Uncrowned Queen: The Northern Wilderness

Chapter 18: Old Duke

Chapter 18: Old Duke

Third Person's POV

"Elder brother...uh your majesty the king?"

Three knocks, the sound of the door opening and a spirited voice of a youth destroyed the tranquil darkness that covers the whole study and its owner.

The tall body and rigid back of Regis that is facing the direction of the door loosened slightly, and his demeanor seemed to somehow relax that even the chill that permeates his entire body receded a lot.

Only his family members have the chance to be treated like this. To be treated with less caution and less indifference.

"Drop the formalities."

Regis turned his body and the face of his only little brother that is full of baby fats entered his pale-blue eyes.

Prince Reus immediately beamed at his elder brother.

He is already an eighteen year old adult, but because of his royal parents spoiling and his older brother's tight protection, he is their treasure full of positivity and kindness, as he somehow became a little bit of a troublemaker.

"Elder brother, I came here to ask you to accompany me to hunt and it has to be a forest farther than the one near the capital."

Reus gesture excitedly while his eyes looking at his elder brother held traces of expectation and ingratiating to the extreme. Regis glanced at his little brother's flushed face before slowly walking next to his table in the study.

He opened a cabinet with a small silver key and took out a black exquisite badge from it. The black badge's design is the insignia of the kingdom, a silver crescent moon facing downward.

This black badge is Regis' personal badge that can represent himself in case of emergencies when he is not present.

This badge holds that authority to command his personal guards, that he personally raised since he was conferred the title of the crown prince when he was just fourteen years old.

Seven years of gruelling training, and missions completely created a highly efficient team that can tackle any difficulties.

The material of the black badge is a famous rare alloy that is only found in the deep mountains of the northern wilderness. The toughness of the alloy can compare to a meteor, and it is highly resistant to the cold and heat.

The alloy is one of the reasons why the treasuries of the royal family of the northern kingdom is currently filled to the brim and on the verge of bursting.

Although the alloy was sold outside the kingdom, it is only put on sale on the famous auction houses of the Central Myth Empire and only the hegemon and resourceful existences of the south, east and west are able to have the knowledge of this rare item.

The black alloy was primarily used as the armors of Regis' personal guards, as well as their weapons. Some are made as swords for the commanding marshals and generals of the army. The rarity of the alloy made it so that only those military and civil officials that have made some good achievement in the kingdom was rewarded of this material.

It is so that even though the black alloy is abundant in the territory, they still need to save it for important situations or emergencies that might happen in the future.

Regis flicked the black badge lightly and it directly flew in Reus unsuspecting and innocent face. A small red bump instantly appeared on his white forehead, and only a gasp of pain as well as the tinkling of the badge on the floor sounded in the whole study.

Reus raised his face and aggrievedly stared at his elder brother. He even sniffed a few times to show his pitiful innocent self that was abused.

"Too weak...just take someone from my personal guards and don't bother me."

Regis glanced at his dramatic little brother that looks more like a ten year old kid on tantrums, and glanced at the black badge on the floor before striding out of his own study to find some quiet place.

Reus quickly wiped his non-existent tears, and a smile immediately lifted the corners of his lips.

He looked down and picked up the badly treated badge that can cause the downfall of any powerful clan and family that wants to go against the royal family.

He hummed and left with joyful springs on his steps. He did not get his elder brother to come, but his elder brother's personal guards are also good at hunting so he was appeased quickly. The rejection of his elder brother left his mind, and picking the hunting destination filled his focus.

"I must look for a really far place and stay there for a month so that I can experience camping in the wilds!"

Reus smiled pleasantly at his smart idea. He had always wanted to know what it means to live in the wild and now that he has his elder brother's badge, his royal parents will definitely not argue with him.

At the Eastern Regin Kingdom, the royal palace and the Queen's study.

Nem was busy checking through the memorials for the day, after the official announcement of the reform early in the morning. It's already past noon and she still needs to deal with the following effects of the reform, especially the reaction of the greedy nobles that are clearly dissatisfied with cutting off their treasured flesh.

"Your majesty the Queen...something bad happened!"

The loud and panicked voice of one of her palace maids sounded outside the study. Zyar's face turned ugly at the rude behavior of the maid and barred her from entering the door of the study.

"I-I'm very sorry for my rudeness Sir Zyar."

The maid was flustered and scared at the momentum seeping out of Zyar's body.

Nem lightly c****d her head up and put down the memorial that she was just reading.

"Come inside and explain the problem to this Queen."

Her light voice calmly reached the maids ears that slightly relaxed her agitated nerves before entering the study room. She bowed in obeisance and hesitantly opened her mouth.

"Your majesty the Queen...the old duke has passed away."

The sudden news froze Nem on her seat.

How could the old duke pass away so suddenly? Her royal father was able to fight the disease for a few months before succumbing to it, and even thought the old duke is on his later years, he was a healthy old man until he contracted the disease or maybe it was not a disease but poison?

The suspicions that she have bottled out and evaded for so long suddenly rose like a wave and washed away all of her past positive conjectures.

"Poison...it couldn't be...royal father was poisoned?"

Nem's soft whisper blended in the air with no one able to hear. The disease of her royal father was said to be a terminal illness by the royal physicians, but how could a disease like that appear on an old man suddenly and reap away his life in just two days?

It doesn't make any sense.

All of the symptoms and the time of death doesn't make any sense.

It only makes sense if it is a poison, and only the different amount of it can affect the time that its bearer succumbs to it.