SLDS 50

“And you’re the one who eagerly fell for it.”

“You are really… getting better at deceiving people by the day.”

“It’s one of my strengths.”

Cecil didn’t even bat an eye.

Claude was so infuriated by the way he took the sarcasm as a compliment that the back of his neck grew stiff.

Claude squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them, downing his drink again.

In terms of physical strength, Cecil was no match for him, but somehow, Claude lost every verbal spar. Forgetting that the other was royalty, a grumbling sound escaped him.

“Mr. Cecil… it would be nice if you would just speak more gently. Isn’t it a waste that you were born with such a pretty face?”

“Are you saying that I’m currently acting in a way that diminishes my face value?”

“Yes. Anyone who might have run to you in fondness would run away instead.”

“…That’s true. There’s no way anyone would like me.”

Cecil let out a soft, wry laugh. His face, as he looked down below the railing and muttered self-deprecatingly, looked lonelier than ever. It was only natural that Claude, who had been confidently sarcastic, was now flustered.

“……No, that’s not, it’s not exactly…”

Claude just bit his lip, unable to complete the sentence.

Not having a way with words was an extremely awkward thing. He let out a long sigh, as if the ground might collapse. Then he generously filled Cecil’s emptying glass with wine.

“I misspoke just now.”

“……”

“Actually, the guys in the Royal Knights rather like you, Mr. Cecil. It was during the Rocco Maxwell incident last time. Weren’t you the one who spoke up more than anyone else to protect his well-being? They may not express it, but many knights were moved.”

Cecil snorted softly.

“I didn’t do it because I was worried about Rocco. I did it for myself. It was a selfish act, as always.”

“It was a courageous act.”

“……”

“Including myself, everyone in the knight order regrets it. That we should have listened more closely to your words back then. No, in the first place, something like that should never have happened. To have lost a precious life… it’s just a shame.”

Cecil, leaning against the railing, was lost in thought. Was Rocco fated to take his own life from the start? It wasn’t as if he could know everyone’s future.

Would things have been different if he had looked after and cared for Rocco more? Or would it have been better if he had pretended not to see when he witnessed the scene?

There was no point in dwelling on it. Rocco was already buried in the ground. Overwhelmed by a sense of frustration, Cecil found himself downing one drink after another.

Just as he was about to empty about half of his full glass, a hand reached out from behind his shoulder. Alexis took the glass Cecil was holding and said.

“Are you planning on showing me your drunken state again? I’d like to decline.”

Then he drained the wine Cecil had been drinking in one gulp.

Cecil saw Alexis’s Adam’s apple bob right before his eyes. Dumbfounded, he too swallowed the remaining wine in his mouth along with his saliva.

“Why did you come here? We deliberately made way for you.”

“I heard you two were drinking, and I didn’t feel at ease. I was also worried you might fight. It seems my prediction was correct.”

Cecil subtly shifted his gaze. Seeing the knight commander, who had already straightened his posture, he blew a puff of air from his mouth, ruffling his bangs.

“I was planning on wrapping it up soon anyway. Drinking with Claude makes the wine taste bad.”

“Wow…”

Claude’s shoulders trembled with a sense of betrayal. After all the nice things he had just said, this was how he was repaid? He was holding back because Cecil was royalty; otherwise, he would have stretched out those lips that only spout hateful words.

“Is that so? Then shall we go for a walk?”

“A walk? At this time of night?”

“Yuria said she wanted to walk for a little while.”

Only then did Cecil’s gaze shift to the side. He saw Yuria standing hesitantly at the entrance, unable to step onto the balcony.

A moment ago, her face had been brimming with happiness, but now, her expression was somewhat stiff.

Did her dinner not agree with her? Cecil was curious but didn’t pay much attention. After all, besides him, there were two other people to look after Yuria.

The grounds of Saint Palace were so vast that just circling the castle once was sufficient exercise. In particular, the path through the sequoia forest with its tall trees lining both sides was another famous spot that Saint Palace prided itself on.

It would have been a better sight if they had come when the sun was up, but a walk in the middle of the night also had its own charm. The soft grass underfoot felt like a high-end carpet, and in the pitch-black sky, jewel-like stars twinkled brilliantly.

The starlight seems particularly clear today. The cool breeze that had been blowing had also stopped, and the air had settled calmly.

Come to think of it, was today the day of the meteor shower?

