The Road to Glory Chapter 175 - People Go Through Their Storm and Stress Twice

“How was the meal? Did it suit your taste?”

The third son between the Prince and Princess of England.

Prince Arthur Jude Theodore Louis, eighth in line to the throne.

Prince Arthur, who had been a topic of discussion in the media for different reasons than his brothers, had been living quietly since his discharge from the military, running a foundation.

When he appeared at a pop star’s concert after a long time, it became a topic of discussion, and his turbulent adolescence once again surfaced.

However, Halo, who had only been in this world for 2 years, had no idea what kind of life the prince before him had led. There was only one thing they knew about this person.

That he was very favorable towards them.

“It wasn’t bad.”

“Really? Honestly, while I love my country, when it comes to food… I admit it can be hit or miss.”

“Does Your Royal Highness have foods you dislike too?”

“Hmm, shall I tell you a secret of the royal family? It’s something no one knows, a top-secret that mustn’t leak out.”

The forty-something Prince Arthur winked with a serious face.

“We’re picky eaters too.”

It was truly shocking.

Although Halo was maintaining a casual conversation, this was his first time seeing a royal family member up close.

As an inevitable Englishman, Halo, who had a conventional view of the royal family, thought during their small talk that royalty wasn’t that special after all.

Making light jokes and having normal conversations wasn’t much different from other people.

It was already biologically proven that blue blood doesn’t flow in humans.

Of course, ordinary people wouldn’t be able to contact him personally and meet him.

“By the way, where are we going now?”

When Halo mentioned the suburban scenery, the prince let out a small sigh as if he’d forgotten something.

“Ah, I didn’t mention this. It wouldn’t be strange if you thought I was a kidnapper. I haven’t set a specific destination. I just wanted to talk. If you want, I can let you out anytime, so don’t worry. I promise one thing: you will absolutely never come to harm in this country.”

That didn’t sound like something you’d say to just any foreign star on tour.

If nothing else, making a direct ‘promise’ wasn’t something that happened often.

If nothing else, that is.

“Her Majesty thinks of you as someone special.”

While this might seem like casual conversation, he understood immediately.

“You don’t need to feel pressured.”

While he wasn’t pressured, this was a situation where an ordinary person would feel pressured.

Halo wasn’t stupid, and from the moment the Queen’s name was mentioned, he knew the prince hadn’t made contact purely out of personal curiosity. The prince’s words would become the Queen’s message.

“It just means the royal family likes your music.”

That wasn’t wrong.

The royal family was very interested in Halo’s music.

While it might have been different in the more conservative 20th century, the royal family was interested in how Halo’s music showed the most beautiful British culture of the 20th century, and furthermore, in their influence.

It wasn’t simply a matter of fashion, luxury goods, or the music industry.

What the royal family focused on most was the image Halo gave to the world.

HALO, created with the powerful messages “I am Halo” and “Do you dislike me because I’m not white?”, had gained the most precious value in the 21st century.

So naturally, the royal family couldn’t help but like him.

The royal family wanted to have the value that Halo possessed, and thus, they wanted Halo.

It goes without saying that the easiest method they chose was an honor.

However, the honor didn’t pass at that time. The parliament, full of conservative people, refused, saying they couldn’t give an honor to someone whose identity was unknown. It was a perfectly understandable reason, and parliament indicated that they should recommend again once Halo’s identity was revealed. It was an unofficial positive response.

Perhaps if, at Coachella, as people speculated, a middle-aged British singer had appeared, Halo would have received a knighthood.

Prince Arthur didn’t mention the complicated behind-the-scenes circumstances.

For now, the boy before him was a minor and a foreigner.

Also, he didn’t want to tell a star beloved by Britain that his honor was overturned because he wasn’t British. So what he chose was a slightly old story.

“By any chance, have you heard about my storm and stress incident?”

While it was a story famous enough for most British people to know, the boy was a foreigner, so he might not know it.

“It wasn’t the same kind of trouble as my brother. However, it might have been trouble in a different sense. My childhood dream was to be a star. I wanted to be in a band.”

“So I was quite active from a young age. Setting up in the underground scene, entering competitions. I was a child who gave adults quite a headache.”

For someone saying this, both joy and regret coexisted in Prince Arthur as he reminisced about the memories.

“The eyes looking at me weren’t very good, but I still thought I would become a star. Well, I received attention, and everyone said nice things. Looking back now, they probably found it interesting that a prince wanted to become a pop star.”

All his words were in the past tense. Before that could sink in, the prince stepped forward to acknowledge it.

