THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 40: Ingenious
The Royal Palace.
In the areas outside the private quarters of the Prince, was ablaze with the fire in the heart of the father, the Prince Tarin, who ordered his men to investigate the truth behind this incident, to find out who was behind this. Chaos spread throughout every corner of the palace.
It is important not to believe the words spoken and to wait for the truth, as Rachata’s wide-eyed gaze suggests. In the end, the middle-aged man had to return to his own bedroom with a heavy heart. There was nothing more he could do, more than this.
What happened to Khanin kept Tarin’s eyes wide open. The current leader of the Atsawathewathin family lay motionless with a sense of restraint, unable to think clearly, overwhelmed by anxiety and fear.
The current events have affected Tarin’s past fears that he could not escape… The events from twenty years ago and the image of those memories that he could never forget resurfaced, shaking the middle-aged man’s soul.
At that time, the young boy, Khanin, had just been born. The whole of Emmaly rejoiced and sent gifts from all directions to show their respect to the new member of the royal family. Every minute of Tarin’s life at that time was filled with joy. Until one day, his wife asked to return to visit another town.
Little did Tarin know that it would be the last time we would be together as a family.
Him, Kunita, and Khanin.
“Make sure you don’t go with them.”
Tarin remembers that on that morning, he walked to embrace his beloved wife from behind. Kunita, who had to travel back home with their firstborn son because the maternal side wanted the first grandson to perform the ceremonial gift-receiving ritual according to their tradition.
The schedule coincides with the date of the special meeting with the state of Meenakarin. Tarin, despite his desire, cannot accompany her to the Neenakarin palace. He can only wait to send his wife and child like this.
“Are you sure? You too. Why would you follow me everywhere, not working or anything? Now you’re the ruler. Don’t act like a child.”
I don’t know why. Even though he has been criticized about this a million times, Tarin can still smile. He enjoys it when his wife scolds him for being too attached to her and their child, but that’s because he loves them both so much.
I have no idea how I would live without these two.
“I don’t want to be away from you and our child… Just working for two or three hours a day without seeing your face and our child makes me anxious.
You’ll be back home in three days… How will I sleep?”
“You’re really something, Tarin. I wonder if you would complain to your son.” His wife complains insincerely, with a little laughter, and then takes his hand and leads him to the small children’s room next to their bedroom.
His wife stoops down and picks up their chubby child, and Khanin looks at his father with wide eyes. When he sees his father’s face covered, he bursts into laughter, making a cute and mischievous expression.
“Khanin, look at your father. This stubborn guy refuses to go to work… He wants to come with us, right? Show him your pouty face.” Kita speaks with a playful expression and a smile, and she leans forward to kiss their little son’s big forehead. That’s all it takes for Khanin to raise his face.
“Uh… Uh.”
“What’s wrong, Khanin? Did you read your father’s face… Don’t be mad at your father. I just don’t want to be away from you and your mother. Wait for another day or two. Ask your mother instead.” Tarin turns to his wife, who takes Khanin and holds him close, comforting him.
“No, dear. I’ll be back soon. And besides, it’s not good to keep the adults waiting. You also have an urgent meeting with Waseen. Please do your duties well and don’t forget to help Waseen speak up.”
“….”
“You’re such a compassionate person, Waseen Meenakarin has almost nothing left after the previous high-speed rail bidding. If you don’t help, good people like you, Waseen, will be in short supply.”
“I’ll talk to His Majesty myself… You don’t have to worry.” Tarin understands his wife’s concerns. She is a good person, and he values her greatly. He sympathizes with the people of Meenakarin, who hold her in high regard and rely on her words.
Waseen came to request a meeting with him because it is a very urgent and important matter. Even though his father may have reservations about helping Meenakarin, he still went ahead with it.
“If Waseen hadn’t joined little Rachata’s group, the matter wouldn’t have been resolved like this.”
“It’s better for us to stop talking about others, Kunita…” Tarin gently touched his wife’s cheek with love, assuring her that she doesn’t need to worry in front of their child.
He wants their child to see nothing but the smiles of their parents and doesn’t want Khanin to encounter only the pressures he has faced throughout his life.
The pressure that comes from being a father…
Throughout his life, Tarin has never had the opportunity to choose his own path. Until the day he decided to let Kunita enter his life. Even though his father initially disagreed and tried to find someone else to replace her, when his beloved wife became pregnant with a baby boy, the father finally relented.
“Alright. If we don’t talk, we don’t talk. Ah… it’s almost time, will you take me to the car?”
