THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 18: Real Status.

By: CEO. Ft. Ennice.

Inside the reception room, the walls were decorated with light-colored patterns, gold edges curved around, and a large cream-colored sofa set surrounded the warm-toned, rectangular table. Above it all, a luxurious chandelier shone bright light.

Charan stepped into the area where some people were waiting and bowed respectfully, bending his head down with a gesture full of respect, and a gentle smile and concerned eyes from the highest official in the country made Emmaly feel good.

“I apologize for being late, Your Majesty.” Charan was dressed neatly according to his previous style. He asked his people to find clothes to change into before traveling because he thought of etiquette and formality in front of the royal family as the main principle.

“Is everything alright? Do you have any injuries?” Dhipabawon did not care much about the chaotic ceremony but rather welcomed the younger person to sit down and asked with concern.

“It’s just a small injury, Your Highness .” Charan looked at what he had encountered as a small matter, but if someone were to ask who should be taken care of the most physically and mentally right now, it would be Khanin.

“I will call the doctor to come and examine you.”

“Your Highness, I am fine but Little Young-Prince… For safety reasons, I think he should be examined again.”

“To make me feel relieved, let’s both of you get checked.”

“Thank you very much, Charan. I truly am thankful I trusted no one else other than you.” The low-ranked person bowed his head in acceptance of the words that were filled to the brim with emotion from Dhipabawon.

Please don’t do that, Your Highness… it is the duty of the nobles to follow the will of the sovereign, but….” Charan paused briefly before continuing, “His

Majesty has informed everyone about Young-Prince, hasn’t he?”

This question arose because the young man had just arrived in Daveen after traveling from a meeting point. Charan guessed that Dhipabawon had already informed some members of the Atsawathewathin family about the news.

Many guards were waiting to receive him.

“Tarin already knows. Khanin is in the safe area of Atsawathewathin. There is no need to keep this a secret.” as expected. Charan looked at the chessboard as Dhipabawon played.

Currently, Khanin is in the safest place in the country. If it were announced that the true Crown Prince is still alive, all media outlets and news agencies would be interested. Everyone in the country would be aware of Khanin’s existence.

And the bad guys… would have a harder time moving. This means that Khanin’s security rate will be higher.

“You have a far-sighted view, Your Highness.”

“It’s not just about Khanin not being a secret anymore, but also about the fact that you are skilled in something more than just teaching ordinary martial arts. We don’t need to hide this truth anymore.”

Dhipabawon’s sentence was what Charan had been thinking about since he was a child. He was raised under the care of the Sovereign-King and was almost as noble as the royal family.

Everyone understood that he received privileges because his parents died while protecting members of the Atsawathewathin family.

Charan, who was the sole heir to the Pitakthewat family, directly benefited from this fact. This was not a lie, but only partially true.

The true identity of Charan is like a two-faced coin… He was trained to be proficient in both academics and combat, with all types of weapons. He could handle close-range combat without any problem. There was nothing he couldn’t do.

Everything about him was prepared for a special secret mission that no one knew about. It was his responsibility to ensure that Khanin, the missing Crown Prince, returned safely to the country without anyone suspecting anything.

Hence, Charan had to live his life like an ordinary person.

He didn’t flaunt his martial arts skills. Nothing was exceptional, and everything was tucked away under the guise of an art teacher. Everyone knew that Charan was good at drawing and that he had a school that taught morality. Even royal family members came to study under Sovereign-King’s supervision.

Charan was difficult to catch in terms of his artistic skills, but nobody knew the real him.

And he thought… that it should be a secret forever. At least, let those in the wider circle understand that it was the most appropriate thing to do.

“I think no one knows much about it, Your Highness…”

“I don’t want anyone to know too much.” Dhipabawon spoke as if he understood Charan’s thoughts. He knew his personality well, he didn’t like others knowing about his life. Charan was always like that.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Alright, I understands. As for Khanin’s situation… I will make another announcement in front of everyone after sending invitations to the leaders of all families to come here.”

“Regarding Young-Prince… Your Highness, I think some people already know about it. There was someone trying to harm Young-Prince along the way, and as for Khun Tattanai…” The mention of someone’s names made Charan more tense than before.

