When they reached the palace gates, the King and Queen stood at the entrance, waiting to greet them. Novel dismounted his horse and stepped forward, kneeling before the King.
“Greetings to the sun and moon of Astria, Your Majesty,” he said. “The war has ended. We are victorious.”
The King smiled in approval. “Rise, my son.”
The ministers showered Novel with praise, commending his triumph.
Lucian, who had fought the hardest, who had suffered the most, was not even acknowledged.
He had expected it.
But it still burned.
The Queen’s eyes searched the crowd.
Novel saw her longing gaze and spoke, “Everyone has returned safely.”
Lucian saw the moment she found him. Her lips parted slightly, but she said nothing.
She turned away.
Lucian smiled to himself. Nothing had changed.
Outside, Lucian remained with the soldiers. He made no effort to step forward, unwilling to claim a place he was cast away from long ago.
“Lucian!”
Lucy and the others ran to him, throwing their arms around him. Kane, Joe, and Del joined in, their eyes filled with relief.
“You idiot! Why didn’t you tell us you were a prince?!” Lucy demanded, squeezing him tighter.
Lucian chuckled, patting her back. “I didn’t know either.”
The captain approached. “You all deserve rest. Go home.”
Lucian turned to his friends. “Lucy, stay with me for a few days before heading back to the countryside.”
Joe and Kane declined. “We’ll take Del home. His family must be worried.”
With that, they parted ways.
In Southern Palace
Lucian knocked on the heavy doors. A moment later, they creaked open, revealing Chloe. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
“Lucian…?” Her voice trembled before she collapsed into his arms, sobbing. “You came back.”
Lucian held her, his heart twisting at the sheer relief in her voice.
Later that night, after dinner, Lucy found Chloe sitting alone in the palace garden.
“Can’t sleep?” Lucy asked, sitting beside her.
Chloe nodded. “I still can’t believe he’s here.”
Lucy sighed, glancing up at the night sky. “After spending so much time on the battlefield, it’s hard to just… go back to normal.”
Silence stretched between them. Words hung in the air, unspoken. Both had questions but no idea how to ask them.
And so, they simply sat there, staring at the stars, waiting for the answers to come on their own.
After staying for a few days, Lucy finally left for her home.
Meanwhile, the entire palace buzzed with one name—Lucian. Everyone knew he was the one who had slain the enemy king. The news spread like wildfire, yet his name was never spoken in the halls of power.
Then, King Karl of Astria made an announcement.
A grand celebration was to be held in honor of the war’s victory. Kings from other nations were invited, nobles from all over Astria prepared for the grandest feast in years, and Alexzander, the new King of Velkan, was personally invited.
But no invitation was sent for Lucian.
The Palace Prepare for Celebration
The palace bustled with activity. Servants ran back and forth, decorating every corridor with extravagant banners. Gold-trimmed fabrics were draped over the banquet halls, and the scent of fresh roses and spiced wine filled the air.
Five days later, the guests began arriving.
By evening, Alexzander arrived. The Crown Prince, Novel, was there to receive him.
As Alexzander stepped off his horse, his first question was not about the celebration.
"Where is Lucian?"
The nearby servants froze. A heavy silence fell over them.
Alexzander''s sharp eyes scanned their reactions, and his jaw tightened. Something was wrong.
Inside his chamber, Novel finally revealed the truth.
The next day, the grand celebration commenced. The palace was filled with high-ranking officials, noble families, and foreign delegations.
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King Karl took center stage.
With a proud smile, he praised the Crown Prince Novel, recounting his role in ending the war and forging peace between Astria and Velkan. The room erupted in cheers.
Novel stood silently, but his hands clenched at his sides.
Something inside him felt wrong.
No one questioned Karl. No one even asked about Lucian.
Lucy was among the attendees, standing with her family. Joe, Kane, Del—everyone was there.
Everyone except Lucian.
Something wasn’t right.
Lucy’s heart pounded as she scanned the crowd. Where is he?
She turned to Joe and Del. "We need to find him."
The three of them left the celebration unnoticed, heading straight for the southern palace.
The Southern Palace- The place of ruin
The southern palace was nothing more than a decayed ruin. Cracked walls, a collapsed ceiling, and an eerie silence surrounded them.
Lucy knocked on the door.
Chloe opened it.
The moment she saw them, her eyes filled with sadness. But she said nothing—just stepped aside, silently allowing them inside.
The moment they entered, Joe and Del were speechless.
The palace was in ruins. Dark, cold, and lifeless.
Joe exhaled sharply. "Lucy… why did you bring us here?"
Lucy didn’t answer. She simply waited.
Footsteps echoed from the hall.
