"Aaaaaaarghhh"
A frustrated scream could be heard followed by a loud crash of a flower vase falling from Mathilda's room. Judith, Sophia and Peter were away to shop for ingredients at the market while Sebastian was cleaning the dining hall. His five senses was far more developed than the normal person so he quickly rushed to Mathilda's room thinking that she had gotten injured but stayed in front of the door for quite a while.
"What is it milady?" asked a meek shadow from behind the curtains in Mathilda's room. "I did not expect this. Sophia is very quick witted and clever, her IQ is most probably beyond 210... What should I do? How can I kill her to become the empress? Damn it, all this time she was acting dumb and carefree. Did you find out information that I can use for my plot Reggie?" asked Mathilda to the shadow who was non other than Reggie; her spy. Mathilda; thirsty for power and status, also thirsty for powerful men had hired a ninja spy to work for her before they set out for Leisenburg in order to kill off crown princess Sophia and Judith while masking it as an accident or an unfortunate death in order to usurp the title of crown princess and to become the future empress of Leiden empire.
" Yes, I found out that the four boys you hang out with at school are actually the King's four sons however non of them are to become the next king. The next in line is their cousin; the crown prince of Leisenburg; Edmund de Leisenburg who is far more competent and fit to be a ruler than the notorious sons of the current king. Furthermore I found out that Hayden plans to Kill Edmund while Alexander plans to kill Edmund and his own brothers in order to become king." said the spy. Mathilda had a smile of relief when hearing this and walked around her room well poised as if plotting something new. " Then make arrangements for me to meet prince Alexander. I have quite a tempting offer to give him. This time we can work together to kill off who we need to kill. Off you go."
"Yes My lady" answered Reggie with a bow and went away.
"Oh dear... time to get serious..." whispered Sebastian to himself after overhearing the whole thing while going down the stairs back into the dining hall.
A few days later Sophia had received an anonymous letter to warn her about Mathilda's true face and plot. Sophia; shocked and enraged threw the letter in the bin and thought to herself that whoever dared to play such a prank on her to sow discord in her family shall be punished accordingly. "Should I tell this to Judith and Mathilda?" she thought, just then someone was knocking at the door of her room. It was Sebastian with a seductive smile. "Too much pheromones... I was startled. One would think you are some kind of cultivator or prince. What is it? Is there something that needs my help with?" asked Sophia. Sebastian went on his knees as if to propose then said " I would like to request a private audience with your majesty the future Empress of the Leiden empire over tea and cake." Sophia could not refuse this so into the back garden they went to have tea and cake.
" So? What is it? Surely you did not just want to enjoy tea in the view of the roses with me. What is it you want to tell me? You made sure everyone has difficult tasks to complete and sent all the servants away." said Sophia while eating a piece of carrot cake gracefully. " As expected, you are indeed very quick witted your majesty." said Sebastian. " Oh, no need to call me that for I am not the empress yet, just call me Sophia." said Sophia. " Very well, if that is your wish, then it shall be granted. I am the one who sent you the anonymous letter. On hearing this straight forward confession, Sophia choked on her cake and quickly gulped down her tea, then raised her head and looked at him questionably. Sebastian then explained his reasons as well as who he really was and as he was explaining everything Sophia's eyes widened with shock and bewilderment.
Sebastian's real name is Rhydian and he is the second son of Empress Navier and Emperor Heinrey of the Western empire. He was also entitled crown prince of the empire ever since his older brother the first price; Kai had contracted a rare disease a few years back.
Having no interest in the throne, he travelled the world in hope of finding proper medical cure for his brother. And along his journey, he has refined his martial arts as well as his cultivation of qi and became a master, he has also refined his culinary and medical skills.
Then one day, a telegram came to him from his father when he was in Alabania city on a desert island a few miles away from the kingdom of Leisenburg eight months ago. The telegram said that his sister Lari was proposed to in marriage to Edmund de Leisenburg; crown prince of Leisenburg and thus asked Rhydian to investigate as he had heard notorious rumors about Edmund's cousins; especially the current king's sons; thus he disguised as Sebastian the butler working for the Evergarden family.
" That's absurd! So all this time I have been hanging around and joking with the next Emperor of the Western empire? And Mathilda whom I trusted and cared for as if she was my biological sister was plotting to kill me? We need to let Judith and Peter in on this matter, summon them at once!" Said Sophia in utter bewilderment and stress. As soon as Judith and Peter arrived, the situation was explained to them. "Santa Maria! What do we do now?" exclaimed Judith. "This is nuts in every way possible, how could she... but more importantly Sebastian! I mean your Highness Prince Rhydian, how could you lie to me about who you were?" exclaimed Peter. "Wait so Sebastian is crown prince of the Western empire, Alexander, Hayden, William and what's his name are the rumored notorious princes and Lucas, well we already knew he was a Marques. And more importantly the true face of Mathilda..." Said Judith in a low voice.
" As the crown princess of Leiden empire, I cannot just sit and await to be killed. We must stop a traitor even if the traitor is family and punish her accordingly. First we lay low and act like we know nothing and keep this secret between us. Next we observe her next moves in order to plan ours. Let her meet with Prince Alexander, we will tail her and find out what her plan is, then we plan and start striking. We must make haste though. Oh yes, Reggie has betrayed the imperial family to join hands with Mathilda, so once the meeting with Prince Alexander is over, we have to capture Reggie and get as much information as we can out of her, only then we can carefully plan our next moves without raising Mathilda's suspicions. I cannot believe she really is committing treason like this. She hid her true face well behind that caring and loving acts of hers... I had a hunch and suspected her many times but did not want to believe it but alas, what I feared would happen actually really did happen." Said Sophia very determined and firm. while the others nodded in accordance.
"Very well, let us enjoy this afternoon tea before ousting the traitor and keep calling me Sebastian as usual for I am still a prince undercover." Said Sebastian while sipping his tea calmly.