Chapter 880: Julian As The Crown Prince Of Verona
Julian didn"t know what to expect from the life of a royal member – except for the fact that the bodyguard who continued to follow him everywhere he went was far more of a nuisance than he"d expected.
He wished to find a nice treasury room or maybe a royal library and find a nice book for Rowena then leave… he"d love to see her smile and brighten up whenever she found a good book. Especially because they were hard to come by.
However, the bodyguard who insisted on accompanying him wherever he went was rather hard to leave behind. Even though the bodyguard knight was on the older side, he seemed sprightly enough and never left his side.
If Julian wanted to remain clear from suspicions, it was up to him to behave like a prince.
One thing he did learn though, whoever this crown prince was, this person must have been well-taught and he made a great plan to escape the palace without the bodyguard catching him.
At first, it was fun for him to pretend to be the crown prince.
Everywhere he went, from the east wing, the hallways, foyers, and even different rooms was greeted with respectful bows and curtsies from servants, maids, and other individuals that served the kingdom.
However, now Julian only wanted to escape the attention of his bodyguard and find a way out to return to Rowena"s side.
"Your Highness, is there any place you have in mind? It almost seems like we"re going around in circles," the knight bodyguard finally said. "If there is anything that you wish to request for, it can be handled by one of your humble servants instead."
"Why don"t you take a break, old man?" Julian said at first until he realized that a prince wouldn"t say that and adjusted his dialogue. "I mean, if you wish to rest first, then by all means, do so. You"ve spent quite some time searching for me in the city, after all."
Julian didn"t just teach a thing or two to Rowena, he also learned how to pick up on her far more refined etiquette and charm for exchange. It was what he also used when he dealt with wealthy merchants and others to scam as they did during their magical bracelet business.
"Did you just drink a lot of salt.w.a.ter, Your Highness?" the old bodyguard blinked and looked at him in surprise.
"What nonsense are you speaking about?" Julian asked. "I"m completely fine."
He was now extremely worried if the old man had caught on. What was the crown prince"s att.i.tude like? Julian didn"t have a single clue. So, if he was doing something wrong, then he was doing it really bad.
The old bodyguard coughed and cleared his throat as he looked at Prince Liam. To him, it only seemed like yesterday when the boy was nothing more than a toddler, but now, Prince Liam was fully grown up and more mature.
;
He actually seemed taller by an inch or two.
"Your Highness, if I may be so bold as to talk with you about the incident from earlier?" the bodyguard said.
"... You may," Julian said.
This was the best way for him to gather information without being seen as suspicious. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.
"I understand that I do not have the right to speak on your behalf, especially with my position, but the role of being the sole heir to the kingdom of Verona is an extreme burden on your shoulders, Your Highness."
"Oh yes, it really is." Julian sighed aloud.
The old bodyguard looked at with confusion Julian but then he nodded. "That is why I have overlooked some of your escapes prior, but you know far better than anyone that both His Majesty and Her Majesty have your best interests at heart."
Julian fell silent at those words.
It almost sounded like the complete opposite of what Rowena experienced and it was also something he was unfamiliar with. The Marlowe family was great, but the crown prince undoubtedly had the undivided attention of his parents.
"Your Highness, it may seem difficult at first, but since you will be the next ruler of the kingdom, everything that your parents are doing is in order to prepare you for the role."
"...I understand," Julian said, a touch more serious than before. If he was in the shoes of whoever this crown prince was, he would be a lot more grateful.
Not everyone had such an opportunity to be well-taken care of, even by the servants themselves. It seemed like this kingdom was made of good people that it was almost ridiculous for him to want to steal from them.
"My deepest apologies for overstepping, Your Highness," the old knight said. "But since you"ll be meeting with His Majesty this afternoon for a quick bout, I hope that you meet him in the right state of mind."
"I-I"m going to meet with my father?" Julian"s eyes widened.
"Yes, Your Highness." the old bodyguard sighed. "Please do not tell me that it slipped your mind, Your Highness… Perhaps it is better to return to your quarters and get changed?"
"A-ah, that sounds like a good idea then," Julian said. He doubted that the old knight would still follow him and help him get dressed right? "Lead the way."
The knight blinked but nodded. "O-of course, Your Highness."
Little by little, Julian made some more mistakes and missteps now. The crown prince was sure to know where his chambers were, but Julian didn"t know where it was at all. Luckily, the bodyguard didn"t ask why.
Whatever the case, once Julian reached the crown prince"s chambers, he didn"t need
to pretend to be the prince of Verona any longer.
It no longer mattered whether he got a special treasure or not, Julian just needed to leave.
"n.o.body"s going to help me get dressed, right?" Julian muttered underneath his breath. If there were any male servants, he was going to send them out. All Julian needed was a window and he"d make his escape.
This was why Julian found himself in a tight situation when he discovered that the crown prince"s room was located on the third floor of the palace.
Once the door closed behind him, Julian cursed underneath his breath.
"Why do I have the worst luck?"