The library had become quieter than before, the heavy silence broken only by the soft scraping of wooden chairs and the occasional rustle of ancient parchment.
The curious student sat at the same wooden table, buried behind a mountain of leather-bound volumes.
His tired companion had vanished between the towering, shadow-draped shelves for several long minutes before his voice echoed down the dusty aisle.
“Hey.”
The curious student looked up, wiping a trace of dust from his forehead.
“What?”
“I found the next chapter.”
The tired student emerged from the darkness of the stacks, carrying another enormous, heavy volume tucked under his arm.
The curious student immediately leaned forward, eyes gleaming with excitement.
“Really?”
“Yep.”
He dropped the massive book onto the wooden table with a heavy thud, sending a faint cloud of dust swirling into the air.
The title was stamped into the leather in faded gold letters:
THE FIRST SMILE.
The curious student smiled, running his hand over the cover.
“Let’s see what happened to Nihil.”
The tired student collapsed heavily into his chair, rubbing his aching eyes.
“Hopefully nobody dies this time.”
The curious student turned the thick cover.
The pages rustled crisp and clear.
And history continued.
I — THE PRODIGY OF AUGUSTUS
Nihil was eight years old.
By then, his reputation had spread like wildfire across every territory of the Augustus Empire.
The young prince was no longer simply known as the strange, hollow child who had been born without truly being born—the boy whose birth had lacked a single cry or spark of human heat.
Now, he was known as a prodigy.
His elite tutors had gradually stopped comparing him to other children or even to historical scholars.
There was simply no baseline to measure him against.
Nihil excelled effortlessly at everything placed before him.
Politics.
History.
Languages.
Law.
Military strategy.
Etiquette.
Magic theory.
Economics.
Diplomacy.
Every subject, no matter how complex or convoluted, seemed to become pathetically simple the moment he grasped its underlying logic.
And despite his absolute mastery, Nihil never demanded anything.
He never asked for praise.He never asked for gifts or titles.He never complained about difficult lessons or endless hours of study.
He simply absorbed information and moved on.
One crisp morning, a royal messenger arrived at Nihil’s private manor, bowing low in the hallway.
“Prince Nihil.”
Nihil looked up from a massive treatise on ancient naval trade routes.
His mismatched eyes were calm and unblinking.
“Yes?”
“His Majesty requests your presence at the imperial palace immediately.”
Nihil closed his book without marking the page—he already memorized every word.
“Understood.”
He stood up, smoothing down his velvet tunic.
“Prepare the carriage.”
II — THE CARRIAGE
The gilded royal carriage arrived at the manor courtyard shortly afterward.
Nihil stepped outside into the chilly morning air.
His household staff stood lined up along the stone steps, waiting to see him off.
Among them was his head butler—a sharp-looking man in a flawless black tailcoat, his white gloves immaculate.
The man bowed deeply.
“Young Master.”
Nihil paused on the steps, looking up at him.
“Yes, Sebastian?”
The butler froze instantly, his bow halting mid-air.
“…Young Master, everything is fine and well.”
Nihil stared at him, his face expressionless.
The butler let out a quiet, suffering sigh, straightening his back.
“My name is not Sebastian.”
Nihil blinked once.
“Oh.”
He looked at the butler again, analyzing his face as if looking at a newly discovered map.
“My apologies.”
A short, awkward silence settled over the courtyard.
“Mashalous, I suppose.”
The butler’s expression became even more complicated, his eyebrows twitching slightly.
“Still not quite, Young Master.”
Nihil remained completely calm, unfazed by his own mistake.
“Names are meaningless things to remember.”
The butler said nothing, maintaining his polite posture.
“They are simply a method humans use to call someone,” Nihil continued, resuming his walk toward the carriage steps.
“But they are completely useless beyond that.”
He paused near the carriage door.
“We don’t need to remember so many names.”
The butler followed two paces behind.
“Even though I have unlimited memory, I don’t want to waste space saving useless information inside it,” Nihil muttered, giving a faint shrug.
“Well.
Leave it.”
Nihil turned around and looked at the man carefully once more.
“Mr.
Noctis, I suppose.”
The butler bowed his head with relief.
“Yes.
That is correct, Young Master.”
Nihil nodded slowly.
“Now that I remember…” He examined the man’s posture, his razor-sharp instincts kicking in.
“Noctis is one of the high noble house lines associated with the ancient dragons.”
