Chapter 1: Heretic

Light is glamorous hypocrisy, and darkness is hypocritical glamor.

Servants of the shadows, heed these words.

"Give your soul and faith to the queen, and give your flesh to me."

– Felix Fairmuth.

.........

The sky of Oaklandia is clear. This land, nestled between the northern wilderness and the Maya Mountains in the heart of the empire, has not seen war for nearly two centuries. Two hundred years, long enough for an infertile land to become incredibly fertile.

"Peace gives Oaklandia prosperity and harmony, but it also erases Oaklandia's bloodlust and glory."

For the Titans Empire, which venerates warfare and martial prowess, Oaklandia is indeed an anomaly in the empire.

.........

Ellisitan City is the brightest gem in Oaklandia, home to over eighty percent of the nobles and merchants of the empire's heartland. It produces a vast amount of luxury goods highly sought after by the upper-class nobility in the imperial capital, including laurel spices, Maya crystals, and Oaklandia wool carpets.

"The soil of Ellisitan City smells of cheese." This widely circulated saying aptly describes the city's affluence.

Wealth can give people a rich material life, but it can never fill the emptiness in their hearts.

The nobles of Ellisitan City are wealthy, leading leisurely and comfortable lives; but they are also restless, as the absence of war often leaves them with nothing to do.

The most significant spice in their life might be discussing newly available female slaves in Ellisitan City or the latest gossip about a certain count's estate.

For instance, the eldest son of Count Fairmuth is known for being very "affectionate," even having an unclear relationship with Baron Karneron; or the second son of Count Fairmuth, the handsome Felix Fairmuth, renowned throughout Ellisitan City, is about to "marry" the capital's most famous widow, the "Blood Rose" Lady Elizabeth, Marchioness.

Perhaps "marry" is not the right word for poor Felix. Officially, he is just being sent by Visak Fairmuth, the Count, to study noble etiquette with Marchioness Elizabeth for two years.

Felix, in ancient Latin, means lucky or happy. Ironically, everyone in Ellisitan City knows that poor Felix has been heartlessly abandoned by the Fairmuth family.

This illegitimate child of the Fairmuth family, known for his good looks in Ellisitan City and hailed as the "Star of Ellisitan," will soon be presented as the most exquisite gift to the capital's most famous widow, the "Blood Rose" Lady Elizabeth, Marchioness.

When people discuss this matter, their faces inevitably show a mix of sympathy, envy, and taboo desires hidden deep in their eyes.

Known as the "Bloody Rose," Lady Elizabeth, the Countess, was one of the most beautiful and exquisite flowers in the Imperial Capital.

She possessed a vast and fertile territory in the northern part of the Empire, and in the "City of Freedom," Tullam, she had a substantial merchant caravan. She was the dream lover of countless noble knights, the epitome of gentlewomen, and legend has it that even the current Emperor of the Empire coveted her.

However, that's not what most people were interested in discussing. What they were more keen to talk about was how the mature and voracious Elizabeth, a countess who had been widowed for three years at only thirty years old, would ravage the poor "Star of Ellisitan," the incredibly handsome Felix Fairmuth, who was barely fourteen years old. Apparently, this was a topic that could set one's blood boiling.

At fourteen, while the "banana" may still be somewhat green, it's already ripe for the picking. Please forgive me for using the term "banana" to describe the unfortunate Felix Fairmuth, as he's still just a child.

Ellisitan City had only one Count , and that was Visak Fairmuth, Count of Fairmuth. The Fairmuth family wasn't an ancient one; in fact, its history spanned only around one hundred and fifty years.

In comparison to the large families in the capital with centuries of history, the Fairmuths were like children. However, the Fairmuth family was smart; that much was evident from their transformation from humble merchants to hereditary count within just a century and a half.

It turned out that generations of Fairmuth lords had exceptional business acumen, as under their management, Ellisitan City became increasingly prosperous. Nowadays, it had become the economic center of the entire central Empire.

Fairmuth Manor.

Felix sat quietly in a garden filled with golden sunflowers, the evening sun casting an ethereal, dreamlike glow on his stunning, almost otherworldly cheeks. He harbored no anger at his father, Visak, the Count's arrangements.

