“Who are you! Why are you doing this to me!”

Ben struggled even though he was in a state of fear and couldn’t see. He wrestled to get out of the hands of those holding his arms, and even tried to get rid of the cloth covering his face. But it was all in vain. He had no choice but to be dragged by the force he couldn’t defeat.

He was just on his way back to Cersinia with a bracelet he bought after work… But what on earth is happening to him right now?

“Is this the right kid?”

When a terrifyingly low voice was heard, the cloth blocking Ben’view was removed.

“Haa, haa… Why are you doing this? I have to go back.”

Ben opened his eyes with a stuffy breath. Then, an overbearing middle-aged man, who trembled just by looking at him, was looking down at Ben.

“Are you sure he’s the one?”

Kantrid Shorevarce was furious and hewas clearly not pleased with the wretched Ben in front of him.

“Yes, that’s right. I also checked the half pattern on his shoulder.” Archen replied back.

“Tsk. Gosh, he’s so ungrateful. First, lock him up.”

Kantrid had no mercy even for his own bloodline.

“Please let me go! I have to go! Why are you doing this to me!”

Ben’s voice echoed in the empty prison where he was left alone. No answer came back.

“Cersinia…”

He had been trapped in the darkness for more than three days.

* * *

“My name is Archen.”

Archen stopped by prison after three days and greeted Ben. He provided five meals a day, but Ben had never put the food in his mouth, perhaps because he was protesting.

“I have to go. Please let me out…”

Ben stared at Archen with difficulty opening his eyes. He didn’t even drink a sip of water, so he was laying on the floor of the cold prison without energy.

“Your Excellency the Grand Duke of Shorevarce is your father.”

“Father…?”

His eyebrows squirmed slightly at the word father. When Ben was young, he vaguely heard his father’s story from her mother. Still, his father was so distant and out of reach that he couldn’t remember anything about him properly.

“Although you are an illegitimate child, you will soon turn into his child.”

“I don’t need it. I don’t want that either, so just send me back. Cersinia will be waiting for me. Please let me go…”

Archen firmly grasped his heart which had weakened at Ben’s desperate appearance and told what he had to say.

“Alexdemikan Shorevarce, the only child of the Grand Duke, has been ill from birth and has never appeared in public. He is currently on treatment, but the chances of him recovering are slim. If Alexdemikan Shorevarce dies, you will live with his name.”

Ben’s pupils shook like rough waves at the unbelievable revelation.

“I-I don’t want to. I don’t want to do that. Just send me back to Cersinia!”Cersinia. Cersinia. Cersinia.

Archen for the first time said the unfamiliar name that he had heard so many times that he became curious about the person.

“If you want to meet Lady Cersinia, you have to be healthier than now. We will provide the meals for you.”

“C-Can we meet then? Will you let me meet her?”

Ben, who had been lying on the floor without energy, jumped to his feet with hope-filled eyes.

“Yes. So take care of your health first.”

Archen lied.

“When can I see her? When can I leave?”

“After you become healthier than now.”

It was a vague futile promise, but Ben believed it. If he didn’t believe those words, he would die of despair from never see Cersinia again. And so he held onto Archen’s lies. Ben ate five meals a day without leaving a single crum, and he didn’t neglect the physical training he could do in prison.

When he missed Cersinia, he took out the bracelet he had kept in his pocket and carressed it.

‘Is she doing well?’

Ben was worried that Cersinia might be waiting endlessly for him to come back. He wished that she would live her life as usual without any fuss. He wanted her to eat regularly, take a walk when the weather is nice, dry the laundry on a sunny day, occasionally think about herself, and live a normal and peaceful life. And when the time came for him to go back to her, he wished that she would greet him with a smile. He would then tell her what happened and also how and why he went missing.

‘When I go back, I have to say that I came from a long trip.’

Ben had no intention of telling her exactly what happened to him. He’s sure that Cersinia would worry about him if he tell her the truth. When he couldn’t sleep, he imagined the details of his “trip”.

He prayed that the day when he could tell that story would come sooner. However, as time passed, Ben became anxious enough to not be able to know how many days he had been imprisoned. He has already become healthier and in better shape than before, but there is no sign of him getting out of here.

