Chapter 60
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It was a year after Nine and the rest had left Seyton's mansion. A full year of travels. Nine finally satisfied the wanderlust within herself, returning to Cosmos City. Although she had still been teaching her students through the communication runes, it just wasn't the same if she couldn't be there to drill them personally.
Basically, she missed bullying her minions.
As time went on, it looked like Deltan got mopey from missing his friends. Since both Nocturne and Deltan seemed fine no matter the situation they had been placed in, Nine thought that it was about time to go back to Cosmos City.
Within the one year span, Deltan had shockingly shot up to rise into the ranks of a Sixth Tier magician. Seyton himself was on the verge of Ninth Tier, and Nocturne was already firmly within the Ninth Tier ranks, second only to herself.
This little party of four would have shocked anyone in the know. They all looked young but had such shocking talents in magic.
Of course, there had been no end to their troubles along the way, mainly because of Deltan's abnormal luck. If you considered the luck of Seyton and Nocturne as well, they truly met danger and fortune at every turn. It reached the point where their interspatial bracelets were completely filled to the brim, causing Nine to have no choice but to upgrade the space.
Regardless, it was good to finally go back after a year of wandering and not staying in the same place for more than two days. She explored the entirety of Night Tide continent with Seyton as a guide, thoroughly enjoying her time. It was things like this that made her feel like she was truly alive.
Nine stretched in her bed, a rare show of indulgence on her part. She missed having this bed. They had been sleeping anywhere and everywhere whilst travelling, and while she did like it, it got tiring after a while.
Rolling around for another ten minutes, Nine finally got out of bed drowsily. Even after completing her morning routine, she still felt rather groggy. It seemed like constantly travelling had taken a mental toll on her, causing her to sleep deeply and soundly.
Nocturne, who had been waiting at her door for an hour or so now, felt like he was losing his mind as he took in Nine's slightly messy clothing and hair that was a little mussed. He just felt that Nine was unbearably cute. To think that he had somewhat harboured thoughts before he slept that he might possibly fall out of love one day and move on without looking back.
He thought that would be better overall, because Nine still didn't display any interest in him no matter what he did. It was only when he fought with Deltan did Nine pay him any attention.
Not to mention, Nine was a male, so it had felt like his love was doomed never to start, but the more he interacted with Nine, the more he felt like he couldn't hold himself back. The cute actions like his head tilting ever so slightly when he listened to someone, the way he traced his cup with a fingertip no matter what he was drinking. The way Nine discreetly helped those unfortunates along the way when they were travelling.
Nocturne just felt like he was deeper and deeper in love every day. No matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find anything that he didn't like. Maybe this was what his Imperial Mother meant when she talked about how love was blind. Nine just had such a pure soul that made it feel like he was basking in warmth and radiance just by being near him.
Nine discreetly looked away from Nocturne's ever-growing passionate gaze, feeling helpless about this childe of hers. It had already been so long, but he still wasn't giving up. No matter. It was only a matter of time.
"I'm going to see my Imperial Father," she said as an afterthought, mind still foggy.
Nocturne lit up inwardly, preening at the thought that Nine felt he was safe enough that he didn't have to snap to full focus, allowing himself to be vulnerable around him. Nine mentioning that he was going to meet his father was practically an invitation from him.
Nocturne fell in half a step behind Nine instead of beside as he usually did, adhering to the rules of the palace.
Nine took Nocturne with her, walking to the palace instead of teleporting there. Since Nocturne wasn't a Cosmos City citizen, she wouldn't be bringing him that way for now. That being said, she could probably tell him about their underwater city since they had a bond, but she would wait on it for the moment.
They met Deltan outside of the palace, who was chatting to the guards as he waited for them.
"Fourth Brother," he said, his eyes lighting up. Even if there was no visible change on his face, Nine knew that if her elder brother had tail, it would be wagging furiously.
She couldn't compress the little smirk that appeared at the imagery, wondering if there was a spell for that.
"Eldest Brother."
