Chapter 162

While watching Prince Leo approach he returned to his original form. There was no need for him to maintain his human form. The prince was able to understand him even if he was a wolf. It was more comfortable to use is real form. He was feeling exhausted from maintaining a human form for so long because it took too much mana over time.

"You were gone for a while so I was worried something happened." Prince Leo said while stopping beside the wolf.

Walking side by side the two of them headed towards their room to sleep. It was quiet as they walked. Deep in thought over everything that had happened Vorbuk could not find words to say. There was a lot the prince did not know of. Things were also complicated as he knew they were things the prince should be aware of since they were both equally involved at this point.

"Leo," Vorbuk called out the prince's name and began to explain everything he could to him.

Whether it was about the guardian's mark that made him a possible target to Chynir or every other detail he had learnt from Johan Lovette and put together himself over time. He made sure to explain it all to the prince. The prince had a perplexed expression but he never refused to listen up til the very end.

"Are you thinking I will blame you for being a target?" Prince Leo questioned the reason the wolf was so detailed in explaining things to him. It did not matter to Leo whether his friends were a target that put his life at risk. The only thing Leo felt was necessary between friends was loyalty to trust in one another.

"I never once had that idea." Vorbuk denied the fact that he had indeed considered the idea that the prince could decide to throw him aside knowing that he was wanted by the gods.

"Good," Leo nodded as he spoke. "Because if you want to play logic I was already involved long before that mark even appeared on you."

"Heh." Vorbuk laughed awkwardly as he recalled that they met not long before the mark on him was given to him.

"If I have someone to worry about it would be Curtis." Prince Leo stated with a look of deep contemplation. There was a heaviness to those words.

It had not been long since the wolf met Curtis. The impression that the second prince had given Vorbuk was not a comfortable one. There was a feeling of danger in his eyes whenever Prince Leo would turn his attention elsewhere. It was like a viper waiting to strike.

Vorbuk understood the prince's problem. Curtis was Prince Leo's brother. They were family and yet there was a darkness that resided in the heart of Curtis. It would be a problem that Leo would have to eventually face head on. He could not avoid his brother forever and wish the problem away.

"Your brother-" Vorbuk was not sure what to say about Prince Curtis. That prince felt like a snake to him. There was surely problems that would arise from him eventually.

"I know he is difficult to understand. He had always been hard to deal with even as kids growing up." Leo quickly spoke with an awkward smile on his face.

That's not how I would describe him.. Vorbuk thought as he recalled the time he met Prince Curtis. The man did seem difficult to understand. But that was not all there was to him. It was clear on the look in Curtis's eyes that he was corrupt from the inside. Perhaps Prince Leo simply felt uncomfortable admitting such a heavy description when it came to his brother.

"Do you think he praises you as highly as you do for him?" Vorbuk's question was like a dagger to Prince Leo. It was an understandable question for the wolf to ask him. Impossible to refute the question the prince could only freeze for a moment.

"Of course he wouldn't." It was an obvious answer for Prince Leo.

"The way you talk about him just made me curious so I couldn't help but ask." Vorbuk felt bad for asking but he could not stop himself. If the prince failed to accept the fact that his brother was a dangerous man it would be something that would hurt them later on. He was not sure to what extent the prince would become a problem but he understood the greed he saw in his eyes.

"I understand." Leo could not blame the wolf for asking. If he was to trade places with Vorbuk he would probably feel worried as well.

Prince Leo would never lie to himself about his brother. He understood that his brother was corrupt and just preferred to avoid admitting it out loud. As many happy moments as there were when they were children. There were just as many horrible ones.

The prince could still recall the day that he saw that cold gleam in Curtis's eyes glaring at him. It was the first moment that Prince Leo had understood that his loving younger brother detested him. There was no understanding for why Curtis grew to hate him. Peace had always been something Leo tried to maintain with his brothers because family was something the prince cherished deeply.

Once he considered someone family to him it meant he would give his all to protect them no matter what. It did not matter whether they were blood related or someone he simply recognized as important.

However among royal families that kind of connection was extremely rare. Siblings, cousins, it didn't matter. People were known to kill each other silently over a throne. Therefore, it was not strange for Curtis's personality to twist into something dangerous.

"We should get to sleep." Leo added on as he walked ahead.

Vorbuk did not say one word as he followed the prince from behind. They were both clear that there was no intention to continue their topic.

As they opened the door to their room the wolf paced himself over to a wall where the young white tiger was already sleeping. Curling up on the floor as he listened to the sounds of the prince crawling into the bed. Everyone else had already gone to bed for the night. Minus one dragon that was probably out stealing liquor from the pope.

A calm rumbling sound could be heard along with the sounds of slight scratches. The toenails of the tiger were scraping against the floor as it moved in its sleep.

Thump! Prrrr.... Prrrr....

The warm body of a white tiger flopped against the side of the wolf. The tiger was faintly purring in his sleep. Even if the purr was quiet for an average human it was still loud for Vorbuk's ears.

"Hah." Vorbuk sighed at the sight of the young tiger.

The tiger looked truly comfortable as it slept against the side of the wolf. On the other hand Vorbuk felt extremely uncomfortable with such a heavy beast leaning against him. It felt difficult to find a position to sleep. Even though the floor was spacious the tiger would reflexively wrap its front leg around the wolf's neck to object against the warmth it found in its subconscious from leaving.