“Is Assad the only one who doesn’t know? How is that possible? I don’t understand.”
Jahan asked with puzzlement.
“I understand.”
Cayden offered words of acknowledgment to Jahan once more.
Still, there was something that bothered him slightly. Why did Assad… bring a crown princess who was one in name only to the banquet? To deceive the eyes of the servants and guards gathered in the courtyard? It seemed strange that he would go to such trouble for just that.
“When you leave, Assad will remarry right away. The position of crown princess cannot remain vacant for long. The man with whom he previously promised marriage will become his real bride.”
Assad and Heka will marry. Cayden slowly pondered Jahan’s casually spoken words.
He thought he somewhat understood why Assad had brought him this far.
For the people of Helio, adultery was considered a great sin. So rather than meeting alone with a person promised for the future while keeping one’s partner away… perhaps it was better to spend time with the person one liked in the presence of that partner. The servants positioned throughout the courtyard didn’t know the truth that he wasn’t the real bride, so Assad was using him to deceive their eyes and silence their mouths.
Cayden found his own conjecture quite plausible.
Somehow… he felt embarrassed.
He was glad he had accepted Assad’s kindness at face value without harboring unnecessary doubts. That’s how it should have been, after all.
Cayden simply offered a bland smile. He did so because he had no suitable answer for the man in front of him. He couldn’t exactly say, ‘I’m sorry I won’t be able to see your real wedding ceremony, it would truly be beautiful.’
“Your response is lukewarm.”
“…I already knew to some extent that I wouldn’t stay here long, and that there was someone His Highness had promised to marry.”
“If it were me, I would have felt betrayed. If I were the crown princess, that is.”
“…”
“The crown prince, Assad, my husband… I would have seriously misunderstood that he liked me.”
Jahan’s words weren’t entirely wrong. If he had been a better person, or rather, someone like Heka… he might have misunderstood that Assad had feelings for him. After all, he had done so much for him.
But there was no alpha who would feel affection mixed with romantic interest for someone like him, someone here like himself. That’s why he hadn’t been confused.
“He may be wearing that solemn face. Acting all serious. But he can’t hide the way he wags his tail. Don’t you think?”
Jahan’s strange joke made Cayden smile again. He hadn’t harbored such misconceptions to begin with, but after today, he would do so even less.
“Although you know him much better than I do, His Highness is… truly a kind person. That’s why he takes pity on someone insignificant like me and bestows upon me more kindness than I could ever repay… an unreasonable amount of kindness.”
As Cayden’s imperial language slowed down the longer he spoke, Jahan, who had been listening intently, burst into laughter. It was a hearty, resonant sound that made his hiding behind the screen seem pointless.
“That’s right. I know Assad better than the crown princess does. I know him so well that it annoys me.”
Having barely suppressed his laughter, Jahan reached out to touch Cayden’s necklace. It was a thin necklace that suited a man with a neat appearance.
“Is this a gift from Assad?”
The large hand, calloused at each finger joint as befitting a warrior who wielded a sword, stroked the jewel embedded in the necklace.
“…Yes.”
“It suits you well. I can see that Assad chose it with great care.”
“…”
“…Poor crown princess. To be tossed about by the gods, the imperial family, the crown prince, and people who find love amusing, despite having committed no sin.”
Removing his hand from the necklace, Jahan continued.
“When you are no longer Assad’s bride, come to Pima. If you don’t plan to return to your kingdom, I’ll let you stay.”
“…Pardon?”
“It’s quite livable—neither too hot nor too cold. Plus… I have many alphas under me who are about your age. Their faces aren’t as handsome as Assad’s, hmm, they’re actually quite a bit less attractive, but their personalities are much better.”
Jahan, who had put a little distance between himself and Cayden, moved only his lips without making a sound to add one more thing.
‘I’ll arrange it for you.’
After finishing his silent words, Jahan grabbed Cayden’s shoulders with both hands. With a small smile, he turned Cayden’s body around. Cayden suddenly found himself facing the same direction as Jahan.
“It’s been a while, Uncle.”
And then, he had to face Assad, who looked somewhat displeased.
Assad’s gaze, which had been fixed on Jahan, lowered to Cayden who stood below him. It was a moment that gave him an odd sense of déjà vu.
The image of Amun suddenly flashed through Cayden’s mind. The face of Assad standing before him felt strangely similar to Amun who had come looking for him when he was hiding in the tent.
