* * *
“Well, after meeting him, I see he’s not entirely dull. And when I subtly prodded about his family earlier, he showed no reaction at all. That means he hardly communicates with them.”
“Yes. Ever since I arrived in Nix, I haven’t exchanged a single message, and I don’t intend to in the future either. As Your Highness said, my family has always treated me like I don’t exist, so I eventually started to think that I didn’t have one.”
“Besides, seeing how devoted you are, I doubt you’d ever betray Felix.”
The Crown Prince slowly scanned Lowell from head to toe, his gaze carrying a subtle implication.
It seemed like he wanted to comment on how deep Lowell’s feelings for Felix were.
However, Felix himself failed to catch the nuance.
“Have all your doubts been cleared?”
“Yes. You know I can’t rest easy unless I confirm things with my own eyes. I’ll be leaving for the capital in two days.”
“You’re not leaving right away?”
Robin, who had been quietly sitting on the sidelines, thinking it wasn’t his place to interfere, asked worriedly.
“Why? You sound like you’d rather have me gone sooner.”
“No, of course not. I’m saying this because I’m concerned about you.”
Robin replied, looking genuinely aggrieved. But the Crown Prince cut him off bluntly.
“How am I supposed to know what’s going on in that head of yours?”
Lowell found it slightly amusing.
The Crown Prince always acted like he could read everyone like an open book, yet even he had moments like this in front of Robin.
“I need to time my departure with the arrival of my shadow. Leaving in two days is the safest option.”
“While you’re in Nix, you must be thorough about hiding your identity. Two knights have already figured out who you are.”
“I’m sure I assigned only the most trustworthy people to this one’s side. That means I don’t have to worry about keeping their mouths shut.”
“There’s always a possibility, however small.”
Felix spoke in a stern tone, and the Crown Prince nodded, acknowledging the point.
“I’ll stay completely hidden for the next two days, so don’t worry. Felix, I’m staking my life on this as well.”
And he had no choice but to do so.
‘One wrong move, and this would turn into a coup. It’s only natural to be cautious.’
Lowell didn’t trust the Crown Prince’s warped personality, but he did trust his ability to execute a plan flawlessly when it mattered.
“I know. That’s why we’re on the same boat.”
“We fought once, so would it be safe to say we’ve entered the calm after the storm?”
“It was a one-sided fight, but I’d like to think so.”
“Fine. To maintain this calm, let’s agree not to touch each other’s weaknesses.”
At that moment, Felix’s eyes turned to Lowell, while the Crown Prince’s gaze shifted to Robin.
Robin looked puzzled by the sudden attention.
“If there’s nothing else to discuss, I’ll be returning to the tower with Lowell. He’s had quite a shock today and needs to rest.”
Felix stood up, signaling the end of the conversation.
Throughout the discussion, he had been subtly checking Lowell’s condition, and it seemed like he was reaching his limit.
“Robin should rest too, after that cold water ordeal. Let’s leave it at that.”
The Crown Prince stood as well but then suddenly spoke, as if something had just come to mind.
“Are you busy tomorrow?”
“It’s no different from any other day.”
Felix, who was holding Lowell in his arms, answered with a look that said, ‘Why are you asking?’
The Crown Prince shook his head, looking exasperated, before continuing.
“Then how about a spar? It’s been a while. A duel with only swords—no magic. We used to do that often on the battlefield, didn’t we?”
“A spar?”
“Yes. As long as I don’t use aura, no one would recognize me.”
Felix remained silent for a moment before finally answering.
“Yes. I’ll prepare.”
Without another word, he left the study.
‘Is it really okay to leave those two alone?’
Lowell briefly debated whether he should say something about how Felix addressed the Crown Prince, but in the end, he decided not to overthink it.
‘They were the ones being rude first, and Felix has held back a lot today. The other side should be able to let this slide.’
Still, there was something he was curious about.
“Why did you agree to the spar?”
It wasn’t as if he had a reason to refuse, but there wasn’t much reason to accept either.
“To vent.”
Vent? That was a word that didn’t suit Felix at all.
“Vent your anger?”
“Even if there was a reason, I can’t forgive someone who put their hand around your throat.”
Felix adjusted his hold on Lowell.
“That’s what I need to vent. And without aura, my swordsmanship is superior.”
Felix stretched his shoulders and neck like a man showing off in front of the person he liked.
Of course, his confidence wasn’t empty bravado.
“I just hope you don’t get hurt.”
Lowell didn’t like the idea of Felix dueling that insufferable Crown Prince.
If he had asked for a match, there was clearly something he wanted to prove.
And it certainly wasn’t defeat.
‘He won’t want to lose in front of Robin. But Felix isn’t the type to hold back either.’
Felix treated anyone who picked up a sword—whether a beginner or a master with a century of experience—the same way.
“There won’t be any injuries in a spar. You’re more likely to trip and hurt yourself while walking.”
It was such an accurate statement that Lowell momentarily lost his words before bursting into laughter.
Something about the light yet weighty remark put his heart at ease.
“Then I’ll watch with a peaceful mind.”
“You’re going to watch?”
Felix’s training sessions were usually the only times they were apart.
During that time, Lowell often did things he wouldn’t otherwise do with Felix around.
Assuming tomorrow would be the same, Felix looked genuinely surprised.
‘A man that big making a face like that… somehow, it’s adorable.’
Lowell leaned his head against Felix’s chest, lips curling into a smile.
“You said you’re doing this because of me.”
“Yes.”
“Then I should be there to see it.”
Felix walked in silence for a while.
Just when Lowell started to wonder if he didn’t like the idea, Felix finally spoke in his usual blunt yet unmistakably pleased tone.
“The training grounds are cold. Dress warmer than usual.”
It was permission to come.
The Next Day.
“The Grand Duke’s training grounds are quite impressive.”
Lowell sat beside Robin, watching the knights prepare for the duel.
He had expected them to start immediately, but it seemed there was some ground repair needed due to deep indentations in the earth.
“Are they? I don’t know much about the imperial training grounds.”
“They’re similar, but outdoors. If it rains, you just have to train while getting drenched. Oh, there’s an indoor facility too, but most prefer to train outside.”
That was possible only in the warm capital.
“You seem to know quite a bit.”
“I used to train there for a while. I wanted to learn swordsmanship. I can’t anymore, though.”
For the first time since they met, Robin looked slightly dispirited.
There were many things he had given up for the sake of someone he admired, and swordsmanship was one of them.
“If His Highness knew you wanted to train again, I think he’d teach you.”
Lowell glanced around to make sure their conversation wasn’t being overheard, then offered a quiet reassurance.
“I know. But I don’t want to.”
Robin quickly returned to his usual cheerful tone.
“Technically, I’m not supposed to learn swordsmanship. To make it possible, he’d have to pull a lot of strings. He’s already bearing so much for my sake—I don’t want to add even a little more to that burden.”
The so-called “burden” was nothing more than silencing those who dared to offer unsolicited advice.
But since Lowell fully understood the desire not to leave even the slightest wound on someone he cared about, he chose not to nitpick.
‘It must be the kind of resolve he made when deciding to stay by the Crown Prince’s side.’
* * *
