Chapter 25
Love Is the Cure for Sorrow
---
"Do it like this..."
"It's dirty."
Elyon stared at his hands before holding them out toward his brother.
Damian gave him a crooked smile, glanced around, then placed both hands on the damp ground before rubbing them over Elyon's cheeks.
Elyon's eyes widened.
Before he could say anything, Damian burst into laughter, slapping the ground.
"Elyon, you look like a cake!"
"A cake?"
Damian held back his laughter and leaned closer to his brother, pressing Elyon's muddy hands against his own face.
"Don't I look funny?"
Elyon tilted his head a full ninety degrees.
His eyes, fixed on his brother, did not even blink.
Damian sighed.
"Umm... How about I bring you lots of interesting books tomorrow...?"
Elyon's eyes brightened for a moment.
Damian's smile widened.
His thoughts were already wandering through the palace library...
---
"I had no idea the Young Master liked books this much."
Damian nearly fell off the stairs while carrying a large stack of books.
He turned toward the voice, swallowed, and gave a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.
"Amanda! I..."
"It's all right. I know everything."
She took the books from him and placed them on the table to help him down.
"Will you tell Mother?"
"Her Highness will find out sooner or later. It doesn't all depend on me."
"At least until Elyon gets used to things. It hurts my heart."
Damian placed a hand over his chest and looked at the young Amanda with glassy eyes.
"Young Master, I'm afraid I'll regret this, but I will support you."
"Thank you. I promise you'll never regret it."
Damian's expression softened.
Before Amanda could leave, he caught her hand, his eyes curving with a smile.
"Amanda, help me with something very, very small. Right now."
Amanda sighed.
She already knew she would never escape once he started.
"How may I serve the Young Master?"
"Elyon loves books. I want to give him a book he'll like, something he can read whenever he gets bored..."
Amanda pointed toward the children's books, most of which contained large pictures and simple words.
Damian frowned, his mouth curving downward.
"These books are ridiculous. My little brother is a genius. He won't like those silly books."
Amanda raised an eyebrow.
There was a hint of pride in the boy's voice.
'When did the two of them become so close?'
She knew it had been more than three and a half months since Young Master Damian had begun visiting the southern garden of the palace.
"Amanda!"
Amanda snapped back at the sound of the child's voice, realizing that her thoughts had carried her away.
She restored her composed smile and said,
"Wouldn't the Young Master like a book his older brother enjoys?"
Damian opened his mouth and snorted before jumping to his feet.
"Brilliant! I'll take all the books I like and give them to him."
He paused.
"There are a lot of difficult words, though. Won't they be too hard for him?"
Amanda suppressed a laugh.
"If the words are difficult... make him a dictionary."
She had certainly been joking.
She never imagined Damian would take her words seriously.
The next morning, when Amanda entered with the Archduchess, Damian was fast asleep at his desk.
Around six books were spread out before him.
The Archduchess turned to Amanda.
"Did Sir Winson assign him some enormous amount of homework?"
The Archduchess drew out every syllable as she spoke.
Amanda bit the inside of her cheek, unable to find anything to say.
"Mother?"
The Archduchess's expression softened.
Her green eyes smiled before her lips did.
"Why are you sleeping like this, sweetheart?"
Damian glanced at Amanda's pale face, then looked at his mother with a mischievous smile.
"I wanted to read for a little while, and it seems I lost track of time. I'm really sorry."
The Archduchess pursed her lips for a moment, then smiled again and gently patted her son's hair and cheeks.
"You must take care of your health, darling. I don't want to see you sick again..."
She finished with a faint look in her eyes, her smile beginning to fade.
But Damian placed his hand over his mother's and smiled up at her.
"Don't worry, Mother. Your son is a strong man."
"A strong man who is still eleven..."
"Less than a month until I'm twelve."
Damian's little frown was adorable.
His mother patted his hair and smiled.
"All right, all right. As you wish..."
"…"
"That reminds me. What would you like for your next birthday?"
An idea came to Damian.
He looked at his mother and opened his mouth, hesitating for a few seconds before asking,
"Will you really give me whatever I want?"
"Have I ever done otherwise?"
"All right. I'll ask for my present when the time comes."
The Archduchess narrowed her eyes.
She had a feeling that something was happening—or would happen—but she smiled at her beloved child.
"Agreed."
---
Elyon sat quietly, waiting for the maid to leave.
His eyes moved between the door, the balcony, and then the fireplace.
The moment the maid closed the door behind her, Elyon hurried to lock it securely.
