"Pier..." Raphael called out after Pier was being done being escorted by the knight.

"Raphael, it had been two weeks!" He said with a smile on his face and the young duke's face reddened at the young master's greetings.

"Y-Yes, it has been two weeks." Raphael stuttered and the young master smiled at the display of the shy young duke.

"Greetings to the future sun of the kingdom, his highness the Crown Prince," Pier greeted when he saw the Prince was staring at him.

'I know I'm handsome, no need to stare that much,' He thought as Asher's obvious gaze did not cease in observing him.

"Greetings, young master. Your entrances are always the most beautiful," Asher said and Pier slightly flinched at the comment.

'When did he learn to compliment Pier?' He was surprised by the statement but he did not mind it.

"It's not that grand, your highness, but it is still my pleasure to be complimented," Pier denied the claim but he still thanked Asher. The Crown Prince smiled at him and Pier felt annoyed with how friendly Asher was being with him.

"I'm glad to have been invited to this important celebration, your highness," Pier thanked Asher because he might make a small fortune from selling all the invitations that had golden markings the Crown Prince had sent.

"I thought you weren't going to come," Asher said with relief evident in his voice after seeing Pier come.

The young master looked at the Crown Prince for a second before speaking

"How could I not, your highness. With the amount of invitation you have sent, I will surely come," Pier said with a smile on his face.

'Forced to come, that is.' He thought behind his head.

Asher slightly frowned at Pier's words.

He wasn't prepared for these kinds of answers from the young master.

Not wanting to talk with Asher anymore, Pier immediately looked at the small boy that was silent in Raphael's arms.

"Gage!" Pier said as he crouched down to speak with the little noble.

"H-Hello..." Gage said as he blushed and his in Raphael's arms. Pier lightly laughed at the small boy's actions and he looked at Gage's older brother.

"Can I carry Gage, Sir Raphael?" He asked and Raphael only looked at him.

"I promise I won't drop Gage," Pier assured and Raphael hurriedly shook his head.

"It's not like that, young master! Of course, you can hold my younger brother!" He said nervously and allowed Pier to carry the young child.

"Hello, Gage. Do you still remember me?" Pier asked when Gage was in his arms. The young boy shyly nodded and looked up at Pier.

"Yes! I have been learning how to play the piano so I can play with you, good brother!" Gage said with sparkling eyes and Pier had to stop himself from squishing the boy in his arms because of how cute Gage was acting.

"Gage you can also play with me!" Elena butted in as she was being left in the conversation.

Pier snickered at Elena's obvious attempt to join the conversation.

"Yes, do you want to play with Lady Elena?" Pier asked the child but Gage did not reply.

Pier wanted to laugh but he also felt slightly bad for using Gage in pissing Elena off. The Lady had an unreadable expression on her face as the child did not answer her.

"I have a song that I learned back when I was reading a magical book, Gage. Do you want to play it with me?" Pier asked as he pinched Gage's nose and the young boy smiled and nodded.

"Yes! Any song would be good to play with you, good brother!" Gage replied but he immediately covered his mouth.

"What's wrong?" Pier asked and Gage talked again.

"I'm sorry, I should have called good brother 'young master'," Gage said as he looked down, feeling ashamed because he did not call Pier young master when they first met.

Pier laughed at the child's antics.

"It's alright, Gage. You can call me good brother, and only you can call me that!" He said and Gage's expression turned into that of joy.

"Really?"

"Yes!"

The two continued to talk about stuff like the piano and songs.

Meanwhile, Elena seethed in anger at being left out of the conversation. From the Crown Prince and the Future Duke, up until the young master came, she was constantly getting out of place in the conversations.

She fisted her hands and clenched her teeth silently.

Raphael only watched as his younger brother interact with Pier who was carrying Gage.

'They look like they're a father and son talking with each other...' Raphael thought as he continued to watch Pier and Gage. The former was securely holding Gage and the young child was telling a lot of stories to Pier.

Raphael was thinking how good of a father Pier would be when he becomes one.

His face reddened at the silly thought that he had. He and Pier could never become fathers.

"Young Master, it seems you are also close with Sir Raphael's younger brother," Asher stated and Pier's happy expression slightly wavered at the prince's voice.

"Yes, your highness. We're friends" He said and Gage had a huge grin on his face.

"I see," Asher said as he noticed Pier's slight tone of annoyance with him.

Asher did not like how Pier was trying to put him out of the conversation.

Sure Pier did not like him anymore, but couldn't at least the young master act like they know each other and treat him like they were friends? That was all he was asking for!

Asher sighed as he gave the young master a long gaze before he turned his back and started to walk back at the front of the hall where the king was talking with some of his subordinates.

It was time to start the event.

His jaw tightened at the thought of Pier.

