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Chapter 1 — Full English Translation
The empire was living in an age of strength and prosperity, and at the heart of this prosperity stood the crown prince—a child of eight years old, strong, beloved, and possessing courage far beyond his age.
He trained with the sword every day, always accompanied by his older sister—a stubborn girl who loved fighting more than dolls and considered her brother her other half.
These two children were the legitimate son and daughter of the emperor and empress, symbols of the empire's future power.
But far from the palace, in one of the poor districts, there was another child…
A child no one knew carried the same imperial blood.
Years ago, the emperor had made one mistake in his youth—a secret relationship with a simple woman from the common people. He never knew she became pregnant, and she never dared approach the palace.
When the child was born, the mother suddenly died of illness, leaving him alone.
After her death, an old neighbor found a hidden letter among her belongings. It was a full confession:
"If anything happens to me… tell the emperor that this child is his son."
The letter reached the palace by coincidence years later, and after investigation, the emperor discovered the truth. Feeling guilty, he ordered the child to be brought immediately… no matter the political consequences.
The small boy entered the palace shyly, looking around in awe.
He had grown up hearing stories about the brave crown prince, the beloved young prince who fought with a sword at eight years old. He admired him without knowing he was his brother.
And when he stood in the palace courtyard for the first time, his heart pounded…
Would his brother resemble him?
Would he hate him?
Would he accept him?
The Princess Arrives First
She approached him quickly, stared at him from head to toe, then said in a blunt childish tone:
"You're my brother?! You're too small to be a prince… you look like a piece of bread!"
The young prince's face turned red, and he lifted his head with childish courage:
"I'm not a piece of bread… you cannon!"
The princess froze, blinked twice, then stepped closer:
"What did you say? Cannon?! Are you comparing me to a weapon?!"
Then the Crown Prince Appeared
He entered with calm steps and looked at the small boy who resembled him more than he expected. He approached, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said with a gentle smile:
"Don't mind her, little one… even a piece of bread grows stronger."
The young prince stared at him in awe… while the princess frowned with a hint of jealousy:
"Why are you smiling at him like that!"
The crown prince laughed softly, and for the first time, the younger prince felt that this place… might become his home.
---
On the other side of the capital, there was a young girl living a peaceful life with her parents. Her father was a respected duke, and her mother was a gentle lady loved by everyone. The girl was pampered, loved, and lived within a close-knit family.
That day, the family was on their way to an official event at the palace. The girl sat in the carriage between her parents, laughing and chattering with childish excitement…
But the road was not as they expected.
As the carriage crossed the bridge, the horses slipped because of the rain and crashed into the wooden barrier. The driver screamed, the carriage shook violently… then overturned.
When people arrived, the scene was tragic.
The parents had died instantly, and only the little girl remained—crying among the wreckage, covered in dirt and tears.
At the duke and duchess's funeral, the relatives whispered:
"The girl is too young… she can't manage the family estate."
"Her uncle is the temporary heir… he will become the duke until she reaches the legal age."
And indeed, her uncle became the new duke.
He had a daughter of his own—an eight‑year‑old girl, quiet and gentle.
After the funeral, the orphaned girl sat alone in the garden, crying silently. She felt lost… everything had changed in a single day.
Her cousin approached her with light steps, holding a small handkerchief. She stood in front of her and shyly extended it:
"Father says… crying doesn't mean you're weak."
The girl lifted her head slowly, her eyes red. She took the handkerchief and wiped her tears.
"You… you're my cousin?"
The small girl nodded with a soft smile:
"Yes… and if you want, I can sit with you. I don't like seeing anyone alone."
The orphan hesitated, then made space beside her. They sat in silence, but it was a warm silence…
The beginning of a friendship, or perhaps the beginning of a new family.
From that moment, a small bond began between them…
A bond that would grow with time and become stronger than they could ever imagine.
---
In the palace's training yard, the crown prince stood firmly, lifting his wooden sword and performing precise movements he learned from his instructor.
