Julian Pierce stood motionless in front of the mirror, his mind still swirling with thoughts about this new world. Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed outside the door, pulling him out of his reverie. Leo Grant gently opened the door and entered, bowing as he reported:
"Your Highness, the King and Queen are here to see you; they are right outside."
As the door slowly opened, Julian saw his father and mother step in. Their benevolent beauty and regal aura seemed to illuminate the entire room. Julian stood up, quickly recalling scenes from historical dramas, and bowed solemnly.
"Father, Mother, your son greets you," Julian, now in the role of Ethan Caelan, said, trying to keep his voice steady but unable to hide his nervousness.
The Queen smiled and approached Ethan.
"My dear Ethan, there’s no need for such formalities. You’ve just recovered; let me have a good look at you." As she spoke, the Queen gently guided Ethan back to his bed to rest.
The King nodded, his gaze stern yet filled with concern.
"Ethan, rest assured I have ordered an investigation into the accident. Someone clearly intended to harm you."
Julian, in Ethan's body, managed to muster a smile.
"Father, Mother, I am fine. It was just a minor injury."
The Queen tenderly held Ethan’s hand, her voice filled with love:
"Ethan, rest and recover. Don’t worry about anything. I’ll have the royal kitchen prepare some nourishing dishes for you."
Julian, feeling the warmth and love from Ethan's parents, was reminded of his own family. He remembered the times his mother cared for him when he was ill and the loving but strict guidance of his father. His heart ached with longing and affection, having not visited his parents for a long time.
As Ethan was lost in his emotions, the King gently placed a hand on his shoulder, his eyes solemn but filled with worry and concern.
"Ethan," the King said gravely, "You must recover quickly. The country needs you..."
Ethan looked up at his father, feeling the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. He nodded, absorbing each word as they sank deep into his soul.
"Father, I understand. I will do my best to recover and help you with the affairs of the state," Ethan replied, his voice full of determination.
The King nodded, his eyes stern but filled with care. He began to lecture, his voice deep and authoritative.
"Ethan, ruling the country is not just about governance but also about sacrifice for the people and the royal family. Governance must be based on the principles of benevolence and righteousness. A good king knows how to listen to the people, when to be firm, and when to be gentle."
The Queen, sitting nearby, listened to every word, nodding slightly. She looked at Ethan with gentle eyes, as if trying to impart strength to him.
The King continued, "You must remember, the hearts of the people are the foundation of the nation. If the people are at peace, the nation will prosper. If the people are not at peace, the nation will fall into chaos. Therefore, you must always prioritize the welfare of the people, listen to and understand their sufferings."
Ethan listened attentively, feeling a profound respect for his father. Julian also realized that in any world, being a king demanded more virtues, sacrifices, and wisdom than he had ever imagined.
"Father, I will remember your teachings. I will learn and strive to become a good prince, contributing to the prosperity of the country," Ethan said, his voice resolute.
The King looked at Ethan with worried but meaningful eyes.
"Ethan, news from the battlefield has been troubling. Our troops at the border have been defeated repeatedly. We are forced to cede three cities to stop the fighting, but to end this war, I must agree to form an alliance with Helios. Besides annual tributes, they also demand a prince of Aria to be sent to Helios as a hostage."
Ethan felt his heart race, sensing something ominous.
"Father, have you decided who it will be?"
The King looked at Ethan, his eyes filled with love and concern.
"Ethan, you know I have no other choice. Crown Prince Nathaniel will succeed the throne, your second brother Alexander is defending the border, and your third brother Sebastian is sharing the governance with me. All of them bear heavy responsibilities and cannot leave their positions."
The King paused, his eyes distant and heavy with worry.
"You are still young and have been frail since childhood, unable to take on the burdens of governance. But you are a prince with many talents and virtues, only you are suitable to be a hostage to bring peace to Aria. A king sometimes has to make the most painful decisions. What father would want to send his child to the enemy? But for the survival of the nation, for the sake of thousands of lives, I have no choice but to choose you".
The king gazed pensively at Ethan Caelan, his face deeply etched with lines of worry and unspoken pain. He sighed, struggling to find words to comfort his son, but each word weighed heavily.
"My hope is that you can understand my heart, Ethan. It’s not that I take you lightly but because I trust you. For the peace of the Kingdom of Aria, for the safety of our people, only you can shoulder this responsibility."
