Chapter 44 : First Impression(2)

“The Crisa family's matter is truly regrettable, Tollin Crisa.”

Startled from his recollection by the 2nd Prince's voice, the Little Duke quickly came to his senses and looked at Tollin.

The Little Duke also knew the fact that Tollin's oldest brother had been arrested for a bad incident.

But it was the first time he had seen someone throw that topic in Tollin's face like this.

Tollin remained smiling, with no change in expression.

“I am only sorry to have disturbed Your Highness's mind with family matters. If I hadn't cut off contact with the Crisa family long ago, I would have tried to stop it somehow.”

Watching Tollin draw a thick line between the Piteos family and the Crisa family, the 2nd Prince smiled faintly.

“What can be done about what's already happened. Fortunately, others have rolled up their sleeves to help.”

Tollin's mouth fell open for a moment.

“Others?”

Leaving Tollin, who flinched at the emergence of an unexpected figure, Dito continued.

“Duke Millio and several nobles apparently felt responsible for this incident. They stepped up, saying they wanted to apologize for such a shameful thing happening among fellow nobles.”

Tollin had to use all his strength to stop himself from grinding his teeth in front of the Imperial Family's second son.

He was the 2nd Prince, known to be Rasia Abalan's closest aide.

He had expected he wouldn't be favorable toward this side, but to think he'd come bearing a bomb like this.

Duke Millio was that ill-mannered punk who had picked a fight at the last noble council meeting.

He thought he had been quiet lately after Tollin found his weakness, but he had been stirring up useless trouble.

Offering various goods to the Imperial Palace was a common occurrence, so he felt pathetic for not paying much attention to the fact that he had sent a large carriage to the Imperial Palace.

Once it entered the Imperial Palace, the means to get more information disappeared, so this trouble occurred.

Even still, Duke Millio.

For those who were taking the lead in a problem that arose from bribery to feel responsible and offer bribes again, there was no deception like it.

What on earth is the reason for targeting the Piteos family this much?

What do they gain by squeezing a family that has firmly maintained its position for ages?

It should be the same for that side, having nothing to gain from eliminating the Piteos, who have protected the Imperial Family since the founding.

Even if the 1st Prince, who is merely vicious, made such a plan, the Emperor wouldn't have just allowed it.

Dito Abalan laughed as if enjoying himself, facing the contemplating Tollin.

“There were also people who were uneasy that a person from the Crisa family was handling everything.”

Dito's long fingers tapped the desk.

“And isn't that a very rational suspicion? That's why the opinion came out to share the burden among several people.”

“It seems like a problem that would be solved if the Piteos family pulled out entirely.”

At Tollin's answer, the 2nd Prince's eyes widened as if saying, how could that be.

“That won't do. It would make the pitiful former Duke Piteos's sacrifice completely meaningless. If the work falls into Duke Millio's hands, isn't his death no different from a meaningless death.”

This time, Tollin reflexively checked the Little Duke's complexion.

The poor child was sitting with his back straight, his face pale.

“The sight of you two thinking of each other is just like a father and son. It's very good to see.”

The sarcasm was praised as if it were an award.

And funnily enough, that's what cooled Tollin's head, which had been dulled by worry.

“I am just grateful that you see it favorably.”

Tollin, returning to his gentle tone, continued.

“Please do as you wish with the shelter in the capital as well. If that is Your Highness's will, I believe there could be no more correct decision.”

The 2nd Prince tilted his head.

Soon after, he made a sound like deflating air and spoke as if bored.

“Unexpected. I thought you would naturally ask me to pass the position to someone else, using whatever means necessary.”

What use is something like that?

Tollin swallowed a bitter laugh.

As long as they don't overturn the country, the Piteos family is bound to move according to the Imperial Family's will anyway.

As seen with the Crisa family, which lost its honor and successor overnight.

He wouldn't know if he were alone, but as long as he had the Little Duke to protect, Tollin always prioritized the child.

One shouldn't be picky about the means when facing a firm objective.

If you can't solve it right away, avoiding it is also a method.

