n walked through the gloomy pce halls. His eyes closed as his fingers rubbed the bridge of his nose, lips pressed together while the echo of his steps filled the hallway. The only distraction n could find was to stare through the thin windows of the stone pce hall, grey skies filling his gaze until the next intersection.


    But without fail, his steps turned in the same direction at the same weary pace.


    Towards his brother''s private study, the two knights on either side of the door were strong enough to protect him from almost any threat. n''s steps halted a few metres away, his eyes turning to the pale window, watching the rain begin to fall.


    My brother, how will you react to this news... If you turn against Ryuji, what should I do?


    "Halt! State your name and business... Ah, Duke n! The King is currently taking a rest."


    n knew these guards; the pair protected him and his brother since they were teenagers, no longer fledgling knights with great potential. Now, old men and heroes of the kingdom.


    "My apologies, Duke n; if you please, the King shall wake shortly."


    n waved them aside, their frowns deepening when n continued past them. "Duke, do you not understand?"


    "I must see my brother. It''s of great importance..." n pleaded while knocking on the heavy doors, their metal hinges keeping them from rumbling with each knock. The two guards looked at one another, but no answer came.


    n sighed when he turned. "It''s fine I will take all the me."


    Suddenly, a hasty voice came from the inside, along with the sound of clothes being gathered in haste. n paused at the suddenness.


    "Come, we understand!" One guard stepped towards him, his wrinkled palm pressing the heavy metal of the door. "Enter, Duke n, you may have the King''s blessing..."


    The next moment, a half-naked woman with beautiful dark skin covered in kiss marks rushed out of the door, her eyes gazing at n before turning away with her eyes and lips closing tight before scurrying off into the night faster as if to escape n''s gaze.


    Huh... I guess she chose my brother, after all.


    "Who interrupted me?" A grumpy voice came from inside the room while. n stepped inside with a nk face. His brother''s sleepy head poked outside from the curtains of his king-sized bed, golden locks messy from sleep or perhaps n''s guess was correct, and it had more to do with the woman...


    He was differentpared to Ryuji. The king never cared about the pleasure of the woman. This felt like a bitter fact for n, but knowing his brother''s habits, n''s eyes softened when he looked at the messy golden locks.


    His eyes focused on the bodycking muscle, a visible sign of his brother''s rxed life under constant protection. "Brother, forgive me for disturbing you, but I have important news." n''s eyes met his brothers, pale skin hiding beneath the darkness while n turned back at the doorway.


    "Your guards..."


    "Mhm, of course. Men, close the door and use dampening magic!" His brother shouted the orders. Soon, n could feel magic fall across the doorway''s frame like a nket of magic. Soon, the sounds around n muffled while he walked forward, eyes focused on the window, seeing the same grey skies for the third time.


    "Brother, it''s about Liana."


    "Eh!? What about my beloved Angel!! If anything happened to her, I''ll--"


    "No... it''s not that, but someone who can help her curse appeared..."


    "!!" The king made a strange voice, but n did not look, eyes continuing to gaze at the grey rain which suddenly turned brighter, while an ufortable pressure pushed n''s clothes against his skin.


    "The curse from our ancient bloodline... caused by the crimes our ancestorsmitted against the demons before their leader existed...."


    n nced at the golden hair, which parted with the king sitting up from his bed, hands covering his face before digging deep into it.


    "Finally! Where did you find them!? Can you introduce them? I will give them anything if they can help cure our bloodline curse! That is if they aren''t dead already."


    His brother''s excited state made n feel a weight in his stomach. He swallowed and clenched his hands. "Brother, it''s the hero... Ryuji."


    The next moment, n stumbled backwards with his brother grabbing his neck, golden eyes glowing as the pressure rose higher and higher.


    n struggled to breathe while his brother gritted his teeth, "Ryuji... the one under you?" The king said through his clenched teeth. While his grip intensified, n struggled as his breaths paused. "Brother.. Please..." n begged.


