Not everyone is born a king.

 

Royal blood may bring glory and status, but many other things are far from guaranteed.

 

And Devitt Melchior is a typical example.

 

He is a person of incompetence.

 

At least in the eyes of the fourth prince himself, he is such.

 

In terms of broad-mindedness and reputation, he is not as good as his elder brother Torin. In terms of ruthless means, he falls short of his second brother Ben. His martial prowess is inferior to the third brother Patrick, and his wit and strategy are even harder to match against his younger sister Lilya.

 

Only the young princess Menna, who is still of a tender age and temporarily shows average performance, has not surpassed Devitt in any particular aspect.

 

But compared to a child barely over ten years old, it’s embarrassing to be overshadowed in any way.

 

Therefore, Devitt is somewhat self-conscious, easily influenced by the opinions of others.

 

Perhaps attracted by his easily manipulable nature, a special force approached Devitt when he was fourteen.

 

It was a man who claimed to be the Grand Duke of the Blood Clan, Julius Constantius.

 

The vampire said he could help Devitt, allowing him to stand out among the heirs and become a true king.

 

No one would reject the chance to be the supreme ruler of a kingdom, revered by thousands, and Devitt was no exception.

 

After thinking for three full days, the contract was established.

 

The alliance between the Human United Kingdom’s fourth prince, Devitt Melchior, and the Grand Duke of the Blood Clan, Julius Constantius.

 

However, afterward, Devitt didn’t actually do anything, he didn’t have the capability to do so. His actions were merely a portrayal of passivity and insignificance, perfectly showcased with the help of Julius.

 

This was his most genuine self.

 

Because of this, no one could see through Devitt’s disguise since he never engaged in any deceit from start to finish.

 

Except for the shadowy matters, negotiated between him and Julius – the ones that the Vampires took care of entirely: the assassination of the eldest prince Torin Melchior, causing his demise, discreetly poisoning King Anchorro’s food, making him seriously ill, pushing the fifth princess Lilya Melchior out onto the battlefield to meet her end, and so on.

 

Apart from the second prince, Ben Melchior, who had to cooperate and noticed some clues, and the exceptionally astute fifth princess who sensed something was amiss, Devitt appeared harmless to everyone else.

 

Tonight, for the first time since cooperating with the Vampires, Devitt Melchior faced an unprecedented crisis.

 

“Still no news?”

 

Seated in the depths of the bedchamber, on a chair in his sleepwear, Devitt continuously tapped his fingers on the table, his face revealing undeniable anxiety.

 

“I apologize, Your Highness, but there has been no sign of the reinforcements you mentioned. This rebellion came too suddenly, I heard that many parts of the royal city were simultaneously under attack. If it’s the Royal Guard, it might take some time before they can arrive. What do you think…?”

 

“Tsk, I’m not talking about them…”

 

The worry on the fourth prince’s face deepened.

 

Unfortunately, it’s tonight…

 

He had already seen the situation of the rebellious city guards outside the palace gate. It couldn’t be considered strong; if it were an ordinary night, it wouldn’t pose any threat at all. However, tonight, Julius had mentioned a crucial gathering taking place in the south of the city. Many powerful vampires, even two princes who surpassed regular levels, would personally attend.

 

Out of respect, all the Blood Clan members who had secretly lurked near Devitt, or disguised themselves as human guards to protect him, had left for that important meeting. This even included another legendary Grand Duke.

 

Therefore, only tonight, there was a gap in Devitt’s defense, with only soldiers specifically assigned from the Royal Guard to guard the fourth prince’s palace.

 

The number was scarce, only the standard basic force of five hundred soldiers, and there wasn’t even one among the guards who reached the level of a Legendary.

 

Of course, this doesn’t mean that Devitt couldn’t recruit skilled individuals or a substantial force. As a member of the royal family, he had the right to assemble a private army of no more than five thousand, just like Lilya’s Princess Knight Order.

 

However, it was precisely because of this arrangement that everyone underestimated him, and when the real confrontation came, he could make a stunning entrance.

 

Although the fourth prince’s abilities were inferior to other royal family members, he wasn’t completely devoid of insight and judgment. Even without Julius explicitly saying it, he could understand the reasoning behind this strategy.

 

“This shouldn’t be happening… With such a significant event, even if it’s an important gathering, we should have realized it earlier…”

 

“Uh, Your Highness, what are you talking about?”

 

The attendant in armor, kneeling on one knee, looked up at Devitt with a puzzled expression, but the fourth prince just waved his hand irritably.

 

“It’s nothing. Forget it. Since they’re not coming, I can’t just sit here and wait to die. Let’s follow your suggestion, break through towards the direction of the royal city, and seek refuge with the Royal Guard.”

 

“Yes! Are we departing now, Your Highness? But your attire…”

 

Glancing at Devitt’s sleepwear, which offered no protection, the attendant, an elderly servant who had served the fourth prince for several years, naturally knew that his master, like the fifth princess, had no combat or magical abilities.

 

However, while Princess Lilya lacked the talent to learn such skills, Prince Devitt simply had no interest in them.

 

“What’s the matter? With so many of you, do I need to personally fight someone?”

 

Feeling somewhat lost, Devitt unconsciously vented his frustration on the attendant beside him.

 

The attendant dared not be angry and could only bravely respond, “I will do my best to protect you, but on the battlefield, arrows are hard to defend against. Without armor, it’s still…”

 

After some earnest advice, Devitt eventually put on the brand-new light armor that the attendants had brought from the beginning, placed on the table. Although it was just a set of well-crafted blue armor, considering Devitt hadn’t prepared anything in advance, it was the best equipment the attendants could provide.

 

Once ready, a group of over a hundred elite attendants escorted Devitt as they broke through from a side door, charging towards the palace amidst the encirclement of numerous rebels in black armor.

 

Devitt’s performance was even more pitiful than Lilya when she experienced the battlefield for the first time.

 

Having been pampered since childhood, when had he ever seen such a scene of bloodshed and carnage? Just the terrifying killing intent coming straight at him and the constantly falling guards around him were enough to make the fourth prince’s legs tremble, leaving him powerless.

 

He was almost being dragged along by the attendants.

 

Eventually, the captain of the attendants, who had initially entered his room, couldn’t bear watching any longer. Apologizing briefly, he decisively lifted Devitt on his back and ran swiftly.

 

The intense scent of blood on the battlefield, mixed with the naturally emanating sweat as the attendants ran with all their might, created a pungent odor that wafted into Devitt’s nostrils along with the fear brought about by unease. This combination left him dizzy and almost incapable of coherent thought.

 

At that very moment,

 

“Swoosh.”

 

A sudden sound rang out, and one of the attendants, who was running alongside Prince Devitt, fell with a thud!

 

Devitt, caught off guard by the attendant’s fall while carrying him on his back, also tumbled to the ground. He rolled several times before finally coming to a stop.

 

Apart from the areas protected by the armor, Prince Devitt had several wounds on his face and the back of his hands, scraped against the hard ground during the somersaults. The left leg, the first to hit the ground during the fall, was now experiencing intense pain, reminiscent of a bone fracture.

 

“Ugh… What’s happening…”

 

As he struggled to get up from the ground, Devitt lifted his head, only to be greeted by the horrifying sight of the attendant’s head being pierced from left to right. The lifeless body with wide-open pupils sent shivers down his spine.

 

“Ahh… Ahhhhhh!!!”

 

Devitt’s heart was shattered by fear.