The Evil Emperor's Fragile Heart

In the end, Princess Astra shouted at them for a bit, but then realised that this time, no matter how pitiful she acted, her Papa didn't look like he was going to take her side at all – he didn't even say anything to Mana, even though the horrible little girl had slapped her so hard!

So, Astra looked pitifully at Mars, who was still under the influence of the drug.

"Mars…" she cried, tears pouring down her cheeks. "They are bullying me! No one cares about me except you! Mars, you have to avenge me for the insult just now! You have to slap Mana until she's half dead!"

Mars immediately sprung into action, but then, he stopped abruptly and coughed up blood.

Astra looked as shocked as Mars at this sudden development. She immediately supported him and asked anxiously, "Mars, what is wrong?"

Mars shook his head. He didn't know what was wrong, either. He just knew that the moment he decided to hurt the little Princess Mana, a terrible pain pierced through his heart, and it made him unable to breathe and unable to stand, and he felt sick all over.

Could it be that he had inadvertently fallen in love with Mana and his heart ached and his own magic rebelled at the thought of harming her? Mars remembered vaguely that he had been chasing after Mana upon his father's instructions earlier, but then she had turned him down repeatedly because the little girl wanted to be with Raven and no one else, and Mars had realised that Astra was his one true love and that he didn't need anyone else in his life.

But now, how could something like this happen at the mere thought of harming that little girl? Even when that little girl had insulted his precious Astra and had even slapped her?

"Crown Prince Mars, we should retreat now," a senior soldier murmured. "Please, Crown Prince, I beg of you."

This senior soldier had been especially appointed by King Orion to make sure that his son and his stupid daughter in law don't create unnecessary trouble, and to help out when they needed some help – but looking at the situation now, it was clear that they were horribly outmatched, so the only possible solution to get out of this situation safely would be to retreat.

Mars didn't argue. He knew that the senior soldier had good intentions and was trying to protect him and Astra.

"Yes, you are right," Mars said. "Let us retreat."

Astra stared at her fiancé in shock. This was the first time since he had started taking the drug that Mars had refused to listen to her.

"But – but what about avenging me?!" Astra cried loudly.

Mana huffed in annoyance.

Raven had a dark look on his face, which made people shiver. "Are you certain that you wish to become a widow even before you are able to get married?" Raven asked Astra in a cold voice full of danger.

Astra was stunned. She felt the pressure being exuded by Raven and took a step back unconsciously. "You – what – how – how dare you threaten me like this?!" she shouted.

Mana looped her arm around Raven's.

"My Raven is not threatening you," she said in a light and pleasant voice. "He is giving you a warning – and one that will come true if you keep pushing Big Brother in law Mars into this situation simply to satisfying your own stupid ego. Is that all of your love and care for your fiancé? I would never, ever push Raven into a situation like this. My heart would ache to death if I did so. Is this all your love is worth, Big Sister Astra?" Mana asked innocently, blinking slowly like Azar.

The effect was devastating.

Mars felt dissatisfaction rise up in his heart towards Astra, despite the effect of the love potion. And as far as the senior soldier and a few others from the Amber Kingdom who had remained behind to protect their Crown Prince – they all became even more dissatisfied with the Princess Astra of the Emerald Kingdom, and even these guys started wishing that they had instead received Princess Mana rather than this stupid older half sister of hers!

Astra was even more embarrassed than before. She helped Mars stand, pretending to be solicitous, and then said, "Of course Mars is more important to me than anything else." She glared at Mana, and if looks could kill, Mana would have been dead many times over by now.

"Let's go," Mars said, gritting his teeth in anger. He had stopped thinking that he wanted to harm Mana, and the terrible pain in his chest had subsided. At this moment, even the Mars who was under the effect of the love potion and mindlessly in love with Astra, felt like he was about to lose his temper with his fiancée.

Astra was frightened by the cold voice and the cold aura emanating from Mars that she decided to leave immediately.

And thus the contingent from the Amber Kingdom (or the pitiful remains of it) returned to their own rooms with their tales between their legs.

Once they were all gone, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

Mana gave Raven a hug. "You were magnificent," she said.

Raven blushed. "So were you," he told her.

Mana beamed at him. "Well, I have to be, since I am planning to stand by your side!" she teased.

Jules also patted Raven's shoulder, very satisfied with the way he jumped to Mana's protection. Then he also patted Mana's hair, which was still nicely done up in the style of 'the kiss of the loving king' – and Jules decided that he would ask Raven about it later. If he could manage it, maybe he could do it for Bella himself, too. But then, if it was a secret of the Obsidian Kingdom, then perhaps he shouldn't put Raven in an awkward position…

Just then, little Azar spoke up. "Daddy is so cool!" he announced.

Not wanting to fall behind, Alya spoke up as well. "Uncle Raven is so cool!"

That made everyone laugh.

And then, suddenly, Azar and Alya said together, "Gift from Elf Buddy!"

Mana, Raven, Jules and Bella looked at their baby dragons in surprise.

Another gift from Elf Buddy already?

"Mommy! Daddy! Let's go to Azar's island! Right now!" Azar ordered imperiously, flying up from King Jaren's shoulder in excitement.

He flew around in circles, clearly very excited. "Big gift from Elf Buddy!" he chirped. "Very big gift from Elf Buddy! Super big gift from Elf Buddy!"

Alya, too, got infected by Azar's excitement right away, and she, too, jumped up and joined Azar, and the two excited little dragons flew around in circles over their heads, making everyone feel rather dizzy.

Especially the taller people – King Jaren, Jules, Bella and Queen Carolina were the worst affected by the excited baby dragons flying around in dizzying circles around their heads – while Raven and Mana, who were still short, for the first time felt that it was a good thing that they had not grown big enough yet! Otherwise, they knew that they, too, would be as dizzy as the other four!

"Big gift from Elf Buddy!" Azar repeated zealously. "Very big gift from Elf Buddy! Super big gift from Elf Buddy! Mommy and Daddy! We have to go to Azar's island right now! Let's go! Let's go! Mommy and Daddy! We have to go right now! Right now!"

No one had seen the little boy dragon so excited till date! Exactly what gift had their Elf Buddy sent them which made Azar so very excited?! How big could it possibly be?

These were the questions that were hovering around in everyone's minds, and this was on top of the already dizzying movements of the little dragons around their heads!

And then, to add on to the chaos laden excitement being declared by the little black dragon Azar, the little white girl dragon, too, joined into the fray, and she looked as excited as Azar did – and it really was quite surprising for their human family members – even in the presence of Azar's absolute favourite things – no one had seen him this excited – and, to be honest, every single human family member of the two little baby dragons were also very, very curious about this super big gift which had been sent especially to them by their precious Elf Buddy, and what it could possibly be to make the two little dragons so very excited that they would make all their human family members by flying around their heads at a dizzying speed, which they had never done before!

"Super big gift from Elf Buddy!" Azar said again.

Alya immediately echoed Azar's words as well, taking a cue from the little black dragon.. "Big gift from Elf Buddy!" she repeated. "Very big gift from Elf Buddy! Super big gift from Elf Buddy! Uncle Raven and Auntie Mana, let's go, let's go!"