When Lucian entered Elsa’s room, he bowed stiffly. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Elsa’s breath caught. Her son had stopped calling her ‘Mom.

They stared at each other, neither speaking. Then, Lucian turned and walked away, heading toward his exile in the haunted, abandoned palace that no one dared to enter.

And so, the forgotten prince disappeared into the shadows.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the kingdom—Prince Lucian, the third prince, had been sent to the Southern Palace.

In the servant quarters, the maids whispered among themselves.

"Do you know why no one is allowed near the Southern Palace?" one asked.

"No, why?" another responded, leaning in with curiosity.

"A long time ago, the Southern Palace was the main residence of the royal family. But a devastating fire broke out one fateful day while the king was away. The queen, along with her maids and attendants, perished in the flames. When the king returned and learned of the tragedy, he ordered the palace to be sealed. Since then, no one has dared to enter. People say they’ve seen a figure wandering the palace grounds at night, but when they try to follow, she vanishes into thin air."

The second maid shuddered. "Are you saying the place is haunted? I refuse to work there!"

As rumors of a ghost spread, fewer and fewer maids were willing to serve in the Southern Palace. Eventually, only three people remained at Lucian’s side: his nanny, Chloe, a single guard, and Lucian himself.

The Southern Palace was vast, but after being abandoned for thirty years, it had fallen into decay. Cracks lined the walls, and dust coated every surface.

Chloe frowned as she surveyed their new home. "This is where they expect a child to live? Look at the walls and ceiling—what if they collapse? I don’t understand why the king despises the third prince so much. He’s just a boy."

The guard, Alex, shot her a warning glance. "Be careful with your words. Speaking ill of the royal family could get you punished."

Chloe crossed her arms. "Who’s going to hear me here? The king doesn’t care what happens to Lucian."

"Enough," Alex muttered. "Let’s start cleaning. I’ll help."

Chloe sighed. "Fine. But after that, I need to prepare food for the prince."

That evening, Chloe knocked on Lucian’s door. Receiving no response, she entered and found him gazing at the Empress’s palace in the distance. His small hands clenched at his sides, his eyes brimming with silent sorrow.

"Prince, it’s time to eat," Chloe called gently.

Lucian hastily wiped his tears and walked over to the table. He ate quietly.

Days turned to weeks. At first, things seemed manageable. Soon, however, people in the main palace began neglecting the Southern Palace altogether. The food sent to Lucian was often spoiled. Chloe tried to complain, but no one listened. She wasn’t even allowed to meet with any higher officials.

Then, one day, noble children arrived, claiming they wanted to meet the third prince. Chloe had hoped Lucian might finally have friends. But she quickly realized they had come only to mock him.

Over time, the taunts turned into beatings. Chloe did everything she could to shield the prince, but she was powerless against the nobility’s cruelty.

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One day, the children came in a particularly foul mood. They tortured Lucian more than ever before. When they finally left, Chloe rushed into the room and found him collapsed on the floor, his small body covered in bruises.

She immediately picked him up and ran toward the palace gates, only to be stopped by a guard.

"You are not allowed to leave," the guard said firmly.

"Move aside! The prince is hurt—I need to see a doctor!" Chloe protested.

"By order of His Majesty, the third prince is forbidden to leave the Southern Palace, no matter the circumstance."

Alex arrived just in time to see the confrontation. "Chloe, what’s happening? Where are you taking the prince?"

"He needs a doctor!" she pleaded.

Alex took one look at Lucian and turned to the guard. "Move aside."

The guard hesitated. "Sir, it’s the king’s order. We can’t go against it."

Nearby maids overheard the exchange, their faces pale with shock.

Helpless, Chloe carried Lucian back inside, placing him on the bed. He was in pain, but she had no medicine to ease his suffering.

She clasped her hands together and whispered, "Please, God, have mercy on this child. Please."

She stayed by his side through the night.

The rumors spread. When Elsa, the king’s concubine, heard what had happened, she wanted to visit Lucian but couldn’t. Servants gossiped about the cruelty the third prince endured. When Adios, the king’s advisor, informed the king, he merely waved his hand dismissively.

"From now on, never bring me any news related to the third prince."

The next day, Alex secretly brought medicine

"Where did you get this?" Chloe asked, eyes wide.

"From town. Give it to the prince—it will help with the pain."

"Thank you," Chloe whispered, taking the medicine gratefully.

It took Lucian ten days to recover. The noble children stopped coming, deterred by the spreading rumors.

One morning, Lucian sat by the window, watching knights train in the distance.

Chloe entered and smiled. "Prince, you’re up early."

Lucian pointed toward the training ground. "What are they doing?"

"They’re knights in training. One day, they will protect the kingdom."

Lucian’s eyes shone with determination. "I want to become strong too."

Chloe hesitated. "You can, but first, you need to eat. Come on."

The next day, after breakfast, Lucian made his way to the training ground. He approached a knight and said, "I want to become a knight. Can you train me?"

The knight scoffed. "What are you doing here? Go back before you get hurt."

Lucian stood his ground. "No, I won’t go."

Other knights noticed and murmured among themselves.

"Isn’t that the neglected third prince?"

"Shh! Don’t say that aloud."

A commanding voice interrupted them. "Get back to training!"

The Knight Commander stepped forward. "Why is the third prince here?"

Lucian, intimidated, hesitated before saying, "I want to be a knight."

The commander studied the frail boy before him. "Becoming a knight isn’t easy. It takes dedication and hard work. Are you ready for that?"

Lucian nodded firmly. "I’ll do anything."

Chloe arrived, breathless. "Prince! What are you doing here?"

The commander raised his hands. "Relax, I haven’t done anything."

"Then why is he crying?" Chloe demanded.

Lucian wiped his face quickly. "I’m not. I just… I want to train."

The commander smirked. "Come back tomorrow at dawn if you’re serious."

That night, Chloe tried to talk him out of it. "Prince, you’re still small."

"No," Lucian said stubbornly. "I want to do it."

The next morning, Lucian arrived early.

"Start running," the commander ordered. "Ten laps."

Lucian, though frail, pushed himself. By the tenth lap, he collapsed to the ground, exhausted but smiling.

"How do you feel?" the commander asked.

Lucian panted, "Good. I want more."

The commander grinned. "See you tomorrow, then."

And so, the third prince’s journey to strength began.

In the evening, Chloe asked, “Prince, what were you talking about with the Knight Commander?”

Lucian replied, “I want to become a knight, so starting tomorrow morning, I will train myself.”

Chloe looked concerned. “But Prince, you are very young for that.”

Lucian's determination did not waver. “No, I want to do it.”

The next morning, Lucian woke up early, got ready, and reached the training hall.

The Commander addressed the trainees, “Everyone, start practicing!”

“Yes, Sir!” the knights responded in unison.

Turning to Lucian, the Commander said, “Third Prince, if you want to become a knight, you must first build your stamina. Are you ready?”

Lucian stood tall. “Yes!”

“Say it louder!”

“Yes, Sir!” Lucian shouted.

The Commander nodded. “Start running. Complete at least ten laps.”

Lucian, excited for his first outdoor training, eagerly began running. It was tougher than he expected, but he pushed through and finished the laps, collapsing onto the ground in exhaustion.

The Commander approached. “How do you feel?”

Panting heavily, Lucian smiled. “It feels good. I want more.”

The Commander smirked. “Alright, let’s meet again tomorrow at the same time.”

“Yes, Sir!” Lucian replied enthusiastically.