1 A lonely Youth–Lord Sebastian!

The city of clouds—it was a place that had never seen a clear sky ever since its establishment.

Clouds seemed to cover it always, be it natural or artificial. Giant construct surrounded the city, and their only purpose was to regulate the environment and filter the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Today was exceptionally silent. The streets weren't bustling with people, and even the shops weren't open. It's because the night was freezing, and the snow cascading down the air and falling on the ground made it even more chilly.

The snow accumulated on the streets and roofs, turning them white. It seemed as if there was a nest of clouds over the houses, cheap cars parked on the streets, and the street lamps. Young children were excitedly looking out the windows to admire the snow, and the elderly dressed heavily drank tea.

Many cold winds, so harsh that they would prick the skin, blew below the skies. One such wind carried the leaves of luck, a yellow-colored leaf that can grow even in such deadly winter, towards the city's center.

The royals of the vampire race had established the city lord's manor in the center of the city. The Craig Household ruled this city. It had many courtyards, each with its own master and many servants. But one of them only had one person and one servant in it, and he was sitting in the study room, reading a book on beasts with attentiveness.

Some moments later, the door to the study opened with a dull creaking sound in came a person dressed in servant's attire.

Even then, the young man kept on reading the book as if it contained within it the wisdom he so desired.

"Master Sebastian, the inspector from the overseeing tower is going to arrive soon. Master Craig and your uncles are requesting your presence in the main hall. Please make your way there immediately."

The male servant said those words to the young man, who was sitting behind the desk, holding a book in his hand and looking at its pages as if they were full of magical context.

The young man's calm, black eyes turned chilly when he heard the words of the male servant.

The servant failed to notice the severe change in his emotions, though.

They were in a study room. It had many bookshelves, a total of sixteen. Numerous books filled each of them, a view that showcased the obsession Lord Sebastian had with gaining knowledge.

Lord Sebastian raised his head and looked at the young male servant who served him but was loyal to his eldest uncle's family.

It was a casual look, but because of his pale face and sunken eyes that were extremely red, Isiah trembled and unconsciously took three steps back; only after taking the third step did he stop and regret feeling threatened by the gaze of a crippled man!

"Go; I will be there in a couple of minutes." Lord Sebastian said, his voice so calm that hearing it soothed the servant's soul.

"I, your loyal servant, bids farewell to you, master."

Before leaving the study, Isiah saluted him respectfully, a facade it was, and Sebastian could tell that.

Isiah was the one taking care of him for the past sixteen years; at least, that was what he thought for the longest time.

Only recently did Sebastian find out that Isiah was telling everything he did and every person he met to his eldest uncle.

He felt betrayed and backstabbed, but more than that, Lord Sebastian thought that he got abandoned by another person he trusted, and all the goodwill he had for Isiah vanished overnight.

With a frosty expression on his face, he closed the book in his hand and looked ahead at empty air with such a dazed look that it would make any person feel as if he was gazing into the abyss.

"Even though my uncles and paternal grandfather know that my spiritual core has started deteriorating three years ago, they still want me to attend the spiritual radiation test. They just want to watch a show, see how I make a fool out of myself in front of the inspector of the cloud tower and my cousins just to crackle a few joyful laughter at my miserable state. These people, had they forgotten that I also carry the blood of Craig household?"

Negativity was coursing throughout his body, making him feel depressed and sad.

"Che," Lord Sebastian clicked his tongue.

Since when had he become so weak and sensitive as to get himself in negativity and wallow in self-pity?!

He shrugged off the heavy feeling in his heart.

He stood up, walked to the window just five steps away, looked out of it, and stared at the cloudy night sky high above that seemed as lonely as his heart. While admiring the view that shared a striking resemblance with his current situation, a mocking look appeared in his eyes as if he had thought of something funny—his crescent moon eyes full of intense emotions made him look devilishly attractive.

"Heh, if you guys knew that they would eat up your wealth and leave your child with mere scraps, would you still have neglected me, your own son, to fight for the glory of the family that didn't even try to bring back your corpse or give respect to your son?"

His parents brought wealth and honor to this house, but what did they or he get in return? Nothing! Instead, they took what was supposed to be his by pulling strings behind his back.

Lord Sebastian's eyes turned as cold as a condensed block of ice.

"Since they want a show, I will give them one. But once the tides of war shift in my favor, I will return this favor to each and every one of them in the worst way possible!"

Those words that Lord Sebastian spoke in a harsh voice echoed not once but twice in the study room and carried a might equal to the thunder rumbling in the sky outside.

The night of the city covered by clouds was usually cold.

However, since it was the second month of winter, the cold had intensified.

He was a disabled person and didn't have any spiritual energy to fight off the cold.

Thus, he couldn't help but wear a thick, white fur coat over his smart attire that consisted of a white full-sleeve cotton shirt and pants of the same color with straps tightened around his waist to keep it in place.

Lord Sebastian once loved black, but after certain tragic events, he started wearing white only, hoping that one day glory would return to him.

He wore thick clothes before leaving the warm and cozy house because there was a high chance that he would fall ill, something he wanted to avoid at all cost.

"Swoosh!"

Lord Sebastian walked out of his private courtyard, and the moment he did so, a gust of wind came up to his doorstep, bringing along with it several leaves of luck.

"Clatter."

The leaves got stuck in his hair, and some tucked themselves inside his coat, seemingly making it look like they were hiding from the cold. Meanwhile, the gust of wind fluttered his hair and also caused the chimes hanging on the door to rattle.

Lord Sebastian didn't pick out the leaves stuck in his hair, for he knew the superstition related to them.

A leaf of luck; it comes to others to bring them luck.

Take it off before a day, and you will get inflicted with a deadly curse.

He didn't dare take them off as his life was already so miserable that adding a deadly curse on top of it would get him killed for sure.

Lord Sebastian looked at the leaves of luck, showed a smile, and said in a husky voice, "If the superstition about thee is real, then bless this orphan with some crazy luck too."

The clanking sound grew strong as, with heavy steps and a steady back, he carried his lonely self towards the main hall.