The Price of Saving a Vicious Beast - Chapter 2

Ironically, it was precisely for that reason that someone who wouldn’t recognize the crown prince’s face had been chosen for today. Whether this would become fortune or misfortune for the Eport family… depended entirely on their son.

“Hello. I’m Roem Eport. Nice to meet you.”

Roem stepped forward and extended his hand.

Killian didn’t take it. Instead, he stared at the offered hand with an expressionless face.

The blatant arrogance made Roem’s expression stiffen for a moment. But he couldn’t very well lose his temper with a guest in his own home, so he forced a smile and held his hand out a little farther.

“What’s your name?”

Killian knocked Roem’s hand aside with the back of his own.

His face twisted in irritation, as if disgusted by someone too stupid to understand simple cues. Then, as though something filthy had touched him, he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the spot where their skin had made contact.

“Call me whatever you want. It’s not like we’ll ever meet again.”

Bertholdt dragged a hand down his face.

After all those careful warnings, it seemed the ill-tempered crown prince had decided—
from the very moment he stepped out of the carriage—to ruin the entire day.

“Show me around. You’re supposed to entertain me now, aren’t you?”

When Killian gave a casual lift of his brow, Roem instinctively turned to look at his father. Though gentle by nature, even he couldn’t hide how displeased he was by the younger boy’s insolence.

Count Eport shook his head. At the silent signal, Roem shifted his gaze to Bertholdt instead.

Bertholdt—the emperor’s confidant, and the chief attendant of the crown prince’s palace.
A man everyone believed would become the next head attendant.

There was nothing to gain from picking a fight with his nephew. Roem bit down hard, swallowing the anger rising in his chest.

“…Fine. Let’s go to my room.”

“Which floor?”

“…The third.”

Killian frowned.

The mere thought of climbing that many stairs irritated him. Still, he couldn’t stand there forever. Clicking his tongue, he turned his back.

“Move. Don’t just stand there looking stupid.”

It was the tone of a master ordering around a dog. Roem’s fist clenched tightly.

Watching him follow after Killian, Bertholdt let out a long, exhausted sigh.

“…My apologies. As you can see, his personality is rather… unique.”

It wasn’t something he could ever say about the crown prince. But since he was now being introduced as his nephew, Bertholdt gave himself a rare moment of honesty.

Looking at the weary look on his face, Count Eport instead forced an awkward smile, trying to reassure him.

“It’s quite all right. He’s still a child, after all. Please don’t worry about your nephew. Roem will take good care of him. Now then—this way.”

“Yes, of course. I also have His Majesty’s message to deliver.”

The attendant recalled the two imperial edicts he carried.

Which one he would hand over… depended entirely on the young count.

The chances didn’t look promising—but if, by some miracle, that boy managed to catch Killian’s interest, then the truth of Killian’s identity would be revealed to the count and his wife.

And Roem Eport would thereafter meet Killian regularly, serving as his playmate, all while remaining ignorant of his true status.

But if Roem failed, like so many noble children before him…

Then Bertholdt would deliver the other edict—ordering that everything that happened today be buried and never spoken of.

‘Please… let this be the last time.’

There were no longer many suitable noble families left in the capital to even attempt this with. Praying that this would be the final stop, Bertholdt followed after the count.

* * *

“Hey.”

Roem nearly collided with Killian, who had suddenly stopped in his tracks, barely managing to avoid him.

“What did you just say?”

Hey? It was a form of address Roem had never heard directed at him. Especially not from someone younger.

With no adults around to restrain him now, Roem’s eyes flashed as he glared at Killian.

“‘Hey’? Are you looking down on me right now?”

Killian let out a short, amused laugh as he looked Roem up and down. So he’s not just dense, he has no common sense either.

If anything, it would’ve been better if he’d snapped earlier, back where everyone could see.
Instead, he’d kept up that obedient, model-student act no matter how much Killian provoked him.

It reminded him of someone. And it irritated him even more.

“What if I am? What are you going to do about it?”

Roem’s fist tightened. So tight his hand began to tremble.

And at that sight, the smile on Killian’s lips deepened.