“Are you sure you found the right twins?” I asked, turning to Iago.

A broad smile crossed Iago’s face as he nodded. “They’re the only dark elf twins we found, and they also claimed the names Leonis gave us.”

“I see... Take me to them.”

Iago bowed and gestured for me to follow.

We ventured down a narrow corridor, the dark walls enclosing around us as we approached a small conference room on the left. The air hung heavy with tension as I stepped into the room. I had to be mindful that I was about to meet children, innocent victims in a world far too cruel for their tender years.

The conference room was modestly lit. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I spotted the twins sitting behind a small table. Their skin was a few shades darker than mine, and they looked to be about my age. The boy’s eyes widened with curiosity, while the girl swiftly looked at the floor the moment our gazes locked.

As I moved to sit across from them, I noticed the girl flinch at the sound of my footsteps. My eyes lingered on her, and I noticed signs of malnutrition. It wasn’t just the girl. Her brother also seemed malnourished. To make matters worse, dozens of bruises adorned the boy’s arms. It was evident these children had endured numerous beatings, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger at the injustice these children had suffered.

I cleared my throat, hoping to ease the tension in my chest. “How old are you two?”

The twins glanced at each other, and then back at me. They looked nervous. They were scared.

“We’re ten,” the boy replied.

A sigh escaped me. “I was hoping you’d say something like eight. I’m tired of being the youngest person in the room, you know?”

The children didn’t laugh at my joke. Their expressions remained serious and cautious. Their solemn gazes chastised me for trying to lighten the mood. I scolded myself inwardly for doing something so absurd. These kids didn’t need jokes; they needed respect. They needed to be cared for.

Without warning, Iago’s fist crashed against the table, causing the twins to jump in their seats. “When you’re speaking to a prince, you address him as Highness! UNDERSTOOD?”

“We didn’t mean to-”

Before the twins could finish speaking, I grabbed Iago by the collar and pulled him toward me. “Can’t you see I’m trying to have a conversation here!?”

“H-Highness?”

“Leave now, before I have you lashed for interrupting me,” I warned, pushing him away.

Iago’s eyes widened in fear, and he bolted out of the room without another word.

The twins, now visibly confused, looked at me with a mix of fear and curiosity. I took a deep breath, attempting to regain control of the situation. “You guys did nothing wrong. I apologize for his behavior. He had no right to raise his voice.”

“It’s alright, Highness,” Cyrus responded.

“No, it isn’t. I promise it won’t happen again,” I sighed. “Anyways, let’s start over! My name is Lucian, and even though I’m a prince, I would like it if you guys spoke casually with me, okay?”

The twins nodded.

“Good. Now that we’ve settled that, there’s one thing I’d like to confirm. What are your names?”

Once more, the boy took the initiative and gestured toward his sister. “My sister is called Nalia, and my name is Cyrus.”

A genuine smile crossed my face. “Good. I’ve been looking for you two... But before we talk about that, I want to ask you both a question.”

The twins’s eyes widened in anticipation.

“When was the last time you had a proper meal? Real food?”

Cyrus opened his mouth to speak, but before he could answer, Nalia spoke up. “We haven’t eaten a real meal in almost two weeks, Highness.”

My fists clenched involuntarily. I felt disgusted by how the Lotus Guild was treating the children. I needed to rectify this immediately. I had to put an end to their suffering and offer them a semblance of normalcy.

“Please call me, Lucian.” I turned to Nalia, offering her a reassuring smile.

Nalia nodded and glanced at her feet. “Of course, High- er, I mean Lucian.”

Nalia’s cheeks turned red, and I couldn’t help but find her shyness endearing. It wasn’t the same kind of fearful anxiety she was displaying a few minutes ago, which made me glad. It was more innocent... For some reason, she reminded me of Debbie...

Stop thinking about her... She’s no longer part of your life!

I cleared my throat, clapping my hands to signal the guards stationed outside.

The door swung open, and a guard entered, the gentle clink of his armor accompanying his approach. “Did you need something, Highness?”

I nodded. “Bring some food for the children.”

“Right away, Highness.” The guard bowed and hurried out of the room as the door closed behind him.

Turning back to the twins, I let out a chuckle. “Since I’m the one who requested the meals, I’m sure they’ll bring something delicious.”

Cyrus opened his mouth to say something but then closed it. Even though his silver hair was covering his eyes, I could tell something was bothering him. He seemed troubled.

“Is everything okay?” I asked, directing my question toward Cyrus.

