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King Edmund, his father, a dignified man with a commanding presence, was seated at the head of the table. Next to him was Queen Seraphina, his stepmother, exuding grace and poise. Across from Aurelius sat his half-brothers, second Prince Cedric and third Prince Alan, and his half-sister, Princess Isabella, both wearing expressions of pure curiosity.

King Edmund leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Aurelius with genuine interest. "How\'s your life going at the Academy, Aurelius?" he asked, his voice warm but formal. mp-y,r.

Aurelius looked up from his plate, meeting his father\'s gaze. "I\'m doing fine, Father," he replied evenly, offering a small smile. "The Academy is challenging, but I\'m managing well."

The king nodded approvingly. "That\'s good to hear. You\'ve done well in the competition. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you, Father," Aurelius said, his voice filled with appreciation.

Prince Alan, five years younger than Aurelius, leaned in with a playful grin. "I heard you are one of the top contestants among the first years, Aurelius. You couldn\'t even walk properly before but now you are strong, unbelievable, don\'t you think?"

Aurelius chuckled, his smile widening. "It\'s all thanks to the training and support I\'ve received from my friends, teachers, and Master. Even I can\'t believe how I changed this much sometimes."

Prince Cedric gave his little brother a cold look before looking at Aurelius with distaste. Aurelius ignored his step-brother\'s look as he was used to it.

Queen Seraphina, her eyes glinting with curiosity, asked, "And how is your relationship with the Lighthaven girl going? Have you two gotten closer?"

At the mention of Aurelia, Aurelius felt a rush of conflicting emotions. He clenched his fists under the table, struggling to maintain his composure. After a brief pause, he forced himself to relax and replied calmly, "We\'re friends, Your Majesty."

Queen Seraphina arched an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in her gaze. "Just friends? Given the history between our families, I would have thought there might be more. She\'s your fiance, you know. Even though the wedding was delayed due to that unfortunate event, I and your father can make it happen anytime you want."

Aurelius\'s eyes flickered but he kept his voice steady, his expression neutral. "Aurelia and I have a good understanding. We\'ve both been focused on our studies and the competition. There\'s mutual respect between us. And, she isn\'t my fiance anymore, so there won\'t be any wedding."

Princess Isabella, sensing the tension, changed the topic with a bright smile. "Brother, I heard the current strongest freshman is brother Adrian. Is that really the case? Wasn\'t he an affinityless? Can you tell me about him?"

Aurelius nodded, grateful for the distraction. She might be the only person in the family who treated him like a real brother though not that affectionate. "Yes, you heard it right. Adrian is indeed the strongest freshman. He may have started as an affinityless, but he has shown remarkable talent and determination.

His strategic brilliance and combat skills have earned him a lot of respect at the Academy. You have seen it yourself just a while ago, haven\'t you."

"Yeah, he was indeed amazing. As always." Princess Isabella\'s eyes widened with interest. A strange glint passed through her eyes. "Senior was always cool back in the Royal Academy too. But... How did he manage to overcome being affinityless?"

"..." Auerlius was silent for a moment. "That... I heard he can\'t break through to the Lunar Tier since he has no affinity, and he still hasn\'t found a solution to it yet. But, I believe if he were to have even one affinity, he would be even stronger than now."

"Hmph, no one can cure it. You can\'t suddenly have an affinity when you are affinityless," Prince Cedric commented in a sarcastic voice. "Wait a bit more, when I advance to the Lunar Tier, I can easily beat him myself."

Aurelius felt a flash of annoyance but maintained his composure. "It\'s not always about defeating others, Cedric. It\'s about improving oneself and reaching new heights. Adrian\'s determination and hard work are things we can all learn from."

Prince Cedric scoffed but didn\'t respond, turning his attention back to his meal. He firmly believed what he said, some thing were unchangeable, such as...

"I\'m surprised you haven\'t died yet considering your previous condition." Cedric muttered.

"Cedric!" King Edmund\'s voice was stern, causing Cedric to fall silent but not without a final scoff.

Queen Seraphina quickly intervened, her voice smooth and reassuring. "Cedric was just worried about your health, Aurelius. Then again, how have you been feeling? Have you found a way to cure your unknown illness?"

Aurelius took a moment to gather his thoughts, his expression calm. "I\'ve been managing, Your Majesty. The healers at the Academy have been helpful, and I\'ve been following their advice closely. Master is also doing his best to help me. However, we still haven\'t found a definitive cure. It\'s a work in progress."

Queen Seraphina nodded, her eyes filled with concern. "I see. It\'s important to stay vigilant and take care of yourself, Aurelius. We all want you to be healthy and strong. You are the crown prince after all. Our Kingdom will be left without an heir if you were to suddenly die."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I appreciate your concern," Aurelius replied, his voice steady. He wanted to say, you want me to die that bad why are you pretending, but chose not to.

The conversation shifted to lighter topics once more, but the underlying tension remained. Aurelius maintained his composure, engaging with his family and sharing in their discussions. Despite the undercurrents of rivalry and complex emotions, he knew he had to stay focused because of his goals and continue striving for to stay alive.

For both his own sake and a few people whom he cherishes.

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(A/N: The Bonus Chapters for the Gift will be released soon!)