“It’s all in the past now, but seeing you reminds me of those times. I was exactly your age.”

“Why did you quit?”

“Just because. There was opposition, but I guess I wasn’t that desperate.”

In public, it’s known that he quit because the royal family opposed it.

The royal family itself didn’t like that he wanted to be in a band.

However, they never directly opposed it.

He was a prince far from the line of succession, and there was no justification to oppose it. Being in a band isn’t an act that causes social controversy, is it? Moreover, it was a time when some from cadet branches and nobility were starting to engage in entertainment activities like modeling.

So him quitting was probably just because he wasn’t desperate enough. It was annoying to be mindful of even minor royal eyes, and well, he didn’t have the talent either.

At some point, he realized that people’s praise and interest weren’t because he had outstanding sensitivity and talent, but solely because he was a prince with succession rights.

The moment he realized that if he hadn’t been a prince but an ordinary person, he wouldn’t have appeared on camera. He neatly folded away his dream.

Looking back now, he probably confused liking something with wanting to do it.

“Perhaps because I once dreamed of being a singer. You don’t know how much I wanted to meet you. I personally requested it to Her Majesty. The gracious Queen turned a blind eye to this abuse of authority.”

After sharing the pleasant story, Prince Arthur slowly dropped his smile. If that was his story so far, now came the purpose of meeting them.

“By any chance, would you consider entering the embrace of our gracious Commonwealth?”

Prince Arthur kindly asked the foreign boy directly.

If he would consider having one more nationality.

It’s frequent for stars to have dual citizenship.

“If you want, ‘we’ can help.”

The boy smiled cryptically.

Whether that meant yes or no was unclear.

Perhaps he didn’t know how advantageous British citizenship would be.

If the boy became British, the honor would soon pass too.

The boy would become the youngest to receive the honor, and knighthood would be possible too.

All countries would treat an honorable knight more respectfully, and Britain would protect the boy in all aspects.

That would be incomparable to the boy’s home country, which was a small nation.

Then, the boy’s voice was heard.

“Do you dislike me because I’m not British?”

Halo’s most significant message.

When the question “Do you dislike me because I’m not white?” came slightly modified, the prince couldn’t say anything.

It felt like being hit on the back of the head.

“…Of course not.”

The prince answered belatedly.

It was the most intelligent answer, and the most excellent answer he’d heard so far. Also, it couldn’t help but be the most Halo-like answer that the world loves.

“It would have been really nice if you were born in Britain.”

Arthur sincerely sighed.

About how his most beloved country had missed the most important star.

“I understand your answer well. I’ll convey it properly to Her Majesty.”

Not dragging it out any longer, Arthur cut off his duty as a representative. Now that duty was over, what remained would only be love for the star.

“And from here on, this is news I’m delivering as your fan. There will be good news soon.”

While it would have been nice if the boy could receive the British Empire Medal as a British citizen, it wasn’t impossible to give it to foreigners.

Historically, there were cases of giving honorary medals outside the quota to foreigners who contributed to the British Commonwealth.

In fact, American designer Ralph Lauren received an honorary knighthood (KBE) for his contributions to fashion, and in Korea, the Prime Minister and company founders had received honorary medals too.

Since they naturally assumed Halo was British, the process became complicated, but there was a high possibility the boy would receive a medal within the next few years.

If only the old-fashioned parliament could overcome the walls of being a foreigner and 17 years old.

“But I’m a foreigner.”

“There are many cases of giving medals to foreigners. I believe there are cases in your country too.”

“…”

Halo, who hadn’t known at all, closed his mouth.

Anyway, he realized the medal talk wasn’t just a joke. To give him the most honorable award.

To him, who had never lived honorably even once.

The car cruising London’s outskirts flows inward.

While sightseeing in London, Halo watched as the prince’s eyes often drifted to live pubs.

For someone who said they just quit, his gaze lingered for a long time.

As if his love for music wasn’t a lie either, he would hum along to music flowing through the car windows.

Halo observed such a prince carefully.

“I’m sorry for taking so much of your time. I should have just delivered Her Majesty’s message, but I was greedy to get to know you.”

As they approached the hotel, the prince belatedly checked the time.

More time had passed than expected as they had driven around the outskirts.

“Did you get what you wanted?”

Halo casually asked back, and at those words, the prince thought for a moment before shaking his head.

“It’s far too short a time for a commoner to understand a genius like you.”

Halo tilted his head.

It was something he’d felt strange about earlier.

His attitude towards him didn’t seem like mere curiosity or empathy as someone who had done music in the past.

