'This must be a joke.'
"I apologize, Your Highness. My son insisted on coming today because he said you invited him over. You two met at the tea party the second princess held last week, he said."
He blinked repeatedly to confirm what he saw. He recognized the pink hair of a certain kid. It was just one week after the tea party, and he saw this same pink-haired kid again.
He looked at Riri, who was waiting outside the training ground. Riri just smiled.
'She knew about this and didn't tell me!'
He looked at Rezal, who was smiling. Oh ho, he could see a tiny bit of mischievousness behind the smile. He scoffed internally.
He looked up again at his sword instructor. These father-son duo did not look alike because his instructor had brown hair; maybe Rezal just got the gene from his mother.
"Yes, I did, but I didn't know he would come this soon."
He smiled back at Rezal with twitching eyes.
'Brat, what exactly do you tell your father?'
Most importantly, his sword instructor, Raihan, is Rezal's father. He should be aware of it because of their last name, isn't he? Damn it, now he is the one who needs to have some common knowledge about every noble in this empire. He is still learning and can't remember all the names yet.
He also just called Raihan by his first name because he forgot his instructor's family name. No, it is not his fault that he can't remember all the names of the people he met.
Moreover, he is someone who always finds it hard to remember someone's name and face if they have just met once. But he remembered Rezal just because this kid was around his age and had a big impact on him. Yes, the impact of falling from a tree.
"How are you?"
He turned toward Rezal with a friendly smile.
"Great! It's nice to meet you again, Your Highness. I hope I am not bothering you for coming today."
'Oh no, you are bothering my mind right now.'
"Not at all. But I need to start practising with Sir Raihan and can't accompany you for a while. I hope you understand, Young Master Rezal."
Rezal shook his head from left to right.
"It's fine. I'll wait, or if you want, we could practice together."
No.
"Thank you for the offer. Maybe next time."
"Great! I'll wait there with Riri then."
Rezal ran towards Riri. Before the kid got too far, he called for Rezal.
"Young Master Rezal!"
Rezal turned back to look at him.
"Don't climb up a tree and break any branches today, okay?"
He shouted. He could see Rezal becoming stiff and glancing at Sir Raihan.
"Of course not! Don't worry!"
Rezal began running away when he saw the menacing look given by his father.
He and Sir Raihan faced each other with a wooden sword in hand.
"Rezal climbed a tree and broke a branch, Your Highness?"
He smiled and nodded his head. Acting friendly, with the tone indicating that all he said was just a normal thing.
"That's just how we first met. You don't need to worry, Sir Raihan. I am still fine even after he fell on top of me."
Sir Raihan was completely speechless and looked at him with wide eyes.
'Take that! We won't be seeing each other again, Pinky Brat! Goodbye!'
"Let's start our practice, Sir."
"Yes, Your Highness."
They began their practice. Rezal was sweating beside Riri while thinking about his fate when he got home later with his father. He will be scolded. He didn't know that this crown prince would tell that to his father. He miscalculated!
'He looked nice, but he is more devilish than I thought. This brat, the crown prince.'
×××××
"So, anything to tell me, Young Master Rezal?"
"Hm? Nothing at all. Why did you ask that, Your Highness?"
He leaned his head against his palm. He looked at Rezal in front of him, unamused.
"Rezal Nuribenstin. Sure, keep up your facade."
Rezal put the cup of tea back on the plate elegantly.
"That's not nice, Your Highness Michaelis Kristafall. Aren't we the same?"
Every week, Rezal would come with Sir Raihan to their training session. For the past month, Rezal has just been watching from afar. By the fifth week, he invited Rezal to practice with him because he didn't want to be observed like a hawk. Riri is enough as an observer.
Rezal was enthusiastic when he was invited. Since then, they have been training partners. Rezal has been coming every week, but now he comes every weekend or sometimes on weekdays. Rezal's visit was an unexpected occurrence.
