Every time he sees a letter from Henituse County, Alver Crossman shudders.

The first was Count Deruth's death threat; the second was Countess Violan's snarky threats, and the third was the twins' love letters. There's Bassen's adorable hello letter, which was written solely to ride along with the other letters. Seeing that innocent letter gives him peace of mind. There is someone genuinely concerned about his well-being.

"These love letters are really good, and I can tell the people who write them are smart."

Rok and Cale are both well-educated children. He'd heard the Thames Households were a house of scholars, so he assumed they inherited their maternal family traits. He looked at the letters and marveled at the beautiful calligraphy, which was written by children as young as eight years old. He read the contents and discovered that the twins were simply having fun.

Some contain silver-tongued praise for another with a poem, but the majority are just ramblings about books and events in their lives.

Tasha, his aunt, was overjoyed with the love letters. She was the only one who was enthusiastic.

"Hm... they're good with words, and their handwriting is lovely, but..."

"But?"

"What's with the bold letters?" Tasha asked, setting the letter down and pointing out a few repeated letters that appeared to be bold. Alver looked at it for a while and noticed who it was all written about. "They looked like doodles; we can probably ignore it; children love to doodle around."

The first letter he received was a letter threatening him that he couldn't flee. He smiled. He would have stayed in the county for a long time if it hadn't been for the Crown Prince's selection. He wished to play with the twins more, but it appears that he will be preoccupied with some work. He needs to double-time. No one is going to teach him, and the Count has already assisted with his education.

"The king is attempting to build relationships with the noble children," Tasha explained, listing all of the names of the noble children who would be entering the palace. It takes the form of a welcoming banquet for children aged eight to fifteen.

"I forgot to inquire with the count about sending the twins to the capital."

"He should! I want to meet those kids!" Tasha exclaimed as she sat down on the couch to read the remaining love letters.

The children who will enter the palace will have a significant impact on politics. Whoever the noble child likes, the house with the same surname will naturally follow the royal member. He had to admit that the nobles, particularly his maternal family's bloodline, would never support him. He's a half-commoner and half-royal; his commoner ancestry is also complicated; he's a quarter-dark elf.

That makes things worse.

Nobles would surely take Robbit and the Third Prince's faction.

"I need to double-time."

[*****]

"If only this is not a royal order, I would never send them there!" Deruth angrily crumpled the royal order. The royal scribe flinches after hearing the crisp sound of Deruth's angry voice. "I just sent the pest away but that bastard is trying to tie them up!"

He devilishly laughed and said, "let's see if he can handle my twins."

"Um..."

"What?" Deruth snarks.

"I still need... the count to sign the royal order..." The royal scribe said while pointing at the crumpled paper. Deruth looked at it and eases the crease and sign his name there without care even if the order looks shabby.

"Um..."

"What?" Irritation filled Deruth's voice.

"Can I borrow some iron...?"

"Just send it as it is now, and tell that jerk to stop taking my cute little peas to the palace!"

Deruth Henituse, as expected, is a force to be reckoned with! He's not someone the nobles can mess with, let alone the king himself!

Two adorable little redheads and a toddler emerged from the Henituse Manor wearing matching bear-eared coats. The royal scribe trembly turned around, thinking about how he'll write his last will.

"What's the matter with uncle?"

"Leave him alone... we need to prepare because both of us are attending a royal banquet in the capital."

The twins' heads were adorned with two identical frowns, but their smiles had turned devilish.

"Ah... We'll meet our runaway bride, Hyung-nim..."

"Shall we tie him up?"

"Beat him up too."

"Who are you going to tie and beat up?" asked the royal scribe who heard that.

"It's our wifey prince! Alvery!" Rok and Cale exclaimed.

The scribe took a deep breath and felt goosebumps all over his body. Three identical expressions—the count and the twins—were enough to knock someone out. He looked around at the servants, who appeared to be used to it. Damn. Why am I even here?

Deruth chided the children to go inside and have some talk.

The twins obediently sat down, with Bassen sitting in between them.

"Why are we going to the Palace?"

"It's a tradition in the capital to have a banquet for children ages eight to fifteen. However, it's not an ordinary banquet. It's a one-month-long celebration where noble children will try and support their royal children for the throne.

Rok: So why bother?

Cale: All we need to do is make Alver king safely.

"Who do you want to support?" Deruth asked.

"Who else? If not for wifey, this kingdom can burn to the ground," Rok and Cale said, smiling.

Their words were straightforward and devoid of ulterior motives. Deruth knew his sons were mature for their age, and he knew they could do whatever they wanted.

"You'll be there for a month to assist the prince... You'll stay in the palace and suck up all frustration."

"That if they can," Rok says.

Deruth snorts. What did he even expect from his children?

"Then I hope you enjoy the banquet."

They can't wait to mess with the Prince once again.

"Ah, dad, is it alright to go there? We might run away?"

Deruth smiled, "You would've done that a long time ago but did not... and..."

"And?"

"I trust you..."

The twins smiled back, "right?"

"Just remember, do whatever you want... we're not a family that nobles, even the royal family, can easily touch," Deruth said as he stood up and kneeled in front of them.

Rok and Cale, who were listening to him, nodded.

"Just live happily and in peace... You two are Henituse... My children... So... live your lives, free of what they call aristocracy; if anything happens, I will be there to take care of everything, so enjoy everything that's offered to you."

Deruth can decline their attendance, but he wanted to prove their worth and their position—he wanted the world to see his children and know them. He wanted them to see their brilliance. He wanted the world to see his pride and joy. It doesn't matter if it looks like he's going to support a powerful or a useless prince.

