#10
Why am I getting seriously angry at a nine-year-old kid? He’s just a child, a child. I took a deep breath to calm my agitated heart and looked at Rikin.
Perhaps thinking he had gotten one over on me, Rikin couldn’t hide the triumphant emotion filling his small face. The Rikin I knew wasn’t this kind of kid. What on earth was going to happen to Rikin and Persis before they reached the age they appear in the original work? Now I was getting scared.
“If you understand, that’s enough.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Right now His Highness avoids me because he’s more familiar with you, but soon he’ll become more familiar with me.”
He was right. In a few years, Andelion would step down from Persis’s playmate position. So everything Rikin was saying was correct.
But I couldn’t understand why the more I acknowledged it, the more my insides churned. I wanted to say something that would instantly distort that cute face nodding and grinning at me.
No, I couldn’t. Even if I had the body of a seven-year-old, my mind wasn’t. I had experience and knowledge accumulated over many years, so if I reacted to Rikin’s words here, I’d just be stooping to his level. Besides, what Rikin was saying wasn’t wrong.
If I just endured this for a moment, maybe my relationship with Rikin would improve, and later Rikin and Persis’s relationship could become as close as I knew it to be. Setting aside whether I had the ability to make that happen, if there was even a slight possibility, it was right to nod at Rikin’s words even if it felt unpleasant.
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Having me by his side – someone much more mature than you and with proper knowledge – would be much more helpful to Prince Persis.”
I understood, so I wished he’d stop now, but when I said I got it, Rikin got excited and had no intention of stopping. Just how much did he need to say to be satisfied? I waited quietly with my mouth shut. Contrary to my hopes, Rikin enjoyed himself by inflating his delusions more and more.
“So Young Master should return to the Duke’s house as soon as possible to work harder on preparing to be the heir. That would truly be the way to serve the royal family.”
“Then let me ask you something.”
Contrary to my decision to stay quiet, my mouth moved on its own to convey its intentions. I should have just nodded at Rikin’s words and patted him encouragingly to work hard. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand that fact with my head.
Nevertheless, I couldn’t stop the voice that voiced an opinion toward him. It was fine. If Rikin was someone worthy of standing beside Persis, he should be able to give the right answer to my question.
“Suppose His Highness said he didn’t want to attend lessons for a day. The palace employees also said it was fine and overlooked that fact. What would you do?”
“Over, looked?”
Right. You’re still a child. Even being two years older, that word would still be difficult.
“It means they watched quietly.”
I explained it as simply as possible for Rikin to understand. Rikin pursed his lips, apparently displeased that I knew a word he didn’t.
Was this kid really the Rikin I knew? Was he really that reliable man who stood by Persis’s side while embracing everything? For a brief moment, I even suspected whether the world I was in might not actually be inside ‘Luper.’
“If other people said it was okay and His Highness wants to play, I’ll play with him.”
“You are not suitable as His Highness’s playmate.”
“……What?”
At my words, Rikin stiffened his face in bewilderment. But I can state with certainty that he wasn’t more surprised than I was at hearing such ridiculous words. I couldn’t understand that Rikin, of all people, had said such a thing.
Shouldn’t he be the one to lead Persis down the right path more than anyone? Persis is His Highness. He’s someone who must take responsibility for this royal family and furthermore must become worthy material to stand beside that person. But what had he just said?
If you want to play, it’s okay to play, Rikin had said. But the Prince wasn’t an ordinary child commonly found on the streets. He had duties to fulfill and was born carrying the task of taking responsibility for all the people of this country.
This little brat had boldly said he’d have fun playing with such a Prince. The current Rikin didn’t suit Persis. He would only be a bad influence. Maybe in two years when Rikin becomes Persis’s true playmate in the original work. But not now.
“No! I’m qualified to become His Highness’s playmate!”
“You’re not.”
“I am!”
“You’re not.”
“I am!!”
Erasing all the facial expressions that had looked as mature as possible just moments before, Rikin began throwing a tantrum in front of me. It was easy enough to counter, so I responded with short answers and deflected all of Rikin’s words. Finally, angry Rikin came down from the sofa and stood up abruptly.
