"Darling."
Rowan snapped his eyes open when he heard the melodious voice. He immediately looked around, ignoring the pain that felt like crushing his bones and twisting his insides. He came to the realisation that he was back in his room.
A sense of deja vu flooded his whole being as he slowly got up from his bed. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. It was followed by Somir's voice.
"My Prince. His Majesty, the Emperor, wished to come in."
Rowan narrowed his eyes. Despite his desire for solitude, time seemed to prevent it.
"Enter," he responded with a cold voice.
When the door opened, the Emperor, along his two personal guards, came in.
"Leave us." With a wave of his hand, the two guards bowed first before walking out of the room, closing the door behind them.
Finally left alone, the duo simply stared at each other, a pregnant silence filling the air. If there was a competition for staring at each other longer, then they would surely be the champion.
After awhile, the Emperor finally sighed. No matter how grave his son's sin, he would never let anything harm the boy. However, it would not be fair for the other party if he did not give any kind of punishment for what he has done.
He narrowed his eyes. In front of him was the same little boy who came to see him just a few days ago. However, looking into his eyes, he knew that something about him was now different. Gone was the boy that he knew. The one in front of him reminded him of someone who had undergone a significant change in personality.
"Do you have something to say?" The Emperor asked in a monotone voice. He needed an explanation, and he would not walk out of there until he was satisfied with his son's answer.
Instead of answering, Rowan just stared at his father with a blank face.
"Speak. What am I going to do with you now?" Seeing the indifferent look on the boy's face, the Emperor enquired. He wanted to figure out what he was thinking at the moment.
"It would be your choice, Your Highness." Rowan stared intently at his father. "If you wanted to claim my life as compensation, then do it as soon as possible before I change my mind. I really do not care. However, ultimately, I valued my words as much as my life. Once I said something, then I would travel to the ends of the world just to fulfil it," Rowan replied flatly.
The Emperor could only stare wide-eyed at the boy. He certainly did not anticipate receiving such a response from the him. He took a step forward, trying to reach out, but Rowan quickly dodged out of his way.
"What happened to you, my son?"
"It's simple. I stopped being a kid and finally realised what I truly wanted to do with this life."
The Emperor's brows raised. "And what might that be?"
Instead of answering, Rowan ambled towards the open window. Not minding the cold breeze that smashed on his body, he continued to stare at the blankets of endless stars that stretched to infinity.
"Your Highness, as you stared into the vast sky, have you ever asked yourself about the most powerful magic that this world has to offer?"
"What?" The Emperor was definitely taken aback by the sudden question. He had no idea where this talk would lead them; however, if he wanted answers, then he must finish this conversation. The answers to his questions might be somewhere in between the lines.
"Is it time? No. Wait. The most powerful would be to possess the five main elements," he replied in a random manner. He was genuinely unaware of what his son was trying to convey.
"You are correct, but incorrect at the same time. Although controlling all elements made you strongest, it had many drawbacks."
The Emperor's eyebrows lifted slightly. At that moment, a wave of laughter surged through his chest. However, he quickly restrained himself upon seeing the blank face of his son.
"Ahem! You are saying?"
"As I was saying, the greatest magic lies within your own heart. Over time, many things may change. However, when you have a firm heart, you would be indestructible."
The Emperor listened attentively, his eyes widening. He definitely did not expect what he just heard. Despite being a seasoned emperor, he felt inferior to his barely ten-year-old son. Walking towards the window, the Emperor thought about the boy's answer. This conversation actually piqued his interest.
"If I might ask, how could one truly become powerful just by having a firm heart and beliefs?" he questioned. A note of incredulity still lingered in his voice. He glanced at the boy, and the lackluster expression in his eyes worried him.
"Your Majesty. No one was born with a golden will and a firm heart. To achieve the greatest power, one required an immovable heart that had experienced passages of time and endless tribulations. There was no shortcut. The journey towards this goal was arduous and full of unimaginable sufferings. Not everyone could succeed. Only those who do not forget their most primal desires would be able to stay firm and finally achieve godlike powers." Rowan looked at his father and answered nonchalantly.