Lucian appeared, drenched in sweat from his sword training. He stopped when he saw them, surprised.
"If you had told me you were coming, I would have come to receive you," Lucian said with a tired smile.
Joe and Del felt a deep unease. The contrast between the extravagant palace they had just left and this abandoned ruin was too much.
They realized—all the rumors about the royal palace were true.
Chloe brought tea and cookies, and they all sat together. For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—Lucy stood up abruptly.
"Lucian, get up."
Lucian raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Get ready."
Lucian’s lips curled into a small smile. "Where are we going?"
"To the palace," Lucy said firmly. "To the celebration."
Lucian stared at her for a long moment. Then, he laughed.
"Why are you laughing?" Lucy demanded.
Joe and Del exchanged glances. They understood now.
Lucian wasn''t allowed to attend.
After Joe and Del left, Lucy remained.
She wasn’t leaving without an answer.
Lucian sighed and took her to the garden. They sat beneath an old tree.
"Lucy… I can’t enter the palace."
"Why?"
Lucian exhaled. "It’s an order."
Lucy’s hands clenched into fists. "But it was you who fought the hardest. It was you who sacrificed everything. And yet… no one speaks your name?"
Her voice cracked with emotion.
Lucian smiled softly. Someone still cared.
Lucy continued, her voice trembling. "You deserve to stand there. You deserve to be recognized."
Lucian gently patted her head. "Lucy… you should go. If you receive a reward, that would make me happy."
Lucy’s heart twisted painfully.
She wanted to argue—but she saw the exhaustion in his eyes.
Without another word, she turned and left for the ceremony.
A Celebration without a True Hero started
The ceremony proceeded.
One by one, soldiers received medals. The king himself was absent—the captains were awarding them in his place.
Lucy stepped onto the stage. She received her medal—but her heart felt empty.
As she stepped down, her eyes met Novel’s.
She glared.
And Novel knew exactly why.
The families of fallen soldiers received medals on their behalf. Financial support was promised.
And then—one medal remained.
The hall fell into silence.
The noble families whispered.
"Whose medal is that?"
"Who is missing?"
"Who didn’t attend?"
King Karl’s expression remained unreadable. He simply gestured to a soldier.
"Take it inside," he ordered.
And the celebration continued.
As if Lucian Al Pestelio had never existed.
Novel’s eyes scanned the hall. Laughter. Celebration. False smiles.
Everyone was enjoying the moment—ignoring the truth.
His hands clenched into fists. No one questioned it. No one asked.
Then, his gaze met Alexzander’s.
A silent nod.
Taking a deep breath, Novel stepped forward.
His voice rang through the hall.
"I want everyone to look at me."
The chatter died instantly.
All eyes turned toward him.
Novel’s heart pounded against his ribs, but he didn’t stop.
"This war… was not easy."
His voice was steady, but his hands trembled slightly.
“We fought against a merciless king. A tyrant who ruled with fear. A monster that seemed unstoppable."
His eyes flickered toward King Karl.
Karl’s expression darkened.
But Novel did not waver.
"Yet—we won."
A ripple of cheers erupted.
But Novel’s next words silenced them.
"And you believe it was my victory?"
The room fell into stunned silence.
Novel exhaled sharply and looked directly at his father.
Karl’s jaw tightened. His grip on the armrest of his throne whitened with fury.
Novel’s voice wavered slightly, but he forced himself to continue.
"You think I am the one who killed the King of Velkan. You think I led this battle alone. But the truth is—"
Karl’s stare burned into him.
A silent warning.
Don’t say it.
Novel’s breath hitched, but he pushed through.
"It wasn’t just me.
Many soldiers fought. Many gave their lives. Some endured horrors beyond imagination. Some—"
He swallowed hard.
"Some were tortured to the brink of death.
"We thought we lost them—but they came back alive" His voice broke slightly.
The hall remained dead silent.
The truth hung on the edge of his lips.
He could say it. He could finally speak Lucian’s name.
But Karl’s eyes bore into him like daggers.
A single word—and everything would collapse.
So Novel hesitated.
Just for a second.
And then—he looked at the soldiers.
The men who had fought. The ones who deserved to be honored.
"I would like to offer my deepest gratitude to each and every soldier who fought for this kingdom."
The hall exploded with cheers.
"LONG LIVE THE ASTRIA KINGDOM!"
"LONG LIVE THE CROWN PRINCE!"
Novel stood frozen.
He had said it for them.
For all of them.
But as the cheers thundered around him—he felt hollow.
Because he knew whose name should have been spoken?
And yet—it never was.
Lucy heard him, her anger softening.
Novel had not said Lucian’s name.
But deep down, she knew who he had been speaking for.