Arden's POV -
"Arien! Arjen! Arden! You're here!"
Arden looked up, meeting the excited eyes of his older brother, Eiji.
"Big brother..."
"Congrats on your manifestation! What would you like as a present?" Eiji's booming voice caught him off guard, and Arden instinctively shrank back, moving closer to Arjen, who gently took his hand and shielded him with a calm but firm presence.
"That won't be necessary..." Arjen replied, leaving no room for argument. The family soon settled around the table, with Arien beside Eiji, and Arjen and Alec flanking Arden.
Arden glanced down. Once again, he was seated in the highchair—a reminder that despite his manifestation, he hadn't grown much. The highchair was still a comfortable fit, needing only one less cushion.
Lloyd observed them, eyebrows raised. "You three didn't grow much, did you?"
'True, but... did he have to say it out loud?' Arden thought, his cheeks flushing as he murmured, "Yes, we're a bit... tiny."
Amused smiles crept onto Arien and Arjen's faces, though Arden missed them in his bashfulness. Lloyd, however, seemed flustered, his ears turning red.
"Ah, I-I didn't mean it in a bad way..."
Arden looked up just as Alec smirked. "They're very cute. How can you say such a thing, older brother~"
"Pfft—" Arden's embarrassment faded, and he stifled a laugh as Alec teased Lloyd, who flushed even deeper.
"W-what I meant was..." Lloyd stumbled, catching on to Alec's teasing as he finally composed himself. Alec grinned.
"Anyway, I'm glad the three of you manifested. It shows that our royal bloodline is strong."
Arden blushed, a smile tugging at his lips. The emperor, who had been silently observing, took a sip from his cup, his only acknowledgment since they'd arrived for breakfast.
"As Alec said, with your golden hair and manifestation, you are undeniably part of the imperial family." He paused, taking another sip. "I plan to host a social debut for the three of you."
'A social debut?' Arden thought, noticing Arien and Arjen's hesitant expressions. Arjen finally spoke up.
"I don't want it."
The room fell silent.
"You... don't?"
[329 words]
YOU ARE READING
The Invisible Prince
FanfictionArien and Arjen were reborn as the princess and prince of the Yuriana Empire. Born as royalty, they expected to live luxurious lives. However, they were abandoned by the emperor and forced to live with their abusive mother and negligent maids in a r...
