11.THE THIRD PRINCE

"Master, it seems she has changed her mind."

"doesn't matter Seb i gave her a chance but she was too conceited, one slap and her will broke she isn't worth saving, search her memories forcefully i know you can do it" 

listening to his words Seb's eyes lit up and with a grin he praised in his mind "excellent he is smart and ruthless, it will be fun to work under him" 

he turned to see Melinda visibly terrified with the mention of searching her memories. interfering with the soul and memories came at the price of one's life as the soul core breaks when intruded by someone. 

moreover soul searching abilities were as rare as phoenix in the middle world, only demons from the nether or gods from the heavenly planes possessed these abilities.

she could see the glint in Sebastian's eyes as he telekinetically lifted her from her previous position and sent her to a wooden chair. 

The rope that previously tied her feet was now grappling almost every inch of her body leaving only her forehead.

She wasn't even getting a chance to move even an inch. Seb stood behind her and held the area near her forehead.

A red glow shimmered from his hands as he activated dream-haunt.

At the same time Arthur activated Sight of genesis

[SKILL- DREAMHAUNT(S)]

[Invade the target's brain and look through the targets memories]

[memories can be erased and manipulated]

[puts the target in a dream-like state ]

[Only works on target weaker than the host]

[Upgradable]

Just as he was looking at the information about this skill 

[DING-

SKILL DETECTED-DREAM HAUNT(SS) ]

[do you want the possession of dream-haunt YES/NO]

"yes"

[DING!! skill acquired dream haunt(S)]

the notification rang in his ears he felt a wave of relief wash over him as information about his skill flooded his mind.

he felt amazed by his talent's ability that just by using his sight of genesis he could now copy skills of opponents and individuals such terrifying ability and he had gotten so easily. he really felt amazed by this.

looking forward he saw the dream haunt process still going on the target-Melinda was sleeping while Seb extracted her memories.

after a few minutes Seb released Melinda from the black rope as she fell to the ground with a *thud* from the chair her eyes red and blood oozed out from her broken jaw. she looked pathetic.

Seb broke the silence, his tone steady and respectful. "Apologies, Master. Her memories were protected by a barrier, which delayed the process slightly."

Arthur gave a slight nod, acknowledging Seb's explanation. His expression remained calm, though his mind was already analyzing the implications. "It's fine. Just tell me what you uncovered."

Seb straightened his posture, his face serious as he began his detailed report. "Lord, the one orchestrating this assassination attempt is none other than the third prince of this empire. He and his brothers are locked in an intense struggle for the throne. The Emperor's health has been steadily declining over the past few years, leaving a vacuum of power that the princes are eager to fill.

"Last year, the third prince personally visited Duke Nolan—your father—and demanded his allegiance. The Duke, however, refused to bow to him and decided to remain neutral. This rejection wounded the prince's fragile ego, and ever since, he's been plotting ways to weaken the Duke's influence and authority.

"His first move was manipulating the imperial court to send the Duke to the eastern battlefield, ensuring that he was far away from his domain. With your father occupied, the prince planted Melinda within the estate, disguising her as your history teacher. Her role was twofold—to spy on you and to aid assassins in infiltrating the Duke's palace to eliminate you."

Arthur listened intently, processing the information with a quiet resolve. Seb's words confirmed what he had already suspected: the third prince was desperate and petty, relying on underhanded tactics to achieve his goals.

"How laughably short-sighted", Arthur thought with a faint smirk.

"If this is the caliber of those vying for the throne, they're hardly worthy of the position. In fact, if I wanted to, I could take it from them with little effort."

But Arthur quickly dismissed the idea. His ambitions did not extend to the throne. He had no desire to rule an empire—it seemed more trouble than it was worth. His goals were simpler: peace, freedom, and a life unshackled by politics and power plays.

His gaze drifted to Melinda's almost lifeless body lying on the floor. Her face, battered and bruised, looked far removed from the haughty and arrogant woman who had dared to plot his demise. "How is her condition?" Arthur asked, his voice calm but detached.

"She will live, Master," Seb replied, standing beside her crumpled form. "I refrained from causing permanent harm to her soul. She may still prove useful to you in the future."

Arthur considered this for a moment before nodding. "Good. In that case, I think I'll let Jade deal with her. I have more important matters to handle—namely, the prince who orchestrated this farce. Melinda is too insignificant for me to waste my time dealing with her directly."

Arthur reached into his inventory, summoning a small vial of dark red liquid. The glass shimmered faintly in the dim light, its contents glowing with a magical aura. It was a common health potion, but no less remarkable for its ability to heal even severe injuries.

He handed the vial to Seb. "Take this and feed it to her and erase every memory she has of what transpired in this room. Fabricate any excuse you need to explain her current state. Once you're done, report back to me."

Seb bowed slightly, taking the vial from Arthur. "As you command, My Lord."

As Arthur watched Seb carefully feed her the potion, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of clarity. This new world had altered him profoundly.

Back on Earth, he would have been hesitant to order someone as powerful as Seb to perform tasks on his behalf. Yet here, it felt natural, almost instinctive. It was as if their relation` as master and subordinate had been established long before they even met.

The feeling unsettled him, yet it also brought a strange satisfaction. For the first time in his life, Arthur felt in complete control—not just of his circumstances but of himself. His mind was sharp and unclouded, his emotions detached. It was both exhilarating and eerie, a state of being that felt distinctly inhuman.

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Melinda awoke with a groggy sensation, her head pounding as if she had been struck. Blinking rapidly, she realized she was no longer in Arthur's room but lying on the floor of the corridor leading to it. She sat up slowly, clutching her head as fragmented memories of the day swirled in her mind like a hazy dream.

"Wh-where am I?" she muttered, her voice weak and disoriented.

Seb stood nearby, watching her with an expression of mild concern. "You must be feeling quite confused, Miss Melinda," he said, his tone polite and respectful—a stark contrast to the cold, merciless demon he had been earlier. "But rest assured, everything is fine. You fainted from exhaustion."

"I... fainted?" Melinda repeated, the words sounding foreign to her. She struggled to make sense of the situation, the last clear memory she had being her walk toward Arthur's room.

Seb nodded. "Indeed. Lord Arthur has ordered you to take a few days off to recover. Today's lessons have been dismissed. You were unconscious for about an hour, so it's best if you get some rest."

Melinda still felt uneasy, but her exhaustion and the lingering effects of the potion dulled her suspicions. She stood on shaky legs, her body trembling slightly. "I see... I'll take my leave, then," she mumbled, brushing off her confusion as a mere side effect of stress.

Seb watched her retreating form with a faint smirk. The threads of Arthur's plans were already weaving together perfectly, and Melinda had no idea she was nothing more than a pawn in a much larger game.

As she disappeared down the hallway, Seb turned and walked back into Arthur's room. His master was already seated on the couch, deep in thought.

"please give me further orders my lord." Seb reported.

Arthur glanced up, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Good. The real game begins now."