In the morning of the next day, Ray, who was wrapped in a green silk blanket —that combined with his charm made him look like a huge alien slug— was carefully carried by Blond to the palace's main hall.

The main hall was different from the one where the appraisal ceremony was conducted before, as it was three times bigger with a central throne for the duke to sit on! It was a place built for political events and hearings.

The knight, Alvar slowly guided them through the palace’s corridors until they reached the heavily guarded steel studded door where he just gestured them to go inside and then stood with the other guards outside.

Taking a deep breath and stepping inside, Blond was quickly guided by one of the butlers to carry Ray and stand to one side where a total of 11 legitimate princes were supposed to wait. There were only 6 of them standing, and Ray was the 12th and the last to arrive.

This was the first time Ray saw his brothers who didn’t even care to look at him expert for one who shot him a disgusted look and looked away… The others who were dressed in exquisite and scholarly fashions treated him as if he didn’t exist.

Ray could only sigh, he learned many things during the last couple of weeks.

His father, despite having many children, only 13 were legitimate. Born of the five main wives.

Of the legitimate princes, only two were Ray’s brothers from his mother, and the one who glared at him earlier was the only one of them here, his name was Lance and he was 9 years older than Ray.

The other brother who should be 12 years old went missing a year ago when he went to the magic academy and was ambushed on the way.
Apparently, they used some type of skill to make sure that he was still alive, but they couldn’t locate him.
Ever since then, the duke took great care to pamper Penelope as a form of apology.

The other 10 legitimate princes were the sons of the main and the other wives. Their ages ranged from 7 to 16 years old.

The oldest, Talos, who was 16, was unofficially the designated duke’s successor and was at the moment standing heroically with his nose up nearly reaching the ceiling, imagining as if all of the girls in the crowd who came to witness the ceremony were touching themselves thinking about him… His mother told him that he will get some very important titles today, cementing his position as the heir!

Well, he was mistaken. Firstly, all the pretty girls around the entire kingdom had only one thought in mind. How to become concubines for the emperor! They are waiting for his identity to be confirmed to throw themselves at him!
Secondly, Ray, who exhausted himself using his powers to eavesdrop on everyone yesterday, already knew what his stepmother schemed, and he was not going to make it pass!

So poor Talos was out of luck…

Regardless.

On the other side of the hall, the duke's Wives and daughters were waiting. Lady Penelope who seemed a little bit better was there, sitting beside a very snobby woman whom Ray recognized as Lady Agatha. The duke’s main wife.

Behind those sat many spectators who were invited to witness this event, among them were the Duke’s brothers, his untitled uncles, their wives, and some of their children… Behind them sat dignitaries from the other lower noble families, friends, and rich people who managed to secure an invitation by bribing the right person. Everyone here was waiting for a chance!

Finally, on the back seats of the hall, Norman’s other bastard offspring were waiting. They didn’t have a right to participate in this ritual, but that didn’t mean they were out of luck.

Not only this was their chance now to gain favor with one of the heirs. There is a tiny chance for them to inherit some title… A very tiny one but it existed…

“Ehm…” Duke Norman cleared his throat and looked at the custodian who was sent to oversee the ceremony. “Shall we begin?”

The custodian nodded, making sure to glance at every one of the duke’s offspring, especially Ray, whose booger almost reached his mouth because his blond maid was too busy winking at men and trying to appear charming to care for him.… Yeah… This disgusting baby can’t be the emperor… the custodian told himself. They have been secretly keeping track of every baby that was born in the past month. Double-checking everyone.

“Ehm…” the duke cleared his throat. “In the last campaign, the Golden Kingdom’s army managed to not only repel the barbarians… We have gained a lot of new fertile lands full of opportunities and treasures. Of those the king has graciously chosen to give this seat a part of it as a reward for my accomplishment in the war!” Norman said, making his brothers grind their teeth angrily. It was clear Norman was bragging and rubbing it in their faces.

“Now… Due to me having too many honors,” he smiled, bragging again. “According to the Imperial law, those newly established titles must be distributed between my legitimate male offspring!”

“Step forward!” one steward said, making the 11 legitimate heirs take one step forward, followed by Blond who was carrying Ray and feeling frustrated that no one was looking at her the way she wanted.

“As customary in this ceremony… I will have to ask you... Will any of you choose to withdraw in exchange for a landless Baron title... In the lottery later, there would be a black card if you get it, you would not get a title at alL!" the duke stated. Those are the rules, as there always must be a risk.

No one retreated.

"Good... Then, first of all, according to the imperial protocol, we will take this chance if any of those who attend this ceremony wants to take a chance to plead an alliance or present a gift…” Norman said, looking at the attendees.

This was a customary practice in this world. Whenever there's an inheritance event like this one, before the ceremony starts, those who attend may choose to tie themselves to any of the heirs becoming their vassals if the nobleman chooses.

In fact, this was one of a few shortcuts to get the right to become a vassal and acquire a minor title quickly as it was proof of loyalty of some sort…

Without taking such a chance, the appointment of a vassal would require the approval of the nobleman’s lord or the king. And the usual way would require years of service and many accomplishments.

Still, it is a risk. If the chosen heir didn’t get any titles, they would be struck serving him for life.

