brother, Prince."

"He's not coming this time."

Paul could tell there was something the elder didn't want to say, but he didn't press the issue further.

They just kept quietly watching from the balcony as the festival preparations in the capital reached their peak.

The streets and houses had been lavishly decorated. In fact, most people were outside their homes, singing and laughing with their neighbors.

The Twilight of Mercy was about to begin!