I will have people searching for him, whether he is still alive or not. Grandpa will bring Tattanai back here… And as for the culprit, I will have Virun help investigate more.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Charan accepted the order, thinking back to the recent incident that had occurred just a few hours ago. That man… If he survived, they might be able to find clues and information to reach the mastermind.

However, the survival rate was slim. Charan knew this truth well. Sacrificing oneself by taking poison was not a common practice, only a few members of the royal family in Emmaly could do it.

But… What about the Thawetmetha family? Were there any members from the Phuchongphisut or Atsawathewathin clans?

“Let’s go, Tarin is probably waiting for us in the dining room.” The voice of the elderly man and his movements pulled Charan out of his thoughts. He kept all his suspicions but did not let them linger.

On the long hallway, which led to the other wing of the building at the end of the carpet, the Sovereign-King’s procession moved slowly, following the pace of the leader’s footsteps. Despite his advanced age, he still looked majestic and strong, but Dhipabawon could not walk as easily and quickly as when he was young.

Charan followed behind him, observing the movements of every person in front of him. Everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells, especially those who held positions close to the nobles. Everything went according to the usual routine that had been practiced for over twenty years, whether it was as a guardian of the royal family or as a grandson head security.

The long hallway ended at a room in the middle of the left wing of the building. Maharek, the butler, greeted them with respect before announcing the name of the new arrival as soon as the procession arrived. Disappointed with only one heart, both doors were opened wide.

“The Sovereign-King has arrived.”

Every life in the dining room stood up, raising their left hand to show respect simultaneously. Everything was quiet until Dhipabawon slowly walked to his designated seat.

Charan stopped in front of the door to pay his respects to Prince Tarin, who seemed to be absent-minded and not paying attention to anything around him. He kept all his suspicions but did not let them linger.

“Has Khanin not arrived yet?” Dhipabawon asked, almost in unison with the sound of the Lord Steward’s voice from the front of the room, accompanied by the appearance of the person everyone was waiting for.

“Young-Prince has arrived.”

The door was opened again before someone stepped inside. The person whom Charan had previously paid tribute to in London entered, clad in new formal attire. His eyes still shrouded in mystery despite the dim light.

This different appearance made Charan stop and pause, considering the person who dressed in new attire as he was a mischievous young man from London.

The owner of the cute face is now wearing a fashionable Chinese collar shirt, with his shoulders covered by a traditional Northern Regions embroidered jacket made from special gold thread that makes his fair and delicate skin look even smoother, so much so that Charan thinks that Khanin would be suitable for this place, something that he never expected.

Before he realized that he had stared at the other person for too long, almost a minute had passed. The young man lowered his head in respect for someone of higher rank than him, making the newcomer feel more uncomfortable than before.

Khanin didn’t know what he should do next in this strange situation.

‘Remember, Nin. If you meet someone unfamiliar at Emmaly … no matter who they are. If they are older, you must greet them first.’

 

 

‘But I don’t see the fairness. And if I doesn’t know them, I don’t want to greet them either.’

‘…If it were anywhere else, it would be up to you, but if it’s at Emmaly, you have to do what I tell you. Otherwise, others would think that I did not teach you well.’

Tattanai’s teachings resounded loudly in his head once again. Khanin held back all his confusion before finally agreeing to follow his father’s instructions once again. Although it contradicted his own desires, here in this place, the young man agreed not to cause disappointment to Tattanai.

He understood deeply why his father had been angry with him about etiquette issues in the past.

“Hello … um … sir.” He decided to start with a common greeting since he was not familiar with using formal language. He tried to sound polite but failed to understand the meaning behind the other person’s gaze.

Khanin could not guess who he was. The tall and majestic figure with broad shoulders and a long neck, styled with a semi-formal suit, made him seem more like a businessman than a royal family member. He sat on the left side of the table and Khanin guessed that he might be a relative or someone of lower rank.

That is, “not tall” does not mean an elderly person who holds the position of head of the table. Analyzing the situation, it was enough for him to guess that he did not need to do much.

