Chapter 45 : First Impression(3)

“What kind of hospitality is this?!”

What broke the taut tension inside the drawing room was a booming and eccentric voice.

Moreover, it was shouting a line that, if anyone heard, sounded like something an obnoxious guest would say.

The Little Duke opened his eyes, which he had squeezed shut to the point of pain.

The 2nd Prince’s chilling eyes were no longer directed at the Little Duke.

For the first time since coming to the ducal mansion, he frowned slightly and looked at the drawing room door.

It was the same for Tollin.

It was an arrogant voice whose owner was impossible to mistake.

A voice he would never be able to forget for the rest of his life.

Bang!

What appeared beyond the forcefully opened door was a man with platinum blond hair, a shade lighter than the 2nd Prince's, who was unmistakably a member of the Imperial Family.

With a face surprisingly similar to the 2nd Prince's, he looked around at the four people frozen in their poses and clicked his tongue.

“The Piteos family, be it the servants, the acting head, or the successor, can't even show courtesy to the Imperial Family?”

The one who reacted first to the voice full of irritation was Dito Abalan.

“Older brother?”

At his call, tinged with bewilderment, the man, who was either an uninvited guest or a savior, answered cheerfully.

“Yes, I heard you came here, so I stopped by to see your face for a moment.”

At the sudden appearance of the 1st Prince, one of the few members of the Imperial Family who could stop the 2nd Prince, a different kind of silence lingered in the drawing room.

***

The 1st Prince, Rasia Abalan, stood before the four, hiding his own embarrassment.

“Older brother, didn't I just see you in the morning?”

At Dito Abalan's baffled question that broke the silence, the 1st Prince pressed his lips firmly together then parted them.

“I... did. But when were we the type to see each other's faces only once a day?”

Finding it hard to admit that he had said these embarrassing, cheesy, and cringeworthy words himself, the 1st Prince clenched his fist, hidden from anyone's sight.

“So, you're saying you came to see me again?”

“……Yes.”

“Do you remember that we talked for about an hour in the morning?”

“What's there to be shy about when there's a face I miss seeing, no matter how much I see it.”

It seemed even Dito couldn't listen to this crazy talk, as he crumpled his face in a frown.

Right, I know. I know, too.

I know better than anyone that it's crazy talk.

Do you think I want to say these stupid things?

Rasia Abalan ground his teeth, recalling the shameless face that had made him come here about an hour ago.

***

The 1st Prince finished his late lunch and headed to his office.

It was to take care of the remaining documents after having a pleasant conversation with Dito until morning about how to finally proceed with that damned shelter project.

“Ah, you're here?”

And he had to crumple his face at the greeting of the black trash, who was sitting leisurely in his office waiting for him.

The fact that he was now somewhat used to this sudden visit and didn't jump in surprise also made him feel subtly dirty, and Rasia Abalan entered, slamming the door.

“Why are you here again? You were the one who said last time that I could proceed with the work with Dito now.”

“Where did the 2nd Prince go?”

“Why do you ask?”

The 1st Prince frowned again, finding himself, now accustomed to the 7th Prince ignoring his words, absurd.

“Did he go to the Piteos ducal mansion?”

“If you know, why on earth are you asking?”

“Hm.”

Rasia, looking fed up with the 7th Prince who ignored him several times, walked toward the desk.

“Are you busy right now?”

The 7th Prince asked as soon as he sat down.

“Can't you tell by looking? I'm working. Do you not know what an office is for?”

Rasia, robbed of his specialty, shouting, tried to show off the sarcasm he had newly learned these days, but the black-eyed prince didn't even blink.

“Then it should be fine for you to go out for a moment.”

“What are you talking about? I said I'm working.”

“You'll have to make a trip to the Piteos ducal family.”

“……Are you really not hearing me?”

“I'd like you to go as quickly as possible.”

As this one-sided monologue continued, Rasia Abalan couldn't stand it and slammed the desk as he stood up.

“No! Why should I go there?”

If he had business, he would have summoned them, but there was no reason whatsoever for him to make a personal visit.

