He didn’t even hear my words of gratitude, as Lehan grabbed him by the collar and pulled him away from me. But the boy didn’t break eye contact with me even for a second.
“Dietrich is a playboy, Young Lady! In fact, he’s like me…”
“Aren’t you gonna leave now?”
When Lehan knocked him down, the boy got back up and patted down his clothes. I laughed as I watched them fighting. It was a cute, childish fight, but he wouldn’t take that as a compliment.
“How cute…what’s his name?”
“You found that cute?”
“Yes… he looks friendly enough.”
“He’s a person who was kicked out of the academy before the start of the school year. Don’t mind him.”
“You can’t say that about your friend.”
“I’m not his friend. Never.”
Lehan made a face that looked like he didn't like it, and then he lifted his chopsticks to break up the noodles and mix them into the broth.
I followed him and picked up a pair of wooden chopsticks, but I don't know how to use them.
Chopsticks were used mostly on the continent's western side, and only a few people in Vellnelni regularly use them. As such, Mrs. Chrissy never taught me how to use chopsticks.
I hesitated and looked over at Lehan as I held the chopsticks.
He smirked and gave me a look to mix the noodles too.
“Eat it.”
“I… I was going to mix it… right now!”
“I know.”
I’m glad he knew.
Without shame, I switched my lumpy noodles with Lehan’s noodles.
“When you saw Richie, what did you talk about?”
“Nothing. We never really talked about anything interesting.”
“Did you talk about me?”
“She asked if you’re doing well.”
“No… not that. Did she tell you anything that sounded like a secret?”
“What do you mean?”
This.
He really doesn't know anything.
It’s no longer just an option. I need to meet Richie.
Lehan shook his head, puzzled as if he didn't understand why people kept asking him about Richie.
He looked at me sadly, whom couldn’t even eat the noodles he already mixed well.
“Should I get a fork for you?”
“No! I can eat this on my own!”
It looks easy to use because it’s just thin sticks, but I don't know why the noodles kept slipping off.
It was a lot harder to use than I expected. I looked at the chopsticks, put them in the bowl, and twirled them around.
The noodles are now nicely wound up around the chopsticks.
This doesn’t seem to be the correct way to use them, but isn’t there an old saying that ’Even if you’re going to Moreau, you’ll still reach Champagne’? (1)
“Look, I can use them this way too.”
However, whenever I used this method to spin the noodles around the chopsticks every time I took a bite, I didn’t have any other option but to eat slowly as a result. Lehan, on the other hand easily picked up and slurped his noodles.
Lehan sat still and watched me as I struggled to finish the wheat noodles. He had already eaten all the noodles and had some broth left.
I wasn’t in a hurry to finish since I wasn’t expected to come back to the palace at a certain time today.
I wasn’t paying attention to him because I was focused on eating the noodles, but while eating, I heard stifled laughter in front of me. Lehan had turned his head sideways, with his nose twitching.
Somewhat upset, I put the chopsticks down.
“Why are you laughing like that!?”
“I’m not… since you’re eating so diligently.”
“Then do you want me to eat quickly and messily?”
“Not really, I’m just glad that you’re enjoying your food.”
He didn’t try to hide the smile on his face. Instead, he raised his chopsticks and reached toward my bowl. I frowned because I thought that he was attempting to eat my portion, but I was surprised to find that he picked up some noodles and stuffed them in my mouth.
I felt touched, but this scenario seemed oddly familiar.
Lehan’s face looks like Tori’s when she’s feeding the raccoon.
I felt offended that my brother was treating me like an animal, so I grabbed my chopsticks and finished off the remaining noodles.
“Is that too much?”
“I have a big mouth.”
Speaking with confidence, I used the chopsticks to put an unnaturally large clump of noodles in my mouth. Lehan looks downward at me as I sipped the broth from the bowl.
“Mrs. Crissy will scold you if you eat like that.”
“But if she’s not here, then it’s fine, right?”
With enthusiasm and a BANG, I place the emptied bowl on the table.
Even though I could have paid, Lehan still paid for everything. I didn’t want to burden my brother, but the price was so low that it would be a hassle to make a fuss.
I was planning to go back to the Imperial Palace in a good mood after eating warm noodles and a full belly, but a very bright blonde caught my eye on the dark street.
Those with blonde hair aren’t rare, but this particular brilliance is.
I left Lehanm and without realizing it, ran down the dark alleyway.
I could be mistaken, but the blonde hair looked like it belonged to a boy I knew well.
It was a boy.
Looking like a boy, Rupert was facing a rough-looking man.
I saw him, but he didn’t see me.
For a moment, I thought he noticed me because he had a grumpy expression and hid behind the large man, as large as a boulder. But Rupert’s face went back to appearing disinterested so quickly that it dwarfed the momentary change in facial expression.
It was much different from when I first met him as the Crown Prince.
