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  (Seven days before the hunting competition)

  Eyan sat behind his desk, quill moving steadily across parchment, his expression calm and unreadable.

  A soft knock echoed through the chamber.

  Hans entered and bowed deeply. “Your Majesty, Prince Velco has arrived to see you.”

  Eyan set his quill aside. “Let him in.”

  Hans bowed once more and stepped aside, guiding Prince Velco into the room.

  Prince Velco inclined his head politely. “Greetings, Your Majesty. I hope you have been well.”

  Eyan smiled faintly. “I have. And you, Prince Velco?”

  “I’m doing quite well,” Velco replied, returning the smile. After a brief pause, he continued, “Your Majesty… there is something I wished to ask.”

  “Feel free,” Eyan said, gesturing lightly.

  “The hunting competition,” Prince Velco began. “Everyone will be participating in pairs. I was wondering if you would consider pairing with me.”

  “Oh,” Eyan murmured.

  Before he could answer, Hans spoke gently, a polite smile on his face.

  “Your Highness, please forgive me, but His Majesty will not be participating in the hunting competition.”

  Prince Velco blinked in confusion. “May I ask why?”

  Eyan leaned back slightly in his chair. “This competition is meant for others. I merely observe—and give the first prize to the victor. Participating myself would be… absurd.”

  Prince Velco chuckled softly. “I see. That makes sense. Then I suppose I’ll look for another partner.”

  Eyan nodded with an easy smile.

  As Prince Velco turned to leave, his gaze lingered—drawn to the brooch pinned to Eyan’s coat. The red gemstone caught the light, glowing faintly.

  “Your Majesty,” Velco said, curiosity flickering in his eyes, “your brooch is quite beautiful. Where did you acquire it? I would like to have one like it myself.”

  Eyan glanced down, his fingers instinctively brushing the gemstone. His smile softened, something unreadable passing through his eyes.

  “I’m not certain where it’s from,” he said quietly. “It was a birthday gift—from someone.”

  “I see,” Prince Velco replied, his smile polite but thoughtful.

  He bowed once more. “Then I shall take my leave, Your Majesty.”

  Eyan nodded.

  Prince Velco departed, the door closing softly behind him—leaving Eyan alone, his hand still resting over the crimson gem.

  Hans leaned closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret.

  “Your Majesty… that brooch—it was Her Majesty who gifted it to you on your birthday.”

  Eyan’s expression softened immediately. “It was.”

  He lifted the brooch and held it up proudly. “Beautiful, isn’t it? Princess has an excellent eye for these things.”

  Hans nodded with a smile. “Indeed, Your Majesty. It suits you very well.”

  Eyan pinned it back and returned to his paperwork, looking far too pleased for a man pretending to focus on state affairs.

  After a brief pause, Hans spoke again.

  “Your Majesty… how is Her Majesty and Lady Aranel’s training progressing?”

  Eyan’s quill froze mid-word.

  “Their training,” he repeated slowly, then inhaled deeply, as though bracing himself.

  Hans leaned forward, hopeful. “They going to win, right?”

  Eyan smiled with absolute confidence. “They’re going to win.”

  Hans’s face lit up. “Wonderful! I knew it. Of course they will—you are teaching them. They must be very talented students.”

  Eyan didn’t even look up. “No. They’re terrible.”

  Hans choked. “What?”

  Eyan sighed heavily and rubbed his temples.

  “Hans, you have no idea how bad they are. My head hurts every single day. Every. Single. Day. I wake up knowing I will suffer.”

  Hans stared at him.

  “I am constantly one mistake away from shouting,” Eyan continued calmly. “But I endure it. For Eva.”

  Hans cleared his throat. “If they’re that bad… then how exactly are they going to win?”

  “I’ll help them, of course,” Eyan said simply.

  Hans stiffened. “But Your Majesty, that would be cheating. If you step in, it won’t be fair to the others.”

  Eyan exhaled sharply. “Then what else am I supposed to do? Eva wants to win. If she loses, she’ll be sad.”

  Hans hesitated. “Even so, Your Majesty… it’s still wrong. And it wouldn’t truly be a victory if it’s won by cheating.” He paused, then added carefully, “If Her Majesty finds out, she might be even more upset.”

  Eyan leaned back, frustration clear on his face.

  “Then tell me—what am I supposed to do? I can’t train them all day. There are only seven days left until the hunting competition, and I still have an entire empire to run.”

  Hans thought for a moment, then spoke.

  “Then why not ask for help? Find someone skilled enough to train them properly in seven days.”

  Eyan rubbed his face tiredly.

  “And where exactly am I supposed to find someone like that?”

  Hans leaned closer, lowering his voice like he was revealing a forbidden secret.

  “Ask Master Luca.”

  “Luca,” Eyan repeated.

  “Yes,” Hans nodded eagerly. “Ask him. He’s perfect for this, and he already knows Her Majesty—there won’t be any issues.”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Eyan’s lips curved into a satisfied smile. “You’re right, Hans. Luca is perfect for this.”

