0&1 Ch 21.8

While I was feeling confused, Alex cut some fruit. He cut an apple into rabbit shapes, arranged them on a plate, and handed it to me.

“Your Highness, please eat.”

How much did he squeeze the apple? It was shaped like a rabbit, but the apple had an odd lack of shine.

Do I really have to eat this? Still, I felt bad.

I put it in my mouth with a queasy feeling. It tasted salty.

Alex looked at me expectantly.

“How is it?”
“It’s delicious.”

Alex looked back at Dot. Dot crossed his arms with an artisan-like attitude.

“Hmm. I don’t think it’s good enough, but if His Highness says it’s fine, then I’ll appreciate your effort.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. You can’t be satisfied with just this. Keep working hard!”
“Yes, Dot.”

Alex picked up another apple. Should I eat more? I’m already full.

Meanwhile, Alex’s knife was making unnecessary flashy movements. His hands were cutting the apple into pieces and shaping them like shells with skill that had reached the level of artistry.

What is that… Right. A knife is also a sword.

Alex, who looked like he had reached the highest level of swordsmanship, held out a second plate in front of me.

I’m full…

I put a small slice of apple in my mouth and chewed it.

The streets were crowded with students who had finished their exams, but we were the only ones on the first floor of the inn. It was so quiet that the noise from outside could be heard inside.

The restaurant was connected to the outside, but there were no customers at the tables outside today. The walls were made of glass. I could see people walking on the street.

Someone pointed inside the restaurant. They seemed to be telling the others that it was empty.

As they were about to enter the restaurant, an employee appeared out of nowhere and blocked their way.

I had wanted to eat at the cafeteria, but I didn’t want to rent out the whole place.

Isn’t this just like something a Prince would do? It was like something a chaebol would do in a drama. At least they did it for the one they loved, so it was romantic.

In this case, it was just a nuisance. It was like renting out a restaurant on the day of the college entrance exam.

The mastermind behind the incident, Dot, brought champagne. Having served a Prince since childhood, Dot was much more royal-minded than I was.

He must have rented the restaurant thinking, ‘His Highness wants to eat at the cafeteria.’ This is why people have to watch what they say.

Dot poured champagne into my glass and warned me earnestly, “Your Highness, you can only have one glass. I won’t give you any more even if you ask for it.”

I didn’t say I wanted to drink it. If you didn’t want me to, you shouldn’t have brought it.

But apparently, he thought champagne was a must for a party to celebrate passing the exam. He told me to have only one glass, but he downed several glasses himself.

With his cheeks flushed, Dot moved to the seat next to me.

“Oh, Prince, I’ll make sure to send you letters. Please be sure to reply.”
“Sure.”
“Can I at least help you get to your dorm tomorrow?”
“Of course.” 

Dot smiled and looked up at me. His eyes were bright, and I could see myself reflected in them.

“Are you drunk?”
“No, Your Highness. I’m fine.”
“Should we go upstairs?”

Dot shook his head, but his response was slow. I helped Dot to his feet. Normally, Dot would have jumped up, but he only refused with words.

“Oh, Your Highness. I can walk on my own. Huh? Why are there two stairways?”

Right. Walk by yourself, my ass.

Alex, flustered, put down the knife and stood up.

“Your Highness. Let me help you.”

“It’s okay. Alex, is dinner over? Tell the owner that we’ll be leaving. Dot, try to put some weight on your legs. Or should I carry you?”

Dot shook his head again. “No, Your Highness. You shouldn’t do that. I can walk.”

I led the reluctant Dot to the stairs. Fortunately, the tables were cleared quickly.

Passersby were already staring at us. There were several people peeking through the windows, wondering what we were doing.

Dot climbed the stairs one step at a time. I climbed one step at a time to match his pace. Dot smiled and called out, “My Prince.”

The smell of alcohol.

“What?”
“My Prince.”

Dot’s face was right in front of me, smiling brightly.

Drunkard.

“What?”

You can’t do anything with a drunk. I responded casually and continued up the stairs, but suddenly, the weight was gone.

