Standing in the middle of the bedroom, Cayden often thought about the refuge he might be expelled from. He mentally prepared himself, never forgetting that he might one day have to sleep in the wine cellar of this place.
The Crown Prince’s consort’s bedroom was both the most comfortable and the most uncomfortable space in Helio.
So now, Cayden felt even more grateful to Amun for bringing him outside the annex.
Cayden followed Amun into the temple located in a corner of the inner palace.
While the imperial family of Helio accepted Cayden as the Crown Prince’s consort, they didn’t treat him like a real consort. Most of what might have been busy days, Cayden spent alone in his room.
After clumsily learning about the history of the empire built on the desert and the rules of the imperial family, he had even less to do. His daily routine consisted entirely of waiting for Assad, and then Amun, who visited him at set times.
Cayden had rarely ventured outside the annex. This was his first visit to the temple behind the Emperor’s palace, though he had been to temples in the outer palace and residential areas for the wedding ceremony.
It was Assad, who wasn’t present, who had arranged for Amun and Cayden to come to this temple.
“I heard you don’t go out. I was told you stay shut in your bedroom doing nothing,” Assad had said to Cayden one day as they sat in silence. He said this despite knowing full well that Cayden couldn’t properly understand Imperial language.
“Still… it would be good for you to learn the geography of the imperial palace. Imagine getting lost in this vast, boring space with no servants or guards in sight. You’d want to die.”
Assad silently watched Cayden as he pondered the few words he had caught. But as if he had no intention of waiting for an answer, he continued.
“I’ll tell Amun. Occasionally, go out of the annex with him.”
And from the very next day, Cayden began making short excursions with Amun. The visit to the temple near the Emperor’s palace in the inner court was an extension of those outings.
But today’s outing was, strictly speaking, a substitute for a lesson. They were supposed to be studying the Imperial language with Amun, but he had postponed the lesson, declaring that he needed to change the textbook.
Yesterday, the Imperial language Cayden had learned with Amun was about hatred and love.
I dislike you. I hate you. I like you. I love you.
Amun, giving Cayden an obvious look as he spoke of love, had shaken his head, saying the textbook examples were inappropriate. He even clicked his tongue, saying he would search the library for more advanced materials.
“I love you.”
Amun had called it an inappropriate example, but Cayden was glad to have learned it.
He knew that the moment for him to speak of love would never come in Helio. He also knew that the moment to hear such words would never come.
Still, he found himself repeatedly murmuring the words inwardly, liking the feel of love spoken in the Imperial language. Unlike the Kingdom language, which gave off a cold feeling like winter weather, he liked the round and soft feeling of the Imperial language.
Raising his head, Cayden quietly gazed at the snow-white, smooth statue.
The two-faced god standing in the center of the temple, with no walls on either side, was crafted so delicately that it seemed it might turn its head to look down upon him at any moment. It had such a solemn expression that it made one feel nervous even without having committed any sin.
“Though smaller in scale than other places, this temple possesses an elegant beauty incomparable to others. From the pillars to the floor, the sculptures, ceiling paintings, and that statue. There’s no part where money wasn’t poured in. If they hadn’t plastered money all over this temple… the Empire would have unified the Western Continent 100 years sooner,” Amun, standing half a step behind Cayden, said in a calm tone.
Startled, Cayden hurriedly looked around. Fortunately, neither the priest praying in the distance nor the priests lighting blue flames on candles seemed to have heard Amun’s words. Cayden prayed they didn’t understand the Kingdom language.
“…Is it okay to say such things?”
Cayden whispered worriedly. This temple was not in a civilian residence outside the castle but in the middle of the inner palace, within the imperial palace. He worried that many would take offense at Amun’s words.
“Even if I’m arrested for insulting the imperial family, His Highness the Crown Prince will get me out in time,” Amun said with a confident face that looked like not a drop of blood would come out if pricked with a needle.
“That’s a relief, but…”
“Don’t worry.”
“His Highness must care a lot about Amun.”
What kind of relationship did Amun and Assad have? Whatever it was, they were definitely close. Amun seemed impressive for having earned the trust of Assad, who appeared strong in every way, from his appearance to his personality.
“You’re not asking how we built such a relationship of trust,” Amun said.
“Well, I thought the answer might be awkward for you.”