He believes that his children will make the best decision for themselves.

They have never betrayed his faith in them.

Cale gave him a friendly smile.

Rok nodded and swayed his head.

"Dad..."

"Hm?"

The twins both moved forward and kissed his cheeks.

"Thank you, Dad..."

[Author: heart melt!!!!!]

[*****]

Today is the day when noble children will be admitted to the palace. Alver couldn't get that ominous feeling out of his head. He couldn't recall the names of the noble houses that responded to the missive. He was fairly certain that he would be safe, knowing that Count Deruth disliked having him around his little peas.

He can't brush it. He can't ignore it. He felt the need to relieve himself. Chill's continued to pester his skin. He had goosebumps all over his body. Something bad was going to happen to him soon.

Am I sick?

He's nervous. He can't make out the feeling, but he's being restless.

"Ah, it's the commoner prince."

He flinched and turned to face the Northwest's noble children. The group was led by Venion Sten, but it was the Sten Marquessates vassal who spoke.

Alver simply smiled and stood there by himself. The northwest is going to support the Third Prince. The Gyerre House will be supporting the second prince. Ailan and Orsena haven't said anything yet, but it's most likely the second and third princes.

In such gatherings, Alver felt small and helpless. Other nobles are showing interest in his other half-sibling. While he is, no one's taking his side or even bothering him.

He just smiled and stood there, seemingly unconcerned. He had forgotten how this thing felt; he must have grown accustomed to the County life, where he is cared for without regard for his origin.

Indeed, Hentiuse County is its paradise.

He raised his head with pride. The children from other houses were all talking about him. Until—

"Ah, ah, I hope we're not late," two familiar voices echoed. "We did get caught by those snacks along the way."

"The apple pie is the best," one redhead exclaimed, adding, "Let's buy some more and take some for Bassen and Mother."

He turned around to see two redheads walking inside as if they owned the place. While other noble children all looked at them. They're dressed so well that noble families have to set up dates to buy one or make an appointment to see them. Their hair was perfectly slicked and brushed, creating a bad but elegant boy style not seen in society.

"Ah! Alvery!" they exclaimed joyfully as they ran towards him, "Long time no see, Alvery! We missed you!!!!!!!!!"

Their squeals could be heard inside the hall. Alver, dumbfounded, caught them and felt them kiss his cheeks before mischievously looking around the nobles.

"Hello! Nice to meet you all!"

It's not the proper greeting, but the servants who heard them said, "Hello, Young Masters. It's nice to meet you as well."

"Hmph! Such low lives." The rumors continued, and clamoring began to echo.

The twins were still clinging to him, their arms around his neck as they looked around.

They leisurely leaned on his shoulder.

This is not good. Rok and Cale's positions are still precarious. If they act like this...

Alver internally panicked. It won't be good if they come into contact with him, whose standing is not yet good.

"Aigoo," Rok yelped, sitting on his arms while still clutching his neck.

"Such good rumors," Cale added. "Is this how high society's conduct is? Quite low."

"Quite audacious and unclassy..."

"I didn't realize high society was so full of bad-mannered people."

Rok, "it sucks."s

Cale, "it's nauseating."

Both of them chimed, "Far more unruly than commoners. Do they think the royal family is lower than peasants? Look at how they talk about a prince. That's one way of courting death. Are they not aware that they could be imprisoned or hanged to death?"

The hall was deafeningly quiet. The banquet hasn't even begun, but Rok and Cale have already begun roasting the nobles. Before coming

Alver cautiously looked around and saw the nobles bowing their heads.

"Henituses are always casually flipping places over."

"Hello, Your Majesty!"

The King, who arrived unexpectedly, heard everything from the beginning.

"You are Count Deruth's children... How are you? Has it been a while? There are new books in the royal library, come and read them whenever you want."

"Oh, thank you!" exclaimed the twins as they accepted the king's permission. "We'll promise we'll not make a mess in the royal library!"

Zed Crossman looked at Alver, "You are a royal..."

"Yes, Your Majesty, and I hope you all remember that," he said, looking around at all the noble children and their servants.

The banquet began after the king gave his opening speech. The princes are said to mingle with the noble children. However, Alver couldn't do that if there were two rascals sitting on his lap, all while feeding him shamelessly.

"I need to walk around."

"It's alright," Rok and Cale answered, "you don't need them..."

They looked at him and said, "Alvery only needs Cale and Rok... that's for sure... and everything will be yours in the end. Alvery promised to give Cale and Rok a happy and rich slacker/trashy life!"

Alver shivered at that.

"Taylor Sten..." Rok whispered, "Antonio Gyerre..."

"The four neutral households from the Northeast are all you need." Cale finishes the sentence.

Alver, who thought of them as mischievous children, was terrified of them right now.

"Your Highness..." their voices echoed inside his, "want to make a deal with us?"

It was the start of his Calvary.

"You just need to marry us."

*sound of cutlery echoing.*

"WHAT?"

That's what the noble children exclaimed after hearing that.

"Never on the same page," said Ron, who had come with them.

What is the connection between getting married and conquering the palace?

Nothing at all!

MEANWHILE...

Deruth in the County: *sneezes* something is happening in the capital.

Violan, "expected." She said but was on her way to the capital with Bassen to look after the Twins.

Deruth: *hope that his sons will behave." Not knowing Cale already kicked someone's ass inside the banquet hall.*

TBC