10. Almost Killing Each Other

Claude shook his head. "I... I think I should go home," he replied dejectedly, expressing his detachment from Kane's family.

'I could finally get away from Kane, of course; I want to get away from you, idiot. My presence would only worsen your relationship with your siblings.' Thought Claude beneath his sorry face.

"But where will you go?" Xavier asked; tears began to bud on his lower eyelids, tightly holding Claude's hand and secretly reading his thoughts with magic.

"Around the world, become an adventurer," Claude replied casually.

"Adventuring without a purpose? Why?" Xavier tightened his grip, wanting to hear Claude's true feelings.

In his thoughts, Claude responded, 'Who says I'm adventuring without a purpose? My goal is to avoid all of you!'

"I'll leave; I don't want to complicate things, especially since everyone thinks I'm dead. I don't want to involve you in this case," Claude explained.

"Do you not realize that if I stay with you and get caught, your family will be punished for concealing someone's death?" Claude reasoned.

He slowly released Xavier's hand, ceasing to read his mind. Xavier became sadder, realizing that Claude didn't share the same feeling as him—to avoid and get away from him.

"Don't go," Xavier pleaded.

"But I want to-"

"Heuk." Claude's body collided with someone. The stranger grinned, immediately pulling Claude's cloak and teleporting away.

"Finally found you, fool," the stranger said.

"What is this?!" Claude exclaimed, surprised, finding himself behind Xavier. The blond youth identified the stranger as Kane.

"Kane, what are you doing!" Claude panicked. His body was teleported rapidly, making him nauseous.

"What?" Kane stopped above someone's house.

"Let go!" Claude felt nauseous.

Claude's eyes widened when he saw Xavier flying towards him. The pale yong man grabbed Claude, pulling his hand, flying higher until they collided with a bird. Flying without wings frightened Claude; he closed his eyes.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Xavier teleported toward them, trying to retrieve Claude. Feeling threatened, Kane teleported Claude into his arms and back down.

"Stop it- huwaa!" Claude felt increasingly nauseous.

"He's mine," Xavier declared. The Crown Prince chased Kane to reclaim Claude.

Claude felt tossed around, sensing something was wrong with the sequence of events. "I'm not a ball!" Claude couldn't bear it. He freed himself from Kane, but Kane immediately froze both his legs. Kane's water element was at level five, similar to Claude's elder siblings.

"Don't ruin my plans; stay here," Kane commanded.

Claude nodded fearfully.

"This is insane! Is this a battle? In the market?!" Claude exclaimed anxiously, seeing Kane unsheathing his sword to attack Xavier.

Claude also witnessed Xavier pulling out a long green wooden staff. The market chaos escalated as a strong wind destroyed the area, with Xavier's body surrounded by a protective windshield.

Kane couldn't attack Xavier due to the level difference. Although Xavier had higher strength, Kane's teleportation power overwhelmed him, making it challenging to strike.

"Be careful, young master!" The two guards hid, contemplating their early resignation. Handling two princes who was also high-level mages was beyond their pay grade as guards.

"STOP!" Claude shouted.

The commotion intensified as Kane managed to stab Xavier's shoulder. Xavier, in turn, created a massive magic circle, immobilizing one of Kane's legs and sealing his teleportation ability.

Xavier grinned, taking Kane's sword and raising it, ready to kill his own brother.

"DON'T, DON'T IT!" Claude screamed.

"I told you to stop!" Claude, exhausted from shouting, started coughing.

"Oh no, I think I am going to faint." Claude pretended to collapse weakly.

Kane immediately liquefied ice on Claude's legs from a distance.

Xavier also stopped his magic, and the wind ceased. Xavier rushed to Claude, embracing him tightly.

"Don't touch him!" Kane shouted. Unable to move, he was in pain, and Xavier had sealed his teleportation magic.

"Don't you touch him!" Xavier retorted, refusing to back down.

"I found him first; he's mine," Kane insisted.

"I saved him; he's mine," Xavier persisted. "Release him; don't chase him again," Xavier ordered.

Kane clenched his fists. "You release him, fool!"

People around were frightened, fearing the two young men would fight again. One person suggested, "Gentlemen, stop this. What if we let him choose instead?"

"Which one do you choose, the black one or the white one?" the man asked Claude.

"Do I have to choose?" Claude hesitated.

"Don't be greedy, young man," the man replied.

"If that's the case, I don't need to choose."

"I SAID I DON'T WANT TO CHOOSE! WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM?" Claude shouted.

"Just fight each other over there!" Claude couldn't take it anymore. Angry and frustrated, he never expected things would turn out this badly just for his sake.

Unconsciously crying, Claude used his healing power to mend Xavier's shoulder. He approached Kane, healing his legs, and instructed Xavier to remove the seal blocking Kane's teleportation magic.

Xavier obeyed, all for Claude.

But after the seal was lifted, "I caught you." Kane choked Claude's neck and teleported him again, farther away, beyond Xavier's reach.

"Argh!!" Xavier raged. He couldn't pursue them; his energy was depleted, unable to use magic or fly. This was Xavier's weakness—he possessed a powerful magic spell, but his mana quickly ran out.

****

"Claude? CLAUDE?!" When Kane arrived at the hiding place, Claude's body suddenly transformed into a wooden puppet.

Kane ran his hand through his hair, dropping the wooden puppet. The puppet bore a resemblance to Claude; if Kane remembered correctly, Claude once had

this puppet to kill his own mother.

"Damn, why did it turn into a puppet? How did he do it?!" Kane exclaimed in frustration, throwing the puppet towards the wall.

After a moment of silence, he grinned and picked up the life-sized wooden puppet again, carrying it on his back.

"If I'm not mistaken, this is a transmutation spell. If Claude is cornered, he'll likely exchange himself with this puppet again," mumbled Kane.

****

The incident involving Xavier and Kane wreaking havoc in the market reached the King's ears.

he King sighed wearily as he read the report of the damages caused by his two sons. Many places were destroyed, causing losses, and even some civilians were injured.

The King instructed Xavier to come before him. Seated on his throne, the King tossed a bill that Xavier had to pay for the damages. The King had to reorganize the market.

"Xavier!"

Xavier bowed, feeling guilty.

"The market damage, the citizens' houses, all because of you, huh?!" scolded the King. The foolish actions of the crown prince diverted attention from the second Prince.