"As you say, Your Majesty." Zain replied, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside him.

  Soon, a space for battle was again cleared in the grand hall. The guests, leaned forward with eager anticipation. They were about to witness another exciting match, especially featuring Princess Rivera, known for being one of the prodigies of the Miraz plane. The air buzzed with excitement, murmurs of speculation, and the rustling of silk and satin.

  While this was happening, Zain found himself surrounded by his family—Izark, Raina, Morris, and Raiser. The tension in their small circle was palpable, each face reflecting a mix of concern, frustration, and determination.

  "Are you brave or just plain dumb?" Izark demanded, his voice dripping with exasperation. His eyes flashed with a rare combination of anger and worry, his usually composed demeanor cracking under the pressure.

  "Umm... brave, I guess." Zain replied, attempting a weak smile that did little to ease the tension.

  "Zip it! You idiotic child. Here I was, enjoying the ceremony, and there were even a few profits coming my way. But you couldn't bear seeing me at ease, so you went and stirred up the hornet's nest. Now, tell me where I should go to cry?" Izark's face was burning with rage, the veins in his neck standing out starkly against his skin.

  "What do you have to cry about?" Zain muttered, feeling the heat of his father's anger.

  "This boy.... Ho ho ho, Morris! Talk some sense into him, or I might just die of anger today." Izark couldn't control his emotions as he backed up from the group, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

  Morris, seeing the aggravating situation, decided to intervene. His voice was calm and soothing, a stark contrast to the storm around him. "Young master Zain, I understand that you were angered by Princess Claire's remarks, but a rational man should always bear the situation and consequences of one's actions in mind. You could've just thrown some slurs at the Princess, and that would've been it. But you went too far by slapping her, even making her bleed."

  "My foot... I went too far? If I went far, it wouldn't have just ended with a slap; I would've dragged her nose against the floor to make her apologize." Zain's words were fierce, his eyes blazing with indignation.

  Zain's words scared the group. They looked around, thankful that they had put an isolation spell in place. Otherwise, if these words had reached the Emperor's ears, a few heads would have rolled. The spell shimmered faintly in the air, a delicate barrier protecting their privacy.

  "But Zain, you've offended the Emperor with these actions. Even if he is known for being just and uncaring, you still went too far by returning words with a slap." Morris's voice was measured, trying to instill a sense of the gravity of the situation in Zain.

  "So, Morris, you're saying that I should have let her insult my mother? What else should I have done? Praised her for her remarks?" Zain's tone was defiant, his fists clenching at his sides.

  "Hahaha... I like this kid. Zain, you did well." Raiser praised, giving Zain a thumbs up, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

  "Raiser, you are a bad influence. And you, Zain, have I not taught you to not provoke an enemy you have no confidence in defeating?" Raina stepped between Zain and Raiser, her expression stern. Her eyes were soft with worry, though, betraying her true feelings.

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  "Who said that I have no confidence?" Zain challenged, his jaw set stubbornly.

  "You mean to say that you can defeat Princess Rivera?" Izark, who had finally calmed down, asked, his eyebrows raising in skeptical curiosity.

  "No and yes."

  "What the hell does that mean?" Izark's patience was wearing thin again.

  "I mean 20% confidence." Zain clarified, his voice steady but the uncertainty in his eyes betraying him.

  Raina sighed deeply. "Zain, it's good to be confident, but don't let this confidence turn into arrogance. I saw your fight with Ben. I admit that you are one of the excellent talents, but it's far from reaching Princess Rivera's level."

  "You call yourself my master and don't even believe in me." Zain snapped, his voice tinged with hurt.

  "Zain!!!" Raina shouted, her voice breaking as tears glistened in her eyes. She turned away, her shoulders shaking as she left the circle.

  A heavy punch landed on Zain's head, making him wince in pain as he grabbed his head. "Kid, she is only worried about you. Don't go around saying such harsh words and make her cry. Learn to respect your master." Raiser said before leaving, with only Zain, Izark, and Morris remaining.

