"They are the Lockharts." The Valorian Knight answered as he looked in the direction that the Crown Prince was looking at.

    Chance was curious and did not take his eyes off away from the three people standing in the halls of the palace where Chance was walking in on his way to the library.

    The three of them were speaking to each other, and it seemed like their topic was very serious, but none of them wore an annoyed, serious, or any expression that makes it seem like a problem. If there was a calm family in Antares, it was probably only them.

    "Lockharts, you say. They look like a very powerful family." Chance said to Alec.

    Alec was slightly taken aback by his words, and he turned to look at his master. He closed his eyes and let out an inaudible sigh; he knew it would happen again. "Yes, indeed. After all, the ones in front of you are the Duke and Duchess of Antares, with the next in line to be the Duke." Alec said, looking at his master from the corner of his eyes to see his reaction.

    Chance''s eyes widened in shock. ''Du-duke and his wife and son?!'' he thought. "Well, shit, powerful family indeed!" he said in a whisper, but it was loud enough for his personal knight to hear.

    Alec Valorian looked at him with furrowed brows and Chance saw him staring, then he realized what he did, ''Oh, bad mouth!'' he thought and slapped his lips lightly, "I apologize, I was just surprised..." he said and looked away, laughing awkwardly.

    ''Surprised? Really, Chance? You are already suspicious enough for not knowing who they are!'' he scolded himself in his mind, hoping that the Valorian knight does not ask any further.

    He sighed out of relief when Alec did not ask him why he did not know the three of them. Well, it is not that he does not know them...he just did not know how they looked like.

    He looked at the handsome, bearded man with wavy light hair. He was a few years younger than the King; he has thick eyebrows, a mustache, a cleft chin, and slicked-back flaxen hair. ''That is...Matthias Lockhart.'' he thought.

    He felt great. Matthias Lockhart was right in front of him. Straight out of the book!

    His gaze shifted to the woman in front of him. Frances Lockhart, a middle-aged woman who keeps her light-brown hair in a tight bun, save for a slightly curled cowlick at the front. It was said in the book he had read that she was reputed to have retained the beauty of her youth. ''The book was right, such a beautiful lady.'' he thought.

    She is also well-toned due to her intense physical training. Probably the only lady of a noble household who actually does intense exercise. "From what I remembered, she fought in the war against Animalia, am I right?" the Crown Prince asked.

    Alec Valorian flinched as he heard his question, ''Animalia...'' he thought, slowly clenching his fist.

    "Are you all right?" The Crown Prince asked when there was no reply from his knight.

    "Yes," Alec immediately responded when he snapped out of his thoughts. "Her Grace indeed fought in the war." he said, answering his master''s question.

    Chance smiled. He was right. For the first time, he had appreciated that he was a researcher. He did not know it would actually come in handy at this time.

    Alec Valorian became even more curious. Just earlier the Crown Prince did not know who they were and yet now, he even knew about the war.

    Frances was wearing an ornate dress with white gloves and a short beaded necklace. As Chance observed her more, his eyes looked at the man with the Duke and Duchess.

    The man looks like he was near the age of Leonidas. Chance guessed that he may be around twenty-four to twenty six years old. He has a slightly wavy, chocolate brown hair with navy blue eyes. He has a strong yet lean body build, and he has one black ear cuff on his right ear at the top, although it''s thin, and a simple black stud on the same earlobe.

    He has a black cape draped over his right shoulder, held on by a strap around his back, and then an intricate, extravagant jacket underneath. This has grey patterns on the arms and front and has silver trimmings along the lapel, the latter having additional silver decorations. The front closes with the right side fastening over the left with silver buttons, and he has a crimson handkerchief peeking out of his left breast pocket.

    Underneath, he wears a white cravat with an elegant silver band sat around it. This has one cerulean stone set in its center, surrounded by silver points. Under this, he wears another black shirt of some sort, and then another white one beneath this. He also has a sword on his left side—"You seem to be looking at every detail of his clothes, Your Highness."

    Chance''s eyes slightly widened when his knight spoke. There was a scary aura coming from the Valorian Knight as he said every word with emphasis. The Crown Prince gulped, "No, I was not. N-not at all." he denied.

    He looked back at the man, ''Strange, I do not know him.'' he thought. He looked at him a bit more carefully and tried to remember what was written in his research. All he knows was that the Duke and Duchess had a son. There was nothing written about another succession of duke after Matthias Lockhart had died.

    If the son of Matthias and Frances did not become the next Duke...he could only think of one reason.

    He must have been with them when they-

    "Oh, Your Highness."

    Chance came back to reality when he heard a woman''s voice calling him. He looked at the three people who were now looking at him, finally noticed that he was there.

    The three of them took a few steps forward, approaching the Crown Prince before raising their hands and bowing their heads slightly to greet him, "Blessings from the Goddess, Glory to Antares, Your Highness Charles." they all greeted.

    Chance bent slightly to return their greetings. "A pleasure seeing the Lockharts together in the palace," he greeted and gestured to raise their heads.

    Matthias Lockhart smiled, "We are blessed to be graced with the presence of the Crown Prince once again." he said and Chance returned his smile.

    Chance cannot help but stare at Matthias''s face. He would look like a fearsome duke in the rumors made by the people of the kingdom, especially the nobles, but it was far from what they would think. Matthias has a gentle look on his face. It is possible that he would be someone who would still look kind even when he is annoyed.

    "We heard from His Majesty the King, that you have just returned from Canopus." Duchess Frances said, even with just a slight smile of hers, Chance cannot help but to blush, ''I am surrounded by gorgeous immortals...'' he thought.

    "I am glad that the Goddess guided you to return to Antares in a safe state," she said and did a slight curtsy.

    "Thank you, Your Grace."

    Chance looked at the three of them. "Have you finished the meeting you were having with my father?" the Crown Prince asked.

    The Duchess nodded as an answer. "Yes, we have just left the throne room a few minutes before we stopped here to talk, Your Highness."

    "I see. If it is all right, may I ask what the people from the Lockhart Household wanted from His Majesty?" he asked. He was not supposed to ask, but he was curious and cannot help it.

    The Lockhart Duke chuckled before looking at his son, "It is a matter regarding my son, Your Highness. But it is a bit embarrassing to tell. You will know it soon enough." the duke answered.

    His son put his hand on his nape, embarrassed, and his gaze met with the Crown Prince. The son of duke smiled shyly. The shyness in his smile was unexpected. He had expected the man to be a serious one, but to be the son of a kind and friendly duke and a charming, graceful Duchess, he should have had expected it.

    "Our son will be in Howard''s care. We would like to thank you in advance. If you need any help, do not hesitate but to look for Clifford, our son." the Duchess said, and the Duke nodded in agreement.

    "We have stayed for quite a long time, the three of us will leave the palace now." Duke Matthias said. The three of them bowed, giving respect before turning to leave, "Until next time, Crown Prince."

    Chance bent slightly and waited when they were out of sight to stand up straight again. His brows furrowed in confusion, ''What does she mean by he will be in Howard''s care?'' he thought.

    The Lockharts were no longer in front of him, yet he could still imagine them in his head. ''Lockhart...how sad.'' he thought.

    He had almost forgotten their names. That is why if his knight did not say that they were the duke, duchess with their son, he would not have known that it was them. He had read about them before...

    And how they died.

    ''To die in such manner....how cruel was the one behind their deaths.''