CADMUS WAS dumbstruck. He didn't know how to answer at the same time. He had so many words he wanted to say but seeing how his brother felt hurt because he didn't show appreciation like Calleous expected him to, Cadmus could only shut his mouth.
Honestly speaking, among his family, Calleous expected more that his parents would show a little opposition to what he did but what happened was that the person whom he expected to show more support for him was the one who opposed him.
If it were his parents, Calleous could turn a blind eye, but it was actually his own brother. And the reaction differs. He felt hurt, disappointed, and all sorts of negative emotions and his indifference turned to an emotional turmoil that can be seen as his pretty eyes started to water.
If Cadmus were looking at his brother, he might have completely surrendered and agreed, but unfortunately, he was looking down on his own food, thinking that everything was still under control.
"Please don't get mad, Callie. You know that I will always support you in whatever you decide to do in the future, but only if it won't affect your freedom. You know that swearing a royal degree oath removes that freedom from you. How can I take that when it will be me who will take that from you…?"
The moment Cadmus looked up, he was once again dumbfounded when he saw the pitiful expression of his brother. Because Calleous didn't want to cry, he looked more pitiful, with his eyes and nose turning red.
"Why are you crying?" Cadmus helplessly asked.
He stood up and left his seat and food behind. With big and fast strides, he walked towards the opposite side and sat in his respective seat beside Calleous. Then he gently helped him wipe away the lone tear that fell from his brother's eyes.
"Don't cry now. I'm no longer mad, okay? Stop crying."
"I'm not crying!" Calleous bellowed like a child.
"Yes, yes. You're not."
"Then don't get mad. Just appreciate what I did," he continued while sniffing.
"I said I'm not mad. I was just worried."
Calleous scowled. "What are you getting worried about? I am now the strongest knight because I am blessed by the goddess. I can kill more beasts, whether they are the fieriest five-star beast, even if I'm alone."
"And if you're worried about my freedom, don't you trust yourself? I did it because it was you and because I trust you. How can you question yourself like that? Stupid!"
For the nth time, Cadmus was lost for words because of Calleous and his remarks. He was speechless and touched at the same time when he heard the undying trust that his younger brother had for him.
Realizing the truth about his brother's words and actions, Cadmus really thinks that what Calleous said was right. And the worries that he thought were there, were not to be worried about at all.
All that his brother did was not only for the glory of their kingdom but also for the betterment of everyone.
"Yes, yes. I'm sorry. Your brother really is stupid that he didn't realize that it was your good grace for this foolish brother that you did that. Don't get mad and stop crying now—"
"I said I was not!"
"Yes, yes."
And with that, the one-sided fight between the pair of brothers ended. They can finally proceed with eating peacefully. The family of four was on the dessert part when the husband and wife decided to also announce another news story for their sons.
"By the way, now that everything is set, both of you have taken the position that you dream of—"
"Objection, Mom. I didn't dream of being the king this early," Cadmus indifferently interrupted his mother.
"But you still dream to be the king. We just made it happen earlier than you expected," Cirius rightfully rebutted for his wife.
"Don't worry, brother. I think you're a better king than father anyway, so getting the crown now is better than letting father reign," Calleous chimes in to also help his brother.
"What? Did my lovely son look down on me, wife? He did, didn't he?" Cirius dramatically asked his wife.
As hard as she could be towards her husband, Aleera ignored him and just looked at her lovely son.
"Yes, my Callie baby is right. I also believe that like your father, you can also be a great king, Cadie. And maybe better than your father. After all, you have your lovely brother's support. Isn't that right, Callie baby?"
Calleous snorted complacently. "That's right."
Looking at his dejected father, Cadmus, who has the power as long as he has his younger brother by his side, look at his father with a smug.
This was not the first time and because it happened every time, Cirius became so used to it that he was always the one who conceded at the end. With a sigh, Cirius chooses to revert to the topic.
"What your mother was talking about is that since Cadmus became the king and Calleous succeeded in becoming a knight, me and your mother can now proceed with our original plan."
"You really abdicate so just you and mother can travel around?" Calleous asked.
Cirius nodded his head. "Don't think that what we did was unreasonable or irresponsible. Both of you know that we have been caged in the palace because of the throne. Although it is real that I'm still young, we can't be sure about life and how we can live at most so I don't want to regret anything."
Calleous and Cadmus were the only people, aside from their mother, who knew how Cirius felt with regards to the crown and being a king. Since he was a kid, despite earning the favor of his parents, Cirius has had a restrained and hard life.
