The Prince of Maiveil kingdom Lykos gazes up at the ceiling, a tense look on his face. He could feel his heart swelling from nervousness. It's so powerful that he's not able to notice the worried looks of his five lieges behind me. Then a woman steps a foot forward with a smile on her face.

"Your brother looks decent than what you portray him to be, Aldrich"

Aldrich rolls his eyes to the side.

"But what I don't understand was how an innocent-looking guy like him would be considered strong? A prestigious person like the Saintess wouldn't obviously pick someone frail. Hm..." She held her chin while in contemplation.

"Don't bother him, Sabine."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The woman named Sabine sticks her tongue out to Aldrich. She's the first daughter of Elric Nerester, the Arch-Duke and the now current Chancellor of the Maiveil kingdom, or the right-hand man of the king after the eldest son took over. Sabine Nerester is a known woman for her ludicrous antics and her annoying spoiled personality. Yet, many men drool over her beauty. Bright brown curly hair that reaches below her waist, beautiful emerald eyes, and adorable face. The future queen of the Maiveil kingdom.

"Aldrich."

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"In your words, you said you had reconciled with your brother. However, from how I see it, it's far from what you said. Are you lying to me now?"

"Forgive me..."

"It's not like I expect it to be true. A grudge is still a grudge." Prince Lykos rest his leg over the other one.

"This is why I hate the Belmont family to the core. Acting superior, yet no bark once confronted." Sabine said outrightly.

Her words struck Aldrich to his heart like a sore thumb. However, he's helpless as he's in front of the Prince and the woman was his fiancee. In the end, he could only accept those words to his heart and kept his mouth shut. The sheer humiliation that Aldrich received was not something he used to have back on his family. On his head, there's only one person responsible for this, it was his little brother Claude. The anger that he's been bottling up for the year of humiliation from the people tramping on him, a genius of the Belmont Family.

"Why out of all people him? The spirit of the White Dragon is around the corner, a household spirit of the Belmont Family. Funny enough, a kid that came out of nowhere suddenly pops up with the spirit inside of him. Centuries had passed ever since our kingdom witnessed the glory of the white dragon. And here we are, getting the exiled little brother over the distinguished spirit that we seek all these years." A man sat on the spot where Claude sat on previously, also sipping on the cup of Claude. "Yeah, this is bland. Why is this served? This is disgusting. No wonder his face made that expression earlier. No words can describe how awful this is."

The man sitting was the second son of the Borgia Family, Enzo Borgia. A well-esteemed man that's known for his charismatic and gentle personality. His father was a previous prince of the previous generation, a brother of the current king. In the noble circle, Enzo Borgia is viewed as this laidback person who doesn't show interest in inheriting the title of his family or a coward who doesn't want to compete against his elder brother, either way, no one knows what goes through his mind. Because yet here he is, becoming an established person with the help of the First Crown Prince in preparation for his future. 

"Instead of getting our hands on what's respectively ours, to begin with, yet you chose the disciple of the Saintess?" Enzo said as he put the teacup back on the table.

"Did you guys read his information?"

"Dark purple flames are brighter than any flames. Sharp unbreakable weird-shaped spears that he summons. On top of that, chains which is an unusual weapon to use. In short, a weird fella."

"Correct. But remember, he's manaless."

Enzo fell into silence, contemplating the words of Prince Lykos. "Perhaps the Belmont Family did a mistake?" He glances at the standing Albert not far away from him.

"They may have. We have no way of knowing unless Albert is willing to tell us about their internal affairs. Right, Albert?"

Albert cast his gaze down.

"In one way or the another, we shall respect the Belmont family's private affairs as their the pillar that founded our great kingdom. The fact still remains. He has the capabilities and potential to be the Saintess disciple." Prince Lykos gives them his usual gentle smile.

Then he continues. "Most of us, felt the same upon seeing him in person. A new feeling of mystery roused our curiosity. He's standing in front of us. Our eyes can see him... We can smell... All our physical senses can sense him, yet why does it feel like he doesn't exist? He's there, but not there at the same time. Like our own eyes were deceiving ourselves." 

"... Like an outer shell but without anything inside," Sabine remarked.

"Indeed. That's why I'm having a hard time adjusting in front of him earlier because my spirit is also not fond of the feeling. I can't even meet him in the eye. We're so naive of the things he can do."

The entire room fell into contemplation. Aldrich was absolutely dumbfounded upon realizing it because it all makes sense when he encountered Claude the first time. A creepy feeling envelop his chest at that time, but his anger overtook that mysterious rousing emotion.

