Rigel guarded Cain’s balcony that night. His right hand was still throbbing in pain. By the illuminating light he could see behind the curtain, he knew his master had not fallen asleep yet. He’s probably just sat while patting his fat cat in contemplation. That blonde brat sure had many things to think over. Quite sad, for other people with the same age as him were busy with academia stuff, social debut, and probably romance problems. 

Not like it’s Rigel’s business anyway. 

Alan had informed Rigel that the meeting ended soon after he and Cain left the room. But the suspicion had started. Rigel’s testimony and Lumi’s argument had complicated the situation. 

*** 

“People did not dare to believe in your words, for it means that they suspect the princess was the one behind this.” Alan explained. “But if people dare to say that you were lying, it would lead us to another variable which did not exist here, your other master who told you to lie. It could be the prince himself.”

“I did not lie.”

“Yes. I could tell.” Alan sounded so desperate. “But I know for sure that the princess is also innocent. That’s why I really have no idea where things are going on now.”

“Alan…” Rigel sighed. “I really, really do not want to be involved in this family drama actually.”

“...”

“But I really need to know the problem from the beginning. After all, I was not expected to be accused of treason for giving honest testimony.”

“Well…” Alan bit his lip. “You know…. the Prince and Princess were born from different mothers. Princess was a direct descendant from the queen while the prince is…”

***

“On duty, tonight?” 

A soft yet annoying feminine voice asked in a bossy tone, disturbing Rigel from his recollection of his conversation with Alan this evening. 

Rigel paid no attention even though he could sense that Lumi Callisto had landed beside him. Her steps were as light as feather, and the way she concealed her aura is extraordinary. The wind blew softly around her. Her main element must be wind, Rigel guessed.

“Always. A low debtor could not be picky about a job one has to do right?” Sarcastic answer. Rigel did not feel the need to keep things polite between him and this young lady.

Lumi clearly was not used to commoners talking to her in a casual manner. She raised one of her brows, her expression full of dissatisfaction. 

“You also talk to the prince in this way?”

“Why not? The contract did not forbid me to lie. Why would it not let me talk back as I see fit for his impudent behavior?”

“I barely know you for minutes and I already wanna slap that uncouth mouth of yours. Though I agree his behavior was not the best most times.”

“I dare you, young miss. I did not hit women and kids, but I doubt you fit into any category.”

Just when Lumi wanted to reply back, the curtain was opened. Cain in his pajamas with Nara on his shoulder both had this sour expression. 

“Get out of my balcony if you both wanna fight!”

Rigel thought Lumi would step back. But instead she walked closer to Cain. She pointed her index finger to Cain’s forehead. 

“You! You fool!”

Now that’s new. From a lot of people Rigel had seen as long as he guarded the prince, Lumi was the first to show such an attitude. 

“I’ve almost stripped her from her lies! And you! Out of all people you dare to defend her by walking out?!”

“I told you it could not be her!” Cain retorted harshly. “Impossible!”

“You pick who to believe! This brute,” Lumi pointed at Rigel with her chin, “Or your manipulative step sister!”

Nara, sensing Cain’s anger, jumped between Lumi and Cain. The magical beast transformed to its true form right before their eyes. 

“Nara!” Lumi snapped. “Not you too!”

Seriously, these kids caused Rigel a headache. 

“And enough!”

He finally stepped down to put a stop to this childish fight. As much as he thought it could be interesting to watch the powerful prince dueling with a young miss on senior wizard caliber, he’d bear the punishment if anything destructive happened while he’s on duty. He stood beside Nara and his aura forming a shield to both of his sides.

“I admit that I almost lost my temper too. But let’s talk this through like a proper adult.”

‘Like a proper adult’ a lethal sentence that made brats like Cain and Lumi go quiet and obedient.

“So… You first. Miss Callisto. Seeing that you come here to a man’s room at night. I believe you have something important to say?”

Lumi narrowed her eyes. “You dirty old man. I just came to warn Cain.”

Now that’s a real insult for Rigel did not consider himself old nor dirty. He just sighed in response. If his own brother was still here right now, would he grow into this kind of teenager? Rigel did not want to imagine.

Lumi walked to the nearest couch, Cain instinctively closed the french door with magic. He also cast a protective spell for the room. Now nobody could eavesdrop on whatever was being discussed in the room. 

“As you have known. To lessen the burden of the summoner, now there was also a magic tool invented to summon low class monsters for combat training. We have just introduced a low grades one which could summon idiot Golem. But recently we have made it more complex. Summoning the sea fairy was possible.”

“I just know Estelle did not do any of this.” Cain sat on the edge of his bed. Nara turned back to his cat form and jumped to curl beside him. “She would not harm me. Period.”

“Why believe in her?!”

“Just because her mother hates me doesn’t mean she does too!”

This argument was going nowhere. Rigel rolled his eyes in annoyance. 

