The young man sat at the table as if he had not eaten for days.
Crumbs scattered across the wooden surface as he quickly grabbed another pastry, stuffing it into his mouth before swallowing the previous bite. His cloak—dusty from travel—hung loosely from his shoulders, and his eyes occasionally darted around the room as if he still could not believe where he was.
Across from him, Sion watched quietly.
"So," Sion said calmly, folding his hands together on the table, "you're the son of a former marquis who once served my mother?"
The young man nodded quickly, barely pausing his eating.
"Yes, Your Highness."
He swallowed another mouthful of pastry before continuing bitterly.
"If only the current king hadn't discovered what the consort did, our family would still be living in luxury."
For a brief moment, silence filled the room.
Sion simply smiled.
Sion, Eiran, and Darius all shared the same unspoken thought.
*Ah.*
*One of those.*
One of those people who missed living comfortably off taxes and influence.
"I see," Sion replied mildly.
Eiran leaned back in his chair, observing the nearly empty pastry plate.
"You seem quite hungry," he commented dryly. "You've almost finished everything on the table."
The young man immediately sighed dramatically.
"My salary isn't even enough to buy proper food," he complained. "Ever since our family was stripped of our title and land, everything changed."
His voice grew louder with emotion.
"My father fled the capital to avoid arrest, and my mother… she died not long after."
Now he waved a pastry in the air for emphasis.
"So I've had to work myself as a courier just to survive."
He continued blubbering about his misfortune without stopping.
Darius quietly cleared his throat.
The sound was not loud, but it was enough to interrupt the rant.
The young man blinked and finally remembered the reason he had come.
"Oh—right."
He reached into his satchel and pulled out a carefully wrapped package.
"This is for you."
Sion accepted it calmly and passed it to Eiran without even opening it.
The young man immediately leaned forward out of curiosity.
"What is it?"
Sion ignored the question completely.
Eiran stood up.
"I'll step out for a moment," he said casually.
He deliberately avoided mentioning the physician or the cure. There was still a stranger in the room after all.
Sion noticed something then.
The young man kept glancing between them as if he wanted to say something more… but seemed hesitant because Darius was still standing nearby.
Sion understood the implication immediately.
"Darius," he said lightly, "could you go with Eiran for a moment?"
Darius frowned slightly.
He didn't like the idea of leaving Sion alone with someone they barely knew.
But Eiran spoke up before he could object.
"Come on. I could use some help."
Reluctantly, Darius followed him outside.
Once they were far enough down the road, Darius finally spoke.
"Is it really safe to leave Sion alone with that man?"
Eiran glanced sideways at him.
"We don't even know him really well," Darius continued. "He could have other motives."
Eiran chuckled softly.
"Relax."
He folded his arms.
"Even if that man tried something dangerous, you're forgetting one thing."
Darius looked at him.
"Young master may live quietly now, but he's still Prince Caleum,a former prince who was trained in swordsmanship."
Darius paused.
"That's true…"
"And besides," Eiran added casually, "that guy looks about as threatening as a spoiled brat who got lost on the road."
Back inside the house…
The young man leaned forward eagerly once the door closed behind Darius.
"You know," he said suddenly, "I recognize that man."
Sion raised an eyebrow.
"The knight."
"The one standing beside Eiran earlier."
The young man's eyes sparkled.
"He's the commander of the king's knights, isn't he?"
Sion's expression did not change.
"Is he here to supervise you?" the young man continued eagerly. "Sent by the king himself in case you decide to start a rebellion?"
Sion immediately shook his head.
"No."
"You've misunderstood."
"He's here to help."
The young man frowned.
"Help?"
Sion simply waved the topic away.
"It's nothing important."
But internally, a quiet thought surfaced.
*How can I be so certain…*
*That Darius isn't actually here to supervise me?*
The thought passed quickly.
Sion sighed softly.
"You know I can't start a rebellion."
The young man tilted his head.
"I don't even have the right to do so."
The young man's eyes widened.
"So it's true?"
"You really aren't the king's blood."
Sion nodded calmly.
"It's true."
The young man grinned.
"Even so, you're still the consort's son!"
His eyes gleamed.
"I'm sure the consort would be delighted in heaven if she saw you become king."
That was the moment Sion's patience ran out.
"What my mother wishes," he said quietly, "is none of my concern."
The young man froze.
Sion's voice remained calm, but his eyes were sharp.
"And how are you so certain she's in heaven after everything she had done?"
The young man stammered.
"W-well… she did everything for you!"
"All those things she did were for your future!"
Sion scoffed softly.
"Was it?"
The young man quickly changed tactics.
"Don't you want it?"
"To become king?"
"You could do anything you want," he continued eagerly. "You could punish the people who wronged you."
"The people who made you suffer."
He gestured toward the house.
"Are you really satisfied living like this?"
Sion looked around the modest room.
"There's nothing wrong with the life I live."
But the young man still refused to give up.
"You deserve more!"
Just then—
The door suddenly opened.
Eiran stepped inside.
"I've heard enough."
Before the young man could react, Eiran grabbed a small pouch from the table and threw a handful of salt directly at him.
The young man shrieked in shock.
"What are you doing?!"
Eiran continued tossing salt like he was chasing away an evil spirit.
"Out!"
The young man panicked and bolted for the door like his trousers were on fire, sprinting away without even looking back.
"I'll come back!" he shouted while running down the road.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Eiran dropped into a chair with an exhausted sigh.
"Finally."
Darius walked back inside shortly after.
He looked at Sion immediately.
"Are you alright?"
Sion rubbed his temples.
"I'm fine."
"Just… mentally exhausted."
Eiran reached into his bag and placed the medicine on the table.
"The physician confirmed it's safe," he explained. "As long as you follow the dosage correctly, there shouldn't be any side effects this time."
Sion nodded.
At that moment, Darius stepped away toward his room.
A few minutes later, he returned.
"…Um."
Both Sion and Eiran looked at him.
"I need to leave now."
Silence filled the room.
Both Sion and Eiran looked surprised.
"…Now?" Eiran asked.
Darius nodded slowly.
"Yes."