Children, and Fake Children

It wasn't until Ciel almost healed that he was notified that Dominic had sent summons for him. And so, he dragged himself out of bed at sunrise.

The sky was dyed red and pink, and the royal palace glittered under the rising sun's light. Encrusted with crystals and diamonds, the lavish medieval styled palace shone as brightly as the sun. 

Thankfully, Ciel didn't need to see any of that blinding light after he obtained his commission from Taq, which had not been canceled in his absence. His new blindfold was heavier, but it completely immersed Ciel's eyes in comfortable darkness no matter how bright the light was. 

It was just a pity that he couldn't see the colors. In the novel, the author had used an entire paragraph in describing the beauty of the palace, and it was said that it was when the palace stood against a sunrise or a sunset, it was practically the sunset objectified. Among travelers in Anatol, this view was top 1 on their list of places to see. 

Ciel was disappointed as he looked at the half formed dull gray palace with his mana senses—because the palace was so big, his mana senses couldn't even form the whole picture. 

'Damn it. I blame that cheap father of this body. Why did he decide to lock me up? If he didn't want me, he could've just thrown me out.'

Thinking this, he reached up to remove his blindfold. 

Bad eyes or not, he was definitely going to see this. 

Just as colorful light was about to flood his eyes, another small hand pushed the blindfold down. 

'F*ck.'

When Erin continued on his actions to silently tighten the blindfold, Ciel immediately knew he definitely wasn't going to see the palace today.

…

"Ciel, Erin! I'm glad to see that you two responded to my letter!" For some reason, today, Dominic gave off a friendly feeling around him.

This was abnormal.

Ciel looked beside him. Cedric was sitting next to him.

Nevermind.

Around this childhood friend of his, Dominic would always be friendly.

Ciel gave a small bow in his wheelchair, "Hello, little highness, Cedric. You both seem well."

Next to him, Erin completed a formal bow as he quietly thought; 'Of course we're all well except for you, this death-seeking guy.'

Cedric piped up, "My parents said that after going through a life and death situation, we are all now comrades. So although I can't make any decisions for Dominic, you two can treat me like how you treat each other."

The other three boys looked at each other and for a moment, their thoughts synchronized.

'''Such a pure ray of sunshine.'''

Dominic smiled softly as he patted Cedric's soft brown curls. "I'm glad that your cute way of thinking hasn't changed."

Cedric gave a silly grin.

"With you and my parents around, I don't have the need to change yet." 

Meanwhile, Erin nudged Ciel. 

Miraculously, Ciel got his meaning.

-See? This is how siblings interact with each other. What do you think of our exchanges?-

Ciel shrugged.

-Friends, not siblings.-

Slightly irritated, Erin ruffled Ciel's dyed hair. He didn't know how Ciel had dyed it, but even until now, none of Ciel's original silver white hair color was showing.

-Then are we friends?-

-What do you think?-

Ciel smiled as he watched Dominic change his expression when he turned back to them, ending their silent conversation.

Dominic looked at Erin, "Erin, since Ciel has no need for formalities, you don't need to either. Of course, both of you have to act properly in front of outsiders."

"Little crown prince, I dislike talking in circles, though I'm not sure about you. But, let's be direct now. What do you want from us?"

Dominic crossed his legs, and Cedric sat upright, showing the proper etiquette of a noble for the first time.

Dominic's voice had a faint tremble embedded in it as he gave his offer,

"Instead of being an ally, how about we start as friends?"

"And?" Ciel knew things weren't that simple. 'Also, why is this guy nervous now?'

Taking a deep breath, Dominic continued,

"Us becoming companions now from a young age will create a stronger connection in the future."

Ciel grabbed at the wrong point.

"You admit that you're young now?" 

"..."

Dominic was speechless.

Ciel smiled and stopped playing around, "So you want to tie us outsiders down with a rope called friendship? Isn't Fatalite enough?"

Dominic flinched, but his face remained smiling.

"You're not wrong. But Jadiel already told me that both of  you two can leave anytime." 

The more Ciel looked at him, the more he deviated from the Dominic Ciel had read about in the novel.

His first impression of a mature, competent crown prince was completely falling apart.

'He is still a child after all.'

Ciel didn't mind, and neither did Erin. As fake children, they were both open-minded.

