Don't Concern Yourself With That Book
Chapter Side Story 3-2

Side Story 3-2

Translator: yun

“Raise your head.”

When she looked up to the boy behind the soft voice, she first noticed his dark blue hair. 

They were twins but the atmosphere surrounding the 5th Prince was starkly different from that of the 6th prince. Would it be fair to say that one was a foul-tempered beast, the other was a meek domesticated cat? 

If there were any similarities, it would be the way the ends of their eyes were pointed. Nonetheless, the 5th Prince’s gaze which was mostly hidden behind his glasses looked innocent. 

“You must be the cherished daughter of Duke Aventa.”

Ferdinand spoke like an adult but it was clear from his voice that he was still a child. 

“I have heard a lot about you.”

Rebecca could clearly see curiosity swirling within the 5th Prince’s eyes. His eyes did not look purely brown but they looked like they had been mixed with gold, the colour which represented the Lord of the Gods. 

Along with the Crown Prince, Castor, he was one of the only princes possessing the Power of the Lord. 

“Fufu. It is an honour to have my young daughter recognised by Your Highness. This boorish old lady shall take her leave now.”

The Duchess of Aventa stepped away. After confirming that her mother had joined the rest of the mothers, Rebecca brought her attention back to the 5th prince. 

“… You said you’ve heard about me but, pardon me for asking, where did you hear about me?”

“From my brother.”

As soon as Rebecca’s words left her lips, she received a terrifying answer. From his flushed face, it was clear that he was not referring to Fleon.

“I am talking about brother Julian, of course.”

“You mean the 2nd Prince?”

The 2nd Prince, Julian. It was an acquaintance Rebecca was familiar with as well. 

“Yes. You were once engaged to him, weren’t you? I thought brother would have married you for sure, since there’s no other bachelorette in the Empire who can match your status.”

“Still, the 2nd Prince refused my hand.”

“Right.”

The 5th Prince had a small smile on his face as though he was happy just talking about the 2nd Prince. 

“I heard back then. How you asked for the reason behind his refusal with an unwavering gaze.”

“Yes, that did happen. I asked him what I was lacking and the reason why he rejected me.”

“You’re amazing.”

The Aventa Family had proposed an alliance with the 2nd Prince Julian through a marriage with their Ducal Lady so as to gain more power. However, to be more exact, this was not the duke’s idea. It was the Duchess, Rebecca’s mother, Leah’s wish.

“The earlier a woman is engaged, the better. I am not doing this because of her necessarily. As her mother, I merely wish for her to meet someone powerful and strong enough for her to live the rest of her life blossoming beautifully like a flower.”

Rebecca recalled Leah’s words which she had been hearing repeatedly ever since she understood them. Unbeknownst to her, those words had been etched onto her mind and had brainwashed her. 

Rebecca had no way to know this but the reason why Leah was being like this was because she knew what happened to Auresia, the 1st Princess, the 2nd Princess and the rest of her friends from when she was younger. They had lost, suffered or died because they did not have the support. 

After being educated and raised by Leah, Rebecca grew up with a firm belief.

“The 2nd Prince had rejected me and said that he had someone else he loved. He told me to marry someone I loved as well instead of him.”

“Right. Brother does have someone he had fallen in love with.”

In any case, because the 2nd Prince refused her hand in marriage, it also prevented her family from rising into more power. That was why the Aventa Family had proclaimed themselves to be part of the neutral faction. And they still were. Reminded of Julian, the 2nd Prince, and his soft features, Rebecca tilted her head.

“I don’t know if love is needed for marriage.”

Most nobles marry without love. That was why many would wander around traditional banquets, or ‘Symposiums’, like moths to a flame, searching for true love. 

Though the current generation of women were encouraged to prioritise their chastity and fidelity, that did not mean loveless marriages disappeared. 

Rebecca might be young but she understood that marriages were not as romantic as the happily-ever-afters from stories. 

“I think the same way.”

Ferdinand agreed with Rebecca. 

“I, too, think that marriage does not necessarily have to contain love. No, do marriages for love even exist? I watched my brother from the sidelines but I still cannot be certain. I just think that brother had been very lucky to find himself in the unique circumstances he now is in.”

He maintained the small volume of his voice until the end of his sentence. 

His momentarily downcast expression soon vanished before his round glasses reflected the sunlight. 

“I’m glad to have found someone who thinks similarly after such a long time. Everyone around me are all idealists.”

All the people around him were Julian’s. 

“Then, do you think a marriage between the two of us will be possible?”

“Who knows? But I don’t think it will be possible.”

The 5th Prince asked her, “Why?” The eyes behind his large glasses only looked curious like a student asking his teacher for clarity in class. 

“The 2nd Prince has already rejected my hand in marriage once. And my father is not the type of man to give second chances.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. And… Pardon me for saying this myself but because my father cherishes me dearly, he will never allow us to be together, especially because you are adored by the 2nd Prince.”

Ferdinand stared at Rebecca who spoke truthfully as though he found something interesting. He then smiled quietly. 

“Alright. So, I guess you won’t be marrying me no matter what happens.”

“Yes. It is most likely.”

It might have been too late but Rebecca suddenly realised that this was not something people should be talking about in their first meeting but it was going to be brought up anyway. In any case, they were in an isolated part of the banquet and there was no one around to overhear them. 

“It is a relief that you think that way.”

The 5th Prince, Ferdinand, was a strange existence. Even though he was at the age where it was hard to say whether he was a child or a teenager, he had an air of maturity around him that resembled fallen litter in a pile. 

“Actually, I have no plans on marrying anyone.”

He spoke quietly. Under this silence, Rebecca waited elegantly for a reply. But he soon parted his lips. 

“But that is impossible. I will probably be unable to do anything I want for the rest of my life.”

