“Duke Aden von Agnus greets the fourth light of the Empire.” Duke Agnus bowed in front of the intent gaze of the Fourth Prince; even while bending his knee, his pride and dignity shone through. His courtesy was neither excessive nor insufficient.

“I am honored to meet Duke Agnus, the pride of the Empire.” Kaiser stepped down from his white horse. His gaze covered the whole crowd in front of him.

The audience was dumbfounded when Prince Kaiser bowed his head with a gentle smile.

“Your Highness!” an embarrassed Evergrant shouted. No matter how high-ranking an aristocrat was, the fourth prince was a direct descendent of the Emperor himself, the one above every other man in Avalon, in an age where the Imperial family had never been stronger.

It was said that lower-rank nobles were to treat dukes and princes much the same, but for a prince to treat a duke as a peer was uncalled for.

“That the Imperial Knights are watching is one thing, but...