Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: The Forgotten Cube
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Tick-tock... Tick-tock...
In the quiet room, the second hand of the wall clock ticked away steadily.
Sunlight poured through the tall window, warmly illuminating Bamper's room, while the clamor of voices from outside mingled with the midday bustle.
Bamper, opening his eyes, propped himself up and rubbed his strangely foggy head.
"...My room? When did I get here?"
Racking his brain for memories, Bamper soon recalled something.
*'Imperial Treasury.'*
"...Right, that's it... Bandahen's illness is something no one can know about. His medicine is always hidden in the Imperial Treasury..."
He had gone to retrieve it.
He'd inserted the deep green key to prove his Orelot imperial blood, pushed aside the thick stone slab that split into two, revealing a gap.
After passing through the darkness of the entrance and taking a few steps toward the light, as always, the vast Orelot treasury unfolded before him—towering shelves of gold filled endlessly with treasures.
The most precious and radiant items, the treasures of the Orelot Imperial Palace gathered from what the world desired most.
Testaments to Orelot's victories and glory, decline and rebirth, they welcomed Crown Prince Bamper like a tree of wishes in full bloom.
"...But why was that thing lying there?"
Yet today, before the countless imperial treasures, Bamper had noticed something else that caught his eye first.
A 'deep green cube' lying abandoned at the treasury entrance.
"And... I don't remember anything after that. What happened..."
Bamper tried to recall, but he couldn't.
"Bamper!"
"My son!"
"Mother? Father?"
His parents strode in as the door flew open.
Onjameri, uncharacteristically, rushed over with tears brimming in her eyes and pulled him into a tight embrace.
Startled by his mother's actions, Bamper still reached out and gently patted her back.
"Mother... what happened?"
Instead of Onjameri, who struggled to respond through her emotions, Benburo, following behind her, spoke up.
"What happened? Ha, this son of ours sets his parents' hearts ablaze and then asks so casually."
But even as he scolded, Benburo looked at his son with eyes full of worry.
Unable to hold back any longer, he spread his arms and pulled his wife and son into a firm hug.
Onjameri reached up to stroke the back of Bamper's head tenderly.
"Now... now it's all fine, Bamper... As long as you've woken up safe, nothing else matters..."
Bamper still couldn't grasp the situation, but he could tell they had been deeply worried about him.
"I'm sorry. Father, Mother. I don't know what happened, but it seems I caused you both great concern."
Bamper gave his mother and father plenty of time.
After stroking her son's head repeatedly, she hugged him tightly one last time and said,
"Enough. Just focus on recovering now. And Your Highness, please let go—he can't breathe."
Having somehow composed herself in the meantime, she was almost back to her usual tone.
Benburo awkwardly released his wife and son, then needlessly kneaded his son's shoulders a few times.
Seeing Onjameri wipe away her tears and erase all traces of crying, Bamper smiled faintly.
"Was I out for a long time?"
Benburo answered that.
"You've been unconscious for four days since the parade day. Count Rudelriz came and went caring for you—he must have been exhausted."
"I see. I'll have to thank him properly later."
"He's in the palace now looking after Bandahen, so you'll see him soon enough."
"Oh... he must have been working himself so hard he needed two bodies."
Bamper imagined how Mayches would scold him now that he was awake.
He thought he'd quietly listen to whatever his tired, exasperated friend had to say.
As Bamper smiled faintly, he suddenly frowned. A mild headache had set in.
Rubbing his head, Bamper asked his parents,
"By the way, did something happen to me? My head hurts a bit, and I have no memory after getting caught up with that cube."
"......"
Benburo and Onjameri silently gazed at their son for a moment.
Bamper sensed clear worry on their faces, along with something more—sorrow, or perhaps tension.
Onjameri reached out and caressed Bamper's cheek.
"If you can't remember, there's no need to force it."
"Yes? But..."
"For now, just focus on getting your strength back."
Bamper looked back and forth between Benburo and Onjameri.
He was curious what they were hiding, but he nodded, figuring there must be good reason for their reticence.
By morning, Bamper was up and about perfectly fine.
Much to his parents' worry, he moved through the crown prince's palace without a single ache or pain anywhere.
The only issue was the strict orders from his two parents that he needed rest, leaving him bored with nothing to do.
[Big bro Bamper, you're awake!]
Bamper happily unrolled the glowing parchment just in time. He could see Calipan responding, with the other friends chiming in.
[Awake? Hey, you okay?]
[You're just waking up now? You've gotten quite the sleep. Feeling refreshed?]
Bamper chuckled and replied to Daluh.
[Yeah, totally refreshed. Looks like Mayches took really good care of me.]
[Oh, right. We were worried Mayches might collapse too.]
[He treated me starting from parade day? Must've been tired from the encouragement speech too. Speaking of, how was Mayches' speech?]
No immediate answer came to that. After a pause long enough to make Bamper puzzled, Daluh's reply appeared.
[It was a sight. He could handle all future speeches.]
Bamper regretted missing it, but he figured his friends had probably recorded the rare scene with a video storage device, so he could watch later.
Pushing that topic aside, he brought up another question he'd been wondering about.
[By the way, did you guys come to the palace with Mayches on parade day?]
[Orelot Imperial Palace?]
[Yeah, if you were there, could you tell me what happened? Mom and Dad seem uncomfortable about it, so I couldn't ask.]
The replies came light and quick.
[Sorry, bro. We didn't go, so we don't know much.]
[I see?]
As Bamper let out a disappointed "Hmm...", Yan and Daluh jumped in with a new topic.
[When are we showing that thing we filmed in Denpider? When are you guys free?]
[Stuck in the temple, my back's killing me. Anything fun going on?]
Bamper sensed something off about the timing.
"They all know something. About what happened."
And like his parents, they seemed to want to keep it hidden.
Bamper noticed but figured it would be hard to pry it out over parchment without meeting in person, so he decided to back off for now.
He sighed, pulling his eyes from the parchment.
"It's a bit frustrating."
He wished someone—anyone—would just tell him straight without hiding.
"...Huh."
"...Ah?!"
That's when he spotted someone rounding the corner.
She startled so obviously that anyone could see it, her face troubled as she began backing away.
Bamper grinned and approached her as she did.
"Not even a greeting? White Flame."
"Ah, uh, hello? I heard you woke up. That's really great...!"
"Yeah, thanks."
"W-Well, then, I have some urgent business, so..."
Bamper followed Aiel, still smiling.
"Afraid I'll ask something awkward? No need for that."
Aiel flinched like she'd been caught red-handed. But she didn't run, as if willing to hear him out since he'd said there was no need.
"...You're not going to ask?"
"Not a chance. It's getting too stuffy—I need answers from someone now."
As Aiel started edging away again, Bamper laughed and closed the gap in one step.
"No need to hide out of worry for me, White Flame."
But Aiel, clearly warned by the others, turned around this time and hurried off in the opposite direction as fast as she could.
Bamper laughed again.
He followed her slowly, casually calling out.
"How about I bribe you with snacks, White Flame?"
"What do you take me for...?"
"Then how about a palace tour? We couldn't do it last time."
"Ah, I'm a little busy... Next time!"
"Busy in the palace? I don't know what it is, but I can't have a guest rushing off like that, so let me help."
"Huh? Oh, no, my brother might be looking for me soon...!"
"Oh, that's it. They'll contact me when Bandahen's treatment is done, so no worries—let's wait together."
Aiel, out of excuses, stopped and looked up at Bamper.
"Aren't you supposed to be a busy man, Your Highness...?"
"Perfect timing—I'm completely free. Their Majesties have sidelined me from all duties until I recover."