Davian and Colette could feel the Dragon’s Presence circling around them like the beast circling its prey.

Ocean crossed his arms at his chest staring at the two of them.

"Might I ask what are you two doing here?" Ocean asked.

Colette scowled but the experience from the last time and the obvious pressure around her was enough to keep her from opening her mouth. Davian too kept his head down.

"I’m sorry, Marquis Ocean." Davian spoke making Colette look at him with surprise.

The future Grand Duke was apologising to a mere Marquis.

Colette looked up at him and found the blazing blue eyes focused down on them. She couldn’t speak and Davian closed his eyes.

"Leave this instant," Ocean said and Colette gritted his teeth.

"I won’t guarantee your lives if you stepped here again tonight."

Colette glared up at him and Davian answered, "Yes,"

Before she could say anything Davian gripped her wrist and dragged Colette away from there.

Ocean remained there and Davian dragged her all the way down before he let go of her hand grimacing.

"Wh-Why would you let a mere Marquis talk you down?" She asked Davian and he whirled around glaring at her.

Davian was one step away from lashing at her as because of her even he ended up becoming a reason for angering Ocean. Davian closed his eyes inhaling and exhaling deeply before running his hand through his hair.

"Your Highness," he spoke, "I advise you to stay away from Marquis Ocean. Today I saved you because you are on his turf and I didn’t want Kai’s special day to be tainted. But there won’t be a next time."

Colette frowned, "You are acquainted with Marquis Ocean’s heir."

She was sharp enough unlike her brother and Davian was about to say something when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching them.

Kai came running towards them and Davian faced him.

"Davian, what’s wrong? I saw M-Father come rushing here all of a sudden. Did something happen to-" Kai stopped as he saw Colette and then looked at Davian.

He was strictly told to address Ocean as Father from tonight but he would still let his habit of calling him Master get the better out of him. Still, he could see a different problem here.

"Did you... go upstairs?" Kai asked and Davian sighed.

"Both the Marquis and his son are insolent." Colette spoke looking down at Kai.

Kai clenched his jaw and then sighed as he knew there was no point in getting angry even if she used Ocean’s name. He looked at Davian.

"You know he would get angry so why did you go there, Davian?"

Colette frowned, "You litte- How dare you call Prince Davian by his name without using honorifics? Haven’t your mentors taught you about social statuses?"

Davian who had been listening to this felt too exhausted to deal with this and he turned Colette.

"It would be better if Her Highness stays out of the matters that are beyond her." Davian said, his eyes glowing faintly violet as he barely concealed his anger.

"As for how Kai calls me is between him and me. It’s none of your concern so, please return to the ballroom." He said, Colette smiled.

"Shouldn’t you be escorting me?" She asked raising her hand to him.

Davian looked at her hand as if it was some filthy bug before he wrapped his arm around Kai’s shoulders.

"I’m escorting Kai back, Your Highness is capable of returning on her own since she came all the way here." Davian said.

Colette looked at his arm that was around Kai before she glanced at Davian and then walked past him.

The two watched her leave and Davian sighed slumping beside Kai and Kai poked at his side.

"I’m going upstairs, I should check on him." Kai said and Davian looked at him.

"Do you even know how to undo the security devices? I just almost got killed." Davian said and Kai smiled.

"Don’t worry, the only one who can undo them is Master or me." He said and Davian chuckled.

"Father," he corrected and Kai gasped.

"Ah, right." He sighed and the two walked up the stairs.

Colette returned to the ballroom and met with her fuming brother, she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by him. If only she could be the Queen then- her eyes drifted over to the Queen of Mordino. That woman was probably the most powerful and wealth woman in here despite her position being the same as Colette’s parents. Miera had taken the throne at young age and she had been deciding her and her kingdom’s future on her own without any need of a man.

Colette wondered if she could become like that, then she wouldn’t have to worry about her foolish brother or her paranoid mother. She knew she was better than both of them put together. If only her mother would realise that she was betting on the wrong player here she could do so much more.

Colette had these thoughts when she was young but after she realised that she couldn’t rule the kingdom and it was for her brother she decided that she would just be the most beautiful and most sought after lady in the kingdom. But there was one who stood in her way, Reina Aurelius, the weak and fragile daughter of Duke Aurelius but someone with a sharp tongue and probably sharper brain.

