The Ring...

*Step, step, step, step*

For an instant, no other sound could be heard.

The guards froze in their steps, the lightning serpents stopped moving, and even the bugs ceased to make a sound.

It was as though nothing besides the sound of my footsteps existed.

An inexplicable feeling of fear filled the guards. Their frozen bodies shook violently as though afraid of me walking towards them.

It was just one second, just one instant, but for them, it felt like an eternity.

When the world finally recovered his movement, I was in front of Daisy with my back towards the guards.

"Your highness!"

"Brother!"

Daisy and Lena exclaimed in excitement. Lena was unable to suppress her joy and rushed towards me, jumping to my arms.

I received her with an indulging smile. "Little devil, you truly have guts to scold an eighth-layer practitioner."

"But Brother, they were accusing you of theft! Hmph, I want to give them a beating!"

"Hahaha, so my little Lena was defending her brother, huh. I'm very happy."

Lena blushed and hid her face on my chest.

I then looked at Daisy and nodded. "Well done, I'm proud of you."

Daisy's expression turned radiant. She made a short bow and spoke humbly. "It's my duty, your highness."

I nodded and did not say anything else.

Lastly, I looked at the injured Elene. Actually, I'm a bit surprised that she took my side this time. After all, I thought she resented me after last time's events.

The fact that she took my side even against her husband pleased me very much.

When Elene noticed my gaze, she looked away and feigned disinterest. I smiled in amusement watching her reaction.

After that, I put my attention on the people attacking my girls.

"You truly have guts." My voice sounded.

Instantly, the temperature of the place descended to a freezing point.

The guards trembled. Even although I was showing fourth- layer of strength, none of them was able to meet my gaze. A deep terror surged from the depths of their hearts and overwhelmed their minds.

However, I knew that they were not the main culpable of this event. The main people behind this farce were those two.

I looked at the captain of the imperial guards and at my second brother and smiled evilly.

"It looks like last time's lesson was not enough for you, big brother, sir Raul."

Raul trembled. The seed of fear in his mind made him unable to go against me. The fear and trepidation on his face were clear for everybody to see.

"... Prince Claus." Raul managed to force those words out with difficulty.

I smiled gently. "You see, I'm in a bad mood now. But as a gentleman, I'll give you an opportunity to explain the situation to me."

Instantly, the pressure on them doubled in power.

Bryan and Raul paled. They tried to open their mouths, but the words failed to escape their throats. It's normal, after all, I was not planning to let them speak.

But contrary to my expectations, my second brother managed to endure after gritting his teeth.

"... My ring. I suspect it's inside your room."

"Oh?" I smiled. One second later, I used [Akashic Sight].

With a smirk, I reduced the pressure on my brother. "Can you describe it to me? Maybe I have seen it before."

Bryan was startled, but feeling the pressure over him to relax, he smiled in relief. His face returned to a confident expression.

"It's a gold ring imbued with a very precious blood diamond.

Little bastard, you know the meaning of a ring like that! Stealing something so valuable is deserving of death!"

I grinned. "I see, you are right. Stealing something like that is deserving of death."

Then, I unsheathed my weapon.

Mana flowed into my sword, and a sharp sword intent spread to the surroundings with me as the center. Before anyone could react, I swung my sword gently.

The next second-

*Spurt!*

A head fell.

Everybody paled. Hearing the sickening sound of metal slicing through human flesh and seeing the crimson red blood spurting out from the neck, all the people around me took a step back unconsciously.

"What are you doing!?" Raul screamed in fright. "Even if you are a prince, you can't kill an imperial guard!"

"I allowed you to talk?" I tilted my gaze in the direction of Raul. Feeling my cold gaze, Raul trembled and took three steps back.

I then sheathed my sword again and spoke at Daisy.

"Search the right pocket on his shirt."

"Huh? Y-Yes!" Although puzzled, Daisy obeyed my orders.

"W-Wait!" Bryan screamed in panic, but Daisy ignored him. Quickly, she arrived beside the body and without minding the blood, she searched the place I indicated.

Then, she took a ring out.

"T-This..." Daisy was astonished.

I smiled. "Bring it to me." I said.

Taking the ring in my hand, I raised it slowly so everybody could see it.

"Second brother, I remember you just told me that stealing the ring had to be punished with death. You don't need to thank me."

Bryan's face turned livid. His eyes turned red of anger and humiliation.

Although anyone with a bit of brain could see that everything about this commotion was a set-up, the fact that I discovered the ring in possession of one of his men was a slap on Bryan's face.

However, I was not happy with just this.

"Little Lena, I heard that someone made a promise to you before. Can you remember about it?"

"H-Huh? Oh, I remember about it!" Lena smiled and looked at Bryan with a smirk. She was very angry with all that happened, so she was not planning to be soft-hearted now. "Big brother, are you going to kneel or not?"

"Lena!!!" Bryan's eyes turned bloodshot.

"Big brother, as a prince, you need to keep your words." Lena smiled.

I smiled after her. "Right, remember to kneel to Daisy too. As for me, I'll save you the humiliation."

Bryan's face turned ghostly pale. How could he, a prince, kneel before a servant?

He could feel the eyes of all the people nearby on him. They were waiting for his answer, to see how he made a fool out of himself.

Even worse was that he could feel how I, who he suspected of stealing his fiancée, was looking at him as though he was an idiot.

But when he thought that all hope was lost, a new set of footsteps was heard.

"Claus, I think it's time to stop this."

Looking at this blonde-haired brother of mine, I smirked.

It looks like the last actor in this farce is finally here.