By this point, the Emperor was struggling to internalise the words. Such words had deep meanings, and only the wise old men could understand. However, his young son could easily say something like this. He was rendered speechless as he stared at the boy.
"How… what…" He wanted to say something; however, no voice came out of his mouth.
Seeing his father's expression, Rowan continued.
"Many people praised me for my excellent talents and achievements at such a young age. However, compared to a true veteran, I am still too young and inexperienced to actually achieve such arduous pursuits. For now, my new goal was to have an unswayable heart to be able to refuse all temptations and resist my inner demons. "I wanted to be able to battle despair and peril as I tread forward on my own path without looking back."
The Emperor's mouth opened, as though he wanted to say something. However, his mind remained blank, prompting him to close his mouth. He grabbed on to the edge of the window to keep himself from falling.
Listening to his words, he actually had a moment of reflection. Slowly, he caught sight of the sun's edges, long concealed by the storm.
When he was still young, his father, the previous Emperor, would sometimes talk about the ultimate power there was. He often heard him talk about the indomitable and immovable heart being the most powerful thing that this world has to offer. However, he was naive and full of arrogance back then. He firmly believed that a mage with twelve mana rings and a level ten swordman was at the apex. When he finally became an Emperor, everything changed. Before his very eyes, the world seemed to get bigger than he actually thought. At first, he struggled to maintain control over his empire. Failing decisions one after another, he resorted to tyranny in order to have complete control.
The Emperor carefully absorbed all of the information as they both stared over the horizon.
"What do you plan on doing now, my son?" After some time, the Emperor inquired with a tinge of emotion. Based on his understanding of the boy's words, he likely felt a strong desire to depart.
"I wanted to find and create my own destiny. I wanted to experience what this world has to offer in order to achieve my ultimate goal. Numerous obstacles impeded my potential in this place. I'm uncertain about the duration of my journey, but I would tell you one thing. The next time we meet, I would not be the same prince you know.
After hearing this, the Emperor gently sighed. Knowing him, he would do as he pleased, even if he did not permit it. He gently patted Rowan's shoulders.
"Then you have my permission. Please know that I will always be here to support you in all your life decisions, as long as I have breath left in me. I am confident that Princess Ophelia would be immensely proud of you at this moment." Though he wanted him to stay, he did not want to become an obstacle to his son's ability to achieve his dreams. He pondered for a bit before asking, "when will you leave? I would ask Captain Barrion to accompany you in your journey."
"No. I do not need any assistance on this trip. To achieve my goals, I must confront all challenges independently. If I failed, then I shall face the consequences alone."
A small smile suddenly appeared on the Emperor's face. 'Are you watching this, my Ophelia? I don't know what happened, but our son has really matured.'
"Your Majesty, if you please, I am still tired and want to rest before preparing for my trip."
"Of course. Then I would leave you to your thoughts."
Rowan was taken aback when the Emperor suddenly hugged him. This was the first time since his birth that he had ever received such gestures from this man.
With a slight nod, the Emperor finally made his way out, leaving Rowan with a slight wide eye as he stared at his father's back.
"What was that?" Rowan quickly shrugged his shoulders. He once again focused his attention towards the horizon.
"If only you were here with me, my Kally. Then I would take you to see the most beautiful places and experience a lot of things that this world has to offer. I would also make sure that we create endless memories with just the two of us." His face was etched with a bittersweet smile as he imagined her smile. She was the most gorgeous and enigmatic girl he had ever met.
He sighed before going back to his stoic demeanour.
"Barrion!"
"I am here, My Liege." With a loud thud, the door suddenly opened. It revealed Somir in his formal attire.
He quickly walked forward and kneeled in front of his prince.
"What are your orders, My Prince?"
"Go and get me the fastest horse."
"Where are you going at this hour, My Prince?" Somir couldn't resist the urge and enquired.
Instead of answering, Rowan stayed silent. He just continued to stare at the horizon.
When Somir saw this, he already understood the message. "Then I would have it ready in 15, My Prince." Without wasting time, he quickly walked out of the room with only one thing in mind.
'Why am I worried? I almost forgot that the kid was also a monster!'