“……Your Imperial Highness?”
Sponsored Content
Khalid looked down at Trudy with a puzzled expression at his sudden action. It was the first time Trudy came to him first like this. Renato’s eyes also widened in surprise.
“Because I can’t hold hands with hyung-nim in front of other people.”
Receiving the two’s gaze, Trudy made a nasal sound and wrinkled the bridge of his nose. Then he mumbled as if reluctant but resigned.
“Please call me Trudy from now on.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s quite strange that you call hyung-nim Renato comfortably while calling me Your Imperial Highness the 2nd Prince. What would people think?”
“Ah.”
An exclamation burst from the man’s slightly opened lips. Khalid, whose face turned blank at Trudy’s unexpected words, soon smiled happily. He easily realized that Trudy was now trying to accept him as Renato’s companion and a new family member.
From the moment they first met, Trudy did not hide his hostility toward Khalid. Although he had tried to get closer to Trudy in his own way over the past few months, the two had never been close. It was because of Trudy’s unilateral rejection.
Concerned about the two’s relationship, Renato warned him several times, but Trudy’s attitude toward Khalid did not change much. He wasn’t rude to Khalid, but his gaze as if Khalid was a thief who stole Renato didn’t go away.
Fortunately, as time passed, the child’s hostility seemed to gradually disappear. But he seemed far from opening his heart to Khalid.
Khalid understood Trudy’s sense of loss and sadness. Had he been in Trudy’s position, he wouldn’t have welcomed the one who suddenly showed up one day to marry Renato, either.
Sponsored Content
In the current circumstances, there were very few adults that Trudy could openly rely on. Renato was the closest person mentally to the child. If that person suddenly had a companion one day, he was bound to become anxious.
It was not as much as Trudy’s, but he also had that anxiety when Maryam married Laila. He wondered if he would be left alone now that she had a new family.
So he understood Trudy’s behavior and moved on, but he was starting to get worried. At this time when a full-fledged fight was ahead, it was undesirable for an internal conflict to arise, even a small one. Because everything could go awry.
Of course, there was little chance that Trudy could not control his emotions and caused an incident. In Khalid’s eyes, Trudy was quick-witted and smart, perhaps as he was born and raised in the Imperial Palace.
Should he be described as a child who wasn’t childlike? He usually acted his age, but also showed a mature side once in a while. As a Prince, he also had an aptitude for politics.
It meant at least he wouldn’t disturb Khalid out of jealousy or cause harm to Renato. But Khalid was worried just in case. No matter how mature Trudy was, a child was a child and could behave unexpectedly at any time.
For that reason, he was deeply concerned about how to deal with Trudy, so he couldn’t help but be happy when the child gestured to get along first.
“Thank you for your permission.”
“Uhm, you can talk a little more comfortably……”
Trudy muttered with his head down. The tips of his ears, exposed through the golden hair gleaming in the sunlight, were dyed bright red. Khalid’s smile deepened as he saw that. Seeing the resemblance in their shyness, Renato and Trudy were truly brothers.
“How comfortably can I talk? Do I not have to use honorifics? Or just that I can call you Trudy?”
“Well…… Uh, uhm.”
Trudy rolled his eyes as he heard the mischievous question. As he said so a bit impulsively, thinking he could no longer act childishly from now on, he had not thought about it.
Sponsored Content
“I don’t know, uhm, I think you can just do whatever you feel comfortable with, your highness.”
“All right. Trudy, please address me comfortably too. It would be good if you call me hyung-nim like Renato, too?”
“That…… I can’t. I’ll just call you ‘your highness’. Or Khalid-nim……”
Trudy muttered awkwardly when Khalid said he could call the man hyung-nim. He struggled and reached out to Khalid first, but it was difficult just from the form of address, making him embarrassed.
“I only have one hyung-nim.”
“Haha. I see. Then I will not be greedy.”
Khalid laughed out loud at Trudy’s appeal that the title ‘hyung-nim’ was only for Renato. Then, he furtively glanced ahead. Those who had come out to meet Renato and the party, including Prime Minister Elaine and Marquis Medus, were looking at the three with curiosity about what they were doing.
“Now then, people are waiting, so let’s get going.”
Khalid alternately glanced at Renato and Trudy, taking their hands and leisurely leading them. His face with a soft smile was dignified and relaxed as always.
