Kingdom is Bloodline

Of course, based on that stubborn old fool's schedule for the day, that man had already prepared his carriage, and with escorts all around him, went out of the city. Kel heard that he went out to inspect the south, and it would take at least one to two months.

While Kel thought of this, he felt that even the sky had become clearer.

As for the house arrest order the stubborn old fool gave him… who the f*ck cares?

Alright, perhaps some people did indeed care about it.

When Kel approached the gate to the hall, Nolanur, who was standing on guard duty beside a pillar in the hall, glared at him with a stupid look that said, "Why are you here?"

And that was precisely the reason why Kel brought Val with him.

Before Nolanur had the chance to open his mouth to speak, Val cleared his throat. He walked forward right before Kel's gaze, and with the loud voice unique to Northlanders, he started making things hard for his own little brother.

As one of the members of the Royal Guards, Nolanur Arunde might be able to handle assassins without hesitation, but he was absolutely not good at dealing with this troublesome older brother of his who was of the same mother.

Kel knew this very well.

While Nolanur did not have time and energy to attend to him, Kel walked into the hall easily.

Perhaps it was because the stubborn old fool was out of the city, but Mindis Hall's defenses were not that tight on this day. There were only a handful of servants cleaning the hall while they moved about in haste. The Jadestar Private Army stood guard at the periphery. Only a few of the elite Royal Guards stood guard at some of the vital points of the hall.

Morion stood at the side door to the left side of the hall, and he was glaring at his surroundings. Rogo stood across him at the right side of the hall. He was currently leaning against the wall while dozing off.

And right across Kel was Tony, who had his hands behind his back while he stood firmly on his ground. Behind him was the stairs and the portraits of the three Kings of Constellation.

"His Majesty has ordered you to be under house arrest." Tony's voice was without emotion. "You should not be here."

Kel snorted and continued walking towards the stairs.

"You shouldn't be asking me where I'm going."

But Tony stretched out his arm to stop him.

"Go back," he said coldly. There was no room for argument in his tone. "This is for your own good."

Kel's gaze swept past the blade behind Tony's waist. It was positioned behind him diagonally.

'Troublesome.'

But without a doubt, the famous Chief Vanguard of Royal Guards, Lord Calard Tony, belonged to the third group of people.

Morion and Rogo watched by the sides through the corners of their eyes, as if they were anticipating what would happen next.

Kel sighed and took a step backwards.

"Alright, do you know what is the most interesting part of what is going to happen next?"

Tony pursed his lips.

Kel's smile was bright. He gestured merrily to express himself.

"I am going to go up, and all of you will not let me. Then, I will persist, and you will attack me, but I will resist, and my resistance will be so great that it will wreak havoc in the hall. The military courier will then come here with orders and make you stop, and you will then be ordered to escort me up."

Tony scowled and cast a glance at the stairs behind him.

Kel wrapped his arms over his chest and put on a confident smile.

"So why don't we skip the many steps in between and jump straight to the end of what will inevitably happen for this encounter? Let me up."

Tony's expression became even more unpleasant.

By the side of the hall, Morion blinked and pointed at the top. "Um, I mean… he has a point. What I'm saying is, why don't we just let him go up?"

To the right side of the hall, Rogo's lips curled upwards. He looked like he wanted to laugh, and he was fighting a losing battle in containing his laughter.

Kel felt that he had indeed won, because Tony let out an angry huff and moved to the side instead of doing anything.

"That's the spirit."

Swollen with arrogance, Kel lifted his head with his nose pointed to the air in the manner of a victor. He moved past Tony, ignoring the latter's enraged expression.

To provoke him, Kel even raised his arms and snapped his fingers rhythmically while he started tap dancing and humming. His shoulders swayed, and while he ignored the strange expressions from the servants and Royal Guards around him, he sashayed up the stairs.

Kel arrogantly walked past the portraits of the three Kings of Constellation: the Bastard King, Ideal Wife King, and the King of Many Debts (the last time he referred to the Virtuous King as such, the stubborn old fool personally restrained him in the Jadestar family tomb and caned him thirty times. He would have continued if Kel's pregnant mother had not rushed over from her tea party to save him). He then ogled the two maidservants downstairs, shocking them so much that they turned tail and ran.

