The Unwanted Prince Chooses to Live Happily at the Cute Maid's Hometown - Chapter 10

The office that Nox had left behind was filled with a heavy atmosphere.

“Father…”

No matter how many times he was corrected to call him “Father,” Lano, who couldn’t seem to change, cautiously spoke with a trembling voice.

“Sigh…”

Edwin sighed and leaned back in his chair. The dignity he had displayed earlier had disappeared somewhere, leaving only the face of a middle-aged man who looked lonely.

“I knew I wasn’t well-liked, but ‘drop dead’?”

Unable to say a word in response to the first outburst of emotion that Nox had ever directed at him, Edwin realized that he was more shocked than he thought he would be and let out a self-deprecating snort.

Perhaps he had believed that children would unconditionally admire their parents.

“Father… Why didn’t you treat Nox and me the same way?”

Lano had advised Edwin many times before. It might have been in the clumsy words of a child, but he had asked Edwin to treat Nox the same way as him and let them both attend the noble school together.

“I thought that if he were exposed to the public, he would be criticized more and get hurt.”

Amid the widespread rumors of being the cursed child in the social circles, Nox’s otherness would become even more pronounced when placed next to Lano. It was clear that Nox would be blamed for any mishaps that occurred.

“Then, why didn’t you listen to Nox’s story… my story?”

His brother had indeed sought help. It was their father who had brushed his hand away first.

The pleading eyes had gradually turned into indifference, and in recent years, they had even been mixed with feelings of disgust and contempt, similar to the way knights looked at vile criminals.

“I didn’t have enough time… Now, it’s all just excuses.”

Edwin had been too busy. As the kingdom’s top swordsmaster, he taught the knights how to wield their swords and, whenever news of powerful monsters came in, he flew all over the country to command them.

The position of a royal sibling may seem solid, but it’s also precarious. It wasn’t just about pretty words; there had been many inhumane acts as well.

Nox’s red eyes seemed to see through all his past sins, and it was terrifying.

Edwin could use his busyness as an excuse; he had been running away from his sons.

“Come to think of it, you knew a lot of things even though there was no one to educate you about noble behavior or manners… There were many odd things.”

Even when facing the younger brother of the king without flinching and boldly stating his opinions, he had an air that was truly fitting for nobility.

Lano’s charm, which made people want to support him without thinking, was undoubtedly important. However, the charm that compelled obedience without a word, dragging people in, was a natural talent that depended on the individual, whether or not it could be acquired even if it was instilled from the moment of birth. – You could even call it the essence of a king.

But it wasn’t Edwin who brought that talent to the surface.

Just how little interest he had shown in his sons. Edwin’s heart filled with self-reproach.

They were supposed to be his precious family entrusted to him by his late wife.

“Who taught him?” Edwin inquired.

“I don’t know all the details… I did teach him some things, and I eavesdropped on lessons, but it seemed like he disliked etiquette classes,” Lano replied, casting a brief sidelong glance at his father.

“As for his rude manner of speaking and his extensive vocabulary of insults from earlier, I have quite a few suspicions,” Lano added with as much sarcasm as he could muster.

Edwin remained silent. He would thoroughly investigate what the servants had done to Nox and demand answers. But for now, he wondered who had taught Nox that noble behavior.

“The only people Nox seemed to get along with in the mansion were Nana and the head chef, Pascal. They’re probably the ones he’s saying his final goodbyes to right now,” Lano added.

*****

As Lano predicted, Nox was in the kitchen.

“So, you’re finally leaving?” Pascal asked.

“Yeah. For me, you’ve been like a father. Thanks for everything,” Nox replied, leaning against the wall next to Pascal, enjoying the taste of a snack – rusks sprinkled with sugar, a treat from the kitchen.

Pascal had been the one who saved Nox from malnutrition. Without him, Nox would have died both mentally and physically. Pascal had also taught him general knowledge and common sense in casual conversations.

“I’m planning to become an adventurer, so if you ever run into any trouble, just let me know. If you mention ‘Astra the Mage’ at the Adventurer’s Guild, they should be able to get in touch with me,” Pascal said.

“Alright, I’ll remember that.”

“But don’t ever let the Duke Galaxia know, and keep it a secret from Lano too.”

“I understand,” Nox replied.

Pascal had a complex expression as he agreed, knowing that Nox no longer even referred to his real father as “father.”

“I also wanted to say goodbye to Nana, but do you know where she went?” Nox asked.

“She left with a tea set a little while ago. I thought she was going to see you,” Pascal replied with a puzzled expression. The other servants were looking at Nox, who had come to the kitchen at an unusual time, with suspicion.