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Bark—!
Even the sound of the dog’s disgruntled bark sounded bleak and dull. Laying down on the sofa, Lexus glanced down at the whining Goldie without even getting up.
[ Lexus ] “Sit.”
On his command, Goldie pulled his front paws together and sat. This little guy wasn’t even a little bit interested in Lexus before, but now his tail would lovingly wag whenever he gestured his hand.
[ Lexus ] “Roll over.”
Goldie rolled over in place.
[ Lexus ] “Right foot.”
When Lexus reached out his hand and asked for his right foot, Goldie held out his right paw and put it in the palm of his hand. Asking for the left produced the same effect, with Goldie readily holding out his opposite paw.
The difference was like heaven and earth. He was so well trained now that it was like he could understand human speech.
But no, didn’t he seem like he could understand words before? He was just listening and pretending not to know.
[ Lexus ] “You cheeky bastard.”
And like he could understand him perfectly, Goldie briefly growled at the words he took to be an insult. But once Lexus threw out the toy ball, Goldie was completely distracted, rushing out to catch it in his jaw.
But it got old fast. After a few times, even if Lexus threw it for him, Goldie didn’t bother to get it. Like he wasn’t having fun anymore.
Surprisingly, this dog was well loved within the Imperial Palace. There was no shortage of people who wished to play with him. And yet, in spite of that, he did not wish to leave Lexus’ side, and Lexus didn’t bother chasing him away.
He reached out, stroking the dog’s golden fur.
Lexus didn’t like dogs. Actually, whether they were humans or other animals, he wasn’t a fan, but he thought this puppy was cute.
And when he thought of this dog, he naturally thought of another person as well.
[ Lexus ] “Your mom says she can’t see you because she’s studying.”
[ Goldie ] “Bark, bark—!”
Maybe it was his imagination, but his pathetic barking made it sound like he really wanted to see his mom.
[ Lexus ] “Your mom’s a bit cold, isn’t she?”
[ Goldie ] “Woof, woof!”
Now he sounded like he was trying to say that wasn’t true. And like he was trying to argue with the dog, Lexus spat out some words he didn’t mean.
[ Lexus ] “She’s very cold hearted.”
[ Goldie ] “Woof, woof!”
[ Lexus ] “No?”
[ Goldie ] “Bark, bark!”
It really felt like he could understand.
[ Lexus ] “But she’s ignoring you and me.”
[ Goldie ] “Bark, woof!”
Again, Goldie barked in response, his gentle black eyes shining like he was trying to convey there were unavoidable circumstances happening right now.
And then Lexus laughed at himself for talking to a dog.
[ Lexus ] “What am I doing?”
According to Hugo, this dog didn’t like being at the training center at all, so as soon as he got there, he was smart enough to realize he’d get out faster if he did as he was told. He listened to the trainer’s every word, and excelled faster than the hounds who had been there longer.
And he was able to leave almost as soon as he arrived because there was nothing left to teach.
[ Lexus ] “Do you miss your mom?”
[ Goldie ] “Bark!”
[ Lexus ] “Yeah, yeah. I do, too
..”
Then, without a single knock asking for permission, the door swung open. Unmoving on the sofa, still lying in place, Lexus turned his head and stared at the intruder.
Only immediate family members could enter the Prince’s sanctum without prior permission. And even after seeing it was his elder brother who had come to see him, he didn’t bother getting up.
[ Axion ] “Rude little brat.”
Axion walked up, holding back the urge to pinch his little brother on the cheek, who didn’t even bother showing the proper decorum after his elder brother came to visit him.
But Axion’s attitude was very playful, so it wasn’t like he was actually mad right now.
[ Lexus ] “Have you come to punish me?”
[ Axion ] “What’s the point in that? Normally, you’d just be sequestered to your palace and told to reflect on your actions, but you’re already doing that on your own.”
Axion sounded sarcastic, gesturing down at him, messing around while playing with his dog.
[ Lexus ] “If you don’t like it, would it be better if I went out and caused some trouble?”
[ Axion ] “Almost. You’re acting so quietly, it’s actually making me nervous. What are you doing, staying in your room like this?”
[ Lexus ] “What do you mean?”
[ Axion ] “I mean, lately you’ve just been calmly going back and forth between here and the Academy. Before, gossip would always follow you around no matter what you did, going to those social clubs or whatever it is you do.”
Now that he mentioned it, that was how Lexus usually acted.
Ordinarily, he would not be stuck in his palace, playing with his dog for days at a time. But strangely, he had no desire to go to his usual social club, and smoke and drink with his friends.
Rather than that, it was better to talk to a clever dog like this.
[ Lexus ] “Well, I just don’t feel like it.”
[ Axion ] “And it’s exam season but you don’t even study.”
[ Lexus ] “Study this, study that. What’s the point in that for someone like me?”
He already knew everything he needed to know.
Even before entering the Academy, he was already considered someone far more intelligent than his peers. Attending the Academy was just for the sake of the Imperial family’s image.
He didn’t want his academic performance to make him stand out, so he always aimed for some place close to the top, but never breaching a noticeable level. His existence alone was enough to bring in people’s attention, and he didn’t want to make that worse by earning too high of marks. Nothing good could be gained from doing too well.
[ Axion ] “You’re so relaxed. Meanwhile there’s a mess going on outside.”
[ Lexus ] “What are you talking about?”
