Under the smug smile of Simon, I couldn't help but want to smack it off his face.

Well, two can play at this game.

I broke from the group and ran over to Simon. I outstretched my hands, "Big brother!"

The guards in the room flinched from my sudden action. They moved to stop me, but Simon shook his head. I wrapped my arms around Simon and felt him tense up in surprise. I looked up with a big smile.

"Big brother! I've missed you!"

Simon's face paused before he smiled, "I've missed you as well."

My father shouted, "S-Seri! Get back over here!"

Simon looked over at him and smiled, "It's alright Kane."

I looked over at my father while still hugging Simon, "That's right Daddy! It's alright because I'm gunna marry big brother!"

A quiet hush spread across the room. My father looked as if he had been hit by a car. Even Simon was shocked for a moment, but quickly got his face under control.

My father shouted breaking the tension, "MARRY?!"

I looked at him with a bright smile, "That's right. I'm going to marry him."

He shook his head, "Absolutely not!"

Queen Luna joined in, "That's right! You can't! You have to marry Prince William!"

William covered his face and whined, "Mother!!!!"

I smiled, "But I want to marry big brother!"

Simon chuckled, "They're right. We can't get married."

I looked up at Simon and pouted, "Why not?"

He bent down and smiled, "There's too much of an age gap. You're too young for me."

My father joined in, "That's right! There's too much of an age gap!"

I frowned at my father, "There can't be that big of an age gap."

Simon shook his head, "I'm about 10 years older than you."

I smiled, "That's not that bad."

He smiled back, "I only like mature girls."

I smiled larger, "I'm mature for my age."

My father shouted, "Seri! Y-you can't! He's close to my age!"

I was shocked by this, "What? No. You're much older."

My father's face fell, "How old do you think I am?"

I shrugged, "Like... 40?"

He put a hand over his heart, "I'm 24..."

D*mn dude. Why the hell are they so young?! Now I know why my mother hates me. I took away her golden years.

I looked back up at Simon with big eyes, "Big brother... Will you really not marry me?"

He chuckled and patted my head, "How can I marry someone who calls me big brother?"

I thought for a moment, "Then.... I will call you husband."

He laughed, "You have such interesting replies. Maybe when you're older I will reconsider."

I smiled at this. My father shouted, "YOU BASTARD! WHAT WILL YOU RECONSIDER?!"

My father forgot his place and charged at Simon. Simon released me and I stepped backwards watching with a large smile. Simon carefully dodged my father's fists as he charged after him.

The guards moved to stop them, but the King raised his hand, "It's alright. Let them fight. Kane needs to burn off some energy anyway."

I glanced at the King who was smiling at me. I could tell there was some suspicion in his eyes.

He spoke to me, "You're really good at getting under people's skin."

Did he perhaps know that I intended to make my father angry with Simon? I may not have given him enough credit. He's more clever than I thought.

I shook my head, "I don't think so. It's rather easy to know what gets my father's skin, but I can't possibly know about everyone else."

I glanced at the King and smiled. I moved over to his side and looked up at him with shining eyes, "Your Majesty! I never met a King before. Are they all as glorious as you are?"

He chuckled, "Oh, I'm sure all King's look glorious."

I shook my head, "Maybe. But I bet you are the most glorious out of all the King's! No one can hold a candle to your magnificence. The air around you even seems so majestic. It's truly a sight to behold."

He smiled, "I see you're also a smooth talker."

I smiled brightly, "I may be, but nothing I said was a lie."

I leaned in closer smiling maliciously, "For example. Your eyes are like yellow jewels. They sparkle in the light and draw everyone in. Yet, they also give the impression of a predator staring at prey. Beautiful as they are deadly... Hmm... How strange. I feel like I've seen those eyes before."

His smile dropped, "I see. Quite the clever one, aren't you?"

I shrugged, "I try to tell everyone that, but they don't seem to listen."

He laughed heartily and turned to Queen Luna, "I see why you like her so much."

Queen Luna had been listening in the entire time confused by our conversation. Hearing him praise me, her mood quickly changed to being overjoyed.

Queen Luna put her hands together, "I told you! She is such a darling. That's why she's going to be our future daughter."

My father chuckled, "But dear, isn't Prince William already engaged?"

Her face twitched, "Being engaged didn't stop you."

He coughed dryly, "Well dinner should be ready soon. We should let them go."

I chuckled to myself. Are all King's this promiscuous?

He cleared his throat, "My honored guests. My servants will now escort you to the dining room. I, my wife, and the Prince will be joining you shortly."

My father stopped chasing after Simon and stood panting heavily. Simon on the other hand wasn't out of breath at all. My mother and Bertram couldn't speak and just stood in the background too shocked by what happened before them.

I looked at Simon and pointed to my cheek, "Husband~ I demand a kiss or else I won't let you leave."

He chuckled and walked over to me. My eyes widened as he planted a kiss on my cheek. His mouth hesitated by my ear. I heard his bone chilling voice whisper to me, "We are a lot alike."

Shivers went up my spine at his cold words. As he pulled away I could see his sinister smile.

My father shouted at him regaining new energy, "DID YOU JUST GIVE MY DAUGHTER A KISS?!"

Simon rushed out the door quickly pursued by my father. My mother sighed and followed after the servants. I walked over to Dante and William.

