The grand hallways of the Vermilion Kingdom echoed softly with the footsteps of Nyx, Nathan, and the butler after the silent encounter with the fourth prince, Ainsworth Vermilion. There was tension in the air, and the butler had long noticed this, so he gave the grandfather and granddaughter some space.
Seeing the considerable distance between them, Nathan turned to Nyx, his expression serious as he spoke in a disappointed tone, "You were too prideful back there. I guess it's partly my fault for not telling you earlier. You see, in the entire kingdom, it's a custom to always bow to members of the royal family. It's a sign of resp—"
"Or a weakness?" Nyx sneered, a hint of disgust in her eyes. Her steps didn't falter as she kept her gaze ahead, the opulent castle decorations reflecting in her beautiful black eyes.
"Child..." Nathan stared at Nyx with a lost expression, feeling a light headache. Why did it feel as if an adult had spoken just now? Regardless, he needed to talk sense into her.
The other nobles were scared of the Cromwell family because of Arthur; however, the major issue was... no, Nathan didn't know the whereabouts of Arthur. He didn't know if his son was alive or not. Even if he was alive, Nathan figured he would be somewhere very far away.
'If it was the former king... I wouldn't be worried, but this... his son...' Nathan thought as he stepped in front of Nyx, his hands gripping her shoulders. Nyx was a bit taken aback by this and stepped back, a concerned expression appearing on her indifferent face.
"Listen..." he spoke, his voice heavy. "There are powers in the capital... this is not the Cromwell Barony... there are powerful Awakened here. With this attitude, you'll make all these powerful people our enemies. If all of them ganged up against us, it would be very difficult for me to protect you...
If something happens to you, your mother would skin me alive."
Nyx felt the raw emotions in her grandfather's words as he added, "One misstep could bring down trouble... could you promise this old man that you won't cause—cough, cough!"
Just then, a violent bout of coughing assaulted Nathan. His face became as pale as a sheet of paper, and his entire body trembled. Looking at her grandfather, Nyx's face contorted with worry, and she felt her heart being squeezed by a pair of cruel hands.
She hugged him and said in a soft voice, "I'll try, I'll try." She repeated it again to convince herself. It would be difficult for her to change her personality, but she would try for the sake of her grandfather, whom she loved with all her heart.
Nyx's hug seemed to have a magical effect on Nathan, and the violent bout of coughing subsided. Nathan hugged his granddaughter with one hand while he used the other to wipe his hands.
On his hand, there was blood. Nathan's eyes flashed strangely, and he closed them, not wanting his granddaughter to see it.
Call him a coward, spineless, or whatever... the truth was, Nathan was someone who cared about his family a lot. His health had been deteriorating recently. The last thing he wanted was to make enemies he couldn't deal with in the future and endanger the lives of his family and everyone in the barony.
"Although I'd bow to him next time we meet," Nyx spoke, her eyes flashing sharply, "in my heart, he's still just another passerby on the road."
"T-that, there's nothing wrong with that," Nathan shrugged. Not many people liked the royal family, but they still respected them for fear of being targeted.
Nyx and Nathan joined the butler shortly after. A series of turns later, they arrived in a hallway noticeably crowded with more knights. Unlike the other areas, the knights here were dressed in elaborate royal attire: polished silver armor adorned with intricate gold engravings, symbolizing their allegiance to the crown.
Each knight wore a dark blue cape fastened at the shoulder with an ornate brooch bearing the royal family's crest—a vibrant red bird. Their faces were hidden behind helmets with tinted visors, giving them an air of anonymity, and they carried beautifully crafted swords at their sides.
These were the ones referred to as Royal Knights; they were the king's personal sword and shield. A very powerful and talented group of Awakened and the first line of defense in case a war broke out. It was rumored that all Royal Knights had levels that exceeded 60. They were that powerful, and every single one of them could easily massacre a small enemy battalion by themselves.
From the visors, those shimmering white eyes stared intensely at Nathan, their hands wrapped firmly around the swords strapped to their waists... the weight of their gaze was capable of making a grown man's legs wobbly, even causing him to wet himself.
Before entering this hallway, Nathan turned toward his granddaughter and told her to wait for him while he discussed important matters. Nyx simply nodded and did as instructed.
The butler led Nathan to a set of double doors with a detailed, ornate design. He pushed the doors open, and Nathan stepped into a large chamber. The room was spacious yet understated, with tall windows allowing natural light to pour in. A grand desk sat near the center, neatly organized with papers and maps. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books, scrolls, and a few decorative items.
A large, finely woven rug covered the floor, and the faint smell of polished wood hung in the air.
Seated behind the opulent desk was none other than Aldrich Vermilion, a middle-aged man in his early 30s with dirty blond hair and a pair of scheming green eyes. He was dressed in a regal light golden robe and seemed to be busy reading a parchment.
Nathan stood there for a few seconds, yet the king remained engrossed with whatever he was reading. It was blatant disrespect, but Nathan didn't let it show on his face. After all, he...