How the Prince Makes Friends - Chapter 185



Only Noblemtl

Episode 185

Nihil thanked him for making him feel better, but Rianus couldn’t shake off his regret for a while because he felt like he had made his close friend depressed.

“Neil… what are you doing?”

As I approached him tentatively, Nihil put down what he was making and knocked on the spot next to me.

“Rian, don’t be so observant. Come here.”

“but…….”

Lianus glanced at what Nihil was making.

In fact, at first glance, I couldn’t tell what he was making because it was just a long, rectangular wooden box, but since he said he was making something he wanted to give as a gift to his child, I just assumed it was an object full of memories.

“You did nothing wrong. Why are you so wary?”

“I just… I think it would have been better if I had named it like you from the beginning…….”

“No. I was secretly thinking that if the kid were alive, he might come looking for the square after seeing its name.”

Nihil just shrugged and showed me what he was making.

“See? I’m almost done.”

“what’s this?”

“It’s a music box.”

“Is this a music box?”

Rian opened his eyes wide and opened the wooden box, which looked a little rough. As the wind-up cylinder with many protrusions turned, he could hear the lullaby his friend used to sing.

“This is what the inside of the music box looks like.”

Although Lianus’s toys also had music boxes, this was my first time seeing the inside, as all I could see when I opened the box was a spinning, dancing doll.

I wonder how my best friend makes things like this. No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t look like he could make it with his bare hands.

“That’s amazing.”

“If you want one too, I’ll make one for you.”

“But I want to hear it myself.”

You’ll sing it, right? Rianus said and smiled bashfully. The music box sounded good, but it didn’t recite the lyrics.

Then suddenly, I remembered what His Majesty had asked me to do. And what a great idea!

“Neil, can you draw me a lullaby sheet music?”

“Sheet music?”

“Yes. His Majesty asked me to play the violin at his birthday party….”

His Majesty said he really wanted to hear me play, so I was choosing songs, but there was nothing that really caught my eye.

But if my friend is looking for a child… … .

“I want to play that lullaby a little faster and arrange it.”

“…I guess you wanted to see the talent in person.”

“huh?”

“Well, no. But I don’t know how to draw sheet music.”

“I’ll tell you!”

My friend is smart, so if I just teach him a little bit, he’ll be able to draw it right away.

The birthday party will be attended by foreign envoys and many nobles, so if you play it well, that sweet lullaby will spread far and wide!

‘This time I might be able to help Neil!’

* * *

The first day of the birthday party.

Lianus was very excited and he dragged Nihil by the hand as they walked through the halls of the main palace.

“Neil, let me guide you!”

The arrangement of the lullaby turned out pretty and I practiced the violin a lot. And most of all…

“When you wear clothes like this, you really look like brothers! Don’t you?”

Nod.

Lianus smiled proudly as he looked at the banquet gowns that were identical in design but slightly different in color. It was clear that the designer had intentionally made two identical ones, but Lianus actually liked this one better.

“Today, it’s okay if Neil is my older brother!”

Nod nod.

As my friend nodded willingly, her long hair, which had become noticeably longer than before, swayed like a tail as she nodded. The dark blue ribbon that matched her dress went very well with her.

Lianus checked the ribbon he had tied himself, learning from Sir Evan, and made sure the cotton thread was also properly secured.

“Okay! Perfect!”

You could go into a banquet hall right now and look flawless in your attire!

But one thing that Lianus overlooked was that he was of royal blood.

“…….”

Rianus sat on a chair placed on the platform and looked at his friend standing alone in a corner far away. He felt so upset.

‘We even matched our clothes, but we can’t be together!’

In the first place, it was an enormous privilege for a commoner child who had never made his debut in society, let alone been able to, to attend the birthday party, but Lianus didn’t consider such things.

I’m just worried that my friend is alone.

‘When will Your Majesty come… … .’

It was boring. Nihil was wearing a cotton shirt, so I couldn’t tell what kind of expression he had on his face. His Majesty had to come quickly so I could pay my respects and go to Nihil.

