MTL - Year of Herbs - Chapter 376 "escape"

In a world of power struggles and betrayal, A hero was once a loyal warrior who dedicated his life to helping his childhood friend ascend to the throne. Through blood, sweat, and unwavering devotion, he paved the way for his friend's reign—only to be betrayed the moment his goal was achieved. His life was cruelly stolen, but fate had other plans.Instead of death, he awakens in his childhood once more, armed with the memories of his tragic fate. This time, he will not be the loyal shadow of a false friend. This time, he will seize the throne himself.Yet, this is not his story.Our true protagonist is an ordinary man who finds himself reincarnated into this world—not as a hero, but as an extra. A mere background character destined to meet a tragic end, a third prince whose death will serve only as fuel for the true villain's rise. Slated to become an undead knight under the fourth prince, the last and most terrifying villain of this dark tale, he must now defy fate itself.With knowledge of the future and a world filled with scheming nobles, ruthless warriors, and an impending catastrophe, can this forsaken prince change his fate? Or will he meet his destined end, only to rise as a pawn in the villain’s grand scheme?A tale of revenge, survival, and defying fate begins now.

The prince of Maldonia, Prince Artemis of House Arteides, the bear killer, the slayer of the elves is crowned King when his father King Arteides dies. The whole kingdom of Maldonia depends on him now, but he puts the throne in jeopardy after he refuses to marry Princess Thelma of House Taelin from the kingdom of Prophis and opt to marry Aurora Kholin, the love of his life.

Aurora is a seer and a powerful witch who has yet to aknowledge her powers, only Artemis knows of it. Lucian Mithandir is in exile recruiting an army to fight Prince Castellan of house Taelin for the throne of Prophis. Artemis wants no parts of this war, but he is very aware whoever wins the war will later turn to Maldonia.

Artemis has no clue that a bigger war is coming which will set kingdoms on fire, Aurora has seen it in her dreams and it’s for the Sweet Waters Throne in Maldonia. The end is uncertain but the ways are clearer, who will sit on the throne after the war between Lord Gandalf of House Old City who owns mighty huge lions and King Artemis of Maldonia who has Aurora and dragons breathing fire.

~ Excerpt Scene ~

The men of the secret council remained behind after the king walked away to further discuss the situation at the borders of the kingdom. The battlefield was named Stonedance and that’s because of its stony surface and this part of the place was usually abandoned and without inhabitants. Some people claimed Stonedance was cursed, that’s because it laid in the middle of two powerful kingdoms.

Stonedance was neither cold nor humid as it stood between the hot and shining Maldonia, and the freezing and gothic Prophis. It was the perfect place to fight and camp, the two battalions had all the space to themselves to prepare for war. Three hundred thousand men loyal to King Castellan Taelin of Prophis laid on the East, and two hundred thousand men keen to keep Lucian Mithandir.

Whatever was going on in Stonedance was of no Artemis’s concern as he focused more on sharpening his swordsmanship skills. He trained from morning to noon, with the lord commander of his kingsguard, Sir Dante Lucan who he befriended and these two became inseparable in a span of just a week.

“Come to me! Hard” Artemis urged his lord commander to not be easy on him.

“If I go hard on you Your Grace, we shall be left without a king to rule” replied Sir Dante Lucan with a smile. “You are getting better day by day; may I ask why the sudden interest in swordsmanship?”

.....

“I am a celebrated knight Sir Dante. I have fought in wars ever since I was nine”

“Exactly my point Your Grace. You are good with your sword, and have been for some time” Sir Dante smiled softly “Is it the war in Stonedance which makes His Grace nervous?”

“Some say I am ought to join my uncle, support the house my mother called it home. While others say my uncle betrayed me the very first day he took Mithandir inside his walls”

“And what do you say, Your Grace?”

Aurora joined them and Sir Dante excused himself. It had been a week and four days since they were last seeing at court.

“I am a warlock Artemis” For the first time ever since Artemis knew Aurora, this was the first she’s declared and accepted her true nature. “I am a seer, spaewife, or any other words you may want to use but I am not normal”

“We have talked about this Aurora, when the time is right…”

Aurora interrupted “The time is now!” she said. “I can feel the flames in my dreams getting hotter. If I don’t seek the help I need now, I fear for my own existence. I saw myself riding a ─” she paused softly.

