"Y-Young master, please do slow down!" Liza nervously said as she watched Pier practice in the training hall. Target dummies started falling one by one as Pier swept through each and every one of them with his wind whip.

At first, Liza had never been surprised in her years of becoming a magical instructor as much as she had been surprised by Pier. When Pier showed her his formed wind element, her jaw dropped to the ground in shock.

She even had a slight heart attack when Pier started using his wind whip. The power behind the whip was on average but Pier's moves looked like they were those of a middle-ranked mage, considering that they had just been parted for a week at most, Pier's development was top-notch.

'Is this the wonder of a prodigy?' She said as she watched another target dummy fall to the ground after being harassed by Pier's whip a few times. Her feet and all her senses were focused on Pier's every movement. The way he stepped and even the way he was confidently doing his attacks, all of those were seemingly done by an expert.

'This feels way better than just simply reading it in manhwas.' Pier said as he took down another target dummy. After forming his wind whip, he had constantly practiced for days while adjusting his body to the movements that he saw in the manga and manhwas he had read. Though his movements are still stiff because the original Pier had never done any training, he's slowly getting used to it.

He stopped after taking two more target dummies to the ground. Sweat trickled down his forehead and he felt thirst linger in his throat.

"Y-young master, how...?" He looked at his instructor and saw that she had her eyes wide open.

"Pardon?"

"Ah, it's nothing, young master. You're doing well!" She said as Liza changed her attitude from being confused to composed.

Pier who noticed this nodded his head in agreement.

"Thank you!" Pier grabbed the handkerchief from his chest pocket and wiped his whole face clean.

"Then seeing the young master's progress, I do not have to teach you anymore as of today. I shall make the report to the headmaster." Liza said as they exchanged a few more words and went into their own businesses.

Pier sighed, feeling his muscles become sore after hours of intensive training with Liza. Well, it wasn't intensive because Liza kept telling him to slow down and take it easy but it was intensive because Pier placed too much effort into it.

'Ah, I need to meet with the Crown Prince.' Today was also the day that Pier needed to meet with Asher to discuss their plans for the anti-royalty faction's subjugation.

"The carriage from the Belmiunde Household has arrived!" The messenger said and the announcement was heard all over the place. Servants and nobles who were outside the Royal Palace all perked their ears up at the mention of the Belmiunde Household's carriage.

Just like the last time, when Pier stepped down the carriage, all eyes were on him. Every step he took was carefully watched by everyone.

"Hello, young master!" Gasps resonated in the air when a servant informally spoke to Pier.

"Your performance at the Royal Banquet was really good- hmpf!" His fellow servants quickly covered his mouth in order to prevent him from speaking but their eyes widened when they saw the young master from the Belmiunde Household look in their direction.

Fear was evident in their eyes as every step Pier took made mental sounds of terror.

"Hello," Pier greeted them and they immediately straightened their posture.

"Greetings to the young master of the Belmiunde Household," The servants said in unison. Pier nodded his head at them and proceeded to stare at the young servant who had called his name.

The young boy that was probably around the age of twelve trembled as he watched Pier's cold gaze.

"A-Ah, forgive me..." he trailed off. His throat tightened at the pressure from Pier's eyes.

"Why?" Pier asked the young boy.

"Huh?" His eyes quivered when Pier's calm yet soothing voice entered his body.

"Why are you saying sorry?" Pier asked as he tilted his head in confusion.

"B-Because I... I spoke to the young master!" The boy said and tears started to form in the edge of his eyes. Pier who saw this scrunched up his eyebrows as he was confused why the boy started crying. He did not know that despite his otherworldly looks, his aura was that of someone who would slice another person's neck off if given the chance.

"Stop." Pier's command made the servant stiff. His tears that were about to fall also stopped.

"Yes, that's good. Don't cry" Pier crouched down and the servants who accompanied him gasped in surprise because his clothes got wrinkled when he crouched down.

On an eye-to-eye level, Pier stared at the young servant and the latter did the same.

"You don't have to apologize when you talk to someone. If they treat you bad just because you spoke to them then that makes them the bad person," Pier said and patted the young servant's head. Servants both from Pier's and the palace's side both gave gasps of surprise at the young master's actions.

Pier was known to be the perfect noble which made it one of his flaws. He avoided getting his clothes wrinkled and he also avoided talking with servants because that would make him associate with those who have lower status. The original Pier cared about his image too much.

The young boy sniffled as his pale skin was now red from the tears he was holding back. Pier stood up and the boy looked up at him.

"Here, I'll tell the king to dismiss your work for the day," Pier said as he grabbed a golden coin from his pocket.

One golden coin can feed an entire family for two weeks at minimum and for servants, seeing a golden coin carelessly given to a young boy who probably doesn't even know its full worth was the source of their envy. Knowing that this would happen, Pier gave his warnings.

"If someone forcefully takes that golden coin away from you, tell me. If someone tells you that I told them you should give that golden coin to them, tell me. If someone ever harms you because of interacting with me, do not be afraid to tell me. I will make sure they never see the light once more," He warned and everyone including the young servant shivered in Pier's words.

If it were the words of nobles under the ranks of the Duke and the Marquis, they might not be able to say such daring words, but Pier who was a rank higher than the two and had close ties with the current king could say all he wants. Eliam knew this too, Pier had so much influence but the original Pier did not realize it. He only knew he had the right to chase the Crown Prince.

