Chapter 20: 19

Perhaps because Khalid was by his side, he didn’t think Maximo was going to harm him anymore. His shaking heart, the pain in his waist, and the tremors that engulfed his whole body all subsided in an instant. It was thanks to Khalid.

As expected, I need this person.

Renato felt he needed Khalid once again. The violet-colored eyes, where fear already disappeared, became filled with intense aspiration. Strength also entered the hand that was holding Khalid’s hand.

Khalid’s gaze then turned to Renato. One of his eyebrows slightly raised when seeing the cheeks that had yet to regain their color.

“Are you okay?”

“Pardon?”

“Your complexion is not good.”

Turning around and facing Renato, Khalid slowly adjusted his steps to the music. He led Renato quite skillfully.

“I came forward because I thought you were in a difficult situation. Did I do something wrong?”

Not long ago, Khalid immediately recognized that the person Renato was talking to was Maximo. It was because he looked almost identical to the appearance described in Nasir’s report.

So he initially intended to wait for the two of them to finish their conversation. Because he had no reason to interrupt the conversation and cause friction with Maximo.

But then, he changed his mind when Renato’s complexion changed. He didn’t know what Renato was talking about with Maximo, but his expression gradually became worse.

After combining the words he could sparsely hear, he could tell that Maximo seemed to be dissatisfied with Renato who became the protocol officer instead of him.

For whatever reason, Maximo pushed Renato quite roughly and threateningly. Just by looking at his eyes and actions, he could see how much the man was disregarding Renato.

Khalid stood at a moderate distance and continued to watch the two of them. Then a small commotion broke out between Maximo and Renato.

In the end, contrary to his initial decision, he meddled with the two of them. He thought it was better not to step up, but he couldn’t help it.

The moment he saw Renato’s face that was completely drained of color, how he couldn’t even breathe properly, and how his body trembled just like an aspen about to fall at any moment, his useless nosiness was activated before rational judgment.

“Not at all. I was in trouble, so…… You really helped me a lot. Thank you very much.”

“You two don’t seem to get along well.”

Khalid’s voice became lower. The scene he saw a moment ago made him realize something he never wanted to know. Renato’s appearance was characteristic of a person exposed to violence for a long time.

“Well, that’s right.”

Renato did not deny Khalid’s words and smiled bitterly. After all, it was a problem he couldn’t hide.

“Thank you very much once again. Had it not been for your help, I would have had a hard time, your highness.”

Khalid looked at Renato who thanked him with complicated eyes. Renato and he would see each other frequently for at least the next few months. It might have been different if he hadn’t known at all, but since he found out, it’s impossible not to care about this.

The Emperor, or the Empress.

Even if he was a Prince disregarded by everyone, as one of the noblest blood in the Empire, only those with a higher status could directly abuse Renato.

Khalid used the information he had to deduce the culprit who had been abusing Renato. Judging from what he saw today, the Empress seemed to be the most likely one.

As such, the Empress and Maximo’s actions were not on the same side as Renato’s. The two of them did not show even the slightest amount of respect for Renato. He wasn’t treated like an equal collaborator, but someone of an obviously lower ranking.

He could at least understand a bit how the Empress, who was an elder, did that, but it was beyond common sense that Maximo, a Duke’s son, could do that as well.

The man might be an Alpha that the Empress wanted to adopt and a collateral imperial family member with the right of succession to the throne, nonetheless, right now he was only the son of a Duke and had yet to inherit any titles. Such a person was harassing the Prince who was a direct imperial family member?

Any sane person would say it was nonsense. If Maximo had ever used violence against Renato like what he guessed, it was possible only with the Empress’ connivance.

When his thoughts reached that point, he felt bitter. It was not that he didn’t know the cruelty of power, but he wondered why would a person treat their one and only child that way. Then again, in this fucking world, this kind of tragedy was fully possible.

Even at this moment, it was not uncommon for a son to kill his father to become the head of the household, a child who got married for convenience to betray their own family, and siblings to attack each other due to a dispute over succession.

Khalid was no different from them. He willingly tainted his hands with blood to put his sister, Maryam, on the throne. Some of the people Khalid killed had the same surname as him.

‘I’m sorry, Khalid.’

His red eyes darkened as he recalled Maryam who had apologized to him a few weeks ago. Her voice was filled with regret and guilt. At the same time, there was also a faint sense of relief.

