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Lexus was in a bad mood because of this knight’s sudden appearance.
Although he was wearing ordinary clothing like a citizen, based on his robust body type and disciplined movements, it was clear he was most likely a knight.
[ Lexus ] “Who sent you? Was it Father? Mother? Or maybe it was my brother.”
[ Knight ] “My apologies, but I cannot say.”
[ Lexus ] “I’ll find out later, so there’s no point in hiding it.”
[ Knight ] “But I still cannot answer you. I am truly sorry.”
He would find out eventually, but seeing that the knight was dead set on remaining silent on this, it was clear he would pursue him silently until the moment his orders were fulfilled.
Lexus didn’t feel so good because his date got interrupted in the middle, but it could’ve been worse. (1)
Today, they talked and took a walk together. Valentia even said she would see him again tomorrow. The ending got a little messed up, but he felt like the day was coming to a fine conclusion.
But there was something that caught him off guard.
[ Lexus ] —‘I don’t know. Because I missed you?’
That was how he answered her when she asked him why he was looking for her. The words tumbled out before Lexus could even think about how he would answer, and it shocked even him.
And when she told him not to joke around like that, he realized that he wasn’t kidding at all. He really did miss her. That was why he felt so bored and empty over the weekend and the two days she had been gone from the Academy.
I must have more fun hanging out with her than I thought.
That woman was so cold to him for a long time, so it was fun seeing her warm up to him little by little. And since she hated him so much at the beginning, that only made her change more obvious.
Once Lexus returned home, he handed off Goldie’s leash to Hugo.
[ Hugo ] “Welcome back, Your Highness. Goldie seems especially energetic today. Perhaps it’s because he went out for a walk.”
[ Lexus ] “Send him to the training center.”
[ Hugo ] “Training?”
[ Lexus ] “He’s going to need some training if we don’t want him to cause any trouble……..But don’t be too hard on him.”
[ Hugo ] “Very well, Your Highness. In other news, the main palace informed me of your dinner tonight.”
[ Lexus ] “I’m aware.”
Heading inside, he quickly changed his clothing, dressing up into a different kind of attire and headed off towards the main palace.
But he was far later than the others, with his other family members already having gathered by the time he arrived.
[ Elizabeth ] “You’re late, brother.”
[ Lexus ] “Unlike you, I’m actually very busy.”
[ Elizabeth ] “Brother Axion spends all his time helping Father, but he still managed to make it on time. What kind of business could possibly be keeping you busy?”
[ Lexus ] “You shouldn’t ask me such intimate questions, my cheeky little sis.”
As Elizabeth went to argue some more, Lexus passed by her, messing up her hair with his hand for no reason. Behind him, he could hear Elizabeth naturally making a fuss, angrily telling him not to mess up her hair like that.
After Lexus joined them at the table, their meal was served.
[ Emperor ] “It’s been a long time since we’ve all been together like this.”
He was a stern looking but gentle man—the Emperor of their nation, the rock of their family, and both a husband and a father.
[ Lexus ] “Is everything going well?”
Like usual, Lexus asked him how he was doing.
Although they all lived within the same Imperial Palace and were family, the difference between a Prince and the Emperor was vast. Family or not, they could not meet each other easily.
They didn’t need to apply for an audience in advance like other nobles, but they didn’t see each other every day, only coming together under special circumstances.
[ Emperor ] “All is well. Aside from the fact that one of my sons never meets with any women while the other meets too many.”
[ Lexus ] “But don’t you think too many is better than none at all? I think it makes me more diligent.”
Lexus skillfully accepted the comment, and a soft laugh reverberated across the table at his sly attitude.
[ Elizabeth ] “Don’t talk like that at home!”
[ Lexus ] “Little Princess. You should fix your habit of talking to your brother like that. Whatever will you do once you enter society with an attitude like that?”
Of course, the matter of succession was important for any Imperial family, but there was a reason things were more sensitive for them in comparison to most.
