9.

‘I worked under a bad master for a long time, so it would be okay to give him freedom.’

I wanted to set Van free. He, who was born as a slave and lived a difficult life, hoped for a new life. So, when he disbanded, he planned to give them property to play and eat for the rest of their lives.

“Then what do you plan on doing about the Shadow Knights?”

“Maybe we should let them go too.”

“They are more useful than the Knights of Leviathan.”

“know. But now I plan to live quietly and enjoy life. “There is no need for the Shadow Knights in charge of intelligence and assassination.”

“… … “I don’t know what Rahit thinks.”

It’s worth it. The original Richt wouldn’t have done this.

“But still, Ain. “I will remain loyal until the end.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Ain’s eyes widened as he heard words of gratitude for the first time. And then she bowed her head with an expression of emotion.

“My beginning and end are Duke Devine.”

With those words, the conversation between the two ended. Now Richt had to return to Theodore’s room. Theodore always wanted Richt to be by his side, and that was why they had been sharing the same bed since yesterday. Because I’m still a small child. Since he didn’t have much time left anyway, he decided to listen to that much.

“Then let’s go to sleep.”

Richt headed straight to Theodore’s room.

“Licht!”

Theodore ran up to Richt in his pajamas and hugged him tightly around the waist. I got goosebumps, but it was bearable. Originally, he wasn’t a person who disliked skinship, but Richt’s body wasn’t like that. He hated being touched, and perhaps that was why his body sometimes reacted to sudden touches like this.

“Did you wait?”

“huh!”

Theodore answered shyly. Then he took Richt’s hand and led them to the bed. The child, who was lying calmly on the bed, looked passionately at Richt. He would fall asleep as usual if I sang him a lullaby and patted his chest. But today Theodore did not fall asleep easily.

Even as I fell asleep, I pursed my small lips as if I wanted to say something.

“Can’t you sleep?”

Theodore shook his head in response to Richt’s question.

“just.”

The child hesitated for a while, but waited patiently.

“If I fall asleep, where will Richt go to sleep?”

“I go into a roughly empty room.”

Richt continued to sleep in different rooms in the palace. Because it was dangerous for him to stay in one room. There are already a lot of people with a grudge against me, but I had no intention of revealing my location.

“why?”

“I can’t fall asleep in one place.”

Richt answered kindly, hiding the original reason. But Theodore seemed to have figured out the reason. He is a really smart kid.

“Okay, then.”

Theodore stuttered. What on earth do you want to say and are you hesitating so much?

“Would you like to sleep here tonight?”

It was an unexpected recommendation.

“Here?”

“huh.”

The prince’s room is large and spacious enough for several people to sleep. But there was only one bed in the room.

‘Now that I think about it, there was a big sofa in the living room.’

If you only have one blanket, it won’t be uncomfortable to sleep.

“Of course.”

It wasn’t difficult to sleep on the sofa for a night. When Richt agreed, Theodore’s face brightened. He dozed off and moved to the side of the bed. As I looked at him wondering what to do, he tapped the empty seat with his hand.

“here. “I think I can sleep here.”

Theodore smiled shyly. The boy who encouraged him was cute, but he was still a prince. He didn’t dare share the same bed with the crown prince. She tried to refuse, but the child’s eyes suddenly sparkled so brightly that she couldn’t get her words out.

Richt let out a small breath without Theodore noticing.

“Then I’ll take a shower and come back.”

Theodore’s cheeks turned red when he realized that this meant permission. After washing and changing into his pajamas, Richt lay down next to Theodore. Usually, children of noble families share their own beds from an early age. When he grows up, he sometimes shares a bed with his spouse, but that is extremely rare.

This was because they often shared separate beds and only came together when necessary. Even the smart Theodore wouldn’t know that. Has loneliness blinded your eyes?

‘But I’ve never slept with anyone else either.’

Before I was possessed, my parents were very busy. He was always under the care of a nanny, and because of that he had to live alone in his room from an early age. It was the same even when I grew up. Since he never had a significant other, the seat next to him was always empty. So the warmth right next to me was unfamiliar.

Theodore also asked to sleep together, but it seemed awkward. I was writhing and moving my body the whole time.

‘You’re bad.’

