I was scared by the feeling of a long sword at the man’s waist, but I couldn’t just quietly follow along, so I desperately resisted.
“I didn’t break the promise. I was going to go, but His Highness the Prince held me back so I couldn’t. You’re not going to spread rumors everywhere that I’m a spy.”
“What? How dare you…”
Looking at him wearing a sword, he must be the Crown Prince’s loyal knight? Crown Prince Kalroy is fortunate. He has a knight who supports him without wavering even during shifts of power. It would be nice if our William had someone like that too.
Even while going to the Crown Prince, my head was filled only with thoughts of William.
“Excuse me, Sir Knight.”
“Shut up. I won’t listen to any words until we reach His Highness the Crown Prince.”
A true loyal subject indeed. Still, just in case, I should try pleading.
“I only came out briefly saying I would bring tea, so if I’m gone too long, His Highness will look for me and might notice my true identity. I think I can make time tomorrow during His Highness the Prince’s education time, so wouldn’t it be better to come again then?”
The knight didn’t respond.
“If we get caught, how will you take full responsibility for that?”
“I told you to shut up! I merely follow orders. Everything else will be decided by the great Crown Prince Kalroy of the Stamili Empire.”
He was at a fanatic level, so it seemed like no words would work on him. I sighed and quietly followed the knight.
***
When I arrived at the Crown Prince’s location, the atmosphere was ominous. Perhaps because rumors had spread that the Emperor had summoned William separately and said meaningful things, causing Kalroy to throw a tantrum, the expressions of the servants around the Crown Prince looked miserable as if they’d eaten something foul.
“Kneel.”
The knight pressed down on my shoulder and said. I positioned myself far away from the Crown Prince and knelt down. I expected the Crown Prince to be angry at me, but I heard no words at all.
Feeling something strange, I sneakily raised my head to gauge the Crown Prince’s mood, but he wasn’t even looking at me.
Kalroy, who had been keeping his head down, suddenly hit his own head repeatedly then pressed his temples hard. His movements seemed like nothing else mattered except an unbearable headache.
Did Kalroy have neurotic symptoms?
I asked mentally and looked into the air, but the information window only showed the two characters ‘None.’ I was curious why a young child with no neurotic symptoms was acting like this, but due to the murderous atmosphere, I stayed still until Kalroy soon opened his mouth.
“Who are you?”
At Kalroy’s words, I almost forgot palace etiquette and raised my head.
Who am I? You must have ordered me to be brought here, so how can you ask me that? Did you forget after meeting me last time?
Still, it was a question from the Crown Prince that couldn’t be ignored, so I stammered and continued speaking.
“I, I am…”
“Your Highness, this is Omega Daniel Lambert who was planted as a spy on the Prince’s side.”
At the knight’s words, the Prince nodded as if he finally remembered.
“Ah, Daniel Lambert… Yes, yes… I summoned you…”
Kalroy spoke in an anxious voice and eventually trailed off. Then he suddenly began getting angry.
“I clearly told you to come yesterday, but what’s the reason you came today? You, weren’t you thinking of betraying me?”
Kalroy slammed his chair and stood up, then approached me making loud footsteps. He’s still just a teenager anyway. Thinking there was no reason to be scared, I calmed my mind and slightly raised my head to observe him.
An expression full of anxiety, unfocused eyes, constantly trembling hands…
I thought he had neurosis, but Kalroy seen up close just looked like a boy trembling with fear.
I couldn’t understand the Crown Prince’s attitude. Why? What was so scary?
The Emperor was the Crown Prince’s father, but he was also the Prince’s father. It was difficult to understand how another son could be this terrified just because his father called his son and spent some brief time together.
What was going on here?
Kalroy, who had approached right in front of me, grabbed my collar and shook me.
“Tell me honestly. You’re going to betray me, aren’t you? Ah, father called that kid… so, that kid is going to take everything away from me. I know. Mother said so… No, Lord Kelton did. Ah, I don’t know.”
“Y-Your Highness, please calm down.”
The loyal knight separated Kalroy’s body from me, even as he grabbed my collar and shook me while breaking out in cold sweat. Kalroy rolled his large eyes around and clung to the knight’s collar.
“Ke, Lord Kelton. Call Lord Kelton. Why hasn’t he shown himself for two days?”
Two days would be after the Prince’s assassination attempt occurred. If he hadn’t shown himself since that incident happened, it was obvious without needing to investigate further.
Behind all of this was Duke Kelton, and Kalroy was his puppet!
