UNPREDICTABLE

That night, Prince Wade stood on the balcony, a glass of wine in his hand. His butler, Eric, approached, holding a folder. He presented it to the prince.

"Thank you, Eric. You may leave," Wade said.

The butler bowed and departed. Wade opened the folder. It contained Claude's personal information. His eyes widened as he saw Claude's listed age. "Everyone knows you're twenty, yet you're still eighteen? All this time, you lied about your age, huh?" he chuckled. "You're just a kid, and that's why you're short."

The next morning, Claude arrived in the capital and registered for the horse race. He led his horse to a quiet corner, patting its flank. "Well then, my dear South," he murmured, "I'll make sure that one day you'll be my partner in the World Cup."

His friend, Jay, approached. "Oh, look who it is!"

Claude was surprised. They exchanged a friendly fist bump.

"So, you're here for the competition? Aren't you the one they call Cloud Dasher?" Jay teased.

Claude laughed. "Stop it, that was ages ago. Are you here to compete as well?"

"No, I'm a bartender here," Jay replied.

"Oh, I thought you were going to compete for the prize," Claude said.

"Nah, riding these beasts isn't my thing," Jay chuckled. "Mixing drinks is more my style."

The announcer declared that all participants should be ready in ten minutes. Claude bid his friend farewell and led his horse to the starting line. As he mounted South, his eyes widened. Prince Wade, accompanied by his two siblings, was walking towards the balcony seats. Claude noticed his handkerchief in the prince's pocket, next to his chest. As I expected, he thought, gritting his teeth.

The referee fired the starting gun. The race began. Claude's horse, South, surged forward with lightning speed, leaving the other competitors in the dust.

Wade's POV

Wade's siblings watched the race, initially relaxed. But as they witnessed Claude's incredible speed, their comments followed.

"That kid is incredibly fast," Prince Warren remarked.

"Indeed," his sister added. "His horse's hooves are remarkably swift."

Wade remained silent, but his gaze was fixed on Claude's proud face. Prince Warren noticed.

"Hey, what's with the blank stare?" he asked, patting Wade's shoulder.

Wade flinched. "Oh, nothing. It's just that kid's speed was outstanding."

"Isn't that the kid who served wine at my banquet?" Warren asked.

"He's my classmate, brother," Wade replied.

"Well, why don't you ask him if he's interested in the international horse race? The director is looking for a good candidate, and I bet he'd be a perfect fit," Warren suggested.

"With that cocky attitude?" Wade questioned.

"I don't think he's that cocky," Warren countered. "Look, you can be a bit of a snob sometimes, Wade. I think you might have done something to make him uncomfortable. You need to be nicer and more patient with people. You never know when someone you underestimate might help you one day. Keep that in mind."

Back to Claude's POV

Claude maintained his incredible pace, crossing the finish line first. He leaped from his horse, overjoyed. "We did it, South! We won!" He hugged his horse, then received his gold medal and prize money. After a group photo with the other competitors, he left with South.

Wade's POV

Wade watched Claude leave. His brother summoned their butler, whispering instructions. The butler nodded and left. Warren turned to Wade.

"At first, I thought he was Lord Claudio, but I forgot Lord Claudio died with his son. He's just a commoner," Warren said.

Princess Wendall, the second-born, added, "Isn't it a coincidence that kid looks like the late Prince Claudio?"

Warren cut her off, turning to Wade. "I heard Father is having trouble finding you a spouse."

"Wait, what?! Father's already expecting that?!" Wade exclaimed.

"Yeah," Wendall replied. "And you should start looking. Or you'll end up like Big Brother, who only found his fiancée at thirty."

Warren chuckled. "I heard that."

Wendell retorted, "Well, at least I found mine after graduation, unlike you!"

Warren teased, "At least I don't go for minors!"

"What! The law says eighteen, but I like them younger," Wendall retorted.

Warren countered, "Well, mine is a year older than me, unlike you."

Wade interrupted, "Both of you, stop it!" His siblings paused, looking at him. "Your standards are so boring," Wendall added. "Let's see if you marry an ugly beast; we'll tease you until you divorce him!"

Wade stood up, exasperated. "You two are already thinking about marriage! I'm open to anyone, so just stop it!" He left the balcony.

Wendall turned to Warren. "Well, it's your fault."

Warren protested, "Why would it be my fault?!"

Back to Claude's POV

Claude returned home, carrying a small box of curry. "Grandma, I got your favorite curry!" But his grandmother wasn't anywhere. He searched the house, the shop, the storage room, and upstairs. Finally, he found her unconscious in the garden. "Grandma! What happened?!" He rushed to her side, carrying her to the carriage and calling for help.

An hour later, his grandmother was in the hospital, still unconscious. The doctor informed him she'd had a stroke.

"This can be cured, right?" Claude asked, his voice trembling.

"Technically, yes," the doctor replied. "But she needs 24/7 care."

His uncle, Henry, arrived. Claude broke down, crying. "Don't worry," Henry reassured him. "We'll take care of her."

Wiping his tears, Claude stepped out of the hospital. He noticed a group of men watching him. His heart pounded. He backed away slowly, then broke into a run as they gave chase.

He ran into the street and was hit by a car. Thankfully, his injuries were minor. He stood up, the car's headlights illuminating his face. It wasn't just any car; it was a royal carriage. The driver stepped out.

"I didn't expect to meet you here, Claude," the driver said.

Claude stepped back, startled. "How do you know me?"

"Come with me," the butler replied. "His Highness Warren wants to see you."

Claude hesitated. Prince Warren wants to see me? he thought. "I don't know what I've done wrong, but I'm not going with you."

The men chasing him appeared. "Hey, you!" they shouted.

The butler sighed. "Well, I guess you'll have to take care of that."

Claude, caught in the middle, grabbed the butler's arm. "Okay, fine. I'll come with you."

The butler quickly ushered Claude into the car, and they sped away, leaving the men behind.

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