I placed my head down on a pillow that Serra had lent me.

"You alright," Serra asked, poking my back.

I turned to look at him and smiled. "Yeah, don't I look it?"

He furrowed his brow. "I know you, Tetsu. If Xime we're here, she would say the same thing. Are you still concerned about not being a knight?"

I hugged my green dragon plushie. I'd shadow warped back home to grab it.

"I know that the title is useless and that this is going to sound selfish, but it hurts not to be awknowledged." I pulled the blanket over the back of my head. "If only I could be like you."

Serra sighed and smiled. "Still the same old Tetsu. Glory seeking won't make you happy."

"I know..." Being recognized was meant to be the cherry on top, not the goal. The task of a knight should've been to keep others safe, not the promotion of oneself.

I raised my head and stared at Hyosetsu as he read a book. He'd originally become a knight in the hopes it would elevate his status. Was that still his reason for fighting?

Pushed myself up and walked toward Hyosetsu.

"Where are you going?" Serra asked.

I looked over my shoulder and smiled. "To get some book recommendations," I whispered before tiptoeing away.

Hyosetsu strangely didn't glance up as I got closer. Could he not sense me? Maybe I was better at hiding my presence than Auntie Piggy.

"What do you want? Don't you see that I'm reading?" Hyosetsu said, keeping his eyes on his book.

Or maybe not...

I laughed uneasily. "It was about that, actually."

"What? Have an issue with me reading."

I rubbed the back of my head. "Well, no, but I did notice that you kept to yourself during the sleepover."

He sighed. "So what?"

This guy, when I think I'm closing the gap between us, he ends up proving me wrong.

I lowered my head. "I'm not sure, I just felt like pointing it out. Anyway, what's that book you're reading?"

"You can read, no?" he asked, pointing at the cover. He put his book on his lap. "Tell me what you really want, Tetsuya."

Wait, could he pick up on lies like Kohri?

I scratched my head and turned away. "I well, I wanted to know why you're fighting."

He turned away. "And that concerns you how? That I am should be enough, no?"

"Hey, no need to get snappy. I was just wondering if it was still the same as when we met at the palace."

His blue eyes returned to his book. "So that's it. It's the same as before. I'm still trying to prove that I'm worthier of being the heir than my brother. Though, I also wish to protect my home and its people. What good is a Grand Duke without lands and people to rule over?"

Very... logical...

I smiled. "I see!"

He lowered his book again. "Why the curiosity? Merely trying to see what my drive is? I know that I'm not a hero like you, nor would I want to be. Too much responsibility."

I snickered. "Too much? But you want to be Grand Duke. Isn't being a ruler and a hero similar?"

Hyosetsu touched his chin. "You might be right about that..." He narrowed his eyes. "Maybe that's why Mom sees Kohri as more fitting. He has the markings of the latter."

"Wait, it never occured to you before?"

He leaned his back on the couch. "I've thought of it being due to his people skills. A ruler has to interact with multiple people and have good relations." His head moved toward the sleeping Kohri who had fallen asleep next to Conrad. "Which are things I'm not well versed in."

"Do you want to be more social?" I asked.

The Sword Knight shook his head. "No. I've given up on such notions."

"Why is that?" a voice called out.

I turned and saw Rosa. She walked over to us with her blanket draping her shoulders and her plushie tightly in her arms.

"You're still awake?" Hyosetsu asked.

She rubbed her left eye. "I did snooze off on accident for a second there."

"On accident?" I asked.

She pressed her bear against her chin. "Yeah. I was planning on waiting for Uncle to return."

"Don't," Serrano said, sitting up. "He'll return when he feels like it. It's always been that way."

His cousin frowned. "Serra..."

So, he really hadn't gotten over his father abandoning them. Not that I could blame him. Some of the rage toward my father lingered. Wonder if his was worse. Dad hurt us by not revealing he was alive, but Azami had hurt my aunt which left psychological scars in not only her, but Serra himself. Con paid the price of my aunt's scars, while I had to pay the price for my cousin's. Not that what I endured compared to what Conrad went through.

Serra didn't want to come back to this house for that same reason. Yet, here he was, staying for the sake of his brother.

I slapped myself. Why was I so selfish, thinking only about my petty lack of a title?

"Tetsu?" Rosa said, raising an eyebrow.

"Trying to keep yourself from falling asleep?" Serrano asked, chuckling.

I looked away. "No. It's just that I realize that I'm being a kid again."

Hyosetsu scoffed and crossed his arms. "When are you not?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, but that simply made him smile. He definitely was the Princesses' cousin.

"Y-you know what I mean," I said, crossing my arms and turning around. "Anyway, I'm going to hit the hay. Tomorrow's another big day."

Serrano yawned and walked back to his futon. "Night."

"Alright. I'll go back to waiting," Rosa said, sitting down on the sofa next to a sleeping Piggy. My aunt was cuter when not hopping around, stealing people's food.

