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You never know how much of an important assest it is to have a time-skip button at times like this. Having a 3 months worth of a vacation is actually nice, and not like I mind it at all.

But if you are left with nothing much to do aside from having a tea party with the Empress and Klydeur from time to time, stuck in your bedroom all day, or waste your time reading every books in the library?

I'd rather die.

Not like it's bad to have time to bond with family. But I don't feel comfortable in having to waste my time instead of studying. Thanks to Eldest, she managed to mold me into a study freak.

Now this is bad, I have to hold on and cling into this moment or else the Empress will lose interest in me and choose Klydeur instead. That's why I never missed the chance to arrive during the tea party, even if it means having to torture my jaw from smiling all the time and being a mama's boy.

But what matters right now is that I don't have any problems at the moment. My worries about the war or the other nobles whose trying to please me or corner me has already decreased. Well, I mean, there's no reason to be worried now.

And as much as I wanted to just stay in my room for longer sleep or walk around the palace's garden for a small exercise, I can't have any peace of mind. Literally! Eldest urged me to crack up my head at the library so I won't rot in bed, but now that I'm here, unexpected people are also here.

Klydeur and his ever annoying tutor that he calls Ashy is always popping beside or behind me wherever I go. Yesterday at the garden's fountain, that one time at Dawn's Hall of Archemy, and now at the library.

If you can't remember Dawn's Hall of Archemy, you can probably go back and check chapter 11 to 13.

But long story short, it is a seemingly empty hall filled with portrait paintings that was built by one of the Empire's emperor. That's where he also experimented magic, according to Eldest, and the very same place we hang out either to play or train with our magic items.

I mentally sighed as I forced to curve my lips upward in an attempt to crack a smile towards my brother and the princess of Florida, Ashley. "Good morning, brother, princess."

"Good morning to you too, brother." Klydeur greeted back with a smile, while Ashley bowed down to me without any insult at the moment. "I hope I'm not disturbing your time here in the library?"

I shook my head, trying to lengthen my patience. "Not at all. The library is not limited to me only, after all."

He then chose to sit on the opposite seat of mine, while Ashley insisted to look for interesting books. I focused on reading the book I'm currently reading when he suddenly spoke again.

"Brother, do you perhaps, dislike me?"

I blinked my eyes repeatedly as his question echoed in my head. Glancing up to him, I saw his sad expression that suddenly made me feel guilty for something I never did.

"What are you talking about?"

He looked down, his white bangs covered his silver eyes. "I noticed how you seem uncomfortable whenever I am around. And I thought that maybe you dislike me because you see me as a threat."

Scratching my nape, I huffed out a sigh. I don't even know what to do right now. Should I be honest and tell him that he's right? Or do I have to act like a kind brother in this situation?

"I don't dislike you at all, Klydeur." I responded, deciding that it would be better to refute his thoughts. If possible, maybe I can just make him surrender and no longer have the intention to steal the crown prince position from me. "And it's not that I'm uncomfortable. I'm just always like this, I guess."

""

I flinched the moment I heard his tone of voice changed. The sad and brotherly voice I heard earlier suddenly changed into a loathful one, as if wanting to murder me. And the fact that he called me Clydeur is definitely troubling!

"Then what did you mean?" I asked, ignoring his sudden change of tone as I tried to be calm and avoid getting frustrated at him.

He went silent for a moment, before his silver eyes stared at me lifelessly, sending chills down my spine. "You hate me."

"I hate you?"

I massaged my temples as I tried to understand my moody brother. First, he decided to disturb my peaceful life here at the library. Second, he asked me if I dislike him. And third, he's trying to impersonate my feelings and nonchalantly says that I hate him?

Seriously, what has gotten into this 10 year old boy's head?

"Klydeur, why would I hate you, when we are brothers? And twins, no less?" I slowly asked, trying to make a point at his out of context question. "If anything, I might be the one being disliked by you. You don't seem to be acting normal these days."

"I'm....fine." He replied, his tone of voice went back to how it normally sounds. Childlike. And not demonically deep and life-threatening. "I guess I was wrong. I'm sorry, brother."

