After calming herself, Gale regained her composure. She stood still a few steps away from the Crown Prince's chamber to guard, as what the original Cedar would do.

Half an hour later, the door creaked as it revealed Alexander's figure.

Gale became speechless for a moment. The frivolous lecher prince had turned into an honorable royalty in such a short span of time!

The purple cloth gilded with the golden phoenix emblem of the Yv empire truly looks exquisite. However, she knew that it wasn't an effect gained from wearing the glorious imperial clothes.

It also had something to do with his demeanor. Somehow, an air of royalty and elegance is emanating from him, far from his playful figure earlier.

Alexander's gaze met Gale's. Well, technically, it was Cedar's. The prince's eyes flashed an unknown emotion and his lips subtly raised as he walked past his knight.

Gale placed her right hand atop her chest near the heart, giving a light bow. Then she followed the Prince's footsteps along with the palace's attendants.

"Cedar…" While walking beside him, the butler in charge of the Prince called.

It was Roki Steinheim. He was in his late 40's but still looked young, with a muscular built and a scar over his left eye, extending to his jaw. Truth be told, his image was more fitted for a frontline warrior than a butler.

"I heard that Viscount Ignis is at the palace." He said.

Hearing that name, Cedar's body trembled on its own. Frozen on the spot he's standing in, his heart thumped hard.

'W-what the heck?' Gale was surprised as well. Because she had Cedar's memories, all his thoughts, experiences, and feelings were like her own. That's why, when she heard the name of Cedar's eldest brother, the anger within almost burst out.

Gale couldn't help but be angry as well because of Cedar's memories. The poor kid got bullied within the Nightingale household.

Whenever the General was on the battlefield, they would torment him. And it wasn't only verbal abuse but they also hurt him physically. Making the young Cedar a timid and fearful child.

Also, Ignis gave him a trauma that caused his body to freeze every time he hears something about his brother.

The events that took place twelve years ago was still fresh as if it happened yesterday.

When General Wolfe died, Cedar got abducted by a group of bandits. Back then, Cedar was eighth and Ignis was 17.

When the young Cedar saw that his eldest brother came, he thought that he's going to be saved. After all, they were half-brothers.

However, his hopes crumbled down when Ignis mocked him.

"What? You expect me to save you?" Ignis held Cedar's chin up with the tip of his enclosed sword. "Why would I save a garbage like you when I was the one who wants you dead?" His eldest brother sneered at him.

Then, with a bright smile, Ignis unsheathed his weapon, pointing it to the young boy's neck.

"No! Brother… why?" Cedar's voice broke in extreme fright and tears began to flow.

"Because you're an eyesore?" Ignis replied nonchalantly. He ever so slightly traced his sword from the neck down to Cedar's shoulders. Blood trailed the sword's tip and the boy gritted his teeth in pain.

Unfortunately, Cedar's misery didn't stop with only that.

Ignis Nightingale might appear as a studious and upright scholar. But behind this mask resides a cruel and twisted personality. He inflicted countless wounds on Cedar's body using different blades. He also used several kinds of torture while listening to his brother's cries of agony in delight.

It was only after a few days when Cedar lost his will to live and didn't react to anything. Finally, the bemused Ignis told his men to kill Cedar. After that, they dumped the boy inside the beast forest to become monsters' food.

Thankfully, Cedar's body held on. And the 12-year-old Crown Prince found his almost lifeless body by chance.

Alexander immediately held out his potion and let Cedar have it. Golden Dew is a pill known for its fast body restoration and healing ability. However, its use was only meant for people with direct blood ties with the King.

The ingredients for that potion wasn't only expensive, but also hard to get. And its main ingredients are the core of four high-ranked magical beasts.

Yet, the prince didn't hesitate to use it for a stranger even if he might have a need for it in his hunting exercises.

A few days after that incident, news about the last son of General Wolfe Nightingale circulated the town.

It was said that the young noble left and was nowhere to be found, worrying the household. They even issued a search for Cedar.

It was a hypocritical move to wash hands, indeed.

However, the Crown Prince seems to know something. Even though the kid hadn't said anything, Alexander denied the request for Cedar's return to the Nightingales. He insisted that since he saved the child with the Golden Dew, Cedar must now serve the Crown Prince.

At that time, the nobilities only saw it as the Prince's selfishness and greed. And just like that, after Alexander took the role of a bad guy, the issue died down.

Five years later, Cedar was able to sever ties with the Nightingales when he gained Knighthood at the young age of 13. He left his family name and gained the honorary title of a baronet.

It was only an honorary title that's why he didn't have his own territory. Besides that, he never wanted to have lands in the first place.

"Does it really matter if that clown was here?" Prince's Alexander's voice rang out, waking Cedar from a trance.

Right. He was stronger now than he was back then. Besides that, the Prince had always protected Cedar from Ignis' clutches.

Watching the Prince's back as he walked gracefully, Gale suddenly felt that this monarch is definitely a reliable person.

She also knew that Cedar had always wanted to be able to face Ignis.

'I promise you. I will break the shackles that asshole gave you.' Gale promised to Cedar. 'Your hatred and vengeance are mine. After all, you and I are the same person now. Leave everything to this big sister.'

Clearing her mind, Gale beamed at the Prince and stepped forward again. "It doesn't." she answered. "If by any chance that I meet Ignis, I will definitely greet that bastard with my deadliest smile."

Roki also looked delighted and followed along. "Well, that's a relief."

…

"Does this mean that some nobles are plotting against you, father?" Alexander asked the man before him while they were eating.

Seated in the middle of the long table was the Emperor of the Yv Empire, Kraveil Yv. A large man resembling an immovable mountain. He has a magnanimous yet fierce aura of a true monarch, who can easily make anyone tremble.

His looks are also of top quality, as expected from Alexander's father. He has a wavy shoulder-length victorian pewter hair which made his aquamarine eyes stand out in addition to the stubbles on his face that adds a certain charisma.

Emperor Kraveil nodded as he placed a small piece of steak in his mouth, carefully chewing it as if the topic was something trivial. "They've planted spies within the castle, so it seems."

"Wha-? Already?"

"Yeah. Konoki had already confirmed it." Kraveil answered with a bored look on his face.

"What are you going to do then?"

"Nothing." His Imperial Majesty smirked and sliced the meat with ease. "For now, that is."

As if reading his father's intention, Alexander chuckled softly. "Planning to scoop everything at once? Aren't you afraid that your net might snap, Your Imperial Majesty?"

"That's why you're there, my dearest Crown Prince." The King grinned at his son.

They stared at each other with an amused look for quite a while.

Then both father and son cracked up.

"Hahahahaha!!!" Frenzied laughter filled the large dining hall.

Watching this weird scene, Gale didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

'I didn't get associated with twisted villains, did I?'

…

"That damn old geezer!" The Prince cursed when they reached his study.

Gale just looked at him blankly, not knowing what was it all about.

"Is there something wrong?" she inquired. "Aren't you laughing your ass off with His Majesty just now?"

"Just so you know, that old man had pushed the work on me." He groaned and slouched in his chair.

Cedar got confused even more. "Huh? Didn't the emperor said that he won't do anything?"

"He won't do anything because I was the one who's gonna do all the work. Tsk… that lazy bum." The Prince mumbled. "I had to deal with those backscratchers in his place. This is really troublesome. I won't even have the time to have a good time!"

Observing Alexander's expression, Gale couldn't help but ask.

"But your highness…"

"What?"

"Why are you smiling?"