Early in the morning, the capital seemed somewhat chaotic, like a baby waking up early and whimpering softly.
One carriage after another lined up in neat rows and headed toward the palace.
As people opened the doors of their shops, they saw horse-drawn carriages speeding by, kicking up clouds of dust as they went.
Passersby also stepped aside, only able to enter the shop to browse, avoiding the carriages.
"What happened?"
"I don't know... but judging from the situation, something big seems to have happened."
Soon, the last thing to stop in front of the castle gate was an exceptionally luxurious carriage.
Duke Reeves stepped down from the carriage and looked around.
The mages had all arrived, but without exception, they were all staring at him with hostility.
If eyes could be transformed into bullets, Duke Reeves would probably be riddled with holes by now.
Duke Rivi's reputation among mages had plummeted to its lowest point after the volcanic eruption.
There were no rumors or slanders; everyone witnessed it firsthand.
No one took the initiative to greet the Duke, and even the nobleman from the Beck family, with whom he had a relatively close relationship, shook his head helplessly.
He stood alone in front of the door, neither humble nor arrogant.
After a while, the towering gates of the castle slowly opened, and a strong wind burst out from inside the castle, making the clothes of all the mages present flap loudly.
Like a ferocious beast, it wanted to devour the pride of everyone present.
A knight escorted a noble man with silver hair as he stepped forward.
The man looked to be under thirty, still quite young, dressed in fine clothes and exuding an extraordinary air.
Upon seeing this face, many people recognized it and bowed in respect.
The Duke stood at the very front, facing one of the most distinguished men in the empire, and bowed respectfully in return.
"Your Highness, Second Prince."
The second prince nodded to the duke and raised his hand, indicating that everyone should rise and not stand on ceremony.
"Now that everyone is here, please come in."
After receiving permission, the mages entered one after another, but when it came to the Duke, he was stopped by the Second Prince.
He smiled at Duke Reeves:
"Duke Reeves, shall we go somewhere else to talk?"
Duke Reeves looked at the second prince, whose smile was forced, and replied:
"Your Highness, I don't want to keep His Majesty waiting."
The second prince shook his head and continued to persuade Duke Reeves:
"Father is old and needs to rest more."
"Even if you go in now, you will have to wait for a while."
"Besides, I do genuinely want to communicate with you."
The second prince leaned closer to Duke Reeves. He covered his mouth with one hand and whispered in his ear:
"Perhaps, this can help you get out of your current predicament."
Duke Reeves listened to him without expression and did not reply.
The second prince then smiled in relief.
The Duke did not respond, which meant he agreed.
He said to Duke Riviera, "Your Grace, please come with me."
Guarded by knights, the two did not enter through the main gate, but instead took a side path to a palace.
“This is my place, Your Grace. You may speak freely here.”
The Duke glanced at the guards beside the Second Prince.
"These guards are naturally one of our own."
He waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to bring a seat for Duke Reeves.
The Duke didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly. The two looked at each other.
The Duke laughed upon hearing this and said, "Your Highness, is it... a little inappropriate for you to start cultivating your own confidants so early?"
"His Majesty is not dead yet."
The Duke's question carried a chilling undertone, causing the Second Prince to tremble slightly.
He gave a helpless look and responded with a smile:
"Your Grace, I don't want to die suddenly and inexplicably."
"Sitting in my position, whether I compete or not is not up to me."
The Duke fell silent and did not reply.
The atmosphere between the two suddenly turned icy, and they remained silent.
The second prince broke the deadlock by speaking first:
"Let's not talk about that, Your Grace. The current situation is not favorable to you."
"There are too many people impeaching you, and Father Emperor may not be able to withstand the pressure."
"To be honest, this is what I want to talk to you about."
Before Duke Reeves could respond, the Second Prince picked up his teacup, took a sip, and continued:
"I've heard that the Duke's daughter will be of legal age in a year."
Upon hearing this, the Duke slowly raised his head, his eyes cold and mocking.
"So what?"
The second prince put down his teacup, looked at the guards around him, and smiled elegantly.
"Your Grace really insists that I speak frankly."
"If I were to marry your daughter, the Duke would be related to the royal family. At that time, Father would naturally have a reason to protect you..."
Click—!
Before the second prince could finish speaking, the teacup in his hand shattered instantly.
The knights panicked and drew their swords, pointing them at Duke Reeves.
The second prince wasn't afraid. Instead, he clapped his hands, brushed away the crumbs, and quietly looked at Duke Reeves with a hint of a smile in his eyes.
"Your Grace, this is the Royal Palace."
"You wouldn't want your precious daughter to lose her entire future because of your recklessness, would you?"
Duke Reeves stood up, and the powerful magical pressure dissipated instantly as he did so.
The second prince's smiling eyes faltered slightly as he sighed inwardly.
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