  "Zain, you have to win." Izark said with a smile, his tone now softer, almost encouraging.

  This change of attitude confused both Zain and Morris. They exchanged puzzled glances, trying to decipher Izark's sudden shift.

  "Come on, Morris. Let's go." Izark said, leading the way as a baffled Morris followed, leaving Zain even more confused.

  "Does he really trust me that much?" Zain wondered aloud, his mind swirling with doubt and determination.

  ***

  Morris, following Izark towards the stage, couldn't help but ask, "Master, are you really that confident in the young master?"

  "Haha... Morris, if you don't believe me, the result will soon be in front of us." Izark teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

  "How could I not believe, master? I have full confidence in your and young master Zain's judgment." Morris replied, though he couldn't entirely mask his concern. 'A servant must always have belief in his master.' Morris thought, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety as the situation seemed to be under control.

  Izark had his own thoughts. 'Vanessa, you never backed out when we used to fight the most powerful beasts while still hanging on to your life. Today, I saw the same spark in his eyes, and he also gets annoyed when underestimated. He is truly your son.' Izark remembered, his mind drifting back to fond memories of him and Vanessa battling side by side, their bond forged in the heat of countless battles.

  ***

  A new grand table was set up near the stage for the Emperor, his attendants, and princesses. The Emperor sat on the throne, his eyes closed and a sly smirk playing on his lips. The table was lavishly decorated, with golden candelabras casting a warm glow over the polished wood, and intricate tapestries depicting the history of the Zinovia Empire adorning the walls.

  'Interesting... Very interesting. This kid really has guts, dragging Claire's nose on the ground and now preparing to face Rivera. Looks like this time's younger generation is full of freaks. Well, he first has to prove his worth.' the Emperor thought, his mind a whirl of calculations and possibilities.

  While Raina had set up an isolation dome, it still wasn't enough to stop the Emperor from eavesdropping on their conversation. 'If they knew that Zain's words had reached my ears, I wonder what kind of expression they would have.' the Emperor mused, his smile widening slightly.

  The Emperor opened his eyes and turned his attention to his daughter Rivera sitting beside him. "Rivera, when you fight, remember to go all out. Don't make the mistake of underestimating your opponent, okay?"

  Before Rivera could reply, Claire spoke first. "Father, why worry so much? My sister can easily defeat that brat."

  But the Emperor lashed out at her. "Fool, you should reflect on yourself. But you still have time to be cocky. It seems I have been too soft on you lot. You are a member of the Royal family, and you don't even know your own ancestors. I feel ashamed calling you my successors."

  "It's decided then. From now on, all brats of the Royal family will undergo a test set by the court ministers on the heritage of our Empire. You all will have to pass that test to keep your allowances." His voice was stern, the finality of his decree sending shivers down the spines of those who heard.

  The Emperor's attendants quickly nodded and wrote down the command as the Emperor left the table to stroll around, his robes trailing behind him like a dark shadow. Only then did Claire notice her sister glaring at her, eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and resentment.

  "Sister, what happened?" Claire asked, her voice tentative.

  Rivera gritted her teeth. "You are still asking what happened? You know the rule is to never make our father angry. Now all the siblings have to go through this test, and you know how obedient the court ministers are. Hearing it's the Emperor's order, they will make the most brutal test of knowledge. Who do you think our siblings will be blaming? Us two. Many of us will lose our allowances. Be ready for the bullying at home."

  Hearing this, Claire's expression turned grave. She knew that her siblings would take it out on them for this collective test punishment. 'I hope they don't go too far.' she thought, a knot of fear tightening in her stomach.

  Claire and Rivera could only pray.

  "Hey Rivera, it's that brat's mistake. Make sure to make him pay for this. And if you defeat him spectacularly, Father may retract this punishment." Claire suggested, her voice edged with desperation.

  Rivera sighed, looking at her sister with a mix of pity and frustration. 'We can only hope.'