Chapter 23.
Even though the lights were out, Friedrich, who needed sleep more than anyone right now as a child, couldn’t easily drift off.
His self-reproach was that intense. In the end, it was as if he himself had personally dragged Joachim Rommel into the princess’s bed.
He was also the one who had forced her to accept Joachim’s proposal to become her lover, which she had rejected until the very end.
‘…Useless wretch.’
Friedrich cursed his own body. What on earth had he done wrong for the gods to inflict such a calamity upon him?
‘Why did it have to be the duke who found out, of all people.’
It was truly a cruel twist of fate.
After the princess was dragged away by her admirers, Friedrich sat there motionless, oblivious to the passing time, waiting for her.
‘She said she’d be back soon.’
Then the bells rang, and there was no mistaking that it meant midnight had passed.
Fortunately, the pillar hid his body, so no one would have seen him transform into a child.
But the child version of Friedrich was flustered, his face troubled as he tried to figure out what to do.
He had assumed they’d return to Rene Palace before midnight, so he hadn’t anticipated this situation at all.
‘I need to hide somewhere for now…’
“Oh my, look over there.”
Just as he started to get up, a voice clearly addressing him rang out.
Soon, a group of young ladies approached, showing interest in him.
“What’s a little boy doing here?”
…They were the same admirers of the princess he’d seen earlier.
Where had the princess gone, leaving these people here?
“Was there such a handsome boy in Stade? Which family are you from?”
“You’re really cute. Hey, who did you come with? Who are your mom and dad?”
“Did you get lost? You look like you’re about to cry.”
“It’s just that his eyes are so bright and shiny. Such pretty eyes.”
“Should we help you find your parents? Which family are you from?”
Friedrich wore a perplexed expression, unable to respond one way or the other.
Suddenly, a small gasp of admiration came from behind.
“Oh my, Duke Rommel!”
“Goodness, I heard you’d been unwell lately, and you really do look gaunt. Look at how rough your face is.”
“I was so shocked to hear you didn’t attend Count Brock’s birthday party. How are you feeling now?”
“I’m fine.”
Of all people, it was Joachim Rommel. The detestable man who’d tried to play the invalid to win the princess’s sympathy.
He was one of the last people Friedrich wanted to run into right now, so he did his best to avoid the man’s gaze.
“But that boy…”
“Oh, we found him here all alone. It seems he came with his parents and got lost.”
“We were just about to help him find them.”
“…”
Friedrich could feel Joachim staring intently at him. He bowed his head as low as possible, trying not to expose his face.
“You don’t need to do that.”
Joachim said unexpectedly.
“He’s my relative’s child.”
“Pardon? Your relative?”
“Ah, I thought so… Well, that explains the striking looks.”
They all handed him over to Joachim without much suspicion.
Once the young ladies had all left, Friedrich was left alone in the empty hallway with Joachim.
“Then I’ll be going…”
There was nothing good about being with this man. As he hurried to leave, he was suddenly grabbed from behind.
In that instant, Friedrich felt a chill run down his spine.
Back when he was confined in Kill Palace, every time he was grabbed from behind, something horrific followed—that was the reflexive response.
Instinctively, he slapped away the hand grabbing him and glared sharply at Joachim. In response, Joachim raised the corner of his mouth in an intrigued expression.
“I had my suspicions, but indeed.”
He brought his face close to Friedrich’s, meeting his eyes.
“Prince Friedrich, right?”
“…What.”
“No need to deny it. Up close like this, you really do look exactly like the prince. Those eyes like embedded amethysts, those delicate features.”
The fact that he’d studied his face so closely was downright creepy.
When Friedrich revealed his inner revulsion through his gaze without holding back, Joachim smiled and spoke.
“No need for strange misunderstandings. Since the princess said your face was more to her taste than mine, I was just studying it for reference.”
“Even so, it’s not like you can remodel your face.”
“I could imitate the parts the princess likes, at least.”
With that, Joachim suddenly cupped Friedrich’s cheeks.