I closed the book I was reading and nodded my head. "I understand. Maybe I was too busy with studies that you felt like I never wanted to have time with you. And I'm sorry for that too." In the end, I thought that maybe apologizing to him might as well make it easier for me to win him over.

If he gets to be controlled by the nobles and it continues longer, he's not the only one in a tight spot. I will be dragged along too.

Klydeur looks surprised as he looked up to me, his expression tells me that he's shocked with my sudden apology. "I—brother, you did nothing wrong. It was because of my misunderstanding."

"No matter the misconception, I still apologize." I insisted, smiling at him. "How about this? Since we still have a lot of days, months even, as a vacation, why don't we spend it to have fun?"

He then blinked his eyes, his expression changed from sad and into a happy one. "Really?"

I nodded my head. "Yep. Besides, we can also have our guardians with us. And by means of guardians, it's not the knights."

"Oh, I know!" Klydeur beamed a smile. "Our guardians that we got from our 6th birthday!"

I'm glad he remembered. "Correct." Remember the fox and the wolf we had as our guardians? Eldest explained to us that they are not pets, and they are useful and beneficial to us since they provide us enough mana aside from protection. And it isn't also limited only to the Imperial family, others nobles are granted too.

That is, if they have the ability to use their mana and have magic. But thanks to the magic items, which is earrings that Eldest gave to me and Klydeur, we have mana stored in it and she taught us how to efficiently use it.

I was able to use it properly ofcourse. But just like how I described last time, Klydeur doesn't seem talented in the field of magic. But he is persistent enough to be able to do a healing magic now. While I was able to do the basic elemental magic.

"But brother, where are we exactly going and have fun? Especially with our guardians, I'm sure it is no ordinary place." Klydeur asked out of curiousity. That made me snap back to reality as I opened my book once again, turning the pages until I reached a certain page with a picture of hunting event on it.

"In a few weeks, as a way to end the chosen month of this year, the Empire holds a special occassion that requires hunting skills. All nobles are allowed to participate, for even her majesty will be watching." I explained, and Klydeur stared at the picture, confused yet amused.

He then pointed to a certain lady with a knight kneeling down infront her. "Brother, does this mean that the noblemen would be the hunters while the nobleladies would be gifted by them?"

"Yep, that's correct." I nodded my head. "It's a common and traditional occassion that even other Empire's have. And for this event, the location would change depending on the season. If it's winter, we'll be in the mountains. If spring and autumn, we'll be in the forests."

Klydeur looks amazed, and probably excited. "Are we required to participate in hunting?"

"I believe so." I replied, shrugging my shoulder. "But who knows? Hunting is not so easy, and it can even be dangerous. That's why other noblemen are lucky if they have a guardian who'll help them capture their hunts easily."

"I remember this. If the knight who hunted the best animal wins, they also gift it to their lady and she will also have the title of the Lady of the Hunt, right?" Klydeur asked curiously.

I nodded my head again. "That's right. And afterwards, there will be a celebration and a campsite, but since there was an accident a long time ago, the Empress built a castle in the locations so the nobles could reside in it during the event."

Luckily, I know a lot about this. How could I not? I've been reading about the events and special occassions of the Empire, and fortunately, I was able to use the information at the right time and situation.

"This is going to be fun, brother!" He beamed, a blinding smile appeared on his lips. "I can't wait for it!"

I smiled, closing the book. "Yea, me too." To be honest, having a conversation makes me feel tired, but as long as I am able to change his mood then I'm good. Klydeur might be a nuisance to me someday, but he's still my twin brother.

The older ones should guide the younger ones.

Obviously, as an older brother, I must guide him as my younger brother into the right path. If he gets manipulated by the greedy nobles all because they want him to ascend the throne and fight me, then it will be a huge problem to deal with.

Still, we are currently 10 years old. I don't see any problem about bloody fights arising at the moment. And I don't think the Empress would sit back and watch either. If anything, she might have those nobles executed like a snap of her fingers.

And for now, I also have no idea if she will let us participate in this month's hunting event. But I do hope the Empress would let us. If not, I have to squeeze out my charm again and try to persuade her.

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