“Let me help you.” Alex, who had followed behind, lifted Dot up like a paper doll. He carried Dot upstairs.

He didn’t seem to care that Dot’s feet were stumbling on the stairs. His feet were probably going to be sore the next day.

“Should I lay him down?”
“Yes. Thank you.”

By the time they reached the second floor, Dot was already half asleep. Even after he was laid down on his bed, he couldn’t open his eyes. He was completely out of it.

I didn’t know he was so weak with alcohol. I’ve never seen him drink before.

Dot was well past the age of majority, but he had never left my side. He had probably never drunk before, so he didn’t know he had such a low tolerance.

”My Prince, please don’t leave.” The drunkard sniffled in his sleep. Alex looked down at him.

I pulled the blanket out from under Dot and covered his stomach. I tried to take off his shoes.

“I’ll do it.” Alex took off Dot’s shoes. They rolled across the floor. Alex looked back at me. “What else should I do?”

“I think that’s everything.” 

If the situation had been reversed, Dot would have tried to wash me. But it seemed strange for a Prince to wash his servant.

Should I at least take off his clothes? He’ll be uncomfortable sleeping like that.

“Then… are you going to leave?” Alex asked hesitantly. It was a strange question. 

It would be strange to take off Dot’s clothes in front of Alex.

“I guess so. You worked hard today. Thank you for bringing Dot up.”

“It was nothing, Your Highness. There is no need to thank me,” Alex said with a smile. His face was half relieved and half guilty.

Why? I’m the one who should be feeling guilty.

The incident from earlier came back to me, and I felt uncomfortable again. I should apologize.

Alex opened the door. I went out into the hallway. Alex was waiting for me to go into the bedroom assigned to me.

“Alex, would you like to come in? I’d like to talk to you for a moment.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” 

Alex readily entered my bedroom.

The door closed. The air was a little stuffy, as if it hadn’t been ventilated. It didn’t matter. 

I approached Alex.

“I’m sorry, Alex. You waited a long time at the exam hall earlier, didn’t you? My mind was so cluttered that I forgot you were waiting. I’m really sorry.”

Alex’s expression became awkward.

I knew what he was going to say but I stopped him.

“Don’t say you don’t want an apology from the Prince. You said you wanted to be my knight. You need to get used to me.”
“That’s not it… Your Highness, were you troubled by something?”
“Huh?”
“You said your head was full.”
“I… guess I was? Aren’t you worried? Are you sure you’ll pass the exam? You seem so confident.”

By the way, he hasn’t accepted my apology yet. Is he really that angry?

Alex asked with wide eye, “Are you worried that you might fail the exam?”

“Don’t all students worry?”
“I didn’t think Your Highness would worry.”
“Why? Do you think royalty don’t get nervous?”

Many people thought that way. They believed that royalty were detached from human emotions such as nervousness and worry.

When I first participated in a charity event, the aristocrats approached me as if it were natural to do so and struck up a conversation. Joffrey was eleven years old at the time.

When you approach an eleven-year-old child and introduce yourself, you don’t expect them to respond politely, do you?

However, Grey, who actually was eleven years old, responded like an adult, leaving me with no way out.

It was the same when I attended social events as I got older. When people heard the name Joffrey, they immediately gathered around.

To live as royalty, you have to be good with people, right? I wasn’t.

Joffrey was always good with people. Looking back, I think it was a personality he developed later in life.

When he was young, Joffrey was a timid child trapped in his own world. It must have taken a lot of effort for that child to grow up and be described as a sociable Prince.

“No. My father told me that…” Alex said awkwardly. His father, Count Baumkuchen?

“What did he say?”
“That Your Highness is intelligent and kind, and always makes the right decisions.’”
“He said such nice things about me?”

Count Baumkuchen was generous with praise. Even so, he usually meant it as a tease, but it seemed he had praised me in front of Alex as well.

Probably because Alex thinks highly of me.

“When did he say that?”
“When I told him I had become Your Highness’s knight.”

Oh, it was thanks to you.

Alex still seemed to be favored by Count Baumkuchen. That was a relief.