Sunlight streamed into the carriage, illuminating Lidien's face as he stared out at the passing world.

Mad Dog hadn't disappointed his expectations. A single day was all it had taken to locate his escaped test subject, and now the news was pulling Lidien from his silent convalescence, as he traveled towards where Nyomi lived with her brother.

The sound of the hooves and the carriage wheels on the uneven stone road made him uncomfortable, as did the stares of the people looking at the carriage with naked disgust.

Lidien knew someone was framing him regarding the heart-eating incidents, because they used the news that spread like wildfire that Lidien ate his enemies' hearts, and the subsequent people who lost their hearts were the women who had read to him.

However, the news that he was resting in the Rift of the Shattered Mirrors didn't come out, as this would show weakness rather than helping him clear his name... and during his time resting, the killings didn't stop.

People were randomly killed and had their hearts pulled out in the alleys, and no matter how the soldiers tried to hide the incidents, it always came out.

And the blame was always pointed at their Prince... the Heart Eater.

Aria, who was with him inside the carriage, could not help but laugh; though she knew that it wasn't Lidien who did the killings, she didn't do anything... for it was not her problem to begin with.

"I heard some of the women in the Knowledge Spire call you The Casanova..." Aria continued her laughter.

"You literally pulled their hearts out!"

Lidien's eyes relaxed while staring at her.

Even if his name was stained, Lidien didn't care... for his past life was much worse in regards to soiling his reputation.

But not caring didn't mean he was not getting affected by it, and that silent irritation made his blood boil, partially transforming his dark eyes crimson.

'Don't let me find you... because I will literally pull your heart out in front of everyone, and eat it.'

Time passed, and the carriage stopped on a muddy road, where almost thousands of different kinds of houses made of improvised walls and roofs built tent-like shelters.

Everything stank, from the ground to the air, as Lidien could see the miasma of the smell.

Elders slept on leaves just enough to fit themselves on them, as the flies touched their skin like their kin; they were all used to it.

Even children here the same age as him looked deader, and if not... like predators waiting for their prey.

His gaze then fell upon a woman, humming softly as she cradled a bundle.

It took him a moment to understand--the flies orbiting the small, still form, the grayish tint to its skin.

'It's dead...'

Yet, the woman gently kissed its forehead and touched its nose, a smile of heartbreaking delusion on her face.

Though Lidien had lived in a slum, he couldn't help but compare himself to them, as he was luckier living in the modern days compared to here having sickness because of filth.

Lidien proceeded inside the slum, while Aria didn't even step outside of the carriage from disgust, and even commanded the coachman to leave.

Leaving Lidien alone, and that's what he wanted.

As he walked, a soldier stopped and bowed before him.

"My Prince... please follow me."

The soldier stared, his eyes widening in undisguised shock. That the Prince could endure a stench potent enough to kill a common man... it was unthinkable.

"Proceed. Don't waste my time." Lidien's voice cut through his awe like a whip.

As they proceeded deeper into the slum, people looked at them with their predatory gaze, however no one tried to attack them, as the fear of being killed without a burial sunk in their minds.

That's the authority a uniformed soldier has; it separates the slave from normal clan folk, even if it's just a cannon fodder.

Well, slaves still have a use, and for those desperate enough, soldiers hire them for just a single merit slip.

Males being bait for killing magical beasts around the Blood Rose Clan, while females serve as prostitutes easing someone's needs.

'This was the price of defeat.'

Life inside the Clan, especially for the Tribes that have been captured after the Blood Rose Clan's establishment, introduced a new round of hardships.

Unlike the Tribes who willingly surrendered to the Blood Rose Clan at first, they became exclusive members of the Clan, divided into ten founding tribes, besides Lady Rose's family.

These tribes could offer their suggestions for changes they wanted to be made, however, it's still Lady Rose's decision if it would be approved or not.

Yet, no matter how much these Ten Tribes try to expand, they still couldn't get free from Lady Rose's hands, since one wrong mistake would let their tribe be wiped out and be replaced with a new tribe.

After walking for some time, the soldier stopped and stared at the door made out of dilapidated and dirty fabric.

Lidien could imagine the cold outside, for he could see the fabric flapping every time a small wind blew.

The soldier didn't knock; he immediately entered and secured the perimeter... shouting at the thin man inside to kneel, without a fight.

Without a warning or an invite, Lidien got in... and stared at the thin man, or rather, the matured-looking face of a child, that looked much older than him by just a year.

He stared at Lidien with cold eyes, full of hatred.

As he hissed at him, the soldier hit his head with a hilt.

"Stop. Don't kill him."

Lidien walked towards the lying child, and crouched in front of him... then he smirked.

Not a taunt, but regret.

Then his eyes gazed at the bed at the side,

There he saw Nyomi... still lying peacefully.

Lidien stood, as he walked towards Nyomi while gripping his hand so that it bled non-stop.

"My... Prince... do you... want me... to read... for you?"

Lidien smiled...

Not at the woman lying on the bed, but at the ghost sitting beside it.

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