Little Pink Starfish

“…At this rate, Your Highnesses might get scolded, but… well, do as you please.”

“Boo-hoo, Shuzel! Shuzeeeeel!”

The twins quickly changed targets and ran toward Shuzel. Unlike Rekayan, who had been lifting them with magic, Shuzel joyfully picked up each prince with one arm and began entertaining them in her own way.

Finally freed, Rekayan trudged over to a chair and collapsed into it. He watched the Empire’s first Sword Master play the “Whoosh-Whoosh_Sword Master Edition” game with the princes.

Laughter rang out—high-pitched giggles and excited squeals.

The sight of the angelic twin princes having fun brought smiles to the faces of passing palace staff and the attendants stationed nearby.

Rekayan, while remaining cautious of them, managed the bursts of mana that gathered each time the children squealed with joy.

‘Honestly, shouldn’t Aster be handling this kind of thing instead of me?’

Ever since the twins were born, Ishar had entrusted Rekayan with “guard duty”—which turned out to be childrearing in disguise.

The princes were raised without a wet nurse, instead being cared for by maids, attendants, Rekayan, and Shuzel.

Traditionally, a prince’s wet nurse was a woman from a noble family who had experience raising noble children.

Initially, Ishar and Veloan carefully selected such a woman to look after the twins.

But during the twins’ first year, an accident occurred—one that led to Rekayan taking her place.

—“Rekayan.”

A clear voice echoed in his mind, like a drop of water rippling across a pond.

‘Even when shaped by mana, how can His Majesty’s voice sound so pure and elegant?’

Just hearing Ishar’s voice washed away all his accumulated fatigue.

Feeling re-energized enough to do somersaults, Rekayan responded:

—“Yes, Your Majesty!”

—“I can sense the princes’ mana from here.”

—“Ah, Sir Quiste is playing a new ‘Whoosh’ game she developed. She’s not as good as me, but she’s strong enough to send them flying pretty high. Don’t worry—I’m managing it.”

Silence followed. Somehow, Rekayan could picture Ishar’s expression from afar.

—“…Should I stop her?”

If Rekayan just gave Shuzel a signal and said it was His Majesty’s order, she’d stop immediately.

But doing so would also mean the princes would turn their attention—and tantrums—back to him.

—“If it’s Shuzel, she’ll keep things under control. Just make sure nothing like last time happens again.”

Last time. Rekayan’s blue eyes narrowed slightly. He glanced at the laughing princes flapping their arms midair like birds.

Back then, during playtime with the wet nurse, the laughing princes had accidentally turned an entire palace wing into bubbles.

The resulting collapse caused fatalities and serious injuries among the maids, attendants, and knights stationed on the upper floors.

—“Wouldn’t now be the time for Their Highnesses to start learning magic?”

—“The Empress has been trying, but they say no and barely listen. They’re just like her when she was little.”

—“Your Majesty, I’ve been doing my best to prevent another Nervebram Palace incident, but if the princes go berserk, I can’t guarantee anything.”

The princes had inherited every trait from both Ishar and Veloan. Even Rekayan couldn’t measure the amount of mana inside their small bodies.

On top of that, their voices instinctively attracted mana from nature itself.

That mana, drawn in by their cries, would become magic the moment the twins gave it form, whether consciously or unconsciously.

That’s why Rekayan had been dispersing the accumulating mana from earlier.

—“My mage speaks so weakly.”

My mage. Just hearing the possessive made Rekayan’s heart race with joy.

—“My apologies, Your Majesty! Honestly, I’m full of confidence! Even baseless confidence is still confidence, right?”

—“That’s enough nonsense. I know. We can’t leave things like this.”

Oh. Rekayan gave a soft vocalized gasp. As expected from his brilliant liege.

—“Even if they don’t want to, I’ll make them learn magic. I also plan to seal part of their power until they can control it. Once they’re ready, the seal will release on its own.”

—“Ah, that would certainly help.”

