Chapter 63: 62

“……”

Khalid was momentarily speechless, then slightly opened his lips, not knowing what to say. Renato’s words were absurd, but at the same time, he could understand why Renato felt so. Because in the past, he also felt an emotion similar to Renato now.

“It’s not strange.”

Feeling his chest become heavy, Khalid raised the corners of his lips. He didn’t want to wither the smile that just bloomed on Renato’s face. So he revealed that he also had the same experience as Renato.

“I was like that when I was scolded by noonim in the past as well.”

“Really?”

“Yes, back when I was a child, I liked that noonim was worried about me, so…… I smiled when she scolded me, so in the end, I got scolded more for not reflecting on myself.”

A faint nostalgia filled his red eyes as he recalled the old memories. Shortly after he was adopted by the previous Queen Consort and became an official royal prince, Khalid was treated like an invisible human in the royal palace.

The palace attendants treated Khalid with courtesy, but that was all. They were indifferent to whatever he did and built up an invisible wall to separate him. Khalid then learned that indifference could be even more terrifying than malice.

Loneliness was a great enemy for a young child who had to live a new life in a place where he had no one to rely on. Unable to adapt to his life in the royal palace, Khalid wandered around. At that time, it was Maryam who reached out to Khalid.

‘Khalid? What are you doing here? Why are you alone? Where are your attendants? What? You were lost?’

Realizing Khalid’s circumstances, she began to take care of him. And she gladly shared her daily routine with him. Thanks to Maryam, Khalid was able to gradually adjust to life in the royal palace.

Then, there was a small commotion. When he attended a Count household’s banquet, Khalid punched a young lord who insulted him. Maryam harshly scolded Khalid for causing that incident.

‘It’s right that that punk did something wrong first. Fucking jerk! That kind of bastard should be thrown into the water of a valley in the middle of winter to wake his mind up! But Khalid, it wasn’t a good thing that you used your fist!’

‘But that jerk……’

‘Ha, just stop! You shouldn’t rush to someone just because they are picking a fight. If you use violence whenever you are angry, the situation around you will be much worse than it is now!’

Maryam was furious as if she was the one insulted and not Khalid, but she still nagged him, saying he shouldn’t have attacked like that.

‘Look. Right now, that bastard’s father is running amok saying that you should be punished. There are people who take issue with your origin.’

‘……I’m sorry.’

‘Huu, as long as you understand. I’ll take care of this, so stay still. Understand?’

‘Yes, noonim.’

‘Good. And don’t do that next time. If someone tries to pick a fight with you, tell me right away. Promise me! ……Wait, what? Why are you smiling? Are you really smiling now?’

‘Pardon? No, this……’

‘I was really worried, this kid! You didn’t reflect on anything at all, did you?’

Khalid smiled that day because he felt he had finally found someone by his side. When Maryam criticized him, he didn’t feel hurt, but grateful. He could tell how much she cared for him from her nagging, so it felt quite nice to him.

Worrying and feeling concerned about someone meant that they had a positive interest or some kind of affection for that person. Renato must have felt that from his words a while ago as well.

In other words, Renato was a lonely and isolated person who felt awkward and happy with just someone’s little attention. Just like Khalid as a child.

“So it’s not strange. It’s just a feeling anyone can feel.”

“Then I’m glad.”

Renato, who was inwardly worried that Khalid might think of him as strange, was relieved to see the man acknowledge his feelings. When his heart was at ease, the faint smile on his lips became brighter.

Seeing that smile, Khalid was proud and also a little upset. The more he got to know Renato, the more he felt bitter because of Renato’s circumstances. To lift his endlessly sinking mood, he deliberately said some playful words.

“If you were in such a good mood with that, I will often scold you with concern and affection in the future.”

“Pardon? No, that’s a bit too much, it means I will do things that make you scold me every day.”

“Is that so? Hmm, then I won’t scold you, I’ll just give you a lot of worry and affection.”

After finishing his words, Khalid gently stroked Renato’s hair again. Renato’s light purple eyes slightly shook because of the man’s gentle touch.

