The new comer was the silver scaled leopard, a beast with wind affinity, and terrifying speed.
The leopard had a scar above its eye, more like a cut and it was fresh, as soon as it saw the human that inflicted the wound on it vanish, it channelled its rage to the next target, the Steel Clawed Pangolin, with speed like lightening it lunged at the Pangolin and the true brawl started.
Vesper on the other hand stood a bit away from their field and walked into the cave, the influx of mana from the fruit was getting intense and Vesper got to the tree and saw the fruit but when he looked again, there was something else, he could feel it, there was another concentration of mana, but it was covered by this fruit, then Vesper decided to take a closer look and when he dug, he saw another blood red fruit attached to the root.
His eyes widened in shock, this luck could only be considered heaven defying, a mana fruit and a blood ginseng.
Vesper smiled as he harvested both fruits and then he vanished appearing at the entrance of the cave, the leopard and the pangolin remained embroiled in their battle, there would be no winner soon, so he left.
Soon after Vesper wandered the forest seemingly searching for other herbs and rare plants, hunting for monsters as a form of training and so the night passed.
In the morning Vesper was seen walking into the Palace with his halberd placed across his shoulders, his mood seemed to be ecstatic, as soon as he walked in a few guards stood in front of him and barred him from going forward.
"His imperial majesty summons the soldier prince." One of the guards said.
Vesper stared at the guards for a while before letting out a sigh, then he said, "Lead the way."
The guards led him to the throne room and stood in front of the door.
Vesper walked in and saw all the children of Marcus seated at the seat below the Emperor's and the Empresses seat.
He walked forward and bowed his head slightly, "I greet his imperial highness."
Marcus stared at Vesper with no response for more than a minute before saying, "Is this how you greet the Emperor?"
His voice was laced with fury, everyone in the room was taken aback by Marcus' fury, all except one person, Catherine.
"Vesper raised his head and looked at the Emperor and then let out a sigh, "Your majesty, I will only bend the knee to my father and the father before him and no one else."
Silence permeated the entire throne room, the guards that stood within and the entire royal family were taken by surprise then that surprise turned into rage as their faces turned to Vesper, such impudence before the Emperor could not go unpunished.
"The audacity of you Bastard, to say such before my husband." Anna yelled as she vanished from her seat appearing before Vesper and slapping him, like a broken kite he flew and smashed against the wall barely causing it to vibrate.
Vespers' vision was blurry and his organs ruptured upon impact. Diane and Chloe appeared in front of Anna and held her down.
"Anna calm your anger, he will get off lightly if you just killed him, such disrespect has to be atoned for, for a hundred years." Chloe said while her eyes were filled with rage.
Marcus might have been following the whims of Anna and made her and her sister uncomfortable, but that gave no right to a mere lost child to speak to him in such a manner.
All this while Marcus stared at the situation and said nothing while he stared at Vesper.
"Chain him and enslave him," as soon as he said those words the reaction of the room changed, Aurora who had been holding back her tears, could no longer hold it as she ran to her father crying, as soon as she was about to near him, Morgana held her.
The guards walked up to Vesper and chained him with a mana restriction chain and took a slave collar and placed on his neck, then the guard walked up to the Emperor and gave him the seal used to control the collar.
"Enough of the madness, everyone to your seats." Marcus' voice thundered the room.
As soon as he said that everyone sat down, Anna and the other Empress were on their seats, all the princes and princesses where seated as well.
"Bring the dog to me." Marcus said.
Marcus was enraged at Vespers' words, ever since conquering lands and kingdoms no one had ever spoken to him in such a manner, not even those brave warriors, all who did died, and here was a child that lived under his roof, saying such arrogant words.
Vesper was brought before the emperor and by now he had regained his mind and control of his body, he stared at Marcus with an emotionless gaze, his eyes had no ounce of fear or pain in them and this angered Marcus the more.
"Kneel to your Emperor." Marcus said.
Vesper just replied with his gaze, seemingly defiant.
Marcus held the seal and channelled his mana into it, "I said kneel to your Emperor."
As soon as those words came out the collar glowed with a red light as Vesper winced in pain, he struggled to resist the urge to kneel and it felt like pins were stabbing his inner organs, the more he struggled, the more pain he felt, but even with the pain Vesper refused to bend the knee.
Everyone of the members of the royal family was taken aback by his persistence, they did not know what came over Vesper, or why he would openly disrespect the Emperor, they did not have an idea of any reason he would do such.
By this time Catherine's eyes were filled with tears and she could only watch him suffer, but she did not know why he would go against her father, was this a way of testing her, but was this not too extreme?
Marcus stared at Vesper and Vesper stared at Marcus eye to eye, their gaze never left the other, soon blood started pouring out of Vespers' nose and ears, the pain of resisting the slave collar was beginning to put a strain to his brain.
It was at this moment Catherine stepped forward and stood in front of Vesper, "Father please stop", then she fell on her knees.
Marcus' gaze left Vesper and stared at his daughter with mixed feelings with a sigh he stopped channelling mana into the seal and Vesper felt released from the pain, his eyes glimmered with a strange emotion before he collapsed weakly, but he was caught by someone who just appeared in the middle of the room.
Seeing the person everyone was shocked once again.