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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Fireworks and Shadows
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Lucian fiddled with his now-brown hair.
“What happened? Did you use your magic again?”
“No, I put a spell on the necklace. We can’t use magic every time you go to the village. It’s a hassle. So from now on, use that necklace whenever you go to the village or need to disguise yourself. What do you think? A brilliant idea, isn’t it! Now, hurry up and praise me!”
Leaving Kaizareu to puff out his chest and await his praise, Ria stared intently at Lucian.
[...It's a good idea, but isn't that necklace conspicuous enough on its own?]
Kaizareu flinched and blinked.
The changed hair color made him look somewhat plain, but the necklace ruined the effect completely.
No, more than that, the necklace was so big it would stand out on anyone.
“I can just tuck it inside my clothes. Ta-da, see? Perfect.”
[From now on, you have to keep the necklace tucked inside your clothes. Never take it out in front of people, okay?]
“Not even for Dio and James?”
[Hmm... definitely not James.]
He has a history of stealing money, so James is a risk. I don’t know what kind of kid this Dio is, but...
[Still, don't show it to anyone. That necklace is worth enough to buy a house, at least. Someone might get greedy, so you have to be careful. You can't let someone steal such a precious gift from Kaizareu.]
“Never! It’s a gift from him!”
Lucian clutched the necklace and went over to Kaizareu, hugging him tightly.
“Kaizareu, thank you! I’ll take good care of it.”
“Ahem, hmm, you... you like it then?”
“I love it! I've never seen anything so sparkly in my life.”
“A love for jewels is universal, after all. It’s one of my favorite necklaces, so wear it well.”
If he had been in his dragon form, Kaizareu's tail would have been wagging all over the place.
Ria chuckled and took out the gift she had prepared.
“Huh? This is...”
Seeing Ria's gift, Lucian and Kaizareu blinked and stared at it blankly.
[There's a limit to what I can give, so I worried about what to get you... I hope you like it.]
What Ria had prepared was a painting.
A portrait of Lucian, no less. In the painting, Lucian was wearing the clothes from when he first arrived here, a gentle smile on his face.
“Did you draw this, Ria?”
[Of course, I did.]
“Ria, you're a better artist than I thought. Draw me next.”
Ria's skill was so impressive that even Kaizareu asked for a portrait.
Still, seeing Lucian's strange expression made her a little anxious.
[...Why? You don't like my gift?]
“Oh, no! I love any gift from you, Ria! I was just wondering why you painted me in these clothes...”
[Ah. That's because I wanted to turn that day into a better memory for you, so I deliberately painted you in that outfit.]
No matter how much he had come to like this place, his first day here was the worst day of Lucian's life—the day he was abandoned by his family.
Hoping to improve that memory, she had intentionally painted him in his formal attire.
[And it's how you looked on our wedding day. Look, how handsome you are.]
Of course, he had been scrawny and unkempt back then, looking shabby compared to now, but it was a simple matter to touch up the painting a little.
Wondering if that was a good enough answer, she glanced at Lucian. A faint smile touched his lips.
“You're right. It was the day I first met you, Ria. I love it.”
[I'll paint one for you every year. So that you can show others how you've grown up later.]
“I'd like that. But it's a shame you're not in it, Ria...”
Lucian stroked the empty space next to his own portrait.
“It's the day we got married, but it's a shame it's just me. Can't you paint yourself next to me?”
[...Me? But I don't even know what I look like.]
“I'll describe you, so you can draw a rough sketch. It doesn't make sense to have a groom without his bride.”
“He's not wrong. Those are the clothes from your Spirit Wedding, or whatever it was called, right? Doesn't Lucian look lonely all by himself?”
[Hmm...]
If they were going to put it that way, it wasn't impossible, but how was she supposed to draw something she couldn't see?
[I'll give it a try. But you'd better not get your hopes up.]
“You're good at everything, Ria, so I'm sure you'll draw it well.”
[Aren't you overestimating me a little?]
“It's true. I don't lie to you, Ria.”
His pouting lips were so cute that Ria couldn't help but chuckle.
After the gift-giving was over, the three of them continued their lively conversation. Lucian finished telling his stories about the village, after which Kaizareu took over with his own tales.
