The Prince is So Thoughtful

"LORD HUVEL! Although I know your preference, to think that you are a pedoph…"

"Your Highness, we are interrupting Hugo's practice!" Huvel did not let the prince to finish his speech and interrupted. "Why don't we talk in the mansion?"

The prince realized that he almost criticized Huvel in front of his attendants and felt a little bad. "That's right. Let's go. Hugo, you may continue your practice."

"Your Highness, are you angry that I want to visit Sir Huvel's house?" Hugo finally noticed the prince's grim expression and murmured dejectedly.

"Umm, uh, no. I'm not angry at you. Don't worry." The prince patted his head before leaving him alone.

The prince led Huvel to his reading room. He ordered the attendants to leave.

"I'll be blunt." The prince started to talk as soon as the door of the room was closed. "I've already thought of sending someone to assist you. Whatever you want to do with him, I won't say anything. But you can't have Hugo. He is still a child and a family member of mine!"

"It's very thoughtful of you to give me an assistant, Your Highness! I will thankfully accept both that assistant and that kid, Hugo." Huvel replied with a smile.

"What?! Are you even listening to me?!" The prince hit the table between him and Huvel. "I can't let you do any immoral thing to Hugo!"

"I never said I will do though." Huvel said solemnly.

"Huh?! Your intentions are already clear when you invited him to your house!"

"I invited him because I pity him."

"Pity?"

"Yes, I want him to enjoy his life more instead of staying within the palace walls. Because he will die in 3 years."

Huvel said the words while looking straight into the prince's eyes. The prince did not want to believe but he felt like Huvel was talking the truth.

What Huvel said was not actually false. He did want the boy to enjoy life before he died; Hugo came all the way to human world out of curiosity so to die young within the royal palace sounded like his wish would be unfulfilled. And the words that he would die in 3 years was not false either, since Huvel had to kill him before he become 16.

"How do you know this?" The prince was still a little doubtful.

"Don't you already know that I awakened Light Prowess? Naturally, I detected something was amiss as soon as I see him!"

"Is there no way to cure him?"

"No. He just cannot live past his 16th birthday. But, you can try his luck if you are acquainted with a light wizard."

Huvel buffed his lie. He thought the prince would not bother to spend a large sum of payment to a light wizard just for some inspection of a distant relative.

"Is that so? Thank you for telling me. I will inform my royal mother."

"Shit! I messed up!" Huvel exclaimed inwardly after leaving the room.

He remembered that Hugo said the Queen loved him very much. If the Queen decided to ask a light wizard to cure Hugo, his lies would be exposed!

"They say you have to tell ten lies to cover one lie. That's so true! Well, I'll have to say some more lies when the time comes."

-----

The war heroes enjoyed a three-night-long banquet. As for the commander of the army, Prince Leonard, as he had thought, was blamed for the lost of many lives during the war. On the other hand, Duke Mustero was praised for successfully guiding the prince. Most nobles realized the King's intention and kept their distance from the first prince. Although he conquered the army of a neighbouring country, Prince Leonard could not conquer the heart of his own country.

"I've proposed to bestow you the title of viscount," said the prince to Huvel. "They will investigate about you for a while, I guess. Just stay here for the time being."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Huvel bowed slightly. "They did not even praise you for winning the war. Now that you want to raise a good-for-nothing like me to the rank of viscount, they will ridicule you more. Hehe."

The prince stared daggers at Huvel who was wearing a silly grin.

"If you know, why didn't you live decently!" He cried. "Never mind, I will act as if I have become a retard, like you did."

"You want to act like I did? Your Highness, you will have a hard time with the ministers. But for the starter, you have to call me teacher first!" Huvel said playfully.

"Nonsense! I won't follow all the stupid things you did!" The prince retorted. "Put that matter aside for now. I will introduce you someone."

"Introduce?"

"Did I not tell you I will give you an assistant?"

The prince rang a bell on the table. A man entered the room and bowed his head deeply. He looked to be in his late twenties. He had brown short hair. He was quite tall, nearly as tall as Karl; but unlike Karl, he was quite thin. He wore neat and flashy clothes and his manners revealed that he was a noble since birth.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Huvel," said the man. "My name is Chance Boden. I am the third son of the Marquis Boden."

"A pleasure to meet you as well." Huvel replied. He looked at the man carefully, especially his eyes and gestures.

"Well, being the third son, Chance had no hope to inherit his father's title. But he is quick witted and capable. I believe he can help you with…" the prince looked away as he said, "…many matters."

"Your Highness, you are giving me a capable man of yours. Are you planning to shift the focus of people on you to me?" Huvel titled his head as he questioned the prince.

"Well, I can't say it is not a part of my intention." The prince was calm. "But I think you are too wild so I believe you need a cold-headed butler to take care of you and your house."

"I'm delighted that you think much for me. But what if I ended up making him a 'hot-blooded toy'?" Huvel glanced at Chance.

"I'm just helping you in my own way and since I've already given him to you what you do with him later is none of my concern. But please discuss about such matter in your own room." The prince was indifferent.

Chance Boden eyes became wide for a moment. But Huvel who was watching him the whole time caught every small gesture he made.

Huvel went back to his room after saying goodbye to the prince. Chance followed him to his room without saying a word. Huvel sat on a chair in his room and gazed at Chance. Chance stood stiffly in front of him.

"Strip!" said Huvel.