The Imperial Family
A noblewoman with her shining silver hair elegantly braided up screamed irritably, a tone that clashed with her kindly face.
"Plans can change? Now, of all times?!"
Even as her sharp voice echoed through the room, the voice from the palm-sized crystal orb remained utterly calm.
"There are circumstances that make it unavoidable, Your Highness."
"You won't even explain why? Ha, looks like I'm a real joke to you."
Aware that her previous shout had been too loud, the woman's voice dropped noticeably, but the anger seeping through it burned even hotter.
Yet the shadow in the orb didn't waver in the slightest.
"It's an internal matter, so it's hard to go into detail. But the overall framework remains the same, so you needn't worry about the outcome."
"Hmph, I've already heard about Karon. You stirred up something utterly absurd and got a massive blowback, huh? And now you're babbling about overturning a plan you've prepared for years, just three months before execution... How far am I supposed to trust you lot?"
At those words, the shadow flinched for the first time, but its calm tone held steady.
"If you don't trust us, feel free to terminate the contract as is."
"...What?"
Her teeth ground together in sheer absurdity.
"Of course, we'd regret it too. Such an opportunity won't come again in our lifetime."
Even she couldn't easily refute that.
When else would all those haughty, loathsome Aslan bloodlines gather in one place? If not for the crown prince's wedding, it would be decades before such a chance arose.
Trembling with a fist she hadn't realized she'd clenched, the woman asked, "The outcome... it's guaranteed, right?"
"Naturally. We'll contact you the moment the plan is finalized again."
"Make sure of it. This is the only path for you to emerge into the light under the protection of the 'Empire's Emperor.' And without my help, it's utterly impossible!"
"We know full well. Rest assured, Your Highness."
"I'm warning you one last time—this is the final time I'll tolerate one-sided notices."
A deliberate threat born of her reluctance to be toyed with.
"Of course..."
Just as the shadow in the orb began to reply—
"—Second Prince, Fifth Prince, Your Highnesses have arrived."
A knight's voice called from beyond the door.
Pssht.
The shadow in the orb vanished instantly. The woman tucked it neatly into her bosom and composed herself as if nothing had happened.
The door soon opened, and a slender young man in unmistakably luxurious attire entered with a young boy.
The young man had platinum hair and golden eyes, the epitome of a direct Aslan imperial lineage. The boy had deeper golden hair and green eyes like his mother's.
"We've come to pay our respects, Mother."
"You look even more beautiful today, Mother."
Smiles bloomed naturally on her face at their words.
"Oh! Come in, my princes."
Her gaze on the smaller boy, in particular, was so warm it was hard to believe it belonged to the same woman whose eyes had gleamed coldly moments before.
The boy smiled and ran into her arms, but the young man frowned slightly at his brother's childish display.
"Mother, Tinel is fourteen now. In two years, he'll be of age. Treating him like a child in your lap doesn't look good to the servants."
Her face stiffened briefly.
"Does our Lot Prince not remember his own childhood? I treated you the same way, and didn't you grow up just fine?"
"Did I...?"
Lot von Aslan, the Second Prince, gave a vague expression and a wry smile, but she nodded firmly.
"Of course. In other words, since Tinel Prince isn't of age yet, he still needs his mother's love. Isn't that right, my prince?"
As she looked down at the child in her arms, the emerald-eyed boy nodded vigorously.
"Yes, Mother! Once I'm of age and as big as big brother, I'll hold you like this!"
"Oh, how reliable! When did you grow up enough to say such things? Your mother is so proud."
Lot shook his head with a small sigh as he watched his brother and birth mother chat amiably.
Fine. It's not bad for a parent and child to get along.
But... did Mother ever hold me that affectionately when I was little...?
A faint unease lingered in his chest, but he pushed it aside. Showing discomfort here would just make him look like a jealous older brother picking on a much younger sibling.
"Mother, forgive us, but we must go soon. Tinel has lessons, and I have my own duties."
Even seeing her expression harden again, he had no choice but to say it. That was the principle of imperial duty.
"...Of course, my precious princes. A mother shouldn't steal too much of your time."
"Brother, just a little longer..."
"No."
"Eeeeng..."
Wasn't he past the age for whining? A sigh escaped at his brother's untimely sulk, but principles were principles. Lot shook his head firmly.
"I said no."
Tinel von Aslan, the Fifth Prince, pouted as he slipped from his mother's embrace.
"Then we'll take our leave, Mother."
Lot pressed his visibly sulky brother's head down into a bow and turned to go.
"Goodbye, my princes."
Her wistful voice from behind tugged at him slightly, but there was no time to waste. With the imperial event looming, he and the other royals moved by the hour.
"Brother..."
"No whining, Tinel. I've heard your studies are slipping. You don't plan to tarnish the Aslan imperial honor, do you?"
No exceptions, even for a young brother. He spoke all the more sternly for it.
"...Do I have to?"
"What?"
"I'm just a half-prince without golden eyes anyway."
Lot couldn't help but flinch at his sullen brother's words.
"Hmph..."
With a small sigh, he knelt to meet his brother's eyes and gripped his hand tightly.
