However, that wasn’t the issue with this particular kid.
In fact, Xavier couldn’t care less about those who wanted to go after his position, because only a crazed martyr would truly want to rule the Empire when it was far better to remain a regular noble who could spend all his ti with his wife.
But that was not the main issue with Aziel.
What mattered was how so idiot, who clearly didn’t know what they were saying, told the young boy that he was very much like the Imperial Crown Prince Aeric.
Worse, when his mother, the Empress, had been asked to confirm it, all she did was offer a smile to the wide-eyed child.
Because what did they really expect from that?
Both denial and acceptance would’ve revealed sothing, so of course, she said nothing. But because that smile was taken as a positive sign, the boy spent all his energy trying to beco the Aeric he imagined himself to be.
He pushed everything to the limit, even going so far as to say that in the anti, since his older cousin wasn’t there, he would serve as a figure in his place because they were similar anyway.
The adults had probably found it amusing at first, sothing harmless a child would eventually grow out of, so they let him be.
But how could it be a phase when the kid had made it his entire personality?
"..."
"..."
And just where on Solaris was Xavier in this kid?
Maybe the height.
Like most in their lineage, they grew like reeds, which was how so many people had mistaken that punk for soone much older than he actually was.
However, even though Aziel’s current pose made Xavier’s skin crawl, the kid still had enough brains to get him investigated.
Probably the youngest person to ever conduct a background check on Xavier Montclair, Aziel did it simply because Xavier, back when he was a teen, allegedly didn’t give him enough respect during a one-off greeting.
He likely didn’t even know what he was looking for and only wanted sothing he could leverage, but he still managed to be a pain in Kyle’s ass until he eventually got bored.
Then Nina was born, and she ended up having to deal with this kid who insisted on being her brother for the anti.
As expected, the little Princess didn’t particularly like that, especially when she was younger and couldn’t really hold herself back.
So in one of their fights, Nina blurted out that it was impossible to see Aziel as her older brother because they weren’t really alike.
Aside from the fact that Nina felt extrely dejected afterward when she realized what she had said in frustration, Xavier didn’t particularly chastise anyone.
It wasn’t a big thing.
But it sparked sothing strange in that kid, and for the next few years, Aziel annoyed the hell out of everyone because he realized there were people who knew Prince Aeric’s identity.
And if he followed them around, he might eventually figure it out.
That was when people finally realized that what he was doing could actually be dangerous, so he was sent away to study elsewhere in the hopes of easing that obsession.
But who would have thought that he would co back and go straight for Xavier’s only bottom line?
He could’ve gone around and done anything else he wanted, but of all things...
Asking for his wife’s first dance, really?
Well, he’d better line up for the next century.
__
It was a very sweet thought, one that would’ve had Luca squirming while red in the face if he learned how his husband wouldn’t allow anyone—save for maybe the Duke—to get that first official dance.
But for reasons they really should’ve checked beforehand, the people who hadn’t attended the Annual Expo Closing Banquet in years had truly forgotten the nature of this gathering.
And of all people, the one to remind everyone of what they had overlooked was an heir who moved with the cadence of a silent predator.
But the way he stopped was as if he had rely been passing by and happened to hear the conversation, even though anyone paying attention would realize he had been observing from the very beginning.
Cassian Veyra, heir to a Federation that had no business being inherited, ca to a halt with just enough force for his cape to shift behind him, the motion alone enough to make several onlookers squeal internally.
For a brief mont, no one spoke.
It felt like a stand-off in the middle of the hall.
And Cassian?
He simply looked at everyone with quiet amusent.
Then, without bothering with introductions, he said, "Apologies for interjecting, but as a foreigner, I was wondering if the Expo Committee had changed the program that they originally sent to us?"
"Huh?"
The reaction was almost collective.
A good number of people present couldn’t quite understand what the head of the Federation delegation was referring to.
Cassian, as though expecting exactly that, gave a small gesture.
Rhys stepped forward imdiately and produced a projection of their invitation, his voice calm as he began to read.
"You are cordially invited to the Annual Expo Closing Banquet at the Imperial Palace of Solaris. The evening will feature a formal reception, Astral Cup announcents, and the annual fundraising segnt—"
He ended up stopping there when the noise beca too loud.
Then again, that was more than enough.
Because the mont the words "fundraising segnt" were spoken, several expressions shifted all at once.
"!"
"!!!"
The usual event that most people had completely forgotten in their excitent for this year’s gathering.
The Federation heir tilted his head slightly, as though considering sothing obvious.
"Well, from what I gathered, joining is optional," he said lightly, "but won’t dances of figures chosen by the voters be up for auction for charity?"
He didn’t say anything more.
He didn’t need to.
Instead, he gave a aningful look to one white-haired wolf, and that look slowly turned into an upturned smile just as the little chipmunk, right beside Xavier, gasped in shock.
Ah.
Fuck.
They really should just get rid of the Federation entirely.
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