Hey, Artique here. This right here is my first novel. I don't expect much, but I would be absolutely grateful to hear your reviews!! Synopsis: "I request you to give up your position as the Crown Prince." "..." Arthur Zemira. After his mother's death, he gave up his position as crown prince to the son of the new empress to avoid civil war. Now as the first prince of the Zemira Empire, he himself went to live in an abandoned building located in a corner of the royal palace. Watch him grow, slowly making his way to capture the villainess. Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Drama, Romance, Nobles, Royalty, Broken Engagement, Villainess Noble Girls. I have also uploaded this story on ScribbleHub: https://www.scribblehub.com/series/183368/excrown-prince-favors-the-villainess/ Table of Contents: Chapter-1 Chapter-2 Chapter-3 Chapter-4 Idle Talk - Camilla Chapter-5 Chapter-6 Chapter-7 Chapter-8 Chapter-9 Idle Talk - Diana Chapter-10 Chapter-11 Chapter-12
Spoiler: Chapter-1 “I want you to give up the position of the crown prince.” “...” In the room with a heavy atmosphere, the Emperor of the Zemira Empire, Augustus Zemira accompanied by the new Empress, Camilla Zemira sits before me, the Crown Prince, Arthur Zemira. For the reason that paved the road to this situation, we have to travel one month back in time. My name is Arthur Zemira, Crown Prince of the Zemira Empire. With the mirror in front of me, I see a tall boy with blank crimson red eyes unbefitting his age of ten years. The reason behind those eyes of mine is because I just heard the devastating news. My mother, the Empress, Helena Zemira, has fallen ill and is expected to pass away soon. From the day I was born, for the past ten years, in my presence, she was always a doting parent. Everyone, from the maids working in the palace to the countryside nobles, know about our relationship. She never scolds me and would always correct my mistake with a warm smile. I was about to lose such an existence. An angel is going to depart from my life. Holding back the tears that threaten to fall, I quicken my pace to mother. Numerous people have crowded in front of the Empress’s chamber. All their expressions are as dark as the sky outside. Noticing my presence, everyone quickly made a way for me into the room. An old man, my mother’s aide, Sebastian, knelt to match my eyesight and whispered, “Stay strong, your highness.” Despite the overwhelming emotion dancing in my heart, I managed to nod my head, scared that I might cry if the mouth opens. Sebastian guided me to the room and opened the majestic doors. I made my way into the room, with the closed door behind me, my eyes instantly landed upon my mother. She was in a terrible state, with drops of sweat dripping from her forehead, her lips trembling and her hands shivering from the illness. I ran to her in a manner unfit to a prince. I couldn’t care any less about my father or the bunch of people standing in one corner of the room. Perhaps noticing my arrival, the maid moved away from the bed. I approached mother, and slowly whispered, “Mother, I’m here.” Upon hearing my words, mother slowly opened her eyes. Her face relaxed after noticed me. Seeing the “Rose of Zemira” in such a state, opened the flood gates of my tears. “Art…..come …” Barely catching the words, I reduced the distance between me and her. At the same time, I noticed my father ordering one of the mages. The mage then kneeled by the bed and started chanting. “This magic is something she wished for. It will allow her to use all the remaining energy she posses for a short time.”, said my father. I couldn’t understand...no...I didn’t want to understand. Why was mother doing this? Why? She could have lived longer. My ten-year-old brain didn’t want to understand. The mage finished the chant resulting in a brief light enveloping the empress. After the light disappeared, I felt a presence on my cheek. Mother wiped away my tears while having the unwavering kind smile. Viewing this, more tears started flowing. “Art” “Yes….mother” “I won’t be beating around the bush. I have very little time left. Perhaps in minutes. “..don’t..say..that”, I couldn’t speak properly. The words were stuck in my throat refusing to come out. “..haha..silly child. This is the truth. Now, listen to me very carefully…”, she said in her usually cheerful voice. I couldn’t do anything but nod. Satisfied with my response, she started “Art, remember that you have to live for yourself. Don’t care for the expectation of others and be a free spirit.” “Yes… I will.” “Remember to help the poor, they have no other choice but to rely on people like us.” “Yes… I will always help them.” “Good, at the same time don’t do bad things, alright? You should not disturb your father.” “Yes, mother”, my mother weakly patted me. “AHH!!” My mother let out a small scream and placed her hand towards her heart. “Mom!!” “Dear!!”, I also heard my father’s panic shout. “Dear…I…love…you”, her breathing got worse. “I love you too….I love you too.” “Don’t forget…to take…breaks...during your...work.” “I promise you. I will never overwork.” Satisfied with father’s response, mother made a weak smile and faced me. “Art...remember to ...follow...your heart.”, she placed her hand on my heart. Out of fear of it falling, I held her hands in place. “Art...I love...you…I am...proud to...be...your...mother.” “I love you too!!”, by this point tears were flowing uncontrollably. “...again…” “I love you!!” “...once more…” “I love you, mother. I LOVE YOUUU!!!” She made a small angelic smile. With that, she closed her eyes. Her breathing stopped. And finally, her hands that I held fell limp failing to fight gravity. Rose of Zemira, Empress Helena Zemira, my mother passed away with a satisfied face. “AHHHHHHHH!!!!.....MOOOMMM….WHAT SHOULD I DO WITHOUT YOU??!!!” I screamed without care about my surroundings. Everyone was crying, from the maid to the mages. Father kneeled next to me, I noticed that he too couldn’t his emotions and let it flow. For a long time, I sat next to her crying. Screaming her name and keep on repeating the things we did together. Clinging to the small thread of hope, that she would wake up again to show her smile. Of course, that never happened. Soon, the sun rose, lighting up the dreaded night. And with that, some people came into the room and carried my mother away. I could do nothing but watch as she goes away.
