Volume 01 Side Story 02 - Side Story 02 Her Worries (1/2)

Volume 01; Side Story 02  Her Worries

“… Mm, so in short…”

We moved away from the commotion and sat down in the corner of a street stall at lunchtime.

Unlike the well-maintained area of the town around the castle, the Roma market looked clustered: there were stalls with food and drinks near the vendors who were selling books, a group dancing nearby and even fortune-tellers.

Sir Glenn was the one who asked information from the children while we were having food and drinks at a food stall.

The violent men pulled back when His Highness told them something.

At first, they had approached His Highness while saying, “Are you his dad?” and “Are you involved with the Bernsteins?” But he pressured the men with a sparkling smile that made even me feel fear and the men reluctantly withdrew after he’d said a few words. I don’t know what he had said.

Sir Glenn looked dejected as he confirmed with the boys who were greedily devouring their food, “The mother of this child, Rene, is sick, but they don’t have enough money to see a doctor. So, you obeyed the orders of the noble who had spoken to you. He promised that he would let her see a doctor if you steal books from the market. The other children and you all pitched in to help this child, Rene.”

The boy, who was around 10, named Paolo, nodded while being engrossed in eating.

“Rene’s my bro, you know. He’s the smallest and weakest out of all of us. That’s why we helped him,” the boy named Paolo looked somewhat proud. Sir Glenn was already tired, and he asked, “That’s why you’re like his older brother. But, why does this boy, Rene, think that Chris is his father?”

The boy, Paolo, finally raised his face up. His blank expression was childish and appropriate for his age.

I compared the dark pupils of the Roma people with the friend, who he treated as a younger brother, seated on His Highness’s legs.

“He doesn’t think that… That person is Rene’s dad, right?”

Sir Glenn rubbed his head as if he had a headache… I think that’s Lord Alexei’s special move.

But I was worried about His Highness, who has had that smile on his face since the beginning.

It’s been on his face ever since the boy, Rene, called him, “Dad.” His blue eyes, which were similar to His Highness’s, teared up when His Highness stopped smiling a little, so His Highness granted this to him.

His Highness heard Paolo’s words and turned to me with his unchanging smile “――― Elli. I’m not shady at all.”

I’ve heard that many times, Your Highness.

Paolo turned to me again and looked between His Highness and me.

“Erm… You’re Rene’s dad, right? Isn’t that why you helped us?”

“I haven’t said anything like that?”

His Highness smiled wider, and Paolo shivered and froze. Sir Glenn said something I couldn’t understand very well, “Don’t get serious with a child.”

Then, a voice called out from His Highness’s knees, “Dad’s a knight!”

It was the boy, Rene. His sky-blue eyes that weren’t cloudy at all appealed to the adults around us.

“Mum said so. Dad’s a splendid knight with the same blue eyes like me. He’s going to pick us up one day, she said. He’s my dad!” He said as he clung tightly to His Highness. This would be an impossible sight in the royal palace. He could be punished for disrespect even if he is a child.

In fact, the other guards other than Sir Glenn was frowning in displeasure. At first, they had tried to remove the child, but Sir Glenn stopped them.

“Ah, so?”

Sir Glenn confirmed with the older boy, Paolo, “You and this child, Rene, have never met your fathers before, right? Rene only decided that his father is Christ because of the features his mother told him, right?”

Paolo replied puzzlingly, “That’s not all.”

“Rene’s d… Erm, that brother over there said Thistle Star’s name to make everyone withdraw when he said he would take care of us earlier, didn’t he? He knows Thistle Star, doesn’t he? Rene’s mum… Marissa is a dancer, but her family is part of Thistle Star. Southlynd knights know Thistle Star because they are their lover’s family, right?”

… Eh. Is that so?

“Elli… What is with those eyes?”

No, nothing. Your Highness.

