A/N: CONTENT WARNING! This chapter contains graphic depictions of murder and gore! I will be marking those parts with a A/N before AND after so you can avoid it if you want to. 

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Ru removed his reading glasses with a sigh. He dropped the book in his hand and went for the next one. He'd been researching the cause and effect of illegitimate children and found little to nothing. He wanted to get to the bottom of why they die at a young age. And from the information he'd gotten, this has been occurring for thousands of years. 

Ru stopped his thinking and rubbed his temples. He was exhausted. He'd been reading nonstop the last few weeks after returning home from the academy. The reason why he'd been working so hard was that Rael was turning 14 in less than a year. There wasn't much time left. He owed Rael so much that he forced his eyes to focus and read another page of [The History of Nobles and Royals]. 

'When the three Gods descended to Earth, they began creating life. They created two continents, Creatio and Forti. Creatio where life first began with animals, monsters, humans, dwarves, elves, beastmen, and many other species. They roamed the large continent but it began to become too small for the ever-increasing population. The Gods decided to send half to Forti, which mainly consisted of humans and monsters.'

'But when the monsters began growing stronger and overpowering the humans on Forti, the Gods were enraged. But they couldn't interfere as that would cause the world to collapse. And so they decided to give the humans their blessings so that they could stand against the monsters. Humans learned magic and the tide was quickly turned. Humans grew stronger as they overpowered the monsters instead. The Gods noticed that humans were growing too strong as all their children and grandchildren got magic as well. If they didn't put a stop to it, the humans would ruin the balance. And so the Gods made half of the humans lose their magic and they became... ordinary. The ordinary humans were now frail and had to be protected. Those who knew magic protected those who didn't and it grew into a system that separated them. Aristocrats and commoners. 

'Royals were granted a higher title for their legendary contribution, like the 1st King of Tenn who slew a Kraken that nearly destroyed half of the continent. Or the Twin Kings of Hyle that destroyed a nest of hydras that were threatening to ruin the economy. Royals are merely aristocrats that achieved something unbelievable. And while—' Ru felt his head fall on the book. He groaned and raised his head. He had to continue, he couldn't stop now. He flipped a page as the book kept going on and on about things he already knew.

'Commoners never gained the ability to use magic again. As it was the will of the Gods, they were forbidden to access magic ever again. But when a few aristocrats began procreating with commoners in hopes that their children were to have magic again, the result was disastrous. Once they turned 14, they awakened just like aristocrats.'

'Except, on their awakening, those children got a high fever, their skin swelled and they were in intense pain. It continued until they eventually imploded. Since magic can't be used by them, the magic became a poison that slowly killed them from the inside. After a while, children of aristocrats and commoners were unsought as they'd die sooner or later.' Ru rubbed at his eyes. 

So Rael was suffering through mein like he was? Then couldn't he just use the same method to save himself? Ru frowned. No, if that were the case, someone would've discovered it. Not to mention, when Ru got mein, the chances were less than 0,01%. Ru smiled bitterly. He must've hit the jackpot. 

Ru had gotten mein but he'd lived with it for over a year. That meant that the mein didn't affect him as much, due to him being a pureblood royal, so it took a long time to kill him. Then that meant the more commoner blood you had, the quicker you died. Ru felt his ring. How long would Rael live if he wore this ring? Ru frowned. Not even a week. While the ring helped Ru immensely, it would barely hinder magic from destroying Rael from the inside. 

Ru closed the book. He wasn't going anywhere. This was hopeless. He left the library, coughing as a cloud of dust suddenly attacked him. "Someone should honestly clean this place..." But it was also his haven because no one wanted to go there. Ru closed the door behind him. He looked around and relaxed. 

"Hey, monster." Ru felt his heart jump. He'd gotten a nickname from his sister because of his condition. Ru turned to the side and saw his little sister's face. Oh, how he envied her. She was their parents' favorite, as she awakened without any difficulties and they'd always wanted a daughter. Had it not been for Ru's elder sister, they would've had Lu as the next heir. 

Lu flipped her long, dark blue hair back, scowling at Ru. Ru wondered if it was too late to hide in the library again but he took a deep breath. "I told you, that's not my name—"

"Father called for you. Hurry up and go." Ru shook his head and began walking to his father's study. He could feel Lu's gaze on him as he walked and it made him nervous. There were a few times that his father called on him. The first was when he told Ru that he was dying from mein. The second was when he announced Lola as the new heir and Ru lost his title as crown prince, and the third was... now.

He took a deep breath. Take it easy Ru, you've got this. It didn't calm the raging storm inside his heart but he kept a calm exterior as he knocked on the door. He soon heard his father's voice permitting him and he entered the room. 

