Pride Colliding with Reason

"Alright, let them come over and kneel down to apologize. We’ll forget about this matter."

The words landed like a stone thrown into still water.

For a brief moment—

Silence swallowed everything.

The wind stopped.

The crackling flames in the distance seemed to hesitate.

Even the tension in the air... tightened.

Then—

It exploded.

"Kid, what did you say? You dare to make me kneel for you?"

Tommy’s voice tore through the silence like a blade. His face flushed red, veins rising along his neck as fury surged through him.

Kneel?

Him?

A prince of the Blue Empire?

In his entire life—

He had only ever bowed to one person.

His father.

Even in the imperial court, nobles trembled before him. Generals lowered their heads. Servants didn’t even dare meet his gaze.

And now—

A nobody from Ashford City was telling him to kneel?

His grip tightened around his saber. The metal trembled faintly, humming with suppressed Mana.

His eyes burned.

"Say it again," he growled, voice low, dangerous. "I dare you."

Harry didn’t flinch.

Not even a little.

Instead, he tilted his head slightly, as if genuinely puzzled by the reaction.

A faint irritation crept into his voice.

"Then there’s no room for negotiation, right?"

His tone was casual.

Almost dismissive.

Like he was discussing something trivial.

But inside—

His heart was pounding.

Don’t mess this up...

Don’t hesitate...

Leon is watching.

That single thought steadied him.

He clenched his jaw slightly.

If I retreat now... everything collapses.

So he doubled down.

"I’m going all out today..." Harry muttered under his breath, almost inaudible. "If Respected Leon doesn’t stop me... I’ll act to the end."

His eyes sharpened.

What is there to fear... when someone like him is standing behind me?

The confidence returned.

Raw.

Reckless.

Tommy took a step forward.

The ground beneath his feet cracked slightly under the pressure of his Mana.

The atmosphere—

Was seconds away from shattering.

"Please don’t be angry. Peace is the most important."

Kai’s voice cut in.

Not loud.

But firm.

It slipped between the two like a blade, halting the clash before it could erupt.

Yet—

There was something different now.

A faint edge.

A trace of dissatisfaction.

Kai had already lowered himself.

Already spoken politely.

Already tried to mediate.

And still—

Harry refused to give him face.

A flicker of displeasure passed through his eyes.

But it vanished just as quickly.

Hidden.

Controlled.

Still—

It was there.

He took a slow breath, then stepped back slightly.

Turning his head, he addressed the elder behind him.

"Elder... what do you think?"

The old man stood calmly, hands clasped behind his back, his expression as steady as a mountain.

He stroked his beard slowly.

Each motion deliberate.

Measured.

His gaze moved between the two sides—the furious Tommy, the defiant Harry, the tense Prince of the Blue Empire.

Then—

He spoke.

"Your Highness..."

His voice was neither loud nor soft.

But it carried weight.

"Why don’t you first ask what truly happened between them?"

A pause.

"You will naturally understand everything... once you know the full story."

Simple.

Clear.

But sharp.

Kai’s eyes flickered.

He nodded slightly.

"I had the same thought."

Without wasting another second, he turned and walked toward the Prince of the Blue Empire.

The sand crunched softly beneath his feet.

The air felt heavier with every step.

"Prince of the Blue Empire," Kai said calmly, "tell me exactly what happened."

Prince of the Blue Empire hesitated for a split second.

Then spoke.

His version flowed smoothly.

Clean.

Controlled.

They had merely "accidentally offended" Harry.

Nothing serious.

Nothing worth escalating.

Kai listened.

Quietly.

No interruption.

But his expression didn’t change.

Not even once.

When Prince of the Blue Empire finished—

Kai turned.

Walking toward Harry.

Now—

The second version.

Harry didn’t bother with polish.

Didn’t soften anything. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"They wanted me to kneel the moment we met."

His voice was flat.

Cold.

"Why should I kneel to them?"

His eyes locked onto Kai’s.

Sharp.

Unyielding.

"They’re not even from the Drake Empire."

A beat.

"I didn’t kneel to you."

The words were blunt.

Unfiltered.

"So why would I kneel to them?"

Silence followed.

Heavy.

Oppressive.

Kai stood there.

Thinking.

Comparing.

Weighing.

The two stories didn’t match.

But—

One thing was clear.

Prince of the Blue Empire had avoided details.

He spoke vaguely.

Carefully.

Too carefully.

Harry, on the other hand—

Spoke directly.

Without hesitation.

Without fear.

And strangely...

It made more sense.

Kai exhaled slowly.

So that’s how it is...

His gaze shifted toward Tommy.

There was a faint coldness in it now.

Arrogant...

Too arrogant.

Even for a prince.

Is this really someone worth tying the royal bloodline to...?

The thought surfaced quietly.

But once it appeared—

It didn’t leave.

Marriage alliance.

Politics.

Benefits.

He understood all of it.

Better than anyone.

Because in the imperial palace—

There was no such thing as family.

Only—

Interests.

Cold.

Unforgiving.

Calculated.

Kai’s fingers tightened slightly.

But this...

This is too much.

If someone like Tommy married into the imperial family—

What would happen to Rias?

A flicker of memory crossed his mind.

Her smile.

Her defiance.

Her unwillingness.

And the way she had looked at him—

Before she left.

Kai’s expression darkened slightly.

She wouldn’t be happy.

That much—

He was certain.

And for the first time—

A quiet resistance formed in his heart.

Not loud.

Not reckless.

But firm.

This marriage... shouldn’t happen.

Still—

He said nothing.

Because he couldn’t.

Not yet.

Not until the day he held real power.

Until then—

He could only watch.

Endure.

Wait.

Kai took a slow step back.

Then another.

Creating distance.

Space.

He no longer stood between them.

He stepped out of the conflict entirely.

"Your Highness... you are...?" Prince of the Blue Empire’s voice carried confusion now.

He hadn’t expected this.

Not at all.

Kai stopped.

Then turned slightly.

A faint smile returned to his lips.

But this time—

It didn’t reach his eyes.

"Prince of the Blue Empire..."

His tone was calm.

Too calm.

"I already know what to do."

A pause.

Then—

"Since it’s a personal grudge..."

He looked between them once more.

"...you can settle it privately."

The words fell lightly.

But their meaning—

Was absolute.

No more mediation.

No more interference.

Kai stepped further back, his robes brushing softly against the heated air.

"Drake Empire is a reasonable place."

He smiled faintly.

"As long as things make sense... it’s fine."

A small pause.

Then, almost casually—

"If it really doesn’t work..."

His eyes flickered.

"...it’s not impossible to fight."

And just like that—

He withdrew completely.