“It would be impossible unless she was absolutely certain I wouldn’t return.”
If Pernoa came back, he would inevitably make it a problem.
That was how far beyond the bounds of common sense the Empress’s actions truly were.
“Before you arrived, Risideon — there was an incident where Riersha’s mana ran out of control.”
“…Something like that happened?”
“And remarkably, because of it, her mana stabilized.”
Riersha’s expression shifted with surprise at words she was hearing for the first time.
Her mana had become stable precisely because it went out of control?
But why is that a problem?
Riersha looked at Pernoa with puzzled eyes.
The outcome was positive, wasn’t it? Wasn’t that a good thing?
Risideon, on the other hand, went pale at the implication.
“…You mean someone was interfering to prevent Riersha from awakening?”
“Most likely.”
“And you believe the culprit is the Empress, Father.”
“If so, it would explain everything she’s done up until now.”
The news that Riersha had failed to awaken would have been easy enough for the Empress to come by. She had her hands in far too many of the collateral branches for that to be otherwise.
But reaching out to Risideon, the heir — that was a different matter entirely. It would have been impossible unless she was absolutely convinced that Riersha would never awaken.
“…That — that means—”
Riersha murmured blankly.
“I could have awakened all along?”
Did it mean she wouldn’t have had to grow up alone, isolated in an outer castle?
That the whole family wouldn’t have had to live apart, each quietly suffering through their own pain?
That they could have all lived happily — and yet had still been driven to that tragedy instead?
Riersha’s face went still and empty.
The one who had destroyed House Arachrene — it had been the Empress all along.
⁂
The Crown Prince’s birthday party ended in disarray.
One could fairly call it the worst party imaginable.
The Young Duke of Arachrene had not remained in his seat — he had left the imperial palace entirely.
Adrian, unable to contain his fury, hurled everything in his room across the floor. When that still wasn’t enough, he stomped on whatever had fallen, grinding it underfoot.
“How could you do this to me — how could you, Mother?!”
“Compose yourself, Your Highness!”
As Adrian cried out in resentment, the Empress snapped sharply.
“You saw what the Young Duke did to me!”
“This is the moment to step back.”
“Mother!”
The Empress pressed her lips together in irritation.
She had no emotional capacity left to tend to Adrian’s feelings and soothe him right now.
How much does the Young Duke actually know?
That was what mattered to her. That was the only thing.
How far had Pernoa Arachrene seen?
It’s fine if word gets out that another imperial child exists.
A baseborn one, at that — a child who had lost even her mother. A wretched lineage.
But if Pernoa knew everything else as well—
If he knew the secret she truly wished to bury—
No. That can’t be.
The Empress immediately shook her head.
If that were the case, the situation would never have ended as quietly as it had today.
And yet why did she feel so unsettled?
It’s all because that girl awakened.
Of all times, Riersha Arachrene had to awaken at the most critical moment and unravel everything.
When the news had first reached her, she hadn’t thought it a particularly serious problem. She had judged that no matter what, the girl would never be accepted by her own family. A flawed heir was always cast aside. Nothing would change because of it.
But what she had witnessed today was very different from what Karla had anticipated.
Riersha Arachrene appeared to be cared for with the utmost devotion, and Risideon Arachrene had been taken away by Pernoa as well.
If anything, House Arachrene was finding its footing again.
This could not be allowed.
This must not be—!
“Do not worry, Your Highness. This mother will protect you. No matter what.”
But for that to happen, House Arachrene had to be destroyed entirely.
⁂
The early return of Pernoa’s party seemed to catch the family off guard.
But the moment they confirmed that Risideon had come back with him, everyone welcomed him with open arms.
“Brother!”
Riscal threw himself at Risideon and held on tight.
Having lost his guardian figure from an early age, Riscal had always looked up to Risideon, and he stayed like that for a long while.
Ricador was not much different, though it was plain to see he was trying to appear composed — because he was the older of the two, after all.
