The Unemployed Prince Covets My Nephew - Chapter 35
Overall, the articles about Theo were positive, which was a relief. Of course, it was purely because the verdict was in Theo’s favor.
Whether Theo understood the situation or not, he was too busy being mesmerized by the lavish course meal to notice.
Hailey, preoccupied with watching over Theo, who was still clumsy with table manners, barely managed to eat properly.
Though the Queen and the Princess found Theo’s clumsy table manners endearing, Hailey was anxious about how the King would react. She worried he might find Theo’s behavior impolite.
“Happy chicken!”
Theo, savoring the tender drumstick of the braised horned chicken, clasped his cheeks with his small hands and looked ecstatic. He then shook the hem of Hailey’s dress and gave her a thumbs-up.
Whenever Theo found the food delicious, he habitually gave Hailey a thumbs-up. If it was exceptionally good, he would give a double thumbs-up, and if it was beyond that, he would wiggle his hips and dance with his shoulders.
To the royal family, this sight was quite a spectacle.
Typically, nobles restrained their expressions, no matter how delicious the food was.
Even when expressing satisfaction, they would calmly say it tasted good, but never dance around like that, even for a child.
…But the pure joy of that five-year-old child was excessively adorable.
“Oh! I’ll give the lovely peas to Mommy Hailey!”
Of course, in the midst of all this, Theo would discreetly pass the food he didn’t like to Hailey.
Theo’s way of describing food was especially quite unique.
Happy chicken, picnic salmon salad, gloomy vegetable soup, and the lovely peas he disliked, among others.
The Queen, watching this scene with amusement, laughed out loud.
Taking advantage of the moment, Theo began transferring peas one by one from his spoon to Hailey’s plate.
“Theo. If you don’t eat your peas, no pudding for you today.”
“How could you say something so harsh…”
Theo, seemingly shocked, dropped his spoon while transferring the peas.
With wide eyes, he looked at Hailey as if he had heard terrible news.
A maid quickly brought a new children’s spoon for Theo.
“…The lovely peas like Mommy Hailey more than me.”
“If you keep being picky, you’ll grow horns on your butt later.”
Theo, making an excuse that wouldn’t work, held the new spoon hesitantly.
He looked at Hailey with a pitiful expression, but Hailey responded more firmly.
After glaring at the peas and sighing, Theo stared blankly somewhere.
Then he shook Hailey’s dress hem again.
“Then will Grandpa grow horns on his butt too?”
“What?”
Theo pointed somewhere with his finger and said loudly.
“Grandpa doesn’t eat beans either, so will he get horns on his butt like Theo?”
The place Theo pointed to with his finger was none other than the King’s plate.
Though he ruled the golden kingdom, even the King had foods he disliked. Unfortunately, one of them was beans.
Hailey hadn’t noticed until then and hurriedly grabbed Theo’s finger in embarrassment.
But everyone had already heard Theo’s words.
The King, taken aback by the unfamiliar title, lifted his head.
“…Grand… What did you say? Are you talking about me?”
“Who else would it be? I’m the grandmother, so of course, Your Majesty is the grandfather. Sweetie, Grandpa already has horns on his butt because he hasn’t eaten beans for so long.”
“Then he can’t fart!”
Theo, genuinely shocked by the Queen’s words, slowly lowered his gaze from the King’s face to somewhere else.
He even craned his neck to see if he could spot the horns.
Because of that, Anais desperately turned her head to the side to hold back her laughter, and Axel openly chuckled.
Theo had no idea why the adults were laughing. If you can’t fart, you get a stomachache. Theo was genuinely worried about Grandpa King’s farting situation.
“Just for today, Grandpa will eat the lovely beans. So, sweetie, will you try eating beans too?”
“Me?!”
“Your Majesty. If you keep this up, you’ll be dining alone from now on.”
The King, despite his dignity, asked in surprise.
Smiling coldly, the Queen threatened him with, ‘Do you want to keep eating alone and lonely?’
She hadn’t been like this before, but as she aged, the Queen’s tone seemed to get colder.
The King was tired of eating alone. For two weeks, he hadn’t been able to meet anyone properly and had eaten alone to his heart’s content.
King Herne III was born a prince, eliminating competitors without hesitation, and became king at an early age, so no one reprimanded him for what he ate. There had been no problem not eating beans all his life.
The overly clear eyes staring at him made him uncomfortable. The solitary meals were also tiresome now.
‘Ha…’
The King sighed, scooped up the beans with a spoon, and put them all into his mouth, chewing and swallowing them quickly.
Suddenly, there was a sound of clapping. When he looked down at the source of the sound, Theo was looking up at him as if he were amazing.
The King cleared his throat in embarrassment.
‘…Why is he so cute with that face?’
The King, feeling oddly moved by the child’s pure, hopeful gaze, offered advice as the head of the ‘Anti-Pea Club.’
“…It’s a bit easier if you eat them all at once.”
Theo nodded vigorously, determined, and scooped up the peas with his spoon, stuffing them into his mouth and chewing before swallowing.
Hailey wanted to scold Theo for not chewing enough, but she decided to let it go, mindful of the King.
After finishing, Theo looked at Grandpa with clear eyes and gave a thumbs-up. It was a sign of pride for having done it himself.
Seeing that clear face, the King cautiously raised his thumb just like Theo had. The child beamed.
The corners of the King’s mouth lifted slightly at that sight.
‘Oh my?’
Anais covered her mouth in surprise.
Men of Otte were generally intimidating and unapproachable, making even adults tremble.
With his bushy beard, fierce expression, and still robust physique for his age, Herne III had all the traits that scared children.
Moreover, no child as young as Theo had lived in the palace for over 20 years since Anais and Axel.
But this bold, pure-hearted child had charmed even the King with his unique innocence.
Anais, noticing the King in a much better mood than usual, made a suggestion.
“Your Majesty, how about a toast together?”
“That’s a good idea. Fill the child’s glass with juice.”
For the two hours of the royal family dinner, laughter did not cease beyond the hall.
* * *
Crash!
With a loud noise, glass shards shattered into pieces.
Duke Brahe’s mansion was engulfed in darkness, as if a disaster had struck.
The Duke held his palms facing the ground and muttered an incantation.
“Consequor.”
As the wind blew, the curtains fluttered, and the moonlight illuminated the large circular pattern on the floor of the reception room. The dark red pattern soon floated off the floor.
Yulia Brahe stood behind her father without a single movement, watching the scene.
“Proceed.”
Two men in priestly robes untied the bonds of Viscount Lore, the Duke’s legal representative, and seated him on the pattern.
Soon, the pattern floated above the viscount’s head. The viscount, trembling, knelt and prostrated himself on the floor.
“…This is truly troublesome, Viscount Lore.”
“…I am deeply sorry. Please forgive me. That, that bastard must have cast a spell! I, I will handle it somehow…!”
The Duke’s face, looking down at the prostrate Viscount Lore, was devoid of any light.
“So you’re saying you couldn’t handle a spell that even a five-year-old child could cast?”
“……”
Viscount Lore, desperate for final forgiveness, lifted his head with all his strength. The moonlight revealed a face so disfigured it was barely recognizable.
Yulia, watching from behind, turned her gaze away.
“Forgiveness is not ours to give. You know this, don’t you?”
“Please spare me. Please… Duke.”
“I hear your granddaughter is about to be born?”
“……”
Viscount Lore’s lips trembled, and even his despair plummeted.
“The choice is yours. If you cannot make the choice yourself, we have no other option.”
“……”
“We will have to offer the newest life.”