# 129
After fending off the people at her morning drinking meeting, who clung to her with their bodies demanding to drink until the morning, she barely returned to her room.
On her way back, the looks of the servants she met were completely different from what they had been before.
It seems that the rumors have already spread: Sirius has been recognized by the Emperor, and has gained a fair amount of support from the nobility.
“Shall I make you bath water?”
“Yes, please.”
“Okay, I'll get it ready right now.”
However, dealing with Deyarin also changed.
Once considered a mere adornment of Sirius, she was now treated as if she were a member of his bodyguard who closely protected him.
Even Deyarin herself began to feel proud, considering that she deserved this recognition.
I'm the one who turned this crazy dog into a truly wonderful prince!
At this level, if she left the temple and opened an institute to teach noble young men, she wouldn't have to worry about making a living for the rest of her life.
Should I consider this as a retirement plan?
Promotion within the temple has limits, but if promoted as a priestess, food, clothing, and shelter are guaranteed until death.
Do you choose lifelong security and stability? Or do you risk one big shot?
This was the fateful choice everyone was considering.
No, it only worked because he was Sirius.
Even if she admitted it now, the results were achieved because Sirius trusted her and followed her faithfully.
It is true that Deyarin worked hard as if her life was at stake, but if Sirius had not trusted and relied on her so much, they would not have reached this point.
Perhaps she would do her work moderately enough for him to live on, and then return to the temple. Thus, the First Crown Prince's secret remains forever unknown, and Sirius lives an ordinary life that ends with him like everyone else.
Life is really unpredictable.
Deyarin stared absently at the steam rising from the bathtub.
Sirius's return as first crown prince was unbelievable, just as she herself was unbelievable that she was now bathing in the basin of the Emperor's Palace.
But, whether you believe it or not, this is the reality. Even the sword that may be drawn over her neck at any moment is also a reality.
I must find a way to survive.
The Emperor's recognition of them was only the first stage.
It is true that the road to survival is long, but she felt that she had exceeded the set goal.
How will the Second Prince act now? What will His Majesty the Emperor do? Will the Third Prince do something strange...?
She had a lot to think about.
And that was not all.
The temple issues, the Eighth Squad members that she left under Robin's supervision, and Halt… there's no end to what she has to worry about.
You don't know how long all these worries will last. But now they were meaningless thoughts, she wasn't thinking about leaving Sirius or running away.
Sirius... His Highness the First Crown Prince.
Dearyn never changed her calling, she always called him “Mr. Sirius.”
A friend who is not influenced by rank or class. Amir recognizes this friend.
This in itself was an element that made Ceres more attractive in the eyes of the people, and also greatly enhanced Deyarin's status.
Those who were convinced that she was the crown prince's true confidant began to rally around her just as they did with Sirius.
At the morning drinking meeting she could refuse, but today's party was not the place for that. To refuse the cup would be considered a rejection of good will, so she drank whatever was offered to her.
“Ah... my head...”
The result was that the headache began to appear towards the end of the bath.
Diaren quickly finished her shower and came out wearing light pajamas.
“Have a good night.”
The maids bowed politely and left the room.
Deyarin put her hand on her head and turned towards the bed. At that moment, a strong arm suddenly surrounded her around her waist.
“I've been waiting for this moment...”
Deyarin was not surprised.
Sirius, who had been waiting by the door to her room, clung to her as soon as the maids disappeared. The timing and location were completely predictable.
“You didn't even dry your hair.”
Dearyn leaned against the door, playing with the ends of Sirius' wet hair with her fingers.
“I wanted to be here before you.”
"Why? I'm not going anywhere."
“If you sleep… I won’t be able to sneak out later…”
“Ah.”
At least, he's learned good etiquette.
Not to wake the sleeper, not to break into his bedroom—he adhered to these rules exactly.
Deyarin felt proud, stroking his hair.
"I did well."
“Where's my reward?”
“…Reward? You are now the Crown Prince.”
“Is the Crown Prince not entitled to a reward?”
“How can I, who is from a lower class, give a reward to the Crown Prince?”
Sirius stared upward as he hugged her waist.
Where did that brilliant prince who was shining among the people's gazes at the party a short while ago go? Now, instead of him, there is a huge dog clinging to her, which even his owner may not be able to handle.
