TTQI 12

The next day, driven by a sense of duty that he could not let the soldiers’ morale fall, the prince went out to the training grounds, but he was unable to concentrate all day and could only fidget. It was for no other reason than that he kept becoming conscious of his chest, which had been abused the day before. The wounded chest was not only left with red marks, but it also bestowed a hot, tingling sensation all day long. It was much worse when his chest brushed against the fabric.

The prince, who often sustained injuries during training, would not bat an eye at most wounds, but the marks from a whip were quite different from the types of injuries he was accustomed to. The wounds were thin, yet their presence was overwhelming. Moreover, perhaps because of the location where he was struck, the pain was one thing, but he also felt a strange sensation that was impossible to describe with words. A kind of feverish heat that constantly got on his nerves.

The prince recalled what the queen had said before returning to her room the previous night.

「Your Highness, you have been wounded. You will not be able to show this to a physician, so I will make an ointment and send it to you. It is made with a combination I am confident in, so if you apply it diligently for a few days, the wound will heal quickly. However, it has bad compatibility with other medicinal herbs, so you must not apply any other ointment from Yonaras with it without my prescription. If you do, the wound might get worse.」

And at dawn, the queen had stopped by without a word and left behind the ointment in a round, flat container. After falling into a dead sleep from exhaustion that day, Zizlon woke up rather late in the morning with a tingling pain in his chest. Because he had fallen asleep without tending to his wound, his chest stung terribly.

It was so bad that it was difficult to even carry out his afternoon schedule, so Zizlon, in his desperation, had no choice but to spread the ointment Aion had left on his chest. Perhaps her claim that she made it with a combination she was confident in was not an empty one, because he felt the pain subside as soon as he applied the ointment. He felt quite relieved right after applying it, so he let his guard down and went out without much thought.

And before long, he found himself in a difficult situation. The relief from the pain was only temporary, and as soon as time passed and the ointment melted away, the bothersome feverish heat returned. Perhaps because it came back after having subsided for a while, it even felt like it had intensified. A tickling sensation scratched at his nerves all day long. It was to the point where he could not concentrate on his work at all, but he could not take off his clothes and scratch to his heart’s content in front of others.

In the end, the prince had to apply the ointment to his chest several times that day, avoiding people’s eyes. Like a petty thief, he would find a place out of sight and slather on a generous amount of ointment to create a cooling sensation. Perhaps because its effect was so good, its duration was not, and he was already on his fifth reapplication of the ointment.

His condition was already unstable to begin with. The prince was particularly worried about going to the training session he had rashly promised Ade. He would have to stay for at least two hours, and the ointment’s effect would surely wear off once within that time. However, he could not bring himself to cancel the promise, so he ignored his worried heart and came to the training, but just as he had feared, the problem occurred.

For several minutes now, Zizlon had been clutching his chest and restlessly shifting his body, like someone who was uncomfortable.

“Your Highness! Would you not mind checking my form?”

“I am sorry, but I am not in good condition today, so please, let’s do it next time.”

Just then, a soldier who was in the middle of swinging his sword called out to him. Zizlon, who had been distractedly fluttering his clothes, awkwardly refused with a bitter smile. Watching the soldier give up and turn back, his heart stung with guilt.

Given his condition, all strenuous activities were out of the question. Concentration was a secondary issue; if the hem of his clothes were to brush against his chest, he felt like he would let out a strange sound. Pricked by his own condition, Zizlon had declined all activities as soon as he arrived at the training and had gone to sit under a tree early on. Ade was a little puzzled, but thankfully, he did not ask anything and went out to the training grounds to join the soldiers. Ade said he would check on the soldiers’ training for a bit and then come to see him.

So Zizlon sat alone under the tree. As he blankly stared at the endlessly blue sky and the soldiers moving dynamically under the scorching sun, he felt an unbearably gloomy feeling. It was already a distant memory since he had last moved his body so excitedly without a care in the world, just like them. Now, because of the sense of sin that weighed down his shoulders, he would never be able to run as lightly as they did again.

It was at that moment, as he was once again ruminating on the regrets of his now-twisted life. He saw Ade break away from the crowd and approach him.

“Have you been waiting?”

“Not at all.”

The two substituted a greeting with a light nod. When Zizlon shifted his body slightly to the side to make room, Ade came and sat there. He, who was already drenched in sweat, let out a sigh as he looked at the sky.

“Hah, it’s so hot… By the way, are you not training today either?”

“Uh, yeah… Something has come up recently. Don’t worry, I’m doing it on my own at dawn.”

“I’m not worried about your workout amount at all, you know? More importantly, what came up so suddenly? I heard His Majesty suddenly decided to send an envoy to Gerta, is it because of that?”

An envoy to Gerta? He was sorry, but that was the first he had ever heard of it. These days, Zizlon had no time to care for anything other than himself. Zizlon avoided Ade’s gaze and mumbled his words vaguely.

“It’s just… nothing special.”

“Hmph, you inscrutable fellow… Anyway, you promised to spar with me again. I even decided what we’d bet this time, and you’re suddenly backing out?”

When Ade complained, the already withdrawn Zizlon could not take his words as a joke and felt a pang of guilt.

“Did I?”

“What’s with that expression? You don’t have to worry about it. I was just saying.”

