Chapter 37
Suddenly, the sky darkened.
The wind began to howl, growing stronger with every passing second. The once-clear and bright sky was now covered in darkness, as though it had been painted with a moody, irritated color.
A powerful gust swept through the garden.
Everyone immediately grabbed onto their chairs or anything solid and heavy enough to keep them from being thrown off balance.
The trees shook violently under the impact of the wind, their branches bending dangerously. Loose objects were flung across the garden, and sand rose from the ground in thick clouds.
Yet Louis remained seated, still as a mountain.
His back was still turned toward the minister.
His eyes, however, had changed.
They were more golden now, with specks of blue and fiery red dancing inside them like sparks.
Roseline stared at him in shock.
What kind of person is he?
Almost immediately, her own eyes reacted.
She didn't notice it.
But Kingston, who had been watching her closely, did.
He had always believed that if Julius could possess such extraordinary powers and carry such a thick fog of mystery around him, then Roseline couldn't be far from the same.
And he was right.
Her eyes had become exactly like her brother's.
The hand Kingston was holding suddenly began to tingle, almost like an electric current running through her.
Kingston quickly released it, but he continued watching her.
Her eyes looked sad.
Why?
Roseline was completely focused on her brother.
Then she moved.
The people around them remained unaware of what was happening between the siblings. Only Kingston and Lucas had noticed everything.
Kingston turned toward Lucas and mouthed,
Stop this madness of your king.
Lucas's eyes widened.
You want me to die early?
He shook his head.
You can try, but me? Not me.
Then he pointed subtly toward Roseline.
You might as well focus on your wife. Maybe she has a way. Who knows?
Roseline moved through the raging wind and scattered sand as though none of it existed.
The wind whipped around her, but somehow, it seemed to part whenever she approached, almost as though it could hear her command.
She walked freely.
The guards stationed several meters away were not faring good.
They struggled desperately to remain standing.
Even the Prime Minister was having a terrible time keeping himself on his feet.
Lucas and Kingston weren't doing much better.
The only two people completely unaffected by the storm were the siblings.
Kingston stared at them in disbelief.
What a display of power from his wife's family.
Fate had truly handed him a gem.
He couldn't help but chuckle.
Louis immediately shot him an annoyed look.
Kingston grinned.
"Your wife's family is about to end your life if this wind doesn't stop soon."
Lucas gave him a look of disbelief.
"Do you know why none of Louis's opponents ever escape him?"
Kingston's amusement faded.
"It's this power. It happened whenever he's super annoyed."
All thanks to this extremely stupid minister who still thinks he has the grasp of it all. Now they are having a share of what it feels like to be at the receiving end of Louis wrath. Lucas was cursing the minister in his mind.
Lucas's voice dropped.
"When Louis commands it, it's eradication. He leaves no survivors."
His eyes darkened.
"That's the reason so many people and countries fear him. He has never lost a war."
"Well, they called him a battle god."
He paused.
"Never."
Kingston's eyes widened slightly.
"And no one has ever been fortunate enough to discover how he does it."
Lucas glanced toward Louis.
"This is the first time he's ever displayed his power in front of people outside of me and his secret soldiers—the ones who have sworn their lives and loyalty to him."
He shook his head.
"How do you catch or defeat someone when you don't even know his weakness or the source of his power?"
Lucas's expression became serious.
"Pray your wife doesn't become his weakness."
He paused.
"Or his death."
Kingston looked toward Roseline.
He wasn't sad about her being more powerful than him.
He wasn't jealous.
He was genuinely happy.
But now, he was concerned.
Concerned about her.
And concerned about the last bloodline of her family—her brother-in-law, Louis.
When Roseline finally reached him, she noticed that Louis was repeatedly clenching and unclenching his fists.
His entire body was shaking.
Sweat coated his skin.
He was drenched as though someone had poured water over him.
He was fighting his rage.
She's the one.
It's her fault.
Without thinking twice, Roseline threw herself into his arms.
Louis immediately went stiff.
She whispered into his ear,
"Brother, I'm fine. It's okay. I'm okay. No one is taking me anywhere. You're here. You're by my side."
She tightened her arms around him.
"Please control it. It's suffocating. I—"
Her words were cut short when Louis suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around her, almost crushing her against him.
The word suffocating, care and brother in her words were what brought his sanity back.
How can he hurt his precious sister.
"You call me brother?"
His voice tremble with joy, excitement.
"Like a brother?"
He pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes.
"You care for me?" His eyes twinkle .
Roseline looked into his eyes.
The golden glow was still there, but the fury had disappeared.
Her brother was looking at her joyfully.
The wind suddenly retracted.
The sand began settling back onto the ground.
The area where the two siblings stood remained foggy, however, obscured from everyone else's view.
It was Louis's doing.
He was deliberately keeping the others from seeing them.
"This is the first time I feel like you finally accept me truly from your heart," Louis whispered.
I know and feel it that you haven't totally accepted me before. You still treat me like a stranger. But now....
A smile appeared on his face.
"Thank you, little sis."
His arms tightened around her again.
"And I'm not losing you again."
His voice became firm.
"Never."
His eyes flashed dangerously.
"I will destroy whatever tries to pull us apart."
Roseline smiled.
What a possessive brother.
But she loved it.
The strange tingling sensation in her hand was still there.
Her entire body felt unusually hot, as though it was reacting to Louis's presence.
Louis noticed it.
"Oh no."
His expression immediately changed to concern.
"We need to get you inside. I think your body reacted to my power."
He studied her carefully.
"It's like air searching for something... or a sleeping child, who recognizes the scent of her mother from close proximity."
Roseline blinked, unsure what he meant.
Louis gently guided her.
Then his attention shifted toward the Prime Minister.
"Prime Minister."
His voice instantly became cold again.
"I don't have your time today."
The Prime Minister straightened as much as he could.
"Report tomorrow with an explanation as to why your child would raise her hand against a royal."
His eyes hardened.
"My sister."
He emphasized the words.
"The Crown Princess."
The Prime Minister swallowed.
"I need an explanation."
Louis paused.
"Or perhaps it's both of you who planned this."
"What?" The Prime Minister's face paled.
"To harass my sister simply because she's new here?"
"That's impossible, my King!" the Prime Minister quickly protested. "She didn't—"
"I would investigate before saying anything else if I were you."
Louis's tone became even harsher.
"I don't want to embarrass myself in front of the entire court and your household by having to kneel later and seek forgiveness for making a wrong judgment."
The Prime Minister fell silent.
Louis turned back toward Roseline.
More than anything, he wanted to remain by his sister's side.
He wanted to witness the process of her powers awakening.
And, more importantly, he wanted to make sure she was safe when they did.