“Now I'm the one at the bottom.”
“…”
“It's not eye contact that determines rank, is it, Your Highness?”
“So, should I go down further?”
It looked like it was going to cling to her until he was buried under her feet.
Dearyn sighed deeply and grabbed Sirius's arm, leading him towards the bed. She was not condescending to him, but the fact was that the pain of the headache caused by drunkenness was getting worse, and she was no longer able to stand for long.
Sirius followed quietly, then sat down on the floor next to the bed, burying his face in her lap.
“Bonus.”
“What reward is this now?”
Although she responded rudely, her hand was gently combing Sirius' hair.
This alone was a reward in itself.
“It was tiring to endure at today's party.”
“...Was he tired?”
Even though she was complaining, her heart softened when she heard him say that he was tired.
“You looked great.”
“But it was too noisy... and chaotic...”
“Right, I felt it too.”
“I understand that as a prince I have to talk to people who don’t matter to me, but I didn’t want to.”
“I am.”
It was clear that being good at something didn't mean enjoying it.
Even a prince cannot do everything he wants.
He thought that when he became a “master” he would be free in everything. But he discovered that becoming a prince did not mean freedom. The ruler, it seems, is fair but cruel.
After all the suffering he had been through, wouldn't it have been better if the ruler had given him some relief?
“So, what reward can I give the wonderful Sirius today…?”
“Kiss…”
“Fuck.”
This boy never misses an opportunity.
Diarin stared at him with her eyes, and automatically raised her hand to hit him on the head, as she was accustomed to, but she quickly lowered her hand.
Whatever it was, he was now the crown prince. She couldn't hit his head like she did when he was the "Mad Dog."
Sirius looked at her with clear eyes, moving his gaze between her face and her fist.
“No, I wasn't going to hit you...”
“If it's two houses, it's okay if you hit me.”
“…Please, don’t repeat that in front of anyone. Ever. Seriously. Something terrible will happen.”
I trembled with fear, imagining how this might be misunderstood.
She covered Sirius' mouth with her hand.
“Ah, my head...”
Exertion made the headache worse.
Diaren, who had never been used to drinking in her life, had no experience dealing with a hangover.
She placed her hand on her head and collapsed on the bed, groaning in pain.
“Dyaren, does it hurt a lot?”
“Yes… Can you open the window? Maybe ventilation would help…”
Her body was still hot from the hot shower, and she thought some cool air might make her feel better.
Sirius opened the window, and after a quick glance outside, turned to her and said suddenly:
“How about we go for a night walk?”
"…picnic?"
“I wanted to visit some of the places I used to go...before I left the palace.”
“!”
Dayarin was going to refuse on the grounds of laziness and headache, but she immediately opened her eyes.
This place is the home of Ceres. Although he regained his memories, his movements were limited due to the Second Prince's supervision.
There must be many places loaded with memories of the prince. How much he misses her.
“...Let's go.”
Dearyn lifted her body from the bed.
A night walk may help get rid of a headache... without a doubt.
—
abroad
“There is no guard?”
“We go where there are no guards. The patrol schedules have not changed at all yet.”
It seems that being a prince made him know the methods and timings of guarding well.
The path Sirius took was winding and complicated. They described it as a picnic, but it was more like an adventure.
Deyarin was shocked by the number of secret openings in the palace.
“From here.”
The deeper they went, the more they found places that seemed like they had not been touched by humans for a long time.
Because of the large size of the Imperial Palace, there seemed to be abandoned places that were never taken care of.
“How did you know places like this existed?”
“Sometimes I looked for it when I was bored... sometimes I discovered it by accident... and other times while running from a killer.”
The last reason wasn't something kids usually go through. Deyarin realized that Sirius was not an ordinary person as soon as he talked about him as if it was normal.
Such is the life of the imperial family.
It is said that the rich and the poor each have their own struggles… but she had never imagined that the imperial family would suffer like this as well.
“We arrived.”
Sirius said as he jumped over the last wall.
With his help, Diarin went downstairs and looked around.
“Wow...”
The place Sirius had taken her to, despite being within the confines of the palace, was extremely strange… as if from another world.
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