Brook's voice trembled with confusion. "Then how will I be able to do this?"
The dragon's ancient eyes glimmered with wisdom. "You will understand when you arrive."
"Arrive where?" Brook demanded, but before the dragon could answer, everything went dark.
He jolted awake—but something was wrong. This wasn't Hannibal's mansion. The room was luxurious, yes, but entirely unfamiliar. Panic seized him as he stumbled toward the mirror.
The reflection staring back at him wasn't the grown man's body he'd inhabited before. It was a child.
Suddenly, memories crashed through his mind like a tidal wave. He gasped, clutching his head as foreign experiences flooded his consciousness. When the deluge finally subsided, he understood.
He was Lucas, the eldest son of the Golden Dragon Merchant Family. And Lucas had tried to take his own life.
Brook—no, Lucas—sank onto the bed, piecing together the tragic story. The Third Prince had bullied him relentlessly at the academy, all because Lucas refused to submit to his authority. But why would a prince waste time tormenting a merchant's son?
The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. The Emperor wants to control the Golden Dragon Family. It was a calculated strategy—if the current family head wouldn't comply, then they'd break his heir instead. Make the son submit, and eventually, you control the entire merchant empire.
But Lucas had refused. And for that defiance, he'd been tortured until he saw only one way out.
"What a noble kid," Brook whispered, his chest tightening. "He chose death over submission."
But then another memory surfaced, and Brook's blood ran cold.
In his mind's eye, he saw Lucas's final thoughts: If I don't submit, the Prince will target my little sister next. He'll try to force her into his service... or worse. But if I die—if everyone knows I died because of his bullying—then my family will know the truth. My sister will be protected. The Prince's reputation will be destroyed, his true nature exposed. My family won't acknowledge or support the King or his wretched son.
Brook's hands trembled. Lucas had been only fifteen years old. His sister was barely thirteen. And this brave child had calculated everything, sacrificing himself to protect those he loved and to expose the Prince's cruelty.
"You magnificent, foolish boy," Brook breathed, tears stinging his eyes. Then his sorrow hardened into rage. He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. "Prince... I'll show you what it truly means to be bullied."
Brook dressed in Lucas's academy uniform and stepped out of his dormitory. The luxury of his accommodations wasn't lost on him—only top students earned such rooms. Well, top students and royalty.
Those imperial bastards get these dorms without lifting a finger, he thought bitterly. Just from the living conditions, I can see this academy is biased toward the royals. Why wouldn't it be? They fund the entire institution.
He made his way to his basic magic class. According to Lucas's memories, he was quite talented. The Golden Dragon Family, being merchants rather than a noble magic lineage, didn't possess advanced hereditary magic like the Warlock families. Instead, they'd used their considerable wealth and influence to purchase various magic techniques. Magic was generally easier to learn than aura-based swordsmanship, making it the practical choice for a merchant family seeking power.
After class ended, Brook was wandering the academy grounds when a familiar, sneering voice cut through the air.
"Well, well. Look who's here—a lizard from the lizard family!"
The Third Prince approached with his usual entourage, his face twisted in contempt. Brook kept walking, refusing to acknowledge him.
The Prince's face flushed red. "How dare you ignore me!"
Brook suddenly broke into a run.
Behind him, the Prince's laughter echoed across the courtyard. "See? The lizard runs in fear! What a coward!"
But Brook wasn't listening. He ran straight back to his dormitory and locked the door behind him. Once inside, his expression shifted from fear to cold calculation.
"That prince is a real pain in the ass," he muttered. "I need to get rid of him permanently."
A crucial detail from Lucas's memories surfaced. The Third Prince wasn't a mage—he was a swordsman.
A slow, dangerous smile spread across Brook's face.
"It's time to put the Golden Dragon Family's money to good use."