He was still under pressure from the people who looked up to him, and that pressure caused a feeling of restriction in his actions, resulting in the loss of his freedom. That's why, in their family, freedom is most important.
So hearing their father's words, both Calleous and Cadmus kept their mouths shut and let them continue speaking. Although it wasn't Calleous' intention to make them feel irresponsible and unreasonable with their actions—he was just purely asking—still, he felt guilty.
"Then where do you intend to travel first?" Calleous asked softly.
Cirius smiled gently at his son, who was obviously wearing a guilty expression. "Your mother wanted to visit her friends from the surrounding kingdom to inform them about our journey. As for what we will do after that, we will just wander around aimlessly to see where our feet might bring us."
"Don't worry. We will make sure to inform you about our whereabouts every time we reach a town to send you letters. And we will be doing this for a whole year. Then after that, we will make sure to come back home at least quarter a year," Aleera added.
"Only the two of you?" Cadmus also asked. "Can't you leave with a few knight masters with you? I know that both of you can protect each other but it will be safer if there are one or two masters with you roaming around."
"Nope," Aleera quickly replied, even shaking her head.
Cirius can only smile. "It was also my plan but your mother threatened me that if there were other people coming with us, she wouldn't be going anymore. I can only agree helplessly."
"That's only natural. You said that this is our post honeymoon. What woman would like a plus one on their honeymoon?"
Cirius, the ever-loving underdog husband, could only shake his head in a helpless manner; even his sons were helpless for him.
"Then what can we do but agree? So when are you going to leave?" Cadmus asked.
"Next week," Aleera answered.
"That fast?" Calleous exclaimed.
Aleera pouted. "What fast? It was long overdue. After all, we had been waiting for this since the coronation of your brother a month ago."
"It was even longer than that. Anyway, since you two already agreed, let's close that matter now as I still have another important thing to discuss," Cirius interjected.
Since their father turned serious—well, he's always been—the pair of brothers kept their mouths shut and turned serious as well.
"Four months from now will also be the annual report to the temple. Cadmus, you know that it is now your turn to go there and report, right?"
Cadmus dejectedly nodded his head. Of course he did. After all, since he became king, it was the first task he needed to do. Aside from the report of the number of newly registered citizens, the number of deaths, and the number of economic growth within the past year since the last annual report had been made, matters within the palace like whether another royalty was born, a royalty had died, or a new crown prince or king had been enthroned were also part of the report.
Before, this annual report solely focused on the number of knights a kingdom had—how many of them were knight soldiers (first-degree knights), knight protectors (second-degree knights), knight commanders (third-degree knights), knight masters (fourth-degree knights), and grand masters (fifth-degree knights).
But as the years went by and new generations came, it slowly changed to this current situation. According to the high priests from the temple of Auraxia, it is for them to pray for their kingdom's growth in terms of social and economic growth as well, instead of strength and power alone.
Thus, Cadmus had been so busy making reports about it that he was even late a while ago because he was talking to the knight commanders who were assigned to get the names of the new knight soldiers assigned to be part of their order as well as the total numbers of their order and the numbers who died.
Thinking that their kingdom had to report that they had a blood knight in front of those sovereigns of different kingdoms, big or small, Cadmus already felt gloomy. He didn't want to garner unwanted attention. But who told him to have a blood knight after centuries of no report of it?
Cirius nodded, satisfied with his son. "I heard from the other nobles that you had been taking accounts of these matters since your first appointment with them as the king. I really didn't make the wrong decision by making you the king."
Then he looked at Calleous with a satisfied as well as a bit gloating smile. "Both of you made me proud. You deserve to be my child."
Calleous and Cadmus both rolled their eyes at their father.
"Since it will be four months from now, we must also leave next week. I will start arranging things. What shall I bring, father? How many knights should I bring with me? Shall I also bring some servants? After all, it will take three months at most from here to the City of Auraxia."
Cirius reached out his hands and patted Cadmus on the shoulder. "Don't worry, son, I will assist you since I will also prepare the things we need in our own journey since you decided to leave the same as ours."
That made Cadmus smile. Before he could thank his father, Calleous suddenly raised his hand.
"Me too. I want to go with you, brother. As your blood knight, it is my job to be your personal knight so it will only be natural for me to go where you go."
Cadmus chuckled and brushed his younger brother's head. Aside from him, no one can do that to Calleous' hair without getting hit. Even his father and mother were not allowed to pat him.
"Of course, Callie will go with me. Since that's the case, how about we journey together until father and mother reach their first stop?"