Their conversation continued to flow, and it ended only when Raphael knocked on his office door well after 10 oâclock.
As soon as Sera went out, Raphael nagged Helios. Raphael pounded his chest as if frustrated, almost as if he was lamenting about the ground swallowing him up.
âYour Majesty, do you know how many times Iâve already told you that you must send Miss Sera back to the carriage by 10 oâclock?â
âOh, I donât know. About three times?â
âItâs been more than ten times. Your Majesty, please just go to bed early during the days that Miss Sera comes. Please!â
It wasnât that Helios didnât know that Raphael was just worried for him, but Helios wouldnât be himself if he didnât wish to go see his younger siblings. He headed towards the Star Palace where the twins were sleeping.
His younger siblings, who didnât usually cooperate well during bedtime, amazingly went to bed early whenever Sera came over even though they didnât sleep at Heliosâ bedroom like the usual.
Miss Seraâs class days. That was the only time he could sleep in his own bed.
Of course, he still wouldnât be able to avoid the whining of his younger siblings the next day when they woke up. They would say, âI didnât see Heli Oppa!â and âHeli Hyung, did you come yesterday!â
Helios was standing in front of the large door of the Star Palaceâs dedicated study. He was about to open the doorâever so slowly in case the twins would be woken by small lights or soundsâbut he paused for a moment. As he looked behind him slightly, he met the gaze of a maid who was waiting in the hallway.
âDid something happen between Sera and the twins today?â
Of course he wouldnât fall for that lie. He was still concerned about the wound that had been on Seraâs soft skin, so he eventually asked about the situation. And if it really was his younger siblingsâ faultâŠ
The maid lowered her head as Helios asked her this question. She was the maid who gave first aid to Sera earlier.
âAh⊠Iâm not entirely sure, Your Majesty, but it seems that there had been an accident.â
âWhat kind of accident?â
âLady Sera has a small cut on her forehead, but Their Highnesses probably played another prankâŠâ
He entered the room while shaking his head. Looking through a gap in the opened door that was very narrow so that the light would not leak so much into the room, he saw his sleeping younger siblings who had their bellies sticking out of their pajamas.
His footsteps were muffled as he approached the twins. Then, he bent down, took the blanket that had fallen to their feet and covered them until their chests.
âYou guys are sleeping well.â
His younger siblings were sleeping while holding each otherâs hand tightly. Just look at how small those hands were. Helios reached out to compare his hand with theirs, and he thought that there was still a long way to go until their hands could grow bigger. Helios fiddled with their little overlapped fingers as if playing with them.
âMm⊠mmh.â
Feeling that his fingers were tickled, Ferre noticed Heliosâ presence, tossing and turning. Ferre rubbed his eyes and eventually sat up.
âHeeeli HyuungâŠâ
Half-asleep, Ferre spoke in a quiet voice. Red warning lights blared in Heliosâ mind, and he already knew that a bigger mishap would happen if he couldnât put him back to sleep now.
âYes, yes. Go back to sleep now, Ferre.â
Helios quickly made Ferre lie down again to put him back to sleep and kissed him on the forehead in a hurry, but Ferre had no intention of going back to bed. His Heli Hyung came to see them now, so he couldnât miss this opportunity.
Realizing that he hadnât been able to put them to sleep for a while now, he surrendered to some extent. Then, he asked.
âHow was your day?â
It was a normal question that he always asked, but their expressions changed subtly as they heard it. A dark shadow passed over their faces. It was obvious just from their change in demeanor that something happened today.