“Let me be clear,” Rigel raised one of his hands. “I did not lie. I was not involved in anything. Nobody but the prince gave me an order recently. And if the princess really told me to lie, why would she make me testify the aura color was identical to hers? Doesn’t make sense right?” 

“That woman could cornered herself and in the end people would take pity as if she’s the victim.”

“Whoa… you really have very cunning thinking, you know…”

Rigel clapped his hands, his gesture so sincere it irked Lumi. “But really. You wanna investigate? Let’s begin from the only truth that we know. I am not lying, I don't really care if you believe me or not, Missy. The princess also didn’t direct me to anything.”

“So your point?”

“That leads us to a more logical hypothesis. There’s a third party here who wants to accuse the princess while also terrorizing the prince. We have no idea who it is. But sure they exist. If you were not so keen on blaming the princess, this should be easy to accept.”

*** 

“Thank you.”

“For what?” 

It was five minutes after Lumi left the room. Nara had slept on the center of the bed, while both Cain and Rigel were still wide awake. 

“For believing in Estelle.”

“... You’re welcome. But I am always on the side of the innocent, just so you know.”

Cain’s lying on his back. His eyes looked at the empty ceiling. Talking to Lumi really drained him. “People believe you have no motive to commit treason against me, however there's a contract between us. And by believing you, they lost faith in Estelle. It’s unfair… I must say. She had been such a perfect princess for this kingdom all this time and they just… accuse her easily like that.”

The accusation was unspoken. But it must sting the heart of the princess. Rigel didn’t say anything. For now, he best believed it would be wiser to let Cain talk his heart out.

No longer caring about mannerism toward his master, Rigel sat beside Cain on the bed.

“She’s anything but evil to me. Even though I appeared and stole her position as the heir so suddenly, there wasn’t a time she did not love me as her family. I am sure of that.”  

Family. 

A word so distant yet familiar for Rigel. He himself once had a brother. And that said brother was the reason he now ended up here as a prince’s guard, involved in another family’s drama. 

Really, when something has involved people who share the same blood, things would never be not complex. 

“I do believe the queen had a part in this. But Estelle would never. She can not hurt me.”

Cain closed his eyes.

“I know.” After all, Rigel was the same kind as Estelle. And by this short time he gets to know the princess, he just knows what kind of sister Estelle is. 

 “What makes Miss Calliso hate the princess so much?” 

The question came from his mouth so suddenly. Rigel did not think much when uttering it. He sensed an unusual atmosphere when Lumi and Estelle talked to each other, so why not ask?

“Lumi once had a brother, also my best friend. His name was Ian. ”

“Okay?”

“He was a paladin in charge of guarding Estelle. But he…he’s no longer here.”

“Job accident?”

“Thus remains a mystery until today. Lumi resents Estelle though. Estelle said she had no idea why and how Ian was torn to pieces by a magical beast. And nobody knows who might target Estelle. Lumi had no place to vent her anger. That’s why she behaves like that, always so hostile to Estelle.” 

Rigel just nodded in response. He tried to sympathize but still did not know what to say. 

“Ian was supposed to be my guard. Last minute decision, he was appointed to guard Estelle, the queen’s order.” Cain covered his eyes with his hand. “If only he was not guarding Estelle, maybe....”

‘If only’ was such a poisonous way of thinking. Regret sure adds more depth to despair and longing. Sometimes the thought hurts people more than when the background occurrence happens. Rigel himself had experienced being consumed by such thoughts. And it took time for him to learn taming the intrusive thoughts. 

Maybe he dealt with it easier because he’s an adult. But both Lumi and Cain were still teenagers.

“Truth will find its way someday.” Rigel said in a reassuring tone. Maybe he’s being unusually sentimental. But to lose a family member, and to defend a sibling, he had experienced both. “When the time comes, we will definitely learn how to stop hating someone. To strip ourselves from anything that we think makes us ‘us’ and pick up more things to be better.”

“Have you done that?”

“I am in the middle of it.” Rigel chuckled. “In the end… What is life but a long journey to self discovery?”

Exhaustion made Rigel wanna lie down. “Hey…. Roll over more to that side.”

“You realized we are in my bed right?”

“After giving you an expensive counseling session, this is just right to let me rest here.”

Rigel cast a protection spell on top of Cain’s defensive barrier. “I need sleep. And my intuition says nothing will happen tonight. For now,  I’ll enjoy this expensive bed to my heart's content.”  

Rigel even pulled one of Cain’s soft pillows for his head.

“That’s mine.” Cain almost pulled back his pillow. But Rigel kept it by pushing his head and shoulder on the soft surface.

“Ey. It is ungraceful for a royal family member to be so stingy. Let this peasant enjoy some luxury once in a while.”

“Ugh… whatever.” 

Cain laid down with his back facing Rigel, he pulled Nara a little closer and hugged the fluffy cat to sleep.   

At times like this, Rigel thought it was not so bad to have a filthy rich employer like Cain.