《A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    <b>Prologue. The woman who requested for her own imprisonment</b>


    The woman stared nkly at the ceiling above her and blinked slowly.


    Out of the blue, Violet S. Everett recalled her previous life.


    Truthfully, the term ¡®out of the blue¡¯ didn¡¯t truly encapste her experience of remembrance. There was an incident that served as a trigger to her memories, and that trigger was a near-death experience.


    At the expense of having to go through a deathly crisis, she was given the chance to recall her previous life and could now calmly reflect on her actions. Could this perhaps be called a blessing in disguise?


    As she slowly regained consciousness, Violet thought.


    <i>What is happiness? </i>She wished to experience that, even if it was something from a distant ce that she couldn¡¯t dare reach.


    And so, after three days and nights of teetering between life and death, the very moment she woke up, the first thing that the ducaldy did was to visit her father.


    She asked Duke Everett,


    <i>¡ªPlease confine me to the annex.</i>


    * * *


    There was a tendency for human beings to pursue happiness in their lives. However, such happiness was abstract, like a mirage that one could not easily touch with one¡¯s own hands¡ªsomething that one would yearn for during an entire lifetime, but could not easily reach.


    It was near, and yet so impossible to catch¡­


    ¡°What are you even thinking, Violet?¡±


    As she had been lost in thought, the low voice brought her back to reality. His tone sounded as if there was a surging anger threatening to burst through.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet did not answer his question. The reason why she came here was apparent.


    Three days and nights had passed since the eldest daughter of the Everett Duchy had almost drowned in ake.


    So many people hade to visit the ducaldy after she rose again. A doctor came to examine the ducaldy¡¯s condition, a priest came to pray for her and wish her peace, and various servants also came to tend to the ducaldy. It seemed like there was no end to them.


    And amongst all those people, there was one person she wished hadn¡¯te. It was Mikhail, the eldest son of the household, Violet¡¯s older brother.


    ¡°I asked you¡ªwhat were you thinking?!¡±


    As the loud voice growled out again, Violet grimaced. She did not answer because she didn¡¯t want to deal with him, however Mikhail continued to pressure her.


    This was how he was treating his younger sister, who had juste back from death¡¯s door.


    Still silent, Violet sat up from the bed. She hadn¡¯t yet fully recovered, so even the smallest of movements taxed on her greatly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I heard from Father that you asked him to <i>imprison</i> you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Haa.¡±


    ¡°What are you scheming? Are you threatening us with your life now? Are you trying to do some sort of protest under the public eye?¡±


    ¡°My head¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you not going to answer?!¡±


    The conversation went around and around with no sign of a fruitful exchange.


    Why was the eldest son of a ducal household acting so unrefined? Whether or not Violet was to click her tongue at his behavior, Mikhail waspletely obstinate.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what scheme you think I have. I¡¯ve had a chance to realize my mistakes and reflect on myself.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ha. No matter how you try to cover it up nicely, that kind of talk¡­¡±


    When she gave him a proper answer, the answer that came back was still full of rage. In any case, they were empty words. She didn¡¯t care either, and so she shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired, so could you please leave? With my current state, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything I can do.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Or are you going to continue yelling and shouting in your younger sister¡¯s room in such an uncultured manner?¡±


    ¡°¡­Just you wait. Violet, whatever you¡¯re up to, you¡¯re not going to have your way.¡±


    Thus, the not-so-conversation came to an end. Mikhail left the room feeling more enraged than when he first entered through the door.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As soon as Mikhail left, Violet arranged herself in her seat, but she soon frowned at the immediate knock that followed outside the door.


    They¡¯re not even giving her a break. The moment the short permission of, <i>Come in,</i> left her lips, two people came in. They were also familiar to her.


    ¡°S-Sister.¡±


    Fluffy pink hair fluttered behind the person who spoke along with every step she took. Her tear-soaked face looked as if she was about to cry again.


    On the other hand, another person who had tinum blond hair beside the girl had a smile on his lips and an unreadable expression on his face the entire time.


    Violet let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°I-I was worried about you. I¡¯m d that you¡¯re all safe and sound¡­¡±


    The lovely young woman expressed her concern for Violet in a bell-like voice. d to see you¡¯re safe, she said.


    How adorably she smiled with such a kind expression¡­ that you¡¯d think it was all just fake.


    Violet calmed down as she tried to act how she usually would. On top of her body already being in this kind of condition, being agitated wouldn¡¯t do her any good.


    ¡°Why are you lying, Aileen. You don¡¯t have any use for worrying about me.¡±


    ¡°S-Sister?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not happy at all that you came all this way to say things like that¡­ You must be quite absorbed in that role of yours, this ruse that <i>you¡¯re </i>the good sister. If you¡¯vee to me, then you must know that only spite would greet you back.¡±


    <i>¡ù Hello! Yonnee here~ I¡¯ve decided to pick this novel back up, but because this is a D&C novel (meaning, the publisher is extra super strict), I might be forced to drop this again in case a DMCA is sent to me. <strong>Please do not share or repost this anywhere else, especially at social media sites.</strong> Thanks.</i>


    <i>¡ù</i><i>Additionally, this novel¡¯s chapters are half chapters, but they¡¯re numbered normally to make things simple. Tranting involves a delicate process that requires a lot of effort, so the chapters have been divided to alleviate the workload on my part. Still, moving forward, I will post updates as often as I can topensate for the length. Thank you for your understanding~!</i>

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    At Violet¡¯s unhesitatingly biting words, Aileen flinched. Just because her ire had not been roused didn¡¯t mean that Violet would hold back on what she¡¯d say.


    Meanwhile, the young man next to her was smiling the entire time with a truly unreadable expression that it was impossible to read what¡¯s on his mind. It was the Everett Duchy¡¯s second son, Roen.


    ncing briefly to Roen, Aileen let out her tears.


    ¡°What are you saying, Sister! It¡¯s natural for me to worry about you because we¡¯re family. Even though you don¡¯t like me¡­¡±


    ¡°If you knew I wouldn¡¯t want you to be here, then you shouldn¡¯t havee. I already have a headache as it is. It¡¯s going to get worse because of you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Aileen came here to see you because she was worried about you. Why are you being so cold?¡±


    Right. A smile dawned upon Violet¡¯s lips at the young man¡¯s sudden interruption. She was wondering why the two of them came together, but she realized now. It¡¯s this.


    ¡°No, Brother, I¡¯m fine,¡± Aileen said. ¡°Even if Sister says that¡­¡±


    The slender girl looked hurt and it seemed like tears would fall at any moment as she dissuaded her older brother. There was no indication that it was merely a short performance.


    Watching them like this, one would wonder who the real blood-rted siblings were here. Snorting, Violet could be seen smiling slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s bing a problem that you¡¯re so forgiving. Violet, you should know how to be more careful, but you¡¯re always throwing such sharp words.¡±


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to get stabbed, then you shouldn¡¯t havee here. Why must I wee you?¡±


    ¡°Even when you say that, you¡¯re being unusually meek, aren¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°I almost died, didn¡¯t I? Stop.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sure, the way you speak is still the same.¡±


    ¡°Do you think a person can change in an instant?¡±


    Roenughed sardonically as he noticed the sly way Violet had changed her words and attitude¡ªformal one moment, informal the next. The only one here who¡¯s at the edge of her seat for no reason was Aileen.


    Unable to bear to just stand by as the real brother and sister talked, Aileen dissuaded Roen again.


    ¡°I really am fine, Brother. I know that Sister hates me because I¡¯m not good enough¡­ <i>Hiic,</i> I, I really want to be close to Sister, but¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Aileen. It¡¯s not your fault. Never mind, Violet seems to still be in a terrible mood today, so let¡¯s just go back.¡±


    At the retreating pair, Violet wordlessly watched them walk away and quietly raised a middle finger at them.


    Roen and Aileen had long since had their backs turned on her, so they did not see the vulgar action that the eldest daughter of this ducal household had just made.


    Her surroundings grew quiet only after all the uninvited guests had finally left.


    She could finally have some peace and quiet. Violet quicklyy back down on her bed, else someone mighte again.


    Having already faced Mikhail, Roen and Aileen, she was more tired than ever now.


    She was grateful that her younger brother, the third son Cairn, was now at the academy.


    Violet¡ªno, Yeon Ha-yoon was finally left to her own world, and so she closed her eyes happily.


    * * *


    Violet S. Everett, the eldest daughter of the Everett Duchy, a household that had an extensive history.


    The monikers she had were not just empty words. Most wicked viiness of all time. Green-eyed monster who¡¯s eternally jealous of her sister. Everett¡¯s evil witch with an ice-cold heart.


    It¡¯s a wonder how she ended up with these kinds of nicknames. However Violet, or Yeon Ha-yoon, did not deny these titles that had been attributed to her.


    Out of the blue, she suddenly remembered her previous life.


    For her to have remembered her previous life after falling right into ake and having a near-death experience, wasn¡¯t it so ridiculously contrived?


    <i>Even novels wouldn¡¯t be this predictable,</i> Violetined inwardly.


    Perhaps to rify her situation, she had not transmigrated. Though if she were to categorize it, then she could say that she had reincarnated. She remained true to her identity as Violet, who she had lived as for neen years thus far. It just so happened that she recalled her previous life¡¯s memories. Because of that, she felt no such disconnect to her current self.


    She had lived her previous life and unfortunately back then. And here, she was reborn and she somehow recalled her previous life.


    If one were to define Yeon Ha-yoon¡¯s life, then it would be with this word: pathetic. As for Violet¡¯s life, then: harsh.


    The family she had been born into was a ducal household which had an extended history. As she had two older brothers and one younger brother, she was born as the sole daughter who was raised like the most precious jewel there ever was in the world.


    Nevertheless, Violet¡¯s life was exceedingly harsh.


    It was during the spring of the year she turned eight years old that her life turned for the worse¡ªwhen Aileen, Violet¡¯s younger cousin, entered the Everett family as a ducaldy and interfered.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    The evil older sister who would harass her little sister, who lost her birth parents. The wicked woman who did all the worst bullying, framing and manipting towards an innocent girl.


    These weren¡¯t lies. When Yeon Ha-yoon looked back on the past, it¡¯s true that Violet had done many misdeeds.


    She hated Aileen.


    So, she tormented her.


    She¡¯d been associated with such unruly behavior ever since she was young, so it was thanks to this that the prejudices people had over her were impossible to alleviate. Rather than their own younger sister, Violet¡¯s older brothers took care of Aileen, who was their cousin.


    ¡®Nanny said something to me. The previous duchess is a gorgeous woman who has beautiful golden blonde hair, but why is Sister¡¯s hair silver?¡¯


    Recalling what Aileen had said when they were children, both Violet and Yeon Ha-yoon had the same reaction. They just pressed down the urge to smile helplessly.


    It¡¯s all meaningless now. It¡¯s be meaningless.


    That she tried to be recognized by her family, that she tried to be loved, that she tried to survive in this hellish ducal household and live.


    As the memories of her previous life came back to her, the two personalities blended together.


    The person she was now was Violet but not Violet, was Yeon Ha-yoon but not Yeon Ha-yoon. So, she decided to redraw her life.


    <i>¡ªTo leave everything in this reality behind. To confine myself, alone.</i>


    * * *


    The first thing Violet did was to visit her father, even as she was still wearing her nightgown.


    Her body had yet to recover, so she obviously looked gaunt no matter who saw her.


    Despite his daughter¡¯s sudden visit, the duke did not show any indication of unrest.


    The neen continuous years of trying to instill her with the values of a ducaldy was no more. Only silence, as sharp as a knife, loomed inside the duke¡¯s office.


    Duke Everett neatly swept back his ck hair and looked at Violet with a calm gaze. Those eyes gave off the same impression as ake in the middle of a snowy winter.


    For all her life¡ª for all her life, she just wished that he would look her way, even with those cold eyes.


    The girl took a brief moment to sympathize with herself during this life. She lost her mother at a young age and her father was an indifferent man, so how could it have been possible to receive the love and affection she needed?


    While she yearned for the attention of the people who wouldn¡¯t even look at her, she lived persistently.


    For a few days, the servants discussed amongst themselves whether the ducaldy had finally gone crazy because of her behavior. Violet snorted at them and ignored their chattering.


    <i>Did you also want me to die?</i>


    <i>Since my life is worthless and has no use at all, why did you spend such an astronomical amount of money to save me?</i>


    Yeon Ha-yoon, Violet smiled at the duke, who did not even give her a single grain of attention.


    ¡°I would like to ask one question, Your Grace. To you, what am I? A daughter or a tool to be used?¡±


    She took on an elegant posture as she asked with a voice that was entirely graceful.


    Violet¡¯s question was both blunt and disrespectful. Even if Duke Everett were to yell at her here, it was very much warranted.


    But instead of condemning her for her insolence, the duke responded to the question by raising his head and looking straight into Violet¡¯s eyes.


    The two gazes intertwined in the air.


    Deep purple eyes that were like bottomlesskes, and green eyes that were good at concealing one¡¯s innermost thoughts from the experience of being a duke for a long time.


    The time they sized each other up was but a moment. Without any hesitation, Violet asked once more.


    ¡°Let me ask you again. Your Grace, to you, am I a daughter or a tool?¡±


    ¡°¡­What kind of ruckus is this now.¡±


    ¡°Ever since my close brush with death, my feelings have changed. There¡¯s something that I wish to do.¡±


    The ducaldy¡¯s tone was remarkably tranquil.


    If it was this easy to let go of one¡¯s expectations, why couldn¡¯t she let go of such expectations to be acknowledged by this household. Even if she was considered to be merely a tool, she was still being valued, to a certain extent.


    Of course, considering who Violet was right now, she did not need this acknowledgement.


    The duke opened his heavy lips.


    ¡°What is it that you want to do?¡±


    ¡°First, I would like to renounce every single marriage proposal.¡±


    ¡°¡­You may do so.¡±


    When Violet mentioned the marriage proposals, the duke answered quickly. At this, Violet was momentarily shaken.


    She couldn¡¯t throw away the value ced on her as a tool so easily. Although her reputation had already hit the floor, Violet¡¯s outward appearance was still objectively pleasant.


    Even though the duke could have still used her as a tool when sending her off to a political marriage, there was no hesitation in his answer.


    She wondered if he had another use in mind for her. Even so, Violet immediately regained herposure and continued.


    ¡°And, I wish to paint.¡±


    ¡°¡­If that is what you wish, then I can also call for a teacher.¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do it for the sake of refining my craft. I don¡¯t need a teacher either. Just giving me the necessary tools and materials is enough for me.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The duke did not answer back, but Violet knew that his reaction itself seemed to be a confirmation.


    It was such an easy request that it¡¯s entirely possible to be allowed. Violet, again, judged how the duke would respond.


    Even if she added up her age in her previous life to her current life, she was still younger than the duke, and she still couldn¡¯t guess what was on his mind.


    Saying that she wanted to paint was more of an impulse on her part. Even if it was just the slightest whim, she wanted to continue herpletely erased previous life.


    No. Rather, she just needed an escape. That¡¯s why she chose what she used to do in her previous life.


    Nothing more, nothing less.


    As the duke¡¯s hands had been busy with organizing his documents, they stopped moving for a moment. Violet¡¯s business with him had already been dealt with yet she still hadn¡¯t gone back, so hemented on it.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t recovered yet. Go back and rest.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you care for me?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    There were ripples in the calmkes that were her eyes. Violet bit her lips slightly and held her breath.


    Not once did the duke scold her here, even though she barged in so suddenly and made ridiculous demands.


    He just allowed it all. He didn¡¯t even question anything.


    Ah, this, too, must be easy.


    For a parent¡¯s attitude towards his child, he treated her so emptily. Looking at the insincere duke once more, Violet asked again.


    ¡°¡­Father, do you consider me as your child?¡±


    It was a question she had never asked, not once in her life¡ªa question that Violet could ask only because she was no longer the duke¡¯s daughter.


    In spite of it all, her voice trembled still.


    <i>I wonder, have you ever felt any love for me at all?</i>


    Her purple irises quivered constantly as though they werekes where ripples had broken out, and the duke looked straight into those eyes. He answered calmly.


    ¡°Not once¨C there was never a time that you were not my daughter.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    A business-like tone, through and through. It was too much for her.


    She shouldn¡¯t stay here any longer. She would unravel. She didn¡¯t want to show any weaknesses, and yet her tears threatened to trickle down.


    Managing to hold back those tears by biting the inside of her cheek, the girl smiled. It was a smile that looked as if it was about to fall apart at any given time, fragile through and through.


    This, too, must be easy.


    Violet S. Everett wed her way through a dog-like life and became a wicked woman¡ªfor what?


    ¡°If it¡¯s like that, then I¡¯m relieved. I thought that there¡¯s not one single person by my side.¡±


    <i>I thought for sure that you, too, would hate me. </i>However, Violet swallowed back these words and instead smiled and said something else.


    ¡°Then, as your daughter, I would like to ask for one favor, Father.¡±


    As he heard that it was not a request made from a ducal princess to the duke, but from a daughter to her father, he looked up from the documents he had been reading through.


    And as Violet¡¯s next words left her lips, he had no choice but to doubt his own ears.


    ¡°¡ªPlease imprison me.¡±


    * * *


    Naturally, Violet¡¯s request to be imprisoned was rejected. She was easily granted permission to be stripped of her obligation to marry, yet the request to be imprisoned was adamantly refused.


    There were various reasons. She needed to rest because she was still unwell, he said. If the eldest daughter of a ducal household were to be imprisoned like that, then Everett¡¯s dignity would be in shambles.


    At the arguments presented against her request, she scoffed. Violet S. Everett was already notorious for being a heinous woman with rumors filling the streets¡ªwhat kind of dignity was there left to be tarnished?


    In the meantime, many doctors came and went to check up on her. If, by chance, an evil spirit had also attached itself to her, a priest also came by to visit her. A priest¡¯s house call could only be done through paying a costly sum.


    As expected, living a life with a ton of money to burn was quite different. Laying down and staring at the ceiling, Violetughed.


    While her condition improved, Violet went to the duke again and asked him to confine her to a remote ce.


    And without even asking her why she kept requesting the same thing, the duke refused every time. Still, since she was so persistent, he was forced to grant it.


    Violet hadmitted so many atrocities that no one questioned the duke¡¯s official order to imprison her.


    Mikhail, the eldest son, knew about the duke and Violet¡¯s back and forth during this time. He ran wild and noisily asked just what was going on. But that was all.


    Ten days after Violet S. Everett had fallen into theke, all her social activities came to a halt. Bringing with her only one small luggage bag, she was soon confined to an old, dpidated annex far away from the main mansion.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    * * *


    Confined to the annex wasn¡¯t just Violet alone.


    Even if it was a small, old building, there was still a need for caretakers to be there, especially since she was a ducaldy who would need professional attendants, and so there was bound to be about eleven other people staying at the annex along with her. The duke was adamant about this.


    As a matter of fact, those people shuddered at the thought of serving the depraved, wicked nobledy. And the annex itself was quite far from the main mansion, so in a way, it was as if they had been demoted.


    Violet briefly sympathized with the people who were forced to work in the old annex building because of her.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s wider than I thought though.¡±


    The building where Violet would be living from now on was an old structure with a simple design, if youpared it to the duke¡¯s magnificent fortress. Even so, in Yeon Ha-yoon¡¯s eyes, this was quite nice.


    She liked how quiet this old annex waspared to the main mansion, to the point that she could even hear the flowing breaths of other people behind her.


    Theposition of those eleven other people were as follows:


    A general custodian, who would be managing the whole building.


    Four maids, who would be in charge of cleaning and general upkeep.


    One cook, who¡¯d be making meals in the kitchen, along with two kitchen maids.


    One stableman, who¡¯d oversee the stable¡¯s supplies and manage the horses and carriages.


    One gardener for the garden.


    And, one regr maid, who would be serving Violet directly at her side.


    A total of twelve people, counting Violet as well, would now be living at this small annex for the foreseeable future. Of course, the space inside the building couldn¡¯t be small enough that cleaning wouldn¡¯t be a chore, so Violet was actually perfectly satisfied.


    She was given no high-ranking handmaids or attendants. The duke had been disinclined about this, as it was the bare minimum that Violet should have been given, but in the end, confinement was confinement. Therefore, all the employees she had been given were all made up ofmoners.


    In a way, this could be considered as one¡¯s aristocratic lifeing to an end.


    Considering how she had been living a life in noble splendor until now, all the whileining of the smallest of diforts whenever she had been attended to by ¡®idioticmoners¡¯, this measure¡ªto give hermoner servants instead¡ªwas somewhat to provoke her into changing her mind about her self-imprisonment.


    Of course, however, Violet had no intention at all of returning to her status as a ducaldy. Entering the narrow room that had been assigned to her, she uttered noints and even stretched out, rxed.


    She asked for art supplies from the duke, and it took a little while until they¡¯d arrive. While waiting, she could think of this time as a break for her, so she should rest well enough.


    It¡¯s only obvious that she had no ns of living the same ferocious life that she had before.


    It¡¯s true that Yeon Ha-yoon sympathized with Violet, but she would not deny that Violet had done many misdeeds.


    She could go ahead and say that Violet had been foolish to have done all that, but Ha-yoon also understood why Violet had to live like that.


    Because her life had driven her into a corner and made her act the way she did.


    Still.


    In the end, evil was evil.


    Rolling over the hard, stiff bed, Violetughed as though she had gone mad.


    Ah, as long as she wouldn¡¯t see those people, then she wouldn¡¯t get tired of living like this!


    * * *


    Unfortunately, the peace that Violet achieved through her self-imprisonment did notst long. Not even twenty-four hours had passed since the first day.


    ¡°Eldest Young Master! Eldest Young Master!¡±


    It was due to the ruckus that woke her up the next morning.


    ¡°Call Violet out right now.¡±


    ¡°A notice of your arrival hadn¡¯t been sent beforehand¡­ Mdy hasn¡¯t woken up ye¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is there a ce in my own home that I can¡¯t enter? Don¡¯t make meugh. I won¡¯t leave until shees out. Say that to her.¡±


    At Mikhail¡¯s abrupt attack, Violet couldn¡¯t help but tousle her hair impatiently.


    Though it had been a long time since the sun rose from the horizon, Violet had just been sleeping this entire time. Even the maid, who was supposed to be attending to her, couldn¡¯t enter the room.


    It¡¯s only natural that she wouldn¡¯t be happy to see an uninvited visitor.


    ¡°First thing in the morning, seriously¡­¡±


    Well, it¡¯s going to be lunch time soon, so what she said wasn¡¯t actually very urate.


    Inevitably, however, Violet was set into motion. She only did the bare minimum¡ªput a robe over her nightgown, minimally patted her hair down.


    Violet¡¯s neer maid was at a loss on what to do in front of the door. Antsy as she stomped her feet, she quickly followed her when Violet went out.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you liked me this much. You¡¯ve evene to visit me so early in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Ha, so is this still an early hour to the likes of you?¡±


    ¡°Yeees. I just got out of bed, so of course it¡¯s early for me. Anyway, there doesn¡¯t seem to be smokeing out of anywhere, but what¡¯s going on that you¡¯vee here?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me because you really don¡¯t know?¡±


    When Mikhail snapped back, Violet fiddled with her fingertips. The texture of the robe over the nightgown felt nice.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m already at this age, too. It is rude toe for a visit without sending prior notice. I would be much obliged if you could refrain from doing so again, Eldest Brother.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you up to! What are you going to do to Aileen this time?¡±


    How could a person be so consistent? Violet didn¡¯t know whether to call him thickheaded or just simply honest to a fault.


    There was a time that she had looked up to him.


    Violet smiled nonchntly at Mikhail, who had suddenly raised his voice.


    If she gave the wrong answer here, she might very well get pped across the cheek.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you might be talking about.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re making a fool of me now?!¡±


    Mikhail had been three steps away from her until now, and he prowled closer to her. At the sidelines of the brother and sister, the maids squeezed their eyes shut because of the precarious situation.


    ¡°If Father really had the intention to lock you up like this, then he would have done so long before. Yeah, right. What kind of scheme are you concocting this time for the sake of harassing that child, huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine, let me repeat myself. I¡¯ve changed. Perhaps you should change a little as well, Brother?¡±


    ¡°Change? <i>You?</i> If that¡¯s really it, then before¡­!¡±


    <i>Grit¡ª</i>


    Mikhail clenched his mrs.


    At this, Violet was relieved that she was wearing a nightgown right now, lest he would have already grabbed her by the cor.


    ¡°You should have apologized to Aileen before anything else!¡±


    A loud, furious snarl reverberated all throughout.


    And Violet calmly took a step back from Mikhail.


    <i>The one who never changes is you, Brother. Don¡¯t you know? About seventy percent of the reason that I harassed that child was </i><b><i>you</i></b><i>.</i>


    Violet smirked, thinking of the words that would never be delivered to the person in front of her now.


    Apologize for her misdeeds, he said. And he¡¯s right.


    Violet had tormented her younger cousin so many, many times. Because she hated Aileen.


    Like a hedgehog that would point its spikes, she had struggled with everyone around her. Always angry, always acting however she wanted.


    Since it¡¯s like that.


    <i>Why don¡¯t </i><b><i>you </i></b><i>apologize to </i><b><i>me</i></b><i>?</i>


    Violetughed inwardly, once again swallowing the words that would never be conveyed.


    Yeon Ha-yoon did not deny that Violet had been a viiness, but at the same time, she also did not deny the way Violet had lived her life.


    It¡¯s not that she <i>didn¡¯t </i>feel apologetic, but in all earnestness, she also really <i>didn¡¯t</i> harbor any feelings of remorse.


    It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t feel remorseful. However, at the same time, she also truly didn¡¯t feel apologetic.


    Human beings were, by nature, selfish. Therefore, they tend to justify their situations ording to their own side¡ªtheir self-interest.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried that I¡¯ll bother her, or that I¡¯m pretending to elicit sympathy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ve decided to change. So, I¡¯m only going to stay here, quietly, without bothering or touching Aileen any longer.¡±


    ¡°You, how <i>dare </i>you¡ª¡±


    ¡°What exactly have I done that the phrase ¡®how dare¡¯ is directed at me?¡±


    ¡°How dare you say that name with your mouth so easily!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You have no intention to reflect on yourself. You have no humanity in you.¡±


    Hearing his enraged tone, Violetughed. For pping someone a few times and pouring tea on that other person, perhaps she needed to be rebuked this much.


    Publicly humiliating her in front of other nobles, denouncing her, ming everything on her, throwing hot tea at her, tearing her clothes apart, ordering her to beshed, pping her across the cheek¡­


    All the typical actions of a typical viiness constantly shed through her mind.


    Yeon Ha-yoon looked back on Violet¡¯s offenses, but she soon stopped.


    A witch with a frozen heart. That¡¯s what she was called. Against such a woman, Mikhail turned his back.


    ¡°You <i>will</i> be kicked out of this household. No matter what.¡±


    Those were Mikhail¡¯sst words before he left. <i>You will be kicked out from this household. From Everett.</i>


    At the ending of those novels out there, the viiness would normally be executed. Rather, it¡¯s quite good that all she had to face was getting kicked out.


    She wondered what she¡¯d do if she really did get expelled from the household. Her skillset wasn¡¯t all that wide.


    Violet tried to guess how much she could earn as a painter in this era. Really, any unknown artist was only bound to starve.


    After finishing that quick calction in her mind, she chuckled.


    Violet did not see off her older brother, who was now marching away in the distance.


    ¡°P-Pardon me¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, I guess you¡¯ve been watching until now. Sorry, but can you let the others know that I won¡¯t be having lunch today? I don¡¯t have an appetite.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes!¡± the maid answered quickly.


    She¡¯s Mary, the new maid who had been watching the young duke and the ducaldy for a while now.


    The other employees had, likewise, silently watched the conversation between the siblings from afar. They all quickly went back to their stations.


    It wasn¡¯t very pleasant to be a spectacle, was it.


    Since her day was already ruined anyway, Violet thought about whether she should sleep in more. However, in the middle of her contemtion, she called out to Mary before she left.


    ¡°Ah, one more thing.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes?!¡±


    ¡°Would you kindly ry a message to His Grace for me? Tell him, from now on, please ban Mikhail, Roen, Aileen¡­ And Cairn, too¡­ Ah, no, wait. Please just ban anyone and everyone from entering the annex.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Once he knows that I¡¯m the one who sent you, he¡¯ll just roughly let you in. Then, bye.¡±


    Staring back at the ducaldy, who had a much higher postpared to herself, the maid just gaped nkly.


    She couldn¡¯tprehend Violet¡¯s words. How could a <i>maid</i> seek an audience with a <i>duke?</i>


    Mary was exceedingly restless, but she eventually lowered her head.


    Her superior had given her an order, so did she have a choice?


    The other servants briefly sympathized with Mary.


    And that¡¯s how bad rumors would start to circte. They would say, <i>I didn¡¯t know that she would bully a new maid like this.</i>


    Then, those gossiping women would also say that they hoped this little girl wouldn¡¯t sumb to this harassment.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    With his head slightly ringing, Duke Everett pressed down on his temples.


    His daughter¡¯s matters were giving him a headache. It had always been like this, but recently, even more so.


    She nearly drowned to death in theke. Then, when she woke up after the incident, she had such a sudden change in attitude¡ªenough to flip the entire ducal household upside down.


    The servants made a lot of noise about how crazy the ducaldy had be, but whenever the duke passed by, they would fall into a hush.


    No matter how indifferent he was to the household¡¯s internal affairs, he was given no choice but to pay attention to them this time.


    The position of the dy of the house¡¯ had continued to be empty ever since the duchess had passed away. She was supposed to be the one taking care of the household¡¯s internal affairs.


    Duke Everett did not pay much attention to those matters because there was a designated custodian to take care of them.


    And it all boiled down to this¡ªthe present situation.


    His own daughter was harassing her younger sister. And his sons¡­


    On the day that Violet asked him to imprison her, the duke ordered someone to make a report about his daughter. And, in the report that he received subsequently, all of Violet¡¯s misdeeds were written in full detail.


    Violet had often been witnessed to rebuke Aileen during dinner, among other things.


    Nevertheless, the questions continued to overflow.


    Her request for self-imprisonment. The question she asked him, whether he truly considered her to be his daughter. Those empty eyes, as deep as a bottomlesske.


    Her voice, sounding as if she was about to burst into tears.


    ¡®¡­Do you care for me?¡¯


    When she asked him whether he cared about her.


    The duke granted Violet¡¯s request to be confined, but he did not intend to keep her at the annex for life.


    If all Violet wanted was to not get married, then so be it. If there¡¯s anything at all that she wanted, then he would listen to her wishes.


    However, the only request that she asked of him was for her to live in captivity for the rest of her life. He could not understand this.


    He was expecting her toe back right away.


    ¡®Umm¡­ That is, I mean, Mdy¡­ U-Um! Mdy, she, uh, s-she said that she would like to request for the Young Masters and the other Ducal Lady to be barred entry¡­¡¯


    When Violet sent a young, neer maid, the duke thought that the message he would be hearing was about how she couldn¡¯t stand it there anymore, and that she wishes toe back.


    The young maid¡¯s wide eyes were full of fright, just like a rabbit. It seemed like she never really expected that she would actually face the duke.


    Still, despite the little girl¡¯s stuttering, she delivered Violet¡¯s request urately. And the moment she received permission to leave, she ran away immediately.


    Truly, it was strange.


    This was no one else but Violet, who had tormented Aileen like that.


    Violet, who hadmitted many nefarious acts all of her own volition, shook up the entire ducal household with her vicious deeds, and as a result, became what the servants feared the most.


    Why, then, would someone like her reject everyone else like that?


    ¡®Did I not care for her enough¡­¡¯


    While reading the report written about Violet, the duke grimaced.


    After entrusting a part of his paperwork to his aide, the duke stood up.


    * * *


    When the duke suddenly visited, all the servants of the annex silently screamed inside.


    In the morning, it had been the duchy¡¯s eldest son, Mikhail. This time, in the afternoon, it was Duke Everett himself, the lord of the ducal household.


    No other schedule would have made them so distraught like this.


    Violet, who slept through both breakfast and lunch, had to be wrenched away from her bed again because of the duke¡¯s visit. Duke Everett was someone she couldn¡¯t face in just her nightgown, so she had no choice but to change into decent clothes.


    Mary, the neer maid, didn¡¯t know how to attend to Violet properly when changing her clothes. Thanks to this, the duke had to wait for Violet for a long time. A notice was not sent to him about her tardiness.


    He sat in the annex¡¯s sparsely adorned drawing room, and when he finally met his daughter after a long time of waiting, he faced her without any change to his expression.


    Violet also sat right in front of him without any superfluous fanfare.


    One shabby-looking ducaldy and one luxuriously-dressed duke sat face-to-face. But neither one of them felt any different.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Silence ensued. Both Violet and the duke did not open their mouths to speak, and so the cold air inside that room sharpened like a de. All the other people there could do nothing but hold their breaths.


    Tea had been served to them, but the only one who ever brought a cup to their lips a few times was Violet. The duke did not touch his tea.


    At this moment, some people realized that humans could also drown in silence, huh. The employees¡ªon standby so that they may serve their employers¡ªwere careful not to make a sound. They couldn¡¯t even gulp.


    ¡°I heard that you want to ban Mikhail, Roen and Aileen from entering the annex.¡±


    ¡°Cairn as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right. May I ask why?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to meet them anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking the reason behind that now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The silence was enough to suffocate those people, and every word spoken were like sharp des.


    Violet set her teacup down at that moment. If she hadn¡¯t, there certainly would have been one employee who would have made a sound borne out of distress.


    The duke and the ducaldy¡¯s conversation was frighteningly business-like. It was such a sinct conversation that, if people did not know that they were rted, they would have thought that they were true strangers.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    The duke considered Violet¡¯s silence as an answer in itself, and at that, he picked up his teacup to take a sip. It was bitter. It was not delicious.


    ¡°You tormented Aileen.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The ensuing topic of conversation almost made Violet bite her tongue.


    Was there a single person in this ducal residence who <i>didn¡¯t</i> know that Violet S. Everett had been tormenting Aileen?


    But it seemed like the duke was that single person.


    Of course, the duke was no fool, so it¡¯s not as if he had absolutely no idea.


    It¡¯s just, he¡¯s been turning a blind eye.


    As long as Violet did not go too far, and as long as he could cover it up¡ªhe thought that this would be enough.


    ¡­How could that possibly be called love.


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking why you¡¯ve been tormenting Aileen.¡±


    Just as Mikhail did, even the duke was bringing up Aileen¡¯s name. With this, Violet felt as if her insides were being turned upside down.


    All she wanted was to restfortably, but why¡ª<i>why</i>¡ªmust she keep hearing the name of the person she didn¡¯t want to be reminded of? And, one after another even.


    Violet felt her stomach lurching.


    A fleeting thought passed her mind, that she would definitely throw up if she were to eat dinnerter. She sipped her tea to moisten her lips.


    ¡°I only acted my part.¡±


    ¡°¡­Violet.¡±


    ¡°Since it was like that, Your Grace the Duke, would you rather that I stood still as I was being insulted?¡±


    At Violet¡¯s answer, the duke paused for a moment. It was too misleading to call Violet¡¯s actions thus far as just mere retaliation for insults.


    ¡°Even so, it was too much.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That poor child lost her parents¡­¡±


    The duke expressed his sympathy towards Aileen.


    Too much, he said.


    As Violet reflected on what the duke said just now, she smiled in vain.


    Objectively speaking, it¡¯s true that her actions had been severe.


    If she couldn¡¯t bring Aileen down just by bumping into her, Violet would impulsively resort to raising her hand and hitting her. That was just the mere basics of it.


    Even so, Violet justughed.


    Oh, this must be what it feels to lose your mind.


    She knew that he didn¡¯t intend to point that out with what he said just now.


    But even though she knew it, she had no choice but to open her mouth.


    <i>At the very least, you shouldn¡¯t do this to me.</i>


    ¡°Yees,¡± she answered. ¡°That¡¯s why, uh-huh. Yeah, it¡¯s because of that¡­¡±


    At the sight of his daughter suddenly giggling as she mashed her dessert with a fork, the duke fell silent.


    Silently eroding, more and more.


    ¡ªWhat else could aptly describe this sight if not for the very definition of madness.


    ¡°Why, you ask. Why did I torment her.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°At first, I felt wronged. I felt wronged, so I¡­ Well, I¡¯m not sure about what happened next. I hated Aileen, and I also hated being framed for things that I didn¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡°Violet!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just. I wanted everyone to disappear.¡±


    <i>That¡¯s why I harassed her.</i>


    A red stream flowed down from the pulp of strawberries crushed by a fork.


    At first nce, you¡¯d think that the ducaldy, without thinking about it, was merely ying with food that she would not eat. However, this was madness itself.


    She had been given the title of ¡®viiness¡¯, and it was not attributed to her for nothing.


    Violet might have just been framed at first, but thereafter, it continued under her own will.


    ¡°In the end, Your Grace is also the very same. It¡¯s alright. By now, I¡¯ve learned not to hold expectations.¡±


    ¡°I did not want to hear that kind of answer to the question I asked.¡±


    ¡°What excuse must I spout then? It doesn¡¯t change the fact that I tormented her because I hated her, and that I did vicious things to her attendants <i>because I hated her</i>.¡±


    ¡°Violet!¡±


    The moment the duke bellowed, all of Violet¡¯s actions stoppedpletely.


    At the same time, the duke looked straight into Violet¡¯s eyes, and he had to swallow back a gasp.


    Purple eyes.


    Purple eyes that once shone like gemstones.


    Purple eyes that had shined so brightly as she smiled more innocently than anyone else could.


    Purple eyes that, now, were devoid of any light.


    ¡°I am not here to quibble over what¡¯s right or wrong.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right, of course. You¡¯re not here to quibble over what¡¯s right or wrong, yes¡­¡±


    <i>Then what are you doing right now?</i>


    It would end up like this anyway.


    Even if she were to give up and make no excuses, the end result would have been exactly the same. This would have happened eventually.


    ¡®¡ªAh, I caught myself having expectations again, huh.¡¯


    Violet set her fork down andughed. The answer that she¡¯d be giving would, from now on, never be what the answer that the duke would want to hear.


    ¡°Do you know, Your Grace the Duke?¡±


    Violet addressed her father respectfully as the duke. Clearly, she was drawing a line between them.


    <i>This is the only rtionship between you and me.</i>


    ¡°To me, this ducal household is ake. Humans can¡¯t breathe underwater, right? When I fell into thatke, I had a realization. So <i>that¡¯s</i> the reason I can¡¯t breathe, I thought. For ten whole years, I haven¡¯t been able to breathe properly in this household¡ª is what I realized.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I asked myself, why can¡¯t I breathe? I¡¯m the ducaldy. I am House Everett¡¯s esteemed daughter. Why is it so hard, why is it so <i>painful</i> to breathe.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Why does everyone hate me.¡±


    <i>tter.</i>


    The teacup had turned over. A dreadful moment of silence stretched between them. The maids could only hope that, amidst this piercing silence, they would not identally make a noise.


    ¡°Earlier, you asked me why I did those things.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me direct that question back to you, Your Grace. Why in the world did <i>you</i> do that to <i>me?¡±</i>

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    <i>Why. Why have you presented me with this hell? Why must I die underwater, not given any chance to breathe?</i>


    As Violet asked this, she smiled. The words thaty between the lines were dreadfully sharp.


    While Yeon Ha-yoon sympathized with Violet, she thought that Violet was foolish. Even so, she still had to admit that Violet had no choice but to be as vicious as she was.


    ¡°It would be best to stop this discussion here. Please go back, Your Grace.¡±


    There was a smile on Violet¡¯s lips as she said this to the duke.


    And, there was a frown upon the duke¡¯s face as he caught a glimpse at his daughter¡¯s resentment.


    He replied,


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll visit you again soon.¡±


    <i>No, you don¡¯t have toe.</i> Violet thought so as she dabbed her lips with a handkerchief, staring at the duke¡¯s retreating back.


    Atst, the maids were once again at ease the moment the duke left. The atmosphere just now had been so heavy that they could only now release the breaths they had been holding.


    No one saw the duke off as he left the annex.


    * * *


    A week after Violet had started staying at the annex, the servants realized that the young nobledy, who they were serving, had changed.


    She was not just acting. She no longer punished the servants for every little thing she found fault in.


    She just slept her days away, and you wouldn¡¯t even know if she was there or not. Besides that, she was not eating properly.


    Did the nobledy change after the shock of inhaling all that water into her lungs?


    Two sides were in constant disagreement¡ªthe first side being those who saw Mikhail visit Violet and yell at her like that, and those who didn¡¯t.


    Still, despite all the differing opinions, they all agreed on one thing: after she had practically died and was brought back to life, the nobledy had changed.


    And their assumption was correct. Violet had regained her past life¡¯s memories that very day, and subsequently, her personality shifted, and she now took pleasure in a life of peace.


    She thought that it was worth living in this way for the very perk of not needing to see the people she did not want to see.


    She would have only been faced with those that wouldn¡¯t change, no matter how much she strived for it, or no matter how much she mored for it. So, after running away from all that, things changed little by little.


    For a week straight, Violet¡¯s time was used solely for sleeping. The worst of it was one time when she slept for seventeen hours.


    The only one who worried over Violet and tried to serve her food constantly was her personal maid, Mary.


    She slept in a hard, lousy bed that couldn¡¯t evenpare to the bed she had in her room in the main mansion, she wore rough, out-of-fashion clothes, and she ate dishes made with ingredients that were slightly less fresh.


    Even so, she did not care about anything. Violet was content with her present life.


    Wasn¡¯t this enough?


    Rather than living as a person so immersed in splendor and extravagance, she didn¡¯t have to live that kind of life.


    In the end, no matter what it is that you¡¯re doing with your life, if you¡¯re happy and content with what you have right now, then what¡¯s the point in troubling yourself with other things?


    While looking out a window, rays of sunlight streaming through, Yeon Ha-yoonughed.


    In novels, if there was someone who was in the same circumstances as her, wouldn¡¯t they usually vow to get revenge?


    As she thought about the novels that she often read in her previous life, Violet rose to her feet.


    Usually, after regressing, the answer would be revenge. Or, perhaps after being hurt or betrayed by family members or a significant other, the answer, too, was revenge.


    It would be great if all situations could change so dramatically.


    Violet renounced any and all thoughts of getting revenge.


    She did not know the future because she was not a regressor. She had not been directly murdered either, so she had no intention to kill anyone at all.


    After she weighed all her options in the palm of her hand, there was nothing left to consider.


    Violet did not have any wherewithal to do anything else.


    All she wanted to do was to live quietly like this. Without much stress, just a quiet and calm life¡­


    In front of her door, she saw that there was some food left for her there by someone who was concerned about her health.


    For as long as it had stayed there, the dish¡¯s original warmth had already left the te, however, Violet did not care.


    She brought the cold bread back to her spot next to the window. As she stared outside once more, nibbling on that piece of bread, the sudden sound of footsteps could be heard.


    ¡°M-Mdy! Lady Violet!¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Mdy, the items you requested have arrived!¡±


    For the first time in a long while, a spirited look graced Violet¡¯s expression.


    The news pertained to the arrival of the art materials that she had requested.


    Violet headed towards the studio at once.


    * * *


    The room that was reserved to be Violet¡¯s studio was now filled with all sorts of art materials. From canvases to even shiny paint made by grinding gemstones.


    As she felt the softness of one brush with her fingertips, Violet marveled at the sight before her.


    At just one nce, it¡¯s obvious that these were all very expensive luxury goods. She was confined right now, but she had to wonder¡ªwas a duke¡¯s daughter not allowed to use cheap things?


    Or perhaps it was just to preserve the dignity of <i>those</i> people.


    ¡°Uwah, all of these are art materials?¡±


    Staring at the hundreds of art materials, Mary chattered on like that. The young maid had only heard rumors about Violet, so she was not so frightened to talk to the ducaldy. Rather, perhaps it¡¯s because the ducaldy was calmer than she was expecting that she was more forting.


    With the sheer number of art materials presented before her, it was enough that Violet was rendered speechless, so what more with amoner maid.


    After confirming that there truly were a hundred different shades of purple paint, Violet smiled softly and started organizing the tools.


    ¡°Can you organize all the paint by color and type, Mary?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes?¡±


    ¡°Just sort them by oils, watercolors and¡­ Oh, you might not know anything about this. Just go ahead and sort them by color. And with your strength, don¡¯t organize the heavy materials by yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After checking the items, Violet yawned and went on her way back to her room.


    It was just the start of the day, and yet she was still so sleepy.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    * * *


    For the next three days after the art materials had arrived, Violet just slept some more. Now, however, she finally stood in front of a canvas for the first time.


    Mary was at a loss when she watched Violet set up the easel and put on the canvas herself.


    She insisted that, whilst painting, she wanted to do everything herself.


    When Violet had suddenly changed, it¡¯s thanks to this that Mary was required to do only half her job but got paid in full, and she happily gave up on more work while just staying by the ducaldy¡¯s side.


    Since the materials and tools were expensive, the paint was applied smoothly upon the canvas.


    However, that was all.


    Even if she was a painter in her previous life, she was Violet now in this current life, and her skills did not carry over in this body. Violet had learned a little during her culture sses, but they were only brief lessons.


    Without a sketch, Violet used a brush to apply gesso on the canvas, but she suddenlyughed. Mary did not say anything and just watched.


    <i>Shhk, shhhhk.</i>


    As the wide andrge brush traveled smoothly on the canvas, the paint that¡¯s on the brush was subsequently spread on this surface.


    In Mary¡¯s eyes, rather than doing a painting, it¡¯s as if Violet was wielding the brush.


    The paint sttered around. Violet did not care.


    Two different hues were mixed and smoothed down on the canvas. As her hand was clumsy, these colors did not blend well.


    Nevertheless, Violet¡¯s hand did not stop.


    Blue. Purple. Red. Green. All these colors filled the canvas.


    Rather than painting a picture, it would be more apt to say that she was expressing her emotions.


    Don¡¯t people say that painting could be considered therapeutic? What do people think as they paint? If emotions could take on a physical form, would they look like what¡¯s painted on the canvas?


    Violet thought constantly as she brandished her paintbrush.


    As her deep-seated anger surfaced, it materialized through the form of color, and it was covered, stained, smeared by various other colors.


    Violet continued tough.


    And as though to portray the state of her mind right now, mncholy hues covered the canvas entirely.


    Oh, how satisfying it was to express all these pent-up emotions!


    As she had painted for an hour, the end result of it all was bizarre.


    Mary admired the bizarre work of art.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    It was nothing but a canvas filled with color, with traces of brush strokes still left intact¡ªnothing but depressing, gloomy shades of dark blue that evoked pent-up anger. However¡­


    Was it because Violet¡¯s attitude towards painting was serious? The piece standing before them now seemed to reveal the painter¡¯s feelings.


    ¡°Good grief, what a mess.¡±


    ¡°H-How did you do that, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I just did it though?¡±


    ¡°Wow, wooow!¡±


    As the innocent Mary¡¯s reaction made Violet feel somewhat embarrassed, she took a step back. A lot of paint splotches were left on her arms and clothes. She thought fleetingly that she¡¯s d her clothes were cheap.


    She¡¯d have to ask for a smock and some arm warmers. No, rather, perhaps she should just ask for work clothes, the same as what the employees wore.


    Thinking about this and that, Violet stretched out.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite famished. Shall we go and eat?¡±


    ¡°M-Mdy¡­!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You have to wash up first!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    It¡¯s less than before, but Mary was still afraid of Violet. She still went ahead to say everything she had to say though.


    With a frown on her face, Violet looked down at the paint on her arms. She was thinking that she just needed to wash her hands.


    Mary scrambled to her feet, then went out to draw a bath. Violet had no choice but to follow after the maid. There weren¡¯t any bath attendants here, so how long would it take to finish this?


    As Violet was washing up, she dissuaded Mary from cleaning up the studio. Then, by the time she was finished with her bath, it was already time for the sun to disappear down the horizon little by little.


    When the ducaldy expressed her willingness to eat¡ªfor the first time, of her own volition¡ªthe people in the kitchen were thrown into a flurry.


    They were worried that she would, yet again, find fault in the employees¡¯ work.


    However, all Violet did was eat quietly and gracefully. And after that, she went back to her room.


    Now, Mary thought that thedy was different from the rumors that were floating around about her.


    So, today once more, Mary endeavored not to be a sry thief¡ªshe followed Violet in a hurry.


    Meanwhile, Violet thought that she would need to rehabilitate her craft. Her hands were too stiff, and she couldn¡¯t even paint properly. At this, she clicked her tongue.


    Technically speaking, it wouldn¡¯t be right to say that she¡¯d ¡®rehabilitate¡¯ her craft since this was a different life.


    How much time would it take her to catch up to at least the skills she had in her previous life?


    Violet picked up a sketchbook and pencil, then headed towards her room.


    With nothing of her master¡¯s to hold, Mary seemed very much like a sry thief. It was because of this that she looked like she was about to cry all on her own.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    * * *


    It was just this year that Mary had started working as a maid, and she hade to the conclusion that Violet S. Everett was very different from the rumors about her.


    The Violet who Mary saw was, to put it simply, a quiet person who kept to herself.


    She slept most hours of the day, and when it came to eating, she¡¯d have to be served food against her will, lest she¡¯d skip most her meals.


    It was in stark contrast to the rumors about how she would go ahead and have a servant¡¯s tongue cut off if they so much say the wrong thing.


    You could hardly say that Violet was harsh with the servants. She never yelled at them, and she never nitpicked their mistakes.


    She would only keep to herself, as though she was not there.


    Perhaps it was because of this that Mary started doubting if Mikhail¡¯s attitude towards Violet, when he hade to the annex the other day, was warranted.


    There was a time when Mary herself had her wrist forcibly grabbed by someone she did not wish to see, and so she hade to think that the household¡¯s eldest son was a very frightening person.


    On the other hand, the rest of the annex¡¯s servants were ill at ease around the ducaldy. Some of them had worked for quite a long time here at the duchy, and they had first-hand ounts of Violet¡¯s viciousness.


    It was amon notion amongst them that Violet thought of a servant¡¯s life to be lighter than the weight of a single sheet of paper.


    They also heard of a time when she had poured scalding tea on her younger sister.


    And, there was even a rumor going around that one particr maid, who had been taking care of her thus far, had her eyes mercilessly gouged out of their sockets.


    The wicked woman of House Everett. The witch of the century, who had a cier for a heart.


    Nevertheless, in Mary¡¯s eyes, she was simply just a quiet person who seemed to have a lot of wounds.


    The head maid repeatedly told Mary to be careful, however she had already stopped being terrified of Violet. Instead, she was evenfortable around her.


    And true enough, even as Violet saw just how at ease Mary had be around her, she just let the young maid be.


    ¡°The sunlight isn¡¯t enough here.¡±


    ¡°Would you like me to fetch amp, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s not to the point that I can¡¯t draw.¡±


    At first nce, it seemed as if Violet had a sacred aura about her as she sat there, against the sun¡¯s illumination, drawing silently.


    With silver hair gently that meandered along with the passing breeze, with calm, purple eyes that held the depth of an abyss. And, with lips, carefully closed, that contained a hint of persistence.


    At least, during this brief moment, as Violet was sketching beneath this sunny spot, her appearance was truly far from the image of the wicked woman from all those rumors.


    ¡°¡­Pretty.¡±


    That¡¯s why the word unknowingly popped out.


    At Mary¡¯s murmur, Violet suppressed a chuckle.


    Only then did Mary realize just what she said, and she hurriedly covered her mouth.


    Violet continued moving her hand, which was holding a pencil.


    After she was confined to this annex, not once did Violet endeavor to take special care of her appearance. She didn¡¯t try to maintain her clear skin, nor did she even try to control her diet for the sake of her weight.


    That¡¯s why Violet couldn¡¯t figure out why Mary even said that after looking at her.


    Still, she did not hate the innocent girl¡¯s admiration. So, she let her be.


    Violet sometimes showed her artwork to Mary.


    Unlike the bold brushstrokes that she applied onto a canvas that first day, Violet had just been doodling on a sketchbook for a while now.


    Well, in Mary¡¯s eyes, they literally were ¡®doodles¡¯. Really, like worms wriggling about on the page¡ªdoodles that didn¡¯t look like art.


    ¡°Umm. I¡¯m sure that it contains Mdy¡¯s feelings, so¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself topliment me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    At the sight of the little girl who couldn¡¯t bring herself to lie, Violet smiled as she patted Mary¡¯s head. Not long after, Mary¡¯s face grew bright red.


    .


    .


    .


    She did those doodles only a couple of days ago, but Violet¡¯s drawing skills had undergone remarkable changes over this brief course of time.


    Those haphazard strokes, which looked like wriggling earthworms, were soon infused with much elegance. Those doodles, which previously could not be properly identified, gradually took on proper form.


    This wouldn¡¯t be possible if you were not a genius of the century.


    ¡°Mdy, you must truly be a prodigy at art!¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know about that.¡±


    It¡¯s only because of her previous life.


    An ambiguous smile found its way on Violet¡¯s lips.


    After a few days of working hard, she managed to get to a simr level to that of her art skills in her previous life, so it would be more difficult from here on out in her reincarnated life.


    The rate at which her skills would improve would teau now, slowing down without improving significantly.


    In any case, this didn¡¯t matter to her. It¡¯s not as if she¡¯s nning to be a famous painter of this era.


    All Violet hoped for was to enjoy a quiet life.


    And so, as Violet was adjusting to her new life here at the annex¡­


    ¡°Lady A-Aileen hase to visit you, Mdy.¡±


    All of a sudden, Aileen decided to visit her.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    It¡¯s a matter of absolute improbability for Aileen¡¯s visit to please Violet.


    She just recently requested for that girl to be barred entry from the annex, but why was she now going all the way over this part of the duke¡¯s property?


    Violet clicked her tongue as she heard the news from Mary, who was now her personal maid.


    While she was still living her life entirely as Violet, she couldn¡¯t understand Aileen at all. And now that she had Ha-yoon¡¯s consciousness as well, it was even harder to understand Aileen.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see her. Tell her to go back.¡±


    It¡¯s only now that she could finally breathefortably, but why was trouble persistentlying after her?


    Mary, who had be a messenger, hastily hurried to tell Aileen Violet¡¯s response, however she returned not even a whileter.


    ¡°M-Mdy, she says that she won¡¯t leave until she sees you¡­¡±


    Aileen¡¯s dogged stubbornness was also something formidable.


    Mary wordlessly tried to gauge Violet¡¯s reaction for a moment, then she told her that Aileen brought a sketchbook with her.


    ¡°Ha, I¡¯m at a loss for words, seriously¡­¡±


    <i>I already left and moved to this faraway side of the property, but are you saying that you¡¯ve chased after me just to provoke me?</i>


    Rising from her seat, Violet brushed a hand over her face, her actions evidently showing how irritated she was.


    ¡°I already said that she should leave. ¡­Mary, let¡¯s go eat some snacks.¡±


    ¡°P-Pardon?¡±


    <i>Should we do that?</i>


    The question was practically written across Mary¡¯s forehead, but instead of answering, Violet justughed.


    Perplexed, Mary followed after her.


    * * *


    The employees of the annex had resigned themselves to working at this ce.


    The newdy they were serving now had such a vicious temper¡ªenough to grant her several terrible nicknames¡ªso they all just kept their heads down, trying to survive as they continued to work.


    Still, there were just four regr maids and two kitchen maids. Although the annex was small, it¡¯s difficult for only six people to handle everything. They had to go as far as taking turns just to cover for each other.


    And they all pitied Mary, who sometimes had to stay by thedy¡¯s side.


    Each and everyone of them declined the position of Violet¡¯s personal maid, so it inevitably went down the line and fell onto the newbie¡¯sp.


    However, contrary to their worries, Mary told the other employees of the annex that Violet was not like how the rumors painted her out to be.


    Even as the atmosphere was filled with a somber, sympathetic mood towards her, Mary defended her master to the end.


    One maid, who had been working here longer than Mary, recalled the incident wherein Violet ordered her to cut off the tongue of another employee herself.


    This maid didn¡¯t believe what Mary was saying now, but she also did not deny that Violet had changed.


    As a matter of fact, Violet often shared her food with Mary.


    And Mary was a simple girl. Anyone who shared food with someone else was, she believed, a good person.


    Thus, inside the annex, the people¡¯s impression on Violet changed little by little.


    ¡®I mean, maybe she changed because she practically died and came back to life.¡¯


    ¡®Maybe she finally started to reflect on her actions.¡¯


    ¡®Good gracious, <i>that</i> Ducal Lady who¡¯s so conceited that it¡¯s like she¡¯s the center of the whole world?¡¯


    ¡®Back then, the Young Master might have gone too far when he came here and yelled at her like that. She¡¯s his younger sister after all.¡¯


    This all was a positive thing.


    Violet¡¯s image was about to be more settled now, and it was all thanks to Mary¡¯s defense of her.


    However, it was around this time that¡­


    Aileen came again.


    And they all quickly realized that Violet¡¯s true nature had not changed.


    * * *


    ¡°My goodness, how many hours has it been now¡­¡±


    Although it was already early spring, the winter¡¯s frost had yet to subsidepletely.


    In that kind of weather, Aileen arrived while wearing a thin dress, imploring toe in so that she could visit her older sister.


    And despite Violet telling her to leave and her refusal to see her, Aileen waited for hours on end.


    The maids watched as Aileen trembled outside the annex, and because they felt sorry for her, they gave her a thin nket.


    House Everett¡¯s angelic second daughter replied with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you. I wore this so that I can be more presentable in front of my older sister, but I didn¡¯t know that it¡¯s going to be this cold.¡±


    And it was this remark that repulsed Violetpletely.


    ¡°Haa, I¡¯m going crazy¡­ Just tell her toe in.¡±


    After more than four hours, Violet was the one who raised the white g.


    Yet again, rumors were bound to circte about how she bullied her younger sister and made her wait at the front door for that long.


    Violet sighed, pressing down on a throbbing temple.


    In the past, even if one entire day hade and gone, she would never have let Aileen in. But because of the weather right now, it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡°Sister¡­!¡±


    After she had been left to wait outside for four hours during early spring, Aileen finally entered the small drawing room. Her cheeks were red.


    Compared to Violet, who did not take care of her outward appearance at all, Aileen was still ever so lovely.


    Violet had to let out a <i>deep</i> breath again, just to center herself. She held onto her patience with a vice grip, lest her hand would slip and pour tea straight into that girl¡¯s face.


    <i>¡°Hic, hiic¡­ </i>I was so worried about you. You suddenly got confined to this ce, and you even said that you wouldn¡¯t meet me and our brothers¡­¡±


    <i>Well, there¡¯s no reason for me to meet the people I hate, now is there.</i>


    Barely holding herself back fromshing out with these harsh words, Violet managed to keep the smile on her lips.


    The taste of this annex¡¯s unsavory tea overwhelmed her senses far stronger than how it usually did.


    ¡°S-Still, I¡¯m d to see you again. Sister, you¡¯re happy to see me again, too, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯d be happy only if your face is far out of my sight.¡±


    ¡°Sister, your face has grown so haggard¡­ I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because you¡¯ve been suffering a lot here, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Haa.¡±


    Violet¡¯s face was far from being haggard.


    As clear as her environment was now from all the stressors that deteriorated her mental health, her face was as equally clear of any blemishes at all.


    While making a guess at Aileen¡¯s inner feelings, Violet narrowed her eyes.


    Aileen¡¯s gaze continued to scrutinize Violet¡¯s clothes.


    Her flimsy, ck paint-stained dress was fraying at the edges. It was an outfit that did not suit the usually elegant and well-dressed Violet.


    Mary looked back and forth between the two sisters. Well, to be more precise, the two cousins.


    Violet was wearing clothes that were old and unseemly, while Aileen was wearing a dress that was new and cute, which matched her appearance.


    Nevertheless, what¡¯s astounding here was that there¡¯s no difference in the beauty they each held.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what you came here to say?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all! Umm. I heard that you¡¯ve taken up painting here at the annex, Sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I brought this for you, just in case you¡¯ll like it.¡±


    As she said this, Aileen shyly offered a sketchbook.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    It was a sketchbook filled with drawings that gave off a stiff, amateur impression.


    It¡¯s impossible for Violet to consider them good. Like how it would be if you don¡¯t like someone¡ª just hearing their voice was bound to grate on your nerves.


    Violet could grasp Aileen¡¯s true intentions. As soon as she received the sketchbook, a smirk found its way on her lips.


    For as long as Aileen had been using the same old tactics¡ªever since they were children, in fact¡ªit¡¯s unlikely that Aileen would stray that far from the same pattern now.


    ¡®I wonder. Will she finally leave if I throw tea on that face?¡¯


    Violet had already done so dozens of times before, but Aileen never gave in. In the past, for the express purpose of kicking Aileen out, Violet impatiently thought to do various things.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite certain that you¡¯ve been barred ess to this area. But maybe that¡¯s exactly what made youe here?¡±


    ¡°Not at all! I, I came to visit because I missed you so much, Sister.¡±


    ¡°That mouth of yours is good at yammering about, as always.¡±


    While saying, <i>I missed you, Sister,</i> Aileen¡¯s eyes were drawn up to narrow, crescent moons. Soon after, however, her expression promptly crumbled.


    Look at how quickly this girl¡¯s face changes.


    Despite getting pped and thrown tea at so many times before, she still willingly appeared in front of Violet without fail. She did all that, and yet why was she making such an expression now after just one rebuttal?


    Violet¡¯s attention was directed back at the sketchbook that Aileen handed to her.


    ¡°Right, and you drew this.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I just want to find something we could have inmon, Sister¡­ I¡¯m still quite bad at it, right?¡±


    Aileen smiled innocently.


    In turn, Violet took another sip of tea as she flipped through the pages of the sketchbook.


    Objectively speaking, Aileen¡¯s drawings were well done. It seemed like the kind of artwork she put in days of effort into drawing, and of course, under the tutge of a professional.


    ¡ªBut that was all.


    ¡®Drawings that give off the feeling of an entrance examination.¡¯


    Violet unhesitatingly critiqued it. Aileen¡¯s paintings looked good, yes, but they were stiff.


    ¡°Umm, if you don¡¯t mind, can I see Sister¡¯s artwork, too?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I said <i>no</i>.¡±


    ¡°B-But you looked at <i>my</i> art, Sister, so¡­¡±


    When Violet refused her request, then ensued Aileen¡¯s waterworks. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.


    Violet¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡®You¡¯re the one who forced this thing on me and made me look first.¡¯


    Violet answered inwardly. She had a headache now, and so she gently pressed her temples.


    This girl showed her artwork first then asked reciprocity, but when Violet refused, now she¡¯s about to cry.


    In the end, Violet was the only bad guy here.


    Seeing through the girl¡¯s obvious schemes, Violet put down the sketchbook.


    ¡°I just¡­ I just wish to see Sister¡¯s art¡­ But for you to refuse so coldly, <i>hiic.</i> It should be enough¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you say, but it is <i>not</i> reason enough for me to show you my art.¡±


    <i>¡°Hiic¡­¡±</i>


    In spite of the firm refusal she was faced with, Aileen still refused to back down.


    There were so many things in this life that were impossible to solve with tears alone. But, oh, House Everett¡¯s dear angel was a miracle worker. She made it possible to solve so many things with her tears.


    Violet felt a bitter taste in her mouth. The only one who looked restless was Mary, who was standing nearby. Aileen sobbed even harder.


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯ve forced yourself into a ce that¡¯s supposed to be off limits to you, just because you want to see my art. What a mess.¡±


    ¡°Sister¡­¡±


    ¡°You seem to consider the words of His Grace the Duke to be merely a joke. You were given an order. Shouldn¡¯t you make sure to follow it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so mean. How can you dismiss my feelings like this?¡±


    It was good to be flexible depending on the situation, but certainly not when there were non-negotiable rules in ce.


    Violet clicked her tongue as she considered Aileen¡¯s actions. She insisted on doing whatever she wanted and kept ignoring the rules.


    Her eyes then turned towards Mary, who was at the side.


    Although it wasn¡¯t her intention, the fact that Violet had made Aileen wait outside for four hours would surely be spread all across the ducal residence by tomorrow.


    ¡°¡­Still as ever, you really just keep doing things without any regard to your behavior.¡±


    Violet gestured to Mary.


    Soon, the maid rushed in with the sketchbook that Violet had been drawing in until now.


    Mary opened it in front of Aileen.


    <i>Go ahead and take a look, then kindly piss off.</i>


    Violet hoped that Aileen would just quickly disappear from her paradise.


    ¡°Wow, your art is¡­¡±


    Now that she had finally achieved her purpose, Aileen smiled and returned Violet¡¯s sketchbook.


    It was full of measly doodles anyway. It didn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re shown to someone else.


    ¡°How fascinating. I would <i>never</i> have drawn something like this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°The way you express things through these lines are especially distinctive. I wonder how you made your drawings look like this¡­ Sure enough, you purposely drew in a way that¡¯s quite different from the art style that¡¯s popr nowadays, right? As expected, Sister is truly unique.¡±


    Then, Aileen side-eyed Violet¡¯s clothes.


    At this, Violet grinned sardonically.


    ¡°If you think I can¡¯t draw well, then just say it outright. Why must you resort to sophistry?¡±

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    ¡°W-When did I ever say that¡­!¡±


    Aileen¡¯s vehement denial was what brought Violet¡¯s irritation to a critical level.


    Aileen had been doing the same schtick for a while now.


    When Violet had picked up an instrument before, Aileen deliberately started learning the same instrument, showing everyone just how better she was than Violet.


    That¡¯s how she wrenched away anypliment from her older brothers that might have otherwise gone Violet¡¯s way. No matter what kind of studies Violet pored over, no matter what kind of hobbies she¡¯d take up, it was the same oue each and every time.


    Whether it was a deliberate scheme, or an attempt at getting closer to her¡ª what was it, really?


    Aileen continuously said that it was because she¡¯s trying to be closer to ¡®Violet¡¯. So, in the end, Violet had stopped banking on the likelihood of that premise.


    Since it¡¯s like that, then Aileen just had to watch her mouth.


    Violet couldn¡¯t understand Aileen¡¯s mental gymnastics. How could she <i>want</i> to be closer to the very person who supposedly kept tormenting her?


    ¡°Yes, yes. You were taught to paint this by a teacher, right? You did great by following what¡¯s standard. Good job. Commendable, even.¡±


    As Violet said this with a crooked smile on her lips, she tilted her teacup forward and spilled tea all over the sketchbook.


    ¡°Now leave. And don¡¯t ever show up in front of me again. If you evere to this ce once more, the next thing that¡¯ll be poured tea over is your face.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Then, she smiled brightly.


    Steam started to rise from the sketchbook, and the tea¡¯s stain began to spread further across the pages.


    As she could not grasp the situation, Mary was the only one who watched the scene unfold with a nk expression on her face.


    ¡°Are you deaf? Get out of my sight. This instant.¡±


    ¡°<i>Uh, hiic, hiic¡­</i> I-I just, I just wanted to hear apliment from, from you, Sister¡­ You¡¯re so mean. You always¡­ always keep putting me, me down. I, I only¡­¡±


    <i>Drip, drip. </i>Transparent droplets trickled down from Aileen¡¯s clear green eyes.


    For a moment, Violet contemted whether she should pour the rest of the hot tea right into that face. But eventually, she loosened her grip and set down the cup.


    ¡°Since Aileen is leaving, do see her off up to just the main door. Be sure to wipe the spilled tea on the floor as well.


    As Violet sinctly gave this order, Mary quickly snapped back in attention.


    ¡°Y-Yes!¡±


    It seemed like Aileen was refusing to move. Mary moved to soothe the crying girl, but all Violet did was turn around and leave them behind her. She pressed down on her temples and went back upstairs to her room.


    This was going to worsen Violet¡¯s notorious reputation again.


    Rumors would be running rampant at the main mansion yet again tomorrow.


    Oh, dear kind, angelic Aileenboriously made an effort to draw something for her older sister Violet, all because she had wanted to get close to her. However, oh! The evil Violet poured tea all over those drawings and went as far as to kick the girl out.


    But even before all that happened, Violet left the dear, frail young woman outside and made her wait there¡ªin this freezing weather¡ªfor four hours before even letting her in.


    Violet thought, should she have suppressed her emotions? She had been fine when she saw the faces of those other people, but the moment Aileen¡¯s face was set before her, it seemed impossible to remain unbothered.


    Violet pushed down the urge to let out a long sigh.


    She had only recently gotten close to Mary, but now that the girl had been faced with that kind of scene, it¡¯d undoubtedly be awkward again from tomorrow onwards.


    A human being wouldn¡¯t be able to continue living without any form of rtionship. Emotions flowed like water. If it was stuck somewhere without any direction to flow towards, all it could do was umte.


    How long would shest living like this, just focusing on painting alone, talking to no one at all?


    Violet started to calcte the exact date she might go insane, but she stopped. She might <i>already</i> be crazy at this point.


    She was lying in bed now, but her simmering resentment refused to abate. Violet tried to regte her breathing several times over.


    If only she could express her feelings in color, then it would bepletely ck, dirty water, to the point that no one woulde near her.


    An overwhelming sense of lethargy surged within her like a wave. However, at the same time, a certain urge arose as well.


    With these feelings as her driving force, what kind of piece woulde out of this if she were to paint now?


    As she pondered one thing after another, she soon heard a hesitant knock on her door.


    ¡°¡­Come in.¡±


    The moment Violet gave her permission, Mary came in through the threshold. In Mary¡¯s hands was a tray, and atop it was a sweet tart and a drink.


    ¡°Umm, I heard that it¡¯s good to eat sweets when angry. ¡­Are you alright, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you asking me how I feel?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Y-Yes! You must be upset, and¡­ I-I must be meddling unnecessarily¡ª Pardon me, I¡¯ll take these back!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Bring it here.¡±


    Violet was momentarily stunned by the unexpected response, however, her gaze soon softened as she looked at the small girl.


    Embarrassed, Mary squirmed a little and averted her eyes.


    She brought the tray to a nearby table and looked at Violet again. It seemed like she had something more to say.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s more delicious if you eat and drink these before they get cold!¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    A brief moment of silence then nketed the room. Mary determinedly remained inside Violet¡¯s room, still very much gauging her mood.


    It¡¯s true that Violet thanked the girl for the refreshments, but she didn¡¯t really have any intention of eating or drinking any of these. Still, she eventually spoke up.


    ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why?¡±


    ¡°Why, you ask¡­ You saw what happened earlier.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Lady Aileen slighted you first, Mdy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    At the girl¡¯s fast reply, Violet was rendered speechless.


    Mary cut up the tart into bite-sized pieces and offered the te to Violet.


    Still dazed and unable toprehend the situation, Violet unknowingly went on to eat the tart.


    ¡°¡­Why do you think that Aileen was the first to do something wrong?¡±

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    ¡°Umm, well. You tried to express your dislike several times, Mdy. You even asked His Grace the Duke to keep this area off limits to her.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Lady Aileen is prohibited froming here in the first ce, and you¡¯ve asked her many times to leave, but none of that worked¡­ And besides that, you also refused to show her your art when she demanded it. You said no already, but Lady Aileen just kept forcing you, didn¡¯t she, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. I guess so.¡±


    Perhaps it¡¯s because it¡¯s been a long time since anyone took her side, but Violet was stunned and couldn¡¯t reply properly.


    Mary didn¡¯t see Violet¡¯s baffled expression and began to chatter on.


    ¡°I¡¯ve experienced something simr. There¡¯s this brutish, ugly boy named Thompson who keeps forcing me to marry him. But I don¡¯t want to! Even though I said no so, <i>so</i> many times, people around me kept pairing me up with him. After that, I ended up being the only weird person there just because I refused¡­ <i>Huu</i>, so I tried to find a way for me to live my own way, and that¡¯s how I ended up working here at the ducal residence¡­¡±


    Once the floodgates were opened, Mary let out an outpour of chattering.


    She talked at a breathtaking speed, as if she was letting out all the words she had been begrudgingly holding in all this time.


    ¡°O-Oh¡­ I see.¡±


    Astonished as she was, Violet couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say but this.


    ¡°Ah, um¡­ I-I apologize! I didn¡¯t even realize I¡¯ve just been talking and¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Your story¡¯s interesting.¡±


    Mary btedly noticed that she ran her mouth a bit too excitedly in front of her master just now, and it was only now that she covered her mouth.


    In response, Violet only chuckled.


    ¡°¡­Are you not afraid of me?¡±


    ¡°I already answered the question before, Mdy¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to hear a proper answer. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard the rumors about me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Um, I did think that you were scary at first. Juuuuust a little bit.¡±


    Conscious of Violet¡¯s reaction, Mary hurriedly added another thing.


    ¡°But when I finally met you in person, you¡¯ve been nothing but nice! You always give me delicious food, too. The Ducal Lady I heard about in all the rumors is like a different person!¡±


    ¡°Nice, you say¡­ But you know, the rumors are true. At least half of them are.¡±


    ¡°<i>Huk¡ª </i>Then, did you really order someone¡¯s tongue to be cut off, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re still not scared?¡±


    ¡°Umm, yes, I¡¯m not scared! It¡¯s just, well, that servant must have said something they shouldn¡¯t have first!¡±


    With the cheerfulness of a typical sixteen-year-old girl, Mary let out a peal ofughter.


    While realizing that she hadn¡¯t had a proper conversation with someone else in such a long time, Violet brought a piece of the tart to her lips. It¡¯s too sweet.


    ¡°Mdy, you¡¯re not the kind of person who¡¯d give an order like that on a mere whim. Earlier, too, I saw how hard you tried several times to endure Lady Aileen¡¯s selfish behavior.¡±


    <i>¡°Fufu¡­¡±</i>


    ¡°Uh, perhaps, did I say something funny?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard anyone say that to me before. Yes, I didn¡¯t give that order on a mere whim.¡±


    In the past, the servant whose tongue Violet ordered to be cut dared to stand in her way and curse right in her face.


    ¡°You wicked woman!¡±


    Even if that servant had said it in an effort to stop Violet from pping Aileen¡¯s cheek, it was still fundamentally wrong for a subordinate to interfere with the affairs of their superiors.


    It¡¯s only right that a tongue like that¡ªone that did not know the concept of time and ce, or hierarchy¡ªwere to be cut off.


    It was a barbaric way to deal with things, but considering the era in which Violet existed, and considering how she was a great noble in these parts, it was justified. The action was warranted, but also full of spite.


    ¡°Enough about that. Now, you won¡¯t be asking me to have your tongue cut off just because my mood has soured, will you?¡±


    ¡°Such gruesome words¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Hehe,</i> I thought so.¡±


    Having lived in the modern era before, Violet no longer had any intention to conform to the barbaric methods of penance in this era.


    But apart from that, couldn¡¯t she at least be allowed to express her anger <i>when</i> she¡¯s angry?


    With that fleeting thought, Violet soon shook her head slowly.


    ¡°Well <i>I</i> think that there must have been a good reason behind your decision back then, Mdy.¡±


    ¡°¡­That doesn¡¯t erase what I did wrong though.¡±


    ¡°But still! Ummm¡­ Then, would it be alright if I ask why you did that?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Huk¡ª</i> I-If you¡¯d rather not talk about it, then you don¡¯t have to!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just organizing my thoughts a little. It¡¯s my first time talking about the incident.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°No one asked. And even if I did say anything, people already automatically assume that I¡¯m at fault before I utter a single word. They wouldn¡¯t be able to see that I wasn¡¯t at fault.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Bewildered, Mary¡¯s eyes fluttered open and close for a moment. Violet was still thinking about how much more she should tell the girl, but she soon became flustered the moment she saw Mary¡¯s expression distorting to the fullest.


    ¡°Seriously, <i>no one</i> heard you out, Mdy? They all just automatically thought you¡¯re evil¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Mdy, did they all just say you¡¯re bad?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re right in saying that I am though. It¡¯s nothing new.¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡±


    Full of empathy, the girl ended up crying. Violet patted Mary on the shoulder.


    ¡°Then, you must¡¯ve been lonely¡­¡±


    ¡°Lonely, huh. Yeah, I guess I was.¡±

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    ¡°¡­All of them, even the Young Masters¡ª They acted like that?¡±


    ¡°Those godda¡­ No, my older brothers. They¡¯re case is a bit more unique, but they generally act that way too, yes.¡±


    Swear words bubbled up at her lips, but Violet narrowly corrected herself in a graceful manner.


    Mary noticed Violet¡¯s heavy-handed correction, and she smiled widely. Soon, however, tears welled up in Mary¡¯s eyes once more.


    ¡°If half the rumors are true, then the other half must be false. But despite it all, nobody took your side, they all just thought that you¡¯re evil, they never tried to talk to you even once and just continued like that¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, <i>hiic.</i> Mdy, you continued to¡­ You just kept on¡­¡±


    Violet soothed Mary again, patting the girl¡¯s back and giving her a piece of the tart. Mary took out a handkerchief and sniffled, and continued to speak with such mncholy.


    ¡°My dearest Lady¡­ You¡¯re not evil. You¡¯re so kind. But everyone just kept <i>saying</i> you¡¯re bad, so¡­¡±


    Who knows, she¡¯s not really kind. Still, Violet did not deny that she was a wicked woman, but at the same time, she no longer denied Mary¡¯s words.


    Perhaps it¡¯s because her environment has shifted, but¡­ No matter who it was, it felt good to have someone on her side.


    Instead of making excuses to justify herself, Violet merely ate tarts together with the girl, and they had a long chat.


    * * *


    No matter what happened, time moved forward.


    It had already been fifteen days since Aileen¡¯s visit.


    After learning that Violet hated Aileen, Mary deliberately did not bring up the other ducaldy.


    In the meantime, Violet made three paintings to let out her negative emotions.


    Although she still wasn¡¯t satisfied with the skill level that she was at right now, her paintings gradually looked more like paintings as she practiced again and again.


    Of course, this was entirely Violet¡¯s assessment of herself. Her art style way ahead of the current era, and the abstruse painting would surely make anyone exim the moment they saw it.


    The only person who was seeing her paintings was Mary, whose eyes kept chasing every move that Violet¡¯s making.


    It¡¯s not as if they had deep conversations, but after talking to each other a few times, Violet found that she had be close to Mary, and the two of them often had tea together.


    The refreshments that came with the tea seemed to have had sugar poured into them, but it¡¯s not all that bad.


    Her taste buds seemed to be attuned to sweet things, so she thought they were good, too.


    And as Mary could see this from her point of view, she was very satisfied as well. She especially got those expensive desserts from a well known patisserie that¡¯s difficult to buy from due to the demand.


    Mary wasn¡¯t the only one who got closer to Violet. As unexpected as it was, Violet became close to all the employees of the annex.


    Well, their rtionship was a bit too ambiguous to say that they¡¯re ¡®close¡¯ now. But at the very least, they weren¡¯t anymore afraid or hostile towards her like before.


    This was all thanks to Mary, too.


    After learning about Violet¡¯s true situation, Mary had been filled with a sense of duty. She went around, actively exining Violet¡¯s side.


    Since there¡¯s no reason for her to stop the girl, Violet left Mary alone as she did those things. Thus, Violet¡¯s position in the annex shifted ever so subtly.


    ¡®She¡¯s be nicer.¡¯


    ¡®She was never a bad person at all.¡¯


    ¡®She¡¯s actually very kind, she just got angry.¡¯


    Many such words came and went.


    Regardless of which answer was correct, it¡¯s true that Violet was not as vicious as she had been. Because of this, more and more people slowly became morefortable around her.


    In fact, the employees of the annex had been a bitx these days, but Violet did not reprimand them. Rather, the employees would heatedly reprimand each other whenever they saw her be so generous towards them.


    In any case, whether it was Violet or the employees, they were all in the same boat. They all got kicked out from the main mansion, and they were now staying together in this small corner of the ducal residence, here at the annex.


    It¡¯s only natural for them to strengthen their bonds in their own way.


    Besides, aristocrats¡ªto them¡ªwere like faraway beings that would be out of reach. However, though Violet still carried herself with the same air of nobility that an aristocrat would, it felt as if she was a real human being¡­ just like them.


    Violet treated employees as, exactly that, employees. They work for as much as they¡¯re paid.


    Blood flowing through one¡¯s veins shouldn¡¯t be considered high or low. After all, it¡¯s all just red blood, so she was straightforward about treating other people.


    With that attitude, the employees of the annex also became closer to Violet.


    But¡­ Perhaps she became too familiar to them?


    Violet couldn¡¯t help but think so after she¡¯d been told that there was a dog that gave birth to puppies recently in the barn of the friend of the younger cousin of Angelica, a kitchen maid.


    How exactly has ite to this, really.


    Well, this could all be credited to Mary herself. The girl truly had such a high level of sociability. She¡¯d been standing up for Violet so much these days, worried that thedy might be harmed.


    Nevertheless, Violet just stayed on the sidelines. Even if she were to be transformed from the viiness of the century to the <i>victim</i> of the century, there would actually be no difference to how she would act.


    Nevertheless, even if they weren¡¯t on especially friendly terms, she thought this was preferable enough.


    Since they were morefortable around her now, just in time, she wanted to practice some croquis.1 She decided to ask the employees of the annex to be her models.


    .


    .


    .


    One would think that the situation was getting better¡­


    However, there soon arrived people who served to rain all over this parade.


    <i>1 [From Wikipedia] </i><b><i>Croquis </i></b><i>¨C is a quick and sketchy drawing of a live model. Croquis drawings are usually made in a few minutes, after which the model changes pose or leaves and another croquis is drawn. The word croquises from French and means simply ¡°sketch¡±.</i>


    <i>(sidenote)</i>


    <i>See also: ¡®Spirit Fingers¡¯, a manhwa set in the modern era. They do croquis a lot in their art club, but more than that, it¡¯s a wholesomeing-of-age story centered on art, friendships and personal growth.</i>

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    Violet stared at the uninvited guests, who were disrupting herfortable daily life.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Nothing but awkward silence flowed between the three of them. And the air was even heavier because all three people had a tendency to conceal any and all emotion from their expressions.


    Why were these people seeking her out again?


    Violet nced at Duke Everett and her second older brother, Roen. As much as she wanted to let out a long, drawn-our sigh, she had no choice but to keep it in.


    ¡®I guess I¡¯ll need to drink some digestive medicine before dinner tonight.¡¯


    A three-way encounter like this could be exined by going back a little in the past.


    Still, Violet could do nothing but stare at the two men in front of her, holding back a sigh of irritation.


    * * *


    By no means could the rtionship between Violet and the employees of the annex be called ¡®family¡¯, but at the same time, it wouldn¡¯t be right to say that they had <i>no</i> rtionship at all.


    Rosie, the maid who was asked to be a model for Violet¡¯s croquis, quickly faltered from her pose because it was too awkward.


    ¡°I would much prefer it if you just act naturally.¡±


    But hearing the ducaldy say this, the employees wept.


    They <i>couldn¡¯t</i> act naturally. They were trying to work as they usually did, but the ducaldy was behind them, sketching.


    But Rosie held back on uttering these words.


    The maids did not protest, but they would freeze up the moment they¡¯re in front of thedy. Violet didn¡¯t really point out their difort though.


    <i>This eraser can erase lines so smoothly. Who made this?</i>


    Violet only had these kinds of thoughts in her mind as she leisurely observed the maids as they worked. Basking underneath the warm sun, Violet stretched out and stood up from her seat.


    She slept in a lot, ate when she¡¯s hungry, painted a little in her studio, and walked around the annex, sightseeing. Whenever she was bored, she would read a book or paint. She also took up the hobby of observing the employees because she needed them as her models.


    For the first time in her life, Violet¡¯s days flowed leisurely.


    Incarceration was not simply about locking people up¡ªit¡¯s about tying down one¡¯s use and worth as well. So <i>that¡¯s</i> why people who were exiled to remote ces were so focused on creative activities.


    Violet reached this epiphany as she was staring up at the sky, yawningnguidly.


    It¡¯s boring to have nothing to do, so she had no choice but to do <i>something</i>.


    In any case, however, Violet didn¡¯t feel bitter about any of this. She was the one who chose to confine herself.


    As she was enjoying her free time¡ª


    ¡°M-Mdy¡­ The, the second Young Master hase to visit you¡­¡±


    ¡ªher peace was broken just like that.


    ¡°He won¡¯t leave even if you tell him to, huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­He said he brought a present for you.¡±


    Why were none of these people taking the duke¡¯s order seriously?


    No, to spin this in a positive manner, it¡¯s a good thing that they¡¯re not abiding by the duke¡¯s words. In this ce, even basic manners were not being followed.


    Violet pressed down on her temples, feeling the rising migraine.


    Still, a private meeting with just Roen was tolerable enough. As long as he¡¯s not provoked first, then he wouldn¡¯t start anything either.


    ¡°Bring him to the drawing room. I¡¯m busy, so if he wants to talk to me, he has to wait about three hours.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes!¡±


    As it was, Violet entered her studio and immersed herself in her fourth painting.


    Would he really wait three hours though? Roen was a busy man in his own right. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d waste three hours just for the sake of humiliating his younger sister.


    .


    .


    .


    It was a few hourster that Violetid down her brush, doubts still swirling in her mind. However, soon enough, Mary delivered the bleak news.


    Roen was still waiting for Violet, drinking tea as leisurely as ever.


    As soon as Violet heard this, she decided to quickly finish her work just to send Roen back.


    Violet deliberately headed towards the drawing room. She was still in her paint-stained clothes.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    Roen greeted Violet with a smile. His demeanor wasx, conveying not a single hint of agitation despite having been forced to wait for a long time.


    ¡°¡­It hasn¡¯t been that long.¡±


    ¡°I heard that your face had gone gaunt, but now that we¡¯ve met each other again, I can see that you¡¯re doing well enough. I¡¯m d.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your business here?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t an elder brother have a chat with his younger sister?¡±


    Roen smiled.


    Really, that smile of his never failed to remind Violet of a snake.


    It was impossible for <i>these</i> siblings to have a normal conversation face-to-face. All Violet wanted now was to sort out what Roen came here for quickly and make him leave, but this snake-like man continued to slither through the conversation with ease.


    ¡°Father dered the annex to be off limits to you.¡±


    ¡°Only verbally though.¡±


    ¡°¡­I had no idea that you¡¯d want to talk to me separately like this.¡±


    ¡°Come on now. I always worry about you, Violet.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t even taken a sip of tea yet, but look at him lie.


    With her lips on the rim of her teacup, she clicked her tongue. The tea was bitter.


    ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve had a few inconveniences in your day-to-day life here. But here, I brought you a new dress and a new pair of shoes. Will you ept them?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll ept them with gratitude.¡±


    The new dress and shoes must have designs that were in vogue. In other words, clothes that were unnecessarily ostentatious and would only bring her difort whilst painting.


    When Aileen returned after being humiliated like that, what exactly did she say to this crafty guy? And to the extent that he came all the way here?


    Violet tried her hardest not to let her emotions show inly.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    ¡°You¡¯re much calmer than I thought you would be. I thought you¡¯d snap at me as soon as you saw me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why would I be angry at you? You even brought me a gift like this.¡±


    ¡°Then, can I visit you often from now on?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet remained silent. Roen didn¡¯t insist either, as if he didn¡¯t want a definite answer.


    ¡°The tea is more bitter than I thought, too. If you were like how you were before, you would¡¯ve already had the maid¡¯s hands cut off by now¡ªthe one who made this tea.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t give out such cruelmands.¡±


    ¡°You truly have changed. As expected, was it because of theke?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet deeply regretteding here. She should have just ignored Roen, went back up to her room and tucked herself right into bed.


    It¡¯s taking too much time to just make this guy leave.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed this much, so¡­ I wonder why.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That child returned to the main mansion while crying buckets. And she was hugging her sketchbook that¡¯s drenched entirely in tea.¡±


    Violet lowered her gaze to Roen¡¯s body. She felt another headacheing on, and so she took a sip of tea before matching Roen¡¯s gaze once more. The bitterness of the tea calmed her down a little.


    As she was thinking of a way to get rid of this person¡ª


    ¡°M-Mdy!¡±


    Mary burst into the drawing room in a hurry.


    ¡°H-His Grace the Duke has arriv, <i>hup!¡±</i>


    Yet another bomb was dropped.


    A new visitor hade. And it wasn¡¯t just anyone¡ªit was her father, the duke.


    Roen seemed shocked as well, but it was toote. Violet was still trying to calcte whether it would be better to remove onendmine first before the bigger bomb would arrive, or if she should just let them detonate together. In the end, she quit doing that.


    ¡°Can you lead him here?¡±


    <i>Fine. Since they¡¯re going to detonate anyway, why not make them detonate together? </i>Violet concluded merrily.


    It¡¯s clear as day that Roen visited this ce while disregarding the duke¡¯s order.


    ¡°You mentioned that His Grace¡¯s order was made only verbally, so I guess you don¡¯t have to keep it, right?¡±


    ¡°Did I say that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I heard you loud and clear when you said that. Mary, lead His Grace here.¡±


    Seeing Roen unable to escape, Violet smiled brightly. It took a lot of courage to interrupt thedy and the young master¡¯s conversation, and just that made Mary¡¯s face go pale. She soon scuttled out of the drawing room, frantic.


    She was not well versed in the proper etiquette, however the young maid did her best to attend to the duke.


    As he entered the room, the duke¡¯s eyes widened as he saw his daughter and his son, conversing with each other here despite it being inplete vition of his order.


    .


    .


    .


    Thus, the present situation came to be.


    Even after seeing Roen here, the duke did not rebuke him much.


    It was only now that the stillness between these three Everetts subsided.


    ¡°I see you have a visitor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Because Brother said that it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet made up an excuse that Roen never said. Guilty as he was, Roen couldn¡¯t say anything to refute her anyway.


    ¡°¡­How have you been,¡± the duke stoically asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been quite alright, thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°Seeing the state of your clothes, you seem to enjoy painting.¡±


    ¡°Nothing for me to be proud of.¡±


    The conversation between brother and sister brought down the atmosphere so heavily, but the conversation between the father and daughter was even more stifling. Even so, Violet calmly replied to the duke like that, referring only to her artwork when the duke pointed out her dress.


    ¡°But you look a little ufortable. I¡¯ll tell someone to send morefortable clothes for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±


    Roen, too, came to visit with a dress to give as a present, though one that was extravagant. His smile slipped ever so slightly. Unlike Roen, the duke waspletely taking into consideration what should be convenient for Violet.


    ¡°¡­It seems like I interrupted your conversation arbitrarily.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Father,¡± Violet replied.


    ¡°It also has been a long time since we¡¯ve had dinner together, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Roen asked.


    But instead of answering Roen¡¯s question, the duke only drank tea. It was sure to taste bitter and overall terrible, and yet raised not even a single brow.


    ¡°Aileen visited, too.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    When the duke pondered like so, the two siblings took that chance to breathe in. Even as the duke was in front of his own children, he did not let go of the lid on his emotions, evermore maintaining his sharpposure.


    ¡°Right, now that I think about it, you were never assigned an escort knight.¡±


    ¡°¡­That is the case, yes.¡±


    Violet reflected on herself as well. There were surely a lot of people here and there who held grudges towards her. And ever since she was confined to this remote corner of the ducal residence and as her privileges as a ducaldy had decreased, it¡¯s impossible to know when or where she¡¯d next be attacked.


    ¡°I shall have this resolved as well. I will have escort knights sent here tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen held his breath.


    This was a warning to both Aileen and Roen, who dared overlook the duke¡¯s order. <i>Do not go to the annex again.</i>


    Violet responded calmly, nevertheless.


    Her safety wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Regardless of whether someone would send an assassin her way because of a grudge, she didn¡¯t really care. She gave up on thinking about hypothetical concerns.


    All Violet needed was rest and serenity. She¡¯d rather not exhaust herself by thinking about such grueling imaginary scenarios.


    ¡°You do seem to enjoy painting quite a bit¡­ I¡¯d like to take a look at your work if possible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not good enough as I¡¯m still inexperienced.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s good at anything after having just started. I won¡¯t impose perfection on you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright then.¡±


    Amidst the arid mood, this heavy, muddy conversation took ce. Indeed, where <i>ever</i> could they find someone who was perfect right from the start?


    As Violet briefly recalled the past, she stopped the corners of her lips from tugging up to form a bitter smile.


    Violet asked Roen as well, only acting uponmon courtesy.


    ¡°¡­Would you like toe as well, Brother?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to, if you¡¯ll allow me.¡±


    He should be well aware that she¡¯s ufortable around him, yet he wouldn¡¯t take the hint, hah.


    Violet was filled with the urge to hit that snake Roen squarely in the face, even just once.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Whilst basking in the thought of smacking Roen on the cheek, Violet eventually sighed. Perhaps her imagination had be a little too rich.


    And still with paint-smeared clothes, Violet went on to guide the two men to her unorganized studio.


    Mary was just standing quietly outside the drawing room, and so she followed behind the three of them as well.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Nothing to be proud of, as I said.¡±


    The two neers to the studio went silent.


    First of all, the entire room was messy.


    No, not just messy. It was positively chaotic.


    The walls had been sshed with paint, and various tools¡ªlike easels, brushes and palette knives¡ªwere strewn all around. It looked like they had been organized in their own way, but it still looked quite cluttered.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you I should organize the room, Mdy.¡±


    ¡°It gets confusing when things change locations suddenly though.¡±


    ¡°But I still should have cleaned up a bit.¡±


    Watching howpletely stunned the father and son had be while they stared into Violet¡¯s sketchbook, Mary and Violet whispered as sneakily as they could to each other.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Right after they got shocked from the mess of a studio, yet again, they were filled anew with surprise as they caught sight of Violet¡¯s art.


    Seeing that Roen somehow couldn¡¯t school his features, Violet frowned at him.


    What was he going to tell Aileen again this time?


    Regardless, however, whether she¡¯d grimace or not behind them, Roen and the duke just stared at her art for the longest time, perhaps grappling with their thoughts.


    This painting packed a punch, that¡¯s true. But it was way ahead of its time. Even so, this was the only way Violet knew how to express herself.


    In the era in which Violet was living now, what mattered was how realistically the artist could capture the world as did the human eye. The more simr the painting was to the subject it aimed to depict, the better it would fit the standard of beauty of this era.


    Violet recalled how cameras were the exclusive property of a rich aristocrat nowadays. Art movements were bound to shift along with the development of photography, but in this world, the standard was still quite antiquated.


    It was ringly obvious that Violet¡¯s art was much too ahead of its time.


    Although this was a portrait, the style in which Violet painted her subject was with obscure, indistinct shapes.


    And, the person¡¯s face was covered with flowers, making it difficult to distinguish whether it was a man or a woman. Besides that, the person was shedding tears of azure and obsidian shades.


    At first nce, one might think that there were truncated horns in between the petals, and this suggestion might elicit the image of the devil.


    Aside from that, petals were typically painted with bright colors, and yet they were depicted with a gloomy blue hue here¡ªhow else could this be interpreted if not odd?


    Gobsmacked, the duke and Roen continued flipping through the pages of the sketchbook. However, the colors that were used became brighter and brighter, with more pastel hues, as they reached the more recent pieces.


    But of course, they were still not painted in the style of realism.


    ¡°This is, indeed¡­¡±


    Actually, if Violet hade back to an era four centuries prior, she would not be able to protest even if she¡¯d get sent to the holy tribunal and condemned as a witch.


    Roen and the duke thought the same thing at that moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s not bad¡­ I didn¡¯t know that you had a talent such as this, my daughter.¡±


    It seemed as if the duke liked the painting nheless, even with that first impression.


    In response, all Violet did was scratch her brush and palette knife on a canvas on a whim, smiling awkwardly.


    ¡°You must have reached this point because there wasn¡¯t a teacher beside you. It would be great to see the art world shift into this new direction. This is truly unique.¡±


    The duke elucidated various insights from Violet¡¯s work. Watching the duke talk a lot all so suddenly, Violet couldn¡¯t help but press down her hand in surprise.


    Certainly, her art was strange and entric, but at the same time, it had a mysterious charm that had the power to pull in the viewer.


    The colorbinations she used were not ones that could be typically seen, and the brush strokes and textures she left upon the canvas were ced in just the right spots, proving her excellent skill.


    Especially, though the blue light that was shining upon the subject was quite unusual, it was beautiful.


    ¡°¡­I only heard that you drew in a unique manner.¡±


    As Roen¡¯s eyes continued to remain affixed on her paintings, he murmured these words weakly.


    What exactly did Aileen say for him to react like this?


    But instead of answering him, Violet just casually shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    All the paintings here by Yeon Ha-yoon¡ªby Violet¡ªrevealed her innermost thoughts and feelings.


    Truncated horns. Face covered by giant petals. ck-blue teardrops, trickling down.


    It was the first painting that Violet made after she fell into theke and came back to life, and it was especially dark in color.


    Still staring at the painting, Roen¡¯s lips moved slightly. In the end, he really couldn¡¯t say much.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s very different from what I heard.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what you might¡¯ve heard.¡±


    ¡°Violet, you¡­¡±


    Roen had opened his mouth to ask something else, but he was cut off mid-sentence.


    Duke Everett, who had been staring at Violet¡¯s painting for quite a while, finally spoke.


    ¡°¡­If it¡¯s alright with you, I would like to ask for one of your paintings as a gift. Even His Majesty the Emperor would be envious.¡±

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else you need? I will have it sent to you as soon as you request it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine.¡±


    Rather, it was Roen who was more taken aback by the duke¡¯s words. It seemed like the duke genuinely liked Violet¡¯s art¡ªit wasn¡¯t just empty talk. Perhaps his younger sister and his father had the same taste?


    Roen briefly questioned if such tastes ran in their blood.


    ¡°¡­And I would like to have tea with you again next time, if possible.¡±


    Roen watched, aghast, as the duke finally concluded with what he¡¯s been wanting to say. Roen already couldn¡¯t take it, but the next thing he heard made him even more baffled.


    Violet smiled brightly.


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just a little of your time.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also fine for you toe to the main mansion.¡±


    ¡°What a dreadful thing to hear. Your Grace, are you rescinding your order? While pretending like nothing ever happened?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡ª¡±


    <i>Ke-hum.</i>


    The duke¡¯s dry cough reverberated throughout the narrow studio. Roen took a step back from Violet.


    ¡°¡­Roen, both you and Aileen are to stay in your rooms for an entire week.¡±


    Atst, their punishment was handed down. Roen got trapped along with Aileen, and he didn¡¯t even get what he wanted out of this visit. He bit his lip.


    ¡°¡­You really have changed.¡±


    Instead of further admonishing Violet, the duke simply turned to face the painting once again, then left after saying just one phrase.


    Violet interpreted those words in a simplified manner. <i>Your temperament has died.</i>


    * * *


    After the storm had finally passed, Violet was free once more, and so shey back on her bed as if she had melted. There was no need for her to see them off.


    Leaving behind the tense atmosphere, Mary also followed after Violet.


    ¡°Mdy, would you like a massage?¡±


    ¡°No, you must be tired. You should go and rest up. Tell them I won¡¯t have dinner tonight.¡±


    Still, Mary vowed to wake Violet in time for dinner to make sure that her master would eat. She didn¡¯t want to be a sry thief again today.


    * * *


    New members hade to the annex. They were the escort knights that the duke had promised to send.


    For a woman who had been confined for her misdeeds to be protected by knights¡­ Aptly enough, there¡¯s no other way to describe this than ¡®waste of manpower¡¯.


    At the garden, where no handmaid was in sight, Violet stared at the escort knights as she smiled in vain. The look in their eyes was clear as they nced up at her from where they¡¯re kneeling.


    The duke sent a total of two knights to the annex.


    Of noble birth and one of the most powerful men in House Everett¡¯s chivalric order, Zylo Benthel. And, amoner knight, Alec Hans.


    They rose from the ground, finishing their first greeting to their new master. Obviously enough, they looked unhappy.


    They must have been forced to do this. But Violet did not point out their discourtesy.


    Zylo Benthel was such a talented man that there were talks here and there about how he would be the next captain of the chivalric order. And since he had established a close enough friendship with Mikhail, the household¡¯s eldest son, he was too good to have been sent to the annex.


    The same was true of Alec Hans. He was quite known for his robust sense of justice. And even as he was amoner, he overcame the barrier of ¡®status¡¯ due to his capabilities. He was promoted as an official knight, and it would be too much to assign him to the post of just an escort knight.


    As Violet gauged the knights, so too did they gauge Violet.


    The most wicked viiness of all time.


    Everett¡¯s ice witch.


    The cold-hearted woman who has neither blood nor tears.


    It¡¯s said that the number of people who¡¯d been affected by her evil deeds exceeded three digits. It was bad enough to serve her as a master, even worse that they had to treat her as ady. This was just a temporary arrangement, but it was still terrible.


    Just what was the duke thinking?


    Zylo nced up at Violet, but soon lowered his eyes. Just like him, Violet was also trying to figure out what could possibly be going on in the duke¡¯s mind.


    She then gestured as she spoke.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be much to do here for knights like you. Since you¡¯ll have a lot of time on your hands, you can do whatever you wish to do.¡±


    <i>If you¡¯re bored, then just train or something.</i>


    That¡¯s what she meant.


    At this, Alec flew off the handle.


    ¡°If you think that we came here merely to y freely¡­!¡±


    ¡°¡­Watch yourself. Her Ladyship is still the Duchy¡¯s esteemed daughter in the end.¡±


    As he immediately calmed down the furious Alec, Zylo again gauged how Violet would react.


    However, the eyes of the wicked woman stared back at them not with fire behind her eyes, but dull, lifeless ashes.


    .


    .


    .


    That was how new members came into the annex.


    * * *


    As they were assigned to be escort knights, there really <i>was</i> nothing that they could do here.


    The annex was too quiet, too peaceful.


    Even as she had ordered for various servants to have their tongues, hands or legs cut off, Violet was also too calm.


    Rather than escorting Violet, the knights had taken up this post with another objective in mind¡ªto deal with her posthaste if she were to act up. But then, they were met with only surprise as they took in the peaceful scenery before them.


    Besides that, Violet often talked to the maids. And it¡¯s not because she constantly gave them orders. They had ¡®conversations¡¯.


    Well, the maids chatted one-sidedly and Violet only answered insincerely, but it was still quite the surprising sight.


    Was she truly the same wicked woman from all those rumors?


    Zylo himself heard a lot from Mikhail, but he was now doubting his own eyes.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    Anyway, since daily life in the annex truly was so peaceful¡ªto the point that their concerns and worries were overshadowed¡ªthe dispatched knights eventually decided to heed Violet¡¯s suggestion of training leisurely.


    And whenever they had the time, they also helped out the employees of the annex with their work. Regardless of the knights¡¯ intentions, the employees were just happy that two strong men hade forward to work here at the annex.


    Still, as he spent more time here, Zylo¡¯s suspicions continued to deepen.


    True enough, it was strange how the annex¡¯ employees, including thedy¡¯s exclusive maid, were all favorable towards Violet.


    Perhaps thedy was in shock after being abandoned by the family she once had faith in. Or perhaps her attitude changed after going through the crisis of a near death experience.


    Zylo had many theories and spections going on in his mind as he observed Violet, who was unbelievably staying calm. In any case, all his guesswork was for naught until he¡¯d personally get an exnation.


    Violet was especially close to her exclusive maid. Unlike how indifferently she would interact with the others, her expression revealed a sign of sincerity whenever she was talking to the younger girl.


    ¡°Mdy, you¡¯re going to get sick if you keep starving yourself like this!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had breakfast and lunch. I don¡¯t have an appetite for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Even just a simple meal would do¡­ I¡¯ll get some soup and a sd from the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do as you please.¡±


    She smiled normally, and she would get annoyed sometimes only at an ordinary level. Unlike the wicked woman from all the rumors.


    No, in the first ce, she was far from the very picture of a prestigious dukedom¡¯s esteemeddy¡ªlet alone a wicked woman, as her moniker would suggest.


    Zylo seriously considered whether there had been a demon lurking from underneath theke all this time, and it had been wearing the ducaldy¡¯s outward appearance as a mask while imitating her. Alec, too, was iming that Violet had been possessed by the devil.


    That¡¯s how this contemtive time passed, of them debating whether she was a harmful person or not. And in the end, they both¡ªno, Zylo was no longer wary of Violet.


    Now at ease, the escort knights then trained hard so as not tog behind the knights stationed at the main mansion.


    And then¡­


    ¡°¡­What are you doing, Your Ladyship?¡±


    ¡°Croquis.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, you must not know it, Sir Knight. It refers to a drawing practice where simple sketches of objects or people are made. It¡¯s to improve one¡¯s skill in drawing.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡­He became a model for Violet.


    Yet again, Zylo was thrown into the waters of confusion. Has the ducaldy always been like this? She¡¯s acting much too differentpared to what he heard from the young duke¡­


    In agony over his thoughts, Zylo lowered his sword.


    Rather than the devil that Zylo thought had possessed her, Violet had be influenced by her previous life¡¯s memories. She moved her pencil with tranquil ease.


    ¡°¡­I came to protect Your Ladyship under His Grace¡¯smand.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°¡­I am not here to be a model.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so, yes. Ah, if you¡¯re going to train, can you do it while wearing your inner garment? It would be easier to observe your form through your clothes that way.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    This kind of brazen behavior fit her nickname of ¡®wicked woman¡¯ in a way. There was also that particr arrogance in the way she brushed aside others¡¯ refusal, just as how aristocrats typically did. He picked up on her arrogance, but could not win against her nevertheless.


    Violet¡¯s mild attitude was not limited to only the annex employees. For a second there, the young knight let his guard down, and he reproached himself inwardly. He pressed down on his simmering temper.


    If he were to recklessly go wild in front of the ducaldy, his knighthood might get revoked.


    ¡°Once again, Your Ladyship, I am here under themand of His Grace the Duke.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to repeat yourself. You and I both know well enough that you have absolutely no intention to serve or protect me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to serve someone you dislike just because you were ordered to do it. Ah, but I implore that you bear with me if only to be my model. As you may know, there aren¡¯t many adult men with robust physiques here.¡±


    After she said this, Zylo could only stare at Violet nkly.


    Feeling the extent of his gaze, Violet shrugged.


    ¡°¡­Why me?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s quite a prejudiced look in Sir Hans¡¯ eyes. And I kind of have a feeling that he¡¯s going to protest against me no matter what for the sake of justice? Ah, but regardless of that, I don¡¯t think he has a good sense of <i>judgment</i>. Like a certain blockhead somewhere out there,¡± Violet criticized.


    Realizing that she was the object ofparison was Mikhail, Zylo gritted his teeth. He wondered if he had the same prejudiced gaze, and he wondered if he¡¯d be ordered to pull out his own eyes.


    Most of all, what she said just now was not something that could just be taken lightly.


    What would have happened if the knight stationed here right now was not him, but Alec? Perhaps he would have already turned on the ducaldy by now. Many scenarios took ce in his mind.


    She mentioned that as if it was nothing, but in fact, it was a significant matter. Beyond the matter of hierarchy, his loyalty must lie with the ducal household. And apart from that, he was to fulfill the role of vassal and knight to the ducal household. If these could not be done, then his value had copsed.


    And with such recklessness, the same was true for Zylo as well.


    ¡°¡­I shall be more mindful.¡±


    Personal feelings and work must remain separate. Even if his eyes were filled with prejudice, how fortunate it was that he could still see reason.


    Seeing as how the knight made the right decision, Violetughed.


    After Zylo said that, he began to focus on his training again.


    Violet propped her chin on one hand as she watched him do basic sword swings and forms repeatedly.


    He didn¡¯t tly refuse to be her model, so he might be fine with her drawing him. But then again,


    ¡°Sir Knight, you¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°His Grace must have sent you here against your will. I heard that you¡¯re a well-renowned knight, but it¡¯s a pity that you have to waste your time guarding me in a ce like this.¡±

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    Violet was mostly talking to herself. Her voice was as dry as a desert. However, when she said, ¡®it¡¯s a pity¡¯, her tone contained sincerity.


    But shouldn¡¯t she be delighted that she was being guarded by an outstanding knight? It meant that she hadn¡¯t beenpletely abandoned by House Everett yet.


    Somehow, ever since the day they first met, Ducal Lady Violet had been continuously disparaging the value of her own existence.


    In front of her, Zylo was conflicted as to what he should say. His mouth opened and closed again and again, before he finally spoke.


    ¡°Your Ladyship¡­¡±


    ¡°You can just call mefortably.¡±


    ¡°Why do you call the Duke ¡®His Grace¡¯?¡±


    Noticing the meaning behind Zylo¡¯s question, Violet smiled softly. Her hand was moving until now, but it stopped and let go of the pencil between her fingers.


    She stretchednguidly, then answered with a smile evident in her tone.


    ¡°His Grace is His Grace, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Her answer was sinct.


    Zylo could not say anything back. He was filled with a sense of incongruity from head to toe.


    In the short moment that their gazes met, the corners of her eyes curved upwards.


    Silver hair cascading gently downwards, purple eyes that were as still as ake.


    The person standing here and now was a human being. Not House Everett¡¯s viiness, not a witch with an ice heart¡ªjust a neen-year-old girl who had never been acknowledged by her family.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time for lunch. Will you continue training?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, do you have your meals at the main mansion, Sir? It wouldn¡¯t be good for your health if you keep training with an empty stomach.¡±


    ¡°¡­My duty is to guard you, Your Ladyship.¡±


    ¡°Comfortably, now.¡±


    <i>You don¡¯t have to address me so formally.</i>


    As Violet¡¯s quiet murmur reached his ears, Zylo fixed his grasp on his sword.


    * * *


    The dispatched knight managed to shed his prejudice against Violet after a little while.


    The Violet who he saw with his own eyes was a simple person.


    Firstly, she was not a big eater. It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want to take care of her own condition, it¡¯s just that she didn¡¯t really enjoy the taste of the food itself. Therefore, the luxurious meals that had been prepared for her would always end up being shared amongst the employees of the annex.


    The clothes she wore were also simple. She only picked dresses that would still be fine even if paint were to ssh on them.


    If that¡¯s not enough, Violet slept most of the time, and this troubled the maids a lot.


    Far from the very picture of a regal aristocrat, the impression she would give was, in many ways, that of an idle person.


    Far from the rumored wicked woman, she was just a poor, pitiful girl.


    And in fact, there was a rumor going around that Violet had personally gone to the duke to request her confinement.


    Considering the high, noble status she had, for what reason would a woman like her kick herself off to a miserable corner like this?


    Most people dismissed the rumor and thought it to be false. Zylo had been of the same mind as well.


    But now that he had met Violet in person, he was convinced that the rumor was true.


    Despite being a ducaldy who had been abandoned by her own family, she carried herself with an out-of-ce disposition of tranquility.


    And whenever Zylo was faced with Violet, he could not immediately connect her with the ¡®ducaldy¡¯ from all those rumors.


    Besides that¡­


    ¡°She must have been possessed by a witch!¡±


    ¡°Say something that makes sense, will you.¡±


    ¡°But you should know this as well! A spell must have been cast on all the people in here, too. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    Alec¡¯s attitude had gone beyond recklessness and now to the realm ofplete disrespect. As Zylo was a witness to this, he vaguely realized why Violet <em>had</em> to be the ¡®viiness¡¯.


    For whatever reason there might be, if she were to order any severe punishment unto someone, it would automatically bebeled as an evil deed.


    But at the same time, not a single doubt was given as to whether the subordinate might or might not have made a mistake in the first ce.


    Still, even if her side were to be considered, would her actions still bebeled as good deeds?


    In the end, she was only enforcing her authority.


    With amoner background yet with such remarkable skill that he was ordained as a knight in his own right, Alec Hans was undoubtedlypetent. Even so, he had this one, certain trait: his persistently single-minded sense of justice. It was because of this that he would not even try to listen to the other person¡¯s side just because she had once beenbeled evil.


    ¡°It just doesn¡¯t make sense! How could that witch who did so many wrongdoings just run scot-free like this? And for her to be so happy by herself here while going <i>haha! hoho!</i> with everyone else? Even now, I hear that Lady Aileen continues to cry at the main mansion¡­¡±


    At this point, <i>only</i> hispetence was certain.


    Zylo¡¯s head was pounding from all of Alec¡¯s squealing. He pressed a hand against his own forehead.


    If all the impertinent things that Alec was spouting now were to reach Violet¡¯s ears, what would happen? If her reputation rang true, then she just mighte out and order, ¡®Hack away at his tendons, give him thirtyshings, and kick him out to the streets.¡¯


    Of course, no one would be able to refute that order, and no one would me the person who ordered it. After all, it was justified.


    No. Rather, if an ordinary noble were to order such a thing, nobody would speak against them.


    However, if Violet were to act in such a way, she would never be able to avoid criticism.


    ¡°If I may ask, is the Ducal Lady you¡¯ve seen with your own eyes that kind of witch?¡± Zylo asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying! Everyone¡¯s been trapped in that witch¡¯s spell! You just haven¡¯t been able to see a painting by that witch, Sir Benthel. She surely must have used malicious witchcraft.¡±

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    If one¡¯s own principles and determination were to go too far, they would spill into the territory of stubborn and obstinate adherence. And if one were to give up on individual judgment to the precedence of the crowd¡¯s voices, then those original characteristics would soon transform once more into ignorance.


    Zylo was well-acquainted with one such person who¡¯s like that.


    He closed his eyes, recalling what Violet said the first time they met.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be much to do here for knights like you. Since you¡¯ll have a lot of time on your hands, you can do whatever you wish to do.¡±


    When Violet said this, there was a serene expression on her face. However, the rising connotation behind her words was different.


    <i>¡®You wouldn¡¯t want to protect me sincerely anyway, so just do as you please.¡¯</i>


    Her words had been twisted as such from another person¡¯s perspective.


    The people around her were so blinded by prejudice, to the point that they wouldn¡¯t believe the truth even if it wasid bare right in front of their own eyes, and they continuously used an ordinary person like her of being a witch.


    One after another, she received such malice and spite. How then could she be able to survive?


    ¡°Sir Benthel?¡±


    ¡°¡­Raise your sword.¡±


    The cure to insolence was a goodshing.


    * * *


    Zylo raised his sword several times as he reprimanded Alec for his impertinence, but thetter man¡¯s rude words and actions would not let up easily.


    Even when thedy was only doing something easygoing, Alec constantly suspected her of being a witch who was concocting an evil scheme. Seeing the guy run wild like that, Zylo¡¯s sighs only deepened further.


    What was he to do with this blockhead. It would be a problem if he¡¯d report it to their superiors, but it would also be a problem if he would not.


    Surely enough, however, he was serious when it came to the chivalric order. Zylo spent more than half the day beating up Alec.


    But still, Alec refused to admit his mistakes. He denied his willful ignorance.


    For as strong one¡¯s principles could be, the copse of such would consequently endanger one¡¯s own ego.


    It was so tiring to deal with just one person like this. How worse could it possibly feel if anyone and everyone were to look at you with such a prejudiced perception?


    Malicious rumors could break a person ever so easily.


    For a person whose spirit had been broken in that way to smile again, they would have to recover themselves once more, tend to their wounds and ovee all that they experienced.


    In reality, Violet¡¯s fabricated smile was not just detached¡ªit was <i>empty</i>. She looked so lonely even as she was smiling.


    Zylo thought of Violet, then thought of Mikhail, the liege who he would be serving in the future. For as long as he could remember, Mikhail had always regarded Violet with hostility.


    Mikhail¡¯s disposition was simr to Alec¡¯s.


    But, no. Zylo corrected his own thoughts, shaking his head vigorously. He mustn¡¯tpare a dukedom¡¯s heir to amoner.


    Right now, what he¡¯s meant to do was <i>not</i> to ruminate.


    .


    .


    .


    Meanwhile, Violet was already aware that Alec had been talking nonsense about her. She knew, and yet she did not enforce any punishment onto the young man.


    She just smiled quietly as if she was used to it. And this was an established fact¡ªthis always happened, after all.


    ¡°¡­Good grief.¡±


    ¡°I shall correct his impertinence.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not even saying anything untrue. Why don¡¯t you just let it go?¡±


    Zylo felt frustrated. In contrast, Violet was calm. She had long since learned not to waste any more time and energy on unnecessary emotions.


    She did not bother to point out the knight¡¯s insolence, did not bother to get angry, and did not bother to order for him to receiveshings. Although punishing the knight was something an ordinary noble would have naturally done, all she did was pay him no mind. She didn¡¯t want to deal with someone who detested her to that degree.


    ¡°¡­I shall correct his impertinence.¡±


    The upright knight repeated the same words. Even if Violet had chosen to sit still about this matter, as a knight of this ducal household, he could not find it in him to leave that unruly guy undisciplined.


    Alec¡¯s ¡®loyalty¡¯ was in direct contrast to the ¡®order¡¯ he had been given and with ¡®justice¡¯ in itself. Nevertheless, he¡¯d still argue that his actions were brought about by his own principles.


    In the first ce, his definition of ¡®justice¡¯ was not righteous.


    It¡¯s true that what Violet had done in the past could clearly be considered immoderate. Still, it was also the righteous punishment based on thew, which she had an obligation to uphold as a noble.


    Under that pretext, would it still be right to pour such criticism onto a ducaldy¡ªno, onto a human being?


    Yet in the end, these were all futile concerns.


    Whether or not Alec¡¯s impertinence would rise to the sky, Violet actually just drew and painted without giving him a second of her time.


    Besides that, even if Alec were to run wild, no one would stand by him. At least, not here.


    With Alec being especially hostile towards Violet, the employees of the annex did not like him one bit.


    As a natural result, he¡¯d be ostracized at the annex. The more isted he became, the more his hostility against Violet burned. However, that me burned only by itself.


    Sometimes, during the days that he had to go back to the chivalric order at the main mansion, Alec worked busily to proliferate Violet¡¯s ¡®misdeeds¡¯.


    He even started saying that she had entered a contract with a demon that was conveniently hiding away at the annex, and that she was using that demon¡¯s power to brainwash people.


    People sometimes needed amon enemy in order to band together. And if thatmon enemy was someone who they could not directly confront, then their imaginary notion of that person was bound to swell out of control.


    Without fail, time marched on.


    And all the while, various stories and rumors about Violet were exchanged.

 Chapter 24

    Violet began a new painting.


    Still as ever, her art was way ahead of her time. And, still as ever, her art had the ability to ensnare the viewer¡¯s heart.


    Among all the things that Alec said, the only thing Zylo somewhat agreed on as well was how ¡®Violet¡¯s art looks like a witch¡¯s painting¡¯. If she had been born a few hundred years prior, she would have been recorded in the history books as exactly that¡ªa witch.


    Even so, while her art continued to rattle the viewers¡¯ minds, her daily life did not change all that much.


    Violet still got along with the employees. And she secretly enjoyed chatting with the maids, it¡¯s just that she liked to listen to them more rather than to talk.


    She spent long hours working on her new painting, and even more hours sleeping.


    The days were peaceful.


    The position of Violet¡¯s model for her sketches had eventually been relegated to Zylo; they were always together anyway. In the end, he resigned himself to being her croquis model.


    With how much hustle and bustle this all was, a pic¡ªor something like a pic¡ªwas naturally how they spent those leisurely hours.


    The same was true of that day. Maryid out a mat where Violet usually sat, and even brought out some snacks that had been prepared beforehand. Zylo was usually given some snacks to eat as well.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re already here, I want to observe your muscles, too.¡±


    ¡°¡­I will pretend that I did not hear that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Uncle[1]! Is your body in good condition?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not an uncle.¡±


    ¡°Mary, all knights are quasi-nobles, so you have to be more careful with how you talk to them. Besides that, Sir Benthel is clearly of noble birth.¡±


    ¡°Oh gosh, I apologize deeply.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine.¡±


    More peaceful days followed, except for one.


    * * *


    Alec was eventually kicked out of the annex.


    Well, it would be vague to say that he was ¡®kicked out¡¯. Nheless, it¡¯s a good thing to Violet and everyone else that he no longer returned to this ce.


    It was Duke Everett himself who expelled Alec from the annex.


    Though he was a very busy man, Duke Everett dropped by the annex at least once every two weeks.


    No particrmotion led to Alec being expelled. Rather, unlike how obviously he bared his teeth in front of Violet, heid t on the ground while he was in the duke¡¯s presence. He showed such a weak disposition the moment he was faced with someone stronger than him.


