Chapter 536: The King’s Displeasure

The grand dining hall of the imperial palace was prepared for the royal family’s morning meal. The long table was covered with fine porcelain, silver cutlery, and crystal decanters, while servants had arranged an assortment of pastries, roasted meats, and fresh fruits.

However, breakfast was hardly off to a pleasant start.

SLAM!

Alderon brought his fist down hard on the table, making the silverware rattle and the teacups shake.

"Unforgivable!" Alderon exclaimed, his face contorting with anger as he stared at the reports beside his plate. "Absolute insolence! How dare that disgraced fool launch an attack against members of noble houses in the heart of our capital?!"

Gillian nearly dropped his fork, while Philia looked up from his breakfast. Iryna, on the other hand, calmly set down her teacup, her attention turning to the King.

"Father, please," Yerel said from his seat at the head of the long table to the King’s right. He reached over and gently placed a hand on his father’s arm. "Do not get yourself so worked up over breakfast. The physician explicitly warned you about it."

"How could I not be worked up?!" Alderon snapped back, though he allowed his hand to relax back into his lap, his chest heaving with a deep, frustrated exhale. "I am only hearing the full details of this atrocious theater incident now! A noble brought toxins into a public venue and brandished a blade against prominent heirs! What has become of the city guard’s screening protocols? What has happened to that wretched boy, Heinrich Bramwell?!"

Yerel remained composed, taking a sip of his black tea before answering. "Heinrich is currently locked in the deepest holding cell of the Ministry of Justice dungeons, Father. He will be facing a trial for high treason, public endangerment, and illegal possession of restricted contraband. There will be no leniency."

Hearing the decisive report, Alderon turned his gaze across the table toward their honored royal guests from Solaric.

"Prince Gillian, Princess Iryna," Alderon said, turning toward them with an apologetic expression. "I sincerely apologize for what happened. You came to our capital as honored guests, and yet your morning has been disturbed by such an ugly incident."

Iryna reassuringly waved her hand dismissively. Her fierce, piercing eyes held not a single shred of offense toward the King.

"There is absolutely nothing for Your Majesty to apologize for," Iryna stated firmly. "It is a completely normal reaction to be furious over such treasonous stupidity. Truthfully, Gillian and I were fuming when we heard the news this morning. Heinrich Bramwell is fortunate he was disarmed before we arrived at the venue, or he wouldn’t have survived long enough to reach your dungeons."

Beside her, Gillian, looking typically relaxed in his loosely fitted blue silk tunic, let out a lighthearted, jovial chuckle, though a dangerous glint flashed in his bright eyes.

"She isn’t exaggerating, Your Majesty," Gillian added with a light wave of his fork, leaning back comfortably in his chair. "I may not be one for serious speeches, but even I draw the line at idiots swinging blades near our friends. Cherion is our dear friend, after all. The moment I heard his name involved, I nearly dropped my morning pastry."

Iryna turned her sharp focus to Yerel, leaning slightly across the linen table cloth. "Your Highness, how are Cherion and Lord Derrick holding up? Are they truly unharmed?"

Yerel offered a warm, reassuring smile to the Solaric royals. "I can assure you both that Lord Cherion and Lord Derrick are completely fine. Lord Cherion handled the physical altercation with remarkable composure and disarmed Heinrich before any blood could be spilled."

Yerel glanced briefly at his father before continuing. "In fact, to ensure their comfort and peace of mind, I already instructed Karson to dispatch two imperial transport carriages yesterday. They carried recovery supplies to the residences of Lord Cherion and Lord Derrick under the crown’s seal."

Alderon’s expression eased as he listened to his son’s explanation. He gave an approving nod, running a hand over his beard as he considered the matter.

"Good. Very good, Yerel," he said, his earlier irritation giving way to approval. "This is exactly how the crown should handle such matters. When something like this happens, we cannot afford to sit back and wait for the court to settle everything on its own. The affected families must know that the throne is aware of their situation and that their well-being has not been overlooked."

He paused to take a sip of tea before continuing.

"House Antel and House Avery have both served this empire well. Lord Cherion and Lord Derrick were directly involved in the incident, and it would have been a poor reflection on the crown if we had done nothing to assist them. Sending it was the right decision. It also makes our position clear to the other noble houses. Whatever their standing, those who remain loyal to the throne should be able to trust that the crown will not abandon them when trouble arises."

