'Thoughts'
It has been a few months since the wedding, and everything has been quite peaceful.
'This is what slacking feels like' Kim thought as he was laying down in the soft grass, enjoying the breeze with two of his family beside him.
Cale and Basen
They were both reading a story book.
"Hm? Cale-hyung, what does sca... scaeer ... scamerer mean?"
He could hear the fond chuckle of his brother, "It's slacker Basen, not scammer."
'... Why does it feet like it was directed at him...'
He quickly ignored this thoughts and went back to his nap.
'Yes, he likes this normal peace'
"Young masters"
He bolted up in a sitting position, holding his beating heart and couldn't stop the curse from slipping into his lips, "SHIT!"
"Kim, language!" He turned and apologized to his brother, who was fast enough to cover Basen's ears, who looked at them in confusion.
Before that, he turned to the vicious butler, who clearly looked amused.
'Fucking... haa...' He felt his brother patting his hair in a way to calm him down, which helped a bit.
"Ron, please refrain from doing that. You know that Kim has quite a weak heart," his brother said, looking at Ron with reprimand and slight amusement.
'Cale... I admire you for your bravery to reprimand a professional assassin, but please don't do that again. You might get killed, " he silently thought, looking at his brother with worry.
Who only looked back at him in confusion and amusement.
"My apology, young master. "
"Apology my ass. You don't look sorry at all! This vicious butler haa...' Kim felt like he had just lost 10 years of his life with just the mere presence of the benignly smiling butler.
"The Count asked me to call you three as lunch has been served and it seems that he has something to tell you both."
"Oh, thank you Ron. Shall we go?" His brother looked at him and Basen with a soft expression.
"YES! I'm starving, " Basen quickly stood up, but not before getting the book that he and Cale had just reading.
He just nodded before allowing Basen to drag him and Cale back to their house while Ron followed closely behind.
As they approach the house, he can somewhat feel his slacker life waving goodbye to him.
'... It must be my imagination'
________________________________________
"Hm?" Kim looked at his father as he heard the most dreaded news ever.
The news was that...
They were invited to attend a party and leave the good slacker life they were having in their mansion.
"It's the third prince's own ball that he has recently been planning and it seems that you are both invited to attend it." He could see his father frowning as he looked at the letter of invitation, clearly hesitant.
'That's right, father, don't accept it.' He was silently praying that Deruth would refuse the invitation.
"We would like to go."
"PFFT-" he spit out his tea, staring at Cale as if he has gone insane.
"Oh, young master, please drink more carefully." He shivered as Ron approached him with his benignly smile.
'Fuck, wait, Kim, calm down... you might have heard something wrong.'
"You both don't have to go Cale. It's a pointless and a waste of time party, and you both aren't obligated to attend. The travel to the capital is also tiring. It's fine to deny them, even though it's about the royal family," Violan stated as she gently caressed a sleeping Lily.
"Hm... As much as I agree with you, mother... isn't it dangerous to talk about the royal family like that? '
"Please, let us attend this party."
He looked at his brother and was about to try and convince him not to because he knew that Cale would always agree with him. Like Kim, he also noticed that his brother could be a bit overprotective with him too.
However, when he saw the determined expression of his brother, he just knew that he had lost the battle.
"Father... please let us go," he said, with a stoic gaze.
"... Fine... get ready, you both will be going in three days. "
"Yes, father," they agreed in unison.
Kim saw in the corner of his eye how his hyung sagged in relief. He tapped his brother in the arm under the table, and when he met his eyes, Cale nodded.
It was times like this that Kim was glad that they could easily understand each other despite not saying anything only using a look or gesture.
________________________________________
Cale had a lot of plans he wanted to execute for defeating the white radish. For this reason, they both needed backing from someone higher, and that someone was the Crown Prince. Granted, he might be the least favored prince now, but in the future... He will be a strong ally.
That's why he was thinking of ways to gain the Crown Prince as an ally.
Him offering the Henituse as his support for the thrown is out of the question. He doesn't want to burden his family now... or ever for that matter.
There is one way to convince him... and that would be
Blackmail
Back in his world, he still remembers the Crown Prince's execution and the most ridiculous reason for that too.
It was because he had the blood of a dark elf.
He hasn't really been sure when or how the Crown Prince's secret in his bloodline was revealed, but he just remembers the day it happened. He was there, after all, amongst the crowd.
________________________________________
"Here today we will execute my bro- no he should not even be considered my brother. We will now execute someone who dared to dirty the blood of the Crossman family! "
He looked at the third price with disgust as he observed his crazed and disheveled appearance.
