By Zephyria 
“Your Highness, someone has come from Peridot Palace.”
“…….”
The chief attendant of Saint Palace spoke cautiously. The office was so quiet that there was no reason for the attendant’s words to be lost. However, Alexis continued to flip through the documents in silence, conveying his intent without a response.
The attendant swallowed hard. Knowing the Crown Prince’s consistent disregard, he made another attempt.
“Cecile has not returned since he left the palace this afternoon.”
“Why are you telling me that? It has nothing to do with me.”
Alexis replied, his gaze fixed on the documents. There was no change in his expression or tone. He truly did not care about Cecile.
But the attendant felt the seriousness of the situation and persisted.
“The attendants from Peridot Palace are asking for Your Highness’s help.”
“Do I seem that easy to you? Just like his master, he has no sense.”
“How desperate must they be? He left the palace alone without taking anyone with him, so it’s only natural to worry. Given that he hasn’t returned at this late hour, something might have happened.”
“…….”
“Your Highness, please show some mercy to Cecile.”
“Do not mention that name in front of me.”
The sharp voice sliced through the air.
The attendant, who had served the Crown Prince for a long time, knew Alexis’s cold nature and could not make another request. He firmly closed his mouth and discreetly left the room.
Alexis turned his attention back to the documents. Even though he had brought work to deliberately clear his mind, he could not concentrate at all.
Outside, it was pouring rain. The raindrops hitting the window were also scratching at Alexis’s nerves.
As he tried to focus on the text in the documents again, Alexis soon threw the papers down and stood up. He approached the window and pulled the curtains shut. He could not bear the dreary weather any longer.
* * *
Cecile’s first runaway was truly a series of hardships.
It was fine that he had chosen the bustling central district of the capital as his destination. The problem began when he encountered robbers on the way there.
Last time, he had been riding in a carriage marked with the royal crest, so no one dared to touch Cecile.
But this time, the situation was different. A young man who looked like a rich heir, wandering alone without any escort, was bound to become a target for robbers.
“Hand over everything you have if you want to live!”
As men wielding knives and axes surrounded him, Cecile raised his hands in surrender. He had no weapon on him, and even if he did, there was no guarantee he could defeat them.
As a result, he lost not only the horse he was riding but also all the expensive jewels he had. The ruthless thieves even took the pearl decorations from his sleeves, but at least they left his clothes and shoes out of decency.
“God hasn’t completely abandoned me.”
Cecile tried to think positively. Even though he had lost everything and was now empty-handed, he would not bend his pride. He would never go back.
By the time he walked to the central district, the sun was already setting. The weather had turned gloomy, and it began to rain steadily. The cold wind grew stronger, and the raindrops became heavier.
“What now….”
Having come this far, Cecile had no further plans.
He was exhausted from walking for a long time, and the cold from being soaked in the rain was creeping in. Wanting to lie down in a warm place, Cecile stopped by an inn in the bustling street to ask if he could stay for the night.
Of course, he was met with a cold rejection, as he had no money to back up his bold request, and he had to wander the streets again. He tried other inns and taverns, but the situation was the same.
The merchants did not recognize that he was of royal blood and regarded him as a fallen noble who had squandered his wealth or a vagabond wearing fine clothes he had picked up somewhere. Even if he had revealed his identity as royalty, they surely would not have believed him.
After wandering around, he took shelter from the rain under the awning of a small fruit shop. Experiencing such neglect for the first time in his life, Cecile felt a bit bewildered.
Still, leaving the palace made him feel as if he could fly. He relieved his frustration by watching the many people coming and going in the square. At the same time, he made a resolution.
He would not return to the palace for the time being. Since this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, he thought he could afford to act freely this time.
As he waited for the rain to lessen under the awning, the shopkeeper suddenly came out to check on the stall. Perhaps because customers were rare in the rain, the shopkeeper’s expression was not very bright.
The plums he was handling looked so tempting. The fragrant and tangy scent pierced through the heavy rain and reached Cecile’s nose. Hungry, he unconsciously swallowed as he stared intently at the plums in the shopkeeper’s hand.
As the shopkeeper turned to write a discounted price for the fruits he needed to sell today, he caught sight of the drenched Cecile.
