Chapter 25
“Why do you hate moving so much, Arellin?”
“Then why do you like moving so much, Your Highness?”
“You think I like moving around?”
Pession tilted his head.
“You scurry around all day, don’t you?”
His favorite thing was playing with a ball.
Compared to me, who wants nothing more than to lie down all day, he was practically a different species.
“I move around all day?!”
Pession’s eyes widened as if he’d just made a great discovery from my words.
“I had no idea.”
“…”
“Arellin, are you a genius?”
Is he… making fun of me?
“Anyone could tell just by looking at you, Your Highness.”
“Wow, really? Arellin, you’ve always been watching me, haven’t you!”
“…”
“I didn’t know you cared that much about me!”
“I wasn’t watching that closely.”
No matter how I tried to deny it, it seemed Pession, already moved by emotion, couldn’t hear anything else.
“I hope we can play ball together someday!”
“That’s a very ambitious dream. A dream that will never come true.”
“If you exercise with me, maybe it’ll happen someday?”
Is he serious?
“You can do it! I’ll help you!”
“No, thank you.”
I ran away, trying to escape the clingy crown prince.
“Arellin? Arellin?!”
Griham, the chief attendant of the crown prince, was a man of notable status and typically had little to fear.
“Have you hidden honey at the Halbern estate or something, Chief Griham?”
Except when dealing with Mehen, the representative of Grand Duke Halbern.
“Haha, of course not.”
“But you came yesterday, and today… and you’ll be here again tomorrow?”
“…”
“I understand you cannot defy His Highness’ will, but don’t you think this is becoming rather excessive?”
They were both smiling.
But it felt cold—like a dagger piercing his chest.
“Haha, how could a mere servant like me go against my master’s wishes?”
“I thought part of your duty was to guide His Highness so he doesn’t stray onto the wrong path.”
“…”
Guide, huh? As if the Halbern estate were a den of evil or something.
If this were the imperial palace, things would be different. But this was Halbern territory.
Mehen won this round.
‘Just smile and nod.’
Unsure of how to respond, Griham could only muster a friendly smile.
“Tsk.”
Mehen clicked his tongue as if displeased, then stood up.
For the first time, Griham felt grateful that Mehen was one of the busiest men in the entire Albrecht Empire.
“I’ll be watching.”
“…”
With those final, vaguely threatening words, Mehen left.
“Phew.”
Griham looked at his young master, who remained all smiles and laughter despite the situation.
“I hope he realizes how hard I’m working for him…”
Mehen stood at the window, watching the exchange between Arellin and Pession.
Arellin looked constantly troubled, while Pession wore a bright, innocent smile.
“Lord Mehen?”
Without realizing, Mehen spoke to Dylan.
“Do you think this is alright, Dylan?”
“Sorry?”
“I’m asking whether it’s truly fine to allow the crown prince to come and go so freely.”
Dylan blinked slowly. It was the first time Mehen had ever asked him such a question. Especially with…
‘That expression… so conflicted.’
Why ask me, he wondered briefly. But the answer came the moment he followed Mehen’s gaze—to the small, delicate girl, Arellin.
“But you already know, don’t you, Lord Mehen?”
“Know what?”
“That the young lady needs friends her own age.”
“…”
If Mehen really wanted to, he could easily prevent both Pession and Griham from entering.
But he hadn’t. That was telling.
Dylan smiled at the rare human side of Mehen.
“It’ll be fine.”
“…”
Mehen didn’t respond, simply continued to watch Arellin. Dylan’s smile deepened.
‘Even if he pretends otherwise, he’s clearly worried about her.’
It was the first time Arellin had ever insisted on skipping a music society gathering, so Mehen had allowed it—but clearly, it still weighed on his mind.
“Children grow through these kinds of experiences.”
Mehen sighed quietly.
“You seem to know a lot about children for someone younger than me, Dylan.”
“I have a lot of nieces and nephews.”
“…”
Mehen wiped his face, collecting himself, then turned away from the window.
“Report immediately if anything happens.”
“Yes, sir.”
A week had passed since the crown prince began visiting the Halbern estate daily. And slowly, things began to change.
