Dante looked around, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room before settling on the two familiar figures inside.
The man standing behind the chair, barely containing his anticipation, was his father. His long, flowing white hair flowed past his shoulders, he also wore a regal robe that did well to show his well-defined, powerful muscles. However, what truly caught Dante's attention was the man beside his father—a firm hand gripping the emperor's shoulder with an air of exasperation. The man's expression spoke of frustration, yet he maintained his composure, offering the prince a quiet smile before bowing respectfully.
"Greetings, my prince."
Dante chuckled but offered no reply as he made his way toward the chair. Seated across from his father, his small frame barely allowed his chest to rise above the table's surface. He smiled mischievously, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Uncle, perhaps it would be better if you let go of him?"
Ryan sighed, and as soon as his grip on Justin's shoulder was released, the emperor wasted no time. In a blur, Justin lunged over the table, effortlessly scooping up his son in a firm embrace.
"Dante, my poor boy! Has anyone bullied you? Just say the word, and I'll sentence them to capital punishment immediately!"
Dante laughed as he struggled to push his father away, but his resistance was futile. Justin held on tightly, refusing to let go. Eventually, Dante gave up, resigning himself to his father's affection.
After nearly ten minutes of relentless coddling, Dante found himself seated on his father's lap, his gaze drifting toward the stack of documents on the table. His expression gradually shifted from amusement to contemplation. With a small tilt of his head, he turned to face his father, his demeanour serious.
"Father, there's something I wanted to ask you."
Justin met his son's gaze, momentarily puzzled. Assuming it had to do with the documents, he quickly skimmed through them, but nothing within seemed serious enough to trouble his genius of a child. Still, he nodded, his curiosity piqued.
"What is it you wish to speak about?"
Dante took a deep breath before asking, "Do you remember my appraisal ceremony?"
For a moment, silence hung in the air. Justin exchanged a knowing glance with Ryan, who responded with a simple nod. Almost immediately, the space around them began to distort. The distance between them and the room's windows and doors expanded beyond the realm of common sense, stretching so far that Dante momentarily experienced perceptional dissonance. The surroundings seemed to warp endlessly, but his mind quickly adjusted as the passive effects of his Spatial Body skill took effect.
Justin exhaled and leaned back slightly. "I assume you want to know why your mother and I never questioned what we saw that day—specifically, your moral alignment." Dante nodded, his usually composed demeanor betraying a hint of nervousness.
His father chuckled. "The answer is quite simple, really. It's because your mother and I don't care."
Dante blinked, taken aback by the nonchalant response.
Justin continued, his tone firm yet affectionate. "It may be that your mother and I were strong enough to perceive what others couldn't, but even if the entire world had seen it, it wouldn't have mattered to us."
"But, Father… don't you think I might harm—"
"There are different types of evil, son," Justin interrupted. "You haven't harmed any of us to this day, and I doubt you ever will. Evil is a broad and subjective concept. Do you think, as an emperor, I have never committed "evil" acts in my life?" Dante hesitated before shaking his head.
"Then do you view me as evil?"
Once more, Dante pondered before shaking his head again.
Justin smiled. "Exactly. There is no single, universal definition of evil , there are common definitions of course that all can agree upon. In isolation, any act can be considered evil, but when viewed on a grander scale, perspectives shift."
Understanding dawned on Dante, and he leaned forward, embracing his father. Justin's heart softened, his grip tightening around his son protectively.
He felt a pang of sorrow, frustration even, that this brilliant child had to wrestle with such burdens at such a young age.
To Justin, there was no difference between almost losing his child and actually experiencing his death. Those two years—when Dante had remained lifeless—had been some of the most agonizing moments of his existence.
Now that his son was back, he would ensure nothing of the sort ever happened again. Dante was his child, and while he acknowledged the possibility that the boy harboured dark thoughts, he knew with absolute certainty that none of them were directed at his family or could cause any harm to the family and his empire. Whoever they were aimed at was irrelevant.
He had long since decided that when Dante reached of age to send him to Midvest Academy, he would place an unseen protective force around him.
However, none of his children were weak. He wanted them to grow strong, but there was no reason for them to suffer pointless hardships. If anyone dared to humiliate or challenge them, he would intervene before they could so much as raise a hand.
Why should his children endure hardships when he had already achieved enough power to erase such obstacles? If they wished to seek adversity, that was their choice—but it would never be forced upon them. He was more than willing to let his children dominate others. He was strong enough to ensure that no one dared to defy him.
