Outside the room, Heimos, who had just put his hand on the door, stood at the door, silent, his lips pursed a little.
He stood, didn't move, neither entered nor left, but just stood at the door like that, staring down at what he was thinking. The fine black hair scattered in front of his eyes, casting shadows on his eye sockets.
In the house, as soon as Garlan's words came out, the whole room was silent for a moment.
Xie Muer, who was staring coldly at Earl with a frown, turned his eyes and looked at Garlan, with a look of astonishment on his face.
He never thought about it, and never noticed it.
With the character of Prince Gallan, he would have such dark thoughts in his heart.
Earl laughed, and he laughed out loud, one after another.
"I see."
He laughed happily.
"Sure enough, you think so too, it should be like this, everyone is like this."
That's right, everyone is like this, not just him, everyone actually has such thoughts.
All, the same—
"His Royal Highness Gallan, 'the wise prince', is this the so-called 'wise prince' who is praised by everyone?"
He let out a long sigh, as if letting out all the sullenness in his heart that had been stagnant for many years at this moment.
"What's the difference between you, who has the name of 'wise', and me, who is despised by others?"
He laughed and said.
"There are some people in this world who are born with a halo. No matter how much we catch up, we will only be left far behind, and we will never catch up."
"If this kind of person is not in front of you, it's okay, if you can't see it, you won't be bothered, but when this kind of person happens to be by your side, you can't go away, and everyone has to compare you with him... again and again Once, when praising him, complimenting him, but mercilessly belittling you, reprimanding you... Even your parents, teachers, and all the elders sighed again and again 'why are you so much worse than your elder brother' when… "
"Yeah, I know, I know they say this for my own good, to make me work harder to catch up with my big brother and become better..."
As if recalling something, although Earl was laughing, the laughter clearly exuded a bit of sadness.
He took a deep breath and stopped laughing.
"His Royal Highness Garlan, you can understand, right? If it was you, you should be able to know how it feels."
He looked at Garland and whispered.
"It's like a nightmare you'll never wake up from..."
Xie Muer clenched his hands.
He suddenly felt a terrible tightness in his chest.
The scene in Earl's words is so familiar, 'You are far worse than His Highness Heimos', 'You will never be as good as His Highness Heimos' and so on, they have all come out of his mouth. Pass.
At that time, he felt that he said this to inspire Prince Gallan and for the prince's good.
But now, when he looked at Earl's words from the perspective of a bystander, he suddenly realized how cruel he thought it was for Prince Gallan's good behavior.
"'It would be nice if there was no older brother'... Yes, I thought so, and then I did that. Then, my elder brother, who was praised by everyone since I was a child, disappeared, and I became the lord of the city of Menister. , everyone admires, look, how wonderful."
Earl looked at Garland.
"But, Prince Garlan, why don't you do this?"
He asked, "Many years ago, there was such a chance, not long ago, there was another chance, obviously just like me, I thought 'I hope Heimos doesn't exist', but why do you let it go again and again? A chance for Heimos to disappear'?"
Garlan, who was stared at by Earl, thought for a moment.
"Well... this is probably the difference between me and you."
he replied.
"The difference? No, there is no difference between you and me, we are all the same..."
"I don't deny that people have ugly sides, and so do I."
Garland interrupted Earl.
"I don't deny that in those days before, whenever I felt bad because of Heimos, I wished 'there was no Heimos'."
Without Heimos, he would have successfully completed his mission in the first life, ascended the throne, and returned to his own world to continue his life.
Instead of having to go through rebirth over and over again, struggling hard in this unfamiliar world.
"I thought about it, but I didn't do it."
"You thought about it, you did it."
"Ear, that's the difference between me and you."
"We are human beings, not gods. That ugly, malicious side is like our shadow. It has been with us since we were born and can't get rid of it. It will follow us until death comes."
Garlan stretched out his hand, pointed his fingers in the direction of Earl's chest, and then retracted it.