“Of course, let’s go then.” Tarin hugged his wife, who was holding their child in her arms, and walked her to the waiting procession of cars. He waved goodbye to both the woman he loved and their son, watching as they drove away, without realizing that it would be the last time they would smile at each other.
Kunita and Khanin left in that moment.
Tarin never had the chance to truly enjoy time with both of them…
When he heard the news of the assassination plot, Tarin rushed out of the meeting room without knowing which direction to go. He no longer cared about helping Waseen. Even though he held his wife’s words in his mouth, his mind was not present, only praying to anyone for the news he knew was not true.
But in the end, righteousness did not stand by his side. When Tarin arrived, he was faced with something that shattered his heart.
He found the lifeless body of Kunita, covered in a pool of blood. She had been shot, her vital organs fatally injured, not long before he arrived. At that time, another group of guards, led by Tanattai and the Phitakthewa family, were able to successfully smuggle away the Young Prince.
Tarin immediately followed this lead, ordering all parties to search. After about two hours, the local police called to report that they found a car explosion in the middle of the rain-soaked road, outside the city on a newly constructed highway.
The voice on the phone reported that the car was still engulfed in flames, and the body of Chita, the current leader of the Phitakthewa family, was found outside the car. She seemed to have escaped from the vehicle. Inside, there was the body of a large man, and another infant was burned beyond recognition.
Hearing this, Tarin almost went mad.
The last glimmer of hope was burned to ashes, and he lost everything within a few hours. His beloved wife, his only son, his wife trusted confidant, who even the leader of the Phitakthewa, who had just vowed to love to protect the Atsathewathin.
The grief and sorrow at that moment were overwhelming, and Tarin’s head felt like it was filled with racing flames. He couldn’t move his body, and he couldn’t hear anyone’s voice. Tears blurred his vision.
The last image Tarin saw was his father walking towards him accompanied by his older brother, Waseen, before consciousness faded away. Although he was unconscious for almost three days, he was fortunate that he woke up in time to bid farewell to his wife and child on their final day.
Since then, Tarin has never cried again. From that moment on, he has lived to find and punish those responsible for such wicked and treacherous acts. Every day, Tarin’s life is dedicated to seeking justice for the one who shattered his heart into pieces.
But it seems that he is always a step behind those people…
Whenever there is a glimmer of hope for those individuals, they often meet their demise before he can even reach them, sometimes within an hour. The report from his bodyguard stated that if those individuals didn’t swallow poison, they often ended up with their throats slit…
This cycle continues endlessly. Until news of a rebellion gathering near Meenakarin’s harbor reached him.
In that event, Waseen himself managed to capture the rebel group with his bare hands, while the individuals in that group were old guards, members of every clan. It could be speculated that the instigator came from that group, but all the evidence and motivations proved that these individuals were the ones who caused him to lose his family.
When he managed to capture the leader of that group, Waseen had to confront them to the point of almost losing his life. But in the end, he was able to order the execution of those individuals before sending the matter back to Sovereign-King.
What Meenakarin did showed his deep love and respect for his father, and as a result, negotiations for financial assistance to support Meenakarin’s upbringing went smoothly.
The matter that had once caused harm between them seemed to have concluded, as no one mentioned the act of riding the train again, for fear that if it became too easily accessible, it would govern with difficulty.
Tarin resided in a state of vengeance, finding that apprehending the wrongdoer did not bring back happiness. Since the loss of his wife and child, this sorrow had led his heart towards evil, causing him to reject anyone who approached.
It was fortunate that even though the Sovereign-King advised the descendants of the great lineage, he did not enforce the necessity of taking a new wife. Since then, the Sovereign-King himself had not mentioned the matter of lineage tracing.
Life without children and a wife would leave no one to care for him other than himself. Tarin therefore decided to be the best son he could be, closing himself off from all sides, to continue to grieve for his loved ones.
He lived in solitude, unaware that his only son still existed, and that they would meet again in twenty years’ time.
Khanin was not dead… Furthermore, his son returned with intellect and a physique akin to a treasure.
The more they met and conversed, the more they longed for the one who had departed. Khanin resembled Kunita in every gesture, from her freshness, charm, audacity, and loveliness.
All of this made Tarin feel both joy and sorrow simultaneously. He was glad that his son had grown up so well, yet at the same time, he mourned the missed opportunity to witness his son’s growth into adulthood.
