[CHAPTER 4: ONCE IN CHARGE, ALWAYS IN CHARGE]
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A knock on the office door alerted them that it was lunchtime. A maid with ashy blonde hair tied up in a bun and droopy pale-azure eyes entered the room. "His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor, wishes for Your Highness, Prince Saide, and Your Grace, Suzerain Malefic, to attend lunch with him today," She revealed with her head bowed towards them.
"Huh?" Saide sneered slightly at her words and slammed his book closed, "Father wants us to join him for lunch? Has he finally lost his mind or something?" The ravenette sent the young prince a disapproving glance, frowning. The young prince mischievously stuck his tongue out to him, taunting him. "Did His Imperial Majesty tell you the reason for the sudden invite?" The ravenette asked, ignoring the obvious taunts from the teen.
"…No, Your Grace," The maid answered him with an eerie emotionless face, causing him to squint his eyes at her with slight suspicion. "I see," He retorted with a displeased frown and ignored her lack of emotions as he got up from his seat, pushing the chair in, "Then we can't let His Imperial Majesty wait for us." Saide was tempted to groan and whine, but he held his tongue with a dissatisfied frown.
The young prince was the first to step out of the room, cursing under his breath. The maid stepped to the side with her gaze pinned on the piles of national documents on the work desk. Out of nowhere, a loud 'thud' was heard when something blocked her view of the documents. She was startled by the sudden sound and glanced at the source of it. The cause of the 'thud' was the ravenette's fist slamming against the door next to her head.
He loomed over her with a chilling yet murderous look in his eyes, clenching his jaw with hostility. Her skin was covered with goosebumps at the sight of his merciless eyes. He stared at her for a few seconds before a charming smile replaced his terrifying expression. "Ah," He hummed, lifting his fist off the door, "My deepest apologies for scaring you like that."
His smile unnerved her, sending warning signals off in her head. "His Highness was calling for you but you seemed to be in a daze," He firmly told her, clenching his jaw more, "What distracted you that you didn't attend your duties, hm?" Her lips quivered for a second as she apologized with a pale face, "I-I'm sorry, Your Grace…" He gave her a head gesture that she should go to Saide, who was frowning with suspicion and annoyance.
Hurriedly, she scurried to him and apologized for her negligence. The moment her back was turned, the ravenette snapped his fingers and dozens of screeching shadows slithered into his office, giggling and growling. The beastly shadows slithered into every nook and cranny of the office, settling themselves in with mischievous whispers.
Immediately, his office's atmosphere turned ominous and daunting – anyone who looked through that doorway would notice the bad vibes in the room. Satisfied, the ravenette closed the doors and locked them. He folded his hands behind his lower back with a hum and turned to approach the young prince and maid.
As he approached them, the maid spotted something slithering from his throat into his shirt. She owlishly blinked and rubbed her eyes, looking at him to make sure what she saw was true. However, there was no sign of that 'thing' on his throat. 'What…' She pursed her lips in a thin line and clenched her hand, feeling a shiver run down her spine, 'Did I imagine that? There's no way, right…?'
"Why are you taking so long, Uncle?!" Saide complained with a glare, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched the ravenette take his time to approach them, "Are you getting too old now, Uncle? Is that why you're walking so slowly?" The smiling ravenette ignored his harsh words and glanced at the maid when he walked past her.
"Now, now," He mused with that same smile and gently pushed Saide's lower back, forcing him to walk, "We should get going, Your Highness. His Imperial Majesty is already waiting for us, after all." Speechless, the young prince stared at him before clicking his tongue, looking to the side with a sour face. The maid closely followed behind them. Neither of them had a conversation, causing a tense silence to envelop them.
Her eyes were pinned on the ravenette's broad shoulders, staring at his backside with a frown. 'Master Leith was right,' She thought as her gaze flickered to the young prince, who boredly looked around, 'Prince Saide is always accompanied by Suzerain.' Sneakily, her hand reached into her skirt pocket as a glint of determination flashed in her eyes. 'This is my chance!' She had a crazed smile on her face when her fingertips touched the dagger inside her pocket.
