Two hands opened large oak double door, and golden-haired young man stepped onto the royal palace’s grounds.

It was already evening, the part of it where the last rays of sun slowly were replaced with the moon’s faint light. But despite that, the palace was still bustling: servants rushed back and forth completing today’s work, knights and guards watched over the safety of the royal family, and the remaining noble guests leisurely strolled in the gardens, discussing the week’s freshest rumors.

Valerian exchanged a few curt greetings with the people he walked into, but as quickly as he said greetings with radiant smile and impeccable manners, the crown prince would also disappear, sometimes not even listening to the other party’s returning courtesy.

When the little sovereign entered their view, the palace guards opened the doors for him, and the prince swiftly flew inside the palace.

“Lady Richar.” Valerian called out to an old woman in maid uniform.

“Prepare my bed. Light meal, inside.” He said on the move, brushing past her, without waiting even for a second for the old head maid to even acknowledge his return.

The servants and the nobles alike stepped out of his way as the prince walked towards his study. A brief exchange of glances, a curt nod, a light wave of hand, these were his only answers to the countless words of greetings. The only time when Valerian slowed his steps down when an aide rushed to his side with some papers.

“Here, here, and here.” The servant swiftly pointed out the places where the crown prince’s signatures were needed. And the second the pen left the paper, both the prince and the aide resumed walking to their destinations.

Finally, the prince’s tour de palace finished in front of an exquisitely decorated door. But Valerian hesitated to enter, raising his eyebrow at an unusual amount of knights outside the study.

His vigor faded, but there was no choice but to continue. The prince stepped forth, and moments before the young man walked into the door itself, a knight’s hand pulled the handle and opened the door for Valerian.

And inside he saw the one who he expected to see the least.

“To what do I owe such a… ‘rare’ visit…?

Oh, Brother of mine.” Valerian gazed at the gold-haired man who sat at his desk and melancholically gazed at a candle.

For a few moments the other prince continued observing the candle, but he reluctantly shifted his gaze at Valerian.

“Val, are you perhaps not happy to see me?” The man lightly smiled.

“I almost forgot how your face looks like, Antonian. Could it be your workshop ran out of candles and ink?” Valerian chuckled.

“Ah, what an ungrateful brat you are…” The man feigned disappointment. Though in comparison with his elder brother’s charade, the disappointment Valerian felt was too real to hide.

“It looks like Your Highness returned from your rest? Are you not too early?” The room, to his greatest regret, contained not one and not two people, but whole three at this point.

“Duke…” Valerian’s face grimaced, as he acknowledged the curtsy. Antonian chuckled at the crown prince’s face, and spoke.

“Enough you two, let us get to the business.

Valerian, you see, Father called for me today.” (A)

“I see. Was your expertise necessary, perhaps?”

“Indeed. The king required me this time.

The usual, the classified.” The golden-haired man’s soft smile then changed into grim expression. Valerian gulped.

This expression of the First prince, his revered older brother, meant only one thing: he shall be speaking not as his brother, but as the king’s subject. A meticulous one at that.

“Clause 7, Item 17. Regia Lege est de actibus de Semine Regio Filii.

‘All contributions of the Royal Sons and Daughters that are conducted outside of the permission of the Patriarch are to be conducted with full awareness of their status as the Royal Family, and conducted with careful consideration of the loss and benefits of the Family, the Patriarch, and the Country.

No activity that is outside the scope of their responsibilities may be conducted without the Patriarch’s clear and explicit permission. Unless such permission cannot be received in time, as the decision needs to be taken on the spot.’

Crown Prince Valerian, the Patriarch, His Majesty the king, has denounced your activities that violate the Royal Law. Do you plead guilty?” Antonian’s eyes gazed coldly, as if they were trying to see through the skin, heart, and soul.

“May I know what required the expertise from you…?” Valerian mumbled, as shivers ran down his spine.

“Your investigation into the activities conducted between the subjects of His Majesty, and the underground holdings seceded a short while ago.” (A)

“W-wait…! I was searching for the missing people, for the subjects of our Father! Can you not understand that, Antonian?!” Valerian exclaimed. But his exclamation fell on deaf ears, after all, whenever Antonian was involved, it meant that all was carefully considered, weighted, and reconsidered until all questions were answered. With a single purpose.

“The question was: can Crown Prince be allowed to intervene in the matters of the first order of knights and the public safety of the capital.” Antonian started.

“And the answer was ‘No’…” Valerian finished. His shoulders dropped.

“Hereby I announce the verdict of His Majesty: Crown Prince Valerian was found guilty of abusing his authority and inefficiently using the resources of the kingdom. Punishment: all of the perpetrator’s unlawful investigations are to be seized at once. All materials are to be transferred to the authorized body, the capital knights, First order.” It didn’t take long to realize why duke Marcus was silently waiting on the sidelines.

“Verdict acknowledged…” Valerian muttered, knowing that even if he tries, there is no way he can win debate against the Shadow Cardinal of the royal family.

The duke slowly and carefully picked all materials of Valerian’s investigation, and hummed a tune as he left the study.

Valerian made a couple steps forward, and fell on an armchair in front of his desk.

“Brilliant…”

“Sorry, Val, you know I am not the kind to go soft when it is about the truth.” (A)

“Mhm…” Valerian covered his face with palms, and muttered: “Looks like I am going to see dad tomorrow.”

“Good luck~.” Antonian stood up, and approached his sibling. After patting the disheartened youth’s shoulder, the man walked out, leaving Valerian with his own thoughts. And with the work that piled up during the hour of his absence.