Second Life, I’m Dying Soon

Chapter 10 

“Your Highness!”

Claude Vandell burst into the Crown Prince’s palace around noon, when the sun was at its peak, casting a drowsy warmth over everything.

Despite the servants’ attempts to stop him, Claude flung the door open and was immediately incensed to see Alexis lounging by the window, basking in the sunlight.

He stomped over, his footsteps echoing loudly. Alexis, meanwhile, remained sprawled on the sofa, arms crossed and legs stretched out casually.

His platinum blond hair, cascading over the hard wooden armrest, shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight. No matter how much he acted like a ruffian, the innate nobility in him never faded.

“Isn’t this going too far? Do you still think you’re in the middle of a banquet? How can you just laze around like this without a care in the world?”

“Lazing around? That’s quite bold of you, Lord Vandell.”

Alexis feigned a stern tone, but a smile spread across his face as he looked at his old friend. His relaxed posture on the long velvet sofa remained unchanged.

“Your Highness, the knights’ discipline is falling apart because you haven’t shown your face. I’m saying this out of concern.”

“As far as I know, you’re the Knight Commander, not me. Didn’t His Majesty appoint you himself? Have you forgotten already?”

“Are you really not going to come to the training grounds? How long do you plan to stay away?”

“You’re quite pushy. I said I needed some time to gather my thoughts, didn’t I?”

“You’ve got some nerve. While you’re doing this, the Empress is busy scheming to take your position.”

Alexis chuckled at the impolite remark. When it was just the two of them, they never bothered with formalities. Sometimes they even dropped honorifics or spoke casually. Calling Alexis by his first name was a sign that Claude was truly upset.

Claude Vandell was the only person Alexis could truly confide in. They were milk brothers, lifelong friends, and comrades who had weathered life and death together.

“Indeed. She’s so ambitious. I heard she’s already teaching her son the principles of monarchy.”

“Wow, she’s really determined.”

Claude reacted as if it were his own problem, breathing heavily. Empress Elizabeth, who was eagerly eyeing the throne, was a formidable enemy in Claude’s eyes.

“Does he even understand such difficult concepts?”

“Well, I heard he’s struggling with the basic lessons, but we’ll have to wait and see if the rumors are true. I think the kid is quite clever.”

Alexis stroked his sharp chin, his long eyes narrowing slightly as he recalled Cecil’s demeanor.

A smart and perceptive kid who acted foolishly in front of others. His prickly personality was evident, but he always seemed oddly submissive in front of Alexis.

If he had been influenced by the Empress, he wouldn’t have acted that way. To figure out his true intentions, they would have to observe him carefully.

“By the way, how is Yuria doing?”

“She’s doing well, spending time with her mother. My mother wants to introduce her to friends of the same age, but the social circles are already buzzing with rumors, so the atmosphere isn’t great. I told her not to push it.”

“No need to force it.”

Yuria was currently known in the capital as the ‘Lustful Saint.’

Having spent five years in a knights’ order filled with men, it was easy to guess what people thought. Rumors that Crown Prince Alexis and Knight Commander Claude Vandell particularly cared for her only fueled the jealousy to its peak.

“There’s a debutante ball coming up soon. This is a good opportunity to restore her reputation.”

The debutante ball was one of the most important social events where noble families introduced their adult children to society. Dressed from head to toe in lavish attire, it was a chance to showcase one’s wealth and charm, and many eagerly awaited this day.

“This year, Cecil Adrian will also be participating, so it’s bound to be even more grand.”

“Is he already an adult?”

“Didn’t you know? You really don’t pay much attention, do you?”

“Why should I know his age?”

“Have you forgotten that he saved your mother’s life? Did you even thank him?”

At the mention of that incident, Claude’s lips pressed together tightly. The stubborn expression unique to the Vandell family, which diminished their charm, surfaced.

“…Well, I’ll thank him when I see him. Do you know how busy I am? I’m sweating all day in the training grounds, doing your share of the work too.”

“Such a lame excuse.”

Alexis scoffed. As if he would believe that. He knew all too well that Claude was only acting out because he couldn’t stand bowing his head to someone of the Empress’s bloodline. Knowing that, Alexis refrained from saying anything harsher.

“Handle that matter as you see fit, but make sure Yuria’s debutante preparations receive special attention. Her dress and jewelry must be of the finest quality.”

“As you command.”

Once Yuria was properly adorned, no one would dare act carelessly before her. Since she was already rumored to be favored by him, Alexis resolved to show everyone what true favor looked like.

 

***

 

The next morning, the grand assembly hall was filled with the imperial family and the elder nobles. They had gathered to enjoy refreshments while lightly discussing the current affairs of the empire.

Among those present were Crown Prince Alexis and Cecil. Unlike the nobles seated around the semicircular table, the two of them sat at the elevated seats of honor.

The fact that Alexis and Cecil sat side by side was largely due to the Empress’s wishes. She was determined to present Cecil as equal to the Crown Prince.

Cecil himself, however, was indifferent. He sat there with a bored expression, paying attention only to the desserts before him.