They talked for a long while, and before they knew it, the sky had grown dark. Thanks to Kaizareu's magic, however, the area around the table remained brightly lit.
[Should we clean up and head inside?]
As Ria and Kaizareu started to get up, Lucian remembered something.
“Wait! On my birthday, the sky always sparkles. It should be about time for it to start sparkling...”
Whoosh—Bang! Pop-pop—!
No sooner had Lucian finished speaking than the sound of fireworks erupted, and brilliant sparks filled the sky.
“That's it, that's it!”
As Lucian jumped up and down with delight, Ria and Kaizareu exchanged a look before taking him up to the roof of the mansion.
His initial surprise was fleeting; Lucian gaped at the vibrant, colorful fireworks display.
“Until last year, I always watched this alone, but this year I have you and Kaizareu, and I'm so happy.”
Ria and Kaizareu smiled without a word. With the happiest expression in the world, Lucian linked arms with them.
“This is really the best birthday ever!”
Those fireworks must have been for the Crown Prince, Lucian's twin.
It was unfair that of two beings born on the same day at the same hour, who should have been equally blessed, one received the love of all in the light, while the other had to live as if dead in the shadows.
She hoped this pure soul, who was so delighted by a mere cake and a small gift, would never be hurt by people again.
[I'll protect you, Lucian, no matter what it takes.]
Ria's whisper was lost in the noise of the fireworks, scattering into the air. But it didn't matter. It was a vow only she needed to make.
* * *
At that same moment, in the Emerald Hall of the Imperial Palace, the Crown Prince's birthday banquet was in full swing.
Leopold giggled in Ruber's arms as he watched the fireworks. He saw them every year, but they felt new each time.
“Ah! I have to make a wish!”
*Please let me have a younger sibling. A little sister or a little brother, either is fine. I want a sibling.*
All his friends had at least one brother or sister, and he hated being an only child.
People said that having siblings meant fighting often, but he was always envious when he saw them acting like the best of friends.
Ever since he started wanting a younger sibling, he had made a long list of things he wanted to do with them.
As he mentally recited each item on the list while making his wish, Ruber chuckled and stroked Leopold's head.
“If your wish is too long, the heavens might not be able to grant it.”
“Ah! Then something else!”
As Leopold struggled to make another wish, Ruber and Serena met each other's eyes and smiled.
Their son, struggling so hard to make a single wish, was just too adorable.
When the ten-minute fireworks display ended, Leopold let out a sigh of disappointment.
“I wasn't finished wishing...”
“You just need to make the most important wish. Did you make that one?”
“Yes! I'm sure it reached the heavens.”
“Will you tell me what you wished for?”
“I can't! They say if you tell someone your wish, it loses its power.”
“What? You little rascal.”
“Oh! Grandfather!”
Before Ruber could scold him, Leopold slipped out of his arms and ran toward the Former Emperor, who was approaching from a distance.
“Grandfather!”
The Former Emperor, Yulius Odelion, who had been talking with some priests, turned to Leopold with a benevolent smile.
“You'll fall if you're not careful.”
“Are you feeling alright? I heard you weren't feeling well today.”
“Still, it's my only grandson's birthday. I had to come, didn't I? Let's see, did you make a birthday wish?”
“Yes, I did!”
“Can you tell your old grandfather what you wished for?”
“Huh? Um... they say you're not supposed to tell...”
“Just one person is fine. And who am I? Who knows? I might be able to grant that wish for you.”
Leopold glanced around, cupped his hands around his mouth, and stood on his tiptoes. Yulius bent his knees to meet him, and Leopold whispered in his ear.
“I wished for a younger sibling.”
“So you want a younger sibling.”
“Yes. Everyone else has brothers and sisters, but I don't. If I get a younger sibling, I'm confident I'll treat them really well.”
Sensing Ruber and Serena approaching from behind, Leopold spoke quickly.
“This is a secret from Father and Mother.”
“Alright, my lips are sealed. By the way, I haven't given you your present yet, have I?”
Yulius stood up and beckoned to a nearby attendant. The attendant brought over something large, wrapped in a cloth.