Kel stared at the back of a rather young maidservant, admiring her bouncing bum while he thought to himself in satisfaction. 'It's still a wonderful day, right?'

But before he took a few more steps forward, a robust man in black walked towards him with two attendants flanking him. They started moving up the stairs.

Kel's brisk steps instantly stopped.

'Oh no.'

At the moment he saw the man in black, Kel started moaning in his heart.

'It's him, the person I don't want to see the most.

'THE most, not one of the people I don't want to see the most.

'Why is he here instead of the place he should be the most right now? Like, say, the filthy army camps in the treacherous north, drinking human blood and beheading other people?'

Troubled, Kel bared his teeth. With practiced ease, he lowered his head, made sure his chin was tucked against his chest, and moved to the side of the stairs in an attempt to lower his sense of presence as much as possible. He turned around quietly like a humble servant, intending to slip away, all while hoping that the man in black would ignored him.

But his wish fell through in the end.

"And where do you think you are going?"

Kel's footsteps froze.

The familiar yet unfamiliar voice traveled into his ears from above him. It sounded like an old organ that had been rotting for years. When someone played it, each pipe would be a sharp weapon that could kill. "This is how you react after we have been apart for a year?"

The man in black strode towards him with a majestic gait. He had an imposing presence.

Right before Kel's eyes, Morion, Rogo, and Tony simultaneously stood still with their backs straight. They nodded at the man as a sign of respect, a treatment Kel would never be able to receive from them.

'Wait.'

Kel cast a glance at Morion, who was below him, and he suddenly understood something.

'They knew he's here. They did it intentionally.'

"You hide, run, and ignore me as if you didn't see me… just like how you run away from your identity and duties."

The man had a gaze as sharp as blades, a firm expression on his face, a broad chest, and a posture that would never bend.

Most importantly, he appeared like winter itself and chased away all the warmth in the hall, replacing it with a solemn and nervous air.

Kel exhaled, accepting his fate. While he felt his skin crawl, he turned around.

The man in black was now standing above him. He said coldly, "My dear youngest brother."

Cold sweat broke out on Kel's forehead. Panic and fear which he had not felt for a long time surged into his heart at the same time.

'Damn it.'

Kel groaned in his heart. He did not want look into the man's eyes, and it was absolutely not because he did not dare to look at the man. He only had his gaze linger on the cloth covering the man's chest.

'I'm not afraid of him.

'Kel, you're not afraid of him.

'Damn it, Kel, you're not afraid of him!'

Kel repeated thrice in his heart.

Kel raised his head and forced himself to grimace.

"Hey, Horace, my dear brother, the weather is… when did you return to the capital?"

Only the gods would know just how much effort Kel spent to force himself to say these words while fear and nervousness assaulted him.

A light crease appeared between Horace's eyebrows, and that movement made it seem as if the temperature around him had started to drop.

Indeed, Kel's exceptionally valiant, murderous, big, and sturdy second brother who was slightly off his rockers because he lacked love was the person Kel did not want to see the most in the world.

Of course, Kel would not usually say the last adjective phrase right before his second brother.

"If I knew, I would have prepared…"

Horace stared at Kel for a moment, and his eyes turned colder. When the chill in his eyes had practically become cold enough to freeze an entire mountain, he let out an ominous grunt and interrupted Kel.

"I heard.

"When the police station was chasing down a prisoner who broke out of prison, they just 'happened' to drag you out of a certain club in Red Street Market."

Kel's smile immediately froze.

'Wait. This is…'

Horace continued to glare at Kel expressionlessly.

'Alright, just like usual, this person has no intention to beat around the bush, but…'

Kel shook his head laboriously. His cheeks twitched. He began to speak, but his playful tone sounded unnatural.

"No, no, no, you are mistaken. I only intended to have a discussion about literature and arts with my friends. The atmosphere in Red Street Market is quite good, so we booked a room to talk about the poetry parties held in manors during the era of the Red King while we drank some wine…"

Horace narrowed his eyes slightly and drew close to Kel slowly. The effect of him doing so with his muscular body made him look like a hill pressing down on Kel.