After all, his status was nothing more than an illegitimate son with no inheritance rights, a "mongrel" born to a half-elf slave. At least, that was his identity in this life.

In reality, from the moment he was born, the astute and shrewd Fairmuth family had already decided his future. He would either end up with a wealthy and influential noble widow in the capital or with some powerful noble with peculiar tastes.

Felix Fairmuth was grateful that it was the former, as at least this way, he wouldn't have to reveal his cards prematurely and could buy himself some time. In fact, Felix wasn't a native; he was a traveler from Earth.

Underneath his youthful exterior lay a deep, mature mind, along with unparalleled ambition. In the eyes of others, Felix diligently played the role of a beautiful and useful pawn. Still, in the hidden corners of his soul, his dark spirit told him that to survive, he must possess great strength.

This world was perilous.

"Young Master Felix, the master has requested your presence for dinner," the old butler said, his stern face devoid of expression, as if wearing a mask.

A useful pawn should have a matching identity. Although few in the manor regarded Felix highly, and some even secretly sneered at him as a half-elf "mongrel," outward respect was still mandatory.

Because once, someone had insulted him, and Count Visak had him hanged from a tall sycamore tree by the Agate River.

"Even if it's a dog, if its last name is Fairmuth, it's not for you lowly peasants to defile!"

Those words were like a sharp dagger piercing through Felix's heart. It was from that moment on that he harbored an inexplicable hatred for the family that had raised him. He could be a beautiful pawn or even a finely crafted gift, but deep down, he had his limits.

"I'm not hungry. I don't want to eat," Felix said, knowing that as a fourteen-year-old boy, he had to express some dissatisfaction, like an angry child rebelling against his father's will.

Rebelling against Visak, the Count , was not an easy task. This Count , known as the "Glasses Viper," was the most accomplished Fairmuth to date.

He was greedy, cunning, deceitful, and ruthless.

Rebelling against Visak's will could not be too strong, as that would lead to severe punishment, but it also couldn't be too weak, as that wouldn't achieve the desired effect.

Not eating can clearly convey Felix's will, without angering Count Visak.

'I'm angry, furious, and dissatisfied with your arrangements. So, I won't eat!' Perhaps it sounds childish, but isn't that what Felix wants?

Clearly, this isn't the first time something like this has happened. The old butler's face remains emotionless; he simply nods and leaves the small courtyard filled with golden sunflowers. Felix's mother's name was Anya, which means sunflower in Elvish. In the human world, sunflowers are commonly referred to as such.

The poor half-elf woman fell ill and died when Felix was only three years old, for reasons unknown.

As night falls, there is the crisp chirping of insects in the garden. These are the 'Saviel Moth Worms' that Felix breeds, a species of insect with a slight toxicity.

They carry several types of spellcasting materials on their bodies and have a peculiar characteristic. Without many Caesar gold coins to spend, Felix can only use them for some simple magic experiments.

Being a half-elf with a quarter bloodline of High Elves, Felix possesses an otherworldly appearance and slightly stronger elemental affinity than ordinary humans. With Count Visak's approval, Felix has the right to study magic.

But the Count would never pay the high price to hire arrogant mages to teach Felix. He merely prepared a few basic magic theory books for the 'childish' boy in his eyes and 'generously' increased his monthly allowance to three Caesar gold coins.

After a full moon and tasting the pastries brought by the maid, Felix entered his study, lit a lamp with a carving of a naked woman, and took out three old black leather-bound books from a dark corner of his desk.

'Three-dimensional Analysis of the Magic Web', 'Fundamental Laws and Formation Guide of Arcane Magic', and finally a thin book with a blood-colored magic pattern on the cover—'Introduction to Shadow Alchemy!'

Obviously, these books aren't the low-grade items bought by Count Visak.

In the realm of alchemy, there is a bloody and dark branch, the practitioners of which must sign a contract with the Shadow Queen Christie. This kind of alchemy is called Shadow Alchemy or Gamma Magic.

Those who practice Gamma Magic are unanimously referred to as heretics by the Church!"