The Next Prince, Chapter 22 pg3
The Next Prince, Chapter 22 pg3
“Don't judge a book by its Emmaly language. I rarely use this language, is it a compliment or something. Is it customary to return a compliment...”
“…”
“Well... then don't judge a person by their mouth either.”
Khanin believed that if he played a role in a drama, he had to play the role properly. He slightly bowed his head with a polite posture, suppressing the confusion inside and acting as if he knew nothing. Because the soul urged him to be cautious.
Calling themselves siblings, they might unintentionally become political siblings.
Smiling face-to-face, hiding a knife behind their backs to stab each other.
As long as the competition is not over. Khanin thought that he couldn't easily trust anyone and would find it equally difficult to find someone who could be trusted...
Khanin realized that he was in a difficult situation. Another important reason was that the person he trusted most had disappeared... behaving distant and unfamiliar, despite having gone through near-death experiences together. Yet, they could still hurt each other.
Knock-Knock
The sound of a gentle knock on the door grew louder, interrupting Khanin's thoughts. A familiar face entered, showing respect, before conveying orders from above in a commanding tone.
“Apologies… the Sovereign-King has ordered all individuals to stand guard.
Now it's Your Highness's turn.”
After Evaa, who had seemed more alert than anyone, gave her final smile, she got up and swiftly walked away. Unlike Ramil, who remained still, towering over everyone in his stature and showing no intention of moving, but as soon as Khanin tried to walk away, he intentionally stepped in his way, causing Khanin to take a step back.
Seeing that Khanin stopped in place, the taller figure turned and approached him. With lowered eyes and a neutral expression, not revealing any facial cues, Khanin interpreted his words as a subtle warning.
“Understood.”
Khanin immediately raised his eyebrows upon hearing that. He pondered inwardly about maintaining his integrity, but when there were no other options, he reluctantly played the role of a deceived person. He smiled, thinking that it would be the most genuine smile he could ever show to Ramil, before accepting the accusation. With a clear voice, he imitated a bird singing a morning song...
“Alright, I'll take it to heart.”
…
The afternoon sky was not as clear as before. Charan was unsure if it was directly related to the weather or if there was internal turmoil causing this unease.
The young man tried to brush away the thoughts that were causing his restlessness, refocusing on his main purpose. Today he had to make another journey to the Royal Palace, after evading it for almost a week.
Grasping the thick fabric with the latest artwork, which was the main reason for his appearance here, he took a discreet breath before softly approaching. It started with the Sovereign-King's remarks after sipping tea that day.
He was ordered to bring a new painting to replace the old one adorning the tea room. There was nothing left but Charan's strength, as it had become a duty that he quite enjoyed.
He forced a smile and then... this interaction on the tapestry had gone awry, a distortion that could not be explained.
“Didn't expect to see you here...” Petai Ranwin, close associates of Young Prince Ramil, greeted him, as Charan's slender legs stepped into the reception room.
The young man swept his gaze around, looking for others, but found no one apart from the person who had just greeted him.
“It's just us here. Have a seat...” Petai's soft, soothing voice seemed to acknowledge Charan's thoughts, as the slim figure sat elegantly on the opposite side.
In front of the two was a central table adorned with a set of small teacups and a plate of pastries. White smoke wafted from the beverage, indicating its warmth.
Charan walked straight to the sofa, his face more relaxed than before. Once sure that there was no need to be on guard in this area, he sat down and casually inquired about a matter that he believed would receive a good response – one that resided within the heart.
“Coming with Young-Lord Ramil, right?” Even Petai himself knows that it was all a ruse, causing the only son of the Minister of Defense to burst into laughter. The owner of the sharp, piercing eyes cast a sidelong glance at the conversation before responding calmly.
“Young-Lord Ramil, Young-Lady Evaa, and Young-Lord Khanin are in a meeting room with the Sovereign-King.”
The response that did not match the question did not surprise Charan as much as the name of another person. His sharp eyes flickered, happening for only a split second, likely not enough for anyone to notice. If it wasn't because the person in front of him right now is Petai.
This man was of the quick-witted and intelligent type when it came to speaking. If not careful, one could easily be tricked into revealing what was hidden in their hearts.
Charan believed that his relationship with Petai was defined as ‘waterbound and tiger-bound,’ where they helped each other in conversations, but perhaps not often. They were not the kind to openly reveal their standing and status to each other, which did not affect their good relationship.
“Marble chocolate.” A younger person handed a plate of soft, moist cupcakes. His soft brown eyes looked intently. Meanwhile, Charan was preparing to refuse.
“I better not, Phii...”
“I don't think you should refuse. Sweet things help reduce stress, it's like an art that soothes the soul of a person..” Petai casually brought himself closer to the framed piece of cloth next to him. Charan did not respond, but he no longer refused the sweet treat in front of him.
He used a small fork to slice through the cake and tasted the combination of sweetness and a slight bitterness that arose from the hidden chocolate inside. Charan acted as if he were absorbed in eating. Although his mind was not present, at this particular moment, his gaze did not fail to observe. “...Silent young man.” Even when the conversation was inviting him to speak again, his consciousness returned to his body, allowing him to pay attention.
“That painting, the Eden Garden, right?”
“Yes.”
“The garden which was forbidden... It's beautiful. Seeing it makes me feel that humans and greed are inseparable.” A smile drawn on the face had taken shape, inviting a glance. Charan thought that Petai was simply trying to prolong the conversation, but he knew that his underlying consciousness was not pure itself.
Eden Garden... Charan did not want to think about the cause that brought this painting to life.
“It's not greed, humans and desires are different things that belong together.” The conversation flowed smoothly to avoid any conflict. Charan tried to act normal, but he was aware that his gaze did not meet the other person's face much.
Sometimes the young man glanced towards the hallway, as if searching for someone, before quickly shifting his focus to a sentence, one of Petai's almost needle-like words that pricked his heart, pulling him back to concentrate on the conversation.
“Humans and desires are things that belong together, like suffering and love, aren't they?”
Charan was not sure if Petai noticed anything from him. Because the other person was intelligent, his inner spirit warned him to be cautious.
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