Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 262: A Perfect Flaw

Chapter 262: A Perfect Flaw

"Why do we have to learn this again?" Kaan would interrupt during lessons, his tone teetering on boredom.

The poor teacher, who clearly wasn’t paid enough for this, would scramble for a dignified answer. "An emperor must be knowledgeable, Your Highness, so he can make wise decisions for his people."

"But I already know everything," Kaan would reply, resting his chin on his palm and looking out the window as though the entire world was beneath him.

Roderick often sat nearby during these lessons, quietly observing. His father, Emperor Klyn’s trusted aide, had ensured he was schooled alongside the crown prince.

It was part of Emperor Klyn’s forward-thinking plan—a preparation for the future where the two boys would one day work together. He hoped that by fostering trust and familiarity early on, Kaan and Roderick could form an unshakable bond as an emperor and his aide.

This approach was unprecedented. No emperor before Klyn had ever allowed their children to study alongside non-royals.

But Klyn, with his kind heart and progressive mindset, didn’t see status as a barrier. To him, Roderick was as much a son as Kaan, a sentiment that deeply shaped the young aide’s life.

The teacher hesitated, his eyes flicking briefly to Roderick before clearing his throat. He didn’t respond directly to Kaan’s complaint, but the truth was painfully obvious: Kaan did already know everything in the textbook.

The crown prince had a mind like a steel trap, effortlessly remembering everything he read as though it had been etched into his brain.

But Roderick was also in that classroom. And unlike the crown prince, he didn’t have the luxury of a photographic memory. Every lesson required effort, repetition, and patience—none of which seemed to matter to Kaan.

"Let’s go over it one more time, and then we’ll move on to the next lesson, shall we, Your Highness?" the teacher said with forced cheerfulness, doing his best to balance his deference to the crown prince with some semblance of fairness for the other, normal student in the room.

To be fair, Kaan had never openly looked down on Roderick—or anyone else, for that matter. It wasn’t in his nature to flaunt superiority.

Rather, he carried himself with a quiet detachment, as though he existed on a different planet from others. To him, everyone else was simply different—and that difference made life feel dull.

Yet, that subtle indifference alone was enough to erode the confidence of those around him. His peers, no matter how skilled or ambitious, couldn’t help but feel insignificant under the weight of his aloof brilliance.

As if his mere presence wasn’t already daunting, Kaan had the misfortune—or perhaps the audacity—to excel at everything.

Combat, vampiric arts, and the intricate skills of their kind all came as naturally to him as breathing did to mortals. He was the youngest vampire in the entire Asvaldur Empire to master the transformation into a bat.

And just when it seemed he couldn’t outshine himself further, Kaan proved capable of mimicking the abilities of others with alarming precision, achieving what many elder vampires could only dream of.

But no one was perfect. Not even Kaan—though you’d have a hard time convincing him of that. Emperor Klyn wasn’t quite as dazzled by his son’s supposed flawlessness.

"Worried? What could His Majesty possibly be worrying about? His Highness is nothing short of walking perfection," Roderick scoffed, throwing his hands up in mock exasperation.

Sir Damien pressed his lips together, smacking them a few times as though the right words might materialize if he just stalled long enough. Explaining the emperor’s concerns to Roderick required both finesse and patience.

"His Highness is, without question, an exceptional student," Sir Damien began carefully, his tone that of a diplomat treading a minefield. "However, he occasionally exhibits... indifference."

Roderick blinked, clearly not following. "Indifference? You mean how he’s separated himself from the others because he’s, well, different?" he asked, leaning forward as if this were an obvious conclusion. "Of course, he’s indifferent. Why should he bother being curious about anything? Everything just falls into his lap anyway."

Sir Damien took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He debated whether to soften his words to spare the emperor and the crown prince’s dignity, but in the end, he decided against it.

Since Roderick was destined to serve as the prince’s closest aide in the future, there was no point in hiding the truth.

"His Highness lacks empathy," he stated bluntly, deciding that honesty was the best policy. "It was evident from an early age. His Majesty believed at first that it was just immaturity—a boyish ignorance that time and experience would correct. That’s why he surrounded the prince with peers, hoping their companionship might nurture his social skills."

Sir Damien paused, his eyes darkening with a memory that was both vivid and unsettling.

"There was one instance," he began, his voice low. "It was during a game with his friends."

Calling them ’friends’ was generous. Noble households, bound by duty to obey Emperor Klyn’s wishes, had no choice but to send their children to keep the young prince company. But the truth was, Kaan had never formed any genuine connection with them.

"One of the boys got injured during the game," Sir Damien continued. "It wasn’t a minor injury—it was serious, the kind that could leave lasting damage. Naturally, the other children panicked. Some cried, others pleaded to stop the game so the injured boy could get help."

Sir Damien’s brow furrowed, as though the memory itself weighed heavily on him. "But His Highness... he refused. He insisted the game continue as if nothing had happened. Worse, he ordered the injured boy to keep playing."

The supervising adults, including Sir Damien, attempted to persuade Kaan to pause or at least continue without the injured child, who clearly needed immediate medical attention.

"’You dare defy my command?!’ he bellowed as if we were the ones out of line."

When Emperor Klyn learned of the incident, he was so shocked he began to fear for his child. His face turned hollow as if he believed his child’s peculiar behavior was somehow his fault.

"What have I done, Damien?" His Majesty lamented, grabbing his throbbing temples. "What if Kaan turns out just like him?"

"Him? No, Your Majesty. There’s no way. It’s simply impossible."

But Sir Damien was ultimately proven wrong.

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