The vampire king was deep in thought. The high-backed chair was turned away from the door, so no one would know what kind of expression he made right now.
The council mbers stood before his desk, exchanging anxious glances. They had beco adept at interpreting King Valentin’s silent commands, but this ti was different; the king’s intentions were unusually ambiguous.
Predicting King Valentin’s political moves was manageable, as they had worked together for years. However, even with all that experience, deciphering his personal relationships remained a challenge.
King Valentin was a fickle vampire, rarely displaying his true emotions and feelings towards others. The only clear relationship was with Lady Maris, with whom he was famously enamored.
The trickiest connections were with the children; Lisbeth, Riona, and Florian.
The council mbers were particularly puzzled by King Valentin’s decision to place Riona under house arrest when she should have been sent to the west tower, the prison reserved for nobles and royal family mbers.
First of all, Riona had been known as a troublemaker. This wasn’t the first ti she had caused a commotion. The recent petition only added to her negative reputation.
Amidst all of this, several nobles ca forward with accusations that Riona had committed treason. They claid she had been whispering accusations against King Valentin, blaming him for her mother’s death.
Such a cri warranted the death penalty. Not only did the king spare her life, but he also didn’t throw her into the cold, moldy prison. Instead, he provided her with a comfortable space.
It was an open secret that the king didn’t like his niece. This incident could have served as a legitimate reason to evict her from the palace. Yet, King Valentin seed determined to keep her there.
"You heard ," King Valentin said, turning his chair to face the council mbers, who were too stunned to reply imdiately.
This was the most astounding thing the council mbers had ever heard from the king.
"Pardon , Your Majesty, you want Riona to join the Royal Guard?" Margrave Hector, a council mber recited the king’s order. His eyes widened in disbelief and his heart was full of doubt, but he was too scared to object directly.
"Do I need to repeat myself?" King Valentin’s expression stiffened, which was a clear sign for Margrave Hector to stop asking further questions about his decision.
The council mbers typically placed their full trust in the king, knowing his decisions ca after thorough deliberation. However, this particular decree left them uneasy.
"If you allow to speak, Your Majesty..." Count Walter, another council mber stepped forward.
King Valentin lifted his chin, signaling for Count Walter to proceed.
"Riona’s admission to the Nightwarden has already stirred negative waves of reaction among the nobles, as evidenced by the recent petition we received," Count Walker stated.
He studied King Valentin’s expression, which remained stoic, before glancing at his colleagues to find reassurance. They nodded slightly as a form of support.
"Appointing her to the Royal Guard would cause a storm. She is not only unfit for such an elite group but her tendency to act impulsively will tarnish the prestige of the royal court itself."
The stern tone of the speaker’s voice revealed his personal disapproval. Although the count hadn’t signed the petition, he had worked behind the scenes to support Lady Maris whenever she needed assistance.
Among the council mbers, Count Walker was the closest to Lady Maris, as his great-grandfather had also married a commoner.
He also disliked Riona’s crudeness, believing that a mber of the royal family should be well-mannered and sophisticated.
"Your Majesty, we understand that you have taken many factors into consideration for this decision. However, sotis an outside perspective is necessary when it cos to personal relations," Margrave Emil interjected, supporting his colleague’s concerns.
None of the council mbers favored Riona. They all supported Lisbeth, the true heir to the throne. The princess had proven her skills and maintained good conduct at all tis, unlike her cousin.
The king remained silent, his fingers intertwined on his lap as he surveyed his council mbers. These individuals had served him for decades and had learned how to navigate his rule.
If King Valentin were to be honest, he would admit that he genuinely disliked his niece. Riona was an unpredictable variable, and her uncontrollability gave him a constant headache.
Others praised him for taking Riona in when his sister died in an accident, but he didn’t see his actions as generous. There was a selfish desire behind it.
Riona had her mother’s face, with only her eyes resembling her father’s. Seeing her reminded King Valentin of his dear sister, but the mont she looked at him, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of rage.
He clenched his fists, rembering Riona’s eyes.
If Amara had not run away with that man... she could have been alive.
And yet, King Valentin couldn’t help but want to keep Riona close. She was the legacy his sister had left in this world. He felt a sense of obligation to her, despite his frustration.
My beloved sister...
King Valentin lanted over his deceased sister and the ti they had spent together during childhood. He believed he had been a good brother, so why had things turned out this way?
He glared at his council mbers and spoke in a terrifying voice, "She’s my sister’s daughter. How dare you treat her as if she’s a contagious disease?"
Everyone was shocked. King Valentin had never defended Riona before. Even when Lisbeth gave her the nickna "Fangless," he said nothing. And now, all of a sudden, the king wanted to be a good uncle.
What the council mbers didn’t know was how Riona’s accusation affected the king. It wasn’t so much about the murder accusation itself.
If Riona had accused King Valentin of murdering so random noble, he wouldn’t have cared and would have sent her to prison without a second thought.
However, she accused him of killing Amara, and she did it with Amara’s face. That hit him hard.
The king had never loved anyone as deeply as he loved his sister. Not even his affection for Lady Maris could compare.
"Brother, if I’m no longer in this world, please take care of Riona for ."
Amara’s sweet, lodious voice echoed in his mind. King Valentin had almost forgotten those mories, but they ca rushing back when Riona stared at him defiantly in the grand hall.
She was trembling, but her spirit was unmistakably Amara’s. It was reminiscent of how Amara had defied their father, insisting on marrying the man she loved instead of the one their father had chosen for her.
It might be too late, and King Valentin wasn’t confident he could give Riona the love that Amara wished for, but he could at least do this much.
"She will graduate, and she will join the Royal Guard. She will work directly under ," King Valentin declared. And no one dared to oppose him.
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