Bab 3: Talk With The Emperor

"By the way, what did you arrive so early for?" Slapping the plump meat buns of the still twitching maid beside him, the white-haired young man inquired.

"Ahh~" Jolting up and letting out a small cry, the maid rolled over on the bed.

"Your Majesty is waiting in the dining room. He asked me to call you to have breakfast." Previously dazed and lost in the thrill of pleasure, the mature maid spoke upon recovering herself.

"What does he want now?" Letting out a muffled groan while slumping onto the pillow, the young man asked.

Letting out an annoyed sigh the young man, Lucian Celestian, reluctantly shifted his gaze from the naked female body lying beside him.

The young man got out of bed and went to freshen up. He then dressed and prepared to face his father, the Emperor, in the dining room, leaving the exhausted maid behind.

...

The distance between Lucian's room and the dining hall was not too far, and the heel of his boots clattered against the marble floor, making a piercing sound.

Lucian initially tried to reduce the noise, but eventually gave up and walked towards the dining hall.

Lucian was dressed in a red royal robe with gold embroidery and a few supplementary pieces made only for ceremonial purposes.

A crown was adorned his head, a large stone hung above his forehead, and the gem was almost shining like a star, making his appearance unique in the eyes of others.

As soon as he opened the door to the Imperial Dining Hall, he heard sarcastic voices.

"Wow, 5th Brother, it must be a long time since you have attended the family breakfast."

"Walking here must have been exhausting after all of your activities last night!"

"Say, the entertainment area is also nearby, I heard you can pick one of the courtesans to ease the tension."

All heads turned to Lucian as if he was being observed closely, making comments about him as soon as he stepped into the hall, putting an end to the previous commotion.

Amid the stifling air in the room, Lucian could sense a wave of impatience surging inside him.

The Imperial Dining Hall was a spacious room with a lavishly decorated chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

Several taps of gold decorates the area around the ceilings, making the place look exquisite.

In the middle of room, a long dining table was placed, and 10 vacant chairs still stood around it.

The table and chairs were made of marble, carved beautifully, and embellished with a golden touch.

Beautifully designed glass, plates and cups were aligned on the table, making it look more ornamental than functional.

Maids could be seen standing in a corner, ready to serve whenever someone called for them.

On the right corner of the table, there were plates of delicious food, and fresh fruits.

The arrangement looked perfect, and the sheer sight of it would make any hungry person's mouth water.

At the head of the table, the Emperor was sitting. The Emperor's face was expressionless. He didn't say anything after the 5th Prince's arrival, just sipping his morning tea, waiting for the others to speak their mind.

The Emperor, Maximilian Celestian, was a middle-aged man with a regal and dignified air. His body was toned and muscular, a testament to his years of training. His long blond hair was neatly tied into a ponytail, accentuating his sharp jawline and intense golden eyes.

Wearing a regal golden tunic with blue embroidery and a silver crown adorned with jewels, the Emperor gave a very powerful aura.

A mature woman was seated beside the Emperor, delicately eating her breakfast. She was the Empress of the Empire, Regina Celestian.

She had a noble and dignified face and piercing amber eyes.

Her long blue hair cascading down her back and delicate white hands, which grasped the fork and knife she was using to cut the meat, looked fragile, yet her calm, steady demeanor suggested that she possessed a hidden strength.

Of all the woman Lucian had ever seen, she was the most beautiful!

However, despite the charming appearance and elegant demeanor, the aura surrounding her carried a hint of scheming and unpredictability, making Lucian attracted to her in an intriguing way.

"Father, I hope you have been doing well." Lucian spoke politely with a slight bow towards the Emperor.

While the Emperor made no comment, Lucian did not mind.

Under the sarcastic and amusing expression of his siblings, Lucian walked over to the dining table and quietly sat at the opposite end of the imperial couple.

Soon the maids began to bring in the food, serving his breakfast.

"Father the Dukedom of Darkhart showing some suspicious activity lately!!" Said Julius, the Crown Prince, to the Emperor.

"I already received a report of this. There is no need for you to worry, Julius." Replied the Emperor coldly.

"Father I'm thinking if we should send someone to investigate this more deeply."

"You mean like our dear little brother here? He's always looking for an opportunity to get his hands dirty."

Suddenly there were chimes of laughter at the remark from Lucian's siblings.

"He's a bit sluggish today. It's as if he's still processing whatever activity he was doing overnight. Maybe we should schedule his reconnaissance missions for days?"

Listening to their sarcasm and mockery, Lucian's face turned cold as he narrowed his eyes, but choose to ignore his 'siblings'.

He took a bite of the meat on his plate, never deigning to answer them.

But it seemed that his nonchalance only served to further irritate his siblings.

"You're not worth the title of Prince."

"Seriously, what did you do to earn it? Must have been licking up the Emperor's shoes, that's for sure."

"ENOUGH!" A sudden outburst from the Emperor brought the snide remarks to an abrupt end.

Surprised at the sudden interruption, they all shut their mouths.

"This Emperor had decided that Lucian will be the one to check on the suspicious activity in the Duke's territory." The Emperor's gaze was frigid, and his voice terse and uncompromising.

Listening to this, Julius's face became bright as he quickly hid it from the others with a smile.

But Lucian's face darkened, and his hands clenched into fists.

"Father, you must have thought this through. He might be a dutiful son, but he's not capable of handling a task like that. There could be danger for our younger brother." Even though Drake, the Second Prince, said this sounding concern, his tone was mocking.

"I'm not surprised though, seeing as he's a failure when it comes to anything else."

"Enough, Lucian will be the one assigned to the Dukedom of Darkhart. Lucian what are your opinions about this?"

Surprised to be addressed by his father suddenly, Lucian was silent for a while before letting out a sigh.

"As you wish, father."

"You'll be leaving in a week!" Saying this the Emperor abruptly stood up and left the dining room, followed by the Empress.

But when they were out of sight, the dining room was filled with laughter and mocking voices.

"It's just like father to have a weakness for that boy. He clearly doesn't care about anything else. Only he cares about so much, and he's wasting his effort."

"Well, maybe it's time we just don't warn the Emperor and let Lucian fail on his own accord."

Lucian too left the dining hall, ignoring the backhanded remarks of his siblings, he planned to get some information about the Dukedom of Darkhart from a reliable source.

Lucian's eyes glinted with a dangerous allure as he let his gaze drift suggestively. "I can't help but wonder," he murmured, his tone a soft whisper, "if the Duke's wife can match the Empress in her beauty."

He savored the thought with a slow, deliberate smile, his mind weaving fantasies that danced just out of reach, entirely indifferent to the disdainful looks of his imperial kin.