“I will take this chance to pledge my allegiance to Lord Talos!” One rich merchant hurried and said taking a card and presenting it forward where a steward hurried to put it in a basket. This card contained not only the man’s pledge but also a list of his skill cards as appraised by the custodians.
“I also pledge my allegiance to Lord Talos!” another seventh son of a nobleman said doing the same. His father left him without a title, and now, he was pinning his hope on Talos. He heard the rumors, and he knew how to choose.
“I pledge my daughter to Lord Talos!” a nobleman said, pushing a shy teenage girl, making a steward hurry to take her fingerprint and the card containing her credentials before retreating. From now on she was Talos’s property and she would have to go to him when he called for her.
“I pledge my allegiance to Lord Talos!”
“I pledge allegiance to Lord Ronald!” a thin man said, choosing another heir.
“I pledge my son to Lord Talos!” another man from a fallen noble family said, forcing his 9 years old son to be a squire… The boy seemed reluctant. His father can nominate him, but the final choice was his.
The boy hesitated as the steward approach him to collect his fingerprint, but after glancing at his father’s threatening eyes, he chose to surrender, sealing his fate.
“I pledge my allegiance to Lord Talos!”

“I pledge my allegiance to Lord Talos!”
“I pledge my allegiance to Lord Klaus!”
“I pledge my allegiance to Lord Talos!”
…
..
.

Quickly many noblemen and attendees began to pledge their allegiance.

While the heirs technically could refuse the allegiance of anyone they didn’t like, no one did that, so the stewards just hurried to collect the pledges.

Most of those were from people who chose Talos, while others who fancied themselves smart, chose the other heirs, betting that they would strike gold if any of those heirs were to be chosen.
Little did they know that they were betting on a rigged game.
Ray, who no one even remembered, watched the show angrily… Well, it is not like he cared... Not at all... Once he regained his throne he would show those ungrateful…

“I pledge myself to. To young prince Ray…” a little girl suddenly said as she stepped forward presenting a card and interrupting baby Ray’s planning, making him look at her with all of the others in the hall.

She was an extremely pretty girl, looking about 12 to 13 years old, dressed in a dress that, despite looking fancy, didn’t fit her age. It just made her look 10 times cuter!

All the princes were a little awestruck, especially the pervert second prince couldn’t help but swallow his saliva at her sight... She was that pretty.

“Nikita, stop messing around!” a man, who was standing in the back, shouted but the girl ignored him and lifted the card in her hand toward the steward, who in turn awkwardly looked at Duke Norman.

“My lord… The girl is being unreasonable….” the man who seemed to be the girl’s father tried to go forward but was stopped by a signal from the duke who looked at the girl.

“Is the girl a slave?” the duke asked.

He knew the man, he was a nouveau riche merchant in the city. He had been trying to get an audition lately to try to hug the duke’s thigh after facing some difficulties. Too bad Norman was too busy to accommodate him.

“No my lord, she is my daughter…. but…” the man began to speak but was silenced by one of the guards.

“Girl… Do you know what it means to offer yourself?” Norman directly asked. A girl choosing to offer herself was very rare, but not unheard of. Norman could easily tell that the girl’s father wanted to marry her to someone else, but she wasn’t willing, so she used this chance to choose the ugly baby as her shield.

“Once we take your fingerprint, you will have no choice but to become Ray’s property… You are not from a noble family, so there is no way for you to guarantee a concubine position, It will be up to Ray when he grows up!” Norman kindly reminded her.

“But my lord…” the girl’s father wanted to interject but was stopped. He had no right to intervene in this the moment the girl spoke. If he wanted to control her, he shouldn't have brought her here.

“I am willing…” the girl said, biting her little lip as she looked at Ray who was also inspecting her from head to toe.

The girl was obviously a very smart cookie and she was probably planning something, why else would she choose him…. Bring It On!
“My lord… I think it is a little inappropriate for this girl to choose Ray… ” someone suddenly said. It was one of Ray’s stepmothers, seemingly acting on command from Lady Agatha who didn’t want to dirty her hands.

“Why?” Norman frowned and asked.

“I think little Ray must have the choice to accept or refuse… “ she said, making a point. “Isn’t that the law?” the woman asked. What she truly wanted to say was that the girl was simply too pretty. It would be a shame to grant her to the ugly baby.

“As his mother, I will accept her in his place… I think this works… ” Ray's mother Penelope suddenly said, looking at the Custodian who nodded, making her sigh in relief. She was not sure.

“Then it is settled…” Norman said making the steward quickly take the girl’s card and fingerprint before the pledging ceremony continued.

“Come here , child…'' Penelope suddenly told Nikita who hesitated then headed toward Penelope who seemed to be a little interested in her.

Ray casually listened to their conversation for a bit then lost interest. His mother was probably planning to raise the girl as a bride for him.

Whatever…

He just sighed as continued to watch the pledging ceremony that was nearing its end when the stewards brought packs of cards from outside and began to hand them to distribute them between the princes. Those cards contained pledges of the people who couldn’t enter the palace.
They hoped that the princes might fancy some of them and hire them even as guards or servants.

Ray sighed. He didn’t get any, and Talos got the most as expected.

He shook his little head and began to monitor the Custodian and the servants around the room, waiting for them to play their game so that he could manipulate the results!

He watched as one steward slowly approached the duke and whispered something in his ear making Norman open his mouth wide in shock as he looked at the Girl and then at Ray.

Ray, who heard everything, also had to open his mouth wide, drooling all over Blond’s hand.

Nikita was brought here by her father was in fact 16 years old, and was not here to be presented to any of the princes, but to be betrothed to Duke Norman as a concubine!

Little Ray may have just cucked his own father!