Chapter 38

Argen seemed to have ended his internal conflict and steadily moved his body.

As I approached Lloyd’s side by crawling on my knees, He also followed along after silently bowing his head for a while.

Unlike Argen, who was emotionally unstable, I was more rational. I had already made up my mind while Argen was silently keeping his head down for a few minutes.

In fact, it was strange that Lloyd kept his place for a while without saying a word in the midst of Argen’s internal conflict.

“Thank you.”

“………You did call.”

“………”

I gave a sidelong look at Argen’s tough attitude and told him to calm down. Argen always became more sensitive than usual whenever the royal family sat down to talk about something.

It was so severe that I even felt it. However, it was like a double or triple guard to protect himself.

Argen didn’t usually give way to others. He was the same in our previous life, but now that he has been hurt for a long time, the wall got higher.

“It’s Just, it’s better to have a conversation up close.”

“……Because of that?”

“And, I think you will listen more when I make eye contact like this.”

Argen flinched at Lloyd’s words and I had to pursed my lips knowing that those words were true. I’m not an eloquent speaker so my mind was going in circles to find a reply to what he said.

“Isn’t that true, Arien, Argen.”

“……..Yes.”

“……..”

Lloyd laughed. The expressionless face when we first met him was nowhere to be found. He tilted his head and slightly raised the corners of his mouth, which resembled the emperor.

“I’m your family.”

“…….I don’t want to hear such words.”

“…….”

“I know, I’m sorry to say I’m family……I turned away and pretended not to know.”

“Even though you also knew what we’re going through, you pretended that you didn’t?”

Did he expect something? Argen continued to talk while I just listened. I really didn’t want to be involved in the conversation that would hurt my feelings.

I’ve already had so many wounds that I didn’t have enough space to stretch them further.

“…….No, I didn’t know. I didn’t know you were in such a hurtful and painful situation.”

“…….”

“…….”

“I heard something similar from father. Even though I look like this, I am the Crown Prince.”

Lloyd held Argen’s side and slightly lifted him up. Argen, who was too stunned to answer, sat on Lloyd’s lap.

“But, it’s true that I didn’t bother to dig too deep……In fact, as it was originally, before your manifestation……You were destined to die.”

Argen inhaled and grabbed Lloyd’s collar. My eyes trembled with surprise at the sudden remark.

“You’re still children……I don’t want to tell you this story yet because you’re too young, but the fact that you’re the royal family won’t change. You will understand a little, some day.”

“……What do you mean, by that?”

“…….”

I was a little speechless and my lips were quivering. Lloyd swept my hair down with his other hand. The touch wasn’t as bad as I thought it was.

“Your mother………To begin with, can I explain about Lulahel first?”

I heard Lulahel’s story for the first time in my life starting with those words.

……Although we lived together for only 5 years, there were stories that we never knew about before.

“Lurahel was a Hebi. Hebis originally lived only in the mountains, so they lacks common sense. Originally…..Children born from the union of two different species die in less than five years.”

“……What the heck”

“No way.”

Because he thought we were really children, he spoke to us in a roundabout way so that we wouldn’t be too shocked, but I understood everything.

“In the end, you were a victim of human selfishness, but……Father is also one of the victims in some way”

I tried calling Argen inside, but there was no answer. I felt sick to my stomach for quite a long time.

“…..Then…..Why are we alive?”

Argen asked while gently pressing down on my stomach. Even though I’m over 5 years old, hearing how I’m still alive, naturally made my shoulders stiff.

“It’s probably because the imperial blood flows stronger. The Imperial family is the only human descendant that God loved. Usually, children born from different races die from the loss of one trait due to the incompatible blood, their bodies gradually deteriorates and dies.”

“……What about us?”

“The Imperial blood also has the ability to purify everything……Maybe that’s the reason why. Since you’ve manifested, you don’t have to worry about that.”

“…….”

“In fact, your second brother and I knew you existed, but we didn’t care. I thought you were children I’d never see.”

My mind gradually became clear as I listened to the words coming out of his mouth. He was telling us a story that Argen and I didn’t know.

However, many of the facts seemed to have been omitted.

Facts like what kind of beings we are, and why did Lloyd, who seems so friendly, always turn away from us…….Those little things.

