Chapter 313 - Wash Your Neck

It wasn't long after Cecil had announced his request that a commotion was heard behind the doors leading into the great hall. Everyone turned their attention towards the door and not long after it was abruptly swung open and a few people entered.

"Y-Your Highness, please!" A maid said while trying to pull back the man at the forefront.

"Unhand me, fool!"

"S-Son, you can't just—ah—Y-Your Majesty!" A woman wearing a veil called out in a fl.u.s.ter. This was Nemus' concubine and was Armano's mother. She had been trying to prevent Armano from rushing into the great hall, but it was to no avail.

Nemus who was sitting on the throne glowered at the group of people who had just barged in, particularly the person leading them, his son the second prince, Armano Regulus.

"I heard all about this duel! And where's that bitch!"

Cecil's arm twitched when he heard the newcomer's words. He already knew who this man was and who the man was referring to. Cecil eyed the man and reeled in his anger and killing intent.

'You're not going to have a pleasant death...'

When Armano looked around he spotted both Serilla and Quinn and he bellowed, "So that bastard and that bitch are both here! You both will pay for—"

"SILENCE!" Nemus roared. This time he didn't start hacking after his roar, he was so angry right now. Just looking at his son who kept on bringing him troubles, he had the urge to just lock him up in the castle's dungeons.

"F-Father! Th-these are the two people who—"

"Guards, silence this whelp!"

The guards around immediately stepped forward, but didn't understand what to do. How could they silence the prince?

"...Maybe I should help with that?" Quinn offered as he dangerously eyed Armano. He had only emitted a sliver of his killing intent but it was enough to cause Armano to flinch and turn silent for a moment.

"Bastard! Do you think you can get away with—argh!" Out of nowhere, Rowan came up and slammed his fist right into Armano's jaw.

"Father told you to stay silent, fool."

"R-Rowan! You asshole—argh!"

Rowan only replied with another fist to the face. This time, Armano finally shut himself up and the king spoke up.

"If this was an Empire or a Revertia princess, you would have been immediately executed, you fool! Just know that Kaiser and his son have shown you some magnanimity by sparing your life from an execution!"

"..."

"...you will take matters into your own hands by dueling with the Silvaria Kingdom's Crown Prince! Whether you live or die is in your hands now! I just ask that Silvaria's crown prince be the bigger man here and not execute my son..." Nemus implored as he turned his attention back onto Cecil.

Cecil neither answered the king's question nor did he pay attention to the ruckus that Armano had caused upon his arrival. He was busy 'consoling' his wife who was 'frightened' upon seeing Armano.

Serilla was 'hiding' behind Cecil, but it was more like Cecil was shielding her eyes away from the prince. Lucia was also beside Serilla and she was holding onto her. Both Cecil and Lucia could already tell that Serilla had snapped when she heard Armano referring to her as a bitch. Serilla wanted to just go over and shut him up forever.

That menial task was handed over to Cecil, however. He didn't want his wife to dirty her hands so he and Lucia had been pacifying and persuading Serilla from doing anything rash like attacking the prince.

"Seri, calm down, okay? Let me handle this," Cecil quietly whispered. As he lightly stroked Serilla's back in an attempt to calm her down.

"...Mhm..."

"He'll get what's coming to him, Seri, don't you worry, Cel will make sure of that so we should just wait for the outcome," Lucia added.

To the people around, Cecil's silent conversation and interaction with Serilla were like a husband consoling his wife and Lucia looked like a younger sister that was trying to calm down her elder sister. Kaiser's composed look nearly crumbled when he saw the slightly trembling Serilla. Only Fatima and Quinn were able to see what was truly happening.

There was no way Serilla was trembling due to fear. It was more like she was angered to the extreme that Cecil and Lucia had to quickly try and calm her nerves so that she wouldn't directly attack Armano here and now.

Armano finally noticed Cecil who was shielding away Serilla. He concluded that this man was probably the two ladies' husband and began sizing him up.

"Is this the husband? Hah, only a shrimp! You think you'll be able to defeat me in a duel?!"

Cecil didn't respond and only ignored, he hadn't paid any mind to Armano since he had first entered the hall. His blatant disregard angered Armano and he immediately stood up and yelled, "Hey, bastard! I'm talking to you!"