* * *
“Huu.”
Renato came out of the bathroom with a fatigued face and collapsed on the bed. After bathing in hot water, his tension was relieved, making the fatigue rush in at once.
“So tired……”
Sponsored Content
A languid voice flowed from his small lips. Renato dazedly recalled his day. After arriving in the Empire, he was truly preoccupied.
He was all right when welcomed by Prime Minister Elaine and Marquis Medus, but after going to the main palace with Khalid to have an audience with Tristan and the Empress’ Palace to meet Blanche, he was exhausted. After that, he attended dinner with the two people and suffered from many people without a break. As a result, by the time he returned to the Prince’s Palace, he was utterly exhausted.
“Ugh……”
Raising his body to calmly organize his thoughts, Renato briefly groaned. A migraine kicked in as the fatigue of two weeks of travel overlapped with the exhaustion from moving around in a tense state all day. He rubbed his throbbing temples and forehead with his hand, recalling the conversation he had with Tristan.
‘Come on in.’
Tristan brightly greeted the two. He still seemed in discomfort, but his complexion was definitely brighter than when they last met, perhaps thanks to his efforts in rehabilitation. Renato had already occasionally reported through Viscount Roman during his stay in the kingdom, so his conversation with Tristan went smoothly. The thing Tristan was most interested in was Renato saving Laila’s life.
‘When you asked for Fairy’s Tears, I didn’t think you would really use it…… To think you saved the Queen Consort of the Khan Kingdom with it. You really did a great job.’
Tristan praised Renato with pure admiration. When Viscount Roman reported on what Renato had done in the Khan Kingdom, Tristan was truly astonished. At the same time, he fell into deep self-loathing. He felt ashamed that despite being the father, he did not even know that his son was so strong-willed and talented.
‘Actually, I have something to tell you about that.’
Renato revealed to Tristan that he planned to deceive Marquis Medus using the Fairy’s Tears matter. He also confessed about the ‘Snake’s Breath’. It was inevitable, as he needed Tristan’s cooperation to deceive the Marquis.
‘Snake’s Breath…… Huh, how could it be, why didn’t you tell me until now?’
Tristan was greatly shocked to know that Marquis Medus had been using Renato’s blood to make medicine and provided it to the nobles to increase his influence.
Sponsored Content
‘My apologies. As a member of the imperial family, it is a great sin to provide fairy blood to others…… I didn’t dare to tell you, Imperial Father.’
Renato dropped his head since he had no way to excuse himself. Even if Tristan rebuked him for this, he had nothing to say in defense.
‘No, how could this be your fault? It’s all my fault……’
Tristan waved his hand, blaming himself in a melancholy voice. Renato’s years of giving blood but not asking for help meant he didn’t trust Tristan. As a father, he couldn’t instill any faith in his child.
‘Even though I know the Empress is monitoring and oppressing you, I can’t help you properly, haa, only you and Trudy suffer because of this foolish father.’
‘It’s not Imperial Father’s fault.’
Despite his son’s comfort, Tristan could not relax his expression. It was the same for Khalid who was sitting next to Renato. He knew the situation, but this was the first time he had heard about it in detail.
The atmosphere naturally became heavy when the faces of two among three people in the audience room stiffened. Renato rolled his eyes, bewildered by the subdued atmosphere, then carefully opened his mouth.
‘Anyway, making use of this fact can deal a great blow to Marquis Medus. Among those who support the Marquis, there are quite a few that are desperate to cooperate because they need the special medicine he made such as Snake’s Breath. I think things will be easier if we bring them to our side and make them betray Marquis Medus.’
‘Do you mean that…… Huu, no. Keep talking.’
Tristan felt a heartbreaking pain as he saw Renato’s calm look. It would have been better if the child had complained about why he couldn’t protect him or vented that he had a hard time, but Renato acted as if it was someone else’s business.
When Tristan thought of how much Renato’s heart would have been broken and shattered until he could say something like that so casually, he despaired.
‘I actually want to do so, but I think it would be more effective if you take action, Imperial Father. I hope you can take over that part.’
Renato entrusted Tristan with the task of winning over the nobles attached to Marquis Medus out of need. Though his achievement in the kingdom improved the view and evaluation toward him, the contempt having continued for over 20 years would not change overnight. The political negotiations were more suitable for Tristan, the Emperor, than for him.