But this is the first time they have sat together and had a talk. They never have a conversation when practising the sword together. When the training is over, he will always rush back towards his room, not giving any opening for Rezal to start any conversation with him.
Today is slightly different. Rezal came, accompanied by his sister, Raisa, to meet Nasharis. It looks like Nasharis has also made a pretty good number of friends. He knew that Nasharis was now actively exchanging letters with her new friends.
At this moment, Nasharis and her friends are having a second tea party.
He picked up his cup of milk and took a sip.
"Are you that bored?"
Rezal raised his eyebrow slightly.
"You are bored until you are playing a facade like a clueless child who doesn't know anything."
"There's no harm in that. Besides, you already knew from the beginning."
"You hurt me the first time we met, though."
Rezal coughed.
"That was unintentional. Please stop mentioning it again. I have been scolded by my dad already."
He is. His dad increased his training when they got home. He was trained to have more discipline and some manners by his mom. His body felt like jelly after the training, and his ears were already burning from the lectures. They are cruel; Raisa just laughed at him when she heard the story.
He just wanted to climb a tree because he was bored that day. When he saw there was someone—a crown prince at that—approaching the tree, he wanted to ignore him. But this crown prince talked to him first. He is shocked because he thought no one would notice him on the tree. That is why he did not respond the first time Michaelis asked him. Suddenly, like what happened, the branch he sat on broke and he fell.
He swears that all of that was unintentional. But just in that split moment, he has an idea to put on an act just to gauge a reaction from Michaelis. He just wanted to know what kind of person this crown prince was because he just heard the story from his dad about how smart and good a kid the crown prince was.
No harm was done except the first time they met; he had already apologized many times. But every time he wanted to talk with Michaelis, Michaelis avoided him. He knew Michaelis was not fond of him. He bets that Michaelis thinks ignoring him would make him stay away.
Michaelis is so wrong. Michaelis looks like a brat who acts mature, but he is older and has more knowledge about this world than Michaelis. He heard that the crown prince never went out of the palace; that just shows how little knowledge Michaelis has of the outside world! He bet!
He is being honest when he says he wants to befriend Michaelis because he finds him fun to hang out with. Not like the other kids who always brag about their status, whatever that is. Boring!
Michaelis is different. Just like him. That's why he just let Michaelis open up to him by himself. And look now, they are sitting and talking together. It was an achievement!
"So, what do you want?"
"I just want to be your friend. Stop antagonizing me with those eyes!"
Rezal huffed when Michaelis gave him the same unamused look.
"Is that a joke again?"
"I am never joking about wanting to be your friend, Micha."
He leaned back in his chair. Should he believe this kid? This kid could just be wanting to let his guard down. But what did even this kid want to do with him? He is not even that worthy; oh yes, he is a crown prince.
He should always be careful with his own words. Look now; he was given a brat who wanted to cling to his side. Riri was enough already. He doesn't need anyone else in his life.
But he knew it was difficult to get rid of Rezal. So, let's do this.
"Then, let's have a spar."
Rezal looked at him, confused. He smirked.
"If you win, I'll be your friend."
Rezal's mouth began to open to say something, but he spoke faster than Rezal.
"But if I win, you'll need to obey everything I said."
"That's kind of not a fair deal."
"Hm? Well, then, you win and state down your request, but I win and I'll state down mine. Deal?"
"Your request won't be about getting rid of me, right?"
He shrugged. Rezal frowned.
"You'll know after I win."
"Fine! Deal! I'll make you my friend, Micha! And to call me big brother!"
"You still hung up on that title?"
"What? You'll be a cute little brother."
Rezal grinned. Michaelis cringed—nope, never.
"Riri, prepare two training attires. We'll meet at the training ground, and Sir Raihan will be the judge."
"That.. that—!"
He smirked. Well, well, looked at that face.
"May luck be by your side, Rezal Nuribenstin."
Rezal narrowed his eyes, and then he grinned.
"Be ready to be my little brother, Michaelis Kristafall."