Claude watched as Gavril took a few steps back. He was acting like he had seen something he was not expecting which baffled the emperor.
As a child, Chrys had made him take lessons about magic and its origins and part of the royal family, Chry taught Claude about the royal bloodline - because their father did not want Claude to take them. The reason was mainly because Claude was an unwanted child but Claude was aware of the fact that the royal family had different mana from normal human beings.
Many scholars were leaning to the thought it was the massive amount of mana that was compressed that made it look like crystals. If compressed any further, then, it could be possible for the emperor to make mana stones. Of course, that was only an unsolved theory scholars were not willing to let go. There were many insane mages that wanted to study the royal family back in time. They would try to kidnap the royal family and cut them open. It didn't end well with them. There were still few attempts but they were caught and 30 feet under the ground. Claude did not want Elias to find them after all, even if those bodies were outside of the city.
So, Gavril's reaction was unusual.
"What's the matter?"
It clearly was not a question. Claude, the emperor was demanding for an answer.
Gavril swallowed the shock he was trying so hard to calm down.
"Your majesty, I am not certain to what extent but it seems to me like you've turned into one."
It was Claude's turn to be shocked.
***
Gavril was kicked out of the room the next moment. The baron had many reasons as to why he had to stay there but complied anyway because the emperor seemed like he needed to organize his thoughts.
"Father!"
Gavril turned to Nikolas power walking towards him. Behind the young Daphne was Liora smiling at them. The baron relaxed when he saw them approach him. Truly, what a complicated family they were taking care of.
"How is his majesty?"
Nikolas hurriedly asked.
"It would be a nightmare if he was in bad health. His highness Elias would not be able to stomach the sight of it. Oh, imagining the state my prince could be in is already giving me a stomachache."
Gavril sighed at his exaggerated son and roughly patted him on the head.
"No need to worry your little flowery head over it. His majesty is as healthy as he can be."
"Ow! I have told you many times not to do that! MANY!"
Liora tittered behind her hand as she lovingly watched Nikolas grab his father's arm to push it away but Gavril did not budge.
"Thinking back about it, Nikolas was very excited to meet his highness."
"Of course! It is unfortunate that I couldn't meet his majesty Chrysanthos but I am quite content being able to take care of his highness in the least."
Liora nodded dejectedly.
"We were too late to help him..."
Gavril stared at his family. He had no idea how someone as amazing as Liora had fallen in love with him but Gavril knew for a fact that he could no longer live without Liora by his side. Unfortunately, Liora was still human and her time was limited. The baron had always believed that he would guard her resting place for the rest of his life but that might no longer be necessary. Claude, a human, had turned into a dryad. The Grand Tree was acting as his heart. If he could study the possibilities then maybe, Liora did not have to grow to die.
"Gavril."
The baron flinched at the stern and cold voice. The owner of such a tone was his lovely wife. Her eyes were sharply narrowed like she knew what he was thinking. Gavril cowered a little at being caught.
"We lost her and we were late helping him... let's protect this one. This one has to be happy."
Nikolas looked back and forth between his mother and father. He could tell that it was a serious topic even though he had no idea what they were talking about. Regardless, he nodded in agreement.
"That is right. Mother is never wrong."
Gavril sighed.
***
Elias woke up in the garden. How weird. He was sure he slept in his room. Why was he in the garden?
The prince sat up and looked around. Everything looked exactly the same but there was something that didn't sit well with Elias. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what so he stood up to look around the garden.
If he was correct, he was just a little far away from his room's garden. Did he sleep walk? With his bad leg?
Just as he was stumbling through the bushes, his leg got caught by the branches.
"Woah!"
Elias gasped in surprise as he fell forward. Fortunately, he was finally out of the bushes. He had to tell Claude that the garden needed some trimming.
"You..."
Elias blinked at the voice. The prince turned to look at a teen. Wait, he recognized this person!
Brown hair? Green eyes? Beauty mark on right earlobe? Another one on the left side of the neck?
"Mean face!"
Elias yelled out as he pointed him.
"Hey! I was born with this face, you little brat!"
The prince pouted.
"I am not a brat! Talking about brat... you were one when we first met! How come you got big!"
The brunette clicked his tongue as he frowned harder.
"Because 10 years have passed since we saw each other one and you are not where you are supposed to be. Just when I thought I wouldn't see you again, you appear..."
Elias tilted his head and looked at the teen's clothes to only blink in surprise.
"You became a knight?"
"Yeah. It was the only way for me to stay by their side in this life."
The other replied without much thought of how strange that would sound. If it was any other person, they just regard him as an uncanny person but Elias was not just any person.
"In this life?"
The teen nodded before realizing something.
"Ah, right. You don't know who I am."
"You don't know who I am either."
Elias retorted but the teen huffed.
"Your highness, Prince Elias de Alger Obelia. Blessings and glory to the future of the Obelian Empire."
The prince gasped in surprise.
"Listen well, your royal runtness! I am Emitri Oleander and I am you in your next life."
Elias stared dumbfounded as Emitri smirked.
"WHAT?!"