Beside him, the princess swung her sword with excessive enthusiasm, slashing the air as if fighting an entire army.
The crown prince laughed:
"At this rate, you'll break your back before defeating anyone."
The princess lifted her chin proudly:
"At least I'm moving! You move like an old man."
While they argued, the younger prince stood at a distance, watching them with bright eyes. He wanted to try… he wanted to be like them, like the brother he had always heard about.
The crown prince noticed his gaze and approached with a gentle smile:
"Do you want to try?"
The younger prince hesitated, then nodded shyly.
The crown prince handed him a small wooden sword that fit his size:
"Go on… don't be afraid."
The boy held the sword with both hands, then tried to imitate his brother's movement. He lifted the sword, turned his body, and slashed the air in a straight line.
The princess stopped training and stared at him, then burst into laughter:
"You're copying me?! That's not how the move goes… this is how!"
She performed an exaggerated move that made both boys laugh.
The younger prince blushed but tried again.
This time, the crown prince stood behind him, gently guiding his hand:
"Don't rush… focus on your balance first."
The boy lifted the sword again and imitated his brother's movement more accurately.
The crown prince smiled proudly:
"Well done… looks like the piece of bread is learning."
The princess pouted:
"I said it first! Why are you praising him?!"
The two boys laughed while the princess swung her sword stubbornly, trying to look superior.
And in that moment…
The first threads of true brotherhood began to form between them.
---
Days passed, and the princes' love for their younger brother grew.
But the princess still felt childish jealousy whenever she saw the crown prince giving him attention.
The crown prince was nine, the princess seven, and the younger prince six.
They trained together, laughed together, and competed together.
The younger prince copied his brother's moves, and the princess teased them both as usual.
---
One day, the duke—the uncle of the orphaned girl—came to the palace to meet the emperor. He left his eight‑year‑old daughter waiting in the palace garden.
The girl was quietly picking flowers, her hair fluttering in the breeze, her features innocent despite the sadness in her eyes.
From afar…
The crown prince watched her without her noticing.
He felt something strange in his chest, a feeling he had never experienced before.
He whispered to himself:
"What… is happening to me?"
He quickly turned away and returned to training with his siblings, as if afraid of this new feeling.
---
Days later, the three princes went to the festival. They ran between the stalls, bought sweets, and laughed.
The crown prince stopped at a stall selling hairpins.
He picked up a beautiful one and imagined for a moment how it would look in the hair of the girl he saw in the garden.
The princess noticed his expression and smirked mischievously:
"Brother… do you like someone?"
His face turned red.
The younger prince noticed his interest in the hairpin and thought:
"I'll buy it for him on his birthday… so he can give it to the one he likes."
---
A few days later, the crown prince went to the royal academy.
The princess and the younger prince were not allowed to enter because they were too young…
But curiosity was stronger than rules.
They sneaked into the crown prince's carriage and hid among the luggage.
When the carriage arrived, they slipped out into the crowd… and got lost.
They began searching for their brother in the academy's wide halls.
---
While the younger prince was walking, he saw a hairpin on the ground—the same one his brother liked at the festival.
He bent down to pick it up.
At that moment, a small girl appeared in front of him—the same orphaned girl, the duke's daughter. She was holding a small wooden sword, perhaps for training.
She said sharply:
"That's mine!"
The young prince looked up at her confidently:
"If it's yours… then take it. But… how about we duel for it?"
She raised an eyebrow:
"A duel? With wooden swords?"
He smiled:
"Yes. If you win… you take it. If I win… I keep it."
She stood firmly, gripped her wooden sword, and said:
"Agreed."
They prepared for a small duel in the academy courtyard…
Not knowing this moment would be the beginning of a complicated relationship between them.
---
As the children gathered around the courtyard, the young prince wore the small royal sash that imperial children wore when leaving the palace.
He had forgotten he was wearing it…
But the students did not.