Therefore, Tarin attempted to compensate by not excessively pressuring
Khanin. In the matter of competition, he himself did not entirely agree or care.
If his son did not wish to compete, how could he, as a father, interfere? However, even though he desired to express himself in such a manner, it took him nearly a month to gather the courage to speak with his only son, whom he had not seen in twenty years. Tarin still needed time to rest.
It was only recently that they began to grow closer. Tarin wanted to spend more time with his son, thinking that as long as Khanin was under the wings of Atsawathewathin, the child would be safe.
Once the competition was over, he intended to take his son on a distant journey, to have more time to learn about his son’s true self. Whether they won the competition or not, it didn’t matter, as long as his son returned to be by his side as a normal father and son, without having to care about anyone else.
But it seemed that everything would not be so easy.
Although he had learned that his son had returned under difficult circumstances due to being targeted by someone, Tarin trusted in the promise of the Sovereign-King to protect his heir and prevent any unsettling incidents for him. Therefore, Tarin did not take any action to intervene.
His Majesty did not want to see him disappear from the palace, as he was engrossed in seeking revenge or finding the culprit, just as he had done before. Despite being given such orders, today’s events made him realize the instability.
What happened to Khanin proved that his beloved son was still in danger, and Khanin’s life was not as safe as he had thought.
That child is still a target for some individuals, possibly the same group as twenty years ago when Emmaly came peacefully without any shadow of suspicion from Atsawathewathin. But this time, Khanin revealed himself again, bringing back those stories.
The existence of Khanin may interfere with the interests of some individuals who are hoping to become the next Sovereign-King.
But who are they…
Rachata… is the number one suspect.
He has been suspicious of this young man since the beginning, but without clear evidence, he couldn’t do much. Rachata’s behavior indicates a person who is elusive in power and clearly shows that he does not want anyone to obstruct the path to the throne, even constantly pressuring his niece, Evaa.
Using gender as an excuse, he does everything to prevent equality, intentionally manipulating his only son, Ramil, to elevate himself to the highest position of power.
But this time will be different. Tarin does not intend to remain silent and let his son be harmed again. That’s why there is an order to secretly search for evidence of Rachata’s wrongdoing.
Tarin is confident that Rachata will not stop at this point…
Time has passed, and when he reminisces about various past events, Tarin cannot close his eyes. By the time he realizes it, the sky outside gradually changes to a pale orange color.
The sun emerges from the horizon, during the same period when Tarin decides not to sleep anymore. The middle-aged man rises from his bed and heads to the bathroom to refresh his mind.
Tarin is lost in thought, even as he is about to step out of the bathroom. His gaze catches a flickering shadow in a dim corner of the room.
Even though it happened in an instant, it forced Tarin to quickly open the bedside drawer and grab a defensive tool to hold onto.
Who… who managed to breach the fortress and reach this area?
Atsawathewathin’s lord released the safety of the gun in his hand before silently stepping towards the shadowy corner of the dressing room.
Tarin took advantage of the moment when the intruder was still motionless, aimed the gun at its head, and pressed the trigger to let it know that he was armed and ready to blow its head off with a single pull.
The lump in his chest throbbed, blood surged through his body, and with a firm grip on the gun, he forced the other party to lower its head even further, only then did his hands, which had been hanging by his side, rise above his head.
“Who are you, who sent you?” Tarin didn’t know the intentions of the intruder, only that the other party showed surprisingly easy consent. Luckily, the light switch was nearby, so he released one hand from the gun and flicked it on, banishing the darkness.
“…”
“I asked who you are!”
“I pay my respects, Your Highness.” The voice of the intruder ceased abruptly in less than a second, and he turned back to face Tarin, still holding both hands up in a submissive gesture. It was a familiar face that hadn’t been seen for twenty years, causing Tarin’s eyes to widen.
“Tanattai… Danai.”
“Your Highness, it’s me, Prince Tarin.”
“How did you come back…” Tarin immediately dropped his gun upon hearing the familiar address and receiving the answer of who dared to invade the inner sanctum.
It was Tanattai, a familiar figure who knew the escape routes in this place very well. He moved closer to examine the person in front of him with joy, his large, muscular body of a former close comrade.
Confusion and joy flooded in, creating a heavy and lingering mix of emotions.
“Your Highness, it’s been a long time, my lord. I came back with the Young
Prince, but I couldn’t come in to report.”
“And what else… Did you go to meet my father? He’s been looking for you all along, but still couldn’t find you.” With joy in having his old friend back, Tarin stumbled over his words, unable to form coherent sentences. However, no matter how happy he was, his eyes could see the change in the other person’s expression.
