First Step: Coverage

After making a blunder in his decision to antagonize the duke, everything became a blur for the first prince from that point on. His mind drifted neither on the food nor on the conversation. He remained in a absentminded state as he drown in his own thoughts, thinking of a way to solve this before it reached that person.

Thus, he didn't hear what else the duke had told the king or how the lunch had gone by. By the time, he regained his wits, he was already back in his palace with a taut face and clenched fists. He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window shrouded in a sense of defeat and rage pulsated in his heart.

In the end, he could only comfort himself by recalling the plan. 'Don't worry, the duke will soon move as planned. By that point, there won't be any difference between him and a puppet, dancing within my palm.'