5. Into the New World (5)

"What was that?"

Julius, who was eating an apple candy bought from one of the stalls, looked over to where there were people swarming. He was curios about what happened, but then saw the crown lessen.

"Must be a common brawl between men again," one of the owners in the stall muttered.

Julius looked back once again, but soon continued on his way with his aunt. 

Cedric looked at the person who came forward and bowed gracefully.

"Thank you."

Winter's bow was that of a noble, never forgetting his roots. The way he openly showed his etiquette made Cedric nod in approval.

"It was nothing," Cedric waved his hand. "I could tell she was a fake especially since there were a lot of loopholes in her story," he said.

Winter looked at this frail child with wonder. He was curious especially because he instinctively felt that this child was different. From the way he acted, it was a big contradiction to his condition.

And. .

Winter frowned. "Pardon me, young master, but may I ask something?"

'Here it comes.' "Yes, you may." Cedric nodded, gripping his cane with expectation.

"I mean not to offend you, but you why is your body unable to hold any properties? Are you perhaps sick with an unknown disease?" 

'He lives up to my expectations all right!' Cedric nodded, amazed by how keen Winter's eyes were.. "Mhm, I caught this illness five years ago. ."

"Five years. ." Winter narrowed his eyes.

"Young master, is it really okay to tell a stranger about this?" Marie and Esther moved to block Cedric and urged him to go back. The knights were alerted and soon guarded Cedric from Winter.

"Relax," Cedric said. He smiled at his maids' worries, but he knew Winter meant well.

"Yes, I haven't introduced myself yet, sorry about that." Winter scratched his head and looked around.

By this time, the crowd all dispersed leaving only Winter and Cedric with his companions. Even Julius was gone.

"My name is Winter Eversheen." Winter put a hand on his chest with pride and bowed once again, this time as a noble presenting his name. "I'm not well-known but I am actually here on a visit." he nodded.

"Alright, you don't need to tell us about it. I feel as if it's a very important secret," Cedric smiled and shook his head.

"Still, if it wasn't for you, I might be in the dungeons right now and this would've caused quite a ruckus." Winter chuckled and bashfully scratched his head.

"Well, if you want, you can come visit me for a thanks," 

Cedric threw out his bait.

Winter hesitated due to not knowing who Cedric was.

Cedric could see and exclaimed, "Ah! I haven't introduced myself yet." He laughed faintly. "My name is Cedric Kerill of the Kerill household." he bowed gently.

Winter was surprised. He heard from his master that one of the four major Ducal houses was the Kerill whose main power stems from swords and politics. He was not really familiar with the people for each household, however Cedric was a special cause.

"Wow, so you really are a young master." Winter said. "Well, if that's that, I would like to come visit you soon young master Cedric, but right now. ."

Winter discreetly told his purpose for coming, omitting the part where it was the Emperor he was meeting and instead told Cedric that it was some noble.

Still, it seemed that Winter caught the bait and was lured in. Cedric was happy.

"Yes, yes. Go one ahead and please stay out of crowded areas!" Cedric smiled.

When Winter ran back to where he stayed, Cedric calmed down. He looked behind him and smiled at Esther and Marie.

"Let's go back as well.

***

The next day, the royal palace was lively with the entrance of a foreign envoy.

"Your Majesty," 

"Please, come sit Sir Eversheen."

Winter Eversheen smiled and politely bowed at the other nobles and ministers seated around the emperor. His palms were sweating from the pressure but tried not to show it.

"I heard from my subordinates that you were quite in a pickle yesterday? Would you please elaborate more?"

"Ah." Winter nodded.

"Well, it's a bit embarrassing to say,"

"Don't be! As an honorable guest we should give you justice, yes? We cannot just let this matter within the empire's ground let away if an envoy was implicated as well." One minister spoke up.

"Oh, don't worry about that. There was this young master that helped me out of the predicament."

"Oh? And who would be this heroic young child?"

Winter smiled and told the story.

". . ."

The entire hall seemed to quieted down as most of the nobles and ministers looked at the Emperor.

"...I see," Emperor Cyril calmly nodded his head, his lips twitching.

Winter tilted his head in confusion. "Did I say something wrong? Why is everybody quiet?"

"Ah, nothing…" One minister coughed and then tried to divert the topic. "So, Sir Eversheen, is today's visitation a way to tell us your answer?"

Most of the nobles and ministers here were the Emperor's trusted people, those who were loyal by bond and by country. They knew when to step out of the line if it meant going against the Emperor's decisions for the better of the empire. But most of the time, they were scared of the Emperor himself.

Now that such an important meeting was taking place, these people were to oversee the possible outcomes that would happen with the envoy of a prominent kingdom allying itself with the empire.

"Oh," Winter nodded. "My master said that they will send out a proper visitation in the upcoming days when the founding festival will happen. They simply made me come here earlier to assess the situation so that they could prepare."

"That's great," Emperor Cyril smiled. "Then, I shall send out someone to tour you to the palace?"

"Ah! Before that, I must go ahead and visit young master Cedric to thank him properly. I heard he was quite sick so I was hoping my skills could help."

