The visitor who stood blocking the clear sky looked down at the startled Cayden.
“I am Amun, who has received orders from His Highness the Crown Prince to be Cayden’s companion.”
And he spoke. It was in the kingdom language.
The servants of Helio did not follow their master’s every move. If the one they served did not want assistance, they would wait in the servants’ quarters at the end of the corridor.
Still, three or four guards would always remain at both ends of the corridor and beyond the door. This was to politely knock on the door to announce visitors. It was also to subdue any potential special visitors.
The only visitor these guards did not announce to Cayden was Crown Prince Assad Mekerius.
But the one who introduced himself as Amun entered the bedroom without even a light knock or announcement. He suddenly stood in front of Cayden with the sun at his back. Just like Assad.
Someone sent by the Crown Prince… Nervously, Cayden looked up at the man, or rather, the boy who appeared before him.
Cayden quietly took in the visitor who seemed to stand at the boundary between boy and young man. Except for the fact that his height and build were smaller than his own, and that his face still retained a youthful feeling, Amun resembled Assad in some way. Especially the platinum blonde hair that matched well with the tanned skin characteristic of desert people, and the sharp almond-shaped eyes. At a glance, he looked like a child with imperial blood flowing through him.
“I can comfortably use both the imperial language and the kingdom language as if they were my mother tongues, so please converse in whichever you prefer.”
Amun said, showing off his fluent kingdom language pronunciation.
Smiling lightly, Amun knelt roughly in front of Cayden. Cayden’s gaze, which had been directed upward, instantly moved downward following Amun.
‘…Should I kneel too?’
Cayden’s mind became confused. Numerous greetings quickly flashed through his head. But for now, he first nodded, giving Amun a non-verbal response.
As if that small nod was some kind of signal, Amun pulled Cayden’s hand. He immediately placed a brief kiss on Cayden’s palm.
“It’s a kiss of loyalty. Similar to the oath that knights make in the kingdom… well, something like that.”
To Amun, whose manner of speech had suddenly become lighter, Cayden nodded once more. This was while hastily lowering his hand that had been wandering in the air.
Cayden had to try to hide his startled inner feelings.
It was awkward.
The servants whose faces he occasionally saw were already burdensome, and now a companion? His heart already felt heavy. He was also worried whether he could have a long conversation with a stranger with whom he had no familiarity.
Still… he was someone who had come on Assad’s orders. He couldn’t send him away.
Cayden knew well that Assad was angry with him. Yet, Assad had sent him this seemingly intelligent boy to be his companion. He felt grateful, wondering if Assad had deliberately arranged for him to meet someone who could speak the kingdom language. It was a separate gratitude from the unfamiliar feeling of never having received such kindness before.
Cayden barely calmed his surprised heart. He couldn’t just leave Amun, who had taken the time to visit him, sitting in silence.
“Thank you for coming all this way.”
After hesitating, Cayden opened his mouth. It was the kingdom language, not the imperial language, that flowed from his lips.
“I, I look forward to your guidance.”
To Cayden’s stuttering words spoken in tension, Amun did not respond.
Cayden was perplexed by Amun’s strangely cold silence. Since he had said he could use the kingdom language like his mother tongue, he must have understood… In the stillness where he couldn’t read Amun’s thoughts, Cayden could only roll his eyes.
After hesitating, Cayden decided to ask Amun one question that popped into his complicated mind. He was trying to imitate the older workers who would throw questions at newcomers who had just joined the farm.
“How… old are you?”
It was partly a statement he made without fully knowing what he was saying.
A chilly silence descended.
Cayden awkwardly closed his mouth. Was asking about age considered impolite in Helio? Such a thought occurred to him only after the question had left his mouth, making him feel embarrassed.
The atmosphere was so awkward that it was suffocating, and he had just tried to say something, but it seemed he had made the wrong choice. I should have kept quiet. In the increasingly awkward atmosphere, Cayden blamed himself.
Fortunately, the silence did not last long.
Amun quickly showed a gentle expression, as if wondering when he had ever worn a cold face. But his eyes still appeared cold, making Cayden feel intimidated.
