Chapter 62

"Prince, how long are you going to mope around?"

I called out to the prince, who was slumped at the school entrance.

He was clearly dejected.

No wonder. As a result of his efforts, he had accidentally caused the mother of the girl he liked to faint.

"Haah, maybe I'm just no good."

"Indeed."

"Hey, you're supposed to deny that."

You're so selfish.

"I haven't been paid for taking care of the prince's feelings."

"If it were Rail, he would always support me."

"I'm not Rail. If you give me a temporary bonus, I might consider comforting you?"

He glared at me sideways and sighed deeply, looking exasperated.

"You're always thinking about money, money, money. Try to have more heart. Can't you try to have a pure and beautiful heart like mine?"

As if we're dating! Besides, my future life is at stake!

"Those are feelings you can only have when you have enough food and clothing. I'm happy just to be able to have such feelings."

"What are you being so philosophical about? You should be living a pretty luxurious life. Is there something wrong with your family? Is your family in debt or something?"

It seems I've been misunderstood.

My father may not be excellent, but he hasn't fallen so far as to be in debt.

We are a healthy family.

"Someone who can live comfortably for the rest of their life, or at least until the prince's generation, wouldn't understand my feelings." Sigh.

"You're a strange one. If you're so anxious... well, we can talk about it later."

"What's that? Why are you being so coy?"

I could smell something from the prince's tone. This must be it.

"The moment you thought you'd get something, your eyes changed. You're so transparent."

Uh, I've been caught.

Is it that obvious on my face? Well, I guess it is, I'm trying so hard.

"It's not a big deal. You've seemed anxious about the future for a while, so I thought I'd give you something to secure your future."

"Prince!!"

I enveloped the prince's hand with both of mine. I won't let go. I won't let go of the prince's warm heart.

"Prince, you have such a pure and beautiful heart."

"You're really just after money."

He shook off my hand and started walking.

"Well, it depends on your future work. Do your best, Kururi Heran."

I hurried to follow him.

Hmm, he didn't say when or what he would give me. This could be the worst-case scenario where I'm overworked and then he says, "Huh? Did I say that?"

He's not that bad, right? I can trust the prince, right?

"Hey, Prince."

I called out to the prince, who suddenly became nervous in front of Iris's room to tell her that her family had arrived.

"About the reward."

"Again? We just had a good ending. Besides, this is Iris's room. How do we call her out?"

"This is the reward for following Iris the other day. I haven't received it yet. This is a different matter from the future security, so please pay me quickly."

"Damn, you have no sense of mood. Fine, I'll give you this!"

The prince took out a bracelet with a gemstone that shone brilliantly from his pocket.

Why does he have something like this in his pocket? Is he rich?

"Prince, what is this..."

"It was something I was going to give to Iris's mother. But as you said, it might be a burden. Fine, it's too troublesome to be nagged about it. This will be your reward this time."

"How much is it worth?"

"I don't know!"

The prince's loud voice made the door to Iris's room open.

Iris poked her head out and looked at us, who were making a commotion in front of her room.

"Hey? It's Sir Arc and Kururi. What are you two doing? Oh, do you have something for me?"

"U-uh, ahem! K-Kururi really wanted to come. But she felt lonely coming to the girls' dorm alone, so she invited me along."

What's he talking about? I came to tell her that her family had arrived.

"Right, Kururi?"

The prince gave me a wooden smile. I can't deny it now.

"…Yes, that's right."

I got something good just now. I put the bracelet away. I have to be careful with the bribe.

"Huh? You two are that close? If you were worried about coming alone, you could have invited Toto or someone."

Ouch, that's a sore spot!

That's right, we didn't seem that close! That's the truth!

"Recently, we've become really close."

The prince put his arm around my shoulder. There was an unusual force in his arm.

"Really?"

Iris still looked suspicious.

"Right, Iris. We're brothers from today. Prince said he would give me a high position no matter what happens in the future. Right, Prince?"

You started it. Now I'm using it.

Do you think I don't know the weight of the words I spoke in front of Iris?

"Y-Yeah, that's right. We made that kind of agreement. We're brothers now."

He said it himself, but what does "brothers" mean?

When did we start going down this wild path?

"Hmm, isn't it strange to talk about future positions and such among friends? That's not what friends are for, is it?"

