97: 97 She Will Go With Me

97 She Will Go With Me

2Alen's POV

In the temple, it was the first roundtable meeting held by Prince Kral since the engagement ceremony.

Despite it being daytime, candles were lit in front of each elder's seat in the meeting room. They burned quietly, with their flames flickering and occasionally producing crackling sounds, adding some ambiance to the weighty atmosphere of the room.

Prince Kral did not wear the traditional white robe for the roundtable meeting, nor did he put on the masks that everyone was supposed to wear. Instead, he donned a pitch-black robe, and the golden royal emblem on his chest gleamed brightly. No one expected that, on the day after the engagement ceremony, Prince Kral would summon all the elders to convene a roundtable meeting.

"Do any of you have any suggestions?" Prince Kral's casual voice echoed from the table.

Prince Kral's mood and spirit were both good. His hair was meticulously groomed, and in his golden eyes, there was a subtle expression of satisfaction, like that of a well-fed beast. At that moment, with his ten fingers crossed on the table, he squinted, scrutinizing the expressions of everyone at the table.

No one spoke.

The roundtable meeting had now lost its original meaning and resembled more of Prince Kral's private conference. After Prince Kral's engagement to Delia, the elders gradually realized that they had lost their decision-making power in many matters. The elders now act as Prince Kral's private advisory council, and whether their ideas were adopted still depended on Prince Kral's will.

The twelve windows around the meeting room were tightly closed, and the air seemed stagnant, with the moon goddess statues behind each elder shrouded in dark shadows. I stood beside Prince Kral, observing the elders dressed in white robes, looking at each other, pondering, and communicating in secret glances. Eventually, their gazes settled on Elder William. All eyes converged on him like droplets forming a river. Elder William was chosen as the representative by the council.

It was not surprising as Elder William possessed remarkable leadership skills and had an excellent royal lineage. He was the most crucial figure within the council.

"Your Highness, I have no objection to attacking the rogue group occupying the Red Moon pack. They dared to challenge the authority of the royal family and should receive retaliation from the royal family. This has been our creed throughout history. However," Elder William paused, meeting Prince Kral's golden eyes and calmly asked, "The palace cannot be left unattended. During your expedition, Your Highness, whom do you intend to appoint to manage the royal family?"

Kral looked into Elder William's eyes, and the two pairs of similar golden pupils silently communicated, trying to probe each other's thoughts, creating a peculiar atmosphere.

"What are your thoughts, Elder William?" Prince Kral's lips curled slightly, his gaze blending with countless emotions.

To be able to handle affairs on behalf of the king during his expedition, a person must fulfill two requirements: having sufficient capability and gaining the king's utmost trust. Capable individuals were not in short supply, but meeting the second condition was the most difficult. As Prince Kral currently had no heir or siblings, based on blood relations, Elder William was the most suitable candidate.

Some of the elders began to show signs of restlessness until Elder William's discreet glance restrained them.

"I think it might be a good idea to have Delia as the proxy. The elders will undoubtedly assist her until your triumphant return," Elder William responded slowly.

"Delia?" Prince Kral murmured the name softly. His eyebrows twitched, revealing neither pleasure nor anger.

"Yes, we can let Delia handle the matter. She has received royal guidance, and managing the palace daily should not be too difficult for her."

"Delia has just finished her wedding. This would be an excellent opportunity for her to handle palace affairs and enhance her understanding of her duties as the queen."

"That's right, I agree." Others began expressing their opinions, all unanimously supporting Elder William's proposal.

"Oh, it seems everyone thinks it's a good idea to let Delia stay in the palace," Prince Kral said with a seemingly smiling tone. As he spoke, the lively discussion in the room suddenly quieted down.

Something doesn't seem right. I listened attentively to Prince Kral's voice while lowering my head. Growing up with him made me more perceptive of his subtle movements than the elders present. This tone was far from expressing approval.

Sure enough, Prince Kral let out a cold chuckle, and anyone could hear the dissatisfaction in his voice. The elders lowered their heads under Prince Kral's gaze, cowed like lambs under the fierce gaze of a lion.

"Delia will go with me to fight against those rogues from the Red Moon pack," Prince Kral threw this statement as the conclusion of the discussion.

"As the future queen, how can she just stay in the palace while her former home is occupied? Of course, she must join me in reclaiming the land taken by those shameless criminals."

...

The meeting ended. When the last elder left, I looked at Prince Kral, who sat in silence, and couldn't help but ask the question that had been on my mind since earlier, "Prince Kral, now the elders in the council seem to be very obedient to your ideas, especially Elder William. Catherine has already left today, and Lancaster is still in your Black Tower. You have his weakness in your grasp. Therefore, I think Elder William's proposal is not a bad one. Why do you reject it?"

"I have his weakness in my grasp?" Prince Kral's lips curled up, and his golden eyes stared at me, repeating the words with a playful tone, "Alen, William is a man without weaknesses. He was willing to make a deal with Catherine to save Lancaster, so one day, he would also trade Lancaster for something more important."

Prince Kral said at a deliberate pace, his gaze carrying a weight I was not familiar with. "Don't be deceived by their apparent compliance. Anyone, at any moment, could lie to you."

I had a feeling that Prince Kral's words were not just about Elder William. His expression seemed to recall some unpleasant memories.

"The reason I want to take Delia with me is no different from the reason I took her away from the Red Moon pack. Alen, your heart has grown soft," Prince Kral stood up and glanced down at me from above. His gaze was too cold, and it instantly woke me up.

Yes, I forgot. Due to Delia's presence, Prince Kral has been free from the pain of the curse for a long time. But if I let Delia stay alone in the palace while Prince Kral goes to the battlefield alone, what if something unexpected happens...

Thinking about it, cold sweat instantly broke out on my forehead. I couldn't help but look up at Prince Kral, whose face was now expressionless. His previous actions made me believe he must have fallen in love with Delia, but now, I suddenly couldn't be so sure.

After all, who would willingly let their loved one be involved in a dangerous war?

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