EP.8 Childhood (3)
"Isabella, sis~ Marie~ What brings you here? Sis, didn't you have magic class today?"
"Hehehe, my sister and I came to have lunch with you, oppa."
"We made sandwiches. We worked really hard, so try one~"
"Wow, thanks! I was hungry anyway, so I'll enjoy it~"
Yuno eagerly opened the basket they brought. But the sandwiches, which the princesses had made with their precious hands, had all gotten squished out of shape as they ran over, so Isabella and Marie's faces quickly turned teary.
"Waaah, the sandwiches we made for you got ruined..."
"This... this is all Marie's fault... I said we should go slowly... sniff... waaah..."
Yuno was flustered by his sister and little sister crying over sandwiches, but he hugged them and comforted them.
"Sis, Marie, thank you. They're a little squished, but to me, they're tastier than any other food. How could sandwiches made by you two not be delicious?"
"Sniff... really? Even though they're all ruined, you'll eat them?"
"Don't force yourself, Yuno... Tell the maids to make more..."
Before Isabella could finish, Yuno started gobbling up the sandwiches. He wasn't picky about food anyway, and after all the intense training, his body was starved for nutrients, so he ate every last crumb of the broken sandwiches.
"Mmm!! It's delicious. Really delicious. Maybe it's because you and Marie made them, but they taste extra special."
When Yuno praised them, Isabella and Marie's cheeks flushed. Seeing their beloved little brother, oppa, enjoy the food so much made the effort of skipping class and working all morning worthwhile.
"Hehehe, I'm glad. Seeing oppa eat so well, it doesn't feel hard at all."
"Oh! But I ended up eating everything, so you two don't have any left. Sorry, I was so hungry I didn't think and just ate it all."
"It's okay, oppa. Just seeing you enjoy it makes me full. Hehehe."
Isabella and Marie were so grateful and fond of Yuno for eating the sandwiches they had ruined. Especially Isabella, who wanted to do even more for her adorable little brother.
"Yuno, should I make you a lunchbox every day? If you eat it happily, I don't mi "
Just then, the head maid interrupted Isabella. Interrupting a princess was a grave offense, but as the most senior maid who had served the Empress for many years, she did so without hesitation.
"Your Highness! That is not allowed. Even today, we only let it slide because you promised it would be just this once."
"Oh, come on, Madeleine. Turn a blind eye, please. You know I get good marks in all my classes."
"If you insist, please get permission from Her Majesty the Empress. Then we can allow it."
Knowing that was impossible, Isabella pouted. Her mother, Empress Yuria, was very strict about her children's education and even occasionally sat in on their classes.
"Ugh~ I don't need things like social dance or etiquette class in the morning... I'm going to live with Mom, Yuno, and Marie forever, so I'm not getting married anyway."
"Your Highness... that's dangerous talk. If His Majesty hears, you'll be in trouble."
It was normal for princesses, once of age, to marry royalty from other countries or the children of great nobles. But Isabella and Marie didn't want that life, so at their request, Empress Yuria let them study magic and spirit arts.
Empress Yuria also wanted her daughters to live different lives from hers, so she actively supported them and found good teachers.
Both princesses were exceptionally talented, having already passed the basics and begun intermediate studies. They were even planning to leave the palace after mastering intermediate magic and spirit arts as adults.
"If Father finds out, of course he'll be upset. He's already thinking about which country would bring the most benefit if he marries us off."
"Don't say such things!!"
The head maid looked around anxiously to make sure no one overheard, then breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alright, Madeleine, don't get too angry. Sis, Marie, it's just for today, right? Thanks for the sandwiches, but you can't skip class or Mom will worry."
Yuno, sensing the conversation was going off track, mediated to wrap things up.
"...Tsk. You said it was delicious... Fine. But from today, you have to eat dinner with us, okay?"
"That's right, oppa. You have to come, okay?"
Lately, Yuno had often used training as an excuse to eat quickly in the knights' mess, so his sisters used this chance to get a promise out of him. Though their pressure wasn't scary at all, Yuno smiled and agreed.
"Come to think of it, isn't the third princess from the Leon Kingdom arriving today?"
