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In his previous life, that label of disgrace had eaten away at him.
His inability to match his siblings had crushed his confidence, leaving behind someone who constantly doubted himself—who believed he truly was worthless.
'Thinking back on it… is just embarrassing,' he scoffed.
Even the thought of those siblings—
"I almost cringe," he muttered under his breath.
They had never laid a hand on him.
Never openly confronted him.
Instead—
They treated him as if he didn't exist.
An empty presence.
A shadow within his own home.
That indifference—
Was worse.
'As if I ever wanted to stay here in the first place,' he thought coldly.
His gaze hardened.
'I should focus on finding a way out. The sooner I sever all ties with this place… the better.'
That was his priority now.
His only goal.
To leave.
To cut everything off—
Completely.
However…
Before he could proceed any further—
SLAM!
The loud impact shattered the silence.
"YOU BASTARD!" Charlotte's voice rang sharply through the room as her hand struck against the table. "How dare you speak to me like that?! Have you no sense of shame?!"
Eclipse blinked once, momentarily pulled back into the present.
Ah.
Right.
He had almost forgotten—
That the real nuisance was still standing right in front of him.
He exhaled slowly, running a hand lightly through his hair as if collecting himself.
Then—
He smiled.
Not a pleasant smile.
Not a warm one.
But something darker.
'Well… since she's already here,' he thought, his eyes gleaming faintly with interest, 'then why not make things a little more entertaining…? ~~~'
With that thought, he set out his plan in motion, and the dimensional traveler couldn't wait for the rumors to be spread within the Empire…
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LOCATION: STELLARUS EMPIRE ROYAL PALACE
CRUX CITY, CENTRAL REGION OF STELLARUS EMPIRE
GARDEN OF THE STARRY HEAVEN
"Hey… haven't you all heard?"
"There's no need to mention it. That matter has already spread throughout the entire Empire…"
"Still… who would have thought things would turn out like that?"
"W-well… you can't entirely blame her either, considering the circumstances… you know…"
"Ah… I—I suppose that's understandable, but…"
"For her to actually do such a thing…"
Whispers overlapped one another beneath the starlit canopy of the royal garden. Nobles—draped in elegance and refinement—clustered into small groups, their polished smiles concealing the sharp curiosity gleaming in their eyes.
Words passed from one to another in hushed tones, yet loud enough to stir intrigue among those nearby.
The topic?
A scandal.
A rumor so provocative that it had already seeped into every corner of the Stellarus Empire—an affair involving none other than the Marquis Chevalier household.
For most of those present, the truth mattered little.
Speculation was far more entertaining.
And exaggeration? Even better.
Among the nobility, it was no secret that many maintained discreet relationships beyond their lawful marriages. It had become, in a sense, an unspoken norm. As long as such arrangements did not produce illegitimate heirs who might threaten bloodline purity, most simply turned a blind eye.
Preservation of bloodline abilities—above all else—remained their highest priority.
Everything else?
Negotiable.
Yet even within such leniency, a scandal involving the Chevaliers was something else entirely.
The Chevalier household—renowned as the Guardian Household—was not just any noble family. While they bore the rank of Marquis on the surface, those who understood the inner workings of the Empire knew the truth.
They were technically a Grand Duke household.
A family entrusted with the Empire's military might—its primary shield.
Founded upon the legacy of war heroes, the Chevaliers were not easily shaken by petty rumors.
And that… was exactly why these whispers persisted.
Some doubted the authenticity of the scandal.
Others eagerly believed it.
Naturally, opinions were divided.
"Isn't this connected to the third young master of the Chevalier household?" one noble inquired. "I've heard he has quite the temper—ill-mannered and difficult. Apparently, it worsened significantly after his mother passed away."
"His mother?" another scoffed lightly. "She was merely a commoner. Why refer to her as 'Lady'?"
"Well, aren't you uninformed?" someone else interjected. "Did you forget the incident when Marquis Augustus issued a search order across the Empire just to find her? It took nearly eight years before he located her—with a child in tow."
"A child who resembled her so closely," another added, "that many mistook him for a girl… or a miniature version of the lady herself."
A ripple of quiet amusement passed through the group.
"Despite her origins," one continued thoughtfully, "her family—the Asterrix clan—is not insignificant. They are a dominant force within the merchant network, after all."
"The patriarch himself serves as Headmaster of the Merchant Alliance," another chimed in. "Their information network spans the entire continent."
"Indeed," someone murmured. "I heard the Emperor personally offered them a noble title."
"And yet they declined," another added quickly. "Preferring to remain merchants instead. Though, even so, they were still granted the rank of Count."
"How curious… a family with such influence choosing to remain in the shadows."
"That's exactly what makes them suspicious."
The tone shifted slightly.
"Suspicious?"
"Of course. With power like that, who's to say they aren't secretly aligned with other nations? Merchants have ways of moving unnoticed."
A quiet murmur of agreement followed.
"But… weren't we discussing the Chevalier heir's younger brother?" one noble interjected, steering the conversation back.
"Ah—yes," another nodded. "It was said that the third young master inherited his mother's beauty, aside from his eyes."
"If he had been born a woman…" someone mused idly, "suited admirers would probably gather around him like bees to nectar."
Soft laughter followed.
"The late Lady Aryna was described as possessing an almost celestial beauty," another added. "So perhaps… that might explain why the Marchioness—"
"... What about our mother?"
The voice cut through the chatter like a blade.
Instantly, silence fell.
A suffocating pressure descended upon the gathering, pressing heavily against the air. One by one, the nobles turned toward the source—eyes widening slightly as they recognized the figure standing at the entrance of the garden.
There, beneath the dim glow of lantern light, stood three individuals.
The Chevalier siblings.
At the forefront was the eldest—the heir apparent.
ALTRON ZERUX CHEVALIER.
His presence alone was enough to command attention. His expression remained composed, yet the intensity behind his gaze was unmistakable.
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