บท 8: Mockery
Matthias had been serving Prince Elmer for several day now. He began his day with the rising sun and dressed himself in the official uniform of the palace's staff. The black color of the uniform matched nicely with Matthias red hair giving him a picture perfect dashing look.
Matthias opened the connecting door toward Prince Elmer's room and noticed something peculiar.
[Mmm, there is a slight chill]
It's quite strange considering there is no one else inside the room. He searched every corner of the room for hidden intruder but there is nothing to be seen. Looks like he have to put surveillance in this room to find the possible cause. He noted this in the things that he need to take care of after this.
"Good morning Elmer-sama."
He calmly opened the window and greet the prince but seeing the prince's reaction upon waking up unnerved him a bit.
The prince's eyes were always clear and alert upon waking up is unlike that of a baby but instead of an adult. It's strange that the prince react like this. Matthias haven't been around children especially baby much but he remembered the experience he had of taking care of his little sister. His sister always like a miniature adult but even she didn't react like the prince.
The prince continued indifference to his surrounding caused a slight disappointment in Matthias's heart. So he tried to cheer up the prince by reading fairy tales for him. His little sister always smiled happily when he did that but apparently his effort is futile.
The prince always faced the windows while being disinterested to the rest of the world thus causing him to appear like a doll. Sometime his heart aches for the prince but there is nothing else he could do so he continued reading fairy tales to a silent audience.
Matthias occasionally glance out the window but the scenery outside the window is rustic at its best. Usually the scenery outside the window is lush with carefully decorated flowers and statues. However, the scenery from outside Prince Elmer's room just decorated from some wildly grown flower and small naturally deformed ponds.
Who would believe if Matthias told them that this is the scenery viewed from the private quarter of the prince of the Almerti Kingdom? Maybe the window should better be left unopened… Sometimes he wondered what interest the prince out there but he was bound to not know the answer.
Matthias finishes his morning routine and went back to his room to change into a more formal attire than what he is wearing right now.
Towards the empty space, Matthias called out the one named [First].
<Note: Ieden(イェデン) – first character indicates order, namely First.>
"Have you called?"
An immediate answer came. Of course, the figure can't be seen.
"I have an audience with the King today. Stay by the Prince's side."
"As you will."
Ieden is what was commonly known as [Shadows] among the upper class of nobilities. Shadows are mainly employed individually as a spy. As the leader of Matthias' Shadows, Ieden and the rest of the Shadows hardly reports a failure to Matthias.
It's not that other nobles haven't showed an interest in Matthias' Shadows, but they do not know how to deal with them. Some Shadows have some strange mindset. Matthias have once come across one who called himself with a number. Matthias thought of giving him another name, but the individual himself wanted to have number attached to his name. Since Matthias have a bad naming sense, he just left the name as it is.
Showing no emotions, Shadows would carry out their Master's orders no matter what… This was how they are trained to be. Somehow or another, besides their way of life towards emotions, Matthias certainly trust his Shadows.
Then, Matthias went to the maid lounge to remind the maids of some final instruction.
"Excuse me, I will be leaving now. So please take more care of Elmer-sama."
"Are you going somewhere Matthias-sama?"
"Yes. Today is a private day."
Matthias explained to the maids and left the Water Green Palace and head to the throne room to make a report to the King.
After ten minutes of walking, Matthias came across a familiar face.
Orange hair. It's South Tina House's eldest son, Crate.
Matthias continued to walk pass by but Crate stopped him.
"Wait Matthias!"
"Hello Crate, what might I help you today?"
"Matthias, what are you doing here?"
"It's because Elmer-sama stays here."
Before any awkward moment ensued, a child run up to Crate.
Matthias have seen the child a few times. Prince Sveri de Almerti Casariel, the Second Prince also living in the Green Water Palace, Elmer-sama's older brother.
In case an [Explosion] doesn't happen, it's good that the King will have someone to place his expectations on.
"Is it Matthias?"
Sveri-sama seemed to remember me.
"It is. Sveri-sama, please return to your room as soon as possible."
Crate stood to interrupt, and led Sveri-sama to his private quarters by his hand before my eyes. When he passed by Matthias' side, he murmured quietly so that no one would be able to hear.
"Playing house with Doll Prince… oops, excuse my rudeness. Please persevere in assisting the prince as much as you can."
Matthias ignored the jab even though he was enraged in his head.
That statement about the Prince, Crate von South Tina's plain sarcasm made Matthias irritated as he continues on his way to the center of the royal palace.
Crate is one of the Four Colored Houses' children who is closest to Matthias in age, and considers himself Matthias' rival but Crate never won once against Matthias. Thus when Matthias was chosen as the Doll Prince's retainer, Crate was feeling prideful and superior to Matthias.
To be called as the failure prince's retainer caused Matthias' mood to become unpleasant.
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