624 – The Bowl That Leaked Outside – 3

The day after the Holy Church’s pilgrimage arrived in Ladus.

“This reminds me of the club.”

Tanian requested a face-to-face meeting, so a mini tea party was held just for the two of us.

Originally, we had planned to have a meal together rather than a tea party, but Tanian, who enjoyed sightseeing in Ladus, brought cookies to remind us of the old days. How could I refuse when a close friend asks me to recreate memories from my school days?

“Back then, every day was fun. Sometimes I would snoop around the kitchen because I remembered baking cookies.”

Coincidentally, I also missed my academy days and the memories I had at the club. It was only about a year ago, but it was a time I missed and enjoyed so much.

“Actually, I have baked a few times. I am often able to enter the kitchen in the name of serving believers.”

“Huh, I’m a little envious of that. The cooks freak out when I even go near the kitchen.”

I gently shook my head at Tanian’s words.

Thanks to being a member of the confectionery club for three years, my confectionery skills are above average. However, thanks to his status as a prince, it is nearly impossible to enter the kitchen, let alone bake, in this royal palace.

On the other hand, unlike me, Tanian was still able to show off his pastry skills. Although he is a noble and noble saint, he is a priest who values service and dedication in proportion to his nobility.

‘I’m jealous.’

I’m not jealous of being able to make infectionery. I envy the fact that I can do whatever I want.

When I think about it, the three years at the academy were the times when I was the most free as a member of the royal family. It’s a pity why the academy training period lasts only three years. How good would it have been for just 6 years?

‘Then the advisor kicked you out?’

I burst into laughter at an inadvertent thought.

Yes, most likely it was. It was a miracle that a person as good as an advisor was tied to the academy for three years, but the academy manages external personnel for six years? This is a situation that neither the empire nor the advisor can tolerate. They would have had us leave the country somehow before then, or at least someone else than the advisor would have come.

However, if a bureaucrat other than the advisor had come… I don’t think he would have managed us properly. No matter how much you think about it, there is no one like Mr. Torture.

“So, how is your advisor doing?”

While thinking of his advisor, he checked on his well-being, and Tanian put down his teacup with a smile.

“There was nothing better.”

It was a short and concise answer, but I am satisfied. It was an answer more trustworthy than any rhetoric.

“Brother Advisor’s children are growing healthily, and his younger sister is also cute.”

“Oh, that’s right. I told the advisor that I had another younger brother.”

When I first heard the news, I was so embarrassed and yet laughed. Who would have known that Mr. Advisor and Erich would have a younger sibling?

And the younger brother than the advisor’s child.

‘It’s a family full of love.’

Of course, it will be less than our royal family.

“Brothers Ainter and Erich are doing well too. I heard they are planning to get married sometime next year, but I am wondering what gift to send them.”

“Everyone starts a family as soon as they graduate. If this continues, I will end up alone.”

With those words, I took a quick look at Tanian’s complexion

Here, if Tanian does not deny it, it becomes clear that Tanian has a mate. The problem with Tanian was that she was overly honest over the past three years, and she never told a lie.

“I haven’t yet been able to check Brother Laterer’s current status, so I don’t know whether Brother Lutis is alone or not.”

And I smiled bitterly at Tanian’s answer

The highly probable hypothesis was confirmed to be true. I don’t know what has happened over the past year, but I am certain that Tanian has found his partner.

‘If this is the case, there is a problem with me.’

Eventually, a slight sense of crisis came.

It is understandable that he is inferior to Ainter and Erich. Since Ainter was the emperor’s only younger brother, he was a card that could be used in political strategy at any time, and Erich had Serra and Count Horfeld. It’s natural for you to get married sooner than me.

However, being pushed out by her priest Tanian, is also a serious problem. The Church of Dawn does not forbid priests from marrying, but isn’t it a serious problem for the next saint to find a lover before the royal family, the center of society? According to common sense, it is right for me, as a member of the royal family, to get married or find a partner first, rather than for the next saint who is devoted to faith.

‘…It doesn’t matter if I live unmarried.’

Actually, I have no particular regrets about marriage. The only time I experienced love in my life was for about half a year when I fell in love with Louise. Except for that half a year, I have never loved or had a crush on anyone.

But unlike me, who has no regrets, my mother is full of regrets.

“I heard that your close friend, Emperor Ainter, has a fiancée. There are two Barons, Baron Hardiner, who are Count Tyglehen’s younger brothers. You must have spent the same school life as me, so why haven’t I heard from you?”

My mother is anxiously waiting to find out when I will get married. The eldest brother, who is the crown prince, can’t help it, but if possible, the mother hopes that her children will get married through love, not politics.

I can’t be sure how my mother would change if she found out that I was the only one among her friends in school who was single. She still exists somewhere between anger and reason. Of course, as a son, she would feel a sense of crisis.

“Brother.”

“Huh?”