I held my breath when I saw his male appearance for the first time. Seeing him act as if he didn’t recognize me showed me a new side of him. I didn’t know what it was, if it was because this was a new change or something, but he didn't appear to be the same Princess Lapertte I knew at all.
Rupert wasn’t as radiant as he usually was. Instead, he seemed tired.
He had the same clear, handsome features one could call beautiful, but he looked so exhausted that the old brown cloak he was wearing hid all that beauty.
It was the appearance of someone who was dying from overwork.
Tired and broken down, like a piece of frayed fabric.
Even though Rupert was still a kid, I couldn't believe he looked so haggard. He didn’t appear at all like the beautiful and elegant Princess Lapertte, so no one would be able to recognize him right now.
But since it was me, I was able to recognize him immediately.
It was closer to intuition, without me being aware of it.
Right now, few people are as aware of Rupert as me.
From when I went to sleep to when I woke up, I’ve been extra cautious and attentive around him. He was always part of my thoughts and actions.
House Bellua's future depends so much on what he thinks, what he plans to do, and what actions he’ll take.
Yet I didn’t even know Rupert was roaming around the back alleys like that.
I felt a deep sense of guilt when I realized that.
I haven’t been able to take advantage of the opportunities I’ve had so far. (2) Every day, when I obsessed over the past, I realized I couldn't stand up to Rupert because I was afraid of him, and I loathed him so much that I couldn’t keep my thoughts straight.
I gravitated toward him as if I were possessed.
“Sister…”
Lehan grabbed my hand when he saw me moving as if pulled by some unknown force, with an anxious look on my face.
“What did you see?”
Lehan’s head naturally tilts and moves in the direction I was looking at. I moved quickly in between them and blocked Lehan from seeing Rupert.
“Nothing. I thought it might have been someone I know, but it wasn’t.”
I grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. As soon as the sun set, the air that came out of his mouth turned frosty. I saw Lehan's stiff expression through his white breath.
He wouldn't move, even when I pushed him and moved my feet. I don't think he went to the military academy without a good reason. I have such poor strength that I can’t even win in strength against a 13-year-old boy. It wasn’t anything, but if one were to think about it, it was a very natural thing, but even with the slightest resistance from Lehan, I still couldn’t do anything.
As my strength dissipated, Lehan grabbed my hand and held it again as my hands lowered.
“Who did you see?”
“Yes?”
At Lehan’s question, I looked back at Rupert, who didn’t mind that I was looking at him. He was moving slowly, with that person walking beside him.
“Who’s that person?”
I turned around to face Lehan again. My brother's eyes lit up with curiosity, but I didn't pay attention to it.
I have to follow Rupert.
I felt a strange sense of compulsion to follow him, so I pushed Lehan’s hand away.
“I have something to do, so I’ll go now.”
It was a good thing that Lehan didn’t follow me.
I ran after Rupert, and almost caught up to him when I was caught by the large man first before I was able to reach him.
“You… Your Highness…”
Rupert, who had been looking at the other side of the alleyway, slowly turned his head to look at me. He gave an obvious frown when he recognized me.
“What are you doing here?”
That’s the one thing I should be asking you.
But I answered politely anyways.
“I came to visit my brother.”
“On a day like this, your brother… always brother… you always talk about your family.”
“Because they’re important to me.”
“Important? Family?”
Rupert’s voice had a strange tone like my words were the most difficult thing in the world to understand.
“You said that you cherish what’s yours, and I have my family, so I cherish them.”
“Put her down for now.”
Instead of answering me, Rupert gave the man an order. His natural voice wasn’t high pitched as it usually was, so it sounded rough.
After dropping me, I walked up to Rupert and faced him, but now he looked very different than what I was used to.
Seeing him as a man was very different from knowing that he was a man.
Rupert didn’t look much different from how he appeared in the Imperial Palace. But by wearing rugged clothes that children his age would wear and tying up his fine, blonde hair that flowed like silk, he looked like a boy.
Just like he always was.
Just like it was supposed to be.
“Where are you going?”
“Why, will you follow me if I tell you?”
“If that's what Your Highness wants, then, of course I will.”
“You fool, I don't want anything from you.”
As he bullies me, he looks nervously around the alley.
“Max, when is Fassbender coming?”
“I think soon.”
“I heard that there’s an opposing merchant group, did you look into it?”
“They’re with Gorten, but they only borrowed their name. They won’t be an obstacle to us.”
The man named Max spoke softly, which was different from how he looked—grumpy and mercenary-like.
Fassbender.
It’s Tori’s surname.
--
(1) :In the Vellnellni Empire, the Capital City, Champagne, is located in the central sub-continent. It’s bordered by the town of Moreau to the south. The saying is probably saying something like “no matter what route you choose, you’ll end up at your destination in the end”. In this case, it doesn’t matter if Lari doesn’t know how to use chopsticks, as long as she can pick up food with them it’s all right.
(2) TL’s note: I hate this when Lari always think that she’s done nothing:<