    Still, he was demoted.


    At the duke¡¯s singr behest.


    And the reason behind this was simple¡ªthat man¡¯s eyes were insolent.


    Alec did not dare protest against the duke¡¯smand. His name removed from the dukedom¡¯s chivalric order and was promptly demoted to serving a vassal household


    Zylomented briefly. Another knight would have taken that guy¡¯s ce long before if only he reported this earlier. If he did, the duke would have overturned the entire chivalric order on the grounds that they all dared to behave recklessly against their superior.


    Then again, the person involved herself did not care a single bit about anyone who was hostile to her, and this included Alec.


    Of course, the duke, too, was not exempt from her indifference.


    The meetings between the ducaldy and the duke were always simple. They could have a brief chat over tea, then they would go upstairs so that the duke could take a look at Violet¡¯s paintings. The duke did not have a lot of time to spare, so there was only a limited number of things he could do during that time span.


    Standing by them as they interacted in this way, Zylo was quite tired of watching the father and daughter like this.


    Herron, the duke¡¯s aide, gave Zylo arade¡¯s smile. The only one who was already used to the sight of the father and daughter was Mary, and she followed and attended to Violet without fail.


    ¡°But when will you send me a painting¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you truly wish to have one?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not one to say empty words.¡±


    ¡°¡­We do not have enough manpower here to send someone out separately.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send another new escort knight tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°¡­Please do not send more than one. I dislike it when things getplicated.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    As he listened to their conversation, Zylo recalled one from long ago.


    Mikhail once vented his anger to him, saying that the duke¡¯s favorite child was Violet.


    After the duchess passed away, it¡¯s true that the duke did not take particr care of the household¡¯s internal affairs, but there weren¡¯t any talks about him giving the ducaldy special treatment either. So, Zylo brushed this off lightly, thinking that it must just be something that only the siblings thought.


    But he found outter. As a matter of fact, the duke favored the ducaldy. Indeed, despite the ducaldy doing such terrible things, the duke did not give her any punishment. This proved his favoritism.


    Still though, with the duke¡¯s demeanor towards her bordering more on apathy, it¡¯s difficult to say whether that kind of affection was affection, let alone favoritism.


    Zylo observed the father and daughter in front of him again. Being a witness to the duke¡¯s unusual taste in art and the ducaldy¡¯s resolute attitude¡­ Zylo unknowingly took another step back.


    Beside him, Herron smiled faintly. There¡¯s a chance that he¡¯s only calcting how much leftover work there was and how many overtime hours he¡¯d have to faceter, but nevertheless, his smile was mixed with a hint ofmentation.


    * * *


    The new escort knight that the duke sent was a quiet man.


    He might be under the notion that the same thing might happen again if he were to send a knight from amoner background, so the new knight that the duke sent was a member of a vassal household, just like Zylo.


    The new escort knight, Ozen, was taciturn¡ªin as much that he could not be read. Well, Violet didn¡¯t bother to wonder what¡¯s going on in his head anyway, so she soon moved on.


    Even the people of the annex did not reject the new knight who was not making any racket.


    But no matter what kind of change went on around her, Violet continued drawing or painting whenever she felt like it. In fact, there¡¯s nothing else that she had to do besides this.


    ¡°My body¡¯s a little stiff.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because all Mdy does is lie down or draw every single day? You also have to move your body sometimes!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet was, for the most part, serene. However, there were still times when her excessively peaceful life would be struck with anxiety.


    This ducal residence was not a peaceful ce at its core. Just as the emperor ruled over his empire, the duke, too, ruled over his enormous duchy. As such, the duchy contained such politics and its own government as well.


    And it¡¯s for this reason that the duchy was overwrought with political intrigue, while incidents and conflicts were never-ending.


    1 Uncle ¨C tranted from ¡®ahjussi¡¯, and I wanted to trante it as ¡®mister¡¯ instead, but it¡¯s a term of address that I¡¯d like to reserve forter in case it¡¯s needed. Basically, Mary called him ¡®uncle¡¯ because he seemed too old to be called ¡®brother¡¯, to which Zylo feebly protested against. ?

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    Regardless of whether this or that happened though, the annex was peaceful. Since it was physically far from the main mansion, so too was the annex far from the problem of sessors andplicated political issues between households.


    It¡¯s quite ironic, really. Everett¡¯s wicked woman, who was always at the center of each and every mishap, had found rest and tranquility while isted all alone.


    ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡±


    ¡°Mdy? Despite everything, you <i>do</i> know that you mustn¡¯t do theundry or the dishes, yes?¡±


    Mary put on a stern expression the moment she heard Violet¡¯snguid murmur.


    These days, Violet was feeling especially bored.


    All the more so because her hand wouldn¡¯t follow what kind of image she had in her mind as she was painting.


    Well, it¡¯s right to say that she¡¯d been painting recently, though she had only ever used ck paint on the canvas a few times. She began to look for other things to do besides working on the painting.


    And those other things included doing theundry and washing the dishes. Naturally, the employees of the annex became frantic when they saw her doing that.


    ¡°I already said I won¡¯t do it, so don¡¯t worry. Eshika made so much fuss about it, and now you¡¯re doing it too.¡±


    ¡°¡­You really can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°¡­I already said I won¡¯t.¡±


    After that, Violet snooped around the annex for a long time, looking for something¡ª<i>anything</i>¡ªelse to do besides painting.


    In the end, she couldn¡¯t ovee her boredom and thus dropped a bomb.


    ¡°Shall we go out?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Outside. To the nearby town. You know, the town outside the gates.¡±


    <i>¡°Pardon?¡±</i>


    For a moment, Mary doubted her earspletely, and so she asked back twice. Carrying out his escort knight duties in the background, Zylo and Ozen¡ªthe new escort knight¡ªwere also surprised.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay for me to just go for a little stroll? And the town near the ducal residence isn¡¯t a bad ce for that.¡±


    ¡°S-Still¡­¡±


    Mary weakly tried to reason with Violet. Then, Zylo let out an outburst.


    ¡°You cannot!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Has Your Ladyship forgotten why you are here now?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right.¡±


    ¡°Even if you are allowed to go out for a while, it¡¯s not possible for you to do so with just two apanying knights!¡±


    What kind of fool would let a detained individual wander freely? These two guards here, who were sent to enforce the probation, still had to do as they¡¯re ordered obediently.


    Even if this was really just confinement in name only.


    Growing a little sullen, Violet murmured to herself in a mncholy voice.


    ¡°¡­I really can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Never, no matter what, by no means at all. But if you truly wish it, Your Ladyship will directly have to ask His Grace the Duke for permission.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t wanna do that though.¡±


    On the other hand, Zylo sincerely answered inwardly.


    <i>If Your Ladyship personally tells His Grace about it, His Grace would go ahead and tell you to juste back to the main mansion altogether.</i>


    In any case, the outing that Violet¡ªor Yeon Ha-yoon¡ªwanted to go on was an ordinary outing. She didn¡¯t want to go around the streets beinguded as a ducaldy. Even if she <i>was</i> given permission, the ces she could go to would still be limited.


    She just wanted to go out freely, but she¡¯d be met with only sad news either or.


    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡±


    ¡°No matter the case, Your Ladyship cannot go out. For as long as I keep my eyes open, it will never happen.¡±


    ¡°I got it, I got it.¡±


    When Violet hinted at giving up, it¡¯s only then that Zylo felt relieved.


    He escorted her back to her room and didn¡¯t train for the day.


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t, huh.¡±


    Of course, humans were such virulent creatures whose desires burned deeper when they¡¯re told that they¡¯re not allowed to do what they wanted to do.


    * * *


    Two days had passed ever since Violet mentioned that she wanted to go out.


    In the meantime, the upright knights watched ever so vigntly with dark shadows under his eyes.


    As the annex had turned into a makeshift family, everyone there regarded Violet as a niece, and they all defended her in her wish to go on an outing.


    The simple reason behind this was this: people turn strange if they just stay at home all the time.


    ¡°Even so, Your Ladyship really cannot.¡±


    ¡°¡­Your Ladyship does not even have to consider it.¡±


    In response to the knights, Violet merely shrugged.


    Then, wouldn¡¯t it be alright to go around the forest that¡¯s surrounding the annex?


    But Zylo dutifully replied that the forest was very wide, and so it¡¯s more likely than not for her to encounter dangerous monsters in there.


    If it¡¯s so dangerous being close to those monsters, wasn¡¯t it also true that it¡¯s dangerous to stay at the annex since it¡¯s <i>surrounded</i> by the forest? So what¡¯s new?


    Violet wanted to ask this, but she just pressed down the urge to do so. The knight in front of her was so fiercely opposed to letting her go out.


    After four days of this war of nerves, Violet disappeared from the annex.


    ¡°Where is Her Ladyship? Is she not awake yet?¡± a knight asked.


    ¡°Yes, of course, it¡¯s, normal,¡± the maid answered awkwardly.


    ¡°Ah, Sir Knight, would it be alright if you chop some firewood since you¡¯re here? It¡¯ll be good to do it in advance,¡± another maid suggested.


    ¡°¡­But isn¡¯t it strange that Mary¡¯s nowhere to be seen even though Her Ladyship has overslept?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right! Where has my mind flown off to. I forgot to turn up the fire, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir! Wait a second!¡±


    In short, Violet went out with the help of the employees of the annex.


    She escaped right out of the gates while disguised as a maid. The coachman, Georges, was her aplice.


    Zylo interrogated the maids and soon found out how thedy escaped. His heart pounded heavily at the thought of what kind of admonishment he¡¯d be receiving once the duke would find out about this.


    In this whole world, what kind of maid has silver hair, purple eyes and such smooth hands?


    It couldn¡¯t be helped since she already escaped. He had to secretly bring her back as soon as possible.


    If he couldn¡¯t find her, then he would have to confess the truth to the duke so that the chivalric order could lead a search party.


    Did thedy even know what kind of trouble she¡¯s stirring up right now!


    Well, regardless of all that, Violet was now wearing some borrowed clothes from the kitchen maid Rosie, and thus set off for a trip to town. She was just happy that she had something new to do today.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    A total of three people apanied Violet on her outing. The first was Georges, the coachman. The second was Mary, Violet¡¯s exclusive maid. And the third was Eshika, a kitchen maid of the annex.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people even though it¡¯s still the morning.¡±


    ¡°Because this is thergestmercial district in the entire dukedom! Ack¡ª Mdy, you can¡¯t walk around on your own.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I remembering here a few times.¡±


    Back then, she wore only shy dresses and went straight to the boutique.


    Violetughed. Thanks to Mary¡¯s efforts, she had gotten a little closer to the people in the annex as they were nothing but strangers before.


    Since she had lived all her life as a high noble, it¡¯s only natural that she wouldn¡¯t know howmoners lived.


    With that thought in mind, Violet smiled as she took in her surroundings. Everything¡¯s a bit more advancedpared to how she recalled them in her memories.


    She also recalled how Aileen was sent the same designs of the clothes she bought from the boutique she often frequented. Oh, how furious she had been back then. But it¡¯s all in the past now.


    ¡°Mdy, this way.¡±


    Eshika was in charge of guiding her around the area, and so she led Violet dutifully. Mary was a new maid, so she didn¡¯t know her way around. The group followed Eshika calmly.


    ¡°Is there a particr ce you would like to visit?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to go out, so there¡¯s no particr ce that I actually wanted to¡­ Ah, wait. Is there an art supplies shop around here?¡±


    ¡°Art supplies¡­ I¡¯m not quite sure, but I believe there¡¯s a general store nearby.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start there then?¡±


    Georges considered himself to be the girls¡¯ guard today, but in the end, he became their porter.


    After looking around at the general store, they all ate together at a nearby restaurant.


    Although the quality of the ingredients there wasn¡¯t as good as what she¡¯d get at the ducal residence, Violetmented that it was delicious.


    Though it seemed tactless, Mary even asked Violet if they should have these dishes made for her at the annex next time.


    No one pointed out the ducaldy¡¯s demeanor as she enthusiastically enjoyed the street food she encountered.


    After eating, they also drank tea. There were quite a few customers at the teahouse, which was frequented by wealthy merchants and wealthymoners alike.


    Just looking at this scenery made her feel a bit sentimental. Violet¡¯s outing ended simply in this manner.


    They returned to the annex using the same carriage they rode on their way out.


    Upon seeing Violet, Zylo grabbed the back of his neck and looked like he was about to copse from high blood pressure.


    * * *


    Since then, Violet¡¯s outings became more frequent, and it became sort of like a routine. Zylo would object, but as the employees of the annex would feel sorry for the girl who¡¯s trapped here together with all of them, they all banded together to protest. Even the righteous knight couldn¡¯t resist.


    He finally gave up when he reported this to the duke.


    The duke merely told him to apany her as her escort knight.


    Violet was vehemently against standing out in the crowd, so Zylo had to dress up as amoner as well, and he had drinks together with the ducaldy as well.


    Not so different from Violet, Zylo himself had been brought up as a noble as well, so these outings with Violet became a special experience for him.


    It felt as if no hardships or sufferings had happened before this.


    Violet wandered around town, saying that she was going to buy some paint, but at some point, she settled down in front of a fountain and began to draw.


    Curious passers-by gathered around her, and she started making portraits of them at low prices.


    Quite indignant as he stood by her, Zylo nced down and asked why she willingly found work for herself like this.


    Silvery white hair, purple eyes with the depth ofkes.


    Despite being dressed as amoner, her aristocratic disposition could not be obscured. Though they didn¡¯t know who she was, some people started whispering amongst themselves about the posh youngdy.


    It never urred to them that the duke¡¯s esteemed daughter herself would go out in the streets in an outfit like that, but nheless, everyone seemed to have guessed right away that she was of high nobility.


    Besides that, it would have been stranger for them to immediately guess her true identity, what with the spiraling rumors about her outside the ducal residence.


    Rumor went that she regrly bathed in the blood of virgins to protect her own youth and beauty, or that she¡¯s heavily involved in a physical rtionship with a man to the point that each day was a raucous spectacle.


    How could she be so misrepresented in such rumors?


    One could only wonder who was behind this. Unlike rumors based on facts, the rumors going around in the streets were so terribly far from who Violet fundamentally was. Still, since all those rumors were so unlike her, Violet easily brushed off their rudeness.


    Despite such rumors, the one consistent thing was that Aileen was ying the role of the poor little princess who was being tormented by a wicked witch.


    Violet didn¡¯t pay these whispers any mind. Rather, the ones fiercely against these rumors were Marie, Rosie and Georges¡ªbut Violet held them back. As she was immersed with painting, she said, ¡®Don¡¯t arbitrarily make a fuss here.¡¯


    All those who received a sketch-like portrait from her were delighted. It¡¯s not good enough whenpared to the kind of portrait one could get from an official painter, but in the first ce, it was not so easy to have one made if you weren¡¯t born of nobility or of wealth.


    Apart from the insidious rumors about Violet going around everywhere, the expressions of those who received portraits were moderate enough.


    It was a peaceful, but notpletely peaceful outing.


    Lost in thought for a moment, she thought back to the little boy who threw a stone at ¡®Violet¡¯ when she went out in the past. What happened to that kid? Was he dead?


    After all those malicious deeds that had beenmitted, it¡¯s far toote to feel guilt or remorse.


    She could not deny that she inflicted pain unto others.


    In a self-deprecating mood, Violet drew today¡¯s outing to a close.


    .


    .


    .


    One day, as Violet went out secretly in search of small happiness,


    A summons for her came from the main mansion,


    With the news that Aileen drank poison and had copsed.

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    * * *


    Death is the scariest thing in this mortal realm.


    It was the very antithesis to life.


    The end of life. The conclusion of one¡¯s story.


    Who in this world would wee death.


    ¡°If I die, will I be able to feel at ease?¡±


    Who in their right mind would wish for death.


    Violet, who was also Yeon Ha-yoon, recalled her death in the past.


    In its own way, the mundane life she had lived was something to be proud of. Even so, it was a fact that Yeon Ha-yoon¡¯s life was unfortunate.


    Her life had been so luckless that it could be called ¡®squalid¡¯.


    The matter of being impoverished couldn¡¯t only be through poverty of the material sense. For example, if you¡¯d like to buy something but you didn¡¯t have enough resources for it, you¡¯d have to sacrifice a portion of your life to get what it was that you wanted. This, too, was proof of poverty.


    Which was why it had been a great act of rebellion for her to take up painting. It was the kind of rebellion that an eldest daughter could do in a family of four¡ªwith one son and one daughter.


    Once upon a time, Yeon Ha-yoon thought she had talent.


    But this thing she called talent, too ambiguous to be distinguished, became a shackle that had bound her. This ambiguous talent was a hole in the ground, a pit into which she had fallen.


    The painting she so very liked, at some point, became a duty. From then on, she could not find joy in it any longer. And after that, the life she led was nothing special.


    Even her death wasn¡¯t all that distinct. It was a rainy day. It was an ident. She followed the pedestrian signal, yet was nheless killed in a traffic ident because one car skidded in the rain.


    She had died rtively young. During the period in which she had <i>just</i> managed to stand up on her own two feet, when she was <i>just</i> about to try finding small things that she wanted to do¡­


    She died and was reborn as Violet. This second life was not in the least sense mundane, yet it was arduous. She used all her strength in an endeavor to be acknowledged, and she used all her power to crush others so that they would not look down on her.


    Even so, how could one say that this had been a proper life? All she did was lower other people so she could raise herself into a noble being.


    It was a challenge she had taken on, yet could not win in the end. She only hurt herself. So one day, as she was filled with only malice and hostility towards all others, the young woman¡ªwhose sympathiesy only with herself¡ªfell into ake.


    She hated Aileen. She hated that girl like hell. So she harassed the girl.


    She harassed her, and harassed her again, and harassed her even more. She was so ovee by this all-consuming malice that it had inevitably turned self-destructive.


    She tried to live as a dignified ducaldy. Touting her birthright, she crushed anyone and everyone who dared look down on her.


    But on the day that she fell into theke, Violet thought.


    <i>How did it turn out like this? Why did I have to be this way?</i>


    Violet was not inherently evil. Unlike Yeon Ha-yoon, Violet had been born into a wealthy household, and she was a daughter who was loved by her family.


    Her two older brothers loved her enough, and her younger brother had been quite attached to her.


    And regarding Aileen, her rtionship with the girl wasn¡¯t bad from the very beginning either.


    Aileen was her cousin, and their ages were apart by only a few years. During their childhood, Violet took care of Aileen as if she was her younger sister. They were close because the only girl around her that was close to her age was Aileen.


    It was like this until Aileen¡¯s family had passed away from an ident. The small child was then taken into the household as Violet¡¯s real younger sister.


    At first, it was mere jealousy. No, perhaps it was just a misunderstanding.


    The ducaldy, who was dying because she could not breathe underwater, thought this:


    Malice is a double-edged sword. Malice unto others would inexorably return as malice unto yourself.


    As a matter of fact, the malice that had returned to her was greater than even the malice Violet had actually shown to Aileen.


    She was an older sister who persecuted a small child who had lost her parents; an evil little girl who bullied a child who would have already been miserable on her own even without the torment she was subjected to.


    Why did hatred, spite, and malice surge within her in the way that it did?


    ¡°Nanny said something to me. The previous duchess is a gorgeous woman who has beautiful golden blonde hair, but why is Sister¡¯s hair silver?¡±


    Duke Everett had ck hair. Thete duchess had beautiful blond hair. How could a child with silver hair be born between two such people?


    The innocent child had posed an innocent question. There was no malice behind her curiosity.


    However, Violet got angry.


    She got so angry that she shoved the younger girl straight away.


    ¡°Owwie¡ª I-It hurts. <i>Ugh, hiic¡­ uwah</i>¡­¡±


    Children were smarter and sharperpared to how little adults gave them credit for.


    The first time might have been just a fluke¡­


    But the second time.


    On that second time, Violet became certain.


    She was only an eight-year-old kid. What was it about her that made them all hate her so much?


    Evenpared to six years old, eight was still young. What¡¯s so hateful about a child, who¡¯s just two years older than the other, that she had to take all of those people¡¯s malice?


    And after being fed with more provocation and an abundance of rumors, that malice budded into something much bigger.


    It¡¯s impossible for a little girl to bear it all.


    Like waves upon waves crashing into her, the more she was expected to be perfect, the more the little girl solidified into a ¡®bad child¡¯ in their eyes.


    In a current wherein it¡¯s impossible to swim, the reprieve of respiration eluded her.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Who in this world would wee death.


    Who in their right mind would wish for death.


    Nevertheless, Violet wished for thiske to drown her entirely.


    If no one wanted her, if no one loved her.


    If everyone in this whole world hated her, if not a single person in the world needed her.


    If the only option was to die.


    If her family, all the friends she trusted, and everyone around her hated her.


    ¡®For what reason am I still alive?¡¯


    It was a question that had no answer.


    The duke was ever cold-hearted, her brothers were ever contemptuous. The servants reviled her. The people she believed she was close to gossiped about her behind her back.


    ¡°Sister, you brought it all onto yourself.¡±


    ¡°Sister, you will never be loved.¡±


    ¡°Sister, you know what? That ce you think is yours has always been originally mine.¡±


    On the very day that Aileen mocked her and said all these things, Violet was thrown into a realization of just how meaningless it all was.


    It was at this moment that she hoped for death toe to her.


    So, she did not rebel against death.


    Once she¡¯s dead, would there be at least one person who¡¯d mourn for her?


    But the silentke did not answer.


    With no will to live, Violet sank endlessly until she plunged to the bottom of theke.


    Death was right in front of her now, but this was what she thought:


    <i>I want to live.</i>


    <i>I just don¡¯t want to live like </i><b><i>this</i></b><i>.</i>


    <i>I also want to receive everyone¡¯s recognition.</i>


    ¡®I also¡­ want to receive¡­¡¯


    It was for this reason that she broke down.


    She knew that her death would not hurt them at all, but at the very least, she hoped that they would be a little saddened by it.


    However, Violet did not die. The duke rescued his daughter and spent an astronomical sum of money just so she could be saved.


    She was deprived of even death. Whether it was out of the intention of using her life, or whether it was out of love¡­ Whatever the case, she was not allowed to die.


    It was thanks to this that Yeon Ha-yoon opened her eyes to this world, and she did not want to die. She wanted to live longer.


    Thus, her yearning for life was revived, and the two personalities within her blended together.


    Yeon Ha-yoon sympathized with Violet. Granted, she thought that Violet was foolish, but she knew that the girl had no other choice.


    * * *


    Calm purple eyes met furious green eyes.


    The resentment in his gaze was palpable. Violet pretended to be calm as she faced the raw anger that was being hurled at her.


    ¡°VIOLET STELLA EVERETT!¡±


    Mikhail bellowed at the top of his lungs without any restraint. He was bristling to the point that it looked like he was about to march right up to Violet to p her across the cheek.


    ¡°You really can¡¯t resist making a huge mess, can you.¡±


    All his anger was suppressed with that single line, and it was as sharp as a dagger that¡¯s flung straight at Violet.


    In the past, perhaps she¡¯d have shouted back and said that it¡¯s unfair? Nevertheless, Violet sipped her tea casually.


    ¡°The culprit hasn¡¯t been clearly identified yet, yet you¡¯re already shouting like this. Do you have any proof that it was me who did it?¡±


    ¡°Ha, haha¡­ Is that, is that something that even has to be asked¡­¡±


    With fury that couldn¡¯t be chalked up to immaturity, dejectedughter filled the banquet hall. Roen muttered something to himself. The duke just watched the whole scene unfold.


    By any chance, would he really p her while so many eyes were watching?


    But Violet smiled at Mikhail, who already had a track record of doing so.


    ¡°Other than you, is there anyone else in this entire residence who would scheme against Aileen?¡±


    Oh, there were a lot. Since time immemorial, there were many things that Violet didn¡¯t actually do but were credited to her. So, it could be said that there really were a lot of people who were conniving against Aileen.


    She did not answer.


    ¡°People were saying that you¡¯ve been quiet ever since you were confined to the annex, but it was all a ruse¡­!¡±


    Since arriving at the annex, the only thing Violet ever pursued was her own happiness. It was urate to say that she¡¯d been quiet.


    Although, there were of course times that she snuck out.


    In any case, Mikhail continued to be indignant.


    ¡°And you¡¯ve resorted to poison now?! What the hell is it that¡¯s making you hate that child so much!¡±


    What, he asked? Was he really asking because he didn¡¯t know what had been urging and fostering her behavior?


    Nonchnce painted upon her face, Violet asked back.


    ¡°Do you think that if I¡¯d have really resorted to poison, the oue would be as sloppy as this? I would have made <i>sure</i> to take her life, you know.¡±


    ¡°Right now, what did you just¡­!¡±


    Violetughed.


    If she had really been set on killing Aileen, it wouldn¡¯t have ended this way. She would have very much made sure that she¡¯d never see that hateful face ever again.


    On that note, why hadn¡¯t she thought of killing that girl before?


    Briefly lost in thought, Violet asked herself, but the answer quickly came to her.


    All she wanted was her family¡¯s recognition.


    Even if she had killed Aileen without anyone knowing, it¡¯s obvious enough that her family still wouldn¡¯t have given her their time of day.


    Or perhaps the thought of taking someone else¡¯s life just never crossed her mind. Everett¡¯s wicked woman had a more innocent side than expected.


    Yet again, Mikhail became infuriated as he watched Violet acting so carefree. The atmosphere of the dining hall was oppressive.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    The duke, who had been watching until now, finally moved to calm the situation down.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    ¡°Brother, calm yourself a little¡­¡±


    After the duke spoke up against Mikhail¡¯s outcry, Roen, who was sitting next to the eldest son, also tried to pacify him.


    Ever since Roen visited Violet thest time, his attitude seemed to have mellowed out somewhat, and he spoke out carefully.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t persecute someone without any solid evidence. It¡¯s not like Father summoned us here for no reason.¡±


    ¡°Evidence? What evidence is even needed?! Is there anyone in this residence who doesn¡¯t already know that the culprit is Violet?¡±


    The seething Mikhail was like a hot-headed bull right now. A bull that¡¯s rushing into everything in its sight.


    Roen¡¯s words made Violet smirk. It¡¯s hriously ironic how Roen himself¡ªsomeone who¡¯s quite adept at persecuting people without clear evidence to back up his ims¡ªwas saying a fact such as this.


    True enough, she had plenty of ways to prove her innocence. But you wouldn¡¯t have to be a genius to know that nobody would believe her.


    ¡°I already told you to stop, Mikhail.¡±


    The duke¡¯s stern voice reverberated throughout the hall. He spoke in a sharp, dangerous tone, and at this, Mikhail flinched and sat back down on his seat.


    ¡°Violet, speak.¡±


    ¡°I am not the culprit behind this poisoning incident.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet spoke simply without a single word of excuse.


    Even if she were to try and make excuses, she didn¡¯t even know the whole story. She hated hearing even the slightest mention of anything regarding the main mansion, so the employees of the annex only talked about small things here and there that were unrted to this ce.


    Violet couldn¡¯t have known about the current situation because she had distanced herself so much from the rumors inside the residence, and she didn¡¯t really pay attention to them either.


    Quite literally, she knew nothing about the incident.


    ¡°¡­Then how do you exin this?¡±


    Mikhail gnashed his mrs. He asked the duke for permission to let someone in.


    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯


    Violet grimaced slightly as she saw the fairly familiar face. On the other hand, a sense of triumph entered Mikhail¡¯s features.


    ¡°¡­Her Ladyship has been going out regrly, about twice a week.¡±


    It was Ozen, the knight who the duke appointed as her escort knight to rece Alec, who got demoted.


    ¡°How do you exin that, huh? You can¡¯t even refute this at all. You went out as you pleased, but have you forgotten that you¡¯ve been confined? It¡¯s obvious that you used this opportunity to instigate the poisoning.¡±


    Mikhail let out an impassioned speech. Violet sighed as she felt a throbbing migraine pounding at her head.


    The duke and Roen¡¯s eyes also turned to her. Three pairs of green eyes were now fixed upon her.


    Without meeting anyone¡¯s gaze, Violet answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that I snuck out, but I did not instigate the poisoning.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°You still insist on lying?! Every time you open your mouth, you just spew lies! It¡¯s been like this ever since you were a child, and nothing has changed!¡±


    At the same time, someone hummed to himself and another one answered with rage. Sweeping a hand down his face, the duke gestured towards Mikhail once again to calm him down.


    ¡°¡­Have you forgotten your situation, Violet?¡±


    ¡°I apologize deeply.¡±


    ¡°I shall hand down a separate punishment for this.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±


    ¡°FATHER!¡±


    Seeing as the duke showed no signs of treating Violet as a criminal, Mikhail shouted directly at the duke. From Violet to the duke, Mikhail¡¯s wrath was redirected.


    ¡°Father, it is your lenient attitude that has caused this situation.¡±


    ¡°Do not behave rashly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet watched the scene unfold before her. She was quite surprised.


    Under normal circumstances, she would have been immediately used. Above all, what bothered her was that Roen was being calm.


    ncing sideways at him, Violet knew just what kind of snake-like craftiness Roen possessed.


    While skimming through the documents in front of him, Roen frowned slightly.


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it possible that she¡¯s not lying?¡±


    ¡°Roen, even you now¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about a mere possibility, Brother. If you look at the reports, you can see that Violet only bought a few things at a general store, ate at a restaurant, and opened a stall by the fountain.¡±


    ¡°¡­How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°You seriously believe that drivel right now?!¡±


    Violet and Mikhail answered at the same time.


    Displeased, Violet scowled openly. Roen shrugged and handed the documents to her.


    As she read through the documents, Violet felt her energy waning.


    ¡°Departed the annex at 1100 hours, apanied by Zylo Bendel as escort¡­¡±


    The report contained Violet¡¯s whereabouts, which even she couldn¡¯t fully recall. Her bewildered gaze turned to the duke.


    The duke, as ever, remained expressionless.


    ¡°Did you really think that I wouldn¡¯t have attached someone to you with how often you go out.¡±


    ¡°¡­I, I apologize.¡±


    ¡°Though you have been confined, do not forget that your surname is Everett.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±


    In other words, the duke already knew about Violet¡¯s outings, he was just letting them slide. He even secretly had people following her.


    Was this what it felt like to be trapped in arge cage? It was so enormous that she didn¡¯t even know that she was, in fact, inside a cage.


    Only now realizing that escort knights had been following her from the shadows for her safety, Violet withered.


    <em>t/n: just gotta say,ining in thements section does nothing to boost my motivation to update more. rather, it would just achieve the opposite effect. this chapter has been posted soon after thest one only because i¡¯m following the novel¡¯s internally established schedule, not because of a singlement.</em>

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t have acted directly. You must¡¯ve made the servants do the work for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you saying that I coerced my employees to poison someone?¡±


    Mikhail was firm with his rebuttal. For a moment, Violet wondered if her older brother was not right in the head and perhaps delusional.


    ¡°It¡¯s only obvious that you¡¯ll refute it. You¡¯ve been lying ever since you were a child.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hah.¡±


    Violet let out a sigh that¡¯s full of frustration. It¡¯s so annoying to constantly be used of lying even though she never once lied.


    He¡¯s even bringing up her childhood.


    Violet stared at Mikhail. She thought that she had managed to give up on everything, but amidst the burnt ashes flitting behind her eyes, a spark of burning anger flickered.


    Then, Roen spoke up.


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve told you over and over again, but it would be better if you can just calm down.¡±


    <i>BANG!</i>


    The moment Roen said these words calmly, Mikhail hit the table. The action born out of fury made Roen grimace.


    ¡°¡­Tell them to enter.¡±


    Then, suddenly, the duke gave an order.


    A total of three people came in. Two were familiar faces to Violet, while the remaining one was a stranger.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°¡­It is true that Her Ladyship went out, but she did not do anything else besides what¡¯s been reported, Your Grace.¡±


    Even though he was suddenly called here, Zylo was calm. On the other hand, Mary was visibly distressed.


    Violet prayed that the young girl would not identally make a mistake here.


    ¡°Zylo!¡±


    ¡°¡­I am telling the truth, Young Duke.¡±


    ¡°Why, you¡­!¡±


    Hearing the testimony of his once close friend, Mikhail became indignant.


    Oh, the irony. Ozen was siding with Aileen, while Zylo¡ªwho was close to Mikhail¡ªwas siding with Violet.


    ¡°¡­But it is true that Her Ladyship went out without permission,¡± Ozen said.


    While Zylo added, ¡°It was I who could not fulfill his duty. However, I can assure you that Ducal Lady Violet did not do anything rted to instigating someone¡¯s poisoning. I stake myst name on the line.¡±


    A person¡¯sst name carried significant weight amongst the aristocracy.


    It carried one¡¯s blood rtives, as well as one¡¯s status¡ªbasically, it held the very value of any noble¡¯s life.


    Seeing Zylo trying to prove Violet¡¯s innocence at the risk of hisst name, Mikhail grabbed the back of his neck, his temper rising to its limits.


    ¡°I-It is true, sir! Mdy didn¡¯t do anything much¡­ And she did not meet anyone else!¡±


    This time, Mary stood up for Violet. Mary had always been insisting on Violet¡¯s innocence in the first ce¡ªanytime and anywhere. As always, she shouted stubbornly.


    ¡°Mdy is a truly good person! Why would she do such a thing! And I am constantly by Mdy¡¯s side. I never saw her hold a bottle of poison or anything like that!¡±


    ¡°¡­Can you take responsibility for what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    At Mary¡¯s insistence, Mikhail asked.


    Wasn¡¯t what he¡¯s doing considered intimidation of the weak? Violet sighed.


    ¡°¡­Mary has nothing to do with this case,¡± Zylo said.


    ¡°Can you really say that with yourst name on the line? Ha, haha. For all we know, she made that little maid do all the work.¡±


    ¡°Stop! I already told you not to act rashly!¡± The duke bellowed.


    This was the reason reputation must be built well.


    Mikhail persistently kept refuting her innocence despite there being witnesses to prove that she was not guilty. Watching him like this, Violet felt her mood sinking.


    If she could, she wanted to pour hot tea right on that face.


    ¡°You, speak.¡±


    Thest person who had entered the hall was a young woman around Violet¡¯s age. She had just been looking at other people¡¯s faces until now, but she suddenly dropped to the ground and prostrated.


    ¡°T-The Ducal Lady ordered it!¡±


    ¡°Who are you even?¡±


    The baffled Violet asked back reflexively.


    Roen answered calmly.


    ¡°She was the maid next to Aileen when she copsed after ingesting poison.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sure¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s bitter murmur filled the hall. No one could speak at that brief moment.


    ¡°¡­Are you telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes! I-I am telling the absolute truth, Your Grace. I was threatened¡ªI had no choice but to do that terrible thing¡­¡±


    <i>Is that so.</i>


    The duke stroked his chin.


    For a second here, Violet wanted to crack open her father¡¯s head.


    He was the kind of man who would maintain that same poker face in front of his children at all times. There was no way to know what he¡¯s thinking.


    ¡°Can you take responsibility for your words?¡±


    <i>¡°H-Hiiiek!¡±</i>


    ¡°The consequences tomitting the crime of contempt against the Duke would be incalcble.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve¡­! I-I¡¯ve been framed!¡±


    Violet rummaged through her memories and finally recalled the name of this young woman.


    Wasn¡¯t she a daughter from a lower noble house? Violet had no need to remember this woman, so she forgot all about her, but she would have never expected for this woman to hit her on the back of the head like this.


    ¡°¡­Drag Selena Alton and Ozen Veroel to prison. As for you, Mikhail. You will be ced on house arrest for one month.¡±


    The duke neatly wrapped up the case like so.


    Violet couldn¡¯t help but think that her ears heard it wrong. She asked, unthinkingly.


    ¡°Why?¡±

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    ¡°Do you have any objections?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I¡¯m just wondering why you¡¯vee to this decision.¡±


    In response to Violet¡¯s query, the duke held out several more documents. Everything written in them were more details about Violet¡¯s whereabouts.


    The previous documents contained just her simple routines and the records of her outings. But these¡­ These contained even words that Violet had uttered in verbatim.


    Just one nce was all it took to know that the level of investigation with these was different.


    In general, they were mere ounts of how she had been idly sleeping her days away, but the level of surveince was so severe that Violet felt her head starting to throb again.


    ¡°I merely dered an innocent person to be innocent. Or, do you not believe in mypetence?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that.¡±


    ¡°You seem to be objecting.¡±


    ¡°¡­Have you been putting me under surveince all this time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not surveince. It¡¯s only an investigation.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t mean to invade your privacy at will,¡± the duke added.


    But even when he said that, Violet¡¯s face continued to express just how futile she thought it all was.


    ¡°¡­The charges against me have been cleared up, so may I leave?¡±


    ¡°You are on a one-week probation.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    ¡°You snuck away several times without permission. You didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get away with that, did you?¡±


    ¡°¡­No. I understand.¡±


    This case was closed, for the time being. Violet could not object any further because she was still guilty of sneaking out.


    Along with Mary, Zylo and several other knights, Violet went back to the annex.


    The duke assigned those additional knights to Violet because, while she was nheless confined, it was still deemed dangerous to have too few knights when Aileen had been poisoned not long ago.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    And before she went back to the annex, she clearly heard that weak apology.


    It was from Roen.


    With one hand covering most of his face, he continued to look through the documents with a face full of shame.


    * * *


    It was a farce of a trial¡ªnothing but a theater y of sorts for an audience to watch. They already knew that Violet was innocent from the start, and even knew who the real culprit was.


    It was a theater y just to disy how exactly the people of the ducal estate had been treating Violet.


    ¡°¡­Father, you.¡±


    Furious that none of his opinions had been epted, Mikhail stared at the duke.


    ¡°Father, are you really letting Violet get away with no charges?¡±


    Until the very end, he continued to insist on Violet being the culprit. In truth, his suspicions against Violet were valid because of her actions in the past.


    ¡°¡­What is it that you want to say.¡±


    ¡°This always happens, Father. You¡¯re always biased.¡±


    Mikhail snarled those final words before he stomped out the dining hall¡¯s doors.


    He was not wrong. Favoritism in the guise of indifference was the inherent cause for a situation like this to happen. Perhaps it would be right to say that the duke was the sole person at fault for all this.


    ¡°¡­When did you start investigating?¡±


    ¡°I did so only because it¡¯s needed.¡±


    ¡°¡­Violet had never lied.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Throughout the trial, Mikhail shouted and insisted that Violet was a liar.


    But she never lied. In a number of simr situations in the past, Violet swore by her innocence every time.


    ¡°Father, do you believe that Violet should not be med?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°No, of course not. It can¡¯t be. Because it¡¯s true that she harassed Aileen.¡±


    ¡°¡­Roen.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like that. It was certainly like that¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave that to your own judgment.¡±


    The duke rose from his seat, swiftly ending the discussion. Being as busy as he was, he still needed to take care of the rest of his work.


    The people who faced Violet, all engulfed in a flurry of hatred, would never be in the right disposition to judge fairly. So eventually, the truth would slip away to who knows where.


    ¡°Ha, haha.¡±


    Roenughed in vain. Ever since he met Violet at the annex, he had been grappling with such conflicting thoughts within him.


    How did a person, who always looked at everyone with such poisonous eyes, be left with absolutely nothing but emptiness behind her gaze now?


    One person tried to talk to the other, yet the other only ignored that person.


    An older brother ignored his younger sister, who always shouted and begged for him to listen to her.


    She asked him to believe her over and over again, but he dismissed all her words as mere lies.


    It was Roen himself who did all that.


    ¡°Brother! Look, look. Isn¡¯t this flower pretty?¡±


    Was Violet vicious from the very start?


    Did she only ever hate and bully Alieen from the very beginning?


    No one ever listened to her story. No one believed her and only ever thought of all her words as lies.


    So now, she would not defend herself anymore.


    Even though Violet had enough opportunity to prove her innocence.


    She thought that it was no use.


    She gave up.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet had tormented Aileen, this was true.


    Yet, to the point that she had no choice but to do so, to the point that she could not help but be wicked, and to the point that she could only ever live amidst endless malice¡­


    Who was it that pushed her to the precipice of haplessness?


    Who was it that forced her to give up on everything?

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    * * *


    Simr urrences happened a few times in the past.


    Of course, even if such things happened before, it was never to this degree.


    If Aileen was an idiot, she really could have died. But still, it¡¯s impossible for Violet to have poisoned her.


    On the one hand, Violet admittedly thought that she herself was half-crazy. But so was Aileen¡ªthat girl was also out of her mind.


    Whenever a simr incident happened before, Violet surmised that there must be someone else other than herself who disliked Aileen.


    ¡°M-Mdy¡­ Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Violet hesitated to answer for a short while, but she eventually replied grudgingly. Her escort knight just followed silently behind her.


    It¡¯s not as if she wasn¡¯t used to this already.


    ¡°¡­But you¡¯re not, Mdy.¡±


    After they returned to the annex, Mary calmly took one of Violet¡¯s hands in hers.


    <i>I¡¯m used to it. I¡¯m okay because I¡¯m used to it.</i>


    Violet replied to herself, but she paused. Only then did she realize that she was trying to answer, but she couldn¡¯t because her throat was all choked up.


    <i>I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m used to it. And maybe the same thing won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯m okay.</i>


    As Violet was about to give this answer, she moved her lips slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not okay.¡±


    ¡°Mdy¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m, not okay. I, I¡­¡±


    Just because she¡¯s used to it didn¡¯t mean she was fine. Tears trickled down.


    But because she¡¯s not fine, it¡¯s all the more reason to <i>be</i> fine. She did not want to show how much she was struggling at the bottom of the abyss she was in. As ever, she held onto the aloof demeanor she used as a mask.


    The more something like this happened, the more her self-worth crumbled. But she continued to act the same way.


    Mary nced towards the door. Standing there, Zylo sighed and left the room. After a while, the tactless knight brought in a tray of tea that might help stabilize thedy¡¯s mind and body.


    Violet once asked Aileen.


    ¡°Why! Why in the world are you doing this to me! What did I do so wrong!¡±


    ¡°Sister.¡±


    ¡°I hate you. So what? What do you want from me?! I just, again, why must I be¡­!¡±


    ¡°Sister, you brought it all onto yourself.¡±


    That day, something broke inside Violet.


    It was just another day when Violet had pointed out Aileen¡¯s etiquette at the family dinner, and in retaliation, her brothers criticized her for doing so.


    It was the same as usual, but it was especially heavy for Violet that day.


    Finally letting go of her pride, Violet shouted.


    <i>What in the world did I do so wrong?!</i>


    Of course, there were countless wrongdoings attributed to her. However, how could a person who¡¯s been so eroded by self-deprecation recognize her faults?


    Then,


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know? You brought it all onto yourself. Everything.¡±


    ¡°Brother Mikhail, and even Brother Roen¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already spelling it out for you, Sister. The things you did wrong. Why are you talking as if you never did anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°Sister, you brought it all onto yourself.¡±


    Aileen said all these things, and she was not wrong.


    But she wasn¡¯t quite right either.


    How could she say that everything was Violet¡¯s fault when there¡¯s clearly <i>someone</i> who¡¯s causing all this?


    Yet, neither could Violet im that Aileen was to me.


    <i>It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all my fault. Because I¡¯m bad. Because I¡¯m not a good kid. Because I¡¯m an evil person.</i>


    Her thoughts became like that.


    Because Aileen said so.


    ¡°Poor Sister Violet¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister, you will never be loved.¡±


    Aileenughed.


    So many people praised her to be the very embodiment of an angel, but to Violet, the girl was terrifying.


    It¡¯sughable how the most loved person was saying such a thing.


    While looking at Aileen¡¯s eerie smile, Violet unknowingly took a step back.


    And when Violet finally copsed, Aileen smiled again.


    ¡°Sister, I want to be close to you.¡±


    It was neither a bashful nor a contemptible smile. It was the girl¡¯s natural smile.


    ¡°Sister, you know what? That ce you think is yours has always been originally mine.¡±


    The ce she was talking about was that of a splendid ducaldy, a noble position Violet owned that was bound to be envied by everyone.


    As Aileen proimed that it was originally hers, she gave Violet a natural smile.


    Aileen tore Violet down as she pleased, and she was satisfied watching Violet break down into tears while running out the room.


    It was on that same day that Violet plunged into theke.


    ¡°¡­I want to hear your story, Mdy.¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­¡±


    Violet did not tell Mary her story. She said that she felt lonely, that she felt wronged, but she could not bring herself to tell the story behind these feelings.


    And Mary did not force Violet to pry open her wounds.


    Though she felt that her previous personality had blended together with Violet¡¯s, she had been unconsciously trying to separate herself from Violet all this time. An indistinct smile graced her lips.


    Zylo, who brought tea with him, watched the two young women awkwardly, unable to find the right timing to leave.


    * * *


    The rtionship between Violet and Aileen was not bad from the onset.


    Aileen¡¯s father was the older brother of the current Duke Everett. He gave up his right to session for the sake of love.


    Having achieved his small happiness, he sometimes brought his family over to the ducal estate, and Aileen often yed together with her cousins.


    She was a younger cousin who was close to Violet¡¯s age.


    Violet had been quite fond of the lovely little girl because she only had brothers.


    But when the duchess passed away, this painting-like harmony began to copse.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    When the duchess¡ªa mother of four and the woman who had absolute power in high society¡ªpassed away, Violet was only six and Cairn, the youngest child, was only five.


    She was originally a frail person.


    Duke Everett was devastated by the death of his beloved wife. It took him quite a long time to function again.


    And less than two years after the duchess¡¯ death, Duke Everett¡¯s older brother died as well. It was a carriage ident.


    The sudden ident imed the lives of both the duke¡¯s brother and the wife of his brother. They were just a young couple. The only survivor was their small daughter, who wailed at the funeral.


    ¡°When¡¯s Mommy and Daddying back, Nanny? You said they¡¯re getting Allie a gift¡­¡±


    Still unable toprehend death, the little girl cried and wailed throughout the solemn funeral. The duke adopted the child and entered her in his family registry.


    Ever since the duchess departed, a shroud of cial air hovered over the ducal estate.


    Duke Everett wasn¡¯t formerly very involved with the household¡¯s internal affairs, and the children were still in shock after their mother¡¯s death. They no longer ran around and made a lot of noise inside the house¡ªit becamepletely quiet.


    In a ce seemingly frozen by a midwinter storm, one bright child came in like spring itself.


    Violet, at eight years old, could not easily understand why her cousin suddenly became her younger sister.


    However, she wished to be a wonderful person just like herte mother, and so she started behaving like a dignified adult despite being a child herself.


    And so, in this ducal household, the only child who remained a child was Cairn.


    As a cousin, Violet quite liked Aileen. But not as a younger sister.


    Ever since the girl was adopted into the family, the attention of Violet¡¯s brothers and father were all focused on Aileen.


    But she¡¯s a pitiful girl. As a big sister who was two years older than her, Violet figured that she should take care of Aileen.


    In truth, Violet also needed the care and attention of someone older. But until two years prior, she endured the heavy, oppressive air in the household all alone.


    The start of it all was, yes, only a trivial matter.


    Something small and forgettable that no one else but Violet remembered.


    ¡°Nanny said something to me. The previous duchess is a gorgeous woman who has beautiful golden blonde hair, but why is Sister¡¯s hair silver?¡±


    It was a very small opening.


    Such a thing was whispered covertly amongst the maids and the handmaids, but Violet did not know that. She heard it first from Aileen.


    Violet got angry.


    She merely threw a tantrum as a child would, and she pushed Aileen straightaway. But the moment the little girl burst into tears, the brothers came running.


    ¡°What did you just do, Violet?!¡±


    ¡°But she started it first!¡±


    ¡°Shut up. It doesn¡¯t matter who started it. Is it right for you to use violence like this?!¡±


    One small child had copsed to the ground and was crying. Another small child was huffing with anger.


    On the surface, it was obvious which child was wrong. So, the person who got scolded was inevitably Violet.


    Violet was only eight years old. She was also young, and she also just lost her mother.


    But in this situation, Aileen was outwardly more pitiful.


    Violet defended herself and was outspoken about her innocence, but she waspletely ignored. Mikhail carried Aileen in his arms and scolded Violet for a very long time.


    Mikhail was yet another child who was pretending to be an adult. But, in the end, it¡¯s obvious that he was not a mature adult just yet.


    It couldn¡¯t be counted just how many more simr incidents urred, even though they all started with only normal squabbles between children.


    Aileen secretly wore Violet¡¯s clothes, but when she returned them, they¡¯re all ruined. So of course, Violet got angry.


    Because Violet could never seem to understand her younger sister, and because she was always angry at the girl, Violet was the only one who always got scolded.


    The day that Violet finally exploded was the day Aileen lost the ne that the duchess had left behind.


    A fight broke out.


    The memento Violet had of her mother¡¯s was lost. It was only obvious that she¡¯d be furious the moment she saw Aileen again. She had told Aileen not to touch her stuff over and over and <i>over</i> again, but the girl would not listen.


    And Violet¡¯s anger intensified further because no one ever sided with her.


    Then, the duke stepped in.


    ¡°She took my stuff! I told her not to!¡±


    Shouldn¡¯t their father react differently?


    Unlike Mikhail, who was only pretending to be a grown-up, and Roen, who never failed to follow behind the eldest brother¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re grounded for a week.¡±


    Violet was expecting something different, but all her hopes were disastrously shattered.


    She was punished for the reason of not behaving properly as a ducaldy.


    Aileen was also reprimanded for taking Violet¡¯s belongings without permission, but it was nothing more than a light p on the wrist.


    Once or twice could be called a coincidence, but a third time could never be just that.


    Violet could not understand why Aileen kept doing it¡ªshe didn¡¯t know what kind of thoughts went on in the girl¡¯s mind whenever she did.


    But at some point before, the roles had already been set.


    Violet was the bad older sister who always bullied her younger sister.


    Aileen was the pitiful younger sister who was always persecuted by her new older sister.


    And that was the time that Violet¡¯s life began to fall apart.


    <i>¡°Hiic, hiic¡­¡±</i>


    ¡°What happened this time?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m okay. B-But Brother¡­ Sister, she¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Haa. Violet, <i>you</i> again. How many times must I tell you¡ª¡±


    ¡°But she started it first!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making the same excuse again. Fine, I guess it¡¯s impossible for you to treat your younger sister kindly. But why are you always so eager to harass her?¡±


    Oh so consistently, the timing was always perfect.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    Aileen was a child who had lost her whole family. She¡¯s a child who always had to walk on eggshells. She¡¯s a poor, pitiful child.


    There were countless reasons behind Aileen¡¯s circumstances. Violet herself realized the solidified truth that her words, whatever it was that she¡¯d say, were all futile.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just ignore her, Mdy? Don¡¯t give her any attention and pretend that she¡¯s not there.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you really think that¡¯ll work, Nanny?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Mdy doesn¡¯t need to do anything. I¡¯ll make sure to exin everything to the young masters.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Looking back, Violet recalled that there was a time when someone was on her side.


    But she soon gave up trying to remember the face of the nanny who never failed to side with her.


    ¡°Violet.¡±


    ¡°¡­What.¡±


    ¡°That child follows you around because she likes you so much, but you don¡¯t even care about her.¡±


    ¡°Brother Roen, are you talking about that kid?¡±


    ¡°Please, just take care of her even a little.¡±


    It was easy for Violet to treat Aileen as if she was not there.


    It was fine at first. She didn¡¯t have to get angry.


    But for some reason, Aileen started following Violet around.


    ¡°Brother, you too! You like her more than me!¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not what I mean.¡±


    Then, this time, she became a bad older sister in a different sense.


    One night, Aileen cried and cried all night to the point of losing her voice. All because she wanted to get close to her older sister, but Violet kept ignoring her.


    Roen pacified Violet, but did not forget to tell her to get along with Aileen.


    Aileen, who was nice and angelic.


    And Violet, who was unlike the kids around her age, who was immature, and who was prone to doing such wicked acts.


    ¡°Sister, look at this. Aren¡¯t these flowers pretty?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s pretty.¡±


    ¡°Brother Cairn picked these flowers for me. But I¡¯ll give some to you, too, Sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    Aileen approached Violet while pretending to be friendly. Violet thought Aileen was being nothing but abominable.


    She hated Aileen. The girl stole her dresses, her jewelry, her food, her family¡¯s love.


    Everything.


    ¡°You pumpkin! Who the heck are you to bully the angel!¡±


    ¡°I never bullied her.¡±


    ¡°If the angel¡¯s giving it to you, just receive it properly. The angel¡¯s crying now!¡±


    ¡°Why is she an angel? And I¡¯m not a pumpkin.¡±


    ¡°Argh! Just take it! Take all the flowers!¡±


    Sympathy was such a devious thing.


    Those flowers were offered to Violet as if they were mere alms for the poor, so she didn¡¯t want to receive them. Even that was a pathetic sight.


    So, uselessly, she built up her pride.


    She tried to change her circumstances, but the ending was always the same.


    Aileen was a pitiful child. Violet was a mean older sister who refused to understand her younger sister.


    And, at some point, Violet did not have a single person to lean on anymore.


    Her nanny said that she was going back home because of a family problem.


    The maids who used to take good care of Violet disappeared some time or another.


    The person in charge of Violet¡¯s education made a point to stamp out Violet¡¯s viciousness.


    The handmaids, who once doted on Violet very much, now liked Aileen as if it¡¯s been that way forever.


    ¡°I wonder why it became like that. I don¡¯t remember how it started, but I just kept my guard up all the time.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°It came to a point where I couldn¡¯t even take a step out of my room. But at least I could still ask the maids to bring me some books so I could pass the time¡­ Things like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°But then I heard that I apparently tore apart a stuffed toy. The stuffed toy that that child cherished a lot.¡±


    One day, while she already had her guard up, she exploded in anger once more because she couldn¡¯t <i>not</i> say anything.


    Violet became responsible for something she never did.


    Everyone automatically thought that Violet waspletely at fault. After all, she hates Aileen.


    Violet insisted on her innocence, but nobody believed her.


    ¡°You¡¯re even resorting to lies now.¡±


    This was also the first time that Mikhail showed such contempt for Violet.


    Violet never tore up Aileen¡¯s stuffed toy. She wasn¡¯t in the position to do so.


    While staring at the teddy bear that had been cut up with scissors, she wondered just how much she tried to protest against the injustice being thrown at her.


    But still, nobody believed her.


    The teddy bear was Mikhail¡¯s first gift to Aileen, so Mikhail was particrly angry about it.


    She was being med for something she never did. Who in the world wouldn¡¯t feel wronged in this situation?


    Violet screamed the whole time. No one sympathized with her.


    ¡°That kid can destroy my things, but I can¡¯t destroy hers?¡±


    The same thing happened more times after that.


    Violet merely pointed out Aileen¡¯s clumsy etiquette, but at some point, Violet¡¯s actions became interpreted as a one-sided attack against someone who never did anything wrong.


    There were so many things that Violet was not responsible for, yet all of them were attributed to her anyway. She was criticized even more.


    Being a little grouchy turned into a colossal mistake.


    One day, she shouted directly at Aileen, expressing her frustration.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t do it¡­! You know this!¡±


    What Aileen said in response¡­


    It was one of Violet¡¯s unforgettable memories.


    ¡°Sister.¡±


    ¡°Sister, you hate me, right?¡±


    At that moment, the bbergasted young ducaldy could not say anything back.


    For the first time, the quietly smiling girl showed that face.


    That innocent, yet at the same time, goosebump-inducing face.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    When Violet couldn¡¯t say anything back, Aileen giggled as she ran towards Roen, who was passing by not so far away from them.


    ¡°Brother!¡±


    As she said the single word, how was it possible that it contained such loveliness?


    <i>He¡¯s not your brother.</i> Violet had to hold back these words lodged in her throat.


    In the midst of so many whispers around her, the only thing Violet could do was to be a ¡®perfect ducaldy¡¯.


    She used her nobility as a shield so that nobody could criticize her¡ªso that she could be beyond Aileen¡¯s reach. She was determined to be that kind of elegant and refined person.


    She thought it would be okay as long as she remained superior to that girl.


    ¡°But people have such cunning minds. Rather, the more I did that, the more I was held to such higher expectations.¡±


    Thete duchess had acted better under the same circumstances.


    She had been charismatic and generous at the same time.


    Even if she was generous, she made sure not to let it damage her authority.


    But how could a child and an adult reach the same results? The more Violet imitated a dignified adult, the more other people¡¯s contradictory words were hurled at her, constricting her so much.


    And meanwhile, her heart truly became twisted in earnest.


    It was because of the steady umtion of false usations, even if they¡¯re only small, and the cold provocation that Aileen did to her once in a while.


    Violet hated Aileen. She <i>despised</i> the girl. But at the same time, she was jealous of her. She violently loathed her.


    It was a miscalction for her to think that she was going to be okay as long as she was superior to Aileen. The only thing it did was elerate her istion.


    ¡°Look at the sight of you. Do you truly call that a proper walk? No matter how I look at you, you shouldn¡¯t be called a Ducal household¡¯s esteemed daughter.¡±


    ¡°¡­What you¡¯re wearing is practically a rag. Do you not even consider how much your actions will bring down the Duchy¡¯s reputation?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a hypocrite. You keep acting ording to your whims, but can¡¯t you think about how much trouble that will cause?¡±


    Sometimes, Violet¡¯s own words sounded too harsh even to herself. But those words slipped through her lips regardless.


    In an attempt to smear Aileen¡¯s standing, all Violet achieved was the destruction of her own character.


    Perhaps out there, there¡¯s one or two people who admired Violet¡¯s actions. Well, it was only during those days.


    Fourteen years old and twelve years old. Both girls were still young, but Aileen was younger than Violet, and Violet¡¯s standards of etiquette were much too high.


    Whenever this happened, Mikhail, Roen and Cairn would all criticize Violet for her harsh words. However, Aileen would dissuade the brothers. She even cried.


    The people around them praised Aileen¡¯s kind heart for defending her older sister.


    Never once did Mikhail listen to Violet.


    He always just told her the same things.


    <i>You should be more understanding of her younger sister because you¡¯re the older sister.</i>


    <i>Why can¡¯t you be more understanding of your younger sister?</i>


    The onught of harsh words made Violet, at some point, turn into a narrow-minded, petty person.


    Mikhail started thinking of Violet as a liar, and he considered every word that came out of her mouth to be false.


    As for Roen¡­ Since when was it.


    Unlike the other two brothers who openly despised her, Roen did not stop smiling at her.


    ¡°¡­So, there was a time when I hoped that Brother Roen would listen to me.¡±


    Violet smiled lightly. What was it that Roen said in response?


    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t act like that. If you try acting differently, people will believe you, too.¡±


    What he said was abominable, pretentious and hypocritical.


    Violet asked back.


    ¡°But until what point should I be good?¡±


    The fourteen-year-old Violet was already doing the best that she could as she was at that age. After being poured with such malice, she didn¡¯t know how to act anymore.


    Nobody listened to her story.


    All she heard from others¡ªfrom those outside the barriers she had erected¡ªwas a bunch of hypocritical words. <i>You can change,</i> they said.


    Despite Violet¡¯s retort, Roen just spewed more hypocrisy.


    <i>Your actions are wrong, so you¡¯re to me. That¡¯s why you have to be good.</i>


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that there was absolutely no one who listened to me.¡±


    Violet made friends with young nobledies of her age. One of them deeply sympathized with Violet, but at some point, she started keeping her distance. Then, she started hanging out with Aileen.


    Aileen alwayspared herself to Violet.


    ¡°I¡¯m not good enoughpared to Sister.¡±


    ¡°Unlike Sister, I¡¯m just¡­¡±


    ¡°Other people will like someone like Sister a lot more than me.¡±


    As she continued to say such things, more and more people were cutting themselves off from Violet.


    Aileen¡¯s way ofparing herself to Violet was quite peculiar.


    Whenever she did so, it was always framed in a way that Violet was a ¡®viiness¡¯.


    Aileen sometimes told stories about things that Violet didn¡¯t do as if she really did.


    To be misunderstood for things that she didn¡¯t even do¡­ Was there anyone else who knew best?


    If Violet couldn¡¯t trust anyone, then she had no choice but to stay alone.


    After trying, struggling, fighting to be acknowledged, finally Violet became perfect.


    But no one acknowledged her.


    She had already been stigmatized as a bad child, and so the moniker of ¡®viiness¡¯ gradually blossomed.


    Thus, as the ducaldy had nowhere left to lean on, she finally gave in to that title.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    ¡°Mary.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, but I was misconstrued as the culprit anyway. Isn¡¯t that really, truly, terribly sad?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I did those things. I figured that I might be less sad if I get criticized for things that I <i>actually</i> did.¡±


    Which was why Violet finally became the viiness everyone thought her to be.


    She ordered for a gossip monger¡¯s tongue to be cut off.


    She poured wine all over Aileen¡¯s abominable face.


    She pped the girl across the cheek at a banquet hall.


    She tore up all the clothes that Aileen dared to copy from her.


    She humiliated the girl without hesitation in front of others.


    She ordered the legs of someone in her way to be cut off.


    She flung things, she broke many belongings, she screamed while thinking that everyone was cursing at her.


    Seeing that she didn¡¯t have some things that Aileen had¡ªrealizing that sheckedpared to the girl¡ªshe threw many things away and worked harder than anyone else to get results.


    No one around her was trustworthy, so she spitefully acted out against everyone. That¡¯s when she wasbeled with the term, ¡®vicious¡¯.


    No one believed her, so she was perfectly isted.


    Aileen sometimes took off that ¡®good girl¡¯ mask of hers. The girl did so only whenever she was alone with Violet.


    She could not trust anyone. There¡¯s no way they¡¯d believe her. She hated the girl¡¯s pretentiousness, her hypocrisy. There shouldn¡¯t have been a need for her to turn wicked just because she hated pretentiousness and hypocrisy.


    But her vicious behavior could not be excused, even if it all started only because she wanted to fight against that.


    Violet went on to act out against anyone who dared toe close. She used violence against them without fail.


    Among all those people, could she truly believe that there¡¯s a single person who would be on her side?


    In the end, it¡¯s impossible to consider Violet as apletely innocent victim.


    Whether it was pity, attachment,passion, or rationalization¡ªwhatever it was that they felt towards her, no one truly wanted to get close to Violet, the viiness.


    Not a single grain of expectation was left in her heart.


    Yeon Ha-yoon sympathized with Violet because she knew that Violet didn¡¯t have a choice but to do those things. But at the same time, she did not deny that Violet was, in fact, a wicked woman.


    A wicked woman who had no choice but to be the way she was. She had no other option, but evil was evil.


    ¡°Mary, did you see it too? When Mikhail yelled at me. Ah, I¡¯ve also been pped by him before. I hit him first though.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always been like that. What could I possibly say when no one believes me? They all say that I¡¯m a liar.¡±


    ¡°Midy.¡±


    Malice was a double-edged sword. Violet¡¯s voice trembled as she spoke, but she tried to pull herself together by the end.


    ¡°¡­Aileen¡¯s right. It¡¯s my fault, after all. Everything I did was my own responsibility, and everything I¡¯ve received is in retaliation to my wrongdoings.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be true! What, what has Mdy done so wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°There were people who lost their homes because of me, people who I insulted and inflicted pain against unnecessarily. Would they think the same?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s only because they attacked you first!¡±


    ¡°Even so, there are some things in this world that shouldn¡¯t be done.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re, you¡¯re not at fault, Mdy.¡±


    Mary sobbed audibly. Violet closed her eyes and slowly stroked Mary¡¯s hair.


    In the end, malice was detrimental for all people involved.


    Without a start, there would be no end. Without a cause, there would be no effect.


    Violet was able to break that cycle of malice as she was in the middle of it.


    However, it remained unfair that she had tormented innocent people for no reason.


    Mary also knew well enough that Violet had done terrible things. But still, she continued to say,


    <i>You are not to me.</i>


    <i>At this moment at least, I am on your side.</i>


    ¡°¡­I believe you, Mdy.¡±


    <i>¡°Fufu.</i> Thank you for that.¡±


    Violet chuckled. She was smiling now, but her voice was still shaking.


    Mary shed tears for Violet.


    If Roen truly held any concern for Violet, he should have consoled her in this way. He shouldn¡¯t have tried to resolve things blindly.


    ¡°¡­To be honest, I wanted to die.¡±


    In the midst of the subdued atmosphere, Violet¡¯s words filled the silence of the room.


    She never did anything good, so what else was there for her to do if not to wish for death?


    ¡°It¡¯s just, a fleeting thought passed through my mind. Would they regret it after I die? If I die like this, at least one person might regret it, right? Someone might think of me. Even just a little bit, someone might think of me¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous, aren¡¯t I. I wanted to die, but I couldn¡¯t. No one would feel sorry for me if I lived and died just like that.¡±


    Violet spoke calmly, but Mary carefully hugged her and patted her on the back quite awkwardly, but it contained the sincerity of the small girl.


    <i>¡°¡­Ke-hum.¡±</i>


    As the conversation came to a lull, Zylo¡ªwho had been standing next to the two girls while still holding the tray of tea¡ªawkwardly cleared his throat.


    The mood changed in an instant.


    ¡°I¡¯m on your side, Mdy,¡± Mary continued.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter what anyone says. Other people, too¡ªEshika, Rosie, Angelica. Everyone¡¯s on Mdy¡¯s side!¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Mary didn¡¯t mind Zylo at all. Somehow, Violet found the situation funny, and so sheughed.


    ¡°Come to think of it, you¡¯re close to Young Duke Mikhail, aren¡¯t you?¡± Mary asked.


    ¡°¡­That is¡­ was the case.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell him?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Mary practically growled at him. Zylo flinched right away.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    Somehow the tactless man, who happened to be caught on the spot, came to hear his once-close friend being badmouthed here.


    * * *


    After being put on probation, Violet¡¯s life did not change all that much.


    What¡¯s the point of grounding someone who¡¯s already exiled in the first ce?


    Still though, Violet¡¯s range of activities became limited to only the annex. Nothing changed much except that she could not paint.


    Violet wondered what she could do except sleep.


    Meanwhile, a new knight came again. This time, it was not the duke who brought him in, but Zylo.


    The new knight was still young. Although he hadn¡¯t been officially ordained as a knight yet, he was a promising boy with remarkable talent.


    Because he was still young and was very obedient towards Zylo, the young knight treated Violet with caution. He didn¡¯t think that his respected superior would tell him anything incorrect.


    The reason Zylo managed to pick out a knight personally was because he told the duke, ¡°Your Grace, the new knight will be escorting Her Ladyship together with me. So, to ensure that we can work well together, I would like to choose him personally.¡±


    Zylo pleaded to the duke because he could not trust the duke¡¯s eye for people.


    Likewise, Violet also thought that the duke had a terrible eye for people, and she briefly thought about the future of the Everett Duchy. She couldn¡¯t believe that a duke like him had no eye for people.


    She didn¡¯t have much lingering feelings about her family anyway, so she didn¡¯t care very much.


    As she continued her life at the annex with the people who now surrounded her, she noticed that she had gained some weight.


    Stretching with a body that felt heavy, Violet stood up.


    ¡°Oh, Mdy? Why are you holding a sword?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. I guess just to exercise?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    While wearing a temporary, soft armor, Violet wielded the sword and did a few stances. Mary pped as she watched.


    Zylo expressed his suspicions.


    ¡°Did you learn how to use the sword, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°A little, back when I was a kid.¡±


    ¡°¡­You learned just a little, you say¡­¡±


    Zylo¡¯s eyes became clouded.


    It¡¯s not like female knights weren¡¯tmon in this time period. Definitely, as long as one would practice steadily, they¡¯d see good results eventually.


    Violetughed as she noticed what the knight was thinking.


    ¡°There was a time when I wanted to be perfect in it. But Aileen copied me, so I quit right away.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Because he had listened to Violet¡¯s story the other day, Zylo understood and sighed briefly.


    Aileen used to copy whatever it was that Violet did. Sometimes Aileen was better than Violet, sometimes worse.


    Whenever she was better than Violet, Aileen was rightly praised. In front of Violet.


    And whenever she was worse than Violet, she wasforted. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, Violet was subsequently reprimanded for criticizing Aileen.


    When it came to swordsmanship, Violet was more talented than Aileen.


    However, Violet quit one day.


    It was the day she was pped by Mikhail.


    ¡°By any chance, would you like to pick it up again?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps for self-defense, but I don¡¯t think I have the aptitude for it, so I don¡¯t want to continue. Though I can take it up as a hobby sometimes, I guess.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Briefly, a hint of mncholy shed in Zylo¡¯s expression.


    He had to ask¡ªwere all of the current duke¡¯s talents passed down to Ducal Lady Violet?


    Violet, who genuinely thought that she had no talent in swordsmanship, practiced for a few minutes and eventually put it down.


    <i>Huk, huuk¡­</i>


    The two people who were sitting at the side watched silently as thedy breathed roughly.


    Despite her talent, Violet had too little stamina. And of course, this was because she only leisurely hung out and ate for two months.


    ¡°¡­Mdy, you should exercise every morning. How much do you usually move?¡±


    ¡°¡­About thirty steps?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­No, I walk more than that!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m <i>abysmally</i>cking in physical strength.¡±


    ¡°¡­My younger sister is like that, too, and granted, noble youngdies don¡¯t move a lot, but Mdy, you¡¯re just¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    And so, Violet dered that she would build up her stamina during her one-week probation.


    Mary also exercised together with Violet after Zylo told her, ¡°You should be able to protect yourself, too.¡±


    <i>Isn¡¯t that the job of the escort knights though?</i>


    Mary grumbled back in a low voice. However, Zylo stubbornly said that he was not obligated to protect his master¡¯s maid.


    Thus, the knight pushed the two young women into a healthy lifestyle.


    * * *


    Violet set down her wooden sword and breathed out.


    The loudest thought in her mind right now was that she wanted to go back to her room and rest <i>right now.</i> After that, the next loudest thought was that she wanted to paint instead of exercising.


    In the first ce, she was only working out because she couldn¡¯t paint, so of course she wanted to paint.


    However, exercise was a must for Violet. Her physical strength was considerably depleted, and it was difficult to sit down for long periods of time while painting. That¡¯s why Violet was now working diligently, trying to stamp out the unnecessary thoughts in her mind.


    She didn¡¯t particrly hate moving around, but what she found difficult was the fact that she had to match the too early wake-up time of her escort knight.


    ¡°The food¡¯s delicious these days.¡±


    ¡°Hehe. Auntie Anna said that she prepared these with all her heart. She must¡¯ve remembered all the dishes that you said were delicious, Mdy.¡±


    ¡°Really? I should express my gratitude to her.¡±


    It was a simple meal, but Violet liked it quite a lot. She was even smiling now.


    In the novels she read in her previous life, all of the Koreans who transmigrated or reincarnated in other worlds talked about how much they missed kimchi. She wondered if she should try requesting a spicy dish.


    As Violet mulled over this small concern, she saw a passing maid smile at her.


    ¡°¡­Why is everyone smiling at me? Did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not very sure¡­¡±


    The employees of the annex were originally amiable towards Violet though, but the atmosphere had somehow turned strange ever since she was put on probation.


    Mary could only smile awkwardly in response to Violet¡¯s question.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    ¡°Good morning!¡±


    The knights, who arrived here first to train, greeted Violet with fervor.


    The young knight¡ªthough not yet formally ordained¡ªwas a neer just like Mary. Violet waved helplessly at him.


    ¡°Young Miss¡ªI mean, no, Your Ladyship! We¡¯ll be in your care again today!¡±


    Burdened by the boy¡¯s eyes, which sparkled with kindness, Violet turned her head slightly.


    As long as someone was from inside the ducal residence, there¡¯s no way they wouldn¡¯t have heard the rumors about her.


    However, as the days went by, it became more apparent just how strangely they¡¯re treating her now.


    It would have been normal to see this behavior from the people in the annex, but it waspletely strangeing from people whose faces she wasn¡¯t even familiar with yet.


    ¡°The way people are treating me has be strange. Do you know anything?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you mean that?¡±


    Zylo answered calmly as he watched Violet wielding a wooden sword.


    ¡°The answer is what you told us.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°About what happened when Your Ladyship was summoned to the main mansion.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I mean to say, it¡¯s the story that you told that day, Your Ladyship.¡±


    Next to Violet, Mary pped a hand over her forehead.


    Violet had barely been able to tell Mary her story, and Mary responded by saying that she was on thedy¡¯s side. However, it seemed like that story was spread around in the meantime.


    Violet was stunned.


    That day, when others had asked Zylo what had happened, he just answered calmly and told them about it.


    He didn¡¯t look like it, but this knight was quite loose-lipped.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s just what I heard. After knowing about Your Ladyship¡¯s circumstances, I¡­¡±


    Rumors had no bounds.


    It¡¯s unknown just how twisted and misinterpreted the same words could be when passed around from one person to another.


    Wasn¡¯t she the very epitome of a victim of rumors?


    Seeing Violet¡¯s incredulous expression, Zylo asked back.


    ¡°Should I not have said that?¡±


    Yet again, a tactless question.


    Violet despondently answered no.


    ¡°You already told them, so it couldn¡¯t be helped¡­¡±


    Who in the world would be happy to know that one¡¯s own misfortunes had degenerated into a fun story for others? A rumor based on goodwill might be alright, but Violet was not happy with it.


    ¡°¡­I just hate tiresome things.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Mdy.¡±


    After what Violet said, even Mary started apologizing. At this, Violet¡¯s eyes filled with despondency were turned to Mary.


    ¡°They also kept asking me, and I didn¡¯t know how else to make them stop¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It roughly went this way.


    When Zylo was asked by others about what had happened at the main mansion, Zylo briefly told the whole story of that incident.


    As a consequential reaction, the members of the annex also hounded Mary about the details.


    Rumors traveled quickly. Public sympathy for Violet arose.


    ¡°No, just forget it, seriously¡­¡±


    The rumors, which formerly pulled her back and dragged her down the abyss, had changed its form.


    ¡°Did it spread to the main mansion as well?¡±


    ¡°Um, a little.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡±


    <i>¡°Huk!</i> Mdy, please don¡¯t go crazy!¡±


    Trifling chatter ensued.


    Hearing that her story had reached the main mansion, Violet schooled her features into a stern expression.


    It was already unpleasant to know that her story had beenid bare to the people who felt amicably towards her and to people she knew, but it was doubly unpleasant to know that the same thing was spread to strangers.


    Even more so because it¡¯s impossible to know just how much those rumors would twist and change in the meantime.


    Violet predicted that there wouldtere a story about how it¡¯s a ¡®malicious story that¡¯s been spread by the viiness so as to frame Lady Aileen.¡¯


    And her prediction hit the nail on the head.


    There weren¡¯t many people in the main mansion who sided with her because of her notoriety.


    ¡°¡­Well, it doesn¡¯t matter because I won¡¯t need to see those people again. Let¡¯s just focus on exercising.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes!¡±


    Zylo let out a few dry coughs before returning to the swordsmanship training that eventually became a regr morning exercise.


    The neer knight, who was even more tactless than Zylo, shouted next to Mary with such passion, ¡°I shall rify the situation!¡±


    Actually, there was one fact that Violet was unaware of.


    Her reputation had apparently changed ever so slightly ever since the poisoning incident.


    The duke and Roen had put a lid on the incident and concluded that it was not the work of Violet.


    Still, all that did was divide public opinion.


    For many days, the duchy¡¯s servants chattered on about whether or not Violet really instigated the poisoning. Half of them thought Violet did it, while the other half kept saying that the allegations were false.


    Above all, Violet¡¯s image had changed rapidly, perhaps because she had never gotten herself involved with the main mansion¡¯s affairs ever since she was confined to the annex.


    Mary¡¯s defense was working little by little as well, to the point that even some of the servants who only stayed at the main mansion sided with Violet.


    Amongst the rumors, one particr rumor was floating around about how ¡®Aileen orchestrated a self-written y and drank the poison herself.¡¯ However, this was the opinion of a small minority.


    Of course, there was no way for Violet to know this. All she hoped for was that the troublesome rumors wouldn¡¯t spread too much.


    But then.


    ¡°Hello, Violet.¡±


    Roen, as authorized by the duke, hade to visit the annex.


    It was about two weeks after the poisoning incident.


    * * *


    Roen¡¯s visit was sudden.


    Furthermore, he entered the annex with the duke¡¯s permission this time.


    Put in a difficult situation, Violet inevitably frowned.


    Was this guy here to provoke her likest time?


    Seeing her expression, Roen smiled lightly at her.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll show you to the studio then. Although it¡¯s a shabby ce.¡±


    ¡°Shabby, you say¡­ Right.¡±


    Calling back to what she said thest time they met, Violet spoke sarcastically at her older brother, but Roen onlyughed despondently in response.


    ¡°What business do you have here.¡±


    ¡°Do I need a reason to see you?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t exactly have an amicable rtionship, do we.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right. We¡­¡±


    <i>¡­don¡¯t.</i>


    At the end, Roen¡¯s voice carried a hint of bitterness.


    Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked at Roen. With how he¡¯s acting right now, it seemed like he had eaten something wrong.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Violet was the only one who thought that way. As the employees were looking at Roen, their gazes had a subtle gentleness to them.


    Mary put down the saucers in front of the brother and sister.


    The small girl¡¯s thoughts were clearly stamped across her forehead. Violet sighed inwardly.


    This little maid sometimes acted foolishly.


    Violet was thankful that Mary was always sticking out for her, but it was extremely dangerous. Violet made a mental note aboutter teaching Mary what she could and couldn¡¯t do.


    ¡°So, what is it that you want to say?¡±


    Violet asked then sipped her cup of tea, which was still tasteless. Roen followed and likewise sipped his tea, then immediately put down the cup.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re here to say only that?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s only the start.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Though Roen was smiling gently right now, there was an air of mystery to that smile.


    Violet hated Roen¡¯s manner of speaking.


    ¡°Did you change after you got confined to this ce? Or did you choose to be confined because you changed?¡±


    ¡°¡­Just get to the point.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even been talking for long. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯d be a shame if I got to the point right away?¡±


    Violet briefly pondered whether she really should hurl tea at Roen¡¯s face.


    But her reputation had barely improvedtely. Throwing tea at someone¡¯s face wouldn¡¯t be a good idea.


    She set down her cup quietly.


    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor going around that you¡¯ve changed. That you¡¯ve finallye to your senses, Violet.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°But at your core, you still haven¡¯t changed. You still hate Aileen, you still don¡¯t like me, and you still despise Elder Brother. Still the same.¡±


    ¡°¡­What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡±


    Roen took another sip of tea.


    In the past, Violet would have already exploded in anger, asking about who it was that dared to serve tea like this to a ducaldy. That is, tea that tasted like dirty water squeezed from rags.


    ¡°¡­What made you change?¡±


    Roen¡¯s green eyes turned to Violet. Subjected to that searching gaze of his, Violetughed in vain.


    ¡°It is you, Brother, who said that I haven¡¯t changed. Yet you¡¯re asking me what made me change.¡±


    ¡°¡­I worded it wrong.¡±


    ¡°If you insist on saying the same things, just go back and¡ª¡°


    ¡°What did I¡­ No, what did we do that made you change?¡±


    <i>tter.</i>


    At that moment, Violet paused sharply.


    The only one who couldn¡¯t understand what Roen was saying was Mary, and she stared wide-eyed.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You harassed Aileen terribly. You never changed before, even when we were children, even now¡­¡±


    The tremor in her fingertips began to subside.


    Violet realized why Roen hade to see her.


    <i>You came all the way here to talk about that?</i>


    But the question remained on her lips, unsaid.


    Besides her realization, her emotions began to fluctuate.


    ¡°Then it must be us, not you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to talk to you. But it¡¯s you, Violet, not me who¡¯s going to tell the story.¡±


    ¡°Right now, you.¡±


    ¡°Tell me your story.¡±


    ¡°What story are you even¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for beingte.¡±


    <i>tter, tter.</i>


    The teacup trembled endlessly in her hand, which had lost strength.


    Even if she told herself, ¡®It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay¡¯ over and over for a long time, there was no effect.


    Roen smiled. It was not a fake smile, but a smile that carried sincerity.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to apologize to you.¡±


    * * *


    Of course, Roen was kicked out.


    After bluntly saying, ¡°There is no story to tell,¡± Violet kicked out her older brother and went up to her room.


    It took a long time to tell the story to even Mary.


    The wound was still open, and it was undeniably difficult to dig through that wound once again to bring back her memories from those days.


    It hurt so much to remember them now, even though she knew that she¡¯d have to look at that wound one day.


    So, she had turned a blind eye to her open wound. She refused her older brother¡¯s apology.


    But Roen had apologized first. Violet wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore him for a long time.


    Even if she¡¯d have to dig through an old, long-standing wound.


    ¡°Mary.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°What should I do at a time like this?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure either, Mdy.¡±


    Mary also couldn¡¯t give an answer. Violet turned around to face the knight, who was standing there silently.


    Zylo wouldn¡¯t be able to give a normal answer, that¡¯s for sure.


    Yeon Ha-yoon, who was inside her, asked.


    <i>Should I hear him out first?</i>


    But the one who answered was the hurt child inside of Violet.


    <i>I don¡¯t want to.</i>


    It¡¯s not necessary to ept his apology. No, it¡¯s difficult to consider that as an apology in the first ce.


    Wasn¡¯t he one of the people who cut her down repeatedly with his vicious words?


    Violet briefly pondered the possibility that Roen¡¯s actions were calcted.


    It¡¯s a well-deserved supposition.


    If Roen couldn¡¯t be called ¡®calcting¡¯, then who else could?


    In the end, for the sake of getting the right answer, Violet herself had to know what she wanted.


    What was it that she wanted from Roen? And, what was it that those people wanted from her?


    Forgiveness? Easier said than done.


    All she wished was to live the rest of her life without seeing those people.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    It¡¯s impossible for deep-seated resentment to easily disappear.


    She wanted them to experience the same despair she went through. Copse to the ground why crying¡ªcrying endlessly. Live while being tormented, live while being miserable.


    However, she also had no intention of wielding the axe of retribution. It was truly contradictory.


    And she couldn¡¯t say, ¡°Just drown yourself to death with your nose poking into a bowl of water,¡± towards someone who came to apologize.


    Above all¡ª


    ¡°¡­I feel wronged.¡±


    Throughout all the years, her desire to be acknowledged could not be fulfilled, and merely remained as flickering ashes after the fire had been put out.


    However, the problem was this: that abyss-like desire had notpletely disappeared.


    Would it make any difference if she told him the whole story?


    As she munched on a cookie, Violet agonized over her thoughts.


    ¡°¡­If it were me¡­¡±


    The knight, who was standing watch quietly, opened his lips to speak. Two pairs of eyes turned to him at the same time.


    Zylo coughed lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start with a punch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m weak.¡±


    ¡°Would you like me to hit him in your stead?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­ You don¡¯t need to.¡±


    If a knight were to hit a duke¡¯s son, he¡¯d be charged with sphemy. It¡¯s only obvious that Violet was dissuading him from doing so.


    But at the same time, she inwardly agreed. <i>Let¡¯s start with a punch.</i> That didn¡¯t sound bad. Perhaps, could she sock him in the kisser?


    Violet smirked, imagining the scenario over and over again until she got tired of it.


    In the end, she couldn¡¯te to a conclusion right now, even if she mulled over it as much as she could.


    All the emotions and resentment she had endured before¡ªall that she was enduring even now¡ªwere all screaming so, so desperately.


    She was emotional right now, and she knew that she wasn¡¯t in the right headspace to make a decision in her condition.


    ¡°Give me more cookies.¡±


    ¡°Mdy, you already emptied a whole te.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t worked out today yet, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Sighing, Violet rose from her seat.


    When the mind¡¯s gued with many thoughts, the best course of action was to move the body.


    * * *


    It¡¯s been a week since Roen apologized.


    And for the entire past week, the second young master of the ducal household sent many gifts to the annex.


    Flowers, food, clothes, paint, a lightweight rapier, and more. There was a great variety to the gifts.


    One time, after receiving the gifts for the day, Violet pressed her fingertips against a throbbing temple.


    Most of the clothes that she received had simple designs. Perhaps he realized that she had no need for ostentatious dresses. Instead, the fabric of all the sent clothes was very soft.


    ¡°How very sincere¡­¡±


    How very sincerely and crazily wasteful.


    ¡°What did the Young Master say today?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, just asking if my day is going well, I guess?¡±


    ¡°The Second Young Master is a very different person from what I had imagined.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fraternize with him. A guy like him is the most dangerous type.¡±


    Along with the gifts born out of Roen¡¯s crazy spending spree, he sent one card everyday as well.


    Most of them contained only simple greetings.


    ¡°Um, Mdy¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing strange rumorstely. I¡¯m not sure, but¡­ Maybe the Second Young Master isn¡¯t such a bad guy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing the words Mary said with hesitation, Violet sighed.


    A situation like this was one that she hated like hell.


    Such a situation was bound to change people¡¯s minds, to make them be inevitably swayed as if they couldn¡¯t help it.


    If she were to continue avoiding Roen, in the end, she¡¯d be the bad person yet again.


    Was this what Roen was aiming for from the beginning?


    Barely pressing down the simmering urge to scream in frustration, Violet gestured to Mary.


    In turn, Mary immediately stopped talking. She was constantly attuned to Violet¡¯s mood.


    Now that Violet thought about it, Mikhail was being too calm despite Roen¡¯s recent remarkable track record. Mikhail should have stormed the annex and hurled his fury at her by now.


    Recalling that unpleasant guy, Violet frowned and set down her paintbrush.


    * * *


    ¡°Sir Knight.¡±


    ¡°Ah, are you done with your activity, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just feeling a bit sore.¡±


    ¡°Then are you here to exercise?¡±


    ¡°No, just here to look around.¡±


    Zylo perked up for a moment, but he soon deted again. The neer knight, who¡¯s being practically beat up by Zylo, shouted briefly, ¡°Please save me, Your Ladyship!¡±


    ¡°Do you know what that guy¡¯s doing these days?¡±


    ¡°¡¯That guy¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Young Duke Mikhail.¡±


    ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you family?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t exactly have the type of rtionship where I¡¯d normally call him ¡®Dear Brother¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    While still sparring with the young knight, Zylo contemted shortly and soon answered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure, Mdy, but there¡¯s a rumor going around that Young Duke Mikhail¡¯s status as the Duke¡¯s heir might get revoked. I hear it¡¯s due to his arrogant and condescending behavior, but I honestly can¡¯t say for sure.¡±


    Violet wasn¡¯t expecting to hear this.


    ¡°Besides that, there¡¯s arge-scaley-off in progress¡­ Anyway, there¡¯s many things going on. And I also heard that the rumors about you are also spreading.¡±


    What Zylo heard could be summarized in this manner:


    First, Mikhail¡¯s status as the duke¡¯s heir was on the verge of being revoked.


    Second, the employees of the main mansion were being fired on arge-scale.


    Third, favorable rumors about Violet were spreading.


    Even though all of these were somehow or the other connected to her, Violet had no idea at all that this was going on. She cradled her forehead with one hand.


    She waspletely blindsided by these developments. She could feel a migraineing on.


    Everything was changing to her favor, and it felt so unfamiliar. To the point that she was getting rather frightened.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    * * *


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Hiya~?¡±


    Purple and green eyes met.


    Violet reined in the incredulity that was bubbling up within her.


    Why¡¯s this person here?


    It was quite obvious on Violet¡¯s face how preposterous she found the situation, but Roen justughed as though he wasn¡¯t conscious of it.


    ¡°Oh, perhaps you¡¯re done for the day already?¡±


    ¡°Not¡­ yet.¡±


    ¡°Then, please. I¡¯ll be in your care.¡±


    Just what on earth was this guy thinking.


    Violet was forced to move her hand.


    To exin why they¡¯re now face to face like this, a bit of a rewind is needed.


    .


    .


    .


    Violet¡¯s probation had been lifted for a while now, but she was suffering from a bit of lethargy. At the rmendation of the people around her, she began to do more activities here and there.


    She exercised, painted, and sometimes chatted with Mary.


    And, while trying to gauge the right timing, she had also been preparing for her next outing. She¡¯s aware that the duke had put a tail on her, but she couldn¡¯t protest against it because it was done at the pretense of protection.


    It was already made known that she had been sneaking out during her period of confinement anyway. Unless there¡¯s officially a problem going on, she¡¯s free to roam around.


    However, Violet had various reasons as to why she hadn¡¯t gone out just yet.


    The biggest reason was this: she¡¯s not confident about facing the rumors head on.


    So, it was only after she was in the right headspace, to some extent, that she started going out little by little.


    It was nice to go out for the first time in a long while.


    There were some people who recognized her, but she heard none of the rumors that she was so concerned about. So, Violet enjoyed her outings freely.


    She wore marginally loose clothes, ate at noisy restaurants, and went around the shopping district to buy a few things that caught her eye. Sometimes she got ripped off, other times she haggled.


    Violet was happy with doing all these things. It was also more enjoyable because she gained more strength and stamina from all the exercise she had been doing.


    She also regrly sat in front of the fountain and opened a signboard to indicate that she was open for business, drawing portraits as usual.


    She was satisfied with her peaceful days.


    Since the first time, Violet started going out often.


    The first couple of times, she was begrudgingly a bit self-conscious because she knew that the duke¡¯s people were watching her. However, as she tasted the sweetness of escape, she was too busy to pay any mind to such self-consciousness.


    Zylo, who so desperately opposed Violet¡¯s outings at first, was now the very person who was doing the most to ensure that she was free during her outings.


    Violet exchanged greetings with some people who she had be familiar with after seeing a few times, and she also drew simple portraits to those who wanted them.


    The day she went out for the third time¡­


    ¡°Are you still open?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. This will be thest¡­¡±


    ¡°Hiya~?¡±


    Violet looked up to find Roen in front of her.


    He seemed to have gone out without a single guard, and he was dressed casually.


    He wasn¡¯t even hiding his identity as a high noble, yet he¡¯s asking her to draw him a simple portrait at a ce like this.


    ¡°Oh, perhaps you¡¯re done for the day already?¡±


    ¡°Not¡­ yet.¡±


    ¡°Then, please. I¡¯ll be in your care.¡±


    People started staring.


    Violet¡¯s looks alone were enough to attract much attention, but in addition to her, Roen¡ªvery obviously a young nobleman¡ªattracted even more attention.


    Feeling the useless attention being directed at her, Violet ducked behind her sketchbook and quickly moved her hand.


    She had no idea how she found herself in a situation like this, but right now, she was just focused on quickly finishing up his portrait so she could send him away as soon as possible.


    ¡®Why¡¯s this person here?¡¯


    Violet felt a sense of injustice surging within her.


    Why did this guy want Violet to draw him when he could easily just call some famous artist to paint him the portrait that he wanted so very much, huh?


    And besides that, why today of all days.


    It¡¯s true that she¡¯d been sneaking out to y despite being in confinement¡­ But she didn¡¯t want that fact to spread at the main mansion.


    ¡°Is there a reason why you draw portraits in a ce like this?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a hobby.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be the same as what could be seen at a studio.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a hobby.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Considering it¡¯s just a hobby, you¡¯ve got amazing skills.¡±


    Was he making fun of her?


    Listening to Roen¡¯s nonchnt way of talking to her as if they didn¡¯t know each other, Violet inwardly recited the Buddhist scriptures in her head.


    She had been forced to memorize those scriptures when she was a kid, and she realized how useful they were at times like these.


    Whatever kind of expression Violet wore now, Roen¡¯s smile did not leave his lips.


    With the situation already like this, Violet began to imagine all kinds of scenarios after this¡ªjust what kind of threats or ckmail attempts this guy was going to throw at her.


    Unable to bear the thoughts any longer, Violet drew onest dot on Roen¡¯s portrait, stabbing the paper.


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡±


    Due to Violet¡¯s simmering anger, the Roen depicted in her drawing was a little¡­ ugly.


    Though, to say ¡®a little¡¯ was too vague as it was, but it¡¯s clear that Roen¡¯s appearance in the portrait was uglier than the one in the flesh.


    ¡®Do I really look so shrewd?¡¯


    While Roen struggled with this thought, Violet quickly got up and organized her tools. The group, who was escorting her by her side, had long since been frozen because of the sudden appearance of the duke¡¯s second son.


    ¡°Wait a minute, Vi¡­ Lady.¡±


    ¡°I apologize, but I need to go.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering if you could spare me a moment.¡±


    One of the sneakily watching bystanders whistled as they saw Roen suddenly trying to hold Violet back.


    Violet¡¯s head was throbbing.


    ¡°Looks like he¡¯s confessing,¡± someone whispered.


    ¡°Miss E¡¯s quite pretty after all,¡± someone else answered.


    Violet suppressed her boiling wrath as she heard the hushed voices around her.


    <i>Excuse me, we¡¯re full-blooded siblings.</i>


    But Violet couldn¡¯t say this. She gritted her teeth and forced a smile.


    The words barelyprehensible through her clenched teeth, she said, ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t have the time¡ª¡±


    ¡°I fell in love with you at first sight. Do I truly have no chance at all?¡±


    <i>This fucker?</i>

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Violet gnashed her mrs even further, barely holding back the curse words that were about to slip through her lips.


    Beside her, Mary red at the guy. Zylo, on the other hand, looked nervous.


    The boy knight asked, ¡°They have that kind of rtionship?¡± and promptly got hit by Zylo.


    One thing led to another, and so some of the onlookers uttered the horrendous words, ¡°ept him!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll only be a moment. Isn¡¯t staying like this more awkward?¡±


    ¡°¡­Seriously. Just a moment then.¡±


    ¡°Yep, thanks.¡±


    Hearing her inevitable permission, Roenughed.


    .


    .


    .


    He mentioned that he had something to say to Violet alone, so Mary and the escort knights had to be sent away.


    To appease the knights who protested slightly while saying that they couldn¡¯t be sent away for safety reasons, Roen took Violet to a teahouse.


    It¡¯s the teahouse that¡¯s usually frequented by wealthy merchants and the asional aristocrat. There¡¯s no one else inside.


    Noticing Violet¡¯s quizzical expression, Roen said,


    ¡°I rented it out for the whole day.¡±


    Indeed, this was the kind of crazy spending that a lofty second son of a duke would do.


    One waiter guided them to a table by a window, and as they sat down, awkward silence stretched between them. There was no longer any need to keep up an act since there weren¡¯t any eyes on them now.


    ¡°Were you keeping me on surveince again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not surveince though¡­ Why do you think I¡¯ve been doing that?¡±


    ¡°At first, I tried to chalk it up to coincidence, but seeing as you¡¯ve rented out the whole ce, and seeing as you¡¯re being escorted after all, it¡¯s hard to believe that this isn¡¯t premeditated.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that I rented this ce for the purpose of meeting you. But I wasn¡¯t monitoring you, or investigating you.¡±


    Violet¡¯s cold voice urged Roen to smile softly.


    Reading the room, the employees stepped out to give them privacy.


    Even after taking a sip of tea, Roen had an expression on his face that said he¡¯s still parched.


    ¡°¡ªThen what.¡±


    ¡°I just heard a rumor. That there¡¯s someone who opens a portrait stall by the fountain in the town square. That the artist is quite young, and is a silver-haired beauty.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Silver hair isn¡¯t verymon, is it?¡±


    <i>No, it¡¯s not,</i> Violet answered inwardly.


    Even if she tried to do a headcount to ascertain the statistics, the answer was certain.


    ¡°It¡¯s unpleasant to meet you like this. I don¡¯t want this to happen again.¡±


    ¡°But you never find it pleasant to meet me, yes? You don¡¯t even answer any of my letters¡­¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to talk to you. What¡¯s the point of trying to talk now?¡±


    ¡°There may be a point, there may not be a point. Who knows?¡±


    Violet took a sip of tea. There was a hint of acidity in its sweetness. She found it delicious.


    ¡°And it¡¯s dangerous for you to go around like this, Violet. No, you¡¯re E here, aren¡¯t you. Don¡¯t think that you¡¯ve been safe until now because you¡¯re lucky.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, whatever I do is none of your business, so¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know that your appearance stands out. You¡¯ve got silver hair and purple eyes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Was he threatening her?


    Violet frowned when he pointed out her physical features.


    She had already imagined countless scenarios when it came to Roen, but she tirelessly held herself back from making her imagination a reality.


    ¡°¡­It should hardly be worth all this trouble for such a <i>great</i> story.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be so burdensome since it¡¯s a story that¡¯s already been told before.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Still walking on eggshells, the waiter came back and served them refreshments. Violet frowned as she looked at the tart that had a lot of blueberries on top.


    Violet had hardened her resolve since a while back. She would <i>not</i> willingly tell him her story.


    Even after three weeks of sending gift after gift yet constantly rebuffed and rejected, Roen smiled.


    He gingerly cut a piece of the tart with a knife and fork for her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    He got straight to the point first.¡±


    ¡°About not listening to you, and not believing you, and only ever pushing you to be a bad person.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for everything I did to make you bad.¡±


    His voice dropped to the quietest hush.


    She had hoped that this wouldn¡¯t happen, that he wouldn¡¯t apologize to her. That way, she could stay a bad person until the end.


    She hadn¡¯t decided how to treat him just yet.


    Violet thought she heard him wrong for a moment. She was in disbelief.


    So many emotions went rampant inside her mind, and she tried to suppress them all.


    She should not act recklessly while she was in an emotional state. Even more so because she didn¡¯t know how one impulsive act would affect herter.


    However, who was it that owned this storm of emotions? Who was it that endeavored to stay calm?


    Even if she now had Yeon Ha-yoon¡¯s memories, Violet was the one living her current life. She knew that she would not be able to turn a blind eye to her pain forever.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Barely managing to talk with her shaking voice, Violet let out a faint sound.


    Her words could hardly be discerned. Her voice constantly trembled, as if it was about to copse at any given moment.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t deserve to receive any apologies.¡±


    ¡°Violet.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t pushed to be a bad person. I <i>am</i> a bad person.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you going to deny all of the actions I¡¯ve done until now?¡±


    Her purple eyes were still.


    Roen knew those eyes very well.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Violet¡¯s eyes, whenever she looked at Roen, Aileen, Mikhail, the servants of the residence.


    That look in her eyes that contained so much hatred, as though covered with poison and thorns.


    The poison and thorns served to protect herself, but in the end, they would only hurt herself.


    ¡°¡­You were never a bad person.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say, huh. How is it possible for you to say such a thing? That my actions were not evil¡­ That I¡¯m not a bad person?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Laughable, really.


    Even if she was a victim, it did not change the fact that she did malicious things to others.


    The sea of people who lost their normal lives due to Violet¡¯s whims would most definitely snort if they ever heard Roen¡¯s words.


    Yeon Ha-yoon, too, was well aware that Violet was a bad person.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not easy to say.¡±


    ¡°Then the whole thing must just be a joke to you. Well, there was a time when everything was¡­¡±


    <i>¡­hell for me, yet it meant nothing to you.</i>


    Violet thought that Roen¡¯s apology was much too light.


    <i>There¡¯s no way in </i><b><i>my</i></b><i> hell that I¡¯d let you be rewarded for such an apology. The time spent being hurt by others and hurting others is considered a bygone time in the past only by </i><b><i>you</i></b><i>.</i>


    <i>This whole thing that pushed me into the abyss¡­</i>


    It was a terribly selfish feeling. But she knew that such selfishness was the essence of her being.


    Laughter spilled through Violet¡¯s lips. It was so difficult to deal with a burst of many emotions.


    ¡°Why are you apologizing to me? Why now?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t, I wasn¡¯t a bad person, you say¡­ Hah, hahaha. I¡¯m not bad, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong¡­¡±


    Said this person, who was the very person who mocked and ridiculed her during the time that she wanted someone¡ªanyone¡ªto be on her side. This person, here and now, who only looked at another person¡¯s wounds from afar.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Forcing the mouth that would not open, Roen once again apologized.


    <i>Plik, plik.</i>


    The overwhelming emotions that could no longer be contained came out in the form of tears.


    With a vicious look on her face before, Violet never once cried. She had just cursed at everyone with poison in her eyes.


    She had built a more solid wall around her.


    ¡°Why? You always said that before, right? That I just need to be good. Because I¡¯m bad, not good. I¡¯m bad for not being able to treat that girl kindly, I¡¯m bad for tearing her clothes to pieces, I¡¯m bad for throwing her things out and for harming the people she cherishes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t <i>try</i>, I¡¯ve amounted to only this much. S<i>he</i> worked hard to produce the most brilliant results, yet I¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a viiness, so it¡¯s natural that I¡¯m bad. That¡¯s what I was <i>told.¡±</i>


    The exasperated voice stopped speaking.


    <i>Don¡¯t say anything more. Don¡¯t feel any more pity for me. I should not show my emotions. I still have not changed¡­</i>


    Violet bit her lower lip. Her mouth kept moving on its own even though she had tried to suppress herself over and over again.


    ¡°Is it only¡­ Is it not such a huge deal that it¡¯ll end in only a few mere apologies?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Many times, I wished for you all to die. I prayed each and every day that you would die a more painful death than I would, that you would be as miserable as me. I wished for you all to lie face down and grovel beneath my feet. I wished for you to crawl on the floor, to say that you were wrong, to copse miserably and suffer.¡±


    As Violet continued, any semnce of a smile disappeared from Roen¡¯s expression. She talked about such curses, and the hatred in her voice cut deep.


    ¡°So, what did you do wrong?¡±


    And as she asked this question, the emotions swirling behind Violet¡¯s inexplicablyplicated.


    Fidgeting with the teacup in his hands despite himself, Roen¡¯s lips opened and closed many times before he finally spoke.


    ¡°¡­For saying that what you didn¡¯t do was your fault.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°For not listening to you or believing you because I was prejudiced and called you a liar¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­And for making you wicked. Everything.¡±


    Violet thought that Roen¡¯s apology was flimsy, but as he continued speaking, his voice started shaking heavily towards the end.


    ¡°I won¡¯t do those things again. I¡¯m not saying this lightly. So at least once, I thought we should talk and¡­¡±


    It was a crude apology and excuse.


    There was once a time when Violet longed for her family¡¯s affection. She hoped to gain their acknowledgement, hoped that they woulde to regret it all.


    She wished for the day that they would apologize.


    Looking further into the resentment she was feeling, it was a fact that her <i>family</i> was the one who created this resentment.


    ¡°¡­Young Lord.¡±


    Violet uttered the term of address as if she was chewing on the words.


    ¡°What is it that you want?¡±


    As she asked, Violet¡¯s expression was indescribable.


    Roen, who had investigated Violet¡¯s whereabouts and the people she was involved with, finally realized what he had done to his younger sister.


    ¡°You¡¯ve apologized now. And then <i>what?</i> Do you want me to <i>forgive</i> you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°So, should we go back to how it was in the old days? <i>Haha, hoho,</i> justugh like that? Ah. I wonder when we ever did such a thing in the past¡­ Then instead, would you like us to imitate a harmonious family? Or perhaps, you just want to be unburdened by your own guilt?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Aftering here and apologizing like this, <i>what do you want from me?¡±</i>

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    Violet had already abandoned any expectations for her family. She had already given up on her own life.


    For as long as she had lived, she remained true to her identity as a duke¡¯s daughter. But she gave up on that and asked for self-imprisonment.


    It¡¯s be this way in the end.


    Violet¡¯s resignation was a given, and she went on to sever ties with everyone.


    Even if those ties were connected by blood.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not apologizing in exchange for your forgiveness.¡±


    Roen continued speaking, weakly.


    ¡°It¡¯s as you said. I had wronged you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just because of that. That¡¯s why I¡¯m apologizing.¡±


    Perhaps part of it was tofort himself and to abate some of his guilt. It was an apology that the other person didn¡¯t want to hear, and yet he went ahead and said it even though he knew that a few mere words would not be able topensate for all the pain that had been inflicted upon her thus far.


    And yet, it was better than saying nothing.


    ¡°However you think of me is up to you. And it¡¯s alsopletely up to you whether you¡¯ll ept my apology.¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to apologize. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    As Roen spoke, the expression on his face was familiar to Violet, too.


    An expression that she had never seen since a decade ago, back when he was still taking good care of his younger sister.


    ¡°I will not ept your apology.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°I will never call you ¡®Brother¡¯ anymore.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    ¡°I, I will still hate you.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°I pray that such an unpleasant matter won¡¯t be brought up again in the future.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡±


    As she managed to finally calm down her emotions, Violet observed Roen calmly.


    This person was the one who degraded her with eloquence, who said that everything was her fault without a shadow of a doubt, who always defaulted to fait apli due to prejudice.


    How many times did she trust him? How many times did he stab her in the back in return?


    There were so, <i>so</i> many instances when she hoped that Roen would believe her, but each and every time, she was left with a perfectly shattered heart.


    The wounds inflicted upon her during her childhood had yet to heal. Even though she pretended to be calm, that hurt child was still in her heart.


    No one believed her. Everyone criticized her. That little child was still crying in so much pain.


    Violet did not try to gauge whether or not the emotions behind Roen¡¯s expression were sincere.


    Instead, she uttered the following words with suppressed anger.


    ¡°I pray that what happened today will never happen again.¡±


    After saying so, Violet was about to rise from her seat, but she stopped.


    ¡°Young Lord.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±


    ¡°Can I hit you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Before Roen could even finish uttering the single word, Violet¡¯s fist was already nted squarely on his face.


    As Violet punched the second noble young master of the Everett Duchy, there was no hesitation at all in her movements.


    ¡®God, that feels good.¡¯


    Violet, who hit Roen once as advised by her escort knight, promptly left the teahouse without looking back.


    Roen sat there, eyes dazedly wandering in the air, one palm cradling the spot that had gotten hit.


    Violet¡¯s hand was really heavy.


    * * *


    Time flew whether one wanted it to or not. And, ever since the apology, Roen sought out Violet more often.


    She faced Roen with a sour look.


    ¡°You must be utterly brimming with free time.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m actually busy.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you insist oning here to see me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only right to make a conscious effort when trying to reconnect a broken rtionship.¡±


    How impertinent, those words. She certainly didn¡¯t expect him toe here so confidently under the pretext of restoring their rtionship.


    Violet managed to calm herself. She diligently pressed down on the urge to throw tea at Roen¡¯s face.


    Even as he saw Violet¡¯s expression darkening by the second, Roen shrugged anyhow.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a lie that I¡¯m busy. There are many things that I have to do.¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to believe me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re originally such a busy person, Young Lord. So of course you¡¯re suddenly busy with more things.¡±


    ¡°Should I just be d that you do believe me¡­¡±


    Here was a matter of fact: The only person who¡¯s calm in this room was Roen and Roen alone.


    Even the young knight, who was standing next to Violet for escort duty, looked quite ufortable. When faced with someone who¡¯s as brazen as Roen, any normal person would feel like they were sitting on a thorn cushion.


    ¡°Oh, the tea has be a little better.¡±


    Roen¡¯s face wasn¡¯t just an iron te. It¡¯s made entirely of orichalcum.


    ¡°Oh, right. By the way, there will be some news for you soon. Though it might take a little while to arrive because it hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    As she answered half-heartedly, Violet frowned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me. Are things going on even without my will¡ª¡±


    ¡°Half-right. I¡¯ll be sure to ask for your permission first before anything. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Thinking that his younger sister would like it, Roen averted his eyes.


    Violet only sighed.


    The aristocrats of this time period really didn¡¯t know how to respect the opinions of other people.


    ¡°And, Violet.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It would be better if you don¡¯t go out on your own from now on.¡±


    ¡°Unnecessary meddling.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not totally unnecessary. Tell me, do you have ordinary physical features?¡±


    With a faint smile, Roen continued.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t only been lucky to be safe until now. Regardless of how modestly you dress¡ªno, the more modestly you dress, the more crooked people will try to approach you. And if the worst happens, it can¡¯t be stopped with just two escort knights.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen¡¯s warning was reasonable, but the young knight bristled.


    Meanwhile Zylo, who was standing further behind, quietly nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    In other words, Violet had been safe so far not because she was lucky nor because everyone around her were good people.


    It was for the express reason that someone was controlling the situation from the shadows. That¡¯s the only reason she had been able to walk around outside without any problems thus far.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just think about it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s eyes turned to Roen.


    Clearly enough, there was a tant look of discontent behind those eyes of hers, but Roen just smirked nonchntly.


    Even if she were to feel frustrated with staying only at the annex, it was inevitable.


    ¡°If you want to go out, get official permission. You¡¯ll be assigned more escort knights that way.¡±


    ¡°You speak as if you know everything, don¡¯t you, Young Lord.¡±


    ¡°I do though?¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, you¡¯re being obnoxious. You¡¯re already detestable enough, so being obnoxious like this makes you even more so.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that <i>is</i> a problem, isn¡¯t it¡­¡±


    The conversation ensued with jest from only one side. Violet red at Roen. She was about to ask, ¡®Didn¡¯t you say you feel apologetic towards me?¡¯ but she decided against it.


    Roen¡¯s attitude was much too brazen, considering that he was supposed to be someone who¡¯s apologizing to her.


    What exactly was going on in that brain of his? Roen¡¯s expression was as unreadable as it ever was, so it¡¯s difficult to grasp his intentions.


    As Violet continued to try guessing what Roen was thinking, the short meeting between them ended.


    Seeing as his face looked quite tired, it didn¡¯t seem like a lie that he¡¯s very busy. He soon left the annex, leaving behind a pair of new shoes. It was today¡¯s gift from him to her.


    It was yet another purchase by that crazy spender.


    * * *


    Rtionships were fragile. How great it would be if it¡¯s as easy to fix as it was to break. But, in the end, it¡¯s difficult to fix a rtionship once broken.


    With a te, even if it¡¯s possible to reconnect all the pieces, the traces would still be quite obvious, wouldn¡¯t they?


    This could apply not only to Violet and Roen.


    ¡°So many things done, huh. Why didn¡¯t I know any of this.¡±


    While watching the documents burn, Roen let out a sigh.


    Whether that person was brazen or just foolish, he didn¡¯t know.


    If there was no lion, the fox would proim itself to be the king. And, as it was lording over the others as king yet simultaneously pretending to be a rabbit, it would take a lot of effort to catch such a fox.


    There were quite a few people who entered House Everett along with Aileen when she had been adopted.


    Since Aileen¡¯s mother and father had passed away, there was no one left to manage their household, and many of their employees were on the brink of being left to waste in the streets without a job.


    So, the duke generously wrote them letters of rmendations so that they could find jobs elsewhere, while all those who were close to Aileen were hired directly by the ducal household.


    But at some point, those who were close to Violet were dismissed. This was because the authority to control the duchy¡¯s internal affairs fell into the hands of the fox.


    And that fox¡¯s trail was very subtle. Roen unknowingly let out a sound of admiration.


    If this matter was of no concern to him, Roen would have praised the culprit for being so smart. Well, they had inefficaciously left behind evidence, but the manner in which they went about this scheme was undoubtedly crafty.


    Moreover, if the fox¡¯s target wasn¡¯t Violet, he would have dly released that fox and let it continue wreaking havoc in the ducal manor.


    But Violet hated Roen¡¯s slyness. She hated the fact that he¡¯d use anything to his advantage.


    So, what he would do from here on shouldn¡¯t reach Violet¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Now then, what should I do about this.¡±


    The snakeughed.


    * * *


    Mikhail U. Everett was a man of integrity.


    Rather, he was consistent about holding fast to his beliefs, even though they¡¯re actually false convictions. It¡¯s difficult to say whether he¡¯s truly upright and incorruptible, or actually just in ole stupid.


    He inherited his righteousness from his father¡ªa knight¡ªand grew up imbibing many expectations because he was the eldest son. He was particrly inflexible and obstinate.


    ¡°You¡¯ve just been doing useless things these days,¡± Mikhail snarled.


    ¡°They¡¯re not useless though¡­ But Brother, don¡¯t you need to be more careful with your actions and words since your sessorship is at stake?¡±


    ¡°Useless drivel.¡±


    This young man had been the heir to the duchy from the moment he was born.


    Perhaps it¡¯s because of that, but apparently, he never once thought that he was wrong.


    The young duke scoffed.


    ¡°Brother, you still think that Violet poisoned Aileen?¡± Roen asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re still talking nonsense?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you sincerely.¡±


    Mikhail scowled at the widely smiling Roen.


    Mikhail himself had been having a difficult time sleeping properly because of the rumors that were spreading inside the main mansion. It¡¯s all getting on his nerves.


    He was like a ticking time bomb these days, but then here his younger brother was, seemingly pushing his buttons deliberately. How could he endure <i>not</i> exploding?


    ¡°If you say one more useless thing, I won¡¯t let you get away with it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, useless? You¡¯re not going to answer my question?¡±


    Wearing a calm fa?ade, Mikhail strode straight towards Roen. As he had a huge physique and was over 190cm tall, he carried with him an oppressive atmosphere.


    Despite that pressure though, Roen just smiled broadly.


    ¡°Have you gone insane after blissfully hanging out with that damn viiness?¡±


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s still our younger sister.¡±


    ¡°Ha, being siblings with that thing. Absolutely disgusting.¡±

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    As Mikhail continued to give out an intimidating aura, a crooked smile appeared on his lips.


    ¡°Fine. You asked whether I still think that Violet poisoned Aileen, right? It¡¯s only a given. In this residence! Violet is the only one who hates that poor child! Who else do you think is there who¡¯d poison the Ducal Lady?!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen took a step back from Mikhail.


    Violet used to argue back against Mikhail even in a situation like this.


    Realizing just how much spite had umted within his younger sister, Roen smiled bitterly.


    ¡°You just keep saying useless things.¡±


    ¡°Violet didn¡¯t do it. There¡¯s evidence to prove it, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°Evidence or documents like that can be forged many times over. <i>You</i> of all people should know that.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that Father¡¯s investigation was wed?¡±


    ¡°He is Duke Everett. The man who has and always will be blind towards that viiness he calls his daughter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that Father¡¯s favorite is Violet. But do you really think that that child is evil?¡±


    ¡°You call her so tenderly now, huh.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, I can say that we¡¯re closer to each otherpared to you, Brother.¡±


    The dog growled, whereas the snake responded nonchntly.


    Mikhail replied, ¡°¡­You must be going crazy, too.¡±


    As Mikhail let out a frustrated huff, he continued.


    ¡°That kid is crazy. She wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do anything to hurt Aileen. She doesn¡¯t see any importance in her family or a clean reputation. You know that fact better than anyone else, don¡¯t you? What a joke it is that you¡¯re insisting otherwise now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t <i>really</i> believe that she¡¯s not evil, Roen E. Everett.¡±


    As Mikhail continued to speak, Roen¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°What exactly are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever thought about <i>why</i> Violet had to act like that?¡±


    Mikhail snorted.¡±


    ¡°I knew it, you¡¯ve gone crazy now, too. It¡¯s deplorable how <i>no one</i> in House Everett is sane.¡±


    As he had be antsy due to the spreading rumors, Mikhail scowled viciously.


    Roenughed. He agreed to what Mikhail said just now.


    How had Violet been able to breathe all this time when not one single person around her was sane?


    He had no idea how suffocating it was to be unable tomunicate with other people. It felt as if he was talking to a wall.


    Roen sighed.


    ¡°As expected, you shouldn¡¯t be the next duke.¡±


    ¡°You talk as if you¡¯re going to do something about it.¡±


    ¡°Why, yes, I <i>am</i> going to do something about it from now on. It¡¯ll be a huge pain in the neck if the likes of you will be the next duke.¡±


    At his ambitious younger brother¡¯s deration, Mikhail¡¯s eyes were set aze. In response, Roen merely smiled and took a step back. If looks could kill, he¡¯d have been impaled by now.


    Once upon a time, Mikhail loved Violet dearly. It was very, very long ago, and even Roen couldn¡¯t remember when that time had been.


    How in the world did ite to this?


    But Roen knew that he was not so different from his older brother. He swept a hand over his face, exasperated.


    He¡¯s <i>this</i> frustrated after talking to that wall for only a few minutes¡ªjust what kind of world did Violet have to live in until now?


    Thinking about his younger sister, Roen smiled despondently with a dark look in his eyes.


    For the sake ofpletely overthrowing Mikhail from his position as the duke¡¯s sessor, there was going to be a lot for Roen to do.


    * * *


    Aileen had been unconscious thus far from the poisoning incident¡ªwhich happened while Violet was confined to the annex, by the way¡ªbut she finally woke up.


    As soon as she did, she examined her condition and dressed up.


    The next thing she did was listen to theints of the maid who was responsible for what¡¯s been done to Aileen.


    ¡°Mdy! I¡¯m so d that you¡¯re safe¡­¡±


    With tears in her eyes, the maid recounted the events that had transpired while Aileen was unconscious.


    The bulk of herints was about the fact that Violet had been deemedpletely innocent, and this led to strange rumors going around within the ducal residence.


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m fine. Sister, she¡­ I don¡¯t believe she¡¯d try to harm me on purpose. I believe in my older sister.¡±


    ¡°Mdy¡­¡±


    Aileen smiled. The maid cried once again as she was graced with the smile of the angelic ducaldy.


    ¡°Mdy, you are this sweet and lovely. Who else out there would want to hurt you if not for that viiness¡ªah, no, the First Ducal Lady?¡±


    The maid continued like so.


    At this, Aileen just smiled wordlessly.


    The maid cried for a long time after that, then eventually left the room, saying that she would call for the doctor.


    After seeing off the maid, Aileen was now alone in her room. She pped a fist against the wall irritably.


    Not only was she unable to bring down that great noble Violet due to this incident, but negative rumors were now spreading about Aileen, too. This was a huge blow to her.


    ¡®Just what the hell was that bitch doing in that shabby ce?¡¯


    Aileen tore hair out, terribly frustrated.


    When Violet had been teetering between life and death after theke incident, the duke had spent an astronomical amount of money just to call a priest to heal her.


    On the other hand, Aileen was assigned only the duchy¡¯s family doctor to tend to her after she had been poisoned.


    She still had a long way to go.


    ¡®I guess something really happened to her when she almost drowned to death.¡¯


    As Aileen was anxiously biting her lower lip, she suddenly heard a knock on her bedroom door. This made her scowl.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡±


    It was Roen.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    It seemed as if, as soon as he heard the news that she had woken up, he came running to her.


    Unlike Mikhail, Roen was difficult to read. Aileen was never sure what¡¯s going on in his mind, and so to her, he was a bit burdensome to face.


    ¡°Yes, my recovery is thanks to your concern.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe.¡±


    Holding a bouquet of pale pink flowers in his hand, the young man had a gentle smile upon his lips as he entered the room.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. It doesn¡¯t seem like you have a fever¡­ But your face has be quite gaunt in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m really alright.¡±


    ¡°Yes. If you say so, then you really do seem alright.¡±


    Roen¡¯s smile was directed at Aileen, who likewise had a soft smile for him.


    ¡°Umm, the culprit¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m afraid the culprit hasn¡¯t been caught yet. I believe that Father is trying to be careful about this matter.¡±


    ¡°I heard someone say that Sister did it. By any chance¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. As she is confined to the annex, Violet¡¯s alibi has some strength to it.¡±


    <i>¡°Hiic,</i> but you can never know for sure. When I visited herst time too, towards me, she¡­¡±


    As she trailed off, her faint voice echoed in the room. Roen slowly patted Aileen¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°A-As expected, it¡¯s not her. No matter how much Sister hates me, she won¡¯t go as far as poisoning me, right?¡±


    Roen¡¯s green eyes briefly observed Aileen.


    And Aileen, who looked and seemed innocent, shook her head slowly as she said that.


    ¡°Aileen.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Brother.¡±


    ¡°If you truly conducted yourself in a proper manner, would anyone raise a hand against you?¡±


    ¡°H-Huh?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always a reason for everything. So if, say, Violet really poisoned you, wouldn¡¯t there be a reason for it?¡±


    ¡°Brother?¡±


    Her flustered voice resounded throughout the spacious room. But regardless of her reaction, Roen continued to smile as he always did.


    ¡°Of course, Violet didn¡¯t actually poison anyone, so it¡¯s a useless hypothesis.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Unable to hide how flustered she was, Aileen¡¯s trembling eyes remained on Roen.


    Butpared to her, Roen was much better at managing his expressions. Still as ever, he looked at her with a tender gaze.


