CHAPTER 79……………………..
Another Birthday Approaches (4)
When it was finally his turn, Kallion slightly frowned.
Placing the prince’s turn right after the merchant heir’s was already disrespectful enough.
“Ares chose a necklace, you said?”
“Yes. You’d prefer not to overlap, wouldn’t you?”
“…That would be best.”
To think Ares was offered the best gift first.
Still, what Laocoon presented to Kallion wasn’t bad either.
After much hesitation, Kallion pointed to a sky-blue ribbon.
Its edges were trimmed with carefully woven silver lace.
And at the sharply cut ends of the ribbon hung tiny blue bird-shaped charms.
When winter sunlight streamed in, the crystal-carved birds glittered brilliantly.
Kallion gave a wistful smile.
“When I first met the Great Saintess, I thought she resembled a bird too.”
That bird his older brother—who tormented him daily—used to keep.
That lonely, beautiful bird that cried within its cage.
“Then, I’ll take the hair ribbon.”
“Yes. Understood.”
“But… do you have something you want to say to me?”
“…!”
“You’ve been giving off that air for a while now.”
Kallion fixed his wary gaze on the boy.
“And he’s been making that ‘clicking’ sound, like abacus beads rolling?”
It wasn’t exactly unpleasant, but it made him feel as though he was being evaluated.
“That’s why you picked me as the second guest, isn’t it? Even though you knew it broke etiquette.”
“Mhm, Prince Alcyone.”
Laocoon smiled wryly and offered an apology.
“I sincerely apologize for not observing proper form. The truth is… I had a small question for you, Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
“May I invest in your value?”
“…”
Kallion’s eyes widened.
For a moment, he didn’t understand what was meant.
“Value? Are you calling me a commodity?”
“Haha, of course not! Only that… going forward, I believe it might be worth placing our future with you.”
Laocoon recalled his own family’s situation.
After the incident in the Terraine territory, his mother had said:
‘This Demon King feels unstable…’
They had already extracted what profit they could from Halcyon and Iliod, but the Demon King’s stance was becoming increasingly hardline.
So Laocoon thought to himself:
“We should stake our hopes on Princess Creusa.”
A princess who embraced both demons and humans alike—entrusting Creusa’s future to her seemed wise.
“And to the one who will stand at the princess’s side, too.”
Perhaps this overly precocious boy might indeed be worth betting on.
Kallion read his intent and frowned deeper.
“You won’t say this to Ismenios instead?”
“The young heir is still a child. Oh, of course! He too is of great value.”
Laocoon began ticking things off with his fingers.
“His entire family are high-ranking demon nobles, and his brother the duke enjoys the Demon King’s utmost trust.”
“…”
“And if the duke never marries, won’t even the youngest son inherit the position?”
Kallion clicked his tongue inwardly.
“And here I thought I was managing my conduct well enough.”
Creusa’s side might be older, yes, but a boy skilled with abacus beads was clearly in another league.
“You seem to get along quite well with the young heir now—almost like real brothers.”
“…”
“But if one day the princess were to leave with him… or with someone else—would you still be able to smile like that?”
At those words, Kallion fell silent.
“Lady Sion… with someone else?”
Even at his young age, an overwhelming unease he couldn’t imagine swept over him.
He wanted to stay forever beside the one who had changed his life.
But was what he had now really enough to secure that?
Even after bowing and scraping before the Demon King, only to receive no friendliness in return?
“Your Highness. As fellow humans—will you truly refuse our help?”
“…”
“If you do accept it, then you’ll be able to stay by the princess’s side for a long, long time.”
“…”
“Even without the support of the Alcyone royal family.”
For a moment, the two boys faced each other.
Royals and nobles, even at a young age, never spoke carelessly.
You never knew when or how your words would come back to trap you.
So Kallion, just this once, chose to act his age.
With a bright, boyish smile, he tilted his head playfully.
“I’m afraid I don’t really understand what you mean.”
“Mm, well… let’s leave it at that for now.”
Laocoon chuckled inwardly.
“What nonsense. There’s a fox inside that boy, plain as day.”
But he didn’t show it, and instead bowed politely to the prince.
“Just please remember.
If ever you should require the aid of our trading house, simply say the word.”
And seeing the ambition burning in the prince’s blue eyes, Laocoon was certain—
“The prince will come to us, in order to remain by the princess’s side.”
Without fail.
That day was like any other meeting day.
The nobles and ministers gathered to discuss recent matters with Erebos.
But the moment they entered to pay respects to the Demon King, they all had the same thought:
“Was today supposed to be a tea party?”
Otherwise…
Why was the young princess present in this chamber?
Snuggled snugly in Erebos’s arms, no less!
Though she seemed barely able to contain her embarrassment.
Even Phobos hadn’t been told in advance, so he too was puzzled.
Erebos glanced at them and smiled faintly.
“Before we begin, it seems the princess has something she wishes to ask of you.”
He looked down at her with pride and affection.
“It concerns a project in the Beled district.”
When every gaze turned to her, the princess gripped her notebook and pen tightly in her small hands.
Clearing her throat like an adult, she spoke.
“Ehem. Thank you all for taking the time to be here.”
Her voice was still high-pitched like a child’s, but her tone was deeply earnest.
The tense atmosphere of the chamber loosened at once.
Of course, no one should think of the future Demon King in such terms, but…
They all had children of their own—and some even grandchildren!
Their hearts fluttered like little birds beating their wings inside their chests.
“She’s too precious.”
“Just look at those sparkling eyes.”
“Her seriousness only makes her cuter.”
“It’s like a star has fallen to earth.”
Naturally, such thoughts were unavoidable.
Yet every one of them struggled to keep their expressions solemn.
After all, they remembered well what had happened in the southern provinces last autumn.
And above all, Erebos was smiling faintly as he watched.
“They’ll choose their words carefully enough.”
Phobos quickly caught on and stepped forward with a cheerful smile.
“What is it you wish to ask, Princess? What matter in Beled troubles you?”
“I want to know what facilities the people of Beled most need.”
“…!”
Phobos, along with the other nobles behind him, all had a change of expression.
Each different, yet all startled.
“She’s already thinking of such things?”
“Is she genuinely curious?”
“How much should we say… how much could she understand?”
At that moment, the princess carefully climbed down from Erebos’s lap.
With the most serious face, she explained further.
“If we’re going to do a project, I don’t want it to be something unhelpful.”
“Your Highness…”
“If there are particular issues unique to Beled, or things worth paying attention to, I’d like to hear them.”
This was no childish doodling with crayons, no idle dream.
Count Nestor cleared his throat first.
“Your Highness. May I speak?”
“Please do, Lord Nestor.”
“The Beled district already has most facilities one could need, but its greatest feature is the mix of classes and origins among its residents.”
“I see.”
“Since the accident at the investiture ceremony, there haven’t been major conflicts yet.”
“Hmm…”
“But we cannot be sure how things are on the ground. Perhaps summoning the district governor would be wise.”
Then Marquis Epicus gently added his thoughts.
“Your Highness. The type of project matters less than ensuring it benefits the crown.”
“Mm, thank you…”
The princess diligently scribbled his words into her notebook.
The sight melted the room’s atmosphere even further.
“Adorable…”
“I’d give anything to pinch those cheeks, but I must resist.”
“To think I’d envy the generation who will serve under her someday…”
Then Phobos, grinning, stepped forward again.
“But, Princess. What do you think of the fastest way?”
“The fastest way?”
“Yes. Because usually, what ordinary people love most is quite simple.”
“For example…?”
“Playing. Entertainment above all else.”
