Ten

Santi sat on the sofa as Minerva was on his lap. Across him was Lorenzo who leisurely sipped on the tea that Julia made. On the side was Alvin, Cassie and Julia.

“So, care to share what happened?” Lorenzo asked. It was obvious that he wanted to catch the news first-hand.

On the other hand, Santi took the tiger plushie on the side and gave it to his daughter before he answered.

“I almost shove it on his throat.” He said nonchalantly. But deep inside, he was extremely pissed by the old man. It was a good thing that he came home and his mood lightened when he saw his Little Crybaby.

The truth was, they should arrive two weeks at most. Teleportation was the easiest way for the to arrive sooner but these dumb mages that were sent by the king insisted that they did not know how to teleport. Thus, they could not accompany him on the return.

Did they really think he was a saint? He left as soon as they uttered those nonsense. He was already delayed for months because of the stupid beast that the old man wanted for him to search. If not, he should’ve come to rescue his daughter when they were attacked.

As soon as he arrived on the Imperial Palace, he nonchalantly dragged the beast’s tail as he strode to the throne room. He intentionally slowed his pace as if he strolled on the garden.

When he arrived on the throne room, he brutely kicked the door on the throne room thus interrupted the conversation between the nobles and the king. Santi chose the time that almost all noblemen were present as they could see how far could he go if they mess with him.

“This subject greeted His Majesty.” Santi eloquently said but everyone could see that he did not bowed his head.

King Vicente IX stared at the impudent man in front of him. If it was the others, he would rebuke them from their brutish behavior. But who was the man in front of him? He was Duke Ysmael Santi de Ivrea−the one who single-handedly annihilated his late father while he was still a child. Santi was the one who chose his half-brother as the new king who would govern the entirety of the Moren Empire−which was now called as the Azenla Empire.

Everyone in the Azenla Empire knew that the Duke of Ivrea was somewhat related to the Imperial Family. That was the reason why the king was afraid that one day Santi would choose to compete for the throne. They knew how powerful he was. Although they could only know it through the war against the devils that occurred every hundred years, they knew how he could easily annihilate those devils. Thus, if he wanted to usurp the throne, it was only an easy feat for him. In addition, the commoners would surely support him if ever that would happen.

King Vicente IX clenched his fist tightly but refused to let Santi humiliate him further.

“Duke Ivrea, it was a pleasant surprise that you returned early. Where were the mages and knight that accompanied you on your expedition?” He asked. He acted as if he did not know that Santi left the Royal Mages and Imperial Knights just to teleport here.

‘As expected, it was difficult to pin him down. I almost succeeded to capture his daughter but that damned Lorenzo interfered.’ The king pursed his lips when he remembered how the men that he sent failed utterly.

‘What a useless bunch. Just the disgrace daughter of Marquis Santcliment yet they were unable to kill?’

King Vicente IX gritted his teeth. He badly wanted to kill Cassie himself!

That bitch! She’s already useless as she was unable to become a mage or knight, yet when she decided to become a maid, she chose to side on Duke Ivrea? Of all nobles?

The king calmed himself down. He did not want to lose his composure. Especially when Duke Ivrea was in front him.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I was too excited to see my child as it had been months when I last saw her. I’m sure Your Majesty could understood what I felt as you feel the same way to the Crown Prince.” Santi said and purposefully brought the Crown Prince on the discussion.

The noblemen around them gaped in shock as they heard the Duke Ivrea brazenly brought the Crown Prince.

Who didn’t know that the king did not like the Crown Prince? He may be the Crown Prince in name and the next in line to the throne. But everyone knew that the Second Prince was what the king favored the most to pass the crown.

The Duke Ivrea really had the guts to openly fight against the king!

Although the king did not show any ounce of emotion, Santi knew that he was displeased.

Heh, and whose fault was that? He was just idle on his house as he took care of his daughter yet this old man continued to pester him. Did he think he has the patience?

