Chapter 5 - The Mermaid Princess's Little Brother

Translator's Note:

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Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

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Arriving from the allied northern kingdom of Oden, young Rito used a letter of recommendation from Lord Glen's aunt, the Great Duchess of the North, to gain entrance to the palace of the kingdom of Fyun. The forged letter stated, "Please take him on as a page for Prince Glen," which was easily fulfilled.

 

As Rito was a handsome young man with fair skin, blue eyes, and golden hair—much like a northern lad—there aroused no suspicions. Among the northern aristocracy, it was fashionable to take such youths as pages. For Glen's aunt, who loved Fyun dearly and returned each year, it was only natural to gift her finest page to her nephew.

 

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Glen... my name is Rito."

 

The young man, deprived of his left eye by the witch and now adorned with a black eye patch, bowed. Glen, who had been reading in his chamber, lifted his gaze. As soon as he saw Rito, his eyes widened.

 

"I am surprised. I have heard tales of a beautiful fair-haired youth, but you have surpassed all expectations. I am Glen Christian Ander, the first prince of the kingdom of Fyun. You may call me Glen. You are the nephew of my aunt's friend, are you not?"

 

"It is a great honor to receive your praise. Indeed, I am not personally acquainted with the great duchess, but she took pity on me for having lost my left eye. Her royal highness is most kind and helped me secure a position as a page while also refining my manners."

 

Listening to Glen recount stories of his cheerful and gentle aunt, the youth described her as he imagined her to be. It was burdensome to lie, yet the necessity of being allowed to support the prince rather than being branded a spy strengthened his resolve to maintain the deception until the end.

 

"Forgive me if this is an inappropriate question, but how did you lose your eye?"

 

"I carelessly fell and pierced it on an iron rod of a fence. I apologize for such gruesome details."

 

Rito had anticipated all the particulars in order to respond to any inquiries directed at him.

 

After recounting the accident, Glen's hand unconsciously moved towards his left eye, and he frowned in pain. With a serious expression, as though the incident had happened to him, he set aside the book he had been holding on his lap onto a nearby table. He then rose with a single elegant movement, befitting a prince.

 

"The loss of such a beautiful eye is indeed a tragic tale. First and foremost... it must have been unbearably painful. I am certain your charm has not diminished due to the absence of one eye, but the wound in your heart must be great. Do not worry about me; you may recover peacefully in this castle."

 

"Lord Glen, no, I cannot do that. I wish to be of service to you."

 

"Is that so? Then, might you prepare tea from time to time if you feel so inclined? I enjoy spending time in solitude, reading books. I may not even notice you as you serve it... so do not be disheartened."

 

"Y-yes... of course."

 

Rito subconsciously sensed that Glen was making an effort to keep his distance, feeling a stark contrast compared to when he remained in his dolphin form. When he wished to converse with the dolphin, Glen would come to the underground grotto himself, but now everything was different. To remain close at all times, he needed to learn to read the prince's mood.

 

"Lord Glen enjoys books, does he not? Your shelves hold many intriguing titles."

 

He sought to draw the young man's attention, and Glen inquired, "Is that so? How can you claim they are interesting?"

 

"Yes. As far as I can see from here, I have read most of these books."

 

"That is good. I believe we can discuss them. Which one is your favorite?"

 

Rito stood before the shelf and pointed to a book: "This one."

 

"This one? What a coincidence. It is my favorite book as well. What do you like about it?"

 

"The elder brother lived and reveled, thinking only of himself, yet upon the birth of his younger sibling, he lost his place as the favored child... He gained independence, though he envied the younger brother, who was beloved by all. However, after their parents' death, he devoted his life to the younger brother. I was quite moved by this."

 

As Rito recounted the contents of an old book discovered on a sunken ship, his fingertips brushed the spine gently.

 

"It seems we will get along," Glen said, astonished.

 

That expression was remarkably similar to one he had seen while he was a dolphin, causing the young man's heart to skip a beat.

 

"I had not pondered this when I first read it. But after reading it again following my brother's birth, I was so touched... Oh, but I do not squander my life, nor do I envy my younger brother."

 

"Yes, I am aware. It is said everywhere that Lord Glen is a wise and kind man. I hope that even if you feel something is lacking... even someone as inexperienced as I can remain by your side."

 

"Lacking something? Indeed, that is true. I am but an ordinary man, simply born a prince. I hope you will not be disappointed by my many flaws."

 

"I shall never be disappointed. I think only sculptures are valued for their lack of flaws."

 

"We indeed share similar views. People are full of imperfections, and therein lies their charm."

 

Glen turned to Rito with a broad smile, yet realizing his own appearance, he immediately returned to his serene demeanor. For some reason, it seemed he was hiding a hint of embarrassment.

 

"By the way, have we met before? No, it's unlikely... In our country, there are not many fair-skinned blondes, so I doubt I would forget our encounter. Ah... perhaps I saw you when I visited the Northern Kingdom?"

 

Glen was asking himself again. He couldn't imagine that he was in the presence of the dolphin he had met every evening, or the mermaid he had seen on his birthday.

 

"I lived not in the Northern Kingdom, but in the allied Oden."

 

Without directly denying his words, Rito was shouting something completely different in his mind. If it were allowed, he longed to share everything with the other. He wished to apologize for the lies and say outright, "We have met constantly in the underground grotto. I am that very dolphin! And the mermaid who saved you on that stormy night!" How wonderful that would be! Yet as soon as he would reveal everything, his heart that now beat so heavily would quiet. It would stop, his blood would cease to circulate, and he would succumb to eternal slumber.

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