This time, Leon's words were for Kazimir, whose main concern was the fact that he was part of the Vesala family.
"...but it doesn't mean that it is wrong for you to grieve about the things that are in your mind… What I am saying is… even if these things happened and that your maternal family has fallen… the circumstances will never define who you are…"
"You will remain the kind of Prince you are to the people, especially if you take no heed to what others would think about you…"
Leon looked at Kazimir and as he went on his way he left the words, "Trust me… I have been living like that since seven…"
Antoine and Kazimir were left speechless as they stared at the closed door where Leon was. The words that he left made them realize many things…
One of them was that… everything that they have been struggling with at the moment has been something that Leon lived with when he was sent to the borders.
Antoine and Kazimir stared at each other… each thinking something deep about themselves. Leon's words were impactful because they came from him, who they knew had all become subject to the same struggle at a point in his life.
As for the two of them…
Kazimir was struggling now with how he would face the reality now that he was no longer someone of a prestigious lineage but a questionable one.
Antoine is also yet to see for himself how he would accept the things that his mother told him back then. For now, he was just focused on recovering and worrying about how he would solve the regrets he had back then when he was about to die.
The silence was suffocating between the two however, one thing was on their minds right now… what Leon told earlier makes sense to them.
"S-see you around…" Antoine left with no words to say, to which Kazimir answered with a nod.
Minutes after, Arielle came back to Kazimir's room, checking if he was feeling alright.
"Husband… do you want me to ask them to bring you dinner?" Arielle asked carefully as she was trying to figure out if Kazimir is now ready to interact with others.
She did not know why, but seeing Leon enter to interact with her husband made her hopeful that he will be able to encourage Kazimir to do so.
"Yes… I want to have dinner…" Kazimir replied.
"Alright… I'll inform the palace servants right away!" Arielle was teary-eyed when she heard Kazimir's reply.
She could not help but smile even more when Kazimir continued, "Also, I will be starting to go and join Leon and Antoine to take care of the Imperial matters tomorrow… As for you and Monti, you can now relax and go back to our residence. The place here will be chaotic as soon as the three of us get back to our post."
"Alright… Alright… Are you sure you are already fine?" Arielle asked once more to which he replied with a determined nod.
–
The morning came and everyone was still as busy as ever.
However, the officials taking care of the matters suddenly went into a commotion the moment they heard the news of the First and Second Princes coming back to their posts.
Leon finally entered the room, taking the lead, while Antoine and Kazimir were still yet to get used to the new environment they were in.
"Greetings, Your Highnesses, First Prince, Second Prince, and Third Prince!" The noblemen and the palace officials greeted the three brothers in surprise.
"Settle down…" Leon commanded them to which they obediently complied. Looking at their surprised and excited faces, he opened his mouth again to announce Kazimir and Antoine's comeback.
"As you all know, my brothers have been injured during the war and have been recovering in the past few days. But because of the great need to have someone to lead on the rebuilding of the Empire, they opted to cut their recovery periods and come back to help us in helping our Capital recover."
"First Prince Kazimir and Second Prince Antoine will be joining us from this point forward!"
The people in the meeting room burst into loud discussions, most of them were expressing their goodwill and relief that the two could already join the work and lead them.
Kazimir and Antoine also addressed the rest of the men well.
As the meeting went on, it was decided that Kazimir would be in charge of taking care of the people whose homes were destroyed by the intense war. He has been the kind of prince whose influence stretched far more than the other three. And so he was the best candidate to handle people relations as they rebuild the place.
Antoine on the other hand will be in charge of guarding the traitors as well as investigating them. With his viridescent summoners, he would be the best candidate to ensure that the traitors are well guarded and justice will be served.
Leon, on the other hand, was in charge of making sure that the security of the Empire was impeccable so that no enemy will have thoughts to take advantage of the fact that the Seirende Empire is unstable at the moment. He was also the one coordinating with the two attack troops in the east and west in order to ensure that there are no residual forces remaining within the Empire's premises.
As for the rebuilding, for some reason, the officials were really bewildered by the fact that suddenly there appeared numerous skilled men that helped rebuild the Empire voluntarily.
None of them knew that these men were actually Roaming Blade members, working outside the spotlight to help Leon on his duties as he basically did everything until now.
"With this, we are sure to be able to get back on our feet soon!" The officials exclaimed in relief.
"We can do this, only if everyone here is on the same page. Our goal was to make the Capital recover its former glory…" Kazimir replied.
"Yes indeed…" Antoine seconded.
The men were shocked once again as they heard the two princes' words. Back then, they were not someone who would explicitly announce to everyone their willingness to cooperate with their brothers, especially with Leon.
But now… they were not even casting Leon a contemptuous glance and they even listened to what he was saying. The men wondered how the three princes came to an agreement to temporarily truce.
After the meeting, the officials gleefully exited the meeting room leaving the three brothers to face each other once again.
"I have heard the news… the forces from the East and West will eventually wrap up, take the arrested sinners and transport them to the capital for trial…" Kazimir blurted out to break the heavy and uneasy atmosphere between the three of them.
"If that happens, Brother… are you prepared to see what would eventually happen?" Leon asked him with a serious face.
"Brother??"
"Brother…"
Antoine and Kazimir did not really expect that Leon would address one of them as such after all these years. As they have been starting to realize how cruel and undeserving they were to be even treated as elder brothers by Leon, they were not even sure if Leon's way of approaching them brings them relief or more guilt.
"Yes, brother," Leon repeated the same words in a tone where he was asking the two what was wrong with calling them, brother.
"But back then we…" Antoine could not take it anymore and finally jumped on the cliff to confront his guilt.
"We… I treated you unfairly and cruelly.." He continued, "Out of nowhere I showed you contempt and never even explained to you why I suddenly did it…"
Kazimir also opened his mouth and blatantly told his wrongdoings, "I continually insulted you, and the Second Queen. I even openly gloated upon your misfortune and had constantly joined my mother in plotting against you…"
"These are all sins that could not be forgiven… so we do not understand why… you are acting like these all never happened…" Kazimir furrowed his brows… remembering the plots he did, he was convinced that Leon was not acting according to logic.
"I knew all those things you did… And I will not deny that you both have hurt me deeper than what you think… But…" Leon looked at them, these two brothers of his were someone who constantly made his life unbearable and dark, but he knew what was inside his heart as well.
"I have been waiting for the two of you to change one day…"
"Every day I prayed that you would once call me brother…"
"Every night I prayed that you would at least show me that you are glad that I went home safe after a dreadful mission outside…" As he was saying this… Leon's eyes reflected the pain and longing he had in his heart during those times.
"And to tell you… it was not as if I decided to let go of these hurts long ago… in fact… I only decided to do that during the time that we almost lost Brother Antoine…"
"That moment, something had hit me… what am I waiting for?"
"An apology?"
"Retribution?"
"Reconciliation?"
"I don't know… but all I am sure was… I am not willing to wait until you two are no longer alive in order for me to free myself from the restraint that formed our relationship!"
"And thus forgiving you…
Letting go of the grievance I suffered under your hands…
Is for me to become free and a whole person!"
A whole man, for my soon-to-be wife and my son!