"Yeah. That's why Viscount Speyer is escorting her. There's going to be a welcome ceremony later, so you and Marie should come too."
"But she's coming as a hostage, so do they really need to hold a welcome ceremony?"
"Officially, it's an invitation and study abroad. The Empire can't just say 'welcome' and leave it at that when a foreign princess arrives."
"True... So we'll have dinner at the welcome ceremony. Yuno, you must be looking forward to it? I heard the Leon Kingdom's third princess is very pretty, and she's your age, right?"
"Sis! Oppa might get swept away by that princess, so I'm going to hold his hand the whole time!!"
"That's right, Marie... Yuno's still young, so he might fall for her just by her looks. You hold his left hand, I'll hold his right."
With his sisters being extra overprotective today, Yuno could only sigh. After lunch, Isabella and Marie, teary-eyed, returned to the Empress's palace for their classes, and Yuno resumed his training.
As the sun set, Yuno finished training, feeling his muscles grow even stronger, and received a summons to the main palace. He quickly washed up, changed into clean clothes with the help of his attendants, and rode a carriage to the Emperor's main palace.
Upon entering the Emperor's audience hall, the Emperor Hall, he saw many ministers and royals had already arrived. Yuno went to stand beside his brothers and bowed in greeting.
Crown Prince Prinz spoke first upon seeing Yuno greet them.
"You're a little late, Yuno."
"Sorry, brother. I trained a bit too hard and it took some time to wash up."
"Training is good, but on days of official imperial events, make a habit of finishing early and arriving ahead of time."
"Yes, understood."
After scolding Yuno briefly, the Crown Prince relaxed and smiled, ruffling Yuno's hair.
"Hehe, is your training going well? Sometimes I envy your youthful stamina, since I'm not very strong myself."
"You'll get better soon, brother. The royal physicians make excellent tonics for your health every day."
"Those tonics don't help my stamina much, haha. But with such fine brothers, I have nothing to worry about."
Prinz put his arms around Yuno and Heinrich's shoulders and laughed, but Second Prince Heinrich frowned. When Yuno stepped away for a moment at Yuria's call, Heinrich openly lashed out at his brother.
"Why are you so nice to that kid? He's just a lowborn concubine's son anyway."
"Heinrich!! She may not be our birth mother, but she's the Empress of the Balkan Empire! Watch your words! And Yuno is our brother, born of the Empress!"
"Tch, I can't accept a mother younger than me."
Heinrich's voice reached Yuno's ears. The Emperor hadn't arrived yet, so the audience hall was noisy with nobles, but Yuno's hearing, at the peak of human ability, picked up Heinrich's words clearly, making him frown.
'Tch, Second Prince Heinrich really has a nasty personality... And he wants to be chancellor under my brother? Not a chance. He might even start a rebellion someday. I wish he'd let his guard down around me.'
Second Prince Heinrich was 31, five years older than Empress Yuria, and the Crown Prince was 33. Heinrich never treated Yuno, Isabella, or Marie as royal family, which annoyed Yuno, but he let it slide. Heinrich's rough personality also made him unpopular with his own full siblings, the Crown Prince and First Princess Diane.
"His Majesty the Emperor is entering."
The commotion died down as the Emperor appeared. Marquis Mark, the chancellor, stepped onto the platform below the throne to begin the state council.
"Hmm~ It's been a while since I've attended a state council. Right. I was told I had to be here today, wasn't I? Oh! The Third Prince is here too? You're already old enough for this? Time really flies, hahaha."
When the Emperor mentioned him, Yuno placed his fist to his chest and bowed.
"Yes, yes, I heard you've been studying hard lately. And your training is already on par with the Royal Guard, I hear?"
"That's too generous, Your Majesty. I can barely keep up with the trainees now."
Yuno, not wanting to stand out, downplayed his abilities. But the Emperor, already briefed in detail by Count Lichtenauer, smiled and said,
"Haha, I've already heard everything from the Guard Commander. Since the Third Prince is working so hard, I should give you a reward. Since you'll soon begin mana training, I'll grant you a shard of the Dragon Heart kept in the imperial treasury."
"Your Majesty! That is far too generous a reward!!"