“Yes, Master.”
“A rival clan to the House of Augusta.”
“That is correct.”
Nihil tilted his head, his mismatched eyes gleaming with quiet curiosity.
“Then why are you working as my butler?”
The butler offered a small, polite smile, adjusting his white silk gloves.
“Simply because you pay me far more than I could ever ask for anywhere else, Young Master.”
He smoothed his lapels.
“And it is remarkably safe here as well.”
Nihil gave a single nod.
“I see.”
He turned back toward the open door of the carriage.
“Now, what did you bring me?”
The butler reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a sealed parchment.
“A letter, Young Master.”
“News, or a personal letter?”
“A letter.”
“Give it to me.”
The butler handed it over respectfully.
Nihil examined the dark wax seal.
His mismatched eyes remained unreadable.
Then, with a smooth motion, he broke the seal open and glanced at the contents.
“Interesting.”
He folded the parchment and slipped it inside his coat pocket.
“I’ll read the rest later.”
The carriage doors closed with a soft click.
The horses began to move, their hooves clattering against the cobblestone street as Prince Nihil traveled toward the imperial palace.
III — THE KING’S DECISION
The imperial palace was already arrayed in full formal protocol for his arrival.
Nihil walked down the long carpeted aisle of the throne room, his small footsteps echoing against the towering marble pillars.
Aurelius Augusta Devurex IX sat upon the grand imperial throne, his presence heavy and imposing.
Queen Liliyana sat near his right hand.
Queen Ilyra stood gracefully to his left.
Prince Kaelen and Princess Eleanor were also present, watching their younger brother with warm interest.
Nihil stopped before the foot of the throne and bowed with flawless precision.
“Father.”
Aurelius inclined his head.
“Nihil.”
Nihil stood quietly, waiting.
“There is something important we must discuss,” Aurelius spoke, his deep voice carrying across the chamber.
“Yes.”
Aurelius glanced toward the two queens before looking back at his youngest son.
“You are eight years old now.”
“Yes.”
“You understand the weight and importance of political relationships within the empire.”
“Yes.”
“The House of Vaelis is one of the most powerful and critical noble houses bound to our crown.”
Nihil remained silent, listening.
“Their young daughter is Lady Seraphina von Vaelis.” Aurelius paused, leaning forward slightly.
“I have decided that you will become formally engaged to her.”
Queen Liliyana immediately turned toward her husband, her eyes widening.
“What?”
Queen Ilyra raised a fine eyebrow, a hand coming up to rest on her hip.
“Already?
He’s barely grown!”
Aurelius let out a breath.
“It is a necessary political engagement to secure the eastern front.”
Liliyana looked down at Nihil, her motherly instincts flaring.
“He is still a child, Aurelius!”
“I am aware.”
“And you are asking an eight-year-old boy to accept a marriage arrangement?”
“An engagement,” Aurelius corrected gently.
“Not an immediate marriage.”
Liliyana crossed her arms, her posture stiffening.
“That is still a marriage arrangement!”
Ilyra quietly laughed, covering her mouth with her sleeve.
“Here we go again…
You two are going to start arguing in front of the entire court.”
Liliyana shot her a sharp look.
“You are not helping, Ilyra!”
Nihil watched the exchange in complete silence, his eyes darting between his mothers and his father.
Aurelius turned his attention back to his youngest son.
“Nihil.”
“Yes, Father?”
“Do you object to this arrangement?”
“No.”
Liliyana turned her head sharply, staring at him.
“No?”
Nihil gave a polite, firm nod.
“If the alliance benefits the House of Augusta and secures the empire, I accept without hesitation.”
Ilyra smiled, shaking her head softly.
“Of course you do…”
Liliyana’s intense gaze softened, replaced by a painful, tender warmth as she looked at her son.
“My son…”
Nihil looked back at her calmly.
“I am not troubled by this, Mother.”
Liliyana let out a heavy sigh, looking away toward the stained-glass windows.
“That is what troubles me most.”
IV — THE OTHER PRINCE
As the tense moment passed, the atmosphere in the throne room lightened.
Prince Kaelen suddenly spoke up from the side, a grin breaking across his face.
“I still think Nihil is handling this whole engagement thing way better than I did!”
Princess Eleanor smiled, looking at her older brother playfully.
“That’s because you threw a complete tantrum and rejected your own engagement, Kaelen.”
