Duchess Mira

When Duke Elias came in at the front of the palace he was greeted by the royal guards. Elias looked up and tried to find the Crown Prince's room to try to have a peak of him but he failed. As he went inside leaving Elira with the coachman. A butler came forward and bowed in front of Elias. "Hello, Duke Elias. I am Charles, the Crown Prince's personal butler and I would be accompanying you to his garden. Please follow me..."

Elias nodded in acknowledgment to the butler and the butler led the way. At the corner of his eye he saw one of Leo's subordinate in disguise as one of the servants behind him and smirked. When Elias went to the center of the castle he kept on seeing drunk nobles passing near the king's quarters. 'Control yourself...'Mira thought and forcing herself to walk forward slowly seeing the garden.

"This is the Crown Prince garden please wait for him, Duke Elias. He is just returning from a meeting with the foreign merchants" The butler said bowing his head toward Elias. Elias nodded at the butler and sat down. As Elias looked around the garden the more amazed he is. The garden had different kinds of flowers that he can only name some but the most amazing part is where Elias is. Elias is in the middle of the garden under the a purple tree. Out of all the plants the tree is the most beautiful. It is covered by purple flowers and white colored like leaves but not exactly leaves? Elias doesn't really know.

Elias waited for the Crown Prince for a few minutes and his head started to throb again. 'Why now?' Mira thought.

Then Elias stood up to lessen the pain. He looked around the garden and the pain in his head had lessened a bit. He saw different kinds of flowers some he knew and some were exotic looking and some had a lot of thorns. Then he stopped his tracks as he saw one flower at the garden He was amazed by one of flowers his eyes sparkled.

Mira wanted to admire the flowers more but controlled herself.It had beautiful fire like petals and at the tips were like icicles that sparkled he was about to touch it until a voice interrupted.

"I wouldn't touch it if i were you..." Elias turned and saw a tall man who had sharp jaw and beautiful black hair and blue sparkling eyes but what really caught his attention was not his gorgeous looks but he had a phoenix like birth mark in the left side of his neck and after staring at it for a while he realized who the man in front of him was. Elias hurriedly and stand up and bowed. "Greetings to the lower sun of the empire, may you have the blessings of the people"

'I wonder what kind of man are you? Is all those good deeds for show or...' Mira thought.

The Crown Prince looked at Elias and observed the handsome man in front of him for a few seconds and said "You may rise, Duke Elias."

Elias looked up and was amazed at the dazzling man in front of him and stared for a while and Mira thought 'A lot of women need to put on products to look beautiful but it's obvious I am seeing his b.a.r.e skin... now this is so unfair.' The Crown Prince coughed and Elias realized what he is doing and felt embarrassed. "Let's go and have tea, Duke Elias?"

"Lead the way, your highness "

When they sat down the Crown Prince looked at straight at Elias "I am glad you could come after all Duke Elias. I heard you were a sickly child so i was concerned if you would reject my offer. If you'd reject my offer I would ask you again the next day." The Crown Prince said laughing a bit.

"Yes, i was sickly before but now i am well. Thank you for his highness concern." Elias said and smiled at the Crown Prince. 'Now what is his motive?' Mira thought looking at the Crown Prince curiously.

"It is tough being Duke isn't it Duke Elias?"

"Not as tough being Crown Prince compared to your work my work is just child's play." Elias laughed.

"So how are you catching up on the work,Duke because i am quite concerned i heard you never had tutors..." The Crown Prince said staring with piercing eyes. 'Oh? Okay, I see what's going on here... ' Mira thought. 'Let's play, Crown Prince Valor von Sévoutmont'

"Well, yes i never had tutors before because i could handle it all on my own"

"Oh? Then you must be the next genius of the century..."

"Oh it's not like that I worked hard to understand it all because the previous Duke never really paid attention to me." Elias said flashing a smile at the Crown Prince who raised his eyebrows.

"Well, i heard he paid more attention to your beautiful sister. Lady Mira, isn't it? She didn't want to come?" The Crown Prince asked curiously.

"She had a prior engagement"

"I see... too bad"

The Crown Prince drank a bit of tea and glanced at Elias. "Elias i think you have heard about the problems in the south of the Aiphilian kingdom."

