Chapter Three

On the tower of the Banmeden castle, Anastasius over viewed the rose garden from above.

Or rather say he was viewing the whole castle since his familiar Kaiser was placed all over the Banmeden castle.

Suddenly his most trusted servant appeared " My Lord, it is time for your tea time with third prince Felzein" Delroy bowed respectfully.

" I see"

......

" Big brother, can you tell me why the people in the castle dislike me?" a small boy around 12 years old asked Anastasius who was drinking tea leisurely with him in the Rose garden of the Banmeden castle. This boy was Felzein he has short rusty strawberry blond hair and of course golden eyes.

" Well, Mother died shortly after she gives birth to you. She was very well-loved and respected, I was one of them" Anastasius doesn't love her but he respect her since she was very useful to him until the end, he lied smoothly without remorse.

" Can you tell me about, Mother? Is she a wonderful person?" Felzein asked.

After Selene's death, the Shimizu Dukedom declined as she is the main pillar of it, reducing its power to a Countdom's and most of the maids are treated nicely by Selene that's why Felzein was disliked, they blame him for her death.

When she died, she left a will addressing to the Tsukinami family it wrote:

𝕴𝖋 𝕴 𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖇𝖊 𝖓𝖔 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖍𝖊𝖓 𝕴 𝖌𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝖇𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖍 𝖙𝖔 𝖒𝖞 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝕱𝖊𝖑𝖟e𝖎𝖓;

𝕴 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖇𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖜 𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖒𝖞 𝖜𝖊𝖆𝖑𝖙𝖍 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖒𝖞 𝖈𝖍𝖎𝖑𝖉𝖗𝖊𝖓 ,𝕴 𝖍𝖔𝖕𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖉𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖉𝖊 𝖎𝖙 𝖋𝖆𝖎𝖗𝖑𝖞 𝕴 𝖙𝖗𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖏𝖚𝖉𝖌𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙.

𝕴 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖑𝖎k𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖆𝖞 A𝖓𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖘𝖎𝖚𝖘 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝕴 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖓𝖔𝖙 𝖑𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝖑𝖔𝖓𝖌.

As for dividing the assets of Selene, most of it went to Anastasius since Giesbach doesn't want it quoting: " Why would I want her measly wealth, I do not need that weak woman's assets".

As for Felzein, he got 35 percent of her assets, and the remaining want to Anastasius. Anastasius does not shy away from it but accepts it.

Felzein was left in the care of the maids but it could be said that it was not the maids that raise him it was his second older brother.

Anastasius still has his previous life of loving children despite the many decades that pass. He raises Felzein often playing with him or drinking tea with him and teaching him basic combat, endurance, etiquette, and socializing but does not take his manipulative tendencies away.

Anastasius makes sure that Felzein is cautious but stupid, and has few allies to support him, unfortunately, Felzein was only his pawn. Anastasius will only care for his own children which is Jeannette.

Felzein however respected his second older brother. He admired his two older brothers but mostly it was Anastasius since he was the only one that doesn't ignore him and Anastasius care for him(he thinks) in the family. F

or Giesbach rather than admired he loathed him, as Giesbach always finds trouble for him( Felzein) when he(Giesbach) wants to vent his anger and Giesbach take pleasure seeing Felzein suffer.

As for Felzein's father Abelard, his father simply ignores him.

Anastasius hummed " She was the first lady of the Shimizu Dukedom now reducing to a Countdom since her death. She was kind, elegant, and forgiving. She was beautiful as well even earning the title of ' The Beauty of the Founder's clan' but now the title was passed down to Krone the fiancee of Crown Prince Burai from the Vibora clan-"

" Brother Giesbach is interested in her right?" Felzein interrupted him, his gaze darkened with a calculative glint when Anastasius mention Krone. Anastasius's movement halted when he was suddenly interrupted which make Felzein give a small sorry.

" Yes, Giesbach was thinking of courting her" Anastasius replied sipping on his tea not caring of what Felzein was planning.

" I see big brother continue.."

"Well Mother has dirty blonde hair and gold eyes with long blond eyelashes, she was a good mother" and a good investment Anastasius added in his mind.

" So she is the same as you?" Felzein was imagining a female version of his second older brother.

"Well, not quite but similar" Anastasius sweat-dropped already knowing what his younger brother was thinking.

Suddenly a figure appears beside their tea table" Your highness, the king requested your presence" the king's trusted messenger said bowing to Anastasius.

