For You 2

“Young Master! It’s dangerous. Please call for us when you get up.”

“I can do this much myself.”

“What if you strain yourself doing that? Please lie down on the bed quickly.”

“I’m already up. I’m fine.”

I shook my head at the worried employee’s words. Though she was dressed in light pants, being an employee of the Duke’s family, her outfit was in uniform style. Her long hair was neatly twisted up and tied, making her look quite elegant. If not for her attire, she had the kind of appearance that would make one believe she was a young lady from a noble family.

This was Kara, the employee who had been managing my every move from the time I was born until now.

“Please lie down. I’ll bring water for you to wash your face.”

“No, I’ll go myself.”

“Please, Young Master.”

Though her words were in a pleading tone, Kara’s eyes were sharp. In the end, I couldn’t bring myself to say I would do it alone anymore. As I obediently went to lie down on the bed, Kara swiftly lifted my body. My still young body needed the help of other adults.

Kara covered my body sitting on the bed with a thick blanket.

“I can do it myself.”

“Young Master, you haven’t forgotten what I say every day, have you?”

“A child doesn’t need to do that.”

“That’s right. When you get older, there will be many, many days when you’ll have to do everything by yourself. For now, please follow my wishes.”

I nodded, saying I understood. Though I couldn’t accept all of her words, they weren’t unreasonable. If I’m a young child, I should occasionally act spoiled and receive help from adults. Though I, having lived my full age, didn’t want to do such things.

Since Kara was completely unaware of that fact, I decided to follow her words. Then Kara smiled with satisfaction and drew back all the remaining window curtains. As expected of someone who wasn’t called the mansion’s capable person for nothing. Her movements were sharp as a knife.

After bowing to me, Kara left the room. Left alone, I let out a deep sigh and looked out the window.

The garden designed like a maze caught my attention. From some point on, the Duke had begun making the garden as complicated as possible. The only person who tended to that garden was the Duke himself. Since the grounds were so vast, the outer areas were handled by other gardeners, but only the Duke’s hands touched that inner area.

A prison-like garden where no one could enter and no one but the Duke could exit. I looked down at that place for a long while until Kara returned.

“Young Master, I’ve brought water for you to wash your face.”

“Ah, thank you.”

After greeting Kara who brought the water, I washed my face with the warm water. Several times Kara offered to wash me directly, but I firmly refused that much. No matter what, I didn’t want to see Kara again holding my nose and saying “Go ‘ahhh’, Young Master.”

Though I washed my face with my own hands, I received Kara’s help to dry my face. If I stubbornly refused even this, it seemed like she would be hurt.

Kara’s touch as she carefully dried my face with the fluffy towel felt really pleasant.

“The Duke has asked to have breakfast together.”

“…Father has?”

“Yes. He’s already awake. Please get ready and come out.”

What wind could have blown for a man indifferent to his son to suddenly ask to eat breakfast together? He wasn’t someone who would move without any intention.

I nodded slowly, but the worry that entered my heart showed no signs of disappearing.

* * *

The Duke was silent. Since I wasn’t much of a talker either, our meal time was quiet. Having no charm, I couldn’t approach the Duke directly and ask in detail how he’d been spending his days lately.

I believe it’s around this time that the Duke begins preparing to become the villain. To him, this world was all sin that had to be destroyed.

I looked at the neat man sitting across from me. This man who had just entered his thirties seemed far too young to bear full responsibility for the Duke’s family. However, no one doubted his abilities. His capabilities were that remarkable, and he was also a hero who had prevented dangers to this country.

I can’t describe how shocked I was the moment it was revealed that the Duke, who had not only earned the trust of the people in the game but whom I also believed in, was the villain.

“Eat the peas.”

Just then, a stern voice was heard. Startled, I nearly dropped the small fork I was holding. When I met his two eyes that shone blackly, I unconsciously swallowed my saliva.

“Being picky with food isn’t good.”

At seven years old, one would normally have an employee attached to feed them directly. However, since I was so accustomed to eating alone, I ate well by stabbing with my fork.

Especially since the Duke’s family cook was tremendously capable, cutting all the food to make it easy for me to eat. The fact that I could eat alone like this now was all thanks to his hard work. However, small beans like peas were different.

After sneaking glances at the Duke, I hung my head low. It’s not that I liked peas. But I didn’t dislike them either. I wasn’t particularly picky about food to the point of being selective.