'I'll tell you!'

---

"Ah, my, it has been long since I last saw my son scatter food on his plate as a child!" The king joked and the nobles laughed at it. Asher sighed as he facepalmed himself at the joke his father gave.

"Today marks the date when the next king of our kingdom has been born. We are here to commemorate this special day as we celebrate Prince Asher Lumiere's birthday!" Everyone cheered. The nobles present in the humungous grand hall cheered and clapped. The commoners inside and outside the capital did too.

Not just that, the entire kingdom even at the farthest of places who have heard the king's announcement through the magic device all cheered as well.

It also started the feast of the night. Servants who wore the palace's uniform served the nobles their food at the table.

Meat, wine, fruits, and pastries of the highest quality were served. It was a night where everyone's task was to fill their stomachs and enjoy the celebration of the prince's birthday.

It also meant that it was the start of giving the gifts the nobles have prepared for the Crown Prince.

While most of the people started the feast, others who have prepared gifts presented them to Asher one by one. Asher sat in the middle of the elevated platform and there were steps that leads onto it.

The nobles would kneel and present what they had for the Prince at the steps.

"Your Highness, I present unto you a handkerchief that I have personally embroidered for two months." Elena was the first person to present her gift. Asher smiled at the gift the Lady gave. Noblemen sent the Crown Prince jealous stares because one of the most beautiful ladies in the kingdom had given Asher a handkerchief she had personally embroidered.

It was a sign of affection being shown by a lady to a nobleman.

"Thank you, Lady Elena. I will treasure this gift dearly," Asher said as he got off his seat and approached the lady to receive her gift.

After Elena had presented her gift, the other nobles soon followed.

"Your Highness, I shall offer a quarter of our household's livestock as a gift!"

"Your Highness, I am offering half of our household's harvested crops as a gift!"

"Your Highness, please accept this sapphire gem that I have bought from the Kingdom of Heron!"

"Your Highness, I have brought you the finest herbs that can only be found at the Mir Mountains!"

Numerous nobles lined up to present their gifts for Asher and the Crown Prince gladly accepted all of them. From plants, clothes, stones, gems, and even food, many people were giving Asher the gifts they had prepared to get on the Crown Prince's good side.

However, the Crown Prince was looking for someone in the line of people that were presenting gifts for him.

'Where is he?' He asked himself as he viewed the almost unending line of nobles.

He was looking for the young master from the House of Masters.

'Where are you, Pier?' Asher continued to let his eyes roam on the line but he never saw the young master.

He felt himself get nervous after not seeing Pier.

'No... maybe he's waiting to give me his present last?' Asher thought.

Where could the young master who presented him many things back in the past with luxurious gifts? Did Pier forget?

---

"Asher! I want to give my present to you first before anyone else!" Pier said with a bright smile on his face. In his hand was a box that had golden threads binding around the box to properly contain the gift that was inside.

Asher only looked at Pier with an expressionless face. The young master tilted his head to the side in confusion but he still had a smile on his face.

"What's wrong? Should I open the gift for you?" Pier asked as he kneeled on the steps and started to undo the golden threads that were binding the box together.

People watched in envy as the golden threads that would cost millions of gold coins were carelessly ripped off and thrown to the ground.

But Asher did not still care. He watched the young master take out the present that Pier had in store for him.

"Look! This is the sword of the Menos Empire's Fourth Emperor! I have personally bought the sword for you!" People had their mouths agape at the grandiose present.

It had probably exceeded a hundred million gold just to buy the sword of a previous king from the Empire of the South.

But Asher only stared at the shining sword that had gems embedded on its handle.

"D-Do you not like the present, Asher?" Pier asked as he turned to look at the heavy sword in his hands.

Asher did not reply.

"I-I will get a new one for-"

"Next!" The Crown Prince said and it signified the next person in line's turn.

Pier looked at the Crown Prince with watery eyes.

"I'm sorry if it wasn't enough..." Pier said as he stood up from kneeling and stepped aside for the next person to present his gift.

"Your Highness, I offer you a portion of my crop's harvest for the month!" A lower ranked noble said and Pier watched as the Crown Prince smiled at the noble.

"Thank you for the gift, Baron Lewman! It is my pleasure to have received such gift from the Baron himself!" Asher said and the Baron had a satisfied look on his face.

'But the sword I bought for Asher is a million times more expensive than the crops the Baron gave...' He thought as he turned around to go back in his designated seat.

---

"Pier... where are you?" Asher whispered as the line was starting to get shorter, but the young master still did not come.

'I promise I will accept your gift this time!' He pleaded in his mind but the line was already halfway done and there wasn't still a sign of Pier in any of those.

