Chapter 36
Yuren sat fidgeting, while beside him, Lorr had his head drooped, fast asleep.
“Waaah, nom….”
As if dreaming something delightful, his lips puckered like he was chewing, then he would exhale with a loud “Puuu,” over and over.
Crack.
A vein bulged on Raikal’s forehead.
How dare he sleep during my lesson? Do they even realize who I’m doing this for!
Though Yuren was also attending, the one who really needed this lesson was Lorr.
“Lorvantes.”
“Mmng… yum yum… caught the sausage….”
Raikal’s sharp voice fell upon Lorr’s head, but only muttering sleep-talk came in return.
“L-Lorr.”
“Uuh… uum.”
Yuren glanced nervously at Raikal, then timidly poked Lorr in the side with his finger.
“Lorr, wake up.”
Though he whispered, it sounded loud to Raikal’s ears, which were pricked with anger.
“Your brother is mad right now…!”
“Uuuh? Whyyy…?”
At last Lorr blinked awake, his half-open green eyes still heavy with drowsiness and reluctance.
“Lorr, you’ve been sleeping this whole time.”
“Really…?”
He rubbed his eyes with tiny fists and answered in a voice still thick with sleepiness. Then—haaam—he yawned without a care.
He doesn’t think he’s done anything wrong at all…!
Raikal’s mouth hung open in disbelief at the sheer rudeness.
Is he ignoring me…? Me, the Crown Prince?
“Don’t waant to… You just keep letting Raikal talk and talk….”
Just like Yuren earlier, Lorr muttered quietly, but Raikal’s ears did not miss it. His gaze sharpened dangerously.
Unaware, Lorr chattered on to Yuren.
“Hey, Yuren! Guess what I dreamed just now….”
In his dream, shiny sausages bounced on a big plate.
“Catch me if you can! If you catch me, you can eat me!” they sang, right before he stuck his fork in one to take a big bite.
But when he opened his eyes, there was no delicious sausage—only Raikal glaring at him with terrifying eyes….
“Not only do you doze off in class, but now you’re chattering too?”
His voice was as sharp as his narrowed gaze.
“Hic….”
Lorr froze mid-chatter, green eyes filling with tears.
At only five years old, an age meant for running and playing, it was natural that sitting still through lessons was difficult. Especially for Lorr, who had grown up making the mountains and fields his playground.
“…Raikal’s mad at me agaaain….”
His cheeks flushed red in an instant. His chest ached with frustration, eyes stung hot, lips jutted forward.
It felt like cold blue water was flooding his heart.
I was supposed to make flower rings today….
Angelina had promised to teach him, and he had gone to bed brimming with excitement the night before.
But after breakfast, the maids bustled around, and before he knew it, he was seated in front of Raikal—glasses gleaming, eyes sharp as knives.
I need to apologize to Kynell….
He’d been caught by Father yesterday and couldn’t go to the garden, so he never got to say that meeting at night would be difficult from now on.
So today, he’d planned to sneak out to the garden to pick flowers, then use the book’s help to slip over to Kynell.
To say, Sorry I couldn’t come last night. I’ll give you a pretty flower ring, so please forgive me.
We’ll each wear one made from the prettiest flowers!
But that plan shattered completely.
Instead, he was dragged to the chalkboard, forced to sit while Raikal droned on.
The words were too difficult—he couldn’t understand, barely even follow them.
But since Raikal was speaking so seriously….
He had clenched his fists, enduring the urge to jump up.
And now, he felt it was so unfair.
…Raikal really must hate me.
Tears welled in his green eyes, stubbornness mixing in.
The knot of frustration in his little heart swelled larger and lumpier.
Lorr wanted to be smart and cool like Raikal, to get along with him.
But whenever Raikal’s fierce eyes bore into him….
“I—I don’t want to study anymore!”
Lorr’s sudden cry made Yuren snap his head up in shock.
“Studying sucks! It’s too hard! It’s boring!”
His tiny hand shoved the stack of papers off the desk.
They were textbooks Raikal had made himself, carefully written for a child like Lorr. Sheets with Raikal’s handwriting scattered into the air.
Raikal stood frozen in disbelief as Lorr leapt off his chair.
“Y-you—!”
Raikal quickly rose to grab him, but Lorr’s small body moved fast as lightning. In the blink of an eye, he flung the door open and dashed out of the room.
“N-no!”
“My lady!”
The maids and knights tried to catch him, but it was useless.
“…W-wow….”
Yuren, still in his seat, gasped in awe.
Lorr’s amazing! He’s super fast….
His round eyes sparkled as his mouth gaped in admiration—until he felt Raikal’s intense glare beside him.
“Th-this, what is even….”
Gulp.
Yuren clapped both hands over his mouth.
His brother’s dangerous gleam was nothing to trifle with; better not to get close when Raikal had that look.
Raikal narrowed his eyes at the door Lorr had bolted through. But no matter how long he waited, Lorr didn’t come back.
…So that’s how it is.
Then….
Raikal’s eyes flashed again.
[Don’t worry, Lorr! I’ll sprinkle you with magic powder that makes you faster!]
The truth was, Lorr had only been able to move like lightning thanks to the Book’s help.
As it fluttered around him, the magical book released white shimmering dust that settled on Lorr’s body.
“Raikal’s a dummy!”
Lorr turned back toward the room, stuck out his tongue at Raikal, and ran off feeling a little better.
Thudthudthudthud!
After sprinting a long way, he stopped deep inside a secluded corner of the garden, panting.
Before his eyes, a golden whirlpool spun in midair—the magical book appearing once again.
[Are you alright, Lorr?]
“Mmhm.”
Along with the speed powder, the book had also sprinkled dust to make his body invisible. No one could see him now.
“Fuuuh….”
Breathing heavily, Lorr plopped down on the grass.
He didn’t know if his chest heaved from all the running or from his anger at Raikal.
Hugging his knees, burying his face down, the world grew quiet and dim.
“I wanna see Daddy….”
His cheeks puffed sulkily.
He hadn’t told the maids, but Lorr had been gloomy since morning—because starting today, Daddy was gone from this huge mansion.
His shoulders drooped, drained of energy.
“And I miss Mommy too… but I was holding it in….”
Daddy had promised to bring Mommy back, so he’d waited without whining.
But the longer he went without seeing her, the more his longing built up.
It was now piled up to his throat, ready to spill if anyone spoke to him.
He had forced it down, swallowing hard. But when he heard Daddy was leaving, it churned inside him.
And then, when he saw Raikal’s angry face—everything overflowed at once.
Like a giant stone crashing into a calm lake.
“Uuuh….”
The tears he had dried up while running welled again.
[Lorr….]
The Book fluttered anxiously around him, sensing the depth of his sorrow.
In truth, the Book was connected to Lorr in a way—it had always shared his emotions.
Though the Book knew everything in the world, it cherished Lorr most dearly.
It knew that even when Lorr smiled brightly, he was lonely inside.
The Book hovered close, worried.
“No!”
Suddenly, Lorr jerked his head up and rubbed his eyes roughly with the backs of his hands.
“If I cry over this, I’ll be a bad kid. And Princess Helen doesn’t like bad kids!”
Slap!
He smacked both cheeks with his palms, leaving red handprints on his chubby face.
[Lorr, are you really okay…?]
“Mmhm! I’m fine.”
He nodded. But the Book still fretted—because the sadness lingering in his heart was far from gone.