“When can I leave?”

Ben grabbed the bars with a desperate face and asked Archen.

“Just wait a little longer.”

Archen could not look into his eyes while answering. Because he couldn’t promise when he could meet Cersinia, who this boy wanted to meet so desperately.

A month had passed since Ben was brought in, but Alexdemikan was still alive. He even showed more signs of recovery than before. The plan was for Ben to live Alex’s life after the latter diesso no one would realize that Alex is dead. The whole world would only know that Alex overcame his disease and woke up in good health. Because Ben was Alex’s replacement.

It was top secret that only a few people in the Grand Duchy knew about it. Because the plan was made to even deceive the Emperor. It was carried out thoroughly in secret, and the only time Ben was able to leave the basement was when Alex died. Only when Alex died could Ben come out into the world.

“When is that? Please tell me clearly. When can I leave?”

Archen ignored his shouting, then he took a heavy step. Because Archen only obeyed the family’s orders, he couldn’t say anything or do anything to help the poor boy out.

“I have to go. I have to go to Cersinia…”

Only then did Ben realize that everything Archen had said were lies.

“Go. I have to go.”

Ben tried to bend the bars like a best trying to get out of a cage.“Uaaargh!”

The thin string that had been holding his sane mind had finally snapped.Archen’s vagueness on when he might get out of here and the fear that he might never see her again swept over him. Since that day, Ben has attempted to escape countless times.

* * *

KWANG

Ben’s kick aimed to the bars.

“Stop it. It’s useless.”

Ignoring Archen, who was looking at him worriedly, Ben pulled the bars until his hands swelled up. His hands were badly wounded, but he didn’t give up whether theywere wounded or not.

It had been three months since Ben had been locked up in the basement. In the meantime, he had hit the bars hundreds of times, so much that his hands were now seriously injured, and not even a single of his punches missed the bars.

‘I have to leave this place.’

‘Because I have to go back to Cersinia.’

Only by her side does he feel comfortable. It was the only place he wanted to stay.

“Tsk. You little punk.”

Grand Duke Kantrid appeared in the basement. It was the first time since the first day Ben was brought into the mansion. The Grand Duke threatened Ben like a young beast. And as if ridiculing the Grand Duke’s warning, Ben slammed his fist again to break the bars.

“Open it.”

The cold voice of the Grand Duke was enough to bring out goosebumps.

“Uaargh!”

When the locked door opened, Ben sprunt out. However, he was blocked by five men and couldn’t move forward.

“Tie him up.”

“Let go of me!”

At their Master’s instruction, the servants tied Ben with chains and hung him. The Grand Duke entered the prison with an angry face. Soon after, a fatal wound was engraved on Ben’s back along sharp and dreadful sounds. Ben clenched his teeth and held back the groans that threatened to burst out. He felt disgusted by his father’s behaviour, and he didn’t want to get along with him. The Grand Duke swung several times and struck Benback hard. Having reached his physical limit, Ben eventually passed out.

“…”

It has been a long time since the clothes he had been wearing had been torn. His back was completely covered by blood which also made it impossible to see his wound.

“If he tries to rebel, whip him.”

The Grand Duke declared and left the basement. The servants followed the Grand Duke close behind. Ben was still tied with chains. That night, Archen secretly went to the basement and hurriedly released Ben from the chains.

“I’m sorry…”

Archen’s face reddened as he looked at Ben, who had collapsed helplessly. Even a beast wouldn’t treat their children like this. Even though Ben is an illegitimate child, he is still the son of the Grand Duke. Archen did not agrre with his Master’s actions, but he couldn’t escape. Because he was the subordinate of this family.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry…”

Archen treated Ben’s injured body with the antiseptic and blood-stopping powder he had brought. The wound on Ben’s hand would get better with constant treatment, but it was clear that they would leave a scar. Ben moved, twitching at the pain he came back to consciousness.

“…Cersinia.”

His voice cracked. Ben was still unconsciouslyyearning for her. That day, Ben dreamed of returning to Cersinia. It was a dream sweeter than candy, but the reality he faced when he came to his consciousness broke him down.