How the Prince Makes Friends Chapter 68

“Waaah, I miss my sister…!”

A solemn atmosphere settled over the break room after the boy finished his story. Every child here had their own painful circumstances, but no one could bring themselves to say anything.

Rianus wanted to help the boy. However, since he was currently posing as a wandering orphan, it was difficult for him to intervene directly. Then he thought that perhaps his friend could come up with a solution, so he tugged insistently at Nihil’s sleeve.

Nihil understood what Rianus meant, stood up, and addressed the guards.

“We’d like to talk among ourselves a little longer.”

“…Very well.”

The guards stepped aside without complaint. Perhaps they had realized that this wasn’t a situation they should interfere in carelessly, considering that all they could offer these children was an occasional meal and a place to sleep.

Once the guards had left, Nihil turned back to the boy and asked, “What’s your name?”

“Sniff… D-Dave…”

“Dave, I won’t end up like your sister.”

“Sniff… How do you know that?! Do you think those filthy nobles will treat you like a human being just because you’re pretty?”

“Of course, that might happen, but I don’t sell my body.”

“…?”

“I’m telling the truth.”

Dave glared at Nihil through his swollen eyes, looking as though he couldn’t believe him.

“…Then where did you get the cookies and chocolate?”

“I bought them.”

“With what money?!”

“…I sold the meat and pelts of animals I hunted. I also know how to gather medicinal herbs.”

Nihil couldn’t exactly tell him that he had brought everything from the palace, so he made up a plausible explanation. In fact, it was also one of the easiest ways to earn money in their current circumstances.

Rianus stayed quiet and watched. He was afraid that if he intervened, he might only make things more complicated.

“You really know how to hunt…?”

“Yeah.”

“H-how am I supposed to believe that?”

“You don’t have to. More importantly, do you still have the ring you mentioned?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Show me.”

Sniffling, Dave took a ring from his pocket and handed it to Nihil.

Nihil glanced at it briefly, then immediately passed it to Rianus and asked, “Do you recognize it?”

Rianus accepted the ring and examined it from several angles before answering.

“Hmm, this is the crest of House Dyke, a baronial family. They’re not a particularly influential house, so I don’t know much about them. The Baron of Dyke has two sons and one daughter, and his current wife is his second wife. His eldest son and daughter are from his first wife, who passed away, while his second son is the child of his current wife. Since there isn’t much of an age difference between the children, I imagine he’s having quite a headache trying to decide on an heir. Their territory is known for its wine, but the quality isn’t particularly good. It’s famous as an affordable wine that commoners often buy for cooking. And although I can’t say for certain, the owner of this ring probably isn’t the Baron of Dyke himself. Rings bearing a family crest often serve a similar purpose to seals, so the crest is usually engraved in reverse. But this one is rather crude for the head of the family or his immediate relatives to wear, and the crest isn’t reversed, either. In that case, the owner is more likely to be someone close to the head of the family or a member of a collateral branch. Moreover, the Dyke estate is quite far from the capital. Of course, we shouldn’t rule out the possibility that someone deliberately wore a ring like this to conceal their identity, either… Why is everyone staring at me?”

Rianus had rambled on for quite some time, listing everything he knew, before belatedly noticing everyone’s eyes fixed on him. He promptly fell silent.

Wondering if he had said something wrong, he glanced at Nihil. But Nihil didn’t seem to think much of it and merely patted his head.

Perhaps because of the wig, he could barely feel Nihil’s touch, which was a little disappointing. Still, given the circumstances, Rianus was reasonably satisfied and smiled brightly.

“Well, well. Anyway, that’s my opinion.”

“Yeah. Thanks for telling me.”

Nihil took the ring back from Rianus and returned it to Dave before adding, “You heard him, right?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“That ring belongs to someone from House Dyke or someone associated with the family.”

“Ah… yeah.”

“Do you want revenge?”

“Yeah.”

“Want me to tell you how?”

“Yeah.”

“It might take a long time.”

“…I don’t mind if it takes a long time.”

“Then start by learning to read and write.”

“……Huh?”

“Learn arithmetic, too, and how to read a clock and a calendar.”

