Grouuu!
Ergio was startled by the loud growl from his stomach. His face turned red with embarrassment in front of the prince.
But Eugene simply sat with a small smile, "Servant, bring the breakfast immediately," he ordered, glancing at Ergio, who was still feeling shy.
"Yes, Your Highness," the servant, who had been standing by Eugene's side, immediately bowed and left the room swiftly.
Ergio sighed in relief, but his embarrassment had not completely faded. He hadn't eaten anything since yesterday, and last night he had fallen asleep right away.
However, he never imagined he would experience such humiliation, especially in front of the fifth prince.
Eugene turned, looked at Ergio for a moment, and said, "We should rest for a while. Follow me."
Eugene's voice was gentle but carried authority, making Ergio follow without questioning anything.
Eugene began walking out of the room, with Ergio following silently, secretly grateful for the prince's kindness.
They walked through the palace corridor until they reached a garden filled with blooming roses, creating a landscape that looked like a living painting.
It was known that this garden had been specifically made by the empress for Eugene, and after visiting it once, he often came here when he felt stressed.
Ergio stepped in beside him and was immediately enchanted by the beauty of the garden. His eyes lit up as he gazed at the flowers that looked like living jewels.
Without realizing, there was a large stone in front of him.
Thud!
Ergio fell, his knee hitting the ground hard, making a sound loud enough for Eugene to quickly turn and look.
"What's wrong with you?"
Ergio immediately knelt, his expression full of regret. "I apologize, Your Highness. I... I didn't mean to... damage your garden."
Eugene let out a heavy sigh and simply turned away, walking off, leaving Ergio behind.
"Seriously, this kid is such a freak," Eugene thought to himself, shaking his head in disbelief.
He quickly made his way to a seat, sitting gracefully, then glanced at Ergio, who awkwardly followed and looked embarrassed with a bruise on his cheek.
"Don't you want to eat?" Eugene asked, raising an eyebrow in a laid-back tone, though his fierce expression made Ergio feel pressured.
Ergio only lowered his head, remaining silent as if frozen. Eugene sighed, his lips pouting in frustration. "Sit down."
Ergio remained motionless, seemingly too afraid to move. Eugene sighed deeply.
"Seriously, this guy won't even sit down when I ask. If he suddenly gets sick and can't work, it's gonna be a problem for me too," Eugene thought while leaning back in his chair.
"Sit, or I'll have your head chopped off!" he said, imitating the royal tone he'd heard in dramas.
Startled, Ergio immediately sat down at the chair in front of him, looking pale, as though he truly believed Eugene's threat.
In his mind, Eugene suppressed a small laugh, nodding in satisfaction, slightly amused by Ergio's reaction, like a little kitten.
Soon after, the servant returned with the meal, placing beautiful plates engraved with flowers.
The meal before him was filled with a bland aroma, a dish in stark contrast to the staple foods of the region, which usually favored sweeter flavors.
When he first arrived here, Eugene had eagerly stared at the food, but after taking a bite of the cake, he felt like his taste buds were about to go numb from the overpowering sweetness.
Eugene was sure that if he ate the staple foods of the empire for a month straight, he'd probably develop diabetes as a gift.
Since that day, he had ordered his servants to serve more neutral-flavored dishes. Though they were somewhat bland, they were at least not overwhelmingly sweet.
However, he still longed for the spicy flavors of his homeland, the chili and salt he used to enjoy. Now, those ingredients were nearly impossible to find in the empire.
As Eugene pondered, Ergio beside him began scooping his food with bright eyes, eager to taste.
But as soon as the first bite touched his tongue, his expression immediately changed. The bland taste overwhelmed him, causing him to furrow his brow.
In his heart, Ergio couldn't help but feel sympathy for Eugene. Does the prince have to endure this bland taste every day? he thought.
There were no servants around the prince, just a concubine, and he had to eat such bland food, not to mention the rumors that the prince was cruel and liked to punish people without reason.
Those rumors were probably spread to tarnish the prince's reputation.
Eugene continued pressing his food on the plate, unaware of the sympathy on Ergio's face.
"What do you think about that region?" Eugene's voice broke the silence, asking to assure himself that Ergio could handle the task.
"Leruche is a barren land where nothing can grow, so most of its inhabitants live in poverty, and the crime rate is among the highest in the empire," Ergio answered confidently.
Eugene nodded slowly, holding back his frustration. Unfortunately, that troubled region had been assigned to him as punishment for breaking the rules.
But luckily, the empress—or the mother of the body he inhabited—helped him by giving him a large sum of gold coins as aid.
Still, he was frustrated and could only complain in his mind.
"Seriously, I'm in biology, but not in botany. I don't understand governance. What am I supposed to do with that land?" he thought, grimacing.
Eugene looked at Ergio, hoping to find some solution. "Ergio, do you have any ideas?" he asked, hopeful.
Come on, you're smart.
Ergio hesitated for a moment before answering, "According to reports, the people of Leruche resort to crime out of necessity. First, we need to improve the living standards of the people, but the condition of the land doesn't allow it."
Eugene nodded, tapping his finger on the table, as if pondering an idea.
Drought?
"Isn't there any magic that could fix this?" he asked again.
But Ergio remained silent, lowering his head. Seeing him silent, Eugene understood that it probably wasn't possible.
"After this, follow me to the palace library," Eugene said.
Eugene was actually very curious about the world of magic. As a prince, he could use basic magic, just like other princes.
If someone could use high-level magic, they would be granted the title of sorcerer.
"May I come?" Ergio asked, his voice sounding uncertain, as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.
"Of course," Eugene replied with a smile, "How could someone working on the report not come?" he thought in his mind.
After finishing the meal quickly, they got up and were guided by the servant.
As they walked along the corridor, they passed many servants who politely stopped to bow.
Some of them greeted casually, while others looked surprised to see the fifth prince with his concubine.
"Poor Sir Ergio, just one night here, and look at what happened to his cheek," whispered one servant to his companion with a sympathetic tone.
"That must hurt. The prince's fight in bed must have been intense," another servant added, his voice low but clear enough to be heard.
Eugene, lost in thought about what to do with his region, didn't notice the whispers.
But beside him, without Eugene realizing, Ergio's cheek turned red. He tried to hide his embarrassment by lowering his head even further.
o0o