“……Your Imperial Highness?”
Sponsored Content
Khalid looked down at Trudy with a puzzled expression at his sudden action. It was the first time Trudy came to him first like this. Renato’s eyes also widened in surprise.
“Because I can’t hold hands with hyung-nim in front of other people.”
Receiving the two’s gaze, Trudy made a nasal sound and wrinkled the bridge of his nose. Then he mumbled as if reluctant but resigned.
“Please call me Trudy from now on.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s quite strange that you call hyung-nim Renato comfortably while calling me Your Imperial Highness the 2nd Prince. What would people think?”
“Ah.”
An exclamation burst from the man’s slightly opened lips. Khalid, whose face turned blank at Trudy’s unexpected words, soon smiled happily. He easily realized that Trudy was now trying to accept him as Renato’s companion and a new family member.
From the moment they first met, Trudy did not hide his hostility toward Khalid. Although he had tried to get closer to Trudy in his own way over the past few months, the two had never been close. It was because of Trudy’s unilateral rejection.
Concerned about the two’s relationship, Renato warned him several times, but Trudy’s attitude toward Khalid did not change much. He wasn’t rude to Khalid, but his gaze as if Khalid was a thief who stole Renato didn’t go away.
Fortunately, as time passed, the child’s hostility seemed to gradually disappear. But he seemed far from opening his heart to Khalid.
Khalid understood Trudy’s sense of loss and sadness. Had he been in Trudy’s position, he wouldn’t have welcomed the one who suddenly showed up one day to marry Renato, either.
Sponsored Content
In the current circumstances, there were very few adults that Trudy could openly rely on. Renato was the closest person mentally to the child. If that person suddenly had a companion one day, he was bound to become anxious.
It was not as much as Trudy’s, but he also had that anxiety when Maryam married Laila. He wondered if he would be left alone now that she had a new family.
So he understood Trudy’s behavior and moved on, but he was starting to get worried. At this time when a full-fledged fight was ahead, it was undesirable for an internal conflict to arise, even a small one. Because everything could go awry.
Of course, there was little chance that Trudy could not control his emotions and caused an incident. In Khalid’s eyes, Trudy was quick-witted and smart, perhaps as he was born and raised in the Imperial Palace.
Should he be described as a child who wasn’t childlike? He usually acted his age, but also showed a mature side once in a while. As a Prince, he also had an aptitude for politics.
It meant at least he wouldn’t disturb Khalid out of jealousy or cause harm to Renato. But Khalid was worried just in case. No matter how mature Trudy was, a child was a child and could behave unexpectedly at any time.
For that reason, he was deeply concerned about how to deal with Trudy, so he couldn’t help but be happy when the child gestured to get along first.
“Thank you for your permission.”
“Uhm, you can talk a little more comfortably……”
Trudy muttered with his head down. The tips of his ears, exposed through the golden hair gleaming in the sunlight, were dyed bright red. Khalid’s smile deepened as he saw that. Seeing the resemblance in their shyness, Renato and Trudy were truly brothers.
“How comfortably can I talk? Do I not have to use honorifics? Or just that I can call you Trudy?”
“Well…… Uh, uhm.”
Trudy rolled his eyes as he heard the mischievous question. As he said so a bit impulsively, thinking he could no longer act childishly from now on, he had not thought about it.
Sponsored Content
“I don’t know, uhm, I think you can just do whatever you feel comfortable with, your highness.”
“All right. Trudy, please address me comfortably too. It would be good if you call me hyung-nim like Renato, too?”
“That…… I can’t. I’ll just call you ‘your highness’. Or Khalid-nim……”
Trudy muttered awkwardly when Khalid said he could call the man hyung-nim. He struggled and reached out to Khalid first, but it was difficult just from the form of address, making him embarrassed.
“I only have one hyung-nim.”
“Haha. I see. Then I will not be greedy.”
Khalid laughed out loud at Trudy’s appeal that the title ‘hyung-nim’ was only for Renato. Then, he furtively glanced ahead. Those who had come out to meet Renato and the party, including Prime Minister Elaine and Marquis Medus, were looking at the three with curiosity about what they were doing.
“Now then, people are waiting, so let’s get going.”
Khalid alternately glanced at Renato and Trudy, taking their hands and leisurely leading them. His face with a soft smile was dignified and relaxed as always.
