Chapter 652 - Taming the Fifth Year - Pledge - 2

Ren walked toward Larissa’s room with steps that became slower as he approached.

It wasn’t by any particular preference that he was going to talk to her first.

Talking to Liora again so soon would feel a bit more uncomfortable, even more so when he’d finished without "getting rid of the enemies" as she’d expected...

Honestly, he was also a bit more afraid of Luna. She’d left the dining hall without saying a word, but her mana...

Ren had felt the agitation in her patterns, violent and erratic despite her face remaining perfectly serious.

So Larissa first.

Larissa who had run away, yes, but whose mana had shown embarrassment more than fury.

Embarrassment was easier to handle than fury.

Probably.

He hoped...

When he reached Larissa’s room door, he found it opening slightly. A figure was leaving, and Ren immediately recognized the imposing presence of Victor Dravenholm.

The first prince and Larissa’s older brother looked... upset. His eyebrows were furrowed, his jaw tense, and there was something in the way his shoulders were squared that communicated frustration.

When Victor saw Ren, his expression changed. Not to relief. Not to joy. To something strange that Ren couldn’t completely identify. Surprise and something darker. Something that made Ren’s instincts warn him this wasn’t going to be a comfortable conversation.

Without saying a word, Victor approached with steps that weren’t threatening but were very deliberate. His hand extended, grabbing Ren’s shoulder with firmness that left no room for argument.

And then he pulled him into the room.

Ren blinked, allowing himself to be ’escorted’, concerned more by confusion than anything else. Victor’s mana showed no intention of attack. There was no real hostility. Just... urgency. And maybe a bit of exasperation.

’What’s happening?’

When they entered the room, Ren found Julius seated in one of the chairs, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. And Arturo standing by the window with crossed arms, his expression more tense than Victor’s.

All three princes, and...

Larissa wasn’t in the room.

"Looks like we saved ourselves some steps," Julius said with a calm tone, though his eyes studied Ren with an intensity that made him feel like he was being dissected. "But still, let him go Victor, don’t be like that. We should hear his version first."

"His version," Arturo repeated with a tense voice, "of how he can do something like that without considering the feelings of the cutest girl of..."

He cut off abruptly at Julius’s extended hand, his face reddening slightly.

Julius sighed, the sound carrying years of dealing with his brothers’ protective instincts. Victor looked to the side and also sighed, releasing Ren’s shoulder finally.

Ren felt increasingly uncomfortable, standing in the middle of the room surrounded by three of the kingdom’s most powerful men. He was beginning to understand that Larissa or maybe Selphira had said something about the situation. Though he wasn’t sure exactly what.

What Ren didn’t know, what could only be narrated beyond his perception, was that originally, only Julius was going to come with Selphira... It was in response to Liora’s message, to talk to Ren about Aldric and the three girls.

A diplomatic conversation, adult, to understand what was happening.

But Arturo had found out by accident. He had class with Ren and Zhao later that day, and had interrogated the maids when Mayo had let slip a laugh mentioning something about "player Patinder’s romantic disaster".

The problem was that between the rush, exaggerations and errors of word-of-mouth, none of them knew the whole story.

Larissa wasn’t really upset with Ren. She was embarrassed. Mortified for having almost shouted something she didn’t want to admit yet and for having lost control of her emotions, offending Ren with the word "idiot" that only someone like Mayo should use.

Yes... she had fled from embarrassment more than from anger.

But when Arturo had found her in the hallway, with red eyes and muttering something cryptically about "losing control, annoying jealousy and being an idiot for trying," Arturo had assumed the worst.

That Ren, the "player-cheater-fuckboy-Patinder" from the exaggerated rumors of years ago and his nightmares as an older brother, had returned with vengeance.

That he was playing with Larissa’s feelings!

And without telling Larissa anything, without waiting to hear more context, Arturo had sent someone to get Victor too. To teach Ren a lesson. To show him that Larissa wasn’t alone and intimidate him appropriately.

That’s why they were all here now.

A misunderstanding about another misunderstanding.

Arturo took a step forward, his presence filling the space. "What a disappointment, after teaching you so much... Don’t think you can take advantage of Larissa just because her brothers are busy and far away. We’re here. Always."

He moved closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone.

"And you need to understand something very clearly, Patinder. I know that in high houses it’s normal. Nobles of high ranks typically have between three to five wives."

He paused.

"But accumulating them so young, in these quantities, is disrespectful. Besides, there must be clear hierarchies. The houses must also be matched in power. Not just men, but vice versa... It’s easier for someone like Selphira to have several husbands than to share a husband with someone because of her enormous influence. So as much as you’re a genius destined for greatness, you can’t disrespect royalty and the biggest houses."

Ren opened his mouth, confused. "Accumulating...?"

"You’re already on thin ice with Larissa alone," Arturo continued without letting him interrupt, momentum carrying him forward. "She’s Dravenholm. Royal house. And I know Selphira is hunting to get you into her family too, trying to secure you with Liora. You’re going to have an enormous challenge matching the power of either of the two houses that are clearly chasing you."

His voice hardened, taking on an edge sharp enough to cut.

"Not to mention the two together! Or three if we count Lu... See?! Even my father Dragarion, the only true Dragon Tamer, only had three wives. Three. And he was Dragarion."

The name carried weight, even a legend nobody could match didn’t ’play games’.

Arturo planted himself in front of Ren, looking at him directly. Eye to eye, letting his full presence press down.

"So you better straighten up and..."

"Arturo," Julius interrupted with firm but calm voice, the tone of someone used to moderating. "Enough. Let Ren speak."

Victor, still with his hand on Ren’s shoulder, sighed again. His grip loosened slightly, becoming more paternal than threatening.

"Ren," he said with voice softer than Arturo’s but equally serious, "is it true you’re ’toying’ with the groups of girls that follow you?"

He made a significant pause, giving weight to the question.

"And when I say toying, I mean anything romantic. Flirting, promises, insinuations. Anything."

"No," Ren responded immediately, his confusion genuine and evident in every line of his body. "Not at all. I find receiving so much attention at the same time uncomfortable and I’ve been avoiding them."

The three brothers observed his expression, felt his mana. The patterns were clear, stable, showing truth.

It was true.

Arturo relaxed slightly, though his frown remained. Suspicion didn’t vanish but it diminished, logic pushing back against protective instinct.

"Good," Victor continued, his interrogation methodical. "And what about the three ’high quality’ girls Aldric brought you? The ones we know are backed by the numerous noble groups behind the latest ’not so impartial’ shenanigans in the noble rating organisms that should be impartial... Do you have something with them? Even a secret interest?"

Ren hesitated for a fraction of a second. "No."

Arturo tensed immediately, his senses honed from years of political maneuvering. "Lie. There’s a half-lie there!"