  He turned sharply. “Bring me the magical communicator. I need to speak with him.”

  Hans hurried off and returned almost immediately, placing the communicator into Eyan’s hands. He lingered nearby, curiosity getting the better of him.

  Eyan activated the device. Hans leaned closer.

  A moment later, Luca’s voice crackled through. “What do you want?”

  “Luca, I need your help. Can yo—”

  —CRACK.

  The connection cut.

  The room went deathly silent.

  Eyan stared at the communicator, frozen.

  Then his eye twitched.

  “That ,” he growled. “How dare he cut the call?”

  He stood abruptly, lifting the communicator as if to smash it against the floor.

  “Your Majesty!” Hans shouted. “Please calm down—don’t break it!”

  Eyan inhaled sharply, swallowed his fury with visible effort, and sat back down. His grip tightened… then loosened. Slowly, he activated the communicator again.

  Luca answered almost immediately. “What now? I can’t help y—”

  “Eva needs your help.” Eyan Said Smoothly.

  Silence.

  Complete, absolute silence.

  Then—

  “Sister-in-law needs my help?” Luca’s voice lit up instantly. “Of course! What does she need? Tell me!”

  Eyan clenched his fist so hard it nearly cracked.

  “You cut the call when asked for help,” he said through gritted teeth, “yet you sound delighted the moment Eva is mentioned.”

  “Stop complaining,” Luca replied cheerfully. “And tell me what help my sister-in-law needs.”

  Eyan explained everything to Luca—the upcoming hunting competition, the pairing system, and, most importantly, just how Eva and Aranel were at it.

  There was a brief pause on the other end.

  “Alright,” Luca said at last. “I’ll help them. But instead of training, why don’t I simply step in and make sure they win?”

  Eyan hummed thoughtfully. “That was my original plan. But Hans insists it would be unfair to the others.”

  “Is Hans standing next to you right now?” Luca asked suspiciously.

  Hans leaned closer to the communicator at once. “Greetings, Master Luca.”

  Luca clicked his tongue. “Hans, tell me—does someone from your family or one of your friends happen to be participating in this competition?”

  “No, Master Luca,” Hans replied, confused. “Why do you ask?”

  “Then why in the hell do you care if it’s unfair to others?”

  Hans straightened. “Forgive me, Master Luca, but I despise those who cheat to win.”

  There was a sharp scoff from the communicator.

  “And why in the hell should I care about what you despise?” Luca snapped. “Eyan, if you can’t do it, I will. I’ll help sister-in-law win—one way or another.”

  Hans’s smile turned dangerously calm. “Then I shall inform His Majesty King Thalor Therald that you are cheating in the competition.”

  There was a beat of silence.

  “You… bastard,” Luca said slowly. “You’re really going to tell Father?”

  “Yes,” Hans replied politely. “And I am not joking. You already know how much His Majesty despises cheating.”

  Another long pause.

  Then—

  “…Fine,” Luca sighed. “I’ll train them properly. Are you happy now?”

  Hans’s face brightened. “Very happy. Thank you, Master Luca.”

  Eyan finally spoke again, relief clear in his voice. “Then it’s settled. You’ll teach them. Go to Lady Aranel’s house in the afternoon.”

  “Alright,” Luca muttered.

  The connection cut.

  --------------------------------------------------------

  (Prince Velco Morvalis’s Chamber)

  The chamber door burst open with a violent crash.

  Prince Velco Morvalis strode inside, his cloak swirling behind him like a dark omen. Candlelight flickered against the stone walls as a lone figure stepped forward from the shadows—a man cloaked in black, his face hidden beneath a hood.

  The spy dropped to one knee. “Greetings, Your Highness.”

  Velco didn’t acknowledge the greeting. His eyes burned with restrained fury.

  “Did you find anything about that royal knight?”

  “Yes, Your Highness,” the spy replied carefully. “The knight did locate the Dragon King. However, before he could act, it appears he was discovered—and killed on the spot.”

  Velco’s hand slammed down on the table with a thunderous crack. “Damn it.”

  He turned sharply, pacing the length of the chamber.

  “After everything I did to assist that fool, he gets himself killed.” His voice dropped dangerously low. “Who killed him? The emperor was not in the palace that night. Did the royal knights catch him?”

  The spy hesitated. “No, Your Highness. It was the Master of the Magic Tower—Luca Veyren.”

  Velco stopped mid-step. “…What,” he said quietly, the word sharp as a blade.

  “What was doing there?”

  The spy swallowed. “He appeared out of nowhere, Your Highness. But it seems that in the emperor’s absence, Master Luca was protecting the Dragon King.”

  Velco turned slowly, his gaze piercing. “Before dying,” he asked coldly, “did that knight mention anything? The dragon’s location—anything at all?”

  “No, Your Highness. I was listening to their conversation through the magical communicator you provided him. But he never revealed the dragon’s location.”

  The air thickened.

  Velco reached for a porcelain vase on the table and hurled it against the wall. It shattered violently, shards skittering across the floor. The spy flinched but did not move.

