Amun was familiar with stories about the imperial family and people. He viewed them very coldly. He resembled Assad, whom he served, and was also close to him. Amun… could he be related to those with imperial blood? It was just an idle fantasy.
Even knowing this, Cayden found himself wanting to treat Amun better. Whatever the truth might be, Amun was clearly a lonely child.
“What are you thinking about, staring at me like that?”
“…Just thinking how reassuring it is to have you here.”
“Well, I am a reliable talent.”
Amun, who had been contemplating Cayden’s words, grinned with satisfaction. His face looked confident. Such brazenness didn’t appear even slightly hateful—at least not to Cayden’s eyes.
“I’ve been thinking a bit too.”
“About what?”
“That we don’t completely match after all. Earlier, you mentioned having no family. But thinking about it again, that’s entirely wrong.”
“No, it’s correct…”
“How can you have no family? You have the Crown Prince.”
This was an unexpected observation. Assad probably wouldn’t want to be bound to him as family for life. Unable to bear the embarrassment poking at his cheeks, Cayden habitually rubbed his cheek.
“I wish… I had a younger brother like you, Amun. I would have cherished and adored him.”
“You’re not even answering my comment. You’re saying something else entirely.”
“That’s right.”
“Well, you can adore me even if I’m not your brother.”
Amun’s grumbling face looked momentarily impassive, making it difficult to tell whether he liked or disliked Cayden’s words. But if he truly disliked them, it would have shown immediately on his face. Cayden knew that now.
That realization felt both awkward and good. Finding Amun, sitting quietly before him, so cute, Cayden couldn’t help but smile.
Cayden reached out and stroked Amun’s hair. The short platinum blonde hair brushed between Cayden’s fingers.
Amun silently watched him. Each time Cayden carefully moved his hand, Amun caught sight of the bracelet on Cayden’s wrist. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the ring coiled around Cayden’s ring finger.
“I’m sorry for touching you suddenly.”
Feeling Amun’s direct gaze, Cayden quickly pulled his hand away.
“You can touch my hair as you please.”
“Really?”
“Even if I’m not your brother… I said you could adore me.”
Ha. Amun, finishing his words, could no longer hold back and burst into laughter. It was self-mockery.
With a dazed expression, Cayden laughed along with Amun. He was no longer worried about the upcoming banquet.
* * *
All royalty residing in the capital gathered at the Emperor’s garden. From those living inside the palace to those living beyond the walls guarding it, not a single person failed to answer the Emperor’s call.
There was only one reason they attended the banquet today. Jahan Mekerius. The royalty of Helio came out to show their faces to the commander who had visited the capital palace after a long time.
A truly fervent wave of welcome continued.
The sick brought healing magicians and doctors alongside them, while the busy embraced their work as they entered the garden. They moved diligently despite the dark circles under their eyes from the pressure of having to show their faces before the Emperor and his brother.
The Emperor sat cross-legged on the main seat under a sunshade. A crooked smile spread across the beautiful face of the man watching those who wandered around the garden asserting their presence. He smiled because he was irked by the sight of these humans who had hurriedly attended the banquet and were busy laughing and chattering. Their motives and desires seemed so simple.
Jahan Mekerius was the youngest brother whom the Emperor, detached from all worldly matters and even his own family, considered his sore spot.
The brief time Jahan spent in the capital was one of the few opportunities for the royalty, nobility, and officials to gain the Emperor’s favor. It was also a chance to shed some of their accumulated resentment.
Therefore, today, like at the previous banquet, flattery bordering on courtship toward Jahan was expected to continue.
It was fortunate for Cayden.
Of course, those gathered at the banquet looked at Cayden with curiosity, like viewing an uninhabited island floating alone in the vast ocean. But their first concern was worrying about and preparing for their encounters with Commander Jahan who had yet to appear, the Emperor seated above, the Empress beside him, and the ill-tempered Crown Prince. They didn’t have time to give attention to the Crown Prince Consort who had suddenly appeared and was the subject of unfavorable rumors.
Assad also prevented any strange interest or disrespect toward Cayden. He didn’t take any specific action. He simply stood next to Cayden with piercing eyes that would make anyone with a sense of decorum think twice before approaching the Crown Prince Consort.
For some reason, the Crown Prince’s mood seemed so thoroughly twisted… it would surely explode if provoked. Someone even secretly grumbled, “If you’re embarrassed by your partner, don’t bring them out, why take it out on others?”
Cayden also kept an eye on Assad. He was afraid of Assad’s sharply sensitive atmosphere, but he was also concerned that Assad seemed too prickly with his relatives.
