Arthur let out a deep sigh; his disappointment was palpable.
"While I appreciate the noble deed that both of you have done, it does not justify your wrong actions. Therefore, I regret to inform you that you will both be grounded for a year."
Nathaniel's golden eyes widened in surprise; he was taken aback by what the Emperor had said just now.
A year of being grounded?
That was too harsh!
Regardless, Nathaniel voiced his thoughts.
"Your Majesty, I understand that what we did was wrong, but a year of grounding seems too severe. Can't we find some other way to make up for our mistakes?"
Nathaniel pleaded, hoping that his father would reconsider.
Nevertheless, Arthur shook his head and continued, his voice stern.
"It is imperative that you both understand the gravity of your actions and the potential consequences they may bring. By endangering yourselves, you not only put your lives at risk but also jeopardized the safety of others."
His magenta eyes swept his sons' faces.
"As the heir to the throne, your well-being is of utmost importance to me, and I cannot condone your recklessness. Therefore, appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that such behavior is not repeated in the future."
"But—"
Ignoring the two that argued, Adrian sipped his tea solemnly.
Upon observing their father's reaction, Arthur, it became evident that he was a responsible and caring father who placed the safety and well-being of his sons above all else.
Although he was visibly disappointed upon learning of their reckless actions, he did not allow his emotions to cloud his judgment.
Instead, he imposed strict punishments, with the expectation that his sons would learn from their mistakes and behave more responsibly in the future.
As Nathaniel tried to open his mouth, Adrian hastily cut in.
"I understand, Your Majesty."
"Huh?"
The black-haired boy looked at him in disbelief.
"Ian, what are you—?"
Somehow Nathaniel couldn't believe what he had just heard right now.
Ignoring his brother, Adrian gazed at his father in the eyes.
"I accept the punishment and will do my best to make amends for my mistakes."
Arthur nodded in satisfaction.
He was pleased to see that his son, Adrian, was taking responsibility for his actions and was willing to learn from his mistakes.
"Your Majesty, please forgive my impertinence, but would you be willing to grant me any wish as a reward?"
"I will grant your wish as long as it is within my power."
"Then, could Your Majesty revoke the sentence?"
"..."
Arthur looked at his son with a face devoid of any expression, yet his son fearlessly eyed him in the eyes.
The room suddenly enveloped in a deafening silence.
After spending over two years as a caged bird, he had no desire to return to captivity.
Adrian preferred the freedom of the outside world.
After a brief silence, Arthur eventually answered firmly.
"I'm sorry, but I cannot revoke the sentence."
Adrian nodded his head; he had expected this answer.
"Your Majesty, have you considered the potential impact on your sons' mental health if they were to be grounded for an entire year?"
Arthur's expression softened slightly, and a troubled look crossed his face.
Adrian smiled and continued.
"And what would the citizens of the Empire say? The Princes saved numerous lives, yet the Emperor punished them?"
"That's—"
Arthur was silent for a moment, considering his son's words.
He knew that Adrian was right.
The citizens of the Empire would not look kindly upon him if he punished his sons for their heroic actions.
"Furthermore, what about our Academy? Wouldn't being grounded for a year delay our graduation? This has never happened before. It seems the Imperial Princes are on track to set a new record for the longest graduation time at the Academy."
Despite Arthur's silence, Adrian's incessant babbling persisted, intensifying the pressure on the Emperor's mind.
.
.
.
"Pfft, haha!!"
Nathaniel laughed heartily, placing his palm on his forehead and shaking his head in disbelief.
The luncheon had ended a few minutes ago, and the Emperor had returned to the Sun Palace.
"Hahaha!!"
Nathaniel's roar of laughter echoed through the hallway as he walked alongside his little brother.
Adrian's lips twitched with annoyance as Nathaniel's laughter continued for over 10 minutes without any sign of stopping.
"Ahahaha—aargh!"
Nathaniel groaned and quickly grabbed his shin.
He shot an angry look at his brother before snapping at him.
"What the hell was that for?!"
And Adrian snapped back.
"Stop guffawing! You hurt my ears!"
"Tsk."
Straightening himself, he continued walking.
"But still, it's amazing how you negotiate with him—pfft, haha."
Adrian rolled his eyes in boredom; there was nothing to be amazed about.
He simply applied some negotiation tactics he had learned in the military during his previous life.
Although Arthur eventually revoked his sentence, they were still grounded for a week.
While he couldn't fully escape the punishment, it was still better than being grounded for a whole year—which would have hindered his plan to graduate early.
As a thought popped in, Nathaniel voiced it.
"Since our grounding starts tomorrow, how about we sneak to the plaza?"
Adrian glanced at his brother in disbelief.
Their father had just lightened their punishment, and yet this guy suggested they sneak out.
His brain was wired differently.
Nathaniel took out something from his Magical Sphere and waved it in front of him.
"Look, I bought a blonde hair-changing potion this time!"
"Hmm…"
Well, that was actually a good idea, considering that his brother would pay for everything.
However—
"No, thank you."
Adrian shook his head.
"Why?"
"Let's do something worth it."
"Like what?"
"Training."
Although Nathaniel's chance to kill him thinned because he saw the original Adrian's past, there was another goal in his mind.
He needs to be prepared to face the black-robed man he saw in his first dream to prevent Aerilyn's death.
So, he couldn't afford to slack off continuously.
Nathaniel arched one of his brows.
"Is it just me, or have you become obsessed with training?"
Even after leaving the refugee camp, Adrian continued to train relentlessly—which was crazy.
Adrian's progress was undeniable, but he seemed to be overly critical of himself.
He was just a little kid; he should enjoy his youth.
"Hei—"
Adrian's voice brought him back from his reverie.
"Let's have a sparring session."
"Huh?"
Nathaniel was taken aback by his brother's sudden suggestion.
Since they had never sparred before, this might be the perfect opportunity to test his physical abilities.
Although he would undoubtedly lose to him, it didn't matter.
At least he would gain experience and learn the protagonist's fighting style.
As his brother remained silent, Adrian asked once again.
"So? How is it?"
After he thought about it for a moment, Nathaniel nodded his head.
"...alright."
With that, they visited the Knight's training ground.
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