“I don’t get it...” A cloud of confusion settled over his features, and he absentmindedly scratched the back of his head. “I don’t understand why you’re doing this. I don’t get why you’re helping us!”

Oh... I see what’s happening.

“You want to know why I’m helping you?”

Cyrus nodded.

Leaning back in my chair, I crossed my arms as my gaze shifted between Cyrus and Nalia. I felt lost. I was unsure whether revealing the truth was the right thing to do.

After a moment of contemplative silence, I let out a sigh. Truth be told, I didn’t really care about what was good or bad. As long as telling the truth had no negative consequences on my plans, I was game.

“Your uncle... he’s alive,” I said, watching their expressions closely.

A palpable shock swept over the twins’ faces, freezing them in a moment of disbelief. Previously slumped in a defeated posture, Cyrus stood upright as if jolted by an electric current. His eyes widened with a mixture of hope and astonishment.

“Alive?” Cyrus stammered, his voice cracking. “Can you... Can you repeat what you just said? I think I just misheard you...”

I nodded, a small smile playing on my lips. “Your uncle is alive, Cyrus.”

The words hung in the air for a few seconds, sinking into his consciousness. Tears welled up at the edge of his eyes, shimmering like unshed stars, threatening to spill over.

Without uttering another word, Cyrus enveloped Nalia in a tight embrace and jumped in excitement. As they held each other, tears cascaded down their cheeks, marking the end of a journey marred by suffering and the beginning of a newfound hope.

*             *             *

“Open the door!” I yelled.

The guards rushed towards the steel door, yanking it open. I looked at the twins and saw a mixture of excitement and anxiety in their gazes. Mostly excitement. They were about to reunite with their uncle after all.

I felt my throat run dry as Leonis stepped out of his cell. He looked much better than a few hours ago. For starters, he looked clean, as if he’d just taken a bath. His long hair was tied in a ponytail, and he was wearing a brand-new blue tunic. Even though his face was still a bit pale, it was night and day compared to how he looked before.

“Uncle!” Cyrus and Nalia exclaimed. I felt a smile tug at my lips as I watched the children embrace Leonis.

Turning to Clair, who was standing quietly on the side, I mouthed the words, thank you. While I was taking care of the children, she’d been tending to Leonis. Without her, Leonis would still look like he had one foot in his grave.

Clair smiled, bowing her head slightly.

“I’m so... so glad you’re both alive,” Leonis said, kissing the twins on their foreheads.

“We’re glad you’re alive as well, uncle,” Nalia said.

“What happened to your parents?” Leonis asked, his eyes widening in anticipation. “Did my brother survive as well?”

Cyrus lowered his head as tears started streaming down his cheeks. “If it weren’t for mom and dad, we would’ve been killed... They sacrificed themselves for us...”

“I see...”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything to save them, uncle,” Cyrus whispered.

Leonis patted Cyrus on the head. “It’s not your fault, son. Don’t blame yourself.”

“Let’s just be grateful that the three of us are alive,” Nalia suggested as she hugged her brother.

“Your sister is right,” Leonis said to Cyrus. “Honestly, I think we were lucky... Things could’ve been worse...”

As I watched the heartfelt reunion, I felt a small knot form in my chest. Even though the children didn’t deserve anything that befell them, their uncle was right. They had been lucky. They still had each other.

I knew what it felt like to be alone. There was nothing worse than losing the people you loved. That’s what happened to me in my previous life. Everything I cared for was yanked away from me. Even though it wasn’t until the very end of my life that I realized how truly alone I was, those few seconds had been etched into my soul.

“Highness?”

I blinked, realizing I’d blanked out again.

Clair approached me and placed her hand on my forehead. “Do you feel unwell? You look a bit pale, my prince.”

“I’m fine.” Pushing away all those negative thoughts, I put on a strong front and forced a smile. The last thing I wanted to do was worry her. There were more important matters at hand.

Leonis approached me with a serious demeanor, his eyes reflecting a mixture of gratitude and wariness. “Can we speak in private?”

I nodded and shot a glance at Clair. She understood immediately, nodding back.

“We’ll wait in the lobby,” she said, ushering the twins, Flavius, and the guards toward the staircase. The sound of their footsteps echoed up the stairs as they disappeared from view.

Once we were alone, Leonis cleared his throat, the gravity of the situation evident in his gaze. “I appreciate what you’ve done for my nephews and me. But I know you’re not doing this out of the kindness of your heart. You want something from me.”