‘I can only continue to cause trouble to you. Forgive your foolish sister.’

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In the last tea time they had before he left for the Empire, Khalid could read the changes in Maryam. Unlike how Maryam was still number one to him, he was no longer number one to her.

Seeing the situation turning strange, he had already expected that to some extent, but when checking it with his own eyes, an indescribable bitterness swept over him.

That was how power was. As Khalid’s reputation increased and more knights started following him, Maryam probably became more anxious as well. After becoming the Queen, she had many things to keep compared to before, so she couldn’t only live as Khalid’s affectionate sister like how she used to.

“……Your highness, your highness?”

Immersed in bitter thoughts, Khalid blinked at the voice calling out to him. The light purple eyes filled with worry entered his clear vision.

“Your expression suddenly became bad……”

When their eyes met, Renato murmured in a small voice. Khalid hurriedly fixed his facial expression when he saw Renato looking at him. It was his inexcusable mistake to fall into other thoughts while dancing.

“My apologies. I was thinking about something else for a while.”

Khalid quickly apologized and awkwardly wrinkled his nose. Only then did Renato look relieved.

“I was worried that I might have offended you, so I’m glad it wasn’t the case.”

“Why would I be offended?”

Khalid smiled more softly on purpose. His past self overlapped with Renato who was paying excessive attention to other people’s expressions.

A Beta Prince who had no rights to the throne, and an illegitimate royal prince adopted by the Queen Consort who didn’t have a son.

Their specific circumstances were different from each other, but Renato and Khalid had the same unblessed birth. They were despised by the people around them for their very existence.

It suddenly occurred to Khalid that he might have grown up like Renato had he not been loved by his biological mother and met Maryam.

Khalid, who suffered all kinds of humiliation for being an illegitimate child, was able to succeed without being twisted because of his biological mother Jamila’s unconditional love and Maryam’s willingness to accept her half-brother into the family.

Even the former Queen Consort, who had made Khalid a royal prince out of political need, did not give him affection, but still cared for him without lacking in other ways. Thinking like that, he felt like a pretty lucky person.

He had already ordered Nasir to re-investigate, but Khalid decided to dig a little deeper regarding Renato’s information. He had a hunch that maybe Renato might become a variable in his life in the Empire. Then, Renato suddenly made a proposal.

“If it’s okay with you, after the dance is over, I would like to talk to you alone while avoiding people’s eyes.”

“Just the two of us?”

“Yes. This is an essential story for the future. It will be an offer that will never hurt you, your highness.”

What should I do? Feeling the hands on his slightly tremble, Khalid fell into agony. He was a little surprised because he got this offer as soon as he thought Renato was going to be a variable. Besides, his sharp intuition was telling him something.

The story Renato wanted to talk about wouldn’t be an ordinary conversation. If he made a wrong decision, he wouldn’t be able to get out and would be deeply entangled in this, so it would be better to refuse. He should draw a decisive line so that Renato wouldn’t think too much……

Khalid hesitated. He didn’t intend to get entangled in politics in another country, but seeing Renato waiting for his answer with an earnest face, it was strangely difficult for him to refuse.

“I understand.”

After thinking for a while, Khalid accepted Renato’s offer. He couldn’t guess what Renato would be talking about, but he thought it might be okay to just listen.

“……! Thank you very much!”

Rejoiced, Renato expressed his gratitude when Khalid gave his permission. Because his tension was relieved, his pale cheeks also regained their color. The corners of his eyes, which were previously filled with tension, folded and curled up, while his adorable lips went up in an arc.

Khalid was momentarily distracted because of Renato’s smiling face. He had the brightest and most radiant smile he had ever seen. Immediately after that, the dance song ended.

“First of all, I will go first, and I will send an attendant to guide you, your highness.”

“All right.”

The two walked out of the center of the hall, talking about how to meet while avoiding people’s gazes.

“Then I’ll see you later.”

Looking at Renato’s back as he moved in the front, Khalid once again had an ominous foreboding that he would be firmly entangled with this person.

No, not yet. If he says something strange, I can just cut it off.

Sitting in a corner to keep people from approaching him, Khalid struggled to suppress his anxiety, waiting for Renato to send an attendant. He hoped that his intuition would not be true this time.

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