The Evil Emperor's Fragile Heart

With Jules and Raven both in a magic surge, the kitchen staff at the summer palace became unusually busy.

Jules's surge finally ended after a total of five weeks, much to the pride of King Jaren, who couldn't stop bragging about how powerful a mage his son was going to be. Raven's surge, too, looked like it would continue for a while, too. Both boys were still experiencing their magic surge when King Jaren had to return to the capital – with great reluctance.

"I'll make the announcements for acknowledging Jules as the Crown Prince and for Raven as Mana's betrothed right away," King Jaren said on the last evening of his visit. "By the time I bring you to the capital city, everyone will know you." He hugged the three children one by one and kissed them on their foreheads. "Take care, my children. In two months, I will come to pick you up and take you to the imperial palace."

"We'll look forward to it, Papa," Mana told him.

"You take care, too, Papa," Jules said.

Raven thrust a small pouch in King Jaren's hands.

"What's this?" King Jaren asked curiously.

"A protective talisman," Raven replied. "I can't make a very powerful one yet, but it should be able to grant you a small amount of protection."

King Jaren hugged the little boy again. "Thank you, son," he said, his eyes turning misty. He put away the pouch carefully.

"So that's what you were busy with these last few days," Mana commented, looking at Raven.

Raven nodded. "This and one more thing," he said.

King Jaren raised an eyebrow, curious.

"Go to the dining hall, Papa," Mana spoke up. "Big Brother, Raven and I will come over in a few minutes."

"All right," King Jaren said obediently and went away. Grandma, Grandpa and Physician Kale were also seated in the dining hall, waiting for him.

"What's this big surprise that the kids have planned?" King Jaren asked.

Grandpa shrugged. "No idea…but they've been working on it for quite some time. I often see them running off to the kitchen," he said.

"They're probably cooking something nice for their Papa," Grandma said with a smile. "Little Mana does come up with the most unusual dishes, even at this young age. And Jules and Raven seem all too happy to go along with her – even that young man and that young woman they've befriended."

"It is wonderful to see Princess Mana so lively," Physician Kale said with a sigh.

"Indeed," King Jaren replied happily.

"Have you informed the boy's family about the betrothal yet?" Grandpa asked. "Have they agreed?"

"They agreed to let us keep Raven much earlier," King Jaren said innocently. "I have, naturally, sent them a letter about the engagement banquet. I was thinking perhaps the winter solstice would be a good time to hold the feast. I'll take the children back to the capital city in a couple of months, and then Jules and Raven can take some time to get used to the imperial palace and the capital city…and then we can have a big joint celebration in the winter for crowning Jules as my heir and the Crown Prince, and the engagement of Mana and Raven. I'll ask Astra as well – if she, too, wants to get engaged with that Mars boy, we can add that in as well."

The letter to King Corvus of the Obsidian Kingdom was sent in the same careless fashion as his response had been. Mana and Raven were back in the capital city and half the world already knew about their engagement by the time King Corvus received the brief letter from King Jaren simply saying – 'Thank you for giving us your wonderful grandson. My younger daughter Mana and Raven are betrothed now, and the banquet will be held around the winter solstice. We would be glad to welcome your presence for the occasion.'

King Corvus had been caught between rage and amusement. The boy they all disliked…the Emerald Kingdom was actually marrying one of their precious princesses to him? There was no one in all the kingdoms that didn't know how much King Jaren doted on his two daughters – especially the younger one, who was said to be the apple of his eye. And he was actually letting her take Raven as a fiancé? Perhaps the boy had some value after all, King Corvus thought, as amusement won over rage.

Unlike King Corvus, though, the other family members of Raven hadn't been amused at all, especially his mother, Princess Pica. Everyone wanted to maintain good relationships with the Emerald Kingdom…how could they bear that such a golden goose fell into the dirty half-blooded hands of Raven?! Raven's siblings were insanely jealous, and his mother was extremely annoyed.

