Flowers of Worship

My father was also named after my grandfather. Grandfather and great-grandfather had the same name, Illyde. It was the name reserved for the heir of the Sarian family and the Hastred Knights’ leader.

When my father named me Cecilia, he probably thought I would have a brother because mother was still alive at the time. If he had known I would be his successor, I would have been named Illyde.

Now he had this child who had the right to be his successor called Eden, instead of Illyed? Still, why Eden? Our family doesn’t have anyone significant that is named that.

However, the name Eden was familiar to me.

Eden. Eden…

The name was used here and there, but the most influential “den” would probably be….

“Uh, uh-um…”

A child appeared behind a pile of straw, stammering. He looked very shabby and dirty, but beautiful.

He was indeed a beautiful kid, with the blond-hair, blue-eyes, and pale-skin. He had long eyes and spots around them. For a child, his limbs were as thin as dead branches.

“Well, it’s not that I didn’t feed him. The Grand Duke gave me orders. It’s not my fault he’s so thin, Your Highness.”

Gianton looked at me worryingly, assuming I was in a bad mood.

I sighed while looking at the boy’s face. The child is so beautiful. The blonde hair stood out even though it’s dirty. He is a very sweet-looking, handsome boy, with lips that resemble the color of cherries, and skin that’s as white as milk.

I know this face.

“Gianton.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“You’re in real trouble now.”

Jesus, he isn’t my father’s bastard.

That face, with this name? Ah, now I recognize who he is…

Father, what the hell were you thinking?

I want to tear up the ampao that wraps my father again, and this time I had the urge to grab my father’s shoulders and shake them. I’m in big trouble.

Suddenly a large meteor fell in my life when I am just trying to live quietly for the past twenty-six years.

“He’s a boy. Wouldn’t he be a threat to your inheritance?”

Sophia ran to my room and whispered, “How did you know?” while wearing a concerned look on her face. I was silent for a moment since I wasn’t sure what to say. If Sophia came to me, I’m confident that the servants would also know the child’s existence.

With everything that happened, my mood is awful today. I sent all my servants away, leaving only Sophia and Chris standing in front of the window. I looked out the window and saw a star in the sky.

It’s about midnight soon. I didn’t think it would be this difficult to let my father go.

“My right of inheritance remains.”

My voice was so heavy, even I could feel it. Trying to lighten the mood, I laughed.

“You don’t need to pretend to be indifferent. I know you have that kind of personality.”

Sophia didn’t laugh. Chris looked at me and questioned why I was smiling. Then, he pulled out the dagger and said,

“Accidents always happen, my Lord.”

The tip of Chris’s fingers stroked the end of his dagger. He appeared cruel and cold-blooded.

I sighed and looked at them. Sophia had three children and is popular enough not to get killed. As for Chris, he would run away without my permission if ever looked away for a moment.

I opened the door and called for the servant who was waiting outside.

“Bring Eden,” I said, and then shut the door again.

“Eden?”

Chris was the second son of the Count family, so he had no right to inherit and gave up on the knighthood early on, he was fully aware of society’s rules. He looked at me curiously after hearing the name Eden, ‘isn’t there no one with the name Eden in your family?’ I just smiled bitterly as a reply.

“What’s wrong with Eden?”

Sophia, who recently became a baron, asked Chris what was wrong with the name Eden, apparently not understanding the problem. Sophia’s face crumpled when Chris explained how the noble families would name their successor.

“So, I have to name my first child Sophia?”

“In your case, of course, it is the paternal name.”

“Not my husband’s name?”

“My Lord, since you are a Baron, he must follow your family name.”

Sophia curved her lips in a smile and started laughing when Chris bowed in an exaggerated gesture and started acting like a fool.

“You want to die, don’t you?”

“No matter how good of a knight you are, you should already know that I’m better than you.”

Chris pointed his finger at Sophia and drew a scissor, indicating that he and Sophia were no match for each other, and he’s one step ahead of her. Sophia burst into laughter.

“You’re above me? Come on. Today I will destroy that illusion of yours.”

“Shall we do it this instant then? Anytime whenever you’re ready.”

Sophia was about to laugh at Chris’s threatening joke. Then the door opened, and Eden, who was now washed and fed, entered cautiously. Eden hesitated and was frightened. Gianton was now concerned that Eden could be someone of a higher position since I was treating him politely.

“Close the door.”

The servant who brought Eden quickly examined the situation in the room before he promptly left. The room was securely closed and soundproofed, my place especially.

My father made sure the walls and doors in my room were extra secure for my safety when I was younger since it is likely to be one of the places prone to kidnapping.

I think this would be quite helpful today.

“Eden.”

Chris’s eyes fixated after hearing my words.

Sophia was enchanted by the rare beautiful child’s appearance. In comparison, Chris seemed to be lost in his thoughts. He looked at Eden, blinking like a toad. He examined his face, hair color, eye colors, and finally…

“Eden…?”

He looked at me, confirming the name. ‘Please tell me you’re lying,’ he thought.

The wishful face he had was also my wish. I hope this whole situation was just some nightmare, from the death of my father to Eden’s existence.

“My father brought him in last year… and locked him in a filthy room.”

“…Locked him?”

“I don’t know what’s going on either. I assume the servants thought he was my father’s son. Even so, when they see his face and hear his name, they would instantly realize whose son he is.”

“Way to get into trouble, really.”

Chris started murmuring, “God, please take me with you right now.” When Sophia noticed that the situation was serious, she stabbed Chris in the side with her elbow.

“Whose son is he?”

“He’s the son of the most well known ‘Eden.’” Chris answered and sat down while groaning, ‘Ahhh.’

“The most well known?”

Sophia was deep in thought for a moment before realizing the infamous Eden. She suddenly turned her head toward the sudden burst. Though she has never actually seen him, the Eden portraits were displayed everywhere. As Sophia finally realized, she swallowed her scream by covering her mouth with her hands.

Oh, I know how you feel.

When I sighed, Sophia ran to me and whispered,

“Wow, is that His Royal Highness?”

Do I even have to answer?

His appearance takes from the former queen, who was well known for her God-given beauty.

Just like our family, he was also named Eden, just like the King.

Now he’s not the King’s son, but my brother.

But his name is Eden.

“B-but isn’t he dead?”

“I thought so too.”

“So, how is this going to work?”

Sophia quivered and asked.

The King ascended to the throne last year.

Ten years before his accession to the throne, he was still the Grand Duke. The King entrusted his only son to his younger brother to train him. It would be a lie to say the King wasn’t worried, leaving the Crown Prince’s education to others, though it’s not unusual for nobles and royals.

The Grand Duke was in charge of the Crown Prince’s education since he was the highest rank and most prestigious person in the castle.

Only

Over the years, everything was normal for the Crown Prince, who went with the Great Duke at the age of one. He returned to the capital with the Grand Duke at a social party, where everyone was eagerly waiting.

The problem came after, five years ago, the Prince snuck out to the lake and drowned while swimming at night.

His body was never found, but his bracelet was found inside the ship that he rode out. The King and the Queen were grieved. Eventually, the Queen fell ill, suffering from sadness until she died because of Pneumonia the following year, which was four years ago.

Last year, when the King passed away, doubts about the legitimacy of the inheritance arose.

The presence of the crown prince was holding father back. But when he found the Prince last year ago, he locked him in the basement of our castle.

Why didn’t he send the Crown Prince back to the palace last year, when the late King was still alive? This is a situation where there’s nothing that could be said even if he’s accused of treason.

Maybe…

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