'Oh, so that's why you brought me here.' Mira thought trying to hide a smile. "Yes, i heard. What happened was terrible. Seven thousand people reported dead due to a terrorists attack. I heard you were in charge of finding the remaining group and rehabilitation of the place?"

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"Yes, i am. I am going to implement a new law soon because we have very little money this year i am afraid." The Crown prince sighed. "Well its's all because of the drought in the northeastern side. So i am planning to raise the cost of luxury items for the nobles and using a new thing called a receipt it's like a mini contract between the two parties who made the purchase and it also help lessen many problems in the kingdom and that could the evidence if they're is a problem. But I wonder on what you think of the matter, Duke Elias?"

As the Crown Prince said that he stared coldly at Duke Elias making some hairs of his skin go up. 'Those eyes are the eyes of a predator trying to find food to feast on'

'Oh i see' Mira thought looking at the group at the servants near them trying to hear the conversation between two handsome men. Duke Elias smiled at the Crown Prince and said "I feel this subject i will offend you if he states what he thinks"

"Oh? It's fine tell me and i won't punish you" The Crown Prince said as he looked at Duke Elias with piercing eyes.

Mira smirked a bit. 'Lies, you plan to make me embarrass myself and then let one of servants hear it and spread a rumor.' Mira thought as she saw some servants who are trying to hear their conversation move a bit forward.

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"I believe the Crown Prince should not implement that new law yet." Elias said looking at the Crown Prince who just raised his eyebrow in interest. "Why does Duke Elias said this?"

"Yes, i think what the Crown Prince is clever but I believe that is not the right thing to do in this situation" Elias said looking at the Crown Prince. "Because our problem right now is money, correct? But the group already implanted fear in the people's heart so the people are scared so i think you should do it after the group is captured." Elias stopped and the Crown Prince nodded his head signaling him to continue.

"If we look at it this way if we implement the new law the nobles will surely abuse it and abuse the receipt and if we are talking about the cost money. I believe what we should do first its not onlytarget the nobles of this country but target the nobles and merchants of the other countries who come inside the Aiphilian kingdom by having a fee in coming inside the kingdom depending your rank and a proper inspection. So we could prevent terrorists and we should first think not the trade we could improve that later on but the protection first so we could hold their reins. The people will be more at rest that way"

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"Hmmmm, interesting suggestion but Duke Elias there is a flaw in your plan because how would we hold reins properly ? Because if we look at this way they will surely find a way to slip in." The Crown Prince said looking at Elias with a new kind of interest. " I believe we should have a law for foreigners who come inside and when they have crimes they will not be tested by the Empire but the Aiphilian Kingdom will hold them. So the nobles and merchants will be scared. It will be hard to get the approval of the Empire but it would improve the kingdom."

As Elias said that a light bulb came to the Crown Prince. His eyes widen and started to mutter and look at Elias back and forth. Elias tried to hear the Crown Prince but he couldn't get a word he is muttering. "It could work..." Suddenly the Crown Prince said looking at Elias with interest. "You're an interesting person, Duke Elias but your heart is too soft you knew I was trying to corner you even if knew that it will better if you be quiet so i won't target you and it will only make your reputation fall for a while but you still talked, so why?"

"Because I don't like backing down from a fight" Mira said bluntly. The Crown Prince eyes widen and he started laughing a bit.

"Your highness what's so funny-?"

"Ha Ha Ha Ha!" The Crown Prince burst out laughing. The servants who are near them looked curiously and tried to come nearer but failed because they know it is a dead end. The Crown Prince wiped a tear and looked at Elias with sparkling eyes. "You're truly are interesting" The Crown Prince said to Elias. "I see you are truly one interesting person"

"Thank you your highness" Elias said bowing at the Crown Prince. Then Elias saw a servant approaching them. The servant bowed to the Crown Prince and Duke Elias.

"Greetings, lower sun of the empire. The King calls for Duke Elias" As the Servant saw that Elias glanced at the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince stood up and stretched a bit. "That was a nice talk, Duke Elias. I hope i could talk to you another time and discuss things furthermore."

"It will be a honor Crown Prince" Elias said while bowing down. "Well, i don't want to keep you from his majesty. Well, see you again Duke Elias." The Crown Prince said looking at the servant and Elias and started to leave. When he left Elias turned to the servant.

"Lead the way" Elias said coldly at the servant. "Yes, sir"

'Time to meet the annoying snake.' Mira thought smiling coldly to herself.