With a small smile lingering on the 5th Prince’s face, their conversation ended. 

And that was how the first meeting between the 5th Prince Ferdinand and Rebecca went. 

***

On the way back to her mother after separating from the 5th prince, Rebecca accidentally bumped into another stranger. There had been no way around her as the woman had suddenly appeared in front of her. 

“Oh my. Are you alright? I’m sorry… I’m so tipsy I can barely see where I’m going.”

The owner behind the voice that was as soft as a willow branch was a woman with mystical purple hair. 

Rebecca recognised her at once. 

This was the 8th Queen, the one currently favoured by the emperor. She was also often mentioned in the stories Rebecca’s mother would often tell her. 

But Rebecca was not the only one who recognised her. 

“Oh… Are you Leah’s daughter?”

Auresia lowered her head to take a closer look at Rebecca. Rebecca soon muttered, “Yes.” 

“The Ducal Lady of Aventa greets the 8th Queen. May the Glory of the Lions be with the queen.”

Auresia observed Rebecca, who was lowering her head, elegantly.

“Heavens. Your rigidness is just like the duke’s.”

“But my appearance resembles my mother more than my father.”

 “Dear god and you’re immediately bringing up your mother. You must like your mother more, don’t you?”

“Pardon me for saying this but it is not polite to tease someone you’ve never met before, is it?”

“… And yet you speak like Marissa.”

It was only for a moment but when she mentioned her, Auresia’s expression changed. However, her eyes quickly curled before staring into Rebecca’s stubborn gaze. 

“And your stubbornness resembles Marissa too.”

Auresia’s hand brushed through Rebecca’s head before returning to her side.

“It is amusing how both Leah and I have become mothers.”

Suddenly learning that the 8th Queen had a child, Rebecca was soon reminded of the rumours surrounding the possibility that there was now a princess in the palace. 

“Anyways, I’m sorry about that.”

Before Rebecca could say anything in reply, Auresia uttered an apology before turning around. 

***

Throughout her entire life, Rebecca had only met the 5th Prince twice. 

Not long after their first meeting, they met again in another banquet held at night. 

“I greet the 5th Prince.”

Raising her head, the 5th Prince turned around. 

“You’re here too.”

They met on a small balcony. It was a spot overlooking the courtyard and it seemed as though Ferdinand had been hiding. 

“I know young girls like you don’t typically attend banquets held at night.”

“I had come with my mother. I will be returning soon.”

It was at that moment. The sound of urgent footsteps soon penetrated her ears. Hearing the sounds get closer, Rebecca glanced at Ferdinand. 

“Brother! Brother! Where did you go? Damn it!”

Listening quietly, Ferdinand brought a finger to his lips. 

“Brother! Brother! Ferdinand! Oi!”

The sounds that had been right next to them soon passed them by. Seeing as the shouts were getting further and further away, the boy must not have known where they were. 

As the commotion drifted away, Rebecca spoke.

“Isn’t that the 6th Prince?”

“It is.”

Removing his index finger, Ferdinand replied. Rebecca stared at him as though she was asking, “Why are you avoiding your brother?”

“It’s nothing much. I had just told him that we should cut our ties and live without acknowledging each other from now on.”

Turning her head slowly, Rebecca stared at Ferdinand and tried to say something. 

‘I don’t think that’s nothing.’

At least that was what she wanted to say. However, she quickly pressed her lips together without uttering the words. 

But she was curious as to why.

“Why?”

Rebecca recalled how the 6th Prince anxiously stared at the 5th Prince from afar. She remembered how he would look as though he was deliberating whenever he looked at him. She knew this from just occasionally glancing at him so how could the 5th Prince be unaware? 

“I saw the future. I would hate my younger brother for the rest of my life. That child will take everything I wanted away from me.”

As his dark blue hair flew gently in the wind, his expression looked bitter. After taking off his glasses, Ferdinand closed his eyes. 

“If I continue being around him, it won’t end with me just hating him. One day, I might end up getting tired of him. That’s why I decided to give up. I…hate my brother but… I still like him. But it cannot be helped.”

His younger brother would take his mother and the rest of their maternal family from him. And the day that he would have them the way his brother had them would not come. Perhaps never. Ferdinand had come to terms with the truth he had never wanted to bring himself to admit for the rest of his life. 

“Are you sad?”

Rebecca stared at Ferdinand. To her surprise, without his glasses, his eyes looked exactly like Fleon’s. 

“Well, am I?”

“…..”

“Ducal lady. Even if it doesn’t happen… someday my younger brother will find family that is more precious than I will ever be. I can see it.”

She wondered what that felt like. Rebecca could not dare to imagine. 

Ferdinand stared at Rebecca as she struggled to find the words to say. 

“My powers as a templar are weak. But I can still see some people’s futures vividly.”

His low voice rang across the balcony.

“I can even see your fate now.’

Ferdinand looked to be at the cusp of laughter. 

“I can also see the people that will stand next to you.”

The people standing next to the Ducal Lady. It was someone Ferdinand was very familiar with, his younger twin brother. The other was a small blonde girl. But he did not find the need to tell her the truth. 

“You have a lot of work cut out for you. It might get so difficult you would rather die but you will achieve the happiness you desire.”

Even whilst a Templar of the Lord was telling her this, Rebecca was calm as though she could not bring herself to care about any of that. 

“How will my life be?”

“You will find someone very precious to you someday. You will encounter sadness but you will also have your happiness.”

“…..”

“Even if you cannot understand it now, it is the truth.”

Rebecca looked as though she could not comprehend anything he was saying. He flashed her a gentle smile. He then straightened his body which had been leaning against the railing before wearing his glasses. A quiet, still air surrounded him once again as though he had adorned it. 

Ferdinand blurted out.

“I would like to be your friend.”