Episode 41
‘Hah!’
Fortunately, the confusion didn’t last long.
The hallucinations and phantom sounds that had stormed in like smoke quickly retreated, and in my now-clear vision, all I could see was the back of my small hand tightly gripping a teddy bear.
‘…A novel?’
That was when it happened.
The boy, who had been walking quietly, opened a trash can tucked into the corner.
And then…
“Uh…”
Clatter.
He turned the glass jar upside down and dumped all the jelly into the trash can.
He even crumpled up nearby flyers and advertisements, neatly covering it all up.
Then, as if satisfied, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly, and his chin tilted just a bit.
“Everyone’s so easily fooled…”
Argen Etherion murmured lazily with an indifferent expression.
The face that had begged the servant, the one that had been sparkling with curiosity—he’d thrown them away like that jelly, into the trash.
He took out a small pill from his pocket and asked quietly.
Clack, clatter.
I blankly watched Argen roll the pill around in his mouth like it was candy.
‘What… what’s with this kid?’
Nothing made clear sense to me.
But of course, the most unexpected thing in this entire situation was probably…
The prince, who had been moving slowly like a small predator, suddenly whipped around!
“…”
“…”
I was doomed.
I locked eyes with the prince who had been hiding his true nature.
***
The boy walked straight toward me, his gaze still fixed right on me.
Crunch—the sound of the pill breaking between his teeth was strangely chilling.
That didn’t make sense.
He looked like he was about the same height as me—maybe just a finger’s width taller—and I was actually scared of him?
“Um, hey…!”
Just as I opened my mouth, Argen suddenly pressed his index finger to his lips.
Shh.
“If you eat that, it makes you sleepy. So.”
“…Oh, okay.”
It was a soft whisper, and there was still some distance between us, but somehow that small voice hit my ears loud and clear.
“If you keep it a secret that I threw the jelly away…”
He gently lowered his finger and gave a slight smile.
“I think that’d be nice.”
Before I knew it, I nodded.
“Thanks.”
‘Wow, his eyes aren’t smiling at all.’
What is this kid?
At that moment, the thudding sound of footsteps returned, and a servant shouted from below the stairs.
“Young Master! Young Master! Please come back down now! We’ve restocked the inventory and placed your order!”
“Wow.”
Argen muttered with a face that looked anything but excited.
“So exciting! Got it!”
Then, without hesitation, he started walking away.
Our eyes kept meeting. Ten steps, eight, five, two.
As Argen brushed past me, close enough for our shoulders to nearly touch, he spoke in a low voice.
“Well, see you.”
See me again?
‘How do you know who I am to say that?’
I blinked slowly.
As I dazedly watched his small figure walk away, I suddenly sprang into motion.
I ran quickly to the trash can he had been near, then turned back and grabbed Argen’s shoulder just as he was about to head down the stairs.
“Hey!”
“Mm?”
Argen smiled—clearly just out of politeness.
“Sorry, but… I don’t have time to play.”
Tap, tap. He patted my head.
It was kind of funny, the way he acted so grown-up when we were only a year apart.
I suddenly held something out to him.
“This! Shouldn’t you take it with you?”
“…”
“If you don’t, it’ll look like you only pretended to want it.”
It was the explorer’s lamp Argen had begged for earlier. When you press the button, the light-element magic tool at the end glows faintly.
Of course, it’s a kid’s toy, so it probably won’t last even five uses.
He must’ve forgotten it when he’d put down the glass jar to dump the jelly.
His sharp eyes stared right at me.
“You’re right.”
Argen smiled.
Then, with a composed expression, he politely thanked me and took the lamp.
Just as he started descending the stairs again, he suddenly muttered.
“…But I didn’t pretend to want it.”
“Huh?”
“I really do need it.”
It was barely more than a murmur.
‘Why would a prince living in the palace need a pocket lamp?’
Even at night, his room probably shone like midday, filled with luxury.
I didn’t understand what he meant, but I didn’t respond further.
Argen continued down the stairs. His innocent voice floated back up.