Dante was overflowing with bloodlust. He was so incredibly pissed off that I was a bit afraid he might actually kill someone. On the other hand, William looked at the ground surprisingly forlorn. I had never seen him look so beaten before.

William sighed, "I will meet you at dinner. I just need to speak to my parents first."

Ah, he must be worried about speaking to his parents.

I smiled and tapped William on the shoulder, "Don't worry about talking to your parents. You're the amazing incredible Prince. I doubt they could be angry with you."

He glanced up at me with a strange expression. He gave a weak smile, "Yeah, of course."

I glanced at him closely. I've never seen him act this timid before. Is he really that nervous to speak with his father?

I smiled at him in an effort to reassure him, "If you do a good job, I will eat your cake for you."

He frowned, "How is that supposed to benefit me?"

I smiled coyly, "Oh? Of course it benefits you. You get the honor of watching me happily eat it."

His face twitched in irritation, "That's no honor."

Seeing him back to his old self I relaxed. I smiled to him, "Good luck with your father. I will be waiting for you."

He stared at me for a second in bewilderment. Then he nodded with a slight blush, "Thank you."

I gave him an encouraging pat and turned to leave. I walked with Dante and we followed the servants out. I sighed, "That was so exhausting. They'd better have a bunch of cake or else I will get upset."

Dante didn't say a word and kept glaring ahead. I glanced at him and surveyed him closely.

Why is he in such a pissy mood?

I frowned, "What are you so upset about?"

Dante spoke in a cold tone, "You really want to marry him?"

Is that really what he's so pissed off about?! Wait... Is that also why William looked so upset?

I tried to hold in my laughter, "Haah? That's what this is about? Don't get so jealous. Didn't you get why I said that?"

He thought for a moment and glanced at me. "What do you mean?"

I looked around and pushed him into a side hallway. He raised an eyebrow.

I whispered, "That man, Simon. You can't trust him."

"Why not?"

"Can't you see? He's brimming with evil. Didn't you notice his movements when he dodged my father? It was unnatural."

He nodded, "That's true. I didn't recognize that style."

"See? He's untrustworthy."

He frowned, "He's the King's right hand man."

I recalled Simon's eyes and shuddered, "That's not important. I know that look in his eyes. That's the look of someone planning something bad. He's probably using the King without his knowledge."

"How do you know?"

Because it's just like he said. We are a lot alike.

I sighed, "Don't you trust me?"

He paused for a moment thinking about this. Eventually he looked down at me and nodded firmly, "I do."

I glanced up at him and noticed his unwavering stare. My breath caught in my throat.

He really did trust me.

I looked away guiltily, "Dante... Am I a bad person?"

He tilted his head slightly, "A bad person? Why do you ask?"

I couldn't look him in the eyes, "Those two cooks... I poisoned them and they died."

He thought back, "Oh. Yes, but they deserved it. They tried to poison us first."

I shook my head, "No, it doesn't matter why I did it. But rather... I don't feel anything in particular for having killed them. I'm not sad. I'm not upset. To be honest, I don't honestly care that they're dead. It's almost as if..."

It's almost as if they were just a side character in a novel. Whenever a side character dies in a novel, you just shrug it off. I felt the same when I thought about the cooks.

Noticing I didn't intend to finish my sentence, Dante spoke. "I don't think you are a bad person."

I glanced over at him and his face seemed more gentle than usual. I cleared my throat suddenly feeling embarrassed.

I spoke proudly, "Close your eyes."

He raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"I'm not going to bite you or anything. Just do it."

A small flash of disappointment crossed his face. I blinked and looked closer. Wait. Did I see that right?

He closed his eyes, "Alright."

I made sure his eyes were closed. Then, I took off the handkerchief I had tied around my wrist. I grabbed his hand and placed the handkerchief in it.

He opened his eyes and looked down at it. He glanced at me with an eyebrow raised, "A handkerchief?"

I played with my hair slightly embarrassed, "That's right. I made it myself. Well, with the help of Lona."

"Don't you know what the meaning behind this is?"

I looked at him a bit confused, "The meaning behind it?"

He shook his head, "Nevermind."

I coughed dryly, "Well... Do you like it?"

He glanced down at it. It was a black handkerchief with messy embroidery. He raised an eyebrow, "Is this a curse?"

I frowned, "No. It's not a curse."

He was looking at the words in my native language. He didn't recognize it, "Is this a language?"

I smiled, "You're pretty smart. That's right, it's a secret language I invented."

He nodded, "What does it say?"

My face fell. How could I tell him that it says, 'Please don't kill me in the library'.

I cleared my throat, "It's a secret."

"Hmm."

I smiled at him, "If you're interested maybe I will teach you."

He smiled, "I look forward to that."

I paused and looked into his golden eyes. I muttered, "As beautiful as they are deadly."

He raised an eyebrow, "What?"

I looked away in embarrassment realizing I had been staring into his eyes. I coughed dryly, "Just... When you look at the King's eyes... Don't you recognize something familiar?"

He shook his head, "Not really."

I sighed. How can you not see it?! Aren't you supposed to be the smartest character?!

Ugh. And to make it worse, the author can't be more obvious!! They literally have duplicate eyes!!

I stomped my foot and turned around. "Whatever. Let's go. I want some cake."

He nodded and started following me. He glanced down at the handkerchief and smiled tenderly.