“Did His Majesty speak like that?” Tanattai asked softly. His eyes narrowed, clearly perceiving the dimming of the other person’s face.
“Yes… His Majesty said you couldn’t be found, or perhaps you had already passed away since helping Khanin.” Noticing the expressions on the other person’s face, Tarin continued speaking with a bit more effort.
Now, he couldn’t even see the delighted gestures of his close friend, while the other side still displayed visible discontent.
It seemed as if there were things in their hearts that couldn’t be spoken.
“Is it really like that?” Tarin lowered his gaze, beginning to notice this peculiar change.
“Why do you wear such expressions, or is there something I should know but still don’t?” Tarin’s face dropped, becoming slightly more serious.
Why hasn’t the former royal guard, who was so capable and fierce, reported back to the person in charge after returning to their homeland? Why does he have to wear such a mournful expression, even though the person in charge has declared a search for him, after returning to his birthplace? Why does he have to wear such an expression, even though the person in charge has declared a search for him, after returning to his birthplace?
“Your Highness, I am not sure how much to say.”
“Is it because you have disappeared, or is there something else I should know, but still don’t?” Tarin squinted, beginning to observe this strange phenomenon.
“That’s right… It’s been twenty years. Now, I have become someone else for you, Danai, haven’t I?” Tarin asked, trying to continue the conversation.
“Don’t say it like that. His Majesty, I have never been anyone else… Your Highness, I show your respect only to you, the one and only person.” Tanattai looked surprised, kneeling down and bowing his head to express his utmost respect through that gesture.
“And why didn’t you ever tell me anything before? Why didn’t you ever send news that you and Khanin were still alive… Why did you let me find out from someone else…”
“…”
“At that time, I had given up hope. Because the bodies I cremated with my own hands were my wife, my children, Chita and you, who was my close friend.
Do you Danai know how tormented I was? How I felt like I was nothing… Nothing at all.” Tarin followed his gaze downwards, seeing the other person’s hidden sorrow no different from his own.
Tanattai must have had to swallow a considerable amount of sadness, and yet, why does he still refuse to reveal what is in his heart to him?
“…”
“Can you tell me how this story came about, how you managed to survive, and why you still couldn’t return to the palace?” He has endured through many seasons of heat and cold. When the conversation reached this point, Tarin began to notice the peculiarity in the familiar person’s sentences.
Knowing that Tanattai is an honest person, this person would not say anything that could cause trouble for their boss. But seeing Khanin’s love for this man, Tarin is confident that if it concerns Khanin, Tanattai would reveal everything that is in his heart.
Because Tanattai himself must love Khanin… as much as he does.
“…”
“If you know something but don’t speak up, our child could be in danger, right? Instead of going to find you his father, he came here… to find me.” When Tanattai remained silent, Tarin pushed further. The person of high rank intentionally used the words ‘our child’ to make the other party aware of their relationship.
“The statement is correct, your father…”
Tarin heard a sigh, just as he had expected. When he heard those words, the expression on the face of the former royal guard softened. In the depths of Tanattai’s eyes, there was a mixture of restraint, and finally, he agreed to reveal everything without holding back.
“…”
“Twenty years ago, during the incident of the assassination, the guard unit was divided into two groups. One group took care of the princess who was shot in secret, injured and unconscious, while the other group kept Young Prince Khanin away from the confrontation.”
“…”
“Your Highness, I received an order to take the Young Prince out in a carriage. In that carriage, there were actually four people… Her Highness Lady
Chita, the leader of Phitakthewa… another royal guard… and the Young Prince.”
“…”
“We managed to escape the pursuit for a while, Her Highness received a call from the Sovereign King privately. The Sovereign King instructed me to take the Young Prince and escape in a different direction. Then, the leader Phitakthewa and that guard continued driving ahead.”
“…”
“When I emerged, I hid in the forest by the roadside until someone came to pick me up. That night, I received documents changing my name and evidence of marriage and one child, along with a plane ticket to England. The subsequent order was to disappear and not make contact until further notice.” “So, it means… Father must have known this from the beginning.” Tarin, a strong and well-known figure, heard the truth clearly. Because someone like Tanattai has no way of lying.
“Oh my…”
“Then why didn’t Father tell us? Why did he make us believe that the body we cremated…” It was the last sentence that Tarin swallowed, he began to doubt how much of what he had known all along was true.