He pressed down on a raspberry with a small fork, squeezing out its juice like he was playing with his food. A sharp gaze slashed across his cheek in warning. Pretending not to notice the Empress’s glare, Cecil simply scooped up a piece of pie stained red and took a bite.

The sweet aroma drifted through the assembly hall, softening the atmosphere. Lighthearted jokes and discussions about the imperial family’s recent affairs began to flow.

“Your Majesty, shouldn’t His Highness, the Crown Prince, start considering a match?”

“It is about time for him to marry. The entire empire will be in an uproar. Everyone must be eager to know who will take the position of Crown Princess.”

“I hear the Duke of Havel’s daughter is quite beautiful. She came of age this year, didn’t she?”

Someone brought up the Duke of Havel’s daughter, who was absent from the gathering. The Emperor, showing clear interest, responded with intrigue.

“I’ve heard of her beauty as well. Will she be attending the upcoming debutante?”

“She most likely will.”

“It would be quite the sight if His Highness were to be her partner.”

The Emperor and the nobles reached an agreement among themselves, all while the person in question sat right before them. Cecil lost his appetite and set down his fork.

When he glanced sideways, he saw Alexis’s profile—calm and composed, his expression expertly controlled.

His lips were curved in a slight arc, but Cecil saw through it. Alexis was very displeased.

Beyond Alexis’s shoulder, the Empress’s expression was just as telling. She was biting the inside of her lip, trembling with anger.

The Duke of Havel’s only daughter was someone the Empress had long set aside as Cecil’s future partner. The thought of her carefully chosen candidate being taken by Alexis made her blood boil.

“How unfortunate, but that won’t be possible. the Duchess of Havel has already made a sincere request to me—she wishes for Cecil to be her daughter’s partner at the debutante.”

She’s even resorting to an outright lie that will be exposed soon enough. Cecil sighed inwardly.

Well, he had ended up being Lady Cornelia’s partner, but the debutante itself had been a disaster.

This time, he wasn’t going to let things go according to their plans. A debutante was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and he refused to let Cornelia’s be ruined.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to decline. I won’t be pairing up with anyone for the debutante.”

Cecil spoke firmly. Then, he added something even more shocking.

“I like men.”

Silence fell over the assembly hall. It was so quiet that the sound of a scribe’s ink pen rolling across the floor echoed loudly.

“Cecil! How dare you joke about such a thing!”

The Empress shot up from her seat, shouting. But Cecil, as if expecting this reaction, remained calm and stared straight ahead.

“I’m not joking. Though I do regret having to reveal my secret in such a setting.”

Yes, it was better to be open about it. That way, the ridiculous misunderstanding about his feelings for Yuria would finally be put to rest. He was utterly sick of that rumor.

“Since things have come to this, it’s best that everyone knows. I won’t be getting married, nor will I be having children. The Crown Prince is the empire’s heir, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Don’t you all agree?”

The elder nobles began murmuring among themselves. Homosexuality wasn’t a crime, but it wasn’t something to be flaunted, either. Never before had a member of the imperial family openly declared their sexual orientation. No one knew how to react.

At last, the Minister of Finance, unable to bear it any longer, slammed the table hard enough to rattle the plates.

“This is outrageous! As a member of the imperial family, you should set an example for the people! And yet, you claim to be a sodomite?!”

Some of the more conservative elders murmured in agreement. Cecil’s bored expression turned ice-cold. The naïve mask vanished, revealing the real Cecil Adrian.

“I never expected the Marquis to be the one to object. How disappointing. Aren’t we quite similar?”

“W-What nonsense is this? How dare you make such accusations?!”

“I hear you’ve taken in quite a few bedmates at your estate. Slender, fairy-like boys, no less. And your favorite among them is a red-haired one, isn’t it?”

A faint ache pulsed inside him, but Cecil swallowed it down without a sound. This was nothing.

The Marquis of Valéry’s scandal was set to explode a year from now. It had caused a great uproar in the empire, and Cecil remembered every detail vividly.

Hearing the precise description of his lovers, the Marquis’s face turned ashen. He was so stunned that he forgot to protest, managing only choked, wheezing breaths.

“Marquis, is this true?”

“N-No, Your Majesty! It’s utter nonsense! I swear, I am innocent!”

“Are you saying Cecil is lying? In that case, we should send men to search your estate immediately. The truth will come to light soon enough.”

The Marquis’s lips clamped shut. Just that morning, he had spent hours tangled up with that red-haired boy.

If his estate was searched, his secrets would be exposed. His clenched fists trembled, and the trembling soon spread to his entire bloated body.

His silence was as good as an admission. The assembly hall, once brimming with casual conversation, was now in complete disarray. Murmurs and whispers filled the air, making it impossible to continue the gathering.

Cecil, having dropped a bombshell, remained perfectly composed. He lifted his teacup and took a slow sip of still-warm tea. A ticklish sensation on his cheek made him turn his head. Sitting beside him, Alexis met his gaze.

“……”

The Crown Prince’s lips were curled in a long, amused smile. Unlike before, his sapphire eyes now gleamed with genuine delight.

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