Ruling a kingdom was a faraway thought but now after watching Miera she couldn’t help but have those thoughts again. What if she would just get rid of her brother and convince her mother that she could be a better choice?

Either ways her brother was useless, he couldn’t do anything against the concubine’s son even after he had several chances. But she was different, she knew she could achieve it. Besides, she just realised that there was a hidden card that she hadn’t even given a thought to for all these years.

Davian Montaire. The future Grand Duke. If she could manage to have him then she could easily get the throne. All she had to do was get rid of her brother and Eric and seduce Davian to become the Grand Duchess, she could then use her and her mother’s influence and sit on the throne as the new Queen.

The plan was great enough but there were still so many hurdles in her path, including her mother. But she could handle it.

Ocean knocked on the door of Sol’s room.

"It’s me." Ocean spoke and there was a clock before the door opened and Ocean looked down at Sol’s face.

Ocean walked inside scooping Sol up in his arms and Nox who was sitting on the fluffy pillow also flew up to Ocean.

"I heard some intruders and even Davian. Did something happen?" Sol asked and Ocean sat down on the couch with Sol on his lap.

"Yes, there was one intruder who tried to trespass here, His Highness stopped her."

"Her?"

"It was Princess Colette." Ocean told him.

Sol cocked a brow, "Colette? You mean the Golden Serpent’s daughter?"

Ocean nodded and looked at the cookies, he picked one and munched on them.

"And Davian stopped her?"

"Saved her," Ocean corrected as he picked another cookies and Sol frowned.

"But he couldn’t realise that there’s never only one type of defense device around, there are five different ones that set off one after the other two keep the intruders in dark." Ocean said finishing the second cookies and reached out for the next.

Sol snatched the cookie before Ocean could take it.

"Stop eating my cookies!" He scolded and Ocean chuckled.

"Ah, sorry,"

Sol dropped the cookie back in the plate and twiddled his thumbs watching as Nox now started nibbling on the snack.

"Besides, you’re going to do it today, right?" He asked Ocean.

"Hm, do what?" Ocean asked as he played with Sol’s hair.

Sol looked at him, "You know what I’m talking about."

Ocean hummed and there was a knock on the door.

"Ma-Father, it’s me." Kai’s voice came throught.

Ocean used telekinesis to open the door and Kai followed by Davian entered, Nox flew over to Kai and Kai chuckled softly as he held his arm out for the owl to land.

"Master, I’m really sorry for earlier." Davian said hanging his head and Ocean sighed.

"It’s fine, I know you must have come because Colette was snooping around." Ocean said waving his hand.

"It would have been dangerous if she got hurt." Kai said as the two walked over and took seats.

"Not really, I was notified the moment someone set their foot on third floor. I would have just seen her go to the doorstep of death and then healed her right back. It would have worked great as a warning for sneaking around like a rat on my land." Ocean said.

"I shouldn’t have bothered then." Davian sighed picking up a cookie, a vein popped over Sol’s forehead watching the three people who were supposed to be attending the ball being in his room. Two of them were tonight’s host and the guest of honor!

"Why are you three lounging here for anyways?!" He shouted and then looked at Ocean, "You’re supposed to be down there, it’s your ball!"

"Oh, well, I just came to check on you." Ocean said.

"I’m fine, but if you stayed longer people will notice. So, you all hurry up and leave!" Sol scolded.

Ocean and others reluctantly left the room, Ocean was the last one to leave and Sol stood at the door.

"Ah," Ocean suddenly stopped and turned, "I couldn’t sense it though. The dark spell on anyone. It’ll be tricky so we’re going with Plan B."

Sol and the rest two who heard it stared at him for a moment.

"So, the announcements will be done tonight." Sol surmised and Ocean nodded.

"Lock the door and stay inside. I’ll be back after the ball ends."

Sol frowned hearing that, "Just go and rest after the ball. No need to come check on me all the time."

Ocean simply chuckled hearing that and then led the two back to the ballroom while making sure the security devices were activated again.