* * *
“Huu.”
Renato came out of the bathroom with a fatigued face and collapsed on the bed. After bathing in hot water, his tension was relieved, making the fatigue rush in at once.
“So tired……”
Sponsored Content
A languid voice flowed from his small lips. Renato dazedly recalled his day. After arriving in the Empire, he was truly preoccupied.
He was all right when welcomed by Prime Minister Elaine and Marquis Medus, but after going to the main palace with Khalid to have an audience with Tristan and the Empress’ Palace to meet Blanche, he was exhausted. After that, he attended dinner with the two people and suffered from many people without a break. As a result, by the time he returned to the Prince’s Palace, he was utterly exhausted.
“Ugh……”
Raising his body to calmly organize his thoughts, Renato briefly groaned. A migraine kicked in as the fatigue of two weeks of travel overlapped with the exhaustion from moving around in a tense state all day. He rubbed his throbbing temples and forehead with his hand, recalling the conversation he had with Tristan.
‘Come on in.’
Tristan brightly greeted the two. He still seemed in discomfort, but his complexion was definitely brighter than when they last met, perhaps thanks to his efforts in rehabilitation. Renato had already occasionally reported through Viscount Roman during his stay in the kingdom, so his conversation with Tristan went smoothly. The thing Tristan was most interested in was Renato saving Laila’s life.
‘When you asked for Fairy’s Tears, I didn’t think you would really use it…… To think you saved the Queen Consort of the Khan Kingdom with it. You really did a great job.’
Tristan praised Renato with pure admiration. When Viscount Roman reported on what Renato had done in the Khan Kingdom, Tristan was truly astonished. At the same time, he fell into deep self-loathing. He felt ashamed that despite being the father, he did not even know that his son was so strong-willed and talented.
‘Actually, I have something to tell you about that.’
Renato revealed to Tristan that he planned to deceive Marquis Medus using the Fairy’s Tears matter. He also confessed about the ‘Snake’s Breath’. It was inevitable, as he needed Tristan’s cooperation to deceive the Marquis.
‘Snake’s Breath…… Huh, how could it be, why didn’t you tell me until now?’
Tristan was greatly shocked to know that Marquis Medus had been using Renato’s blood to make medicine and provided it to the nobles to increase his influence.
Sponsored Content
‘My apologies. As a member of the imperial family, it is a great sin to provide fairy blood to others…… I didn’t dare to tell you, Imperial Father.’
Renato dropped his head since he had no way to excuse himself. Even if Tristan rebuked him for this, he had nothing to say in defense.
‘No, how could this be your fault? It’s all my fault……’
Tristan waved his hand, blaming himself in a melancholy voice. Renato’s years of giving blood but not asking for help meant he didn’t trust Tristan. As a father, he couldn’t instill any faith in his child.
‘Even though I know the Empress is monitoring and oppressing you, I can’t help you properly, haa, only you and Trudy suffer because of this foolish father.’
‘It’s not Imperial Father’s fault.’
Despite his son’s comfort, Tristan could not relax his expression. It was the same for Khalid who was sitting next to Renato. He knew the situation, but this was the first time he had heard about it in detail.
The atmosphere naturally became heavy when the faces of two among three people in the audience room stiffened. Renato rolled his eyes, bewildered by the subdued atmosphere, then carefully opened his mouth.
‘Anyway, making use of this fact can deal a great blow to Marquis Medus. Among those who support the Marquis, there are quite a few that are desperate to cooperate because they need the special medicine he made such as Snake’s Breath. I think things will be easier if we bring them to our side and make them betray Marquis Medus.’
‘Do you mean that…… Huu, no. Keep talking.’
Tristan felt a heartbreaking pain as he saw Renato’s calm look. It would have been better if the child had complained about why he couldn’t protect him or vented that he had a hard time, but Renato acted as if it was someone else’s business.
When Tristan thought of how much Renato’s heart would have been broken and shattered until he could say something like that so casually, he despaired.
‘I actually want to do so, but I think it would be more effective if you take action, Imperial Father. I hope you can take over that part.’
Renato entrusted Tristan with the task of winning over the nobles attached to Marquis Medus out of need. Though his achievement in the kingdom improved the view and evaluation toward him, the contempt having continued for over 20 years would not change overnight. The political negotiations were more suitable for Tristan, the Emperor, than for him.
