Hiding That The Damn Prince Is An Omega

Vol-5: Chapter 31.2

"So you won't have anything to worry about."

After his words, Étienne drank the lukewarm tea at once. He was talking more than usual, so his throat was dry.
He drank all the tea, but his thirst did not go away, so he picked up the teapot and filled the empty teacup.

"Are you okay?"

Richard, watching Etienne pour the tea, asked cautiously.

"Huh? What?"

At Richard's question, Étienne stopped pouring the tea and tilted his head to one side. It looked like he didn't know why Richard was saying that. Seeing that, Richard wrinkled his forehead.

"Haah......”

Don't you know how sick you look right now?

Richard sighed and shut his mouth. He wasn't aware of it, but he didn't want to scratch it and make a rash. But he was angry. To the Emperor and Empress, not to Étienne.

No matter how ugly he is, his parents are his parents. The existence of parents was the first world that children encountered. Like the imprinted baby bird, the child could not help but crave the love of his parents. It was the same with Etienne.

When he was living in the imperial palace, Richard saw Etienne secretly holding back his tears, hurt by the emperor or empress's mean words and actions. He watched all of them tossing and turning because they couldn't sleep because of the tears that kept flowing, and studying until late while holding back their sorrow.

In Richard's view, the relationship between the three was too much to be called a family. The Emperor and Étienne, and the Empress and Étienne, were far from the parents and children he knew.

An abnormal relationship.

Although Richard was young at the time, he intuitively knew that the actions of the emperor and empress towards Étienne were not right.

From the looks of it, Etienne was the only one who tried to become a family in an abnormal relationship. Richard always cheered for Etienne, who struggled alone, with a nervous heart.

In Richard's eyes, Étienne was like a flower about to wither. He couldn't take his eyes off him anymore because of it. Richard feared that his Etienne's heart would not bloom and he would be crushed.

Unfortunately, Etienne's situation continued to deteriorate. The emperor was obsessed with Richard, and the empress pushed Etienne even further. Each time, Richard had to see Étienne cry.

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'Huh, haah.'

'Older brother… … .’

In Etienne's childhood, there were more crying days than laughing days. At such times, Richard fidgeted around Etienne.

'Do not cry.'

'Shar.....hic.'

‘Yes, brother. I'm here.'

He wanted to help the struggling Etienne, but Richard was powerless at the time. All little Richard could do was to soothe the crying Etienne and give him a tight hug.

'I'm sorry, older brother.'

Richard often apologized to Étienne, who fell asleep in his arms. He, like the emperor and empress, had contributed to Etienne's misfortune.

‘I will protect you. Get stronger soon... … I'll punish all the people who bullied you.'

Ety, my Etienne.

I hope you don't cry anymore.

Richard swore, resting his forehead on Etienne's tear-stained cheek. He said he would never forgive those who hurt him.
It was because of that that he devoted himself to swordsmanship. In order to escape from the emperor's shadow, he needed strength to protect Etienne from the empress. And now, to some extent, the goal has been achieved.