Getting up from his gigantic golden throne, he walked closer to the young boy. Then leveled himself to the young boy's height.
"And where are your manners uh, Luster? Didn't your Preceptor taught you how to greet your elders? Or should I change your Preceptor? He seems quite incapable to the extent of not being able to teach you something as simple as greeting your elders," Axel stated, his orange eyeballs staring into the brown eyes of the innocent young boy.
The young boy hastily prompted a slight head bow towards Axel, detecting that he had indeed forgotten to greet Axel which wasn't intentional.
"Sorry brother Axel!" The young boy apologized. Looking quite innocent and feeling quite sorry as his voice became slightly somber, "I'm sorry that I forgot to greet you! It's my fault. Please don't change Preceptor Gabriel. He's a nice Preceptor, and I promise that he has been teaching me well all this while. And I've been learning a lot from him also."
Axel smiled, bringing forth his hand, he sheepishly scattered Luster's black hairs with it.
"I was just joking I won't change your Preceptor. I know he's a good and smart man. But at the same time, Luster, don't always forget your manners like that next time. Or the others might think I didn't raise you up well which I did, okay?"
Luster eventually smiled happily, "Okay, brother Axel. I won't forget next time, I promise," the smart looking young boy assured.
"Anyways, Luster are you done with your preceptorial for today? It's quite early. If I'm not mistaken aren't you supposed to be with Gabriel until afternoon?" Axel questioned, looking suspiciously at Luster. "I hope you didn't pull any sort of tricks on Gabriel, which made him allow you to skip class today, uh?" Axel interrogated, knowing how stubborn and playful Luster could be and how naughty he could also get sometimes.
"No, brother Axel. I didn't do that," little Luster chuckled, and defended himself meekly. "Preceptor Gabriel said that something important came up which he had to attend to. He said he had to go immediately, and that the preceptorial will be continued tomorrow."
Axel chortled.
"How lucky are you? You get to skip class today. Well unlike you little Luster, your big brother here has something else to do out of town. So I wouldn't be able to hang out with you today," Axel explained, which made Luster a bit sad. Noticing this, Axel continued, "Say, Luster why don't you go and find Daphne and keep her company till I get back, she would really love that. And I promise to get you something you'd love when I get back from work also, okay?"
"Okay," Luster nodded in satisfaction. "When will you be back, brother Axel?"
"Hopefully if the weather is good, then I should be back by evening. However, if it isn't then I guess I would be back at midnight. Make sure you don't cause Daphne any trouble," Axel warned, and Luster nodded obediently.
"Brother Axel, can I come with you?" Luster asked hopefully.
Axel shooked his head, "No, you can't come with me Luster. It's a business trip, and I believe you would find it extremely boring just like I also always do."
"Oh…" the young boy trailed.
"We will go out next time, okay?" Axel assured his silly little brother and he nodded mildly saying;
"Okay."
"Splendid! You're such an understanding young boy Luster. Indeed I've raised you well," Axel praised, causing Luster to smile. Pulling the little boy closer. He tickled him playfully, causing Luster to laugh and giggle wholeheartedly. Struggling to break free from Axel's stronghold.
Then soon enough, he let go of him.
The orange haired man smiled harmlessly, "Now run along little one. I have to get going, or else I'll be late. And we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we?" Axel asked.
"We wouldn't," he shook his head.
With that said Luster obeyed Axel's words, as he ran playfully towards another direction to go and meet Daphne as instructed by his big brother, Axel.
Axel watched his little brother up until the little boy was out of sight. He exhaled. Regaining his former demeanor and formidability, then got up on his feets, and adjusted his attire firmly and more neatly.
He began walking boldly towards the direction leading to the entrance of the castle. Walking amidst the widely opened golden door, Axel paused his boots by the veranda as he glanced awkwardly at the enormous golden statue of himself which was almost twice his height.
Furrowing his eyebrows, he touched the enormous golden statue with one of his fingers.
"So much dusts?!" He muttered under his breath with a displease expression as he hastily brought out an handkerchief to clean the dust away from his fingertip. "To think I'm paying this people handsomely every month just to lay useless around the castle, and leave it unclean with so much dusts tainting it! Unbelievable!"
Just when he was about to turn away from the statue, a slightly old man caught up with him, he was dressed in a clean black shirt and black trouser, his hairs had some strands of gray in them, and his face appeared calm and collective. He was King Axel's butler.
He hastily made an head bow towards Axel.
"Your Majesty, good morning," the slightly old butler greeted. Eventually bringing his face upwards to meet Axel's face.
"Sylvester a good morning to you too," Axel replied. Turning his head to look towards his enormous golden statue, he pointed towards it, "Look Sylvester, touch the statue yourself, and see if it's in a good condition."
Touching it, Sylvester instantly felt some dusts staining his hands. He replied, "No, Your Majesty."
"Why is my statue covered with so much dusts? And also tell me why you haven't ordered the Maidservants to clean it up this morning yet? Or should I do it myself?" Axel frowned, and Sylvester hastily bowed his head fearfully knowing his errors.