Seeing the dejected prince, Ade jabbed his side firmly with his elbow, and Zizlon smiled sheepishly. Just then, Ade suddenly peered intently at Zizlon’s face.

“What is it?”

Zizlon, feeling a prick of conscience, pulled his body back slightly. Regardless, Ade, who had been staring at his face for a while, asked in a serious voice.

“You… what’s wrong with your lips?”

What Ade was looking at was none other than Zizlon’s lips. The lips that had been abused the previous day were not only noticeably chapped, but the corner of his mouth was also slightly torn with a scab. Realizing this with a start, Zizlon hastily covered his mouth. It was a fatal mistake to have been so preoccupied with his chest that he had not thought about his lips.

“You…?”

Ade smiled slyly. Zizlon’s shrunken heart pounded like a drum.

“……”

“You, don’t tell me!”

After dragging it out for a while, Ade exclaimed boldly.

“You got a girlfriend?”

“…Huh?”

“Tell me. You had a lo~ng kiss last night with that mysterious woman you met on the festival day, right?”

“N-No, that’s not it.”

Zizlon gulped. When Ade then tried to make a fuss and press against him, Zizlon feigned disgust and quickly pushed him away. Fortunately, Ade thought Zizlon was just pretending to be annoyed as usual and chuckled as if it were amusing. Zizlon, who was watching him, also hid his uncomfortable feelings and forced a smile.

“It’s not that, I just… ate something a bit spicy this morning.”

“Really?”

“Y-Yes, I did.”

“Alright.”

Although he still wore a suspicious expression, perhaps because he read Zizlon’s discomfort, Ade did not press the matter further. But the relief was short-lived. Zizlon felt guilty for being so busy lying out of fear of his friend finding out, and he sank into a deeper gloom than before. A sense of futility washed over him. Zizlon lamented in secret.

‘Ah…! I really can’t take it anymore. I feel sick to my stomach. If I keep living like this, I’m going to waste away and die….’

“…lon.”

‘Will this farce ever end? What a pathetic sight, being swayed by his every word. If he knew I was such a coward, would he despise me too….’

“―Zizlon!”

“…Hah! Ah, what, what did you say?”

Zizlon, who had unwittingly fallen into his thoughts, snapped back to reality with a start. Ade had been calling his name for some time now. Seeing Ade looking at him, Zizlon floundered with a flustered expression. Even though he was right next to him, it did not feel like they were in the same space. At that, Ade’s expression gradually hardened, and a serious air settled over him. For a while, the two just stared at each other quietly.

“You… have been strange lately.”

“…Huh?”

“Even when you’re talking with me just fine, you suddenly zone out, and you don’t hear when someone calls you.”

“……”

“…Is something wrong?”

For the first time in hours, Ade was looking straight into his eyes. In Ade’s clear eyes, he could read unconditional trust and solidarity. Ade did not say much, but he was a trustworthy person. His demeanor was serious, and also true. Instead of words, his confident eyes were expressing that he was ready to listen to any story.

At that moment, a thought suddenly struck him. That perhaps, now was the chance. In that instant, the prince’s blue eyes wavered minutely.

“…No, not really.”

But, in the end, Zizlon refused the chance. His act of smiling as if to say, ‘what are you talking about,’ was quite brazen.

“…Is that so?”

Ade silently nodded and turned his eyes away.

“……”

Zizlon’s eyelids twitched minutely. I want to run away. This is uncomfortable. Zizlon forced down the words that were rising up to his chin. He had kicked the chance away himself, yet pathetically, regret surged within him. But, Zizlon could not be sure that he would be on his side. He was just endlessly afraid.

By refusing to confess even to his closest friend in the world, he was now left with no one on his side in this world. Zizlon’s mind went blank. The feeling of standing alone in an empty world. It was a feeling of being completely alone. It was a terrible loneliness he had never experienced in his entire life.

Meanwhile, Ade, having concluded the conversation, got up without any lingering attachment. As it was time for a break, Ade waved at the soldiers and shouted.

“Everyone! It’s time. The morning training is over, so go rest under the shade for a bit!”

Hearing Ade’s words, the soldiers put down their weapons and began to approach the shade in small groups. Then, a blast of hot air and the smell of sweat wafted from the robust men who had trained their bodies diligently. Zizlon momentarily felt a wave of nausea and reflexively wrinkled his face. Zizlon, realizing this right after, was quite taken aback. Strange. Since when had he become so intensely aware of the smell of a man’s sweat?

Just then, one of the soldiers approaching him shouted.

“Your Highness! Are you not training today?”

Ade clicked his tongue and, on behalf of the prince, answered curtly.

“Don’t speak to His Highness the Prince in such a flippant manner. And he is resting today because he is not feeling well.”

“Aww~ That’s a shame. I was looking forward to it, thinking you would finally spar with the Vice-Captain today.”

“I told you not to, you punk.”

Ade flicked him on the forehead. With a thwack, laughter erupted among the soldiers. Even Ade was laughing, but Zizlon alone wore a gloomy expression.

“Your Highness, Your Highness, do you know what Vice-Captain Villeneuve said he would bet in the next spar?”

One of the excited soldiers chimed in.

“Hey, hey, don’t say it.”

