The engagement ceremony between the Second Prince of Griven and the Second Princess of Abetha finished without a hitch. While the guests were excited about the occasion and busy showering praises on the couple, Drayce had no interest in it. He simply watched from his seat and waited for the celebration to be over, so he could leave to search for something that was stuck in his mind.
After the official ceremony, King Armen invited him for a special banquet along with the princes of Griven, the representatives from other kingdoms, and the Abetha's royal court.
"So how was the journey, King Drayce?" asked the man who introduced himself as Abetha's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Darus Count.
Drayce only looked at him and then picked up a finely crafted silver wine glass to continue drinking. He didn't find the question worth answering, and it was the knight behind him who spoke mockingly in his stead.
"Everything was fine till a group of soldiers wearing Abethan military clothes attacked us in the mountain ranges bordering your kingdom."
"Soldiers with some sloppy skills," added another Megaris knight. His eyes carried the same type of pride as his King's, looking down on others.
This declaration surprised not only King Armen but also the rest of the special banquet attendees. The officials of the royal court of Abetha turned silent while those from other kingdoms whispered among themselves.
With furrowed brows, King Armen looked at the Military General who was also present there. "Is this true?"
The Military General stood up and bowed to the King. "Your Majesty, as per my knowledge, there was no such movement from our army stationed at the borders."
The King of Abetha looked at the Minister of the Royal Investigation Bureau and ordered, "I need the full report about it by tomorrow!"
"King Armen should calm down," said Drayce. "As my knights have said, those men wore Abetha's military clothes, but their skills were sloppy. From what I heard, Abethan soldiers are one of the most well-trained armies renowned for their combat skills."
King Armen was surprised by the praise. "Still, we need to investigate this properly to give you and your men an explanation."
"Your Majesty, according to our analysis, those men are highly likely rebels or thieves hired to create misunderstandings between our kingdoms," said the knight accompanying Drayce.
"Why would someone do it?" asked a minister from Griven Royal court.
Drayce looked at him and smirked, "I'm sure there is a good reason."
The way Drayce looked at the minister made him wary of this young king who looked like he harbored evil thoughts in his mind all the time.
The atmosphere within the banquet became uncomfortable. Drayce decided to drop the subject.
Arlan could see his friend was in a playful mood and sided with him. He looked at the King of Abetha. "I am sure your Royal Investigation Bureau must have solved the mystery by now."
"King Drayce was indeed right about the flammable oil," King Armen replied.
"I just thought to check the credibility of that young lady's statement. Indeed, her nose caught the right thing," Drayce commented.
King Armen didn't react to his response as he didn't wish to continue on this topic. Not only him, but the rest of Abetha's nobles avoided talking about the Third Princess.
Arlan looked at Drayce. Only now did he understand why his friend brought up the burning curtain incident when he never liked to meddle in others' business even if someone was about to die.
However, Drayce ignored the discomfort of the crowd and insisted, "I am curious who the lady is."
"It will be better if King Drayce won't ask more about her," said the oldest-looking man among the court ministers. From his expression, he seemed not to like the identity of that accused lady. King Armen chose to remain silent. He had his reasons.
"May I know why?" asked Drayce.
"Your Majesty, she is the... our Third Princess," King Armen's adviser clarified before the old minister could talk. "Misunderstandings are bound to happen within the royal family, and it is not polite for us to talk about internal affairs of the family."
"There is no misunderstanding! She is a witch, and we all know that!" the old minister rebuked.
"The Royal Investigation Bureau has evidence that it was not her doing. Therefore the Third Princess is innocent." Although the King's adviser replied politely, he was chastising the old minister with a glare.
Drayce found their bickering interesting.
"Witch?" Drayce mumbled and looked at his friend. Hearing this, he understood why Arlan was reluctant to tell him things about Abetha's Third Princess.
Drayce's sight shifted to the old minister who couldn't keep his mouth shut, much less restrain his disdain in front of the royal family. He could not tell if the older man was simply brave or if he had gone mad.
"Why shouldn't I know about her?" Drayce asked.
"There is nothing good about witches," the old man replied simply.
"What about devils?" Drayce asked, a light evil smirk painted on his lips.
Everyone knew about the King of Megaris being rumored to be a devil's son. Gossips had been going around in the palace since he arrived, but as this was a reputation he deliberately maintained, he did not shirk from it. In fact, he tacitly acknowledged it as a powerful tool to intimidate his opponents.
The change in these snobbish people's expressions upon hearing him say the word 'devil' was something he enjoyed.
'No wonder that girl could outsmart these idiots.'
His red eyes scanned their twisted faces while enjoying his wine.
Because of his words, hushed whispers about witches and devils filled the banquet. Everyone's expressions looked highly disturbed.
Even the King of Abetha, who was known for his calmness, was no exception. Though he did his best to hide it, Drayce had observed that the older man had a complicated look in his eyes upon the mention of his third daughter.
'It's making me even curious about her,' Drayce smirked.
"I hope King Drayce will enjoy the food." King's advisor tried to salvage the awkward atmosphere as he pulled out a light smile and diverted the topic.
Drayce could see the adviser trying his best to talk instead of King Armen, especially whenever it was about the Third Princess.
The feast was concluded after the guests and officials found their bearings back and talked about the various issues regarding their kingdoms and how they could solve them together.
Afterward, the royal family arranged for Drayce and the representatives from other kingdoms to stay and rest up. Drayce stood at the balcony of his room, looking outside and observing the part of the palace grounds visible from there.
His sight shifted towards the large winding river that flowed beyond the castle walls. It reminded him of something, and he stood staring at it in a daze.
"What are you thinking about so deeply?" a familiar voice asked behind him. It was Arlan, who did not even knock upon entering his room.
"A pair of purple eyes," Drayce replied, still looking at the winding river.