Celestial Descendant

Siegfried stood beside Aedan's bed, arms crossed, his eyes fixed on the court physician, Darius Melverton, who was inspecting the prince. His hands moved over Aedan's body with a practiced but shaky touch. Despite his outward composure, Darius could feel Siegfried's intense gaze on him, and the pressure was mounting. He couldn't afford to appear incompetent, not now—not when the prince's life was at stake.

"What's his condition?" Siegfried's tone was direct, commanding. His patience was clearly running thin.

Darius wiped the sweat from his brow, maintaining his professional façade. "His condition appears to be Mana Reflux, a rare and extremely dangerous affliction," he began carefully. "This occurs when the flow of mana within the body is reversed, likely caused by an ill-advised attempt at self-meditation in order to improve his already weighing constitution."

Siegfried frowned, his expression darkening. "Meditation? You're saying this was self-inflicted?"

Darius shifted nervously but kept his voice steady. "Indeed, Lord Siegfried. The prince's frail constitution wasn't suited for such an intense technique, especially given his lack of experience." His eyes flicked nervously toward Aedan. "Had he been more skilled, this could've been avoided... but we must focus on treatment now."

Siegfried's gaze never wavered. "And how do we treat this?" The question hung in the air, weighted with expectation.

Darius swallowed hard, the moment of truth upon him. "The only known cure," he said slowly, "is derived from the sap of the Lucid Wraith Bloom, a flower found exclusively in the depths of the Black Hollow Dungeon." He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Without the flower, I... fear the Fourth Prince's chances are bleak."

There was no mention of his incompetence. Darius would never admit outright that he had no experience treating such a condition. Instead, he presented the situation as though the failure to act wasn't his, but simply the circumstance.

Siegfried's jaw clenched. The Black Hollow Dungeon was infamous, located just behind the palace, guarded and monitored by the king's forces. It was a labyrinth of danger, filled with valuable resources yet to be fully mapped or explored, and venturing deep into it was a high-risk endeavour even for experts. Few knew its secrets—fewer still had returned from its darkest reaches.

"We'll organize an expedition," Siegfried said, his voice decisive. "I'll speak with the king."

Hours passed as the palace shifted into the stillness of the late evening. By the time the expedition was organized and prepared to depart, the sun had long since set. Siegfried, after making his report to the king, had received the royal decree granting permission to enter the dungeon. There was no time to waste. Every minute was precious as Aedan's life hung in the balance.

Siegfried ensured that a small group of elite soldiers, hand-picked from the kingdom's finest, were ready.

Siegfried, at the head of the group, set the plan in motion. Darius, meanwhile, was stationed outside Aedan's chamber, tasked with watching over the prince's condition along with some guards to ensuring no one entered the room except in case of an emergency. The king had given strict orders: the Fourth Prince's room was to be sealed, and no one but the physician was allowed access.

It was the perfect opportunity for Aedan.

Inside the prince's chamber, Aedan opened his eyes. His body still ached, but he was far from incapacitated. Everything had gone according to plan—Darius had fallen for the ruse, and now the dungeon expedition was underway. The second phase of his plan could begin.

The room was silent except for the faint crackle of a nearby hearth. Aedan moved quietly, slipping out of his bed and making his way to the window. His frail frame trembled as he climbed, but his mind was focused, steady.

He slipped out through the window, dropping softly into the palace gardens below. The night air was crisp, and the grounds were lit only by scattered torches carried by patrolling guards. Sneaking past them was difficult in his current form, but not impossible. He moved silently, slipping through shadows with a precision born of years of practice.

When he reached the armoury, he quickly searched for the lightest armour he could find. His body wasn't strong enough to handle anything too heavy, so he selected a set of leather armour, ensuring it was loose enough to allow for easy movement. He donned a mask, covering his face, and then wrapped himself in a dark cloak.

As he finished his preparations, the door to the armoury creaked open. Aedan tensed.

Two soldiers entered, their conversation breaking the silence. "What are you doing in here?" one of them asked, eyeing Aedan suspiciously.

Aedan kept his face hidden, speaking only briefly. "I'm part of the expedition."

The soldiers exchanged glances. "If you don't hurry up, they're going to leave you behind."

A quick glance at their stats panels told Aedan everything he needed to know:

[Name: Rhett]

[Age: 29]

[Level: 32]

[Strength: B]

[Magic: C]

[Leadership: C]

[Loyalty: A]

[Name: Jorin]

[Age: 31]

[Level: 35]

[Strength: A]

[Magic: D]

[Loyalty: A]

[Literature: C]

Experts, and in his current body, Aedan knew he wouldn't stand a chance against them if the situation demanded it. For now, though, he simply nodded and followed them out, keeping a safe distance.

As they walked, Aedan overheard the soldiers complaining quietly.

"I still can't believe we're risking our lives for the Fourth Prince," Rhett muttered. "He's barely worth the effort."

Jorin snorted. "Just because he's royalty doesn't mean he's not a burden. I'd rather not die in that dungeon because of him."

Aedan clenched his fists beneath his cloak but said nothing. Let them talk. They would see soon enough how wrong they were.

The group made their way toward the dungeon entrance, where the rest of the expedition team had gathered. The Black Hollow Dungeon loomed ahead of them, its entrance shrouded in mist and shadow. The party regrouped, their expressions grim as they prepared to venture into the unknown.

Aedan stood at the back, his eyes on the dark opening. His plan was in motion. The dungeon held the key to his survival—and to breaking the fate that this world had forced upon him.