The Third Prince Of Darkness

"Wow, His Excellency Prince Ethan is so handsome!"

"Yes, yes, you're right, he is very handsome!"

"But, but what about Prince Liam? He's not only handsome but also a very kind prince... I'm still rooting for Liam."

"But we don't know much about Prince Ethan, and for some reason, his mysterious nature makes him more attractive to me."

"Yes! Do you think so too?"

"Ahh! You girls talk as if you have the right to choose between them!"

"Yes, yes, you're right... I wish I could at least be one of their concubines..."

----

I could hear the whispers of the crowd around us. And as I looked at Liam standing before me, I could tell he was experiencing the same thing. I could see from Liam's face that he was angry. The reason was that, after years of building a perfect image among the nobility, I had become his rival in just one day. And I did it quite simply. By not attending any of the parties or balls attended by the nobles, I increased their curiosity about me. Also, due to both my appearance and demeanor, I made people feel a mysterious aura around me. In the end, my plan succeeded.

However, Liam did not know that all of this was part of my plan to strengthen my image among the nobility. He had merely found a rival who could threaten his image in a short time, which bruised his ego.

"As you said, these things happen between brothers. If something similar happens between us as it did with Lugoar and me, I hope you will forgive this little brother of yours. Right, brother?"

The dark glint in Liam's eyes immediately showed the impact of my words. Although he tried to hide the tense expression on his face, at that moment, I realized that the indirect threat I had directed at him had dealt a heavy blow to his ego. For a brief moment, our gazes clashed; in this silent duel, a thin smile appeared on both of our faces. However, these smiles were the exact opposite of what they seemed—cold and calculating.

"My brother, of course," Liam said, his voice calm but with a tremor that betrayed the anger brewing inside him. "Family comes first, and if there is any disagreement between us, I'm sure we can resolve it with maturity."

There was a brief silence after these words. The whispers of the surrounding nobles could still be heard faintly . While most of them might not have heard our conversation in its entirety, they must have sensed the tension between us. Some of them were aware that they would soon have to choose sides in this mysterious rivalry. In the gossip-filled corridors of the palace, such a rivalry meant a dangerous game for the throne. I was sure Liam knew this well.

I looked at Liam's face once again. "Great. I thought the same, brother. After all, we share the same blood, and this bond is stronger than anything." I scanned the surrounding crowd with my eyes. "However, I don't want to keep the crowd's attention on us any longer. Unlike you, I don't particularly enjoy interacting with people."

Liam's lips curled into a forced smile. The tension between us brought a cold atmosphere with it, but from the outside, it only seemed like an ordinary conversation between two brothers. However, we both knew it was much more than that. "Ah, of course," Liam said, trying to conceal the slight hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Everyone has their own style, don't they? Your mysterious and distant demeanor has piqued a lot of curiosity among the people. But I guess this situation affects not only you, but all of us."

There was a warning behind these words. Liam was aware that my rise made not only me but also our family a subject of discussion. But I knew he wouldn't go so far as to ignore this warning. I returned his forced smile with one of my own.

"That's right, brother. Everyone has a role to play, and I'm playing mine," I said, giving a slight nod. "But still, we mustn't forget that being cautious never hurts anyone."

These last words were a reminder to Liam and perhaps a slight threat. At that moment, the whispers of the nobles reached our ears once again. This game had become much more complex. And tonight, this complexity was only the beginning. After that, Liam quietly left with the crowd beside him, and I walked in another direction.

As I wandered through the crowd, I could feel Liam’s angry gaze on me from the corner of my eye. This was a sign that our war had not yet begun, but would soon erupt. But I was ready for this battle. I knew that in the intrigue-filled corridors of the palace, I had to tread carefully with every step. And in this game, I couldn't afford to overlook a single detail.