“Ah……Eiji was a kid who really didn’t know anything, so trust me. He’s always making a ruckus in my ears since our younger siblings are so cute.”

He laughed bitterly.

“……Sorry.”

“……Ugh.”

“I’m really sorry.”

“……Why……Why do you say you’re sorry?”

“It’s just…….It seems like he’s a person who can’t properly listen to your grievances. I knew you existed, but I avoided you…….All of that……For Everything.”

I thought Lloyd, who was in front me, was amazing. We were younger siblings, who were illegitimate children and who should only be disregarded. I clenched my fists at his deep devotion to the point where he even wanted to take care of his half-siblings like this.

My fingernails left marks on my bare skin.

“Just a little more……To get closer to you.”

“……Ugh.”

“I’ve already lost five years of your life……I wish I could take care of you.”

“But…..”

“You’re still young. You can just lean on me. I heard you’re at an age when no one can blame you for being silly. If you tell me everything you want, I can prepare it for you. I’ll let you eat as much as you haven’t eaten before.”

Lloyd’s words kept penetrating deeply into my body. I watched Argen flinch and hugged him quietly.

“So don’t be so discouraged.”

I felt so sad looking at Argen’s bowed head. My other half, with wounds as deep as mine, always breathed quietly like this and didn’t cry alone.

“Hold your head up proudly. No matter what you do, you have your father and me.”

Argen remained silent for a long time. I was the one who knew Argen the most, and unlike me, he never vents his painful feelings.

“……Really……Really.”

Rarely was Argen at a loss for words while talking.

I hugged him from behind and stayed quiet. I knew how much this warmth would help, so…..

Argen moved his lips slightly and I could feel the tip of his lips tremble, unlike his clear voice.

“……Can I lean on…..You?”

Lloyd held Argen’s face and slightly lifted it upwards. I was curious about what kind of expression Argen had, but I didn’t want to see it.

“If you do…… I think I’d be really happy.”

*****

From over there, Eiji was slowly creeping up while waving the cat and rabbit dolls.

It’s been a while since it happened, but Eiji was always the same. I turned my head to watch Eiji stealthily approaching.

Lloyd said Eiji didn’t know anything about us. He isn’t nice to me and Argen out of sympathy, but simply treats us with goodwill.

Maybe that’s why, when Eiji interrupted our snack time… It didn’t feel so bad.

“This is for Argen, and this is for Arien.”

While eating snacks with cookies and sherbet, I accepted the doll from Eiji, who freely broke into the room.

“Father got it for you himself.”

The stitches were well stitched, the fabric was soft, and the softness even felt the same as the dolls on the emperor’s bed.

Without realizing it, I kept pressing down on the middle of the cat doll’s belly.

“His Majesty the Emperor?”

“That’s right, when I came to see father, He said he heard that these toys were famous all over the country. I think he asked for it separately. By the way, how long are you going to call him your Majesty?”

The Emperor thought of us when he bought this……Earlier in the morning, I went to see the rabbit and the raccoon after finishing my studies, but now a rabbit doll was in my hands.

Eiji naturally sat down next to me and gently swept my hair. His touch wasn’t so bad, so I sat still.

“You had longer hair, didn’t you? It’ll be pretty when you go out to parties or something.”

“It’s a little wavy.”

“That’s also a charm! Argen’s hair is a little bit wavy too.”

Eiji responded by looking alternately at me and Argen’s hair, which were slightly wavy. The doll felt good to touch, so I pressed it with my fingers while nodding my head.

“That’s right. This wave, I like it because it’s pretty.”

“Isn’t it? Our Arien has the prettiest hair.”

“…….Isn’t it prettier if it wasn’t wavy?”

Eiji, who was good at talking, lifted the spoon he was holding and put the sherbet in my mouth. As the sweet taste spread, my whole body felt refreshed.

“That can’t be true! Our Arien is pretty.”

I could feel Argen staring at me from behind, wondering what I was doing. I felt embarrassed and thought I was too childish after I spoke, but Eiji replied vigorously, saying it was good again.

While he telling us that Lloyd would likely be coming soon, I stared at Eiji, who appeared to be in his mid-teens, which didn’t suit his actual age.

I looked at his innocent face while wondering if it would change when he manifested, but in that instant, he suddenly opened his arms and tightly hugged me to see what was so good.