Chapter 12
The Imperial Palace banquet hall,
The crisp clang of weapons rang out from the dueling platform. The two combatants wore heavy armor, and the swordsman in the black helmet wielded a foil, its silver blade aimed straight at his opponent’s vitals. The scoreboard below updated with each of his attacks.
Though cold weapons were no longer used in actual combat, the Aus imperial court had preserved this traditional exhibition match as part of its palace banquets.
Every time Kyle scored a point, cheers erupted from the audience.
The instant the display reached 15, the Royal Guard standing to one side blew the whistle to end the match. Both combatants stopped at once.
Royal matches were always fought with restraint, stopping before either party was injured.
Kyle’s opponent removed his helmet. His face glistened with sweat as he offered an ingratiating smile. “Your Highness’s swordsmanship has improved quite a bit.”
“You flatter me.” Kyle’s words were modest, but the curve of his lips revealed how he truly felt.
The two men on the platform shook hands, and the loser stepped down.
A ring of retractable mechanical stands surrounded the dueling arena. The King and Queen sat at the very center, beneath resplendent golden lights that heightened the atmosphere to its peak.
As soon as the match ended, Catherine applauded first, smiling at Jorah again and again. He returned her gaze with an approving look.
Winning the banquet’s match was an honor that earned everyone’s recognition.
The Royal Guard surveyed the somewhat empty arena, then opened the passage leading to the platform. “The next challenger, please.”
Quiet murmurs spread through the audience, but no one dared accept the challenge.
Kyle’s swordsmanship was undeniably excellent. On top of that, he was a prince, and had recently begun pursuing the daughter of a court minister with great fervor. No one at the banquet wanted to get on his bad side.
Amid the continued silence,
The governor seated beside Catherine offered her an ingratiating smile. “His Highness Kyle has already won five matches today. I doubt anyone will be able to get him down from that platform tonight.”
On the platform below, Kyle walked along the edge with his sword in hand, surveying the arena. At last, his gaze settled on the young noblewomen in the VIP section. Then he glanced pointedly up at the transparent case floating overhead, his eyes full of smug satisfaction.
Inside the glass case rested an exquisite flower crown, the prize for the final victor.
The winner of the match could publicly invite someone he admired and ask them to crown him. Out of respect for the honor, no one would refuse the night’s champion.
“The next challenger, please...”
After no one answered his challenge for the third time, Kyle exchanged a glance with the Royal Guard.
The Royal Guard cleared his throat. “If no one wishes to challenge His Highness Kyle, then tonight...”
“Creak!”
His words were interrupted by the heavy sound of the doors opening.
The doors parted just enough to reveal a newcomer. Beneath his dazzling blond hair was a handsome, hawk-eyed face, and a bone-chilling air surrounded him.
Wright was dressed casually, clearly having just come from the training grounds. He walked into the banquet hall without a hint of haste,
“I’ll take him on.”
His clear, low voice echoed through the banquet hall.
The moment he entered, he became the center of attention, all eyes drawn to him. The young noblewomen couldn’t take their eyes off his handsome profile. Even in the most ordinary white shirt, Wright struck the perfect balance between a soldier’s resolute bearing and the nobility of royalty.
Wright accepted a silver sword from an attendant.
The moment he stepped onto the platform, he completely eclipsed Kyle, who was clad in heavy armor.
When a pearl is set before you, even jade pales in comparison.
Kyle’s expression changed, and the curve of his lips vanished completely.
He knew Wright disliked these kinds of palace banquets and avoided them whenever possible.
The last time Jorah had tried to introduce him to a noble’s daughter at a palace banquet, Wright had declined, citing military duties at the border. Jorah had sulked over it for quite some time.
If Wright had suddenly appeared here for any reason other than to target him, Kyle didn’t believe it.
Noticing the Royal Guard beside him still staring in surprise, Wright raised an eyebrow. “Am I not allowed?”
“Of course, Your Highness.” The Royal Guard hurriedly nodded and gestured for him to proceed.
An attendant bent forward and offered Wright protective gear.
