Rune was presently dancing with Grand Duchess Dahlia for his own surprise. She had requested him for a dance and now they were on the dance floor. He tried to appear composed but Dahlia noticed his confusion and nervousness. Besides he had seen Ocean walk away with the King towards the resting rooms a while ago and none of them had returned.

The ones who had also seen it were also making their way to the resting rooms discreetly and he could see the Queen getting frustrated while Carlos was drinking and Colette was dancing with another Young Master.

"I guess I’m not a good enough dance partner for the Young Duke." She commented and Rune looked at her.

"Ah, that’s not the case, Your Grace." Rune’s eyes flew back to his dance partner, "I apologise."

Dahlia smiled, "Your eyes keep wandering, is it because of Marquis Ocean?"

Rune smiled back and shook his head, "That’s not the case, I’m just looking for Kai."

Dahlia hummed, "He’s with my son."

Rune’s eyebrows twitched, "Ah... Is that so?"

Rune hadn’t noticed it but as he ran his eyes through the crowd he caught a glimpse of Davian with Kai, both of them were eating snacks, or more like Davian was feeding him snacks. The two looked happy as they talked and laughed. No other noble who saw them together tried to approach and those who did were half-way ignored because they were having more fun with each other. Rune felt his jaw clenching as he saw how Kai- Ocean/Reina’s adopted son was more close to Davian than himself.

Dahlia noticed something in his body language and her eyes narrowed a little, "You... don’t seem to like my son."

Rune’s eyes whipped back to her, shocked that she caught on it so quickly. Dahlia sighed as her eyes fell over her son who was laughing and she couldn’t help but smile.

"I- We aren’t really on bad terms, Your Grace." Rune spoke fumbling over his own lie. He knew he didn’t like Davian for various reasons, first of all, it was because of Eric, second because he was an outsider yet he had ended up dragging Reina/Ocean into his business multiple times and had brazely gotten close to her. Rune always had a strange uneasy feeling whenever he saw Davian with Ocean. The way Davian followed Ocean around like a lost puppy and shamelessly stayed at the Ryujin estate for months despite having the Grand Duke’s manor in the capital. It was all too irritating for Rune.

"It’s been ages since I saw him laugh so freely," Dahlia said as they kept dancing slowly, "He hadn’t had a proper childhood because of us."

Rune looked at her, she wasn’t too shorter than himself. While he was dancing he could feel the calluses on her palm and her waist was lean and muscled, unlike any woman he had ever gotten acquainted with Grand Duchess Dahlia was unmistakably one of a kind, even taking his own sister as an example. Reina was strong, she had the Dragon’s bloodline, but physically she appeared like a heavenly angel, nothing like Grand Duchess Dahlia who held the kind of beauty that would make one see her strength with naked eyes.

Rune could see something akin to regret or even sadness in her emerald eyes as she kept glancing at her son.

"Why... is that?" Rune asked.

Dahlia looked back at him and smiled, "Everyone knows about Frosthail’s condition. And besides, a few years ago, I and Alarice were abducted... Davian had to go through a lot during our absence."

Rune gulped as he knew it all, Dahlia continued, "He had to shoulder the responsibility that he wasn’t prepared for and... well, he had to face my troubles with no one to protect him... until Ocean Ryujin showed up."

Rune stiffened slightly hearing Ocean’s name but kept dancing in the rhythm.

"I’ll always be indebted to him, if not for him then our family might never had a chance to reunite... My husband would be dead, I would also be dead and none of you would have known of it."

Rune pursed his lips, he knew the grim reality of not having a parent. Duke Aurelius, his father loved both his kids dearly but at times Rune still felt the absence of their mother.

"I understand that you are protective towards Ocean," Dahlia said and Rune frowned a bit.

"Wh-Why would I be protective towards Marquis Ocean, Your Grace?" He asked and she smiled, she leaned slightly closer with her voice dropping to a whisper.

"I happen to know that he-she is your dear family."

Rune stiffened and stopped dancing altogether but Dahlia maneuvered him into dancing along.

Rune was on high alert hearing that, Grand Duchess Dahlia knew about Ocean and Reina’s secret. Did that mean the whole Montaire family knew of it? Was that why he followed Ocean around all the time?

Dahlia could see the tension over Rune’s face and she gently patted his shoulder.

"Don’t worry, only I know of it and it was because of the circumstances that it was revealed before me. But I have promised Ocean that I’ll never reveal his secret, even to my own husband and son unless he does it himself." Dahlia assured him.

Rune’s jaw remained clenched and Dahlia sighed, "Why do you hate him?"

Rune blinked taken aback, he disliked Davian but never hated him.

"I don’t hate, Prince Davian." He said honestly and then pondered over it silently for a moment.

"I just... don’t feel like we could be on good terms.* He admitted and Dahlia’s smile turned a little melancholic.

"He would never admit if he is having a hard time to us... I know none of the Young Masters of the noble families are close to him... But I guess he feels comfortable around Ryujin mansion’s people and Master Ocean. At least he has a place where he can feel at ease."

Rune could feel the concern in her voice and he couldn’t help but wonder how their mother would have been if she were alive. Would she be concerned about Reina and himself in the same way?

Dahlia looked at Rune and squeezed his shoulder a little, "I don’t know why you don’t like my son, Young Duke. But since he is close to Master Ocean so, can I request you for something?"

Rune looked down at her, "... Sure."

