THE MOMENT that the crown laid atop Prince Corean's head perfectly like it was made for him. Tori saw how the noble faction created a diversion when the majority of the royal knights leaped from the royal family's audience area towards the podium where Tori and the crowned Prince Cory were standing. "They are using the hidden passage just you as you guessed, Cory," Tori affirmed to Cory.

"Cory? I thought I'm your darling?" The playful tune of his voice made Tori blushed for the second time of the day. This man will be the death of my vagina. That I'm sure of.

"Whatever." Tori hated losing against Prince Cory. So before the podium became the battleground between two opposing sides, she spun towards the second prince– tiptoeing to kiss his cheeks swiftly. "Darling," whispered Tori.

She could not believe that they were practically flirting at the very center of the chaos.

The northern warriors charged with their bolo. Swords and bolo clashed. Shields and javelins met. The commoners and the members of the aristocratic faction, aside from Tori, Prince Cory, and the two crown princes, left the courtroom according to the plan. Prince Cory spun Tori to his front. And in one sweep, he carried her like a princess, away from the bloodshed.

Tori hugged Prince Cory's sturdy shoulders as her life depended on it, earning her a soft snort from the second prince as he strode towards the passage where the noble faction members and the royal family used to run away.

Smacking his right arm, Tori placed her chin on his left shoulder. "The crown looks good on you, my king," said Tori in a hushed voice. She knew that her hot breath tickled his right ear, causing an effect on the poor prince as she watched his ear turned red. How cute.

Prince Cory scoffed. "You are teasing me, my queen. You will regret this later, I swear to you." The promise of a steamy encounter laced upon his voice as he continued to stride.

Giggling from his antics to hide her arousal, Tori bit his ear playfully. She whispered again. "Will you make me scream, Your Majesty?"

Prince Cory refused to answer from her antics in which Tori pouted like a child. The next thing Tori felt, his strides fasten as if they were chasing a devil. Oh boy.

PRINCE LAUREN walked with gritted teeth. His jaws clenched as he analyzed the chain of events that led him to his current situation. Why? Everything is going as plan! Until that wench got her head chopped off.

"Will we die here?"

"I don't want to die."

"Hush, the imperial family might hear you."

The whispers among the nobles fueled the first prince's temper. I am the future king yet some entitled boy is wearing the centuries-old crown right now.

The passageway they were using was an ancient knowledge passed down only to the members of the royal family. This passage was hidden just behind the royal family's audience room for safety purposes such as today. The pathway was cramped surrounded by stone walls. Torches lit their way, guiding them through the darkness. With five royal knights at most, Prince Lauren knew that they were in a perilous situation.

He glanced at the calm former duke of Rozenreff Duchy. The latter was holding Lady Sabina tightly and close to him.

Seconds turned to minutes until they saw the end of the passageway. King Elphaim led their group with two royal knights by his side. "That's the exit! It will lead us inside the king's castle!" said the king which caused the nobles to gasp with relief. Finally, I can retaliate to that bastard!

The moment they stepped into the light, the sunlight pierced their eyes, and whips of fresh air soothed their sweaty faces. Squinting, he looked around to call the royal knights in the royal palace even with a blurry vision. Prince Lauren wondered why the silhouettes were there already as if they knew that they were coming.

King Elphaim was the first one to issue a command. "Send reinforcements to the capital! Get me the army and prepare for subjugation!"

"We're saved!"

"I thought that I'm going to die there!"

"Let's rest for a while."

Prince Lauren blinked once then twice. He focused his line of sight on the unmoving silhouette of the people that surrounded them. The people with the first prince who came out from the secret passage were also suffering the same with him. And when they finally adjusted their eyes from the onslaught of sunlight, gasps full of terror left the nobles' lips.

Standing proudly in front of them, a large number of northern warriors were fully equipped with northern weapons. At the center among them was the alleged King of the North, his passive expression irked Prince Lauren. He decided to step out since he had no time to deal with pesky savages. He needed to end his brother.

"Move, barbaric scum."

Chieftain Keiran Arin only grunted as a reply as if he was regarding him like he was a waste of breath to deal with. His actions fueled his pent-up anger. But his grim face turned into a triumphant smile when a hoard of imperial army surrounded the savage northern. Clad in their armors with the royal family's sigil, they stood out compared to the beast's fur of the savage tribesmen. "Move or get killed. Either way, I don't care." Prince Lauren simply scanned the imperial army but he could not found the silhouette of General Arman Helisos of the Imperial Army. Where is he? Did he already move to the courthouse? Even so, why do I feel like I am missing something?

"You talk big for someone who is about to die." A familiar voice with a familiar silhouette immerged from the hoard of the imperial army.

"Duke Rowan Castaña," said the king, his tone dripped with disgust. The king continued as the young duke, who recently announced his membership to the aristocratic faction, stood side by side with the barbarian king of the north. "Your father will surely condemn you upon learning what you are doing."

The young duke smirked. "My father is happily having a reunion with my ancestors. His business is his own, but I belt he's proud. Can't you see, Your Majesty? I just achieved a great feat."

