By Zephyria 
Sitting on the sofa, the Crown Prince brought disinfectant and ointment. The cotton swab with the medicine gently touched the wound, and I felt a stinging pain.
“Does it hurt?”
Nadia, who was watching next to me, asked. I nodded, and her expression turned strange.
“How can it not hurt when you disinfect it? It hurt me a lot.”
“It doesn’t hurt me.”
It was strange to whine about pain over something like this. I wasn’t a child. Besides, I made the wound myself, so it was even stranger. My conscience pricked a little, but only for a moment. It’s not like I hurt someone else, so what?
“But what are you doing up so late?”
I asked the Crown Prince, who was being overly meticulous about a minor wound. He mumbled without looking at me.
“I was reading a book…”
“A book? What book?”
“Move your hand like this. Is it uncomfortable?”
He held his hand in front of me, making a fist and opening it. I unconsciously followed his movements, and Nadia brought a thick book.
“Do you want to see it too?”
“What is it?”
“The most popular fashion magazine in the capital these days.”
“……?”
What magazine? I thought I misheard and widened my eyes to look at the cover of the book Nadia brought. A large, ornate dress was drawn on the front.
I didn’t understand the situation and stared blankly, then looked at the Crown Prince with a pale face. He wasn’t reading that, was he? Until this hour?
He read my mind even though I didn’t say it out loud, and he coughed awkwardly.
“It’s just first aid, so go to the doctor early tomorrow. Don’t neglect it because it’s a hassle. That’s an order.”
“……”
“Why aren’t you answering? Do you understand?”
“……”
Unbelievable…
It was absurd, but it wasn’t something I needed to point out. I hesitated because I couldn’t think of anything to say, and Nadia opened the book she was holding.
“I put a bookmark in it.”
Watching her, I asked awkwardly.
“Can’t you read?”
“No? I can read?”
“But why are you asking him to read it instead of reading it yourself?”
“Because it’s better when he reads it.”
Come to think of it, when I was sick, I felt calmer when he read me fairy tales. Thinking about it, the content of those fairy tales was probably more unhealthy than this.
“Let’s start here.”
“It’s late, so let’s look at it again tomorrow.”
“Then let’s just look at twenty more pages.”
“I said tomorrow.”
“Fifteen pages?”
The two bickered for a while, but the Crown Prince eventually lost. They leaned against the headboard of the bed and opened the book. I suddenly felt awkward again and was just looking for a chance to jump out the window when the Crown Prince said to me.
“Come here too, Kyle.”
“Me…”
“Come on! We have to see it quickly and go to sleep!”
I was about to ask why I should go there, but before I could finish, Nadia screamed. Just as I was about to scream back that she was being loud, the Crown Prince covered my mouth this time.
“How can you scream like that?”
“She doesn’t listen if I only say it once. Even when I bake cookies and bring them to her, I have to tell her two or three times before she eats them, you know?”
“Kyle does have that side to him. But from now on, don’t scream and try to speak calmly. He seems to have a habit of not getting angry at people who are kind.”
“Oh…”
I couldn’t help but frown as I watched the two of them talking as if they were writing a wildlife observation log. Did they forget I was here?
“Kyle, won’t you read a book with me? I’ll pick out a dress that suits you well.”
Following the Crown Prince’s education, Nadia babbled kindly with a sacred expression. The Crown Prince’s face, as he looked at her with satisfaction, was quite a sight.
I just wanted to run away, but when I came to my senses, I was already leaning halfway against the headboard of the bed. The Crown Prince, lying between Nadia and me, began to read the magazine in a calm voice.
It was all about how the trend was changing from flashy dresses to emphasizing one’s individuality because of someone these days, and there was nothing even remotely interesting about it.
I was half-heartedly looking at clothes that all looked the same, just with different colors of the rainbow, when I started to get sleepy. Was it because of the repetitive voice coming from nearby?
Without realizing it, I was nodding off when Nadia said.
“How about this hairpin? Should I buy it? Since your hair is long, I’ll braid it and put it on the end.”
