As breakfast time arrived, the sound of trolley wheels echoed through the room.
This time, Nihil didn’t go out onto the terrace.
Instead, he carefully drew the canopy curtains all around the bed and crawled back under the covers.
Evan clicked his tongue at the sight, then left the room to personally wheel the trolley in.
Compared to last night’s dinner, today’s breakfast was a simple, modest spread.
Once the maid had left, Nihil poked his head out from the blankets to survey the prepared meal, then reached over to poke Lianus, who was still sleeping beside him, right on the cheek.
But even after poking for quite a while, Lianus showed no sign of waking.
So Nihil grabbed his soft cheek and pulled.
Evan, who’d been watching, jumped in alarm, but as Lianus let out a faint groan, he quickly closed his mouth before he could say anything.
Lianus’s brow furrowed, and soon, beneath his slowly lifting eyelids, two different colored, clear eyes appeared.
Seeing those tired, blinking eyes, Nihil gently supported Lianus’s head and helped him sit up against the headboard.
“Nil…”
Lianus called out to Nihil, his voice so hoarse it was barely audible.
Even though he was sick, he managed a faint, happy smile.
Nihil brought over a small teapot filled with warm water, pressing the spout to Lianus’s lips so he could drink.
Once he was sure Lianus had finished the water, Nihil hopped off the bed, placed the teapot back on the trolley, grabbed the prepared soup and a spoon, and crawled back onto the bed to sit at Lianus’s side.
Whatever was going through his mind, Lianus smiled faintly again.
Nihil scooped up some soup, blew on it to cool it, and fed it to Lianus bit by bit.
He also tore the bread into small pieces, soaked them thoroughly in the soup, and fed them together.
When Lianus fumbled for something at his side, Nihil quickly handed him the teddy bear, tucking it into his arms.
“Surprisingly skilled at this,” Evan remarked, watching from the side as Lianus hugged the bear tightly.
He didn’t show it outwardly, but he was genuinely impressed by Nihil’s neat and efficient nursing.
At first, when Nihil had pulled at the prince’s cheek, Evan had nearly intervened in shock. But seeing how skillful and gentle Nihil was afterward, he felt proud of himself for holding back.
He’d wondered why Nihil insisted on pouring water into a small teapot, but the answer became clear when he saw him hold the teapot to the prince’s lips.
It was a simple but ingenious method.
It was common for commoners to drink straight from the spout, but ever since Evan had become a Royal Knight and served among nobles and royalty, all those rules of table and tea etiquette had made him stiff and formal.
He recalled how, when his own younger sister was ill, he’d stubbornly used a water cup and ended up spilling half of it. He resolved to try Nihil’s method next time.
He’d have to find a teapot small and light enough for his tiny, delicate sister to hold on her own and give it to her as a gift.
“…I’ve taken care of a sick child before.”
“…?”
The soft voice caught Evan off guard, and he took a moment to process what it meant. Then he realized it was an answer to his unspoken question.
Did Nihil have a sick sibling?
He said he’d “raised” one, but most would say they “cared for” a sibling. Perhaps that sibling had passed away.
Evan thought of his own younger sister, who was probably bedridden right now—a frail child who had barely ever left her bed since birth.
She was ten years younger than him, and only just ten years old.
Suddenly, he realized it had been a week since he’d last seen her. He resolved to visit once the prince was better.
Meanwhile, Nihil had finished feeding the prince his soup and, with practiced ease, slipped in some medicine as if it were more soup.
The medicine must have been bitter, as even in his dazed state, the prince’s brow furrowed in distaste.
Evan watched as Nihil carefully laid the prince back down, then pointed to the two soft, white rolls left on the trolley.
“You should eat, too.”
If the wildcat got hungry, he’d be no good to the prince. Better to keep him well fed in advance.
“No need. You eat them.”
“Don’t go bothering the prince because you’re hungry. Just eat.”
“I ate enough yesterday to last me a week.”
Evan couldn’t help but let out a crooked laugh.
So that’s why he ate so much yesterday—he was stocking up for the week.
“Don’t talk nonsense and eat. Are you planning to starve yourself for a week in the Palace? And don’t go pestering the prince even if you do.”
Nihil, looking as if he couldn’t be bothered, shot Evan a lazy glare, sighed, and stuffed one of the white rolls into his mouth.
Then, dusting off his hands indifferently, he crawled back onto the bed.
“Acts like it’s his own bed.”