    ¡°Then, Brother, what should I do?¡±


    Aileen quickly schooled her features and asked with a mncholy tone.


    ¡°Because Sister has hated me ever since the first day we met¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    ¡°If you think it through just a little, Aileen, then you¡¯ll know the answer.¡±


    Roen patted Aileen¡¯s head slowly.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Violet tell you why? And everyday, for that matter. You have to conduct yourself properly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°My poor younger sister. What should I do with you when you¡¯re being so na?ve¡­ Shall I tell you how you can get along with Violet?¡±


    ¡°Brother Roen¡­?¡±


    ¡°That child always said the same thing, didn¡¯t she? So, if you want to be on better terms with Violet, just listen to what she says and follow through with your actions.¡±


    <i>If she told you not toe, then don¡¯t. If she tells you not to covet her belongings, then don¡¯t. Abide by what you have to abide by.</i>


    But the thing was, when it came to a normal rtionship between two people, you shouldn¡¯t have to enforce such bare minimum rules to keep things civil.


    Roen bitterlyughed at his own thoughts.


    Meanwhile, Aileen¡¯s face began to turn deathly pale as she heard what he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you regained consciousness safely, Aileen.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, and about the culprit who instigated the poisoning.¡±


    Look at her, unable to hide her thoughts from her expression, yet she¡¯s been controlling the ducal household all this time.


    Roen clicked his tongue.


    ¡°The suspect has been singled out. And that person will be interrogated by the end of the day.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡±


    Aileen cried out as Roen spoke. But despite the momentary outburst, she went rigid once more and she shook her head.


    At this, Roen chuckled.


    ¡°My kind, good-natured younger sister.¡±


    ¡°Brother, Brother¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re even worried about the very person who tried to kill you, hm? It¡¯s alright. This older brother of yours will take care of everything. So, just conduct yourself properly like a good little sister.¡±


    <i>Behave, alright?</i>


    The whispering voice that followed had a sly tone.


    Aileen frozepletely.


    This baby fox, which was pretending to be a rabbit, could never beat a snake.


    * * *


    Regardless of how the world continued to spin around its axis, Violet¡¯s daily life had not changed.


    Violet drew and painted whenever she thought of wanting to. And, in what it seemed like a blink of an eye, her studio was instantly crammed with so many of her artwork.


    Most of them were unfinished pieces, practice studies, or paintings that could no longer be salvaged.


    Even so, Violet¡¯s paintings were so bizarrely beguiling that Mary considered all of the unfinished paintings as masterful works of art. It wasmentable, really.


    Besides that, the duke would asionally urge Violet to send some paintings to him.


    Violet could not understand her father¡¯s tastes¡­ even though it was <i>her</i> who made those art pieces, ironically enough.


    If there¡¯s one thing that changed in her daily life¡ªwhich seemed to have changed so much, actually¡ªwas that she kept wondering the same thing.


    Why was she being visited regrly by this unwanted guest?


    <em>[apr 8, 2023]</em>


    <em>¡ù t/n: as scheduled, APV will have a short hiatus starting tomorrow <3 updates are supposed toe back on apr 17, but i¡¯ll resume updates on </em><em><strong>apr 15</strong></em><em> instead!</em>


    <em>hope you guys have a wonderful week ahead~!</em>

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    ¡°¡­Why do you keep visiting me?¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason I shoulde?¡±


    ¡°This ce is too full, obviously.¡±


    But Roen just went on to answer with nonchnce.


    All this time, this person had been keeping his distance and was just sending gifts as tokens of his apology and sincerity towards her. However, this changed a few days ago when he started toe visit her often.


    Violet did not know what to do with this man in front of her.


    She refused to ept Roen¡¯s apology. The wounds she suffered through were much to painful and much too deep for her to ept him easily.


    Even if her anger burned to the point that only ashes were left, the pain would still not disappear.


    What had her life been like thus far? Would thate to a close with only a mere apology?


    To his credit, Roen also did not force his intentions onto Violet. He was very well aware of the extent of her pain.


    At least, he <i>should</i> be, but it was getting ambiguous in Violet¡¯s perspective.


    ¡°Clingy men aren¡¯t very popr.¡±


    ¡°Really? But I¡¯m actually quite popr, if I do say so myself.¡±


    Violet spoke out to him first, but she ended up getting rendered speechless. Even when she let out a low sigh, Roen just chattered on regardless.


    ¡°The new chef worked at the Imperial Pce before, you know. Maybe it¡¯s because of that, but his skills are top notch. And I thought of you, so I asked him to make a blueberry pie I could give you.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even bake it yourself, but you¡¯re so proud of it anyway.¡±


    ¡°Would you rather that I baked for you personally?¡±


    ¡°¡­Would you like to see the kitchen employees faint, Young Lord?¡±


    ¡°Cold as ever, I see.¡±


    Violet¡¯s mind spun with many questions. She and Roen were not close enough with each other. Because of this fact, the atmosphere between them was quite odd.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Unable to stand the awkwardness of it all, Violet was the first to show her feelings about it.


    And, seeing this, Roen grinned.


    ¡°I know. Surely were not close enough and we should only meet when there¡¯s official business that needs to be¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Young Lord. So, if you have nothing to do here, I ask that you please go back.¡±


    ¡°¡­You really are still ufortable with me, huh.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It¡¯s impossible for her to <i>be</i>fortable around him. Violet¡¯s mind quickly went on to analyze the situation.


    However, it¡¯s hardly easy to guess what Roen was up to.


    ¡°Right, it¡¯s not like I came here for nothing at all.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You said that you¡¯ll be sending a painting to Father, right?¡±


    ¡°I never confirmed such a thing¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to ask for one as well¡ªas a gift. I¡¯d very much like to lord it over that punk, the Crown Prince.¡±


    Just what in the world were this duke and duke¡¯s son doing now.


    The duke was asking for a painting to allegedly make the emperor jealous, and here was the duke¡¯s son asking for a painting as well, but for the express purpose of lording it over the imperial crown prince.


    While trying to recall what she could remember about the crown prince, with memories buried deeply, Violet visibly looked annoyed.


    Violet had lived as a high noble for all her life, so she might not feel the same way; however, the version of Violet with Yeon Ha-Yoon¡¯s personality inside her was <i>not</i> a fan of talking in a roundabout manner.


    So, she decided to be frank.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any desire to give away my paintings as gifts to people I¡¯m ufortable with. I refuse your suggestion.¡±


    ¡°¡­As expected. I understand.¡±


    Roen propped his chin on one hand. Violet said it so straightforwardly without any hint of trying to keep up decorum. A scowl even shed across her features briefly.


    ¡°Do you remember, Vee? When we were kids, you made a cor out of violets for me before.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen brought up the story out of the blue.


    And hearing that nickname, which she couldn¡¯t even remember until now, made her grimace. She sipped her tea with pursed lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, you know. There was a time like that. Elder Brother also adored you, and Cairn¡­ Um. Well, that kid¡¯s the same then and now.¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at.¡±


    Suddenly hearing a story about their childhood made Violet¡¯s voice tremble.


    ¡°I told you. It¡¯s only right for me to <i>try</i> when rebuilding a broken rtionship.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­ You tried to keep our rtionship intact, but you eventually had to give up. You rather chose that there should be nothing between us. You resented us to the point that you kept it all buried¡ªso much so that it seemed as if there were no feelings of hatred and anger at all.¡±


    As Roen continued to speak in a rxed manner, Violet¡¯s expression distorted more and more.


    What should she do to prevent herself from shedding any tears.


    Her tenacious pride remained firm within her, and it was the very part of her that did not want to show any weaknesses to others.


    She made sure to cease the trembling of her voice before she answered briefly.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The monotonous response made Roen smile again.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve already given up, it¡¯s my turn to try.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to try and try until the dayes that you can ept my apology. That you can consider me your family again.¡±


    Roen said so while maintaining that same smile, which looked rather awkward. For someone who was good at hiding his emotions, his expression was notably out of ce.


    Was this a mask, too? If so, then what apetent man he truly was.


    Violet held back these bitter words inwardly.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s simply a wish of mine that we can be close again.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Violet could press down on those bitter words, but not her emotions.


    She would not have been able to continue living until now if even her emotions were suppressed.


    As he noticed that Violet¡¯s voice had started trembling again, Roen smiled tenderly.


    It was not a smile that contained pretense and hypocrisy, but a smile that was full of sincerity.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    ¡°Why did you ask?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m worth nothing. I have a terrible reputation, and trying to sell me through my name would gain you nothing. I will not marry, and that smears my worth even more. Once that¡¯s been announced, even this appearance of mine would be useless.¡±


    Her voice was calm. Apart from that, however, what she¡¯s saying was nothing but dubious.


    Violet knew her position in the duchy. She didn¡¯t consider herself as a human being. No, she thought her <i>family</i> didn¡¯t consider her as such.


    She¡¯s not their family, she¡¯s not a human to them¡ªjust something to throw away one day after it¡¯s been used. Or perhaps, she could be likened to a chess piece that one couldn¡¯t bear to throw away.


    A person who was not loved and not respected. Just some useless thing.


    ¡°Worth¡­¡±


    It¡¯s impossible for Roen not to know what Violet was talking about.


    Dying all alone, drowning and unable to breathe in this world where no one was by her side¡­ In the end, the ducaldy abandoned her own self.


    She let go of all expectations.


    Her self-worth chipped away at her motivation, her emotions or any faint hope she could have still been harboring. It had rendered her view on her existence to be utterly worthless, plummeting deeper and deeper¡ªto the bottom of theke.


    Roen reached out towards her.


    For a moment, Violet flinched. She thought she might get hit.


    However, contrary to what she thought, his hand only patted Violet¡¯s head slowly and gently.


    It was a soft, careful, tender touch. Thest time she received such a thing was when she was a child.


    ¡°Because we¡¯re family.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re my younger sister.¡±


    A familial rtionship, as he mentioned, had always been something that seemed easy to throw away.


    As a family member to another, one could be far crueler than any stranger at all, and it¡¯s for this reason that Violet did not feel the cling to such a rtionship. The closest enemy one could have was family.


    Violet could not let go of the hatred she felt for the person in front of her now, and she had long since abandoned hope that she would receive any love from him. Yet here, he was one-sidedly pouring out affection towards her as her older brother.


    She stared nkly at him.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said once more.


    Along with his feeble apology, he retracted his hand from her head.


    For a second there, Violet could not process what had just happened.


    Right before Roen¡¯s eyes, he could see just how much vignce there could be in response to only reaching a hand towards a person. And, right before his eyes, he could see the culmination of his own supposed principles¡ªof keeping rtionships with others only based upon their worth.


    It was all his doing. He realized that he was the one who made her like this.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯m ufortable, so let¡¯s just call it a day. You already know your way around, so get out on your own.¡±


    As Violet said this, her eyes were so full of hostility. Her voice contained a deep-seated anger that just wanted to announce itself loudly.


    She withdrew into herself. If she were to start hoping again, she would just be abandoned someday once more.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Vee.¡±


    Roen murmured as he watched Violet¡¯s retreating back.


    A deep wound could not be easily healed.


    Now, he would never again see that child who could have been lovingly embraced by her family. He would never again see her trying hard to be acknowledged.


    Regrets alwayse toote.


    * * *


    <i>tter.</i>


    The sharp sounds of tableware hitting each other filled the quiet room. They weren¡¯t very loud, but the noise was particrly grating because all the people seated around the table were utterly silent.


    By nature, the duke ate quietly.


    It had already been months since Violet had disappeared from the dinner table. Their meals always seemed to be full of pleasant conversation between the siblings who got along well, but now, there was only silence.


    Not to mention, Mikhail was in a despondent state due to the doubts raised against his qualification as the duchy¡¯s heir, while Roen just observed and said nothing.


    The ttering was not that loud. It¡¯s not so much that it would be against proper etiquette.


    Even so, it was bothersome.


    If Violet was here, she would certainly say something like, ¡®Your conduct <i>must</i> remain suitable to the Everett name.¡¯


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Roen asked, his tone much the same as any other day.


    It was the kind of question that a kind older brother would worriedly ask his beloved younger sister.


    ¡°Ah, Brother Roen¡­ I¡¯m quite alright now.¡±


    Aileen smiled softly.


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯vepletely recovered yet, Aileen. You don¡¯t seem to have enough strength in your hands yet.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡±


    He uttered the question with such a sweet and gentle tone.


    To the point that no one here would think that Roen was pointing out Aileen¡¯s etiquette.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m stillcking in many ways. I should work harder, shouldn¡¯t I? To be a splendid person¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You can¡¯t be spoiled forever. You have to be more careful in the future.¡±


    Roen continued to speak kindly, and Aileen couldn¡¯t help but shrink at those words.


    ¡°Oh, as expected I¡¯m, I¡¯m still¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Aileen? What¡¯scking about you! You just have to stay healthy and well, just as you do now. And don¡¯t get hurt from now on.¡±


    Aileen¡¯s sullen voice was drowned out by Mikhail¡¯s outburst.


    Hearing what Mikhail said, Roen frowned slightly.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    If it was Violet who made such a mistake, would Mikhail side with her as he did with Aileen just now?


    Would he have encouraged her to stay healthy? Would he have said that all she needed to do was not to get sick because she wasn¡¯tcking at all? Would he have believed that she could do better?


    It¡¯s safe to say that these were all meaningless questions. The answer to all of them would be a resounding ¡®no¡¯.


    Self-deprecation festered into a spreading sense of guilt within Roen.


    He had never been good to her. Roen swallowed a bitter smile.


    ¡°No, Brother Mikhail. What Brother Roen said is right. I¡¯m not good enoughpared to Sister. She¡¯s so elegant, after all¡­ I¡¯m never going to be able to reach her standards, but I should¡­ I should try, shouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°What does that hateful wench have to do with anything! You¡¯re fine just the way you are right now!¡±


    Mikhail¡¯s spirited bellows filled the dining hall.


    Until now, the duke had only been eating silently, and he remained as such.


    What a farce.


    All of the painful experiences that Violet had to go through were just like terribly written ys.


    Mikhail was the blockhead that he was, and the duke whose favorite was Violet simply left the whole problem unchecked.


    Once the silence was broken, the dining hall was quickly filled with chatter. Mikhail and Aileen continued their conversation.


    The main topic of their drivel was Violet. Whenever Aileen would cautiously say, ¡®Sister is so great, while I¡¯m not,¡¯ Mikhail did not hesitate to refute those words. Then, Aileen would say nothing to deny that refutation and would just innocently smile.


    This was how Aileen made herself out to be the nicest child ever.


    Truly. What a farce.


    ¡°I just hope that Sister¡¯s confinement gets lifted soon. If I try¡­ I¡¯m sure my sincerity will reach her.¡±


    ¡°You. You¡¯re just such a good kid that I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ll survive in this harsh world¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Brother. I can harden my heart, too! But Sister¡­ Why do you think she doesn¡¯t like me so much? Even though we¡¯re family.¡±


    If Violet heard this, she surely would have said many things in return.


    But really, what <i>family</i> was this.


    Roen gave it a brief thought. In the meantime, the conversation between Aileen and Mikhail flowed as such.


    Aileen consoled Mikhail, who might soon be stripped of his status as the duke¡¯s heir. But then Mikhail acted tough and said, ¡®Then who else would be the next head of the family?¡¯


    It didn¡¯t <i>just</i> sound awkward¡ªyou could even say that it felt contrived.


    Roen smiled gently.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to seek out someone you dislike, of course.¡±


    <i>¡°Hiic¡ª</i> Brother, but how could I let Sister continue thinking of me that way? She might never know my sincere feelings.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this from my own experience, Aileen. If you¡¯re truly thinking of the other person¡¯s well-being, you can¡¯t just force yourself on them. Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    ¡°B-Brother¡­¡±


    Roen didn¡¯t quite have the right to say such a thing as he had been visiting Violet everyday recently, but still.


    There was a strange expression on Mikhail¡¯s face, looking as though there¡¯s something he wanted to say. However, the duke set down his silverware right then, and Mikhail closed his mouth.


    Now, Roen had finished his meal and so he stood up from his seat. He could feel it already¡ªif he wouldn¡¯t drink some digestive medicine any time soon, he¡¯d surely throw up everything he had just eaten.


    ¡®Oh, back then¡­¡¯


    Roen grimaced slightly as he recalled one particr day in the past where he saw Violet letting out dry heaves after dinner.


    Before Roen stepped away from the dinner table, he did not forget to leave thest word.


    ¡°Brother,¡± he said to Mikhail.


    ¡°What is it this time.¡±


    ¡°Take good care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡±


    The duke continued to say nothing even after Roen left the dining hall first.


    In the silence that nketed the air, Aileen cried as shemented, ¡°Does Brother Roen hate me now?¡±


    Of course, Mikhail hurriedly consoled her.


    The truth was a very strange thing.


    * * *


    ¡°So, that¡¯s what happened.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why do you even have toe visit me and tell me something like that¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression waspletely sour.


    It¡¯s only natural. Just one mention of those people was enough to make her nauseous, so listening to such news about them would certainly make her lose her appetite too.


    Violet couldn¡¯t understand why Roen was bringing them up. She let out a frustrated sigh.


    ¡°At the very least,¡± Roen said. ¡°I believe you should know.¡±


    ¡°¡­I do <i>not</i> need to know.¡±


    ¡°Information adds to one¡¯s strength. And knowledge is something you can wield with authority. It¡¯s better than being clueless, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet said nothing in return.


    Seeing the evident difort in her countenance, Roen tried to gauge Violet¡¯s reaction. Was he wrong to do this?


    Roen looked away. Violet continued to remain silent.


    The higher the position a person had, the worse they were at interpersonal rtionships. Mary shook her head.


    ¡°¡­I said I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Roen still couldn¡¯t see what the problem was, but he at least knew that he should just stop talking about that. Surreptitiously, Roen then decided to shut his mouth about that topic.


    So, he swiftly changed the subject.


    ¡°Anyway, the Crown Prince has taken an interest in your art.¡±


    However, Roen¡¯s words only served to further worsen Violet¡¯s already displeased frown.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    ¡°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 be 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 himter, 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 ducaldy 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 weing 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 dering that you shouldpete 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 bes 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 bes the crown princess, andter 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. <i>rgh.</i> 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 surelye 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 ce 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¡ªeverything 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 ying 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 <i>decade.</i>


    Amidst this mess, the fox proimed herself to be king, but the biggest problem was actually the head maid, who had been reigning over the residence as though <i>she</i> 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¡ªtruly a spectacle¡ªjust 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.


    <i>Father, have you always been so terribly ipetent?</i>


    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.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    * * *


    All of a sudden, it was decided that Aileen would be studying abroad. It was announced shortly after Mikhail had been stripped of his position as the duke¡¯s heir.


    Any decisions rted to the household¡¯s sessorship certainly couldn¡¯t have been done in haste, but in this case, it was as good as done from the onset.


    The day Aileen was notified that she would be studying abroad, she vaguely noticed that the atmosphere around the duke¡¯s residence was changing.


    ¡°You there, by any chance, have you seen Aff anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Pardon me, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°Umm, I¡¯m talking about my maid.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, Aff. I believe she has left for House Rindello. It was sudden, but the circumstances must have called for it.¡±


    ¡°Really? But for her to leave without telling me¡­ Anyway, thank you.¡±


    As Aileen gave her a bright smile, the maid blushed. That lovely face of hers never failed to have a strong influence on others.


    Only a fool would not notice that the people around her were gradually changing.


    Now that there was no one around her, Aileen bit her fingernails, but the moment she sensed someone¡¯s presence behind her, she stopped what she was doing and hid her hands.


    ¡°Mdy?¡±


    ¡°Ah, hello. You¡¯re a neer, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mdy. People call me Letty. Here, I¡¯ve brought some refreshments for you.¡±


    ¡°Letty. So you¡¯re called Letty?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I would like to ask.¡±


    Holding onto the maid¡¯s arm, Aileen smiled very brightly at her. The maid, being a neer, had no resistance to her charm.


    But she looked apprehensive.


    ¡°Did Brother Roen say anything? I think he kinda doesn¡¯t like me these days¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, Mdy. It wasn¡¯t long ago that the Young Master had asked me about your wellbeing.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I heard that he got very angry at the people who talked about Sister. All they did was talk about Sister, but they got into big trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you happen to know anything?¡±


    ¡°It is not my ce to talk about the matter thoughtlessly. Once you¡¯re done eatingter, I¡¯lle back and clean up, Mdy.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª wait a moment!¡±


    Whether or not the lovable nobledy tried to make her stay put or not, the new maid moved quickly. Having finished what she came here to do, she hastily escaped from Aileen¡¯s room.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be. This absolutely cannot be¡­¡±


    Chewing her nails once more even though there were snacks perfectly ced on the table right there, Aileen muttered to herself anxiously.


    The servants who had merely <i>talked</i> about Violet were all rebuked for breaking the code of conduct. They were groundless rumors that had been spread as though they were facts, but regardless, she could only wonder whether such an act was worth the punishment they had faced in return.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be. <i>I¡¯m</i> right here¡­¡±


    Scowling to the fullest, Aileen threw her pillow with much annoyance.


    She was in the middle of letting off steam to ease her restlessness, but she froze at once. She heard the sound of someone¡¯s movements.


    ¡°Hi, Aileen.¡±


    ¡°Broth¡­er?¡±


    The visitor was none other than Roen.


    No way. That maid.


    Did she already reach Roen in the meantime?


    But how could a mere maid talk to a duke¡¯s son? Thinking it impossible, Aileen quickly schooled her features and smiled.


    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± he greeted.


    ¡°Yeees, good afternoon, Brother.¡±


    It was peaceful. If it wasn¡¯t for the thinly veiled war of nerves between them, anyone who¡¯d see this sight would think that they were on ardently good terms.


    ¡°What brings you here¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busytely, and I know I haven¡¯t been spending enough quality time with you. I¡¯m actually here to bring you a gift, and¡­ I kept knocking, but I guess you couldn¡¯t hear me. I took the liberty of letting myself in.¡±


    ¡°O-Oh?¡±


    ¡°Just asking, but is anything troubling you these days?¡±


    With an amicable expression pasted upon his features, Roen strode forward and ced arge teddy bear next to Aileen.


    In an instant, herplexion deteriorated.


    ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve been very anxious about many things these days. In particr, with matters regarding me?¡±


    ¡°W-Whaat? T-That can¡¯t be! How could I, with you Brother¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, our kind-hearted Aileen. You must have been worried about me because you¡¯ve just got such a big heart, don¡¯t you? Perhaps it¡¯s the people around you who have exaggerated the rumors¡­¡±


    ¡°Th¡­at can¡¯t be. They¡¯re all good people.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be so sure about what goes on in people¡¯s minds, actually. When surrounded by only ill-intentioned people, isn¡¯t it terrible that my kind-hearted younger sister is getting painted in such a bad light? Maybe I should pay more attention.¡±


    ¡°Brother, I really am alright. They have a reason for doing so¡­¡±


    The more her clear, ringing voice evidently contained sadness, the darker the smile on Roen¡¯s lips became.


    Along with the teddy bear, Roen also brought a hairclip for Aileen. He tucked away a lock of her hair gently, then spoke.


    ¡°My kind-hearted younger sister¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Aileen. This world isn¡¯t as forgiving as you think.


    With the clip now on her hair, its green hue going together well with her pink locks, it sparkled.


    Roen chuckled.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good child, so of course you won¡¯t understand. In this world, there are people who take advantage of another¡¯s kindness, and those people would take that kindness for granted. That would result in the copse of the status quo.¡±


    ¡°¡­Broth, er.¡±


    What he said just now were the same words that Violet once told Aileen.


    If one stroke of kindness could topple the status quo, in the end, who would be held ountable?


    ¡°But you¡¯re a good child, I know.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Still, you don¡¯t have to know about such squalid matters. Because you¡¯ll always be a good, kind-hearted child.¡±


    <i>Shhk.</i> The touch of the hand patting her hair remained gentle.


    Aileen could only look up at Roen with a vacant look in her eyes.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    ¡°That¡¯s why, Aileen, I¡¯ll take care of all the bad things for you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Brother¡­¡±


    ¡°You know that a good child should just stay nice, yes? And that a good child can¡¯t talk about other people¡¯s business recklessly?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    <i>That¡¯s right, good girl.</i>


    Until the moment the older brother¡¯s gentle hand left her hair, the nk look on Aileen remained. She could not fix her expression at all.


    * * *


    Violet disliked Roen.


    The reason she disliked him was not simply because he had been cruel to her before, but simply because of his nature.


    <i>A good child shouldn¡¯t behave like this,</i> he¡¯d often say.


    Roen¡¯s cunning ways used to be directed at Violet¡ªchipping away at her all that time¡ªhowever, they were now directed at Aileen.


    The image of a ¡®good child¡¯ that Aileen had manufactured for herself was solid through and through, yet it now became a shackle that she could not escape.


    After her study abroad at some unknown ce had been decided, Aileen¡¯s behavior began to be constantly controlled. There was not a single time when she could rebel or abandon her image as a ¡®good child¡¯.


    The reason Aileen Everett had been able to live as an Everett until now was, of course, her image.


    Mikhail had no control over the situation either.


    Each and every one of his actions in the past had been pointed out and brought to light, leaving him constantly bombarded. Though he was the duke¡¯s heir, he had no ability to ovee it.


    The smallest of words or deeds were assessed, and this evaluation served as a turning point in the present.


    Surveince was relentless. One small act became a rumor that would spread immediately.


    Thus, there was nothing Mikhail could do for his beloved younger sister.


    ¡°Aileen, what¡¯s the matter? The area beneath your eyes has gone dark. Perhaps you didn¡¯t get enough sleep¡­¡±


    ¡°N-Not at all. Brother, I just¡­¡±


    Even if the two siblings who cared a lot about each other were to meet, their hands were tied. The older brother, who loved and cared for his younger sister,mented that there was nothing he could do for her.


    ¡°¡­Just what the hell have you been doing, Roen.¡±


    ¡°nder between siblings now? I¡¯m hurt, Elder Brother.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit. You¡¯ve changed ever since you got close to that viiness. If you don¡¯t stop this right away, I¡¯ll make damn sure you¡¯ll pay for it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Either way, the retribution you speak of has alreadymenced. With you, Elder Brother, and¡­¡±


    As Roen trailed off, he nced at Aileen. Being met with the gentle expression on his face, Aileen flinched.


    Roen was no fool. Ever since he realized what kind of life Violet had been living until now, not a day went by that he didn¡¯t think about it.


    Roen was tormented by guilt.


    For him to have bullied Violet for ten years by stigmatizing her as a ¡®viiness¡¯¡­ He couldn¡¯t stand what he had done to her. The inside of his mouth tasted bitter.


    Even when there was no one by her side, she just endured it all on her own.


    Nevertheless, whether or not Roen sympathized with Violet, what happened in the past would not disappear.


    The day that Violet would call Roen ¡®Brother¡¯ again would nevere.


    ¡°¡­Maniptive prick.¡±


    ¡°I do believe that¡¯s better than being an halfwit.¡±


    The one who had already realized his transgressionsughed at the two who still remained ignorant.


    Roen, who was looking at Mikhail, turned around.


    * * *


    Regardless of whether the main mansion had been overturned or not, Violet¡¯s days were full of leisure.


    The ducaldy had been allowed to go on outings once a week, and she used this time to freely wander around the city.


    She had two official escort knights, and <i>several</i> unofficial escort knights.


    One short outing of the ducaldy required considerable manpower, but Violet was clueless about this.


    The portraits that she would do in front of the fountain had since be a specialty of the town. People who could ill afford professional painters or camera photographs were in a flurry to meet Violet.


    Some quarrels broke out, too. There were plenty of people who disliked the fact that Violet had not learned formally in an atelier.


    Though there were many individuals secretly stationed here and there as the ducaldy¡¯s security detail, they couldn¡¯t stop some painters who went so far as to disguise themselves as customers.


    ¡°Did you seriously draw this? Hah. I already had low expectations for art from a <i>girl</i> like you, but this is rather abysmal.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Sure.¡±


    ¡°Back in my day¡­! For a little girl to¡­!¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression clouded over.


    This guy was a customer so she drew a portrait for him, but he happened to be a backwards-thinking boomer<sup>[1]</sup>.


    Violet was in the middle of taking down her signboard, but the man continued to nag about his long experience as an artist one after another. She shook her head.


    Then, when he mentioned that he had been invited to the duke¡¯s residence to paint a portrait, Violet replied offhandedly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met you before though¡­ That¡¯s strange¡­¡±


    ¡°W-What?! Of course! There¡¯s no way a wench like you would have been able to meet me!¡±


    But if he, indeed, was invited to the duke¡¯s residence to paint a portrait, she should have met him at least once, right? But why didn¡¯t she know him?


    As he watched the man constantly being impertinent, Zylo reached a hand towards the hilt of his sword and growled.


    Still though, Violet was unbothered.


    Compared to the life she had lived, this was just adorable.


    <i>1 Violet used the ng term ?? here, so I went with ¡®backwards-thinking boomer¡¯ for its trantion. Basically, ?? means a nagging older/elderly man who forces down his old-fashioned values down your throat, especially if you¡¯re young. ?</i>

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I stand in support of them, but I shall report you for contempt against nobility. You¡¯d better not have lied right here. I don¡¯t remember seeing you anywhere in the ducal residence.¡±


    ¡°W-What?!¡±


    The stationed guards were called.


    When Violet stood up, Mary swooped in and hurled one insult after another at the man.


    Hearing the delicate Mary¡¯s cusses made Violet chuckle.


    ¡°I mean, she¡¯s obviously very elegant, but is she really a noble?¡±


    ¡°Good gracious, why is a noble drawing in a ce like this? Not only that, but even taking portraitmissions.¡±


    Violet¡¯s words just now caused a brief stir among the crowd. One of them looked intently at Violet¡¯s silver hair and said, ¡°By any chance¡­¡± And soon after, the others followed.


    .


    .


    .


    In any case, her usual outings were peaceful.


    That was, until she met Mikhail.


    ¡°¡­What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Ha, haha. I am the Everett Duchy¡¯s sessor¡ªthe Young Duke himself. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m not allowed to go anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Yeess. I see.¡±


    She sent Roen back the other day when he had troubled her. Today was a good day for her though, since it started out with a nice meat pie for breakfast, and it put her in a pleasant mood.


    After she had finished her morning exercise, she went out to town and was just walking around the streets while carrying her materials in a bag.


    It was a few days ago that rumors started circting amongst the townsfolk that she¡¯s a noble, and the looks they gave her shifted strangely. Violet did not mind this though.


    Anyone who treated Violet awkwardly just received a refreshing smile from her, and she¡¯d tell them that they didn¡¯t have to care about her standing.


    So, as they realized that Violet was more easy-going than she looked, people tried to treat her as they usually did again.


    However.


    ¡°And where are you going?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m just going on my way.¡±


    Mikhail was now blocking her path, so it¡¯s only natural that her good mood quickly went down the drain.


    ¡°I asked you <i>where!</i> Are you really going to act recklessly in front of me?¡±


    ¡°¡­It hurts. Please let me go.¡±


    At the sidelines, Zylo watched restlessly as his old friend showed such an ugly side of him.


    Instead of Zylo, it was the young knight, Leon, who zealously reached for the hilt of his sword. However, Mary hit his hand.


    ¡°Why are you stopping me!¡±


    ¡°¡­For now, just leave it to Mdy.¡±


    As Violet heard what the others behind her were saying, she grimaced. Mikhail had served both as a military officer and a civil official, so it was only natural that he was strong.


    ¡°Think of your reputation, Sir.¡±


    ¡°Ha, haha. Reputation, you say¡­ You¡¯re Everett¡¯s wicked woman, but it¡¯s possible for you to be conscious of such a thing too, huh?¡±


    Mikhail¡¯s words incurred waves of murmurs from the people around them. Even those who had already guessed her identity were shocked enough to stare nkly at Violet¡¯s silver hair.


    ¡°Did he really just say that Miss E is the wicked woman?¡±


    ¡°Yeah that¡¯s what he said, but maybe the rumors are wrong?¡±


    Hearing their rising mor, Violet bit her lower lip lightly. She didn¡¯t want her identity to be revealed like this.


    ¡°¡­Is there anything you have to say to me?¡±


    Nervously shaking off Mikhail¡¯s hand from her wrist, Violet asked this question.


    However, Mikhail¡¯s eyebrows furrowed at this.


    ¡°Ha, haha. Do I have anything to say, you ask. Are you not aware of just how you are acting in front of me now¡­!¡±


    As he growled in anger, Violet took a step back. Zylo grabbed the hilt of his sword. This time, Mary did not stop Leon.


    ¡°YOU!¡±


    Violet took a step back, but Mikhail took one step forward. Because he was tall and had a huge physique, he was entirely intimidating.


    Every time Violet tried to step back, Mikhail would prowl forward again.


    ¡°You¡¯re not even aware of what you¡¯re doing now!¡±


    <i>SLAP!</i>


    A deafening sound rang out.


    For a moment, Violet could not grasp what just happened. She stared nkly.


    Then, Mary copsed in front of her.


    ¡°Mary¡­!¡±


    ¡°M-Mdy.¡±


    With how forcefully she had been hit, red blood started flowing down Mary¡¯s nose.


    Right here and now, Mikhail so easily tried to p his younger sister. However, he started shaking in rage once again. The loyal maid caused him to miss his target.


    ¡°What have you done!¡±


    ¡°¡­Changed, my ass. Now isn¡¯t this a <i>show.¡±</i>


    ¡°Keep your reputation in mind. Do you have any idea just how much your actions right now are undermining the prestige of the household?!¡±


    ¡°In the end, it¡¯s still that damn household¡¯s prestige with you. That¡¯s all you know how to say. Do you know who I am?! I¡¯m Mikhail U. Everett! You can¡¯t tell me what or what not to do!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It¡¯s impossible tomunicate with him.


    Violet bit her lower lip again. Since Mikhail revealed his identity, there was no one here who could stop him.


    ¡°¡­I heard you were deprived of your status as the Duke¡¯s heir. So that¡¯s why. Now I get it.¡±


    ¡°What the hell do you know about me.¡±


    ¡°What do I know? As a matter of fact, I know very well just what kind of personality you have, Sir Mikhail. You were deprived of your status, yet there was nothing you could do about it, and now you think you can act however you want.¡±


    After her beloved Mary had been pped across the cheek, Violet decided to throw away any attempt at civility.


    If she herself had been the one who¡¯d been pped, she would have just let Mikhail be. After all, it had happened many, many times before.


    However, she could not bear to see that her person had been assaulted.


    It was someone else who had cornered Mikhail. But, of course, he was here before Violet to vent his anger.


    As soon as he heard the rumors that the wicked woman was drawing portraits at the town square, he came all the way here.


    ¡°You! Everyone in the world knows what kind of false rumors you¡¯re intentionally spreading! Everyone knows exactly what kind of nonsense you¡¯re up to right now! Rather than changing, you¡¯ve just be more vicious! You think people won¡¯t know how much you¡¯re harassing that child?!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing all sorts of things now, huh? You¡¯re really¡­ Fine. I lost my position as the Duke¡¯s heir¡ªbut it must have been <i>you¡¯re</i> doing, I¡¯m sure of it. You must have whispered something to Father.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Violet was about to say something, but at that moment¡­


    Zylo pointed his sword at Mikhail.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Violet helped Mary up. Leon had also unsheathed his sword.


    ¡°This is <i>exactly</i> why you were stripped of your title as heir.¡±


    Violet¡¯s eyes zed with a raging fire. Instead of being subdued likekes, her eyes were truly burning with anger.


    ¡°You¡¯re still not admitting your sins until the end?!¡±


    Mikhail roared once again. Commotion rose like waves amongst the watching bystanders. The situation had truly gone out of hand this time.


    ¡°Violet, if you¡ª!¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t expect you to be this foolish, Elder Brother.¡±


    At that moment the situation was brought to a halt only because Roen, who now stood on equal grounds with Mikhail in terms of his position, had arrived.


    Even though Roen was up to his neck with work, he made sure to hear out the reports relentlessly being sent to him about Mikhail¡¯s unexpected behavior.


    And, the reports quickly reached the duke¡¯s ear as well, but it was Roen who arrived to deal with the situation.


    ¡°¡­Under the orders of the Duke, drag him away.¡±


    ¡°Roen, you¡­!¡±


    Sighing, Roen brought a hand to his forehead.


    He found out recently that Mikhail had been indulging himself with alcohol. Even so, he didn¡¯t know that Mikhail would go as far as this.


    He heard that Mikhail had pped Violet many times before. It was frightening when an ignorant person was so set on his beliefs, but this was exactly who Mikhail was.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet red at Roen. It wasn¡¯t the kind of gaze that you¡¯d give someone who¡¯s here to help.


    Roen smiled bitterly.


    In Violet¡¯s case, there¡¯s no particr reason why she was displeased to see Roen. She was receiving help from him, but the fact that she managed to escape the situation only through this manner made her feel helpless¡ªthat¡¯s why she was ring at Roen.


    She had no other ce to vent her feelings.


    Even though Roen wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong.


    ¡°¡­The carriage is on standby. The maid can be examined by the family doctor.¡±


    ¡°¡­I will not thank you.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­ and I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°¡­Even if you say that, I will not feel grateful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ here to deal with Elder Brother. You don¡¯t have to thank me.¡±


    Violet helped Mary into the carriage. Roen¡¯s assistance was something to be thankful for, but rather than feeling any gratitude at all, Violet felt only contempt.


    It was a renewed sense of contempt for herself. She wished she could be honest and thank him.


    Zylo and Leon remained and were tasked to help the other knights stabilize themotion. Roen, on the other hand, dispersed the spectators and told them not to spread false rumors.


    ¡°Mary, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°That, shi¡­ If I could just shove cow and pig fodder into that punk¡¯s mouth to shut him up¡­¡±


    Even as they were already safe in the carriage, Violet was still worried about Mary¡¯s condition. Nheless, she was relieved to hear the maid¡¯s colorful swearing.


    All this time, Mary had been refraining her potty mouth from saying all sorts of curses in front of herdy, but it was all being released now.


    Hearing the various creating swears spilling through the girl¡¯s lips, Violet smiled softly.


    It was a good thing that, though she had been pped, Mary seemed to be fine.


    ¡°I feel so fortunate that you¡¯re my maid. Although I feel the opposite about how you have to go through this.¡±


    ¡°I feel fortunate that I can serve you, too, Mdy. If I hadn¡¯t stepped forward, you¡¯re the one who would have been hit. I¡¯m the one who voluntarily took it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Still.¡±


    ¡°Mdy will make sure that I¡¯ll be treated, right?¡±


    Without a word, Violet drew Mary into an embrace.


    Mary fumbled for a moment, but she soon patted Violet¡¯s back.


    Violet truly thought that she was lucky to have Mary as her maid.


    * * *


    The one who¡¯s on the receiving end of Mikhail¡¯s rampage was Violet, who was under probation.


    Violet did notin about her probation, and the reason behind this was simple¡ªshe was toozy to do so.


    So, while Violet was cking off under the pretense of her probation, rumors about Mikhail went rampant.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it seems the Young Master pped the Young Lady on the cheek.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably the Young Lady¡¯s fault.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t though? My friend was right there when it happened, and I don¡¯t know about you but¡­¡±


    Groundless rumors also began to spread quickly. Or, well, rather than a groundless rumor, perhaps it¡¯s better to say that they¡¯re rumors that had shaky foundations?


    Roen did not stop these rumors from spreading. No, he even added a bit of lies here and there to bolster the truth.


    Mikhail caused such a disturbance because of Aileen, and one poor maid¡¯s head had gotten lopped off.


    If Mary would have heard of this, she¡¯d undoubtedly be shocked to hear it. After the incident, she received only the best treatment for her injury and was currently living a normal life. Rumors were rumors, after all.


    Moreover, for the duration of Violet¡¯s probation, she was not allowed to be visited by anyone at all. Her activities had also been restricted.


    As she was keeping a low profile again, Violet only snorted. Ever since she had been confined to the annex, she had already been ced on probation several times.


    It was obvious that the duke only handed down this order for Violet¡¯s protection. The knights stationed everywhere around the annex were testament enough to this. Of course, Violet did not care.


    As escort knights who failed to fulfill their duties to guard Violet, Leon and Zylo asked to be punished but did not receive any such punishments.


    They wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop a duke¡¯s son anyway, so it had been acknowledged that their actions were warranted.


    The others¡¯ daily lives were also peaceful. As was usual, Mary made a fuss while taking good care of the ducaldy, and the ducaldy herself, who was called a ¡®viiness¡¯, just went about her days leisurely and did nothing.


    As they each spent their time freely, Roen couldn¡¯t even get any shut eye because of how busy he was.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    * * *


    The n to get rid of Mikhail was postponed for the meantime, and this was only because Roen hade forward to the duke and asked for the right to dispose of Mikhail himself. The duke allowed it.


    The second son did not hand down punishment to the first. Instead, he visited his older brother and had a conversation alone with him.


    Just the two of them.


    Ever since Violet and Cairn had been born, they rarely had any reason to be alone together.


    Mikhail red at his younger brother. Albeit weak, hostility was evident.


    Roen said nothing. He¡¯s the one who initiated this conversation, yet he was just maintaining this dreadful silence. Thanks to this, the air in the drawing room had be endlessly heavy.


    Silence, stillness. Tempered hostility and a low sigh.


    In the room where even the faintest sound of a droplet could be heard, it was Mikhail who broke the silence first.


    ¡°If you have something to say, then just say it already. I am in no mood to listen to your unpleasant word games.¡±


    A punishment would soon be imposed upon him, yet he still carried himself with the confidence of an innocent man.


    Yes. As a matter of fact, Mikhail thought that he was not at fault in any way at all.


    ¡°¡­Brother.¡±


    ¡°Sure, carrying yourself in such sanctimony now, aren¡¯t you? You must be here for quite an <i>important </i>talk.¡±


    ¡°Stop it with the bullshit,¡± Roen said with a smile.


    At this, Mikhail¡¯s expression hardened.


    Watching the older brother who he once looked up to in admiration, Roen swallowed a sardonic smile.


    ¡°Bullshit?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Bullshit. Without any of the unpleasant wordy you dislike, I¡¯m asking you directly, Brother. Do you truly not know what situation you¡¯re in right now? Why aren¡¯t you aware? Unless you¡¯re quite literally a halfwit, there¡¯s no way that you <i>wouldn¡¯t</i> know. I can¡¯t believe I have a fool for an older brother¡ª¡±


    ¡°You atrocious¡ª!¡±


    However, regardless of Mikhail¡¯s furious outburst, Roen quickly cut him off.


    ¡°How can you be so blind and senseless? Ah. No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m here to say.¡±


    ¡°Then if you¡¯re here to say something, just do it right! If you don¡¯t want me to hit you, just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright, then let me be straight. There¡¯s no way a fool like you would ever apologize or reflect on your actions. Just keep this in mind. Do <i>not</i> show yourself in front of Violet anymore. Don¡¯t talk to her. Don¡¯t touch her. Just consider her as someone who doesn¡¯t exist. And above all¡ª¡±


    <i>Do not hurt her.</i>


    <i>tter¡ª</i> His teacup was brought down upon its saucer.


    Mikhail looked at Roen with a more incredulous expression than when he was called a halfwit. He could not believe his own ears.


    ¡°¡­I did say that I will refrain from the word games you revile.¡±


    Though Roen spoke in a seemingly nonchnt tone, his voice conveyed his seething anger.


    ¡°Do you hate that child that much?¡±


    ¡°Roen.¡±


    ¡°Do you truly hate her? So much so that you¡¯d me her even when she¡¯s done nothing wrong?¡±


    ¡°Roen E. Everett!¡±


    <i>Bang!</i>


    His fist hit the table. At the roaring noise, Roen looked at Mikhail as he sipped his tea.


    As the man who lived as a knight disyed a frightening amount of rage, the man who lived as a schr onlyughed.


    ¡°You know, Brother.¡±


    ¡°Shut your trap.¡±


    ¡°This time, it¡¯s not Violet¡¯s fault.¡±


    ¡°I told you to shut up!¡±


    ¡°And even all those times before¡­ Many of them were just pinned on her. No, even if she hadn¡¯t been framed, none of those actions were deserving of such criticism.¡±


    <i>BANG!</i>


    He hit the table once more. The teacups shook, and the tea spilled on the t surface.


    ¡°So.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°So are you saying that I should have just stayed still and watched everything, you damn punk?!¡±


    Mikhail¡¯s zing green eyes werepletely filled with rage. His words were directed at Roen, but his anger was¡ªalways, always¡ªdirected at Violet, even at this moment.


    <i>Even to the bitter end, you keep hating that child.</i>


    Roen smiled.


    Seemingly, Mikhail¡¯s anger was justified. However, that was not true.


    The one and only target of his hatred and derision was always just Violet.


    Because Violet S. Everett was a viiness. Because she was a bad child.


    However, right here and now, Mikhail had no right to be angry at Violet.


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault that you were deprived of your status as the Duke¡¯s heir.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°No, in some way, you could me me for that. I¡¯m the one who officially asked Father for the position of his heir.¡±


    ¡°You, right now¡­¡±


    ¡°But then, why are you angry at Violet and Violet alone? As if she was the only one in this world who¡¯s evil.¡±


    What stood against evil was justice.


    And justice could be served when a righteous man were to punish an evil woman.


    Thus, Mikhail was a ¡®righteous man¡¯.


    ¡°You know what? In the old days, I used to look up to you, Brother. You were kind, admirable and righteous.¡±


    ¡°Have you seriously gone mad after falling for that wicked woman¡¯s sweet talk?!¡±


    ¡°How did you end up like this¡­ There was once a time when you cared for Violet, when you didn¡¯t hate her this much. Why did you be a person who just keeps ming her for anything and everything?¡±


    ¡°ROEN!¡±


    The malice in the knight¡¯s voice was not something that a weak schr could endure.


    Roen¡¯s fingertips trembled. However, without showing any sight of this, heughed.


    How did this happen? When did their rtionship start deteriorating so horrifically?


    Roen considered himself to be smart, and yet what was it that had been blocking his view? What was it that made him blind to all of this?


    There was only one answer.


    And Roen agonized over that fixed answer.


    Just as Violet was Roen¡¯s younger sister, so too was Mikhail Roen¡¯s older brother.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    What had made these siblings as foolish as they were?


    ¡°We were the ones who made Violet like that.¡±


    ¡°Do you even hear what you¡¯re saying right now?!¡±


    ¡°We were the ones who drove her to do those things.¡±


    With hands clenched into fists, Roen spoke calmly. The guilt he had towards his younger sister had long grown uncontrobly within him.


    Even if he were to treat her well now in the name of atonement, it would not erase all the times that he had hurt her in the past.


    ¡°Yes, there was a time when I thought it was right to think and act like you, Brother. Violet was always angry. She insulted Aileen, did vicious things and harmed other people out of spite. All of those were terrible acts, and such acts are worth despising.¡±


    As Roen spoke slowly, he could barely keep his voice from trembling.


    ¡°But I have to ask you, Brother. Was there ever a time that you thought about why she did that?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Just once. Did you try listening to her properly?¡±


    ¡°What is it that you¡¯re getting at.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like this when we were younger. <i>We</i> weren¡¯t like this, not you, not me, not Violet¡­ Vee.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone just started to hate her, everyone just kept saying that she was wicked¡­ Yet she was only a child. For as young as she had been, was there anything that she could have done?¡±


    Violet was always enraged. She alwaysshed out in anger and acted viciously against anyone in her path. She carried malice towards everyone.


    A person who had only received hatred would also only return hatred.


    ¡°She asked us for help.¡±


    ¡°Do I have to repeat myself each time? What is it that you <i>want.¡±</i>


    ¡°She begged us for help over and over again¡ªto listen to her, even just once¡­¡±


    ¡°Roen!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been saying what I wanted to say for a while now, Brother.¡±


    <i>We¡¯re the ones who made her do that.</i>


    ¡°If that child is a wicked woman as everyone says, it was us who made her that way.¡±


    At the quiet words that continued to flow, Mikhail¡¯s eyes glinted.


    No matter what reason there was behind it, evil was evil. Malicious acts should never be dismissed as the fault of others.


    Regardless of anything, Violet was a wicked woman.


    ¡°So you, what you¡¯re saying right now¡­¡±


    Good and evil were the opposite of each other. He who punishes evil was a good man. Therefore Mikhail, who did not tolerate evil deeds, was a righteous man.


    He must be a righteous man.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that I.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the bad one here, huh?¡±


    His glinting eyes trembled constantly. Not a single grain of guilt could be seen in those eyes.


    Roen smiled.


    ¡°¡­You were wrong, Brother.¡±


    Roen took a sip out of his tea. His mouth felt dry as he smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Everything you¡¯ve done so far¡­¡±


    Malicious acts should not be dismissed as the fault of others, as he said.


    ¡°Were things that should not have been done.¡±


    Violet did not me others for any of her own misdeeds. She did not even show any guilt for them.


    But here Mikhail was, insisting that Violet was to me for everything <i>he</i> did.


    ¡°We were wrong. All we did was criticize her for her faults without asking why, all we did was get angry at her, and¡ªright¡ªall <i>you</i> did, Brother, was use violence against her. We kept pushing her and telling her she¡¯s at fault. But you¡­ <i>you¡¯re </i>the one who¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Physical violence was not the only kind of violence.


    In this world, there were a plethora of ways, invisible to the naked eye, to inflict harm upon others.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Mikhail¡¯s hand hit the desk once more. As he hit the hard surface with his bare hand several times now, it had turned red.


    The air trembled due to the aura that now covered both of his fists.


    Roen looked straight into Mikhail¡¯s glinting eyes.


    ¡°That, cannot¡­¡±


    He did not admit any of his wrongdoings.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be! You¡¯re saying that I was wrong? That I¡¯m at fault? I¡ª¡±


    <i>I am Mikhail!</i>


    Roen looked into Mikhail¡¯s eyes, hoping that they would contain even a small hint of guilt.


    But there was no such thing.


    Just unabashed haughtiness remained in his gaze as it always did. This man did not admit to his guilt. He would not even acknowledge it.


    ¡°Why must Violet¡¯s¡ª Why must that evil thing¡¯s wrongdoings be attributed to me?!¡±


    Had he not heard a single word that Roen had uttered thus far? He inwardly clicked his tongue.


    He really didn¡¯t know if Mikhail¡¯s brain was capable of a single thought or if it was just truly mere decoration.


    ¡®Indeed, if he had a functional brain, he would have stopped persecuting Violet long before.¡¯


    Time and time again, Mikhail vilified Violet. He kept on telling her that she was the one who did everything wrong. How ironic was it that he lived with such double standards.


    Contrary to Mikhail¡¯s line of logic, it was impossible for the world to be divided simply between good and evil.


    Everett was a noble household and a founding family of the empire.


    As a household that had power second only to the imperial family itself, House Everett was leading numerous other vassals. The family carried with them an aristocratic blue bloodline that served to protect the country, and the responsibility they carried on their shoulders included the lives of countless other people.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s a limit to subjecting others to such bullshit. Leave.¡±


    Thus, House Everett¡¯s sessor, Mikhail, had to bepletely wless.


    And Roen could only scoff at that man¡¯s obstinacy.


    There was no perfect human being in this world. The position of a household heir was a heavy one; even if he had gone mad because of it, must he have numbed himself as he went crazy?

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    * * *


    If only all problems could be simple.


    But, no. In this world, it was allplicated.


    Just as it was possible for a victim not to bepletely good, so too was it possible for a perpetrator not to bepletely evil. Each person had their own reasons.


    ¡°¡­I see. So that¡¯s your answer, Elder Brother.¡±


    Mikhail leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. When Roen said that, his expression somehow looked forlorn.


    The next Duke of Everett.


    A talented person versed in both literary and martial arts.


    A righteous knight.


    ¡°Brother is so nice. How can such a cool person like you exist?¡±


    His life was without any stains.


    Except for only one¡ªhis younger sister who never failed to go around doing evil deeds.


    ¡°Do not lose sight of your status as the Duke¡¯s heir. Conduct yourself appropriately.¡±


    He had always lived a knight¡¯s chivalric life. At the same time, he did not neglect his studies so that he could assume the responsibilities of a military officer.


    The amount of studying and pressure he had gone through was beyond one life, but the number of lives he had to bear was countless.


    Mikhail had to think and act like the duke¡¯s heir at all times. If not, just one mistake of his might kill dozens, hundred, thousands.


    ¡°Brother is so much like a righteous knight.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I read a book yesterday, and the knight in that story¡­¡±


    Aileen¡¯s voice echoed in his ears like a hallucination. That poor child.


    Violet had persecuted that poor younger sister.


    She despised the girl because they had not been born from the same womb.


    Half of Aileen¡¯s blood was of lowly origins, that¡¯s why she had been criticized.


    ¡°Whenever the princess is in danger, the prince always appears and saves her. A prince on a white horse!¡±


    Violet did not hesitate to insult the girl, nor did she forgive any slightest mistake.


    She had thrown hot tea at the girl, deliberately spilled wine, and pped her across the cheek.


    ¡°You are the coolest and most righteous older brother in the world!¡±


    To have looked down on the girl so openly in front of others, what could that be called if not evil?


    ¡°I.¡±


    ¡°Conduct yourself appropriately.¡±


    ¡°¡­I was <em>wrong?¡±</em>


    He just did what he had to do. It was Violet who was wrong.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    There was no answer that could be as clear as ck and white, as unambiguous as good and evil.


    Thinking in such a way would just be shallow.


    Immersed in himself as he did not look back at others, he cut the world to just conflicting opposites, building rtionships based on only his own criteria.


    Holding firm to one¡¯s beliefs was a noble act, but nothing was more twisted than obstinately clinging to false beliefs.


    If those beliefs were to be broken, what should he do?


    Should he justify his own actions just so he could protect himself?


    However, if self-justification was impossible, the thing that¡¯s left in its ce.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    What could it be?


    * * *


    The punishment that Roen decided for Mikhail was simple.


    House arrest for one month. And, thereafter, seven days of probation.


    Considering that Violet was also on probation, this punishment was very light.


    Even so, the problem that Mikhail instigated when he ran wild and smeared the duchy¡¯s reputation was somehow resolved.


    There was no need to outwardly show political strife from within the family. It was good to use rumors to one¡¯s advantage in moderation, but it¡¯s wise to stop once the goal was reached, which was overturning the bad rumors about Violet.


    Despite the penalty given to him, Mikhail was much too quiet. Aileen made a fuss about meeting her older brother, but she was not allowed to visit.


    Perfect solitude and istion.


    Neither Mikhail nor Aileen were in much different positions.


    Besides that, after Mikhail had been stripped of his status as the duke¡¯s heir and when Roen was thus proimed as the next duke, the news about it spread throughout the empire.


    Some were skeptical about whether the weak Roen would be able to handle the position. But on the other hand, those who knew his true nature only shuddered.


    All of this happened so quickly, but there were no rumors going around about Violet.


    As he was worried about the stability of Violet¡¯s health¡ªboth physical and mental¡ªRoen had blocked any information about her from leaking out.


    ¡°Is this your home, Young Lord?¡±


    ¡°Mmh. What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Youe and go as if it is.¡±


    ¡°Well, technically speaking, it <i>is</i> my home. There¡¯s no ce in the ducal residence that I can¡¯t go to.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As Violet was notpletely aware of the goings-on outside, she only looked at Roen incredulously.


    It¡¯s a bit of a spectacle to see himing here to personally report how he had blocked the rumors about her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you came all the way here just to say that.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. There¡¯s many other things I¡¯m here to tell you. First of all, I told you about how Elder Brother is going to be stripped of his position as the sessor, right? He¡¯ll be sent to Ashbourne soon, too.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that seaside town.¡±


    ¡°I can deal with him easily and disguise it as a death from an illness or an ident, but we <i>did</i> get along before though.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet was born and raised in this world, but as she kept a modern way of thinking, she reacted to Roen¡¯s words seriously.


    Roen just added that he was merely kidding.


    ¡°Now, onto the next piece of news.¡±


    ¡°If you have nothing substantial to say, I¡¯d like for you to leave now.¡±


    ¡°But like I said, I¡¯m here because there¡¯s something I have to tell you. I¡¯m heading to the capital¡ªwould you like toe with me?¡±


    Roen asked her casually.


    Violet had to do everything she could to resist the urge of raising her voice.


    ¡°I already turned you downst time¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is it because of the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know his face.¡±

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    ¡°I¡¯m quite sure you at least know his face though¡­ In any case, if the problem lies with the Imperial Family, then I can be there to block them. Of course, if you don¡¯t wish to marry, it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    Violet tly rejected Roen¡¯s suggestion.


    For a moment, Roen made a sulky expression. He looked so abominable in Violet¡¯s eyes that the thought shed across her mind that she <i>really</i> might throw tea at that hateful face.


    ¡°You know, Vee¡ª¡±


    ¡°There is a limit to such things. That is enough.¡±


    As Violet coldly recited as such, Roen appropriately quieted himself.


    Strangely sullen because he couldn¡¯t freely call her with her childhood nickname, Roen looked at Violet¡¯s expression.


    ¡°What do you think of Father¡ªHis Grace the Duke?¡±


    Broaching the subject carefully, Roen asked. In turn, Violet narrowed her eyes, trying to see through his intentions.


    ¡°I believe that he is a great person.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ah. Not like that. Rather, as a father.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, Young Lord, but I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re trying to get me to say.¡±


    Violet expressed her suspicion.


    At this, Roen smirked.


    As he picked which words might be right, Roen intertwined his fingers. There was a soft smile on his lips as he looked at Violet.


    If anyone was there who might not have known their rtionship, perhaps they¡¯d guess that Roen was determined to win her over. It was worth seeing that gaze behind his eyes.


    ¡°Instead of as a Duke, what kind of person do you think he is as a father?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Still as ever, it was difficult to surmise what Roen¡¯s true intentions were.


    Violet frowned slightly. If she were to give the wrong answer here, she wondered if she¡¯d be eliminated.


    One might say that she could only be overthinking. Even so, she couldn¡¯t let her guard down.


    Right now, this was a ce where the duke reigned like a king. Regardless of whether she held blood rtions to him or not, the question that Roen had posed to her was akin to poison.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to be so wary of. Then, shall I tell you what <i>I</i> think first?¡±


    As good as he was at reading other people¡¯s thoughts from their demeanor, Roen smiled brightly.


    The duke¡¯s second son, who had not known about Violet¡¯s situation until only recently, continued to speak freely as he was perfectly piercing through other people¡¯s minds so well.


    ¡°Certainly, as you say, he is an incredible duke. He governs his domain in such a way that mor would not be heard anywhere.¡±


    <i>Tap, tap.</i>


    Roen used one index finger to tap against his cheek in a yful manner.


    ¡°It is originally the duchess¡¯s role to take care of the house¡¯s internal affairs. However, even after Mother had passed away, no major internal problems arose. So, perhaps it¡¯s correct to say that His Grace the Duke is impable at managing both the internal and external affairs of the household?¡±


    Roen had brought up a taboo.


    And at once, Violet frowned deeply. Roen smiled again as he saw that his younger sister wasn¡¯t even hiding her reactions from him.


    It had been a long time since the duchess passed away.


    She¡¯s always had a weak constitution, and when she had met her demise, it was due to an illness. She did not meet a painful end.


    Nevertheless, Violet bristled quietly with anger.


    ¡°When I said that there¡¯s no problems with the household¡¯s internal affairs, I mean to say that there were no problems in the financial department, and there were no cases of embezzlement. It¡¯s even more marvelous to think that it¡¯s like this when the household deals with astronomical sums of money constantly.¡±


    Roen was speaking calmly. Though he noticed that Violet¡¯s fingertips were trembling, he did not stop.


    ¡°But as a matter of fact, everything was in shambles. Wasn¡¯t there a time when you ordered for a maid¡¯s tongue, ankles and fingers to be cut off?¡±


    At this, Roen had to pause.


    <i>Thud.</i>


    Violet hit the table with one hand.


    Roen stared at Violet for a moment, but soon continued.


    ¡°For a servant to ridicule one¡¯s master, this was a fully legal mode of punishment.¡±


    Watching as Roen sipped his tea nonchntly, Violet clenched her hand into a fist. If her fingernails were a little longer than they were now, they would have already dug into the inner flesh of her palm, letting out streams of blood.


    When looking back on her past behavior, Violet concluded that there was nothing else she could have done. But at the same time, she didn¡¯t think it was right.


    Yeon Ha-yoon, who was deep in her consciousness, would have said, ¡®You shouldn¡¯t do that.¡¯


    However, even though Violet had regained the memories and the modern sensibility of her previous life, she was, after all, a person residing in <i>this</i> era.


    She had absolutely <i>no</i> intention of apologizing to those people.


    ¡°Even so, I overreacted.¡±


    ¡°You did, yes.¡±


    Roen refreshingly agreed to her answer. Stumped, Violet looked up at him.


    There was an unreadable smile on his face.


    ¡°Father favors you. This is an undeniable fact.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t do anything about your actions. What¡¯s dreadful about this, however, was that if he had at least done <i>something</i> about it, things wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way.¡±


    Keeping her hands clenched until now, Violet let out a slow exhale.


    And atst, the true Violet once again faced Roen¡¯s green eyes.


    ¡°So, let me ask you the same question from a while ago, Violet. What do you think of Father?¡±


    She still couldn¡¯t grasp Roen¡¯s intentions, but she went on to give him an honest answer.


    ¡°I believe that he is a great duke.¡±


    Hearing Violet¡¯s response, Roen smiled.


    There were two things he needed to confirm.


    How heavy the past weighed on Violet, and how much emotion she had left for her family.


    He couldn¡¯t proceed with the matters rted to her however he wanted.


    ¡°Ah, yes. That¡¯s your answer from the start.¡±


    He had rambled on for as much as he had, yet still received the same answer the first time. Even so, Roen smoothed his chin and continued to smile at her with his eyes.


    A good man. A good duke.


    From the very beginning, Violet had not shown any signs that she considered the duke to be her ¡®family¡¯.


    She thoroughly regarded him as a stranger. Just some person she received good will from.


    ¡°But not a good father, of course,¡± Roen quipped.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    It all boiled down to one thing.


    Everything was the duke¡¯s fault.


    The duke had always kept an unchanging attitude. This was true to both before and after the death of his beloved wife.


    He pressured his eldest son, Mikhail, while he was indifferent to his second and third sons. Some might say that his favorite was Violet, but even the favor he held for her was mired with indifference.


    Human beings did not change easily.


    ¡°Do you really not want to go to the capital with me?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve been talking circles for a while now.¡±


    ¡°I believe I¡¯ve exined my cause well enough.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As Roen said this, Violet paused.


    The duke was not a good father. His negligence, under the pretense of love, was what ruined this family.


    A man who was regarded as ¡®His Grace¡¯ by his own children could not be a loving father.


    He could <i>never</i> be a good father.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Honesty was a virtue that could sometimes be so frustrating.


    Even though the duke had realized his mistakes and was trying to change, both the past and the duke¡¯s nature could not be changed.


    As for Violet, all she wished for was to be able to live quietly while painting, then she would die.


    But right now, because of Duke Everett¡ªwho was only a ¡®duke¡¯ to her¡ªshe couldn¡¯t fulfill that wish.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be hoping for a positive answer.¡±


    How could a person change.


    After finally receiving the answer he wanted to hear, Roen grinned broadly.


    * * *


    Violet¡¯s trip to the capital was quickly decided.


    After days and days of contemtion, she gave her reply to Roen. Cairn would be returning from the academy soon, and as soon as she heard about this, she acquiesced and said that she would be heading to the duchy¡¯s townhouse in the capital.


    Mikhail was a miscreant, but at the very least, he was mindful about losing face. Of course, he¡¯d been hellbent on criticizing Violet as ofte, to the point that it didn¡¯t look like he cared about the household¡¯s dignity anymore, but that was beside the point.


    Compared to Mikhail, Cairn didn¡¯t care about the consequences of his actions at all.


    The abuse that Violet had received all these years was mostly psychological, but physical violence was also thrown into the mix sometimes.


    Mikhail ounted for thirty percent of said physical abuse, while Cairn ounted for seventy percent. The times that Cairn had attacked Violet, without any self-restraint, was more than ten times in total.


    Once Cairn was home, how would he react the moment he¡¯d take a look at the current situation?


    Roen gazed at Violet with an ted¡ªthough slightly mixed¡ªgaze.


    He was well aware of Cairn¡¯s actions towards Violet as well. He knew about it all, but he had turned a blind eye.


    ¡°¡­Violet.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re done with your business here, I suggest that you please go back.¡±


    ¡°Um, this much can perhaps be called teatime between a brother and sister, so¡­¡±


    However, as he was subjected to Violet¡¯s contemptuous gaze, Roen wilted.


    Though he hadn¡¯t been formally appointed yet, House Everett¡¯s second son was now the duke¡¯s heir.


    Even so, he asked Violet carefully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be the next head of the household?¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that supposed to be a joke?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m serious here.¡±


    <i>You¡¯re capable enough. Why aren¡¯t you aiming for the position?</i>


    Roen asked the question. In response, Violet red at him ever deplorably.


    A sullen, puppy-like gaze met with Violet¡¯s re. It truly seemed like she was absolutely disgusted by him.


    Just as Roen said, Violet was also qualified enough to be the next duke. Of course, with the exception of her reputation.


    Throughout the years, she did everything she could just so she could receive her family¡¯s recognition, and in doing so, she had umted countless qualities and capabilities.


    The duke gave his four children equal education. The young siblings thought that the matter of session would follow primogeniture, thus naturally surmising that Mikhail would be the next duke. Even so, they all received the same education that the heir required.


    Aileen, however, did not receive this equal education. She had been given the opportunity to take it, but she had not been able to keep up with the rigorous lessons. And so, the duke took the initiative to make the order of changing Aileen¡¯s curriculum.


    On the other hand, Cairn dered that he wasn¡¯t suited to just sitting around at a table while studying all day, so he went on the skip ss.


    Thanks to this, only Mikhail, Roen and Violet had received an heir¡¯s education.


    And now that Mikhail had been deprived of his right to inherit the duchy, only two candidates were left.


    If Violet were to have both Roen and the duke¡¯s support, she could very well be the next head of the household. In this era, while it¡¯s certainly rare for women to take up leadership positions in the government, it was not unheard of.


    Besides that, bing the next duke was her surest path to revenge.


    The utter sweetness that power could bring was beyond imagination.


    However, even during the time that Violet had been acting as a wicked woman, she had never once tried to covet the position of ¡®heir¡¯.


    A cial air settled upon Violet¡¯s demeanor.


    She had wondered the same thing long ago, but Roen¡¯s question now was nothing but thoughtless.


    ¡°Young Lord, do you want me to be the next head of House Everett?¡±


    ¡°¡­A little.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the statement from the very person who <i>asked</i> His Grace the Duke that he be given the position of heir.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just, to protect you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please. Refrain from uttering such <i>nauseating</i> things.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Roen¡¯s heart sank.


    And Violet didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Sure, if I take up the position of the next duke, I will most certainly be able to enact my revenge. With only the Imperial Family above me in terms of power, I can do whatever I please.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°But then, what¡¯s the point?¡±


    ¡°The point?¡±


    ¡°Once upon a time, I wished for revenge. I wanted you all to kneel before me, to apologize and beg me for all the wrongs you¡¯ve done unto me. In my head, I¡¯ve already executed every single one of you over and over and <i>over</i> again.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Even if Roen had a hundred mouths, he would not be able to say anything back.

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    ¡°But then, what¡¯s the point of that?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Would doing that take away all the times that I had suffered?¡±


    At the question calmly posed, Roen managed to open his lips.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    However, his response was cut short by Violet¡¯s subsequent words.


    ¡°Young Lord, I want to be happy now.¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to forget about all the things that¡¯replicated, all the things that I hate¡­ I just wanted to be happy.¡±


    <i>And I thought I¡¯d be happy if I got an apology.</i>


    When she had received Roen¡¯s apology, it was calmer than she had expected. And it didn¡¯t feel nice at all. It was just this sticky unpleasant feeling that you¡¯d get from drinking unfizzy softdrinks.


    This resentment wouldn¡¯t disappear after just a few words.


    ¡°Let me ask you the same question. Do you think you¡¯ll be happy once you¡¯re the duke?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    Talking about the matter of revenge abetting revenge was a moot endeavor. As a matter of fact, revenge was a good thing. It might even improve one¡¯s quality of life a little.


    ¡°It¡¯s a frightening and heavy position to carry.¡±


    The sweetness brought by power would no doubt be addictive, however the weight of responsibility loomed not far behind.


    If the viiness were to be the duke¡¯s heir, the intensity of all the criticism against her would be even stronger.


    It would end up with just this: damned if you do, damned if you don¡¯t. If she couldn¡¯t do well, she¡¯d be cursed at. If she could do well, she¡¯d still be cursed at.


    Political enemies woulde in droves just to bring her down. They would spread more rumors about her, they would press her down with all their power and might.


    The same was true if she were to be the crown prince¡¯s consort. Power was bound to carry such responsibilities and criticisms.


    What Violet wanted was just one simple thing.


    To spend the rest of her life painting without having to worry about starving.


    This was the happiness she was hoping for.


    Roen smiled bitterly.


    The man, who now carried an insurmountable weight of responsibility all for the sake of apologizing to his younger sister, stopped asking meaningless questions.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll move up the schedule of our departure to the capital so that we can leave before Cairn returns. Restfortably for now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen had been stopping by Violet¡¯s residence regrly these days even though he had such dark circles under his eyes. After a short goodbye, he left the drawing room.


    Still as ever, there was no such thing as a prolonged goodbye between the two of them.


    * * *


    Rumors started going around about how Violet would be going to the capital with Roen. The whispers continued spreading with no signs of stopping.


    Some people said that the wicked woman would be released from her confinement, while others said that she might only have been framed.


    Some people said that she must be aiming for the position of the crown prince¡¯s consort, while others said that Violet had never been truly incarcerated in the first ce.


    Public opinion about Violet had certainly changed, but there were still droves of people who continued to vilify her. In that sense, her decision to leave the Everett household was a good choice.


    The rumors spread little by little and eventually reached Aileen.


    ¡°¡­Why.¡±


    As she muttered under her breath, the girl clutched the pillow in her hands so hard that it might soon burst.


    From a cursory nce of her room, it looked as if a storm had swept through the space. It was a mess. Broken objects were strewn everywhere.


    She couldn¡¯t do anything. The image she had built up all these years had caught her by the ankle.


    Her outward image of a ¡®good child¡¯ was the key point to her being able to receive all that love, but at the same time, it was the very thing that shackled her.


    ¡°Why! Why the hell!¡±


    All her actions were controlled. Even the smallest mistake woulde back to bite her in the form of criticism. The wide, wide duchy had be a cage for Aileen.


    ¡°Why, why did this happen. Nanny, Nannyyy¡­ Where did you go? Why, why¡­¡±


    Aileen was neither an angel nor a saint.


    In the end, she was just a human being. In such a situation where she was suffocating, she was unable to endure.


    And it only worsened further when her nanny and maids, who acted like her hands and feet, had disappeared.


    As she had been loved all her life, the girl could not ovee the violent environment she now found herself in.


    * * *


    Moonlight rested above theke¡¯s surface.


    Violet looked down quietly into theke where she had once plunged into. Considering that the weather hadn¡¯t been good that day, it was a miracle that she had survived.


    The grass beneath her bare feet made her skin itch. Though she was scheduled to leave for the capital the very next day, Violet hade out for a stroll on an impulse.


    In the middle of the garden, she was a sole woman who was walking barefoot, wearing only a nightgown. If anyone were to see her, it¡¯s only natural that they would point a finger at her.


    Even so, she nevertheless went on this stroll and enjoyed it as much as she pleased.


    Violet would be leaving the Everett residence tomorrow.


    She would be leaving her hometown, which was also her birthce.


    She did not feel regretful about this. However, she could not stop the urge to take a tour around the residence.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It would be thest time before she¡¯d leave¡ªto capture with her eyes the hometown that she would not be returning to.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to say goodbye.¡±

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    Beneath the moonlight, ripples drew upon the surface of the clearke. It was cold.


    How could this feeling be expressed?


    She said that she wanted to be happy, but she had long since forgotten how to <i>be</i> happy. It¡¯s possible to breathe onnd, but she had long since forgotten <i>how</i> to breathe.


    Goodwill received from other people sometimes served as violence as well. Or, it could prove to be overly addictive.


    Violet trusted Mary, her maid.


    She cared for those who had faith in her as well. Even so, she also knew that those people were the same ones who used to curse her and talk about her behind her back.


    Faith and trust were such shallow things.


    ¡°You should be prohibited froming to this ce.¡±


    ¡°¡­I heard that you¡¯re leaving tomorrow. I won¡¯t be able to talk to you outside of today.¡±


    So, Violet knew well enough that this sweet, addictive goodwill could change at any given time.


    Aileen, who she met here, seemed to have something in mind.


    The girl had many small scratches here and there, as if she had walked through a rough path in order to get here somehow without being seen by other people.


    Ruined by the sudden change of her surroundings, the girl red scathingly at Violet.


    Green eyes, seemingly calm but just beneath the surface, there was a simmering outburst of anger.


    And purple eyes, subdued and indifferent.


    ¡°You¡¯re here to talk, huh. What is it that you have to say to me?¡±


    ¡°I hate you.¡±


    ¡°How honest. Even though you¡¯re the child who used to follow me around, saying, ¡®I want to be close to you, Sister.¡¯¡±


    Herughter reached Aileen¡¯s ears. It was both a sneer and a self-deprecatingugh.


    Violet slowly drew nearer to Aileen.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt. If the child loved by everyone gets hurt like this, they¡¯ll all be sad.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    With the moon¡¯s glow falling down, the pale hand that was struck suddenly shed.


    Aileen made a low growling sound, eyes glinting ferociously.


    ¡°Always that attitude of yours, always.¡±


    Aileen gnashed her teeth.


    ¡°Why are you acting as if you¡¯re doing well all by yourself? Just pretend to be such a lofty noble, just show how arrogant you are, just show how much you look down at people¡­¡±


    At that, interest glimmered in Violet¡¯s eyes.


    The sweet, lovely young miss of the household was not here.


    Now in front of Aileen¡¯s true face, Violet smiled.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really want to talk to you because I personally had nothing to say. But now, I¡¯m a little interested.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be well!¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, then. Say what you want to say.¡±


    Violet¡¯s smile provoked Aileen once again. Clearly, it was a sneer.


    Without realizing it, Aileen took a step back. All her thoughts were evident in her eyes¡ªshe looked exactly like a person who wanted to kill someone.


    ¡°It was like that from the beginning. You¡¯ve always been so detestable! You know what? I hate you so damn much. The way you pretended to be so proud all by yourself, the way you looked at people to say that they don¡¯t deserve that position, the way you struggled so hard to be loved yet acted so prideful. I hate it all!¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence. I hate you, too.¡±


    Violet smiled as she took another step closer to Aileen.


    And the girl took a step back. As Violet raised one hand, Aileen flinched reflexively and covered her face with her arms.


    However, Violet merely removed a single leaf that was stuck in Aileen¡¯s hair.


    ¡°W-Why¡­! Why are you making that face! Just swear. Swear at me! Curse at me for being dirty and vulgar, for being a fool that¡¯s eating away at the prestige of the family!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a predilection for being cursed at. Is that what you¡¯re here to say?¡±


    Aileen¡¯s voice was echoing throughout the forest.


    Violet gave the girl a haughty smirk.


    ¡°You, I seriously hate you¡­ It¡¯s supposed to be mine¡ªmy ce. It just, it just so happened that you were born with that blood¡­ If my father had met someone else and lived well, that ce¡ª¡±


    Her anger eventually burst and led to tears. The girl shouted viciously with a poisonous look in her eyes, but nevertheless, that face of hers still looked lovely.


    ¡°It was originally my ce! The position of being a ducaldy, people¡¯s concern and love, those abilities, everything¡¯s supposed to be mine!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be mind. So I <i>made</i> it mine. What¡¯s the problem then? You¡¯ve lived well all this time anyway!¡±


    Aileen uttered the words with shrieks, and as her tears overtook, it was all swallowed by the silence of the night.


    Violetughed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know what you¡¯ve done! It¡¯s originally mine. It¡¯s mine. It was mine¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying such amusing things.¡±


    ¡°Amusing? Right now, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Right. So you say that the position of ducaldy was originally yours?¡±


    It was the same arrogant smile that Aileen so abhorred. The noble grace that she could never have, even if she wanted to.


    Faced with the very image that she hated the most, Aileen¡¯s eyes bristled with fury.


    Violet whispered softly towards the girl.


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That it¡¯s originally your ce.¡±


    Though indifferent, the voice carried undeniable intensity.


    Yes, perhaps. The esteemed daughter of the Everett Duchy could have been Aileen.


    Violet might have been born as just a child of a branch family, and she might have been raised to be appropriately coddled. Then, she might have married into a prestigious aristocratic household.


    And Aileen might have been the ducaldy of Everett.


    But all this did not happen.


    What would have happened if Aileen¡¯s father had not told the former duke that he had fallen in love? If he did not choose to marry a woman of lowly status, and if he did not relinquish his position as the duchy¡¯s sessor?


    Aileen would not have been born at all.


    It was a meaningless argument. Aileen¡¯s words were nothing but delusion.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always wondered¡ªwhy in the world are you doing this to me, why do you hate me so much that you feel so impatient when you couldn¡¯t drag me down.¡±

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    This was the truth that only Violet knew.


    Only Violet, who¡ªon the surface¡ªwas the person who reviled the new member of the family.


    ¡°Remember the time when I still cared about you? I really liked you back then. It felt like I had a younger sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t¡ª make meugh.¡±


    ¡°Right. It¡¯s been more than ten years. It¡¯s meaningless now.¡±


    <i>It was after you truly became my younger sister that I hated you.</i>


    Saying so quietly, Violet slowly closed her eyes. Aileen¡¯s expression gradually became distorted.


    ¡°Ha. Haha. Ahahahahaha!¡±


    Beneath the moonlight, one person¡¯sughter echoed.


    Laughter that carried both a hint of lunacy and relief.


    ¡°Now I know why¡ª Why you hated me so much. Why you were so anxious whenever you couldn¡¯t drag me down.¡±


    <i>Thud.</i>


    As she took a step back, unable to stop the momentum, Aileen fell on the ground.


    Violet reached down slowly and caressed Aileen¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°You¡¯re jealous of me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Considering that this was the person she hated the most, she was treating her very gently.


    Aileen pped away Violet¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Shut¡ª Shut up. The likes of you. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m jealous of you!¡±


    Her high-pitched voice was just as sharp as the apanying sound of the hand being pped.


    Their positions had be reversed. Aileen was under the impression that Violet was the cause for the change in her circumstances.


    That assumption was right to some extent, but on the other hand, also wrong.


    However, Violet continued to gently caress the girl¡¯s cheek, guessing why Aileen came to see her now.


    ¡°Right. That¡¯s why. You¡¯re jealous of my position. No, you envied me so much that you wanted to drag me down one way or another¡ª to see me crash and burn¡­ You longed to be superiorpared to me, Aileen.¡±


    The disgraceful feeling brought about by a sense of inferiority¡­ Violet was aware of the desire to be rid of that emotion.


    She loathed it whenever someone saw her weep or struggle as she was at her lowest. That¡¯s why, in any way she could, she wanted to prove that she was superior¡­


    What use was this bloodline.


    The smile on Violet¡¯s face was quickly erased. In its ce, a cold expression dawned upon her features, and she whispered into Aileen¡¯s ear.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask you since when you started to hate me, my lovable younger sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Stay at the bottom forever. Because you can <i>never</i> be me. You no longer matter to me.¡±


    At every word Violet enunciated, Aileen¡¯s expression gradually became more and more distorted.


    <i>Why would I be jealous of you? You¡¯re a viiness who isn¡¯t loved at all! You¡¯re a viiness who only bothers everyone each and every day!</i>


    She, who endeavored to make the most noble individual a crude woman, tried to hide such ugly sentiments. But in the end, her wish did note true.


    That sense of inferiority followed Aileen evermore.


    ¡°Aileen.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You must havee here to me me. You¡¯re in pain? You¡¯re in that situation right now? In your position right now, you can¡¯t even do or achieve anything at all.¡±


    As Violet moved away from her while asking Aileen all these things, the girl stared at her.


    Her hair shimmered with the moon¡¯s illumination.


    ¡°I hate you, Aileen. I hate you and everyone in this residence. Everything here is so horrible that it¡¯s impossible to endure.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re crazy.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m leaving. No matter how hard you struggle, you can never be me. No matter how good you are at pretending, you can never be a good person¡­ But since I¡¯m myself, I¡¯ve decided to live the life that I want.¡±


    The woman who once wept as she had been ostracized finally, after all this time, looked at peace.


    ¡°As you say¡ª I may be crazy. But one thing¡¯s for sure.¡±


    Violet drew closer to Aileen once more and, again, caressed the girl¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°In the end, it¡¯s all <i>your</i> doing.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°The situation you are in right now, your despair, your anger. Everything.¡±


    <i>You brought it onto yourself.</i>


    The girl who had copsed hit the ground with her fist. Slightly perplexed at the girl¡¯s enraged reaction, Violet tilted her head to the side.


    ¡°I will im what¡¯s rightfully mine.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Take it if you want. If you go and do that, let¡¯s see if you can change anything.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The girl on the ground cried.


    Violet walked forward, leaving Aileen behind her.


    There was no reason for her to look back.


    * * *


    A new morning had dawned.


    As she had not slept a wink all night, Violet¡¯s expression was dark. Stomping her feet slightly, Mary examined Violet¡¯s face and asked,


    ¡°Mdy, by any chance, did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Nope, nothing at all.¡±


    After Violet had let it all out at Aileen, sleep eluded her all night while thinking about it. Sheughed.


    It¡¯s a good morning. It <i>had</i> to be a good morning.


    Because today was the day that Violet would be getting away from this endlessly tiring ducal household.


    ¡°Um, firstly then, here¡¯s a basin so you can wash your face, Mdy. After doing so, shall I put on some make up for you?¡±


    ¡°How troublesome.¡±


    Though Violet wouldn¡¯t be using this room any longer from tomorrow onwards, Mary tidied up the room.


    After she washed her face with rose water with some rose petals floating above the surface, Violet went on to change into a new set of clothes.


    Violet often shopped, but most of her recent purchases were only art materials.


    ¡°Now, there we go. Pretty, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Your skills are improving day by day.¡±


    As Mary tied up Violet¡¯s hair neatly, she smiled. Then, when Violet beckoned to her, Mary bowed her head.


    Liking the touch of her master¡¯s hand upon her, the girl smiled as Violet patted her head.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    ¡°It¡¯s thest time we¡¯ll be in this room, where we¡¯ve made many precious memories, Mdy.¡±


    ¡°No matter who listens to you now, you sound like you¡¯re breaking up with a lover.¡±


    ¡°But I really do think I¡¯ll miss it. The other maids are also sad.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one I¡¯ll be bringing with me to the capital though.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, yes! Please take good care of me even when we¡¯ve moved to that ce!¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    At Violet¡¯s positive answer, Mary smiled brightly.


    As she was now dressed and done preparing for the day, Violet stood up from her seat. Her disposition had been dark earlier because she had stayed up all night, but now, she was elegantly adorned more than anyone else.


    ¡°Ah, I almost forgot, Mdy. Do you know? I heard that the Third Young Master will being back next week.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Well, that¡¯s one meeting I¡¯m not looking forward to.¡±


    ¡°I heard that he¡¯s got quite a fiery personality.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly as you say, yes.¡±


    Thinking about the family¡¯s youngest child, Cairn, Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Nevertheless, Mary smiled brightly and pretended to be an escort knight for herdy. Violet did not scold the yful girl.


    * * *


    Finally, Violet was about to escape this dreadfully exhausting ducal household.


    However, one way or another, her excitement was brutally shattered.


    Before even recalling her memories of her previous life, Violet had oft-imagined leaving her family.


    However, in all the scenarios she had imagined, the thought of this instance happening never crossed her mind even once.


    ¡°¡­You.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    A terribly haggard man¡ªmore unkempt than Violet, who stayed up all night¡ªsauntered threateningly towards her with a staggering gait.


    At this, Violet grimaced.


    As the man had a heavily built physique, the pressure he exuded was enormous.


    ¡®Now that I think about it, today is the end of his probation.¡¯


    At the thought of the punishment that had been imposed upon Mikhail, Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    But at that moment, the inebriated man raised his arm.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    It happened in a sh.


    Right then and there, several knights blocked Mikhail, who then shouted with a hoarse voice, ¡°Get out of my way! How dare you all call yourselves guards when you¡¯re blocking <i>my</i> way!¡±


    Pressing down on the knot in the middle of his brows, Roen let out a sigh.


    ¡°¡­Sorry. I should have made a countermeasure for this in advance.¡±


    There was no reason for him to do so, but Roen stepped forward and apologized to her.


    Violet nced once at Roen, but nheless stepped forward as well.


    ¡°You seem to have something to say to me, so let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°But Violet, Elder Brother is¡­!¡±


    Raising one hand, Violet cut Roen off mid-sentence.


    All of a sudden, Violet was struck with the impulse of not ying nice with Mikhail.


    As she had stayed up all night because of her confrontation with Aileen, now faced with Mikhail, Violet was just curious.


    Why did he hate her so much.


    Why did he have to denounce her to that extent.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen backed down.


    Though Mikhail waspletely immobilized by the knights who had caught him, Mikhail¡¯s eyes glinted dangerously as he looked up at Violet.


    Recalling the memories of being hit by thatrge hand before, Violet smiled wryly.


    ¡°¡­You.¡±


    Unlike how he usually sounded, Mikhail¡¯s voice was hoarse. His green eyes, as verdant as the lush foliage, shone with such raw emotions.


    The eyes are the windows to the soul.


    As Violet gauged what kind of emotion and resentment was contained in those eyes, she beamed.


    However, Roen stepped in between his older brother and younger sister.


    ¡°You, with Aileen¡­ You used every little reason¡ª Any reason at all to harass that poor child.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ha.¡±


    This was all the half-asleep voice answered.


    Violet was so baffled that she could not stop the brief burst ofughter.


    ¡°I was wondering what it is that you wanted to say to me, but you came all the way here just for <i>that?¡±</i>


    ¡°You did it first, you¡­ You harassed that child first¡­¡±


    Mikhail uttered the words over and over like a madman.


    Violet raised one hand once again and gestured towards the knights. As they were holding him back as though he was a criminal, they reluctantly followed her unspoken order to let him go.


    Right then, Mikhail sprang up.


    He had be such a mess like this, yet he was here to fault and criticize someone else.


    As Mikhail red at her ferociously with a murderous look, Violet took a step back from him.


    ¡°Yes, sure. If you want to insist on the technicalities of it all, I was the one who harassed that girl first.¡±


    Violet spoke in a tone mixed with mirth.


    Roen shook his head and swept a hand over his face.


    ¡°But you were the ones who condemned me without making an attempt to ask me why I did that.¡±


    ¡°You! If you truly had been falsely used, then you wouldn¡¯t have acted like that!¡±


    At this point, Roen was the only one who felt any guilt. Violet still hated Roen tremendously, but she concluded that Roen was at least better than Mikhail.


    Roen beckoned to the knights. They couldn¡¯t understand what was going on, and they didn¡¯t know whether to listen to the orders of the ducaldy or the household heir.


    ¡°What did I do?¡± Violet asked.


    ¡°You! Violet! You¡¯ve done something that you shouldn¡¯t have done! Your reasons don¡¯t matter at all!¡±


    ¡°Oh, how truly shocking to hear.¡±


    <i>So you¡¯re saying that I¡¯m evil through and through, </i>Violet murmured.


    Mikhail took another step closer to Violet.


    However, in the face of that man¡¯s wrath, Roen drew out his sword.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    The weak schr, despite not having been trained as a knight, aimed his decorative sword at his older brother.


    Mikhail did not care.


    Arge, thick hand seized Violet by her shoulder. Violet red up at the man who she once called ¡®Brother¡¯.


    ¡°Countless times¡ª <i>Countless.</i> I tried to tell you, but each and every time you said that you didn¡¯t want to hear it¡­ Yet now, you¡¯re curious about my reasons? Ah, but let me get this straight. Half of the things you told me I ¡®shouldn¡¯t do¡¯ were things I <i>didn¡¯t</i> even do. Why don¡¯t you try and go look for that mysterious person who¡¯s oh so jealous of this household¡¯s adopted ducaldy?¡±


    ¡°YOU!¡±


    Without listening to her at all, Mikhail raised his voice once again at Violet. The hand on her shoulder continuously crushed down at her, and she winced at the pain.


    Roen¡¯s sword touched Mikhail¡¯s neck. But still, the man did not care.


    ¡°No matter! You¡ª You should have given a proper exnation! If you truly had been falsely used¡­ Right, if you were actually wronged, then how could you continue to be so cruel to that child! You shouldn¡¯t have let yourself be swept away by your emotions!¡±


    <i>You shouldn¡¯t have acted on your own!</i>


    As Mikhail continued to yell at the top of his lungs, the look in his eyes spiraled, truly like a madman.


    Violet took a step back. When Mikhail¡¯s hand finally loosened its grip and let go, she lightly brushed off her shoulder.


    ¡°Fine. Yes, since I had been so wronged, I shouldn¡¯t have done that. I shouldn¡¯t have gotten furious, I shouldn¡¯t have taken out my anger in that manner, I shouldn¡¯t have screamed out¡­¡±


    Violetughed.


    Roen drew his sword and lowered his gaze to the ground. The knights, on the other hand, overpowered Mikhail and made him kneel.


    ¡°Then, Brother, you¡¯re trying to say that what I did was bad, right?¡±


    Violet¡¯s voice was quiet and soft, entirely different from how she always screamed bitterly.


    ¡°I waspletely evil. Violet S. Everett was a viiness to the core. That¡¯s what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    The darker the smile on her face became, the more grim the people¡¯s expressions around her grew.


    Violet was not unaware of this fact.


    Mikhail¡¯s words could not be refuted. Regardless of how wronged she had been, she shouldn¡¯t have acted in that way.


    However.


    ¡°You know, I was only eight years old.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what great things you¡¯re trying to expect from an eight-year-old child.¡±


    Violet had been only eight years old back then.


    She was merely a child,pletely lost and taken aback by the sudden malice pouring down on her.


    Those people refused to listen to that eight-year-old child, and all she could do was try to cling to them, to cry.


    Yet she was abandoned and left alone.


    At a period of her life when mature values had yet to be properly formed, it¡¯s only natural for a child to act like a child. She couldn¡¯t have thought deeply about how she <i>should have</i> acted.


    She was just a child, clumsy in her attempts to be loved.


    ¡°I was only eight years old when you told me I was evil, that I was wrong¡­ You did not listen to my side. All you did was curse at me.¡±


    As everyone heard Violet¡¯s bitter words, the heavy silence nketing the vicinity deepened even more.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that I had tormented Aileen. It¡¯s true that I made a mess of her.¡±


    No one had listened to that eight-year-old girl, even when she turned nine, and then ten, and then¡­


    Each year, Violet was ostracized and isted further. And, as time marched on, no one was there to ask why she was so angry. They all disappeared.


    <i>Violet S. Everett is a viiness</i>, they thought. <i>She need not any reason to be so vicious.</i>


    All those who stayed behind contributed to Violet¡¯s living nightmare. Not only Mikhail, but everyone who talked behind her back and mocked her.


    Roen, too, pretended to listen to her side. But in the end, he always only med Violet.


    And Mikhail continued to insist that Violet was evil.


    <i>Ta-dak.</i>


    As Violet stepped forward and drew closer to Mikhail, no one stopped her.


    If she was called Everett¡¯s wicked woman, then everyone present here was a sinner to her.


    Amongst everyone, Mikhail was the most heinous criminal, yet he failed to admit his sins. No, he <i>couldn¡¯t</i> admit it at all, so he came out here and tried to use Violet of being the evil one to the bitter end.


    ¡°But you know what? I don¡¯t really feel any remorse for all the people I had tormented. I don¡¯t regret any of my actions. Yes, I admit that what I did was foolish. But rather than regretting it¡­ Those people broke me first. The people I had tormented were the ones who <i>ruined</i> me.¡±


    Retaliating that much was not unfair.


    Instead of trying to get rid of thebel and stigma of being a viiness, she stepped forward and lived up to those expectations.


    Everett¡¯s wicked woman, vilified through and through mostly for the things she allegedly did but did not do rather than the other way around,ughed arrogantly.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I hate you all. I¡¯m sick and tired of the name ¡®Everett¡¯, sick and tired of all the damn people in this household¡­¡±


    <i>SLAP!</i>


    The stark sound echoed deafeningly.


    This was the older brother who hated her the most, but all that time, she couldn¡¯t give up on him just because he was her family.


    How powerful could Violet¡¯s strength be?


    Violet mustered all her pent-up resentment from all these years into this singr p.


    Yet it was endlessly weakpared to how she truly felt.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    Not expecting that Violet would actually hit him, Mikhail looked up with a dazed expression.


    ¡°Towards the person you hate the most in the world, would you do nothing?¡±


    The one who had hit the other was Violet, but her hand was much redder than the cheek of the person who had been hit.


    People gasped. The heavy silence was so stifling that even people¡¯s breathing sounded especially loud.


    As all the sinners were unable to raise their heads in front of the woman called viiness¡­


    ¡°You know what, Brother Mikhail? I liked you a lot. You were kind, cool and strong¡­ I looked up to you so much for being such a nice older brother because you were like a righteous knight.¡±


    Caressing Mikhail¡¯s cheek, Violet smiled and lowered her voice, now whispering in a voice only he could hear.


    ¡°I do hope that we won¡¯t ever meet again, dear Brother. Live like trash in a back alley and die in the most miserable way possible as your name will forever be forgotten.¡±


    <i>My dear Brother, who is so very unchanging.</i>


    Such intense words were backed by the intention of never seeing this man ever again.


    As such, Violet drew back from Mikhail. Her expression was exceedingly gentle.


    ¡°Everyone, be ready to move. Keep that fool in custody until he receives punishment.


    As Violet¡¯smand rang out amid the terribly deafening silence, the knights began to move ording to their duties in a hurry.


    The knights who were meant to subdue and return Mikhail back to the main mansion were visibly conflicted.


    They did not dare have the right to restrain a duke¡¯s son, however Roen¡ªthe one who now had the status of the duke¡¯s heir¡ªfurther supported Violet¡¯smand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re all going to leave this sinner alone now?¡±


    Roen dealt with the aftermath then soon returned to Violet¡¯s side.


    He realized once again just how harsh he had been to an eight-year-old child, and here, he could not find the right words to say to her. In the end, he chose to say nothing.


    * * *


    The only ones who went through the teleportation gate were Ducal Lady Violet, Young Duke Roen and the few elite knights escorting them.


    Because they had been given other tasks to do, Mary, Zylo and Leon were not present while the incident happened. They had to stay back for a little while.


    ¡®I wonder, will I get more notorious after this?¡¯


    As the carriage drew closer to the gate, the contemtive Violet slowly closed her eyes.


    She had thought that, if she could resolve the resentment she was feeling, she would feel better.


    What she felt now was not the same satisfying feeling as getting a rotten tooth pulled out. One p on the cheek could hardly be called an act of revenge.


    That aside, she couldn¡¯t help but feel it wasughable how Mikhail continued to call Violet a viiness until the very end.


    Pain. Hatred. All the things she never wanted to see or go through again.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    <i>Goodbye, my hometown. I don¡¯t ever want toe back here again.</i>


    Capturing thendscape of the duchy from the carriage window for thest time, Violet said her final farewell.


    * * *


    Ever since the day of her birth, Aileen was a girl who received love.


    Light pink hair that she got from her mother, and green eyes that were verdant and bright.


    This child was lovable and deserved to be loved.


    As a child who had been loved from the very day of her birth, she took for granted all the love that she received from others.


    Lovabledy. Adorable Aileen.


    However, she was always told the same thing.


    ¡°What a shame. If it weren¡¯t for that lowly bloodline¡­¡±


    Sometimes, they even threw some sympathetic gazes at her.


    Children were more sensitive and intelligent than adultsmonly thought.


    As a child, Aileen could feel not only the unsavory gazes directed at her, but also the jabs that those people were directing at her mother.


    She did not know what malice was, but she knew that it was not a good thing.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the looks. Well, of course, since you resemble your mother.¡±


    ¡°But for Milord to, he¡­ Goodness. If it weren¡¯t for the child¡­¡±


    The little girl could not understand why those people looked sad and upset whenever they talked about her mother.


    The eldest son of a ducal household.


    That man had been born in such a great noble house and he was on track to bing the next duke, which entailed a position of power only second to the emperor.


    Yet he threw that all away and chose love.


    That man fell in love with a lowborn woman and abandoned all the honor and glory he had been born into. He stepped down all on his own.


    Such actions led people to call him the ¡®romanticist of the century¡¯, yet the reputation that followed him wasced with dishonor and stigma.


    Had he not abandoned his position as that ducal household¡¯s heir, the woman beside him would have be a duchess. From time to time, that woman fell into hysterics.


    Nevertheless, theirs was a harmonious family.


    The girl was loved by everyone. The girl was an angelic one. Even so, the girl was also sad.


    The world where Aileen lived was endlessly small and narrow.


    All this time, she thought that she was the one and only person who received love.


    ¡°Hi. You¡¯re Aileen, right?¡±


    That notion soon shattered to pieces.


    Silver hair that would glitter softly as if it contained moonlight.


    Bright purple eyes that were like jewels, and a disposition that boasted of proud confidence.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Violet. Violet S. Everett.¡±


    The first impression left upon Aileen was unimaginably shocking.


    This person was not someone who just deserved to be loved.


    She¡¯s <i>bound</i> to be loved.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    A haughty person born as the daughter of a noble family, and the only ducaldy of House Everett¡ªthat was her. S was raised to be someone who¡¯d hog the love of all the people around her, raised to stand alone above heaven and earth proudly with her head up high.


    ¡°It feels like I have a younger sister now. I¡¯m so happy! I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    The small, insignificant world wherein Aileen lived copsed that very day.


    Until that moment, she did not know that it was already starting, but this was when she became aware of her inferiorityplex.


    She did not even know what this inferiorityplex was at first, and so, she admired the older girl in the beginning.


    That girl was someone who lived proudly with the noble and dignified appearance¡ªthat Aileen could never have.


    But then, since when was it.


    ¡°Mdy, you should have been the Ducal Lady¡­¡±


    <i>That¡¯s supposed to be my ce¡­</i>


    ¡°My poor daughter. My poor Young Miss.¡±


    What was it about that damn girl¡¯s bloodline¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s originally mine. That¡¯s <i>my</i> ce¡­¡±


    <i>I hate you. I despise you. I loathe you for stealing what¡¯s mine. The love you¡¯re receiving, the attention you¡¯re getting, the position that you have.</i>


    ¡®Everything¡¯s supposed to be mine.¡¯


    It was unknown when exactly this twisted notion had taken ce in her mind, but gradually, that idea grew in size.


    The splendid life of a ducaldy. The variety of dishes on the fancy dinner table. Those luxurious dresses. The fact that she could get all the jewelry that she wanted, the fact that people had no choice but to admire her.


    <i>That ce is supposed to be mine.</i>


    <i>That ce must be mine.</i>


    This was the faithful day that the beloved child had lost everything.


    ¡°From now on, you¡¯re my family, too.¡±


    The child had to learn to survive in the unfamiliar world she had been thrusted into.


    Even if the method she had chosen was wrong.


    * * *


    The wheels of the carriage continued rolling.


    It¡¯s true that they had used the warp gate, but the gate itself wasn¡¯t situated in the capital, so they had to go the long way by carriage some distance more until they could reach their destination.


    Some distance away, the escort knights were on horseback as they guarded the entourage.


    Roen looked over at Violet, who looked a little pale due to the side effects of going through the warp gate. A little awkwardly, he asked if she was doing alright, but the only answer he received was a cold look.


    Alone together in that carriage, the two of them were silent.


    Violet was looking out the window nkly, resting her chin on one hand. Meanwhile, Roen could only cough in vain, unable to dissipate the awkwardness between them.


    The time they had together was ufortable. In Violet¡¯s perspective, Roen¡¯s self-conscious disposition reminded her of a puppy that needed to go potty.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The silence between them stretched on for a long time. Back when they were at the ducal residence, Roen had looked for any excuse to talk to Violet at the annex whenever he was bored. Now, however, he could not alleviate the stifling atmosphere as they were all alone.


    Since it¡¯se to this, why was he so dogged in his insistence to be closer to her? Violet inwardly clicked her tongue.


    Eventually defeated by the awkward silence, Roen was the first to surrender and speak up.


    ¡°Violet, to you¡­¡±


    Hearing his low voice, Violet sat up and took her chin off her hand, then looked at Roen.


    He faced her purple eyes, but he soon avoided his gaze before continuing to speak.


    ¡°All that time¡­ Didn¡¯t it feel unfair to you?¡±


    In the end, the topic that he brought up was a tedious one.


    Violet mulled over the question. Should she answer or not?


    While thinking, Violet looked out the window, where the roads could be seen flitting by.


    ¡°Even if it felt unfair to me, what could I have done?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The answer rendered him speechless.


    Even more, Roen could not muster the courage to look at his younger sister.


    He had been much too harsh to an eight-year-old.


    Children were prone to fighting, but Violet ended up being responsible for everything. He had assumed that it was normal for Violet to be scolded.


    He thought that it was natural, even if she had only been eight.


    Realizing now that what he thought was normal was, in fact, not normal¡­ How did it feel?


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already lost count how many times I¡¯ve heard the same apology.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have thought it was normal. You were only eight years old then¡ªjust eight years old and yet¡­¡±


    She had also been a child who had lost her mother only two years ago at the time.


    All four siblings had lost their mother, but in particr, Violet and Cairn had still been too young.


    They should have been taken care of, but each member of the family had been drowning in their own sorrows that they couldn¡¯t think about other people¡¯s pain.


    No. At the very least, he should not have hurt her.


    ¡°Why are you even apologizing to me?¡±


    Suddenly, Violet looked away from the sky and asked this question. Roen could feel that her subdued gaze was directly leveled at him.


    ¡°Are you apologizing because you truly feel remorse for me, or are you apologizing only because you loathe to leave a stain on your otherwise faultless excellence, Young Lord?¡±


    ¡°Vee, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Do not call me by that name.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen shut himself up right away. Nevertheless, Violet continued speaking, slowly and indifferently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand, Young Lord. Just like Br¡­ Just like Mikhail, wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient for you if you just continue pinning the me on me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is it because you wish to relieve the guilt weighing down on you somewhat? Or is it because you don¡¯t want to leave a blemish on your perfection¡­ Really, how can I know that your alleged feelings of remorse and your apologies are actually sincere?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I am just¡­ I am just the same as before. The wounds I had received as a child remain the same¡­¡±


    Roen had kept on repeating the same ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯ until now like a machine, but hearing these words, he could not even say it again. Violet looked out the window once again.

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Her voice was so impossibly calm to the point of indifference, but thest few words she uttered trembled ever so minutely.


    ¡°You¡¯re a perfectionist, Young Lord. And, even more than that fool, Mikhail¡ª To be honest, I believe that you¡¯re even more arrogant than he is. You¡¯re the kind of man who has to have everything in the palm of your hand, easily avable so that you can do whatever you want with them. Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know you paid so much attention to me.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have changed overnight, so abruptly spewing apology after apology, but how can I believe any of your words? I¡¯ve suffered through the same thing for years.¡±


    As Violet steadily cleared her trembling voice, she remained silent for a short while before she continued again.


    ¡°And regardless whether I forgive you or not, I cannot believe anything that you say. The moment you judge that I amcking, or the moment you regard me as someone unnecessary or useless¡­ You might just change your attitude towards me like a simple flip of the coin.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Think about the notoriety that¡¯s been inscribed to my identity all these years. Beyond being Everett¡¯s wicked woman, isn¡¯t it that I¡¯m likely to be written down in the history books as the Empire¡¯s viiness of the century? Or perhaps it would be more likely that I¡¯d disappearpletely after one final trip to the gallows?¡±


    The words were spoken as if in jest, but her voice remained calm and serious. As he was reflecting on the past, Roen chewed on his lips. Hadn¡¯t he shown such changeable behavior to Aileen just a short time ago?


    If a person could change his attitude easily twice before, couldn¡¯t it happen for a third time as well?


    Despite being shown such goodwill, it¡¯s impossible for Violet to ept it sweetly because the time that she had been hurt went on for far too long.


    Violet would not trust anyone easily. Especially her own family.


    Once abandoned, it¡¯s only natural for one to be afraid to form rtionships.


    ¡°It¡¯s not unreasonable for you to think so. But Violet¡­ What I¡¯m saying is¡­¡±


    As Roen had been listening to Violet in silence for a long time, he finally, gradually opened his lips to speak. A visible mark had been left on his lips as he had chewed them for that long.


    ¡°You¡¯re my younger sister. Because we¡¯re family, that¡¯s why¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    To push down the emotions that were threatening to burst out, Violet had to purse her lips tightly.


    Because they¡¯re family, he said. Blood was thicker than water, and they had that connection between them¡ªthat¡¯s why.


    With such a rtionship, family members were bound to be closer to each other than anyone else. But at the same time, they were also the same people who were vulnerable to wounds inflicted upon another, vulnerable to such contempt and scorn hurled at each other.


    Even now, the memories of Violet¡¯s childhood still lingered incessantly, affecting her life now.


    She pitied herself. She felt sorry for Violet because of the life she had to live. The extent of Violet¡¯s wickedness was directly proportional to how big her wounds were.


    Even now that their personalities had be mixed together, there were still times that she thought it was all her fault.


    ¡°People don¡¯t change so easily, Young Lord. You won¡¯t change, and I won¡¯t change. Just as my hatred will remain, so will your arrogance.¡±


    Forcing someone to ept an apology was also a form of violence. Roen kept saying that she didn¡¯t have to forgive him, but at the same time, he persistently tried to apologize to her anyway.


    None of this meant that the time in which she suffered would disappear.


    ¡°It¡¯s not because I had to be perfect¡­ Do you remember? When we were children, Elder Brother and I favored youpletely and cared about you a lot. Cairn also said that he likes only his older sister.¡±


    Roen¡¯s feeble voice continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Yes. Back then, I thought that it was because of me that my younger sister had gone down the wrong path, that¡¯s why I did all that. To be honest, I felt that it wasn¡¯t right, but because everyone kept acting the same way, I copied them and didn¡¯t try to find out the real reason behind everything¡­ I had rationalized my actions and thought that it was for you, but in fact, all those actions just hurt you more¡­¡±


    Violet just listened to him without a word.


    ¡°What I did was nothing more than self-satisfaction¡­¡±


    As Roen continued, his voice gradually became rougher. This all just sounded like a crude excuse¡ªand Roen himself was aware of this, too.


    He had believed that he wasn¡¯t a bad speaker. But now, as he was finding it increasingly difficult to continue speaking, Roen tried to smile, releasing a trembling exhale full of tension.


    ¡°That¡¯s why, I¡­ I truly am sorry. You¡¯re my younger sister¡ª You¡¯re my real younger sister, but I¡­ I know that you¡¯ll hate hearing this, but we¡¯re still family.¡±


    Listening to those words, Violet¡¯s hands clenched into fists. She was still looking out the window and so Roen didn¡¯t know what kind of expression she had on now, but he continued speaking with an awkward smile.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew me so well. And you said that I¡¯m arrogant¡­ I didn¡¯t know that you didn¡¯t like such arrogance. It¡¯s difficult to believe, but I will try. I will try to make up for all the times that I hurt you, and¡­¡±


    He trailed off.


    Roen thought that their father was an indecisive and weak man, but he was struck with the realization that he was the same.


    Violet did not answer. She just continued looking out the window.


    Rather than answering right away, she needed time to process what Roen just said.


    The silence that stretched between them was brief, but it felt like an eternity to Roen.


    And, finally¡ª


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    He was given a short answer.


    Just a single word. Devoid of resentment, devoid of condemnation, and devoid of forgiveness.


    But Roen was certain.


    Even Violet would not forget the past, and even though her anger would remain¡­


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get along well from now on, Vee.¡±


    ¡°I never granted you permission to call me by that name, Young Lord.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡­This was a turning point in their rtionship.


    As silence once again dawned upon the carriage, it finally reached the gates of the capital.

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    * * *


    The warp gate had reduced their travel time to just one day, but the fatigue umted just by going through it would hardly go away easily.


    All Violet did was sit in a carriage, but she was so tired. She was forced to press a hand over her forehead, hard, at the onught of fatigue.


    Spending so much alone time in an enclosed space with a person you dislike was, to put it bluntly, mentally draining.


    The silence between them was beyond awkward. Roen tried to talk to Violet somehow, but he failed each and every time.


    ¡°We finally arrived. It¡¯s been three years since youst visited Werchen, but what do you think?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same.¡±


    ¡°Shall we buy some snacks on the way? Or do you want to visit a famous salon¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired, so I just want to rest. If you wish to go, then you may do so alone.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay¡­ But I can¡¯t leave you alone, so hang in there even if you¡¯re tired. We¡¯ll reach the townhouse soon.¡±


    Roen looked like a downcast puppy who¡¯s been refused a walk. Violet deliberately pretended not to notice.


    Everett¡¯s wicked woman, whose dispositional and social credibility werepletely shot, was truly exhausted.


    Violet had some memories of the capital from when she went here for her debutante three years ago, and she could see the simrities of the past and current capital here.


    She closed her eyes briefly. It felt like she hade back here after twenty years, not three.


    Was it because of what happened with Mikhail?


    Violet couldn¡¯t brush aside the irritation that¡¯s been guing her along with this fatigue. As she walked slowly, the butler of the townhouse greeted them.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting, Mdy and Young Master.¡±


    Violet could remember him, too. Not showing any emotions, the butler only guided them without any more words.


    Rumors of Violet being the viiness of the century was prevalent in the capital. Well, it was only recently that her reputation had gotten overturned, so her notoriety must still be prevalent in this ce.


    Nevertheless, the butler showed no sign of acknowledgement about this.


    Was it like this three years ago as well? Violet caught herself being conscious of other people¡¯s reactions for no reason, and she let out a slow exhale.


    What Violet went through three years ago in the capital for her debutante¡­ still remained to be a nightmare she did not want to remember.


    As she was a ducaldy of this country, there were only a handful of people who had the same status as hers. Subtle derision copsed under the overpowering authority of her peerage, and those who talked behind her back could only envy her.


    However.


    ¡°Wow! The capital¡¯s high society isn¡¯t so different from what we have in our estate!¡±


    The problem was this: the young Aileen had followed Violet.


    The fourteen-year-old Aileen had expressed her willingness to stay by her older sister¡¯s side no matter what. And because the duke cared more about the lovely second ducaldy more than anyone else, he respected Aileen¡¯s wishes.


    Although the girl didn¡¯t officially make her debut, she had been invited to join the capital¡¯s high society, and despite proper etiquette, Aileen had followed Violet everywhere she went.


    ¡°Everyone is so kind. I thought this was a scary ce¡­¡±


    If she thought this was a scary ce, then she just shouldn¡¯t have followed Violet.


    Nevertheless, whether Violet was suppressing her boiling anger from within, Aileen remained bright.


    The young lords of the duchy hade to the capital as well to escort the ducaldy in her debutante, however they also cared only about Aileen. It was natural that Violet¡¯s hysterics had reached its peak.


    ¡°She¡¯s the one from the rumors¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh, be quiet. You¡¯ll be targeted, too!¡±


    Some incidents shed through her mind, but overall, she had a lot of repressed memories of that time. She didn¡¯t want to remember them.


    Violet quickly buried the memories of three years ago.


    Those in the capital simultaneously mocked and feared Violet, the viiness. But at the same time, they envied her as she was a high aristocrat.


    On the other hand, they praised treated Aileen preciously as she acted as if she was living in a flower garden. But at the same time, they mocked andughed at her.


    ¡®That¡¯s why she whined so much about wanting to go back home early.¡¯


    From what Violet could recall, Aileen had cried every single day about wanting to return home as soon as Violet¡¯s debutante was over.


    Aileen was no fool¡ªit¡¯s impossible for her not to notice that she was a topic of ridicule to the people of the capital.


    And when Aileen was finally given permission to go back to the Everett Duchy, she cried and cried about how she wanted to go back with Violet. So, regardless of Violet¡¯s will, she also went back to the estate.


    There were some things that became clearer as she recalled them. Violet stopped lingering on those memories.


    They were all unpleasant anyway.


    The luggage they brought with them through the servants were only few as it was judged that it¡¯s better to bring their necessary belongings separately each time.


    The employees of the townhouse quickly carried their luggage inside.


    Roen offered a hand to Violet as a sign of wanting to escort her. Violet smirked and immediately rejected him.


    <em>t/n: as it was scheduled, there will be a one-week hiatus~ updates will resume by next week. i¡¯ll try to resume updates earlier if possible, but as luck would have it, myptop died on me just today T-T i tranted the newest chapter through just my ipad, so it was a grueling process, hence why it took a while to finish. hopefully i¡¯ll get myptop back from the service center by the time updates are scheduled to be back.</em>


    <em>hope you guys have a wonderful week ahead~!</em>

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    She had lived in this mansion for three years before, too, but it was impossible for her to have missed it. Even so, a wave of nostalgia hit Violet as she raised, but at that moment¡ª


    ¡°Mdy!¡±


    With a loud voice, someone came running to her.


    It was a terribly rude act to appear in such a way in front of a high noble, even more so because the person who called Violet was of a significantly lower status.


    However, Violet did not reproach the maid for her self-indulgence. The only reaction Violet had was that of surprise.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Heavens, it¡¯s really you, Mdy. A-Ack. I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    The neer maid, after realizing her mistake, let out a gasp and stopped herself from talking.


    When the butler quietly gave her a look, the maid stepped back and maintained proper courtesy.


    Violet tried to recall who she was, but there was no name that came to mind.


    Still, Violet could remember this maid from before. Mikhail had scolded Violet at that time, making her cry, and the maid hade to her secretly with a snack. The maid was all grown up now.


    The girl back then, who consoled the young ducaldy and told her she did nothing wrong, still had a little of her old self now.


    Ten years had passed since then. Violet looked around the mansion again, marveling at the memory.


    She couldn¡¯t remember all of them, but she found a few familiar faces.


    There were also people who just did their job, harboring not a single grain of hostility or malice for her.


    Gauging Violet¡¯s response, Roen smiled softly.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Like what?¡±


    It¡¯s not like she <i>didn¡¯t</i> know what exactly Roen had prepared, but she pretended not to have noticed anyway. Seeing his younger sister¡¯s coy reaction, Roen justughed.


    ¡°I made sure that you¡¯d be asfortable as possible with the people here. It would be awkward if they¡¯re frightened by your notoriety, right?¡±


    ¡°You did something useless.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not saying that you hate it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Of course, it¡¯s just that. She didn¡¯t say she hated it.


    But Violet was touched. It¡¯s an emotion as small as a fingernail, but nheless poignant.


    But she didn¡¯t want to answer honestly, so she just stayed quiet.


    Roen¡¯s eyes curved softly, knowing that her response was not a rejection.


    .


    .


    .


    The attendant who was guiding the ducaldy¡¯s group quickly realized how tired Violet was, and so he rmended that she should rest.


    ording to the itinerary, she was scheduled for a long tour around the mansion. However, Violet willingly epted the attendant¡¯s suggestion.


    Soon, she was shown to a room that she had never been in before.


    Apparently, Roen had already decided to take Violet with him to the capital long before he even asked her about it, and he had ordered for arge-scale renovation of the townhouse to prepare for their arrival.


    Did he even have money left to have taken up such a project, really.


    Violet was about toment on it, but considering the duchy¡¯s money, of course there would still be a lot left over.


    Roen chattered on about the townhouse¡¯s new studio and gallery, but he was promptly kicked out of the room.


    Violet was so exhausted that she couldn¡¯t even talk. This was another reason she diligently had to build her stamina.


    It¡¯s true that mental fatigue wasn¡¯t directly connected to physical fatigue, but her poor stamina was something she inwardly resented.


    All she wanted right here and now was to rest. Violet¡¯s wish was quite momentary.


    Violet brought with her only the barest of belongings, and since the trends changed quickly, she didn¡¯t bring much clothes. That¡¯s why her closet was empty right now.


    With a pleasant expression, Roen suggested to Violet that, after the long nap she¡¯d have now, she should get fitted for her new clothes.


    Violet had a hunch that if she were to go clothes shopping with that fellow, she¡¯d essentially just be a dress-up doll.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to attend social events, so I don¡¯t need such clothes.¡±


    ¡°But Violet, you at least need a few dresses that follow the current trend¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just buy clothes when I need them. I won¡¯t go out right now either way, so it¡¯ll just be a waste.¡±


    ¡°But the Crown Prince¡¯s birthday banquet is right around the corner next month?¡±


    ¡°¡­Do I <i>really</i> have to go?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, well attendance isn¡¯t mandatory per se¡­ Unless the Imperial Family directly sends you an invitation.¡±


    ¡°Then, I refuse to go. I¡¯m tired, so I want to take a rest now.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Roen was sad to receive Violet¡¯s refusal. Surely she¡¯d have to get fitted for clothes sooner orter, but she had just gotten off a long carriage ride.


    Not wanting to be pestered any more, Violet let out a slow sigh.


    She hade to the capital now, but one after another, signs were cropping up that her life wouldn¡¯t change immediately. Perhaps there was nothing she could do about this.


    In the end, she was a ducaldy and, all the more, she was obligated to carry with her the status of her father and brothers.


    Socializing was terribly exhausting, and so she hated it.


    Whether it was an internal feud or a political fight, she didn¡¯t need to know. There were enough women out there who could be the flower of high society. It¡¯s just such a tiring thing.


    Thereafter, Violet decided not to do anything for a week straight.


    * * *


    Roen was a busy man. He was already busy before he came to the capital, and he became even busier the moment he stepped foot into this ce.


    Since he had been named as the next duke, many people wanted to meet with him.


    That aside, he was originally a close friend of the crown prince, but he¡¯s been ignoring the crown prince¡¯s invitation because the prince was ¡®tiresome¡¯.


    As Roen hade to the capital, it¡¯s only natural that he was so busy.


    Inevitably, Roen could no longer ignore the invitations of the imperial family and the other noble households, and while Roen was away, numerous invitations arrived for Violet as well.


    <em>t/n: myptop survived, thank goodness!! there weren¡¯t any major problems, it was just being a drama queen</em> >.>

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    Half of them were curious about the so-called viiness, and the other half wanted to strengthen their ties with the esteemed daughter of House Everett.


    Unlike Roen, Violet refused all of the invitations sent to her. She didn¡¯t have to manage her image like Roen was doing, and she knew that responding to any of them would just tire her out.


    Above all, she had no dresses that fit what¡¯s in vogue in the capital.


    Politics and high society were not much different. Sometimes, socializing was directly tied to politics, and more often than not, it was the same vice versa as well.


    What¡¯s there for Violet to do in high society when she¡¯s not even going to enter the wedding market?


    Whether those people wanted to follow her or to mock her, the people who sent invitations and were consequently rejected all began to talk about Violet behind her back.


    When the person directly involved was not in the room, all the people of the country would criticize and speak ill of them, even if said person was a daughter of a duke. Furthermore, she was someone who¡¯s notorious for being a viiness, so everyone chimed in with all the rebukes.


    There were some people who recalled Violet from three years ago, but they were totally unaware of the new rumors about Violet that were spreading throughout the Everett estate these days.


    Their curiosity about her grew more and more each day, and as such, all the rumors about her soon became strangely exaggerated.


    But Violet did not care. She knew that her name sometimes appeared in the papers or in some magazines, but she didn¡¯t care to exin herself.


    As she refused all invitations citing one excuse or another, Violet also didn¡¯t do any work.


    Whenever she was in front of a canvas these days, brush in hand, her head would just go nk.


    She could always just doodle without thinking about it much, but that would just be a waste of the canvas and the pain.


    It was a dreadful slump.


    She¡¯d rather shop around and buy clothes. As she was looking through a catalogue from a famous boutique, she suddenly closed it shut.