  “I don’t have much time,” Velco growled. “Once the hunting competition ends, I will have no excuse to remain in Velmoria. I must act before then.”

  He clenched his fists. “That damned emperor… he has no weakness. Not a single crack I can exploit. If only I could find one—just one—I could force the dragon out of his hands.”

  The spy shifted uneasily. “Your Highness… there is something I did not mention earlier.”

  Velco’s eyes snapped toward him.

  “What is it?”

  “When I was listening to the conversation between the knight and Master Luca Veyren,” the spy said slowly, “I heard Master Luca say something… odd.”

  Velco narrowed his eyes. “Odd how?”

  “He said somthing like, ”

  Silence fell over the chamber.

  Velco’s expression changed—not with anger, but with interest.

  “I found it strange,” the spy continued carefully, “because according to my information, Master Luca has no brother. And the only person he considers as brother is—”

  “The Emperor,” Velco finished softly.

  “Yes, Your Highness. But the emperor is unmarried.” The spy lifted his head slightly. “So who, then, was Master Luca calling his ?”

  Velco’s lips slowly curved into a smile—cold, sharp, and predatory.

  “So,” he murmured, “it seems the emperor and the Master of the Magic Tower are hiding something from the world.”

  “…Or perhaps,” Velco added quietly, “they are hiding .”

  “The brooch,” he said slowly. “The one the emperor was wearing today… it looked familiar.”

  He resumed walking, back and forth across the chamber, brows drawn together as he searched his memory. The image lingered stubbornly in his mind—the crimson gemstone, the simple metalwork.

  Then he froze.

  “…Now I remember,” Velco murmured. “That lady. That day. I saw that brooch with .”

  [Flashback — The Day of Eyan’s Birthday | Afternoon]

  The marketplace was alive with noise and color.

  Eva walked beside Aranel, carefully holding a small box in both hands. They had come straight from the market, planning to go to the palace afterward—Eva’s heart fluttered with quiet nervousness.

  She glanced down at the box. “I hope the emperor likes my gift.”

  Aranel smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry. He will. It’s a beautiful brooch.”

  Eva nodded softly. “I hope s—”

  Thump

  She collided hard with someone, stumbling backward. The box slipped from her fingers and hit the ground.

  “Oh—!”

  A male voice spoke at once. “Lady, are you alright? I apologize for bumping into you.”

  Eva barely heard him. Her gaze was fixed on the fallen box. “The gift—”

  She hurriedly picked it up and opened it, her fingers trembling slightly as she checked the contents.

  The man—Prince Velco, though she did not know it—knelt beside her.

  “I’m truly sorry,” he said. “Did I ruin your belongings? I will pay for them.”

  Eva examined the brooch carefully. Not a single scratch marred the red gemstone.

  She exhaled in relief. “No… you don’t have to pay, mister. The brooch is safe.”

  Velco’s eyes fell to the brooch. The red gem caught the sunlight, glowing faintly.

  “That’s a beautiful piece,” he said with an easy smile.

  Eva looked up, surprised. “Oh? You think so? I bought it to give someone.”

  “Whoever that person is,” Velco replied smoothly, “I’m sure they’ll like it.”

  Eva smiled, her worries easing.

  Before she could respond, Aranel grabbed her arm and pulled her upright.

  “Eva, get up. Don’t just sit there,” Aranel scolded gently. Then she turned sharply toward Velco.

  “And you—watch where you’re going. You could seriously hurt someone.”

  Velco only smiled. “My apologies again.”

  Eva nodded politely. “It’s alright. You can go now.”

  She turned to Aranel. “Come on, Aranel. Let’s go.”

  The two women walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

  Velco remained where he was, the hood shadowing his eyes, his gaze fixed on Eva’s retreating figure.

  A slow smile curved his lips.

  “…Eva,” he murmured. “She’s beautiful.”

  [Flashback Ends]

  Velco’s smile returned as the memory settled.

  “Eva,” he said quietly. “That woman is the one who gave the emperor that brooch.”

  The spy frowned. “Your Highness, what connection could she possibly have to the emperor? Perhaps she’s someone he doesn’t even know—a nobody.”

  Velco turned, eyes cold. “That brooch isn’t something a king like him would wear simply because gifted it,” he said. “It’s cheap. The gemstone isn’t even real.”

  The spy stiffened.

  “And yet,” Velco continued, “the emperor still wears it.”

  He smiled. “You know what that means.”

  The spy hesitated. “What…?”

  Velco’s smile slowly faded, replaced by something colder. “That so-called sister-in-law…” he said quietly, “is .”

  The spy hesitated. “Your Highness… we cannot be completely certain. What if the women are different people? Acting too soon would be risky.”

  Velco looked at him for a long moment.

  “…You’re right,” he said at last. “Assumptions can be dangerous.”

  He turned toward the window, staring out at the distant palace, its towers bathed in moonlight.

  “So we confirm it,” Velco continued calmly. “Quietly. Carefully.”

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