“He said he’d bet the passage permit for the horse he lost last time. To bring that horse to the royal territory, he said you’d need a passage permit from the Villeneuve domain to the royal castle.”

“Hey, I said not to tell him! That’s my secret weapon!”

“Ooooh, the Vice-Captain is a coward.”

A commotion arose as Ade and the soldiers engaged in a playful scuffle. Zizlon let their conversation go in one ear and out the other. He was not in the right state of mind to focus on such idle chatter. The intense smell emanating from the men had been making him feel extremely uncomfortable since a while ago.

Before long, Zizlon, having reached his limit, got to his feet. He intended to escape to any place where the smell was not present. Naturally, the soldiers’ attention turned to him. Ade, with a questioning look, asked on behalf of the group.

“Huh? Where are you going all of a sudden?”

Zizlon fidgeted, avoiding their eyes.

“Ah, since there are a lot of people, it’s a bit… hot, so I’m going to sit farther away.”

“Oh ho.”

“……?”

He suddenly flashed a sly grin. In a flash of a moment, a thrilling and brilliant idea for revenge for what happened last time had come to mind. Leaving the bewildered Zizlon behind, Ade shot up to his feet and shouted to the soldiers.

“Did you hear that? His Highness says he’s hot. Let’s throw him in the pond!”

“What did you say?”

Zizlon asked back in horror, but the excited soldiers did not hear his voice. With a cheer of Waaaah!, the soldiers rose in a rush.

Since the prince was quite informal with the soldiers, it was not uncommon for them to exchange severe pranks, led by the mischievous Ade. But in this moment, Zizlon recalled the red marks clearly engraved on his chest. He was wearing white clothes of all things, so if he got wet, the hideous traces left by the queen might be revealed for all the world to see.

Noticing Zizlon trying to step back, the first one to rush him was Ade. Ade grabbed his shoulder with a mischievous look on his face. At that moment, the prince’s complexion instantly turned pale.

“Stop it!”

A tearing shout echoed.

“Ugh!”

As soon as he shouted, Zizlon violently struck his hand away. The moment a loud smack! echoed, the air turned ice-cold as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over them. The startled soldiers stopped their actions at once and stared at him. Ade, too, was staring at him blankly, clutching his stinging hand. In the very next moment, bewilderment flickered in Zizlon’s eyes as well.

“……”

“…I apologize.”

While everyone was frozen, Ade, who was the first to come to his senses, quickly apologized. Villeneuve’s bow was impeccably polite. It seemed Ade, who had his proprieties despite pretending otherwise, realized he had committed a discourtesy that was too severe to be done to a superior. Watching this, Zizlon felt his stomach churn rapidly. His face crumpled terribly.

“……!”

“Ah! Your Highness!”

And then, without warning, Zizlon turned his body and started running. He felt like he could not possibly stay in this place in his right mind. He knew Ade was reaching a hand out towards him, but Zizlon ran without looking back. Pretending not to hear the soldiers’ murmuring, he fled with a shudder.

Running blindly towards a place with no people, Zizlon reached a deserted castle wall. Exhaling the ragged breaths that rose up to his chin, Zizlon placed a hand on the moss-covered wall and suddenly dry-heaved.

“Ugh… Uuurgh…”

After a few dry heaves, vomit surged up. In the end, Zizlon threw up everything he had eaten for breakfast. After the retching stopped, Zizlon, panting for breath, stared at the old wall with blurry vision. He could see the mess he had made.

“……”

Everything was a mess.

When evening came that day, Zizlon attended the family dinner as usual. Lately, he felt like being alone more than ever, but eating together as a family was an unspoken promise to maintain family bonds after his mother passed away. One could call it a noble ritual of family love that was not limited to just consumption. The excuse of being sick had lost its effectiveness after several days of sick leave, so Zizlon had to take the reluctant steps.

“You’re here.”

There, Zizlon met and greeted his father, who seemed somehow more brusque than usual. Fortunately or unfortunately, the prince, who was preoccupied with maintaining his expression, did not notice the subtle change. As soon as the king saw the prince, he expressed his concern, saying his complexion looked poor. Zizlon could not bring himself to look his father in the eye and only repeated that he was fine.

“Are you truly fine? It seems this is the first time you’ve been sick for this long. I am sorry I could not visit you as I was busy.”

“Not at all, Your Majesty. You are busy with state affairs, it would be a disaster if you were to catch my cold. Even if you had said you would come, I would have declined first.”

Zizlon secretly hoped that his haggard complexion would not be noticed. He was already with the person he felt most apologetic to face in this situation, and he was too exhausted from the start to brazenly pretend to be fine. It was due to the mental anguish he had suffered during the day. Zizlon had barely eaten breakfast and lunch, but he had no appetite at all. His throat felt parched, as if forcing anything down would make it get stuck with a thud.

But to make matters worse, Zizlon’s condition deteriorated further when he saw a third person appear at the dinner table. He was having a pleasant conversation with the king when he suddenly heard a murmur and looked at the door to see another person entering. It was none other than the queen, appearing with her head held high shamelessly.

Unaware that Zizlon’s composure had slipped and his face had hardened, the king wore a pleased expression.

“Prince, the queen has joined us for dinner today. It seems she will be with us at the dining table from now on.”