Spoiler: Chapter-2 Preparations were quickly made. Father and Sebastian got into full work. One by one, nobles all made their way to the capital. The Empress’s death is by no means a minor event. As for me, I am still gazing at the bed where my mother used to stay. Whenever I close my eyes, I can still see mother’s final smile. I once again broke down, tears flowing uncontrollably. Yet, time flew on, dawn became morning. “Your highness, you have to get ready.”, Sebastian, slowly knelt whispering into my ears. With no energy in my body, I could only nod. I unsteadily stood and made my way towards my room. “Get his highness’s dress ready. At the same time, bring him something light to eat.”, Sebastian gave out orders to the maids in my room. One of the maids placed a pot of porridge in front of me. I had no appetite, I feel nothing after yesterday night. “Your highness, please eat.”, the maid begged. “Please...eat...Your highness...please”, she started crying. Perhaps, out of guilt, I parted my lips slightly. Taking the hint, the maid wiped her tears away and started feeding me. It had no taste, I had to force it down my throat. The porridge was completed. The maids somehow changed my clothes. I was wearing a completely black suit with the symbol of the Zemira Empire stitched into it. I made my way out again, however this time opposite to the Empress’s Chamber, towards the entrance of the palace. I got into my carriage, the one I always used with my mother. Ahh, stop. You can’t cry in front of the citizens. I was informed that father had already left. I have no idea how he could work after yesterday. Sebastian was coming along with me with the driver. And mother is going in front of us, despite my angry protest to be with her, Sebastian told that no Royal family could be in the same vehicle as her right now. Soon, the carriages left and my ears were filled with the screaming of the citizens. During the burial, commoners were not allowed inside. Only nobles have the privilege to be with us. “ROSE OF ZEMIRA!!!” “ANGEL OF ZEMIRA!!!” “EMPRESS HELENA!!!” Various titles of mother were sung. It is understandable, mother always worked hard to help the commoners. Bringing in new rules in favor of commoners. She also despised the corrupt nobles. Thinking how brave she was in front of the public and how spoilt she was in front of me brought both tears and a smile. No, No, I have to be brave. I forced the tears back into their places and leaned back to make sure no can see me. From the palace to the Royal crematory, millions of people gathered, throwing flowers, holding banners, singing songs, etc. This showed me how great of a figure mother was toward them. I got down from the carriage and quickly made my way towards mother. All the nobles were present in a uniform manner. The whole area was enveloped with silence accompanied by occasional wind. No one dared to speak and stood in place with bouquets in hand. Mother was slowly brought to the pit. The coffin she is placed in was completely made of gold. And yet everyone only had their eyes on the empress. Father along with other high nobles joined with me. Father knelt and whispered into my ears, “Do you have something you want to keep inside?” “Yes, I do.” I went closer to the coffin, only the sound of my shoes echoed thought the area. I bent over and placed one of the necklaces I had in my hand. “Mother, you promised me that you....would never...take this off...so please hang on to this forever…”, I couldn’t say anything more, tears once again rolled off my face. “It’s okay...remember, Arthur...she will always live inside your heart…”, Father, told me as he placed his necklace next to mother. Once we both backed off, the Head Priest closed the lid of the coffin. That was the last time I saw her, the last time I saw the face of an angel. With the coffin closed, all the nobles made their way to place the bouquets in front of the Empress. After that, they made their way to Father and me to convey their condolences. “Please stay strong, your highness” “If you want someone to listen to you, I am always available, your highness Arthur” “When you’re ready, I am here for you, your highness.” These were the lines spoken to me by various nobles. I know many of them are lip-service. But I have to nod my head to keep up the appearance. Once everyone paid their respect, Mother was placed inside the pit. I, Father, and Mother’s parents were the only ones allowed to put dirt on top of mother’s coffin. After this, everything became a daze, everyone including us was sent out of the crematory. Father, grandparents, and I made our way to the palace. “Arthur, do you want to slee..” “No, grandma, I’d rather be alone..”, I quickly cut off my grandmother and made my way to my room. She might act strong, but I know how broken she is right now. It’s better to have privacy. I quickly made my way to the room, ordered the maids to stay outside, and closed the door leading to the hallway. Tears quickly started to make their way to the floor. I sat down in front of the door, having no energy to move, started to cry loudly. All I could remember during this moment was the peaceful smile she had during her final moments.
Spoiler: Chapter-3 Two weeks have come and gone. Yet the whole in my heart only deepens. Each day feels dreadfully long with no one to lean-to. Father was weirdly busy for the past few days. I figured the nobles would leave him alone for a few weeks but he was even busier than he usually was. The last time he appeared before my eyes was a week ago when grandparents left. Currently, I am staring at the necklace in my hand by the window. Mother loves to have matching things with me. So, she exclusively ordered a necklace. It was designed in such a way that each one of us would have one half of the wing. The necklace is completely covered in black emphasizing our hair, with streaks of red and green lines running through it highlighting our eye color. I had little resemblance to father but I am proud to say that I am ditto of mother. Tears once again started to collect in front of the eyes. Ah, I feel worse… *knock**knock* “Your Highness, may I enter?” “Ah...Yes, you can.” I swiftly wore the necklace and allowed Sebastian to enter. “His majesty is calling for you, your highness.” “Eh?... He is calling for me?” “Yes, he is. Alice, dress His Highness up.” Alice is the maid that fed me during that day. “What’s the matter, Sebastian? You look conflicted.”, Sebastian’s usually gentle face had a dark cloud over it. Uh oh, not good...I feel something unwanted is gonna happen again. “Your Highness, it’s better if you harden your heart right now. This meeting is not going to be a pleasant one for you.” “I’m sorry, Sebastian. But I doubt anything would surprise me anymore.” Though I joked about it, Sebastian’s eyebrows wrinkled even more. Did father get sick? Is he going to die? Is he going to leave me too?? With such thoughts, I made my way to the garden. Something is out of place. Though I am glad father is alright. Is the thought that popped up in my brain. Father’s face is grim, devoid of any emotion. Does he wish to say something to me? This face has been seen by mother for a countless number of times. Whenever he has to speak something outrageous, this is the expression he makes. “Father, do you have something you want to say to me?...If you do, feel free to speak.” After taking a long breath, he slowly opened his mouth, “Arthur, please listen to me carefully...but before all of that, I want you to meet them. Please come out.” Sebastian, no matter how prepared I was...I could have never expected this. Three individuals stood in front of me. I instantly sprung up to my feet. Father too followed me. The eldest, the mother, I think had long, silky purple hair that highlights her purple eyes. One of the other is a young girl who is considerably younger than me. About 5 years I think. The other, though, is a boy of my age, a little shorter than me but still considerably tall for a boy of his age. What completely blew my understanding was that both of them have shining GOLDEN HAIR. A trait that is unique to the Imperial family. Something that I didn’t have. Anger and rage had completely clouded my head. Haah...I never thought I was capable of such extreme emotions. I glared at the Emperor for an explanation. Noticing my look, he started to introduce them, “This is Camilla, your step-mother. These two are your step-siblings.” “Your Royal Highness, my name is Camilla Zemira, I am a princess from the fallen kingdom, Aragon.” “Greetings to the Crown Prince of Zemira Empire, I am William Zemira, your younger brother of age 9.” “He...Hello, I am Diana, my age is 5” Did they practice? “I see, I am pleased to meet you. Now, why don’t you two go and play inside the palace? Sebastian, do what has to be done.” “With pleasure, your highness” Once I made sure that the kids are gone. I look back at the awkwardly standing Emperor. *thunk* I sat on the chair in a manner that should not be done in front of an Emperor. Let’s see if he dares to ask for manners. “Now then, start explaining.”
