MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 1047: Boring Life

Almost an hour passed before Anthony was done eating; truly, he had not had such a sumptuous meal in a long time, one that satisfied not just his ”hunger” but also his refined palate.

His mind could not help but drift to the time he bought food from the system to eat and simply chill while relaxing in solitude. He could not remember the last time he had done that, as there were simply too many things going on, too many chaos and events constantly demanding his attention.

”Thank you for the meal, I truly enjoyed it,” Anthony stated as he dropped his cutlery with a gentle and controlled motion, his expression calm yet satisfied.

Iserios nodded, wiping his mouth with the cloth provided. He rose from his seat, about to move on to the next event he had planned for Anthony, but before he could speak, Anthony spoke first, interrupting him politely.

”While I enjoy your company, Dragon Emperor, I’m merely here to see your son, not on an official meeting. So I’m sorry, but I might have to take a rain check on the rest of the activities you’ve planned,” Anthony stated, already having guessed that Iserios was about to suggest something else, perhaps a tour of another part of the vast estate or something equally elaborate.

But Anthony could always do that with Bryan at a later time, at his own pace and without formality.

Iserios paused mid-motion. He glanced at Anthony, then at his son, Bryan, before nodding slowly in understanding. ”It’s an honor to have you amongst us. I will leave you both to it and return to my duties then,” he stated with a calm and composed smile, one that neither Bryan nor Heinz had seen in years, making it all the more unusual.

Iserios Von Deathwrath could not exactly be indifferent all the time; after all, Anthony was stronger than him, and he was fully aware of this fact, which was precisely why he was treating Anthony with such respect, calmness, and restrained courtesy.

With that, Iserios and Heinz stepped out of the open space where they had been having their meal, their figures gradually disappearing from view. The maids and butlers stepped forward almost immediately, beginning to clear the table with quiet efficiency, while Anthony and Bryan remained seated without moving, the atmosphere around them shifting subtly.

Anthony’s eyes shifted toward Bryan as he asked, ”Feeling awkward and nervous?” His tone carried a faint hint of amusement and playfulness, as though he already knew the answer.

Bryan’s red eyes met Anthony’s sky-blue ones for a brief moment without a word before he spoke with a soft sigh, ”I am. People of such a difference in power don’t usually remain friends due to the imbalance in power dynamics, and I also don’t know if you have the same personality as five years ago,” he explained truthfully, his voice steady.

Although answering honestly, his words were subtly probing, almost like a test; the way Anthony reacted to them would reveal certain things about his current personality and mindset.

Anthony simply laughed, his head thrown backward as he clutched his stomach, tears nearly forming at the corners of his eyes from the sheer amusement. ”Don’t worry, I’m not a power-hungry, prideful person... yet,” he said as he wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes, his tone lighthearted, ”when I become one, I will make sure to send you a text message, telling you to stay away,” he added before laughing once again, his laughter echoing faintly in the open space.

Bryan simply smiled, reassured by Anthony’s response. It seemed that Anthony had not changed much, if he had changed at all, and that realization lifted a heavy, invisible burden off his shoulders, easing the tension he had been subconsciously carrying.

With that, Anthony and Bryan rose from their seats, their movements unhurried. Bryan took the lead, as he was the one familiar with the estate in its entirety. Together, they explored the Dragon Emperor’s estate, moving through its grand structures and intricate designs. Bryan introduced every building they passed, though he deliberately avoided introducing the Emperor’s building, as Iserios had already showcased it earlier in great detail.

Eventually, they arrived at Bryan’s own building. Stepping inside, Anthony took a slow look around, his gaze sweeping across the interior before he casually collapsed onto a couch within Bryan’s room, completely at ease. He made sure not to go anywhere near the bed, after all, who knew how many people Bryan had entertained on that bed over the years.

”So, how has it been going? It’s been five years,” Anthony asked with the same casualness he had displayed half a decade ago, as though no time had passed between them.

Bryan sighed before responding, his tone laced with mild frustration, ”Compared to you, who has been on a galaxy-wide adventure for the past five years without pause, my life is completely boring,” he stated with an exasperated sigh, ”wake up, train, cultivate, train again, then read secrets about the Dragon Domain that I’m supposed to know as the heir to the throne.”

After hearing about Anthony’s experiences, his own life truly felt dull to an almost unbearable extent.

”Then join the military; there’s enough excitement there. My first mission led to the destruction of an entire base, which was an entire planet. There’s constant action and drama there,” Anthony spoke, suggesting the military as the perfect place for someone seeking a life filled with anything but monotony.

Bryan was stunned once again upon hearing about the destruction of an entire planet, yet he chose not to ask for further details, instinctively knowing that such information might overwhelm him yet again.

”I can’t join the military,” he replied with a resigned sigh.

”Because you’re a Prince?” Anthony asked, almost certain of the answer already.

”Yeah,” Bryan replied with a nod, his expression firm.

”Why isn’t Heinz the prince? Isn’t he the first Prince?” Anthony asked, genuine curiosity evident in his tone.

”Long story short, I possess more talent than him, the potential to reach the Planetary level. He doesn’t,” Bryan stated plainly, without any trace of arrogance or pride in his voice, as though he were merely stating an objective fact.

Anthony stared at him for a brief moment before nodding, choosing not to say anything further. To him, however, being the Crowned Prince seemed unbearably dull and restrictive. To this day, neither he nor his father had ever discussed anything about him becoming the Patriarch of the Null Family... though, in truth, it did not matter at all to Anthony.

’I wonder if their family will become the cliche story of siblings hating each other, Heinz becoming evil, claiming that the Dragon Domain was his to inherit and that it was unjustly given to Bryan. Then Heinz would stumble upon some dark inheritance hidden within a random cave, gaining immense forbidden power before waging war against Bryan, Iserios, and the entire Dragon Domain, systematically wiping out every other dragon in his path, eventually becoming the Dark Dragon Emperor, ruling through sheer power and unrelenting terror. And even then, Heinz would not be satisfied. Corrupted entirely by power, he would seek to rule the entire Blue Planet and all Domains of other races. Then, in the end, Heinz would be killed by a commoner who rose as a hero after his parents were slaughtered by one of evil Heinz’s forces,’ Anthony mused silently to himself. Someone could probably make a full novel out of this family drama alone.