The queen gave a casual nod with her characteristic expressionless face. The king watched the entire scene with eyes full of affection. Seeing the two of them looking so happy together, Zizlon felt his stomach turn. He tried his best to smile, but the twitching muscles in his face were threatening to escape his control. For the prince, simply maintaining a neutral expression without frowning was his maximum effort. His cheeks occasionally twitched and spasmed.

Taking advantage of a moment when the king was looking away, Zizlon shot the queen a look that rebuked, ‘Are you out of your mind?’ Aion glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, then turned her eyes away as if he was not even worth her attention. Cold sweat trickled down his spine.

“Now, now, everyone, please be seated.”

The king then led the party to the dining table. As he sat down, Zizlon blatantly showed his discomfort. He fidgeted with his hands and looked around nervously, appearing like someone being chased. Unlike the queen who sat calmly, Zizlon, who had no immunity to lies, was on pins and needles. Just sitting here with the two of them made him feel so apologetic that he wanted to disappear somewhere. Moreover, a vague fear that his father might find out about their relationship made him anxious. His firm resolve to act normal was already in disarray from the start.

But the queen remained composed the entire time. Unlike Zizlon who nervously glanced at the party, she did not give the prince a single look. It was an attitude of someone who truly had nothing to hide. Though they were accomplices in an affair, their demeanors were polar opposites.

The uncomfortable meal began. As the servants brought out the food one by one, Zizlon quietly picked up his spoon. He had no confidence in controlling his expression, so he intended to stare only at his plate until the end. As the meal progressed, he moved his hands mechanically, unaware if the food was going into his nose or his mouth. Whatever he ate felt like he was eating dry dirt.

Since he was unusually quiet, the king would occasionally speak to him. Zizlon forced himself to answer, and each time he met the king’s eyes, he barely managed to form something resembling a smile.

Even during this time, the queen showed no interest in Zizlon whatsoever. On the contrary, she acted like someone who was much more interested in her husband. As if they had been so affectionate since forever, the king and queen, who had grown noticeably closer, constantly whispered softly to each other. Aion, with a faint smile, constantly flirted with the king, and at one point, after some exchange of words, she pressed her lips to the king’s cheek. Startled at that moment, Zizlon dropped his spoon.

Clang! The sound of metal hitting the floor was loud. “What was that?” the king asked reflexively.

“Ah, I dropped my spoon. I apologize.”

Zizlon apologized hastily and clenched and unclenched his now awkwardly empty hand. Fortunately, a maid immediately approached, picked up the soiled spoon, and handed him a new one. The prince felt the king and queen’s gazes fixed on him and sweat beaded on the back of his neck. The king, who had been watching his behavior with suspicion, finally voiced the words that had been lingering in his mind.

“Are you by any chance still unwell?”

“I am not.”

“Your complexion has been quite poor since earlier. You don’t react to the conversation at all, and you didn’t even notice when the queen made a joke.”

“Ah… pardon? Did the queen say something to me?”

“Yes. Did you not hear her?”

“…I apologize.”

Zizlon simply bowed his head. The king did not look very pleased. After staring at Zizlon with a rather displeased expression, the king at some point put down the spoon in his hand and solemnly folded his hands.

“Prince. I did not want to say this in such a cheerful setting, but there is something I must tell you.”

Zizlon raised his head to look at the king. The king’s expression was serious, and the atmosphere grew heavy. His heart pounded like a drum with a dreadful premonition.

“…What is it?”

“A few days ago, the history teacher was wandering around the castle, saying you had disappeared.”

“……”

“I heard you’ve been skipping other classes since then as well. What happened?”

“…I apologize. I was not feeling well, so I was resting in my room.”

The worst words Zizlon had anticipated were not spoken, but it was an uncomfortable topic all the same. Zizlon was sitting on a bed of thorns. His throat felt prickly as if a needle was stuck in it, and all he could offer were lame excuses. The king looked at him silently for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh.

“That is not all. I have heard that you have been associating with bad company in taverns lately, gambling and making bets.”

“That is…”

Zizlon’s mouth opened and closed. ‘Oops,’ he thought. He had not expected that trying to lift his spirits by following a friend would be interpreted this way. With no particular excuse to offer, Zizlon simply kept his mouth shut. The furrows on the king’s brow grew deeper. After maintaining a deep silence once more, the king continued, as if admonishing, as if lamenting.

“……Prince. I have never in my life had to lecture you on such a topic. Weren’t you that exemplary of a son? But, why are you suddenly acting like this?”

“……”

It feels uncomfortable, as if a giant rock is resting on my chest. Nausea surges up again, and my mind becomes dazed, as if floating in another world. Zizlon put down his cutlery and hung his mournful head low. A heavy silence descended over the dining table for a long time.

Unexpectedly, it was the queen who broke the silence and spoke up. Aion, who had been watching the two, furrowed her brow and placed a hand on the king’s shoulder in a rather coquettish manner. The gazes of both the king and the prince turned towards him. The beautiful stepmother defended her son in a pleading tone.

“Your Majesty, please do not reprimand the prince too harshly. He is at an age full of vigor, after all. He was probably just having a little adventure.”

At the plea of his lovely queen, the king also broke his silence and let out a low sigh. He slowly raised his arm and pulled the queen into an embrace.

