The Last Step Chapter 56: False Heir

Novel: The Last Step Author: KaisefR Updated: Jun 02, 2026

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Now reading: Chapter 56: False Heir from The Last Step, a Fantasy novel by KaisefR.

6/18/2000 - 12:32 PM {17 Years into PAST}

"Your Highness! They're twins. A boy and a girl."

The voices of two ladies-in-waiting echoed through the chamber. They approached the emperor, who stood tall with his sharp blue eyes fixed on the newborns—his blood, his children.

The first lady stepped forward, gently cradling a small baby girl.

"U-Um, Your Majesty... she's blonde, like Her Majesty," she said softly. "And her eyes... they're blue, like yours."

As if on cue, the baby girl let out a soft cry. The lady tried to soothe her, holding her closer.

The emperor's gaze lingered on the child. He could feel it—magic, even in her faint cries. It was subtle, but unmistakable. She was special.

A myth spoken for a thousand years... a child chosen by the gods.

Perhaps it was her.

A divine empress.

He raised his hand and gently touched her forehead.

"You are... truly my blessed daughter," he said, his voice calm and low.

Then, his eyes shifted to the other lady-in-waiting.

"Y-Your Majesty, this is your son, he—"

The emperor stepped forward before she could finish.

He stared down at the boy.

The baby didn't cry. He didn't move. His face was blank.

Dark hair, like the emperor's. But his eyes... weren't blue. Not yet. They were void—cold, colorless, like a silent abyss.

"...He isn't crying," the emperor muttered.

"I-I don't understand it either," the lady said nervously. "It's... unusual..."

But the boy simply stared back at the emperor, unblinking.

Then, slowly... his eyes began to change. From the edges, blue crept in, coloring the void. Bit by bit, his eyes turned completely blue.

Still, the emperor showed no emotion.

"...Test them," he ordered. "Both. I want their magical and ntal potential asured."

"B-But, Your Majesty... they were just born—"

The emperor's glare silenced them.

And so, the tests began.

The emperor stepped into the chamber where his empress lay resting, her figure still weak from childbirth. Golden light filtered through the tall arched windows, casting soft shadows across the polished floor.

"Your Majesty..." the empress asked gently, her voice weak but filled with concern. "Are they... alright?"

The emperor approached, his steps slow and composed. He sat beside her, his presence cold yet regal. His sharp blue eyes held no warmth as he answered with quiet authority.

"We had twins," he said. "A prince and a princess."

The empress, with maternal warmth in her tone, whispered, "Where are they? I wish to hold them... just for a mont."

The emperor shook his head. "Not yet. You must wait until their assessnts are complete."

"...They're being evaluated?" she asked, her voice softer now, but still carrying the undertone of a mother's worry.

He turned to the window, watching the light fall over the marble pillars. "Their intelligence, magical aptitude, and physical limitations—all shall be asured. It must be done without delay."

The empress lowered her gaze, offering no protest. She rely nodded, her hands resting quietly atop the silken sheets.

They both knew the process.

Only those of royal blood could undergo such an ancient rite—one passed down through centuries. The spell, born from celestial magic, allowed insight into the gifts granted by the gods themselves. A secret known only within the royal lineage of Asura.

Monts later, the empress's ladies-in-waiting entered the room, each carrying a child in their arms.

Carefully, they approached and placed the newborns into the empress's embrace.

Her arms trembled as she held them close, her eyes glistening with affection.

The princess smiled faintly, gazing up at her mother. But the prince... his expression remained unreadable. Eyes distant, guarded, as though uncertain of the arms that held him.

The empress looked at him tenderly and whispered, "I am your mother, dear one... I will never let you go."

Yet the prince's gaze didn't soften. His small face stayed still—quiet, neutral. As if fearing what love might betray him next.

Then, the door opened once more.

A man cloaked in deep indigo robes entered the chamber. The sorcerer—one of the empire's greats—stepped forward, scroll in hand.

Both the emperor and the empress turned their eyes toward him.

Their gazes were sharp.

The results had arrived.

Before the sorcerer could speak, the empress raised her hand softly.

"Wait, Sorcerer Nelius," she said, her voice calm but commanding.