The confidence in his tone made Prince Lauren realized what the treacherous duke meant. The medal pinned to the latter's coat was the pin given by the king to General Arman Helisos! "Where is the general, Duke Rowan?" asked the first prince.

"I am the general. And as the general of the imperial army, I only answer to the king." He knelt his left knee to the ground as he bowed to the nobles' direction where King Elphaim and Prince Lauren stood. Chieftain Keiran Arin followed and the rest of the northerners and the imperial army followed the example of their leaders.

The two grinned widely especially the old king. But it was Prince Lauren whose face fell first when he felt that the nobles behind him and his father parted to make way for a newly arrived guest. Prince Lauren spun around and drawn his sword, earning the attention of King Elphaim. The king's grin turned into a scowl when he realized who they were bowing to, not him, not Prince Lauren, but the insolent who got the audacity to wear the imperial crown. "I am your king, King Elphaim Eckrett, of the great Eckrett Empire! You dare mock me!"

"Aren't you getting carried away, little brother? Even if you have the crown, it won't make you a king."

The nobles scattered away. Tori saw how her father brought Sabina to the corner, shielding her from possible harm. She could not help but snort. What a picture-perfect father and daughter combo. I'm sure they will look good in the prison cells too.

"Rise," said Prince Cory. Duke Rowan and Chief Keiran stood up immediately followed by their followers. Crown Prince Yei Lin presented a sword to Prince Cory in response to the indirect duel being requested by Prince Lauren when he withdrew his sword. Unsheathing his sword, Prince Cory faced his brother as their swords pointed against each other.

Crown Prince Allistair and Crown Prince Yei Lin brought Tori to Chief Keiran and Duke Rowan's side as they protected their queen. Prince Allistair grumbled to Tori who was standing on her right side, looking bored at the events that transpired. "Can't we just kill them all?"

"We can't. Prince Corean needs this. He needs to face his demons, and that is in the form of his elder brother," said Prince Yei Lin. Tori nodded her head. Cory needs this confrontation as much as I need one final confrontation from my so-called family. Her gaze shifted to where her father and her sister were standing.

Swords drawn and pointed against each other, the noble faction and aristocratic faction watched the two princes combat against each other. Tori clenched her fists tightly as they watched the two aim for a straight kill. Her heart would always skip a beat every time the second prince got the disadvantage and her heart cheered when Prince Cory would be on the advantage side. It was a toe-curling experience that she wished she would never experience again.

You can do it, Cory. Skewer that bastard and be my king! Prove to me why my chosen king candidate is the best!

King Elphaim's voice rang in the open field of the royal palace when Prince Lauren got a fatal blow in his right shoulder and a slash in his left kneecap. "No!"

Kneeling to the ground, all Prince Lauren could do as he heaved was to sarcastically grin at his scorned brother. "You got me there, little brother."

Prince Corean's tip of the blade pointed at the first prince's throat, he was heaving too as he looked down at his elder brother. "Did you even consider me as one, brother Lauren?" Though the second prince's face remained passive, his eyes betrayed him. Sadness and anger swirled like two dominant colors within his golden eyes.

"I never did. You are a thorn in my path for becoming king. But, look at you. Wearing the crown that should be mine! My throne and my queen! That whore is mine to–"

Prince Lauren's words brought him to his death as Prince Corean's golden eyes darkened. Watching the other half of his elder brother's head fell to the ground, Prince Lauren's mouth opened and closed like a starved fish as blood spurted like a fountain from his torn body. Blood dripped from Prince Corean's crown to his face but he calmly looked at his brother's body. "I can take any insult you say to me, but I can't let you be a threat to Victoria."

The king picked up Prince Lauren's sword and attacked Prince Cory from behind. But before he could stab Prince Corean, Tori's parasol pierced the old king's jugular, killing King Elphaim in an instant.

King Elphaim's sapphire eyes stared at Tori as he limped to the ground. The remaining noble faction loyalists attacked her and Prince Corean only to be intercepted by Chief Keiran and Duke Rowan. Tori did not mind the chaos around her as she knelt to the ground, whispering the words that only hear and the king could hear. "Your pesky little trial is a child's play, but who am I to say no to the opportunity to eliminate you all in one go? So thank you, father-in-law. You just help this woeful daughter-in-law of yours to get the goal I always want to achieve. You help me become a Queen Regent. As you can see, your son loves me dearly. So sleep now, old fool. I told you, didn't I? I will build a dynasty."

Tori's cunning red eyes shone like the devil's as she watched the king drew his last breath. As she stood, Tori saw the noble faction loyalists and the remaining royal knights slaughtered to the ground, butchered like an animal. The remaining noble faction members together with her father and sister were arrested by the imperial army under the direct supervision of Duke Castaña.

Tori spoke to everyone. "The king is dead! And as per the laws of the empire, the crown now belongs to Prince Corean Shuia Eckrett!" Tori walked towards her betrothed. "May I present you, Blessed Sun of Gaia, King of the Great Eckrett Empire, King Corean Shuia Eckrett, the Usurper!"

Right before King Corean, Tori was the first one to kneel before him, followed by Tori's vassals and everyone. There, the new king started his reign.