Aaron carefully inspected the military camps, going through each batch one by one. Everything seemed in order. The soldiers greeted him with wide smiles, their faces lit up with warmth. It was clear they were happy to see him, and that filled Aaron with a deep sense of pride. Daniel had always been perceptive, able to read everyone around him, and Aaron couldn't help but feel grateful for the genuine wishes and respect he received.
He spent some time offering guidance on areas that needed improvement, then moved on to inspect the next camp. However, as he walked, he noticed someone who shouldn't have been there, John. What was he doing here? This was troublesome. John wasn't supposed to arrive for another five days. Why had he come early? Did he somehow learn about their early approach to Jenal? How was that even possible?
Aaron's mind raced, but one thing was certain, he couldn't let John come along with them. Not now, not ever.
Aaron nodded politely in acknowledgment of John's presence, though all he really wanted was to push him away. As the General, he was a person of much higher respect than a young master without any political or legal standing. With that thought in mind, he was about to walk away, but before he could, someone beside John handed him a letter.
"Your Highness, please take a look at this," the person said.
Aaron glanced at the imperial seal on the letter, immediately recognizing it for what it was. Despite his growing frustration, he opened it with a calm, practiced grace. The letter was from His Majesty, at the request of the Right Minister Allen.
It read:
"General Daniel Frank, I ask that you take Jon with you on the mission to the South. He seeks to gain experience in the military field and has shown great potential. He is sensible and well-behaved. I trust he will cause no trouble, so please take care of him."
Aaron read it carefully, his expression unreadable as he processed the request.
Aaron gave Jon another glance, his expression calm yet firm. "I understand that Young Master Allen wants to follow the military path," he said. "However, this mission in Jenal is not suitable for someone without experience. The environment for such an endeavor must match one's skills. It's clear you're still a beginner and lack combat experience. It would be better for you to stay here and learn the basics first. I will write to His Majesty and explain the situation."
He then turned to Jerry, who stood slightly smaller than him. "Go fetch some paper and ink," he instructed.
But before Aaron could continue, Jon's voice cut through the air.
"Don't! Wait!" Jon exclaimed, his disappointment apparent.
He stepped forward, his tone abrupt. "I want to go to Jenal. General, you have His Majesty's orders, so don't defy them. Take me with you. I don't want to hear any more excuses. I'm the youngest son of the Right Minister, and you have no right to decide what I do."
It had always been like this for John. Impatient, and with an unwavering dislike for Daniel, he never considered anyone a rival for the crown prince position. But Daniel, to him, was an eyesore. John felt superior to Daniel in every way, especially with his noble lineage, so he didn't hesitate to throw around threats and insults. He thought his venomous words would make the general back off. But to his surprise, Daniel didn't flinch.
Aaron stood unmoved, his expression cool and detached, his weathered hand resting calmly on his sword-calloused palm. "To you, it may seem like just an opportunity to gain experience," he said, his voice steady. "But the truth is, Jenal is drowning in crisis. People are starving, and bandits are running rampant, stealing what little they have."
His eyes were empty, yet his words were harsh, "I don't know about your eagerness of gaining experience, but one thing is clear, that is your appearance would only burden me and frivolity."
"You!! You are insulting me! How impudent!!" Jon pointed his pale fragile fingers which are not made for fighting. He is fragile beyond belief and how dare he insist on going Jenal. Aaron couldn't help but mock in the heart.
Aaron nodded in like-mindedness without any care, "Please understand. I have other things to do. The young master should go back. The scorching daylight will get you nauseous."
It was a friendly reminder because John fainted due to heat stroke once in a plot line. Of course, this cannot happen here but during the Jenal Flood crisis. Now, Aaron is going ahead of time. Who knows if John would faint here, forcing him into an awkward place? But of course, John doesn't know his real concern. So, for John, it was an insult.
John shook in anger. Daniel didn't just mock him for having no experience, he even humiliated him for having fragile skin. His heart was crammed with rage.
Incapable of controlling his urge to return the humiliation, he said, "The General should not be so tactless. I know you have military powers, and no one taught you anything from pre-adolescence. I can understand your wrong manners were all due to the past. However, you have no right to interfere in my decision. I'm going to the South tomorrow with the troop. Don't try to act superior in front of me."
Aaron glanced at John with wrath in his eyes. What the hell did this brat say? He is not the original soul, but he can't ignore such offense. It's hurtful. Having no parents, was it his fault? And why John is being unreasonable and has unmasked his malevolent demeanor. He took a deep breath and calmed himself.
John saw Daniel only standing there unmoved with no sign to say something. John expected him to react and shout at him, but why the hell he is like a rock? Does he not have a heart? He cannot help but assume Daniel is ridiculing him in the heart. His unreasonable thought stimulated his darkening level.
