0&1 Ch 6.2

“Edward?”
“Yeah.” Edward hung his head low. “I understand.”

Did he really understand?

When I looked back at Alex, he had a smug look on his face. Even if I wrote ‘pity’ on his face, it would be harder to read than that.

Because pity doesn’t often make money.
But my pity would.

After dinner, I stuck Dot to Edward. I didn’t know where Edward was going, but I had to get him into his room first.

“Escort him to his bedroom.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”

Dot stuck close behind Edward, as if determined not to let him out of his sight.

I wondered what I would do if Edward refused, but he seemed to have lost his mind somewhere during dinner. He took Dot and walked out blankly.

After dealing with Edward, I grabbed Alex.

“You’re sleeping with me tonight.”
“What?”
“Consider yourself honored. Not everyone gets to sleep in the same bed as a prince.”

Alex was dragged along with a face that clearly said he didn’t need such an honor.

Joffrey’s bed was large enough for two adults to lie down comfortably. I pushed Alex onto the bed and rolled him over twice.

Alex tumbled around and settled on the edge of the bed.

“Don’t toss and turn. I’m a light sleeper.” I yawned and lay down on the bed.

“Wait…”
“Shhh…”

I put my arm across Alex’s stomach and Alex quickly quieted down.

Should I send him back to that orphanage? I need to make him meet Sir Baumkuchen…

My thoughts were scattered. I could feel Alex’s heartbeat through my arm. His body was small and warm.

My whole body felt sluggish.

Alex left at dawn. He had a bundle of cookies tightly wrapped in his arms.

I gave him some silver coins and a travel pass. Dot was to take him to the castle gate.

I saw them off to the garden.

“If anything happens, go to the guard station. Even if nothing happens, drop by. Let me know you arrived safely.”

“What if I don’t?” Alex asked.

“Do you want to find out?”
“No.”

Alex adjusted the bag of cookies. The bag was so big that his face was almost completely hidden. He looked like an ant carrying a load as big as himself.

Is it really okay to just let him go like this?

While I hesitated, a breeze blew, and dewdrops from the leaves above us pattered down on our heads.

Dot quickly draped a robe over me, his hand deftly tying the robe under my chin. I was instantly enveloped in warm, soft air.

In front of me, Alex shivered.

“Take this too.” I took off my robe and put it on Alex.

“No, it’s okay…” Alex was flustered. Dot looked a little surprised, then looked at Alex with an expression that seemed to say, ‘Our Prince is so wonderful.’

The fact that my palace was right behind us seemed to have vanished from Dot’s mind.

Dot was so good at tying knots, but I didn’t have that kind of skill. I tied the ribbon any old way and looked at Alex. 

Alex twitched his nose, as if about to sneeze.

He pursed his lips tightly, then finally asked, “When will you become King?”

Dot looked around in surprise. I was also startled. He was a child who would say such disrespectful things without a second thought.

“Never. I can’t.”
“Huh? Why not?”
“Because His Majesty will live forever.”
“What does that mean?” Alex frowned.
“It means he’ll live a long time.”
“But he can’t live forever, can he? Then won’t you become King?”

Dot looked at me as if he was going to cover Alex’s mouth as soon as I gave him the go-ahead.

I had a sense of déjà vu. I felt like I’d had a similar conversation with the Queen.

It was remarkable that he didn’t know. Unlike the Queen, Alex was saying this without knowing any better.

The young King was alive and well, so talking about the next King was the same as wishing for the King’s death.

I could have ended the conversation there. But Alex didn’t mean it in a bad way.

Above all, he would later meet an adult Edward.

“Edward will be King.”
“Why?”
“Because Edward is the First Prince.”

“Can’t you just be King?” Alex asked innocently. Dot couldn’t even breathe.

“Do you want me to be King?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” When I asked, trying to suppress a laugh, Alex lifted his cat-like eyes.

“Well, Your Highness is a good person, aren’t you? Of course, you’d make a good King.”

‘The Prince will be a wise and benevolent King.’

Those similar words sounded completely different from when the Queen said them.

Are you good at flattery, Alex?

“Go now. Before people wake up. Don’t forget to stop by the guard station when you arrive.”

I sent Alex off. He bowed his head to me and followed Dot. In the distance, I saw him look back at me once more.

Why does he believe I’m a good person just because of what I’ve done for him? Aren’t the qualities of a good King and a good person different anyway?

Kids.

But still, it was better to be considered a good person than a bad one. If I had the luxury, I could be a good person to anyone.

But I’m not a good person yet, since there are prerequisites.

It was almost evening, and the time for riding lessons had passed, but there was no word from the guards.

The captain of the guard knew about Alex. If Alex had stopped by the guard station, he would have sent someone immediately.

“What are you thinking about, Your Highness?” Sir Baumkuchen asked. He had been grumbling about learning horsemanship in such a small space, but quieted down when told to take his complaints to the Queen.

I adjusted my posture on the saddle and landed steadily.

Sir Baumkuchen clapped.

“Don’t, Sir.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”

I looked at Sir Baumkuchen with a frown. He shrugged.

“Excellent, Your Highness. Isn’t it a great improvement that you can ride a horse while thinking of other things? What exactly are you thinking about so much?”

Sir Baumkuchen handed the horse’s reins to the stable boy. When the lesson was over, the Queen’s attendant, who had been watching us from afar, left.

I watched the attendant disappear and then asked, “Do you know what it means to be a junk dealer?”

“Do you mean in the dictionary sense?”
“What do you think it means in a non-literal sense?”

Sir Baumkuchen scratched his head.

“I’m worried that the Queen will be angry with me for telling you something bad, but…”
“The attendant is gone. Don’t be afraid to tell me.”
“Please listen to the end, Your Highness. But how can I not answer when you ask me?”

The explanation was lengthy. This was about Alex, who, in my opinion, was supposed to be Baumkuchen’s adopted son.

I couldn’t say, ‘You were the one who should have saved him,’ so I replied, “I always appreciate your loyalty.”

Baumkuchen smiled slightly.

“I don’t know much about it, but I heard it’s a kind of errand boy. They handle stolen goods, handle secret matters, and even lend money.”
“To nobles?”
“Yes. With nobles borrowing money from commoners and going bankrupt, the world is truly a mess. I hope Your Highness doesn’t need any secret funds. Still, I advise you to stay away from that world. It won’t do your reputation any good.”
“What kind of secret funds are we talking about?”

“Well… there are all sorts of things in the world.” Sir Baumkuchen avoided answering.

What is it? Gambling money or something? “I don’t need that kind of money.”

Joffrey was incredibly wealthy. It wasn’t because the  Kingdom was rich, but because the Queen was a princess from a wealthy country.

Even if I wanted to gamble, I could just sell a few of my luxury items and have enough money. Of course, these luxury items belonged to the Queen.

“Is it a dangerous place?” I asked.
“If it were dangerous, it would have been cleared out long ago.”
“No. I don’t mean dangerous for a noble like you. I mean for commoners.”

Sir Baumkuchen stared intently at me. “Is the concern you’ve had since earlier related to that?”
“It might be…”
“I can’t imagine it. What business could His Majesty, who resides within the castle walls, have with those people?”

I didn’t answer. Alex’s orphanage wasn’t even a thousand miles away, and the fact that the child who had left at dawn hadn’t returned yet was suspicious.

Vague imaginings of the world of darkness tangled in my mind, creating unsettling images.