However, her entire body froze when she felt the most malicious yet faintest bloodlust ooze from in front of her. Almost robotically, she looked at the ravenette with trembling eyes. Her breath hitched in horror when she spotted him glaring at her over his shoulder; his gaze was filled with ferocity and fury. It felt like he was telling her to try assassinating Saide if she dared, taunting her with intense pressure.
Yet, there wasn't any sign of such maliciousness surrounding him; Saide didn't even notice the ravenette's killing intent. For the first time in her life and career of assassinating, she felt scared and vulnerable. Her heart was thundering in her chest, her throat tightened up with inaudible sobs, her eyes were stinging with tears and her entire body was trembling. 'I want to live!' She internally begged and bit her bottom lip from letting a sob escape her, 'I don't want to die!'
Her world shattered when he sent her a vicious smirk, clearly amused by her distress and fear. That was a clear sign that she had to run away, to flee before he could wrap his fingers around her throat and snap her neck. "Right on time," He mused as he spotted the two looming marble doors a few meters in front of them. Four knights were guarding the doors that led to the dining room.
Once the knights spotted their approaching figures, they flinched before bowing, silently greeting them. "Tell His Imperial Majesty about our arrival," The ravenette coldly sneered at the four knights, who tensed up. Hurriedly, they announced their arrival in unison as they opened the doors, "His Highness, Prince Saide, and His Grace, Suzerain Malefic, have arrived!"
The dining room was extremely spacious and luxurious. A long dining table with at least thirty-five chairs faced the doors as it was positioned in the middle of the room. Every type of dish that existed in the palace was seen on the table, filling the room with various scents of food. At the far end of the table, by the head position, was the Emperor, smiling at them. They entered the room with tense expression and the door closed behind them.
The maid slowly turned around to leave and speedily walked away before breaking into a full sprint. She made it her mission to get out of the palace before she could lose her life. As she sprinted past Erix's office, the doors flung open and shadowy hands grabbed her, dragging her into the room. She didn't even have the chance to scream. 'Click' went the door as it closed behind her.
"We formally greet and thank you for the invitation, Your Imperial Majesty," Saide and the ravenette greeted in unison, bowing to the seated man. The ravenette felt his shoulders tense up when he spotted his shadow wavering a bit, hinting that his magic caught a lurking prey around his office. He tried his best to ignore how his mana grew heavy inside his veins.
"There's no need to be so formal now~!" The Emperor mused with a chirpy tone, waving his hand around, "It's quite unsettling to see my youngest son and precious nephew act like this to me, haha!" The two of them glanced at each other with small frowns before approaching the table to sit at the second-head chairs. They sat across from each other, ignoring how the Emperor was chuckling like a mischievous child.
It wasn't long before they started eating and having a small conversation; it was mostly the Emperor rambling to the ravenette and his son. Saide ignored his father's rambles, munching on his grilled steak patty. "Duke Bicea told me that Lorelei came looking for you again, Erix," The Emperor mentioned with a sour expression and clenched his fingers around his teacup, "That annoying brat…!"
An awkward chuckle left the ravenette's lips as he took a sip of his tea, avoiding responding to his words. "So what's the reason for Sister Lorelei's obsession with Uncle?" Saide bluntly asked, shoving a piece of meat into his mouth, "Everyone in the Capital says that she's lovesick or something." The Emperor dejectedly sighed with an exhausted expression and poured him a full glass of whiskey.
Both of them watched in shock when he gulped everything down, slamming the glass down with a serious glint in his eyes. "My son," The Emperor started as he fold his hands under his chin, "Listen very carefully to this story about your crazed sister." The ravenette held his head with a sigh, thinking to himself that the Emperor could have worded it better than that.