"The darkening reached 80 %. Host, please stay alert! Stay alert."
The system sounded, reminding him.
Aaron stood thunderstruck in the same place. Wasn't the insulted one him, but why is he blackening? What is he brooding in his damn head? Aaron wants to open and see inside his brain.
The system also was baffled. He asked Aaron, "Host, are all humans this unreasonable and narrow-minded??"
Aaron felt his lips twitched in ridicule, "Do you see me like him? Do I look like John?"
The system, "Sorry host, I never assumed you to be human at the first place."
Aaron: speechless.
Jerry was angered to the point of no return because no one ever insulted Daniel Frank before. He didn't even consider being polite to him and said, "I heard that Young Master Allen has comprehensive knowledge and is kind. But now I see, this is not true. My master may not have had someone to love him from preadolescence, but he is wise and kind. Unlike your outrageous and filthy words, did my master say anything furtive to make you so angry? You are a punk who has no manners."
Jon sneered and even chuckled, "Dare to interrupt my talk, who are you? And what was wrong with my words? Isn't General an orphan, he had no one beside him to tell him what's right and wrong. Who knows if he is the son of a bitch or not."
Jerry's face turned green not due to helplessness but due to no way of killing John right away. He thought, 'Hoe can someone this ridiculous be a human atthe first place?'
The butler beside Jon who had an ugly countenance took a step ahead to say something to appease the General. But before he could, a magnificent voice ranged from behind. He was late.
"What are you saying, Young Master Allen? You are courting dead." the voice was rough as if, the speaker is ready to lung forward to kill.
Hearing the voice, John was the first one to look behind. He saw the handsome face darkened, and he opened his lips to justify himself, but no words came to his mind.
In the end, he could only say, "It's not what you are thinking."
The eunuch beside Ace rolled his eyes. The royal Eunuch has status on par with these nobles. He is his closest confidant of Ace. He knew from the start that this Man was not up to any good. Not only that, but he once saw him saying crud words about people alone. His polite behavior and simple smile always had a pretentious essence. The eunuch has lived so many years if he could not even know about John's acting, then he is not capable of surviving in the palace.
Aaron saw his action and he sighed for him. In the original plot line, he was murdered by someone. It was said to be an accident but now seeing his action toward John everything is clear.
"Young master Allen I have been with Daniel and was the one to take care of him before. He grew up with this prince. I always believed he has elegance and discipline beyond anyone. Young Master Allen to be so furious seems to be because of me." An unhappy, hoarse voice compelled from within Ace.
He just arrived to meet Aaron desperately, but then he saw Jon arguing and threatening Daniel despite getting a reasonable and polite reply.
Ace from the start had wanted to estrange John. The child of destiny cannot be killed. John is blessed to be protected by world consciousness, if not he would have been long dead.
However, it doesn't mean Ace cannot bully him, right? Now that John is making his own life difficult, Ace also didn't want to retreat without saying something hurtful to him too. What did he say? Aaron is the son of a bitch. Would these words not hurt his love? It would.
How dare he hurt Aaron? His voice crammed with outrage, "Young Master Allen has the entire Allen family to protect himself, so you must not know the meaning of hardship! But surely you must have the basic understanding to not say something this hurtful to a person, right?! I know what you are thinking."
His voice was frighteningly cold. John was frightened but his eyes were showing that he was wronged. Slowly the tears gathered in his eyes. in few seconds it was ready to fall. Seeing this Aaron and the other two rolled their eyes.
Ace narrowed his eyes, "This prince can do anything. Taking the life of others and punishing someone like you is nothing but a dictum. I'm restraining myself all because of Right Minister Allen. Still, even though I respect Minister Allen a lot I have to say, Minister Allen is very unfortunate to have someone as ridiculous as you as his son."
He uttered every word aloud.
"Courtier, take him back and tell everything to the Minister. I'm merciful and will not talk about this matter in court. I will talk to Father about all these matters." He grabbed Aaron by his shoulder and led him to the carriage.
John standing in the same place. He cannot even move. Ever since he was small, everyone pampered him. He never had lack of anything he desired. Since the last banquet, he has been attracted to Stephen. He is already so deeply in love with him, yet he is saying these heartless words to him. And for whom? It is for Daniel? He cannot accept this insult and also cannot let Daniel take Stephen away. His mind buzzed.
Jerry was dumbfounded, seeing Ace so different. Isn't the right minister so important for the Crown Prince, so why he didn't assist John instead of the General? Is the love between General and the crown prince in mutual love? But what if this is a political move instead? This Crown Prince is so unpredictable. But since, it is in his master's favor Jerry was very happy.
Jerry was confused but didn't dwell on much. He is happy to see him fair. He said to Aaron who was already in the carriage trying to say something, "General, I will monitor the pellet. Leave it to me."
Then abruptly…