The sky was overcast and drizzling, and the lord's city looked particularly gloomy in this damp and gloomy weather. Water accumulated in the streets and passers-by walked in a hurry for fear of getting wet by the sudden heavy rain.
In a corner of the city, in a dungeon hidden deep underground, the damp and cold air was filled with a musty smell, the walls were covered with moss, and faint light shone through the iron bars, giving people an endless sense of oppression.
In such a dark space, Ace, dirty and with blood on his clothes, gradually came to himself. His hair was disheveled, his face was covered in dirt, he looked listless, and every part of his body felt sore. Gradually regaining consciousness, he looked around and realized that he was in a dungeon. His heart tightened and he hurriedly looked for his brother Ed.
He rummaged through the clothes in his arms, only to find that the gold coins had disappeared, and even the dagger was nowhere to be found. At this moment, a white mist suddenly rose in the dungeon, accompanied by heavy footsteps. Ace stared at the cell door warily, secretly trying to figure out the identity of the person who came.
The door slowly opened, and a young man in gorgeous robes walked in accompanied by a middle-aged knight. The young man smiled slightly, with a cunning light in his eyes, "Are you looking for your brother? Don't worry, he is fine at the moment. I have arranged him in another room."
Ace was stunned, staring at the boy in front of him. He couldn't believe that there was someone in the world who was so similar to him. The other person's clothes were gorgeous and eye-catching, forming a sharp contrast with his own shabby clothes. Ace's heart was shocked, and he realized that this young man was no ordinary person.
"I never thought that I would meet someone exactly like me when I came to visit the old duke. There are such interesting coincidences in the world. It's a pity that although we have the same face, our destinies are completely different."
"Let me introduce myself. I am the second prince of the Dawn Empire, Andor Pendragon," the young man leaned forward slightly, a teasing smile on his lips, "and you are just a lowly son of a hunter."
Ace did not respond, but just stared at him calmly. Andor seemed to be unimpressed by Ace's calmness and continued, "However, I will give you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the substitute of Andor Pandoragon. You only need to enjoy the delicacies and be served by beautiful women in the palace. After the success, I will give you endless wealth, provided that you sign a life and death contract with me."
After that, Andor took out an ancient parchment from his storage ring and gently placed it in front of Ace.
Ace looked at the parchment, raised his head and said, "I can't write."
"You can't even write? Then you'll have to work harder next time so that no one can find out your flaws. It doesn't matter, you can just use your blood to leave fingerprints on it." Andor's voice was tinged with sarcasm.
Ace didn't hesitate, he bit his finger, blood dripped onto the parchment, and he left a fingerprint. The moment the contract was signed, a strange feeling came over him, as if an invisible knife was pressed against his heart.
"This is a life and death contract. From today on, your life belongs to me." Andor put away the parchment with satisfaction, a sinister look flashing in his eyes, "I only need a thought, and you will die."
"By the way, don't even think about canceling this contract. Any items that can dispel magic or break curses will be ineffective. Unless I die, the contract will remain in effect." He added, turning around and preparing to leave.
Ace stood up and walked to Andorra's side. Andorra glanced at this guy and was secretly proud of himself. He thought that this guy who looked exactly like him was both sensible and obedient, but he also felt a little dissatisfied in his heart.
If the damn third brother hadn't been born, why would he have to be so cautious? In the eyes of his father, his mother, and the powerful officials in the court, Arthur has almost become the next king of the Dawn Empire.
Damn God's favored one! It was impossible for him and his elder brother to give up the throne. He gritted his teeth secretly, thinking that he must learn to be patient and hide, so that people would see that he was just a pleasure-seeking guy, otherwise what would be waiting for him would be endless assassinations.
Andor thought that he must make good use of this substitute, let him be monitored in the palace, give him time to plan and grow, so that he can...
Before Andor could sort out his thoughts in his mind, he felt a sudden sharp pain in his neck, as if an invisible hand was twisting it.
He was stunned. A face exactly like his own appeared in front of him, but he was clearly not looking in the mirror! No, that was Ace, but how dare a lowly peasant like him...
Just as Andor was about to take Ace out of the cell, Ace took the opportunity to twist Andor's neck 180 degrees. Andor's consciousness gradually sank, and the world around him became blurred in front of his eyes. Ace leaned over and looked at the dying Andor, with a cruel smile on his face: "Killing people doesn't seem as difficult as imagined. There doesn't seem to be much difference between humans and animals. Breaking the neck will also kill them..."
At this moment, Andorra's personal knight turned around as if he sensed something, and the scene in front of him stunned him for a moment. Andor's body fell weakly to the ground. The knight's mind was like being struck by thunder, his head buzzing, anger and shock intertwined, making him unable to move. It was not that he failed to protect him well. After all, who would have thought that a ten-year-old child would dare to kill a prince?
Ace calmly stomped his foot down hard, crushing Andor's head to pieces. Bright red blood splattered everywhere, mixed with broken brain matter, emitting a pungent smell.
Ace felt the magic power contained in his legs and feet, as if he had found the correct way to use "magic". He tried it and actually succeeded. After all, he and his brother were related by blood, so logically he should have a talent for magic.
Ace raised his head, his eyes were like knives, he looked at the knight coldly, and a provocative smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: "Now, the fake is dead."
The knight's pupils dilated instantly, and anger almost swallowed him. He suddenly grabbed Ace's neck and pushed him to the ground, his anger almost exploding. "You...you actually killed the second prince! Do you want to die?" He suppressed his inner anger, his voice low and trembling.
Ace spat out a mouthful of blood, but the smile on his face became more cunning: "Dead? I'm alive and well. In fact, you don't want to kill me, otherwise I would have died long ago."
These words made the knight's anger burn even more fiercely. He threw Ace against the wall and roared, "Do you think I dare not kill you?"
"Of course you wouldn't," Ace responded calmly, with a hint of disdain in his tone, "Because if I die, you will die too, and your death will be even more miserable than mine!"
Although the knight was furious, he also knew that what Ace said was true. He suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice: "You may not know that there is such a thing as resurrection in the world."
"And then what? Are you going to resurrect him? What's your reason? Is it because you failed to protect the Second Prince properly that led to his tragic death? What do you think will be your fate afterwards? Not to mention the Emperor, the Second Prince is not a forgiving person." Ace's voice was cold and ruthless, and the knight was speechless for a moment.
"You're married, right?" Ace's tone suddenly became relaxed, as if he was talking about something insignificant. "Because you have a wedding ring on your left ring finger. Think about your woman, your children, and your warm family."
The Knight took a deep breath, realizing the choice he faced. He stood up, finally suppressing the anger in his heart, and said to Ace respectfully, "Second Prince, I failed to protect you well and almost let you get attacked by the villains. Fortunately, you are fine. I am sorry to have frightened you."
After hearing this, Ace showed a sinister smile on the half of his face that was pressed to the ground. He knew that he had successfully transformed the knight's anger into dependence on himself.
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