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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: First Friend, First Gift
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“Wh-who are you!”
“…Just.”
“Just?”
Seeing the innocent face, Dio wiped his own dry face.
“Are you lost?”
“Not exactly…”
The paper Lucian was fiddling with caught his eye.
“You just don't know where to go, right?”
Lucian nodded. Dio glanced between Lucian and the paper, let out a deep sigh, and jerked his chin.
“I'll show you the way. Follow me.”
“Really? Thank you!”
Dio's eyebrow twitched. He cleared his throat for no reason and strode forward. When Lucian began to trail behind him, Dio paused.
“Don't walk behind me, walk next to me! Do I have to teach you everything?!”
“Oh.”
Lucian hesitated at first, then quickly moved to Dio's side. When he grinned shyly, Dio pouted.
The two boys walked side by side again, off to the next errand. After a brief silence, Dio spoke first.
“…You just moved here recently, right?”
“Yeah. Not long ago.”
“Where do you live?”
“Uhm… over there.”
“If you don't want to tell me, just say so.”
“That's not it…”
“Why are you so frustrating? Don't you have any friends?”
“…”
“…Agh. Don't make that face! People will get the wrong idea!”
“…But I don't have any friends.”
“Why?”
“…I just don't.”
“…”
“…”
“You want me to be your friend?”
“Really?”
“It'd be nice to have a friend who knows swordsmanship… B-but if you don't want to, then forget it!”
“N-no! I'd like that! Hehe…”
“Jeez, you're the type to get eaten alive out there.”
“…But I don't taste good.”
“Who said anything about actually eating you? It's just an expression. You really can't take a joke.”
“So… you don't like me?”
“Wh-who said I don't like you? I told you not to make that face!”
Though they bickered, the two boys soon found themselves laughing as they strolled through the square. He was Lucian's very first friend his own age.
* * *
“This is the last one!”
With Dio's help, Lucian found the shoes at the shoe store and tucked the box neatly into his spatial pouch.
Seeing this, Dio was stunned and quickly glanced around. Sure enough, a few adults who had spotted the rare spatial pouch were snooping in their direction.
“What are you looking at! Nothing to see here!”
“Huh? Is something wrong?”
Dio huffed, and only after confirming the onlookers had moved away did he turn to Lucian with an exasperated look.
“You really don't know how the world works. Didn't anyone teach you to be careful when you use this?”
Lucian flinched. Did I really use it in front of too many people?
‘I told you to be careful! There are so many rotten bastards among humans!’
He imagined Kaizareu fuming, breathing fire. Seeing Lucian's suddenly hurried movements, Dio tilted his head.
“What's with you all of a sudden?”
“Oh, it's nothing. I've bought everything now.”
“Hmm, you have?”
Looking at the money left over from his errands, Lucian thought for a moment before turning to Dio.
“Thanks for your help! Let me buy you something tasty!”
“What? No, it's fine.”
“Ria said that if you receive help, you have to repay the favor. So, let's go!”
He didn't even wait for an answer before pulling him along. Dio was dumbfounded for a moment, then chuckled and followed Lucian.
When Lucian, who had taken the lead, got lost, Dio guided him here and there. Thanks to him, Lucian discovered the best places for snacks.
“Mm, this is good.”
“It is! It's so delicious!”
The two boys took a short break, each holding a skewer in one hand. Leaning against a wall, the bustling crowd seemed particularly noticeable.
“It seems like there are way more people than the last time I was here.”
“Yeah. Everyone's trying to get to the capital.”
“Why the capital?”
“Why do you think? It's the Crown Prince's birthday today.”
“Birthday?”
“It's been noisy with festivals and all that since the day before yesterday. It's probably even louder inside the capital. Some of the other kids said they were going to see the circus that came to town.”
He spoke as if it had nothing to do with him, showing little interest himself.
“What's the date today?”
“Today? July 17th.”
“…”
“Why the sudden question? Huh? What's with that look on your face?”
