Chapter 14

The people around me are watching Tess with twinkling eyes. They’re probably wondering what this famous kid is trying to say.

In particular, the eyes of Marquis Xuen, who was getting closer, were glaring excessively.

“I….”

The hand holding me is getting weaker. I slowly pulled my arm back to get it out.

Finally, my hand is free!

“I’m not interested in Lady Xuen.”

But then I got so stiff that I couldn’t get my hand out.

What did I just hear?

So far, he has been dealing with the situation in a very unlike Tess-way, very mature way. What is it now?

“Because I only like Euseniel.”

As always, it always ends with Euseniel.

Failing to pull my hand out and standing frozen, Tess looked at me in the midst of this.

“I like you, Euseniel.”

He took another step and kissed my cheek with a squeaky noise. Then he turned to Nus Xuen. He had scarlet hair and scarlet eyes, like the people of the Xuen family.

Oh, our eyes met

Nus Xuen’s face was redder than the color of his own hair. The way he looked was so cute that I leaned forward slightly. Tess grabbed me and pulled me towards him.

Then he made a bombshell declaration.

“Me and Euseniel will get married and live together.”

Tess was obviously smiling, but somehow it sounded like a feeling he had been pressing down was uttered.

“Forever.”

I wanted to ask how he, a six years old, knows the meaning of the word ‘forever’. But I can’t do that right now!

“Hahahahaha, Telun. Are you already talking about marriage? Haha. Did you hear that, Millen? What do you say, taking this opportunity to promote the engagement of two children.”

“There is only Euseniel in Hardland.”

It was Mother who opened her mouth. She came up to me with a hard face, which I strangely continue to see these days.

“Crown Prince, please let go of Euseniel.”

It’s clear that she wants Tess to let go of my hand, but why does Mother speak in such a strong tone? So surely, as if she also wanted him to erase the attachment he had to me.

“Your Highness.”

There was even an urgent call.

“Yes, Crown Prince. You have to let Miss Euseniel go. How long will you hold on to her?”

The Empress intervened. This time, slowly my fingers were released one by one. I felt a gaze as I walked towards Mother, who reached out her hand, and saw Tess staring at her.

Why was he looking like that?

“Euel.”

As I was about to take a closer look at the unfamiliar eyes, Father hugged me.

“Euel, you look tired. Your Majesty, may I step back for a moment?”

“Sure.”

“I don’t want it!”

I had a gut feeling, just hearing the very familiar tone.

“Euseniel, don’t go. Stay here! Euseniel!”

Right, when was he ever quiet?

Tess, with tears in his eyes, grabbed Father’s trousers leg and shook it.

“Don’t take Euseniel with you, Duke. I can not live without Euseniel.”

“Crown Prince!”

I looked up at the ceiling in Father’s warm arms. I’ve never been to the central hall, but oh, is this the Roselanken empire’s creation that I’ve only heard of?

There, the first Emperor and God are reaching out to each other. The first Emperor has blonde hair and blue eyes.

God, unlike the delicately depicted first Emperor, was drawn in a single color. The lusterless black did not seem to go well with this place, but it actually does.

The story that the first Emperor founded the Northern Empire with the help of God is famous. He made a contract with a great god and became an omnipotent Emperor. He gained all the knowledge of the world and became a great magic swordsman.

There may be places where such a great deity is worshiped, but it is strange to see that there is no state religion.

There is no mention of this in that thick book, The History of the Empire –

“Hu, huuh. Euseniel. Huhuu.”

My thoughts stopped at the overly familiar sniffling.

In Father’s arms, I lowered my head and looked down, and saw the little boy with red eyes. Can’t I pretend I haven’t seen anything?

“Euseniel, huff. Huwaa.”

I suppressed the emotions that soared up to the tip of my neck. The other person is six years old. I can’t be mad at a six-year-old child, whether he was the Crown Prince or whatever.

“Your Highness, you have to keep your dignity.”

Ethyl, who had come after hearing the commotion, appeared.