I met his gaze evenly, not bothering to deny it. “You’re right. I do want something from you. I want you to serve me.”

His eyes narrowed. “You want me to serve you?”

I nodded. “Temporarily.”

Leonis chuckled, a low sound that echoed through the empty hall. “I’ve been around long enough to know how this world works... Is that all you want from me?”

He was wary, cautious, and rightfully so. The world had taught him not to trust easily.

“I want you to teach me your sword style,” I admitted.

His amusement faded, and he raised an eyebrow. “You want my sword technique?”

“Yes.”

Leonis raised his right arm, showing me the stump where his right hand used to be. “I’m not the swordsman I once was. My dominant hand is gone and my magic core is destroyed. In this weak state, there’s nothing I can teach you.”

I could sense a finality in his words, a conviction that didn’t leave room for negotiation. To be honest, I completely understood him. Besides the fact that his home had been taken from him, everything that made him a swordsman was gone as well.

“Tell him you can rebuild his magic core,” Solomon suddenly urged.

I shook my head subtly. Have you gone mad?! That’s impossible!

“No, it isn’t.”

Yes, it is!

“When have I ever lied to you, Lucian?”

As Solomon’s laughter echoed in my mind, I felt a jolt of shock course through my veins. In my past life, I had spent years researching and traveling all over Earth, seeking a way to modify a magic core. And I failed. Spectacularly. Even though I’d been lucky and succeeded in cultivating an artificial core in this new life, rebuilding a broken core was something else altogether. It wasn’t just unheard of; it was bloody absurd.

“Tell me,” Solomon pressed. “What do I have to say to get you to believe me?”

My eyes widened as I clenched my fists. Although I hated to admit it, Solomon was right. In the two years since we met, he had never lied. If he said it was possible, then it was.

I took a deep breath, deciding to trust Solomon’s claim.

“I can rebuild your magic core,” I declared, the words feeling surreal as they left my lips.

Leonis’s eyes widened, and he took a step back, a mix of shock and disbelief falling on his face. “Impossible...”

“It’s not impossible,” I said, trying to wrap my mind around the enormity of what I was suggesting.

“Yes, it is... What you’re speaking of, has never been done before. HELL, even the dwarves who are decades ahead of everyone else in science and magic haven’t been able to do something like that.”

It was clear that no matter what I said, he wasn’t going to believe me. And I couldn’t blame him. I needed to try a different approach.

“Let’s say, hypothetically, I could rebuild your magic core,” I began. “Would you be willing to enter into a contract with me then?”

The skepticism lingered in his gaze, but there was a flicker of hope. “A contract?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of contract?”

“A soul-binding contract. I want you to become my familiar.”

“There’s nothing in this world that could get me to sign a contract with a demon!” Leonis exclaimed.

“How about we add a few clauses to this contract,” I suggested.

“Huh?”

“I can make a contract that is favorable for the two of us.”

Leonis let out a sigh. “Is a contract really necessary?”

“Yes! That’s the only way I’ll be sure you won’t betray me later.”

“That’s understandable,” Leonis agreed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

I reached into the pocket of my cloak and pulled out the contract I’d drawn up last night. Using my pen, I added the new clauses at the bottom of the page before handing the document over to Leonis.

I watched intently as he scanned the written words, the weight of his decision pressing against me.

“Boundless loyalty, complete obedience,” he read, his eyes narrowing as if probing for hidden meanings. “These last two clauses you wrote, aren’t conditions. They’re promises. It says you’ll rebuild my core and help me avenge my people.”

“Didn’t I say this contract would be beneficial for the two of us?”

“What game are you playing, boy?” Leonis looked up from the paper, skepticism etched on his features.

“No games,” I replied, my voice steady. “I’m offering you a chance.”

Leonis snorted, shaking his head in disbelief. “Let me make something clear... Can’t you see that vengeance only ends with your father’s death?”

A chuckle escaped my lips. “I couldn’t agree more.”

“I don’t understand... What is this? Do you even realize what you’re saying?”

“Yes, I do...” I met the dark elf’s gaze, my eyes reflecting a cold determination. “I want my father dead, too. But to achieve that, I need help.”

“Who are you?!” Leonis asked. “I’ve never met a child with such a murderous look in his eyes.”

I took a deep breath, my gaze unwavering as I nodded toward the contract. “Sign the contract, and I’ll tell you a story that will challenge every notion you have of how this world works...”