Chapter 164
Chapter 164
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 164
Chapter Title: The Invoice
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"It was commonplace to make me wait for hours before lessons, and I'd often have tea dumped on me or my skirt hem torn. But... after hearing from the other teachers, it turns out this only happened to me."
How could they treat this old woman with such contempt? The elderly lady dabbed at her tears nonstop as she spoke.
"Oh my goodness, madam. How heartbroken you must have been..."
The Queen made a great fuss and descended from the dais to console her personally.
"I'm sorry. It was thoughtless of me to put you in such a difficult position."
"Sob... no, Your Highness. How could you apologize when it was simply my own shortcomings? I only regret failing to fulfill my duties properly."
A few courtiers eyed the old lady with pity at her infuriating performance. Even her attendants could be seen whispering among themselves.
'She might as well start her own theater troupe.'
King Sedes thought as much while squinting at her, but his son's friend made his move.
The little one pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket and held it out to Madam Sarete.
"...?"
Was it an apology letter? Curious glances turned its way, but Madam Sarete and the Queen's faces stiffened upon reading it.
'What on earth does it say...?'
Sedes peered closely out of curiosity himself, when the inquisitive young marquis scurried up behind and craned his neck to see.
That must be the spirit of youth.
"Pfft...!"
But the marquis, having read it, suddenly covered his mouth and burst into stifled laughter.
"...What is it?"
Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he asked. Carus took a deep breath after much choking laughter before answering with difficulty.
"An... invoice!"
"...?"
"Three shattered tea sets, a broken table, a vase, a stained leather sofa, and torn robes... five robes torn, no less? Oh, and the laundry fees are graciously waived! What mercy in this bill!"
"...?"
Nihil boldly thrust his hand toward Sarete with a snap.
Hand over the money.
"Ehehehehe!"
Carus rolled on the floor laughing.
"My friend, you truly live up to your nickname! Do you know we share the same one? I'm honored!"
At those words, Nihil's eyebrow twitched upward. He couldn't agree. He'd acted entirely within reason. He was no lunatic like Carus.
"My friend, want some pocket money?"
But he didn't refuse the gold coin offered. Funds were always better in abundance.
He snatched the coin, and Carus dissolved into hysterics again.
Nihil ignored him and tucked the gold into his pocket. Pocket money in gold coins—nobles sure were generous.
"...Marquis Francesca, mind your dignity."
The Queen chided Carus. She then looked down at Nihil. Her crimson eyes gleamed ominously, but Nihil ignored that too and extended his hand to the old lady once more.
Pocket money was pocket money; compensation was compensation.
"...Why should I pay for what you damaged?"
She avoided his gaze, flustered. She surely hadn't expected him to push back like this. With no prince in lessons and the child unable to speak, she must have thought there'd be no rebuttal.
"Pay up quickly, madam."
Carus chimed in slyly, and Sarete's face twisted in fury.
"Marquis Francesca, how can you side with the child like this? Surely he hasn't bewitched you?"
"Bewitched? Then why weren't you bewitched, madam?"
He's so cute! Carus scooped Nihil up and rubbed his cheek against the boy's face.
The young marquis had always been eccentric, so everyone just watched with half-lidded eyes—no one intervened.
Nihil shoved at Carus's encroaching face and signed to his child's father: 'I want to apologize to her, so let's step aside.' But those eyes filled with confusion—he clearly didn't understand.
"He wants to apologize to the madam. Uh, he's shy and wants to be alone with her."
Carus translated, and Sedes nodded approvingly.
"Very well. If there's a misunderstanding, talking it out is best."
With permission granted, the little one tugged insistently at Madam Sarete's sleeve. She looked bewildered but couldn't withstand the stares and followed him out.
Clunk. The door shut.
"I'm pleased to witness the princes' growth like this."
Sedes gazed at the door a moment before drawing attention to tidy up the chaos.
He praised the teachers for their efforts and discussed future academic plans, and time flew by.
'This seems a good point to dismiss.'
"Then, if you'll excuse..."
Before talk of his son's friend could drag on, he tried to end things naturally.
"Kyaaaaah—!"
A shrill scream echoed from the corridor.
"Th-that child, when I wouldn't do as he wanted, suddenly shattered the glass and started self-harming!"
Murmurs intensified at her words.
"When I tried to stop him, he swung the shards at me in threat!"
Look! Madam Sarete cried out, displaying her injured palm.
