SLDS 12

Cecil’s eyes widened. He hadn’t predicted this kind of situation, so his face was full of surprise. He hurriedly bowed his head.

“You don’t need to do that because of me.”

“Haha, a joke, it’s a joke! My goodness, you take it so seriously that I feel rather embarrassed.”

A hearty laugh echoed through the audience chamber. Emperor Arnold, who had been repeatedly stroking the back of Cecil’s head, soon spoke with a benevolent smile.

“At times like this, you must not hide but act confidently in front of others. Yes, the Crown Prince might be overwhelmed with his many state affairs, so it would be good if you, Cecil, were to help him by his side.”

“…Yes?”

“The time you’ve been apart has been long, so your brotherly bond may have grown distant. Wouldn’t this be a good opportunity to strengthen it?”

Help with state affairs. Cecil was completely dumbfounded.

Isn’t this too soon? Besides, Alexis will clearly not want this.

His dazed gaze naturally turned toward the Crown Prince. He was staring steadfastly ahead, making it impossible to grasp what he was thinking.

“Cecil, you must answer.”

“Your Majesty… how could I dare.”

“Oh dear. Our boy has lost his nerve. Alexis. What are your thoughts?”

“If Your Majesty wishes it so, I must willingly follow.”

“Did you hear that?”

The situation was taking an unexpected turn. He couldn’t say no here. Cecil pressed his lips firmly together and nodded.

“Well then, we have finished all we had to say, so everyone may leave. I am tired. I must go take my afternoon nap now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Yes. Your Majesty.”

Alexis and the Minister of Foreign Affairs rose with due courtesy. Cecil, not wanting to be left behind, also hastily finished his farewells and had to leave.

A long corridor stretched from the audience chamber to the main palace entrance. Cecil quickened his pace and barely managed to catch up with Alexis’s long strides.

“Your Highness, why did you agree?”

“Did His Majesty not wish it? I always just follow his will.”

“You don’t want me helping with your work.”

“Are you suggesting I should have opposed His Majesty’s will then?”

“Your Highness could have certainly come up with a plausible reason.”

At that moment, the swiftly walking legs came to an abrupt halt. Meeting Alexis’s sharp gaze, Cecil quickly sucked in a breath.

“You speak as if you know me quite well.”

Of course I do. I have what kind of person you are already engraved into my very bones.

Cecil barely managed to swallow the words rolling around in his mouth back down his throat. Fortunately, only a sigh escaped.

“Does it not bother Your Highness at all?”

“What?”

“That I… like men. Don’t you find it repulsive?”

Alexis pulled one corner of his mouth up taut. A faint sneer spread across his indifferent face.

“It doesn’t matter. Whatever your sexual preference is, it’s fine as long as the object of it isn’t me. Not that there’s any possibility of that, of course.”

“…That’s right.”

At the words that tore into his chest, Cecil could only look down at the ground. He saw his own hands trembling wretchedly and quickly hid them behind his back.

That’s right. This is a feeling that must never be found out. He had to suppress it completely, hide it deep so that Alexis would never know. He couldn’t even let a disappointed expression show on his face.

“Follow me.”

The cold command fell from above his head. As Alexis began to walk with heavy steps, Cecil steeled his heart and hurriedly followed those long legs.

✽ ✽ ✽

There are a total of seven palaces within the imperial palace grounds.

Each palace had a symbol representing its meaning, and in the case of the St. Palace, where the Crown Prince resided, it was the sequoia. The trees, as tall as the palace itself, were like spiritual guardians protecting the palace, no different from living castle walls.

The centuries-old sequoia trees were all straight and lush. They resembled Alexis. His robust vitality and his noble spirit that would not break no matter what.

Cecil stared endlessly at the green leaves swaying outside the window, soothing his heavy, sinking feelings.

‘To think I’d come to this place again.’

Even now, if he closes his eyes, the sight of Alexis dying in this office, vomiting blood, comes to him as vividly as ever. The horrific memory was deeply engraved in his head and heart, always tormenting Cecil.

His eyes, a slightly lighter shade than the deep green leaves, turned to the side. At the desk directly opposite him, the Crown Prince was working frantically.

He looked busy. The piles of documents were proof.

Not only that, the attendants of the St. Palace ceaselessly brought in and carried away work. There was no space left on the wide desk, so there were a total of six trolleys on standby next to it. All were filled with thick books and rolled-up parchments.

Cecil tapped the empty desk with his finger.

‘If he has so much work, he could at least share some with me. Didn’t he bring me here because he needed a hand?’

On Cecil’s desk, there was only black ink and a pen. Even then, the pen had never been dipped in the ink. He had been left like this for three days now.

For half a day every day, Cecil would come to the Crown Prince’s palace and spend his time in vain before leaving. Alexis had said he would let him know if he needed help, but he only gave Cecil a desk and did not assign him any work.

His intention was clear.

It meant that he would rather die from being buried in work than receive Cecil’s help, and it also meant that his abilities were not lacking enough to need Cecil’s help.

Well, he didn’t particularly have any complaints. Watching Alexis’s focused face was quite entertaining in its own way.

Besides, wasn’t this a pretty good seat? In fact, he felt the day flew by.

Cecil twirled the pen that was not fulfilling its purpose between his fingers. Alexis glanced over at the childish prank for a moment, then turned his gaze back to his documents, losing interest.

Knock, knock. With a knock, the chamberlain who had served Alexis for a long time entered.

