before he was crowned king

Fern knelt on the cold ground, not daring to raise his head, the slight sound of turning the pages of the book was like an invisible hand touching his sensitive nerves.

He didn't know what it was like.Early this morning, before he even had time to wash and eat, he was hastily summoned into the palace by the servants, saying that Her Majesty the Queen wanted to see him immediately.

"Mother." Seeing that there was no reply for a long time, Fern couldn't bear the cold atmosphere, and was about to stand up and salute again.

The sudden sound of closing the book with a "snap" made his heart tense.

"How could you be so ignorant." Queen Karina looked at her son lying on the ground indifferently, "Fern."

"Mother, did I do something wrong?" Fern raised his head in a panic. He looked at the woman sitting in front of the table, his face full of bewilderment.

"Look for yourself." Karina said coldly, and Wood Heath, who was standing on the left, handed the documents that had been prepared to Fern.

Fern lowered his head uneasily, and peeled off the sealing wax of the document. His pupils shrank because of the content on the paper, and his hands trembled uncontrollably: "This... mother... listen to me to explain..."

"Don't call my mother at this time." Karina interrupted, "I am asking you as a queen."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I don't know about this matter at all. I didn't know that such a creepy thing would happen..." Fern shook his head and stumbled.

"You don't know about this?" Karina asked.

"Your Majesty, I really don't know anything. It's the first time I've seen these letters, contracts, and seals. Where did you find them...Trafficking citizens...I won't do such a thing, Viscount Carle I will not do this either, these evidences must be forged! They are framed!" Fern said eagerly, "Your Majesty, I really know nothing about this matter, Viscount Carle and I are wronged, you want to Trust me, Your Majesty."

"His Royal Highness Fern." Wood Heath cut off the conversation calmly, "I heard that Baron Tolland gave Viscount Carle a suitcase before his accident."

"What, what suitcase?" Fern's face paled slightly.

"A dark green suitcase, and it's full of gold coins and jewelry. If you don't remember, I can fetch it for you. It should still be in your house." Wood Heath smiled, The tone was respectful, but Fern couldn't help but shuddered again looking at such a face.

"No, no need, Knight Wood, I seem to remember." The corner of Fern's mouth twitched slightly, "It seems that Baron Tolland sent such a box, I don't know what's in it, I just remember The Viscount Carle left it in my house, and I never opened it."

"So that's the case." Wood Heath nodded, "It sounds like His Royal Highness Fern is indeed innocent."

"Yes." Fern breathed a sigh of relief, and quickly replied, "I am—"

"Then you must not know that two months ago, Viscount Carle secretly left the gray wall with your token and went to Baron Toland's territory."

Fern froze.

"It seems so," Wood Heath turned his head to look at Queen Carina, "Your Majesty, Viscount Carleigh concealed the whole matter from His Royal Highness Fern and did it all by himself."

"Is that so?" Karina stared at her son.

Fern opened his mouth and couldn't speak.

"I'm asking you, Fern Salfield."

"Probably..." Fern said with trembling lips, "maybe, but—"

"Put Karel Vik in the dungeon," Karina ordered.

"Yes."

"Wait, wait, mother... No, Your Majesty, Viscount Carle may be innocent." His Highness Fern watched Wood Heath leave, and quickly looked at his mother.

"There will be special personnel to interrogate him. He insists that he has been wronged, and he can appeal to the court after he comes out."

"Mother, mother, the dungeon is a place where death row prisoners stay, and there are very few people who can survive. Karel Vik is my attendant. He has been with me for more than ten years. You know that his father once Sacrifice of the Empire, can you—” Fern couldn’t help pleading, “Your Majesty, even if it was really done by Karel, this punishment is too heavy. Those are just some low-level citizens, they... are just some Cowardly and incompetent, they are sub-orcs, no different from slave goods, for which they will pay for the lives of nobles..."

"Which decision of mine are you questioning? Is it the policy of lowly citizens? Or the right of the royal family to judge a viscount." Karina pointed the scepter at Fern.

"No, that's not what I meant, mother." Fern explained quickly.

"'The king is not wrong'. I taught you this sentence a long time ago." Karina looked down at her son, "but you have forgotten that as the first heir, before you are crowned, you must first learn to stand for yourself. Mistakes pay the price. You are not yet qualified to be Salfid IV."

"Mother, I..."