“The Sovereign King may have wanted the Young Prince to be safe, so he planned it that way…” Tanattai still didn’t look good, unlike Tarin who was constantly changing his expression, his demeanor was bitter.
“If that’s the case, you should have told me, instead of letting me cremate bodies without knowing whose they are… There was only Chita who I cremated.” A sigh escaped when thinking back to the past.
The reason everyone is confident that Khanin has passed away is because there is the body of the leader of the Phitakthewa family right there as evidence.
“…” The person in front remained silent, probably because they saw that
Tarin was using his thoughts, so the other party didn’t dare to say anything.
The person who shared the blood and flesh of the current Sovereign King pushed aside the negative feelings from his mind before choosing to ask further about the suspicious matter.
“And why did you come to find me this time?”
“Because I couldn’t meet the Sovereign-King.”
“Why?”
“The Sovereign King has ordered me not to reveal myself…”
“What is it…”
“I survived the assassination attempt with the young lord in London, while
Khun Charan took the young lord back to Emmaly, stating that if I revealed myself, the young lord would not be safe. The Sovereign King assigned me the task of managing the warehouse during that time, with a royal order to wait until the young lord finished competing before I would be allowed to enter the palace.”
“What warehouse?” Tarin was surprised by what he heard. Meanwhile, Tanattai looked startled when he heard this question.
“The warehouse… to store belongings, Your Highness.”
“What kind of belongings?” Tarin continued to ask persistently. Seeing that Tanattai was trying to avoid the question, he became even more suspicious and pressed on at the same spot.
“To store jewels… from another city, Your Highness. I only recently found out, but I cannot avoid this responsibility. Being in that position is the only chance I got to meet the young lord.” Tanattai’s face turned grim as he reluctantly revealed another secret of his master, despite being ordered to keep quiet.
“….” Tarin’s eyes widened after everything was revealed, and his current feeling was like an electric current running through his body, causing sweat to break out on his back.
Various emotions surged in his mind, but the clearest thought seemed to be… he truly didn’t know his own father’s identity, not even a little bit.
What he once thought he knew everything about his father, turned out to be that he didn’t know anything at all.
Storing someone else’s jewels in the warehouse like this. Even the king’s own son doesn’t know… this is not a simple deception.
“I understand it that way, I am trying to endure until the day I can report to the king and get to see the young lord again. But just a few days ago, the young lord went to the warehouse with Khun Charan. I had a chance to enter and talk for a few words, and after that, Young Prince Khanin… was injured.” Tanattai’s words trailed off, and silence fell between the two of them.
One person was drowning in a whirlpool of sadness, while another was drowning in countless questions about what he had known in the past. Tarin felt as if he were drowning, unable to breathe in or out, as if he were trying to kill himself indirectly.
“It’s not your fault, Tanattai… not at all.” Tarin knew what his close friend had been thinking. He reached out and squeezed the big man’s shoulder, his face twitching back and forth. Both he and Tanattai were saddened by what had happened to the young boy. Khanin, who had taken care of Ramil, was also concerned. In this situation, what could Tanattai count on?
It felt as if his heart was about to break.
“But the Young Prince was injured. I came here to find out if he was safe.”
“Khanin is safe. Just a hurt arm. It’s good that Ramil came to help, otherwise it would have been worse.”
“It must be the work of those people, the ones who secretly attempted to kill the Young Prince when he was just a newborn, and they’re still lurking around.”
“What does it mean?” New information kept flowing in. Despite the headache, Tarin still wanted to hear everything from the mouth of the former guardian.
“When I met the Young Prince that day. Khun Charan told me that there were still enemies, and said that the person who looked like an old guardian was the one who tried to kill himself by biting a poisonous pill.”
“How is that possible…” Tarin pondered, drifting away for a moment before regaining consciousness. His eyes focused on his worried close friend.
“…”
“I probably don’t know… After I left, there was a rebellion. Waseen was the one who defeated us, uprooting the old rebels. Anyone who participated in the event and was on the other side was killed. As for those who didn’t participate, they had to register to have that thing removed from their bodies.
No one could use that method to kill themselves anymore.”
“Is it possible that some of those groups have managed to escape the king’s gaze?” Tanattai grew tense, the pressure building up invisibly, the newly discovered truth causing even more concern for Khanin.
“It’s not possible. Because we investigated everything ourselves, we can’t let those people go. Because they harmed our child.” Tarin was confident that twenty years ago, he had uprooted and eliminated those people completely.