"No, Your Majesty. I'm deeply sorry for my negligence. It's just that the Maidservants are also very busy with other works. As you know already I had tried to hire more Maidservants for the castle to make all the works less of a burden. However whenever I take them to meet Mistress, she would always refuse them and decline them from working here. Leaving us with only four Maidservants in the castle," Butler Sylvester explained, more like complaining.
"I'm sure she has her reasons for doing so. Now make sure the statue is cleaned up properly before I get back, or else your salary would be the one to suffer the consequences of your actions!" Axel made himself clear.
"We will get it cleaned up, Your Majesty, be rest assured," Sylvester guaranteed, performing a slight bow to show his utmost sincerity.
"Splendid! If there's nothing more you have to say, then I shall take my leave now," Axel stated and immediately began walking elegantly towards the carriage just like before. Glancing around the environment.
Axel could see some Maidservants working in the garden, as they were trimming and wetting them. He knew that the work was indeed too much for them, but what could he do? He knew perfectly well that Daphne had trust issues, perhaps she feared that they might attempt something bad if they were hired.
'I wonder why Daphne keeps refusing them. Perhaps I should speak with her when I get back.' Axel thought, as he wiggled his head softly and walked forward and towards the direction of the carriage that had been prepared for him, with two of his most trusted Knights accompanying it, Desmond and Amaar, with two other Guards.
The four of them bowed trivially as Axel came forward and towards them. He stared at the carriage, and at how his Guards had managed to design it. Remembering that he had told them earlier not to make it too grand, knowing that he was going out towards a rural area and didn't want any unnecessary attention drifted towards him with how dignified his carriage always looked.
Thus he had instructed them to make it less grand which they had indeed achieved.
"Good job!" Axel stated casually, giving them a nod of approval, causing both Knight Desmond, Knight Amaar and the other two Guards to bow slightly to show their sincere appreciation.
"It is an honor to serve you, Your Majesty!" they all said in unison.
"Shall we proceed, Your Majesty?" Desmond enquired, being cautious of the time as he pulled out a tiny watch from his pocket and checked it.
"Yes, let's proceed we're indeed getting late," Axel responded briefly, hastily entering the carriage with Desmond helping him to pull the red curtains of the carriage to the side afraid that the worst might happen.
"Careful, Your Majesty. I worry that your hair might set the carriage on fire. We didn't have time to prepare a fireproof carriage for you, Your Majesty. As you said you were in a hurry, and the average looking carriage we could find for you isn't fire resistant," Desmond stated worriedly. Knowing that the orange hairs on Axel's head were made of hot lava instead of the normal hairs of any normal human being.
This was why almost everything Axel owned were fireproof. Including his bed, his chairs, his clothes, the curtains in his room and so on. This was due to him being a mighty fire dragon who could manipulate fire at will.
Getting into the carriage, Axel sat down. Putting less importance to Desmond's words. "Be rest assured Desmond. My hairs wouldn't set the carriage on fire. As long as I don't get too angry or anything it wouldn't become too hot to the extent of setting the carriage on fire. I remember mentioning this to you before also. And I don't like repeating myself. Now let's go we're getting late."
"Okay, Your Majesty," Desmond obeyed, although reluctantly. He made a trivial head bow, and was about to get on his horse when Axel spoke again;
"And also, Desmond. Did you pack all the required documents as I've instructed earlier."
"Yes Your Majesty. I sure did."
"Good!"
With that said, the curtains of the carriage were closed, they all got up onto their respective horses with Axel alone in the carriage, and they began to ride farther away from the enormous castle.
Although Axel's word didn't convince both the Knights and both the Guards. Because they knew that it was still possible for the carriage to catch fire, knowing how Axel's mood could suddenly change. It had happened before. But what could they do? He was the king anyways.
They continued going farther. They rode for several hours into the vast land of Sunria kingdom. And by afternoon, they reached a particular local market where buying and selling was going on, and noises of merchants, buyers and horsemen overwhelmed the air. With several carriages also passing by.
Axel only just sat warily atop the fluffy seat of the carriage. He didn't close his eyes as he was afraid that he might fall asleep again, which would lead him to having that same nightmare which he despised. And neither did he relax his head on the seat, afraid that it might set the seat on fire.
He had already taken off his golden crown.
And was now blissfully enjoying his red wine, at least not until the carriage suddenly came to a stop as though it collided with something. Causing his drink to almost spill on his luxurious attire, but it didn't, due to his firm grasp on the cup.
'That was close.'
Axel furrowed his eyebrows, as he became quite angry, but hastily tried to calm himself down since he didn't want to become angry and put the carriage at risk of catching fire.
The carriage had stopped moving. And soon after that, he began hearing a commotion being made outside as though something terrible had happened.
'What could've happened now?! So much for wanting a peaceful ride! Apparently a simple peaceful ride is simply too much to ask for,' Axel thought devastatedly. Eventually he knew that he would have to come out and take a lot, knowing that they were running extremely late.