If the Crown Prince were ever to inherit the throne, his wariness of the Arachrene family would likely stem above all else from how much of a threat they posed.
There were many who argued that the Arachrene family must remain strong and intact — but just as many who held the opposite view.
The Empress was almost certainly among the latter.
“Risideon says he wants to stay in the Imperial Capital.”
“…What?”
“He claims he has no right to the succession and that he’s only a burden to the family.”
Even the way Pernoa said it made plain just how diminished Risideon had become. He was putting on a composed face for the world, but he could not fool Pernoa’s eyes.
Duke Marcella shook his head slowly.
“So you’re just going to leave him be?”
“It would be best if Risideon overcame this on his own — but hearing what you’ve said, I suppose that may be difficult.”
The reason Pernoa had given him time to think, saying he would respect Risideon’s wishes, was precisely because he had hoped Risideon would choose on his own to remain with the family.
The conversation seemed to draw to a close there.
Pressing further than this, even for Duke Marcella, would have been crossing a line.
A silence settled between them.
It was then that Duke Marcella spotted Riersha in the distance, making her way toward them.
Well, well. Has she come looking for her father?
The golden eyes of the Duke glimmered with quiet mischief.
She had already picked up on the awkwardness between father and daughter from the moment the two of them had stepped down from the carriage. Failing to notice something as plain as that would be grounds for forfeiting one’s neck in the cutthroat world of high society.
Perhaps this uncle ought to give his niece a little gift, to mark their first meeting.
Even if it meant risking his life to do so.
“Oh, by the way, Pernoa.”
“What is it?”
“Now that you’ve seen your daughter — do you still feel the same way you used to?”
Pernoa looked over with an expression that said he had no idea what was coming.
“You said it yourself, once. That having a daughter…”
At that very moment, Riersha flinched and darted swiftly behind a nearby hedge.
She had clearly taken an interest, now that she was becoming the subject of conversation.
The instant Pernoa understood what Marcella was about to say, his expression went rigid.
“It would be better not to bring that up.”
“Why not. Don’t you think the child ought to know just how much you—”
Duke Marcella drew a long breath and raised his voice deliberately.
“—fussed and worried? Isn’t that right, Riersha?”
“Ah—!”
Caught in the act of eavesdropping, Riersha let out a startled squeak.
The moment her voice reached him, Pernoa’s gaze snapped straight to the hedge.
He had been so preoccupied with thoughts of Risideon that he hadn’t sensed her drawing near.
“Your father worried himself half to death the moment the physician told him he was having a daughter — wondering whether he’d ever be able to get close to you, Riersha. He even came to me about it, and I’m not even married. Can you imagine? He must have had no one else to ask. Truly remarkable, Pernoa.”
Duke Marcella launched into the telling with visible delight.
“That’s enough.”
The pair of sharp red eyes that met his sent a cold shiver straight down the Duke’s spine.
Pernoa reached out, clearly intending to cover his mouth.
But Duke Marcella simply tilted his head back and kept talking.
“He was convinced you’d grow up and insist on getting married off somewhere, and he fretted endlessly about what he would do if that happened—!”
Mmph. Mmph.
And at last, his mouth was covered. Having already said every word that mattered, the Duke only grinned.
A brief and mortified silence followed.
“…Ha.”
Pernoa, caught out in a piece of history he would have gladly buried forever, pressed one hand over his face in embarrassment.
⁂
Riersha scrambled to her feet from behind the rustling hedge.
She still couldn’t quite believe what she had just heard.
Pernoa’s discomfort was unmistakable — written plainly across his face. She had never seen him caught so thoroughly off guard before.
“Did Papa really say that?”
“He did indeed. I’m afraid you haven’t got much hope of getting married, Riersha.”
“…”
“But could you perhaps put in a good word for your uncle, Riersha? There was no mutual agreement involved in what just happened.”
Duke Marcella flashed a bright smile and pleaded quite sincerely to be spared.
⁂
“…Who hit you, my lord?”
“Mm.”
