By Zephyria 
Cecile’s eyes widened. He was clearly surprised, as he had not anticipated such a situation. He hurriedly bowed his head.
“There’s no need for you to do that because of me.”
“Haha, it’s just a joke, a joke! Oh dear, I feel embarrassed that you’re taking it so seriously.”
The sound of hearty laughter echoed in the audience room. Emperor Arnold, who had been patting Cecile on the back, soon spoke with a kind smile.
“In times like this, you should not hide but stand tall in front of others. Yes, since the Crown Prince has a lot of state affairs to handle, it would be good if you, Cecile, could help him out.”
“…What?”
“It’s been a long time since we’ve been apart, and it’s natural for brothers to grow distant. Why not take this opportunity to strengthen your bond?”
Helping with state affairs? Cecile was completely taken aback.
Isn’t this too soon? It was clear that Alexis wouldn’t want this either.
Naturally, his dazed gaze turned toward the Crown Prince. Alexis was steadfastly looking straight ahead, making it impossible to gauge what he was thinking.
“Cecile, you need to answer.”
“Your Majesty… how could I dare?”
“Oh my. My child seems quite intimidated. Alexis, what do you think?”
“If it is what Your Majesty wishes, I will gladly comply.”
“Did you hear that?”
The situation was taking an unexpected turn. He couldn’t say no here. Cecile pressed his lips tightly together and nodded.
“Well then, since we’ve said all we need to, let’s all take our leave. I’m tired. I think I should take a nap now.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Alexis and the Minister of Foreign Affairs stood up, bowing. Not wanting to miss the departing figures, Cecile hurriedly finished his greetings and followed them out.
A long corridor connected the audience room to the entrance of the palace. Cecile hurried his steps, barely managing to keep up with Alexis’s long strides.
“Your Highness, why did you agree?”
“Wasn’t it what His Majesty wanted? I always follow his wishes.”
“You don’t want me to help with work.”
“Are you suggesting that I should go against His Majesty’s wishes?”
“Surely, as Your Highness, you could have come up with a more plausible reason.”
At that moment, Cecile’s legs, which had been moving quickly, came to a sudden stop. Faced with Alexis’s sharp gaze, he quickly inhaled.
“You speak as if you know me quite well.”
I do know you. I have engraved who you are deep within me.
Cecile barely swallowed the words rolling around in his mouth. Fortunately, all that escaped was a sigh.
“Are you not bothered by it, Your Highness?”
“Bothered by what?”
“By the fact that I… like men. Does it not disgust you?”
Alexis’s lips curled slightly. A fleeting smirk crossed his indifferent face.
“It doesn’t matter. As long as the other person isn’t me, I have no issue with your sexual preferences. Of course, that’s unlikely to happen.”
“…That’s true.”
Cecile looked down at the ground, his heart being pierced by those words. He quickly hid his trembling hands behind his back.
That’s right. This is a feeling that must never be revealed. I must suppress it tightly and hide it deeply so that Alexis cannot know. Even a hint of disappointment should not show on my face.
“Follow me.”
The cold command fell from above. As Alexis began to walk, Cecile steeled himself and hurriedly followed his long strides.
* * *
There are a total of seven palaces within the imperial palace.
Each palace had symbolic objects representing their meanings, and in the case of the Saint Palace, where the Crown Prince resided, it was the sequoia. The towering trees, as tall as the palace itself, seemed like guardians, indistinguishable from living walls.
The centuries-old sequoias stood tall and straight. They resembled Alexis. Strong vitality and an unyielding dignity that would not bend no matter what.
Cecile gazed blankly at the swaying green leaves outside, trying to soothe the heavy feeling settling in his heart.
‘Who would have thought I would return here again?’
Even now, when he closes his eyes, the image of Alexis bleeding to death in this office vividly comes to mind. The horrific memory is deeply etched in his mind and heart, always tormenting Cecile.
His eyes, a shade lighter than the lush green leaves, turned to the side. Directly across the desk sat the Crown Prince, engrossed in work.
He looked busy. The piles of documents were evidence of that.
Not only that, but the attendants of the Saint Palace were constantly bringing in more work. There were six trolleys waiting beside the wide desk, all filled with thick books and rolled-up parchments.
Cecile tapped his fingers on the empty desk.
‘If there’s so much work, why not share some with me? Wasn’t I brought here because you needed help?’
On Cecile’s desk, there was only black ink and a pen. He hadn’t even dipped the pen in the ink. It had been three days since it had been left untouched.
For a day and a half, Cecile had come to the Crown Prince’s palace and wasted time. He had said he would speak up if he needed help, but Alexis had only given him a desk and had not assigned him any tasks.
The intention was clear.
He meant that he would rather work himself to death than accept Cecile’s help, and it implied that he was not lacking in ability to the point of needing Cecile’s assistance.
Well, he didn’t particularly mind. Watching Alexis’s focused face was somewhat entertaining.
Moreover, the position was quite advantageous, as time seemed to fly by.
Cecile twirled the pen, which had not fulfilled its purpose, around his fingers. When he playfully did so, Alexis briefly glanced over, but soon turned his attention back to the documents, losing interest.
