A/N: I've seen that many people had caught up with the latest updates. Welcome to the Update Waiting Squad! We're glad to have you here

P.S, it's two in the morning here so I'm pretty sleepy when I wrote this and it might have some errors. LMAO. Enjoy!

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"Are you sure you have sent the letter to the young master?" Asher asked the servant who was tasked to deliver the invitations to the nobles who were to attend his birthday celebration.

It was already the ninth time he had asked the servant who had a nervous look on his face.

"Y-Yes, your highness! I assure you I have delivered the invitation to the young master!" The servant replied again. Asher sighed as he turned his head out the window of his study.

"Then what did the young master say?" He asked the servant. The messenger fiddled with his fingers as he gulped from the nervousness.

"T-The young master... he said 'oh' after r-receiving it and walked away!" The messenger asked with a hopeful look in his face. Hoping the prince would stop asking him if he had already delivered the items for the young master of the Belmiunde Household.

"That's all?" He asked.

"Huh?" The servant blurted out and he immediately covered his mouth with his hands.

"Was that all the young master said?" Asher asked again and the servant nodded his head.

"Yes, your highness!" Asher had a frown on his face as he imagined Pier's reaction based from what the messenger had said.

'If it was truly like that, then I guess Pier was not excited with the invitation' He thought as he watched the bird fly by his window.

The chirping of the birds were the only sound that could be heard inside Asher's study.

"Tell the invitation maker to create a better one with more expensive materials" the servant had a look of defeat on his face as he heard Asher's command.

Aside from Asher's constant nagging if the young master had received the invitation, whenever he felt unsatisfied with the reactions he got from the messenger, he would tell the invitation maker to create a better one for Pier.

"Make it better that it will suit the young master's taste" He ordered and the servant had no choice but to bow respectfully and follow his commands.

Asher tapped on his chair was he watched the streams of sunlight flow through his window and onto the floor. It was so peaceful.

It had already been five days since they have returned from the boundary and the day for the Crown Prince's birthday was fast approaching. The preparations had mostly been done by the time Asher was away.

Invitations were sent, the halls were already decorated, everything was prepared.

But the Crown Prince was still worried because of one thing.

Pier Belmiunde's invitation

He could just send an invitation to the whole Belmiunde Household but he wanted to send Pier a separate one as a means of telling the young master that he is personally expected by the prince to attend.

Asher already knew that Pier will not be the same as before.

Not that he have sent Pier any invitations before because he did not.

It was his first time sending Pier one on his birthday and he had already expected the outcomes.

Pier was not interested in the invitations he had sent.

Maybe he did expect the outcomes already but it was far more frustrating than what he thought.

The first invitation, he was excited and anxious because he did not know how Pier would react but the messenger said

"The young master looked at the letter with bored eyes, your highness!"

Asher immediately got frustrated.

The second letter was sent and what the messenger said was

"The young master said to put the letter near the trashbin, your highness!"

He got even more frustrated.

The third letter was sent and the messenger who had a slightly tired voice said

"The young master said to give it to his brothers, but I did not, your highness so I just placed it in the trashbin like the young master ordered me last time!"

Every letter until the ninth one had different reactions he got from Pier.

Some where disinterest, some were annoyance, and most of the time, Pier ignored most of the letters.

Asher was frustrated. He did not know what to do.

Why does it have to be always like this?

"It's so hard to please Pier now" He said as he thought about other things to direct his attention with.

He tried to recall all of the things Pier did back in his previous birthdays.

Pier had brought him luxurious and expensive gifts and Asher was already bored with those kinds of gifts.

"I wonder what he will bring me this time" He wondered what the gift Pier would give him would be.

Was he expecting?

Maybe Asher was. After all, the young master from the Belmiunde Household did not miss a single time of Asher's birthday without any presents.

'Surely even if he does not like me anymore he would still give me a gift?' He thought as he remembered Pier's blushing face whenever he hands his gift to the prince.

Asher reminisced the times when Pier would get shy when he was in front of him while handing his gift. Asher never really cared for any of those, he only cared for the presents from Elena.

But this time, he was looking forward as to what Pier had in store for him. The thought of having something from the person who had taught him a big lesson in his life towards becoming a good king was what he wished right now.

---

Pier was in the receiving area of their mansion where guests were usually received and entertained. He was currently facing the mailman who had sent him multiple invitations from the Crown Prince.

"Young master, a letter has arrived from his highness" Pier rolled his eyes at the mention of another letter being sent to him by the prince.

"Why does his highness keeps on sending me these letters?" He asked the messenger and the servant could only shrug his shoulders.

"I do not know either, young master" The servant replied as he closely watched Pier and the young master also observed the messenger before he sighed.

"Martha!" He called and soon, a female wearing a maid's uniform entered the room. She was carrying a teapot on her right hand and a cup on the left. Martha laid the tea in front of the servant before she stood by Pier's side.