Her gaze turned to the emperor, warm yet composed. "Should we not grant them nas first, Your Majesty? Before their destinies are laid bare?"

The emperor's piercing eyes shifted to the princess. With care, the empress placed the child in his arms. The little girl, delicate and radiant, smiled faintly as she clutched one of his fingers with her tiny hand—refusing to release her grip.

A rare, almost imperceptible smile curved the emperor's lips. He stared at the child in silence for a mont, then muttered, with a voice that echoed like a divine decree:

"...Rose. You shall be nad Rose, my daughter."

The empress smiled softly at the sight of her husband holding their daughter, the mont between father and child delicate, almost sacred.

The emperor returned Rose to her mother's embrace and reached out for the prince.

This ti, he did not cradle him. He raised the boy to eye level, his cold, commanding gaze eting the child's expressionless face.

Yet the prince did not look away.

No flinch. No fear. No tears.

Just silence... and the kind of stare that defied logic for a child so newly born.

The empress watched with quiet intrigue. Twins they were, yet so vastly different. While Rose clung to warmth, the boy embodied stillness—as though he'd been born with the weight of fate already upon him.

And then, the emperor whispered the na.

A na that would be rembered across generations.

"...Kaiser."

He held the boy a mont longer, gazing into the deep void-blue eyes that shimred with mystery, before gently returning him to the empress.

She gathered both children close, her expression tender and radiant.

"My Princess Rose... and Prince Kaiser," she whispered, her voice full of affection. "I love you both, endlessly. And I know—there shall never co a day where you fail to et the hopes I place upon you."

The emperor stood silent, composed.

But his gaze drifted toward Sorcerer Nelius, who now held the scroll with the evaluation results in hand.

The ti had co.

To learn which child had been blessed by the heavens...

And which one had not.

Sorcerer Nelius took a step forward, lowering his head in reverence before speaking.

"Firstly, Your Majesties... regarding Princess Rose."

His voice held weight, each word carefully chosen. "She is a child touched by divinity itself. A perfect heir... no, sothing even greater."

The emperor and empress both turned their gaze upon him, sharp and unwavering. The empress rested against the cushions, her arms gently holding both children, the ladies-in-waiting standing silently beside her.

Nelius turned his eyes to the princess. "Her intellect is without equal—an evaluated IQ of 172. A level that surpasses the boundaries of genius. She is, undoubtedly, a prodigy."

A hush fell over the room.

"She possesses affinity for celestial magic... cursed magic... and all known elental types. Triple mastery, and not a single resistance or rejection within her core. Such a combination has never been recorded."

The empress's lips parted slightly, stunned. Even the ladies-in-waiting faltered, struggling to process the weight of his words. Only the emperor remained composed, though his eyes narrowed—calculating, absorbing.

Nelius continued.

"Her body, while appearing ordinary at birth, carries limitless potential. With training, she may surpass all physical standards—speed, strength, endurance... all of it lies within reach."

He lowered his gaze, reverent. "And her soul... it has been identified as a Royal-tier Radiant Core. With such a soul, she may form contracts with legendary spirits, wield divine relics, and commune with entities beyond mortal reach."

The room grew heavier as he added, "Since her birth, an aura surrounds her—one that makes seasoned knights fall to their knees, as if standing before a sovereign. This is not re magic... but the presence of one born to rule."

A breath passed before his final words.

"My foresight shows this child may replicate even the most intricate techniques after witnessing them once... and refine them beyond their origin."

He raised his eyes toward the emperor and empress.

"And the Oracle has spoken: her na will be etched into the future of the world. As a ruler, conqueror, or saint—she will beco known as the God's Chosen Empress of Asura."

Silence filled the chamber like thunder.

For once, even the emperor's gaze seed to shift slightly, if only for a second.

The empress, still holding Rose gently, broke the silence with a soft, emotional voice.

"...To think such a destiny lies within her..."

She turned to her husband. "Your Majesty... to bear a daughter whose very na the gods whisper... what future awaits her?"

The emperor's gaze lingered on Rose for a long mont.

"She will be revered," he said, voice low and composed. "Feared. Followed."

