Vivienne's pointed comment hung in the air, creating a ripple of awkward surprise around the elegant dining table.
The younger siblings, Kane and Abella, exchanged wide-eyed glances, their expressions a mix of curiosity and mild alarm at the sudden tension.
The King and Queen, however, simply watched Kilian, subtle amusement playing on their lips.
Kilian, seeing the sudden shift in the atmosphere, let out a light chuckle, effectively breaking the quiet.
He met Vivienne's gaze with an easy smile.
"Sister," he replied, his voice clear and unbothered, "I did not drink or do anything wild last night, actually."
"I was genuinely tired after going outside for a while."
The King nodded, his eyes fixed on Vivienne.
"I think he's telling the truth, Vivienne," he stated, his tone firm yet gentle.
"Your brother doesn't smell even a bit of alcohol on his clothes."
Then fxrom across the table, one of the twins, chimed in, his twin sister nodding vigorously beside him.
"And he doesn't even look like in a bad mood, or hurting from a headache or hangover!" The boy added, his youthful voice earnest.
Abella simply offered a relieved, almost excited smile, clearly happy to see Kilian in good spirits.
When the twins sided with him, Kilian's surprise deepened.
His gaze drifted towards the boy, taking in his signature red hair with that bold black streak running through the front.
*Illustration
"Kane Jasper Noxhaven," Kilian thought, the name echoing in his mind.
"In the near future, he will be one of the youngest and most skilled swordsman in the entire human territory."
A flicker of respect, mixed with a hint of awe, crossed Kilian's mind.
"He's probably the only one in the family who truly followed the king's path."
"Becoming an almost exact copy of him in swordsmanship and eventually, surpassing him when he gets older."
Kilian's gaze then shifted to the other twin, the girl whose appearance was a striking contrast to her brother's.
He noted her hair, "a cascade of deep black, broken by a single, vibrant red streak that framed her face, the exact opposite of Kane's."
*Illustration
"Abella Jade Noxhaven," he mused, the name solidifying in his mind.
"If Kane is destined to be an exact copy of the King, becoming a formidable swordsman, then Abella will be an exact copy of the Queen, a master of wit and influence."
He pictured her, not on a battlefield, but in a council chamber, wielding influence with quiet precision.
"She will learn everything there is to know about money and power from her mother, mastering the subtle currents that move kingdoms."
A faint smile touched his lips.
"If Kane will hold a sword to protect people in the future, then Abella is going to hold a pen that can protect or destroy lives for her kingdom."
"Both of them will even have a tome of arcana and be able to use magic."
"Amazing and terrifying at the same time."
"Well, that's what you would expect from future rank S characters of the game."
Kilian's brief journey into his siblings' potential futures ended as his attention returned to the present.
He offered a warm, genuine smile to both Kane and Abella.
"Thank you, Kane, Abella," he said, his voice soft with an uncharacteristic sincerity.
At their brother's unexpected praise, both Kane and Abella brighten.
Their small faces lit up with identical, cute smiles, their eyes sparkling with innocent delight at being acknowledged so kindly by their usually cold and distant older brother.
Then, his gaze shifted back to Vivienne, the smile fading slightly to a more earnest expression.
"Sister," he began, his voice firm, "I am actually trying to quit drinking and every other bad habits I have."
"I want to change. I want to be better."
A heavy sigh escaped him, and his eyes dropped for a moment before meeting hers again.
"But I know it's too late now."
"My reputation is already the worst, and rven almost all people in the human territory already wonder why someone like me is still the heir of the kingdom."
He then looked directly at his parents, his expression resolute.
"That's why, Mother, Father, please... I want you to give the future throne to Vivienne instead. She deserves to be the heir of the Noxhaven Kingdom."
A stunned silence descended upon the dining hall, thick and heavy.
Every single person in the room, his family, the guards standing by the walls, the maids, and even the butlers, all froze.
Surprise, confusion, and utter amazement rippled through them.
Gasps could be heard, followed by a low murmur of disbelief that quickly spread among the staff.
"I thought about this last night," Kilian mused in his mind, his gaze unwavering despite the commotion he'd caused.
"As someone who doesn't know anything about the parts of this world that aren't in the game, and to be put into the worst body possible..."
"I know I have to do something drastic."
He continued his internal deliberation.
"Yeah, I could learn how to be a king for years, but that's not going to help me get back to my world or save this one in the future."
"So, I want to follow the path of Vivienne still being the heir of this kingdom, just like in the game."
***
/I hope you enjoyed this final chapter! It was rejected for contract, thanks for all the time and support you have given this world. Please if you like to read another one, check out SpellxEdge Online.