For a moment, both siblings just stared at each other’s blue eyes until with a sharp exhale, Sebastian waved a hand dismissively and said, "Come on, Caspian. Stop being all stiff and ceremonial. This table is big enough for my boots and your ego."

Caspian gritted his teeth for some seconds before finally exhaling wearily. He pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered, "I really don’t have the strength to deal with your insolence today."

He took a few steps and sat down directly across from his junior brother. Barely a few seconds later, two maids walked in. One was rolling the food in on a silver trolley, and when she reached the table, the other began serving the steaming plates of venison and roasted root vegetables.

They bowed and left afterwards.

Caspian rolled his sleeves back and as he began cutting the food with his fork, he asked, "Where is Father?"

Sebastian lowered his book slightly and peered at his brother, then as he looked back at his book, he replied, "He’s in his inner sanctuary. I heard he took a few nobles with him, including the newly appointed Marquess Anele and his wife. If you ask me, I’d say they are probably having a meeting with regard to the Evrarel Empire."

The news of what the Cadets from the Evrarel Empire did to the Cadets of the Lumierian Empire in the first ring had already spread through the court, so a meeting like this was bound to happen.

Sebastian dropped his hand and the book, then leaned his back, staring at the ceiling. "Ah... I can smell war brewing."

He closed his eyes, and for some reason, the thought of war seemed to excite him, so much so that he couldn’t help but grin slyly.

Meanwhile, Caspian had halted his movements mid-cut. "I should be a part of that meeting. I am the Crown Prince, goddamnit."

His grip on the fork and knife tightened. All of a sudden, a gust of chill wind blew across the dining hall, causing the flames of the candles to flicker and dance.

After a few seconds, Caspian took a breath and calmed himself. Then he sliced a piece of the steak and ate.

After swallowing, he asked, "Little sister left a month ago for a vacation in Father’s sanctuary. Isn’t she back yet?"

Sebastian, who had begun reading again, replied after a few seconds without looking at him, "She is. I saw her this morning."

When he heard that, Caspian looked up, then sighed exasperatedly. "I told that girl to let me know the moment she gets back."

"You were in your sanctuary then, that’s probably why you missed her."

"Tsk. She should have called any of my Epithets. I’d have heard her and come out earlier," Caspian muttered under his breath before shoving another piece of steak into his mouth.

"Where is she now?"

Sebastian touched his tongue, then flipped to the next page of his book. "Said something about going to see the son of that duke she likes to pester. You know that fellow whose face I hate. That one."

He took the last bite of his apple. Then he stared at the core for a few seconds, before smiling and shoving the entire thing into his mouth. He cocked his head back and without chewing, swallowed it whole.

When he tilted his head forward, he could see that Caspian was lost in thought. Probably because the mention of the duke’s son had reminded him of a certain woman.

So, he prodded, "Still looking for that lady?"

Caspian raised his head from his plate of food. After a few seconds, he answered, "Of course I’m still looking for her. Everyone is. I hear even Father is looking for her. I’m not going to stop until we find her because everything about her is strange. In fact, strange is an understatement."

Sebastian arched a brow as he listened quietly.

Caspian wiped his mouth with a silk napkin. "You remember that several months ago after we found out that Marquess Anele had a son who was bondless, Father had instructed him to deal with his son so that the boy wouldn’t affect his ascension to being a Marquess."

Sebastian chuckled. "Heh, heh. I remember Anele Martini literally sold the boy to the Old Arena. The cruelty of it was funny to me because he could have just killed the boy himself. Or he could have asked one of his many servants to kill him if he didn’t want to do it himself. Just how much hatred did he have for the boy to decide to deal with him by throwing him to the pits?"

"Besides the point." Caspian sighed. "You know, after I learned that the boy had not only survived but manifested a bond, I grew curious. And I found so many things that do not make sense."

"Like what?" Sebastian was genuinely curious now.

Caspian raised a hand. "For one, I found out that it was Father who advised that Anele get rid of his son by selling him to the arena."

"What?"

For the first time all evening, Sebastian leaned up a bit.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

But rather than answer, Caspian raised a second finger. "Secondly, I found out that a maid who was close to the boy had given him a poison pill. The lady claimed that she didn’t like the way the boy was treated. So just before he was sold, she gave him a pill and told him to choose between taking it and dying normally or dying in the arena. Well, it seemed the boy did not swallow the pill because from what I hear, he was killed in the arena."

Sebastian had completely lowered his book while Caspian looked lost in contemplation as he spoke. He looked as if he was trying to connect pieces but failing.

"That’s where the strangeness begins. Because a few days later, he was back in the academy. And even stranger, he went back with a bond."