Chapter 62

Today, my younger brothers came to my room.

One guard for each of them, making a total of six people.

There are more of them than usual, even more than the number of people who usually live here.

Still, this area is quite spacious.

First, I led them to the salon in the golden room.

Since there’s a grand piano in there, the lack of furniture can be somewhat concealed.

However, thanks to Her Highness, the furniture and carpets have increased, so I don’t think they’ll say it’s empty like before.

"Today we’re going to do alchemy! I want to do alchemy too!"

"Okay, okay, wait a moment. Let’s rest first."

Fer is too excited to be considered energetic.

I try to calm him down.

I made the brothers sit on the sofa and distributed the juice I had prepared.

Today, I plan to take Fer, who is interested in alchemy, to the Emerald Room.

This is to celebrate his fifth birthday, but his excitement is a bit too much.

"Hurry up, I’ve already finished drinking!"

"Fer, as I’ve said before, alchemy can be dangerous. That’s why we can’t let someone who is so impatient in."

It’s a bit mean, but to calm him down, I hint at changing today’s plans.

The effect is immediate, and Fer, who couldn’t sit still on the sofa, stops moving.

"Can’t Fer see the alchemy?"

"Eh!?"

Werner looks at me anxiously, and Fer lets out a cry of distress.

"Be good, and I’ll tell you the precautions. You have to listen to them, okay? Look, the guards are also paying attention."

I point to the palace guards listening to Ict at the wall and warn the twins.

"Are you... a bit nervous...?"

Terry, who is usually calm, notices something is off.

Actually, I’m scared of Ict.

And apparently, the guards are scared of me too.

This information was brought by the rude Reven.

Apparently, among the guards, the job of accompanying me is unpopular.

Usually, two to three guards are assigned to a prince, but here, only one guard accompanies, and the reason is me and Ict.

Moreover, I thought Ict was the only one assigned to me, but on paper, Reven was also assigned to me.

In reality, Reven is hardly ever here, so the Marquis Strategos uses him as he pleases.

Of course, I don’t need Reven, and if he’s a buffer to prevent unnecessary people from coming, I have no complaints.

"Maybe the guards have never been to the alchemy room before?"

"Ah, that makes sense."

He seems a bit curious, but doesn’t ask further.

Phew, I’m glad Terry understood.

Well, the guards who are assigned to me are indeed tense when dealing with Ict.

Actually, before the guards came here, Ict had taken a verbal promise from the Marquis Strategos.

In this area, Ict’s instructions are to be strictly followed, and any misconduct will result in dismissal.

The Marquis Strategos agreed, thinking it was better than causing trouble.

So, the guards are trying their best not to disobey Ict, as it would mean losing a prestigious and promising position.

Of course, I’m feared because of the rumors and the fact that I’ve made guards quit before.

The guards assigned to princes are usually of high status or very capable, so they can’t afford to be dismissed.

This is something Reven told me, laughing at their unnecessary pride.

"Either put your swords down or don’t enter the room."

I hear a voice giving unreasonable demands.

Putting down the swords, which are only allowed for the palace guards, is a problem both professionally and in terms of pride.

But if they don’t enter, they can’t guard, so I explain the reason to the brothers.

"The room we’re going to has a lot of glass equipment. Just a bump can cause a crack, and if the contents leak and you touch them, it can be dangerous. No sudden movements or touching without permission."

That’s why I don’t allow them to enter with their swords, which is also my preference.

By the time I finish repeating the precautions, Fer has calmed down, so we head to the Emerald Room through the golden bedroom.

"Here’s my alchemy room."

"Wow!"

"Amazing!"

The twins are about to express their surprise and excitement... but Terry and I stop them.

Remembering the precautions, the twins clench their fists and place them in front of their chests, showing their excitement in a controlled manner.

Yes, my brothers are so cute today! The cutest in the world!

"There’s a lot of glass. Some of the shapes are hard to understand. They look beautiful in the light..."

Even Terry is captivated by the experience.

I explain the equipment that the brothers are interested in as they look around.

I feel a bit popular with the brothers, and I answer their questions while moving around the room, feeling a bit flustered.

However, I can’t let my guard down.

All the experimental equipment is turned off, and dangerous chemicals have been moved to another room in the Emerald Room.

Still, glass can be sharp if broken, and if they fall, they can be quite heavy.

I have to make sure that the five-year-old twins and Terry don’t get hurt.

Even though I’ve taken safety measures, I’m still nervous.

The guards watching from outside the room are also tense, their anxiety showing on their faces.

"Brother, is it okay? ... Did the guards do something wrong?"

Oops, Terry didn’t seem to be convinced by that explanation.

I guess it didn’t work.

He’s asking now because the twins are so engrossed, or maybe he’s still not used to having an older brother.

"...... Do you remember when you were three?"

"Um, not really. ... I’m sorry, I don’t remember much about you either."

"That’s fine. We only met once. Sometimes it’s better to forget."

I smile and point to the twins, who are discussing their impressions.

"Werner, who was worried about being sick, and Fer, who was suffering, I hope they can create more happy memories and forget about the past year."

"Yes, that’s true."

"You don’t have to use formal language."

"Okay, um, yeah."

He’s still not used to it. I need to continue the conversation to help him get used to it.

"By the way, I have one memory from when I was three."

The guards are pushing each other, trying to peek in, but Ict is stopping them from entering.

He seems to be pressuring them to put down their swords.

"I heard a bell. A very loud bell, louder than anything I had heard before."

"Was it the cathedral’s bell?"

"Yes. The cathedral was ringing to celebrate your birth."

At that time, I had a nursemaid named Harty, and my world was very small.

I laugh, remembering that this room was still empty.

"I was so happy to know I had a brother."

"Eh?"

"Eh? Well, it took a while, but I found out about Terry later. It wasn’t because someone did something..."

I can’t say that no one told me, so my words sound a bit suspicious.

In front of me, Terry seems to be deep in thought.

"...... Did you hear the bells for Werner and Fer?"

"Yes, I heard them. They rang for both of them. Maybe I heard them when I was here."

I move to the window and respond to Terry.

Actually, I also learned about the birth of my sister from the sound of the bells.

She was taken to the cathedral for baptism a few days after birth.

Thinking about it, the people who tried to keep the news of my sister from me were really wasting their effort.

The bells would ring to announce it anyway.

"Have you ever been to that side?"

That side is probably the right wing.

"Um... well, from the garden side?"

I notice Terry’s sad expression and rephrase, but it’s clear I’ve never been there, and he looks troubled.

"What’s wrong, brother?"

"What happened, brother?"

The twins immediately notice and come over, looking worried.

We quickly tell them it’s nothing and return to explaining the alchemy room.

But they seem to have sensed something unsettling and stay close to us.

Moreover, that day, Terry went home without smiling, with a troubled expression.

Regular update

Next: Brother’s Heart, Unknown to the Brother 3

I will update casual talk after every 5th episode.