After a few days of recovery and rest after the war, the three knights were invited by the Emperor to the palace to be entertained and discuss several matters including meeting the crown prince who would inherit the empire one day.
"Let me come with you," Seira said, asking the three men to go to the palace.
"What are you coming with us for? You haven't finished serving us yet. You can't return to the palace yet," Albert replied.
"Right, do you intend to run away because you're tired of serving us in this mansion?" asked Leonard who walked up to her.
Seira looked at Leonard, she then shook her head. Saying that she just wanted to retrieve her item that was left behind in the palace. The item was quite important to her, so she wanted to take it. Hearing that reason, Leonard was not convinced at first and thought that Seira was just making excuses.
"I'm not making excuses, I wanted to take it there before but I'm sure you guys wouldn't allow me to go back to the palace for that. It's just that now that you are also going there, if I really intend to escape, you can just drag me back home, right?" she asked.
They thought that was a reasonable thing to do. Plus Albert suddenly put his arm around Seira and talked Harvey into letting Seira come with them.
"Let her come along, if she really did run away, we can drag her along like she said," he said as he glanced at her and winked.
Albert felt that Seira had helped him when he was starving in the middle of the night a few days ago, so he decided to help her in return.
Seeing Albert who seemed to be melting for Seira, made Leonard feel confused. However, Harvey finally allowed her to come along with them.
"Alright, you can come with us. But when we return to the mansion, you must be ready to wait for us. Do you understand?" Harvey asked firmly.
"Yes, I understand."
Seira finally came with them. "Come here," he said pulling her hand closer.
"What do you waa-!" Seira was surprised when Harvey carried her onto his horse.
He then sat behind her and held onto the horse's reins, making her body cling to his chest.
'What is this? Why do I have to sit in front of him like this?' she thought in surprise. But because of her tilted sitting position, she could only hold on to the man's knight's coat.
"You should be more gentle with women, Harvey," Leonard said as he mounted his horse.
"Silence, we're leaving now. Hya!" He rode his horse followed by two of his men towards the palace not far from their mansion.
During the trip, Seira occasionally raised her head to look at Harvey's serious face who was looking straight at the road in front of them.
"Just look ahead and hold on tight or you'll fall. I won't be responsible if you get hurt later," he said.
"I know, I can only hold on to you," Seira replied.
But Harvey didn't answer anymore and instead accelerated his horse's pace, making Seira reel and almost fall down if Harvey didn't hold her back with his hand.
"I told you to focus!"
"I know, I'm just having trouble holding on."
After a few minutes, they finally reached the palace. Before Harvey set Seira down, she had already jumped down first and smoothed out her dress.
Her heart felt like it was about to give out because she was worried about falling off a horse that was traveling so fast like that.
They parted ways at the palace gates as Seira went to the servants' quarters which were in a different direction from the royal hall. The Emperor's throne was usually located.
"Be back in one hour. You cannot be late or I will punish you." Once again Harvey warned her and she nodded.
The three knights then went to the hall where the Emperor was waiting for them. A large and spacious room was before them now.
On the throne, the Emperor sat with a beautiful lady on his right, a young man on his left, and also some palace guards around them who were ready for any situation.
The guards saluted Harvey, Leonard and Albert as they were the Emperor's honored knights.
"Greetings Your Imperial Majesty, I am Harvey Van Desmond come to see you," he said as he placed his right hand on his left chest and knelt before his Emperor.
So did Leonard and Albert.
"Rise and take your seats," Emperor Randolf replied.
The servants placed three chairs in front of Randolf but on his left side and his three knights sat there.
"The reason I called you three here is because I want to talk about the crown prince. My son will inherit my palace one day," he said, pointing at the young man next to him.
The young man stood up from his seat. He wore very luxurious clothes, had brown hair with green eyes.
"My name is Darco Sergive Vancosta! I will inherit my father's empire. That means the three of you will follow my orders too from now on!" he said with a sly smile on his face.
Seeing this, Harvey already seemed to dislike Darco for his arrogance. Moreover, the man looks very spoiled and can't do anything without his current position.
However, he tried to mask his displeasure with that stern face.
"That's right, my son Darco will inherit the entire empire. So from now on you must get to know him and respect his position because he will be my successor when I am busy." Randolf patted his son's shoulder.
Darco stared at his father's three loyal dogs as if telling them to kneel before him.
Of course, Harvey disliked this idea even more. He thought that although Darco would inherit the Emperor's throne, he was not yet authorized to do so and should not do so.
"I'm waiting," Darco said suddenly while giving the code with his pupils for them to kneel.
"Harvey?" called Leonard who sat in the center and looked at his leader.
Likewise, Harvey seemed to be questioning this.
"Aren't you going to kneel before your new leader? You really are arrogant knights. Shameless," said the beautiful woman who sat with the Emperor earlier.
She was the Royal Concubine, Catalina.
Having no other choice, Harvey stood up from his chair, followed by Leonard and Albert.
They stood before Darco and knelt before the arrogant man.
"We, the three loyal knights of His Imperial Majesty, swear obedience and loyalty to Crown Prince Darco," the three of them said in unison.
Darco smiled with satisfaction at the sight.
"Good boys."
From the other side of the hall, Seira peered inside and saw three knights kneeling and swearing before Darco. Her green eyes seemed to be able to see the current situation.
"Poor dog and foolish master."