Chapter 157 - 157 – The Dragon Queen Makes A Move

Before Ren and Fang could call Pax, however, Pax had already called them.

"I'll handle it," Pax said, even before Ren could start speaking. "I'll come by to your place in an hour or so. You can go ahead to SIMS, Ren. I'll borrow Fang for today. Don't worry, I'll keep him protected and I'll not let anyone outside catch even the slightest glimpse of him."

Ren chuckled. "All right, then," he said. "I'll entrust my little darling prince to you, then."

Fang rolled his eyes.

"Don't treat me like a swooning princess that's always like a damsel in distress and needs to be protected by you all the time," Fang said crossly.

Ren laughed and caressed Fang's beautiful face. Fang had already grown taller than him.

"Who's calling you a damsel in distress?" Ren asked, adopting a cajoling tone of voice. "You are my prince charming – quite literally now."

Fang flushed. "Well, I don't mind being your prince," he murmured. "As for the Valley Kingdom, I want nothing to do with them."

Ren nodded. "No one can make you do something that you don't want to do," he said firmly, his overbearing business tycoon aura making an appearance once again.

Fang smiled at him in response. It was a good think that Pax was coming to fetch him, he thought. They could sort out this mess quickly and get on with the party plans.

These roadblocks made Fang even more determined to have the grand birthday party run smoothly!

Ren and Fang washed up and got ready to start their day. Pax turned up at the promised time and joined them for breakfast, and then Fang went off with Pax for the day, while Ren went to SIMS.

"I'll join you guys for lunch," Ren said to Fang and Pax. "If you plan a press conference for Fang today, I'll be there with him."

"That would be best," Pax said. "We will schedule it for this evening, then, and meanwhile, I'll make arrangements." He turned to look at Fang. "Are you sure you don't want to rule a country?" he asked. "There's still time for you to take over. The citizens of the Valley Kingdom bear you no ill will, despite this disgusting stunt that the deposed royals have tried to pull off. And we definitely have enough and more material with us to make the public worship the ground you walk on. They will see you as their saviour and it will only take a few weeks for us to stabilise the economy of the Valley Kingdom with the assistance of the Dragon Nation and Sand Country."

Fang shook his head. "The only throne I want is the one in Ren's heart," he said smoothly.

Pax raised an eyebrow and glanced at Ren. "He's grown up to be quite silver tongued, hasn't he?" he asked.

Ren, who had turned red at Fang's words, could only nod in agreement.

Pax chuckled. "Good, good," he said, patting Fang's shoulder. "You keep up the good work, kid."

Fang grinned rakishly in response.

Pax and Fang left after breakfast, and Ren, too, made his way to SIMS.

The Director of SIMS was waiting anxiously for Ren and caught hold of him as soon as he entered. "Is it true?" he asked in a worried tone. "Is young Fang – is he really a prince of two countries?"

Ren frowned at him. As far as he remembered, the press release issued by the deposed royals of the Valley Kingdom only mentioned that Fang was a prince of their country. They had not revealed the identity of Fang's biological father. So, how did the Director suddenly mention two countries?"

"Two countries?" Ren asked, raising an eyebrow in enquiry.

The Director nodded. "The deposed royal family of the Valley Kingdom, who have taken refuge in Dune Country now – they issued a press release claiming that Fang was the long lost son of their late crown princess, who was rumoured to have been disinherited because she married a man from the Dragon Nation. They also published some documents showing the inheritance rights of the child of the late crown princess, and some DNA reports, which were illegally sourced. And just now, there's been another press release – this time from the Dragon Nation, and issued by the Dragon Queen herself. It says that the man from the Dragon Nation who married the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom was her older brother, and she says that Fang is first a prince of the Dragon Nation, and not of the Valley Kingdom. There's an almost war like situation on the internet right now because both countries are trying to claim Fang as their prince," he informed Ren.

Ren immediately pulled out his phone and called Fang.

"Yes, we saw it," Fang said. "The Dragon Queen has also issued a press release. Pax says that it is helpful for us, since I want to turn down the Valley Kingdom anyway. He is arranging for a press conference in the evening, and he has invited media persons from other countries as well."

Ren heaved a sigh of relief. If Pax had things under control, then it was all right.

Meanwhile, the Director was waiting anxiously for Ren's reply.

"Ah, yes," Ren said. "Fang is a prince, actually. His mother is the late crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and his father is the late older brother of the Dragon Queen and a prince of the Dragon Nation. Fang was stolen at birth and somehow ended up in the Orchid Orphanage, and his parents were murdered. We are still investigating that, and we don't have all the details yet, but whatever we have found so far seems to indicate that the deposed royals of the Valley Kingdom were behind the assassination," he said calmly.

The Director staggered and his face lost all colour. "Is – is young Fang – er, Prince Fang – is he in any danger? Can we do something to help?" he asked anxiously.

Ren smiled slightly. "We have it under control," he said. "But I appreciate your offer. We may need some help later. Fang has no intention of taking up the throne of the Valley Kingdom at all."

The Director nodded and heaved a sigh of relief. "I will issue instructions that no one is to communicate with anyone on the outside about any of this," he said.

Ren nodded. "That would be best," he said.

"But if people ask – can I – shall I tell them the truth?" the Director asked hesitantly.

Ren blinked. "Yes, of course," he said. "Our people deserve to know the truth about us, don't they?" he asked in an amused voice.

The Director nodded again, and then went off to make the announcements.

The Director's announcement that rang out over the speakers in every corner of SIMS a few minutes later, repeating Ren's words almost verbatim, and requesting that the staff do not engage unnecessarily with people on the outside.

Thanks to this public announcement from the Director, no one bothered Ren with repetitive questions – instead, whoever he passed by expressed their support to him and Fang and offered their help. Ren thanked them gratefully, feeling quite happy at the support. He texted Fang as well.

On the other side, Fang sat in Pax's office, looking at the papers which showed the current situation of the Valley Kingdom with a frown on his face.

"How can it be this bad?" Fang asked, rubbing his temples.

Pax sighed. "I am surprised as well. In fact, looking at this situation, I am amazed that the Valley Kingdom hadn't declared national insolvency already – in fact, they ought to have done it several years ago. What a fatuous ruler – this uncle of yours!" he grumbled, a hint of annoyance in his usually cold voice.

Fang frowned. "Don't call that man my uncle," he retorted. "That man most likely murdered my parents – or, at the very least, allowed his wife to do so. And as for what his wife and his son did to me personally…"

A vicious light flashed in Pax's blue eyes. "Don't worry, kid," he said quietly. "Every wrong they have done to you, we will give it back tenfold. It's not just you and Ren who want to extract appropriate vengeance from them."

Fang looked at Pax in surprise. He would expect Wolf to react like this, but not Pax, who was always calm and collected. A warm feeling spread through Fang's heart.

"Thank you," Fang said.

Pax flicked the younger man's forehead. "No need to thank me," he said. "You are our family. And no one is allowed to mess with our family."

Fang grinned. "Yes," he said.

"The Dragon Queen seems to be very protective of you and Ren," Pax muttered. "That's a very good thing."

"Well, she is decent enough to be called my aunt," Fang said cheekily.

Pax chuckled.. "Yes, yes, you bratty little prince," he said with a laugh. "Your Ren has really spoilt you to the high heavens to make you reject the friendly monarch of a kingdom as a relative!"