“No need.” Wright waved him away, then looked thoughtfully at Kyle. “Since this is a palace match, my brother and I will naturally keep it to a friendly bout. I’m sure no one will get hurt.”
“Your Highness.” On the other side, Kyle’s personal attendant picked up his helmet for him.
Kyle shoved the helmet away. “If Big Brother doesn’t need one, then neither do I.”
At the Royal Guard’s direction, the two men took their places behind the line. The scoreboard reset to zero, the whistle sounded, and the match officially began.
Kyle lowered his lashes slightly. The whites showing beneath his irises gave him a sinister look as he swung his silver sword first.
If his opponent wasn’t wearing any protective gear, then his entire body was a weak point.
Confidence taken too far became arrogance.
“Clang!”
Their weapons met.
Kyle’s sword had barely begun its swing before it was blocked.
After that, Kyle could see nothing but the afterimage of the silver blade before him. His gaze sharpened, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes. By the time he recovered, Wright’s sword was already at his throat.
The display flickered, and the score changed to 1:0.
The cheers from below had never sounded so grating. Kyle’s face darkened completely. He adjusted his stance, trying to even the score.
But for the next two minutes, Wright’s fierce attacks drove him back again and again.
Before he knew it, Kyle had been forced to the edge of the platform. As he scrambled to dodge, he tripped over the railing and fell. The silver sword that terrified him plunged diagonally into the ground beside him, its blade grazing his eyelid and leaving a faint streak of blood—an almost careless-looking mistake.
Yet it had cut his eyelid with perfect precision, missing by no more than a hair’s breadth.
Kyle’s pupils trembled. He glanced at the silver sword from the corner of his eye.
If the blade had landed just a little farther to one side—even by the tiniest distance—he might have lost that eye.
As Kyle stared in stunned disbelief, Wright bent down and slowly wrapped his fingers around the hilt. In a low voice, he said:
“That was a mistake...”
Kyle’s Adam’s apple bobbed. For some reason, he heard a hint of menace in Wright’s even tone.
“From now on, stay away from him.”
“Otherwise, next time it won’t be a mistake.”
With a metallic ring, Wright pulled the silver sword from the padded mat.
He held out a hand to Kyle, displaying the graciousness of a victor, but his lofty expression looked more like a victor’s pity for the defeated.
Amid the cheers filling the hall, Wright expressionlessly hauled Kyle to his feet.
The whistle sounded, and the Royal Guard announced Wright as the winner. Kyle left the platform with a dark expression, and no one else dared answer the challenge.
The Royal Guard stepped up beside Wright. “Your Highness, as tonight’s winner, you may choose anyone present to crown you.”
The flower crown floating overhead slowly descended, finally stopping in front of the VIP seats. Although Wright was already engaged, the person who crowned him could be someone he admired, or someone he respected or felt close to.
The young ladies in the VIP section began whispering among themselves, speculating about who would have the honor of crowning the First Prince. When Wright’s gaze swept past, more than a few blushed and lowered their heads, afraid to meet his eyes.
The next second,
Everyone watched Wright flick his silver sword upward and catch the falling flower crown. Holding it in his hand, he walked off the platform without looking back. “I’ll hold on to it myself.”
The Royal Guard: “...” That worked too, he supposed.
...
The vast indoor lake,
A silver fin emerged from the shadowy water, which shimmered with reflected light. Up close, it wasn’t plain silver at all; it seemed dusted with an iridescent layer of fine sand, more dazzling than any jewel.
A moment later, the silver fin slipped beneath the surface and vanished.
Beneath the water, the little merman’s silhouette cut through it like a sharp sword. Apart from the precise up-and-down movements of his tail fin, the rest of his body seemed almost motionless. This swimming style kept him at a full sprint the entire time.
Not far from Mu Chen, water surged and splashed in great arcs. A broad tail swept above the surface: a fully grown sea beast, nearly twice as long as he was tall.
Under the sea beast’s enormous shadow, the merman’s silhouette shrank to a tiny speck.
The two had remained neck and neck the whole way, but in the end, the sea beast reached the shore first.
The moment its fluffy head emerged from the water, the sea beast happily slapped its belly and went to beg the keeper nearby for food.