Friedrich frowned deeply, making his dislike obvious.
“Let go.”
“Could it be a curse that turns you into a child after midnight?”
“What…!”
“I guess it is. Look at you getting all worked up.”
Joachim chuckled softly and muttered.
“Actually, I’ve been watching since you arrived here with the princess. But after midnight, the prince who was sitting behind the pillar vanished, and out came this child.”
“…”
“So that’s why they kept you hidden away in the Kill Kingdom. It wasn’t protection—it was concealment. How pitiful.”
Friedrich glared fiercely at Joachim, struck to the core. He knew it wasn’t pity, but mockery.
Yet Joachim’s face showed no sign of being affected. He even looked relaxed.
A prince from a defeated nation, afflicted with an ominous curse. A princess willing to hide that secret and even marry him.
Having learned that fact, he must think he now holds the upper hand.
“You’d better not think of using my secret to blackmail the princess.”
Friedrich warned Joachim in a chilling voice.
“If you do, I’ll kill you and then myself.”
“What a romantic notion. I’d rather hear that from the princess, not you.”
“You crazy bastard.”
“Hey, no swearing. After all, right now I’m much more of an adult. Well, normally too.”
“Get lost.”
He glared at him with contempt and tried to leave, when suddenly someone tried to grab him from behind and hug him.
As the unfamiliar hands reached for his waist, Friedrich lightly grabbed the wrist and twisted it.
With a crack, Joachim’s knee buckled, and he collapsed to the floor.
“Urk…!”
“I told you to get lost…!”
In that moment, Joachim grabbed Friedrich’s pant hem with his other hand.
Friedrich narrowed his eyes and slowly looked at Joachim as he rose from the floor.
“Ah, this is embarrassing. Against a child, no less.”
“What were you trying to do by grabbing me?”
“What else.”
Joachim grinned through his still-pained expression.
“I have to take you to your guardian, who’s desperately searching for you right now.”
…And that’s how things had escalated to this point.
Friedrich glared at Joachim, who was sleeping peacefully beside him.
No matter how wide the bed was, with three people lying on it, one wrong move and Joachim’s breath might brush against his skin.
The mere thought was horrifying, so Friedrich subtly leaned his body more toward Rene’s side.
As he did, his nose touched Rene’s back, and her distinctive rose scent grew stronger.
It was only then that Friedrich wore a satisfied expression and began to drift off to sleep.
“Mmm…”
Suddenly, an arm stretched out from behind, wrapping around Friedrich’s waist and pulling him back.
Naturally, he was drawn away from Rene, and Joachim’s dreadful musk scent intensified at the tip of his nose.
Friedrich twisted his body as quietly as possible.
“Let go of this?”
“Mmm…”
“Stop pretending to sleep?”
“Mmmm…”
Joachim’s feigned ignorance, acting as if he didn’t understand while pretending to sleep soundly, was utterly detestable.
He wanted nothing more than to twist that arm off right now…
‘But if I do, the princess might wake up.’
She’s sensitive, so all this tossing might have already woken her.
With that thought, Friedrich couldn’t bring himself to move recklessly anymore.
He had no choice but to endure Joachim like that through the night.
***
Our first night together as three seemed to go more smoothly than I’d worried.
Though, judging by the slight noises from the side midway through, Joachim’s sleeping habits might not be the best, surprisingly.
‘It wasn’t enough to wake me, anyway.’
I yawned long and opened my eyes. And immediately, I was confronted with a shocking sight.
‘…Huh?’
Friedrich, back in his adult form, was asleep with Joachim’s arms around his waist.
For a moment, I doubted my eyes and blinked several times, but the image of two massive men embracing remained unchanged.
Why… are they sleeping like this? No matter how I look at it, this position isn’t something that could happen by accident.
‘Could it be that Joachim’s insistence on becoming my lover was because…?’
What? Was I the obstacle here?
As I entertained that reasonable suspicion, Friedrich slowly opened his eyes.
