18. The Emperor of Grandia Kingdom

Seiran is still fuming with anger. She refused to speak with her two older brothers, Sean and Julian.

She treated them as an invisible wall during their dinner time. Seiran didn't even spare a glance at their pitiful expression. Due to their harsh action toward Danial, they were ignored by their lovely sister in return.

Carina elegantly eats her dinner, only spoke a word or two with her husband. Other than that, silence is followed at the dinner table.

Arthur, however, keeps looking at Danial with a frown on his face. He observed the other man with so much intensity that Danial started to feel uncomfortable. As if Arthur's blue-oceanic orbs tried to peer deeper at his soul, searching for something. He only retracted his gazes when Seiran coughed twice. She is warning her brother to stop causing discomfort to Danial. Arthur reluctantly focused his attention on his food.

Danial heaved out a relieved sigh. Why did Arthur acting weird? The way Arthur looked at him as if he is gazing at an old friend. A flash of familiarity bypassed his eyes, which is swirling with many indescribable emotions. Danial loathes the idea to act buddy-buddy with Seiran's brothers. As long as they leave him alone, undisturbed from their crazy antics and jealousy, he will do nothing to them. He detested incurring Seiran's wrath on him.

"I heard from my wife, you wished to speak with the Emperor?" Arklight suddenly inquired. "You have the royal token with you, right? Even if that man is cruel and merciless to his son, he will not curb out your existence. You're his flesh and blood, after all. He chooses to place his object of scrutiny in front of his eyes rather than sending them away. If you intend to slip away, he is the first person who will get the whiff of your escapade."

"You mean, he put a tracker on me?" Danial scrunched his nose. He obviously dislikes the way Alexander's treating him. He is not that man's plaything. "Or, did he stalked me?"

"He asked one of his guards to supervise you. Someone of your prestige should realize this. Right now, outside of the house, a man in black clothing is hiding behind the bush, shamelessly eavesdropping on our entire conversation. He relayed any information he deemed important to his employer. Maybe, the person himself already knows that your curse is broken."

"Then, this will smooth out my next impending action. I hate to dilly-dally my task." Danial shrugged his shoulder. He finished the apple juice in one gulp before standing up. "Should I teleport directly on the palace ground?"

"There's a barrier around the palace-"

"Unfortunately, that barrier couldn't restrict me. For someone else, permission is needed to enter the sacred ground of Snowflake Town. However, that rule didn't apply to me." Danial interjected. "I believed Lady Liliane knows the reason. So asked her instead if you want to know anything further."

Duke Arklight put down his fork. He wiped his mouth using the handkerchief beside his empty plate.

"I still required His Majesty's permission to enter, your highness."

Danial groaned. He is making impatient sounds under his breath.

"Just grab my hand, father-in-law. Trust me, there's nothing in this world that could restrain me. I have another matter to attend to tomorrow morning. I wanted to settle this unsolved matter as soon as possible."

Duke Arklight's brows twitched in discomfort. This brat! He and his daughter is still not officially married, and he already had the gut to call me father-in-law? How impudence!

He, without a doubt, is Carina's son. Only that woman dares to provoke him, while the other was afraid to even initiating eye contact with him. Needless to say, like mother, like son.

"Can I follow you guys?" Seiran lifted her hand. Her eyes twinkled in excitement at the thought of touring the palace ground once again. Especially at night! "Please?" She fluttered her thick and long eyelashes adorably. Seiran's directed her puppy eyes at Danial and her father.

Danial intends to reject her request. However, the moment his eyes laid on Seiran, he felt a rush of warm blood on his flushing face. His heart melts instantly. Oh god. He is whipped. He could never say no to those eyes.

Danial pinched his nose. Damn it. Please, my nose. Don't suddenly spurt out blood in front of these gentlemen. He is repudiating his nose. I don't want to embarrass myself!

Duke Arklight rubbed his temples. He didn't have the qualms to reject his beloved daughter's demand. All of Seiran's wishes will be fulfilled instantly.

"Sure." Both of them agreed in a tacit understanding.

"Yes!" Seiran celebrated her momentary victory. She turned to her mother, excitedly chatting with her about the dress she should wear or which hair accessory she needs to put.

--------

Five people in the living room are preparing themselves to teleport to Snowflake Town. Duke Arklight build his mansion on the hillside of the private mountain. While the other love to flaunt themselves around the royal family, Duke Arklight prefers to alienate himself and his family from the center of the turbulence.

He knows the glitch between the prime minister faction and the royal family faction is getting substantial day by day. He refused to put his family through the arduous battle of political power between those two.