Second Prince Heinrich stood up in protest, and the nobles began murmuring, splitting into factions.
"Hmm... Even if the Third Prince is physically gifted, isn't the Dragon Heart reward too much?"
"That's because you and the Second Prince are civilians and know nothing about mana training! Consuming mana stones or mana grass at the start is an immense help!"
"But the Third Prince hasn't achieved any merit to deserve such a reward."
"What, are we some poor Alto beggars barely scraping by with mercenary work? Or Meikan mongrels still living by hunting? What's so hard about investing in a promising prince?"
"When did I say not to invest? But there are only a few Dragon Hearts in the Empire they should be saved for emergencies!"
"This is why you can't talk to desk jockeys... It's not even a fresh Dragon Heart, just a piece that's been sitting in the treasury for decades! It's not as amazing as you think! Its mana will only dissipate further over time! Better to give it to the prince now!"
Bang bang bang!!!
"Silence, silence!! This is the audience hall!! Watch your words!!"
The uproar over Yuno's reward finally quieted when the chancellor banged the podium and shouted. As the hall grew quiet, the smiling Emperor spoke again.
"Alright, I get your points. Since opinions are split, I'll leave the decision to the Crown Prince. Prinz, what do you think?"
All eyes turned to the Crown Prince, who stood with a gentle smile and said,
"I think it's only right to grant Yuno such a reward. My brother is training hard to become a knight who will protect our royal family, so as his brother, I can certainly support him that much."
"Well said. Each of you brothers has outstanding talents in your own fields. If the three of you unite, the Empire's prestige will soar, and in your time, Prinz, you might even destroy Teseito."
"Indeed, Your Majesty. Crown Prince Prinz is wise in politics and administration, Second Prince Heinrich controls the economy, and if Third Prince Yuno takes charge of the military, the Empire will have nothing to fear."
As Marquis Garcia, the Emperor's secretary and closest aide, flattered, the other ministers agreed, and the Emperor smiled even more, imagining the three brothers leading the Empire together.
"That's not quite right, Marquis Garcia."
But the harmonious atmosphere was shattered by Yuno's words. Marquis Garcia, voice trembling, turned to Yuno.
"T-the Third Prince... what do you mean? Your Highness..."
"That's right. I have no intention of taking charge of the military. To control the Empire's military is to wield its greatest power! That's the domain of the future Emperor, not a mere subject like me."
"But Your Highness, now that you'll receive the Dragon Heart... you could become the Empire's top swordsman like Count Lichtenauer..."
"Just because one is strong doesn't mean they can lead an army. Even Count Lichtenauer, the current top swordsman, only commands the Royal Guard. Likewise, I train my body only to protect my family, as my name suggests. So please refrain from suggesting I take command of the military."
Of course, Yuno's definition of "family" was a bit narrower than the Emperor and Crown Prince realized, but they seemed moved by his words. The Emperor soon burst out laughing.
"Ha ha ha, the Third Prince is right. The number one holder of military power in the Empire is the Emperor alone, and the Crown Prince will inherit that. Ha ha ha ha!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"But there are still things the Third Prince doesn't know. The Emperor's workload is not so light that he can oversee the military in detail. To run this vast empire, one must handle countless affairs every day. Only when you have reliable relatives and confidants do you realize how helpful they are. So, Third Prince, keep honing your martial skills and support the Crown Prince. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Since we're on the topic, from tomorrow, military science classes will be added to the Third Prince's education. Understood, Empress?"
"I will see to it, Your Majesty."
"And Second Prince, learn from your younger brother's sense of family! How can a grown man be so petty about his little brother getting a small reward?"
"I apologize, Your Majesty!"
Yuno answered that he understood the Emperor's stern order, but grumbled inwardly about the extra lessons.
Even as he said he understood, his lips stuck out in a pout, making the Crown Prince smile gently, while Heinrich, though resentful inside, forced a relaxed smile.
'Phew~ I have more studying to do now, but at least this way my brothers won't see me as a threat, right? Prinz has always been good to me... and Heinrich's expression looks better, so maybe he's eased up a bit.'
Heinrich's resentment toward his siblings only deepened, but Yuno, who lacked much social experience in his previous life, had no way of knowing.