"Earl, you're right, we're all the same, we all have shadows."
He looked Earl in the eye and said,
"It's just that we made a different choice - you chose to let your shadow replace you, and I chose to put my shadow firmly under my feet."
So on that night, he did not stab the dagger in his hand at the teenager who was unconscious because of a fever.
Watched by those bright and shadowless golden eyes, Earl was momentarily absent-minded.
"… I let my shadow… take my place?"
He repeated this sentence suspiciously, his expression seemed to be a little shaken.
However, the shaking was only for a moment, and that little doubt quickly disappeared from his eyes.
"No, that's my decision."
Earl said, his eyes were firm.
"I defeated my brother, so I became the lord of the city. Now, I lost to Heimos, so I am a prisoner."
"Everything in this world, after all, is nothing more than success and failure."
"I can see better than anyone how terrible Heimos is." He looked at Garland and said, "Prince Garland, I think, I still do not understand why you are helping your enemy. I I just hope that one day, you won't regret it when you end up in the same way as I did under the persecution of Heimos."
"...I know better than you the horror of Heimos."
In this world, probably no one is more afraid of Heimos than him.
Afraid to the point where I would rather give up the throne and leave.
Thinking about it this way, I'm really embarrassed.
Garlan thought so in his heart, and he couldn't help but feel funny.
"Prince, don't be provoked by him."
When Garlan said this, Xie Muer next to him couldn't bear it any longer.
"In any case, His Highness Heimos will not hurt you."
Garland's mouth twitched.
You see, 'Heimos won't hurt him', such a simple thing, something so simple that everyone, even Xie Muer, who doesn't know how to look at people, can see it, but because he has been right in those few lifetimes The fear of Heimos, unable to believe Heimos, chose to run away.
"Ok, I know."
The young man said with a smile.
"Don't worry, Ximuel. I know that Huymos and I are not like them."
If it is said that at that time when he was a child, he only tried to protect Heimos in order to change the fate of himself and Aaron Landis...
So now, unknowingly, whether it's Earl's trap this time, or the matter of stopping Heimos in Menister City, he has really done it to protect Heimos. all that.
"I know he will protect me."
Garland said.
"And I will also protect him until the end."
"… "
Earl didn't answer for a while.
After a long time, he spoke in a low voice.
"I also once... admired my brother... "
That strong and gentle brother.
The elder brother who would teach him patiently and teach him swordsmanship hand in hand.
When he was very young, when he didn't understand anything, he looked up to his older brother more than anyone...
The man's voice was like a sigh at this moment.
Deep, but eventually dissipated in the air, leaving no trace.
Just like everything that is about to end at this moment.
…
"Your Highness, are we not going in?"
The guard standing behind Heimos watched Heimos stand still at the door, waited for a long time, and finally couldn't help but ask.
"Cough, no."
said Heimos, withdrawing his hand from the doorknob and turning around.
"They are talking about things, it is inconvenient to disturb, let's go first."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The young guard was puzzled.
His Highness Heimos clearly rushed over in such a hurry, but what happened when he arrived here but didn't go in
As he thought, he stole a glance at Heimos.
This sight made him shudder.
"Your Highness, are you laughing?"
"No."
"But… "
"You read it wrong."
"… "
Who are you kidding, the corners of your mouth are so obvious.
****
Time is like flowing water, and ten days passed by in a flash.
In an instant, the day finally came.
In the early morning, the bright sun slowly rose over the horizon. The prosperous royal city was as before, bathed in sunlight, and a little noisy.
It is said to be the same as before, but it is very different from usual. On this day, almost all the people got up early, and everyone was smiling and beaming.
The whole city has been cleaned up a long time ago, the streets are spotless, the flowers in full bloom fill the whole city, and bursts of fragrance permeate the streets.
