Not in the least bit surprised, By the other person's presence, he casually pulled out the crest from his jacket as he took off his mask, Revealing a charming, jaw dropping and flawless face as his onyx eyes revealed an unhidden pride.
'Show off…!'
Looking at the look of disgust from his friend, as they walked out of the corridor and into the drawing room, where guests are mostly received.
"So I hope his Majesty will explain to me, why he used my identity…?"
The angry look on Desmond's face, only fueled the arrogance of Derek, as he grinned widely in satisfaction as if reminiscing about something.
"She was so beautiful..!" This statement pissed Desmond off, as his stared dagger at Derek, resisting the urge to beat him unconscious.
"Are you ignoring me?"
"I want to see her again…!"
There was silence in the room as one was pissed off, and the other was lost in thoughts. None agreed to speak.
The was a sudden sound slicing through the air, as a dark figure flew past the window, with a speed unseen by the human eyes.
"Derek did you see that…?" A little doubtful, Desmond asked as he was not the only one present in the room, thinking he was just hallucinating due to his anger.
"See what…?"
"Nothing… Just forget it" He picked up his crest and left the room, putting on his mask. He walked into the ballroom as different ladies came asking him to continue his suggestions on the talents they should perform to attract the young Emperor's attention.
'What did that bastard do with my name…!' If he wasn't in the mist of people, he would have pulled his hair out.
Back at the drawing room
As the door shut, Derek's eyes immediately turned cold, he surveyed the room and as expected, a dark figure was at the corner almost blending into the room.
"You almost got caught…!" His voice was laced with poison, as the shadowy figure dropped to the ground on its knees in fright.
"My ap…apologies Ma..Master, this servant will be careful" It's voice shaking, as it found it difficult to finish a sentence smoothly.
"Where does she stay…?" His whole demeanor changed as a little blush appeared on his face, seemingly shy, with nervousness in his tone.
"Yes Master, she lives on the outskirts of the city, beside the forest, when heading south!"
"South…?"
"Yes Master, someone welcomed her when she got there, and the seemed to have an intimate relationship"
"Male or female…?" His tone turned Cold once again, stunning the other presence in the room as it wondered if it's Master had gone insane.
"Master… it seems to be her Mother!" The pressure suddenly disappeared, like it was never there. Shocking the figure once more.
"Ohh… then let's head over there"
"Yes Master"
"You're not coming, but tell me you want to be the third wheel?"
His question sounded more like a statement, as the figure in the room suddenly remembered his encounter with these two pairs.
Like that, Derek disappeared from the room.
On the other hand,
After Corvina diddled around for almost an hour, she returned home, of course not in her ball gown as she returned it on her way from the palace, Changing into a set of commoner's clothes, but that didn't hide her beauty.
"Corvina, when did you come…?" Floria gasped in surprise.
"Oh I just came back" Corvina assured her with a smirk as she stared at her with a look that said 'I know what you've been up to' making Floria blush in embarrassment, not long after a young man from the neighborhood, came from inside the house, also clearly surprised to find Corvina back.
"Oh!... Corvina, when did you come back?" The surprise was so obvious that he stammered a little.
"Didn't you attend the talent stuff?" He asked as Floria gave her a questioning gaze.
"Oh that, I didn't want to attend, it was quite boring" she lied.
"Oh that's how the rich parties are, gone where the days this Empire celebrated every once in a while…" He sighed "I kinda prefer the previous Emperor" He walked away, oblivious to the grief expressed on the two women's faces due to his casual comment.
"I'll be back later"
"Okay uncle Nick…!" Corvina swallowed her pain and replied with a cheerful tone.
"Corvina…, Corvina…stop! come back…!" Floria's voice echoed in the night as Corvina ran deep into the Woods in the night.
With a sigh, she returned back into the house, waiting for Corvina to return, after venting her anger a little.
Thirty minutes later
Knock…, Knock…!
Floria, who was preparing dinner, was distracted by the knock on the door as she placed the plates on the table with a delighted expression.
"Oh Corvina, that was quick you're getting better controlling your…"
The rest of the words got stuck in Floria's throat as she saw the person that came to her house.
Who didn't know the Youngest Emperor in the history of Athenian especially when he comes with the aura of a royal born.
At this point, Floria was grateful that Corvina was not around at the moment.
"Hello" Derek tried to get the attention of the woman before him, she was indeed a beauty, as he scanned her face he came to a conclusion in his mind, that she looked nothing like Corvina.
"Oh what do I owe this humble visit from his Majesty?"
Obviously the woman's first impression of him was a bad one as she didn't even let him into her home, talkless about serving him tea.
About a minute later, no one spoke, as Derek heard the whispers from people who seemed to have been stalking him a long time ago.
"Yes, you're right, he looked wealthy, he must be a noble man"
"What have this mother and daughter pair done to hook up with a wealthy man? he even can all the way here to see them"
"I saw the daughter today, I didn't know she was that kind of person, she looks so kind, seriously a woman's beauty is her greatest weapon"
Hearing the loud whispers he understood how he failed to disguise himself and had poured dirty water on her mother.
"Can I please rest here for a while?"
The woman's gaze slowly turned cold as she shut the door at his face, not even caring about his reputation.
"We have to move" She whispered as sudden regret washed over her after she shut the door, but it was out of instinct, she didn't know what to do.