The Evil Emperor's Fragile Heart

The next morning, Raven was the first one to wake up. He washed up and went to the kitchen, wondering if he should start preparations for breakfast or wait for the others to get up. After drinking a glass of water, he decided to exercise a little in the garden. If the others hadn't woken up by then, he'd ask one of the servants to make breakfast arrangements. Raven wasn't really all that interested in cooking – he only enjoyed it when it was a group activity which involved Mana and Jules – and now the others as well.

Just as Raven stepped out into the garden, a chirpy voice reached his ears.

"Daddy!" Azar called out happily.

Raven turned around and found King Jaren stepping into the villa with Azar in his arms.

"Good morning, Papa! Good morning, Azar!" Raven greeted them with a big smile. "The envoys left?"

King Jaren nodded, looking visibly relieved.

"Grandpapa threw bad man out!" Azar informed Raven.

Raven frowned. "What happened, Papa?" he asked.

King Jaren waved his arm casually. He gave Raven a brief overview of what had happened the previous day.

Raven frowned. "Papa…if it's too much trouble…" he began.

King Jaren held up a hand to interrupt him. "It's no trouble at all," he said. "We'll just be very careful when we're in the Pearl Kingdom." He smirked. "Besides, they won't forget my ultimatum – and they're not so stupid as to cut off their relationship with the Emerald Kingdom." He ruffled Raven's hair. "Don't worry, child. Your old Papa can protect you until you're all grown up."

Raven smiled shyly. "I'm fortunate to meet you all," he said softly.

"The fortune is ours, son," King Jaren said. "Now, were you going to practise your swordsmanship?"

Raven nodded. "Would you…teach me?" he asked shyly.

King Jaren beamed at the boy. "Of course, son. I'd be delighted to," he said.

"Me, too! Grandpapa! Daddy!" Azar chirped, drawing out his own magical sword.

The three of them commenced practice.

When Mana, Jules and the others woke up, the sounds of clashing swords brought them to the garden. And the scene that greeted them was an adult, a boy and a little dragon practising the same sword moves.

Mana desperately wished for a camera at this moment. Papa, Raven and Azar made such a beautiful picture together!

Jules had the same thought as Mana, and he quickly ducked out of the way and took out a modified copy machine from his secret space. Then he clicked several pictures happily until the three generations of swordsmen finished their practice.

"Excellent!" King Jaren praised both Raven and Azar, and both the human child and the dragon child laughed happily in response.

Mana, who had asked a servant to bring some dry towels, handed them to the three sweaty males she loved dearly. "Go and wash up quickly," she said. "Breakfast will be ready soon."

"Mommy! Azar hungry!" the little dragon complained adorably.

"You can take a quick bath with your Daddy, then," Mana told him, patting his head. Dragons didn't really sweat, but Mana wanted him to develop clean habits. There was definitely plenty of grass and mud on the little one!

Raven picked up Azar in his arms and rushed off in a hurry, leaving Mana rather befuddled.

Fox burst out laughing. "He's already so hen pecked, our little Raven!" he joked.

Mana raised an eyebrow at him, a menacing glow in her bright green eyes.

Fox winced and ran away, mumbling something about a notebook he needed immediately. Vanilla rolled her eyes and followed him.

Jules chuckled and patted Mana on the head. "Well, you can't really deny that Raven extraordinarily obedient to you," he murmured.

"I'm working to improve that," Mana said in a grumbling voice. She brightened a little. "He's starting to open up a bit, though."

King Jaren nodded. "Indeed," he said. "I'm very glad of that."

"Papa! Why are you still here?!" Mana scolded. "Go and wash up quickly!"

King Jaren laughed and walked away.

"I'm only ten and I already have to nag three generations of my men," Mana complained to Jules. "Big Brother, help me!"

Jules scratched his head in confusion. "What do you want me to do, then?" he asked.

"Nag them for me!" Mana demanded.

Jules glanced at Bella fearfully. "I'm afraid Bella will repudiate me if I nagged people too much…" he murmured.

Bella raised an eyebrow. "When have I ever objected to anything you do or want to do?" she asked.