The letter to King Corvus wasn't the only one King Jaren had sent. He'd also sent one to Raven's biological father in the Pearl Kingdom. Head Sage Yue of the Moon Temple of the Pearl Kingdom had been so incensed at the blunt letter and the invitation that he had nearly coughed up blood. However, everyone else in the Moon Temple thought that it was an excellent opportunity to enhance their relationship with the Emerald Kingdom – and urged him to go.

Mana and Raven, who were toiling diligently in the kitchen over a colossal pot of love soup with their Big Brother Jules, had no idea about the mischief their Papa had already wrought which would come to fruition a few months later. King Jaren didn't even mention the letters to them until after they moved to the capital city.

Currently, however, the three children were focussed on the love soup. Mana made the soup base, as promised, and Jules and Raven, after many days of research and experiments, were finally able to make edible pearls of various ingredients, just like what they'd had in the restaurant. They couldn't manage the double and triple flavours quite yet – but the ones they did make were quite delicious and perfectly shaped, and Mana had no complaints. The chocolate balls for the end were made by Mana.

The four adults in the dining hall nearly fell off their chairs in shock when the giant pot of love soup was brought in.

"You…you actually made this?!" King Jaren cried, shocked to the core. His heart felt overwhelmed with affection at the three children nodding shyly.

"It's not as good as the restaurant one – we weren't able to make the multi-flavour pearls," Jules said. "But it tastes all right."

King Jaren pulled the three of them into a hug and then all of them feasted on the love soup until everyone's bellies were bulging. Even Jules and Raven, who were perpetually hungry these days because of their magic surge, put down their spoons and massaged their stomachs, unable to eat a single bite more.

"That is the most delicious meal of my life," King Jaren said, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Thank you, my children."

King Jaren left early the next morning. He hadn't wanted to wake up the children, hence he'd bid them farewell the previous evening, but Mana, Jules and Raven had woken up to see him off anyway, which made King Jaren even more reluctant to leave this warmth behind…but also gave him the motivation to do some long overdue house cleaning at the imperial palace.

The summer palace suddenly felt empty without King Jaren's booming presence. Thanks to Fox's Letter Machine, though, there were daily exchanges between Jules and King Jaren, which was really very handy.

The three children made rapid progress in their magic, thanks to all the knowledge gained by Raven from the ancient master, and his willingness to share the relevant bits with Mana and Jules, as well as Fox, who was able to make the blueprints for several new devices using the ancient master's knowledge. Fox had become an inseparable part of their group by now and they would remain friends for the rest of their life. In the later years, when conflicts and conspiracies threatened to throw the kingdoms into disarray and Mana and Raven faced mortal danger and were forced apart – Fox was one of the rare people who stood firmly by their side along with Jules.

Raven's growth was the most noticeable. He went from being a thin, undernourished little boy to a lean, tall and healthy boy in a matter of months. He was no longer pale and timid; he stood straight and proud with his rosy cheeks and beautiful rainbow eyes, surrounded by an aura of power and stability.

"This is an emperor's aura," Grandpa told them. "You, my dear child, will probably rule more than one kingdom." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I think you should join Jules for the governance lessons."

Raven was quite taken aback, for he had no desire or ambition for any throne. All he wanted was to live happily with his new family and protect them.

"Grandpa is right," Jules said. "You are a potential successor to three kingdoms, after all."

Raven blinked, confused. His mother was from the Obsidian Kingdom and the only child of King Corvus – so even though he theoretically had a right to the throne of the Obsidian Kingdom, in reality, it would be one of his siblings who would take the throne. His father, while being the Head Sage at the Moon Temple, also had imperial blood – so, while it was a stretch, Raven's line of succession to the throne of the Pearl Kingdom would still be in single digits. But what was the third one?

"The Emerald Kingdom," Jules told Raven, guessing his thoughts accurately. "If something happened to me, I'd rather have you and Mana on the throne than that fellow from the Amber Kingdom."

"Don't say such awful things. I won't let anything happen to you, Big Brother," Raven said softly. "Or Papa."

Mana agreed whole heartedly with her fiancé.