|| ᴀ ꜱᴀɪɴᴛ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀᴅᴏᴘᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴜᴋᴇ || ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇᴛᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜱɪᴅᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴇꜱ ||

Side Stories 11-15

Side Story 11: More Than Friends (VI)

"Right."

Compared to Leo, Noah, who had a much more laid-back expression, recognized him at once.

"How..."

In Leo's eyes as he stared at Esther, there was a slight resentment of why hadn't she told him beforehand.

"But the simple definition of friends is not enough."

Noah smiled and offered to shake Leo's hand.

"...Is that so."

Leo implicitly noticed Noah's warning and hardened his face.

Actually, just by the fact that Noah followed Esther this far, the two couldn't be just friends.

"It's a great honor that Your Highness, who must be busy, came to such a small tea party."

"Thank you for thinking so. To be honest, I was worried that I would be considered an uninvited guest."

"It can't be."

With resignation, Leo smiled and held Noah's outstretched hand.

And almost at the same time, Noah and Leo's expressions distorted.

'Hah, you hung around Esther while I was gone? Have a taste of... No, why are your hands so strong?'

'Ugh, are you going to try me?'

Both of them squeezed out all the strength they had, trying not to lose.

Esther, who was patiently waiting for the greeting to end, tilted her head in confusion.

Even though a reasonable amount of time had passed, the two didn't seem to want to let go of their hands.

"Is there something wrong?"

She approached and asked, but the two young men with burning fighting spirits did not hear her.

"Your Highness? Brother Leo?"

Standing on tiptoes, Esther spread her hand and waved it between the two of them. Still, there was no response.

"Noah, how long are you going to hold his hand? Let it go."

Impatient, Esther gritted her teeth and whispered softly in Noah's ear.

It was criticism, but seeing it as a sign of friendliness, Leo's face hardened and Noah smiled.

"Wait a minute. I'm saying hello."

'Isn't it too much to have the veins on the back of your hand protruding for a greeting?'

"...Ha. I'll go in first."

When it was clear that neither man would let go first, Esther, exhausted from waiting, shrugged and turned around.

Only then did an earthquake begin to occur in Noah and Leo's pupils.

"Your Highness, it seems that we have shared enough greetings."

"Yes. Let's go in."

The two exchanged glares as they let go of their hands to follow Esther.

"Esther, go with me!"

Noah took large strides to catch up with Esther.

He pretended nothing was wrong, stuffing his hand in his pants pocket.

'You're not only good at swordsmanship. You're so strong? I thought my fingers would break. I'm glad you stopped...'

In fact, Noah struggled to endure the tingling pain in his reddened hands.