Lucien sat ramrod straight in the private study attached to his bedroom, hands folded neatly in his lap.
The new tutor—a thin, bespectacled man named Mr.
Aldric—had arrived precisely on time, carrying a stack of heavy leather-bound books and an air of barely concealed nervousness.
Word of the Nightshade family’s reputation clearly preceded him.
“Today we will review basic magical theory, Young Master Lucien,” Aldric said, adjusting his glasses.
“As a member of the esteemed Nightshade line, your affinity for shadow and venom mana is exceptional.
Even at your age, we should begin refining control.”
Lucien nodded politely, but inside, his thoughts drifted.
So this is how the power system works here.
In the novel, magic wasn’t some free-for-all game skill.
It was deeply tied to bloodlines and ancient pacts.
The great noble houses each guarded their elemental or conceptual affinities like crown jewels.
Nightshades specialized in shadows, poisons, and subtle mental influence—perfect for intrigue and quiet eliminations.
The royal family leaned toward light and order magic, while the Saintess candidate, Cecilia, would eventually awaken something ridiculously overpowered: “Divine Harmony,” capable of purifying almost anything.
That was the core imbalance that drove the plot.
The church and the throne wanted to elevate commoner talents like Cecilia to check the power of arrogant old families like his.
And the Nightshades, of course, fought back with every dirty trick in the book.
No wonder the original me turned out so vicious.
When your entire education is “how to destroy your rivals without leaving evidence,” what else are you going to become?
“Shall we begin with a simple exercise?” Aldric prompted, placing a small crystal orb on the table.
“Try to channel a thread of shadow mana into the orb.
Gently, please.
We don’t need a repeat of last month’s… incident.”
Lucien had no idea what the “incident” was, but he could guess.
The original Lucien probably shattered half the room in a fit.
He focused on the orb.
A faint, cool sensation stirred in his chest—like ink spreading through water.
A thin tendril of darkness coiled from his fingertips and brushed the crystal.
The orb flickered once, then absorbed the shadow with a soft chime.
Aldric’s eyebrows shot up.
“Remarkable control for your age.
Usually you… well.
This is much improved.”
Lucien allowed himself a small, genuine smile.
At least his modern adult mind seemed to help with concentration.
If I can keep this up, maybe I won’t accidentally poison the royal tea someday.
The lesson continued for another hour.
Aldric droned on about mana veins, noble etiquette, and the upcoming academy entrance examinations.
Lucien listened carefully, filing away every detail.
The academy wasn’t just a school—it was the true battlefield of high society.
All the major capture targets would be there: the cold crown prince, the fiery knight captain’s son, the mysterious magician from the eastern tower, and of course, Cecilia herself.
If I can change the Nightshades’ approach before we even reach the academy, maybe we avoid the execution flags entirely.
No public bullying.
No assassination attempts.
Maybe even… ally with the heroine?
That would be the biggest twist in the book.
A soft knock interrupted the lesson.
A maid entered and curtsied.
“Young Master Lucien, Lady Elara requests your presence in the garden.
She says it is… important for family harmony.”
Aldric looked relieved to have an excuse to end early.
Lucien stood, smoothing his dark tunic, and followed the maid outside.
Elara waited among the nightshade blooms, their purple-black petals glistening under the afternoon sun.
She wasn’t alone.
A nervous-looking boy around fourteen years old stood beside her—probably the son of a lesser baron, judging by his modest clothes.
One of Elara’s pawns, Lucien suspected.
“Brother,” Elara greeted him with that saccharine smile.
“This is Theo.
His family has been most helpful lately.
I thought you two might… play together.
You’ve been so strangely well-behaved today.
I wanted to see if it would last.”
Theo bowed awkwardly.
“It’s an honor, Young Master Lucien.”
Lucien studied the boy.
In the original story, the original Lucien had tormented Theo relentlessly—using him as target practice for minor curses and then blaming him for stolen items.
It was one of the smaller cruelties that built Lucien’s reputation as untouchable.
This is a test, Lucien realized.
Elara wanted to see if his “new personality” was real or just an act for their parents.
He offered Theo a polite nod instead of the sneer the boy was clearly bracing for.
“Nice to meet you, Theo.
Want to see the stables?
I heard there are new foals.”
Both Elara and Theo looked stunned.
As they walked, Lucien’s mind wandered again to the broader system of power.
It wasn’t just magic.
It was layers upon layers: bloodline strength determined raw talent, but political marriages, church favor, and economic control decided who actually ruled.
The Nightshades sat near the top because of their ruthlessness and ancient shadow contracts, but their overreliance on fear made them brittle.
One big scandal—like the ones that would come if they targeted Cecilia—could bring the whole house crashing down.
If I can nudge them toward subtle influence instead of outright villainy, we might survive the heroine’s rise.
Theo, still tense, eventually relaxed enough to chatter about his family’s horse breeding.
Lucien listened, asking occasional questions.
Behind them, he could feel Elara’s sharp gaze boring into his back like a dagger.
When they reached the stables, Lucien paused.
A beautiful black mare watched them with intelligent eyes.
For a moment, the horse’s shadow seemed to ripple unnaturally—responding to his presence.
Shadow affinity even affects animals.
Interesting.
The novel never went this deep into the mechanics.
Before he could explore the thought further, hurried footsteps approached.
A breathless servant appeared, bowing low.
“Young Master Lucien!
Young Lady Elara!
The Duke requests both of you in the main hall immediately.
A messenger from the royal palace has arrived.”
Elara’s eyes lit up with predatory interest.
Lucien felt a chill run down his spine.