Dio, finally noticing Lucian's expression, was taken aback. Lucian looked both shocked and sad.
“It's my birthday today, too…”
“What? Hey! You should have said so sooner!”
Dio started digging through his pockets. He looked embarrassed when he only pulled out a single copper coin.
“I-I don't have any money right now, so I can't buy you anything…”
“No, it's not that I wanted a present. It's just…”
He was just surprised that he hadn't even realized his birthday was approaching.
For Lucian, his birthday had always been the most special day of the year, one he counted down to.
It wasn't that people suddenly became kinder or that his daily life changed, but on that day, he got to eat delicious food he normally couldn't and watch fireworks paint the sky from a small garden in the palace.
Just last year, as soon as summer began, he had waited eagerly for his birthday. But this year, the thought had never once crossed his mind.
The reason, he supposed, was because he had met Ria.
Thinking of Ria and Kaizareu, his sunken mood began to lift. He wondered how they would react when he told them it was his birthday.
‘Hehe, will they be surprised?’
Imagining the two of them bustling about in a fluster made him want to hurry back to the mansion.
Meanwhile, Dio couldn't understand Lucian, who went from gloomy to grinning in an instant.
“But did no one in your family notice it was your birthday?”
“Huh? Yeah. I didn't tell them.”
“How could they not know just because you didn't tell them? Your family is really something else. That older brother you were with last time, he seemed to have plenty of money. Didn't he get you a single gift?”
Was this something to get so angry about? If he didn't tell them it was his birthday, it was only natural they wouldn't know, right?
But Dio, not knowing the circumstances, fumed on his behalf, thinking his family was too heartless.
“Let's go to my house!”
“Huh?”
“I'll give you a present.”
Dio took Lucian to the weapons shop. Dio's father, Bill, who was busy with a customer, spotted Lucian.
“Oh? Isn't that the little fellow from the other day?”
“Dad, it's his birthday today!”
“Hmm? Is that so?”
“So, instead of my allowance this month, give him a present.”
Bill blinked, looking at his son. He wondered if they had become friends without him knowing, but then thought they couldn't have met more than a few times.
For his son, who was so meticulous about his allowance, to ask for a gift instead meant he must have really taken a liking to Lucian.
Bill chuckled and ruffled Dio's hair.
“Ugh! You'll mess up my hair!”
“You little rascal, is that any way to talk to your father? So, it's your birthday today?”
“Yes… Oh, but you don't have to give me anything. It's really okay, but Dio…”
“What do you mean, it's okay! If your own family won't celebrate it, then I will!”
Though Dio's comment gave him pause, Bill first looked around for something suitable for Lucian.
“Let's see, you said you were learning swordsmanship, didn't you?”
“Ah, yes!”
“How long have you been learning?”
“Just a few days.”
“Is that right?”
Bill sized Lucian up out of the corner of his eye. Then he went to the storage room and came back with a box.
“These are shoulder guards. You're young now, so it's fine, but if you keep swinging a sword, it'll put a lot of strain on your body. It's good to use guards from a young age. That way, you won't get injured.”
“Nice! What do you think? Do you like them?”
Lucian felt shy and nibbled on his lip. It was the first gift he had ever received. One that was meant just for him.
“But I haven't done anything for you…”
“What do you mean, nothing? You bought me a ton of tasty stuff today. If you're really bothered, let's have a sparring match next time! There's no one else around here who knows how to use a sword.”
“Okay! I promise! Thank you, Dio!”
“A-ahem! It's nothing, really…”
Bill watched his son warmly as he grumbled, his earlobes turning red. It seemed his son had made a good friend, and for that, he was relieved.
“Thank you. I'll use them well.”
“You're welcome. If you're really grateful, make sure you come to our shop whenever you need to buy something. Since you're this rascal's friend, I'll give you a special discount.”
“…Yes!”
Lucian hugged the gift from the two of them tightly and beamed.
* * *
“I have to go show Ria and my brother!”
From making a new friend to receiving a birthday present, he had a mountain of things to tell them.
