"Now, imagine yourself lying on the serene sea, gently swaying with the waves. A soft breeze whispers by your ears, dancing through your hair."It was as if Grace's soothing voice was imbued with magic. After only a few words, Dustin drifted into a deep slumber, snoring loudly. "That was fast." Grace chuckled. She scooted over to Dustin and supported his head with her shoulder. At the same time, she held his chin with one hand to prevent him from suddenly falling. Their vehicle continued to move at a steady speed. However, instead of heading to Dustin's villa, it traveled to an unfamiliar place. …Dustin had a very long dream. In his dream, he stood alone on the battlefield as the corpses by his feet piled up like mountains, and the land was stained a bloody red. There was not a living soul in sight, leaving only a desolate scene. It was as if he was the only person left in the world. Everyone was lying in the pool of blood, including his family, his friends, and his enem
"Kill me?" Dustin frowned. "Was it someone from the Dragon Guard?" He and the Dragon Guard were now sworn enemies, so the remnants of the Dragon Guard would not let him go easily. "We're still not sure for now." Grace shook her head. "We were ambushed that night. However, I was prepared and already moved you to a different vehicle. Fortunately, everything went well.""It must have been the remnants of the Dragon Guard." Audible cracks could be heard as Dustin stretched lazily. He sighed, "Thankfully, you were quick-witted. Otherwise, I would have been in danger.""Since I brought you to the palace, it is my duty to keep you safe." Grace chuckled lightly. "Besides, you're now a key figure in the limelight. If anything were to happen to you, Dragonmarsh would be thrown into chaos.""Your Royal Highness, please stop putting pressure on me. I'm just a normal guy without grand ambitions. You'd better not place your expectations on me," Dustin said with a yawn.Even though he had
"What did you say?" Grace was taken aback, thinking she had heard Dustin wrong. "Honestly, I think you'd be great as Queen, and the King probably agrees. That is why, if you're interested, I'll represent the West Lucozian monarchy and back you fully," Dustin said with a smile."Logan, stop joking! It's not funny." Grace's tone grew serious. "I'm just a woman. I'm not qualified to sit on the throne. The monarchy would never accept me.""So what if you're a woman?" Dustin asked. He continued seriously, "Who said women weren't allowed to ascend to the throne? Queen Mary I is an example. "Even though you're a little younger than when she became queen, you still have space to grow. As long as you're willing to work hard, I don't see a problem." "Logan, I appreciate your trust in me, but the thought never crossed my mind. So, please abandon that idea," Grace refused firmly. Throughout history, there have only been a handful of queens. And even then, everything aligned perfectly f
After a hearty meal, Dustin took his leave. There was a pile of things he had to attend to after sleeping for two days and one night. Thus, he had to head back quickly to make arrangements. Before he got into the car, Grace suddenly called out to him. She warned, "Logan, the cards told me last night that you're not entirely out of danger now. You have to be careful.""Rest assured, I know what I'm doing. I'll get going now," Dustin replied as he nodded. His car took off in a haste. In the car, he called Natasha to assure her of his safety. Then, he proceeded to brief Adam and Scarlet about what had happened.He told them to prepare the Spanner family for the fight over the throne. Once the fight began, the entire government would be involved. As one of the ancient houses, it was simply impossible for the Spanner family to stay out of this. After an hour, Dustin was back at the mansion. Caitlyn was cooking while Cinna and Brooke were doing ink painting. With his eyes close
The Regal Court wasn't brimming with activity as it usually was. It seemed pretty deserted. It was even more so on the second floor since the entire floor was reserved. Outsiders weren't allowed to enter. After Dustin disclosed his identity, he led Cinna and Maximus upstairs. Meanwhile, only a man was seated in the VIP lounge on the second floor. He was dressed in all black, and everything about him was plain. His looks and physique were extremely ordinary, even more so for his demeanor. There was nothing unique about him. No one would pay any attention to him if he stood in a crowd. "Your Highness!"The moment he saw Dustin, he immediately knelt with one knee on the ground and lowered his head. "Who are you?" Dustin asked airily. "I'm Rodrigo, the prince's personal guard. When he found out that you were in trouble, he sent me over to assist you," Rodrigo stated with his head hung low. "His personal guard?"Dustin's gaze swept across the man and questioned him again