    It¡¯s only natural that the capital¡¯s trends in fashion were different from that of other territories.


    And the biggest shift in fashion since three years ago was the focus on looking slim. Women were expected to be heavily corseted just to make one¡¯s waist look thin.


    It¡¯s not only that. With all the focus on making one¡¯s body practically sculpted, a woman¡¯s bust was expected to be shaped and bound as well. Violet had not a single desire to be dressed in such a style, even if it was the trend.


    Naturally, the maids tried to dress Violet in those kinds of clothes, but the ducaldy staunchly refused.


    She heard that this trend had started about a year ago, when the flower of high society¡ªthe youngdy of the Tolofia County¡ªhad dressed in a style that showed off her body.


    The anecdote was of no importance to Violet as she had no intention of entering high society.


    However, she couldn¡¯t continue for days and days with just the simple clothes she had brought with her from the Everett Duchy, so she¡¯d have to buy clothes someday. Eventually.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m bored.¡±


    Although there were some problems here and there, Violet lived well in her own way.


    ¡°Violet.¡±


    ¡°Vee? Violet, my lovely younger sister.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening, so stop it with the disgusting nonsense.¡±


    Calling the name of the ducaldy who was doing well enough on her own, the duke¡¯s heirughed.


    As she did nothing but read the papers or some books from time to time, the ducaldy was the very image of an unemployed individual. Well, in the first ce, Roen was the one who said that his younger sister could just do as she wished.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I don¡¯t think there are many clothes that would suit you. Why don¡¯t we go out together and have you measured for custom pieces?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Vee?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking about that just now. Sure I¡¯ll have to get fitted, but the capital¡¯s fashion trend right now is just so tacky.¡±


    ¡°Tacky?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just a style that¡¯s been brought back from two hundred years ago. Even if that¡¯s the trend right now, it¡¯s just so unbelievable how women¡¯s bodies are being twisted so ridiculously like that.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    Violet was quite serious about this.


    Whenever she painted, she used the style of deforma often¡ªin art, it was to distort the subjects rather than portray them realistically. However, it was bizarre to see real people transforming their bodies just like that.


    ¡°Well, if you say so, then so be it.¡±


    As Roen had no clue about fashion whatsoever, he was convinced that it¡¯s just as she said.


    ¡°But still, you can¡¯t wear the same clothes forever. If you don¡¯t mind, why don¡¯t you go out with me today? Get fitted for clothes that you want to wear.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°If you just make the clothes that you wear the new trend, then that¡¯s enough. Rather, there¡¯s a limit to the rumors that I could still keep under control, so it¡¯ll be better if you can get fitted for new clothes if possible.¡±


    ¡°Am I an embarrassment to you, Brother?¡±


    ¡°Huh, yeah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking if you¡¯re ashamed of me because I¡¯m not following the trends and just wearing old clothes.¡±


    ¡°Huuuh? No, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡±


    Flustered for a while after that, it was only after heposed himself a little that he noticed the expression Violet had on her face, the one that she¡¯d make whenever she was teasing him. She only ever called him ¡®Brother¡¯ whenever she was teasing him mischievously.


    It was a title that meant she considered him to be family, but should he be happy about that, or should he be sad that she was calling him that in jest?

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    At a loss, Roen sighed and changed the topic.


    ¡°That Crown Prince bas¡ª No, that pu¡­ No. His Highness¡¯s birthday banquet ising up soon. It¡¯s fine for you to ignore all other invitations, but you¡¯ll have to attend this particr banquet.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Or, you don¡¯t harbor any feelings for the Crown Prince, do you?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Thinking about all the times Roen had to gnash his teeth because of that dear friend of his, Roen showed a relieved smile.


    Looking at the way he smiled, Violet recalled the crown prince in her memories.


    Certainly, not attending the crown prince¡¯s birthday banquet wouldn¡¯t be wise, so countermeasures had to be taken.


    Violet nodded slowly.


    ¡°Do you have any work to do today, Young Lord?¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, I don¡¯t have anything scheduled today. There won¡¯t be any problem with me apanying you for clothes and jewelry shopping.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    As Violet¡¯s rumination grew longer, the glimmer of anticipation in Roen¡¯s eyes brightened further.


    However, Violet was actually thinking in depth about something else, not about going out to shop.


    The crown prince, the crown prince¡­


    Rajaden Elifos K. Liddell. He was born in the same year as Roen, and he was the one and only legitimate prince, so he naturally became the crown prince.


    In Violet¡¯s memories, Rajaden was a more brilliant man than Roen, and a ringly irritating smart ass.


    As his dark blond hair looked as if each strand was woven from rays of the golden sun, it shone under any light. And the likewise golden eyes beneath his hair would glint like a wild beast¡¯s.


    Her recollection of him wasn¡¯t very clear, but by far, the clearest features of his that she could remember were those arrogant golden eyes.


    She had danced with him during her debutante, and he had been beyond obnoxious.


    Because all her focus was on Aileen and how angry she had been with the girl at that time, Violet¡¯s memories from then were hazy.


    But there¡¯s one thing he said that she distinctly remembered.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite like a poisonous rose, Lady.¡±


    What a terrible memory.


    As Violet¡¯s expression twisted into a scowl, Roen looked nervous.


    Still frowning, Violet asked,


    ¡°Do I really have to go to something like that prince¡¯s birthday party?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be great if that¡¯s the case, but our family is part of the imperial faction, so we have to go.¡±


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    Roen flinched once again as he heard Violet sighing.


    Violet really didn¡¯t want to see that detestable face, but she eventually answered in a tone that obviously expressed how forced she felt.


    ¡°Well, since I must go, now would be the perfect time for me to get fitted for clothes. If you¡¯re not doing anything now, let¡¯s get ready to go out right away.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then, give me just a moment¡­¡±


    Roen¡¯s whole face was practically glowing. However, his enthusiasm soon withered when the butler intervened into the conversation between the siblings.


    ¡°Pardon me, Young Master. His Highness the Crown Prince has sent you an official letter.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a direct summons. He¡¯s asking for you toe right now.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Really, right <i>now?¡±</i>


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°To the pce?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    In an instant, Roen looked like he was letting out a silent scream.


    Looking at him like this, Violet clicked her tongue. And as she didn¡¯t have any expectations in the first ce, she clicked her tongue at Roen once more when he was half-dragged out of the room.


    The n to go out together was on the brink of seeding, but in the end, it copsed just like that.


    There wouldn¡¯t be any problems anyway if she just went out to buy clothes by herself. But as she assumed a number of worst-case scenarios that might just happen, Violet canceled the outing altogether.


    She tried to go back to painting once more, but the brush just didn¡¯t feel right in her hand. She couldn¡¯t even think of a reason why she wanted to paint now.


    Was this a side effect from beingfortable? Should artists always be buried in depression to produce good work?


    Wandering through countless thoughts, Violet sighed.


    If Mary was here by her side, she would at least be able to spend time listening to the girl¡¯s chatter. Everything seemed so quiet while she wasn¡¯t here.


    On the other hand, the servants of the townhouse found Violet quite difficult.


    The servants who knew how she was when she was youngerughed at her behind her back, but they didn¡¯t dare to converse directly with her.


    As Violet thought about distancing herself from them, she stood up from her seat. It¡¯s been a week since she started doing nothing.


    Seeing that she was preparing to go out of the mansion, the maids immediately tried to force her into a corset, but they all failed.


    If something inconvenient were to happen while she¡¯s out shopping, couldn¡¯t she just stop for the day and return home right away?


    With how much he had been looking forward to going out together with Violet, Roen would definitely be crushed to hear about this. Anyway, Violet got ready for her trip.


    As for her clothes right now, she chose to wearfortable clothes of the middle ss.


    Since both Mary and Zylo had yet toe to the capital, the people who would be escorting her were made up of people she didn¡¯t know. The servants also politely tried to stop her from going out, but in the end, no one could go against the ducaldy¡¯s stubbornness.


    It didn¡¯t sound like a bad idea to see what the streets of the capital were like.


    If she¡¯s lucky, she might be able to find inspiration for a new art piece.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think anything¡¯s going to happen anyway.¡¯


    It was better to do something rather than spend time doing nothing.


    Violet¡¯s outing was terribly impulsive.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Facing his close friend who¡¯s keeping his mouth shut and was showing only calmness, Roen clicked his tongue.


    There was nothing that the crown prince <i>couldn¡¯t</i> do. Roen¡¯sints couldn¡¯t leave through his mouth, and so it was impossible to vent to the very person involved.


    ¡°Haha. My dear, one and only close friend. Look at your face, all wrinkled up like this. Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think is to me, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Not quite sure. Have you missed having teatime with me that much?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen put on a nice and friendly smile. An oh-so-gentle smile was necessary when cursing someone out.


    ¡°You¡¯ve taken the time to wee me despite your hectic schedule, so I am at a loss for what to say, Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°At ease now, at ease. Good grief, should I hear such stiff politeness from my dear friend?¡±


    ¡°So why did you call me when you¡¯re so busy?¡±


    ¡°Tut, tut. As soon as I said it, you really went for it. Gosh.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being fickle, Your Highness.¡±


    Roen just did as he was told, yet this was the result. In vain, he felt wronged.


    Moreover, of all things Roen was being served a kind of tea that he hated the most, so it was obvious that the crown prince was teasing him.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the tea smell positively fragrant? This tea hase from across the sea, and I heard it takes quite a pretty penny to acquire it. Only the best tea leaves are being served to the imperial family, so drink as much as you want.¡±


    ¡°Why did you call me here?¡±


    Unable to endure further, Roen only repeated the same thing.


    And here, Roen wiped off the full smile on his face and showed only an expression of disapproval. Right then, the crown prince burst intoughter.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since west met each other, so can¡¯t I y a little prank? You and the members of the imperial family are such dreary people.¡±


    As much as he hated it though, this duke¡¯s heir couldn¡¯t do anything against this ¡®prank¡¯.


    ¡°We¡¯re both busy people, Your Highness, but don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯ve summoned me here only for a cup of tea and a short break?¡±


    ¡°¡­You know, you scare me sometimes whenever you make that expression.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how could I dare do any harm to you, Your Highness the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°I-I got it. You don¡¯t have to think that way because I called you here for a reason.¡±


    When Roen smiled again, the crown prince¡ªwhile clicking his tongue¡ªeventually raised the white g.


    The only reaction Roen had to this was to raise his teacup to his lips and take a sip. Then, with a calm look on his face, he set the cup down.


    The tea tasted even worse than the tea that Violet always served him.


    ¡°I thought it would be alright to catch up with you a little first since we¡¯re close friends. I mean, if you came to visit me earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have been left with no choice but to summon you through the imperial decree, now would I?¡±


    ¡°I was busy.¡±


    ¡°Busy schmissy. Youpletely forgot about me.¡±


    ¡°I was busy.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine, I got it. I was wrong.¡±


    As the man who was to be the country¡¯s monarch had given him an apology, Roen picked up a refreshment from the table, the corners of his lips tugging up to a soft smile.


    Seeing this, the crown prince clicked his tongue once again.


    ¡°Do you know that there are strange rumors about me going around?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m not very interested in Your Highness.¡±


    The bold answer induced an incredulous look on the crown prince¡¯s face. They were close friends, but they weren¡¯t close enough to have a leisurely teatime together like this.


    ¡°There¡¯s a false rumor going around that I like men.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°And the other party involved is none other than <i>you.</i> People whisper amongst themselves, ¡®Oh, so <i>that¡¯s</i> how it is between Prince Rajaden and Lord Everett.¡¯¡±


    <i>¡°Cough¡ª!¡±</i>


    The abrupt mental damage caused Roen to gulp down his tea the wrong way, and this made him cough heavily. The coughing fitsted for a while.


    <i>Tsk.</i> Rajaden handed Roen a gold-trimmed handkerchief, but Roen refused.


    ¡°Just why¡ª Of all the rumors¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually been a while since that rumor has been going around. It started back when we were at the academy, so it¡¯s been¡­ about six years, I believe?¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s been a while since I was aware that you were taking advantage of that rumor. But I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re bringing it up now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be sulky. I¡¯m not particrly interested in you in that way either.¡±


    Unable to figure out the crown prince¡¯s intentions, Roen scowled unpleasantly.


    The crown prince had long since voiced out how he wanted Roen as an aide, announcing very loudly that he would make Roen the next prime minister, however what he¡¯s talking about now with him was far from this.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m thinking of taking in a consort.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeees.¡±


    No, perhaps not far. It was a topic that was as close as close could get.


    Roen briefly cast a pitying look at the crown prince, who had no friends. So he called Roen here because he had no one else to talk with about his love life.


    Be that as it may, the pitying look was still endlessly cold.


    ¡°I see. Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Gosh. Yes, it¡¯s something to celebrate. I¡¯m more than happy to hear that you¡¯re congratting me.¡±


    ¡°Yeees¡­¡±


    Roen was giving the crown prince the same treatment that Violet gave himself. For a moment, he was struck with an earnest realization of why Violet tended to answer him with such half-heartedness.


    By nature, people who were at the top treated marriage as a political tool. The fate of the nation was, quite literally, at stake when it came to the crown prince¡¯s marriage, so it was a matter to be handled with utmost care.


    Roen briefly recalled the candidates for the crown prince¡¯s consort. If she had already been chosen, then it¡¯s impossible that Roen hadn¡¯t heard about it yet. So far, just the candidates had been decided.


    Then, an ominous feeling soon took over Roen.


    No. It can¡¯t be.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    Before Roen could even narrow his eyes, Rajaden took the lead.


    ¡°Come to think of it, I heard that you officially became the Duke¡¯s heir. I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯d suddenly be interested in seeding the duchy¡ªis there any special reason?¡±


    ¡°Did you nt a spy inside my family¡¯s residence?¡±


    ¡°How can there be a ce in this empire that I can¡¯t reach?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As the crown prince very proudly admitted that he had nted a spy, Roen¡¯s expression soured right away.


    The thought crossed his mind that his disposition right now would mirror that of Violet. Of course, the Everetts had also nted spies within the imperial family¡¯s fence, but he felt wronged for no reason at all.


    ¡°Right. You were born a man, so it¡¯s only natural that you stand high and mighty at the peak at least once. Ah, but don¡¯t aim for the throne, yes? I don¡¯t wish to be faced with the sight of detestable treason during my reign.¡±


    ¡°In our current era, women also often inherit titles, but I understand that what Your Highness said just now was a mere slip of the tongue. And I will assume thatst part was just a joke.¡±


    ¡°Haha. My friend is truly strict. Well, it¡¯s not like the blood of the imperial family runs in your family¡¯s veins. Except for the case of the maternal side, of course.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since that lineage has been blurred. I don¡¯t even consider myself to be rted to you, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Tsk. You¡¯re really no fun.¡±


    Though with the predilection of uttering frighteningments in the tone of a joke, Rajaden just clicked his tongue again.


    Roen desperately wanted to hit that hateful face.


    ¡°But really, what¡¯s gotten into you? Didn¡¯t you reject the position of finance minister because you didn¡¯t want anything to do with a position of power? It¡¯ll only give you more work, you said. Ah, right. Since you¡¯re already the duchy¡¯s sessor anyway, what do you say about taking up the position of finance minister? There¡¯s no talent in this country¡ªnone at all.¡±


    ¡°I refuse. The empire is filled with human resources avable to you, so please lean into your eye for people even more.¡±


    ¡°Tsk. No fun at all, you.¡±


    Repeating the same thing to Roen, the crown prince took a sip of his tea.


    And Roen only sighed as he watched Rajaden pleasantly drinking the unpleasant beverage.


    ¡°So then, what¡¯s the reason?¡±


    ¡°Since Your Highness has already nted a spy in my home, you should already know the reason. I don¡¯t understand <i>your</i> reason for calling me here just to ask.¡±


    ¡°I only know about it roughly. Wouldn¡¯t things be different if I heard about it directly from my dear friend?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. It was decided that Mikhail, the eldest son, is not suitable to be the next duke. The decision wasn¡¯t only for the sake of the ducal estate, but the entire country as well.¡±


    ¡°How forthright of you to say that. Sir Mikhail¡­ is quite the maverick, yes.¡±


    Finally broaching the main topic, Rajaden propped his chin on one hand andughed. It was against court etiquette, but Roen didn¡¯t point it out.


    Rajaden was, by nature, an arrogant person, mentioning things like thew or etiquette would clearly not apply to him.


    Now that Roen thought of it, Violet also deemed him to be arrogant.


    Even worse than Roen, Rajaden was an arrogant man who presented the appearance of both a tyrant and a wise ruler.


    ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be good for a tyrant to hearints from his subjects?¡¯


    Briefly thinking about what attributes a monarch must have to be called a wise ruler, Roen set down his teacup. It still tasted terrible.


    ¡°Still, Sir Mikhail was a capable man, only that he tended to speak harshly,¡± the crown prince continued. ¡°His personality wasn¡¯t that bad, and he gave off quite an affable impression. What a shame. He was the perfect candidate for the position of knightmander.¡±


    ¡°Once again, it¡¯s a family matter. And besides, if a man who had raised his hand against a woman could be called a knight, then numerous knights all across the country would only weep.¡±


    While Roen spoke calmly, Rahaden smiled satisfactorily as he took a piece of dessert into his mouth. Right then, Roen flinched very slightly as he caught his own mistake, but it was toote.


    ¡°See? As expected, hearing directly from the person involved yields different results. He raised his hand against a woman, you say. But you know, when ites to criminals, they don¡¯t need to be identified as man or woman. Since it would be considered as rightful punishment for an offense, isn¡¯t it that it shouldn¡¯t matter?¡±


    ¡°The fact that raised his hand was only because the other person is a criminal¡ª is that what Your Highness is saying?¡±


    ¡°Well, correct me if I¡¯m wrong.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mikhail truly wasn¡¯t fit to be the next duke. Not only was he always swayed by his own personal feelings, but he¡¯s also much too immersed in his own beliefs.¡±


    ¡°So you think that you¡¯re not?¡±


    ¡°As long as I am human, I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m perfect. Your Highness, what is it that you want to say?¡±


    ¡°I just want to have an in-depth conversation with my close friend, is that so wrong? Haha, goodness. I didn¡¯t understand before, but Father once told me how entertaining he finds it to tease Duke Everett. The members of your family are fun to tease, really.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Faced with the reality of an unlucky rtionship being passed down two generations, Roen sighed deeply. Rajaden just chuckled as he munched on more snacks.


    ¡°So.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It all started with the ducaldy, so it¡¯s making me wonder what kind of person she is. You came to the capital with her, right? Your younger sister.¡±


    Roen choked on his tea.


    <i>Cough, huck¡ª Cough, cough!</i>


    At Rajaden¡¯s subsequent words, Roen coughed as though his throat had gotten blocked.


    The crown prince handed over a handkerchief.

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    As Roen declined to ept the handkerchief that was being offered to him, he red at Rajaden. If looks could kill, well.


    ¡°I would never have expected that you¡¯d cover for the notorious viiness of the rumors.¡±


    ¡°¡­What exactly is it that you want to say, Rajaden.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re finally dropping the formalities now?¡±


    As Roen was finally talking to Rajaden casually, thetter smiled. And seeing that unreadable smile, Roen scowled.


    Rajaden said, ¡°When I mentioned bringing in a consort earlier, remember that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really want to hear the end of that, so don¡¯t bother.¡±


    ¡°That younger sister of yours. Give her to me.¡±


    ¡°Are you insane?¡±


    Causing the noble and graceful young lord to utter such a curse, the crown prince looked at him with satisfaction.


    Roen smiled as well. It was the same smile that Rajaden had said was frightening.


    ¡°Such an expression would really draw out a nightmare, you know.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you kindly be more proper so that I don¡¯t make this expression?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not joking either. Howe you¡¯re not asking me for my reason? About why I¡¯m saying this.¡±


    ¡°Even if Ie to know the reason, it¡¯s something that absolutely cannot happen. With all due respect, Your Highness, did you hit your head? After all these many years, the country is at the onset of doom.¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you¡ªin this entire world, there are only two people who can treat me this badly. One of them is <i>you.¡±</i>


    ¡°What an honor.¡±


    Roen emptied his teacup all at once. <i>I¡¯ve finished my tea, so goodbye.</i>


    He was about to get up while saying that, but Rajaden made him stay, holding the taunt of an imperial order above the young duke¡¯s head.


    From the very beginning, the crown prince¡¯s objective was Violet. So, from the very beginning, this meeting was unjust.


    Roen glowered at his friend, whose demeanor practically screamed cunning smugness.


    With an arrogant look on his face, Rajaden beamed brightly.


    ¡°There¡¯s a widespread rumor going around that the peerless Roen E. Everett had fallen at the feet of his younger sister. The esteemed daughter of House Everett had turned down all invitations from each and every household that sent them, while the Young Duke is putting up with such behavior.¡±


    If Roen were to just up and leave right now, he wondered what kind of imperial order Rajaden would make. Would it be along the lines of summary execution?


    Knowing what kind of thoughts were going on in Roen¡¯s head, Rajaden just smiled and continued speaking.


    ¡°I also know of Ducal Lady Aileen. It hasn¡¯t been long since her debut, and I hear that Sir Mikhail dotes on her especially.¡±


    The golden eyes resembling that of a beast glinted sharply.


    ¡°But the ducaldy who¡¯s refusing all invitations is Ducal Lady Violet, who happens to be the rumored wicked woman of House Everett. And by the way, isn¡¯t it that you care more about your cousin, Ducal Lady Aileen? I remember those times in the academy when you showed her off quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Interesting, isn¡¯t it? Back then, just a mere mention of the silver-haireddy made your expression distort so much that it looked like a bone got stuck in your throat. But now, you¡¯vepletely fallen at her feet.¡±


    ¡°Since you nted a spy, it truly seems like you know everything. But, Your Highness. I can¡¯t quite understand how this and the matter of the crown princess could possibly be connected.¡±


    ¡°I wish to take Violet S. Everett as my consort, in and simple.¡±


    ¡°Is this with politics in mind?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. But I¡¯m also personally interested in her.¡±


    This was the problem when one¡¯s close friend was, at the end of the day, one¡¯s superior.


    Regardless of what he¡¯d say here, this was something concerning Violet, and she would have the final say. But even still, he contemted whether he¡¯d be able to go against his superior¡¯s will.


    But really. It¡¯s impossible.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not all bad for you either.¡±


    ¡°Rejected.¡±


    ¡°Is it because I haven¡¯t sent an official proposal yet? If that¡¯s the case¡­¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so adamant about refusing me?¡±


    When Roen showed no signs of budging, Rajaden¡¯s expression finally cracked. With that smile gone, the crown prince scoffed at Roen discontentedly.


    In response, Roen merely stared back into that gaze, not touching any of the refreshments on the table. He remainedpletely calm.


    ¡°Why did you call me here?¡±


    ¡°Have you not heard anything I¡¯ve said until now?¡±


    ¡°If you want to propose to Violet, direct your proposal to her and ask for her opinion first. This isn¡¯t something that concerns me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s imperative to respect her opinion first and foremost.¡±


    Though Roen continued to speak calmly, his expression had closed up like a resolute iron wall.


    Suddenly finding out the reason behind the rejection, Rajaden stared nkly at the person in front of him. <i>Tap, tap.</i> Chin perched on one palm, Rajaden used one finger to tap his chin for a moment.


    And with a perplexed tone, he asked his friend.


    ¡°Let me repeat that for you. It¡¯s not a bad idea for both you and your younger sister. The stigma on her as a ¡®viiness¡¯ doesn¡¯t matter either. And about the elders of the imperial family, rather than just being affable about it, they¡¯d even wee this marriage with open arms.¡±


    Then, Rajaden added.


    ¡°Furthermore, bing part of the imperial family and leaving one¡¯s name in the history books can¡¯t ever be considered dishonorable.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    What Rajaden¡¯s saying was not wrong.


    Perhaps this would be a good opportunity for both Violet and Roen.


    Violet had dered that she would not be wed, but it¡¯s unknown for how long their household would be able to protect the unmarried ducaldy.


    No matter how much he¡¯d try to think it through, it¡¯s clear as day that the crown prince was the most ideal groom.


    However¡ª


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to.¡±

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    ¡°That¡¯s the reason?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the reason. Since Your Highness has nted a spy in our home, you should know that she was only framed. It wasn¡¯t true that she was an older sister who only harasses her adoptive younger sister, and nor is she truly what people call her ¡®Everett¡¯s wicked woman¡¯.¡±


    Roen exined one after another.


    ¡°All this time, that child had endured years of humiliation for all the things she was unwarrantedly med for. In the middle of suffocating throughout all this, the only thing she barely asked for was to honor her wish of not getting married. If this wish would not be honored, she would undoubtedly leave this all behind and disappear.¡±


    ¡°But as far as I know, not all of her actions were false charges¡­¡±


    ¡°Her reputation has changed now, but I don¡¯t know how things will turn out. She is still notoriously known as a ¡®viiness¡¯ here in the capital, but if she bes a member of the imperial family¡­ No, even if she won¡¯t be part of the imperial family¡ª Even if she is taken in as a bride in any other noble household, she will still suffer from all those sharp gazes and negative rumors. If she is to be married, I won¡¯t be able to protect her.¡±


    ¡°Still, even within your own household, she doesn¡¯t seem to be free from all the gazes and rumors you speak of.¡±


    ¡°¡­If possible, I only wish for her to act however she wants.¡±


    As Roen was exining calmly, Rajaden tried to interrupt him. However, Roen firmly continued speaking his mind.


    In any case, as Roen managed to convey all that he wanted to convey, Rajaden soon understood.


    ¡°Anyway, I quite understand what you¡¯re trying to say.¡±


    ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sending a formal proposal.¡±


    ¡°Did you or did you not understand a single word I said just now?¡±


    Rajaden gave Roen a stunning smile. All Roen wanted right now was for this damn crown prince to direct that smile not on him, but on the youngdies who tend to flock around him.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want her to be my consort. She¡¯s a ducaldy who, despite all false usations, just wishes to be left alone. She has the ability to reverse her notoriety, and she even managed to get you on her side. I also know the first ducaldy of House Everett because we¡¯ve met before. Contrary to the rumors, she¡¯s got quite the elegant image.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°The imperial family attracts quite a few jackals. If one of those jackals takes hold of even a single member of the imperial family, that jackal would not anymore know its ce and would proceed to go wild. In that respect, isn¡¯t the esteemed daughter of House Everett the perfect candidate with her ability to control the people below her?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, she¡¯s not as outstanding as you paint her out to be.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re disparaging your younger sister too much now. Really, my proposal isn¡¯t that out of the blue.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Though their interests once intersected, they now drew two parallel lines.


    Roen was firm in his conviction that this was not the way to go, but Rajaden continued to insist that it was.


    Not knowing why the crown prince was so persistent about this, Roen looked at the guy with annoyance.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me to put Violet in the loneliest throne just because she is the most worthy of the title of your consort.¡±


    ¡°While it is the loneliest, it is also the throne that holds the highest power.¡±


    ¡°There is no way that she wishes to attain that power.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think so? I know that there aren¡¯t many youngdies who can be deemed worthy as the next empress, but there won¡¯t be many of them who¡¯ll reject the position either.¡±


    ¡°If she truly wishes to have power, then she will have taken the duke¡¯s seat, not the empress¡¯s throne.¡±


    It was an undeniable fact. The current Duke Everett had a particrly soft spot for his daughter, so if Violet were to mention that she wanted to be the next duke, then he would have willingly given her the position.


    Rajaden could understand what his friend was saying, but it was not enough to break his obstinately one-track mind.


    ¡°Bing the empress or the duke are two separate things. Are you worried because the imperial family is full of jackals roaming around? There are a lot of old fogeys who wish to make their daughters my consort. However, I have no intention of bringing in a wife who¡¯s no different from an outsider¡¯s puppet. I don¡¯t want to take in any concubines either. It¡¯s not good to see the imperial family¡¯s blood being spilled elsewhere for no reason.¡±


    ¡°Rajaden.¡±


    ¡°You know about that, don¡¯t you? Back when the empress dowager of a few generations ago had seized the country. Or, that time when emperors of the old killed off all their siblings and their own fathers just to take the throne. Such incidents frequently appear in our history books. That¡¯s why, currently, my father has taken such actions.¡±


    It was for this reason that the current emperor had taken in only one empress, and they sired only one crown prince and one imperial princess.


    Rajaden also had a full mind to follow after his father¡¯s example.


    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t give her my love, I can be a good husband. I can even pretend to love her, if that¡¯s what she wants.¡±


    ¡°Rajaden!¡±


    Right now, all she wanted was to stop everything and just live a normal,fortable life. All she wanted was to be happy.


    As Violet¡¯s eyes shed before Roen¡¯s gaze, he red at the golden eyes of the crown prince.


    Green eyes met with those golden eyes that resembled that of a beast.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    It hadn¡¯t been that long since Roen had admitted his guilt and had apologized to his younger sister.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to incur any more sins against her.¡±


    ¡°That answer is no fun at all.¡±


    ¡°I will pretend I didn¡¯t hear about any of this. Please note that even if you send a formal proposal letter, it shall be returned to the sender.¡±


    <i>Thank you for the tea.</i>


    Roen got up from his seat on his own despite the crown prince not giving a go-ahead. Seeing this, Rajaden clicked his tongue.


    It¡¯s not as if Rajaden didn¡¯t expect to get this reaction at all, but he was nheless surprised to receive such a staunch refusal. In all honesty, he was quite taken aback.


    ¡°In that case¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°This means that Her Ladyship can give me <i>her</i> permission, yes?¡±


    Roen was almost out the door at this point, but the moment he heard the crown prince¡¯s words, he stopped in his tracks.

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    Laughter tainted by arrogance filled the drawing room.


    ¡°Until next time, my friend,¡± the crown prince said.


    ¡°Please do not call me again if it¡¯s for this reason.¡±


    As Roen did not even give a proper farewell to this member of the imperial family, Rajaden smiled broadly at him.


    But at the end of the day, that scoundrel right there wasn¡¯t the only one.


    ¡®I¡¯d rather she wed a modest, homely man who¡¯d be living with his inws.¡¯


    That day, the crown prince had proudly dered that he would pursue the ducaldy, while the duke¡¯s heir defiantly vowed that he would interfere with those ns.


    And Violet, the ducaldy in question, had nary a thought of what had transpired.


    * * *


    The townhouse¡¯s employees were rather flustered by Violet¡¯s impulsive decision to go on an outing. Perhaps it¡¯s because of the implicit understanding that Roen¡¯s orders took precedence over any of Violet¡¯s.


    With this in mind, there were some employees who tried to dissuade Violet from going out. However, they came out of this exchange defeated, taken aback by how much more persistent she was than they could have expected.


    Violet did not care about their shock, however. On the other hand, the few who still remember how Violet acted when she was a child could only shake their heads and murmur to themselves, ¡°Of course, of course. Our young miss is still the same.¡±


    Now outside due to her own whim, Violet¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s still no fun at all.¡±


    ¡­was feeling lonely again.


    The escort knights who came to apany her remained at a certain distance, refusing toe any closer.


    Of course, as they had an employer-employee rtionship, it¡¯s only right that they shouldn¡¯t be too close to each other. On the contrary, things were just strange back in the Everett estate.


    Feeling a rush of loneliness catching up to her, Violet sighed quietly.


    While the employees here didn¡¯t mock her, it¡¯s not as if they¡¯re going out of their way to speak to her with kindness.


    It¡¯s an employer-employee rtionship, so of course¡ªwhat should she expect? Nevertheless, she felt regretful about it for no reason.


    And with this came the realization that she had be attached to the members of the annex.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The rtionships that Violet had formed thus far were few and far in between, and because of this, it¡¯s natural that there were only a few people who she actually got along with.


    She was known to most as the high-nosed ducaldy who relentlessly stomped down and controlled all the people around her. It was inevitable that those same people now regarded her with wariness and exhaustion.


    There were also times when even the people who had stayed with Violet for a long time would turn around and start pointing their fingers at her, saying that she was an irredeemable viiness. It¡¯s for this reason that Violet had no substantial human connections.


    But what could she do about something that¡¯s out of her hands?


    Inwardly muttering this excuse to herself, Violet shook her head.


    Tired when surrounded, yet lonely when without. What a pair.


    But regardless, she¡¯d only be terribly tired if she were to be invited to a high society event.


    Since it¡¯s like this, it would be better if <i>she</i> was the one sending invitations to other people so that <i>they</i> woulde to <i>her.</i> Besides, there were many nobles who wished to strengthen their ties with House Everett.


    It¡¯s just that Violet wasn¡¯t really inclined to do something like that, and the problemy with Violet finding it difficult to get what she wants and establish close rtionships in such a manner.


    ¡®I just wish there¡¯s someone beside me who I¡¯m sure is on my side.¡¯


    Rather, the people who she could consider as ¡®her people¡¯ were still on their way to the capital, so as of the moment, she was just being seen as isted.


    Although, there¡¯s a difference from her circumstances then and now¡ªanytime she wanted, she could get out of the invisible walls of this istion.


    ¡°Buy our apples! Fresh apples~!¡±


    Making her way down the lively streets of the marketce, Violet let out a slow exhale.


    Truthfully, the fact that she wasn¡¯t very acquainted with the people in high society was brought upon her own sense of disconnect from this time period.


    Peerage, status disparity, the impoverished, the ves, the imperial family.


    Whenever she¡¯d get overwhelmed by how strange these all were, she would go out to the crowded streets and feel all the life around her. Listening to their conversations was much better than whatever she¡¯d hear at parties or banquets filled with aristocrats.


    ¡°Did you hear? This time, His Highness the Crown Prince¡­¡±


    ¡°Dangit, you rascal. Say something that makes sense, will you?¡±


    ¡°It <i>does</i> make sense though?¡±


    But regardless of whether Violet felt a sense of disconnect or not, at the end of the day, this was still the human world.


    Quietly listening to the rumors floating across the streets, Violet silently chucked to herself.


    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that a war¡¯s brewing.¡±


    ¡°Do you have your head in the clouds or something? Just finish your work, will you.¡±


    ¡°No but, listen! You remember my cousin who lives at the ise estate, right?¡±


    The rumor she heard just now was random.


    ¡®ise, huh. I¡¯ve heard of it before.¡¯


    Feeling as though she was just on the verge of remembering something, Violet frowned slightly.


    The atmosphere in the capital was quite different from that of the Everett estate. It was quieter here in the capital, but there was a certain air of sophistication here. Though cold, it somehow felt mild.


    ¡®I never thought of the Everett estate as my hometown.¡¯


    Violet briefly wondered if the ce she considered her hometown was a rural area.


    Still,pared to the capital¡¯s vibrancy, everywhere else would be considered rural. It was a meaningless concern.


    ¡°Extra, extra! Read all about it! We¡¯ve got thetest interview with the capital¡¯s popr celebrity! Get your copy of the magazine here!¡±


    While looking around for a long time, one particr child caught her attention. With a bag full of magazines to be sold, the boy seemed to be good at selling them.


    ¡°But that looks kind of heavy.¡±


    Out of earshot, Violet murmured.


    He looked even younger than Mary. Curious, Violet approached the boy.


    But just the sight of the elegant Violet jolted the boy with shock.

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    ¡°May I buy one?¡±


    ¡°H-Huh?¡±


    ¡°One magazine please.¡±


    The stunned boy scrambled to dig out a new magazine, but because he was too flustered, all the contents of his bag got strewn out.


    ¡°Allow me to help you.¡±


    ¡°Y-You don¡¯t n-need to, ma¡¯am! A-And please speakfortably!¡±


    Violet was very obviously a noble, and the boy gasped, surprised that she was speaking respectfully towards him. It¡¯s so strange to hear someone so high above him speak formally like this.


    However, Violet herself spoke in this manner as a sign of respect towards the other person. She frowned slightly.


    After asking the boy how much a copy would cost, she gave him more than the said amount. Well, it was the smallest unit of currency she had on hand, but she also felt bad because the boy wouldn¡¯t be able to sell all the magazines that had been dropped to the ground anymore.


    As he received the money, the boy¡¯s mouth gaped wide open. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to earn this much even if he had managed to sell all the magazines he had.


    Violetughed inwardly. Somehow, this was the type of clich¨¦d scene that might appear in a novel.


    The capital had good security in ce, so she didn¡¯t have to worry about the boy losing this money on his way back.


    Or, he might just return the gold coin to the magazine publisher and receive his wage there. Either way, it¡¯s not any of Violet¡¯s business.


    As this all happened, the passers-by on the street paid no attention to them. This moderate indifference was characteristic of Werchen.


    Settling down at afortable ce where she could read the magazine, Violet¡¯s expression immediately soured. In turn, as the escort guards saw that the esteemed daughter of their duchy was sitting on a bench where onlymoners sat, they frowned as well.


    Violet read through the whole magazine.


    It just so happened that this magazine she bought was a special edition on House Everett. Of course, this included a scoop on ¡®Violet S. Everett¡¯.


    She had just bought this magazine out of nowhere, but Violet could neither smile nor cry about it. She just looked at it nkly.


    As it turned out, the boy had been so surprised to see her because she was the main topic of the magazine he was selling.


    The camera had already been invented in this time period, but it wasn¡¯t yet advanced, and it was very expensive to take even a single picture. Violet¡¯s image, as it was disyed in the tabloid, was not quite a picture. It¡¯s more like someone¡¯s interpretation of how she looked.


    Was this what a fairytale¡¯s witch looked like? Beautiful, but filled with cier-like coldness and ferocity of the severest kind. Feeling ufortable, Violet looked up at the sky.


    ¡®Do I look like this?¡¯


    This momentary concern shed across her mind. Although she looked vicious, the image conveyed a certain beauty that¡¯s typical of a crafted sculpture. This was partly the reason that the rumors about Violet were spreading in the capital.


    There were various things written about House Everett in the articles.


    The scandal of the former duke¡¯s heir, Mikhail. The expulsion of Aileen.


    About thetter, it should have just been written that Aileen had been sent to study abroad, but instead the article wrote, ¡®In the end, Everett¡¯s angel was banished from the Empire due to the evil sorcery of Violet, the wicked woman.¡¯


    Besides those things, it¡¯s also mentioned how Roen became the new duke¡¯s heir, and how <i>that</i> Violet was dominating Werchen.


    Violet herself read about how she apparently became the flower of high society and was dominating over all the nobles. She clicked her tongue.


    This magazine¡¯s articles were full of pure lies.


    The most shocking part was reading about an interview with her that she never did.


    Unable to bear reading the words that <i>she</i> allegedly spoke, Violet pped the magazine shut.


    ¡®I¡¯ll have to tell Roen to sue these peopleter.¡¯


    What about this was believable? How dare those people write such lies. Did they go ahead and write this because they think that, if they were to be sued, only House Everett¡¯s image would go down the drain?


    Violet realized why the boy looked at her with such fear in his eyes. He might lose his job.


    That¡¯s understandable. But of course, it¡¯s none of Violet¡¯s business.


    Intending to keep this magazine as evidence, Violet handed it over to one of the escort knights, then she looked up at the sky.


    Out of curiosity, the knight opened the magazine. He stared alternately between the magazine and Violet, a look of disbelief on his face.


    * * *


    The people in the capital were generally indifferent to others, but they still sometimes nced towards Violet.


    Was it because of her silver hair and purple eyes? Silver hair was notmon.


    But Violet didn¡¯t care about their gazes¡ªshe just proceeded to stuff her face with street food. The escort knights made a huge fuss about checking first whether there¡¯s poison in the food, but Violet just responded to this by stuffing <i>their</i> faces with street food as well. They¡¯re her aplices now.


    For a duke¡¯s daughter, she wore only simple clothes and was quite easy-going. However, it¡¯s still not enough to disguise her as a mere richmoner; each action and gesture that she made undoubtedly exuded grace and elegance.


    Still, people simply thought that she <i>just</i> looked like the famous Ducal Lady Everett.


    Buying some fruit on the street and taking a bite out of it, Violet grimaced sharply. It¡¯s terribly sour because it wasn¡¯t ripe yet.


    Thinking that she had been poisoned, the knights kicked up another huge fuss. But just as before, Violet just stuffed the sour fruit into a knight¡¯s mouth.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Faced with the ducaldy¡¯s mischief, the knights were left half crying.


    Still, as they were guarding her from a few steps behind, it didn¡¯t look like she was all bad.


    She wasn¡¯t self-conscious aroundmoners at all and even treated them with respect.


    However, her grace and dignity could not be concealed, so one could only think that this was an act of noblesse oblige.


    She ate various fruits and other street food, and she bought toys and knick knacks that looked strange. She also noticed that there was an art exhibition schedule posted.


    Walking through the streets, she found a painter¡¯s studio, she looked through various art supplies at the studio.


    But then, she suddenly stopped.


    She was hit with the realization that this was usually what a novel¡¯s female lead would usually do¡ªwalking around the marketce and all.


    ¡°Should I just go back now?¡±


    Werchen was a well-governed city and the streets were clean. There was no need to worry about the people¡¯s security either because there were many guards going around on patrol.


    There¡¯s this clich¨¦ where the female lead, who had juste up from the countryside recently, would meet a thug or something.


    Though the probability of that happening to Violet seemed low.


    With a smirk on her lips, Violet recalled the contents of the novel she had recently read while she was killing time in the past week.


    She didn¡¯t sneak out to go on this outing, and she also brought with her escort knights.


    So, what could possibly happen?


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    But in the end, something <i>did</i> happen.


    Walking down the street a little more, more people starteding out and she ended up getting separated from her knights. When Violet realized that she was now alone, the sun was already about to set.


    And as if to rub salt on the wound, Violet got herself even more lost as she was now just staring at a brook in front of her. It¡¯s only natural that Violet¡¯s starting to get more anxious.


    ¡°Where am I?¡±


    Did she go around without a care to the world far too much?


    Violet had been excited to go out for the first time in a long while, but now that she was here, she carefully gauged her situation.


    Breathing slowly, Violet thought about the tears that the escort knights must be shedding now.


    She wasn¡¯t bad with directions per se, but it was quite a serious predicament to get lost in a ce where everything and everyone was unfamiliar.


    Should she ask someone for directions?


    Thinking about all the nagging that Roen was bound to give her, Violet pressed down on her temples.


    Roen would surely hold an inquisition as to why she had herself gotten lost.


    Fortunately, she bought a bunch of strange knick knacks earlier. She¡¯d be able to distract him with those gifts. If that might fail, then thest resort would be to say that she got lost while buying gifts for him.


    While Violet was contemting, a gruff voice spoke from behind her.


    ¡°Hiya, miss. Are you lost?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Good grief, you¡¯re obviously an honorable nobledy, aren¡¯t ¡®cha? What do you say, should I show you the way?¡±


    Without even having the chance to ask for directions anymore, Violet found herself in this new conundrum.


    Facing the slightly rough-looking men and observing them, Violet nodded slowly.


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could show me the way. If you need it, I shallpensate you handsomely.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! We can be very good guides, y¡¯know. Where do you need to go?¡±


    They seemed much too sincere to be thugs, but they also looked much too hoodlum-like to be good, normal citizens. Yet here they were, iming to be guides.


    Perhaps it¡¯s because they could feel that it wouldn¡¯t be wise to mess with her. Violet now showed a domineering attitude that one wouldn¡¯t ordinarily see every day.


    She thought that a situation like this would appear only in novels.


    The hoodlum-like young men approached Violet with smiles on their faces.


    ¡°But may I ask, about how much is the reward?¡±


    As Violet was mulling over whether she could trust these guys, someone broke in between them.


    ¡°Huh? You hadpan¡ª urk!¡±


    ¡°W-Who are you!¡±


    It¡¯s a ck-haired man who she was meeting for the first time. Out of nowhere, he quickly overpowered the others.


    His form wasn¡¯t ordinary, so it was obvious that he had formally learned how to wield the sword.


    Violet also noticed the mark of the imperial family emzoned on his cloak. He must be part of the imperial guard.


    ¡°I heard that there have been several incidents of violence, extortion and robbery around here. I¡¯ll let you off today, so just leave.¡±


    ¡°I asked you who you are!¡±


    ¡°W-Wait! Look at his cloak! That guy¡¯s a knight! An imperial knight!¡±


    ¡°W-What?!¡±


    ¡°Aaack, run!¡±


    Violet stared nkly as the scene unfolded right before her. Somehow, the dialogue here felt quite contrived.


    It¡¯s as if she was watching a theater y. It was just too contrived and unrealistic. It¡¯s as if the romance novel she read before was being presented now as a live performance.


    ¡°Are you hurt in any way?¡±


    While she was thinking as such, the hoodlums ran away in a panic, and the ck-haired knight turned to speak to her.


    Violet shook her head slowly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve received your help, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°¡­Um.¡±


    Though the man had arge physique, his face looked surprisingly young. Was he about the same age as Cairn?


    Reminded of her younger brother for a moment, Violet couldn¡¯t help but grimace. And when the knight saw her change of expression, the ck-haired knight looked perplexed.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    A subtle exchange ensued.


    Did he have something to say to her? Was there something he needed from her? Since he¡¯s an imperial knight, even a probationary knight wouldn¡¯t possibly have a low wage though.


    The young knight opened and closed his mouth a few times, not saying anything for a while. Violet tilted her head to the side, perplexed as well.


    ¡°Do you¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you not remember me?¡±

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    An innocent gaze was directed at Violet. Looking into his palevender eyes, not unlike her own purple eyes, Violet asked.


    ¡°Where did we meet?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Once Violet asked this, he fell silent, and his expression changed more and more by the second.


    He now looked so forlorn that Violet was almost about to apologize for not remembering him.


    ¡°No, if you don¡¯t remember, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You seem to be lost, but if you don¡¯t mind, may I escort you?¡±


    ¡°Escort?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I-I mean. I¡¯m not a suspicious person.¡±


    The embarrassed knight scrambled to get something out of his inner coat pocket. Violet just said that she already knew he was a knight.


    Feeling awkward, he coughed briefly. He showed her his identification card, and it said there that his name was ¡®Aldin¡¯ and he belonged to the First Imperial Order of the ck Wolf.


    Violet wondered where she might have met him before. She rummaged through her memories.


    He was tall and had a robust physique, but his face was still young. His dark hair was reflecting the sunset¡¯s red hue, and, somehow, hisvender eyes contained within them the rain<sup>[1]</sup>.


    ¡®I think I can remember him.¡¯


    Lavender eyes, not unlike Violet¡¯s purple eyes. Somewhere in her memories, she could remember them vaguely.


    However, she couldn¡¯t pull out the exact memory.


    ¡°¡­If it¡¯s alright with you, then please. I¡¯m in your care.¡±


    She knew the look in his eyes.


    Those eyes, like serenekes¡ªhorribly subdued.


    Not knowing why, Violet suddenly felt awkward about staring at him. Her gaze slipped down.


    ¡°Please speakfortably, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°Do you know me?¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows that the esteemed daughter of House Everett hase to the capital.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m asking if you know me personally. And I wish to ask as well about what you meant when you asked me if I don¡¯t remember you.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t remember, you don¡¯t have to force yourself to remember. It was just a passing encounter.¡±


    Though Violet asked him straightforwardly, Aldin replied boldly as well.


    Surely if he was someone who was in Violet¡¯s memories, Aldin¡¯s standing couldn¡¯t be ordinary.


    ¡°Sir Aldin, you¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very tall.¡±


    As Violet spoke first, she eventually trailed off and avoided looking at him. It was awkward.


    When Violet was silent for a moment, Aldin felt a bit nervous because he didn¡¯t know what she was about to say. But when she finally spoke again, he rxed for a moment.


    ¡®His is a face that I¡¯d definitely remember.¡¯


    Violet was once again left to her own thoughts as they continued walking forward, and she could only wonder if her memory was this bad.


    The man seemed to be ustomed to guarding people. Violet had a hunch that this fellow might have a high position, too.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    While their surroundings gradually changed as they walked down the streets, the two of them couldn¡¯t easily open their lips to speak again.


    <i>Is he just curt?</i> Violet thought. Trying to gauge the man in front of her with narrowed eyes, Violet caught sight of her long-lost escort knights running straight to her. They looked frightened out of their wits.


    ¡°You¡ª Who are you!¡±


    Then, they pointed their swords at Aldin.


    Violet was rendered speechless by the dumbfounding situation. It¡¯s as if Aldin had saved the escort knights from drowning, but here they were, asking where their lost bags were.


    But regardless of her reaction, the confrontation between the escort knights and the imperial knight continued.


    ¡°Your name, I asked! And state your affiliation!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Was his mouth glued or something?


    ncing once at the man who wouldn¡¯t say anything even as several swords were mere inches away from his throat.


    ¡°He is a knight of the imperial guard and he¡¯s the one who helped me when I was in trouble. Even if you don¡¯t have any manners, can you please refrain from being rude?¡±


    It was not until Violet said this that the knights fell back and returned sheathed their swords once again. What a funny turn of events.


    It could be said that this was Violet¡¯s fault for going around so freely, but it also made no sense for escort knights to lose track of the person they¡¯re supposed to be guarding.


    Regardless of how crowded it had been back then, it was their job to stay by her side no matter what.


    And yet, far from admitting their mistakes, it¡¯sughable to see them pointing their swords at the person who saved their butts.


    These knights should undoubtedly be given more rigorous training the moment they¡¯d return to the townhouse.


    Still, Violet didn¡¯t want to add more to her notoriety. She would be handing over the task of scolding these knights to Roen.


    Anyway, it seemed like the knights still hadn¡¯t noticed the mark of the imperial family.


    Violet felt troubled by the apparent level of skill of her household¡¯s knights. Well, of course the imperial mark was on the cloak, which was on his back, and they were standing in front of Aldin. They wouldn¡¯t have seen it.


    ¡°Ahem, ahem. Pardon me. If you don¡¯t mind, may I ask about your affiliation?¡±


    ¡°The ck Wolf.¡±


    ¡°ck Wolf? You mean, the first chivalric order?¡±


    <i>1 I couldn¡¯t quite capture the whole meaning of this word right here. Violet used the term ??, which could mean rain(fall), mncholy or excellence. The first meaning parallels how Violet¡¯s eyes arepared tokes, so it somehow makes sense if Aldin¡¯s eyes arepared to the rain.</i>


    <i>Still, I¡¯m not sure which one of the three meanings Violet wanted to say. Or, perhaps she meant all of them. ?</i>

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As the misunderstanding that the escort knights had with the imperial knight got cleared, they started chatting with him warmly.


    <i>Is he always this quiet?</i> Violet wondered. She furtively gauged Aldin¡¯s reactions as she corrected her first impression of him.


    Just by the way he looked, he¡¯s clearly ufortable. That is, ufortable because of the situation itself.


    As Violet observed the man¡¯s cold expression, which she was seeing for the first time, she had more small doubts yet again.


    ¡°In any case, thank you very much for aiding Her Ladyship. You¡¯ll be given a handsome reward.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    However, the man did not care about the escort knight¡¯s words. Yet again, Violet had the same thought. It really was like some kind of skit¡ªboth now and then, when they had faced the hoodlums.


    ¡°You¡¯re Sir Aldin of the ck Wolf, so of course. If there¡¯s anything you want, we¡¯ll get it for you.¡±


    ¡°No thank you.¡±


    The man continued interacting with the knights as though he was a rock, but back when he was talking to Violet, he had been so cautious about opening the conversation. He had even looked quite resolute, too.


    Or perhaps it¡¯s just a case of being overly nervous? Violet mulled over that one relevant factor, being her notoriety. Knowledge of her misdeeds had be widespread enough that a person who she had barely met would most likely get nervous.


    ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, can we meet againter?¡± Aldin asked.


    ¡°Meet again?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s too much¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ah. No, I was just surprised for a moment because you¡¯re not asking to bepensated right away. Is that really enough?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    In other words, Violet was asking if that was truly all he wanted from House Everett, yet his answer remained the same¡ªyes, it¡¯s enough to him.


    Hearing the man¡¯s answer, Violet thought to herself for a brief moment. She nodded.


    ¡°Then, I give you my word. Come and see me any time you want. I¡¯ll present to you any reward you wish to have at that time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Thoroughly, Violet had misunderstood the man¡¯s intentions.


    At the conclusion that Violet reached, a hint of despair momentarily passed through the man¡¯s gaze. Looking at the man¡¯s subdued gaze, which so very resembled her own, Violet couldn¡¯t understand why the light in his eyes would waver like that whenever he gazed upon <i>her</i>.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you then. I¡¯ll be off now.¡±


    This meeting between Violet and Aldin, the ck-haired knight who¡¯s affiliated with the Order of the ck Wolf, was short.


    Afterwards, as they returned to the townhouse, it became an open secret that Violet was weed with Roen¡¯s persistent nagging, while the knights who had apanied her not only had a sry cut, but also received punishment under the guise of ¡®extra training¡¯.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It¡¯s <i>awkward.</i>


    Inside the drawing room, no one at all spoke.


    Though Violet herself was somewhat aware of her own misgivings today, she didn¡¯t try to fill the silence with asinine pleasantries or useless excuses.


    ¡°Right, I heard that you went somewhere alone and got lost¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen opened the discussion with a calm smile pasted on his lips.


    This was the news that he received as soon as he got home. Before this, he had been looking forward to talking behind the crown prince¡¯s back with his younger sister.


    It¡¯s fortunate that Violet had returned home safely though, lest the entire capital would have been overturned.


    Either way, Violet felt wronged.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just been staying at home all this time, so I wanted to go outside and sightsee a little.¡±


    ¡°Then you got lost. And even got separated with your escort knights.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet continued to look Roen dead in the eye. Clearly, it was a gaze containing her protests, wordlessly insisting that it was all the escort knights¡¯ fault for not following her properly.


    But Roen dismissed her silent protests with a casual smile.


    ¡°If you wanted to go out, why didn¡¯t you tell me? I would have gone with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your doll, Young Lord.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Violet.¡±


    Roen sighed.


    Amongst everyone who was inside this drawing room, the only ones who were feeling suffocated by the tension of the two siblings¡¯ conversation were the maids waiting on them.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to go out to get you some clothes? I was expecting that we¡¯re going together.¡±


    ¡°By any chance, Young Lord.¡±


    There was a questioning look in Violet¡¯s eyes as she stared at Roen.


    ¡°Are you upset?¡±


    <i>Cough.</i>


    ¡°Isn¡¯t ¡®upset¡¯ too strong a word?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet was incredulous.


    Roen wasn¡¯t upset that she nearly got in danger, just that she left him behind and did something on her own.


    ¡°I just went out to the streets for a little while. I didn¡¯t even stop by any boutiques.¡±


    ¡°I heard you also ate street food without doubting the ingredients.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well.¡±


    ¡°And you even fed your escort knights?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As the conversation progressed, Violet got increasingly speechless. He¡¯s seriously off the mark here.


    For a moment, she wondered whether or not she should point out that she only shoved the food into the escort knights¡¯ mouths, not necessarily feeding them.


    ¡°Fine. Could you go with me when I buy some clothester?¡±


    ¡°Of course. If it¡¯s what my younger sister wishes.¡±


    Violet clicked her tongue as Roen gave her a refreshing smile.


    In any case, after Violet ¡®offered¡¯ to go to the boutique with Roen for her clothes fitting, she just sighed openly. Roen paid her despondency no mind.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    ¡°You¡¯re quite the natural at pretending to be close to me,¡± Violetmented.


    ¡°It¡¯s one step towards truly bing close to one another. Besides, I really am worried about you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sure¡­¡±


    Roen¡¯s endeavor at pretending to be close was a great burden.


    How could she possibly ept this easily? It hadn¡¯t been long since he had constantly ignored her and deceived her, yet now, all of a sudden, he was showing her such affection through these acts.


    Memories of the past were deeply engraved on her skin. Despite Roen¡¯s attempts at being close to her, Violet only felt more awkward with him because of how unfamiliar it all was.


    As the air in the drawing room was rid of its previous tension, the maids could finally breathe freely.


    Violet clicked her tongue once again.


    ¡°By the way, Violet. What do you think of Rajaden, His Highness the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    The question Roen had for Violet was so left field. Looking at Roen, Violet tried to guess what kind of intentions he had behind that query.


    However, Roen¡¯s expression was so serious that Violet found herself answering him without realizing it.


    ¡°He is the man who will shape the empire¡¯s future.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Then, are you interested in him in any way?¡±


    ¡°What a dreadful thing to say.¡±


    ¡°I knew it, you¡¯re not, right? That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Once again, Violet started doubting Roen as she heard his somewhat vague answer.


    Facing each other calmly, this pair of brother and sister were tantly casting aside the future sun of the empire who would lead thend into tomorrow.


    ¡°Why do you ask all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Ah. I heard that the imperial family would like to send a formal proposal to you. I¡¯m not quite sure whether it¡¯s the imperial family as a whole who wants to take you in, or if it¡¯s just the personal wish of the crown prince.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I turned the proposal down, but¡ª¡±


    <i>¡°Excuse me?¡±</i>


    Starting from when he mentioned that it might either be the imperial family or the crown prince who wanted her, the smile on Roen¡¯s lips became sharper.


    Violet, on the other hand, was still processing the bomb that he had just unleashed. She cut him off mid-sentence.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying, the imperial family¡­ No, the crown prince wants <i>me</i> to be his consort?¡±


    ¡°I think so? Just considering the fact that he summoned me there separately, it seems like you¡¯ve already been considered as a candidate for his bride.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    ¡°What about?¡±


    ¡°No, I just don¡¯t understand. What¡¯s there to gain from taking me in as the crown prince¡¯s consort?¡±


    Violet¡¯s question was reasonable. But at the same time, there was an obvious answer to that.


    Roen smiled at Violet.


    ¡°Sometimes, I get sad whenever I see just how much you¡¯ve changed. For you to ask such a question, what exactly are youcking?¡±


    ¡°¡­Young Lord.¡±


    ¡°Right, to put it simply, it¡¯s a matter of politics. It¡¯s almost certain that the current crown prince will be ascending the throne.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°However, he has many enemies. No, to be more precise, those in the aristocratic faction will constantly keep him in check, and they might somehow try to undermine him. And it¡¯s enough that the temple keeps him in check as well, so¡ª¡±


    ¡°And what does that have to do with proposing to me?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re an Everett, Violet S. Everett. And from two generations ago, our line of descent received the blood of the imperial family. Besides that, the power and influence of our household cannot be looked down upon. Even the household from which our mother came from¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cut it short and exin it directly. I¡¯m not asking you because I¡¯mpletely blind of my own circumstances. I¡¯m just asking, why <i>me.¡±</i>


    Roen gavepletely political reasons.


    However, Violet was asking why the crown prince wanted to marry the ¡®viiness¡¯ who was not well-received by the public.


    No matter how powerful House Everett was, the rumors would continue to follow her for as long as she¡¯s still stigmatized as a viiness.


    ¡°¡­Well, the reason.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honestly not sure, but perhaps it¡¯s because he¡¯s expecting that people won¡¯t be able to touch you because of the rumors of how vicious you are. If not that, maybe he¡¯s thinking that you¡¯ve created this fa?ade of a viiness and that you¡¯re not actually one.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That aside, both the duke¡¯s heir and the duke himself are on your side. And you¡¯ve sufficiently learned everything about Everett, to the extent that there would be no problem if you¡¯re to be named as the duke¡¯s heir instead of me.¡±


    Even as there was not a single person on her side, Violet had proven that she could rise to the top with her skill alone.


    The crown prince wanted a consort who had both power and skill.


    Aileen was lovely, but unbearably weak. The throne of an empress could not be kept by someone who had merely ¡®goodness¡¯.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just refuse?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do anything that you don¡¯t agree with.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then just refuse, even if they send a formal proposal letter. I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    As if what popped out of Violet¡¯s lips was the answer he¡¯d been wanting to hear all this time, Roen beamed.


    <i>¡°Haha.</i> As expected, you don¡¯t like that snake, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Disgusting scoundrel, that guy. He¡¯s the reason I don¡¯t like people whose intentions can¡¯t easily be read.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    One snake was speaking ill of another snake.


    Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed further. However, Roen didn¡¯t notice this.


    ¡°Listen, Violet. You won¡¯t believe what I heard from that guy today!¡±


    Regardless of her reaction though, Roen was obviously in high spirits as he told his younger sister about the conversation he had with the crown prince earlier today in detail.


    There was a trace of sadness in his expression as he told the story.


    But Violet wasn¡¯t fooled.


    As a human being who was good at hiding his true emotions like a snake, Roen¡¯s tone of voice and facial expression <i>must</i> be intentional.


    So, she smiled kindly.


    ¡°Young Lord, <i>you¡¯re</i> disgusting.¡±

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    ¡°Violet!¡±


    Roen had been hoping to talk behind the crown prince¡¯s back together with his younger sister, but he failed. Now, he was looking at her sadly.


    Violet gave him an even more disgusted look.


    Seeing Roen be so fixated on their ¡®brother-sister bonding¡¯, Violet got up from her seat.


    In any case, it was a very peaceful day.


    * * *


    A few dayster, Mary arrived at the townhouse. Some of the other employees came with Mary, and some of House Everett¡¯s knights came with Zylo as well.


    It was Mary¡¯s first timeing to the capital. Her eyes were all lit up, and she kept making a fuss while excitedly saying, ¡°This is only the second time I¡¯ve left my hometown in my whole life!¡±


    Zylo wondered why she needed to be <i>this</i> excited when it was the second time after all.


    By the looks of his gaunt face, he was <i>very</i> tired.


    ¡°Mdy!¡±


    Mary was, of course, given the position of Violet¡¯s personal maid. And, once again, Violet observed just how great Mary¡¯s socializing skills were that she couldn¡¯t say anything. The girl adjusted to her new environment very quickly.


    For a while, there was a subtle war of nerves between the existing employees of the townhouse and the employees who were newly joining.


    Between the pride of managing the household¡¯s mansion in the capital and the pride of managing the household¡¯s main mansion at the duchy, both were not to be taken lightly.


    Fortunately, however, the subtle war of nerves was quickly settled. It was all thanks to Violet¡¯s reception of Mary.


    The employees of the townhouse were stunned by the sight of Violet enjoyably listening to Mary¡¯s chatter.


    As they realized that Mary was Violet¡¯s favorite maid, they all saved themselves. There would be no benefit in butting heads with her for no reason.


    Thus, the atmosphere within the townhouse quickly mellowed out. This was perhaps because of Violet¡¯s treatment of the newly joined employees, or perhaps because they all knew that the ducaldy would not arbitrarily wield her authority whenever she wanted.


    Thanks to this, all of the employees no longer thought that Violet was someone from a different world as them.


    And Violet, who had absolutely nothing to do, started painting again.


    Instead of using the brush all the time, she sometimes used other mediums to scribble or draw some croquis so that her skill wouldn¡¯t fade.


    Her regr morning training with Zylo had also resumed. Zylo still felt regretful about how Violet¡¯s talent was being wasted, but Violet staunchly refused to train her swordsmanship in earnest.


    As the ducaldy consistently came to the drill hall early in the morning, training alongside her maid, Mary, all the knights in the drill hall were at a loss for words.


    Even if they tried not to mind her, it was a situation wherein they <i>couldn¡¯t</i><i>help</i> but be conscious of her. They allined of what a headache it was.


    But still, Violet just clicked her tongue at the knights for being petty about her morning exercise.


    As expected, human beings should move their bodies. Violet¡¯s physical condition improved day by day, and some other people started to follow her example and started to exercise as well.


    Because Roen loathed moving his body, he could only watch the situation as it was unfolding.


    As their days passed peacefully, Roen called in a dressmaker.


    * * *


    ¡°It is a great honor to be able to build your wardrobe, Lady Everett, esteemed daughter of the noble and magnificent ducal household~!¡±


    Violet frowned as she listened to the dressmaker¡¯s ceaselesspliments. With as glib a tongue as that, it¡¯s as if he had thoroughly oiled his whole mouth. It should be known by everyone that Violet had a notorious reputation.


    ¡°Then, about the Laurent Boutique¡¯s clothes~¡±


    This time, the dressmaker¡¯s ceaseless bragging followed.


    The boutique that Roen chose was the best one in the capital, so it was surely worth bragging about. Even so, bragging about it this much seemed a step too far.


    For a long time, the drawing room they were in was filled with nothing but the dressmaker¡¯s recitation of the boutique¡¯s history and poprity, about what kind of dresses and designs of theirs had led the capital¡¯s trends thus far.


    To summarize, anyone who could book them and summon them to their manor should be very d.


    Of course, as Violet heard this, her expression was far from <i>d</i>.


    ¡°Since Your Ladyship is tall, this design would be perfect!¡±


    The prideful dressmaker showed a design that he sketched in advance.


    He had only ever heard rumors about the ducaldy before this as today was his first time meeting her in person.


    So, while showing his designs to the ducaldy, he excitedly said, ¡°I thought that it would suit Your Ladyship better if I added more embellishments and changed this part over here!¡±


    Of course, these words went through one ear and out the next with Violet.


    ¡°Is this a clown¡¯s costume?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I asked if this is a clown¡¯s costume.¡±


    ¡°Weeell, <i>ahaha.</i> I¡¯ll take it that you don¡¯t like this design?¡±


    When Violet asked this question with a frown on her lips, the dressmaker felt himself sweating.


    <i>Indeed, it was not an easy task to interact with the viiness of the rumors¡ª</i> This thought could practically be read on the dressmaker¡¯s forehead with the way he couldn¡¯t hide his expression.


    Violet¡¯s question could be considered rude, but actually, she was serious.


    Violet genuinely wondered whether the clothes that this dressmaker had designed for her were meant for a clown.


    The corset¡¯s obviously too tight just for the sake of making the chest and waist look more pronounced. There¡¯s also too much emphasis on the shoulders and the hips, and the frills are ced weirdly on the dress¡­


    As a ducaldy who grew up surrounded by splendid extravagance, she was intuitively attracted to luxurious clothes. Even so, that didn¡¯t mean she preferred clothes that were excessively embellished with essories and gems.

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    ¡°Then, how about this dress?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll just suffocate me to death. Next.¡±


    ¡°Ah, <i>hahaha¡­</i> If not that, then this one. This design will most definitely entuate Your Ladyship¡¯s charm¡ª¡±


    ¡°Having too many embellishments is worse than none at all. Next.¡±


    Violet¡¯s demand was a bit tricky. Sitting on one side, Roen didn¡¯t know much about clothes, so he just watched.


    As the dressmaker couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, he burst out,


    ¡°Your Ladyship, it seems like my designs do not fit what you have in mind. Originally, a dress should highlight a woman¡¯s body in a way that fits the ideal, thus making it beautiful for everyone to see, but¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like Your Ladyship is satisfied with this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    At the dressmaker¡¯s nonsense, Violet just raised her chin once, a wordless gesture to make him continue speaking.


    So, the dressmaker opened his mouth once more.


    ¡°Here in Werchen, the style that women pursue is ssical beauty¡ªa style in which one¡¯s natural beauty is even more enhanced as many colorful and eye-catching decorations are added. No one will be able to take their eyes off of such beauty!¡±


    After that, the dressmaker went on another one of his long tirades about the Laurent Boutique¡¯s ideologies.


    Yet again, to summarize, Violet was like a country gal who just left the boonies and had juste to the capital. She did not know what¡¯s in vogue here at the empire¡¯s center, so the dressmaker¡¯s designs were in line with the ultimate standard of beauty.


    In the first ce, this dressmaker was a man, and he was not the one who should decide what ¡®the ultimate standard of beauty¡¯ was for a woman¡¯s body.


    Violet frowned.


    She heard that the flower of the empire¡¯s high society was Lady Tolofia, but what exactly did she do to poprize a clown¡¯s costume?


    ¡®I think it¡¯s been a little less than three years.¡¯


    This was just Violet¡¯s opinion though. In fact, the designs of the Laurent Boutique weren¡¯t bad enough that they should be called clown costumes.


    ¡°Sure, I can see what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Your Ladyship! Then, as expected¡ª¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯re saying now is that my perspective is <i>wrong,</i> hm?¡±


    Violet¡¯s calm voice made the dressmaker¡¯s face bright one second, then crestfallen the next. He looked at Roen and silently tried to ask for help.


    However, Roen just gave him a gentle smile.


    ¡°That, well, that¡¯s not what I meant. I only mean to say that the trends in Werchen that are being pursued¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why should I follow the trends?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Let me repeat myself then. Is there any reason that <i>I</i> should follow the trends?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The ducaldy¡¯s haughty tone shut the dressmaker right up.


    As a matter of fact, what Violet said was not wrong. With the exception of the imperial princess, amongst all thedies who had yet to wed, Violet was the highest noble of her peers.


    So, it was only right for Violet not to follow the trends and instead lead the trends.


    Of course, this was <i>if</i> Violet was reigning as the flower of high society.


    ¡°So, um, again, about this dress¡­¡±


    Feeling overwhelmed, the dressmaker doggedly tried to exin his clothes once more. But Violet just clicked her tongue.


    This small action startled the dressmaker and he began to hup.


    Sitting at the side, Roen admired Violet¡¯s attitude. Indeed, she was a talent who even the crown prince could covet.


    Even if she didn¡¯t have Roen¡¯s protection, Violet could stand firm on her convictions and convey this with just a click of her tongue.


    Still though, the dressmaker didn¡¯t seem to be willing to give up on his designs.


    ¡°Fine. You there.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes?!¡±


    ¡°Do you also make clothes?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes¡­ I work under Lord Laurent as an assistant.¡±


    As Violet continued to ignore the dressmaker¡¯s words, she beckoned at the restless girl standing at one side.


    Suddenly called forward, the assistant looked very taken aback. She was walking on eggshells around the dressmaker, who then red at the assistant when she was called.


    ¡°Your Ladyship, that child is still not very skilled!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you. Do you have the right to cut off a duke¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all, that¡¯s not what I mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough. Violet has the right to decide on this. If she¡¯s not asking you for your opinion, then it would be best for you to close your mouth.¡±


    ¡°E-Excuse me?¡±


    Roen was just observing how things were going until now, but he soon intervened. The dressmaker then shut his trap. It¡¯s obvious to anyone that he was feeling wronged.


    ¡°Assistant, huh. Right, so you¡¯re an assistant. Have you ever made clothes before?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes¡­ Although I am still young, I am confident that my skills are as good as anyone else because Lord Laurent taught me well.¡±


    ¡°I see. Okay.¡±


    The assistant somehow raised the dressmaker with her remarks, but Violet didn¡¯t care much about that part. The dressmaker¡¯s eyes were filled with incredulity.


    <i>No. No way.</i>


    ¡°You, remain here. And you, your name¡¯s Laurent, is it? You may leave now. I¡¯ll pay you generously for your hard work ofing all the way here.¡±


    ¡°E-Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Have your ears gone bad in the meantime? I said, you may leave. Now.¡±


    ¡°R-Regardless of how you are a duke¡¯s daughter, you can¡¯t do this to me¡­!¡±


    Finally realizing the treatment he was getting, the dressmaker protested tenaciously.


    Even if someone had the money to afford it, not just <i>anyone</i> could get their hands on his clothes. The nobles of the capital were all lined up to get one of his designs somehow. He was under the impression that a high noble such as Violet of House Everett was also just as amazed by him.


    ¡°Regardless of how you are a duke¡¯s daughter, you can¡¯t just treat <i>my</i> boutique like¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Violet has already made up her mind. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you if you just leave on your own two feet?¡±


    As Roen said this, the despairing dressmaker was soon dragged out.


    ¡°Um, well, I¡­¡±


    Left at the drawing room, the young seamstress inwardly sobbed, not knowing what to do.

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    Paying the seamstress¡¯s sobs no mind, Violet told one of the maids to bring a pen and some paper.


    The young seamstress couldn¡¯t understand the situation she was in right now. Her mentor gotmissioned today here at House Everett, but he had gotten kicked out and she was left all alone.


    Meanwhile, after the ducaldy received the pen and paper she asked for from the maid, she began to draw something personally.


    Then, she handed that drawing to the young seamstress.


    ¡°Your Ladyship, this is¡­!¡±


    ¡°Can you make it?¡±


    ¡°Then, it¡¯s Your Ladyship¡¯s personal desi¡­¡±


    Trailing off, the seamstress still couldn¡¯t understand her situation. She could only stare nkly at the sketch that was in her hands.


    The design was a simple one: lines hugging the wearer¡¯s curves, all the way down until it would spread gracefully starting from the top of the knee.


    It had no decorations other than the focal point at the center, which held the dress in a way that gently created pleats. Despite the design¡¯s simplicity, it did not look too modest due to the severalyers of sheer fabric oveid.


    Perhaps because it was a dress that embraced the body, it looked like it was difficult to move in, but the sides of the dress were given a leeway and there was fabric underneath to make it easier for the wearer to move.


    It was a design that even she had never imagined.


    In the style of a bustier, one¡¯s arms and shoulders would be exposed through this dress. However, even with a shawl and the sheer fabric, the wearer¡¯s subtle beauty would be emphasized.


    It wasn¡¯t just that. It was a ssy, flower-like design as it¡¯s spread out at the bottom, and with the pleats beneath the chest, Violet¡¯s rough designs all looked easy to move around inpared to the Empire-style dress while still naturally showing the wearer¡¯s curves.


    Now that corsets were in vogue, the young seamstress waspletely astounded by the feast of groundbreaking designs being shown to her. She could now understand why Violet had deemed Laurent¡¯s clothing as clownish in nature.


    It was not required to ¡®highlight¡¯ the body¡¯s natural beauty¡ªone could be beautiful enough even without having to tighten one¡¯s waistline or emphasize one¡¯s chest and hips.


    ¡°Umm, but Your Ladyship, if you wish to wear something like this, people might¡­¡±


    <i>People might notice the wearer¡¯s excess weight.</i>


    However, without further speaking, the young seamstress closed her mouth.


    Turning to Violet, who was sitting elegantly while dressed in a terribly outdated dress, the seamstress concluded that the ducaldy would definitely pull off these groundbreaking designs.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we add some embellishments like so?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Not bad.¡±


    ¡°I also think it would be prettier to add somece on this part. And the color that would suit Your Ladyship would be¡­¡±


    Finally understanding the situation she was in, the young assistant began to show her talent. After she had seen some of Violet¡¯s sketches as well, she added her own ideas and started designing clothes that would suit the ducaldy.


    This girl was brimming with talent.


    ¡°Purple fabric will also suit Your Ladyship well, won¡¯t it? If we also use crushed pearls, it will give off a subtle sheen and it will make you look like a beautifully blooming flower!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    And she was brimming with passion.


    She added decorations like this, gave out valid points here and there, and also transformed things in a certain way¡­


    Violet showed several more sketches in an instant. The young assistant became a nodding machine.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to wear ufortable garb, so I¡¯d like to order somefortable clothes as well.¡±


    ¡°Ah, then shall I reconstruct some of the designs that Your Ladyship has already provided and make something out of those?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like some pants, too.¡±


    ¡°Pants? Uh. Uhh¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you as much as you want, so do it at your own discretion.¡±


    The order was made swiftly. Roen smiled with satisfaction as he watched Violet talking to the young seamstress, casually drawing out House Everett¡¯s finances.


    ¡°It¡¯s a waste that you¡¯re an assistant. What do you think about being a recipient of a sponsorship?¡±


    ¡°P-Pardon? Sponsorship?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to make all those clothes by yourself, so you¡¯ll need a team. Tell me if you need any support.¡±


    ¡°I can do that?¡±


    The young seamstress then became sullen. It seemed like it¡¯s sinking in that she was taking on a majormission.


    But in the eyes of both Violet and Roen, her talents were sufficient.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No, I can! I¡¯ll do my best!¡±


    Though she felt fear, this didn¡¯t mean that she was scared enough that she¡¯d miss out on this opportunity.


    Finally, it looked like they were done building her wardrobe. Violet rolled her neck, looking tired.


    ¡°By the way, Violet. How did youe up with these designs?¡±


    ¡°I guess it suddenly popped up in my mind after that brush with death.¡±


    Violet answered straightforwardly. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s lying.


    Remembering that Violet had plunged into theke, Roen briefly fell silent. Though he was blind to fashion and design, Violet¡¯s designs were unconventional to him, too.


    ¡°Right. Then the matter of your clothes is done for now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather have coffee than tea.¡±


    ¡°Shall we get you fitted for your shoes?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Roen grinned.


    The young seamstress was still inside the drawing room, and as she listened to the conversation between the brother and sister, she also inwardly questioned it.


    At Roen¡¯s beckon, some more people entered the drawing room. Here were the capital¡¯s best shoe craftsman, jeweler and merchant.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to talk to them all at once rather than one at a time, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


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 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    Roen had called the best of the best in each field. And he paid a great deal of money to get them here, too.


    ¡°I want to rest.¡±


    ¡°Come now, you can do it.¡±


    As Violet voiced out her fatigue, Roen only smiled and ignored her words.


    What would be the point of a fitting for clothes, essories and shoes if the person involved wasn¡¯t present?


    The artisans, puzzled by the situation, soon discussed the new designs with enthusiasm and earnestness with the young seamstress.


    ¡®Do all artisans really tend to be strange?¡¯


    Actually, as a ¡®painter¡¯, Violet did not deviate all that much from the scope of an artisan either, but still, she was sincerely concerned.


    Three artisans here did not wish to miss out on the opportunity to set their artistic spirits aze, and this one merchant over there did not wish to miss out on the opportunity to make some money. They all discussed fervently.


    The only dress she really needed to get from this fitting was a dress for a party, but it¡¯s not needed right away. So, it was decided that she¡¯d get fitted for her daily wear first, along with some pairs of shoes.


    Thus, the four people left the drawing room only after sunset.


    Just like that, Violet¡¯s tiring day drew to a close.


    * * *


    An invitation came from the Leshan Marquisate.


    Under normal circumstances, the invitation would have been rejected before Violet could even see it. But this time, on a rare asion, the invitation reached Violet¡¯s hands.


    As she read through the invitation, which had a respectable introduction, Violet narrowed her eyes.


    Roen had asked her to ept the marquisate¡¯s invitation, and there was a reason behind this.


    Nheless, Violet wrote back, saying that she would attend the tea party that the marchioness would be holding¡ªjust in time for the necessary clothes to bepleted.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, the ck-haired man who had helped Violet sent a letter as well.


    The man¡¯s letter almost got sorted through by the other maids, but fortunately, it was thanks to Mary¡¯s sharp eyes that the letter reached Violet safely.


    As addressed in the letter, the knight¡¯s full name was ¡®Aldin Aesir¡¯.


    Faced with a name that she wasn¡¯t expecting, Violet even checked who the letter¡¯s sender was one more time.


    Aldin Aesir. That man was the illegitimate son of Duke Aesir, and he was famous for a reason different from Violet.


    The Aesir Duchy was just as prestigious as the Everett Duchy, but although he was a child of that household, there was not a single person in the whole empire who did not know that he¡¯s an illegitimate child.


    He and the current duke were fifteen years apart from age, but no¡ªAldin was the illegitimate son of the <i>previous</i> duke, and he was the evidence of the household¡¯s shame.


    After the mysterious death of the previous Duke Aesir, Aldin¡¯s half-brother became the household head and was now the current duke. Even so, the current duke could not erase the name of his younger brother¡ªthe family¡¯s disgrace¡ªfrom their registry.


    Violet started to mull over why Aldin didn¡¯t put hisst name in his identification card, but she banished the thought.


    ¡®Have I ever met him before?¡¯


    Violet rummaged through her memories, trying to recall if she had ever met anyone before who hadvender eyes.


    Before she had plunged into theke, she attended numerous banquets. It wouldn¡¯t be strange to think that she might have met him in one of those events.


    She¡¯d be able to recall someday. Violet thought about it simply and soon wrote her reply to the letter. She did promise that she would wee him and give him any reward he wanted.


    Then, Violet wondered. He was a young lord of a duchy, and he was also a knight of the imperial guard. Was there anything he wanted to get from Everett?


    But, well, as long as she couldpensate him, Violet did not need to mull over it anymore.


    She didn¡¯t want her peaceful time to be disturbed byplicated thoughts.


    * * *


    Aldin sent another letter informing her that he would visit the ducal residence at the soonest possible time. Then, just as he said, he visited the mansion soon after, alone.


    After finding out that, of all days, he would not be there when the guest would arrive, Roen tearfully begged Violet.


    Although Aldin was an illegitimate child, he was still a member of a ducal household. It was quite a huge deal for a duke¡¯s son and a duke¡¯s daughter to meet like this.


    Roen¡¯s worries were valid, but since Violet had no intention of getting married anyway, she just brushed off those worries as inconsequential.


    Given that Aldin was a member of a high noble household and a son of a duke, he was indeed an important guest. However, he acted as if he did not want to reveal his surname.


    Violet decided not to touch the guy¡¯s painful wounds. Since he looked like he really didn¡¯t want to be connected to his family name, she was willing to respect his wishes as much as he wanted.


    ¡°I did not expect you toe alone. Did you run into any inconveniences on your way here?¡±


    ¡°It was alright. I am humbled that you have invited me to your abode.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. House Everett does not treat its guests poorly. Pleasee this way.¡±


    As the formal greetings were over, Violet led her guest inside.


    Momentarily hesitating at the sight of Violet in a light indoor dress, Aldin quicklyposed himself and followed her.


    He didn¡¯t know that the ducaldy would wee him personally, so because of this, he was rather flustered. However, since most of the people here couldn¡¯t decode his monochromatic expressions because he was so terse, nobody noticed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get the chance to introduce myself and apologize to you properly that day because of how hectic the situation had been. In the name of Violet S. Everett, I once again thank you foring to my rescue, and I apologize for the rudeness that my household¡¯s knights had shown you.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine. I, too, understand that they were only performing their duties as knights.¡±


    In the dining hall, a splendid dinner was prepared, and the hospitable treatment of the guest ensued.


    The sound of their silverware did not echo. Neither Violet nor Aldin spoke, so the dining hall held only silence.


    ¡°Have you thought of what you¡¯d like to ask of me?¡±


    ¡°Painting¡­¡±


    The person who finished their meal first was Violet, and she went straight to the point as she asked him.


    At Violet¡¯s question, Aldin carefully opened his lips to speak.


    ¡°Even if just once, I would like to see your paintings.¡±


    New discord /invite/HEJ72PVXKu

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    ¡°My paintings?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But if it¡¯s too difficult¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no problem. I was only surprised to hear that rumors have spread about my paintings.¡±


    At Violet¡¯s answer, Aldin stopped talking. Seeing his reaction, she inwardly clicked her tongue.


    Indeed, the only people who would talk about how a ducaldy had a hobby of <i>painting</i> were those who wanted to disparage her reputation. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d want to speak more on this.


    This reminded her of what she had read about herself in that magazine. As the ducaldy frowned, the knight saw this and spoke again.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t any other intention behind it. If Your Ladyship is ufortable, you may refuse¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Well, as I said, it¡¯s no problem.¡±


    There¡¯s nothing wrong with showing her paintings to someone a little earlier. She was going to hold an art exhibit sooner orter anyway.


    After their meal, Violet let Aldin into her gallery.


    The gallery itself was enough to disy all of the artwork she had created thus far. She actually didn¡¯t need to rent a ce for her art exhibit.


    Violet had only been painting without much regard to how her art would be managed, but as she entered the gallery, she was surprised to see her paintings arranged in a more orderly manner than she was expecting.


    As Aldin silently admired the paintings, Violet, on the other hand, was surprised. She had nevere to see her own paintings here.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    While they both looked at the paintings, the taciturn knight said nothing, while Violet herself frowned.


    The clothes she was wearing now were in a style that used to be fashionable in the past. It was reinterpreted, and the seamstress added her own design elements to it to make it more sophisticated.


    But her paintings were a different story. They were much too unconventional for the people of this era.


    One look at Violet¡¯s paintings and they would reasonably think that they were a <i>witch¡¯s</i> paintings.


    ¡°I¡¯m still not good enough, so I can only paint this much.¡±


    Somehow feeling anxious, Violet spoke up first. But Aldin, as he looked at her paintings for a long time, shook his head slowly.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just, I¡­ I feel a little sad.¡±


    He spoke with slow deliberation. They were words that he chose meticulously, but they were nheless straightforward.


    Violet quickly realized what Aldin was trying to say.


    Violet¡¯s paintings contained such raw emotions.


    Through dim colors, the artwork depicted unfiltered and unrestrained depression. Most people would call these paintings bizarre, but for those who felt the same pain, they would recognize the paintings as screams of suffering.


    ¡°Though they emanate sadness and loneliness, I still think they¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    Aldin added as he was staring at the paintings, mesmerized.


    Hearing his old-fashioned way of showing his appreciation, Violet said nothing.


    ¡°Long ago, Your Ladyship once said¡ª¡±


    Aldin opened his lips slowly once again, but before he could finish what he was saying, a loudmotion broke out nearby.


    ¡°Young Master, you can¡¯t! Please, you can¡¯t go that way!¡±


    ¡°Buzz off. This is my own house and I can go wherever the hell I please.¡±


    Violet grimaced. It was a voice she was ever so familiar with, yet it was the same voice that she never wanted to hear again.


    Roen had long since established himself as the ¡®Young Duke¡¯ here at Werchen. There¡¯s no reason for him to be called merely ¡®Young Master¡¯ now.


    So, it must be <i>him</i>.


    With chills running down her spine, Violet turned to look behind her.


    <i>BANG!</i> After kicking the gallery door unceremoniously, the young man let out an unapologetic bellow.


    ¡°Hey! Witch! Exin what exactly this is all about, huh?!¡±


    It was Cairn P. Everett, the third son of House Everett and the very person who forced Violet to leave for the capital.


    * * *


    Among the three brothers, Cairn had the most fiery personality. Nobody couldpare to how short his fuse was, and once he had decided on something, he was like a maverick who would push through his own way no matter what.


    He was too much of a scoundrel to be called ¡®righteous¡¯, and he was too much of a vile prick to be called a ¡®knight¡¯.


    The current duke and the departed duchess weren¡¯t like that. One could only wonder where this guy got it from.


    After plunging into theke and waking up with memories of her past life, Violet often thought about her younger brother.


    Yeon Ha-yoon also had siblings, and one of them was an annoying guy who had to be called ¡®Oppa¡¯. Still, he couldn¡¯t hold a candle to Cairn.


    If Mikhail sometimes raised his hand against her, Cairn was the one who¡¯d outright draw his sword and point it at Violet¡¯s neck.


    Violet was well aware that, if the situation had be even a little more twisted at that time, the sword would have definitely lopped off her head back then.


    Cairn had a talent for swordsmanship, and he was <i>simple.</i>


    Simple, if you want to put it lightly. A <i>simpleton</i>, if you want to be straightforward.


    Whenever the younger brother would point a sword at his older sister, the older sister would do her best to grate at the younger brother¡¯s nerves as well. And because Violet¡¯s reasonings were usible, Cairn wouldn¡¯t be able to enact his anger directly on her. Instead, he would destroy innocent objects.


    ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean I never got hit.¡¯


    After a brief recollection, Violet stared up at Cairn, who was now holding her by the cor. He had grown taller in the time that they didn¡¯t see each other. He was clearly emitting a threatening, murderous intent.


    ¡°Exin it right this second, with your own mouth. What the hell is going on right now?!¡±


    New discord /invite/HEJ72PVXKu

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what you¡¯re talking about. And why are you here, not at the Everett estate?¡±


    <i>¡°Hah.</i> Are you kidding me? You¡ª Has something happened to your head? You think I¡¯m going to stay still after seeing everything that happened there? Of course I¡¯ll be right on your heels!¡±


    <i>¡°Haa.¡±</i>


    Truly an ignorant, simple guy. Violet fled to the capital for nothing.


    And, look. He¡¯s doing this in front of a guest.


    Violet¡¯s sigh deepened. Upon hearing Violet¡¯s listless exhale, Cairn tightened his grip on her cor. Violet¡¯s clothes got stretched.


    ¡°Is there anything else that I can exin? You must have already heard from Father.¡±


    ¡°As if I¡¯d believe that! The first thing I heard after going home was that Elder Brother was stripped of his status as heir, Aileen was kicked out, and there are rumors going around that <i>you</i> of all people are the victim! But you want me to believe the mere drivel of a witch who went to the capital with Brother Roen?!¡±


    Just the very atmosphere and force surrounding Cairn exuded chaos. One look at him like this was enough for Violet to know that nothing she¡¯d say now would go through to him.


    How should she solve this predicament? The knights were visibly restless, not knowing how to act in the middle of this fight between their master¡¯s children.


    Mary and Zylo were the only ones trying to stop Cairn.


    But as Violet was thinking of whether Zylo would be able to stop Cairn¡ª


    ¡°That temper of yours hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡±


    <i>Shiiing.</i> A silver de was pointed at Cairn.


    Even though it¡¯s true that this situation was terribly urgent, Cairn was House Everett¡¯s third son. He was a duke¡¯s son, and after his graduation from the academy, he would have the duchy¡¯s chivalric order under hismand.


    Thus, was there anyone in this mansion owned by Everett who could actually point a sword at him?


    <i>¡°Hah?</i> Aldin? What the hell are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯vee as an invited guest. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to stop now before any word gets out that House Everett treats their guests so poorly that it¡¯s a <i>wreck</i>, Cairn?¡±


    It was Aldin Aesir who took up the position of stopping Cairn. Although he was an illegitimate child, Aldin Aesir was, too, the son of a duke and was House Everett¡¯s guest.


    ¡°On top of that damn annoying face of yours, you¡¯ve even got that insufferable goody-two-shoes act up and going, huh. <i>Guest?</i> You¡¯re a guest of this damn witch? How fun, this situation!¡±


    While spouting one harsh word after another, Cairn let go of Violet¡¯s cor. Even so, Aldin did not stop pointing his sword at Cairn.


    The knights who were hesitating to stop Cairn were now wary of the guest who was serving as a threat to the third young master.


    It felt as if everything would blow up in everyone¡¯s faces at any given moment, with just one wrong move. However, even as Cairn was the one who had a de pointed at him, he was the only one at ease.


    ¡°Mind staying out of our family matter? Damn obnoxious prick. And <i>you,</i> Violet. If you don¡¯t exin everything to me <i>right now</i>, just know that this will be yourst day.¡±


    ¡®Even if I exin it properly, you¡¯ll just go straight for my throat anyway.¡¯


    Violet replied inwardly.


    With the situationing to this, Violet could feel an oing migraine already, the moment she was about to let out a sigh¡ª


    <i>Tak.</i>


    ¡°Have you seriously lost your goddamn marbles?¡±


    ¡ªAldin threw a glove at Cairn¡¯s face.


    ¡°If you really want a conversation, you look like you need to cool off your head first. And you don¡¯t seem like you can do it on your own, so I¡¯ll give you a hand.¡±


    <i>¡°Ha. Haha¡­</i> What is <i>this</i> now? Are you serious? You two are <i>together?</i> If not that, are you seriously feeling sorry for this witch¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you of all people can say that, considering that your entire worth hinges only on your position as a duke¡¯s son. Isn¡¯t that why you still haven¡¯t graduated, only skulking around at the academy until now?¡±


    ¡°What? You goddamn prick! Just because you graduated at the top of your ss! You know what? Fine, follow me. I¡¯ll knock you right off your damn high horse!¡±


    The situation began to change urgently.


    Absolutely furious, Cairn took off the thrown glove from his face and stomped out the gallery, heading straight towards the sparring area of the knights¡¯ drill hall.


    Simpletons were quick to change their attitudes, of course.


    As she was in the presence of her guest and savior, Violet could notprehend how things had gotten to this point. Mary came running, and she was utterly clueless as to what had happened, but she quickly arranged Violet¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°Mdy, Mdy! What¡¯s going on?! <i>Uhh¡ª</i> Is that really the Third Young Master?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking me whether that <i>idiot</i> is Cairn, then the answer is yes. If you¡¯re asking me what exactly is going on, then I have no clue at all.¡±


    After her dress¡¯s cor was presentable again, Violet rushed towards the drill hall.


    If Everett¡¯s reputation would take a hit, it¡¯s a problem. If Aldin, a guest who Violet had invited, were to take a hit, it¡¯s still a problem.


    In this situation where everything¡¯s a problem, Violet¡¯s anxiety further deepened.


    * * *


    <i>sh, aang. sh!</i>


    The duel, which produced nothing but problems¡ªagainst everyone¡¯s expectations¡ªwent on in a fair manner.


    Violet came here with the intention of stopping them at once. However, without realizing it, she stopped and watched the serious duel.


    ¡°They¡¯re from the same alma mater.¡±


    The sociable Mary came back to report what she had gleaned from someone else. Violet wasn¡¯t interested in her younger brother at all, but she was surprised to hear this new information.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    ¡°Actually, Mdy, I heard that they¡¯re quite close to each other?¡±


    ording to the information that Mary had gathered, the two duelists over there were close, given that they¡¯re both in the academy¡¯s swordsmanship division and were both children of dukes.


    There was a big difference between an illegitimate and a legitimate child, but Cairn wasn¡¯t the kind of person who cared so much about lineages. It seemed like they had be quite close because they were at first and second ce in terms of practical skills.


    ¡°The Third Young Master was one-sidedly jealous of Sir Knight¡¯s skills. That¡¯s why they had gotten famous at the academy¡ª¡±


    ¡°It was never like that, you pumpkin!¡±


    Cairn had been focusing on the duel for a long time, but he suddenly shouted as he heard Mary¡¯s words. He was a bit far away, but he had good ears.


    Frightened, Mary hid behind Violet.


    ¡°Mdy, am I in trouble?¡±


    Violet shook her head and patted Mary¡¯s hair a couple of times. Feeling relieved, Mary peeped out from behind Violet.


    In Violet¡¯s eyes, those two didn¡¯t seem close at all. In turn, it seemed like Cairn had one-sided enmity against the other man.


    As Aldin remained indifferent to the hostility and anger right in front of him, Violet shook her head slowly.


    <i>ng. Shiiik. sh!</i>


    Their swords danced and met each other in the air over and over again. Escaping Cairn¡¯s sword as it swept right next to his face, Aldin took a step back and twisted his wrist to meet Cairn¡¯s sword once more.


    Violet and the employees, who were not overly familiar with swordsmanship, simply watched in awe as the duel went on. The knights, on the other hand, who were knowledgeable about the matter, were all astonished as the fight progressed.


    ¡°I was wondering what kind of monster he¡¯d be since he¡¯s in the First Imperial Order, but really, for him to have all that skill at that age.¡±


    As Violet¡¯s escort knight, Zylo was right by her side. He nodded in admiration.


    Mary asked innocently.


    ¡°Is he that great?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is. The Young Master isn¡¯t being pushed back as well, so he¡¯s also great to that degree. But the match is going to end soon.¡±


    ¡°Then, who¡¯s going to win?¡±


    ¡°I believe¡­¡±


    <i>CLANG!</i>


    The moment Zylo and Mary talked about it, the match was decided.


    It was Aldin¡¯s victory.


    ¡°Ha. You¡¯ve improved more in the time we didn¡¯t see each other.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the same. You haven¡¯t just been ying at the academy.¡±


    Strangely enough, the atmosphere between the two duelists had be warm. The beginning of the match was terrible, but now that the conflict was over, it somehow felt like a strong bond had formed between them.


    The maids rushed forward and handed water and towels. Violet, Mary and Zylo could do nothing but stare in disbelief as those two smiled at each other.


    Everyone was bewildered.


    A guest hade and he was supposed to be given a warm wee. Instead, the third young master had barged right in and refused to abide by proper conduct. Because of this, the guest challenged the third young master to a duel, but the result of it all was this: the friendship between the two had be as strong as titanium.


    Sighing, Violet tried to organize the series of events in her mind, but she still couldn¡¯t understand what just happened.


    In any case, it was time for Violet to step up and do her part. Cairn¡¯s head had finally cooled down.


    * * *


    ¡°And you¡¯re telling me to <i>believe</i> that?¡±


    ¡°I never told you to believe it. At the very least, I¡¯d like it if you don¡¯t show an appalling sight to the guest.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you insisting that I believe you! Does that mean you¡¯re just lying, huh?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you connected the two notions.¡±


    Violet calmly exined things to Cairn, who had finally calmed down. Of course, Cairn still protested.


    Violet tried to send Aldin back, but he said that something mighte up again, so he was here for the entire duration of the brother and sister¡¯s conversation.


    As much as possible, Violet didn¡¯t want to delve into such a personal story and admit her misfortune in front of others, so she tried again and again to dissuade Aldin from staying. However, he was politely adamant about staying. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can stop that guy,¡± he said.


    Thus, Violet had no choice but to tell the truth in front of him.


    Violet¡¯s exnation was merely an abridged version of everything that happened, but Cairn doubted even that.


    The other employees and knights who didn¡¯t know the full story remained expressionless, but Mary looked like she had a lot to say as Violet spoke.


    ¡°¡­Ha. So what you¡¯re saying now is that Aileen is a terrible person.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been jumping to conclusions since earlier. I never said she¡¯s terrible.¡±


    <i>But, yes. She¡¯s a terrible person I¡¯ll never have to see again.</i>


    Violet said to herself, not voicing her thoughts.


    Visibly irritated, Cairn muttered thoughtlessly.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between this and that? To summarize what you¡¯ve just said, she¡¯s been pretending to be nice, but all this time she¡¯s been painting you out to be the bad person, and she¡¯s only been showing her true colors in front of you. If that¡¯s not terrible, then what is?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Listening to Cairn¡¯s simple conclusion to everything, Violet stared at him, rendered speechless. After everything that he heard, she couldn¡¯t believe that this was just how it¡¯s all summed up.


    Still, as she had no intention of excusing her past malicious deeds, Violet only sighed.

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not lying, are you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I have to repeat the same thing. I told you already¡ªwhether you believe it or not, the decision is up to you.¡±


    <i>¡°Ha, hahaha!</i> And <i>I</i> don¡¯t know how many times I have to repeat the same question until you answer me properly! Anyway, if you¡¯re telling the truth, you¡¯re saying that you¡¯re the good person here, right? Since you¡¯re the victim.¡±


    Yet again, another leap of logic. Good versus evil, as if they could be separated neatly with a single sh of a de.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me all this time?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If everything you said is all true, why didn¡¯t you tell me, huh?! If I¡¯d have at least heard, ¡®That girl¡¯s evil,¡¯ then I would have at least listened. You should have said something about it!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing Cairn¡¯s outburst, Violet couldn¡¯t say anything for a moment. Instead, she sighed quietly as she pressed down on the emotions rising within her.


    <i>We wouldn¡¯t have been able tomunicate anyway, so not bringing it up was one way of dealing with it.</i>


    ¡°What did you say? Did you justugh at me? Answer me, why didn¡¯t you say anything?!¡±


    ¡°¡­If I did.¡±


    ¡°If something like that happened, you should have told me earlier. All you did was get angry recklessly, so you¡­!¡±


    ¡°If I said anything, would you have believed me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If I had told you about it before, <i>would you have believed me?¡±</i>


    ¡°What are you even¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cairn Paris Everett.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Cairn fell silent as he was called by his full name. Realizing that Violet¡¯s mood had turned unusual, he nced around.


    Mary was staring at him with great intensity, and Aldin, who was listening as well, shook his head.


    ¡°No, I mean. Shi¡ª! What I mean to say is, um¡­¡±


    ¡°If I had spoken up, do you think that anything would have <i>changed</i> if someone believed me?¡±


    ¡°What, did you say.¡±


    ¡°No matter how simple you are, Cairn, there¡¯s no way that you don¡¯t know. Mikhail, or Lord Roen, and most certainly you. Let me ask you this¡ªwould <i>you</i> have believed me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As Cairn could say nothing in response, Violetughed at him.


    This younger brother of hers, as simple as he was, always believed everything would be as easy as one, two, and three. However, there were times when things wouldn¡¯t work no matter how hard he would try.


    ¡°Right. I¡¯ve already said my piece today, but you still can¡¯t find it in you to believe me. But even if you don¡¯t believe a word I say, Cairn, the fact of the matter is this¡ªMikhail has already been stripped of his title as the Duke¡¯s heir, and Aileen is no longer in Everett.¡±


    Then, Violet coldly uttered,


    ¡°So, you too. Leave.¡±


    ¡°Ah, damn it, I just¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s pretend today never happened and go our separate ways. And I¡¯ll say this again: <i>leave.¡±</i>


    ¡°¡­I, just. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry! So, um. What. You¡¯re Father¡¯s favorite after all, and in the end, I also, with you¡­ No, I mean, Sister! I¡¯m not saying that¡¯s the reason I¡¯ve been misunderstanding you, Sister. I just, um, no, I¡¯m not trying to me you¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Ugh,</i> shit, I mean. I was just hoping that you¡¯d behave better! No, I mean¡­ <i>Haa.</i> Anyway, I just want to apologize, too. I was terrible to you. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    The tension in the air further disintegrated. Violet was hoping that what she¡¯s hearing was merely an auditory hallucination. But unfortunately, the situation she was now faced with was neither an illusion nor was it wee to her.


    ¡°<i>Haa.</i> I never said I didn¡¯t believe you. I, <i>uh¡­</i> I mean, if you just acted properly, then I would have¡­¡±


    Cairn was a simpleton. As simple as he was, he was quick on the uptake when it came to these things. No, it would be right to say that he was quick to understand this particr situation.


    ¡°But, well, anyway. If everything you said is true! ¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    With genuine angercing her words, Violet answered.


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Get out of my sight right <i>now, </i>Cairn P. Everett.¡±


    ¡°H-Huh?¡±


    Therein lies the problem.


    There was no way that long-standing resentment could be solved with a simple apology.


    ¡°There are times when I even envy your simplicity,¡± Aldin bluntly murmured.


    It hade to a point that he had to say it, even when he¡¯d just been watching things unfold quietly at the sidelines until now.


    Still not understanding what the problem was, Cairn raised his voice as though he waspletely innocent.


    ¡°No. Wait. Why? I already apologized. But why? Why are you mad at me now¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to leave, then I will. Don¡¯t ever show yourself in front of me again.¡±


    Whether Cairn was flustered or not, Violet¡¯s response was as cold as ever.


    As Violet rose to her feet, Mary sprang up as well, ncing at Cairn.


    ¡°You are at fault, Cairn.¡±


    ¡°Then why? I did something wrong, that¡¯s why I apologized, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Watching as the situation got sorted out, Aldin let out a slow sigh.


    While ignoring Cairn, Violet walked forward and approached Aldin.


    ¡°It was my intention to treat you today, but I sincerely apologize that you¡¯ve been met with such amotion instead. If you don¡¯t mind, would it be alright if you pretend that today never happened?¡±


    ¡°Of course. As you please, Your Ladyship.¡±


    ¡°You can just call me by my namefortably. Is there anything else you¡¯d like to ask of me?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t call you by your name yet¡­ No, never mind. I have also unsheathed my sword today, so I¡¯m not in the position to receive any apologies from you.¡±


    Even when it was his friend and his older sister who were talking, Cairn had been effectively excluded from the conversation. He protested as though he felt wronged.


    Nevertheless, both Violet and Aldin continued as though he wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Then, if you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­ May I humbly ask to be your partner in the next imperial ball?¡±

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    ¡°Partner?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not possible, of course you are free to refuse¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, you just surprised me for a minute there. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d ask me to be your partner. Of course, I¡¯d be d to, Sir. If that is your wish.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Then, you¡¯ll be guided separately. Please write to me about the ballter.¡±


    Violet courteously took care of her guest.


    On the other hand, Cairn yet again attempted to go wild. Instead of being treated as House Everett¡¯s third young master, he was treated as an uninvited guest and was forced to be seen off together with Aldin.


    .


    .


    .


    After Violet returned order to the townhouse with hermands, she immediately headed towards her room. As Cairn was dragged down the long hallways of the mansion beside Aldin, he continuously expressed how unfair he found this all to be.


    ¡°I already apologized, so what¡¯s the problem?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave that up to you. Still, in this world, I guess it¡¯s better that there¡¯s an apology rather than none at all.¡±


    ¡°If someone does something wrong, isn¡¯t it only right to apologize?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s something that can be said only by people who¡¯ve never been wronged. Cairn, <i>anyone</i> can utter the word ¡®sorry¡¯.¡±


    <i>¡°Uuugh,</i> damn it. What the hell. What are you even talking about¡­¡±


    That day, Aldin left the mansion on his own two feet, whereas Cairn was properly kicked out of the ce.


    And he had no other choice but to squat shabbily in front of the main gates of the Everett townhouse until Roen returned.


    * * *


    ¡°What are you doing here? No, do I even <i>want</i> to ask what you¡¯re doing here?¡±


    ¡°Dunno. What <i>am</i> I doing here?¡±


    Catching sight of Cairn, who was pathetically sitting on the dirt ground, Roen asked this, and Cairn merely answered with a helpless tone.


    It was perhaps luck alone that Roen found Cairn at the main gates when his carriage drove by.


    If he hadn¡¯t, then Cairn would have definitely spent the night, crouching down right there, at the outskirts of his family¡¯s property. It would be an added bonus that he¡¯d most likely make it on the front page of the papers.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head inside first. How many people have seen you here?¡±


    ¡°Dunno.¡±


    <i>¡°Haa.¡±</i>


    Roen immediately grasped the situation after just the meager exchange. With a deep sigh, Roen took Cairn and headed in.


    At this moment, he realized that yet another new headache would have to be added to his already packed schedule.


    * * *


    Violet wanted Cairn out of her sight, but it was henceforth decided that he would remain in Werchen until the start of the next semester. Whether Violet wanted this or not, there was nothing she could do since Cairn got the duke¡¯s approval.


    Besides that, Cairn took a leave of absence from the academy without telling anyone. Nheless, Roen found out. He grabbed his younger brother on the back of his cor and asked why he did this, but the only answer was¡­


    ¡°I was told that just anyone can say sorry. So I¡¯ll do what I can.¡±


    With this, Roen surmised what Cairn was trying to say. He cradled his throbbing forehead once again.


    Roen could understand Cairn¡¯s feelings. But at the same time, Roen could also understand Violet¡¯s resentment.


    This younger brother of theirs was a very simple guy. Even so, he was righteous and he loathed injustice.


    Was it because of how simple he was? The tendency of being a maverick was owned not only by Mikhail, but also Cairn. While blinded by prejudice, any actions sprouted from those intentions could not be said to be <i>just</i>.


    ¡°Violet is going to hate it.¡±


    ¡°Did <i>you</i> receive her forgiveness, Brother?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    Cairn narrowed his eyes. Sensing the unsaid words of, ¡®What the hell, you too,¡¯ Roen coughed in vain.


    Cairn had assumed that Roen had already been forgiven, so he was here to ask what the secret to getting it was. In the end, he clicked his tongue.


    Reflecting on how they were as siblings, Roen asked while pressing down his fingers on one temple.


    ¡°Let me ask you a question. I know you don¡¯t like thinking all that deeply, but are you really taking Violet¡¯s word without any hesitation?¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m an idiot, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Indeed, Roen viewed his younger brother in that manner. He said nothing. Thinking that he might get angry, Cairn also didn¡¯t respond.


    It¡¯s not as if he couldn¡¯t understand what his older brother meant.


    He saw and heard one thing for such a long time until now, but how could he so easily change his attitude like a simple flip of a hand?


    Roen, too. It was only after his own personal investigation and the duke¡¯s thorough investigation as well that Roen finally managed to understand Violet¡¯s side. No matter how much of a simpleton Cairn was, it¡¯s impossible for someone to change one¡¯s attitude so easily.


    ¡°Brother, you should try going back home even just once. Look at the state of things there. Besides, Father¡¯s not an idiot, so can¡¯t I believe <i>his</i> word? Mikhail¡¯s the real moron here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen narrowed his eyes once more. He¡¯s saying that he heard about the situation from the duke, yet he ran wild anyway. Who was he to say that <i>he¡¯s</i> not an idiot.

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    Since Cairn had acted without any hesitation, that only meant that he didn¡¯t believe Violet at all.


    Roen had already been informed by an attendant of what went on in the townhouse while he was gone. He held back a sigh that was about to slip through his lips.


    It wasn¡¯t for no reason that Cairn wasn¡¯t aiming for the position of the duke¡¯s heir.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯m sure things have already been exined to you, but I have a feeling you need an additional exnation.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sure, yeah. I do need an exnation. Father only gave me a pile of documents that were too difficult to read, and while Sister is the person directly involved, she exined it like dogshit.¡±


    ¡°Language.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one else besides us anyway?¡±


    Cairn, the source of Roen¡¯s stress at this moment,ughed out loud. Roen had a hunch that Cairn would never be epted by Violet.


    * * *


    Since then, as Roen exined things thoroughly, Cairn¡¯s simmering anger slowly grew and grew.


    Roen¡¯s exnation was strongly self-reflective. He spoke calmly, but his eyes were filled with shame.


    ¡°You did that, yet you¡¯re still the older brother here? <i>Hah.</i> Seriously, this family¡­¡±


    ¡°ording to the report, you drew your sword and pointed it at Violet on several asions. You even shoved her¡­ You don¡¯t have the right to say anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because she hit Aileen first!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Cairn¡¯s excuse once again made Roen narrow his eyes. Still, Cairn wasn¡¯t blind to his own wrongdoings. He sat down calmly.


    Then, as Roen¡¯s exnation wasplete, Cairn ground his teeth audibly.


    ¡°For the empire¡¯s Everett Duchy to have been yed in the hands of that damn head maid, seriously¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say that it¡¯s surprising. The signs were all there. Anyway, Cairn, if you really want to apologize, you¡¯d better straighten up your attitude.¡±


    <i>¡°Hah.</i> Even if you¡¯re not cursing me out, just shut it! So, did you sh open that head maid¡¯s throat?¡±


    ¡°Language.¡±


    In any case, Roen had already dealt with the head maid. He sneered.


    The brothers chatted all night.


    * * *


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to piss off?¡±


    ¡°Father gave me permission to be here though, so what say do you have about it, Sister?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The morning after their fateful meal yesterday was filled to the brim with tension. Having no choice but to take upon the guilty conscience of a sinner, Roen killed his presence as much as possible.


    <i>¡°Ha.</i> No, wait, that¡¯s not what I wanted to say.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°But yeah, I¡¯m sorry! My words arepletely sincere, so what gives! Brother¡¯s also bending over backwards to get your forgiveness, so why can¡¯t I do it too?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As her younger brother continued to spout nonsense, Violet remained silent. Cairn scratched his head a few times and picked up the gauntlet in front of him to moisten his throat.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve realized that I was wrong. I mean, <i>um</i>¡­ At least give me a chance. Isn¡¯t it too much to say that I can never appear in front of you again?¡±


    <i>tter.</i> As Violet had only been eating quietly while ignoring Cairn¡¯s pleas, she set down her fork. Hearing the stark sound, Roen flinched.


    ¡°Cairn.¡±


    ¡°¡­Y-Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the same thing before? ¡®Don¡¯t ever show yourself in front of me again. Not in front of Aileen either. Unless you¡¯re a brainless schmuck, you¡¯ll understand, won¡¯t you?¡¯ That¡¯s what you told me.¡±


    ¡°Did I?¡±


    ¡°Let me give you another example then. The first time you pulled out a sword and pointed it at my neck, it was because I poured cold water at Aileen and left her outside for two hours in the middle of winter.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as if I¡¯m making excuses for my actions, but yes, I had pped Aileen across the face because she was breaching proper etiquette, but you pulled out your sword and pointed it at me once again. I clearly said that it was Aileen who crossed me first, but you were utterly unyielding.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Cairn fell silent.


    Wearing a thin smile, Roen scooted away from Cairn as far as he could. On the other hand, the employees carried on with their duties, expressionless as always.


    ¡°Tell me, what did you say each and every time?¡±


    ¡°Um, I¡­¡±


    As Violet¡¯s interrogation continued, Cairn¡¯s voice became smaller and smaller.


    ¡°¡¯I don¡¯t want to look at your face. At the very least, let me befortable, will you?¡¯¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You keep apologizing, but you don¡¯t seem to have a clue as to why you¡¯re spouting such a thing. You don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re sorry about.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you again. What exactly are you apologizing to me about?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if youe to realize what your wrongdoings are, will the past change?¡±


    As Violet asked, Cairn could not answer.


    ¡°Sure, like you said, I can at least give you a chance. But if I don¡¯t, people will look at me and deem me to be ¡®a viiness who can¡¯t even ept someone¡¯s sincere apologies¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Sister, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do as you please. You won¡¯t listen to whatever I have to say anyway.¡±


    Violet rose from her seat. Despite having dropped truth bombs one after another, she left without regard to those who remained, and she walked out of the dining hall with only Mary.


    ¡°Cairn.¡±


    <i>¡°¡­Uuurgh.¡±</i>

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    ¡®Let¡¯s see who exactly¡¯s going to follow through with their words,¡¯ Violet said inwardly.


    Cairn would definitely get tired of his schtick soon enough. Besides, he¡¯d have to go back to the academy by the new semester.


    Comcently thinking like so, Violet left her seat with her chin raised¡ªa wordless taunt for Cairn to do as he would please.


    All the while, she had no clue that Cairn had already taken a leave of absence.


    * * *


    Perhaps overly eager, Cairn offered to be Violet¡¯s escort knight as part of his apology. Perhaps overly tired of it by now, Violet repeatedly rebuffed him.


    Though his actions were referred to as an ¡®escort mission¡¯, it was actually closer to ¡®stalking¡¯, and thus Violet kept having to see that detestable face every minute of the day. It hade to a point that Violet just resigned herself to her bedroom, not going out.


    ¡°I told you to keep things moderate.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until Roen stepped up and mediated the situation that Cairn finally let Violet reim her personal space.


    From Cairn¡¯s point of view though, it was only natural to give his all on this escort mission.


    Because of her notoriety, there would definitely be quite a lot of people who mocked and tried to pick a fight with the ducaldy.


    If any of that happened on his watch, Cairn would punish those people right away.


    It was a rtionship formed under a simple understanding, but with all this talk about reputation and stigma, Violet was hearing all about this for the first time.


    She never paid it any mind before. Who exactly was out there who¡¯d pick a fight with her or try to sully her reputation?


    The juvenile knight, who had yet to step away from adolescence and into adulthood, was just trying to get things to go back to the way it had been, before any of this happened.


    Thinking in simple terms about everything, this was the best conclusion that he arrived at.


    However, Werchen was not the Everett estate, and Violet was in the kind of position where¡ªeven if Cairn was not by her side¡ªnobody would try to pick a fight with her.


    Violet was the ducaldy especially cherished by Young Duke Roen, who was going to be the next household head of the duchy.


    No matter the extent of her notoriety, it was inevitably going to be a problem if anyone would mess with her.


    As a result, Cairn¡¯s actions were nothing but useless. Roen could only acknowledge his younger brother¡¯s strong will.


    ¡°I rmend that you do a rotation for the escort mission from now on, and in your free time, go ahead and train. Ah, and since you¡¯re here at the townhouse, I¡¯ve called in a tutor who you¡¯ll have culture sses with. I know you must have learned your fair share of liberal arts at the academy, but honestly, you need to retake those sses. It was really hard to get a hold of a tutor.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    It was because of this that Violet finally had time off from looking at Cairn¡¯s face.


    Thank goodness for that.


    In any case, now that Violet was rid of that source of stress, she quickly got out of bed.


    Life afterwards was straightforward. Amongst the many letters and invitations that Violet received, she had to sift through only a small fraction. Most had already been filtered out by the servants, then the rest were further filtered by Roen himself.


    Thus, her days were upied by sleeping, eating and exercising. She drew and painted once in a while, and she went people watching, too. She had a couple conversations here and there as well.


    She often went on outings and was friendly to the people on the streets. As Cairn followed Violet one step away, he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised by how much his older sister had truly changed.


    Normally, when one person would like to approach someone else, they should know how to keep a proper, safe distance first.


    Cairn did not know this, so he drew Violet¡¯s anger more times than one.


    The boy had never been conscious of other people¡¯s feelings in his whole life, but now, he was finally beginning to learn how to.


    Violet¡¯s anger was silent¡ªlike the ashes of an already extinguished me. Even so, this anger still proved to be detrimental as scorching embers still remained.


    One wrong move, and you¡¯d be left with severe burns on your hands.


    That aside, Cairn realized anew that it was possible to be hurt by just one nce.


    It had only been a few days, but this was enough time for people to get to know one another.


    Violet knew Cairn well enough, but Cairn did not know much about Violet. Before this, he thought that his older sister only knew how to be angry and how to punish people with corporeal means.


    Now, however, he found out that, rather than being surrounded by noise, she preferred quietude.


    And, she did not get angry easily unless someone was rude to her first.


    <i>Wasn¡¯t it that she nearly drowned to death in ake?</i> Cairn thought.


    Cairn had no idea that Violet started changing since the day she died and lived again. While staring at the back of his older sister, he scratched his head, perplexed.


    ¡®Have I been misunderstanding her until now?¡¯


    As the days went on and the boy¡¯s self-reflection deepened, Violet suddenly prepared to go out.

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    * * *


    Although she ignored many invitations and letters from numerous households, there was one exception: she epted the Leshan Marquisate¡¯s invitation.


    Marchioness Leshan was Violet¡¯s chaperone during her debutante three years ago, and she was also a close friend of thete duchess.


    As the marchioness had mentioned in her letter that she wanted to meet her dear friend¡¯s daughter and have a chat, Violet forced her heavy butt to get up.


    In Violet¡¯s memories, Marchioness Leshan was a quiet and elegant woman.


    Considering that the marchioness had been Violet¡¯s chaperone, she definitely should have stuck out in Violet¡¯s mind¡ªbut, no. Perhaps it was a side effect of her near death experience, or perhaps it¡¯s because her memories of her past life had mixed everything up. Maybe it was because of both.


    Violet realized that she mostly recalled only unpleasant things whenever she would try to look through her memories. It¡¯s annoying.


    Cairn insisted that he should follow her to the tea party as well, but Roen thankfully blocked him. Not only Violet would be ufortable, but also the person who invited her. It would be quite awkward if an uninvited son of a duke were toe.


    * * *


    It didn¡¯t take long to reach the marquis¡¯s mansion.


    Violet was the only one invited.


    Starting from the moment she alighted her carriage, the employees of the marquisate did their best to serve Violet with great care and attention.


    Somehow having this ticklish feeling within her, Violet schooled her features into a neutral expression.


    ¡°Salutations, Lady of the Everett Duchy. It¡¯s been three years, hasn¡¯t it? I hope you¡¯ll have an enjoyable time today.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the invitation, Madam. And thank you for not forgetting me even after these three years.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, how can I forget you? Now, this way.¡±


    Their formal greetings, as dictated by courtesy, were now out of the way. And, the role of guiding Violet went from the butler and to the marchioness.


    Marchioness Leshan was a brte beauty who looked younger than how old she actually was. Her hair was a light shade of brown.


    With Violet and the marchioness walking side by side, they seemed to be the picture of cordial regard.


    ¡°Today¡¯s tea party will take ce in this garden. I was going to call my daughter as well, but you might not have preferred that. You¡¯ll only be talking to this olddy, but I hope you¡¯ll feel at ease.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Madam. Please feel free to talk to mefortably as well.¡±


    The marchioness led Violet to a well-maintained garden. It was rtively small, but it was very differentpared to the Everett household¡¯s garden. There was a yellow glow everywhere, and somehow, it felt like a fairy garden.


    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful garden. It¡¯s so pretty that I even have the urge to draw it.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, truly? <i>Fufu,</i> I personally oversee its upkeep. Isn¡¯t it a relief that you like it, Lady?¡±


    The marchionessughed pleasantly once more. The atmosphere was amicable. When the neatly dressed attendant came forward to pour them some tea, a refreshing scent wafted through the air.


    The fresh scent of tea mixed with the lush scent of the greenery around them filled the air. The refreshments prepared alongside the tea were also carefully handpicked to suit Violet¡¯s preferences.


    Once again, Violet realized just how considerate the marchioness was towards her.


    ¡°By the way, Lady, you have quite the unique outfit. I don¡¯t know much about what type of fashion the youngdies prefer these days, but still.¡±


    ¡°Ah. It¡¯s just that I found the capital¡¯s style of dress to be very cumbersome. It¡¯s difficult to breathe in those clothes.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know that as well. My daughter truly dislikes it as well, I believe? As expected, going back to the ssics is still the best. Your clothes are very unique and sophisticated¡ª May I know where you acquired them tailored?¡±


    Though the marchioness admitted that she wasn¡¯t versed in the current fashion trends, she nheless looked very interested in clothes.


