Prince Benedict was very pretty even when he was young.
‘Your Highness, this is my son, Joachim.’
Enough to captivate my gaze when I was just a little kid.
That was one of the few clear memories from my childhood.
A boy stood in a garden full of green leaves, bathed in sunlight. A slender face with eyes that held the sunlight. His short red hair rippled like soft flames in the wind.
Even though there were many attendants around, only the area around the boy was bright. It was an occasion arranged by the late Emperor to introduce the Prince, born an alpha, to young alpha noble scions. The kind-hearted late Emperor had wanted the Prince to have friends his own age.
‘Just call me Benedict.’
And for a really short period, I have memories of calling Prince Benedict by his name.
I became a half-wit omega in less than half a year, so after that I never exchanged even a single greeting with him.
Anyway, that day was our first meeting, and if Benedict, who came over at Father’s greeting, hadn’t been slightly taller than me, I would have kept thinking only ‘pretty.’
It was a childish time. My admiration, which had been fluttering, subsided for the sole reason that his eye level was a bit higher. It seems I even felt wariness when I rarely encountered a peer taller than me.
But now I’m not young anymore,
“Where are you looking? —Don’t tell me you’re looking at that female knight.”
I was nervous.
I had deliberately been looking at the female knight behind the Prince, but Mikhail misunderstood oddly.
“She seemed unfamiliar.”
“Most of the people here are ones you’re seeing for the first time!”
Mikhail struck my side where it couldn’t be seen.
“Ugh,”
“Pay attention to His Highness the Prince, whom you’re seeing after so long, not some commoner knight. Otherwise,”
Unable to resist the threat, I had no choice but to keep my gaze forward. The Prince was still treating the nobles with an indifferent air.
“Your Highness, do you remember? This is my younger brother, Joachim.”
It was finally Mikhail’s turn.
Mikhail, leading with an obsequious greeting, pushed my back, making me take a step forward. A gaze holding a piece of winter sunlight lingered around my face.
“Ah, I remember.”
The Prince answered like a memory.
‘Your Highness, do you remember? This is my younger brother, Joachim.’
In the past too, Mikhail had thrown out the exact same greeting.
And I had been out of it.
Prince Benedict answered that he remembered, and even though it was my turn, my body wouldn’t move.
‘Hurry up and greet him?’
Mikhail forced a smile at the uncomfortable gap.
Embarrassment, nervousness, trembling, confusion. At that time, I was engulfed in all kinds of emotions.
The boy I’d called by name when young had grown tall and was looking down at me. It was unfamiliar, and my insides churned.
Moreover, I was now being called a half-wit omega, not even an alpha.
My pheromones, which I normally didn’t even notice, couldn’t have bothered me more. I hoped that damn thing was quiet now.
‘Joachim Meyer!’
Mikhail couldn’t stand it and snapped at me, and,
‘Jo… Joachim Meyer!’
A bizarre voice popped out as if my throat was being strangled. ‘Ugh, khup,’ I even choked.
I couldn’t possibly cough in front of royalty, so I coughed toward Mikhail, and hyung’s face that I encountered then appeared in my dreams for quite a while.
Again, the Prince of reality was before my eyes.
If I hadn’t been prepared, I surely would have become mute like in the past.
It was definitely my persecution complex that made him feel strangely intimidating. I put strength in my legs that were about to retreat, obediently lowered my eyes, kept my gaze around his shoulders, and answered.
“I am Joachim Meyer.”
Fortunately, it was an ordinary greeting without choking.
The reason Mikhail had paid the donations generously unfolded before my eyes.
“This will be the last subjugation, right?”
“It seems it will be. I’m always grateful for your generous support, Count Meyer.”
I could see Mikhail’s back straighten. Whether due to the influence of the donation brooch on that chest, the Prince was receiving Mikhail’s boasting.
“I heard there wasn’t a single casualty.”
“Ah. I heard a knight from your family performed a great feat.”
But that was too much.
“Haha, it ended up sounding like I was seeking praise. I merely heard that Sir Lifros was just a bit composed.”
“Skill doesn’t come only from composure. I express my gratitude to the knight’s bravery in protecting the Empire’s precious lives.”