Then, almost as if to himself—

"She will change the world."

The empress smiled faintly, eyes glistening as she looked at her daughter once more.

"...Then I shall protect her. Until the day she walks that path herself."

And from the emperor—

"Until the world is ready to kneel before her na."

The empress, her gaze softening as she turned to the quiet infant in her arms, spoke once more—her voice tinged with maternal hope.

"...And what of my son?" she asked gently. "Nelius, surely he bears equal gifts as his twin... does he not?"

The air turned still.

Nelius's expression shifted—his complexion pale, lips trembling slightly, as though the question itself weighed a thousand stones upon his shoulders. He hesitated.

Then the emperor's voice cut through the silence, cold and commanding.

"Speak, Nelius. What of my son, Kaiser?"

The sorcerer lowered his eyes and exhaled shakily, as if dreading the words he was about to release.

"...Prince Kaiser... was evaluated with an intellect score of 82 IQ. Below average. No signs of refinent... no indication of latent growth."

A silence fell, heavy and unforgiving. The empress's breath caught in her throat. The emperor's expression froze.

Nelius continued, sha hanging in his voice like a dying ember.

"He was born... completely magicless. Not a flicker of fla... not a breath of wind bends to his will. Water resists him. The very elents refuse to recognize his existence."

Kaiser, still nestled against the empress's arm, remained quiet—his eyes open, his tiny form still.

"Physically... deficient. His musculature is underdeveloped, and his body has a natural cap on strength. No matter how much he trains... he will remain inferior to even the lowest knight."

The emperor's jaw tightened.

Nelius forced himself to speak the rest.

"His soul... is of the Flickering-class. Unstable. Incompatible with spirits, unable to retain any higher magical bond. It cannot evolve."

"And... his aura..." He almost whispered the next words. "There is none. For he possesses no magic at all. No pressure. No presence."

The room chilled.

"And lastly..." Nelius looked up, trembling. "His fate has been seen... and recorded."

He swallowed.

"It is valueless."

The empress's eyes widened. Her arms trembled. And then—

She let go.

Kaiser slipped from her embrace, gravity threatening to bring his head to the cold marble floor—until one of the ladies-in-waiting dove forward and caught him just in ti, cradling him gently.

The room stood still.

Kaiser's small, innocent face—usually marked by an emotionless calm—twitched. For the first ti, there was sothing there.

Betrayal.

The empress sat motionless, her lips parting as she whispered, as if to convince herself.

"...You... You cannot be my blood. You... are not my son."

The emperor's gaze remained locked on Nelius.

"...Are these words true?" he asked, his voice icy but calm. "Have you no doubt?"

Nelius dropped to one knee, eyes to the ground.

"I swear it upon my life, Your Majesty. I ran the evaluations seven tis. I prayed the results would change... but they did not. I beg your understanding."

The emperor turned away slightly.

"Then you are dismissed."

Nelius bowed low, then rose, leaving the room in haste—his robes trailing behind him like shadows of sha.

Silence returned, heavy as iron.

The empress sat with Rose in her arms—her expression now distant, sorrowful. The emperor stood on the opposite side of the chamber, arms folded behind his back, unmoving.

And Kaiser... remained in the arms of the lady-in-waiting, still gazing at his mother—his eyes wide, shimring not with tears... but with sothing deeper.

The empress glanced toward him once more.

Then, with cold finality, she uttered a single word.

"...Worthless."

The chamber was dim now, lit only by the soft golden glow of the chandelier above. Outside, the skies had darkened into a quiet dusk, as though the heavens themselves mourned the fate whispered within these royal walls.

The emperor stood with his back to the empress, his hands clasped behind him, voice low and regal yet lined with scorn.

"He is a stain, Rosaline," he spoke, without turning. "A blemish upon the Asuran na. No magic. No strength. No worth."

The empress—Rosaline—held Rose delicately in her arms, cradling her against her chest with reverent grace. Her eyes, however, were distant. Cold. Fixed upon the other child in the arms of her lady-in-waiting.

"...I had dreamt of birthing twin heirs," she said softly. "One to shine with might, and the other with wisdom. Together... to rule the Empire. But what I received instead..."

