[15] Empresses Banquet! [6]

Leon just rolled his eyes at the sight of his eldest brother trying to play games but he kept his cool and transformed his demeanour into that of a little brother, "You know me brother, I don't dance well and I'd hate to embarrass the great Maxwell royal family with my shameful skills!"

Leon's skills in acting a certain role had grown to a terrifying degree, so to act like he was a little brother with confidence issues was as easy as pie. He simple dodged prolonged eye contact and simplified his gestures.

Alexander who watched on as Leon fidgeted back and forth just laughed slightly with disdain visible but he spoke the next second as to not blow his cover, "Oh come now little brother, you should be more confident In yourself. Although Father doesn't favour you and treats you coldly... you are my youngest brother, if anyone laughs I'll deal with them!" He finished off his speech by pounding his chest like he was making a knight's vow.

[This piece of trash is actually acting nice on the outside but anyone with a brain can tell he's ridiculing me with his words!]

The flames of fury began to ignite in Leon's heart as he so desperately wanted to give his brother a good smack but he controlled his thoughts reluctantly.

"Don't worry brother, I'm happy here, I have so much food and good wine to enjoy the night, you go on and dance the night away, this younger brother will watch you from the sidelines with a happy smile."

Alexander just scoffed as he look at this worthless child in front of him. In fact, many thoughts were going through his head, why did his mother place so much emphasis on him? Why was he the one that had to come and talk to him?

For all, he cared this was the biggest waste of time in the world. However, when Leon spoke the word 'Food' Alex remembered his earlier thought.

His gaze then went back to the food and he could see the scavenged meal, "Say, brother, are they not feeding you well over at the Winter palace, how can you eat so much. You've even licked the bone dry off that chicken... If you carry on with those eating habitats, the nobles will think that you're not getting fed properly."

Almost as soon as Alexander spoke, the accompanying nobles all soon began to whisper amongst themselves quietly. Some were making jokes about the lack of etiquette that the youngest prince had. Others began to speculate that the Winter Palace was a cruel and torturous place, that only royalty that wasn't favoured by the king was sent to.

Leon who just sat quietly couldn't help but show a cold smirk at Alexander's actions.

[Out of all the ways that you could have tried to embarrass me, you picked one of the only things that can bite you back! What a fool!]

"Ah, brother are my actions shameful!" Leon gasped out as he showed a pitiful sight to the spectators around him. However, he wasn't finished speaking yet.

"Truthfully brother, ever since that incident at the Palace, I've had trouble eating a full meal. Even though the chiefs are well known for being the best in the kingdom, the fear of being poisoned from an allergy or something is just too scary..."

The nobles that were originally gossiping behind his back couldn't help but gasp at the youngest prince's words.

"Poisoned? Allergy?"

"Did someone try to kill the youngest prince?"

These words were spoken by some of the more loose-tongued nobles that were still growing and were new to these types of situations. A more experienced noble would certainly choose to shut up and speak nothing, otherwise, they might incite someone's anger for spreading 'rumours'.

Hearing the whispers coming from the group following Alexander, Leon knew he had turned this situation on its head.

[Bingo! They are all children at the end of the day!]

[Hmm, I wonder If I can use this to get that Father's attention. It was one of my goals for the banquet anyways!]

As for what Alexander was doing while Leon was making a makeshift plan, he had a face of anger and he clenched his fists. But soon, he regained his calm and shouted out loudly showing his dominant side, "Who would dare try and poison my royal brother?!"

At which all the nobles closed their mouths. Alexander didn't stop there though and turned around to address the situation further. He closed in on the noble that had mentioned the alleged 'assassination attempt', he was a young noble around the age of 14 or 15, coming from a low ranking baron from the West. He was an extra, to say the least, but Alexander had to make a point so he spoke to him directly.

"You, what's your name?" His kind and gentle exterior had completely vanished, now he radiated dominance.

The meekly looking noble coward but somehow he managed to reply in just time, "It's Ed..Edward, Crown Prince!"

"Say, Edward, do you want to repeat your words?"

"I apologise, Crown Prince, my actions meant no harm, I am blind and stupid and have no sense. Please forgive this child!" He shouted out quickly as he bowed his head, not daring to look at the Crown Prince.

Alexander just scoffed and his gaze travelled around the room, It seemed that the commotion had garnered more of the higher ranking nobles' attention as they were now watching on enjoying the banquet's entertainment.

'Sh*t, this stupid brat, has put me In a tight spot!' Alexander inwardly thought.

Still, he calmed down enough to focus back on Leon as he once more pretended like a 'loving' brother. "Little brother, don't worry about such things anymore, who would dare do anything to you when my mother the Empress is in charge of making sure you have proper meals!"

Alexander had decided to use his mother's name to calm down the situation but unfortunately, he was once more standing on landmines he couldn't even see.

[Hahaha, how on earth did someone of his intelligence get the Crown Prince title, he's just too stupid to think about his words in this type of situation.]

Leon coughed and spoke meekly like he was scared about something, of course, this only served to gather everyone's attention more, "But brother, the Empress was already in charge of my meals... What... What if the Empress can't even control such things?"

Leon's words caused another round of discussion since although he didn't blatantly say it out loud, he was pretty much calling the Empress incompetent.

It was a major insult to the Empress but nobody could say anything because he didn't outright say such words.

Alexander's face was livid at the underlying meaning of Leon's words. How dare such an eyesore say such things about his mother. He had completely lost control as he was overcome by anger. His thoughts varied as he tried to think of any and all ways to get back at this idiotic child.

As for the nobles, seeing that Alexander hadn't spoken for a while, it naturally caused a misunderstanding.

"Did the Empress organise his food and have the youngest prince poisoned?"

"Shush, if they hear you say such things you could be killed for trying to incite a coup..."

As the rumour and the incident spread around the banquet hall it naturally came to the Empress's attention. Hearing what was transpiring on the other side of the hall, she made her way there without a second thought.

The groups of higher-ranking nobles that all attended these occasions to fill their greedy intentions, also followed as to not miss out on anything that could profit them.

And sooner or later the Empress had arrived at the scene, "Move the Empress is coming through!" The Empresses attendant spoke out to dispel the crowd, so the Empress could walk toward Alexander.

The red-haired beauty with the seductive figure drew the attention of every man there. Still, she paid no attention to their lustful gazes and simply smiled at her son that looked slightly angry, "Oh Alexander, what's a matter, how come you're over here with your little brother instead of not attending to the guest?"

She showed a loving appearance that showed how much she doted on her son.

Alexander, seeing his mother appear, his anger subsided and he calmed enough to speak, "Mother, ah, I was just coming to see if little brother was going to dance or not but then some things were said..."

"Oh, I see, well little Leon, do you have any intention of dancing?"

Leon who saw the snake-like woman in front of him was finding it hard to suppress his disgust but he still played his part well enough in the end, "Ah, Empress, Happy birthday!"

"I don't think I'm that well versed in dance as compared to others, I wouldn't want to embarrass myself!" He brushed the topic to the side and replied punctually.

"A shame, you looked rather dashing today as well." The Empress spoke as she gazed at the exquisiteness of Leon's clothes. To her that normally provided the clothing for every one of the princes, today purposefully didn't prepare Leon's.

Now that he had come wearing something of such high standards, she had many thoughts on her mind.

Just where and how did he get something so expensive?