After leaving Aunt Dayana's house, I departed in a carriage towards my grandparents' house. Actually, I was already a bit late, after all, I was supposed to be there early in the morning.
Well, the reason I'm late was that I was playing with Susan, but I can't say that to my grandparents.
The trip to my grandparents' house was quick. They lived pretty near my aunt's house, so I reached there in less than fifteen minutes.
Once I was there, I saw my grandmother waiting for me outside.
"Claus!" She walked towards me with a concerned look and gave me a strong hug. "I heard what happened."
I hugged her back and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry about it, grandma. I have my own plans."
Grandmother continued looking at me without changing her expression. How could she not know about my situation? Although she heard my words, she thought it was nothing more than I attempting to relieve here.
I sighed inwardly. Well, it's obvious that she thinks like that.
"Come, your grandfather and aunt Sera are inside."
I nodded and followed after her.
My grandfather and grandmother are called Steven Quin and Salana D'fine respectively. They are both in their fifties, but due to them practicing a bit of mana, they look more like people in their forties.
Aunt Sera, on the other hand, is my oldest aunt. She is 36 years old this year and the mother of Andrea. As for her looks, she has the features of my mother's family, with black hair and black eyes and a curvy and well-endowed body.
When I went inside the house, I found grandfather and aunt Sera seated around a wooden table. They looked at me with grave expressions before sighing.
"You are here." My grandfather said.
I nodded respectfully. "Grandfather."
"Come sit." He said and pointed to an empty seat. "Salana, tell a servant to bring Claus lunch."
Grandmother nodded and left.
Once my grandmother was gone, grandfather moved his gaze back to me. "Claus, what are you planning to do?"
I remained silent for a while before opening my lips. "Don't worry, grandfather, I have a plan. It's just that I can't speak about it now." Besides, I still had to convince my sister of it.
My grandfather stared at me fixedly before heaving a sigh. "Your aunt and I were talking about it just now. Actually, you and Dina can simply renounce to the emperor's surname and adopt ours. If you are not princes anymore, then maybe the emperor and the empress will stop making things difficult for you."
I stared at grandfather with a surprised expression. I could not believe that he proposed something like that.
His gaze, however, was firm. He was determined to do everything in his might to protect us.
But, precisely because of that, I shook my head. "Impossible."
Grandfather and aunt looked at me. I was sure that my current expression was so firm and determined as grandfather's one.
"You know that the emperor and the empress will not care about our surname. Besides, as princes, we at least have a bit of protection granted by our lineage. If we abandoned our surname, then some people we'll lose their scruples. It can even implicate the family."
When they heard my words, grandfather and aunt heaved a sigh.
"I knew you would not agree." Aunt said with a complicated expression. "After all, you and Dina are as stubborn as your mother."
I fell silent hearing it. I could feel the care and concern in their words. Despite knowing that their actions would mean going against the emperor, grandfather and aunt still suggested it.
Of course, if the emperor tries to destroy my mother's family, I will stop him, and I have the power to stop him. To them, the current situation was a dangerous crisis, but for me, it was nothing but a joke I could end anytime.
But grandfather and aunt did not know it. And despite it, they were determined to stand up for Dina and me.
In the end, blood is thicker than water, no matter what world it is.
"That damn emperor! Was ruining Silna's life not enough that he also wants to ruin yours?!"
I smiled wryly and shook my head. "Actually, I still don't understand why the emperor is like this. Was he not supposed to love mother dearly?"
Aunt's expression turned angry. "That bastard! Loved her dearly? Hah! He was nothing more than an obsessed bastard!"
Aunt, lower the voice. Are you not afraid of someone hearing you insult the emperor?
Well, I admit that he is a bastard.
Grandfather sighed sadly. A gloomy look appeared on his face while he remembered the past. He then looked at me with complicated eyes.
"Sigh. Your mother truly suffered back then. Actually, although your mother died after giving birth to you, the main responsible for her death was still the emperor." I put on a focused expression and grandfather continued speaking.
"You see, although many said that the emperor loved your mother dearly, the truth is that his love was one-sided. When he saw your mother for the first time, he instantly was obsessed with her.
"The emperor tried many methods to make Silna fall in love with him, but your mother always rejected him. Back then, your mother already had someone she loved, so she did not want become the emperor's wife.
"However, when the emperor learned about it, he was enraged. So, he secretly ordered to kill the man your mother loved."