Both the King and the Masked Commander's eyes grew wide in shock!

Minister Julian was assassinated?!

Even without the lands and the titles he lost, he was still a high ranking official. Who would dare to do such a thing?!

"How did this happened?" King Tobias asked Captain Callan as he rose from his seat. Commander Iria followed suit.

"We are not certain for now, Your Majesty. He was in his chamber all night and they found him dead in the morning," Captain Callan replied and added, "There is a sword stab wound on his chest and it seems like he bleeds to death."

The King gave a quick thought and commanded, "Gather the officials, right now."

With that said, the Captain bowed and quickly left to comply with the King's order.

"Iria, this is not good," King Tobias said as he shifted his gaze back to the Commander. "No matter what, he is still one of the high ranking officials of the court. This act is an insult to the royal court and our kingdom."

"Do you think it's King Aryan's doing?" the Commander quickly asked the King.

"That's a possibility," King Tobias said with a nod. "I will order for an investigation and let's hope that we will solve it soon."

When Iria stood still with a troubled mind, the King said, "You should leave for now. With that incident from last time, some officials might try to drag your name into this matter but don't worry. I won't give them what they want."

*

The King went to have an emergency meeting with the officials while Commander Iria made her way out of the palace with her horse. However, before she could leave the palace gate, she noticed someone. More than a week had passed since she last saw him and... she was happy to see him again.

Riding his horse towards her, Zaro Aventine gets off in a hurry when he reached where Iria stood. "Iria, are you alright? I heard what happened," he asked her with concern. Judging from his voice, he seemed to be quite tired.

"I'm fine," she replied with a little smile as she gets off too. "Everything's already been solved."

The Crown Prince observed her for a while before he sighed in relief. He tried to speak up again, but...

"You heard about the assassination of Minister Julian, right?" Iria said and added, "His Majesty just called the officials to have an emergency meeting. You should go. It's important."

Zaro Aventine shifted his gaze in the direction of the main palace and then looked at Iria. "Alright. I will come and meet you as soon as I have time. So, wait for me."

Iria nodded. Forcing a little smile, Crown Prince Zaro mounted his horse and rushed to the main palace which was just a few minutes ride from the place where Iria stood. The Commander stared at him until he was out of her sight and then finally left the vast palace.

* * *

While the officials along with the King and the Crown Prince were busy due to the assassination of a high ranking official, Prince Orius Aventine was in his chamber.

The Second Prince sat still on a chair behind his desk. However, his gaze was fixated on the sword in his hand. His guard and attendant, Kerin was also standing a few steps away on his right.

"His Majesty and the officials are busy trying to solve the assassination case, Your Highness," Kerin said to the Prince. With a much lowered voice, he added, "You should be careful."

Still staring at the sword, there was a little smirk on the Second Prince's lips. "I don't really care," he simply said. "I doubt that they would solve the case and even if they did, I have nothing to be scared of."

"Minister Julian is still a high ranking official, Your Highness. Getting caught will only lead you to trouble," Kerin said to the Prince with concern.

Finally, Orius Aventine placed the sword on his desk and rose from his seat. However, he was still calm, unlike his right-hand man. Then he looked at Kerin. "Do you think it was wrong of me to kill him?"

Hearing his question, Kerin quickly lowered his head. "No, Your Highness. If I were you, I know that I will do the same."

Orius Aventine sat on the desk and lifted the sword once again. Then he unsheathed it, revealing the blood that still covered the metal part of the sword. He picked up a clean cloth on his left and wiped the blood.

"This sword is my most precious possession," he stated in a low voice. "Too bad I have to dirty it by that bastard's blood."

The Second Prince could use other swords but Kerin knew his reason for using that certain sword. "But it's for the right purpose, Your Highness," he pointed out.

"You're right," Orius Aventine remarked and continued wiping off the blood.

"Your Highness, why don't you just aim for the throne? That will solve everything," Kerin cautiously said. He knew that Prince Orius never entertained such a talk. However, he thought that it would be worth mentioning.

Orius Aventine halted the movement of his hands when he heard Kerin. He quietly sat still before he started wiping the sword again and said, "I want to believe that Zaro will make a good King. He won't be like his father."

"I understand why you think that way, Your Highness, but... what if you're wrong?" Kerin argued. "Do you really believed that the son of a monster will be much different? The blood of the King flow in the Crown Prince's veins and the monster in him will surely awake one day. What if it's too late by then?"

Prince Orius knew that Kerin had a point. He always knew that but... he wanted to believe that Zaro will be different. He really did. Then he turned to Kerin once more.

"If I indeed set an eye on the throne, don't you know that I will have to walk on the path coated by the blood of the lives sacrificed due to my decision?" he asked Kerin back. "What will that make me then?" Pausing briefly, he narrowed his eyes at the sword on his hand. "How will my father think of me?"

"If Commander Darien was to know what the King, who claimed to be his best friend, did to him, I don't think he will blame you," Kerin responded to the Prince earnestly.....