“And if someone helps those boys. If the person who harmed the Young Prince is not completely eliminated, if that’s the case, His Majesty will be most suspicious of who is really an insider.”
When the question was thrown, it was certain that Tarin had the answer in mind, the image of someone begging the Sovereign-King to believe that he did not harm the person who was of noble birth, Khanin, emerged in his mind.
“I wonder about Rachata, I wonder about Puchongpisut.”
“Yes, Your Highness…” Tanattai responded, before bowing down in front of his master, “If that’s the case, may Your Highness grant permission for me to seek the truth about this matter, sir. With just an order, I will uncover the truth and ensure that person receives the appropriate punishment.”
“Granted… I permit it.” Tarin issued the order without needing to reconsider. Then he retreated from that spot, before turning off the light as a signal for the other side to carry out the operation as quietly as possible.
Tanattai disappeared from that spot as soon as he received the order, and followed behind, the owner of the room walked over and sat down on his favorite chair, exhausted from the events of the day beyond what he could handle…
The information he had learned… everything fit together like pieces of a puzzle, making it impossible for him to trust anyone. Tarin understood that. If he were to protect the valuable thing of Kunita still remaining, he would have to move without letting the person who was his father find out.
In the past, even though he seemed indifferent, it didn’t mean he couldn’t see. He knew well that the person who was his father wanted to maintain his power in his hands and did not want to share, but he had just realized clearly why Tanattai had to be separated from Khanin like that.
It must be because he wanted to control Khanin, and it was related to the property in the warehouse that Tanattai had mentioned…
The reason for imposing numerous regulations that prevented each citystate from trading freely was because there were many hidden secrets behind it.
Tarin never thought that his father would be someone with such a calm and calculating mind if everything was true as he had imagined. The reason Sovereign-King concealed the identity of his son for more than twenty years.
In addition to not allowing Khanin to know that Tanattai was still alive nearby, it was probably because he wanted to keep the position of SovereignKing for the Atsawathewathin.
It’s not because he wants our family to be together… as he used to say.
It seems that His Majesty did not think of anyone else. Apart from himself, only the young lord, who is the sole heir of the Sovereign King, comes to mind.
…
This morning at the Royal Palace seems busier than usual. Unexpected events involving the young lord, the only male heir of the Sovereign King, have escalated more than ever before.
The circumstances have led to the mandatory physical examination of the serving ladies and the butlers before entering or leaving, with increased scrutiny.
Regardless of who it is, to pass through the main gate of the palace, it is necessary to report and record, without exception, even for Chakri himself, who is the trusted butler of Young Prince Khanin.
The portly man had to spend a long time in line for the physical examination, almost missing Young Prince’s breakfast time.
“Apologies for being late, Your Highness… Oops” As soon as the grand doors opened, Chakri paused. The image in front of him was not what he had imagined, not even close.
The young butler thought that even if he was late, the Young Prince would still be sleeping as usual, and there was no way the sick person would get up early for training like before, but everything turned out differently than expected.
Young Prince Khanin’s private room is now filled with team members, including Prince Kalavin-Li, who is standing beside Khun Charan.
“I really want some water. Can I have some orange juice, Mister Butler?”
Chakri pushed the food cart closer to the person who requested orange juice. The young butler poured the liquid into a floating glass, realizing a bit too late that he didn’t have a tray. He had to use his less dexterous hand to hand the glass of orange juice back to the butler.
“How did we end up like this?” Chakri received the crystal glass from the master and placed it on the table with familiarity. He swept his gaze over the people sitting on the sofa, wondering why they all came together so comfortably and at what time. How did they manage to gather here in the Royal Palace, still looking prestigious?
“I rode a motorcycle with Vetis, Mira took a taxi to the front of the palace, and the golf cart went to pick up Prince Kalavin along with Jae. As for Charan, he just walked out of the carriage room because he slept here. Khun Chakri, you should know this stuff.” Itti spoke in a sarcastic tone.
Oh, well. Like this, huh? No, Your Highness, what do you mean by being here? And why did you come so early? I can’t see any reason for you to be here, Your Highness.” At the end of the sentence, Chakri turned to Young Prince with a hint of disappointment, while Young Prince simply chuckled.
Then, he shrugged his shoulders.
“There’s a secret meeting. I called them myself. Last night, I told them to come early so they wouldn’t have to wait in line for a long physical examination… If I had told you earlier, it wouldn’t have been a secret.”
