Chapter 34
‘Then what about Kainel…?’
Tonight too, Kainel would surely be out in the garden. If I’m not there, won’t he feel lonely?
Lorr’s innocent cheeks puffed up with worry.
“Ehhyoho…”
Watching Lorr sigh, Alcade opened his mouth heavily.
“Lorr, Daddy will have to be away for a while.”
“…Wuun?”
Alcade added, seeing Lorr blink and tilt his head in confusion.
“It means Daddy won’t be at the Grand Duke’s estate. There’s something I must take care of far away.”
The picture book discovered beneath the village of Venerta.
Alcade had recognized it immediately.
It was a book that Elaine had filled, page by page, with her own drawings one day.
When he asked her why she suddenly started making a picture book, Elaine only smiled gently and never explained.
But he could still vividly recall how she had clutched that book close to her chest as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
‘Elaine…’
Judging from the timing, she must have made it for Lorr.
If he asked Lorr, he might gain some new information… but—
Alcade couldn’t bring himself to speak.
It had been five years since he began waiting for Elaine. His heart had risen and fallen between hope and despair so many times it was nearly worn out.
Whenever he found traces of her, the world lit up in an instant—only for that light to be extinguished the moment he realized those traces were all that remained.
Just as Elaine was absolute to him, she must be the same to Lorr.
Even now, Lorr wore an expression that seemed to ask when he would be able to see Elaine.
And yet, Alcade knew very well the child was holding back from voicing it aloud—for his sake.
And if, by chance—
If the picture book wasn’t a trace of Elaine… if it didn’t lead to her right away—
He could never let Lorr feel the same despair and emptiness he had.
‘That’s why I can’t tell him.’
Alcade’s gaze, fixed on Lorr, held both deep loneliness and profound affection.
Even in the darkened room, Lorr seemed to glow in his eyes.
The investigation of the village was nearly finished; only the picture book needed to be confirmed.
He was scheduled to return in four days, but already, the thought of leaving the child behind weighed heavily on his steps.
“…Daddy, not here?”
The sulky child slumped into the blanket.
“Yes. Even if it takes long, just a few days… no, about four nights.”
“Wuun…”
The small shoulders lifted again slightly.
Daddy said four nights…
‘It’s okay. I can do it.’
Lorr nodded firmly. Even if he missed Daddy, he could endure that much. After all, Lorr was a big kid now!
Seeing the green sparkle of energy return to his child’s eyes, Alcade smiled faintly.
It made him both ache with pity and swell with pride.
And seeing Lorr okay again, he felt a sudden urge to tease him.
Mischief glimmered in Alcade’s gaze.
Anyone else who knew him would have been shocked at the expression, but in this room, it was only Lorr and Alcade.
“So, what happened with Raikal?”
He had no intention of meddling in children’s quarrels, but he was curious about Lorr’s thoughts. This seemed like a good chance to find out.
It was only a lighthearted question—
“Ughh!”
But Lorr let out a groan as if ambushed.
He hadn’t expected Raikal’s name to come up here!
How did Daddy know?!
There was no way Daddy was at the training grounds… Did someone tattle?
Gasp—! Could it have been Raikal?!
But there were other people there too…
Too many thoughts spun wildly in his little head. Lorr clutched at his hair in anguish.
Kids fighting—grown-ups wouldn’t like that.
Hiiiing… what do I do?
“They said you fought with that Raikal brat, didn’t you?”
Finding Lorr’s reaction amusing, Alcade prodded him again with a question.
“Hup!”
Lorr sucked in his breath.
He couldn’t wriggle out of it anymore. Daddy knew everything!
“…Wuun…”
Lorr sagged, nodding reluctantly, lips jutting out as he let out a long “Puuuu—” breath.
“It’s just… Raikal… he doesn’t like cream puffs…”
Thinking back to the day he’d given Raikal a cream puff, Lorr hung his head low.