It was probably the Sovereign-King … the person who was his grandfather.

“Come sit next to me, grandson.”

The commanding voice sounded as if he had heard the thoughts in Khanin’s head, causing the young man to drop his gaze, feeling helpless. He looked at his only retreat so that Charan would realize how confused he was.

In his mind, what he received was just silence.

Charan remained silent. The main reason being that he knew his status well. The response from the young man whose duty was to serve was merely a polite expression, making it impossible for anything else to happen.

“Yes sir.” the powerless individual replied softly, lowering his gaze to the empty chair on the right side of the table. Khanin didn’t really expect anything from Charan, but he thought he saw something that resembled concern in his eyes.

Khanin thought he saw … something that resembled worry in those twolayered eyes.

“Let’s start eating.”

When the Atsawathewathin-family members sat together, the highestranking person in the room commanded the palace maids to bring in various dishes.

The fragrant aroma of freshly cooked sweet and savory food filled the room, but strangely, it didn’t make Khanin feel like trying anything. On the contrary, he felt resistant.

He hid behind his two-layered eyes and sat quietly, observing a group of young women in red skirts gradually walking in with a variety of dishes.

They arranged the dishes on the table with precision, causing Khanin’s already heavy feeling in his chest to intensify. It expanded like a large rain cloud taking up space and making him feel tense.

Various thoughts circulated in his mind, perhaps due to the unfamiliar situation he was facing. The nerves in his fingertips were on high alert and he observed the young man sitting across from him.

Khanin kept his gaze fixed on the food in front of him, but he could observe all the reactions of those around him. He knew that Charan was confident that he hadn’t looked away since the moment they first locked eyes again, until now…

The other person who could clearly sense the tension was the man in the suit sitting opposite him. If Khanin’s analysis was not distorted, he was quite confident that the gaze the other party used to look at him was filled with deep contemplation…

It seemed like he was thinking so much that he wanted to express it out loud, but why?

The young man let himself float in thought for a moment. However, before he could think of anything else, a soft voice from someone at the head of the table interrupted him, calling out the names of a few people and asking the younger ones to turn their heads to look.

“Charan… come sit next to me and have a meal together.”

Khanin turned back to look at the speaker and saw the hint of anxiety in their piercing eyes, but ultimately, their lower position did not give them the right to refuse. In the end, Charan just gave a slight nod of acceptance to the order.

“Yes, our Highness.” The tall figure walked towards the dining table, allowing Little Maehlae who had been standing there to move her chair out of the way before sitting down with great manners. Their eyes met briefly as he wiped his mouth and placed the napkin quietly back onto the plate.

Charan’s every movement was worth watching, even the way he acted on the table showed that he had been trained to a high level. The young man remained tense until the sound of a soft clink from Dhipabawon tapping their glass against the water glass broke the awkwardness, signalling the start of the first meal of Amlay.

“Alright, we’re finally ready to face this together… This is an exciting moment for all of us in Grandfather’s life.”

Although there was no special ceremony, Khanin could not shake off the feeling of tension in his chest. He shuddered before comparing in his mind… the luxurious dining table was much different than the small kitchen in his own home, where it was only him and his father.

“Relax, dear, don’t worry too much.” said Grandpa, who had noticed his anxiety. Charan had reported everything to him already.

“Yes, sir.” replied Khanin, sparing words. Even though Dhipabawon tried to reduce the tension by engaging in small talk…

“And how are your injuries?”

“It’s nothing, really, not a big deal.”

“Hmm, then take a break today, and tomorrow I’ll have the Master Monk come and see you again.”

Khanin wasn’t sure how to respond or act in this situation. Keeping quiet and focusing on his food seemed like the best option.

“It’s not a big deal after all… It’s just that Khanin kept insisting that it was nothing when it was something important. The royals like to make a big deal out of things.”

“I heard that you’re even the captain of the Sword Club… You’re so talented.”

“Yes, sir.”

Because Dhipabawon noticed the cautious behavior of his only grandson, he chose to pick up the most genuine conversation from the information that Charan provided in order to help improve the atmosphere in the dining room.