Humming and skipping along, he was completely unaware.
Of the shadow that had fallen behind him.
The shadow reached a hand toward Lucian.
Thump—
“Agh!”
Lucian jumped, startled out of his wits. He instinctively clutched the glass marble Kaizareu had given him.
Calming his pounding heart, he turned to see a clearly flustered James.
“J-James?”
“My apologies for startling you, Lord Lucian! I saw you and, without thinking…”
“Haa, you scared me…”
Relieved, Lucian discreetly slipped the glass marble back into his pocket.
“It seems you've been to the village.”
“Yeah! I had an err— I mean, I came to buy something!”
Lucian quickly covered his slip-up, and thankfully, James didn't seem to find it strange.
“But why are you suddenly speaking so formally?”
Lucian's question about his sudden change in speech made James realize his mistake.
“W-well, since I am a servant, it's only proper that I use formal language, even if you are young, Lord Lucian…”
Feeling the intense stare, James squeezed his eyes shut.
“…Is it weird?”
“Yeah, very. I like the usual James better.”
He had thought it would be better to use formal language, even for an unknown royal, but it seemed it was a bit too late to change now.
James let out a hollow laugh and reverted to his usual way of speaking.
“Alright, then. I'll stick to how I usually talk. Anyway, it looks like you didn't get lost on your way to the village. Even though the path is simple, I was worried you might get lost in the forest.”
“That won't happen! This is my second time!”
“Really? That's impressive.”
“Ahem! So, what brings you here, James? Didn't you just deliver supplies not too long ago?”
“Ah, well…”
James hesitated, then presented something he had been hiding behind his back.
It was a neatly wrapped gift box. James scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“It seemed like it was your… I mean, your birthday today. I wanted to get you a little something…”
As Lucian stared blankly at the gift, James let out a strained groan.
“I don't have much money, so you probably shouldn't expect much. I just thought it might be nice for you to have a toy or something, being all alone in that mansion…”
“No! I'm so happy! Thank you! This is my first toy!”
“R-really? Haa, that's a relief…”
James watched the delighted Lucian with immense relief.
‘I'm glad I came.’
Truthfully, he had worried all the way here that he was just being nosy. But seeing such a purely joyful reaction, he knew he had made the right choice.
“I wanted to buy you a cake too, but I didn't have enough money… I'll get you a delicious one next year.”
“Hehe, are you going to keep visiting me until next year?”
Lucian had said it without much thought, but it landed differently for James.
“…Of course. Where would I go? For your sake, I have to come every month.”
Honestly, after learning he was a prince, the thought that being nice to him might pay off later had crossed his mind. But looking at the boy's innocent face, all such selfish thoughts vanished.
“You were on your way to the mansion, right? I'll walk you there.”
“Okay!”
James matched Lucian's pace, walking beside him. Seeing him, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.
Right now, his twin brother was likely celebrating a lavish birthday at the palace, while Lucian…
“By the way, James.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“How did you know it was my birthday? I haven't told anyone.”
James flinched and quickly racked his brain.
“Oh, I heard it somewhere! You know me, I know everything!”
“Hmm…”
As Lucian stared intently at him, James felt his breath catch.
“I see! That's James for you!”
But seeing Lucian believe him so readily without any suspicion, James could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Soon, the two were chatting nonstop, walking without any sense of time passing.
Seeing the mansion in the distance, Lucian broke into a wide smile.
“We're here! I'll be going now! Thank you so much for the gift!”
“Alright. See you next month, Your Highness.”
As Lucian ran toward the mansion with James's gift, he suddenly registered something odd about their conversation.
“…Did I ever tell James I was a prince?”
During their talk, James had occasionally called him 'prince'. He had been so caught up in the conversation that he hadn't noticed.
Tilting his head, Lucian remembered something.
“Oh! Everyone used to call me the fake prince.”
After 'orphan', the words he had heard most often were 'fake prince'. James must have heard that, too.
Deciding it was nothing important, Lucian shook off the question and continued on his way.