Philia sat quietly beside Yerel, holding a soft, radiant smile on his face as he took a small bite of his food. He remained the absolute picture of a supportive, graceful fiancé, keeping his eyes innocent and light as the royal family discussed state matters.

The breakfast continued at a much calmer pace after Alderon’s outburst. The conversation gradually shifted to the upcoming peace treaty ceremonies, the preparations for the market exhibitions, and a few matters concerning the royal court.

Once the meal had concluded and the palace stewards stepped forward to clear the silver platters, Iryna looked over at Gillian with a smirk. "Gillian. I don’t know about you but... perhaps we should pay a visit to the ducal manor to check on Cherion personally."

Gillian perked up immediately. "Well, I certainly don’t see why not! I want to hear Cherion recount how he took care of that fool."

Philia rose gracefully from his seat as well. "I shall have the inner courtyard stewards prepare your escort carriage immediately, Prince Gillian, Princess Iryna. Please convey my warmest regards to Lord Cherion as well."

"Thank you, Lord Philia," Iryna nodded politely.

As Gillian, Iryna, and Philia began walking together toward the arched glass exit doors of the dining hall, their light laughter and footsteps echoing down the grand marble hallway, Alderon’s deep voice suddenly cut through the quiet room.

"Yerel. Stay behind for a moment."

Yerel, who had just stepped back from his chair to accompany his fiancé out, paused in his tracks. He turned around smoothly, his dark eyes calm and unbothered as he looked toward the head of the table. "Yes, Father?"

The dining hall doors swung shut, leaving father and son completely alone amidst the quiet remnants of the morning banquet.

Alderon sat back in his seat, resting his hands heavily on the armrests. His face was no longer filled with the loud anger he had displayed earlier over Heinrich Bramwell. Instead, his expression became more serious as he turned his attention to his son.

"I am pleased that you acted so quickly, Yerel," Alderon began. "Sending assistance to House Antel and House Avery before the court could even properly address the theater incident was a wise decision. It shows that the crown takes the safety of its noble houses seriously and does not hesitate to look after those affected by such incidents. Actions like these help maintain the nobles’ trust in the throne and remind them that their loyalty is valued."

Yerel offered a polite smile, dipping his head slightly. "Thank you, Father. I merely performed the duty expected of the Crown Prince."

His eyes narrowed. "However..." Alderon continued, "...I believe you dispatched those things solely because they are loyal, prominent subjects of this realm, Yerel. Not because of any lingering... personal reasons."

Alderon’s meaning was clear. He was referring to Cherion and the broken engagement that had once made him Yerel’s intended partner.

Yerel’s smile didn’t falter. He stood with his hands folded behind his back, looking perfectly composed as he listened to his father. Inside, however, he was already thinking, Oh, we’re doing this again? He should have known. His father rarely let an opportunity like this pass without bringing up something Yerel would rather leave alone.

"Father," Yerel said. "I know precisely what you are implying. But I will pretend I did not hear that remark."

Alderon frowned slightly as he studied his son.

"I took proper, honorable action as the heir to this throne to protect court stability and reassure our noble houses," Yerel continued. "I will not allow my good intentions, nor my official crown duties, to be twisted into something else by the baseless suspicions of others, even if those suspicions come from you."

Alderon watched him for a moment before finally nodding.

"Yes. That is exactly what I hope to see from you, Yerel. I want you to continue putting the interests of this empire above your personal feelings. As the Crown Prince, your actions will always be watched and judged by those around you. You must be careful not to give anyone a reason to question your decisions or doubt where your loyalties lie."

Yerel bowed his head. "Now, if you will excuse me, Father. I have to attend to my duties."

Without waiting for a formal dismissal, Yerel turned and walked away. He didn’t look back or say another word to his father.

Alderon remained seated at the head of the long table, watching his son leave. His expression was still cold, and he made no attempt to call Yerel back. He simply followed him with his eyes until the Crown Prince reached the doors.

The heavy doors opened and closed behind Yerel, leaving the king alone. Alderon slowly shifted his gaze toward the empty space where his son had stood. Even now, his expression hadn’t changed. Though one remained seated while the other had walked away, both father and son wore the same cold look, neither willing to reveal what was really going through their minds.