Billard had been feeling exhausted but a good thing was Master Valentine seemed to send him to his wife everyday and didn't let him do more work as he tended to overwork himself. What could he do? The workload was growing and he had to keep everything in check.

He certainly had many Lords under him but after the Rockdelia incident, he had to keep an eye on them. To be honest, it was hard to keep everyone in check but he had Master Valentine, Demian and Alonzo.

Alonzo was sending reports often and he was glad that he had a quite capable steward. He had almost distributed the lands which belonged to the citizens of Rockdelia and with the accumulated money from the Lords had helped them to gain food and clothes. He had shipped necessary things and Demian had asked the surrounding cities to start their trading in Rockdelia.

The only problem was like its name Rockdelia was surrounded by the rocky cliffs that made it hard for the ships to find docks. The natural habitat wasn't quite fulfilling and with the rocky cliffs and occasional whirlpools it was harder for trade or any form of transport with Rockdelia. Demian had studied the island properly and after a lot of thinking he had proposed for the west dock to be used for the trade purpose as it seemed to be the safest route.

Salamanders would help them as well. All he needed to find a good Lord for Rockdelia. It seemed Demian had also came up with another idea. He had recommended the leader who started the rebellion against the Lords. Although he wasn't from the royal race, Demian said, he was far better than any royalty. And it was time they had to choose people from their own cities to take care.

However, the system required a Lord as other cities didn't want to negotiate with common people who were chosen as a Lord. So, Billard had asked the leader, Hans Petris, to marry Lord Heartstone's eldest daughter, Diana Heartstone.

He opened the small letter which had carved the report of Hans answer and Alonzo had written it with his excellent handwriting.

As he finished reading, he released a sigh of relief.

"It seemed Hans Petris had agreed to marry Lady Diana," Billard said to Master Valentine who was sitting next to him with piles of papers in his hands.

He looked up and said, "That is indeed a good news. Now we don't have to worry about selecting a Lord, I suppose."

Billard nodded, a small smile etched on his lips. Demian might have done things in his barbaric ways but he did it perfectly with proper insight. He felt so happy that the smile had been plastered on his face permanently.

Master Valentine asked, "What is it that Your Highness is happy about?"

"Well, I didn't notice when Demian had grown up." Billard said, "He was just a little boy and still is young, yet he had matured a lot."

Master Valentine nodded as his eyes stayed on the papers before him and his hand continued to write without a pause. Only he could do that while talking. "Prince Demian had been growing up and now you have to stop being so overprotective."

"I know but..." Billard took a breath and released it as he began, "He had been so weak and needed care all the time after mother died. I can't help it."

Billard had to look after his little brother when their father had to look after the kingdom but after just one year of their mother's death, the King fell ill. He had to look after both the kingdom and his brother.

Demian had always been so weak due to the curse that Billard would always panic if anything happened to him. Be it a small scratch or a wound, he would always get worried. He didn't know when he had become a father figure to him rather than an elder brother.

"Still," Master Valentine said, "Now he is at his age. You have to lose a bit."

Billard nodded and mumbled, "I know... I know..." He smiled as he recalled when he first started to walk. Billard could not stop crying in happiness. He was about to reward every citizen in Dragon City if it was not Master Valentine stopping him. He chuckled to himself.

"It seems I have to put my hands away from him since he is quite capable of handling his own situation."

"Yes, and please, Your Highness," Master Valentine looked at him with a lazy gaze and said, "Try to give us an heir."

Billard almost choked on his thoughts as it was very awkward to hear that from the advisor. His brown skin got reddened as he coughed and said, "Before that comes Demian's transformation."

"Yes, of course." Master Valentine nodded and stood up to leave as he always had his hands full of work.

Billard was finding his letters and scrolls and sighed as it was hard to search anything when his table was a mess. "Master Valentine, can you send someone to tidy up the table here?"

"No, that I can't do that since you have very classified information and leaking those out would create problems." Master Valentine looked at him and said, which sounded almost like an order, "Tidy it up yourself, Your Highness."

Billard narrowed down his gaze at him and noticed the old advisor's table would always be neat and clean. He had always done things neatly in which Billard, of course, wasn't great. He had to learn from him, especially how to keep the table clean.

He sighed as a pile of papers fell on his lap. He got annoyed at it and decided, today, he would certainly clean up the mess. As he was placing the papers, reports and scrolls on the table, his eyes caught a paper.