"Friends? A discussion about literature and arts?"

Kel nodded in a naive and innocent manner.

"You know, the type Herman likes to organize…"

Horace continued staring at him coldly.

"But Herman never organized any discussions on literature and arts at two in the morning, much less on a certain luxurious, big, and soft bed in Red Street Market," the second prince said coldly.

'Morning. Bed.'

A feeling that something bad was about to happen rose in Kel's heart.

"Neither was he stuck between three naked women while drunk when the police officers arrived in the room. He was never dragged to the streets without a single article of clothing on his person until he cried out the royal family's surname."

Horace spoke very slowly, and each of his words sounded muffled.

Kel's expression stilled.

'Damn it. Shouldn't that be a secret? Where did he learn this? The police station?'

And he swore on his life that when Horace mentioned the naked women, Morion snuck a glance at them while he suppressed his laughter below the stairs.

While the fact that Kel was under house arrest was made public knowledge, the reason behind it… the stubborn old fool had placed a ban to speak about it. Besides the people involved, no one should be privy to it, because this matter should have already been concealed.

Kel turned his neck in an unnatural manner and looked elsewhere.

"Um… where did you hear about that?"

There was disdain in Horace's eyes.

"My wife. And she heard it from Madam Herblan."

'Madam Herblan?

'Wait, so that means…'

Kel understood something. The shadow of knowing that he was about to be in huge trouble loomed over his head.

'Oh, no.

'The gossip-loving noblewomen circle in the capital... those damn chatterboxes…!

'Well, perhaps excluding Madam Alice… After all, her moans are too pleasant…'

But Horace's voice dragged Kel's mind, which had drifted far away, back to the present.

"When you were caught naked in public laying on a bed beside a lowly whore, a widow of a noble official in the country, and the wife of a viscount who did not know anything about his wife engaged in adultery, and you even had half the street learning of your status…"

His second brother did not bother concealing the disgust in his voice.

"Do you have any idea how much effort father spent to deal with the mess you left behind for him to protect the royal family's dignity, the loyalty of the nobles, and the stability of his rule? And all of this was because you could not control your lust."

Kel raised an eyebrow. He thought nothing of it.

'Well, somewhat… I still remember the lashes I got in Renaissance Palace like yesterday, and the orders to promote some vassals along with the gifts given to them to placate them.'

It was especially so for the husband who the entire capital now knew had a cheating wife, but Kel was certain that the coward who loved listening to his wife's pained screams was happy with his promotion in exchange for his wife's adultery.

'Isn't this enough?'

"Every single time we thought you have settled down and changed your ways, you will jump out impatiently and tell everyone that you are still that foolish clown who makes us puke at your sight."

Kel found himself trembling slightly.

"Our enemies truly have to thank you. With your strength alone, you turned our surname and our family into the greatest joke in this kingdom." Horace's gaze was like those belonging to court-martial judges in army camps.

'Look, this is what they care about.

'Our surname and the family.

'How cliche, do you care about anything else?'

Kel snorted in his heart and made up his mind.

'I am DEFINITELY going to go against this arrogant bastard.'

And he knew exactly how to annoy Horace.

Kel giggled in an unconcerned manner. "Joke?

"I don't know about that, but that night, Madam Alice was laughing very happily. I mean, who doesn't like discussing poetry and literature."

Much to Kel's satisfaction, Horace's expression turned increasingly darker.

'That's right, the angrier you are, the happier I am.

'If this damn musclehead thinks he can…'

Kel spread his arms and smiled provocatively.

"Of course, perhaps you don't understand it, since you like staying in the army camps more and mingle around with thousands of sweaty, brawny men, slapping their shoulders as you do…"

In the next second, Horace suddenly moved his right arm, and he sent his hand forward with his fingers positioned like an eagle's claw!

*Snap!*

He seized Kel's shoulder joint.

Kel shuddered. The sudden pain caused him to suck in a sharp breath before he hissed.

He instinctively raised his hand and frantically resisted Horace's grip.

But his brother executed some sort of martial art skill. With a snap of his left wrist and a fling, Kel felt a numbness shoot up his right wrist before he fell to his side limply.

