Unable to hide my suspicious feelings as I looked at Aren, he revealed his true intentions.
“However, there is a condition.”
“A condition? Related to sending Kalroy as an envoy?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
William, who had been leaning back in his chair, straightened his posture. He clearly hadn’t expected Aren to impose conditions. Neither had I.
“As soon as the Crown Prince coronation ceremony ends, we will issue a marriage decree to find Your Highness’s Companion Omega. But this will be merely a formal procedure. Your Highness must take Ellawud Ridden, a Dominant Omega from the Ridden family, as your Companion Omega.”
At the mention of Ellawud, I flinched. If my memory was correct, Ellawud was the Companion Omega who, along with Aren in the original work, had contributed to making William into a tyrant.
What was this? Even if the original work had gone awry, was the fateful meeting of central characters unavoidable? Thinking I needed to find out what was going on, I came to my senses and looked at William.
He frowned deeply. Displeasure was evident all over his face. Aren continued as if he had expected this.
“Your Highness is no longer a child. When you become Crown Prince, you will bear corresponding responsibilities. Your Highness knows well what suffering a Prince without backing endures. The Ridden family will become Your Highness’s solid support.”
William let out a hollow laugh and spoke coldly.
“Kalroy’s backing was Kelton. But how is that now?”
“Your Highness, that is…!”
“Looking at the Empire’s history, maternal relatives were more often busy filling their own bellies by riding on the Crown Prince’s back rather than becoming the Crown Prince’s support. Am I lacking in my studies, Uncle?”
Aren’s mouth closed at William’s words that struck to the core. However, I knew that Aren wasn’t an easy opponent who would back down like this. His tapping the table with his index finger seemed not like he had stepped back, but like he was pausing momentarily for his next move.
Aren opened his mouth with a stern face.
“Your Highness speaks hurtful words.”
“Hurtful… you say?”
“If we’re going to argue like that, I too am a maternal relative. Though not publicly, in my heart I think of Your Highness like my own child.”
Aren was indeed a seasoned politician. To attack the opponent’s weakest point… If he wielded family affection as a weapon against William, it was obvious William would give in. Since Kalroy’s safety had already been secured, it didn’t matter much to me who won. I was just enjoying watching the battle of wills between uncle and nephew unfold before my eyes. No, actually I wanted to believe that was all. However, at William’s next words, I could no longer ignore the fact that this matter was closely related to me.
“So Uncle is saying that instead of sparing Kalroy and sending him as an envoy, I should take a Companion Omega when I ascend to the Crown Prince position? And specifically Ellawud Ridden, a Dominant Omega.”
Aren now smiled and nodded as if they were finally understanding each other. William propped his chin and pretended to think for a while before speaking.
“Fine! Then I’ll leave Kalroy’s punishment to you, Uncle. Handle it as you see fit. It’s better to give up on Kalroy than to take a Companion Omega.”
Gasp…!
I covered my mouth with both hands to suppress the scream that seemed about to burst out. Aren also looked at William with a shocked expression, apparently not having expected William to respond like this. Then, after a long while, as if coming to his senses, Aren opened his mouth.
“May I ask the reason? Are you perhaps afraid that maternal relative forces might harm Your Highness? If so, I can help you use them until you sit on the Emperor’s throne and then discard them…”
Before Aren could finish his words, William grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward. Feeling like I could guess what he was going to say, I wanted to cover William’s mouth if I could. However, all I could do was be dragged along as William led me. William pointed at me with his finger and said.
“He’s right here. My reason, my Omega.”
“That, so that means… Excuse me, Your Highness…?”
At William’s greasy word choice, Aren couldn’t continue speaking, seemingly surprised. I was equally surprised. It was already shocking that he had left Kalroy’s punishment entirely to Aren to handle, but to say the reason was because of me… I wanted to say “Why am I Your Highness’s Omega!” but couldn’t interrupt carelessly since he was in conversation with Aren.
“Maternal relative forces are just an excuse. I don’t want to take a Companion Omega because there’s already an Omega who suits me well by my side.”
Aren, who had been frozen for a moment, now seemed to grasp the entire situation as he pressed his forehead with his hand and shook his head. Then he looked back and forth between me and William. Aren’s eyes looking at me were full of resentment. Only after repeating looking at the ceiling and sighing several times did he open his mouth.