    Violet paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. She decided to answer with a moderate mixture of the truth, and as the marchioness listened, she looked very pleased.


    ¡°Indeed! It¡¯s important to seek out talented people. I see that Everett¡¯s Young Duke already has that kind of eye for people. I must quickly get a hold of the young seamstress and make some orders before her name gets out there.¡±


    Anyone¡¯s first impression of the marchioness was just how elegant she was, but she was also a woman of wit and humor.


    Was this also how Violet viewed Marchioness Leshan three years ago? As she smiled, she tried to wade through her memories.


    <i>¡°Fufu,</i> I¡¯m d to see that you seem to have changed quite a bit, Lady. You were already pretty three years ago, but you¡¯ve be even prettier now.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not just talking about your outward appearance. You seem more at ease now, andpared to back then, you express yourself more freely with such a natural smile. Really, how very pretty.¡±


    The marchioness was endlesslyfortable with Violet. No one had ever treated her with such affability before, so she didn¡¯t know how to react. Even so, the marchioness continued.


    ¡°You resemble your maternal grandmother so much. You remember her, yes? Countess ise. She had already be a star before you were born, Lady, but she truly was such a beautiful person.¡±


    ¡°My maternal grandmother?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your maternal grandmother. And, Lily¡¯s mother! Whenever I went to Lily¡¯s house before, your grandmother weed me so kindly.¡±


    ¡°Lily?¡±


    ¡°Goodness, look at me reminiscing. It¡¯s the nickname I had for your mother. You know, it¡¯s an exclusive nickname of mine that not even Duke Everett is allowed to use.¡±


    With a smile, the marchioness winked. Understanding the meaning behind it, Violet quietly responded with a smile of her own.


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 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    ¡°Thank you for allowing me to hear such a pleasant story. I rarely ever get to hear about my mother and my extended family on her side.¡±


    ¡°Oh, am I the only one who mentioned them? What to do. The older I get, the more I be a chatterbox.¡±


    ¡°No, really, I appreciate it because I don¡¯t hear much about her in Everett. If you don¡¯t mind, may I hear more about my mother?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ll be surprised to hear what Lily was like when she was young.¡±


    Their teatime continued amidst this friendly mood.


    The marchioness mainly told stories of thete duchess, who was her close friend. The Lady of ise had a weak constitution, but she was very active. And, as she was also more confident than anyone else, people thought of her as a very unusual person.


    The marchioness had exchanged letters with thete duchess up until just before her demise. As she spoke of these stories, her eyes moistened.


    ¡°I remember getting a letter from her once that said, ¡®I didn¡¯t know that I¡¯d have so many worries as a mother now. My own mom told me before how she thinks I should have a daughter who resembles <i>you</i>, but really¡ª little does she know, my daughter turned out to be more like me!¡±


    Feeling a bit embarrassed for no reason, Violet only sipped her tea and said nothing.


    ¡°She really was a good friend. She was such a good person who cared about many people, even though she had been clearly ill. Even now, I still miss her a lot.¡±


    Because the marchioness told many stories of her mother before marriage, Violet happened to hear the love story between her mother and father.


    As she listened, she busily munched on the refreshments.


    In Violet¡¯s memories, the duchess was always sick.


    She couldn¡¯t remember much of her mother, but she remembered feeling warm and cozy around her.


    As Violet was now the version of herself who could recall her past life¡¯s memories, even that of Yeon Ha-yoon¡¯s mother, she raised her head as the marchioness uttered the next words.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I was so worried. When I was your chaperone three years ago, I heard a lot of rumors.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I was immature back then, so it¡¯s natural.¡±


    ¡°You heard about them too?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Ohoho.</i> I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s bad. You were as prickly as a thorn three years ago, but you had behaved very well. I couldn¡¯t tell you this before because the thorns around you were much too sharp.¡±


    Embarrassed again, Violet sipped her tea.


    Marchioness Leshan smiled gracefully.


    ¡°So, I do feel that it¡¯s really nice to meet you again now. I¡¯m not just saying that. You know that, yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course.¡±


    Feeling all choked up for no reason, Violet slowly answered with a smile.


    And the marchioness smiled back warmly.


    * * *


    Violet had no trust in people.


    She had been hurt by those people, and she always put up thorn-like walls around her because she did not want to get hurt. After having been betrayed over and over again, her heart barely managed to heal, yet she still remained to be closed off to others.


    Truthfully, it¡¯s not as if there had been no one at her side at all. It¡¯s just that¡ª Violet S. Everett did not trust anyone.


    There were many people around Violet who wanted to talk to her, but she never noticed.


    Recalling this, Violet quickly sorted through her feelings and put on a smile. It¡¯s impossible for the marchioness not to know of her inner thoughts. With her hands sped together, she ced her elbows on the table and set her chin upon the back of her fingers.


    ¡°It¡¯s very, very nice to see you again, really. Lily must also be feeling relieved of her worries now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I heard that you¡¯re getting along with your family these days? And, oh! Is it true that the Third Young Master was sitting like a homeless man in front of Everett¡¯s townhouse recently?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Hohoho.</i> It must be true, but it¡¯s alright. Growing children naturally get into fights.¡±


    <i>But if I get into a fight twice, I¡¯ll surely die.</i> Violet did not add that thought. Marchioness Leshan looked really happy.


    The marchioness¡¯s merry chatter continued. Violet listened to her stories with a smile.


    While they talked for a long time, the marchioness suddenly asked a question.


    ¡°By the way, is there a reason you started painting?¡±


    ¡°A reason?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I heard that you¡¯ve taken to creating art these days. I can¡¯t help but feel that you¡¯re much brighter now due to your new hobby.¡±


    When asked by the marchioness, Violet felt her pupils starting to quiver, but she soon smiled.


    The marchioness was truly quick on the uptake. Except, Violet was in a terrible slump right now.


    Contemting what to answer for a long while, Violet replied.


    ¡°Because I want to run away.¡±


    ¡°To run away?¡±


    ¡°I needed something that I could do freely. Something that I could do, where I can be myself without being intruded upon by others.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why you turned to painting.¡±


    The moment she answered the marchioness¡¯s question, it¡¯s as if Violet was given the solution to a problem that¡¯s been bothering her for a long time.


    Now that she didn¡¯t have to run away, it¡¯s only natural that she now felt at ease. In both her past life and present life, there were still countless reasons why she started painting, but that one particr reason had served to be the most important.


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 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    Upon hearing Violet¡¯s answer, the marchioness smiled softly.


    ¡°So, did you feel at ease?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°What a relief. But speaking as your chaperone and as Lily¡¯s friend, I¡¯d have to advise you to stop painting. Do you know why?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°As an esteemed ducaldy, you have no need for art. There are many people in this country who remain conservative and old-fashioned, and there are many aristocrats who wish to drag down those who are at the top. Numerous people are eager to judge and undermine the actions, words and everything else rted to a ducaldy such as yourself, even with something as simple as what you¡¯re wearing. You¡¯re refusing all invitations because you know that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. Rumor has it that Laurent¡¯s designer got kicked out of the Everett¡¯s mansion in the capital. Thus, Lady Everett must be very arrogant.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Violet merely sipped her tea, unbothered. Narrowing her eyes at this, the marchionessughed.


    ¡°I understand that you have no intention of entering social and political circles. But still, there will be times when you¡¯d have to face some people even if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your advice, truly, but I¡¯m quite alright.¡±


    As Violet set down her teacup, she smiled. It¡¯s not that the marchioness¡¯s advice meant nothing to her. It¡¯s just that she had already been through it countless times.


    The marchioness smiled as well.


    ¡°On the other hand, personally speaking, I wish to tell you that you should do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°May I ask why?¡±


    ¡°Of course. How can I not know the true reason why you had so many thorns around you three years ago? It was all because you didn¡¯t want to leave any openings to those who wish you any harm.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Butpared to how you were back then, you look so much more at ease. You started painting because you like it, didn¡¯t you? Then, that¡¯s enough. What¡¯s the point of being conscious of other people¡¯s opinions?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the uncharacteristically radical remark.¡±


    ¡°Considering my position, there¡¯s no other way to answer. Before getting married, I was merely a daughter of a low-ranked viscount, and I came to a realization while observing the other nobles. ¡®Ah, if I keep trying to conform to those people¡¯s standards, I will be left with nothing of my original self. I am my own person.¡¯ You understand?¡±


    Though the marchioness spoke delicately, her words carried much seriousness. Violet looked at the smiling marchioness attentively.


    ¡°The name Violet S. Everett has that weight. No matter what other people say, your esteem as a ducaldy shall never change. For them to say that a ducaldy is arrogant¡ªwhat a bunch of idiots, aren¡¯t they? You are prideful because you¡¯re in a position to keep your head held high.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you very much for saying that.¡±


    ¡°Gosh. My friend¡¯s daughter is like my own daughter. Whenever you get the urge toe to the marquisate, don¡¯t hesitate at all and juste, alright? I¡¯ll drop everything and make time just for you.¡±


    As though responding to the marchioness¡¯s kindness, Violet smiled broadly.


    And the marchioness smiled as well¡ªit was thefortable smile of a woman towards someone she considered a daughter.


    * * *


    After teatime, the two of them took a short stroll in the garden. In the meantime, the marchioness¡¯s chatter was not over.


    Even though Violet enjoyed talking to her, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit tired.


    ¡°Before I became the Marquis¡¯s wife, I mentioned that I was a daughter of a low-ranked, rural viscount, right? I only got to meet Lily during the debutante ball, and then we became close friends. And somehow or another, I started seeing my husband, though it was not without many hardships.¡±


    When the marchioness¡¯s story went on a tangent, it was nheless exciting. Listening to the love story, Violet was reminded of a romance novel.


    The marchioness continued her story as they crossed the garden.


    ¡°Perhaps this is the reason, but it¡¯s true that I don¡¯t tend to conform to tradition by default. I had this gardenndscaped ording to my tastes. Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I agree. I think it¡¯s very beautiful in a different way from Everett¡¯s garden. I see it¡¯s because of your tastes, Madam.¡±


    <i>¡°Hohoho.</i> My son, that rascal¡ªhe keeps saying that it looks messy, but it¡¯s only expected. I did it freely.¡±


    In the midst of their long conversation, someone appeared before them. It was a man, politely standing in front of them.


    ¡°Oh my, Alec?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to greet you, Mother. I hope you¡¯ve been well. May I know who this is?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, say hello. This is my guest, Lady Everett.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, the most famous person in the capital these days. I greet you, the rising star of House Everett. I am Alec K. Leshan. Please feel free to call me Alec.¡±


    The man who greeted her ording to etiquette reached out one hand to her. Violet then offered her own hand, and the man kissed the back of her hand naturally.


    Goosebumps rose up Violet¡¯s spine.


    ¡°May I call you Lady Violet? Ah, please forgive my rudeness. Mother, I heard that there¡¯s a bit of a problem going on at Titaro right now.¡±


    ¡°Whaaat? Ah, I was going to rest for the first time in quite a while, but there¡¯s nothing I can do. Alec, will you be a dear and show Her Ladyship around for a moment?¡±


    Letting out a sigh, the marchioness smiled helplessly and looked at Violet with a sad expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s something out of my hands. I¡¯ll be right back, but you and Alec can continue touring the garden. I don¡¯t wish to treat Everett¡¯sdy and my friend¡¯s daughter like this¡ªI¡¯ll be sure toe back right away after I¡¯ve finished my work.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Madam. Please don¡¯t be pressured to rush.¡±


    When the marchioness went away, the young lord and Violet remained in their seats.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Trying to hide her difort, Violet pasted on a smile as she listened to him speak.


    ¡°It is a great honor to meet you in person, as you are the ducaldy who I¡¯ve only heard of. I was told that you have brilliant silver hair that looks as if the moonlight itself, but indeed. Those rumors are of no exaggeration. Even the fairies of legend could not be as beautiful as you, Lady Violet.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you for thepliment.¡±


    Whether he could glean what Violet was thinking or not, a constant stream of praises flowed out of Alec. Listening to the insubstantial words, the ufortable Violet put on a very forced smile.


    ¡°My repute may be insignificantpared to yours, Lady Violet, but perhaps you¡¯ve heard of me. <i>Haha.</i> Even though I look like this, I¡¯ve been told that people from everywhere know me. Have you heard of ¡®Rowan¡¯s Sharpshooter¡¯?¡±


    What followed was another constant stream, but this time, of praises for himself. Having no choice but to listen, Violet learned that Alec K. Leshan mastered the bow and arrow at the age of six and was then called a prodigy. Here and there, Violet responded soullessly.


    Clearly tactless, Alec became even more ted despite Violet¡¯s increasingly unenthusiastic answers.


    ¡°Anyway, I was a bit confused when I first saw you, Your Ladyship. The dress you¡¯re wearing today is so unique. Of course, you look beautiful in a dress that doesn¡¯t make use of a corset that¡¯s in fashion these days. I suspect that the moon fairies have spread ugly rumors about you out of jealousy.¡±


    Alec¡¯s words went through one ear and out the other with Violet. She had no interest in what this vain young nobleman had to say.


    Instead, she chose to dwell on what the marchioness had told her.


    The name ¡®Violet S. Everett¡¯ had the weight to justify her actions. Though people would try to undermine that name, the esteem that came with it would not change.


    Even if it was the same esteem that she had received through her blood, which she shared with her detestable family.


    In all her neen years, the weight of Violet¡¯s name never became light.


    ¡°I wondered what Mother was thinking when she invited you, Lady Violet. As expected, her eyes cannot be wrong. With such beauty like yours, it¡¯s also worth bearing the risk of getting caught up with your notoriety.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡±


    <i>¡°Haha, </i>it¡¯s apliment. Since you are the Everett Duchy¡¯s daughter, and I am next in line to the Leshan Marquisate¡­ Since we are peers of a simr age, of course some rumors wille and go about this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Forgetting to keep her expression neutral, Violet looked at Alec coldly. Nevertheless, he continued saying what he wanted to say.


    ¡°In other words, I¡¯ll be willing to bear the stigma and ill fame surrounding you, Lady. You know that a scandal is fatal in high society, yes? Hmm. Actually, there aren¡¯t many households that will be able to handle your dishonor, but I can confidently affirm that my reputation is second to none. And with your beauty¡­¡±


    Though he trailed off, it was clear that he meant to say, ¡®Since you¡¯re so beautiful, I can endure your notoriety of being a wicked woman. Besides, won¡¯t it be difficult for you to find a better groom than me? Let¡¯s get engaged, shall we?¡¯


    Violet blinked dazedly a couple of times. She thought about it deeply. How could a son like thise from the gentle marchioness?


    She was not unaware of her own circumstances. In fact, Alec had summarized it quite well.


    There would be countless pricks in high society who would mock her to her face, every so kindly telling her that it¡¯s out of the grace of his heart that he¡¯s willing to get married to a viiness like her.


    The fact that she was an Everett would never change.


    ¡°Sir Leshan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady Violet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what exactly you have in mind, Sir, but I have no intention of getting married.¡±


    ¡°Umm. Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t feel the need to do so. Whether I might or might not meet a good match, I don¡¯t wish to leave my life in the hands of another.¡±


    ¡°I believe that House Leshan is a pretty good match.¡±


    Now with a bitter face, Alec looked at Violet as though he felt it was a shame. His gaze scanned her body up and down. Seeing this, Violet smiled broadly.


    ¡°Of course, you must be a good man, Sir. I am also aware of the reputation that the Leshan Marquisate has.¡±


    Scanning Alec up and down just as he had with her, Violet smirked. Alec¡¯s face immediately grew bright red at the undoubtedly rude act, but he could say nothing about it. After all, he was the one who did it first.


    ¡°Nheless, I am the Lady of the Everett Duchy. Isn¡¯t that enough of an exnation?¡±


    ¡°W-Well, if you mean to emphasize that only families of the same rank¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. I have the right to do whatever I want, or not do whatever I don¡¯t want.¡±


    As she spoke calmly, Violetughed. Even if she¡¯d decide to live as someone¡¯s wife, she certainly would not choose Alec. First of all, that face of his wasn¡¯t to her taste by a long shot.


    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t get married, I won¡¯t have any problems in my life. And, Sir, I have never allowed you to call me by my name.¡±


    ¡°But for a woman who had been born into a noble household, is it not the greatest happiness to get married and raise children wonderfully. Don¡¯t you think, Lady Vi¡ª I mean, Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°Happiness varies from person to person. Who else would know about my own happiness other than myself?¡±


    Alec¡¯s expression further became distorted, and correspondingly, Violet¡¯s smile further became brighter.


    Considering that he couldn¡¯t even control his expression anymore, it was the perfect time to drive it home.


    Once again, Violet smirked.


    ¡°If ites to a point that you¡¯re willing to abandon your family name because you want me so much, Sir, then I¡¯ll think about it again.¡±

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    ¡°What a r-rude¡ª¡±


    Shouldn¡¯t he first learn how to control his emotions? This man was supposedly the next head of his family. Violet inwardly clicked her tongue.


    At that moment, a rogue projectile flew in and hit Alec exactly on the back of the head. Then, someone strode up behind the now copsed Alec.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense in front of a guest again! You¡¯re the sole disgrace of this family, ugh. You just keep making Mom cry out of distress each and every time.¡±


    The rogue projectile¡¯s identity was a cookie. And, Violet looked up at the powerful person who managed to knock over Alec with that very cookie.


    It was a woman with light brown hair, and she resembled Marchioness Leshan. She was very much indignant.


    And the tall woman was wearing pants, not a dress.


    ¡®Who¡¯s this?¡¯


    Violet remained aloof as she studied the woman before her. She gave off such a sharp atmosphere, so different from the marchioness.


    Alesia A. Leshan, the second child of the Leshan Marquisate.


    ¡°W-What the hell are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s asking who here? Mom told me to say hello and introduce myself to her guest, yet I immediately heard a certain <i>someone</i> blowing hot air over here so I came over. You¡¯re the one who caused trouble at Titaro, so why are you making Mom clean up your mess? Seriously. Just know that you will die at my hands one of these days.¡±


    ¡°Why are you ming me! Wait, then, that¡ª¡±


    ¡°I rmend that you go and fix it right this instant. Father¡¯s barely stopping himself from killing you.¡±


    <i>¡°Gasp¡ª</i> Your Ladyship, I believe that¡¯s all the time we have today. Let¡¯s continue our talk another time.¡±


    Alec tucked his tail between his legs and ran away. Still, Violet¡¯s expression remained unchanged.


    Alesia examined Violet like this with visible dissatisfaction.


    She had been under the impression that their family was an elegant one. With just one look at the young nobledy standing before her, Violet corrected her initial perception of House Leshan.


    ¡°You must have had a hard time dealing with that idiot. Don¡¯t worry about whatever he said¡ªour household has no intention of getting you engaged with my brother anyway.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I wasn¡¯t worried about it either. Even if your household were to send an official proposal, it would only be returned.¡±


    As Violet spoke with a soft tone, she had a defensive smile.


    Alesia wasn¡¯t even trying to save face.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite different from how you¡¯ve been rumored to be. As expected, I guess rumors can¡¯t be trusted?¡±


    Violet thought, <i>So it seems that not only the nts were raised freely, but even the children.</i>


    In her opinion, they might have been raised <i>too</i> freely. Suddenly, she realized that there was one such kid who was much too freely raised in her own family.


    Still, it¡¯s of no contest that Alesia was better than Cairn.


    Everett and Leshan¡ªperhaps Aesir, too. They were all considered to be great noble households, but on the flip side, they might also be the worst of the worst.


    With this idea that was very close to the right answer, Violet looked directly at the woman standing in front of her.


    ¡°That said, I do hope you¡¯re not expecting me to see you in a good light, Ducal Lady. I can¡¯t even tell why Mother is protecting you, but¡ª!¡±


    Alesia¡¯s voice remained level, but it was certainlyced with resentment. Violet was already quite used to receiving such malice.


    If Alec was hiding the fact that he looked down on her, Alesia, on the other hand, was vilifying her openly.


    While Violet thought about what reason Alesia had to act this way towards her, she answered in a casual tone.


    ¡°The Madam must care for me because I am her close friend¡¯s daughter. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re telling me this, Your Ladyship, but I agree with you when you say you ¡®can¡¯t tell¡¯.¡±


    <i>¡°Hah!</i> So, did you show this fa?ade of yours to my mother? She¡¯s a pure-hearted person, so it must have worked. For these past three years, she¡¯s only been saying how much she feels sorry for you!¡±


    Violet once again revised her evaluation. Right now, she didn¡¯t know anymore if Alesia was better than Cairn, but she had be more certain that the two of them had much inmon.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask why you¡¯ve suddenly changed the way you act. But still, I don¡¯t think one¡¯s true nature is easily changed, especially if it¡¯s someone who once pped a poor girl who stood for two hours outside on a cold day.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Only then did some emotion enter Violet¡¯s countenance as she blinked a couple of times. She found the reason behind this young woman¡¯s hostility.


    The incident she was speaking of happened during the debutante three years ago.


    Back then, Violet never told Aileen to wait for her, but the girl deliberately provoked her by dressing in thin clothes and making a ridiculous demand.


    Having no intention of exining herself, Violet slowly let out a sigh.


    ¡°You really do resemble each other quite a lot.¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°I was merely talking to myself, Lady. And, you can think however you want. Even if I try to exin, you will continue to think that I¡¯m a bad person anyway.¡±


    ¡°Do you seriously mean what you say?¡±


    ¡°If what I say isn¡¯t what I mean, then I shallmend you on your great abilities, Lady. I can¡¯t believe you have the power to read minds. As <i>the</i> outstanding individual of the ck Wolf, may I first greet you courteously?¡±


    <i>¡°Hah,</i> wow¡­! What a funny thing to say. Yes, alright. Let¡¯s say our greetings, shall we? And, I would very much appreciate it if you refer to me as ¡®Dame¡¯, not ¡®Lady.¡±


    A war of nerves ensued. Violet did not shy away from those light blue eyes.

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    ¡°It is a formal title, thus it wouldn¡¯t be right to refer to someone as such when they have yet to be knighted. If the dayes that you are inducted as a knight, Lady, I shall honor your wish.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Light blue eyes bristling with calm anger stared directly into purple eyes. Though Violet had no intention of looking down on her, Alesia felt as if she was being mocked greatly.


    ¡°¡­Then why have you not rified it?¡±


    ¡°rify what?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easily exinable why I am personally exhibiting hostility against you, Ducal Lady. I¡¯m not a fool, I can at least say the reason. But there¡¯s no exnation on your part.¡±


    ¡°¡­I just learned not to mind people.¡±


    Amid the silence, Violet¡¯s eyes darkened. Alesia frowned.


    ¡°You don¡¯t mind people, you say. Does that mean that people aren¡¯t worth dealing with?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an easy task to try and convince someone who thinks they¡¯re right in their conviction. They won¡¯t change that simply.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    In her life, Violet had never once seen a person change their mind just because they had been talked to rationally. She smiled.


    It was an empty smile.


    Feeling that emptiness, Alesia was about to speak, but she closed her mouth again.


    ¡°And, Lady Leshan, you seem to care quite a bit about your family. I¡¯d advise watching your actions better.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only saying this because you remind me of my younger brother.¡±


    She meant it. Alesia and Cairn were exactly alike. Alesia thought very much like Cairn, and they even had the same temperament.


    Violet spoke again.


    ¡°Even if I am to stay here longer, it doesn¡¯t seem like the two of us will have a pleasant time, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave. May I ask that you convey my farewell to the Madam? I understand that she¡¯s busy, and I wouldn¡¯t want to take up her time just to say goodbye.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll show you the way.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, Lady.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯vee here as a guest of my mother, and she told me to keep youpany in her stead. I don¡¯t wish to treat a guest of ours awfully.¡±


    In the end, Alesia was definitely smarter than Cairn. She could at least use her head.


    In this respect, Violet further lowered her evaluation of Alesia. Even though she seemed moderately rational and knew how to use her head, she was obstinately reckless with her actions.


    Alesia sent a message to the marchioness first, then she apanied Violet to see her off.


    The atmosphere between them was deste.


    ¡°You may not answer, but I would like to ask again. Why did you do what you did that day?¡±


    ¡°That day?¡±


    ¡°That day when you harassed your younger sister, Lady Aileen.¡±


    ¡°Ahh.¡±


    As they walked towards the main gate, Violet smiled at Alesia.


    ¡°I did it because I wanted to. There¡¯s no special reason.¡±


    Faced with Violet¡¯s gentle expression, Alesia was so dumbfounded that she burst out inughter.


    ¡°As expected, you¡¯re just keeping up a charade. I don¡¯t like you.¡±


    ¡°I never thought that anyone would say it to my face. I¡¯m afraid that I don¡¯t dislike you, Lady.¡±


    ¡°¡­I hope we never see each other again.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, your wish is unlikely toe true. The Madam seems to be fond of me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Alesia¡¯s light blue gaze contained aplexity of emotions. Most of them were clearly negative, but Violet turned a blind eye to the sentiment.


    Violet did not dislike Alesia. The youngdy reminded her too much of Cairn.


    Of course, Violet outright hated Cairn. For how many years exactly had he raised a hand at her? How could she possibly like him just because they shared the same blood?


    But despite it all, she could stillmend her younger brother¡¯s one redeeming factor¡ªhis abhorrence towards injustice.


    In Alesia¡¯s case, unlike Cairn, she was angry at the injustice that Violet had disyed. She came to this conclusion after careful deliberation first.


    Violet wasn¡¯t averse to Alesia¡¯s personality.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you again next time, Lady. I hope your misconception can be resolved before then.¡±


    <i>¡°Hah, </i>just what are you¡­¡±


    The Everett Duchy¡¯s esteemed daughter climbed into the fancy carriage. And the woman who remained standing there could only look baffled.


    It was only natural to feel dumbfounded after hearing that. Violet was saying that she hoped the ¡®misconception¡¯ would be resolved, yet she¡¯s doing nothing to alleviate it.


    * * *


    After her visit to the Leshan Marquisate¡¯s residence, Violet became the marchioness¡¯s teatimepanion. And just as before, the dynamic between them continued¡ªthe marchioness would chatter on and Violet would listen.


    In any case, House Leshan was amongst the ranks of nobility. Perhaps that¡¯s why the marchioness had quite a lot of stories to tell.


    The marchioness told her about how thedy of House Tolofia was aiming for the position of the crown prince¡¯s consort, about how rumors about Violet herself were spreading in high society, and about stories of a few young noblemen here and there.


    The marchioness would also tell Violet about what she had heard from other private noble gatherings.


    ¡°I heard this only by chance, so it¡¯s not to bepletely trusted.¡±


    Rumors of ambiguous origins were always rife amongst society. It was up to the listener to distinguish whether it was true or false.


    Whether such rumors contained praise or derision, they¡¯re all the same.


    One such woman here, who almost died in ake due to a rumor, just smiled quietly.


    It was not of good virtue to talk about someone who¡¯s not present. Still, Violet knew that the marchioness¡¯s chatter was, in one way, her version of consideration towards Violet.


    Information was power. The marchioness was hoping that Violet would not fall behind in terms of news about high society.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    ¡°Right, did you hear about the rtionship between Lady Arsene and Lord Hortus? Don¡¯t they just make your heart flutter? It reminds me of the time I was still dating before I married. Ah, young love. I do hope that Alesia also finds a good match soon,.¡±


    ¡­Sometimes, it felt like the marchioness was just an old soul who wanted to talk. But anyway.


    Alesia had not shown herself in front of Violet ever since that day. Of course, the marchioness wanted her daughter to be friends with Violet as they were of the same age, but she couldn¡¯t force them to do so.


    ¡°You are very beautiful today as well, Ducal Lady.¡±


    Instead, it was Alec who persistently showed his face each and every time. The way he kept trying to stand out in Violet¡¯s eyes was actually quite pathetic, too.


    After watching her son act in that way, the marchioness mentioned him.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t even take a moment to hesitate before saying such embarrassing things. I know he¡¯s my son, but¡­ Never ever choose him, alright? <i>Haa,</i> I do wish my daughter-inw will be someone like you¡­¡±


    What followed was the marchioness¡¯smentation about how her son grew up like that.


    Violet wondered, though. What really is the right way of raising someone within a great noble household?


    A subtle smile rose on Violet¡¯s lips.


    * * *


    With less than fifteen days until the crown prince¡¯s birthday banquet, Violet¡¯s activities were not anymore limited to just meetings with the marchioness.


    She began to paint again. The brush was pliant in her hand, its strokes smooth and soft across the white canvas.


    Violet loved that sensation.


    However, she had yet topletely ovee her slump.


    She didn¡¯t know what to paint.


    There were so many sceneries and subjects that she wanted to paint, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to put any of them on the canvas.


    Besides that, there were two such people who were causing such a ruckus by Violet¡¯s side. Though they were her brothers who she shared blood ties with, Roen and Cairn were like sworn, irreconcble enemies to her.


    ¡°Wow. How can someone possiblye up with this kind of thing? Only a witch would make something like this. If I were you, I won¡¯t ever show this kind of art to the world¡ª <i>Ow!</i> Why¡¯d you hit me!¡±


    ¡°Even if I say it for a thousand times more, you still go on and run your mouth like that.¡±


    ¡°So what? You also think that Sister¡¯s art is weird anyway.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet just wished that Roen and Cairn would get out of her gallery.


    ¡°It¡¯s unique, indeed.¡±


    ¡°Look, I knew it. You say it¡¯s unique but what you mean is weird, so why are you taking it out on me?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t think that your mouth is a problem, do you. And above all, what do you mean by ¡®witch¡¯. <i>Haha.</i> Beloved little brother, looks like you need a good beating.¡±


    ¡°Hey? Excuse me? Excuuuuse me, my dear <i>Older </i>Brother? <i>Elder </i>Brother??¡±


    ¡°Ah, that reminds me. Sir Aldin said that he¡¯ll be free tomorrow, so I invited him over. He¡¯ll be a good sparring opponent for you.¡±


    These two brothers¡¯ conversation was really free.


    Violet pondered why they had to have this conversation in front of her, but she could not find the answer.


    ¡°Of all people, why does it have to be that jacka¡ª!¡±


    ¡°For the nth time, <inguage.</i> He¡¯s still a duke¡¯s son.¡±


    Roen had been wary of Aldin at first, but after they had met, he became quite pleased with him.


    Aldin Aesir was a member of the First Order of the ck Wolf, and he often exchanged letters with Violet these days.


    The letters he sent her wereprised of short and concise sentences, and it was very like him to write in that way. Violet sent replies consistently as well.


    At first, Roen smiled coldly as he concurred that the knight had to be thoroughly investigated, but in the end, he was pleased with his findings.


    Rather, it¡¯se to a point that Roen was thanking him for remaining friends with a scoundrel like Cairn during their time at the academy.


    Violet clicked her tongue at Roen, who characteristically ran background checks on other people like a routine habit.


    Of course, just as usual, Cairn ran wild.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be your younger brother, aren¡¯t I? Not that guy!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite an unfortunate thing, yes. I actually wish that Sir Aldin is my younger brother.¡±


    ¡°What? Have you seriously gone insane? Hey, <i>hey!</i> Witch!¡±


    As Violet was looking over her past pieces, she just casually ignored Cairn, who shouted again and again. Ignoring him was just standard practice at this point.


    ¡°Ugh, damn it¡ª Sister! Hey, Elder Sister!¡±


    ¡°I told you time and time again to fix yournguage, but you stubbornly refuse to change.¡±


    ¡°And why are you telling me off now? Why doesn¡¯t anyone in this family ever take my side!¡±


    Violet would never answer him unless he¡¯d respectfully call her ¡®Sister¡¯, so he shouted again. Violet just snorted and left her younger brother behind her.


    ¡°You have to use the right title from the start. Anyway, I¡¯m not taking anyone¡¯s side. Go and take your brotherly fight somewhere else.¡±


    In other words, she wasn¡¯t taking the side of anyone she shared blood ties with.


    Roen thought that he had gotten closer to Violet in his own way, but hearing this, he looked sad.


    Violet just scoffed at his performance.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re getting angry about something as little as this. You¡¯re quite immature, Sir.¡±


    ¡°W-Why are you talking to me like that! Ah. Hey, no way¡ª Sister, do you also like that punk Aldin more than you like me? Seriously? For real?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    When Violet didn¡¯t answer, Cairn became so sad that he couldn¡¯t even get mad about it. This was his own karma.


    ¡°Violet, why don¡¯t you go to the exhibition tomorrow? Sir Aldin said that he has time, after all.¡±


    ¡°Brother, are you that guy Aldin¡¯s friend? Why do you seem so buddy-buddy with him, huh?¡±


    ¡°What kind of exhibition will it be?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an exhibition at the national gallery. Inmemoration of the crown prince¡¯s birthday banquet, anyone can attend as long as they pay a small admission fee.¡±


    ¡°Hello? Am I not here? Excuuuuse me?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad.¡±


    ¡°Right? Then, I¡¯ll let him know and prepare everything.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have gotten close to him.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no harm in making friends with the next knightmander of the imperial guard. Of course, it¡¯s for your sake as well.¡±


    Roen smiled casually, but seeing this, Violet narrowed her eyes while trying to gauge just how much sincerity there actually was in his expression.


    Meanwhile, as Cairn was still unable to participate in the conversation, he stomped angrily.


    ¡°Seriously! Why does it seem like you guys trust that punk more than me!¡±


    ¡°Are you asking because you really don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking because you don¡¯t know, really?¡±


    Roen and Violet¡¯s voices ovepped. Violet¡¯s expression became distorted as she felt displeased, while Roen slightly pressed his lips together.


    He added a bit more of an exnation for their stupid little brother.


    ¡°You still can¡¯t control your emotions, and that¡¯s why you have yet to graduate from the academy. Being honest isn¡¯t a bad thing, but it¡¯s quite a problem when you don¡¯t have a single ounce of impulse control despite your high status and remarkable skill. If you really get furious, there¡¯s no one who can stop you.¡±


    ¡°And what the heck is the problem with that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. If you ever go wild, the only person who can stop you is Sir Aldin.¡±


    ¡°Fine, but why?!¡±


    ¡°Because Sir Aldin is the only one that can protect Violet if you ever decide to change your mind about her and attack her yet again.¡±


    <i>Just like what happened that day.</i>


    With a smile, Roen did not say thetter out loud.


    Catching on quickly, Violet immediately understood what Roen was trying to say, but Cairn still could not. So, he just became more indignant.


    Cairn had vowed to be her guard to atone for his transgressions against her, but in the end, he still failed to break out of his habits. This was evident with what happened just earlier, when he called Violet a ¡®witch¡¯ so unhesitatingly.


    Even if one would say that it was just ¡®teasing¡¯ between siblings, the word ¡®witch¡¯ had terrible implications that Cairn should not dare to say to Violet.


    Roen cared about his younger brother, but he had no faith in him. Because using people was second nature to him, Roen tended not to trust others easily.


    Thus, Cairn did not gain any trust from both his older brother and older sister. The only reason he had yet to be kicked out from the townhouse and shipped back to the Everett estate was because Roen and Violet knew Cairn¡¯s temperament like the back of their hands.


    As someone who was more like a maverick than anyone else, even if he would get kicked out, Cairn would just crawl back to Werchen carrying nothing but his sword.


    ¡°Tch. I can¡¯t even speak up or anything¡­ Even if I do, everything I say is bad, huh!¡±


    In the end, Cairn burst into sadness and ran out of the gallery.


    Puzzled, Roen looked at Violet, who just turned away indifferently and looked at her paintings.


    It¡¯s not as if she couldn¡¯t understand Cairn¡¯s feelings, but it was quite funny to Violet. Look at him, running out like this.


    In fact, she felt a bit ted, too.


    Cairn, that simpleton, returned as soon as evening came. Then, he confidently talked about the routes Violet would have to take for her outing tomorrow.


    Violet marveled at the thick iron te that her younger brother had ced over his face.


    * * *


    ¡°You¡¯ve be quite busy these days, Mdy.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Under normal circumstances, I¡¯d be busier than I already am right now.¡±


    <i>¡°Hiing¡­</i> Of course, since it¡¯s you, Mdy¡­¡±


    Marie was sulking because she had less and less time to chat with Violet. Still, Violet just chuckled quietly as she left her hair in Mary¡¯s care.


    Mary was improving by the day and was now skilled enough in this task. Violet had a hunch that this little girl had a gift for being a beautician.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you learn hairstyling in earnest while I¡¯m away?¡±


    ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t like your hair right now, Mdy?¡±


    A small conversation ensued.


    Violetughed contentedly, making up her mind that she would indeed send Mary to a famous hair salon so that she could learn.


    Finding talent was always fun.


    ¡°As expected! Mdy always looks so good in everything. I might really have a crush on you!¡±


    ¡°Really? Then Mary, what do you say to getting married, you and me?¡±


    ¡°Goodness me. You¡¯re good at telling jokes.¡±


    Mary acted shy as sheughed at Violet¡¯s words, which she threw in half-jokingly. At the sight of the cute girl who she thought of as a younger sister, Violetughed.


    For this outing, Violet chose to wear pants.


    It was still amon notion that pants were for the exclusive use of men. Many people felt awkward seeing women wearing pants outside the sport or hobby of horseback riding.


    However, with her silver hair tied up in a ponytail, as Violet was now wearing a coat and white pants, nobody could deny that she looked absolutely wonderful.

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    ¡°Now, voil¨¤!¡±


    Mary, who would jump into a fire pit if Violet would say so, smiled brightly.


    The other maids, on the other hand, felt quite unenthused about Violet¡¯s decision to wear pants. Still, they couldn¡¯t deny that they¡¯re impressed by Violet¡¯s appearance the moment they saw her dressed up.


    ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful, Mdy.¡±


    Rather than just pretty, she truly was beautiful. The words that the maid uttered was one that best suited Violet.


    A brooch adorned with purple gemstones glistened as it was fastened to Violet¡¯spel. Apart from that, the clothes she was wearing fit perfectly along her body line, and this could be attributed to the skill of the seamstress who made it.


    ¡®Not bad.¡¯


    She wondered if she should dress up for the crown prince¡¯s birthday celebration as well. She could wear a dress on the first day, then a suit on the second day¡­


    Violet¡¯s thoughts strayed to the wrong ce.


    In the world where Violet lived, gods existed, magic and alchemy were quite developed, and magic tool engineering was being pioneered. Compared to how things were in her previous life, there were parts that were outdated while there were also parts that were innovative.


    Here, gender stereotypes were on the old-fashioned side, so if Violet were perhaps to walk down the streets in pants, a tabloid article would appear the next day with this headline:


    <b>[ Is the Wicked Woman of House Everett Aiming to Be the Next Duke? ]</b>


    Of course, something like that would be Roen¡¯s headache and not hers, so she didn¡¯t worry about it.


    As Cairn went outside first, he apuded when Violet showed up. Unfortunately for Roen, he had been summoned elsewhere so he wasn¡¯t able to see Violet¡¯s wonderful appearance.


    ¡°Oh, Witch. You look kinda cool.¡±


    ¡°Witch, you say! Please watch your mouth!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with calling her a witch when she <i>is</i> one? I guess it¡¯s because you don¡¯t know her true personality¡ª¡±


    ¡°But Mdy is an angel though? What do <i>you</i> even know about her? Hmph.¡±


    Unexpectedly enough, Cairn and Mary had be quite close as ofte. Though Cairn was this household¡¯s third young master, he didn¡¯t care all that much about people¡¯s social standings anyway, so it was only natural that he found no faults in Mary¡¯s behavior even if she was addressing him like this.


    Violet also heard that Cairn had moremoner friends than aristocratic friends.


    Mary had been afraid of Cairn at first, but it hade to a point where she¡¯sfortable enough around him to shout at him directly.


    Some might say that such an act was degrading for an aristocrat and that it was a matter of honor, but since Cairn and Violet were allowing it, no one could say anything against it.


    ¡°Seriously, there¡¯s no one in this entire household on my side.¡±


    ¡°If you speak nicely, Young Master, I <i>might</i> think about giving you a cup of delicious pudding.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, how old do you think I am¡­¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t like pudding?¡±


    ¡°¡­I like it.¡±


    ¡°Then, please don¡¯t call Mdy a witch. Address her properly!¡±


    Mary was even taming Cairn now.


    Seeing the helpless smiles on the other maids¡¯ faces, who might be thinking that there¡¯s nothing they could do, Violet shook her head.


    ¡°That said, Sister. Shall we go?¡±


    Cairn offered a hand to Violet in ordance with proper etiquette. He¡¯s usually so rough and reckless, but whenever he must act politely, he¡¯s the very image of an elegant duke¡¯s son.


    Violet smiled.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t wish to be escorted by you, Sir, so I would have to decline.¡±


    It was a cold rejection.


    While Cairn¡¯s face turned red after being turned down, Mary giggled beside Violet. The other maids tried to hold back theirughter.


    ¡°Huh? Hey! Wait for me!¡±


    Cairn faltered for a moment as he was left with the grief of being rejected, but he soon hurried after his older sister, who was striding forward in the distance.


    * * *


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Sir. I heard that it¡¯s your day off from work today, so thank you for your time.¡±


    ¡°No way, that guy¡¯s onlying because you told him to. It¡¯s not like an imperial knight has the time to go eat and hang out with other people a lot.¡±


    The siblings gave their greetings.


    Violet let out a low sigh as she observed Cairn¡¯s rude words and actions. On the other hand, Cairn felt that he was being wrongfully used, but no one here was listening to him, really.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°Do you feel ufortable? You don¡¯t have to care about him if it¡¯s because of this fool.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s just¡­ Your Ladyship is so beautiful that I forgot how to speak for a moment.¡±


    Aldin¡¯s words were entirely sincere. He was originally someone who kept his expressions impartial and aloof, but as Cairn read the shyness on Aldin¡¯s face right then, he became dumbfounded.


    Hesitating at first, Aldin offered a hand in a knightly manner and politely asked to escort Violet.


    ¡°Thank you very much for inviting me out today,¡± Aldin said.


    ¡°Oh, what do you mean. It was not me who invited you, Sir, but Brother Roen. Still, it¡¯s not somon to have a chance to build a friendship like this.¡±


    Their conversation flowed as smoothly as water. And, naturally as well, Violet epted Aldin¡¯s offer to escort her.


    Off to the side,pletely baffled, Cairn just looked at the unfamiliar appearance of those two.

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    ¡°So he¡¯s the one who saved Mdy. He¡¯s so handsome.¡±


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me, you actually like that kind of face?¡±


    ¡°Oh, heavens. I¡¯m just telling the truth. You¡¯re handsome too, Young Master.¡±


    ¡°No, what?¡±


    Before Violet knew it, Mary and Cairn were really getting along well now, and their conversation flowed smoothly as well. She had half a mind of warning Mary because everything she¡¯s saying could be heard by those around her, but she decided to leave that for another day.


    In any case, Aldin had been invited today due to abination of political reasons¡ªwhether it was to show off Violet¡¯s friendship with him, or whether it was to make sure that connections were being formed with the next knightmander of the imperial guard.


    Violet was in full awareness of this, but she had no intention of dancing to Roen¡¯s tune. Cairn wasn¡¯t one who¡¯d think deeply about the circumstances around him, so he wouldn¡¯t know anything about what¡¯s going on.


    Aldin¡¯s gaze never once deviated from Violet. It was not a thick or sticky gaze, but there was a little affection there.


    ¡°Ah, these clothes don¡¯t suit me, do they? Still though, I decided to wear pants because I thought they¡¯d be morefortable to wear than a skirt.¡±


    ¡°No, I apologize if my gaze was unpleasant. Actually, it suits you really,<i> really</i> well, so¡­¡±


    As Aldin looked at Violet as though he waspletely entranced, there were various emotions melting together behind his gaze. No one noticed.


    Well, except one in particr.


    ¡®That punk, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯


    * * *


    Despite the intention to walk through the exhibition casually, they found that there were quite a few people in attendance.


    Originally, more escort knights and attendants would have apanied her as well, but Violet staunchly cut the number in half.


    Having an excessive number of escort knights and attendants would only attract unnecessary attention.


    Cairn jumped up and confidently assured that no one else would hold a candle to him in terms of skill, but he was promptly ignored.


    As a result, they moved together only as a small groupposed of Violet, her maid, House Aesir¡¯s son and House Everett¡¯s son. As they were part of the great aristocracy, it¡¯s inevitable that there were knights attached to them, but they moved in a separate group so as not to draw attention.


    Well, the sight of House Everett¡¯s ducaldy and House Aesir¡¯s illegitimate son together was bound to be a topic of controversy. And people quite like rumors, of course.


    A rumor could serve as a fatal weakness. But on the flip side, it could also serve as a weapon that could be wielded.


    Roen¡¯s intention was clearly thetter.


    Violet was escorted into a carriage by a knight. Cairn tried to escort Mary, but she rejected him.


    All because of all the fussing of the duke¡¯s heir, two carriages had been prepared.


    And despite the fact that he was going to be riding the carriage alone with his friend, Cairn got into the second vehicle without any hesitation.


    Well, it¡¯s not as if he didn¡¯t say anything. Heined and said that it would be faster and much better if they just went on horseback.


    Aldin was very used to thoroughly ignoring his close friend.


    Thus, the two carriages set off separately. Violet really only wanted to be as low key as possible during this outing, but the carriages were certainly not helping when they¡¯re undoubtedly giving off the impression that the people inside were rich.


    As she was able to be alone with herdy as she wished, Mary chatted on delightedly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only heard about him, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be such a gentleman! It¡¯s no wonder, too, since he has a simr atmosphere to you, Mdy. How did you two be close?¡±


    ¡°Well, it just happened. I met him by chance. I was lost and got into some trouble, and he saved me.¡±


    ¡°He did? How?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­ Funnily enough, it¡¯s a bit hard to exin. Do you want to hear the details?¡±


    ¡°Yes please!¡±


    As Mary was a girl at a very lively age, she blushed and listened to Violet¡¯s story.


    After patting Mary¡¯s head, Violet exined by moderately exaggerating some things and omitting some other details.


    ¡°So I decided to ask him out as my partner at the next banquet.¡±


    <i>¡°Kyaaah!</i> Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! He¡¯s like a knight in a novel! Maybe that handsome knight actually has feelings for you, Mdy? I knew it, he must be interested in you! Of course it¡¯s only natural because Mdy is the prettiest and the sweetest¡ª Nobody would be able to resist falling for you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating a lot. But I guess it¡¯s nice that you think highly of me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re quite blind to your own charm, Mdy! Especially how you are today. Nobody can help but fall madly for you, don¡¯t you know?¡±


    At Mary¡¯s excitement, Violet immediately answered firmly. However, Mary quickly refuted as she stood by her conviction.


    Before answering Mary, for a moment, Violet¡¯s thoughts wandered elsewhere.


    Objectively speaking, Aldin Aesir was a good man. He was capable and serious, and perhaps that¡¯s why he wasn¡¯t the type to be rash with his words.


    But that seriousness of his at a young age might be like poison to him.


    Violet had no intention of telling outsiders of her own story. At the very least, not where other households¡¯ employees were present.


    Delving into one¡¯s weakness was no different from opening those old wounds once again. And, if that weakness were to devolve into a rumor, she wouldn¡¯t know how far it would spread.


    If she could go back to that day, even if she would have to personally hit Cairn on the head with a hammer, she would not have revealed her story to him.


    As sinct as possible, the fact that this was House Everett¡¯s weakness would not change.


    Even so, Aldin said nothing. As someone who¡¯s very existence was bound to be House Aesir¡¯s weakness, on that day, he acted as if he was like the air itself. And he pretended not to be listening to the whole story.


    It¡¯s not just Aldin¡¯s capabilities and household that Roen was valuing highly.


    ¡°Mdy, you really don¡¯t believe that he has a crush on you? Even when it¡¯s like honey¡¯s dripping from his gaze?¡±


    <em>t/n: as it was scheduled, i was supposed to take a breakst month on July 30, but i¡¯ve moved it to this week instead. effectively, all breaks after this will be moved forward as well <3 regr updates wille back on September 3!</em>


    <em>hope you guys have a wonderful week ahead~</em>

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    ¡°Mary, it¡¯s rude to specte someone¡¯s feelings carelessly.¡±


    ¡°Goodness me, my deardy! You¡¯re slow when ites to things concerning yourself! Really, really, I¡¯m telling you. I saw it with my own two eyes!¡±


    ¡°Ah,e to think of it.¡±


    ¡°As expected, you felt it, right? <i>Kyaaah~!</i> It¡¯s exactly like a romance novel, oh my gosh!¡±


    ¡°He asked me if I don¡¯t remember him. I think we¡¯ve met before.¡±


    Mary gasped.


    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t it that he¡¯s been adoring you since then, Mdy? Isn¡¯t this like a fateful reunion?¡±


    ¡°Your imagination is running wild, Mary.¡±


    A conversation that¡¯s as normal as normal could be went on. With her eyes closed, Mary was smiling as though she had already fallen into her own imagination.


    Violet denied Mary¡¯s suppositionpletely.


    Even if Mary was right about the knight having some affinity for Violet, if he really had met the former Violet, there¡¯s no way that he¡¯d like ¡®that ducaldy¡¯.


    Her memories from years ago were dim, but she knew that the moniker of ¡®wicked woman¡¯ that¡¯s been attached to her wasn¡¯t given to her for no reason at all.


    Considering how she was in the past, there¡¯s no reason for people to have liked her.


    Struck with the realization of just how terrible of a person she had been that nobody would have liked her, she was filled with a sudden sense of unease.


    If what Aldin felt for her was antipathy rather than affinity, then¡­ No, if he could remember her only because of such negative emotions¡­


    It was more likely than not.


    Not being able to fully remember her own past, Violet was frustrated.


    ¡°Mdy? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, a thought just crossed my mind¡­¡±


    ¡°S-Should I get you some water? Excuse me!¡± Mary called out to someone.


    Meanwhile, as the wheels of the carriage ahead were rolling as they were.


    ¡°Hey. Do you like my sister?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The two sons of high aristocrats in the following carriage were having a suffocatingly tense scuffle.


    Cairn threw out this question with not a single regard for propriety, whereas Aldin simply remained silent. Cairnined about just how wronged he felt.


    <i>¡°Ugh,</i> I¡¯m already sad enough because I¡¯m being ignored at home, but even <i>you¡¯re</i> doing this to me too?! Why the hell is everyone ignoring me!¡±


    ¡°If you wish toin about the injustice that you¡¯re feeling, then look back at your own behavior. Courtesy is a two-way street.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the same age, but why do you keep talking in such an old-fashioned way, huh? Even the slyest person in my family doesn¡¯t talk like you!¡±


    <i>¡°¡­Haa.¡±</i>


    Seeing that his friend had drawn a sigh because of him, Cairn became even more unruly.


    Although they¡¯re friends, their personalities shed too much. Not knowing just how it was they became close friends, they continued to have an unconversational conversation.


    ¡°So, do you like my sister?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the intent of your question.¡±


    ¡°Then, let me spell it out for you, hm? Does Aldin Aesir have feelings for Violet S. Everett¡ªthat¡¯s what I¡¯m asking!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna answer?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so fixated on that question¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking because I wanna know the answer! You like my sister, don¡¯t you?¡±


    As he wasn¡¯t given an answer, Cairn himself had answered for Aldin, who could do nothing but sigh.


    There were times when Cairn had this animal-like intuition, and the question and answer he had posed was utterly spot on.


    At times like this, that sixth sense was really quite annoying.


    Aldin thought over it for a moment before replying.


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    It was a short, simple answer. And ironically, the one who asked the question got surprised by this simple answer.


    ¡°Why though?¡±


    ¡°For what reason are you even asking me?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, isn¡¯t it weird that you like that witch? Do you really?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s weird when you asked with such conviction.¡±


    ¡°That, well¡ª <i>Ha.</i> How do I put it¡­ I guess it¡¯s true that she has a pretty face. After all, she looks like Mom. But isn¡¯t it kinda weird to fall in love just by looking at someone¡¯s face?¡±


    Aldin narrowed his eyes. Despite how he¡¯d been reprimanded over and over, Cairn still refused to fix that tongue of his.


    Every time he¡¯d hear Cairn call his older sister a ¡®witch¡¯, Aldin had half a mind to make him stop.


    Faced with unrestrained murderous intent right then, Cairnined of the injustice he was being given.


    ¡°What the heck, what¡¯s with that re, huh? What are you even thinking¡­ Hey! Hey?! Yeah, okay, never mind that you seriously have a weird and spiteful personality, huh? You pretend to be normal in front of others, but aren¡¯t you actually just a really terrible person?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s calledmon courtesy.¡±


    ¡°Ah, whatever, that¡¯s not the topic at hand! I¡¯m asking you one thing and one thing only¡ª Just what the hell do you see in her that you went ahead and fell in love! If you like her only for her face, I¡¯m telling you to stop right now!¡±


    As though he was trying to read Cairn, Aldin continued to look at the other man with narrowed eyes.


    Faced with Aldin¡¯s pale purple eyes, Cairn felt awkward for no reason. He coughed in vain. He couldn¡¯t express what he wanted to say properly, and it felt as if his stomach was going to explode out of frustration.


    In any case, Aldin concluded. If it¡¯s Cairn, it most definitely wouldn¡¯t be strange for him to go up to Violet and say, ¡®Hey, Witch. That punk likes you.¡¯


    Aldin didn¡¯t think this through. He instantly and severely regretted that he admitted to his feelings in front of this guy.

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    Then again, Cairn P. Everett wouldn¡¯t evere up with the idea of ckmailing someone.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°What the heck. You look like you have something to say.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna tell me? You¡¯re my friend, but seriously, you frustrate me at times like this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Ha. </i>Damn, okay, fine. I¡¯m saying this because it¡¯s you. Give up on that thought.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the flow of this conversation.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, okay? I¡¯m telling you <i>because</i> it¡¯s you. You two won¡¯t get along. Whether it be your personality or whatever¡­ You, too. Don¡¯t you absolutely hate nobles? I¡¯m not calling her a poisonous witch for nothing.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That aside, you rarely ever express your emotions so it¡¯s beyond easy for people to misunderstand you. Even if you two connect somehow, there¡¯s definitely gonna be a problemter.¡±


    ¡°Is that not under the premise that we ¡®connect somehow¡¯.¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I heard it wrong. Everything I heard here today was just some nonsense from some auditory hallucinations.¡±


    ¡°What? Say something that makes sense, will you!¡±


    Cairn eximed again, but Aldin¡¯s gaze was not directed at him. Unable to say anything, Duke Everett¡¯s son scratched his head and averted his gaze towards the sky outside the carriage window.


    As the third young master was unable to speak his mind properly due to his poormunication skills, he tried somehow to continue saying what he wanted to say.


    ¡°Just. You can¡¯t. In the first ce, Sister¡­ should at least meet someone who knows how to express their feelings properly.¡±


    ¡°So you do know how to use your head, huh.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What the hell do you see me for?! Anyway, I also can¡¯t express my feelings honestly and I¡¯ve got this kind of personality so I can¡¯t say it properly, but at least¡­ At least I know what I did wrong. Considering how irond she is, I know she won¡¯t easily forgive me. So what I¡¯m trying to say is¡ª Ugh, I dunno. Anyway. She¡¯s gotta meet a good person.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s quite a few things I¡¯d like to correct, but alright, let¡¯s leave it at that.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, hello?!¡±


    As Aldin turned his gaze out the window, Cairn once again spewed fire from his mouth.


    Those who had not been hurt would never be able to fully understand those who <i>had</i> been hurt. This was clear with just the fact that Cairn called Violet ¡®poisonous¡¯ was testament to this.


    Of course, in his own way, he must have reached this conclusion by himself.


    It could be said that Cairn was worrying about Violet out of the base minimum conscience one could have for their family.


    However, the words he had uttered were devoid of the necessary consideration for the other person.


    After Aldin organized his thoughts while looking at the clear, blue sky, he slowly opened his lips to speak.


    ¡°You can rx. What you¡¯re worried about won¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°So unless I misheard you earlier, you¡¯re not thinking of confessing to her, right?¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s confessing or some other act, you don¡¯t have to overwork your brain for such grand things. I¡­ just want her to be happy.¡±


    ¡°I seriously can¡¯t understand you.¡±


    ¡°I never asked you to understand.¡±


    Aldin smiled.


    Faced with that smile, Cairn thought,


    <i>What a terrible, terrible smile.</i>


    It was a smile that reminded him of Violet¡¯s.


    ¡°You asked earlier, right? Why I like her despite my abhorrence for nobles.¡±


    <i>¡°Hah,</i> damn, seriously. Yes, yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°She has instilled in me a goal I¡¯d like to reach. So, I yearn for her, but it is a feeling that will not trante to anything more.¡±


    Apanied by a smile that would make any viewer¡¯s heart plummet to the ground, Aldin said these words with grave significance.


    The na?ve Cairn was about to ask back, ¡®If that¡¯s not love, what is it then?¡¯


    However, he felt it instinctively.


    No matter what he¡¯d ask, Aldin would no longer answer any more questions here.


    That short meeting¡ªwhich the girl could not remember¡ªwas a turning point in the boy¡¯s life.


    The girl of those days was not here anymore. No longer did that terribly proud and arrogant person exist.


    However, the yearning that had formed in the boy¡¯s heart back then, which was now much too terrible of an emotion to still be called ¡®yearning¡¯, continued to weigh down the heart of the young man.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but fine. Well, let¡¯s leave it at that.¡±


    The carriages that carried different thoughts soon reached the art gallery.


    * * *


    Getting off his respective vehicle first, Cairn reached up to offer his escort. Violet just sharply looked at that hand and alighted the carriage on her own.


    Cairn grumbled, feeling awkward for no reason. Violet was treating him as though he was just air. Then next, Mary alighted.


    As though it was only natural, Aldin offered to escort Violet. This time, Violet did not refuse the knight¡¯s polite request.


    ¡°You seem quite familiar with escort duties, Sir.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have not done it very often.¡±


    Violet said that with a bit of a teasing tone.


    Cairn was utterly baffled. Seeing his sister and his friend like this was unprecedented.


    Especially the expression that Aldin made just now.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Mary asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m just wondering if my eyes have gotten sprained or something.¡±


    ¡°Um. If you mean to say in a roundabout manner that Mdy is pretty, your eyes are fine, Young Master.¡±


    Mary beamed. Nevertheless, Cairn was seriously troubled.


    The Aldin who he thought was nothing but blunt and aloof was smiling so brightly over there.


    The thought of his older sister and close friend getting together suddenly crossed his mind, and it instantly sent goosebumps over his skin. He rubbed his arms.


    Meanwhile, as Mary was next to him, she wondered if he had some sort of skin affliction. She looked through her bag and checked whether she brought a jar of ointment with her.

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    The exhibition hall that¡¯s been opened tomemorate the crown prince¡¯s birthday was, surprisingly enough, quieter than expected.


    Was it because it had been open for a long time now, or was it because only a few people wanted to build their artistic literacy? Then again, maybe she was just lucky.


    It was thanks to this that Violet was able to stroll through the exhibit more leisurely than she initially anticipated.


    The paintings on disy throughout the hall gave her a pleasant shock.


    Even if she saw paintings every day in the first ce, looking at other people¡¯s works was a vastly different experiencepared to looking at just one¡¯s own.


    If Violet¡¯s pieces contained raw emotions, the paintings on disy here exuded beauty and the artists¡¯ technique.


    Given that Violet had lived not only as a noble but as a duke¡¯s daughter, she had seen many paintings in her lifetime. Her family had several valuable paintings, and many artists had been invited to paint Violet¡¯s likeness for portraits.


    The artists of these paintings brought out such vivacity in their work with the way they wielded colors and light. And with delicate strokes, details were masterfully portrayed.


    Unlike Violet¡¯s paintings, which depicted only abstract things, the paintings in this exhibition hall disyed only the beauty found in this world.


    Thus, thereiny the artist¡¯s spectacr career.


    Violet had a sinking feeling.


    She hade to this exhibit in hopes of finding clues to end her slump, but it felt as if seeing all these pieces would just make the slumpst even longer.


    In a world where cameras had been developed, what followed was the artist¡¯s pursuit of abstract beauty instead of borate and realistic depictions.


    Cameras were widespread in the world where Yoon Ha-yeon had lived.


    However, the cameras of this era were still the exclusive property of the wealthy nobility. Thus, the paintings admired by all tended to capture beauty in the most detailed and realistic manner.


    With even the sun¡¯s rays perfectly depicted in the piece before her, Violet thought that it¡¯s as if the canvas itself carried a piece of nature within it.


    People say that the world was God¡¯s most beautiful creation.


    As someone who had lived as a ducaldy, Violet never once tried to capture the beauty of God¡¯s creation.


    Whether it was the city during nighttime, whether it was the sunset, or whether it was someone¡¯s portrait¡ªthey were all beautiful, too.


    Paintings showed traces of the era in which the artist lived and all the concerns they had, all intact. As a painter herself, Violet was also aware of this fact.


    ¡°Wow, we have this painting at home, too.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, really?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a maid of House Everett, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s hanging in Father¡¯s office.¡±


    ¡°Ack, but I¡¯m Mdy¡¯s exclusive maid, so why I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve never been in His Grace¡¯s office!¡±


    Mary and Cairn, who didn¡¯t have much of an eye for art, only talked about things that weren¡¯t rted to the paintings.


    If there were more people in the exhibition hall, someone might have hushed them.


    Leaving them behind as she appreciated the paintings here, Violet realized her arrogance. With the kind of troubles she had, she was just whining.


    As a ducaldy, her life could be considered unfortunate, but by no means was her life the most unfortunate there was in the world.


    Her troubles were insignificantpared to that of the painters who created the paintings here.


    The more she thought about it, the more Violet was humbled. Self-pity does nothing.


    Why did they take up the brush? Why did they paint such sceneries? How did they feel as they painted?


    Questions upon questions followed one another. As she was aware of the painting techniques she could do and those that she couldn¡¯t do, Violet was in awe as she looked at the pieces.


    At the same time, she wanted to know.


    What kind of lives had they lived that they pursued art and became painters?


    ¡°Mdy, you look like you¡¯re in a good mood.¡±


    ¡°Do I? ¡­I look like that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very focused. You have that same expression whenever you¡¯re painting, too.¡±


    In Mary¡¯s eyes, the ducaldy who was painting was like a painting herself. With sunlight streaming through the windows and shining upon her, the viewer would feel as though they couldn¡¯t dare approach her.


    Unable to bear keeping his mouth shut, Cairn spoke coldly towards Violet.


    ¡°But aren¡¯t all these paintings the same? Why¡¯re you even reacting like that.¡±


    ¡°Anyone who doesn¡¯t know how to wield a sword will say the same thing about your swordsmanship skill. You¡¯ll only be able to see what you already know.¡±


    ¡°No but, are you seriously lumping together art and swordsmanship? Isn¡¯t art <i>just</i> art? You can just pay artists money and ask them to paint whatever.¡±


    ¡°¡­The third young master is such a fool.¡±


    ¡°I fully agree.¡±


    The paintings on disy in this hall were in the imperial family¡¯s collection and were thus invaluable. It¡¯s impossible to put a price on any of them.


    Even Cairn¡¯s way of appreciating art was simplistic. He had not been blessed with even a single strand of artistic refinement.


    Without saying anything, a single question could be read clearly from Aldin¡¯s eyes.


    <i>¡®Is he really the son of a noble, this brute?¡¯</i>


    Mary simrly replied with a sigh.


    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know either¡­¡¯</i>


    * * *


    Right then, while the group was idly discussing different ideas¡­


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Mary caught sight of a tremendously splendid person.

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that man over there so splendid? I¡¯ve never seen anyone else who¡¯s so dazzling¡ª <i>uhh?¡±</i>


    When Cairn followed Mary¡¯s gaze, he was left shocked. The bright, golden man approached Violet, and all Cairn could do was urgently hold the back of Mary¡¯s head and make her bow together with him.


    ¡°Bow down, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously asking because you don¡¯t know? Are you not a citizen of this empire?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    They whispered furiously at each other. Cairn was normally unphased about other people, but as he dropped his voice and spoke quietly like this, Mary followed suit and whispered as well.


    Mary still couldn¡¯t understand the situation, but she did as she was told. Next to her, she saw Aldin dropping to the ground, kneeling with his head down.


    How many people in this empire would be able to make them bow when Cairn was a duke¡¯s son, while Aldin was, despite being of illegitimate lineage, an officially acknowledged noble?


    Absorbed in admiring the paintings before her, the only one who went on without noticing themotion around her was Violet.


    ¡°Do you like this piece, Lady?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    What pulled her out of her reverie was the sweet voice of a man. And, when she looked to the side, she found out that the owner of that sweet voice was a rather impressive man.


    ¡°Greetings to the rising small sun of the Empire.¡±


    Though taken aback, Violet reflexively greeted him with respect. The manughed.


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> you don¡¯t have to greet me with such courtesy, I came here only to hang out a little. Hey, you guys can stop and just raise your heads now.¡±


    The crown prince of the empire had appeared.


    Crown Prince Rajaden was a splendid man. It wasn¡¯t simply because he had donned such luxurious clothing.


    The inherent light that he¡¯d give off, his facial expressions, his atmosphere. Everythingbined was what made him splendid.


    It was a feat for her to have been distracted by paintings when such a brilliant person had been right next to her.


    Gauging the crown prince¡¯s intentions, Violet merely put on a perfunctory smile. The three people who recently raised their heads also furtively gave each other a look. They couldn¡¯t understand what exactly was going on here.


    ¡°I¡¯m here on a secret inspection for just a little while. After all, this is an exhibition held tomemorate my birthday. Besides that, I wanted to see the responses.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Your Highness. I wasn¡¯t expecting to meet you here when we are not in the pce, so I have not prepared enough to greet you. Please forgive my oversight.¡±


    ¡°Really, you don¡¯t have to be so formal. Ah, is it because I have such a stern image?¡±


    Rajaden joked andughed jovially.


    Whilst holding the highest authority and unable to tell how ufortable the others were in front of his presence, he smiled a picturesque smile.


    ¡°You over there,e closer as well. You already know me, but I¡¯ll introduce myself. I am Rajaden Elifos K. Liddell.¡±


    ¡°Greetings to the small sun of the Empire. I am Aldin of House Aesir, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Greetings to the small sun of the Empire. I am Cairn P. Everett, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°H-Hello, greetings to the small sun of the Empire¡­¡±


    Themoner Mary did not know how to greet the royal with a proper greeting, and so she stammered. Whether or not the crown prince was being sincere when he said there¡¯s no need to be formal, he did not nitpick her behavior.


    ¡°Please forgive us for not being able to greet you in a timely manner.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but truly¡ª do I have such a stern image? Well, anyway. I wasn¡¯t expecting to meet the future leaders who¡¯ll be spearheading the efforts in keeping the Empire safe. It¡¯s good to see you.¡±


    Rajaden smiled and held out his hand. Perhaps unable to bear it any longer, Cairn faltered back. Inevitably, this left the crown prince face-to-face with Aldin.


    ¡°I am undeserving of your praise, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I disagree. I¡¯ve heard quite a lot about your feats ever since your days in the academy. And of course, Young Lord Everett? I¡¯ve heard many things about you through Roen as well.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes? Tha¡­Thank you.¡±


    Cairn replied dazedly as he received Rajaden¡¯s ttery. There¡¯s no way that Roen would have praised Cairn, but he couldn¡¯t think deeply about that right now.


    Violet clicked her tongue.


    ¡®You really don¡¯t get it? He¡¯s asking what you¡¯re doing when you haven¡¯t graduated yet.¡¯


    Though she felt a bit sorry towards her younger brother, Violet ignored the desperate plea behind his eyes.


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> it must be fate that we met like this, so why don¡¯t we take this opportunity to talk for a moment? It¡¯s refreshing to meet the future knightmander here.¡±


    ¡°Huuh¡­?¡±


    A sly-sounding chuckle filled the air.


    Even after Cairn¡¯s graduation, he would be a knight belonging to House Everett¡¯s knightage, not the imperial guard. Thus, he looked even more puzzled after this remark.


    In the end, Violet had no other choice but to step up. Her younger brother would most probably trip over his own words and make a mistake sooner orter.


    ¡°Your Highness¡¯s invitation is quite an honor, but unfortunately, I would have to decline. My maid is also part of my group. Forgive me for not being able to prepare her formally for this asion.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very keen on formalities anyway, so it¡¯s alright. You over there, girl, you can actfortably as well.¡±


    ¡°U-Uhh, huh? Y-Yes, Your Highness. It is an honor¡­¡±


    Mary looked to be on the verge of tears. She was well aware now of how unusual this situation was.


    <i>¡®My maid is amoner and feels ufortable around you. Would you just please go away?¡¯</i>


    <i>¡®Uh-huh, nope. You¡¯re a member of a great noble household, too, so why can¡¯t you just be on casual terms with me?¡¯</i>


    A silent war of nerves ensued.

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so cold. I had a very difficult time sneaking out. My future aide nags a lot. Even now, I had to dump all my work in order to run away.¡±


    ¡°Future aide?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you didn¡¯t know? I¡¯m talking about your older brother.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression became slightly distorted.


    Here was the crown prince, so tantly dismissing the duke¡¯s heir¡ªin other words, the next Duke of Everett¡ªwho would soon rule a vast territory. There was a great difference between that and a mere ¡®future aide¡¯.


    Violet sighed. She realized why Roen had grumbled so much about this prince.


    ording to her memories, he was but an arrogant man in power. But howe this strange, peculiar person instead appeared?


    As she unhesitatingly dubbed the crown prince as a weirdo, Violet smiled.


    <i>This man is cut from the same cloth as Roen, I see.</i>


    * * *


    Rajaden joined their group.


    It¡¯s a mystery, but perhaps it¡¯s simply because she was just that sociable, Mary soon rxed despite being so ufortable with him just earlier.


    And thanks to the fact that Roen was mentioned a lot in passing during the conversation, Cairn quickly eased back to his true personality¡ªthat being a fool.


    Violet could already imagine how much Roen¡¯s headache would grow worseter. She sighed.


    On the other hand, Aldin remained the same. After all, he was originally a quiet and stoic person.


    Only Violet was busy trying to weigh Rajaden¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Um, I never imagined that I¡¯d ever meet such an illustrious man in my life.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a maid of a ducal residence? What about me, you don¡¯t find me intimidating? I¡¯m a ducal lord, too, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, well, I¡¯m a low-ranked maid¡­ I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ll ever get to meet someone who¡¯s on top of the hierarchy. And, umm, <i>ducal lord¡­¡±</i>


    ¡°What, <i>what.</i> Why did you trail off?¡±


    Lucky for them, Rajaden was staying by Violet¡¯s side. It was thanks to this that Mary and Cairn could at least catch their breaths, and their bickering continued.


    ¡°Ah now that you mentioned it, you¡¯re also a high-ranking man, Young Master.¡±


    At Mary¡¯s realization, Cairn had the strongest urge to shout loudly, but he was forced to drop the volume of his voice with his outburst.


    ¡°Who exactly do you think I am then?¡±


    ¡°A homeless person¡­¡±


    Since he was just getting his karma, Cairn could say nothing to that.


    ¡®I can hear you.¡¯


    While listening to the steady stream of their voices, Violet sighed. They were whispering amongst themselves, but she couldn¡¯t help but hear everything.


    What exactly was she to do now. Cairn might get scott-free, but Mary wouldn¡¯t be able to escape reprimand.


    ¡°They¡¯re an interesting pair of friends, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Yees¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you worried, Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°It is not the kind of behavior they should be showing to the small sun of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°But I think it¡¯s nice to see. In all truth, it¡¯s the ideal. Nobles andmoners should be able to interact openly without anyone seeing fault with it. I just wish those blockheads in the parliament would open their eyes.¡±


    The crown prince clicked his tongue, yet Violet deliberately pretended not to have heard what he just said. She had absolutely no intention of getting involved in politics.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m pleased to see it. And maybe I¡¯m even more pleased because you also seem to be different from all the rumors, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m humbled by your words.¡±


    Rajaden¡¯s words were spoken lightly. It was difficult to tell whether or not he was sincere because of how lightly he said them.


    In the end, she reacted more or less soullessly back.


    ¡°I heard that you¡¯re not interested in social activities?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I don¡¯t have a ce in high society. It doesn¡¯t mean all that much to me anymore.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> it¡¯s rather fascinating to hear you say that. You¡¯ve really changed a lot.¡±


    ¡°You remember how I was in the past?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Does it seem like that, Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It was ackluster conversation. Meanwhile, Aldin just walked behind them as though he was on escort duty.


    With Cairn walking further behind Aldin, Cairn stopped chatting with Mary and thought to himself.


    ¡®You idiot.¡¯


    If, at the end of the day, he¡¯d have to choose between the crown prince and his friend, his friend would win by a whole lot.


    Cairn clicked his tongue.


    From one man¡ªwho had absolutely no dating experience whatsoever¡ªto another, Cairn just inwardly hurled insults at Aldin.


    * * *


    The crown prince continued to apany their group. He persistently tried to persuade Violet, asking her to go with him to the most famous restaurant in the capital.


    There was also a rumor that the person who opened that establishment was a retired chef of the imperial pce, and only aristocrats were allowed to dine there.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a restaurant that was opened by the head chef who once worked at my mother¡¯s pce, so we¡¯re acquainted. I bet the dishes there taste heavenly.¡±


    The crown prince confirmed the rumor to be true.


    ¡°More than that, I¡¯m worried for our cutedy here. Should I show my face to ask them to be lenient today and let here in?¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Highness doesn¡¯t need to worry about me. I can wait outside¡­!¡±


    ¡°No can do. I hear that you¡¯re the Ducal Lady¡¯s most cherished friend, so I can¡¯t show an unsightly side to me, can I?¡±


    It¡¯s as if he was appealing to the friend of his crush.


    Of course, Violet surmised that his actions were politically motivated.


    ¡°Mary and I would rather sit this one out. It would be better so that the three of you can have a nice, long conversation together¡­¡±


    ¡°How valiant of you, Ducal Lady.¡±


    At the crown prince¡¯s remark, Cairn looked directly at Violet, silently pleading for her to handle this.


    Closing her eyes, Violet smiled. Socializing was just so annoying.


    ¡°Excuse me, can you call the ma?tre d?¡±


    In the end, everything worked in the crown prince¡¯s favor.

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    Mary ate together with the knights who were guarding the four nobles, while Violet was suddenly ced in the predicament of dining together with the crown prince, ducal lord #1 and ducal lord #2.


    It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that the future of the empire was sitting in one table here.


    ¡°May I rmend this dish?¡±


    ¡°Yees.¡±


    ¡°Sister, can I drink alcohol?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    He should ask himself, really.


    Just one look from Violet made Cairn pout.


    The table was as still as the calm before a storm. Thanks to everyone learning exemry etiquette, the sound of their tableware could not be heard at all. One could say that it¡¯s the perfect ce to have a bout of indigestion.


    Even Aldin, who¡¯s an illegitimate child, and Cairn, who had not a single ounce of aristocratic grace, had impable table manners.


    At this moment, Violet recalled that cousin of hers who had left for a faraway country. Still, it was meaningless to think about someone who had already left.


    <i>¡°Fufu,</i> everyone seems to like the food.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    When the crown prince subsequently asked, <i>Why are you so quiet?</i> Violet merely answered with a smile. At this, the crown prince¡¯s smile grew wider in response.


    Nevertheless, while Rajaden continued to ask questions to the people sitting around the table, the stoic Aldin had no choice but to answer.


    ¡°Have you been staying at the pce?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> if there¡¯s anyone bothering you, tell me right away. Everyone¡¯s pride in that ce is unnecessarily high.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m doing alright since everyone has been kind.¡±


    What a deste mood.


    Once the conversation filled with nothing but formalities drew to a close, the crown prince changed the subject.


    ¡°As you know, Ducal Lady, a banquet will be held for my birthday soon.¡±


    ¡°Yees.¡±


    ¡°Even if the esteemed daughter of the Everett Duchy has a predilection for confining herself to her home, she can¡¯t possibly be left out from the party. Do you already have a partner?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Without making a sound, Violet set down her fork on the table. For a short moment, Aldin flinched as though he was taken aback, but nobody noticed this.


    It must be because everyone¡¯s eyes were solely on Violet.


    ¡°I apologize, but someone else has already asked me to be their partner first.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Already?¡±


    ¡°Yees. I¡¯ll be attending the banquet with him.¡±


    Rajaden narrowed his eyes at Violet, however, she looked like she had no ns of borating further.


    As far as the crown prince knew, Violet had only interacted with Aldin and the members of the Leshan Marquisate, so where exactly did she find a partner?


    Rajaden asked insinuatingly.


    ¡°Perhaps, is it your older brother?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not Lord Roen.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. I see. How unfortunate. I wished to have the honor of spending that time with you, who seems to have been blessed by the moon goddess.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Rajaden was the kind of man who knew how to make good use of his face. A bright smile soon lit up the table. Violet merely responded to that smile with a nk expression.


    ¡®Good grief. You seem to be so confident about that face of yours, but it¡¯s not going to work.¡¯


    As the smile on the crown prince¡¯s face became thicker, Violet just dabbed her lips with a napkin. She had blocked his attempt sessfully.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to look for another opportunity down the line. In any case, I heard about the third young master of Everett.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I heard that your feats have been outstanding. Despite the Duke¡¯s staunch opposition, you subjugated all those monsters all for the sake of going to the capital alone.¡±


    <i>¡°Ack!</i> What? Pardon?¡±


    When a pointed gaze was soon directed at him, Cairn yelped. Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Cold sweat started trickling down Cairn¡¯s back as he received both Violet¡¯s cold gaze and Rajaden¡¯s brilliant smile.


    ¡°Bravery is a good thing. Truly, it is. However, I¡¯d prefer it if you joined the official subjugation team next time. You¡¯re too great a talent to lose in futility.¡±


    As Rajaden continued, Cairn¡¯s pupils shook mercilessly.


    It¡¯s not that he chose to hide what he did, it¡¯s just that he never revealed it. When he arrived at the capital, he brought with him only one sword. Apparently, it¡¯s what he used to subjugate monsters beforehand.


    ¡®Showing off your intel, I see.¡¯


    Regardless of whether it was a duke¡¯s son who did it, it was an extraordinary deed. Still, even if rumors of an unidentified boy doing this had spread throughout the ce, there would be no way to ascertain that it was truly House Everett¡¯s third son.


    In the end, however, Cairn found himself to be at the palm of the crown prince¡¯s hand today. And as Violet knew nothing of what Cairn had been up to until now, her thoughts were flowing in a different directionpared to the other three sitting around the table.


    What followed was a steady stream of anecdotes on Cairn¡¯s consistent incidents.


    Apparently, he caused one such incident within the academy that¡¯s been covered up. There¡¯s another that somehow involved Aldin, and there had been a real possibility back then that <i>neither</i> of them would be allowed to graduate. And, as it turned out, there was yet another incident that involved both Mikhail and Roen.


    Violet was not quite interested in her younger brother¡¯s business, so all she did throughout this retelling was eat her dessert quietly.


    ¡°Still, I believe it would be a good thing to draft you into the military. This country is always suffering from a shortage of talent. Might I say, evenmoners should be provided a foothold with which they can rise to high-ranking positions through merit.¡±


    ¡°There are many people who aren¡¯t able to get that chance even if they have the talent for it. Starting from the basic education system¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried about it. There are many who oppose the idea of even increasing the number of schools, goodness.¡±


    Before she knew it, the conversation went down the direction of politics. Perhaps because it was a topic he was interested in, Aldin also participated in the discussion here and there.


    Since one had ears to listen, it might be alright to talk since one had a mouth as well.


    Violet watched Rajaden. From his expression alone, she could see the silent undertone of, ¡®Since you have ears meant for listening, then listen, why don¡¯t you? Just how foolish are you all, hm?¡¯


    The crown prince wasn¡¯t the only one to have this kind of demeanor.


    Rumor has it that the members of the imperial family had divine blood running through their veins.


    It was ironic how they were in direct conflict with the temple whilst iming to be of godly lineage. Nevertheless, they had thus proimed it in the history books as fact.


    The policy that Rajaden was pushing for now might be grounds for an opposition¡¯s revolt far, far earlier. That is, if it wasn¡¯t for his supposed godly blood.

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    ¡°In any case, that¡¯s why I have high expectations for you two, both brother and sister. And I wish to give my regards to Roen as well.¡±


    ¡°Huh? <i>Haha¡­</i> Well, my older brother is amazing, isn¡¯t he? Um, of course. I¡¯ll let him know.¡±


    Cairn, who was not a knight of the imperial guard but a knight of his own family,ughed as he replied as such.


    Everett belonged to the empire, so regardless of whether one was a knight for the imperial family or a knight for one¡¯s own family, Rajaden thought of them all as the same. Heughed pleasantly back.


    Inwardly, Violetmented with a scathing tone.


    <i>What a mess.</i>


    ¡°And, Sir Aldin. Please forgive me for being able to converse with you like this only at a private ce,¡± the crown prince said as he turned to the other knight. ¡°It¡¯s because of your presence that I was able to push forward with all this.¡±


    ¡°I am undeserving of your praise, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°No, this is why I like you.¡±


    At first nce, it was just a normal conversation. However, the underlying emotion present herein was terribly greed. One could even call it ¡®possessiveness¡¯.


    Rajaden was not the kind of man who¡¯d easily stake im on someone as ¡®his person¡¯, but only a few people had taken notice of this.


    Violet corrected her assessment of Rajaden.


    He seemed to be filled with the qualities of this particr duality: a saint for his subjects, but a tyrant for his subordinates.


    ¡®Come to think of it, I once heard a rumor saying that His Highness has a preference for men.¡¯


    Violet was fully aware that the subject of that rumor was not just the crown prince alone¡ªhe had been paired with her older brother, Roen. Well, she lightly shook off her thoughts.


    There¡¯s no reason to be interested in other people¡¯s sexual orientation. They could just live their lives, while she¡¯d live her own.


    .


    .


    .


    There was nothing else nned after that because as soon as they finished their meal, some knights rushed into the restaurant. They were the knights of the imperial guard, here to catch the runaway crown prince who had conducted a solo inspection without a single escort knight attached to him.


    ¡°It was a pleasure being with you all today. I hope to see you again soon.¡±


    The crown prince, who was impossible to read, simply smiled. With such an innocent and pristine expression on his face, it made it seem like he was absolutely guiltless. His subordinates were the only ones to suffer due to this.


    ¡°And unfortunately, I was unable to secure a ce next to you as your partner in the uing banquet, but I¡¯ll be looking forward to next time.¡±


    Leaving those parting words behind, the crown prince finally set off. Bewildered, Violet stared nkly towards the direction he disappeared to.


    What exactly was the purpose of their meeting today.


    Was it because he wanted to hang out with the man who¡¯s to be the next knightmander?


    Was it because he wanted to make fun of House Everett¡¯s third son?


    If the reason was neither this nor that, then was it because he wanted to meet her?


    Completely ruling out the possibility that it was all for the sole purpose of asking her to be his partner, Violet mulled it over.


    To note, the crown prince was not an easy person to meet, even after applying to seek his audience. Yet he appeared here, and disappeared just like that.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d refuse.¡±


    ¡°Sir Aldin¨C?¡±


    The smooth, baritone voice pulled Violet out of her reverie. When she turned to look at him, Aldin gave her a very faint smile.


    ¡°Ahh, someone else asked me already. Of course I¡¯d refuse.¡±


    ¡°However, it¡¯s His Highness the Crown Prince¡­¡±


    ¡°By any chance, do you feel like it¡¯s a wasted chance? Do you think I shouldn¡¯t have rejected His Highness like that?¡±


    ¡°N-Not at all! I, well, because it¡¯s you, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, never mind. I¡¯m really alright.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Aldin smiled once again. The smile of the ck-haired beauty lingered between the impression of a sweet boy or a lovely young man.


    If Rajaden was a man who was like the sun, then Aldin was a man worthy to be likened to a mncholy night. And, personally, Violet much preferred someone like Aldin rather than Rajaden.


    ¡®I bet you¡¯re pretty when you cry.¡¯


    With such a terrible thought flitting through her mind, their outing ended in vain.


    * * *


    Roen made no secret of his difort at the fact that Violet had met the crown prince. Of course, his reaction was understandable. While the crown prince went off his merry way and disappeared, it was Roen who got burdened with all his abandoned responsibilities.


    Throughout Roen¡¯s lengthy rants and grievances, Violet and Cairn listened through one ear and out the next. Roen spoke eloquently, yet it was undeniable that he was cursing out the crown prince.


    If this were to leak out, no one would be able to object if Roen were to be taken away for contempt against the imperial family.


    ¡°Hethered his words with all kinds of sugar when he asked me to be his aide until the current duke gives me the position, but¡­ for him to tantly hand over his duties to me while ying hooky¡­¡±


    ¡°Yees.¡±


    ¡°He must be a tyrant. If he¡¯s not a tyrant, then he¡¯s no better than a lunatic¡­¡±


    At this point, he wasn¡¯t pretending to be elegant any longer. As Violet agreed to the mention of ¡®lunatic¡¯, she sipped her cup of tea without responding outwardly.


    There were no other males amongst the imperial descendants, so the empire would be overturned as soon as anything would happen to the crown prince.


    So, considering the circumstances, it was amazing to see him go out and about without an escort knight like that. In Violet¡¯s perspective¡ªwhether it¡¯s Roen or the crown prince¡ªa scumbag was a scumbag.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the problem lie with you eding to everything.¡±


    After setting down her teacup, Violet said this to Roen as though she viewed him to be pathetic. In response, Roen covered his face with his hands and cried out.


    ¡°But if I don¡¯t want to be taken away on the grounds of insubordination and treason against the imperial family, I have no choice but to do as I¡¯m told.¡±


    ¡°Good grief.¡±


    What a truly atrocious boss. Damned if you do, damned if you don¡¯t.

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    For a long time after that, Roen, who had the wrong friend, went on a tirade on how he couldn¡¯t refuse Rajaden. He gave many reasons.


    And Violet, who had the wrong family, replied that Roen was still getting something out of this anyway because he chose this for himself. He could make other friends if he wanted to.


    ¡°If he was going to call me there sooner orter anyway¡­! No, he must have purposely given me all the work even if it¡¯s not under my job description, but that damn scoundrel¡­!¡±


    Roen continued to be indignant. Cairn whispered to Violet.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve never seen Brother so angry.¡±


    ¡°Well, now you have.¡±


    ¡°Violet! Please, don¡¯t be so harsh on me, too. I¡¯m trying so hard for you, but if you¡¯re so harsh, <i>hiic¡­¡±</i>


    ¡°Quit it before I fling this cup of tea at you.¡±


    ¡°Mmh.¡±


    His little performance didn¡¯t continue beyond that. As he was unable to draw any sympathy from his younger sister, he then put on a serious expression as he faced his siblings.


    ¡°Well, in any case, he¡¯s not the kind of person who¡¯d do something without thinking about it. If he approached you there, he must have had some purpose in mind. Be careful.¡±


    ¡°What purpose?¡± Cairn asked.


    ¡°To be honest, he was very persistent in cajoling Cairn,¡± Violet mentioned.


    ¡°What? Me?¡±


    ¡°That may be, but I think he¡¯s more keen on taking <i>you</i> in as his consort. Still, both of you should keep your guard up.¡±


    ¡°Consort? Him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not certain yet, but just be careful for now.¡±


    ¡°What? What are you talking about? Excuuuuse me? Can you so kindly exin so that I can understand?¡±


    As the fool couldn¡¯t keep up with what¡¯s being said, he soon expressed the unfairness he was feeling. The older brother and older sister omitted any exnations as though they had agreed on it.


    The conversation that followed wasn¡¯t any much. Violet just thought that Roen looked like her real father at that moment.


    So to say, it just seemed like a typically trivial exchange between family.


    ¡°Really, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with him.¡±


    ¡°Never mind me, I think Brother¡¯s the one who¡¯s wrong in the head somehow,¡± Cairn replied.


    <i>¡°Haa.</i> I shouldn¡¯t havee here.¡±


    While sipping her tea, Violet listened to these meaningless conversations. And, out of the blue, she realized that she didn¡¯t feel as ufortable as she did before with her brothers.


    It was a huge development.


    ¡°Would it be alright if I slowly slip away?¡±


    ¡°Huuh? Why? Just stay here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a meaningless waste of time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sweet dreams, I guess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to go to bed. Well then, bye.¡±


    Even after Violet left her seat, the conversation between Roen and Cairn continued. There remained a lot to be said about that crown prince.


    Instead of the man, who resembled the sun, that she met during the day, Violet¡¯s thoughts shifted elsewhere.


    Right now, what¡¯s more important to her was painting.


    * * *


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was such delicious food in the world! Oh of course, our head chef at the town house is amazing, too! And the head chef at the estate¡¯s mansion, too¡­ But still, the food we ate at the restaurant is really¡­¡±


    ¡°I get it.¡±


    As Mary was helping Violet dress up for the day this morning, she chattered on in such high spirits. Feeling Mary¡¯s joy, Violet smiled.


    Mary¡¯s chatter was always pleasant to listen to.


    ¡°How in the world did they make it taste like that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s likely the difference in ingredients. Their supplies must being from the same source as the imperial pce¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°How can such food be¡­¡±


    ¡°The chef¡¯s skills at the ducal residence won¡¯t be inferior to that. Do you want me to bring you to a simr restaurantter on?¡±


    ¡°R-Really?! Can I really?¡±


    ¡°If you wish.¡±


    Though Mary would need to sit at a separate table due to their gap in status, she had noints.


    Violet patted Mary¡¯s head. The girl felt like a little sister to her.


    This, too, was nice. While Violet recalled the location of a famous dessert shop in the capital, she spoke in a t but kind tone.


    ¡°Mary, let¡¯s finish getting ready.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Personal matters were meant to be kept separately. As Mary finished dressing Violet quickly, she moved on to her hair and make up.


    * * *


    Her sudden meeting with the crown prince took her by surprise, but in the end, Violet¡¯s ultimate purpose was to paint.


    Right. Violet grew more motivated after she had taken in the exhibition.


    Violet secretly thought that this world¡¯s paintings were straightforward and clich¨¦d. In this world where God¡¯s presence was palpable, thereby the people¡¯s divine faith was strong, the creation myth held solid ground.


    And in this era she was living in, the scriptures were interpreted and believed to be the true will of God. It¡¯s because of this that the artists tended to create artwork that¡¯s all about God, and everything just seemed so strict and old-fashioned.


    Paintings weren¡¯t made for the sake of earning money¡ªonly to praise and exalt this world made by God.


    So in the end, wasn¡¯t it that one could not escape from God, even through art?


    But the paintings in the exhibition were different. They¡¯re bound to be different.


    Violet faced her unintelligible feelings straight.


    A deep sense of inferiority.


    A sense of helplessness, the thought of, ¡®I won¡¯t be able to create art like that even if I die and be reborn.¡¯


    And since she had already suffered through two deaths, she figured that this thought of hers was quite urate.


    These were such feelings that had already been resolved after she had talked to the marchioness before, but they sprouted anew once more. This crude inferiorityplex slinked up her legs like vines, slowly but surely constricting her.


    The question of ¡®What should I paint?¡¯ had since shifted to the question of, ¡®Why do I even paint?¡¯


    Violet had no reason to paint any longer.


    <i>So,</i> she thought, <i>why should I hold on to this heavy feeling?</i>

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112


    While she had been thinking about this and that, Violet suddenly headed to the gallery before the sun had even risen.


    With the dim daybreak as her only illumination, her paintings became foreign to her. They were so disparate, as though they were paintings that shouldn¡¯t exist in this world.


    No one here really appreciated her paintings.


    On Violet¡¯s part, she figured that this sense of disparity was due to the vestiges of ¡®Yeon Ha-yoon¡¯ within her.


    She couldn¡¯t quite say that she was mourning, but she was filled with sorrow for the small life that just crumbled and shattered.


    The paintings here were the culmination of Violet and Yeon Ha-yoon¡¯s lives¡ªcrushed to pieces, put together once more, mixed with each other, and thereby drawn.


    And yet, these paintings felt like they belonged to a stranger.


    ¡®It¡¯s not for nothing that people say I could have been put on a witch trial because of these paintings.¡¯


    Violet smiled bitterly, recalling all the words whispered behind her back by those who had seen the paintings.


    In a case like this, it was better to return to her roots and paint as she always had. Violet knew this, too.


    However, that was easier said than done.


    Ever since she regained her previous life¡¯s memories, Violet had changed. Instead of a seamless amalgamation of the two personalities, the existence itself of ¡®Violet S. Everett¡¯ had created a sense of incongruity.


    And as long as she had the memories of Yeon Ha-yoon, she had no choice but to feel as though she had be a stranger to herself.


    A stranger.


    As soon as she realized this, a feeling of loneliness struck her. Unidentifiable emotions gnawed at her, and at the very end, all that¡¯s left was a dark abyss.


    Violet realized that she would never be able to be part of this worldpletely.


    ¡®It¡¯s not mine, I¡¯ve never been here.¡¯


    She would never be able to blend into this world. Violet¡¯s ¡®will¡¯ would no longer feel like it waspletely hers.


    Violet cared for her own people, but in the end, she would always and forever walk down a parallel line to them. She would not be able to bring herself to ept the ethics andws of the world, yet she would have to live with those squalid and insignificant memories while living in the body of a ducaldy.


    It had evene to the point that it¡¯s impossible to know whether her paintings belonged to ¡®Yeon Ha-yoon¡¯ or ¡®Violet¡¯.


    She must be getting emotional because daybreak was nearing, but Violet was serious about this.


    Whilst ruminating over all that troubled her, Violet could no longer regard this matter as simple whining.


    As she was unable to fall deep into slumber from the dark evening up until well into the morning, the first thing that Violet said to Mary was this.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to an art supplies store.¡±


    Mary was surprised.


    And, she thought to herself, <i>What¡¯s going on with Mdy? I can¡¯t believe that she¡¯s going outside the house two days in a row.</i>


    In any case, Mary thought that this was a good thing, so she quickly told Roen the news.


    Hearing about this matter before being able to eat breakfast, Roenughed and answered.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ording to Roen, any outings should be set in advance because they were all on a certain schedule. Consequently, to her chagrin, Violet became audience to one of Roen¡¯s lectures: If you act impulsively and without purpose, your life¡¯s bound to be ruined!


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m not doing anything anyway, and whatever I do, busybodies will poke their noses into my business and sniff out anything worth of gossip no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Even still. You can¡¯t.¡±


    Violet gave him tantly annoyed re.


    Roen flinched. However, he stood his ground and didn¡¯t budge.


    <i>This damn control freak.</i>


    Before Violet could retort indignantly once again, Cairn piped up first.


    ¡°Yeah I agree¡ª It doesn¡¯t matter, does it? Frankly, there¡¯s no difference whether Sister¡¯s going out to y or work. Aren¡¯t you just painting at home because you have nothing else going on? Who cares if you¡¯re going out to y whenever you want to?¡±


    It sounded like he was siding with her, but at the same time, it was quite backhanded. <i>You¡¯re unemployed anyway, so go ahead and y to your heart¡¯s content.</i>


    Wordlessly, Violet pinched her younger brother.


    <i>¡°Ouch!</i> Hey, I¡¯m helping you out here!¡± Cairn cried out in anger.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go, and that¡¯s the end of it. Violet, think about your position. You can¡¯t just go wherever you want, whenever you want.¡±


    ¡°I thought you wanted to be confined at home, by the way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go through the process of arranging an official outing, so hang in there for a few days. If you want to go out incognito, I can arrange for that, too.¡±


    <i>¡°Ugh,</i> seriously, everyone in this family has problems with their temperament¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter! Sister isn¡¯t making a fuss in high society anyway, and it¡¯s not like something¡¯s going to happen today. Or, let me guess? Are you jealous that <i>I</i> might go on a trip with Sister instead of <i>you?¡±</i>


    ¡°Running your mouth, I see. And still, many unexpected things could happen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to follow Sister anyway, so there <i>won¡¯t</i> be any problems.¡±


    <i>¡°You¡¯re</i> the biggest problem.¡±


    As the conversation flowed like water, the topic naturally changed to the next one.


    Quite truthfully, Roen wasn¡¯t wrong.


    However, Violet was peeved.


    <i>¡°Uuuugh,</i> fine, whatever. Let¡¯s write a contract or something. You¡¯re free to kick me out if I cause any problem at all. That¡¯s good enough, right? Hm? Just give me one sword and kick me out. But! Even if we write down that contract, I won¡¯t be causing any incidents anyway!¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡±


    Cairn spoke with all sincerity. At this point, he was shouting for himself rather than in Violet¡¯s defense.


    Violet thought to herself.


    ¡®If you¡¯re given a sword and subsequently kicked out, I guess you¡¯ll go and do some mercenary work.¡¯


    To the side, Roen looked like he was thinking the same thing.

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s not allowed.¡±


    ¡°What the hell. Why do you keep saying that? Are you already the Duke? Because you¡¯re this country¡¯s <i>dear</i> Young Duke?¡±


    Cairn raised his voice. Meanwhile, as the two brothers were in the middle of their squabble, Violet finished her breakfast and quietly set down her fork.


    ¡°Since your time is precious, Young Lord, I¡¯ll keep this short.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Feeling a lightning strike to the core, Roen closed his mouth and could say nothing. Cairn also looked astonished.


    <i>Are you really about to say that you¡¯ll go out to y without me?</i> was what he thought.


    However, Violet ignored the betrayal in her younger brother¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Quite honestly, I¡¯m taken aback by the degree in which you continue to pretend to care about me when you actually don¡¯t, Young Lord. I shall endeavor to be understanding of your intentions, but please¡ªrefrain from such disgusting behavior.¡±


    ¡°D-Disgusting¡­¡±


    ¡°In addition, even if you are the Duke¡¯s heir, I am not obliged to follow your orders. Have you forgotten that all final decisions are made by His Grace?¡±


    ¡°By, Vio¡ª¡±


    ¡°I do hope you refrain from acting like a <i>joke.</i> I am capable enough of handling unnned situations.¡±


    ¡°But what will you do if the Crown Prince approaches you again this time?¡±


    ¡°Then it is Your Lordship¡¯s responsibility for not stopping your close friend from doing so.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen mped his mouth shut. This was an implicit deration of surrender.


    Cairn once again felt that it was unfair. He had raised his voice and tried to persuade his older brother all this time, but look at Roen now, shutting his mouth in an instant just like that.


    <i>It¡¯s because Brother¡¯s favorite is Sister, right?</i>


    The words lingered on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn¡¯t say it out loud. Firstly, because it¡¯s clearly true that such favoritism was there. And second, even if that was the case, he had nothing to say.


    And so, that¡¯s how Violet decided to go out. Roen let out a heavy sigh, worried about his sister who had been on an impulsive streak ever since she had died and revived once more.


    Still though, no matter how impulsive she was, she¡¯s better than Cairn.


    * * *


    The ce Violet was headed towards today was the atelier.


    This atelier was led by painters of notable renown, and portraits were oftenmissioned by high-ranking aristocrats here. It was a suitable ce for Violet¡¯s purpose today: to see other people¡¯s artwork.


    ¡°Seeing her like this, isn¡¯t she totally unrecognizable?¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    Violet had requested the maids to dress her inconspicuously, with a hat to match, too. Her silver hair was all tucked under the wide-brimmed bo, and her dress was as in as it could be, however¡­


    ¡°Umm. But she still has that certain atmosphere.¡±


    ¡°Does she?¡±


    Apparently, ¡®that certain atmosphere¡¯ still couldn¡¯t be hidden even after all that effort.


    In the end, Violet just decided to push through her outing as it was. In the guise of guarding her today, Cairn followed her as well.


    Violet had half a mind of stopping him from doing so, but she just decided to let him be. Considering what happened during herst outing, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to have someone with her.


    ¡°Why are those chumps following us? I¡¯m here. Am I so unreliable?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re unreliable.¡±


    Cairn had proudly dered that he would personally guard Violet today, but other escort knights had been added to the entourage anyway.


    It was only natural, since Cairn was also in the kind of position to be guarded. Violet just looked at her younger brother, thinking that he really was relentlessly easy-going.


    The atelier operated with a system of apprenticeship, and the ce itself was cluttered in many ways. All of them had the singr goal of learning to paint, the apprentices of famous painters here all seemed busy and frantic.


    Haphazard splotches of paint, wayward easels. Following behind Violet, Mary was stunned to see this sight.


    ¡°I thought it¡¯s just Mdy¡¯s habit not to clean up, but I guess this is how it usually is.¡±


    Mary just thought before that Violet tended to be untidy, but she couldn¡¯t say anything as she looked around the atelier.


    Perhaps it was because they were all busy, or perhaps because Violet didn¡¯t look like a bigshot. Some pairs of eyes trailed after her, but most of them just didn¡¯t care all that much.


    In any case, the paintings hanging on the atelier¡¯s walls were not as good as Violet was expecting them to be. Of course, it¡¯s only natural since they¡¯re either unfinished, painted by still-growing artists, or both.


    On the other hand, the paintings that she had seen at the exhibition hall not too long ago were national treasures. It wouldn¡¯t be fair topare the works of unknown young artists with those distinguished pieces.


    Nevertheless, they were fascinating to look at. The paintings were so vibrant with life.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    The atelier was quiet but lively. No, it would be right to say that it¡¯s full of vitality.


    This scene was so simr to what she once saw in her previous life. Reminiscing, Violet smiled softly.


    ¡®It feels almost like they¡¯re busy preparing for their graduation pieces.¡¯


    This tranquility and vitality were so characteristic of vigorous young painters.


    Looking around with admiration from the side, Mary was evidently awestruck. This was because, unlike Violet who had some proficiency in this field, Mary was totally clueless. Everything was so fascinating and amazing.


    ¡°Have youe to look around, Lady?¡±


    Right then, a boy began to guide Violet around. His eyes quickly scanned Violet and Mary¡¯s attire. He also gave Cairn a brief scan, but it was difficult to judge them easily.


    The young painter was quick to calcte, but he was still genuine. Since they were here, he decided to show them around first.


    He put on a sociable smile and continued speaking.


    ¡°Are you perhaps here to request a portrait? It just so happens that here at our atelier¡­¡±


    After all, most aristocratic young lords and youngdies paid a visit to the atelier for the purpose of requesting their portraits. The young painter simply surmised that these people were here for that reason as well.

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114


    Further exining, the boy eloquently said that the painters of their atelier were capable of immortalizing the true essence of their subject in a portrait, making sure to elevate the subject¡¯s beauty so as to showcase their best self.


    ¡°So it seems.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha, </i>it¡¯s embarrassing to say, but my teacher has a firm philosophy of beauty. He says that if we don¡¯t put our souls into the paintings we create, then we cannot dare call them art¡­¡±


    Taking her time, Violet examined the paintings as she listened to the boy¡¯s guided tour. Wherever her gaze touched, the boy added an exnation like a curator.


    A finished painting, an unfinished painting, a finished painting that still looked a bitcking, a painting so beautiful that it was impossible to believe that it was from an apprentice, worth showcasing in an exhibition right away.


    Between appreciating the artworks by looking at them with her own eyes and appreciating them while listening to the added details, the experience was quite different.


    ¡°My teacher is truly a splendid individual. How is it possible to create such amazing paintings? I wish to learn more, but Teacher is always so busy¡­ But still, I¡¯m very lucky! Only a few of us have been selected as students. Ah, the first time I saw Teacher¡¯s paintings¡­¡±


    Before he knew it, the boy began to praise his teacher. Perhaps it¡¯s because he was originally talkative, but the words that flowed out of his lips were endless.


    He went on to say just how great his seniors from the same teacher were, with such impressive technique. His teacher was currently away for a high noble¡¯s portrait request. Thanks to that, the head of the atelier was away, but it was him who was dutifully tasked to give the guests a guided tour. Much of what he said was information that didn¡¯t really need to be said.


    ¡°Wow, really? Actually, Mdy also¡­¡±


    For a chatterbox, another chatterbox was the perfect match. As Mary enthusiastically responded to his remarks, the young painter became even more excited and thus talked even more.


    Cairn was the only one who¡¯s out of ce here.


    While thinking that the boy¡¯s passion was admirable, Violet suddenly raised one question.


    ¡°When did you start painting?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I was wondering why it is that you like to paint.¡±


    Once again, Violet was swept away by impulsiveness as she asked this question. The boy wasn¡¯t expecting this, so while flustered, he looked around here and there before answering shyly.


    ¡°No big reason! I don¡¯t remember how it started, but right now, it¡¯s my job. I have to continue doing it, and I¡¯m d that I can do so.¡±


    His answer was far from what Violet wanted to hear.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Actually, Violet was the one who truly didn¡¯t know the answer to that. She let out a low sigh.


    Nevertheless, the boy went on to speak.


    ¡°If I just do as I¡¯m told, it¡¯s not too hard to make a living. To be quite honest, I can¡¯t do all that much since I¡¯m at the bottom of the barrel, but it¡¯s fun and exciting to be able to paint my own pieces. It gets hard at times because I have to do a lot of errands, but I¡¯m eager to learn anything I can.¡±


    It was a very bright outlook. Rather, it was too bright of an outlook to have whilst saying that his livelihood was at stake.


    Above all though, this answer only raised concerns on Violet¡¯s part. She, for one, didn¡¯t have to worry about her daily bread.


    Meanwhile, the boy continued his bright answer.


    He said that he was born to a huge family in a small countryside hamlet. When he was younger than he was now, he used to be a farmboy in charge of the animals¡¯ fodder. It was there that he started drawing pictures on the ground with simple branches.


    And from there, he continued to draw because he liked hearing the praises andpliments given to him by his parents, brothers and sisters. He came to the capital despite his family¡¯s opposition.


    Violet couldn¡¯t help but admire the boy.


    ¡®He¡¯s just like Mary.¡¯


    Not only did they have simr personalities, but he also had a simr family background. As Mary gave sympathetic responses beside him, the young painter continued his story with vigor.


    With the atelier being so quiet, those two people¡¯s conversation resounded throughout the space even though they were speaking in hushed tones.


    nces umted, but neither Violet nor the boy minded them.


    Finally, the boy finished his regaling story with a sunny voice.


    ¡°There¡¯s still many things I find difficult, but I¡¯m still in a better ce. I couldn¡¯t even afford a single sheet of paper back at home. It¡¯s truly a privilege that I can draw and paint as much as I want here.¡±


    The boy conveyed his pure, genuine feelings. Violet looked at the boy¡¯s innocent face and asked,


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can you show me your paintings?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? My paintings?¡±


    ¡°Yes. After hearing your story, I was wondering what your pieces look like.¡±


    ¡°Ah, uhh¡­ I¡¯m still very much an amateur, is that alright?¡±


    Violet didn¡¯t reply. The boy led Violet to his spot at one corner of the atelier.


    The boy¡¯s paintings exuded the air of inexperience. There were hints of him trying to save his expensive paint, and marks of multipleyers where he couldn¡¯t achieve his desired shapes. Further, it was clear to see his attempts in painting in a way that could save even a single sheet of paper, and traces of his valiant efforts and failures after trying out new techniques.


    Truly, it was amateur. Maybe it¡¯s because he usually did odd jobs and errands, but he had a way with depicting backgrounds andndscapes. Those parts were sophisticated and excellent, but that was all.


    Nevertheless, Violet silently admired the boy¡¯s art.


    ¡°There¡¯s still many things I need to improve on, but I want to work hard and be a famous painter like my teacher.¡±


    ¡°Are you pursuing art because you want to make a name for yourself?¡±


    ¡°Ah, not necessarily. But it feels nice to be acknowledged. If everyone likes my art, and if I can hear theirpliments¡­¡±


    While saying this, the boy looked ted, as though dreaming a pleasant dream.


    Violet smiled lightly.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get there.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Though it was a small, little dream, it was worth seeing just how far it could soar.

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115


    ¡°Take this as a form of sponsorship.¡±


    ¡°P-Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Ah. I guess you don¡¯t want to just receive it? Then, let me buy that painting.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes became as wide as saucers as Violet handed him a gold coin. As he looked up, the young painter inevitably made eye contact with the young woman wearing a hat. He gawked.


    An appearance known to many upon the young woman¡¯s aloof expression¡ªlike the reincarnation of the goddess of the moon.


    And, gem-like purple eyes.


    ¡°Du¡­ D-D-D-D-D-Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    Because of the boy¡¯s excessive stuttering, the title couldn¡¯t be heard properly. The ducaldy¡¯s gloved pointer finger found its way to the boy¡¯s lips to shush him, and realizing just what was happening, the boy becamepletely pale.


    Violet gave him a faint smile.


    ¡°To be honest, I came here to observe because I¡¯ve been having many worriestely. But since my concerns are my <i>own</i> concerns, I should think about it more¡­ Still, it was fun listening to someone else¡¯s stories.¡±


    <i>Nod, nod.</i> The boy vigorously nodded up and down.


    This gold coin was too much for him. He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about money for the time being, he could just buy canvases and paint all he wanted.


    To receive sponsorship like this felt too easy and sudden, so it was natural that the young painter was shocked.


    ¡°The Du¡­ I mean, Her Ladyship bought my painting.¡±


    The young painter, still in somewhat of a daze, went on to report to his peers. It¡¯s likely that portions of his newly acquired sponsorship would be taken away by his seniors not longter.


    ¡®I¡¯ll have to secretly give him another gold coin.¡¯


    Violet smiled and appreciated the painting once more.


    Art didn¡¯t have to be perfect in order to be appreciated. If one¡¯s expectations were much too high, they would never be reached. It was enough to just enjoy the moment to the fullest and be satisfied with what¡¯s here and now.


    She was not obligated to paint, so there was no need to be weighed down by such. Up until now, Violet only ever thought of painting as a ¡®duty¡¯.


    That feeling of being a stranger to herself, sleeping deep in her subconscious, had made her cling to painting.


    Even though, in the first ce, she didn¡¯t have to do that.


    ¡®Have fun. As much as I want.¡¯


    Violet eventually reached this conclusion with the simplest, most fundamental basics. She smiled lightly.


    ¡°T-Thank you so very much for today!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just bought it because I was impressed by a young artist¡¯s work. I¡¯lle back next time, if I may.¡±


    ¡°It would be an honor, Your Ladyship¡­¡±


    After she secretly gave him another gold coin, the other painters in the atelier snuck nces at her. They seemed to be wondering if they would be able to receive sponsorship from her as well, or at least receive a request for a portrait.


    But since the other apprentices of this atelier had already missed the chance with her, Violet smiled only at the young painter in front of her, who was bowing.


    ¡°I had a great time. I¡¯lle again.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes. Please do¡­¡±


    It was a bitical to see him naively imitating etiquette. Fleetingly, Violet thought that money really was everything in the world.


    ¡°Ah, right. Yellow and red¡­ You tend to use those two a lot, but you seem to prefer conveying a cold atmospheric tone in your paintings, so it would be better to reduce your use of those colors. Would it be unpleasant to hear this from a stranger?¡±


    ¡°N-Not at all! I¡¯m grateful for the advice.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Only the politely answering boy was the one who had discovered Violet¡¯s identity.


    But with others, they would think, ¡®Who are you to point out what¡¯s supposed to be done in a painting?¡¯ Pairs of eyes started turning toward her.


    And with this, they too noticed Violet¡¯s identity, and their gazes were all full of dissatisfaction. Naturally, she was the topic of gossip, but was there a point in talking behind someone¡¯s back when she herself didn¡¯t think much of it?


    Besides, in the future, this boy would be a great master of art history, recounting the time when he found his muse, who was ¡®the most beautiful person¡¯ he ever met.


    But of course, that would be muchter.


    * * *


    Red fruits were shining covetously over ayer of soft, whipped cream. Perhaps because of the honey atop it, but the strawberries were shining so lusciously that they captivated all that saw them.


    ¡°Wooooow! I can¡¯t believe that there¡¯s food as delicious as this in the world¡­¡±


    After aplishing her main goal for the day, Violet took Mary to a famous dessert shop. Cairn, who was considered no more than goldfish crap, followed after them while looking unhappy. Still, he watched how his older sister behaved without considering otherwise.


    ¡°You can eat something like that as much as you want back at home anyway.¡±


    ¡°But it tastes even better when Mdy gives it as a treat like this!¡±


    Mary bravely answered back. Violet chuckled.


    Only high-ranking people of the mansion and workers of the kitchen had ess to such desserts.


    It¡¯s well known that Mary was close to Violet, but given that she was still technically a low-ranking maid, there¡¯s no way for her to easily get something like this.


    ¡°Just tell me if you want to eat it. I can say that I want to eat some, but I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really fine though¡ª <i>ah!</i> These strawberries are so good!¡±


    Maryughed again, refusing Violet¡¯s offer. She didn¡¯t insist after that.


    Silently, she recalled the girl who was afraid of her back then, yet still offered a very sweet dessert to herdy.


    The smile on Violet¡¯s lips did not disappear easily.

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    While Mary was happily eating her dessert and while Cairn was just poking at the cake with his fork¡ªhe didn¡¯t even like sweets¡ªViolet was deep in thought.


    And the main subject of those thoughts was a certain man who shone like gold despite being seriously troublesome to interact with. There¡¯s nothing else Violet could do but sigh.


    Rajaden and Violet¡¯s meeting was quite obviously contrived. If Violet had not visited the exhibit, then it¡¯s no question that Rajaden wouldn¡¯t have gone there either.


    However, while thinking about whether he really wanted to meet her or not, Violet thought that this part was ambiguous, too. If the crown prince truly wanted to meet her, he could just make an imperial order to summon her to him. Even if she was a member of the Everett Duchy, she wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse an imperial family member¡¯s invitation.


    She recalled the conversation she had with the crown prince as they were walking through the exhibition hall.


    ¡°You paint as well, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I enjoy it as a hobby even though I¡¯m not very good at it.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha, </i>from what I heard, it¡¯s not enough to use just thebel of a ¡®hobby¡¯ for what you do. The Duke seems to have told Father many stories.¡±


    While the crown prince informed her of this indifferently, Violet recalled the stoic duke. Somehow, the images didn¡¯t match in her head.


    ¡°Sooner orter, an invitation will be sent to you, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡ª?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just, I¡¯m telling you in advance so that you won¡¯t be taken by surprise. And, just in case.¡±


    In the end, the crown prince kept it vague. Violet waited calmly, thinking about what kind of bombshell would explode next from his words.


    ¡°If you happen to meet my younger sister, don¡¯t hate that child too much.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    What followed was quite out of the blue. However, since the crown prince had an expression that looked somewhat bitter, Violet nearly replied, ¡®Of course¡¯.


    ¡°Ah, I mean to say, please just be nice. It would be nice if you both get along with each other.¡±


    The crown prince soon returned to his usual expression and let out augh. Violet wasn¡¯t nning on dwelling on Rajaden¡¯s words too deeply.


    The emperor and empress had sired two children between them. The country was now rtively in an era of peace, but the emperor had once been known as a bloodthirsty man who killed all of his brothers¡ªhis entire family¡ªso that he could take the throne.


    Now on this throne, that cold-blooded man loved only one woman, and two beautiful children were born between the two.


    However, no one knew much about the imperial princess. All that¡¯s known about her was that she had, in fact, been born, but her exact age, birthday, appearance and name were all unknown.


    And this was all due to how the imperial family practically blotted out the princess¡¯s existence.


    Because of this, many malicious rumors started spreading. She must be a child born after the empress had an affair with another man. If not, something must be wrong with that child, and they¡¯re hiding her existence because she might hinder the crown prince from taking the throne.


    All these spections were put to rest quickly under the emperor¡¯s influence, but much about the imperial princess still remained a mystery.


    Due to all this, it was only natural that Violet felt a bit confused after hearing what Rajaden just said.


    He¡¯s asking her not to hate his younger sister, but if it¡¯s like that, did the emperor truly hide that child out of hatred?


    While Violet was lost in thought¡­


    ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s this. I came here because I heard that this is a high-ss and luxurious ce, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Goodness me. I¡¯ve been hearing that the nouveau riche are acting without any sense of shame these days, but I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing it with my own eyes today. How did pebbles even enter a ce like this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that¡¯s the case. If they actually had money, they would have at least dressed more splendidly. Isn¡¯t that right,dies?¡±


    ¡­such voices reached her ears.


    They were whispering amongst themselves, but they weren¡¯t exactly making an effort to lower their voices. They could be heard all the same.


    Not caring at all, Mary scraped thest cream of thest remaining bite of the cake with her fork. Seeing what she just did, someone spoke up yet again.


    ¡°How vulgar. As I thought, uneducated.¡±


    With thoughts of Rajadenpletely erased from her thoughts, Violet nced sideways by moving only her eyes. She soon caught a glimpse of some youngdies wearing extravagant clothes, chatting and drinking tea together.


    ¡°Lady Meriel, it¡¯s quite rude to say that.¡±


    <i>¡°Ahh,</i> how can you have such a kind heart, Lady Tolofia? <i>Huu.</i> I heard that the desserts in this ce are very delicious, that¡¯s why I chose it as our meeting ce today. I truly do apologize, everyone.¡±


    If Mary didn¡¯t care about the things those people were saying, then Violet was also willing to ignore it. However, a certain name unexpectedly popped up.


    Violet slightly raised her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it, really. It¡¯s not a crime to want to eat delicious food, yes?¡±


    ¡°Oh, speaking of which, I just remembered my maid. I¡¯ll have to buy some dessert for her today as well.¡±


    The youngdy of the Tolofia County.


    The fox who was reigning like the queen of high society, re-poprizing the corset that had disappeared from fashion trends centuries ago.


    The woman who was called the flower of high society.


    Violet nced over that way furtively. Her bo was blocking half of her view, but at the same time, it was preventing others from realizing who she was.


    Deep strawberry blond hair, turquoise eyes. That was all that Violet could confirm, but it was enough to put her in a terrible mood.


    ¡®She looks like that girl.¡¯


    Reminded of the person she loathed, Violet let out a deep sigh. She made a mental note to remember this youngdy as someone to watch out for.


    In the meantime, Mary just smiled brightly, savoring the sweet cream without knowing that there were people talking behind her back.

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117


    ¡°This is <i>sooo</i> good!¡±


    ¡°Right? Then, let¡¯s buy some more for takeoutter. There¡¯ll be people who¡¯ll sulk if they can¡¯t taste this.¡±


    Violet held out her handkerchief to Mary. It was made from luxurious fabric, and as Mary was about to take it, she looked up, puzzled as Violet started personally wiping the cream from Mary¡¯s cheek.


    Her face went bright red like a ripe tomato. Violet smiled again before Mary could speak first.


    And she was thus rendered speechless while faced with her master¡¯s smile.


    ¡°Hey, why do you keep spilling so much?¡± Cairn asked.


    ¡°Goodness, Young Master¡­ You ate well, too.¡±


    As Violet was hinting at leaving the shop, Cairn got up first. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t catch onto the whispers earlier.


    ¡°Huh? That hair and eye color¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on, it must only be a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°I guess so? Ahh, but you know, it¡¯s always good to hear anything regarding the third young master of House Everett.¡±


    Violet¡¯s brows wriggled briefly when she heard this. In turn, Cairn made eye contact with her and just shook his head.


    He was pretending not to hear.


    ¡°Are we leaving now?¡± Cairn asked.


    ¡°We should, yes. Can you order something for Brother?¡±


    ¡°Good grief, you¡¯re calling him ¡®Brother¡¯ when he¡¯s not here. If he hears about this, he¡¯ll likely faint from bliss.¡±


    <i>¡°Haa.¡±</i>


    ¡°Hey, what the heck. What¡¯s with that sigh!¡±


    At Violet¡¯s sigh, Cairn jumped up, but she just ignored him and rose from her seat. Mary also stood up and arranged their things.


    Unable to win against his sister, Cairn went to order more desserts for takeout while Mary continued to talk about how delicious the cake had been.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Violet responded to her moderately, but she inadvertently heard the other table¡¯s ensuing conversation yet again.


    ¡°Really, such things that don¡¯t know their ce¡­¡±


    ¡°This time, Lady Tolofia¡­¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, have you heard about His Highness¡¯s aide?¡±


    They weren¡¯t speaking loudly so Violet couldn¡¯t hear everything that they were saying, but it was easy to surmise the whole gist of it.