"T-Thank you so much, young master!" The pale young servant said as tears were once more starting to form in his eyes. Pier who was watching him smiled a little bit and turned his back to go to his original destination. But before he walked away, he gave one last sentence to the young servant.

"The world is cruel, don't you think?" Pier then walked towards the entrance of the Royal Palace. His lean back looked like the biggest the child had ever seen in all of his life.

Many who heard the sentence wondered what the young master meant. He was someone born with a diamond spoon and did not have to worry about working even for a day in his life.

---

"Greetings to the future Sun of the Kingdom, His Highness the Crown Prince." Pier gracefully bowed down after greeting the Crown Prince who was reading a document in his study.

"Greetings to the Young Master from the Belmiunde Household, please come in," Asher said and Pier's eyebrows twitched in response.

'Hoh, he's suddenly greeting me formally huh?' He was confused as to why the Crown Prince would greet him formally. Asher did not greet Pier for the past few years even once.

Pier walked inside the study and proceeded to sit on one of the receiving chairs for the guests.

"Let us just wait for the others to arrive, young master," Asher said as he hopefully looked in Pier's direction but to no avail, Pier already had a book he got from the table that was meant for entertaining visitors. Pier simply gave a small nod and responded with a dry

"As you wish, your highness." Asher who watched Pier's dry response felt his chest tighten in for an unknown reason in a split second. The unpleasant feeling subsided immediately but he was still bothered by it.

Was it because Pier gave him a dry response? He tried asking another question to the young noble who was now immersed in reading the entertainment book.

"How was your arm, Young Master?" Asher decided to ask about Pier's condition. The tears in Pier's eyes when he was burned were still evident in Asher's memories. He was feeling guilty for not being able to do anything about it.

However, Pier gave another dry response.

"It has already healed, your highness," He spoke without care and flipped another page of the book.

Asher clenched his hand lightly. He was trying to initiate conversations with the young master but it seems like the young master was not even interested in talking with him.

He was about to ask another question when a knock was heard on the door and a servant's voice echoed inside the study room.

"I have brought tea and snacks for the young master," An old butler's voice was heard from outside the door. His interest suddenly shifted to the snacks and tea.

Asher decided to give up on talking with Pier for now and made the servant go in.

"Come inside." In one swift motion, the door opened and the butler also came in. He had a teapot in his left hand and a set of teacups in a tray in his right hand.

Other maids were behind him as they carried snacks for Pier.

"Greetings, young master. I have prepared the tea you like!" The butler said as he laid the teapot down and the set of teacups on the table in front of Pier. Pier smiled warmly at the old butler and thanked him.

"Thank you." He was grateful that he had no longer have to put the effort into ignoring Asher as he looked at the tea served.

'Tea accompanied with sugar again?' Pier had been bothered by how the servants would always bring him tea with sets of sugar cubes along with it. Eliam was not a fan of sweet things in his previous life but the Pier on this world had a sweet tooth. He was having a hard time adjusting to the sweet teas.

'I'll just not put sugar in it.' He thought and contemplated grabbing the sugar cubes. The butler smiled at him before excusing himself. The rest of the maids followed the butler outside and the door of the study closed.

He leisurely drank the tea without touching the sugar cubes. Asher who was observing Pier's actions was surprised too. Pier would always throw a fit when there is no sugar accompanied in his tea.

'He's not using sugar?' Asher said as Pier finished a cup without touching any of the sugar cubes.

'Ah, it's weird without sugar but it also feels weird with sugar.' Pier was lamenting in his own mind but the aroma and the taste of the tea he usually enjoyed in his previous life calmed him down.

'Good thing the original Pier had a fast metabolism.'

"I guess the young master is exploring new tea tastes." Pier stiffened slightly when he heard Asher's voice. He was too absorbed in thinking about the tea's weird taste in his mind that he forgot he was in the Crown Prince's study room.

"Ah... I guess I am, your highness..." Pier said and avoided his gaze immediately. He did not want to look at Asher because he feels like he would have the urge to use his wind whip on him as he did in the patch of grass in the training hall.

A series of knocks were heard again at the door but this time, it was a deep voice that spoke. The door opened after Asher told the guard standing outside to open the door and Raphael strode inside the study with confidence.

"Greetings to the future Sun of the Kingdom, His Highness the Crown Prince!" Raphael said before bowing in respect.

"Greetings to the Young Duke of the Sentinio Duchy, please do come in," Asher said and urged Raphael to come inside. When Raphael went inside, his nose caught the smell of tea. He looked around and saw a very familiar figure he had been thinking of for the past few days.

"Pier!" Raphael called Pier's name out and the latter turned to look at him. Pier smiled at seeing Raphael and greeted him.

"Greetings, Sir Raphael" Pier said as he stood up and gracefully bowed again in respect. Raphael felt his face heat up with Pier's movements.

He never reckoned really having the need to lower his head in front of someone with lower status but Pier was doing it out of courtesy anyway. If they were in another kingdom without the existence of the House of Masters, Raphael would have a higher status than him.

"Ah, you do not have to bow down, Pier," The young duke spoke as he scratched the back of his neck, feeling embarrassed.

He approached Pier and they both sat at the seats for visitors in Asher's study.

Asher was perplexed by what he saw.

'Does Raphael really like Pier?' His thoughts were disturbed when he heard Pier and Raphael talking about something from the book. He was starting to get annoyed with how close the two individuals looked.

'If the young master had become friends with Raphael, then why does he not talk to me like that too?'

Asher was frustrated with his own thoughts.