Episode 2

As soon as he arrived in Veranos, Julian was ecstatic.  Not because of the glory he acquired after winning

the war, but that he could finally slit the throats of those traitors who collided with Katherine to kill him on the battlefield. The current empress--Katherine is the emperor's second wife who came to power when she

shunned the old emperor. But he had to thank her at least, who cleaned up 19 princes out of 27 to put her own son in the throne in his absence. But his excitement didn't last long since Katherine had already fled from the castle

and left her four year old son behind.

"Hubert" Julian called the butler standing on his side

"Yes your highness"

"bring me that kid". The kid that he was referring to was Damian, Katherine's child.  Julian would

like to take a look  at the bastard who they say resembled his mother. To remind himself of anguish if ever he came soft. Although it may look like Katherine left her child behind, Katherine was a smart woman. She knew

Julian wouldn't kill him because if he did, the image he built up as a benevolent crown prince to the commoners would be gone, and opens a leeway to rebellion. Especially now that his position is unstable, and there are still

eight remaining princes who wants his position. And he decided to 'take care ' of them through justified  means as well as dispose of  those 90 princesses gnawing at  the national budget when he becomes emperor. By

dispose means he would sell those young princesses to wealthy nobles. His father never cared for his daughters anyway, the old emperor who evades imperial work  seemed to be enjoying his time with young beauties and only had energy on those things.

"Damian greets the crown prince Julian". The weak subtle voice of a child disturbed Julian's thoughts and

forced him to look at the child. Julian was so deep in thought that he did not notice his arrival.

Contrary to his expectations,  the child bowing before him showed no signs of threat. Damian was an adorable

kid. He could see that. They have the same blue eyes as their father.  But only time will tell if this cub will be a blood-curling lion when he grows up-- just like his mother.

Damian put on his best smile for his brother from the rumors. He admired his older brother Julian who saved the

kingdom from the evil country and aspired to be like him one day. Because maybe if he did, the servants would not ignore him and play with him. So he wanted to make a good impression. Damian's chubby apple cheeks showed a cute dimple on his right chin, and a snot on his nose with his white fat fingers on his back.  His clear blue eyes were watery, and from a distance Julian can see the child's eye booger.

Clearly, this child was neglected seeing his appearance. Julian thought this might be a scheme from Katherine, who made her own child look like he wasn't taken care of properly to win the noble's sympathy.

Julian stared at the young child below him whose innocent smile is so pure, ignorant to his mother's evildoings.

He wanted to whack that smile on the child's face and slap him the truth, but not now. Julian cares so much about his saint-like image to maintain his good reputation.

 He just had to repress his boiling anger inside, because for maintaining a good image he'll have absolute power. People supported him because they thought he was different from his cruel father. That's what he promised.  He makes the people and nobles work for him, simply by catering to their favors but not being enslaved by them.

"Hello Damian" Julian  bent to match the child's height. Flashing his smile to the young child who looked at him like a messenger from God.

At his warm greeting Damian reddened and looked away, keeping his head down. For the young Damian who was nudged by his own mother and other siblings only his older brother Julian treated him affectionately.

"Would you like some chocolate?" Julian urge the kid, his twinkling eyes marveled at the sweets he saw for the first time, all this while Damian only ate leftovers and some day old bland cookies, even the servants knew Damian would not live long, and as a child of a traitorous empress Katherine whose hands were smeared with blood, treating Damian like a prince would cost their heads, not in the orders from the crown prince but from the nobles.

"T-thank you, big brother" Damian says, Hubert sensed his master's sour mood when he called Julian his big brother so the kind butler slowly took him away, bringing the kid back to his run down palace.

Big brother? Bullshit. Julian thought.

Later that day Julian prepared his sword and assembled the knights, He decided to eliminate all the traitors inside their own mansions. And the first name to come to memory is the Maquis' house--Jimenez.

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