Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 220
“I’m going to run away from home,” the Ninth Prince Willie loudly announced.
Most people in the room ignored him—the Fourth Prince was busy scratching his head over his punishment for cheating on an exam yesterday, the Fifth Prince was sprawled on the couch, asleep, and the Eighth Prince and his followers were scheming something in the corner, paying no attention to their younger brother.
Only George, looking like a well-behaved doll, sat bewildered on the couch (squeezed into the corner by the Fifth Prince’s sprawling form). Willie scrutinized George.
“Though it’s not very useful, you’ll do,” Willie said. “Come with me to leave this boring, annoying palace and seek freedom.”
Five-year-old George didn’t really understand what running away meant. He thought Willie was taking him to play and happily climbed off the couch, feeling a bit bored himself.
Adults seemed to think kids naturally played together, but the princes in the capital rarely played with George. They thought he was delicate and prone to crying like a little girl, and the stern face of Duke Dwight when they fought with George was frightening.
So, George mostly played with the princesses. The girls found George different from their boisterous brothers—he was cute, obedient, and good at being affectionate, so they liked to take him along.
But with the court ball just two days away, the princesses were busier than ever. Various etiquette and dance lessons were overwhelming, and the main focus was on planning their ball outfits. George didn’t like the endless clothes fitting and measuring, so he preferred to stay with the princes this time.
Willie rarely took the initiative to play with him, so George was happy to take Willie’s hand and be led away.
It wasn’t until the two little guys left the room that the oldest, the Fourth Prince, lifted one eyelid.
“They’re running away from home. I’ll go bring them back…” he said loudly to himself and was about to stand up when a hand was placed on his shoulder.
His tutor said mercilessly, “You don’t need to worry.”
The Fourth Prince clicked his tongue and reluctantly continued scratching his head.
Willie and George, still at an age where their brains weren’t fully developed, genuinely felt their plan to escape the palace was flawless. Willie even took George back to his room to pack supplies.
“We need candies and drinks,” Willie said with experience. “Florin told me stories about the wildman Elliot. We need food and water.”
It started off well, but things went a bit awry. Willie, hands behind his back, wandered around the room, adding many of his favorite toys to his backpack.
This was mainly to prevent his annoying brothers from taking over his beloved possessions after he left.
George didn’t fully grasp the plan’s outline. Whatever Willie gave him, he took, though his backpack ended up being quite heavy.
All little boys liked playing with older boys, even if the “older boy” was only seven years old. George didn’t want to disappoint Willie and tried hard to carry the backpack, wobbling as he followed Willie “sneakily” into the garden.
The fresh thrill of adventure made George very excited, oblivious to the fact that Willie hadn’t secured his backpack properly. Colorful candies and other little items littered their path.
“Tell me,” Duke Dwight asked coolly after listening to the servant’s report. “What is your prince planning? Running away with George?”
“Boys,” the Emperor said nonchalantly. “They all like adventure. Willie is a brave child. Did I tell you the story about him poking a beehive in the countryside last time?”
Seeing the young Duke raise an eyebrow, he quickly added, “Reckless, but brave.”
Dwight: “If your garden has beehives—”
“Hahaha, how could it?”
The Duke’s lips pressed into a thin line.
George was afraid of the dark, water, and insects. A natural coward, he always avoided risks, but if he followed Willie, that foolhardy boy…
The Emperor saw his expression and laughed.
“Don’t worry. George will be fine with Willie.”
“You have many children,” Dwight pointed out bluntly. “Brandenburg only has one George.”
“How about I send two for you to take back? I also think there are too many children. The palace is always noisy.”
“If there’s nothing else, Your Majesty,” Dwight didn’t want to continue this idle chatter.
“Your knight watches over little George for you, doesn’t he? Playing occasionally won’t hurt. Speaking of which, in a few years, little George will need to find his own knight too.”
Dwight did remember something.
“I handled the beast tide in the northern mountains for you. Give me Noway and Gulliz,” he said.
These two were renowned royal potion masters. The Emperor asked curiously, “When did you start getting interested in mages?”
Because of the Brandenburg Knights, Lemena had almost the fewest mages in the Empire.
Dwight frowned.
“George,” he explained.
George was still young. The knights weren’t urgent, but the child needed mages more.
Because the future little Duke would get rashes in the heat, catch colds in the cold, have sore feet from too much walking, swollen fingers from too much writing, and even a sore throat from talking too much—he knew Charlie had once slandered him as the Princess and the Pea behind his back, but compared to George, that was minor.
He and Charlie were quite troubled by it.
Dwight did live in luxury, but that didn’t mean he was a frail noble. On the contrary, the physical and mental training he underwent from a young age was far harsher than most of his peers, which was why he hadn’t faltered when he left the comfort of Brandenburg, traveling across the continent with Charlie, braving the elements.
Little George was cute, but his physical condition was poor. Adequate magic and potions could improve his environment and make him healthier, though such measures were extremely luxurious.
Fortunately, his mother and uncle were wealthy enough. Ordinary families couldn’t afford to raise a child like him.
“I understand,” the Emperor said. “It’s a pity George doesn’t look like you. Princess Ellie has always liked your face. If George looked like you, we could patiently wait for him to grow up…”
Dwight pretended not to hear his nonsense and got up to leave.
Charlie wasn’t waiting for Dwight in the living room. The servant told the Duke he had gone up to the turret.
“Getting some air?” Dwight climbed the narrow spiral stone staircase and found Charlie leaning against the wall, motionless.
Charlie waved at him without turning around.
“They’re lost,” Charlie maintained his position, looking through the telescope. “George and Willie.”
“Where are they?”
“In the southeast rose garden. The roses are tall. They probably feel like it’s a maze.”
