The Evil Emperor’s Fragile Heart - Chapter 275

Thanks to this episode, however, no one dared to come and bother Raven and Mana unnecessarily – the rest of the people honestly discussed their future options with their new King Raven and his young fiancée and reached a mutually agreeable solution.

Both Mana and Raven were actually quite sympathetic to the situation of the former slaves and former prostitutes, and all of them were gainfully employed pretty soon.

As for the young woman who had caused so much trouble – her family members came to plead for mercy on her behalf, and after paying a huge amount of gold as penalty, were able to take her out of prison and get the death penalty revoked.

Regent Prince Yuki frowned at Mana. “Are you sure that it is all right to let her go like this? What if she comes back to create more trouble for you in the future?” he asked.

Mana chuckled. “Beautiful flowers will attract birds and bees – I have to brace myself and prepare for the inevitable. When Raven blooms fully, there will probably be people fainting as he walks by, bedazzled by his beauty. So I’m going to cling to him like a thorn clings to a rose and prevent my beautiful rose from being plucked by the random bad guys!” she announced.

Regent Prince Yuki laughed as well. “So, you would let Cousin Raven be plucked by the good guys?” he teased.

Mana shook her head furiously. “Of course not! Anyone who eyes Raven or wants to snatch him away from me is a bad guy!” she said.

“As if I would ever have eyes for anyone but you,” Raven murmured.

Mana giggled and kissed him on the cheek, making him blush.

Raven looked up at Head Sage Yue. “Did you know that the girl’s family would come to intervene on her behalf?” he asked.

Head Sage Yue nodded. “I wasn’t completely sure, but there was a high chance,” he said. “I hadn’t expected Mana to be able to negotiate such a beneficial deal for us. She really is amazing.”

Mana grinned.

“All right, now that we are done with most things – we need to get ready for the banquet tonight, and then we will leave tomorrow as planned,” Raven said, putting down his pen.

Head Sage Yue frowned. “Can’t you delay your trip to the Obsidian Kingdom? It doesn’t look nice if the new monarch leaves within a couple of days of his coronation…” he murmured.

“Of course we can’t delay it,” Raven said. “Have you forgotten that I am a prince of the Obsidian Kingdom, Father? And that the Obsidian Kingdom is hosting banquets for Mana and I?”

Head Sage Yue flushed in embarrassment. “Would you – would you be able to come back after the banquets in the Obsidian Kingdom?” he asked in a hesitant voice.

Raven shook his head. “Mana and I need to be in the Emerald Kingdom after that,” he said. He looked at Head Sage Yue straight in the eye. “Father, the only reason I accepted the throne and the crown for the Pearl Kingdom was because the ancestral spirits promised that my movements would not be hindered, and because of this, a Regent Prince was appointed. Cousin Yuki has the same authority that I do, and if you need to communicate with me, you can use the communication device – we will also give one to Cousin Yuki for better coordination among us.”

Head Sage Yue sighed. “I understand, son,” he said softly. “My apologies. I got a little greedy when I saw you and Mana doing so well…”

“We are not abandoning the Pearl Kingdom,” Mana said. “It is Raven’s country now as well, so naturally, the two of us will continue working for the welfare of the people of the Pearl Kingdom. But we also have our duties towards other nations, and we will not shirk those.”

Head Sage Yue nodded. “That’s all I ask,” he said gratefully. Internally, he thought that if he could turn back time, he would go back to the time when Raven was born, and he would kick himself until his past self realised how precious the little baby Raven was, and he would treat him well. Then, perhaps, Raven would be looking at him the way he looks at King Jaren or General Aquila.

But that was a milk that had spilled a long, long time ago, and now even the stains on the floor were gone. There was nothing Head Sage Yue could do about it. But, at least from now on, he would support his son – his only child – in every way he could.

Head Sage Yue pulled out a couple of amulets from his pocket and handed one each to Mana and Raven. “Keep these with you,” he said. “I made them myself – they are imbued with powerful defensive magic. It is for your protection.”

Mana and Raven were both quite surprised to receive such a gift from Head Sage Yue.

“Thank you, Father,” Mana said, elbowing Raven. She also smiled up sweetly at Head Sage Yue.

Raven, too, thanked Head Sage Yue politely.

Head Sage Yue patted the two children affectionately and sent them off.

Mana and Raven went off happily.

Soon after Mana and Raven left, Head Sage Yue wobbled precariously.

Regent Prince Yuki caught him just in time. “Uncle Yue, what is wrong? Are you all right?” he asked, his voice dripping with worry. For Regent Prince Yuki, Head Sage Yue had been the real father figure, and he regarded him as such. He knew that what Head Sage Yue had done to Raven when he was just a new born baby was terrible, and he understood Raven’s reluctance to fully trust Head Sage Yue. But now. Yuki could see that Head Sage Yue really cared about Raven and wanted to help him in way that he could. He could also understand Raven’s reluctance to trust Head Sage Yue – trust was something that needed to be earned.

However, Regent Prince Yuki was still worried. While he was glad that Head Sage Yue had crafted with his own hands such a powerful amulet – but he was also worried about the price Head Sage Yue would have paid for creating such a thing.

Regent Prince Yuki caught Head Sage Yue and helped him to the nearest chair.

“Uncle Yue,” Regent Prince Yuki said quietly. “Did you make the two protection amulets that you gave to Mana and Raven from your own heart’s blood?” he asked.

Head Sage Yue looked at his nephew that he was quite fond of with a complicated expression on his face.

“Don’t breathe a word about this to the two children – or anyone else for that matter, actually,” he said quietly.

Regent Prince Yuki shot his uncle a strange glance. “All right, if that is what you want,” he murmured. “But tell me this, Uncle Yue – why would you do this? You do know that we you more than anything else now, given the current situation, we…” his soft voice trailed off as he spoke.

Head Sage Yue smiled slightly. “I have my reasons,” he said. “And I want to protect both Raven and Mana to the fullest extent of my abilities.”

Regent Prince Yuki sighed. “Well, there is nothing for me to do, then,” he muttered. “But, Uncle Yue, don’t do reckless things like this any more, ok?”

Head Sage Yue nodded, feeling warm in his heart. What a good child this young Regent Prince was! How nice would it be if Raven, too, acted in the same way that when dealing with Head Sage Yue…

Perhaps, one day.

For now, it was enough that Raven and Mana were helping them. And no one – not even Raven himself could predict the future accurately. So, for now, Head Sage Yue would take whatever steps he could to protect the two children, to the best of his abilities. And those two amulets were a part of this resolve on his part. That was why he had made those for the two young ones…

Head Sage Yue was not completely sure, though. It just felt right, even though it was a bit painful to extract two drops of his own heart’s blood, and then he had to work hard to make the amulets and cast the defensive spell on it.

Regent Prince Yuki accompanied Head Sage Yue to his chambers and insisted on staying there to look after the older man.

“I remember that when I came here, I caught a cold,” Regent Prince Yuki murmured. “I could barely believe that I was a lost prince of the Pearl Kingdom, but then I had to believe the last words of my mother, too…” He sighed deeply. “Because I was very worried and unsettled, I fell ill – and no one came to ask after my welfare except you, Uncle Yue.. You looked after me and even stayed with me until I felt better – it was the first time anyone other than my other had cared for me.”