All the temples opened their doors early in the morning, and the priests placed bowls of clear water on the high platform with their own hands. On this day, all the people of Aaron Landis, rich or poor, can enter the temple and pray to the gods.
In the royal city, a high pole was inserted at the gate of each house, and a golden ribbon was flying high on it.
In front of the gate of the dignitaries is a white jade rod with delicate carvings, a golden ribbon embroidered with gold velvet thread, with fine tassel, and decorated with small gems, which glittering golden in the sun, it is really beautiful.
Before ordinary portals, most of them were wooden or bamboo poles made by themselves, carrying or dyed or embroidered gold ribbons.
Aaron Landis' annual festival of the gods has arrived.
And this time the gods festival, there is another significant ceremony.
Just when the royal city was a little lively, on the sky attic in the royal palace, dew-stained flowers bloomed in the sun, and green trees stood on the platform.
It is leaning against a high mountain, half a garden hanging outwards, half a gorgeous palace, surrounded by streams.
A towering tower stands on its edge, soaring into the sky.
At the top of the tower is a platform loft, which is almost one of the highest points of the royal palace. Standing there, you can overlook the entire royal city.
A teenager was sitting on a high attic platform, with his hands on his side, his calves dangling slightly in the air.
He sat here, looking down at the magnificent palace below, looking down at the city full of flowers.
A prosperous royal city with criss-crossing roads and numerous houses.
Countless people live in this city.
When the wind blew, the countless golden ribbons in the city flew wildly, as if dyeing the whole city with a sun-like golden color.
Garlan looked down at the earth, and at the limit of his vision was the horizon where the sun jumped out.
The earth is endless, with no end in sight.
This is the land of Aaron Landis, and countless Aaron Landis people have lived on this land for generations.
He looked up, looked at the sky, and slowly extended his hand.
The bright sunlight fell on his white palm, and a few strands passed through his open fingers and continued to fall.
The boy just sat silently, holding out his hand.
He looked at the sunlight that danced in his palms, and watched them trance.
At this moment, a footstep sounded abruptly, breaking the silence here.
Someone walked quickly from behind and stood not far behind Garlan.
Then, a slightly low voice came from behind Garlan.
"If you continue to stay here, the people below who can't find you will be arguing."
Garland didn't look back.
"How did you know I was here?"
"intuition."
"Um?"
"I just thought about it, if it were me, where would I want to stay at this time."
Heimos replied.
So, he came here to find someone.
Garlan smiled lightly, and his hand that was spread out in the sunlight suddenly clenched tightly, as if all the sunlight that fell on his palm was caught in his palm.
Then, he withdrew his hands, propped himself up, and stood up from the edge of the platform.
The boy was bathed in the morning sun, looking down at the ground beneath his feet.
The wind blew from the sky and whizzed past him.
The blond hair scattered on his shoulders flew up like a golden cloud.
The sun seemed to fall into his eyes, making his golden eyes like the golden sun in the clear sky.
He looked deeply at the city under his feet, and the land that he couldn't see for a long time.
Then, he turned around.
The white cloak that slipped from his side shoulders flew up in the air for a moment under the sun as he turned.
—It seemed to be a very immature wing that had just been unfolded.
Garland stepped forward.
Ahead of him, at the end of the platform under his feet, stood Heimos.
He stood still in front of Heimos, raised his head, and met his gaze.
The wind blowing made his forehead twitch endlessly, and Garlan looked at those familiar golden-red eyes.
How many times, these eyes have appeared in his nightmares.
"Heimos."
He called out the name of the man in front of him.
He had been afraid of this man.
He had wanted to stay away from this man.
Now, he can finally stand in front of this person calmly and say these words.
He said, "I am going to be the crown prince of Aaron Landis."
Heimos didn't answer, just looked at him quietly.
"And one day..."
The boy laughed, and he held his head up.
The sun fell on his side cheeks, making his smile brighter than anything else at this moment.
He said, "One day, I will let you serve me willingly."