“Oh… Everyone is here, aren’t they? Then, Your Highness, you should excuse yourself first and go prepare drinks for everyone.” Chakri counted on his fingers, thinking whether it would be good to bring some snacks, but as usual, these people didn’t touch any food during meetings or rehearsals.
“Add one more person, Chakri… We might have some additional guests.”
“Guests? Who, Your Highness?”
But before he could even think about the new arrivals, a loud banging sound echoed, as if the person in front of the room wanted to announce to the world that they were on the verge of breaking something with their clenched fists.
Bang, bang, bang!
“Come out and talk now! Khanin! I told you to come out and talk!”
The sound of screaming reverberated through three floors and eight levels, making the hearts of those who heard it tremble. However, the young butler with a pale, worried face was different from the room’s owner, who turned to pick up a glass of orange drink with a relaxed expression.
“…”
Bang, bang, bang!
“Come out and talk now! No matter what, I won’t back down from the competition! Khanin, come out!”
Um… We shouldn’t open the door for Young Prince Ramil or risk letting him scream like that. The sound might disturb the Sovereign King’s tranquility, Your Highness.” Just hearing the sound was enough to remember it. Chakri asked his boss with a worried face.
Knowing that the Sovereign King was sitting at the top of the working room, he felt anxious, but it seemed that Young Prince Ramil wouldn’t be bothered much.
His boss simply turned to Charan sitting next to him, without uttering a word, and the tall figure immediately stood up from the sofa.
Chakri looked at the back of Charan walking away, without saying anything, the tall figure unlocked the door and opened it slowly. Behind the door, there was someone he recognized, standing there with an angry expression.
“What’s going on here? Why are you all gathered like this? And why is everyone so angry?”
“Tell that Khanin to come out and talk to me.” Young Prince Ramil spoke with a strong voice. Although it wasn’t a shout like before, the voice was loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.
“Young Prince Khanin still needs to rest. Today, it’s not convenient to receive guests. Please may I ask Young Prince Ramil to come back later, Your-
Highness.”
Chakri frowned, touched by Charan’s quick thinking in telling the Young Prince of the Puchongpisut family to leave before today.
The worried butler was concerned that the storm of the Young Prince of the Puchongpisut family’s anger would come and destroy everything. On one hand, he didn’t know how to handle it, and on the other hand, he didn’t want Young Prince Ramil to worry. He felt relieved when he saw Charan trying his best to manage everything and make it go smoothly.
“Are you daring to challenge my orders?”
“Your-Highness, please don’t.”
If you won’t step back, then don’t block my way.”
Bang!
The plump butler’s face turned pale, as if the divine power wouldn’t side with Chakri at all. Even Charan himself couldn’t persuade Young Prince Ramil, the young prince of the Puchongpisut family, to leave. He closed the door with a loud bang, causing the building to tremble. Then, he hugged his chest tightly, while Charan finished locking the door with a click.
What is this, Khun Charan? You should keep Young Prince Ramil out of Young Prince Khanin’s room, instead of letting him come in so easily. And close the door, make it tight and flat!
“Oh, ho! Playing big, the fire is really blazing.” Young Prince Khanin himself seemed unfazed, as if he didn’t feel hot or cold. The owner of the house, with his fair complexion, didn’t show any signs of surprise.
Suddenly, he rose from the sofa and used the uninjured hand to strike the back of the hand with the bandaged arm. His charming face, full of enchanting smiles, seemed relieved to see Young Prince Ramil stepping on the honor like this.
“You can do even better than this, try it.”
“Can I do it again? Sure, why not… Let Jae, who plays the hero on stage, see how real I can get.”
Chakri turned his head back and forth, following Young Prince Khanin’s hand, until he became completely confused.
They first looked at Young Prince Ramil’s face, who responded to Young Prince Khanin’s compliment. After a while, they turned to Jae because they heard Young Prince Khanin say something strange.
Jae himself then stood up instead of being surprised and showed respect to the rival Young Prince family.
“Well, can I join in on this?”
What will Young Prince Ramil do, Your Highness?” Chakri turned to Young Prince Ramil, who moved closer to the vase. He was afraid that the Young Prince of the Puchongpisut’s family would actually do as he said.
“Is this vase an antique, Chakri? Is it very expensive?” Young Prince Khanin didn’t sympathize with his butler’s concern. He hugged his chest and asked calmly, as if to say that if this troublesome person, who is like a sibling, were to stand up and distribute, it wouldn’t be a problem if it wasn’t an antique.