“Queen, you are too soft-hearted for your own good. I understand you feel pity for the prince, but a father lecturing his son is not something you should interfere with.”

“But my heart aches so.”

“Alright, alright. I was about to stop anyway. I was just a little worried that the prince might go astray. Prince, did you hear me? You must not forget that I am always watching you and act in an exemplary manner.”

“……Yes.”

The light faded from the downcast prince’s eyes. It was a stark contrast to the bright and happy appearance of the king and queen. In front of Zizlon, they quickly became engrossed in their own conversation again.

Zizlon, who had been demoted from the main character to an uninvited guest in the blink of an eye, once again wondered how he had ended up in this situation. The prince, who had once shared conversations as happy as theirs with his father, momentarily had the strange and oversensitive thought that his place was being taken by the queen.

It was then. Zizlon’s body tensed with a start. Something had brushed against his leg.

“……”

At first, he thought it was just his imagination, but when something touched him again, he was immediately certain. Under the table, someone’s foot was secretly touching Zizlon’s calf. With a sense of dread, Zizlon raised his head and his eyes met the queen’s, who happened to be glancing at him. In that instant, the queen’s eyes curved like a fox’s. The king, knowing nothing, had his face lowered to his plate. In the moment the king was distracted, the queen had played an outrageous prank on him.

The tip of the queen’s foot rubbed against the prince’s foot stickily. Zizlon gripped his spoon tightly. He could not control the trembling caused by his anger. The queen’s behavior was beyond bold; it was sacrilegious. He even felt a sense of insult on behalf of the king.

‘How can he be so shameless!’

He shuddered silently. However, it was not something he could show, so Zizlon desperately suppressed his bursting heart and bewildered mind. Resolving to confront him later, Zizlon pretended to focus on his plate. He quietly folded his legs to avoid the queen’s touch. But the queen, as if testing him, persistently followed and touched him. He avoided, and avoided, and even pushed him away when he could not bear it, but he did not stop. As his patience neared its limit, Zizlon’s hand holding the cutlery began to tremble noticeably.

Unable to endure it any longer, the choice Zizlon made was to leave the table himself.

Screeeech!

“……”

The sound of a chair scraping echoed through the dining hall, and the conversation came to an abrupt halt. He had lost his composure so much that he had even forgotten his manners. The king raised his head to look at him. Zizlon, with his face turned away towards a place with no people, spoke with a very pale face. It was a rather rude behavior, but it was the best he could do, as he felt he was about to lose his composure at any moment.

“…I will take my leave first, Your Majesty.”

“What did you say?”

The king looked as if he was doubting his ears for a moment, then immediately furrowed his brow. His displeased expression should have been intimidating, but Zizlon, upon seeing the queen looking at him, only had the thought of escaping as soon as possible in his head. Without a moment to explain, the prince hastily bowed his head.

“I apologize. It is because I have absolutely no appetite.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zizlon turned and walked away quickly. The cape on his shoulders swayed heavily. The king was so taken aback that he could not even stop the prince. While he stood there with his mouth half-open in bewilderment, the prince disappeared in an instant. A few flustered servants followed him out.

“……”

“……”

The atmosphere sank into a chilly silence. Both the king and the queen maintained their silence for a moment. Then their eyes met, and the king sighed once more before offering an explanation on the prince’s behalf.

“Hah… my, my. He is not usually like this, but his behavior is strange today. Please understand, it is probably a side effect of his recent illness.”

Although he said that, it was the king who seemed more displeased.

“It is alright.”

The queen who had been chattering cheerfully was gone, and Aion listlessly cut his meat. And despite Aion’s acknowledgement, the king still looked displeased. He put down his cutlery altogether and, resting his wrinkled forehead on his hand, the king muttered worriedly.

“Just a moment ago, I had no particular worries, but seeing his attitude just now, I am suddenly concerned. I thought he was a boy who had matured long ago, but perhaps he is going through a late rebellious phase… Maybe, as you said before, it is too early for him to be considered a full adult.”

“Please do not worry too much. For his age, isn’t the prince quite outstanding? He might have simply forgotten to greet me.”

“That is not something we should let slide every time. You may be lenient and say it is fine, but what will his subjects say when he becomes king? This is a position where even the slightest mistake can easily be criticized. At the very least, he should observe the etiquette perfectly. To think he would drag his chair like a child!”

“But is he not also an ordinary young man? Please do not think of the prince as someone so grand and treat him normally.”

“Indeed, the queen is right. I see the boy differently now after you told me not to push him too hard. Perhaps I, as a mere father, have been overestimating my son…”

“It is true that the prince is brilliant. But in my eyes, he also shows many clumsy… no, human-like aspects. It’s possible he might have thought I was taking his father away from him…. It is a thought he would naturally have if he has been an only child until now.”

“Haha… Jealousy? That boy?”

“Ah, that is not what I meant…”

Aion covered his mouth as if feigning surprise. But it seemed the queen’s words had already left a strong impression on the king. The king stroked his beard and muttered quite seriously.

“No, come to think of it, the prince has stopped pestering me to take you out since the time the queen and I became noticeably closer.”

“Oh my, it must be a coincidence. Please, forget about it.”

“No, Queen. Perhaps the boy does not think favorably of you.”

“That is not true. I’m sure such a kind person would not, now, Your Majesty. Please accept my cup.”

