The Letter

The 5th prince and the young duke successfully reclaim the throne. Just as he was so happy for his victory, he was excited to bring the news to his 2nd brother and request for his return to be the Emperor. He was planning to renounce his claim to the throne. While he was ordering to dispose the body, another messenger from the battlefield arrives.

"Your highness, a letter"

"Read it loud, I'm busy", he was still lifting a body helping a knight.

"The empire won against the western kingdom"

As expected from my brother.

"But the 2nd prince didn't make it, his wound was infected and on his final moments, I received his will."

*THUD

Iranus dropped the body and just stand right where he is. No this can't be! He wanted to scream but there's no words coming out from his mouth.

Everyone in the hall went down to their knees, when the people outside the hall saw what's happening, they also kneel. From the hall to the citizens in the Capital, all of them kneel upon seeing the sequence.

"LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR!"

The voices echoed until everyone follow the chant.

The 5th prince Iranus became the Emperor and the young duke after 3 more years became the official Duke and hasn't been coming to the Capital ever since. The Duke just banished like nothing happened, everyone thought that the Duke didn't support the Emperor. Everyone was shocked by the news that the Duke got married and then followed by announcing the birth of his heir.

Those young masters who helped the princes on the battlefield became the pillar of the Empire.

The Duchy of Evaqar- Economy

The Duchy of Edreadell- Education

The Duchy of Ibriqar- Weaponry

While the Duchy of Vezgaraux remain silent and was only isolated in the northern border.

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PRESENT DAY

"This is a letter from the Emperor itself, your Grace!", said the messenger.

The Duke stopped writing and was puzzled. They agreed not to write letter to each other so that no one will detect that he's on his side. What is it this time? An emergency maybe?

He read the letter and crumpled it.

"WHAT AM I? A BABY SITTER?"

"YOUR GRACE! THE CROWN PRINCE ---*huff* *huff* THE CROWN PRINCE ARRIVED!", a second servant arrives.

WHAT?

Wait, when did this letter sent? He review the content of the letter and found the date. This was 4 days ago! Then why?

The door suddenly opened.

"I arrived early right? Same day as the letter. Well, I followed that dumb messenger and found out about your secret passage."

The duke just froze.

"I can behead the messenger for you. He's being negligent, your secret passage has been exposed."

The messenger who was just standing was now trembling in fear.

"Don't worry Duke, I was alone. My knights followed the usual shortcut."

"Just because you are the Crown Prince, doesn't mean you can come into my office freely. You should respect your Elder and I'm sure you knew I'm an ally and the Hidden Pillar. If you want my help, shut your mouth trap and don't go around killing. You're in my premises."

"Let me remind you, I am your father's ally. Not yours."

The duke seriously warn the Crown Prince. The room suddenly filled with dark aura that the messenger and the second servant wanted to vomit from the intense confrontation.

"My servant will prepare a room for you to stay, and a field for your knights to camp. Until then, behave your ass. Your father let me in charge of your well-being"

huh?

"Yes, your father just basically ask me to babysit you."

The Duke leave his office and instructed his servants on what to do.

Titus smirked upon remembering the statue in the temple. He really hated the Capital because of his statue. He still look young compare to those nobles who has the same age as him in the Capital. Black hair, pale-skin and their dress looks oriental but the Duchy's castle has the same interior in the empire.

He was bored and decided to take a walk before dinner. He just walked around and giving himself a self-tour in the unknown place. The Duke's place is really cold but beautiful. There are a lot of beautiful flowers that only live in the Duchy. The flowers, trees and landscapes were carefully planned.

"The Duchess is very meticulous huh"

The entire Capital hasn't seen the lucky Duchess who manage to stole the beautiful Duke. Even the Emperor doesn't know about it. So Titus, guessed that the Duke married a lady from a ruined house.

While enjoying the cold breeze, he came across a greenhouse. He was curious about the rare flowers that the Duchy can offer, and so he went inside. He was indeed right, these are all bioluminescent flowers it was beautiful that it looks like the greenhouse is from another realm. While carefully wandering the greenhouse, he heard something.

*Brsshh

The sound of the leaves

*SHING

He turned around and swung his sword.

A woman?

"SHOW YOURSELF"

The woman stepped into the moonlight and the bioluminescent flowers added more light. Thus, the Crown Prince can see her face clearly.