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“You don’t have to give me a lot……”

Feeling his cheeks burning, Renato stealthily lowered his gaze. Khalid’s finger brushed past his ear, causing a slight burning sensation. The man didn’t kiss him like last time, he was simply stroking his hair, but he was still embarrassed like this.

“But you said you were happy when I felt worried about you, right?”

“I did, but…… They say that if you eat a lot of good food, you will have an upset stomach, right? I’m not used to this kind of thing yet, so it’s a little burdensome, I think?”

“Hmm, even if it’s burdensome, there is no other way. We need to get closer in the future. So please get used to it, Your Imperial Highness.”

Khalid spoke decisively, then twined his fingers around the fluttering silver hair strands and spun them. He felt it every time, but the feeling of the fine and soft hair on his fingers was quite pleasant.

What caught Khalid’s attention as he enjoyed the soft texture of Renato’s hair was the round ears exposed behind the gently shining hair. When he saw the earlobes dyed in a reddish color like ripe peaches, he immediately had a strong urge to bite them.

How would Renato react if he kissed him right now? Maybe he would jump up like a startled rabbit?

Imagining Renato’s reaction in his head, Khalid involuntarily let out a chuckle. Then, a curious gaze reached him as if wondering why he was doing so.

When their gazes met, this time, the tear mole appearing under Renato’s slightly drooping eye caught Khalid’s attention. He lowered the hand stroking his hair to gently caress the eye rim with his fingertips. Maybe because he didn’t cry today, the tear mole seemed fainter than last time.

“……Your highness?”

The long eyelashes similar to pure white snow slightly trembled at the touch with incomprehensible motive. Renato wondered if Khalid was about to put his lips there just like last time, his hand on the man’s thigh curling inward.

“It’s nothing. I noticed your tear mole here, so I unconsciously moved my hand.”

Feeling Renato’s body stiffen, Khalid moved his hand away from his tear mole. Renato felt somewhat regretful when the man’s warmth parted away from him.

“We will be arriving at the diplomatic office soon. The rumors seem to be spreading well, but…… I think it would be good to show up a few more times in front of people to create a decisive effect. I would like to discuss that with you as well, so how about having dinner together at the official residence, Your Imperial Highness?”

“Okay.”

“Then I will tell them to prepare so that you can have the meal right away when we arrive.”

When Renato accepted his invitation, Khalid opened the window and called Nasir, who was moving next to their carriage to guard them. Looking at Khalid’s profile as he talked to Nasir, Renato touched the corner of his eye where the man’s hand just touched.

* * *

“Arche Luminus offers my greetings to the successor of the noble blood. May the blessings of nature be with you.”

“Welcome, lady Luminus.”

“Please feel free to call me by name. I am your aide now, Your Imperial Highness.”

Arche raised her head with a friendly smile. A week after what happened the other day, Arche was appointed as Renato’s aide.

‘I plan to keep you by my side. I’ll contact you soon.’

‘Soon?’

‘I’ll send someone to you within a week at the latest. And before that, there’s something you need to do.’

‘Please give me an order.’

‘For the past few years, you two have lived not as Arche and Iris, but as Twin Owls. If I keep you two by my side, there will definitely be people doing background checks on you. The current Count Luminus will raise an issue with it as well.’

‘Do you mean that I should make up a past for me and my sister in advance so that people won’t say anything about it?’

‘That’s right. It’s good that you understood immediately. I can’t give you much time, so you will have to be busy from now on.’

‘I’ll take care of it within three days.’

Arche faithfully carried out Renato’s first order. She didn’t become the head of a guild in a few years out of sheer luck at all, because she could make up the past whereabouts of her and Iris just within three days.

Five days later, Renato’s guard knight, Luna, came to visit the sisters. With a cold expression, she held out two paper sheets with the Emperor’s seal on them. One was that Arche would become Renato’s aide, and the other was that Iris would be selected as a special candidate for the Imperial Knights Order.

“I will serve you with all my heart from now on.”

Arche bowed to Renato, recalling the joy when she received the appointment letter. Their first meeting was the worst, but now that she had become the Prince’s aide, she thought of him as her and her twin sister’s savior. Arche vowed never to miss this opportunity.

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