Trump Card

-- Kingdom of Clemence --

" Worthless scum of sons "

A cold voice echoed throughout the throne room. It was not loud to be considered as shouting but just enough so that everybody could hear. You could feel that the there was indifference in the tone as well as anger.

Everyone inside the room could feel the pressure coming from the voice. It feels like someone was holding their hearts, one word and they would be at death's door. That was how terrifying the atmosphere was at the moment.

It seemed that the voice came from the person sitting in the middle - in the Throne. It was the King of Clemence - King Dominique. The famous red hair and bloodthirsty light green eyes. His aura is like the embodiment of a panther. Indifferent but wild and aggressive.

What the citizens of Clemence and the royal aides and ministers would think of him was miles apart different. In a citizen's counterpart, they viewed the King as a righteous man who only wanted the good of his kingdom and to win the war against the enemy.

But only the ministers and the royal aides would know how terrifying this man was. The rumors circulating all around the Kingdom of Christia was true - King Dominique is a bloodthirsty man who would sacrifice anything for the sake of winning, although it's still the surface upon layers of mystery about the royal family of Clemence, there are still many secrets untold.

Silence engulfed the entire room.

The ministers are already shivering from the intense stare of His Highness, King Dominique.

"k-kk...King d-Dominique" The Minister who tried to save the two prince from the wrath of the King tried to explain.

Moving his gaze from his two worthless sons who would better be fertilizers to the garden, he shifted it towards the pale minister.

"y-Your Highnes-ss... Please a-appease y-your anger, the two prince was not entirely at fault on this matter regarding the battle." He was gaining confidence to look up but when he received the stare that seemed to intensify, it crumbled into pieces.

"t-The century o-old war..was just really... hard to win against the king-....enemy. There have b-been too few records of us winning" The minister dared not to wipe his sweat under the heavy stare of the King. His eyes were darting left and right, trying to find help but could not. He scolded himself for being so foolish. He shouldn't have worried over the matter of the Kingdom's heirs.

A very frightening chuckle that seemed to ring the death toll sounded...

"So, you mean to say my edict was wrong?" Without waiting for the sentence to finish, all people present dropped to their knees. Except for the Minister who seems to have a difficulty moving even just an inch.

A smile that doesn't looked like quite a smile broke out in to the King's face.

"Father! Please be merciful to us brothers. We tried our best to win the battle against the enemy. We really did!" The Two Princes was on their knees begging the King for mercy.

While they were on their knees, the King's mouth opened and a few words was said.

After that it seemed that the two princes and the minister has been struck by lightning. It looked like they did not hear the words or maybe it was just too much shock.

" To the Underground "

The Ministers had an inkling of what the 'Underground' was but only the Knights knew what it was really. People were better off dead than being dragged into the Underground. It was beyond torture and pain in the Underground. Shredding their skin slowly, chopping their fingers, crushing their bones, stabbing them multiple times, making them eat poison, trapped in a cell of snakes, carnivorous insects, and poisonous creatures, and of course death comes after which. That was what comes into the mind of the Knights when the Underground was mentioned.

Yes, it may be unbelievable that the King would do that to his own sons. Well, he CAN do that to his sons, he may have never even considered them as his sons, they were just pawns, if useless he would just throw it all away. To achieve what he desired, he could do anything. That is King Dominique of Clemence.

After the screams of the minister and the two princes faded after being dragged away, King Dominique dismissed everybody and called out to the man standing behind him. That was his most trusted aide - Rex.

"Call the princess"

"Yes" said Rex while bowing towards the King and retreating to call the Princess.

The only child whom the King gives acknowledgement and importance to - Princess Aurelia.

Rex then went towards towards the garden where one could see an astonishing beauty having tea. It was like she didn't mind the issue of her brothers being dragged away at the way she is enjoying her tea. She still savors her tea like the news was no big deal.

The way she drinks tea is like a touch of water, light and graceful. The way she carries herself is that of beyond elegance. Vibrant red hair, skin as white as snow, elegance as that of a feather, sharp and unfeeling light green eyes.

Yes that's the Princess of the Kingdom of Clemence. When you look at her beauty, it resembles a rose, beautiful and elegant but prickly and untouchable, and yet could be poisonous too.

"Princess, His Highness calls upon you." Rex said while bowing as a show of respect.

Princess Aurelia then gracefully stands up and walked towards the throne room.

"Did you call upon me, Father?" Princes Aurelia said without any expression on her face. She bowed in front of the King - her father. It was as if she was unfazed by the aura of her Father unlike those previous ministers who scurried away like chickens.

"Ah yes, my daughter, my precious daughter. I called upon you to tell you.... It is your turn" The King said while smiling, if anyone saw the King right now they would be terrified to see his smile. Together with his red hair and light green eyes, it looked like the demon was smiling upon you.

"Yes, Father" Princess Aurelia stood up and met the gaze of her Father. Two eyes of the same color collided, one cold the other indifferent. ' I hope you won't disappoint me, my trump card ' King Dominique silently said in his mind.

No one didn't expect that everything would start from here.... Not even the genius Prince nor the mysterious Princess...