As expected, serendipity was within my grasp. Luck decided to pay me a visit right when I thought that this situation could get even worse.

“Your Highness, I advise you to drop Prince Lucian’s belongings to the ground for your safety and for the prevention of any spark of unnecessary squabble.”

Segreth stood by the entrance of my room. He held his sword, aiming daringly towards the criminal. 

Lucius’ head snapped to the doorway. He glared at the armour-clad male with lilac-coloured hair that was tied neatly into a coil. His armour was purely ink black with the shoulder pads curved upwards. A black cape pooled down behind him. A tattoo of a purple circle and letterings scribbled inside of it rested on his forehead. In the middle of the circle, his number was engraved as XIII.  It indicated his status as one of the men of the Higher-Order.

The Higher-Order and the Queen of Ancients were of equal power. They both could plan and write laws that had to be approved by the king or given the holy validation from the Cauldron of Spirits. The cauldron had been used ever since King Genshi's rule one-hundred and fifty years ago. It was said to contain the spirits which aided the Ancients ever since our creation.

The Higher-Order were the potential kings after King Genshi, but their blood was not chosen for royalty, instead, the Cauldron of Spirits continued with the bloodline of the late king.

“Segreth Wyman…What is a noble doing here in my brother’s room?” 

Lucius wasn’t at all pleased with Segreth’s face. Usually, people would flock Segreth because he was one of the handsomest men in the kingdom, but Lucius acted like he wanted to peck a huge crater to his face. 

“I am not your— “

“Shush Lucian. I don’t have time for your bratty and conceited ass that went through a highly conceited law made by conceited assholes like him,” the criminal broke off, pointing rudely at Segreth. The latter merely stared impassively at Lucius before replying with:

“I am Prince Lucian’s mentor after Prelate Iltut Le Lann’s passing.” Segreth informed him. 

Lucius’s eyes mildly widened before his face fell in what seemed to be a melancholic expression. He tried to compose himself. 

“Iltut died?”

“He was executed due to unspeakable crimes that I am forbidden to relay, especially to you.” 

Segreth, despite his show of sympathy, seemed to be enjoying being the one to deliver the bad news. This only riled up Lucius into grabbing his neck with one hand and shoving him against the wall.

“Listen up you stupid noble, Iltut was like a father to me and the only sane one in the Higher-Order. I don’t care what your orders are; I have the right to know!” 

Segreth was undeterred by the man’s perturbation and stared directly into his eyes.

“Do you really wish to know?” Segreth asked. “Do you really wish to know what Iltut did to the prince? Can you really take it? Because even I cannot undo the results of what he has done.”

Lucius dropped Segreth down to the ground and took a step back.

“What are you saying?”

“Ochi sto de Scarlet Austarch… This law is still misunderstood by many, especially by the royal family. This was made by the Cysgod Knight whom the Scarlet King fell in love with. You think King Genshi did us all a favour by preventing its mandatory application but in truth, it was quite the opposite. Iltut twisted the law and did what the Scarlet King could have done to those who would oppose him. The law was meant to strengthen one’s loyalty and faith to Florencia and Iltut did just that but using the Scarlet King’s method.”

Segreth spoke nonsense again. Iltut did what he could to help me get rid of these pestering emotions. He did me a favour. 

Lucius became rigid. He stormed out, screaming profanities and calling out to my parents'. Segreth took a moment to peek at the outraging man before facing me.

“How are you feeling, Your Highness?” he asked me.

“Nothing.”

“As usual I see.” He showed a smile. “It is alright to express joy. The order does not forbid you to do so.”

“I do not know joy and I do not wish to try it.”

Segreth’s lips fell into a blank line. 

“I see what a shame…”

“Did I pass your test?” 

“I wasn’t testing you,” Segreth replied. “That was a genuine question.”

“Is this another test?” I asked him which only made him sigh.

Segreth was good at giving trials, but I never failed them. I was trained well.

“Our marriage is in three days…I hope your brother does not intervene.” 

Segreth was chosen by the king to be my spouse. The cauldron had picked me as the next ruler and my father thought it would only be wise to pick someone who he trusted from the Higher-Order. He wanted to merge the opposing bodies of sovereignty to finally end the dispute between him and the thirteen bishops. 

The cauldron approved of Segreth but also predicted that we would not have an offspring because one of us was ironically impotent.

That man’s invasion must end. “He would not dare to—” my sentence was cut off. 

Segreth released a pained and strangled voice, grasping tightly onto his neck and falling to the ground.

“You almost got me there,” Lucius huffed. “But then I remembered that the Higher-Order is the reason why the Scarlet Emperor went berserk.”

Red bumps grew out of his face. My eyes slowly raised to Lucius who stood by the doorway with a raised arm and an open palm ready to shoot a thorn towards me.

“You were getting married, and I wasn’t even invited. I’m going to have to cancel the wedding plans…”

Lucius released the thorn towards me. My eyesight went away with my consciousness. 

This was not how things should go.