Furthermore, the internal fighting between the princes already starting since three years ago. Alexander still hasn't named his heir yet. Those fights tend to get ugly, and it's better to stay farther than the center of the problem.

All the concubines in the Royal Harem Pavilion, including the Imperial Concubine, desperately promoting their sons, brothers, or cousins to the emperor. They are greedily eyeing the seat of the Royal Prince that had been vacant for a long time. The one who should inherit the title is Danial, the son of the Emperor and the Queen. Well, since Danial is deemed unworthy by the emperor himself, those snake-eyes women figured that their sons are capable enough to hold the magnificent title.

Tonight is another exhausting night for the ruler of the kingdom. His dull golden eyes are staring into the horizon, zoned out the chatters of the high-ranking officers around him. He leaned to the throne, hand supporting his chin while the other free hand rested on the armrest. The man is amusedly staring at the heated battle below him, without having the slightest attention to stop those mindless and childish bickering of an old fogey.

His appearance is nothing like Danial's. Danial has silky white hair, which resembled the snow and piercing brown eyes. Alexander's hair is reddish-brown that is well-tamed on his head with a pair of unfathomable golden orbs. His skin is tanned due to being continuously exposed to sunlight, chiseled jawline, and high bridged nose. He is the embodiment of beauty itself, exuding mature and sexy charm everywhere he goes. There are no noticeable wrinkles on his face, even though his age is twice of Danial. His skin is glowing like the skin of young people. His body is as sturdy as the younger him, and he stood at the height of 6 feet and 2 inches.

Alexander sensed a movement at his side when his private guard, who is supposed to supervise Danial, approaching him in silent steps.

"What is it, Carl?" He asked, eyes still looking to the front.

The black-clothed man bowed his head in respect.

"The prince is on the way here, Your Majesty." He informed.

"And? What did he want? He dares to show up in front of these people with his hideous appearance? The palace is barricaded with a barrier. As long as I didn't permit his entrance, he cannot come and see me." Alexander muttered in a lazy tone.

"Unfortunately, no, Your Majesty. This is where you are wrong. The prince's curse had been lifted up, and I dared to say, his magical aptitude surpassing everyone in this royal hall. The barrier will not stop him. I heard these words directly from his mouth. The one who created this barrier is his mother, the late Queen Carina. Her blood flow in the vein of her son. If anything, the barrier will serve nothing other than decoration in front of him, Your Majesty."

Alexander's bottomless orbs gleamed with something dangerous.

"Impressive." He chuckles. "So, is he going to retaliate and repudiating me in front of my retainers?"

"That..."

"Of course not." A deep, baritone voice answered his question. "I merely come here to have a nice chat with Your Majesty. And having a heartfelt conversation between a son and his father. That's all." The towering, mahogany door is pushed open from outside, revealing one lone figure standing in the middle of the pathway.

A taut silence, enough to hear a dropping pin followed after the sudden appearance of the mysterious figure. All the ministers and officers are gaping in surprise at the emergence of this young man. The shock intensifies as the flash of recognition bypassed their eyes. That face! The same thing is brewing in their minds. They admitted the truth in their heart that this young man bears a close resemblance to the late queen. Whether it is his eyes or his hair, his whole person is taking after her. To the point, they are questioning if he is the queen's twin brother or something along the way.

Alexander's heart wavered. His hands gripped the armrest of his throne as his golden eyes flicker with indescribable emotion in them. He saw his late wife's face coincide with Danial's countenance. Carina...

"Who are you?!" Minister Louise recovered from his shock faster than anyone else. "You shouldn't barge into the meeting hall without permission!"

Danial glanced at Louise. He frowned in distaste as those words descend in his mind.

"Well, sorry for interrupting your mindless chatters, sirs. I have an important issue to deliver to the man sitting over there." He replied. "Would you guys mind stopping this useless fighting and come back tomorrow?"

"You...!" Louise's face is flush in anger. Danial's indifferent reply insulted him. Doesn't he recognized who he is?!

"The court dismissed." A more powerful momentum from behind minister Louise cut short the poor man's word as he waved his hand, obviously asking them to leave the premise crudely.

Minister Louise bit his lips, unsatisfied with Alexander's decision. He had a crucial issue to present on the court. And, this young man just interrupts his moment to shine! However, the emperor's order is not a word to be trifle off. Hence, he and the rest of the people slowly dispersing themselves. He glared dagger at the intruder.

Danial didn't bat an eye at him. Not his concern anyway.