On the other hand, Ciel had just randomly sprouted some bullsh*t about Dominic trying to tie them down. He was a bit dense, but he wasn't dumb. 

It was obvious Dominic was too prideful to directly ask to be friends with them.

Ciel looked at Erin and received a nod before he looked back.

"This rope will only tie us to you, not to Anatol."

Cedric smiled cheerily as he patted Dominic's back, congratulating this childhood friend who only had him as a companion in their earlier years. 

Dominic shifted uncomfortably, Cedric's gaze on him reminded of that time when he had seen a mother bird looking at her chick who had just learned to fly.

"I thought you disliked me."

"How could I? As the third prince who was suppressed by both your older brothers, I admire you for being able to turn the situation around."

'When did this child get that idea? He was the one who disliked me at the beginning. Sure enough, helping him raised his favorability.'

Just as he thought that, Dominic proudly raised his chin, saying one of his key quotes in 'The First Saintess.'

By the way, it was also one of the quotes that made his position in Ciel's mind rise above Theodore, the other royal love interest, who could also be known as the second fish and Ciel's biological older brother.

Dominic continued. 

"...Falling down is an accident, but staying down is a choice. Besides…"

He momentarily shifted his eyes at Cedric.

Ciel understood.

In the novel, the first and second princes were born from a concubine from a high noble family. It wasn't until later that the king met his true love—the queen, and gave birth to the third prince. Shortly after Dominic's birth, the queen died. The official reason was due to her weak body, but the real reason was unknown.

The Norama dukedom had always been a steadfast ally of the queen's family, making them the most trustworthy ally of Dominic. Although Anatol was known for its beauty, the higher echelons were ruthless. If Dominic didn't become the king, the Norama dukedom would fall along with his other lowkey supporters.

The Anatol kingdom was a prime example of the quote, "when you play the game of thrones, you win or you die, there is no middle ground."

In contrast, his own biological older brother's situation seemed better. Though Theodore did grow up without a mother, Caesar was always mentioned to have spoiled this son of his. 

'Harem members always seem to have circumstances that shape them into cheats for the protagonist.'

Ciel smiled and shook Dominic's extended hand, feeling some pity for the two children in front of him.

"Then, you can't execute me for being disrespectful in the future."

He smilingly watched Dominic shake hands with Erin.

In his black-and-white vision, Dominic's eyes became a lighter shade—a sign that he was in a better mood.

  "Then, my new friends, can you tell me about what you saw in the cells?"

However, Ciel didn't want to get down to business yet. Since he said that they were friends, Ciel became casual.

"As friends, aren't you treating us too perfunctorily?"

If Dominic didn't get Ciel's implications, then he wasn't a royal member anymore, "I already sent compensation to you. Was a blank check not enough?"

'No matter how mature he acts now, he's not the character he is in the future. Doesn't he know money hurts feelings?'

"There's no need for compensation between friends."

"Then I'll take back…"

"But more money can never hurt anyone." Ciel didn't let Dominic finish his sentence. Dominic barely veiled his anger at this irritating guy. But thinking that as the older one here, he should be tolerant, he calmed down.

"Then what do you want?"

"I want cookies, high-class ones made by the royal chef." Ciel hadn't forgotten how he had lost several coins to the green-eyed man for eating some cookies. He was planning to visit that guy after this meeting and show off a little.

Hehe.

Dominic blinked, he thought Ciel would ask for something more.

"That's all?"

"You want to give me more? That's fine...."

"Do you want anything?" Dominic ignored Ciel and continued on to Erin, who shook his head.

Dominic beamed. The winged serpent boy–no, Erin, was much better than Ciel.

"Then can we get frank with each other now?"

"Sure, you wanted to know about what we saw right? Did you know there was a cult worshiping someone named Natas?"

Hearing that, Dominic's smile changed for a split second before returning to its usual fake friendliness, "Now I know."

"Should Erin and I compile…"

At that moment, Dominic flinched as a bright shade of gray flashed between his eyes.

*Boom!*

Both Cedric and Dominic leapt up and rushed to the window. Curious, Ciel motioned for Erin to push him towards them.

Looking out the window to see fumes rise from the city plaza, the four were shocked.

Well, that was except for Ciel, who had read the first half of 'The First Saintess.' In contrast to the others, he excitedly watched the capital city's bustling atmosphere collapse as screams resounded throughout the city, shattering its peace.

'It's here. It's here!'