The king stroked his beard and fell into deep thought. Aion whispered affectionately and picked up a cup, and in that gap, with a smooth motion, he took out a small golden bottle from his bosom and poured its contents into the cup. It was not a hasty action like someone hiding something, but very relaxed and brazen. There were even a few who clearly saw this act. However, perhaps because the action was so bold, neither the chief chamberlain who saw it, nor the dozen or so servants, raised any issue.

Still with a lingering sense of unease, the king accepted the queen’s cup of wine. The queen watched as the king took a few sips of the wine, and then, timing it with when he put the cup down, she brought up a new topic.

“Your Majesty, there is something I would like to request.”

“Hm? A request? That is a rare thing for you.”

A strange light appeared in the king’s eyes, and the queen hesitated for a moment, mumbling. Aion, who had shyly hunched his shoulders, said with a gentle smile.

“I would like you to find some personal servants for me.”

“Hm? Do you not already have servants attending to you? Are they not to your satisfaction?”

“That is not it… It is about the slanderous forces I mentioned before.”

The queen stood up from his chair and pressed himself right against the king’s side. As if hugging the backrest, he caressed the king’s shoulder flirtatiously.

“There might be someone who wants to harm me, you know? That is why I want to have trustworthy servants. Those with heavy lips, and high loyalty.”

“Haha, that again? As I said before, it is a needless worry. In fact, has anything happened to the queen since Sir Villeneuve was injured?”

“But Your Majesty, you promised me. You promised you would protect me.”

Aion continued to insist. And the king certainly had a tendency to easily soften his heart for his young bride. At his coquetry, the king’s heart of steel melted in an instant. Soon, the king chuckled and stroked the queen’s head.

“If the queen insists, I will do it. It is not a difficult task.”

“In that case, Your Majesty, please find me illiterates and mutes.”

“Hm, must you do so to trust and employ servants? But it will be difficult to find servants who meet those conditions and have good lineage.”

“Please find about ten people regardless of their lineage. No, rather, it would be better if they were of low birth.”

“Why specifically? Uneducated servants might be rude to you…”

“While I’m at it, I would like to take in children in need, and teach and care for them well.”

“Hm… If that is your intention, I understand. I will tell the butler, and he will find them without much difficulty nearby, so please wait a few days.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“Keep in mind that I have made a special exception. The queen must discipline them well so as not to harm the dignity of the royal family.”

“Of course.”

The queen, delighted, clung to the king’s neck like a child and rubbed his lips against his cheek. At the young bride’s surprise attack, even the strict king burst into hearty laughter.

That night, when the queen visited without fail, the prince showed a firm refusal, even holding up a knife. But the queen did not even snort, and instead, brought up the sins he had committed and accused him of being a coward. To that, the prince, unlike other days, shed miserable tears from the very beginning, and the queen whispered that he was not his usual self.

As he was pushed onto the bed, Zizlon, cornered, now forgot all his dignity and began to beg outright.

“Please, just forgive me. I beg you. Didn’t I say I was wrong about everything? I’m begging you like this, so please, just forgive me now.”

“Prince. Do you think all of this is just punishment or venting? As I have said many times, I simply love you. I am not angry with you at all.”

The prince, his face a mess of tears, clasped his hands together and pleaded earnestly. Aion slowly climbed onto the bed, and Zizlon crawled backward on the bed to escape. Seeing that, Aion murmured menacingly.

“Come here.”

“Heuk… I… cannot do this kind of thing anymore. Please, just open your eyes and see what we are doing. We are making the situation worse even at this very moment. Are you not ashamed to face the heavens? I cannot do it. Please… I cannot live in shame while committing a sin.”

“It is useless whether you appeal with emotion or persuade with logic. Stop it and come here. Do you want to be punished?”

The prince gasped as if he was about to stop breathing, then suddenly opened his eyes fiercely and threw a pillow he could grab.

“Fine. Just hit me instead! I would rather be hit than do this, so hit me until you feel better!”

“Prince, I let it slide at first because you were cute, but I am starting to get tired of your complaints.”

Grind! The sound of grinding teeth was menacing. Aion wore a rarely seen violent expression. Just as Zizlon was about to snap back without being intimidated, Aion grabbed him.

“Ugh!”

The prince, his calf grabbed, slid down under Aion. Aion pressed down on him and violently smashed their lips together. A single scream was sucked into Aion’s mouth. When the prince turned his head in resistance, Aion grabbed the prince’s hair, forced his head to turn, and shoved his tongue into his mouth.

As the queen’s tongue flexibly entwined the prince’s tongue and rubbed against the root of his tongue until it hurt, Zizlon’s Adam’s apple twitched as if burdened. Zizlon, who had been kissed helplessly for a while, finally came to his senses and pushed him away. With a thud, Aion sat back. Taking that chance, Zizlon hastily tried to get up.

“Hah… Hah!”

“Where do you think you’re going.”

Aion grabbed Zizlon’s arm and slammed him down onto the bed. It was a monstrous strength from who knows where. Zizlon, knowing he would spread his legs and enter, tensed his thighs together. At that, Aion’s gaunt hand shot up into the air.

Smack!

