The Tyrant Won’t Let Me Go - Chapter 18

Oh, what the hell is this situation?

 

“Cedric, what’s wrong? Why are you mad?”

 

When Kashuel asked him, Cedric frowned once.

 

“I’m not mad.”

 

And he added and felt that the answer wasn’t enough.

 

“I just have to go to class, so I’m in a hurry.”

 

I looked up at him without saying a word.

 

It was strange no matter how many times I looked at it.

 

‘We don’t have any classes today?’

 

It may not be easy to be a teacher of the Crown Prince, but I couldn’t force him to class until Sunday, right?

 

There’s no way a model employer who pays a huge salary for a down payment and even provides accommodation would let you work until Sunday.

 

“Anyway, so we’ll go. See you tomorrow, Kashuel.”

 

“Oh, wait, Cedric!”

 

Cedric pulled my arm, cutting off Kashuel’s words with a single stroke.

 

He dragged me with his arms crossed and started walking at an incredible speed, and I silently followed his steps.

 

His steps slowed only after Kashuel was out of sight.

 

“Well, Your Highness Cedric.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“There’s no class today. It’s your day off.”

 

I thought Cedric might have misunderstood the class schedule.

 

It was because I thought that he might misunderstand the class while digesting the busy schedule of the Prince.

 

“Yes, I know.”

 

“Yes?”

 

I was at a loss for words for a moment at his reaction, who said so proudly that he knew there was no class.

 

However, unlike me, Cedric didn’t show much agitation.

 

He continued to walk with his arms crossed and at the same speed.

 

“Your Highness, then why would you lie-”

 

The moment he opened his mouth, Cedric stopped walking.

 

I couldn’t finish what I had to say at the sight of him staring at me.

 

He had such beautiful eyes that I forgot everything I was thinking about in my head.

 

However, the problem was that his gaze, which had always twinkled like a star, now looks like that of a sulky child.

 

“Ciel, don’t you know why I’m doing this?”

 

A sad voice squeezed and flowed through the peach-colored lips that had been tightly closed.

 

Cedric held my hand and muttered wistfully, unable to say anything to his grumbling words.

 

“I haven’t even touched your hair yet…”

 

“Yes?”

 

Not sure what Cedric was saying, I asked him back, but Cedric wouldn’t say it again.

 

“No, it’s nothing.”

 

So, without a word, he wrapped his arms around me.

 

Until then, I had no idea why he acted that way that day.

 

It was eight years later that I fully understood its meaning.

 

 

* * *

 

“So, what’s the relationship between you two?”

 

On a languid afternoon with warm sunlight, Kashuel squinted at Cedric with his green eyes.

 

“Are you two like that?”

 

Kashuel mumbled, with a cake in his mouth.

 

Cedric, who was sitting calmly and flipping through the bookshelf without touching the snack, wanted to talk back to Kashuel to wipe his mushy mouth, but he didn’t dare say it.

 

In fact, those green eyes and gold curls were bothering him to death today.

 

No, rather than annoying, it was closer to something he didn’t want to see.

 

It was because of this that Cedric had less conversations with Kashuel than usual.

 

However, the original self-centered Kashuel didn’t notice Cedric’s reaction and continued to talk to Cedric, the only one in the palace that would talk to him.

 

“Think what you want.”

 

“Oh, you’re not telling me. Would it kill you if you tell me something even a little bit?”

 

Kashuel inflated his cheeks and complained.

 

Cedric, who rolled his red eyes and glanced at him, remembered how he secretly complained at Ciel yesterday.

 

He wondered if he had seen Kashuel as ugly as he is now, and he regretted it slightly.

 

“Cedric, you don’t care about anyone like that.”

 

“Well I don’t do that to anyone.”

 

Cedric retorted, turning the pages of the book at Kashuel’s words.

 

“So listen. You have to be sure.”

 

“What should I be sure about?”

 

“The confidence that the other person would only see you.”

 

At those words, Cedric paused his hand that was turning the pages.

 

“So when you meet a potential partner, you have to make her look only at you.”

 

It’s a possibility

 

Cedric’s head began to spin.

 

He thought faster than when he was counting how many cookies he could eat this evening, or whether he could finish his imperial homework in a few days.

 

“I believe it because my mother said it.”

 

“Did aunt say that?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Cedric’s ears perked up.