Deltan felt a chill run down his spine without any reason, causing him to look around cautiously, but found nothing of note. His eyes locked onto Nocturne and they exchanged a glare instead of a greeting.
"Do you know why Imperial Father called us here together?" Nine asked, glancing at Deltan.
The Eldest Prince shook his head, maintaining his mask now that they were inside the palace gates.
They walked into the needlessly grand throne room attending morning court. It was Nine's first time attending now that she was fifteen, but Deltan had already been attending for a number of years. It came as a parcel for princes, regardless of their status, to attend court until the new Emperor was appointed.
It actually wasn't Nine's first time attending, but this was the first time attending outside of the shadows and visible to the people around her. Naturally, only her father and she herself knew that she had been attending for far longer than let on.
The faces of the officials and nobles present were friendly on the surface, but Nine could see the deep-sated resentment and dissatisfaction that she was attending court at all. Since they weren't allowed to show it, the feelings that they had deep inside them festered and grew until it corrupted their whole impression of her.
Basically, her first impression was laden with the rumours and talks about the previous owner of this body, causing almost everyone in the room to see her in a negative light.
As the Crown Prince, she should have been attending court earlier, starting from the age of twelve, but instead the Crown Prince had delayed it until the standard age of fifteen. The officials felt slighted, and they felt like they couldn't see what the Emperor saw in this Prince but had to stop their tongues from wagging.
How could they leave the Empire in the hands of a cowardly and incompetent youth like this? They looked at Nine with dubious and doubting eyes. Although they had been stunned by the Crown Prince's looks when he first entered the room, the more they felt like this was a case of the Emperor playing favourites because of looks! Truly, a beauty could bring the downfall of the empire!
Compared to Nine, they started looking at Deltan with more favourable eyes. The Eldest Prince had been diligently attending morning court since he was twelve and was widely known within the city as an outstanding magic genius. He was already a Fourth Circle magician at the young age of twenty-one! What was this concept of being a twenty-one-year-old Fourth Tier magician? It meant that his future was boundless!
In their eyes, Deltan was more suitable to be a Crown Prince than Nine. Timid, cowardly, incompetent. These were all the words used to describe the Crown Prince. Not to mention that a year ago, the Crown Prince had blatantly pulled strings to enter the same class as the Eldest Prince! Simply incomprehensible. How could a Crown Prince act in such a disgraceful way?
Nine ignored the looks she was getting from the bunch of stubborn officials. She couldn't change their minds instantly and could only achieve it after a period of time. But what she kept a secret was that she really didn't have any intention of being the Emperor! Why should she, when she had a perfectly capable elder brother who could take the job on for her?
She just wanted to play around and act as she pleased without any restrictions or limitations. She didn't want to be stuck doing paperwork like in her last life again. The Emperor couldn't even leave the Imperial Palace without noise from the officials! It was seriously too restricting for a person like herself.
The doors opened with a loud sound, announcing the arrival of Emperor Destan.
Everyone in the room fell to their knees, bowing low. As Princes, Nine and Deltan were exempt from kneeling, only having to bow.
"Rise," Emperor Destan said.
Nine, as usual, admired the way her father could smoothly transition into his role from doting father to wise Emperor in a split second. She saw the warm flash of eyes and a wink at both Deltan and herself right before he told the officials to rise.
The room was silent as the officials rose to their feet.
The Emperor and his officials discussed the various happenings in the Empire, as well as their daily reports. Nine and Deltan stood by the side, Nocturne having hidden himself since they stepped into the Imperial Palace. He was acting as a hidden guard alongside Shade and Seyton, who couldn't feel safe leaving their Master in uncharted territory. Even if they knew that their Master was stronger than them, it just didn't feel right!
The whole process took roughly an hour as Nine and Deltan stood by like ornaments, not having anyone talk to them. They listened patiently as the Emperor took charge, his cold and chilling visage keeping everyone in line. No one dared to slack off in the slightest, and any contempt they felt for the Crown Prince was hidden well.
