Is it true that he’s not loved? I don’t understand why he’s so intimidated. Heka thought this while greeting Cayden warmly.
But when the man’s eyes brightened upon seeing him, he forgot the thoughts floating in his mind. Cayden welcomed Heka, who had addressed him in the Kingdom language. He didn’t explicitly express his pleasure, but it just felt that way.
Perhaps he missed the language of his homeland? Heka continued using the Kingdom language and smiled brightly. It was the expression one makes when trying to gain another’s favor.
Heka led the conversation. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he kept talking to the man who seemed worried about making a verbal mistake and therefore spoke little.
A one-sided conversation couldn’t be enjoyable. Yet, Heka didn’t find his conversation with the Crown Prince’s consort unpleasant.
Perhaps it was because the Kingdom language used by the Crown Prince’s consort sounded somewhat ticklish to his ears. He had a talent for softening a rigid language that might sound somewhat irritable to others. The Kingdom language he had heard until now and the Kingdom language he heard through the Crown Prince’s consort’s lips came across like words from different worlds. The man before him felt unnecessarily warm and affectionate.
The conversation with the Crown Prince’s consort was boring, yet simultaneously very interesting. It was almost amusing how clearly it was conveyed that he had a man with no eloquence before him, yet even that awkwardness became enjoyable at some point.
What was truly dislikeable… was the servant standing guard behind the Crown Prince’s consort.
Heka had never seen a servant with such arrogant eyes as this fellow called Amun. No, it wasn’t limited to servants. Heka had never seen a person who treated him like that.
He looked at Heka as if viewing the commander of an enemy army. For Heka, who had no particular interest in martial arts, it was the first time in his life receiving such a gaze. A strange sense of defiance arose like fire.
The servant’s somewhat cold face grew even more frigid every time Heka smiled at the Crown Prince’s consort. So, Heka decided to smile even more brightly. Did that young thing not know his place and harbor feelings for the Crown Prince’s consort? Such a ridiculous thought made Heka want to tease him.
Heka had to try really hard to resist the urge to whisper in the young male servant’s ear that he might end up in the underground prison if he continued like this. Shouldn’t he, being a few years older, be the bigger person?
Inadvertently glancing at the garden visible beyond the reception room’s balcony, they ended up taking what was not quite a stroll together. It was the famous Garden of Light.
But…
“It’s ruined. Ruined.”
Heka covered his face with both hands as he recalled the time spent at the detached palace. It was because an embarrassing moment came to mind.
When he took a step back to avoid a suddenly appearing insect and misstepped, the Crown Prince’s consort had caught him. The hand supporting his waist was quite firm, and the man was even taller than him… and since he was a type of handsome man difficult to find in Helio… Heka had momentarily lost his senses.
Thanks to the arrogant servant who separated him from the Crown Prince’s consort under the pretense of helping him in his predicament, he quickly regained his composure, but still.
‘Just before leaving the detached palace… I rambled nonsense about wanting to meet again if the opportunity arose.’
It was while saying transparent words about how it would be nice for people of the same nature to get along well. It was no different from what his father would have said to the Empress with an affected smile.
Embarrassingly, he even received a positive response. From the Crown Prince’s consort’s position, he couldn’t help it. How could he slight someone introduced by the Empress, of all people, as being around his age? He worried that he might have appeared like someone pestering for friendship with someone who didn’t want new connections.
Still, he didn’t regret visiting the detached palace itself.
Apart from feeling pathetic and tired, wondering what he had accomplished, Heka had felt joy by Cayden’s side. Wasn’t he just enjoying conversations over delicious snacks, strolling through a beautiful garden, exchanging various stories, laughing, and then returning home?
Heka liked the Crown Prince’s consort. Admitting that made him feel at ease.
The moment he raised his slumped upper body with a small sigh, the bedroom door opened timely. There was only one person in this mansion who would barge into his room like that. It was his father.
“My son, did you enjoy your visit to the detached palace?”
“It was… okay…”
Heka, with a sour face, trailed off.
“Why do you look so dejected? Were you upset because something else was in the place where you should be?”
“No.”
“Don’t worry too much.”
“I’m not worried.”
“Child, everything will be alright.”
Kuram, who sat closely next to Heka, patted his son’s shoulder and continued.
“Anyway, in three years, no, just in two and a half more years, that detached palace will be yours.”
“…What are you saying?”
Heka, startled and pulling away from the sofa’s backrest, asked.