Mu Chen, meanwhile, lingered in the water for a while before slowly making his way to shore.
Water droplets slid from his gel-like long lashes. He blinked them away, then saw the sea beast swagger over to show off as it ate a fish. It chewed the delicious flesh with loud crunches, clearly doing it on purpose.
How boring...
Mu Chen turned his head away, refusing to look at it.
He was a little annoyed that he’d just lost the race and wanted to be alone.
Mu Chen found a spot on the rocks and lowered his eyes, quietly combing through his long hair.
The vigorous exercise had reddened his fair cheeks and the corners of his eyes. With the water glistening in his eyes, he looked like a little boy, red-faced and dejected over losing, secretly wiping away his tears all by himself.
The livestream comments had already exploded:
[Chen cub, don’t cry! Let Mama hug you!]
[You were only a little behind this time. You did great!]
[That’s right! Chen cub is still little, and he’s already swimming so fast. When he grows up, he’ll definitely be the fastest swimmer on all of Blue Star!]
Faced with the screen full of comforting, encouraging messages, the little merman froze, unsure how to explain. He could only rub his eye sockets with a fingertip to prove the glistening drops were water, not tears. Instead, it unleashed an even more intense wave of affection.
Just as Mu Chen was debating whether to end the livestream, the palace doors opened with a “Creak!”
The moment he saw Wright walk in, a glimmer immediately lit Mu Chen’s downcast eyes. He pulled on some clothes and hurriedly wrapped a fluffy towel around himself, then changed his tail into legs and ran ashore before throwing himself into Wright’s arms and wrapping them around his waist.
“Big Brother...”
The movement was seamless, and the drawn-out final syllable sounded as plaintive as could be.
Wright had barely entered when Mu Chen threw himself into his arms. A tender ripple passed through Wright’s heart before he’d even had a chance to take in what was happening.
He put his arms around Mu Chen. “What’s wrong?”
Wright glanced around. Seeing the sea beast showing off on the shore, he had a pretty good idea what had happened.
The little merman probably hadn’t been able to outswim it.
Mu Chen leaned against him, his voice muffled. “Nothing. I just wanted a hug.”
As soon as he started acting cute, the livestream comments exploded again:
[Help, help, help! Does the little merman always act this cute? Who could resist that?]
[Wah, hug him already! If the prince won’t, let me do it!]
[You can tell the prince is under a lot of pressure. Little merman, let go of your big brother already. I’ll gladly take all that pressure off his hands!]
[I’m dying. I’d gladly help the prince share the burden too.]
Wright felt his comm vibrate from time to time. He lowered his eyes to the densely packed livestream comments and, without a second thought, tapped “Turn Off Livestream Mode.”
Leaving everyone staring at a black screen:
[??????]
[Damn it, I want to see the little merman act cute too! Why won’t you let me watch?]
[Your Highness, what are you doing!]
Wright used his free hand to rub Mu Chen’s head. “Have you had dinner?”
He wasn’t good at comforting people. All he did was soften his voice and ask about ordinary things.
Mu Chen shook his head, the soft flesh of his cheeks puffing out slightly. “Not yet. I wanted to wait and eat with you, Big Brother.”
Wright froze. If he’d known Mu Chen was waiting for him to have dinner together, he would have come back earlier instead of spending so long at the dueling arena.
Thinking of this, he casually handed Mu Chen the flower crown he’d won. “This is for you.”
“It’s so pretty. Thank you, Big Brother.” The lovely gift brought a smile to the little merman’s eyes and brows. He placed the flower crown on his head. “Is this right?”
The glossy silver hair was now touched with color, an ornate yet lively combination that made the little merman’s delicate features stand out even more.
It was as though the adornment had been made just for him.
Wright adjusted the flower crown for him. “Mm. It looks lovely on you.”
“How was class today?”
His voice was as cool as his appearance, always even and hard to read.
An ordinary person might have thought an older brother was scolding his younger sibling—the sort of thing that would put a child on the defensive as soon as he heard it.
But Mu Chen’s words came tumbling out, and he chattered to Wright about the little things that had happened during the day.