Signs that exposed him:
1. The royal sash with its unique color, worn only by the emperor's children.
2. The small golden seal at its edge, bearing the imperial family's emblem.
Whispers spread quickly:
"That's… that's a prince! He looks like the crown prince!"
Rumors spread like wildfire.
Before the duel even began, students whispered:
"Look! The little boy is wearing the imperial sash!"
"Is he a prince?!"
"He really looks like the crown prince!"
The circle around them grew.
The princess whispered angrily to her younger brother:
"Are you crazy?! You're exposing us! They all know you're a prince!"
But the younger prince tightened his grip on his sword and said firmly:
"This hairpin that my brother wants… I won't give it up."
---
The Duel
The girl raised her sword confidently:
"I won't lose to you."
The young prince smiled:
"We'll see."
The duel began…
The girl attacked quickly, but without precision.
The young prince watched… waiting for the right moment.
Then—with one swift move—he knocked her wooden sword away.
It fell to the ground.
The students shouted:
"The prince won!"
He approached her:
"I won… give me the hairpin."
But the girl's face turned red with anger and embarrassment:
"I won't give it to you! My sister gave it to me!"
He raised an eyebrow:
"If you weren't going to give it… why did you agree to the duel?"
Before she could answer, the princess appeared angrily:
"How dare you trick my brother?!"
The girl froze…
For the first time, someone treated her seriously—not as a spoiled child.
---
Suddenly, an older girl appeared—walking with calm, graceful steps.
She was eight years old, but carried a dignity beyond her age.
She was the older sister of the orphaned girl…
The same girl the crown prince had admired in the palace garden.
She stood before her younger sister and said in a calm but firm tone:
"Promises… my dear. Give him the hairpin."
The younger girl bit her lip, looking down.
She knew her sister never lied… and never accepted injustice.
She slowly extended her hand and gave the hairpin to the young prince.
---
At that moment, the crown prince heard the rumors spreading in the academy:
"A young prince is dueling!"
"He looks like the crown prince!"
"His siblings are here too!"
He ran to the courtyard, and when he arrived…
He saw his younger brother standing among the students, the princess beside him, and the girl in front of them.
He froze.
His face was expressionless… a look his siblings had never seen before.
The younger prince swallowed hard.
The princess panicked.
Both felt they were in serious trouble.
The crown prince approached slowly and said in a low but firm voice:
"Let's go… back to the palace."
He didn't shout, didn't get angry…
But his voice alone was enough to make them lower their heads in shame.
He turned to leave, and his siblings followed silently.
Before he walked away completely…
He glanced back and saw the older girl—the one he admired—standing there, holding her sister's hand.
She looked at him calmly…
And when their eyes met, he felt the same strange feeling he had felt in the garden.
He whispered to himself:
"It's her… the girl from the garden."
He quickly walked away, as if afraid someone would discover what he felt.
---
The carriage approached the palace gates, and the three princes sat in heavy silence.
The younger prince held the hairpin he had won, trying to hide a small smile… but his heart was anxious because of his brother's expression.
Suddenly…
The carriage shook slightly, and the hairpin slipped from his hand onto the road.
The princess shouted:
"The hairpin!"
Before the carriage stopped…
The younger prince jumped out, running to retrieve it.
The crown prince shouted with a voice they had never heard from him:
"STOP!!"
He jumped out immediately, grabbed his brother's arm, and pulled him away from the carriage wheels that almost crushed him.
He stood in front of him, pale, his voice trembling with fear… but it came out as anger:
"Have you lost your mind?! You risk your life for a hairpin?!"
The younger prince froze.
He had never heard his brother shout at him like that.
He tried to explain:
"But… you wanted it…"
The crown prince cut him off sharply:
"I don't care about the hairpin! Your life is more important than anything!"
"You don't think! You're reckless! Do you want to die?!"
The younger prince's eyes widened…
It was the first time his brother said something hurtful to him.