He couldn’t tell if Assad was on edge because of him or if he was naturally cold toward his relatives.
“Your Highness, what have we done to deserve such coldness? Especially on this joyous day when Jahan has come to Acro.”
The twins Titi and Nef, whom he had met at the training ground last time, pretended to sniffle at Assad. They were grumbling about why they couldn’t even approach the Crown Prince Consort.
But Assad hadn’t prevented their conversation with Cayden. It seemed Titi had been intimidated by Assad’s expressionless face and complained preemptively. Or perhaps, it was closer to teasing Assad who had appeared at the banquet with his partner.
Still, Assad didn’t maintain a cold attitude throughout the banquet. At least not toward Cayden.
Of course, he didn’t go so far as to specifically speak to Cayden or show him an affectionate expression. Assad simply kept giving Cayden glances. He adjusted his bride’s attire and touched the jewelry he had given him.
Cayden thought Assad’s actions were truly kind. People were whispering that the Crown Prince was tormenting the Crown Prince Consort, but he had no idea.
But being constantly taken care of by Assad… he gradually became anxious. Is he doing this because he’s concerned about my shabby appearance? He’s checking my appearance to make me look at least presentable. Such worries arose, making Cayden restless.
Everyone attending the banquet looked so splendid and beautiful, which made him even more uncomfortable. It reminded him of when he was driven away by the young master after going to help at a banquet hall full of guests.
I should prevent Assad from having to make unnecessary efforts.
Thinking this, Cayden checked his appearance before Assad could. When he felt people’s gazes, he slightly lowered his head to hide his face. He also felt a bit of belated regret—perhaps he should have covered his scar after all.
Covering the scar was one of the issues he had worried about until just before coming to the banquet. But the servants taking care of him were so surprised at why he would cover his scar that he had stopped expressing his opinion.
“Did those fools in Elba gossip that the scar is your flaw? But this is the desert. Such a thing could never be your flaw.”
Assad had told him that… but when actually receiving unfriendly gazes, everything bothered him. The wedding ceremony, when his face had been covered with a long cloth, had actually been more comfortable.
“Are you hot?”
Assad’s voice interrupted Cayden’s thoughts.
Cayden looked to the side in surprise. Assad, slightly bending his body, was looking down at him. It was a burdensome gaze close to staring.
“Hmm, I was going to suggest returning to our seats…”
Assad’s hand touched Cayden’s forehead. Cayden was even more surprised than when Assad had spoken to him. He almost stepped backward.
The hand touching his forehead and cheek was hot.
He couldn’t understand why Assad was asking if only he was hot when it was actually Assad’s hand that was warm with heat. Come to think of it… every time they were together, he would ask a similar question at least once. Even though Cayden wasn’t hot at all.
Under the shade created by Assad, Cayden watched him cautiously as he touched him. With the sun at his back, Assad’s darkened eyes were difficult to read.
“Over there are annoying old men gathered… so stand here for a while. If anyone unnecessary tries to talk to you, look at them like garbage, pretend not to understand what they’re saying, and ignore them. It’s true that you don’t understand Imperial language like you do Kingdom language.”
Cayden wanted to catch the tail of Assad’s casual words and tell him he couldn’t do that. But in the end, he simply nodded obediently. Of course, he wouldn’t be able to do as Assad said.
Assad immediately called over a servant.
“Until I return. Don’t leave the Crown Prince Consort’s side, attend to him.”
Assad earnestly instructed the suddenly designated servant. His face was cold, unnecessarily making people tense.
Cayden watched as Assad turned and walked toward the magicians. Servman Saban from the palace, who had been standing at a distance, somehow appeared beside Assad. Despite the displeasure visible on Assad’s face, he didn’t step back.
‘They’re just like… a disobedient grandson and a worried grandfather.’
From beneath the wisteria where white light bloomed like flowers, Cayden looked at Assad’s diminished back figure.
The banquet scene, viewed from one step back, looked truly peaceful and harmonious. The musicians’ performance layered over the conversational sounds contributed greatly to that peace.
Cayden soon discovered a familiar face among the crowd. It was Heka.
Heka was with Assad’s young relatives whose names Cayden couldn’t remember. When their eyes met by chance, he smiled first at Cayden as if pleased to see him.
Heka was someone Cayden had met only once. But seeing him in the Emperor’s garden, full of only strangers, made him feel strangely glad. A faint smile involuntarily appeared on Cayden’s lips as well.
At that moment, the peaceful scenery Cayden had been facing suddenly became distorted.
Cayden’s arm was grabbed by an outsider standing outside his field of vision.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
