As I asked that question, I thought inwardly about who Behern might miss. Behern wasn’t William’s servant from the beginning, but had been the servant of William’s mother, Cephilia. Then could there have been some relationship between Aren and Cephilia? Such a thought crossed my mind, but it was just excessive speculation.
“By the way, where have you been to come back this late? And empty-handed too?”
“There were circumstances. But Behern, did the two of them discuss anything while I was away?”
Behern clicked his tongue seeing me, who had abandoned my post without permission yet still had things to say.
“How shameless.”
When I smiled awkwardly, Behern sighed and continued.
“Before conveying the Duke’s words, there’s something you need to hear first.”
“What is it?”
“Duke Aren is currently in the palace…”
Behern’s words that followed were all praise for Aren. Though it wasn’t new since I’d already seen the content through the book, I couldn’t help but feel complicated about confirming through Behern’s words the content that had changed from the original.
Moreover, thinking carefully, it didn’t seem like Duke Aren, who already possessed all wealth and power, would bother joining hands with William for his own power and wealth.
However, would a noble be a noble for nothing? Since Kelton hadn’t plotted things because he lacked something either, it was too early to remove suspicions about Aren.
So I decided to subtly test Behern.
“He’s an amazing person. Why would such a person bother trying to please Prince William? Our side would only be poisonous to him.”
“You rascal!”
Behern got angry and gave me a knuckle rap. I rubbed my forehead and looked up at him.
“Watch your words.”
“Why! It’s not wrong though. As you know, His Highness the Prince was subjected to an assassination attempt. Of course we shouldn’t trust just anyone!”
“Even so, you rascal!”
Just as Behern raised his hand again, aiming for my forehead.
“Behern, stop it.”
William’s voice was heard. He was leaning against the wall by the door with his arms crossed.
I quickly ran to William’s side and hid behind him, sticking my tongue out at Behern. Then I felt self-loathing again.
No… Seo Ajun, did you actually become a child just because you possessed a child’s body?
What’s with sticking your tongue out? Sticking your tongue out.
I was ashamed of myself, but I rationalized my childish behavior by remembering that even by my original world’s age, Behern was much older than me.
“Daniel’s words are correct.”
When William seriously took my side, Behern politely bowed and acknowledged his mistake. I was inwardly relieved when suddenly the Prince turned around and glared at me.
“But Daniel, you said you were going to get tea, so why didn’t you show yourself?”
I wasn’t flustered. I thought the time had come to reveal everything. Before speaking, I first closed all the open doors to ensure proper security around us and brought the Prince and Behern as far from the doors as possible. Though the Prince and Behern were puzzled, they didn’t stop me.
William sat down, tapping his temples, and asked:
“Now then, shall you tell me? Where did you go?”
Seeing a baby acting like an adult made me want to laugh, but I barely held it in. Since the matter was serious, I needed to appear as grave as possible. Now was the time to completely change the perception of Crown Prince Kalroy, who had long been an enemy, and set new enemies.
“Crown Prince Kalroy summoned me, so I went there.”
At my single sentence, Behern turned pale and couldn’t continue speaking, while William jumped up from his seat and shouted.
“…What? What did you say?”
I looked at William calmly. When our eyes met, William’s wavering pupils gradually settled.
“You don’t need to be surprised. I went to extract information, not with any intention of betraying Your Highness.”
William sighed with relief and sat down, then narrowed his eyes.
“Who ordered you to do such a thing? I never did that.”
“I was also grabbed while going to get tea, not because I wanted to go.”
Bang, bang, bang!
William struck the chair with his fist. His knuckles had turned white from clenching his fist so tightly.
Good grief, that temper of his! We have a long way to go, I thought, but still, he had hidden his emotions well and handled the situation when Aren was there, so it wasn’t hopeless.
“What did Kalroy say after kidnapping you? To poison me again?”
From now on was crucial to clear up William’s misunderstanding about Kalroy and prevent the brothers from drawing swords on each other.
I approached William, knelt on one knee, and kissed the top of his foot. It was a loyalty oath that knights made to their lords. It was absolutely something I, a mere servant, shouldn’t do, but since I’d long crossed the line as a lower-class Omega, William didn’t seem to mind.
“Your Highness, Crown Prince Kalroy cannot be a threat to Your Highness.”