“We’ll need to prepare a suitable diet for His Highness…”
“His Highness prefers…”
Maids and butlers began making accommodations based on the information provided by Griham and the other palace attendants.
And—
“Haah…”
One person found it all unbearable.
She had underestimated the crown prince’s persistence. She’d assumed his interest would fade quickly, that he’d go away if she ignored him long enough—but that certainty was now slipping.
“Arellin—!”
Head down, she was trying to force down a meal that just wouldn’t go down, when the unwanted visitor burst into the dining room.
Not that she had much of an appetite to begin with, but now it was completely gone.
“Miss, you need to finish your meal!”
“I’m not hungry.”
Emma fussed beside her, but it was all drowned out.
Because the root of the problem had arrived.
“Arellin! There you are!”
She wasn’t even hiding or anything, yet Pession always made such a big show of it.
“Hello!”
Just a simple greeting—nothing special.
Yet the moment he smiled, the whole dining room seemed to brighten unnaturally.
“…Hello.”
Ugh, someone exorcise him, please.
“You’re eating? But why so little?”
“I can’t digest it.”
“Why not?”
Do I look like I know?
Maybe ask my stomach instead?
“Let’s eat more!”
“…”
“To be healthy, you need to eat well!”
My head throbbed.
Life was already hard. And this crazy crown prince was making it worse.
“Arellin, did you sleep well? You need proper rest to be healthy!”
“Here, eat this! Eating well is key to good health!”
“To stay healthy, you need a regular routine!”
“Get up! Let’s move! Exercise is important for health too!”
“Let’s walk! A stroll, a stroll!”
Annoying. Exhausting. Draining!
I didn’t know where he was getting his information from, but he never stayed still to begin with—now he came with constant nagging, and it was driving me mad.
‘Will no one rid me of this child?’
I looked around for someone—anyone—who could help…
“You’re doing great, Your Highness!”
“Exactly as expected from His Highness.”
Everyone was cheering Pession on in perfect unison.
‘Are they my caretakers, or part of Pession’s retinue?’
I felt so alone. Desperately, unbearably alone.
“I heard that to be healthy, you need a balanced meal with proper nutrients!”
“Yes, carbs, protein, and fat.”
“Carb-protein-fat? What’s that? Sounds like monster names.”
“It’s short for carbohydrates, protein, and fat… they’re nutrients.”
“Magic?”
“…”
Frantically, I scanned the room again, hoping someone would rescue me.
Help!
“Don’t they look good together, the young lady and His Highness?”
“His Highness must really like her!”
“I wish the young lady would open up to him a bit more.”
Even the well-meaning caretakers could be forgiven, but Griham, as the crown prince’s chief attendant, should be stopping this—shouldn’t he?
“Your Highness…”
Yeah, never mind. He’s hopeless too.
In the end, humans are alone.
‘When will he finally get tired of me?’
At this rate, I was going to lose my patience before he lost interest.
“Come on, let’s go out for a walk!”
A small, pale hand suddenly reached out toward me.
I stared down at it for a moment, then asked bluntly:
“Aren’t you busy?”
“Huh?”
“Your Highness. You’re busy, aren’t you?”
Even as a child, Pession was royalty.
The crown prince, next in line for the throne.
Surely he had imperial studies, sword training, and countless other responsibilities. Was it really okay for him to spend every day like this?
‘He’s probably using what little free time he has just to come here.’
Which made me even more confused.
Why would he go that far to see me, every single day?
“You must be busy. There’s no reason to come here every day…”
“Why would you say that?”
“…Sorry?”
“We’re friends, aren’t we?”
Pession smiled.
An unbearably bright smile. Like the sun—blinding and hard to look at.
“I am kind of busy. But it’s okay!”
“But why…”
“Because I want to come.”
His clear, sincere eyes pierced through me.
“I like playing with you, Arellin. Don’t you feel the same? It’s boring to stay home all alone.”
“…”
A transparent kindness, free from even a speck of ulterior motive—something I had never received from anyone before.
No hidden malice. No calculations. No expectation of reward.
Faced with such pure goodwill…
I had no words.
