Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: The King's Inquiry
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Sedes glanced once at Lianus's guard knight standing at the entrance to the reception room.
The sole guard knight who had remained by the 2nd Prince's side for five years now—Sir Evan.
He was a capable knight who had become a royal knight at the youngest age on record, and one of the few people Lianus truly trusted. Surely, this knight, who had constantly stayed by the 2nd Prince's side, must know all about that friend of his.
Sedes thought he should discreetly summon Evan once the princes' lessons began and continued speaking.
"What have you been up to with that child?"
"Yesterday, we played a game called blind man's buff!"
"Blind man's buff?"
Lianus, thrilled to finally have someone he could freely talk to about his friend, began chattering away nonstop.
"Yes! It's like tag, but the 'it' covers their eyes and has to catch the next one. Your Majesty, my friend is amazing! Even with his eyes covered, he chased me like he could see everything, no problem at all. I dodged every which way, but he still caught up! When I asked how he could track me so well, he said he could hear everything. I want to sharpen my senses quick so I can be like my friend! Oh, and he said I smell faintly of the forest. I was so shocked when he figured out I was mixed-blood at first, but when I asked if it was okay that I was, he said he's fine as long as I don't go hungry. So I'll make sure my friend never starves by feeding him properly! Oh, and that night when I was sick, my friend and Sir Evan stayed by my side nursing me all night. I usually suffer for at least two days when I'm ill, but with my friend caring for me, I woke up completely better! And we played card games too..."
Lianus prattled on stream-of-consciousness style for quite a while. The timeline jumped around, he skipped parts here and there, and his speech had turned downright childish, but Sedes simply listened quietly.
Was his own child always this talkative? Or had that commoner kid brought out this change? The more he heard, the harder it became to pin down what sort of child this friend really was. But seeing the 2nd Prince chattering so excitedly, Sedes felt relieved that they seemed to be getting along well.
Then Abel, the princes' teacher and also the prime minister, came by to deliver some documents and, as a bonus, took Lianus off to the classroom. The child's babbling came to an end, and silence fell over the reception room.
The 2nd Prince's guard knight, oddly enough, hadn't followed and remained in the reception room. Since Sedes had planned to call Evan anyway, he figured it was for the best and was about to summon him. But for some reason, the knight approached first and offered a formal bow.
"Your Majesty, I am Sir Evan, guard knight to the 2nd Prince."
"Yes, do you have something to say?"
"There is a message from His Highness's friend. If Your Majesty is curious about him..., he said that since the prince's explanation alone won't suffice, I should answer your questions instead."
In truth, the wildcat hadn't phrased it so politely. More like: 'If the kid's dad gets curious about me, you explain instead. Rian'll just brag about his friend.'
Evan had been baffled at first by who "kid's dad" meant. Only after pondering it did he realize and frantically cover the boy's mouth in shock.
Sedes stiffened, sensing his intentions had been seen through, but decided it was better to hear him out first before judging. He led Evan to the office.
The desk in the office was piled high with unprocessed documents.
Sedes sat in his chair and asked,
"So, how much can you tell me about that child?"
"I know nothing of his past. But I can recount everything he's said and done since entering the palace."
"What do you make of him?"
"He's rude."
"...?"
Sedes was at a loss for words at the immediate, unhesitating response.
"From what the prince said, he doesn't seem that ill-mannered..."
"The prince puts up with it all. If he acted like that in front of other nobles, it'd be straight to the dungeons."
Evan decided to lay the groundwork for the wildcat's image by starting negative. The worse the first impression, the more the surprises would shine later. And above all, the rudeness was undeniable fact.
"He's got a strong sense of pride and no fear at all. Even if you dragged him here and held a blade to his throat, he'd die before fixing that attitude."
"...A tough one, then?"
Sedes began to worry.
Was the innocent 2nd Prince being deceived and used by some bad child? But he couldn't be sure—the image of the prince beaming and chattering about his friend made it hard to act rashly.
"Why does the 2nd Prince like him so much?"
"Truth be told, that's hard for me to explain. It was the prince who ran up saying 'let's be friends.' I don't know what he was thinking, but it wasn't exactly a situation for making friends, and from the boy's perspective, here he was bleeding profusely from injuries when this stranger kid suddenly proposes friendship. Must've been awkward."
Recalling the scene, the wildcat had been a saintly adult. From his side, it was like an attempted murderer suddenly extending a hand for friendship. No, more precisely, proposing they "date."
A kid on the verge of death from blood loss, shyly approached by a stranger proposing they start seeing each other... This was weirder than he'd thought.
But unaware of the details, Sedes assumed the prince had simply taken in an injured child out of pity and spoke.
"He took in an injured child?"
"...In summary, not wrong, but for some reason, the prince seemed dead set on keeping him."
Sedes nodded deeply.