Spoiler: Chapter-4 Wooow...I don’t even know where to start. This stupid Emperor never fails to surprise me. Looking at the couple, I feel all the blood in me boiling. “So, what you are trying to convey is that you, the Emperor found Lady Camillia buying groceries by the street. But the catch is that you remember her face as the fallen Kingdom, Aragon’s princess. Somehow, you two hit it off and the product is those two children in there.” “Yes, Arthur. What you said is right...but calling them the product is a bit…”, the emperor tried to put in a word. “I never gave you permission to tell me what is wrong and what is right.” “...”, I notice his eyes get a bit cloudier at that sentence. Ah...It weirdly feels good to do this. “I genuinely thought you were busy after mother’s deaths. But alas here you are with another woman and two children bearing your hair. You were busy trying to get them into the palace, weren’t you?” “No, Arthur...please list” *slam* With my hand slamming the table, “Answer the goddamn question.” “Your highness, it would be better to keep your calm”, due to my rude behavior, the Emperor’s butler said those words. “Hmmm...let me ask you a question, who are you in this palace?”, of course, I know he is the Emperor’s butler but I wanted to hear it from his mouth. “I am his majesty’s, Emperor Augustus Zemira’s exclusive butler.”, he answered in a confused tone. “Exactly...KNOW YOUR PLACE…” “...”, the temperature dropped even further due to those words of mine. “...leave…" “Yes, your highness. Please forgive me.” “I want all the knights to leave. Only the shadow guards can stay here.” Emperor and Lady Camilla made a surprised face. “Hmph...Did you think I wouldn’t know?” “...”, they were speechless. “Moving on...Lady Camilla, can you answer a few questions of mine?” “ah...Yes!...I mean...of course, your highness.”, she was startled by the sudden attention towards her. “You attended mother’s burial, didn’t you?... You arrived at the last mingling with Barons.” “Eh?...you are right, your highness.” “Arthur, how did you know?” “Is that a question or an order?” “...”, startled by my unaltered hostility, he fell silent. “Coming back to you, Lady Camilla, you know my mother, don’t you? I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say that you both are friends.” *clunk*, the table shook. Was that too much of a shock? “...How...how did you know?” “Wait…Camilla, you have spoken with Helena?” “...haha…”, How great it would be if mom was here right now. “Your highness?” “No...it’s nothing. Anyway, I read the letters you sent to my mother. I think the first letter was about 8 years ago. A year later to William’s birth.” “Ye...Yes, you are right, Your highness” “The first few letters were filled with your apologizing words...but after mother’s constant pleading to let it go...you two-hit it off to become good friends...I couldn’t understand what you were apologizing for...but now everything makes sense”, unknowingly my mouth formed a small smile. “You are right...You are absolutely right, your highness… Once I had Williams, the guilt in my heart grew to the point where I took a gamble. If Empress Helena were to become angry I even had the plan to flee the Empire...but...but...contrary to my expectations...she was an angel...she not only forgave…she also suggested me to become her friend…”, she broke down halfway through. “I see”, I smiled, “Lady Camilla, I guess you are going to be crowned as the Empress, so stay strong and make sure you are not intimidated by a ten-year-old like me.” “...Yes...I will, your highness.” “Good...please do remember that I can never accept you as my step-mother.”, and with that, the once good atmosphere broke down. “Your highness?” “The only one I accept as my parent is Helena Zemira...no one else”, this sentence made His Majesty’s face cloud even more. “I...I understand, your highness” Satisfied with her response, I moved on. “...but I gladly accept the siblings...after all...they can’t be burdened with the sins of their parents.” At this point, she stood up and bowed to me at a perfect 90 degree. Though a fallen one...she is from royalty. “Please raise your head, Lady Camilla.” “Thank you...Thank you, your highness.” “Now, please listen carefully. You are the future Empress, that means, you have to help the ones below you. Please be a leader and not a boss. My mother...cares deeply about the citizens. Though not up to her level, I expect you to do the same.” “Yes, Your Highness...I will look after them with the utmost care” “Great…”, I then moved my eyesight to the man sitting next to her. “Do you realize the kind of woman you have cheated? Despite knowing everything, mother still forgave you. But do not expect the same from me.” “...”, he looked at the ground pathetically. As I was about to move away from the garden, one question suddenly surfaced itself in my head. “...oh another thing...Do you have some other children without our knowledge out there?” “...No, Arthur...I don’t...You three are the only ones I have.” “Make it two.” With that, I leave the garden without sparring another look at him. Sebastian was waiting with a satisfied face. “You knew her already, didn’t you, Sebastian? You were worried about my reaction, right?” “It is as you say, Your Highness.”, he said with a soft grin.
Spoiler: Idle Talk – Camilla Scary...Arthur Zemira is scary. Though from a fallen one...I too am one of the royalty. I escaped from my kingdom and took cover in Zemira Empire. And with experience, I can wholeheartedly say that the Crown Prince of Zemira Empire is scary. Despair is completely visible in Augustus’s face. It is understandable though, before I met with Arthur, Augustus was boosting my confidence by saying, “Don’t worry, Camilla. Though he will be angry at first, I am sure that he will accept you.” “But, Augustus, this is too soon. We should give him some more time.” Despite my protest, he somehow convinced me to meet Arthur. But that’s where things went wrong. I am glad that Arthur was mature enough to not take out his anger at the children. William, though he is pure, he lacks the maturity. And Diana is nothing but a child. He was tolerant towards the kids but the moment they left the air around Arthur changed. He was imposing. Him smashing the table to cut off Augustus was something that no one would dare to do against an Emperor. The Butler tried to calm Arthur down by advising him, but all he managed to do was add oil to fire. “KNOW YOUR PLACE” Who could have thought, words that emerged out of a ten-year-old could carry that kind of pressure. The butler quickly apologized and left. Arthur also ordered all the knights to leave only leaving behind the shadow guards. And the sudden attention he gave to me, completely startled me. Whaaat is wrong with me?? Despite emerging a Royal Family, I got intimidated by a ten-year-old!! But the words he uttered next, completely broke me down. He knew...He knew all along. After having William, the guilt I had grew exponentially. To satisfy my heart, I took a gamble and wrote a letter to Empress Helena. If she gets angry, I swore that I would take William and escape to another kingdom. But she too, like Arthur, completely blew my expectations. She suggested me to be a friend with her. And that was when I accepted, the title “Angel of Zemira”, does her justice. We both somehow managed to become friends, she sometimes would come with me in incognito to enjoy the festival. She has even spoken with William and Diana. The kids never knew that she was the Empress at the time. Only recently, that is last week, did they know that they have the blood of the Imperial family running through them. The news of Helena’s death shattered me, the only good friend I had in the empire passed away. The whole felt the impact of her death. Slogans, banners, screams, etc. filled the streets of the capital. I have to see her face again. With such resolve, I requested Augustus to somehow allow me inside. Despite the position he was in, he managed to get me inside. It took all I had to not cry when I saw her lying in the coffin. The cheerful that healed is gone. At the same time, I saw Arthur for the first time, despite his young age he managed to hold all the tears back. I didn’t greet him. Yet not only did he remember my face, but also remembered with whom in sneaked in. Again...Scary. I had expected him to get angry and place on order on me leaving the palace, but the kid accepted me as the Empress. Even going as far as to tell me what I should do. He told me to do my best to follow the late Empress’s path. Help the citizens is all he told me to do. I was sad to hear him not accepting me as one of his parents, but I was glad to hear him accept my kids as siblings. Despite him being kind towards me, his hostility towards Augustus was as clear as day. Arthur did not allow Augustus to speak more than needed, every time Augustus spoke, Arthur made a disgusted face as though implying that the Emperor’s voice is unpleasant. Finally the line, “Make it two.”. Despite consisting of only three words, the sentence completely shattered Augustus’s and Arthur’s ten-year relation. A moment later, after Arthur left, Augustus finally stood and trudged towards his room “Augustus…”, No words came out in my mind. Alone, looking up the sky I muttered, “Only if you were here, Helena....”
