The ball ended with a spectacular fireworks display. The night sky was lighted up with colorful lights with different shapes and sizes. The sound of the fireworks was heard in all the parts of the capital. All of the residents in the capital were able to watch this beautiful show that was made especially for the eighteenth birthday of the imperial twins.

"Beautiful…" Aerith muttered while watching the fireworks up in the night sky.

"Yeah, you said it." I agreed.

"Well, we are now eighteen. For sure father will give us imperial duties to work on starting tomorrow." Aerith smiled.

"You are right there." I replied with a smile.

"I hope you two are happy with your birthday celebration." Father walked towards us with mother right by his side. "Me and your mother had made this day extra special for your eighteenth birthday."

"I love it!" Aerith exclaimed and hugged mother and father. "This is the happiest day of my life. If only a certain someone just agreed to be my escort this evening, then it should have been the very, very, best happiest day of my life." She giggled.

"Oh, do not scold the poor boy. Okay?" Mother giggled. "He is just so dedicated with his job as a knight."

"Well he is still technically a duke's son. He is the adopted son of Uncle Dimitri." Aerith scowled. "He at least might as well hang his knight's uniform for one knight and be a duke's son and escorted the princess of the empire for her eighteenth birthday." She rolled her eyes.

"Haha, please understand that Philip has a big sense of dedication in his work." Father added. "You would need to work hard to make him see you in a different light. Well, I more than welcome him to be our little girl's suitor compared to others. I have seen that child grow into a fine young man." He said to mother.

"I know." Mother smiled. "How about you Alphonse? Do you have someone you fancy? You are now a young man." She asked innocently at me.

My mother's question caught me off guard. One girl popped up on my mind after hearing my mother's words that I blushed realizing I am thinking about her.

"Oh, he has a long time crush on someone." Aerith said teasingly. "And she has grown into a fine young maiden." She giggled.

"Oh, really?" Mother smiled happily hearing my twin sister's words. "And who is this girl?" Mother looked towards me after asking this question.

"I-It is someone you know mother. But you do not need to be concern about it for now." I stuttered, feeling embarrassed being in the spotlight. "I have not yet thought of how to court her, and I am not sure where to start." I can feel a blush form on my cheeks.

"Well, she must be something for my son to blush just by thinking about her." My father added to my embarrassment. "Just a word of advice, strike while the iron is hot. When first saw your mother when she was just fourteen years old, I knew that she was the one to be my wife and I have solidified my place by her side hence forth."

"Hahaha, yes I remember clearly the love story of mother and father." Leonhart who was just by our side joined the conversation. "Father had gone undercover and become mother's personal knight. And since then their love blossomed like no other."

"You got that right, hahaha." Aerith giggled and I joined them.

Mother blushed when we recounted the beginning of their love story and father teased her by planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Of course, I will not let go of your beautiful mother the first time I laid my eyes on her." Father lovingly smiled at mother.

"Regaleon…" Mother scolded lowly. "There are many people watching us."

"So, let them watch." Father smiled. "Let them see how I love my wife until now." Mother giggled with Father's flirting.

Aerith, Leonhart, and I felt shy seeing our parents all lovey dovey.

"I bet you and Thalia would look good together like mother and father." Leonhart remarked.

Mother and Father heard him and looked my way.

"Thalia, Gladiolus and Anatalia's daughter?" Mother was clearly surprised. "But… she is your second cousin." She looked at father with worried eyes.

I knew that being second cousins would impose a problem with my parents. The old royal family of Atlantia had practiced inter marriages in the family that are incestuous in nature. My parents had clearly wanted to steer away from such a tradition.

"But she is in a second level, mother, father." I replied. "And my feelings for her are genuine and true. I may not know how to start courting her, but I know for certain that she is someone I fancy since I first met her."

"But Alphonse… maybe it is just a fancy." Mother tried to reason. "I mean, it is a crush from childhood, maybe…" She cut her sentence when father patted her shoulder and shook his head. Mother fell silent and lowered her head.

"If that is what your heart is telling you, then your mother and I will give you our blessing." Father told me. "Think about it hard first, if you think that she is the one, then go for it. But before the matters of the heart, you must do your princely duties first." Father said.

"Princely duties?" I asked in question.

"Tomorrow morning, go to my office after breakfast." Father said. "I have something to discuss with you."

"I understand." I nodded my head, knowing that this is what Aerith had said about imperial duties.

"At least you will still have plenty of time to think about your love life after." Aerith joked.

"Haha, funny." I exclaimed.

And with that, our birthday celebration came to an end.

**

After breakfast the next day, Aerith and I are walking in the hallways towards our father's office.

"No fair." Aerith said. "Why can't I go with you." She had a scowl on her face.

"Father only asked for me." I replied in a gentle voice to calm my twin sister down.

"But I can also go with you in whatever mission he will give you." Aerith said. "We have not been separated since birth you know."

"I know Rith." I patted her head and smiled. "I am going to miss you too. Maybe this mission will not be that long, and I can go back here in no time."

"But still… hmph." Aerith still had a scowl on her face.

"Do not worry princess, I am sure that the prince will be back in no time." Philp who was following behind us said. "I heard that the prince's mission has something to do with the Xing's envoy that is arriving two weeks from now."

"Xing's envoy?" I had my eyebrows squinted after hearing their country's name.

It was the Xing's prince that is the mastermind of my little brother's kidnapping and the plan to steal my magic powers form me. I cannot forget the face of that person that tried to harm us.

"Why is father still cooperating with their country?" Aerith asked in irritation. "They have not yet presented the head of the brat prince that harmed us a few years ago. They are all excuses and excuses."

"It is said that the prince in question had been in hiding and they are doing their best to find the traitor and deliver him to us for just punishment." Philip replied.

"Hmph, if you ask me, they are just using that as an excuse and delaying." I replied. "I think there is something more about the Xing's royal family than meets the eye."

"The princess of Xing that has been the head of the peace negotiations with our country has been very forthcoming to us." Philip said. "She has given us useful information so far."

"But still a dead end." Aerith scoffed. "I bet they are just hiding that brat prince."

Not long, we arrived in front of our father's office door.

"Then the princess and I will take our leave, your highness." Philip bowed.

"Owww, can't I accompany you?" Aerith tried to butter up to me.

"I am afraid I cannot this time Rith." I smiled and patted her head. "Be a good girl and wait for me, okay?"

"Hmph, okay." Aerith replied. "But if you need me, just call out to me okay." She pointed at her head meaning I can call her telepathically.

"Of course." I smiled.

Aerith and Philip walked away in another direction and I was left in front of the office door. I knocked to tell them of my presence.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"Father, it is me." I called out.

"Come in." Father's voice inside said.

OI turned the doorknob and came inside my father's office. I have been here numerous times for different occasions, but this is the first time that I have come here in official business.

My heart was racing inside my chest.. This is my very first task as the imperial prince of the empire and of course I want to do it flawlessly.

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