    But what¡¯s usual was this¡ªmost of the time, except for whenever she was mediating the gossip, the esteemed daughter of Count Tolofia said nothing at all.


    ¡°Right, right. Have you all gotten a partner?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s for the birthday banquet of His Highness the Crown Prince. Of course, I¡­¡±


    Why were those people just so talkative.


    Mary was still at a loss as Violet continued to wipe her cheek, but as Violet was about to say, ¡®You can take this,¡¯ Cairn returned.


    ¡°We¡¯re going back home now, right?¡±


    ¡°I dunno. Maybe we should look around a little longer.¡±


    ¡°What? Let¡¯s just go home, <i>please.</i> I¡¯m so tired¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re tired, then just go home by yourself.¡±


    <i>¡°Ugh,</i> Sister! Please!¡±


    With Cairn¡¯s yelling in the background, Violet gracefully picked up her belongings and got up.


    For a moment, she suddenly mused. If this was a novel, then Lady Tolofia would be a viiness.


    Violet S. Everett is the final boss and the mastermind behind everything. Lady Tolofia is the viiness. And, of course, the main character is Aileen.


    Perhaps aftering to the capital, Aileen gets insulted and looked down upon by Lady Tolofia.


    As soon as Aileen manages to ovee these hardships and regain her reputation, Violet appears, and Aileen¡¯s life will be thrown upside-down, making her plummet to the bottom. Eventually, however, the evil mastermind will get hereuppance and would then be banished from thend.


    If this was a novel, that is.


    Of course, the main character in Violet¡¯s life was herself. So, this passing thought was a very useless imagination.


    ¡°Sister, are we seriously going shopping again? Huh?¡±


    ¡°That reminds me, I also want to buy a pair of shoes or two.¡±


    <i>¡°Uuuugh,</i> okay.¡±


    <i>¡°Ahh,</i> and it might be best to buy new clothes for my adorable little brother.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Cairn turned pale. Violet smiled nonchntly.


    ¡°Hmm. Indeed, the Young Master¡¯s face truly is more beautiful than anyone else¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°He takes after our mother a lot. Well, I only said that as a joke, but it sounds fun anyway. Let¡¯s head for the department store.¡±


    ¡°Yeees~!¡±


    She went on to pretend she couldn¡¯t feel or hear the trailing gazes and whispered voices following behind her back, even to the end.


    * * *


    Violet¡¯sfortable stay in the capital was soon disturbed by the crown prince¡¯s uing birthday banquet.


    What kind of dress would you wear? What kind of jewelry would fit the ensemble? Who would be apanying you as your partner?


    The same such topics were repeated day after day.


    And Marchioness Leshan was no different in this regard. In a letter she sent to Violet, the marchioness rmended a jeweler for her. Violet only replied with some words of gratitude.


    High society was, in the end, the marriage market, and was also closely tied to politics. Since it was a ce where all kinds of rumors circted, catching up with the beau monde was arge part of aristocratic society.


    Violet¡¯sck of enthusiasm in immersing herself in that world didn¡¯t have a deep meaning behind it.


    It¡¯s just that she didn¡¯t really care about the aristocrats¡¯ high society and their opinions. There was no need to pay attention to such things that were hardly important.


    Instead, she went back to her original aim: to paint. Well, rather than painting per se, it¡¯s more that she was doodling without aim or any motivation toplete.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    Violet¡¯s works, unfinished, had just been strewn out all over her studio, but they were soon collected and hung in the walls of the gallery. Despite being unfinished, they matched and harmonized with Violet¡¯s art style, giving off a strange atmosphere, so they were still ced in the gallery.


    Roen continued to be terribly busy, but he always made sure to make time for dinner. He was not technically the duke¡¯s representative, but he was already being treated as such. His life was as hectic as the duke¡¯s, but he always made time.


    Roen finally realized. He came to understand why their father persistently continued having their deste family dinners, and the reason behind why a family should gather and eat meals together.


    Faint sympathy was formed within him for the duke, who remained at the duchy right now.


    ¡°Brother, you know you¡¯re acting like an old geezer right now, yeah? You resemble Father like that.¡±


    ¡°Just sit down, will you.¡±


    <i>¡°Oh-h~</i> So you wanna be the next duke, huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Haa.¡±</i>


    Dinner usually never ended amicably. There was always something the brothers would squabble about, but Violet herself did not care about the brothers who were arguing half-heartedly.


    She wondered why she was always being called here. However, the question would soon dissipate into the air because the next question after that would be, ¡®Even if I¡¯m being called here, why did Ie?¡¯


    It was a peaceful time.


    * * *


    The crown prince had sent a formal request, asking Violet to be his partner.


    The imperial family and a ducal household. It was an established fact that these two families had limitless power. If members from those families would appear at the crown prince¡¯s birthday banquet as partners, it might cause a bigger stir than one could expect.


    Violet ruminated over whether this move was politically motivated, but she soon banished the train of thought. She¡¯d leave this matter to Roen.


    In any case, the crown prince had already been turned down.


    The formal request had been rejected from Roen¡¯s side.


    ¡°Looks like they want to use you as a decoy.¡±


    ¡°Decoy?¡±


    Violet wasn¡¯t particrly curious, but Roen took the time to give her an answer.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s attention would be on you. What do you think would happen if ¡®Violet S. Everett¡¯ would be the Crown Prince¡¯s partner in that ball?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be branded as the Crown Princess.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. And in high society, they¡¯ll talk only about you. You know this too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°How annoying.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll go and say, ¡®You¡¯ll be the Crown Prince¡¯s consort, so be a decoy this time¡¯. That¡¯s what that guy¡¯s up to. But well, I can¡¯t possibly know everything that¡¯s going on in that crafty punk¡¯s head.¡±


    The snake was talking smack behind the back of his fellow snake. Violet thoughtnguidly, <i>Is this kind of like how politicians cover up their corruption with celebrity scandals?</i>


    ¡°So, why don¡¯t you be my partner instead? That¡¯ll temper the gossip.¡±


    ¡°Should I even care about such gossip?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    Just because Violet would instead be apanied by Roen wouldn¡¯t mean that those people would stop talking about the matter.


    On the bright side, there would be new rumors about how the wicked woman had be much closer to her family.


    But when considering it negatively, people would say that she must have signed a contract with the devil and seeded in bewitching her family.


    That¡¯s just how dirty rumors were.


    In the end, the fact that Roen was only looking out for Violet¡¯s best interest had not changed.


    ¡°Then, who are you going with?¡±


    ¡°Sir Aldin. He already agreed.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    The newspaper crumpled sharply in Roen¡¯s hands. Sure, he thought of Aldin positively, but outside of his individual self, there were many problems with his background.


    One might wonder what¡¯s wrong with being an illegitimate child, but there¡¯s a big problem when the other half of the child¡¯s lineage was of blue blood.


    The wicked woman and the bastard son, both of them known as the disgrace of their respective ducal households.


    Where in the world did they meet? Why did they have to be partners? There¡¯s no need to doubt, because it was quite certain that all the busybodies buzzing around would p their mouths nonstop.


    ¡°Does it have to be him?¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason why it can¡¯t be him?¡±


    ¡°The reason for that is¡ª¡±


    But Roen stopped himself from continuing that sentence. Even if those busybodies would break their mouths from relentlessly talking about House Everett and House Aesir, they could do nothing to those great households. No, rather, <i>they</i> should be the ones who¡¯d be more careful about catching the duchies¡¯ attention.


    This was what power was all about.


    Determined to protect his younger sister, Roen no longer opposed.


    ¡°Violet.¡±


    ¡°Yees.¡±


    ¡°The celebration willst for seven days.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Then, I don¡¯t believe you should be with the same partner for all seven days, yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen was whining.


    At this, Violet narrowed her eyes. What did he mean by that.


    In return, Roen smiled when Violet looked at him like that instead of answering.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you allow me to apany you for even just one day?¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡±


    <i>¡°Just</i> one day.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Even if I just apany you until the entrance¡­¡±


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you sure?¡±


    His humble request was, naturally, shot down.


    Anyway, Violet had no intention of participating in all seven days of the celebration. She¡¯d have to put on different ball gowns on each day while dolling herself up to the point of perfection. Just thinking about it made her terribly annoyed.


    If she¡¯d have to go, her pride wouldn¡¯t allow herself to show a less than ster appearance. That¡¯s why it¡¯s best <i>not</i> to go each day.


    ¡°¡­Okay, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Young Lord, you must be very popr anyway.¡±


    ¡°No one in particr has shown such attention towards me though.¡±


    ¡°My, my.¡±


    Roen was saying a lot of things that would make the young nobledies cry. Roen, too, was quite dashing as he had inherited their mother¡¯s beauty, so all thedies were swooning over him.


    And, apparently, they¡¯re crushing on him because he seemed to be a very kind man.


    With absolutely no intention of intervening in her older brother¡¯s love life, Violet had no otherments.

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119


    * * *


    After hearing about what his siblings had talked about before, Cairn became extremely miffed. How could they talk about such a thing without <i>him?</i>


    But Violet just answered him with a cold stare. She had no reason to ept her lout of a younger brother¡¯s stubborn persistence.


    Even though it looked like she was still in a cold war with Roen on the outside, she couldn¡¯t deny that her resentment against him had lessened somewhat. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the two of them to interact amicably with each other.


    But with Cairn, on the other hand? All that he offered was a one-sided, violent, unruly apology. Could it have possibly been a sincere apology? Not to mention, was Cairn even aware of what he had done wrong?


    Though Violet and Cairn looked like they had a cordial enough rtionship, it was a mere fa?ade. In reality, it was a rtionship akin to a tightrope between them.


    Cairn was also hurt, and he was not unaware of this.


    He had yet to graduate from the academy. He could not even use the title ¡®Sir¡¯ because he had yet to have an official adoubement ceremony. Of course, he could still be referred to as ¡®Young Master¡¯ or ¡®Young Lord¡¯ due to him being a duke¡¯s son, but that was another matter.


    In other words, he was not even qualified to attend the crown prince¡¯s birthday banquet.


    <i>¡°Ugh,</i> damn it. I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s hated¡­¡±


    Violet wouldn¡¯t care about such a younger brother. Though she might feel sympathetic, the sadness and hatred that she had been harboring was deep.


    Then, time passed, and the crown prince¡¯s birthday banquet thus began.


    * * *


    Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the crown prince, who would soon wield much power.


    As the empire¡¯s one and only heir to the throne, he was a man who resembled the sun itself. More than anyone else, he was the most fitting to be called the purported descendant of the sun god.


    Alongside people¡¯s attention towards him, however, there was one other such presence linked to him that received much attention as well.


    It was the ¡®Crown Princess candidate¡¯.


    In fact, it was even more so because the crown prince had gone long since passed the usual age to be engaged.


    The most likely candidate for the position was the esteemed daughter of the Tolofia County, but these days, it was just old news now.


    This was because the wicked woman from all the rumors had returned.


    Whispers were going around saying that Everett¡¯s duke and heir both regard her preciously. It was for this reason that people thought her to be an arrogant, haughty ducaldy.


    To add to this, people had surmised that it was because of her haughtiness that she didn¡¯t even show her face in high society. It was no different than saying that she had <i>already</i> taken the position of crown princess.


    The attention being paid to her was immense. Even when it¡¯s already been a while since Everett¡¯s ducaldy had kicked out the chief designer of the most renown boutique of the capital, this incident still remained on many people¡¯s lips.


    The arrogant, inconsiderate duke¡¯s daughter.


    How was she in reality? Given that she had the kind of attitude that made her go as far as to kick out Laurent¡¯s chief designer, what kind of amusing sight would Violet S. Everett bring them?


    In the midst of such growing anticipation¡­


    ¡°Banquets start in the evening anyway. The terrible custom of having to starve starting from lunch time should be abolished.¡±


    ¡°Good heavens, Mdy. It¡¯s all for the sake of style.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. They¡¯re all just terrible customs. Terrible, I say.¡±


    While Violet protested against the terrible customs, as she had put it, expensive beauty products from alchemists were being ced upon her visage.


    She thought, <i>I¡¯m already suffering enough from just being allowed to eat sds for breakfast and lunch. So should I even participate in the damn banquet where I¡¯d starve yet again for dinner so that I wouldn¡¯t show a full belly?</i>


    But, at the end of the day, it¡¯s impossible to turn down an invitation from the imperial pce, so she was forced to participate.


    The employees all pretended to be deaf to theirdy¡¯s insistence that just one simple meal should be fine.


    They all knew that she was different from how the rumors had painted her out to be, and they were aware that her clothes were far from what¡¯s in fashion in the capital.


    Nevertheless, they were determined to do everything in their power to make sure that ¡®ourdy¡¯ would not look less than ster.


    Still though, eating lunch should be harmless. Violet didn¡¯t eat much in the first ce.


    Thus, she was sad and resentful. Whatever one might do, health should alwayse first. What¡¯s the point in doing anything when it¡¯de at the cost of one¡¯s health?


    ¡°M-Mdy. I snuck in some cookies for you. Would you like some?¡±


    ¡°Mary¡­!¡±


    As Violet was in that state, a small helping hand came to bless her. Maryughed quietly.


    They were just a few pieces of unsweetened cookies, but Violet was hugely grateful.


    At times, given her beauty and grace, Violet looked like she was beyond human. But Mary was the only one who knew just how human she was.


    Goddesses did not need to eat, but humans needed sustenance. Mary was wise.


    ¡°I was wondering what you were doing, snooping around in the kitchen¡­¡±


    ¡°H-Huh?¡±


    ¡°Mary. Yes, you are Mdy¡¯s exclusive maid, and further, her most cherished maid. But even still, this time, your actions are uneptable.¡±


    ¡°Huuuuh?¡±


    Mary was then taken away by the head maid. It was already after Violet had eaten all the cookies.


    The arrogant, inconsiderate duke¡¯s daughter passed her time as humanly as one could say.

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120


    The adornments that the employees had tenaciously insisted upon theirdy was, to put it simply, beyond just dolling up. She now looked <i>sadistically</i> beautiful.


    No matter how little Violet cared for her reputation, rumors about her were spread all throughout the aristocratic society. However, how many people would actually be pleased to hear such gossip about their master?


    Through their efforts, they wanted to send the message loud and clear.


    <i>Ourdy is so very very beautiful!</i>


    With the full support of the duke¡¯s heir, the efforts to doll her up had beenpleted with the power of money and manpower had thus resulted in unmatched beauty.


    Of course, this amount of adornment and beautification would also be done by other nobles. It¡¯s just that, Violet¡¯s beauty was simply otherworldly.


    Looking in the mirror, Violet once again realized that she was a ¡®viiness¡¯.


    The female lead was a simple but elegant beauty that would draw attention.


    On the other hand, the splendid type of beauty that would overwhelm everyone else just by taking a glimpse of her was the exclusive appearance of the viiness.


    ¡°Whoa.¡±


    Someone inadvertently voiced out their admiration. As Violet was looking down, her gaze drooping, the final piece of jewelry toplete the look was ced upon her neck.


    The clothes that had been made by the young seamstress suited Violet very well.


    Now, it¡¯s time to go to war.


    * * *


    ¡°Lady Stia, have you heard that rumor?¡±


    ¡°What rumor?¡±


    ¡°This time, Lord Wolfgang had dumped his fianc¨¦e for some other unsightly woman¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahh, that rumor. The news I¡¯ve heard is a little different.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What did you hear, Lady Stia?¡±


    ¡°Actually, that woman¡­¡±


    That evening, the banquet began.


    With splendid chandeliers illuminating all those that had gathered here tonight, all the attendees showed off their clothes and jewelry.


    It was a ce where one¡¯s value is raised after cutting down someone else.


    It¡¯s of no exaggeration to say that all the news traveling from their word of mouth was false. And of course, there were quite a lot of stories being exchanged.


    The banquet had officially begun in the evening, but those who liked starting the merriments as early as lunchtime had already been talking for a long time.


    ¡°Ahh,e to think of it, ¡®that ducaldy¡¯ is also attending the banquet this time.¡¯


    ¡°That ducaldy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. You must know about her too, Lady.¡±


    ¡°There are so many rumors surrounding her, but I wonder what she¡¯s actually like¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard everything there is that¡¯s been talked about, but I don¡¯t truly know how she is.¡±


    ¡°Right, there¡¯s one particr story that¡¯se to mind. You know about it as well, right, Lady Lc? About what happened between the Everett Duchy¡¯s first and second daughter.¡±


    ¡°I heard that the second daughter went abroad to study.¡±


    ¡°Do you know about that too? That the second daughter¡¯s blood¡­¡±


    ¡°Whaaat?! How did you¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Huu.</i> I don¡¯t know either, but I only found out about it by chance, too. Still, I think I can somehow understand Everett¡¯s wicked woman¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly understandable. But still, how¡­¡±


    While pretending to be oh-so-noble while covering their mouths with their fans, these people constantly talked behind other people¡¯s backs.


    ¡°Lady Violet S. Everett of House Everett and Lord Aldin Aesir of House Aesir are entering!¡±


    In an instant, silence nketed the entire hall.


    As soon as the woman of the rumors had arrived, everyone gathered together and, in unison, realized that Violet was not how they imagined her to be.


    Swallowed by the crowd, those who could not see Violet instead chattered animatedly with their mouths.


    ¡°Aldin Aesir? The illegitimate son of House Aesir?¡±


    But the moment they could catch a glimpse of Violet, such murmurs halted to a stop.


    If, perhaps, it was possible to spin thread from the moonlight, her hair glimmered as such. If, perhaps, one could make a potion of beauty out to make one¡¯s skin as soft as peeled eggs and as fine as white jade, her visage glowed as such.


    It was sheer splendor that was overwhelming to the viewer.


    As she raised her gaze, her eyes gleamed like amethysts. And with hershes being so long that they could cast shadows, how could everyone not be arrested by awe?


    The atmosphere of ake beneath the moonlight. It was an atmosphere that suited the expressionless Violet.


    Even the jewelry she was adorned with became even more magnificent because of who was wearing them.


    In addition, the dress that she was wearing was umon.


    In the style of avish use of expensive fabrics from other countries, it was far from what¡¯s currently in fashion amongst high society.


    It carried a tight silhouette that was revealing the wearer¡¯s natural curves without the use of a corset. There was no other embellishment upon the clothing other than a single jewel right in the middle of all the creases of the fabric.


    Nevertheless, the fabric itself shimmered and glittered, as if gemstones had been crushed and spun into the cloth.


    Because severalyers and translucent fabrics had been added, the sky blue dress gave off the illusion that, every time it would flutter, it would cascade like waves.


    With the skillful amalgamation of the seamstress¡¯s skill and Violet¡¯s design, the mermaid dress was not difficult to move in.


    ¡°My goodness, what a disgrace.¡±


    Someone uttered these words amidst the silence.


    It was an old, middle-aged noble. After that first voice, the banquet hall was soon swept withmotion.


    Violet¡¯s dress was highly unconventional. Therefore, it was only natural that she would be criticized for it.


    But the moment they saw her, no one could speak ill of her. Even though there¡¯s nothing more enjoyable than pulling down someone who¡¯s at a higher ce than oneself.


    <i>¡°Hah,</i> but I didn¡¯t expect her to appear alongside Aesir¡¯s illegitimate son.¡±


    ¡°Right, right. The dress is another matter, but with that such vulgarity, well. I wouldn¡¯t be able to raise my head proudly, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    All sorts of gossip was exchanged. Everyone¡¯s attention was fixed entirely upon Violet, even as they pretended that they weren¡¯t looking at her.


    However, as the person in question who¡¯s beingden with so much attention, Violet¡­


    ¡®As I thought, the mermaid silhouette¡¯s terribly ufortable. I¡¯m d I¡¯m wearing something else tomorrow.¡¯


    ¡­was just thinking of such things.


    The clothes were as ufortable as they were pretty. Even if the side of the dress was open and fabric had beenid atop it, it was still ufortable. She considered it fortunate that the other dresses that¡¯d been prepared weren¡¯t like this.


    That aside, Aldin was skillful with escorting her. It was all thanks to frequent practice. Therefore, Violet was able to enjoy the banquet without any inconvenience.


    Violet was already expecting all the gossip that would be said about her. At the same time, she was also aware of the envious gazes beingid upon her.


    People with curious eyes showed interest in talking to her somehow.

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121


    She pretended as though she didn¡¯t notice. They¡¯d been backstabbing her not long ago, but it seemed like they wished to talk to her nheless. The wicked woman¡¯s snort did not reach the ears of those people.


    Still, they couldn¡¯t approach her easily. The person by her side became sullen for no reason at all.


    ¡°I, um, apologize. It¡¯s because of me that¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to apologize for, Sir. I¡¯m the one who should say sorry. You¡¯re being harshly criticized because of me.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m sure it is my presence that¡¯s causing you trouble.¡±


    ¡°No way. There¡¯s no other man as good as you.¡±


    Violet grinned. Seeing her smile, Aldin hurriedly turned away.


    Some people who witnessed the wicked woman¡¯s smile were also caught, breathless.


    Violet was sincere when she said that. Objectively speaking, Aldin was a great man. Had he not proven his abilities by bing a member of the imperial guard?


    ¡°¡­Still.¡±


    Nevertheless, Aldin¡¯s self-esteem seemed to be very low. Violet mused, ¡®What about him could ever be bad?¡¯


    Then, at one corner of the banquet hall.


    ¡°Ahh, good gracious. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s wearing such a vulgar dress.¡±


    ¡°I guess those rumors weren¡¯t just rumors. There¡¯s not just a few eyes here to watch.¡±


    ¡°Rather, isn¡¯t it a good thing? Wouldn¡¯t Laurent¡¯s clothes be a waste on a woman like that?¡±


    ¡°I feel sorry for Lady Tolofia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, so please stop.¡±


    The woman who was listening to that conversationughed and said this.


    Because she was a little shorter than her peers, the women surrounding her somehow looked like bodyguards.


    ¡°But don¡¯t you resent her too?! If it weren¡¯t for her, you would have been¡ª!¡±


    ¡°His Highness¡¯s decision has yed a role as well. Really, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that Everett¡¯s second daughter has no solid roots, but it seems like that particr rumor is about the first daughter after all.¡±


    ¡°Ah,e to think of it, neither Duke Everett nor thedy Duchess has silver hair¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been pretending to be so noble all by herself, but in the end, it¡¯s just a mere ruse.¡±


    Their conversation was thus buried within everyone else¡¯smotion, scattering through the air like a faint melody amidst the orchestral piece drifting gently along the hall.


    Off to the side, a blond-haired woman smiled gracefully as she listened to the buzzing conversations around her, remaining quiet.


    ¡®Not even aware of who can hear. How foolish.¡¯


    Violet, too, had kept her ears open. She sighed. The conversation between the young nobledies was by no means loud, but not to the extent that Violet couldn¡¯t hear them.


    She heard about how the corset had been revived and was currently in vogue once more, and as expected, it had a formidable presence. While making a mental note to be careful around Lady Tolofia, Violet let out a slow sigh yet again.


    Parts of the conversation was lost to Violet¡¯s ears, but because Aldin had extraordinary senses, he heard them all. As he did, his expression darkened.


    ¡°I knew it. I¡¯m a nuisance.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that the rumor is true?¡±


    ¡°P-Pardon?¡±


    ¡°The rumor about my silver hair.¡±


    ¡°O-Of course not. I just¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I already know, so I¡¯m just asking.¡±


    Violet closed her eyes and chuckled. Aldin¡¯s face flushed red.


    Rumor or whatever, it didn¡¯t matter. Violetughed, not caring about the rumors about her silver hair.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter because it¡¯s not true. Above all, your origins don¡¯t matter either, Sir.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Your present position has been obtained solely by your abilities, Sir Aldin.¡±


    A smile tugged up on her lips once more. This time, Aldin¡¯s face didn¡¯t turn red.


    Just, he calmly smiled back.


    Even though Violet couldn¡¯t remember¡­


    That aloof confidence of never allowing anyone to stand above oneself.


    Violet S. Everett possessed such a thing.


    And, the moment they first met. Even now.


    She was so utterly, breathtakingly beautiful. To the point that Aldin would feel guilty about even holding her in his heart.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, may I ask for one song?¡±


    While Aldin was pulled into reminiscence for a moment, someone approached Violet.


    ¡°Is it notmon courtesy to introduce yourself first?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I beg your pardon. I am the second son of House Lahn, Roth Lahn. If you don¡¯t mind, will you give me the honor of having the first dance?¡±


    Though he was being mild-mannered about it, he seemed to be cing much confidence in his face.


    Violetughed. The man¡¯s self-confident expression cracked.


    ¡°Oh my, I apologize. I haven¡¯t danced with my partner yet. If <i>you</i> don¡¯t mind, I can perhaps promise the next one.¡±


    Unable to even answer Violet¡¯s soft smile, the speechless man backed down. Aldin¡¯s eyes widened.


    Roth Lahn was not the only one hovering around her. Although they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to talk to her first, there were many people who were biding their time and looking for a chance to do so. Or, there were others who were instead lurking around, wandering here and there because they couldn¡¯t find the courage to look for such a chance.


    ¡°I¡¯m, um, a good dancer¡­¡± Aldin murmured.


    ¡°I brought you up as an excuse to refuse that guy, but you don¡¯t actually have to dance with me if you don¡¯t want to. Ah, is that it? You don¡¯t want to dance with me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that really it?¡±


    As Aldin couldn¡¯t answer, his face was gradually tinged by a bright red hue. Violet was now seriously considering if she was being rejected right here.

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    ¡°It seems like people are slowly flocking towards that corner over there¡­ Sir?¡±


    When she turned to look, the exemry knight that was just here a moment ago¡­ vanished in an instant. By the time Violet was looking around hastily, those who could not approach Violet because of her partner narrowed the distance at once.


    ¡°Greetings to you, Ducal Lady Violet S. Everett. I am Zayne of House Tomil. I don¡¯t know if you remember, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am Chase of House Qisha. <i>Haha,</i> I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve heard, but I¡¯m acquainted with Lord Roen and¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am Jeniul of House Kemos. Your Ladyship, I¡ª¡±


    Her partner had been a more effective shield than she had originally thought. Violet briefly pondered about what it would have been like if she had used Roen as a shield-sh-partner instead.


    Envious eyes¡ªor perhaps, outright contempt¡ªnow turned to Violet.


    There was a time when she once thought that the people who looked at her with envy were on her side. That was a story from a distant past.


    Violetughed again. She considered herself lucky to have been so delusional.


    ¡°May I offer you a drink? It¡¯s a mixed carbonated drink that has only a low alcohol percentage, so women can drink it without any difficulties.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a drink made from the grapes of my region, so I can be confident of its taste.¡±


    As she received the ss, Violet smiled awkwardly.


    <i>What exactly about this alcoholic drink can I be confident of?</i> She shouted in her heart, yet the person in front of her could not hear. The words stayed stuck in her throat.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to drink it right away?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a drink that¡¯s filled with much pride, so it would be a waste to drink it all right away. I will taste it at its utmost ripeness.¡±


    A soft yet nheless emotionless smile was presented to the banquet hall.


    It¡¯s a bit sad to think that she couldn¡¯t receive goodwill at its face value, but still, Violet remained wary.


    ¡°Yes. My younger sister has a bit of a¡ª no, has a <i>very</i> weak tolerance to alcohol, so I¡¯ll be taking this ss.¡±


    ¡°Who dares to¡ª <i>huhk¡­!</i> Young Duke!¡±


    ¡°The grapes of your household are indeed famous for their taste, Chase. Oh, I don¡¯t have to introduce myself, do I?¡±


    The young lord, who introduced himself as being acquainted with Roen, instantly froze the moment Roen appeared. Violet clicked her tongue.


    After downing the ss right away, Roen smiled refreshingly and ced the ss on the tray of a passing servant.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my younger sister with me now. I¡¯m thinking of using this opportunity to strengthen our brother-sister rtionship, you see. I hope that¡¯s alright with you all.¡±


    ¡°O-Of course.¡±


    ¡°But if you don¡¯t mind, we¡¯d like to talk to Her Ladyship a bit more¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahh, don¡¯t worry. I know what you want to say, but I really just want to have a quick conversation with my dear sister.¡±


    Roen pulled Violet away, and she followed him anyway. She showed very little reaction towards Roen¡¯s behavior.


    When she was still Yeon Ha-yoon, in fact, she was a heavy drinker. Very, <i>very,</i> slightly, she felt sorry that she couldn¡¯t have a sip of the alcohol that was already in her hands a moment ago.


    As Violet, she never drank to the point of getting stered, so she didn¡¯t really know whether or not she had a weak tolerance to alcohol.


    ¡°I rmend not drinking what others have given you. We don¡¯t know if anyone would go ahead and cause some trouble during the Crown Prince¡¯s birthday banquet, but you know, don¡¯t you? There are scoundrels everywhere.¡±


    ¡°In this day and age, is there anyone who¡¯ll actually use those means to get married?¡±


    <i>¡°Many.</i> There¡¯s a plethora of them, Violet. Especially when it concerns someone like you.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m not going to drink or eat anything that other people have offered me anyway.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. I thought you¡¯d eat anything since all you¡¯ve been saying all day is that you¡¯re absolutely starving.¡±


    ¡°Young Lord. What exactly do you think I am?¡±


    Roen coughed and cleared his throat.


    It was a strange conversation that just kept flowing. In any case, it¡¯s true that Roen proved to be helpful in that situation, so Violet easily rxed her expression.


    She felt a bit frustrated though. She couldn¡¯t do anything about it, and that situation could have turned dangerous had it not been for her older brother¡¯s intervention.


    ¡°You¡¯rete today.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I came inte because there was something I needed to do. Have you been waiting for me?¡±


    ¡°Not a chance. You must be happy though. It seems like you¡¯re fully enjoying the power that a duke¡¯s heir can wield.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so sarcastic. Where¡¯s Cairn by the way?¡±


    ¡°Apologies for sounding sarcastic, but I¡¯m quite sincere, thank you very much. Didn¡¯t Cairne with you though?¡±


    <i>¡°Haaa.¡±</i>


    Looking like a preemptive headache had already struck him, Roen let out a long sigh. Guessing what was going on in his mind, Violet clicked her tongue.


    Given that Cairn was free and had no one watching him, where would he have gone, and what kind of incident had he already caused by now?


    The sighs of the brother and sister deepened further.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m expecting anything from him, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Frankly speaking, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to expect.¡±


    ¡°I just hope everything will turn out alright. If he really <i>did</i> do something, I can just take him out of the family registry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet smiled faintly. She knew that Roen was entirely serious about that.


    Cairn wasn¡¯t that great of a man that he¡¯d be a loss to the duchy if he¡¯s stripped of his family name. Perhaps this would even be beneficial for both sides.


    ¡°Well, never mind about that. Where¡¯s your partner?¡±


    ¡°I know, right?¡±


    This time, Roen asked a question that made her feel down. The smile on Violet¡¯s lips twitched slightly.


    Roen shook his head.


    ¡°Good grief, that guy can¡¯t even take care of his partner. He¡¯s the opposite of a gentleman. If you don¡¯t mind, Your Ladyship, will you give me the honor of escorting you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. It¡¯s a joke. You don¡¯t have to make that face.¡±


    It¡¯s still ambiguous why Aldin left like that, so Violet didn¡¯t know what was going on in his mind.


    Roen smiled at his younger sister.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding, I¡¯m kidding. How about you reunite with your partner? Maybe he¡¯s in one of the balconies.¡±

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    ¡°He¡¯s at one of the balconies?¡±


    ¡°Gut feeling. Ah, someone over there is calling me. You¡¯re not a kid anymore, so you can do well on your own, yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    She turned to look towards the direction where Roen was apparently being called. She narrowed her eyes.


    <i>How terribly suspicious, as always¡­</i>


    Thinking that the murmur he heard just now was perhaps just an auditory hallucination of some sort, Roen justughed it off.


    In any case, Violet was good at doing everything by herself, even when she had just been a little girl.


    The busy duke¡¯s heir went back to work. After all, socializing amongst the aristocracy was inseparable from political matters. It was inevitable that he was as busy as a bee.


    Violet briefly watched as Roen¡¯s back went further and further away, then she turned around and moved towards where she might find Aldin.


    No, well, she was <i>about</i> to move towards that direction.


    ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    However, she was stopped because of some obvious ruse done upon her.


    Each person had their own stage. And for Violet, this banquet was her stage. Right now, she had be a character who couldn¡¯t even walk out of a room without some incident happening to her.


    Nevertheless, she was essentially at the top of the hierarchy. Especially in a banquet hall such as this.


    ¡®Such sewer-like behavior.¡¯


    With a briefment passing through her mind, Violet avoided the young nobledy who was just about to ¡®identally¡¯ bump into her.


    Maybe it¡¯s because she had been regrly exercising every morning, but her reflexes were actually good.


    Unable to reach her target, the youngdy fell straight to the ground as she failed to regain bnce.


    ¡°Oh my. It¡¯s very crowded here, Your Ladyship, so you have to be careful.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The woman blushed instantly as Violet put on a kind front. The ss that the youngdy was holding plummeted to the ground as well, its shards sttering across the surface along with the wine that it once carried. Servants rushed in and immediately cleaned up the ss and wine.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stand up?¡±


    With teeth clenched, thedy stood up by herself. The spilt wine was quite obviously reserved for Violet¡¯s new dress, yet as it failed to aplish its role, it tarnished only its owner¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°Goodness. I apologize for the condition of your clothes. This incident would fill you with only sad and painful memories on this good day, wouldn¡¯t it? Do allow me to purchase you a new dress in the name of my household.¡±


    ¡°T-There¡¯s no need for that!¡±


    For each syble that she uttered, the youngdy¡¯s face burned even redder, blushing to the point that she might turn purple even. Her expression showed various changes.


    ¡°You look familiar.¡±


    Putting on a false smile, Violet examined thedy¡¯s face more. She¡¯s still quite young.


    However, thedy quickly slipped out of the hall. Her ears were significantly red after having been subjected to the attention of so many people.


    Watching thedy limping away, Violet clicked her tongue. Malice was bound to return to herself at any time.


    Sewer-like behavior, indeed, this trick. Rather than remaining clueless amidst high society, it was much better to act viciously. If viciousness in itself wouldn¡¯t suffice, then take it up a notch and use overwhelming power.


    And at the end of it all, cut down the tails of those running away.


    Ignoring the prying eyes of everyone around her, Violetnguidly looked around the banquet hall.


    Actually, Violet was a little interested in knowing the true cause of what had been done to her.


    ¡°Heavens, Lady Saoirse was rude, wasn¡¯t she? Are you alright?¡±


    A gently smilingdy with dark blonde hair reced thedy who ran away just now.


    Soon enough, however, Violet realized who thesedies were. She inwardly clicked her tongue.


    ¡®They¡¯re the ones talking smack about me back at the dessert shop.¡¯


    Not just a mere small fry, but the final boss herself appeared.


    Blonde hair like glistening dark honey, blue eyes resembling a clear sky. And, it was no exaggeration to say that her pale skin was making those colors more noticeable on her¡ªlike a beautiful porcin doll.


    <i>Aileen¡¯s prettier though.</i>


    Unknowingly, Violetpared this woman to Aileen, though she expertly schooled her features into a neutral mask.


    Whether she was actually fearless or maybe just really full of herself, the final boss smiled softly.


    What¡¯s the point of doing this? To have herself bepared directly with Violet?


    Unwilling to fall for the obvious attempt at maniption, Violet wordlessly scanned the visage of the Tolofia County¡¯s esteemed daughter.


    Hailed widely as the flower of high society, Lady Tolofia boasted the charm of absolute cuteness¡ªtruly like a doll. And from just a cursory nce, it was clear that her appearance was heavily maintained by money.


    In particr, her already luxurious ball gown was heavily adorned with various embellishments. Apart from that, the shape of her chest, waist and hips looked a little strange.


    That¡¯s where the term ¡®doll-like beauty¡¯ would be derived from.


    With the kind of corset that she was wearing, it¡¯s as if there was no regard for her body to be a human being¡¯s body.


    That¡¯s not all that¡¯s making her look like a doll though.


    At the end of the day, the corset truly suited her. She looked very good in it. For that, it deserved to be revived.


    As neither Violet nor Lady Tolofia spoke, silence was spread subtly all around them. Perhaps it could be called a war of nerves.


    Still, it was like a filthy sewage fight of some sort. Violet smiled with her eyes closed into the arcs of crescent moons as she spoke.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to greet me, then can I leave now? I¡¯m in the middle of looking for someone.¡±


    In other words, <i>greet me first or get out of my way.</i>


    It was only natural for the lower-ranking person to express their greetings towards those in higher positions than themselves.


    Yet thisdy, who considered herself to be the flower of high society, was in ¡®her turf¡¯, so the other person should show <i>her</i> courtesy first instead of the other way around.


    But of course, Violet did not feel the need to do that, and thus, the situation turned out like this.

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    Though there was no change in her expression, a slight tremor could be heard from thedy¡¯s voice as she spoke.


    ¡°Pardon me. I am Artier Rouble Tolofia. My friend seems to have made a mistake just now, so I came to see if everything¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. It was nearly catastrophic, but fortunately, my clothes did not get soaked. Some people just aren¡¯t used to high heels, so it¡¯s best to be more careful.¡±


    ¡°Ducal Lady, you seem to be very confident and kind.¡±


    Violetughed.


    <i>That kind of trick won¡¯t work on me, so shouldn¡¯t you maybe try groveling?</i>


    Lady Tolofia replied with her eyes.


    <i>Why should I?</i>


    The subtle silence from earlier soon transformed into subtlemotion. In the first ce, Violet wasn¡¯t the kind of person who¡¯d be intimidated by this much uproar and attention. If that were the case, she would have truly be a madwoman long ago at the Everett residence.


    No, well, perhaps she already <i>has</i> gone mad.


    Regardless of how she thought and acted though, the power of the Everett name was genuinely great.


    Ardier Rouble Tolofiaughed again.


    ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯ve heard a lot of rumors, but it¡¯s the first time for me to see a rumor paling inparison to the real thing. There¡¯s a story going around that Your Ladyship¡¯s silver hair resembles the goddess of the moon, and it seems like it¡¯s not an exaggeration.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve heard a lot that I look like my maternal grandmother.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    At Violet¡¯s reply, Lady Tolofia had nothing to say.


    <i>That¡¯s right, I look like my grandmother. You know her, yes? My maternal grandmother, Margravine ise who hails from the Imperial Family and was an Imperial Princess before she got married?</i>


    Lady Tolofia¡¯s face became paler and paler. She already looked so much like a porcin doll, but it¡¯s unbelievable to see that she was losing even more color in her face like this. Violet inwardly admired the sight.


    ¡°Th, at¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Your hair color is also very pretty, Lady. Like a doll.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±


    No matter howpetent Lady Tolofia was at being a viiness, there¡¯s no chance for her to have won against the original viiness.


    Especially someone like Violet, who strived all her life to be so perfect that none of her thoughts or intentions could be read from the way she carried herself.


    ¡°Then, are we done here? If there¡¯s anything else you¡¯d like to let me know, please send a letter instead.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what makes you think you can keep your head high like this, but let¡¯s see if you can continue doing so.¡±


    A low whisper reached Violet¡¯s ear as she turned around and walked away.


    The hushed threat from the aspiring crown princess¡ªandter the empress¡ªwas something to behold.


    To be born as a woman who¡¯d rise to the highest rank and wield the most power in aristocracy¡­ What¡¯s the point of it all.


    You¡¯d have to sacrifice your entire life to reach that position.


    And further, the power gained by using one¡¯s own beauty as leverage and a weapon was nothing but temporary. Sooner orter, the bubble would burst once that beauty would fade.


    What Violet felt towards Lady Tolofia was close to pity.


    * * *


    ¡°Entering, His Highness the Crown Prince!¡±


    Violet was about to go into one of the balconies, but right then, the main character of the banquet appeared.


    And since it was the main character, the noisy banquet hall was quickly awash in silence.


    Man who resembled the sun. shy blond hair that shone like jewels even under the light of the chandeliers, not even the sunlight. Golden eyes that glinted brightly.


    The music changed, and soon, the hall was abuzz with various voices.


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s him.¡±


    ¡°He deserves to be called the scion of the sun god.¡±


    ¡°How is it possible to grow up with such beauty?¡±


    It was a vastly different reactionpared to when Violet had entered the scene.


    The appearance of the high and mighty main character alone was enough to change the atmosphere of the whole banquet hall. The calm orchestral music somehow picked up a livelier tune with a more upbeat rhythm.


    The emperor and empress wouldn¡¯t be attending the first day of the banquet. Therefore, the person holding the highest position in this room was the crown prince.


    Since this was the case, of course, there were droves of people who were very eager to make connections with the imperial family. They surrounded the crown prince immediately.


    ¡°Ahh, you must have finished the thing I asked you to do earlier. And you¡¯re dressed beautifully today as well,¡± the crown prince said.


    <i>¡°Ugh. </i>Greetings to the small sun of the Empire,¡± Roen begrudgingly replied.


    ¡°Goodness, is that how you should treat your friend?¡±


    The crown prince headed straight to Roen¡¯s side first, so Roen was also soon surrounded by throes of people.


    The future emperor and the future duke. Both of them were bound to be popr anyway. Roen smiled brightly nheless, hiding his exhaustion as he noticed the crowd gradually gathering around the two of them.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°I heard that you approached her on purpose first.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> but isn¡¯t this a good day? That is, a good day for me to meet my friend¡¯s younger sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    When the crown prince said this with a low voice, Roen¡¯s expression crumpled up. This guy was calling his own birthday a good day.


    The prodigal Rajaden Elifos K. Rudell. That¡¯s who he was.


    How many people would be able to scowl right in front of the crown prince?


    As Violet stepped away from themotion, she realized once again that, indeed, those two were such close friends.<hr>


    <small><i>t/n: why does author-nim like difficult names for her characters¡­ i tried my best withdy tolofia¡¯s name, but it still doesn¡¯t sound like a name XD</i></small>


    <small><i>additionally¡ª as scheduled, I will be taking a short hiatus <3 regr updates wille back next week!</i></small>


    <small><i>hope you guys have a wonderful week ahead~</i></small>

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125


    The brother and sister conversed with only their eyes. <i>There should be no need to go through the formalities.</i>


    However, Violet approached the crown prince and Roen, all the while grumbling inwardly. Nevertheless, her graceful saunter was never lost.


    It was a tiring day, truly.


    ¡°Greetings to the small sun of the Empire. I am House Everett¡¯s daughter, Violet S. Everett. I have heard a lot about you, Your Highness.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> we were just talking about you, but I didn¡¯t expect you toe here yourself! Indeed, the stories of the moon goddess being ever so wise and beautiful was of no exaggeration. Has your dress been custom made for this banquet?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°My, my. I¡¯ve heard that faeries living amidst the sea have the same appearance as yours. The dress makes Your Ladyship¡¯s beauty stand out even more, so really, it does suit you a lot.¡±


    ¡°¡­You tter me so.¡±


    Someone coughed in vain.


    <i>¡°Ke-hum.¡±</i>


    It was one of the people who were talking behind Violet¡¯s back just now. As long as the crown prince himself had dered her to be beautiful, those people could no longer say anything about Violet¡¯s dress. Unless, of course, they were fools.


    Violet had to admit though¡ªthe crown prince had a good eye for recognizing the mermaid silhouette right away.


    She looked at Rajaden, who must have umted quite a lot of knowledge other than what¡¯s imparted to him through his imperial studies.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, Ducal Lady. I heard that you¡¯re colder than an iceke, but it¡¯s not like that at all.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Roen flinched when Rajaden mentioned that anecdote jokingly. Violet nced at Roen.


    ¡®You said something like that?¡¯


    The wicked snake responded with a kind, bright smile, but he said nothing else.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, may I ask you for the honor of having your first dance?¡±


    ¡°¡­It is <i>my</i> honor.¡±


    Rajaden offered a hand to Violet politely. It was an obvious trick to nab her, but she had no other choice but to let herself be caught.


    After all, how would she be able to say no to the man standing before her?


    A thin handy atop arge hand, and a gentle touch was thus given. Violet¡¯s expression never once changed until they had to part in the end.


    It was such an obvious trick.


    But she had no choice but to let herself be deceived.


    * * *


    Aldin Aesir is a bastard son.


    Even if he had been acknowledged by the family and had thus been bestowed the Aesir name, the truth behind his birth would not change.


    Duke Aesir threw that surname at Aldin as though they were alms and did nothing else. No, well, Aldin was d that the man had done nothing. The family as a whole treated him as a mere object that¡¯s to be used and eventually thrown away.


    In that house, the only way to survive was to constantly lower oneself.


    Even though he had since honed his worth and had proven his existence.


    ¡°Do you¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you not remember me?¡±


    Perhaps because of that, but it was no wonder that he did not dare even to think of reaching his god.


    ¡°Today, um, you¡¯re really beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. You¡¯re also very dashing, Sir.¡±


    ¡°Really, really¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to emphasize it. Shall we go?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    For him to be able to live in the same world as her, for him to be harboring such feelings for her¡­ Just the fact made him feel guilty.


    How dare he hold her in his heart.


    <i>You are my God. You, who have saved me. You are my¡ª</i>


    Thus, it was for this reason that he did not take it to heart that Violet couldn¡¯t remember him. It was alright even when the atmosphere around her had changed so much, to the point that it felt like she had be a different person.


    Because Violet¡¯s essence remained the same.


    The fact that she was alive and breathing was enough.


    However¡­


    ¡°My goodness, what a disgrace.¡±


    <i>¡°Hah, </i>but I didn¡¯t expect her to appear alongside Aesir¡¯s illegitimate son.¡±


    ¡°Right, right. The dress is another matter, but with that such vulgarity, well. I wouldn¡¯t be able to raise my head proudly, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    ¡°Ah,e to think of it, neither Duke Everett nor thedy Duchess has silver hair¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been pretending to be so noble all by herself, but in the end, it¡¯s just a mere ruse.¡±


    This was the result of him daring to satisfy his greed.


    As he had keen senses, he caught all of the gossiping from every corner of the banquet hall, missing not a single one.


    Amongst them all, Aldin was only ever mentioned whenever those people wanted to bring down Violet dignity.


    ¡°Ah, I beg your pardon. I am the second son of House Lahn, Roth Lahn. If you don¡¯t mind, will you give me the honor of having the first dance?¡±


    Before his existence could further undermine Violet, he then made himself scarce.


    What¡¯s the point of graduating from the academy at the top of his ss. What¡¯s the point of belonging to the first chivalric order. What¡¯s the point of having the position of ¡®knight captain¡¯ practically reserved for him.


    In the end, everything just boiled down to dignity.


    This man without any dignity had plucked up what little courage he could bring out, yet it bore fruit to only the worst results.


    So, it was time to press down on his greed.


    It¡¯s time to stop this.

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126


    Absolutely still as he was leaning against the balcony¡¯s railing, the man continued to listen to the stories swirling all around the hall. He closed his eyes quietly.


    For some reason, Violet seemed different. The ferocious, sharp aura emanating from her had eased significantly, and her attitude of sticking to absolute principle had mellowed out to be more flexible.


    With no words of exaggeration, it was as if the thorns had disappeared from the flower.


    ¡°Goodness. I apologize for the condition of your clothes. This incident would fill you with only sad and painful memories on this good day, wouldn¡¯t it? Do allow me to purchase you a new dress in the name of my household.¡±


    Ah. It¡¯s still there. Still the same.


    Actually, it would be right to say that she had<i> not</i> changed. She had learned how tomunicate more effectively with people, yet even if her de was nowhere to be seen right now, it didn¡¯t mean that she had changedpletely into a different person.


    The very essence of her had not changed.


    ¡°Climbing higher to a position no one could ever undermine would be enough.¡±


    ¡°Both you and me, understand? We don¡¯t have to ede to those idiots.¡±


    ¡°I will decide my own worth.¡±


    She was the one who said these striking words, but in any case, Violet herself wouldn¡¯t remember them.


    Aldin had risen to a position that no one could ever undermine, yet he was still at the bottom because his own essence had not changed.


    ¡®No, I could have at least left House Aesir. Things might have gone differently.¡¯


    Aldin thought that he had grown into his own position. Much had changed in his life ever since he met Violet.


    In truth, Aldin¡¯s self-esteem was not very low.


    He had graduated at the top of his ss. He entered the first chivalric order at a young age, and he was to be a knight captain soon enough.


    Who could say anything against him when he had achieved these things? What would their words matter?


    After all, it was through his own grit and ability that he had clinched the position of knight captain. And even if other people would undermine his efforts, the fact that he had achieved such things would not change.


    It was only ever in front of Violet that Aldin¡¯s self-esteem and dignity would waver and plummet.


    It¡¯s something that he could do nothing about. It¡¯s that kind of feeling.


    He would treat Cairn like a pebble on the roadside even as they were from the same station¡ªas the sons of dukes¡ªthough Aldin could perhaps sympathize with that guy.


    ¡°Entering, His Highness the Crown Prince!¡±


    The crown prince had appeared in the banquet hall.


    The air had changed. Though Aldin was outside on a balcony, he could feel it.


    Awe. Admiration. Longing for the man who would soon be the ruler of all.


    He dominated the chaotic atmosphere of the entire hall with just his very presence. He was suited to be the next emperor.


    As Aldin had been looking up at the night sky until now, he suddenly paused. The crown prince. The Everett Duchy¡¯s esteemed daughter. And the Young Duke of Everett, who was a close friend of the crown prince.


    He did not mean to eavesdrop.


    <em>¡°Haha,</em> but isn¡¯t this a good day? That is, a good day for me to meet my friend¡¯s younger sister.¡±


    The man who had already done so said this. At the same time, Aldin grasped the crown prince¡¯s intentions.


    Without realizing it, his hands had formed into fists.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, may I ask you for the honor of having your first dance?¡±


    ¡°¡­It is <i>my</i> honor.¡±


    Truly, he swears. He did not mean to eavesdrop. It was just that his senses were sharper than the average, and his ears were too good.


    Leaning against the railing, Aldin downed the ss of liquor that he brought with him here. Praise for the crown prince and the ducaldy came in droves from all over the banquet hall.


    ¡°My word, how could there be such a beautiful pair.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s as if the god of the sun and the goddess of the moon havee to dance.¡±


    ¡°Was that dress originally such a beautiful one? I feel so dazzled that my eyes are going blind.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re like a match made in heaven.¡±


    Some nobles inadvertently expressed their admiration. Those were their unfiltered words.


    Aldin did not bother to look at the two of them. Even if he wasn¡¯t seeing them together, he knew how well they suited each other. So, the pain was for only a moment.


    ¡­Only but a moment.


    Aldin looked up at the evening expanse with a bitter smile.


    The moon hade.


    * * *


    ¡°I could definitely remember that you¡¯re a good dancer though, Ducal Lady. Did I misremember since it¡¯s been quite a while?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps so. I¡¯ve been building a wall between me and high society for a while now. It¡¯s been a while since I danced, so it can¡¯t be helped that I¡¯ve forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s strange. The Ducal Lady that I know isn¡¯t someone who learned for only that reason. Are you doing this on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. You have a very generous evaluation of me, Your Highness.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> consider it apliment. Countless efforts are hidden behind the appearance of perfection.¡±


    ¡°As I thought, Your Highness overestimates me.¡±


    ¡°I might also be talking about myself. What do you think? If I speak like this, do I seem different from what everyone says?¡±


    ¡°All I know is that you are skillful in leading a dance even when your partner is this clumsy.¡±


    These two were on the receiving end of everyone¡¯s admiring gazes, yet the conversation they were having was far from graceful.


    Since they were close to each other and far from anyone else, they were definitely not holding back with their words.


    With each movement, the translucentyers of her dress would spread out like fluttering petals. People were quite awestruck by the sight.


    However, there was only one thing in Violet¡¯s mind.


    <i>As expected, a mermaid dress is ufortable to move in.</i>


    ¡°I do wish you would stop aiming at my feet though.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, how dare I harm the precious body of Your Highness the Imperial Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The orchestra continued ying a cheerful melody.


    The crown prince smiled brightly. It was such a brilliant smile that anyone who¡¯d see it might just get blinded.


    Unenthused, Violet twirled in ce. It was a gesture as graceful as a swan¡¯s movements.


    ¡°More than that, may I ask you one question? Why did you choose me as your first dance partner, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite a bit more frank with me since this conversation won¡¯t be heard by others, hm? Well, that¡¯s fine. I much prefer this sense of distance.¡±


    ¡°Please answer the question.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, really. You don¡¯t have to be so stiff around me. And anyway, the answer is simple. Isn¡¯t it natural to dedicate one¡¯s first dance to the most beautiful person in the room?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression hardened. Though she was still smiling, Rajaden was not so much of a fool that he wouldn¡¯t recognize the thoughts being hidden behind that smile.

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127


    ¡°I can feel your dislike. I thought you¡¯d like me though.¡±


    ¡°That is not the case at all, Your Highness. How could I dare dislike you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s at times like this that I realize you¡¯re truly Roen¡¯s younger sister. As I¡¯ve already told you before, you can talk morefortably around me.¡±


    ¡°I was nning to stay quiet and far away from the spotlight, but now I am grateful that I am receiving unnecessary attention because of Your Highness.¡±


    Violet smiled even brighter. Rajaden had a whish from seeing her like this. He was reminded of Roen through and through.


    ¡°Are you feeling conscious about the attention on you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m conscious of it now.¡±


    It was a simple answer to a simple question.


    Naturally, Rajaden¡¯s eyes shifted to Violet. morous makeup and shining jewelry. A dress of many oveppingyers with a design that¡¯s never before seen in high society.


    This attire could not really be called conservative, and it was enough to draw in everyone¡¯s attention in itself. In particr, it was captivating how every movement made would cause these clothes to flutter each time.


    <i>¡°Hmm, hmm.</i> So it isn¡¯t apletely unfundamental outfit.¡±


    ¡°Who is the designer of the dress again?¡±


    In fact, such conversations were being exchanged on the sidelines.


    Rajaden¡¯s eyes were transfixed upon Violet.


    The flower of high society was one such individual who did not need to follow any trends. Rather, she herself would <i>create</i> the trends.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t her original intention, Violet had ced herself in a good position. Yet it seemed like she didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Though you say that you¡¯re conscious of the attention on you, you¡¯re wearing something quite unique.¡±


    ¡°Unique?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly a dress that¡¯s never been seen before. You know, don¡¯t you? Just how much this ce obsesses about fashion and gossip.¡±


    ¡°But the clothes that are in vogue nowadays are hard to breathe in.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, you mean the corset. It does look ufortable, I agree.¡±


    <i>Flutter, flutter.</i>


    Cloth would collide with cloth, creating a distinct sound. As it was made with the finest fabric that shimmered as mesmerizingly as crushed gemstones, who <i>wouldn¡¯t</i> admire Violet?


    It was at this moment that she had truly been reborn as the flower of high society.


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°It was an honor to be able to have the first dance with you, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. If there is a chance, I hope that we can have one more song together, Ducal Lady.¡±


    Rajaden kissed the back of Violet¡¯s hand after they had finished their dance. Each and every gesture made by him was so elegant that all of the youngdies on the side started swooning. Covering their mouths with either their hands or their folding fans, they eximed, ¡®Oh my, oh my!¡¯


    The crown prince¡¯s confident smile was dazzling. However, Violet was much averse to that smile.


    Just how manydies had gotten hit with cupid¡¯s bow just by looking at his face, Violet mused.


    Not knowing what it would be like to live a life where everyone loves you, Violet clicked her tongue.


    <i>The new flower of high society.</i> Violet had an inkling. Just this one dance would be enough to change her position here.


    At the same time, she was displeased. Flower? What flower? Did that mean she should just be an ornamental flower to be disyed for other people¡¯s pleasure? Should she just ept that she¡¯d be used for decoration until she¡¯d someday wither?


    At the end of their dance, the crowd before them was split and made into two groups. The first half went to Rajaden, while the other half went to Violet.


    Violet realized one thing. She did say that she was conscious of the attention on her, but she was made aware that she did something in direct contradiction with her original purpose.


    Feeling mentally exhausted, Violet quietly closed her eyes.


    ¡°Greetings to Your Ladyship, Ducal Lady Everett. I am¡­¡±


    ¡°Greetings to you, Ducal Lady Violet S. Everett. I am House Elwitt¡¯s¡­¡±


    Since she had just finished the first dance with the crown prince, it was time for people to flock towards her. Up until this point, Violet had been repeatedly using her partner as an excuse to avoid them, but right now, said partner was nowhere to be seen.


    It was a good opportunity to make one¡¯s presence known to House Everett. And apart from that, it would be an honor to dance with such a beautiful young woman.


    Even better, this was a chance to form deep connections with House Everett through matrimony.


    She could clearly see what¡¯s going on in the minds of these men. Drawing out her social skills, Violet suppressed her twitching lips and responded to those people one by one.


    ¡°You surprised me there. If you wanted to dance, you should have just told me.¡±


    At that moment, a helping hand came down. But, no, could one say that it¡¯s a helping hand?


    Walking down the open path due to the crowd parting in the middle, Roen arrived at Violet¡¯s side with a pleasant smile upon his lips.


    ¡°Ah, Young Duke! What an opportune moment to meet you here. The other day when we crossed paths¡­¡±


    Fortunately, half of the attention that had been on Violet was shifted onto Roen, who then responded skillfully.


    ¡°Ahh, I remember. We talked about the Zeryl Corporation. But s, this is a ce for joy and merriment, so may I suggest that we talk about work on a separate asion?¡±


    ¡°Ah, heavens. I beg your pardon! Then if possible, we can schedule a private meeting¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible, yes.¡±


    Roen kept a bright smile on his face as he blocked the men with ck hearts towards Violet. As she was naturally led away by her older brother, Violet finally had the chance to breathe.


    She gave him a scathing look.


    ¡°No matter how many times you make that expression, it still hurts.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it often enough.¡±


    ¡°The time and ce are different, so it feels different.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


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 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128


    As she was finally allowed to take a breather, Violet schooled her features and adjusted her demeanor.


    Roen said, ¡°But if you just stay still in one ce, people will continue to flock around you. It might be better to just dance another song to get out of it naturally, right?¡±


    ¡°You and your close friend resemble each other <i>very</i> much.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Your schemes are obvious¡ªthat¡¯s what I mean.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> I won¡¯t deny it.¡±


    Though she flung words filled with vitriol at him, Violet did not reject Roen. As he took her thin, slender hand, which was not so different from Roen¡¯s own hands, Violet sighed loud enough for Roen to hear.


    Roen was a man who gave off the refreshing atmosphere of springtime. If Aileen was like a flower, then Roen was the beautiful and gentle bud of spring.


    He was unlike Rajaden. Roen was, with his tinum blond hair, like a soft spring flower, and with his green eyes, like verdant sprouts reaching high.


    No matter how many worms he might be hiding inside of him, on the outside at least, Roen looked like a very tender and affectionate man.


    With the brother and sister dancing together now, it was quite different from any other. The woman looked colder than the winter, while the man looked softer than the buds of spring.


    The atmosphere between these two people was evidently conflicting, and yet also harmonious.


    ¡°They¡¯re siblings, but¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Ahh, </i>maybe it¡¯s <i>because</i> they¡¯re siblings.¡±


    <i>¡°</i>Oh my god, Lord Roen¡­¡±


    A needless misunderstanding sprouted up, though Violet didn¡¯t particrly care.


    The women who had crushes on Roen gave Violet ferocious res. Violet pretended that she didn¡¯t notice any of them.


    Why were they giving her that kind of look when she¡¯s just dancing with her older brother?


    ¡°You¡¯re dancing well, huh.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, you kept trying to step on Rajaden¡¯s feet earlier, so I thought that you actually forgot how to dance.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I did forget. Aren¡¯t you just reading into things too much?¡±


    ¡°Read, you say. How many years do you think I¡¯ve been watching you?¡±


    ¡°Many years, as far as I know. With contempt.¡±


    ¡°Ouch, do you really have to hit a sore spot like that? Still, should I say that it¡¯s a relief that I wasn¡¯t your partner for the first dance?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Vee, you kinda sound ominous¡­ Vee?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you time and again not to call me that. And, well, if you¡¯re wishing for it so much, Young Lord¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wait¡ª <i>ack!</i> Violet! I¡¯m not as athletic as Rajaden!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being pathetic. Father will cry at the sight of you.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª You only call him ¡®Father¡¯ when¡­ <i>ACK!¡±</i>


    That¡¯s a conversation between siblings, alright. Anyone who could hear would think that.


    As his feet had gotten stepped on several times in return for his teasing, he looked to be on the brink of tears. The more he looked miserable, the brighter the smile on Violet¡¯s face became.


    ¡°I¡¯m seriously a weak man. So, won¡¯t you go easy on me please?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter since no such bruises will be seen, right?¡±


    ¡°But it <i>hurts.¡±</i>


    ¡°Then please, be hurt a lot more. Really, how could someone like <i>you</i> be the next person inmand just after the Duke¡­¡±


    ¡°Call me ¡®Brother¡¯, won¡¯t you? And anyway, that¡¯s not something you should really say. C¡¯mon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been told that I have a talent for swordsmanship, so perhaps this strength is innate.¡±


    ¡°Well it¡¯s because I take after Mother.¡±


    ¡°I take after Mother, too, though.¡±


    <i>¡°Ugh,</i> it hurts. It seriously hurts.¡±


    This beanpole-like tall man had tears welling up in his eyes. Violet quit it because Roen might really shed a tear here.


    Their family was a family of knights, yet Roen was the only one who wasn¡¯t blessed with physical strength. With this in mind, Roen looked sad. He had other talents, sure, but he was still sad.


    Watching Roen¡¯s futilementation, Violet sighed.


    After the song, Roen fixed his expression to a proper, sociable one, but hisplexion was still pale.


    Already guessing what he would say next, Violet smirked and beat him to the punch.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go take a rest for a while. I hope you don¡¯t have too much fun out there.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve danced two songs in a row, and now I¡¯m feeling dizzy.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°There are a lot ofdies who wish to share a dance with you, Young Lord. Go ahead.¡±


    With that, Violet quickly made herself scarce. Roen could only stare at the empty space where she had just been.


    Roen was in disbelief that she was dizzy after just two songs. He was much less physically fit than her, and as she left him all alone, he actually looked kind of devastated.


    In the end, he got caught by all the people who wanted to approach him. He got surrounded in no time.


    * * *


    ¡°Here you are.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who asked me to be your partner, but then you disappeared on me just like that. I wasn¡¯t expecting that.¡±


    ¡°Ah. A dream?¡±


    ¡°Goodness. Are you drunk?¡±


    Aldin waved a hand in the air absent-mindedly. He <i>did</i> have a few drinks, but not enough to intoxicate him entirely.


    So this meant that Violet really was in front of him now.


    ¡°Why, here.¡±


    ¡°Well, a certain someone disappeared without even telling me anything, so I came to find him.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m half serious here. The other half of me is looking for a ce to rest because I¡¯m tired though.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t an invitation from a member of the Imperial Family, I would have refused.¡±


    Violet smiled softly.


    Her way of alleviating mental exhaustion was due rest.


    Fortunately, there were only a few people out here on the balconies.


    ¡°What were you doing while you were here?¡±


    ¡°I was looking at the moon.¡±


    ¡°The moon? Ahh.¡±


    As Aldin said that, Violet directed her eyes to the sky. The moon was distinctly round and bright, as luminous as a chandelier. Thanks to the absence of clouds, arrays of stars decorated the evening expanse, glimmering like intricate jewels.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, may I have this dance?¡±


    ¡°H-Huh?¡±


    Oh, Aldin wished that the stupid sound that had juste out from his lips wasn¡¯t actually from him.


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 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129


    Violet held out her hand. Because of her white gloves, it looked like her hand was glowing.


    ¡°Do you not know how to dance?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, the music can still be heard over here, and it¡¯s quite romantic, isn¡¯t it? Dancing in the moonlight.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet smiled again. Aldin took her hand reluctantly.


    The first day of the ball, which seemed like an illusion, went by just like that.


    * * *


    On the second day of the crown prince¡¯s birthday celebration, Violet overslept.


    Even after she had slept in for a long time, Violet groaned and let out her grievances.


    ¡°Can I not go out today?¡±


    ¡°No, you must. Get ready for the day.¡±


    For a moment, Violet calcted whether pushing her older brother off the position of ¡®duke¡¯s heir¡¯ might warrant her enough authority to excuse herself from today¡¯s banquet. However, deciding to ept defeat, she just groaned.


    Just what kind of stamina did people have that they could continue attending banquets day and night?


    Though she was at the height of youthful health, Violet wasn¡¯t willing to act on it and needlessly expend energy. Once again, she sighed. To her, the people who could participate in these banquets all week long were admirable.


    ¡°Your feet are swollen, Mdy.¡±


    ¡°My shoes were custom-made, but new shoes are new shoes, I guess. And they had heels, too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a massage, but please don¡¯t overdo it today.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mary.¡±


    The previous day¡¯s banquetsted until daybreak. It was the ubiquitous schedule for all banquets, but Violet truly abhorred it. So, she left early.


    ¡®There was a bit of amotion when we leftst night.¡¯


    As Violet recalled something unpleasant, she frowned slightly. Meanwhile, Mary applied some potion instead of oil while massaging her aching muscles. After doing so, she went out for a moment and soon came back.


    ¡°Mdy, let¡¯s get up and have breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Yes, breakfast.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s lunchtime now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it doesn¡¯t matter. Then please make your way to the dining hall for lunch now. Lunch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m allowed to eat?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly better than starving!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Can you help me change into my clothes?¡±


    ¡°As you wish!¡±


    While changing into her light indoor dress, Violet chuckled. And soon, with weak steps, she arrived at the dining hall where there was already someone seated.


    ¡°Good morning, Violet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good morning. Why do you look so energetic today.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not apliment.¡±


    Laughing, Roen looked especially brighter than usual. As Violet sat down, muttering under her breath, an attendant set down her meal in front of her.


    They were soft foods that wouldn¡¯t be difficult to digest.


    ¡°Why do you look brighter than usual today, Young Lord.¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking the same thing twice?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking because you look fine even after having to go to a banquet.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what you mean.¡±


    Taking a spoonful of pudding that¡¯s served as dessert, Roenughed. And just as much as she hated to see that tender smile, Violet scowled.


    Nonchntly epting his younger sister¡¯s contempt, Roen replied.


    ¡°You often look down on me because I¡¯m a schr, but don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m the Everett Duchy¡¯s sessor.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so youck physical strength, but you thrive in banquets.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s apliment.¡±


    Taking a spoonful of soup herself, Violet turned to Roen again. Even after he had already finished his dessert, Roen was still seated.


    ¡°As for you though, you look particrly bad today. Are you feeling alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m positively exhausted.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you getting so fatigued after just that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate mental fatigue. So, is it alright if I skip today¡¯s banquet?¡±


    ¡°No can do.¡±


    ¡°¡­I knew it.¡±


    <i>Haa.</i> A short sigh filled the dining hall.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything special. Just show your face and go through the motions.¡±


    It was with these words that Roen consoled her, but it just sounded like he was pestering her.


    ¡°Young Lord, can you not see the knife that I hold in my hand?¡±


    Amidst their back and forth, the ¡®joke¡¯ that¡¯s expressing her displeasure fully popped out. Meanwhile, <i>bam¡ª!</i> The doors of the dining hall swung open with a bang as someone came in.


    There was only one person who had enough gall to interrupt the young duke and ducaldy¡¯s meal.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Give me food.¡±


    The third son, Cairn, was different.


    Somehow or another, Cairn looked like he was in a much worse mood than the previous day. As he pulled out his chair, a high-pitched <i>screech</i> broke out. From the way he acted, you¡¯d think that he had been starving for several days on end.


    ¡°What have you been up to all night that you¡¯vee back only now?¡±


    ¡°Exnationster. Food now.¡±


    ¡°The attendants are already doing that. Answer me straight, Cairn.¡±


    <i>¡°Ugh, </i>what¡¯s the use of you knowing, Brother!¡±


    ¡°It is my duty as your beloved older brother, dear baby brother.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Receiving one contemptuous re after another, first from his younger sister and now from his younger brother, Roen tilted his head to the side. He meant what he said though. Why doesn¡¯t anyone believe him?


    Untrustworthy to all, Roen reiterated.


    ¡°Cairn, I¡¯m aware that you must have some of your own business outside, and that¡¯s why you were away. But you have toe to the banquet today, too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. If I didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t be here.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯re you making that face?¡±


    Instead of an easy-to-digest meal, meat dishes sizzling in oil came out for Cairn. Even in that condition, he could still eat such a greasy steak.


    While taking a scoop of pudding, which was served to her as dessert as well, Violet couldn¡¯t help but think of how only Cairn could eat well.


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 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130


    ¡°Today is the gift presentation ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the actual birthday tomorrow though?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a week-long celebration. Does it really matter when he was born?¡±


    ¡°I guess not.¡±


    Listening to the chatter from both sides, Cairn tore into his meat.


    Siblings that resembled yet not resembled each other enjoyed a peaceful moment. For a house that had supposedly been torn apart, it was surprisingly peaceful.


    ¡°Anyway, in our family, the eldest represents us, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. So, Violet, can I make one request?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡±


    ¡°I want to send a painting of yours as a gift.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I already sent it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I had no choice. The Crown Prince specifically asked for it. We¡¯re just a ducal house, after all.¡±


    <i>¡°What?¡±</i>


    ¡°It just happened¡­¡±


    Violet, who had never once disrupted any meal in favor of maintaining decorum, dropped her spoon.


    Cairn clicked his tongue next to her.


    <i>¡®Tsk, tsk.</i> He pretends to be clever all by himself, but he¡¯s the one digging his own grave like this.¡¯


    As Roen skillfully dug his own grave while pretending to be smart, he didn¡¯t even seem to realize that there was a problem with his actions.


    ¡°But I chose the best one. It¡¯s one of the smallest paintings.¡±


    ¡°So, you sent one without even asking for my permission?¡±


    ¡°Umm? Well, that painting is one of your works¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ha. No, never mind. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry?¡±


    ¡°I was being rude. I hope you enjoy the rest of your breakfast.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve already finished my meal¡­?¡±


    Without giving Roen a chance to respond, Violet left the dining hall. She didn¡¯t even bother to pick up the fallen pudding spoon.


    Roen watched Violet¡¯s departure with a helpless expression. He still couldn¡¯t understand what went wrong.


    ¡°Brother, you really messed up just now.¡±


    ¡°I did?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you messed up <i>big time.¡±</i>


    ¡°I messed up?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Like, a monumentally stupid mess.¡±


    As Cairn quickly added another serving of food to his te, he spoke up. Roen¡¯s expression still showed his bewilderment.


    Clicking his tongue clicking in amusement, Cairn continued to eat. It was a happy mealtime for just the youngest alone.


    * * *


    After rushing out of the dining room, Violet headed straight for her studio.


    Most of the paintings in her studio were unfinished sketches.


    As Violet walked towards the gallery, she noticed one missing painting. Since there weren¡¯t many paintings on disy, it was easy to spot.


    One small canvas had disappeared as if spirited away by magic, and Violet frowned when she realized what was missing.


    It was one of her unfinished sketches, depicting a random season as its motif.


    Standing in front of the missing painting for a while, Violet let out a slow sigh.


    She knew it was inevitable. After all, how could Roen refuse when someone with the status of a crown prince was subtly pressuring him?


    Certainly, Roen¡¯s actions were likely calcted to some extent. He said that they were a mere ducal house, but he wouldn¡¯t act without thinking.


    But aside from that¡­


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    Violet suppressed a bitterugh, pressing her fingers to her temples.


    ¡°Mdy, Mdy! What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Mary had followed Violet out of the dining room after waiting, and she gasped for air from rushing. Violet looked down at the panting Mary with a smile.


    She thought nothing had changed, but it had. Just looking at Cairn¡¯s reaction confirmed that. She knew why she felt so frustrated. So, she decided not to overreact anymore.


    ¡°Mary.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that outfit for today¡¯s outing.¡±


    ¡°This outfit?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that outfit. I think I¡¯ll have some fruit for dessert, so could you call the others?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course!¡±


    Instead, she decided to rebel in a small way. Mary, who was quick-witted, ran off briskly.


    * * *


    On the second day of the ball, Aldin announced his absence due to an incident with the chivalric order. Violet responded with a letter telling him it was okay.


    If it were Aldin, he would likely be in anguish.


    ¡°Is there really a problem with the knight order?¡±


    Violet briefly pondered whether Aldin might be doing this intentionally to avoid her. Either way, she didn¡¯t think too deeply about it.


    Cairn, on the other hand, boldly requested herpany after his absence the previous day. His confident attitude, as if he thought he had a chance since there was an incident involving Roen during the day, was truly audacious.


    Of course, Violet declined.


    Roen, on the other hand, naturally assumed that he would be her partner. But Violet treated Roen as if he were one of the furniture.


    Ignored for the first time in a while, Roen froze up.


    Violet confidently entered the ballroom alone, without a partner. Her demeanor alone was enough to make people talk, but those who saw her couldn¡¯t even find fault with her.


    ¡°Oh my goodness, what¡­¡±


    ¡°What, what in the world is that?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t umon for a woman to enter the ballroom without an escort. There were always some who couldn¡¯t find a male partner to apany them. They often became the subject of ridicule.


    So, what about Violet S. Everett now?


    ¡°What on earth is that, for a <i>woman</i> to¡­!¡±


    Someone eximed in anger. He was a middle-aged nobleman who had praised Violet just yesterday.


    Lady Violet carried herself in a nonchnt air, as if she had nothing to be ashamed of, even as she was wearing pants instead of a dress.


    Seeing a noblewoman in pants left everyone speechless. The silence was brief, and in an instant, the banquet hall buzzed withmotion.


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 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    Her neatly tied long hair made Violet appear more like a knight than an esteemed daughter of a ducal household.


    Her expression and demeanor also yed a significant role, causing people to hold their tongues and refrain from approaching her¡ªno matter how much they wanted to say something.


    ¡°It seems like the rumors of her going <i>mad</i> are true. How could she show herself in such a disgraceful appearance?¡±


    ¡°That aside, it¡¯s the Crown Prince¡¯s birthday celebration.¡±


    <i>¡°Haa.</i> If she weren¡¯t a ducaldy, she would have been used of disrespecting the imperial family.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s aiming to be the duke¡¯s heir.¡±


    In this country, a woman walking around in pants was no different from a deration of intent to carry on her family name. Violet found this notion quite distasteful.


    Bing the duke¡¯s heir just because she wore pants <i>once</i> was a notion she couldn¡¯t fathom.


    Of course, calctions were not entirely absent from her actions. Even if she only appeared in pants today, this would bring her brother Roen many difficulties to deal with.


    Nevertheless, he had the audacity to request her as his partner after seeing his sister in pants, making him quite an audacious older brother.


    It was a partially calcted move, but she was satisfied with the reactions around her. If the crown prince were to see, he might say, ¡®Indeed, it¡¯s a lie that you¡¯re not keen about attention.¡¯


    However, she was content. Wearing shoes without heels was remarkablyfortable.


    Still, that didn¡¯t mean Violet¡¯s outfit was in. Her extravagant brooches and essories were enough to catch people¡¯s attention.


    In between the spreading rumors and gossip, there were asional expressions of admiration.


    It was at this moment that she gained followers.


    ¡°Today as well, it seems like we¡¯re going to be blinded by your beauty, Ducal Lady. Truly, I can¡¯t say anything other than how dazzling you are.¡±


    Someone approached Violet and spoke to her. She responded to the unfamiliar face, unenthused.


    ¡°Given the asion, I¡¯ve only dressed ordingly in the most valuable and expensive attire. I¡¯m d to hear that it suits me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is that so?¡±


    The young nobleman responded awkwardly as he had unknowinglyplimented her.


    Violet thought the man in front of her was truly foolish. The moment their eyes met, he couldn¡¯t utter a word, ears turning red as he turned his head away. She assumed he must have felt embarrassed for some other reason, unable to retreat, and chose to swallow his saliva.


    ¡°So, what business do you have with me?¡± Violet asked.


    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s nothing. I apologize!¡±


    And soon, the man quickly retreated. Violet clicked her tongue.


    A ducaldy with no escort, and to top it off, wearing pants.


    With just these two facts, Violet had done enough to be the subject of ridicule. However, her expression was deliberate.


    As she had donned a confident, imposing demeanor, some were left with racing hearts, while others turned red in the face without being able to achieve their desired purpose, only able to manage a nod in response to her arrogant smile.


    <i>¡°Hmm, ahem¡­¡±</i>


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not too bad, I guess.¡±


    Even her position carried legitimacy. If Violet S. Everett were to be the next head of her household, there would be nothing for her detractors to say in turn.


    Curses were saved behind closed doors, while praises were served openly. The nobles thoroughly calcted every advantage they could get.


    ¡°Wow. I knew it, you¡¯re seriously annoyed at Brother, huh.¡±


    <i>¡°Haa.¡±</i>


    As people debated how to approach and strike up a conversation with Violet, someone else walked up to her.


    Soon, those who recognized the young man sighed in disappointment.


    ¡°Sighing as soon as I arrive, seriously?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious that some trouble¡¯s about to happen, that¡¯s why. Besides, why do you care?¡±


    ¡°Wow, Sister. You¡¯re talking to me so casually. By any chance, did the sun start setting in the east?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ve decided to give our brother a hard time, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Whatever I do, it¡¯s better than whatever you do.¡±


    Violet muttered to her younger brother, and he just looked at her, sticking out his tongue while finishing what he was snacking on.


    Violet frowned when she noticed the cream on his cheek.


    ¡°When we¡¯re at home, you act so well-behaved, but here, you¡¯re eating like a barbarian.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you to wipe your mouth.¡±


    ¡°Ahh. I don¡¯t have a handkerchief.¡±


    <i>¡°Haaa.¡±</i>


    Violet¡¯s sigh deepened. She took a handkerchief from her pocket and smiled kindly as she wiped the sauce from Cairn¡¯s face.


    Cairn was expecting that she¡¯d just hand him a handkerchief, but as he looked at Violet, he paled at his sister¡¯s friendly smile. No matter how soft the silk handkerchief was, it¡¯s hardly pleasant to have it rubbed against your face.


    Unable to say anything with people watching, Cairn only grinned. To outsiders, they seemed like a truly affectionate brother and sister duo.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re only giving this to me now that it¡¯s soaked with sauce¡­¡±


    ¡°Just take it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Taking on the task of handling the handkerchief, Cairn subtly handed it to one of the servers. Despite witnessing this sequence of actions, Violet, who had shown no reaction, shook her wine ss.


    ¡°Do you want to eat too, Sister? The food here is <i>divine.¡±</i>


    Cairn tempted her, and Violet responded with a contemptuous look.


    ¡°It¡¯s really yummy though.¡±


    ¡°If people see you like this, they might think the Everetts are starving at home.¡±


    ¡°This and that are two different matters.¡±


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 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132


    ¡°Anyway, you look positively dashing in your outfit today.¡±


    Casually engaging in conversation, Cairn smiled slyly as he led her towards a corner.


    ¡°You¡¯re being sarcastic.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean it, this outfit really suits you. How about trying to enter the knightage while you¡¯re at it? I¡¯ve heard you have some talent too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too much work.¡±


    ¡°Why? That¡¯s the one thing I wish I could do. If there are annoying guys, you can poke holes in their bellies.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not seriously bing a knight just to beat up annoying guys, are you?¡±


    ¡°No way. I also have my own reasons to be a knight.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet narrowed her eyes.


    Cairn chuckled at his sister¡¯s icy expression. His sister, for one, had been tormented by all sorts of threatsing from a <i>certain someone </i>who was now iming to have reasons to be a knight¡ªthe supposed epitome of chivalry.


    However, it wasn¡¯t a situation that could be defused withughter.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m just suggesting you think about it at least once. It¡¯s good to have various hobb¡ª Huh?¡±


    <i>¡°Kyahh¡ª!¡±</i>


    Amidst the bustling banquet hall, someone stumbled in Violet¡¯s direction. Of course, Violet avoided them. Regr morning training was indeed quite effective.


    Experiencing the same thing for two consecutive days, and the scream seemed quite convincing this time. Violet looked at the fallen woman expressionlessly.


    ¡°Wow, now I understand what they mean by people saying that you have a knack for swordsmanship, Sister.¡±


    Cairn muttered unhelpful words from the sidelines. Anticipating the situation that would follow, Violet sighed and gestured for Cairn to stay back.


    <i>Step back, third of House Everett, who doesn¡¯t know how to read the room.</i>


    He did as his sister quietly told him for now.


    ¡°Oh dear! Are you okay, Lady?¡±


    ¡°Look at that. Did she just pretend not to see?¡±


    ¡°Goodness, I heard that the Lady prepared this dress especially for today¡¯s banquet.¡±


    Bystanders rushed to thedy¡¯s side. Violet looked down at the fallen woman and thought,


    ¡®This isn¡¯t amusing at all.¡¯


    Why did <i>she</i> take action herself? Whatever this woman¡¯s intentions were, Violet couldn¡¯t fathom them, so she simply spoke expressionlessly.


    ¡°If your eyesight is poor, I can rmend a good doctor. Ah. Perhaps, would you rather see a priest? If not that, I¡¯ve also heard that there are some monsters that have the kind of power to bring back one¡¯s eyesight. I can also introduce you to one of those.¡±


    ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I was just standing still, so I thought that the person who fell might have poor eyesight. Oh, or maybe you couldn¡¯t find the right time to apologize? In that case, I¡¯ll give you an opportunity to apologize now. Just look straight ahead while you walk.¡±


    The confident attitude of Violet made the faces of the women, who were fluttering here and there, turn red. Realizing why his sister had made him step back, Cairn clenched his fist.


    ¡°Ah, everyone. If, perhaps, your eyesight isn¡¯t good either, I can rmend a doctor for you all as well. Each of your families will have to pay, of course.¡±


    Violet extended her hand with an enchanting smile. The fallen Lady Tolofia remained speechless, her mouth shut tight.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t been able to get up, Lady. I¡¯m worried that you might have been seriously injured after you fell. If you¡¯re feeling unwell, I¡¯d rmend resting rather than exerting yourself for the sake of staying in this banquet.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ are too, kind. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    This was what the esteemed daughter of the Tolofia County said as she took Violet¡¯s hand and got up. She looked graceful.


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief then. It would be rude for someone to be the talk of the town on a day as fine as the Crown Prince¡¯s birthday.¡±


    Violet smiled. Her smile made some women blush. Their red faces were not only out of embarrassment, but Violet didn¡¯t realize this fact.


    ¡°I appreciate your kindness, but I must decline. Since I didn¡¯t properly greet youst time, allow me to introduce myself again, Ducal Lady. I am Artier Rouble Tolofia, the youngest daughter of the Tolofia County. Please feel free to call me by my name.¡±


    ¡°The name Tolofia sounds a bit familiar. I suppose you already know <i>my</i> name without me introducing myself?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Artier Rouble Tolofia smiled softly. Violet inwardly clicked her tongue at the sight of the woman¡¯s vastly different countenance from the day before. Thepliment that she was as pretty as a doll must have hit her quite hard.


    A brief exchange of pleasantries followed. For Violet, it was a rather dull time, but Lady Tolofia kept the conversation going.


    ¡°If it wouldn¡¯t be impolite, could we have a moment to get to know each other better?¡±


    ¡°If it <i>is</i> impolite, would you give up?¡±


    ¡°It would be unfortunate not to have a chance to converse more with the person I¡¯ve been admiring.¡±


    ¡°It was a joke. A short chat is fine.¡±


    Violet smiled. Behind her smiling demeanor, Lady Tolofia ground her teeth unnoticed as she looked at that arrogant smile on Violet¡¯s lips.


    ¡°It was a pity as well that you weren¡¯t able to stay longer yesterday. Everyone is curious about you.¡±


    <i>¡°Hmm.¡±</i>


    ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, could I introduce you to my friends?¡±


    While walking gracefully, the blonde beauty spoke softly.


    All eyes in the vicinity turned to the two women. Violet pretended not to notice the attention and replied.


    ¡°Do I have to?¡±


    ¡°Ah. It¡¯s not, it¡¯s not necessary. No.¡±


    Violet¡¯s straightforward response left the woman flustered and she cleared her throat. Violet smiled.


    This social gathering was held in the heart of the enemy¡¯s camp, and it was in this ce that stories to feast upon would start to bud and blossom.


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 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133


    ¡°So, you know about Lord Arten.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, my, my. So, how did that happen?¡±


    ¡°How could something like this happen?¡±


    They were talking about men.


    After exchanging brief greetings with the others, Violet silently observed their conversation while various talks flowed back and forth.


    Violet was aplete outsider in this ce, and that¡¯s how she wanted it to stay.


    Men, rtionships, other people¡¯s secrets, and even political discussions. Social circles were quite fond of rumors.


    Listening briefly to their conversation, Violet pitied the youngdies.


    Her pity was a silent, unspoken kind of pity that wasn¡¯t in consideration of the other person¡¯s circumstances. However, no one knew that Violet was pitying them.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, I heard that the Ducal Lady also knew Lord Aldin Aesir before this. I wonder how they met?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because they¡¯re both from ducal households, so perhaps it was during some sort of interaction,¡± someone else answered.


    ¡°I heard about Lady Aileen as well. They say she went to Liran on a study abroad program.¡±


    In this ce, the moment you said something wrong, it would spread like wildfire. Hadn¡¯t Violet experienced that enough already? It¡¯s impossible to know how it would spread, how it would transform.


    So, the best approach is to not give them any ammunition.


    Violet smiled. It was the smile that Aileen detested.


    ¡°My younger sibling would know.¡±


    ¡°Younger sibling?¡±


    ¡°Cairn.¡±


    ¡°Ah, um¡­¡±


    The nobledy, who had just asked about her rtionship with Aldin, trailed off as if she understood. As sensitive to rumors as they were, they knew what kind of person Cairn was.


    tinum blonde hair with vibrant green irises. With his fresh, youthful appearance, he looked more like a boy than a young man. But talking about his appearance was nothingpared to the rumors about his personality.


    No, it went beyond rumors and even includedments about his character.


    ¡°Indeed, I heard he¡¯s the darling of House Everett. Isn¡¯t it rare for two swordmasters to emerge in just one generation?¡±


    ¡°Everett isn¡¯t just Everett for no reason. Even though it takes polishing, the beauty of a gem will eventually shine through.¡±


    <i>¡°Ahem, ahem.</i> Just because it¡¯s a prestigious family doesn¡¯t mean everything is perfect.¡±


    The word selection was clearly chosen with Violet¡¯s sensitivities in mind. She was briefly surprised by the naivety of these womenpared to what she had anticipated.


    ¡°Ducal Lady, if it¡¯s not impolite¡­ May I ask if the rumor is true?¡±


    ¡°What rumor?¡±


    ¡°That His Lordship challenged a prince from another country to a duel.¡±


    ¡°Is there such a rumor going around?¡±


    ¡°Ah, if it¡¯s not true, then¡ª¡±


    ¡°With his personality, I doubt he¡¯d engage in noble actions like a duel.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Violetughed. This nobledy, likely from the countryside, who had shifted the conversation with the underlying question of, ¡®Did he beat up a prince from another country?¡¯ Her eyes were wide with astonishment.


    Violet hadn¡¯t really been keeping track of such rumors regarding her younger brother. She was just relieved that he hadn¡¯t gotten himself into trouble. Considering he¡¯d been living fine until now, it should be fine.


    ¡°Though it¡¯s true that Cairn is a bit of a scoundrel, there¡¯s no need to be concerned.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    When the word ¡®scoundrel¡¯ came out of the ducaldy¡¯s mouth, some of them were startled. The still-innocentdy timidly answered.


    ¡°B-But he¡¯s a good person.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I mean¡­ Well, it¡¯s just that¡­¡±


    The bashful youngdy¡¯s face turned red. Violet quickly diverted her attention and savored the champagne in her hand.


    ¡°So, when I was in a difficult situation, he helped me once¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, fundamentally, he¡¯s not a bad guy.¡±


    After taking a sip of champagne, Violet said this, and the atmosphere quickly subsided.


    However, the mood soon shifted again, thanks to someone making a concerted effort to speak up and dispel the awkwardness.


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s a short gathering. If we don¡¯t have more to talk about, it might be best to leave.¡±


    Violet brought down the lightened atmosphere once more.


    Lady Tolofia, who had been quieter than Violet, finally stepped in.


    ¡°Taking our time to have a conversation is what true friendship between women is about. Let¡¯s chat more leisurely.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much to discuss. Besides, I thought it would be better to avoid this gathering, as I felt it wouldn¡¯t be enjoyable for any of you if I overstay my wee.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it a bit more pleasant now? I would like to continue being friends with you in the future, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Lady Tolofia smiled, and Violet responded with an expression that conveyed herck of interest.


    A ducaldy parading around in pants at the crown prince¡¯s birthday celebration. A woman rumored to be a wicked woman, stealing the crown prince¡¯s first dance.


    A proud ducaldy propped up like a mere folding screen. How long would she be able to stand?


    As the esteemed daughter of the Tolofia County had not been able to achieve her original goal, there was a slight twitch at one corner of her lips.


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 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134


    ¡°By the way, how old is His Highness the Crown Prince this year?¡±


    ¡°He turned twenty-three, I believe. He¡¯s such an impressive figure in this world.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not called the Incarnation of the Sun God for nothing. Every time I look into those golden eyes, I can¡¯t help but¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, have you heard that story about the Crown Prince? It¡¯s said that he¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s opinion was ignored. Nheless, in one way or another, it was because Lady Tolofia continued to take charge of the situation.


    Violet shook her champagne ss as she listened to the tales circting about the crown prince, and she had a clear understanding of the intentions behind bringing him up.


    However, she had no intention of ying along.


    Why were they all so infatuated with men?


    Once again, she pitied the youngdies. It was an era where women could inherit titles, so they could dream of something different if they wanted to.


    However, the youngdies gathered in this ce were women who had been coerced into the marriage market, women who had to sell themselves in the world of aristocratic society, to ¡®live as noblewomen¡¯.


    Why were they gathered here, of all ces? To make themselves followers? This time, Violet pitied Lady Tolofia.


    ¡°What do you think of him, Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You shared the first dance with him, so you must have seen him up close. How do you feel about the Crown Prince?¡±


    Violet frowned as the arrow was soon aimed at her. She found this question even more challenging to answer than the one Roen had once asked her, ¡®What do you think of His Grace?¡¯


    ¡°¡­I think he¡¯s a beautiful person?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. Isn¡¯t there anything more you can say? You can see a beautiful person just by looking in the mirror.¡±


    What does she want Violet to say?


    Violet knew what they were getting at, but she had nothing to offer in response.


    Interpreting Violet¡¯s expression as she pleased, the youngdies began chattering enthusiastically.


    ¡°Um, Ducal Lady. If it¡¯s alright with you, could you briefly introduce us to him?¡±


    ¡°Introduce?¡±


    ¡°I heard that His Highness is very close to Your Ladyship¡¯s older brother. They say the Young Duke is His Highness¡¯s prime minister¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression subtly changed. The crown prince¡¯s prime minister? She refrained from saying anything.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like something very pleasant to talk about.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be so bad for you either, Ducal Lady! I¡¯m sure!¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just, well, with you, Lady Violet¡­¡±


    Thedy who had initiated the conversation hesitated. Violet knew what she was going to say but pretended not to.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. With us, Lady Violet, you don¡¯t won¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡±


    Violet thought briefly. Whether she¡¯d ept or not didn¡¯t really matter to her.


    Lady Tolofiaughed, her voice a lilting tone. There was some emotion behind herughter.


    Violet smiled back at thedies.


    ¡°I have other matters to attend to, so I must decline. If you really want, please send a separate invitation to me.¡±


    With those few words, the atmosphere quieted down again. Sending an invitation would be the same as ignoring it entirely, given Violet¡¯s track record. It was a clear rejection.


    ¡°But surely, you should¡­¡±


    ¡°As I said¡ªsend an invitation. We can discuss the detailster.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea. It¡¯s better for women to build camaraderie separately, as always.¡±


    The atmosphere settled in an instant. Violet sighed in exasperation, brieflymenting that there was no one else simr to her.


    If there had been one other daughter from a different ducal household, or at the very least a daughter from a marquisate, this fox wouldn¡¯t have been able to take a step into this space. Of course, in that case, she couldn¡¯t say that she¡¯s happy because the number of tigers would increase.


    Nevertheless¡­


    ¡®Alesia is an exception.¡¯


    At the end of a brief contemtion, Violet became curious about Alesia. Even though the Leshan Marquisate was also a respectable noble house, there were no rumors going around about her.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious about who the next Crown Princess will be. His Highness will surely be apanied by someone beautiful by his side.¡±


    ¡°Ah, by the way, have you heard that story?¡±


    ¡°Ohhh, what story?¡±


    ¡°Actually, inside the Rondeau Barony¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh my, how scandalous. But women are supposed to dedicate themselves to men after all.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s a good idea for women to step forward and engage in politics. They might ruin their families.¡±


    ¡°It would be fortunate if they only ruined their families. They could be shaking the foundation of imperialw.¡±


    The conversation hade full circle once again. Their treatment of Violet, who had emerged in a man¡¯s official attire, was metaphorical disregard.


    Violet was no fool, so she understood what they were implying.


    <i>Should I go along with it?</i>


    As Violet contemted, she poured her champagne ss directly onto the head of the nobledy in front of her.


    No matter how much they enjoyed making a scene, there were times when they should be careful with their words.


    Unexpectedly receiving a champagne baptism, thedy screamed.


    <i>¡°Kyaaaah!</i> W-What is the meaning of this?!¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, it was an ident. My hand slipped.¡±


    Violetughed. The woman red at Violet with venomous eyes.


    ¡°H-How could such an ident happen?¡±


    Her voice was loud enough to draw the attention of those who had been chatting in groups of twos and threes at once.


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 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135


    Violet paid no heed to the burning gazes directed at her. The smile on her lips was simply arrogant.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t understand what I said, did you? I said I made a mistake, so why are you insisting that I did<i> not</i> make a mistake?¡±


    ¡°What? That doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­¡±


    ¡°I already said so. I made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! Everyone saw it!¡±


    As she dropped her champagne, the woman expressed her anger. Those who met her gaze quickly averted their eyes.


    ¡°Her Ladyship said it¡¯s a mistake, so it must be one.¡±


    ¡°Yelling like that without any decorum, goodness.¡±


    Power was both shallow and powerful.


    Regardless of the truth, Violet¡¯s words became the truth.


    In this context, at least.


    The victim, who had champagne spilled on her, was quickly transformed into an ill-mannered person.


    Someone tried to sympathize with her, but they soon fell silent after locking eyes with Violet.


    If you want to imitate the actions of a viiness, do it properly.


    Violet, with her cool demeanor, smiled.


    ¡°Perhaps you need reimbursement for your clothes? In that case, send a request to the Everett Duchy.¡±


    ¡°Th-this¡­!¡±


    The woman, unable to utter anything further, fled with a flushed face.


    ¡°Wait, Lady Lerri!¡±


    A few followed her out.


    As things turned out like this, those who dared to open their mouths against Violet quickly regretted their prior decisions. The atmosphere was disrupted in an instant. Of course, a new topic had emerged.


    ¡°As expected of the Ducal Lady.¡±


    As the atmosphere settled to some extent, Lady Tolofia finally spoke up.


    She met Violet¡¯s gaze head-on and, seemingly unfazed, only used her fan to cover her lips.


    ¡°You truly are arrogant.¡±


    In the end, they just circled back to the same conversation once again.


    Violet pondered briefly, and her contemtion didn¡¯tst long.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m allowed to be.¡±


    ¡°How long do you think you can remain arrogant?¡±


    ¡°Well, as long as you are beneath me, I suppose.¡±


    Using her status and power to push someone down was a familiar task for Violet. Not only Aileen, but that girl¡¯s followers as well, had been subjected to it.


    Back then, there was no one on Violet¡¯s side. All she could count on was her power.


    ¡°What a dull attempt. Challenging me in this manner won¡¯t be of any help.¡±


    ¡°Your arrogance wille to an end someday.¡±


    ¡°At most, it is a show of respectpared to you. Or a virtue, if you will.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also a valid point. However, Ducal Lady¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why. Maybe you can try to seduce my older brother?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the position of the Crown Princess already far away? No, with some effort, it might still be attainable. After all, marriage to those of high stature is nothing but politics and business.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°But if you be the Crown Princess, andter, the Empress, tell me. Even then, would you be able to suppress me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Or perhaps, using the Empress¡¯s body, you may try to chisel your way into the Duchy. Utilizing that ¡®doll-like¡¯ beauty of yours.¡±


    ¡°¡­You.¡±


    Lady Tolofia disyed her displeasure, and Violet responded with her characteristic arrogant smile.


    ¡°It seems there¡¯s nothing more to discuss here. I shall take my leave.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to the day when your arrogance can no longer be a virtue of yours.¡±


    In the seething gaze of Lady Tolofia, dark emotions surged. Above all, Violet didn¡¯t respond to those familiar emotions.


    Lady Tolofia continued, seemingly not expecting a response.


    ¡°We shall see if you can still be arrogant towards me then.¡±


    <i>Do as you please.</i> Violet stopped imagining Lady Tolofia seducing Roen. No matter how much she disliked Roen, it was disrespectful to him.


    Afterward, the banquet was a series of mundane events. Someone approached Violet and engaged in uninspiring conversations.


    Most of them were about Roen, whether to get in her good graces as her older brother would be the next duke, and perhaps the next prime minister.


    There were a few who overtly tried to undermine her. Some middle-aged men who looked down on her as a young woman tried to raise their hands in anger in response to Violet¡¯s straightforward words. They were all promptly escorted out.


    ¡®A few noble houses will likely disappear by the end of this banquet.¡¯


    Violet found it all to be quite trivial.


    She hoped that the rumors of her aiming for the position of the next duke would prove baseless. Some of the others even preferred to appease the feeble Roen.


    ¡®Come to think of it, where did that rascal Cairn go?¡¯


    Violet realized that Cairn, who had been beside her until just now, was no longer there. She concluded her current conversation with these people here and left her seat.


    ¡°Oh, goodness!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


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 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    As she tried to leave, she bumped into someone. It wasn¡¯t a staged maneuver, but a genuine ident.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    The maid carrying a tray hurriedly lowered her head. Her expression was filled with fear.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. My clothes got a little wet though.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t particrly enjoy noisy situations, so you don¡¯t need to apologize any further. Besides, I have spare clothes prepared, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°U-Um, then¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to lead me to a separate room to change.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll guide you there shortly.¡±


    The maid promptly led Violet somewhere. While there had been a minor disturbance at the banquet, it wasn¡¯t particrly significant. Themotion ended quickly.


    .


    .


    .


    Violet and the maid walked along an empty corridor. Due to the absence of people, the lit corridor felt eerily quiet.


    Thinking about the incident from the previous day, Violet furrowed her brows slightly.


    The corridor, where she had walked after leaving the banquet hall with the excuse of needing a break after dancing with Aldin a day before, had this bitter atmosphere.


    As she was about to head home, she encountered an unwee face by chance.


    ¡°Who might this be! Isn¡¯t it the haughty ducaldy?¡±


    It was none other than Alec Leshan.


    His face was flushed as if he had indulged in some drinks, and he couldn¡¯t let go of his ss, making for quite aical sight.


    Violet had initially tried to ignore him, but the impudent man¡¯s grip was fast.


    <i>¡°Haha.</i> You act so high and mighty by yourself¡­ but you¡¯ve been up to some naughty things, haven¡¯t you? Well then, I think you and I should dance a song together, Ducal Lady¡­¡±


    Caught off guard, Violet briefly recalled if this was how he originally spoke.


    He wasn¡¯t someone who had been particrly significant to her, so she couldn¡¯t recall for sure.


    However, one thing she was certain of was that Alec¡¯s current behavior was overly impertinent.


    She contemted whether she should address him formally or not.


    But when his persistent hand on her arm became increasingly offensive, it prompted her to drop any pretense and assert her authority.


    ¡°I only attended because I could not ignore an invitation from the Imperial Family.¡±


    ¡°In the end, you¡¯re just a dog that kneels before power, huh? Why, are you not satisfied with entering the Leshan Marquisate? Or perhaps you¡¯ve already raised your skirt for all to see¡­¡±


    There was no trace of drunken slurring in his speech.


    No, it was likely because of his character that he was spewing such words without difficulty.


    It was a precarious situation, but Violet didn¡¯t feel any particr sense of danger.


    Alec Leshan was taller than Violet, but he was thin and slight in build. Perhaps it was due to his physique.


    He didn¡¯t emanate the oppressive presence that someone like Mikhail or Cairn did.


    ¡°You seem a bit drunk. Would you like to go and rest? Should I call someone for you?¡±


    Violet couldn¡¯t resist mocking him with a hint of sarcasm.


    She knew that trying to provoke a drunk person wouldn¡¯t lead to a good oue, but she couldn¡¯t help herself.


    As far as she knew, the drinks being served at the banquet had a low alcohol content. Still, to get drunk on such liquor, he must have guzzled it down ignorantly.


    She wondered why someone like this wastrel had been born under the esteemed Leshan Marquisate, especially when he had been sired by the gentle Marchioness Leshan.


    At the very least, Cairn didn¡¯t possess this kind of conceit.


    ¡°What? Afraid to dance just because I¡¯m from a mere marquisate? <i>Haha,</i> I guess that¡¯s it! Even though that¡¯s such an expensive skirt!¡±


    Violet debated whether it would be a reasonable action to kick Alec¡¯s prideful posterior, or perhaps to take off a shoe and hit him with it on the head.


    She felt that she had received enough insult to justify it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what misunderstanding there is¡­¡±


    ¡°Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding is there? Ah, is even asking for a dance a misunderstanding?¡±


    With barely any semnce of intelligence in this man, Alec managed to snap Violet¡¯sst thread of rationality. This guy had always been a reckless squanderer.


    At that moment¡­


    <i>Wham!</i>


    A sharp and clear sound rang out.


    Even though Alec had been the one to show disrespect first, the conflict between the two could escte into an inter-familial issue.


    Violet instinctively checked whether she had indeed taken off her shoes and whacked Alec¡¯s head with it.


    But, no, both of her shoes were still securely on her feet, and it seemed that someone else¡¯s shoe had struck Alec¡¯s head instead.


    ¡°¡­My apologies for the inconvenience.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Lady Alesia.¡±


    Fortunately, the incident didn¡¯t escte into an inter-familial issue.


    The one who had whacked Alec on the head was none other than Alesia Leshan herself.


    Though it was strange to hear something like this from Alesia, Violet looked pleased to hear it.


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 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137


    Despite her dress being ufortably tight around her waist, which didn¡¯t suit her at all, Alesia carried herself with confidence. She seemed short of breath, but Violet didn¡¯t point out this difort.


    ¡°Rather than that, may I ask why you were listening to the nonsense of a fool?¡±


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to jeopardize the Marchioness¡¯s favor.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re being much too stiff. Just speak casually, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I merely matched my manners to the one who wasn¡¯t showing any courtesy. I find this morefortable.¡±


    ¡°¡­You seem to have a certain fondness for our mother.¡±


    ¡°We <i>are</i> actually close, after all.¡±


    Violet chuckled. Alesia, with a touch of emotion in her expression, lightly whacked Alec¡¯s head again. The unconscious eldest son of the Leshan family grew one more bump for a total of two.


    ¡°Do you always find joy in living this way?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You had several opportunities to exin yourself to me properly, yet you only evaded the subject without saying a word. Why?¡±


    Alesia¡¯s resentment was still apparent.


    Violet vaguely trailed off in her response, thinking about Alesia mentioning her troublesome actions during the debutante toward her younger sister, Aileen.


    ¡°Opportunities to exin myself¡­?¡±


    ¡°Then pretending to be good afterward. Well, I don¡¯t even know which side is your true self¡­¡±


    Somehow, Alesia had an angry expression.


    The reason Violet hadn¡¯t exined her past to Alesia was simply that she didn¡¯t have much to exin. She had harassed Aileen because she didn¡¯t like her. What more could she add to that exnation?


    No matter howplicated the circumstances, the proposition was overly clear. She had no intention of airing her dirtyundry to others.


    So, Violet didn¡¯t point out Alesia¡¯s rudeness. There was no point in provoking the siblings further.


    In the end, Violet, who hadn¡¯t brought up the topic of Aileen, smiled gently.


    ¡°In any case, thank you for helping me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, could I excuse myself and leave, as I¡¯m getting tired?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Alesia didn¡¯t respond, and Violet didn¡¯t care, as she wasn¡¯t expecting an answer.


    .


    .


    .


    Before the end of the first day of the banquet, such an incident had urred. It was something she hadn¡¯t told anyone, given the awkwardness of the situation and the potential for more trouble.


    The corridor remained quiet.


    As Violet followed the servant, she thought casually about Alesia Leshan. She resembled Cairn butcked the grace and appeared to be straightforward. Trapped in the role of ¡®the marquisate¡¯s esteemed daughter¡¯, she had not yet spread her wings.


    Violet didn¡¯t dislike Alesia. However, what could she do when she was naturally drawn to someone who was showing hostility and was rude to her? Her feelings were in the realm of iprehensibility for the current Violet.


    Perhaps it was due to her prolonged contemtion. She didn¡¯t even notice that someone was approaching her. This led to her surprise when someone touched her shoulder.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Violet was on the verge of instinctively pushing her assant away, but she managed to restrain herself when she heard the voice. It was Cairn.


    If she had attempted to push him away, she would have been the one sprawled on the ground.


    ¡°¡ªI don¡¯t know where to start with your etiquette, but first, I¡¯ll ask you where you¡¯ve been.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I¡¯ve been calling you since earlier. You didn¡¯t hear me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Where is your mind that you can¡¯t hear me when I call you? You might get into trouble if you keep this up.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Purple eyes silently swept over Cairn. Unable toprehend the meaning behind that gaze, Cairn quickly redirected the conversation to his own matters.


    ¡°No, I wanted to stay by your side as much as possible¡­ But suddenly that cursed Crown Prince¡­¡±


    ¡°Shush.¡±


    ¡°That cursed Crown Prince¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Shush.¡±</i>


    ¡°¡­The Crown Prince called for me. I had no choice but to go.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an excuse¡ªit¡¯s the truth!¡±


    Cairn defended himself, feeling wronged. Violet ignored his defense. It was onlyter that Cairn noticed Violet¡¯s wine-stained clothes.


    ¡°What happened to your outfit?¡±


    <i>¡°¡­Haa.¡±</i>


    ¡°No, seriously, why?¡±


    The servant who had been guiding her earlier became even more timid. Violetzily answered with a simple ¡®How should I know?¡¯ as she couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin. Cairn¡¯s expression crumpled.


    Ignoring her younger brother¡¯s questions, Violet followed the servant¡¯s guidance.


    <i>¡°Kyahh!¡±</i>


    Suddenly, from a corner of the hallway they were passing through, they heard a scream. The sound wasn¡¯t deafening, and the corridor remained quiet.


    Clearly, something had gone wrong. The servant, who had been guiding them, froze in her tracks. Cairn stood up abruptly.


    ¡°¡­Are you going to see what happened?¡±


    ¡°Then are you just going to stand here and watch?¡±


    As Cairn asked if she was just going to look, a slight hint of disdain filled his eyes. Violet understood what that expression meant but simply smiled.


    Helping others was something one could only afford to do when they had the leisure. Those who always had an excess of leisure couldn¡¯tprehend those who didn¡¯t even have the capacity to help others.


    <i>¡°¡­Ha,</i> fine, forget it. Even if you don¡¯t go, I will.¡±


    Cairn spoke impatiently and quickly ran toward the source of themotion. The servant still looked indecisive. Violet sighed and waved her hand.


    She followed Cairn at a slower pace. As expected, she found the incident they had anticipated taking ce. In one of the rooms designated for resting during the banquet, a vile nobleman was attempting to overpower someone using his influence, and¡­


    ¡°Absolute buffoon!¡±


    ¡­A noblewoman, Alesia Leshan, was kicking a molester right between his legs.


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 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    Violet briefly furrowed her brow as she assessed the situation. One maid, trying to collect herself from the ground. One young nobleman, dressed up ostentatiously but somewhat greasy. And between the two of them was¡­


    ¡°Lady Alesia?¡±


    <i>¡°Cough!¡±</i>


    ¡°If someone tells you not to do something, you should just understand and back off!¡±


    As Alesia eximed, even Cairn watched her with interest.


    It was such a flustering scene that it took a bit of time toprehend. Alesia wore a dress that appeared morefortable than yesterday¡¯s, but it still didn¡¯t quite suit her.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s an exquisite technique¡­ quite impressive.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Cairnmented as he analyzed Alesia¡¯s actions. Violet, still astounded, remained silent and just watched the scene.


    The maid, who had almost been harassed, quickly adjusted her clothes, while Alesia made a few more threatening gestures.


    ¡°I came here to take a break, and I ended up seeing vermin like <i>you.</i> Get lost. If I ever see you again, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    She had a sharp tongue, too. The man attempted to assert his identity, saying, ¡®Do you even know who I am?¡¯


    But after receiving a few more hits, he left with a final, ¡®I won¡¯t forget this!¡¯


    Violet recalled which noble family he belonged to. It wasn¡¯t a particrly prominent familypared to the Leshans, so his warning was meaningless. In moments like these, the power of House Leshan was truly appreciated.


    ¡°Ugh, men. What¡¯s wrong with all of them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite fierce for someone who came to help.¡±


    ¡°Oh, came to help, did you? It¡¯s already resolved, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it looked like. But why are you using informalnguage?¡±


    Alesia and Cairn¡¯s confrontation was brief. Violet sighed as she watched the two of them.


    ¡°Enough, both of you. Lady Leshan, it¡¯smon courtesy to show respect to those who offer help.¡±


    ¡°¡­Lady Everett? Then, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Cairn looked amused. Violet had almost pinched his round, cute cheeks but decided against it.


    ¡°¡­Are you also here to help, Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, for now, let¡¯s just say my answer is yes.¡±


    <i>¡°Hah,</i> we¡¯ll you¡¯re sure good at helping. All you seem to know is how to get on people¡¯s nerves with your words.¡±


    ¡°What? Hey, sure, my sister is skilled at using pointed and hurtful words, but is that something to say to someone who came to help?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a trait of mine not to hold back against people who can¡¯tmunicate. Those who don¡¯t think about the consequences are better off left alone.¡¯


    ¡°If you provoke someone once, they¡¯ll go mad.¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of insane people in the world.¡±


    Violet observed their conversation expressionlessly. The dialogue between them was bing increasingly heated.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying it¡¯s better to do nothing and let injustice happen before your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Justice that can¡¯t resolve the problem is just hypocrisy. It might even add another victim.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re not suggesting that someone like Violet S. Everett would fall victim to a lowlife like him?¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you think it¡¯s impossible?¡±


    ¡°If such a thing would happen, I¡¯d tear that guy¡¯s legs apart first!¡±


    They argued spiritedly, and Violet just sighed inwardly.


    ¡°¡­Pardon me, but which flower bed have youe from exactly, Young Lord? For you to have such frivolous fantasies.¡±


    ¡°Out of nowhere, I swear¡­¡±


    As Violet had felt before, Alesia and Cairn had many simrities. Aside, of course, from their outward appearances.


    Violet initially expected them to get along well, but now she realized that they had fundamentally different values.


    The atmosphere grew tense. Violet clenched her jaws tightly.


    ¡°It might be best to go somece else first. Cairn, stop it.¡±


    ¡°No, what? What did I do again?¡±


    ¡°Cairn.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Cairn immediately closed his mouth. Alesia nced at Violet, and Violet made a suggestion.


    ¡°We¡¯ve seen an unpleasant sight. It might be best if youe with us as well, Lady Alesia.¡±


    ¡°Pants?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard any news about you aiming for the position of the duke¡¯s heir, Ducal Lady.¡±


    Even the notorious Alesia Leshan attended the event wearing a dress. She couldn¡¯t believe that Violet was here, boldly strolling around in pants.


    Alesia wore an expression that seemed to indicate she had many questions for Violet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin after we move elsewhere.¡±


    The situation had somewhat calmed down. The terrified maid, who had almost suffered a severe situation, regained herposure and tidied herself up.


    First, Violet allowed the maid to rest, and the other maid who had originally been guiding her quickly led them to another space.


    The lounge prepared for breaks during the event could be entered by anyone at any time. The new location was not much different, but it wasparatively peaceful.


    Violet finally changed clothes. After wearing clean new attire to rece the wine-soaked clothing, she let out a small sigh.


    ¡°Have you changed your clothes now?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that look again? Why are you staring like that?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    The atmosphere had settled into an uneasy silence, and that awkward stillness hung in the air.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly afortable rtionship, so the silence felt heavy and ufortable. Violet casually observed the two.


    ¡°I¡¯m not deeply curious, but it seems only polite to ask. May I ask what happened?¡±


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 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    ¡°Considering what happened, perhaps it¡¯s best not to ask, if we¡¯re talking about politeness. Nothing of consequence happened after all, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better to urately assess situations that could lead to misunderstandings. Pointless gossip could do harm to you in the end, couldn¡¯t it, Lady Alesia?¡±


    ¡°¡­I merely intended to take a short break, but the sight was unbearable.¡±


    ¡°That was the heir of the Zion Marquisate earlier, wasn¡¯t it? To have such incidents happening within the Imperial Pce, it could lead to a death sentence.¡±


    ¡°¡ªDeath sentence?¡±


    ¡°If caught, yes, it could indeed lead to a death sentence. It seems everyone is involved discreetly.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    The subsequent exnation was rather predictable. Violet thought that Lord Zion, despite being a noble, had ventured into truly remarkable territory by daring to touch the imperial family¡¯s servants. It was amazing just thinking about it.


    Even if he were to escape punishment, he would never escape any stern protestsing from House Leshan.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand at all. Why would someone do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never understand because you¡¯ve grown up without needing to resort to such actions.¡±


    Violet replied indifferently. Cairn wouldn¡¯t understand the struggles that Violet had to face as a woman. Even though they were born into the same ducal household, their experiences were vastly different.


    He would forever remain oblivious to a life beneath, one that often meant relying on any means necessary to survive.


    ¡°I would like for you to keep this a secret from my mother.¡±


    ¡°Are you concerned about the Marchioness, Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°For now, I understand.¡±


    Violet gave a polite response. Such matters were better handled by adults. Alesia, who had been looking at Violet with suspicion as if she were hiding something, finally spoke.


    ¡°But why are you dressed like this?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean my attire?¡± Violet answered.


    ¡°Are you aiming for the position of the Duke¡¯s heir, perhaps?¡±


    Violet burst into quietughter, leaving Alesia with a slightly ufortable expression.


    The clothes Violet had changed into weren¡¯t particrly extravagant, but they still exuded elegance. It was fortunate that she had prepared spare attire. Violet, who had strolled the streets in pants a few times, looked at Alesia.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°The issue of the ducal household¡¯s heir is a delicate matter.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why wearing pants is considered a delicate matter. I haven¡¯t entertained the notion of taking up that cumbersome mantle¡ªnot in the slightest.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡­¡±


    ¡°Because I want to.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    While dismissing the position of the duke¡ªjust one step below the imperial family¡ªas simply ¡®cumbersome¡¯, Violet stretchednguidly. Alesia furrowed her brow.


    ¡°Is it alright to live in such a carefree manner?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more than alright.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just fine. Is there a reason I can¡¯t live as I please?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The other woman¡¯s attempt at sarcasm was quickly stifled by Violet¡¯s straightforwardness.


    Alesia¡¯s eyes, full of bitterness no matter how you looked at them, made Violet raise an eyebrow. Alesia¡¯s lips closed and opened a couple of times before she finally spoke.


    ¡°¡­As someone born into nobility, you can¡¯t simply live as you please. Every action you take as ady affects your reputation and your family¡¯s standing.¡±


    ¡°My sister doesn¡¯t care about something like that anyway.¡±


    ¡°¡ªIs there a point in caring about my reputation? Even if I do more as I please, my reputation is already in the gutter, and making it worse won¡¯t change anything.¡±


    Indeed, that was the case.


    There were already inted rumors about the wicked deeds of the infamous Ducal Lady Violet, and a few more misdeeds wouldn¡¯t make a difference. Violet smiled gently again.


    ¡°And as for that cursed family. Whether they prosper or fall, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It certainly looks as f*cked as it truly is, so do I look well-adjusted to you? That family is as dysfunctional as dysfunctional could be.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that our house is f*cked up, but Sister¡­¡±


    It was actually Cairn who seemed taken aback by Violet¡¯s enthusiastic critiques. Considering everything that Violet went through, there was certainly nothing good she could say about their family. However, Cairn never expected that such words woulde out from her own lips.


    But at the end of the day, her words carried her genuine thoughts.


    ¡°Well, regardless of what I do anyway, it¡¯s not like that household¡¯s foundation would crumble or anything.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    This was true. House Everett would not be reeling from the actions of just the ducaldy.


    The only problem was that her value in the marriage market would plummet, but that was something that Violet had absolutely no care about, so whatever. She didn¡¯t have any ns to marry after all.


    Alesia pursed her lips.


    ¡°¡­Do you find it enjoyable to live as you please while tormenting those around you? It seems like you don¡¯t care about others at all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unexpected to hear those words from you.¡±


    Ultimately, it boiled down to the same point. However, Violet followed up with a different response. Her eyes had suddenly turned chilly.


    ¡°You, too, don¡¯t care about others, do you? You don¡¯t seem concerned about the harm that may befall the Leshans due to your actions.¡±


    The reason Alesia could act as she pleased was because of her surname. However, she couldn¡¯t continue doing this forever.


    If such actions continued to umte, even the illustrious House Leshan would suffer the consequences.


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 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    Not unaware of this fact, Alesia spoke up.


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it the people who don¡¯t act that are the problem?¡±


    ¡°In the end, it¡¯s all in ruins anyway. I can understand what you¡¯re trying to say. However¡­¡±


    Violet, with her hands now away from her face, smiled arrogantly.


    ¡°Lady Leshan, can you say that everything that you do is ¡®right¡¯?¡±


    She asked with her eyes.


    <i>Even if it¡¯s in the name of justice and fairness, is it right to resort to violence?</i>


    Right now, Violet wasn¡¯t discussing the current situation.


    Alesia must have experienced simr situations several times, and each time, she acted recklessly.


    Did all those problems get resolved just because she acted as she saw fit?


    Were the things she deemed right at that time <i>truly</i> right?


    Even Violet herself, in the heat of the moment, had been subjected to Alesia¡¯s erratic actions and misunderstandings.


    Violet asked Alesia if she was intoxicated with her own version of ¡®justice.¡¯


    Perhaps it was because of the atmosphere. Alesia didn¡¯t even notice that Violet was talking down to her right now. The atmosphere had be sharp, and Cairn could do nothing but look alternately between the two women.


    ¡°Is it so severe that you have to say that¡­?¡±


    ¡°It applies to you, too, Cairn. Listen carefully. Whatever I do might not be a big deal, but your actions can cause significant problems.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s not fair¡­!¡±


    ¡°Well, why exactly do you think that?¡±


    The conversation had inadvertently shifted back to the siblings. Cairn furrowed his brow, and Violet just smiled.


    Violet knew her ce well.


    As Violet herself was out of the marriage business, while Cairn would remain within the household as a knight of the family, they were in very different positions.


    Responsibility was not so straightforward.


    ¡°Um, excuse me.¡±


    Just as Alesia was about to speak again, someone knocked on the door. The maid who had guided Violet earlier approached, looking cautious. Violet smiled and gestured.


    ¡°You. Get out.¡±


    ¡°No, why me again¡­¡±


    ¡°If I tell you to leave, <i>leave.¡±</i>


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Cairn was promptly kicked out.


    What the maid brought was a separate set of clothing. Violetpared her physique with Alesia¡¯s and shrugged.


    ¡°Just in case, I prepared some extra clothes. You seemed ufortable in that skirt.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Why.¡±


    ¡°Why¡ª There¡¯s really no need to ask. It¡¯s just a simple gesture of goodwill. If you want to refuse, feel free to do so.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Alesia epted the clothing. Violet, too, left the room, signaling that Alesia should take her time. The maid who had brought the clothes remained inside and assisted Alesia with her attire.