“You should not use honorific language to a servant like me. Under any circumstances.”
Amun, breaking the silence, added more.
“You should not think of the Cayden who was in Elba and the Cayden now as the same person.”
“…”
“The companion of the sun is equal to the sun. Looking down on subordinates is a virtue that should rightfully be possessed, but that bending should not appear ridiculous. You should know that each of your small actions can either raise or lower the dignity of His Highness the Crown Prince. You should be careful to that extent.”
It was a thought he had never had before.
“I understand, no, I got it.”
The flustered Cayden answered Amun. He was surprised to hear unexpected words, but he was relieved to learn that his manner of speech was the issue.
“There’s no need to worry too much. Now, I will be with you, Cayden. You will soon become accustomed to the rules of the imperial household and such.”
“Thank you…”
Following Cayden’s silly thanks to Amun, a silence more awkward than before spread throughout the balcony. Even the air around seemed to become awkward. Was it because Amun strangely resembled Assad? He felt tense as if Assad was right in front of him.
“And.”
With a reluctant face, Amun opened his mouth. Immediately, one more word was added.
“I am 18 years old.”
It was a belated answer to Cayden’s question.
Amun was one year younger than Assad, who had just become an adult. Cayden felt embarrassed, thinking that Amun had taken on quite a difficult job. He didn’t think he himself could do something like becoming a companion to a man five years older than him.
Cayden took a deep breath inwardly. As he learned Amun’s age, his mind suddenly cleared. The thought came to him that he should move inside with Amun. It was because Amun’s back, which was facing the sun, might be getting hot.
But before that, Amun opened his mouth.
“I said I would teach you the official and implicit rules of the imperial palace, but that’s not my real job. I am Cayden’s companion. I am the closest servant who can share stories, joys, and solitude with you.”
“…”
“It doesn’t matter what that story is.”
As if wondering when he had ever been cold, Amun smiled brightly. He smiled with such a kind face that the weight of anxiety that had been heavily pressing on Cayden’s shoulders was instantly reduced.
“Besides conversation, there are many things I can do for you, so feel free to request anything. I am different from other servants.”
Silence returned after those words. But it wasn’t as tense as before. Perhaps it was because Amun’s light brown eyes, twinkling with a trace of a smile, somehow felt warm. The cold air that had been in his eyes had, if only for a very brief moment, disappeared as if it had been a lie.
It seemed he had misunderstood the visitor who had suddenly appeared.
Amun was neither an angry person nor someone who had been forcibly brought before him. Facing a kind companion who could communicate, Cayden moved his lips. A sense of relief that he had never felt since coming to the desert slowly came to Cayden.
“Besides conversation, there are many things I can do for you, so feel free to request anything.”
Request. There was nothing to ask of someone he had met for the first time today. Even if it hadn’t been the first meeting, it would have been the same. Cayden was more accustomed to receiving requests than making them to others.
“I…”
I’m fine. Cayden wanted to say that. But when he came to his senses, he found himself saying something else entirely.
“Could you possibly…”
“…”
“Teach me the imperial language?”
It was a question and request that even Cayden himself had not expected.
While already meeting a teacher who taught the imperial language every day, asking a young servant he had just met if he could teach him the imperial language. Once again, he had said something nonsensical.
“Aren’t you already learning the imperial language?”
“Yes. I, I said something strange. Please pretend you didn’t hear it.”
With an awkward face, Cayden mumbled his words.
The smile that had remained on Amun’s lips disappeared. Amun’s head, which had been examining Cayden’s expression, tilted slightly to the right. Amun, with a puzzled face, gave Cayden an obvious look.
“Pascal. Is that person acting uselessly?”
Amun asked Cayden.
“No. He teaches well, but I’m an inadequate person who can’t learn easily…”
“So he is indeed acting uselessly.”
Uselessly? Hearing such harsh words repeated unexpectedly, Cayden was bewildered. After all, he hadn’t asked Amun to teach him the imperial language because he wanted to disparage his teacher.