Spoiler: Chapter-5 “Has your memory perhaps improved, your highness?” “You think so?”, I answered Sebastian’s question while sipping tea in the library. “I am certain, sir. Not only did you manage to manage to find out the Empress’s face the other day, but the amount of books you are going through per day is also nothing to scoff at.” “...”, I couldn’t say anything in return to his statement. “I could almost say that you only need a glance to memorize something.” The old man’s intuition is crazy. He is spot on. From the moment I saw mother’s final smile, I am able to remember everything. Each and every moment is getting stored as a picture in my head. Photographic Memory. Is the conclusion I landed upon. It is more useful than I thought, remembering everything at a glance will be very helpful for the future. “You say some crazy things, Sebastian. Anyways, where are the records of Mother’s projects?” That’s right. I am now spending my time in the library searching for the various project’s mother started. I am going to continue them. “I apologize, your highness. Records of her majesty’s projects are only accessible by the Emperor and the Current Empress.” “Ughh…”, This is problematic, my relationship with the Emperor is completely broken and I can’t really ask the Empress this soon. Oh...That is right, the couple got married last week. It has been over a month since the last conversation. Three days ago, Williams and Diana got crowned as the prince and princess. William made a strong impression by staying confident throughout the ceremony. Diana on the other hand… let’s just say that she made a warm impression on everyone. She did bite her tongue multiple times during the ceremony, most of the old nobles looked at her with warm eyes. The Empress on the other was accepted easily. It’s probably due to the reason of having royal blood in her. The same can be said for the kids. Coming back to the topic on hand, “Do you have any idea on how to receive them, Sebastian?” “It’s going to be difficult, Your highness. Leaving your mind aside, your actual age is insufficient.” “Ahhh…Age.” Sebastian was spot on, I am far too young and naive. I am gonna have to be proficient in my studies and need to have a lot of connections to take over mother’s projects. I shouldn’t rush. This concerns the people of the Empire. One wrong step will cause devastating effects. “Oh well… I am sure that I will get opportunities to view those files.” “It is as you say, sire” *tap**tap* “Your highness, the Emperor is requesting an audience with you”, said the knight that came in. I couldn’t help but grin at the perfect timings. “My my, Your Highness...Are you perhaps a prophet?” “Oh come on, Sebastian...The only thing I have right now is this memory of mine.” Now then Mother...let me continue what you couldn’t. Holding the necklace, I made my way to the Emperor’s throne room. **** “His Highness, the crown prince, Arthur…” “Cut the crap and let me in.” “Hai!!...”, the startled knight opened the doors hastily. I have to control myself...If it is the throne room, the prime minister will be here. A couple of similar thoughts later, I made my way into the throne room. As I thought, the prime minister was here, and The kids? What’s happening? “Greetings, Empress Camilla. It has been a long time, Prime minister Landon Hastings” The Empress nodded her head with a gentle smile on her face. Seeing her now, nobody could have remotely imagined her being intimidated by a ten-year-old. “It does have been a long time, your highness.” This man, Landon Haddington, despite his age, he is not only the Prime Minister of the Empire but also holds the position “Duke of Hastings”. He holds power second only to the Emperor and the Empress. If I am gonna have to be successful, I shouldn’t get on the bad side of this man. “So, what am I needed for?” Eh? All their faces turned dark at my question. “Is something wrong?”, I got no response again. I looked at Sebastian for help, but he shook his head sideways. He too doesn’t have a clue of what’s going on. The Emperor then opened his mouth, “Arthur, I want you to give up the position of the Crown Prince.” Hmmm...
Spoiler: Chapter-6 “Arthur, I want you to give up the position of the Crown Prince.” Calm down, Arthur...Your mother loves this man. You can’t just kill him. Having such thoughts, I tried to calm myself down, but I just couldn’t. “Arthur, if some one says outrageous things to you...take deep breaths and look around you. Look at the place and personal present...doing so you can roughly arrive at a conclusion.” Ahh...Mother’s lines are the only ones that can keep me calm. After taking a couple of deep breaths...I look around. I can see Empress’s sad eyes...so this is not her order. I look at the kids...both of them didn’t understand what the Emperor said. William did have expectations in his eyes. That’s normal. The only one capable of being crown prince after me is him. The Emperor had dark patches below his eyes. And the Prime Minister was devoid of any emotion. Hmm...thinking about it...if the Prime Minister is here, then it means the decisions made here concerns the Empire and not personal wishes. “So, the factions have been created, huh?” At this sentence, all their eyes opened wide. Looks like my gamble was right. “How did you know?”, Prime minister said with a curious look on his face. “It’s quite simple. Until now, being the only Prince, there was no need for factions. But with the Empress and William appearing, everything has changed.” “It is as you say.”, the Prime minister said with a satisfied face. “And I bet, the factions are divided on the premise of whether having me, the son of the original Empress or the son of the current Empress, inheriting the throne from the Emperor. If we things escalate, civil war is the only result.” “You have matured, Your highness.”, said the prime minister with a grin on his face. “The situation forced me.”, I took a glance at the throne only to see both the Emperor and the Empress making difficult faces. “Arthur, what do you want to do?”, Emperor asked me in a quiet voice. Finally… I couldn’t help but let my face turn into a grin. “Your highness, you are letting your emotions show.”, Sebastian warmed in an amused tone. Ah, crap...I should play my cards carefully to squeeze them dry. “Ahem...I will gladly give up my position.” “Ah..then..” “Only if you heed to my conditions.”, cutting off the emperor. “Conditions?” “Yes, conditions. And if you refuse, I will gladly let the nobles complete their factions and face off against William here for the throne.” “Eh? Brother!!!”, William raised his voice. Oh...it’s the first time he called me brother. “Don’t worry, William...This will only happen if your parents don’t listen to my conditions.” Perhaps worried for her son, Empress Camilla opened her mouth first, “What are your conditions, Arthur?” “Well, there are various things I want. Hmmm...let’s start by tripling the money I get by each month.” The money a prince gets is enormous. Tripling them will be a great bonus for my plans. “That can be done.” “Good. I want the building situated in the corner of the imperial grounds to be cleaned and ready to move in by tomorrow evening.” “You are leaving this palace?”, Emperor asked in a surprised tone. “Yes, I am” “Why?!”, this time it was the Empress. “No big reason...this place disgusts me.” All the faces including Duke Landon changed their expression to a dark one. As I thought...I weirdly like these reactions. Breaking my line of thoughts, “I see. Is that all you want?” “Oh my, Emperor...Please do have patience. I have just started, there is more where they came from.” “Haah...continue.” Is he already tired?...If