Chapter 4

The left wing of the palace where I live is not connected internally to the rest of the building due to the difference in the eras when they were constructed.

The most obvious discrepancy is the difference in the height of the floors between the buildings.

The section where I live is a five-story building, including the attic.

However, the main hall where my father resides is only two stories high.

The floors that are connected are only the first and third, and the second and fourth, and there are also additional buildings attached later.

"Is every historical building a maze like this?"

Harti led me by the hand toward the garden.

Ikt, my bodyguard, was a bit behind, but that was probably so he could see everything.

Officially, we were taking a walk in the garden.

However, the vast garden, which stretched for kilometers, was not a casual distance for a stroll.

Behind the palace, there is a canal, a large fountain, a forest, and even a pasture.

Within the grounds, there are three villas built by successive emperors, and the vastness is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

It's incredibly luxurious, but I am the son of the owner of this vast garden.

My father, whom I rarely see, and the fact that very few people treat me as a prince, makes it hard for me to fully grasp my status.

"For security reasons, but also because the interior of the palace is a work of art by artists representing their eras. Renovations are always required."

Renovation after renovation, reconstruction after reconstruction.

I vaguely understood that this was also a matter of pride for the emperors of each era.

Surely this vast garden also expanded to assert the emperor's authority.

Harti and I walked through a garden with geometrically patterned hedges.

We then aimlessly walked through a cool birch forest.

Well, the walk itself wasn't bad.

In my previous life, I didn't have such leisurely memories, so it felt quite fresh.

"......mew......"

"Huh? Harti, did you hear that?"

Harti shook her head and placed her hand on her cheek.

"I thought I heard a child crying. Is it this way?"

We headed toward the tall hedges, pulling Harti's hand, and saw a child crouching at the edge of the birch forest.

"Are you okay?"

"Mew, uh......"

The boy, trying hard not to cry, had his cheeks, which were even redder against his pale skin, trembling.

His round face was young, and his hair was navy blue, a common color among the imperial nobility.

He was about two or three years younger than me.

The lace on his cuffs was of high quality.

There is an age limit for entering the palace, so his presence here could help identify him.

There are very few people of his age who can enter the palace garden, and only two people, including me, can walk around freely.

"Are you......Telistras, right?"

"Who?"

The boy looked up when he heard his name.

His hand, which had been covering his eyes, moved, revealing moist navy blue eyes.

"Nice to meet you."

I greeted him with a full smile.

This boy is Telistras.

The son of Emperor Kether and Empress Lamnia, and my younger brother!

I didn't expect to meet him so suddenly.

Moreover, why is the heir to the throne alone?

Even I have a nurse and a bodyguard, so this situation is strange.

"Why are you crying? Did you hurt yourself? Are you okay?"

"......Where am I?"

He seemed on guard, but it appeared he was just lost.

From what I could see, he didn't seem to be injured.

"I see, you must have been lonely. How about we look for someone together? I'll stay with you the whole time, okay?"

I extended my hand, a bit too eagerly, and suggested.

The young Telistras looked at me, Harti, and Ikt, who was standing behind us, with a very hesitant expression.

Yeah, not going with strangers is a good judgment for a three-year-old.

Promising future, indeed.

"Telistras, can I call you Terry? This isn't a scary place. It's a beautiful garden. Have you seen it before? There are glowing flowers and trees that make bell-like sounds."

Terry shook his head at my extended hand.

The gesture was cute, and curiosity was starting to show in his navy blue eyes.

"Let's look for someone you know while we explore the beautiful things in this garden, okay?"

"......Okay."

My younger brother, with his high-pitched voice, took my hand with his small fingers.

His hand was warm and smaller than my young one, making me feel a bit uneasy.

Is this the feeling of protectiveness?

I helped Terry up and turned to Ikt.

Ikt immediately nodded and went to look for the other guards who were probably searching for Terry.

We would tour the garden's famous spots, and Ikt would surely bring them here.

"Let's go. What did you come to the garden for today?"

"A walk."

He still had few words and was cautious, but his shyness was cute.

I kept my promise and took Terry to the flower bed with the glowing flowers.

The flowers themselves have a shape where the stamens protrude from the petals, but now, in the daytime, they were closed and looked like long tubes.

"Look at this."

I gently cupped the flower with both hands and darkened it.

Through the thin petals, the stamens glowing inside could be seen.

A truly fantastical flower that glows in the dark.

Terry, who is only three, probably hasn't seen such a plant before.

"Wow! It glowed!"

"Try it. Be gentle, don't crush the flower."

Terry happily mimicked me.

"The colors are different, right?"

"Yeah, good observation. What color is this one?"

"Red!"

Terry seemed to like the different colors of the glowing flowers.

He gleefully covered one after another with his hands and laughed brightly.

Even when he covered a different species of flower in the adjacent flower bed and it didn't glow, he tilted his head cutely.

Harti and I couldn't help but smile as we watched.

"Why? ......Ah!?"

"Terry!?"

Terry suddenly sat down and started crying.

A black, round insect had flown out from the flower he was covering.

It seemed to be some kind of bee.

"It's okay, I'll protect you. See, I chased the insect away. Harti, does it sting?"

"No, it doesn't sting. He was probably just surprised to see it for the first time."

I was worried because Terry was crying, but it seemed he was okay.

"It's okay, don't cry. ...Um, look at this. Fold it like this, and open it like this. See, it's a flower that doesn't attract insects, okay?"

I folded a handkerchief into a banana shape, as I was taught by a friend in elementary school, and peeled it.

It looked similar to the glowing flowers when they were in bloom, but I realized Terry hadn't seen them open.

When I tried to hide my embarrassment, Terry grabbed my hand with both of his.

"Flower? Amazing."

"It's easy, you can do it too."

I let him hold the handkerchief, and we heard the sound of a group approaching.

Turning around, we saw a woman in a dress and several guards in uniform running toward us.

When they saw me and the just-stopped-crying Terry, they immediately shouted.

"What are you doing!? Stay away from him immediately!"

The woman in the dress, out of breath, picked up Terry and glared at me, ignoring Terry's renewed tears.

She even snatched the handkerchief from Terry, who was holding it, and threw it to the ground.

Moreover, the three guards, who were about to draw their swords, stepped in front of me.

"What do you intend to do?"

The cold voice made the three guards straighten their backs.

Ikt, who had returned at some point, stood in front of me, his icy gaze intimidating the guards.

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Next: The Emperor's Eldest Son 5