That Sir Lifros, a family knight, had shown great valor in the subjugation force was certainly a great source of pride, but it didn’t seem appropriate to do before the Prince.
Last winter, Prince Benedict had returned after annihilating a horde of monsters in the north.
As the Empire’s greatest flame mage and magic swordsman, he was already the protagonist of countless martial epic poems. If it were me, I wouldn’t recite the family sonnet before him.
“At the triumph ceremony too, I intend to properly celebrate together for the knights who worked hard—”
Unable to watch Mikhail scatter fish bait, I slipped away pretending to receive a drink from a passing servant.
I felt a piercing gaze but wasn’t worried. Mikhail likes fishing. He would much prefer to remain by the side of the weighty Prince rather than chase after a minnow like me.
When I went out to the garden and then returned inside the mansion to check on Mikhail’s movements, the sun was setting.
In the meantime, most of the charity event had finished, and people were enjoying the ball that had been scheduled afterwards.
I could see Mikhail, his badge still sparkling, enjoying a waltz with some young lady whose name I didn’t know. I changed my mind about going back outside, hearing the rich 3/4 time melody to liven up the hall’s atmosphere and the voices of people full of joy.
As if drawn by some force, I moved my steps to one side of the banquet hall.
There was a small pale green piano there.
Unlike the massive silver piano in the center of the hall, it had a neat size for beginners. On its sky-blue satin-like surface flowed a subtle lemony sheen that proclaimed its age.
I had thought this piano was wonderful even before.
I glanced around and sat on the piano bench. I opened the keyboard cover. A servant glanced at me as if it were nothing and passed by.
I pressed the keys. A clear tone came through, distinct even though I was stepping on the soft pedal. It was like buds sprouting on a withered tree.
I played joyfully and excitedly for quite a while. Since an excellent string ensemble concerto was being performed behind me, the reduced sound unfolded only for me. The playful dance tune, the cheerful waltz were part of my world. I played crisply dropping notes, then connected them as if flowing divided sounds in chunks.
“It’s a piano made from ash wood.”
I had just finished a sarabande and was mulling over what to play next.
“Even though it looks a bit old, it was something I really cherished. I still love it now.”
An elderly lady with her hair elegantly pinned up was standing beside me before I knew it.
The lady, raising fine smile wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, slowly stroked the piano’s edge. I think I’d heard that there was an elderly lady in the marquis family hosting the event.
“This is the first time I’ve seen an ash wood piano. I’ve heard of it being used to make keys though.”
I opened my mouth without realizing it at the comfortable touch like stroking a cat. Listening to my question, the lady laughed, saying that’s right.
“I heard the craftsman was truly bewildered when making it. Because ash wood isn’t a valuable wood. Even though it’s a really common tree, I just liked this wood.”
The lady slyly revealed her childhood stubbornness. This piano was a birthday present for the girl who, in the lady’s childhood, would break off tree branches and put them in water.
“It’s a piano as beautiful as you, my lady, if I may say so. Um… I had been thinking this piano was extremely elegant.”
Since saying she resembled the instrument might be rude, I hastily added an apology. At my clumsy praise, the lady gave a playful wink as if she wanted to joke.
“If it’s not rude, I’d rather say I have something in common with you, my lord. The way you were just playing, if I put it in water, it seemed like clear blue water would come out.”
“You’re too kind.”
“I’m the one who should say so. Thank you for pleasing my old friend.”
I’d like to hear you play properly someday. The elderly lady’s last words rang the keys inside me as they passed.
The lady disappeared as suddenly as she had appeared. I stroked my strangely stirring chest.
I thought ordinary conversation with ordinary people would only be possible years from now. To do it within a month of coming to this bleak past was a bit bewildering.
I sat still, intending to savor the feeling. Even when Mikhail, who had belatedly chased after me, grabbed me, I was still in a good mood.
“What are you talking about?”
Until I asked about the lady.
Mikhail would thoroughly familiarize himself with the host family every time he attended a social event. So I asked about the elderly lady of this family, and,
“Did you dream it?”
Mikhail said indifferently.
“The marchioness passed away a few months ago.”
