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There Was a Real Gift (3)
The boy who stared blankly at me turned his head and Adelia nodded at him. His eyes widened as she did.
“Long live the Leonberg kingdom. Long live the Leonberger royal family.”
A moment later, his knees hit the floor.
family greets his Highness the Crown Prince.”
I couldn’t see any flaws in the way he carried himself.
“Very well.”
However, I had looked closely—just before he got down to his knees, emotions had flared up in his green eyes, even if for a short moment. It was definitely hostility; it was hate. Adelia’s younger brother, Christopher, seemed not to like me.
In fact, I was expecting this to some extent. Prince Adrian was the one who had inflicted countless wounds on the body of the boy’s only sister. As time passed, the wounds had healed, but that in no way meant that the mistakes of the past had disappeared. In other words, I was the villain who had abused his sister. Since then, the hurt couldn’t have been erased from Adelia’s heart merely because I had shown her dearness and changed her attitude towards me.
It was rather a strange situation, and I couldn’t expect to be favored. I knew it, but I wasn’t in a very good mood.
It wasn’t the first time I’ve experienced someone who stared at me with hatred and resentment—and these emotions had looked the same when they had existed in Anne’s eyes. As I gave a sigh, I suddenly felt a gaze fall on me. It was Adelia. As our eyes met, she gave an abashed laugh. Hers was a gentle and caring smile, and I could feel no resentment coming from her. Seeing her ever-consistent appearance, I felt good. Because of this, I also started smiling while looking at her.
“Hgmm,” Carls coughed and glanced at Christopher.
“Oh, it’s okay to get up now.”
Only then realizing Christopher had been on his knees for a long time, I hurriedly told him to rise.
“Thank you,” he said politely as he stood, but his voice didn’t sound very sincere.
“I wanted to meet you, but I barely had the time in the past. Nice to meet you.”
Even with a friendly greeting from my side, Christopher did not respond. He just looked down as if embarrassed. I felt a clear emotional wall in his attitude, what with him not even saying he was glad to meet me. This was the karma left for me in this world, so I pledged I would talk in a friendly way to him. Yet, Christopher remained cold toward me. At this, Adelia stepped up, no longer able to watch.
“Chris.”
Christopher looked at his sister. His eyes spoke—he was saying he had had enough; he didn’t want to go on with this.
“Chris,” Adelia called her brother again. The resentment again came to Chris’s face, though Adelia did not notice it; she merely looked at her brother sternly.
“Hurry.”
Her eyes, her attitude, were so strict. Christopher, who had stubbornly kept his mouth shut, spoke after a while, shrugging his shoulders in resignation.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”
Adelia was still looking at him with her stern expression.
“Adelia.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“You seem to like to act tough at home.”
Adelia stiffened at my words, eventually blushing. As I saw her, I knew she was still the usual woman that I knew. However, it seemed that how she naturally acted toward me was not necessarily how she acted toward others.
“What, sister?”
Christopher looked at his sister, seemingly shocked. Then he suddenly turned his head to me, and the resentment contained in that gaze was enormous. His eyes made him look almost criminal.
“Chris.”
Adelia noticed a flicker of that gaze, and so she shot another harsh glance at her brother. At this, Christopher shuddered and lowered his head. I instinctively realized by looking at him—the reason the boy before me hated me wasn’t just because of the mistakes of the past. I didn’t think the day would come when this boy would like me, I thought. It was as expected.
The time we spent at Adelia’s house was not very long, and throughout that time, Christopher was hostile to me.
Covertly enough that his sister didn’t notice, cleverly enough that she couldn’t get angry.
“So what do you want to do?” I asked him.
“Nothing yet.”
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
“There isn’t.”
I steadily spoke to him, keeping my attitude consistent and sincere. The boy was seventeen now, and I didn’t want to provoke his juvenile emotions. However-
“How about living in the palace? If you’re living there, it’ll be good to stay close to your sister, right?”
“Fine.”
My patience soon ran out, faced with his blunt answers.
“What do you like?”
“There is nothing.”
My anger began to swell; he had a way to scratch on my nerves. And as a result-
“Oh, this young man is stiff to the world!” I exploded.
“If an adult speaks, you have to at least pretend to listen properly. What? Is there anything you want to say? That makes sense? Aren’t you coming of age next year?”
Once the irritation I had endured came out, I couldn’t control it.
“Your sister, when she was your age, had already gone through all kinds of hardships as a royal maid to feed her family. Now, you’re seventeen and you still don’t know what career you’re going to enter?”
At this, Christopher opened his mouth wide.
“Would you like to continue living in your sister’s shadow?”
“Well, I’m not that-”
“No, don’t interrupt. Your sister keeps this house. Earns money. There’s nothing regrettable about being helpful, but you just want to roll around in life? That makes you very happy, right?”