“You may be offended by my words, but I have learned that true loyalists can say the right things.”

As expected of Ethyl. I carefully tugged at the hem of Father’s robe and was soon able to stand on the ground with my two feet.

“Your Highness is old enough to control your emotions. Why are you leaning on others?”

Even though Tess had grown big, he was still smaller than Ethyl, so Ethyl had to look down at Tess.

“And there are other people besides Miss Hardland. Everyone is waiting to be of your help.”

“Me, me too. Although it is not enough, I want to serve by Your Highness’ side.”

Nus Xuen added, his sunken face blushed again.

Tess slowly turned his head to look at me.

Do you think so too? He was asking me like that.

That’s of course, isn’t it? You’re the Prince, and I don’t have time to keep taking care of you.

“I also think that Lord Bonart is right.”

The tears that had been welling up in his blue eyes fell down. I felt a little bit of remorse, but that’s what I need to say.

I consoled myself, but I quickly regretted it. Because Tess looked terribly lonely.

“Why is he right? I’m smarter than him.”

Tess began to cry sadly, as if asking for help.

“I’m smarter, but why is Euseniel on his side? Because his hair is black?”

Tess, who had endured all the time and finally burst into tears, made it even more sad than before. So I wanted to say it wasn’t like that, but I had a hard time finding the right time to intervene.

“Because he is taller than me? Because he used the sword better? Why?”

By the time the gaze that had been subtly focused on my side changed to an explicit one, my friend, who had been polite until now, returned to his usual form.

“So that’s why you’re staying next to that punk?”

“Crown Prince!”

Unlike the Emperor who looked just surprised, the Empress was at a loss of what to do. As if it was a shameful act, she grabbed Tess by the shoulder and shook it.

“Crown Prince, what kind of fuss is this? You were obviously doing well-

“Euseniel, you like him too?”

Tess stared at me as if his mother’s calling meant nothing to him. Was I seeing it wrong but his blue eyes looked like they were gradually turning black?

In the midst of this, I tried to figure out what he’s talking about, but I can’t.

“Do you like him? DO YOU LIKE HIM!”

Then, what?

“I DON’T WANT THAAAATTTT!”

I thought the child’s desperate voice was resounding high, and then it ended with a pop.

Boom, bam, boom!

As soon as his voice, which was close to screaming, ended, thunder began to roar.

There was no mention of rain today. But, why would lightning strike in the dry sky?

As I was thinking about these useless thoughts, a huge light from outside filled the hall. While everyone is stunned,

Tess fainted.

“Te, no, Your Highness.”

I wanted to check the child’s condition, but several hands stopped me.

“Call the Imperial doctor, go!”

“Contact the Lux Temple and ask them to send a priest who can use healing magic!”

“Let’s go, Euel.”

People were rushing to take action and my parents were dragging me.

The party without the main star was over, and our way home was a mess.

Boom, boom, rumble.

“Master, it has been raining so much that we are slowing down. It will take longer than usual.”

“It’s okay, Kart. You can take longer, so be careful.”

The moment the carriage door opened and closed, a huge amount of rain came pouring in. The rainwater that collects on the floor is just like me.

“What kind of rain is suddenly pouring in this season? Euel, hang in there.”

“Is Te, the Crown Prince, all right?”

“What?”

“He collapsed. I wonder if something’s wrong..….”

If something is wrong with Tess, it feels like the reason must be me.

Maybe it’s Tess’ fault there, but if only I had sided with him. When he acted as if he was the only loner in the world, I should have taken his side just one more time.

“He just passed out, so you don’t have to worry about it, Euel.”

Father, who was next to me, hugged me tightly and whispered.

“Euel must be sleepy too, so go to sleep.”

I tried to retort back if I was a child, but I leaned on Father’s shoulder in the rush of sleepiness.

***

so we’re finally seeing Tess going down the tyrant path (ish?)

but after cute chapters of them in their childhood the story is finally progressing in the next chapters as things escalate!

stay tuned~

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