Chapter 40

Jason’s lips moved slightly while looking at the comforting sight.

“My master……My masters have been abandoned since birth, so it’s natural that they don’t know.”

“……Ha.”

“Would it be easy for you to open your heart even to a guardian, who is half of your soul?”

“So, I’ll try. As much as I turned away and pretended not to know……As much as I feel sorry and guilty now…….”

The glass of water cracked as if it was going to shatter in an instant.

“I will try.”

“……My masters are too soft. I don’t know why you’re so open to people who have turned away from you.….”

“I’ll make an effort, so that they can open up a little more. But, I still…..Have a long way to go.”

“……That’s right, it’s still a long ways to go. The feelings of seeing my masters, who are unable to bring out my existence because they don’t know the proper freedom yet…..Do you even know?”

Jason clenched his empty fist.

“So don’t hurt them again when they start to open up.”

“…….”

“Please bring them happiness and joy. Enough to open their hearts completely……So……When the time comes…”

His voice trembled at the end of his words. No one would have ever known the feelings of the guardian, who could not protect his masters. Very often……They longed for the freedom to be left alone. Jason was a being who could not reach out to them both, unless everyone in the world disappeared and they got the freedom to be left alone.

“I also…..The shackles on these feet will be released.”

Jason’s shackles were like remnants of the pain that Argen and Arien still had.

When the shackles are released….

“And when that time comes, I’ll be able to see them smiling brightly.”

He wondered if he would be able to see a bright smile that he’d never seen before.

******

The fruit I ate as a snack earlier was still undigested. Eiji, who was lying on the carpet, looked up at us as I kept pressing down on my stomach.

In the end, he put off his entire schedule and was like that throughout our study. The intense gaze made my back tingle.

Madame Selenare, who taught us, seemed to be quite sensible. We’re part of the same royal family, but only some people see it that way while others don’t. The discrimination was great.

Royal family.

The tingle suddenly made my shoulders bounce.

‘……Lloyd told us we were royals, right?’

Unknowingly, I was amazed by the fact that he called Argen and I a royal family, so I urgently asked a question. Instead of solving the written sentences, I looked at Argen, who had not figured out the meaning behind my question.

‘Yes.’

‘……’

In response to Argen’s concise answer, I thought that he should never do a teaching or service job. It was clear that he would be rejected if he chose a job dealing with customers.

‘……Why all of a sudden?’

‘Well, just because.’

Argen pupils narrowed since it didn’t look like just a question. I’ve sweated behind my back for no reason at his vertically thin eyes, even though he wasn’t a cat.

‘……Arien, you want to stay here.’

‘……You are like that.’

Argen did not answer for a moment. Soon after, he replied in a calm voice.

‘I’m warm and full, and I like the place where I sleep. There’s also people telling us what the world we live in is like.’

‘…….’

‘It doesn’t hurt and I’m not bothered by it.’

It was a very natural fact, but Argen recited the comforts that were hidden because it was always wrapped in anger. I nodded in sympathy with him.

‘If we decide to stay here……Say you’re a royal family.’

‘How come?’

‘I still don’t like the royal family that much, but…. Now that we’ve decided to stay here, they’ll hide us in the name of the Imperial Family.’

Argen put a period at the end of the elegant handwriting that the emperor praised. When I saw him flipping the paper to the next page, I immediately took a break.

‘Argen….Do you still want to go outside?’

I gently took the tip of the pen to my mouth and read the inscrutable letters. It’s difficult even though I saw it several times, but it was a pleasure to try and understand it.

‘……Actually, I would have asked you to leave without hesitation when we were living in Derolina castle.’

I looked back at Argen. I tried to see what he meant by that, but Argen didn’t look this way.

‘Because there was no place as horrible as Derolina Castle.’

‘……Argen.’

‘I thought it would be just as horrible here too.’

‘……..’

‘But I knew it wasn’t.’

Only those who have never had a warm home would know how precious it is.

‘We can be happy now.’

Sting-

Argen’s words caused me to clench my hands, and eventually, the sharp tip of the pen made a stroke on the paper. Seeing the thin paper tear, I couldn’t say anything for a moment.

‘We deserve that much.’

‘…….’

‘Because I didn’t think it was safe here….that’s why I wanted to get out. We were facing a cliff with no one on our side, so that’s why I wanted to leave.’

Eiji, who was lying on the floor, rose up and approached me. He took the pen from my hand and asked what was wrong, but Argen’s voice ringing in my head was too complicated.