"Two weeks at least? The longest being one year? What happened?"Dustin was so stunned that he could barely react. There was a horrified look in his eyes. Although he resented Rufus, he was still his father. When he heard that he didn't have much time left, a wave of panic suddenly washed through him. With only a few family members left, he couldn't imagine how he was supposed to face Rufus' death if he was gone. "Is this news reliable?" Dustin asked in a hushed tone. He tried to keep his composure, yet his fists were clenched tight under the table. "Your Highness, not a lot of people are aware of it now, but it's definitely true. Even if the prince doesn't want me to tell you, I thought you should have the right to know," Rodrigo replied with his head hung low."The prince has always been healthy. Why did things suddenly turn out this way?""Throughout the past decade, the prince has been working too hard! Not only does he have to watch over West Lucozia to prevent the sa
They were a team of warriors who triumphed in the dark. Each of them was precious and should be protected at all costs."Thank you very much for your understanding, Your Highness." Rodrigo heaved a sigh of relief. Given Dustin's special status, a lot of people had been keeping a close eye on him. They would be easily exposed if all the undercover agents gathered together. "You should be familiar with what's going on in the monarchy. Tell me, what is the current situation?" Dustin asked again. "Your Highness, it's—"Just as Rodrigo was about to speak, a series of hurried footsteps was heard downstairs. They exchanged glances and immediately grew vigilant. Before they could even act, a horde of masked assassins charged at them, each with a fierce look in their eyes. Given their formidable presence, they were clearly not ordinary men. The one taking the lead was dressed in red, and he was accompanied by another four individuals dressed in white. The rest were all dressed in
Rodrigo was incredibly fast with his sword. It moved so quickly that it was almost impossible to see clearly.His technique was fierce and forceful, like a tough military approach, without any fancy moves.Each move of his seemed crafted with lethal intent. It was simple, effective, and brutally violent.Despite the mysterious spells of the four guardians, Rodrigo's fast sword made them useless.Whenever they attempted to change formation, Rodrigo quickly saw the weakness and broke through with his quick strikes.After a series of clashes, he beat the four guardians."I didn't expect General Rodrigo to be such a powerful grandmaster martial artist," Cinna exclaimed in surprise."He is Rufus's personal guard and leads a team of spies," Dustin said calmly. "It shows how skilled he is." From their first meeting with Rodrigo, Dustin sensed his impressive abilities.Given that Rufus entrusted Rodrigo to travel to Oakvale, it was evident that he possessed significant skills and abi
When the castle's gate swung open, every eye turned toward the entrance. Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Austin strode out with his two guards. His posture exuded confidence and authority."Your Highness!"The gathered officials instantly rushed forward to greet him. Grins spread across their faces as if they couldn't wait to please him. Whether it was Huxley, Percival, or Warrick, all wore the same ingratiating expression.After all, Austin was the infamous hellraiser. Though he had reined himself over the past two years, his past reputation still loomed over them.At least Rufus could be reasoned with. But Austin? He was a wild card—utterly unpredictable, like a ticking time bomb. Every last one of them had suffered his wrath before.Percival approached with a flattering smile. "Your Highness, you finally come out. I have something important to discuss with you. If you'd be so kind as to listen—"Before he could finish his sentence, he was dismissed by Austin, who found h
"Get lost! I'm not in the mood for anything right now. If you want to eat, go on your own." Warrick snapped, looking annoyed."I'm not going either," Percival refused flatly. "I'm on a health regimen these days—only tea, no alcohol.""Fine. If you're going to wait, then keep waiting. I won't be sticking around." Huxley forced a smile and acted like he was about to leave.But as he turned, he almost bumped into Boston, who was approaching from the other direction."Sorry, Sir Thatcher! I hope I didn't startle you." Since he was surrounded by so many high-ranking officials, Boston was already on edge. He had momentarily spaced out and almost caused a mishap by running into Huxley, which left him flustered and a bit tongue-tied.Unlike the other generals, Boston didn't come from an influential background or have any powerful connections. He had worked his way up from the bottom, and the last thing he wanted was to offend Huxley and risk losing everything he had fought so hard for.
