Chapter 12

"Who do you want to kill, Duke?" King stared at the angry man in front of him with a question face. Duke barged his workroom like his own and demanded to kill someone in the presence of a neighboring envoy so suddenly. He wasn't aware there's someone who dared to challenge the war hero.

A merciless war hero.

Hearing the war hero wanted to kill someone he wasn't aware of the dispute is all about wasn't pleasant news at all. The duke was famous for his inhuman strength. Killing an individual was not a problem; he'd already killed a bunch of experienced rebels in the war before. The sight was so off-putting. He needed to have a very deep discussion to put his mind off from killing someone's child in broad daylight.

What a job he had, yeah?

Due to the terrified envoy, King had to stop the meeting and ask them to meet him tomorrow instead, once he was done with Duke's problem. Thankfully, the envoy was more than ready to agree and practically fled from the room leaving them alone instantly. The poor man looked so scared because of the duke's dark demeanor.

They changed the table and sat face to face at each respected couch. With eyes signaling, Duke didn't waste his breath and pour all his worries on him. It has been an hour since then. He thought it was related to the safety of the kingdom, only turned to be the other matter.

Talking about priorities.

The duke had one, apparently and the safety of the kingdom wasn't in top one. He knew that now.

It was more than an hour but the usually stoic duke couldn't stop his mouth from talking about his daughter's problem in front of the ruler of the kingdom. He was aware they were best friends but Duke shouldn't abuse the title easily like this. It has lost its meaning.

TOK! TOK! TOK!

Another knock from the door stopped this one-side conversation. King Callisto could not help himself but to plaster his smile, he was very thankful for the interruption. He needed a break from the duke, honestly.

"Duke my friend, we have another visitor."

"It seems so, Your majesty Callisto." Duke clicked his tongue, visibly upset, eyes shooting a dagger at the closed door, still. Releasing his dark aura, outwardly pointed out his disliking towards the new arrival.

The king named Callisto gulped, a bit fearing the duke yet at the same time the thrilling feeling surged inside him. He planned to make the envoy suffer for a little bit. The little misery he had experienced needed to be shared.

"Come in." He spoke with joy.

"Thank you." The familiar young man identical to the duke made an appearance.

"Oh." The aura dissipated as he changed back to his stoic face. "Come inside." Invited Duke wholeheartedly with his dry face.

'Or not…'

The smile on Callisto went away like a tornado speed. It took all the effort for King Callisto could muster to not scowl at the father-son duo and openly gaze at them with contempt.

Instead, King Callisto patiently called for the attendant to make another round of tea for them all. Displaying his patient smile yet clenched his fists tight to mask his anger.

"What is our young master Demien doing here at academy hour?" Callisto asked with the underline, 'how dare you skip the academy when my wonderful son is working hard at the very academy in an attempt to chase your grade?'

It was not a secret that all the duke's sons were smart. Both head and talented in skill. The rumors said the young lady had a good head as well. It put the Royal family in shame. It was also one of the reasons King Callisto captured the lady of the house to be his daughter-in-law. He always tried to pair them both when he was talking with Elizebeth.

The reaction was usually bizarre but he had a mission to do. He must make the young lady be his son's wife. No matter what it takes. All for both his amusement and also for the Kingdom. She was a wise lady even when she was still young. The King already saw the potential since he saw the young lady. She was so tactful, considered, and knew how to handle the duke considerately.

But to hear about this Elizebeth during his working hour wasn't pleasant at all. The kingdom case needed immediate attention yet Duke Brice against the idea. And now the young gremlin of his did the same as well.

"So… the dream that she dreamt made her cry? What can I do to soothe her, Duke?" Callisto patiently humors the duke in stress despite the stoic face.

Demien put down his cup with a small 'Klang' before coughing, adjusting his throat to speak. "Your majesty, I apologize for barging inside the room without prior notice and I would like to extend my sincere thank you for humoring me, the lowly son of a duke."

Callisto steel hearts soften due to the high respect shown by the duke's son. He was pleased to hear such praise amid a headache scenario. "Very well. I will help you with all my abilities."

Tsk. Yet Callisto heard the ungrateful Duke clicked his tongue with his straight face.

When Callisto spoke again, his voice was forcibly calm, an obvious indication that only a tiny of a fragment of his patience remained still. The only time he would explode.

"Duke," he breathed, the smile on his face contradicting the popping veins on the skin on his neck area. "I'm planning to help you. A little bit of grateful thank you would suffice."

Demien just sighed beside his father. He knew his father had no filter even when he was facing the king but he needed his father to cooperate for Elizebeth's sake.

"Father. We need the king's help for Elizebeth." Told him in a tiny voice only meant for his father.

The duke who heard the words almost could not stop himself from clicking his tongue for the second time. He masked his displeasure by sipping the hot tea and eyes looking at a certain area to calm him down. Watching his father willing to cooperate, Demien abruptly put a business smile on his face.

"I appreciate the thought of the wise ruler in the kingdom." He sang praise in monotone to juice up everything. "I will always remember and work hard in the future for the kingdom."

"Yes, I and my son will be under your care in the future." Callisto slowly relaxed. Oh well. Just take a step back and enjoy everything, he guessed. "What should I help you with, Duke, young master Demien?"

"It was known to us that our Elizebeth had trouble sleeping at night." He started.

Callisto took the cup while eyes looking at him. Thoroughly listening to Demien's request without interrupting any.

"We are planning to call all the physicians."

Callisto sipped the tea, eyes unwavering, looked at Demien before putting down the cup. "Help you speak about?" He was well-informed of the ability of the duke family to acquire the physicians within the kingdom without his help.

"I would like to ask you for me to borrow your authority to call the physicians outside the kingdom," Demien spoke very seriously. The serious face was helplessly identical to the young duke years ago.

Callisto took his time before answering, pressing his lips into a thin line and lacing his finger together to put it on his laps as he observed Demien. It turned out to be a big favor. Calling the physicians outside of the kingdom territory indeed needed the approval of a respected ruler and he happened to be the ruler of his kingdom.

So all the hassle was for the young lady of the duke, wasn't it? He was putting into work because of it?

"You precisely come to me for my power?"

Demien nodded, his brown hair weirdly fluttering prettily on the head. He has a normal haircut but the softness of the hair was so inhumane for a man. Callisto inevitably smelled the strong rose fragrance from him. He wanted to ask him, however, the duke beat him to it.

"Demien. Is this Elizebeth's hair product?" He said while snuffling his nose on top of his son's hair. Showed rare affection to his firstborn. It was his first time doing so in front of people, nevertheless, people inside his castle knew him as a doting father and husband.

Demien quickly grabbed his hair and patted, his usually straight face blushed in a second. "Yes. It smells good."

"It smells good." Duke agreed.

"Wearing your own sister sham-."

"Elizebeth said I smell good in her shampoo." The additional information cuts off Callisto's incomplete sentence.

The small irritations in Duke's eyes were all too new for Callisto. Was it a bit of a deal? Furthermore, wearing a girl shampoo was something needed to be proud of, or was he missing something?

"Are you planning to purchase the product?" Asked Duke very seriously. Sniffing the hair of his son without the care of the king in front.