But the crown prince wasn't angry because of the hairpin…
He was terrified.
He continued, voice low but dangerous:
"You sneaked into the academy? Do you know how many assassins tried to kill us months ago?!"
He stepped closer:
"I always got to them before they got to you… and now you put yourselves in danger on your own?!"
The two younger siblings were shocked.
They never knew their brother had been protecting them from the shadows all this time.
Tears filled the younger prince's eyes.
He couldn't bear seeing his brother angry… or hearing those words.
He whispered:
"I'm… sorry… I didn't mean to…"
Then he ran away into the palace, not wanting anyone to see him cry.
The princess stood before the crown prince, tears in her eyes:
"Why did you shout at him like that?! He was scared for you! He just wanted to make you happy!"
But the crown prince was still shaken by fear, and he snapped:
"And you! Why didn't you stop him?! Why did you let him jump?!"
The princess froze…
Then tears filled her eyes too.
"You're cruel… so cruel!"
She cried and ran after her younger brother.
The crown prince stood at the palace gate, his hand trembling slightly.
He wasn't angry…
He was terrified.
He whispered to himself:
"I just… don't want to lose any of them."
He closed his eyes, trying to calm his racing heart, thinking of how to fix what happened.
---
After things settled, the crown prince picked up the hairpin from the ground near the palace gate.
He looked at it for a moment, then said to himself:
"This isn't ours… I should return it to its owner."
He left the palace and headed toward the side garden where he had last seen the orphaned girl and her sister.
Before he reached them, he heard the younger girl crying:
"I didn't mean to bet on the hairpin you gave me… I didn't mean to lose it…"
But her older sister—the girl the crown prince admired—replied sadly, not harshly:
"I'm not angry… I'm just sad.
I gave you that hairpin from my heart… I didn't expect you to gamble it away."
Her voice was broken…
She wasn't angry at her sister—she was hurt.
The younger girl curled up, tears falling silently.
She felt guilty… she felt she had disappointed the sister she loved more than anything.
The younger girl lifted her head and saw the crown prince standing behind a tree, holding the hairpin.
She quickly wiped her tears and whispered:
"You…"
He raised a finger to his lips:
"Shh… don't raise your voice."
He didn't want her sister to see him.
He stepped forward and extended the hairpin:
"This is yours… my brother doesn't want it anymore."
His voice was gentle, calm, as if trying to comfort her.
The girl took the hairpin with trembling hands, tears still on her cheeks.
Her older sister finally turned and saw the crown prince standing there.
She looked surprised… then embarrassed, realizing he might have heard part of their conversation.
Before she could speak…
He bowed his head respectfully, then turned and walked away quietly.
As soon as he disappeared from sight…
The younger girl burst into tears again.
Not because of the hairpin…
But because she felt she had hurt the sister she loved.
---
After the academy incident, and after the crown prince shouted at his siblings…
He changed completely.
The next day, the younger prince ran to him with a smile:
"Brother! Shall we play with the swords?"
But the crown prince didn't even look at him. He simply said coldly:
"No."
The younger prince froze.
He had never heard that tone before.
The princess tried:
"Okay… shall we play in the garden?"
He replied while walking away:
"I said no. Go by yourselves."
They exchanged shocked looks.
It was the first time he rejected them.
In the following days, whenever they tried to approach him…
He moved away.
If they sat with him at the table… he left.
If they tried to talk to him… he ignored them.
If they laughed… he didn't smile.
The princess whispered sadly:
"Does he… not love us anymore?"
The younger prince watched his brother from afar, feeling his heart break.
But the truth?
The crown prince didn't hate them…
He was afraid.
Afraid he would hurt them again.
Afraid he would shout at them.
Afraid he would lose control like last time.
So he decided to distance himself…
Thinking it would protect them.
---
The First Incident
While the princess was running in the garden, her foot slipped on the wet ground.
She was about to fall onto sharp stones.
But the crown prince rushed forward, catching her