Chapter 7: To Taron’s Palace (3)

Patrick suddenly interfered with Raion’s smooth progress.

“Why?”

“Your Highness still needs to be mindful of your health. You must never eat or sleep in a dusty room.”

Patrick’s voice and expression were firmer than ever.

“Can’t I really?”

Raion, on the other hand, had far too many things to do.

From developing his abilities to rebuilding his physique to match that of his past life.

Even so, he had held himself back in the royal palace since there were always eyes watching him.

Now that he had finally moved to Taron’s Palace and could act freely, Patrick blocked his way.

“Under no circumstances, Your Highness. Meals are to be taken in the dining hall, and you must sleep in your palace bedroom. Since we’re already past lunchtime, I’ll see that everything is prepared as quickly as possible. Please come to the dining hall in thirty minutes.”

Having said everything he needed to, Patrick left the annex.

Left alone, Raion let out a heavy sigh and sat on the chair beside him.

“Nothing’s been easy since the day I came back to the past.”

At that moment, a full-length mirror standing before him caught his eye.

In it reflected Raion’s image—his long red hair flowing down.

His clothes were so extravagant that the gold embroidery everywhere practically screamed, ‘I am a prince.’

The old Raion wouldn’t have thought twice about it, but now it just looked ridiculous.

“Twelve years from now, was it?”

There was only one reason Raion had staked his life on mastering his abilities and training his body.

In his original future, twelve years from now, both he and his loved ones had died.

And the cause of it was the Dior Empire in the central northern region of the continent.

Roughly ten years later, the Dior Empire would declare war.

That war would drench the Phalon Continent in blood.

At the time, powerless Raion met his death amid that war.

He had lost far too many precious people.

Now, the chance to change that future was in his hands.

“I’ll make sure that never happens again. I won’t let anyone die.”

Raion sprang to his feet and grabbed a palm-length dagger lying at the corner of the desk.

The dagger went straight for his red hair that hung to his shoulders.

Slash—! Slash—!

Long hair was useless for training.

It had to be as short as possible to move freely and avoid inconvenience.

After roughly cutting his hair, Raion glanced at the mirror and frowned.

When he looked at the clock afterward, the thirty minutes Patrick mentioned were almost up.

Raion left the annex and entered the dining hall.

Inside, Monica was hurriedly setting down the food she had prepared.

Then, upon seeing Raion’s hair, her face froze in horror.

“Y-Your Highness! Y-your hair, how did it…?”

Too shocked to finish her sentence, Monica stood there dazed.

Patrick was beside her.

“Patrick.”

In the calm air, Patrick slightly bowed his head at Raion’s call.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“I think I’ve ruined it. Fix my hair for me.”

Raion’s hair looked like a Krad Rat had chewed through it, leaving uneven holes everywhere.

At that moment, Raion learned an important lesson.

He must never attempt a haircut by himself.

“The stew still needs a bit more time, so I’ll trim it for you first. Please, have a seat over there.”

Even so, Patrick handled the situation with perfect composure.

—

A man was heading toward Taron’s Palace, located on the southeastern side of the outer castle.

Since the area was remote and mountainous, the walk alone took a considerable amount of time.

“What kind of palace is buried in a place like this?!”

The man was Jade, whom Raion had designated as his swordsmanship instructor.

He was on his way to meet Prince Raion, to formally refuse the order King Laskan had given him.

Yet, more than thirty days had already passed since that order.

As time went by and nothing happened, Jade began to feel uneasy.

Frankly, even if royal wrath had fallen by now, it would’ve been no surprise.

“What’s that Third Prince scheming?”

As he climbed further, he spotted a massive gate.

“Is this the entrance?”

Between the tall walls stood a grand gate, guarded by knights.

They were members of the Black Deer—the royal order assigned to the outer castle.

“This is royal property. If you’ve lost your way, I recommend you turn back immediately.”

The knights were clearly in a foul mood.

The Third Prince’s sudden move into the long-abandoned Taron’s Palace had expanded their duties.

As they exchanged uncertain glances, one knight finally spoke, prompting Jade to present an iron insignia.

“I’m not lost. I’m here on official business. I’m Jade of the Wind Wolves.”

“Jade of the Wind Wolves?”

Muttering under his breath, the knight’s companion suddenly recalled something.

“Oh, he’s the one the prince’s attendant said to let through, right?”

“Seems so. Go on in.”

Baffled by their curt attitude, Jade walked through the gate.

“So even here, the Third Prince isn’t treated with respect? Should I pity him for being so young? …No. Who am I to pity anyone?”

Regardless of what awaited him, Jade had already resolved to refuse.

Continuing up the sloped path, he finally saw a leveled garden and the palace building beyond it.

He approached the structure.

Patrick, who had been tending the garden nearby, noticed him, dusted off the grass, and walked over.