It had been shocking enough that Raikal disliked cream puffs—but even more shocking that he seemed to dislike Lorr himself.
‘Uuu… my heart feels heavy again…’
Lorr exhaled another long sigh, trying to lighten the weight on his chest.
“Cream puffs?”
Alcade tilted his head slightly.
He had heard there’d been a conflict between Lorr and Raikal at the training grounds, but apparently there was more.
Lorr propped his tiny fist beneath his chin, lost in thought.
‘Because of me, Kainel hates him too…’
As soon as he thought of Kainel, the heaviness inside suddenly turned into strength!
Kainel was Lorr’s precious friend. Thinking about how Raikal—so much taller and older—had tried to swing a sword at Kainel, Lorr’s sadness turned to resentment and anger.
Now… Lorr hated Raikal too!
The fact that Kainel had actually challenged Raikal to a spar in the first place was long forgotten in the blaze of Lorr’s indignation.
“Sooo….”
Lorr kicked off his blanket and began explaining everything that had happened with Raikal.
It had all started when he’d tried to get close to his cousin by giving him a handmade ‘cream bomb baby choux.’
When Raikal refused, saying he hated cream, Lorr had thought it was just a mistake on his part.
But at the dining table with everyone present, Raikal kept interrupting him and even smirked slyly. That’s when Lorr realized:
Raikal didn’t hate cream. He hated Lorr!
At the breakfast table with everyone watching, that realization had hurt so much that he’d burst into tears.
And the story ended with Raikal and Kainel nearly fighting at the training grounds today.
“So from today on, I’m gonna hate Raikal too!”
“Hmm…”
So that’s how it was.
Alcade stroked his chin with his fingers, nodding slowly.
‘That brat Raikal…’
Meanwhile, Lorr was now standing on the bed, fists clenched, huffing with righteous anger. Alcade clicked his tongue inwardly.
The child’s explanation was emotional and disorganized, but even so, he could easily guess what Raikal had really been thinking.
Raikal adored Alcade. Honestly, his eyes would sparkle just from being near him—it was impossible not to notice.
Whenever Alcade visited the palace on business, Raikal went out of his way to meet him. He even expressed a desire to visit the Grand Duke’s estate on occasion.
‘Tch. Still, he’s your nephew—how could you not spare him a glance?’
Even the Emperor, unable to bear watching his son trail after his uncle, had commented on it.
But Alcade ignored those expectant eyes.
Because he was a Grand Duke, and his nephew was the Crown Prince.
Had they been of ordinary status, merely uncle and nephew, perhaps things would have been different.
Even if they weren’t especially close, Alcade might still have spent time with a nephew who adored him that much.
But as Grand Duke and Crown Prince, he could not.
If he showed undue closeness to the heir, it would only give ammunition to those vile nobles looking for an excuse to bare their fangs.
Alcade’s sole purpose in life was finding Elaine.
He had no interest in the throne. The nobles who approached him, trying to use him as their rallying point, or who picked petty fights with him, were nothing but nuisances.
As the Emperor’s beloved brother and a man of remarkable ability, Alcade could easily brush off the nobles’ attempts to check him.
‘But Raikal is still just a child.’
If the young Crown Prince, without enough power or influence yet, appeared too close to him, there was no telling what kind of rumors would spread.
Keeping distance from the imperial family was better for everyone—it left no room even for idle speculation.
‘That sense of rejection must have spilled over onto Lorr.’
Shh.
Alcade placed his hand on Lorr’s head and tousled his hair roughly.
“Waaah!”
Startled, Lorr fell back onto his bottom on the bed, his green eyes going wide.
“My hair!”
Daddy was so unfair—he sneak-attacked!
Lorr’s little maple-leaf hands slapped at Alcade’s large hand, but it didn’t even tickle.
With a grin, Alcade raised both hands in a mock gesture of surrender, then met Lorr’s eyes as if asking permission before reaching out again. This time, it was to smooth the child’s hair back into place.