He had no intention of keeping the Little Duke in this damned seat any longer.

“Thank you for taking the trouble to come and give us advice. I truly hope it wasn't a waste of your time.”

There was no way he didn't grasp Tollin's earnest wish for him to please leave now, but the 2nd Prince showed no signs of stopping the conversation and getting up.

“No, I didn't come just for that.”

And when his gaze turned to the Little Duke, Tollin had a premonition that this day would spiral into the absolute worst.

“Because I also came to meet our little duke-to-be.”

***

The Little Duke felt his body freeze like a mouse before a snake upon meeting eyes that showed both playfulness and cruelty.

“Duke Piteos and his proxy were coddling you so much, I wondered if you were lacking somewhere, but it seems that's not the case.”

“My,”

The Little Duke's voice trembled, and knowing it was rude, he still had to clear his throat once.

“I am still lacking in many things, so everyone is very concerned.”

“Exactly what points do you think are lacking?”

The Little Duke hesitated for a moment at the 2nd Prince's mocking question.

“The tutors used to say that if one is too young, their eyes for seeing the world have also not fully grown.”

Clever.

At the child's sharp answer, the 2nd Prince cast a brief glance at Tollin, who was watching the conversation between the two with a tense expression.

The 2nd Prince read the pride and admiration for the child seeping through that tension.

A hint of mischievousness flashed across Dito's face.

“You're a smart child, just as I heard.”

“Th-thank you.”

“The Duke must be disappointed, as he won't be able to see the Little Duke grow up.”

“……”

When the Little Duke couldn't answer, the 2nd Prince threw a question demanding a clear answer.

“Is the Little Duke not sad about his father's death?”

“That is……”

The Little Duke, who had been giving answers even if he stuttered, was at a loss for words.

Of course he was sad.

The child was sadder and more heartbroken about his father's death than anything.

Although he had never once said it out loud.

Flinn knew he shouldn't admit that, at least not in front of the 2nd Prince.

It was something he must never do, at least in front of him.

Because that could be interpreted as disagreeing with the Imperial Family's choice to execute the Duke.

It wasn't something he could say in front of the 2nd Prince, who couldn't possibly have visited the Piteos ducal family out of goodwill.

The 2nd Prince kept his eyes fixed on the child, as if curious about how the Little Duke would answer.

“That is, truly……”

He had to say he wasn't sad at all, that he was fine, that it was just a righteous death according to the Imperial Family's tradition.

He intended to.

The Little Duke was still young, but he knew what he had to do, and he knew that small words and actions could affect the future of the Piteos family.

But, he was certain that if he spat out those words, he would no longer be able to recall memories of his father, even when alone.

Because this choice now would follow the Little Duke every time.

The child turned his head toward the only person on his side in the room.

Tollin was looking at the Little Duke with a more comfortable expression than he expected.

For a moment, he didn't know why Tollin's voice, saying he could do as he pleased, echoed in his head.

And he didn't know the reason why his mouth moved on its own.

“……I was sad.”

A large teardrop fell from the small child's eye.

At the same time, Dito Abalan's expression became colder than ever.

***

“It seems I've made the young Piteos cry, which pains my heart.”

The 2nd Prince spoke, exaggerating his feeling of pity toward the Little Duke, who had covered his face as if he couldn't control himself.

“I hope you feel better. I'll teach you a game I like.”

At the calm voice, not a fiery reprimand, the Little Duke raised his reddened eyes.

“When you play it after feeling bad, it relieves the tightness in your heart.”

The 2nd Prince lifted the teacup placed before him and emptied the already cold tea onto the carpet.

His aide, who looked quite old and was standing behind him, wordlessly moved to a spot a short distance from the table and stood.

Neither Tollin nor the Little Duke immediately understood what was happening right now.

Crash.

The next moment, the 2nd Prince's teacup flew quickly, narrowly grazing the aide's cheek and shattering against the drawing room's fireplace, and only then did they realize what this "game" meant.

***

“Looks fun, doesn't it?”

