By Zephyria 
I don’t know how much time had passed.
I was slowly getting tired of everything, but I couldn’t let go of the thread of life so easily. It was because I had vowed to myself to take care of those who remained, even though I couldn’t convey it properly.
But what can I do now? I couldn’t even stand on my own, stuck in a corner, just lying down.
At some point, even eating became difficult, to the point where someone had to put food in my mouth. I had no appetite, but I decided to cooperate for now to regain some energy.
A few more days passed like that. Now I was able to sit and stand on my own. Now I had to meet the Emperor again somehow and live a normal life. I had to…….
“……”
I stopped thinking.
I had to, what?
What does taking care of them mean? Should I give them money? Like a consolation payment? Or should I find Sakira a new mother? Should I recommend adoption to parents who have lost their daughters? Should I arrange marriages for widows who have lost their husbands?
I was blocked by difficulties, and the energy I had barely mustered drained away again.
Still, I couldn’t just roll around on the bed like a useless worm. Let’s at least give them money. That would at least be a little comforting.
“Your Highness.”
At first, I thought it was a hallucination. None of the Servants spoke to me or even greeted me.
“Your Highness.”
But I couldn’t help but turn my head at the voice I heard again. When our eyes met, the old Servant said to me.
“Your Majesty is planning to hold a banquet himself.”
A banquet all of a sudden? What is he going to do this time, gathering everyone together? And what does that have to do with me?
As if reading my expression, the Servant continued.
“He said that you must attend the banquet to celebrate the victory of the First Prince, who conquered the barbarian hordes in the west and reclaimed the territory.”
“……”
A victory celebration banquet? Ah……. The First Prince.
Come to think of it, there was a First Prince. One of his close aides had seduced my guard and poisoned me. He was the culprit behind all of this.
If it hadn’t been for that incident in the first place, I wouldn’t have come to Sa Dillin. I would have just lived like a dead mouse in that crumbling castle on the outskirts, whether it existed or not.
Because I came here, a bloody storm eventually broke out.
“The banquet is scheduled to be held a month after the First Prince enters the palace. He also ordered that it be prepared together with the Second Prince’s birthday on the same day.”
“……”
The Second Prince’s birthday? The Second Prince is me? It’s my birthday?
I blinked in confusion, organizing the Servant’s words. So, the day the First Prince enters the palace happens to be my birthday, so he’s going to celebrate the victory and my birthday together?
It was absurd, but it was a good excuse since I had to meet the Emperor anyway.
A month until the banquet.
I wondered if I should look haggard to evoke sympathy, or if I should show a neat and dignified appearance. But the thought didn’t last long.
The Emperor doesn’t seem to feel much compassion for humans in general, so I decided to drop the act. My heart raced and I felt suffocated just thinking about what happened back then, but I put it aside for now.
And so, the banquet began.
I wondered what I would do if they didn’t even provide me with clothes, but fortunately, a whole group of Servants came and dressed me up. They washed me, dressed me, put on makeup, and hung jewels all over me.
I secretly stole a few of them and hid them in a place only I knew. But then I thought that if something went wrong later, the Servants who had dressed me up would be blamed, so I just put them back after a while.
The banquet was splendid, noisy, and crowded. Many people gathered to celebrate the First Prince, who had brought news of victory. A long procession started from the gate, and of course, I didn’t want to see it, so I didn’t even bother watching.
I sat quietly like a doll in a chair behind the throne and waited. As soon as the First Prince arrived, he knelt before the Emperor with a bright smile on his face.
“I greet Sun God Rahan.”
His face still looked young, considering he had been wandering around the battlefield. He was somewhere between a boy and a young man, and his impression was unbelievably innocent and harmless.
Did he order his vassal to poison me with that face? It made me realize once again that you shouldn’t judge people by their faces.
I stared intently at the face of the First Prince, whom the Emperor constantly boasted about and compared me to. I was cursing him inwardly when our eyes suddenly met.
The short and simple greeting was over, and the Emperor was praising his achievements and giving a speech. He was listening attentively to the Emperor’s words when he made eye contact with me and suddenly winked.
What does that mean? He was smiling, but his expression was annoying, so it was clear he was teasing me. His behavior was so childish that I wasn’t even angry. It wasn’t funny, it just made me sigh.
The Emperor was mostly drunk and rarely in his right mind, but he was unusually sober today. It must have been special for him since it was the day the First Prince returned with news of victory.
Is that why? He was talking too much.
The celebration of the First Prince’s achievements was over, and even though he was sitting a little away from me, the speech continued. When will it ever end? I was just staring blankly ahead, but I kept feeling his gaze from the side.
It was so intense it felt like I was being stabbed, but I deliberately ignored it. I had nothing to say, and if I got angry after talking to him, I would only be at a loss.
I had to control my mind and body because I had to ask the Emperor for a serious favor today instead of receiving a birthday present.