"Is this the extent of your abilities?"

Horace drew close to him with a gaze as sharp as a blade. He slowly increased the strength in his grip, causing Kel so much pain that he broke out in sweat. "You cannot even break an egg… How exactly do you sleep with women? Are they the ones who penetrated you?"

'Damn it, damn it, damn it!'

Kel's face twitched. His shoulders shuddered. He turned to the side and tried his best to resist that rough, big hand that was like an iron hook. He wanted to break free from Horace's grip, but it was all in vain.

'Damn it, damn it, this damn musclehead, where did all his strength come from…'

"Go on, cry, scream, just like before. A pity for you that mother will no longer be able to save you…"

It was as if there was a storm raging in Horace's eyes.

"Perhaps you intend to run away from home like a coward again, just like what you did three years ago? Oh, I forgot. A young master like you, with your soft and tender skin, will not even be able to reach Cold Castle. You fell by the side of the road without a single penny on your person. My squad was the one who brought you back."

Kel kicked with his right leg, but Horace, who knew what he was going to do beforehand, moved away his own ankle before Kel could hit him. His foot swung back without landing a kick on its target.

Behind Horace were his two attendants, who both had fierce expressions on their faces, making it clear that they were not kind-hearted people. Bach and Salji seemed to be used to the sight of their master using physical force to discipline others. They only cast each other a glance before they took a few steps back and looked elsewhere, leaving the space for their princes.

"Tell me. It has been many years. When will you ever learn to stop being a useless person, to stop being the shame of the family, and to stop dragging us down?" Horace's voice was very terrifying. His grip became stronger, forcing Kel to slowly bend his knee.

Waves of intense pain shot into his body from his shoulder joint and his collarbone. Kel almost fainted from the pain.

But that was no longer important.

"When will you ever stop being like the rat's turd in the pans and disgusting us with your presence?"

Kel's face was flushed red from pain. He pretended to be strong and glared at his elder brother.

He did not plead for mercy, did not scream in pain, much less bow his head and admit that he was wrong.

He could not admit defeat, could not show weakness, especially before this lunatic.

Just like before, he could not!

"When… you say?"

Kel's face was twisted, his vision was blurry, but even so, he stubbornly forced himself to show a pained smile.

"Perhaps… never."

Clearly, Horace was not happy with his answer.

The muscles on the second prince's arm, toned because he had been training all year long in the army, trembled slightly.

In the next second, Kel sensed the hand gripping his shoulder changing position, and what came next was a pain that went straight to his soul!

Kel was in so much pain that his face turned pale. He could not help but hunch his shoulders, hoping that by doing so, he could lessen the pain.

Every single part of Kel's body reminded its owner of this one fact through that unnatural pain. 'Break free of this damn musclehead.'

Val was perhaps still arguing with his brother at the doorway and serving as a lookout. Calnar was ordered to go home and reflect on his actions, so Kel could not count on his attendant…

And the Royal Guards below him must have seen this, but they chose to be loyal to their duty and kept standing guard at their posts, pretending to not have seen any of this.

Kel began to regret his terrible attitude towards them.

Right at this moment…

"I do not wish to interrupt you, Horace…"

A strong, refreshing, and pleasant male voice appeared before him. There was a slightly teasing tone to his voice.

"But you two seem… to be blocking the stairs."

Horace snorted coldly and brusquely. His grip over Kel's shoulder relaxed slightly because of this voice.

Kel exhaled, no longer in so much pain, but Horace did not even spare him a glance.

The second prince's attendant, Bach and Salji, retreated to the side and bowed slightly to the man who just arrived.

This man had a lean figure, but he was not thin. He had fair skin, but it did not make him seem weak. When he arrived at the foot of the stairs and lifted his head to look up, he would make other people feel refreshed.

He might have seen this man many times, but Kel had to admit, be it him or Horace, when they met the man's gaze, they were attracted by his face, and Kel even temporarily forgot about his pain.

There was no other reason to it. It was simply because this man… was too handsome.

The lines on his face seemed to have been personally chiseled by some artisan. Every inch of his face was perfect. The lines on his face were not sharp, and neither did they make him look plain.