    Their heights were simr, so it should be fine. She had also ordered a generous fit around the waist, so it should work out.


    Outside the lounge, Cairn was looking down at the floor with a long frown on his face for a while. Was he thinking of something with that head of his? Violet soon averted her gaze from Cairn.


    ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t matter what you do, apart from what you did to Aileen. But the others¡­ Are you saying that you don¡¯t regret any of what you did at Everett before?¡±


    Cairn suddenly asked. Without shifting her gaze to him, Violet replied.


    ¡°Because back then, I had no other choice. There¡¯s nothing for me to regret.¡±


    ¡°No other choice¡­ Why¡­!¡±


    Cairn began to raise his voice as he looked at Violet, but he quickly swallowed his words. As usual, Violet¡¯s expression remained calm.


    ¡°Cairn, you were hailed as a genius from the moment you were born. Whether it was because you were the youngest or because you possessed exceptional talents. However, as the third son, you didn¡¯t receive as much pressure or expectations. As the youngest son with less responsibilities weighing down on you, you¡¯ve been living, basking in praise after showcasing your talents.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°So, you will never understand me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter how much I try to exin.¡±


    Cairn asked this question. Violet¡¯s actions were already problematic themselves, tarnishing her reputation and throwing her into the abyss.


    Her position had been cast down to the floor and submerged in the depths of that deepke.


    But if one were to dissect it piece by piece, she had not spoken falsely. Half were false usations, and half were actions she had taken herself. Considering the false usations she had turned around, it wasn¡¯t impossible to understand why Violet reacted the way she did.


    Violet told Cairn that he would never understand her. Just like those words, at that moment, Cairn found it difficult to grasp Violet¡¯s intentions. And, he traced back to when he had be unable to understand her.


    Still somewhat stuck in the mindset of a child, Cairn asked one more question.


    ¡°¡­Was it because Mikhail crossed the line?¡±


    Violet did not answer. That was the only question he could ask, even if it was good to a certain extent.


    Was it because the line was crossed to the point of no return that she had be impossible to understand?


    Then¡­


    ¡°Brother, he¡­ Is it because Brother crossed the line that this all happened?¡±


    If it¡¯s what Mikhail did, Cairn asked.


    For some reason, his voice was almost desperate. Cairn loved his family, and Mikhail was a part of that family. It was only understandable for him to feel that way.


    Violet closed her eyes in silence.


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 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    She couldn¡¯t give an answer, and that was to be expected, considering she held memories of the past.


    No matter how much Violet tried to draw a line between her current life and her past life, it was not entirely someone else¡¯s business.


    ¡°¡­Sorry.¡±


    When Violet didn¡¯t respond, a feeble apology spilled out from Cairn. It was even more pathetic and smaller than an apology Roen had made once.


    Despite the lights being on in the rarely frequented corridor, there was a strangely bitter atmosphere lingering.


    Did Cairn truly understand the meaning behind her words? Violet pretended not to hear his apology and entered the lounge again.


    Awkward silence settled in. Violet paid no attention to Cairn and walked further into the lounge. Alesia, who had changed into the clothes, looked awkward as she examined herself.


    ¡°It really suits you.¡±


    ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that our body types are simr.¡±


    Alesia¡¯s eyes narrowed. Clothes made based on riding attire naturally suited her, as if they were made for her from the beginning. It might feel unfamiliar to those ustomed to wearing dresses, though.


    ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t fit well around the chest.¡±


    Alesia awkwardly broke the silence with ament. Was that so? Violet, who hadn¡¯t noticed any strange parts, tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°Is it tight?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m saying that it¡¯s loose.¡±


    Words that broke the silence once again brought back the stillness in the air.


    Violet quietly looked down at her own chest. This meaningless mass of fat might be an object of envy for someone, but in reality, it was just ufortable to have. Without proper tailoring, clothes would never fit her well. Violet sighed.


    ¡°Still, it suits you well.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why are you helping me?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to help.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m asking for the reason.¡±


    Alesia¡¯s expression appeared ufortable, and it didn¡¯t seem like she was merely acting awkward due to the clothes. Violet silently watched her, hesitating to enter, and looked at Cairn, who stood just outside the door.


    ¡°Right, well. You hate me, while I don¡¯t hate you. Is that enough of an answer?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Alesia didn¡¯t respond. Violet blinked once and turned towards the door.


    ¡°The clothes I brought today are of entirely different designs, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much about them. Just think of this set as a gift. Please also send my regards to the Marchioness.¡±


    ¡°¡­You.¡±


    ¡°You look very good in them. How about trying for the title of ¡®Dame¡¯ instead of ¡®Young Lady¡¯? You should aim for it, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Violet left without waiting for a response. Cairn, who had been waiting in front of the door, looked at her without being able to frown.


    People areplicated. They can¡¯t be simply categorized as good or evil, which makes rtionshipsplex.


    So, what will Alesia think of Violet? Will she see her as a bad person, a good person, or perhaps as aplex one?


    Anyway, Violet decided not to care about her anymore.


    ¡°¡­Did you already know her?¡±


    ¡°Ah. She¡¯s the daughter of Mom¡¯s friend.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Since there was someone right next to her, the tension in the air soon dissipated.


    Cairn still seemed to have mixed feelings, but he didn¡¯t seem to care too much, thinking it might be simple emotions that a sibling would have.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t figure you out, Sister.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I don¡¯t particrly want to be understood.¡±


    ¡°¡­Liar.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure without evidence.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m notpletely clueless, you know.¡±


    Violet looked at her brother, who couldn¡¯t meet her eyes.


    Did he grow taller than her? Until before going to the academy, Cairn was slightly shorter than Violet, but now he was significantly taller. Perhaps he might grow as tall as Mikhail one day.


    She believed that her rtionship with Cairn would never unravel like it did with Roen. It was more than just a thought¡ªit was her firm determination.


    So, even if Cairn kept being callous, the lingering seeds of her resentment would never prosper further.


    At that moment, Cairn remembered something he had forgotten. It was the shocking incident he had witnessed just before facing Violet.


    ¡°Ah, anyway, that¡¯s not the issue! Come this way!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Quickly!¡±


    Cairn suddenly grabbed Violet¡¯s wrist and rushed her. Violet¡¯s expression furrowed. Cairn¡¯s actions posed multiple problems right now.


    Violet roughly pulled her hand away, and Cairn looked at her with a questioning expression.


    Yeah, this personality doesn¡¯t match with her. Cairn flinched a bit at Violet¡¯s subdued sigh.


    ¡°¡­Something happened though.¡±


    ¡°What.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see it.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re grabbing people without permission?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It¡¯s not a misconception that his words became particrly chilly. Cairn¡¯s expression changed a couple of times. Violet tilted her head slightly.


    Only footsteps echoed in the silence. As themotion got closer and the bright light entered their eyes, they overheard some words.


    ¡°It¡¯s truly a geometrical expression. Such a perspective is possible¡­¡±


    ¡°A unique expression, especially the part where humans are depicted as non-human forms¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow, this might be a concept bordering on the devil¡¯s¡­¡±


    These were critiques for her paintings.


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 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    Violet still didn¡¯t fully grasp the situation and stared nkly at the banquet hall. Cairn, witnessing the momentary crack in her poker face, covered his forehead with his palm and sighed.


    ¡°His Highness is bragging about it.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°He even said that it¡¯s his favorite among everything he received this year.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression quickly stiffened, and Cairn pursed his lips.


    Since Roen had presented Violet¡¯s painting as a gift, the ownership of that painting now belonged to the Crown Prince. Of course, Violet had not willed this painting to be given as a gift, but there was nothing she could do about it now.


    Facing the nobles gathered around it in the banquet hall, eagerly discussing the painting that was publicly receiving acim, Violet couldn¡¯t decide how to react. She discreetly took a step back.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Home.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re just leaving it there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired today, so I think I¡¯ll rest now. Whether you stay and enjoy or leave, it¡¯s up to you.¡±


    The nobles who had wanted to get the attention of the imperial family shifted ufortably.


    Some of them were thinking of urging the artists they themselves were sponsoring to match the crown prince¡¯s apparent tastes, while others admired the painting purely for its artistic merit. On the other hand, there were a number of them undermining the piece, branding it as a diabolical creation.


    Violet had no desire to get involved in this situation.


    However¡­


    ¡°Oh, Ducal Lady, you¡¯vee at just the right time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I received the gift you sent. It¡¯s such an exceptional painting that I wasn¡¯t able to bear to keep it all to myself. I n to exhibit it in the pce if possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ d you appreciate it.¡±


    She got caught.


    Violet forced a smile. Cairn, who thought he could sense her anger behind that smile, took a step back. He was mentally sending notes of sympathy towards Roen.


    ¡°Compared to the Empire¡¯s progress, the art world is still somewhat conservative. This is such an amazing painting that it shatters the conventional norms. It even makes me feel like my aesthetic standards have been shattered¡­ Roen did hint at it before, but we can look forward to an exhibition of your workster, yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­I am only grateful for Your Highness¡¯s generous praise.¡±


    Naturally, everyone¡¯s attention turned towards Violet.


    They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and in this case, few looked at her with genuine goodwill.


    Violet inwardly cursed the situation Rajaden had orchestrated. Rajaden only responded with a thin, faint smile.


    ¡°Indeed, that woman¡­ There¡¯s something about her.¡±


    ¡°Even if a demon painted it, it¡¯s an incredible piece.¡±


    ¡°But that unique expression, couldn¡¯t we learn something from it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°Her attire and everything, Ducal Lady Everett is quite unconventional in many ways.¡±


    They exchanged hushedments amongst themselves. Violet fortified her expression with a perfunctory smile.


    ¡°¡­I heard that she died and was revived, but after all that, did she actually sign a contract with the devil?¡±


    ¡°Wow, my friend. You¡¯re saying some dangerous things.¡±


    Having good hearing could sometimes be a curse. Violet said goodbye to Rajaden with a polite nod and pretended not to hear the rest of those people¡¯s whispers as she walked away.


    Her destination was Roen. Simrly besieged by curious onlookers and bombarded with questions, Roen was taken aback when Violet suddenly approached.


    ¡°Could you spare me a moment?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Just a moment.¡±


    <i>¡°Uhhh,</i> Violet?¡±


    Violet¡¯s actions were swift. She led the baffled Roen away from the crowd and to a secluded area.


    ¡°If you have something to say, say it now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Speak up.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Well, um, but this is too sudden¡­¡±


    The confrontation between the fuming younger sister and the flustered older brother ensued.


    Roen bowed his head first. He quickly ran through his thoughts to figure out what had gone wrong, and soon, he clenched his jaw tightly.


    Being aware of what his close friend had done in the banquet hall, Roen promptly realized the issue at hand.


    Recognition andprehension were simr realms, but they weren¡¯t mutually exclusive.


    ¡°Gosh¡­¡±


    Cairn, who had followed his brother and sister unnoticed, clicked his tongue.


    ¡°But Violet, this is a golden opportunity. I¡¯m sure Rajaden had good intentions¡­¡±


    ¡°Good intentions?¡±


    ¡°Well, um¡­¡±


    Roen¡¯s excuses came to a halt. Violet¡¯s expression was stern.


    In essence, Roen wasn¡¯t entirely at fault in this situation. He deserved criticism for handing over the painting without permission.


    However, ming him for the painting¡¯s subsequent introduction and the ensuing critique felt somewhat ambiguous. He might have been the source of the problem, but¡­


    Caught in this dilemma, Violet was in a simr predicament. She couldn¡¯t openly express her anger in front of the crown prince, so even though she had taken Roen aside, her emotions couldn¡¯t subside easily.


    Her visible anger made Cairn choose to quietly observe the situation.


    Carefully, Roen broke the silence.


    ¡°But, Violet¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you trying to hide your art?¡±


    At Roen¡¯s question, Violet¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


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 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143


    Roen soon resumed speaking in his usual manner.


    ¡°Objectively speaking, your art is sublime. It¡¯s good enough that we can hold an exhibition for you right away. Artists who can¡¯t secure sponsorship can¡¯t even dream of hosting a single exhibition. Everyone wants to showcase their art to the world, and you have the talent. If you want, I can provide all the resources you need. So why hide it to such an extent?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Violet was taken aback by the question.


    Or perhaps more urately, struck right at her core.


    ¡°You have talent. You could open an exhibition whenever you wanted to, so show your art to the world as much as you want. Why go to such lengths¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just about her art.


    Anyone, regardless of their field, would naturally seek recognition. They would strive to achieve lofty ideals in their respective fields, and they would want their work to be acknowledged by others.


    However, after her experience in the annex, Violet had only shown her paintings to a select few, treating them as if these pieces were parts of herself.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not the kind of art worth showing to other people.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet fell into silence once more. The questions continued to flow.


    In fact, Violet had unconsciously been looking down on contemporary art until now. It was from admiration to submission.


    Deep within her subconscious, there might have been a desire for recognition all along. Violet was now grappling with questions that had long eluded her.


    Violet pondered why she didn¡¯t want to show her art to others.


    ¡°Paintings created by a demon.¡±


    ¡°Witch that made a pact with the devil to paint¡­¡±


    Someone once joked that if her painting had emerged a few centuries earlier, she would have been sent to the sacred tribunal for judgment.


    Was it because of those words?


    ¡°You wanted to host an exhibition, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°What kind of exhibition were you nning?¡±


    Despite Violet scowling openly at him, Roen continued unperturbed.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s a conversation for when I¡¯m prepared,¡± Violet eventually answered, choosing to gloss over the topic.


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    There was nothing worse than having things revealed when she wasn¡¯t ready. A displeased expression overtook Violet¡¯s face.


    Roen, who realized the simmering anger on her face a moment toote, chuckled nervously and took a step back. But it was Violet who erupted first.


    ¡°¡­Get out of my sight.¡±


    ¡°Viol¡­¡±


    ¡°Or what, are you nning to engage in more inappropriate behavior? Even if His Highness openly demands a painting ¡­ you¡¯re not the type of person who¡¯d easily give in, are you? Or, perhaps you couldn¡¯t even keep your dear friend at bay properly?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously getting on my nerves. Get out of my sight right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    Violet was the one who had brought him here in the first ce, and she was also the one who issued the dismissal.


    With a noticeably sulky expression, Roen turned towards a balcony.


    Knowing that Roen was skilled at controlling his emotions, Violet realized that his dejected appearance was just an act. She sighed with difort.


    Did he even know what it felt like to have one¡¯s work evaluated and appreciated without any room to escape at all?


    There wereplex reasons behind Violet¡¯s reluctance to show her art to others¡­


    But ultimately, it was because she didn¡¯t want to be judged.


    ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Why did you follow me again?¡±


    ¡°The atmosphere didn¡¯t seem right, and I¡¯m not really the type to enjoy a banquet, you know?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like it. But it¡¯s dangerous to wander around without any guards.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen had disappeared behind the dazzling lights long ago. Violet nced through the banquet hall, her expression unreadable.


    Cairn seemed to be in a subdued state as well, and Violet¡¯s current mood wasn¡¯t conducive to attending to his difort.


    In the end, the two siblings went home, finding no real importance in staying there.


    * * *


    The next afternoon, Violet averted her gaze, concealing her difort.


    Rajaden chuckled. When his vertically slit pupils gazed at her like a beast, Violet subtly lowered her gaze and took a sip of her tea.


    ¡°There seem to be quite a few stories circting about Your Ladyship. For someone who ims to dislike responsibilities, you sure seem to wield power as you please.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only used my position as needed. Nothing more.¡±


    ¡°So, do you n to fulfill the obligations thate with your given position?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s gaze, which had been directed at her tea, shifted towards the crown prince.


    It was challenging to decipher any hidden meaning behind the man¡¯s smile. It¡¯s for no insignificant reason that he had been able to maintain his position as the heir to the throne.


    Violet considered trying to discern his intentions, but she soon decided against it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as if my positiones with significant responsibilities and obligations.¡±


    ¡°But you do have as much power as you need.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s notpulsory.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by pulsory¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand Your Highness¡¯s intentions.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha, </i>that¡¯s quite an interesting response.¡±


    Rajaden managed his expression well, suggesting a different meaning to Violet. She still didn¡¯t quite grasp what he was trying to convey.


    Nevertheless, she maintained an indifferent demeanor.


    ¡°So, do you really think someone like you, a ducaldy, should wield power? Rather than being inferior to unworthy individuals? Do you have any thoughts about bing the household head of the Everett Duchy?¡±


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 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    Violet shook her head, not understanding why he was urging her to pursue power. Rajadenughed with an expression that looked insincere.


    Power was apanied by such obligations.


    Those who were aware of the weight of power were better suited to wield it than those who remained ignorant, much like inexperienced individuals.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet maintained her usual stoic expression, but there¡¯s no way that Rajaden couldn¡¯t decipher her mood.


    The person who had proposed the positions of ¡®crown princess¡¯ and ¡®empress¡¯ was now asking her about taking up the position of ¡®duke¡¯.


    Suddenly, Violet found herself curious about what thoughts resided in that handsome head.


    ¡°Your older brother is also quite capable. However, I believe he would be more suited for a role as my deputy rather than the position of Duke.¡±


    ¡°¡­He can do both.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite relentless. I can see that you trulyck the ambition for power.¡±


    Rajaden grinned, a radiant smile like the sun, but it failed to impress Violet.


    ¡°You look curious as to why I came.¡±


    ¡°¡­Not really.¡±


    ¡°Feel free to be at ease. After all, you¡¯re my close friend¡¯s sister, so isn¡¯t that almost the same as you being like a sibling to me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Your expression doesn¡¯t look great. It seems that you and Roen aren¡¯t on the best of terms?¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression grew increasingly icy. The crown prince had a talent for gently prodding people with his words.


    He knew perfectly well that his words andughter could provoke someone¡¯s anger, yet he did it with full knowledge of it. Violet quickly schooled her features.


    ¡°I should probably tell you why I came. Roen has been pestering me so muchtely, goodness. It¡¯s as if his survival hinges on it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I just proudly showed off the most valuable gift among the ones I received. I apologize for going ahead and publicly revealing the painting at will.¡±


    ¡°¡­No. The painting was presented as a gift to Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I heard that he did it without Your Ladyship¡¯s consent, just on a whim, yet I¡¯m the one being med for it. Let me make it clear that I never forced him to do anything. Selling out your friend for your younger sister¡ªquite disloyal, I must say.¡±


    Violet closed her mouth as Rajaden¡¯s words quickly poured forth.


    There was no escaping the fact that she couldn¡¯t hide her artwork forever. Roen had also pointed out this issue. Her already troubled thoughts grew more restless due to this.


    However, Rajaden, unaware of this, continued to wear an attractive smile.


    ¡°¡ªThis is my excuse, but since we have some private time, how about having a quiet conversation?¡±


    Of course, ¡®private time¡¯ wasn¡¯t entirely urate with servants around, but Rajaden chose that word deliberately. It implied a desire for a private conversation, even though the servants might overhear.


    Violet, who had no way of knowing how the conversation would spread, simply averted her eyes in response to Rajaden¡¯s calcted remark.


    Her inner turmoil was quickly overshadowed by another worry.


    Even though she had chosen to avoid people and decided not to attend more banquets due to exhaustion from dealing with them, here she was, once again faced with someone she didn¡¯t want to see.


    And not just anyone, but the most ufortable and challenging person possible.


    ¡°¡­Is there something you¡¯d like to discuss separately?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite an uninspiring response.¡±


    ¡°If you have a topic in mind, please share it.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re even more direct than Roen. Your family doesn¡¯t seem to have a single funny bone at all¡­¡±


    Lightheartedly, Violet responded with a smile to Rajaden¡¯s attempt to disturb her equilibrium. It was the first time Rajaden had seen her smile, and it caught him off guard.


    ¡°¡­You can smile too?¡±


    ¡°I was trying to show the reaction you desired, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­Seems you¡¯re even worse than Roen, indeed.¡±


    Rajaden raised his hands as if to surrender, and Violet calmly sipped her tea.


    She remainedposed, with no hint of tension, even though Rajaden observed her carefully and casually dropped a remark.


    ¡°¡­Am I not handsome, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Howe you¡¯re not reacting at all, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re handsome.¡±


    ¡°But why aren¡¯t you reacting to it at all?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    For a moment, Violet¡¯s usually calm eyes narrowed slightly. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say, ¡®You¡¯re not my type¡¯, so she simply kept her lips sealed.


    Her silence made her seem like she was seething. Seeing her like this, Rajaden, who had always been praised, couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°It seems the thorns have been removed, but you¡¯re still as stubborn as ever.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Or is this intentional? I didn¡¯t expect to be snubbed like this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re like a venomous rose.¡±


    As the conversation they had during their first meeting came up, Violet looked at Rajaden.


    His eyes, reminiscent of a beast, seemed to scrutinize her persistently, making it difficult to maintain eye contact for long.


    Was it time to reveal her difort? While having no particr feelings or thoughts about the crown prince, Violet once again calmly locked eyes with Rajaden.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten, have you? That vivid first memory we shared.¡±<hr>


    <small><em>t/n: as scheduled, I will be taking a short break~ regr updates will resume on christmas day!</em>??</small>


    <small><em>hope you guys have a wonderful holiday week ahead~</em></small>


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 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t forgetting that be more beneficial for Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°As expected, you still remember.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Between gently curving eyelids, golden irises shone. It was said that the eyes of the royal family held an enchanting power that captivated people from generation to generation. Violet couldn¡¯t help but think he was a truly beautiful, truly arrogant man.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t dare forget the first time that I met Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°But since you said that forgetting that moment would be beneficial, it means it was rather ufortable for you. Oh, of course, the words I just spoke were meant as apliment.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand your intentions.¡±


    How could something no different from, ¡®How stubborn of you,¡¯ be considered apliment? Violet furrowed her brows in confusion, and Rajaden made a disappointed expression. However, his demeanor was quite distant from someone who seemed disappointed.


    ¡°You make it so obvious, yet you im not to know. That¡¯s quite disappointing.¡±


    Rajaden leaned back in his chairfortably and spoke as if he were in his own home. While Roen and Rajaden were simr in some ways, there were quite a few differences at their core. Violet sighed inwardly.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing this as an attempt to gain Your Ladyship¡¯s favor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is there anything you can even gain from winning my favor?¡±


    ¡°Rather, it¡¯s about getting closer.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I hold a position that allows us to build personal rtionships based on just wanting to get closer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s ambiguous. Power and status¡­ You can¡¯t even have one close friend you can confide in.¡±


    ¡°If you seek friendship, there must be others who would be willing.¡±


    ¡°No, I want <i>you.¡±</i>


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    People don¡¯t call his eyes ¡®enchanting¡¯ for no reason. As Violet couldn¡¯t tear her gaze away from Rajaden¡¯s irises, she hesitated with her words. Unanswered questions lingered within her.


    ¡°Do you happen to know that, Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°¡­Know what?¡±


    ¡°That unattainable things can be even more desirable.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°From the moment I was born, I was allowed to have everything, so I easily get tired of things thate to me quickly. So, the things I can¡¯t have are the most valuable, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±


    Violet responded curtly. This time, she truly didn¡¯t understand his intentions. Or rather, she¡¯s just pretending not to because in fact, she knew very well what he was implying.


    One couldn¡¯t sum up a person¡¯s entire life in a few words, but with someone like him, it could be one of two things.


    Either they be obsessively attached to what they desire and keep pursuing it, or they quickly lose interest once they obtain it.


    Either way, neither oue boded well for Violet.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°How could I possibly discern Your Highness¡¯s intentions?¡±


    With her eyes lowered, Violet sipped her tea as if nothing were amiss.


    The possessiveness of wanting to own a person couldn¡¯t be called love. It was difficult even to consider it an emotion. Violet suddenly found herself wondering if Rajaden could genuinely be friends with someone. Perhaps not even Roen could be considered a true friend to him.


    ¡°I genuinely want to get closer to you, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness and I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You said we don¡¯t hold a position that allows us to build personal rtionships. I concurpletely, but that doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t be lonely.¡±


    For some reason, Violet looked up at him when she sensed emotions in his voice.


    Was that expression genuine or intentional?


    Among the two possibilities, she pondered which one seemed more usible. Then, Violet sighed again.


    ¡°Come visit again. I¡¯ll be grateful for the gift you¡¯ve brought today. With this, I have something to boast about to my father, so he can work in a rather cheerful mood for a while.¡±


    Rajaden stood up, perhaps noticing Violet¡¯s innermost thoughts.


    The series of actions that followed, with him extending his hand and kissing the back of Violet¡¯s hand, felt almost theatrical. Violet blinked a couple of times as an unexpected sensation washed over her.


    The spot on her hand where he kissed her felt oddly warm.


    ¡°Then, Lady, I shall see you this evening.¡±


    The prince¡¯s exit was as smooth as the rest of his actions. See her this evening? She had no intention of attending the banquet in the first ce. Violet¡¯s resolve only solidified further.


    She turned to one of the attendants standing nearby.


    ¡°Prepare a bath for me. I feel like washing up.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mdy.¡±


    With every dilemma piled upon another, the day seemed to pass solely with pondering. It was a moment when she understood why ancient philosophersined about not having enough time for contemtion.


    Violet absentmindedly looked out the window, but her thoughts extended beyond the drawing room.


    * * *


    Just as Violet had intended, she was absent for all but thest day of the banquet. Until then, Roen had to field questions about the Lady¡¯s whereabouts from various inquisitive attendees.


    Rajaden was among them, and his amused demeanor hinted that he was thoroughly enjoying the teasing.


    During this time, Violet tried to rest, but she couldn¡¯t truly rx. Herplex emotions kept sleep at bay, and she found herself pondering a fewplicated thoughts in the middle of the night.


    After exchanging a few letters with the marchioness and hearing about Alesia¡¯s continuous activities, Violet couldn¡¯t help but smile. Ever since attending the banquet two days ago, the youngdy had been wearing a nk expression and doing nothing else. She did nothing else except for her recent trip to the boutique to build a new wardrobe.


    Other than that, Violet¡¯s paintings were also a topic of discussion amongst many people.


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 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    Some would say that Lady Violet S. Everett¡¯s paintings were so beautiful and magnificent that they wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she had actually sold her soul to the devil in exchange for such talents.


    Or, no. Rather, it was more like it¡¯s because of the grotesque and horrific nature of her art style that people were talking about how she <i>must¡¯ve</i> sold her soul to the devil.


    Apart from that, some were even iming that His Highness the Crown Prince had fallen under the witch¡¯s spell, among other absurdities.


    The gossip column in the pce and the social circles contained a poorly crafted parody that had little resemnce to the original events.


    Violet quickly closed the magazine when she saw the imitation that was worlds apart from the actual happenings.


    Then, just before the final day of the banquet, Aldin, who had been out of contact due to urgent matters within the Knights, sent a hurried letter.


    Knowing his character well, Violet couldn¡¯t help but smile at his borate apologies and lengthy exnations.


    He was truly a person with delicate emotions.


    While he usually seemed to be so stoic, reading his letter made Violet feel more sorry for him than he seemed to be for himself.


    Violet decided to approach the final day of the banquet with a positive mindset, knowing that her partner for the evening was in good health.


    Other than that, life went on quite uneventfully. She chose to engage in rigorous morning exercises instead of cinching her waist with a corset.


    Even when Violet herself said that maintaining such beauty was highly unnecessary since she wasn¡¯t going to be on the marriage market anyway, the maids continued to take care of her.


    Her maids indulged her in some beauty treatments, such as floral baths and meticulous skincare routines.


    Violet didn¡¯t bother rejecting all their pampering since all she had to do was stay still anyway.


    The matter of her attire and essories for the final day of the banquet was something she entrusted to her maids without much thought.


    The maids were fired up by the sudden responsibility, but Violet¡¯s response was nonchnt.


    ¡°I¡¯m already beautiful, so it¡¯s fine to dress me in simple clothes,¡± she remarked.


    While this may be true, it sounded more like an excuse.


    Nevertheless, the maids interpreted it differently and put in their best efforts to create an outfit that was both modest and subtly morous.


    In the end, Violet was dressed in a suitable outfit with a purple cape and a brooch for an ent. And since she wasn¡¯t wearing a dress but pants, there were only so many other ways she could stand out in the social scene.


    She arrived at the banquet hall as nned. As it was thest day of the banquet, the atmosphere was chaotic yet somewhat subdued.


    Violet pretended not to notice the nces thrown her way, those asional looks that seemed to want to approach her.


    Could it be because she had the illegitimate son of House Aesir by her side? Or was it because of their fear of this knight from the Order of the ck Wolf? Not many were approaching her.


    That¡¯s why she wanted to enjoy this peace, but¡­


    <i>¡°Ohh,</i> Ducal Lady. The painting of yours that was on exhibit the other day left a profound impression. The way you express the world is quite unique. I wonder where you drew inspiration to create such artwork¡­¡±


    ¡°I am Alman of the Shantora County. I would be very honored if we could discuss the paintings that Your Ladyship has done, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Many people kept approaching her without hesitation.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m still inexperienced and have much to learn.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! To have such artistic expression, you must be on the verge of making a mark in the world of art¡­¡±


    Most of them were nobles more interested in supporting talent or passionate about the arts rather than being deeply involved in politics.


    In a sense, they were pure, but in another sense, more driven by desires than anyone else.


    A certain count, who possessed over three national treasures in the form of paintings, was somehow determined to elevate Violet and make her known.


    They paid absolutely no attention to Aldin Aesir, the illegitimate son standing next to Violet. And neither did they even care about bringing up the name ¡®Everett¡¯.


    For Violet, it was quite puzzling. The problem was that she didn¡¯t have the knowledge beyond the basics to engage in a conversation with them about the history of art.


    Despite giving appropriate responses, the excited voices of those around her didn¡¯t subside, leaving Violet bewildered.


    ¡°Until now, art has mostly focused on depicting gods! The legend of origins has always been considered the most sacred and beautiful story from a human point of view, and to interpret the actual myth¡­¡±


    <i>¡°O-ho.</i> But myths are not just myths. The Sun God descending to thisnd full of evil and curses, directly bestowing blessings upon the humans¡­¡±


    ¡°It may be out of fashion these days, but it¡¯s not just popr for nothing.¡±


    Fortunately, they soon began talking amongst themselves, and Violet naturally slipped away from their conversation.


    Aldin followed her.


    ¡°I heard that you gave a painting to His Imperial Highness¡­¡±


    Aldin asked quietly, seeming somewhat more subduedpared to when theyst met.


    Violet looked at him in silence for a moment before smiling.


    ¡°Roen likes to do as he pleases.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Does it bother you?¡±


    ¡°¡­A little.¡±


    ¡°May I ask why?¡±


    Aldin hesitated for a brief moment and then lowered his gaze to the ground.


    Violet, curious as they had yet to make proper eye contact today, persistently observed him.


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 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    ¡°¡­Your Ladyship¡¯s paintings are truly magnificent, but¡­ I feel strange now that everyone knows about them.¡±


    ¡°Would you like a ss of champagne, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Their intentions crossed. Aldin looked like there were many things he wanted to say, but he quickly lowered his head.


    Violet interpreted this as a positive response.


    ¡°When is your birthday?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. If it¡¯s difficult to answer, you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±


    Violet realized her mistake btedly and tried to take back her words. Considering the process of how he had officially entered the ranks of the nobility, his actual birthday was probably irrelevant.


    In an atmosphere that matured like a well-aged wine, Violet tilted her champagne ss. She didn¡¯t have any thoughts about any incidents happening today. The notion that incidents <i>wouldn¡¯t</i> happen while she was around didn¡¯t even exist within her.


    Soon, as befitting the grandeur of the final day of the imperial pce¡¯s banquet, magnificent music filled the hall. There were whispers that Their Imperial Majesties, the Emperor and Empress, were also attending today.


    Meanwhile, Prince Rajaden, already mingling among the people, had captured their attention with his characteristic arrogant smile.


    With the resounding st of trumpets, the emperor¡¯s arrival was announced.


    The music abruptly ceased, as the entrance of the most powerful figure in the country brought with it an overwhelming presence.


    His appearance, even at a nce, made one think that he was unmistakably rted to Rajaden by blood.


    Violet maintained herposure, her head slightly bowed as she observed.


    A man who had once killed his father and all his brothers ascended to the position of the sun¡¯s representative. Though now, more than twenty yearster, the political situation had stabilized, there was a time when he was known as a bloodthirsty tyrant.


    The music began again. The emperor offered his congrattions to his son, and the atmosphere grew lively once more.


    Bathed in dazzling lights, the crown prince standing there was undoubtedly the ¡®protagonist¡¯. And it was not merely in the limited sense of being the host of today¡¯s birthday celebration, but in the broader sense of being the protagonist of this world.


    Violet felt a sense of distance from them. Even though she had lived a more extravagant life than anyone and was as noble as a noble could be, she felt that way.


    She suddenly turned her head to look at the man sitting beside her. His gloomy, subdued eyes were simply quiet.


    Someone who had never been the protagonist, not even on his own birthday, versus someone who was the protagonist of the entire world. The gap between them was as vast as the heavens and the earth.


    ¡°Sir Aldin¡ª¡± Violet began.


    ¡°Yes?¡± he replied.


    ¡°You seem to be lost in thought for some reason.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°Just?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    She wasn¡¯t the only one who was taking a glimpse into another world.


    The air grew warm. Basking in the radiant light of the chandeliers, people paired off and began to dance.


    The music was grand yet gentle. Enchanting. There was no shortage of opulence for this asion, fitting for the sun that had risen victorious.


    Those adorned in gold and silver danced to the rhythm, a spectacle to behold.


    The people gathered here hade to celebrate the next emperor¡¯s birthday. Some already held power, while others sought to make themselves known to those in power. Some participated to increase their value in the marriage market, while others were purely here for socializing.


    It was a truly diverse gathering.


    What must the man at the pinnacle of it all be feeling?


    Rajaden was a man born to be emperor. He was born with more power than anyone, but at the same time, he carried the weight of expectations and responsibilities that were nearly unbearable for an ordinary person.


    What did he truly desire?


    Rajaden had approached Violet to be acquainted, but she had declined, stating that she was not in a suitable position for such associations.


    Rajaden also epted her refusal as a matter of course. But was it really that simple? Could someone in such a high position truly not feel lonely?


    Violet, hiding from the expectations of people. And the crown prince, burdened by countless expectations.


    Perhaps both sides experienced a form of solitude.


    She closed her eyes, having captured the image of the handsome, golden-haired man in her gaze. Since she had chosen this position herself, she had nothing to worry about now.


    Instead, she extended her hand to the man on the sidelines next to her.


    ¡°Shall we dance too?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re asking me?¡±


    ¡°We came as partners, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Aldin reluctantly took Violet¡¯s hand. She smiled and led him to the dance floor. They let themselves go to the music, allowing theplex thoughts to sink beyond their subconscious and simply enjoyed the moment.


    The rustling sound of silk and chiffon was heard. Violet¡¯s attire wasn¡¯t a gown, so that sound must havee from someone else¡¯s attire. The musicians yed their hearts out. Even the sweetest desserts couldn¡¯t produce a sound as sweet as this.


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 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    The lights shimmered. Violet smiled at the golden figure beyond Aldin¡¯s shoulder.


    Lady Tolofia and Rajaden were dancing together. Rajaden led the shy youngdy with a charming and somewhat pretentious smile, exuding natural charm.


    Violet momentarily thought their eyes had met, but she hoped it was just a misconception. Making eye contact with someone else in such a situation, while dancing with their respective partners, would be quite improper.


    Lady Tolofia¡¯s attire was incredibly splendid. However, she wasn¡¯t exuding quite the same vitality. She was not wearing a corset any longer, yet she continued to be like a doll.


    Eyes turned their focus for a brief moment. Some were directed at Violet, while others were drawn to Rajaden.


    The man resembling the sun was with the woman who shone like a doll under the sun¡¯s rays, while the woman who resembled the moon was with a somber man like the night¡¯s curtain.


    There was a lot of talk being exchanged. <i>Who is the man with the ducaldy? Oh my, is he </i>that<i> illegitimate son? I knew he was half and half, like his mother¡­ But seeing them like this, Lady Tolofia is remarkably beautiful as well. Just looking at her brings joy to the eyes.</i>


    Throughout the banquet, Violet hadmented her uselessly heightened hearing. She heard every little sound. Aldin, being as highly skilled as he was, couldn¡¯t help but hear it all as well.


    ¡°Oh my!¡±


    Someone let out a small sigh.


    It was because Crown Prince Rajaden had prevented Lady Tolofia from stumbling. Violet, who was quite close to them, turned her gaze to the two.


    She saw the bashful face of the girl, blushing deeply and unsure of what to do.


    And, Rajaden¡¯s arrogant smile.


    Golden and purple eyes briefly met.


    ¡°Be careful, Lady.¡±


    ¡°I-I apologize¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Shall we continue dancing?¡±


    Rajaden nced at Violet as though to provoke. Indifferent to his advances, she quickly averted her gaze.


    However, as Aldin was facing her, he appeared deeply distressed.


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m not used to dancing in a ce like this¡­¡±


    ¡°For someone not used to it, you¡¯re quite skilled.¡±


    ¡°¡­I shouldn¡¯t cause any trouble to you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re a good dancer.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m good at anything as long as I can learn by practice.¡±


    <i>So, are you boasting now?</i>


    Violet bit her lip, almost inadvertently blurting out thisment, but she held it back. She let it pass, but Aldin¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t the only reason she was filled with the urge toment.


    It¡¯s because Aldin¡¯s ears were turning redder and redder as time passed.


    His face, initially expressionless, seemed like it could break into tears at any moment.


    And almost unconsciously, Violet momentarily thought about making him cry.


    She realized anew why she had a tendency towards viinous qualities. It would be rather cute to make him cry, to be honest.


    She felt a sneaky desire to tease him, but fortunately, the music came to a halt before she acted upon it.


    It was time to change partners.


    Violet had no intention of dancing further, so she nned to leave her spot. However, Aldin was quicker.


    After asking for her understanding, he swiftly left his position.


    Watching Aldin¡¯s hasty exit, Violet couldn¡¯t help butugh. He was certainly a mancking in a bit of some tact.


    ¡°I would be honored to have this dance with you, Ducal Lady.¡±


    Even after Aldin vacated his spot, Violet couldn¡¯t escape. The man next to her was even faster.


    Joining hands with the next young noble, she reluctantly began to dance. She pondered that asionally attending social activities might not be so bad.


    Before she had fallen into theke, Violet had actively squashed down all the criticism being poured against her. She had always indulged in extravagance, and that included attending banquets.


    Looking back, it was all part of her intention to taunt Aileen. Considering her actions, her personality could indeed be described as twisted.


    She had tormented Aileen every moment and insulted the many nobledies who sided with her. And attending banquets was merely a means to provoke them.


    But now, her perspective has changed. In truth, she actually had quite some fun at banquets.


    <i>Rustle, rustle.</i> The sound of skirts fluttering filled the air. It was time to greet her new partner after exchanging pleasantries with the young noble.


    A hand wearing white gloves grasped her own.


    ¡°Will you decline?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    First, she was startled by the overwhelming difference in their hand sizes, and then by his familiar voice.


    Her gaze met a familiar smile. With ease, Rajaden led Violet to the dance floor, where the extravagant dance unfolded.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you wanted to dance with me.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t? That¡¯s disappointing. Did you really not have any thoughts when you saw me dancing with otherdies?¡±


    ¡°¡­I will give you the answer you want to hear.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> lower your guard a little, won¡¯t you? I hoped you would be a little jealous.¡±


    ¡°Do I have any reason to be jealous?¡±


    ¡°Really? You didn¡¯t feel anything at all?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I, for one, felt a little jealous.¡±


    Violet stared at Rajaden intently in response to his casual words. His gaze had softened.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally looking into my eyes now.¡±


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 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    ¡°¡­I thought you were enjoying your time with the other youngdies.¡±


    ¡°But I couldn¡¯t dance with the one who wanted to dance the most, could I?¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, this isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯re dancing with me.¡±


    ¡°Since we shared the first dance together, I¡¯ve been hoping that we could have thest dance as well. Why can¡¯t you see these poignant feelings?¡±


    Rajaden¡¯s guiding touch was tender. His words and actions were those that one would expect from a lover, and his demeanor surpassed anyone else¡¯s.


    Violet knew that all of this was an act, but she decided to y along.


    ¡°If Your Highness wishes, I¡¯d dlyply.¡±


    ¡°¡­I wish that you wouldn¡¯t suddenly smile like that, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you want to see me smile?¡±


    ¡°It leaves me speechless. I wanted to see a genuine smile rather than a fake one¡­¡±


    ¡°Does a fake smile leave you in unrest, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°¡­Teasing people seems to run in your family, just like your older brother.¡±


    Rajaden grumbled. He was acting as a lover while being an actor himself.


    ¡°You and Sir Aldin seem to be quite close.¡±


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s my younger brother¡¯s friend.¡±


    ¡°Your younger brother? <i>Hmm.</i> I¡¯ve heard that you two aren¡¯t particrly close.¡±


    ¡°Is that what Lord Roen said?¡±


    ¡°I also heard that you had quite a friendly conversation with Lord Ruben.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re changing the subject¡­ And I don¡¯t even remember what we talked about.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> Lady Violet, you¡¯re the most interesting when you¡¯re honest! In times like these, you should use a man¡¯s jealousy to your advantage.¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression crumpled. She debated whether to point out the ¡®man¡¯s jealousy¡¯ first or express her disdain for the clich¨¦, ¡®You¡¯re quite interestingpared to the other youngdies!¡¯


    As if being ¡®interesting¡¯ could lead to ¡®love¡¯.


    She decided to divert the conversation instead.


    ¡°If Your Highness wishes to be closer to me, I can adjust to your preferences. What would you like?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m starting to think that you might want to hit me, Ducal Lady. Is it just a misunderstanding?¡±


    ¡°Surely, I wouldn¡¯t dare do such a thing to Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really Roen¡¯s younger sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°And you seem ufortable again. Could it be that you dislike beingpared to your older brother?¡±


    ¡°Rather than that, I can tell you that I don¡¯t particrly like Lord Roen.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? I suppose I should be careful about that to win your favor.¡±


    As the music yed on, Violet¡¯s gaze caught someone approaching the empress.


    And when the empress left her seat, a frown on her face after receiving a report, Rajaden chuckled, seemingly unbothered by it.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about Mother. It happens all the time.¡±


    ¡°All the time?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I have a cute little sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Unexpectedly, a forbidden word slipped out. If Rajaden was referring to his younger sister, it would be clear that he meant the imperial princess.


    However, information about the princess was shrouded in secrecy. All that was known was her birth.


    There was no information about her growth, and she had never made any public appearances in high society. Consequently, some people even doubted the existence of a princess in this country.


    Violet was taken aback when he mentioned the princess. Her surprise didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Rajaden, who smiled slyly and gently tugged her hand.


    ¡°Oh dear, I wish you¡¯d focus on me for now.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure what you want me to focus on.¡±


    ¡°You were thinking about something else, weren¡¯t you? In this situation where we¡¯re dancing together, you should only be thinking about me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> shall we chat briefly?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already chatting, aren¡¯t we? Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t seem tired either, Ducal Lady.¡±


    <i>Flutter, flutter.</i>


    Once again, the atmosphere in the banquet hall blossomed. Even after the empress suddenly left her seat, the atmosphere at the banquet remained unchanged.


    Normally, one wouldn¡¯t engage in such extensive conversations while dancing. Violet considered whether to stop responding, sensing that this unusual conversation wouldn¡¯t end easily.


    ¡°What kind of man do you prefer, Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°¡­Why are you suddenly asking me that?¡±


    ¡°Just because. I thought it might help us get closer.¡±


    The conversation took an odd turn. Rajaden¡¯s attitude was quite self-assured. However, he didn¡¯t disy the typical provoking demeanor, so


    Violet dismissed the premise that he was trying to charm her.


    ¡°¡­A man who looks charming when he cries?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be sure to keep that as reference.¡±


    Violet just gave the first answer that came to mind.


    Rajaden¡¯s expression subtly changed. <i>Did you always have such a preference, Ducal Lady?</i> His expression led her to believe that there might have been words he wanted to say but couldn¡¯t find a way to express them.


    Violet ended the dance by stepping on Rajaden¡¯s foot lightly.


    ¡°To think that thest birthday gift I received is this pain¡­ Anything that you give is a delight to receive, Ducal Lady, but it still hurts. I¡¯ll keep this pain in my heart forever.¡±


    ¡°Could I dare leave a scar on the body of His Highness the Crown Prince? It was an ident.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m not finding fault in you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


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 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re always so suspicious of me, Ducal Lady, but this time, I mean it. I¡¯ll remember the birthday gifts you¡¯ve given for a long time.¡±


    ¡°The stepping on your foot part?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, the painting.¡±


    With these final words, the conversation came to an end. Rajaden, wearing his characteristic sun-like bright smile, gave a formal farewell.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s meet again next time.¡±


    With a whisper so faint that only Violet could hear, Rajaden exited.


    Violet, who had dared to step on the imperial crown prince¡¯s feet without any consequences, felt a sense of unease and quickly left the dance floor.


    To her, it seemed like he wouldn¡¯t say anything right now, but he might use this as leverage to ckmail her in the future.


    While Violet had grownfortable and treated the crown prince like Roen in recent times, she swallowed her slight regret.


    Well, no use crying over spilt milk. Instead of regretting the past, Violet decided to focus on the present. She fended off those who approached her and promptly made her way to the balconies.


    Getting along with them might not be a bad thing, but dealing with those who hide their true intentions behind masks and try to achieve their desires discreetly can be tiresome.


    As Violet stepped back onto the balcony, she was met with the cool breeze. A ss with rising bubbles was extended towards her.


    It was a champagne ss with low alcohol content. Out of habit, Violet was about to decline but recognized the familiar face and epted the ss with a sip.


    ¡°Sir, you¡¯re always in a ce like this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ morefortable here.¡±


    ¡°Do you findfort in ces with no people?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Silence was Aldin¡¯s response. Violet chuckled softly.


    There¡¯s no one else here. She decided to ask something else.


    ¡°What have you been doing all this time instead of enjoying the banquet?¡±


    ¡°I had some business.¡±


    ¡°What kind of business?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s confidential.¡±


    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s confidential, I won¡¯t pry further. Would you like another drink?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no¡­ I¡¯m good.¡±


    Aldin hesitated to answer and then abruptly stopped. Violet refrained from pressing for more information.


    The sky had no clouds, and countless stars sparkled against the backdrop of the clear evening sky.


    Violet looked up, and as a pce servant approached with a refilled ss, she epted it and took a sip.


    The champagne Aldin had offered earlier had low alcohol content, but the second ss Violet epted had quite a high level of alcohol.


    Violet smiled as she felt its warmth spreading inside her.


    Aldin¡¯s face, illuminated by the starlight and moonlight, seemed exceptionally pale with his neatlybed ck hair, making his skin appear even whiter. Although Duke Everett also had jet-ck hair, it had a different shinepared to Aldin¡¯s.


    As Violet leaned on the terrace railing, she casually spoke.


    ¡°¡ªWanna try crying?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ah, slip of the tongue. Am I drunk?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Aldin asked with a puzzled expression, and Violet didn¡¯t provide an answer. Her gaze was fixed on the Milky Way flowing across the open sky, leaving the question unanswered.


    A faint sense of intoxication washed over her, and simultaneously, Violet pulled a thought that had been deep within her heart.


    It was something long past, yet it remained as a haunting memory.


    ¡°It was such an easy thing. Why didn¡¯t I realize it all this time?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about, but if you say it like that, then it probably wasn¡¯t, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°¡ªYou can talk to me more casually. Really.¡±


    ¡°I, how could I¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. You can call me by my nickname, too.¡±


    ¡°¡­B-But, I couldn¡¯t possibly!¡±


    As Violet had be slightly tipsy, she blurted out whatever came to her mind.


    Even if she was drunk, she wouldn¡¯t have spoken so freely if herpanion hadn¡¯t been Aldin.


    As she giggled softly, Aldin quickly swept a hand over his face topose himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s this easy, huh. I could have been liberated so easily¡­ Why did I hold onto it so tightly and linger on it, full of regrets, when I could have simply let go?¡±


    ¡°¡­Because not everyone can let go so easily.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m talking about, Sir?¡±


    ¡°At the very least, I think I understand you, Ducal Lady.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t an appropriate thing to say when one¡¯s been stigmatized as an illegitimate bastard.


    Was the concept of ¡®family¡¯ really that precious? Or was the desire for acknowledgment so intense? Did the recognition received after letting go taste sweeter?


    Aldin knew what she meant by her words. They were thoughts that had been buried deep within her heart.


    She had tried to carry them without ever letting them out, to live while embracing them, those words.


    She had not confided these things in others, not even Mary. With an odd feeling, Violetughed awkwardly.


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 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151


    ¡°Haha¡­ In the end, you¡¯re just sulking, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I can. I¡­¡±


    Aldin hesitated to speak further and soon trailed off. Violet waited for him to continue, tilting her head slightly.


    Perhaps it¡¯s a case of birds of a feather. Even though they weren¡¯t particrly intoxicated, such words wereing out. Violet raised her ss again. This time, she couldn¡¯t feel the burn of the alcohol that much.


    ¡°¡ªYou¡¯re drunk.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°¡­You <i>are </i>drunk.¡±


    Aldin took the ss from her and downed it in one gulp. Violet considered apuding, but she refrained. For someone who imed not to be drunk, her behavior was excessively that of a drunkard.


    Violet smiled again. It was the same smile that Rajaden had advised against suddenly doing.


    During the period before and after this banquet, she had made new friends. One of them was the country¡¯s crown prince, and the other was a duke¡¯s illegitimate child.


    ¡°You seem quite drunk. It¡¯s better to go inside.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d get drunk after just two sses?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too much, really.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t so bad. As a cool breeze blew, her silvery hair fluttered. Regardless of the conversations happening inside the banquet hall, this ce was like a separate world.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get some fresh air before going inside.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll apany you.¡±


    Violet, who paid no attention to the curious nces directed at her, smiled brightly.


    * * *


    After the banquet ended, Violet spent some time at home, as usual. Her daily life was ordinary and unchanged, but there were quite a few changes in her surroundings.


    Even if Ducal Lady Everett had no interest in the outside world, the world did not lose interest in her. Stories about the ducaldy were published in various newspapers and magazines.


    Most of the rumors were just that¡ªrumors. However, there were also cases where the truth was cleverly mixed with malicious content.


    While Mary was more angered by this than Violet, who found it bothersome to respond to such matters. Violet simply told her to let it go, even though she had some suspicions as to who were the people pulling the strings behind the scenes.


    ¡°Mdy, you¡¯re really popr. Everyone¡¯s just jealous of you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need this kind of poprity. Want to take some of it, Mary?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it either! Seriously, everyone¡¯s so jealous that it¡¯s bad!¡±


    Jealousy was jealousy, after all. After quickly scanning through the newspapers Mary had brought, Violet couldn¡¯t help but admire this turn of events. She had simply acted as she pleased, yet her actions had a significant impact on their own.


    Articles like ¡®A new design that revolutionizes the fashion industry¡¯ or ¡®The viiness aiming for both the Duke¡¯s and the Empress¡¯s positions¡¯ suddenly appeared with spections about the reclusive Lady of House Everett, revealing various conjectures.


    It was an innovative kind of poprity.


    Violet¡¯s interest was piqued as she read articles that even delved into her past actions, referring to her as a ¡®viiness¡¯ and a ¡®witch¡¯. Mary, who was just positively taken aback, snatched the newspaper away from her.


    ¡°Why, it was getting interesting.¡±


    ¡°T-This was a mistake! Mdy, you should only read the good articles.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. These are actions I actually took.¡±


    ¡°But still, I don¡¯t like it. Even though, when you think about it, you haven¡¯t done anything wrong, Mdy.¡±


    ¡°Even if there¡¯s nothing wrong in essence, there are things that can hurt people¡¯s feelings. It¡¯s words that gossip knowingly.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Mary had tears welling up in her eyes. Violet smiled and gently patted Mary¡¯s head. <i>Don¡¯t worry about it, Mary.</i>


    But despite Violet¡¯s affectionate words, Mary still had a sulky expression. Instead, Violet decided to change the topic of conversation.


    ¡°A lot of invitations came in. Have you seen them?¡±


    ¡°Why would I look at Mdy¡¯s invitations? But I did see them all. The second Young Master has already filtered through them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, <i>some people</i> have said I should look at those personally, right? Since I remembered, would you bring them over?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±


    Though the sun had risen quite a while ago, the idling Violet dered that she would do something productive for the first time.


    Soon after, when Mary cheerfully brought the invitations, Violet¡¯s expression quickly sank. Even if these had already been filtered by Roen, the contents were quite something.


    The high-ranking nobility in society had not sent many invitations. Even among those that were sent, they were nothing more than Roen¡¯s way of saying, ¡®There¡¯s no harm in attending these events if you¡¯re bored.¡¯


    Most of the invitations were from giants in the art world.


    It was a diverse set of people. There were nobles who had discovered and sponsored numerous famous artists in the empire, capitalists who ran art museums, and intellectuals known as experts in art history.


    The contents of the invitations were simple. They expressed that the painting showcased at the crown prince¡¯s birthday party had left a deep impression, and they wanted to have close interactions with the ducaldy if the opportunity arose.


    At the back of her mind, Violet also considered her life as a painter. So, she separately kept invitations from people who she would benefit from being acquainted with. She wondered if she¡¯d be able to mingle with people from the ages fifty and above.


    She promptly asked Mary to bring her a pen and paper. One by one, she replied, ¡®Yes, let us meet someday if there is a chance.¡¯


    After rummaging through the invitations for a while, Violet let out a brief sigh.


    ¡°Oh, I have to go to this one.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What is it, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°An invitation from the imperial family.¡±


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 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Mary seemed even more surprised than Violet. As the splendid coat of arms of the imperial family stood out among all the invitationsid before her, Violet wondered if perhaps the crown prince¡¯s joking invitation was <i>not</i> a joke after all.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why Her Majesty the Empress is calling me, but¡­¡±


    The official purpose of this summons for Violet was not clearly stated in the letter. Therefore, Violet pondered about what to wear.


    ¡°I-If it¡¯s an invitation from the imperial family, it¡¯s a big deal! <i>Oh, ohhh!¡±</i>


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. I don¡¯t have to go right away. First, I should wash up and do some exercise.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the bathwater right away!¡±


    ¡°I have no other appointments today, right?¡±


    ¡°None!¡±


    Violet got up from her seat. Mary looked surprised as she saw something that had been set aside in a fury.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    It was a page from a newspaper that had been separately set aside because it was much too angering. Mary sighed deeply as she reexamined the content.


    ¡®I guess it¡¯s better not to show you this.¡¯


    Mary silently swallowed her anger as she looked at an interview with a certain painter that upied the front page.


    * * *


    The empress hadn¡¯t designated a specific date or ce for Violet¡¯s invitation. It simply expressed her hope for a visit as soon as possible. Violet responded with a letter stating that she would visit the pce right away, instead of dying it.


    But could she really prepare so casually for a meeting with the empress?


    While getting her hair done, Violet couldn¡¯t shake off the rising doubts. It was indeed a sudden and unexpected invitation. No matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t stop her worries from bubbling up to the surface.


    Still, since Roen didn¡¯t filter out the invitation itself, there probably wouldn¡¯t be any major problems.


    Violet decided to stop dwelling on it and move on.


    The moment they found out that an invitation from the empress hade, the maids started bustling around. Thanks to them, Violet¡¯s appearance showed signs of careful consideration.


    Finally, as she handed over Violet¡¯s jewelry, Mary eximed in admiration.


    ¡°You truly are¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough with the ttery.¡±


    ¡°I mean it genuinely! Seriously, how can there be someone so beautiful¡­¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t changed much since we first met, have I?¡±


    ¡°Well, but¡­¡±


    Mary chuckled with a faint smile. Violet also smiled in response.


    Since the empress had officially invited only Violet, her escort consisted of members of the imperial guard. She was allowed to bring one personal guard, so she chose Zylo.


    A carriage from the pce arrived. Violet, apanied by Zylo, boarded it familiarly.


    The current emperor, who had eliminated all of his siblings and ascended to the blood-stained throne. And the only woman he loved.


    It wasn¡¯t a particrly special connection. Violet had heard that when the emperor was just a prince, he had married her through a political marriage. She was the daughter of a minor nobleman.


    Violet didn¡¯t know much more than that because she hadn¡¯t bothered to gather information about the people of the pce.


    Anyway, she thought to herself that it was best not to jump to conclusions about the empress¡¯s intentions as she gazed out the window.


    * * *


    The meeting between the two women went smoothly. As a daughter of a duke, Violet disyed wless etiquette, and the empress herself had dinner served without saying anything else.


    However, even for a member of the illustrious House Everett, it was quite extravagant tovish such attention on a mere ducaldy.


    Violet contemted the intentions behind this reception but eventually gave up. Trying to decipher every nuance would be exhausting.


    Unlike the Emerald Pce, which had been open during the banquet, the Ruby Pce¡ªthe empress¡¯s residence¡ªwas quiet. It¡¯s not that it was devoid of any sound at all, but the air all around was particrly heavy.


    Above all, the pce staff looked visibly tired. They tried not to show it, being professionals, but they couldn¡¯tpletely conceal their fatigue. Violet chose not to focus on them.


    ¡°Is the food to your liking?¡±


    ¡°¡­It is exceedingly good.¡±


    ¡°Your etiquette is remarkable, Ducal Lady. It¡¯s rare to see someone so perfectly observant of etiquette while dining.¡±


    ¡°It has be a habit for me to eat like this regrly.¡±


    <i>¡°Fufu,</i> is that so.¡±


    Violet had perfected her etiquette to the point where it had be a double-edged sword. It had been her way of not drawing attention to herself, but now, in this formal setting, it had its own challenges.


    Violet smiled gracefully, hiding her inner thoughts. Concealing her emotions in a tense atmosphere was something she was familiar with.


    After the main course, it was time for dessert. However, nothing was served. Instead, the empress greeted Violet with a graceful smile.


    ¡°You are truly skilled at managing your expressions, Ducal Lady. It¡¯s quite impressive¡­ If it¡¯s eptable to you, would you like to join me for dessert in my cherished garden?¡±


    ¡°If Your Majesty wishes, I would be delighted.¡±


    And so, Violet made her way to the empress¡¯s garden. The true purpose of this rather unfulfilling dinner must lie there.


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 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    Violet observed the empress¡¯s garden while specting about her intentions.


    Could it be groundwork for an engagement with the crown prince? If the empress personally started arranging a strategic marriage, it would be difficult for Violet to refuse, no matter how much she would resist.


    However, the imperial family might not view a union with House Everett favorably.


    Considering the close rtionship between the future emperor and the future Duke of Everett, it would appear as if they were raising future consorts for each other.


    Despite theplexity in her mind, the garden was tranquil and warm. It felt like a different world, unlike the austere pce.


    Perhaps nobledies who raised children had a hobby of tending to gardens.


    Violet¡¯s gaze casually drifted over the scenery, which had a different charm from the garden of Marchioness Leshan.


    Violet¡¯s own mother, thete Duchess of Everett, also had a hobby of tending to gardens.


    Trying to recall the memories of her childhood surroundings, Violet found tea and pudding ced before her. The touch of the person who served it was clean and without any ws.


    ¡°The pudding was specially made by the chef of the Empress¡¯s pce, with a unique recipe you can¡¯t taste anywhere else. This is premium tea from Adam. I hope it suits your pte.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±


    Thedy-in-waiting poured tea with a graceful demeanor. Violet expressed her gratitude briefly.


    In the pce, a nobledy¡¯s courtesy towards an attendant was not considered inappropriate. Once thedy-in-waiting stepped back, the empress began speaking.


    ¡°Indeed, seeing you like this, I understand why the world praises you so much, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°I am undeserving of such a reputation.¡±


    ¡°By the way, you must be curious as to why I called you. I wanted to see for myself what kind of woman my son cares about so much. It¡¯s quite different from the rumors¡­¡±


    Violet had to make an effort not to spew the tea in her mouth. But whether the empress noticed this or not, her expression remained tranquil.


    ¡°I heard you rejected my son.¡±


    ¡°Well, you see¡­¡±


    ¡°What wascking, I wonder? He¡¯s my child, and I must say I¡¯ve raised him quite well. Handsome, smart, and impable manners. There¡¯s nothing to worry about his physical condition either. That boy doesn¡¯t know how to skip training, so he¡¯s quite fit.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm? I¡¯m saying it partly in jest, so don¡¯t be so tense.¡±


    While she managed not to spit out her drink, Violet failed to control her expression.


    Though the empress imed that she was only half-joking, it meant that half of it was still said in earnest.


    Maintaining a youthful appearance that made her look like she was still in herte twenties, the empress looked at Violet and smiled gently.


    Despite her youthful appearance, her smile carried a mature charm.


    ¡°The reason Your Majesty wanted to meet me¡­¡±


    ¡°It was because I wanted to see the face that has my son so smitten, yes?¡±


    Violet put her cup down. Her face, which had remainedposed, was now serene.


    ¡°¡ªYou joke too much, Your Majesty. It only seems like I¡¯ve caught His Highness¡¯s eye, but he¡¯s not sincere.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha.</i> Does it look that way to you? Well, from the perspective of young people, it might.¡±


    The empress¡¯s azure eyes met Violet¡¯s purple ones.


    Trying to deny it any further would only make it more obvious, so Violet chose not to respond.


    The empress continued speaking in a rxed tone. The atmosphere had loosened significantly, but it carried a different kind of tensionpared to their meal earlier.


    ¡°There are things only a mother can know. You may deny it now, but it might be just as I¡¯ve said, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t believe me. Well then. So why isn¡¯t it working with my son?¡±


    Violet, who hadn¡¯t expected such a direct question, pondered.


    Regardless of howpassionate the woman¡¯s smile appeared, this person in front of Violet was the empress. And evenbining her past life¡¯s knowledge, she could never match the empress¡¯s skill level.


    So, Violet decided to answer honestly.


    ¡°¡ªIt might sound impolite, but with all due respect, His Highness is not my type.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°You are undoubtedly splendid and handsome, but¡­ not to my taste.¡±


    In response to Violet¡¯s honest answer, the empress began tough.


    Herughter was unrefined, yet it held a unique charm.


    ¡°Ah, yes. I understand. Indeed, back when Duke Everett was still young and was still courting, I did hear that he cried a lot.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? He confessed his feelings to Lily and then suddenly burst into tears right there. He sobbed uncontrobly. Your mother fell for him after seeing him cry like that and decided to marry him.¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression, which had previously shown little curiosity about her parents¡¯ love story, changed subtly.


    It was difficult to imagine that kind of scene with the image of her father, who was typically rigid and stoic.


    ¡°My boy is certainly quite confident. So, does your taste resemble your mother¡¯s? Hmm, I wonder. That child might cry if he¡¯s turned down, too¡­¡±


    ¡°Pardon me?¡±


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 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    ¡°Well, I gave birth to him and he resembles me a lot, but honestly, he¡¯s a bit of a rascal in the way that he¡¯s too confident¡ªhe got that from his father. But if it¡¯s you though, Ducal Lady, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to make him cry at least once.¡±


    ¡°¡­I beg your pardon?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too harshly of him. You never know, he might suit your taste someday.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Although they hadn¡¯t even exchanged formal marriage proposals, the empress¡¯s words poured forth with great force.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s end the jesting here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    The empress made a gentle gesture to her attendant standing nearby. So the conversation they had just shared was in jest?


    Violet¡¯s mind briefly wandered the cosmos before quickly returning back to earth with a small gesture from the empress.


    The empress¡¯sdy-in-waiting, Countess Halse, quickly returned with a little girl in tow.


    The child, who appeared to be a little over twelve, had a striking appearance that resembled a golden treasure.


    Golden hair and golden eyes.


    Violet recognized her immediately.


    A presence hidden away as a secret in the imperial family.


    The mute imperial princess who had never been exposed to the outside world since birth.


    ¡°Let me introduce you. This is Princess Rahacelia Ashilion L. Liddell. Celi, you should greet the ducaldy as well.¡±


    The young girl, who still looked very young, said nothing and just stared at Violet. She had been introduced, so she should probably say hello.


    Just as Violet was about to give a proper greeting, the young girl slowly lowered her head and nestled into her mother¡¯s arms.


    Her childlike behavior felt strangely out of ce.


    ¡°Surprised? The princess doesn¡¯t know how to speak.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°So, I have no idea what this child is thinking or what she wants. I tried to teach her how to read and write, but it failed every time¡­ She¡¯s either very childlike or not at all.¡±


    ¡°The fact that information about Her Highness is hidden¡­¡±


    ¡°It might be a secret, it might not be. My husband is a good person to me, but he¡¯s also someone who has earned the resentment and curses of many. It¡¯s like a form of curse, they say. I don¡¯t know what sin this child hasmitted, but it¡¯s truly pitiable.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never hidden this child away as a secret. My husband and Rajaden are much too overprotective, and they say all we need to do is treat her well. But I¡¯d rather show her a bigger world,¡± the Empress spoke gently.


    Violet recalled the crown prince mentioning his sister once and couldn¡¯t help but wonder about such excessive protection.


    ¡°As for Rajaden, yes, he might carry a sense of guilt. ording to the ancient texts, curses often target the firstborn. We thought it waspletely lifted, but¡­¡±


    The empress¡¯s words left Violet intrigued.


    In the imperial family, there were asional instances of children born under a curse, typically affecting the firstborn and often manifesting as some form of madness, as it had with the empress¡¯s second child.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll pretend that I didn¡¯t hear anything about this today.¡±


    ¡°No need to be so cautious,¡±


    The empress reassured Violet as her fingers gently caressed the princess¡¯s head, eliciting a bright smile from the young girl.


    ¡°I¡¯ll likely die before her. I¡¯m sure. When that happens, she¡¯ll have to find her own way to survive. While I wish I could protect her in my arms for the rest of her life, it¡¯s not possible¡­¡±


    The empress¡¯s gentle gaze turned to Violet.


    ¡°You know, too, right? The best life us women can hope for is to be someone¡¯s wife and to be protected. So, I thought that was the only way.¡±


    As the Empress exined, her voice was filled with a hint of sorrow.


    For a mute princess, there wouldn¡¯t be many choices in life.


    Even if she were to marry a good man, it was hard to predict her future, and whether she truly desired such a life was a question that needed consideration.


    That¡¯s why the current emperor erased the princess¡¯s existence. He made everyone forget about her, ensuring no rumors or spections could circte.


    While it was an extreme form of protection, it was effective in preserving her safety.


    ¡°Is that so,¡± Violet responded softly, understanding theplexity of the situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s a sad thing. In the end, her world has be smaller. She can¡¯t venture into a wider world, see more things, and do what she wants because she¡¯s not allowed to.¡±


    The current emperor wasn¡¯t the legitimate heir to the throne. He had eliminated all his siblings to ascend to the throne and had ruled with an iron fist.


    While stability had returned over time, there were always lurking threats. Those who survived the purge would be waiting for the right moment to act, and the princess was not just someone to protect, but also a potential vulnerability in the imperial family.


    ¡°Celi, here you go.¡±


    The young princess received a snack from the empress, her demeanor reflecting the innocence of a child, unaffected by the heavy matters that were being discussed.


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 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    Violet tucked away these newly discovered secrets of the imperial family deep into her mind. The information was utterly useless and with no good reason to gossip about it.


    In fact, it was safer not to know, or to pretend she knew nothing even if she did.


    The empress and the princess appeared quite affectionate. Was this what a mother was like? How long would she continue to love and protect her child?


    Violet couldn¡¯t help but feel that these two existed in a different world from her own. The affection the empress showed her daughter was something Violet couldn¡¯t quite fathom as herself.


    And so, she felt a slight unease.


    ¡°So, do you know why I summoned you here, Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°¡­I am not quite sure.¡±


    ¡°If you think about it, you might figure it out.¡±


    ¡°¡­I really don¡¯t know.¡±


    She had to make an effort not to reveal the sinking feeling inside her. Why was she feeling so unsettled? Why was this mncholy seemingly boundless? She couldn¡¯t dare to show this before the empress.


    ¡°Well, if you really don¡¯t seem to know, I¡¯ll just tell you. You¡¯ve been dabbling in paintingtely, yes?¡±


    ¡°It is only a hobby.¡±


    ¡°Then considering it¡¯s just a hobby, it seems quite impressive, doesn¡¯t it? Oh, my son brags about the paintings the Ducal Lady has done, saying we should see them.¡±


    Rajaden had mentioned that he showed off the painting to his family. Given his position as the crown prince, it was only natural that his family referred to the emperor and the empress.


    Violet forced a smile as she sipped her tea. Her mood had grown even gloomier with this newfound realization.


    ¡°So, I have a request. I¡¯d like tomission a portrait of the Princess.¡±


    ¡°¨DPardon?¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s you, Ducal Lady, there¡¯s no need to worry about baseless rumors spreading. I¡¯m quite fond of you, too. And your art as well.¡±


    A gentle smile graced Violet¡¯s field of vision. She couldn¡¯t let her guard down. Chills continued going down her spine.


    ¡°Your art is truly profound. You seem to depict a world different from reality, one that could show this child the countless worlds that exist.¡±


    The empress, after patting the princess¡¯s head once, spoke in a gentle voice.


    ¡°Above all, I appreciate your deration that you don¡¯t wish to marry. It seems to show there¡¯s a different path for noblewomen born into this world.¡±


    The woman speaking appeared more like a mother to a child than a queen. Violet gazed at her and slowly nodded.


    ¡°My skills may becking, but I will do my best.¡±


    <i>¡°Fufu,</i> thank you. Now, Celi, what do you think?¡±


    At those words, the princess nced briefly at Violet. In that moment, as she saw the golden irises with vertically narrowed pupils, Violet once again realized that this child was a true, blue-blooded member of the imperial family.


    Those eyes, so simr to Rajaden¡¯s, scanned Violet for a brief moment before moving away.


    ¡°Celi likes you, too. They say children are drawn to pretty people, and it seems to be true.¡±


    ¡°¡­Her Highness¡­ likes me?¡±


    ¡°She really does. Come on, Celi.¡±


    The princess, having detached herself from the empress¡¯s embrace, circled around Violet once before running off somewhere.


    Violet was initially puzzled by this behavior but eventually epted it as something the child enjoyed.


    The question of whether she dared to paint the princess¡¯s portrait still lingered within her, however.


    ¡°That child will undoubtedly disappear without a trace, leaving no name or any mark anywhere. So, I wanted to leave behind a single portrait as evidence that such a person once existed in this world.¡±


    ¡°¡­I will do as you wish.¡±


    In truth, the empress¡¯s desire was quite ambitious. Most people were born and would vanish without leaving a proper trace. It might not necessarily be an unhappy life. So, this might just be the ambition of a mother.


    ¡°Your art creates fantasies rather than reality, so in those paintings, that child might find her freedom.¡±


    ¡°I will do my best, Your Majesty.¡±


    It was a warm affection¡ªa proper one. Violet believed that the princess would undoubtedly be happy.


    ¡°Oh, and if you can, I¡¯d like a portrait of Rajaden as well¡­¡±


    ¡°I must decline, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°You decline quickly. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice for a young man and woman to spend time together, building affection?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You seem gentle but resolute.¡±


    With a mischievous tone, the empress chuckled again. There were rumors that the current emperor was dominated by the empress. Was it true? Violet smiled as if guessing.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll entrust this matter to you.¡±


    Their teatime continued smoothly after that. It involved scheduling the portrait work, some casual conversations, the empress¡¯s subtle nudging about her son, and Violet¡¯s strong iron wall.


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 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    Even after all the conversations had ended, Violet couldn¡¯t leave. She was detained by the princess, who appeared again as soon as the empress left the room.


    ¡°¡ªYour Highness, are you giving this to me?¡±


    The princess nodded, having picked flowers from the garden during the time. Even though it was clear that it was a carefully cultivated breed, the princess didn¡¯t seem to mind and seemed to have roamed freely in the garden.


    Violet looked at a maid as if asking for help, but the pce maids merely watched silently.


    ¡°I appreciate your gesture, but there¡¯s no need to give it to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Please ept it. Celi seems to like you, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Although Violet directed her question to someone else, the answer came from an unexpected source.


    Unconsciously, Violet dared to have been gently stroking the head of the imperial princess. She quickly withdrew her hand. The one who had witnessed the entire scene simply smiled.


    ¡°No need to worry. She¡¯s lovely, isn¡¯t she? She turned sixteen this year, but she¡¯s still very much like a child. It¡¯s not just a simple concern.¡±


    Despite looking just a bit older than twelve, the princess seemed much older than Violet expected.


    The child suddenly ran to her older brother and nestled into his embrace.


    ¡°Right. What have you been doing today?¡±


    The princess didn¡¯t respond. She couldn¡¯t. Her repeated attempts to speak seemed to imply that she had something she wanted to say. Rajaden gently stroked his younger sister¡¯s head.


    It was a rare sight of affection between brother and sister.


    Violet couldn¡¯t help but ask,


    ¡°¡ªYour Highness, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s quite a busy time for state affairs¡­ I suppose there must be a reason for my visit.¡±


    With an affectionate expression, Rajaden looked at the princess and then yfully ced his finger on his lips.


    ¡°Keep my presence here a secret. I snuck out to y.¡±


    His words sounded just like an innocent boy. Since the pce maids were already watching, there was no point in keeping it a secret.


    Instead of responding, Violet adorned the princess¡¯s hair with the flowers she received.


    Rajaden¡¯s face was full of affection, just as the empress had mentioned about him being overprotective. His gaze was quite different from Roen¡¯s whenever he looked at Violet.


    ¡°Since we¡¯ve met here, shall we have a short chat? We haven¡¯t had a chance to meet often.¡±


    ¡°Well, Your Highness and I don¡¯t have the kind of rtionship to regrly meet face to face¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, from now on, we can have such a rtionship. Oh, Celi. Feeling sleepy? Yes, it¡¯s nap time.¡±


    When the crown prince gestured, the pce maids lifted the drowsy princess.


    ¡°Celi takes a nap once a day.¡±


    With the crown prince¡¯s additional exnation, the princess quickly exited the scene.


    ¡°Mother invited you to this garden, huh. I didn¡¯t expect that. She¡¯s quite mischievous, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°She¡­ was quite interesting, Your Highness.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> your expression doesn¡¯t say the same.¡±


    Violet responded with a subtle smile. After all the talk about the need for young men and women to spend time together, the empress intentionally arranged for the two to have a private conversation.


    ¡°Mother does worry a lot. Even when there¡¯s no need for such concern.¡±


    Whether or not he knew the empress¡¯s intentions, Rajaden spoke while his gaze lingered on the pce.


    For a moment, Violet felt like she was seeing the crown prince¡¯s true self for the first time.


    ¡°Even without her excessive worries, I will protect my sister until the end. ¡ªBecause I have to.¡±


    As he said this with a smile, there was a hint of bitterness in his expression.


    There might be various rumors about the imperial family, but they were still a family. Whether it was a political alliance or something else, they had each other¡¯s backs.


    ¡°The position of crown prince is indeed favorable, but sometimes it feels burdensome.¡±


    Rajaden looked up at the sky and let out a deep breath. Today¡¯s crown prince seemed a bit more human, unlike his usual confident self.


    ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, would you consider drawing my portrait too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already declined earlier.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re harsh only towards me, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°That is not the case.¡±


    Such casual conversations continued.


    Just like when the empress talked about her son, Violet maintained herposure when it came to the crown prince. Rajaden seemed to ept it willingly.


    ¡°Sometimes, moments like these when we can rx are truly precious.¡±


    Above all, it was a sincere statement. This meeting between a nobledy of a prominent family and the crown prince of the empire¡­ It wasn¡¯t often they could be so at ease.


    Violet refrained from pointing out this fact.


    ¡°Oh, I heard that you find men who cry attractive, Ducal Lady. But what about men who smile beautifully?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I guess I¡¯ll have to make an effort to be a man who cries beautifully.¡±


    It was indeed a peaceful time.


    * * *


    The empress¡¯s request couldn¡¯t be handled carelessly.


    Thanks to that, Violet had to visit the pce periodically from then on. More precisely, it was to get closer to the princess. Her initial actions to draw the princess¡¯s portrait were part of this effort.


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 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157


    The princess was silent, but she was quite a lively child, quite honestly.


    Her shyness during their first meeting seemed to have been brought upon more due to her initial unfamiliarity. Violet found her to be remarkably spirited after meeting her again another time.


    When Violet inquired with a questioning gaze, the pce maids, who observed silently, softly answered that this was how she had always been. The imperial princess¡¯s unease around her wasn¡¯t unfounded.


    The princess followed Violet very well. The people who took care of the princess were saying Her Highness must have an instinct for recognizing good people due to her pure-heartedness. Violet thought their praise was unwarranted.


    They shared snacks, read fairy tales, and wandered through the gardens together. The tasks Violet performed were more akin to those of a ymate rather than an artist. Moreover, it was the ymate of a noble.


    She didn¡¯t mind this fact. As the girl still appeared quite young, despite being the same age as Aileen, she never ceased to amaze and delighted Violet with her youthful innocence.


    So far, the crown prince had barely shown his face, and even when he <i>would</i> show up, he¡¯d leave right away. It was as if he came for a short time and was quickly whisked away by Roen.


    Roen watched Violet ying with the princess, and for some reason, an unpleasant-looking smile crossed his face. Violet decided not to ask about that smile.


    After returning from the pce to the mansion, Violet reverted to her role as a regr painter. Instead of standing in front of arge canvas andying upon it her brushstrokes, she merely agonized. Private works were truly enjoyable to do, but they also brought considerable anguish.


    Time passed with various minor happenings. There were no major issues, but Mary began behaving oddly.


    Sometime earlier, Mary had started hiding something from Violet. Her lies were quite evident. Violet eventually confronted her about her increasingly strange behavior.


    Mary quickly confessed,


    ¡°Well, you see, an interview in the newspaper¡­¡±


    ¡°What? An interview¡­?¡±


    Violet¡¯s reticence about the problem did not continue.


    Since the pce banquet, she had been aware that there had been continuous news articles about her.


    Thetest one was a critique by an art critic, stating: <i>¡®Ducal Lady Violet S. Everett¡¯s works are nothing more than a grotesque waste of paint.¡¯</i> It was more of a condemnation than a critique, to the point that it seemed like a personal attack.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be upset if you saw it, Mdy¡­¡±


    ¡°Why would I be upset about something like that?¡±


    ¡°You already look like your mood has been soured.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°¡­But¡­¡±


    Violet smiled and gently stroked Mary¡¯s head. She genuinely thought it didn¡¯t affect her much. So what if a master in the art world had evaluated her work? She quickly concluded that her thinking could change.


    However, as time passed, that article began to haunt Violet¡¯s mind, stirring up all sorts of negative emotions. She couldn¡¯t help but dwell on it. Eventually, Violet sighed and Mary couldn¡¯t keep quiet any longer.


    In this state, dinner time arrived.


    ¡°Father contacted me today. He asked how we¡¯re all doing, and I said we¡¯re doing well. But Cairn, you¡¯ve been absent from the gatherings quite oftentely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had some stuff to do, so. But you already knew that, didn¡¯t you, Brother?¡±


    ¡°The lout who ran from the academy is now saying he¡¯s busy¡­ Well, fine. Maybe we¡¯ll see some wee faces soon.¡±


    The siblings engaged in casual conversation. Roen had been wearing an old man¡¯s expressiontely. He was no different today either¡ªhe was looking at his younger siblings as if they were his grandchildren, and this irritated Cairn to no end.


    Roen¡¯s expression remained unchanged.


    Violet didn¡¯t seem all too different from usual, but she picked at her food more than usual. Concerned, Cairn asked.


    ¡°You seem a bit off since this morning. Is something wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    The person who said it was nothing had an unusually darkplexion for her usual demeanor, really.


    Suddenly thinking that he might have done something wrong again, Roen looked extremely uneasy¡ªlike a guilty dog. Cairn, who was sitting next to him, spoke calmly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of the newspaper article? Everyone¡¯s been talking about it.¡±


    ¡°The newspaper?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d have seen it yet¡­ You there, could you bring the newspaper here?¡±


    An attendant who was on stand-by nearby brought a bunch of different newspapers. Violet continued to eat in silence, even with the unfolding situation before her.


    Roen read the newspaper and soon became angry.


    ¡°Does this artist think he has two necks or something?¡±


    ¡°He might as well have three.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being even more cruel than me, huh.¡±


    ¡°One for Brother, one for Sister. He still thinks he¡¯ll survive, so that¡¯s three.¡±


    A rather inappropriate joke passed between them. Violet let out a quiet sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s not because of that, so calm down.¡±


    ¡°Violet, don¡¯t you know that you have a tick whenever you lie?¡±


    ¡°¡ªMe?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not refuting it. Right, I knew it. It¡¯s indeed because of this scoundrel that you¡¯re feeling upset¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t even try to push people to the edge just because of a few uttered sentences.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to be nice. But if you¡¯re <i>too</i> nice, people will take advantage of you.¡±


    Violet remained unresponsive. How ironic was this? If she were to criticize others, people would think that she was too vicious. If she would stay still and be nice, people would take advantage of her.


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 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    If she was still the old Violet, she would have found a way to me someone, whether by covering it up or even ordering to cut someone¡¯s tongue or wrist. Bringing someone¡¯s life to the brink was remarkably easy.


    However, such malice no longer existed in her heart. Violet quietly ced her utensils down and spoke.


    ¡°Still, I¡¯d like to meet and have a conversation with them at least once.¡±


    ¡°But make sure it¡¯s within the bounds of thew.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not nning on killing anyone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about cutting anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just urging me to be cruel now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll at least give me something to do.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen¡¯s words were a bit unclear, whether they were serious or just a joke. Violet let out another quiet sigh. She had been speaking calmly, but her mood was quite low. After all, revenge was like that, wasn¡¯t it?


    As Roen was <i>not</i> unaware of this fact, he decided to respect Violet¡¯s wishes for now.


    * * *


    Even if she had made up her mind to do so, a master was still a master. Indeed, a master tended to be proud and indulged in their own ways. It was a challenging task to be on the same page with them, to say the least.


    Instead of rushing, Violet decided to continue her usual daily routine. Lately, she had been receiving anonymous gifts quite often, which quite reminded her of how Roen had been before.


    Some were of low quality, and some were rare items that only a noble would be able to obtain. She wondered if they were imitating the actions of friends, so she stored all the gifts in the warehouse. It was an act born ofziness¡ªit was bothersome to even go through the trouble of returning them.


    She soon found it enjoyable to visit the pce twice a week. Still, whether it was due to the princess acting willfully or because she couldn¡¯t speak, she was treated like a child by everyone.


    Sometimes, it seemed like she harbored dissatisfaction with this fact, but for the most part, she seemed to enjoy it to the fullest. And since she couldn¡¯t express herself directly, it was hard to determine which side of the matter she leaned towards.


    Born in the cursed lineage of the imperial family, she was a child regarded to have the blood of the Sun God flowing in her veins.


    The surviving scions of the imperial family carried this heavy burden. If anyone dared to challenge this fact, there would surely be bloodshed in the imperial capital.


    Violet gently stroked the young princess¡¯s head.


    If the characteristics of the imperial family hadn¡¯t manifested in the child, it might have raised questions about the empress¡¯s fidelity.


    Violet suddenly wondered how the emperor, not the empress or the crown prince, viewed the princess.


    The empress imed he was overprotective, but the truth remained unknown. Violet decided not to involve herself any further in the affairs of the imperial family.


    Meanwhile, the pce maids in the pce greatly appreciated Violet¡¯s care for the princess. Lady Marc, the current chiefdy-in-waiting, even said something like this to her.


    ¡°Do you have any intention of bing ady-in-waiting to Her Highness the Princess?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°People who be aware of Her Highness tend to avoid serving her, but this ce is not for those who have fallen out of favor. You can still earn the favor of His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Majesty the Empress¡­¡±


    ¡°No thank you.¡±


    With a somewhat disappointed expression, Lady Marc looked at Violet. It was said that she was notorious for being strict with young servants in her youth. Should Violet be d to have caught her eye?


    Well, Violet nodded slightly and began her official duties.


    ¡°Now then, is it alright if you stay still for just a moment?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Her main task had begun.


    Violet knew that her skills were stillcking. Her current skill in painting was based on memories from her previous life, not built on a solid foundation in this world. Therefore, her hand was still unsteady, and she struggled with trembling lines.


    After several attempts and corrections, she finally achieved somewhat satisfactory results.


    The young princess, who had to stay still for a while, seemed quite bored. To pass the remaining time, Violet the young princess if she wanted a snack. The princess requested pudding, and as she was eating it, she identally spilled some.


    ¡°Come now, don¡¯t spill it. You should eat it.¡±


    ¡°¡­As expected of the future chiefdy-in-waiting¡­¡±


    As someone muttered to herself from behind, Violet pretended not to hear.


    The princess was not only cute but also objectively beautiful. Her striking resemnce to the crown prince sometimes made her look like a doll. Of course, there couldn¡¯t be a doll as lively as her.


    The atmosphere of the paintings Violet had been creating so far could be described as night, close to winter in terms of seasons. Evenings, nights, dawns, autumn, winter, cold and lonely hours.


    But when it came to the portrait of the princess, she decided to paint her to resemble a bright spring day.


    She had such a desire because the princess truly resembled spring.


    ¡°Thank you again for today.¡±


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll see you again next week.¡±


    As it was time to part, the princess waved her hand. Her face was smeared with a lot of cream, causing Countess Halse, the chiefdy-in-waiting, to be a little flustered. The princess paid no mind to it.


    Outside the pce, a carriage was waiting. Violet usually rode this carriage to go home, but today she had a different destination in mind.


    The pce was truly vast. The wide spaces between buildings meant that even within the pce, one had to ride a carriage to reach their desired destination. Violet smiled as she looked at the refreshments she had prepared in advance.


    The pce guards apanying her were taken aback when they heard Violet¡¯s destination.


    ¡°I wish to watch the knights¡¯ training.¡±


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 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Is it not allowed?¡±


    ¡°W-Well, you see¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed, since it¡¯s the Imperial Guard, their training process might be confidential. I apologize if I have overstepped.¡±


    ¡°N-No, that¡¯s not the case at all. I¡¯ll guide you there right away!¡±


    The young knight was visibly flustered but acted quickly. Violet followed him towards the training grounds of the imperial guard.


    ¡°You can enjoy the tour as well, Zylo.¡±


    Zylo, whose guarding presence seemed to be simultaneously there and not there, followed her with a slightly crumpled expression. Violet smiled.


    She was curious about the differences between House Everett¡¯s knights and the knights of the imperial guard, but she had a different purpose in mind.


    She wanted to meet Aldin.


    Each knight order had their own facilities, and since the knight currently guiding Violet belonged to the third knight order, he couldn¡¯t take her to the first knight order. Nevertheless, this knight hailing from a lower noble house made great efforts to escort the ducaldy.


    No matter where people lived, it wasn¡¯t much different. The imperial guard was organized like a well-structured army, suitable for leaving on expeditions quickly. Of course, it was right to say that they were an army.


    While she was watching the training, unexpectedly, she met a familiar face.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    An unexpected face was looking at her.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°¡­And you?¡±


    ¡°Sightseeing in the pce.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I have a question I want to ask.¡±


    Cairn looked at Violet with a delighted expression. The knight from the third order, who had been guiding Violet, went from a shocked expression to one of understanding.


    The ce he had been watching was the integrated training grounds.


    ¡°Cairn, about the sparring just now¡­¡±


    It looked like the first knight order was using the integrated training grounds today.


    ¡°D-Ducal Lady¡­?¡±


    Aldin, drenched in sweat, had an expression of disbelief as he swiftly came over here from the other side. He was even in a state of undress.


    Well, even though she knew that this ce was the knights¡¯ domain, Violet was <i>not </i>expecting to see him with his top off like this. Seeing him like this, she froze up.


    His muscles were incredibly well-defined. They were more aesthetically perfect than any sculpture out there.


    Violet couldn¡¯t help but admire Aldin¡¯s physique as she gazed at him absentmindedly. Even under the sunlight, his unblemished, fair body captured her attention.


    ¡°Oh, I apologize for my rudeness.¡±


    Violet quickly added as she realized her gaze had been impolite.


    Either way, Aldin¡¯s presence of mind had already left him, and he couldn¡¯t hear anything she said.


    ¡°Why is the Ducal Lady here¡­¡± one of the knights asked.


    ¡°Ducal Lady? From House Aesir?¡± another inquired.


    ¡°She¡¯s now a countess. Remember, there¡¯s another famous Ducal Lady.¡±


    Unusually, in the sweat-filled training ground, a cheerful spring scent wafted. Violet¡¯s perfume, which she had applied, diffused gently.


    The knights stationed in the training ground began to pay attention to her. As Violet herself wasn¡¯t particrly fond of such attention, she sighed softly.


    ¡°I was just observing for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Well, you see¡­ I apologize for showing you such a sight. Please wait a moment¡­¡±


    Still somewhat distraught, Aldin quickly exited. Cairn remained, scolding Violet.


    ¡°Geez, what were you even looking at here?¡±


    ¡°¡­I have many questions, but let me ask again. Why are <i>you</i> here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they kept telling me toe in.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It was a joke, but I got caught up in it. Since I¡¯m still on hold after postponing my academy graduation, I thought I might as well help out.¡±


    ¡°¡­So you¡¯re helping out at the Imperial Guard?¡±


    ¡°What else can an academy dropout like me do? Just some odd jobs, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I see. So you got pulled in.¡±


    Violet countered without hesitation. Her conclusion was clear: it was the crown prince, greedy for talented people, who had extended his influence once again.


    Though Cairn thought little of it, it seemed like he was being leashed to the imperial guard¡¯s training grounds. Roen must have supported this decision, too. It meant that Cairn should learn well andter be of assistance to the family¡¯s knights.


    In the power struggle between the two ambitious snakes, Violet remained a mere spectator, not taking sides or getting involved.


    <i>¡°Tsk¡­¡±</i>


    Whether it was the crown prince who sought talent or Roen, who intended to make use of such talent, they both belonged to the imperial faction, so Violet simply sighed.


    However, Cairn approached her with a serious expression, interpreting her sigh differently. Violet, feeling a bit disgusted, backed away.


    ¡°No, I have something to say¡­ Anyway, there¡¯s something suspicious about Gavi and the temple¡¯s movements. We may not be able to do anything even if we find out, but just be cautious.¡±


    ¡°Gavi? The country to the west?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There are rumors that Margrave ise will soon visit the pce. He¡¯s the one guarding the shared border with Gavi.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°How else should I have reacted?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget?¡±


    ¡°Forget what?¡±


    ¡°Our grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Margrave ise. He¡¯s our grandfather and is stationed on the border with Gavi.¡±


    ¡°I know. I was a bit distracted.¡±


    Violet closed her eyes slowly and put on a thoughtful expression. Cairn looked puzzled at her seeminglyckluster response.


    ¡°Well, rumors are just rumors, and we¡¯ve never met our grandfather. So, you don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    ¡°But it could be serious. You should be careful too.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    The single sentence made Cairn freeze up. Violet looked at him, wondering if there¡¯s something wrong with what she said. For some reason, his expression seemed odd.


    Violet didn¡¯t realize that she had just expressed her concern for Cairn in an affectionate tone.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°N-Nothing.¡±


    Feeling awkward, Cairn quickly turned his head. In the meantime, Violet had already moved on to other thoughts.<hr>


    <small><i>t/n: House ise was previously mentioned through ¡®Countess ise¡¯, Violet¡¯s grandmother, and it was revealed only here that her grandfather is actually a margrave (whose formal title can also be ¡®count¡¯). From now on, whenever her grandparents will be mentioned by their formal titles, even as they¡¯re referred to as ¡®Count¡¯ and ¡®Countess¡¯ in the original text, they¡¯ll be referred to as ¡®Margrave¡¯ and ¡®Margravine¡¯ in the trantion to lessen the confusion. </i></small>


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 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    Within this empire, there was a state of tension between the imperial family and the temple.


    It was only natural that they had to engage in a cautious power struggle to secure their interests, but their situation seemed peculiar.


    The imperial family imed to have divine blood flowing through their veins, while the temple served God. This created a conflict of interests between them.


    Violet couldn¡¯t help but ponder if gods truly existed in this world. Observing the temple priests performing divine acts and miracles using their divine power made her wonder if there might be some truth to the existence of gods.


    However, she didn¡¯t immediately believe in them. Belief and certainty were separate matters in her mind.


    In the midst of her thoughts, Aldin returned after having changed into new clothes. He had concealed his bare skin, but he still wore a perplexed expression.


    ¡°Why have youe here all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I just dropped by for a moment. I thought I might recognize some faces, and it turns out I did. I even saw someone I hadn¡¯t even thought of at all.¡±


    The familiar face mentioned by Violet was Aldin himself, and the one she hadn¡¯t thought of was Cairn.


    Misunderstanding her words, Aldin tilted his head, while Cairn, who had btedly regained hisposure, watched his friend and his older sister with a subtle expression.


    ¡°Well, this is a gift.¡±


    Violet gestured towards Aldin as if offering something, but it wasn¡¯t her holding the gift¡ªit was one of the knights who stood nearby. Inside the gift package were several snacks.


    Aldin was taken aback by this unexpected gesture, and the knights around them gathered, curious about what was happening.


    Whispers began to circte


    <i>What¡¯s going on? The Ducal Lady has brought snacks. The Ducal Lady of Aesir? No, the Ducal Lady of Everett. The recipient is Aldin, isn¡¯t it?</i>


    As the mutterings grew louder, Aldin¡¯s ears turned increasingly red. He could hear everything.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, please join us.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t ignore Your Ladyship¡¯s kindness. Everyone, it¡¯s break time!¡±


    There were around thirty elite knights here, so the amount of snacks Violet had brought was limited. However, it wasn¡¯t a problem sharing a small treat amongst the knights.


    Amidst the grueling training, when the knights finally had a break, they openly expressed their delight.


    However, their joy was short-lived as they received a reprimand from their captain. Then, as some knights began to indulge in their snacks, they were next scolded by the vice captain.


    Nevertheless, these knights were quite straightforward, so they simply appreciated the sweet respite provided by Violet.


    Even the knight from the third knight order, who was tasked with escorting Violet, enjoyed a bite. He took pride in having something to boast about to his peers who were not at the integrated training grounds.


    ¡°By the way, how does Lady Everett and Aldin know each other?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s Cairn, you know. Despite hisck of proper decorum, he¡¯s still from House Everett.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, they¡¯re siblings, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°So, did they get to know each other through Cairn?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s so beautiful¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on, you don¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°Why not? I¡¯m not that bad. Just a brief conversation¡­¡±


    During the break, various small talk and discussions took ce. Violet pretended not to hear the conversations going on around her while quietly smiling.


    The captain of the first knight order and the vice captain of the second knight order, who were by her side, simply sighed.


    ¡°These young ones arecking.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re the ones who are hardest to get into our ranks as knights.¡±


    ¡°Ignorant fellows. Just let them prattle on.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha.¡±</i>


    In the midst of it all, Cairn tried to steal another bite from Aldin¡¯s share but was promptly blocked. Watching the two of them bicker, Violet couldn¡¯t help but smile. Their squabble reminded her of boys their age, and she found it endearing.


    The knights continued to speak amongst themselves.


    ¡°Cairn is a remarkable talent. If he could only control his temper¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll probably get in right away without even a test once he graduates from the academy.¡±


    ¡°I heard he has no intention of joining the Imperial Guard though.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha, </i>you know the future isn¡¯t set in stone.¡±


    Despite Cairn being a bit of a detestable jerk, Roen didn¡¯t want him to be tied to the imperial family. Rajaden, of course, was yet another person Roen considered to be a detestable jerk.


    When Violet subtly conveyed Roen¡¯s genuine thoughts on the matter, the vicemander chuckled and let it slide.


    Violet watched with a bewildered expression as her younger brother stretched out at the training grounds as though this was his home turf. It seemed like he was considered to be a highly sought-after talent by not only the crown prince, but even the knights themselves.


    She still didn¡¯t particrly like Cairn. However, it was more in the realm of ¡®not liking¡¯ rather than the intense aversion she had felt in the past.


    He had initially offered to be her protector and insisted on apanying her, but at some point, he had integrated into the knights rather than staying by Violet¡¯s side. She thought it was fortunate that she didn¡¯t have to see Cairn¡¯s face frequently.


    Nevertheless, despite various opinions around her regarding Cairn, those words did not carry Cairn¡¯s true intentions. Still, the knight captain and vice captain continued to try to persuade Violet.


    ¡°Our knights have the most impressive uniforms.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that enough to persuade me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to give in?¡±


    The knightmanders, who were entering middle age, continued with trivial banter. While inspecting the uniforms of the surrounding knights, Violet just gave an ambiguous response.


    Then, someone asked.


    ¡°By the way, Sir Mikhail is also an excellent knight, isn¡¯t he?¡±


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 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    Talking purely about talent alone, Cairn is undoubtedly more exceptional, but when ites to tactics and strategy


    The topic of conversation shifted, and Violet couldnt bring herself to react. She simply closed her eyes. The knights around her, unable to detect any negative emotions from her, continued to share their thoughts.


    Sir Michael was a remarkable knight, a role model for all of us, inheriting the talents of the Duke of Everett.


    When he used those unexpected tactics to confound his opponents in duels Speaking of which, Lord Aesir also had extraordinary talent.


    The knights remembered Mikhail as a truly righteous knight. If he hadnt held the title of the dukes heir, he would have held a significant position within the knight order. They had heard he was stripped of his sessorship, but they werent sure what had happened.


    As the various conversations continued, Violetsposure began to crumble.


    Your Ladyship?


    Violets breathing became uneven, and the knights around her fell into an awkward silence. As Cairn and Aldin noticed Violets strange condition, they immediately rushed to her side.


    Cairn, who had the freedom to move between knight divisions, questioned the two division leaders.


    What did you do to her to make her like this?


    Well, we were just having a casual conversation.


    Its fine. I just had an unpleasant thought for a moment.


    Dont pretend youre fine.


    Its none of your concern.


    Hey!


    Violet raised her hand to interrupt them. Only Aldin stood silently by her side, ready to protect her.


    Ive seen enough. Can we head back now?


    Yes? Oh, certainly. Aldin, escort Her Ladyship back.


    Yes?


    Right, this is the integrated training grounds Ill inform the captain of the third order, so you can return.


    Understood.


    The first orders knight captain, who was adept at giving orders without fully grasping the situation, quickly made arrangements.


    Zylo, who had been silently observing everything like a ghost, finally found his voice in the awkward silence. If Violet boarded the carriage in her current state, he wouldnt be able to convey the truth that he had observed just now.


    The captain and vice captain were discussing the former Young Duke just now.


    What?


    With that brief response, Zylo conveyed the recent situation. Violet remained silent.


    Violets dislike for Mikhail was much stronger than Cairn had thought. It went beyond a simple dislike.


    Did you dislike Elder Brother that much?


    And did you dislike me that much?


    Violet did not respond, and Cairn took her silence as confirmation. Unable to even muster an apology, Cairn lowered his head.


    In his own way, Mikhail had been a good brother to Cairn. Despite how Mikhail asionally disyed unreasonable arrogance, Cairn still considered him family.


    Thats why Cairn couldnt fully understand Violets feelings. There was nothing more he could say.


    Why have you be such a fool?


    Back in the day, you would have expressed your anger and overturned everything.


    Im sorry.


    She continued to ignore him. Despite being right there, Cairn couldnt help but get angry at Violets behavior.


    Or rather, her indifference to him.


    He didnt even know what that anger was for.


    Just At least get angry like you used to! Do you think everyone will like you if you act like an idiot?


    What?


    Its just that I never expected anything in the first ce.


    What do you mean?


    Violet fell silent once again.


    It wasnt simply about being forgiving or not saying anything because she was kind.


    She had no expectations and, therefore, no room for disappointment.


    Violet understood her position and had categorized herself as an outsider. It was better not to waste emotions on strangers who didnt fit into the walls she had constructed.


    How could that be considered kindness?


    Anyway, just dont overdo it.


    Its not something you need to care about.


    Then I guess Im not someone youd care about either, Sister?


    Cairn, filled with only animalistic instincts, chose the closest option to the correct answer. However, since there was no response, he considered the answer as pending.


    Mikhail was a straightforward person. Could he be described as merely straightforward? Regardless of how Violet saw Mikhail, public opinions about him were diverse.


    Its difficult to live withoutpletely unraveling ones own trauma. However, Violet decided to avoid confronting her own wounds.


    As Aldin once again unexpectedly witnessed another familys matters, he pretended not to hear anything. And off to the side, Zylo already knew everything and tactfully remained silent. It was a remarkable improvement.


    The carriage was dyed. Even if they called for the duchys carriage, it would take time just the same.


    Gazing at the sky in silence until now, Violet let out a sigh.


    Ill look into it.


    Are you sure its okay?


    Yes.


    For different reasons, they all became the subjects of rumors, but they were still the children of the same ducal family. Zylo, who had been stuck in his station, quickly left.


    Silence hung awkwardly in the air. Normally, Cairn would have made a fuss in this situation.


    It seemed like bted adolescence had finally arrived. Violet didnt find it bothersome.


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 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    Its spacious here.


    Well, its a pce, so its naturally spacious.


    Even the attempt at conversation quickly faded away. Violet didnt mind theck of conversation. The clear blue sky stretched above them, and the pce below was equally vast, giving off an imposing feeling.


    Somewhere in this pce, Roen would be present. It was almost certain that he was being exploited for hisbor by the crown prince, who was as bright as the day.


    Violet wondered if she might coincidentally run into Roen, but it was a futile thought.


    Oh my, whos this?


    ?


    Isnt it Lady Everett, the famous one? Hello~?


    Someone greeted her, and Violet nced at the person who spoke. It was a face she had seen at a previous event, likely at the pce due to some official business.


    Before exchanging greetings, its customary to introduce yourself first.


    Surely you havent forgotten me already? <i>Hoho,</i> it hasnt been that long since west met.


    Let me reiterate. Please introduce yourself properly if youd like to exchange greetings.


    What Oh, youve be quite confident since youve got men on both sides, hm?


    The person spoke in a somewhat provoking manner to Violet. Or could it even be considered picking a fight?


    It was a youngdy holding a parasol, avoiding the sunlight elegantly. Violet sighed inwardly. Even if she knew who this person was, she had no intention of ying along.


    Why did all these small fries behave in the same way? It would be better to confront the final boss instead.


    Violet tilted her head to the side indifferently. As her petty goading didnt work, the young womans expression became visibly irritated.


    I am Fael of House Asash. So, how did the illustrious Ducal Lady end up visiting the Imperial Pce?


    Hmm.


    <i>Haha,</i> I truly envy beautifuldies like you so much, Ducal Lady. After marriage, you can forget your past and start a new life, after all!


    Isnt that the same for you?


    Violet said it without much thought, just a spontaneous response without going through the filter of her thoughts. The young woman was furious at Violets words.


    <i>Ugh,</i> how long do you think you can remain on that high horse of yours?


    Why did all the noblewomen in this country always try to undermine each other? Would they not be able to sleep at night if they couldnt kick someone down and push them into an abyss?


    Violet contemted this again. It was such a trivial matter that she couldnt even feel it was worth responding to.


    Its endless wherever I go.


    <i>Hah.</i> As expected, its because you have men by your side


    Oh, youre really good at misunderstanding things, arent you? Do you even know who I am?


    Cairn red at the young woman with a threatening expression, and Fael started trembling in fear.


    Could it be theres something between brother and?


    A rather ridiculous remark escaped the youngdy. Violet observed the situation quietly. Even though Cairn was a simple person, that line seemed to have been quite shocking, judging by his bewildered expression.


    What? Are you seriously like this?


    Cairn raised one finger and made a circling motion near his head. It was rude and foolish behavior.


    Violet let out a sigh as frustration welled up within her. Aldin also sighed in unison with her.


    Unbelievable. Siblings and a bastard son together


    Cairn.


    Dont stop me. Wont it be alright to shut just one person up forever in this wide world?


    Were inside the Imperial Pce. Dont make a scene.


    To the extent of a threat.


    Cairn.


    <i>Haa.</i> Fine.


    Cairn looked ready to draw his sword at any given moment, but he acquiesced and took a step back with a menacing expression. His face showed a mixture of irritation.


    Violet nced at the young woman, who had faltered due to the palpable killing intent Cairn had disyed.


    So, you mentioned that you are Fael of Asash.


    Are you going to apologize for your rudeness?


    If threatening was rude, then what she did wasparatively beyond rude. The young woman initiated the confrontation but was now acting proudly as though she had done nothing wrong. On the other hand, Violet just scoffed.


    Why should I apologize? Instead, I have a question for you. Can you take responsibility for your own actions?


    What?


    I am asking if you can take responsibility for your actions.


    Daring to turn House Everett into an enemy and running her mouth like that.


    Despite not having formally learned to wield a sword, Violet exuded a different kind of pressure.


    With something separate from Cairns dominating presence facing her, the young woman felt cold sweat trickling down her spine. In the end, the pressure was enough to mp her lips shut.


    W-What do you know!


    At the very least, <i>you</i> should know that if you dont kneel and beg right now, your future will be very difficult.


    <i>Hah.</i> So youre going to threaten me with your family now?


    Instead of answering, Violet simplyughed. Face flushed with embarrassment, the young woman clenched her teeth.


    It would be better for you not to speak words that wont bring any benefit if uttered.


    What do you know, a girl like you? Youre worth only as much as you can be sold.


    A person mocks others and talks about men like that cant really say much, can they?


    If you think you can, give it a try! It will damage your reputation as well!


    Do you think I cant do it?


    T-Thats


    Violets indifferent gaze fell upon the girl. She had been speaking so confidently, yet she now quickly faltered.


    Kneeling on the dusty ground, she faced Violet and spoke with a humbled expression.


    <i>I have been impolite. Please forgive me.</i>


    Violet simply shook her head in response.


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 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163


    This time, Ill pretend I took no notice of your impertinence.


    What? Are you just going to let her go like this? Are you kidding me?


    Its my decision. You dont need to intervene.


    Are you the one who was insulted?! I was insulted as well!


    Lets leave before you cause a foolish scene.


    Hey!


    In response to the warning, the woman hurriedly left. Cairn, still wearing a dissatisfied expression, gripped the hilt of his sheathed sword. Violet let out a small sigh at the anticlimactic exit.


    Did you hear that shes being sold to some lowborn man about the same age as her father? Violet murmured.


    What?


    That girl.


    Why does that matter?


    I just thought to mention it.


    Violet needled Cairns already irritated temperament. Aldin, standing next to him, tried to calm Cairn down.


    Its a life situation that cant be helped.


    Are you pitying her?


    A little.


    I knew it.


    But Violet just shrugged. In any case, it wasnt her problem. No matter how much she might sympathize, it wouldnt make a difference.


    Oh, look, the carriage is here.


    Finally.


    Zylo came back with the carriage.


    Violet decided to stop caring about things that didnt concern her.


    * * *


    Gossip was always like that, but the criticism directed at Violet had crossed the line.


    Although she was used to the usual nder, it was troublesome when even top-secret information got mixed in.


    <b>[ Shocking News! Her Majesty the Empresss Mistake? ]</b>


    The empress made a request for a painting from Ducal Lady Everett, and this became a disgrace in the art world.


    Aside from snubbing many other famous artists, who in the right mind would give any preferential treatment to the one creating demonic paintings?


    Etcetera, etcetera.


    But the matter of the empresss paintingmission to the ducaldy was top secret information. After all, it involved the imperial family. A renowned figure in the art world should not be poking his nose in such a thing.


    Once Violet had asked about this, Roen said,


    Leave it alone. Its better to let them be so they can further damn themsel Ah, pretend you didnt hear that.


    He made a rather ominous statement.


    Well, since those peoples fates were now at the hand of the Young Duke of Everett, Violet had chosen not to concern herself with it.


    This kind of freedom of the press was quite surprising, if Violet were to be honest, considering that the empire was under the rule of a tyrant who had brought the tempest of war. Perhaps the emperor had earned the title of a tyrant through trivial reasons.


    However, even if that were the case, Violet had no intention of letting this matter slide forever.


    She was simply waiting for the right moment.


    Mdy, theres a letter from Count Larsen. It seems to be about sponsorship rted to the arts


    Youve be better and better at this, Mary. Ill check itter. Theres something else I want you to do.


    Yes?


    Now, can you do exactly as I say?


    She had been hearing that she had be too nice these days, but Violets core nature was far from mild.


    After hearing what Violet had to say to her, Mary wore a concerned expression. She would, of course, follow the orders given to her, but what Violet was ordering was more along the lines of threatening someone.


    But if she wanted to live a beautiful life with no other concerns except to paint, a few threats here and there were necessary.


    Will it be alright?


    Well see how it turns out.


    And the results came quite quickly.


    <b>[ Breaking! The Devilish Ducal Ladys True Identity! The Witch of Everett, Known as the Worst, What Is Her True Nature? ]</b>


    The next day, the response came immediately. The content referred to Violet as a witch who had made a pact with a genuine devil and was considered to be able to bring forth the end of the world. Some articles had more or less refined their approach.


    Even so, articles that damage the familys image are troublesome.


    This is supposed to be one of the milder articles, you know.


    Violet alternated between the article that was supposed to be published and the one that was actually published, wearing an aloof expression.


    Roen, who knew that Violets true nature was far from mild, sipped his tea casually.


    The groundwork isplete. If you want, you can check it out right away, he said.


    And Violet replied, Youre quite thorough.


    I tried to fix it myself, but the person whod be the angriest would be you, of course. Now, the data.


    Afterpleting the research, Roen promptly handed the data to Violet. His face exuded trust, though it was more trust in Violets reputation as a viin than trust in his little sister.


    How foolish.


    Trust in my abilities, will you. How much protection do you think is necessary?


    Figure that out on your own.


    Alright, trust me.


    I dont trust you.


    Cant you say something affectionate?


    Teatime ended peacefully.


    Focusing too much on minor criticism could lead to ones downfall. However, clear and direct denigration was enough to spark retaliation. It would be a problem if progress in painting the imperial princesss portrait slowed down.


    Violet contemted again.


    Considering how just one word could make one very happy or very sad, theres still a long way to go.


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 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    * * *


    Where people gather, rumors naturally gather as well. Even if the setting was in high society, where nobles havee together.


    Talk about Violet was a great topic for the gossipmongers. Rumors about her were distorted and sometimes maliciously twisted. This was even more evident when it came to people with ill feelings towards her.


    Why would ady of her rank behave so crudely?


    They say the Everett lineage has be tainted. Do you truly believe shes part of that household?


    Cultured manners are usually inborn.


    Why would a ducaldy try to make money in the first ce? And shes engaging in activities like this with themoners?


    Have you heard? Ducal Lady Everett is rumored to be holding an art exhibition this time. Who knows what the country ising to


    In a ce like this, speaking out made things <i>true.</i>


    The nobledies in these social gatherings, while veiling their true feelings in such phrases, did everything they could to tarnish Violets reputation.


    They collectively referred to her as the disposable pawn.


    The current heir of the duchy, Young Duke Roen, cherished her, but there were stories that he would one day use Violet as a pawn and thereafter throw her away.


    Oh my, Lady Diaz, whats wrong?


    Oh, no, I just have something to think about on my own.


    Amelia Diaz, the woman addressed as Lady Diaz, replied like so as she flinched a little.


    The reason why Violet received criticism in this gathering was simple. The ducaldy of the empire, who should be actively participating in social activities, was secluding herself at home, doing nothing but painting.


    While painting fell within the realm of culture, actively pursuing a career as an artist was quite different. For nobles, engaging in manualbor was considered lowly and disgraceful, especially for something like painting.


    Amelia Diaz was a viscounts daughter, and she was a regr attendee of such gatherings. So, she pondered for a while. Why would painting be considered lowly?


    As the conversation resumed, she asked.


    But is painting really such a lowly task?


    Excuuuse me? What do you mean by that?


    Oh, I misspoke.


    <i>Ohoho.</i> Lady Amelia, youre quite something.


    The response to her genuine confusion was sharp and immediate.


    While they gathered here as friends, fundamentally, they werepetitors. In this world, the friend sitting beside you today might be reced by another the next day. Of course, this was based on the prestige of their family.


    Amelia Diaz swiftly changed the topic.


    Still, she asked herself. Could one really criticize someone who chose their own path instead of following the path set by others? Which life was nobler, one where youd be forced to marry a good man, raise children, and be content with that Or one where you could pursue your passion and interests?


    Lady Diaz?


    Oh, I was just lost in thought. By any chance, have you heard about Young Lord Heisen?


    The topic quickly shifted.


    Of course, not all women followed just one path.


    There were women who also inherited their households title, and many others who pursued their own careers as professionals.


    Its just that the path usually trodden by noblewomen was what <i>makes</i> them noble, as they would believe.


    Living a life as though you were an essoryoh, what a beautiful thing.


    Those who had been continuously imbibed with this notion thought this was whats right.


    As the conversation moved through different topics several times, another piece of news came up.


    My goodness! So <i>this</i> is the Ducal Ladys move!


    It was in the form of a newspaper article.


    * * *


    So, what do you want to say?


    Well, I wanted to have a calm conversation, but it seems the atmosphere isnt very weing.


    An air of tension hung between them as the onlookers swallowed hard, watching this stand-off closely.


    Compared to the maestro who had apparently disparaged the ducaldys reputation, the apprentices watching them looked even more nervous.


    Heavy silence hung in the air as people prickled their ears, waiting for the conversation to continue. Only the meless students were feeling so worried to death.


    Their teacher had just created a significant incident.


    Despite that, he stood there confidently due to his great self-esteem and pride. Perhaps one could say that his pride equaled or even surpassed that of the high nobility.


    If youvee because of that article, I have nothing to say. I only told the truth.


    Is that so?


    Violet responded with a haughty smile to the bold painters words.


    The way this much younger woman spoke so confidently and condescendingly didnt sit well with the maestro. His eyebrows visibly twitched.


    On the other hand, Violet found the maestros reaction intriguing.


    No matter how strong his reputation was, how could hee forward like this in front of high nobility?


    She studied the thoughts going through the painters head for a moment and then decided to stop. Perhaps he was just another foolish man, like Mikhail. She came to a simple conclusion.


    As Mary had been serving Violet for a while now, she had learned a thing or two over the months. Emting the same countenance as Violet, she remained silent and maintained a stoic expression.


    Meanwhile Cairn, who also tagged along, yawned with an irritated expression, clearly bored.


    Violet wondered as she studied the maestros demeanor. Was it because she was on his home turf? Because he had established a position for himself?


    His face bore the marks of timea seasoned painters countenance.


    Violet asked.


    Im curious about what you think is wrong with my art.


    Are you asking because you really dont know?


    I dont. So tell me. What is it that Ive done wrong?


    <i>Hah</i>


    The maestros expression turned icy at Violets calm inquiry. His expression clearly shouted, Truly? You <i>dont </i>know?


    Despite his discourteous demeanor, Violet continued to smile casually as she looked at him.


    Very well, it seems you genuinely dont know what the problem is, so let me exin it to you. Your paintings, mdy,ck the basics. <i>The fundamentals.</i>


    The maestros words were more predictable than Violet had expected.


    In this era, the essence of painting was to capture the beauty of reality, above all, to faithfully reproduce the wondrous creations of the divine. To achieve this, one needed a strong foundation in the fundamentals.


    However, Violets paintings dabbled in the surreal and made no effort to mimic reality. The fundamentals were utterlycking. That was his point.


    His ramblings were more akin to philosophical and aesthetic theories. The maestro spewed words with spittle flying all over the air.


    Violet listened casually and then raised her head, smiling.


    I see. Then Id like to ask you one more question.


    Fine.


    Have you ever personally seen one of my paintings?


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 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    What?


    I just had a thought. I wondered if you were talking without even seeing my paintings, fueled by jealousy that my art is receiving attention. Just maybe.


    Are you saying I criticized your work without even seeing it?


    Agitated by this casual remark, the maestro exhaled heavily. His face turned red as if he might start berating her at any moment.


    Violet asked again.


    So, you im to have seen my paintings?


    <i>Hah,</i> have I ever said anything about a painting Ive never actually seen?


    I see.


    Violet calmly replied, wearing a sly smile.


    If you im to have seen them, then prove it.


    Ive been waiting for you to say that!


    After Violets sudden words, Cairn chimed in, and the bewildered maestro widened his eyes.


    Cairn had indeed intended to take on this pompous painter personally, but his n was thwarted. The nearby knights instead grabbed the outraged maestro.


    W-What is this about! You wont let me go? I am Leonardo! Ducal Lady, what is the meaning of this sudden behavior!


    Even the maestros disciples were bewildered by their teachers abrupt actions.


    Violet, with an innocent expression, asked,


    Do you really not know?


    Ino matter how high of a position you have as a daughter of House Everett, you have no right to do this!


    Enraged, the painter shouted with a face resembling a ripe tomato.


    Violet tapped him on the cheek twice and spoke with a smile.


    Whether its the crime of trespassing on the dukes estate, trespassing on the pce, or trespassing on my familys mansion in the capital Any way you look at it, its a serious crime. I just wanted to inform you that Ill report it.


    W-What did you say?


    My paintings exist only in the ducal estate, the capital mansion, and the pce. You must have known this. Dont tell me, youre <i>not</i> aware


    Now, wait a!


    I dont think Ive heard about you being invited to His Highnesss birthday celebration, yes?


    Violet insinuated with a sly smile.


    Isnt such praise given to those with excessively exceptional talent?


    Are you saying youre an unrivaled genius? How arrogant!


    Is that so? Do I look arrogant?


    Violet stood before the painter. Everyone in the room tensed up upon seeing her.


    Bow your head.


    What?


    If you value your life, you should bow your head.


    You wretch!


    Do you really want to die?


    At Violets signal, one of the knights standing beside her pushed the painters head down to the ground.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    You called me arrogant, didnt you? Then, answer me this. I am arrogant because I have the right to be, dont I?


    Violet looked down at him, ready to trample over him at any moment.


    So, what makes <i>you</i> so arrogant? Is it because of your reputation as the best artist of this era?


    She didnt step on the painters head. Instead, she returned to her seat, haughtily crossing her legs.


    Committing the crime of trespassing on my property is lighter than ndering someone. And as for insolence Did you even use the word wretch?


    Rumors had been rife that the viiness had changed, which surprised everyone who had previously looked down on her.


    They didnt realize that she had be even more defiant than the old Violet.


    Cairn clicked his tongue. Why did that old geezer have to provoke the witchs temper?


    The revered master and teacher, with his head on the ground and unable to utter a word, left his disciples utterly baffled.


    A hellish silence persisted.


    After some brief contemtion, Violet finally spoke again.


    Release him.


    Yes!


    At her shortmand, the knight let go of the maestro. His forehead was bleeding from being struck quite hard.


    Violet, unfazed, continued.


    Very well. How about you show me <i>your</i> so-called outstanding art?


    Just wh, at are you trying to say.


    If you want to lessen your sins even a little, you should know what to do.


    The painter lowered his head. In his ce, one of his apprentices guided Violet.


    While the paintings were undoubtedly remarkable, worthy of being called the work of a master, Violet found them quite dull.


    Her expression revealed her boredom, a far cry from the enthusiasm she showed when viewing paintings at the exhibition previously.


    Her reaction left the apprentices at a loss for words.


    Um, our teacher has a bit of an independent streak. Please show some leniency


    A <i>bit?</i>


    I m-misspoke.


    Reducing a teacher who would boldly break brushes and nder rather than criticize into a bit independent was quite an expression of love for ones mentor.<hr>


    <small><i>t/n: </i></small><small><i>as scheduled, I will be taking a short hiatus <3 regr updates wille back next week!</i></small>


    <small><i>hope you guys have a wonderful week ahead~</i></small>


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 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    Violet clicked her tongue.


    These paintings are boring.


    The arrogant ducaldy passed her judgment. The painter, who had moved a step away from the apprentices, wore a dazed expression upon hearing her evaluation.