"Nonetheless, he's a sought-after prospect. As you all may have known, he's surrounded by talented, strong people."

"The dragon princess, the elven princess, and his master. God, he's pissing me off. Why is he surrounded by them?" The man at far back spoke out of his exasperation.

"You forgot someone. Adelle Fabien, the black-haired woman that's been seen flirting with him." 

"Fuuck!"

"Watch your words, Reos."

"Oh, my apologies, Your Highness."

Reos Broderick, the first son of the current head of the Marquees family, Arfon Broderick. A known knight family, above the Belmont family and the Kramer Family. Throughout history, the Broderick Family is the most successful in terms of producing talented young knights or one of the backbones of the Maiveil kingdom—after the Belmont and Kramer family started going downhill.

"What about her, You Highness?" Sabine asked, not because of her curiosity, but because of her jealousy whenever Prince Lykos spoke a woman's name out of his mouth.

"She came from the northern continent. From what I've gathered, she's also a reputable swordsman across other kingdoms. Adding Stephanie Hart, the illegitimate child from the Kramer Family that's known for her tyrannical way of leadership in dungeons. All the people around Claude are strong respectively in their own ways. Last year, I did ask someone to try and recruit her, but she rejected it. She didn't specify the reason." Prince Lysok takes a sip of his still yet unfinished tea.

"Wouldn't he be our ideal person to add? If we manage to bring him over. I'm certain the others will follow." Prince Lysok smiles at them.

"However, Your Highness, that seems..."

"Careless of a decision, Lise?"

Lise Heinford is the prominent genius among all her peers in terms of academics and alchemy. Daughter of previously passed Duke Gard Heinford, her father was the Strategist on a previous war that took place thirty years ago, before taking the position of the Duke.

She's also the pinnacle of beauty in the Maiveil kingdom, like Lily she's an eye-catching woman that would make any man drool over. In terms of beauty, she's far ahead of Sabine and causing her a lot of problems because of it, specifically because of Sabine. Right now, she's conflicted about a certain man. For the first time in Lise's life, a man ignores her completely as if she treats her existence like air. Does she feel disappointed? No.

"Yes, Your Highness. According to other professors, they're not fond of the idea of him being here. Please don't misunderstand, but we're not certain about this fellow."

"Why would the academy accept him then? They're merely views of the professors because of fear of the unknown. Since the very foundation of this school, no massive calamity has ever befall here. If he were, I don't see the point of the Saintess keeping him unless she sees something on him. My father, the king, once told me that the Saintess values a person by their worthiness. Logically, I'll trust my father, don't you think so?"

"Y-Yes, Your Highness."

"I'm glad you understand it. And now, we can't afford to get him over to our side because of the draconian princess."

"Are they that frightening to deal with? I'm not familiar with their race, other than those bedtime stories." Enzo asked.

"Hm... We have dealt three or five of them in the past and won; however, in this case, she's a dragon royalty which involves the dragon kingdom, unlike those rogue dragons in the past. And lately, there were some rumors about her planning to build a faction."

"Wait, isn't that a problem then?" Sabine asked.

Prince Lykos chuckles. "Certainly. We hate more competitions. But let her be. The Dragon Kingdom hasn't messed with us beings below them and it's idiotic to start some pity war against her."

"Hm... Kingdom, huh? I don't know their number, but approximately a thousand of them would be... World destruction... Oh, god..." Reos remarked.

"For us, she's like this woman with horns, not different from the people we often see. However, in her eyes, we're nothing but rubbish or dirt. Look at earlier, we're completely oblivious that she's snooping around to the conversation without getting detected by us. On our own territory, protected by several layers of magic yet none of it detected her."

The four went into contemplation and realizes the horror that the dragon princess could bring to them. While that's happening, Prince Lykos' gaze went to Aldrich standing on the corner.

He approaches him and whispers with a cold gaze. "Aldrich. You understand the words that I'm saying, right? If you want revenge. I won't ever help you nor have the thoughts to do so. If my name was ever caught with your shenanigans. I won't hesitate to kill you if you're planning to bring misfortune in here. Take my words seriously because everything I do is for the kingdom and for yours as well."

Aldrich felt a cold shiver down his spine. He grits his teeth and responded firmly. "Yes, I understand, Your Highness."

"Good to know. That's the answer that I want to hear. Keep living up to your family's expectations, okay?" Prince Lykos gave him a cold smile.

Aldrich lowers his head. "I understand."

"For the kingdom. Tell it to me."

"Yes. For the kingdom."