She closed her eyes.

"...was pride and disgrace."

The emperor turned, his stare sharp, emotionless.

"He is beneath even the servants' sons. If word escapes that the imperial line birthed a magicless, feeble-minded child... the na of The Empire will crumble beneath scorn and laughter. I will not allow it."

He stepped closer, voice sharpening.

"I would sooner burn this palace to ash than let him be known as my son."

The lady-in-waiting clutched Kaiser tighter, her arms trembling. "Your Majesty... please... he is still but a child—"

"Silence," Rosaline commanded, her tone cutting through the room like a blade of frost. "You speak as though he bears a future. He does not. That creature... is but a hollow shell in royal silk."

Kaiser, still resting in the maid's arms, blinked slowly. His eyes, too young to understand the words... yet old enough to feel the rejection, began to glisten.

"I look into his eyes," Rosaline continued, "and all I see is my regret. My regret of giving birth to him. A child born to disgrace."

The emperor's voice dropped into sothing colder—sothing final.

"Rose will be our legacy. Her na will rise with the sun itself. And that... thing"—he gestured toward Kaiser—"will only drag her into the dirt with his worthlessness. He does not deserve the right to breathe the sa air as my daughter."

Rosaline nodded slowly, her gaze never leaving the boy.

"If I had known," she whispered, "I would have ended the pregnancy... the mont I knew he lived within ."

The lady-in-waiting flinched, her lips trembling, tears pooling in her eyes.

"My only regret..." Rosaline's voice turned to a whisper. "...is giving birth to soone as worthless as you, Kaiser."

Then ca the emperor's final words, uttered with sovereign finality.

"Bring Varyn."

Monts later, footsteps echoed through the hall. A tall figure cloaked in deep crimson entered and knelt without raising his gaze.

"You summoned , Your Majesty."

"Varyn," the emperor spoke, "you have served with unwavering loyalty. Now, I ask this of you."

He raised his hand and pointed toward the child.

"Kill my son. Kaiser."

Varyn hesitated only for a mont before lowering his head further.

"...As you command."

The lady-in-waiting gasped, stepping back with Kaiser in her arms.

"Please! My Empress, have rcy—he is still your son!"

But Rosaline did not flinch.

"If you hesitate, Varyn..." her voice was ice, "then I shall do it myself. With these very hands of mine."

She looked once more at the child who had co from her womb... and saw nothing in him worth saving.

"Erase him. Let his na be forgotten before it is ever spoken."

Varyn rose, and stepped forward.

--------------------------------------------

If I could've stopped you from having , I would have.

Maybe then... maybe then you'd be happy, Mother.

I used to think birthdays were supposed to be about celebration. Candles, gifts, laughter.

But mine?

It was more like a quiet funeral for the life you could've had—if I never existed.

You didn't even have to say it out loud.

Every look you gave said enough.

Like I was a burden you were forced to carry... and never managed to drop.

I never cried when you hit . That wasn't what hurt.

I cried when you looked through —like I wasn't even worth the pain in your hand.

Every ti I got sick, I used to wonder if that would be the one that took .

So days... I hoped it would.

Not because I wanted to die.

But because maybe then... you'd finally be free of .

I didn't learn how to ask for help. Not once.

Because I was raised in a world where no one ca when I needed them. So, I built my own walls. Patched up my own wounds. Bit down on pain until it stopped hurting.

That's why I fight alone.

That's why I only depend on myself. Because when I looked around, there was never anyone standing behind . Not once. Not ever.

Then...

There was that day.

You told —with a straight face—that you should've ended the pregnancy.

You said I ruined your body, your title, your happiness.

And that's the day sothing inside stopped.

I stopped thinking of myself as a child.

Stopped thinking of myself as your child.

Stopped thinking of myself as... human.

What kind of child is told by their parents they wish to have them aborted?

Since then, I've just been walking forward.

One step after another.

A na without aning.

No longer human.

No longer Kaiser.

Just... the thing you regretted giving life to.

It's ironic, isn't it?

She was the miracle. The wanted one.

And ? I was the curse. The unwanted child.

But seventeen years have passed since the day I was born.

And now?

