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"Oh my~ I apologize for my insensitive words, your majesty." Surprisingly, Lady Cyranil seems unbothered nor unfazed at the commotion. Heck, I can't even see any horror dawning on her face!

Lord Hans decided to put a wedge between them to decrease the tension. "Pardon this young lady, my empress. She was insensitive with her words, but truthfully, she only wishes to give you a piece of advice—"

"Advice?" The latter seems offended that the Empress chose to cut his words. Her silver eyes stared at them, devoid of any emotions. ""

Silence again. Now there is a heavy air around us, as if saying that we'll end up dead if we trigger the Empress even more. But still, I'm more worried about her hand!

She just broke a glass with one hand! Atleast be concerned about that before chatting about misunderstandings, fools!

"Your majesty, we understand that what I have said may be offensive, but truth be told! No wonders the heaven proclaimed you to be futile for his majesty, that even he had succumbed to your misfortune and is now sick in bed, unable to tend to his empire."

Lady Cyranil suddenly had such an authorative voice, gone the sweet and melodic voice she had earlier. I sealed my lips shut awkwardly, feeling a 2nd hand embarassment for this lady.

Huh, I never knew aristocrats would be this brave and shameless. Seriously, I don't know what to say. If I try to talk back, it will only worsen the situation, won't it?

"But I understand," before anyone can try to talk, the lady herself continued with a hurt expression, shedding crocodile tears. "I can adjust for her majesty, for she is the mother of our nation, and I'll reflect with what I said today."

"Lady Cyranil, it is entirely not your fault at all." Lord Hans comforted the young lady, before he sneakily glanced at the untroubled Empress. "Perhaps her majesty misunderstood your worry for humiliation."

Hm? Why does that seem to be relevant to what happened to me earlier?

I remained calm when I met eyes with him. "We must have shown such disgrace infront of the empire's . We deeply apologize." But before I can even make a humiliation out of myself, he glanced at Klydeur whom he directed his words.

My brother smiled politely. "It would be best to mind your words from now on."

"Yes, we shall bear that in mind, our crown prince."

I felt the stares of confusion coming from the nobles on my side as I maintained a blank professional look, before it immediately sank on their minds what the aristocrats are planning to do.

Before there could even be another war of words, I pulled out my white handkerchief, before walking towards the Empress.

"What—" before anyone can even ask anything, I held the bruised hand of Aureus, still bleeding from the glass, which made me frown a bit.

"Be careful next time, mama." I adviced Aureus while fixing the handkerchief tied on her hand. "There is no need to start a conversation with those who do not know their boundaries."

As I said that, my silver eyes glanced towards the aristocrats who held their heads up high with pride. With that, a smirk crept up on my lips.

"Especially to people who think they can get their hands on royalty. Such a pity for them to be showered with luxury but not a single use for their brain."

The nobles on my side savored the look of distress from the aristocrats, and I fought the urge not to grin at Klydeur's expression. "Mother, I'll apologize in behalf of them."

"There's no need to save the faces and dignity of those who supports you, brother." I interrupted, sitting down again to my seat as the Empress scanned the handkerchief tied in her hand.

"I believe I'm not talking to you, brother." He bickered, earning a grin from him and the aristocrats who shunned the displeased nobles on my side.

Well, that's true. But seeing how he used a sentence that could provoke me somehow, I managed to hold myself together and not get affected by the situation.

Before I can talk back, a familiar voice interrupted.

"The crown prince is only telling the truth." The Duke on my side voiced out his statement, his green emerald eyes gazed down towards the aristocrats. "As he said, it is a shame to know that aristocrats have no common sense. To think they'll refer to a 2nd prince as the crown prince."

Huh? Was he this nice? Is the Duke really on my side now?

The Marquess calmly sipped into his glass of wine, before putting it down to the table. "They must have had their brains flying above their heads. People like them are not worthy of even a single glance." He spoke with a flat tone, almost as if saying they're plain stupid and an eyesore.

I blinked my eyes in confusion, glancing at them, then to the aristocrats who looks surprised at the sudden commotion. Maybe I misjudged both the Duke and the Marquess?

Are they on my rescue now?

