Chapter 2: Unexpected News Part 2

A few hours later, in the Royal Castle...

Ren entered the audience chamber with cautious steps. In the center of the room, his two older brothers, Ichirou and Tatsuya, were conversing in low voices. The moment they saw him, Tatsuya, the second prince, clicked his tongue impatiently.

"Finally," he snapped, his brow furrowed.

Ren instinctively lowered his head, feeling the tension in the air.

"My apologies for the delay, brother," he said quietly. His trembling tone betrayed him.

For years, he had faced the scorn of Ichirou and Tatsuya. As sons of the empress, they considered themselves the only legitimate heirs, while Ren, born to a commoner mother, was never anything more than a nuisance to them.

Ichirou, the first prince, regarded him with his usual cold disdain.

"Shut up," he ordered sharply.

A shiver ran down Ren's spine.

"Yes..." he whispered faintly.

Before the silence could grow more uncomfortable, the grand doors of the chamber swung open. All three straightened their postures as Emperor Louvel Dussier appeared. His presence was commanding despite the visible fatigue on his face. He walked to his throne and took a seat.

"Silence," he commanded firmly.

The room fell into absolute stillness. The emperor cleared his throat and announced solemnly:

"Starting tomorrow, I will begin deciding who will be my heir. I will evaluate your abilities and choose the most suitable one."

Ichirou and Tatsuya's faces lit up with victorious smiles, as if the succession were already secured. Ren, however, felt a knot of uncertainty and fear tighten in his chest. He knew that his brothers would do anything to ensure he didn't even have a chance.

"That is all. You may leave."

The three brothers bowed before exiting the chamber. Ren barely had time to react when a shove slammed him against the wall.

"Don't even think about participating, scum," Ichirou spat, his voice as cold as ever.

"You'll be discarded before you can do anything," Tatsuya added with a cruel smirk.

Ren stood frozen, unable to respond. Fear paralyzed him.

Then, a firm voice cut through the hallway.

"Prince-sama, you have an engagement later. I'll take you there now."

Ren looked up and saw Ashiya, his butler, observing the scene with furrowed brows. His polite tone did little to hide his displeasure with the situation.

Seizing the opportunity, Ren nodded weakly and stepped away from his brothers, walking alongside Ashiya with shaky legs.

Back In Ren's room...

The moment the door closed behind them, Ren collapsed to the floor, no longer able to bear the weight of the tension.

"I was so scared..." he whispered between sobs, trying to wipe his tears with his sleeves.

Ashiya watched the scene in silence. As a member of the Yamamoto family, trained since childhood to serve royalty, seeing a prince cry was unsettling. After a moment of hesitation, he approached and, with an unexpectedly gentle gesture, placed a hand on Ren's head.

"It's over now. Everything is fine."

Ren tensed at the touch, but the warmth of Ashiya's palm gradually calmed him. He wiped his face with more determination and stood to sit at his desk.

"What will you do about the heir matter?" Ashiya asked, assuming Ren would rather distance himself from the competition than face his ruthless brothers.

Ren's gaze hardened before he replied firmly:

"I'll participate."

Ashiya raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"Can I ask why?"

The prince clasped his hands in his lap before speaking in a lower tone:

"I can't let my brothers control the Empire… They're not good."

He paused before continuing, his voice heavy with concern.

"I recently discovered they've made a contract with the Demon Kingdom. If they inherit the throne, the Dussier Empire will be in danger. Unfortunately, I don't have proof to show yet…"

Ashiya frowned.

"The Demon Kingdom? This is serious. How is it possible no one knows?"

"They have almost all the nobles and the military on their side. They've surely silenced anyone who uncovered the truth…"

Ren sighed, feeling more alone than ever.

"I don't know who to trust. I suspect everyone in this castle is on their side."

Ashiya observed him in silence for a moment. Finally, he crossed his arms and spoke with unusual gravity:

"You don't have to worry, Ren. I'll never be on your brothers' side."

His tone was firm, but his eyes reflected something deeper.

Ren blinked, surprised by his certainty, but couldn't respond before noticing Ashiya's expression shift slightly. His gaze drifted into the void, as if buried memories were rising from the shadows of his mind.

Several years earlier…