Chapter 266 - The Dreadful Day (Part 2)

The Left Minister watched, with contempt, as Azer's hands trembled while opening the chest. Azer's eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he saw the luxurious content of the chest. 

He had never seen so many gems and precious stones before. The Dark Magic Lord never gave him anything. The best reward that he ever got from his master was a small villa with a house big enough for a family of four. 

Azer picked three green gemstones and put them up against the light, one by one. He confirmed that they were genuine Emerald Gisastonites, which could buy him a decent estate with a house big enough for a family of eight in the Capital of Prazia.

Azer put the gemstone back in the chest and closed it. He looked at the Left Minister with admiration. He confirmed that the Left Minister was wealthier than his master.

"Thank you for the treat, Left Minister. Don't hesitate to summon me when you need help in the future. I am your man."

The Left Minister sneered. He was certain that he would be able to persuade Azer to join his group and forget about the Dark Magic Lord. Tomorrow would be the day when everything would be overturned. Since no one knew where Vaughn was at the moment, he would make Damien the next King of Tissuria. He, on the other hand, would focus his energy on taking over the entire Maecaea.

* * * * *

"Zenzen, wake up. I need to be in the Main Palace in a little while," Vaughn whispered in Zenia's ear in the morning.

"Just one more minute," she murmured.

Vaughn kissed her on the cheek and went out of their room. He instructed the maids to prepare breakfast. He took a bath and put on comfortable clothes afterward. He called for the Head Steward to help him prepare his clothes for the meeting.  

Zenia finally got up and had breakfast together with Vaughn. Zenia was still sleepy even if she was already sitting by the table. Vaughn put food on her plate and fed her. He wanted to have breakfast together with Zenia even though he knew that she was not used to waking up so early in the morning. 

She could stay up late without feeling exhausted, but waking up early had always been her weakness. She could stay up without sleeping for days but the moment she fell asleep, it would be difficult to wake her up.

Mathilda went to the Palace of the Crown Prince on time. She waited in the study room with Redivo. She also made a report about the current situation in the capital. 

Zenia dismissed the steward, who should help Vaughn get dressed. She helped Vaughn while she kept reminding him of things.

"Don't act rashly even if the situation begins to look grim. Wait for me patiently, and we will face it together."

"Don't take too long. I cannot promise you that I won't act rashly." Vaughn sounded like he was teasing his wife

Zenia glared at him and knew that he was toying with her. She tapped his shoulder to let him know that she was angry.

"Ouch," he replied with a smile on his lips.

Zenia began to worry about Vaughn's safety. She wanted to go with him at that moment, but she also knew that there were things that she should discuss with the soldiers in Vaughn's palace. His eyes wandered to Zenia's luscious lips. He held back from kissing her. He wouldn't be able to part from her when he did that.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Your Highness, Ms. Mathilda said that it's time," the steward reminded him.

That was one interruption that he felt thankful for. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to leave on time.

Zenia kissed Vaughn on his cheek and whispered, "Be careful out there."

He kissed her forehead, put on his mask, and walked quickly out of the room. He shut the door behind him. Zenia knew that he did not want her to send him off. She stayed in their room and sat on the bed. She could hear him board the carriage, which rolled out of the gates in a matter of minutes.

Zenia had no idea what Vaughn had planned, but he should let his enemies know of his return. She was certain that he wouldn't let anyone disrupt his plan.

After a while, she changed her clothes and went to the training ground to relay some last-minute instructions to the soldiers. When she went back to her room, she told her maids to help her prepare. She was getting ready when she heard a commotion. She could even hear the neighing horses and a familiar voice.

"Is that Big Brother?"

She ran back to the training ground to check the commotion. She knew that she could be mistaken since it was impossible to reach Tissuria that fast. She knew that her Big Brother was still enjoying his time with his wife. Besides, the guards at the front gates did not notify her.

'Who could it be?'

She went back to the training area to check everything with her own eyes. She kept telling herself that Zander couldn't be there.

