Taylor delivered the final words to end the evening's banquet. The event to announce the termination of his engagement to Lady Phellin, now the Marchioness Phellin, was a success. Some people were surprised at first. However, they thought it all made sense because Count Phellin's household also had a woman as the head of the household.
Since the event was just a friendly gathering of the nobles, Taylor resigned from the venue and wanted to go away to calm down. He still had a lot to do in the king's absence. However, he thought of taking a break for a while.
Her formal attire was suffocating. He unbuttoned his top button slowly as the palace hallway was deserted. However, an unexpected event happened to him.
Brugh!
"You! You said you wouldn't let Lady Larissa go?"
The man with silvery hair, who looked like him, pushed Taylor into the wall and lifted the collar of his clothes. That man had a rough face with a larger body than Taylor. Formal attire like a member of the royal family indicated that the man was Taylor's brother.
"Isaac Gladius, calm your mind. Do you think my letting Larissa go will make her miserable?"
"I already have Rudolf's name behind me, don't you forget that. Larissa is still considered an ordinary woman. How can she carry the heavy burden of the Marchioness title? She's like a shrimp among those noble bastard whales!" That man who called by Isaac was getting more and more unreceptive.
Taylor raised one eyebrow. "You don't believe her?"
As the Crown Prince, Taylor immediately pushed back Isaac, the younger brother. He continued, "During her time as Crown Princess, Larissa has accumulated her own power with that title. There are already many nobles who favor her. Thanks to me giving her that title, it means her abilities are recognized. I also think that she is able to fight in politics with the nobles directly instead of being a queen who is usually a puppet of the nobles."
Isaac removed his hand from Taylor's collar. "I don't know what the palace is like without me, but in the New Free City, Larissa's name is already being hailed as a fair future leader. I thought you threw her away, but apparently that was your reason."
"You wouldn't be a king if you didn't think ahead like me, Isaac." Taylor said with a hint of sarcasm. Isaac, however, did not feel insinuated.
"How are things there? Did the empire send the troublemakers again?" Taylor asked after watching Isaac straighten his own clothes. That man looked uncomfortable in the palace clothes.
"Yes, there always are. We even have to fight every day. There are so many who come. The imperial citizens are more numerous, so naturally they can send more people."
Isaac suddenly fell silent. Then he looked at his brother with a pitying gaze. "You ... still haven't found the right partner, huh?"
"I have to think about the current state of affairs as well. If possible, I'd like to find a woman who is somewhat reliable in the internal matters of the palace. I don't want to be like father," Taylor said.
Isaac immediately recalled their dark history. Of King Michael's five children, only the First Prince and the Second Princess were his biological children with the queen. The Third Princess was an illegitimate child from her relationship with a maid.
The Fourth Prince was the son of a concubine and died by suicide because treathened by the nobles. Isaac was the only son of a concubine who managed to survive without getting involved in politics.
Because the concubine was depressed at the death of her first child, Isaac received a harsh upbringing from his mother, the concubine.
So, throughout his life, Isaac was very unruly and rambunctious. He even married at a young age because he impregnated his own girlfriend, Angelina, the daughter of a businessman and not a nobleman.
King Michael had a headache and crossed Isaac Gladius' name off his list of potential successors. However, he granted him the title of duke and told him to lead a new territory. The name Rudolf was his gift as the new duke.
Taylor and Isaac developed a good relationship as a result. Isaac was banished by his own mother and was already satisfied with the territory he was going to take care of, the western region of the Marithus Kingdom. He said it was the same as managing a kingdom, the only difference was that the scale of government was smaller. Isaac also led a neutral faction, so it was also in Taylor's favor because Isaac would not be opposed to what he did in the future.
Isaac took off his gloves and threw them in a random direction. "Armor suits me better than formal palace attire. I feel like my body will tear through these clothes. By the way, haven't you seen my son?"
Isaac and Angelina's son, Frederick Rudolf, always traveled around the palace when there were events. Therefore, Isaac was always overwhelmed by his son's behavior. Even though Frederick himself had grown up.
"Hey, your son is 15 years old, just let him find new fun here." Taylor reminded Isaac of his age.
