“Toy horse, you say?”
Anisha’s voice dropped sharply.
“Jerald, what do you mean by that?”
“After our hide and seek game, he promised to give me a toy horse.”
“Are you talking about the toy your father gave to your brother last time?”
“Yes!”
“Jerald.”
Anisha called out her second son’s name in a stern voice. Only then did Jerald realize that his mother’s expression had gotten worse again, and he noticed Anisha’s face.
“Why, what’s wrong, Mother?”
“That belongs to your brother. Don’t covet what is your brother’s.”
“But…”
“Mother, I want to give the toy horse to Jerald.”
“Isn’t that toy horse adorned with the insignia of the crown prince?”
Anisha spoke to Jerald in a stern voice.
“The crown prince’s insignia should only be held by the crown prince. The toy was specifically made by your father for your brother.”
“I know…”
“Then don’t accept the toy horse from your brother, Jerald.”
“Mother, but…”
“Now, Jerald. Do you dare defy your mother’s words?”
“Mother, is it really necessary for just a toy horse?”
Arthur cautiously voiced his disagreement, but it fell on deaf ears for Anisha.
“Just a toy horse!?”
Anisha said in an angry, sharp voice.
“Is the crown prince’s insignia a joke? Wake up, Arthur. Your seat can’t be taken away by anyone.”
“Mother, if that really bothers you, I’ll take the crown prince’s insignia off the toy horse and give it to Jerald.”
“Mother, please let him do that.”
“Jerald.”
Then, Anisha grabbed Jerald by the shoulders. Startled, Jerald looked at his mother. Anisha’s expression was so stern that it was enough for the young ten-year-old to feel frightened.
“Do not covet your brother’s position. It’s not right. Absolutely not.”
“Mother…”
“Listen to your mother’s words, Jerald. Understand?”
There was a pleading tone in her stern voice, and it was enough to deter Jerald from wanting more of Arthur’s toys. With a weak expression, Jerald nodded, and Anisha looked relieved only then.
“Yes, good.”
“…”
“Stay in your place, Jerald. You have to do your duties.”
“What are my duties?”
“Your duty is to stand by your brother and assist him.”
Anisha answered, using a tone that sounded like she was reading from a textbook.
“Prince Jerald must be the closest and most loyal servant to Crown Prince Arthur. Do you understand what I mean? If you act this way for the rest of your life, your mother will have no other wishes.”
“I’ll be by my brother’s side until I die.”
Jerald spoke with a determined voice to Anisha.
“So, please don’t worry, Mother.”
“Good. Our son is kind.”
Finally, Anisha’s face completely relaxed. After hugging Jerald tightly, she spoke softly to her two sons.
“Now, let’s go to the central palace, my children. You haven’t forgotten that we have dinner with your father tonight, have you?”
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“My boys are here!”
Upon arriving at the central palace’s dinner hall, Ferdinand IV greeted his two sons with a big smile. Ferdinand IV was usually a kind and gentle father, so his two sons loved him immensely.
“Come on, have a seat. You must be hungry.”
“Yes, Father.”
After a while, the servants entered the banquet hall and placed numerous dishes on the table. The table was so laden with food that the legs seemed to buckle under the weight. Emperor Ferdinand scolded the servants and soon only the four family members remained in the dining hall. Emperor Ferdinand looked at his sons warmly and asked them about their day.
“So, what did you both do today?”
“After finishing our studies, we played together, Father.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. We played hide and seek and pretended to be knights together.”
“I see. It’s so nice to see such a strong bond between you two. I’m glad.”
“Oh, by the way, I heard you had a written exam today.”
Looking at Arthur as if she had forgotten, Anisha asked.
“How many did you get wrong, Arthur?”
“I got two wrong, Mother.”
“Really?”
Anisha’s expression brightened quickly.
“Very well done, Arthur. As expected, you’re outstanding. I wonder who you take after to be this smart?”
“I take after you, Mother, in every way.”
“You speak so nicely too.”
Anisha had a satisfied smile on her lips. Ferdinand, who was listening, also offered a compliment.
“That’s great, Arthur, to get only two wrong. That’s very well done.”
“Thank you, Dad.”
“Mother and Father.”
At that time, Jerald intervened cautiously.
“I also took a written exam today.”
“Oh, really?”
“How many answers did Jerald get wrong?”
“I…”
Jerald replied with a fluttering expression.
“I got them all right.”
