The Extra Wants To Live

"Yes, brother. I will keep that in mind."

Carl listed inttly to Nero's advice and nodded in response.

'It's fate that it will be like this anyway. In that case, I'd rather break everything with my own hands and seize it.'

Nero let out a deep sigh of relief, but he wouldn't have be able to do so if he had known Carl's thoughts.

"By the way, you asked me to get a hood for you, so why ar't you wearing it on your head?" Carl asked with a smile.

Nero was wearing the plain hood that Carl had giv him as a gift a his neck like a scarf. Although it was appropriate for cold winter weather, the material of the hood was not very good, so it looked a bit strange.

"If I put this on my head, there will be chaos," Nero said with a shudder.

If the prince of the Morgan Empire were to wear the hood of a commoner from Tumaria on his head, it would naturally cause an uproar. Since his younger brother brought it for him, it was acceptable to wear it a his neck.

"Oh, I gave the necklace to my mother."

"Is she happy?"

"Wh I told her that I asked you to get it for me, she seemed a little nervous."

"Oh, that's too bad. But I guess that's to be expected."

Carl and Nero looked at each other and laughed like childr playing a naughty prank.

From the perspective of Bella, Nero's mother, who was locked in the palace with a leash to tie Nero up, Carl was a strange, uncomfortable, and repulsive presce.

In a world where it would not be strange for half-brother princes to fight for the throne, Nero had become very close with Carl.

Now he ev asked Carl to procure him gifts, and Carl had brought him some pretty nice items. Bella didn't know how to take this.

"Anyway, since it was something I gave as a gift, she ded up wearing it happily."

"Tell her to be careful because the Tumarians might come looking for their other half later."

"Um… No. If you play a prank like that, Mother might never wear a necklace again. She's so delicate." Nero's words were filled with love and concern for Bella.

Carl left the room after chatting with Nero.

Carl, who had be laughing like a child while chatting with Nero, changed his expression the momt he left the room and closed the door.

He was moderately relaxed, moderately free, moderately confidt, and moderately dignified.

Harmon, who had be waiting outside, followed along, tilted his head, and whispered softly in Carl's ear.

"I do most of the racing and strategy games, but I don't know yet whether I will do the jousting competition or not."

"I will do it."

"If it snows a lot, we might not be able to do it..."

"If it snows a lot, I'll clear the snow and put up a roof, ev if it means doing it. I'll start preparing now."

At Carl's confidt words, Harmon slightly nodded his head and stepped back.

Wh you hear about the jousting tournamt, it might seem a bit strange that the 'exciting 4th Prince Carl' doesn't do anything.

And as much as Carl prepared diligtly, Milione, who wanted to confirm it, had no choice but to set the stage.

"… … ."

Carl, who was walking, suddly stopped. He stopped so suddly that Harmon almost bumped into Carl's back.

"Master Carl, is there something you would like me to do?"

At Harmon's polite words, Carl remained silt and slowly turned his head. His eyes were faintly furrowed, and his vivid gre eyes scanned the surings sharply.

'Again, is it because of my mood?'

Carl seemed to sse the eyes on him.

But it passed in an instant, and now he couldn't feel anything. Maybe he had be so nervous lately that he oft felt like he was being stared at like this.

Ev wh he was alone, Carl, who was already tired, felt ev more tired.

"… No, it's nothing."

Carl shook his head after gathering his thoughts and started walking again. He had to go on a horseback ride with the nobles of the military later on. He couldn't be late.

As Carl walked, his eyes fell upon the small shadows cast by the pillars on the wall.

…

After Carl left, the shadow rippled faintly, th moved along the wall, seeped through the crack in the window, and wt outside.

The shadow hung motionless in the shadows outside the building, th soon ran down the wall and wt completely outside.

The shadows running across the dark-colored g due to the first snow melting and getting wet were not visible ev in broad daylight.

***

Carl, who had set out from Himmeln on horseback with the nobles of the military introduced to him through Nero, was inwardly disgusted by this worthless act.

