Within a week, the court was in an uproar, and voices calling for the Crown Prince to be sent to the magic tower grew louder.
It was possible because there was a substitute.
“Is this why you want to push the First Princess?”
Although Retri didn't go into detail, Shish could guess quite well.
While the Crown Prince was absent, the First Princess likely took his place. The First Princess's seemingly sudden rise to power likely stems from this.
“Not bad.”
Shish leaned against the window, arms crossed. The sunlight made his hair glow a bright crimson.
“Not bad.”
If he wants to monopolize the master he loves, he can send the Crown Prince to the magic tower, and then deal with Count Groval's adopted daughter, the magic tower lord, and the Crown Prince all at once.
It was a very simple method.
Killing the Tower Master was quite tricky, but not impossible.
“It’s not bad...”
The Crown Prince must not be killed. He cannot be allowed to go to the magic tower and be touched by another woman.
The pale-faced man bit his faded lips.
He clearly remembers that day, the sky was blue, and the wind was blowing hard enough to slightly lift his hair.
The scent of perfume and greenery that brushed the tip of the nose excited even Shish, who was indifferent to smells.
Ever since the day he took Retri to Milan, who was shocked by the appearance of Titiana Groval for some unknown reason, their relationship has been uneasy.
They were both acting like nothing had happened, but they both knew.
That they are staying at the edge of a distinct line drawn in the middle.
That line, if only he could ignore it, would be over. But Shish felt as if he'd hit a wall he'd never seen before, unable to move forward. He couldn't dare to predict what the other person's reaction would be if he crossed it.
Me? Am I having a hard time interacting with people? Am I feeling awkward?
Even though he knew it couldn't be done, Shish couldn't break the glass wall. All he could do was continue to pace around like a dog waiting for its owner to call.
The one who broke the seemingly endless silence was surprisingly the person on the other side of the line.
- Yes. I'll wake you up a little later.
- Can I sleep here?
- No, why?
You wouldn't want to be seen by the Crown Prince, would you?
He pushed the words that came to his mind with a "Ugh," back and obediently accepted the other person's offer. He didn't want to refuse in the first place.
A familiar scent and a hand stroking his hair made him fall into a deep sleep for the first time in a long time.
For Shish, who hadn't slept properly since the woman he called master left, that day's nap was very sweet.
- Shish, I like you.
At first glance, it sounded like a sweet confession, but perhaps it was just a dream.
- My precious Shish.
Shish knew full well that his master, who never smiled in front of him, would never tell such a story. And since he knew he couldn't be wrong, he was sadly convinced this was a dream.
Finally, I'm crazy.
A self-deprecating laugh escaped his lips, but Shish didn't want to wake up from his dream.
He had a similar experience one day when he was alone in his office.
- I promise you, you will be happy.
While searching for the woman who disappeared like a mist, he was on the verge of going crazy when he heard the voice of salvation that seemed like an auditory hallucination.
He must have misheard, but this alone calmed the urge that had been boiling over to the brink of overthrowing the empire.
Unbelievably.
And then, miraculously, she appeared a moment later, now looking straight into his eyes.
He doesn't believe in uncertainty, but he wanted to believe.
This person likes him.
But as always, reality was not on his side.
- ... I like you.
When she gathered all her emotions and poured them out, the smile on Shish's lips when he visited the Rose Palace froze.
Since the person she confessed to wasn't him, all he could do was take a step back.
Rustle.
Shish was so out of it that he couldn't tell if he had stepped on grass or hit a bunch of leaves.
Fleeing frantically, his tail tucked between his legs, he finally realized he was barely breathing after he had gotten quite a distance from the Rose Palace. He instinctively headed down a deserted road.
- Ha ha ha.
The empty laughter was fleetingly scattered by the wind, and Shish leaned his back against the nearby building.
The sky was still regrettably clear, and a gentle breeze stirred the grass, bringing with it a fresh scent.
- I had an inkling of it, but it was too difficult to confirm it myself...
Even as a third party, the voice was so filled with affection that it was impossible to imagine what kind of expression the owner of the voice was making.
He was curious, but he didn't want to see it.
- See, it was all a dream. What did you expect, Shish Milan?
Shish covered his eyes with one hand and began to laugh.
- If you don't know how to love someone properly, who are you going to be loved by?
This feeling is an illusion.
