I’m In Trouble Because The Darkened Heroes Are Obsessed With Me

Late at night, in an abandoned mansion deep in the outskirts of the capital.Cedric, clad in a black robe, paced around the mansion, his back to the door.The sound of carriage wheels echoed from outside.Soon, the mansion’s door opened, and a man wearing a white mask entered to deliver a message.“The sacrifices have arrived.”“Got it. I’ll be out soon.”The man bowed and left the mansion.Cedric gazed into a large, cracked mirror in front of him, placing the white mask he held onto his face.His reflection stared back at him, the fractured surface highlighting the vivid red eyes beneath the mask.Seeing his own eyes in the mirror brought back memories of a recent conversation between Astaire and Count Gale.‘There was someone impersonating Your Highness that day. They had red eyes, so no one even questioned it.’Ever since hearing that, Cedric couldn’t shake off something his father had once said to him.‘A useless wretch. I should’ve saved your brother instead of you. Worthless child.’Cedric had a twin brother who was said to have died at birth.Or so he had thought, until the day his father said those words to him when he was twelve.His father, who had ascended the throne after the death of Cedric’s half-brother—the great mage with red eyes—had always yearned for what he couldn’t have: those crimson eyes.He wanted his successor to have them.A strong mage worthy of those eyes.A perfect, flawless heir to erase his own shortcomings.But instead, he got two sons—one with his own gray eyes and another with violet eyes like the empress’s.Two children who split the mana that should have belonged to one.Determined to produce a strong heir, the emperor chose to sacrifice the child with less mana, extracting their power to give to the other.That was how Cedric learned he was the ‘chosen successor.’And that the boy he had once glimpsed in the imperial laboratory as a child—someone who looked strikingly like him—was actually his brother.It explained why his half-mad mother always cried whenever she looked at him.Learning that his powers weren’t entirely his own but borrowed from his brother haunted Cedric with nightmares for years.Nightmares of his brother returning, of his father casting him aside and choosing his brother instead. Being the one discarded.‘The First Prince passed away two years ago, on the day the mana transfer was completed.’When Cedric learned of his brother’s death, his first feeling wasn’t anger at his father or sorrow for his brother.It was relief.From that day on, the nightmares stopped.‘He’s already dead.’His brother was long gone, and his ailing father was bedridden.No one could take his place now.No one could dethrone him.So why did the memories resurface just because of some imposter with red eyes?‘Pointless worries.’Cedric cleared his thoughts, staring at his masked reflection one last time before leaving the mansion.Outside, among the men in white masks, stood a man in an ornate mask—one of the nobles involved in the scheme.Panting and flustered, the noble hurried over and bowed to Cedric.“M-My apologies for being late, Your Highness. One of the sacrifices caused a commotion trying to escape… It was my mistake.”“They’re here now. That’s all that matters. Let’s proceed.”Cedric, the noble, and their masked guards headed to the open clearing behind the mansion.A massive black magic circle, drawn to open a dimensional rift, was already set up, with a transparent shard of the dimension floating at its center.Cedric’s red eyes glinted sharply as he observed the circle.‘With all the blame pinned on Rashiel, now is the perfect time to open the rift.’Once the rift opened and the Demon God’s power was restored, Rashiel would be framed for the crime and executed, making Cedric the hero who saved the empire.The masked men placed the bound sacrifices at designated spots.Black-robed mages standing by the circle began chanting, activating the black magic.Dark energy surged from the magic circle, engulfing the sacrifices.Gagged, they writhed in silent agony, their bodies trembling from the unbearable pain.Cedric watched as the dimensional shard darkened.The noble in the ornate mask, standing beside him, spoke anxiously.“Your Highness, when the rift opens, beasts may emerge immediately. It could be dangerous. Perhaps you should keep your distance…”Cedric let out a derisive laugh.