Right before they were dismissed, the Emperor dropped a bombshell.
"Deltan," he said slowly.
Deltan startled inwardly, but his training with Nine paid off as he flawlessly slid into his role.
"Yes, Imperial Father."
"You're twenty-one now. It is high time that you found a Princess for yourself. I have a few proposals. You may take a look and tell me what you like."
Deltan went very still as the words processed to him. Slowly, he received a stack of papers from the servant next to the Emperor, stepping back as he hollowly replied. "Yes, Imperial Father."
He replied so naturally that none of the officials noticed that something was out of place in his reply. Emperor Destan frowned slightly, wondering what the problem was. He silently resolved to go over to Nine's later in the day and pry out an answer from his daughter.
Nine twitched slightly at the mass influx of reactions that her father's words provoked, the sight having been glaringly painful due to the harsh reactions. She had to applaud the officials. They were all calling out praises and congratulations naturally, showing not a shred of their true feelings on their faces. Masterful.
She narrowed on Deltan, getting a feeling that he didn't know what to feel. She would have to ask him what was wrong later. Or maybe beat it out of him through a spar. Her lips curled slightly. That sounded a lot more plausible.
Above everyone else, next to Seyton and Shade, Nocturne flawlessly contained the roiling emotions that the Emperor had set off within him, not an thing changing on his serene face. How could he have forgotten? His face paler than usual, Nocturne's mind was whirling at a high speed.
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It was a year after Nine and the rest had left Seyton's mansion. A full year of travels. Nine finally satisfied the wanderlust within herself, returning to Cosmos City. Although she had still been teaching her students through the communication runes, it just wasn't the same if she couldn't be there to drill them personally.
Basically, she missed bullying her minions.
As time went on, it looked like Deltan got mopey from missing his friends. Since both Nocturne and Deltan seemed fine no matter the situation they had been placed in, Nine thought that it was about time to go back to Cosmos City.
Within the one year span, Deltan had shockingly shot up to rise into the ranks of a Sixth Tier magician. Seyton himself was on the verge of Ninth Tier, and Nocturne was already firmly within the Ninth Tier ranks, second only to herself.
This little party of four would have shocked anyone in the know. They all looked young but had such shocking talents in magic.
Of course, there had been no end to their troubles along the way, mainly because of Deltan's abnormal luck. If you considered the luck of Seyton and Nocturne as well, they truly met danger and fortune at every turn. It reached the point where their interspatial bracelets were completely filled to the brim, causing Nine to have no choice but to upgrade the space.
Regardless, it was good to finally go back after a year of wandering and not staying in the same place for more than two days. She explored the entirety of Night Tide continent with Seyton as a guide, thoroughly enjoying her time. It was things like this that made her feel like she was truly alive.
Nine stretched in her bed, a rare show of indulgence on her part. She missed having this bed. They had been sleeping anywhere and everywhere whilst travelling, and while she did like it, it got tiring after a while.
Rolling around for another ten minutes, Nine finally got out of bed drowsily. Even after completing her morning routine, she still felt rather groggy. It seemed like constantly travelling had taken a mental toll on her, causing her to sleep deeply and soundly.
Nocturne, who had been waiting at her door for an hour or so now, felt like he was losing his mind as he took in Nine's slightly messy clothing and hair that was a little mussed. He just felt that Nine was unbearably cute. To think that he had somewhat harboured thoughts before he slept that he might possibly fall out of love one day and move on without looking back.
He thought that would be better overall, because Nine still didn't display any interest in him no matter what he did. It was only when he fought with Deltan did Nine pay him any attention.
Not to mention, Nine was a male, so it had felt like his love was doomed never to start, but the more he interacted with Nine, the more he felt like he couldn't hold himself back. The cute actions like his head tilting ever so slightly when he listened to someone, the way he traced his cup with a fingertip no matter what he was drinking. The way Nine discreetly helped those unfortunates along the way when they were travelling.