Otherwise, there would be no reason to ignore the Crown Prince as soon as he knew that the Prince’s assassination attempt had failed and power had shifted to William.
Since the Crown Prince was still a minor, I thought there would be someone behind him, but I assumed his own opinions were included to some degree. I never even imagined he was being manipulated while depending entirely on his backer like this. Was that why he so easily lost the throne to William? How is it that both sons of the Stamili Empire are living such pitiful lives?
The knight comforted the Crown Prince with an almost tearful expression.
“Your Highness, Lord Kelton was summoned by His Majesty, so he will come soon.”
Everyone present knew that was a lie. The Crown Prince had served his purpose and been discarded.
Coming here, the overall picture became clear.
Though I don’t know for certain, Kelton must have considered this situation.
Although Kalroy didn’t manifest as a Dominant Alpha, Kelton had maintained power by siding with him as the legitimate heir. But when the Prince, who hadn’t even received the Emperor’s attention, quickly manifested as a Dominant Alpha and the Emperor showed interest, he must have noticed that power had shifted.
Since he had been on the Crown Prince’s side until now, it would be troublesome to suddenly side with the Prince, so he must have tried to prevent the power shift by killing William.
Moreover, rumors must have circulated that Aren, currently the center of the progressive forces, was siding with Prince William. Kelton, cunning and clever like a snake, must have quickly changed course by abandoning the Crown Prince instead of fighting Aren.
Ha. The tragedy of both princes, Kalroy and William, wasn’t because of themselves.
It was because of the Empress who made her own child into a weak doll unable to overcome his inferiority complex, and Kelton who rode on the Crown Prince’s back to pursue only his own interests, not content with driving a wedge between William and him but even trying to kill William.
Using young children who haven’t even lost their baby fat because there’s nothing else to exploit?
Does the Emperor know? That his sons are, when you look at it, one a puppet and one an outcast.
“Aaaaah! My head, my head hurts. Please, please save me. Wi, William is trying to kill me…”
The Crown Prince’s rampage began as he couldn’t overcome his anxiety. The knight was blocking his body to prevent Kalroy from rampaging further, but it seemed insufficient.
Even knowing it shouldn’t happen, I felt sorry for the Crown Prince struggling desperately.
In the original world, he would be at an age to attend school under his parents’ protection… Having such thoughts, I soon shook my head. When I don’t even know what will happen to my own life, who am I to worry about whom? If I have time for this, I should research ways to help William become a wise ruler.
So I tried to turn away from the Crown Prince.
“Ah, I’m going crazy. Lord Kelton needs to come before that kid takes everything away from me. Call the Lord immediately! Right now. The Lord was always the person who told me what I should do, but without him, what am I supposed to do?”
I took a deep breath. Kalroy’s condition looked serious. And at the same time, I cursed Lord Kelton inwardly. He must have done everything from attempting to poison the Prince, to sowing discord, and even brainwashing the Crown Prince. If he hadn’t brainwashed him, there’s no way the Crown Prince would believe so strongly that he couldn’t do anything without Kelton like this.
Unable to bear it any longer, I approached the Crown Prince. The knight drew his sword and blocked my way.
“Sir Knight, I have no intention of harming His Highness the Crown Prince. As you know, I’m a lower-class Omega. I might be able to calm His Highness’s rampage.”
“No! How dare a lowly body approach His Highness the Crown Prince’s body…”
Indeed, he had no flexibility whatsoever and had such an upright character that he was likely to break rather than bend.
Fine, don’t then. I don’t really care whether that Crown Prince who would be my William’s rival lives or dies anyway. I was trying to help because I felt sorry for the young one…
“Heuuk, gag, heoeouk… gaeg.”
Suddenly the Prince began retching. It seemed like his hyperventilation had become severe to an unbearable degree. A servant who had been watching suddenly ran over and pushed the knight away.
“We need the Omega’s help. It will take time for a doctor to come, and if he vomits blood like this, it will be even worse for His Highness. Please move aside quickly.”
“Damn it!”
The knight moved aside with a displeased face. The Crown Prince, whose body was freed, bit his nails while muttering “No. That can’t happen. Mother, don’t abandon me” and paced back and forth in the room.
The servant, whose face had turned pale, begged me.
“Omega, quickly…!”
I ran to Kalroy and held him while glaring at the servant.
“Not Omega, but Daniel Lambert.”
The servant looked at me as if to say how dare a lowly thing ask to be called by name, but seeing Kalroy’s breathing return to its proper rhythm in my arms, he held back his words.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