it goes on like this, he would probably faint. “You there, bring some juice for them. Make it fresh. Oh and bring a cake for the kids here.” “Yes, your highness” A maid hurried off towards the kitchen and swiftly came back with the said items “Thank you, Brother Arthur!!!”, Diana said to me. I couldn't control my urge to pat her head. “““ …””” Are they that surprised by my actions??...I am sorry, but I am weak against kids. “Moving on...I need Sebastian as my exclusive butler.” “But Arthur...Sebastian is an exclusive butler only for the Empress. I will find someone else for you.” “Your Majesty, I am not here making recommendations. What I am doing here is laying out conditions. It’s up to you to accept them. But if you don’t, well…” “Arthur, no problem...Sebastian will be assigned as your exclusive butler.” “You have my gratitude, Empress Camilla” I glanced at Sebastian, scared that he might be displeased. But, alas there he was with a satisfied face. I couldn’t help but grin brightly at him. “What is your next request, your highness?” “Duke Landon...right, I want complete access to the records of projects carried out by mother.” Everyone froze...well it was to be expected. “...and, why do you need them, Arthur?” “Why? Why other than to continue them, your majesty.” “You are going to continue them?” “Yes, I am." "You are far too young for them, your highness.", Duke Landon warned me. "I know I am. And I am not going to be starting them right away. So no need to worry." "I see...Then it is fine, for you to view them. Sebastian, you have my permission to show it to Arthur." "I will gladly do it, your majesty", he had a rare smile on his face. "Now then for the final condition..." “““...”””, everyone had their expectations high. “When I turn 17, that is 7 years from now...I want the territory of the fallen Ducal house, Switon”
Spoiler: Chapter-7 “SWITON?!? Did you just say Switon, your highness?” “Yep!! You heard me right.”, I said cheerfully in complete contrast to Duke Landon’s tone. “Arthur...Do you hear yourself speak? As an Emperor, this is not something that I can just nod my head at.” Now I have to hear this guy preach on something?... Okay, Arthur, don’t get irritated. Golden chances like this don’t come often “Your Majesty, can I clarify some facts with all of you here?”, I asked as politely as I could. “You may.” “Thank you. I’ve heard mother speak about Switon Dukedom for a countless number of times. Correct me if I am wrong, but the start of Switon Dukedom’s fall was due to the war of succession among the siblings for the Duke position, am I right?” “Your highness, this is the knowledge that even kids among the street possess. What point are you trying to make?” “Duke Landon, the result of the war is a Duchy with no one governing it. The whole family became the victims of the war and this all happened 12 years ago. Right now, the duchy is being looked after by the Royal capital. Now please answer my question, Why have you not appointed another noble to govern after the Duchy?” “The land covered by the Duchy is large. GIving it as a whole to a single, already existing family will break the power balance. But at the same time breaking them into smaller pieces results in more pressure on the capital. After all, we can’t have any families rebelling.” “I see...Then Duke Landon, why hasn’t a new family been created to look after the duchy, you know, instead of letting an already existing one?” The Duke again spoke unfazed by my question. I kind of like this...he is not treating me as a ten-year-old kid but as a political partner. “Well, that’s because it’s difficult to find an individual who is tied down to the Empire. We need someone who won’t run amok with power…Ah!!”, the Duke exclaimed with his eyes open. “Looks like you caught up with what I was thinking, Isn’t this a golden opportunity to pass on the Ducal house to someone who won’t rebel?” “That’s right!!”, Empress suddenly exclaimed. “Exactly, I hate the Emperor but not the Empire itself. So, you won’t have to worry about me running amok.” Though the Emperor’s face darkened, Duke Landon had a bright face. Well, I guess that’s some weight off his shoulder. “So let me ask again, Your Majesty, if you swear on fulfilling all of the above conditions, I Arthur Zemira, will give up my position as the Crown prince.” “Hmmm...What do you think, Landon?” “I don’t think we have anything to lose, Augustus. But Your Highness, won’t your relation with the Emperor will cause problems?” First name basis with the Emperor?... Guess they two are close. “You don’t have to worry, Duke Landon. I prioritize keeping my personal life and work life separate. I hope His Majesty will do the same.” I said so while staring at the Emperor. I know this is a large decision to make, it concerns the people after all. “....Fine, You will become the Duke of Switon when you reach the age of 17 years.”, he said so after a long time. “You have my gratitude, Your Majesty.” “Finally that land is off our hands…”, I was able to hear Duke Landon mumble. If you are going to say something terrible...it’s better to keep it in your brain you damned four-eyes. “But can the people there hold out for 7 more years?”, a sincere question was placed by the Empress on top of us. “It is true that embezzlement is quite high among those areas.” “Duke Landon, you don’t have to worry, I have calculated the amount of money being embezzled in the Duchy. It certainly exists but at the same time, the amount being embezzled is quite low. The amount being embezzled is only somewhere around 40% of the money I am about to get.” “Now, why do you sound so disappointed?”, the Emperor asked curiously. “Why? Well, isn’t this a perfect chance for investment?” “Investment?”, this time it was the Empress. “I wanted to do this later...well I guess it doesn’t make much difference. Sebastian, I want you to send 40% of the money I am going to get, to the Duchy every month and of course, keep records of where and how the money is going. If they are using various means to embezzle money, 7 years is more than enough to sniff everything out.” “Absolutely, your highness. And, although I already understand what you are actions are going to be, please do say what you are going to do with them.” “Absolutely simple, once I rise to power, I will threaten all those midgets and of course receive money many times the investment I made.” I just can’t control the grin forming on my face!! “Are you really a ten-year-old, your highness?” That’s rude, Prime minister!! “Of course I am.” “Sigh...and those are all the conditions?” “Yes, your majesty. I don’t think I have anything other than tha...Oh wait, just to be clear, I am not going to be attending the academy.” “That’s fine, if you pass the final exam, I can get you the graduation certificate” “Ohhh...Duke Landon, please don’t abuse the power you got.” “Oh please...what else am I supposed to do when I have a ten-year-old who just got himself a Duchy.” Uh-Uh...he isn’t wrong. “Ahem...If that is all, can we decide on more pressing matters right now?”, seems like the Empress is enjoying herself. *cough*“Of course, Empress Camilla. I have all my conditions laid out. I don’t have any other requests.” “I see...now we have to decide on how you are going to give up the position of the Crown prince. We can’t just declare to the public on what we have decided here." “If it’s about that, I can just resign it myself.” *blink**blink**blink* They are all dumbfounded. “But Arthur, if you do it yourself, people including the nobles will see you as a spineless, incompetent prince.” “Your majesty, don’t tell me you have already forgotten about what mother told me? She told me to not care