Even at my weakest... no one in this world stands as my equal.

Not because they're weak. But because I've never tried.

Because I've always held back.

Every fight I've won—I won with ease.

Because no one... No one has ever given a reason to try.

The truth is simple. The truth is cruel.

Your peak... has always been my average.

You celebrated her for what she was.

But you feared for what I could beco.

Now I'm done hiding it.

This war?

I will end it alone.

I will shift the board I built, and rewrite the ga I rigged.

I don't need allies.

I don't need love.

I don't even need a reason.

I'll prove it—again—that none of you were ever worth my effort.

Because to ...

You're just too unworthy for to try.

Ga over.

-------------------------------------------

4/9/2017 - 11:53 AM

Levi's Perspective:

Walking next to Alina feels like walking next to a moving brick wall of ice. A really pretty, sword-wielding block of ice that looks like she could kill with one flick of her wrist.

Fun stuff.

"So," I said, stretching my arms behind my head, "the Ice Queen herself decides to tag along all the way from Sylvaris to my town? I'm flattered. Honestly. If I didn't know better, I'd say you missed ."

Alina didn't even blink. Just kept walking, eyes forward, cloak fluttering behind her like she was modeling for a winter apocalypse catalog.

"I do not possess emotions to miss anyone, Levi," she said flatly. "You were simply on the most strategic path."

"Ah, right. Of course. It's always the strategic path with you." I grinned. "Nothing to do with how charming I am? My award-winning smile? My god-tier hair?"

She glanced at once—just once—and replied, "Your ego is insufferable. You have achieved nothing worth smiling about."

I clutched my chest like she'd stabbed . "Ouch. Straight through the heart. You've got a real gift for ruining confidence, you know that?"

"Confidence is a fragile illusion. It's better to shatter it than rely on it."

Yeah, definitely fun stuff.

We passed the outer walls of Levinton. The guards bowed slightly when they saw —naturally. I'm kind of a big deal around here. My town afterall, sword-saint of God Speed, fastest hands in the region, undefeated in all combat, rumored to be able to cut lightning itself—

"You've been unusually quiet since we left Sylvaris," I said, side-eyeing her. "What'd you find in Sylvia's office? You've been glued to my hip since."

She didn't stop walking. "Irrelevant."

"C'mon. Just a peek. Was it a love letter? Secret plans? Was Sylvia hiding her real age?" I leaned in. "Or—was it from your master?"

That made her pause. Just for a mont. But enough for to notice.

"You are prying," she said sharply.

"Which ans I'm close," I smirked.

"I am here for one reason. I have a job."

"Oh yeah?" I kicked a loose stone on the road as we reached the town square. "What kind of job makes you follow all the way to Levinton like so ice-cold guardian angel?"

She looked at like she was considering whether it was worth explaining or stabbing to make shut up.

"To protect a girl nad Celia," she said at last, voice colder than usual. "And to assist Levinton in the grotesque war."

I stopped. Dead in my tracks. Did she just say—

"Wait. Celia? That Celia?" I tilted my head. "Why her?"

"Do not ask questions you are not ready to handle the answers to."

Oh good. We're back to vague death threats and cryptic warnings. My favorite.

"So let get this straight," I said, catching up again. "You're telling you—the ruthless, no-nonsense, zero-heartbeat Alina—are risking your ti, your life, and your ever-so-limited social skills... to protect one girl?"

"Yes."

"...You're not possessed or anything, right? Blink twice if you need an exorcist."

She looked at like I was a mildly annoying stain on her cloak.

"I am not doing this for the girl. I am doing this because the outco aligns with my goals. Levinton must not fall. And the girl is an asset."

I raised an eyebrow. "So she is important."

Alina gave no reply. Just continued walking like she was walking through a battlefield made of idiots. Which, to be fair, Levinton sotis feels like.

We crossed into the heart of the town now—stone streets buzzing with adventurers, market stalls, and townsfolk. The distant sound of hamring echoed through the smithy district. Reinforcents were happening. Everyone was preparing. The grotesques were closing in.

I couldn't help but glance at her.

Cold. Calculated. Heartless. And sohow still walking beside like we were old friends.

