I’m the Main Character’s Child - Chapter 49

“Yes, I see the Empress.”

Empress Mogris, who seemed indifferent to Cardin’s cold answer, brought up what happened in the garden last time.

“I was worried that Cardin might have misunderstood something in the garden last time.”

Empress Mogris covered her mouth and laughed, saying, “The children played a little too much pranks on each other at that time.”

Then she took a hint and sneaked out a story about Ad.

“We were just helping the prince at that time. The first prince had a bad eye, that’s why he lived with scars all over his body.”

Empress Mogris, who brought up the story of Ad, carefully examined Cardin’s face through her curved eyes.

“Is that so?”

The empress responded to Cardin’s lukewarm response, with a more relaxed face. 

“Yes.”

I managed to hold back my frown at the visible manipulation.

“By the way, this time our second prince won the swordsmanship competition against a low-level knight.”

The empress said he has already won against adult knights, adding how hard Neinster has been training swordsmanship so far. As soon as it became boring to listen to, Empress Mogris began to bring up the subject.

“He’ll need a teacher when he grows up. I’m having a hard time finding a master who can handle Neinster.”

I’m sure there’s a lot of teachers who can handle your son. 

Fortunately, my thoughts didn’t go out of my mouth this time. The true intention of the Empress’ words was that she wanted Cardin to be the teacher of Neinster.

Cardin’s reaction was obvious.

Clink~

As Cardin opened his mouth, the sound of something breaking rang at the banquet hall. In an instant, everyone’s eyes turned to it. Among the rounded nobles, I could see Neinster’s red hair.

Whenever I see him, nothing good happens.

I was already tired. What the hell did you do this time…….

Gold hair was seen among the nobles.

Don’t tell me…

I twisted my head around to look inside, hoping it wasn’t what I thought.

“What’s the matter?”

The nobles gathered quickly opened the way at the words of the Empress Mogris. It was good to see the situation inside that I wanted to see, but I was not happy at all.

There I saw a servant who had fallen on the floor and Ad was soaking wet because of the drinks.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Are you hurt?”

Neinster was apologizing to Ad with his eyes down. After listening to Neinster, the nobles nearby began to cover their mouths and whisper.

“Is he the second prince’s brother?”

“You know, the first prince. Baroness O’Hellen’s…”

“Oh, the first prince…”

No one was worried about Ad in the growing murmur of the nobles. The shallow corners of Neinster’s mouth, standing in front of Ad with a worried face, reflected the inside of him.

Looking at the situation, it seemed that the servant, who tripped over Neinster’s foot, spilled the drink he was carrying at Ad. Even though he had enough ability to avoid it, he knew that you shouldn’t avoid it.

“Prince, are you okay?”

At the center of the incident, Empress Mogris stepped up. The Empress came close to Ad, making up a worried look just like Neinster.

“I’m all right.”

I heard Ad’s voice. It was a calm voice that I’ve heard a lot for the past month.

“I’m getting very worried  because your eyes are getting worse day by day.”

She looked worried but didn’t even think about lifting up the fallen Ad. Instead, the Empress, who made publicly demeaning remarks, smiled slightly as if in trouble.

“I guess there are many cases where brothers do not resemble each other.”

When the Empress Mogris finished her speech in a joking tone, the nobles around her laughed along. Ad, who immediately became the object of ridicule of the people, was drenched in drink and bowed his head.

I couldn’t imagine what kind of expression Ad would have now. He was not able to manage his facial expressions at all, which he had been doing before. The faces of the nobles who were gradually contorted and smiling following the empress were engraved into his eyes.

There was a hand that reflexively blocked my body that almost went forward. Cardin next to me grabbed my hand and pulled it back. Cardin was looking ahead with a cold look on his face.

Cardin said that since he was born as a prince, all of these are trials for Ad to go through.

Trials are expressed as the foundation of a life that will make you stronger after going through it. However, if the trial is to cut off the roots so that it can’t even be overcome, I wondered what the point of going through it.

That’s what Ad did now.

It was almost like being left behind in the land of the empty plain without a shield or even a basic tool of survival.

“The prince needs to develop his eyes to see the world around him.”

“…….”

Ad did not answer.

“Get up.”

At that time, the laughter of the nobles stopped at the sound of voices ringing in the audience. When I looked up at Cardin, I could see him staring at Ad. The eyes of the surrounding nobles were also focused on Cardin.

