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Chapter 5

Arriving in front of the twin mahogany doors, the guard guarding the door announced their arrival. “His Highness Prince Julius and His Highness Prince Cassian are entering!”

The doors swung open, revealing a white marble table in the middle of the dining room filled with fine silverware, crystal glasses, and an array of sumptuous dishes. The Emperor sat at its head, while the Empress sat to his right, and the servants stood silently along the walls. Despite the inviting aroma of food permeating the air, the atmosphere was heavy with unspoken tension. It seemed they hadn’t mended their relationship.

Arriving before them, they bowed respectfully, and Julius greeted them, “Your Majesties, thank you for inviting us to join you for luncheon.”

The Emperor gave a slight nod, “Have a seat.”

They complied, moving to their assigned places at the table, the maids and butlers hastily assisted them. As they sat, Gideon’s crimson eyes lingered on Cassian, “I heard you insisted on resuming your training tomorrow. What’s with the rush? You can take another week’s rest.”

Meeting his gaze, Cassian shook his head, “No, Your Majesty. I believe it’s time to reacquaint myself with my responsibilities.”

Despite the red flags surrounding him, he was glad he transmigrated before the novel started so he could at least get stronger and brace himself for whatever was coming his way.

The story began when Julius returned to the Solairé Empire as the war hero after wiping out the Zerounix Kingdom. Since Duke Godfrey mentioned in his letter that he was overseeing the border between the Empire and the Zerounix Kingdom, Cassian knew the war was only a matter of time, and he couldn’t afford to slack off.

“Still, do not push yourself too hard. You’ve only recently recovered. Your health is just as important as your responsibilities.” Gideon reminded.

On the surface, it seemed as though he truly cared for Cassian. Yet the lingering bitterness over how the assassination attempt had been dismissed as a mere bandit attack cast doubt on the sincerity of those words.

Suppressing his thoughts, Cassian nodded. “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I’ll be mindful.”

However, the sudden sound of the doors swinging open drew their attention to the entrance. The Emperor’s escort knight strode in urgently, his expression tense. Stopping before the Emperor, he bowed and handed him a letter. “Your Majesty, Duke Godfrey has sent a letter.”

Gideon took the letter and broke its seal. His expression darkened as he scanned its contents. Setting the letter down on the table, he turned toward Sanchez and ordered. “Sanchez, we will return to the Palace by tomorrow morning. Please prepare accordingly.”

Sanchez bowed respectfully, “As you wish, Your Majesty.”

“Has something happened at the border?” Julius inquired, confusion etched on his and Roseanne’s face.

Gideon inclined his head. “Yes. Duke Godfrey reports that the Zerounix Kingdom has deployed their galleons along the sea border, though there hasn’t been any official declaration of war from their side.”

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“Could it be that they’re attempting to provoke us into making the first move?” Cassian chimed in. According to the novel, the Zerounix Kingdom and the Solairé Empire had long been at odds over the sea rights dispute. ‘So, it’s starting already—the beginning of that war. It’s sooner than I expected.’

Gideon nodded in agreement, “It’s a possibility. Their show of aggression could be a calculated strategy to test our resolve or assess our defenses.”

Julius added, “If that’s their intention, we must tread carefully. A premature reaction on our part could be misconstrued as aggression and justify further escalation from their side.”

Gideon leaned back slightly; his demeanor turned serious. “Both of you make valid points. Restraint is crucial, but we cannot appear indecisive. We’ll discuss this further once we return to the Palace—”

“Ahem!” Roseanne cleared her throat, breaking the heavy atmosphere.

All eyes turned to the Empress, who wore a delicate smile tinged with amusement. Gideon hastily picked up his cutlery, panic flashing across his features as he straightened in his seat.

“L-let us begin the luncheon,” the Emperor announced with forced composure, gesturing toward the meal before them.

The tension lingered but was momentarily overshadowed by the clinking of cutlery as everyone focused on their meal. Nevertheless, Cassian could hardly taste a thing as his thoughts swirled. ‘Is there a way to stop the war from unfolding?’

As Julius was sent to war in the novel, it was undoubtedly he would be sent there too. His plate was already full of red flags; he couldn’t afford to be sent to the battlefield—it wasn’t part of his plan.

Moreover, since he hadn’t been able to discern who his allies or enemies were, it was highly probable that Vazquez’s subordinates would assassinate him on the battlefield and then shift the blame onto the enemy. Simply put, going to the battlefield with Julius was out of the question.

Perhaps he could refuse, but how would his faction respond? Meanwhile, the Vazquez faction would undoubtedly seize this opportunity to mock him or spread baseless rumors to tarnish his reputation.

However, the sound of clicking glass interrupted his buzzing thoughts, compelling him to glance sideways to see a maid set a plate filled with thinly sliced beef next to his plate. Meeting the maid’s eyes, she bowed respectfully, “Her Majesty sent this, Your Highness.”

Shifting his attention across the table, their cerulean eyes met, and Roseanne offered him a gentle smile. “You’ll need your strength if you’re starting your training tomorrow.”

Even though he spent so much time with her, the guilt in his chest never seemed to cease, instead, it grew even stronger. Forcing out a smile, he responded. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome, my dear son,” she replied, her smile unwavering.

“Her Majesty is right; you’ll need your strength,” Julius joined in from beside him. Cassian glanced and found him placing a prawn on his plate. Locking his gaze on him, Julius smiled and gently stroked his hair. “Good luck with your training.”

Before he could respond, Gideon’s voice pulled his attention. “I wish you good luck, my son.” The man reached over and placed a slice of steak on his plate.

Cassian looked down at his plate, now laden with food. His grip on the cutlery tightened as guilt ran rampant in his chest, clawing at his heart and strangling his throat. He… could barely breathe.

Cassian lifted his gaze toward the smiling family and forced out the barely audible words: “Thank you.”

Each time they showed him affection, it felt like a thousand sins pressing down on him—it was suffocating. No matter how kind their gestures, no matter how sincere they were, they weren’t his family—he wasn’t Cassian, and that was why he didn’t deserve their love or their warmth.

He had already stolen someone else’s life; how could he bring himself to steal their loved ones, too? Before he ensnared in their kindness and lost all sense of who he truly was, he had to leave this world as soon as possible.

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