Chapter 236: Of Laws That Should Not Exist and Traps Set by One’s Own Blood
Chapter 236: Of Laws That Should Not Exist and Traps Set by One’s Own Blood
The twins pouted immediately.
It was synchronized.
Of course it was.
Their lips pushed outward in identical displeasure, brows dipping low as their eyes fixed on their parents. The look of two children who had just been previously wronged by their parents.
"You’re big meanies," Thalira declared.
"The biggest," Retheris added with a nod.
Caleth stared at them.
Faelyra did not react.
And that was because the children always called them meanies whenever they did not have something go the way they wanted.
"We just want to go with mummy," Thalira continued, her voice taking on a soft tone.
She used it whenever she was trying to sound persuasive, but she had forgotten that her parents were experts at that voice and knew she was faking it.
"We promise," Retheris said quickly, stepping forward, "it won’t be like last time."
There was a pause at that. Caleth had no idea when the laugh broke free, one of disbelief.
"You always say that," he said after calming down.
The twins blinked at him.
"You say it every time," Caleth continued, his tone calm, almost patient. "’It won’t be like last time,’" he said, quoting them.
He tilted his head slightly.
"And then," he added, "it becomes exactly like last time... no, it becomes worse than the last time."
The twins opened their mouths in shock.
Closed them.
Opened them again.
"That was—"
"An accident," Caleth finished for them.
"Yes!" they said in unison.
"I am aware," he replied smoothly. "It is always an accident."
They never did it on purpose. It was always an accident. They always planned something different and then the accident happened.
"You are not going with your mother," he said finally. "And that is final."
The twins stared at him.
Then, as if pivoting seamlessly to another line of attack—
"But mummy will be bored," Retheris said.
"Yes," Thalira agreed. "Very bored."
Faelyra snorted at that.
"I doubt that," she said dryly.
The twins fixed their frown on her.
"If anything," she continued, her tone light, almost thoughtful, "I will enjoy my time away from you and your nuisance."
The twins gasped.
It was dramatic.
Highly offended.
"We are not nuisances," Retheris said.
"Not at all," Thalira added, crossing her arms.
Faelyra smiled.
It was a pleasant smile. One filled with warmth... completely untrustworthy.
"That," she said gently, "is up for debate."
The twins huffed loudly.
Thalira moved a hand through her hair in a gesture that was far too deliberate for someone her age, her posture shifting as though she were recalculating her approach.
"Fine," she said.
Retheris mirrored her stance instantly, his hands clasping neatly behind his back.
"If mummy does not want us," Thalira continued, her tone composed in a way that immediately set Caleth on edge, "then we will simply spend time with Father."
Caleth blinked.
"What?" he asked.
"You seem to be the one who wants us this period," Retheris added helpfully.
There was a pause.
A long one.
Caleth turned slowly to Faelyra, who was already looking at him.
She had a small apologetic smile on her face.
She absolutely knew what was about to happen to Caleth. He would be drained from spending the day with the twins.
Caleth stared at her.
Then he exhaled slowly and shook his head, a gesture to tell her not to worry about him.
He turned back to the twins. As far as he was concerned, the fight was over. They had reached a conclusion. The twins stayed with him while Faelyra went to her meeting. Everything was—
"When do we meet the Queen?"
The question cut through the space cleanly.
Caleth stilled.
Faelyra stilled.
The air itself seemed to pause.
Very slowly, Caleth turned his attention back to his children.
Retheris stood there, posture straight, eyes focused, his expression unusually serious.
Beside him, Thalira mirrored him perfectly.
Caleth blinked.
"Why," he asked carefully, "would you need to meet the Queen?"
Retheris turned his head to his sister and gave her a nod, prompting her to go ahead.
Thalira inhaled.
Then she stepped forward as if she was presenting something. She cleared her throat and then began.
"According to Section..." she paused, as though recalling it with precision, but Caleth could see that Retheris was writing it on the floor with water while Thalira was holding a small parchment, "four hundred and twelve, subsection seven of the Constitution of the Demon Realm—"
Caleth’s eye twitched.
"—which outlines the formal duties of the Queen," she continued smoothly, "one of the most important and highlighted responsibilities is the supervision and care of high-ranking noble children."
Retheris nodded.
Thalira continued.
"Given that our father is the Duke of the Thalassar Territory," she said, gesturing lightly toward Caleth, "we fall under the category of high-ranking noble children."
She clasped her hands behind her back.
Exactly like her brother, pretending like she had said everything from her head.
"Therefore," she concluded, "it is mandatory for us to meet with the Queen. Which brings the question—when are we meeting the Queen?"
Retheris gave a small clap and the little parchment he was holding fell from his hands. He immediately kicked it with his leg, using a current to send it away.
Caleth stared at them, his eyes wide.
No.
No, absolutely not.
There was no way.
No possible way.
He loved his family, he really did, but did these children not understand just how scary the Demon King was?
Zorathys did not play with the Queen. And he was not one who followed rules, so that constitution—Caleth was sure Zorathys would not abide by it.
And also, he was very certain that if he didn’t die by Zorathys’s hands, then he was going to die because his children had led him into a trap which would make Zorathys kill him. So, in simple terms, if he did not die by Zorathys’s hands, he was going to die by Zorathys’s hands.
And Caleth feared the Demon King.
"I’ll say this only once," he told the twins firmly. "You do not get to meet her, even if that’s what the constitution says."