“……”

The Little Duke couldn't look the 2nd Prince, who asked so casually, in the face and stared at his chest instead.

“No answer.”

His tears had long since stopped.

The Little Duke's pupils shook, lost, at the absurd violence and irrational reaction that unfolded before his eyes.

The 2nd Prince's aide, whom he glimpsed, stood holding his position without a flinch.

Red blood flowed from the cheek grazed by the teacup, perhaps because the 2nd Prince's strength was too much, but he seemed to have no thought of wiping it, like a person accustomed to it all.

He just stood silently, as if intending to fulfill his role as a target.

“But lately, there's no real reaction, so it's not fun.”

Dito Abalan still had a smiling face.

“There's no sense of accomplishment even if I hit.”

Muttering the crazy words, he stroked his chin for a moment as if pondering something, then turned his body toward Tollin as if he understood.

“Tollin, you're the Little Duke's temporary guardian, aren't you? You have to play along, right?”

“Ah……”

The Little Duke let out a cry.

He felt he knew what he was saying.

It was an imagination he truly wished would not happen.

“Now, go stand over there.”

At his suggestion, delivered lightly as if telling him to go out for a walk, the Little Duke hurriedly opened his mouth.

“Y-Your Highness!”

“What is it?”

At the child's trembling voice, the 2nd Prince looked down at the Little Duke with cold eyes, unlike his raised lips.

“Is it because you're worried it won't be fun?”

The child hurriedly shook his head at his question.

“N-no, sir.”

“Then shall we switch roles? Do you think that would be more fun?”

The Little Duke flinched for a moment at the indirect question of whether he wanted to stand there, but he was soon about to nod.

Getting hit was scary, but it seemed better than Tollin becoming the target of the dish that had just flown like lightning.

“No, Little Duke. Please let me stand.”

“Tollin……!”

The Little Duke looked up at the back of the blue head blocking his front.

Even though there was no way he didn't notice that gaze, he did not look back.

“Thank you for introducing an interesting game, Your Highness.”

Bowing his head once, Tollin approached the spot where the aide stood.

“Tollin. I'm fine.”

The Little Duke hurriedly grabbed Tollin's hand with both of his.

“I am fine too. It's much better than throwing a dish at my superior and handling the aftermath.”

Tollin smiled calmly, gently untangled the child's hand, and slowly set it down.

When he took his place, the 2nd Prince, as if something truly fun were beginning, pressed the teacup that had been given as the child's share into the Little Duke's hand.

“Now, go on and throw. The Little Duke hits Tollin, and I hit my aide.”

Watching the child just clutching the teacup with finely trembling hands, the 2nd Prince tilted his head.

“If you think it'll be hard to hit, you can switch with me. It's easy to hit if the target is big. Instead, I'm stronger than the Little Duke, so Tollin might be in danger if hit wrong. Ah, or perhaps you feel it's a waste because it's the ducal family's property? If so, there's this.”

At Dito's movement of pulling out a dagger from his waist, one that looked several times more splendid than a dish, the Little Duke realized this was a situation he absolutely could not avoid.

“I-I will hit Tollin.”

At the trembling voice, the 2nd Prince's smile deepened.

His gaze was chasing him, as if determined not to miss a single one of his actions.

It was like a nightmare.

It felt like everything was his fault.

This happened because I answered wrong.

The child stood in the spot where the 2nd Prince had been and looked down at his own toes.

“Now, throw. It's only fun if you throw with all your might. If you don't even know that, don't worry, because I'll teach you again from the beginning.”

Though someone might die in the process. Dito Abalan's voice, adding that, was tinged with unconcealable pleasure.

The Little Duke's heart was beating so fast, his ears felt deafened.

Please, please, I wish someone would help.

But there was no one in this place who could stop the 2nd Prince.

With an impossible wish to be woken from this nightmare-like situation, the Little Duke squeezed his eyes shut and slowly lifted the cold, inanimate object.

At that moment,

“What kind of hospitality is this?!”

It was a voice he couldn't tell if it was salvation sent by someone, or the start of another nightmare.