“It seems like Father has already told His Majesty the Emperor about your paintings.”
“……”
“You’ve t the crown prince once before, right? Actually, he’s been urging to beco his aide, and he sends a letter to remind every day… I’m pretty sure he just wants to saddle with all his tireso work.”
“Okaay…”
“He says he wants to et 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 et 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 eting ended up as a total failure.
Besides that, what reason did an exiled ducal lady have to et 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 soone who’s at the center of many disturbing rumors, the imperial family must be a ss…”
“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 ntioned Aileen’s na, she tried to calm down her boiling resentnt.
Just in ti, 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 becos the crown prince’s consort?”
“What would that have to do with ?”
“I believe it would matter a lot. Do you think she’ll leave you alone once she becos the crown princess, and later the empress?”
“So, again, what does that have to do with …”
“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 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 ?”
“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 co in due ti.”
“……”
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 ss, the fox proclaid 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 ca to be, but there was apparently soone pulling the strings from behind.
What a spectacle it was—truly a spectacle—just how much the head maid so thoroughly sched to ostracize one single child.
There was once a ti when Violet had cried and asked Roen for help. As he recalled that ti, Roen couldn’t help but ruffle his hair haphazardly.
Sotis, oftentis… such mories 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.
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