The First Prince, Laurence de Harpens, looked at Lianus with a sneer.
It was because the boy who had always struggled desperately to endure seemed to have given up on everything, not paying attention at all.
Lianus remained dazed until the fencing lesson was nearly over.
The fencing instructor, Duke Thesaurus, did not point out Lianus even once throughout the class.
On the contrary, he ignored him even more and focused solely on teaching Laurence.
After the lesson ended, Laurence approached Lianus, his expression hardening as if in concern.
“Lianus.”
“…Ah, brother.”
Lianus, who had been absent-minded, answered a little late at Laurence’s call.
“Are you still unwell? You seem to have no energy today.”
“I’m all better. I was just distracted for a moment, that’s all.”
At those words, the corners of Laurence’s lips curved in a crimson arc, leaving a faint trace.
He thought that what had happened at the Duke’s Estate must have been quite a shock to Lianus.
He had even been bedridden after running out like that.
Laurence wanted nothing more than to see his foolish younger brother shattered and crumbling before his eyes.
So every time the boy dared to claw his way up, unaware of his place, Laurence pushed him off the cliff without hesitation.
When the boy was about to collapse, Laurence would sometimes offer a hand.
Not knowing whose hand it was, Lianus would climb up again and again, his face smeared with inferiority.
Watching such a brother was Laurence’s only amusement.
It was amusing to see him rise and fall, completely at Laurence’s mercy.
Every time he pushed the boy off the cliff, a strange thrill swept through his body.
And now, it was time to extend a hand to the fallen boy once again.
Laurence, pretending to know nothing, carefully spoke to Lianus with an innocent face.
“I heard the class will be split.
I suppose I was lacking in consideration for you at the Duke’s Estate.
You must have been quite upset. I’ll apologize, so why don’t you cancel it instead of troubling the teachers?”
Laurence extended his hand, his scarlet eyes rounding.
Lianus, who had been staring at the ground, looked up as the palm entered his view, meeting those scarlet eyes.
Lost in thought again, it was only when Lianus saw the outstretched hand that he realized they were in the middle of a conversation and tried to recall what they had been talking about.
“Ah, that’s not it, brother!”
“…What do you mean, ‘not it’?”
“I’m splitting the class because I want to take lessons with my friend. It has nothing to do with you, so you don’t need to worry.”
“…A friend, you say.”
Laurence lowered the hand he had slightly raised.
He recalled the conversation he’d had with Mother just the day before.
‘Prince, that cursed child came to His Majesty, insisting on making a commoner boy his friend!’
‘A commoner boy, you say?’
‘I don’t know what the child was doing, but I’ve already ordered an investigation, so we’ll hear news soon!’
‘…Isn’t it because no one else cares for him, so he’s trying to find comfort with a commoner child?’
‘Indeed. Prince, you need not concern yourself. I will look into it thoroughly, so do as you wish. If the child can be used, use him; if he becomes an annoyance, simply get rid of him…’
‘Yes, Mother.’
“…Brother! Brother!”
“Oh, what did you say?”
Laurence, lost in thought, snapped back at Lianus’s call.
The moss-colored hair swayed before his eyes.
“I said I’d go ahead. My friend is waiting.”
Go ahead?
The boy who always stayed behind for extra training after class?
Only then did Laurence realize that something was going wrong.
To figure out the cause of Lianus’s change, he hurriedly tried to say something to stop him.
“Why don’t we have a meal together for the first time in a while?”
“I’m sorry, brother. I promised my friend first. He said he was bored and told me to come quickly! Then, I’ll be going ahead!”
Before Laurence could say another word, Lianus took his Knight and dashed away.
The voice shouting, ‘Sir Evan, let’s go quickly!’ was so lively.
The moss-colored head that had always seemed damp and gloomy now looked as fresh as the trees swaying in a green forest.
Laurence stood there blankly for a moment, watching the receding back.
Duke Thesaurus, who had been observing from the side, as well as the Escort Knights, silently watched the First Prince’s reaction.
So, amusing a mere commoner’s boredom was more important than dining with him?
The boy who had never once refused his words. How dare he.
The gentle smile that always rested on Laurence’s face began to crack.
His foolish younger brother had given up climbing the cliff. No, he had found another cliff.
Something that was not Laurence.
A faint grinding sound echoed quietly from one side of the training ground.
***
When he returned to the palace, Nihil was hurrying down the stairs to the lobby.
Nihil came straight up to Lianus, quickly checked his complexion, then smirked and whispered for him to go wash up.
And in Lianus’s bedroom.
“…Why are you grinning like that. You might as well bark instead.”
Nihil finally spoke first, looking at Evan, who kept staring with a face full of smiles.
