The Evil Emperor's Fragile Heart

Mana and Raven walked hand-in-hand to the Phoenix Restaurant at leisurely pace, occasionally stopping to chat with the citizens, who were quite thrilled to meet them, especially since they were so well-dressed.

Several people asked if there was a special occasion today.

"I'm meeting my in-laws for the first time today," Mana announced candidly. "We met Raven's father and had tea and cakes at the Rose Pavilion, and now we're heading to the Phoenix Restaurant for dinner with Raven's mother."

Mana wouldn't let go of a golden chance like this to advertise her own restaurant as well as her Papa's – especially since she spotted a lot of foreigners in the crowd.

"How was the Rose Pavilion, Princess Mana? If I take my girlfriend there, will she agree to marry me?" someone shouted from the crowd.

Mana smiled and looked at Raven. "I don't know about your girlfriend, but if Raven asked me for anything there, I'd definitely agree," she replied diplomatically. Well, she almost never said no to Raven anyway, and if he did treat her to a nice meal at Rose Pavilion with the full roses and candles and music and everything, she'd certainly be delighted.

"I shall remember that, my princess," Raven whispered in her ear and chuckled at her startled response. "Rose Pavilion really is a nice place, very suitable for couples, as well as private conversations," he said to the crowd. "We will certainly visit more often. Their pastries are especially delicious."

Soon enough, they reached the Phoenix Restaurant and were shown to the room booked by Crown Princess Pica. It seemed to be set up for about twenty people, which surprised Mana, but Raven seemed to have expected it. Crown Princess Pica always brought a bunch of people along wherever she went, even if it was for a private dinner with her son and his fiancée. She was quite likely to have booked another large room. She'd send off most of the lackeys and the guests she didn't like to the second room and retain the guests she liked and a few minions (depending on her mood) in the first room before she asked for the food to be served.

Mana rolled her eyes when Raven told her about this. She suddenly had the urge to caress Raven's cheek and praise the boy for being so different from his psychotic parents.

"So…Rose Pavilion is yours, is it?" Raven asked softly.

Mana giggled and kissed him on the cheek. "You amazingly clever thing, how on earth did you figure it out?" she asked.

"Fruit custard," Raven said.

"Plenty of places serve fruit custard," Mana pointed out.

Raven shook his head. "We walked past a waiter carrying several bowls of fruit custard when we entered," he said. "I smelled the vanilla in it. That's your recipe."

Mana rubbed his nose with her finger. "Azar most definitely inherited his nose from you," she said.

"Look at you two, flirting shamelessly in public at your age," came an annoyed voice.

Mana and Raven turned around to see the gorgeous Crown Princess Pica and her entourage. Mana didn't miss the appreciative (and slightly envious) glance that the woman cast on their outfits. Their family's luxury clothing stores, the exclusive dealers for this kind of silk from the Sapphire Kingdom, were going to make a lot of profit tomorrow, she thought to herself. She'd find a chance to mention that these fabrics were a gift from Queen Carolina and some stores especially imported similar fabric from the Sapphire Kingdom.

But that didn't mean that Mana was going to let someone scold her for no good reason!

"We're already engaged," she said, looking up and blinking innocently at the older woman. "If we don't flirt with each other, who else are we supposed to flirt with?"

Raven bit his lip to stop himself from smiling. He absolutely adored Mana's cheeky side.

Crown Princess Pica rounded on him. "Raven! Are you going to let her talk to your mother like that?" she demanded harshly.

Raven trembled and resisted the urge to step back. It wasn't so easy to resist conditioned reflexes, after all. A cold feeling started creeping up his body.

And then it was suddenly gone. Mana held his hand in her own small, warm and soft one, lacing their fingers together again.

Warmth flowed into Raven and he stood up straighter and looked his mother in the eye. "Mana didn't say anything wrong, Crown Princess Pica," he said quietly.

"You insolent brat!" Crown Princess Pica cried and raised her arm. Her dark bracelet immediately transformed into a whip and she aimed it at Raven.