Dante smiled as he bid farewell to both his uncle and father. His uncle sighed as he finally deactivated his skill, the atmosphere of compressed space dissolving like mist. As the pressure faded, Dante turned, his robes rustling slightly, and stepped out of the room, closing the heavy oak doors behind him with a quiet click. He stood there for a moment, exhaling slowly before nodding to himself.
Dante's lips curled into a satisfied grin as he turned toward the passage leading to his underground training room. His body flickered as he activated Spatial Body, phasing into the unseen layers between reality, stepping through the castle as if walls and floors were mere illusions.
"I have no idea about my siblings yet, but it would be wise to separate from them for a time," Dante murmured. "I don't think they would betray me, but..."
[Do you believe something could potentially occur with them?]
"Mhhm, Things will definitely be interesting in the long run. But that's not the major issue, My plans and their plans differ, I know nothing about them as "individuals". I know how they operate as a family but, that's just one side to them. For example, I don't know if they are as indifferent to life as I am. Moreover, they seem too protective of each other. That, to me, is a risk. People who value another's life more than their own aren't trustworthy or reliable in the long run."
[After this test, do you intend to determine if they will ever prioritize themselves over each other?]
"No, at least not yet. I intend to create distance once I enrol in Midvest Academy. I'll stay in contact, of course, but there are a few things I want—things that can't be negotiated for. Things that might make them see me in a new light if they were to witness them firsthand."
[…Understood]
"The most important thing now is to seek subordinates as soon as possible, I intend to create my own faction—strong subordinates loyal only to me over my family, any given subordinate of my Father is a servant of the empire not mine. I have an entire skill dedicated to nurturing subordinates, but I haven't had the time to test it out. The requirements for its use are quite high as well, it's making finding the right people difficult."
[I see. Is this the reason you're quite willing to attend Midvest Academy?]
Dante chuckled as his body flickered one final time, phasing completely through the last barrier into the underground training hall. The moment he stepped inside, bright magical lamps ignited, filling the room with a warm, steady glow. The walls were made of reinforced cobblestone, woven with protective enchantments strong enough to endure even legendary-tier attacks.
"Indeed. If my old world's novels have taught me anything, it's that things tend to follow predictable patterns. That means a few annoying yet… entertaining developments are on right at the door."
[Please elaborate, Master.]
Dante examined the room, stretching his fingers before settling into a familiar martial stance. He took a slow, measured breath before launching into a series of fluid, graceful movements. His kicks cut through the air with precision, his punches sharp and devastating,making for a quite amazing look, more especially considering the power came from such a small sized body. Then, with a step forward, he shifted his weight, drawing his fist back before unleashing a strike that carried the full force of a great monstrous strength.
A deafening sonic boom cracked through the chamber as the force collided with the cobblestone wall, sending tremors through the ground. Dust and debris shook loose, but the structure held firm.
"I have a feeling something will happen with my sister," Dante muttered, rolling his shoulder. "You see, most novels at some point, force the protagonist into a 'heavy' choice—the start of their so-called character development. Those choices tend to be painfully predictable.
Something like Murder isn't all bad or Even your enemies have tragic backstories… that kind of sentimental bullshit"
[Then, Master, will you allow what is going to happen to your sister?]
"I'm still verifying the pattern. Some events from those novels were too random, others outright nonsensical. That's why authors shoved in a dozen different perspectives in the middle of a good story."
Dante scoffed. "I hated those parts. The main character, the villain, the villain's subordinates, the hero's allies, the royal court, the bystanders, hell—even the damn stray dog pissing on a wall would get a perspective chapter."
[...Apologies,?]
Dante chuckled as he finished his routine, flexing his fingers. "My bad. Just remembering the parts of those stories I despised. But honestly? All those perspectives—aside from the dog taking a piss—actually mattered. They gave insight into the bigger picture, one especially useful to me now"
He exhaled, Pausing as he tried to spread his senses around himself, he had recently or rather for some years , he sensed he was being monitored , he knew of course who it was, he took a minute then asked the system. "Are we being monitored?"
[No, Master.]
"Good. Those bastards should have gotten a clue by now. Time to set the stage."
Dante's expression shifted. The innocent, beautiful smile he usually wore melted away, replaced by something of calculated grin. He slid both hands into the pockets of his robes, tilting his head slightly, deep in thought.
"Hmm, this is fine. By the way, System…"
[Yes, Master?]
"If this were a novel, and you had to guess my role, what do you think I am? Or rather, what do you think I plan to become? Just a guess—I'm curious."
[….Master would likely be the most heinous existence in the story.]
Dante's chuckled. "The villain?"
[No, Master would be the creator and teacher of the most evil villains.]
A low chuckle escaped Dante's lips , 'Fair enough'