"I have brought the magic of immortality, Father."
The real Prince Christian, who had returned, declared this confidently.
He then approached the bewildered king, who did not understand the current situation.
"I'll explain later. Since your condition is critical, I will cast the magic on you immediately."
"No, Christian. What are you talking about? Immortality... such a thing can't possibly..."
But the king had to close his mouth.
As the robed old man who came with Christian grasped the king's wrist and breathed an inexplicable, mystical shadow into him...
"Ugh?!"
Vitality surged through his body, and the overwhelming sickness dissipated.
The murkiness in his mind was replaced with clarity, and the death that had loomed close retreated far away.
"How is this possible... I feel as strong as I did in my prime!"
The king sprang up from the bed in a single bound. The surrounding knights and mages all bowed deeply in astonishment.
"Congratulations on your recovery, Your Majesty!"
"Congratulations!"
The king, testing his newly regained strength by clenching his hands, looked at Christian and the old man behind him.
"Where on earth did you find such magic... and how did you bring such a great person?"
"I have been exploring the Eastern Continent for the past six months. This sage is someone I met there."
Christian briefly explained to the king what had transpired in the last six months.
After hearing the whole story, the king turned to the side in a daze.
"Then, who is that man who has been in the castle all this time...?"
There stood Aider, trembling.
Christian growled coldly.
"He is a fake."
"A fake...?"
"A double brought in by Dirandahi. Quite convincing, isn't it? Even you were completely deceived, Father."
Christian's fierce gaze moved from Aider to Ariel, who was standing beside him.
"And Dirandahi schemed to remove me and place Ariel on the throne."
"...!"
"Perhaps Ariel is also involved in this."
Ariel, standing to protect Aider, urgently spoke up.
"No, Brother! I, and this man, never had such intentions..."
"Ariel!"
It was the king who shouted. Ariel flinched and shrank her shoulders.
The king trembled with a face mixed with anger and disappointment.
"Did you desire the throne that much?"
"No, Father! I..."
"Did you want the crown so badly that you would kill your brother and deceive your father... and this entire nation?"
Ariel's vision blurred as she closed her eyes tightly.
The situation had become extremely complicated.
Although she had no malicious intent, the fact remained that she had lied to the king.
It was also true that Aider, acting as Christian, was intended to put Ariel on the throne.
She had only taken the path she thought was best given the circumstances.
But the outcome was turning out to be the worst possible.
"To deceive your brother, your father, and this entire nation..."
The king's face, believing he had been betrayed by his trusted daughter, twisted in anger and sorrow. He reached out his hand and commanded.
"Sir Baltimore, immediately imprison Ariel and that impostor! And form an investigation team to thoroughly uncover everything about this incident!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The knights bound Ariel and Aider.
"Father, please listen to me! Father...!"
Ariel tried to convey her true feelings until the very end as she was dragged away, but the king had already closed his eyes and shut his ears.
After Ariel and Aider were taken away, the king looked at Christian and smiled benevolently.
"Christian, I have always believed in you."
Christian immediately knelt before the king. The king praised his son greatly.
"And you have repaid that belief. You have saved me."
"I merely attempted to repay the grace you have bestowed upon me."
"Now that you have proven yourself to be so mature, I no longer have any doubts."
Clearing his voice, the king looked around at the surrounding vassals and declared.
"The next king will be Christian!"
"...!"
"I appoint Christian as the crown prince!"
All the vassals knelt on one knee and bowed their heads in unison.
"We accept Your Majesty's command!"
Christian was among them, kneeling at the center.
The king, satisfied, turned to the robed old man who had come with Christian.
"And, sage, thank you for saving my life."
The robed old man, the sage, bowed deeply.
"I only displayed a small skill as an old man."
"How can I repay this grace? If there is anything you desire, just say it. As the king of a nation, I will reward you generously."
"Thank you for your words, but it is unnecessary, Your Majesty."
The old man squinted and smiled.
"The payment has already been agreed upon."