A loud friction sound struck his eardrum. In the shock of being slapped on the cheek, Zizlon lost his strength. In that gap, his legs were spread wide open, and Aion entered between them. Zizlon held his cheek and looked up at Aion with dumbfounded eyes.

“Ah…”

As a noble royal from birth and a promising crown prince, Zizlon had never been slapped on the cheek in his entire life. Even the strictest teacher had to make a firm resolution to even raise a switch against him, so what more could be said. Even then, Zizlon was a brilliant student, so the number of times he had been reprimanded could be counted on one hand. At most, he had been spanked on the calves by his father in his tender childhood. To such a person, Aion had slapped him as if he were a lowly slave.

However, Aion did not care. He pinned Zizlon’s firm legs to his sides and leaned his upper body down. After finally securing a satisfactory position, he then, as if his heart was aching, gently stroked the red mark on Zizlon’s cheek with the back of his hand.

“If this continues, I think I will spoil you, so from now on, I will not just indulge you. From now on, if you do something wrong, I will not hesitate to punish you. I will teach you how to show courtesy and respect between lovers.”

Aion easily subdued the barely struggling Zizlon. Taking in the sight of the Aion easily subdued the barely struggling Zizlon. Taking in the sight of the naked Zizlon’s firmly swollen chest, he licked a long line up the red mark left by the whip. At that moment, a strange thing happened. A thrilling shiver ran down the spine of Zizlon, who had been submerged in sorrow. Zizlon’s sobbing eyes flew open. Zizlon, who gasped in a sharp breath, grabbed the queen’s hair without even realizing it. Aion’s soft hair flowed between his fingers.

“Ngh, Ugh…? Hh… Ah?”

Zizlon, whose understanding could not keep up with the situation, had already relaxed his strength and was staring into the air like an idiot. Aion kneaded one breast until it hurt with one hand, and repeatedly licked the other. A bitter taste characteristic of grass came from the prince’s skin. From the faint scent of medicinal herbs, Aion could tell that the prince had been diligently applying the ointment, and he smiled where he could not be seen. He then bit down hard on the nub of the breast, and Zizlon’s body shot up with a jolt.

“Uuugh…!?”

When he raised his head, what he saw was Zizlon’s noticeably flushed face. Zizlon was panting heavily, confused about what was happening to him. At the chillingly lovely sight, Aion formed a smile and seized his chin. And while looking directly into the trembling eyes, he commanded coercively.

“Open your mouth.”

Even in his confusion, Zizlon reflexively pressed his lips tightly together. But when Aion roughly twisted and pinched his nipple, his mouth fell open to scream, and aiming for that gap, Aion’s fingers quickly invaded his mouth. Aion shoved something the size of a button past the root of his tongue before he had a chance to do anything, and Zizlon inadvertently swallowed the object with a gulp. The startled prince grabbed his throat and coughed, and Aion said leisurely.

“It is just a medicine to boost your energy. You barely ate today, after all.”

And Aion smiled ominously as he said it. The words were truly suspicious, but Zizlon could not continue his thoughts. It was because Aion had begun to play around, stirring the inside of his mouth roughly with his fingers. Saliva trickled down the corners of Zizlon’s unclosed mouth. To him, who had squeezed his eyes shut, a voice full of amusement whispered, “Try to smile a little more lovelily. Haven’t you learned how to open your throat until you’re sick of it?”

Aion played with his tongue until the root of it was numb, then grabbed it and pulled it out of his mouth. And he slowly rubbed the red, bumpy surface with his thumb. Zizlon looked up at him with tears welling in his eyes.

“Ughh…”

“Haaaah… The prince has a talent for it, so later you will be able to feel with your tongue as well. To the point where you will cum while sucking my cock. Just imagining it is an obscene sight, is it not?”

Along with the statement that was chilling for Zizlon to even imagine, Aion rubbed his center against Zizlon’s stomach. Aion’s penis, felt through the pants, was already hard. Disgusting. Zizlon shuddered inwardly, his skin crawling.

Finally, Aion let go of Zizlon’s tongue. And he casually threw off his clothes. Then, while taking out a bottle of scented oil from the usual container, he muttered to himself meaningfully, “Later, even this will become unnecessary,” but Zizlon was too dizzy to hear.

Soon, a fragrance he was sick of and familiar with brushed the tip of his nose. The scent of roses, so dense it was dizzying. Zizlon watched miserably as the slippery scented oil pooled in the gaps between his muscles. Because the scented oil the queen favored was always rose-scented, Zizlon had at some point come to find the sweet fragrance of roses nauseating.

Drip, Aion’s hand, heavily coated in oil, slid over Zizlon’s body. It stung whenever it brushed over the wound on his chest. Every time he felt that subtle pain, Zizlon’s body would flinch and tremble. The strange sensation that had flustered him just moments ago, far from disappearing, only intensified as the contact became more intimate.

“Nngh… S-stop…”

Before he knew it, Zizlon was panting hot breaths. He watched as the flesh of his chest, held in Aion’s hand, rose up into a peak and bounced elastically. Shame was already a secondary issue, and his legs twisted on their own at the feeling that he was about to get an erection. It was frightening and shameful.

