1.3

As James and Brandon reached the table in the garden, the office door opened. Earl Miller and Ferion, his heir, entered the eldest's workroom. The room had shelves full of books and notebooks on both sides and on its opposite side there was a balcony overlooking the garden. There was also a table nearby that allowed to see the two young men sitting at a table and arguing about something.

The earl quickly sat down in his chair, sighing and mentally preparing himself for what would come with that conversation, it will be a tough one, especially one that will involve him in future matters that should be taken very carefully.

Ferion also stood in front of his father, seeing their expressions. He realized that as soon as he arrived, everyone had aged just like him. His father was an example of this, when he came out there were barely any gray strands in his hair, but now they were much more apparent, showing his age.

"This place has changed a little." Ferion spoke, looking around.

Was he right. In her last memories of that office, three years ago, some objects that were there now, weren't there before. A glass ball with a house on the earl's table and the painting that hung next to the door were what most caught the attention of those who returned.

Ferion's rough, strong hand soon grabs the glass ball and brings it closer, swinging it and seeing small white, snow-like pieces floating around the house and back to the ground. Ivan the Count, seeing this could not help but agree. His office had undergone changes, mostly by his wife's choice, however.

"Yes, some things have changed. This glass ball was given to me by James during the first year you went. It was winter and he wanted to give me something for my birthday, until he went out with Brandon and came back with it in his hands, saying that he thought it was beautiful and that he wanted me to stay." Ivan smiled. "He put it in my office and told me to look at it when I got bored. Since then, I haven't dared move it."

Ferion saw his father smiling slightly and turned to the ball, putting it back in place. It was obvious that it was something his father treasured, given that the item was glowing and he was looking at it fondly. His thoughts even turned to imagining the scene of an excited James giving the object to his father and he felt a little sad that he couldn't witness it.

With his hands resting on the table and straightening himself, the count looked for some papers and placed them on the table, to facilitate his search or in case he needs to confirm some data, although he knows those papers as if they were the back of his hand.

"But enough talk, I'm sure you're tired and want to rest soon. You must know why I call you here, right?" The earl's tone came out strong, he was serious, as his face showed.

"Yea." Ferion nodded.

"You can start reporting. Even the smallest details."

"As I reported earlier in the letters, most responsible for the victory and successful tactics during the war were because of the second prince. He was the one who came up with the idea of ​​creating an ambush in the battle near the mountain of Bohr and who commanded the armies to the Glarus capital of Torzik. There was some opposition from the nobles and their sons, especially those who supported the first prince, but in the end there was none, and if there had been I couldn't say."

"Hm... So they were quiet after Prince Aiden's conquests. They must have foamed with rage." The earl laughed. "But even Dominique? I doubt that old man hasn't sought any means to lessen the prince's power."

"You're right, Father. Duke Santos created rumors about the prince for those who weren't too close to the chain of command, and the rumors were mostly spread among ordinary soldiers. Of course, there's no proof. the battle was going well and most of the nobles had to agree that he was doing a good job. No one there wanted to die. That's why the most obvious is him."

"Okay, at least we have a notion that the second prince's conquests are too great to undermine for no reason at all. We don't exactly have to worry about that, as the balance of power has certainly been influenced by war confidence. The emperor will not take it lightly and with pressure from the other party."

Ferion agreed. As much as the nobles who are against Aiden's accession to the throne, they will not be able to deny that the prince was the biggest contributor, even more so with public order being in his favor and his achievements being widely publicized throughout the empire thanks to the return. of the other men who fought in the war.

Of course, this also means that rumors would spread, but would be erased with the prince's deeds.

"And did you guys meet any in the Glarus capital? The recommendation I gave you was to stay away if you met any of them and leave it to those who could handle it." The earl asked a little anxiously.

Although he knows his son is well and alive as he is right in front of him, it is still worrying if an enemy of such caliber, an elite of the elites of all countries, has appeared on the battlefield. Ivan had no way of knowing whether or not any showing up would be of benefit to the empire, but if only their deaths were proven it would indeed be.

Also, after the last part of the war, when they were preparing to take over the center of Torzik, letters were forbidden to be sent to prevent information leakage, interfering with any contact between their family members.

The Miller family couldn't help but feel nervous to hear this through the empire's newspaper, until they learned that they were returning victorious. These were days of anguish for them.