King Aurelius looked toward his eldest son, rubbing his temples.
“Yes…
you certainly did.”
Ilyra let out a light laugh.
“And tell us again, Kaelen—why exactly did you reject the daughter of the Grand Duke?”
Kaelen’s ears turned bright red, looking deeply embarrassed.
“I told you all already!”
Liliyana smiled, a rare spark of mischief in her eyes.
“We want to hear it again.”
Kaelen groaned, looking down at his boots.
“I want to marry someone I saw in my dreams!”
Silence swept through the throne room for a split second.
Eleanor covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking violently with suppressed laughter.
Ilyra immediately broke into full, ringing laughter.
King Aurelius rubbed his forehead, looking exhausted.
“Your…
dreams?”
“Yes!” Kaelen insisted defensively.
“From your supposed past life?”
Kaelen nodded stubbornly.
“I know what I saw!
She’s out there somewhere!”
Eleanor shook her head, tears of laughter in her eyes.
“You rejected an entire political alliance with a Great House because of a mystery girl from a dream?”
“Yes!”
“That is completely ridiculous, Kaelen!”
“I don’t care!
I’m holding out for her!”
The royal family continued teasing him, their laughter and warm arguments filling the high vaulted ceilings of the hall.
Nihil watched them silently.
He watched Kaelen reddening with playful anger.He watched Eleanor laughing until her sides hurt.He watched his mothers sharing an amused look.He watched his father’s stoic face soften with pride.
And then—
Nihil smiled.
It was tiny.Polite.Gentle.Almost impossible to notice unless you were looking directly at his face.
But everyone noticed.
The laughter in the throne room vanished instantly.
Nihil looked toward his flustered older brother, his voice smooth and clear.
“That’s fine.”
Kaelen froze, his mouth staying half-open.
Nihil continued to look at him, his small smile remaining fixed on his lips.
“Live your life, Brother.”
The smile stayed, soft and pure.
“Let me handle everything boring.”
Kaelen stared at him, completely speechless.
Nihil lowered his head slightly, his tone carried an unexpected, profound weight.
“Be happy.”
He paused, looking at the warm sunlight streaming through the stained glass.
“Life is small.”
Nobody spoke.
The silence in the throne room was absolute.
Within seconds, Eleanor’s eyes filled with sudden, uncontrollable tears.
Liliyana covered her mouth with both hands, her heart breaking and swelling all at once.
Ilyra turned her face away, wiping a tear from her cheek before anyone could see.
Even King Aurelius lowered his regal gaze, his shoulders dropping slightly.
Kaelen’s expression trembled.
He took a hesitant step forward, his voice cracking.
“Nihil…”
Nihil looked back at him, blinking his mismatched eyes in confusion.
“Why are you all crying?”
Eleanor let out a soft, watery laugh through her tears, wiping her face with her silk sleeve.
“Because…
because you smiled, Nihil.”
Nihil blinked again, utterly baffled.
“So?”
Liliyana couldn’t hold back any longer.
She stepped down from the dais, knelt on the cold stone floor, and pulled her eight-year-old son into a tight, trembling embrace.
Nihil stood completely still inside her arms.
After a few seconds of silence, he slowly, carefully raised his hand and rested it gently against his mother’s shoulder.
Ilyra wiped her eyes with a lace handkerchief, letting out a soft breath.
“Eight years…”
Standing near the heavy shadow of the doorway, Elyandra Vaelith watched the scene in complete stillness.
She had been Nihil’s caretaker since the very moment of his hollow birth.
She had watched him every single day of his life.
She had never seen him smile.
Not once.
Not when he was given gifts, not when he mastered high magic, not when he was praised by kings.
The entire empire had spent eight years believing that Prince Nihil had been born completely broken—a vessel devoid of ordinary human emotion.
Yet now, simply because he wanted his older brother to be happy and follow his own heart…
Nihil had smiled.
V — SERAPHINA VON VAELIS
The formal engagement between Prince Nihil and Lady Seraphina von Vaelis was officially ratified by the Crown.
Shortly after, to build their bond before their eventual adulthood, Lady Seraphina moved into Nihil’s private manor under the strict supervision of the royal house and Elyandra.
At first, the two children barely spoke.
One quiet afternoon, Seraphina sat across from Nihil at a long mahogany table during their shared history lesson.
She watched him turn a heavy parchment page without making a single sound.