Duke Marcella confirmed it cheerfully.
His knight stared, mouth falling open in bewilderment.
Who in this world would dare leave a mark on Duke Marcella’s face?
“Who did this? Tell me and I’ll have them apprehended and punished immediately.”
The knight spoke with grave urgency. Duke Marcella pressed an ice pack to his face and answered simply.
“Pernoa Arachrene.”
“…”
“Go give him a talking-to, Roki. Just look at what he’s done to my face.”
Duke Marcella pointed to the swollen corner of his mouth as if presenting critical evidence.
He made a show of wiping at imaginary tears — and the knight fell quiet.
“Why have you gone silent all of a sudden?”
He set the ice pack aside, slumped across the desk in his study, and tilted his head curiously.
Through the soft fall of his red hair, his golden eyes glinted with their usual amusement.
By now, the two of them are probably having quite a pleasant time together.
He had sacrificed himself nobly. Whatever came of it, Pernoa could reap the rewards on his own.
“By the way, Roki — did you look into that matter I asked about?”
“I was just about to bring you the report.”
Duke Marcella nodded for him to continue.
Roki set the document on the desk.
“It has been confirmed. A child was born between the Emperor and a maidservant.”
“A boy?”
“Yes, my lord.”
The report contained precisely the outcome he had least wanted to hear.
With a sigh of barely concealed exasperation, Duke Marcella straightened up.
Why hasn’t the Emperor made public the existence of another bloodline?
Having noble factions consolidate their power in one place was the last thing any emperor would want. And with the Empress holding such extraordinary influence right now, the existence of yet another prince ought to be enormously welcome news.
Yet the Emperor had said nothing.
Which could only mean…
“The Emperor and the Empress are on the same side.”
“Bringing the Arachrene heir to the Imperial Capital isn’t the sort of decision the Empress could have made alone.”
It was a move that could have turned the entire Arachrene family into enemies.
There was no other way to read it — the Emperor had given his tacit approval.
“Does Pernoa know about this?”
Duke Marcella tapped the report as he asked.
Roki shook his head.
“He likely already does. The Arachrene family has the finest intelligence network in the empire.”
“Fair point.”
The Arachrene family had lived through countless wars. They understood better than anyone how vital information could be. A single piece of intelligence at the right moment could determine the outcome of everything.
And being in direct opposition to the Imperial Family, they would be more keenly interested in palace intelligence than any other noble house in existence.
“This is a problem.”
“Why, my lord? Has something happened?”
“I was just on my way back from telling Pernoa about Risideon Arachrene.”
Since it was Roki who had gathered that information, a loaded silence followed the words.
A creeping unease began to rise at the thought of what might unfold at the Crown Prince’s celebration party.
“I don’t suppose I can throw them out of my house, even now?”
“…”
“I know it’s too late.”
Duke Marcella clicked his tongue once, mildly put out at how troublesome things had become.
⁂
Riersha’s heart was fluttering in her chest.
The words Duke Marcella had said kept circling back through her mind, over and over again.
If she was being honest, she still couldn’t quite believe them.
Papa wants to be close to me.
It was something she never would have known if Duke Marcella hadn’t told her today.
Riersha smiled softly to herself.
Pernoa, for his part, looked rather conflicted — his private feelings had been exposed all at once through no choice of his own.
But Riersha couldn’t conceal her joy. The corners of her mouth melted upward into a bright, unguarded smile.
To think that Pernoa, who had always seemed so impossibly distant, had been feeling the same way she had all along.
Riersha fidgeted with her fingers for a moment.
Then, gathering her courage, she reached out and gently took Pernoa’s hand.
Pernoa watched the small gesture in silence — and let her take it.
“Hehe.”
Riersha laughed softly out loud.
Such a small thing. What did it even amount to?
Pernoa let out a breath that was almost a laugh, and smiled along with her.
I made a mistake.
He had caught the flicker of anxiety that passed over Riersha’s face a little while ago, and the memory of it left something unsettled in his chest.