---Three years ago---
It was around wintertime in the Aeonian Empire; snowflakes fluttered from the grey skies and covered the landscape with thick layers of snow. Dozens of knights and servants were running around the palace to accommodate the hundreds of carriages that rode through the imperial gates. It was the night that the First Order troops returned from the Northern Border's subjugation.
From every direction, orders and shouts were heard from the knights as they dragged hundreds of Demonic Beast mutilated corpses on carts through the gates. At the very back of the carts was a lonely man riding his black stallion. He was dressed in a black military uniform that consisted of a buttoned-up blazer with the Empire's lily emblem embroidered onto it, a crimson sash hanging from his left shoulder towards the right side of his waist, trousers, and military boots.
A long cape with thick white fur stitched into its collar fluttered with the icy cold breeze. The military commander hat on his head hid his eyes from any on-looking people, however, the frown on his lips was exposed to the world. As he rose past the knights, they greeted them with a salute, "We greet the Commander of the First Order!" He paid no mind to their greetings, ignoring them.
He came to a stop at the stairwell leading to the palace's entrance doors and dismounted himself from his stallion. "Deliver the corpses to the Magic Tower before dawn," He monotony ordered as he fixed his gloves, "If any of the goods get damaged or lost, your lives will be on the line, got it?" With loud gulps, the frightened knights nodded before running off to follow his orders.
"Where is His Imperial Majesty currently right now?" The ravenette asked one of the servants as he stood on the stairwell, observing how the knights were unpacking or sorting the corpses in the snow. "His Imperial Majesty is in the Ballroom Hall, Your Grace," The servant answered with his head bowed lowly. "Hm," The ravenette hummed with a hint of distaste before ascending the stairwell and entering the main doors of the lobby.
The servants inside the lobby greeted him; however, he ignored their presence. He could only hear his heavy footsteps against the floor when he headed to the Ballroom Hall. It wasn't long before he arrived in front of two looming doors leading to a bustling ball. The two knights guarding the doors grew tense and intimidated by his approaching figure.
"Y-Your Grace!" They nervously greeted him, bowing to him. "Raise your heads," He sneered with annoyance when he stood in front of them, staring at the doors. "Open it," He ordered with a deep frown as he fidgeted with his sleeves. Without a second, the two knights obeyed his orders and opened the doors, revealing a ballroom filled with hundreds of nobles and royalty from neighbouring kingdoms.
"H-His Grace, Suzerain Malefic of the Malefic Archduchy, has arrived!" The doorman announced with a look of shock and surprise, clearly startled by his sudden appearance. At the mere mention of his name, the bustling room grew quiet with murmurs; everyone was looking at him. With a blank expression, he entered the room and heard the doors close behind him with a 'thud.'
As he descended the stairwell, he could feel all the gazes pinned on him. When he was off the stairs, people avoided him like the plague. He didn't seem fazed by their behaviour and approached the podium where the royal family was sitting. "Ah, my boy!" The Emperor greeted him when he spotted him a few meters away from the podium. "Have you finally returned from the North?" He asked as he shoved his glass to the servant and descended the stairwell to him.
"I, Erix Malefic, your humble servant, have returned from the North, Your Imperial Majesty," The ravenette greeted him, kneeling on one knee with his head lowered to him. The Emperor stood a few feet in front of him, smiling. "I presume that you've returned with an outstanding result?" He asked the ravenette, gesturing for him to get back on his feet.
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty," He reassured with a stern expression as he got to his feet. "Wonderful then!" The Emperor exclaimed, patting the ravenette's bicep in a friendly manner, "I can always expect such results from you, my boy!" An uncomfortable smile appeared on his face when he said that.
"As a reward for your work, enjoy tonight's ball before heading to your estate," The Emperor told him with an intense gaze, refusing to accept 'no' as an answer. "Yes, Your Imperial Majesty…" He muttered with a forced smile and clenched his hand next to his side, trying to keep his composure. The Emperor shoved a champagne glass into his hand before returning to the podium.