“Prince Nihil.”
Nihil didn’t look up from his reading.
“Yes?”
“Do you dislike me?”
“No.”
“Then why are you always so quiet around me?”
“I don’t have anything necessary to say.”
Seraphina stared at him, her dark eyes wide.
“You really are strange.”
“So I have been told.”
A quiet moment passed, and then Seraphina offered a small, resolute smile.
“I suppose I’ll get used to it eventually.”
Nihil gave a single, polite nod.
“Probably.”
As months turned into years, their lives slowly became inextricably intertwined.
They studied complex political texts together.They trained in basic defensive mana control together.They ate their meals at the same long table.They attended private imperial lectures side by side.
Seraphina gradually discovered that Nihil’s complete silence wasn’t coldness or cruelty.
It was simply his nature.
And although he surpassed her in virtually every single skill, language, and magic theory within minutes, he never once looked down on her or mocked her.
When she struggled with a complex mathematical formula, he calmly broke it down until it made sense.When she asked endless questions, he answered every single one with absolute patience.When she made errors in her sword stances, he quietly corrected her form.
Without either of them realizing it, their political arrangement slowly transformed into something far deeper—a steady, quiet companionship.
VI — THE CAT
Within the vast grounds of Nihil’s manor lived several servant families, including a small group of demi-humans.
One morning, one of the house maids gave birth to a tiny cat demi-human girl.
As was custom among servant lineages, the child was expected to grow up and eventually serve the household.
Nihil happened to walk past the servant quarters shortly after her birth.
The tiny, white-haired cat girl sat on a stool, her fluffy tail twitching nervously as she looked up at the young prince.
Nihil stopped and looked down at her.
“What’s your name?”
The little girl shook her head timidly, her big ears drooping.
“I…
I don’t have one, Master.”
Nihil considered this for a moment, his mismatched eyes sweeping over her small form.
“You need one.”
The little girl’s eyes widened with wonder.
From that single day onward, the white-haired cat girl refused to leave his side.
As she grew older, Nihil took it upon himself to personally teach her alongside his own studies.
Languages.
Imperial History.
Reading and Writing.
Advanced Magic Theory.
Physical Combat.
High Court Etiquette.
Under his calm instruction, she grew into a brilliant, fiercely loyal companion—one of the extremely few people in his entire household who could speak to the terrifying prodigy prince without a single hint of hesitation or fear.
Seraphina naturally noticed how close the cat girl was to Nihil.
At times, when the cat girl would sit right next to Nihil during reading hours, Seraphina would pout slightly, feeling a quiet prickle of jealousy.
The cat girl always noticed the noble girl’s glaring eyes and would puff out her chest proudly.
Nihil, wrapped in his books, usually noticed absolutely nothing.
VII — THE MEAL
Several years passed in quiet harmony.
One evening, Nihil and Seraphina were sitting together in the grand dining room for supper.
Seraphina was eating her meal normally, chatting softly about her day.
Nihil was sitting straight, his arms folded, staring blankly at his full plate without touching a single utensil.
The cat girl stepped into the dining hall carrying a tea tray.
She immediately caught sight of his untouched plate and marched over.
“Master.”
Nihil looked up slowly.
“Yes?”
“Why aren’t you eating your food?”
“I don’t feel like eating right now.”
The cat girl immediately set her tray down on a side table and placed both hands firmly on her hips, her tail swishing angrily.
“That is not a valid excuse!”
Nihil looked at her with pure, logical calm.
“I only require food to sustain my biological functions and remain alive.”
“Exactly!”
“I will remain alive regardless if I skip this meal.”
“You are a growing boy, Master!”
“I understand human growth mechanics.”
“Then you need food!”
Nihil glanced down at the plate of roasted meats and seasoned vegetables.
“I need food to survive,” he repeated calmly.
“Not to enjoy it.”
Seraphina looked up from her plate, shaking her head.
“Nihil, that is a terribly unhealthy way to think about eating.”
Nihil completely ignored Seraphina’s comment, turning back to the cat girl.
“Eating is merely an operational necessity for survival,” he stated, calmly picking up his silver water glass.
“So I will be completely fine if I transition to a once-a-week feeding schedule, I suppose.”
The cat girl’s feline ears immediately pinned back against her head in sheer horror.
“I am afraid that is completely unacceptable, Master!”
Nihil raised a single eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Eat.
Now.”