[ Emperor ] “I don’t care what sort of people you spend your time with, but you have no questionable motive for meeting with that young lady in particular, do you?”
Right then, it felt like he had something lodged in his throat. Lexus swallowed hard, responding calmly as he took a sip of his wine.
[ Lexus ] “We didn’t get along well at the beginning because of a misunderstanding, but everything’s fine now.”
[ Emperor ] “Hm, I see. Hah, I spoke of something far too heavy during dinner. Let us move on.”
After that, their meal was quiet.
They asked each other how they’ve been doing, what they’ve been up to—exchanging light jokes and casual quips as they did. Before they knew it, dinner was over. They chatted for a little bit longer before going their separate ways as the night came to a close.
Once Lexus moved to leave, Axion tapped him on the shoulder.
[ Axion ] “Can I talk to you for a second?”
[ Lexus ] “Sorry, I don’t make it a habit of talking to men alone.”
[ Axion ] “That shouldn’t apply to your brother.”
While his younger brother tried to escape, Axion threw a verbal net that he could not escape from.
[ Lexus ] “Then, as a good little brother, I will relent just this once.”
[ Elizabeth ] “I wanna talk too! Let’s all play together!”
Elizabeth jumped up, grabbing onto Axion’s arm.
She didn’t like how her older brothers would always talk to each other without including her in their conversations. They were constantly acting like there was some common thread tying them together. They must be purposefully excluding her because she’s younger.
[ Axion ] “You should go to bed early, little one.”
[ Elizabeth ] “I’m all grown up!”
[ Axion ] “Your brothers have something we need to discuss, so you should head off to bed now, Princess.”
[ Elizabeth ] “But…..”
[ Axion ] “We can all play together during the day.”
Axion cut her off firmly but affectionately, so Elizabeth couldn’t say no. Instead, she walked away with a grumpy face full of displeasure.
The pair of brothers headed off to Axion’s palace, which was closer to the main palace than Lexus’ was. In comparison, his palace was on the furthest edge.
[ Axion ] “Drink?”
[ Lexus ] “I’m not in the mood for wine.”
[ Axion ] “I know. I prepared something nice instead.”
Axion handed Lexus a bottle, and once he saw the label, he gasped. It was an expensive brand of whiskey, said to be strong enough to burn one’s throat on the way down.
[ Lexus ] “This isn’t alcohol. It’s closer to poison at this point.”
Still, Lexus poured the whiskey over a glass with a single ice cube, to the point where it looked like it would overflow. He handed a glass over to Axion, who smiled as he received it from him.
[ Axion ] “I thought you’d be more interested in poison than a drink.”
[ Lexus ] “You planning on getting rid of your brother like this?’
[ Axion ] “That wouldn’t be wise in an Imperial family where heirs are precious. I may be the Crown Prince right now, but that could very easily be you in the future.”
So long as you have an heir.
He didn’t say those words out loud, but they both knew it.
[ Lexus ] “Forget it. You’re more likely to have an heir than me. You’re a good man.”
[ Axion ] “You’re a good man, too.”
The alcohol burned his throat quickly. Lexus leaned back in his seat on the sofa, blinking in a daze.
Come to think of it, he heard those same words earlier today. Unconsciously, he smirked and let out a chuckle. He didn’t think he’d hear them again so soon.
Although, maybe it was because it was coming from his brother of all people, but it didn’t sound nearly as impressive as before. Looking back on it, he felt more touched when he heard her say that.
[ Lexus ] “I’m a bad guy.”
[ Axion ] “If you’re aware of it, then change.”
[ Lexus ] “And then what? I don’t want to be in love.”
[ Axion ] “Why not?”
[ Lexus ] “I don’t want to threaten your position. The last thing either of us need is another predecessor. Once you have an heir, maybe I’ll think about it then.”
[ Axion ] “You won’t turn out the same as him. That’s why I keep calling you a nice younger brother.”
[ Lexus ] “I’m getting goosebumps, Your Highness.”