From Raven's stiff posture, Mana realised that he wasn't going to move to avoid it or counter it. He was clearly used to it. Rage flooded her veins, making her blood boil. How could a mother treat her own child like this?! And how dare this woman try to lay finger on her Raven?!

Mana stepped in front of Raven protectively and caught the whip with her hand, her eyes flashing dangerously. A green fire burst out of her fingers and burnt the whip into ashes in a flash.

"Heaven's fire!" one of Crown Princess Mana's lackeys cried out in disbelief. "Princess Mana actually possesses heaven's fire!"

Crown Princess Pica was someone who respected strength very much. Her annoyance with Raven immediately turned into an interest in Mana. She raised an eyebrow at the young girl and remarked, "You actually destroyed my magic whip…you're quite powerful for someone so young."

Mana's eyes were still blazing with anger. "I will destroy anything – or anyone – that tries to harm my Raven," she declared. "No matter who or what they are."

Crown Princess Pica burst out laughing. "Interesting," she said. "You look like your mother, but you have your father's temperament." She cast a disdainful look at Raven. "At least this weakling has found himself some powerful protectors," she murmured.

Mana shook her head in disbelief. "You think Raven is weak?" she asked incredulously. She turned to Raven and whined, "How can both your parents be so stupid when you are so smart? Is it like double negatives making a positive?"

"How dare you insult our Crown Princess!" came an angry roar and one of Crown Princess Pica's lackeys shot a powerful burst of dark magic at Mana.

Raven's eyes flashed black and attack simply disintegrated.

It was a powerful move, worthy of King Corvus himself!

Mana, who had been pulled into Raven's arms protectively, beamed at him. "That was really cool!" she told him and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for saving me."

Raven's eyes returned to their soft opalescent glow as he looked at Mana and shook his head. "You're the cool one…and you're the one that keeps saving me," he said softly.

Mana tapped her cheek. "Give me a kiss for reward, then," she demanded.

Raven obeyed wordlessly.

Then he looked up at the man who had attacked Mana just now. His eyes flashed black again and the man doubled up in pain, falling to his knees.

"Forgive me! Please forgive me, Prince Raven!" he begged.

The lackeys were shocked. How had Prince Raven gotten so powerful? He's barely been gone for a few months…what on earth were they feeding him in the Emerald Kingdom?!

Crown Princess Pica, on the other hand, clapped her hands in delight. "Raven! Your dark magic is complete now?" she asked eagerly. She peered at his rainbow eyes curiously. "Don't tell me…all your five elements are fully awakened?!"

Raven nodded curtly.

"Brilliant!" Crown Princess Pica cried. "Oh, how I've waited for this day!" She leaned forward and asked excitedly, "Raven, sweetie, quick, tell Mother honestly – was it this little girl who helped you awaken your powers?"

Raven nodded, his brow creased in confusion. Crown Princess Pica had long forbidden him from calling her 'Mother' – telling he was unworthy. And now…

Crown Princess Pica suddenly engulfed both children in a hug, giggling happily. "Come, my little darlings, let Mother treat you to dinner first and then we'll talk more!" she announced, dragging the two of them along.

She waved her hand dismissively at her lackeys. The one punished by Raven just now was relieved, and all of them withdrew silently. A moment later, several waiters appeared with trolleys of food, setting up a humongous feast on the large table.

It looked like Crown Princess Pica had ordered everything on the menu, and she'd have ordered well for the second room as well, in all probability. Mana decided that she'd ask Papa to give Raven a cut from today's profits at the Phoenix Restaurant.

"Now tell Mother what you'd like to eat," Crown Princess Pica said generously.

"Crown Princess Pica…" Mana began, but was interrupted immediately.

"Oh, no, no, no! Both of you must call me Mother!" she exclaimed. She paused for a moment, and withdrew a couple of small pouches from her purse. "Right! I brought a little gift and your grandfather sent something as well," she said, handing one of the pouches to Mana and the other to Raven.

Mana's pouch contained a pair of matching gold bracelets, one male and one female. They were quite pretty.

She peered curiously at Raven, wondering what was in the other pouch.. She found Raven staring at the open pouch in disbelief.