Chapter 438: Shut Up and Call Me Your Highness

Shut Up and Call Me Your Highness

James immediately prepared to step forward.

"Your Highness—"

He had barely taken a step.

Kai walked straight past him.

He didn’t even look at him.

James froze.

The smile on his face slowly disappeared.

His body stiffened.

The General of Ashford City standing nearby was even more shocked.

His pupils contracted.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Kai continued forward.

He stopped directly in front of Leon.

Then, under the stunned gazes of everyone present, the Crown Prince lowered his head.

"Drake empire Crown Prince, Kai, greets Respected Leon..."

His voice was respectful.

Extremely respectful.

There was no arrogance.

No trace of royal pride.

At that moment, sweat had already soaked through his back.

Kai was genuinely terrified.

He was also extremely grateful that he had arrived in time.

If he had been even a little later...

He did not dare finish that thought.

Because he knew exactly what would happen if James continued provoking Leon.

The Drake empire might not survive the consequences.

Who was Leon?

Kai knew better than most.

During the past few months, rumors concerning Leon had spread throughout the cultivation world.

Each rumor had sounded more frightening than the last.

And every time Kai thought he had heard the worst of them, another piece of information would emerge.

The First Elder of the Sky Breaker Academy, Dario, had been killed by Leon with a single strike.

One strike.

That alone was enough to make countless powerful cultivators tremble.

Leon’s strength was simply unfathomable.

Kai never imagined that James would have the courage to provoke such a terrifying existence.

His uncle had nearly dragged the entire Drake empire into disaster.

Kai’s hands were cold.

He silently cursed James.

What kind of madness had possessed him?

At this moment, a familiar voice came from behind Leon.

"Brother..."

The voice carried surprise and happiness.

Kai’s expression softened.

He turned around.

Rias had been quietly standing behind Leon.

She had watched everything unfold without interrupting.

But the moment she saw Kai, the restraint in her eyes disappeared.

Her long red hair flowed gently behind her.

Her large red eyes brightened.

She stepped out from behind Leon.

A genuine smile appeared on her face.

It was the smile of a younger sister seeing the brother she had missed.

This was her biological brother.

The same brother who had protected and spoiled her since childhood.

Kai’s stern expression melted immediately.

He turned toward Rias.

His eyes became gentle.

For a moment, the Crown Prince seemed less like the heir of an empire and more like an ordinary elder brother who had finally found his little sister again.

He walked over and affectionately patted her head.

"Girl, I haven’t seen you for a few months."

His smile widened.

"How are you?"

Rias smiled gently.

Her eyes curved slightly.

"Yes, I’m very happy on the mountain."

She glanced briefly toward Leon.

"Teacher and Fellow sister treat me very well."

Kai nodded.

"Alright, that’s good."

His hand remained on her head for another moment before he slowly withdrew it.

"I originally wanted to go to the Amethyst Summit Division to visit and see you."

He smiled faintly.

"But from the looks of it, I don’t really need it anymore."

The warmth in his voice lasted only a moment.

Then it vanished.

Kai’s expression darkened.

His eyes shifted toward James.

Then toward the General of Ashford City.

The anger that had been buried beneath his fear finally began to rise.

These two idiots.

They still didn’t understand what they had done.

They had nearly dragged the entire empire into a catastrophe.

Kai clenched his jaw.

He stepped forward and faced Leon again.

"Respected One, I’m very sorry."

His tone was solemn.

"My uncle, the General of Ashford City, was insensible and offended you."

He lowered his head once more.

"I apologize to you."

Leon looked at him.

His expression remained indifferent.

But beneath that calm exterior, there was a faint trace of surprise.

Leon had not expected Kai to change this much in only a few months.

He could clearly sense it.

The young Crown Prince’s human providence had become considerably stronger.

It was not merely a small improvement.

There was a distinct force surrounding Kai now.

The luck of the royal household had begun gathering around him.

Interesting.

Leon narrowed his purple eyes slightly.

The luck of the Drake household?

Looks like the Drake empire has a chance to rise during his generation.

Before Leon could say anything, James could no longer endure the situation.

His face was flushed with anger.

His pride had been repeatedly crushed in front of everyone.

First, Cavir had turned against him.

Then the thousands of cultivators from the Treasure Pavilion and Whitelist Restaurant had appeared.

Now even his own nephew had ignored him and bowed to Leon.

He could not understand it.

Why?

Why was everyone standing on Leon’s side?

He took a step forward.

"Nephew, what do you mean?"

His voice was filled with disbelief and anger.

"Are you going to stand on his side too?"

The surrounding crowd became completely silent.

James’s breathing was heavy.

His fists were clenched tightly.

He simply could not understand.

It was one thing for Cavir Walton to side with Leon.

Cavir was a businessman.

He cared about benefits.

If Leon’s identity was truly terrifying, then it made sense for Cavir to choose him.

But Kai was different.

Kai was his nephew.

He was the Crown Prince of the Drake empire.

Why would he humiliate his own uncle in front of everyone?

Could it be...

James’s heart sank.

Could Leon’s background truly be that terrifying?

The thought finally appeared clearly in his mind.

For the first time since this conflict began, fear crawled into James’s heart.

Kai slowly turned around.

His eyes were cold.

The warmth he had shown Rias was completely gone.

He stared at James as though looking at a stranger.

Then his voice rang through the silent street.

"Shut up and call me Your Highness!"

As soon as these words were spoken, James’s expression changed.