“Your Grace… Marquis?”

“……Serena.”

“Yes.”

Serena’s face was buried deep in Marquis Lavernia’s chest.

She rolled her eyes as if flustered and struggled to break free from Marquis Lavernia’s embrace.

“Ju, just a moment.”

“I’m sorry. I’m really, truly sorry.”

“……No, there’s nothing to be sorry about. This is just, you know, the best proposal for both of us……”

“How could the Lavernia family possibly be the Lavernia family without you?”

It was Marquis Lavernia who was hurt by Serena’s words that it was nothing.

Irdin Lavernia had found Serena admirable and precious.

It’s true that he found a child who didn’t need careful parental attention admirable and honestly, it was comfortable.

But he didn’t know that it had been wrong from the start.

“Your mother was very ill, so we couldn’t pay enough attention to you.”

“It’s okay, I understand.”

It’s natural to worry more about someone who might die at any moment than a normal, healthy child who would grow up fine if left alone.

“I’m fine.”

“…You shouldn’t have been fine.”

At Serena’s words, Marquis Irdin Lavernia’s face contorted as he muttered softly.

“I shouldn’t have believed you when you said you were fine……”

Irdin Lavernia often used to say to young Serena,

“Serena, you can do well on your own, right?”

“Serena, it looks like it’ll be difficult to keep our promise today, is that okay?”

“I’m so glad you’re such a mature child who doesn’t throw tantrums. You’re a good girl, Serena.”

Thinking about it now, all those words must have constrained the child.

Those words that piled up one by one for Serena naturally prevented her from building something.

Trying to act more and more mature, even more mature.

And because she tried so hard to act mature, she became able to do everything on her own, and it became okay not to rely on family…

So the child no longer sought out her parents.

As she grew older, she closed her mouth.

Even when she was sick, she didn’t say she was sick and tried to take care of it alone, and even when she had difficulties, she didn’t say anything and tried to leave for the monastery, only to be found alone at the bottom of a cliff.

“……I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t realize that you weren’t okay.”

Irdin Lavernia hugged Serena Lavernia and buried his forehead on her fragile shoulders.

Serena stiffened, unable to do this or that, and kept rolling her eyes.

“I, I really am okay.”

Serena carefully opened her mouth, trying somehow to break this atmosphere.

“I wasn’t hurt… How could you see anything else when someone you love is sick?”

She awkwardly patted Irdin Lavernia’s back a couple of times and then removed her hand.

“So you don’t need to make that expression… and you don’t need to feel sorry for me.”

At her words, Irdin Lavernia’s expression hardened even more.

This wasn’t the kind of response he had hoped to hear, but the child was instead comforting the Marquis as if it was nothing.

“Even when I said I’ll leave the family, it waisn’t because of any resentment……”

In fact, there was some resentment.

Because Serena wanted to reduce even one risk factor.

“As I’ve said several times, it’s because I think it’s more efficient and beneficial for both of us……”

“……That can’t be.”

Interrupting Serena’s words, Irdin Lavernia spoke. Serena frowned.

She looked at Irdin Lavernia with a somewhat incomprehensible expression.

Then Irdin Lavernia carefully added an explanation.

“Because family isn’t a business, it can’t be like that, my child.”

“Hmm.”

Serena closed her mouth for a moment.

It’s not business, but she thought it was at a similar level.

“Alright.”

Serena answered neatly.

It’s annoying to cling to something that the other party has refused.

“Do as Your Grace wishes. I won’t add any more words.”

What doesn’t work, doesn’t work, even if you try.

There’s no right to stop them if they want to take on the stigma themselves.

Of course, Serena still couldn’t understand Irdin Lavernia.

Maybe she’ll never be able to understand him.

“Then I’d like you to give Nocturne Lavernia a stern warning. From now on, it would be enough if he just doesn’t acknowledge me when we meet.”

Serena said, glancing at Nocturne Lavernia.

Whether that emotion was something he could control himself or if he was actually being manipulated by Darkness, Serena no longer had the capacity to accept Nocturne Lavernia.

“Marquis… no. Father, I……”

Serena’s eyes trembled slightly as she looked at Irdin Lavernia.