“What do you mean? It’s exactly as I said. The position of the Crown Prince’s consort will be vacated. And that vacant position will be yours.”
“…”
“I sent you to the detached palace first because I wanted to tell you this. Thinking you would welcome my words more after seeing how ridiculous the detached palace has become. You’ve seen it firsthand, haven’t you?”
Kuram, affectionately tousling the hair of his son who looked just like him, smiled.
“That’s not just your own thought, is it, father? Seeing your confidence, it’s not, right?”
In response to Heka’s question, his brow furrowed, Kuram slowly nodded with a cheerful laugh.
“Have you decided to expel that person?”
“That was already decided even before the Crown Prince’s consort set foot in Helio. And expel, such a crude action isn’t what we do. We’ll provide appropriate compensation along with other opportunities. If that man doesn’t do anything foolish and quietly steps down.”
“…”
“However… compared to before, His Majesty the Emperor’s intentions have become somewhat ambiguous. I can’t understand his mind. Still, he said he would take my hand for now. So you and I need to do better. Since ‘for now’ is no different from saying his mind could change at any time.”
Heka, surprised, closed his mouth. No, what did his father think of his own son? It was absurd.
Cayden seemed to already know that he had been promised in marriage to the Crown Prince. Yet, he treated Heka with kindness, not hostility…
An indescribable discomfort came over Heka. He felt he wouldn’t experience such discomfort even at the peak of the summer rainy season.
“Does the Crown Prince’s consort know about this?”
“No. He doesn’t know. Probably, he’ll live without knowing for quite a long time.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“It can’t be helped. We can’t give him too much time to think.”
Kuram, withdrawing his smile, continued.
“One day. Just about that much time to think will be given. The deadline will be tight, the compensation generous.”
“…”
“People who have never received a proper opportunity, a life-changing proposal, tend to choose the immediate benefit without looking far ahead. From this father’s perspective, the current Crown Prince’s consort is such a person. Dull and naive. To use raw language, well, I could call him stupid.”
Heka, inwardly aghast, repeatedly opened and closed his mouth.
“My son, why are you so surprised? Does two and a half years seem too distant? It seems you’re impatient with the waiting time.”
“…”
“Then, shall we attach an alpha to that man? Even gods can’t help those who commit adultery.”
“Why would you do such a thing!”
“Oh my.”
“Oh, oh. Father, really, don’t you think that’s too much between fellow omegas?”
Heka, his face turning red with embarrassment, added.
“No, to begin with, the Crown Prince’s consort isn’t the type to fall for just any alpha. What preparation? Don’t do such nonsensical things!”
“Child. Anyone listening would think you and that man have known each other for a long time. Did I teach you to trust someone you’ve just met, or to doubt them? Or, were you actually a magician? Did you use magic to enter the Crown Prince’s consort’s heart?”
“…”
“Has your heart softened because his face is clean? Yes. At a glance, he does give off an alpha-like feeling. Though he looks a bit servile, it’s possible.”
Ah-ha-ha. Kuram, finishing his words, smiled brightly. Looking at such a father, Heka had to struggle not to commit the unfilial act of raising his fist against his parent.
“I’ve decided to see the Crown Prince’s consort again. I’m going to become friends with that person. So, don’t do anything unnecessary! If you do such a thing, I’ll never see you again, father! I’ll leave home!”
Heka suddenly exclaimed. It was words that wouldn’t make a dent on Kuram.
“Is that so? Becoming friends isn’t bad. You might be able to stop that man from harboring unnecessary greed right by his side. Help him understand his place? Ah, we need to prevent him from having wayward thoughts too.”
“What wayward thoughts.”
“Well, if that man takes advantage of His Highness the Crown Prince’s first rut to have a child, it would be a big problem…”
Argh. Heka, cutting off Kuram’s words, jumped to his feet. Both his hands were tightly clenched into fists.
Taking deep, rough breaths, Heka strode toward the bedroom door. If his father had no intention of leaving the room, his only option was to leave first.
“I’m going to mother. Don’t follow me!”
Heka headed to the study where his reticent mother would be, to a space where someone existed who could knock his father’s head, with heat rising to his head.
* * *
It was gradually getting dark.
In a little more time, the sunset would completely disappear and darkness would fall, yet Amun showed no sign of leaving his side. Cayden had thought he would say goodbye to Amun right after his visitor left, but that wasn’t the case.
Amun… seemed angry about something.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