Looking at his completely distorted face, I felt like I was getting to him. In the wake of my attack, I even organized the affairs of Adelia’s household.
“You don’t need to be idle at all. Your aunt is away? When this woman, who is your aunt, returns, pack your luggage and come to the palace. Carls?”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“Is there any room left in my palace?”
“There are a few rooms that are not being used.”
“Yeah. Then, you can stay there. I will secure a spot in the Ministry of Justice, so you can learn real work while running errands.”
Christopher said something, but I ignored it.
“Shut up—because I don’t want to hear it. What? You hate me? I can’t help it, even if I don’t like it. This is not a solicitation or a request, it’s an order. It’s impossible to refuse. What? Dissatisfied? Hey, but what can you do? I’m the Crown Prince of this country. You won’t be able to say anything, and you’ll grow up quite a bit. Well, the prime minister might have the heart to listen to your complaints. What are you going to do, young one?”
Christopher, who had been rendered vacant by my words, looked at his sister as if asking for help.
“Thank you for your consideration, your Highness.”
However, instead of taking his side, Adelia promptly thanked me.
“Wha- Sister!”
The embarrassed guy called to her, but all he got in return turned out to be her stern gaze.
“What are you doing, Chris? Come one—say thank you to his Highness.”
Christopher bowed his head, faced with Adelia’s resolute attitude that would brook no objection.
“Go- Thank you.”
“I’ll know you’re grateful when you learn how to work hard and pay for your meals. Stop suffering.”
The young man didn’t answer; he just trembled whilst wearing an angry and affronted face. As I looked at him, I laughed. I have done this at least, but my punishment of the cheeky kid was not over.
“Adelia.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
I hugged Adelia in front of her brother. Of course, she did not refuse my embrace.
“Highness?”
She simply tilted her head and questioned this sudden show of affection.
“Whoo- Sister?”
Until then, Chris’s face had been filled with anger and indignation; now his adult-like face changed to better suit his age. This meant that he seemed to be on the verge of crying. I looked at him and pulled up the corners of my mouth. I wanted to make sure he knew how I felt.
**
Carls Ulrich sighed.
He was very embarrassed to see the prince laugh with his hand on Adelia’s waist in front of a boy who was five years younger than himself, who hadn’t even yet attended his ceremony. In fact, it wasn’t a new thing for Carls to encounter.
The prince was more knightly than anyone on the battlefield, but other than that, he was generally arbitrary.
When he was childish, he was endlessly childish, and when he began to force a matter, there was nothing he would not do. In recent years, the prince’s body had been in so much danger that Carls had a hard time dealing with him, so he had forgotten this aspect of Prince Adrian. This was who the prince really was.
With this in mind, Carls wasn’t embarrassed anymore by such childish behavior, which was difficult for him to watch. He thought that it was fortunate that the Crown Prince, who had been severely injured, now acted more like he used to.
Even if it was his selfish side showing off power and majesty in front of a seventeen-year-old, as well as his more ridiculous side of showing affection to the boy’s most important person in his life: his sister.
Carls realized everyone would be happier this way. The awkwardness of the prince giving adult lessons in such a boisterous manner was not that big a problem.
“Anyway, I’ll keep an eye on you from now on. Remember—if you make your sister cry, I’ll send you to the North. Remember that.”
Hearing this, Carls, who would usually have become exasperated, just merrily watched on. Because of this, he only noticed the prince’s fatigue when it was too late.
“Hgum-”
Prince Adrian, who had been talking for some time, yawned, with his eyes becoming very dreamy. Then, he began dozing off while standing.
“Sir Carls…”
It was then that Adelia gave the palace knight a subtle glance. Carls carefully picked the prince up.
“What are you doing?”
“I will take him to the palace on my back.”
“No,” the prince mumbled, “I’m going with my own two feet. I’m not a kid, you know.” And yet, contrary to his words, he did not resist Carls piggybacking him. He merely closed his eyes and drooped his head over the knight’s shoulder.
“It looks like your Highness isn’t used to so much activity.”
“I walked through our capital today, and there was that marvelous fuss at the pub, so it’s all worth it,” came the prince’s reply to Adelia, and Carls then turned about and left her house. The only thing the sister and brother shared before she stepped out was a quick meeting of the eyes.
“Doesn’t your brother need more time?” Carls asked her.
“Because his behavior has offended me so badly, I will make sure I never see the day he treats his Highness as he has done today.”
“It didn’t mean that you have to leave your home.” Carls shook his head as he thought of all this constant strictness, then added in a low voice, “Our escort is large enough.”
“Ha,” some knights surrounding Carls grumbled sarcastically.
“Let’s go.”
And so, Carls headed to the palace. The prince’s body felt very light on his back. His frame wasn’t bulky, but it was natural considering his recent crisis. Still, each step Carls took was heavy.
“By the way, since his Highness is asleep, it will be difficult to hide our excursion from the outside world. That’s a big deal.”