Hearing this, Ethan collapsed to his knees. The image of the cruel tyrant from his nightmare suddenly appeared in Julian's mind—could it be that Ethan would meet him on this journey? Could the nightmare indeed be Ethan's future, which now Julian must bear?
Ethan felt as if the world was collapsing around him. He couldn't believe the words his father had just spoken. His heart raced wildly, filled with fear and panic. His eyes gradually shifted from surprise to horror and anger. His voice, though choked with emotion, was firm.
"Father, please revoke this order! Do you know how cruel the king of Helios is? How can you entrust my life to our enemy?"
Valerius Evander had just finished dealing with the state documents. For the past few days, his mind had been entirely consumed by Ethan Caelan, leaving him with little energy to focus on state affairs. Now that Ethan had finally regained consciousness, it felt as if a massive weight had been lifted from his chest.Eager to see Ethan, Valerius left his desk and hurried toward the Jade Heart Pavilion. From a distance, Doctor Henry Thorne greeted him with a respectful bow and began his report.“Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince, has just finished soaking in medicinal herbs. He is now in the garden, basking in the sun to recover,” Henry informed him.Valerius turned his gaze toward the garden. “How is he faring?” he asked with a note of concern.Henry hesitated before replying, “Your Majesty, his life is no longer in immediate danger. However…”“What’s the issue?” Valerius’s voice betrayed his impatience.“His Highness has a naturally cold constitution. After falling into the lake previou
Ethan Caelan also understood that he had no way to escape Valerius Evander at this moment, nor could he accept the kind of love between men that Valerius spoke of."So… even if I were to die, I can never return to my world?" Ethan thought, despair casting a shadow over him like a suffocating fog.Closing his eyes, he tried to piece together the fragmented memories from his dreams—his mother, lifetimes of suffering, the curse, Valerius Evander, Lucian Evander. They all felt like scattered shards of a puzzle, chilling him to his core." Lucian Evander … the Four Heavenly Dragons… those noblemen… What connection do they have to me? I need to start by understanding them."Ethan struggled to rise from the bed. He had been lying still for far too long. The moment his trembling feet touched the ground and he attempted to stand, his body collapsed onto the cold floor."My legs… why can’t I feel my legs?" Ethan exclaimed, panic lacing his voice.Hearing the commotion inside, Henry Thorne rushe
Lucian’s eyes roamed hungrily over Ethan’s flawless, ivory skin, flushed with an enticing hue that only fueled his desire to conquer. "Look at this… seems like Prince Ethan of Aria is craving me as much as I want him…" Lucian murmured, pressing his lips to Ethan’s collarbone, tracing down to his chest. "Little beauty… I’ll make you feel so good…"“No!... Let me go…” Ethan cried out, trembling.“Let you go? It’s an honor for you to be used by the Four Dragons,” sneered the crimson-moled man. “We don’t often share, you know. You should be grateful we're making an exception for you.”The group of men closed in, circling Ethan. "Aaa… get away! Don’t... don’t touch me…” Ethan struggled, his cries growing desperate."Ethan!... Ethan!... wake up!” A familiar voice cut through his torment, yanking him back to reality from his horrifying nightmare.Ethan’s eyes shot open, his whole body shaking. Terror lingered in his gaze as cold sweat trickled down his face, soaking his clothes. The terrifyi
"Hahaha... resisting only makes you more beautiful, little beauty." He forced Ethan into a rough kiss, one hand gripping him tightly, the other pressing his jaw to force Ethan's mouth open. Seizing the opportunity, he plunged his tongue into Ethan's mouth, invading every corner.Disgusted, Ethan summoned all his strength to bite down hard on the man's tongue, shoving him away. "Get lost!"Interrupted unexpectedly, the dimpled man pulled back in pain, wiping blood from his mouth and snarling, "You filthy whore, you dare bite me?!" He slapped Ethan hard across the face twice: "Smack! Smack!" The blows sent Ethan crashing to the floor, his cheeks immediately swelling with the imprint of five fingers. Dizzy, he tried to open his eyes, but his vision was blurring."Quite the prize indeed, even his kiss has a hefty price," the man with the high forehead commented with amusement.Lucian smirked, watching Ethan. "Pour more wine for him!"Immediately, the man with the crimson mole approached E