"There is only one Karel Vic." Karina closed her eyes and pushed her hand towards the man kneeling on the ground, "Don't have a next time, get out."

In the afternoon, Imperial Academy of Magic, Falcon Club.

Brilliant sunlight poured in from the windows of the lounge, and six cards turned upside down were laid out in an upside-down triangle on the table.The young and beautiful "witch" was sitting under the window sill, with bright red curtains on her head, dangling back and forth on six cards, chanting words, which sounded like a curse handed down from ancient times.The black-haired young man sat opposite, propping his chin, with a look of helplessness on his face.

"Alex Cabed, now repeat the question you want to ask fate in your heart again?" The young "witch" asked hoarsely on purpose.

"Should I try to find a girl I like in the academy?"

The "witch" suddenly stood up and shouted: "Wait! Don't say it! You are asking in your heart!"

"Ah, I'm sorry, Fiona, I didn't pay attention." Alex was taken aback by the girl's excited reaction, "Then I take back what I said earlier."

"Really, it's useless to say it!" Fiona pointed to her heart, with a pious tone, "Only if you ask the question sincerely, fate will give you the correct guidance."

"But, I didn't want to ask this question." Alex scratched his head and whispered, "You asked me to ask."

"Then, what's the matter, I just want to see if I can calculate correctly, and I don't want to know your answer." Fiona blushed and looked at the person holding the book on the other side, "Forget it Alright, I'll help Sean do the math. Sean, do you have any questions you want to know."

The blond young man sat opposite, staring at the book and without answering.

"Xion." Seeing that the young man was in a daze, Erics waved his hand and then called again.

The young man came back to his senses and looked over.

"Xion, what's the matter with you? Why do you look absent-minded?" Erics walked over and asked with some concern.

"It's nothing. I was thinking about something else just now." Sean closed the book, "What's wrong?"

"Well, Fiona wants to use cards to help you calculate some problems, so as to improve her divination level." Alex said.

"Divination? So that's the case." Sean stood up and apologized to Fiona, "But I suddenly remembered something just now, sorry, Fiona, can I wait for the next time? Let Ai Rui Max will practice with you."

"Ah, it's okay." Fiona waved her hand, expressing her indifference.

"Sean, where are you going?" Alex asked.

"Well, I have something to do, see you tomorrow." Sean waved to the two of them, and closed the rest door, his gentle expression quickly sank.

"Oh, it seems that you have encountered a very difficult problem again." A man's voice came from his ear.

"It's very unusual. His Royal Highness Mars hasn't appeared in the Pavilion for a week," Sean said in a low voice.

"Oh, really? Maybe it's because you're sick, after all, you humans are so fragile." The man's tone rose, "You don't think you missed him, do you?"

"He is not someone who is absent for no reason, unless something beyond his expectations happens." Sean hoped for the girl who was walking forward, and took the initiative to greet her.

"Sister." Sean called out.

"Huh? Sean," Erin looked up and said, "what's the matter?"

"Excuse me, do you know where Vice President Lambert is now?"

"Lambert? I think today is Thursday, and he's still in class at this time." Erin said, rubbing her chin.

"Can I trouble you to take me to him?" Sean looked straight into the girl's eyes. Although it was a request, his tone made it impossible to refuse. "I have something very important to ask him."

The school bell rang, and not long after, people in twos and threes walked out at the door of the classroom at a leisurely pace.It was completely different from the noise after the class in the civilian class. There was almost no noise in the whole building where they were, let alone those chasing and running figures.

Sean and Irene stood in the corridor, waiting for Lambert to appear outside the classroom.

"Oh, Irene, why are you here?" A girl with brown curly hair and long hair walked towards the two with a playful smile.

"I'm waiting for Lambert." Irene didn't seem to want to talk to the person in front of her, her voice was lukewarm.

"Wait for Lambert? Have you finally been abandoned by him? Is this your new love?" The girl looked up and down Sean, "The figure and appearance are not bad, but it's a pity that he is a commoner."

"Are you free and have nothing to do? Ruby." Irene raised her slender arms, "Do you need me to keep your mouth shut?"

"It's really barbaric, no wonder Lambert looks down on you." The girl curled her lips. Seeing that Irene seemed to be approaching, she showed a lingering expression of fear. After throwing away the taunt, she turned around and left with a look of "I don't care about you" .