He then went to the extinguished fireplace and reached inside, feeling around until his fingers found the handle.
He pulled it.
A door nearly his full height appeared.
Elyon slipped through it easily and quietly descended the dark staircase, one step at a time.
Just before he stepped outside, he saw his brother's eyes gleaming in the faint light.
The darkness could not conceal his brother's smile or his warmth.
Without thinking, Elyon hurried toward Damian.
His voice was slightly louder than usual.
"Brother..."
Damian set aside whatever he was holding and opened his arms with a smile.
Perhaps Elyon still had not completely grown accustomed to Damian's affection.
Even though Elyon's steps were slow, he wrapped his arms around his brother.
His limbs no longer stiffened or tensed.
"Why do you never wait for me? The passage is dark."
Elyon remained silent.
He did not know why he could never wait.
So he said the first thing that came to mind.
"I wanted to see you quickly..."
Damian hugged him tighter before lowering himself to his eye level.
"Did you miss me?"
"Is that the same thing?"
"Let's say it is."
Elyon nodded.
His face seemed clearer somehow.
"I brought you lots of interesting books."
Damian deliberately drew out the word "lots."
Perhaps that was why Elyon's eyes brightened a little more.
Damian pulled out the bundle of books from his bag, along with a large notebook.
"These are the books I usually like to read. And in this notebook, I made a dictionary of the difficult words. Ah, and there are blank pages too. If you come across a difficult word, write it down and I'll tell you what it means... Oh, and you won't have any trouble finding the words. I numbered them for you."
Elyon nodded, his eyes completely fixed on the books.
Damian scratched his cheek.
"Elyon... Do you know how to write yet?"
Elyon looked at Damian and grasped the edge of his trousers, his cheeks turning red.
Damian raised an eyebrow.
"You still don't know how to write?"
"No, that's not it... I can write lots of words... names of food and animals..."
"Then what's the problem?"
"I want to know how to write your name."
Damian laughed as he patted his brother's hair.
"Anything you want to learn how to write, I'll teach you."
Elyon looked into his brother's eyes for a moment before holding out his arms.
Damian immediately embraced him and even carried his little brother on his back.
"Shall we read in the garden?"
"Yes..."
---
"Young Master, it's time for your bath."
"Isn't it very early today?"
The governess's smile stiffened for a moment.
She still wasn't accustomed to his questions.
"Wouldn't it be better to bathe before dinner?"
Elyon looked through the window and saw night beginning to descend.
He looked back at his governess and nodded, carefully setting down the book in his hands.
When Elyon left for his bath, the door to his room opened once again.
This time, it was not a maid's uniform that appeared.
A beautiful silver shoe stepped through first, its heels announcing each measured step.
Then came the luxurious dress that could belong to only one person.
"Your Highness."
The two maids cleaning the room bowed as the woman entered with her head held high and an arrogant gaze.
Her hair shone like the moon, but her green eyes were dangerously dark.
Her gaze swept over every inch of the room.
The large toy chest was full, yet everything inside it was neatly arranged and surprisingly new.
"Does he play with his toys?"
"The Young Master... doesn't seem... He doesn't seem interested in dolls or toys."
The maid spoke in a trembling voice.
The Archduchess sighed and approached the small desk, where she noticed several books and sheets of paper.
Her son was a genius and remarkably mature, but at his age, books should not have been so advanced.
"Why are his books so difficult?"
"The Young Master learns quickly. He has begun studying more advanced words."
The maid bit her lip.
She had been too quick to praise the child.
She tried to lift her head to see the Archduchess's expression.
She hesitated when she noticed a strange glimmer in the Archduchess's eyes.
It was neither jealousy nor anger.
"Good. Make sure you provide him with the books he wants."
Before leaving the desk, something familiar caught her attention.
She hesitated.
'Isn't that the book Damian carries everywhere?'
Before she could place a hand on it, the door suddenly opened.
The little boy appeared, his cheeks full and his clear red eyes bright.
The Archduchess immediately withdrew her hand.
Elyon looked at the Archduchess's face for a moment, then gave a slight bow without a word, as he always did.
The Archduchess moved toward the door without saying anything.
But Elyon spoke with a small smile.
"Thank you for visiting me."
Her lips froze.
She barely turned toward the child, as though trying to make sure she had truly heard him speak to her.
She stared at him for a moment.
The child looked back at her with curious eyes.
The Archduchess bit the corner of her lip.
It was the same child.
But his eyes...
His eyes seemed different.
They looked more like her own child's.
