“We greet the Crown Princess.”
A man and woman with identical faces bowed slightly to Cayden.
‘Twins…’
Cayden quickly rose to his feet as he recalled the familiar-looking pair from his memory.
“Everyone wants to introduce themselves to the Crown Princess. But they’re afraid of the Crown Prince, so they’re just watching from a distance. That’s why we’ve stepped forward first. The Prince is currently occupied with other people.”
The woman, slightly shorter than Cayden, spoke in a whisper with a warm smile.
Titi and Nef. The royal family’s only twins were the children of Mirenne Mekerius, the Emperor’s sister and Minister of Military Affairs. That made them Assad’s cousins.
Cayden knew who the twins were. However, since he spent most of his days in the palace annex and never showed his face at royal events or gatherings, he didn’t know them well.
Still, he clearly remembered Amun’s teachings.
Amun had told Cayden which people he could keep close and which he should avoid. According to Amun’s rather strict standards, the twin siblings now standing before Cayden were people he should avoid. Simply because they enjoyed socializing with others. For some reason, they also seemed to be disliked by Amun. It was strange.
Trying to keep his eyes only on the twins’ faces, who like others boldly displayed their muscular bodies, Cayden greeted them in return. It was just a few simple words. Yet he wondered if he had spoken the imperial language correctly.
“Wow, your imperial language is good. Really good.”
Titi smiled kindly and said. As if speaking on behalf of her quiet younger brother Nef, she complimented him twice.
“Though you still dress… like a foreigner.”
Titi whispered while adjusting Cayden’s collar with her long fingers.
Desert warriors are truly nimble, Cayden marveled. He hadn’t sensed any movement until Titi reached out to touch his collar. So he couldn’t show any particular reaction.
He also didn’t sense the hand that suddenly appeared and struck away Titi’s hand.
“Training is over.”
Assad said as he removed his cousin’s hand from Cayden.
Looking at the twins with sharp eyes, Assad gestured to a servant waiting behind Cayden. Putting on a translucent shawl brought by the servant, Assad turned to Cayden. He seemed to have no intention of conversing with his cousins.
“Oh my, where is the Crown Prince who supposedly treats his companion like a nonexistent person? Perhaps foolish people who don’t know the greedy Prince spread strange rumors?”
“Let’s go back.”
Assad ignored Titi’s words laced with humor and spoke to Cayden.
Cayden was too busy gauging Assad’s sudden appearance to catch Titi’s words. It was also difficult to comfortably understand the imperial language in such a tense state.
However, he could immediately tell that Assad did not welcome his cousins. This contrasted with the twins’ very friendly gaze toward Assad. At least the twin siblings seemed to like Assad, who was younger than them, very much.
Assad had no intention of wasting time waiting for a response. He grabbed the hand of the dazed Cayden and strode out of the training ground. Judging by his voice when ordering the servant not to follow, he didn’t seem to be in a bad mood.
Cayden quietly followed behind Assad until he suddenly stopped walking. When Assad stopped, Cayden stopped as well.
And then Cayden heard something unexpected.
“Sorry.”
It was a word so disconcerting it was almost frightening. Cayden was too surprised to respond.
“I couldn’t come right away… I was dealing with people asking about you.”
“It’s, it’s fine.”
Assad turned completely toward Cayden. But soon he frowned at the sight of his own hand holding Cayden’s. Cayden tactfully withdrew his hand from Assad’s grip, which had loosened.
“Are you hot?”
Assad asked Cayden, who was discreetly hiding his hand behind his back.
“No, not at all.”
“Of course you are.”
Assad smiled crookedly and placed one hand against Cayden’s cheek. Assad’s hand, hot from absorbing the heat of the training ground, felt painfully searing like a burn as it brushed against Cayden’s skin. Cayden unconsciously stepped back.
“You stayed still when another alpha grabbed your collar. Yet you avoid your companion’s touch. How should I interpret this?”
“That’s not it… Your Highness’s hand was too hot… I’m sorry.”
It was a ridiculous excuse. It sounded so absurd even to himself that he immediately shortened his words.
“My hand is hot?”