Despite being only two years apart, the size difference between Rikin and me was considerable. Rikin stood blocking my path and glared fiercely with both eyes. Even though it was just the aura emitted by a little kid, it felt like my hair was standing on end.
He was indeed worthy of being the heir of the Parten family, this country’s premier swordsman family. It was hard to see this as just the momentum shown by a young child who had just learned to speak properly. I had learned sword fighting and martial arts a few times, but there had never been anyone who displayed this level of aura.
Was it because my memories of living in an era completely removed from magic and swordsmanship were much longer? Or was it because my body was still incredibly weak? Just facing Rikin made my knees weak and my body shrink.
“I challenge you to a duel. The loser will step down from His Highness’s playmate position.”
A mere children’s duel wouldn’t change the Prince’s playmate position. However, once his pride was hurt, Rikin had no time to make such distinctions. I could see he was dying to beat me down right now.
We hadn’t even had a proper match yet, but I could already picture myself collapsed and rolling on the dirt ground. The result of this duel was that obvious.
“Fine.”
Nevertheless, I couldn’t back down because I had something I absolutely had to do. It was a very natural future for Rikin to become Persis’s true playmate. But if things continued like this, there was a high possibility that Rikin wouldn’t be able to become his proper friend.
I couldn’t let that happen. I would make him into Persis’s right friend.
“But let me make one proposal.”
“What is it?”
“Young Master Parten is much better at swordsmanship than I am.”
“Yes! That’s right!!”
Taking my words as a compliment, Rikin shouted confidently with his chin raised high. Such a simple child.
“So let’s duel in two ways. One with swordsmanship that Young Master Parten excels at, and the other with something I’m good at.”
“Huh? What are you good at, Young Master?”
I looked at Rikin without saying anything and gave a sly smile. Whatever it might be, I’ll prepare something you could never win at, so don’t worry, little one.
* * *
As soon as I told the palace employees that we would duel, preparations proceeded swiftly.
Since it was just a duel between little kids, no proper dueling ground was prepared, and what the two of us held in our hands were just insignificant sticks, but the palace employees seemed to think this was their chance to get rid of me and had everything ready before Persis finished his lessons. It looked as if they had been tipped off about the duel with Rikin in advance.
After finishing all preparations, the palace employees brought us both to the dueling site and then stepped back as if they had nothing to do with any of this.
The palace employees who hadn’t liked me much seemed to have rushed in thinking this was their moment. I don’t know what kind of revenge they wanted to take on this young child. Had I really done something that annoying? It was enough to make me wonder for a moment.
“Absolutely not.”
“Kara, we can’t say no after coming this far.”
“It’s not allowed.”
Unlike the palace employees who had finished all preparations and were waiting hopefully for me to fall, Kara stuck by my side blocking me.
“Young Master, you are only seven years old now.”
“I know.”
“Please be aware of your age.”
“I am aware.”
“No. You don’t know.”
She kept saying I didn’t know, but I really think I know well. That’s why I make sure to eat my meals properly, and when my body feels tired, don’t I lie down for a bit to sleep? I was even exercising systematically considering my seven-year-old body.
But in Kara’s eyes, none of my actions seemed satisfactory.
“It’s just a swordsmanship match between peers, so what.”
“The problem is that he’s the Parten family’s heir.”
No matter how much of a Parten he might be, he’s still only nine years old. We’ll just fight back and forth a few times and end up rolling around on the dirt. If it really doesn’t work out, I can just forfeit saying I can’t continue.
“It’s fine. If it gets dangerous, I’ll surrender.”
“Do you think they’ll give you a chance to surrender?”
“……Huh?”
“I heard that the first thing children born into the Parten family learn is how to break the arm of someone trying to surrender and cover their mouth.”
Even so, would they really go that far in a place where Persis could come running out at any moment? Despite appearances, I was the playmate receiving all of Persis’s love. I wanted to say that couldn’t happen, but seeing Rikin glaring at me with a menacing face from the opposite side, those words went right back down my throat.
“Am I in danger?”
“Did you think you’d be fine?”
Now that things had escalated this much, I couldn’t say I wouldn’t do it. I sighed deeply and tapped Kara’s arm. She needed to move this arm so I could go forward. But Kara wouldn’t budge from in front of me.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