Ocean and others returned to the ballroom in a few minutes and Ocean made his way straight to the King.

"Your Majesty," he spoke with a smile and Roger turned to him.

"There you are, Marquis. Where did you disappear to?" Roger asked and Ocean smiled.

"I just went to fetch something, Your Majesty. May I have a moment with you? In private." Ocean asked in a low voice.

Roger understood the meaning behind those words and excused himself from the nobles who were talking to him. It were Marquis Fairisles, Count Nash and Earl Clive. The three glanced at Ocean and he gave them a curt nod before leaving.

Ocean led the King to the resting room and made sure no one followed as he gestured for Roger to sit.

"How much did you find?" He asked straightaway and Ocean placed his hand in his chest before producing an envelope. It had some bloodstains on it.

"I apologise for the sorry sight of this envelope, Your Majesty. It was just as how I found it." Ocean said and handed it to Roger.

Roger gulped and took the envelope before hurriedly opening it and finding three papers inside all written in a familiar handwriting. More pages of Douglas Clark’s will. But still, these were not all. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

These only had the information about the assassination of Crown Prince Soros and his wife that was carried out by Douglas Clark on the orders of Katherine Esmertia who at that time wasn’t married to Roger. And very complicitly also hinted that there was more to the death of the previous King as well.

Roger’s hands trembled and eyes went red as he read the contents while Ocean stood before him with his hands at his back. Roger looked ready to explode as he rose to his feet in one swift motion with his jaw clenched and hands trembling in fury.

"Please calm yourself, Your Majesty." Ocean spoke and Roger’s bloodshot eyes turned on him.

"Calm myself! When I have this in my hands?! That snake killed my brother and sister-in-law!" He thundered and Ocean for once was thankful that he had installed the soundproof devices around the resting room in advance.

"It’ll be a lie if I said that I can understand how you feel Your Majesty, as I’m but an outsider but, as your loyal... servant. I request you to please listen to me first before you do anything." Ocean spoke with the perfect blend of emotions mingling in his voice.

Roger was still angry but he seemed to swallow it a little as he stood there.

"What do you want to say?" He asked and Ocean stepped ahead.

"Please forgive me for I might sound a little insolent from my words from henceforth," Ocean said and observed Roger’s expression before continuing, "But what you would do now wouldn’t even put a scratch on the kind of injustice that you and your family had faced because of someone’s greed."

Roger’s anger was replaced by slight confusion and intrigue as he listened more.

"I ask you consider the motive behind those assassinations, Your Majesty." Ocean said and Roger pondered over it, the answer was simple.

"Throne." He said and Ocean nodded.

"Precisely, but it also includes power. Years ago, the assassinations were carried out for the throne and if I’m not wrong the history will be repeating."

Roger wasn’t a fool to not understand what Ocean meant. Nobody in the royal palace or the royal family was safe as long as the Queen was in power, even the King himself. The matter had reached to the point where he himself was being poisoned and he only found out after months. This also made several points stand in his mind.

The sudden fire at the tower where Concubine Elise, the woman he loved was held and her death.

Eric being in constant danger, so much that he had to trust an outsider and now that he had returned even after fighting in a war. He had no trust in his own father.

No one was by Roger’s side and he was even wary of the man before him who had done nothing but provide him with support until now.

"What do you propose then?" Roger asked and Ocean looked at him.

"There’s still more to that report," Ocean said gesturing at the pages in Roger’s hand, "I’m afraid we are yet to find an even gruesome event of the history, Your Majesty."

Roger felt his anger resurfacing and Ocean spoke, "Since that person’s greed had led them to kill so many people just to get the throne for themselves and their son then, I suppose it’s only right for us to go for an approach where they wouldn’t even have a single person on their side."

Roger looked at him, confused again.

"What do you mean?"

Ocean smirked, "Since they did so much for the power and throne for their son, what will they do when they find out that their son’s incompetence is displayed before the world?"

Roger frowned a little and Ocean took this chance to explain his plan about the trials.

"I and my aides will present the detailed plan to Your Majesty tomorrow. But, for that, it would be better if the announcement is done tonight." Ocean said.

"The world should know that the King is going to be decided by a series of trials decided by myself."