His voice softened as he whispered into Ethan’s ear: “It’s my fault, I was wrong… Ethan… I swear I will make it up to you…”Valerius gazed at Ethan, his eyes filled with sorrow and regret. He knew that his words would never be enough to ease the pain in Ethan’s heart. Gently, he pulled Ethan closer, holding him tenderly in his arms.Ethan trembled in Valerius’s embrace, torn by the contradiction within him. Though he loathed the closeness of the man who had once violated and humiliated him, his soul now longed for a shoulder to lean on, someone to help him through the agony of losing his mother, the haunting memories of his own tragic fate through each lifetime, and the despair he felt about the future awaiting him.Suddenly, Ethan wrapped his arms around Valerius, burying his face in Valerius’ chest. It didn’t matter who it was, just as long as someone stayed beside him, offering him warmth to dispel the coldness in his heart.Valerius was stunned for a moment. This was the first tim
But Ethan, with his kind heart, reincarnated quickly. The curse of vengeance followed him through each life.Ethan looked at the scenes of his tragic past, feeling as though hundreds of arrows pierced his heart, leaving him gasping in agony. “Mother… I don’t want to continue anymore. I want to return to my true life, as Julian Pierce.”Victoria shook her head, her eyes filled with tears. “Julian? Look again.”The mist shifted, revealing the blurry image of Julian Pierce at a party, flashes of cameras in his face, deafening music pounding in his ears. Glass after glass of alcohol was offered to him, and he couldn’t refuse. Each sip burned his throat. He felt dizzy, his body losing control, burning up like he was on fire. He tried to stand, but his legs trembled, unable to support him.“Julian, you’re drunk. Let me take you to your room,” came the voice of a film investor.The scene shifted to a lavish room where Julian was surrounded by powerful men. He struggled, resisting with all hi
Ethan Caelan found himself in an unfamiliar place where darkness engulfed everything—a cold, desolate void.“Where am I…?” Ethan’s voice echoed through the empty space, lost and unanswered, as the howling winds seemed to want to swallow him whole.He realized he could no longer feel his body, as if his soul was wandering aimlessly in an unknown dimension, surrounded by thick, hazy fog. He walked unconsciously along an endless path, with no sense of direction or end.Around him, fragmented images flickered—one moment it was him, Ethan, committing suicide in despair, another was Julian Pierce leaping from the top of a corporate high-rise, and another was a young general being executed. These seemed like his past lives, each marked by tragedy. The blurry images and the feelings of hatred and despair were all too familiar, as though he had truly died, and this place… could it be the Underworld?Suddenly, a gentle light appeared far away, as if guiding him. Ethan wandered aimlessly toward
“Could it be... that Valerius loves Ethan?” The thought struck Harrison like a sharp blade to the heart. Everything suddenly became crystal clear. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place in his mind: the night Ethan was assaulted by the Emperor—the same night Ethan had been with Harrison—the sudden imperial decree sending him off to quell the rebellion in Aria, the hostile look in Valerius’s eyes whenever he was near Ethan. It was all for one reason: Valerius Evander loved Ethan Caelan and wanted him all to himself.Valerius sat quietly by Ethan’s side, his once-cold eyes now filled only with regret and sorrow. He leaned down, his lips brushing lightly against Ethan’s icy forehead, feeling the chilling cold that had taken over. Only now, on the verge of losing the one he truly loved, did Valerius realize just how precious Ethan was to him, and how cruelly he had treated him."I was wrong... so wrong, Ethan... Please, wake up." He whispered, his voice heavy with pain. His lips tremble
"Ethan!" Valerius Evander shouted in shock. He rushed over, catching Ethan’s weakened body. His hands trembled as he desperately tried to press against the wound on Ethan’s neck, but the warm blood continued to pour out, staining Valerius’ hands red.Ethan’s body felt completely drained, his phoenix eyes slowly closing as a faint smile appeared on his lips, finally tasting the freedom he'd longed for. The coldness crept in, and darkness began to envelop him.“Fetch the physician! Immediately! Hurry!” Valerius yelled in panic.“Ethan! You can’t die! Open your eyes and look at me!” Valerius pleaded, but only silence answered him.Doctor Henry Thorne was called urgently. As he entered the room, he froze at the chaotic, intimate scene before him—pillows and blankets strewn across the floor, the two men’s clothes disheveled, and blood pooling on the ground.The moment Valerius saw Henry, he commanded, “Hurry! Save him!”Doctor Henry rushed over and carefully examined Ethan’s wound. His voi