That Prince Is A Girl: The Vicious King’s Slave Mate Novel

Chapter 470: "Elder?" she echoed, surprised. "I thought every kingdom chose heirs by birth order. How did Zaiper become Grand Lord if he had an elder brother?"

"Kristof was never interested in the throne," a hint of a smile crossed King Daemonikai's face again. "Even as younglings, it never appealed to him. His dream was to be a high-ranking soldier-the best. And that was what he became. He was different from the rest of the Dragaxlovs."

Emeriel saw the fondness in his voice. "You sound close."

"We were, once." His voice softened with nostalgia. "We fought side-by-side in countless battles. He was the general commander of all our clan's armies." "Wow," Emeriel breathed, impressed.

The grand king nodded. "Kristof was a force to be reckoned with. It's a shame he never wanted the throne. He could have made a strong ruler. But his loyalty was to the battlefield, not the court. Because of his stance on ruling, the throne passed to the second son, Zaiper." His quill paused, and a shadow fell over his eyes. "Kristof fought beside me on that night, knowing the danger of using strength without the Chalice.

He helped many of our people escape, even when his own strength began to drain. He fought with everything he had. Kristof was found dead in an alley near Greyrock…" His voice faltered for a moment. "Whether he dropped dead from exhaustion or was slain by humans, no one knows."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Emeriel said softly. "He sounds like he was a remarkable man."

"Perhaps that's why I can't judge Zaiper too harshly," King Daemonikai resumed writing, his quill scratching against the parchment. "He lost someone too, and everyone grieves in their own way. Zaiper held it together, unlike Vladya and I, who completely fell apart."

He inhaled deeply. "Maybe he cries himself to sleep at night, or spaces out for hours like Ottai does. No one knows. But he did hold it together. He may be a lousy ruler, but he kept our people grounded when the rest of us couldn't."

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In a way, Emeriel understood.

"I envy him at times, how well he coped. He and Kristof were close." His eyes rose, meeting hers. "I was supposed to be the strongest, yet I was the one who crumbled the most."

She hated seeing that flicker of shame in his eyes.

"Don't punish yourself for how you grieve your loved ones, Your Grace," she stated firmly. "You said it yourself just now… everyone grieves differently. When it comes to grief, every feeling is valid. Never beat yourself up for that. Ever."

He stopped writing again, and something fierce appeared in his eyes.

Her cheeks warmed under that stare. It made her feel seen.

Suddenly self-conscious and breathless, she buried her gaze in the ledger before her.

A moment passed. Tensed.

"So," King Daemonikai cleared his throat. "Ignore his records and work on the others. What right do I have to confront Zaiper about missing figures when I abandoned my own duties for over a year?"

Clearing her own throat, she said sincerely, "I understand."

"But I'm back now, and everything will return to order." Authority dripped from his tone. "The kingdom has been unstable for five centuries. No more. It ends now." He picked up the quill again. "And if Zaiper oversteps from now on, there will be accountability. If he acts against the law, he will face the consequences."

Emeriel felt the weight in his words. The finality.

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