I heard that Thistle Star are the most sought out people out of the Romas, and strangers needed to have a lot of connections to become acquainted with them. Just having a noble name won’t satisfy Thistle Star, on the contrary, they spread infamy around the continent on the name of those who they are displeased with… Somehow, I feel like I’ve heard something similar lately.

Well, Thistle Star is recognised in the famous holy city Saulkan. A lot of people want to get close to them, but there are a lot of eccentrics among them probably because they were scholars, and there are people who visit them for years asking to be taught by them. His Highness, who had connections with them, was mistaken for a relative.

Sir Glenn shook his head as if he was troubled, and His Highness… still had a cold smile on his face. A cheerful voice interrupted, “――― There’s a play about a dancer and a knight falling in love, and it’s famous in romance novels. It was popular around five or six years ago, but I didn’t know that Rene was the real child of those two and that Chris was that knight.”

The honey-coloured haired young man, who had disappeared somewhere, showed up with a steamed bun that is famous in eastern kingdoms. He sat down next to me with ease. I don’t know if he knew that His Highness looked cold right now or not.

“Oh? Miss Elianna, you not eating? Ah, are you wary against dishes you’ve never eaten before?”

“No… When I read the 『Eastern Information Document』before, I asked the chefs at my house to make these dishes.”

“… I’m sure the Bernstein chefs are remarkable and know a lot of diverse recipes,” the young man muttered thoughtfully, and I shook my head. Does he know my family? Then, his boyishly handsome face looked sad, and he looked as if he was going to cry.

“I just greeted you the other day, but you still don’t realise who I am… Just what is my existence… It’s Alan.”

“Oh my. Lord Alan, you’re a Roma?”

It was His Highness who sighed this time, “Elli,” he prompted as if pulling himself together.

“Anyway, let’s eat before it gets cold. You too. You can’t eat if you keep facing me.” His Highness spoke to the boy, Rene, with a smile, and he looked up anxiously at His Highness when he heard those reserved words. His Highness gently directed the child to the table. I widened my eyes when I saw His Highness pull the plate closer and put a wooden spoon into the boy’s hand.

Does His Highness like children? Or…

Lord Alan changed from his bitter expression and said teasingly “―― Alan. Just call me Alan~” His Highness, who wasn’t smiling anymore, turned his eyes as cold as Lord Alexei’s towards Lord Alan.

“I’ll listen to your report over there. Glenn, come.”

His Highness moved the boy from his lap to the chair and stroked his head when the boy looked up at him anxiously. He left two guards with us as he moved to the wall with Sir Glenn and Lord Alan.

Paolo spoke to Rene who watched as they walked off, “Rene. It’s fine, so eat. We rarely get free food.”

I looked at the meddlesome boy and decided to concentrate on my meal as well for now. Rene also became engrossed in his food as if he’d just suddenly remembered his hunger. Then, Paolo spoke, “Say, tiny sister.”

Is he talking to me?

I stopped my hands and looked at him and saw him looking at me with animosity.

“Are you a Bernstein noble?”

I was surprised. I had forgotten about this because of the things that kept happening, but these boys were ordered by a Bernstein noble to steal books. I don’t think it’s possible for my relatives to order something so barbaric, but the boys won’t understand.

Paolo must have heard what Lord Alan had said. I nodded honestly at him, who couldn’t be deceived.

“Yes. My name is Elianna Bernstein.”

Paolo frowned.

“Are you the mole’s relative?”

“Excuse me?”

“The mole noble. He looks arrogant and lords over people. I could tell that he was looking down on us. But, he said that he would get a doctor to see Rene’s mum…”

Paolo bit his lips in annoyance. Doctors are valuable people. Few people have their knowledge and experience, and nobles also monopolise them. That has faded quite a lot nowadays, but there are still few doctors in town. Low-income people can’t see doctors easily, even if they become sick. It’s even more difficult for Roma people to see doctors because they are faced with discrimination and prejudice.

As I fall into silence, Paolo raised his sharp eyes at me.