"If it isn’t a hassle then, please let him be close to Master Ocean and Kai. As parents we might not have much to do for him anymore and the fact that he’s living here ever since you all returned from the war is enough to tell us that instead of going home he likes it better here."

Rune frowned a little and Dahlia glanced at Davian again who was talking to Count Erkens while keeping Kai away from him.

"Still, since he’s the future Grand Duke, shouldn’t he return to Frosthail and take over his duties?" Rune asked.

Dahlia chuckled, "He has done that once and we don’t wish for him to take up such a huge responsibility until he has paced himself. Since childhood I hadn’t seen him being so happy... well, he was a little excited whenever he had to go and see Prince Eric but..."

Rune frowned a little more and Dahlia shook her head, the music was coming to an end.

"I hope you two grow close," she said.

Rune couldn’t say anything further as the music stopped and Dahlia and he parted.

Rune watched as Dahlia walked away gracefully, he could see just how much she loved and care for her son. He could faintly remember his mother’s voice and how she would play with her. But most of his memories were so faint now that he could barely recall anything vividly.

Davian was lucky that both of his parents were saved from the jaws of death and had returned safely for him and care for him so much.

Just like that, Rune couldn’t help but feel like he had one more reason to dislike Davian.

He got off the dance floor and suddenly the crowd started shifting and he looked around before he saw Ocean and King Roger making their way towards the stairs.

Ocean grabbed a glass of wine on his way and Rune flinched. Ocean/Reina never drank.

Roger’s face was set in a serious expression as they both turned to face the crowd after stepping up a couple of steps.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Ocean spoke loudly clinking the glass in his hand and the people turned and looked at them.

"I, Marquis Ocean Ryujin, thank you all again for coming all the way here to my humble abode on my invitation and blessed my son with a bright future." Ocean said.

The nobles on his side cheered making the others reluctantly share a low spirited cheer as well.

Roger cleared his throat and everyone fell silent as his eyes fell scanned the crowd.

"Tonight was the celebration for the heir of Ryujin family and I am happy by the intellect and quick-witted future of this family. Marquis Ocean Ryujin has been an asset to Sestia ever since he set down here and had been tirelessly working on removing the rotten roots from my kingdom." Roger’s words crashed into half the audience including the Queen, Prince Carlos and Princess Colette like a slap in the face.

"He had uncovered a lot of treasonous people within a span of few years while we were unknown of it and had let them grow and hollow out the kingdom." Roger continued.

"I believe the future of the kingdom also relies on the fact that instead of choosing a Prince to become the King myself, I have them tested."

The people gasped and Katherine’s eyes went wide. Ocean had told her that he would decide the Prince he would support by testing them, was that somehow connected to what Roger was saying right now? If that was the case then-

"Eric, Carlos, step ahead." Roger commanded.

The two Young Princes stepped out of the crowd and stood in front of Roger.

"You two have grown seperately with different education and in different environments. But both of you are equally considered for my throne. So, I’d like you to prove why you should be the King."

Katherine’s face was as pale as a sheet while Colette’s eyes were wide. She was seeing an opportunity, a golden opportunity to get rid of both the hurdles from her path at the same time.

"From hence on, I as the King of Sestia bestow the authority of arranging and implementing the trials of selecting the future King fo Sestia to Marquis Ocean Ryujin!" Roger announced.

The wave of gasps followed along with the shouts of resistance.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

"Why would an outsider be given the response of choosing the future King?"

"He doesn’t have any qualifications, Your Majesty!"

The opposition was in full power while Ocean’s supporters stood in silence. None of them bothered to speak as they watched Ocean sipping their wines.

They knew this announcement was going to happen that’s why they had been preparing for it. Ocean had told them that they need not so anything as it would all be handled by the King himself.

The King noticed as how silent one side was while the others were ready to throw hands, it only showed him how much control Ocean had over his side.

"Should I take it as you all opposing to the Crown’s decision?" Roger thundered angrily.

The people who were shouting fell silent and looked at Katherine as if she could do something. Katherine didn’t like this idea, she couldnt gamble away her son’s throne like this.

She swallowed her anger and stepped ahead, "Y-"

Colette who noticed it stepped right ahead first and curtsied in front of Roger.

"Please don’t be angry, Your Majesty." She said in a sweet sounding voice.

"I believe they all were simply worried that it might not be a fair competition."

Colette could feel both Roger’s and Ocean’s eyes on her, none of them had any hint of warmth in them. But she knew she had to do this now, she had stepped ahead so she had to take control.

"Colette!" Katherine spoke from behind and Colette straightened up.

"I believe Your Majesty’s decision is absolutely correct." She announced making the ones behind her to drop their jaws.

"Wha-What?!"

"Is she really..."

Colette continued keeping the facade of a peaceful and kind Princess, "I agree that both of my brothers are capable and skilled. So, it would be rather hard to decide who could take over the kingdom and that’s why Your Majesty has assigned a neutral party this responsibility, right?"

Ocean tilted his head slightly and Colette averted her eyes from his, she couldn’t hide the fact that she was intimidated but she refused to give up this chance.

"That’s why, I support His Majesty’s decision of giving Marquis Ocean Ryujin the responsibility assigning the trials to select the future King." She announced.

Almost everyone present were confused listening to Colette but some experienced eyes along with Ocean’s were suspicious. The Princess was plotting something and they needed to find out what it was.