“What happened? Are you back for good?”
Riscal asked.
“Yes. I’m not leaving again.”
“Thank goodness. That you’re back, I mean.”
Riscal pulled away from Risideon’s arms, his eyes red at the rims.
To both of them, Risideon had clearly been a far greater presence than anyone might have guessed. The weight of responsibility Risideon had quietly carried all this time felt suddenly, painfully real.
“Where’s my gift?”
Riscal wiped his eyes and then held his hand out expectantly toward Riersha.
“Right here!”
Riersha handed out the presents she had been holding, one by one.
“What’s inside?”
Ricador’s eyes lit up with anticipation.
“It’s an imprint-stone. They say it has the most popular play in the capital recorded inside.”
Even the special effects, she added, were rendered with magic so vividly they felt almost real — just as the toy shop owner had told her. When she finished explaining, Ricador let out a low, impressed sound.
“Not bad. You actually picked something decent.”
Riscal, clearly delighted, took his gift and turned it over in his hands again and again.
“I’m glad you like them.”
Riersha exhaled with relief and smiled softly.
The toy shop owner had been right.
Perhaps because they could tell she had chosen these gifts with them in mind, both Ricador and Riscal kept them in hand, unwilling to set them down.
“Miss Riersha!”
“Sona!”
Riersha waved with a bright face.
The moment Riersha reached out her arms, Sona rushed in and hugged her tightly.
“Did your trip go well?”
“It did. Were you alright while I was gone, Sona?”
“Yes.”
Sona nodded and stepped back.
It had only been a day and a half — and yet the castle had felt hollow in her absence.
The Arachrene ducal estate was like that now. Its entire atmosphere rose and fell depending on whether Riersha was there.
“You must all be tired. Go and rest.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Yes!”
Risideon and Riersha answered in turn.
⁂
The moment they arrived back at the castle, Pernoa went looking for Arcmund.
Arcmund, who had already heard the news of Pernoa’s return, rose from his seat.
“Quite satisfying, was it?”
He said it without preamble.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
Pernoa replied with a sideways look, playing innocent.
Arcmund let out a short, sharp scoff.
“Taking Riersha along like it was your own private kingdom out there!”
“…Is this really the time for that?”
“You sent a pile of toys to the manor to score points with Riersha — you’re hardly in a position to talk.”
Oh, right. That.
Pernoa murmured quietly to himself.
He had completely forgotten about it, but Arcmund had just reminded him.
“Thank you for bringing it up. I’d nearly forgotten entirely — now I remember.”
“Why, you—!”
He had, after all, been promised a flower bracelet.
Pernoa smiled pleasantly, and Arcmund slammed his palm down on the desk.
It felt, for some reason, like losing.
Arcmund came out from behind the desk and settled onto the sofa. Pernoa followed and sat down across from him.
“So. What brings you here? You go out and the first thing you do after coming back is come find me.”
“It concerns Riersha.”
At those words, Arcmund’s expression shifted at once, turning serious.
“Is it about her mana awakening?”
Pernoa confirmed it with a nod.
As it happened, that very issue was something Arcmund had been quietly investigating on his own. But progress had been frustratingly slow.
Most of the people who had been in direct contact with Yerena Arachrene — the former lady of the house — had since vanished without a trace.
“The Empress is suspicious.”
“Your evidence?”
Arcmund narrowed his eyes.
Pernoa recounted everything that had taken place at the Crown Prince’s birthday party, leaving nothing out.
With each detail, Arcmund’s expression grew colder.
Undeniably, what Pernoa suspected was not without merit.
“You’re saying the reason Riersha couldn’t awaken was because the Empress interfered?”
“Yes. And she could not have done it alone.”
Without someone working alongside her, it would have been impossible.
The trouble was, there were far too many suspects.
Just off the top of his head, two names came to mind immediately.
Marquess Crender, and Count Atran.
