Retrieve the Kingdom

Worse Situations

“Sure, it’ll be an honor!” 

Cledwyn happily exclaimed, wearing his all-so-innocent smile. Little did he know he will be screwed this day. They took a secluded place. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Cledwyn, but I think you are not being nice to my scholar.” The sweet sweet smile of the teenager turned into a frown. 

“What do you mean, your honor?” He plays innocent at him, which the archduke didn’t fall too. “You are creating some false narrative about her.” He said, looking intently at the teenager. 

“It’s not false narrative, sir Bermin. It is true, he wants your brother to be overthrown, you are supposed to be angry at her because this is treason! And especially, you are the archduke and you are even the brother of the king. I am sure what I am saying about her, I heard it with my two ears.” 

“I know you guys have a not really good relationship, you might making something that you could get her out of your face.” He insisted, which replied by a laugh. “Her face is so worried and scared, sir Bermin. It means everything is true and she is afraid to let everyone know it, especially the king.” 

“She was worried for something else, which I would not say anything about it. It’s not about it’s true or anything, you might mishear it all.” Bermin keeps trying to win this for Phoebe and avoid chaos as much as possible. 

“I have good ears, sir. I would not mishear something so important. Phoebe is committing treason, even with the prince!” Bermin laughs, “With the prince? Adding that will make everything ridiculous. Even the prince is going on with some problems nowadays, he would not do crimes that can make his life harder. Stop manipulating Phoebe in your hands, it would not work.” 

“I am not manipulating her—” The archduke snickers, “You are, you are making her do things she doesn’t want for some petty reasons. Don’t brag to me that you have a viscount father and have some connections with the king. You wouldn’t win any of this.” 

“Are you defending that evil girl? You must have known something and doing something that wouldn’t be good if someone knows it.” Cledwyn tries to win over the archduke, his wide smirk ensues as Bermin just laughs at him. “You are a delusional teenager. If you want to make yourself on top, you don’t need to pull someone down. There are two class leaders for a reason, and you don’t understand any of it.” 

The little teenager in front of him clenched his fist secretly as he holds his anger. His ego is getting beaten up again and again, and he doesn’t like it. “Don’t mess around with Phoebe again, and it’s better that you will be friends with her or the best thing to do to make it a win-win situation, ignore her. It’s nice talking to you, Mr. Cledwyn. I must go now.” 

The archduke left the place they were standing on. He fetched Phoebe and went home with her. Cledwyn grabs some branches and ripped them off in halves. He threw them at the ground and stomps them repeatedly. He was gritting his teeth and his fists were so clenched that his fingers are starting to leave some marks on his skin. 

“Cledwyn~?” The familiar singsong voice emerge from his back, it made him more pissed. He turned around as he looks at his smirking sister. “Let’s go home.” He suddenly grabbed his upper arms. “This is all your fault! I shouldn’t have trusted you.”

She just snickered, but quite in pain with Cledwyn’s nails piercing her body. “Don’t blame your failures on me, be thankful that I helped you a bit so you could raise yourself. Not my problem that you are screwed.” She pushed his brother back as she wipes on her side with her hand, she crossed her arms and looked at her brother, making him feel small to himself. 

“Come on, you could vent that at home and break some porcelain vase again for the third time this month.” She started walking to the gate of the campus as Cledwyn followed her, still making tantrums like a child.

He and his sister went to their sophisticated home, they arrived before night falls. They went down their carriage, this time, sharing one since the other was in use. “Father has something to say to us this dinner.” She said as they went into their comfy home. 

Cledwyn ignored his sister as he went to his room to throw all of the soft pillows he has. Cledaire just shrugs it and went to change her clothes and after that to their small library to read some books while waiting for dinner.

Dinner was served as just in time Viscount Claro arrived at his home. Cledaire welcomed him with a kiss on the cheek as his wife, Ledimine hugged her husband warmly. “I have good news to tell you.” He said while smiling widely. They knew when he wears that smile, it’s pretty good news. 

They went to their dining table, their father noticed their childish son was pouting and obviously in a bad mood. “What happened to you again, Cledwyn?” He asked as he took a bite to their dinner. “None of your business, just say the news so the aura of this house could be a little bit nicer. Someone is emitting some bad aura around.”

His big sister ignored his childish acts and looks at her father. “Tell us the good news, father~!” She said as she smiles with her teeth shown, it was the prettiest smile she can wear. Claro giggles, “Okay, okay. I am not a viscount anymore.” 

The rest of the family froze, looking confused. “That’s not good news, my love.” His wife said as he snickered, “I am not a viscount anymore because I am one of the law councils now!” Cledaire and Lady Ledimine gasps as they squeal. Claro was hugged by his wife tightly. 