“What? That’s crazy talk!”
At the same time William kicked my shoulder with his foot, my body flew to the wall. I knew his strength was no ordinary thing, but I didn’t know it was to this extent. Even if he was a child, an Alpha was still an Alpha. To be thrown around by a single kick!
My shoulder hurt as if it would be crushed. When I raised my head, William was looking at me with a tearful expression. He seemed concerned even after acting according to his temperament. It hurt but I wanted to laugh, and thinking of what was to come made me feel frustrated. I approached William with a tearful expression. Then William looked at me with a hardened expression.
“Don’t talk crazy! Kalroy always only thinks about killing me.”
“Y-Your Highness, please lower your voice…”
Behern stopped William.
“Do I look like I’m in a state to lower my voice? I shouldn’t have trusted some newly arrived Omega. If I’d known I’d be betrayed like this, I would have, I would have… I mean, I wouldn’t have let you in here at all.”
Disappointment seeped from William’s voice. Not listening to the end and getting angry first – he really is just a child.
“Your Highness, I say again that I haven’t betrayed Your Highness. I’m only telling you what I saw as it was.”
“I don’t want to hear it! If it’s going to be like this, just get lost!”
William turned away from me. Seeing his shoulders heaving, he seemed to be having difficulty controlling his anger. As I pondered how to soothe him, I suddenly remembered the promise William and I had made last night.
“Didn’t you promise me yesterday? That you would treat me well.”
William also flinched as if remembering yesterday’s events. I winked at Behern, who was pacing around the room not knowing what to do. Then I approached William, who had turned his back to me, and embraced his shoulders. I imagined his small shoulders would fit snugly in my arms, but since I was smaller than William, it became a strange posture where I was neither holding nor being held.
After turning his body, which didn’t resist, I seated him in the chair. Though it wasn’t that I seated him but rather William sat down himself, I had succeeded in getting him to calm his anger, so now it was time to speak calmly.
I confessed to William honestly about everything that had happened. Of course, I omitted things like the book and that I was a person from another world who had possessed this body.
After hearing everything I said, William asked me back with a complex expression. It wasn’t an angry look, but had the nuance of organizing my rapidly delivered words.
“So, Kalroy was Duke Kelton’s puppet? And in the midst of that, Kelton betrayed him so Kalroy isn’t in his right mind now. But why did Kelton betray Kalroy?”
He had organized my words cleverly but couldn’t think beyond that. Since his distrust of the Emperor and ministers was quite severe, he seemed unable to believe that power was currently shifting toward his side.
“Your Highness, that’s because of rumors that His Imperial Majesty and Duke Aren, who is the real power holder, have turned to Your Highness’s side.”
William snorted.
“How absurd! Ridiculous. Those who have been desperate to kill me until now are coming over now? Kalroy is really pitiful too. To think he’s committed such terrible acts without even knowing he was a puppet.”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
His understanding was quick, and he absorbed things like a sponge, making me more flustered instead.
William was a truly strange and unpredictable child. He seemed infinitely strong yet weak, clearly intelligent but seemingly limited because he was a child, yet maybe not, suspicious but maybe not…
Though he was difficult to analyze, it wasn’t that he lacked the qualities to become a wise ruler, so I decided to observe him a bit longer before judging.
William, who had been tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling, suddenly grabbed my arm and met my eyes.
“What about Daniel?”
“…Yes?”
“So what are you thinking of doing?”
I looked into his eyes without avoiding them and spoke in a clear voice.
“From the moment I entered this palace, I have been Your Highness’s person. For a poor and powerless lower-class Omega, Your Highness is like a lifeline.”
William nodded with a somehow satisfied face.
“Good. Betrayal means death. You know that, right?”
“Yes.”
After the important conversation ended, Behern said he would go check the dining hall and left. As soon as he left, William lowered his voice.
“About Aren. What do you think? You told me to be careful, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did.”
“After having a conversation with him, something was definitely strange.”
William seemed to have noticed something too. Even from my perspective, Aren seemed to act more like William’s ally than an enemy.
“Which part?”
“Well… should I say he was different from the ministers who came to greet me to make a good impression? Rather than wanting to win my favor…”
“Are you saying he showed more signs of trying to help you somehow?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
