“Do you have business with me?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I knew I had good judgment about people.”

“I’m not sure when you started watching me.”

She shrugged and kept her distance, looking just like a cat.

A wary kitten.

A kitten busy pushing others away, having lost its mother and struggled through life.

“You act exactly like Cardel. Did that bastard teach you?”

“…No, not at all.”

Evolaine flinched at how Siana smiled and casually cursed.

Siana’s eyes were smiling, seemingly holding some grudge against Cardel, but her mouth wasn’t smiling at all.

‘Good thing I left him behind.’

If the two had reunited, they probably would’ve snarled at each other like at the entrance ceremony and parted without getting anywhere.

“Aren’t you going to class, Lady?”

“Me? I already know all that content.”

“…I see.”

Though she knew almost none of the content, Evolaine quietly shut her mouth, having skipped afternoon classes due to her troubled state.

“So what’s your business?”

“Nothing major. I was just curious about you.”

“…”

“Your guard suddenly went up. Don’t worry, I won’t eat you.”

‘What’s she plotting?’

She’d roughly noticed Siana had been lurking around lately. She’d expected her to approach, but…

‘Suspicious.’

Though she didn’t know what Siana was hiding, it felt ominous. A frightening energy that could swallow everyone seemed to be holding its breath in the shadows.

“Evolaine, how much do you know about Kelic?”

“…What’s your purpose in asking me?”

“I told you earlier. I’m just curious.”

Kelic, the special ability passed down only to descendants of the Marquisate of La Voletta.

If succession had proceeded normally, Evolaine would’ve received teachings about Kelic from the marquis and trained, but since that hadn’t happened, clear limitations existed.

In other words, Evolaine only knew an extremely small portion about Kelic.

‘Does Siana know about Kelic?’

If so, how? She was the only daughter of the Duke of Arpi. Though she didn’t know what connection existed with the Marquisate of La Voletta, information about Kelic shouldn’t be easily obtainable.

‘What if the Duke of Arpi’s house and the Marquisate of La Voletta were colluding?’

What if important information had been exchanged beneath the surface?

‘…I feel like I’m stepping deeper into the abyss.’

The closer she got to the world controlled by massive forces she hadn’t known about, the more she felt like she was sinking into a quagmire.

Like she might be swallowed up at any moment…

“I don’t think I have time to discuss Kelic with you, Lady. Unlike you, I lack knowledge and need to attend class.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, I’ll be going now.”

Seemingly surprised by the unexpected response, Siana stared at Evolaine expressionlessly.

Though it felt unsettling that she was letting her go when she’d expected to be held back, Evolaine hurried out of the garden.

Since Siana had mentioned Kelic, the Duke of Arpi’s house was clearly watching her closely.

Then they probably also knew she had woefully insufficient information about Kelic.

‘I need to meet the marquis.’

She needed to properly awaken to Kelic. To survive.

* * *

At the same time, an unwelcome visitor found Astrian as he moved between lecture halls for afternoon class.

It was a servant who’d come from the imperial palace to deliver orders to Astrian.

“What is it?”

“Her Majesty the Empress urgently seeks Your Highness.”

“…Mother knows better than anyone that I have class.”

“My apologies, but she said it’s an urgent matter and I must bring Your Highness.”

The times the empress mainly sought Astrian were often not urgent at all.

Astrian was always an afterthought, and what reason would someone who prioritized her late-born son have to seek her eldest?

“…Let’s go.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Nevertheless, Astrian had no choice but to skip class and go to the imperial palace.

He was the one wanting something as a son, and there was a slim chance it might actually be urgent.

“…Ha.”

But without a shred of error, Astrian’s prediction proved correct.

As always, the Rose Palace was peaceful, and the servants were leisurely performing their assigned duties.

The empress was the same. She looked drowsy, seemingly having taken a nap, and greeted Astrian while leaning against the sofa, yawning lightly.

“Even a slug would be faster than you.”

“…Because you called me suddenly.”

Astrian slowly looked around the room.

The room the empress had summoned him to was a space she used as both a study and the Second Prince’s playroom.

Normally she stationed knights menacingly to prevent Astrian from entering, but today those knights were nowhere to be seen.

“What’s the matter?”

“Does a mother need a reason to want to see her son?”

“…I suppose not.”

The empress spoke absurd lines with a shameless face. The sight was truly detestable, and he thought how consistent she was.

‘Greed clouds the eyes.’

He didn’t know what she truly wanted. He’d only vaguely realized that his birth had somehow interfered with some plan.

Though now he was certain, since she’d been so blatantly obvious about her dislike.

