His Highness only shrugged his shoulders in exasperation. “This again? Even if he is my half brother, what could a runt like him do to me?”
“He should’ve been sent to the monastery! But instead, we received a false report that he’d died en route, and now House Renard is raising him while pretending he’s their relative! This is a huge deal! It’s treason!!!” the guard screeched.
The chamberlain cast father an uneasy glance. Both he and my brother remained completely expressionless.
“Really...?” Hodr couldn’t hide the hesitation in his voice as he looked up at the marquis.
If treason was truly at hand, this would be a critical situation for the crown prince. He was surrounded by Renard knights, and his own forces were already captured. There was no way he’d be able to escape with just his chamberlain’s help. His disappearance could be covered up with the claim of an accident.
Father stared the guard down. “Where’s your proof?”
The man’s breath hitched at that simple question. He shuddered, turning his gaze to Bal.
“Th-That kid is the proof! He’s been hiding his golden eyes!”
His Highness and the chamberlain turned to look at Bal, who quickly closed his eyes.
“See? He’s still trying to hide them because he has a guilty conscience! And he’s not just some kid—he has a spirit as an ally!”
Everyone was staring at Bal. Tension filled the silent air of the forest. Not a single bird was chirping, and even the leaves were deathly still.
The silence was broken by the sound of His Highness nervously gulping as he looked at the chamberlain. With a pained expression, the man whispered something into the prince’s ear.
“His hair? Of course! His hair is orange! If he truly had royal blood, it’d be blond!” Hodr exclaimed. “So you must be wrong! He cannot be of royal descent!”
His decision must’ve been made based on the chamberlain’s advice. Whatever the truth was, this wasn’t the time to be making enemies of House Renard. In this remote place, even if they requested backup, it’d take a long time for anyone to make the difficult journey here. There was no guarantee that the prince could survive until then, so sacrificing a single guard was the wiser choice.
“Isn’t that right, Marquis Renard? You’re not betraying the royal family, are you?”
The marquis shook his head. “Besides, if the guard was telling the truth, then what about the leg band? This boy doesn’t have one. How would he have gotten rid of it?”
Hodr gasped. “Exactly! Those bands are made by the mages from the royal court, and they have a special cipher! The only way to remove one is to cut off your leg. But this kid has both his legs, so it can’t be him!”
“Indeed. Besides, the nameless band is right here,” Liam said, pointing at the oak tree behind Bal.
A metal anklet was affixed around the root of the little tree. The guard gasped at the sight, and collapsed in place as if losing all strength.
“That can’t be! He’s truly dead? But the caliber of this boy... The light...” he mumbled under his breath, but his eyes already looked lifeless.
“A-All right, then! Off with his head!” Hodr ordered the chamberlain, who faltered.
“Wait! You can’t kill him if you want to find the real culprit!” I shouted. I hadn’t expected things to escalate this much, and the person who ordered him to do this in the first place was far worse. If this guard died here, it’d only please the true perpetrator.
“The real culprit?” Hodr asked.
“Someone was giving orders to this man, right?”
“What orders?”
I couldn’t explain it well, so Liam stepped in.
“This guard and the men we captured have interfered with your first official business, Your Highness. They’ve cast suspicion on House Renard and isolated you in our domain. They behaved unprofessionally in a place stricken by disaster, and planned to turn the animosity of the people against you. Someone is behind all this, and we must find out who. It’s too soon to execute this man.”
The hesitant prince glanced around and was met by the silent stares of the stern Renard knights. The commoners, brandishing agricultural tools in their hands, glared at him and the captured men.
“We cannot guarantee your safety, Your Highness, as your attendants have betrayed you. You should return to the capital as soon as possible,” father said with a blank expression.
Hodr fell on his knees and vomited, no longer able to hold his nerve. The panicked chamberlain rubbed his back.
“My knights will escort you to our borders,” father continued. “From there, head back to the capital with only your most trusted forces.”
The boy nodded, his eyes filled with tears. “Quickly! I want to leave! If not today, then tomorrow! I’m sorry, but you’re the only one I can rely on!” he exclaimed as he clung onto the marquis, no longer caring how he looked.
“Of course, Your Highness. Your safety is my priority.”
“Thank you! Thank you, marquis! I won’t forget this! I’ll give all those men the harshest punishment possible! So please look after me!”
Father nodded calmly at the prince’s frantic begging.
After that, His Highness quickly made preparations to go back to the capital.
“See you again, Lune!” he said, sending me a regretful glance.
I couldn’t understand how he could remain so hopeful after everything that had happened.
Does it take that kind of audacity to sit on the throne?
I hid behind my brother without replying, while Lord Reineke nuzzled against me.
“I’ll send you an official invite to the palace, so sit tight!” Hodr said, blushing.
I looked up at father with pleading eyes.
“Now that I’ve finished my first official business, I see just how smart you are. And you were worried about me, right? I can tell you like me. Since I owe a favor to House Renard, I’ll make you into the crown princess. So come to the palace and you’ll get your education. And when you’re all grown up, you’ll get to be a princess!”
His Highness’s words cast me into despair.
Is father going to sell me off this time too?
My ears and tail slumped.
“Lune will not be your bride,” Liam said resolutely.
“As we’ve already discussed, Lune will not be married into the royal family,” father added.
My face lit up. “Father!” I exclaimed happily.
He simply nodded, deadpan as ever.
But for some reason, Hodr smirked.
“I won’t give up no matter how much you resist! I’ll come back for you!”
“Please don’t! I’m not going anywhere!”
The prince’s cheeks flushed even more at my reply.
Oh, right. This guy likes it when I’m cold to him...
“I’ll work hard for you! I’ll survive this arduous journey, so believe in me!” he said without any consideration of my feelings, drunk on his sense of heroism.
Lord Reineke yawned to show that he was bored. I wouldn’t say anything more, because no matter how harsh my words might be, they’d just please His Highness.
Finally, the prince left to travel back to the capital. Not a single one of the people here went to see him off. It was a lonesome departure, hardly suited to someone of royal standing. But the citizens had already shut off His Highness Hodr from their hearts.
“I’m so tired...” I murmured. I was exhausted, my ears and tail hanging down.
Liam petted my head.
“Brother...”
I clung to him tightly.
Father watched us for a moment. Then with a serious look on his face, he asked, “Lune, do you like Liam?”
Liam’s face flushed in surprise. “Why are you suddenly—”
“Yes! I love him!” I answered cheerfully, my tail wagging.
“I see,” father said. “And you told the crown prince that you don’t want to go anywhere. Is that true?”
I nodded. “Please, father! Don’t send me off as anyone’s bride! When I’m older and can live on my own, I’ll pay you back for everything! So please!!!”
I lowered my head, begging.
“I plead with you as well: Don’t send Lune to the palace,” Liam said, bowing deeply too.
“All right. If you’re both this serious about it, then so be it,” father decided. Mother nodded as well.
“Thank you so much!” Liam and I exclaimed in unison. We clasped our hands together, our fingers intertwining.
“That’s great, isn’t it, Lune?”
“Yes! I’m so glad!”
Tears of relief filled my eyes.
“There’s no need to cry, Lune,” mother said, wiping away my tears. “I’m glad I’ll always get to be with you too. Watching you grow up is going to be so much fun.”
Hearing her talk about the future brought me so much joy. With even father smiling, I couldn’t help but smile too. Now that they had approved of me staying in the Renard domain, I was in high spirits.
Thank goodness! Now I can rest easy and focus on returning the favor!
My fluffy tail wagged.