The king tightly gripped his brother's hand, attempting to loosen the stranglehold. But he knew it was futile. His elder brother wasn't just strong in magic; he possessed an inherent physical strength too. Even without magic, Kayden could easily toss the haughty king to the farthest corner of the city as if he were nothing but dust.
"Without my meticulous plans, you and everyone in our family wouldn't have lived so lavishly," the king protested, his stance weakening.
"Living in seclusion like this, you call it lavish?" Kayden scoffed bitterly. "I'm bored. Do you think I'm some sort of kept pet? You can say it to your dogs but not to me."
"I didn't exactly lock you up. You have your own community within the research institute," King William replied, referring to the legalized magical research, disguised as a science institution. "You even practice with the elite knights from the military department, don't you? You practice a lot with them."