' What does Abelard want? Did he want to discuss the meeting with the nobles with me? Or Did he want to betroth me to someone? I am leaning on the latter' " I see, tell Father that I will be right there"

After getting the response the messenger disappears.

Anastasius turns his gaze to Felzein who was sulking about not having to spend time with his older brother.

" Little brother, I will be going now. Don't cause trouble.." Anastasius reminded Felzein before teleporting to his father's office gate.

He knocked 3 times. Hearing his father's voice that said come in, he entered. He saw his father looking over forms of engagement proposals and prospective brides.

' Bingo I guess it, correctly' Anastasius thought amused.

" Father, how may I be of attendance to you?," He asked slightly bowing to Abelard.

" I am looking for a suitable fiancee for you and that Felzein but I don't think he needs one yet," Abelard replied not giving a glance to his second son.

" Father, you have any recommendation for my position of fiancee?" Anastasius asked he was thinking of having a lively family but he does not think it was possible since this is the demonic world after all.

Abelard passes three forms of prospective brides that he could choose without saying a word. Anastasius knowing his gesture took the forms and read through them. Abelard was watching him closely.

The first form he read is a young princess from the wolves clan named Mina, maybe Abelard recommends him this, to have good relations with the wolves clan.

She has brown curly locks reaching to her shoulder, pearling hazel eyes which sparks innocents, a mature body for her age, light-colored skin, of course, her wolves genes as well and her temperament looked playful. She has a personality of being flirting, childish, and talkative.

Anastasius does not like her since she reminded him of a certain whore when he first saw her from his past life. He placed that form to the side.

The second form is a high noble lady from the Vibora clan named Estella, the lady has a personality of being respectful and weak-minded.

She has ink blue straight long hair reaching to her hips, a mature body, a bit tanned skin, green emerald eyes which is the special trait of the Vibora clan but her eyes are dim with no light in them.

Anastasius did want a weak-minded woman, it is the kind of woman he can manipulate easily he considered this form so put it in front of him and keeps looking at the other form. His Father after seeing the form that he considered chuckled.

The third form is the most surprising one. The woman is a human princess from the Kingdom of England her name was Matilda.

Anastasius looks at his father with a raised eyebrow.

" Oh that I made a mistake of giving you that form, take this one," his father said annoyed that he give the wrong form. Abelard reaches out to hand him the correct form.

Anastasius took the form what surprise him was the name:

Mallory Shimizu

Mallory can be said to be his maternal cousin born from the former Duke Almos Shimizu (now Count, his mother's older brother) and a mistress who was of lesser rank, surprisingly she was the only daughter.

'Mallory... poor woman use as a bargaining chip from her father to have connections with me...' Anastasius was engrossed by his father's choice of giving him this.

" Father why a Shimizu?"

Abelard looks at him with complicated emotion in his eyes that he has never seen him show.

" Anastasius...you look just like your mother...I always was reminded of her when I saw you...I just realize my feelings for her just days after her death"

" You mean 'love' father?" Anastasius asked surprised that his father confessed his feelings to his mother in front of him.

" Oh...yes...I seem to know the feeling of love now" his father sighed he looks tired. " I am thinking of following her"

" Father, it is not a good idea," Anastasius said with fake concern.

" Yes, but Giesbach will succeed the throne after I die" Abelard looked at him and continued "You don't have to worry I will give you the title of Duke and a large piece of land in the borders of the human world and the demonic world that is where your residence will be"

Anastasius was satisfied with the title.'He might not give me this for free maybe to ask a favor?' he sighed "So father you are helping me find a Duchess?"

"Yes," Abelard replied while looking at the two forms Anastasius considered.

"If it is the position of Duchess I will choose Mallory" Anastasius inform his father.

Abelard chuckled" Why? enlighten me" he was very curious about his son's choice.

Anastasius smirk and answer" After mother's death, the clan started to forget the family she came from only remembering that it was of rank Duke. So there would not be anyone saying it was incest since some don't even know Mallory was related to the Queen. As for why I choose her is she was someone who is glib-tongue, poisonous tongue and elegant which will make her a good Duchess. Considering her appearance, her beauty rivals that of Krone." his smirk widened and continued "She is quite meek as well so she can be manipulated easily"

Abelard after hearing his explanation goes into a fit of laughter" Hah ha, well incest relationships are not quite rare alright she will be engaged to you for 3 months after that the marriage will start. You can leave now."

Anastasius bowed slightly"Yes, Father. I will take my leave"