After parting ways with Boston, Jovian checked into a nearby hotel to await the good news. Boston wasted no time. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, he headed to the castle to deliver a letter of introduction. But when he arrived, he was stunned by what he saw.The gates of the West Lucozian monarchy had already gathered quite a few people, and among them were several figures he immediately recognized. These included Huxley Thatcher, the Commander of the Militia; Warrick Prescott, the Major General of the State Guard; and Percival Wentworth, the Chancellor of the National Academy.These three were first-ranking officials. In West Lucozia, they were nothing short of kingmakers who wielded immense power and influence. Warrick, in particular, was two ranks above Boston. Hence, he felt the need to be cautious in his presence and was eager not to make a bad impression.Alongside these three prominent figures, several second- and third-ranking officials also stood in line at
The following morning, Jovian stood at the entrance of West Lucozia Airport, wearing a sharp suit.Before the trip, he had contacted his comrade with whom he had fought side by side in the military. After earning military merit and with the Ballard family's influence, he was fortunate enough to stay in Oakvale and secure a decent position.His comrade, on the other hand, had moved to West Lucozia to carve out a life for himself. Years of hard work had paid off—he was now a third-rank general with considerable power, influence, and a strong network of connections. Jovian's meeting with the Prince of West Lucozia would depend entirely on his comrade's connections.Just then, the roar of an engine cut through the air as a military jeep pulled up beside him. The window rolled down, and the first thing that came into view was a bald head gleaming in the sunlight like a lightbulb. The glare nearly blinded him.Under that shiny dome was a face that looked ordinary at first glance. But w
"Grandfather, I understand why you sent Uncle Jonathan and Uncle Jensen to the Spanner and Fallon families to gather information," Natasha began. "But West Lucozia is thousands of miles away."She shook her head slightly. "They've always stayed out of the government's political matters. Sending Uncle Jovian there wouldn't achieve anything. He'd likely just be turned away." Oakvale and West Lucozia were worlds apart. The fight for the Oakvale throne didn't really affect the West Lucozian monarchy. Both sides had long adhered to an unspoken agreement to avoid meddling in each other's affairs."I know, but it'll be different this time. The royal throne is at stake, and every faction will do whatever it takes to secure West Lucozia's support. If the West Lucozian monarchy picks a side, the balance we've maintained for years will collapse. That's why I need to be ready for whatever happens," Simon replied.It would be best if the West Lucozian monarchy stayed out of the political strug
At the Ballard estate, Dustin was warmly welcomed to stay after dinner. This was the first time Natasha had brought her boyfriend home, so the Ballards made a big deal of it.Simon personally accompanied the young couple and invited them to the study to chat over tea. With his sharp eye, Simon could tell Dustin was no ordinary martial artist. His manners, speech, and broad knowledge set him apart from most people."Dustin, I fully support your relationship with Natasha. Your background or status doesn't matter. What matters most is that you two are happy together." Simon paused and said earnestly, "I want you to understand that she's been pampered all her life and hasn't faced much hardship. Now that she's with you, I hope you'll take good care of her.""Don't worry, Mr. Ballard. I would never let her down," Dustin replied sincerely.Though they had known each other for some time and hadn't yet taken their relationship to the next level, they had already made their feelings clear
After hearing Nathaniel's words, Tristan's expression darkened. His brow furrowed as he sank into deep thought.It seemed he had underestimated the situation. He had assumed it was just a simple rivalry between brothers; he hadn't anticipated Seamus seizing the chance to further his own agenda.Seamus already wielded considerable influence. Under the guise of supporting Matthias' ascension to the throne, he had been forming alliances and recruiting talents. His influence had grown to rival the royal family's.If Seamus really supported Matthias' ascension, he'd overshadow the king, and no one would be able to stop him. The worst-case scenario would be Seamus using Matthias as a puppet to overthrow the House of Linsor."Nathaniel, is everything you said true?" Tristan frowned."Absolutely. Every word," Nathaniel replied solemnly. "Of course, if you don't believe me, you can send someone to investigate.""I believe you. But… taking down Seamus won't be easy. Do you have a plan?" Tr
An hour later, Nathaniel quietly entered a private mansion wearing a disguise.Inside the living room, Tristan had already prepared tea and refreshments. He looked as if he had been waiting for a long time."Sorry to have kept you waiting, Tristan." Nathaniel took off his coat and walked forward with a smile."No need to apologize. I'm happy that you made the effort to arrange this. A few extra minutes are nothing, especially since it's rare for us to meet." Tristan gestured for him to sit while he poured two cups of tea and handed one to his brother.Nathaniel accepted the cup and discreetly set it aside. Whenever he was out, he was always cautious about food and drink—this wariness had become second nature."You asked to meet me on short notice. Is this about official matters or something personal?" Tristan took a sip from his cup and got straight to the point."Both," Nathaniel replied, still smiling."Oh?" Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it, then.""Given how things
In another luxurious mansion in the Inner City, a female spy dressed in black, cloaked in a hood, was reporting the results of her investigation to Nathaniel."Your Highness, the Moseys have been particularly active recently and are rallying allies. Many of the eight great families and other influential factions have already allied with them. If left unchecked, they'll pose a serious threat to us," she said, kneeling with her head lowered slightly."So the Moseys are backing Matthias, huh?" Nathaniel sat quietly, his expression unreadable."The Moseys have grand ambitions. While they claim to support Prince Matthias, they're merely setting him up as a puppet to rise to power and expand their own influence," she revealed.She had been infiltrating the Moseys' mansion for years and had gained a deep understanding of their operations, from the smallest details to the key players.Though Seamus appeared as a benevolent philanthropist, it was all a façade. Behind closed doors, he was r