The trembling whisper in his ear told Lowell that the boy had put a lot of thought into those words.
For a child who had never really disliked anyone before, it must have been a strange feeling.
It was so lovely that he’d hesitated out of fear of hurting Lowell’s feelings that Lowell gave him three kisses on the cheek in a row.
“Papa feels the same way. We’re of the same mind, Edwin.”
As Lowell replied softly, Edwin’s mood instantly brightened, and he mirrored Lowell’s smile.
He’d been nervous about saying something mean, but hearing that Lowell felt the same way seemed to put him at ease.
“I hope we don’t have to see him again. Right?”
“Right!”
With the validation he sought, Edwin’s steps became light and bouncy again.
Lowell walked slowly so the child could watch the sunset sky.
“It’s warm, isn’t it? Lots of flowers, too.”
“Yes! It’s amazing.”
Now that the intruder was gone, the child fully enjoyed himself, running a few steps ahead and then back to Lowell over and over.
“Shall we all sleep together tonight?”
Lowell made the suggestion, sensing the child was reluctant to head back in.
“Really?”
Since they were in an unfamiliar place, he thought sleeping together would be a good idea.
Felix would surely be more than happy with the arrangement.
“Yes. Since we’re on a trip, we should have days like this.”
“Yay!”
Felix’s return was earlier than expected.
He was holding documents he hadn’t had when he left.
Though he must have sensed Lowell’s curiosity, Felix avoided his gaze and tucked the papers into a table drawer without a word.
‘What’s that about?’
Lowell felt a sudden tightness in his chest.
Objectively, Felix’s behavior wasn’t a big deal, but it bothered him nonetheless.
“Your Highness!”
Edwin, who had been kicking his feet on the bed, ran to Felix as if he couldn’t wait another second.
“Edwin, why aren’t you asleep yet?”
His words sounded like a light scolding, but the way he picked Edwin up and kissed his cheek showed nothing but pure joy.
He even kissed the boy’s eyelids, as if intent on showering every inch of his face with affection.
“You’re back early.”
As Lowell approached, Felix kissed him as well while still holding the child.
Their lips met again, and Felix’s tongue lightly licked the corner of Lowell’s mouth.
When the hot tongue began to tease persistently, Lowell gave Felix’s forearm a light tap.
Felix pulled back obediently, though his eyes asked what the problem was.
“Me too! Your Highness, me again!”
The child laughed brightly and offered his plump cheek.
Felix didn’t refuse and kissed him once more, making the boy clap in delight.
“I wonder who he takes after.”
Felix’s eyes moved between Lowell and Edwin.
The room was filled with a sweet, cozy scent.
Lowell was just heading toward the bed, thinking that despite a long day, things were ending well, when…
“You know what?”
Edwin, still in Felix’s arms, pursed his tiny lips as if he had so much more to say.
“Yes, Edwin?”
The child, basking in the attention, suddenly threw a bucket of cold water on the warm atmosphere.
“I went for a walk with Papa, and we met Papa’s fyan—fiancée.”
Lowell squeezed his eyes shut.
Come to think of it, he hadn’t told Edwin to keep it a secret.
‘No, asking a kid to keep a secret is even weirder. And even if Edwin hadn’t said anything, the knights would have reported it or I would have mentioned it anyway.’
The problem was that he wasn’t mentally prepared, and Edwin’s choice of words was… awkward.
Lowell decided to try and do some damage control.
“Edwin, Papa told you that person was remembering it wrong and that we won’t see him again.”
Lowell pretended he was talking to Edwin, but his entire focus was on Felix.
‘Is he thinking “Lowell went and saw another man…”? No, even if it’s not that far, he might think I’m out here charming men again. He’s completely blinded by his feelings for me, after all.’
Contrary to his expectations, however, Felix simply listened intently to Edwin.
It felt like the calm before a storm, making Lowell feel anxious all by himself.
“Oh, wight. So, Papa said he didn’t want to see that person ever again.”
Normally, those words would support Lowell’s innocence, but right now, they felt more like an admission that the man had been a fiancé.
“I see. How did you run into that bas—no, that person?”
Lowell felt a sense of dread as he realized an unrefined word had almost slipped from Felix’s mouth.
He wanted to explain or make an excuse, but since he didn’t know anything himself, all he could do was describe the situation.
“Felix, we just ran into him while walking. I told him firmly that I never want to speak to him again, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
He said it, but he didn’t expect Felix’s mood to improve immediately.
Yet, after placing Edwin on the bed, Felix buried his face in Lowell’s neck like a child.
It was Lowell who was now being swayed by Felix’s unpredictable behavior.
“I trust you, so don’t be so anxious.”
The answer, coming a beat late, defied all of Lowell’s expectations.
It was the stable, trust-filled response he had longed for.
‘Has he really matured?’
If so, it was a good thing, but Lowell didn’t want Felix to suppress his emotions.
He felt this was enough of a spark to upset Felix and that it was his duty to settle things properly.
“Thank you. But really, tell me if you’re upset.”
Lowell whispered, patting Felix’s back.
Felix pulled him into a hug with a gentle touch, as if he’d never considered using a harsh word.
“I’m not a child; I won’t get upset over something like this anymore.”
Hearing that, Lowell felt a surge of emotion—and a strange, thick sense of disappointment.
‘I think I would have been bothered by it… Am I the one who’s narrow-minded?’
Lowell reflected inwardly, thinking that despite having lived much longer, he was still mentally lacking.
A wave of loneliness washed over him, feeling as if he were standing still while Felix was moving ahead.
“You must be tired from walking all day. Let’s get some sleep.”
“Yes.”
Lowell watched Felix turn off the lights, then pulled Edwin close, trying to erase the traces of his loneliness.
“Your Highness, lie down here!”
The three silhouettes stretched out side by side on the bed.
Edwin’s breathing was the first to become rhythmic, and before long, Lowell too drifted into sleep.
“Mm…”
Lowell tossed and turned, perhaps unsettled by the unfamiliar bed, before finally fluttering his eyes open.
He had naturally expected the bed to be full, but the only warmth pressed against his side was Edwin.
“Felix?”
Lowell sat up groggily, calling out the name.
A small light was flickering on the table, but the chair was empty.
‘Did he go to the washroom?’
He stumbled out of bed to check, but the bathroom was vacant.
“He has stepped out for a moment.”
The escort knight on night watch, sensing Lowell might tear the whole room apart if left to his own devices, offered the information in a hushed tone.
Lowell rubbed his eyes, murmuring a soft “I see.”
Looking out the window, it was clearly still the dead of night.
‘Where did he go at this hour? Something’s strange.’
Instead of returning to bed, Lowell drifted toward the lit table.
The surface was neatly organized, but the corner of a document was poking out from the drawer.
‘Was he looking at this?’
Lowell stared at the drawer, remembering how hurriedly Felix had tucked those papers away earlier as if desperate to keep them hidden.
A small knot of anxiety formed in his chest.
‘He has something he wants to hide from me? Is that why he went out?’
