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Some ridiculed me for being a ‘winner in life’ merely because I was born into royalty.

However, not only did I detest my birth, I’ve never had a second where I was grateful for it.

My mother was merely a maid in the royal castle.

She was a so-called servant turned concubine. She was embraced, impregnated, and gave birth on the king’s whim. As the child of a concubine, I received harsh stares from those around me. While my eldest brother and second brother lived in the royal castle, my mother and I had to live in a hut.

As a matter of course, no maids were assigned to us. We had to do everything ourselves; including our meals, laundry, and repairs to the hut.

…Even so, I thought I was happy until a certain point.

There was never any trouble with food, and even though the clothes I wore weren’t luxurious, they were made to fit my size. According to what I heard, my father—the king—had made all the arrangements.

I would occasionally see the king, and every time, he would stare at me as if I was someone precious.

“You’ve grown tremendously. Please stay healthy”

I was given the same educational opportunities as my older brothers, and fortunately had more magic power than most. As a result, I had more opportunities to learn magic, and they prepared whatever books I wanted to read.

—I’m quite blessed, aren’t I?

That was what I thought back when I was young. My mother always looked at me with pity, and she always cried after I went to sleep. Back then, it never occurred to me that she was unhappy. Yes, the looks given to me by the queen and my brothers were painful, but once I spoke to my father, the king, nothing else mattered.

I didn’t understand why my mother always apologized to me, saying, ‘I’m sorry.’

One day, the king passed away. I heard that he had suddenly fallen ill.

Soon, my second brother, Hiel, ascended the throne.

Shouldn’t it be my eldest brother?

That was what I thought, but apparently my eldest brother hadn’t been feeling well lately and had secluded himself in the royal palace.

Hiel was particularly strict on me, so I thought I would be having a hard time from then on.

At that time, I was only around six years old. I didn’t think that as a child it would be possible to leave with my mother. Still, I had to protect my mother no matter what.

Contrary to my expectations, like a changed man, Hiel treated me kindly.

“Be sure to eat plenty. Your magical power is fascinating. Please keep growing.”

That was the first time my brother had patted me on the head.

Furthermore, unlike before, Hiel started to work seriously on governmental affairs. Even though he was only 20 years old, he quickly established the same control as his father, the previous king, and our peace continued as if nothing had changed.

—In that case, I better study hard.

In my young heart, I wanted to support this amazing older brother of mine. Despite being the son of a concubine, I was proud to be related to my older brother. Regardless of my position in the royal family, I wished to help King Hiel create a wonderful world—

—Whenever I told my mother of my dream, she’d always make sorrowful expressions for some reason.

I didn’t think my dream was a bad thing. If I did my best to help the country, then surely, I would be able to give my mother a better life? My position in the castle had grown, and I no longer had to fix things every night or wash my hands with cold water.

However, that dream shattered when I was eight years old.

“—You’re no longer necessary to me.”

The announcement was sudden. I think he had just return from an expedition a distance away? For some reason, he also seemed excited. When he spotted me, that was the first thing he said with a smile, and that was it.

After that, our lives changed drastically.

All support was gone. We were no longer given anything to eat or wear. We couldn’t even use the well in the detached building without getting yelled at. The knights used to be kind enough to help us fetch water. As we cried and begged, they told us.

“I’m sorry… These are all orders from His Majesty Hiel. He found someone better.”

I didn’t understand what they were saying. So, I decided to confront him directly. After all, he was the wise older brother who had always been so kind to me ever since he succeeded the throne. I was sure there was a profound meaning behind it all. Against my mother’s advice, I went to see him.

Afterwards, I wasn’t even allowed to approach him.

“Stay away from the royal castle. We do not wish to take the life of a child we’ve watched over since he was little.”

Somehow, seeing the sadness coming from the knight made me sad too. Nevertheless, at that moment, I looked at my brother and saw a child I had never seen before.

He is probably the same age as me.

He was a very slender boy, but with an intellectual air about him. Even though he was a male just like me, I thought he looked beautiful.

King Hiel was staring at that child the same way he used to look at me.

“The quality of your magical power is influenced by your lifestyle from an early age. Eat well and grow healthy.”

His expression was very similar to that of my father, the former king.

It made me feel sick, so I fled the scene right away.

I felt like I had to run away from there.

‘You’re no longer necessary to me.’

My entire world collapsed with just those words.

However, by that time, it was already too late for me to make my decision.

On the way back home, I saw the servants gathered together. Everyone was holding their work tools with tears in their eyes. Crying, the brooms, buckets, rolling pins, and graters they were holding shook.

“I’m sorry… If we don’t do this, we… we’ll be… I’m so sorry…”

A groan emanated from within the group as they swung down their tools. A female’s groan.

One of them noticed me, who was frozen in place. Their gazes became sad once again. Everyone stopped. I walked towards the middle of the group.

My mother was lying there, covered in blood.

Later, I heard that my mother had snuck into the storage room to get some food. The servants were apparently under strict orders to dispose us if we tried to take food or any other item without permission.

“Mother…?”

“You are… I’m sorry. Mother, can no longer see… I’m sorry…”

I didn’t remember how I brought my mother back to the hut. By the time I got there, my arms, legs, and even face were covered in blood. The vivid sight of my delirious mother suffering from the pain that wracked her entire body would never leave me.

Then, she passed away.

Even at the very end, she apologized and said, “I’m sorry.”

I also recalled how my mother seemed so relieved, as if she had been freed from both her pain and fever.

After that, even though I was left on my own, my quality of life improved. It seemed that an influential person had advised His Majesty.

However, as a consequence, the influential person was demoted to a faraway place… Regardless, a minimum amount of food had started being delivered to me.

“Certainly, if members of the royal family died one after another, my reputation would suffer. I was too eager. There’s no harm in having a few spares. I’m glad my brother died.”

At that time, I had no idea what he was saying.

Around that time, the man who was my eldest brother succumbed to illness. Apparently, the royal bloodline was short-lived, and it seemed that I was no exception. But more importantly, King Hiel said something unexpected.

“So, please continue to grow in good health—as a reserve vessel of mine.”

Then, when I turned fifteen, I was ordered to enroll in magic academy. As everything went, there wouldn’t be a place for me in the castle in the future. Regardless, it seemed that a reserve had to have at least a minimum academic background.

Even so, my official position is the third prince… and I’m ostensibly the first heir to the throne.

As I was attending an academy beyond the castle grounds, I needed an escort.

At that time, I met him again. The boy who was once introduced to me, and seemed to be around the same age.

—Ah, because of him, I’ve lost my worth.

—And as a result, my mother…

“This is Eivind Dahl of the Royal Institute of Magic. Thank you very much for your support.”

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***T/N: Ah yes, hate the other victim not the perpetrator…

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