Chapter 87

Why is she back so early?

As mentioned earlier, it had only been about two hours since Sienna left to meet the Third Prince.

Considering the distance to Rocfen, it meant she had only spent a few minutes with the Third Prince before returning.

Until now, even if Sienna hadn’t managed to change the Third Prince’s mind, she hadn’t returned this early.

She usually left after lunch and only returned after sunset.

Had she not been able to meet the Third Prince today?

Or… could something bad have happened between her and the Third Prince?

That can’t be.

Alice abruptly stood up.

“…My lady?”

“I should go greet Sienna.”

Alice smiled at Aileen, who had her eyes wide open, and hurriedly left the room.

In her haste, Alice practically slid down the stairs and called out to Sienna just as she was entering the lobby.

“Sienna!”

“My lady?”

Sienna seemed startled by her call and hesitated mid-step.

Oh dear, I was too hasty.

Alice slowed her pace and put on a harmless smile as she approached the hesitating Sienna.

“I was just so glad you came back early… Did I startle you?”

“Not at all. I’m happy you welcomed me.”

Sienna quickly composed her surprised expression and smiled back.

“I’m so glad you’re back early. But… it hasn’t been long since you left to meet His Highness the Third Prince, why are you back already? Were you unable to see His Highness today?”

Alice carefully asked Sienna, feigning innocence in her eyes.

She had to be quite careful.

Sienna hadn’t been very forthcoming about the Third Prince to her.

Even when Alice had asked over dinner, wanting to hear in detail what kind of conversation they had and how, Sienna’s answers were always the same.

‘We had a good conversation.’

‘His Highness seems to be a much better person than I expected.’

Just such vague statements.

That’s why Alice felt even more anxious.

It’s also why she had even suspected Sienna might be lying.

Why does she draw a line with me only when it comes to the Third Prince?

For everything else, she would tell Alice even the most trivial details when asked.

Especially anything about Kylus.

She would try to tell everything she knew.

Why can’t she be that open about the Third Prince too?

Alice was frustrated, but what could she do? The one in need had to cling on.

Alice patiently waited for Sienna’s red lips to move.

She didn’t want to rush and risk Sienna drawing an even firmer line.

Fortunately, Sienna didn’t keep her waiting for long.

“…I met with His Highness.”

You met? Then why did you come back so quickly?

Surely nothing bad happened between you two, right?

Alice lowered her voice that was about to rise and asked naturally.

“Then why… did you come back… so early?”

“Well, I kind of provoked His Highness. So he seemed upset and left early today.”

“…Provoked?”

Alice looked at Sienna with trembling eyes.

There was only one scene that came to mind at the words “provoked the Third Prince.”

Surely… she didn’t blast the Third Prince away with magic again, did she?

“…I didn’t attack His Highness the Third Prince, so don’t worry, my lady.”

Though Alice hadn’t spoken out loud, it must have shown on her face, as Sienna said.

“Ah…”

“I’m not such a rude person, my lady.”

Seeing Sienna’s slightly hurt expression, Alice felt embarrassed and bit her lip.

Of course, she didn’t think Sienna was that kind of person.

But what could she do?

The sight of the Third Prince being knocked down had been too shocking.

So when there was a problem between the two, that incident was the first thing that came to mind.

The sweet scenes from romance novels didn’t even cross her mind.

She just hoped they weren’t fighting.

“I know you’re not that kind of person, Sienna. But… then what kind of provocation did you give His Highness?”

“Well, it was just words to wake him up to reality.”

“Reality?”

“Yes.”

Is that all?

Alice tilted her head curiously at Sienna, but Sienna just gave a slight smile.

As if that really was all.

“Then I’ll go upstairs to change my clothes, my lady.”

Sienna gave a nod and brushed past Alice.

Again, again she didn’t tell me!

But I can’t give up today!

Alice grabbed her dress skirt and followed closely behind Sienna as she climbed the stairs.

“Sienna, why don’t we have a more in-depth conversation?”

* * *

At the time when Alice was busily following Sienna around,

The Third Prince had just arrived at the Imperial Palace.

After passing through a hole in the wall and the back alley of the maids’ quarters, the familiar Emperor’s palace could be seen in the distance.

The Sun Palace, the largest and tallest of the imperial palaces.

Even from afar, its shining roof was always visible at a glance.

And Alvin had seen that roof every day.

