Side Story 1. True Heart
Mat Mekerius remembered very clearly the night when God’s blessing came to him. It was shortly after his 13th birthday.
“I give you the power to discern truth from falsehood.”
That night, Mat heard the voice of Vant, the right arm of the goddess Tara. In truth, he couldn’t distinguish exactly whose voice it was. It was very androgynous. He simply guessed it was either the right or left arm acting on behalf of the supreme deity who remained silent…
However it happened, 13-year-old Mat received a very special ability from the deity. A power given only to those who inherited the Emperor’s blood most strongly.
Mat loved the ability he received. It wasn’t even comparable to the villain-like transformation ability his older brother Assad had been given. His power was so cool and righteous. He couldn’t have been more excited to receive an ability that was bestowed only upon the most fair-minded among the Emperor’s bloodline.
Even now, with his coming-of-age ceremony just around the corner, Mat felt nothing but pride in his ability. He was so proud of it.
But this magnificent and sacred power…
‘I’m using it for something like this.’
Mat thought while covering his furrowing brow with his hand.
Mat glanced sideways at his brother, the Crown Prince of Helio, who wore a crude ornament around his neck that was far from beautiful. The necklace, which looked like a child’s toy, didn’t suit Assad Mekerius at all. Perhaps because it was pressed against his two-stranded necklace that emitted a brilliant golden light, it looked even more ridiculous.
The one who had placed that shabby necklace around Assad’s neck was none other than Mat. He was also the one who had made the necklace.
It had taken less than five minutes to make. All he did was attach a magic-holding gem—a hollow, transparent stone—to a tough, sturdy leather strap he had obtained from the servants.
The appearance was certainly shabby. But the function of the necklace was quite valuable.
The leather strap, which wouldn’t break under ordinary circumstances, would keep the gem against Assad’s skin while allowing Cayden to see the color the gem would take on. The gem attached to the strap had also captured Mat’s magic well.
‘If appearance had been important, I would have put more effort into making it… Though I didn’t have much time anyway.’
Mat thought to himself, looking away from Assad beside him. It was an excuse that wasn’t really an excuse.
“Now. I’ve shown you how I put my power into this gem. Next, I’ll show you how the gem will shine.”
Speaking to Cayden, Mat tried to smile as brightly as possible. As if he had never made a sour face.
“…Yes.”
Cayden, who had been half-forcibly seated on the plush sofa, belatedly responded. He was looking up at the Mekerius siblings who stood side by side a few steps away from him.
Cayden couldn’t hide the bewilderment that appeared on his pale face. And for good reason. Mat understood Cayden’s feelings. His spouse and his spouse’s sibling had suddenly appeared and were about to perform what looked like a talent show that one might see at a village festival. And what’s more, it was an uninteresting display of skill that certainly wouldn’t win even a participation prize.
The reason Mat was now standing before Cayden was because of his only brother’s earnest request.
“Mat. Lend me your ability. No, not lend… I’m asking you. Work just once, not for me but for the Crown Prince Consort.”
It was more of an order than a request, really.
Despite his disgruntled feelings, Mat took his brother’s words seriously. He showed a different attitude than usual. This was because he knew Assad was someone who neither needed nor wanted help from others, including family.
Assad continued speaking. In front of Mat, who wore a strange expression, he brought up the commotion that had occurred at the end of the rainy season, which she knew well. The very day Cayden had discovered Assad’s secret.
“Well, I blurted things out because I was too excited. I feel sorry about what happened then. But even if I had confessed the truth myself, a similar commotion would have occurred. I become strange when standing in front of the Crown Prince Consort. I lose my mind and say weird things. Oh, I’m not saying I did well… You know what I mean, right?”
As Mat recounted his mistake and awkwardly smiled, Assad held silence in his mouth for a moment.
“I don’t intend to blame you.”
With a casual remark, Assad continued speaking, his voice lower than before.
