Eliza doesn't tickle as Anthony glances at her sharply like a threat shortly before she leaves Darius's room.
"Did he just threaten us?" Eliza was so shocked that her breath was choked.
Eliza's words make Darius aware that Anthony has just threatened them. This wasn't his plan because he was supposed to be in control of Anthony and not the other way around.
But suddenly Darius slapped Eliza in the face to make the corners of her lips bleed and her body fell to the floor.
"Why did you hit me, Dad?" Eliza staring at Darius angry.
"It's all because of your stupidity! Alexander was Anthony's rival but you toyed with him and now he thinks we might betray him. If he leaves us then we will not get our wish!" Darius was furious, he leaving Eliza alone in his room while Eliza holds back her tears, for the first time her father hits her and it's all because of Anthony.
"I'm going to make you pay for all this, Anthony!" Eliza tightens her teeth, she throws all the stuff on the table to the floor to vent her anger.
***
Anthony doesn't forget his mission to find clues as to who Killed Airin, loyal the day he always pays attention to the movements of vampire nobles who have above average powers.
Before the lunar eclipse, the royal gate was closed. Everyone hides because their power disappears, then who can break out while the gate can't be opened easily by one person. It's possible that the killer left before the gates were closed which means that he has the power to get out of the royal environment.
But who? Anthony has already noticed some nobles and their descendants, some of them have special powers one of them Marten, he is the son of the minister of defense and has just joined the royal army and became the most prominent soldier, he is very strong and talented, his personality is cheerful and very noisy, Anthony knows it because Marten joined him while destroying the wizarding kingdom.
There is Patrick who also has above average strength, he is good at fighting but he is more often in the kingdom to help his father who served as a royal advisor, his personality is cool, he does not seem to have many expressions.
Anthony still notices Patrick when he accidentally sees Alexander who was seen walking hastily towards the castle's back tower.
Of course, it made Anthony suspicious, he continued to follow Alexander's movements because usually, Alexander was always inside the palace, he never visited the castle directly connected to the dungeon.
"Prince... Prince Anthony..."
Anthony tried to ignore the call but didn't want to stop calling him.
"Prince, I call you."
Anthony had guessed that if it was Marten, only he would love to run around the palace wearing a suit of war, and of course, his voice always sounds annoying.
"What's wrong?" Ask Anthony waa impatient, he always feels annoyed at Marten but somehow he can't ignore him or be cool with him.
"I just want to say hi, prince." He said that his wry smile made Anthony feel like vomiting, how could a man smile as if he were a sweet woman smiling for a charm. Men of course must be authoritative and shouldn't always smile according to him.
"You've said hello to me, now go," Anthony said, he resumed his move but Marten again blocked his path.
"Where are you going, prince?"
Anthony sighed angrily. "Do I have an obligation to report to you if I go somewhere?"
Marten smiles again, he doesn't look scared at all by Anthony. "Can I come?"
"Oh my God, we're not at war."
"Because we're not at war so I don't have any activities."
"Then practice until you are incomparable."
I've been training and there's nothing to match me."
"Including me?"
Marten winks at his eyes several times and afterward again shows his smile. "You're on a different level, prince."
"Then don't bother me." Anthony doesn't care anymore about Marten's remarks and immediately steps away from him.
"I'm not bothering you, prince. I just want to come with you."
"No."
"But I want to help you find the Great Witch's killer."
As Anthony's footsteps stopped, he suddenly got in front of Marten.
"What are you saying?"
"I want to help you find the killer. I've lost my lover before so I understand what you're feeling."
Anthony clutched Marten's shoulder, he looked at Marten and followed where his eyeballs were moving, there was no fear and doubt from the look in his eyes but Anthony still couldn't believe it.
"I sided with you not because you would be king but, but I did it because I knew what it was like to be lost and desperate." Unlike before, Marten suddenly sounds serious.
"You know..." Anthony stepped on Marten's shoulder, walking down the castle looking at the soldiers practicing war.
"You are one of the people I suspect of killing my lover."
Of course, what Anthony said made Marten not understand.
"What makes you suspect me?"
Marten stares at a confused Anthony.
"Because you are strong, perhaps for you there will be no difficulty to slip from this kingdom before the lunar eclipse occurs."
"I was out of the kingdom at the time of the lunar eclipse. I lost my lover that day because she was attacked by a beast while we were hunting together.
I wanted to end my life the night I lost my strength so I could see him again, but somehow I tried to end my life that night I stayed alive until this moment, but at least I managed to kill the bear that had killed my lover." Marten tells the story of his lover who was late at night and didn't forget he showed the bear book that has become his robe now.
"So do you still suspect me now, prince?"
"What can you do for me?"
Marten again shows his smile that previously disappeared when he told about his lover who has died.
"You can't be in two places at once, so it would be nice if I also helped you to kill the great witch faster."
Anthony still seems to think, should he believe it?
"All right, you can help me but once you betray me then I'll kill you."
"You can hang my head if I betray you. A soldier must not betray."
Anthony doesn't know why Marten's words made him suddenly smile. Anthony felt that he had just found a new force that supported him without wanting reciprocity.
"Can I join?"
Anthony turned around with Marten when someone suddenly got into their conversation.
He is Patrick, the man calmly stepping up to Anthony and Marten.
"I also want to help you find the killer, prince."
***