Awkwardly, the ravenette moved to the pillar on the far side of the room, clearly not in the mood to socialize with other aristocrats. He could feel some guests glance at him as he leaned against the pillar, silently sipping on the champagne. Out of nowhere, a sixteen-year-old girl with short strawberry-blonde hair and round rose-pink irises approached him. She was dressed in a pink and white frilly dress.
"Y-Your Grace…" She called out to him with an embarrassed expression and fiddled with her fingers, oblivious to the annoyed expression on his face. "I greet Your Highness, the Fourth Princess Lorelei," He greeted with a strained smile on his lips and gave her a slight bow of his torso. He took his hat off before placing it on the nearby table, showing her respect. His lips were getting tired from keeping a smile on his face.
"W-Would you mind dancing one song with me, Your Grace?" She asked with a sheepish expression, fanning herself with her hand as she glanced up at his face. His lips twitched at her question, almost turning into a frown. However, before he could turn her down, he could hear the other guests whisper in surprise. Unconsciously, his fingers curled into a fist next to his side.
"Her Highness is asking him for a dance?"
"Oh my..."
"Tsk! I wish the princess would ask me for a dance..."
"How lucky of her!"
His brow furrowed slightly yet his smile remained the same as he held his hand out to her, "Of course, Your Highness. It would be an honour to dance with you tonight." A squeal almost escaped her lips and she accepted his hand with a wide grin. Slowly, he escorted her to the dancing area. He placed his hand on her waist while his right hand held her other hand when the orchestra started playing music.
Elegantly yet carefully, he waltzed with her to the rhythm of the music, floating past the other dancers. He was oblivious to how she stared at him, thinking about how picturesque he looked under the chandelier light. However, not once did he look at her face as they danced; he was focused on avoiding the other dancers bumping into him.
"Your Grace," She called out to him in a hushed tone, causing him to hum in response. "May I ask how old you are, Your Grace?" She asked with pinkish cheeks, glancing to the side. "I've turned twenty years old in the first week of winter this year, Your Highness," He answered her with a frown and looked at her with a raised brow, "Why do you ask?"
"N-No reason," She stuttered out with a giggle and looked away from him as her face grew bright red. "Are you planning on getting married or engaged this season?" She asked with a hint of expectation and desperation. "No, not at all," He bluntly answered her before biting his tongue at his tone. After that, they didn't talk to each other for the rest of the dance. When the song ended, the room was filled with applause as the dancers bowed to their partners out of etiquette.
He bid her farewell and left the ballroom with tense shoulders, feeling her gaze on his back. He retreated back to his private sleeping quarters in the palace when the snow was too thick for him to travel to his estate in the Capital. Just before he drifted off to sleep, someone barged into the room, screeching with pure anger, "Erix, you cunning bastard!"
"Your Imperial Majesty??" The ravenette called out with sleepy eyes and messy hair, blinking in confusion. "My boy, as much as I love to have you join my bloodline, I cannot allow you to marry Lorelei!" The Emperor screeched while holding a sword in his hand, ready to strike the half-awake man in the bed. "Huh?" He spat out with confusion and annoyance, forgetting that he was facing the Emperor.
"I don't have any intention of marrying the Fourth Princess, though?" He retorted, frowning with a yawn, "She's not my type." The Emperor froze in his spot at his words and awkwardly held the sword in the air, staring at the unbothered ravenette sitting up in his bed. "Are you sure?" The Emperor questioned with narrowed eyes, suspicious of him. "Very sure," The ravenette answered him, causing an awkward silence to surround them.
"Oh… um… I see…" The Emperor trailed off, lowering the sword as he slowly scurried out of the ravenette's bedroom, "Then… sleep well, my boy." The ravenette watched how he closed the door with an embarrassed look, leaving the younger man even more confused and exhausted. He decided that he was hallucinating and went back to sleep. The next morning, the palace was in chaos when Lorelei threw a massive tantrum about the ravenette not wanting to marry her. From that day onwards, Lorelei became lovesick with Erix because of getting rejected.