"If you take a step slower, I will definitely use magic to wash away all the makeup on your face, turning you into an ugly ghost." Irene snorted coldly, retreated to her original position, and suddenly thought of Sean by her side. Embarrassed light cough twice.

"What she said just now is not true, so don't believe it."

"Ah."

"I was not abandoned by Lambert."

"I see."

"No, what I mean is that I don't like Lambert." Noticing the ambiguity in the sentence, Irene immediately explained to Sean, "Of course, I haven't chased him, who would like someone with such a bad temper like him?" , even if you want to like me, I will at least find someone as handsome and gentle as your junior..."

"Senior Lambert." Sean said suddenly, and Irene's voice stopped abruptly. She twitched the corners of her mouth, showing a terrible expression on her face.

"What are you doing here?" Lambert's complexion was not very good, his brows and eyes were sunken, and his whole person looked extremely irritable.

"Have you finished class? Well, my junior said I have something important to see you." Irene turned around, and quietly moved her seat behind Sean.

Lambert didn't speak, turned around and was about to leave, Sean pressed Lambert's shoulder.

"Don't bother me." Lambert's voice was cold.

"Seeing you like this, I am more sure of my judgment." Sean's expression also sank, his tone was serious, and he didn't even use the honorific name for Lambert, "Something must have happened."

"No matter what happens, it has nothing to do with you."

"I don't want to mind your business." Sean said slowly, "I just want to know where His Royal Highness Mars is now."

"Your Highness..." Lambert chuckled and turned around, "Even if I tell you, what can you do with your humble status."

"Your Highness? What happened to Your Highness Mars?" Irene asked from the side, "Lambert, tell me quickly."

"Everything is over." The corridor was quiet, and Lambert leaned against the wall, gradually clenched his hands, "His Royal Highness and father are still in the palace, the two of them have not heard from each other for seven days, they should be under house arrest Woke up."

"Why?" Sean asked.

"You just need to know that you are no longer His Highness's attendant from now on, and that His Highness will not be able to provide you with any protection in the future." Lambert's palm relaxed, as if he had given up something, and even The hostility towards Sean also faded, "Quit the Falcon Society yourself, don't get involved in it anymore. Be a commoner student honestly, graduate smoothly, and you still have a chance to make a difference."

"Did you and Your Highness find some evidence?" Sean asked calmly, "It's related to that incident."

"What evidence?" Irene was at a loss as to what to hear.

"How do you know?" Lambert was stunned for a moment, then raised his head to meet the gaze of the blond young man. He tried to find some flaws in those calm eyes to support the disguise, but found nothing.

"Come in with me." Sean said briefly, and walked into the empty classroom first, "This is not a place to talk."

"Wait, why are you avoiding me! You two are really rude. It's fine to whisper, and you need someone to watch the door for you. How can you treat a beautiful girl like this." Irene couldn't help it Muttering, the door of the classroom was locked, and he stood alone in the empty corridor.

"That's how it happened. My father was too eager and wanted to use the most direct method to deprive that person of his qualifications. Who would have thought that Her Majesty the Queen knew everything and still defended that person. As a result, my father was imprisoned in the palace. It also hurt His Highness." Lambert leaned against the wall, and after he recounted the matter from the beginning, his mood became even more depressed, as if there was nothing in front of his eyes except the boundless darkness.

He basically didn't really fall asleep these nights. He kept thinking about this matter, thinking about the reason why the Queen did this, thinking about his father's situation at this time, thinking about His Highness's final outcome, and thinking about his own next choice.

He couldn't think of an answer, and the only thing he could be sure of was that His Royal Highness Mars had been eliminated from the battle for the throne.

This is the attitude displayed by Her Majesty the Queen.

Lambert didn't know what His Majesty Mars's mood was like now, but from his own position, he felt discouraged, and the accumulation of business over the years had become meaningless.

There was a dead silence in the classroom.Lambert looked over, and the blond young man sat there with his fingers crossed, as if completely immersed in his own world.

Although the person in front of him was not pleasing to the eye, Lambert could understand the silence of the other party at this time.What kind of luck is it to be valued by a promising prince? It is almost as likely as being recognized by an elderly nobleman as a son who has been lost for many years while walking on the road.

Originally, the ticket that could break through the class and enter the aristocratic circle was tightly held in the palm of the hand, but now it was suddenly torn to pieces. If it were a person with an almost mentality, he would probably go crazy on the spot.

It is already a very good performance for the other party to remain silent.

