Chapter 570 - 13.68
Young Master Jean became gloomier after that argument with his Big brother, Archduke Maximillien.
Jean was usually lively, especially with his Fangirls. He was the bright sun that everyone followed, mainly because he was warm with everyone, although he could sound arrogant at times.
But nowadays, Jean mostly smiled thin and nodded for whatever things the fangirls said. It wasn\'t like usual self at all, and everyone was worried.
"Young Master, are you okay?" One of the girls asked.
"Un… I\'m fine," Jean said with a smile. He didn\'t want to be the party pooper, so he continued, "But I\'m not feeling well today. I think I will rest first, see you tomorrow, everyone."
Jean got up and walked away from the schoolyard with Wolf following closely.
"Young… Master…" Wolf called his Master because he was worried as well. Amongst all the people close to Jean currently, Wolf was the most worried. He couldn\'t get used to seeing his lively and charismatic Young Master turned gloomy like this.
"Young Master…" Wolf called again, and Jean finally turned his head.
"Yes, Wolf?" Jean smiled, but it made Wolf even more worried than before.
"Wolf… worries… Young Master…" Wolf said. He noticed the dark eye bags under Young Master Jean\'s eyes, and he asked, "Young Master… sleep?"
"Ah… I haven\'t had enough sleep nowadays. I worried too much about my Big brother…." Jean smiled bitterly. "I\'ve sent him letters, but he doesn\'t send me any reply. I wonder If I\'ve been abandoned…."
A month had passed since the last time Archduke Maximillien came to the school. Jean constantly sent letters at least twice a day, hoping that his Big brother would reply, at least gave him a simple letter handwritten by him personally.
But He didn\'t get such a thing. All he got was just money.
His Big brother sent him lots of gold coins every week to spend on whatever he wanted. He could splurge anything he wanted in the city without any problem, but he didn\'t want this.
He just wanted his Big brother to talk to him.
"Young Master… return… home?" Wolf suggested. The distance between La Fleur Academy and the Palace of Eau Saumont was only one or two hours with carriage anyway. Jean could return anytime he wanted. He could even use his own magic to teleport right in front of the Palace.
"I… I don\'t think my Big brother will accept me back. We had a fight before, and he doesn\'t seem to be wanting to take me…."
Whenever Jean thought about his Big brother, it was inevitable that he felt grieving in his heart. He wanted to stay with his Big brother, to see his Big brother smiling at him again.
Heck, he even missed his Big brother\'s grumpiness and his endless chiding over the smallest things.
"Maybe Big brother has kicked me out of the duchy…." Jean said.
"Young… Master… said… you want… to leave…" Wolf mentioned how many times his Master said that Jean wanted to be independent and leave the Archduchy.
Archduke Maximillien had always spoiled and protected Jean. It became a sort of habit for Maximillien to stop Jean from going anywhere without supervision. It was due to the incident twelve years ago, when Jean got kidnapped by the group of bandits led by Wolf\'s Big brother, Prince Alric.
Maximillien became suspicious of everyone whenever it was about his Little brother, Jean.
Yet, Jean would constantly create trouble for him because Jean thought that his Big brother was overly controlling. That made him always yelling that he wanted to leave the duchy after he got older over and over in his big brother\'s face.
"Ah, now that you\'re reminding me of my words, Big brother must\'ve been feeling terrible. Maybe he thinks that I don\'t like him anymore…." Jean got even more depressed because of it.
Wolf watched how the lively Young Master Jean got even more depressed and exhausted by his own sadness. Thus, as a good knight, it became Wolf\'s mission to at least make his Young Master relaxed a bit.
They walked through the empty garden near their dorm, and Wolf called his Master, "Young Master… follow… Wolf…"
"Hn?" Jean turned his head and saw Wolf walking towards a big tree with branches full of lush leaves.
Wolf sat and leaned on the tree trunk and patted his thigh, "Young Master… rest…."
"Eh? What are you planning, Wolf?" Jean asked, but he still walked towards his knight and then sat on Wolf\'s thigh.
There was an obvious difference between Wolf and Jean\'s figures. Wolf was huge, with a broad shoulder and muscular chest. While Jean was slender and looked more delicate, although he was still considered tall enough for a man.
After Jean sat on Wolf\'s thigh, Wolf smiled and patted his chest, "Young Master… Wolf\'s chest… pillow…."
…
Jean slowly nestled his head on Wolf\'s chest. It was surprisingly soft. Even though other parts of Wolf\'s body were all strong muscles, his pecs were soft enough to be his pillow.
Wolf\'s cheeks reddened as he could feel Young Master Jean\'s breath on his chest. He got this idea because Young Master Jean often slept in Archduke Maximillien\'s office for his afternoon nap. The bedding must\'ve been different, so he thought his body could be used as the pillow instead.
One of Wolf\'s concerns was that his Young Master wouldn\'t get enough sleep because of the thin bedding the dorm had.
Wolf was used to it, of course, but not his pampered Young Master.
"Young Master… Wolf… will… protect you…."
"Rest… now…"
Wolf slowly patted Young Master Jean\'s head. His hands trembled as his rough palm was touching Young Master Jean\'s soft and fluffy hair.
He stopped his hand immediately, afraid that his rough hand would ruin his Master\'s hair. But Jean, who had closed his eyes comfortably, frowned, and he asked, "Wolf, pat my head again. It makes me feel… safe…."
"Y—Yes… Young Master…"
After getting his pat again, Jean nestled deeper in Wolf\'s chest and slowly fell asleep.. This was probably the warmest and most comfortable bed he ever had for a long time.