Princess Avira's personality reminded Nashia of Princess Novia. If Princess Novia were still alive, she would've been just as excited. As she reminisced about Princess Novia, a bitter wave of hate for humans washed over her.
Meanwhile, Empress Gloria stepped forward and hugged Eric with a warm, affectionate expression.
"Oh my son. Stay safe and write to us often," She said it out loud while hugging him.
"Eric. You remember what I said to you, right? Just endure for a year or two... for Avira's sake."
She whispered to Eric before pulling away from him. Eric seemed a little distressed, but it went away from his face in less than a second.
Soon enough, all Zenith royals had boarded their carriages. Avira peeked from the window, and she waved her brother a last goodbye.
Eric smiled back at her as he waved back slightly. Nashia observed everything with a sharp gaze. Her mind was already making plans on how to make his life a living hell.
She turned away, not offering him so much as a glance. The Duchess glanced at Sauveur before following Nashia. Eric just stood there as he saw her leaving.
"Your highness, shall we go back? The weather is growing hotter," Sauveur asked Eric.
"Yes, let's go back."
The next few days in Rosett were uncharacteristically peaceful—at least for Eric. Nashia was ignoring Eric with the pretense of being busy with the small casualties of war.
A deliberately crafted ignorance to make Eric insecure. Instead, he enjoyed the peace. He didn't even explore the palace.
He spent his days reading and isolating himself in his chamber, with nothing else expected of him.
No nobles bothered to show up and greet the new emperor consort, let alone pay respect. He was not invited to any royal meetings or gatherings anyway.
It has been a week, yet she still hasn't come to meet him or summoned him.
She only assigned some servants to Eric who would serve him. He assumed she didn't care about him and would only ignore him. But unbeknownst to him, she was keeping an eye on him.
"How is he doing?" Nashia asked while scribbling on a few documents.
"Fairly good, your majesty." The Duchess replied, standing a step behind her chair.
Nashia paused her quill on the paper, looking up at the duchess. "Fairly good? Why?"
"Well, he is kind of enjoying your lack of attention to him. Spending most of his time in the library or his chamber."
Nashia opened her mouth to say something, but stopped. Her quill trembling from her grip, struggling not to break.
"Bring out the vision orb," she commanded.
She pulled out a drawer of her desk to store the quill in until she noticed that the handkerchief was still in a corner.
She lightly brushed her fingers against the embroidered handkerchief. Her gaze was stern. She wasn't supposed to keep it. Why is it still there?
"You… Your….Your majesty?"
Nashia's trance broke as she finally heard the Duchess's call. "Yes, coming."
She dropped the handkerchief back in the drawer and shut it before rising from her chair. She made her way to the couch, where they had set up the vision orb.
The orb, a rare artifact created through ancient Rosettian blood-magic, allowed Nashia to observe Eric without him ever knowing. Such magic was forbidden in most empires—but Rosett was different.
Rosett's magic technology was far more advanced than anywhere else. Vampires aren't just strong by physical strength but also by magic.
"A spoiled prince can't be that composed and calm due to these circumstances, can he? Is he acting, knowing that I might keep an eye on him?"
Nashia murmured while eyeing Eric in the orb. The oblivious Eric sipped his tea lazily with a deadly handsome expression while reading a novel.
"He looks so delicate yet why can't I read him properly?" Nashia wondered as her fingers tightened around the handrest.
As a prince, Eric was always trained to be professional, no matter the circumstances. He was the treasured first prince of the empire, yet he showed no reaction to the neglect of his needs.
Is he too perfect, or does he simply not care? His reaction was more comfortable. As if he doesn't care if his wife is interested in him or not.
"It is indeed a little suspicious that he isn't complaining at all, as it is a spoiled human's nature to complain about every little thing. We might get to see something in the future?"
Yura replied as she stood straight beside Nashia.
"Hmm.. Isn't he said to be a prodigy in swordsmanship? How come gifted knights don't practise at all?"
Nashia added with dissatisfaction. Her tone seeped with disbelief. But she decided to observe him for more time.
Meanwhile, Eric continued to behave the same way, spending his days reading novels that were in the royal library.
He continued to be a perfect prince who never complained about anything. He showed little interest in Rosett's politics, as though they held no place in his world.
"Your highness, don't you think you should go out a bit?"
Sauveur asked Eric while he was picking some books from the shelves of the imperial library.
"What do you mean?" Eric asked, not breaking his attention from his work.
"It's been around a month, yet all you do is come to the library and back to your chamber. At this rate, your body will start to weaken, your highness."
"I will be fine. Moreover, what's there to do? No work, no meeting. Even her majesty was said to be busy. So, I'm just passing my leisure time."
Eric replied as he looked over his shoulder to meet his gaze before starting to walk out. Sauveur sighed quietly. Once wary of Eric, he now found himself simply confused.
"You can at least try strolling in the gardens or something?"
"No. I'm good."
There is no point in hoping. I had learned that long ago. All I need now is silence, and maybe a few good books.
Eric thought as they walked back to his bed chamber. The maids sneakily peek at Eric while he passes them, mesmerized by his handsomeness.