Carls was guessing that the entire palace might be overturned. Maybe it was already happening? Carls had been prepared for failure from the very start, but now that the time came for them to return, he couldn’t help but worry, fearing that the Crown Prince may be severely punished for this.
Still, it would be folly to spend the night outside the palace, Carls constantly reminded himself, even if it felt as if his feet could walk no more. As he continued on, step by step, he reached the walls of the royal palace. He knew that just around the next corner, he would see the palace gates.
“Well?”
Carls, rounding the corner with a sigh, widened his eyes. A group of humans were standing to one side of the broad alley.
“Duke of the North?”
They were the young duke and his rangers.
“If you are so excited to walk around, would you mind if we gave you a lift?”
Duke Balahard, who only then saw the prince on Carls’s back, clucked his tongue in a displeased manner.
“Duke-”
“There’s no need to explain the situation. I guess his Highness must have forced you.”
The northern lord clucked his tongue again, and then took off his cloak, draping it over the prince.
“Follow me.”
Vincent then took the lead, heading toward the royal palace gate.
“Duke?”
“I left something behind.”
“Is that so? But at a time like this…
“It doesn’t matter if you let us in through the side door.”
“If so…”
The knight guarding the gate, without a doubt in his heart, opened the palace’s side door.
“March.”
Rangers and northern knights tramped through the door.
“Oh, this is a lot of work for this late at night.”
“It would be nice to chat with the Royal Knights again, if possible.”
“You like working overnight? Hey, how about we have a drink together on our way out if our shift times run out?”
The knight who was guarding the gate made sure to keep his face thoughtless as he heard the loud chatter. Meanwhile, Carls Ulrich was able to sneak through the side portal, entering the palace. And finally, they arrived at the prince’s palace, where Carls carefully lay him on his bed, then looked at the duke.
“Duke of the North, this is-”
“If it was a social visit, it’s okay. I’ve grown up in a castle, I know the circumstances.”
Vincent still stared at the prince as he suddenly mentioned something.
“Next time this is going to happen, secretly send someone to let me know. We should at least avoid bringing down his Majesty’s wrath.”
Vincent made it clear he would be the prince’s shield, regardless of whether he pretended to be a ranger or not.
“Of course, it would be better if I can stop him from going out before that,” the duke grunted and turned around. “What do you think will happen if his Majesty knows I met you? Rather than thanking me, he will chew me out for avoiding my duties.”
And with these words, Duke Balahard left the room.
Things grew quiet for a while, then, ‘It’s like he’s a kid with a nosebleed, and the only kid on the beach. When the hell is he going to become an adult…’
The volume of the complaints that filtered through the door gradually decreased, and then were heard no more.
“I have to change his Highness’s clothes,” said Adelia.
“Oh, okay. Let’s leave.”
Carls Ulrich, who had been watching the sleeping prince for a while, promptly left the room.
Prince Adrian slept on, oblivious to the world.
**
The following day, and the one after that, the Crown Prince left the palace. Unlike the first day, the party didn’t slip outside until the sun had set. For the palace knights, who did not know when the king’s fiery wrath would fall upon them, this was like walking on a sheet of thin ice.
They weren’t nervous or insecure all the time, though. It was quite enjoyable for the palace knights to see the Crown Prince in lively spirits. It was as if every day was new to him. The prince’s curiosity was as all-encompassing as that of a child who was just getting to know the world.
However, this excessive activity and extraordinary curiosity, which seemed without end, gradually decreased over time. The palace knights were pleased with this, but on the other hand, it made them strangely sad.
It was like watching a child growing up to become an adult within a very short time-frame. Two weeks passed in this manner, and the Crown Prince was experiencing a period of flurrying changes. His emotions changed several times a day. Sometimes he became angered by nothing, or laughed for an entire day over trivialities. At other times, he would just blankly stare at the sky all day long. This rapid changing of emotions was so devouring and extreme that even the palace knights, who were honest warriors, became sick of the prince’s whims. More time passed.
The chaotic feelings of the prince had suddenly returned to their usual state.
“Shall we go outside of the capital?”
Sometimes the knights had to be stern, but the days had become generally calm. It was now the third week since Prince Adrian began wandering through the capital. Suddenly, a fully armed palace knight stepped out in front of the Crown Prince, who was busy chatting with some merchants who wandered around the plaza. The prince brazenly pretended not to notice the knight’s attitude and decided to turn away from him.
‘Chuck!’
At this, other palace knights appeared and blocked off his retreat, however.
“Well, what? I didn’t violate the order not to enter the main palace.”
Even when the situation had reached such a critical point, Prince Adrian was easygoing.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, under his Majesty’s command, you are to go to the hall without delay!”
It was the same messenger the king had sent last time, and the prince knew he had to go to the king. He remained consistently calm—at least until he came to the hall, where the mysterious guest took off his hood.