The Villain’s Aide Has Run Away - Chapter 73.1
Now, it felt as though he would feel empty if he did not see Prince Tarensiu.
“It must be a coincidence.”
“I think so too.”
At those casually thrown words, their eyes met.
It was not as if they had arranged to meet in advance, nor would their schedules have been deliberately matched. Yet the fact that they ran into each other at least once every two days was strangely uncanny no matter how he thought about it.
It was curious, and somehow familiar.
“You can ask me anything you’re curious about.”
It was an unexpected statement. The words were neither measured nor cautious.
Leslun lowered his eyes briefly to weigh the meaning of those words before carefully asking,
“How long will you be staying?”
The texture of the air changed at that moment. Prince Tarensiu’s expression hardened, and a faint shadow appeared across his forehead as his lips pressed shut.
The easy atmosphere from just moments before vanished without a trace. Sensing the weight of it, Leslun quickly bowed his head.
“My apologies.”
How could he dare pry into the whereabouts of a member of the royal family? A heavy sense of guilt welled up somewhere deep in his chest.
Leslun could not forgive himself easily for the slip. However, Prince Tarensiu did not accept the apology. After a brief silence, he asked in a low voice,
“Why should I have to leave?”
It was impossible to tell whether he was truly curious or merely speaking to convince himself. Leslun could not answer.
It was because the Crown Prince could not remain away from the capital for too long. The reason was simple, yet he could not say it aloud.
The Crown Prince was a mysterious figure.
Even within the palace, his presence did not shine too brightly. If anything, he moved like a shadow, yet his weight left a distinct impression.
Having a weak king as his father had forced him to shoulder state affairs from an early age, all while hiding himself completely from view.
The very fact that such a person had come this far from the Imperial City was, in itself, extraordinary.
The current Empire had no real ties to the Kingdom of Vancor. That the headmaster, Baron Kelly, had sent letters all the way here suddenly seemed all the more remarkable.
But more than that, what was most decisive right now was…
Leslun turned his head slightly to look out the window. A hawk was flying across the vast sky.
Perhaps that hawk had played a part in all this.
“It’s been a long time.”
Prince Tarensiu’s voice sounded distant.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve lived this freely.”
Though his tone was calm, beneath it was a loneliness that could not be measured.
For the first time, Leslun clearly recognized that this was the Crown Prince, presently living under the guise of Prince Tarensiu.
The weight of royalty, the gaze of others, the shadow of his father—none of those could be cast off easily.
“The world may think of someone as a mysterious figure, but it’s not like that. I get anxious if my father grows even a little distant…”
Prince Tarensiu’s voice reverberated low. As he spoke on, the Crown Prince raised his head and gazed forward, his eyes staring off as if looking toward some faraway place.
Whatever he carried within him, whatever lay in the depth of that silence, someone as ordinary as Leslun would never be able to glimpse.
“That’s why I want to hear more.”
Leslun could not tell what he wanted to hear, but judging by the mood, he could not bring himself to reply.
“It’s amusing, too.”
Leslun could not guess what he found amusing. If, as he said, his days had been stifling until now, perhaps even taking a brief breath of air, perhaps even dull lessons could feel entertaining.
“You amuse me.”
Leslun could not tell if it was simple admiration, curiosity, or something else entirely. But he could not take the words only as a compliment.
If all this was merely a special experience, nothing more than a passing interest, then becoming too deeply involved would be troublesome.
Leslun did not look back at him even once until class began and ended. Fortunately, it was not a day when they were assigned group work, so there was no occasion to interact.
“That will be all for today.”
When the professor closed his book and left, sounds of students rising from their seats followed one by one. Prince Tarensiu also quietly closed his book and looked at Leslun. Just as he was about to speak, Leslun spoke first.
“I have been frail since childhood.”
It was something he had not intended to say. Revealing the life he had hidden until now felt almost impulsive. The Crown Prince’s gaze struck him head-on. It was heavy and quiet.
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