How do I mind my own business

chapter 3

As the sun began to set, Nyx, still fuming about Claude's disappearance, stormed into his chambers, only to find him fresh from a cold shower, his hair dripping wet. She could sense the lingering scent of Apollonia's perfume on him, and her eyes narrowed.

"What have you done, Claude?" she demanded, her voice icy.

Claude, unfazed, smiled mischievously. "Just a little afternoon delight, my dear Nyx. Don't worry, I'll make it up to you."

Nyx's eyes blazed with anger, but before she could unleash her wrath, a soft voice interrupted from the doorway.

"Claude, dear husband, I need to speak with you."

Apollonia stood there, her raven curls disheveled, her green eyes sparkling with a newfound confidence.

Claude's eyes darted between the two women, his smile faltering for a moment before he regained his composure.

"Ah, Apollonia, my dear, come join us. We were just discussing... politics."

Nyx raised an eyebrow, her gaze never leaving Claude's face. "I think we've discussed enough politics for one day, don't you, Claude?"

The air was thick with tension as the three of them stood there, the silence between them crackling with unspoken words.

Apollonia, seemingly oblivious to the tension, glided into the room, her white dress shimmering in the fading light. "I've been thinking, Claude, we should host a grand ball to celebrate our union. It would be a wonderful opportunity to strengthen ties with the church and the empire."

Nyx's eyes rolled. "A ball? How quaint. I'm sure it has nothing to do with your desire to bed him again, Apollonia."

Apollonia's cheeks flushed, but she maintained her composure. "Nyx, dear, I understand your concerns, but I assure you, my intentions are pure. I want to bring people together, to foster unity and peace."

Claude, sensing an opportunity, nodded enthusiastically. "An excellent idea, my dear Apollonia! A grand ball it shall be. Nyx, my love, you will assist Apollonia in the preparations, won't you?"

Nyx's face twisted in disgust. "You think I'd willingly help that...that...innocent little thing seduce you further? Think again, Claude."

Apollonia's eyes widened, her gaze darting between Nyx and Claude. "Seduce? Oh dear, I think there's been a misunderstanding..."

The room fell silent once more, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken secrets and unrequited desires. The fate of the empire, the church, and the three individuals hung precariously in the balance, as the night wore on, promising to reveal more secrets and surprises...

He makes a quick escape. The night was still young, so Claude decided to sneak out of the Palace. He didn't want to make news of his outing because he knew the ministers would make a mountain out of a molehill. He grabbed a dark cloak and decided to head to where his subjects resided. This was something he could do once in a while because he was a busy bee. He jumped over the imperial gates without difficulty. The guards had fallen asleep. He noted that he needed to punish them when he got back.

He took a secret path that was only taught to the imperial bloodline. The path was hidden within the corrupt forest, which was feared by people for generations. Cobwebs hit his face, but he was unfazed. The dewy leaves slid across his skin as he made his way. The rays from the moon could no longer be caught. His footing was uneven because of the large roots, but he did not brake a sweat. An hour passed by, and he finally made it to a settlement. He easily blended into the crowd because of his ragged exterior. This was 'Basu', a very prosperous city, which was just established. There was a festival that had been going on to celebrate the newly built statue of the emperor.

Laughter and cheers could be heard from all directions. The clamouring chatter of the people was toned out because Claude had sensed someone observing him. He discreetly made his way to the back alley, letting the shadows absorb his presence. A young child no older than four years old entered the alley. He rummaged everywhere but could not find what he was searching for. He began screaming in frustration because of the thing lost. Claude stepped out of the shadows which made the child jolt from his spot.

Claude clasped the child's hands and asked what he had been looking for. The young boy could not hold in his fear and began to snivel. He had bruises and cuts all over his frail body. This displeased Claude greatly, he treasured children because they had not committed any sins yet. He picked up the child and asked him where he lived. The child could not make sense of anything because of his crying. Claude thought maybe the child was dying from starvation and took him to the nearest tavern.

He pushed the freshly polished door, which had a bell attached to it. This immediately alerted the waiters of their presence. They rushed to Claude and the child's aide, showing them the nearest seat. Even though Claude and the child were dressed shabbily, they still showed great customer service. They received a menu but the child could not read. So Claude read out every single thing on the menu to the boy. The other customers found the father-son duo very appealing. The women squealed in their seats hoping he was single. The said he would eat whatever Claude had gotten since he was not a picky eater.

Claude ordered a balanced meal for the two of them since the child lacked a lot of nutrients needed for his growth. He was concerned about his living conditions. The food was ready in a moment's breath. The kid's face lit up upon site of the delicious grub. The emperor cut up the kid's steak into perfectly sized slices. He felt very proud of his swordsmanship at that moment. The child devoured and gobbled up the food, Claude's eyes grew softer watching him eat. The child then proceeded to stare at Claude's untouched plate, drool spilling from the corner of his mouth. Claude then pushed his plate forward for him to take it. The child looked so grateful and scarfed that plate as well.

The waiter came back and collected their plates. He returned hastily holding the check. With his smug face, he placed it on the table. Two more waiters were standing behind him and a few guards blocking the exit. The waiter waited in anticipation, it had been a while since a fight had broken out. Claude snickered lightly because he could read the waiter's thoughts as clear as day. He took out a gold coin without hesitation which made the waiter's jaw drop.

"You can keep the change", he announced smugly.

It was rare to see gold coins. The meal they had only cost ten silver coins. One gold coin was equal to a thousand silver coins. He wanted to take out a crown coin but that would cause too much suspicion. Crowns were something extremely rare for a commoner to see. One crown coin was equivalent to a hundred gold coins. This meant one crown was equal to ten thousand silver coins. The women fainted in their seats when they saw the gold coin but it was just pocket change to Claude. The tavern manager heard the news and immediately came down to greet Claude but Claude had already left.

Claude and the child were observing several fireworks, this showed the festival was at its peak. The child's eyes grew when observing the amusing sight. Claude finally asked the child for his name. The boy seemed to hesitate but after a while of thinking he declared himself to be "Ceasar". The name given unto this child was considered to be treason. The name meant a powerful ruler or emperor. Only the first in line to the throne would get that such a name. This reminded Claude of his dark past. His name did not mean a ruler or an emperor or anything great, which was an insecurity of his. He sped up his pace and asked the child where he lived. Ceasar directed him to a small-sized inn.

Kicked the door down in a fit of rage. He ordered everyone to get out. They ignored him thinking he was a mad man, but he showed them his Royal Knight Badge. The people scrammed out of the inn fearing their lives could be ended. The Ceasar then led to room number six. The scent of alcohol was pungent, this would make anyone want to gag. He calmed himself down and took a couple of deep breaths. He put down Ceasar and told him to wait in the corridor. The child nodded and trotted without a second thought. Claude proceeded to firmly knock on the door and waited for a response.