Cursed Mark: Rise of the Forgotten Prince

A Lingering Presence

Even as I walked away from the Moonlit Garden, I could still feel it—the weight of unseen eyes pressing against my back.

The presence that had watched me earlier had vanished into the night, but its message was clear.

You are being observed.

By whom? That remained uncertain.

But I knew one thing for certain—every move I made from now on would not go unnoticed.

The banquet had been a battlefield of words and veiled threats.

The meeting with Eleanor had been an exchange of cautious trust.

And now, an unseen force was lurking in the shadows, waiting for its turn to act.

The game had begun in earnest.

And I had no intention of losing.

---

The Academy's Awakening

The next morning, the halls of the Imperial Academy were more alive than ever.

Rumors from the banquet had spread like wildfire.

They whispered of my unexpected presence.

Of Crown Prince Adrian's interest.

Of Eleanor Vael's invitation.

And of Lucian Devereux's growing hostility.

I walked through the grand corridors, the gazes of nobles and common-born students alike following me with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

"Isn't that the forgotten prince?"

"I heard he spoke with the saintess last night."

"They say he's different now. Not the same weakling."

I paid them no mind.

Their words held no weight compared to the true forces at play.

The ones in power were watching.

And it was only a matter of time before they made their move.

---

A Duel of Pride

"Prince Kael."

The voice rang out, cutting through the murmurs.

I turned, already expecting what I would find.

Lucian Devereux.

The golden-haired noble stood with an air of practiced arrogance, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his rapier.

Beside him, a small crowd of students had gathered, their eyes flickering with anticipation.

"So it's true," Lucian mused, his tone dripping with condescension. "The forgotten prince walks among us once more."

I met his gaze, unflinching.

"Disappointed?"

He smirked. "Amused."

His grip on the rapier tightened ever so slightly.

"I've been curious," he continued, stepping closer. "Rumors claim you've changed. That you're no longer the pitiful shadow of your brothers."

A pause. A challenge.

"Why don't you prove it?"

A duel.

The air grew tense, the gathered students holding their breath in anticipation.

Lucian was no mere noble—he was the heir of House Devereux, one of the strongest sword-wielding families in the empire.

To refuse would be to invite mockery.

To accept would mean playing into his hands.

But I was not the same Kael they once knew.

I tilted my head, letting a slow smirk cross my lips.

"Very well."

The crowd erupted into murmurs.

Lucian's eyes gleamed.

"Then let's not waste time."

---

A Battle of Wills

The dueling grounds were set within the academy's training courtyard.

It was a space reserved for official sparring matches—a place where students tested their abilities against one another under the watchful eyes of instructors.

And today, it had become an arena.

Nobles and commoners alike gathered to watch, their excitement palpable.

Lucian stood across from me, drawing his rapier with a practiced flourish.

"You've made a mistake, prince," he mused, rolling his shoulders. "I hope you don't disappoint me too quickly."

I met his smirk with calm indifference.

"I could say the same to you."

The instructor stepped forward, raising his hand.

"This is an official academy duel," he announced. "No lethal strikes. The match ends when one of you yields or is unable to continue."

Lucian's eyes burned with confidence.

I merely rolled my shoulders, exhaling slowly.

Then—

"Begin!"

Lucian moved first.

A blur of gold and silver as he lunged, his rapier slicing through the air with surgical precision.

Fast. Controlled. Deadly.

But I was faster.

I sidestepped, my body moving instinctively.

The tip of his blade missed me by a hair's breadth, slicing through the space where I had stood a second before.

Lucian's eyes widened slightly—just for a moment.

Then, his smirk returned.

"Oh?"

He pivoted, striking again.

And again.

A relentless barrage of attacks, each one designed to corner me, to overwhelm me.

But I saw through them.

My body moved with an ease that was unfamiliar yet natural, honed by something deeper than simple training.

I weaved between his strikes, my instincts guiding me as if they had been carved into my very soul.

And then—

An opening.

Lucian overextended.

A single miscalculation in his aggressive assault.

And I struck.

A step forward. A swift movement.

The wooden blade of my training sword met his wrist with a sharp crack.

Lucian hissed, his grip faltering for a fraction of a second.

It was all I needed.

In one fluid motion, I twisted, sweeping his legs out from under him.

He crashed onto the stone floor, his rapier skidding from his grasp.

Silence.

Then, a voice.

"The match is over!"

The instructor's words rang clear, final.

Lucian stared up at me, disbelief flickering across his face.

And in that moment, I saw it.

Not just shock.

Not just frustration.

But something deeper.

Recognition.

He knows I am not the same anymore.

I offered him my hand.

For a long moment, he simply stared at it.

Then, scowling, he swatted it away and pushed himself up.

"This isn't over," he muttered, turning sharply on his heel.

I watched as he disappeared into the crowd, his pride wounded but unbroken.

A smirk tugged at my lips.

Good.

Let him stew in it.

Because this was only the beginning.

---

A Watching Figure

As the crowd dispersed, I felt it again.

That presence.

Watching.

Waiting.

I turned slightly, my gaze sweeping over the academy grounds.

And there—standing just beyond the courtyard, half-hidden in the shade of an archway—

A familiar figure.

Eleanor Vael.

Her emerald eyes met mine across the distance, a soft smile playing at her lips.

She had been watching the entire duel.

I didn't need words to understand the look she gave me.

Approval.

And something else.

Something deeper.

The corner of my lips quirked.

I had won more than just a duel today.

I had taken my first true step into this new world.

And I was ready for whatever came next.