“I just want to stop being in pain now.”

“……Serena.”

“I’m trying, but it’s not easy. I want to stop the pain somehow, but it’s not working.”

Serena said so.

Irdin Lavernia couldn’t say anything in response to that voice that seemed to be pleading.

“I want to finish what I need to do and get some peace, but it’s not easy.”

Nocturne Lavernia stared blankly at Serena.

Was she someone who could say such things?

Was she someone who could say she was having a hard time?

‘She’s never done that even once until now.’

Even when they were closer, when they met again, when they had meals together.

‘She’s never shown such signs even once.’

Nocturne Lavernia clenched his fist.

It’s strange that she’s suddenly getting angry now when she’s never shown such signs before.

‘Why is she angry?’

Wasn’t it all her fault?

He couldn’t understand why it was turning out as if they were the ones who had done something wrong when they should be receiving an apology.

‘Why?’

Nocturne Lavernia frowned.

‘Just why?’

Nocturne Lavernia asked himself.

It was strange that he couldn’t control his emotions.

When he pressed his palm firmly against his chest, he could feel his pulse throbbing so vividly.

‘Sister is the bad one.’

Why are you suddenly making us the bad guys?

‘Sister is the bad one.’

Yes, they haven’t done anything wrong.

She’s coming on so strong again, so Father has to bow his head again, doesn’t he?

‘What makes you so confident?’

Nocturne Lavernia thought, clenching his fist.

“What makes you so great……”

Nocturne Lavernia finally opened his mouth.

Even at his small muttering voice, Serena Lavernia and Irdin Lavernia’s gazes fell on him.

Drukan’s eyes narrowed.

‘This is……’

He felt a malicious aura from Nocturne Lavernia.

Drukan focused his eyes a little more.

Then he saw the black energy flowing from Serena Lavernia seeping into Nocturne Lavernia.

And the more it did, the more he could see Nocturne Lavernia’s reason breaking.

“Nocturne, don’t think about saying anything strange and go back right now.”

Irdin Lavernia said sternly.

Then the malicious aura around Nocturne Lavernia began to grow even larger.

‘…Is this the cause of that emotional excess?’

Drukan stared at it for a moment and then blocked in front of Serena Lavernia.

As he slightly released the energy of the World Tree, the black energy flowing from Serena Lavernia to Nocturne Lavernia was cut off.

“But, but, Father! I don’t really understand what we did wrong!”

Nocturne Lavernia continued to speak, looking confused.

He seemed urgent, as if he had to spit out all the words that came to mind.

‘So this was the problem.’

Nevertheless, he looked much more confused and his eyes showed more life than when the energy was continuously flowing in.

‘Is it flowing in because she’s holding too much energy……’

Or is someone deliberately making the energy she’s holding flow around her? He couldn’t tell.

But what’s certain is that nothing but malice can be felt inside it.

Isn’t it hard for an ordinary person to even endure hatred directed at just one person?

As Nocturne Lavernia acted, black energy began to ripple around Serena as well.

The malicious words that Nocturne Lavernia was spitting out were stimulating her.

‘…I see, so that’s why.’

The vicious cycle keeps repeating.

Drukan slightly bowed to Serena Lavernia.

“Serena, you’re already very late. I think it would be better to go to His Majesty first.”

He decided to separate the two for now.

At Drukan’s words, Serena barely nodded with her lips tightly closed.

Irdin Lavernia also seemed to have no intention of holding her back, giving a small nod to Serena who was about to leave with Drukan.

“Where are you going!”

Nocturne Lavernia shouted.

“Nocturne, what exactly is the problem!”

Irdin Lavernia yelled.

Nocturne Lavernia’s shoulders trembled at the distorted expression that seemed angry.

‘They’re in the same place, but the energy doesn’t flow into the father’s side.’

Drukan walked down the corridor again with Serena, noting that last observation.

“……”

Black energy was surging around Serena.

Drukan inwardly sighed as he looked at Serena, who had her lips tightly closed and her head bowed.

It was obvious that she was suppressing something again.

“No, really, isn’t he like a total idiot? Right, Drukan?”

However, Drukan couldn’t help but look stupid at the words he heard.