Richt stared blankly at the ceiling of his bed.

‘What should I do?’

Should I sing a lullaby to put Theodore to sleep as usual and wake him up secretly? While I was thinking about it, I heard a small voice next to me.

“Licht.”

Theodore had come closer and was looking shyly at Richt.

“Can I come a little closer?”

Theodore asked in a fairly polite voice.

“Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable?”

“No, it’s not uncomfortable.”

“Then it’s okay.”

Even though Richt himself was uncomfortable, he could not refuse Theodore who looked up at him cutely.

‘I heard you’re secretly weak-hearted.’

A friend I was close with in the past was like that.

‘You can’t leave something weak and young alone. So, I’m picking up things like that.’

The finger pointed to a dying stray cat. Although Theodore was not a cat, I still felt sympathy for him. The loneliness and fear that a small child harbored took hold of Richt.

I placed my hand on the back of the child who was standing close to me and only waving his fingers. As I hug her, her body becomes stiff.

“If you don’t like it, just tell me.”

I tried to speak as kindly as possible. There was a perception that the line was crossed due to a momentary impulse. She was willing to take her hand away if Theodore said no. But no matter how much time passed, no negative words came out of his mouth. I moved my body and got closer. Heat is transmitted from the bodies touching each other.

‘Do you have a fever?’

I lifted the hand that was stroking my back and placed it on my forehead. Fortunately, she didn’t seem to have a fever, but her face was red.

“Are you in any pain?”

“No, it doesn’t hurt!”

Theodore answered quickly.

“So are you hot?”

“no. cold.”

It’s not the cold season. Theodore mumbled that it was cold and snuggled into Richt’s arms. As I hug him around the waist and put my head against his chest, I can see the top of his head just below. Wow, even this little kid’s parted hair is cute.

“Actually, this is my first time sleeping with someone.”

Theodore continued speaking with his head buried in Richt’s chest.

“But I think it’s kind of good.”

And then she smiled brightly like a sunflower.

“I hope we can continue to sleep together in the future.”

Theodore, who was muttering, blinked his eyes slowly and soon fell into a deep sleep. In the meantime, she clings tightly and does not fall off. Richt hesitated for a moment and then placed his hand on Theodore’s back again.

I thought Richt would have a hard time sleeping with other people due to his innate sensitivity, but maybe it was because the other person was a child.

Richt’s eyelids also began to get heavy.

“… … “This is ridiculous!”

Richt opened his eyes with difficulty at the sound of a tearing voice. My body was so needlessly weak that it was not easy to open my eyes in the morning. It must be some kind of low blood pressure. When I raised my head and frowned, I saw someone making a fuss in front of the bedroom.

It is not normal to see her go wild even though other maids try to stop her. When I look at someone’s face, it feels familiar. Alione, the crown prince’s tutor.

Richt yawned slightly, rested his chin on his hand, and watched Alione run wild.

“This is against imperial etiquette! There are other people in the bedroom. “The only person I can lie in bed with is the future Crown Princess!”

It seems like he’s going wild for that reason.

“Mrs. Alione. “Licht is my uncle.”

“Your Majesty the Crown Prince!”

“What could happen if I sleep with my uncle?”

Alione’s face turned pale. It seemed like if I left it just a little longer, it would fall back on its own.

“It happens, it happens. Maia said that. “There are not many people I can trust.”

Alione repeated what she had said to Maia and tried to persuade Theodore.

“Lord Devine is not a man you can trust!”

Meanwhile, gossip about Licht poured out like water. It seems they don’t know that Richt has woken up yet.

The author is like a snake. Just because they are of the same bloodline does not mean they are people who will help you. He is a cruel person. Later, they will also try to kill His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

‘Well, that’s what Richt would have done.’

However, his purpose now was different. My goal is to run away and live well. What Alione said was wrong.

‘Then let’s try to cover Alione’s mouth first.’

Richt coughed slightly. The first person to hear that sound was Theodore.

“Licht! Are you sick?”

Theodore, who approached at a hurried pace, showed concern on his face.

“no. “I’m fine.”

Richt smiled softly and looked at Alione. How would you feel about seeing the crown prince approach the author who just a moment ago preached that he was such a bad person?