“Your Majesty might now know but my daughter was almost assassinated while I was away. I was extremely afraid and worried on what would happen if Lorenzo did not appear on time.” He said as he dramatically sighed.

“Out of anger, I told Lorenzo that once I found the beast that His Majesty wanted, I would surely shove it on the mastermind’s throat.” Santi said as he pulled the beast’s tail in front of the king. With the force of his hand, the beast was awakened and growled in resistance. It opened its huge mouth like an attempt to eat the nearest human on it which was King Vicente IX.

“Your Majesty!” The noblemen around them exclaimed in shock as they saw that the beast almost devoured the king if Santi did not pull back the beast at him.

King Vicente IX, on the other hand, stiffened on his seat as he thought his life flashed through his eyes. What Santi did was extremely quick that he did not managed to follow on the speed. With just a blink, the vicious beast was already in front of him and almost devoured him.

He stared at Santi in disbelief and humiliation. Time and time again, he would act impudently and slap him on his face right in front of the noblemen.

How could he face his subjects with what he did just now?

While the king and the noblemen shivered in fear on what happened, Santi’s expression became serious.

“My daughter was still a child. As a father, what the mastermind did was unforgiveable. Right, Your Majesty?” He asked in seriousness, “That’s why I wouldn’t forgive the one who tried to assassinate my daughter.”

The king and the noblemen clenched their fist as they felt the oppressive aura that Santi released. Although each of them had a decent mana on their own, they still could not be compared to the power that Santi had.

“This subject hoped that His Majesty would forgive my early arrival.”

King Vicente IX gritted his teeth in anger. He knew that Duke Ivrea just gave him a warning.

But how could he swallow the insult that he gave him just now? Everyone saw how he was almost devoured by the vicious beast yet the one that he asked for apology was he returned early?!

The king tried his hardest to calm himself down, “Of course. I knew how much you missed your daughter. You could also go home now, Duke Ivrea.”

“This subject thanked the magnanimity of the Sun of the Azenla.” Santi said. In front of everyone, he shackled the vicious beast and placed it inside the magic cage. Afterwards, he bid his goodbye and left the throne room like nothing happened.

Lorenzo laughed loudly after Santi recalled what happened earlier. Even Alvin, Cassie and Julia tried their hardest not to laugh.

On the other hand, Minerva stared at her father. She already heard that her father could be impudent but she never knew that it’d be on this extent! He outright humiliated the king in front of the noblemen!

When Santi saw that his daughter stared at him with amazement, the corner of his lips rose as he pinched her tiny nose.

“What? Were you amazed by how powerful and majestic your father was?”

Minerva pursed her lips but she still nodded her head. When she saw that her father’s expression softened even more, she could not help but to feel glad that she nodded. At least, as what she could see, her father was not disappointed to her at all.

Santi caressed her back as he looked at Lorenzo as he wiped the tears on his eyes.

“If not for Minnie’s first birthday, I would’ve killed that old man by due to his impudence.”

When she heard what her father said, Minerva once again stared at him. But this time, her eyes widen in shock. Santi just let her rest on his chest.

“Right. If you would kill the old man now, it would be a taboo to celebrate her birthday as your empire would have to mourn for him. If you insisted to throw a birthday celebration, it would backfire not only to you, but also to Minnie.” Lorenzo said after a thought.

“That’s why he better celebrate the days that remained as he was still alive.”

Lorenzo shook his head, “That’s the reason why I chose to be independent. I don’t need to be under someone’s command.”

“I regret that I stayed on this damned place.” Santi grumbled in annoyance. Lorenzo just laughed at him.

Minerva quietly listened to their exchange. She already knew that the king and her father was on each other’s throat. Although she did not know what was the reason, what she knew was that when the time her father decided to retaliate, it would be bloody.

As much as possible, she did not want the innocent to be implicated on their conflict. She hoped that she could tell this to her father.

However, she was also somehow afraid. What if her father thought that she was too nosy? And by that, her father would dislike her?

Minerva heaved a sigh. She just hoped that nothing could go wrong.