Artemis leaned on to her “Riding a what?” he asked suspiciously.

“It may sound crazy, I mean I have never heard of such creatures and even if they exist…”

“What were you riding Aurora?”

After a few seconds of not being sure how will Artemis react or take it, Aurora finally exhaled softly and brought herself to speak “A dragon” and then she paused waiting to see how will Artemis take all of it.

She was the genius daughter of an Ancient Martial Family, shining brightly, and known as one of the fearsome “Dark Twins”. Due to her sister's betrayal, she and her partner both perished.She was Ajiu of Qifeng City, the so-called waste that everyone laughed at. Although she was a daughter of a cultivating family, she had no Phantom Power Source and couldn't cultivate Phantom Power. She was banished to a remote small town and eventually beaten to death by her cousin in a dilapidated courtyard.When the genius daughter, who gained the treasure of cultivation in the Endless Void, transmigrated into the body of the waste daughter, the gears of fate began to turn again. The waste would set foot on the path of cultivation! Contracting Divine Beasts, practicing Alchemy, refining artifacts, carrying on the legacy of ancient Divine Artifacts, seeking her kin, exterminating evil spirits, let's see how she stirs the heavens and earth!He was the most noble man between heaven and earth, of supreme status, with a bewitching appearance. Due to a game started out of boredom, he encountered her, and from then on, through heaven and earth, he would never leave her side!Snippet One:Dugu Qianye sat in the way she used to practice in her previous life, beginning to examine her current body. The blocked meridians, the weak energy channels, this body was truly terrible. As she continued downward, she arrived at the Dantian, “Eh? What is this?”What should have been an empty Dantian was floating with a... uh, an egg?“Why is it an egg? Could my body have turned into a hen? Does it have to be this fantastical!”“I am not an egg, you're the egg! Your whole family are eggs!” Just as Dugu Qianye was conflicted between the egg and the hen, a childish voice arose in her mind.“Eh? The egg can talk?” Dugu Qianye was astonished.“Damn it, I've already told you, I am not an egg!” the egg fumed.Snippet Two:Watching Dan Jingtian eating and exhaling from being burned at the same time, Dugu Qianye suddenly felt like teasing him. After thinking, she said, “I am a child from the mud pill family on Dot Street in Wuyou Town, next to Zixu City.”Dan Jingtian rubbed the back of his head and said, “Zixu City, Wuyou Town, why haven't I heard of any of them? Also, what’s a mud pill?”“Stupid!” Mo Ziqing tapped Dan Jingtian's head, “Remove the city and town and read it again.”“Zixu, Wuyou, Dot, Mud Pill, ugh, it's all nonsense to trick you! No way, brother, are you playing me?”Snippet Three:“Hey, that woman punched a hole in the sky.” Ci Hun appeared in front of Zi Xiao and said wickedly.“Oh?” Zi Xiao looked up at him indifferently and said, “Just a hole in the sky. Go, find someone to fix that hole.”“That woman also ripped a hole in that man’s pants, right on the butt.” Ci Hun continued.“What?” The man, who had been casual just a moment ago, jumped to his feet, his bewitching face filled with rage, “A hole in the butt? Dare to show his butt in front of my woman, come, let's go chop his butt off!”Ci Hun was speechless, saying, “That was done by the woman.”“Still, chop it off! Can't even protect his own butt, might as well chop it off.”Snippet Four:Dugu Qianye looked at the person tied up like a rice dumpling in front of her, stroked her chin, and said, “I've decided, I'm going to rob. Hand over everything valuable you have on you!”“I don't have any money” Mang Qianjun said indignantly, looking at Dugu Qianye.“What? No money? Then what's the point of keeping you around! Xiaohuo, light a fire,” Dugu Qianye said somberly.“Wait, wait, I haven't finished yet,” Mang Qianjun shouted, “I don't have money, but I have the entire Endless Hell. You can rob it!”