Still, the situation now—being pulled behind the screen by the commander’s hand—was different from when he had hidden in the tent of his own will. Though he had briefly left his place, it had been unavoidable for him.
Nevertheless… his heart shrank like someone who had committed a sin. Perhaps it was because he had learned a secret that he shouldn’t have discovered.
“Everyone is waiting for you, Uncle.”
“That’s a lie.”
“While people tired of waiting pretend not to notice, you’re hiding behind the screen bullying the crown princess. Someone who’s still awkward with the imperial language, no less.”
Bullying? Cayden’s heart shrank once more at Assad’s harsh words. He wanted to let him know that Jahan hadn’t bullied him. One shouldn’t misunderstand family members, after all.
But before Cayden could speak, Jahan opened his mouth.
“We conversed in the kingdom language, not the imperial language.”
“…”
“And bullying? Such words make your uncle sad. Should I ask the crown princess? So, did I bully you?”
Jahan asked, bending down with his hands still on Cayden’s shoulders.
“No, you didn’t.”
Cayden hurriedly replied while meeting Assad’s eyes, who had come looking for him. His response came with a somewhat awkward smile.
Assad, with a face that anyone could see was irritated, closed the distance. He gave his maternal uncle a brief farewell, saying they would meet again later. This was as he removed the hand from Cayden’s shoulder.
Having brushed away Jahan’s hand as if removing an insect, Assad immediately linked arms with Cayden. It would not be wrong to say he had half-appropriated Cayden’s arm.
“Let’s go back.”
Assad whispered in Cayden’s ear and began walking in the direction from which he had come. Cayden turned around in confusion for a moment, but no sooner had he caught a glimpse of Jahan waving at him than he had to hear a rebuke from Assad.
“I’m your husband, so why are you seeking help from over there?”
“I’m not. What do you mean by help…?”
“Never mind then.”
Following the straight steps of the man who smiled crookedly, Cayden had no choice but to move his legs obediently.
“I’ll teach you how to use a sword soon. At the very least, I should teach you how to slash and stab someone in the solar plexus.”
“What?”
“So if someone approaches and tries to drag you away by force, like today, you can slash them right away. Or stab them.”
It was a harsh statement that could have been either a joke or serious.
“Maybe the problem is leaving you alone in the first place.”
Assad stopped after finishing his words. Having unlinked arms with Cayden, he stood in a somewhat crooked posture and stared at his bride.
“…I’m sorry for leaving my place. It won’t happen again.”
Cayden quickly uttered words of apology. He had been watching for an opportunity, observing Assad’s mood, and delivered his apology as soon as he saw an opening.
But it seemed his apology was not satisfactory. Assad’s expression soured.
What should I do? Trying to calm his unsettled heart, Cayden racked his brain. But no matter how much he thought, he couldn’t come up with an answer that would satisfy Assad.
“I don’t want to hear you say sorry.”
Having finished speaking, Assad pulled Cayden’s right hand. He placed something in Cayden’s hand. At the sudden cold sensation, Cayden momentarily thought he had been given ice.
Assad nodded at Cayden as if telling him to check what it was. Perceptively, Cayden opened his hand.
A small white stone lay on his palm. It was a smooth stone with a subtle glow, which depending on the angle could look like a jewel… a stone with a very unfamiliar appearance.
“I extorted it from the magicians. Hold it in your hand. It’s an object with cooling magic cast on it.”
Assad spoke while looking at the stone on Cayden’s hand. He had a somewhat embarrassed expression. Cayden couldn’t understand the source of his embarrassment. The same was true for Assad himself.
“If you keep holding it, it will get colder. You won’t feel like you’re in the northern region, but well, you should feel roughly like you’re basking in the morning sun in the central region.”
Listening to Assad’s explanation, Cayden reflexively clenched his fist again.
Instantly, the heat within his body subsided. It felt as if even the surrounding air was becoming cooler than before.
Cooling magic had already been cast on the courtyard where the banquet was being held. Thanks to that, there was no chance to feel the heat. When Assad had asked if he was hot, Cayden had been perplexed, wondering what about him had prompted such a question.
Yet… just by holding this tiny stone, he felt elated, like someone who had discovered an ice cave while wandering through the desert at midday.
“Why is there no reaction? You were feeling hot. That’s why I brought it. I couldn’t just use magic out of nowhere like last time, not with so many people around.”
Assad slowly threw words at Cayden, who remained silent. Before Cayden could respond, he added one more comment.
“Did I use difficult words?”
Assad disheveled his innocent hair.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