He could hear the mutters and mumbles of confusion as to who they were talking about.
"Yes! It is ALBERU CROSSMAN! The supposedly crown prince!"
Everyone was shocked. Even Cale was, however, it was for a different reason because there in front of them was Alberu, who looked different. His golden silky hair was gone, replaced by a black-colored one, the same with his once blue ocean eyes. His own skin color was also darker in color.
But, what clearly got Cale's attention was Alberu's expession of defeat and acceptance.
"wha..."
"Is that really the crown prince?"
"No way..."
"YES! THIS IS THE CROWN PRINCE!"
The crowd could only look on in confusion and reluctance.
"AND TODAY HE WILL BE EXECUTED!" He saw the third prince pause, clearly waiting for others to cheer with him, but no one did. Everyone didn't know how to react.
Cale could understand. They were in the middle of a war, and they were also grieving for their dead family and friends. They don't have time for this execution...
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?! CAN'T YOU SEE HIS A TRAITOR!"
'What is this motherfucker saying?'
"HIS A FUCKING DARK ELF. Remember those dark manas that have been wreaking havoc and causing death and destruction? It's all his fault. He was the one behind it!!! "
'What the fuck?! There's no way they're going to believe...' He took a look around, but what he saw in their eyes...
'Shit, this is what he was aiming'
"HIS A TRAITOR!"
Silence and then...
"Ex...execu"
'No...'
"EXECUTE HIM!"
"YES! EXECUTE HIM! "
"KILL THAT TRAITOR!!!"
"EXECUTE"
"EXECUTE"
"EXECUTE"
That was all he could hear around him, and when he looked at the third prince, he could see the satisfied expression on his face.
'He used the people's own rage and grief over what had occurred to blame it on an innocent person! This FUCKER!'
He tried to get to the front, shouted and screamed for others to stop and think.
But no one would listen to him. They were all too far gone to want to find someone to blame for what was happening to them. They were looking for someone to blame for the deaths that were happening around them.
And they were blaming it to that person who tried so hard to give everyone food, shelter, protection, but most of all..
HOPE
Their own king, who could have just abandoned them and run away, but instead he stayed and did his very best to save everyone. To try and persuade the heroes to help him protect them.
Who was INNOCENT
"NO!"
"HIS OUR KING HE WAS-"
"SHUT IT!"
He felt himself being pushed and colliding with the floor. He looked up and his eyes met black eyes that looked back at him, and the last thing he saw in the expression of the Crown Prince as the axe was slowly descended to his neck was gratitude for at least trying.
Before blood obscured his vision.
________________________________________
"Hyung"
He was brought back to reality as he felt himself being shaken and looked at his brother, who was in front of him.
"Are you alright? "
"Hm? A-ah yes, I just zoned out for a bit. "
He could see the look of doubt in Kim's eyes but was grateful when he didn't ask further.
"Oh yeah, Hyung, why did you want to attend the ball that the third price prepared? I thought you hated those?"
"Oh.. uhm"
'Should I ... tell him' He was debating if it was worth it to share what he was thinking with Kim when...
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to"
He looked at his brother, who seemed to be staring at him blankly, and Cale felt like he didn't deserve to have such a wonderful brother like Kim.
"No.. I'll tell you... Kim.. "
"Hm?"
"I wanted to attend the ball because I wanted to meet the first prince."
He could see Kim looking at him with confusion. " Why is that?" he asked.
"I want to negotiate with him... to make him an... ally. "
"..."
"I know it's out of nowhere, but-"
"I'll help you."
'Huh? Did he just...'
He looked at his brother in shock. "What?"
"I'll help you by making the first prince an ally."
"But... but you don't even know why-"
"I don't have to. I trust you, and I'll wait for you to be ready to tell me what you want to tell me."
He felt as tears started to gather in his eyes. Because when was the last time he felt like someone was truly there to support him, no questions asked.
"Kim... I... Thank you. "
"..." His brother didn't say anything, but the simple, soft look he gave Cale comforted him.
And when he cuddled close to his brother that night for comfort, no one had to know.
(HIII! Hehe, I finally had time to update this. Sorry if it's a bit scattered. I'm trying to get a use on how to write stories and not essays, which is kind of hard because I got so used to writing essays because... you know, school work. Also, sorry if this chapter is a bit too short. I'll try to make the next one longer. But, yay, meeting Alberu soon, but first... a little Detore hehe.
Oh yeah... I know that Alberu's name has been changed in the translation? as well as Roan Kingdom but I will be sticking with the old names so... just to let you guys know.
Anyway, thank you for reading and voting, and CIAO~)