As I wandered through the crowd, I suddenly remembered Avanne and turned back, but she wasn't there. My eyes scanned everywhere, but I couldn't see her anywhere. It shouldn't have been too hard to spot her in the crowd because of the bright red dress she was wearing, but she was nowhere to be found... Had she left so early? Anyway, I'll talk to her later. For now, I need to get through this night.

As I felt a gaze that seemed like it could pierce through my back, I noticed Roxanne staring at me intensely. Ah, now that I think about it, I had forgotten to reward her. Who knows, maybe after tonight, or even tonight itself, she might get her reward. Oh, by the way, Roxanne had given me the most valuable information so far and should be rewarded extra for that.

After Roxanne got close to Queen Fiona, she provided me with a lot of information, but a few days ago, she told me something that surprised me quite a bit. While having a tea day with Fiona, they were chatting, and at some point, the conversation turned to Fiona's children. And that was when Roxanne realized that things were not going well between Fiona and Liam. This was extremely valuable information. Moreover, Fiona's second son... What was the name of that brute... Anyway, she also said that Fiona's relationship with that muscle head wasn't very good either. And the reason Fiona mentioned these to Roxanne—or rather to her future daughter-in-law—was to ask for Roxanne's help in mending her relationship with her children.

As I continued walking through the crowd, pondering why Fiona had a bad relationship with her children, my eyes met those of two young people who suddenly appeared in front of me. A young man and a young woman stood before me, but they looked very much alike. Both had green eyes and turquoise hair, which made me think they were twins.

"Y-Your Excellency, Prince Ethan of the Sun! It is an honor to meet you" said the young man.

"Ah yes... May I ask your names?" I said, glancing at the young woman. She was undoubtedly one of the sweetest-faced girls I had ever seen.

"We are the twin children of the fifth concubine, Lady Elbuanur" said the young man, again taking the initiative to speak.

The young woman, on the other hand, held her brother's arm and stood slightly behind him. It was clear that she was quite shy.

"Oh, so you are, in a way, my siblings, aren't you? Could you please introduce yourselves?"

The twins nodded slightly. The young man seemed to have gained a bit more courage and continued speaking. "Yes, Your Excellency. My name is Markuol, and this is my little sister, Marsiel, who was born half an hour after me" Markuol said, introducing himself and his sister.

The young girl, Marsiel, meanwhile, lowered her head shyly and averted her eyes. The shyness in her eyes intrigued me even more. He continued speaking with a smile.

"How nice. I'm pleased to meet you," I said sincerely. "But there's no need for such formal talk. Please feel at ease," he continued.

The young man seemed to relax a bit at these words, but the girl still hadn't shed her shyness.

"So, is there something you need?" I asked, curious about the reason these two had approached me.

Concubines and their children did not often interact with the royal family, especially with a prince like me. However, sometimes, some concubines' daughters could become the concubines of princes, and there were concubine girls who presented themselves to a prince. But I didn't think these two had approached me for that reason.

"Yes, Your Excellency... We need help."

Markuol's shy but determined expression caught my attention even more. The young man continued speaking, looking directly into my eyes. Marsiel, on the other hand, was still hiding behind her brother, casting shy glances at me. It was clear that these two needed help, but their bold approach to me indicated the seriousness of the situation.

Markuol took a deep breath and began to speak. "Your Excellency, our mother, Lady Elbuanur... She has been going through a very difficult time in the palace lately. She is constantly being ostracized and belittled by some nobles and even other concubines. Our mother is a powerful woman, but these pressures are wearing her down. Our mother... Because she is not His Majesty King Richard's favorite, she is being attacked by other concubines, and even... I'm not accusing anyone specifically, but... I suspect our mother has been poisoned several times."

His words made me think. The intrigues and power struggles within the palace are always dangerous, especially among the concubines. But these young people telling me about their mother's situation carried a risk that could harm not only their mother, but also themselves.

"Your Excellency," Markuol continued, his voice trembling slightly. "We ask for your support for our mother, to extend a helping hand to her. Perhaps even a word from you could change this situation."