Chapter 11

## A Cowardly Heart

**A Cowardly Heart** is the eleventh chapter of Oushitsu Kyoushi Heinemanga.

## Plot

Heine was just finishing the lessons for tomorrow. Just as Heine is about to go to sleep for the night, Kai comes to his room, wanting to speak in private. However, before he could say anything, Leonhard bursts in because he had a bad dream that he became an octopus. Bruno comes in as well, wanting to consult Heine on a problem. Even Licht shows up, seeing all his brothers gathered in Heine's room. They discover that Kai wanted Heine's advice on learning to communicate his feelings, something he had been thinking about ever since Viktor talked to him about it. Bruno explained that they can understand Kai because they are family but for other people, Kai's expression is hard to understand. Licht also adds that Kai's gaze are sharp and terrifying, even if that's not what Kai intended. Heine told Kai that his communication skills actually improved recently but Kai denied it, explaining that he only can speak with his family and Heine. He is too scared to speak with other palace staff and just staring at them because he always gives out the wrong impression. Kai reminded the time he passed by a royal guard and when the maid is serving him tea, all of them are scared by Kai's stare and wrongly assumed that Kai is mad at them. Kai thinks everything he said is scaring people away so he decides to keep silent but Heine said if he keeps being silent, they will always be scared of him. Heine plans to teach him how to communicate with the palace staff next morning, his brothers also agreed to help him. Heine is happy by their bonds and hope that it will never change even if they have to fight each other for the throne.

In the morning, the princes except Licht (who ran away to date a girl) waited for Heine. Heine comes and started his lesson for Kai. Heine tells him to learn to smile, Heine shows him how but Leonhard complained that his expression did not change at all and proceed to show Kai how to smile himself. Kai practiced it by walking in the hallway *smiling*, creepily. Making the palace staffs nearby scared of him, Leonhard tell him to stop *smiling*. Kai is sad and Heine tells him forced smile is not a good thing. Bruno tells him he can still chat without smiling. Leonhard then takes a note from Licht about communicating with girls. Heine tell Kai to try talking with 2 maids over there. Kai went to the maids and staring at them, once again scaring them. Kai then try to chit-chat that the weather is good, then abruptly he says that he loves soft things, like a tower the maid is holding while rubbing it. The maids still got creeped out and immediately left. Then there's another maid coming out from a room holding a heavy stool, Kai then takes the stool and the maid thanked him for it. The brothers are happy that communication can happen too from helping others. Kai helps several other staffs in the palace and turns out Kai is a really strong person that he can lift a huge statue in the city. Some guards nearby mistakes him as a criminal trying to steal the statue and wanted to arrest him but panicked when they know it's Prince Kai, they apologized.

Kai got even more sad and decides to be silent if everything he said will scare people. Heine advised him not to give up just because few people are scared of him and reminds him there are thousands others who might understand him as the world is big. Heine then says he's not ready for an actual conversation and he should start with greeting others and say thanks first. In Kai's room, a maid comes in to change the bed sheet. Kai is still shy but when the maid is done changing, after reflecting what Heine said earlier, he said thanks to the maid for changing his bed sheet and that she should get a rest. The maid is initially shocked but she is happy and thank him too afterwards. Kai got happy that he finally someone is not scared of him and quickly run to Heine's room. Inside Heine's room, his brothers are pampering Heine. Kai tells them the good news and they talked until morning. Heine is happy but thinks to himself that he didn't sleep for the last few nights because of the brothers disturbing him.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Heine Wittgenstein
* Kai von Glanzreich
* Leonhard von Glanzreich
* Bruno von Glanzreich
* Licht von Glanzreich
* Viktor von Glanzreich (mentioned)
* Maximilian
* Ludwig