Nocturne just felt like he was deeper and deeper in love every day. No matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find anything that he didn't like. Maybe this was what his Imperial Mother meant when she talked about how love was blind. Nine just had such a pure soul that made it feel like he was basking in warmth and radiance just by being near him.
Nine discreetly looked away from Nocturne's ever-growing passionate gaze, feeling helpless about this childe of hers. It had already been so long, but he still wasn't giving up. No matter. It was only a matter of time.
"I'm going to see my Imperial Father," she said as an afterthought, mind still foggy.
Nocturne lit up inwardly, preening at the thought that Nine felt he was safe enough that he didn't have to snap to full focus, allowing himself to be vulnerable around him. Nine mentioning that he was going to meet his father was practically an invitation from him.
Nocturne fell in half a step behind Nine instead of beside as he usually did, adhering to the rules of the palace.
Nine took Nocturne with her, walking to the palace instead of teleporting there. Since Nocturne wasn't a Cosmos City citizen, she wouldn't be bringing him that way for now. That being said, she could probably tell him about their underwater city since they had a bond, but she would wait on it for the moment.
They met Deltan outside of the palace, who was chatting to the guards as he waited for them.
"Fourth Brother," he said, his eyes lighting up. Even if there was no visible change on his face, Nine knew that if her elder brother had tail, it would be wagging furiously.
She couldn't compress the little smirk that appeared at the imagery, wondering if there was a spell for that.
"Eldest Brother."
Deltan felt a chill run down his spine without any reason, causing him to look around cautiously, but found nothing of note. His eyes locked onto Nocturne and they exchanged a glare instead of a greeting.
"Do you know why Imperial Father called us here together?" Nine asked, glancing at Deltan.
The Eldest Prince shook his head, maintaining his mask now that they were inside the palace gates.
They walked into the needlessly grand throne room attending morning court. It was Nine's first time attending now that she was fifteen, but Deltan had already been attending for a number of years. It came as a parcel for princes, regardless of their status, to attend court until the new Emperor was appointed.
It actually wasn't Nine's first time attending, but this was the first time attending outside of the shadows and visible to the people around her. Naturally, only her father and she herself knew that she had been attending for far longer than let on.
The faces of the officials and nobles present were friendly on the surface, but Nine could see the deep-sated resentment and dissatisfaction that she was attending court at all. Since they weren't allowed to show it, the feelings that they had deep inside them festered and grew until it corrupted their whole impression of her.
Basically, her first impression was laden with the rumours and talks about the previous owner of this body, causing almost everyone in the room to see her in a negative light.
As the Crown Prince, she should have been attending court earlier, starting from the age of twelve, but instead the Crown Prince had delayed it until the standard age of fifteen. The officials felt slighted, and they felt like they couldn't see what the Emperor saw in this Prince but had to stop their tongues from wagging.
How could they leave the Empire in the hands of a cowardly and incompetent youth like this? They looked at Nine with dubious and doubting eyes. Although they had been stunned by the Crown Prince's looks when he first entered the room, the more they felt like this was a case of the Emperor playing favourites because of looks! Truly, a beauty could bring the downfall of the empire!
Compared to Nine, they started looking at Deltan with more favourable eyes. The Eldest Prince had been diligently attending morning court since he was twelve and was widely known within the city as an outstanding magic genius. He was already a Fourth Circle magician at the young age of twenty-one! What was this concept of being a twenty-one-year-old Fourth Tier magician? It meant that his future was boundless!
In their eyes, Deltan was more suitable to be a Crown Prince than Nine. Timid, cowardly, incompetent. These were all the words used to describe the Crown Prince. Not to mention that a year ago, the Crown Prince had blatantly pulled strings to enter the same class as the Eldest Prince! Simply incomprehensible. How could a Crown Prince act in such a disgraceful way?
Nine ignored the looks she was getting from the bunch of stubborn officials. She couldn't change their minds instantly and could only achieve it after a period of time. But what she kept a secret was that she really didn't have any intention of being the Emperor! Why should she, when she had a perfectly capable elder brother who could take the job on for her?