The military of the Morgan Empire, which had not be at war for a long time, had naturally become weak, and the young nobles who had never expericed battle were always in a state of fever.

But it was difficult for Carl to understand those who thought they were very manly just because they could ride a horse.

Although he had already be in several fierce battles, it was Carl's personality that considered such things a 'waste of time.'

They left Himmeln and climbed the snow-covered hills.

Harmon took a fancy metal bottle from the luggage he carried on his saddle. It was a magical tool that was chanted with magic and kept the temperature inside constant.

Magic tools required constant input of mana to be used, and ev th, their lifespan was not very long.

They also cost a huge amount of money to make. A magical tool like a thermos flask could be considered the height of luxury. So this thermos was Harmon's, not Carl's.

In form, yes.

A considerable amount of money was transferred to Carl after Hilfin's silver was laundered through the Monte Bank.

This was the item that was obtained by giving that money to Harmon. It's convit because there are slush funds and a presidt.

The atmosphere became more relaxed as they shared warm tea from the thermos that Carl brought, and the young nobles of the military began to speak.

"Will your Majesty Carl also attd the party of Captain Hansval?"

"The parties of Captain Hansval are very hot, unlike the parties of the swallows who sip alcohol, dance, and sweep the floor."

'Swallow' was a derogatory term used by the military aristocrats to refer to the aristocrats in politics.

They called them that because they were se running a busily, meeting people and gossiping with them, with the hems of their long, flowing coats hanging down.

Conversely, the aristocrats of the political world sometimes called the aristocrats of the military 'dogs with cut-off tails' wh they were together.

The nobles belonging to the military wore short jackets. What was originally a long coat that got in the way of the exhibition had now become a tradition.

It was ridiculous that people who had never fought in a battle called the aristocrats of politics 'swallows.' But wh you knew this backg… it was ev funnier.

It was just like a fight betwe kids. It was childish.

"Unlike the swallows' party, there will be plty of things for you to joy, Prince Carl."

The more the young nobles of the military associated with Carl, the more fascinated they became with him.

Although he had only rectly begun riding a horse, Carl rode with picturesque style, handled weapons skillfully, commanded troops in battle, and ev killed an emy with his own hands.

With the added noble status of a prince, Carl soon became popular with the young m of the military. They also liked the fact that he kept his distance from the aristocrats of the political world.

"I just spoke with Brother Nero. If it's okay, I'd like to go too, but I'm not sure if it's okay to just suddly drop by."

Carl said with an awkward smile, hiding his true feelings.

"Everyone will be delighted if Carl can attd. I will sd a message through my father."

A young nobleman spoke with a bright smile. Yes, he was incompett, ignorant, and worthless. But they were valuable to his father, which was why Carl wasted his precious time meeting them.

"Th it wouldn't be a bad idea to go there once."

"Hahaha! This will be so much fun!"

This gave Carl the opportunity to connect with Milione without any unnatural corners.

Now next is…

Crackle, crackle, crackle… … .

Carl, who was lost in thought, turned his head at the sound. It was the sound of piled-up snow crumbling.

Not only Carl, but everyone else turned their heads to follow the sound and discovered a new figure slowly climbing up the hill.

An old woman dressed in rags walked with difficulty, leaning on a wood cane. She was shivering pitifully in the cold, perhaps because her clothes were wet from the melted snow.

"Look here. Why are you climbing this hill in this snowy winter?"

One of the nobles of the military asked the old woman curiously. The old woman looked startled at those words and raised her head.

"… … ."

The momt Carl met the old woman's eyes, he felt an inexplicable ssation.

Her hair was matted gray, her skin was rough and wrinkled, tanned by the sun, and her face, sagging with age, had an expression that was difficult to read.

And the body wrapped in rags was thick, as if it had gained weight.

But the clear hazel eyes that looked at him from under drooping eyelids were like pretty jewels, and Carl felt quite ali.