Just as he said this, Rekayan sensed someone approaching and turned his head. Of course—walking toward them in her usual dignified stride was none other than the Empress of the Lucheist Empire.

—“Her Majesty the Empress has arrived.”

He reported, though no reply came. Rekayan squinted. No wonder—he understood now why there was silence.

Seeing the princes sprint toward Veloan, and Ishar teleport in almost simultaneously, Rekayan clicked his tongue internally.

“Mommy! Daddy!”

Both children shouted in unison. Yunesha threw himself into Ishar’s arms, while Ersha hugged Veloan. Ishar stroked Yunesha’s head as he clung to his neck, and looked up at Veloan.

‘Oh boy.’

Rekayan quietly got to his feet and began backing away.

Though both Ishar and Veloan held the princes, they stared into each other’s eyes like their overflowing affection was about to spill out.

Rekayan, having remained near them since Veloan became Empress, quickly cast a spell.

He didn’t trust himself to stay sane if he had to hear what the two were about to say. As he activated a sound-blocking air spell, only Ishar’s radiant smile remained in view.

“Oh dear. Why are you walking this way, Sir Quiste? Your guard post is waaaay over there.”

Rekayan teased as Shuzel approached—having just been abandoned by the princes—and she shot him a cold look.

“Don’t tell me… are you asking me to cast a sound-blocking spell too?”

“…Please.”

Honestly, Rekayan wanted to tease Shuzel more—make her endure the disgustingly sweet nothings the imperial couple always whispered.

But he quietly cast a sound-blocking spell on her too.

She nodded slightly in thanks and returned to her post.

Rekayan looked at the Emperor and Empress, each cradling a prince as they spoke.

After a while, the princes began to nod off mid-conversation.

Rekayan checked the time. It was nap time—of course they’d start dozing off right on schedule. He watched them with wonder, as if they had internal clocks.

Ishar and Veloan gently rocked their sons as they chatted until the boys fully drifted off.

Seeing them, Rekayan found something odd.

Usually, after talking a bit, the couple would head off separately—but today, they sat together, still deep in conversation.

‘Are they talking about something different today? Not the usual embarrassing romantic fluff, but maybe… magic? Or magic. Or—hear me out—magic!’

Unable to kill that tiny spark of hope, Rekayan made a mistake.

He accidentally released the sound-blocking spell he had cast on himself.

“I, my sweet Bel… Do you know the first flower to bloom in this empire, as winter fades and spring begins?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure.”

From her expression, it was obvious she did know—but her little smile said she wanted to hear more of Ishar’s voice. Like a fox.

“It’s the Luchéterna blossom. A flower as fresh and lovely as you.”

“My dearest Ishar, did you just say the flower is lovely, too?”

“…Just a jest. I only meant… your jealousy was so cute and precious, I couldn’t help myself. My Bel, forgive me. Not being able to look at you all day is agony enough—if you were to hate me, how could I possibly endure such pain?”

“Well, if you put it that way… I suppose I can forgive you, my liege.”

“Ah… Truly, I am the happiest man alive. Your generous and magnificent spirit, your love, forever save me. How could I not—”

Pop. Rekayan scratched his ear furiously and re-cast the sound-blocking spell.

At least they used to save this for when they were alone. Now, even with attendants nearby, they dove into their own little world.

‘At this rate, they’ll start acting like this in noble council meetings too.’

Rekayan considered betting on it with Shuzel. He looked over at Ishar’s laughing face.

‘I never could’ve imagined this back when we were in the Tower.’

He had thought Ishar, like himself, would devote his whole life to magic.

He was sure Ishar would never learn to love people.

But after meeting Veloan, Ishar changed. He smiled, softened, and let go of that perpetual coldness.

Seeing his liege full of joy made Rekayan think, just fleetingly—

‘Maybe it’s time I tried love, too.’

But being a mage by nature, just imagining the research he’d abandon for romance made his heart ache—and he let the thought go.

<Side Story – Complete>