Chapter 4

"…my engagement with Duke Ronnenberg's daughter has become official, father." The third Prince told the Emperor.

"I see. It is a great achievement to finally settle a connection with the Ronnenberg duchy. They have long maintained a neutral relationship with everyone, but it's good that they decided to take our side." Said the Emperor.

Russel, the third Prince, expected more praise from the Emperor but that was all that was given to him. He was disappointed. 'Shouldn't establishing a connection with the Ronnenberg Family can help me take the title of crown Prince?!' He was gritting his teeth at the back of his mind.

"Though it's about time they take the right side. It is only rumored, but I also theorized that it was bound to happen soon." The Emperor suddenly mentioned. "Keeping their selfish neutrality in this generation for long will cost them to lose authority and influence. I was deeply troubled that one of the Empire's great duchy will lose its power. I've thought of having our crowned Prince marry the daughter of the Ronnenberg house but it was no use. However, you miraculously managed to establish the connection."

Russel almost held his head high until the Emperor kept going. "To be completely honest, the Ronnenberg duchy right now isn't the best choice. They decided to take our side because they finally needed help from us. It is impudent of Duke Leandro to make such a decision."

"F-Father."

"You should have informed me of your plans before you took action, Russel. However, we can not go back on your word to the Lady of the Ronnenberg family. Might as well put this connection to good use. You are now dismissed." And again, the third Prince was set aside by the Emperor.

After leaving the Emperor's room, Russel's hands were turned into a fist, shaking out of spite. "Damn it… and they all said the Ronnenbergs was the best choice." He muttered.

"Russel!" A man's voice called him, and it wasn't just anyone's voice, he could recognize that it was his half-brother the crown Prince. "How was your engagement? I apologize if I did not make it to see my youngest brother's engagement."

Russel smirked, "It's fine. Everything have gone perfectly well… brother." He knows well that the crown Prince knows that he wasn't even invited, nor even interested in any of his business. The crown Prince is only talking like this to annoy and provoke him, again.

"Are you done talking with Father? Do you mind telling me what he told you?" At that point, Russel have realized that this crown Prince must be the one behind to set him up with the Ronnenbergs. "What father told me… is none of your concern." Despite the polite tone, anyone can easily tell that he's mad.

Russel walked away, paying no mind to what other things the crown Prince kept babbling about behind his back. When he got back to his room, he started breaking a lot of his belongings. The mirror, the vase, the tables and chairs, the bed, none was spared from his fury. "F*cking bastards!" He yelled, "I really can't f*cking trust anyone!!… NOBODY!!"

Then someone knocked on his door, "Y-Your highness, are you alright?! There are loud noises coming from your room."

Russel stopped himself from further going crazy and had opened the door for the maid. "…what gives you the right to disturb me right now?"

The maid was intimidated by the Prince and had slowly taken a few step away. "I-I apologize, your highness. Please forgive me." She immediately bowed down to the Prince and tried to escape but she was instead pulled inside the room.

"How can I ever forgive such sin you have done! Disturbing a member of the Royal Family is a GRAVE SIN!" He began to scold her.

"N-No!! Please forgive me, your highness! Please, I-I— I was very worried to what's happening to his highness inside his room, please, I swear I—"

"YOU DARE TALK BACK!?" He slapped the maid harshly, causing her to fall down and leave a trace of his hand on her cheek. She began to cry as she regret prying with the third Prince's business. "P-Please, don't hurt me your—"

"YOU STILL DARE TO OPEN THAT DAMNED MOUTH OF YOURS!? HAVEN'T I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!?"

"Eek!" The maid crawled on to a corner of the room as the Prince pulled out the thin sword displayed on his walls. "Fools like you… fools like you can never be forgiven, therefore I shall take your head you foul wench!"

"N-NO, YOUR HIGHNESS! PLEASE, I HAVE A FAMILY— MY BROTHER STILL NEEDS—" The Prince have stabbed her on the right leg and made her screech out of pain. Next, it was her left leg, then her left arm, and then the right arm.

Russel have mercilessly tortured the poor maid, even when she was just showing concern for the Prince. The maids who can hear her screaming in agony have been shaken. "That was the new girl, wasn't it?" Said one of the maid.

"Yes, I told her not to ever mess with the third Prince. But it seemed she had some ulterior motives on his highness." Said the other maid.

"She was the cause of her own demise, that foolish girl probably think she can seduce the Prince and live life in luxury. Hah! The nerve of her thinking such a thing."

"But, don't you think the Prince is going too far? I know we can't speak to anyone about this, telling anyone of the third Prince's nature will kill us, though this is unjust! The Royal Family is tolerating this madman too much."

"Shh now! This conversation can be treated as treason, be more careful with your words." Then the two stayed silent as they just cover their ears to muffle the noise coming from the third Prince's room.

When Russel was done, he threw away the head that he just cut off and sat back down on his bed while catching his breath. His room painted with the woman's blood helped him calm down. He can't stop imagining that the one he was actually torturing were those who betrayed him.

"Oh how better things would be if they were the ones in the place of this stupid woman. If I can only kill them with my own hands…" he sighed and laid his back on the bed to slowly drift into his sleep.

And the next morning, he came out of his room covered in blood and ordered his most trusted people to clean out his room. These people will never get used to the sight of their fellow employee to be killed ruthlessly, and it was unfortunate that they were stuck with this job for as long as they are alive.

Once the body was extracted, every thing else in the room is replaced; the bed, the sheets, the chairs, the mirror, the portraits, and many more. The people even have to repaint the walls because of the blood stains. "It's a bit weird how the blood stains gets more difficult to remove recently." Said one of the workers.

"I've noticed as well, that's why we have to repaint the whole room whenever this happens."

"You all have heard of this over and over, but this is the curse of the ones that Prince Russel have killed. If he continues to slaughter more people in this room, there would be a time that the blood stains on the walls can't be hidden anymore to expose the cruel nature of the Prince."

"Ugh, enough with the damn horror stories. We all know that it's not true."

"Hehehe, you're just scared." The workers continued to talk as they fix the Prince's room. Meanwhile, Russel heads to his study to begin the plans for his wedding with Lianne Ronnenberg.