Natura, the 2nd Prince's mother, also had sharp instincts. There were times she'd suddenly say, 'My gut tells me I have to do this!' And following her lead always led to good outcomes or avoided bad ones.
"If the wary 2nd Prince did that, something must've touched his heart. What do you think? Is it safe to keep him around?"
"From what I've observed, yes, it would be good to have him by your side."
"You think so too? But you said he was rude."
"He doesn't observe etiquette, but he's not ill-tempered. Quite mature, actually, and he takes good care of the prince. And... as you saw today, the prince has changed a lot. He smiles more, regained his confidence. And if I may overstep, I don't think the boy means the prince harm."
"The more I hear, the less I understand. Rude but harmless? How exactly is he rude?"
"...If you promise not to punish him for royal disrespect, I'll tell you."
"...I promise."
Sedes tensed up at Evan's grave demeanor.
He vowed not to get angry even if the boy had insulted or mocked royalty and waited for Evan's words.
"To warn you upfront, he has a foul mouth, but no malicious intent."
"Don't worry. No blame."
"...I mentioned he left a message, right?"
"Yes, that the prince's boasting wouldn't suffice, so you explain instead?"
"Yes. Actually, I softened it a bit. He said exactly: Ahem, 'If the kid's dad gets curious about me, you explain instead. Rian'll just brag about his friend.'"
"...?"
Evan cleared his throat, crossed his arms, and mimicked Nihil's signature blank expression in a spot-on performance.
Sedes sat there blankly for a moment, not grasping the meaning. Calling the prince casually as a commoner or the knight's impudent behavior and tone faded to the background.
Rian... must be a nickname for Lianus. Then, kid's dad...
"...Don't tell me 'kid's dad' refers to me."
"Yes."
"..."
"I guarantee he'll say it to Your Majesty's face too."
"..."
Silence filled the office. Evan gauged Sedes's reaction and carefully uncrossed his arms, straightening his posture.
Sedes remained dazed. He'd never imagined hearing "kid's dad" in his life as royalty. Technically, it wasn't wrong—he was the boy's father, with two kids no less.
"Khk, kuhuhuh..."
"...Your Majesty?"
"Kuhahahahaha!"
Laughter suddenly echoed through the king's office. Aides from the next room rushed in startled, but Sedes waved them off, saying it was nothing.
"What a disrespectful child. I'd love to meet him and talk once. Anything else he said?"
Sedes called it disrespectful but couldn't hide his amusement.
Evan, relieved the wildcat wouldn't get in serious trouble, continued.
"...He also said to pass along that if Your Majesty shows interest in meeting him..."
"Go on."
"He'd prefer not to show his face officially in the palace yet..."
"He said it exactly like that?"
Under the king's scrutiny, Evan unwittingly stepped back. After all, he was basically lying.
"...You really won't punish him?"
"It's amusing enough. No need to worry."
Evan, now past caring, mimicked Nihil once more.
At this point, was His Majesty laughing at the wildcat's cheeky tone or his own acting? Evan couldn't tell.
"'Tell him not to come looking even if curious. If he's dying to know how the kid's doing, don't tell Rian and come disguised in secret.'"
"Kuhp, kuhuh..."
Sedes covered his face with his hand, chuckling. The brazen commoner's speech was hilarious, and the young knight's earnest mimicry, watching his reaction, was both funny and endearing.
'Is it really that amusing?'
Evan felt a strange twinge but couldn't show it before the king.
"...Glad you're enjoying it."
"Fascinating, truly. Alright, let's go."
"...Pardon? Go where, Your Majesty?"
"I need to meet that child."
"Now... right now?"
"Disguise... hmm, as a royal knight should suffice."
"Yes...?"
"Knight, any excuse I could use to go there?"
"Y-You're really going?"
Evan fidgeted, but Sedes finished speaking and stood.
Evan sensed the presences of hidden guard knights—number unknown—following along.
"Your Majesty, if you're bringing shadow knights, better not hide them."
"Why?"
"The boy has incredibly sharp senses. If he detects hidden presences, he might do something unpredictable."
"That perceptive?"
Sedes frowned. No matter how he thought about it, this wasn't an ordinary child.
"He's not just some commoner kid?"
"He's a wandering orphan we took in. Seems to have solid basic skills and a rough life—never lets his guard down."
"A wandering orphan, eh. Then prepare measures against outsiders flocking to the 2nd Prince's Palace. I need to be back before the princes' lessons end. Hurry."
"..."
Under Sedes's urging, Evan—merely a knight—couldn't protest and clutched his head in despair.
What excuse would seem natural to the palace staff and the wildcat alike?
"...Ah."
Evan remembered the neatly folded memo in his inner pocket. He'd planned to fetch a couple from the external herbalist...
"Thought of something good?"
"He did ask me to handle something separately..."
Seizing the chance, Evan decided to tattle to the "kid's dad."
"...Actually, the pharmacist said..."