“No, Your Highness, it’s just a simple display item, not an antique. It doesn’t cost more than a hundred thousand, Your Highness.” Chakri had to answer helplessly, as he was being pressured.
The young butler took a deep breath, and the people sitting on the sofa. Even Charan, who walked beside Young Prince Khanin, didn’t even try to stop them.
“Haha. In my room, I have stacks of vases worth tens of millions, even hundreds of millions… But in this room, there are only a few, and each one is not worth even a hundred thousand.”
“Say whatever you want, I don’t care about antiques anymore, but if you want to throw something, pay the money up for its worth or I’ll have someone go collect the money later.” Young Prince Khanin responded as if he didn’t care, raising his small shoulder, which was wrapped in a cloth, as if granting permission for the other party to do as they pleased.
“Then I can throw it away.”
“Just throw, what are you waiting for? You are already rich, what is there to be afraid of?”
“Then let’s do it.” Flung-Flung-Flung!
Wow!
And-you-will-throw-vases-why?
Why can’t people just try talking nicely to each other!!!!!!
The chubby man almost fell to his knees, almost crying as he thought about how each vase was worth less than a hundred thousand and shattered into pieces on the floor. He almost shed tears, but it seemed that both young royals didn’t care at all. As he reached down to sweep away the small pieces of the vases, both Young Princes from royal families started cheering at each other once again.
“Ramil, what are you looking for, crazy person! Ha, are you going crazy again!”
“I’m crazier than this, you can keep watching!”
However, the shouting match did not involve any violent acts, both of them just stood still, hugging their chests, shouting at each other as if they were competing to see who could shout louder, and…
Flung-Flung-Flung!
The vase that was close to Young Prince Ramil was swept off the floor, shattered and scattered, the loud sound echoed throughout, hot to the point where it reached the small hallway in front of the room, so hot that it had to be asked with a burning voice.
“Khun Charan! Khun Charan, how are you doing inside?”
“It’s okay. I can handle it. Young Prince Ramil has calmed down.”
It’s okay, what’s wrong with being crazy! Chakri raised his hand and dropped his head. His eyes under the glasses widened, his whole body trembling with surprise at the events that had occurred.
I wanted to run and open the door to find someone to help, but I was stopped by the close ally of the Phitakthewa family leader. When I turned around, everyone, except for Young Prince, could see the sympathy in their eyes.
“This should be enough, look, butler, his face is as pale as a boiled chicken.” “Oh. That’s enough. It’s hard for someone to come in and sweep up the pity… I’m sorry for scaring you, Chakri.”
The Young Prince turned to speak softly. Then he walked over and hugged Chakri’s shoulders even tighter, making Chakri more confused than before.
“If you can think like this, then you don’t need to plan for me to come in and draw at first.” The person who had just swept the dishes turned to complain to someone of the same rank.
The storm in Young Prince Khanin’s private room seemed to calm down easily. Chakri didn’t know whether to thank Young Prince Ramil or not. When he was the one who spoke rudely instead of being the owner of this room like Young Prince Khanin.
He still doesn’t understand…
The demeanor of Young Prince Ramil appeared genuinely calm, as if a surreal story had just unfolded, never before experienced. The tall figure walked gracefully, stepping over scattered tiles on the floor, and settled down, crossing legs, on the vacant sofa next to PrinceKalavin, as if being an invited guest to this realm. Every action left the atmosphere bewildered, almost rendering speechless.
“If not done this way, people would surely wonder why I came to this room when mine is already full.”
“Time is running short, let’s talk quickly, so I can hurry back. Otherwise, suspicions will arise.”
“Alright, then please proceed.” Young Prince Khanin stood up, along with the team members, everyone’s expressions as if the whole debacle was nothing out of the ordinary. Just then, Young Prince Ramil, who was an adversary, suddenly appeared and disrupted, causing chaos and destruction to the carefully prepared feast.
Khanin made a gesture to walk towards the private meeting room, but the young butler decided to seize the moment and rushed in to inquire, relieving the doubts.
“What is going on, Young Prince Khanin? I seem completely puzzled.”
“Oh… I didn’t mention earlier that we would have another guest.”
Chakri was dumbfounded, but the Young Prince responded with a nonchalant tone.
With a flicker in his eyes, he glanced once, then swiftly shifted his gaze to the others in the room, the aura following behind Charan, calm yet fiery, making the young butler have to keep up with his eyes.
“…”
“Well, there you have it… Ramil, our additional guest.”
What… is this!!
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