It is a very natural phenomenon for the male protagonist to be attracted to the female protagonist.
Even though he recited the truth that he had been reciting like a spell for a very long time, his breathing difficulties did not improve, and eventually Shish collapsed on the floor.
On the secluded paths of the palace, no one passed by to disturb his thoughts.
A pain greater than when his father had beaten him with a belt came over him, and he felt nauseous, and his whole body trembled, but there was no one to save him.
Shish, who had fallen to the side, didn't even notice that his clothes were getting dirty, and just blankly stared at the wildflowers swaying in the wind.
- It was a dream after all...
I am a letter to you until the end, and he who shared the 'outside' is a person to you.
The problem was that even this bitterness felt terribly sweet because it came from someone he loved.
Shish took a bottle of perfume from the drawer and sprayed it. He wiped away the scent of sleep and headed for none other than the Crown Prince's palace.
Although he appeared without an appointment with the Crown Prince, no knight could stop the prime minister from entering the palace at any time and from anywhere.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
“Your Excellency, what is happening all of a sudden?”
The Crown Prince stood up from behind a mountain of papers.
“I came to see you because I wanted to borrow the Knight Commander’s sword.”
“Are you talking about the Knight Commander’s sword?”
"Yes."
Shish smiled brightly.
“We need that to kill the Tower Master.”
“Tower Master...”
The Crown Prince, who smiled bitterly, took out the box containing the knight commander's sword from the desk drawer and handed it to Shish.
“Here it is.”
The Crown Prince, who had been staring blankly at the box containing the sword, asked a question.
“Can you kill the Tower Master?”
“In theory.”
If you plunge this sword into the heart of the Magic Tower Master, the Magic Tower Master will die. It was a simple fact.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“I can prepare the rest on my own.”
Shish, who was staring at the simple wooden box, quietly called out to his rival, or rather, to the man he wanted to make feel like a rival.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
"Yes."
“You are Lady Hayley...”
Shish asked the question slowly and clearly.
“...Do you love Retri?”
Oh, even the moment he mentioned it to ask another man if he loved that woman, her name was mentioned.
The sweet taste lingering on the tip of his tongue made him feel as if he was kissing that person.
"Yes."
But the excitement that had risen to its peak at the resolute voice of the Crown Prince instantly cooled down.
Unlike his own red eyes, which were like the eyes of a dead fish, those were a vibrant silver-gray, staring straight at him.
A gentle and sunny Crown Prince. With a strong heart, he always put the female protagonist first.
That was the description of the Crown Prince.
“I love her more than anyone else.”
It was a fact he already knew.
He had gone out to meet his master, endured much for her, and had not even glanced at Titiana Groval.
Even if the day comes when the Crown Prince changes, Marquis Hayley will be her beloved protector.
He is a trustworthy nobleman who usually obeys the imperial family's orders, but once he starts acting stubbornly, even the Emperor will back down.
Especially since the daughter the Marquis and his wife cherish so much would resemble her if she were still alive.
"Yes."
Where has all the flowery rhetoric gone that could convince anyone?
All Shish could do was barely nod his head.
“Are you planning to make her your Crown Princess?”
“If she allows it.”
The Crown Prince, who smiled shyly and awkwardly, was truly a man in love. Pure and innocent.
“She has refused until now because the position of Crown Princess is burdensome, but I think I will soon grant her permission.”
Although he felt a pain as if someone had driven a nail into his chest, it actually made it easier for Shishi to express his purpose.
“I will go to the Magic Tower myself.”
“...Is it true that Your Excellency, the Prime Minister, said you would go in person?”
“Yes. So, the Prime Minister’s office will be empty for the time being.”
"Your Excellency, if you are absent, the administration of the palace will be paralyzed. Do you know when you will return?"
“If I do return, I expect it to take about a week...”
A meaningless smile appeared on his thin lips.
“But wouldn’t it be better to be prepared to never come back?”
“Prime Minister!”
“Your Highness, you have already anticipated this.”
"But...!"
Shish was once again relieved by the Crown Prince's character, who sometimes stood in opposition to him, yet showed concern in situations like this.
If he were someone different from me, you could be happy.
I always made you cry, but this person will always make you smile.
From the day when Retri returned and started crying again, Shish kept wondering how he could make her happy.
No matter how much he thought about it, there was only one thing that was interfering with Retri's happiness.
