Chapter 62

Arundilano had five wet nurses. However, it wasn't the case that all five were there at the same time.

The first wet nurse, though hired, had poor milk production and was dismissed with a severance package because it was difficult for her to feed two children, including her own.

The second wet nurse was said to have lost a child to stillbirth but had milk. However, it was later discovered that she had abandoned a child at an orphanage, claiming it was a stillbirth, after giving birth to a child from an affair. She was also dismissed.

The third wet nurse had also lost a child to stillbirth. This time, the palace carefully confirmed the stillbirth before hiring her. However, the woman, who had not recovered from the shock of losing her child, doted on and monopolized Arundilano, refusing to let even the princess hold him, and was dismissed.

The conditions for a wet nurse were to have given birth, to be able to produce breast milk, to have completed the postpartum period, and to be of noble birth. Therefore, in the first recruitment, only those who had given birth before the princess were eligible.

However, due to the time that had passed with the changing of wet nurses, the fourth and subsequent recruitments included those who had conceived after learning of the princess's pregnancy, with the ambition of connecting their children to the royal family as classmates.

Some of these women tried to instill a love for themselves in Arundilano, who was still an infant, or secretly abused him to make him compliant, and were dismissed.

Despite the poor relay of wet nurses, they managed to last a year. As Arundilano started on solid foods, the requirement for a wet nurse was no longer necessary, and someone with child-rearing experience was needed. The deputy commander of the knight corps, Fabian Verfabia's mother, was appointed as the nanny.

Fabian's mother sometimes brought her grandsons, Gerant and Chris. Gerant was two years older than Arundilano, and Chris was the same age, so they were brought to be playmates for Arundilano, who had no milk brothers.

Gerant, being at the age where he wanted to act like an older brother, doted on Arundilano and Chris but always prioritized Arundilano when something happened. Chris, feeling that his older brother was being taken away, often competed with Arundilano.

"I want an older brother too."

Being doted on by Gerant was delightful, but Gerant would leave in the evening and didn't come every day. The loneliness made Arundilano sometimes express his desire for an older brother, but he was told that if he had a younger brother or sister, they would become like Gerant. He wanted to say that it wasn't the same, but he didn't know how to express it and could only remain silent.

Eventually, Gerant started receiving lessons from a tutor and sword training from his father, so he came to the palace less often with his grandmother. Arundilano played more with Chris, who often talked about Gerant.

"Big brother shared the sweets he got from the knight with me."

"Big brother read a book to me after learning to read."

"Big brother slept with me when I was scared of thunder."

"Big brother, big brother, big brother."

When Arundilano turned four, he started receiving lessons from a tutor, and the nanny was no longer needed. Maids and guard knights accompanied him, but they didn't chat or play with him.

"You'll make lots of friends."

The princess, his mother, took him to a gathering where noblewomen did embroidery. There were many children of the same age, and there were many toys like building blocks and picture books. Upon closer inspection, there was one older boy who was doing embroidery with the women and not playing with the children.

At the gathering, Arundilano forcefully pulled and pushed a girl who wouldn't listen to him, making her fall. The older boy appeared in front of the girl at lightning speed, worried about her injury. Arundilano was even more angry that the girl didn't listen to him, but he was more upset that the boy didn't prioritize him. The boy's face, when he turned around, was terrifying. It was the first time the young Arundilano had been confronted with such anger.

"What, what is it?"

He tried to act tough, but his body was trembling with fear as his head was grabbed. He even escaped into a fantasy about the beautiful color of the boy's eyes changing from blue to purple.

The embroidery gathering soon ended, and he couldn't play much with the other children. He later learned that the boy was the girl's older brother.

"The older brother was angry because you made the girl fall."

Arundilano envied the girl. She had an older brother who would rush to her side when she fell and get angry on her behalf for a minor scrape.

"I want an older brother too..."

For the first time in a while, the wish came out of his mouth. Arundilano understood that it was impossible for him to have an older brother now. He knew that his wish would never come true.

"There is one way to make that boy your older brother."

It was a maid standing behind him who whispered this to Arundilano. Surprised that the maid, who usually only took orders or responded to them, was speaking, Arundilano turned around.

"By marrying Lady Dianna. Her older brother, Cain, would become the older brother of the crown prince, who is your husband."

The girl was cute but seemed a bit cheeky, so he didn't particularly like her. However, the idea of the boy becoming his older brother was somewhat appealing.

He imagined the boy rushing to his side when he fell.

He imagined the boy getting angry at the person who hurt him when he was injured.

He imagined the boy's face as his eyes changed color with anger.

"Can you be my older brother?"

He was told there would be a reconciliation meeting, and he was nervous. He had been taught how to apologize and how to accept an apology, but he was thinking about the boy and not really listening. He was told that the boy doted on his sister and that he needed to get along with her to avoid being disliked. Arundilano decided to properly apologize and make up with the girl.

If they reconciled, he would ask if he could call the boy "older brother."

Would the boy hold his hand like Gerant and Chris did when they left?

Would he praise him when he did something good?

Would he gently scold him when he did something wrong?

Would he pat his head when he praised him?

Arundilano's longing for an "older brother" only grew.

I'm sorry for the extra chapter.

Please wait until the beginning of the month for the next update.