“It seems like Father has already told His Majesty the Emperor about your paintings.”

“……”

“You’ve met the crown prince once before, right? Actually, he’s been urging me to become his aide, and he sends a letter to remind me every day… I’m pretty sure he just wants to saddle me with all his tiresome work.”

“Okaay…”

“He says he wants to meet you soon, but honestly, I can’t get a handle on what goes on in his mind. He’s a snake-like guy, so if you meet him later, try to keep your distance.”

“……”

One snake-like guy was warning her about another snake-like guy. Violet pressed down the urge to say what she wanted to say.

The imperial crown prince’s image was not good in Violet’s eyes. After all, their first meeting ended up as a total failure.

Besides that, what reason did an exiled ducal lady have to meet the empire’s heir to the throne?

Violet’s eyes narrowed. Regardless, however, Roen chattered on as he was.

“It’s obviously just an excuse. The imperial family’s elders have been hounding him about welcoming a crown princess consort. Honestly, if he had a little bit more of an agreeable personality, he would have already sent a letter of proposal to you long before.”

“But for him to send a letter of proposal to someone who’s at the center of many disturbing rumors, the imperial family must be a mess…”

“How you’re perceived in the capital and within Everett is different. And if you think about Rajaden’s personality, he might just send letters of proposal to both you and Aileen while declaring that you should compete for the position of his consort.”

“……”

Violet had no will to converse, whereas Roen was overflowing with the energy to chatter.

When Violet watched the corners of Roen’s lips tugging up as he mentioned Aileen’s name, she tried to calm down her boiling resentment.

Just in time, Mary stepped in to change the brother and sister’s tea. And, once again, Violet had to press down on the urge to throw scalding hot tea into Roen’s face with greater difficulty.

“That’s very good news…”

“Would it not bother you if Aileen becomes the crown prince’s consort?”

“What would that have to do with me?”

“I believe it would matter a lot. Do you think she’ll leave you alone once she becomes the crown princess, and later the empress?”

“So, again, what does that have to do with me…”

“A lot, really. But don’t worry, I’ll be here to protect you.”

Roen spoke such sweet words as if he was a caring older brother. Blargh. Violet suddenly had the urge to puke. What’s this guy talking about now.

“It’ll be alright. Or, perhaps, you won’t allow me to protect you?”

Violet was relentlessly appalled by the nonsense that Roen kept spouting. On the other hand, Roen just grinned.

“And why in the world must you protect me?”

“Because you’re my younger sister.”

“Exactly, why in the world…”

Violet was fed up. As if he was unaware of that fact, Roen smiled again.

“Anyway, have you thought about holding an exhibition for your art?”

“…I can’t keep up with the flow of this conversation, Young Lord.”

“It’s a waste to keep your paintings here in the annex. An opportunity will surely come in due time.”

“……”

Violet decided to give up on responding to Roen at all.

 

* * *

 

While Violet was truly quite fed up, the situation in the main mansion was slowly changing. Even so, things couldn’t possibly change that much overnight.

Many things did not change in an instant because of the firmly established impressions that have remained in place until now.

This was especially true for the angelic image that Aileen had manufactured for herself.

Duke Everett was just the kind of man who’s impossible to read. It was like that even for his own children.

What kind of emotions he harbored, what kind of thoughts he had, and what kind of attitude he’d convey—everything was a mystery. Nevertheless, he was a prominent duke brimming with respectability.

After what had happened during their dinner together the other day, Roen had given up all hope that their father would resolve the situation.

Mikhail kept insisting that the duke was playing favorites and that his favorite was Violet, but in Roen’s eyes, this was not the case.

The further he investigated, the more it was revealed just how much of a spectacle the truth was.

Since the duchess’s passing, there had been no one managing House Everett’s internal affairs. 

This had been going on for more than a decade.

Amidst this mess, the fox proclaimed herself to be king, but the biggest problem was actually the head maid, who had been reigning over the residence as though she were king.

That person had originally been Aileen’s nanny, and she was an outsider who followed Aileen into the duchy when the girl had been adopted. Throughout the years, she helped Aileen, then she finally took the position of head maid for herself.

In the end, no matter how much the weak Aileen acted like a fox, she was just a kid. There’s a limit to the number of tricks that a child could think of.

It’s a wonder how all this came to be, but there was apparently someone pulling the strings from behind.

What a spectacle it was—truly a spectacle—just how much the head maid so thoroughly schemed to ostracize one single child.

There was once a time when Violet had cried and asked Roen for help. As he recalled that time, Roen couldn’t help but ruffle his hair haphazardly.

Sometimes, oftentimes… such memories resurfaced and caused him pain.

He thought about how he should slowly cut off the head maid… But the people who served as her hands and feet were a problem, too.

Clicking his tongue, Roen soon sighed. There’s already been a change of hands in the personnel, but there’s still quite a few filthy rats left.

If those people had been affiliated with the family’s enemies, House Everett would have already fallen to ruin.

Father, have you always been so terribly incompetent?

Lost in thought as he was gauging the situation, Roen eventually stood up from his seat.

Since he had already made up his mind, it was best to finish it right away.