“Your Highness, Knight Commander Claude Vandel has arrived. I will show him to the reception room.”

“Ah, right. It’s that time already.”

Alexis put down his documents and left the office. As the only eye candy disappeared, Cecil inwardly swallowed his disappointment.

As soon as the Crown Prince left his seat, his attendants began to move busily. Three or four of them formed a human line and stood as if guarding the front of the desk.

It was obvious who they were wary of, even without asking. Cecil scoffed and turned his head.

Suddenly, a wall clock caught his eye. Since he had gone into a meeting with Knight Commander Claude, it would probably take at least an hour.

‘Ah, it’s going to be boring from now on.’

Spending time in the office without Alexis was really not something to do. Time was precious as it is, so it felt like a waste.

While Cecil was fruitlessly eating away at his precious time, Alexis, who had entered the reception room, met with Claude, who had arrived beforehand.

He settled his body into the huge single-person sofa as if collapsing into it. As the cushion filled with goose down sank deeply, his neatly combed platinum blond hair scattered. At the sight of him carelessly sweeping his bangs back, Claude showed a satisfied smile for the first time in a while.

“You look tired.”

“You look pleased.”

“How could I not be pleased when Your Highness is approaching this with such sincerity?”

“Enough with the nonsense. Just give me the report.”

Alexis gestured with his finger while leaning back loosely. Claude, sitting with his back straight, neatly spread out the documents he had prepared on the table.

“First, the total number of people who passed the document screening is 182, and the selection will begin tomorrow.”

“More than I thought.”

“It’s the first recruitment in seven years. Thanks to that, a tremendous number of applications poured in.”

The knight order was mainly applied for by common nobles. For them, entering the knight order was the most certain path to success.

It was an especially attractive profession in that one received clear rewards according to their merits. If they did well, they could even be granted a title, so it was an opportunity that could absolutely not be missed.

Alexis picked up the thick bundle of documents placed before him and quickly read through the characters written inside. In contrast to his indifferent posture, his gaze was sharp.

“There had better be a lot of useful ones.”

“Let’s be generous with the selections. Probably half of them will give up and leave during the apprenticeship.”

“That’s because our Knight Commander is so vicious.”

The corner of Alexis’s mouth rose crookedly. For words directed at a trusted aide, they were barbed, but Claude simply nodded as if he too agreed.

Alexis tossed down the application he was holding. His eyes felt dry, perhaps from looking at documents for so long. He tilted his head back and pressed on his warm eyelids.

“Just finish up to the first round of selections. I will look at them myself after that.”

“Will you be alright? I heard you haven’t been able to sleep much.”

“It’s just because it’s the beginning, it will get better soon. I’m examining each one with my own eyes, so right now I can’t get anyone’s help…”

Alexis trailed off while recounting his situation and let out an inadvertent, deflated laugh. He touched his forehead and only his eyes looked up.

“Do you know that His Majesty assigned Cecil to me?”

“Ah… I heard about it. He told him to help with state affairs, I believe.”

Claude took a sip of his cold-brewed tea.

They had been together for twenty years. Knowing Alexis’s meticulous nature better than anyone, he couldn’t imagine him working with someone he didn’t trust by his side. He had been secretly curious, so he didn’t miss the chance to ask.

“There’s no way Your Highness would give him anything to do… What on earth is that boy doing there?”

“Just being there. Sometimes he looks at the trees, sometimes he looks at my face.”

“He looks at you, Your Highness?”

“He stares quite blankly.”

Perhaps finding it funny upon recollection, the corners of Alexis’s mouth wouldn’t return to their place.

He had no intention of sharing his work with Cecil anyway. He was merely following the Emperor’s command, with the purpose of keeping him by his side to watch him.

Cecil Adrian, sitting there like a pretty ornament, seemed to have no intention of hiding his gaze. Occasionally, when he raised his head, their eyes would invariably meet. The gaze was devoid of any intention, filled only with goodwill, and there were many times Alexis was dumbfounded by it.

“The rumor that he likes men is already rampant in the capital.”

“That was fast. Then again, the mouths of those called nobles are quite loose.”

“Aren’t you taking this too lightly? What if he develops strange feelings for Your Highness?”

“That’s absurd.”

Alexis let out a baffled laugh. He had no interest in Cecil’s preferences. No, in fact, he didn’t even believe that Cecil liked men.

You can tell by looking at their eyes. When pederasts look at someone they fancy, their pupils usually fill with lust as they indulge in impure thoughts.

But in those emerald eyes, there wasn’t a speck of darkness.

“The more I see him, the less I understand him.”

What was his intention in willingly revealing a weakness that would clearly tarnish his future standing? And to antagonize the Empress, who supports him both materially and spiritually? He couldn’t possibly fathom his inner thoughts.

“Your Highness, I apologize for interrupting… but a message just arrived from the Empress’s palace.”

An attendant hesitantly delivered the message. When Alexis nodded, the attendant scurried over and politely handed him the letter he held.

As he read the letter, Alexis let out a small, bitter laugh. At that, Claude asked cautiously.

“What is it?”

“Our Empress has added one more burden for me.”

Alexis suppressed his uncomfortable feelings and fell deep into thought. Before long, his long, narrow eyes squinted.

“Is Cecil still in the office?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Perfect timing. It’s about time I gave him some work.”

The soft paper was mercilessly crumpled in the Crown Prince’s palm.

Since the Empress had made the first provocation, he would gladly play along. And while he was at it, he would also dig up the inner thoughts that Cecil was hiding.