Chapter 155: An Heirloom of the Crown

Chapter 155: Chapter 155: An Heirloom of the Crown

Vaelen tried to argue.

"I didn’t—"

Cassiel sighed, cutting him off.

"You called me a gossip. Fine, I’ll take that one."

His tone remained surprisingly calm.

"In a few days, I’m riding out on a long journey to the north, and I might not come back alive. Can you forgive me?"

Vaelen’s face went red, then white.

"Uncle, I..."

"Own up and apologise!"

The King’s bark left no room for hesitation.

Vaelen did not dare delay.

He dropped hard to both knees before Cassiel.

Cassiel turned towards the King, his expression almost as though he were trying to smooth the entire matter over.

"Vaelen is the Crown Prince, so don’t come down too heavily on him. Today, he only caused my wife’s old knee injury to flare up, and afterwards he refused to admit it. If he’s taught properly, he’ll learn."

He paused.

"Before this, whenever he saw my wife, he always called her by her name. Today, he even knew to address her as his aunt. It was just that what he said was a little odd—telling her not to regret marrying me and calling me a gossip."

The last part landed with a fatal sting.

Sweat broke out across Vaelen’s back.

He wanted to throw himself forward and clap a hand over Cassiel’s mouth.

Please. Just stop talking.

The King’s frown tightened with every sentence.

Finally, his expression went flat and cold.

"You. Get out there and stay on your knees."

Vaelen jerked his head up.

"Father... what does that mean?"

The King’s tone was heavy and final.

"Go outside to the Imperial Zenith Gate. Stay there for two full hours. No one is allowed to speak for you. Without my order, you do not get up."

Vaelen stared at him in disbelief.

The Imperial Zenith Gate stood at the very centre of the palace grounds, the passage linking the outer court with the inner residences. Servants, guards, officials, and messengers passed through it throughout the day.

Being forced to kneel there for two hours would leave his legs aching, but that was hardly the worst of it.

He was the Crown Prince.

His dignity was part of the authority he carried.

And now his father intended to throw that dignity directly in the path of every person who passed through the palace.

"Did you not hear me, or did you not understand me?"

The King looked down at him.

Vaelen lowered his head, fear prickling along his scalp.

He did not dare defy him.

Clenching his jaw, he forced himself upright and walked out.

Outside the Imperial Zenith Gate, Vaelen drew in a deep breath.

He swept his coat aside and dropped to his knees.

The cold stone pressed against his legs.

People came and went around him.

A group of palace servants approached, noticed him, and immediately lowered their heads as they passed. A pair of officials slowed for half a breath before continuing on. Even the guards stationed nearby kept their expressions carefully blank.

No one laughed.

No one dared.

That somehow made it worse.

Every silence only made his humiliation louder.

He could feel their gazes landing on him like pins driven into his back.

Sharp.

Mortifying.

Yet he did not dare blame the King.

He did not dare blame Cassiel either.

Elysia... this is all Elysia’s fault.

Why was she so fragile that one pull had been enough to send her stumbling?

And fine, she had fallen.

But how had an old injury become such a serious matter?

Now he was the one dealing with the consequences.

He clenched his hands beneath his sleeves.

If Elysia had simply stopped when he called her, none of this would have happened.

Why couldn’t she just listen?

Deep down, however, another thought lingered.

Cassiel had never involved himself with others but today he had complaint on her behalf to His Majesty.

That was what frustrated Vaelen most.

He had once believed that, no matter what happened, Uncle Cassiel would remain detached from matters between him and Elysia.

He had been wrong.

Good thing I never married her.

The thought came bitterly.

Otherwise, he might have been dealing with this kind of trouble for the rest of his life.

Back inside, Elysia was still shocked that the King had punished Vaelen so harshly.

"Elysia, today was that boy’s fault."

The King’s voice was earnest and direct.

"You were wronged. I will find a way to make it up to you."

"Your Majesty is too kind," Elysia said quickly, trying to refuse.

The King waved away her attempt.

"It is not some priceless treasure."

Elysia hesitated.