“For now, since you haven’t become Crown Prince yet, it would be better to discuss that matter gradually. And… if I were to go back on my words about Kalroy now, you would think I was cowed by maternal relative pressure, wouldn’t you?”
William nodded as if he had been waiting for those words. I inwardly exclaimed “Ah” in admiration. I hadn’t expected things to proceed this way.
“I’ve been greatly outmaneuvered today. Hahaha…”
Aren left behind a hollow laugh and fled from the Prince’s room like he was escaping.
William approached me with a grin while I still hadn’t recovered my senses.
“There! I did what you wanted!”
William’s expression as he lifted his chin was full of pride. Like a puppy that had fetched a ball thrown by its master, he seemed to be pushing his head forward asking to be praised for doing well. Until Aren left, I had been planning to scold William about suddenly bringing up my story and that taking a Companion Omega was the right thing to do. But seeing that face, all such thoughts vanished.
It was all because of that guy’s perfect face and innocent expression.
Even when I made up my mind to correct what was wrong, just seeing William’s silver-gray eyes crinkle prettily made my heart soften, thinking that a pretty, good child could make some mistakes.
Moreover, William seemed to already know that I was weak to his face. That’s why he made such expressions whenever he was in trouble.
I had no choice but to smile along with William.
“Thank you. Your Highness’s consideration is indeed great and broad.”
Even at my praise tinged with slight sarcasm, William looked pleased.
“I did well, didn’t I?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’ll tell me tiger stories tonight too?”
“……”
“No?”
“Yes, yes, I’ll tell you tiger stories tonight too.”
“Good. I wish night would come quickly!”
Just then, Behern entered. Having heard what William said as soon as he came in, Behern cleared his throat with a flushed face.
I couldn’t even figure out where or how to start unraveling this misunderstanding. Having both Behern and Aren misunderstand me and William in that way was troublesome.
However, since I had saved Kalroy’s life and prevented Kalroy from being exiled while stripped of his royal status, I decided to be satisfied with today’s results. One shouldn’t be too greedy.
“What is it, Behern?”
William asked irritably, like someone whose secret meeting with a lover had been interrupted.
“I can’t postpone it any longer. Even though the order has been reversed, what needs to be done must be done. Today, I absolutely will not yield even if Your Highness goes on a rampage.”
“Speak so I can understand.”
That was what I wanted to say. What couldn’t be postponed, and what matter’s order had been reversed? I was dying of frustration, but Behern kept saying more incomprehensible things.
“The Imperial Family has something called etiquette.”
“Who said they don’t?”
“Your Highness is the one who didn’t follow etiquette. I don’t know what might be said later, so I need to take Daniel with me today.”
William’s eyes grew about twice as large.
“Why?”
“There’s more than one or two things to learn in order to serve Your Highness by your side. Originally, when taking in a regular Omega, we select and educate a suitable person before sending them, but…”
Once Behern started talking about etiquette, he wouldn’t stop until he covered everything from A to Z of etiquette. I was sighing, thinking we’d spend half the day here again, when fortunately William stopped Behern’s words.
“So you’re saying you’ll take Daniel away for a while now?”
“Yes.”
“Fine. Do it moderately and send him back. I’m looking forward to tonight.”
Behern looked at me with a meaningful expression. While William did speak strangely, a ten-year-old child couldn’t really have meant that, yet I couldn’t understand people who actually believed those words.
But I couldn’t step forward and say “that’s not it” while the Crown Prince was giving orders to an attendant. Although William was giving me many special privileges, Behern was a conservative person, so I didn’t want to earn his hatred unnecessarily.
Also, from what I’d observed closely, William wasn’t someone who acted without reason toward others. Though young, his actions had clear reasons, but seeing him repeatedly doing things that could cause misunderstandings made me think he had other intentions. So I decided to watch the situation a bit longer.
Behern walked toward the door and said.
“Follow me.”
“Yes…”
As I was about to follow, William suddenly grabbed my wrist. Then he whispered in my ear.
“Danny, you know, right? Good misunderstandings are better left unresolved. Kalroy’s life is in my hands. You told me to become a broad-minded Prince who values brotherly affection, right? Act accordingly. I trust Danny.”
In short, he meant that if I wanted to save Kalroy, I shouldn’t talk nonsense to Behern.
What a cunning fox.
I hadn’t thought I was manipulating William as I pleased, but I did think he was following along well according to my guidance. In reality, I had been dancing in the palm of his hand.
Especially when talking about Kalroy, it was even chilling.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
