Chapter Twenty Four

"P-Prince Noah?!"

The person that opened the door was Prince Noah, he was staring at me crossing his arms, impatient.

I was still in the bathtub, fortunately, I had forgotten to stop using my magic when the maids left, so I was still with my appearance changed.

"I'm in the bath, Your Highness!" I said, embarrassed, trying to cover myself with my arms.

"And?" He asked like it was no big deal.

'This brat has no common sense, does he?' I realized.

"What are you even doing here, Your Highness?" I asked, annoyed.

"I was looking for you, but it seems that you are late and I will have to wait for you to get ready." He said, frowning at me.

"Can't you just wait for me outside?!" I asked, mad.

"Tsk. But don't take too long, or else you will get me late again today." Prince Noah said, leaving the bathroom, reluctantly.

I sighed when he left.

'Was that the real reason for him wanting me to have a room closer to his, just because he wanted to boss me around?' I asked myself, annoyed.

I left the bathtub and dried myself.

"I have to be more careful." I whispered to myself.

Though I know it is my fault for not locking the bedroom door, still, I would never think that someone, even less Prince Noah, would freely enter here without my permission.

'If I wasn't already using my magic Prince Noah would end up discovering real identity.' I realized, afraid.

Putting on a bathrobe I left the bathroom just to see Prince Noah sitting in the armchair, reading a book.

When he noticed my presence Prince Noah asked, frowning at me. "This book is not one of the books I gave to you. Where did you find it?"

"Nicholas gave me this book before he left, Your Highness." I said.

Prince Noah seemed surprised to hear Nicholas' name.

"Hmm… He told me in his letters that you both became friends because you have a similar taste for books. I just didn't know that it was this kind of book." Prince Noah said staring at the book with a weird look.

"What is the problem with that book?" I asked, not being really able to hide my anger.

'Is this brat mocking my taste for books?' I thought, mad.

Prince Noah looked at me and said. "For people like you? There is no problem to like books like this one."

'So the problem was Nicholas liking then?' I asked myself, curious.

I was about to ask that, but then Prince Noah threw the book back on my bed, and crossing his arms he said staring at me. "What are you doing standing there? Go change yourself. We are late!"

"...Yes, Your Highness." I said, annoyed. Even though I am Prince Noah's personal servant now, I am still not used to being ordered around by a brat.

Looking at the cabinet I felt a little bit troubled. "Your Highness, can I really use one of these clothes?"

Prince Noah came closer to me and looked at the clothes, then he looked at me confused and asked. "What is the problem with the clothes I gave to you?"

"There is no problem, but… Aren't they too fancy for a servant like me?" I asked.

"Tsk. These are my old clothes, they were going to be thrown away, anyway. So just use them." He said, annoyed.

'His old clothes?' I thought, surprised.

Prince Noah suddenly took some of the clothes and gave them to me. "Here, just get dressed now."

"A-Alright." I said.

Since Prince Noah didn't give any sight that he would leave, I went back to the bathroom to change myself.

When I left the bathroom Prince Noah looked at me surprised. "Are you sure that you are just one year younger than me? I used these clothes when I was nine years old, and it is still loose on you."

"I-I am still growing, alright?!" I said, embarrassed.

"Huh. If you say so." Prince Noah said crossing his arms like he still didn't believe me.

Ignoring his attitude, I put my shoes on, and then we left.

To my surprise all this time the maids were waiting out of my bedroom. But for some reason, they had weird looks in their eyes when they were looking at me.

'Is that because of these clothes that Prince Noah made me use?' I asked myself, confused.

Even while we were following Prince Noah to the dining room, I could see that sometimes they looked at me.

The only one that seemed to act normally was Mary.

'Did I do something wrong? Maybe I should just ask Mary later.' I thought to myself.

We arrived at the dining room and to my surprise, Prince Dylan was sitting there already.

But this time Prince Noah didn't seem to be surprised.

"So, now you will always have your meals here, brother?" Prince Noah asked frowning.

"Of course! I'm trying my best to have some time to pass with my little brother." Prince Dylan said smiling.

"Huh. It is not like I want it." Prince Noah said before sitting in his place.

"Don't say such a thing, Noah. Or else I will think you really mean it." Prince Dylan faking a sad face.

"Huh." Prince Noah crossed his arms and looked in another direction. It seemed that he was annoyed, but I could see his cheeks getting a little bit red.

'I think he wants his brother company, but don't want to admit it.' I realized and chuckled lowly.

Prince Dylan then looked at me a bit surprised for some reason, but then he said. "Oh, Alex! Sit here with us."

"Greetings Your Royal Highness, Prince Dylan." I said bowing respectfully. "Thank you for inviting me, Your Highness."

Prince Dylan chuckled and said. "There is no need to be so formal, Alex. You are a friend now." He was smiling at me gently, which made me get even more nervous.

'Why is he acting like that? Looking at him acting like this makes me think that what happened last time, when he threatened me, never actually happened.' I thought, confused.

"A-Alright." I said and then I sat next to Prince Noah, as usual.

The maids served us. I started eating, but I noticed that Prince Dylan was staring at me for a while already.

"Is there anything wrong, Your Highness?" I asked.

"Perhaps… Are you using Noah's clothes?" Prince Dylan asked me.

I was about to answer when Prince Noah said. "I gave these to him."

