Chapter 3 Meeting the Family
I continued down the hallway after my brother, only a few steps behind. I don't know if he just forgot, but we are both going to the same place. So his 'intimidation' before he walked away really lost any meaning as we now had to walk side by side. Not that I was very intimidated before.
Well now it's just another day in the life of the idiotic royal family. Let's see what wonderful things happen on this fine day at breakfast.
Will I be?
A. Assassinated. (or at least an attempt at assassination)
B. Get scolded for saying we should use the money on the impoverished citizens instead of buying a new rug for the second time this month
C. Forced to go do something outside of the country in order to reduce my political power
D. All of the above
Ah, all options are very likely I just don't know what to choose!! So exciting!
I sighed and rubbed my temples in preparation for the oncoming headache that is my family life and walked into the dinning room with my brother.
As I entered I got a full view of my WONDERFUL family. No sarcasm there at all.
At the head of the table I could see my king, and unfortunately my father. A cheating scumbag who knows more about how to gaslight women into joining his harem than leading this country. He was a large man who had gained a lot of weight ever since he ascended the throne. With a bald head and dark black eyes, he looked like a fat old perv.
All hail king Gabriel Nix, In all his imperial glory.
Anyway.
To his right there was a lovely looking lady with blonde hair and blue eyes. Her name was Mia Nix and she is the 1st wife of my father and the mother of my adorable little brother Leo as well as one of my half sisters.
To his left there was an empty seat, which used to belong to the second wife of his majesty, my mother Olivia Nix. She is the one I inherited all my physical traits from as she once had beautiful black hair and sharp red eyes much like my own. She passed away to an illness when I was 7 years old so I remember very little about her other than her appearance and kind personality. I have heard rumors that she was the most beautiful woman in the kingdom before.
Another seat left of that is my own seat which I leisurely made my way towards.
As I pulled out my chair to sit down I noticed that one of the legs of the chair was cracked and nearly broken. Wow, what a petty and stupid attempt to interfere with me. I sent out a little mana in order to strengthen the chair as I took my seat. The most basic strengthening magic, which even a child could learn was one of the most effective sometimes.
As soon as I sat down and didn't fall I felt a harsh gaze fall on me from the person sitting next to me. Ah, my step mother must be very confused right now.
Harper Nix, the third wife of my father and the mother of Julian and his sister. A fiery woman with bright red hair and green eyes. Her and her children were the three eternal thorns in my side. Unsurprisingly she wishes for her son to become the next king and she is constantly trying to usurp the position of crown prince from me. She and her two children have constantly been hostile towards me and my mother. If only they would realize that I really don't want to become king, haaaa.
To Harper's left was the prick who tried to poison me earlier today, my little brother Julian Nix, who shares the same features as his mother.
To the left of him was my half sister and Harper's other child, Kate Nix. Kate, the second princess, who is unsurprisingly just as stupid as her brother and mother, is constantly trying to harass and belittle me. It's almost cute when she does it though as she's only 16. It feels like a little household cat trying to attack me whenever she bares her fangs. She also has the same red and green features as her mother and usually wears pigtails, which I think only serves to make her look just as annoying as she sounds, but I digress.
Ignoring the gazes of both anger and confusion I was receiving from the three idiots, I looked up across the table to where my other step mother was.
As I looked to the right of Mia, I could see one more empty seat. This was the seat of my older half sister, Maya Nix. The first princess of this country and one of the few family members I respect and care for, along with Leo and Mia. She was just as cute and lovely as her mother was with her innocent blue eyes and sparkling golden hair.
She was currently away training in order to become a wife. She was recently engaged in a political marriage to someone outside of the kingdom. I would have objected with all my power as crown prince had she not actually loved her fiancé… damn bastard, I ought to kick his ass the next time I see him. Well, anyways, ever since she left the attacks on me from the three idiots beside me have increased in both quality and quantity.
Please come back sis! I don't wanna deal with this shit alone anymore! Even my personal maids started selling me out or trying to kill me…
What a truly depressing thought.
Anyway.
To the right of that empty seat was a little boy with a huge smile on his face, he had blonde hair and blue eyes just like his mother. Actually, the fact that all of us children of his majesty share no features of his own is really funny, says a lot about how good the royal genes are, but I digress. Anyway, back to my brother, Leo Nix, the most precious, cute and innocent person I have ever met. When I saw his gleeful expression I couldn't help but smile despite the hostile and heavy atmosphere surrounding me.
"Hmph, what bad etiquette to show in front of his majesty, you truly are a dull prince."
I felt my eyebrow start to twitch at the unnecessary comment from my step mother beside me. Can't I just enjoy my time with Leo, why must you ruin everything?
I didn't even have to look over to know what kind of posture that woman was taking right now. I bet my title as crown prince that she's got her arms crossed and chin up in a self important manner, as if to imply she is looking down on everyone else in the world before her.
I turned my head to see confirm my prediction. Dammit I was right! I really wanted to lose that stupid title too…
"My mother always told me to do what I want as the crown prince. So I'm just trying my best to listen. In fact, her favourite saying was telling me 'to break a leg' when I try something new." I replied with a polite smile on my face.
"That is a foolish saying for commoners who know not of the sophisticated society we nobles enjoy."
She instantly glanced down towards the leg of the chair she tried to break, but wasn't able to put two and two together. She still thought I hadn't realized her little ploy.
Well, I can't say I expected much anyway.
For the next 15 minutes breakfast was surprisingly quiet. Even my father was just eating silently like he was mulling over something that had been on his mind. Something was definitely up, there were no more passive aggressive remarks or insults thrown around and we had a peaceful meal for the first time in a very, very long while.
Usually when my father was this quiet he was trying to think about how to bring in another concubine. Or perhaps a new wife this time? Well I don't care anymore, he has long since gone sterile by choice via the help of the magic tower so I won't be getting any more siblings.
I usually would just end my thoughts with that… buuut, Harper is being very quiet as well. That is definitely grounds for further suspicion. It seems like something interesting will happen in the future. So before I let someone in this room accidentally spoil the surprise for me I stood up to leave.
At my breach of etiquette when I went to return to my room, I only received a curious look from Mia. It seems that his imperial majesty and my other step mom are too caught up in their own thoughts to care about me, how wonderful today truly is. I wonder if it is a fateful day, one day blessed by god for me to enjoy myself.
I strode down the hall at my own pace and started whistling. Today is a good day so let's go out for a little walk. I haven't been out in a little while so I'm bound to see something interesting.
I soon reached the door to my room I smiled at the maid who was standing guard and nodded as I entered my room.
I saw her face light up with pure joy, it seems she is really loving her job as my maid.
The second my door shut I reopened it and peaked my head out.
"Hey Anna?"
"Yes milord?"
"You're fired."
I shut the door once more and ignored the noise on the other side.
"Ehhh, What???? Why?? Please don't do this prince! I want to keep working here! I need to provide for my family! Plus prince Julian promised me great things … I-I mean I just want to serve your highness Artemis! No, more importantly, the boss will kill me!"
I gracefully tuned out the pleas from my traitorous maid, you get used to it after it happens a few times.
Hahaha…
Wait, isn't it a problem that this has happened multiple times? Maybe I'm the problem?
Pfft, Who am I kidding? Of course I'm not the problem!
Right! … Right?
Ahem, well it doesn't matter anymore. She betrayed me so I have no sympathy for whatever happens to her.
Although, she did make a big slip up in what she just said...