Not only Khanin had to adjust and adapt, it seemed like Tarin himself was no different now. The guest did not touch any particular plate. Dhipabawon’s studious and obedient son just ate and followed the customs.

But all attention shifted to Khanin, only Khanin.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know if you’d like this type of food, so I ordered everything he could make for you to try… The national dishes may be specially spicy according to our recipe, but if you don’t like it, you don’t have to force yourself to eat it. Choose what you like, it’s not a problem. It’s etiquette.” The eldest person at this dining table spoke naturally.

Khanin swept his gaze over the long table now crowded with various types of food. Each dish was beautifully decorated, some had intricately carved vegetables placed next to fragrant main courses that made it impossible to resist salivating. Even though he didn’t really feel like eating anything at this moment.

The young man began with the dish closest to him. Khanin followed the custom, but his mind was blank, he didn’t know anything about the menu right in front of him and seemed to lose his taste buds for a moment. Until later on when he saw a ceramic bowl filled with thick orange curry soup containing noodles, the memory triggered something inside him.

Khao Soi… the dish that his father liked to make him eat. The food that Khanin always said he hated the most, but now it was himself who grabbed the nearby chopsticks and slowly brought the tangles of noodles into his mouth without hesitation, unlike before.

The smell of curry and spices filled his nose, the sweet, salty, spicy taste on his tongue from the seasoning coating the noodles gave him pause for a moment. Khanin knew he wasn’t going to cry… because of the heat and spiciness of the food. But there was a slight tightness in his chest as if being squeezed by a hand that couldn’t be seen.

It was because the Khao Soi in front of him tasted similar to what his father used to make… It was so similar that it made him feel fragile. The thing he used to say he didn’t like has now been pushed towards the corner of his mouth, hesitatingly tasting it as if afraid that it would disappear.

“Do you like Khao Soi?”

Dhipabawon, who noticed the motion of the fork and spoon, tilted his kind face towards the young child, causing the thin hand holding the chopsticks to pause. Khanin flickered his eyes to push back a drop of heart-wrenching water before raising his face to speak.

“My father often makes me eat it.” confessing, bringing the person in his heart closer, seeming to alleviate the tension that previously existed. Dhipabawon stopped frowning slightly at the new information he had just received.

“So… does Tattanai cook too? That’s surprising.”

“Yes, my father said I should practice because he wants- uh, wants me to be able to eat a variety of foods.”

“Oh… that’s great.”

Dhipabawon secretly observed a faint smile on his grandson’s face as he sat on the high chair at the head of the table, making it clear the emotions and expressions that were his own.

Normally, Tarin was a quiet person, not the type to talk a lot. Especially when sitting at the dining table with guests from out of town or from another city. Tarin was usually an important aide in creating a good atmosphere by helping to find conversation topics.

But now it was completely different. Tarin seemed to have forgotten everything, including how to converse and maintain relationships. He had lost control of himself completely.

And because Dhipabawon assessed that this period was too difficult for his son to handle, someone with more life experience had to step in and manage things.

“Neither of them has recommended themselves yet.” Dhipabawon thought that he should follow the correct procedure and heed the call of the Sovereign-King’s voice to garner interest from young people once again. Khanin inadvertently looked towards Charan for a moment before looking back at the person sitting opposite him.

“Tarin.”

“Yes, father.” the owner of the name responded before falling silent. Dhipabawon looked at his only son with a calm gaze, while the other party’s posture created the impression of being the highest-ranking person in Ermalee.

The old man breathed out lightly, and Dhipabawon had come to a conclusion: whoever was supposed to be the mediator of the relationships within the Atsawathewathin family would inevitably have to deal with him again. “Khanin…”

“Yes?”

“The person sitting in front of your grandson is another important person whom he ought to get to know.”

“…”

“This person is Prince-Tarin Atsawathewathin… the ruler of the state on the northern side…” The sentence spoken by the survivor caused Khanin’s forehead to crease in confusion. He felt familiar with this name but couldn’t remember where he had heard it before.

“…”

“And most importantly… he is your true father.”

LINE

TBC

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