CHAPTER 601: LOVE IN TRANSLATION

Impossible.

It was the first word the Emperor and Empress thought when their souls crawled back into their bodies after Nina’s mighty revelation.

It was also the same word they had been repeating to themselves as they sat across from their daughter, trying to glean something from her extremely guarded lips.

When they finally coaxed her back into her room, they reassured her gently, telling her she didn’t need to answer if she had made an oath, but if a question wasn’t bound by her promise, then she could answer as honestly as possible.

Nina’s trembling blue eyes sparkled with tears. Her small hands clutched her chest as if holding back a storm, then—flop!—she nearly fell backward in a dramatic, adorable swoon.

Empress Gisella sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, while her husband hovered, visibly distressed.

And so began the strangest questioning of their lives.

The Empress softened her voice. "Nina... can you tell us a little about your brother?"

Nina coughed importantly, straightened her tiny back, and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Very well... I will tell you a story."

The Emperor and Empress glanced at each other. A story? They nodded slowly, encouraging her to continue.

"In a place far, far away," Nina began gravely, "there lived the best chipmunk in the entire universe!"

"..."

"..."

The Emperor and Empress both blinked but said nothing.

"One day," Nina continued, "the rabbit got to know the chipmunk. And this happened because of the wolf."

Her little fists clenched. "At first, everything was good. Because they played shiny, shiny together."

"...Shiny, shiny?" the Empress repeated.

Nina nodded solemnly. "Yes. Shiny, shiny."

The parents exchanged another look. Code. It must be code.

The Empress leaned forward cautiously. "And... was everything good, Nina?"

"Yes," Nina said firmly. "Until..." She lowered her gaze, face darkening. "Until the wolf committed a transgression against the best chipmunk. The rabbit witnessed it and had to tell the wolf to be a responsible wolf. Thankfully, he was."

"..."

Alarm spread across the Emperor and Empress’s faces. A... transgression?

What kind of crime was this?! And it was their son who committed the crime!?!

The Emperor cleared his throat, his voice unsteady. "And this... this is related to your brother being in love, how exactly?"

Nina’s cheeks puffed. "Because after that, the rabbit was shocked to discover a few interesting things. For one, the wolf kept smiling whenever he looked at the best chipmunk. The wolf even allowed contact, and the brows, they rarely did this." Nina demonstrated furrowing brows as she discussed why she assumed it could only be that. After all, wasn’t their father just like that?

But instead, unbeknownst to her, both her parents stiffened.

Xavier? Smiling? Contact?

Impossible.

A smile? Probably not. Their son, who looked like he was born with the temperament of ten stern emperors? If anything, it sounded like hunting behavior. Like a predator watching prey. Because, since when did such a thing become possible?

Well, maybe for a disguise. Yes, for that one, it sure would be feasible.

The Empress pressed carefully, "Nina... did they use nicknames?"

Nina brightened. "Yes!"

The parents froze. Codenames. For safety. That was clever, very clever. And probably an explanation for why all this was happening.

The Emperor swallowed hard. "And... are the wolf and chipmunk close?"

"Yes! They have to be!" Nina declared proudly. "Because the wolf was apparently a very responsible wolf!"

"!!!"

Another silence fell as everything was sounding more and more absurd!

The Empress gently reached across the table. "Nina... about their closeness, what does the rabbit think about all this?"

Nina let out a long, weary sigh that seemed far too heavy for someone her age. "It should be the best thing. But the rabbit thinks the wolf isn’t making much progress."

The Emperor nearly choked. "Progress?!"

"Yes," Nina said with the gravity of a tiny judge. "If there had been progress in capturing the heart, then the chipmunk and the wolf would have already made an announcement. And everyone would be together." She sniffled. So clearly, it wasn’t a complete victory yet! After all, there were still things to atone for!

The Empress’s jaw dropped. How come it didn’t sound like a hostage situation or a covert mission anymore?

The Emperor rubbed his temples. Captured. Heart. Together. What is this child saying?!