His 7th younger brother, watching him unable to raise his voice, just stared at him with that unpleasant, expressionless face.

“Do you mean you will only move if there's a reason?”

He wasn't so dense as to not know the hidden meaning in that.

When were you ever able to do that?

It was Rasia Abalan, who had already granted his inexplicable and bizarre requests little by little several times.

The 7th Prince shrugged at him, who had his lips firmly sealed, and said.

“It's not a difficult task. You just need to visit the Piteos family now and bring back the 2nd Prince.”

“Dito? Why?”

“Because it's no good for him to be there.”

The 1st Prince ground his teeth at him, who spoke lightly as if he were just being whimsical again.

“We talked about the project for an hour in the morning, what am I supposed to say if I suddenly go?”

I see. The fellow, who seemed to ponder for a moment, answered carelessly, as if it was none of his business.

“Just make an excuse that you came because you wanted to see his face. Isn't it a sibling relationship to miss each other even if you see each other every day.”

Tired of even asking back what crazy sibling in the world does that, Rasia Abalan sighed and stood up from his seat.

“Ah, when you go, don't even look at the Little Duke. Don't talk to him either.”

A demand, annoying but impossible to ignore, was heard through the closing door.

***

“Something feels weird.”

“What, you need to go to the bathroom? You have to hold it until we arrive.”

Seya glared at Jack's reply with an annoyed expression.

“Not that. I'm saying it feels like something really bad is happening.”

“Surprising.”

As Jack feigned surprise, Seya's expression also darkened.

“Why, why? Something is bad, isn't it?”

“No, that you're only now realizing this isn't a great situation for you. That's what's truly surprising.”

Jack shook the rope that was tying one of Seya's arms.

Seya ignored Jack and sank into thought.

By now, Mir must have heard Jin's words and be really worried.

He wanted to run away quickly, but this large man named Jack was more thorough than he thought.

If he showed any sign that he might try to run away, he would glare and give Seya a warning with an expression that said, ‘You're not trying to run away right now, are you? Surely?’

Seya had no choice but to walk as the man led.

“Oh, this looks tasty. Give me two more of these.”

Jack received two skewers from the street stall.

“Here, eat one.”

Seya stared blankly at the golden-brown skewer held out in front of him.

“Why do you keep feeding me?”

“Don't you want it? You kept glancing over.”

“……”

Seya, who had actually been losing his mind a little over the tantalizing smell that had been piercing his nose for a while, was embarrassed that his inner thoughts were caught and silently accepted the skewer.

But he just held it.

Jack, finding it strange that Seya wasn't eating the skewer even while gulping, stopped in the street.

“What? Why aren't you eating? There's no poison or anything. You just saw me buy it from the shop.”

Why else?

It's to give to Mir.

“I'm saving it.”

At Seya's dishonest answer, Jack's gaze fell on the child's greasy hand.

Thinking he might be trying to take it back, Seya subtly hid the skewer behind his back.

Surely he's not giving it just to take it back?

As he narrowed his eyes and glared at him, Jack wordlessly turned back the way he came.

Seya, dragged by the rope without knowing why, lowered the hand that had been hiding the skewer behind his back the whole time when Jack stopped at the stall a moment ago.

“Here.”

Jack handed over a paper envelope full of skewers.

“Don't bother saving it, just eat when you want to eat.”

Looking at his gruffly speaking face, Seya snatched the envelope.

No reason to refuse what he's giving.

Jack thought the sight was just like a wild dog being tamed.

But whether it was because Seya was a human child, or because he was a child of the streets, he was not a child who was easily tamed.

The child, closer to a wild dog than a puppy, silently followed Jack, who was pleased with himself, all while quietly collecting the sharp sticks of the skewers he had finished eating.

***

Perhaps because of the fact that they had welcomed a member of the Imperial Family twice, something hard to see even once in a lifetime, the servants of the Piteos ducal mansion could not hide their confusion.

No one could capture in their eyes the sacred existence they dared not even raise their heads to.

So there was no way they could get close enough to recklessly listen to the sounds inside the drawing room.