for the other’s views of me. She instructed me to be a free spirit. And that is exactly what I am going to do.” “Haha… I see”, he said so while giving out a chuckle. Hmm...is it wrong of me wanting to slap that smile out of his face? “We really want to thank you, your highness. It’s thanks to your selflessness that the Empire can carry on with its peaceful state” Selflessness?? “You couldn’t be more mistaken, Duke Landon. Though we both share the same goal, me and my mother are divided by the sole concept of selflessness. She acts truly for the sake of the people. I, on the other hand, act solely for the sake of my mother’s wish. And of course, I also make sure to get profit by the decisions I made.” “I...I see” “Now then if that is all, please allow me to leave. I think Diana here has ended up sleeping due to our talk... Oh and, William, if you didn’t understand the topics we discussed, it will be better for you to clarify them now. Soon, you are going to be the Crown Prince. It may be tough, so don’t feel shy to ask for assistance from your parents.”, I said so while lifting Diana. “Yes brother, I will. Thank you for giving me your position.” “Don’t sweat it. I will leave Diana in her room.” “Thank you, Arthur”, Empress Camilla thanked me. Is it for Diana or Williams? I made my way out of the throne straight to Diana’s room...dropped her off to the maids present there. While coming back, I figured some fresh air might do me good. Changing course to the garden, I asked Sebastian, “Were you surprised by my actions today?” “Of course, Your highness. I had expected you to ask for the records regarding Empress Helena’s projects. But the sight of you demanding the Duchy was certainly surprising.” “hahaha...I see I see. Well then, Sebastian, we have a lot of work to do. Don’t expect me to be a lenient lord.” “Certainly, Your Highness. I am looking forward to your future actions.” Hmm...Actions? Not the work I am going to assign you? Having such idle talks, on reaching the garden, I was greeted by a wild Prime Minister. “We meet again, Your Highness”
Spoiler: Chapter-8 “We meet again, Your Highness” “What a pleasant surprise, Duke Landon. I suppose this spot is taken.” While smiling, he said. “Of course not, your highness. Why don’t you join me?” “With pleasure.” There goes the chance to be alone. “Do you like this garden, your highness” “Without a doubt, this place is up there as one of my favorite spots. The memories I and my mother shared here are uncountable. Just there”, pointing at the tree, “ she would always read me any book I wanted. On this bench we are sitting here right now, we both would always share the food while exchanging how the day has been. No matter how busy she is, mother would never fail to make time for me” “I see...she truly loved you.” “That she did.” “Your highness, are you alright?” “hmm...I am perfectly fine, Duke Landon.” “I meant emotionally.” Ah...tears have already started coming out, huh Frantically rubbing my eyes, I gave my honest answer to him. “...It’s difficult to say. The one existence I love is not here anymore and the one, I thought would be there for me brought in another woman with two of his other children. I am feeling perfectly neutral against the Empress...and I can’t bring myself to hate the children either. They did nothing wrong after all.” “I see...Do you hate your father?” Hate??... The word ‘hate’ seems like child play to me. “How can I hate someone that doesn’t exist?” “Looks like you threw him out of your heart.” “No, it would be better to say he left by himself... Duke Landon, don’t we have something better to talk about?” Please change the topic!!!...If things go on, I don’t think I can censor my words “... Oh right, you said you don’t want to attend the academy, why is that, your highness?” “Academy, huh...I don’t think my reputation after resigning would help in ensuring a peaceful school life.” “...and the real reason?” “Ahhh!!...I don’t want to sit in the classes!!... If I somehow complete my lessons before school starts it would be fine, right??...sitting in the classes for hours is an absolute waste of time." And this is where my legendary power, Photographic Memory, comes in. “This is the first time I have seen His Highness act his age.” “...tch…” “My my, how rude!! Your Highness, have you ever seen my daughter?” “Oh...Lady Fiona? Of course, I have seen her. One of the top candidates for the crown princess, right?” “You are on point, Have you ever thought of getting engaged, your highness?” Engagement? … Isn’t it supposed to be talked among the parents?...oh right, I have none right now. “...Don’t you think she would be more suites for William? After all, he is going to become the crown prince.” “...well, she is like you. An abnormal child. So, I thought you two might suit each other.” Abnormal child? “Now, that’s awfully rude of you, Duke Landon.” “Yet, isn’t it the truth?” “...”, I could only stay silent. After all, I have never heard of a child getting himself a Dukedom A roar of laughter escaped Duke’s mouth after seeing my silence. “It has been a fun time, future Duke”, he said so, while getting up from his bench. “It has been, Duke Landon” “Just saying...if she was ever given a chance, Fiona probably won’t choose you. Being the Empress has better benefits after all” Just leave!!!...Nobody asked you for that information. “Like Father, Like Daughter.” Duke laughed. “That’s awfully rude of you, Your Highness!!” “Until next time, Duke Landon” “Yes yes, Your highness” After he left, Sebastian who mysteriously reappeared, spoke “And there’s another who doesn’t act their age.” “Did you say something?” “Nothing that warrants your attention, Your Highness. I’m sure you’re tired, why don’t you take some rest?” “That is what I was about to do.” “Haaahhh… Lazing around in your own building is the best feeling I could ask for.” “I am worried about my master’s future.” “...” Right now we are in the restored building that I requested...no, not requested, I ordered for. Not bad… Not only did they completely clean the rooms...there has even been a re-paint all over the building. All of that, in a day. Of course, there is no smell, probably removed using magic. It must have been a funny sight to see the Royal Mages...best magic users of the Empire...remove the smell of paint. “Your highness, are you sure only the two of us will be enough?”, the one who asked for that is Alice. “It should enough. After all, I am the one who is going to be cooking.” ““EH??”” Ohhh...You both are in perfect sync. Yep, the only ones who are going to be living here will be me, Sebastian, and Alice. Wait...won’t Alice be bored without company? “Alice, you can bring in other maids if you are feeling bored.” “Oh thank yo...Waiit!! Your Highness, you know how to cook?” Ohh yeah...no one knows yet. “I guess it is time to put these stupid dreams of mine to use.”, I whispered in a voice that no one could hear.
I don't think so. He is the emperor after all. But he will be facing mental torture for a long time, caused by Arthur.
What about the new empress then? The first empress was a bit too nice but her friend did sleep with her husband. The new bro william seems to want to become a prince too much?
Over Twenty chapters have been posted in ScribbleHub. And it mostly contains all your answers. Shouldn't spoil the story, should I?
Spoiler: SPOILER!!!! The empress(new) at the start being a princess of a fallen kingdom(akin to a commoner) couldn't reject the advances of the Emperor. Due to this reason, Arthur is friendly with her. As for Willliam, he developed an inferiority complex with Arthur. You could say that William hates Arthur. Diana stays friendly with everyone.
