authorâs note: Contains some depiction of pain. Cautions for vulnerable readers.
âWow, a lot of big shots are present.â
The Inner Palace that I had been familiar with was now dazzling. It was originally a beautiful place, but now it became even more resplendent with all the decorations.
Today was the celebration for Alâs âSword Bearing Ceremonyâ, and it was held here in the Inner Palace. Usually, this place was off-limits to males (not including children), but today since Al was moving from the Inner Palace to the Main Palace, the Inner Palace was specially opened to other people.
A lot of high ranking people flocked to Alâs celebration. In other words, they were the Second Princeâs faction.
Alâs birth mother, Princess Consort Jane was the third princess of Sotis Kingdom; there were 3 other countries between here and Sotis. She only married the King of this country for the sake of a non-interference agreement, and it cannot be said that she had a strong backing.
Even then, a lot of interests were at stake, and there were quite a number of people who were pushing Prince Alfred as the next King.
Well, there certainly were a whole lot more people supporting Alâs brother, the First Prince, Prince Andrew. Prince Andrewâs birth mother, Second Consort Algarina was originally a daughter from a grand ducal house.
She was engaged to the King from when they were little, and they had a good relationship. With a backing of the grand ducal house, she possessed a large influence despite being a second consort.
As the First Prince, people had assumed that Prince Andrew would be named as the crown prince, but recently there were changes in the power relationships.
It was due to Alâs growth.
He had been praised for having a good face, a good style, an astute mind, and remarkable athletic ability from the start. He basically had all the talents. It was just that, as a tyrant prince, he was not well-liked by others.
However as he grew up, his tyranny gradually slipped into the shadows, his attitude became more tactful and he transformed into a handsome prince who can charm anyone who even had a glance at him. So it was a given that more people were boarding the Second Princeâs wagon.
His brother, Prince Andrew on the other hand, was originally a docile person, so the comparison between these two brothers appeared to be more striking.
The BL game was centred on the school life, so there was not a glimpse of the situations in the royal family nor of the political scene. The game ended with the graduation at the academy, so it was unclear who became the crown prince in the end.
Moreover, at the time, âFaniaâ was already sent to the labor camp, there was no way for him to know it.
While I was lost in thoughts, I was snapped back by an outburst of applause. Al had just received a sword from His Majesty on the stageâthe climax of this event.
âHaa, Alfred-sama is truly handsome.â Bailard who was next to me infatuatedly sighed.
At the tender age of 12, Alâs figure when he received the sword from his father with his straightened back was really charmingly handsome. No wonder he was drawn at the centre of the BL game packaging.
In another 4 years, the BL game would start rolling. By the time, he would look more mature and masculine for sure.
I wonder what I would be doing at the time. It was my own matter, yet I couldnât picture it in my head. Just now, when I was introduced as Alâs âclose aideâ, I wondered whether I would still stay in that position when the BL game starts.
âFania!â
Al who was on the stage until just now, was scuttling towards here. On his waist was the beautiful sword that he just received.
Oi oi, can you, the star for todayâs event even ignore your guests aside? But well, this is just how he usually is.
âFania, I was given this rare confectionery. I want you to taste it first.â Al was carrying a bag containing bite sized chunks each wrapped by thin paper wrappers.
âWhat is that?â Bailard tilted his head and peeked into Alâs hands.
âEh, confectionery?â The foodie Zernite also joined in.
âItâs called chocolate bonbon, I heard that it contains liquor.â
âWhat, liquor! is it okay for us to eat it?â
âWhoa, that looks delicious.â
As Al answered, Jade and Zernite also looked at the chocolate with full interest. Inside, there were about 10 pieces. Thin wrappers of different colours enclosed each of them, so they already looked cute as they were.
âThe Sword Bearing Ceremony has ended, so this much is okay I guess. I received this from Father.â Al happily passed me a piece.
In front of the chocolate packaged in a thin red wrapper, I was frozen. The moment I saw the chocolate bonbon in Alâs hands, my heart was screeching.
No.
No, no, no!!
I didnât know why, but I just didnât want it. My whole body was rejecting the chocolate. I didnât know it myself why I was dreading it, nor why I was even rejecting it this much.
Somehow, the moment I took a look at the chocolate bonbon, my heart was conquered by fear. And this fear kept escalating that I had no way to suppress it.
I had a feeling that this chocolate was off-limit. I just could not eat it.
ââIf I eat this chocolate, everything will be overââ
âWhatâs wrong, Fania? Oh, itâs fine. Even if it contains liquor, the amount is minimal, so you donât have to worry.â
Al chuckled looking at my reaction, he teared off the paper packaging of the chocolate. A shiny black clump appeared.
âSee this, Ahn~â Al picked the chocolate and brought it to my mouth.
âItâs not what you think! That chocolate is justâŚâ I couldnât finish my sentence. I couldnât utter the word of refusal towards Al.
I, who was quiet until now, suddenly spoke up, so Al threw the chocolate bonbon into my open mouth. I was talking eagerly when the chocolate suddenly plopped into my mouth, so I spontaneously chewed it.
The sweet fragrance of the liquor wafted inside my mouth. And thenâŚ.
An overwhelming heat, then pain and asphyxiation came over me, I could not even vomit it out. I shouldâve been able to scream out. Yet, I could only relentlessly scratch my throat.
*Blurgh* Something spurted out of my mouth. That red matter was actually my blood, but I could not afford to notice that as I was still trying to scratch my throat all I could.
âFaniaaaaa!!â Alâs shriek couldnât even reach me. My consciousness faded away on the spot.