Moments later, Chronos heard the sound of footsteps behind him, and he turned to see Sophia approaching. She was dressed in a sleek business suit, her white hair falling like silk around her face. The two siblings embraced warmly, and he felt a sense of deep joy and contentment wash over him.

As they settled into their seats, the prince couldn't help but marvel at his sister's grace and poise. She was a powerful businesswoman, a force to be reckoned with in the world of high finance and cutting-edge technology. But despite her success, she still had a warmth and kindness that shone through her every gesture.

“ Athena suggested we had a place of our own so we can avoid annoying boys, although I ended up having to set up and manage everything my self,”

“ How do you like our restaurant baby brother?” Sophia asked lovingly.

Chronos brushed his nose and let out a slight chuckle,

“Everything is impressive, I’m guessing Athena decided on the name?”

“ It’s a compromise… she had initially insisted on Big Athena & Lil Sophia’s Restaurant…” Sophia let out a helpless smile.

Sophia sat across from her sister at the lunch table, Chronos couldn't help but notice the subtle hints that something was troubling her. His sister was normally outgoing and talkative at least toward him, but today she seemed preoccupied, lost in thought, occasionally casting her gaze on the square their booth was looking down at.

Chronos watched her sister closely, his highly observant mind picking up on the smallest details. He noticed every nuance of her body language and the subtle changes in her tone of voice. The way her sister's hands fidgeted with the silverware, the slight tremble in her voice, and the distant look in her eyes.

Chronos looked out of the glass wall and traced his sister's occasional glance, he noticed that there was some sort of press conference going on amidst a bustling hive of activity. A huge crowd of people was gathered in front of a stage holding neon signs and strangely a lot of them had a familiar mask on.

Chronos turned to his sister and said,

“Spill… What's bothering the great Sophia?”

Sophia sighed and replied,

“ It’s regarding the meeting I had earlier with the Astral Merchants Association, the Yamamoto Media Group have been aggressively taking over Astralian media companies and we can’t stop them without good reason…”

“Yamamoto Media,,, they’re from the Empire of Onogoro?”

“Yes, they are also a branch of the Yakuza, an organized crime group, that has managed to slip under the cracks and set up a chain of brothels in our Red Light District,”

“Their solid financial backing and unscrupulous methods allowed for the consumption of several Astralian media companies,”

“To add salt to injury, they are announcing the signing of Prince today, you know… the enigma in the most popular Simulation RPG Telluria, this will significantly increase their influence…”

Chronos’s eyes widened, time froze for a moment. A flurry of thoughts flooded his mind. After a short moment, he let out a smirk,

“He’s an imposter.”

“Imposter? Who? What?” Sophia asked with perceptible confusion in her eyes.

Chronose fiddled with his Comms watch for a few seconds and a social media profile started materializing in mid air.

A 3D masked white-haired character wielding two swords materialized between the siblings. Beside him was a holographic screen that said:

[ Prince ]

[Telluria Online Since Tertius Year 370 12/2]

[60.2 million followers]

[0 Posts]

“Why are you showing me Prince’s social media profile?” Sophia asked curiously

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“What am I?” Chronos asked nonchalantly.

“Huh? Chronos are you feeling alright? What are you rambling on about?”

Chronos let out a smile and said, “ I’m Prince Chronos Astral.”

Chronos pointed to the 3D holographic image and grinned at his now confused sister. Sophia paused for a moment and as if a lightning had struck her, she stood up and slammed the table in shock,

“What?! You… You’re…”

Chronos grinned, “ I might be able to solve your problem.” Sophia’s eyes widened in surprise, the gears in her brain quickly spun into overdrive as her expression shifted from one of skepticism to one of amazement.

“Let's go…” Sophia exclaimed excitedly, there was no need to speak in further detail, Sophia was a genius in her own right and as his tutor, she fully understood the brilliance of her little brother.

“Wait! There’s no need to rush, I remember you mentioning that the Yamamoto Group was under the banner of Susanoo Mikoto, the second in line to the Kingdom of Onogoro, yes?”

Sophia calmed herself and nodded in reply.

“Well, then what would Crown Princess Omikami give to deal a big blow to her ambitious brother?” Chronos calmly said as he let out a conniving smile.

Sophia’s eyes widened again and explained,

“The Kingdom of the Rising Sun has a primarily patriarchal culture, Omikami Mikoto managed to lay claim as the heiress of their Kingdom with her wit and talents, however, her brother Susanoo still has the support of many of the elders and conservatives within their court…”

“He isn’t one to be underestimated but the only reason he’s garnered support is due to the fact that he’s the eldest male offspring of the King…”

“He has become increasingly ambitious over the years and more overtly so.”

Chronos nodded in acknowledgement before asking,

“From the way you’re addressing the crown princess, I’m guessing you have a relationship with her?”

“Of course, women at our level are numbered so we have a close friends group!”

“How’s the relationship between the siblings?”

