Chapter 17

Kaiden stopped healing Azazel since he was pretty much fine now and needed to rest up to replenish his powers.

"I was but I was not sure which one of you swore an oath. I did not expect it was you" Kaiden glanced at Azazel who suddenly averted his gaze.

"Ah, well that child was bright enough to make a deal with the second most influential person in the entire capital at that time" On the thought of Gideon, Azazel suddenly realized that he did not suffer a terrible backlash from the oath.

"What happened to that child?" He asked the prince curiously and Kaiden just shrugged.

"I may have used a little bit of force to make him speak. That being said, your oath is now broken right?"

"Ah yeah" that also meant he no longer had to protect Gideon from Kaiden. Even though it was good news, he still can't help but feel a little conflicted.

"But it does not mean that you can now kill him, your highness"

Kaiden showed Azazel a genuine smile and shook his head. He had no intention of killing him, if he did he would have done that earlier. Azazel took note of this expression and looked down feeling a little bit guilty because he knew that it was partially his fault that those two had to be separated.

"Ehem" Luciel coughed to make his presence known in the room and the two immediately looked at him confused. Maybe it was a wrong decision for him to catch their attention but he couldn't help but feel left out.

"I apologize for the trouble I caused you Father" Kaiden took the initiative and lowered his head deeply showing his sincerity.

"You should be apologizing to Azazel as well"

"Ah, no need for that, your highness. It was my fault as well for-"

"Apologise to Azazel" Luciel cuts Azazel off and Kaiden looks up at him then moves his gaze towards Azazel.

He hesitated a little towards apologizing because Azazel was one of the reasons that he and Gideon were separated. But if it meant that their conflicts would end and they could start anew, he was willing to suck it up for once. Kaiden did not lower his head but he still apologized. Azazel was willing to take this because it would be insulting if the prince he was serving lowered his head to a servant.

Luciel and Kaiden left the room so that Azazel could rest. On their way back, glanced at Kaiden who was still staying quiet about the ordeal. Although Kaiden was at fault for risking the life of Azazel, he did not mean it because he did not know who it was who had an agreement with Gideon. And none of this would have happened if they didn't force Kaiden to be in this position.

"Father, I have one question"

"What is it?"

"Were you the one who prevented Gideon from coming along with me?"

Luciel thought about what to say to Kaiden about this. He couldn't speak his thoughts directly because they were in the hallway. He still could not rule out the possibility of spies in his faction. But it seemed like the moment Kaiden does not hear a proper answer, he'll leave them without hesitation. Luciel still needed to rest to replenish his energy from desperately trying to save Azazel earlier but he still temporarily set up an array to keep anyone from hearing them.

"In a way, I suppose?" he finally speaks and Kaiden narrowed his eyes

"Why?"

"I only asked to know what Ella was protecting that time she disappeared, nothing else"

Kaiden gritted his teeth in anger. Gideon was right, his father only asked for him. Even if he did manage to convince everyone to have Gideon remain by his side, there were no guarantees for the safety of his well-being. Indeed Gideon did choose the best option for everyone's convenience.

"So all this time you held resentment towards everyone because of this?"

"It appears so" Kaiden sarcastically adds and Luciel just sighed.

"Why is he more important than the people who genuinely cared for you all these years?"

"I could ask you the same thing about Mother"

The area became quiet and Luciel was caught off guard by the statement. It was almost the same as declaring one's love.

"Kaiden, are you in love with him?" Luciel asked curiously.

That may be the reason why Kaiden was not one bit interested whenever Amias offered him to tag along in his debauchery but who would have thought that his son was playing for the other team? Not that he was against Homosexuality but then again it would explain the irritable glare his son gives to the women that try to pursue him. One time Luciel asked Amias to check if Kaiden was Asexual but to his surprise, he wasn't. For the longest time, they couldn't really put a finger on why Kaiden was not fancying anyone but now it makes sense.

"What nonsense?!?"

"He was the first person who actually cared about me without any sense of obligation, that's why I got angry and needed an explanation but everyone kept getting in my way and it made me even more furious!"

It looks like his son still has not realized his feelings. Like father, like son indeed. Luciel felt at a loss and pinched the bridge of his nose out of stress. He sighed and looked at his son.

"If you say so. Do you have any other questions?"

"No"

"I see, I'll have some of Azazel's works transferred over to you because Arda will overexert herself at this point. If you need help, ask me directly. The Nobles need to rest"

Luciel took down the array before going straight to his office to clear up some of his paperwork and hope that Damien has returned from his expedition for briefing. Kaiden, on the other hand, went to Arda's office to pick up his workload only to be greeted by a "Corpse". Arda was just lying face down on her desk in an unsightly manner as if she died.

"Lady Arda?" Kaiden called out.

'Did she really die from overwork? How will I explain this to my father?' His concern was elsewhere when he remembered what his father just asked him.

"Huh, what?" Arda raised her head and saw the Prince standing in front of her. She immediately sat back up and took off her bun to redo it.

"Prince Kaiden, what brings you here?" She asks as she finishes tying up her hair.

"My father said to have some of your workloads transferred to me"

"What?" Her cell phone on her desk which she rarely touches vibrated and upon checking it was Luciel telling her to pass her work to his son.

"I see, I'll have someone deliver it to your room once I'm done sorting them out accordingly"

Kaiden was left with no choice but to leave and return to his room. A few moments later someone knocked on his door and handed him some documents to look over and on top of it had a list of instructions on how to do them.

'That woman is seriously a workaholic and a perfectionist' He thought to himself before going to his desk and sitting down to go through it.

Midway into working he suddenly remembered what his father said and he had to pause. His face turned red and he was deep in thought.

"Do I actually feel that way towards Gideon?"

He needed to sort out his feelings. Maybe he'll figure it out once he spends time again with Gideon. He's scared to assume things and what's scarier is the fact that if he is indeed in love then what? Would Gideon accept it?

"WHY THE FUCK AM I THINKING ABOUT THIS ALREADY" Kaiden shouts and aggressively finishes his work and reviewing over it numerous times to distract himself. It was not enough so he called Arda and requested more work.

For the first time in years, Arda had little to no paperwork left for the week that she finally had a vacation. And it was all thanks to their prince who looked like he may have drunk some alcohol because of how red his face was when the servant delivered the workload.