“Where’s Zedion?”

“He went to wash up briefly. Seems he got dirt on him playing in the garden.”

“…Didn’t you go with him?”

“I had things to do.”

It was unexpected. Wasn’t this the empress who’d tried to keep the Second Prince only within her skirts?

‘Did something happen?’

It was also strange that she’d let him into the playroom. And that she’d taken a nap.

The empress was usually obsessed with displaying refined and elegant dignity.

While that was appropriate responsibility for an empress who should be a model for imperial women, it was problematic how excessively sensitive she was about it.

Yet such an empress had taken a nap and greeted him just after waking. Wasn’t that strange?

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…It’s nothing.”

“Really?”

The empress, seemingly having a stiff neck, massaged the area behind her shoulders.

Though her tone seemed gentle at a glance, her attitude fundamentally showed she had no interest in Astrian.

Of course. Swallowing a sigh, Astrian spoke.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll return to the academy.”

No answer came. The empress lightly ignored Astrian’s words, acting like she hadn’t heard.

Not even pretending to hear what she didn’t want to hear—it was an attitude the empress maintained and also the best way to anger people.

“When Zedion comes out, dry his hair and play with him. This mother has someone to meet.”

“…Who are you meeting?”

“Your aunt. Satisfied?”

The way she nodded like she’d done him a favor was resentful.

Astrian gave up on answering.

Sometimes, he wondered if the empress was really his mother.

“Let’s have dinner together when I return.”

“…”

The empress, staring at the silent Astrian, eventually snickered and left the room.

It was clear mockery.

Acting so proud.

The empress seemed to add that inwardly.

“…Ha, Crown Prince.”

“…Ah.”

“…His Highness the Prince has finished bathing.”

When Astrian turned his head, a maid was holding a dry towel. She seemed conscious of the situation since the empress had passed her job to the crown prince.

Though she had to obey orders, she looked as bewildered as if she found it absurd too.

“…Give it here.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Taking the towel from the maid, Astrian approached the Second Prince, Zedion Erepan Vesasium.

Blankly staring. The younger brother, meeting his older brother after a long time, looked awkward about the situation.

“Zedion, come here.”

He carefully tended to the hair of Zedion, who approached reluctantly after hesitating.

Reddish-brown hair resembling the empress. Water was dripping from it, having just been washed.

Though Astrian didn’t welcome this situation, he couldn’t move rashly knowing that once he left the palace, Zedion would be alone.

The empress seemed to cherish and love Zedion, but that was truly only on the surface.

Whenever something even slightly important came up, she routinely left Zedion alone.

Just like now.

“What were you playing in the garden?”

“Just, with a shovel, di-digging dirt and planting flowers…”

“…”

Astrian quietly waited for Zedion, who spoke slowly trying not to stutter.

“Where’s your friend?”

“Today, he said he’s sick…”

The friend mentioned here was Zedion’s page. He was a child the empress had recently assigned after a physician said developmental speed would be faster with a peer friend nearby.

He’d heard the boy was the son of a servant working in the empress’s palace, recently employed to work together as an attendant.

“I see.”

“Mmm…”

Of course, if she’d really intended to raise Zedion properly, she would’ve made a child from an influential family his page.

Astrian sighed deeply with complicated feelings.

“Brother, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. Let’s dry your hair first.”

Astrian skillfully dried Zedion’s hair with the towel.

Though Zedion squirmed, seemingly disliking the feeling of his hair getting mussed, after being well-coaxed, he waited quietly for it to end.

“All done.”

“Thanks, brother.”

“…”

Children were innocent. That’s why they were hateful and pitiful.

‘How unfortunate. Both you and I.’

Did he even know what their mother was doing?

Astrian was disgusted with himself for being jealous of his ignorant younger brother.

In the end, both were being used. Yet he hated and resented the empress while simultaneously envying and hating Zedion for receiving her attention.

Contrasting emotions tormented him day and night.

That’s why he’d left for the academy.

Yet the empress, seemingly tireless, constantly summoned him to the Rose Palace with all sorts of excuses.

“Brother?”

“…Are you bored?”

“Mmm.”

“Alright, let’s play after so long.”

“Really?!”

Zedion’s voice rose. Excited, he began rummaging through the closet drawers looking for toys to play with.

Seeing the drawers become messy, a maid hurriedly stopped him and offered to find the toy he wanted.

Watching the two, Astrian’s gaze naturally shifted beside them.

Though it was Zedion’s playroom, this was also a space the empress used as a study.

Being someone seasoned in politics, books from various fields were shelved accordingly.