Dwight, arms crossed, watched Charlie eagerly observing the two kids. He didn’t ask to look through the telescope himself but patiently waited for Charlie to relay the information.
“How can Willie get lost in his own home?” Dwight only became more talkative around Charlie. “Is the kid really that dumb?”
“The rose garden was redesigned in the spring. They expanded the area and changed the layout. The queen and princesses wanted to create the feel of a rose forest, so they planted robust varieties.”
“Willie probably wanted to go through the rose garden to reach the woodland. That’s the only place without walls,” Charlie guessed.
What a little fool. There were no walls because the woodland was also part of the palace grounds. Willie wouldn’t think the woodland was “outside”, would he?
“Oh, they seem tired,” Charlie said excitedly. “They’re rummaging through their backpacks… Doesn’t look like they brought much in terms of supplies.”
Willie and George had no idea they were being watched. Willie snapped at George, “Where are my wild berry candies and cookies?”
George innocently lifted his backpack, which wasn’t very big to begin with. As they walked, the contents had fallen out, leaving not much behind.
“I don’t know,” George said.
Willie was about to burst with anger, but his hunger made him hungrier the louder he got.
If he had known, he would have packed food in his own backpack too. Before they set out, Willie thought toys were more precious than food and filled his bag with his treasured toys. Now, he regretted it.
George was tired. He squatted down, hands on his knees, and noticed something nearby.
It was a piece of candy wrapped in tinfoil that he had dropped earlier.
“Candy!” George happily called Willie over. The two kids searched for a while and found a few more pieces, which they immediately ate.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t find any more after that.
Charlie fell silent.
“What’s wrong?” Dwight asked.
“They’re eating stuff off the ground,” Charlie sighed. “They must be hungry.”
Dwight: “……”
“Stop watching,” he said. “When George starts crying, someone will come to get them.”
Charlie didn’t lower the telescope. Partly, he was worried about George, and partly, he was quite bored in the palace.
“Who did you have watching George?” Charlie asked. “I wonder if he has any cookies with him. But since they’re hungry, those two won’t last long.”
Charlie was right, and Dwight was wrong.
The quest for freedom quickly failed due to unreliable backpacks. When the two hungry children realized they couldn’t escape their predicament, panic set in, especially for Willie.
“I don’t know this place,” Willie cried, never having walked around without his mother and sisters. “I’m going to starve to death.”
George stood there, conflicted. He was tired too, but for some reason, seeing Willie cry made him feel less like crying himself.
“Come on,” he said, grabbing Willie’s hand. “Let’s go back and eat bread.”
Willie was desperate, realizing George didn’t understand the gravity of their situation.
“We can’t go back!” Willie wailed. “We’re stuck~~ No one can find us! We’re going to die!”
But Willie cried so loudly that George couldn’t understand what he was saying.
“That way,” George picked a random direction. “Let’s go back that way.”
Willie: “…You remember the way?”
George nodded.
He felt certain that was the way to go.
Seeing his confident expression, Willie believed him. He wiped his tears with his chubby hand and was about to follow George.
“Alright, alright—this is as far as you go. That direction is wrong,” a gentle voice called from above them.
They looked up to see two tall men stepping over the rosebushes, smiling at them.
“Hi, Shivers.” George recognized one of them and called softly. Shivers reached out and picked him up, and George nestled his head in his neck.
On the other side, Willie, whose face was tear-streaked, was also picked up by a palace guard. They carried the two frightened little ones through the rosebushes, the soft petals and leaves brushing against their armor, leaving a faint floral scent.
Shivers gently patted George’s forehead, noting the sweat.
George, exhausted from following Willie around, began to yawn. Shivers shifted him from holding to carrying on his back, and, along with the palace guard, they left the rose garden—soon the two children would easily see the tall marble archway at the entrance.
“So George didn’t cry, but Willie did,” Dwight said, as if announcing the result of a competition.
The Emperor looked at him strangely as he left and turned to ask the servant, “Is Willie still crying?”
Servant: “He’s probably more hungry than scared. He stopped crying as soon as he reached the dining table.”
Emperor: “……”
George didn’t know about the adults’ trivial competition but knew very well when to make requests when his uncle was in a good mood.
“Gulliz’s potions are very effective. They can alleviate your allergy symptoms and allow you to eat more tasty things,” Charlie told him. “Your uncle got them for you.”
“Uncle,” George clung to Dwight’s knee. “I don’t want a mage.”
Dwight asked, “What do you want then?”
“I want Shivers,” George pleaded. “I want him to be my knight commander.”
Dwight couldn’t help but feel a bit dazed, recalling a similar request he had made years ago.
What had his father answered back then?
George looked up at his uncle’s face and saw a smile.
Uncle must have agreed! George was delighted and turned to look at Charlie, who gently shook his head.
“You might be disappointed, darling,” Charlie said.
George pouted.
As expected, Dwight picked him up and placed him on his lap. “No.”
He indeed refused, but his tone was gentle.
“Why?” George didn’t want to give up.
Dwight said, “Because—it’s too early for you now. You’ll understand later.”
“When is later?”
“I can’t give you an exact answer, George,” Dwight said, stroking George’s small ear, his voice tinged with nostalgia. “Because I only just understood myself.”
The author has something to say:
Arnie said, “But I want Alfred.”
The Duke pulled him to his side and stood up, holding him with one arm.
“Duke Dwight will only have one knight commander. Alfred and I have known each other since we were very young,” the Duke said. “He will protect you, Priscilla, and your mother with his life, but that’s because his oath of loyalty is to me, from before you were born.”
“When you inherit the title, Alfred will still love you like your mother, sister, and I do, but that’s a completely different responsibility—you’ll understand it later.” —Chapter 215
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