 

The Duchess of Alehard, the younger sister of the current Emperor, was a great beauty and was famous as a ‘master of love‘.

 

Her love story has been passed down like a legend, but she had only one man in her heart, Duke Alehard.

 

Nevertheless, she became famous for the anecdote in which she worked hard to make the Duke fall in love with her at first sight, and when the Duke fell in love with her, she was given the nickname.

 

As a result, she ended up marrying the first person she liked regardless of being a member of the royal family with just one love, so it was worth it.

 

‘If it’s my aunt’s words, it’s reliable.’

 

I have to make the other person only look at me.

 

‘Well, I assume he knows how to use his brain sometimes.’

 

-‘Then I’ll grant you a wish.’

 

Ciel’s voice passed through Cedric’s mind.

 

After looking down at the red ring on his hand for a long time, he slammed the table with both hands and jumped from his seat.

 

Kashuel screamed in surprise at the sudden movement.

 

“Wha-what, Cedric. What’s wrong?”

 

“I’m leaving.”

 

“What?”

 

It wasn’t feasible right now, but there was still time.

 

Cedric’s succession to the throne would have been a long way off.

 

If only there was success, there was a possibility.

 

Cedric threw the book he was reading and stormed out.

 

“Huh? Cedric, where are you going!”

 

“I’m busy.”

 

“No, you don’t have anything to do today! Where are you going?”

 

Looking back at him, Cedric replied indifferently.

 

“To practice swordsmanship.”

As I rushed around the corner of the hallway, I saw a familiar knight.

 

“Paul!”

 

“Ciel.”

 

Paul, who heard my voice, looked back.

 

In front of Cedric’s room, several other knights were lined up.

 

‘The imperial palace was shaken when the only prince was sick.’

 

When I heard about this from Marie, who brought my breakfast, I was startled, so I ate then rushed over to Cedric.

 

“Is he all right? I heard he caught a cold.”

 

‘Oh, you have a fever.’

 

Paul said as he glanced into the room.

 

“It’s not dangerous, but I don’t think he’ll be able to go out for a while. The doctor said he’ll get better in a few days, so you don’t have to worry, Ciel.”

 

It wasn’t until I heard Paul’s story that I relaxed.

 

“Oh, I’m glad to hear that, it’s a relief. That’s right, I’ll cancel the swordsmanship class until he gets better.”

 

Then Paul scratched his head and said.

 

“Oh my, he must be very sorry.”

 

“Yes? What?”

 

“The swordsmanship class would be cancelled.”

 

He said as he crossed his arms and put a finger to his chin.

 

“He’s been practicing swordsmanship outside lately because he’s been making time for himself. You’ve been working so hard… Even if I tried to stop him, he went out at night to practice.”

 

“Huh? Your Highness?”

 

Strange.

 

Recently, Cedric has been following the class very well, so I thought he wouldn’t need any extra practice.

 

I didn’t even tell him to practice outside class.

 

“He didn’t catch a cold, did he…?”

 

“Uh… unfortunately, he was.”

 

Ciel swallowed a deep sigh.

 

Now that he’s sick, I’ll have to shut my mouth for now, but once he gets better, I would nag him not to overdo it.

 

“Well, can I see His Highness now?”

 

He has a cold, but I have to fulfill my duty.

 

I was going to pay off today’s worth.

 

Paul went into the bedroom instead of me, asked Cedric and the doctor, and after getting Cedric’s consent he instructed me to come in.

 

As I stepped into the luxurious bedroom, the sunlight flowing gently through the window tickled my cheeks.

 

In the middle of a huge bed under the canopy lay a familiar black-haired boy.

 

Cedric, with a wet towel on his forehead, coughed weakly with a feverish face, and looked at me with his red eyes slightly open.

 

“You can sit here.”

 

“Thank you, Paul.”

 

Cedric turned his head helplessly as Paul sat me on the chair kindly placed beside the bed.

 

“Ciel… you shouldn’t come. You’ll catch a cold.”

 

“It’s okay. I’m strong.”

 

“But still…”

 

“You’ll be disappointed if I don’t hold your hand.”

 

And I also have to meet Cedric and hold his hand anyway in order to control this mana.

 

“Thank you.”

 

As the fever rose and wrapped his warm hands, Cedric said in a small voice.

 

Her face was red from the heat, but the way he looked at me and smiled was no different than usual.