It was just that with my small hands, it was too difficult to stab peas with a fork to eat them. Even using a spoon, they wouldn’t all scoop up, so I had given up and left them.

“Too, small. Difficult, to eat.”

I don’t know why my usually eloquent words that came out smoothly in front of other people became so short only when facing the Duke. Perhaps it was because the aura emanating from him was too overwhelming. I could only speculate.

Perhaps my words weren’t well understood. The Duke’s gaze wouldn’t leave me. The more that happened, the more anxious I became. I tried to stab the peas several times using the fork, but the slippery beans slipped skillfully between the fork prongs as if teasing me.

Eventually, the Duke sighed and shook his head. Perhaps my appearance was disappointing. The Duke, who was perfect in everything, seemed to want even his seven-year-old son’s behavior to be perfect. However, instead of talking more, he changed the subject.

“I heard you’ve been getting along well with His Majesty the Prince lately.”

“Ah, yes.”

“You gave him a book as a gift?”

“It was a book I found interesting when I read it, so I gave it as a gift.”

The Duke stopped eating and stared straight at me. The gaze that sent chills down my spine was too much for young me to handle. Unable to endure it, I hung my head low and focused all my attention on eating the peas.

I could hear the Duke clicking his tongue briefly above my head. As expected of someone who wouldn’t be called a villain for nothing. I thought he was really harsh with his own son.

“Enough. If you don’t want to eat more, stop and go.”

To send me away in the middle of eating. Isn’t that too much for a growing child? However, fortunately, I had finished all the food except for the peas. After bowing my head to the Duke, I got down from the chair with Kara’s help.

The Duke, who hadn’t finished clearing his meal yet, only then began moving his utensils again. After greeting him once more, I left that place.

As soon as I came out to the corridor, I let out a small breath. It seemed the meal with the Duke had been burdensome without my knowing.

“Young Master, are you alright?”

“Ah, yes. I’m fine. Kara, you can go now. I can go to my room by myself.”

At my words, Kara silently widened her eyes. Now she was expressing with her expression that it absolutely wouldn’t do. After nodding slightly saying I understood, I walked toward my room.

“If your legs hurt, I’ll carry you.”

“No, it’s fine. I can walk this much.”

Though I said that, my legs were actually quite painful. Having walked on my own feet from my room to the place where I ate with the Duke, the return journey was a bit difficult. I didn’t know having a young body would be this inconvenient.

Just then, another employee came running toward me. Their panting breath seemed to indicate that something big had happened since morning.

“What’s the matter?”

Kara blocked my path and asked the employee.

“Well, that is. Um, His Majesty the Prince has come.”

The moment I heard those words, my head began to throb. I should have realized it from the time he came out to see me off to the carriage the Duke was riding when we parted last time. At that time, the Prince had waved his hand at me, tearfully saying he would definitely come to see me next time.

To think he would throw such a tantrum as to visit the Duke’s family from morning. I felt like the mature image of the original Prince I knew was instantly shattered.

It’s because he’s young. Because he’s young. When he gets older, he won’t be like that. No, but originally don’t young children forget quickly? Even children who cling crying and wailing will rush off to something that catches their fancy when it appears.

The children I knew were definitely like that. I don’t understand why the Prince’s interest in me doesn’t wane.

Following the employee’s guidance, I walked toward the reception room where the Prince was waiting and recalled my first meeting with him.

It wasn’t surprising to hear from the Duke that I should become the Prince’s playmate. Since it had also happened in the original work, I had been expecting the Duke to bring it up around this time. Even in the carriage going to the palace, the Duke repeatedly reminded me of my position, saying I should treat the Prince well.

No matter how much I was a young master, before royalty we were all the same subjects. Since we were insignificant lives that could disappear at any time if we fell out of favor with royalty, I understood why the Duke earnestly entreated me so.

As soon as we arrived at the palace, we headed to the garden where the Prince was. Since it was rest time, they said the Prince was enjoying snacks while receiving sunlight.

Unlike the mansion at the Duke’s castle, the palace garden was tremendously vast. Everything seemed connected, decorated with flowers and trees of various colors. I could imagine how many people’s touches had been embedded in this palace.

I could see a yellow mat spread on the green grass. The small child sitting on it had hair as conspicuous as the mat itself.

Hair as red as blazing fire fluttered in the wind. It seemed like small sparks falling from his hair would land on the grass and create fierce flames.