‘But if this place is safe……let’s not try to jump down the cliff.’

After reading a lot of books these days, I became well-versed in literacy….But, I couldn’t even say anything, so I bit my lips tightly and was hugged by Eiji.

We were only one or two years younger than him, but I envied him for being close to puberty.

He looked like a grown man, but we’re so small and still looked like children.

My hands were too small to do anything and I had short legs that were difficult to run with.

‘……Let’s enjoy ourselves.’

At the end of those words, I wrapped my arms around Eiji’s neck and buried my face.

Let’s enjoy ourselves, I was thrilled with just that one word.

It seemed as if the taboo that was being suppressed by force had been lifted. In fact, I knew which direction was the path to happiness, but my useless pride was holding onto my legs and not letting it go.

I can be happy…….

Happiness……

“Arien, what’s wrong, hm?”

It may not be like that for others, but I was happy if Argen wasn’t hurt. I was happy when I was full and slept in a warm bed.

Not being hurt and having so many toys piled up to the point where I wouldn’t feel bored, were good enough to be happy.

Eiji was worried at my sudden behavior and tried to sooth me, but I wordlessly held onto him and didn’t let go for a long time.

I made a promise to myself to truly forget about the memories of Derolina castle and to move forward with my mind as ease……

***

The teachers came in one after another and the homework piled up. Meanwhile, Eiji sat down in this room with a smiling face as if he had no intention of leaving us.

Since he was so busy sticking to this room and watching us, I wondered if the emperor had allowed it.

It was so intense that I worried that he might write an observational journal about me and Argen.

A man we named etiquette teacher #3 noticed Eiji and gave a small advice.

“Your highness, if you stay here, his majesty the emperor will be furious.”

“Don’t worry. I got my father’s permission. ”

I didn’t think it was true….I’m not sure, but Eiji spoke with great confidence. Rather, I raised my eyes to see if the teacher’s words offended him.

“Are you trying to get rid of me because you don’t like me here?”

“No, there’s no way that can be true!”

I couldn’t believe that he was advising the third prince, Eiji, who everyone else was careful of.

I wanted to applaud him from behind for his fantastic courage.

Etiquette teacher #3 immediately closed his mouth and broke out in cold sweat while Argen looked at me in shock. I couldn’t hide my surprise either. I assumed he was coming in thoughtlessly, but I didn’t expect that he had the emperor’s permission. I didn’t understand why the emperor would allow him to lie down and roll around while we were studying.

Fortunately, the question was soon solved.

It was thanks to Eiji’s exclusive escort knight, asking him with a small voice.

“His majesty gave you permission?”

“Argen and Arien are studying hard, but they’ll get lonely if there’s no one beside them. That’s what I said to father and he gave me permission.

I didn’t know there was such a story. Listening to the nicely wrapped words, the escort knight stepped back and Argen gently shook his head.

Eiji accepted the tray that the maid was carrying and carefully put the little teacup in front of us.

These days, there were many things that are just perfect for us to use in the imperial palace.

For example, the pen, shoes, glass of water, utensils, and books were much smaller than the average size. All of it fit perfectly in our hands.

I took a small teacup in my hand and turned it around, then asked.

‘Did the emperor do this for us, too?’

‘Isn’t it?’

I wiped the outer surface of the teacup while thinking that it looked like it was for playing house.

A drop of water smeared onto my fingertips and a subtle herbal fragrance flowed into my nose and down my lungs.

The man we named etiquette teacher #3, was restless when he saw Argen drinking tea.

“Prince Argen, it’s improper to drink it like that.”

The awkward title of ‘prince Argen’ has now adapted to some degree.

However, he did not adapt to the complicated imperial manners.

Eiji’s eyes became harsh as soon as etiquette teacher #3 spoke to Argen, but he was still busy guiding Argen as if he didn’t realize.

I didn’t really want to see the scene where Argen was scolded, so I tapped my foot on the floor and turned my head. Instead, Eiji raised his eyes to the teacher while lifting the teacup. No matter how argen drank it, it seemed like he knew.

“Usually it’s polite to let the tea cool down to a certain degree and then take a sip. Pulling it up like a drink is an action that shouldn’t be done because it can cause burns and look undignified.”

“How dare the baron discuss dignity– “

“Oh, I see. I’ll be careful next time…..”

Argen answered concisely as if nothing had happened, since he feared that Eiji would scold and punish an innocent man.

Perhaps not satisfied with the answer, etiquette teacher #3 kept moving his bottom up and down, but stiffened and gulped when he saw Eiji.