Cecil, who was walking slowly and looking up at the sky, was suddenly reminded of the past.

He remembered the day the meteor shower fell, how he had thrown the crown prince into trouble and then enjoyed a celebratory drink alone. He had been immersed in an inexplicable sense of loneliness as he watched the mysterious trails outside the window by himself.

In his past life, Cecil was surrounded by more people than anyone, but in truth, he was lonely and pathetic. Perhaps it was because there wasn’t a single true ally among them.

But it was different now. Beside Cecil, Alexis was matching his pace, and just ahead, Yuria and Claude were walking, bickering as usual.

It was strange and peculiar that he was now part of the group that had always stuck together as a trio. What was certain was that it was a pleasant sense of incongruity.

“Look! I think a meteor is about to fall from the sky right now!”

Yuria, seemingly in a good mood again, shouted in a clear voice. She turned around and pointed at the dark sky with her arm raised high.

Just as she said, a moment later, a faint streak of light drew a diagonal line across the night sky. Then another meteor, and another. Their numbers gradually increased as they streaked across the sky.

“Wow…”

Cecil let out a sigh of admiration. Was it this beautiful? Even though he had seen this scene before, the way it touched his heart was completely different. He held his breath and looked up at the magnificent sight.

Ahead, Yuria was jumping up and down with joy, and even the stoic Claude looked up at the sky as if in awe. Alexis, who had been watching his people enjoy their happiness with his hands clasped behind his back, turned his gaze and looked down at Cecil standing beside him.

Cecil’s eyes were full of the meteor shower. His green eyes, tinged with gold, were in fact as beautiful as the night sky filled with falling meteors, making them a pleasure to watch.

However, his expression was peculiar. He seemed moved by the feast of starlight, yet at the same time, he looked somewhat sorrowful. The moisture welling up in his eyes was representing his current feelings. Alexis studied Cecil’s face carefully and, when the meteor shower had passed, asked.

“Are you crying?”

“……”

“Why do you look like that while watching something so beautiful?”

“It’s because I’m happy.”

“Do you make a face like you’re about to cry when you’re happy?”

Cecil laughed emptily. As if he could control his tears at will. He wrinkled his nose and wiped away the moisture left around his eyes.

“You can cry when you’re too happy.”

“It’s beautiful, but I don’t think it’s moving enough to that extent.”

“It’s just that I like this moment.”

The meteor shower scattered a fleeting light and disappeared, but this moment, shared by everyone, remained vividly with Cecil.

“It’s an unforgettable night.”

Alexis snorted softly. It was said that a person’s mood becomes more emotional when the moon rises, but he hadn’t known Cecil would be like that too. He took a step forward with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Don’t tell me you’re already drunk?”

“I’m not drunk.”

“You lie so well, I can’t possibly believe you.”

“I’m really not drun—!”

Cecil, who was closely following behind Alexis, tripped over his own feet and fell forward.

For a member of the royal family, who must always move with caution, to fall flat on his face, even the royal guards protecting the surroundings let out a gasp of surprise.

The most surprised was Alexis. Seeing Cecil lying face down on the ground, he strode over with his long legs.

“What? There’s nothing here, what did you trip on?”

“……”

When Cecil couldn’t say anything, Alexis thought he was seriously hurt somewhere. He quickly slipped his hands under Cecil’s armpits and lifted him up, gently brushing the dirt from his face.

Cecil’s face was beet red. It was because he was unspeakably embarrassed. Alexis, realizing this at once, pretended to check his condition and pulled on his sharp nose.

“I think your nose might be broken. The sound when you fell was quite something.”

“Ow, I’m, fwine.”

“Did you bite your tongue when you fell? Your pronunciation is somehow unclear.”

“Be’cuz, Your Highness, is pul’wing my nose like ‘at.”

Cecil, with a whiny, nasal voice, pushed Alexis’s hand away. Now his face was so red it looked like it would bleed if poked.

He really wanted to lie face down and cry. Cecil remained kneeling and covered his face with his hands, while Alexis squatted in front of him and laughed heartily.

“How old are you, still falling over like that?”

“…It was a mistake.”

Cecil couldn’t understand it either. He wasn’t normally a person who went around so absent-mindedly, but lately, he had been falling and getting hurt frequently.

It wasn’t like someone did it on purpose; it was all due to his own carelessness, so it was difficult to blame others.