Chapter : 648

Eros froze. His small hands remained outstretched in the empty air.

The young Prince stared at the servant. He could not believe what just happened. His innocent charm worked on literally everyone. It worked on strict generals. It worked on wealthy nobles. People always gave him whatever he wanted.

But this slouching, untucked commoner just ate the cake right in front of him.

Eros slowly lowered his hands. For a single, microscopic fraction of a second, the sweet, innocent look vanished from his face. His wide green eyes narrowed into sharp, cold, calculating slits. A flash of pure, cunning malice burned in his gaze.

Ken saw the subtle change immediately. He did not react. He just swallowed his cake and smiled lazily.

"He is definitely the evil mastermind type," Ken confirmed happily in his mind. "The mask slipped. He is furious. He wants to stab me right now. This is a very fun game."

Eros instantly recovered his disguise. The innocent, sad expression returned to his face flawlessly. He looked up at Ken and let out a soft, dramatic sniffle.

"But... but that was my cake," Eros whined pitifully. "You ate it. That is very mean."

"I am a professional food tester," Ken lied smoothly. He took another huge bite of the cake. "I have to make sure the food is safe. There are a lot of bad people at these parties. Someone might have put salt in the frosting. Salt ruins a good cake. I am just protecting you."

Eros stared at the boy. The young Prince realized his normal manipulation tactics were useless here. This servant was not falling for the cute act.

Eros decided to drop the crying child routine. He needed a different approach. The quiet, highly sophisticated chess match between the two actors officially began.

---

Eros Belmontia stood next to the buffet table. He stopped pouting. He wiped the fake tears from his eyes. He stood up a little straighter. The helpless child persona faded away .

He still looked like a ten-year-old boy, but his posture changed. He projected a calm, eerie maturity. He looked at Ken with cold, calculating green eyes.

"You are very observant for a commoner," Eros stated quietly. His voice lost its high-pitched, whiny tone. It sounded smooth and sharp. "Most people just hand me the cake. They like to feel helpful. They like to feel superior to a small child."

Ken swallowed the last bite of his chocolate cake. He set the empty plate down on the table. He buried his hands deep into his pockets. He drooped his shoulders as far as they could possibly go.

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"I am a very lazy guy," Ken replied casually. He gave the young Prince a goofy smile. "Feeling superior requires too much mental effort. It is exhausting. I just like eating free food."

Eros tilted his head slightly. He analyzed the servant. He saw the untucked white shirt. He saw the wrinkled navy blue pants. He saw the sleepy, half-closed dark eyes.

"You belong to the 13th Unit," Eros noted smoothly. He picked up a small silver spoon from the table. He rolled the spoon between his fingers. "Princess Iris’s vanguard. The underdog faction. Everyone in the capital is talking about your team. They say your unit is a chaotic mess."

"We are very chaotic," Ken agreed happily. He popped a roasted shrimp into his mouth. "Naomi yells a lot. Laxmi breaks things. I take a lot of naps. We are a total disaster. But we have a great time."

Eros smiled a small, cunning smile. "A disaster that somehow wins every single battle. A disaster that secured the Core of Luminus. A disaster that defeated the 15th Prince in the arena."

The young Prince took a slow step closer to Ken. He kept his voice very low. He did not want the passing nobles to hear their conversation.

"My older siblings believe your unit survives on pure, blind luck," Eros murmured. His green eyes searched Ken’s face. "They think Iris is just fortunate. They think her vanguard is reckless."

Eros paused. He stared directly into Ken's dark eyes.

"But I do not believe in luck," Eros declared softly. "Luck is a myth invented by weak people to explain their own failures. In a game of power, there are no accidents. There is only manipulation. Someone in your unit is pulling the strings. Someone is orchestrating those victories from the shadows."

Ken blinked his sleepy eyes. He did not look surprised. He did not look defensive. He just slouched against the edge of the buffet table.

"You think way too much, kid," Ken mumbled lazily. He reached for a small piece of cheese. "You should watch more cartoons. Sometimes the good guys just win because they shout really loud. It is the power of friendship. It is real."

Eros let out a soft, mocking scoff. He stopped rolling the silver spoon. He held it still.

"The power of friendship is an illusion," Eros countered coldly. "People are selfish. People only act when it benefits them. Just like this party. Everyone in this room is wearing a mask. They smile, they drink wine, and they secretly plan to destroy each other. It is a very entertaining game."

The young Prince looked at Ken’s outfit.

"You are wearing a mask right now, aren't you?" Eros asked quietly. He offered a knowing, sinister smirk. "You act like a fool. You slouch. You eat like a pig. You want everyone to ignore you. It is a brilliant disguise. You are hiding your true capabilities behind incompetence."

Ken stopped chewing his cheese. He looked at the young boy.

"This kid is smart," Ken analyzed casually in his mind. "He sees right through the basic slacker disguise. He knows I am acting. He understands the psychological game . He is definitely a top-tier manipulator."

Ken knew he had to deflect the suspicion. He could not let the 21st Prince realize he was a god-like entity. He needed to spin the conversation. He needed to play the fool even harder.

"I am not wearing a mask," Ken laughed a loud, goofy laugh. He waved his hand dismissively. "I am genuinely just very lazy. Look at my shoes. I did not even tie them properly. A secret mastermind would tie his shoes. It is a basic requirement for evil geniuses."

Eros narrowed his green eyes. He did not believe the excuse. He wanted to test the servant. He wanted to see how Ken reacted to a subtle threat.

The young Prince activated his unique magic.

Eros possessed the power of Magnetic Attraction. He could force any two objects to pull toward each other. He kept the magic hidden. He did not create a flashy aura. He did not chant a spell.

He secretly linked the magnetic pull of a large, sharp silver carving knife resting on the buffet table directly to Ken’s chest.

The large carving knife suddenly rattled on the wooden table. It vibrated rapidly. Then, it shot through the air. The sharp blade flew silently and swiftly straight toward Ken's torso. It moved like a flying dart.