Rather, how should he put it.

The emotion mixed with fan-like goodwill towards a favorite singer was, yes, admiration.

He could feel admiration for someone who did what he wanted to do better.

If nothing else, Halo was familiar with attitudes of jealousy and admiration, so he wasn’t confused.

Even when reminiscing about memories earlier, he was wistful if he was wistful.

He didn’t really regret it either.

“What instrument did you play back then?”

At the sudden question, the prince was puzzled at first.

However, showing his forearm, he soon answered readily.

“Drums.”

Hmm. Imagining him headbanging while playing drums, the royal family probably wouldn’t have liked it very much.

At that moment, the limousine stops in front of the hotel.

Halo, while answering members who were worriedly asking where he was if he could come down, looked at the prince.

“Since I’m not good with etiquette. Could I speak more comfortably?”

“Of course, didn’t I say you could call me Arthur?”

“Then I’ll speak comfortably and directly. I’d like to decline the medal.”

“!”

Not expecting such a casual response, the driver was more startled than the prince. Where in the world is there a crazy person who refuses a medal.

“Is there a reason?”

“Because I don’t plan to live honorably enough to receive it.”

“Huh.”

Not that he hadn’t lived honorably.

The words that he had no intention of living honorably in the future sounded fresh again.

However, the prince thought the boy was refusing because he didn’t know the value of the medal.

“You’re saying this because you don’t know how valuable it is-“

“I’ll create that value myself.”

The prince blankly stared at Halo’s expression.

This was the first person in his life who could speak like this.

“It doesn’t seem that difficult either.”

In the boy who spoke while shrugging his shoulders, he saw the great talent he once wanted and the confidence to match it.

It wasn’t just groundless confidence either.

Halo had been like this in his past life too.

Well, there was no medal talk then, so there’s no need to mention it. It seemed fine not to receive it in this life either.

Even with an honorable medal, Halo’s life is enough for him to create on his own.

And-.

Goosebumps rose on Halo’s arm as he briefly imagined titles like Sir Halo or Lord Halo. It was the most ill-fitting title in the world.

He was fine just being called Halo.

He hoped everyone in the world would call them Halo rather than Sir Halo, and wished to live doing only what he wanted without any shackles.

“Is that all?”

“Also, if I receive the medal, I feel like I’ll have to perform only for the royal family.”

The prince slowly burst into laughter.

Halo spoke referring to the activities of past musicians.

“If that’s the case, I want to give you more? How about the honor of teaching royal children?”

“…”

The boy sighed briefly with a really disgusted face.

The prince laughed, thinking there was no obligation, but it was an obligation they wanted to create.

Halo coming to perform for the royal family every year.

“This is the first time I’ve seen someone who doesn’t want to receive a medal. Do you dislike it that much?”

“Isn’t just Halo better than Sir Halo?”

“So that was the biggest reason!”

The prince wiped his tears, honestly admitting that Halo was better than Sir Halo.

“Why weren’t you born in Britain?”

If you were, you would have made such a good friend.

Halo, who was actually going to joke about being British, chuckled at the prince’s following words.

“Does the royal family be picky about friends too?”

“Oh, yes, that’s also a top secret. Make sure to keep it secret.”

“I solemnly swear.”

The prince really liked him.

“If not a medal, is there something else you want?”

The medal was refused by him, so it couldn’t be forced.

Still, maybe the boy’s mind would change later.

The prince postponed the medal matter to a distant future.

Nevertheless, as he still acknowledged the boy’s contributions, whether as a royal family member or personally, he wanted to grant what the boy wanted.

Given his personality that said he didn’t even need a medal, he wondered if there would be anything special.

If he asked for a castle he would give it, if he wanted to do something in Britain he wanted to actively support it.

The boy slowly raised the corners of his mouth as if he’d been waiting.

“Do you have any other schedules today?”

“No, nothing special. Why? Do you need me for something?”

You want something from me?

The prince thought of the foundation he had.

What he operates are scholarship and art foundations.

When his thoughts reached several masterpieces, the boy’s voice was heard.

“They say people usually go through their storm and stress twice.”

Once at 16, adolescence when feeling confused about identity.

And another time is-.

Just then, the members came down.

Having experienced sudden busking while traveling in LA and Europe, they now started carrying instruments wherever they went.

Of course, keyboard or drums would be impossible to carry, but Moon Seoyeon came down with Halo’s guitar just in case.

The prince’s eyes slowly shook, wondering what this was about.

Halo approached the driver and whispered.

“Now.”