She just wanted to play around and act as she pleased without any restrictions or limitations. She didn't want to be stuck doing paperwork like in her last life again. The Emperor couldn't even leave the Imperial Palace without noise from the officials! It was seriously too restricting for a person like herself.
The doors opened with a loud sound, announcing the arrival of Emperor Destan.
Everyone in the room fell to their knees, bowing low. As Princes, Nine and Deltan were exempt from kneeling, only having to bow.
"Rise," Emperor Destan said.
Nine, as usual, admired the way her father could smoothly transition into his role from doting father to wise Emperor in a split second. She saw the warm flash of eyes and a wink at both Deltan and herself right before he told the officials to rise.
The room was silent as the officials rose to their feet.
The Emperor and his officials discussed the various happenings in the Empire, as well as their daily reports. Nine and Deltan stood by the side, Nocturne having hidden himself since they stepped into the Imperial Palace. He was acting as a hidden guard alongside Shade and Seyton, who couldn't feel safe leaving their Master in uncharted territory. Even if they knew that their Master was stronger than them, it just didn't feel right!
The whole process took roughly an hour as Nine and Deltan stood by like ornaments, not having anyone talk to them. They listened patiently as the Emperor took charge, his cold and chilling visage keeping everyone in line. No one dared to slack off in the slightest, and any contempt they felt for the Crown Prince was hidden well.
Right before they were dismissed, the Emperor dropped a bombshell.
"Deltan," he said slowly.
Deltan startled inwardly, but his training with Nine paid off as he flawlessly slid into his role.
"Yes, Imperial Father."
"You're twenty-one now. It is high time that you found a Princess for yourself. I have a few proposals. You may take a look and tell me what you like."
Deltan went very still as the words processed to him. Slowly, he received a stack of papers from the servant next to the Emperor, stepping back as he hollowly replied. "Yes, Imperial Father."
He replied so naturally that none of the officials noticed that something was out of place in his reply. Emperor Destan frowned slightly, wondering what the problem was. He silently resolved to go over to Nine's later in the day and pry out an answer from his daughter.
Nine twitched slightly at the mass influx of reactions that her father's words provoked, the sight having been glaringly painful due to the harsh reactions. She had to applaud the officials. They were all calling out praises and congratulations naturally, showing not a shred of their true feelings on their faces. Masterful.
She narrowed on Deltan, getting a feeling that he didn't know what to feel. She would have to ask him what was wrong later. Or maybe beat it out of him through a spar. Her lips curled slightly. That sounded a lot more plausible.
Above everyone else, next to Seyton and Shade, Nocturne flawlessly contained the roiling emotions that the Emperor had set off within him, not an thing changing on his serene face. How could he have forgotten? His face paler than usual, Nocturne's mind was whirling at a high speed.
It was a year after Nine and the rest had left Seyton's mansion. A full year of travels. Nine finally satisfied the wanderlust within herself, returning to Cosmos City. Although she had still been teaching her students through the communication runes, it just wasn't the same if she couldn't be there to drill them personally.Basically, she missed bullying her minions.As time went on, it looked like Deltan got mopey from missing his friends. Since both Nocturne and Deltan seemed fine no matter the situation they had been placed in, Nine thought that it was about time to go back to Cosmos City.Within the one year span, Deltan had shockingly shot up to rise into the ranks of a Sixth Tier magician. Seyton himself was on the verge of Ninth Tier, and Nocturne was already firmly within the Ninth Tier ranks, second only to herself.This little party of four would have shocked anyone in the know. They all looked young but had such shocking talents in magic.Of course, there had been no end to their troubles along the way, mainly because of Deltan's abnormal luck. If you considered the luck of Seyton and Nocturne as well, they truly met danger and fortune at every turn. It reached the point where their interspatial bracelets were completely filled to the brim, causing Nine to have no choice but to upgrade the space.Regardless, it was good to finally go back after a year of wandering and not staying in the same place for more than two days. She explored the entirety of Night Tide continent with Seyton as a guide, thoroughly enjoying her time. It was things like this that made her feel like she