After Lilya soared into the sky, Noa stood motionless for a long time. The fire slowly died down, its embers fluttering in the wind before vanishing into the dark. Only the chirping of insects and the distant wail of the wind filled the silence.
Noa rested his elbow on his knee and lowered his head. A heavy weight pressed in his chest — Lilya's final words, and the pain that glimmered in her eyes, had cut through his heart like a blade. Yet his face showed nothing — only coldness.
> "Who am I now? Not a prince. Not a friend. Just a beggar left behind. Even the weakest soldiers look down on me. But still… I must live. No matter what, I must live."
He slowly rose to his feet and looked around. In the dim half-light, shadows stretched down from the cracks in the walls; rats scurried across the ground, squeaking sharply. Noa closed his eyes, exhaled deeply, then bent down and picked up a stone.
With a quick motion, he slammed it down — the rat squealed beneath it, then fell silent. Noa lifted the limp body into his hand and stood quietly for a moment.
— "Disgusting…" he whispered. "But I've done worse to survive."
He tore open the creature's body and bit into the raw flesh. Warm blood burned his tongue, the metallic taste of iron spreading through his mouth. Yet he didn't hesitate — he swallowed. His expression didn't change; it only hardened.
> "Once, I dined from golden plates, savoring the finest delicacies. Now I chew on rat flesh. But there's one difference — back then, I was weak. Now, I'm learning how to live. This taste isn't filth… it's strength."
He pressed his palm to his forehead, smiling faintly.
> "Heh… maybe I'm going insane… Hahaha!"
Then he grabbed another rat, slammed it to the ground, and ate it. Then another. Warmth spread through his veins, heat filling his body, muscles tightening.
> "I won't lose again. No matter how vile this gets… I'll live. And the more I eat, the more my body learns to endure it."
---
Morning
Noa returned to the dormitory. The others were already asleep. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the ceiling, then lay down and drifted into dreamless sleep.
When dawn came, he was the first to wake. The cold air stung his skin as he stepped outside. The courtyard was empty.
He took a deep breath, stretched his body, and began his training. Since the third month, his body had begun to change. Once, a single blow would knock him down — now, he could withstand it and stay standing.
> "That day… that boy struck me once and I fell. But now? I wonder how it would end if he tried again…"
His fists sliced through the air, each strike sharp enough to whistle. Every blow carried hunger, pain, endurance — and the bitter taste of blood from rats, insects, even snakes.
> "I'm not strong. Just ordinary. But I've mastered the art of survival. I think… I've grown more than I realize. And I'm curious — how far can I go?"
---
Day
After training, he returned for breakfast. Fate's irony — what once seemed meager now felt like a feast: bread, a bowl of thin broth. No one spoke, though curious eyes followed him.
Later, he went to the library. Few dragons ever entered this place, but for Noa, it was a treasure beyond measure. He devoured book after book — dragon anatomy, pressure points, combat techniques — memorizing every page.
> "Knowledge is another form of strength. To know the body is to defeat it. I may lack power, but if I know where the tendons lie, how blood flows, where the muscles weaken — no matter their size, I can bring them down."
Day after day, he lost himself in the silence of ink and parchment. Others mocked him, calling him "the fallen prince" or "the cursed child."
Noa only smirked inwardly.
> "Fallen prince… cursed child. Perhaps they're right. But that doesn't matter."
And he continued on his path.
---
Evening — Lilya's Return
Days passed this way. Lilya hadn't visited in a long time. The castle lords had prepared a special training chamber for the princess in another wing, and her schedule left no time to spare.
When the sun set and the sky burned crimson, Noa returned to his room. His body was weary, but his eyes still burned with quiet fire. The door creaked open.
Lilya stepped inside. Her face showed fatigue, but her eyes sparkled with concern.
— "Brother…" she whispered. "I came to see you."
Noa looked at her. His cold gaze softened slightly, but he said nothing.
Lilya sat at the edge of his bed.
— "You've changed," she said.
Noa shrugged. "Maybe."
— "No," Lilya said firmly. "Your patience, your resolve — that's true strength."
They fell silent. The light of Siamond streamed through the window, painting the room in silver glow, while the wind whispered outside.
Inside, Noa thought:
> "I can't see her as just my sister anymore. She's the closest person I have. But if I get too close… she'll be hurt. I must stay cold — even if it breaks me."
— "Lilya," he said quietly. "Don't come here again. Being seen with me will only bring you harm."
Lilya shook her head.
— "I don't care. Let them talk, let them whisper. You're my brother — my closest bond."
Noa closed his eyes. Pain tightened his chest.
— "Since when… did you stop listening to me?" he asked softly.
Her gaze fell to the floor. A faint smile touched her lips, though her eyes filled with tears.
— "Maybe… since you began to change."
Slowly, she unfurled her crimson wings. Their light filled the room before she lifted gently through the window into the quiet night.
Noa remained still. His heart ached, though his face showed nothing.
> "I have to protect her… even if it means losing her."
The night deepened. The wind howled. The embers turned to ash. Noa lay down, closed his eyes, and waited for another dawn.
But as he slept, a faint darkness seeped from the seal on his hand — a black mist curling into the air. It filled the room for a moment, then slowly faded away.
Would you like me to format this like the English story chapter (with the "Power Stone" and "Saved to Library" outro) so it perfectly matches the rest of your book's tone?