Knock, knock. The sound of knocking came, and the long-time attendant of Alexis entered.
“Your Highness, Commander Claude Vandell has arrived. I will escort him to the audience room.”
“Oh, I see. Has it already been that long?”
Alexis set down the documents and left the office. As soon as the only source of entertainment was gone, Cecile swallowed his disappointment.
As soon as the Crown Prince left, his attendants began to move busily. A few of them formed a human barrier in front of the desk.
It was obvious who they were guarding against. Cecile scoffed and turned his head away.
Suddenly, his eyes caught the wall clock. Since Alexis had entered the meeting with Commander Claude, it would probably take at least an hour.
‘Ah, it’s going to be boring from now on.’
Spending time in an office without Alexis was truly a waste of time. Time was precious, and it felt like a loss.
While Cecile was wasting his precious time, Alexis entered the audience room and met with Claude, who had arrived early.
He sank into the large single sofa. As the goose-down cushion sank, his platinum hair scattered. The way he carelessly pushed his bangs back made Claude smile with satisfaction for the first time in a while.
“You look tired.”
“You seem to be enjoying yourself.”
“How could I not enjoy it when Your Highness is so sincere in his efforts?”
“Enough with the nonsense. Let’s get to the report.”
Leaning back loosely, Alexis flicked his fingers. Sitting up straight, Claude neatly spread out the prepared documents on the table.
“First, a total of 182 candidates have passed the initial screening, and we will begin the selection process tomorrow.”
“That’s more than I expected.”
“It’s been seven years since the last selection. As a result, applications have poured in.”
The knight order was primarily composed of common nobles. For them, joining the knight order was the most certain path to success.
Especially since they would receive guaranteed rewards based on their merits, it was an attractive profession. If they performed well, they could even be granted titles, making it an opportunity not to be missed.
Alexis picked up the thick stack of applications in front of him and quickly read through the printed words. Despite his relaxed posture, his gaze was sharp.
“There should be plenty of usable candidates.”
“Let’s select generously. Half of them will probably drop out during the training process.”
“Only because our commander is so ruthless.”
The corners of Alexis’s mouth curled up slightly. Although it was a sharp remark for someone he trusted, Claude merely nodded in agreement.
Alexis tossed the application he was holding onto the table. Perhaps because he had been staring at the documents for too long, his eyes felt dry. He tilted his head and pressed down on his eyelids, which were starting to feel warm.
“Just finish the first screening. I’ll take a look at the rest myself.”
“Are you sure? I’ve heard you haven’t been getting much sleep.”
“It’s just the beginning; it will get better soon. I can’t afford to rely on anyone’s help while I’m going through each one….”
As Alexis was recounting his situation, he inadvertently let out a deflated laugh. He pressed his forehead and rolled his eyes.
“Do you know that His Majesty assigned Cecile to me?”
“Ah… I’ve heard. He said to have you help with state affairs.”
Claude swallowed a sip of his cold tea.
They had been together for twenty years. Knowing Alexis’s meticulous nature better than anyone, he couldn’t imagine him working alongside someone he didn’t trust. Curious, he seized the opportunity to ask.
“Surely, you wouldn’t assign him any tasks… What is that guy doing there?”
“Just sitting around. Looking at trees, then looking at my face.”
“Looking at you?”
“He seemed to be staring blankly.”
Alexis’s lips curled up again, as if he found it amusing.
In any case, he had no intention of sharing any of his work with Cecile. He was merely following the Emperor’s orders while keeping him close to monitor him.
Cecile Adrian, sitting like a beautiful ornament, showed no intention of hiding his gaze. Whenever he occasionally looked up, their eyes inevitably met. The gaze, devoid of any intention and filled only with goodwill, often left Alexis bewildered.
“The rumor that you like men is already spreading throughout the capital.”
“That was quick. Well, nobles do have loose lips.”
“Are you not taking this too lightly? At this rate, he might develop strange feelings for you.”
“That’s nonsense.”
Alexis let out a disbelieving laugh. He had no interest in Cecile’s preferences. In fact, he didn’t even believe that Cecile liked men.
He could tell by looking into their eyes. Usually, when homosexuals see someone they like, their eyes fill with lustful thoughts.
But in those emerald eyes, there was not a trace of malice.
“The more I see him, the less I understand.”
What could be the intention behind revealing a weakness that would clearly be a blemish on his future? Especially when it would alienate him from the Empress, who supported him in every way? He couldn’t fathom his true motives.
“Your Highness, I apologize for interrupting, but… I just received a message from the Empress’s palace.”
One of the attendants hesitantly conveyed the message. As Alexis nodded, the attendant hurried over and respectfully handed him a letter.
As Alexis read the letter, he let out a small chuckle. Claude subtly inquired.
“What is it?”
“Our Empress has added another burden for me.”
Alexis suppressed his discomfort and fell into deep thought. Before long, his long eyes narrowed.
“Is Cecile still in the office?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Perfect timing. It’s about time to assign him some work.”
The soft paper was ruthlessly crumpled in the Crown Prince’s palm.
Since the Empress had made the first move, he was more than willing to respond. He would also take the opportunity to uncover the hidden feelings that Cecile was concealing.