Cardin walked slowly to the middle of the circle. The sound of footsteps was especially loud in the banquet hall. The music stopped long ago. Standing in front of Ad, Cardin said once again.

“Get up. Didn’t your clothes get wet?”

Ad raised his head. He looked surprised as if he had never expected it. Cardin, who had been looking at Ad for a while, reached out to Ad and said,

“I told you that taking care of yourself is also important. Are you not going to come to tomorrow’s sword training?”

“……No.”

Unable to hide his puzzled expression, Ad stood up from his seat holding Cardin’s hand.

“Now, wait. What do you mean, sword training?”

The empress, who was watching all this from the side, said in a bewildered voice. Cardin turned around and opened his mouth, staring squarely at the Empress Mogris.

“I’m in charge of the first prince’s sword training. As his teacher…. I don’t think he has a bad eye.”

Cardin looked around the crowd and spoke so loudly that everyone could hear him.

“The first prince I saw was capable enough to become a senior swordsman in a few years. You don’t seem to have paid much attention to the first prince.”

Cardin, who came to me with Ad, moved to a room attached to the banquet hall. It was because Ad’s clothes were wet and had to be changed.

Cardin paused while walking and said to the empress again.

“I hope you find a sword teacher suitable for the second prince as soon as possible.”

The bewildered nobles exchanged glances eagerly. What Cardin did today was not simply holding Ad’s hand and raising him.

It was officially announced.

From now on, he will be the first prince.

***

A room attached to a banquet hall

A servant ordered by Cardin brought Ad’s new banquet gown. Ad who changed his clothes from one side of the room, approached Cardin, who was sitting on the sofa.

“Why did you help me?”

Ad stared at Cardin with a calm stare. Cardin also responded with the same glare. It was an insensitive reaction for Cardin, who came out of the midst of the disgusting nobles and rescued Ad.

“You know better what will happen in the future.”

“I know.”

Cardin replied briefly. Cardin himself knew better than anyone else that he would bring a big wind to the noble society in the future over the succession of the throne.

Nevertheless, he came forward in front of everyone.

“You did well among those bugs.”

“…….”

Cardin said, burying himself deep on the sofa.

The air around him sank heavily, as if those he called bugs had risen again.

“……then what should I have done there?”

Ad’s voice was a little excited. He raised his voice, frowned and clenched his fist.

“Keep it a secret. Didn’t the Duke want that?”

As Ad said, it was Cardin who wanted to carry out sword training in strict secrecy. The fact that the Duke of Bardion is with the non-existent first prince will attract public attention. In addition, their teacher-student relationship has been known. 

It also meant that both imperial nobles and foreign envoys would now pay attention to Ad. It will also be said that Bardion, who had been sticking to the mediation faction so far, was on the side of the first prince.

Cardin, who gave Ad a glance, answered quietly.

“I just gave you shoes.”

Cardin stood up after shaking his seat, held my hand and headed toward the door and opened his mouth.

“Something you can use to step on the bugs.”

Cardin nodded at Ad and headed through the door.

“The moment you get stepped on, they’ll also be stepping on the Bardion, so step on them instead.”

Ad, with a slightly dazed look on his face, seemed to be wondering if he had heard Cardin properly.

Indeed, I could also not hide my surprised face as I was listening right next to him.

Ad has now a backer. That’s even bigger than the emperor. 

Did he get attached after teaching Ad so fiercely?

Cardin’s behavior today was not like petty compassion. He wanted to be on the side of Ad. 

“Ad, let’s go out together!”

I reached for Ad. Now there was nothing to be bothered about. Ad reached out my hand carefully. The flesh was covered with calluses. In place of Ad, who looked bewildered, I chattered more and more, waiting for Ad to accept it.

“There was a lot of delicious food over there. Let’s go eat together.”

Ad nodded quietly and replied, “Let’s go.” Soon we arrived again at the banquet hall. A gentle sound of music came through the door.

Squeak.

The banquet hall, where we set foot again, had a very different air than before. The nobles who were talking carefully with each other caught my eye first. 

When Cardin appeared, everyone hardened. Their eyes were turned to one place. Following their gaze, there were the Empress Mogris and Neinster.

The empress, who was chatting with people who appeared to be foreign nobles, glanced at this side and continued talking to the nobles again. The intention of trying to pretend to be fine was clearly seen.

On the other hand, Neinster next to her was staring at me and Ad as if he wanted to kill us.