[ Axion ] “You’re twisted.”
[ Lexus ] “By the way, was it you who put that ‘eye’ on me?”
Those who escorted royalty without their knowledge were called ‘eyes’. Rather than monitoring, they were given the title because they were there simply to watch over instead.
[ Axion ] “It wasn’t me. It was Father.”
[ Lexus ] “Really? Could’ve sworn it was you.”
Looking suspicious, Axion swallowed the whiskey, shaking out his head.
[ Axion ] “Yes, he’s curious why you got slapped.”
[ Lexus ] “Uh-huh. Then you should talk to ‘Father’ and tell him to get that eye off my back.”
[ Axion ] “Well, would that even be possible…..? You make so much trouble that he’s worried enough to put an eye on you. He might even send another one since the first was lonely.”
[ Lexus ] “Honestly, you suck. Don’t do that.”
[ Axion ] “Alright, alright. I know it doesn’t feel good having an eye tailing you, so I’ll say something.”
Axion gave a cheeky smirk at Lexus’ irritated response, speaking mercifully.
When he was young, Axion was given the nickname Argus, derived from the name of a mythical creature with many seeing eyes, and that was not an unearned name. (2)
[ Lexus ] “Thanks.”
[ Axion ] “I wish you could speak more sincerely to me.”
[ Lexus ] “Thank you oh so very much, dear brother.”
[ Axion ] “I’ll ignore the sarcasm and just be grateful for the modicum of grace.”
When he said that, Lexus rolled his eyes so harshly, it looked like they were going to fall out.
Lexus clicked his tongue, mumbling under his breath about how his brother should show his kindness to a woman rather than his younger siblings like this. Unlike him, his elder brother was an objectively good person.
[ Lexus ] “Do you really think I’m a good man?”
[ Axion ] “Why are you asking me that?”
Axion knew his brother was not the kind of man to earnestly ponder that kind of question. He immediately caught wind of this strange atmosphere.
[ Lexus ] “Someone…….said I was a good man.”
[ Axion ] “Man or a woman?”
It felt a bit strange to hear him immediately inquire on whether or not the person was a man or a woman rather than who they were.
[ Lexus ] “Does that matter?”
[ Axion ] “Of course it does. If they’re a man, they’re only trying to suck up to you, and if they’re a woman, they’re trying to flirt with you. So which is?”
[ Lexus ] “It was a woman.”
[ Axion ] “Then it’s the latter.”
[ Lexus ] “You just said you thought I was a good man a second ago.”
His brother’s judgement was cold, causing Lexus to grumble in dissatisfaction.
[ Axion ] “That’s because we’re family.”
[ Lexus ] “But this wasn’t a woman that would flirt with anybody.”
She was never a woman who would do that. If that were possible, she wouldn’t have earned the nickname ‘The Iron Maiden’ at the Academy. Instead, she’d get along famously with everyone since she was so smart.
They’d been attending the Academy for years and never once spoke to each other until now. There was no way she would suddenly talk about how good of a man he was in order to flatter him like this.
And she never would have slapped him, either.
Lexus swept a hand against his cheek, once again recalling that unique experience of being struck.
[ Axion ] “Then there’s only one reason why she would say that.”
[ Lexus ] “What is it?”
[ Axion ] “Love.”
Lexus immediately laughed out loud at that word.
[ Lexus ] “She isn’t that kind of woman. Her feelings are probably just a little bit above dislike by now.”
[ Axion ] “People’s hearts don’t necessarily flow in one direction.”
Suddenly, it felt like the energy of the alcohol was wrapping itself around him, carrying his languid and listless body away.
* * *
T/N: (1) Yes, Lexus used the word “데이트” which is lit. “date”. This guy…
(2) Argus refers to “Argus Panoptes”, a creature from Greek mythos said to have many seeing eyes. To be watched by an ‘eye’ of Argus means to have one’s actions held under deep scrutiny to an overbearing degree.