SLDS 87

Cecil was stunned by the shower of kisses that fell like welcome rain. But his surprise was brief, and he smiled brightly, patting Alexis on the shoulder.

It was only natural that he, too, felt a sense of fulfillment seeing Alexis so happy. A smile formed on its own.

“I am glad that you have returned healthy, without any injuries.”

“I heard you were sick. They said you were severely ill while I was away.”

“…Ah.”

When he subtly turned his head, Leo and Ethan, who were standing in the corner, met his gaze and sent him a pointed look.

It seemed like a silent threat to hurry up and confess his secret to the Crown Prince as well.

Cecil feigned ignorance of their earnest demand and smiled broadly once more.

“Yes, the cold was so severe, I thought I was going to die.”

“You’ve lost a lot of weight. Shouldn’t you be resting more?”

“I am fine now. In fact, I was just about to get better. Isn’t that right, Royal Physician?”

“……Yes.”

Ethan answered reluctantly. Leo could not hide his downcast expression at all.

Lest Alexis notice the strange atmosphere, Cecil quickly grabbed his arm.

“In all the commotion, I wasn’t able to prepare a banquet to celebrate your victory. Instead, let’s have a meal together. I will treat you to dinner.”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

Alexis smiled and stroked Cecil’s cheek. He could certainly feel that he was thinner than before. The blue eyes looking at Cecil grew moist.

“I will just change my clothes and come back. I have so much to tell you.”

“I can give you as much time as you need.”

“I’ll see you in a little while.”

Alexis threw him the promise and turned to leave first. Cecil, who was seeing him off all the way, staggered as soon as the tall figure disappeared outside his chambers.

“Mr. Cecil!”

Ethan and Leo urgently supported him. Cecil waved his hand slowly, saying he was fine.

“You are overexerting yourself. You need to rest more.”

Cecil was also aware that his condition was not yet fully recovered. In this state, he could not meet with Alexis for long. With a face so haggard he looked like he might collapse at any moment, he gripped Ethan’s arm tightly.

“Just… help me get through dinner without incident.”

After a simple freshening up, Alexis crossed over to the Peridot Palace again. Belying his words about treating him to dinner, he showed up even before the sun had set.

Alexis had much to say.

Although they had gained the upper hand, the war had only just begun, and Kazanjan was by no means an easy opponent. Even while everyone was drunk on the joy of victory, he, as the commander-in-chief of the imperial army, was full of unspoken worries.

The only person he could confide in was Cecil. Because the brilliant boy, like a wise sage, would provide answers to Alexis’s anguish.

It was something that even Claude, his wet nurse’s brother and his closest aide for twenty years, could not do.

As a fellow royal, Cecil understood Alexis’s torment. His advice was clear and, at the same time, strict, and he candidly said things no one else would dare say to the crown prince of the empire.

“So, I don’t need to feel guilty?”

Alexis asked again, half-reclining on the wide sofa that was no different from a bed.

“To speak frankly, His Majesty the Emperor is a lost cause. You must prepare your heart.”

“You are too frank.”

“I am saying this because it is just the two of us. I do not go around talking like this elsewhere either.”

Cecil replied nonchalantly.

It was certainly an audacious thing to discuss the emperor’s death so carelessly. However, for Cecil, it was not a guess but a decided future, so he could not help but be calm.

Alexis mulled over Cecil’s words and brought the wine glass in his hand to his lips. After downing all the remaining wine, he spoke.

“The factions that follow the Empress have now mostly been purged. However, I don’t think the Empress will just watch quietly. Because she, too, must be aware that there is not much time left.”

“The more a person is cornered, the more vicious they become. Even a mouse will bite a cat.”

“So that’s why you told me not to go on any more expeditions.”

Cecil answered with a nod.

He, too, took a sip of the hot herbal tea placed before him. It tasted awful. It was because the royal physician had dissolved medicine in the tea.

Only by drinking this could he calm his stomach for a short while and act normal in front of Alexis. But he couldn’t do anything about the bitter taste, and Cecil unwittingly furrowed his brows.

