Chapter Text
Moving away from the lonely chateau, we start to move our gaze to the tall, towering castle in the middle of the kingdom where the frustrations of a certain duke can be heard.
"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!" Choi Kyungshik through the book he was fiddling with through the glass window. The knight held two fingers to her temple in response.
"Yes, sir, he's done it again," She looked up at him, her long swaying black hair reaching over her uniform. Kim Olim looked back at the duke with equal frustration.
"You know what? I have had it up till here. Dawon needs to settle down. Not for his sake, but for the kingdom's sake," He discussed his plans with her, the royal emblem of the Red Lotus sparkling in the sunlight from the aforementioned broken window.
"He's fooled around with another woman? One of the servants?"
The knight just nodded in response.
"Haa..." They both sighed. Their dear friend and trusted prince was to be coronated soon and was to first look for a partner to rule with him. Unfortunately, even if he worked him and others to the bone, he still hadn't settled on marriage.
The people would never fully trust him and the parliament would be even worse...
"I'm not getting any younger you know, I want to be able to retire in peace...but that damn bastard Seo Dawon!"
"I understand Kyungsh-"
"No," Kyungshik shoved Olim away before continuing with his melancholy.
"You don't know what it's like having no sleep trying to cover that guy's scandals, his paperwork and his unpredictability," Kyungshik's voice echoed through the large room as he scowled at one of the large portraits where the prince stood in a dignified manner, black hair swept back and his clothes perfectly embroidered.
"Look at him in that portrait, all smug, while the years of my life are drifting away..."
"You're 21 Kyungshik-"
"And yet I feel 30" Kyungshik muttered before slamming his head against the desk.
Across the room was a young blue haired man who was laying down on the sofa, feet up, munching on cookies till this point, suddenly got up.
"Now, now Kyungshik, maybe if we left him alon-"
"LEFT HIM ALONE?! With his personality? Are you out of your mind dear assassin?" The Duke walked over to the young boy.
"But when it comes to love-"
"Ha! I'm looking for anyone, it could be a man, woman, servant, princess...I just need him to marry someone! For the kingdom,"
"Look, his highness is coming tonight, so we can throw him a ball to celebrate his return," The knight suggested.
"Yes, a ball. And if all the eligible maiden of the kingdom just...happened to be there, he's bound to fall for one of them, yes?"
"Yes, but-"
"Tonight, the ball will happen tonight!"
"Yes, your Grand Ducal," Both the assassin and the knight glanced at each other before watching their dear friend, the duke, descend into madness.