Chapter 40

Finally feeling resigned, Kinaine suddenly noticed that Helio was wearing the Hairak knights' uniform.

'So this is after he received his knighthood?'

Many things had happened in the years since Kinaine had brought Helio to the royal palace.

The palace people had not welcomed the simpleton with strange looks. Especially those who held deep affection for Kinaine were extremely wary of damaging the excellent Second Prince's reputation. Though Kinaine himself didn't care about his reputation.

However, all those who tried to separate Helio from Kinaine's side had failed. Because the prince cherished Helio too much and always wanted to keep him close.

Only then did people realize that the prince wasn't simply caring for a pitiful person out of his usual compassion.

It was like seeing the prince when he first held a real sword in his childhood. When he first held a real sword, he wouldn't let it leave his embrace even for a moment.

That obsessive affection the prince had held then was now directed at the strangely-featured wandering simpleton.

Those who couldn't go against the noble one's wishes ended up just biting their handkerchiefs behind his back. The more the prince doted on the simpleton, the more people's hostility grew. But even such people had to acknowledge when Helio became Kinaine's guard knight through his own ability.

'Helio learned everything quickly after all.'

That was true of swordsmanship as well.

It was Kinaine who had taught Helio the sword. Kinaine had always kept Helio by his side and stayed together. Helio, who had been like blank paper with nothing drawn on it, was filled in by Kinaine. Everything that made him who he was, from eating habits to how to hold a sword, had been learned from Kinaine.

Kinaine had been very satisfied with this fact.

'Well... until I taught him swordsmanship, I didn't know I would end up teaching him about sexual matters too.'

Thinking of that day made his lower abdomen feel somewhat ticklish.

Of course, whether it was just his feeling or not, his dream body remained unchanged.

'Fine, fine. What does it matter if I can't do as I wish. At least I get to see his face like this.'

Having given up trying to move his uncontrollable body, Kinaine focused entirely on taking in his lover's appearance.

Helio stood before Kinaine about one step away. His hair color was black like Kinaine's but much darker. In reality, Helio's black hair never lightened or faded even under sunlight.

Looking at Helio while begrudging even the moment it took to blink, Kinaine tried to guess when in the past this dream was from.

'Given the strange sense of distance, it seems to be before we became lovers.'

Just then, Helio spoke in his low, pleasant voice.

"Your Highness, His Majesty must be looking for you. And Princess Liliana as well."

Ah, he understood. From these words, Kinaine could pinpoint when this dream was from.

It was when marriage talks had begun between him and the princess from the neighboring country. More precisely...

'This is the day I didn't attend the meal His Majesty had prepared with Princess Liliana.'

Having been focused on Helio, he hadn't noticed, but the place where Kinaine was now was also familiar. It was the lakeside hunting ground where he always came when his mind was troubled or he needed to organize his thoughts.

In the dream, Kinaine was sitting on a large, flat rock near the lakeside. It was exactly where he always sat. This spot felt cool even at midday thanks to the shade provided by a large willow tree.

"Helio. Are you my knight, or His Majesty's knight?"

"I am Your Highness's knight."

"Then you should follow my will, not His Majesty's."

Kinaine was startled by his own voice whining like a child, having been lost in the scenery he hadn't seen for so long.

'Did I really speak like this?'

Kinaine had always thought he had been more mature than his age. However, seeing himself in the dream, he realized that had been a misunderstanding common to children.

"Your Highness, I will follow whatever you command."

Helio answered solemnly. His golden eyes, bright as the sun, clearly reflected Kinaine's figure.

Such a loyal answer to his childish whining made Kinaine even more embarrassed.

"Hahaha!"

However, the prince in the dream seemed not to feel that way at all as he burst into joyful laughter. Helio's answer seemed to have satisfied him thoroughly.

"Why are you being so serious! I don't think I taught you such seriousness."

"Lord Dorian said a knight should speak this way. That it's proper for Your Highness's knight."

Lord Dorian was Kinaine's master and also the head of the knights. He was an excellent knight but, by Kinaine's standards, completely inflexible.

"Don't listen to Lord Dorian. You're my knight. You just need to listen to me well."

Listening to the words coming from his own mouth, Kinaine was dumbfounded.

In this short conversation, how many times had he declared "You're mine!" to Helio?

Though his past self seemed unaware, the current Kinaine could see how his past self was showing tremendous possessiveness toward Helio. To think he hadn't known his own feelings while saying such things. Looking at it now, he had been incredibly dense.

"Stop standing there and sit beside me. We'll pass time until the princess leaves."

Helio carried out the order immediately. He came right over and sat beside the prince.

If he had been a knight who became one through orthodox means, he would have refused at least once, saying he couldn't dare sit beside the prince. However, Helio was a knight raised by Kinaine. A knight who took Kinaine as his standard rather than knightly honor or loyalty to the royal palace.

It was also Kinaine who had told Helio to become a knight. The reason was simple. Because people around them kept trying to separate him and Helio.

People couldn't tolerate a commoner without background staying by the prince's side. Kinaine thought he needed a way to convince them. He had no intention of letting go of this golden-eyed man anywhere.

'Helio, I'm going to select one guard knight. I'd like it to be you, would you try?'

'Yes, Your Highness.'

Helio had kept his promise to Kinaine. By defeating over a hundred knights who had applied to be the Second Prince's guard knight.

Everyone was shocked by Helio's skill. They hadn't known the simpleton the Second Prince had picked up out of interest was hiding such remarkable sword skills.

Only Kinaine wasn't surprised. Because it was the result he had expected.

From when he was teaching Helio swordsmanship, Kinaine had known he had extraordinary talent for martial arts. Though Kinaine himself was a genius who understood ten things when taught one, Helio was no less talented. Rather, having learned nothing before, he absorbed everything quickly like cotton soaking up water.

"Do you dislike the princess?"

"How could I? She's an excellent omega by anyone's standards, what alpha would dislike her?"

As the prince lowered his head while saying this, Kinaine could see his reflection in the lake.

'...Right, I looked like this.'

Was it because it had been too long? The reflection of his true self in the water felt unfamiliar.

Kinaine and Hasan both had black hair and eyes like their father, the king. However, their appearances and auras were so different they didn't look like brothers.

In someone's words, the Second Prince loved roaming outside daily "like an unbridled colt." Because of this, his skin was pleasantly tanned to a color similar to baked bread. It was completely different from now, when he only turned red under the same sunlight.

He was a handsome man with strong features, and his slightly downturned eyes made him look like he was smiling even when he wasn't. However, his tall stature and trained body meant his impression was never approachable.

But without doubt, the biggest difference was in his aura.

The Second Prince reflected in the water had a bright and cheerful impression, as if he knew nothing of the world's darkness. Just the fact that what troubled him most now was marriage to a woman he didn't love showed this.

The prince at this time didn't know. How deep and dark the pain waiting for him in the future would be...

Therefore, like most undamaged things, he radiated a brilliance that was dazzling to behold.

Kinaine looked at that face for a long time. Suddenly he thought that what he had lost forever wasn't simply the body of a dominant alpha.

Even if he regained his original body, things could never be the same as before. Just as a broken wine glass couldn't be put back together... the soul too was of such a nature.