“Yaaawn. Bern, why am I so sleepy?”
“Ahem! …I was wondering when you’d say it. Get a grip. Don’t you have an oral exam with your father this afternoon?”
“It’s not like being dumb is new. I’m gonna sleep in the carriage. If I don’t wake up later, oh well.”
As I listened to their voices fading into the distance, I finally moved to go find Theo and Grandpa on the lower floor.
‘Why…’
Why is he pretending to be clueless?
Seriously, what a suspicious and strange prince.
***
After Argen left, I headed downstairs.
‘My head’s spinning…’
But surprisingly, the chaos downstairs was a hundred times worse than in my head.
“Huh? What’s going on down here?”
On the second floor, where the clown performance was happening—
The place looked like a miniature war zone.
“Waaah!”
“His mouth goes all the way to his ears—waaah! The clown is scary!”
“His feet are too big! His nose is too big! His belly is too big!”
“Save me, save me…”
‘Oh dear.’
I shook my head and hopped down the last step.
‘Well, clowns do look a bit creepy. Not that I’m scared!’
The kids were sobbing, clinging to each other. Their guardians tried to comfort them, but it didn’t seem to help much.
“Hahaha… This is supposed to be a special performance. Strange… hahaha. This isn’t the reaction we expected. Hahaha. To end my life as a clown…”
The clown man, holding colorful balloons, was clearly lost. Looking closely, it turned out the store clerks were dressed up.
He kept glancing nervously toward the front row while sweating buckets.
‘The store employees are acting weird today.’
Were they looking at someone?
‘As expected…’
Was it because I’m a VIP…?
I shyly smiled and added ten stars to the review, inspired by the customer nearby.
“Okay now, Mr. Bear will blow up some balloons over here!”
Then, other employees quickly donned cute animal costumes and gathered the children.
“There’s also a bunny fairy!”
“Bear! Bunny! Baaalloooooons!”
Fortunately, the kids responded well.
Clatter clatter! As they rushed off like the tide, a familiar figure sitting on the floor of the front row finally came into view.
“Grandpaaa! Theo!”
“Sweetheart.”
Grandpa, with Theo on his lap watching the clown performance, smiled gently when he saw me.
“I picked out everything I want!”
I ran over and jumped onto his huge, wall-like back.
When I wrapped my arms tightly around his thick neck, Grandpa held me up with one arm.
‘Phew.’
Thanks to that steady support, I felt a little less shaken from earlier.
“I got the magnifying glass, Theo’s backpack, and some collecting tools! Let’s go pay!”
“…Pa—pay?”
Grandpa furrowed his brows like he’d heard something bizarre.
“Huh?”
“Oh, right. We need to pay.”
What’s up, is the cost too much for him?
“Grandpa will… ha-ma. Wait a moment.”
“Oh, no! I have allowance money! Grandma gave it to me!”
“Me too. Eliza gave me some.”
Grinning, we both pulled out the same red velvet pouch.
Grandpa handed his pouch and the items I’d picked to a store clerk.
The clerk, oddly trembling (why?), accepted the money and items on a golden tray (huh?) and went off to ring it all up, still shaking (what’s going on?).
I don’t get it…
“Anyway, now we can go to the seed shop—oh. Never mind.”
I got off Grandpa’s back and looked at Theo, who’d been staring at something this whole time.
“My little brother’s eyes have already left this world.”
“Huuuh…”
His round, honey-colored eyes sparkled like never before. His mouth was slightly open in a dazed expression.
What Theo was staring at… was the clown who’d lost all his audience and seemed a little hollowed out.
The hands making balloons had drooped lifelessly.
‘Theo, honestly.’
What a strange taste you have.
Just then, I felt Grandpa behind me take in a deep breath.
“…The clown’s…”
That incredibly deep, cave-like voice of his again.
“…hands have stopped.”
“…”
“They’ve been stopped for a while now. Why… I wonder if he’s no longer needed…”
Hmm…
That’s odd.
Why did Grandpa’s words sound a little like a threat?
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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