Exactly, himself.
It was possible because there was a substitute.
“Is this why you want to push the First Princess?”
Although Retri didn't go into detail, Shish could guess quite well.
While the Crown Prince was absent, the First Princess likely took his place. The First Princess's seemingly sudden rise to power likely stems from this.
“Not bad.”
Shish leaned against the window, arms crossed. The sunlight made his hair glow a bright crimson.
“Not bad.”
If he wants to monopolize the master he loves, he can send the Crown Prince to the magic tower, and then deal with Count Groval's adopted daughter, the magic tower lord, and the Crown Prince all at once.
It was a very simple method.
Killing the Tower Master was quite tricky, but not impossible.
“It’s not bad...”
The Crown Prince must not be killed. He cannot be allowed to go to the magic tower and be touched by another woman.
The pale-faced man bit his faded lips.
***
He clearly remembers that day, the sky was blue, and the wind was blowing hard enough to slightly lift his hair.
The scent of perfume and greenery that brushed the tip of the nose excited even Shish, who was indifferent to smells.
Ever since the day he took Retri to Milan, who was shocked by the appearance of Titiana Groval for some unknown reason, their relationship has been uneasy.
They were both acting like nothing had happened, but they both knew.
That they are staying at the edge of a distinct line drawn in the middle.
That line, if only he could ignore it, would be over. But Shish felt as if he'd hit a wall he'd never seen before, unable to move forward. He couldn't dare to predict what the other person's reaction would be if he crossed it.
Me? Am I having a hard time interacting with people? Am I feeling awkward?
Even though he knew it couldn't be done, Shish couldn't break the glass wall. All he could do was continue to pace around like a dog waiting for its owner to call.
The one who broke the seemingly endless silence was surprisingly the person on the other side of the line.
- Yes. I'll wake you up a little later.
- Can I sleep here?
- No, why?
You wouldn't want to be seen by the Crown Prince, would you?
He pushed the words that came to his mind with a "Ugh," back and obediently accepted the other person's offer. He didn't want to refuse in the first place.
A familiar scent and a hand stroking his hair made him fall into a deep sleep for the first time in a long time.
For Shish, who hadn't slept properly since the woman he called master left, that day's nap was very sweet.
- Shish, I like you.
At first glance, it sounded like a sweet confession, but perhaps it was just a dream.
- My precious Shish.
Shish knew full well that his master, who never smiled in front of him, would never tell such a story. And since he knew he couldn't be wrong, he was sadly convinced this was a dream.
Finally, I'm crazy.
A self-deprecating laugh escaped his lips, but Shish didn't want to wake up from his dream.
He had a similar experience one day when he was alone in his office.
- I promise you, you will be happy.
While searching for the woman who disappeared like a mist, he was on the verge of going crazy when he heard the voice of salvation that seemed like an auditory hallucination.
He must have misheard, but this alone calmed the urge that had been boiling over to the brink of overthrowing the empire.
Unbelievably.
And then, miraculously, she appeared a moment later, now looking straight into his eyes.
He doesn't believe in uncertainty, but he wanted to believe.
This person likes him.
But as always, reality was not on his side.
- ... I like you.
When she gathered all her emotions and poured them out, the smile on Shish's lips when he visited the Rose Palace froze.
Since the person she confessed to wasn't him, all he could do was take a step back.
Rustle.
Shish was so out of it that he couldn't tell if he had stepped on grass or hit a bunch of leaves.
Fleeing frantically, his tail tucked between his legs, he finally realized he was barely breathing after he had gotten quite a distance from the Rose Palace. He instinctively headed down a deserted road.
- Ha ha ha.
The empty laughter was fleetingly scattered by the wind, and Shish leaned his back against the nearby building.
The sky was still regrettably clear, and a gentle breeze stirred the grass, bringing with it a fresh scent.
- I had an inkling of it, but it was too difficult to confirm it myself...
Even as a third party, the voice was so filled with affection that it was impossible to imagine what kind of expression the owner of the voice was making.
He was curious, but he didn't want to see it.
- See, it was all a dream. What did you expect, Shish Milan?
Shish covered his eyes with one hand and began to laugh.
- If you don't know how to love someone properly, who are you going to be loved by?
This feeling is an illusion.
It is a very natural phenomenon for the male protagonist to be attracted to the female protagonist.