"That's exactly why you need to work harder, Tinel. You have to show them that you don't need golden eyes to be an outstanding prince."
"...Me?"
"Yes."
"No way I can..."
"You can, Tinel."
Lot emphasized the words, staring into his brother's trembling eyes. Perhaps it offered some comfort.
"...Yes, Brother."
The boy's flushed face nodded, his grip tightening in return. Lot nodded back and rose.
Just then, a group of passing knights spotted them and saluted in unison.
"We see you, Your Highnesses!"
Thud.
"...Informal greetings suffice when we meet in the palace, Sir Griwell. And I'm not the crown prince."
Lot sighed softly at the middle-aged knight at their forefront.
"How could we? Royals must always be shown respect!"
The blond knight, Sword Emperor of the imperial guard for fifteen years, was utterly inflexible.
Thus—
He felt his brother's hand tremble again, the inferiority he'd tried to dispel returning.
Irritation rose, but there was no grounds to scold knights following protocol properly.
"Enough. See to your duties. And since you're here personally, is it Mother's summons?"
"Yes."
...Really, all kinds. It was common knowledge that the Aslan imperial family favored mages over knights. Even now, the imperial magic tower boasted two 7th Circle mage-knights, while no superhumans emerged from the knights' order.
A century of this trend led to such sights.
The imperial knight captain, no less, running errands for an imperial consort—not even the emperor or empress...
Even if it was entrenched custom, it didn't sit well. Especially since his own birth mother called on the captain most often, grating on Lot's nerves.
I need to bring it up with Brother.
Custom or not, principles must stand firm. With that resolve, Lot passed the knights and headed off—first to someone he needed to see before escorting his brother back to his palace.
"Greetings to Crown Prince Highness."
"...We see you, Crown Prince Highness."
His brother's hesitant greeting from behind irked him, but—
"Oh, Lot! Tinel behind you? You've grown, haha."
He didn't want to call out his brother in front of their beaming eldest brother.
"I've come to report on the friction between Lohiter and Valentia Duchy, as you requested. You wanted to hear it privately."
At that, Bradley von Aslan, the crown prince, flashed his intensely golden eyes and asked back.
"You handling it personally?"
"It's my turn for internal intelligence duties."
"Heh, still the same workaholic. Principles first, as always."
"...Brother did the same at my age."
"I skimped, but you? No way. You're probably drilling your subordinates hard, preaching principles. Right?"
"...Brother, Tinel can hear you."
"Huh? Ahaha, so what? Everyone knows you're a stickler. Ain't that right, Tinel?"
Nod.
Unable to speak, his brother just nodded from hiding. Lot sighed involuntarily.
"See? Even Tinel agrees. Be gentler with your little brother."
"...Tinel's fourteen already, Brother."
"...Oh, really? Already?"
"Show some interest, Brother. Blood-related or not."
He caught the knight Ecksilan behind the crown prince narrowing his eyes menacingly, but Lot ignored it. He knew his brother wouldn't mind such words.
"Ahahaha! Sorry about that, Tinel. I've been swamped with wedding prep... As apology, big gift for your birthday. Sound good?"
Even Brother treats him like a kid...
This won't do...
Another sigh nearly escaped, but—
"...Ah, treating a fourteen-year-old like this feels off, huh?"
His brother read his mind for once. Charitably, he hated empty formalities; uncharitably, he ignored courtesies and attitudes due based on rank.
"Oh...!"
What's gotten into you? You've grown up.
Unable to voice it, he shot a pointed look, and his brother grinned back, sensing it.
"Ah, recently met a kid Tinel's age. Hits different."
"Huh? With Tinel?"
Which noble boy Tinel's age had entered the palace lately to meet the crown prince? Lot racked his brain furiously, but Bradley continued.
"Ah, some punk slapped me outside. Sent me spinning midair a few times."
"...Pardon?"
The empire's crown prince got slapped? Lot gaped in disbelief.
Thud.
Knight Ecksilan vented his irritation with killing intent. He bowed and retreated under the princes' stares, though.
"...Ahem, that kid was Tinel's age. And he's the star of some huge recent rumor."
Star of a rumor...? Meaning he was still alive. A regicide who slapped the crown prince lived? Absurd.
"Brother! You let that insolent bastard go?! Sir Ecksilan, what were you doing!?"
Lot exploded, but Bradley just laughed and patted his shoulder.
"It's fine, fine. My fault."
"N-No, even so..."
"And from the rumors, he's worth it."
"Pardon?"
"You've heard, right? About Karon. That kid..."
Lot had no choice but to nod through the lengthy explanation that followed.
"Knight of Radiance who drove off the Kraken, smashed demon worshippers... Heh, but fourteen? The rumors I heard said twenty. Elf half-blood or something. His face was... Eh, I don't know the details. Looked like a kid to me."
"I see..."
The crown prince's "I don't know" meant investigate. Lot's face soured at the added work.
"Tch, wish I could meet that kid again... Wonder where he is now."
Murmuring to himself, the crown prince gazed east with a curious smile, eyes gleaming.