“Firstly, Prince Susanoo Mikoto isn’t very favored by King Izanagi, He had neglected his duties as naval commander of the kingdom in his youth and caused great loss to Onogoro during war…”

Secondly, Prince Susanoo has lived his entire life in the shadow of Princess Omikami so there’s a lot of resentment there…”

“Lastly, Omikami is pretty much the only female to have ever become the first in line to the throne in their history so she definitely isn’t one to be messed with as well, “

“Bottom line, they have an extremely combative relationship and wouldn’t hesitate to eradicate one another if the situation permits it.”

Chronos let out an innocent smile and said,

“Great! Give Crown Princess Omikami a call, I’d like to make a deal with her.”

Sophia paused for a moment, she recognised that innocent smile, her little brother was up to something but it didn’t matter, to the Astrals, family triumphs all.

In a matter of minutes, a shimmering figure slowly began to materialize in the center of the dining table. The image flickered for a moment before stabilizing, and suddenly, a regal Crown Princess appeared before the Astral siblings.

The princess was stunningly beautiful, with long red hair cascading down her back and piercing eyes that seemed to glow with a quiet strength. She wore a traditional white kimono with a red obi, adorned with intricate gold and silver embroidery that glinted in the holographic light. The fabric flowed around her with a graceful elegance that only added to her already imposing presence.

“Why have you suddenly called Sophia? Do you miss me that much?” a cheeky yet gentle voice echoed from the holographic projection.

Sophia rolled her eyes and said,

“It’s my little brother, he’d like to make a deal with you…”

A moment of silence followed,

“You mean your little brother Chronos? Isn’t he three years old?”

“Uhmm… just hear him out will you?”

Chronos turned Sophia’s Comms Watch toward him and said,

“Greetings Crown Princess Omikami, I’m Prince Chronos Astral, it’s an honor to speak with you”

“Ho ho, aren’t you the cutest?” Omikami smiled with a hand gracefully covering her mouth.

“I’ll cut to the chase, what would you be willing to give in exchange for an excuse to completely erase the influence of the Yamamoto family?” Chronos' brows furrowed slightly, he knew it was hard to take him seriously at the age of three but the clock was ticking.

Omikami’s eyes shifted from an angelic grace to a sharp and piercing gaze. She appeared to be lost in thought, her mind working rapidly as she analyzed the situation and assessed the potential risks and benefits of working with Chronos.

“My oh my… aren’t you an interesting one, tell me how do you plan on doing this and what do you want in return?”

Chronos locked eyes with Omikami’s hologram in a steady gaze and calmly replied,

“I honestly don’t mind sharing the details of the plan but there's a short window for the opportunity and the clock is ticking so pardon me for being crude.”

“We both understand how much crippling your younger brother’s right hand is worth to you, all I ask is that if I manage to present a good enough excuse for you to remove them…”

“I’d like ownership of all the property and companies of the Yamamoto Group within your Kingdom, I’d also like to be able to conduct business within the Kingdom of the Onogoro with support from the Royal Family, of course, strictly on a personal capacity.”

Omikami raised an eyebrow in skepticism, her eyes sparkled with a mixture of intelligence and shock. Despite the focus and intensity of her gaze, there was a sense of calm and confidence that exuded from the Princess.

“That’s quite an audacious demand… even for an Astral, while I admit, Prince Susanoo has increasingly become a thorn in my flesh, I don’t yet see much gain…”

“Especially when it’s a three year old claiming that he’d be able to help me up-root an organization with several decades of history and the protection of the second-in-line to the throne.”

Chronos nodded in acknowledgement, his features composed, betraying no hint of emotion.

“You have nothing to lose in this gamble, as for seeing gain…”

“If I’m able to achieve what you’ve failed to do in decades at the age of three, imagine the benefits to solidifying your reign with me as a future ally.”

Omikami took her time, unaffected by the moment of silence. She had been studying Chronos carefully, scrutinizing his body language, the way he spoke and the deal he proposed.

The expression of the experienced and beautiful princess was one of professionalism and knowledge, reflecting the years of experience and success she had earned through hard work and dedication. She was a force to be reckoned with, and her facial expression conveyed this message loud and clear.

After carefully weighing the pros and cons, Princess Omikami nodded, the seriousness in her expression dissipated back to her initial vibrance,

“I’ll bite, Sophia either has an extremely deluded little brother or a scary one…”

“Regardless, you’ve piqued my interest so I’ll give you the chance to back your words.”

Chronos let out a smile and proceeded to fiddle with some of the options within the holographic communication system. He then signed his signature on the screen and said,

“Do look through the contract generated from our exchange, if all is acceptable do sign off and we’re good to go.”

“HAHAHA… Sophia, your baby brother is as shrewd as he is cute isn’t he? I hope he doesn’t let me down or you better think of how to repay me for my precious time…”

Princess Omikami chuckled as she signed off on their agreement.