'Okay, I need to learn from her. She is a good actress and a master planner,' Kaelith thought to himself.
"Don't you sense something strange in the air?" Plum whispered, as if saying it too loud would make it viral.
"Of course. A lot of things will happen today. The birth of the star of doom is the perfect cover to mask every hidden agenda."
Agnes' eyes flicked back to Kaelith. "All we have to focus on is how to make you survive what is to come," she smiled at him.
'Don't worry, white lotus, I'll survive just fine. You should be worried about the others, because they are going to regret ever crossing my path.'
....
Six months had passed since Kaelith was reborn in the world.
The howling of the cold wind brushed past Kaelith's face. He squinted his eyes slightly at the white snow that was covering everything in its touch.
He was covered with thick coats, and his fingers were covered with thick gloves. He lay still in his mother's arms. When he looked up at his mother, he couldn't help but stare at her face. Her pale face had regained some colour. The golden earrings and the crown on her head highlighted her beauty. She wore a white coat with white fur around the collar; her posture was elegant and majestic.
And not too far away from them were other members of royalty from the other empires, as they came to watch the event of the year.
To his left was concubine Artherine, who was wearing a forced smile. She was wearing a blue coat, and in her arms was her baby—his half-brother. Not wanting to sully his eyes further, he moved his gaze again, only to land on his father.
He grimaced, as he didn't want to see him. The past six months had been eventful enough for him and his mother, and it was all thanks to his father. And by 'eventful', he meant the assassination attempts that he had gotten at least twice every month—on a very eventful one, it would be three times.
He sighed, as he glanced at his left thumb, where his killer had placed the Drakyn ring, the ring having been helpful in protecting him. But he couldn't just rely on it. After his time with his mother, and hearing her conversations with Plum and the other servants, he had learnt that a hundred years had passed since his death.
He also learnt how the world had been reformed after his death. Currently, the world has four major empires: Northhelm, which is known as the Northern Empire; Sunmere, known as the Southern Empire; Gravemarch, known as the Eastern Empire; and Eldenria, where he was born, known as the Central Empire.
Every empire has their own special magic affinity. Kaelith looked down below, where there was a large round arena, with people sitting around, waiting for the event of the year.
The event takes place every year to depict the empire that has the most powerful magic. Last year, the Eldenria Empire won, and that was why the event was hosted there.
Kaelith watched with anticipation. He needed to know how much the mages had progressed in comparison to before. Although he had read some of his mother's books while she was asleep, he couldn't tell exactly how much the gap was.
A bell chimed through the arena, signalling the beginning of the event.
The iron gate to the right side creaked open, and a group of boys and girls—likely at the age of 17 to 20—stepped into the arena.
The moment they came into view, a loud cheerful noise echoed through the air. The noise was dissonant as the crowds were cheering for their own empire.
"Northhelm! Northhelm…"
"Sunmere! Sunmere! Burn them all…"
"Eldenria! Eldenria the Great!"
"Gravemarch! Gravemarch!"
As the crowds began their cheers, Draco, Kaelith's half-brother, began to cry. No matter how much Artherine tried to calm him, he didn't stop. Rather, his mouth opened wider.
"Take him inside," Dimitri commanded, with an irritated look flashing through his eyes.
Artherine gave Draco to a maid to carry the child away from the crowd.
Dimitri gaze then moved to Kaelith, who was sitting upright, his little neck straining to get a better view of the event.
Dimitri's eyes flickered with surprise. He couldn't help but wonder if the baby was actually a real baby. All the other babies had been crying even before the event started. He was proud of Draco for not crying, but the child had proved him wrong when he opened his little mouth wailing. And he was expecting Kaelith to cry too, but the baby was watching with anticipation, as if he knew what was going on.
Dimitri averted his head when he saw Agnes looking his way, with a gaze that was asking him why he was staring.
He shifted in his seat before he returned his gaze to the arena. Beside him was the Emperor of Sunmere, Frederik Icestone—a man who was shorter than his peers. His short legs dangled from his seat, his head bald in the middle. His brown eyes lingered on Dimitri before moving to the far end, where Kaelith was sitting.
"I must say, you have a brave son," he remarked.
Dimitri smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. His fingers clenched slightly around the armrest of his chair.
"Yes, he is very brave, and he hardly cries," he said through clenched teeth.
He wanted to say "he hardly dies" too, but he swallowed his words. He couldn't bring himself to believe that he was unable to kill the baby right from the time he was in the womb.
"I must say, he has the demeanour of a real leader. Just see how he is watching in anticipation. You are a very lucky emperor," Frederik rubbed his reddish long beard.
"Not as lucky as you—you have sixteen male and six female children," Dimitri remarked with a sarcastic tone.
However, Emperor Frederik was too dense to catch what he was implying. He chuckled lightly, "I'm just doing my best as the leader of my empire."
Dimitri nodded his head, as he held himself back from saying the word "whore."
Frederik turned towards him as he rubbed his beard with intrigue. "I was thinking—why don't we become one big family? I will betroth one of my daughters to your son," he nodded towards Kaelith.
Dimitri wanted to scoff so badly, knowing how rotten the Icestone royalty were. Betrothing his son to him was like throwing him into a pit of fire. However, he had been looking for ways to get rid of that bastard—this was a good idea to him.
He felt a sting in his heart. After all, he was still his son. But he could never forget what Agnes had done to him—the disgrace and humiliation he had suffered because of her, the pain and the heartbreak he had passed through.
If only he hadn't had a fallout with Agnes… Kaelith would have been his golden son.
"That sounds like a good idea. Which of your daughters do you intend to betroth to him?"
Dimitri's voice was calm but Kaelith turned towards them, noticing the tightness in his jaw.
He blinked slowly in his mother's arm, 'so that is your next move, Emperor? Sell me off to my death?' A faint curl of amusement tugged at the corner of his lips.
'Go ahead and plan all you want. I'm not the one who should be worried.'