Dynasties all follow the same system when it comes to administration.
The most important member is the Dynasty Monarch. If it's a female, she will be a Dynasty Monarchess.
The second most important member is the opposite of the gender the Dynasty Monarch or Monarchess is and MUST be a lover.
The third most important member is the Grand Duke or Duchess. In Dynasty Richinaria, it is tradition to choose the direct members of the Viaca Family.
And then lastly, the Supreme Commander.
When a new heir takes over the Dynasty, he or she has to find three of these members on her own and place them as part of her own force. So if Vastarael becomes the new Dynasty Monarch (which he was sure would take centuries), he wouldn't use his mother, Duke Landle and his father's Supreme Commander.
Vastarael was drawing this hierarchy on a piece of paper in the library in the morning after the ball event. He asked for a book about dynasties and he began his research.
"So I have a Duchess. Now all I need is a Commander. I'm not thinking of a Dynasty Monarchess anytime soon."
The thought that they would all be women made him frown a little. That's why he wanted cold women.
Women who are indifferent to emotional attachment. Thanks to his experience in facial reading, he saw that the Viaca girl was indeed a cold expressionless woman.
He wanted people who wouldn't be affected by his Boon. Too much of everything is dangerous and that was something he wanted to avoid.
When he came to this world, he was always bombarded with one question.
'Why were the reincarnators before me trying to get away from women so badly? Were their emotions so fragile that they couldn't stop themselves from falling for someone?'
He goes the answer when he saw his mother for the first time.
She was extremely beautiful.
Her radiant cerulean eyes, beautiful pale skin, her long dark curly hair, the body that would make a monster flush...
She was breathtaking.
Women in Spheraphase were immensely beautiful.
If a man found a beautiful woman who was also kind and loving to him, it would be a Herculean task to stay away from her.
Love softens the coldest of hearts, after all. Many movies have that one character who was a cold emotionless being until a woman or man came to their life and changed them.
He also saw it in real life with one of the matrons in the orphanage.
Adelasta Viaca was the perfect pick for him and with her attitude, he was sure that it would take forever for her to see him as a man.
Not that he wanted that to happen anyway.
He didn't know what powers he had but he knew that Vastarael's life wasn't easy. If it was, then they would have succeeded long ago.
Also, there was his Fate.
He has a feeling that Thyrexxa didn't tell him everything. His Destiny was straightforward but his Fate wasn't.
He was supposed to die while being held by a woman he loves?
What if it wasn't a lover but a relative?
What if it was his newborn sister in the future? Or his own mother? It maybe a cousin from the family he didn't meet yet?
The list was endless.
He loved his mother. He even loved his sister too.
'What if they are the ones who will eventually hold me when I die?'
Thyrexxa was hiding something from him concerning his Fate and it was up to him to figure it out.
He needed the full details of his Fate.
"Maybe that's why the others chose to escape the palace because of mother and Anamorsia—"
"Prince Vastarael?"
The sudden voice startled him. Before he could see who it was, he fell down the chair and landed hard on the floor.
To his surprise, it didn't hurt.
"Prince Vastarael, your mother is calling for you."
It was his loyal maid, Iona.
"Thanks, Iona," he replied as he slowly got up. "Also, from now on, call me Master."
The maid was speechless.
"You have been my maid since the day I turned three. To be honest... I want you to call me Master."
"But..."
Vastarael treasured Iona a lot.
She was the one who gave him tours of the palace and showed him the library. She also informs him about meals because he stays in the library all day. If he wasn't for her, then he wouldn't have known night from day because of his research.
She even woke him up.
"Come on, Iona. You're my maid, aren't you?"
"Yes but..."
"I am not leaving until you call me Master. You don't need to refer to me as the other maids too. You're my loyal maid and you're at a higher rank than them."
Iona looked down and took all the courage to say his name.
"M... Master Vastarael..."
He couldn't help but giggle when he saw the fourteen year old blushing. He had to have some time while messing with his Boon, right?
Not that he was going after anyone. He we only four...
"That's good. Let's go, Iona."
"Yes, Pr... Master."
°°°°°°°
"Rael, are you trying to overthrow your father? You're four years old! What have you done to my son?! Whoever you are, give him back! I don't want my boys to fight over some fancy chair!"
Lysameria was a very doting mother.
