Before I even noticed what was going on, he suddenly jumped into the hole, and now he's standing next to me, in this very narrow hole.

Wait, too close!

"Show me your hand."

He reached out to my "bleeding hand".

Uh... I hesitantly reached out my hand to him.

Was I found out?

Unexpectedly, he takes out his handkerchief and tightly ties it around where I casted the illusion of bleeding.

"The bleeding won't stop?! Or rather, how can there be a nail here?! The gardeners should have made sure to get rid of dangerous things!"

"Uhm, I think there are possibilities of sharp objects to be buried in the ground in the first place, despite the gardeners trying their best to clear the area... hence why this prank was quite dangerous... So, listen--"

"W-why can you be so calm?! Your hand is bleeding!! The nail might infect you, as well! I, I didn't listen to the lesson in details but I get that it's dangerous! L-let's quickly go out of here and let me call the doctor! Oh, right... if it's hard for you to climb up... let me carry you..."

He positioned himself to carry me.

...

Huh? What's with this turn of events?

He didn't freak out and run away out of fear of his own action's consequences?

But, he's just a normal 4-year-old, despite being the prince!

Or, since he is the prince, he is different than any normal kid?!

He looked so impatient and tried to grab me.

"Wait a second!"

"No waiting! We should get you treated right away!"

...Uh, the situation doesn't turn into what I imagined it would be. If I were to go to the doctor, this whole mess would get me into more trouble.

Seems like it's time.

"Alright, alright, there's no need to do that, I'm okay!" I called off my illusion.

"Huh, you're okay? Are you out of your mind--- HUH?!!"

He noticed that my wound and all the bleeding have gone away.

"How...?!"

The prince is standing there, with a puzzled expression.

*sigh*

He'd have more reason to be mad at me.

This payback has backfired.

"Alright sorry, I did that with magic. I want to teach you that your prank could have resulted in people getting injured, you know. I want you to learn that before the damage's been done."

He went silent.

Here it comes, Lyra! I closed my eyes, anticipating his anger.

Damn damn, and here I wanted to be able to scold him, not the opposite.

"Thank goodness!"

...huh? I opened my eyes in disbelief.

"I was worried on how it would turn out if your bleeding didn't stop! Thank goodness it's just an illusion!"

"...Huh?! You're not going to get angry at me?"

"...well... The most important thing is that you're okay. ...I never thought of people getting injured like that because of my trivial prank... So yeah, ...I... think, I... deserved that...," the prince turned his face away. I can see that his ears are red. He seems to be embarrassed to admit his own mistake.

Did I just give him a shock therapy, and that caused him to be more obedient and honest?!

And, what is this? This brat isn't some kind of thoughtless brat like I thought he was.

"Why didn't you just run away when you saw me like that? The others could have thought that I fell on my own since I wasn't being careful in walking. If my wound was real, it'd get you into trouble, you know?"

"...My father taught me to be responsible of my own action, like if someone is hurt because of me, I should apologize and be responsible of it..."

Hmm? So, he listens to what his father told him.

Out of curiosity, I asked.

"Hey, if you really listened to what your parents told you... why didn't you stop your pranks? I mean, they must have told you to stop, right?"

"Yeah, they did. But, I didn't think my pranks are harmful and everyone else seemed to not mind them, and it's fun to do! You know,... I was happy... that my parents gave me more of their attention to me... even though it's only for scolding me..."

Aah, makes sense.

No harm was done by the pranks, the maids didn't seem to get so upset, thinking it was one of the children's usual behavior, he had fun doing so, and he got his parents' attention after that.

A simple child's thoughts.

No harm done, I get lots of benefits. Let's continue!

But, still...

"...you know that this cycle will keep on going, don't you?"

"..."

"You know that you can no longer get your parents' full attention again, like before."

"...I know, but as long as I can get any extra of their attention, then it's fine!"

"...but, aren't you tired of it?"

No matter what he does, things can't return to how they were, before Leti was born. Why do something futile?

"..."

"You know that it's not like your parents love you less than your sister, right? It's just they can't give you their full attention again. You are a big brother now, you can't act spoiled."

"..."

Uh, another silence.

"Uhm, can I ask more questions?"

"...yes?"

Finally, a response!

"Instead of being so fixated on your parents' attention, why won't you try to make friends with the others? You can learn how to socialize and gain care and attention from your friends in exchange of your parents' lost attention, so why did you treat your playmates like that?"

"...I thought that if I tried to make them upset, they'd drop that behavior of trying to please me, just because I'm the prince. I am not happy even if I get their attention, as they only view me as the prince and faced me with their pretense... That's why I want my parents more than the others. ...The only ones who would see me as just Luca. You might not understand it at all. I was just..."

The prince didn't finish his sentence, perhaps out of his embarrassment, but I know.

"I was just..."

---lonely.

In exchange to the luxurious life he's got as the prince, he felt lonely.

There are things that money and status can't buy.

Instead, there are things that are harder to get when you have money and status.

Being accompanied by someone doesn't automatically make you less lonely.

In fact, being with others who can't stand on equal position and be honest with you will just make you feel lonelier than ever.

More than anyone else, I can understand that.

Now, I can slightly understand this kid's motive, and why it didn't work out with the other children the way things are, right now.

Well then, I don't know how it will turn out, but hopefully my words can reach him, this time.