was truly alive.Nine stretched in her bed, a rare show of indulgence on her part. She missed having this bed. They had been sleeping anywhere and everywhere whilst travelling, and while she did like it, it got tiring after a while.Rolling around for another ten minutes, Nine finally got out of bed drowsily. Even after completing her morning routine, she still felt rather groggy. It seemed like constantly travelling had taken a mental toll on her, causing her to sleep deeply and soundly.Nocturne, who had been waiting at her door for an hour or so now, felt like he was losing his mind as he took in Nine's slightly messy clothing and hair that was a little mussed. He just felt that Nine was unbearably cute. To think that he had somewhat harboured thoughts before he slept that he might possibly fall out of love one day and move on without looking back.He thought that would be better overall, because Nine still didn't display any interest in him no matter what he did. It was only when he fought with Deltan did Nine pay him any attention.Not to mention, Nine was a male, so it had felt like his love was doomed never to start, but the more he interacted with Nine, the more he felt like he couldn't hold himself back. The cute actions like his head tilting ever so slightly when he listened to someone, the way he traced his cup with a fingertip no matter what he was drinking. The way Nine discreetly helped those unfortunates along the way when they were travelling.Nocturne just felt like he was deeper and deeper in love every day. No matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find anything that he didn't like. Maybe this was what his Imperial Mother meant when she talked about how love was blind. Nine just had such a pure soul that made it feel like he was basking in warmth and radiance just by being near him.Nine discreetly looked away from Nocturne's ever-growing passionate gaze, feeling helpless about this childe of hers. It had already been so long, but he still wasn't giving up. No matter. It was only a matter of time."I'm going to see my Imperial Father," she said as an afterthought, mind still foggy.Nocturne lit up inwardly, preening at the thought that Nine felt he was safe enough that he didn't have to snap to full focus, allowing himself to be vulnerable around him. Nine mentioning that he was going to meet his father was practically an invitation from him.Nocturne fell in half a step behind Nine instead of beside as he usually did, adhering to the rules of the palace.Nine took Nocturne with her, walking to the palace instead of teleporting there. Since Nocturne wasn't a Cosmos City citizen, she wouldn't be bringing him that way for now. That being said, she could probably tell him about their underwater city since they had a bond, but she would wait on it for the moment.They met Deltan outside of the palace, who was chatting to the guards as he waited for them."Fourth Brother," he said, his eyes lighting up. Even if there was no visible change on his face, Nine knew that if her elder brother had tail, it would be wagging furiously.She couldn't compress the little smirk that appeared at the imagery, wondering if there was a spell for that."Eldest Brother."Deltan felt a chill run down his spine without any reason, causing him to look around cautiously, but found nothing of note. His eyes locked onto Nocturne and they exchanged a glare instead of a greeting."Do you know why Imperial Father called us here together?" Nine asked, glancing at Deltan.The Eldest Prince shook his head, maintaining his mask now that they were inside the palace gates.They walked into the needlessly grand throne room attending morning court. It was Nine's first time attending now that she was fifteen, but Deltan had already been attending for a number of years. It came as a parcel for princes, regardless of their status, to attend court until the new Emperor was appointed.It actually wasn't Nine's first time attending, but this was the first time attending outside of the shadows and visible to the people around her. Naturally, only her father and she herself knew that she had been attending for far longer than let on.The faces of the officials and nobles present were friendly on the surface, but Nine could see the deep-sated resentment and dissatisfaction that she was attending court at all. Since they weren't allowed to show it, the feelings that they had deep inside them festered and grew until it corrupted their whole impression of her.Basically, her first impression was laden with the rumours and talks about the previous owner of this body, causing almost everyone in the room to see her in a negative light.As the Crown Prince, she should have been attending court earlier, starting from the age of twelve, but instead the Crown Prince had delayed it until the standard age of fifteen. The officials felt slighted, and they felt