Chapter 19

"――――――I am fully aware of the risk of being disrespectful, but... does His Highness Zayd have the capacity to stand as a king who bears the weight of a nation?"

At Cordelia's question, Leonhardt laughed in a troubled manner.

"People grow to match the positions they attain, don't they? I can't definitively say whether my brother has the qualities of a king."

It was an unusually hesitant and uncharacteristic response.

A thought suddenly crossed Cordelia's mind as she saw Leonhardt avoid giving a clear answer about his half-brother.

(Could it be that His Highness Leonhardt doesn't actually dislike His Highness Zayd...?)

The two princes, born of different mothers, were rumored to have a poor relationship.

And indeed, when Leonhardt faced Zayd earlier, there was no sign of affection.

"If I am mistaken, I apologize... but does Your Highness have feelings of admiration for His Highness Zayd?"

"......My brother has done me a great favor."

Leonhardt's gaze wandered as if looking back into the distant past.

"I was very weak as a child. It seems to have been a side effect of the lion's power, which was particularly strong in me. Until I was about ten, I spent more than half of each year in bed."

"I have heard that Your Highness was once frail, but I didn't know the details."

It's hard to believe, given his current graceful and robust appearance, but it is a well-known fact among the nobility of this country that he was once frail.

It was precisely because Leonhardt was frail that, despite his mother's impeccable lineage, his half-brother Zayd was chosen as the crown prince without a major struggle for the throne.

"......Both my father and mother were delighted when they learned I possessed the power of the sacred lion. But when it became clear that I was frail because of that power, they were deeply disappointed. They must have given up on me, thinking I couldn't fulfill my duties as a royal with such a weak body."

It's a frustrating story.

Leonhardt had no responsibility for being born with the lion's power or for being frail as a result.

"Don't look so sad, Cordelia. On the contrary, I think my parents were concerned about my health and wanted me to be happy as a person, not as a royal, without placing unnecessary pressure on me."

But, Leonhardt's eyes clouded over.

"I was lonely. My parents were busy with their duties, and it was a good month if I saw them once. The rest of the time, I spent in bed. Even though I was frail, as a prince, I couldn't just go out and risk collapsing or being targeted by assassins."

"......Was it His Highness Zayd who took care of you in that bedroom?"

"Yes, that's right. My brother, as the crown prince, was busy with his education and had few people he could trust. He would come to me and play with me as a way to relax."

"......I see."

It was surprising to learn that the haughty and cold Zayd had such a family-oriented side.

"Now that I am recognized as a prince, it's partly because I admired my brother's pride as the crown prince and worked hard. Even though we are distant now, to me as a child, my brother was the only family member I could interact with."

Leonhardt's expression was wistful as he fell silent.

(......A benefactor, huh. To me, it seems that it was because His Highness was frail that he and Zayd got along well...)

Zayd seemed to be cruel to those who opposed him or didn't follow his lead.

Perhaps it was because Leonhardt, as a child, was weak both physically and politically, and thus not a threat to Zayd, that they were able to build a good relationship.

(But this is just my perspective as an outsider. His Highness Leonhardt's feelings are different, I'm sure.)

To the young Leonhardt, Zayd, who appeared in his bedridden life, must have been a dazzling presence.

Even now, despite the cold relationship between them, it seems that Leonhardt still holds a deep affection for his half-brother.

(Being frail as a child can change one's life in many ways...)

This was not a completely unrelated matter to Cordelia.

One reason her sister Priscilla grew up to be selfish and spoiled was because Priscilla was often ill and coughing, which made their parents dote on her.

(Though, it would be rude to compare His Highness, who has overcome his frailty, with Priscilla.)

Leonhardt has grown into a dignified and knowledgeable prince, both in martial and literary arts.

His considerate nature, even as a prince, is likely a result of his past experiences with weakness and inconvenience.

In contrast, Priscilla, who was pampered, grew up to be self-centered and lacking in empathy.

"......I apologize for intruding so deeply into Your Highness's past."

"No, don't apologize. It was my fault for being vague in the first place."

But, Leonhardt's eyes sharpened.

"If my brother ever shows you any malice again, call me immediately. There are some things I can't forgive, even if it's my brother."

"......Understood."

Cordelia didn't fully understand everything about Zayd, but she had no right to meddle in the affairs of a royal family.

"I appreciate Your Highness's concern."

"I appreciate your company in this old story. ......By the way, the issue with my lion form is not just about my relationship with my brother."

Leonhardt changed the subject, as if to clear the air.

"Is it about the discrimination against beastmen? The prejudice against beastmen is still deeply rooted."

Beastmen are people with animal features such as ears, tails, or wings.

While there are countries where the majority of the population are beastmen, they are rarely seen in this country.

The main reason is that they live in different regions, but the biggest issue is that many citizens view beastmen as inferior.

(While the lion, the ancestor of the royal family, is revered as a sacred beast, it seems odd to look down on beastmen...)

However, prejudice is not something that can be easily eradicated.

The lion of the royal family is considered sacred, while the beastmen of other countries are seen as unclean.

This biased view, favoring one's own country and being harsh on others, is perhaps a very human trait.

"I have many thoughts about the prejudice against beastmen... but realistically, if it were publicly known that I, a member of the royal family, can transform into a lion, it would cause a lot of trouble."

"Unless it's an emergency, you don't intend to make your ability to transform into a lion public, do you?"

"Yes, that's right. The relationship with my brother and the issues surrounding beastmen... I don't think it's acceptable for a royal to cause unnecessary disputes and divide the country."

"Understood. I will keep my mouth shut."

Living with a secret, especially as a prince, must be very difficult.

But since Leonhardt has decided to keep his secret, Cordelia will remain silent.

"I appreciate it. Apparently, there were others in the past who could transform into lions, but they all kept it a secret throughout their lives."

"There were others in similar situations. ......There is a legend in this country that the sacred lion often appears to help the people..."

"Probably, it was a royal who transformed into a lion, like me. It's not good for it to be known that a royal can transform into a lion, but it's fine for a lion to appear 'from nowhere' to help the people."

"I see, that makes sense."

Cordelia nodded deeply, understanding the truth behind the legend.

With this, she felt that most of her questions about Leonhardt's ability to transform into a lion were resolved.

The next step was to figure out how to leave the mansion.

She was wondering how to bring it up when...

"Cordelia, your family must be worried by now. As much as I hate to see you go, it's best to start preparing to leave."

Leonhardt suggested it was time to prepare for her departure.

"Leaving you is hard... but if I stay any longer, I might not want to let you go."

"Your Highness..."

Leonhardt gently took Cordelia's hand.

"......I know you don't want to accept my proposal right now. You are thoughtful, and you've just had your engagement broken, so I understand that you don't want to think about love or marriage."

"......Even if you wait, my answer won't change."

"I will change your mind, and I will wait as long as it takes. What I want is your heart."

That's why I won't force you to stay, he said, smiling with a warm, smoldering gaze.

"In four days, I plan to deliver gloves to your mansion. I would be happy if you could tell me about your interests and hobbies then."

"......I will do my best to entertain you."

Cordelia bowed and stood up.

She was about to straighten her dress and leave the room when...

"Cordelia, I have one last favor to ask. Would you mind?"

Leonhardt, smiling warmly, asked her for a favor.

Thank you for reading.

The next chapter will be posted today.