In the midst of being flustered while looking at the Crown Prince, my mom gently stroked my head and whispered in my ear.
“Watch closely. If Cherry becomes the greatest knight in the empire, you will be his sword.”
“His royal highness… so, that that means I’ll be Crown Prince’s sword?”
“Yes.”
Smiling, my mom nodded. In that moment of introducing the crown prince to me, she spoke with a voice full of emotion and excitement.
“Mom is His Majesty’s sword, and if you become the sword of His Royal Highness, there will come a day when we can walk side by side at the royal event with my Cherry.”
“………”
Listening to my mom’s long-cherished wish, I looked at the Crown Prince once again.
I blinked my eyes, stared for a moment, blinked again, and finally opened my eyes wide to look.
However, no matter how I opened my eyes, the condition of the Crown Prince remained unchanged.
“… Mom.”
I quietly called out to my mom.
“Huh? What’s wrong.”
My mom’s eyes, sparkling with anticipation, turned toward me.
It was clear what my mom was expecting right now, but I had something I wanted to ask even if it disrupted the atmosphere.
“It’s about His Majesty, the Emperor.”
“Why mention about the Emperor?”
“Is it okay to bring someone like that to this day and tomorrow? Is him his real son?”
In response to my question, my mom opened her mouth, blinking her eyes slowly.
“W-what are you talking about?”
My mom’s face, wide-eyed, was absurd when she realized that my initial impression of the Crown Prince was merely this. But considering the impression that came to mind when looking at the Crown Prince’s face, it was just this.
“Just gently tapping him would probably break his bones, right now.”
The more I scrutinized the Crown Prince, the more astonishing it became.
“How can someone who seems like they should be lying in a sickbed walk around?”
The emperor’s blonde hair, unlike his father’s, was limp and drooping, and his golden eyes were dull, as if out of debt.
His cheeks were sunken without gaining any weight, and deep dark circles were firmly established around his eyes.
The bony bones of the wrists peeking through the collar were protruding, and the legs that swayed precariously with each step were like a newborn fawn.
From what I heard, the crown prince turned thirteen this year, but looking at his state of development, I thought I could believe that he was the same age as me.
‘So, that’s why the atmosphere got restless when people said the Crown Prince had come.’
Only now could I understand those reactions.
The crown prince should have been lying somewhere, not coming here now.
If I could, I wanted to make a wheel chair and give it as a gift.
“He’s gotten much healthier now.”
“Uwaa.”
Responding numbly to my mom’s addition, I silently sighed.
‘I’m worried about the future of this empire.’
If the Crown Prince, who should become the Emperor later on, is like this, it’s really concerning.
If I were to become the empire’s top knight in the future and the Crown Prince’s sword, thinking that he would be the lord, I couldn’t help but sigh.
“Anyway, what you should aim for from now on is to become stronger to protect him from any danger. Always keep that in mind as you wield the sword.”
“That must be tough.”
How much hardship would I have to endure to protect that frail Crown Prince? My mind was filled with such thoughts.
“Huh?”
“Oh, nothing.”
My mom questioned as if she misheard, but I shrugged my shoulders, pretending not to notice.
The Emperor and the Crown Prince found themselves at the head table of the party.
Seated in the chair prepared for him, the Emperor looked around at the attendees.
“I’m glad everyone came.”
The Emperor’s voice exuded the authority befitting a ruler who governed the empire. With a sly smile lifting the corners of his mouth, he appeared as a handsome man with a refreshing charm.
Lifting the wine glass handed to him by a servant, he spoke.
“As this hunting competition is a reminder of the grace bestowed upon us by the gods during the ancient war between humans and demons, where demons sent monsters to torment humans, let everyone approach it with the mindset of protecting humanity and defending the empire, so as not to forget the grace given to save humans from the suffering caused by those creatures.”
As the Emperor finished speaking, he swiftly drank the wine. The nobles, each holding their own glasses, raised them high, cheering.
“For Lutinas!”
“For His Majesty the Emperor!”
With the Emperor’s presence, the party hall truly turned into a festive atmosphere. Everyone eagerly anticipated the upcoming hunting competition.
Perhaps enjoying the atmosphere, the Emperor continued his speech in a gentle voice.
“Even now, creatures sent by the demons threaten humans on this continent. Lutinas must not rest in peace. We must remember that there are those who strive to protect Lutinas and, beyond that, this continent from hidden dangers.”
While everyone listened attentively and nodded to the Emperor’s words, I, curious about the story he mentioned regarding the heavens, tribes, demons, and monsters, tugged on my mom’s dress as she sipped wine.
“Mom, what is he talking about?”
“Ah, our Cherry still doesn’t know. It’s the story of the founding myth of the Lutinas Empire. This hunting competition is a tradition that has been ongoing since it was initiated by the current Emperor.”
“The founding myth… Does that mean there are really tribes, demons, and even gods? And priests too?”
“Of course. The power of the Swordmaster that Grandfather possesses is the grace bestowed by the heavens for the sake of humanity.”
Wow. My mouth involuntarily hung open. My mom poked my cheek with her finger, perhaps finding my expression amusing.
“Actually, if you visit the temples, the priests blessed by the heavens can heal people. Even the most beloved Archbishop, blessed by the heavens, has the power to heal any injury as long as they’re alive.”
“Wow.”
“So, we must not forget that the heavens watch over us, and we should always live with the right faith.”
Unconsciously, I nodded at my mom’s words.
Even if people on this continent wanted to be atheists, it seemed impossible. A world with tribes, demons, monsters, and believers.
I once again keenly felt that I was born in a world completely different from South Korea.
“But can’t the heavens fix the Crown Prince? It seems like he might collapse at any moment.”
“Shh!”
My mom covered my mouth and glanced around. Fortunately, everyone was still listening to the Emperor, and no one paid attention to me.
Satisfied with that, my mom sighed in relief and whispered to me in a low voice.
“Even if he’s the Archbishop, he can’t continuously use the power of healing. After exerting great power, he needs time to recover through prayer.”
“So?”
A bittersweet smile graced my mom’s lips as she gently stroked my head and spoke.
“In that gap, while waiting for the Archbishop’s power to return, the Crown Prince must endure and endure. He must find ways to endure through tricks and schemes.”
“……?”
What is she talking about? With a shrug, my mom continued as if it were obvious, seeing my puzzled expression.
“Cherry don’t have to worry about it just yet. When the time comes when you can protect His Highness, everything will be resolved.”
From my mom’s words, I understood that there was something in the palace that I didn’t know about. And it was something adults dealt with, implying that it was okay for me, as a child, not to know yet.
However,
“For the eternal glory of the Lutinas Empire!”
Watching the trembling arm of the Crown Prince as he raised his glass alongside the Emperor, I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of emotions.
Unlike me, who was young and can turn a blind eye to the adults circumstances, the face of the crown prince in the midst of the turmoil seemed too awkward.
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