Chapter 184
Chapter 184
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 184
Chapter Title: Requies Plaza
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Nihil, having earned his pocket money's worth without a hitch, smiled proudly as he held out the video orb to the kid's dad.
Of course, since he'd been sitting at the piano himself, it was Sergio who'd actually done the filming.
Still, Sergio must have taken his duty seriously and filmed diligently, because our little guy came out looking utterly adorable. Especially the way he sat there, soul completely entranced and staring blankly while I plinked away at the keys—that was just precious.
Of course, our kid was cute to begin with, so it probably would've turned out adorable even if the filming had been half-hearted.
"I like it."
The kid's dad, having watched the video all the way through, grinned in satisfaction and started it over from the beginning. He seemed thoroughly pleased, so Nihil decided to test the waters.
"No bonus pocket money for performance?"
"...You don't seem greedy for money, yet here you are, surprisingly keen on it."
"The more funds, the better."
"......"
Nihil flashed a bright smile at the somewhat disgruntled King Sedes.
"It's all money that's going straight to our kid anyway, isn't it?"
"Watch your words. He's my kid."
"Come on, no need to get picky about it, Father dearest."
"......"
King Sedes narrowed his eyes and glared at his impudent son's friend. At this point, he couldn't tell if this cheeky little rascal was his son's friend or his own.
"Forget pocket money... How about I reserve a prime spot for your guild? What do you say—building in Sharton, right? Oh, and Viscount Allie sent over some logo drafts too."
Changing the subject, King Sedes pulled a sheet of paper from his drawer and spread it out in front of Nihil.
"Ah, right, that too."
Nihil immediately checked the logo drafts for the guild. He loved the chubby little canary in the center and the curly seaweed wrapping round the edges in a circular frame.
"Not bad. It looks just like the paper bird our kid folded."
"Glad you like it. The viscount will be thrilled."
King Sedes nodded approvingly—admittedly, it wasn't bad in his eyes either—then unrolled a blueprint. It was a new layout plan for Sharton Street.
"I've earmarked a few good locations. Take a look."
Nihil didn't stand on ceremony and took the street map. Might as well snag a prime spot while he was at it.
Honestly, since it was just an exchange guild, he didn't need anything fancy, but if land prices rose later, it'd be nice to sell it off for a profit.
"Allie Trading Company mentioned opening a branch in Sharton too."
"Did they?"
"Yeah. Right next to your guild, they said."
"No real need for that, but..."
Nihil mumbled absentmindedly as he scanned the map, only to freeze at a familiar name pinned to the plaza.
-Requies Plaza
"Something wrong?"
King Sedes eyed Nihil's somewhat dazed expression curiously, but Nihil just shook his head.
"...No, nothing... It's nothing."
"Then why fold it up like that?"
King Sedes nodded toward Nihil's hands. The once broad, neat blueprint was now crumpled into a ball from Nihil's repeated folding.
Nihil fumbled to unfold it but gave up halfway and handed it back to King Sedes.
"Picked one?"
"...They all look fine, so just leave any spot open for me."
"Doesn't seem fine to you."
"......"
Nihil stared at the king's hand holding the wrinkled map, then finally stood from his seat.
"I'll be going now."
"Already?"
"The kid might be waiting."
"You're not being honest."
At the accusation of dishonesty, Nihil flinched guiltily for a moment. But he quickly feigned nonchalance and shot back.
"About what?"
"You just miss the kid."
"......"
...Yeah.
Nihil, who had been spacing out, murmured softly to himself and opened the terrace window. But he turned back around and approached King Sedes again.
"...Could you set it somewhere with a good view of the plaza, by any chance?"
"That wouldn't be hard, but are you sure? You don't look well."
"I'm fine."
What was there to not be fine about?
"......I'm fine."
Sergio, who had come for Mother's lessons and then been stuck attending afterward, timidly protested.
"...I don't understand why I have to be waiting on you here."
"......"
But no response came to his grumbling.
Normally, he'd get something like, "Shall I let you off for the day?" and he'd reply, "I never clocked in to begin with."
Sergio eyed Nihil curiously. The little devil who usually twisted his guts with all sorts of sophistry was, for once, just standing there with arms outstretched, staring blankly out the window.
'Ah, maybe he can't talk because there are outsiders?'
The little prince and the little devil were currently being fitted for matching banquet attire. His Majesty's birthday was approaching, after all.
But the royal designer, prickly about all the wrong things, refused to take Nihil's measurements, so Sergio was sidelong-glancing at the designer while doing it himself.
It stung his heart to see someone who was a royal guest—no, someone who'd roped in two marquises and a trading company—being discriminated against over something so petty.
"Turn around, please."
"......"
Even at the request to turn, Nihil kept staring elsewhere and didn't budge. Instead of nagging, Sergio sighed deeply and shifted position.
Even during Mother's lessons, he'd been blankly gazing out the window—he'd thought it was just study aversion, but something seemed off.
