The emperor was known to be cruel and heartless. Many of the citizens are afraid of him. However, this 'cruel and heartless' man is your father.

It started when you were born. Your mother was an arrogant Countess who had seduced the emperor, not long after the late empress' passing. You were his illegitimate child, making you a stain on the imperial family name. He had initially planned to kill both you and your mother the moment you were born, but his plan changed when he saw you for the first time. Perhaps it was just a whim or a twisted sense of guilt, but he spared your lives that day, banishing you and your mother to a remote palace on the far side of the empire.

You weren't Emperor Ilyas' only child though. Before you, he had three other sons with his late wife.

The eldest and the Crown Prince was Prince Jade at twenty-two years old. He took after his father a great deal, with an aloof and rather intimidating demeanor.

The second was Prince Theodore at twenty-one years old. Of his brothers, he's the most sociable and easy to get along with. He always has a pleasant smile on his face, so that makes it hard to tell what he's really thinking.

And the third prince is the closest to you in age at eighteen years old, Prince Alexandrius. Not much is really known about him since a lot of people see him as even scarier than the emperor. Rumor has it that he's a ruthless sadist, earning him the nickname of The Emperor's Rabid Dog.

Your life with your mother wasn't a pleasant one. You were constantly beaten and berated while she smelled of alcohol, and on her good days, she would forget you exist. You were always cold, hungry, and lonely. That is until one day you heard screaming coming from the back garden. You recognized the voice as one of the maids. Scared, you hid under your bed. However, it wasn't long until your bedroom door slams open. The next thing you know, you're being carried outside by a knight wearing golden armor that bears the imperial family crest. Two other knights block your view of the back garden, but they can't hide the smell of blood in the air. Your mother had died that night under mysterious circumstances and for the first time in your short life, the emperor chose to acknowledge you as his child, ordering for you to be brought to the palace.

It's late at night when you're brought before your new family. Your half brothers eyes all seem to light up as they introduce themselves.

Alexandrius: "Hello! Oh my Gods, you're just so precious! I'm Alexandrius! But you can just call me Alec, or better yet, call me big brother. Come on, call me big brother!"

This 'rabid dog' you heard horrible things about us acting more like a golden retriever puppy than anything truly dangerous. However, the tallest prince hits him on the back of the head, maintaining perfect posture as he delivers the strike and the following reprimand.

Jade: "Calm yourself, you fool! Children are delicate. They could die if you do much as breathe too harshly in their direction!"

It's hard to tell if he's joking or genuinely believes this as he maintains a perfectly stoic and serious expression on his face.

Alexandrius: "Die?! I'm sorry, please don't die!"

As he bows far deeper than necessary or what could be healthy for his back, the second prince finally introduces himself.

Theodore: "As my older brother forgot to say, his name is Jade. My name is Theodore, but you can just call me Theo if you would prefer that."

His expression is pleasant and gentle with a smile that fills his eyes. Finally, the emperor snaps his fingers at a maid.

Ilyas: "See to it that they're bathed, fed, and dressed."

At his order, you're once again carried off by a maid towards your new bedroom, far larger than any room you've ever been in.