Julian's heart thudded in his chest. Why was he so deaf to his own warnings?
Maybe it was because he never imagined the Emperor would notice right away that there was a change in his children's behavior.
He couldn't even picture the Emperor being affectionate to his children, save for the excessive affection he had for Lucius, who was a replica of the Duke.
"How so, Your Majesty?" Julian responded, keeping his head straight.
He knew he hadn't done anything wrong, so he had no reason to bow his head in guilt.
"Well, for a start, this morning, the Prince and Princess refused to break their fast until they had practiced what they called 'The Perfect Mirror.' They were so polite to the Head Maid that the poor woman began to cry, thinking she was about to be executed."
A ripple of low laughter went through the ministers, but the Emperor's eyes remained sharp on Julian.