Her lips trembled for a moment before she spoke.
"If you need anything, tell Christina, and I'll have it brought to you."
"Really?!"
Her smile trembled.
She nodded.
When he approached and gestured for her to bend down a little, the Archduchess unconsciously lowered herself to his eye level.
Elyon leaned closer and whispered,
"I want a birthday present."
The Archduchess looked at the servants, then back at him.
"All right. And what is it you want?"
"A pocket watch."
It was something a child had no need for.
Still, she nodded.
Elyon's smile widened slightly, and he took two steps back.
The Archduchess straightened and left the room.
In fact, she left the entire building.
She did not notice the maids staring after her with their mouths and eyes wide open.
For a moment, she felt as though she had been swept along by the child simply because he resembled her son so remarkably.
"My lady."
The Archduchess looked toward her loyal maid and bit her lip for a moment.
"Amanda, do you feel guilty?"
Amanda pressed her lips together and lowered her head.
"I know Her Majesty feels guilty too."
The Archduchess drew a quick breath and closed her eyes for a moment before turning her gaze toward Amanda.
"I told you about my concerns. You were the one who suggested it."
"But I never expected Her Highness to choose Elise..."
"I needed a woman who would never covet what belonged to my son. But I never expected her to die. She seemed perfectly healthy."
Amanda bit her lower lip and clenched her fist tightly.
"I'll take care of the child. Didn't I register him under my name?... Unlike those living in the palace, no one knows the child is illegitimate."
Amanda was unable to say another word.
She knew that her foolish suggestion had ultimately led to the death of the girl who had been like a younger sister to her...
The two women walked toward the palace with heavy steps.
Night had fallen, and visibility in that part of the grounds had grown poor...
---
Elyon had finally finished reading the book.
The lady who came to visit him from time to time had told him that she would provide him with the gift.
When the clock hand settled on eleven, Elyon stood and went to lock the door securely.
Before he could head toward his desk to retrieve his books, he heard a sound coming from the fireplace.
His small legs froze for a moment.
His fists tightened.
Then he opened the hidden door beneath the fireplace.
Black hair emerged as someone ducked slightly beneath the opening.
"I really have grown taller..."
Elyon's hands relaxed, and he slowly exhaled as he watched the boy dust the dirt from his clothes.
Their eyes met.
Elyon rushed toward his brother.
Damian embraced him with a smile before handing him a small box.
Elyon furrowed his brows.
Damian gave him a faint smile.
"Open it. Go on..."
Elyon opened the box.
Inside were several pieces of chocolate in beautiful shapes, carrying a sweet, pleasant aroma.
"Chocolate?"
"It's good for when you get tired from studying."
When Elyon placed one in his mouth, he felt it melt smoothly across his tongue, awakening every one of his taste buds.
It was not overly sweet.
But it was delicious.
'Sir Winson has a habit of giving sweets as rewards. It seems it works on my little brother too...'
Damian thought to himself as he watched his brother's flushed cheeks.
He lowered himself to Elyon's eye level.
"I'm staying here today..."
Elyon stared into his brother's eyes for a moment.
Something seemed to pierce his chest.
His brother was playing with him and laughing as usual...
Damian's eyes were calm.
Yet every now and then, he would fall silent, his thoughts drifting somewhere far away.
Elyon tugged at the edge of his brother's sleeve.
"Brother, you're not sick... are you?"
Damian stared into his brother's eyes for a moment before embracing him.
Elyon's eyes widened.
He froze when his brother's shoulders began to tremble.
He was shaking.
Elyon tried to pull away, but Damian held him tighter.
Elyon felt warm drops dampen the back of his shirt.
Long moments passed.
But for the two brothers, time seemed to have stopped.
Neither of them moved.
Damian finally sighed and stepped back.
He rubbed his eyes openly, but he could not hide their redness.
When Elyon touched his brother's cheek, another tear escaped.
"Are you crying? Why?"
Elyon had seen tears in some of the illustrations in the stories he had read.
They had never moved him.
They had never made his chest hurt.
But his brother's eyes were different.
Damian took his little brother's hand.
His eyes shone with tears, and his lips trembled.
"I don't want you to see me sad, but I am sad. My heart hurts so much..."
Elyon placed a hand over his own heart.
He tried to open his mouth, but stopped.
Damian gave him a small smile.
"When I hug my little brother, the pain will go away..."
"Huh?"
That expression was the thing Damian loved most.
He laughed softly and said,
"Love is the cure for sorrow."
...... To be continued ......