Chapter 5:
Those Standing Beside the King
“A BABY’S ON THE WAY.”
“Ooh, congrats.”
“That didn’t sound sincere.”
“That’s because it wasn’t.”
Yulan didn’t so much as lift his gaze; his posture, which demonstrated that he was prioritizing work over conversation, didn’t falter. Mila had made a point of announcing the pregnancy concisely, but Yulan didn’t grace the big news with even a superficial inquiry. He seemed virtually as disinterested as if he hadn’t so much as heard.
“Lady Rosette is with child. We can’t yet assume the pregnancy is viable, so it hasn’t been announced yet. But set the wheels in motion for that.”
“Understood. Who’s on the list to be informed beforehand?”
“The crown princess herself will tell all those individuals by letter.”
“Right. I’ll schedule an announcement date, so be sure she sticks to that.”
“Just make certain she’s spread the news before we do, or we’ll have egg on our faces.”
“Sure, I’ll adjust as needed. There’s no telling who might leak it, though.”
With a glance, Yulan’s eyes pierced Mila. Even his gaze seemed inorganic; not a flicker of light shone in it. Yet Mila had grown accustomed to it over the years. Yulan’s golden irises were like gold ore set in a doll’s eyes, not a trace of blood flowing behind them.
“For that matter, you probably shouldn’t have told me,” Yulan added. “The elders won’t like that.”
The young man was beautiful enough not to look out of place in the ornate castle, but it was his beauty that had driven him from the castle. His eyes were a shining gold, so those who valued golden eyes had cast him aside.
Though years had passed, and Yulan now carried Duralia’s future on his shoulders, some in the government still didn’t accept him. Those who distorted the events around his birth were once again looking to overpower him and ruin his life. Having foreseen this, Yulan had gone to careful lengths to raise his worth before coming to work at the castle. Now, the potential repercussions of crossing him were far too great; nobody dared lay a finger on him, however they secretly loathed him.
“Well, how could they not tell you? It relates to your work.”
“They could’ve waited until the big announcement. While they’re keeping the news to a small circle, they only needed to tell you.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Under Yulan’s emotionless gaze, his mouth alone twisted, but it didn’t hold enough emotion to be called a scornful smirk or a fake smile. That was the mask Yulan wore those days. He no longer needed the friendly facade of a nice young man to win people over. Whoever he spoke with or about, he wore the same face, spoke in the same voice, and played it safe with his duties, putting neither too little nor too much effort into his work. He could be trusted, but he didn’t trust anybody—that was the type of disdain he practiced.
After a pause, Mila said, “Claudia wanted me to tell you.”
“Hunh.”
“Come on. At least give me some reaction.”
“It’s all just so predictable that I can’t react more than that.”
When Yulan stopped scribbling, closed his ledger, and finally looked up, his expression was still as emotionless as a doll’s. Yet Mila sensed a hint of frustration behind Yulan’s words, and he was certain he hadn’t imagined it.
Yulan was constant, like the water’s surface. But whenever Claudia was involved, slight transformations took place. They weren’t so much ripples on the surface as changes in temperature. It cooled rather than warmed.
“He probably thought he should tell me out of familial duty or whatever. I wish he’d just stop bothering.”
“It does you little good to tell me that. Besides, him treating you like this has protected you from certain disaster.”
“I’m saying that protection from disaster is all I really need, although it’s the thought that counts.”
“Well, if Claudia’s social skills were so well-honed that he knew that, you and I would be out of a job.”
Sometimes Mila thought about how easy life would be if only he possessed a cowardice that could make peace with simply accepting profit. For Mila’s part, he wasn’t naive enough to respect Claudia’s purehearted honesty. Yet if the crown prince lost that purity, there’d no longer be meaning in his carrying Duralia on his shoulders. That was exactly why, if he put the other “golden” man in his place, the kingdom would profit considerably.
“Well, sorry to disappoint, but I don’t consider that familial duty of his a virtue.”
“That perspective doesn’t bother you, Yulan? At any rate, I consider it a virtue. That balances it out.”
“You really are insufferable, you know?”
Mila chuckled.