Spoiler: Chapter-9 Right from the day I had Photographic Memory, I started having these strange dreams. No...I wouldn’t classify these under dreams, it should be classified under ideas. Strange yet extremely useful ideas always pop up in my head when I am in the dreamland. Not only do I realize how to use them, but I also weirdly know the way to make the items. Looks like my brain is so good, it even works during my sleep. Though I do say that, some of the ideas are extremely dangerous. Especially, the ones called [Guns and Missiles]. If I bring them into existence, all I can see is a world of blood and screams. Yep, I am not going to be using dangerous ideas, but I will gladly take full advantage of the daily use ones. And, through these dreams, I even learned how to cook. How crazy is that? “Anyways, Alice...yes I know how to cook. But that is not of importance right now and you can bring in more maids if you wanted.” “...Thank you, your highness”, she spoke disappointedly, perhaps not knowing the reason. I guess knowing that a Prince can cook is pretty surprising. “Sebastian, have the books arrived?” “No, your highness. Only half of the ones you have mentioned are here. The others will arrive very soon.” “I see” For the next 7 years, I have to make full use of Photographic memory. With Sebastian’s help, I ordered a lot of books to be brought from the Royal Library. It’s gonna take more time, huh. “Your highness, until the other books arrive...Why don’t you learn more about magic? The books on magic have arrived, anyways” “I suppose that is the only thing I can do.” I take up the first book on the stack, [Magic Introduction for Dummies]. “...” Though I already know about Magic, it’s better to know read these anyways. Better to store whatever I can in my brain. Having such leisure thoughts, I start reading the book, [Mana, an energy that is available all over the atmosphere. Through countless years, humans have found various ways to use mana. And one of them is through, [Magic]. We humans can invoke magic by using chants to channel the mana through and get the desired result.] And that’s the short version of the whole book. No use in going through the history. As I was about to close the book, one bolded line on the last page caught my attention. [Though it is common to use chants for magic, another method for using magic has been found. That is [SIGILS]. Sigils are nothing but Magic Formations. These are used in creating Magic Devices to allow mana to flow through them.] Uh-Uh, I know this as well...but the next line was what caught me by surprise. [It has also been found that Sigils can also be used as a method to bypass chants and use magic directly. But this has been found inefficient due to the difficulty in forming the Sigils in mind. The more powerful the magic, the more complex the sigils get.] “....” Whaaat? Why haven’t I known this till today?? If what this book says is true...all I need to do is see the Sigil once to memorize it. God bless my memory. “Sebastian!!! Who has the most number of Sigil books??” “Sigil books?...it would be the imperial family, of course.” “Then, bring them all in. I want every single one of those books in this building by tomorrow.” “Your order will be carried out, your highness. But may I ask why?” “Of course, to learn them.” “...I see.”, he had a confused face. It is to be expected...Sigils are not that famous. Learning chants would be much better for others. “ Your highness, how is your sword training?” “Satisfactory, but nothing too great. I have to focus on it too. Do you know any good swor-” And that is when I saw Sebastian getting into a stance with his sword. Where did he even get the sword? Spatial Magic? “Sebastian?” “Though in name, I am a butler. But my sword skills are second only to the Commander of the Royal Guards and the Emperor’s butler.” “Eh? What are you talki-” *swish* A severe chill went all through my body. Sebastian, who was 10 meters in front of me, suddenly vanish only to reappear a few feet away, sweeping his sword horizontally towards my throat. “The hell?!?!” “You are going to be going through a lot in the future, your highness. I need to prepare you for them.” “So...So, you are going to be training me?” “Yes, I am. I think you have found you’re own method for magic. But for wielding a sword, physical training is the only thing you could do.” “I...I see. Well then,” doing a 90-degree bow ” Sebastian, please teach me the swords skills I need to know.” “Please raise, your highness.”, Sebastian said in a satisfied tone. So, there is another reason for him to be the Empress’s butler. Thank goodness, I have him on my side. And this is how my life in the building had begun.
Spoiler: Idle Talk - Diana It has been over 7 years since I entered these walls. My name is Diana Zemira, a Princess of the Zemira Empire. Right now, I am walking towards Brother Arthur’s residence. My position is quite special, I have the blood of Aragon country and the Zemira empire running through me. So, you can say I am quite adored by everyone. I came into the palace after the death of an Aunt I knew. Though I don’t remember much, she was a kind lady who is loved by everyone. Ah...I wish I could still remember her. Anyways, the kind lady was the Empress of the Zemira Empire, and my mother is the lover of the Emperor of Zemira… At the time, I didn’t think much of it...but just how in the world did she become friends with my mother despite knowing everything Well...after she passed away, the Emperor, my father introduced my mother as the New Empress. Surprisingly, mother was accepted quite easily without any problems, probably due to the royal bloodline. And the result of the commotion is that I got a father and a new brother. Father has always been kind towards me, so it was no problem getting along with him. But, Brother Arthur, on the other hand, was quite scary. During the first few weeks in the palace, I had rarely seen him. I came to know he is a kind person during our first meeting, but that’s it. He nor I took any steps to progress in our relationship. Though I am embarrassed to admit it...His appearance scared me. Pitch dark hair, like the Empress. It looked angelic on her, but somehow combined with the crimson red eyes of his and his unusually tall appearance, it ended up in an imposing look. Brother William is also tall, but his Golden Hair gave off a soothing wave. “No...this is wrong, Diana. Mother, told you to not judge people by their appearance.” Was the thought the naive little me had seven years ago. But the above line did not hold true for a long time. Him demanding things one after other from the adults did justice to his looks. This is a book that you can judge with the cover. In the end, not understanding anything, I fell asleep through their conversation, and I was informed that Brother Arthur was the one who dropped me. He is kind after all. That was when I started to get along with him. Occasionally, I would hang out in the corner building where Brother Arthur lived. It’s in the corner of the forest, out of the eyes of the mother and father. And that was when I understood, Brother Arthur completely hates Father. I have never seen them speak to each other more than necessary. It’s almost like they were strangers. Every time, Brother Arthur came for dinner to our palace, that is once a week, he would always talk with me and mother. It seems like Brother William doesn’t really like Brother Arthur. Brother William, being almost the same age as Brother Arthur, sees him as someone lazy and without motivation. But I think somehow, Bother William has ended up with an inferiority complex. Oh, that doesn’t mean he is a bad person, it’s just that he is not favorable towards Brother Arthur. At the same time, It is true that Brother Arthur never attends the Royal parties or Ball. That is because, since he gave out his position as the Crown Prince to Brother William, mostly all nobles have named him as the [Spineless and Incompetent Prince]. Though he uses this as an excuse, I am pretty sure he finds it tiring to follow along with Noble’s talk. He is also strange. How can the First Prince of the Empire cook? Sebastian told me that Brother Arthur likes to cook by himself, and the food he makes is always delicious. Curiously, I joined them in one of the meals. And the result was, Delicious It wasn’t as grand as the Royal food I eat every day, the dish was simple and light to the stomach. Once, even mother joined us to the meal. She was way too excited. Just like how Brother comes to the palace once a week, mother too came here once a week. Mother too, just like me, was surprised to see Brother Arthur’s clothing style. He always wore a t-shirt, with something either called jeans or tracks. And whenever, he goes out to the streets, he would wear a long unbuttoned black coat that goes beyond his knees. When I inquired about the dress, he told me, “The prince’s clothing? No way, those are too suffocating. I got addicted to these clothes the first time I wore them.” “...” Ever since he got rid of his Crown Prince title, Brother Arthur started to act wilder but at the same time more intelligent. If he is not practicing magic or sword, he would be sitting in the library reading thousands of books. I figured he would forget most of the content, so mockingly, I took a random book and asked a few questions. And that was when I again felt embarrassed by my own thoughts. Brother Arthur answered everything without a mistake. It was right on deciding him, to be not sent to the Academy. Besides him getting 100/100 on all subjects, he would also successfully plant the seeds of jealousy among all the other noble kids. I was also surprised to see him cast magic without any chants. The only way other than chants is to use Sigils. Does that mean Brother's head is advanced enough to create sigils on the go? The most I can do with Sigils is create a small breeze or create a bump on with mud. But here he is flying to the ceiling, saying that is the best place to read books. Crazy guy... Another important event was that Brother William got engaged with Lady Fiona of the Hastings family. Just like her father, she has Platinum Blinde hair and is stunningly beautiful. Her sharp eyes seem like it will see through everyone with nothing but a glance. But the catch is that both Brother William and Lady Fiona, have no interest in each other. And the project of Brother Arthur’s engagement was quickly shut down after him declaring, “Engagement? Nope, I don’t want it. Seems like too much of a hassle.” I think he hates marriage due to father. If I was in his position, I would have felt the same. *sigh* Both my Brothers are nothing but a bunch of trouble to me. I even heard of rumors, indicating that Brother William is courting another lady in the academy. The Academy is nothing but a fancy place for noble children to attend. This is his and Lady Fiona’s last year in the academy. I hope nothing serious happens. At least, nothing should happen before Brother Arthur gets his position as the Duke of Ellen. And only a week is left. Of course, he changed the name of the Duchy from Switon to Ellen. Wait...does that mean, he is going to leave this palace in a week!!!! Noooo…my food!!! *boom* *boom* *boom* Ah...the ground is shaking again. “Brother Arthur!! If your goal is to create an earthquake, please move out of the palace sooner.” There they are, Sebastian and Brother Arthur standing with a sword in their hand. “Oh, Hey Diana. And don’t worry...I will be leaving next week.”