Only Pale, standing at the end of the hallway, stared at the firmly closed drawing room door, hoping that nothing rough was happening.

***

Meanwhile, in the room where Pale worried a rough incident was about to happen but was stopped, an awkward confrontation was continuing.

Tollin, staring blankly at Rasia and Dito; the two princes, exchanging subtle glances; and the Little Duke, trying his best to be calm but unable to control his trembling pupils.

The one who broke the silence among these four was Tollin.

“I apologize for not being able to greet you. I greet His Highness the 1st Prince.”

At Tollin's action, the Little Duke also hurriedly bowed his head.

“I greet His Highness the 1st Prince.”

Rasia Abalan, who had been wearing a displeased expression while receiving Tollin's greeting, flinched as he was about to look at the Little Duke and snapped his head away.

“……Yes, that's how it should be.”

Watching him answer without even glancing toward the Little Duke, the 2nd Prince raised one eyebrow and looked at him.

“Older brother, are you alright?”

“Yes, I am always alright.”

No matter how one looked at it, he was acting strange, but since he himself insisted so strongly, the 2nd Prince readily nodded.

In truth, Rasia's mind was spinning much more busily and tautly than it appeared.

It wasn't that strange that Dito had visited the ducal family.

It was Dito who had given him a pretty good idea for wanting to punish the Piteos family, and the opinion that it would be good to apply more pressure by using Igo Crisa as leverage was also Dito's.

What great matter could it be for his younger brother to torment a single noble for fun?

But why is that guy trying to stop Dito like this?

And yet, he also told him to delay the Piteos's hospital project for as long as possible.

He wants me to be involved in the project for a long time, but he doesn't want Dito to get close to them.

……Is he worried Dito will find something out?

At the thought that flashed through his mind, Rasia unknowingly clenched his fist.

“Older brother, are you smiling right now?”

At Dito's point, Rasia finally realized he was smiling.

The 1st Prince hurriedly covered his mouth with his hand and forced the corners of his lips back down, then waved his other hand and changed the subject.

“How can an older brother stay still when his younger brother is busy? I heard you were here and stopped by for a moment, and seeing your face like this makes me feel good. Yes, by the looks of it, the work talk seems to be all finished?”

“……Yes, the important talk is already finished.”

The 2nd Prince, who had regained his smiling face at some point, nodded and said.

“That’s good. We can go back now, right?”

At Rasia's appearance, subtly trying to take him along, Dito looked around at Tollin and the Little Duke, pretending not to notice anything.

“I would like to do that, but…… I was just in the middle of teaching the young Little Duke an interesting game.”

“A game?”

Only then did Rasia look at the 2nd Prince's aide standing a short distance away and the fragments of the broken teacup, and nodded as if he understood.

“You still play like a child even after getting older.”

To the Little Duke, the 1st Prince's appearance seemed just like he was treating a truly close family, making him wonder if this is what it would feel like to see a lion speak.

The child carefully observed the 1st Prince in the atmosphere that, while not comfortable, had softened a little, the cruelty from just before gone.

He also felt that he was less frightening than the 2nd Prince.

“What kind of difficult game is it that you're even teaching?”

The next moment, however, he had to realize that was his great misunderstanding, when the 1st Prince, who had spoken as if it were nothing, snatched up the teapot in an instant, too fast for the Little Duke's eyes to follow.

The heavy dish cut through the air.

Fortunately, the Little Duke could not see with his own two eyes what happened to the flying teapot.

It was thanks to Tollin, who had quickly blocked the Little Duke's view with his body.

However, the child could imagine the situation that had unfolded beyond Tollin from the loud bursting sound as the dish shattered and the strong scent of tea that filled the room.

The 1st Prince's nonchalant voice reached the Little Duke's ears as he sucked in a breath.

“I hit the dead center, so the game ends with my win. The Little Duke must have understood by now.”

And with the innocent 1st Prince's urging to return now, the 2nd Prince's small laugh was also heard.

It was the moment the Little Duke's feelings toward the Imperial Family hardened into fear and wariness.