“B-but…”

“You’ll have a chance to learn soon.”

“And if I learn…?”

“Just learn first.”

“You make it sound so easy! Do you think it’s easy for kids like us to get an education?”

Dave pouted at Nihil’s unrealistic suggestion.

“If you can’t do it, give up.”

“W-who says I can’t?! I can do it!”

“Good. Do your best.”

“What happens after I learn? What do I do after that?”

“Wait. If you go charging off trying to get revenge on your own and end up dead, don’t expect me to take responsibility.”

“……”

“I’ll come find you once you become useful.”

Dave wondered how on earth this little kid planned to find him again. At the same time, though, he felt as if Nihil really would come back for him, and a smile spread across his face.

Meanwhile, Rianus realized that he hadn’t seen any plans to establish educational or childcare facilities in the Sharton Street redevelopment proposal. If the children here were to receive an education, he would have to take the initiative himself.

His friend had given him an assignment, too—not just the boy sitting in front of them.

Nihil leaned toward Rianus and whispered, “Can you do it?”

“I’ll try. No, I can do it. I’ll make sure it happens.”

“Good.”

Nihil patted Rianus’s head once more before turning his gaze toward the other children.

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t tell the adults about what happened today. Can you promise me that?”

“M-me! I’m really good at keeping secrets!”

Little Brie chimed in cheerfully.

Nihil smiled, reminded of the equally oblivious Rianus, then walked over to Brie and gently took the child by the wrist.

“Little one.”

“Huh? Are you talking about Brie? But Brie isn’t a baby.”

Brie tilted their head and looked up at Nihil with wide eyes.

The face visible beneath his deeply pulled-down hood was incredibly beautiful. And somehow, the wrist held by such a pretty older boy felt strangely ticklish.

Nihil chuckled softly, released Brie’s wrist, and took a small glass bottle out of his bag.

“All right, Brie. You have a slight fever, so I’ll give you some medicine. Make sure you rest well for the next few days.”

“Okay! Brie doesn’t do anything. The big brothers and big sisters do everything for me. I promised I’d pay them back when I’m bigger. But do I really have to take this?”

Brie caught a whiff of the bitter smell rising from the open bottle and subtly leaned backward.

“I’ll give you chocolate if you take it.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Hmm… Two pieces.”

“All right. Two pieces.”

Delighted by Nihil’s promise, Brie beamed and quickly gulped down the medicine. But it was evidently too bitter for a child. When Brie looked ready to spit it out, Nihil hurriedly unwrapped a piece of chocolate and popped it into their mouth.

Unable to spit out the chocolate, Brie swallowed the medicine with teary eyes, then slowly let the chocolate melt in their mouth.

“Pretty big brother is mean.”

“Sure.”

Nihil chuckled quietly and placed two pieces of chocolate in Brie’s hands.

Perhaps thinking that one piece would have been fair since Brie had already eaten one, the child stared at the chocolates with wide eyes, hesitated for a moment, then secretly hid them behind their back.

“You can’t take them back.”

“I won’t.”

“Then… I take back what I said about you being mean. Pretty big brother is really kind and… pretty.”

Brie shyly added the last words while fiddling with the chocolate wrappers.

Rianus was beginning to worry that his friend was going around bewitching people wherever he went.

For now, he was the only one who had grown close to Nihil. But what if, someday, Nihil made so many friends that he drifted away from Rianus?

Anyone would want to be friends with someone as beautiful, kind, and amazing as Nihil.

Unable to bear the growing anxiety, Rianus quietly caught the hem of Nihil’s robe.

Nihil glanced back at him, gently pried Rianus’s fingers loose, and interlaced their hands before giving his hand a slight tug.

“Nerr, it’s time for us to go.”

“Ah, okay!”

Us.

Rianus smiled brightly, as though he had never been anxious at all.

That single word, us, made him happy. It felt as if Nihil had clearly drawn a line between Rianus and the other children. It was a somewhat selfish thought, but Rianus didn’t want to share Nihil with anyone else.

“Pretty big brother, are you leaving? Can’t you stay and play a little longer? I want to play with the cat some more, too…”

Little Brie gazed regretfully at the cat and tugged on Nihil’s hand.