"Yes... There were two of the five from the Torzik kingdom. It is not known exactly what happened to the other three, but we do know that they did not run off with the royals, as they were all killed. What we found were avoided as much as possible. and fought by the Grand Duke Noir and one of the hired mercenaries."

"Grand Duke Noir, yes, I understand. The Duke of Shadows. Rumor has it that his majesty wants to join him with the first princess thanks to his efforts and he must reward the man with some title and land."

"I find it difficult for that to happen. The Grand Duke was not one of the most sociable people, but he was one of the most talked about topics of all, full of rumours, most of them bad. There was also one who speculated that he had already rejected this offer and that she was offered to the mercenary. But I don't know if that was true, as I heard it in a bar."

"The emperor must want the mercenary to be loyal to the empire, and the best way for that to happen is to marry the princess. But it would be dishonorable if he did that before trying with the grand duke. Many nobles would also complain that the highest lady was offered to the mercenary first."

The older man there tapped his fingers on the table and looked at the papers, skimming the reports of his soldiers during the war and the movements of his enemies. It was something he would take into account with the new information he received. But something worried him and he wasn't the one who would take the throne or political disputes. The reason was that her son had come and been engaged without ever mentioning her in his letters.

"We can discuss this later and keep you abreast of the capital's politics. But right now, I want to know about your brother and everything that happened."

Ferion was expecting him to quote his brother. Only he knew how surprised he was to hear from his brother that he was engaged to a woman he hadn't even introduced himself to first. If it was something shocking for him, imagine for his parents.

"As I said before, I have no idea how they got engaged. What I do know is that while returning from a mission, the soldiers said that he had brought a woman and was taking care of her. preparing to conquer the city of Nox, east of the capital Glarus, about three months before we reach it." Ferion continued.

"I had forgotten about that, because whenever I saw him he was alone or doing some work without her being around. Until a few days before we invaded Glarus, he appeared with her and said that after the war, he would be engaged to her and marry her. Is it over there."

"What did you say?"

"If he was sure and if you guys know that. He said yes and he would tell you when he got there, but I was hoping he would take you somewhere and bring you to the mansion or offer you a guest room. And not doing what he did to me, introducing her all of a sudden without any preparation. But it didn't surprise me that he did it."

"And since there was no way to send letters, you couldn't let me know." Ivan concluded and Ferion nodded. "When did my son become so cunning?"

Ivan said and looked at Ferion. His children were very different.

The air that once surrounded Ferion was serious and distant. As much as he was his son, his own blood, he seemed like someone he couldn't properly approach, nor did he have many friendships. He knew the boy was kind, after all, he took care of him since his first days in the world, but he was aware that for others he was someone unreachable.

The weight of being the successor from a young age could have influenced that. And the fact that he looked like himself on the outside also mirrored him. However, the kindness he possesses is equal to that of his mother, as he always takes care of the people he cares about.

Now, being aware of these facts, the first factors he noticed were age.

Ferion was older, with a harder expression on his not-quite-friendly face. The earl knew what he must have seen to have that expression, which was a little deeper than it had been before he left. War was not a beautiful place, let alone pleasant for the men who died and survived it.

He's different from Brandon, who even with his professional face still makes him friendly, just harder to understand. But there was something that changed him. His black eyes were lighter than before, though they showed a greater depth if he looked for a while. It was the eyes of one who has seen death on the battlefield and knows what is precious to him.

Being at home, his body was a little more relaxed, but he still looked stiff compared to someone who lived there without going to war. It was justifiable. And that only made the old man's heart sympathize with his son.

However, his second son was the one who changed radically. Phillip was stockier and taller as well, his physique having completely improved from military training and the atmosphere that surrounds him shows the years of battle he had to endure. However, that eighteen-year-old boy who took his family's opinions into account has disappeared and created a plan so that they can't immediately oppose an engagement to a woman they don't even know.

Very astute, the earl had to admit.

Ivan wouldn't stop him if that's what he wanted. He wasn't the kind of father who would rule his son into a political marriage or his career if it went against his own will. It just doesn't mean he wouldn't take reasonable measures about the dangers of letting a stranger, whom no one knows, suddenly enter his home. There was a lot to think about and do.

"I think we'd better finish up here."

"It's all right." Ferion got up and walked to the door, ready to open it with his hand on the knob.

"Wait." Ferion looked at his father. "I just want you to know that I'm really glad you're back, son."

"Me too, Dad."

Ferion's face smiled slightly at his father, which he returned. His son's body disappeared into his doorway and the earl sighed. His work was not yet finished.