Another accurate point. You're right, your opinion is correct. 100 points, but let it go today. It's for everyone's good.

"Friendship takes many forms!"

I emphasized the end and forced a smile.

Iris didn't ask any more about our relationship, as if she had been overwhelmed by my spirit.

I was sweating so much that I pulled back the arm I had put around the prince.

"So? Kururi, do you have something for me?"

Oops, I got carried away, but that's the main point.

Should I be the one to say it?

Iris's mother is sleeping in the infirmary! Now!

Aw, I don't want to say it. I feel like I'll get scolded.

"Iris, I got some new tea. Would you like to have it with me?"

The prince nudged me with his elbow. I nudged him back.

"Hmm, that's a very kind offer, but has Kururi ever invited someone like this before?"

"This one is especially delicious. By the way, Prince said he had something to talk about too."

Iris's gaze shifted from me to the prince.

Her big, round eyes were directed at the prince.

Under normal circumstances, no man would be unhappy to be looked at with such eyes, but today, my heart was constricted.

The prince was no exception.

"Actually, there are... some good tea snacks downstairs. Would you like to have them together?"

He was about to say it! He was about to say that Iris's family was downstairs!

There are tea snacks? If there are, I'll come back for them later!

"Thank you. It sounds delicious to have Kururi's tea with them."

She smiled and opened the door fully.

She crossed her arms and put her thumb on her lower lip in a seductive gesture.

"By the way, are you two hiding something from me?"

We are, yes. Yes, we are!

I nudged the prince with my elbow again. He nudged me back immediately.

"Come on, you two are acting like children. Tell me, I won't be angry. I promise I won't be angry."

He will be angry.

He will definitely be angry.

"Prince, you should say it. You're the mastermind, right?"

"What's a mastermind? Fine, I'll say it."

Iris looked puzzled. Does the word "mastermind" mean something to her?

The prince was fidgeting, so Iris spoke first.

"If it's hard to say, it's okay. It's probably about stealing my underwear, right? I heard boys do that, but I won't let you do it again."

No, we don't know! We have nothing to do with the underwear thief!

"No! Iris, it's not us! I swear! We don't know anything about the underwear thief!"

"Iris, it's true! What Prince is saying is true! We are not the underwear thief!"

The two of us, putting all our soul into the denial, naturally raised our voices, and the word "underwear thief" was emphasized, causing other doors to start opening.

What? What's going on?

Underwear thief? Those two are the ones?

Such murmurs could be heard.

No!

As a result of trying to hide our sins, we ended up being smeared with filth from an unexpected direction!

"Hey! We are not the underwear thief! Everyone, please calm down!"

I felt a bit futile saying it.

To think I would be defending myself over such a low-level issue as a noble.

The surroundings gradually calmed down, and we were finally able to return to our conversation with Iris.

"I'm sorry. It seems I made a big misunderstanding."

"No, it's okay. We were hiding something, after all."

"Ahahaha, I gave you a strange misunderstanding, so I can't be angry anymore. Come on, just tell me."

The prince seemed to be quite hurt by the suspicion of being the underwear thief, so it looks like I have to say it.

"Actually, Iris's family has come to the school..."

I finally said it. It felt like a weight had been lifted from my heart. It's easier to do than to worry.

Iris should have heard my words clearly, but she didn't seem to understand for a moment.

"…My family? My mother, Mikal, and Asia?"

"That's right. All three are in the infirmary now."

Iris covered her mouth with both hands and ran off without exhaling the breath she had taken.

The prince and I followed her immediately.

"Iris, wrong way! The infirmary is the other way!"

Iris, who usually doesn't make such mistakes, was flustered.

We must have confused her a lot.

Iris, using her excellent athletic ability, easily dodged people as she ran down the path we had dragged our heavy feet along.

The infirmary door was flung open.

Inside, Mikal and Asia were playing energetically.

And on the bed, Iris's mother, Clarissa, was waking up.

"Iris..."

Iris's mother was the first to notice.

Iris ran over and hugged her mother.

Her two brothers soon joined the embrace.

Iris, with slightly moist eyes, hugged her family with a full smile.

The prince and I watched this and closed the infirmary door.

It was time for us to leave.

We went outside and looked at each other.

Despite everything that happened... we high-fived.