When I showed tears, Cedric started flustering and trying to comfort me.
“First of all, we can’t confirm that it’s your mother’s for certain, so if you bring me the other half, let’s try matching them together. Okay? Then we’ll know for sure.”
At those words, I made an even more tearful face as I looked at him.
“I don’t want to. If they match, I’ll have to give that to you too, sunbae-nim…. You’re… the Crown Prince, Your Highness… *sniff*. I can’t just… take the Empress’s belongings… *hic*.”
When I pretended to shed more tears, Cedric became even more flustered and said.
“N-no! If those two really are one piece, I’ll give it to you! I promise!”
“…But it’s hard to believe those words completely, *sniff*, you still haven’t given me my fountain pen yet.”
“Th-that’s…”
“What if you change your mind then. *sob sob*.”
I might seem excessive, but this is a class-based society. I’m even a commoner and the other party is the Crown Prince. No matter how much we’re senior-junior, if the Crown Prince suddenly throws a tantrum saying he doesn’t want to give it, I have to grovel. So if there was at least evidence, he wouldn’t be able to just shirk responsibility.
I almost laughed at the rare sight of Cedric being all flustered, but I pretended to cry even more pitifully.
“*Waaah*. I don’t have either of my parents… and you have both of yours, sunbae-nim… *sniff*.”
“Mellans! How about this?”
When I sniffled and raised my head, Cedric pulled out the decorative sword hanging at his waist. Then he removed the sword ornament attached to its end and handed it to me. It was an imperial-shaped knot embedded with green sapphire.
“I’ll give you this at the dining hall later, so let’s exchange it for the brooch afterward. If everyone sees it, it’ll be evidence.”
I didn’t think that far. As expected of the main male lead’s experience.
“Now, stop crying and get up. If anyone sees, they’ll obviously think I did something to make you cry.”
At Cedric’s cheeky joke, I also stopped my tears and showed him a small smile. Then he made a slightly subtle expression before soon gently stroking my head and muttering.
“I think I understand why Yanox does this. I can’t help but do it.”
I know. I’m kind of like a dog.
* * *
Dinner time.
I ate in the fairly large dining hall and, as I always had, stuck close to Cesare’s side to assist him.
“This is really delicious! They said the food in the north wasn’t great, but it has its own character. Cesare, what do you think?”
“It’s not bad.”
“Hehe. I thought the food wouldn’t suit us so I packed a ton of dry food, but it looks like I won’t need it.”
“I guess so.”
“Huh. You look a bit tanned. Let’s get massages later. I brought attendants who are good at massaging. Is your schedule okay later?”
“Do as you like.”
“Or would it be better to sleep more? We have a longer journey tomorrow anyway. Ah, I hope there’s a good dress shop in Ilbrun.”
“You figure it out.”
*Sigh*. My pretty damn brat.
He might look like an idol at a fan signing who just repeats ‘Really?’, but at least he wasn’t dead-eyed, so his mood seemed quite good. If he was in a bad mood, he wouldn’t have answered at all or would have answered in an annoyed way.
While putting a spoonful of cream stew in my mouth, I glanced toward where Cedric and the imperial bootlickers were. The tour group consisted of about twenty students, and excluding us, they were all model students who liked Cedric.
‘I think I know why Professor Peter put me here.’
If surrounded by people with such hostility, Cesare would have become even sharper and had major friction with the Crown Prince’s group.
Among them, I glared at Jayden while scooping up stew. Actually, Jayden had an upright and kind impression that anyone could see, looking like a knight sub-male lead who appears next to the main male lead in a romance fantasy.
With proper conduct, excellent grades, and good character all combined, he was in the position of everyone’s sweetheart. His only flaw was being from an insignificant count family in the provinces.
‘But at this rate, he’ll ride the Cedric line and soar to success.’
I have no intention of interfering with his career advancement. However, my theory is that since he picked a fight with me, he needs to get broken at least once. Plus, I have a small plan I’ve set up.
I deliberately glared at him with an annoying expression while eating. Then Jayden also seemed to notice my gaze and glared back at me. When I deliberately raised just one corner of my mouth in a smirk, his expression twisted.
“Cesare. I need to take care of something for a moment.”
I asked Cesare’s understanding and got up from my seat to head to the bathroom, and sure enough, Jayden also got up and creepily followed behind me. After glancing and glaring at him, I immediately turned my back, and the offended Jayden finally grabbed me. This is the problem with nobles.
That damn pride of theirs—they’re always desperate to devour commoners who climb up.
“What. What are you scheming, Mellans?”
“What do you mean scheming?”
“You were glaring at me weirdly.”
“Glaring? I never did that. Why are you picking a fight with someone who was just minding their own business?”
When I deliberately raised my voice, the people around looked this way. Cedric and Cesare were also watching this direction.
I stalled for time slowly, hoping Cedric would come first.
“Do you think I’m a joke?”