And the moment she heard it, Anisha’s expression quickly hardened. There was silence at the table, and Jerald was taken aback.
‘I thought you’d compliment me too…’
Arthur was praised when he said he got two wrong, so he thought his parents would be happy to hear that he got all right. But as soon as Anisha heard Jerald’s performance, her expression hardened immediately.
Jerald was restless and looked at his parents’ faces.
“Well done, Jerald.”
Then, Ferdinand IV, who could not bear the silence any longer, hastily opened his mouth.
“As expected, you’re smart. Both of our boys are smart, haha. Maybe it’s because they take after the empress?”
But still Anisha looked stiff, and Ferdinand IV gave up on the topic as if it couldn’t be helped.
“Now, let’s stop talking and let’s all eat. Otherwise, this delicious food will get cold.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Eat a lot, Jerald.”
Emperor Ferdinand purposely gave Jerald a warm look and smiled. Jerald was relieved by his father’s consideration, but the hardened expression his mother showed earlier still lingered in his head and made his young heart uncomfortable.
‘Is my mother not happy that I did well on the test?’
Jerald eventually had no choice but to move his fork with a gloomy mind throughout the meal.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
After dinner, Arthur and Jerald went back to their respective palaces.
And finally, only the emperor and empress were left alone in the empty dinner hall.
“Anisha.”
Ferdinand called his wife in a low voice.
“Don’t you think you’re too harsh to Jerald?”
“Do you think I’m being harsh?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, Your Majesty.”
“You did it earlier too. Jerald got a perfect score on the exam. You should have praised him.”
“I am proud of Jerald. Why wouldn’t I be happy?”
“But…”
“If Arthur wasn’t there, no, if he was the eldest.”
“…”
“I would have gladly praised that child, Your Majesty.”
“Anisha, you’re being too sensitive.”
“No, Your Majesty. I don’t think I am being sensitive at all.”
Anisha was adamant about her argument.
“I have always believed that education should be done well from a young age. That way, we can avoid the tragedy of George VI repeating itself!”
George VI was Alfred the Great’s uncle, Ferdinand IV’s grandfather, and Arthur and Jerald’s great-grandfather.
“Anisha, that…”
“Jerald must always be inferior to Arthur. That way, there won’t be any conflicts.”
Anisha bit her lips and continued.
“…But I’m very afraid, Your Majesty. Day by day, the kid is trying to beat his brother.”
“…”
“Even the tutors sometimes say it. That Jerald has greater potential than Arthur. It shouldn’t be allowed.”
“But Anisha, that’s not a problem we can solve.”
“That’s why I’m telling you.”
Anisha replied in a cool voice.
“I shouldn’t have given birth to him.”
“Anisha.”
“Why did your grandfather only give birth to Alfred the Great in the first place?”
Anisha looked at Ferdinand with a serious look on her face.
“Why do you think your grandfather only had Alfred the Great? Do you remember how he seized power? He killed all his siblings with his exceptional ability and took the throne. And after his coronation, he eradicated the in-laws’ lineage, saying they must be watched as potential threats! Have you forgotten?”
“Anisha, that…”
“I can’t deny the fact that your grandfather made a significant mark in Limburg’s history. If he hadn’t ascended to the throne, Limburg would never have achieved the glory it has today. I understand that.”
But it came at such a high cost. Anisha clenched her fist without realizing it.
“But I cannot stand by and watch such a tragedy repeat itself. Never!”
“Our children are good, Anisha. You have raised them well, my empress.”
“It’s not enough. It’s not enough…”
Anisha murmured in a self-deprecating voice.
“I always feel like I’m not good enough. The more I see Jerald, the more he looks like his grandfather. I’m so afraid of it.”
“He’s still young, Empress. If we continue to educate him, such a thing will never happen.”
“Do you really think so?”
Anisha murmured in a brooding voice.
“I often regret it. If I hadn’t had him, I wouldn’t have had to live in such unnecessary anxiety…”
“Never say such things in front of the children, never. Do you understand?”
“Of course, Your Majesty. But…”
“That kind of attitude may make Jerald go wrong. So educate him without showing any sign of it. Then nothing the empress is worried about will ever happen.”
“Is that really so, Your Majesty?”
“Of course, Empress.”
Ferdinand IV comforted his wife affectionately. Only then did Anisha feel a little relieved. But the couple didn’t know yet.
“…”
Outside the door, little Jerald heard both of them.