Spoiler: Chapter-10 “When are you leaving, Duke Arthur?” “First job tomorrow morning will be my departure, Duke Landon.” Right now, Duke Landon is having a drink in my residence. We both have gotten quite close over the years. And he usually stops to take in a fresh breath. “I see...Hope you have fun.” “Having fun?? It’s going to be a full-on headache from here on, thanks to the rule you set up.” “Rule?” “Yeah...the one where I have to be above 17 years to start a company.” “Well~~...I apologize, if I hadn’t done that...my daughter would be on the streets by 11 setting up her conglomerate.” “You!!!...Due to you and your daughter, not only do I have to work on the Duchy but also on the conglomerate, at the same time!!” “Who told you to start a company now?!?” “I have been itching to start my own for years!!! You want to postpone it more??” “You dug your own grave, Duke Arthur” “And you pushed me into it, Duke Landon” Sebastian made his way into our conversation, “Your Grace, please have some juice to cool your head down.” “Thank you, Sebastian. Duke Landon here is a multiplier to my headaches” Duke Landon then answered after chuckling a bit, “Hahaha...Well, I apologize. But are you sure, you don’t want a party to make your current position known?” “Party? Nope...haven’t attended one of those in years and I don’t plan to do so. It’s tiring to put up with the Nobles.” “I see...and the real reason?” “...tch...If a party is being held, I have to bow down to the Emperor to get the title. No way in hell am I going to do that.” Even seeing him is making me want to throw up... “...It has been over 7 years, you still haven’t forgiven him??” “Forgive him? That bast-...that guy cheated on mom for way more than 7 years. I don’t have the slightest of the intention to forgive him.” “You two are always a handful…”, then suddenly with a dark face he spoke,”...no make it three.” Ahh… “William...how is the crown princess doing these days? I heard that the academy is quite hard on her.” I heard rumors of William giving the cold shoulder to Lady Fiona. “I don’t have a clue on where to start...The crown prince is completely ignoring Fiona. He is also apparently courting a Baron’s daughter.” William...that bastard I honestly have no idea what is going on in the head of his. At least, he doesn’t seem to have any evil intentions. “He is almost like a child, isn’t he, Duke Landon?” “Right...I hope nothing bad happens.” “What was Lady Fiona’s reaction to William?” “She did try to warn the girl, but the girl is stubborn. She is also always surrounded by the four idiots.” What’s up with that? “Who are they?” “Crown Prince William, Son of Imperial army’s captain Richard Longe, Son of the Magic tower’s headmaster, Leo Gray and finally my son, Silas Hastings” Hah?!?! “...you are joking...no way...that is just not possible” “I thought the same until I heard it from Fiona herself.” “Haha...this is crazy.”, I couldn’t help but give out dry laughter. Is that girl talented or are the boys complete fools? Either way, this is nothing but a headache. “Right now, Fiona is distracting herself with the conglomerate. But I don’t how long she can continue…” “Luxica, huh. Luxica is selling chocolates and similar items right?” Luxica Conglomerate is the one Lady Fiona founded recently. “Hmm...yes it is.” “Well, tell her to watch out for my Elz.” Ah...I accidentally let out my smile. Somehow, people become vigilant after seeing it. “No...No way. You are going to be on the same line as Luxica.” “Uh-Uh. Well, I am gonna meet the Emperor and get his sign, right now. And after that, Elz Conglomerate will be officially created.” “I...I see. I will warn Fiona about you.” “hahaha...Well, see you later, Duke Landon.” I got up and made my way to the palace. “Until next time, Duke Landon…….I should have gotten him and Fiona together, dammit!” Though I heard the first half, the other half was too low for me to hear. Well...I don’t think it was that important. “Sebastian, I will be back. Make sure Alice, Jane, and Ray are ready to leave tomorrow.” “Will do, my lord.” Now, I have to go and see that idiot… Grumbling to myself, I imagine the sigil of wind and start flying towards the palace. ******** “May I ask a question, Arthur?” “Of course, you may, Empress Camilla.” Right now, I am inside the office room of the Emperor along with Empress and Diana. Emperor is reading the documents I handed over to him regarding the Conglomerate. “Why do you want to start the Conglomerate?’ Why, huh...I never really thought about it, but if I have to give a reason… “By having a Conglomerate, I can interact easily with both the citizens and the Nobles. The main reason is though, by having my conglomerate, I don’t need to have my territory depend on others. Depending on other companies may hinder the growth of the Duchy.” “Eh?? Why is that, Brother Arthur?”, Diana asked me with a curious face. “Hmm...let’s say, if I rely on another conglomerate, I won’t have control over the prices that conglomerate is imposing. But if I have my own, I can easily control them according to the current situation of the people. I have made them suffer for over 7 years, so I intend to let them live happily under my rule.” “Ohhh….”, Diana suddenly went into her own thoughts. You could say, I have grown fond of this girl over the past 7 years. “Oh...and of course, if I create my own conglomerate, won’t I reap the profits myself.” “And there’s the real reason!!!”, Diana exclaimed. “Arthur, promise me…”, Empress cuts into our conversation with a gentle smile. “It depends upon what you are saying…” “Promise me, you will share a meal with us once a week.” “Once a week?!? That might be a tad bit too difficult, Empress” Once a week is a problem...I don’t want my energy to be drained after seeing that idiot’s face. “Ehh?? You won’t, Brother??” “Ugh…”, those puppy eyes pack a stronger punch than Sebastian’s sword. “Please! Please!” *sigh* “Fine…”, in the end, I couldn’t resist. “Yayyy!!!...oh you’re cooking, by the way.” “Now, that’s a litt-” “Arthur, the documents are all clear, The Elz Conglomerate is ready to start the business.” Hmm...I wonder how good my luck would be after him saying it like that… “Thank you, your majesty”, I said in my usual tone. After all, I did say I would keep my business life and work-life separate. It would be childish if I didn’t follow my own words...more so when he is following my words. But finally, after 7 long years, everything is set and ready to go. “Good luck, Arthur” “Do your best, Brother Arthur.” Leaving the Empress aside...with Diana’s blessings, things just might go well. Well...I have to wait and see it by myself. ********** No, scratch that. I don’t have any reason to wait. “Sebastian, where is the graveyard of the Switon family located?” “Are you going to pay your respects, my lord?” “RESPECT, my foot!! How can you utter such words after seeing the condition ahead?!?! All I want to do is slap those bastards back into life and ask whether they were right in the mind when the war started.” Laying before me is the completely run-down Ducal house that I was supposed to live in.