But why?

Today, for some reason, he couldn’t take his eyes off the shining Sun Palace.

“…Disgustingly tall.”

The high roof of the Sun Palace.

He had always thought it was tall and shining, and had always viewed it emotionlessly, as if looking at something that belonged to others.

In fact, it was natural.

Until now, his life had been detached from the imperial family.

A life closer to that of a commoner, despite being a prince.

For Alvin, the bustling streets of Rocfen felt more familiar and comfortable than the tall Sun Palace.

Just as the imperial family had abandoned him, he too had barely managed to forget about them and live on. But why now?

‘If Your Highness wishes, I can help completely change your life.’

‘I want to support Your Highness as the next Crown Prince.’

‘I intend to wait for Your Highness here every day. Until you change your mind.’

Was it trying to shake up his life?

“…Crown Prince, huh.”

It was a position he had never even dared to imagine, not even once.

To be Crown Prince when he could die at any moment… How could one dream of such a thing without going mad?

But the person who had mentioned it was someone capable of making it happen.

Duke Dearrut, who looked more like a monarch than the current incompetent Emperor.

The incident where the Second Prince had asked Duke Dearrut for support to become the next Crown Prince, only to be coldly rejected, was well-known.

The man who even the Emperor and the Second Prince, the Empress’s legitimate son, found difficult to deal with, had said he would make him Crown Prince.

It was something he could never dream of on his own, but with Duke Dearrut, it might not be impossible.

And as if those words were sincere, ever since he met the Duke, Lady Meltain had been waiting for him in Rocfen every day.

Sienna Meltain.

The daughter of Baron Meltain and Duke Dearrut’s cousin.

Although he couldn’t know much about her since she hadn’t even made her social debut yet, one thing was certain.

She was no ordinary noble lady.

Her seemingly high-level magic skills and… her beauty that could bewitch people.

The young lady, like a single rose, had an appearance as exquisite as Duke Dearrut’s.

While no one knew Lady Meltain now, from the moment of her social debut, she would become the most famous noble lady in the capital.

Alvin had no doubt about that.

She might even become the next Empress.

Being a lady backed by Duke Dearrut, the Second Prince would surely want her.

Lady Meltain wearing the Empress’s crown.

Even imagining it, there was no sense of incongruity.

But… when he imagined the Second Prince standing next to her, his mood sank for some reason.

Then who would suit her?

In his mind, the image of the Second Prince standing next to Lady Meltain was erased, and he himself appeared.

Alvin shook his head, startled by the image that suddenly came to mind.

“…I’ve gone mad.”

He must have gone completely insane.

To imagine himself wearing the Emperor’s crown.

‘Alvin, don’t wish for anything. That’s the only way you can survive.’

‘I’m sorry for giving birth to you… when I can’t give you anything.’

‘When you become an adult, run far away from the imperial family. Only by running as far as possible can you find happiness.’

These were the words his mother had repeated countless times to him while she was alive.

You can only be happy if you get away from the imperial family, if you run as far away as possible.

“…Mother was right.”

Hadn’t he lived like that all this time?

And yet, to be shaken like this because of Lady Meltain whom he had only met for a few days.

There was no other explanation but madness.

“…It’s because I heard unnecessary things, that’s why.”

The words Lady Meltain had said to him today.

Those words had touched something suppressed in his heart.

“…Let’s not think about it.”

Alvin let out a deep sigh.

As if suppressing old emotions that were about to well up.

As always, Alvin turned away from the Sun Palace with an expressionless face.

A path where people don’t walk.

Walking along a path strewn with weeds and pebbles, one would come across the Third Prince’s palace.

A shabby and small house, too humble to be called a palace.

There wasn’t a spot on the old exterior walls that wasn’t cracked, and the low roof was completely covered with unidentified vines.

Of course, there were no palace staff managing the house.

To begin with, this place wasn’t a palace where royalty lived, but where the hunting ground keeper used to live.

It was a place abandoned along with the hunting ground keeper when the previous Emperor removed the hunting grounds within the imperial city.

That’s where the Third Prince and his mother had been cast out.

By none other than his own father, His Majesty the Emperor.

When he was very, very young, there were times when he had illusions and resentment towards his father, but even those had long since disappeared.

A complete stranger.

To Alvin, the Emperor was now thoroughly a stranger.

Alvin looked at the old house with emotionless eyes.