Cayden was curious about many things regarding Amun. However, he couldn’t bother him by pretending to be close when Amun was just spending time with him on his lord’s orders. Cayden was someone who knew better than to have misconceptions.
“You can ask me comfortably,” Amun said.
“Alright.”
“…”
“…”
“I’m curious about many things regarding you as well, Cayden,” Amun said, narrowing the distance.
“I hope someday I can ask you comfortably.”
After finishing his words, Amun smiled. He picked up a yellow Daeyen flower from the small altar. The flower was promptly thrown at the god’s feet. Amun picked up another flower and held it out to Cayden.
“Since we’ve come to the temple, shall we offer a prayer?” Amun asked.
“Yes.”
Taking the yellow flower, Cayden followed Amun and carefully threw it at the god’s feet.
“By the way… what kind of prayers do people usually offer to this deity? I’m not familiar with these things.”
“They pray for the long health and happiness of family, friends, and sometimes lovers.”
“I see.”
Amun casually put his hands together. But instead of closing his eyes or kneeling like a priest, he stared directly at Cayden instead of the god. Cayden, caught off guard, had to follow Amun and clasp his hands together.
“We pray like this… but I don’t want to offer excessive loyalty to the god. I’m not denying the greatness of the god who is the mother and father of the desert. I also acknowledge and respect people’s beliefs. But personally, I don’t regard the god as anything more than a business partner who runs Helio along with the Emperor.”
Amun, who had been speaking leisurely, suddenly closed his mouth. He seemed to think it wasn’t something he should be saying to Cayden.
“Well, His Highness the Crown Prince said the same thing.”
As expected. Assad has no intention of being swayed by the words of a god. He’s an adventurer who doesn’t leave his fate to the heavens. Cayden didn’t know much about the god of Elba or the god of this desert. Yet he couldn’t reject the fate the god spoke of. Assad and Amun, with their clear personal standards, just seemed remarkable to him.
‘How can one have such a firm mind?’
As Cayden was thinking this to himself, he opened his mouth again. But for some reason, he didn’t ask the somewhat flustered-looking Amun about the same topic.
Instead, Cayden changed the subject.
“Still, today I’ll pray to the god for you, Amun, and for His Highness. I’ll pray for long health and happiness, just as you taught me.”
Tightly clasping his hands together, Cayden looked up at the statue again. He silently smiled as he gazed at the two faces sharing one body.
“…Thank you,” Amun said after a moment of silence.
“I’ll pray for you too, Cayden.”
Amun hastily spoke again before Cayden, who had turned his head toward him, could respond.
“…And,” Amun continued.
“…”
“I didn’t mean that I don’t believe in the god at all. I hope you don’t think that I… doubt the soulmate oracle of Tara, the god.”
Taking in Amun’s quickly uttered words, Cayden nodded in bewilderment. Then, a slight smile appeared.
‘He believes in the soulmate oracle. He’s acting this way because he’s concerned about my feelings.’
Amun, making what seemed like an excuse to him, looked like an ordinary boy of his age, which was cute. Of course, he could never say that to Amun. Wasn’t Amun someone who usually felt much more adult-like than himself?
‘I don’t believe in the soulmate oracle either. So you don’t have to lie.’
Cayden wanted to tell Amun, but he chose to keep quiet, thinking it wasn’t something appropriate to say in a temple.
Cayden closed his eyes quietly and offered a silent prayer to the god of the desert, unaware that Amun was staring at him intently with a grumpy face.
- Snow Falling on the Desert
“Ah… Lihet.”
Recalling the name that still felt unfamiliar, Cayden stopped in his tracks. He hurriedly looked back. Someone was following him not far behind.
He had forgotten that the servant walking with him was so small that she only came up to his chest. Inwardly blaming himself, Cayden hurriedly walked toward Lihet.
“I walked too fast. I’m sorry,” Cayden, now standing in front of Lihet, apologized. Literally, he felt sorry for causing her unnecessary trouble.
“Not at all! The problem is that my legs are short, making my steps slow,” Lihet, with wide eyes, shook her head. Her lips, tense with effort to hide her excited mood that could burst into a silly smile with just a little carelessness, still revealed undisguised pleasure.
She also looked like someone struggling to hold her breath, which was fortunate for her.