***
Having gained immortality and recovered from his illness, the king began to govern the nation more vigorously than ever.
He, as well as Christian, came to fully trust and follow the sage who had brought the magic of immortality. The sage soon received treatment akin to that of royalty.
Christian, who had come to trust the sage completely along with his father, showed him a facility within the castle as promised.
"His Majesty has authorized me to show this to you, sage. This way."
It was a magical facility built in the deepest part of the castle.
Even in the Lake Kingdom, which stood at the forefront of magical civilization, this facility housed some of the most advanced magical devices. At the center was a large glass flask containing a clear, turquoise magical substance.
"This is the national magic of the Lake Kingdom. 'Prison of the Unconscious.'"
Pointing to the flask, Christian explained.
"Humanity has always been plagued by monster invasions... No matter how many we kill, they keep coming to kill us."
"..."
"So, the first king came up with a plan. To seal away all the monsters we defeated, so they could never revive again."
Christian continued to speak to the sage, who was gazing at the flask in a trance.
"The result of that plan is this. The concept of monsters itself is sealed beneath the dreams of the people of the Lake Kingdom... This is our national magic."
The Prison of the Unconscious, shared by all people of the Lake Kingdom.
Once defeated, any threat that opposed humanity, 'monsters,' were recorded and dissolved under this prison of the unconscious.
"What an incredible magic..."
"Haha. It took dozens of generations of research and refinement to create this magic."
Christian, laughing awkwardly, cautiously asked.
"But, is this really enough? I feel uneasy about repaying such a great favor with just a tour of the facility. Since you saved my father, we can give you gold, jewels, or even land..."
"Haha. That's unnecessary. If you really want to thank me, just let me visit here freely for a few days. I want to study it more closely."
"Of course, I will grant that request!"
Christian then asked carefully.
"After that, where will you go? What will you do next?"
"Haha, well..."
The sage smiled meaningfully.
"What happens next isn't really for me to decide..."
***
A few days passed quickly.
Throughout the Lake Kingdom, rumors spread widely.
The real prince and the fake prince, Ariel's charges of treason, the immortality magic brought by the prince, the king's restored health...
The people were amazed that Christian had truly brought back the magic of immortality, but they were also quite displeased with the decision to make Christian the next king.
"The prince has too much of a rogue nature..."
"And the prince who had changed over the past six months turned out to be a fake?"
"Isn't Princess Ariel much more reliable?"
"She governed the country very well over the past six months when the king was ill..."
"Perhaps Princess Ariel did what she did out of concern for the country's future?"
The atmosphere in the country wavered uneasily.
The king believed that people would calm down and follow in due course, but Christian couldn't bear this atmosphere.
'Even though I found the magic of immortality and saved Father, why... why won't people acknowledge me?'
After much contemplation, Christian realized.
'Yes, even though I found the magic of immortality, only Father received its benefits. That's why the people don't understand the greatness of my achievement.'
So what should he do?
'...If I bestow the magic of immortality upon all the people of the Lake Kingdom, then...'
Reaching a conclusion, Christian clenched his fist.
"Everyone will acknowledge me."
As the king who brought the blessing of immortality to the greatest nation in the world, the Lake Kingdom.
Everyone would acknowledge Christian.
Christian, with a bright smile, did not realize that shadows were flickering in his eyes like never before.
"Sage!"
Christian went to the sage, who was examining the facility known as the 'Prison of the Unconscious,' and immediately made a request. He asked if it was possible to bestow the magic of immortality upon all the people of the Lake Kingdom.
He worried the sage might refuse, but the sage cheerfully smiled and nodded.
"Although it will be quite challenging due to the scale, it should be possible."
"Is that really true!"
"Yes. However, I will need to call upon two of my friends to assist me, as I can't do it alone..."
The sage glanced up at the sky.
"Is that acceptable?"
"Of course! Any friends of yours are welcome with open arms!"
"Good, and..."
By this time, shadows were swirling over the sage's face, and his smile appeared as a white fissure within those shadows.
