# 106
Ceres, or Kyrindias, the first prince, stared silently at the familiar palace ceiling, his tears falling soundlessly.
He's back.
After a long way, after his identity had changed, he returned to the Imperial Palace in Lakelin.
Sirius raised his hands in front of his eyes while still lying down.
He began to turn his palms as if they belonged to a stranger, examining his knuckles and nails carefully.
To Kyrindias, Ceres' hand was as if it were brand new.
Hard hands, full of scars, rough joints.
But that was neither strange nor shocking.
He did not feel any alienation from his body.
He turned his gaze to the room in which he lay.
It was a narrow room decorated with ornate walls, like the rest of the rooms of the Imperial Palace.
But she was not familiar to him.
'Because it is the Third Prince's Pavilion.'
Although Kyrindias' memories returned, Ceres' memories did not disappear.
Sirius's world was simple, so it wasn't difficult to live with the returning memories.
All that happened was that a few dull pieces of information were added. This is how the world seemed to him now.
But that cold view of the world shook when his eyes met Dearyn's eyes.
“…Ah…”
When their gazes met, Deyarin couldn't say anything.
Although his hair and eyes were back to black, she could clearly see that his outlook had changed.
She didn't know how to call him or how to deal with him.
Her mind completely froze, and she could only move her lips silently, her face pale.
Sirius looked at her, then slowly sat up.
“Ah, you shouldn't sit down yet...”
Deyarin quickly extended her hand towards him, trying to help him, as she was accustomed to doing, as if he were something precious that needed care.
Sirius smiled at the touch.
"I'm fine."
“…Ah…”
A smile when their eyes met.
It was my first time.
He had Sirius' face, but he had never smiled like that.
Dearyn withdrew her hand sheepishly.
The distance between the chair next to the bed and her heart seemed too large, as if it was not enough for her to sit in it.
“Are...do you feel uncomfortable somewhere...?”
Her words were hesitant, not knowing how to finish the sentence.
If you address him without respect, it is rude, and if you use a formal style, it is inappropriate.
How can she talk to him when she is the one who used to treat him like a dog? It's very difficult.
"…Hahaha."
Sirius laughed at that scene.
Dearyn raised her head. She was focusing on the folds of the sheet, but she turned to him when she heard his laugh.
And there was Sirius' face, bearing that smile she was never used to seeing.
“Dyaren.”
"…"
"Thank you."
“?”
Dayarine was stunned.
'Our dog said thanks?' No, His Highness the Prince, of course.'
'He seems to understand the meaning of humanity now.'
His laugh was strange, but promising. He seems to have finally regained his humanity.
“...no need to thank you...”
“I solemnly thank you. I, Kyrindias Laclin, First Prince of the Laclin Empire. Thank you for helping me regain my identity. And for caring for me sincerely even in my absence of memory. I will never forget it.”
Elegant words.
Long phrases that do not resemble Sirius.
It was strange.
Deyarin felt like she was in a room with a strange man. I took a step back. I thought for a moment: ‘I want to escape.’
“And I'll make it up to you too, of course.”
“No… I mean, yes.”
Even in her confusion, she couldn't deny the word 'compensation'.
As usual, Dearyn's greedy reactions seemed funny to Sirius, and he laughed again.
For the third time. In this short time, he laughed three times.
This is not her dog. Not Sirius.
“Dyaren.”
"…Yes."
She replied calmly, only for Sirius' face to show annoyance.
“I don't like this.”
"…Yes?"
“Don't say 'yes'.”
“So, what should I say...”
How dare you address His Highness the Crown Prince like that?
Dearyn's confused features were pleasant, but even so Sirius did not like submissive answers or downcast looks.
“I'm a Crown Prince, but I'm still Sirius.”
“Ah, n… yes...”
Deyarin's answer was devoid of any enthusiasm.
As is the case when one listens to someone in high positions; He is satisfied with the answer just to satisfy him.
But Sirius, unlike them, wanted honesty.
“I said don’t say ‘yes’, why don’t you listen to me?”
“A, I hear…?”
“You hear 'yes'?”
Sirius raised his eyebrows and voice, imitating Dearyn's manner, which confused her even more.
“Whatever, you are Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
“And yet I am Sirius!”
“Master Sirius is Master Sirius, but... you are also the Crown Prince...”
“But now I'm still Sirius.”
Sirius growled.
His growl was familiar, bringing comfort to Dearyn's heart. The Sirius you know is finally back.
'No, I shouldn't be comfortable with this...'
She was beginning to rejoice in his finally becoming a human.