The emperor frowned, the nobles looked down with chills in their spine. 'Now they've done it!'

Speaking of Cedric's illness was tantamount to speaking taboo. The Emperor never really liked people discussing about his son's grave illness, so the people learnt to avoid discussing this topic all together.

But now Winter came and told off his mouth in front of the Emperor himself.

"Quite sick? Hm, then I shall send out a companion for you to ensure you can enter freely,"

"That would be alright! I thank you, your majesty!" Winter grinned and bowed.

When he departed, the room was eerily silent to the point that they felt chills.

It was Emperor Cyril who broke off the silence with a somber voice.

"Call Castillan over."

"Your majesty!"

When Emperor Cyril mentioned the name "Castillan", everyone was in shock and hurried to stop him. 

"You mustn't! Showing your weapon is equivalent to showing your weakness!"

"Please reconsider this, your majesty!"

"Don't openly show power around!"

Seeing these old men act like children made the Emperor frown. "It was because of your suggestions that my son's illness worsen!" he said.

That's right, it was these old men that proposed the idea of sending out Cedric's monthly medicine in secret so as to not let outsiders catch them. They once told Cyril not to act rashly and opted to send out a trusted subordinate to send the medicine using Cedric's mother's friend as an alibi.

Yet, that seemed to be a failure given by what Winter said when he saw Cedric in the flesh.

Now these old fat men's beards trembled in fear at Emperor Cyril's show of dominating aura. 

"Sir." It was then that a knight who seemed to be of high ranking stepped forward to call out to the Emperor. He bent forward and whispered a few words to him and then bowed and left.

"Hmm," the emperor hummed.

Although faint, the nobles could feel the pressure lessening as Emperor Cyril leaned back to his seat. His brows loosed their furrow and he looked at the people around him. They all wiped a sweat off their forehead in relief.

He opened "Everyone may exit,"

All nobles scattered like pigs. They were pushing and sweating.

"Move out the way!"

"N-no! I need to see my kids first so let me pass through first!"

"Tch. What a bunch of wimps," the emperor rolled his eyes and closed his eyes.

"Your majesty, it seems that prince Cedric is faring well even with the failure of delivering the medicine. He was last seen outside eating at a food stall before jumping out to help Sir Winter."

This piece of news seemed to put Cyril in a good mood. However, that didn't last long knowing that his secret plan came as a failure. He remembered Herion's report, about how his son was faring.

He frowned. He had the thought of ousting the Kerills long ago and taking Cedric back as the rightful Crown Prince because of being the first born, however he knew it was not possible.

Cedric was. . . born out of an incident.

And if the former emperor, his father who had died, heard of this news, he would've been dragged down on his position and would be eaten up by his vengeful siblings making him unable to grasp the throne.

***

"Young master!"

It was already the next day and the first thing Cedric did was walk outside the garden. 

When he heard someone call him, he turned around and saw Winter dressed much more cleaner than when he first saw him.

"Winter, hello. Has your trip been a success?" Cedric bowed and noticed that there was someone behind Winter.

'This is…'

"Young master Cedric, greetings! There was quite the busy schedule you see. . ." Winter chuckled and then he noticed Cedric looking at the person behind him.

"Ah! I apologize! Young master Cedric, I would like you to meet–"

"Fourth Prince Castillan, yes. It's nice to meet you." Cedric interrupted Winter midway and greeted the stranger behind Winter with a small smile.

'I can't believe he's already making his face in front of me…' Cedric looked at Castillan who stood there looking dignified but dazed.

"Ah. Hello, It's nice to meet you too…" Castillan seemed to snap out from his momentary daze and bowed towards Cedric.

However, his thoughts were on a different direction.

'. . .Really alike!' Castillan's eyes shone brightly as he looked at Cedric conversing with Winter.

Cedric's brown hair and deep emerald eyes looked exactly like the Emperor.

'Emperor Father did say… that Cedric is my half brother.'

Castillan seemed to not really hold anything against a child outside of the Royal Family as all of his other brothers were either adopted from the war, or were sons of the previous emperor's other sons. Rather he seemed more curious about this other brother of his. Not only was Cedric older, but his condition was too much for a child like him.

He looked at Cedric who was leaning on his cane, cheeks sunken and figure thin. It seemed that what Winter and his father said about Cedric was true; Cedric Kerill was near death's bed with how worst he looked from his illness.

"Ah, would you like to take a seat first? It must be tiring…" Winter seemed to notice Cedric's figure tiring a bit and took a note of it.

"It's alright. I just need a bit of food to energize my body," Cedric waved his excuse and smiled. He called a servant to bring over some snacks and went to guide the two towards a bench to rest.

The whole time, Cedric never seemed to question anything about Castillan, because he didn't want to care and he didn't want to get involved with a Royal Family member.

However, there was something that happened

After a while of talking, Castillan seemed to sense something and stood up abruptly. Cedric's eyes narrowed as he also sensed something off, his body growing uncomfortable by the second. 

Then–

"Ugh!"

Cedric suddenly spatted a mouthful of blood, shocking both Winter and Castillan.