Wright listened quietly, his amber eyes intent.
“Oh... Mr. Black came to teach me piano today. He didn’t seem as fierce as Prince Lance said. I’m just too stupid. He probably doesn’t like me very much.”
“You’re not stupid.” Wright used a towel to wipe the water still clinging between Mu Chen’s brows. “You can take your time learning piano. Go change first, and then we’ll get something to eat.”
“Mm.”
After Wright comforted him, Mu Chen had already forgotten what he’d been upset about. Wrapped in the towel, he ran into the bedroom as lightly as a gust of wind.
Quina, standing by the doorway, gave Wright an awkward but polite smile.
Sigh... How should she put it? As soon as the prince showed up, all the little merman’s poise and composure disappeared. His personality had become more and more lively, though.
As soon as he’d changed, Mu Chen ran over to one side of the wall, stood up straight, and gazed at Quina with wide, blinking eyes.
He wanted her to measure his height.
It was the last thing Mu Chen did every night before bed. Behind him was a child’s height chart shaped like a dolphin, with two lines drawn beside it in colored pencil—one high, one low.
The higher line had already gone beyond the chart. Wright had only measured himself after Mu Chen pestered him relentlessly until he gave in.
Quina smiled and held the colored pencil above his head. “You’ve grown taller again.”
The little merman rose onto his toes, stretching as hard as he could. “Am I about to be taller than Your Highness?”
Quina chuckled. “You’re still a long way off.”
Mu Chen turned around and looked at the two marks, so far apart,
“It’s not far! I’ll grow one centimeter today, and one centimeter tomorrow. The day after...”
“The day after...”
As he worked it out, he suddenly realized that growing only one centimeter a day might not be enough.
“What about the day after?”
Wright pushed open the door and walked in.
“Big Brother!” Mu Chen rushed into his arms with Shasha. “Look, I’m already taller than the height line at the amusement park. Can I go in the virtual game pod next week?”
Wright had said earlier that he would take the little merman to an amusement park near the capital. Quina had casually mentioned at the time that Mu Chen was still young and might not meet the height requirements for some rides. She hadn’t realized he’d been thinking about it all this time, even if he hadn’t said a word.
“You can.” Wright pursed his lips slightly and drew the little merman back from his arms. “But we’ll have to measure you again when we get there.”
“Oh.”
At the news that he’d have to be measured again, Mu Chen reluctantly got to his feet and trudged along with Wright toward the dining room.
But the whole way there, his little mouth kept chattering nonstop.
Wright listened intently until his comm gave an unusual buzz and a red exclamation mark lit up on its screen.
He stopped abruptly, frowning as he opened it.
A message popped up on the screen.
[General]
Only people in the military called him that—“General” rather than “Your Highness.”
When he’d first gone to war at eighteen, everyone had respectfully called him “Your Highness,” treating him as someone who needed special protection. His mecha had been assigned behind the fleet and the army’s armored vehicles, for long-range fire only, in case anything happened to Wright.
A weapon built for the assault, meant to kill, had been tucked behind a wall of men and reduced to something nearly useless.
The first thing Wright did was ask his superiors to cancel that protective measure. Then he charged onto the front line and destroyed the insectoid military fortress. When he climbed out of the cockpit, his hair was soaked with sweat, just like every other soldier’s. Gazing at the thick smoke behind him, he said...
If this was the palace, he was their prince. But once on the battlefield, there were only military ranks, with no distinction in status.
From then on, he asked them to address him by his military identity.
That form of address had continued to this day.
...
The sender was Wright’s adjutant, and his message was urgent.
[An abnormal magnetic field signal just came in from the outpost.]
Wright asked him, [What level?]
The reply came instantly: [Level Two.]
Abnormal signals from the border outposts were classified on a scale from nine to one, with one being the highest security alert level.
[Connect to the virtual conference room in one minute and give me a full report.]
After sending the message, Wright noticed the little merman watching him curiously. He moved his lips, then fell silent. He thought carefully about how to phrase it before finally speaking:
“I’m sorry. I have something I need to take care of first. You go ahead and eat.”