"Please drink some before you leave, you look like you're about to faint" Pier said as he looked at the sweating messenger. The servant happily smiled as he grabbed the teacup and happily drank the contents inside.

He hastily drank as he was tired but when he noticed that Pier was looking at him, he immediately stopped drinking and minded his manners.

"What's wrong?" Pier asked and the servant gulped. The tea's aftertaste lasting in his mouth before he spoke.

"A-Ah, please excuse my manners, young master" He said, ashamed that he acted like that in front of a highly esteemed nobles.

"What's wrong with your manners?" Pier asked and the noble became confused at the answer.

"Uh... it was... inappropriate, young master..." He trailed. Pier clicked his tongue as he did not even bother opening the invitation Asher sent him before he gave it to Martha.

"Bring this to my room" He said and the head maid immediately followed the young master's command.

"You're exhausted and tired, there's no point worrying about noble-like manners when you're in such state" Pier stated before he proceeded to stand up.

"Rest first and the maids will guide you outside after you finish" Pier said before he started walking out the room.

The servant only stared at the young master who was yawning as he exited the room.

"He's really kind..." he said as he took a sip on the teacup.

---

Pier entered his room and went to his study table. He sat on the chair and the pile of invitations from the Crown Prince were the first thing he noticed. The latest of the pile being the one that Martha had brought earlier from the servant.

He stared at the letters. Each one had varying designs from the common designs produced by the royal family to the newest one that was adorned with gold and silver markings on the sides of the letters.

"What is that prince doing?" He asked himself as he started to open the letters one by one. Each letter contained the same formal invitation for nobles. The only difference were how each design was plastered outside the letter.

"He's wasting so much money on this" He was disappointed with how lavishly Asher was spending in the letters he had received.

He turned to look outside the window.

"Ah, I miss that crow" He said as he tapped on the table. The Crow who accompanied him for the first and second day of his stay at the boundary disappeared on the third day.

"It was the only one I can talk to freely" he said in a disappointed tone.

Pier confined himself in the mansion immediately after they got back from the boundary.

The reason?

He was the talk of the entire capital right now.

The news of his huge participation in solving the crime of corruption in the boundary was widely spread amongst the individuals who were residing in the Capital whether it be nobles or commoners.

He hated the attention.

Even his cringeworthy nickname "Prince of the Forbidden Snow" was circulated around the social circles.

He was displeased. Pier was only waiting until the talks about him would start to subside and then he can go out once more and do his duties.

While he was confined in the mansion, he had called on different individuals that he needed to prepare himself, especially in the upcoming Crown Prince's birth date celebration. He wanted to look presentable at the very least.

He wanted to call the hairdresser Elieza Castor because his hair was already starting to get longer but he decided to postpone it for now.

He also checked how the Morata Countdom was doing. Vivian had her business going smoothly especially now that the Cornell Earldom was out of their sight.

Lady Vivian had already expanded her business into a whopping quarter of the entire textile industry just from the time Pier and her collaborated to produce the designs. She had gain so much influence that it won't be long, the king will be acknowledging the Morata Countdom into a Marquis household with the power and influence they have over the kingdom.

That would also mean that Pier's power for the throne will increase, especially if the Morata Countdom would indeed become a Marquis Household.

'They'd probably have a heart attack if they knew I have a soon-to-be Marquis household supporting me with all they've got' He smirked at the thought.

In the shadows, Pier Belmiunde was also building his own foundation for his reputation.

Sure, the Morata Countdom was the hot topic for the households that had the biggest chances of rising in the ranks of a Marquis Household, but to whom do they owe such promotion?

Right, to Pier Belmiunde. What Vivian's household gains are Pier's gains too.

He was also the spotlight in the higher and lower social circles.

Though he did hate the thought of his doings in the boundary becoming publicly known, it was still a good thing for him because he will start to gain popularity, especially among the commoners who at some point idolize nobles with upright attitudes.

"Why do I sound like I'm trying to take over the throne?" He snorted as he spoke to himself. Pier did not want to rule a kingdom. It was too much hassle and there was Asher anyway.

What he was doing was to simply create a better foundation for the name of Pier Belmiunde.

"It won't be long until I can proceed with the next plans" He said as the warm sunlight doused his frame.

"The time I can go on a journey is nearing too" That's right, after the Crown Prince's birthday, Pier can also now officially go on a journey if he desires to.

Law will not be able to bind him permanently in their household anymore and he can do things that he wanted.

He still did not have any plans as to what he wanted to do right after he sets out on the journey he has planned.

'We'll see when we get there' Pier said as he took a glance to the side of his bed and the suit he had Vivan prepare for the Crown Prince's birthday was hanging neatly.

'Ah, that's right, let's make one final scenario before we leave the kingdom' Pier thought as he was doused in drowsiness and he fell asleep on his study table.

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A/N: It's starting