Even though he recited the truth that he had been reciting like a spell for a very long time, his breathing difficulties did not improve, and eventually Shish collapsed on the floor.
On the secluded paths of the palace, no one passed by to disturb his thoughts.
A pain greater than when his father had beaten him with a belt came over him, and he felt nauseous, and his whole body trembled, but there was no one to save him.
Shish, who had fallen to the side, didn't even notice that his clothes were getting dirty, and just blankly stared at the wildflowers swaying in the wind.
- It was a dream after all...
I am a letter to you until the end, and he who shared the 'outside' is a person to you.
The problem was that even this bitterness felt terribly sweet because it came from someone he loved.
***
Shish took a bottle of perfume from the drawer and sprayed it. He wiped away the scent of sleep and headed for none other than the Crown Prince's palace.
Although he appeared without an appointment with the Crown Prince, no knight could stop the prime minister from entering the palace at any time and from anywhere.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
“Your Excellency, what is happening all of a sudden?”
The Crown Prince stood up from behind a mountain of papers.
“I came to see you because I wanted to borrow the Knight Commander’s sword.”
“Are you talking about the Knight Commander’s sword?”
"Yes."
Shish smiled brightly.
“We need that to kill the Tower Master.”
“Tower Master...”
The Crown Prince, who smiled bitterly, took out the box containing the knight commander's sword from the desk drawer and handed it to Shish.
“Here it is.”
The Crown Prince, who had been staring blankly at the box containing the sword, asked a question.
“Can you kill the Tower Master?”
“In theory.”
If you plunge this sword into the heart of the Magic Tower Master, the Magic Tower Master will die. It was a simple fact.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“I can prepare the rest on my own.”
Shish, who was staring at the simple wooden box, quietly called out to his rival, or rather, to the man he wanted to make feel like a rival.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
"Yes."
“You are Lady Hayley...”
Shish asked the question slowly and clearly.
“...Do you love Retri?”
Oh, even the moment he mentioned it to ask another man if he loved that woman, her name was mentioned.
The sweet taste lingering on the tip of his tongue made him feel as if he was kissing that person.
"Yes."
But the excitement that had risen to its peak at the resolute voice of the Crown Prince instantly cooled down.
Unlike his own red eyes, which were like the eyes of a dead fish, those were a vibrant silver-gray, staring straight at him.
A gentle and sunny Crown Prince. With a strong heart, he always put the female protagonist first.
That was the description of the Crown Prince.
“I love her more than anyone else.”
It was a fact he already knew.
He had gone out to meet his master, endured much for her, and had not even glanced at Titiana Groval.
Even if the day comes when the Crown Prince changes, Marquis Hayley will be her beloved protector.
He is a trustworthy nobleman who usually obeys the imperial family's orders, but once he starts acting stubbornly, even the Emperor will back down.
Especially since the daughter the Marquis and his wife cherish so much would resemble her if she were still alive.
"Yes."
Where has all the flowery rhetoric gone that could convince anyone?
All Shish could do was barely nod his head.
“Are you planning to make her your Crown Princess?”
“If she allows it.”
The Crown Prince, who smiled shyly and awkwardly, was truly a man in love. Pure and innocent.
“She has refused until now because the position of Crown Princess is burdensome, but I think I will soon grant her permission.”
Although he felt a pain as if someone had driven a nail into his chest, it actually made it easier for Shishi to express his purpose.
“I will go to the Magic Tower myself.”
“...Is it true that Your Excellency, the Prime Minister, said you would go in person?”
“Yes. So, the Prime Minister’s office will be empty for the time being.”
"Your Excellency, if you are absent, the administration of the palace will be paralyzed. Do you know when you will return?"
“If I do return, I expect it to take about a week...”
A meaningless smile appeared on his thin lips.
“But wouldn’t it be better to be prepared to never come back?”
“Prime Minister!”
“Your Highness, you have already anticipated this.”
"But...!"
Shish was once again relieved by the Crown Prince's character, who sometimes stood in opposition to him, yet showed concern in situations like this.
If he were someone different from me, you could be happy.
I always made you cry, but this person will always make you smile.
From the day when Retri returned and started crying again, Shish kept wondering how he could make her happy.
No matter how much he thought about it, there was only one thing that was interfering with Retri's happiness.
Exactly, himself.
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