"I need to see His Highness." Sean suddenly broke the silence.

"What did you say?" Lambert frowned, almost thinking he was hallucinating. Seeing Sean getting up to leave, he strode forward and put his arm on the other's shoulder, "Stop."

"Thank you for telling me the whole story, Senior Lambert." Sean resumed his respectful title to Lambert again, "You have been of great help."

"What are you going to do?" Lambert stared at the young man's face and quickly got the answer, "You are going to see His Highness. Are you crazy? Don't you know that His Highness is imprisoned in the palace?"

"I know."

"You know what else you are going to do? How big is the palace? Your Highness has shown you. Do you know the exact location of His Highness?" Lambert lowered his voice. And my father has been imprisoned in the dungeon."

"His Royal Highness and Earl Shelter will not be in the dungeon." Sheen said, "Senior Lambert, if Her Majesty really accused the Queen of forcing the palace, we may not be able to carry on the current conversation."

Lambert was taken aback.

"Although the situation has not reached the worst level, it is not optimistic enough to let things take their course." Sean said softly, "The next arrangement can only be decided by seeing His Highness himself."

"Are...are you serious?" Lambert didn't notice that his demeanor had gradually changed. Even if he didn't believe that this young man who was younger than him could turn the tide and create miracles, there was already a longing in his heart to hear s answer.

"Of course. I don't want to go back to the original point and just be a commoner student." Sean said lightly, raised his hand and pushed open the door of the classroom.

"Have you finished talking with Junior Sean? You probably didn't fight in the classroom." Irene yawned, looked at the back of the blond young man leaving, and then looked up at the person standing at the door, "What do you think?" You look like the one who was beaten?"

Lambert looked down and looked at the girl's smiling face full of "jokes": "What do you like about him?"

"Ah? What, what do you like?" The girl's eyes were wide open, and her face was full of disbelief. "Are you stupid by being beaten? What nonsense are you talking about?"

Lambert raised his head and walked forward on his own: "Give up, he is not a man you can control."

"Hey, hey, you're not jealous, are you?" Irene rolled her eyes cleverly, and hurriedly followed her with two slender legs, saying deliberately, "Then you...what do you think I can control?" Is it? I prefer the kind of man who is not very smart, has a bad temper, and always has a straight face..."

Irene was talking happily when the person in front of her stopped and turned around without warning, and she almost bumped into the other person's arms.

"You, what are you doing...stop?" Irene's heart was beating wildly, and the man was looking down at her with extremely complicated emotions in his eyes.

At this juncture, Irene couldn't help but raised her hand to cover her face, she suddenly realized that what she just said seemed too straightforward, it sounded like a confession.

"That... I didn't mean..."

"You have a really bad eye for picking men."

The man's words were like a torrential rain, "swish, swish, swish" washed away all the throbbing enthusiasm.

"Ah, yes, it's really bad." Irene was silent for a while, and then almost uttered this sentence through gritted teeth, "It's really hopeless."

Lambert tilted his head slightly. The conversation between him and the girl has always been not showing weakness to each other. He didn't wait for the expected counterattack, which made him a little uncomfortable.

He glanced at the extremely gloomy face and coughed uncomfortably.

"What I mean is that your conditions are not that bad. You can broaden your horizons and find a man who treats you better."

"It's up to you, I like it like this!" The consolation didn't have any effect, the girl dropped this sentence viciously and turned around in the opposite direction, leaving Lambert alone in a daze.

"Is it so troublesome to use it? Just give up on that silver-haired boy. Aren't there many heirs in this country?" Letter sealing wax.

"I don't like to pass things up," Sheehan said.

"Because this will make you feel like you've lost?" Black Cat shook his head, "I'm more and more certain that the self-esteem you've been hiding all along is actually stronger than anyone else, and it's essentially infinitely close to arrogance."

"I just don't like the word 'lose'." Sean disagrees with Heller's point of view. First of all, in his opinion, self-esteem and arrogance are antonyms.

The arrogant are mostly those with low self-esteem.Those with low self-esteem are mostly losers.

And he will never allow himself to be reduced to a loser.

"Xion, why are you back?" Xien pushed open the door of the lounge, and Fiona asked in surprise when she saw him appear.

"Fiona, I hope you can do me a favor." Sean handed the envelope in the girl's hand, "Can you please pass this letter on to Her Majesty Ornis?"