"Fairy, Do you want to get engaged with me?"
[…]
[Pupa:…]
[I'm sorry, what?]
[Pupa: So bold.]
[We're only seven and four years old! What do you mean engaged?! I don't even think that your bird is functional for now.]
[Pupa: Wow, it's rare for you not to say cock.]
[I'm only four years old right now. Ish, let me speaks like a proper four years old!]
"Wu… what is engaged?" Little Jean asked curiously. He was still four years old, so he had no idea about this.
Meanwhile, Raphael was quite baffled that Little Jean hadn't been informed about engagement. The engagement between nobles as early as they were born was pretty common in this continent.
But after he observed the innocence in Little Jean's eyes, Raphael sighed and caressed his pink hair, "Engagement is when two loving people promised to be one in the future, and after they are eighteen years old or more, they can get married."
"Married?" Little Jean asked once more.
"Marriage is when two people in love finally joined hands, and they live together, eat together, sleep together," Raphael explained patiently while adoring Little Jean's innocent face.
"Ah, does that mean Jean is married to Big brother?"
"Big brother?" Raphael frowned.
"Yes! Big brother Maxi and Jean live together, and we also eat together!"
"No, no, that's different," Raphael chuckled, listening to Little Jean's answer. He put his hand on Little Jean's chest and explained, "Loving a person means that your heart will beat faster when you're with that person—"
Raphael pinched Little Jean's smooth cheek softly, "—Your cheek will turn red when you're near that person—"
Raphael then leaned closer, "And you also want to stay with him forever."
Little Jean was oblivious to Raphael's advance. He allowed Raphael to kiss his cheek and said, "—And you also love to kiss or getting kissed by the person you love."
"Wu… I see…" Little Jean was dazed, while Raphael giggled happily, knowing that Little Jean was so innocent, even though they only had three years gap.
Raphael was taught to be a good noble since he was a toddler like the rest of the noble kids. Even Maximillien Eau Saumont must've undergone the same training. That was the reason how he could take over the Archduchy at such young age of fourteen years old.
But it was surprising that his little brother wasn't well educated about this.
"So, do you want to get engaged with me?" Raphael asked.
"Um…"
[Okay, this continent is so screwed up. How could they let seven years old engaged with four years old kid?!]
[Pupa: Isn't that very common even in your world? The medieval era in your world also has that kind of custom.]
[Well, I was born in modern times!]
"Jean will—"
"What is this?"
Little Jean and Raphael were interrupted by a heavier voice. There was a shadow that covered the sun behind Raphael.
Little Jean looked up and saw his Big brother crossing his arm and peered suspiciously at Little Jean and Raphael.
Raphael turned his head and resumed his perfunctory smile, "Good morning, Archduke Maximillien."
Maximillien didn't greet Raphael immediately because he could feel the hostility coming from this seven years old kid. Beneath that angelic smile, there was something deeper and dangerous.
"I thought Archduke is currently having a talk with my father. He is quite eager to see your qualification, knowing that you're only fourteen years old to lead the Archduchy."
"What are you doing with Little Jean?" Maximillien asked.
"Oh? With Flower Fairy?" Raphael smiled and hugged Little Jean, lifting Jean up and then putting him down to stand beside Raphael.
Little Jean was still bewildered and asked, "A—Angel, that's scary…."
"Really? I'm sorry then," Raphael chuckled and patted Little Jean's head.
Maximillien watched everything. He should be happy that Little Jean was now with someone rather than bugging him in his office.
But for some reason, he felt a bit uncomfortable, just a bit.
Little Jean stared at his Big brother, but when Maximillien darted his eyes at him, Little Jean immediately lowered his gaze, refused to look at Maximillien.
Maximillien scoffed. He also felt ridiculous that he had to search around for this orphaned kid. He was obviously fine with this Second Prince that the Emperor brought with him.
In fact, that orphaned kid could do whatever he wanted. He didn't even care.
Maximillien turned his body, "I was just walking around. You two can play whatever. Also, Prince Raphael, that little kid standing beside you, he is not my brother. He is just a kid adopted by my late parents."
Little Jean's body trembled as he heard that statement from his own Big brother. Little Jean knew that Big brother was right. He was just an orphaned kid from a terrible orphanage.
But he was absolutely thrilled when he got adopted by his late parents, and he also admired his Big brother a lot.
Raphael saw the discord between Archduke Maximillien and Little Jean. Thus he patted Jean's head and said, "It's okay, I will protect you instead. Let's get engaged, so I can legally protect you in the future."
"Engaged!?" Maximillien turned his body again. He glared at the unflinching Second Prince and also Little Jean. "What do you mean about engagement? I've never heard such a thing."
"Ah, suppose you haven't heard it. I've proposed to Little flower fairy whether he wants to get engaged with me. Because I've come to like her, and as a next saint, I am unable to get close to him or protect him unless I'm his legal fiancee," Raphael smirked. "Since you don't want to protect Little Jean, then I will get engaged with him and protect him instead. What do you think, Little Jean?"
"Un…" Little Jean glanced up at his Big brother, but he could only see the glare that pierced his guts, so he only nodded weakly.
[Pupa: Ding! Raphael De Argent's Fatemeter increases to 15%.]
[Pupa: Ding! Maximillien Eau Saumont's Fatemeter increases to 20%.]
Maximillien gritted his teeth, "How ridiculous—"
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
"This is amazing!"
Maximillien was interrupted by someone who barged in. They all darted their eyes at the source of the clap and saw Emperor Argent III, Raphael's father cheering on them.
Emperor Argent walked behind Raphael and Little Jean. He crouched and patted their heads, "Look at these two boys, Raphael and your adopted little brother. They look cute together. Why don't we let them getting engaged? So they'd cultivate their feelings together as they grew up!"
"But—" Maximilllien wanted to refuse, but logically, that wouldn't make sense. Archduchy Eau Saumont was fixing its relationship with the Empire. An engagement between the Second Prince and Little Jean would benefit them in the long term.
But it still felt wrong for Maximillien.
"But they are both boys. Second Prince will be cut off of his blood lineage," Maximillien tried to argue.
"Ah, that's fine. Raphael will be a saint in the future, he cannot have a child to avoid child-worshipping because sainthood is not determined by blood, but by God's favorite," Emperor Argent III explained. "So if he wants to marry a man, that'd be the best because it would avoid a child being birthed since your little brother is also a man!"
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