“Rianus, stand tall.”

“…….”

My brother pointed out to me that I was dangling my legs. I pout without realizing it, but I straightened my back because it wasn’t wrong.

“Tsk, how shallow……”

I heard the sound of the tangent unfolding along with the tongue clicking, but I ignored it. It was a huge improvement, even to my own mind.

“Your Majesty the King enters!”

‘You’re here!’

Lianus jumped up from his chair in delight. He thought it was too much of a coincidence, but no one would have seen it.

As a birthday present for His Majesty, I gave him a letter and various handmade items that were too embarrassing to even mention. Fortunately, as Nihil had advised, he seemed to like it quite a bit.

Of course, everyone except Your Majesty looked at me as if I was different.

‘As long as Dad is happy, that’s fine.’

Lianus rolled the unfamiliar word around in his mouth. Nihil had always said ‘your father’ when referring to His Majesty, but it felt strangely tingly to think of that word himself.

“Rianus.”

“Yes, Dad. … Huh!”

You misspoke!

Lianus realized his mistake too late and quickly covered his mouth, but His Majesty’s eyes had already grown wide. In fact, his eyes had probably grown even wider.

“I… I’m sorry.”

As I lowered my head and mumbled, my head felt heavy. Then came clumsy but affectionate touches.

“It’s okay. But please refrain from doing it in public.”

“yes!”

I’m glad I didn’t get in trouble!

I glanced at Nihil and he was giving me a thumbs up. Was he glad he didn’t get in trouble?

By the way, my friend is really amazing, he can hear my voice from so far away.

‘Come to think of it, why did Your Majesty call me?’

Suddenly, I turned my head again out of curiosity, but His Majesty was already talking to His Excellency the Prime Minister who had approached me. Judging by his expression becoming increasingly stiff, I thought something bad had happened.

“…Who’s coming?”

“Your Highness.”

“…So suddenly?”

‘grandee?!’

Lianus, who had been pretending not to notice and eavesdropping, opened his eyes wide and looked back at his friend. It seemed as if Carus and Baron Allie, who had come closer, were talking to his friend.

Lianus had a gut feeling that he shouldn’t let the Archduke find out about his close friend.

‘We have to hide Neil!’

* * *

Sedes pressed his temples at the sudden news of the Archduke’s visit.

Of course, a formal invitation was sent to the Archduke as well.

But since he was a demon, he had no reason to mingle with humans and enjoy banquets, and he was usually just ignored, so what was the sudden change in his mind?

If he came, he could definitely suppress the spirits of the Holy Empire’s envoys who were secretly betting on when the ‘Harpens Kingdom’ would become a prosperous nation.

Now that the Empire is watching the Kingdom, perhaps it is something we should be asking the Archduke for.

However, whether ‘that’ Grand Duke would do as we wished was another matter. My father, the former king, had tried to use the Grand Duke as he pleased and was severely punished.

It was not for nothing that he ascended to the throne at such a young age.

Sedes sighed deeply and whispered to Abel.

“when?”

“…now.”

“…….”

Although there were many eyes watching, Sedes unknowingly washed his face dry. He already had a headache because of his son’s friend who keeps leaving, and now there’s the Grand Duke…

“Okay…, I understand.”

Sedes immediately ordered that the position of Archduke be prepared. He was an Archduke in name only, but in reality, he was no different from the guardian of the kingdom, and applying a human title to him was absurd.

I simply gave him the title of Grand Duke to show him the utmost respect… No, I didn’t give it to him. He had been the Grand Duke for 300 years already.

It is even questionable whether his territory really belonged to Harpens. Even after 300 years since he took his place, the location of the duchy on maps is still uncertain.

After the Grand Duke’s seat was set, I saw my second son fidgeting. As expected, his eyes were on his friend.

“Rianus.”

“Yes, yes? Yes, Your Majesty.”