Lianus had not yet come out of the bathroom.
Evan, thinking he should obediently bark since the wildcat wanted it, let out a “woof.”
Having actually heard a dog’s bark, Nihil’s face visibly hardened.
For a moment, wondering if he heard wrong, he doubted his own ears and even dug at them.
“…You’ve finally lost it.”
“Ah, maybe so.”
No matter what Nihil said, Evan just smiled cheerfully.
Then, as if remembering something, he suddenly burst out laughing.
His laughter was so loud that Lianus, who was washing in the bathroom, called out, ‘Sir Evan, what’s going on!’
Nihil frowned.
“If you’re going mad, at least do it gracefully.”
“Thanks to you, I got to see something rare.”
Evan recalled what had happened at the training ground today.
He should have recorded the snake’s changing expression on a memory crystal…
When the First Prince’s Escort Knight picked a fight, he had snapped back like a wildcat, and it almost turned into a real dogfight—but even that was immensely satisfying.
“What’s the price for the show?”
Without even asking what had happened, Nihil demanded a price for the show.
Evan nodded, saying, ‘Of course I should pay.’ and asked what Nihil wanted.
If it was within his ability, Evan was willing to grant any wish.
It was that rare a spectacle, and he was in a good mood.
“…Think of five ways to play with Lianus so that he gets tired and falls asleep early…”
Evan was at a loss for words. And to his surprise, he realized his abilities were quite lacking.
“The price for the show.”
“…That’s too expensive.”
“Then three.”
The price the wildcat wanted was higher than expected.
Even though it dropped from five to three, Evan couldn’t think of a single idea by the time Lianus finished washing.
Nihil clicked his tongue, muttering that Evan was useless, but the useless Evan could only keep his mouth shut. He couldn’t refute it.
Nihil, who had been racking his brain since morning over ‘games to play with Lianus all day,’ hadn’t come up with a single idea and was already frustrated, but before he could continue worrying, something even more troublesome happened.
The etiquette lesson started at lunchtime.
The shameless mutt who hadn’t paid the show price properly had gone out saying he had something to do, and now Nihil was sitting beside Lianus for the etiquette class.
The teacher, who taught culture and manners, sometimes held lessons before and after lunch and would join them for a meal to test their dining etiquette.
Today just happened to be one of those days.
Though it was already scheduled, the lesson plan had changed just the day before, and Lianus, excited about taking classes with his friend, had completely forgotten about it—leading to this disaster.
The Lianus sitting next to him whispered quietly.
“Nihil, sorry. I forgot too.”
Nihil just nodded indifferently.
He was only flustered at the thought of having to eat with a stranger, not because he disliked it or anything.
When had he ever cared about others’ opinions?
The etiquette teacher, who entered the Dining Room, flinched at the sight of Nihil’s white hair, but soon regained composure.
Fortunately, the meal disguised as a lesson went more smoothly than expected.
Lianus had informed the teacher in advance that his commoner friend would be attending every lesson, and this time Nihil behaved himself and ate quietly.
Perhaps because the etiquette teacher didn’t expect much from a commoner like Nihil, or simply didn’t pay much attention, there were no major criticisms.
With only a few words exchanged throughout the meal, Nihil just focused on eating without worry.
Even after the meal, the lesson continued in another room, but Nihil just sat quietly like a sack of barley.
How to greet His Majesty depending on the situation, the hierarchy among royalty of the Empire and other kingdoms, things to watch out for when conversing with people from other kingdoms, tips for dealing with people of lower rank.
Contrary to Nihil’s expectation that it would just be about correct posture, the lesson was more practical than he thought.
Not that it was any use to Nihil, who considered everyone equal.
Nihil thought to himself how exhausting life was and clicked his tongue inwardly.
Trying not to cause trouble for Lianus, Nihil had sat with proper posture, but by the end of the class, he was slumped back in his chair.
As Lianus was about to call Nihil to encourage him, the etiquette teacher, Countess Tarandrus, called out to Lianus.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
“That will be all for today’s lesson.”
“Thank you for your efforts, Countess.”
During class, Lianus always addressed the teachers formally, calling them ‘Teacher.’
It was a form of respect for his instructors. The end of his formal speech meant the lesson was over.
Countess Tarandrus glanced at Nihil, who was sprawled beside Lianus, then cautiously spoke.
“Your Highness, keeping an uneducated commoner child at your side is not a good idea.”
“I’d prefer if you didn’t insult my friend.”
“I’m only saying this for your sake, Your Highness. Reputation aside, to act like that even in front of royalty and Nobles…”
“Enough.”
Lianus cut off Countess Tarandrus’s words.