May Every Wound Be Fatal - Chapter 24.2
The boy did not look his age, and his level of speech was similar to that of a three year old. Of course, it was only natural, since he had lived hidden in the darkness, surviving by scavenging the food the old maid left behind.
Cassian became completely serious, and Noel felt an ominous premonition for some reason.
“…Your Highness, please return to the prince’s palace now. If it is discovered that you are coming and going from the annex palace without the king’s permission—.”
Trying to get ahead of things in his anxiety, Noel spoke up, but Cassian had already approached the boy on his knees and was holding out his hand.
“I am Cassian. I am your older brother.”
His lord was a man who suited being a king more than anyone, yet he was excessively warmhearted.
The boy tilted his head in confusion.
“Cassian?”
Noel, who had been swallowing his words, snapped out of habit.
“How dare you call His Highness by his name….”
Cassian lightly ignored Noel and nodded at the child.
“Yes, you can call me older brother.”
“But Your Highness.”
“What does it matter? No one else is listening. What should I call you? Hmm….”
Ignoring Noel’s deep sighs, he rubbed his chin in thought. Then, as if a good idea had occurred to him, he broke into a wide smile at the child.
“Alright. Elizer.”
“…Elizer?”
“My late mother wanted to call me Elizer. But the scholars decided on the name Cassian, so I could not use it.”
Cassian ruffled the child’s hair, as the boy blinked his round eyes repeatedly without fully understanding his words, and explained once more.
“So you are Elizer.”
It was the moment the boy, who had been nothing at all, was given a name.
Later, Elizer would say that the beginning of his life was that very moment. And so, he said, his life itself was something Cassian had given him.
***
“How is it? Is this your first time eating meat? I see. Tomorrow, I will bring something even tastier.”
“Hm, you probably do not know letters either, right. Good. I will teach you how to read. I will bring an appropriate book.”
“The wind has grown much colder. Were you not cold last night?”
When they first met, flowers had been blooming everywhere, yet in the blink of an eye, winter was approaching.
“Yes, I am fine.”
Young Elizer had learned many more words in the meantime.
“Cassian. When will you come tomorrow?”
At some point, it became natural for Cassian to come carrying various things. The child naturally began to wait only for Cassian to arrive.
Cassian stretched the cheek of the child who followed him like a puppy. The cheeks that had once been hollow like a skull had now adorably filled out.
“You little thing, I told you to call me older brother.”
“Haha.”
Now Elizer could even laugh out loud. Each time, Cassian wore a deeply satisfied smile.
But it only lasted a moment. For some reason, a hint of apology crossed his smile. It was just as the sharp eyed Elizer began to feel puzzled.
“I will not be able to come for a while, so do not wait for me.”
“Why?”
Cassian did not answer, only gently patting his head.
“You must stay put and behave, Elizer.”
“…Okay.”
At that time, young Elizer could not even imagine that the queen, feeling uneasy over the rumor that Cassian would marry the young daughter of a duke, was lying in wait for a chance to kill Cassian.
He did not yet know what a throne was, what a king was, or what it meant to be an illegitimate child of the king.
And so, Elizer was left alone in the annex palace, and a week passed.
After being touched by another’s care for only half a year, the child became easily lonely and easily afraid, as if his lifelong solitude had meant nothing.
So, despite Cassian’s instruction to stay put, he quietly slipped out of the building and wandered near the wall.
No matter how long he waited, Cassian did not return.
Even though he had already resigned himself to the thought that he might never see Cassian again, just like the old maid, Elizer could not bring himself to leave the wall.
Then one day.
As usual, he was leaning against the wall, curling up his small body and enduring the cold wind, when he sensed someone beyond the wall.
Young Elizer, who had been burying his face in his knees, suddenly lifted his head and stood up. The clanking footsteps were unfamiliar, but the foolishly innocent child, not knowing any better, knocked lightly on the wall.
“Cassian.”
The footsteps beyond the wall suddenly stopped.
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