“I am not hungry.”
“Eat now…
meow!” she demanded, stomping her foot.
Nihil’s mismatched eyes gleamed with faint amusement.
“Or what?”
“Try.”
Without missing a beat, the cat girl climbed right onto his lap, picked up a silver fork, impaled a piece of tender meat, and held it an inch from his lips.
“Open.”
“No.”
“Master!”
“No.”
She narrowed her eyes, leaning in closer.
“Open up!”
Nihil stared into her determined eyes for five long seconds.
Finally, he let out a defeated sigh.
“Fine.”
He opened his mouth.
She popped the meat inside.
Seraphina watched the entire exchange from across the table, stunned for a second before bursting into soft laughter.
“You actually let her force-feed you!”
Nihil swallowed calmly.
“Apparently.”
The cat girl stood on his lap, puffing her chest out with massive pride.
“See?
I am the only one who can control him!”
Nihil looked up at her.
“You cannot.”
“Then eat another piece!” she demanded, holding up another forkful.
Nihil paused, looked at the fork, and let out another quiet sigh.
“…Fine.”
VIII — NIHIL’S TEACHING
Nihil continued to personally oversee the cat girl’s education as the years went on.
One sunny afternoon in the study, she sat slumped over a desk, clutching her head in frustration over a stack of ancient foreign grammar charts.
“I don’t understand this at all!
The words don’t make any sense!”
Nihil walked over quietly and stood behind her, glancing down at her parchment.
“You completely missed the core grammatical structure of the third sentence.”
“Where?”
“Right here,” Nihil said, reaching down and pointing a long finger at a specific set of runes.
“The prefix alters the temporal tense.”
The cat girl stared at the ink for three seconds before her eyes lit up.
“Oh!
That makes so much sense!”
Nihil stepped back, explaining the contextual rules in two clear sentences.
She scribbled down the corrections, turning around in her chair with an awed smile.
“You really do know everything in the entire world, Master.”
“No.”
“Yes, you do!”
“No.”
She grinned, propping her chin on her hands.
“Then tell me—what’s something you don’t know?”
Nihil paused, his mismatched eyes staring into the distance as if searching the vast, infinite library of his mind.
“Many things.”
“Name one thing you don’t know!”
Nihil looked down at her blankly.
“I don’t know.”
The cat girl stared at him, her mouth agape.
“That’s total cheating!”
Nihil picked up his own book, tapping the top of her parchment with his pencil.
“Continue studying.”
She pouted, but picked up her quill.
“Yes, Master…”
IX — THE MOTHERS VISIT
Eventually, Queen Liliyana and Queen Ilyra arrived at the manor for an unannounced inspection.
The moment they stepped into the grand hall, their questions poured out like a flood.
“Is Nihil eating properly?””Yes, Your Majesty.””Is he sleeping enough hours?””Yes, Your Majesty.””Is he overworking his studies?””No, Your Majesty.”
Liliyana turned her gaze toward Elyandra, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
“Is the new caretaker girl disturbing his focus?”
Ilyra nodded in agreement, leaning forward.
“If Nihil complains about her even once, we can have her replaced immediately.”
Liliyana agreed completely.
“Even if Ilyra and I have to move into the manor and take care of his daily routine ourselves!”
Elyandra, who had been standing quietly in the corner, suddenly materialized right behind them.
“I heard that, Your Majesties.”
Liliyana turned around with a smooth, unbothered smile.
“Good.
You were meant to.”
Ilyra looked past her toward Nihil, who was sitting at the tea table.
“Nihil.”
“Yes, Mother?”
“Is Elyandra taking proper care of you?”
“Yes.”
“Does she ever disturb you or bother you?”
Nihil thought for a brief second, setting his teacup down.
“Sometimes.”
Both queens instantly whipped their heads toward Elyandra, their eyes flashing with dangerous royal authority.
“How?” Liliyana demanded softly.
Nihil answered in his usual, completely flat, unfiltered tone.
“She sneaks into my bedroom at night.”
Absolute, suffocating silence fell over the room.
Liliyana slowly, terrifyingly turned her head to face Elyandra.
Ilyra did the exact same, her smile completely disappearing.
Elyandra’s pale face flushed as she immediately raised both hands in front of her.
“Wait!
Hold on!” she gasped frantically.
“I am his official designated caretaker!”
Liliyana’s tone turned ice-cold.
“Explain.