Looking at Jayden who was clenching his molars and forcing a smile because of the people around, I deliberately held back my words.
“Jayden. There are many eyes watching and I don’t want to fight without reason. I’d appreciate it if you’d tell me why you’re acting like this.”
“Where does a man get off playing coy? Are you acting cocky because you have Yanox behind you?”
From this side Cedric was walking over, and from that side Cesare was walking over. Because I deliberately picked a fight far from Cesare, Cedric approached first. Thinking this was the moment, I quickly made rabbit eyes and shouted at Jayden.
“Gasp! Are you bullying me because I’m harming Cedric sunbae-nim’s reputation?”
“Jayden. Mellans. What’s going on?”
Cedric, who heard my words, pressed us. Jayden tried to smooth things over with a flustered expression, but Cedric took my side first.
“Mellans. It seems Jayden had a misunderstanding about you. I’d appreciate it if you could let it slide.”
That was how the situation had to be. Anyone could see that Jayden was the one who directly picked the fight first, and I was just standing still. Plus, judging by Cedric’s interesting expression, he seemed to have caught on to my plan.
“Jayden. I want to get along well. We’re all from the same academy. I might look like I’m glaring because my eyes are dirty, but if I’m misunderstood like this, even I get hurt.”
“You son of a…”
When I spoke while even winking one eye, Jayden barely suppressed his anger and closed his mouth. Cedric patted such a Jayden and handed me the sword ornament he’d shown me earlier.
“As a sign of reconciliation in place of Jayden, I’ll give you this. It means I don’t want any more commotion, Mellans. So go back now.”
At the stern words that warned me to stop now, I also bowed my head and respectfully received that sword ornament. Then Cedric whispered quietly enough that only I could hear.
“I fell into my own trap. A clean method that doesn’t even dirty the master’s hands, indeed.”
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
When I looked up with a clueless expression, he chuckled and took Jayden away. And then Cesare, who had just arrived, grabbed me.
“Lionel. What happened again in the moment I took my eyes off you?”
“It’s nothing. Look at this. We decided to make up.”
I quickly ran over to him and showed the sword ornament to Cesare. With this, the hierarchy was roughly sorted out. If I had accepted the sword ornament thoughtlessly, rumors would obviously spread that I was trying to join Cedric’s line. I staged this commotion to prevent that in advance.
‘The part about falling into his own trap probably means Cedric was aiming for this too. Does Cedric really see several moves ahead? Phew.’
Plus, having created the justification of reconciliation, Jayden and the other students’ attitudes of openly despising Cesare during this trip would also soften. Wasn’t it reconciliation directly ordered by Cedric himself?
Also, by showing the sword ornament to Cesare right away, I could show that I was still Cesare’s subordinate. Without any intervention from Cesare at all.
‘Though I think I’ve now been branded as a cheeky commoner to Cedric….’
Cesare stared at the sword ornament for a moment, then handed it back and roughly ruffled my hair while grumbling.
“Why do you keep fidgeting outside my sight?”
“Hehe. Didn’t you let go of me?”
“Haa. As if I’d let go. Let’s go. I’m tired.”
“Okay! Want to get a massage together?”
“Armrest first.”
When Cesare raised one arm, I snugly settled next to him. His arm wrapped around my neck and shoulders in just the right position.
“As expected. Lionel, your height is just right.”
I barely held back the smile leaking out in his comfortable embrace and headed to the guest room.
* * *
“Your Holiness. Since the prophecy that the Seed of Chaos is coming has been given, we have no choice. We must be prepared to take a hard line.”
Heiss stuck close to the aged and senile Grand Priest’s side and whispered. The Grand Priest nodded as if he had the same thought.
“What about that child you mentioned?”
“There’s no doubt. I don’t know what power it is, but certainly when that boy Mellans is nearby, divine power is amplified.”
Heiss immediately took out something like a golden knot from his chest. It was made by cutting hair when treating Lionel. Then he took out a small knife and without hesitation cut his palm. While blood was dripping from the deep cut, when Heiss held the knot and began chanting, the wound healed without a trace.
“Did you see? Just a while ago, this was a wound that required three hours of chanting to heal. With him, the temple can maintain its lifeline longer. No, perhaps we might even enjoy the greatest glory.”
“But Priest Heiss. If she doesn’t willingly uphold the Saint’s will, we can’t bring her.”
At the unexpectedly firm words of the Grand Priest, Heiss secretly sighed and then spoke coaxingly again.
“Your Holiness. Not long ago, His Highness the Crown Prince was also attacked, so we must prepare in our own way. What would happen if the Seed of Chaos fell into their hands?”
“Hmm.”
“That boy’s uncle, Count Cicero, is very devout. How about having him persuade the boy?”
“Hmm. Yes, persuasion should be fine.”
The Grand Priest quietly nodded, and Heiss, as if satisfied, respectfully bowed and disappeared to the back.
