~Chapter 69~
“Which position are you talking about?”
“I… don’t really know.”
Ivan had said the words he wanted to say, but he couldn’t explain them properly.
Ruby quietly listened, then nodded.
“I’m not sure what kind of role it’ll be, but I’ll help you, Your Highness. As long as it’s something I can do.”
Hearing her positive answer, Ivan’s expression brightened.
“Don’t forget what you just said.”
“And Your Highness shouldn’t forget either. If you ever need my help, you must come ask me.”
Ruby held out her pinky finger and thumb.
“What does that mean?”
“It’s how you make a promise. A pinky promise.”
“Is that how people normally make promises?”
“I’m not sure about nobles, but commoner children make promises like this. You do the same hand shape and hook your pinky with mine.”
Ruby held out her hand again, urging him.
Ivan looked down at her fingers with a hesitant expression.
Awkwardly, he copied the hand shape, reached his pinky out, and hooked it with Ruby’s.
Ruby immediately tightened her pinky around his and pressed their thumbs together.
“Now that we’ve made a pinky promise, I’ll absolutely keep my word. No matter what.”
Ruby released his hand as she declared it confidently.
Her determined voice was pleasant to hear.
Ivan didn’t know what he would ask of Ruby in the future… but he already felt that the small sensation of their pinkies touching was something he would never forget.
He had a feeling he could make this type of promise with her many times.
But Ruby didn’t seem to feel the same lingering emotion he did.
She had already turned away, her attention shifting to her younger siblings.
At the end of her gaze were Calix and Theo.
The boys looked like they had just finished their own training session. When they approached, Ruby took a towel and gently wiped Calix’s and Theo’s sweaty faces, switching between them.
“I can wipe it myself, Sister.”
Calix said so, but he didn’t try to take the towel away.
Theo also didn’t complain—he didn’t seem to dislike Ruby’s gentle touch.
“Our Prince Theo, did you train well today?” Ruby asked kindly.
“Yes! Calix teaches me really well. But why is Calix so good with a sword?” Theo asked innocently.
Ruby smiled as she answered.
“He takes after our parents, I think. Both of them were swordmasters.”
“Oh… really?”
Theo looked guilty, wondering if he had made them sad by bringing up their deceased parents.
Ruby noticed immediately.
“We’re okay, really. We’re just talking about the truth. Right, Calix?”
Calix nodded.
“It wasn’t on purpose, so it’s fine. Besides, instead of our parents, I have you, Sister.”
“Calix…”
Ruby hugged him with one arm, touched by his sincerity.
Seeing this, Sasha immediately opened her arms wide.
“Me too! Me too!”
Ruby used her other arm to pull Sasha into a hug.
Then Theo, watching them, quietly stepped closer and murmured,
“Me too, Ruby.”
“…What?”
Ruby was startled, and Calix and Sasha also jumped away from her in surprise.
Theo, looking embarrassed, walked up with his arms open and his eyes shut tightly.
He must have been jealous of Calix and Sasha receiving Ruby’s affection.
Ruby laughed softly, stepped forward, and gave Theo a warm hug.
Theo buried his face into Ruby’s shoulder and wrapped his arms tightly around her neck.
At what moment had he opened his heart to her this much?
Ruby was touched again by Theo’s innocence and honesty.
“Our Prince Theo, you’ve grown so much,” she said as she gently patted his back.
“I wish… I had a sister like you,” Theo whispered quietly into Ruby’s ear so no one else could hear.
“But you have a wonderful, dependable older brother instead,” Ruby replied.
Theo glanced past her shoulder toward Ivan.
Ivan didn’t notice Theo staring at him. He only noticed something else.
“How long are you two planning to stay like that?”
With terrible patience, Ivan separated them with an irritated tone.
Theo looked at Ruby with longing eyes as she set him down.
Ruby wanted to guide Theo the way she raised baby Maria—helping him grow up honest and kind, without losing his pure heart.
For that, Ivan’s cooperation was absolutely necessary.
“So, Your Highness Ivan, why don’t you give Prince Theo a hug instead of me?”
Ivan looked completely shocked.
“M-Me?”
“You’re his older brother. That’s what siblings do.”
Of course, many brothers didn’t do that—but Ruby lied a little, hoping it would bring them closer.
Ivan and Theo stared at each other.
Theo’s expression said he had already given up.
There was no way Ivan would hug him.
Theo admired Ivan and liked him deeply…
but Ivan had only ever said he didn’t dislike Theo—he had never said he liked him.
So the two boys remained close yet distant.
Theo truly believed that Ivan would never hug him.
“If it’s too difficult, then I’ll just hug Prince Theo aga—”
“No. Wait.”
Ivan stopped her.
He stared at Theo with conflicted eyes.
He didn’t want Ruby hugging Theo again.
But he also didn’t like the idea of hugging Theo himself.
They weren’t exactly close brothers—how could he suddenly do something like that?
But something inside him insisted he needed to.
It wasn’t hard, after all.
It wasn’t painful.
It didn’t hurt his pride.
It was simply something he had never imagined doing.
Ivan slowly stepped toward Theo.
Theo’s eyes began sparkling with anticipation.
Ivan knelt down to match Theo’s height, awkwardly opened his arms, and waited—because he didn’t have the courage to hug first.
Understanding his silent invitation, Theo jumped into his arms.
“Brother!”
Theo happily wrapped his arms around Ivan’s neck.
Ivan froze at the unfamiliar warmth.
Just as Ruby had said, Theo had grown a lot.
Ivan awkwardly patted Theo’s back—so stiffly it looked like a block of wood was poking him.
Ruby, Calix, and Sasha watched the scene with warm smiles.
Baby Maria saw it too and clapped clumsily.
“Hwang-da-ning!”
Calix shot Maria a brief glare but then looked back at the two princes.
“The princes getting along looks really nice.”
“Sasha is touched…” Sasha said, wiping at imaginary tears with a handkerchief.
Before long, Ivan abruptly pulled Theo off him.
“Are we done now?”
He seemed embarrassed and avoided Theo’s gaze, turning instead to Ruby.
“You both did well,” Ruby praised them without holding back.
“Hehehe.”
Theo beamed, thrilled that Ivan had hugged him.
Ivan, on the other hand, didn’t know what expression to make. His face was red as he quickly walked back to his original position.
“From now on, don’t hug Theo so easily,” Ivan told Ruby.
“Why not? He’s like a younger brother to me.”
“Theo is a prince. You can’t touch him so casually.”
“Oh… I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”
Ruby actually did know—there was no such rule.
And from Theo’s face, he didn’t know either.
But since Ivan said so, they both believed him.
“Sorry, Brother. I won’t ask Ruby to hug me so easily anymore,” Theo said.
“Yes. Be careful with your behavior from now on,” Ivan ordered sternly.
Theo drooped again.
Ruby, wanting to cheer him up, quickly spoke.
“I can’t hug Prince Theo freely, but Prince Ivan is also royalty. So, why don’t you ask him to hug you like today whenever something good happens?”
“…What?”
Ivan frowned immediately, but Theo’s face lit up.
“Really? You’ll hug me?”
“…Not anytime.”
Ivan looked away.
“But if you accomplish something, I’ll think about it.”
“I’ll work hard! I’ll make you proud, Brother!”
Theo hit his chest and declared energetically.
“…Do as you want.”
Ivan still acted grumpy.
But Ruby wondered—maybe it wasn’t her imagination—had the distance between Ivan and Theo grown a little smaller today?
Ruby knew she was meddling…but because she already knew the future, she couldn’t help it.
She wanted them to grow close.
She didn’t want either of them to meet a sad ending.