Right now.”
“He sometimes wakes up abruptly during the middle of the night!” Elyandra stammered, sweating bullets under the glare of the two most powerful women in the empire.
“I am simply checking on his physical condition and mana stability!”
Ilyra narrowed her eyes, stepping closer.
“That sounds extremely suspicious, Elyandra.”
“It’s not!
I swear on my house name!”
Nihil casually picked up a biscuit and took a bite.
“I don’t mind it.”
Liliyana turned back to her son, her voice desperate.
“Nihil…”
“Yes?”
“Please stop making this situation sound ten times worse than it is.”
“I was not aware I was doing so.”
Elyandra let out a long, suffering sigh, pressing a hand to her pounding heart.
“I have done nothing wrong…
I am an honorable caretaker…”
Liliyana and Ilyra continued to glare at her with icy skepticism.
Desperate for an escape, Elyandra finally looked toward the young prince sitting at the table.
“Prince Nihil…
please, help me.”
Nihil looked up at her from his tea.
“You are doing fine.”
“Thank you, Master!”
“Probably.”
Elyandra’s relieved smile instantly vanished into utter despair.
X — ONE NIGHT
After a long evening of dinner and chaotic royal chatter, the manor finally settled into a deep, peaceful quiet.
The royal family had decided to stay overnight at the manor.
Liliyana stayed right beside her son’s bedside, sitting on a soft velvet chair.
Ilyra sat nearby near the fireplace, sipping late-night tea.
Princess Eleanor and Prince Kaelen had spent hours talking with him before heading to their guest chambers.
Seraphina stayed in the room until the very last moment, sitting on the edge of the bed.
The white-haired cat girl refused to sleep in her own quarters, curling up like a tiny snowball on the rug at the foot of Nihil’s bed.
Elyandra stood silent guard near the doorway, keeping watch over the entire room.
Eventually, the soft breathing of sleep filled the chamber.
Nihil lay quietly in his oversized bed, staring up at the dark wooden ceiling beams.
His family surrounded him on every side.
For once in his life…
the Hollow Prince wasn’t alone.
“Good night, my precious son,” Liliyana whispered softly, leaning down to kiss his forehead.
“Good night, Mother.”
Ilyra smiled from the fireside, her voice warm.
“Sleep well, little prince.”
“Good night.”
Seraphina smiled softly, pulling the heavy blanket up to his chest.
“Good night, Nihil.”
“Good night, Seraphina.”
The cat girl let out a tiny purr from the rug below.
“Good night, Master…”
Nihil slowly closed his mismatched eyes.
“Good night.”
Elyandra watched the scene from the shadows of the doorway.
For a rare, beautiful moment in time, there was nothing strange or terrifying about the room.
No ancient gods.No High Rulers.No dark magic experiments.No cursed fates or ancient prophecies.
Just a loving family sleeping beneath the exact same roof.
XI — THE LIBRARYThe curious student finally closed the heavy leather cover of the volume with a soft, satisfying thump.
The tired student stared across the table at him, his chin resting in his hand.
“So…”
“What?”
“That was…
actually really nice.”
The curious student nodded slowly, a warm look in his eyes.
“He smiled.”
“Once,” the tired student pointed out.
“Just once.”
“That’s more than enough.
It’s more than he ever did before.”
The tired student leaned back in his chair, staring up at the vaulted ceiling of the library.
“And his entire royal family literally cried just because he showed one tiny spark of warmth.”
The curious student smiled gently.
“Because they spent eight years thinking he was completely hollow…
that he couldn’t feel anything at all.”
“Do you think they were wrong?” the tired student asked softly.
“Do you think Nihil really feels things on the inside?”
The curious student looked down at the dark leather cover of the book.
“I don’t know,” he admitted quietly.
He rested his hand on the spine of the next volume sitting on the stack.
“But I think we’re supposed to keep reading to find out.”
The tired student let out a long sigh, though a faint smirk played on his lips.
“Another mystery?”
“Apparently.”
The curious student looked down at the gold lettering embossed on the spine of the eighth volume.
The rare smile of the Dead Prince had already faded into a distant memory, swallowed by the relentless march of time.
And somewhere beyond the quiet, peaceful years of his childhood…
Something massive was waiting.
Something that would eventually force the entire world to question what Nihil Mora truly was.
The curious student slowly opened the cover.
CHAPTER 8 — THE ACADEMY.