Chapter 28: Prince! Prince! Prince!

Buzz… Buzz… Buzz…

Ken Yamamoto's Comms Watch began beeping.

Shortly after, another figure began to materialize in the place of the Yamamoto Head.

Chronos let out a veiled smile, ' The fish took the bait!'

"I'm Prince Susanoo Mikoto. Do I have the right to ask you for your identity?"

He asked with a raised brow.

"I'm Prince Chronos Astral, one of the two victims of today's terrorist attack against the Astralian Royal Family."

Chronos responded calmly, brushing off the obvious provocation.

"Don't play games with me… the Yamamotos fall under my banner, so…"

Prince Susanoo brows furrowed in frustration.

Chronos turned to the swarm of live-streaming and reporting drones, his voice carrying with fury.

"So the second prince of the Kingdom of the Onogoro is the mastermind behind the insurgency against the Empire of Astral, the assassination attempt of two second-generation Astral Royalty, and the attempt to manipulate millions of Astralians like fools?!"

"Second Prince Susanoo Mikoto is declaring war against the Empire of Astral on behalf of the Kingdom of Onogoro…"

"No… I…"

Prince Susanoo muttered, dumbfounded at the sudden change of pace

"Sophia please contact the Crown Princess of their kingdom immediately! The Kingdom of Onogoro owes us an explanation!"

Chronos declared as he shot his Dimensium dagger toward Ken's Comms Watch, taking his hand along with it upon its destruction.

Crown Princess Omikami's 3D hologram shimmered into view, capturing the attention of the swelling crowds and increasing numbers of reporting drones.

While the reveal of an SPRG star's identity typically warranted the attention of certain media outlets, the events that had transpired had escalated into headline news throughout Tertius.

"Greetings, Princess Sophia and Prince Chronos. Please excuse my reckless younger brother. I will ensure to properly educate him. Do not misunderstand, the Astral Empire and our kingdom have always been close allies…"

"Do not let the actions of a concubine's son ruin our century-long partnership,"

Princess Omikami spoke gracefully, her traditional kimono rustling softly, the fabric rippling like waves on the surface of a pond.

The intricate patterns and vibrant colors of her kimono testament to the ancient artistry of the Kingdom of Onogoro, bringing her holographic image to life in a way that was both breathtaking and awe-inspiring.

The crowd and reporting drones were captivated by the Crown Princess's beauty and poise. Her words, though composed, held an underlying tone of regret and disappointment.

Sophia and Chronos exchanged a brief, knowing look before Omikami spoke again.

"I will ensure that Prince Susanoo and his associates pay the 500 million aeons as restitution for their actions. As a sign of good faith, the Yamamoto Group will be dissolved, and their assets and properties within our kingdom will be gifted to Prince Chronos personally."

"Additionally, to make up for my younger brother's insolence, the Kingdom of Onogoro will open its doors to any personal business ventures Prince Chronos may have in the future."

Princess Omikami exuded a palpable sense of authority as she spoke but Chronos noticed the surprise and acknowledgement that flickered in her eyes.

Chronos nodded in response to the princess's proposal, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.

"We accept your gesture of goodwill. At least the true heir of the Onogoro's throne values the millions of innocent lives that would have been lost at the expense of a rogue member of the royal family."

Sophia's eyes widened, slightly dumbstruck but proud by the shamelessness of her little brother.

"Rogue indeed... Do not worry, I will make sure Susanoo and his cronies do not ever step into the Empire of Astral from this day forth!"

Princess Omikami smiled profoundly, nodding in satisfaction at the conclusion of their chemistry.

However, before she could end the conversation, Chronos spoke up once again.

"To celebrate the strengthened relationship between our territories, I will donate a significant portion of Susanoo's restitution to establish and fund orphanages in both our lands."

"The benevolence of the Astralian Royal Family and the Crown Princess Omikami Mikoto, the one true heir of the Kingdom of Onogoro, will be praised by all!"