Before I can even try to buffer the situation on my mind, Viscount Fregossa commented. "We dare not to go against the Imperial family. But to witness a brazen act of disrespect coming from aristocracy, it surprises me!"

Their own kids agreed with their words, each hiding their laugh or grin, casting a glance towards the pitiful Klydeur who had sank himself in shame.

"Prince, remain dignified." I heard the Lord beside him whisper at my brother. Klydeur was able to control his facial expression, forcing a smile as if he's not the tiniest bit affected by the words of the nobles on my side.

"It is rude to try to talk back to a prince, especially that you yourselves are only from nobility." Lady Cyranil exclaimed, her eyes twitched in annoyance, glaring at my side and mostly to me.

I sneered at her statement. "I don't see the difference of how someone who belongs to aristocracy is gutsy enough to talk back to an Empress."

That must have embarassed the lady, her face flushed. "T-that's..."

Silence occured inside the moment the Empress stood up. "I heard enough. We shall end this dinner."

"But mother—"

A spare of glance made Klydeur to completely shut up. "It is just as what the crown prince said. Do not own up to the mistakes of those who support you."

My brother briefly glared at me, making me blink in confusion, before he closed his eyes and nodded. "Yes mother."

"However," that suspense made everyone hold their breaths. "You should not ignore the fact that there is no next time for this kind of discourteous act. If they act as brazen as they are today, you shall be held accountable."

Klydeur remained bowing down, not wanting to anger the Empress any longer despite the refusal on his expression. "....I understand, mother."

"Your majesty, it is purely our fault to have disdain you." Surprisingly, the most quiet among the aristocrats spoke slowly, his orange eyes dared to stare back at the silver eyes of the Empress. "You need not take out your anger on the young prince. I'd apologize sincerely for their brazen attitude."

Lady Cyranil and Lord Hans grimaced at him, but no words went out of their mouths.

Atleast there is one decent person on their side.

Aureus stared at him, then to Klydeur. "Do you wish me to forgive them?"

I blinked my eyes. That was unexpected—oh right, I suddenly remembered their suspicious doting conversation that I overhead earlier.

Ofcourse, my albino twin brother didn't let the opportunity pass. "Yes, mother!"

"Then I shall forgive them for you had apologized in their behalf earlier." She replied, which confused the aristocrats.

"But your majesty, I—"

The Empress really likes cutting off the words of other people, regardless of their status. "Your apology is not needed, Sir Rayne. Besides the fact that your ignorance is bliss, now you're trying to appeal to me? It disgusts me."

Oho? Now I understand.

"M-mother—"

Another round of Aureus' cold stare made my brother seal his lips again, not daring to refute nor anger the Empress again.

"I believe I made myself clear. You may all leave." And so she went out first, leaving us all holding our breaths. The moment her presence is no longer felt inside the dining table, we all heaved out a sigh.

The aristocrats didn't waste a single moment as they stood up, with Klydeur who briefly glanced at me. "I shall take my leave first as well, brother."

He didn't even wait for me to respond as he turned his back, leading the way for the aristocrats who glared at the nobles on my side.

Duke Lethilde doesn't seem offended by their glares as he laughed, the Marquess of Marveil didn't even land a single glance at them, and the Viscount maintained his smile.

Ha, it's been a hectic evening.

"May time make haste to the Vermillion Empire." The nobles bowed down to me, and so did their children, which the aristocrats ignored as they fully left the room with my brother.

I blinked my eyes, before I smiled in relief. "May time make haste."

It's not so bad to have a lot of allies on my side. As long as it helps me lessen the burden.

~*~

Hello everyone! I'm planning to stop updating every week temporarily for now so I can write more drafts and chapters. This story is not yet near the end, and I want this to have a long journey. Also, I won't be ending this as the season 1 or anything. I'm not yet sure at which chapter it will be, but I'm certain of one thing.

There's a long way to go.

Anyways, I'm going to return in updating weekly once I got to write a lot of chapters. Maybe a month will do? Or if I don't get struck by a flamboyant ✨writer's block✨ then I guess a few weeks will suffice. So this story will be on hiatus (is that what they call it? Oof—) but don't worry, it's only temporary and not permanent.

That's all for now and I'll just busy myself in twitter. Excuse this smol author!

-🧁