* * * * *

As expected, the enemies learned that Vaughn had finally arrived in Tissuria. No one was sure how he managed to return, but Zenia was not with him. He entered the Main Palace without anyone hindering him. It reached Odette's ears.

"Really?! The Crown Prince is here without that ugly wench?" Odette's eyes sparkled when she uttered those words and instructed her maids, "Hurry up and help me prepare. I must go to the Main Palace at once. Is grandfather there already?"

"Your Highness, the Left Minister was already talking with the Queen when the Crown Prince arrived.

Odette smirked and knew that there was no way that her grandfather would hand over the Kingdom of Tissuria to her brother. She would be able to marry Vaughn at last. She hoped that Zenia had been detained in Prazia and would never return.

When Vaughn entered the Main Hall, everyone's eyes turned to him. There were so many people in the Main Hall, and each of them was a supporter of the Left Minister. He looked at the soldiers that gathered around the Main Hall. He recognized that some of them were the ones who pledged their loyalty to the King of Tissuria.

"Ah, the Crown Prince had finally made his appearance after being absent for so many weeks," the Left Minister mocked and looked around then asked, "Where is your Crown Princess? Isn't she supposed to be here with you? What an unfilial daughter-in-law."

Vaughn tried to calm himself down and answered, "My Princess will be here in a moment. As you can see, we have just arrived now in Tissuria after resolving some difficult matters somewhere. I told her to rest for a bit more and follow later. Is there something wrong with that, Left Minister?"

The Left Minister thought that Zenia did not return together with Vaughn. He searched for Damien in the audience and glared at him. Damien did not like the Left Minister's silent reprimand. He knew that his grandfather wanted Vaughn to be the King of Tissuria when he agreed to the condition of marrying Odette to be his main wife.

Damien kept telling his men that they should kill Vaughn and Zenia as soon as they spotted them. He wondered how they were able to return undetected. Even his men in Luna Inn did not report anything to him.

"Ha-ha-ha, I did not mean to offend you just now, Crown Prince. Forgive me if I made you uncomfortable."

"Rest assured, Left Minister, that you did not offend me. However, I suggest you must be careful with your words. It might lead to your downfall."

The Left Minister was not a naïve youth and knew exactly that Vaughn was threatening him. He clenched his fist and tried to stay calm. He should not rashly. He could feel that the Crown Prince was provoking him.

"Thank you for your reminder. I will keep that in mind." The Left Minister answered politely and turned to Queen Mina and declared, "Your Majesty, I will no longer beat around the bush. I want an audience with the King of Tissuria and not a mere Queen."

"Be careful with your words, Left Minister. I now hold the power of a King since my husband is currently recuperating."

"I think the citizens of Tissuria have the right to know the real condition of the King. Why are you hiding it from us, Your Majesty?"

Queen Mina was getting angrier by the minute. She wanted to strangle the Left Minister at that moment. She took a deep breath before she spoke once more.

"I am not hiding anything from my people, Left Minister. The King is recuperating well and will be able to meet his subjects in due time. Let him have a proper rest. You, of all people, should know why the King suffered from that illness."

"Are you insinuating something, Your Majesty?"

"How come the Left Minister would say such words? It is a known fact that you have always been with His Majesty almost every day. You know what is happening to him more than I do. It is natural for me to spout those words. There was nothing wrong with my statement."

"Did you forget, Your Majesty, I was away when the King fell ill? I have no way of knowing what caused it."

Queen Mina smirked. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. The King fell ill the moment you were gone. Had he become so dependent on you that he felt at loss the moment you left Tissuria and had not returned for a long time?"

"But, I was not the only one who left Tissuria for a long time," the Left Minister pointed at Vaughn and continued, "The Crown Prince had just returned now. Why don't you ask your good son, Your Majesty?"

Vaughn was about to retort when someone shouted, "Just tell us the real condition of the King, Your Majesty!"

"Tell us, tell us, tell us," most people in the Main Hall chanted simultaneously.

The Left Minister sneered, 'You will never be able to get out of this mess.'

Vaughn smirked behind his mask when he saw the smug look in the Left Minister's eyes.