While she was wondering how to prevent this terrible news from reaching her mother’s ears, Thanian spoke again.

“I said that fate is like the wind.”

She nodded her head calmly at those words. Tanian, who confirmed that I had no partner, said so.

“The wind is not something you see with your eyes or catch with your hands. It’s something you just feel with your body and mind.”

“Did you by any chance read a poetry book on the way here?”

Suddenly, they use too many literary expressions.

“Haha, this is what happens when you interpret the old Bible.”

Tanian burst out laughing at my joke,

“And I’m telling you this because I think if you listen to your heart just a little bit, you’ll feel the wind.”

He left meaningful words with a gentle yet serious face.

If you listen to your heart, you can feel the wind. You can’t see it with your eyes, but you can feel it with your body.

‘It’s difficult.’

Tanian is also a priest.

If you look at him saying such subtle and confusing words, he’s a typical priest during worship.

As soon as we finished the mini tea party, we headed straight to the training hall.

If I miss even one day of training, my body feels sore, but I also need to clear my head that has become complicated due to the topic that Tanian raised.

Wicked guy. I can’t believe I’m giving this hardship as a gift to a friend I haven’t seen in a long time.

‘It’s the wind…’

I continued swinging my sword like that and let out a small sigh.

He would have been willing to move forward if he had been presented with a clear path or could see the destination. No matter how painful the thorny path is, as long as I don’t give up and as long as I can see the destination, I will reach it someday.

However, as Tanian said, the advice he gave was neither visible nor tangible. You don’t know if it’s right in front of you or if it’s a distance you can reach by running until you die.

“Your Majesty.”

There is nothing more fearful than an uncertain battle. There is nothing more terrifying than an enemy whose number is unknown or an enemy camp whose location is unknown.

“Your Highness?”

Even more so if the enemy is internal rather than external─

“Your Highness.” Are you okay?”

“Ah.”

I came to my senses late and turned my head in the direction where I heard the voice.

It was Lord Perosa.

‘Oh my.’

I was embarrassed. You can’t believe you’re thinking about something other than the sword when you’re holding it. If this place had been a battlefield instead of a training ground, if I had been an assassin instead of Lord Perosa, I would have died dozens of times.

“I’m sorry, sir. I was just thinking about the gift I received from a friend for a moment. It was so impressive.”

I laughed exaggeratedly to hide my embarrassment. I can’t show my mental instability in front of my sparring partner.

“If you are a close friend… Are you talking about the next saint?”

“Is there anyone in this Armain other than Tanian who can be considered my close friend?”

I instinctively tried to nod my head and then looked at Sir Perosa’s face

What is a close friend? If you enjoy the same pleasures, live in close proximity to each other, and meet often, you are friends. Age and status are not important in that relationship.

Then, wouldn’t Lord Perosa also be a close friend of mine? They stayed together for two and a half years while he was still at the academy, and they have been sparring almost every day since graduation. Since we share the same joy as knights, it is not enough to call them close friends.

“And I tell you this because I think if you listen to your heart just a little, you will feel the wind.”

‘Hmm.’

Suddenly, Tanian’s advice came to mind.

Of course, Tanian’s advice was probably meant that I would be able to find a partner someday, but there is no law that a partner is necessarily a relationship between lovers. As a knight, it is also important to find a good partner.

Maybe that’s why it wasn’t an exaggerated laugh, but a sincere laugh.

“Lord Perosa.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I’m glad that Kyung is by my side.”

“Wow, it’s an honor!”

He patted Sir Perosa on the shoulder and expressed his small gratitude.

I lost a close friend and a great sparring partner because I graduated from the academy.

It was none other than Sir Perosa who saved me from losing my joy and falling into depression. I began to reflect on whether I had taken this for granted until now.

‘If you listen to your heart, you can feel the wind.’

I now understand words that I couldn’t understand just a few minutes ago.

***

This weekend, while walking around the castle with Teresa in my arms, I ran into Erich. It seems like he also makes time to visit the castle every weekend.

“That’s right, bro.”

“Uh, why?”

“I heard that Lyutis might also get engaged or married?”

And at the words of Erich, who was walking next to me, my body suddenly stopped.

“Woo-woo-!”

Teresa got angry because the attraction stopped working on its own, but she couldn’t move her body due to the unexpected shock.

“Where did you hear that?”

“To Thanian. He went to Armain this time.”

My head started pounding when I heard that the source of the information was the next saint. Even though he may say strange things, he is not a liar.

…

Wait a minute.

“I heard it from Tanian?”

“Uh, we exchanged communication numbers last time. It’s hard to see each other in person, but it’s possible to contact them.”

I understood it because it was obvious. It’s not unusual for guys who were clearly friends to exchange numbers. Why didn’t I know that obvious thing until now…

‘There was a direct line to the next saint right next to it.’

I realized once again that my younger brother is more precious than I thought.