Axion threw a newspaper at Lexus, hitting the side of his body and rolling onto the floor. Lexus sat up, picking up the newspaper before Goldie could tear it apart.
And there was no need to open it. Not with his face plastered on the front page.
He’d never officially had a portrait done, so someone must’ve taken this image of his face in secret. Next to him was another image, one of a woman with a question mark placed over her face. Naturally done to raise questions.
—’The most charming lover in the entire Empire, Lexus! A night with a mysterious woman in the forest!?’
The title was quite fantastical. So wild in nature that Lexus ended up bursting into a laugh without even trying.
The article itself described the relationship between the two as having first become friends while at the Academy, then they wrote about how they suddenly disappeared during the outdoor circuit. It was raining heavily that night, so it was difficult for the search party to move efficiently. It was only until the next morning that they found them in an abandoned cabin.
Then, the whole story culminated in the light explanation that an unknown person tricked a young woman in order to kidnap her, and that the Prince risked his life to save her.
Such a basic sounding ending was understandable. Even a third-rate gossip newspaper wouldn’t want to be sued by the Imperial family.
[ Lexus ] “They wrote enough in this article, they’re giving people the clues to draw their own conclusions. But they wouldn’t think like that if they saw how shabby that cabin was.”
Lexus held out the newspaper, speaking both calmly and sarcastically.
It was true that something did happen, but he so easily chose words that could mean nothing happened at all.
[ Axion ] “Are you sure? Everything’s alright?”
Axion narrowed his eyes, looking his brother up and down as if searching for his hidden intentions.
[ Lexus ] “What kind of answer are you looking for, Your Highness? Since when have you been so interested in gossip?”
[ Axion ] “If it weren’t about you, I wouldn’t be paying any attention at all.”
[ Lexus ] “I’m tired of the overprotection.”
[ Axion ] “If you didn’t cause so much trouble, I wouldn’t feel the need to be overprotective.”
[ Lexus ] “I’ve been quiet these days.”
[ Axion ] “And that just makes me more anxious.”
Again, the Imperial family did not publish any kind of response to this article. Even so, public opinion flowed in their favor.
[ Axion ] “The funniest thing is that, after this article was published, support for the Imperial family has soared.”
[ Lexus ] “And the problem is
?”
If this were any other circumstance, Axion would’ve scolded him like crazy, but Lexus was just quietly staying in his palace after saving someone. Instead, Axion came here under the order of their mother to go and see what on earth he was doing.
But he’s just hanging around in his room
playing with his dog.
[ Axion ] “I’m worried about you, brother.”
[ Lexus ] “You mean mother was worried and so she sent you.”
And this was another annoying part of his little brother, asking while knowing perfectly well.
[ Lexus ] “So are you done now?”
[ Axion ] “Apparently so, unfortunately.”
[ Lexus ] “Then I would appreciate it if you left now.”
Playing with Goldie near his feet, Lexus vaguely gestured his hand, issuing a very apathetic order for his brother to make his exit.
[ Axion ] “Without a cup of tea?”
[ Lexus ] “Uninvited guests don’t get tea.”
[ Axion ] “Uninvited?”
[ Lexus ] “That’s what we call people who come to see you when you didn’t ask them to nor did you want them to.”
[ Axion ] “So I’ve been an uninvited guest this entire time?”
With a dramatic voice, Axion responded like he’d just had the shock of a lifetime, acting overly surprised.
[ Lexus ] “Don’t act like you didn’t know that. That’s why you show up however you please.”
[ Axion ] “It’s a new feeling, being treated like this.”
Second only to the Emperor and Empress, the Imperial Crown Prince was undoubtedly one of the most powerful men in the entire Empire.
Since he was someone who would eventually rise to a position of great power, if ever there was the opportunity, most would want to talk to him for a long time. So being kicked out like this was  certainly a first.
Because to his dear younger brother, he was nothing more than a meddling and bothersome older brother.
[ Axion ] “Why are you so eager to kick me out?”
[ Lexus ] “I have work I need to do.”
[ Axion ] “Work? What work could you possibly have to do?”
[ Lexus ] “What do you think? I’m going to study for exams.”
Axion shook his head, clearly stunned by his words. That was near the top of the list of things he didn’t expect to hear from Lexus.
[ Axion ] “Did I hear you wrong? You’re studying?”
[ Lexus ] “Yup. So can you leave and stop bothering me?”
[ Axion ] “I’m just amazed to hear you do that.”
[ Lexus ] “Like you said, it’s exam season. Fulfilling my duties as a student comes before anything else.”
[ Axion ] “Since when have you been a diligent student?”
And hearing Lexus say something so admirable and commendable was beyond suspicious. Axion frowned, narrowing his eyes at his brother.
[ Lexus ] “I’m thinking about starting now.”
[ Axion ] “Why?”
[ Lexus ] “Think of it as a whim.”
[ Axion ] “And such a sudden one?”
[ Lexus ] “That’s why they’re called whims. So will you go now, Your Highness?”
With that kind of posture, he would have been more sincere in ridding his room of a bug than of the Crown Prince.
He had plenty of ways to kill his boredom. He had the status and ability to enjoy every pleasure that existed in this world. But this was the first time he proclaimed he would kill time in such a healthy and productive manner.
It was a very peculiar feeling, anticipating the day of their examinations, but he didn’t hate killing his time in this way.
Right now, he had one specific motive that was moving him now. After exams were over, he could go and see Valentia.