“Kyle.”
But the First Prince was persistent. When I didn’t look at him until the end, he finally made a sound and called me. While the Emperor was blathering on.
“Kyle.”
This time, the voice calling my name was a little louder. If the Emperor heard it, I might get caught in the crossfire.
In the end, I had no choice but to frown and turn my gaze to the side. The First Prince smiled as if he was happy to see that, even though I was almost glaring at him.
“Do you remember me?”
“……”
“I was the first to hold you when you were born.”
“……”
“I comforted you every time you cried. When you were hungry, you would grab my finger tightly and wouldn’t let go. Then I would put a bottle in your mouth.”
He was rambling on and on, but I couldn’t understand a word he was saying. Had we met when I was young? I had no memory of it.
The First Prince smiled awkwardly as he saw me looking confused.
“I guess you don’t remember because you were too young. Well, you couldn’t even talk back then……”
He said he understood, but his expression was full of regret. But only for a moment, his expression brightened again.
“How have you been? I’ve been calculating the date for months to come in time for your birthday, and thankfully I arrived on time. Did you receive the gifts I sent every year? Did His Majesty hug you often? Did he ever read you a book? But you look a little pale, are you sick somewhere?”
“……”
I couldn’t even control my expression anymore because of the barrage of questions.
What the hell is he talking about since a while ago? Hug me? And what book?
Then, a moment from the depths of my memory came to mind when I was held in the Emperor’s arms.
It was the memory of the day I was dying from poison, the castle was burning, and all the Servants I lived with had died. Come to think of it, the Emperor had massacred my Servants twice.
Just as my vision was blurring with the swirling emotions, I heard the First Prince’s voice in my ear.
“Kyle, you have to tell me if you have a fever. Okay? You used to get a fever for no reason when you were little. The doctor told me that babies can do that sometimes. You’re still a baby, so maybe you still do.”
“……”
I couldn’t listen anymore, so I turned my head again. The long speech was finally over, and the real banquet began. Everyone was eating, drinking, and laughing loudly.
Then the First Prince whispered something to the Emperor. Then his gaze reached me. When the Emperor raised his hand, the music and noise that had been flowing gently stopped.
“The Second Prince, come forward.”
I went forward and knelt down, and he congratulated me on my birthday. It was the first greeting I had ever received, but my head was so complicated that I didn’t feel anything.
If he asks me what I want, let’s ask for a mine first. It might seem too strange to ask for money directly.
If I get a mine, I’ll sell it and secure as much cash as possible, then divide it fairly…….
“Your Majesty, may I give my brother a gift first?”
The First Prince asked with an excited expression. The Emperor stared at the First Prince for a moment, then nodded. Someone came this way with something covered in black cloth.
He reached out and lifted me up, then stroked my head.
“This is the first time I’ve congratulated you in person like this. Happy birthday, Kyle.”
“……”
I felt nauseous because there was no ulterior motive in his eyes. While I was panicking, the First Prince removed the black cover. What the Servant was holding was a birdcage. Inside was a splendid, large bird with feathers of various colors.
“Oh my god……”
“I thought it was extinct……”
All sorts of exclamations erupted from the surroundings. The convulsions that started from the tips of my fingers were gradually spreading throughout my body. Whether he knew my uncomfortable feelings or not, the First Prince handed me the birdcage.
Seeing that I didn’t reach out, the First Prince realized something and gave the birdcage back to the Servant.
“It must be too heavy for you to hold. You name it. It’s smart, so it will be a good friend.”
What am I supposed to be friends with a bird that can’t even talk? I didn’t understand, but I couldn’t argue here and I had nothing to say, so I just greeted him.
“Thank you.”
“You’re finally letting me hear your voice. It hasn’t changed much since you were a kid? I mean, when you were crying.”
After the First Prince, who was chattering and laughing, it was the Emperor’s turn to give me a gift. I wish he would just give me something that would be worth money from the start.
The Emperor said to me as I waited nervously.
“Where are you living now?”
I was so taken aback by the unexpected question that I was speechless for a moment. Even the First Prince, who had been laughing like an idiot all along, seemed to pause.
“Ah, right. You’re still in Sa Dillin……. Hmm.”
The Emperor muttered to himself as if he had just remembered my situation, even though I hadn’t said anything.
“You can’t stay here forever……. I will bestow Talim upon you, so live there from now on.”
“……”
Looking at the indifferent eyes that were looking down at me, I felt it instinctively. He would not grant any of my requests.
I quickly gave up on asking the Emperor for a mine. I thanked him and quietly stepped back. I could hear the eyes of those around me and the small murmurs, but I didn’t pay attention.
All I had left was the rare-looking rainbow bird that the First Prince had given me as a gift. I ignored the gazes and noise around me and returned to my seat, observing only the bird in the cage.
If it’s a rare species, it must be expensive, right? How much can I get for it?