"Sergio, sorry. Nil's been in a funk lately..."
"...No, it's my place to be careful."
With the royal designer still there, Sergio treated Nihil with utmost courtesy.
No matter how lowly the status, treating a prince's guest roughly was tantamount to slighting the royal family. The designer's attitude meant not just petty prejudice but looking down on the prince too.
'It's not wrong that the 2nd Prince's recognition is low, but...'
Still, Mother had been persuading Father lately. House Tarandrus had always stayed neutral, and when she married in, she'd apparently agreed not to complain about it—but it seemed her mind had changed.
Of course, Father wasn't likely to bend easily either.
"I'll need about twenty sets for my banquet outfits."
At the absurd demand of twenty banquet outfits, Sergio whipped his head around—not to scold the prince, but out of curiosity about the designer's reaction. It was a foregone conclusion anyway.
"...Twenty by the birthday banquet is impossible."
Sure enough, annoyance flickered across the royal designer's face. But the prince was firm.
"Make it happen."
"......"
"Well... if it's too tough, I can make an exception for two sets each in similar designs."
"......"
Sergio stuck out his tongue watching Lianus play the magnanimous allowance card. He'd always seen the prince as kind to a fault, always on the receiving end—but contrary to his assumptions, the prince was sharper and tougher than expected.
'Nil, let's match outfits!'
'Sure.'
He wasn't sure if the prince had planned to dunk on the designer too, but...
"All... measured."
Sergio jotted down Nihil's measurements a beat after the designer and handed the paper to the head maid. She compared it to the prince's measurements, then murmured quietly.
"No alterations... needed, then."
"Pardon?"
Sergio blinked in surprise, but the head maid glanced at Nihil once and scurried off.
"...?"
Did it mean no tailoring since their builds matched? Well, the prince and this little devil were about the same size at a glance.
Sergio roughly straightened Nihil's clothes and stood. Surely attending this much wouldn't get him scolded by Mother.
But Sergio ended up stuck serving tea as well.
"...If you're not eating it, just leave it."
Sergio snatched the fork from Nihil, who was crumbling the cake into bits. Only then did Nihil stop tormenting the cake and look up.
"Nil, if something's bothering you, you can tell me... or not, if you don't want, but... is there anything I can help with?"
Lianus, who had been watching Nihil intently, asked with worry in his voice, and an awkward smile crossed Nihil's face.
"Sorry, Rian. I've worried you."
"No. Everyone feels down sometimes. Even I... do a lot. Um... Want me to bring the baby?"
"The baby?"
"Can't keep it."
At the firm declaration, Nihil's eyes widened before he burst into a soft chuckle.
"Thanks. Feeling better already."
"Huh? Bring the baby?"
"No, no. No need."
Having a baby wouldn't fill that little one's place, and brooding wouldn't bring the kid back either.
'Requies!'
'Father.'
'Requies!'
Nihil rubbed his dry face at the voice growing clearer in his mind.
Was it time to let go? Rationally speaking, five hundred years was no short time for any living being. Long enough for life to shatter, ample for new bonds, yet cruelly excessive for remembering—or forgetting—the past.
...I'm still the only one stuck in the past.
"Nil, want to help pick a birthday gift for His Majesty?"
"...Sure."
Nihil smiled faintly at Lianus desperately trying to distract him.
"...Getting all sentimental just from seeing that name is weird anyway."
"What name was it? C... Can I ask?"
Nihil stroked the hair of the little prince who always restrained his curiosity, feeling grateful yet sorry for his careful consideration.
Maybe saying it would lighten the load a bit. With that thought, Nihil opened up.
"Well... Rian, about that new plaza in Sharton..."
"Y-Yeah?"
Lianus's eyes went wide. Surprised by the strong reaction, Nihil tilted his head.
"What's up?"
"Th-That plaza? Wh... Why? D-Does the name not sit right, ack!"
Lianus, who had named the plaza himself, flailed in panic and nearly knocked over the cake plate.
"Your Highness, careful."
"Y-Yeah, th-thanks, Sir Evan."
Fortunately, his dashing knight snatched it up in time, averting disaster—but the fact that he had named the plaza remained unchanged. Lianus sneaked a peek at Nihil's expression before speaking.
"That plaza's name... I..."
named it.
He mumbled as softly as possible, but his sharp-eared best friend heard and widened his eyes.
"You... named it?"
"Yeah..."
Lianus poked guiltily at his cake. Not knowing the details but sensing his friend's bad mood stemmed from the plaza made his heart ache.
"I-It wasn't meant badly. I was just flipping through the dictionary and liked it..."
It kinda suits you too... Trailing off awkwardly, he glanced up to see Nihil staring blankly before bursting into laughter.
"Haha, so that's it."
"Uh, y-yeah. It's okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks. Should've asked sooner."
"Glad you're feeling better."
Lianus beamed. His friend's mood seemed lifted.
It could've ended there.
"Actually, that name... It was what a kid I raised long ago called me."
......Huh?