Meanwhile…
Ismael had been thinking about what Aries had told her during their last conversation. Until now, he had seen nothing that was worthy of the trade of the seal she surrendered to Joaquin. He hadn't stopped from working on strengthening his forces, but he kept everyone at arm's length — even Enrique, the fourth prince.
He couldn't make the same mistake as before because Ismael was hundred percent certain the next time he would commit such a mistake, it would be the end for him. Even if it wasn't Joaquin, Aries would surely cut him off without batting an eye.
So while Aries was busying herself with things he couldn't comprehend, Ismael had to do what he had to do. That was on top of garnering loyal people who would die for him and had seen the real colors of the crown prince, he was conducting his own investigation.
This time around, Ismael was working alone. He could only trust himself.
So far… after observing things unfold from the sidelines, he had noticed some anomalies.
Tonight, he would confirm things in his own way.
"What a surprise, brother!" Ismael intoned, stopping in front of the greenhouse in the Lazuli Palace, eyes on the person exiting it. "Are you meeting a lady secretly? I don't smell any, though."
He tilted his upper body to the side to check the shut glass doors behind Roman, the seventh prince, and also Joaquin's sword. His brows rose as he flashed Roman an almost innocent smile.
"Were you following me?" asked Roman without beating around the bush like usual.
"Me? Why would I follow you, brother?" Ismael laughed, gazing at him from head to toe, hands up to his shoulder level. "In terms of skills, you are stronger than I am. You would've noticed me if I were following you!"
"Haha! I simply came here to breathe some fresh air — that's all," he added with a grin. "What about you? Are you also here to breathe some fresh air?"
Roman's eyes were cold and distant, standing still, his expression was overall unreadable. Unlike Joaquin and Ismael, who were experts in pressing people's nerves, Roman didn't have the talent to twist his words.
"May you breathe all the fresh air tonight," he replied after a moment, tilting his head down slightly before he walked forward. He didn't plan on having a conversation with Ismael since Joaquin had also been cautious recently. Knowing the crown prince, once he was suspicious of someone, gaining his trust would be ten times more difficult than the first time.
However, as Roman brushed past Ismael, he halted.
"I'm kidding." Ismael kept his face forward, smirking deviously. "I came to appraise something."
The space between the seventh's prince brows furrowed as he cast Ismael a side-eye. "I am not a piece to be appraised."
"Is that so?" the third prince threw his head back, eyes at the moon glowing in the clear night sky. "What do you think Joaquin sees you, then? His brother he would die for? A family he wouldn't allow to be wronged?"
"If you came here to invite me on your side, you've come to the wrong person. I will pretend this meeting didn't happen."
"No, Rome. I don't care if Joaquin hears about this, but you do." Ismael kept his head in the same position, but his eyes moved to the corner and onto Roman's side. "You will not speak about this because it will risk your spot from the crown prince's good graces. Don't make it sound like you are doing me a favor."
The atmosphere between them instantly dropped and grew stifling as Roman twisted his neck to face Ismael. His eyes were sharp, unsmiling at the third prince's audacity.
"What do you want from me?" he asked, delving into the matter like always. "You will not come in here just to press my nerves, will you?"
"What do I want from you…?" This time, Ismael shifted his attention back to the sky and smiled subtly. "I want nothing from you, Rome. I told you, I just came in here to appraise something."
There was a moment of silence between them before Ismael added, "Violet." He then glanced at Roman and, as expected, the latter's unchanging poker face changed slightly as his brows creased.
"Have you figured out the person who burned her?"
"It was an accident." Roman's voice was low and dangerous, his jaw tightening as his fingers curled into a tight fist. "Stop talking about the dead. The next time you speak her name so carelessly, I won't be lenient, brother."
Once again, Roman didn't wait for Ismael to reply as he walked away. But then again, just after he took three steps away, he halted and looked back with dilated eyes.
"In this small kingdom in the south, right outside our great Maganti, I bought a land not long ago." Ismael kept his eyes on the sky before he slowly pivoted on his heel to face Roman. "I named it Hacienda Viola. It's a vineyard."
He slowly advanced in Roman's direction and stopped when he was standing shoulder to shoulder with him. Ismael tilted his head back, waiting for Roman to return his gaze.
"It is a good place to rest if you want to have some time off to clear your head. The air in there is fresher since no matter where you go in here, all you can smell is the permeating scent of hypocrisy and our rotting system." He flashed a knowing smile as he bumped his shoulder against Roman lightly. "It's not close, but it is also not far. You can visit it after the season, but you might miss the caretaker since she's only there temporarily."
Ismael pressed his lips and took a deep breath, planting his hand over Roman's shoulder and squeezing it.
"Take some time off. You deserved it." He patted his brother's shoulder before retrieving his hand. "Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not doing this for you. I still see you as one of my enemies I will butcher, unless… you come to me on your own."
"I'm looking forward to your answer, Roman Imperial," Ismael added before he resumed his steps, his lips curling up triumphantly as it seemed Aries was right. Surrendering the seal was nothing compared to gaining this man on their side.
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