Once more, no response, Armano was fuming and just as he was about to charge at him, Rowan pushed him back and stopped him.

"Are you purposefully trying to make a ruckus?!"

"Shut up Rowan, I'm not talking to you!"

Once Serilla looked like she was no longer angry, Cecil finally turned his attention to the other people in the room. He had been purposefully ignoring Armano since earlier so when he saw the man, Cecil acted like he was surprised and turned to ask Quinn who this person was.

"He's the second prince of Regulus, Master..."

"Oh..." Cecil only nodded. He didn't bother to even acknowledge Armano's presence and turned to look back at Serilla.

Armano snapped and immediately yelled, "Hey!"

Cecil turned his attention onto the man who had just yelled and asked, "Need something?"

"Y-You! You're the fool who I'm going to be dueling, right?"

Cecil didn't bother to respond and only blankly stared back at him.

"How about we make a bet? If I win this duel, you give me both of your wives!"

His thoughtless words frustrated both Nemus and Kaiser. Both of the kings were about to snap out at him, but Cecil beat them to the punch.

"Heh...so does that mean you're forfeiting your life for this...bet?"

"Huh?"

"You want my wives? Then what will you give me if I win? Your life? Pfft, your life doesn't amount to a single hair on either of my wives. I was planning on sparing you, but I think I'll slowly kill you later in the ring." Cecil coldly said.

"You think—"

"Wash your neck, whoever you are," Cecil quickly cut him off. He then turned to look meaningfully at Nemus before smirking at him. The king could only grimace at this. His son had just literally dug a hole for himself.

Cecil left those words behind and turned around to leave the hall. Serilla, Lucia, and Quinn followed after him. This act was a little disrespectful, but Cecil had long since lost any sense of respectability for the Regulus Kingdom.

He was here to settle an account with their family, but instead of receiving even a little bit of remorse from them, he instead had to listen to his wife being insulted. Cecil was planning to be a little merciful by letting Armano live for the sake of the Regulus King.

Nemus was a father before he was a king so it was only natural that he wanted Cecil to spare his son, but that opportunity flew out the window. He was now going to make sure that Armano's last moments weren't going to be a pleasant one.

When Cecil arrived outside of the castle, he turned back and inadvertently said, "Maybe I should tear this place apart as well?"

"C-Cel?!"

"Darling! D-don't say something so dangerous!"

Serilla and Lucia immediately reprimanded. Although Serilla had been fuming earlier, it seemed that her husband was holding back even more anger and rage.

"It's just a passing thought. I mean, if I 'accidentally' aim an Ascending Blade or a Flash Cannon at the castle—"

"You're thinking way too dangerously, darling!"

"Think about the innocent people that might get hurt because of that 'passing thought'!" Lucia quipped.

Cecil shrugged and got onto the carriage that had brought them to the castle. They returned to their inn and changed out of their formal clothes before Cecil took his two wives out to roam the city.

When he looked around, he noticed that the kingdom was severely lacking in able-bodied men. The only males left that he saw were those at their later half in life. After Cecil shared his observations with Lucia and Serilla, they finally understood the reason behind the gloomy atmosphere that seemed to be hanging in the air of the city.

"Master, when the Merkruz Principality first attacked the Regulus Kingdom, they experienced loss after loss and many of their soldiers were killed in battle. If it wasn't because of Lady Fatima, the Regulus Kingdom's state would be more appalling and they might have already been conquered by Merkruz."

"I see... how unfortunate. They were being led by a few incompetent men. Rowan is satisfactory at best, well, at least compared to his brothers. Although I've sparred with Rowan, I still can't understand why Fatima fell in love with a man who's much weaker than herself," Cecil shook his head in slight confusion.

"Then why did you marry us, darling? We're weaker than you," Serilla said with a sly smile.

"..."

"See? Even you don't know the answer! You should measure how others feel, okay darling? You may know your sister, but it's been 6 years since you saw each other. She's changed a lot and so have you!"

"I guess..." Cecil replied with a shrug.

"Hey, Cel, let's go eat something! I'm a little hungry!"

"Alright, let's go."