61. Arina Dominic

“How many times do I have to tell you not to let petty feelings get in the way of trivial matters?”

“It’s been a while, Your Lordship.”

“This unpalatable, overly familiar brat.”

Though she was a pure white bird well-suited to the colorless Nuero Garden, Duke Dominic seemed displeased as he clicked his tongue and prowled before Arina. Outwardly, she gave him only a faint smile as if she knew nothing, but Arina gripped her dress to keep him from noticing her trembling hands.

“Isn’t it enough now, Arina?”

His words were gentle, but his voice was dry and emotionless. Arina instantly understood his intent, but could not let on. The position of Young Master was everything to her, too precious to hand over so easily to her newborn sibling, so she could not afford even a single slip of the tongue. Despite her faint smile, Arina’s mind raced swiftly and sharply.

“I heard it was Midonia’s doing.”

“I didn’t expect you to be ignorant.”

“Do you want war?”

“That’s the only way to justify appointing the next Duke.”

“I’ll assemble the knights.”

They spoke of the same thing, but with different subjects, so long pauses naturally filled their conversation. The Duke’s thick black brows shot up, and his dark blue eyes fixed on Arina. His face showed deep restraint, and the way he looked at his only Young Master was as cold as if he were staring at an enemy.

“Foolish.”

“…….”

“Tell them to clear Yuan’s room.”

“He won’t return.”

“He’ll have no choice but to return.”

“He won’t be able to.”

Arina’s voice echoed through the garden, as cold as his gaze. The Duke frowned deeply at Arina’s words, which seemed to pick at his own, but she still only watched him with a faint smile.

“So shameless. You drove out your younger brother and took his place, and now you won’t even give it back?”

“I earned my position fairly. You know that well, Your Grace.”

“You must also know when to give it back.”

“If I can subdue Midonia and claim the title, I’ll go.”

“Stubbornness was tolerable when you were a child. Now it’s just tiresome.”

“What trust do you have in giving this family to someone who’s allied with Akuris?”

“…….”

“After you, Your Grace, the next Dominic will be none other than me.”

“…Ha ha ha!”

At last, a hearty but low laugh burst out. It was a sound ill-suited to Arina’s venomous words, echoing once more in the still garden. The stronger his laughter grew, the harder it was for Arina to hide her trembling beneath her dress. The Duke soon stifled his laughter and kindly patted Arina’s shoulder.

“Arina, your dreams are too big for how easily you’re frightened.”

“…….”

“So let’s end the game here.”

“Your Grace.”

“I’ll match you with people worthy of your oversized ambitions.”

Grinding her teeth with a chilling sound, Arina turned sharply and glared as if she could kill. She was angry that her wounds were ambiguous, making her look fine on the surface, but she still managed to lift one corner of her mouth.

“How lovely.”

“Princess, really.”

“If you’re going to get hurt, do it obviously.”

“For whose sake?”

Striding over, Marhel opened the birdcage that had always stood before Arina. The pure white bird inside hesitated, glanced around, and then shot out, not even realizing a black paper was tied to its ankle. Marhel fiddled with the cage’s latch as if regretful, but when he finally let go, Arina had already returned to her usual pale expression as if nothing had happened.

“Still as ill-tempered as ever.”

“Should I kill you?”

“…Blood doesn’t lie.”

Even though the subject was unclear, the answer was obvious. Marhel murmured calmly as he sat across from her. Eyes as dark blue as the Duke’s quietly met Marhel’s blue eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought I might have killed it.”

“…….”

“Even if I intercepted it, I had to let it live to avoid trouble later.”

Thinking of the bird that would now be flying hard toward the palace, Marhel tapped the table rhythmically with his fingers. The bird, which had flown for days from distant Yulzante, had ended up in Marhel’s hands in Nuero Garden before it could reach the Empress. He’d hoped to buy some time with a fake note about a likely invasion instead of news from Midonia, but rumors were spreading faster than expected.

“My brother knows.”

“Count Viamel knows too.”

“…You leaked it on purpose.”

“We already knew it couldn’t be avoided.”

“If you were going to follow that will anyway, why…”

“To trade with you.”

The corners of Marhel’s lips trembled pale. He found Arina both pitiful and repulsive. But such feelings helped neither of them, so he quickly pushed aside any damp emotions. Besides, he wasn’t in a position to pity anyone—he was just another chess piece on the Empress’s well-arranged board, and had recently lost the only person who truly loved him.

“A trade?”

“If you would pity me, Your Highness…”

“Just get to the point, Arina.”

“I thought it would be best for both of us if you killed my blood relative…”

Arina’s face grew more animated as she spoke, so much so that only “vicious” could describe her. Marhel’s expression hardened, then turned grim.

“You really don’t know your limits.”

“Wouldn’t it be good for you too, Your Highness?”

“Arina.”

“If Count Viamel dies, who’s left?”

“…….”

“Do the math, Marhel. In a place where no one knows who’ll win, you’re the only certainty. You won’t die.”

“…….”

“Because you’re Veone’s noble little sun, Prince Marhel.”

“Let’s stop.”

“But it’s sadly possible for a mere Count to die.”

“Arina.”

“If you think I’m pitiful, show it in your actions.”

“…….”

“You and I are in the same situation. What’s wrong with helping each other get the best outcome?”

Just as Arina was always threatened by Yuan for her position because she was a woman, Marhel could never wield any real power as the second son. The scandal between his parents and Verdick’s birth mother only made him more withdrawn. There was a miserable commonality between them that others didn’t share. Arina called it injustice; Marhel thought it fate.

“Think carefully, Your Highness.”

“…….”

“God is just a diversion now.”

“…….”

“Look at the theater in the city.”

“…….”

“They don’t worship God, they just get vicarious satisfaction from the stories.”

“Does that bother you so much?”

“…….”

“That you never get your turn?”

Ha, Arina stood abruptly and grabbed Marhel’s face without fear. The Nuero Garden was so empty not even an ant could be seen, so no one pointed out or stopped her reckless, almost suicidal rudeness. Marhel let her grab him, but didn’t relax his grim expression.

“Stop acting so noble.”

“Let go and say it.”

“Every night you sneak into the dim training grounds, swinging your sword without even lighting a lamp.”

“Arina.”

“It’s not hard, Marhel.”

“…….”

“If life’s so empty, let’s change it ourselves.”

With a loud thud, Marhel shoved Arina away and rubbed his cheek. The garden, full of flowers but devoid of any scent, seemed to coat his whole body in strangeness. Even after being pushed hard, Arina didn’t seem hurt; she just kept smiling at Marhel.

“I didn’t think you’d agree.”

“…….”

“Your Highness, you have been foolishly kind since childhood, as if you were sick.”

Marhel felt drained by the unexpected mind games, but before he could finish the thought, Arina turned away and hummed as she looked down at the white rose garden. Her unpredictable behavior made Marhel angry, but he couldn’t act rashly, so he just kept watching her.

“That’s how people’s hearts work, Your Highness.”

“…….”

“Even when you don’t mean to, something someone says can stick with you for a long time.”

“…….”

“I hope my thoughts stay with you for a long time, Your Highness.”

“…You’re out of your mind.”

“If Yuan’s gone, that awkward Akuris will be alone.”

“…….”

“I sincerely hope that afterimage stays with you, Your Highness.”

Arina smiled like a delighted girl, and though Marhel found it repulsive, his heart began to race wildly. As his heart beat, the wound on his back that had just begun to heal seemed to scream for recognition from deep within. He thought he might be more wicked than Arina, since he missed Felicia’s smiling face, who only ever cried when she saw him.