"Yeah, and you're still single at 35, while your father at that age already has 5 kids."
Taylor laughed at Isaac's sarcastic joke. The two of them were only 2 years apart. He was somewhat refreshed by talking to the outspoken Isaac. The funny thing was that Isaac's son looked more like Taylor than his own father. Maybe it was because Isaac was busy with the knights and Frederick was often kept in the palace.
"Hey, he's your father too." Taylor wiped away the tears that came from laughing.
"My father? My ass. What father cares more about work and making out than his kids. I was even sent to war while having fun at the academy with my girlfriend." Isaac grumbled still while removing some of the accessories on his body.
Taylor laughed again. He said, "I'm going to rest for a while. I'll let you know when I see your son."
Before leaving, Taylor tapped Isaac on the shoulder and left. The hallway was deserted, so Isaac was still resting there before going to look for his son again.
***
At the edge of the fountain, a teenager wearing a formal suit was reading a book. The cool night breeze whipped his bright blonde hair. His handsome-looking face with a manly aura fit perfectly under the evening moonlight.
Occasionally the night breeze flicked the pages of the book he was holding, the boy remained focused on reading the book. The movements of his hands, which casually opened the page, continued to be noticed by someone.
"Come out, I know there's someone there."
That handsome boy spoke without looking around. He was still focused on his book. However, someone appeared nearby.
A sweet-looking little girl appeared with a dress that was dirty at the bottom. She looked like she had fallen down. Seeing that, the handsome boy there immediately approached her.
"Little lady, how did you get like this?"
Frederick Rudolf, who had been reading a book, was finally able to turn his attention to something else. He immediately checked on the little girl's condition.
"I fell down and didn't know where to go for help. My name is Irene Gestrine." The little girl seemed a little afraid of Frederick.
'Oh, the daughter of Baron Gestrine.'
Frederick squatted in front of the little girl. He said, "Come up, I'll take you to the palace doctor."
The little girl was immediately surprised. "No, not to the palace doctor. I'm afraid I'll inconvenience His Royal Highness. You know ... that not all nobles and classes like the Baron can attend events in the palace and instead act troublesome."
Hearing that, Frederick turned his body around. He stood up again, before finally carrying the girl from the front.
"There is no rank of nobility in helping or being helped by people. As fellow humans, we should be able to help each other."
For the first time, Irene Gestrine felt that someone understood her. That's why she put her arms around Frederick's neck, a sign of her trust in him. Frederick carried her all the way into the palace.
Elsewhere, there were more thrilling events. Crown Prince Taylor Gladius, who was about to rest, was not resting peacefully. There was a couple arguing in front of the banquet area's resting room.
Plak!
The man slapped the girl. Seeing that, Taylor immediately intervened in the fight. "What are you doing?"
That man who slapped her was immediately surprised, and replied, "Nothing, Your Highness. It's just a family matter."
"You're Viscount Hemlock, right? Then-"
Taylor stopped what he was saying when he saw the girl who had slapped. Jet-black hair, deep purple eyes, and pale skin. She recognized the girl as one of the people hee had secretly investigated.
"Cosette Morin?" Taylor asked the girl.
Then he realized something. From the results of his investigation, Cosette Morin and Viscount Hemlock were engaged. However, it was rumored that they had broken up because Cosette Morin preferred her career as a mage over her own partner. Count Morin as Cosette's father did not interfere in his daughter's romance.
"Why did you act rudely to Lady Cossete, Viscount Hemlock?" Taylor asked again.
"Your Highness, this is just a personal matter and—"
"It is indeed a personal matter, but you treated her rudely like that and I am a witness here. Do you want me to prosecute you as an abuser of a lady? Especially when that lady is the daughter of a higher noble than you."
Viscount Hemlock immediately fell silent. That man stared at the two with an embarrassed and heated look. Then left abruptly due to the overwhelming embarrassment of being insulted.
After seeing the absence of Viscoun Hemlock, Cosette Morin wanted to thank him. However, Taylor's words took her by surprise.
"Cosette Morin, a lady who devoted herself to working in the magic tower. However, that was only because you wanted to eliminate the traces of the necromancer's bloodline on you, right?"