Cayden felt his arm being grabbed by a stranger standing outside his field of vision. It was a grip so powerful that even a grown man who had never been called weak couldn’t resist it.
“Wait, just a moment please,” Cayden said in the kingdom’s language, confused as he was being dragged away without explanation.
Barely mustering his strength, Cayden managed to halt the man who had seized him momentarily. Their gazes met in midair.
“Hello,” greeted the man with a casual salutation. He had golden eyes rarely seen even within the imperial palace and somewhat resembled Assad.
Cayden’s strength drained away. He felt completely powerless.
The smiling man glanced at the servant who had witnessed this, then at Heka who was approaching them. He placed his index finger over his lips, asking them to keep this secret.
The man guided Cayden behind a large screen covered with white cloth.
Standing dazed, Cayden stopped alongside the man, who still showed no intention of releasing his arm.
This man was probably Assad’s relative. What could he possibly want to do or say while hiding behind just a screen? Cayden felt unnecessarily tense.
“Sorry for startling you so much.”
“…”
“Don’t worry. I’m Assad’s uncle. Today’s guest of honor,” the man added, suddenly changing his manner of speech. It was familiar kingdom language.
“I speak the kingdom language well. I worked at the border for a long time.”
As Amun had taught him, Cayden hastily offered the Helio-style greeting to the man before him. Then he heard the strange response that no formalities were needed between them.
“I wanted to meet you without Assad present. It seems… he wouldn’t properly introduce you to me. Don’t you think so too?”
The man was Jahan Mekerius.
The Emperor’s beloved brother. Guardian of Pima, Commander. This man in his late thirties had, unlike the sharp, predatory impression of Assad or his sister the Emperor, the initial appearance of a large, gentle dog.
But those fierce eyes were identical to the Emperor’s. Cayden thought most people would struggle to even make eye contact with him.
Finding it difficult to meet his gaze was true for Cayden too, just another ordinary person in this world. Even knowing it was impolite, direct eye contact was challenging.
Cayden’s gaze subtly shifted up and down around Jahan’s eyes and eyebrows.
Still, it was better than standing before Emperor Heset. Then, he truly couldn’t even look her in the eye properly. He had been frightened even though Her Imperial Majesty was smiling.
“Royal marriages are business transactions that only bring benefits, aren’t they? So I found it incredibly strange that my greedy nephew would forsake his own advantage and follow the god’s words. I was dying of curiosity to see the bride’s face.”
“…”
“Now that I see you, he’s obtained quite a handsome bride.”
The words came with a refreshing smile. It didn’t seem meant as mockery.
Cayden, unsure how to respond, just blinked awkwardly. He decided to keep his mouth shut, worried that his habitual words of gratitude might make Assad look foolish.
But Jahan continued speaking fluently, as if uninterested in what Cayden was thinking.
“It wasn’t a fate determined by god, but I too once had my own fateful love. If I had been in Assad’s position to receive divine oracle… I wonder if my person would have become the subject of prophecy.”
The man finished speaking and released Cayden’s arm.
“Well, I can’t risk any misunderstandings. I don’t want to get beaten by my nephew.”
Meeting Cayden’s eyes briefly, the man crossed his arms and smiled. It was an inscrutable smile.
But he couldn’t continue immediately as before. A brief silence wandered before them and retreated. Strangely, his smile, which had momentarily faded, returned to its place only after the silence disappeared.
“…You resemble the person I loved. Marju was from here in Helio, so it’s not physical resemblance I mean, but rather the atmosphere about you.”
The person he liked. The story of Jahan that Cayden had heard from Amun circled in his mind. It was a love with a poor man who wandered the desert, ending in tragedy.
Perhaps Jahan was right that his atmosphere resembled this person called Marju. After all, he too was a foreigner who couldn’t blend with those gathered in this courtyard.
Cayden felt uncomfortable seeing the old suffering behind Jahan’s smile. It was even more difficult to discern his intention in wanting this private audience.