Their son was not a bit happy about it, he was just staring at his food. “That’s great, father. You are now in a much higher position! This is so good!” His daughter commented, rejoicing with the big announcement. “Aren’t you happy, son?” He asked as he looks at Cledwyn who is just playing with his food.

“Uh, what?” He looked at them and puffs some air, “I am happy, not just really into smiling and squealing. Congratulations, father.” He said, quite lazily as he eats his food. 

“Anyway, the king granted me this position since the last one was gone? I guess so, he didn’t say anything much about it, but I am happy to be the replacement. Tomorrow, afternoon, I will be presented to some people in the castle, and they are inviting you guys too. So, Cledaire and Cledwyn, you will leave the school earlier than you should.” 

“Noted that, father~! Since I am the student council head, I could easily sneak myself and my little whiny brother out of the class!” Cledwyn glares at her as she just smirked back. “No fighting first, this is a time for celebration! Yona, Carol, Agatha, please shop tomorrow for some food for the celebration in the house. And make the house nice and cozy before afternoon tomorrow, we will have some visitors.” 

The said maids nod, “Yes, Viscount Claro, you will get our utmost assistance and service.” They left the dining room and planned out the foods the will be served. “What does it mean to be a law council? Apart from judging and being the ones who approved the laws or kinds of stuff.” Cledwyn looks at his father. 

“Well, I will have partial control of the laws, but we still have the head councils. I also have the power to the kingdom now, not only in Hastey. Speaking of which, I still don’t know who will be promoted to be the next viscount, I hope Fredrick chose someone as great as me. He was sad about saying goodbye but everything was worth it.” The viscount which will be a law councilor smiles, he was so happy than ever before.

Cledwyn nods as he thinks, his neutral look changed as he slowly smirks a little. What could be this little devil’s plan once more? 

“What?” Phoebe with her eyes wide open, shocked and all of that. Bermin responded with a nod, “I already knew it when I was talking to him. I didn’t want to spoil him about it, and it might backfire me. I don’t really know if I did the right job to make him silent, but based on his attitude I observed earlier, he doesn’t give up and might as well when taking down his competition.” 

“His head will be bigger and he will be more arrogant. With that promotion so high, he might just be careless and just do anything. He might even target me again.” Phoebe sighs as she eats her food. “Don’t worry Phoebe, you have me. An archduke will be higher than any council. If I need to abuse my power as they do, I will. You are under my roof, my scholar, and my guidance. I won’t let your parents down.” 

“You don’t know him, sir Bermin.” She was so frustrated. “I might not know him, but I know the patterns of a manipulator, an arrogant person, and an egoistic one. They are all the same, different attitudes, but the same patterns.” Bermin said as he chews down his food. 

“Now his dad is a lot nearer to the king. What a coincidence! It’s like fate is playing with us, with me. One problem is solved and another one rises.” She groans, she is almost ignoring her food. 

“Eat now, Phoebe. That’s just the circle of life. Although, the promotion was so timely for him. My brother is so vigilant these days, and he killed one of the law councilors, that’s why he needs a replacement. And instead of having a scholar and a great person, he needs someone like him or even weaker to manipulate.” 

Phoebe chuckles, “That would be funny to say to Cledwyn.” She continued eating her food. “Don’t start another fight or even continue your fight with him, Phoebe. Lay low first, don’t talk to him, don’t agree with anything. If possible, don’t even fall into his sight.” 

“I know, I know. It’s just… I am so angry at him right now that I just want to fight back at him. You know, get the taste of his own medicine? Except the medicine doesn’t heal you or whatnot.” She chuckles once more, she is getting a little bit insane, but the archduke lets her calm first. 

“I will be going tomorrow to the castle to witness the ceremony to bestow the positions. There are 10 of them since the king had clear a lot of his people who he thinks betrays him, disobeys him, or even just being good.”

“Can I go with you?” She looked at the archduke as she was responded by a resounding no. “The king wouldn’t like you there. And I don’t even have the reason to bring you there. You should just stay. And it will start when you still have a class, so just study and go home right away, okay?” 

Phoebe sighs, “Fine. I just want to watch and maybe investigate.” She lays her crossed arms on the table and rests her chin there. “Phoebe, this is for your safety. You wouldn’t want to get in trouble once more. And, Cledwyn might be there, since the families of the newly promoted people are invited. It will raise suspicion to him and you don’t want that.”

“I get it, I will stay as you say.” Phoebe decided to finish her food. “And, Phoebe, can I have a favor for you?” She looked at the archduke, “Yeah?” 

“Can you stop being involved in these things anymore?”