Evan took the remaining roll, bit into it, and wheeled the trolley out of the bedroom. He handed the trolley off to a passing servant and reviewed the prince’s class schedule for the day.
It was about time to inform them of the prince’s absence.
***
There were exactly three people in the Royal palace whom Evan did not want to run into.
One was Queen Helia. Another was her son, Prince Lawrence.
The last was her father, Duke Thesaurus—grandfather of the First Prince and swordsmanship instructor to the princes.
And on his way back from meeting the prince’s tutors, Evan ended up running into two of the three.
“I greet Her Majesty the Queen and the First Prince.”
No reply came to Evan’s greeting.
Only two pairs of crimson eyes scrutinized him from head to toe.
Evan hesitated.
If he lowered his gaze, he’d meet the First Prince’s eyes; if he raised it, he’d see the gentle, drooping eyes of the Queen. In the end, he chose to focus a little more on the First Prince.
Because he knew just how ruthless and cruel that gentle-looking queen could be.
She was the kind of madwoman who, simply because she didn’t want her own child to call a concubine’s child “brother,” had a not-yet-born baby cut out of its mother’s belly.
Though she’d nearly died herself, it was the concubine, Natura—a Half-Elf—who died giving birth to the Second Prince, while the Queen survived and still roamed the Palace as if nothing had happened. It was enough to make one despair.
After a long, chilling silence, both pairs of crimson eyes curved into pleasant smiles—simultaneously, and eerily so.
“Sir Evan, it’s been a while,” the First Prince spoke first, in a relaxed, leisurely tone.
He was polite and gentle to everyone in the Royal palace, earning him much support, but he never used honorifics when addressing his younger brother, the Second Prince.
As if the Second Prince was worth less than the servants.
The First Prince never dirtied his own hands, instead manipulating everything around him with his clever tongue.
Even at a young age, he was skilled at hiding his feelings and faking his expressions.
He was the complete opposite of the Second Prince, who was always honest and wore his heart on his sleeve.
“Yes,”
Evan replied shortly.
He’d seen the First Prince just yesterday at the Duke’s Estate, but he didn’t bother to correct him—he didn’t want to prolong the conversation.
It was a small act of protest for having made their little kitten cry with his subtle bullying.
“I heard my younger brother is ill. Please wish him a speedy recovery on my behalf.”
Evan flinched.
He had only just informed the tutors of the Second Prince’s upcoming absence.
How had the First Prince found out so quickly?
He hadn’t said a single word about the prince being sick.
“…I’ll be sure to convey your message. If you’ll excuse me.”
“Sir Evan, why are you in such a hurry to send me away? How disappointing.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t leave the Second Prince alone for long.”
“Ah, yes. Sir Evan, you are my brother’s only escort knight.”
The snake smiled slyly, and Evan’s gaze darkened.
He knew it was the Thesaurus Ducal House that had pressured the Royal Knights.
With the only Sword Master in the kingdom leading the family, it was understandable that the knights couldn’t easily refuse…
“My brother is lucky to have you as his escort knight.”
Evan, feeling his mood sink, didn’t reply. He simply bowed once more and turned to head back to the Second Prince’s Palace.
***
Returning to the Second Prince’s Palace, Evan didn’t enter the prince’s bedroom. He simply stood guard outside the door.
There was no sound from within; it seemed neither the prince nor the wildcat had woken yet.
A few maids came up to clean, but Evan sent them away, reminding them that no one was to come to the fifth floor unless summoned.
Unable to hide his irritation, Evan lightly punched the wall.
Ever since encountering the First Prince and Queen, his mood had not improved. He felt as if he were sinking into a deep swamp.
No matter how hard he tried to think of something pleasant, the lingering image of those crimson eyes only grew stronger in his mind.
He had no idea how news of the prince’s illness had leaked. Even in the kitchen, he’d simply asked for soft foods, saying the prince had overeaten the night before—he hadn’t mentioned illness at all.
Who knows how long he’d been lost in thought when suddenly, there was a sharp knock at the door behind him.
Evan, who hadn’t sensed anyone approaching, jumped in surprise at the sound.
Once again, there was a knock at the bedroom door.
The prince wouldn’t be knocking on his own bedroom door—so it must be the wildcat.
A so-called escort knight, lost in thought and missing even the slightest presence—Evan felt a pang of self-reproach. He shook off his thoughts and opened the bedroom door.
From his low vantage point, a snow-white wildcat looked up at him with black eyes, its face full of discontent.
Evan spoke brusquely.
“What is it?”
“Go on, bark some more.”
This little brat…