He had a natural and elegant demeanor, but he also appeared valiant and fearless. When he did not smile, he looked like a portrait, like a beautifully made sculpture. When he smiled, he looked as if he was the sun itself. At that time, he was an unforgettable sight.

And his gaze seemed like a picture created by supernatural forces. When his eyes brightened up, they were like whirlpools that would enchant others. When they were dull, they would make him look depressed, causing others to feel their hearts clench in pain for him. When he looked into someone's eyes, he would appear sincere, and when he looked at other people askance, he appeared dignified.

"Look at him, behaving like a ruffian."

Horace's hand was still fixed on Kel, whose face remained pale. He did not turn his head back.

"I do not understand while we can be brothers, and how we can even share the same surname."

The enchanting, handsome cast Kel a glance before the corners of his lips curled up into a smile. It was as if a flower had bloomed on his face, and his smile dazzled Kel for a moment.

"Yes. Sometimes, I, too, wonder about it."

The handsome man who had just arrived shrugged.

Kel started shuddering.

'Brothers. These are my brothers, my family, and my… accursed kin.

'I'd rather not have all these things.'

When he thought of this, Kel gritted his teeth and raised his head again. He spat furiously. "Yes, so?

"Go ask our mother that question."

Horace's expression turned cold. He exerted force on his fingers.

Kel sensed his shoulder starting to hurt again.

But at that moment, the beautiful man beside them coughed softly.

"Forget it, Horace. Your time is much more precious than this fool's. It is not worth for you to waste your time on him."

The beautiful man pointed above him and put on a smile that would attract men and women alike.

"Besides, this is his hall, his territory. It is not appropriate for you to do whatever you want with him here."

These words were effective. At the very least, they made Horace fall silent for a moment.

Kel continued fighting back against his elder brother's "love", but his struggles were in vain. They only felt as if he was helping Horace scratch an inch.

A few seconds later, the second prince looked as if he had understood something and finally let go.

Once he was freed from Horace's grip, Kel leaned against the stair railing and panted heavily, looking like a balloon that had deflated while he rubbed his shoulder.

He cast a glance at the beautiful man who just arrived and rolled his eyes before he called out that man's name in a feeble manner.

"Herman."

If anyone asked Kel what could possibly be worse than running into a jerk of a brother in the morning, then his answer would be this.

Running into two jerks who also happened ito be his brothers.

That was right. Herman Jadestar was his youngest elder brother.

Kel glared at Herman in rage. With his keen observation, he discovered that Herman's gaze was as arrogant as usual—filled with disdain and disgust.

But most importantly…

'Damn it, why is he so handsome?!'

It had to be acknowledged that among the brothers, Kel and Herman were the ones who took after their mother, but if they were to get into detail, Herman was the one who truly inherited their mother's beauty.

Perhaps using beauty to describe him was not very accurate, but in truth, using any adjective used to describe men to describe Herman was too crude and vulgar, but the praises commonly used to describe women were too feminine. They could not show off Herman's strength.

So, Kel found a nickname that was not too crude and masculine, but would also definitely not be mistaken for him calling out to a woman for Herman.

Sissy.

Although Kel was certain that all the people who saw Herman before would not agree to him using that term.

However, what other term could Kel use? There were only so many words in the world, he had to choose one for his brother.

This was absolutely not because he was jealous of Herman's appearance… Well, perhaps a little, but not much.

Even so, Kel would never forget how Herman Jadestar would always be the one who would attract the most gazes on him on all the balls they attended.

It had been many years. The women in the capital, and perhaps even some men, would always cast their eyes on Herman first in all the balls they attended, and this sissy had been the reigning champion for the title of "person I would love to spend a passionate night with" for the longest time since Kel could remember. His position had never been shaken.

And yet this sissy always played hard to get. He looked as if they had to give up on something to obtain him, and that this was a profound logic in the universe. He put up airs, pretended to be virtuous, and always spoke blunty towards those who waited on him hand and foot and who gave him all sorts of hints that they were interested in him romantically, but because of this, the women became even more crazy over him.