"So you’re saying," the Empress clarified slowly, "that the rabbit thinks there is actually something between the wolf and the chipmunk?"

Nina nodded eagerly. "Yes! Definitely."

"And... why do you think progress isn’t happening?" the Emperor asked cautiously.

"Because everyone wants the chipmunk," Nina answered without hesitation. "And I understand why, but I cannot say it. But see, there is only one chipmunk."

The Emperor and Empress sat frozen, their minds reeling.

So many wanted the chipmunk?

So many obstacles?

And their son... aloof as always, hiding his abilities, concealing his status, making it impossible to break through. Was this... was this why?

The Empress’s hand trembled against her chin.

The Emperor’s expression darkened with dawning dread.

This was far worse than anything they had ever imagined.

Was the Imperial Crown Prince of the Empire of Solaris going to lose out in his battle for love?

But to begin with, was this seriously love?

Worse, was the other party aware of this love? Or had the other party taken all this as intimidation?

But if not... then who had gone mad?!

And that was how the Emperor and Empress ended up asking their son for confirmation of sanity.

To verify, once and for all, who had gone insane in all this.

Only, the same Imperial Prince stared at them through the holoscreen with the kind of expression that clearly said, ’Why in Solaris am I being dragged into this?’

Xavier let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Father, please put Nina on."

The little princess nearly choked on her breath as she was focused on by the camera. She gulped a huge breath of air and immediately squeaked, "I’m sorry, Big Brother! I promise I didn’t say anything incriminating! I was very careful! I tried my best!"

Xavier pinched the bridge of his nose. "What did you say exactly?"

Nina fidgeted with her fingers, eyes wobbling but trying to stay brave. "...Brother, I told them you’re in love." Her voice trailed into a squeak.

Kyle nearly sputtered when he heard this. Xavier closed his eyes, pressing his hand against his temple, then drew a breath.

"She’s not wrong."

The holoscreen went silent.

Frozen.

Their parents froze.

The Empress’s jaw slackened. The Emperor looked like he had been turned into stone.

Meanwhile, Nina’s little face crumpled, tears threatening to spill—until Xavier continued, his voice warm. "That’s a good line. You did well, Nina."

"R-really?" she hiccupped, on the verge of crying.

"Yes," Xavier assured her, his eyes soft. "You didn’t divulge anything. Just my feelings."

The little princess nearly burst into sobs of relief.

But Xavier’s expression sharpened as he looked back at the screen. "What I want to know is why you’re asking about... other things."

Empress Gisella was the first to recover. Her hand trembled as she pressed it to her chest. "Son... then... are you actually serious?"

Xavier’s eyes softened again. "Yes, Mother."

The Empress clutched harder at her heart, swaying in her seat.

"Then should we make preparations?! How could you not tell us right away?!"

Suddenly, Emperor Xavian thundered out the question that had been chewing at his sanity. "Is it because you actually haven’t won?!"

"..."

"Yes, in a sense," Xavier said firmly. "So please... let me succeed first, Mother, Father."

"!!!"

The Emperor and Empress both shot up from their seats, their voices overlapping. "Wait! Wait! Son—who is it?!"

And then it happened.

Xavier grinned.

A grin none of them had ever seen before. A grin so dangerous, so stunning, so utterly out of character that it left the rulers of Solaris in complete silence.

Everyone froze—except Kyle, who had long since been desensitized to this.

"My chipmunk," Xavier said simply, almost smug. "When the time is right, when things are better, I’ll inform you."

With a flick of his hand, the holoscreen went dark.

"..."

The Imperial couple sat frozen.

"..."

Then chaos erupted.

Empress Gisella fanned herself with both hands, her heart threatening to burst. The Emperor staggered backwards, one hand clamped tightly over his mouth.

And then—

"Open that room in the treasury," Emperor Xavian barked into his terminal, still pale. "It’s apparently time."

On the other end, poor Butler Henry nearly dropped his drink.