Someone had deliberately suppressed Riersha’s awakening, destroying the child’s life from its very roots. They had also thrown the Arachrene ducal household into tremendous turmoil.
Pernoa had relinquished his title and left. Cracks had begun to form within the Arachrene family itself.
The elders had started exercising their votes independently and were maneuvering to insert themselves into the struggle for power.
Could all of this truly be coincidence?
“There is a traitor within the family. Take responsibility and begin a quiet investigation at once, Oberon.”
At the command, Oberon’s eyes went cold and still.
The word sent a chill rippling through his mana.
“I receive your order.”
⁂
To celebrate Risideon’s return, the family gathered for a meal together.
Riersha couldn’t close her mouth as she took in the main estate’s dining room for the very first time.
She stood frozen beneath an enormous chandelier, turning her head this way and that to take in the gleaming interior, too dazzled to move.
“Your seat is this way, my lady.”
A waiting attendant guided her politely to her place.
It was directly across from Risideon.
Riersha settled into the chair and tilted her head.
Ricador, who had arrived before her, wore an expression that was distinctly unlike his usual self — tense, almost stiff.
“Ricador oppa, why are you so nervous?”
“Be quiet. You little fool.”
“Hmph.”
“Ricador.”
Risideon had been listening in silence, and the single word of quiet reproach made Ricador flinch. He clicked his tongue and turned his head away.
Watching Risideon bring Ricador to heel so effortlessly, Riersha stared at him with something close to reverence. He’d managed it in a single breath!
Unfortunately, despite the ardent attention she was pouring his way, Risideon didn’t spare her so much as a glance.
…He must have felt me staring. So why hasn’t he looked over even once?
Did he perhaps dislike the idea of growing close to her?
Or was there some other reason?
Maybe he’s just not used to it yet.
At the very least, he hadn’t shown any sign of disliking her, so that seemed the more likely explanation.
Riersha smiled to herself again and settled in to wait for Pernoa’s arrival.
Ricador, usually so full of mischief and carelessness, was still visibly on edge — he kept reaching for his water glass again and again. And every so often, she caught him sneaking sideways glances at Risideon, clearly wanting to say something but not quite finding the opening.
Given that it had been a long time since he’d seen his older brother, that made sense enough.
The person seated beside him, on the other hand…
That’s Riscal oppa.
She had never seen Riscal before, not even in the past.
He was a boy with loosely curling silver hair and a soft smile settled at the corners of his mouth.
He was ranked below Ricador, the younger of the two — and by all accounts, a genius.
Whenever Riersha had asked Carden questions about her brothers, he had always mentioned Riscal first.
“The other young masters are all exceptional, but Riscal-nim is what you’d truly call a genius. He already grasps the family’s business dealings at a level where he’s contributing his own opinions.”
Where Risideon and Ricador distinguished themselves through sheer martial ability, Riscal’s brilliance shone in an entirely different direction.
Every time she heard news of her brothers, Riersha’s heart had fluttered in her chest.
And alongside that warmth, a quiet urgency — she had to catch up, and quickly.
That particular feeling had gone into hiding after Pernoa had scolded her sharply over the incident in the forest, but it hadn’t disappeared entirely.
…Everyone has silver hair. I’m the only one with pink.
Riersha studied the parade of silver heads with wide, curious eyes.
They all shared that one striking feature, yet their faces were each so different — it gave them a strangely layered air.
To think I’m finally seeing all of them together like this.
She stole glance after glance, observing each brother in turn, then tilted her head in puzzlement.
Something feels a little off.
No one had initiated a conversation.
Four people sat gathered at the same table, and not one of them had broken the silence.
Could it be…
They’re so distant with each other they can’t even manage small talk?
The answer came to her before she’d even consciously worked toward it.
Only then did she recognize the feeling hanging over the dining room for what it truly was — awkwardness.
But why does Risideon oppa look so pale?
After loosely mapping the dynamics around her, Riersha turned her gaze back to Risideon.
He sat in perfect composure, but there was no hiding the exhaustion beneath it. He looked like someone who hadn’t slept a single hour.
Did he suffer from insomnia? Or had sleeping in an unfamiliar bed after so long away left him restless through the night?
“Risideon op—”
But before she could finish calling his name, the dining room doors opened, and Pernoa arrived exactly on time.
He appeared to have come straight from work — he was still dressed in his formal attire. He shrugged off his outer coat as he took his seat, then made a small gesture indicating he would skip the pleasantries.
“You’re all here.”
“Yes.”
Riersha answered.
To be precise, only Riersha answered.
Embarrassed, she pressed her lips together.
Pernoa gave a short, amused breath and spoke.
“Today’s meal is in celebration of Risideon and Riersha returning to the main estate. I hope you’ll all get along well.”
“Yes!”
“……”
Again, the only voice that rang out with any enthusiasm belonged to Riersha.
“Have you all introduced yourselves?”
“Yes, we have.”
At that, Riscal smiled pleasantly and told a bare-faced lie without so much as flinching.
Riersha startled and whipped her head toward him.
“Riscal oppa?”
“You see?” Ricador clicked his tongue and shook his head. From the look of it, this was far from the first time.
Risideon appeared lost in thought and seemed entirely indifferent to what was unfolding.
And Pernoa didn’t seem to suspect Riscal had lied at all — which made sense, really. There was no obvious reason for anyone to lie about something as trivial as introductions.
In the end, Riersha had lost her chance to properly introduce herself to her brothers.
She looked over at Riscal, and he met her gaze with a bright smile, shrugging one shoulder as if to say, so what are you going to do about it?
Wow. He has genuinely terrible personality.
Riersha was appalled. Riscal had managed to surpass even Ricador in that regard.
He saw the sauce and deliberately said nothing.
She could barely contain her disbelief.
“How was life at the imperial palace, Risideon?”
Pernoa broke the silence at last.
“Were the Crown Prince’s swordsmanship lessons manageable?”
“…Yes. They were fine.”
Risideon answered slowly.
“Now that you’re back at the main estate, take time to rest and recover. I’ll handle the rest — you don’t need to worry about any of it.”
Risideon’s lips parted slightly, as though there were something he wanted to say, but after a beat of hesitation, he closed them again.
Riersha watched him with quiet attention.
It looks like he wants to say something to Father. Why isn’t he saying it?
Pernoa seemed to sense the same thing — his gaze lingered on his son for a moment — but he didn’t press.
Risideon seemed to want to avoid bringing anything heavy to the dinner table.
Something is strange.
Riersha furrowed her brow, a thought forming before she could stop it.
“Oppa… are you thinking of going back?”
Risideon’s hand went still.
That was answer enough.
“Come find me separately after we eat.”
Pernoa spoke, his eyes on Risideon.