This hypocrite, with his fake attitude and hidden secrets, made Kel to be into a lowly gigolo who was vulgar and would f*ck any hole he found, even though he also had royal blood flowing in his veins.

There was one time where Herman stared at him with a disgusted gaze…

A mechanical and full voice joined the conversation.

"Is there a problem, Your Highnesses?"

As those footsteps approached, a long-faced man dressed as a guard appeared on top the stairs and stared down at the three princes.

When he saw the person, Horace narrowed his eyes and scrutinized that person. Kel instinctively hunched his shoulders.

The fourth prince, Herman, shrugged, he nodded his head at the person in a manner befitting of a prince. Then, Herman greeted him. His voice was pleasant, and his smile brilliant.

"It is nothing, Lord Zakriel. Us brothers are just catching up with each other, since it has been a long time since we met."

The lord nodded. He did not nothing else but only stared at the trio with brightly burning eyes, as if he was waiting for something.

Horace understood what he wanted. He grinned and chuckled. No longer sparing a glance at Kel, who was leaning against the stair railing while panting, Horace brought his attendants, walked down the stairs, and left in a swagger.

Zakriel watched them leave.

It was only when Kel had escaped from the disaster that he sighed in relief.

Herman chuckled lightly, turned his head around, and cast a glance at Zakriel.

"You must understand, Your Grace, my brother has always admired you. He believes that you should be serving the kingdom in the army, not wasting your days away among the Royal Guards."

His words caused Tony, Morion, and Rogo's faces to turn dark.

The long-faced man remained expressionless.

"I know."

Herman raised an eyebrow and stared at Zakriel for a long time, but in the end, he did not say anything else.

"Alright."

The fourth prince sighed and nodded.

"Perhaps it is precisely because of this that he likes you."

Zakriel remained silent.

Herman turned around, reached out, and tried to support Kel, but his ungrateful brother slapped his hand away.

"So you mingle around with him now?" Kel glared at him coldly. "You are capable of maintaining a good relationship with all your brothers, and that makes you feel good?"

The beautiful prince frowned.

"I do not think that is important. What is important is that if I am not around, you and Horace—"

Kel met his gaze squarely with an arrogant look. "Enough, sissy, we all know exactly what sort of person you are. Stop pretending."

Herman could not help but laugh.

He hummed softly and shook his head. His handsome and sharp features, which made him look as if he had stepped out of a portrait, shone slightly under the sun, causing others to be unable to help themselves but to direct their gazes on him.

"Do me a favor, Kessel."

Herman called him by his full name again. Only the heavens knew just how much he hated that name.

Kel turned his head away in disdain.

Herman laughed and said, "Next time, when you go and hold another one of your 'discussions on literature and poetry', do buy a hat and hide it."

When he heard the words "discussions on literature and poetry", Kel knew that something bad was about to happen.

But he was still taken aback for one second.

'Hat?'

"Buy a hat and hide it? What is 'it'?" he asked dumbly.

Like a kind elder brother, Herman lovingly touched his younger brother's head before Kel could react to his actions. He smiled brightly, like the sun.

"You can't even understand this? Silly little thing.

"You need to buy a hat… and cover up that hole in your head."

'What? Why would I need to cover the hole in my…'

Kel touched his head, and suddenly registered Herman's words.

'Why don't I cover YOUR hole, you son of a b*tch?!'

But Herman was already walking away elegantly and gracefully. He left right after the cold Horace who bullied those he preyed upon.

He left behind Kel, who was stomping on the ground in anger.

"Herman Jadestar, you sw*ne, you're the one with a hole in his head!"

"Your whole family has holes in their…"

'Wait, something's not right?

'Whatever, does he think that he's great just because he's handsome?

'Can he act as he wills just because he's handsome?'

Kel turned around as he grumbled under his breath. He smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes while he cursed this terrible morning.

But a chill ran down his spine, and he slowly looked up.

Chief Penal Officer Zakriel remained standing at the corner of the stairs above him. He stared at Kel indifferently without moving.

It did make him rather terrifying.

It was as if Zakriel was reminding him of something.

Kel shuddered. He understood what the chief penal officer meant.

'That's right. How could I forget?'