“Mat. If you were Cayden, if you had experienced something like that…”
“…”
“Would you be able to completely trust my heart? It’s deception for almost a year. And to one’s own spouse.”
“…I never trusted you to begin with. I can’t put myself in the Crown Prince Consort’s position. Sorry.”
Mat lowered his eyebrows and tried to put on a virtuous face. But Assad seemed not to hear Mat’s answer. He didn’t even pretend to listen to Mat’s reply and just continued with what he wanted to say until the end.
“Still… Cayden might not fully feel my heart. He’s always kind. He loves me. He smiles at me and embraces me warmly. But… does he trust me?”
Ugh. Mat imagined his brother pretending to be weak and burrowing into Cayden’s embrace. Forcibly folding that muscular body. Just briefly imagining it instantly dampened his mood. Having glimpsed a similar scene before made his skin crawl even more.
“Even if that’s the case, what can we do? It’s all your karma.”
“That’s why you should help. You can make him confirm my sincerity with his own eyes.”
“…”
“Only Mat Mekerius, the one person in Helio who holds the most noble justice in his heart, can do this.”
That’s what Assad said to Mat. With a pleasant smile.
Asking him to show the Crown Prince Consort Assad Mekerius’s true heart. It was a truly absurd request. But in the end, Mat ended up granting Assad’s plea. He had fallen for the flattering words that continued for about five minutes. He had also been offered a fairly good reward.
Ahem. Driving the brief thoughts out of his mind, Mat cleared his throat. And immediately opened his mouth.
“As I mentioned earlier, this gem can now distinguish truth from falsehood. Because I’ve shared my precious power with it.”
He added a few more stories about how he was finally able to infuse power into the gem after about three days of difficulties. His tone was close to lamentation.
But Mat soon regained his smile.
“Just as the Empire’s Crown Prince can change his face, now! This gem will be filled with color! Two colors that will clearly distinguish whether the words His Highness the Crown Prince utters are false or true!”
The longer his speech went on, the more Mat’s speech began to resemble that of a medicine peddler who appears in the southern market of a commoner’s village. Thanks to Cayden, who clapped in surprise, Mat caught the mood again and clenched his fist, causing Assad’s face to sour.
“…That’s amazing.”
“It will return to an empty gem around noon tomorrow. I found that I couldn’t keep the power confined for too long.”
Mat smiled slightly and continued speaking, changing the subject.
“Now, let me tell you about the light of the gem.”
Turning his gaze to Assad beside him, Mat opened his mouth again.
“Your Highness. Do you love the Crown Prince Consort?”
With somewhat exaggerated gestures, Mat asked Assad a question.
“Yes. I love him.”
Assad, receiving Mat’s question, answered in one breath. Then he slightly bowed his head and met Cayden’s eyes. With a very brazen face.
“In this world, there will be no one who loves that person more than I do. I’m certain.”
But no matter how confident his face was, he couldn’t hide the redness at the tips of his ears. By now, a pleasing vitality had spread to his smooth cheeks as well.
‘Disgusting to watch.’
Mat couldn’t help but think this while looking at his brother.
Cayden, who had been moving his lips, unnecessarily stroked below his right cheek with his hand. By now, the same pink heat that was on Assad’s face had settled on his pale cheek. A small smile found its way to his lips.
Assad’s eyes captured his bride’s shy joy. In that fleeting moment, the gem hanging around Assad’s neck began to emit light.
The color Mat had mentioned bloomed from the center of the transparent gem whose interior was clearly visible. A red color with low saturation instantly filled the entire gem, like ink spreading. A bright light containing the color accompanied it.
“The gem turning red means that His Highness the Crown Prince, who is in contact with this gem, has spoken the truth.”
As Mat concluded, the red light that had spread through the gem also slowly faded. Soon it became transparent again as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Assad and Cayden’s faces had grown even redder. It was as if the color that had filled the gem had moved to their faces.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
