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(3rd Person POV)
On a lazy afternoon, three people were sitting in a room in Agriche Estate.
Any servant working in the Agriche Estate would know that the crown prince resided in this room.
Everyone had been informed to not pass through that area to annoy or inconvenience their guests in any way.
In this room, the honourable crown prince of the empire, Aston Phoenix, his loyal butler Edmund and Aston's recently recruited assistant Panem were present.
Aston and Panem were sitting opposite each other on the crown prince's bed.
Edmund was beside them standing in a towering posture.
All three of them were still, there was not a single hint of movement by any of them.
Aston was glaring at the person in front of him, Panem.
Panem was squirming under the sharp gaze of his lord, sweat forming at his nape due to the pressure from his highness in front of him.
Edmund was standing quietly and he had a serious expression but at a closer look, one could see a tinge of surprise in his eyes.
He was surprised at his lord's actions.
Currently, his Highness was playing cards with his assistant, Panem.
He was extremely surprised when his lord asked him to get some playing cards, after spending his whole morning in deep thought.
He didn't follow his usual daily routine. Edmund didn't understand his master at all sometimes.
Right before playing cards, he stood in front of the window and spent several minutes watching the scenery outside, it looked as if an unparalleled expert of this world was contemplating a profound matter.
A matter worthy of great importance...
Seeing his lord having a serious expression on his visage, Edmund gulped in anxiety.
He didn't know what kind of action his lord was going to take. Since the time he has been beside his lord, all of his movements have been unpredictable and unforeseeable. He only wished that it would not create too much of a problem for them.
He could never think a step ahead of his lord and peer deeply into the matter.
And this time his lord had a solemn countenance...
After several minutes, his lord turned and his heavy voice said, "Edmund..."
Edmund kneeled in front of his lord and said in an enthusiastic tone, "Give me any order, Your Highness! I will fulfil it to the best of my abilities."
Witnessing his butler's incredibly zealous tone, he had a confused expression on his face but he nevertheless said, "I need you to bring a pack of cards."
'A pack of cards? Why will his Highness ask for cards when he has never played any form of game in front of him?'
These thoughts were roaming in his mind but he calmed his train of thoughts.
"Also call Panem as well. More people, the better."
Edmund had a bewildered face but he still followed his lord's order without any question.
This was the first time Edmund had seen this side of his master.
His overbearing and vicious lord, now having a pleasant smile on his face looked extremely out of place.
Currently, Edmund is the shuffler and the distributor.
The players were the two people beside him in the room.
The game that they were playing was rummy.
A card game where each person has to make sets of cards. One set of four cards and two sets of three cards. It had several rules which were explained to Panem.
Since the start, Edmund has found Panem eccentric and weird.
His delicate behaviour and gentle nature were contrasting to his majesty. The tasks that his majesty ordered most of the time were too cruel for Panem to handle, so it truly was bizarre.
When his highness wanted to play, he didn't even take care of his appearance properly. His dishevelled hair, wrinkled clothes and unbuttoned shirt were unlike his usual royal demeanour and proper regal attire.
Still, his highness retained his attractive appearance, it can be his appearance which had a tint of wildness.
They started the match.
While playing, Edmund found another new aspect of his lord.
He thought his lord to be cruel and a merciless prince but this...
Was unexpected.
He was extremely competitive!
After the first round was over, his highness had a smug expression on his face as if taunting Panem.
Edmund didn't know that his highness could ever have such a playful side. It was too much of a shock.
Still, in his heart, Edmund was happy.
Happy to see that his highness had a normal, playful side.
Many didn't know, and maybe Aston didn't know as well Edmund always wanted the crown prince to not have that malicious, cruel side he had. Edmund had a lot of pity for Aston due to the events that had occurred in his childhood. Edmund knew that it was one of the major reasons why his highness had such a personality.
This was the first time Edmund could ever analyse His Highness's expressions.
His Highness expressed emotions like a normal person.
While they were at the end of the second round, Aston said in a serious tone, "Panem, pick up the card..."
There were only half a dozen cards left in the pile.
Panem picked up the card hesitatingly.
His card didn't go into his pile. He placed it down since it didn't fit.
With a deep breath, Aston looked at the card in front of him.
It was a queen of hearts...
That's what Aston was missing...
Just then someone knocked at the door and a pleasant voice called out, "May I enter, Your Highness?"
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(End of the Chapter)
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