CASSANDRA: The Unfavored Princess-Chapter 52: Eliminate the Possibility

Dukes Salvador was looking at Cassandra, trying to observe how she was behaving.

He could sense that the fifth princess did look at Lord Bentham but her gaze did not stay on him.

’She’s not affected by Lord Bentham.’ Aiden Salvador concluded. He looked closely at the fifth princess as his eyeballs moved, according to the princess’s moment. It was as if Duke Salvador was stalking the fifth Princess.

Once their eyes met, Aiden’s gaze was burning. He looks straight into Cassandra’s eyes as if trying to reach her soul. But soon the fifth princess looked away from him. She did not hold his gaze making Aiden a little irritable.

"Why is the Duke here?" One of the noblemen said as he moved towards the Duke who was standing in the dark.

"Yes, shouldn’t the Duke be seated in front?" The other one came in.

The voices did not stop as more and more people came in as they were trying to have some conversation with the Duke but to their dismay, Duke Salvador ignored them all.

"I will be going now," Aiden said as he took a step forward leaving the people baffled.

Aiden had no emotions on his face as if the people around were talking to someone else. There was a mocking smile spread on his face.

Duke Salvador walked slowly towards his seat in the front. All the Dukes usually sit in front because of the authorities. Sometimes their next heir is also invited for the session and today’s discussion was a big concern.

The Emperor came in as everyone bowed their heads in respect. There was a smile on the Emperor’s face as he indicated to them to have a seat.

The lively atmosphere soon becomes stagnant as the air cools down instantly. The Emperor’s eyes gazed around the room looking at everyone present. It was as if the Emperor wanted to establish his authority at the given moment.

"I am happy to see that everyone is present here." the Emperor said in a firm tone. His expression was straight as he glared across the room. "The meeting will consist of the main topics that the secretary will soon tell you about. I hope that everyone present will give their honest opinions."

Everyone that was present was silent at the Emperor’s words. Even if the Emperor did not ask them to do anything, they were bound to obey the man.

Soon the secretary of the Emperor stood in front of the nobles giving them the agenda of today’s meeting. "Today we are gathered here as we have been informed that the peace treaty between the Vivere Kingdom and Elvira Empire over the land despairs will be taking place soon. As we were victorious in the previous war, the meeting is to be held here. But the conditions are different now ..."

The secretary looked at the Emperor, who nodded his head giving him the signal to continue.

"We have been informed that, unlike the previous years, the person attending the peace treaty would not be anyone else but the Crown Prince of the Vivera Kingdom along with his sister."

The secretary swallowed as he continued. "But we are suspecting that it might not be the case. The security around the Crown Prince will be much higher so the Empire would be on an alert. Till the time the people from the Vivera Kingdom are here, every noble is advised to act according to their status and their work assigned. The army around the royal family will be increased significantly as well, thus we are advising the four pillars of our empire ..."

The secretary looked at the four Duke’s, who sat in front of him with a nervous gaze. "To give some of their well-trained soldiers for the royal family’s protection."

As soon as the words were spread out there was a pin drop silence in the room. No one dared to speak.

The royal guards were strong but the individual Duke’s army consisted of the carefully selected individuals. The Duke had always retained the right to own their military since the foundation on the oath of being loyal to the true king. Even the Emperor could not force the Duke’s to give their army up.

[Do we really have to send our people to the palace?]

[Will the Royals treat them fairly?]

[This is not the time to think in such a way.]

[The enemy Kingdom’s Crown Prince will be entering the Empire soon.]

[What if there is a secret attack?]

Cassandra could hear different thoughts falling into her mind as her fingers fiddled. She swallowed as her gaze turned down before she closed her eyes.

Cassandra was afraid that the situation would turn ugly soon.

Soon a trembling voice said. "I think the demands are valid, thus we will provide the royal family with suitable aid." Duke Crawford said. He was an old man who was a powerful wind mage. Being the old and the wise held a lot of power.

Soon, Duke Garfield, the earth mage agreed over as well. "Yes, We should do this. After all, the possibility is unavoidable."

Duke Bentham nodded and thus the three Duke’s were on board. Everyone’s gaze looked at Duke Salvador who was distracted.

"Won’t you give your opinion?" Duke Garfield said with a smile on his face. He was a few years older than Aiden and was a mentor and friend. Being in a position that he was Duke Garfield had a right to question Duke Salvador in a playful tone.

Aiden came back to his senses as he looked at Duke Garfield with a mocking smile. "I’m not distracted. I was just thinking logically for a second."

"Logically?" Duke Bentham asked as he raised his eyebrows. Duke Crawford moved forward to listen as well.

Duke Salvador smiled, when he got the attention of everyone in the room. His gaze turned towards the princess’s sitting before he looked at the Emperor, questioning him directly. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"As per my observation, we should not put so many people in the palace. We might look like a coward in the eyes of the Vivera Kingdom. Are we someone who is afraid of the entry of a Crown Prince with a few guards? We have defeated them and now we will be showing that we are yet afraid of them. Won’t it give them an impression that they can defeat us again if they have a chance? Was our victory because of some good luck?"

The Emperor was silent as he listened carefully. What the Duke was saying was true. There was a possibility that the Vivera Kingdom was sending the Crown Prince here to understand their mentality and future attack possibilities.

"Then what is Duke Salvador thinking?"

Aiden raised the corner of his lips as he looked at the Emperor. "We do not increase the guards but as Duke, we will send a few best people to the palace who would disguise themself and protect the royal family."

The Emperor nodded. He was angry when Duke Salvador ignored his strategy but seeing the man not completely ignoring him, the Emperor was happy.

"We also need to think about something else." Duke Salvador said in a small tone. He looked at the Princess again before turning his gaze to the Emperor.

"And that is?" The secretary questioned. He was annoyed when Duke Salvador ignored his position and started giving advice to the Emperor. But The Dukes had a strong presence. No one was a competition to them.

Only the Emperor himself who welded the four elements could defeat the Dukes. The Secretary was not a match for Aiden or the others.

"They are sending their Princess here as well. The Crown Prince is coming here with his sister."

"Yes, so?" The secretary asked as his gaze shook.

"Isn’t it a little odd?" Duke Salvador looked around in the room before his eyes swept through the other Dukes returning to the secretary.

"Why would the Crown Prince bring his sister for a peace treaty to an Empire with whom they had been at odds with since the very beginning? For a trip?"

Duke Salvador’s question raised many eyebrows. The Emperor himself was in deep thoughts.

[Yes, Why are they sending their Princess?]

[She is the only Princess of Vivera Kingdom.]

[They won’t attack when she is here, will they?]

[I am thinking too much into it?]

The Emperor shook his thoughts away as he asked. "Why?"

Aiden looked at the Emperor with slightly raised lips. "We all know that the Crown Prince loves his sister the most, but we cannot eliminate the possibility that the Princess is powerful."

There was a slight murmur in the hall but soon Duke Salvador’s next words brought silence. "We do not know what power the Vivera Kingdom’s people own completely. Although we know that they have space as an element, we do not know how it works."

Duke Salvador looked at Duke Bentham and the others. "We have all fought with them over the years but can we say that we understand their powers completely?"

At Aiden’s question, everyone sat back and thought, and soon there was a uniform answer. "No."