“The timing is not good. If Your Highness goes to the battlefield yourself, the morale of the imperial army will surely rise. However, it would be best for you to guard the imperial palace and remain vigilant for at least a couple of months.”

“A couple of months won’t be enough to end the war.”

“No, it will take a long time. But since we started with a great victory, Kazanjan won’t be able to attack us easily either.”

Cecil drained his teacup and let out a long sigh.

“The imperial palace has as many enemies as a battlefield. If, by any chance, something unfortunate were to happen to Your Highness, it will become more difficult than losing the war.”

At those words, Alexis tilted his head. His body, buried in the sofa, also shifted slightly.

“It sounds as if you are very worried about me.”

Cecil snorted lightly.

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“Will you continue to worry about me even when I become emperor?”

It was a question that sounded vaguely affectionate. Cecil wondered how best to answer.

Of course, the answer was already set. He was just being careful lest his personal feelings seep into his expression.

In the meantime, Alexis propped his head on his hand and gazed steadily at Cecil. As he slowly raised his upper body, the distance to Cecil narrowed even further.

He reached out and cupped Cecil’s rigidly set jaw. As he pulled Cecil’s face toward him, the emerald eyes followed in the same direction.

Alexis gently rubbed Cecil’s jawline with his thumb. His gaze, which scrutinized everything that made up Cecil—his hair and skin, eyes, nose, and mouth—was quite intense and hot.

“Why have you gotten so thin?”

“…I told you I had a cold.”

“And now, you’re all better?”

As Alexis’s gaze roamed over his face, it became difficult for Cecil to maintain his composure any longer. Before his face could turn bright red, he shot up, springing from his seat.

“L-let’s go to dinner now. I think it should be ready.”

“What’s the rush?”

Alexis grabbed Cecil’s wrist as if snatching prey.

Pulled by the sudden force, his body, which had just stood up, collapsed ungracefully back down.

Not only were they closer than before, but as he was buried in Alexis’s embrace, Cecil relaxed his body as if to say he didn’t care anymore.

He didn’t have the stamina to resist anyway. He just hoped his face didn’t show too much of his excitement.

As if quite pleased that Cecil had become docile, the corners of Alexis’s mouth rose in a curve.

Twirling Cecil’s soft brown hair around his finger as if playing with a doll, he suddenly murmured.

“As I promised you, I will become a strong emperor. In return, you too must stay by my side for the rest of my life.”

“……”

“Cecil, I don’t think I can rule the empire without you now.”

The calmly uttered voice sounded like a confession. Of course, the meaning was different, but it struck Cecil with a similar weight.

Cecil closed his eyes and quietly quelled the storm rising in his heart. He was originally a greedy person, and if he didn’t restrain himself, he would end up wanting endlessly more.

Then, he lifted his eyelids. Cecil took Alexis’s hand, which was entwined in his hair, and slowly pulled it down.

“Your Highness will do well. Don’t you already have many excellent people by your side besides me?”

“Are you trying to subtly back out now?”

“That’s not it.”

Cecil let out a faint laugh. He firmly locked away his ardent feelings and replied smoothly.

“You must also get married.”

“…Married?”

“How long do you plan to remain single? Once you ascend the throne, I will make preparations in advance so that you can hold a wedding ceremony right away. The war will continue anyway, so even for a short while in between…”

Cecil paused. Alexis’s face before him looked somewhat dazed.

He had the expression of someone who had realized something they had forgotten. Then, his grip on their clasped hands tightened.

Alexis bit his lower lip gently and then spoke.

“Right, marriage… I do have to get married.”

“Are you perhaps unwilling to entrust it to me?”

“Of course not.”

Alexis straightened his crooked posture and buried his head in the soft backrest. Come to think of it, Cecil did not know that his relationship with Yuria had been resolved.

He had intended to tell him someday, but when Cecil recommended marriage to him, a wave of disappointment washed over him without his realizing it. Feeling as though he were the only one feeling this way, he looked up at the ceiling and let out an empty laugh.