Young Master, Please Put Some Pants On! - Chapter 23

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 23

“Pria Kingdom is….”

Crash- Startled by the sudden sound of something collapsing, she turned around to see a mess of toys scattered at Noel’s feet, who had somehow entered the room.

“Kyaak! Noel, don’t tell me you kicked over this body’s toy box! You’re a very bad eagle!”

A surprised Garulus rushed over to him in a fluster. As a flustered Mellis blinked her eyes blankly, their gazes met in mid-air.

“….”

Noel looked into her eyes and slowly shook his head. As if telling her not to mention anything.

“Ah….”

Mellis, who belatedly understood everything, covered her mouth with one hand and let out a small sigh. The Pria War had already ended half a year ago.

* * *

When the carriage carrying Kermanomon arrived at the townhouse, it was already late, close to midnight. He leaned back against the carriage seat as if collapsing and let out a deep sigh.

‘Fortunately, you’ve overcome the crisis, but you must rest for the time being.’

Emperor Persiana’s condition had worsened already half a year ago. However, it wasn’t a sudden accident or an illness that had suddenly manifested one day. It was simply an unavoidable fate as a purebred beastman.

Kermanomon couldn’t believe that his brother, who had been so cheerful, had ended up bedridden overnight. As if his reaction didn’t matter, Persiana casually joked with him despite his pale complexion.

Though their relationship wasn’t particularly affectionate, that scene felt incredibly bitter. It was as if he was trying to comfort him, saying he was fine so not to worry.

As Persiana’s condition worsened, the ministers pressured Kermanomon and burdened him. They repeatedly told him that protecting the throne after Persiana was his duty and responsibility as a purebred beastman, criticizing and resenting his every action.

“Haah….”

Kermanomon, recalling the events at the Imperial Palace, squeezed his eyes shut and slowly rubbed his face with one hand. It had been an incredibly long and difficult day.

Sometimes he really wanted to put everything down and run away. He felt as if the countless burdens on his shoulders were choking him. When would he ever be able to escape from all of this? However, the fact that he couldn’t confide these suffocating feelings to anyone made him feel even more miserable.

His role was to take responsibility for everything and bear it all, not to lean on someone and lament his circumstances.

Kermanomon slowly turned his gaze to look out the window. As if it might rain, dark clouds filled the darkened night sky. At the gloomy weather that seemed to represent his feelings, he stared blankly into space.

“Really, I’ve ruined everything.”

He let out a hollow laugh with a heavy voice. In fact, it wasn’t just the Imperial Palace affairs. Just when it seemed like his relationship with Garulus might finally be restored thanks to Mellis’s help, he had come all the way to the capital only to fail to keep even one promise properly.

It wasn’t only Garulus who had been waiting for today. Kermanomon had also been looking forward to this schedule with quite an excited heart.

Six years ago, the day when that small bundle of flesh who couldn’t even open his eyes properly first grasped his finger was still vivid before his eyes. He had never imagined he could love someone with whom he shared not a drop of blood so much.

All he had given back to the child who had brought bright light to his life was disappointment and lies. Even if he were to be hated for the rest of his life, there was no room for excuses.

Kermanomon suddenly felt like he wanted to see the child. Garulus, who went to bed at 9 o’clock, would already be heading to dreamland.

Wouldn’t it be okay to just look at his sleeping face for a moment? If he couldn’t even do that, he felt like he wouldn’t be able to endure today, so Kermanomon headed straight to Garulus’s bedroom as soon as he got off the carriage.

Since it was late, the house was endlessly quiet. But as he walked, a faint light seeping from far away illuminated before him. It was the gentle stand light shining through the half-open door.

When he carefully opened the door, he saw Mellis reading a children’s storybook beside Garulus.

“How was today’s story, Garulus?”

“A very good bear indeed! Truly admirable!”

Though he wondered briefly why Garulus was still awake at such a late hour near midnight, he felt somewhat relieved that the child didn’t seem as heartbroken as he had thought.

Garulus, wearing a sleep cap on his head, stretched and let out a yawn.

“But now I’m getting very sleepy. When on earth is Kerman coming?”

“If you’re sleepy, you can sleep for a bit. I’ll wake you up when the Grand Duke arrives.”

“…What if Kerman doesn’t come at all today? The day will be over soon.”

Garulus hung his head low and fidgeted with his fingers, genuinely seeming worried about this. Watching him, a corner of Kermanomon’s heart ached with a sharp pain.

Unable to bring himself to enter, he gripped the door handle tightly when Mellis gently stroked Garulus’s head with an affectionate touch and said.

“No. He may be a little late, but he’ll definitely come. The Grand Duke loves Garulus.”

After pondering something for a moment, Garulus pouted and buried his face in a book.

“Well, if Mellis reads one more book, I suppose I could wait a little longer. But since he broke his promise, I’m going to scold him.”

“Alright. What book would you like to read?

“Hmm, did you happen to bring The Monkey Who Became King book too?”

“Of course. It’s Garulus’s favorite book.”

Watching Mellis rummage through the bookshelf, he hesitated for a long while before carefully knocking on the door. Knock knock. The light knocking sound echoed throughout the room, and Garulus tilted his head curiously.

“Oh? It’s Kerman!”

“Garulus.”

As Kermanomon hesitated at the entrance, Garulus jumped up from his seat and ran toward him.

“Why are you only coming now! We were supposed to go to the insect exhibition together! Kerman is such an idiot! Idiot!”

Garulus swung both arms wildly and threw punches at his thighs. Kermanomon silently accepted all the resentment. When the commotion settled down, he knelt to match the child’s eye level and spoke in a quiet voice.

“Did you wait long?”

“I waited forever. I counted from 1 to 100 three whole times! But you still didn’t come.”

Watching Garulus huffing and folding his fingers one by one, Kermanomon couldn’t quite grasp what words he should say. There was only one thing he could do. He slowly spoke the words that had been circling in his mouth all day.

“I’m sorry for not keeping my promise. Are you very angry with me?”

“…No, I was annoyed but not angry.”

It was a completely unexpected answer. As the surprised Kermanomon fell silent, Garulus gripped his sleeve tightly with a worried expression, furrowing his brows as he spoke.

“I heard His Imperial Majesty is very ill. That can’t be helped, right? Is His Majesty okay?”

Malcolm, who had arrived earlier, must have told him the story. Garulus, who had met Persiana several times before, seemed quite worried about him. Moved by the child’s caring heart, Kermanomon smiled gently.

“Yes. He’s much better now. You don’t need to worry.”

“That’s a relief then.”

Even though the anticipated promise had fallen through and he had every reason to be upset, Garulus worried about Persiana first and understood the circumstances. At that moment, Kermanomon realized a fact he had forgotten. Garulus wasn’t just a thoughtless young child as he had assumed.

With a faint smile at such behavior, Kermanomon carefully took hold of Garulus’s hand that was gripping his sleeve.

“Thank you for worrying. Was the exhibition fun today?”

“Yes. It was incredibly fun! There were so many amazing insects, and I saw over 10 stag beetles that I love. And Count Benito gave me lots of presents too!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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