The Author's Will

55.5 | Passage of Time

Silence pervaded the room.

Daniel couldn't see the duke's face from this angle — and a part of him was a little too afraid to. Strands of his raven-black hair fell over his face, and the blood was rushing to his brain from being in this position for so long.

Rudien was so quiet, that eventually the prince felt the urge to glance up. And when he did, the look on the silver man's face was as unfazed and nonchalant as ever.

"You shouldn't bow to your subjects, Your Highness — even the dukes such as myself," Rudien crossed his arms, sighing softly as he closed his eyes. "You are at the top in this empire. For you to bow to those below you is the essence of weakness."

...What?

But he's superior to me in so many ways...?

It was then that the man stood up from his chair, and his towering height loomed over Daniel with an unreadable gaze. Scarlet irises fixated on the young prince for a brief moment, before Rudien turned to face the door.

"I refuse your request."

Those words were like a slap to the face. Daniel's sapphire orbs widened in surprise — as the duke began to head to the exit of the elaborate meeting room. "Then, I'll take my leave."

He knew it wasn't going to be easy to convince the duke to let him learn under his guidance, but Daniel certainly didn't expect the man to be this straightforward in his curtly delivered response.

"W-Wait!" The boy called out, stopping Rudien in his tracks. Turning back to face Daniel, the man's blood-red eyes watched him keenly for a moment.

Daniel approached the duke, and the composure he had earlier seemed to be dissolving from the young man's visage. Now — there was a look of slight desperation in his eyes. "Why do you refuse? You must have a reason."

Rudien didn't even blink. His steely gaze observed the boy, who was rather tall for his young age. Simply by surveying his build — the duke was aware that this young man had great physical potential. His shoulders were broader than the average ten-year-old boy's, and he would definitely surpass Rudien in terms of height and strength.

If Daniel trained under him, he would certainly be able to bring out a fierce warrior in this prince. And it wouldn't take him very long either, seeing as those strong blue eyes were filled with determination.

However — Rudien hated weak minds more than anything, and this child seemed to still have one. People like him would falter when forced into a real battle, and bawl their eyes out the moment they killed someone. The duke wasn't sure Daniel had the heart to be able to remain strong even with countless lives on his shoulders, especially when he was this weak.

"You asked, so I refused," Rudien simply responded — leaving the prince in a state of bewilderment. As he opened the door of the antechamber, Rudien glanced back at the young man who seemed to be at a loss for words. "If you want something, seize it with your own two hands."

Daniel blinked, slightly confused by those words. His eyes followed the duke after he disappeared past the door, and lingered absently on the intricate carvings embossed over it.

The words he said just now...

Sounded a lot like what that girl said not too long ago...

Daniel's sunkissed skin became dyed in gold under the light of dusk beginning to permeate the room. As he dwelled on the words of the duke moments after he left, a part of him wondered if there was a hidden meaning behind what he just heard.

Seize it with my own two hands...

It was then a realisation washed over the prince — like a sudden wave crashing against the rocky shores.