Serrano stopped and turned to look at her but didn't say another word, returning to his futon. He held the sleeping Conrad's hand. It reminded me of what Taku and Tere would sometimes do when I was a kid and feeling down.

"Well, guess I'll go back to reading," Hyosetsu said, returning his eyes to his book.

I tilted my head. 'Liberation'. Was it about a rebellion?

"Do you like that book?" I asked, inching closer.

"It's mediocre, but Dad used to read this book to us for bedtime. It's about a boy who gets pulled into another world. This is volume two. The poor fool is in prison and isn't even trying to escape."

"Wait, but that's because he lost his powers," Rosa said.

"Right, but powers aren't all. In the end, he's a coward for not trying. Even Serrano's brother ran away from here while on an empty stomach. And don't use the excuse of it being because he has autism, that's like denying my survivable instincts and those of others like me."

A coward, huh? Would I have been like that boy if I hadn't tried to overcome my inability to use an angel tool as kid?

At Huang's place, I'd thrown away all notion of being a knight, yet why was I still so hung over it? Or so I would've asked if I had no idea. Truth be told, it was hard to let go of a dream that I had since I was five. Was I an idiot for continuing to pursue it?

Rosa sighed. "Everyone's different, Hyosetsu. Not everyone is you."

He closed the book. "Perhaps, but it's hard to grasp. No matter how many times I read it."

"Fear can be paralyzing." The princess lowered her head, burying it into Bear-Woof. For me, it was the sense of powerlessness at failure which left me feeling that way.

Hyosetsu turned away and opened back up the book. Was it that important to find out why the boy did what he did? Or, rather, didn't do. Maybe he was ascribing more meaning to it than was there. Some writers left gaps or made errors. As a writer, I knew that all too well. I did try to go back and fill in the gaps or retroactively add explanations to things which I originally hadn't thought of during the time of writing.

That said, Hyosetsu felt oddly relatable. I too was overthinking things from my childhood. Even with an adult perspective, understanding was elusive.

"Well, hopefully you figure it out," I said, waving.

"Sleep tight, Silly Knight. Happy reading, grumpy buddy," Rosa said, smiling weakly.

Hyosetsu frowned at that last remark. "You should sleep too. I'll be up, so don't worry about your uncle," he said, looking up from his book.

Rosa smiled and closed her eyes. "Thanks, Hyo." Her head slumped, falling on her sister's shoulder. It reminded me of when I drooled on Serrano on the bus. Argh, Serra still had that image on his phone.

I gazed at the sleeping Serra. Well, at least he wasn't awake to torture another of his cousins by taking embarrassing photos of them.

I jumped back into my futon and slept the rest of the night away. When I finally awoke, I was met with the scent of waffles.

Who was cooking? Tere? Taku? Mom? Grandma?

I pushed myself up. Everyone else had gotten up already. Even Hyosetsu. Seemed even being done with exams and school did nothing for my sleeping patterns.

"Seems you're awake," a voice called out. I turned around and saw Xime.

"Xime?"

She put her hands on her hips and smiled. "What? Surprised to see me?"

I chuckled as I scratched my face. "A little. Thought you would be eating breakfast with your grandparents."

"We were going to, until your grandma invited grandpa and grandma over to have some of her nephew's waffles."

"Her nephew?" I gasped. "Wait, Uncle Azami is cooking?"

She nodded. "Yup. Hurry up before they get cold."

I jumped to my feet and dashed to the dining room. It was packed. My eyes widened at the sight of the king.

"There you are. Seems that we can finally leave once you're all done eating," Osamu said as he cut one of his waffles.

"Where to?" I asked.

"To Eiji's funeral. Unless, you wish to stay here that is."

"I kinda do," Conrad mumbled.

"That's alright," Osamu said. "I won't pressure you to go."

Wished he was this understanding when he decided to throw me into his dungeon and forced me to continue serving the kingdom or else my trial would be withheld.

Mom patted Conrad's back. "You can stay with me, since I can't go."

Conrad smiled. "Really?"

Mom nodded.

I smiled as I sat down next to her and Yuko. Mom sure loved my cousins as if they were her own kids.

"Master, these are so fluffy!" Yuko said, giggling as she poked the waffles with her fork.

They were soft!

My gaze shifted over to Serra. He ate his food slowly with a despondent look on his face.

"Serra, why aren't you eating?" a voice called out. I looked up and saw my aunt Selena. It was good to see that nothing bad happened to her nor Azami.

"Do you not like them?" Azami asked, furrowing his brow.

He put down his fork. "They're tasteless." His eyes lowered to the half eaten waffle.

"Is it because of the funeral?" Mom asked.

He nodded. "That's part of it, I think."

"A part of it? What's the other reason?" Azami asked.

Conrad patted his brother's hand. "Think big brother's stressed."

"You should rest before we head out," Selena said.

Serrano stood up. "Okay."

Conrad jumped off of his chair and followed him.

I wolfed down my waffles and ran after him. "Wait up, Serra!" I yelled.

**Solar Note: Already at 77! Only a few more chapters left of this book. Thanks for sticking along for the ride!**