The light yellow paper wasn't the interesting thing that caught his eyes but the letters which had a name 'Seraphina Flameheart'.

He took the paper reading the familiar name and saw it was a report on the fire nation his spies had sent three months ago. He had read it but it never caught his attention before.

He read it again. It said the internal affairs of their magic councils and one of the reports said a young girl named Seraphina Flameheart had created disasters in Grogen city. She had burnt down almost every house and destroyed a bridge with her blue fire. The description of the Flame Queen was 'curly red hair with jade green eyes'. It somehow matched a certain someone.

Billard wanted to discard the thought but he had been feeling a knot tying in his stomach. He didn't say anything to Master Valentine instead he took his pen and a paper.

He scribbled a few words and told Master Valentine, "Master Valentine, would you kindly send some gifts to the human nation?"

The old advisor nodded as he looked at him and bowed before he left.

"And also..." Billard said, "Send Kev Foreman here."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Billard looked at the paper in his hand which said to send a portrait of the human Princess.

****

Master Valentine called out Reginald and three of his Shadow Guard's men whom he had deployed to find the culprit.

He was sitting in his chair in his personal chamber as the four men entered, donning themselves in the dragon armours.

"Did you find out who is involved behind those rumours?" Master Valentine asked, his hard gaze fell on the men.

Reginald bowed before him as he said, "Master Valentine, it seems the rumour have indeed started from the castle and as well as from Rockmond market."

Master Valentine placed his elbows on the table and intertwined his fingers as his chin rested on it. His thoughts raced as who was from the castle knew about Seraphina other than him. Did someone have saw her doing magic?

No. That can't be happening as Seraphina had said her powers were sealed. There was no way any Dragons from the castle could sense her power. Even he couldn't. He had asked one of his spies to find out what kind of seal it was placed in and he had sent Reginald to collect the information from his spy.

"Did you bring the reports?" Master Valentine asked.

Reginald got up and brought out a small paper as he gave it to him. He got it and opened it as he read.

He pursed his lips. The paper said there was indeed a spell like that which could place a strong seal on anyone and it would not be lifted until the caster's wishes were fulfilled. However, only a King Tier could perform it and it needed years of practice.

Seraphina had said it was her father who cast the seal. The guild master of Arctic Flames, Jord Flameheart. He was one the ten strongest wizard masters from the whole wizard nation.

Master Valentine hummed, "Hmm..."

He looked up at the other three soldiers and asked, "Have you found anything else?"

Beside Reginald stood Froy as his dark eyes glinted and he said, "Master Valentine, I have found a suspicious activity which might need your attention."

The advisor nodded as Droy took his attention, "Pray, tell me."

"One of my men had seen Princess Zenith go to the old castle and after that she had come out with one of her father's soldiers." Froy said.

Now Master Valentine's interest took a peek. Why woukd Princess Zenith go to the old castle?

Reginald said, "May I?"

"Yes."

"A few of my men had seen the head maid lingering around Princess Seraphina's chamber," Reginald informed, "After keeping a watch, I found that the head maid had been going often to Prince Zenith's chamber."

"It could be to send her meals or clothes," The old advisor said.

"No. Sometimes she went there without carrying anything."

Master Valentine's eyes narrowed to the side as he could not understand why Princess Zenith would interact with the head maid when she had her personal maid. Not one but three maids.

Master Valentine nodded and ordered, "Alright. Keep watching their movements and," he looked at Froy and the others, "Go to Rockmond and find out who started those rumors."

They all sat on one knee, bowing and left.

Master Valentine stayed seated for a while and thought even if he assumed Princess Zenith had done it, what were her motives?

He could not understand what she was doing in the old castle. The castle had been replaced with the new one and now he felt he was more confused than before.

Was she up to something? But why would Princess Zenith do anything suspicious as of now? She was the future queen and nothing was going to become the hindrance, besides that, she was the beloved wife of Prince Billard and by her actions and her eyes Master Valentine could tell that she really loved His Highness, then why?

What about the soldier of Vortsmog? Were the Vermence planning something now? Now, when everything in the castle was going so smoothly?

Master Valentine shook his head, maybe he was reading too much into this, Princess Zenith had no way of being involved in anything around them, yet somehow the news that his informers had brought him somehow tied a knot of suspicion in his brain. He would look into it but for now he had other pressing matters in his hands and a lot of paperwork to do.