“For me? It’s flower-shaped?”
“It’ll match your hair color well?”
“What will the officials think of me if I walk around with something like this?”
“They’ll think you’re pretty.”
Hearing that in my sleep, I naturally imagined the Crown Prince with a flower-shaped pin on the end of his braided hair. I even thought about the Crown Prince, who had no dignity whatsoever, being eaten alive by the nobles, and I shuddered.
Absolutely not…
¸.•¨•¸.•¨•¸.•¨•¸
I woke up just before sunrise.
I usually had nightmares or woke up often in the middle, but it was the first time in a long time that I had slept so soundly. But that refreshing feeling didn’t last long.
The moment I realized where I was, I sat up straight without even thinking. When I turned my head, I saw the Crown Prince sleeping next to me. And next to him was a lump wrapped in a blanket, presumably Nadia.
“Are you awake?”
The Crown Prince opened his eyes with a slightly hoarse voice. Seeing him, who was always neat and tidy, with messy hair as he raised his upper body, I unconsciously muttered.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“How can I wake you up when you don’t even flinch when I poke your cheek?”
“Don’t lie.”
I’m so sensitive that I wake up at the sound of a leaf falling, so there’s no way that could have happened. He even touched me? I frowned and got out of bed.
“I’m leaving.”
I went to the balcony as if running away, afraid he would say something strange again, but he followed me. I looked at him with a puzzled expression, and he carefully opened the balcony door and gestured for me to come out.
“Why?”
“Didn’t you come because you had something to say to me?”
“……”
That’s true, but… I thought he would just gloss over it, but it seemed like he didn’t ask yesterday because of Nadia. The Crown Prince closed the balcony door again without making a sound.
It was chilly because it was dawn, and I shivered without realizing it. Then the Crown Prince took off the gown he was wearing? I couldn’t help but be disgusted.
“Get lost.”
“But why have you become so foul-mouthed these days? You weren’t this bad at first.”
Clicking his tongue, the Crown Prince handed me the gown. It was still warm, but I couldn’t wear it. I just stood there awkwardly holding the clothes.
The Crown Prince stared silently at the sky where the sun was slowly rising. I stared at his profile, not knowing what he was thinking, and asked.
“What will you do if I say I’m going to be the Emperor?”
He didn’t flinch at all, which was surprising.
“You have a violent side, so if you fix that, you’ll be fine. You have more than enough qualifications… Now that I think about it, the personality issue won’t be a big problem if you have vassals like Garam around you. He is loyal and not greedy, so he will be a great help if you keep him by your side. It’s rare to have a vassal who doesn’t mind giving you advice.”
I asked what he would do, but suddenly he’s giving me a review? I didn’t expect him to say something like that, so I pursed my lips. The Crown Prince smiled at my strange expression.
“Why? Do you want to be the Emperor?”
“I asked the question first.”
“I answered.”
“When? So what are you going to…”
I stopped trying to ask what he was going to do. I realized belatedly that what he said earlier meant that he would hand over the throne if I wanted it.
I was dumbfounded and asked.
“How do you know if Garam gives me advice or not?”
“How many people nag you?”
“……”
Come to think of it, I think Garam had said something to me even when the Crown Prince was there. Asella’s face suddenly came to mind. And Abyss too… Abyss was a bit ambiguous because he whined so much.
“Kyle.”
Suddenly, the Crown Prince called me seriously.
“The higher you go, the more blind and deaf people become. There will definitely be times when you can’t hear someone crying out or see someone begging right in front of you.”
I couldn’t answer easily to his profound words.
“If you only look at the bright things from a high place, you’ll get used to it and won’t have time to look at your feet. And those who are too tired may not even be able to ask for help. It means that you can’t hear or see, and most of the time, those who need help don’t even ask for it.”
“……”
“Therefore, those who sit in high places must be able to predict even if they cannot see, and understand even if they cannot hear.”
I couldn’t help but be surprised at the words that came out as if he had prepared them. Where the hell did that bastard learn that?