Our Strange Duet (Yandere Modern Princes x Reader)

Chapter 67: Playmate

Infuriated by his inability to spend time with the (h/c) haired girl, Kazuki resigned himself to waiting until she was free. Truth be told, being told that the younger girl was "vigorously engaged" with Rei threw a giant wrench in his day. He had been happy up until that point and enthusiastic about what she would say about the effort he put into his appearance. After being dismissed by one of the king's guards, he stormed away in an attempt to cool himself down.

The only thing he could think to do was enjoy his hobby of painting. However, it had been so long since he had done it and he had lost confidence in his ability. If he were to start it, no doubt it would end up an abomination of all of his hate and rage. Focus was necessary to paint professionally, but he likely would have snapped the paintbrush if something didn't go exactly his way.

Unable to cope with his rage with a relaxing hobby, he decided to do something more energy-exerting. It had been quite some time since he had been to the sparring ring. When he was younger, it was essential to practice and brush up on sword skills as a royal heir to the throne. Sons of the crown were strictly trained in both attacking and defending and in numerous different regional Vethelan styles.

Looking back on it, Kazuki was rather stressed with all of the practice, but now that he was liberated from the throne, he wasn't forced into it. Rather, it became something he could unleash his rage with. As he arrived at the sparring grounds, he picked up the wooden training sword. He was much bigger than he was as a child, having his body be matured in a rather alluring manner. Due to the fact he was more tall and muscular, he required a bigger and weightier sword.

"Zuki," a surprised voice called, "It's been a while since you've been here."

The blonde turned to see a young man he knew very well. He was not surprised that Presley was walking around the castle. It was one of his duties as chief of staff in order to assure servants were not slacking off. The male gave a joyful grin to the royal, bowing respectfully with his hand placed to his heart. His loyalty was astounding.

"Come to blow off some steam? In that case, allow me to make myself useful to you. You need a partner, no?"

Kazuki nodded his head. That being said, he wasn't entirely certain if the match was fair. While the blonde had been trained from a young age and placed under the pressure of living up to his family's lineage, Presley had been a previous king's guard. He was prominent and highly skilled in his field of work, incredibly honest, hard-working, and devoted to the royal family. As such, he was almost unbeatable with a sword.

"Please go on easy on me," the blonde sighed.

"Whatever are you talking about, your highness? Your skill is not something to laugh at. I believe you to be rather impressive."

The blonde gave an amused sigh. He was still in a foul mood, but he didn't mind the fact that the male flattered him. After not being able to hear the (h/c) haired girl's compliments, it was a relief to hear someone else boosting his confidence even if it wasn't as effective. He gave a faint smile that was hardly noticeable, but it was there nonetheless. It lightened not only Kazuki's mood but Presley's as well.

The other male picked up a wooden sword from the weapon rack, giving another bow to show he meant well. The blonde reciprocated the action, readying his stance for their sparring match. Of course, the moment their bout began, Kazuki was no match for the older man, being continually forced to defend without an opening in which to strike. He furrowed his eyebrows, dodging the male's powerful attacks just barely.

"You're still quite agile, highness."

"Hearing that from you feels patronizing," the blonde chuckled.