like they couldn't see what the Emperor saw in this Prince but had to stop their tongues from wagging.How could they leave the Empire in the hands of a cowardly and incompetent youth like this? They looked at Nine with dubious and doubting eyes. Although they had been stunned by the Crown Prince's looks when he first entered the room, the more they felt like this was a case of the Emperor playing favourites because of looks! Truly, a beauty could bring the downfall of the empire!Compared to Nine, they started looking at Deltan with more favourable eyes. The Eldest Prince had been diligently attending morning court since he was twelve and was widely known within the city as an outstanding magic genius. He was already a Fourth Circle magician at the young age of twenty-one! What was this concept of being a twenty-one-year-old Fourth Tier magician? It meant that his future was boundless!In their eyes, Deltan was more suitable to be a Crown Prince than Nine. Timid, cowardly, incompetent. These were all the words used to describe the Crown Prince. Not to mention that a year ago, the Crown Prince had blatantly pulled strings to enter the same class as the Eldest Prince! Simply incomprehensible. How could a Crown Prince act in such a disgraceful way?Nine ignored the looks she was getting from the bunch of stubborn officials. She couldn't change their minds instantly and could only achieve it after a period of time. But what she kept a secret was that she really didn't have any intention of being the Emperor! Why should she, when she had a perfectly capable elder brother who could take the job on for her?She just wanted to play around and act as she pleased without any restrictions or limitations. She didn't want to be stuck doing paperwork like in her last life again. The Emperor couldn't even leave the Imperial Palace without noise from the officials! It was seriously too restricting for a person like herself.The doors opened with a loud sound, announcing the arrival of Emperor Destan.Everyone in the room fell to their knees, bowing low. As Princes, Nine and Deltan were exempt from kneeling, only having to bow."Rise," Emperor Destan said.Nine, as usual, admired the way her father could smoothly transition into his role from doting father to wise Emperor in a split second. She saw the warm flash of eyes and a wink at both Deltan and herself right before he told the officials to rise.The room was silent as the officials rose to their feet.The Emperor and his officials discussed the various happenings in the Empire, as well as their daily reports. Nine and Deltan stood by the side, Nocturne having hidden himself since they stepped into the Imperial Palace. He was acting as a hidden guard alongside Shade and Seyton, who couldn't feel safe leaving their Master in uncharted territory. Even if they knew that their Master was stronger than them, it just didn't feel right!The whole process took roughly an hour as Nine and Deltan stood by like ornaments, not having anyone talk to them. They listened patiently as the Emperor took charge, his cold and chilling visage keeping everyone in line. No one dared to slack off in the slightest, and any contempt they felt for the Crown Prince was hidden well.Right before they were dismissed, the Emperor dropped a bombshell."Deltan," he said slowly.Deltan startled inwardly, but his training with Nine paid off as he flawlessly slid into his role."Yes, Imperial Father.""You're twenty-one now. It is high time that you found a Princess for yourself. I have a few proposals. You may take a look and tell me what you like."Deltan went very still as the words processed to him. Slowly, he received a stack of papers from the servant next to the Emperor, stepping back as he hollowly replied. "Yes, Imperial Father."He replied so naturally that none of the officials noticed that something was out of place in his reply. Emperor Destan frowned slightly, wondering what the problem was. He silently resolved to go over to Nine's later in the day and pry out an answer from his daughter.Nine twitched slightly at the mass influx of reactions that her father's words provoked, the sight having been glaringly painful due to the harsh reactions. She had to applaud the officials. They were all calling out praises and congratulations naturally, showing not a shred of their true feelings on their faces. Masterful.She narrowed on Deltan, getting a feeling that he didn't know what to feel. She would have to ask him what was wrong later. Or maybe beat it out of him through a spar. Her lips curled slightly. That sounded a lot more plausible.Above everyone else, next to Seyton and Shade, Nocturne flawlessly contained the roiling emotions that the Emperor had set off within him, not an thing changing on his serene face. How could he have forgotten? His face paler than usual, Nocturne's mind was whirling at a high speed.