“Oh! Gardener, perfect timing. Where can I find His Highness?”

“I am Patrick, the butler. You must be Sir Jade of the Wind Wolves. You’ve arrived earlier than expected.”

“So you’re the butler! Haha, my apologies. Your outfit misled me.”

“There are only the prince’s maid and I to serve him here, so we handle everything ourselves. Please, follow me.”

Patrick removed his apron and hung it on a tree branch.

He planned to return and finish the gardening later.

Now dressed neatly as a butler again, Patrick guided Jade toward the rear training yard.

There, Raion was in the middle of physical training.

“Huff! Huff!”

Raion kept repeating strange movements.

As Jade observed, Patrick cleared his throat loudly beside him.

“Ahem!”

At the sound, Raion turned his head mid-training.

Raion’s eyes fell on the brown-haired man standing beside Patrick. He immediately recognized who it was.

Wiping away his sweat with the towel Monica had brought him, Raion walked toward the man.

“So, you must be Sir Jade.”

As Raion drew closer, an odd sense of presence—an unexplainable force—radiated from him.

Jade, whose senses were unusually sharp, caught that feeling and found himself momentarily confused.

“Sir Jade, shouldn’t you greet His Highness properly?” Patrick prompted quietly beside him.

“Ah! M-my apologies. Knight Jade, at your service, Your Highness Prince Raion.”

Something about Raion’s presence made him instinctively tense.

“I’ve heard rumors that you despise formalities,” Raion said with a faint smile. “But it doesn’t seem to be entirely true.”

And indeed, Jade was the type who almost never showed courtesy—one could count the times on one hand.

Yet, for some reason, in front of the current Raion, his body had moved on its own.

“N-no, that’s not it…”

“More importantly,” Raion continued, “it’s been thirty days since His Majesty’s order was given. You must have had a reason for the delay. Did you come here to explain it—or to refuse?”

There was no option for acceptance in his words.

Jade felt a strange unease at that and steeled his mind.

“To be honest… I came to refuse the appointment.”

“May I ask why?”

“Because I’m not suited for such a position.”

Hearing his firm answer, Raion thought quietly for a moment before speaking again.

“How about we make a wager, then? You and I shall spar. If I manage to land even a single hit, you’ll accept. What do you say?”

Raion was only twelve years old.

Even if he was taller than most his age, there was no way he could compare to a full-grown knight like Jade.

“Your joke goes a bit far, Your Highness.”

“I’m serious,” Raion replied. “If I fail even once, I’ll report to His Majesty myself to make sure you’re not held accountable.”

If that was the case, Jade had nothing to lose.

He could simply continue his routine as a member of the Wind Wolves as though nothing had happened.

“Are you trying to bait me into agreeing,” Jade asked with a smirk, “just so you can later accuse me of disrespecting a prince after I refuse?”

His true nature finally showed—his tone casual and irreverent even before royalty.

“Do I seem that petty to you?” Raion said. “What do you think, Patrick?”

Patrick, standing a little behind, actually took a moment to think.

“Well, perhaps not before, but lately… yes, a little.”

“You’re serious?” Raion asked, exasperated.

“When have I ever not been serious, Your Highness?”

“…Haa. Never mind.” Raion sighed. “So, Sir Jade, have you decided?”

“I’ll do it. I’d like to see what gives you this much confidence.”

“Good. Come on, then. If you’d like to use a weapon, there’s a wooden sword over there—feel free to take it.”

Raion said this and walked calmly to the center of the training yard.

“I can’t use a wooden sword against bare hands. Besides, you’ll just be dodging anyway.”

“As you wish.”

Jade stepped into the yard and faced Raion. A faint tension filled the space between them.

But in Jade’s eyes, Raion was still just a twelve-year-old boy—prince or not.

After waiting a moment, Jade smirked and asked, “Aren’t you going to start?”

Raion’s expression grew even calmer as he replied, “Is there such a thing as a start in a duel? The moment we face each other—that’s when it begins.”

“…What?”

In that instant, Raion kicked the underside of a small stone at his feet.

The pebble popped up and shot straight toward Jade’s face.

“Whoa!”

Startled, Jade twisted his body to the right to dodge.

At that exact moment, Raion lunged forward, reaching to grab Jade’s right arm.

Swish—! Slice—!

But Jade noticed the move and swiftly pulled his arm back, retreating a few steps.

That was when Raion charged again—this time straight at him, as though he had been waiting for that reaction.

Tat-tat-tat-tat!

Jade tried to sidestep once more to avoid him.

But Raion abruptly stopped mid-dash and seized his left arm.

Thwack—!

Jade tried to yank his arm free.

Just then, Raion spun around, crouching low while still holding onto Jade’s arm.

Hoooh!

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