“Worried about me? A descendant of a great mage?”The nobleman, realizing his mistake, quickly bowed his head.“M-My apologies.”“Step back, Count. It could be dangerous.”Cedric stepped forward, leaving the noble behind, and focused on refining the flow of mana within his body, preparing to cast magic.Normally, he never personally attended the opening of dimensional rifts. But today, he came for one reason—to hunt the beasts himself.‘The unease in my heart means I’m still not strong enough.’Only by subduing and overpowering beasts with his own hands could Cedric confirm his strength and silence his anxieties.That had always been his way of coping with fear since childhood.‘And when the Demon God’s power is restored, that power will be mine…’Just as Cedric was lost in thought, waiting for the rift to open—Boom—!“Argh!”A massive magic sphere suddenly struck the dark mages.That was only the beginning.Before Cedric’s group could retaliate, a barrage of large-scale spells rained down upon them, targeting their position.The black magic circle restraining the sacrifices was disrupted, and the dark magic broke apart.As the unconscious sacrifices lay scattered, another wave of magic struck, plunging the clearing into chaos.Cedric swiftly conjured a magic barrier to block the incoming spells, but the impact still sent tremors through his body.“Ugh… What the hell…?!”The onslaught ceased.Through the thick dust cloud, a faint silhouette emerged, becoming clearer as the dust settled.Cedric’s eyes widened in shock.A silver-haired man wearing the same white mask as Cedric stood there.“Seize him!”At Cedric’s command, the masked men charged at him.These weren’t ordinary soldiers—they were Cedric’s personally selected elite knights or seasoned warriors brought by the nobles.Mages often dominated long-range and area-of-effect combat, but their casting time made them vulnerable in close quarters and single-target fights.If they could close the distance, they could secure victory.However, the silver-haired man didn’t flinch. Calm and composed, he cast spells with remarkable speed, repelling his attackers with ease.Cedric, observing the fight, seized a moment when the man’s attention was on the knights and launched his own attack spell—only for the man to deflect it effortlessly.His speed was unlike that of any ordinary mage, leaving not just the knights, but Cedric himself momentarily stunned.‘That speed…?’Even with overwhelming numbers, they couldn’t lay a finger on him.‘That man… Could it be…’A single name flashed through Cedric’s mind as he watched the man’s overwhelming performance.‘Rashiel Celeste.’In the empire—no, on the entire continent—mages with such combat prowess could be counted on one hand.Cedric gritted his teeth.Three years ago, after Ruel’s party defeated the Demon God, his father had rebuked Cedric for not participating in the battle, constantly comparing him to Rashiel.Cedric refused to back down now. Not to the man who trampled on his pride.Shielding the knights who were being beaten back by Rashiel’s attacks, Cedric shouted:“Stand down! I’ll handle him myself.”Though hesitant, the knights obeyed Cedric’s command and retreated.Rashiel walked leisurely until he stood within earshot of Cedric’s voice.“No one’s ever seen my face behind this mask, yet you managed to pin it on me.”His deep, low voice echoed through the quiet clearing.“Or maybe you just picked a scapegoat at random and got lucky?”In truth, Cedric hadn’t known that the man impersonating him was Rashiel.First, he had simply chosen Rashiel out of personal resentment and inferiority.Second, the former Tower Master’s apprentice, who had killed his own mentor, defected from the empire, and was rumored to be dabbling in dark magic, was an easy target—someone few would defend.A Tower Master with a notorious reputation would naturally be suspected.“Maybe you should’ve lived a more virtuous life, Sir Celeste.”Cedric’s taunt faltered when he noticed something.Through the white mask identical to his own, he saw vivid red eyes staring back at him.Cedric’s heart skipped a beat.‘Calm down. Those eyes are fake. It’s just a magic tool.’Forcing down his swirling emotions, Cedric asked coldly:“I’ve heard that using magic tools to change eye color risks blindness. Why go that far just to impersonate me?”Rashiel chuckled softly—a clear mockery.His voice turned cold as he asked:“Do these eyes… look fake to you?”