Not that she'd ever admit it.

"...You're weird, Alina," I muttered.

"I prefer efficient."

"Yeah, well, efficient people don't follow halfway across the region unless they want sothing. You're not fooling anyone."

"I'm not trying to."

"...Tch. You're impossible to argue with, you know that?"

She didn't answer. Just walked ahead, cloak dancing behind her like a blade slicing through silence.

And ?

I smirked and followed, hands in my pockets, boots hitting the stone streets of my hotown.

Levinton's in danger. Celia's in it sohow. And the Ice Queen's playing bodyguard.

This is gonna be fun.

Celia's Perspective:

I clasped my hands together and gently picked up the cold river water, splashing it onto my face. A soft gasp left my lips.

"Ahhh... that feels way too good..."

The coolness instantly refreshed my skin, washing off the layers of sweat and maybe a bit of exhaustion too. My legs gave in as I dropped down on the grass, letting my arms fall behind to lean back. I stared up at the sky—soft blue lting into orange. Was it still morning? Or was it almost evening? Ti blurred when your brain's been lted by cursed magic and a fifteen-kiloter run.

Ugh. Fifteen. Freaking. Kiloters. Who made that rule? . I did. Stupid past . I hate her.

I pouted a little and pressed my fingers against my cheeks. They were still a bit red from the run... or maybe...

sigh

After eting Aldric... things haven't been the sa. Not inside my head, not inside my heart. He said so stuff—scary stuff, actually—but also kinda true. I didn't want to admit it, but...

That one day when I accidentally blurted out my feelings for Kaiser out loud—!!!

My cheeks lit up like a fire spell gone wrong. "Ughh!" I squeaked, flailing my arms around like a little girl trying to beat away the embarrassnt. "Why did I say thattt?!"

No no no, it was a slip of the tongue. That doesn't count as a real confession, right?

I an, it's not like I ant to scream out that I love him in the middle of a storm. That was just heat of the mont! Emotional adrenaline! Totally not my fault!

...Right?

But then again... Aldric said sothing that made my heart stop for a second.

If you don't get stronger, soone else will take him. Or worse... he'll be gone before you reach him.

Zain also told Kaiser might've been captured by the grotesques. That word alone makes my stomach twist. Just imagining Kai... locked away, or worse—

No.

Nope. Not happening.

I clenched my fist, raising it in front of my face. Burn marks. Scars. Faint, but there. Traces of my new training routine. My promise to myself. The road to strength isn't supposed to be gentle.

I wake up at 5 AM. Always.

Quick bite, then I dive into cursed magic. I study the theory while channeling my own negative emotions. That alone could break if I wasn't careful. From 5 AM to 11. That's six hours of emotional chaos wrapped in spellwork.

Then cos elental magic—five hours of controlling nature and fire and everything in between. No breaks unless I collapse. Ends at 5 PM.

After that? Chain work. My physical strength training. I slash trees, train movent, plan scenarios in my head. That lasts until 7 PM.

And then the final boss of the day...

The dreaded 15 km run. The muscle torture. The push-ups. The sit-ups. The 'Celia nearly dies again' arc.

Finishes by 10 PM.

Dinner. Sleep.

Except... not really.

Even in my sleep, I train. In my dream realm—what I call my throne area—I have infinite cursed energy there. I fight shadows of my past, future enemies, and even my fears. It's never-ending. And honestly... yeah.

Maybe I'm obsessed getting stronger. But it's not just about strength anymore.

It's about him.

Because Kaiser...

You were the one who held when I was falling. The one who didn't look away when I cried alone. When everyone saw the fake smile I forced on my face, you noticed the sadness underneath.

You comforted when I didn't ask for help.

You cared when no one else even noticed and lied to .

You're...

You're my reason to fight.

And I will get stronger. I will co for you. Because if I were in danger, you'd burn the world down just to reach . So now it's my turn.

I wiped the sweat off my brow again, exhaling. The breeze carried the scent of wet grass, dirt, and maybe—maybe—sothing else.

Wait.

Was that... footsteps?

I blinked and turned my head slowly.

A figure approached through the trees.

Black hair.

Long black coat. High collar.