Not priceless?

She wasn’t convinced.

A moment later, the attendants returned carrying a set of gilded gemstone regalia with both hands.

Elysia stared.

Her composure nearly cracked.

This was clearly even more valuable than the ivory sceptre His Majesty had given her before.

Every piece was exquisitely crafted. The gemstones caught the light, while the goldwork was delicate enough to make the entire set seem almost unreal.

Cassiel lifted a brow.

"That set belonged to Avelisse, didn’t it?"

The King nodded.

"I knew you would remember."

The corner of Cassiel’s mouth tilted slightly.

Back when they were still princes, their mother had only been a consort, while the Empress in the central palace had been Avelisse.

Under Avelisse’s roof, the two brothers had swallowed more than their share of grievances.

After the King took the throne and Avelisse passed away, the set had been placed in the palace treasury.

Elysia’s hands immediately waved in refusal.

"This, this... this is too precious. I can’t accept it."

"How can you not?" the King said. "I already had them bring it out."

Elysia looked at the regalia again.

It was beautiful.

There was no denying that.

But it was not an ordinary gift.

It had once belonged to the former Empress.

Accepting it meant accepting something steeped in royal history. Wearing it would inevitably draw attention, and Elysia had no desire to appear as though she were trying to imitate or rival anyone in the palace.

She thought for a moment before speaking.

"If you truly want to compensate me, could you grant me one request instead?"

"Oh?"

The King looked at her.

"What request?"

Elysia told him plainly.

After hearing it, the King laughed aloud.

"That is a good one. I will grant it."

Relief curved Elysia’s eyes.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The King lifted his chin.

"And you will take the regalia set as well."

Elysia’s smile disappeared.

Cassiel chuckled softly.

"Give it to me. I’ll hold on to it. Don’t take offence. She’s a little shy."

Elysia’s heart jumped.

The King laughed warmly beside them.

"Fine."

Elysia lowered her head, thoroughly mortified.

Cassiel had once again solved the awkward situation before she could even figure out how to respond.

On the way back, Cassiel looked completely at ease.

"You don’t like the gilded gemstone regalia?"

Elysia shook her head.

"It isn’t that I don’t like it..."

The set was stunning. Every piece was exquisite.

But it was not like the ivory sceptre.

If she ever separated from Cassiel, she could sell the sceptre and turn it into coin.

This set was far too precious.

And it had once belonged to Avelisse.

Even if she dared to sell it, no one would dare buy it.

Then it would simply remain in her possession forever.

Elysia weighed her words before trying again.

"With my station, wearing something like this doesn’t feel right."

Cassiel glanced at her.

"Why not?"

Elysia lowered her gaze.

"Because it belonged to the Empress."

She hesitated.

"I am only the Duchess of Draevenor. If I wore something that once belonged to her, people might misunderstand."

Cassiel studied her for a moment.

"You’re worried about what people will think?"

"A little."

She looked down at her hands.

"I don’t want anyone to think I’m trying to make myself more important than I am."

Cassiel’s expression softened.

"You don’t need jewellery to prove your position."

Elysia looked at him.

"You already have it."

His words were simple.

Yet something about them made her chest warm.

He had said it so naturally, as though her place beside him had never been something that needed to be questioned.

Elysia looked away.

"I still think you should keep it."

Cassiel gave a faint smile.

"I will."

She relaxed slightly.

"At least until you change your mind."

"I won’t."

"We’ll see."

Elysia frowned.

She had a feeling that, with Cassiel, refusing something twice would probably only make him more determined.

The carriage continued towards Draevenor Manor as the palace slowly disappeared behind them.

And somewhere beneath the events of the evening, Elysia found herself thinking about something else.

Cassiel was leaving for the north in a few days.

This time, he would be travelling into dangerous territory with his injured leg.

She had known this was part of his life when she married him.

Yet now, the thought of him leaving unsettled her far more than it should have.

She quietly tightened her fingers in her lap.

Perhaps that was why she had agreed to accompany him to the palace tonight.

Perhaps she simply wanted a little more time with him before he left.