 

“Ciel’s hands are cold, so it feels good.”

 

Cedric rubbed my hand against his cheek and smiled.

 

“Uh, uh…”

 

It’s really strange.

 

I’ve seen this smile almost every day.

 

No wonder his face was hot, and he had tears around his eyes.

 

A little sweat was dripping there…

 

‘Something seems a little dangerous.’

 

At that moment, I came to my senses.

 

What…?

 

“Ci- Ciel? What are you doing?”

 

“Oh- no. It’s fine.”

 

Rubbing his swollen cheeks, she replied casually.

 

“Never mind. ‘Cause I deserved it‘.”

 

“What…?”

 

How dare I think it’s dangerous to see Cedric’s face at any time when in a business relationship or something.

 

‘Calm down, it’s just him.’

 

Just then, a man dressed in a white gown came inside.

 

“Your Highness Cedric, it’s time to take your medicine.”

 

As soon as the doctor spoke those words, Cedric’s face crumpled and slid into the bed.

 

“No, I don’t want to…”

 

The doctor, who brought hot medicine, was at a loss when he saw Cedric rustling under the blanket.

 

“But, Your Grace, you’ll have to take this medicine to get well.”

 

“No, I don’t like it. It’s too nasty and bad.”

 

Cedric turned his back on the doctor and turned his face toward me, shouting.

 

“I’m not going to drink it.”

 

Looking down at Cedric, I opened my mouth and spoke.

 

“Your Majesty, but you have to take your medicine so that you could have class with me. If you keep lying down like this, I won’t be able to teach you, right?”

 

“That, but…”

 

“If you take the medicine and swallow it at once, you’ll be fine.”

 

No matter how much he was the crown prince, he still seemed like a child.

 

You’re complaining about not being able to swallow the medicine.

 

As soon as I thought that there was a cute side, the nasty smell of the medicine that the doctor brought stuck in my nose.

 

‘What’s this…?’

 

Ciel frowned, but the smell of a mop that had not been washed for three days seemed to have gotten stronger.

 

On top of that, the high mixture of seaweed porridge and crocodiles showed off their terrifying visuals, and even suspicious bubbles were coming up.

 

‘…it’s worth saying you won’t eat it.’

 

At that time, I promised myself that I would never catch a cold in this world.

 

“However, Your Highness. Nothing works better than this medicine. What if you don’t get over your cold?”

 

“Ugh…”

 

Honestly, it wasn’t that I couldn’t help but sympathize with Cedric, who had to swallow that medicine.

 

First of all, I’m an adult.

 

“That’s right, Your Highness. Hang in there and drink it. I’ll be there for you.”

 

“If Ciel does what I say, I promise I’ll drink it.”

 

Suddenly, a light began to shine in Cedric’s red eyes, which had seemed somber.

 

“uh…”

 

“Huh? Ciel…”

 

At that moment, I could feel a rather passionate gaze from one corner.

 

A crying doctor holding a medicine bowl was looking at me with a very pitiful gaze as if begging for help.

 

“…Okay. What is it?”

 

When I reluctantly agreed, Cedric’s red eyes bent gently like a crescent moon.

 

“Promise me you’ll hold my hand in the future.”

 

Unlike before, his eyes were strangely shiny.

 

“Never hold someone else’s hand.”

 

‘Oh my…’

 

Aren’t they the eyes of an obsessive tyrant that anyone could see?

 

However, the doctor’s gaze seemed too desperate not to grant the request.

 

“Huh, yes. Okay.”

 

With my answer, both the doctor and Cedric’s faces brightened at the same time.

 

“Yes. I’ll definitely take the medicine!”

 

Cedric smiled brightly.

 

 

* * *

 

In the middle of the darkened room, the boy’s coughing could be heard.

 

“Paul, bring me some medicine.”

 

At the words of the master who croaked and asked to bring the medicine, Paul moved the green medicine from the bowl he had placed in the corner to make it easy to drink at any time.

 

“Here you go, Your Highness.”

 

“Thank you, Paul.”

 

Paul sighed as he looked at Cedric, who quietly drank his medicine without wrinkling his brow.

 

“You’re drinking it so well, why did you complain so much earlier?”

 

At those words, Cedric’s hand holding the glass stopped.

 

Then, in the twilight, red eyes were fixed on Paul.

 

A low voice flowed through the lips containing a strange smile.

“That’s-”