His father's study was large and messy, as there were papers littered everywhere, large maps either on the walls or on the ground, and an incredible amount of ink pots and pens that made it hard walking around. His father didn't seem to mind this as he was furiously moving his pen, finishing writing his paper overseeing the matter of a beast horde that was happening in the south. Ru waited patiently for his father to finish, when the latter spoke.

"Ru."

"Yes, father?" Ru's voice nearly shook but he clenched his fist. Don't panic now.

"I heard that you're cured." Ru gulped.

"Yes... father"

"Why didn't you inform us?" Ru looked down at the ground.

"I didn't think it would matter." Because I don't matter, Ru thought to himself. He felt his father's scrutinizing gaze and wanted the ground to swallow him up. He could feel it in the air. The looming disappointment.

"I see." Ru felt a clump forming in his throat but he kept his composure. He could hear the papers being moved as his father was organizing his desk. "I had expected you to at least tell us, but I found out through a letter from Duke Harbor. Do I need to tell you how that made me feel?" 

"Like you lost face...?"

"So you're not oblivious." Ru flinched at the harsh words.

"Nevertheless, even though you're cured, Lola will still be the next heir—"

"But father—!"

"Don't interrupt me. It does not matter what you or her wishes, it's the will of the king that decides the fate of this nation. And I'd rather it be Lola than someone as unpredictable as you." Ru stared up at his father with a distraught expression. He wouldn't even let him speak. Ru's lips trembled as he replied.

"Yes, father."

"Good. Now your mother wishes to speak to you, so hurry along."

"...yes father." Ru left the room in a haste and wanted to slam the door shut. But he stopped and closed it carefully. He sighed when he realized he had to meet his mother.

If his young sibling looked down on him and his father didn't bother listening to him, then his mother was the worst. She hated him. Never liked him, since the day he was born. It was hard living with the love of only one parent but it only got worse after his awakening. 

Ru headed to the Queen's room and he knocked on the door. He scowled after waiting for a few minutes. He knew she was there, she just liked to make him wait as though he was a guest in his own home. Soon, an attendant opened the door. He walked in and saw his younger sibling and mother having tea with each other. They were laughing as they talked, but their smiles faltered when they saw him. 

The mother and daughter duo were similar in the way that they treated him. Like he was a monster. They enjoyed giving him nicknames, teasing and joking about how inhuman he was. It was one of the reasons he couldn't wait to be normal. But as he sat on the opposite side of them, he secretly knew. He knew that they'd continue to torment him regardless. And that made this whole situation worse. 

"...Ru? Ru? Are you listening?" Lu said, glaring at him. Ru looked up.

"Oh no, sorry." Lu clicked her tongue.

"Figueres. I was telling mother about the old library and how we should turn it into a garden instead. I heard that in Urel, they have entire rooms filled with all sorts of plants and they look amazing. Mother, I'd love it if we—"

"No."

"—added roses and... what?" Lu stopped. Their mother also gave Ru a look as he tried explaining.

"That library has existed for many decades, and you're just going to throw away all the books and burn all of that history like that? For a garden?" Then he wouldn't have a single haven left in this place. He'd have nowhere to be, where he could get away from them.

"I don't care, half of the books are already falling apart. The only one who even visits that place is you."

"So? Those books are still very important and—"

"Ru." His mother finally spoke. Ru stopped and closed his mouth. He'd learned long ago not to talk back to his mother. "We didn't bring you here for your opinion, it's already decided that we'll tear down the old library." The color drained from his face.

"W-when?"

"In a week or so." Ru stared at the ground in utter shock. He had a week. A week left in his haven, a place no one could reach him. And also his only clue to solving the mystery of mein. Ru inhaled sharply.

"Mother. Can you please reconsider? I... I don't think I've ever been this selfish but can you please overlook this and allow the library to exist? It's an important place to me." Ru hopefully stared up and met his mother's blank eyes. His heart broke. She was growing angry. She always grew quiet and emotionless before she eventually snapped. Ru bit his lip. He didn't want to risk angering her. If he did, she might just destroy the old library today.

"I will be taking my leave, then." he stood up and headed for the door. He heard Lu laugh right before he closed the door. And then he aimlessly walked back to the library. Somehow, this had been one of the worst days of his life, and yet he kept going. The only reason it wasn't the worst day was that he was now cured.

Ru's eyes lit up with determination. Even if he only had a week, he'd find the answer to mein and how to cure it. The old library had old books that hadn't been touched in decades, he might find one or two hidden gems. 

But before that, Ru stepped inside the old library. The smell of the ink and dust calmed him. He sat on one of the chairs that hadn't broken down. He hugged his knees and took deep breaths. He buried his face into his knees.

He couldn't allow anyone to see him like this. And so Ru spent half an hour in that position, silently sniffling until his eyes turned puffy and red. When he was done, he forced a smile. He didn't feel better but that was fine. He began searching for more books as he wiped off tears that kept falling.