Zizlon tried hard not to show the strange sensation he was feeling. No matter how he thought about it, feeling pleasure from a touch on a wound was not normal. He had a premonition that if Aion found out about this, he would be subjected to terrible teasing. Whether he knew Zizlon’s complicated feelings or not, Aion smiled sweetly and continuously rubbed his chest. His lewd gaze made him feel even stranger, because his own chest, not a woman’s breast, felt like an erotic area.

Suck, slurp, the sound of lips sucking on wet flesh was particularly loud. Aion, with his head buried in Zizlon’s chest, began to suckle on his nipple like a baby nursing. He rolled the small piece of flesh around with his tongue. Zizlon covered his mouth and cried out silently. The nipple, swollen and red from the wound, provided the tingling sensation and that strange sensation at the same time. It was just a small piece of flesh on his chest, but its presence was enormous.

Aion, who had tormented the nipple for a while, making the already swollen thing even more puffy, was satisfied only after sucking on it one more time until it was numb and then released his mouth. Bumping against his lips, the peaked nipple popped out with a thump. Zizlon’s body shuddered, and he panted with a dazed face. Aion tapped it with his index finger as if to say it was cute.

“Let me give you a piece of advice. If you always keep your nipples erotically erect like this in front of your lover, you will be very much adored.”

“Wh-what…”

Zizlon was completely dizzy from his lewd remarks. Hearing his words and looking down at his chest, he saw that both his nipples were swollen and standing erect, pointing towards the sky. His face flushed beet red. Hearing his words, his chest felt so vulgar that it was truly shocking. In this way, Aion would often shock him with vulgar ideas that he could not even have imagined.

“Ah, right. Since you disobeyed my command earlier, I will give you a punishment. I told you to open your mouth, but you presumptuously kept your lips shut, didn’t you?”

Aion said, realizing it while looking at his chest. At those words, Zizlon looked up at him with eyes that said, ‘don’t tell me.’ His chest had been strangely sensitive all day. He felt an intense sensation just from a brush, so he could not even imagine what would happen if he were hit in this state. It was no exaggeration to call it terror.

“Th-that…”

“Hmm, since I’ve thought of it, shall we get one hit in advance? Hitting you all at once later is fine, but wouldn’t it be better for you to be hit in installments?”

Zizlon shook his head and looked up at Aion with pleading eyes. He was already in a sensitive state. It was beyond not having the confidence to endure it; he felt like he would lose his mind. However, Aion was a man without blood or tears. In the hands of Aion, who was looking down on Zizlon arrogantly, was that whip once again. Zizlon shouted urgently.

“Aion, please, today… Ngh?!”

Before he could finish his words, the whip suddenly struck his chest. Zizlon stopped shouting and stood there with his mouth agape, his body trembling violently.

“Ugh… Hee, heek… Ah… Aah…”

The moment he was hit, it was as if a bright light flashed before his eyes. But what was more terrifying was the fact that the aftereffect lingered for a long time. Zizlon’s eyes widened, and his back, arched like a bow, remained rigid and convulsed wildly. As if electricity had passed through his nipple, a tingling, numbing sensation remained at its tip. To such an extent that Zizlon almost wet himself. Fortunately, thanks to closing his thighs, he avoided showing his absolute lowest.

Aion’s cheeks, looking down at him, were red. As if feeling sexual pleasure just by watching, Aion panted with hot breaths and laughed. He felt his lower abdomen, where blood had pooled, tighten thrillingly. He wanted to violate the lewd body before him without mercy right away. There was no reason for Aion to refuse his desires. Tossing the whip carelessly onto the bed, Aion grabbed the back of Zizlon’s knees and spread his thighs wide. The thighs of a noble were spread wide and cheap, welcoming the man.

Aion applied oil on his folds with an impatient touch. He forcefully subdued Zizlon’s painfully twisting legs, prodded the hole a few times, and then pushed in the head of his cock first. The hole, as if acting shy, offered a dull pressure and slowly began to swallow the penis.

“Heeik…”

A heavy pressure was felt. Zizlon began to squeeze out tears again. Whether it was because of the pain, or because of the painful level of sexual pleasure, he then shook his head wildly like a madman. Aion gritted his teeth and pressed down on his thighs with even greater force.

Zizlon’s waist was bent at almost a ninety-degree angle, with his knees placed over his shoulders. It was a difficult position for Zizlon, but Aion could violate his hole and face his partner at the same time. Admiring Zizlon’s ever-crumpling face, Aion slowly, slowly continued the insertion.

“Haah… Haah…”

Finally, Aion’s lower abdomen and Zizlon’s buttocks touched. As Zizlon closed his eyes powerlessly, the pooled tears trickled down. The feeling of his insides being completely filled, the terrifying sensation of the deep, fragile parts inside his body being forcefully pressed. It was still disgusting, but cruelly, it was now a much more familiar sensation.

“To accept me so demurely like this, Prince, you are so lovely. So very lovely.”

Aion, his cheeks flushed red and smiling innocently, looked so beautiful and pure when one only looked at his face. He absolutely did not look like a terrible stepmother who was forcefully raping his stepson. Soon, the two tightly entangled bodies began to sway. Zizlon was helplessly moved up and down as Aion swayed. Creak, creak, the bed rocked heavily.

Zizlon mumbled in a fragile voice as if he would crumble.

“Ah, ouch, it hurts… It hurts.”

“Wait a little. You will get used to it soon.”