Right now, she was squeezing the life out of his son. That was the first time Vastarael experienced true pain.
A crushing bear hug from his mother.
"Mom... I can't breathe..." He wheezed, desperately patting her mother's arm in surrender.
"Oh. I forgot you don't have your abilities yet. See? You're so mature that you look like you're more than ten years old! Why are you doing this to me?"
Lysameria let go of his son, who knelt on the grass in the Royal Garden and gasped for air. Iona knelt next to him as she helped him stand up. Lysameria was sitting on a bench, looking at him with narrowed eyes.
"Tell me, why did you do it?"
Vastarael managed to speak as he finally sat on the dark bench in the middle of the flower garden, still recovering from the hug that almost shattered his ribs.
He was thankful for the durable body of the Richinarias.
"Dad will continue ruling for centuries, maybe millennia," he replied slowly. "I had to make the nobles recognize my nature."
"..."
Deciding to quickly switch the subject before he was crushed again, he asked:
"Where is Anamorsia?"
"Out with Caresse."
What shocked Vastarael when he knew more about his family was that his father had three wives.
Three wives, yes.
His mother, the first wife.
Caresse, the second wife, who was close to having a baby in a few days.
And Opera, the third wife.
Unlike most harems, these three are very good friends. No jealousy between them, playful arguments, hanging out together...
They did practically everything together. Vastarael heard that Caresse was the one who helped her mother in his childbirth.
It was the perfect healthy relationship.
"Mom... can I ask you a question?"
"Mmm?"
"Don't you feel... jealous when you... share dad with other men?"
Lysameria narrowed her eyes at her son, who gave a sheepish smile.
"Who is teaching you more about life? Is it you, Iona?"
Iona tensed as she shook her head in fear.
"No, my Queen! I'm not! I swear in the Richinaria name!"
"Then how is he—"
"The Royal Library!" Vastarael interjected. "I found... books there."
Lysameria knew that maturity of Immortals was faster than usual. And believe it or not, there are indeed children like Vastarael who have the same level of maturity and understanding of life like him.
So it wasn't a strange thing seeing a four year old understanding about love. But still, as a mother, she was concerned.
'I'll have to go to the library and see these books he's talking about.'
"To answer your question... no."
"You... don't?"
Lysameria nodded in response.
"At first, yes. But the reason why we get along is because we used to fight and rule together. I act as the Dynasty Monarchess, Caresse acts as the Supreme Commander and Opera is her assistant."
"..."
"When your grandfather left the throne to him, it took us to make it as famous as it is today. We are a merchant Dynasty and the richest one in this world. That's what brought us together."
"I see..."
"Why are you asking? Do you want to have your own harem?"
He shrugged, "Maybe. But for now, I want to enjoy some time with my mother."
Lysameria's heart softened before she suddenly hugged him again. If Vastarael didn't cross his arms on his chest before the hug, his ribs would have shattered like twigs.
But still, the hug was tight and she was still holding back her strength.
"Sorry," she apologized as she let him go. "I forgot. You're so weak—"
Before she could continue, she felt small hands hugging her. Her eyes widened when she saw the handsome look his son gave her.
"I love you, mom."
The Monarchess's eyes widened. It took her a few seconds to return the embrace, more gently this time. She brought him close, giggling as she looked at his golden eyes.
"Don't forget your mother when you grow up, okay?"
"Why would I? Even if I become an adult, I'll still come to visit you. You're my mother after all."
Lysameria's gentle smile took him and Iona off guard.
As the petals flew with the wind, they swirled around her a she smiled.
It was one of the most beautiful smiles Veneri had seen in his life.
"Now then, you said you wanted to learn about Xinoraci runes? Why?" Lysameria asked as she let him go.
"Because most of the ancient language tomes in the library use the runes as text. Can I learn them?"
"Sure. Anything for you, Rael."
"Stop... that's a girl's name."
"Well that will be your nickname from now on."
"Ugh... great."
Vastarael was older than most humans back on Earth.
He had already accustomed to life in Spheraphase. He never had parents on Earth and was raised in an orphanage. Having a family was a dream he always had but never came true.
Now, he had it. And he was the son of two of the most powerful beings in Spheraphase.
To him, Lysameria was his mother. And the other two as well, if they liked him.