Even in the midst of all that, the sight of her wavy hair jumping up in surprise at my call was really cute.

“Go to your friend.”

“Is that okay?”

“Yeah. And……”

Sedes leaned in slightly and whispered softly.

“Please tell him not to have an accident.”

“Yes, yes!”

My son’s expression was rather serious as he nodded his head repeatedly. It seemed that he was also worried that his close friend would get into an accident.

‘… I hope it gets over safely.’

Even if your son’s friend doesn’t cause any trouble, you never know what kind of strange behavior the Archduke might take. It’s like the Duke, who is a sword master, picking a fight with that child.

Sedes stared at the green head fluttering away, then gestured to the air.

The presence hidden in the shadows suddenly disappeared.

* * *

“Neil, don’t you ever come near me!”

Nod.

“No matter how magical the hair is, don’t touch it!”

“……?”

Nihil tilted his head as if to ask what that meant, then nodded again. It was impolite to touch someone else’s hair in the first place.

“My hair was so long, it dragged on the floor, and if someone had touched it, I could have been in real trouble.”

On the other hand, Rianus, who knew that Nihil liked having his head stroked, explained more earnestly.

“Um, um, I don’t remember very well, but I think she was some writer’s daughter. What did she say? Did she say she wanted to wrap her beautiful hair around her? Anyway, she was a bit…, a strange daughter.”

“…….”

At those words, Nihil closed his mouth. It seems that there was a woman who tried to seduce the Grand Duke but failed. She really is fearless.

“She really hates having her hair touched. That’s probably why she grows it out like that.”

If you don’t like people touching your hair, why don’t you just cut it yourself? I continued to think that, but then my shoulder was grabbed.

“And His Majesty asked me to convey this.”

“……?”

“Please don’t cause any accidents.”

At those words, Nihil just nodded his head after a moment of silence. It seemed that if he denied it, the child would just scold him.

‘It’s strange that when children grow up, they start nagging… … .’

Why would that be? Nihil suppressed his rising doubts and straightened the crooked cotton thread that Karus had rubbed his face with a moment ago.

When Rian saw Nihil like that, he called Maurice.

“baron.”

“Yes, Prince.”

“Please make sure my friend doesn’t get into trouble.”

“…….”

“If Neil stays still, the Archduke won’t even know.”

“…If you’re so worried, wouldn’t it be better to just go back to the Wernus Palace?”

Maurice asked hesitantly, but Rian seemed to hesitate for a moment and shook his head.

“I would like to send you back, but I can’t send you back because you have to feed you delicious food, listen to me play the violin, and play with me.”

“…….”

“And you’re wearing clothes like this, so it would be a shame to just leave… Ah, and please pack lots of delicious food.”

“…yes.”

“Plenty of meat!”

“……yes.”

Rianus was jumping around and explaining, and then he asked Karus, who had just brought him something to drink, to take good care of Nihil before returning to his seat.

I would like to continue to be with my friend, but when the Grand Duke comes, His Majesty himself comes down from the podium to greet him, so it is right for me to keep my place as well.

After His Highness the Grand Duke had taken his seat, the guests began to stir. Some of the guests recognized the host and quickly left, some did not recognize him at all, and others’ eyes sparkled with curiosity.

The peacock clicked his tongue and left.

Soon the Royal Knights, led by Sir Ernest, entered, and made a path of death from the entrance.

Tension mounted as the armed knights entered.

A few foreign envoys who did not understand the situation came forward to ask something, but upon hearing the situation, they turned pale and rushed into the crowd.

Amid the silence, a voice resonated.

“His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Lepne is entering!”

Rattling, squeaking-

The door to the hall was opened by the knights. Everyone craned their necks and looked beyond the door, pretending not to notice.

“……?”

But the hallway was empty.

“…There’s no one here?”

Someone muttered something like that. Just as everyone was looking at the empty hallway, a look of bewilderment appeared on their faces.

“!!!”

The space is torn apart,

Again-.

A man in pitch black walked out.