“That’s why I pity you more,” Jahan whispered to Cayden.
“It saddens me that you’re a bride to be used for appearances and then discarded.”
“…I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Jahan leaned down following Cayden’s stammered voice. His large frame created a heavy pressure just by coming closer.
“Cayden. You are a three-year bride.”
“…”
“Could it be you didn’t know?”
Jahan tilted his head curiously. However, seemingly uninterested in Cayden’s answer, he continued speaking.
“Three years is a long time if you think it’s long, and short if you think it’s short. But it’s sufficient time for the mystique of the oracle to subside. When that mystique loses its luster, you will be driven from your position. They’ll discard you when you’re no longer useful.”
Jahan appeared to Cayden like someone bearing a grudge. Yet simultaneously, he also seemed like someone who cared deeply about Cayden’s pitiable situation.
Faced with Jahan’s confusion tinged with strange sadness, Cayden too became confused.
“Our father is dead. Times have changed, so you needn’t worry too much. You won’t be abandoned naked in the desert. Nor will you be killed in your sleep.”
“…”
“My sister is different from our father. She will give you a new status, enough wealth to live without worry for the rest of your life. If you just keep your mouth shut?”
“…”
“I hear they’ve agreed to grant you freedom in Elba too. After stepping down from the Crown Prince’s consort position, will you return to the kingdom?”
Jahan leaned closer and lowered his voice further. He whispered as if sharing a secret.
“Why are you so surprised? There’s no way you didn’t know. You must have anticipated it to some extent. Right?”
Cayden remained silent at Jahan’s question. He was trying to calm his turbulent mind as before.
Jahan’s question about whether he hadn’t somewhat suspected was correct. Cayden wasn’t greatly surprised by the secret Jahan whispered. He had been constantly thinking that he would be driven out someday.
Only, the timeframe was sooner than expected.
“I told you, didn’t I? That you resemble my lover. People like you have no greed. But the worries you hold inside… are as numerous as desert sand grains. Too many for me to count.”
“…”
“When you leave, the priest will issue a new oracle in the name of god. You might wonder how they can so easily abandon a precious divine oracle, but these imperial bastards fundamentally lack faith.”
Jahan sighed playfully and continued.
“They only pretend to be loyal to god. Even now. They accept god’s will outwardly, but behind the scenes, they do something else entirely? Only our devout priest is to be pitied.”
“…I see.”
“That’s all you have to say after finally opening your mouth?”
“…”
“Nothing more you want to discuss? You can use the kingdom language instead of imperial language.”
Jahan asked with lowered eyebrows. But ultimately, the answer he wanted never came.
“Don’t you want to leave Helio? Well, our sister happens to like you surprisingly… But this isn’t the time to discuss that.”
A suddenly brighter voice reached Cayden’s ears.
Jahan’s demeanor changed in an instant. But Cayden didn’t trust Jahan’s gentleness. His eyes still maintained their sharp shape. Cayden sensed in Jahan’s eyes hostility toward the imperial family, or perhaps toward those who tried to defy fate.
“You’ll live the rest of your life without wanting to. If you endure the time given to you.”
Cayden recalled the words the King of Elba had spoken to him. Back then, he hadn’t understood what “minimum time” meant, but now he finally grasped its true meaning.
In his quieted mind, one question arose. Though awkward to voice, it was the only thought he had.
“…Does the Crown Prince know as well?”
Cayden, after hesitating briefly, asked Jahan.
“Among the royalty gathered at this boring banquet, there’s probably no one who doesn’t know you’re a three-year bride.”
“…”
“Why do you think those vulgar characters show no interest in you? Because the Crown Prince’s consort has humble origins? No. If you were truly chosen by god to be the real Empress, what would status matter? But you cannot become the Empress. That’s why they ignore you. Because you’re someone who will soon disappear, even if they try to impress you. Because you’re a person without any significance.”
“…”
“Assad alone doesn’t know? Is that possible? I’m not sure.”
Jahan asked, as if perplexed.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