    "TELL ME EVERYTHING!!"


    "Liana... approached Ryuji... for help. Because her magic didn''t kill him."


    n''s voice was cut while his brother tightened further. n coughed as drool trailed down from his lips. He grabbed his brother''s trembling hand, begging with his eyes, and n fell when his brother let go.


    "Forgive me n... you know how important Liana is to me, the only child with my first wife before she passed."


    The King walked over and helped his brother stand. n gasped but nodded with understanding. "I understand... that is why I told you as soon as I learned about the situation, however brother... Liana, I believe she has fallen for the hero."


    His brother clenched his fist again, but n did not flinch as his hands patted his throat and uniform. Instead of backing up or showing a weak front, n stepped forward and grabbed his brother''s fist, then gazed into his eyes with a sharp look.


    "Do not be clouded by emotions, brother."


    n''s brother choked on his spit at n''s words. The two gazed at each other while their positions switched from only a moment ago. "Liana hase to not only ovee her curse, but through your actions with this situation. She may forgive your treatment of her mother after death."


    "Ahhh... how embarrassing, my little brother taught me about my foolishness..." His brother cupped his face in his trembling hands.


    n''s calm state became hidden at this sight. But only enough so, a deep frown and softened gaze visible. The king''s fury seemed to fade as he looked at how calm n seemed.


    "n, why do you seem so calm about this? Do you agree? This is about our lovely Liana!" read-only-on-MvLeMpYr


    The King grabbed n''s shoulder with his cheeks still reddened, for n to pat his brother''s hand. "It is concerning. However, Liana is smart..." n''s brother nodded. n continued. "I have thought she was behaving strangely recently brother. Ryuji''s arrival changed Liana..."


    "Wait... you agree that the hero''s power--"


    "I do not care." n interrupted. "I trust Ryuji, and he will never let Liana suffer, if there came a time when the world learned the truth of our family, our bloodlines'' true origination. He would stand beside her without question."


    n could feel the king trembling before patting him again to regain his attention, calm eyes meeting his as the king returned it. "Brother, Liana would make an excellent queen, but so would her sisters who do not carry the curse, and Ryuji would support her no matter the future. Do you know that, even ''that'' Velvet has epted to train him into the strongest male on this?"


    He emphasised Ryuji''s capabilities in the most important subjects he knew would shake the king. The King released n, falling onto his chair with his pale skin revealing his naked chest. "n, if it were not you telling me, I would have this hero killed. You understand that, right?"


    n''s face stiffened further, but the king already shook his head as n opened his lips. "Ryuji... has my approval. Keep watching my little brother and report more of his movements, but do not forget about Liana! If he truly wins her heart... and helps cure her curse.


    I will ept him no matter what his origins... Oh... Does this mean you will see if he can help Alice, too?"


    He sighed at his brother mentioning his sister before nodding his head. "Brother, allow Ryuji some time to prove himself truly. The longer Ryuji''s abilities exist only between a few, before making a full judgement watch him at the tournament in two weeks. I assure you that you wille to adore him as I do. He is the only person, except you, I trust with my life."


    The King watched n closely before his brother took a breath, finally allowing n to step away. The king nodded. "Fine, but make sure Liana is happy, my little brother. I could not make her mother happy, and she didn''t have a curse..." His brother said with a bitter smile as his lips trembled. n could only ept his teeth clenching but soon turned away while looking out the window.


    A single ray of sunlight broke through the grey skies. It made n''s heart shake, and his lips quiver as they slowly curled into a faint smile. The first time since he parted from Ryuji. The fact his crush slept with his brother faded. n knew there were thousands of women in the world.


    "Ryuji, this is as much as I can do for you..." His steps increased, walking down the bright hallway, a world apart from the gloomy feeling from before; now, the sunlight illuminated the entire castlewith beautiful colours as n passed with a brilliant smile.


    Today, the rumours of the Duke''s beautiful smile would be spread through the castle, and n''s poprity would spread likewildfire.