CURSE OF THE THRONE : RISE OF THE LOST PRINCE

A sharp inhale.

Kai's eyes fluttered open once more. The dizziness had faded, but his mind was still swinging in fragments of two lives—one as Marvin, the researcher from Mumbai, and the other as Prince Kai Alaric of Thalassia.

The golden sunlight streaming through the massive windows felt too real for a dream. The silky sheets beneath him, the scent of lavender in the air, the warmth of his breath—it was all undeniable.

This wasn't a dream. It wasn't even an illusion.

He was here. He was alive.

And he wasn't just anyone.

He was a prince.

Or at least, this body was.

But was he Kai Alaric?

Conflicted Identity

"Prince Kai?"

The soft voice pulled him from his spiraling thoughts. Seraphina was still by his bedside, watching him with concern. She was beautiful, but that wasn't what unnerved him—it was the way she looked at him as if expecting something from him.

He struggled to find words. What was he supposed to say?

'I just woke up in this body, and I don't remember anything?'

'I used to be a scientist in another world?'

No. That would be insane.

Instead, he forced a weak smile. "I. I feel strange."

Seraphina let out a small sigh of relief. "It's understandable. You were in a coma for two weeks."

Two weeks? That explained the weakness in his muscles. His body, despite being far stronger than Marvin's previous one, still needed time to adjust.

Seraphina hesitated before speaking again. "I was worried. We all were."

We?

Before he could ask, the doors swung open.

A man in his mid-forties stormed in, dressed in royal robes embroidered with the sigil of the Celestial Empire—a golden phoenix rising from flames. His piercing gaze immediately locked onto Kai.

"You're awake." His voice was deep and commanding.

Kai instinctively straightened.

Who was this?

Before his mind could supply an answer, memories rushed in like a tidal wave.

Emperor Alden Celestine.

Seraphina's father. The ruler of the Celestial Empire. One of the most powerful men in the world.

Kai clenched his jaw, his hands gripping the sheets. He had never met an emperor before—not in his old world, not even in his old memories. But he knew one thing.

This was a man he couldn't afford to disrespect.

He pushed himself up, ignoring the lingering dizziness, and inclined his head slightly in greeting. "Your Majesty."

Alden's eyes narrowed slightly, scanning him as if searching for something. Then, after a long moment, he spoke. "You are a stubborn one."

Kai blinked. "…What?"

The emperor folded his arms. "Most men would have died from those wounds."

It took a second for the words to register.

Wounds?

Kai's mind raced. He had assumed he simply collapsed, but if the emperor was saying this…

He glanced down at his body. Lifting his shirt slightly, he noticed faint scars along his ribs and abdomen. His hands instinctively brushed over them.

So the original Kai… was attacked?

The memory wasn't fully there, but the realization sent a chill down his spine.

Someone tried to kill him.

And if he had died instead of the original Kai…

His fists clenched.

Who wanted him dead?

Seraphina's voice was gentle but firm. "You shouldn't push yourself too hard."

Kai forced himself to relax, lowering his shirt. "I'll be fine."

Alden watched him carefully before nodding. "Good. I expect nothing less from a prince of Thalassia."

The words hit differently.

Prince of Thalassia.

His ruined kingdom. His lost legacy.

Why Fight for a Throne Just to Stay Alive?

That night, as he lay in bed staring at the ceiling, the truth gnawed at him.

Why should he fight for Thalassia?

I wasn't Prince Kai. My real name was Marvin. I was a researcher in another world. A man of logic, science, and technology. Not a prince. Not a ruler.

And yet… i was going to die.

Not in some distant future. Not in old age. No. If I did nothing, the next assassin would come. And the next. And the next.

Because as far as the world was concerned, Prince Kai had survived the assassination. The moment the first attempt failed, the next was inevitable. The people who wanted him dead wouldn't stop until they succeeded.

His fingers curled into fists.

He had no grand dreams of ruling. He didn't care about lost legacies or forgotten histories. But he did care about staying alive.

And there was only one way to do that.

He had to stop being a target and become the one holding the sword.

A bitter chuckle escaped him.

So that was it, huh? It wasn't about revenge. It wasn't about destiny. It was simple.

"Survive."

The throne wasn't his, but if he wanted to keep breathing, he had to take it because only a king was safe.

His eyes darkened with determination.

"If they thought the prince was weak, they were wrong."

"If they thought they could erase him, they were wrong."

"He would rise."

"Not for the honor. Not for justice. Not even for Thalassia."

"He would rise because he refused to die."

And if he was going to fight for the throne… he might as well win.

[System Message Detected]

 [Survival Mode Activated…]

Kai's vision blurred as glowing text appeared before his eyes.

[Unique Skill: Lumina—Fully Integrated]

 [Scanning Memories… Accessing Tactical Data…]

His mind expanded.

Strategy. Infiltration. Survival techniques. Psychological warfare.

Everything he had studied in his past life.

Everything he could use.

This world ran on magic, but he understood something even deadlier.

Intelligence.

He sat up, eyes burning with a new fire.

No more running.

No more waiting.

No more hesitation.

He would reclaim the throne.

Not because it was his birthright. Not because he was a hero.

But because he wanted to live.

And in this world, only kings survived.

And he would do it in a way no one had ever seen before