Transmigrated as the ill 2nd Prince (BL)

Chapter 19: Pledge (Rewritten)

Hiroka noticed Riku’s uneasy expression and couldn’t help but chuckle from his seat.

“Was my first time being dragged around that much," Riku muttered, clearly still troubled by the memory.

"Just thinking about it makes my stomach turn." He was recalling how Allea had practically pulled him from shop to shop, bombarding him with endless questions. She hunted for deals as if every sale were some legendary treasure.

Hiroka laughed, the sound light and familiar. “Hah! I figured Allea would do that to you.”

Riku gave him a curious look, as if wondering if the prince had gone through the same ordeal. Catching the glance, Hiroka grinned. “she did the exact same thing to me. At first, it was terrifying how serious she got about it, but over time, I got used to her quirks. Honestly, she feels kind of motherly now. Shopping with her is oddly fun.”

Riku was amused and then a comfortable silence fell between them. The flowers swayed in the wind, filling the air with their subtle scent. Hiroka wanted to bring up the matter of Riku staying at the palace, becoming his personal knight, but before he could, Riku broke the silence.

“Am I staying here?...” Riku’s eyes locked onto Hiroka’s, his usual lightheartedness replaced by a quiet seriousness.

Hiroka held his gaze for a moment, then turned to the flowers, watching them dance in the wind. “Yes.”

“...Why?”

Hiroka hesitated. I don’t want the heroine to find you first... and use you.
That’s what he really wanted to say. But how could he explain that to Riku without sounding insane?

Instead, he took a breath and answered, “I want you to be my personal knight. To protect me from danger.”

Riku’s eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, he looked down at the new shoes on his feet—sleek, polished black leather, still unfamiliar to him. When he finally spoke, his voice was low.

“Why me? There are better knights out there—real ones. I’m just...I’ve spent my life scraping for food, not fighting. I can’t be a knight.”

Hiroka raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Riku? Weak? The same Riku who saved me from a magic attack with impossible speed? The thought made Hiroka want to laugh, but instead, he shook his head.

“No one in the kingdom would believe a person from the slums could become a knight,” Hiroka said with a wry smile. “But I don’t care about that. I don’t care about your status. I know what you’re capable of, and you’re the only one I trust to be my knight. It has to be you.”

Riku stared at him. Hiroka’s words left him speechless. For a moment, they remained like that, until Hiroka extended his hand, offering it with a warm smile. “So? What do you say?”

Instead of taking Hiroka’s hand, Riku stood abruptly and dropped to one knee, placing his hand over his chest in a knightly salute.

“I pledge my eternal service and loyalty to you,” Riku declared, his voice firm.

Hiroka blinked, surprised. “What—? Hey! Get up! You don’t have to do that!”

But Riku remained where he was, looking up at Hiroka with unwavering determination.

“I’m not strong,” Riku said, his expression serious.

Hiroka let out a sigh. “You’re strong enough for me.”

He offered Riku a hand again, and this time, Riku took it.

“Come on, let’s head back inside. You need to rest—and it’s almost lunchtime,” Hiroka said as he started walking, with Riku silently following behind.

_____

Hiroka’s POV

“Daichi will be here tomorrow,” brother casually said as I popped a piece of pork into my mouth.

I was already in the dining room eating when Riku returned to his room to rest. Allea mentioned that he was eating with Paladin, which made me feel a little better. Eating alone is always a bit depressing and...

'Daichi?'

“Brother Daichi is coming?” I asked,  excitedly.

According to my memories, Daichi has been my brother’s close friend since childhood. He used to visit often, but over the years, his duties had kept him too busy. It felt surreal that he was finally coming back.

Haru gave a small hum of confirmation as he took a bite of pork. “Yeah, I called him when... that guy showed up.”

‘That guy’? Does he mean Riku? I thought, holding back a sigh.

“It’ll be great to see Brother Daichi again.” Still, I couldn’t help but wonder why Daichi is coming now.

'Maybe Haru had told him about my situation?'

As if reading my thoughts, Haru added, “Starting tomorrow, I’ll be training that guy.”

'You really don’t like saying his name, do you, brother?'

Father, sitting at the far end of the table, gave Haru a concerned look. “Take it easy on him”

“Of course, Father. Don’t worry—I’ll make him stronger before I return to the Academy,” Haru replied confidently.

“When are you going back to school, Brother?” I asked, almost forgetting that Haru would be leaving soon.

Haru’s expression softened with a hint of sadness. “After you turn fifteen.”

Wait... What month is it now?

I turned to Allea, who stood nearby. “Allea, what month is it today?”

“Today is the twenty-first of Rainmoot, Your Highness,” she answered with a kind smile.

Rainmoot, April. That meant my birthday was only two months away. After that, Haru would leave for the Academy again.

The months in this world still fascinated me:

Frostmoot – January
Deepsnow – February
Winterwane – March
Rainmoot – April
Palesun – May
Highsun – June
Firemoot – July
Firewane – August
Lowsun – September
Redfall – October
Snowmoot – November
Fellnight – December

I sighed quietly. I only had two months left with Haru before he returned to school. He is already seventeen and would soon turn eighteen. Students at the Magical Academy stayed in dorms until they graduated, with only three months of vacation each year.

How lucky they are… Back in my old world, we barely got a week off.

Haru must’ve noticed my change in mood because he gave me a small smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll write to you whenever I can.”

I smiled back. “You better.”

For a moment, the warmth of having an older brother filled my heart. In my past life, I never had siblings. But now... having someone like Haru—a brother who cared and protected me—is something I didn’t know I needed.