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“BETWEEN the festival and the tree climbing, we’ve really put our guards on edge. How about we be on our best behavior for a little while? We can stay indoors, lazing around in our pajamas and wasting as much time as we please.”
We’d come back inside and changed into yukata when Big Brother suggested that. He was sprawled out on the tatami flooring.
“…I thought you came here because you were in crisis, but to my eyes, you’re just enjoying a nice vacation.”
I knew that Big Brother tried his best to hide his frustrations from others… But I wasn’t sure how well that excuse fit the situation. He’d bathed in the hot spring, indulged in food and liquor, attended a festival, climbed a tree, and now he was lazing around without a care in the world.
I doubted he’d ever had such a nice, relaxing vacation before.
“Well, making a big commotion won’t solve anything. Of course, I am hoping there will be some sort of development soon…”
“What will you do if you’re forced to live like this for the rest of your life?”
Siraiya, who’d also changed into a yukata, asked Big Brother that. At this rate, it wasn’t just his position as crown prince that was at risk. He might not even get to live a normal life if he kept his cat ears and tail.
I went silent and listened, since I’d been wondering that, too.
“…When the time came, I think I’d have to have them removed. I’m lucky that my animal parts are only on the outside. I’ll chop the ears and tail off, hide the wounds, and pretend like it never even happened.”
Cut them off…? That’s horrible.
“But you can feel them like any other extremity, right, Big Brother? What if cutting them off hurts you somehow?”
“I don’t know what will happen either.” He shrugged. “Will I live out the remainder of my life in horrible pain? Will everything just go back to normal? Will I…pass away as soon as I cut them off?”
“No…!”
Big Brother remained sprawled out on the ground, speaking of his own death. It upset me much more than it seemed to upset him. I didn’t want to lose my brother—especially not after I finally knew how he really felt. He was someone I dearly cared for. He’d given me a place at his side ever since we were children.
“B-Big Brother… You see… I…”
I needed to tell him what I knew. But I couldn’t get the words out. Once I told him, she would be…
“What is it, Rutherford?”
“…N-No, it’s…nothing.”
After I mumbled and looked down at my feet, Big Brother sat up and gazed out the window.
“But that’ll only be my last resort. We’re still searching for information about this curse, and we’ll only have to wait a little longer for your connections to bring us information. Since I can’t go around doing my own research in this state, nor can I work on my crown prince’s duties while I’m supposed to be receiving medical treatment, I have no choice but to wait for now, and I’d rather spend this time enjoying myself instead of letting fear make me its prisoner. Especially if I’m expelled from the country in the near future, or if I don’t have long left to live.”
He was justifying his laziness, but I could hear it in his voice. He knew what was coming and was ready to face it.
Big Brother was going to die or be expelled from the country.
I knew my brother, and I was certain he was picturing the worst possible outcomes, even as he kept his composure. If it were me in his shoes, I would’ve been a wreck. It was yet another reminder that he would make a much better king than I.
“I sent a letter to my connections in Sanctoria, but they haven’t found much, so I don’t expect them to come up with an answer,” I said. “Is there anything else you can share with us…?”
“Like what?”
Big Brother was still gazing out the window, sounding unconcerned. I tried my best not to let him hear how nervous I was.
“Like what you were doing when your ears appeared…or…something you think could’ve caused this…”
“A potential cause?”
“A-Anything will help. Please tell me if you think of anything!”
“You’re really eager to help me, aren’t you, Rutherford?”
He finally turned to look at me. Then he smiled at me softly.
We’d spent so much time on opposing sides of a made-up conflict, but now, we could smile at each other again like true brothers. I needed to do something if I wanted this happiness to last.
“Of course, Big Brother. We’re family. Now, did you touch something when the curse first activated?”
“…I’d just picked up a strange book in the palace library. I assumed it was something new we’d added to the collection, so I didn’t think anything of it. But then it happened as soon as I opened it.”
“A book…! Where is that book now?!”
Big Brother raised his hand and snapped his fingers. I’d seen this gesture many times since we were kids. At his command, Big Brother’s personal guard entered the room and pulled a book from his bag—a bag I noticed he’d been carrying around with him during our stay.
“This is it.”
“He’s been keeping it on him…?”
“Well, it’s important evidence.”
“May I see it…?”
“Sure, just don’t open it. You don’t want to end up like me, do you?”
“R-Right…” I carefully took the book from him. It didn’t have a title, but I knew this had to be the book she’d told me about. “Big Brother… May I keep this for a while?”
“Didn’t I just tell you it’s important evidence?”
“I know that! I won’t do anything stupid with it! I promise you, I’ll use this to fix things!”
“Hmm…”
When he sighed, deliberating how to respond, I pushed him a bit further.
“As your little brother, I’m not going to let you down.”
“…All right. You’re my brilliant brother, after all. I’m counting on you, Rutherford.”
“Of course!”
“My brilliant brother.” I refused to let him down now. I was ready to do everything in my power to make sure that…
“I’m going to leave the inn for a while, Big Brother, but I promise to return with good news!”
I stood up and made that declaration to him. As soon as he nodded back, I rushed out of the room, eager to reach my destination as soon as possible. But that was when I ran straight into Lady Cynthia, who was carrying some sort of bottle.
“Prince Rutherford? What’s the matter? What are you holding there…?”
“Lady Cynthia…”
Her red hair fluttered. She looked up at me with those beautiful eyes.
For a minute, I thought about telling her what I was about to do. I wanted to know if I was making the right choice or terribly mistaken. But then I remembered how Lady Cynthia saw me as a little kid. If I kept running to her for help, I would never become a fully grown adult in her mind.
I wanted the woman I loved to see me as a reliable man.
“I’m doing what I need to do as a man.”
“…I’m not sure I understand, but I wish you good luck.”
“Thanks, Lady Cynthia!”
I projected my voice firmly, collected my three guards, and hurried toward my destination.