Jules smiled sheepishly. "And that's why you're an absolute angel, my love," he said in a flattering manner. "Come on, let's go in. Aren't you feeling a little peckish?"

Bella winked at Mana when Jules wasn't looking and allowed herself to be pulled back into the villa.

Mana stood alone in the garden, shaking her head ruefully. Then she slowly made her way into the house.

Raven and Azar seemed to have taken a bath in record time. Raven sat on a chair with his hair dripping wet, and Azar sat obediently in a chair next to him. King Jaren arrived soon as well. Fox, Vanilla, Jules and Bella were also seated.

Mana moved to the empty chair next to Raven and used her water magic to suck the moisture out of his hair.

"Ah, thanks," Raven said, flushing a little. "I was in a hurry and forgot to dry my hair."

Mana pinched his cheeks playfully. "Fortunately, you have me to look after you," she teased.

Raven nodded seriously. "I am very fortunate," he said right away.

Breakfast was served, and all of them ate happily. King Jaren was once again made to narrate how he'd thrown out a 'bad man' from the Pearl Kingdom, and Azar boasted about his magnificent dragon roar.

When the group was wrapping up their breakfast, an unexpected visitor arrived at the villa.

"Is Papa here? I need to speak with him urgently," came Princess Astra's voice before she herself appeared. She saw the group enjoying their meal cheerfully, and was rather taken aback.

Then, spotting King Jaren, she rushed to him. "Papa!" she cried. "You have to help me!"

Mana and Jules frowned. King Jaren patted Princess Astra's hair and said, "Calm down, child. What's wrong?"

Princess Astra burst into tears. "Mars said he won't see me until the engagement banquet, and if I insisted on seeing him, he'll break off his engagement with me," she cried pitifully. "I heard from one of the travelling merchants that Mars had received several marriage proposals from various noble young ladies, and that he was planning to take several concubines…I just asked him about it in my last letter…and his reply was so angry and rude! Papa…what will I do if he marries other women…?" She sobbed so heart-wrenchingly that even Mana felt bad for her.

"Didn't he promise to marry only you, Big Sister?" Mana asked in a cold voice. "How can he betray your affections like this?"

Princess Astra cried harder.

King Jaren was quite incensed as well. "I'll write to King Orion immediately," he said. "I won't have him belittle my daughter like this! Don't worry, Astra, if this Mars fellow doesn't cherish you properly, I won't hand you over to him at any cost!"

"But Papa…I love him…" Princess Astra wept pitifully. "I can't marry anyone other than him…"

Mana narrowed her eyes. "So…what is it that you want to do?" she asked.

Princess Astra looked at Mana. "Mars says he'll forget about any concubines if you marry his brother, Prince Liam. You met him when he visited the Emerald Kingdom…he's quite taken with you," she said softly. "Please, Mana, can you pretend to be engaged to Liam for my sake and then break it off after a while?"

Several voices rang out at the same time.

"Absolutely not!" Jules cried, springing from his seat, his handsome face flushed with anger.

"No chance," Bella said coldly.

"No way!" Raven cried, his rainbow eyes flashing a dark, gleaming black, and an oppressive aura surrounding him. He stood up lazily and slowly, like a tiger hunting its prey.

"No, no, no!" Azar shouted and flew up to hover next to Raven's shoulder. His eyes, too, gleamed dangerously, and the opal on his throat glowed brightly. Blue flames were starting to appear around his nostrils.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that, Big Sister," Mana said in a pleasant voice.

"Forget it," King Jaren said, clenching his fists. "Astra, how could you even ask such a thing of Mana? I won't cater to such ridiculous demands from anyone, and I'll never tolerate any threat to my children. I'll write to King Orion immediately and withdraw your engagement. That Mars can marry whoever he wants, and we'll find another suitable candidate for you."

Princess Astra went very pale. "But Papa…I want to marry Mars…!"

"Enough!" King Jaren roared. "It really seems that I have spoilt you too much all these years! If you want to marry Mars, it's your responsibility to manage your relationship with him. You will not involve your sister in it! And if Mana is the condition of his engagement with you, I'm breaking it off right now!"

King Jaren strode out of the villa angrily, and Astra ran after him.