"There is a 'price' to be paid for such a 'contract,' are you okay with that?"
"A price?"
"Yes, I can't just bestow the blessing of immortality alone; there are other blessings that must be included... There will be about three."
But Christian had already become too blinded to notice the strangeness of that smile.
"Of course, that's fine!"
As long as all the people of this country could receive immortality.
It was worth paying a fair price.
Christian then went to get his father's approval. The king gladly gave his consent.
"Ever since receiving this immortality magic, every day has felt like a dream. It's so enjoyable and refreshing."
With a face more joyful and peaceful than ever, his eyes now shadowed, the king nodded enthusiastically.
"You're right, Christian. I shouldn't enjoy this happiness alone... The entire nation, no! Even the non-citizens! Everyone in the Lake Kingdom should share this!"
The king reached out and patted his son's shoulder.
"To think so much about the people, you will be a truly good king."
Christian smiled in return.
The country would now prosper forever, everyone would be immortal and happy, and he would finally be acknowledged.
As the next king, who led the Lake Kingdom to its greatest golden age...
***
A few days later.
Ariel and Aider, who had been imprisoned, were summoned to the castle.
Despite spending days in prison, Ariel had not lost her composure. However, her appearance was a mess from the hardships she had endured.
"..."
Aider, who had been beaten for daring to act as the fake prince, was in an even worse state. But he couldn't just stand there and watch the princess's disheveled hair.
So, right before entering the castle, while they were briefly being checked at the gate... with careful hands, he combed her hair.
"..."
Ariel did not refuse.
With her hair neatly arranged and her crumpled red ribbon retied, Ariel gave Aider a smile and walked confidently into the castle. Aider followed her cautiously.
"Father! I have something to say..."
Ariel, who had thought through everything she needed to say to the king, tried to plead her case.
But she had no opportunity.
"...?!"
In the audience chamber, a complex magical circle formed of black shadows was inscribed, and three robed old men were chanting mysterious spells, preparing a magic ritual.
And the king, Christian, the mages, the knights, and the other vassals... were all watching the spectacle as if in a trance.
"Father, what is this?!"
Horrified, Ariel tried to intervene, but Christian blocked her with his body.
"Do not interfere, Ariel!"
"Brother! What on earth are you doing!"
"This is a ritual to bestow the blessing of immortality upon all the people of the Lake Kingdom!"
Ariel's eyes widened.
"What?! How could you decide on something so dangerous so easily..."
"Dangerous? What could be a greater blessing than this in the world!"
Christian's eyes, already covered with complete shadows, shone with a precarious smile.
"I will share this blessing with everyone, and then everyone will... acknowledge me!"
"No! Brother! Get a grip-"
"Then, everyone will, love me...!"
And before Ariel could do anything,
"The first curse."
The sage raised his index finger and whispered.
"From now on, everyone in the Lake Kingdom will never die."
The sage's face, now revealed without the robe, was no longer human.
Within the swirling shadows, a white crack formed a sinister smile... 'something.'
Sssss...!
Immediately, a shadow like smoke swirled above everyone's heads and fell down.
Faces of those who received the shadow were filled with joy. Christian, too, shuddered as he felt the immortality magic filling his entire body.
"...!"
And the moment he realized the immortality magic was imbued in his body,
"Aider!"
Ariel turned back and urgently shouted to Aider, who was also shocked by the immortality magic.
"By the authority of the princess, and as your master, I command you!"
The contents were incomprehensible to Aider.
"From this moment on, you are exiled from the Lake Kingdom!"
"Wha...?!"
"You are no longer-"
Desperately, Ariel declared.
"Part of the Lake Kingdom...!"
The next moment.
"The second curse."
The second sage whispered with sinister delight.
"Everyone in the Lake Kingdom cannot leave the Lake Kingdom."
Immediately after,
"The third curse."
The third sage, smiling white with victory, uttered the final curse.
"The Lake Kingdom will sink below the lake...!"