How to determine that someone was a traitor?

For others, this was a complicated and lengthy process, involving suspicions, interrogation, and breach of trust.

But for him?

There was one great way to verify.

...The mirror dimension…

The first principle of his was dimension. Anyone aside from him who entered this dimension would have their emotions toward him inverted.

Meaning, someone like Milia or Camelia who has an overwhelming love for him would have overwhelming hatred instead.

When Sol first discovered this power, he began to think about the possible limitations and discovered some potentially big problems in this situation.

Firstly, most people didn’t have such great love or hatred towards him.

Most people were indifferent or neutral. Even if their feelings were inverted, the difference wouldn’t be large.

Secondly, most beings didn’t work on emotions alone.

They also had their rationality. There was nothing scarier than an intelligent being.

Even if Milia entered his dimension, logically speaking with her rationality, she should understand that what she feels were not her true feelings.

At least in theory this should be so.

But in reality, it seemed like he had underestimated his power.

This afternoon, before going toward the Gorfard Mansion, he had tested his power with Milia.

When she entered his dimension, the results were startling. She did really try to kill him, with absolutely no reasoning left.

This allowed him to determine a second principle; no one who entered his dimensions could control their feelings through reason. In fact, despite their inversion, they became extremely honest…

This understanding brought him to now,

“Ares, do you want to try something?”

Until now, Sol had always been hesitant about using these features of his power. After all, this was basically like mind manipulation.

But now wasn’t the time for such naive consideration. From now on, he had to advance with the notion that the entire Highland family couldn’t be trusted. Even though this way of thinking might be harsh, it was the best one.

“What do you mean?” Ares who was still reeling from the ruthless way Sol slapped Leonard asked in confusion.

Sol didn’t bother answering Ares as he stood in front of him and placed his hand on Ares's shoulder.

“Transfer.”

From Ares's point of view, the world around him suddenly began to twist.

He instinctively tried to free himself, but sadly, the grip on his shoulder was simply too strong.

“Don’t resist. I won’t hurt you.”

Hearing this, Ares hesitated a little, and this moment of hesitation was all Sol needed.

Suddenly, the world around them changed to a dead monochrome color...

Sol, who released Ares's shoulder, marveled once again at his dimension. Even though it seemed like a dead world, a world fixed in time, everything around him was real.

‘I really need to master this power.’

Sol had simply too many paths to becoming strong.

Be it by training his already freakish body, by mastering a zone and then avatar, by reaching a mastery in his magic, or by forming contracts.

It was with those happy worries that Sol finally paid attention to Ares. He was about to ask some question, but seeing his twisted expression full of ridicule and condescending, Sol already had an answer in his heart,

‘Heh, so this guy feels respect and admiration toward me in reality?’

Smiling a little, he said, “Well, I guess it’s time to get some answers.”

…

…

…

“Your highness, could you please follow…? Sir Highland, is something the matter?”

A middle-aged maid entered the room to invite Sol to finally enter since all the other nobles were present and waiting for him, but she was startled after she saw the haunted expression on Ares Highland.

‘What happened here?’

“Nothing much, Sir Ares isn’t feeling well and as such will not join the party, let him rest here would you?”

The maid's intuition told her that something important had definitely happened, but her years of experience told her that the best thing to do in this situation was to shut up and believe whatever was said to her. Even if she was told that the sun was black, she had to nod and take it as the truth.

Giving a bow, “Understood your highness. If you would follow me?”

“But of course, let’s go.” Sol walked toward the maid, but just as he was about to pass the door, he stopped and sent a whisper to Ares, [You should know that I did not lie to you. Stay here. If when I come back, I learn that you left, I will also consider you as a traitor.]

Ares could only give a hollow smile as he looked down on the ground, not raising his head even after the door was shut.

Sol's revelations were not just devastating. The fact that his grand-uncle didn’t hesitate to use him to poison the prince was like a dagger twisting his heart.

In the Highland house, even though he had never felt shunned or alone, the only one who really tried to support him and bring him to greater heights had been Gerald.

‘No, this is wrong. Perhaps the prince is mistaken?’

Tears gathered in his eyes as he kept denying this sad truth. But, no matter how inexperienced he was, Ares was still the second heir of the highland family.

His education and all the training he received simply made him unable to refute the irrefutable.

Looking bitterly at the bottle of wine in front of him, he poured himself another glass before downing in one go.

Nothing better than alcohol to drown one sorrow.

‘Perhaps when I wake up, everything will only be a dream?’

Thinking so, he simply threw the glass away and watched it shatter against the wall before he took the bottle and began to drink directly from it.

He didn't really care if it was poisoned or not.