"You should've seen him. When he threw down his glove, he looked like archduke Norama back when he was my father's knight. The nobles' faces at that time were hilarious!"
The more he spoke, the more excited Dominic became, his face flushing. Meanwhile, Cedric's embarrassment was turning his face into a tomato.
Crack.
Ciel cracked another sunflower seed.
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
At this time, he seemed to realize that he had gone overboard.
"Ahem, apologies. I lost my composure for a moment."
Ciel laughed.
"There's no need for that in front of friends. Have you ever seen us using proper etiquette?"
Dominic sighed.
"You two have no need for etiquette unless you guys want to interact with the upper class. Though…"
He glanced at Ciel's perpetually smiling face.
"With a little bit of training, I think you'll fit in like a fish in water."
"Hm? What about my brother?"
Dominic examined Erin's perpetually blank face.
"His looks are above average, but his expression would probably offend half the nobles in my kingdom."
Erin helplessly rubbed his face.
"Natural eves, especially reptilian and avian ones, have a hard time forming expressions when we're newly formed. I've spent too long as a winged snake without facial muscles. I need more time to get used to the human body."
Ciel nodded. In the past, Erin was just as calm as he was now, but he loved to smile quietly. His current expression was also one of the reasons Ciel hadn't realized his brother had come to this world with him.
He poked him.
"You really need to adapt quicker. Look at me? Aren't I like a native here now?"
Erin lightly glanced at Ciel's blindfold.
"You adapted too quickly."
"Anyway! Look at what I got while I was away! Isn't she fluffy?"
Changing the topic, Ciel quickly shook the rabbit doll out of his space ring.
Dominic looked at the doll. Its fur was light beige, with gem-like amber eyes. The only thing was, it was half of Ciel's size, and when Ciel hugged it, he looked like a sickly young noble girl.
Of course, Cedric didn't bother to think about trivial details like that, his eyes had sparkled the moment the doll was taken out.
"It's adorable! Can I touch it?"
"Of course."
Dominic failed to grab his childhood friend.
"Cedric, don't you think our roles have reversed here?"
Cedric patted his hand placatingly before going forward happily.
"Don't discriminate. If you can be crown prince, I can like dolls."
Woken up by the voices, Theresa floated listlessly out of the doll.
Dominic's voice stuck in his throat, his eyes flashing a gold color.
Theresa noticed something wrong.
/You./
She floated around.
Dominic's eyes followed her, the different angles changing his eye colors like a kaleidoscope.
Theresa squealed in excitement.
/Ah! Cici, Erin, you didn't tell me your friend had good eyes!/
Dominic's iridescent eyes turned to the pair.
"You guys know this spirit?"
Both boys froze.
Theresa rushed to patch up her mistake.
/Of course they know me! They were the first ones who picked me up from the ruins!/
Ciel unfroze first.
"Hahaha, yeah. I was surprised when I heard a voice in my head! It took me some time to get used to her, but we're good friends now. Ahahaha."
Erin quietly nodded along.
Dominic looked at Theresa with interest.
"To be able to talk to two people anytime and maintain a complete form, you must be quite powerful. Want to sign a contract with me?"
/Nope, I'm due to live in a few years. But I might consider it if you give me one of your eyes. How are they changing colors like that? So pretty~/
Hearing her tone, Ciel knew that her bad habit had kicked in again.
"Theresa. What kind of devil's contract are you trying to make?"
Hearing Erin's soft but stern voice, Theresa retracted her offer regretfully.
/It was a joke!/
Dominic also quietly breathed a sigh of regret, which was heard by Ciel.
'Does he need power that much?'
His hand moved to pat the doll, when out of the corner of his mana senses, he saw the bandages wrapped around Cedric's right arm.
His brain jolted, a memory flashing to the surface of his mind.
{ "Loyal to his word, fearless to challenges, and way too kind to his enemies. A sheltered knight who had yet to taste the cruelty of the world. Faithful to his word, he attended the duel even when his dominant arm was injured. He would never have thought, that even with this kind of handicap, the former archduchess would have demanded more, turning that joke of a duel even more ridiculous than it already was."
The kind saintess looked at the young king in surprise.
As always, the beautiful face carried a sly smile, but those iridescent eyes were glistening with tears.
"He was a knight too good for me. So, Delmira decided to take him away." }
Ciel raised his head.
'I remember now, how Cedric died in the novel.'
"Your highness the crown prince. What's the situation now?"
Dominic was startled.
'This guy, he looks the same, but why am I getting a weird feeling from his smile?'
"The nobles still care about their reputation, but they are also unwilling to wait until I grow older. So we compromised by setting strict conditions to the duel. Opponents must be the same age or younger than Cedric, and participating nobles, including those of direct descent, must swear fealty to the throne if their chosen challenger loses. If Cedric loses, the Norama family will step down and I will accept a regent until I come of age."
Ciel was speechless.
Was it because they were still children? The terms were pretty simple.
Noticing his gaze, Dominic smiled.
"Vows sworn by each side are sealed with a mana contract, and the royal family possesses an holy artifact that will affirm that each side fulfills their vow. Anyone dissatisfied with my current position can elect a challenger and the time frame is a month. I trust Cedric, and even if he loses, I can handle a regent."
Ciel nodded, pretending to agree. In the novel, Cedric had won the duel at the cost of his life, but the nobles had to back down. Maybe even Dominic hadn't expected the nobles to be that daring.
He was glad he didn't linger in the mountains. If he had done that, maybe he would have come back just in time to attend a funeral.
Cedric, clueless to Ciel's thoughts, beamed at Dominic's words.
Meanwhile, Erin watched as the hand Ciel used to pat Theresa slowed down.
"How many duels are left?"
Dominic extended a small finger.
"Fortunately, most families have descendents my brothers' ages, so Cedric has one last duel in a few days."
Perfect.
Ciel and Erin had come in at this exact time right before Cedric would face the final challenger.
Ciel smiled.
By this time, Dominic was well aware of Ciel's trouble seeking personality. He sighed.
"The duel is available to the public, you can ask your guardians to bring you two there. They'll know where to go."
Ciel brightened up.
"Thanks! Then we won't bother the two of you anymore! Cedric, make sure to take care of that arm of yours! Bye, we'll make sure to come cheer for you!"
"Ah wait, why not stay for a cup of tea?"
Dominic put his hand on Cedric's shoulder.
"Don't bother, they're already gone."
Even that spirit had been neatly dragged away.
Cedric ah'd.
"They come and go like the wind."
He then took a glance at Dominic's smiling face.
But that was fine, a fresh breeze was just what this stifling palace needed.