Chapter 549 - I Dare Say...
Three Days Later...
The Doxon Duchy
The Doxon Duchy palace...
The Doxon trio of Ivan, Artyom, and Elora was inside a small hut in the backyard of Ivan's residence in the Doxon Duchy palace.
(Ivan and Artyom are Hal's cousins born of his mother, Svetlana's brothers while Elora is a member of a Doxon branch family.)
"I just wish grandfather would shut up about that bastard" Artyom said in annoyance.
"Is it really surprising that he does not 'shut up about it?' I mean he had a front-row seat to Hal's amazing feats during the Royal Academy entrance exams. Not to mention the fact that he survived an assassination attempt that you two had commissioned.
It only stands to reason that he will brag about it to anyone who would hear once he returned" Elora said with a shrug as she took a sip of the cultinational wine she had in her hand.
The 'he' she was referring to was of course the Ex-duke of the Doxon Duchy, Kirill Doxon.
Artyom leaned downward with a look of mild shock on his face,
"'Amazing feats?'" He asked to be sure he had heard right.
Elora rolled her eyes,
"What? Are they not amazing feats? An enemy he might be but that does not make his accomplishment any less impressive. If anything, you should acknowledge the impressiveness of it all and then devise fitting countermeasures. That's rivalry 101" she said to which Artyom sneered,
"Rivalry? That little bastard isn't worth anything in my eyes. He's no rival of mine" he said.
Elora's mouth took an 'O' shape of understanding,
"Oh of course. He can't be your rival. He's rival to anyone who actually has a chance of becoming Duke of Doxon after the Duchess and we all know that it's not you."
Now the sneer turned into anger as Artyom rose to his feet,
"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked.
Elora acted as though she had not even noticed the outraged rise as she said,
"Just what I said. You can never become Duke"
She said it with a smirk of derision that only served to trigger Artyom further as he raged,
"I am perfectly qualified to rule the Doxon Duchy. The only reason Ivan is the face of our faction within the family is because I allow it" he said with his voice raised a tad.
However, almost as soon as the words left his lips, he paused and looked over at Ivan who now took an interest in the conversation despite having been silent since it began.
Ivan's eyes were narrowed as he said,
"'Because you allowed it?'"
Artyom gulped as he attempted to smile but it kept slipping off his face whenever he tried,
"It was a slip of tongue. Surely you can't take what I said in the heat of the moment seriously, can you?" He began and looked set to continue his attempts to appease Ivan when Elora cut in,
"Heat of the moment? Oh please, you were just saying what's been on your mind for so long. You were simply being true to yourself for the first time in forever" she said with a light smile as she went on to sip her beverage as though impervious to the tense atmosphere she had created,
"Is this true, Artyom? Have you really been dissatisfied at being second best?" Ivan asked, calm as he could be.
Artyom's eye twitched with dissatisfaction at being called second best so casually to his face but he swallowed his dissatisfaction as he said,
"Not at all. I like how things are."
"Then what was all that about 'Allowing me to be the face of our faction?'" Ivan asked.
Artyom sighed and chuckled awkwardly,
"As I said, it was a mistake. What I actually meant was that I am quite competent myself and I am qualified to be Duke. I'm just... Not as qualified as you are" he said.
Elora rolled her eyes,
"Oh, please! That's not what you meant. Grow some backbone man, tell Ivan what you've always said behind his back. Tell him how you think he's a disgrace to the Doxon family for pining after your grandfather's approval.
Tell him how you've never seen him as actually worthy of ruling the Duchy especially since being mopey is not a standard criterion for leadership"
Ivan took a deep breath as his anger seemed on the verge of blowing up while Artyom continued to look apologetic.
At least that was before Elora began the second round of her winding comments,
"You know what's funny? Artyom has a point" she said and the two men turned to her,
"I do?" Artyom asked,
"He does?" Ivan asked in annoyance.
To which Elora nodded her head with what was clearly meant to be a melancholic smile,
"Of course, he has a point. He is a capable young man. Had it not been because of the favor you have been showered all your life Ivan, you would not be able to laud your superiority over him because I dare say you would both be equal.
Even now had it not been because of your lightning blessing, I am sure he'll be able to take you.
But because he is an idiot who can't think for himself, Artyom has allowed himself to be turned into your lackey. An underappreciated lackey no less.
If only he could grow a pair, he would have put you in your place long ago" she said.
Almost as soon as she was done talking, only two feet away, a figure shimmered and turned visible.
Suddenly, it was not just the trio in the hut as they were joined by a young man, who despite having the eyes of a Doxon and their characteristic good looks could never be used as a comparison for any of them.
Anyone would look drab compared to him.
"I agree with you Elora and I feel obliged to add that Artyom's lack of ambitions could very well be the death of him." Hal said.
"What the... How the... When did you get here?!" Artyom stumbled with his words before finally posing his question.
A question Hal acknowledged with a mocking smile,
"Was the shimmer of dispersing invisibility too subtle for you? Of course, I've been here the whole time. I can here along with Elora but felt it would be rude to interfere in your conversation" he said.
He paused and let that sink in before he added,
"However, I felt it would be okay to be rude if it would allow me to get you to finally see reason. Why be a subordinate to Ivan who clearly has grandfather issues and wants to please said grandfather by proving he is better than me when you can simply compete with him for the title of Duke.
I mean, I have no interest in becoming Duke and even if I did, you will have a better chance killing Ivan than you would trying to injure me."
Ivan frowned deeply but his attention was focused on Elora and not Hal as he asked her,
"What is going on here? Why would you bring him here?" While he had no idea how Hal had evaded his senses, he had noted from the young man's words that Hal had come here with Elora and since Elora had not denied it, then it must have been true.
Sure enough, Elora shrugged with a grin,
"Is it not obvious. I'm on Hal's side.. He seems to have a lot of pain planned for you two while he has nothing but pleasure in store for me. I had a taste of it last night and I dare say, I'll kill you two myself if it meant I would get to feel it again"