Sven let out a scoff, "Hmph, it's all just a front to fool kind-hearted people like you. And when everyone lowers their guard around her, she and her father will strike. You do know that his favorite woman was Reva's mother and his treatment towards Reva is proof of that. Why do you think the only person she talks to most is her own father and ignores you and everyone else? Your father also secretly discusses things with her, and god knows if they are planning your downfall. Maybe the task your father gave you is just a step to bring you down."
"I…" Arthur had a disconcerted expression feeling some of Sven's words convincing as he had always thought about those things. He couldn't find words to answer Sven's questions.
If he was the crown prince, why was he treated like trash by his own father, especially when his cultivation was nothing to laugh at?
Among all the men, he should be the youngest one to reach the Sky Ethereal Realm before anyone else, and such achievement should have garnered enough respect and praise from at least his own father.
He didn't care much about the praises and respect the people gave him. Of course, he appreciated them, but all he yearned for was his father's recognition, especially after working so hard without taking any shortcuts.
But all he saw was his father giving away all that respect and recognition to his own sister, Reva, whom he could not even feel jealous of for certain reasons.
Of course, he thought she deserved it, especially considering her extraordinary talent and high cultivation at such a young age.
He knew he could only dream about reaching her heights, and she would surely leave behind a huge gap between him and her within just a few years, so much that he wouldn't even feel like dreaming of closing that gap.
So, even if he wanted to, he couldn't feel jealous of her. He also, at times, wondered if Reva's talent was poor, would his father still treat her well out of consideration for the love his father had for Reva's mother.
But the last thing he thought was that Ruthren would make Reva the heir to the throne while abandoning him. He also found it hard to think Reva would act against him even if she became the empress.
Only when Sven talked about such stuff for the first time did he even think of such things. Before that, such thoughts didn't even strike him in the slightest.
He always saw Reva as a pure and sacred person, unblemished by the mortal world's corruption. It wouldn't even be wrong to say that he revered and respected her at some point.
Although he didn't want to believe Sven's words were true, he felt Sven was trying to look out for him, probably not wanting him to end up abandoned just like his mother.
He also saw that Sven was indeed aggrieved about his mother's situation just like him, especially since his mother was Sven's little sister.
At least, that proved that Sven's words were not empty words or unfounded.
Sven saw the unnerved expression of Arthur and said as his eyes gleamed, "If you still feel that Reva won't act against you, think why would she even keep you around after she becomes the empress. You were titled as the crown prince, so even if your father doesn't get rid of you, she will because they don't want people asking why you didn't get the throne. You know how siblings even get rid of each other just to become the heir."
"But I would never do that even if Reva became the empress," Arthur said in a tone of certainty.
Sven nodded, "I know you are not such a person, but can we tell the same for everyone else for sure? Unless we are able to read their minds, we can never be sure of that. They might even mistake your kind nature as just a mask to hide your schemes to backstab them. So the last thing they would do is keep you around.
"I know you feel aggrieved at the fact that despite being so talented, you are not getting the respect and appreciation you deserve from your own father. But when he has a daughter like Reva who outshines you, why would he even spare a glance at you? Why would he care whether all the other youngsters are less talented like you?"
Sven suddenly thought of someone and continued as he slowly walked around Arthur, "You forgot about that kid from the Rong Empire...Damien. Since you were in close-doors cultivation, you obviously didn't learn what happened. I heard that Damien spends quite a lot of time with Reva to the point that people say Reva even favors him in public, especially when she defended him against the two patriarchs' claims to punish him. Have you ever heard of Reva publicly defending a man like that?...especially someone who never bothered to interact with anybody else."
Sven's tone was fierce as if he was feeling aggrieved for Arthur. There was also disdain in his voice when he mentioned the Rong Empire.
Arthur's features tightened, and a bitter glint flashed past his eyes for a moment. But he calmed down his boiling heart and was surprised at himself for having such heated feelings.
Observing Arthur's expression, Sven inwardly grinned as he went on, "Do you know that Reva spends her entire afternoons and sometimes even the evenings with Damien in her residence built in the Xeton Ethereal Foundation? Of course, they spend time together in the name of 'extra classes' but can we know for sure that's what's happening? When had she ever let a man enter her personal residence, no matter even if it's in the school?
"Well, I guess we can't blame her for not having feelings towards someone so exceptionally talented and charming like Damien. Despite his low cultivation, he was able to even defeat Roy and the only one after thousands of years to possess a lightning seed. Sometimes we forget that Reva is just a nineteen-year-old girl, and she can have feelings of love towards someone as well…especially with someone she spends a lot of time with."
Arthur shook his head in a listless manner, "No...that's impossible. She is just his teacher trying to teach him. Reva doesn't seem to be the type just to have feelings like that. Not so fast, at least. And Damien already has Valentina as his lover. The last one Reva would have feelings towards someone would be him. A proud and powerful princess like her wouldn't lower herself to share a man."
The more Arthur said his words, the more he seemed confident at his own deductions and even berated himself inwardly for thinking that Reva would really fall for Damien.
Sven saw that Arthur seemed pretty confident of Reva not falling for Damien and decided to take a different angle, "Maybe. But what if your father saw Damien as a good candidate to become Reva's husband? Yes, Damien is not from our empire, but his talent itself speaks a lot. Can your father resist the temptation of not roping in such a talented person? He would gladly sacrifice his daughter if he can make sure that his empire would become more powerful and prosperous in the future. And so far, other than Damien, do you think any other men are worthy of even coming close to Reva in terms of talent?"
Hearing Sven's words, Arthur's expression became grave again. He didn't think that his father might take in Damien as his son-in-law and grant him a powerful status in the future as well.
Even if Ruthren once said that no one in the Rising Sun Continent was worthy of Reva, he didn't know about Damien yet. So it was possible that Ruthren can have a change of mind after learning about Damien.
Sven continued, "And so, the empire would finally fall in an outsider's hands, and your precious sister would be stolen away by someone else. No matter which possibility we think about, it all ends badly for you. And even if this all didn't happen and Reva becomes the empress, can you guarantee that she will save your mother? Do you want to take that chance rather than securing her safety now itself?"
By now, Sven was talking as if Arthur would never become the crown prince and even Arthur felt convinced of it thinking about the way his father treated him.
He now truly felt that his title was nothing more than a joke but just a target for others so that no one will target Reva.
Sven let out a sigh and said as he slowly walked away from Arthur, "If you ever feel like taking back your rightful place, you know where to look. Soon you will see that what I said today was not without reason."
As Sven walked away, Arthur had a helpless expression on his face, not knowing what to do. He didn't want to think that what Sven said would come to be true.
But after all the reasons Sven put out, he couldn't help but think that Sven's words were justified.
He shook his head, thinking that he would think about all these things after a week and focus on the present for now. For now, he decided to go to his cultivation chamber in the Xeton Ethereal Foundation reserved for the imperial family, thinking that he had a person to meet.
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