Nihil seemed to consider it for a moment. Then, beneath his hood, the corners of his mouth curled upward. If Evan had seen that smile, he would undoubtedly have regarded it with deep suspicion.

“We have to go now. But I’ll sing you a song about a cat before we leave.”

“A cat song?”

“Meow?”

Bella the cat and Rianus both looked at Nihil in confusion.

Nihil was going to sing?

Rianus couldn’t imagine his friend singing at all.

Of course, Nihil was good at practically everything, so he would probably sing well, too. Still, the thought of someone who was almost always expressionless singing a cute little nursery rhyme about a cat made Rianus want to laugh.

“I want to hear it! Sing it, quick!”

Brie urged him on. Rianus was curious to hear Nihil sing as well, so he gazed at his friend with shining eyes.

Bella the cat stretched languidly, then sat neatly with her paws tucked beneath her body, ready to listen.

Nihil swept his gaze over his audience, cleared his throat, and began singing in a slightly higher pitch than usual.

Meow, meow, a little kitten who’s lost its mother,

Lost in the frightening forest, lost its way along the road.

Little kitty, don’t you worry. I’ll stay here beside you,

You don’t have to be afraid anymore.

Meow, meow, a little kitten that others tease,

Crying in sorrow because its eyes are not the same.

Little kitty, don’t you cry. Your sparkling eyes hold both the sun and moon.

Meow, meow, a little kitten covered in dirt,

Fleeing from a giant snake, it falls into a swamp.

Little kitty, don’t you worry. That snake is nothing but an old, worn-out rope.

Roar, roar, the grown tiger, king of the forest,

The frightened child hides to escape the beast.

Little child, little child, don’t you cry. From now on, I’ll protect you.

As Nihil sang, the atmosphere grew warm and cheerful. But Bella, the only actual cat in the room, had gone completely rigid and couldn’t move.

Little Brie giggled as they sang along. Nihil gently stroked the child’s head and said, “Sing it often. I’ll be happy if I hear my favorite song being sung everywhere.”

“Okay! Brie can do that!”

Nihil smiled with satisfaction, pleased that the song seemed likely to spread. The children might not repeat the lyrics perfectly after hearing them only once, but the meaning would remain largely unchanged.

Whatever form it took, the little kitten who endured hardship would eventually become a tiger. The giant snake would never become a dragon. It would remain nothing more than a worn-out rope.

That was enough.

Nihil took the hand of Rianus, who was humming the tune obliviously without realizing that the little tiger in the song was himself. Then he casually picked up Bella, who was still stiff as a board, and murmured in a low voice.

“Meow-Meow, it would be best if you didn’t give yourself away. Unless you want to be eaten by the red snake.”

“M-myaa…”

The red snake was the symbol of the ducal house.

A snake coiled around a sword, holding a jewel in its mouth.

The house’s arrogant crest depicted a snake that commanded both wealth and military might. And the ducal house certainly possessed enough power to live up to that image.

But in truth, Bella found the child far more frightening than the snake, which might turn out to be nothing more than a worn-out rope. The way that child quietly and methodically plotted the future from the very bottom of society was utterly chilling.

What made it even more absurd was that the oblivious little tiger who was the song’s main character was humming the tune beside him, completely unaware of anything.

Perhaps the little tiger had become so fearless because the child was protecting him.

…And perhaps he’d lost his sense of awareness along with his fear.

“Are you leaving now?”

Seeing Nihil and Rianus preparing to leave, Kane and Dave stood up to see them off. Dave’s nose was still stuffy from crying, and his eyes were slightly swollen.

“Yeah. We need to find a place to settle down before sunset, light a fire, and prepare dinner.”

“You really are amazing.”

Dave was genuinely impressed. He began to wonder if all the things Nerr had said about his older brother might actually be true.

At the same time, he felt ashamed of himself. These children, even younger than him, were managing to survive on their own without relying on anyone, while he could only get by through stealing.

Just then, a commotion erupted in the corridor outside the guard headquarters’ break room.

“W-whoa! Grab him!”