Chapter 10: The Prince Who Shouldn’t Have Come

“T-That…!”

The two thugs’ faces flushed red and blue with anger. Regardless, Kebel bent down and picked up the fallen bundle. It felt as heavy as if it were filled with stones, the crystal inside had more weight than expected.

He handed the sky-blue wrapped bundle back to Enok. As if he hadn’t expected help from someone who had been standing by until now, Enok’s eyes trembled slightly.

Feeling guilty for not stepping in sooner, Kebel brushed the dirt off the bundle. At the same time, mindful of Enok’s pride, he whispered softly,

“Sorry.”

The moment the words left his mouth, the tips of Enok’s ears turned red. Seeing him shy, as if unused to receiving kindness, Kebel was suddenly reminded of Osh. Osh’s ears would turn red first whenever he got embarrassed too.

A faint smile appeared on Kebel’s face at the thought, but it didn’t last long.

“Kebel.”

At Osh’s voice, Kebel turned around.

“Yeah. Sorry. You were scared, right?”

“…No.”

‘Was he upset at being treated like a child?’

Osh’s expression didn’t look good, stiff, even. Feeling apologetic, Kebel called out to Ida. With just a glance asking him to handle things quickly, Ida stepped forward as if he had been waiting and dealt with the thugs.

Even so, Kebel couldn’t shake off the uneasiness of having interfered with the original story.

‘What if Enok doesn’t meet the Crown Prince now?’

The thought lingered as he grabbed Osh’s hand.

“We’ll be going now.”

“Thank you for your help.”

“It was nothing.”

With a gentle smile, Kebel left the scene, carrying a strange sense of discomfort as he headed back toward the carriage.

****

From a distance, someone had been watching them the entire time.

A boy cloaked in gray snapped his fingers, and as if by magic, a shadow appeared behind him and bowed lightly.

“You called for me?”

“That brown-haired boy… is he the son of Duke Ilya?”

“Yes.”

A faint smirk spread across the boy’s face, intrigued.

Until now, Kebel had seemed no different from the many who tried to gain his attention, timid, foolish, and full of petty greed. The kind he disliked most.

But today was different.

There was something bold about him now. Something… bright.

More than enough to spark interest.

The boy licked his dry lips. His pale pink lips glistened with moisture as they curved into a dangerous smile.

Straightening his previously lazy posture, he kept his gaze fixed on where they had disappeared and spoke,

“Interesting. From now on, report everything about him to me immediately.”

“Yes.”

The shadow bowed and vanished as if it had never been there.

****

A few years later, when Kebel turned thirteen, a message arrived at the duchy.

The Crown Prince, Beril Genis Charleau, would be visiting.

In the original story, Beril had been so put off by Kebel’s personality that he never once set foot in the duchy. And yet now, here he was coming in person.

Because of that, Kebel had been worked to exhaustion since early morning preparing to receive him.

‘I’ve never dressed up this much even when Osh visits…’

Why did he have to go this far for a Crown Prince he hadn’t even properly met?

Kebel was thoroughly displeased.

As if out of habit, he walked over to the table where a framed picture rested. Inside was the torn drawing he had once used to teach Osh about emotions. It had been carefully restored, as if it had never been ripped at all.

Kebel looked at it with a proud expression.

‘Is this what it feels like to be a parent?’

Just looking at it made him feel oddly happy, as if endorphins were rushing through him.

After staring at it for a while, he gently set the frame down. As if a switch had been flipped off, his mood returned to normal. He let out a dry sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.

From the beginning, Kebel hadn’t expected to meet the Crown Prince alone. After all, in the original story, the two had no connection whatsoever.

Maybe that was only natural. The story revolved around three main characters, Kebel’s perspective was never shown.

‘So maybe… we just passed each other by like this.’

“Haah… I really go through everything in this world.”

Muttering to himself, he walked toward the window. Outside was bustling, clearly, the Crown Prince had arrived.

Right on cue, a knock sounded.

“Young master, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived.”

“Yes.”

Kebel replied in a tone completely different from how he spoke to Osh, cold and formal, and left his room.

Normally, he would have greeted him at the entrance, but instead, the servant led him to the reception room. Which meant he didn’t need to go out to welcome him.

Standing before the door, Kebel felt his heart pound.

‘It’s the Crown Prince…’

He placed a hand on his chest, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.

The room was empty.

“Whew… I got nervous for nothing.”

“Not your first time meeting me. No need to be that tense.”

“Ah-!”

A voice suddenly came from behind him.

Startled, Kebel flinched and stepped back, only to quickly realize the boy before him was the Crown Prince. He hurriedly bowed.

“My apologies, Your Highness.”

“Seeing someone startled like that… isn’t so bad.”

“…”

‘Why show up like that just to scare people?’

Kebel looked at him with a slightly sulky expression.

Golden hair like spun silk. Eyes that gleamed like gold, piercing straight through him.

Even compared to Osh, his appearance was flawless, no, beyond that. Beautiful.

‘How can someone like this exist besides Osh…?’

Though it was rude, Kebel found himself staring blankly.

“You still haven’t given up your feelings for me, I see.”

Those cold eyes swept over Kebel.

Despite being only a year older, the pressure he exuded was overwhelming.

“Sit.”

At the gesture, Kebel took a seat.

The Crown Prince crossed his legs leisurely, the motion oddly sensual, almost decadent. Kebel swallowed dryly without realizing it.

“Kebel Ilya.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Lowering his gaze respectfully, Kebel answered. The Crown Prince’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“I wasn’t mistaken. You’ve truly changed.”

“…Pardon?”

A faint smile curved his lips.

Even that small expression nearly made Kebel’s nose bleed, it was completely his type.

‘Of course he is. He’s the male lead.’

Kebel pressed his legs together, trying to suppress the strange fluttering feeling.

Silence fell.

Kebel shifted his eyes nervously, wishing the other would say something, but no words came.

Just then, a servant entered with tea.

Kebel looked at him like a savior.

Flustered by the gaze, the servant quickly left. Kebel awkwardly stared at his teacup instead.

The scent of herbs tickled his nose. Fresh and calming, it eased his tension, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

The Crown Prince watched him intently, like a predator observing prey.

“Drink.”

At the simple command, he lifted his cup. Even that alone radiated elegance.

Feeling oddly self-conscious, Kebel only raised his own cup after the Prince took a sip.

“Have you had a change of heart?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“You used to ramble endlessly at times like this. Today, you’re unusually quiet.”

‘Rambling?! What on earth did the original Kebel do?!’

Forcing a gentle smile, Kebel tried to appear harmless. The Crown Prince let out a soft chuckle.

“I don’t dislike it.”

“…”

“In fact, I quite like this new version of you.”

“…”

“So I’ll be watching.”

His gaze sharpened.

“It wouldn’t be bad if, in the future, the House of Ilya became part of my faction.”

‘Faction? What is he talking about? That wasn’t in the original story…’

A sense of unease crept in.

Things were starting to diverge from what he knew.

Carefully steadying his voice, Kebel asked,

“I don’t understand what you mean by that.”

“Tch. I already knew you liked me.”

“…What?”