Cannon fodder is too lazy to act

3

Kai glanced at himself in the mirror. The smiling appearance of his mother behind him.

"Smile, Kai. Or else you won't make any friend, you know what that means, don't you?" She flicked the blue gem on his bowtie.

In the mirror, the corners of Kai's lips reluctantly turned up. His face looked strained. Mother Nanaia sighed, gripping the shoulders of her son.

"That's good enough." She turned him around. "Remember, make an effort to meet new people, okay? This banquet is for everyone so you can meet all kinds of interesting people, Kai."

"Yes, mom." He responded dully, rubbing the blue gem which his mother had just flicked. "I'll meet someone new today."

Because the future kingdom's greatest general will be there, and the script says I have a scene there with him.

Kai thought silently in his head.

"Not just meet, Kai. Make. A. Friend."

"Yes, mom. I'll make a new friend."

Nanaia clapped her hands, "Good! Then we're all ready to go!" She got up, revealing her extravagant yet subtle dress decoded with small black crystals. The top hugged her chest, but her cleavage was hidden under delicate vest; the dress flowed how her hips naturally like a waterfall, so she looked modest but held an elegance that was undeniable

Kai glanced at the pendant around her neck. Without thinking, he muttered softly. "Mom, brother left us. Just like dad."

Nanaia turned cold, her chest feeling more constricted than usual as she looked down at her son. With a gentle smile, she rubbed the top of his hair, "Silly, they didn't leave us. They're just waiting for us somewhere far away."

Kai didn't respond but thought silently.

They're dead.

"Here we go, Kai. Careful on your way down, young man." Kai hopped off the carriage, waiting by the door to help his mother walk down the steps. "Thank you, Kai."

He nodded.

"Let the banquet start."

Kai followed after his mother like a lost dog, until she started to shoo him away again. Urging him to go and make a friend. Kai reluctantly complied.

He walked away, searching for a certain figure in the crowd, but after some time, he was still unsuccessful.

He went to a table with sweets and desserts. Grabbed a plate of cake and truffles and left to search again.

Kai thought to himself. The script says when I meet him, I have to make fun of his status and flaunt my wealth in his face.

So that means he's poor. He's probably not in the center of the party then, but out in the garden or something.

Kai's conjunction was correct. He stared at the child who was about the same height as him, sitting on a stane bench overlooking the small pond. His attire was considerably less fancy than any of the others he saw in the middle of the party, but it was still adequate for the banquet considering his status.

Kai walked up to him, the plate of cake and truffles still in hand, uneaten.

"You." Kai pointed at the clueless boy. "You look poor."

"Huh?" The boy looked confused, and there was slight annoyance in his eyes. He looked down at Kai with a glare, his red eyes gleaming under the full moon.

Kai looked at him without expression, tore the blue gem on his bowtie, and handed it to him. "Take this, so you're less poor."

He didn't take the gem, but continued to stare at Kai. With a slight hop, he jumped off the bench, revealing how much taller he was than Kai.

The boy stared at the blue gem in his palms; against his soft white palms, the gem looked like an ocean in his hand. Against better judgment, he took it. After he took it, Kai retracted his hand showing the plate of cake and truffles instead.

"You look skinny and weak, just like a poor person."

The boy stared at the plate of cake and truffles. He looked back at Kai's face.

The only skinny and weak looking one here is you.

He didn't take the plate but stuffed the gem into the pockets of his pants. He stared at Kai, and the previous annoyance dissapeared, with a slight smirk, he asked, "What's your name?"

"Ettiquette says you have to introduce yourself first before you ask someone else for their name." Kai answered perfunctory. The boy rolled his eyes.

"Okay. My name is Sigrun."

"Kai Idunn."

"Kai?" Sigrun repeated. "Is this your way of making friends or something?"

Kai shook his head. "No, I don't want a friend like you. You're poor."

Sigrun frowned. "Why did you approach me then?"

"Becasue you looked poor."

"Are you just gonna keep calling me poor?"

"Yes."

Thinking he had successfully done his performance, Kai left the confused Sigrun standing by the pond.

The cake and truffles were also left behind as Kai didn't have a taste for over sweetened snacks.

When it was past midnight, Kai left the banquet feeling victorious. Mother Nanaia saw the rare optimism and thought he had actually done what she asked him to do. Seeing her son so happy, she also left the banquet happily.