Being a king requires many skills like perfecting a mask, being knowledgeable, knowing who to trust and many more. I don't have that much time to do things I want, but meeting Kieran's child who was surprisingly celebrating his birthday that day. Made me realise that is hard to read.

After our meeting, I immediately looked at the note.

As a Father, you wouldn't want your son not to inherit the crown right? Just turn a blind eye on the oracle and do not let anyone except a few people you trust know. With that I can assure you the crown is not of my interests.

That kid is a prodigy, because of that expression of his when he first entered the room caused many doubts. The way he greeted me was beyond expectations. Shocking the whole palace, but what's more shocking is how he played with his cards. Everything that just happened, he knows it as if he planned it. I wonder what my arrogant Son can do to par with that.

"Blessings upon the sole sun of the empire...

May you live thousands of years in glory"

The whole crowd either had their mouths open or their mouths open, half had both. None noticed the meaning except me, and from the glint of his eyes when he looked at me. He knew what he was doing. I didn't notice my eyes widened slightly, but did.

'I can either be your best ally or your worst nightmare. Choose wisely'

Hmmm is that so? Let's see what your really capable of.

As a king you can't underestimate anyone, not even a child. But why is he still in the same position?

"Asking for permission to rise? Your majesty."

"You may rise"

When he rose, he was wearing a nervous expression. He was noticeably shivering and is sweating. I would've gotten fooled, if he didn't show me that expression before. The crowd would think.

'Ah he's just weak hearted child after all'

'Being born with a weak body is sad, but being weak hearted too? House Monique is pitiful now'

'This is a great opportunity to get rid of House Monique'

The crowd is wearing many faces: some sneered, not even bothering to hide their intentions; others hiding their genuine worry; and mostly people wearing worried faces to hide their ill intentions. These faces, I've seen through them all. And it seems like he also saw through them all.

"My! My! Don't be like that kid, your Father is a close friend of mine!" I laughed.

He flinched and looked at me with wide eyes.

"E-eh!?"

Hmm this kid surely is amusing. Nothing like that old man of his.

(Anastacius: you look fucking older grandpa (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ ). Now how to challenge him?

Oh yeah!

" Everyone except this young child in front me, leave!" I ordered.

After a while it was only me and this kid. His old man looked reluctant to leave him alone, while his mother just comforted him before they left.

Now it's just us, looking at each other in the eye. Silence around us until I broke it.

"Kid do you know how to play chess?" Waving my hand to The Maid that just walked in.

Once that maid went out to get the chessboard. This kid's expression started changing from that of a nervous kid to someone with a blank look (¬_¬). (A/N: The face Aoyama from Clean freak Aoyama Kun makes while he is cleaning and stuff) As if he is uninterested in anything. He reminds me of myself when I was his age, except I don't have that blank look. Hahh the good old days. The maid walked in with my

TIMESKIP

This kid... is really unpredictable. His been letting me take down his pieces until only half of it are left. But his expression isn't even changing!

"Are you even trying!?" I exclaimed out of frustration.

Him: (；一_一)

Mirkan: ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

"Was I supposed to take this seriously in the first place?" He yawned while waving his left hand in a tired manner.

"Y-you little! *breathes out* How about this, if you win you can ask for anything you want and I'll do everything in my power to grant it?" I can't let my emotions get the best of me.

"But what if I lose? I'm just a kid I have nothing interesting to give you huh?" He carelessly started talking to me in a tone that is like he knows I'm a king yet he doesn't give the slightest amount of respect.

This kid never fails to surprise me, "But there is something. It's your abilities, so if I win you will use those abilities of yours to serve the Castina Empire" I looked at him seriously to try inflicting a little uneasiness in him.

" ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ Sure sure no problem"

And so the game continued. I moved my rook three blocks forward only to be taken out by one of his knights. I moved my bishop in front of his knight.

"Check" His queen was positioned in a side where none of my pieces will be able to reach in one move.

13 CHECKS LATER

"Checkmate" As my king was cornered with his queen in a few blocks upfront. His bishop will immediately take down my king if I move it sideways.

My shoulders slumped down and I let out a sigh of frustration. A kid whose height doesn't even reach my waist defeated me in my Favourite game.

"Your majesty?" He said with serious tone.

"What is it?" I'm still a bit upset about losing such a great prodigy.

"Are you really the Emperor? ◉_◉"

"(ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻ What are you trying to say!?"

" You are pretty easy to beat moe~ I would've checkmated you way earlier if you weren't getting irritated."

"Why you-"

" Also it's because your losing face is hilarious if I say so myself, but anyways I'm sleepy and because of your decision to meet me today-" He stood up from his chair and started waltzing to get to the door.

"W-wha-"

"I didn't get to eat the seafood platter put Chef made! Soo see you your majesty!" With that he's out the room.

A knock on the door broke me out of my thoughts.

"Come in"

"Your majesty! *pant* there is a something the High Priest wants to inform you and it's only for you to hear he said!" My personal butler wore a frantic look on his face. Then this must be serious news. There are only 6 High Priests in the whole land.

Then came in a man with Long white hair and azure eyes.

"Greetings to his majesty"

"Tertius what is it" I said getting straight to the point

" Vita has spoken with me. Saying he will grant Keiran's first born the name Anastacius Neo La Monique"

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