The weirdness can get used to it, but making a mad dog turn into a human is really hard.
“But… if you have your memory back, why are you still… Sirius?”
She hesitated whether to use respect or not, but in the end she spoke in her usual manner.
But Sirius didn't growl this time.
“Returning as crown prince is dangerous.”
“?”
Deyarin couldn't imagine why. What could be more dangerous than a mad dog on the battlefield that no one is looking for if it disappears?
“But we are in the palace...”
It is precisely his palace.
However, Sirius shook his head. The memories he recalled were so fresh, as if they happened yesterday.
“The first Crown Prince was almost assassinated, and while he was escaping, he was kidnapped by human traffickers, and what happened happened.”
“…Ah…”
Indeed, even Third Prince Sibayan was almost assassinated before their eyes. If she hadn't seen it herself, she wouldn't have believed it.
Even Robin said that the palace seemed safe but full of dangers.
Deyarin became very nervous, and looked around anxiously.
“But isn’t there a group that supports the first Crown Prince...”
“There is no.”
“Not even His Majesty the Emperor...”
“I don't think he cares.”
“And the mother... oh, she's not there. Sorry...”
The old woman who said she was his nanny would be of no use to the killers.
He cannot join the Third Prince's side. As for the second prince, he is the worst.
If the First Crown Prince suddenly appeared, the two might join forces to finish him off.
“...No allies then...”
Dearyn scratched her head, admitting that what Sirius said was true.
What a mess. She thought that everything would be over once he regained his memory...
But no, there was no happy ending.
“Noble Lord Sirius has returned safely!”
On the contrary, things got even worse. He became the crown prince, but there was nowhere to lean. Rather, the enemies have only increased.
“…what should we do…do…?”
Deyarin hesitated, wavering between respect and colloquialism.
“Dyaren.”
“…Huh? Yes?”
“I have no one but you.”
Sirius said in a weak, sly voice, suddenly hugging her waist.
"Ahh! What are you doing! Are you crazy?!"
Dearyn screamed as she hit him and tried to run away, she was so fast, even Sirius couldn't catch her.
She disappeared from his arms in an instant, and his eyes were filled with a spiteful look.
“You always said I was crazy...”
But Dayarin did not dare to leave the room and leave him.
She stood glued to the door, sweating.
She was terrified.
Sirius was now even more terrifying than their first encounter.
At first, it was just a dog biting.
Now, it's something that can do worse than a bite,
Rather, things that Deyarin's mind cannot even imagine.
“Ar, please, let me live...”
She pleaded with Dearren as she had not done even with the mad dog.
Because of those words, Sirius's sharp gaze became more intense and sharpened like a blade.
“Who said I would kill you?”
“I feel like you could do something worse than killing…”
“What’s the worst I could do to you, Deyarin?!”
“Things like… like this… and that…”
Even if Sirius had been a girl, he would still have been just as scary, but he was a guy, so he looked even scarier.
Moreover, Sirius was now not the kind of honest and naive person he had been before.
"…Yes."
Now, he was thinking. He also has hidden plans. Because of this, he became many times more terrifying than he was before.
'What is this 'ah'?! Why are you saying 'ah' now?!'
Could it be that he knows all too well those “things” you’re talking about? Even worse, he did not deny it, but rather said “no”, meaning that he does not want to, but just does not plan to do so now!
“No, I won't do anything bad.”
"…What did you say?"
“I mean, if you don't want to, I won't do anything.”
“….”
Trust in him had been shattered. In fact, it never existed at all. Even inside her home, she was afraid of her crazy dog, and her anxiety was double outside it.
But now, that confidence has deteriorated, as if she had been kicked to the ground and then trampled under muddy feet.
“Even if I say so, if you want to do something, you will do it, right?”
“Didn't you always tell me to do what I want?”
She was the one who taught him to put his desire first.
She just wanted him to experience “wanting good things.”
“That was when you were just Sirius.”
"And I'm still Sirius."
That's true...but he's also now the Crown Prince.
To Dayaren, these two personalities were not close, but rather completely distant.
Sirius gave her a hurt look.
“Just because I regained the Crown Prince's memories doesn't mean Sirius's memories are gone, Dearyn.”
That he was now smiling and speaking calmly about his past, all of this would not have been possible if Deyarin had not stayed by his side.
If it weren't for her, he probably wouldn't even be human.
“Therefore, you must bear my responsibility.”
In Sirius's eyes, the fire of possession began to glow. A fire that Deyarin had felt before, when she didn't know what to call it.
Now, I know her name:
“I love you.”
It was love.
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