Everyone was frozen in silence as they heard Antoine volunteer himself to go with Leon.
For it was not a secret that towards Leon, the First and the Second Prince were not on good terms with him, and yet Antoine initiated to go with him and visit.
However, for the elders that had witnessed this scene, their hearts became glad as they could finally see hope for the three princes to become peaceful with each other.
"...Alright…" Leon's expression did not change as Antoine looked at him in anticipation. Instead, he gestured that they immediately move to get to Kazimir's bed-chamber.
Outside the halls, there was an awkward and eerie silence as only their steady footsteps could be heard.
Antoine wordlessly looked at Leon's back, feeling a little lost.
He also did not know why he volunteered to go, but his mouth just automatically opened and called Leon's name, that was why he was now in this situation.
Perhaps, it was because of the fact that Leon surprisingly suggested that he visit Kazimir. Something in Antoine's mind hoped that in Leon's heart, there was still a place for him and Kazimir's forgiveness over the years they neglected, ridiculed, and despised their youngest brother.
However, it was always another thing to initiate the apology, especially if one knew how much he had hurt the other person.
Antoine could not even find the right word to start a conversation with Leon for he had already spent two decades using his mouth in throwing contempt at Leon every moment possible.
He was still struggling to think about how he would engage in a cordial conversation when Leon stopped and announced that they had arrived at Kazimir's bed chambers.
"Ah… Your Highness, Second Prince, Third Prince… Greetings…" Arielle was startled to see the two visit her husband. For even she knew how restrained the relationship between the three was. "We are here to check on the First Prince's condition…" Leon nodded and stated their concern straightforwardly.
"Very well…" Arielle dutifully guided them inside to see Kazimir who was sitting on the bed with his eyes dazedly looking at the view outside the window. "Husband… your brothers came to visit…"
However, Kazimir did not react, not even blinking a little.
"He has been like this ever since he regained consciousness…" Arielle softly mumbled, she could not hide the worry and anxiousness in her eyes as she saw how Kazimir was in the past few days.
"Do not worry he will be fine…" Antoine gave sincere words of comfort before Arielle gave the three brothers some alone time in Kazimir's room.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The silence in the room was even heavier than the pressure they usually feel when they are under the people's scrutiny. It was only the three of them… siblings by blood but with a relationship that was worse than that of a stranger.
Antoine even thought that if not for the war, he would never imagine the three of them working together to defeat an enemy back then. But now that the war is over, reality has once again hit… how will they confront each other?
"...Kazimir…" Leon was the one who broke the silence. In actuality, he was not as tensed as Antoine as he had already been long used to their indifference.
Antoine held his breath, as he was nervous and expectant at the same time as to what kind of words Leon would say to his estranged brother.
For chances are… those words will also be told to him when he talks with Leon later on.
'Will he communicate the grievances he had towards us?'
'Will he gloat over our misfortune?'
'Will he boast about his undeniable strength?'
Antoine could not help but subconsciously gulp in anticipation and suspense. He also prepared his heart and mind mentally for whatever words Leon would say.
Because he knew that Leon had the right to do so.
His brother never retaliated against all the wrongdoings he and Kazimir did to him over the years. In fact, Leon even saved him from imminent death.
"When will you come back to work?" Contrary to what Antoine was anticipating, he was startled by the words that Leon said.
Trying to make sure that he had heard it written, he looked at Leon's expression only to see his youngest brother, raising his brows in impatience.
These words also caught Kazimir's attention. His crystal blue eyes were filled with confusion as he slowly turned his head towards where Leon was, unsure if he had heard something ridiculous.
"The doctor said that you have already fully recovered, but somehow chose to stay here and coop yourself up. Are you trying to get away from the responsibility because the empire is in chaos?" Leon crossed his arms bearing a cold demeanor as reprimanded Kazimir.
"Look here… there's the wounded in one area and the homeless in the other… there are also security issues to take care of… Father Emperor was already so old and yet he was still forced to look at the memoirs in his sick bed, and then there's the two of you…" This time, Leon also looked at Antoine, who flinched guiltily.
"You two seemed to have taken your sweet time hiding in your bed chambers to escape the mountain of work…" Leon accusingly declared with his eyes as cold as snow. "Remember, there are three princes in the Seirende Imperial Family."
"I-i am not… running away from work…" Kazimir's eyes flickered when he saw how stern Leon's look was.
He had a lot of words to say… things about his failure as the prince of the Empire and also as a brother… things about how his maternal family became the traitors of the land.
Things about how he would face the people now that he was no longer a good prince but the son of a witch…
He wanted to say that it was not the work that he was running away from… but the humiliation and shame.
"I-i also do not intend to do that…" Antoine answered with a bit of a panic. It was true that he had now recovered pretty well and could even visit his Father Emperor and Brother. Leon pointing out the fact that there were many things to fix at the Capital reminded him that he must not indulge in staying inside the bed for long.
"Then when are you two going to start coming back to work in the office?" Leon asked, still unconvinced with their explanations.
"I… can start right away…" Antoine awkwardly said, he was so taken aback by Leon's uncanny approach towards the two of them that he was not even able to realize that it was already evening and he could only start tomorrow.
"I will start tomorrow…" Kazimir was also feeling the same… they did not know why, but perhaps because of Leon's way of telling things, they were forced to set aside unnecessary thoughts and allowed their youngest to lead them by the nose.
"Hmm… good, then Father Emperor can rest assured." Leon finally stood up, patted his legs, and moved to exit the room. "I'll see you two tomorrow.."
Antoine was surprised as he thought, 'Wait that was it?'
'No confrontational words? Not even a single word of blaming?'
Antoine thought over and over about how Leon would confront the two of them, but he never expected that Leon would accuse them of running from work instead.
"W-wait for me…" Antoine also hurriedly stood up and moved to catch up with Leon only to see him stop and turned to look at the two of them again.
Out of nowhere, he threw a question to the bewildered two, "Do you know what was the very first lesson Father Emperor taught me when I was young?"
The two did not reply and just looked at Leon in confusion.
"He taught me who my family is…"
"There's him and then my biological mother… the second queen…"
"There's also the two of you… my brothers by blood…"
"And so no matter what happened, he told me to never let go of the bond that I have, even if that connection was only bound by things as superficial as blood."
"Because that makes me a Seirende… by blood and by heart."
"It was only then will I receive the blessings of the first victor, our inheritance… which was far more valuable than the throne."
The two listened quietly as their minds drifted over the fact that they too remembered this first lesson done by their Father Emperor. But somehow along the way, they had long forgotten about this thing and had long set aside the values of being an offspring of Seirende.
"And so, the two of you need not think so hard… No matter what happens, the same blood is running through our veins… Why need to worry about other things? Aren't we born to carry one family name, no matter who our maternal family was?"
He looked at the two as if he was asking a question with an obvious answer.