The shopkeeper clicked his tongue. It was quite bothersome to have someone loitering in front of his shop, especially when business was already slow.
However, since Cecile had a pretty face and his clothes looked good, he did not chase him away like a street beggar.
“Step back a bit. You’re blocking the view of the fruits.”
“Sorry.”
Cecile shuffled to the side. As the water dripping from the edge of the awning soaked his left shoulder, he instinctively wrapped his arms around himself.
He did not pay much attention to the shopkeeper’s gruff tone. Right now, the priority was to find a place to sleep for the night. After all, he could not sleep on the street.
Should he just go to any seemingly wealthy house and ask for help? Would they believe him if he said he was Cecile Adrian?
If it were Alexis, he could reveal his identity with just his platinum hair, but Cecile had nothing to prove he was of royal blood.
At the very least, he would need to be recognized by a noble who knew his face to ask for a favor. However, most of the high-ranking nobles’ mansions were located on the outskirts, and Cecile did not have the strength to walk that far. He was only accumulating worries.
After about an hour, the shopkeeper showed signs of closing up. He came outside to tidy up the fruits on the stall and was about to take down the awning.
“…….”
Cecile looked at the fruit shopkeeper with a pitiful gaze. It was quite unfortunate that his only shelter was about to disappear.
Seeing how pitiful Cecile looked, the shopkeeper cleared his throat and decided to give up on putting away the awning.
“Leave when the rain stops.”
“You’re quite generous. What is your name?”
“Odrick, but why are you treating me with such formality when you look much younger than me? You seem to be wandering around without any money.”
“Right, Odrick. I won’t forget your kindness. I will surely repay you later.”
Odrick shook his head and continued tidying up. He thought to himself that this person must be crazy, clearly mistaking himself for someone of high status.
As night deepened, darkness gradually settled over the square. The inclement weather had reduced the number of passersby to almost none. The shops were wrapping up for the day, and the number of places turning off their lights increased.
Cecile remained in front of the fruit shop. Perhaps because he was soaked in the rain, the cold gradually seeped in, and now he was shivering to the point that his teeth were chattering even while standing still.
They say leaving home brings hardship, and he was feeling that saying deeply. Cold, sleepy, and hungry, the combination was testing Cecile’s patience.
“Wow… this is beyond stubbornness.”
Just as he rubbed his arms to force his body temperature up.
A luxurious-looking carriage crossed the square. The sound of hooves hitting the ground and the wheels rolling loudly made Cecile look up at the carriage.
The carriage, which had been passing quickly, suddenly stopped and turned to approach the fruit shop. Not knowing what was happening, Cecile blinked in surprise when he saw the face peering out from the carriage window.
“…Marquis?”
With a plump face and a stout figure, it was undoubtedly Marquis Valerie, the Minister of Finance.
The marquis, who poked his head out of the window, widened his thin eyes as soon as he recognized Cecile.
“Oh my! I suspected it, but it really is you!”
Marquis Valerie burst out of the carriage, his servant holding an umbrella to shield him.
“Why on earth are you here all alone, Cecile? Where is your carriage? Where are your attendants?”
“Uh?”
“Did you really come all the way here by yourself?”
Marquis Valerie was exceptionally quick-witted. After all, it was clear to anyone that a drenched Cecile did not look like someone who had just stepped out for a drink.
“Ah… well.”
Caught off guard, Cecile stammered, unlike his usual self.
How much should he tell Marquis Valerie?
In truth, Cecile and the marquis did not have a very friendly relationship. Previously, during a meeting of The Senate, Cecile had revealed his tendencies and inadvertently exposed the marquis’s secrets, making their relationship rather uncomfortable.
However, meeting in such a situation was undeniably a relief. Cecile cautiously made a request.
“I’m sorry, but my situation is not good right now. Could you provide me with a place to sleep for just one night?”
At that, Marquis Valerie’s expression changed subtly. He quickly scanned Cecile’s wet body and put on a feigned smile.
“Of course, there’s no question about it. I will gladly host you.”
Finally, Cecile climbed into the carriage under the marquis’s escort. The rain showed no signs of stopping, and the black carriage hurriedly left the square with its precious guest aboard.