“I thought it was about time you started hunting, so I found you a fine eagle.”
When the cloth was removed, it revealed an eagle with glossy, sleek feathers.
Leopold's jaw dropped, and he stared at the eagle with sparkling eyes.
Scree! Scree!
“It's so, so magnificent...!”
“It just turned one year old. It's already completed basic training, so once you build more of a bond with it, it will serve you well as a hunting bird.”
“Thank you, Grandfather! I'll treasure it!”
Leopold hurried over to the eagle's cage. While he was captivated by the bird, Ruber and Serena approached Yulius.
“I heard you were unwell. Are you feeling alright?”
“I suppose old age brings frequent minor ailments. Still, I thought I should at least show my face at my grandson's birthday, so I came down.”
Yulius took a step closer to Ruber.
“Leopold tells me he wants a younger sibling.”
“...”
“It's been a long time since he was invested as Crown Prince, so it would be fine to have another child. Who knows? You might have a daughter instead of a son.”
“...I never thought I'd hear you speak of another imperial grandchild, Father.”
Ruber's expression cracked as he struggled to suppress his rage. In response, Yulius merely gave a contemptuous smirk.
“Surely you're not trying to say it's my fault you became emperor.”
“...”
“In the end, didn't you covet the throne so much that you even killed your own beloved brother?”
Ruber's brother was also Yulius's son, yet he spoke of him as if he were a stranger.
Ruber clenched his fists, his body trembling.
“No need to get worked up on such an auspicious day. Let's leave it at that. Cough, cough, cough!”
Yulius coughed violently, but Ruber only stared at his father with cold eyes.
Yulius was unfazed by his son's heartless demeanor. In fact, he seemed to regard this atmosphere as perfectly normal.
“I've been out in the open air too long. I shall return now.”
Yulius's attendants supported him as he left. At the last moment, Leopold grabbed his trouser leg, reluctant to see him go, but let go when Ruber stopped him.
“Grandfather must be very ill. He has two priests with him.”
“...Yes, it appears that way to me as well.”
“I should visit him tomorrow. What foods are good for restoring one's strength?”
Unaware of the grim look on Ruber's face, Leopold kept talking about Yulius.
A grandson's concern for his grandfather was admirable, but the timing was poor. Serena, sensing the tension, led Leopold away.
Once Ruber was alone, the Head Chamberlain approached his side.
“How long have those priests been with my father?”
“About three months, Your Majesty.”
“Three months... What are the chances they might find out about that child?”
“...Regarding the Prince, I believe you need not worry. The priests who went to the mansion that day have all been taken care of, and it was handled as an exorcism of an evil spirit, so no strange rumors should be circulating.”
“That matter must not, under any circumstances, reach my father. If he were to find out, the child would not survive.”
“In that case, I will double-check everything.”
As the Head Chamberlain withdrew, Ruber crossed his arms.
Yulius Odelion. His own father, yet a man he felt no affection for—no, a heartless father for whom affection was impossible.
Now, with many eyes upon him, he played the part of the gentle Former Emperor, but Ruber, who had watched him up close since childhood, knew his true nature.
*Do you covet the throne? Then do not shy away from any means necessary. I shall treat you all equally.*
He had a total of five siblings, but all of them died, and in the end, Ruber became emperor. It was none other than Yulius who had set the stage so that only one could survive.
For that reason, Ruber neither loved Yulius nor considered him family.
He was merely hiding his teeth and claws, pretending to be a gentle lamb, because he lacked the opportunity and justification to dispose of him at once.
This was also why he had not had another child after Leopold. If his son had a sibling, he would surely follow the same tragic path as himself.
*To secure Leopold's place on the throne, the right thing to do would be to get rid of Lucian, but...*
He did not want to become the same kind of person as the man he despised most.
If Yulius were to discover that Leopold and Lucian were twins, he would kill them both without a moment's hesitation.
For some reason, Yulius utterly detested twins.
He had heard a story that twin brothers had been born before him. But upon learning they were twins, Yulius had killed both newborn infants on the spot.
That was how ruthless Yulius was—a cold-blooded man with no mercy, even for his own flesh and blood.
He could never let such a man discover Lucian's existence.
