Chapter 118: His Highness, Nicholas

A knock came at the door as if it was tearing the tense aura in the room. Then, the door opened, and the person who showed up was… “Otou-syama!”

“Lei! Luke!”

Otou-sama crouched down and opened his eyes wide as I ran up to him.

“I heard you were practising magic, so I came because I was worried. Was everything alright?”

“Ai. Nico ish greath.” It was a suitable answer. Though, I could see that he clearly didn’t care about Nico. Honestly.

“So, Luke, did you have any trouble?”

“That’s…” Onii-sama looked at Nico’s father, then looked down.

“Oh, Your Highness. I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you.”

I almost laughed at Otou-sama who really didn’t notice the Prince. That was close.

“You wnow, you wnow, Nico’sh Otou-syama…”

“Oh, His Highness?”

I thought I’ll tell Otou-sama now.

“He wanthsh Nii-syama channew magic outh.”

“Oh.”

I felt the temperature in the room rapidly drop. Otou-sama hugged me tightly, then put me down and faced Nico’s father, who looked stiff.

“Have you ever heard of people exchanging magic, Your Highness?”

“N-no. That’s why I want to try it once.” Nico said something unnecessary to Otou-sama. I thought this the other day, but Nico’s father might be a little, just a little dim-witted. I looked at him again. Hmm. Isn’t he still too naïve for someone in his twenties?

Otou-sama shrugged.

“We don’t know what would happen if we absorb other people’s magic, that’s why only Lei can do it since she did it accidentally.”

“Oh, is that so? B-but, Luke said he could do it.” I think Nico’s father said something even worse.

“Only the theory. Even I know the theory of it. But rational adults wouldn’t dare do it even if they know they can.”

He’s right. I looked at Otou-sama in admiration. When I think about it, I’ve only seen him act indifferently, gentle, and loving towards me. This is the first time I’ve ever seen him give reasonable arguments like a capable adult.

“Otou-syama, coow…”

“Lei!”

Otou-sama immediately hugged me and rubbed his face against mine.

“Otou-syama, You’re wiwe a capabwe pershon!”

“That’s right! Otou-sama is capable, isn’t he?”

“Coow!”

“Hahaha.”

We made a racket and someone quietly spoke to us, “Otou-sama and Lei.” It was Nii-sama. We stopped moving.

“Oh, sorry.”

“Ai…”

Nii-sama got mad because we were too loud.

“That’s enough. I think I’ve already taught Prince Nicholas how to handle his magic today, so handle this matter between you adults. Now, Lei and Your Highness, Nicolas.”

Nico and I quietly walked to where Nii-sama and Gill were.

“Now, what shall we do now?”

“Play outside!”

“Pway!”

He wasn’t angry, he proposed a good idea!

“Then, let’s go outside. Go get your jackets.”

“Ok!”

“Aai.”

We’re going to play outside now.

However, I fell asleep in less than 30 minutes while playing hide-and-seek and was carried to the bed in the library. Too bad. Let’s play indoors next time.

◊♦◊♦◊♦◊

Lei and His Highness (Luke’s Perspective)

“Doesn’t Lei sleep too much?”

“Your Highness. I’m not too sure about this, but I think this is normal.”

“Really?” His Highness replied as he watched Lei, who was sleeping soundly on the small bed.

“What do you do when Lei sleeps like this?”

“Hmm. I wonder if she would get bigger and watch her.”

“I, I’m jealous.”

“Why?” His Highness looked up at me curiously.

“I’m usually at the academy dormitories. I’m jealous that you get to see her every day.”

“But, we have to study in the morning, then have lunch separately. We only get to play a little after lunch, then she falls asleep. Albans takes her home after she wakes up.”

“But don’t you have fun while studying?”

“Hmm. Lei is good at persuading Odds-sensei, so we spend less time studying, and we get to play more.”

When I thought that would be something she would do, I couldn’t help but smile. She definitely fooled the tutor with her cuteness.

“But, Lei doesn’t grow bigger even though I watch her a lot.”

Well, yeah. While watching Lei sleep cutely, I looked at the unsatisfied Prince Nicholas and found it funny.

“Now then, it’s my turn.” Gill, who hadn’t done much until now, was enthusiastic.

“Lei is a good girl, but she’s smaller and weaker than Your Highness. She can only be your playmate. We finally get to skip school, so let’s train our bodies together.”

“Train our bodies?”

“Yeah, train with swords. We’ll move around using our bodies.”

“Let’s do it!”

His Highness’s eyes sparkled, and he no longer had Lei in his eyes. Playing with Gill, the training maniac, will be proper training for him.

“Then, let’s start with tree climbing.”

““I can climb trees?!”

His Highness hadn’t been allowed to climb trees because it was dangerous.

“It’s alright since I’m there.”

Yes, it’ll be alright since Gill is there. I turned back to Lei. I thought I could only watch her nap during my days off. I gently brushed her curly hair, and it went back to its position once my hand brushed over it.

“Oi.”

My cute sister.

“Oi.”

“What Gill?”

I turned back because he was annoying.

“You’re coming too.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Our job starts from when we get here until we leave. Watching Lei is a side benefit. And, you’ve been slacking off on your training because you’re relieved that Lei is back.”

Even though no one could win against me at the academy. I thought he wouldn’t find out since we’re in different grades.

“When the time comes, we’ll be facing adults. If you keep slacking off, then you won’t be able to protect Lei when the time comes.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“You can’t say it won’t happen again, right?” Gill said sternly, and I reluctantly stood up.

“Natalie, don’t let Lei feel lonely when she wakes up.”

“I understand. I’ll call you straight away.”

“Hans.”

“I’m keeping watch.”

I lifted my eyebrows at His Highness who looked excited, then looked at Lei’s sleeping face again, before going outside with Gill and His Highness.

“Lei won’t wake up even if you stare at her or shake her.”

“Did you shake her?”

“A little.”

I looked at His Highness in shock. Did you do that? I might have to cut Hans’s pay.

I had a more pleasant afternoon than I thought.