"...I see." Prince Dylan said, surprised.

'That must be weird seeing a servant like me using this kind of clothes. Maybe that was why the maids were looking weird at me before.' I realized.

An awkward silence filled the room.

Prince Dylan was staring at Prince Noah, but Prince Noah was staring t the other way, avoiding Prince Dylan's looks.

Trying to change the mood, I decided to ask. "Prince Dylan, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, of course." Prince Dylan said looking at me.

"Once I saw a blonde man with golden eyes like yours, Your Highness. I didn't know that there were other members of the royal family living here. Do you know him, Your Highness?" I asked.

"You must be talking about Mister Klaus, the Duke of Avalon. He works here in the palace, and he is one of my father's closest friends."

'So Lena wasn't lying about that.' I realized.

Prince Noah then looked at me and asked, frowning at me, he seemed worried. "Why are you asking about him? Has he done something to you?"

"No, Your Highness. I just saw him once, and I got curious. That is all." I explained.

"Huh. I don't like this guy." Prince Noah said crossing his arms.

"Why don't you like him?" Prince Dylan asked, confused.

"I just don't." Prince Noah said avoiding our stares.

Prince Dylan was looking at Prince Noah, he seemed to be worried but said nothing.

'I'm so tired.' I thought, exhausted.

All morning, after his breakfast, Prince Noah was having his swordsmanship class in the training ground out of the palace.

It was pretty enjoyable to see him training, Prince Noah is pretty skillful for his age.

But I was getting exhausted. I was feeling my body heavy and I was having a headache.

'Is it because of the sun?' I asked myself.

After all, I was all morning standing under the sun, though today it wasn't that hot.

'Maybe is it because I am not used to it? Well, in this life I passed basically all my life inside of a building. Probably I am just not used to being under the sun for so long anymore.' I realized.

I sighed relieved when I saw that Prince Noah had just finished his class.

When he came to us the maids quickly gave him a towel, since he was sweating.

"You were so cool when you were training, Your Highness." I said, excited.

"You think so-" Prince Noah said, but when he looked at me he was surprised, he had a weird expression on his face.

"I-Is there anything wrong, Your Highness?" I asked, worried.

'Is there something on my face?' I asked myself, confused.

Suddenly, Prince Noah came closer to me and touched my forehead with his bare hand, and then took it back pretty fast.

"I think you are sick. You have a fever." Prince Noah said.

"I am?" I asked touching my face, and then I realized that I was indeed too hot.

"Come with me." Prince Noah said holding my wrist, forcing me to follow him.

"Where are we going?" I asked, confused.

"There is an infirmary near here. I'm taking you there." Prince Noah said without looking back at me.

The infirmary was a big room full of beds. And there was an old man with a white coat sitting in a chair.

When he noticed us he quickly got up and said.

"Prince Noah! What is Your Highness doing here? Are you perhaps injured?" He asked, worried.

Prince Noah pointed at me and said. "Doctor, he is sick. Do something."

The old man, that seemed to be the doctor, looked at me, then he touched my forehead.

"He has a fever." Prince Noah quickly said.

The doctor nodded and then he said to me. "Come with me, boy."

He walked to one of the beds and then he said. "Sit here."

I did as he said, then the doctor started to examine me.

"Besides the fever are you feeling anything different?" He asked after examining me.

"I just have a headache, doctor."

The doctor nodded and then he went to some cabinets and picked something there. When he was back he was holding a bottle with a red liquid inside.

"Drink it." He said.

"What is it, doctor?" I asked, curious. I was looking at the red liquid, unsure.

"It is a medicine, it will help lower your fever." He explained.

I forced myself to drink it, expecting a horrible taste, but surprisingly it wasn't that bad.

"What does he have, doctor?" Prince Noah asked, worried.

"He has just a cold, Your Highness. He just needs to rest and soon he will be fine." The doctor explained.

"I see." Prince Noah said, seeming to be a bit relieved. But then he looked at me frowning and ordered. "You stay here and rest! You can just leave here when the doctor says so."

"Y-Yes, Your Highness." I said, surprised.

Prince Noah then just left.

The doctor looked at me and said. "You can just lay in the bed and rest for now. I have something to do now, I will be back soon."

"Alright, thank you, doctor." I said.

After the doctor left I lay down on the bed.

"How did I get the cold?" I whispered to myself, confused.

Just then I remembered that last night I slept in the bathtub, and soon after I walked through the palace in the middle of the night using only a night-suit.

'Thinking about that, it is actually no surprise that I got sick.' I realized.

I yawned, tired.

"I think the medicine the doctor gave me is making me feel sleepy." I noticed.

'But I can't sleep. Not here.' I thought worried.

The doctor said that he would be back soon, so if I end up sleeping I will stop being able to use my magic, and the doctor will see my real appearance.

"I just have to wait for him, then I will leave and go back to my room. There I can sleep in peace." I decided.

"Hey, do you know where the doctor is?"

When I opened my eyes I saw a red-haired boy around my age, poking my arm.

I sat on the bed still confused. I looked around and noticed where I was.

'Did I fall asleep?' I asked myself, confused.

"I-I am sorry for my ruddiness! I didn't know you were a royal." The boy said bowing to me.

"Royal…?" I asked, confused.

Then I realized what just happened. I wasn't using my magic anymore.

'Shit.'