Assad didn’t mock Cayden’s words. Instead, he stared at his own hand. His eyes showed puzzlement as he looked down at his palm.
“It’s not my hand that’s hot but your face. You do have a fever.”
Assad sighed softly and looked around.
Taking Cayden’s hand, Assad walked toward a white pavilion not far away. The water flowing through the canal passing beneath the empty pavilion sparkled busily in the light.
As soon as they left the training ground, Cayden was seated in the shade again. He had to carefully watch Assad, who sat beside him at a distance.
After briefly looking straight ahead, Assad turned completely to meet Cayden’s eyes.
Perhaps it was the hot weather causing hallucinations… but Assad looked like someone hesitating about something. His golden eyes, which remained vivid even under the pavilion’s shade, narrowed.
But soon, Assad’s expression changed. As if he had never hesitated, Assad smiled lightly and extended his hand toward Cayden. Cayden could only stare dumbly at Assad’s straight, beautiful, yet firm hand. His face showed confusion.
“The royalty of Helio are born with great magical power. From birth, we’re destined to become magicians. In my case, I suppose I’d be a magic swordsman.”
Come to think of it, Cayden had heard something similar from Amun. He’d been told that the chosen desert magicians could instantly emit magical power without needing to draw magic circles or chant spells. The royal family seemed to possess even more extraordinary abilities.
Cayden couldn’t guess what Assad was trying to say. Nevertheless, he nodded eagerly. His reaction was slightly delayed as he interpreted Assad’s imperial language.
“But besides magic necessary for battle… I know various little tricks.”
Cayden’s gaze followed Assad’s, moving slightly lower. His eyes fell again on Assad’s palm.
White light had appeared on Assad’s previously empty palm. The light, which had been wandering alone on the noble’s hand like a solitary being, suddenly expanded like a bubble. It spun around in a spiral, rising upward. The light that had condensed in an instant began to scatter. Its appearance resembled a cloud.
And then, the light became white snow.
Pure white crystals containing cold energy slowly fell downward. Not the light shed by the sun but a cool light with a white aura, which sparkled as it clung to Assad’s platinum hair.
The cold sparkle also settled on Cayden’s black hair. It rested on the old scar below his right cheek and on his scarred hands.
‘Beautiful.’
Cayden gazed blankly at the snow falling in the desert, the white light descending only above the two of them. The pavilion where snow was falling and the outside where the sun was blazing felt like two different worlds.
“Feels cool, doesn’t it?”
Assad asked, leaning against the white marble pillar.
Cayden didn’t know how to respond to Assad’s kindness, whose intention he couldn’t understand, so he just fidgeted with his clasped hands. Cayden found others’ goodwill difficult to accept. He was also hesitant to express gratitude immediately, fearing he might misinterpret Assad’s intention.
“…Yes.”
Cayden felt embarrassed, thinking his answer might be too brief.
“Really?”
Cayden, who had been watching Assad’s face, looked slightly surprised. He sensed a strange disappointment in Assad’s expression.
It seemed there was no complicated meaning behind Assad’s kindness. He had literally used magic to cool Cayden down from the heat.
Cayden decided not to worry unnecessarily about Assad’s intentions. Instead, he chose to express his genuine feelings. Even if it meant appearing foolish for not recognizing sarcasm, it didn’t matter. It would only be momentarily embarrassing.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Cayden spoke again.
His words continued slowly. Having learned the imperial language from Amun, his tone was stiffer than when speaking his familiar kingdom language.
“The snow falling in the desert is truly beautiful. It’s such a precious… experience.”
Assad had gifted him this beautiful scenery. Seeing magic sparkling so prettily up close, having someone use magic for him without asking for money—it was all a first for Cayden. He felt genuinely grateful to Assad for showing such generosity even to someone like him who was still uncomfortable.
“I think I’ll never forget this moment for the rest of my life.”
Cayden told Assad.
He worried that it might look like he was bowing his head in gratitude, saying he only felt thankfulness toward Assad. Assad might sigh, thinking he was talking too much.
Still, he didn’t want to just nod stupidly and let it pass. How many more times in his life would he feel grateful for such kindness? Cayden wanted to cherish this precious moment that had come to him.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