Kel cast a glance at Zakriel while he thought gloomily.

'How can I forget that the person who whipped me under the orders of the king is right in front of me, when the scars on my back are still aching?'

Kel avoided the chief penal officer's gaze as the man stared at him from above him. He braced himself and waved his hand.

"I know that I'm under house arrest, but I only came here today to—"

But the long-faced chief penal officer did not wait for him to finish speaking. He just turned around indifferently and disappeared from Kel's sight.

Kel's expression froze on his face. He could only turn around in disappointment and resentment. His hands, which were lifted in the air, were placed on his waist as a sign of resignation.

'That's good. At least he didn't ask anything about naked women.'

Kel glared at the portrait of the Ideal Wife King, looking like a ruffian demanding to know why the king was staring at him. He continued walking up the stairs until he arrived at the first floor. Then, he was stunned.

The floor-to-ceiling window at the first floor was open. Placed before it were two huge canvases and countless paint.

Sitting between the canvases was a plump man dressed in gorgeous clothes. His back was turned towards Kel, and between his fingers were several brushes. He was painting the morning of Mindis Hall's courtyard on the canvases at full concentration.

Kel instinctively opened his mouth and called out to him.

"Fatty!"

Fatty, the painter, froze a little.

Kel stared at the canvases in horror and measured their distance from the staircase. "You… you've been here all along? And you heard everything?"

The plump man turned on his bum on the chair to reveal a normal face. His small eyes were fixed above his fleshy cheeks, and they were blinking impatiently.

"I… didn't hear everything."

The plump man dragged his words, and he sounded like a sordid merchant. "I only know about you discussing literature and poetry with three or maybe thirteen mature women, while naked, maybe?"

Kel swayed, and he howled soundlessly in misery.

'F*ck you. THIS is what you call "I didn't hear everything?"'

"Don't worry." The man Kel referred to as Fatty seemed to have took note of Kel's despair. He shook his hair and seemed to deriving joy from his misfortune.

"I'm not interested in you being made to parade through the streets while bound and naked."

'I dare you to say it one more time. THIS is what you call "I didn't hear everything?"'

Kel was almost driven mad. He stared at Fatty trying to force down his laughter, and Kel felt embarrassed and angry.

"I wasn't butt naked… Ah, whatever. I mean, you heard, but you just sat here and did nothing?"

Fatty waved his brush. "Yup."

Kel glared at him.

"You saw that murderous musclehead? You just watched him vent his anger on me?"

"Yup."

"Did you see your twin? Did you watch him curry up favor to Horace? You just watched him step all over me?"

"A-yup."

The plump man swung his head, unconcerned. He remained relaxed, and he looked very much at ease. He did not show any signs of remorse.

Kel mouthed an incredibly vulgar word, but he did not curse the plump man out loud. He knew that Zakriel was nearby.

He swung his hands as a show that he had given up in despair. He exhaled.

"Well played, you damned Fatty.

"That's the mess YOU left behind, why should I get dragged into the mess?"

The plump man shrugged.

Kel lifted a finger and put on an expression that said, "You are really something." He glared at the man coldly.

"You know, Bancroft, sometimes even I wonder whether you are truly my elder brother.

"Were we really born of the same mother, or did she sneeze when she gave birth to you?"

The man Kel referred to as Fatty had his expression turn cold.

That was right. This man was Bancroft, his third brother. He was Herman's twin.

Kel stared at his face and found that his features had been squashed into one by the fat on his face. Kel instinctively scowled.

'Based on genetics, Horace is similar to our father, Herman and I are similar to our mother, as for Bancroft…

'Well, he should probably resemble a potato mother ate while she was carrying him.'

Kel had been increasingly certain of this once Bancroft's figure had started growing sideways since he was six.

Bancroft could be considered to be the one existence who sought for trouble the least in Renaissance Palace. Besides having a liking in drawing some spiritual, abstract art that no one could tell just exactly what he was trying to draw, there was no major flaw that could be found on him. But this was said based on Kel's judgment after he compared Bancroft to his second and fourth brothers. After all, one of them was headstrong, and the other was flamboyant.