Chronos proclaimed.

Princess Omikami veiled her shock well, but Chronos noticed that she was taken aback.

They both knew what philanthropy from a foreign power could entail but Omikami was shoved onto a pedestal and was unable to reject the proposition.

Was she going to say no to orphanages in front of the entire Tertius?

What would her people think of her?

'This brat really pulled one under me, hopefully this was just the adrenaline talking or he is a much scarier existence than he lets on…'

Princess Omikami thought.

She looked deeply at Chronos and glanced at Sophia briefly before gracefully announcing,

" Let's look forward to the budding relationship of our two kingdoms…"

And in a flash, her hologram dissipated.

"WOOOOO!!!"

The crowd burst out into a deafening symphony of applause and cheers.

This was the first time that the Astralian Prince had shown himself in public and his debut did not disappoint.

The cheers of the crowd grew louder, the energy of the moment pulsing through the air like an electric current.

There was a sense of pride and hope that permeated the crowd, a feeling of excitement for what was to come now that they had a new leader to guide them into the future.

" Is this our Empire's new prince? He is amazing!"

One person exclaimed.

" I know, right? He looked so regal and confident up there on stage."

Another agreed.

" I feel like we're in good hands with him leading us forward. He's going to make a great king one day."

A third person said.

" Did you see how he subdued the fake prince and forced his admission? He's so cool!"

" The first thing he thought of was to bless the people with orphanages! He's fierce but kind!"

Another exclaimed.

Chronos took a moment to embellish the frenzy of applause and thunderous display of support.

As Chronos basked in the overwhelming support of the crowd, memories of his impoverished past flooded his mind.

He recalled the harsh realities of living in poverty, the hunger, and the struggle to survive.

But now, standing before the cheering crowd, he felt an immense sense of accomplishment and pride.

His heart swelled with emotion as he raised his hand to silence the crowd.

Chronos announced,

"But let's not forget why we are gathered here today…"

"If it's a [ Prince ] you want, it is a Prince you shall get! "

Chronos tapped his Comms Watch and his social media profile once again materialized.

As he tapped his Comms Watch, he felt a surge of adrenaline rush through his veins.

This time, however, the mask on [ Prince ] had been removed, revealing his own handsome 10-year old face.

ROAR!!!

The cheers of the crowd filled the air once again, a deafening roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the capital.

[ Prince ] was actually their prince???

Frantic high pitched screams of fangirls and the enthusiastic roars of male fans, including TaoTie, reverberated throughout the Empire.

"MARRY ME PRINCE!!!"

"AHH I LOVE YOU!!"

"BE MY MASTER!"

The comment sections of the live streams were buzzing with excitement and disbelief, flooded with reactions ranging from disbelief to euphoria.

Chronos's initial 60 million follower count skyrocketed at an unprecedented rate.

The deafening roar of the crowd subsided only slightly as Chronos raised his hand to signal for quiet.

He spoke into the microphone with a steady voice that belied the excitement and adrenaline coursing through his veins.

"As you all have heard, I will be taking over the assets of the Yamamoto Group, who have been planning to harm our Empire from the shadows,"

He announced, his voice ringing with conviction.

"As such, I would like to proudly announce the setting up of the first of my personal companies, Prince Media Group and Prince Philanthropy!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, their enthusiasm fueling Chronos's own excitement.

"If anyone has the expertise or diligence to play a part in taking a step forward in making the Empire of Astral and the whole of Tertius a better place, I invite you to join my cause!"

He continued, his voice rising above the din.

"Stay tuned to the details on [Prince]'s Metaverse social media page!"

With a light bow, Chronos ended his speech, taking Sophia's hand and strutting towards the Royal Chariot.

The cheers of the crowd continued to echo insistently, drowning out all other sounds even as his silhouette disappeared into the vehicle.

"PRINCE ! PRINCE !! PRINCE !!!"