"Your Highness, I offer unto you a diamond that was found in one of our mines!" It was the last person to present a gift to Asher and the young master did not come.

"Thank you, Earl," Asher thanked the Earl who presented him a diamond and the Earl smiled widely at being noticed by the prince.

"You have received many gifts this year as well, your highness" Caspian commented as he watched the mountain of gifts pile behind Asher being slowly taken away by the servants.

"Yes, it seems it would never change," Asher said and Caspian laughed at the Crown Prince's statement.

"Nobles! Many had already presented their gifts upon the Crown Prince's feet, if any of you desires to give more, this will be the final chance!" Caspian announced as the last person was done giving their gifts.

Many people were happy with being noticed by the Crown Prince, many were satisfied with the gifts they gave.

But Asher had an unpleasant feeling in his chest. It was so unsettling that his chest tightened and he felt as if he was being stabbed by a dagger.

He looked around the surroundings but he could not find the young master.

He was waiting for Pier's gift and accept it because he thought he would be able to somehow at least mend the young master's unfavorable perspective of him even a little bit.

Caspian was about to announce the end of the giving of presents until one person started to walk in the middle of the grand hall.

'Pier!' Asher's eyes widened at the young master who was glowing under the lights of the grand hall.

Pier walked towards the steps where Asher was sitting.

Each of his steps made the Crown Prince's heart beat faster. Asher was anticipating what Pier would give him.

However, the young master only had a small scroll in his hands as he walked.

'I wonder what that scroll contained?' Asher asked as Pier neared him. When the young master finally reached the steps of the platform Asher was on, he turned his head slightly up to look at the Crown Prince.

But he did not bother kneeling on the steps.

"Your Highness, this is a present that the Belmiunde Family has prepared for the celebration of your birth date," Pier started to talk and Asher's eyes widened.

'What?'

"In appreciation of the future king's birth date celebration, the Belmiunde Household shall lend the Royal Palace a thousand knights!" People gasped in awe at the mention of the thousand knights from the Belmiunde Household.

Those are the knights that are a level lower than a high-grade swordsman.

But that's not what Asher was bothered by

"Wait, Pier-"

"And five hundred mages..." multiple sets of gasps once more resonated around the palace. The Belmiunde Household was lending some of their manpower to the Royal Family.

When Pier finished announcing their family's gift for Asher, he placed the scroll beneath the Crown Prince's feet.

"This is the agreement and resolution of our household to lend these forces unto the Crown Prince's aid," He said and bowed respectfully before Pier took one step back.

The young master was about to leave even without waiting for Asher's reply when the Crown Prince called him.

"Pier, wait!" Pier stopped in his steps and turned to look at the Crown Prince again.

"I-Is that all?" Asher asked with disbelief in his eyes. Pier stared at the Crown Prince for a full minute before sighing.

"Your Highness, a thousand knights and five hundred mages have been given unto you by our household. Such force is enough to threaten another kingdom with lesser power if you wish to and his highness is asking if that was all?" Pier asked in a slightly disappointed tone.

"N-No, what I meant was..." Asher tried to speak but everyone's eyes were suddenly on him.

They all had unreadable expressions on their faces.

Truly, the House of Masters produces the highest qualities of knights in the kingdom.

A thousand knights and five hundred mages were enough to conquer a city and Asher was questioning if that was all they could offer.

It could be seen as an offensive remark against the House of Masters and everyone became silent.

"Pier... No, I'm truly grateful for the gift the House of Masters had given me. It is one of the best gifts I have received for tonight." Asher immediately said and the stares he got from people started to disappear one by one.

"But young master, don't you have any personal gift for me? Something you used to do before?" Asher asked in a more quiet voice because he was afraid he would be misunderstood by everyone again.

It was only enough for Pier to hear.

"Pardon?"

"A-Ah, do you... do you have any gifts you personally prepared for me?" Asher asked again but Pier only raised his eyebrows at the Crown Prince.

"Does his highness expect me to prepare a separate gift for him?" He asked as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Asher did not answer Pier's question. He was anxious, he was nervous, he wanted to cry.

"I believe I do not have any separate gift from myself, your highness. I am a part of House Belmiunde and I consider the gift of knights and mages as my own gift unto you as well" Pier stated and Asher's eyes trembled.

'No! Your family prepared gifts before too but you have a separate one from yourself!' He wanted to say but the young master was already walking away.

"Pier..." he called in a soft voice at the young master who was walking back with his head held high and confidence radiating in different directions.

Asher Lumiere wanted to cry and beg at the young master's feet and plead.

He was suffocated by the unknown emotion circulating in his mind.

It was the first time that Pier Belmiunde, the successor of the House of Masters did not prepare anything for him.

Asher silently watched with a hurting heart as Pier disappeared from his line of sight.