However, this did not mean that Kel liked Bancroft very much. In fact, it was the exact opposite. Bancroft's attitude of staying out of sibling fights while putting on an ignorant and innocent look disgusted Kel.

What was more annoying than having someone against your actions was someone completely ignoring you.

That was why this damned Fatty always made Kel want to hit him, even though Kel's fists will only bounce back from Bancroft's endless flesh. Although… how would Bancroft sleep with a woman? When his… gets up, will it even show? Will it not sink back into his flesh?

Bancroft sucked in a deep breath and looked at Kel as if he was staring at a trash can. He then heaved a long sigh.

"You just don't understand, do you?"

Kel frowned.

"Understand what?"

Bancroft cast a profound glance at Kel.

Then, Fatty shook his head and swung his arm at the pillar and garden beyond the window.

"Over the course of hundreds of years, the design and structure of Mindis Hall has been the pinnacle of the artistic community. The courtyard is an original masterpiece that will be handed down the generations. Every single angle in Mindis Hall is like a scenic portrait. There are plenty of artists and architects who wish to see it, but are unable to."

There was admiration in his voice.

Kel quirked an eyebrow. He looked out the window in the direction where Bancroft pointed, but he only saw black and gray stone pillars, along with flowers of various colors surrounded by green plants.

He turned around with a rather foolish expression.

"A scenic portrait… so?"

Bancroft was just done admiring the scenery. He schooled his expression.

"But when you stand here, young Kessel…"

Bancroft grabbed his brush and added a few dashes of color on his canvases. He continued with disgust in his voice.

"It's as if you added a stain on a canvas. This is exactly why you are ostracized wherever you go, and why everyone hates you.

"Now, it is best if you leave my sight."

As he spoke, Bancroft tugged his canvas, twisted his chair, and turned to another direction, leaving Kel to see a fleshy butt that was plump, that stuck out, and stretched Bancroft's pants taut.

Kel's smile froze.

He instinctively wanted to kick Bancroft's canvas.

"Do not touch what belongs to me." Bancroft did not even turn his head around.

"If you do, I cannot guarantee that when I head to the south for an inspection next season, I will not accidentally leak the matter of you holding a discussion on literature and poetry while naked to the beautiful ladies and madams in Blade Edge Hill."

Kel's foot, which had been raised to kick the canvas, froze in the air.

He moved his lips, but in the end, turned around mechanically.

"Very well."

Kel said in anger, "Just wrap your arms around those pieces of art of yours that won't sell, clench your hands around those tiny figures on those papers of yours, and live the rest of your life that way!

"You stupid Fatty, you're doomed to forever be without a s*x life!"

'Be single forever!'

The damned Fatty did not even turn his head around. He only moved his right hand, and he stuck a fleshy middle finger at Kel while he held four brushes in his hand.

Kel walked up the second floor, huffing in anger.

But in his mind, he kept replaying that one sentence.

'This is why everyone hates you.

'Everyone hates you.'

Kel clenched his fists.

'He's wrong.'

Kel thought to himself gloomily.

'Bancroft is wrong. Not everyone hates me.'

In the past, his mother loved him.

She would laugh when he played those pranks, and when the stubborn old fool flew into rage, she would praise Kel's creativity, regardless of whether they were befitting of his status or not, and regardless of what consequences they brought. She loved him, until she…

'Not everyone.'

Kel stopped moving. He looked up and stared at the room before him. The most important, main room in Mindis Hall.

He gulped, cleared his throat, and smoothed his clothes.

But before Kel knocked on the door, the door flew open.

An attendant who was born into a family belonging in the minor nobility bowed to Kel, smiled at him, and motioned for the prince to enter.

"His Highness is waiting for you."

Kel's heart grew warm.

'Not everyone.'

He told himself slowly.

'It's not.'

With the etiquette rarely found on Prince Kessel, Kel politely greeted the friendly attendant, and he did so in a manner befitting of a prince. He even remembered that the attendant's name was Caso.

Kel sucked in a deep breath, and with the greatest happiness he could muster, he walked into the room with joyful steps.

He knew that the owner of the room did not like noise.

But he had never been angry because of Kel overstepping his boundaries either.