"Have you lost your mind! What were you trying to prove there?" Alia asked Kael with worry etched on her face.
She didn't have the luxury to be angry with him right now.
The thing that he did was an unforgivable crime and could also be treated as a form of treason against the crown.
Calling the royal bloods vermin was an act of stupidity of the highest order.
"What's wrong with calling the filths by their names? Don't shout like I have just murdered someone. Instead, how about you knock some sense into your sorry excuse of a husband."
"He is your father, for the gods' sake. Have some respect, Kael." Alia couldn't help but facepalm her forehead.
She had gravely underestimated the hostility in Kael's mind for his father.
Maybe bringing him to the banquet was the worst decision they could have ever made.
"Just do as I say now. You will apologize to Her Highness and the entire royal family for your actions. Am I clear on that?" Alia asked Kael as she looked into his black eyes.
But instead of regret for what he had done, the only thing she could see was indifference.
Seeing this, anger began to boil in her mind. "Answer me!"
"You want me to grovel in front of them because of some words that I said. Are they some sort of gods that I have to lower myself before them, haah!"
Alia froze. "They are the royals of this empire, you idiot. They own these lands and the people within."
"So only because they were born royals, they are above me? So doesn't that mean that I was above others for being born in the Frost dukedom?" Kael shouted with teary eyes.
"Why the hell did I have to train if I was born privileged? Answer me! Doesn't your hypocrisy have any end, oh dear mother?"
Alia just stared at him.
She felt hurt inside seeing the tears welling in his eyes, but she couldn't show it before him.
Not now.
She had to knock some sense into her son before things escalated further.
"When will you stop being such a pathetic human, Kael."
She didn't mean it.
"Just stop acting like a fool for once."
'I know you are a good son, my child.'
Alia's heart ached saying such words, but she still continued.
"..." Kael just blankly looked at her.
Maybe she should have stopped here.
"There have been many regrets in my life, but you know what the biggest regret was?"
Her voice broke, but she continued.
"It was giving birth to an incompetent creature like you!"
'Please forgive me.'
"Had you never been born, the Frost bloodline would never have been stained with your name."
Kael just kept staring at his mother with varying emotions in his eyes—anger, sadness, realization of what his mother said.
Looking at the pain in Kael's eyes after what she said, Alia felt disgusted by her words.
'I am sorry. I didn't mean it...' was what she wanted to say.
But the words were stuck in her throat with no way of coming out.
She didn't know what came over her.
But she had to make him understand that his every action had consequences.
She felt shattered muttering those words, but as a Duchess of the Frost, she had her duties above her family.
If Kael didn't apologize today, the other nobles would jump on the ship to make use of the situation.
A divide might occur between the Veltra and Frost.
Like sharks, these nobles wouldn't leave a chance to whisper in the ears of the emperor.
No one said it to their faces, but seeing the increasing military and economic might of the Frost, many were jealous and even scared.
Even among the royal family, some felt the rise of Frost was a threat to the Crown.
It was only because Emperor Mair Veltra and Castor Frost were such good friends that such hidden emotions were never shown on public grounds.
But such disrespect of the First Princess by none other than the eldest son of the Frost would only make things worse for them.
Alia knew it, so she acted in a way she felt was the best course of action.
She thought that Kael would feel regret over his actions.
Maybe this would lead to him trying to improve himself.
But reality has never been sweet.
"Is this what you always thought about me, M-Mother?"
"Had I always been a disappointment to you?"
"Does Father share the same feelings—that I should never have been born?"
"Is that bastard Kevin such a better choice than me?"
"TELL ME!!"
Kael shouted.
The whispers that were being spread throughout the hall died in an instant.
Alia couldn't help but feel lost.
Was this the only way she could have mended the situation?
Was there no other way?
But now the damage was done.
"How about you try to make amends for your disgraceful act instead of raising your voice like a moron!" Alia replied in an equally raised tone.
"Fine. I don't think there's any need for me to be here."
"And do not worry, Alia Frost. I won't be showing my face to you and that bastard of a father again!"
After saying what he felt, Kael removed his coat and began to walk away.
Every soul in the hall—whether it be Castor, Victoria, Alicia, Kevin, the Emperor, or Diana—just kept staring at Kael's retreating back.
No one said a word.
No one stopped him.
How could they? Kael's unpredictable actions left them speechless.
Castor just assumed this was one of Kael's regular antics. He thought that after realizing how brutal the world is, Kael would return on his own.
The same feeling was shared by Alia, who just kept watching her son leave the hall.
Little did they know, this was the last time they were seeing him.
The memory ended.
I had seen these events in the game.
What was surprising was that these memories played in my mind like a movie.
I could see in more detail the things that were not mentioned in the game, but still, the memories felt like they weren't mine.
Maybe it would take some time for me to merge with them.
Haa... being made to see a movie without personal will isn't a pleasing thing.