The Infallible Emperor

After such a grand end, the people inside couldn't figure out whether they should leave or not. They just wanted to bask in the warm light of their Emperor. Even Aquineas, who had withdrawn himself from basic worldly desires, had the urge to just cling on to the Emperor. Still, they had to go. As for the four members of the Imperial Family, they went and left together.

"Are you really sure of what you're doing, Reynald?" Seated inside the gazebo at the West Wing's garden, the Emperor who had just previously announced such a shocking announcement sat calmly whilst surrounded by his wife and children whose face were wrought with worry.

Caressing their heads one by one, Reynald answered them, saying, "I am. It is for the Empire's good in the long run." He then gazed at the peaceful afternoon sky before muttering, "I don't want to leave this Empire in the hands of an incompetent ruler, all the more so a scheming dark entity." Looking back at his family, he then smiled with a gentle gaze.

"Father, you need not worry about us." Weise said with confidence as he stood behind his mother, "You're still a strong man, renowned in Telhaven as the Infallible Emperor. Still, even if you were incapacitated due to your weak knees, Voltaire and I have already agreed on what we're going to do to protect what you and Uncle Genarion started. We will never let the Empire fall like it did a thousand years ago."

"Weise's right, Father." Voltaire seconded as he held his beloved father's hand, saying with a wide grin on his face, "I'll make sure Big Brother never sets his ass on the throne so our competent lineage can continue for ten thousand more years."

Piack!

Voltaire yelped and held the back of his head that was red from Weise's slap. "Mother!" The aggrieved child complained. "Stop your nonsense, you too!" Seething in annoyance, Athenasia hissed at both of them, causing them to clench their lips.

Reynald laughed loudly, causing them to look at him weirdly. Reynald truly couldn't control his laughter. Seeing them argue and such just lightened the mood for him, causing him to stress lesser than before. He realized that even when the world turns its head against him, he would still have this family of his on his back. Soon, the three of them were infected by him as the family of four burst into laughter.

A while later, Reynald wiped the moisture on his eyes and stood up before looking at Weise, saying, "You're already brave enough to curse my knees? Come with me for a spar, let's see whose knees would give in first." He then stretched his arms and opened his hands, beckoning a long wooden pole that was idly placed on the garden to dart its way to his palm with a 'whoosh'.

Weise's complexion paled before he suddenly fell down on the ground, butt first. "N-No thanks, Father. My knees are injured from mine and Voltaire's spar a while ago." He quickly turned down his offer with a stammer.

Hearing his reason, Voltaire laughed proudly, arms akimbo, and relished at what Weise said, "Don't go taking what you said back, Big Brother!" Weise then glared at his smug brother and spat, "Shut your mouth, Voltaire. Don't let me come over there."

"Oh? You're weak enough to be defeated by Voltaire now?" Although Reynald knew of Weise's lies, he couldn't help but jump in the fun, clicking his tongue in disappointment, "I guess I should come more often then."

"!!!" Weise was conflicted due to the lie that backfired at him. He didn't know whether to be happy or saddened by his fate. The prince did want to see his father often to bond, but when it comes to practice or sparring matches with him, his fate would only be pain and bruises throughout his entire body. Although it would ultimately be healed by Reynald, it still is a fact that the pain was still caused. He also cannot escape him, for the Emperor knew every single thing that happens inside his realm, let alone his palace.

Wait…

"Father, you're bullying me!" Weise, realizing that it's impossible for his father to not know that he never lost against Voltaire, pouted at his father's prank. Reynald only laughed at his sons wrathful and indignant glare.

Voltaire also laughed at his brother's plight, but was immediately silenced as the other glared at him sharper than ever before, "Don't laugh. I'll deal with you later." Hearing the coldness in his voice, Voltaire shuddered.

"Stop." An emotionless voice suddenly sounded which made the three— including the Emperor— go silent. Slowly turning to where the voice came from, they saw Athenasia, seating eerily calm with a teacup held halfway to her lips with the coaster beneath it held by her left index and thumb. She wasn't looking at any of them, no. Even still, they knew that she was talking to them.

Upon stopping, the Empress raised the cup to her lips and sipped her cup of tea before placing it back down with the coaster. She then steadily turned her head to face them before her lips rose slightly, smiling yet inspiring dread to those who see it, in this case, her family. Her pupils looked at the two brothers as she said to them, "Go back to what you're doing. Or better, return to your quarters. Don't make a mess, hmm?"

The hairs on their back stood on their end as they quickly replied with a nod. Bowing at their mother before casting a look of pity at their poor father, they swiftly turned and walked away briskly. With trickling pints of sweat, Reynald stood up and tried to leave, reasoning whilst slowly inching his feet away, "I-I also h-have to place the deity's altar as the base for the new church. I'll just g—"

"Reynald." A bone-chilling voice came from the Empress as her eyes stared dead straight at him. In response, his body tensed and straightened, not letting him move an inch away from his position.