"You won't believe me! He never acted out in front of the other teachers. But look at this terrifying child, bleeding profusely yet showing no change in expression. How can anyone call that a human child? A demon... it must be a demon!"
Then, an official adjusted his glasses and spoke up. He was the representative among the finance instructors.
"It's said those with congenital brain abnormalities commit cruelties without hesitation, unaware it's wrong. They lack empathy and are unusually intelligent."
He thrust forward Nihil's evaluation report and continued.
"As you see, despite recent education, his scores are exceptionally high."
"He could have prior tutoring."
Sedes defended his son's friend while wondering why he was even doing so.
There must be something prepared, yet the boy just watched silently.
His second son had wailed at first upon seeing his friend hurt, then thrown a tantrum, but after some words, he'd gone quiet and clung tightly to his friend.
"Of course, that's possible. But his emotional deficiency suggests he's no ordinary child."
"I wouldn't call it emotional deficiency—he empathizes just fine."
Lianus, who'd been quiet, pouted and grumbled.
"My friend just doesn't get angry easily, but he's plenty emotional."
Especially empathetic to others' pain—too much so.
Lianus grumbled before ducking behind Nihil again. Spotting Nihil's hand, wrapped round and plump with bandages, he grew teary-eyed once more.
"Even the 2nd Prince defending him so fiercely is suspicious. That demon must have ensnared him with foul means."
"Hmph, if he had such power, he'd have bewitched you too—instead of ending up like this."
"...2nd Prince, why do you keep interrupting the adults?"
Queen Helia spoke softly as Lianus kept butting in defiantly.
"This is for your own good. Behave."
"Who'll defend my friend if not me? Madam Sarete is a liar."
"A liar? His violence and hypocrisy were captured on the viewing orb."
"We could barely hear anything."
"...I sent the observer myself, 2nd Prince."
At that, Lianus finally snapped and shouted.
"Your Highness sent that person to torment my friend!"
"Watch your tongue, 2nd Prince! How dare you raise your voice!"
The Queen raised her voice unusually and bit her lip as if pained.
"Madam Sarete was my wet nurse."
"...!"
Even Lianus couldn't hide his shock. Sending her own wet nurse? What was her intent?
"I pitied you growing up without one, so I sent someone dear to me—never expecting this."
"...?"
Lianus was too dumbfounded to respond.
"Just as you cherish that child, I cherish my people. Show her proper respect."
Helia said this, then elegantly turned to Sedes.
"Your Majesty, Madam Sarete is a woman of intellect and dignity."
"...What are you getting at?"
"Would I send someone to torment a mere child?"
"...Can you stand by those words?"
Her eyebrow twitched at 'accountability,' but she smiled and replied.
"Yes, I can. So..."
"Whoa..."
As she continued, a soft sigh escaped someone.
Helia whipped around to scold the insolent one, but oddly, all eyes were on the child.
"...!"
The blank-faced child was now beaming, playing hand games with the pouting 2nd Prince.
His captivating looks drew eyes before, but smiling? Impossible to look away.
Helia stared blankly before yelling.
"What are you doing right now?!"
The child flinched and looked up at her shout.
"Aren't you being scolded? No progress despite all the education!"
The child seemed to gauge her mood, then pulled a pouch from his pocket and toddled toward her.
"...What is it?"
He rummaged deeply before offering something—a small gem.
"...?"
Helia, uncomprehending, didn't take it. The child tilted his head and rummaged again.
Not finding it easily, he plopped down and upended the pouch.
Items spilled out: a pressed flower bookmark, somewhat messy; a rough braided bracelet; a glass vial with a crushed flower; a paper cat; shiny pebbles; colorful gems; what seemed the gold coin from Marquis Francesca earlier, and more.
He repocketed a few tenderly, then gazed up at the Queen as if to say, pick one.
"What in the world...!"
"Enough."
Sedes raised a hand to stop her and pointed at something rolling toward his feet.
"Fetch that."
It was a crystal orb.
Ah, right—you can't speak. She sneered, then tore up the child's handwritten invoice.
Her smugness faltered as the child pulled something from his pocket.
The child pointed once at the glass marble, once at the torn invoice.
Sarete's face hardened instantly. But she soon smirked, snatched the marble, and hurled it to the floor with all her might.
A sharp crack as the glass shattered, shards flying everywhere.
Clink.
The child watched the shards crunch under her heel, then looked up. Sarete grinned down mockingly.
She mocked him, but the child just gathered the shards with a faintly sad expression.
And then—
Crunch. A heel slammed down on the child's hand as he picked them up.