    Well-drawn. Faithful to the basics. Faithful to the era.


    But itcked charm.


    Itcked the unique philosophy and aesthetics of a true artist. It continued the tradition of the preceding masters, but it was still a mere feeble attempt.


    Although Violets critique was tinged with personal bias, it provided enough of a blow.


    Nevertheless, it seemsmercial enough.


    The additionalment leaned more towards criticism than praise.


    Its a painting motivated solely by <i>money.</i>


    Universal beauty was less likely to cater to personal tastes. It was thoroughly stable and safe. Its not about art that you want to create, but about art that you want your audience to see.


    It was a type of refined beauty.


    The apprentice guiding Violet, seemingly overwhelmed by her harsh assessment, spoke with a touch of desperation.


    The Maestros paintings are beautiful!


    Thats right. As I said, itsmercial enough. Itcks personal style, though Why should I have to praise this particr art?


    The master of this atelier will be headed for jail not long from now. Try to handle the rest yourselves.


    Ah, and soon using cameras will be more popr. The era where merely capturing the beauty of reality will soone to an end.


    Violets words left everyone with puzzled expressions.


    Before long, the maestro was led away to be questioned by the guards.


    Spreading false information.


    Given the gravity of the usation, his case would ultimately reach the royal family.


    Violet was well aware of this fact. Simultaneously, todays actions would likely create some waves.


    The remaining apprentices in the atelier were all pale, unable to do anything to salvage the situation.


    By tomorrow, there would be a new chapter written on the thick book detailing Violets notoriety.


    Watching her, Cairn said,


    So, youve been holding back your temper all this time?


    Well, a witchs temper doesnt go anywhere, I guess. Still, this time you went pretty easy on the guy, didnt you? If it was the same as in the past, you would have cut that guys tongue and wrists right in front of us and then stomped on his head with the heel of your shoe.


    <i>Haa.</i>


    What! Why are you sighing all of a sudden!


    Not understanding why Violet suddenly sighed, Cairn followed her with an indignant expression.


    * * *


    <b>[ Breaking! The horrific downfall of the Maestro, envied by the young prodigies ]</b>


    <b>It has been revealed that Leonardo Zelo, who was revered as the greatest artist of the era, has been falsely writing various published articles in the media. Envious of the prodigious artist who is ushering in a new era ()</b>


    <b>After Count Larsen, known as a big name in the art world, had cut off support for Leonardo Zelo while condemning him for spreading false information ()</b>


    <b>Meanwhile, the paintings of the Ducal Lady Everett, who is leading a new era, are gaining significant attention, even as rumors continue to abound. The paintings have only been publicly revealed at the Birthday Banquet of His Highness the Crown Prince, further piquing peoples curiosity.</b>


    The incident was neatly wrapped up.


    There could have been some lingering issues, but Violet had no interest in any further involvement.


    So thats what happened.


    Oh, that was a big story in the newspapers, didnt you know?


    It embarrasses me, but I have no interest in such stories.


    Violet, back to her daily routine, was now having a candid conversation with Aldin, who she considered one of her few friends.


    Aldin was currently modeling for Violet.


    Hes even topless at the moment.


    This was all because of Violets sincere request, as she couldnt quite get the chance to observe the muscles of adult men for her croquis exercises.


    Aldins face had turned as red as a ripe tomato long ago.


    Uh, by the way, do I have to stay like this?


    Why. You look cool.


    Aldin was indeed a great model. Unable to turn down Violets requests, he quietly adjusted his pose.


    Here as Lady Violets escort knight, Zylo simply looked at Aldin with a pitying expression.


    Beside Aldin, Cairn muttered.


    Why do you have to use <i>him</i> as a model? Im here too!


    The mere idea of it physiologically repulses me.


    Despite the considerable distance between them, Violet made herself known clearly and responded promptly as such.


    Cairn was just incredulous.


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 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    ¡°No matter what, aren¡¯t you being too mean?¡±


    ¡°Too mean, huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Cairn fell silent.


    He didn¡¯t want to be a model for a blood rtive, but he couldn¡¯t deny that he felt bitter about not being considered for the job.


    This was because Violet¡¯s sincerity wasing through.


    Suddenly irritated, Violet furrowed her brows. And, sensitive to her reactions, Aldin slightly flinched.


    ¡°Oh, that pose is excellent right now. Can you hold it for a moment?¡±


    ¡°¡­Sure.¡±


    <em>Shhk.</em> Aldinplied, adjusting his pose as directed by Violet. Violet¡¯s sketching session was nearly finished.


    After changing back into his clothes, Aldin sighed in relief. Violet herself knew how big of a favor she had asked from Aldin, and so she paid more attention and care to him while he was here.


    Thus, Violet made sure to offer him scrumptious, colorful desserts for him to eat. Aldin himself was shocked to see them, refusing to ept.


    However, Violet said, ¡°Just be at ease. You don¡¯t have to be so stiff.¡±


    Then, the conversation soon flowed.


    ¡°Right, I heard that you graduated from the academy as the top of your ss, Sir.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Were you way above this idiot over here?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with the insults so suddenly!¡±


    ¡°I just happened to be lucky.¡±


    ¡°For a while, it became a topic of difort among the people in the duchy. It was really amusing, honestly,¡± Violet recounted.


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of reputation, of course,¡± Aldin replied.


    ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re downying being the top of your ss? Be proud of your talents, Sir. It¡¯s through your own efforts that you earned that spot.¡±


    Violet smiled cheerfully.


    Every time the news arrived at the Everett estate that Cairn had taken second ce in the academy, there would be a strange tension in the air.


    Mikhail would express his anger about how Cairn was losing to a mere illegitimate bastard, and Aileen would try to calm him down.


    Thinking back, Aileen must have gotten quite annoyed by the way ¡®peerage¡¯ or ¡®pedigree¡¯ was always emphasized. And Mikhail probably never noticed that fact.


    These brief moments of levity were enjoyable to Violet as she sipped her tea. Cairn, who was second in ce and hadn¡¯t even graduated, looked displeased, but no one paid much attention to hisints.


    Violet¡¯s eyes sparkled with mischief.


    ¡°I wonder if I can hear about Cairn¡¯s time at the academy.¡±


    ¡°Cairn¡¯s academy life?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why me?!¡±


    Cairn was taken aback. He looked both pleased and anxious at suddenly bing the topic of conversation.


    Violet shed a smile more brilliant, reminiscent of Roen¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking because I¡¯m curious about my little brother. This idiot¡ª I mean, about Cairn. I¡¯m just curious about the kind of trouble he had gotten into.¡±


    That¡¯s right. Violet wasn¡¯t interested in Cairn¡¯s past. She was asking about his dark history.


    ¡°Ah. Well, to be honest, there¡¯s not much to tell. Cairn was more popr than you¡¯d think.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Cairn shouted when Aldin answered so easily. He turned bright red, as if he might explode at any moment.


    ¡°He received several confessions of love. He rejected all of them, but at one point, he got a bit excited and did some strange things.¡±


    <em>¡°Oho.</em> Can I hear more details about that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really nothing. He made a grand public confession to a female student he¡¯d been taking care of¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop! <em>Stop! </em>Please, just stop!¡±


    ¡°But then he got rejected. He spent seven days without sleeping, dedicating himself to training day and night. He wasn¡¯t in his right mind, and we all just let him be.¡±


    Cairn¡¯s face showed that he was about to cry as his embarrassing history was unveiled. Violet thoroughly enjoyed his reaction.


    Aldin hade to the Everett mansion as a model for Violet¡¯s paintings, but he was officially invited as Cairn¡¯s close friend. This was to avoid any potential scandals.


    While Roen was ying the role of the overly protective older brother, he imposed various restrictions on Violet¡¯s activities, including her interactions with male friends. Violet found his attempts to be annoying.


    Cairn wouldn¡¯t have been at this gathering if it weren¡¯t for this reason. Violet nced at her younger brother and then back at Aldin.


    Violet and Aldin¡¯s areas of expertise didn¡¯t provide manymon conversation topics. Cairn had grievances about his friend and sister¡¯s secret conversations but refrained from speaking on it more.


    Thus, his dark history was further brought to light.


    ¡°He once sent a professor to the infirmary. To be honest, the professor wasn¡¯t a good person, but Cairn went too far.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about that before. Wasn¡¯t he considered ¡®fitting¡¯ though?¡±


    ¡°That professor was someone who showed a lot of discrimination based on lineage. Strangely, even though Cairn was in the ¡®fitting¡¯ category, that just seemed to make him dislike it more. There were asional conflicts between students and professors, but this guy just¡­¡±


    Violet was now openly snickering at Cairn. Simultaneously, his face turned progressively redder.


    He was always treated as pathetic, but never had he been so embarrassed as now that his dark history was exposed. He looked like he wanted to run away from this ce right this instant.


    ¡°By the way, Ducal Lady, you didn¡¯t attend the academy, did you? Is there a reason for that?¡±


    Now, the topic shifted back to Violet. Hearing the question, she let out a brief sigh.


    All three of the Everett sons, Roen, Cairn, and even the person Violet despised most, Mikhail, attended the academy. Moreover, they had achieved top ranks.


    Violet, too, could have attended the academy if she had wanted. She might have even achieved at least the second rank. But she had chosen to learn from a private tutor instead.


    After a short contemtion, Violet smiled gently.


    ¡°There are several reasons, but if I had to pick one¡­¡±


    ¡°If you had to pick one?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to breathe the same air as that fool.¡±

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    Violet¡¯s answer left Cairn¡¯s eyes wide open, and he couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. Unlike his siblings, Cairn couldn¡¯t quite conceal his emotions.


    ¡°Is that the reason?¡±


    Aldin understood, yet Cairn, unable to hide his expression, yelled,


    ¡°Why <em>me?!¡±</em>


    In response to his indignant protest, both Aldin and Violet turned their gaze to Cairn. Their eyes contained a reprimand: ¡®Are you really asking because you don¡¯t know?;


    He clenched his teeth and chewed the innocent cookies with abative spirit.


    ¡®The academy, huh.¡¯


    As Violet¡¯s thoughts wandered to the academy, she realized that the level of education provided by the teachers at the ducal estate was excellent but not as specialized and outstanding as the academy¡¯s professors.


    Even though the options for a noblewoman¡¯s education in the empire were limited, she could have received a more thorough education than what she had at home.


    Well, if she were to be more honest, even if the ducal residence itself was akin to living well to her as well, it¡¯s not just because of Cairn that she opted not to attend the academy.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that a lot of people will like Sister because you¡¯re so much better than me, right? Compared to you, Ick the confidence to be as good as you.¡±


    It¡¯s because Violet didn¡¯t want to have to deal with that detestable rtionship even at the academy.


    Aileen had entered the academy the same year as Cairn, but she eventually decided to cancel her enrollment when Violet had opted to stay at the ducal residence.


    It was during the time when Aileen constantly mimicked Violet, and Violet had be highly sensitive to the girl¡¯s actions.


    This unpleasant memory brought a frown to Violet¡¯s face.


    When Violet told the duke that she would not be attending the academy, he had responded as such.


    ¡°Alright. You don¡¯t have to study abroad either, since you¡¯re going to marry and leave the house eventually.¡±


    Violet smiled bitterly, recalling the moment she became certain that the duke truly regarded her only as a tool to be used and discarded.


    If she had gone to the academy, perhaps the rtionships she had would be different.


    It¡¯s impossible to say which might be better.


    Shedding her unpleasant memories and negative possibilities, Violetughed lightly.


    ¡°Well, there were various reasons. So why did <em>you</em> end up enrolling in the academy?¡±


    ¡°Ah. It was at the behest of my older sister.¡±


    ¡°Your older sister?¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know what she had in mind,¡± Aldin replied calmly.


    Aldin smiled gently in response to Violet¡¯s question.


    As Duke Aesir was in his forties, he had sired a daughter who was about three or four years older than Aldin. She was the one who had sent her younger brother ahead to the academy.


    Whether it was an intention to drive away the troublesome illegitimate child or a way to ensure he wouldn¡¯t be discriminated against, the result was a good one. Aldin was recognized for his abilities.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve established a lot of good rtionships.¡±


    Aldin¡¯s gentle smile concealed a mix of emotions. One of those good connections was Cairn, and knowing this fact made Violet feel ufortable.


    ¡°Still, it must have been hard to meet someone like <em>that</em> as a ssmate.¡±


    Violet added with a spitefulment.


    In turn, Aldin responded,


    ¡°He¡¯s quite a noisy fellow, after all.¡±


    To him, Cairn was a good friend. He had treated Aldin as a person, not discriminating against him for being an illegitimate child.


    In terms of ability and conversation, Cairn wasn¡¯t a bad friend.


    Violet didn¡¯t like that fact. She didn¡¯t like the idea that someone she disliked could be a good person to someone else.


    People couldn¡¯t always be good to everyone. She knew that.


    People who were good in Violet¡¯s eyes could be the arch-nemesis of someone else, and the opposite could be true as well.


    In her case, this was no different.


    But how could she forget those horrific memories? Violet thought of the cold sensation of a sharp de against her throat. Her fingers instinctively touched the base of her neck.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?


    ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Aldin raised an eyebrow in response to Violet¡¯s actions, but her gaze naturally shifted toward Cairn.


    The third son of the Everett Duchy, who did quite a lot of <em>nothing</em> today, had a look on his face that said he¡¯d been unjustly treated.


    The rtionship between Violet and Cairn at the moment was delicate.


    She had not forgiven her younger brother.


    And, forgiven or not, no progress had been made thus far.


    Because Cairn had just been living as he pleased until now, he didn¡¯t know how to be considerate of others.


    He was awkward in understanding people¡¯s emotions and in maintaining rtionships. Part of it was due to his innate personality, but it was also because he had never truly faced real adversity.


    Without experiencing it, one couldn¡¯t easily grasp and sympathize with the pain of others.


    Simply put, Cairn could notprehend the thorns that still gue Violet.


    The reason he apologized was because he simply recognized his own actions as ¡®inappropriate¡¯, yet without fully understanding what exactly he did that had hurt her.


    So, most of the time, Cairn was better off refraining from uttering the words that were right on the tip of his tongue.


    What should this rtionship be defined as?


    Violet didn¡¯t consider it to be as ufortable and repulsive as it used to be, but she still disliked Cairn.


    This feeling was different from what she felt for Roen, and much moreplicated.


    That cold, icy sensation resting precariously upon her throat. The expression that carried such palpable fury.


    It was all still so vivid.


    Even though she could maintain afortable conversation with the changed Cairn¡­ Just the same, the fear she harbored remained on the forefront of her being.


    Like an ever-present specter, she would still find herself perpetually afflicted by this lingering fear, flinching at even the slightest hint of a raised hand.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    ¡°W-What¡¯s up with you all of a sudden?!¡±


    While Violet was lost in thought for a brief moment, Cairn jumped in surprise. Whatever it was, Aldin had decided that the issuey with Cairn, so he sent a slight sigh in his direction.


    Cairn was shocked by the fact that Aldin had chosen love over friendship.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°These cookies are delicious.¡±


    Aldin casually responded to Violet¡¯s puzzled expression. This only made Cairn even more aggrieved. No one here was on his side. It was his karma.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve been visiting the Imperial Pce recently.¡±


    Holding himself off from sending killing intent towards Cairn, Aldin swiftly changed the topic. Violet responded to the question given to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m currently working on a portraitmission. There hasn¡¯t been much progress.¡±


    ¡°A portrait, you say?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a portrait.¡±


    While there were reports of the empressmissioning a portrait from the Ducal Lady of House Everett, the exact nature of themission wasn¡¯t disclosed, leaving room for misunderstanding.


    Some wondered if she was painting a portrait of the Crown Prince.


    Aldin looked down at his teacup.


    ¡°Shall I paint a portrait of you as well, Sir?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Aldin returned to his usual expression, but his ears turned red.


    ¡°¡­I thought you were meeting with His Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­ There have been rumors, and¡­ I just thought¡­¡±


    Violet was genuinely shocked to hear Aldin¡¯s words. Although the news of the empress¡¯s portraitmission was out, how could such a rumor have spread?


    People really loved other people¡¯s love stories.


    ¡°I do see him asionally, but it¡¯s nothing like that!¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s just a rumor I happened to hear¡ª that the painting requested by Her Majesty the Empress is a portrait of His Highness the Crown Prince¡­¡±


    Aldin began to stumble over his words. Violet sighed at the usible rumors.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a rumor. I just didn¡¯t expect that <em>you</em> would have any interest in such rumors¡­¡±


    ¡°What?! No, Your Ladyship! I only heard such stories!¡±


    Aldin stammered, waving his hands in bewilderment. Cairn, who had been excluded from the conversation, looked at him with a subtle expression. <em>Seriously?</em>


    A man who had never shown interest in worldly rumors was suddenly so intrigued by murmurs carrying Violet¡¯s name around.


    Even though it was quite obvious, Violet herself either didn¡¯t know or pretended not to know.


    ¡°More than anything, I don¡¯t have any positive feelings for His Highness.¡±


    Aldin looked surprised as Violet dered this so surely. Among the unmarried nobledies, there was no one who disliked the crown prince.


    But starting from their first meeting, things had gone awry. How could she ever be partial to that man?


    Their second and third meetings were not so pleasant either. Violet shrugged lightly.


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Can I be honest? You¡¯ll keep it a secret, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s a straight-up a*shole.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The more I see him, the more I feel like he¡¯s rotten to the core.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Aldin looked dumbfounded at Violet¡¯s unhesitating answer. Cairn nodded in agreement beside him.


    There was a reason the crown prince hung out with Roen. Compared to Roen, Rajaden was even more of a snake.


    ¡°Still, isn¡¯t he a splendid person?¡±


    ¡°In the public eye, I certainly believe he¡¯s a good person.¡±


    ¡°¡­There are rumors that Your Ladyship will be the Crown Princess.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression turned cold. She had never paid attention to rumors involving herself, but this time she couldn¡¯t hide her displeasure.


    ¡°And, I mean, I keep hearing that the two of you look very good together¡­¡±


    Aldin hastily added an exnation as he saw Violet¡¯s souring expression, even though he didn¡¯t need to exin himself. Violet let out a sigh.


    ¡°Regardless of official positions, I have no interest.¡±


    ¡°¡­May I ask the reason, then?¡±


    ¡°I mean, apart from him being a prick, I guess it¡¯s because he¡¯s not my type?¡±


    Violet¡¯s frank answer once again made Aldin baffled, and Cairn was just out here having a good time, holding back hisughter the best that he could.


    Aldin carefully made his best effort to school his features. The crown prince was not to her taste, she said.


    Saying that a handsome prince like the crown prince wasn¡¯t her type made Aldin feel even more insecure. He was already struggling with his low self-esteem, and now he felt even less confident.


    Not knowing about Aldin¡¯s feelings, Violet casually remarked.


    ¡°If I had to talk about preferences, I think it would be Aldin.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Aldin stiffened at her sudden statement. This time instead, Cairn jumped up.


    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t say something like that!¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Violet¡¯s nonchnt response left Cairn flustered, stammering voicelessly through his goldfish-like mouth, opening and closing.


    By the looks of his face, it looked as if he waspletely bewildered, like he was wondering just what was <em>wrong</em> with her.


    The casual expression that served as an answer to him made Cairn clutch the back of his neck in despair.


    ¡°Did I say something I shouldn¡¯t have?¡±


    ¡°¡­I mean, um, I guess it¡¯s because I resemble my mother.¡±


    Aldin answered as such, and he meant to say that he resembled his mother in terms of appearance. He was in a state of panic to the point where he brought up the topic that had been a taboo for a bastard child like him.


    Nevertheless, Violet seemed unconcerned of this fact.

 Chapter 170

    ¡°I was half joking, so don¡¯t take offense. There was no other meaning.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I see.¡±


    The knight with low self-esteem muttered with a sullen expression. Cairn jumped again. If it¡¯s half a joke, then it means she¡¯s half serious! It was a suppressed scream that couldn¡¯t make it out of his mouth.


    ¡°By the way, the huntingpetition ising up. Will you also be participating, Sir?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll participate in name only¡­¡±


    ¡°Do youck confidence in your skills?¡±


    The topic naturally shifted.


    The annual huntingpetition, officially hosted by the imperial family, was an event tomemorate the founding of the empire by the first emperor, marking the end of the dark ages. It was a good ce to showcase one¡¯s various talents.


    ¡°Do you want me to win?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure about that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    Cairn, seeing the conversation smoothly continue, gave up and focused on munching on his cookies.


    After the huntingpetition, there would be the National Foundation Festival, and after that, amemorative day to honor the first emperor again. There were quite a few national celebrations in the country.


    ¡°Why does this damn country have so many festivals?¡±


    Cairn grumbled to himself.


    It was a peaceful day.


    * * *


    ¡°I havee to draw a portrait of Her Highness the Imperial Princess.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence. I came to hang out with my sister too.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The crown prince¡¯s schedule was hectic. There was no way someone responsible for countless lives wouldn¡¯t be busy.


    However, amidst the mountain of tasks, he came to y with his sister, iming he had nothing to do.


    Violet sighed, looking down at the ground, not buying into the apparent lie.


    The crown prince, seemingly blind to Violet¡¯s exasperation, smiled skillfully and patted his sister on the head.


    ¡°Yeah, I heard you had a sh with the painter Leonardo this time.¡±


    ¡°It was mere standard procedure.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, you handled it quite neatly. Inducing self-destruction, that¡¯s the best way to go about it.¡±


    After the crown prince fed snacks to his sister, he chuckled with his chin in hand. And as Violet couldn¡¯t really kick him out despite the interruption, she just replied vaguely, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°But what if I had actually shown your art to that painter?¡±


    ¡°In that case, I would have used a different method.¡±


    When the crown prince asked the obvious question, Violet just casually replied with an air of annoyance as she muttered disdainfully, ¡®Knowing this guy¡¯s personality, he certainly didn¡¯t.¡¯


    Regardless of Violet¡¯s reaction, Rajaden was consistently amused,ughing to himself.


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t think I would have shown your painting to other people, with my personality?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. I¡¯m not particrly fond of casually sharing what¡¯s mine with others. Except for family, I haven¡¯t shown it to anyone since the banquet.¡±


    Violet fixed her gaze on her sketchbook. She didn¡¯t want to see that unfortunate face anymore. The innocent princess mumbled as she fed her older brother candy.


    ¡°Hahaha! Anyway, it was interesting. Leonard had skill, but he wasn¡¯t good enough to be an official court painter. And he had too much pride, frequently restricting other art salons and artists. He made things a bit difficult.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Even though it might seem so, I¡¯m quite interested in the art world. How about joining me to watch a y when we have time¡ª¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, Your Highness, you are disturbing us.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I am having difficulty drawing when Your Highness insists on covering Her Highness¡¯s figure.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Rajaden, rejected before even asking for a date, was taken aback. He was amazed at how she was just consistently dismissing him. It¡¯s the first time anyone¡¯s ever treated him like this.


    ¡°You never back down even when faced with the prince of a nation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of the power against you, Ducal Lady? Even with just one word from me, your family could be wiped out.¡±


    ¡°What would you gain by destroying House Everett?¡±


    ¡°¡­Really, it feels like I¡¯m the only one taking a hit.¡±


    Rajaden distanced himself from the imperial princess. When her beloved older brother moved away however, the princess frowned.


    In the end, he had to put his sister on hisp in a quiet pose to avoid disturbing the painting.


    Violet had hoped that he would leavepletely, but this was enough. It is what it is. She remained engrossed in her sketch. Still, meanwhile, various thoughts swirled through her mind.


    In any case, this guy was annoying, Violet concluded sinctly. Watching her, the crown prince clicked his tongue.


    ¡°I can¡¯t understand how you and your brother view the Imperial Family. Even the current Duke of Everett¡­¡±


    There was a long-standing bad rtionship between the two families, spanning two generations. Unaware that the duke also had disagreements with the emperor, Violet casually pressed her pencil.


    ¡°But Celi, as I thought, you¡¯re really really fond of me, hm?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Feeling exasperated, Violet finally stopped and looked at Rajaden.


    Why on earth was he suddenly, proudly iming that the imperial princess liked him? Was this a veiled deration that he would keeping back during Violet and the princess¡¯s sessions?


    Feeling an oing headache, Violet pressed her temples. At this, Rajadenughed. She wasn¡¯t even trying to hide her annoyance at him.


    ¡°¡­Of all people, why does it have to be me?¡±


    Violet asked bluntly. Two pairs of eyes met. The golden eyes softened gently.

 Chapter 171

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Are you pretending not to know?¡±


    Violet slowly closed her eyes. But as she opened them, once again, their eyes met.


    ¡°This is something that Lord Roen enjoys talking about. Still, I don¡¯t understand why Your Highness is doing this to me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Let me be straight with you, then. Why me?¡±


    Violetpletely lowered her pencil. Facing her unwavering purple eyes, Rajaden met her gaze, and he responded with a courteous smile.


    ¡°Then let me ask in return. Why not me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if I had shown your drawing to that painter, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to say anything. That¡¯s the nature of power.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Lies can be truths, and even amidst nothingness, something can be created. With power, I can make you invulnerable, untouchable. Lady Violet, if you wish, I can give you anything you want.¡±


    These words, spoken with a calm cadence, bordered on a confession, yet sounded dry. Violet understood the true meaning behind those words.


    Thus, her expression remained as calm as a stillke without a ripple.


    ¡°Even if what I wish is for no one to surpass or harm me?¡±


    ¡°If it is your wish.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a reason as simple as that, aren¡¯t I, a woman born as the daughter of a duke, already inherently untouchable?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You must be aware of the countless rumors about me. Since you speak as if you intend to be a shield.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Is power truly such a simple thing?¡±


    Violet smiled.


    Her smile, like a calmke without a single disturbance, reflected Rajaden¡¯s motionless response.


    For no one to easily speak out, no one to easily surpass. That was power. Why an arrogant person like him could continue to live so arrogantly was precisely because of power.


    On the surface, it sounded sweet. However, Violet knew that there was poison hidden beneath that sweetness.


    ¡°Are you willingly offering to be a tyrant for me, Your Highness?¡±


    Countless tyrants had done as such. They crushed everything that dared to surpass themselves.


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know you cared about that.¡±


    ¡°I just pointed out the contradictions in your demeanor.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Well, I lost. You¡¯re right, Ducal Lady. If I continue like this, it will be like a renaissance of the era of the First Emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet lifted her pencil again. The imperial princess, who didn¡¯t understand the intricacies of the subtext behind their serious conversation, just kept looking alternately between Rajaden and Violet.


    Watching Violet start drawing again, Rajaden tapped his chin. Soon, a deep smile appeared on his lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite amusing. Have you ever thought that doing this makes me want you more, Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°I like talent. If you¡¯re capable, I like you no matter who you are. Even if there are ws in your character, it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as I can control it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°In that sense, Ducal Lady, you¡¯re optimal. Even the position of the princess consort eventually involves political calctions. It should be upied by a suitable talent.¡±


    Violet set her pencil down again.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then House Everett¡¯s seconddy would be the better choice.¡±


    There was anger in her tone.


    The improvement of her own situation was not something she herself could decide on.


    Violet simply escaped. She ran away from everything that threatened her.


    She had hoped to live in her ownfortable paradise, created by running away, and everything changed.


    She did nothing.


    So, Rajaden¡¯s words about political calctions now were not urate.


    His tone remained high and mighty, but he sensed the emotion behind Violet¡¯s words and wiped away his expression.


    ¡°Are you talking about Aileen Everett?¡±


    ¡°Unlike me, who carries the stigma of being a wicked woman, she has been known as a good child. She knows how to manipte the public in a different sense than I do. And with the name of Everett, there should be no problem with her lineage.¡±


    There were issues with the girl¡¯s maternal lineage, but Violet didn¡¯t point that out.


    Rajaden tilted his head when he looked at Violet.


    ¡°A good child. But that in itself is a shackle. Once you put it on, you can¡¯t get out.¡±


    There¡¯s no way that ¡®Violet¡¯ could sincerely wish for the best for Aileen. Knowing this fact, Rajaden asked in a somewhat lowered voice.


    ¡°Do you hope that your younger sister will be the empress?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you hate her? No, let me correct myself. I¡¯m sure that you¡¯re not on good terms with each other, so if Aileen Everett were to be empress, you wouldn¡¯t be safe either.¡±


    Violet didn¡¯t respond. Seeing her cold, frozen expression, Rajaden furrowed his brow.


    Even though the people of House Everett may have disputes with the imperial family, they still maintained a minimum level of courtesy.


    But what¡¯s with that expression?


    Rajaden, who didn¡¯t hide his difort, continued.


    ¡°And she doesn¡¯t fit my ideal of talent. I don¡¯t mind ws in a person¡¯s character, but it¡¯s troublesome if they can¡¯t be controlled.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±


    Violet closed her eyes. Since Rajaden was truthfully revealing his difort, she also had to take a step back.


    That¡¯s how power works.


    Sheughed. She showed a smile that¡¯s usually only visible to her family.


    ¡°If you need the name and support of House Everett, there could be other ways,¡± Violet said.


    Rajaden fell silent for a moment at Violet¡¯s face, which seemed to prefer an expressionless one.


    ¡°¡­What if I say that I¡¯ve fallen for you?¡±

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    Thats too much of a joke.


    As the silence stretched on, it became more apparent how terrible his words sounded.


    He, who only sees people as tools for long-term use, was saying that he had fallen in love. Violet clicked her tongue as she inwardly organized her thoughts, pushing down the rising anger within her.


    Right now, its time for her to go home.


    I bid my farewell to the rising sun and the star of the Empire. I shall take my leave now.


    Rajaden frowned at Violets goodbye. Although it was still bright out, with the sunlight shining luminously, the light pouring down on Violet seemed excessive.


    The flickering light enveloped her. It was radiant yet serene. Her wless posture, with every small finger movement executed perfectly, looked majestic under the light.


    ?


    Watching Violet curtsy and leave, Rajaden recalled the smile that he had seen just now, the one that seemed like it was about to break for some reason.


    As a tingling sensation seemed to rise upon his chest, inadvertently, he let out a small sound. Huh. And at this, the young princess looked at her brother with an innocent expression.


    Come to think of it, I havent slept welltely.


    He, who was good at pacifying his sister, gently pressed his temples.


    Not caring about people. Such an attitude was probably because it was the first time he had confessed something like that.


    Her indifferent demeanor paradoxically stimted peoples curiosity.


    With such thoughts, Rajaden, feeling a subtle and inexplicable sensation, left his sisters pce.


    It was time for him to attend to his duties.


    * * *


    Violets social circle was narrow, and this was a well-known fact.


    Despite her infamous reputation, she held the status of a high-ranking noble, so many people wished to befriend her.


    However, she didnt have many close rtionships.


    Violet herself had no intention of actively forming new connections, yet she was still meeting one of her few friends today.


    It seems like youve been through a lottely. Ignoring even my invitation


    I didnt do it on purpose.


    <i>Fufu,</i> I understand. Kids of that age are always busy.


    Marchioness Leshan smiled warmly as she poured tea.


    Violet had sought her out to discuss something on her mind and awkwardly smiled without drinking the tea.


    Actually, theres something I want to consult with you about.


    A love consultation?


    Not exactly a love consultation.


    Seeing Violets serious expression, Marchioness Leshan chuckled.


    Although the topic was not too far from the realm of love counseling, Violet didnt want to categorize her dilemma under that umbre.


    Watching Violets reaction, the middle-ageddyughed.


    Well, how about it? It would be nice if my daughter came for consultations like this, just like a normaldy


    That might be difficult.


    <i>Fufu.</i> Indeed, that would be challenging.


    As the Marchioness spoke of her dream to be a friend-like mother with her daughter, she elegantly put down her teacup.


    Considering Alesia Leshans personality, it seemed like fulfilling the marchionesss wish would be a difficult task.


    Violet pondered whether this person was suitable for such consultation. But with no one else to confide in, she decided to speak carefully.


    About my friend.


    Isnt it that you have no friends?


    Seeing Violets incredulous expression, Marchioness Leshan chuckled.


    Violets brows furrowed slightly more. Knowing that she was being teased, she couldnt help feeling a subtle difort.


    Why could she easily ignore the mockery and criticism from strangers but feel uneasy about such small jokes?


    With a sigh, Violet slowly began to speak after sipping her tea.


    The conversation revolved around her discussions with the crown prince and the events that had transpired between them. Of course, she didnt explicitly mention the crown princes name, but she was clear about the topic of a strategic marriage.


    Violet exined the story bit by bit. It was about how, when she expressed her reluctance to marry in this manner, the other party, instead of being deterred, seemed to want her even more. And theres also the matter of how hes saying nonsensical things like rejecting him was making him more interested in her.


    It was all so perplexing.


    The reason Violet sought advice from Marchioness Leshan was to understand what exactly was going on in that persons mind and how to gracefully refuse such advances.


    However, the marchioness interpreted it differently. While listening to Violets words, she pped her hands in delight.


    Oh my, oh my, <i>oh my!</i> Ive only heard of it, but it <i>is</i> true that you young ones nowadays consider love marriages as the norm! How cute can that be!


    Is this considered cute?


    Its positively adorable. And then, if you genuinely fall in love, wouldnt it be romantic?


    Violets expression subtly stiffened. It seemed like those tales of noblewomen enjoying melodramatic romance novels were not just rumorsthey were true.


    But regardless of whether it was true or not, Marchioness Leshan continued her speech in a warm tone.


    So, you dont fancy his Highness the Crown Prince?


    Its not that I dont like him, its more like I havent even really considered him


    As Violet answered while looking down at her teacup, her expression hardened.


    Violets gaze, now directed at Marchioness Leshan after lifting her head, carried a sense of urgency. In response, Marchioness Leshan, the receptor of that urgent gaze, smiled pleasantly.


    Whats wrong?


    I never mentioned His Highness.


    You didnt?


    The social acumen and wit of Marchioness Leshan, who had been part of high society for a long time, were not something Violet was ready to contend with.


    Want to support this website and read up to [<strong>40</strong>] chapters ahead?

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173


    Seeing the faux-innocent expression that which the marchioness had donned, Violet acknowledged the older womans unsaid answer with only silence. She lowered her gaze to the teacup again, and a sigh escaped her.


    You dont seem to fancy him.


    In terms of his aspects, its a fact that hes perfectly wless. And his attention is coveted by all currently unmarrieddies, after all.


    But you still dislike him?


    Violet replied with a smile.


    The position of the crown princess and eventual empress was one that every woman in the whole empire dreamed of having. Perhaps half of the romance novels out there depicted a romance with a young, unmarried emperor. She was well aware of that fact.


    Although the prevailing mindset was still somewhat tedious, it couldnt stop the changes of the times. Violet, living in this era, was a result of those changes.


    Until thirty years ago, marriages with love as the forefront were rare, but nowadays, it was a trend among the young nobles. Thanks to the prominent figures in century-spanning romances, including the Marchioness Leshan.


    And here, the living legend of such circumstance, sitting right before Violet, Marchioness Leshan had a twinkle in her eyes as she spoke.


    Just because the young ones these days prefer love marriages doesnt mean everyone can do the same. Especially among the nobility, were expected to prioritize political and economic interests.


    Though it seems good on the surface, its often not the case in truth. Thats why humans tend to chase fantasies rather than facing reality.


    Marchioness Leshan, with a gentle smile, slowly began her own story. The content included thingsmonly known to the public and things Violet didnt know.


    My husband and I have separated. That overwhelming feeling of being whole andpleteit is ever so fleeting and ever so momentary. To think that love can prevail all is just a momentary illusion.


    The voice exining this was calm, as if she wasnt particrly unhappy. It was a casual tone, like discussing the delicious quiche she had yesterday, passing by lightly.


    Violet knew nothing about love. She had never experienced romance, let alone knowing how to love friends or family.


    The only person who fell into the category of being cherished by her was Mary, and that pretty much summed it up. Therefore, she couldnt understand those who invested everything in the name of love.


    If she could never understand the notion that love could continue evermore, she thought it might not be bad to live in an understanding rtionship with someone who, like her, didnt understand love.


    In that sense, Prince Rajaden had the optimal conditions. He expressed his willingness to adapt to Violet as much as possible. If theres giving, theres receiving.


    Yet a rtionship entangled with gains and losses was not love.


    Even Violet, who didnt know about love, understood this fact. How could one confidently act without knowing what the future held? She wasnt a control freak like Roen, so she couldnt find the right answer.


    Its not about being indecisive. She just couldnt figure out what to do.


    Knowing Violets dilemma, Marchioness Leshan spoke with a voice mixed withughter.


    Then, act ording to your heart.


    Is that really fine?


    Is there a reason it wouldnt be?


    The other party is the Crown Prince.


    Didnt you say that its not him?


    Kidding. Why does it matter that the other party is the Crown Prince? Even if its the Imperial Family, they couldnt do whatever they want with House Everett anyway. Oh, could it be because of the current situation? Because you meet often? Hmm. In that case, you can think as such: Ah! Im so beautiful that Im overflowing with poprity! Damn this poprity. Like this.


    The statement that came out with aughter-mixed voice was truly explosive. Violet, unable to react, stared at the marchioness in a daze.


    So, the point is this. Until you experience it, you wont know. Whats good now can be unpleasant in an instant, and whats unpleasant now can be good for some particr reason. Dont think hastily and carefully consider ande to a conclusion. Youre still young, Ducal Lady, and youve got plenty of time, yes?


    Thank you for the advice.


    The marchioness had teased Violet excessively, but advice from someone with more experience in life was indeed helpful. Although Violet didnt fully grasp Marchioness Leshans words, she nodded in understanding to some extent.


    If Rajaden were to exert pressure, Violet could just go abroad.


    Marchioness Leshan responded to Violets modest expression of gratitude with a twinkle in her eyes. Soon, she spoke up.


    Since Ive listened to the Ducal Ladys worries, so its time for you to listen to mine, right?


    Huh?


    Any person needs a ce to vent. Youd know better than an old woman like me.


    Despite Marchioness Leshan interacting with significantly more peoplepared to Violet, she said this casually. Violet refrained from pointing that out.


    Its really hard to understand even though shes my daughter. What exactly is Alesia thinking


    Unexpectedly, the topic of her concerns was Alesia Leshan.


    Her daughter, who had always behaved recklessly and surprised those around her, had be even more energetictely. She did unconventional things, like burning all the dresses she used to wear and dering she would never wear a dress again. On top of that, she cut her hair short to match her clothes.


    It was like a lively young foal, kicking about and making a fuss.


    Guessing the reason Alesia burned all her dresses, Violet smiled subtly. It was the smile of an innocent person who knew nothing.


    Everything was fine until she started seeking out swordsmanship instructors. Let me tell youshe drove away four of her instructors thus far. Four! Still She continued practicing alone, and people have been telling me that shes got quite the skill despite everything. But this


    Alesia was truly making an effort to receive the title of Dame, Violet noted.


    And she was doing it with the enthusiasm of a raging bull.


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 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174


    Why does she treat her older brother worse than an insect? Just meeting each other leads to a growling match, and Alec also goes ahead and keeps getting a rise out of his younger sister Heavens.


    In summary, the marchionessmented about how the colt had be a crazy colt, and while she was trying her best to understand, its just that Alesia was looking down on her older brother a little too much. The marchioness also worried about how her daughters attitude would impede the search for a good match in holy matrimony. This was her dilemma.


    Listening to the concerns of Marchioness Leshan, Violet tilted her head, feeling a certain difort.


    Does Alec have to inherit the title of Marquis?


    Its the norm. Once I marry off Alesia, it would bring me peace of mind.


    But didnt you tell <i>me</i> to do as I please?


    Violets question hit the nail on the head. Marchioness Leshan froze up, as if she hadnt even considered it.


    Why must the eldest son inherit the title? Would a daughter be a burden if she doesnt marry? Violets observation was valid. Marchioness Leshan personally advised Violet to act as she pleased, but her current stance towards her children contradicted her own words.


    The marchioness remained silent for a short time. While Violet waited for her, she slowly sipped her tea.


    Ducal Lady, you have the name Everett, dont you?


    The Leshan name is not exactly inconsequential either.


    But a rtionship as bad as theirs, protecting my son under the name of Leshan would be difficult


    Were you happy after your marriage, Madam?


    At Violets repeated question, Marchioness Leshan smiled bitterly.


    Happiness and unhappiness couldnt be neatly divided like separating ashes from embers. Happy and unhappy moments could coexist, and love and happiness werent directly proportional.


    Knowing this fact, Marchioness Leshan couldnt easily find an answer.


    For noblewomen, marriage was often considered the ultimate goal in life. However, it was not the only answer.


    Marchioness Leshan was well aware of this fact, having experienced it firsthand.


    After resolving her dilemma, Marchioness Leshan asked,


    Then, Ducal Lady, what do you think I should do?


    I think it would be best to trust your daughter, Lady Alesia, a bit more.


    If what Alesia truly desired was to be the future Marquis, or the household head, she should strive for it now. Gaining support from those around her might be a challenge for her, but with Marchioness Leshans backing, many things could change.


    Theres a difference between the situation in which one could hope and strive to achieve ones goal, and the situation in which, even with effort, opportunities would never be given.


    Ill believe in her then, as you said.


    It might be better to intensify her education.


    If Alesia remained as she was now and wouldter be the Marquis, it would be troublesome. She needed to learn self-restraint. Marchioness Leshan, seemingly deciding after listening to Violets roundabout words, smiled gently.


    Yes, indeed. I had concerns about putting forward Alec as the sessor. Maybe its because he thinks its only natural that he would be the next marquis, but that child sometimescks self-awareness.


    It wasnt <i>sometimes</i> but <i>always</i>, Violet thought, but she didnt point it out.


    Yes, yes. Competing might benefit them both. Thank you.


    Marchioness Leshan expressed her gratitude gracefully with a smile.


    Violet replied, No problem.


    The time they spent sharing their concerns and offering advice was truly beneficial.


    After such a rewarding consultation, someone approached Violet as she was about to return home.


    Ducal Lady Everett.


    It was Alesia Leshan, one of the individuals discussed in their conversation.


    Alesia, dressed more casually than when they first met, had a stern expression on her face. Though Violet couldnt really guess why she was being called now, she nodded in response.


    Yes, Lady Leshan.


    I would like to apologize.


    It was out of the blue that Alesia approached Violet, and she was here to express her apologies. With Violet having no pleasant memories of receiving apologies, she furrowed her brows.


    Alesia lifted her head briefly and continued speaking.


    I behaved rudely before, judged you arbitrarily, and spoke thoughtlessly because of my misconceptions. I would like to apologize for everything. Im sorry.


    And I also want to express my gratitude.


    Having said that, Alesia took a bow, emphasizing her sincerity. In this unexpected situation, Violet looked down at her.


    Alesia, lowering her body, spoke with a rxed expression as if saying it didnt matter.


    In all honesty, I got caught up in my own thoughts, misunderstood you, and judged you unfairly. While I cant im your past actions were entirely without fault, I, too, behaved rudely. I did not consider your circumstances and came to my own conclusions in a one-sided manner.


    Is that so?


    You didnt necessarily correct the misunderstanding, Ducal Lady, but that doesnt make my actions justified.


    Violet thought as she looked at her. <i>Much better than Cairn.</i>


    However, admitting that she didnt correct the misunderstanding was an admission of fault. As the one offering the apology, it was her responsibility to address that point. Violet considered pointing it out but refrained from doing so.


    The person offering the apology seemed relieved, but the one receiving it appeared somewhat awkward. Alesia paid no attention to Violets reaction.


    Thanks to you, Ducal Lady, Ive found a goal. I thought it was distant and impossible, so I gave up all too easily.


    A goal?


    I will be a knight.


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 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175


    In Alesias voice, Violet noticed strength and confidence.


    She understood why Marchioness Leshan had described her daughter as a colt jumping around like its gone crazy.


    To ovee opposition, one sometimes had to shout and assert their opinions, even if it meant sounding like a lunatic.


    Alesia and Violet led different lives. Just as Alesia couldntprehend Violets struggles, there were undoubtedly concerns in Violets life that Alesia didnt understand.


    Violet knew this fact. Alesia, trapped in her own world and unable to see beyond, emerged from her self-contained world for the sake of her goal.


    Smiling at Alesia, Violet said,


    I can at least offer some support.


    Next time we meet, Ducal Lady, you will surely address me as Dame.


    Alesia imed this with confidence. It was an ambitious statement, but at the same time, it hinted at the long road shed have to tread ahead.


    As Violet stifled a little click of the tongue, Alesiaughed and extended her hand.


    So, Ill show a different side of myself at the huntingpetition.


    It was a good conclusion.


    * * *


    The significance of the huntingpetition ran deep, intertwined with the empires long-standing traditions and history.


    However, the current significance of the huntingpetition had long since deviated.


    A disy of skill, status, and camaraderiethe imperial event where all three could be showcased.


    Although it was once an event held to strengthen the foundation of the nation, Violet thought it had failed in that regard.


    Well, for the lower sses beneath the nobility, it served as a public holiday, so it wasnt entirely a lost cause.


    The huntingpetition took ce in the forest near the pce. A skilled knight order would capture low-level monsters in advance, releasing them in thepetition area for participating nobles to showcase their skills in hunting.


    Considering it was hosted by the imperial family, invitations were scarce. However, naturally, the members of House Everettof course, including Violet S. Everettreceived invitations.


    Despite having such privileges, Violet found the huntingpetition bothersome.


    It was only obvious. The huntingpetition had not only turned into a stage for disys but also gathered people crazed about love and romance, to the extent that it could be called a lovers event instead of a patriotic event.


    Men hunted prey and monsters using swords, bows, and their martial prowess.


    Women, in return, handed over handkerchiefs they had personally embroidered as a wish for the mens safety.


    The huntingpetition originated from legends of the first emperor, and the story was filled with love. Thus, romantic expectations naturally followed such an event.


    The winner would present a trophy to their lover who had given them a handkerchief. Popr knights received numerous handkerchiefs, while less popr men experienced the pitiful situation of not receiving even one.


    In this stage Violet, who could not wield a sword herself, had a clear role.


    To present a handkerchief to the person she liked.


    Well, its supposed to be like that. However, she didnt quite love anyone, but she had no choice but to be swayed by peer pressure.


    Above all though, she had no talent for embroidery though.


    With these considerations, Violet, who had been contemting in the gallery, changed her destination and headed towards the training grounds. Knights engrossed in their drills didnt notice her arrival.


    Having spotted her target, Violet entered the training ground confidently. Only then did the knights notice the presence of thedy, and a few of them swallowed their surprised gasps.


    Hey.


    Cairn was in the midst of practicing his swordsmanship. So, when someone had so informally called him like that, he whipped his head around annoyedly to look at who <i>dared </i>call the third son of the duke in that manner.


    But once he realized that it was Violet, he swallowed the retort that had been ready at the tip of his tongue.


    What is it?


    Are you entering it, too?


    Huh?


    The huntingpetition.


    Oh.


    Grateful that his older sister hade to talk to him for the first time, Cairn replied enthusiastically. On the surface though, it sounded like a dry response.


    I havent graduated yet, so technically, I shouldnt be able to enter. But I got a special invitation, you know? Usually, nobles are all about principles and stuff, but they really just ignore rules most of the time.


    Is that so?


    Whats up though? Whyre you asking?


    Having received an answer from Cairn, Violet turned away without hesitation. Seeing her back, the bewildered third young master watched Violet with a helpless expression, but she didnt turn back.


    She didnt want to proceed here anymore. With that thought in mind, Violet left the training ground and returned to the mansion, waiting for Roen.


    The dukes heir, who had been caught by the crown prince and had escaped early today, answered Violets question briefly.


    Ill show up for the sake of formalities, but I dont n to participate in the hunt. By any chance, if youre thinking of giving me a handkerchief


    It was a hopeless, thick-faced dream of his. Violet once again turned away and showed her back to him without a hint of regret.


    Even if she really didnt want to go, she couldnt avoid it.


    She asked just in case, but she was immediately shot down. It was reiterated that she <i>must</i> attend.


    Violet let out a deep sigh.


    Already tired just thinking about all the passive-aggressive power ys shed have to endure, Violet pressed her eyelids firmly.


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 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176


    Unaware of Violets inner thoughts, Mary chattered away while tidying up the table next to her.


    Even in the provinces, they used to imitate the Imperial Familys events and have huntingpetitions, but the original is still the royal family. Oh, its such a romantic event. Wishing for the safety of knights with a nobledys handkerchief. Surely, Mdy will embroider a beautiful handkerchief, especially since youre so good at drawing. It will undoubtedly be more beautiful than others!


    Remembering how she had been greatlypared to Aileen in the past in terms of embroidery skills, Violet fell silent. While she was immersed in memories of her hands being gued by a spiders web, Mary continued to talk cheerfully.


    Who are you giving your handkerchief to? Perhaps a certain handsome knight with ck hair? Or His Highness the Crown Prince? Heavens, our deardy is so popr, what if everyone gathers around?


    Shattering Marys dream, Violet bluntly retorted,


    Its bothersome.


    But youre going to participate, right?


    Embroidery doesnt suit me.


    My oh my, our youngdy is so delicate. Im sure your embroidery would be unique and beautiful.


    Assuming that I can embroider well just because I draw well is a bias.


    Trust me, Mdy!


    Violets dilemma deepened. She couldnt ignore tradition, and as Mary suggested, she had to participate. It would be better to find something to rece embroidery.


    If Im not participating in the huntingpetition, Ill probably just spend time indoors. Should I bring a book?


    As Violet had this thought, Mary, who noticed it like a hawk, interjected,


    This time, please be sure to make friends.


    Friends, all of a sudden?


    Its because of those nasty misunderstandings that Mdy couldnt make friends well. Use this opportunity to meet good people. Okay?


    Mary? Im fine with just you though.


    <i>Eyy.</i> But still, you must make friends. It worries me What if Mdy wont ever have any friends?


    Violet made a bewildered expression. Whether she said anything or not, Mary, who had finished tidying up, moved briskly with her belongings.


    It was true that Violet had no friends, but no one had pointed out this fact until now. In the first ce, making genuine friends in high society was difficult. The friendship that had bloomed between Marchioness Leshan and thete Duchess Everett was unique case.


    Unaware of this, Mary continued to chatter while organizing the easel.


    Since Mdy is a good person, everyone will surely think highly of you. Do you know? My friend Rina said that. Oh, Rinas a friend I met not long ago.


    Once Marys mouth opened and shed start talking, there was no end to her chatter.


    She shared details about the friends she met at the hair salon, their skills, rumors about the ducaldy that they discussed, the reactions when she rified things, and so on. It seemed endless.


    This friendly girl had many friends.


    Mdy should make friends soon


    Mary, Ill handle my own affairs, so dont worry.


    If you make friends, you can chat and have fun together when you go out! Ill make your hair pretty, so make sure toe back with new friends!


    Unable to resist the affectionate and caring tone, Violet couldnt say anything to her. It was an undeniable fact that she had no friends, after all.


    Unintentionally, the dilemma of whether to participate in the huntingpetition turned into a dilemma of how to make friends.


    When Violet realized that she had been drawn into Marys chatter, it was already evening, and now it was time to think about how to prepare the handkerchief.


    * * *


    Which gentleman will Your Ladyship hand a handkerchief to at thising huntingpetition?


    During the process of sketching for the imperial princesss portrait for a long time, Rajaden suddenly asked.


    Violet was gradually getting annoyed with Rajadens incessant interruptions.


    Aside from never missing out on the ducaldys regr sketching sessions of the princess, he just kept asking so, so, <i>so</i> many questions. Each time, shed be nearly ovee by the rude urge to ask back, Are you talking to me because you dont have any friends?


    Honestly, even if she didnt ask that, she already knew that Roen was the crown princes only friend in this entire empire.


    I dont intend to cheer for only one participant.


    Really?


    Yes.


    Not anyone at all?


    No.


    The crown prince was persistent during his inquisition. Violet, in turn, replied only half-heartedly.


    There were quite a few people who were curious to whom she would bestow her especially embroidered handkerchief.


    Violets response remained consistent. The same question being posed to her was really starting to grate on her nerves already, but it was still true that she wasnt thinking of giving a handkerchief to anyone.


    I knew that Your Ladyship wasnt close to your brothers. So, I thought there wouldnt be a reason to give it to Sir Cairn.


    Nope.


    Rajaden sighed at Violets concise answer. He seemed to be pondering.


    Even if it were the first time she was doing this, Violet wouldnt give a handkerchief to Cairnnot at all. Cairn also didnt express any particr expectations of her, since he already knew Violets intentions.


    Above all, the sons of House Everett were well aware of Violets destructive embroidery skills.


    What about someone else?


    I beg your pardon, Your Highness, but I dont understand the purpose of this little inquisition.


    Im just trying to figure out if Ive got a rival in love. Havent you noticed?


    These nonsensical words were delivered with such confidence. When Violet gave a serious look, the crown prince just shrugged.


    It makes me feel a bit sad that you dismissed my feelings as a mere joke. Well anyway, its fortunate to hear that you wont be giving a handkerchief to anyone else.


    Violet was now quite ustomed to that smile of his.


    Then, he added with a yful tone,


    It probably means you wont give it to Sir Aldin either.


    Why are you suddenly bringing up Sir Aldin?


    That name came up out of the blue. Suddenly, Aldin had been named as a candidate to receive her embroidered handkerchief.


    When Violet asked about it calmly, Rajaden only smiled meaningfully.


    In the midst of their casual conversation, the princess in her older brothers arms struggled and whined.


    <i>Sure, sure, youre a good girl.</i> Rajaden, whoforted his younger sister well, adjusted his posture and looked at Violet.


    Theres a myth saying that the knight who receives a handkerchief presents the winners trophy back to thedy, the two will be happy together for thousands of years.


    It was a myth.


    And, yet another story about love.


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 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177


    <i>Whats this now. </i>As Violets hand had been yfully toying with the pencil until now, unknowingly on her part, it stopped as she continued to listen to the next words that the crown prince uttered.


    Come to think of it, about thirty years ago, the current Duke of Everett also dedicated his victory in a huntingpetition to thete Duchess.


    As fate would have it, Violets grip on the pencil tightened involuntarily as the topic hit a nerve. If her hand had a bit more strength, she could have broken the pencil and more. With closed eyes, Violet, suppressing her annoyance, looked directly at Rajaden.


    What exactly are you trying to say.


    Oh, I wanted to share an interesting story, but it seems Ive offended you. My apologies.


    Rajaden swiftly adjusted his tone, even offering an apology. With the sight of this man, quickly acquiescing to her, made Violet unable to get angrier. Somehow, she decided to let him off easily, as this arrogant man seemed to


    Rajaden swiftly adjusted his tone, even going as far as to offer an apology. Though Violet viewed him to be frustratingly unbearable until now, she couldnt stay mad. This highborn man, who looked like he had never once uttered the word sorry before, had acquiesced to her.


    Still, Violet pondered. The marchioness, Mary, and even the crown prince of this nationwhy did people of this country love tales of romance so much? Given the multitude of popr bestsellers mostly revolving around love, it wasnt surprising.


    As Violet reflected on this fact, she let out an audible sigh. At the sound of thedys sigh, the crown prince flinched briefly.


    Beating around the bush wouldnt be fruitful, it seems, so Ill speak directly. Im participating in the huntingpetition that day as well.


    Sure


    The results will, in no way, be manipted. I am participating purely with my own skills, Rajaden stated.


    Well, it wasnt very surprising that the crown prince was going to participate in an event sponsored by the imperial family, was it?


    By now, Rajaden must already know Violet well, or at least well enough to be aware of her unyielding nature. Nevertheless, Rajaden pursued the matter.


    I see


    The crown prince directly spoke his mind in such a way, and yet Violets reaction remained unchanged.


    Violet, aware that the golden-eyed gaze persistently followed her, sighed once again.


    Are you not busy, Your Highness?


    I am, but its not to the extent that I cant spare some time. Besides, wouldnt you want me to set aside time just for you, Ducal Lady?


    It was a clumsy attempt at flirting. Despite his previous experiences of people flocking to him without him trying, Rajaden was subtly inexperienced in wooing someone.


    Moreover, he didnt even seem to realize this fact. He seemed to think that anyone, especially a future emperor such as himself, would be grateful by his very presence alone if he set aside time for them.


    Without taking her gaze off the canvas, Violet responded.


    If you use that time for state affairs, Lord Roen would appreciate it more.


    Well, I have nothing to say.


    Rajaden knew that trying to manipte a friend like Roen would be fruitless, and he reluctantly conceded. Ultimately, having failed to secure Violets handkerchief, he pouted and spoke with a lowered voice.


    To trample on the crown princes innocence like this.


    Innocence? Do you genuinely think that?


    Do I have any reason to think otherwise? Cruel. So cruel.


    Think it over yourself. Well, lets end the session here for today.


    All throughout, Violet never once gave Rajaden a single nce. She started tidying up her art supplies. The disappointed princeughed it off, appearing nonchnt.


    As Violet finished organizing her workspace, the princess, aware that it was time to part, leaped down from her older brothersp and, with a cheerful skip in her step, ran towards Violet.


    Violet weed the girl, who looked much younger than her age, into her embrace, smiling as she gently patted her head. Despite Rajadens bewildered smile at the clear difference in attitudes, neither of the girls paid him any attention.


    Fare thee well to Your Highnesses, stars of the Empire.


    After doting on the princess for a bit, Violet, with proper etiquette, bid her farewell. Watching her retreat, Rajaden chuckled with a bitter smile.


    Indeed, its not innocence.


    His muttered words echoed. The princess giggled at the iprehensible remark.


    <i>No, it cant be.</i> Repeating it to himself like a mantra, he murmured incessantly.


    As Rajaden erased the shimmering figure before him, he admonished his sister and urged her to behave. The prince, who had gone out of his way to set aside time for thedy, now had to attend to state affairs.


    * * *


    So, about the uing hunt.


    As dinner wasing to a close, Roen <i>of course</i> brought up the topic. Violet furrowed her brows. Roen, however, looked at his sisters expression and wondered, What did I do wrong this time?


    From Violets side, shed been incessantly tormented by huntingpetition stories <i>all day</i>, and thus simply expressed her annoyance reflexively. However, from Roens perspective, who felt unjustly used, he could only feel a sense of impending doom.


    Roen pouted as if to say, What did I do wrong? Violet, whether she said anything or not, moved her fork and knife gracefully.


    <i>Ahem, ahem.</i> Its just that, in every huntingpetition, its a trend to hand over a handkerchief. Anyway, the contract with the Perun Firm this time


    Violet was already anticipating that Roen would mor for a handkerchief from her as well, but she had to swallow those words this time. This guy was talking about politics and business instead.


    The fragile schr born in a family of knightly background seemed unlikely to personally engage in hunting, even if he participated in thepetition nominally. Moreover, even if it wasnt Violet, there was a plethora of other women who wanted to give him a handkerchief. Therefore, he seemed to have no regrets in not being able to receive his sisters handkerchief.


    So, for your handkerchief, if you use the cloth I obtained this time


    Even if Violet was only half-listening, Roen stubbornly continued. Since there was no request she couldnt turn down, she responded appropriately.


    And, when the atmosphere had somewhat thawed.


    More importantly, Violet, are you going to give your handkerchief to Sir Aldin?


    <i>Cough</i>


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 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178


    That question unexpectedly came up yet again. When Violet heard the question, she pretended to cough, causing Cairn, who was quietly eating next to her, to re up.


    Why the hell is she gonna give a handkerchief to that guy?!


    Im just asking, and he has the highest chance of winning. Besides, youre friends with him, right?


    Why him of all people!


    Its just a formality anyway.


    Id rather win the whole thing myself!


    Graduate from the academy first.


    While Violet was coughing, the heated argument between the bickering brothers continued. The conversation between the two escted. Even though Cairn hadnt graduated yet, they argued whether he could participate if there was no one else Violet could give a handkerchief to. It was a pitiful conversation.


    Ignoring his younger brothersints neatly, Roen shifted his gaze towards Violet.


    I know your embroidery skills, but still, if its the handkerchief of the Lady of the Everett Duchy, it will have significant meaning. You understand this, dont you?


    In response to Roens question, Violet looked at him with an expressionless face. Unperturbed, he continued his words.


    No matter what happens, dont give your handkerchief to His Highness. Got it?


    Why not just give it to me! That would be the best, wouldnt it?!


    They really werent going anywhere with this one-sided conversation.


    They kept asking questions without really stopping to wait for an answer. After finishing the entire meal, Violet, wiping her mouth casually, opened her mouth as if something hade to her mind.


    Oh, by the way.


    * * *


    The items that Violet had ordered arrived quickly. Once again, money was good to have. Looking at the stack of boxes that had piled up, Mary was reminded of the past.


    Wow, whats all this?


    Newly ordered paint.


    Paint? But you already have so many, Mdy.


    What Violet had ordered was more paint. Currently, she had almost all themercially avable paint hues. There was no color that she didnt have, and the raw materials for the paint hues she had were also diverse. Even for the same color, there were paints ground with pearls and paints mixed with gold.


    Looking at Violet, who had ordered a new variety of paint in a situation where she didnt need to buy any more, Mary expressed her curiosity.


    Its different from other types of paint, Mary.


    How is it different?


    Its a type of paint that can be used on fabric.


    The paint she ordered was a specially crafted paint that could be used to paint directly on fabric. Thanks to the hefty sum that was paid to the alchemist who was persuaded to make this, the specially ordered paint arrived in just a few days.


    In her past life, this was called acrylic paint.


    Although the ingredients or principles might differ from what she used in her past life, she specifically requested it to function exactly like acrylic paint.


    Violet dipped the brush into the paint and spread it directly onto paper. Mary was surprised to see her painting without sketching. The paint on the brush applied smoothly, and the colors were vibrant.


    Violet, practicing by drawing a few shapes, licked her lips. The drying speed was too fast. If she didnt draw quickly, it seemed she would waste the expensive paint she hadmissioned.


    Thinking she should address thister, Violet gestured to Mary, who quickly brought pieces of fabric for handkerchiefs.


    Hmm, with this material, the unit price might be quite high. I dont know if I can use this for test runs.


    Is it very expensive?


    Quite so.


    Despite the expenses for both the paint and the handkerchief cloth, Violet, without sketching, drew her second picture. Soon, blue roses and blue butterflies appeared on the handkerchief. Mary, marveling at the mysterious and beautiful shapes of nonexistent flowers and dreamy butterflies, opened her mouth in admiration.


    Its beautiful


    Thats right. But I cant use this. The colors came out a bit off.


    Even though its so pretty?


    Its just for practice anyway.


    Violet chuckled and was about to pat Marys head but stopped. Acrylic paint didnte off once dried, so she wanted to prevent any unexpected idents.


    Unaware of this fact, Mary chattered on cheerfully.


    How truly marvelous. But will the colors not fade?


    Its paint especially made for fabric. Since it was custom ordered, it should be fine.


    Violet smiled. Still, she couldnt help but wonder. As soon as the paint driedpletely, she decided to try washing it to see if the colors would bleed. Mary, not realizing that the nobledy was contemting handwashing handkerchiefs, admired her in awe.


    Ive seen many dyes for fabrics, but this is the first time seeing direct drawings on cloth!


    When you have money, theres nothing you cant do.


    Indeed! Theres nothing money cant do!


    Violet chuckled, realizing how she had turned the impossible into a miracle with the name of money. Mary, who knew nothing about thedys thoughts of washing handkerchiefs, continued to express her amazement.


    Looking at the paint again, Violet thought that if it were Roen, he would undoubtedly suggest starting a business venture with this paint. Violet had no intention of starting a business on her own, so it would be entirely Roens responsibility.


    Really. Despite his constantints about being intolerably busy, his work efficiency was simply unmatched.


    Well, its none of her concern anyway. Violet erased any thoughts of Roen from her mind.


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 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179


    In this era, some treated alchemically made special paints as fakes. Even Violet, who didnt have much experience or knowledge in the contemporary art world, knew that fact.


    With such an atmosphere, someone would undoubtedly criticize or say something about these alchemical paints. However, she didnt need to concern herself. Times are bound to change.


    Wow. Wow


    Mary marveled continuously. Watching Mary like that, Violet suddenly asked,


    Do you want to try painting too?


    What?! Me!?


    In response to Violets question, Mary jumped. Her voice, saying, How could I! clearly carried curiosity.


    Whats the harm? There are leftover materials.


    But


    Dont you want to give a handkerchief to someone?


    Well Can I really try?


    Of course.


    Unable to resist Violets persuasion, Mary sneakily nced at the paint. She figured: she had been observing with her eyes for a while now, so she should be able to do well, right?


    The brush in Marys hand moved swiftly above the cloth. Since she hadnt professionally learned, her skill was not just amateur but downright clumsy. The small expectation of What if Im the genius of the century? crumbled miserably.


    As Violet was guiding Mary as she painted, she couldnt help butugh. Marys face turned beet red.


    I-Ill stop. Ill stop painting!


    Why? Once we open the paint, we cant use it anymore. Lets finish the whole thing.


    Mdy


    Is this a drawing of fire?


    Flowers, actually.


    Violetughed again. Mary now looked like she might cry.


    Its a joke, Mary. Its your first time, so its natural that you might not draw well. Whether its embroidery or painting, its the thought that counts.


    Mdy


    Unable to speak before the youngdy she served, Mary could only mumble. Violet continued to stroke the girls head, smiling.


    One should not crush sprouting dreams. Merely saying, You drew well, was not the entirety of art, and ridiculing someone for not being able to draw was also not eptable.


    If Mary genuinely had thoughts of learning to draw, Violet would have supported her. However, Mary, who was more interested in hair and makeup than drawing, quickly gave up trying to mimic convincingly.


    I did try painting, but I really cant give it to someone.


    Why not give it? The thought behind the gift is what matters.


    Even if theres thought, whats the use if the recipient doesnt like it?


    While Mary grumbled, she cradled the handkerchief with her painted picture carefully in her arms. It seemed she liked the result.


    Observing Mary in this way, Violet started drawing on the fabric again. Mary looked at Violet anew, seeing a different aspectpared to embroidering.


    The image of her painting like this was picturesque in itself.


    This came out quite well in its own way.


    Violet was satisfied with her second piece, and so she smiled contentedly. Mary, in turn, was impressed by the splendid skill not achievable through embroidery. She stuck out her tongue.


    People will probably imitate you again, Mdy.


    Well, well see.


    Of course they will. Do you know? All the famous boutiques out there are only disying dresses imitating the one you wore during the banquet.


    Mary chattered. Knowing the fact that only dresses, not trousers, were selectively hung out, Violetughed.


    There were undoubtedly still people who might criticize the Ducal Lady of Everett. Painting instead of embroidering on a handkerchiefit could be seen as disrespecting tradition.


    If the criticism went too far, someone else like the painter Leonardo might emerge. And further, if Violet had not been a noble and was instead amoner, she might have given up sooner.


    However, she possessed the strength and power to disregard any such criticism.


    What does it matter?


    Violet would just get her fingers stabbed if she had embroidered anyway, so she had no intentions of doing it from the start. She snorted.


    Regardless of the oue, she intended to do as she pleased.


    .


    .


    .


    And so, several days had passed since Violet drew her first picture on a handkerchief. Time flew by quickly.


    During this time, Violet met Aldin, who came to see Cairn, and had a few more conversations.


    She also continued her painting sessions with the imperial princess, and she often wondered about Rajaden because he was rarely ever showing his face in the princesss pce anymore.


    Nothing significant happened. However, one day, a strange feeling settled in. It was a foreboding premonition.


    Surely, she thought nothing serious would happen.


    Violet frowned as she looked at the palette overturned on the floor, with the side containing the paint facing downward.


    Tomorrow was the huntingpetition, and the premonition of something ominous bothered Violet.


    * * *


    Its true that the destination was the same, but Violet didnt want to travel with her family. So, she chose to ride in a separate carriage.


    The huntingpetition was set to begin in the afternoon, and they departed veryte.


    As thedy descended from the dazzling carriage, many eyes instantly focused on her. Violet paid no mind to the attention.


    Oh my, again


    It seems trouble hase to House Everett.


    People murmured as they looked at her. Among them, there were those who asionally asked, Is thedy also participating in the hunt?


    Violets attire, based on equestrian clothing and newly designed, leaned more towards the image of a knight aiming for victory than ady offering a handkerchief. The ducaldy of Everett paid even less attention to the gazes than the rumors.


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 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180


    Oh, it suddenly became so bright. Its Ducal Lady Everett. I


    Ducal Lady Everett, you must also be participating in the huntingpetition. Oh, I apologize for thete greeting. I am


    Insults were insults, but poprity was poprity. Just like at the banquet, numerous people approached Violet.


    Even though she wasnt in a dress, young noblemen, with eyes filled with personal motives, approached Violet, asking her to be their escort.


    Apologies, but I have a priormitment.


    She questioned all those men with just one short sentence. It was tiresome, but she couldnt show it.


    However, being from prestigious families, they were persistent, and even if there was a priormitment, they didnt easily step back. Just as Violet was about to express her displeasure at their behavior, an unwee voice interrupted.


    Sister!


    When Everetts third son, also known as a troublemaker, appeared, the entourage that had stubbornly clung to Violet started discreetly looking around.


    Whats this? Do you know them?


    I, uh, <i>ahaha</i>. Im Otrey from House Ritaun. Oh, now that I think about it, our group is over there, so see you!


    A useless troublemaker turned out to be helpful for the first time. Violet sighed inwardly.


    Though attention shifted back to Cairns entrance, it was better than being surrounded by tterers.


    Violet briefly considered whether it would have been better if she hade with Cairn from the beginning but abandoned that thought in less than a second. She had no intention of voluntarily going around with Cairn from now on.


    Sir Aldin, its been a while.


    As Violet greeted him, Aldin gave her a smile. He seemed a bit awkward.


    Aldin, dressed in the official uniform of the First Knight Order, looked truly splendid. His tall stature and good proportions were enough to make the hearts of many youngdies flutter.


    Indeed, among those looking in his direction, there were quite a few young girls blushing and giggling.


    Once his still youthful face would maturepletely, hed be even more handsome. Without realizing it, Violet found herself imagining Aldins mature voice and cleared her throat.


    Its a gift.


    When Violet handed Aldin the handkerchief, Cairn jumped up beside her. His behavior resembled that of a spoiled brat, really.


    Why give it to him?, Is there nothing for me? Seriously? Is it really nothing?!, Sis, do you really have feelings for him?Cairns childish exmations werepletely ignored by Violet, who smiled.


    I severelyck any skill in embroidery, so I painted instead. Is it okay?


    Is this really for me?


    I painted this with you in mind, Sir.


    The handkerchief Violet drew featured lightvender colors and butterflies. It was a genuinely pure depiction of Aldin as seen through Violets eyes.


    Oh, because its not embroidery


    No! I, Im so very grateful.


    Aldin brought the handkerchief to his chest like it was a precious treasure, as if he had obtained a once-in-a-lifetime gem. Not even a child receiving a birthday present would hold onto a present so dearly.


    Watching him, Violet smiled.


    Seriously? Theres nothing for me?


    Cairn already knew that Violet had drawn several handkerchiefs as a practice, and so he looked forlorn as he asked this. Violet answered with a gentle smile.


    Do you have no conscience?


    His greed exceeded the boundaries, considering he hadnt apologized properly or received forgiveness. Violet still harbored some resentment towards Cairn.


    Aldin, looking at the handkerchief with a determined gaze as if it were a priceless treasure, made a pledge.


    I will definitely offer my victory today to you, as my tribute.


    Oh my, do you believe in the legend too?


    H-Huh?!


    Aldins face turned red at Violets yful response. Perhaps due to his fair skin, the color was vivid.


    N-No, its not that I just meant it as a token of gratitude


    I know. In fact, I brought a few more handkerchiefs to give to others as a gesture of appreciation.


    As Violet smiled and took out another handkerchief, Aldin looked suddenly dejected. His expression resembled a disappointed puppy. In that moment, Violet felt a pang of curiosity when Cairn expressed his unfairness.


    Even though its a failure, give it to me!


    Do you really have no conscience?


    Nope, I dont, so give one to me too!


    Not even a three-year-old child would behave like this. Violet, tongue-clicking in mock disapproval, tossed a handkerchief to Cairn. She gave him aically failed piece.


    You havent given one Brother yet, right?


    Does no one in House Everett have a conscience at all


    Even though it was a painting of a red rose where the colors bled and the form was distorted, Cairn beamed as if he was endlessly pleased.


    Violet clicked her tongue disapprovingly.


    A friendship handkerchief


    Meanwhile, Aldin muttered quietly while watching the siblings. It was said that amongst themoners, there was a day when people encouraged confessions by giving sweet treats, and for those who didnt receive anything on that day, they would give out friendship desserts and its simr to the handkerchiefs that Violet was giving out.


    Nevertheless, it was the first time he had received something, so he carefully put the handkerchief away.


    As the event hosted by the imperial family was scheduled to start soon, the waiting lodge for the hunting event was vibrant.


    Those with friendships already formed gathered in groups, exchanging various conversations. Discussions revolved around who would be the winner of this huntingpetition, who they wanted to give their handkerchiefs to, or who they hoped to receive handkerchiefs from.


    Violet, receiving both admiration and criticism simultaneously, was once again the subject of discussion when it came to her handkerchiefs.


    Hello, everyone!


    As bright as springtime, a cheerful girl with a bell-like voice spoke up.


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 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181


    * * *


    In the world, theres always one person who shines like a protagonist in any situation. Someone who captures attention in whatever they do, always outshining others.


    In that context, Aileen Everett was born far from being a protagonist.


    An adopted child who didnt even have a middle name.


    A child from a noble family yet tainted with a lineage considered lowly.


    She could have been the only ducaldy, or even the duchys heir, but the girl faced constant criticism solely because of her mothers bloodline. Even those who sought to impress her talked behind her back about her origins.


    Aileen loathed this reality, whether it was out of sympathy or advocacy.


    That pink hair


    Hair color on the red spectrum is seen as a mark of low birth, right? Though its a paler shade, her mother was a wanderer of pixie lineage, wasnt she?


    If only some unknown woman hadnt charmed the eldest ducal son, he wouldnt have died.


    Tainted bloodline.


    Cursed lineage.


    Filthy child.


    People tend to feel their minor illnesses more acutely than serious injuries. Thus, Aileen always felt more pitiful than Violet.


    Even after usurping Violet S. Everetts position and being adored by the entire ducal manor, the emptiness within her never faded. She couldnt evenprehend what was missing.


    Why must it be so!


    What exactly are you asking.


    Why must I go to Liran!


    On the day her departure to Liran was decided, she confronted Duke Everett, shedding her usual faade and shouting.


    The duke, without even a nce at Aileen, indifferently turned the pages of his documents.


    You will learn things there that you cant in our country. Its also known as thend of spring. It wont be unpleasant.


    Is it because


    Is it because Im not your true daughter?


    The dukes hand paused at her quivering question. He looked at the girl who had be his second daughter long ago.


    So, its because of my ignoble birth


    No one in the ducal family had ever broached the subject in her presence. How could they, right in front of her?


    The eldest son Mikhail, the second child Roen, and even the youngest son Cairn never discriminated against Aileen because of her blood.


    The only exception was Violet, who was envious.


    Thus, Aileens sense of deficiency was akin to an inferiorityplex.


    I cant grasp why the conversation hase to this.


    I dont want to go.


    Please, I really dont want to go. Please, Father


    The decision has already been made.


    Even with her entreaties, the duke was unwavering.


    The dukes emotions towards Aileen were not familial love, but rather, sentiments stemmed from guilt.


    Duke Everett was always haunted by guilt.


    The guilt for having driven his elder brother and his wife to their demise.


    The guilt for leaving a young child all alone.


    This guilt lingered constantly in a corner of his heart.


    In the end, Aileens overseas education was an initiative pushed by Roen. It was a ce far from the ducal house, yet renowned as a resort and tourist destination. A ce where she could live freely, almost like a queen.


    It was a remote ce, but not a bad one to live in. Hence, the duke epted the proposal without much fuss.


    I will do better. Please, Father?


    Aileens voice wavered again as she spoke, yet the duke remained silent. He could no longer allow himself to be swayed by such superficial guilt.


    Realizing that the duke was not going to respond, Aileen gritted her teeth in frustration.


    Why, only me?


    Tears started to drop from the girls eyes. She couldnt hold back her tears anymore.


    The duke of a few years past might have sumbed to those tears.


    Your date of departure is next week. I will prepare everything, you just have to go.


    Why, only me. Why is it always only me


    The girl, who continued to sob for a while, left the dukes office, murmuring to herself, One day, I will reim what is mine.


    With that resolve, Aileen left for Liran. And after a few months passed.


    Hello, everyone!


    She had finally returned.


    * * *


    Violet thought the distant voice she heard was a hallucination. But the moment she saw that distinctive pink hair, reminiscent of flower petals fluttering in the spring breeze, she realized it was not a figment of her imagination.


    If only it were a dream.


    She couldnt contain the rush of emotions and opened her eyes wide.


    Aileen, having spotted Violet, approached her with a light, breezy walk. A walk so light that Violet would have critiqued it for itsck of propriety in the past.


    Sister! Its been a while.


    The bright-faced girl greeted her.


    Huh? That girl is


    Has such a child ever been invited before? What kind of walk is that?


    Such a greeting for a ducaldy.


    Pink hair, could it be?


    Whispers followed Aileens appearance. It had been three years, and not many recognized her immediately.


    Violet frowned.


    Why are you here?


    Not even a warm greeting for the younger sister you havent seen in so long?


    Im asking you. Why are you here?


    The atmosphere grew tense. The murmuring stopped. The nobledies who were gathered in small groups began to watch Violets reactions.


    Violet usually carried a mild atmosphere, but whenever she pressed someone, her presence was intimidating.


    And now was no exception.


    Despite being of a martial lineage, she had not formally trained in swordsmanship. Yet, the aura Violet emitted now was almost murderous.


    While everyone was wary of her, only one girl continued to speak nonchntly.


    <i>Hiic,</i> but Ive missed you so much, Sister. I rushed here to see you, and yet youre treating me so coldly.


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 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182


    <i>Ha</i>


    Violetughed as if she was astonished.


    Herughter drew everyones attention.


    The woman who wasbeled a viiness.


    And her adopted sister, who was oppressed by her.


    The situation was undoubtedly suffocating, yet at the same time, there couldnt be a more entertaining spectacle.


    Violet quicklyposed the menacing aura she had been emitting and smiled kindlya smile she had never shown to Aileen before. As Violet reached out her hand, Aileen flinched. However, Violet merely caressed Aileens cheek gently.


    You still have the habit of saying only what you want, not answering the questions asked. Such petnce.


    But, Sister, you hate me I came here because I wanted to see you


    Why would I hate you? You should be more careful with your words. You dont want to tarnish the Everett name in front of everyone here, do you?


    Her voice was terribly tender, and the stroke on the cheek seemed like a gesture of concern for a beloved sister. Yet, Aileen felt a chill at this faade.


    Aileen, sensing the eyes on her, hurriedly began to sob.


    It was not a behavior fitting for a noble gathering, where everyone was taught to restrain their emotions.


    Even here, she acts on a whim, seeking the sympathy of others. Violets gaze narrowed as she observed Aileen.


    Pardon the spectacle. This child has always been willful and petnt If she behaves rudely,e to me directly. I will apologize on her behalf.


    Violet dered this loudly.


    The murmuring resumed at her words. Among them, someone bravely spoke up.


    Who is this?


    Aileen Everett. As you all know, she is my younger sister.


    Ah, I see.


    The atmosphere was superficially warm and cheerful, but there was a sense of walking on thin ice. Violet nced at Aileen and then smiled again.


    I need to check on something, so I must leave. Please take good care of my troublesome sister.


    Theres nothing troublesome about her. Such a lovelydy.


    With those words, Violet swiftly moved away.


    Cairn, who had been standing like a statue, unable toprehend the situation, hurriedly followed Violet, fearing to catch someones eye. Aldin remained, observing the situation.


    Especially since it was just before the start of the huntingpetition, this incident drew more attention. All were from distinguished families worthy of receiving an invitation from the imperial family.


    Amidst them, Aileen let out a tear, like a bead.


    Ah, Sister really does hate me


    Yeees? What are you talking about? She took such good care of you.


    No, its okay. I understand. I must try hard not to be a burden to the family, right? I cant have my older sister apologizing because of me.


    <i>Hm, a-hem.</i> Dont worry about that.


    <i>Hehe.</i> Then, may I ask everyone for introductions?


    The girl, who was just admonished for her manners, now beamed a smile as bright as spring. It was impossible to ridicule her in public, especially with such an endearing smile. Thus, no one else raised any objections to her manners.


    * * *


    Hey, are you okay?


    I mean it. Are you okay? Do you have any idea whats going on?


    Cairn followed Violet, peppering her with questions. Violet didnt respond.


    He would have normally exploded at Violet when shes ignoring him, but he quickly shut his mouth upon seeing her furiously contorted face.


    Each of Violets steps was heavy with anger.


    Cairn couldnt understand what was upsetting Violet so much.


    When he first heard Aileens voice, he thought it was a hallucination. He was surprised once by seeing Aileen, and twice by her talking only to Violet and ignoring him.


    Simple-minded as he was, he couldnt grasp the subtle barbs hidden in their words but sensed the ufortable atmosphere.


    Aileen Everett was supposed to be studying abroad in Liran. Why then was she here, at a huntingpetition hosted by their own imperial family?


    His thoughts, slow to turn, churned with confusion.


    Aileen hadnt noticed him yet. So, he pretended not to exist, muting his presence.


    Are you not leaving.


    What?


    Shes your beloved sister, isnt she? Go away then.


    Violet spoke up when Cairn remained silent. He was about to retort to her sudden provocation but closed his mouth upon seeing her expression.


    Violets confrontation was abrupt, but her anger was not.


    This rtionship, which had been superficially maintained as issues were merely swept under the rug, was finally revealing its true nature.


    Cairn knew something was wrong, but he could not understand what exactly. He came to a halt.


    It was too wrong toin, yet too unfair to stay silent.


    Violet swiftly walked past her indecisive younger brother, heading to a separate tent where the Crown Prince and his close friend Roen were engaged in conversation.


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 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183


    Normally, it was a ce no one else could enter, but Violet was an exception. The sudden arrival of the ducaldy caused a stir among those present.


    Huh? Violet, what brings you here


    Roen started to greet her with a smile, but his expression quickly turned serious. It was fortunate that Rajaden had instructed the servants in the tent to leave, ensuring privacy. Otherwise, it could have led to a significant issue.


    Exin. <i>Now.</i>


    There would undoubtedly be rumors about the Lady of Everett grabbing the Young Duke by the cor.


    Rajaden, watching from the side, whistled. He swiftly ordered the servant inside the tent to consider everything he had witnessed that day as non-existent.


    What are you talking about all of a sudden?


    Are you pretending not to know? Or do you genuinely not know?


    Usually, in official settings, Violet would respectfully address him as Young Lord in a calm tone.


    But this was unlike Violet, who typically kept her emotions in check.


    Though she appeared indifferent in other peoples eyes, she had always maintained a minimum standard of decorum.


    What happened?


    You really dont know?


    Sensing that something serious had urred, Roens expression turned grave as he asked. Violet clicked her tongue in frustration and frowned. Her grip loosened.


    Although she had maintained aposed facade in front of Aileen, Violets emotions were boiling inside likeva. The years of pent-up resentment could not easily be forgotten.


    Even after years, the current Violet still harbored animosity for Aileen. The mere sight of Aileen was enough to stir her anger. An unwanted presence at this event. She had sought Roen to find the reason, but even he seemed unaware.


    That meant this wasnt Roens doing, nor was it Duke Everetts intention.


    I apologize for the disturbance.


    Violetposed herself and politely excused herself. She also courteously curtsied in front of Rajaden, who seemed amused by the situation.


    What could have happened?


    As Violet left the tent, Roen muttered in a hollow voice. Rajaden chuckled.


    It seems shes really taken offense, hasnt she?


    Until yesterday, she wasnt like this


    The cause doesnt seem to be you, apparently. Ah, therees Everetts third son. Why not ask him?


    Cairn?


    If Cairn had followed her, then something significant must have truly happened. Roen greeted his dejected younger brother with a somber expression.


    The troublemaker of House Everett bowed towards the crown prince with impable manners, then he turned to Roen.


    * * *


    Stepping out of the tent and cooling her head under a tree, Violet pondered.


    If both the Duke of Everett and Roen were unaware of the situation with Aileen, it meant she had acted on her own.


    Violet knew Aileens nature was to feign innocence to get what she wanted, but its different if Aileen acted without the Everett name.


    But, how exactly?


    The why wasnt important. The reason was clear enough from their conversation under the moonlight.


    It was the how that needed figuring out to devise a response.


    Even if Aileen were to use the Everett name to enter the familys capital townhouse, it would have been difficult for her to do as she wanted. It was clear how that would have gone down.


    Violet felt a headacheing on amidst theseplex considerations.


    <i>Haha,</i> um, I seem to have lost my way. Could you perhaps guide me, beautifuldy?


    A handsome man with silver-violet hair greeted Violet.


    * * *


    Cairn couldnt deliver his message to Roen. Other urgent news had reached the crown prince first.


    Rajaden, having dismissed all the servants, frowned as if troubled. Cairn, not dismissed, watched the two cautiously.


    This is crazy.


    I agree.


    The message was about the prince of the Liran Kingdom arriving in the empire.


    It was odd. If a prince from another country had arrived, the news should havee earlier. Liran had assuredly sent a telegram, however.


    It was lost on the way, it seems. Handling it this way could escte into a diplomatic issue.


    Its surprising there hasnt been anyint from them yet.


    Roen sighed in agreement with Rajadens exasperation.


    Liran was just a small kingdom, and it would have been conquered long ago if it hadnt been dered a neutral zone, especially given its poprity as a springtime retreat.


    Dered a neutral territory two centuries ago to prevent its ruin by war, Liran naturally had a different ss structure than the empire.


    Even so, sending an envoy, especially a prince, should not have been handled as carelessly as this.


    Massaging his temples, Rajaden added,


    And heres something youll find surprising.


    Is there anything more shocking here?


    Thedy-in-waiting who reportedly attends to all of the princes business has pink hair.


    Pink hair?


    Yes. A youngdy with pink hair and green eyes, as bright as spring.


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 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184


    Could it be?


    Roens face turned pale as he guessed why Violet was upset. Cairn interjected.


    Are you saying Aileen is the Liran princes attendant?


    Cairn, who usually kept a casual tone, hesitated first and then spoke, his expression uneasy under Roens gaze. It was as grim as Violets.


    It seems likely. Hasnt the Everett estate sent any news?


    No, there hasnt been any. If we had known, we would have dealt with it earlier.


    Even Father only found outst night. Since we couldnt ignore the Liran prince, we sent an invitation, but the fact that I wasnt informed first of such news


    Its such a mess that the country was all shaken up.


    Roen clenched his fists, and Rajaden gave him a nce. <i>Go after her.</i> Understanding the look, Roen nodded and excused himself.


    This being an international situation is <i>not</i> good at all.


    Cairn hung his head at Rajadens clucking tongue.


    Now left alone with the empires crown prince, Cairn, the third son of the Everett family, snuck a nce at Rajaden and prepared to make his exit.


    * * *


    The man had a very gentle demeanor. Violet, who initially thought he might be a snake like Roen, looked at him with suspicion.


    If he was someone important enough to be invited to the imperial huntingpetition, Violet should have known him, but she didnt recognize the man before her.


    Indeed, I had high expectations for thend blessed by the Sun God, and it is indeed magnificent.


    If its not too much trouble, may I ask for your introduction?


    I apologize. I have no grand titles in this country. Please, call me Vaughn.


    Are you from another country?


    Indeed, in Liran, I am undeservedly called a prince.


    It was suspicious and even more so. How many could introduce themselves as a prince from another country?


    Violet, well-versed in domestic affairs but less so in foreign matters, struggled to recall.


    Liran, also known as thend of fairies, had a royal family but was governed by a parliament. And she remembered hearing that the current king of Liran had three children, so trying to recall the name Vaughn was not difficult.


    I apologize for my rudeness to a foreign prince. I am Violet S. Everett of the Everett Duchy.


    Vaughn smiled at Violet, who disyed impable imperial etiquette.


    Indeed, I have heard a lot about you.


    What do you mean by that?


    There is a girl travelling with me. We met by chance, and I liked her, so shes been apanying me.


    Upon hearing those words, Violet, who had figured out the full story behind Aileens appearance, swallowed her irritation inwardly.


    There must be a multitude of stories hidden behind that chance.


    Not intending to ask further, Violet looked at Ban expressionlessly.


    You must be talking about Aileen Everett.


    Shes an interesting child. Full of ambitions that exceed her station.


    Violet remained silent in response, anxious about what Vaughn might say next.


    Something about the situation was off.


    Even if Liran was a small kingdom, the arrival of its royalty, especially for a significant event like the huntingpetition, should have caused a stir in the nation.


    Yet, neither Violet nor Roen had received any news.


    She knew theres something wrong here.


    Once again, I apologize for the rudeness. I didnt expect to see a prince from another country at the huntingpetition.


    Thats okay. The customs here are quite different from Liran.


    Instead of exining why he was here, Ban offered another answer. Violet, not expecting a straightforward response, met Vaughns gaze.


    Ill ask directly. What brings you here?


    Hmm. Lets say its a study tour or educational visit.


    And your reason for being with Aileen Everett?


    She knows this country well. I asked her to be my guide.


    It sounded usible but didnt quite fit. Why would a prince from another country bring along someone from the Everett family?


    House Everett, a ducal house in the empire, held powerparable to the kings of smaller nations.


    Violet slightly furrowed her brow. Did Duke Everett know about this?


    Vaughn chuckled upon seeing her expression.


    Fortunate, I must say, to see a unique soul like yours. I didnt expect that.


    What do you mean?


    Just as I said. You have quite unusual eyes. Patched up as they are, its hard for a soul once shattered to regain its original form. A sign usually only visible to those who have returned from death.


    This is not Liran.


    Oh, was I rude? My apologies.


    Violet understood only half of what Vaughn said. She retorted sharply, yet he smiled calmly.


    He was even more unpleasant than Roen.


    I was curious what made her so obsessed. But seeing a soul that still shines even when fragmented, its no wonder that ce is coveted.


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 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185


    What is it that you want to say.


    Theres no need to be so wary. I just came because I was genuinely curious.


    With a smooth smile, Vaughn confidently approached Violet and took hold of her hair. Before a flustered Violet could react, he softly kissed her hair and bowed with perfect imperial etiquette.


    Until we meet again, Lady of the Moon.


    With those parting words, the Liran prince strode away with an ease that belied his im of being lost.


    Only once he was gone did Violet allow herself to scowl.


    Whats with that man?


    What in the world happened in Liran that led Aileen Everett toe to the empire with its prince, and boldly so at the huntingpetition?


    If even the duke was unaware, the situation was even more troublesome. It wasnt just a domestic issue but an international one involving another country.


    And yet, it was impressive. To go on what was essentially an exile disguised as an overseas study trip, and be close with a prince. Aileens inherent charm and affability must have been fully at y.


    Violet swallowed her annoyance and brushed off her clothes. Regardless, if the situation was tangled, it needed to be unraveled.


    .


    .


    .


    Meanwhile, where Aileen was


    My sister, shes a bit unique. Sometimes I cant understand her thoughts


    Hmm, hmm. Her Ladyship is indeed unique.


    Unique? Whenever I see her, Im so scared I cant do anything.


    B-But still, shes a remarkable person unlike me. Im so unworthy that today too, I was scolded by my sister


    Oh my, what are you talking about? Who is as admirable as Lady Aileen?


    Compared to her, Lady Violet is a bit, well, headstrong. Did you see today? Theres a long tradition and custom at the huntingpetition, and she just goes and changes it ording to her whims.


    What? My sister, more noble than anyone, would do that? She always follows principles and rules unlike me.


    But you saw Lady Aileen. Attending such an event not in a dress but in pants! And Ive heard she prefers to paint rather than embroider her handkerchiefs.


    They continued to exchange various stories.


    Aileen, having quickly made friends with everyone using her unique charm,ughed inwardly.


    After all, these were people who would switch their targets of gossip as soon as they turned their backs. There was no reason to worry.


    At that moment, a figure approached them.


    Ah, Vaughn?


    Hello, lovely fairy of spring flowers.


    What awkward words. Everyone turned to look rudely at the intruder. A strikingly handsome man. Aileen nced at the girls while conscious of Vaughns gaze.


    Not only did he have unusual eyes, but his captivating appearance had already set the hearts of the youngdies fluttering.


    Ah, may I introduce him? Hes someone from Liran to whom I owe a great debt.


    Oh my, oh my!


    If fairytale creatures truly existed, they would look like this. Both Aileen and Vaughn possessed fairy-like beauty.


    The girls faces turned red.


    Where have you been?


    I got lost. Besides, Im not in a position to be lectured, Aileen.


    I know. But dont wander around too much.


    Yes, yes. I have things to do. But you, youve adapted quickly for someone who called it home?


    Its <i>because</i> Im home.


    You struggled more with Liran than anyone. Ah, lovelydies, apologies for thete greeting. Im called Vaughn.


    Vaughn, having been conversing with Aileen, finally acknowledged the attentive gazes with a calm greeting.


    He didnt reveal his family name, but nobody there thought Vaughn was of ordinary status.


    Then, I must really go and attend to my own business. You can take care of yourself now that youre back home, yes?


    Of course.


    For Aileen, Vaughns visit was just a courtesy call. After their exchange, Vaughn quickly left the scene. Aileen, watching him go, blushed like a shy girl.


    Goodness, even if hes a prince, Vaughn is too free-spirited. How troublesome it was when he insisted on touring the empire with me, no matter what


    Her words stirred the youngdies into a frenzy again. Though of a minor country he may be, the very word prince carried an air of mystery and allure.


    My goodness, hes a prince?


    Yes. Liran is a country where people live after all. Its eternally spring there, but oh, may I talk about it?


    The conversation blossomed anew.


    * * *


    There were many tales tied to the huntingpetition, but Cairn had no particr thoughts about it. Celebrating the victors achievements and offering the monster as a burnt offering mattered little to him.


    He was there merely to pass the time. It was a chance to stretch his legs and, if lucky, earn some favor from Violet.


    So, Cairn P. Everett never imagined hed encounter Aileen at a casually attended hunting event, nor that such a tangled political issue would arise.


    In the tent built exclusively for the imperial crown prince, Rajaden and the royal prince of Liran, Vaughn, were having a serious discussion.


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 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186


    I never expected to have a face-to-face meeting with a prince of another country like this.


    What of it? In Liran, the royal lineage is merely a symbol, much like how the empire values the divine lineage of its imperial family.


    But you wouldnt havee here without a reason.


    Correct. Your Highness must be aware that the situation is not usual.


    And your unexpected visit is rted to this?


    Thats one way to put it. I came here secretly, even though a message was sent. If it was lost, it surely leaked somewhere.


    Thats troublesome.


    Indeed. Internal strife has always been more dangerous than foreign invasion.


    Their conversation continued.


    Inadvertently overhearing some of it, Cairn frowned. This wasnt his ce to interject.


    Roen, observing the Liran prince and the crown prince of the empire, signaled to Cairn. It meant he shouldnt linger in a ce he didnt belong and find something else to do.


    <i>Go and find Violet.</i>


    Roens eyes conveyed this message, and Cairns expression grew even more sullen. Whats the use of finding her? Approaching someone who will only reject him seemed futile.


    <i>But you wouldnt leave her alone in this situation, would you?</i>


    Roens eyes narrowed at Cairns gloomy face. Being at Roens side would result in the same cold reception.


    Whatever this situation was, he supposed he had to go. With that thought, Cairn trudged out of the tent.


    Even after he left, the conversation inside continued.


    What do you mean by that.


    You must know that something significant will happen soon. Opinions are divided within Liran, so I cant represent everyone.


    Vaughn spoke with a smile. Internal disunion was more lethal than any foreign invasion.


    Moreover, the royal family of Liran didnt hold much political power. So Vaughns opinion was likely only a fraction of the whole.


    The international situation was tense, and a major war on the continent might be imminent. Rajaden was aware of this fact.


    Whether its part or the whole, do you have any proof that youvee representing Liran?


    Ive brought a letter stamped with the councils seal. Not all the elders agreed, so as I said, its only a part. <i>Haha</i>, perhaps because Im the least powerful, being that Im notoriously a wandering prince, so they thought Id draw less suspicion if I disappeared suddenly.


    Despite his words, Vaughn did not hand over the letter, citing its importance and the need for careful handling.


    Crown Prince Rajaden, looked at the Liran prince disapprovingly.


    What gain does the empire stand to make from this?


    Conversely, you stand to lose much if you dont lend us a hand.


    Are you aware you could be taken as a hostage?


    I came prepared for that.


    Why insist on speaking to me rather than His Majesty?


    Because I believe you will convey the message well. And I wanted to meet you.


    The Liran prince and the imperial crown princes conversation was calm, despite its interrogative content.


    Roen pressed his throbbing head. Even if a war were to break out on the continent, the empires robust military forces would likely prevent significant damage.


    Unless there were unexpected variables.


    The fact that a minor countrys prince could act so boldly was due to the potential trade issues that could arise if the neutral Liran faced problems.


    The prince of Liran knew this and hade seeking cooperation or alliance, albeit brashly and recklessly.


    What sort of diplomatic structure did Liran hold that they were acting this way?


    It was hard to tell whether his pushiness was admirable or foolish. Especially since he had brazenly brought Aileen Everett with him, it leaned towards foolishness.


    Are you certain?


    I think it wont happen immediately, maybe not at all. Frankly, I also came to study your magic and engineering technology. I was amazed right upon arrival at the advancements of your country. Ill have to learn a lot while Im here.


    The royal princes words made Rajadens expression sour.


    So, if no war breaks out, he ns to enjoy his study trip thoroughly.


    Wasting the nations taxes on such matters. The imperial crown princes mind grew troubled at the casual handling of important affairs.


    Regardless, Vaughn maintained a casual demeanor, as if he didnt mind being a hostage.


    Rajadenughed.


    Well, thats fortunate. Enjoy your stay then. Well make sure youck nothing.


    <i>Haha,</i> if its alright, please take care of that child I travelled with, too.


    At this, Roen, who had been silently listening, could no longer hold back.


    Aileen is a child of our family. It would be problematic if you act as you please.


    Is that so? Then I shall entrust her safety to you.


    His attitude was as if he was generously offering a possession. Roen looked incredulous at Vaughns nonchnce.


    Both the royal prince and the imperial crown prince seemed to wear faces of titanium. High status apparently came with such demeanor.


    Ignoring Aileen was akin to ignoring House Everett. As the young duke, Roen was displeased, but having no intention to care for Aileen, he responded with a concealed grimace.


    He, too, wore a titanium mask fitting his noble status.


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 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187


    That matter is not within my purview, so Ill ask my father.


    It was his way of saying he didnt want to take her. What kind ofmotion might Aileen cause if she were brought to the townhouse in the capital?


    <i>Heh,</i> is that so?


    Even if Rajaden were to send a message to the duke as quickly as possible, it would take at least two days to receive a response. Naturally, if Roen expressed his preference, the duke would likely acquiesce to his wishes.


    Essentially, his statement about consulting his father was merely an excuse. Vaughn understood this and smiled with a knowing glint in his eye.


    Ah, that reminds me.


    Vaughn, now as unsettling to Roen as Rajaden was to him, spoke with augh.


    Its truly astonishing. Ive often heard His Highness the Crown Prince is an incarnation of the Sun God, but to witness such a mighty blessing. The next era of the empire will surely be a golden age.


    Ill take that as apliment.


    Blessed in the name of the Tree God.


    Vaughn provocatively invoked his own countrys deity in and devoted to the Sun God. Rajadens expression tightened once again.


    The conversation, teetering on the edge of a theological sh, thus concluded.


    * * *


    Stepping out from under the shade and walking aimlessly, Violet closed her eyes to gather her thoughts.


    The more she mulled over it, the more irritated she became. She suppressed the impulse to confront the royal prince and vent her anger. Violet exhaled slowly.


    Returning to the tent now would mean encountering Aileen. Though she could hear the distant sounds of the huntingpetition beginning, she had no desire whatsoever to go back.


    Nor was it feasible to continue wandering without purpose.


    A part of her wondered, <i>Why should I have to avoid Aileen?</i>


    Another part answered, <i>Not because its frightening, but because its nasty.</i>


    As Violet considered how to resolve the current situation most effectively, someone approached her.


    What are you doing here?


    It was Cairn. Violet didnt reply.


    His rapid approach only worsened her scowl.


    You.


    Donte any closer.


    Her response was sharply defensive.


    Those eyes held the same look Cairn had seen from Violet when they were still staying at the Everett estate.


    Contempt, fear, anger, annoyance.


    Aplex mix of negative emotions.


    Feeling a surge of his own emotions, Cairn stepped closer.


    <i>Whoosh.</i>


    His grab for her wrist was almost violent. Cairn, the third son of House Everett, still oblivious to the root of the problem, was easily swayed by his feelings.


    How dare you!


    At that moment, someone stepped between them. Cairn grimaced as his hand was knocked away.


    Blood rtion or not, your current behavior is inappropriate.


    It was Alesia. Both the ducaldy and the ducal lord looked surprised at her sudden appearance. She even had a sword neatly strapped at her waist.


    Her intention to participate in the huntingpetition and capture a beast was clear.


    Lady Leshan?


    Its dangerous to wander like this with monsters about, Ducal Lady.


    With her short hair and the sword at her waist, her appearance was undeniably impressive. Anyone could see she was formidable.


    It now made sense why Alesia Leshan hadnt been seen in the tent. She was preparing to participate.


    Noticing Violets gaze, Alesia appeared somewhat embarrassed.


    Theres no rule against women participating.


    Ah.


    Thanks to that, I havent received a single handkerchief.


    Its not likely she didnt receive any. Someone must have been about to offer her a handkerchief when she left without realizing it. Violet didnt point that out.


    The fact that Alesia was here and raring to go for a confrontation, and the fact that she was boldly pursuing what she wanted to do with confidence, seeing this, Violet felt somewhat appeased.


    Suddenly feeling excluded by the arrival of the marquisates esteemed daughter, Cairn wore a bewildered expression.


    What were you two doing here, then?


    I was just walking and thinking for a bit.


    Thats the problem! Even so, theres a limit!


    Calm due to Alesias presence, Violet looked at Cairn with a more settled expression. Was there a chance that Cairn would suddenly revert to his old ways because of Aileens reappearance?


    She honestly thought it was possible, but she also knew that he couldnt act recklessly as before.


    Cairn wore a wounded look.


    <i>But what right does he have to feel hurt?</i> Violet thought, but nevertheless, that was how he felt.


    As ridiculous as she found it, she had to attempt a conversation.


    Cairn.


    What?


    You do realize that you cant always act like a child, right?


    However, her attempt at dialogue was feeble. Confused by her cryptic words, Cairns expression twisted.


    Theres a limit to how much one can simply and foolishly push through.


    Every action has its cause and effect. The current state of their rtionship was a clear result of specific causes, and not just one.


    But they couldnt keep ignoring their rtionship and pretending nothing was wrong indefinitely.


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 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188


    Cairn couldnt understand what Violet wanted to say.


    She was still too short with her words.


    You dont consider me family or someone to rely on, I know that.


    Cairn, still showing traces of boyhood, spoke with a suppressed voice.


    That you dislike me more than anyone else, and that it will continue in the future.


    His voice was strained with effort. Violet remained coldly impassive.


    But even so, if it continues like this, I still also feel hurt.


    Those were the true feelings Cairn had been concealing.


    Violet, however, didnt waver at her younger brothers words. In fact, a sneer appeared on her face.


    <i>Was that all it took to hurt you?</i>


    Was she supposed to sympathize with his outburst of frustration?


    The atmosphere turned ominously quiet.


    Alesia, inadvertently caught up in another familys affairs, started to speak, then stopped.


    Having already caused a problem once by acting without full knowledge, she knew it would irreparably damage her rtionship with Violet if she sided with Cairn.


    So, you also get hurt over something like this.


    <i>You.</i>


    Her voice was icy cold.


    Cairns eyes widened in surprise at her unexpected and even colder reaction. This only fueled Violets anger further.


    Violet was aware of it, too. Her reaction wasnt normal. She understood that society expected her to ept an apology and offer forgiveness when appropriate.


    Especially now that the situation was different from when she wasbeled a viiness, and that Cairn wasnt wrong in what he said.


    But how could she just let it go?


    Violet wondered if it was just paranoia. She pondered whether there were moments when she should and shouldnt be angry, and if she was even in a position to be angry.


    But as she held her anger in, it burned inside her like a fire with nowhere to go.


    How could she quell this me if it could not be let out?


    Sure, youre human too, so you must feel hurt.


    There was not a hint of tremor in Violets voice as she spoke.


    Mistakenly igniting his sisters wrath, Cairn looked at her wide-eyed, all the while burning in the ashes of her anger.


    Then, get lost.


    What?


    Go back to your beloved sister who doesnt hurt you, who cherishes and loves you, who you want to protect.


    Why would you say that?


    Did I say something wrong? Aileen Everett, whom you adore so much, has returned. Why would you want to stick by me, of all people, and endure these words? As you said, Ill continue to hate you, even far in the future.


    Do you have anything you want to say?


    This was the first time Cairn had faced Violets anger head-on since he had apologized to her.


    Back then and now, Cairn still could not understand why Violet reacted so sensitively.


    I mean, that is


    If you have nothing more to say, Id prefer you to get out of my sight.


    With that, Violet turned away first. Unable to decide what to do, Cairn stood frozen. And Alesia, who had been watching the siblings, quickly followed Violet.


    Ducal Lady.


    Im sorry you had to witness that unpleasant scene.


    Rather, I was wondering what had happened.


    Alesia knew something had gone wrong the moment she heard the name Aileen Everett, but she couldnt help but ask. The Violet she had met and observed wasnt someone who typically showed her emotions this way.


    Who knows. Maybe its just because Im wed.


    wed, you?


    Yes. Its my fault for being so narrow-minded that even when someone apologizes, I cant ept it and react only with anger.


    Alesia fell silent. She briefly pondered whether she should probe further.


    Though they hadnt often interacted, the rift between Cairn and Violet seemed deep.


    What had happened to cause such a reaction?


    Reminded of her own brother, Alec, Alesia grimaced briefly.


    What does it matter? Not every apology has to be epted.


    Theres no better attitude for understanding others than putting oneself in their shoes. Alesia, who had her own deep familial riftsalbeit not as deep as the Everettsoffered Violet some clumsyfort.


    She guessed that whatever had transpired between Cairn and Violet was worse than anything that had happened between the Leshan siblings.


    Seeing this, Violet gave a faint smile. Her emotions calmed more quickly thanks to her.


    Thanks for saying that. Um, Id like to give you a gift if thats okay.


    A gift?


    Here. I hope you like it.


    Violet ced a handkerchief in Alesias hand.


    It was adorned with a painted yellow lily, not embroidery. Though it was a handkerchief with a painting, it was the first one Alesia had ever received from someone else.


    Alesia epted it with a slightly moved expression.


    Then she realized.


    They had wandered deep into the forest. Instead of heading back to the tents, they had inadvertently ventured into the area where the beasts for the hunt were roaming.


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 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189


    Although it was a huntingpetition, this sort of concern was inevitable. The organizers wouldnt have brought in any truly dangerous beasts, yet harm could still ur.


    Subtly changing the direction of their walk back towards the tents, Alesia spoke with a contemtive tone.


    I couldnt help but overhear earlier, but may I ask why you harbor such dislike for Lady Aileen?


    ..


    Violet fixed Alesia with a prating gaze, under which Alesia inexplicably blushed and turned away with a cough.


    I assumed theres a reason behind it so I just set the thought aside, but upon hearing it directly, I became curious.


    Its nothing, really. She dislikes me, too.


    Pardon?


    Do we need a grand reason to dislike each other? I remember it all started over something trivial.


    But Lady Aileen doesnt seem to show any signs of that


    Thats exactly why I dislike her even more. Ahh, I wish she would just disappear forever, but she keepsing back.


    Violetmented. Alesia, about to question whether Aileen truly detested Violet, closed her mouth.


    It seemed like a question she shouldnt ask.


    How about you, Lady Alesia? Have you ever disliked your older brother?


    You can call me more casually, you know.


    Only if you call me casually first. But really, have you never disliked him?


    It was quite an unexpected question. Thinking that there was not a single moment that Alec was <i>not</i> a fool, Alesia remained silent.


    If you dont dere that you wish to be your familys sessor, he will undoubtedly be the next head of the Leshan Marquisate. Despite his inadequacies, hell get that illustrious title simply because he was born first.


    What does that have to do with anything


    Sometimes, ones mere existence takes away what belongs to others.


    Alesia wore a bitter expression.


    Alec Leshan, being the eldest son of the Leshan family, was unquestionably acknowledged as the Young Marquis, burdened with all sorts of expectations from the elders.


    While she was treated as mere marriage fodder.


    Was Violet implying that, like Alec, Aileens mere existence robbed Violet of something?


    But the situations werent the same, were they? As Alesia tried toprehend Violets words, Violet seemed somewhat relieved.


    I hate Aileen. I hate everyone who didnt listen to me and sided with her. They all made my life miserable.


    I dont quite understand.


    Cairn was one of those people. He often pointed his sword at me, using me of tormenting that girl.


    The irony of him, really.


    Of him expressing his hurt whenever she sent him cold looks when he himself had drawn his sword in hostility at hermultiple times.


    Laughable.


    Alesia recalled something Violet had said at the princes birthday celebration.


    Until their first meeting, Alesia thought she could never understand Violet, but surprisingly, she felt she could somewhatprehend her now.


    If the hatred was mutual between Aileen and Violet, then the story was moreplicated than it seemed.


    Not knowing why but feeling uneasy nheless, Alesia shook her head.


    Violet observed her silently, she then asked,


    Could you stay with me all day, Lady Alesia?


    I came here to participate in the huntingpetition, you know.


    I can follow you around.


    There are dangerous beasts in the forest.


    Theyre probably just small rabbit monsters or a few wild wolves. I think you can handle them.


    Alesia felt ttered that Violet trusted her skills so much, even though they had never seen each others abilities.


    She couldnt refuse. After all, as Violet was wearing pants instead of a gown, she wouldnt stand out too much here. Thats how she rationalized it.


    Actually though, what Violet was asking of Alesia was no different from an unreasonable demand. Even if Alesia was skilled, a knights performance could be hindered when they had to protect someone.


    And considering that Alesia was aiming for a top position in the hunt today, Violet was undoubtedly a hindrance.


    Yet, Alesia agreed to Violets request, the reason for which Violet herself couldnt fathom.


    Though Violet was the one willingly following Alesia around, Violet remained reserved. Whether she disliked sharing personal feelings or didnt want to divulge her familys issues wasnt clear. Alesia had no intention to pry unless Violet spoke first.


    Do you have a lot of issues with your family?


    Sort of.


    Alesias response was in, and it only added to the awkwardness between them.


    To an outsider, Violets family rtionship seemed one-sided, with the others clinging to her.


    Alesia had witnessed Violet harshly rebuffing Cairn several times. But if others had treated her that way first, and thats the reason she changed, it wouldnt be an unjustified situation.


    Still, it seemed one-sided.


    Alesia hesitated before asking carefully,


    Have you considered talking it out?


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 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190


    Talking it out, huh.


    It seems better than just being angry.


    Alesia Leshan never intended to meddle in others family matters.


    Well, that <i>was</i> what she intended. But whether it was the shock of what she saw or the awkwardness, Alesias mouth spoke on its own.


    I dont know how to exin. I just dislike Cairn. There was a time I disliked everyone. Trying to talk it out now


    Violetughed, a self-deprecatingugh.


    Of course, its possible to resolve it through conversation. You cant bury it forever.


    But she was human, and so were the people she needed to talk to.


    What if she did decide to be open about her feelings, toy down her heartwhat if all that would be denied? What if theyd even go as far as to continue ming Violet for everything? Or, what if theyd startining about their own hardships?


    Violet wasnt ready to handle such possibilities.


    Just like earlier, Roen had the decency not to cross a line, but Cairn had no such boundaries.


    Right now, Violets difort with Cairn wasnt because he wasnt showing hostility, but because she hadnt warmed up to him.


    Its just Its difficult.


    How could years of resentment and sorrow be resolved in a short time?


    Alesia, unaware of the details, could only stay silent.


    Then, suddenly, a small, thin dagger came flying.


    ?!


    Harming someone during the huntingpetition was a serious crime, even if the wielder of the flying weapon had mistaken a person for an animal.


    Who goes there!


    Alesia was skilled. She deflected the weapon and took a defensive stance, as<i>shiiiing</i>the de sharply whistled throughthe leaves.


    The attack was too intense to be a mistake, but the owner of that killing intent didnt seem to want to reveal themselves.


    Reveal yourself now or!


    But before Alesia could finish her warning, something attacked Violet.


    Alesia had keen senses, but as they were surrounded by an onught of murderous intent, she spun around toote to intervene.


    Ducal Lady!


    A masked figure wielding a short dagger made a swift move, leaving a trail in the air.


    And, at the same time as it hit its mark, Violet fell.


    In her previous spot now stood Cairn.


    Ducal Lord?


    Why are you here


    This is no time for questions, you idiot! There are at least seven of them. Get up quickly!


    Drawing his sword from the sheath, the wounded third son of House Everett took up his stance.


    * * *


    Cairn P. Everett is human.


    Many saw his straightforward nature and thought he was as tough as iron, but he was human, capable of feeling pain and suffering.


    In his view, Violet was always so difficult, always making a fuss.


    He made mistakes and had his moments of misunderstandingbecause hes human. However, even when hed apologize, she wouldnt ept it.


    He didnt believe that everything was Violets fault. He just thought if his sister had acted properly, none of this would have escted.


    Problems were problems, and whats wrong was wrong. He knew it was wrong to draw his sword against his sister so often, which was why he apologized Only to be rejected outright.


    Violet, Roen, and Aldin all told him he was wrong. Such an apology might as well not be given at all.


    But what exactly was the problem?


    Should he just pretend that nothing happened?


    Disregarding their advice, Cairn, true to his impulsive nature, acted as he pleased.


    He asked Aldin, who said his apologiescked consideration. But Cairn didnt care if his seemingly thoughtless apologies were perceived as violence.


    Yet deep down, he resented being constantly pushed away, rejected, and ignored.


    Im trying so hard. Why am I the only one being ignored?


    It was a childish thought, but it was one that he didnt express, knowing it would only invite scorn.


    Still, he hoped things would change someday. Just as the rtionship between Violet and Roen wasntpletely indifferent, he thought perhaps his rtionship with Violet might also improve.


    But then


    So, you also get hurt over something like this. You.


    Violets expression earlier was nothing but icy.


    He vaguely sensed something was amiss but couldnt pinpoint what exactly it wasuntil that moment.


    Cairn, frozen solid from the realization, felt ridiculous.


    For the first time, he somewhat understood his sister.


    He wanted to cry out in frustration, wanted to ask why she was so sensitive. But at the same time, he understood precisely the anger she harbored.


    If an apology could have solved it, it would have been resolved long ago.


    Perhaps he had been as dismissive to Violet as she was now to him.


    With this faint understanding, Cairn realized why even Roen hadnt been fully epted either.


    Even when he was told to leave, he just stood there, unable to act.


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 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191


    Upon hearing that Aileen had arrived, Cairn knew he had to see her.


    Not to take her side, but to confirm something.


    Yet, he couldnt.


    Injustice, anger, regret, guilt, fear.


    A mixture of defensive and self-loathing emotions left him standing, unable to do anything for a long time.


    How trivial his apologies must have been.


    Violet had askeddid he truly understand what his mistake was? What did Cairn respond at the time? An answer he had discarded as unimportant now echoed in his head.


    He must chase after her.


    If hed let go now, the severed rtionship might never be clumsily reconnected again.


    Violet, who used to give even just half answers, would nowpletely ignore him.


    After standing for a long time, conflicted, Cairn finally moved in the direction Violet had gone.


    Then, out of nowhere, murderous intent flew in.


    Was there a monster nearby? He thought lightly, but when he realized the intent was directed at his sister and Lady Leshan, he immediately leaped into action.


    It was almost an instinctive reaction.


    One wrong hit could be fatal. It would have been safer to quickly draw his sword and fend it off.


    But there was no time for such calctions. Cairn P. Everett, as he once dered, threw himself in apology and the singr focus of saving his sister.


    * * *


    Droplets of red blood fell.


    Despite the sword wound on his right shoulder making it hard to properly hold a sword, the youngest son of House Everett acted recklessly.


    Alesia Leshan was momentarily startled but quickly regained herposure and saw about six masked assants.


    While its unclear who sent them, one thing was certain: Violet, who hadnt formally learned swordsmanship, was the easiest target here.


    So, she had to be protected.


    You Why are you here


    Violet turned pale at the sight of the dripping blood. Cairn, overwhelmed, blurted out whatever came to mind.


    You must think Im just a thoughtless idiot. I know, Im stupid. I know you hate me more because I cant distinguish what should and shouldnt be said.


    His already pale shirt became even more vivid with the blood.


    But Cairn showed no intention of loosening his grip on the sword.


    But, you never exined once. What I did wrong, what I need to change


    <i>Youve just ignored me without a proper exnation.</i>


    The words he had suppressed with resentment, not meant to be said now.


    Yet, Cairn, feeling this might be his only chance, let those words spill out.


    As he was dismissed as a hopeless case without a sliver of hope for improvement, he felt unjustly treated.


    But it was retribution.


    Just as he had thought problems wouldnt have arisen if Violet had behaved properly, he too, should have behaved better to avoid such treatment.


    Only after realizing this did Cairn understand what he had done wrong to his sister.


    He knew he wasnt in a position to throw a tantrum.


    But still.


    Just tell me! What I need to change, what I did wrong! Im just like that! If you dont tell me outright, I cant even apologize properly!


    And then, with a ng, a sword de drew an arc in the air.


    Assassins dont wait for conversations to end.


    Even with his injuries, Cairn easily deflected the assassins sword and gritted his teeth as he shouted,


    So stop keeping everything to yourself!


    The sound of shing des rang out again.


    With his simplistic temperament, worse than a childs, he couldnt apologize properly. Yet, in the face of danger, he threw himself to protect Violet.


    He was bleeding profusely, enough to shock an ordinary person, but he drew his sword and protested the unfair treatment he felt his sister had done unto him.


    When Violet questioned Why?, he continued to insist on his point of view.


    It was an absurd situation.


    If it werent for the life-threatening crisis at hand, she might haveughed out loud at the absurdity of it all.


    The masked assants surrounding them seemed skilled, but talent rendered them ineffective.


    Despite his injuries, Cairns formidable skill with the sword made the assassins falter. Three had already fallen.


    Alesia took down one, Cairn two. This was no situation to underestimate an injured young man and a woman.


    Blood was everywhere, wafting in the air. The metallic, acrid scent made Violet grimace. Untrained in swordsmanship, she was the only liability there.


    She regretted not going back to the encampment and just leaving Alesia be.


    But it was toote for regrets. She had to do something.


    Quicklyposing her conflicting emotions, Violet stood up with a self-defense dagger in hand.


    The conversation with Cairn would have to continueter.


    We dont have time! Kidnap that woman at least!


    One of the remaining three assants shouted as one rushed towards Violet.


    Both Cairn and Alesia tried to rush to Violets side, but the other opponents threw themselves into their paths.


    Using her dagger, Violet stabbed the thigh of one masked assant threatening her.


    A short grunt echoed, but the unyielding assant gagged Violet with a handkerchief.


    Unobtrusively assaulted by a drug, her body went limp.


    Sister!


    Ducal Lady!


    The faces of Cairn and Alesia, struck with horror. The attack of the masked assants taking advantage of their distraction. The two trying to fend off, and more ck-masked assants seemingly replenished from somewhere


    That was Violetsst memory before losing consciousness.


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 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192


    * * *


    After quickly taking stock of the situation, the first thing Alesia did was to lead Cairn towards the camp, correctly judging that he couldnt chase the masked men in his injured state.


    Ten masked bodiesy on the ground like corpses. Some were dead, and others barely clung to life.


    Raw talent truly was frightening.


    Even injured, Cairn had dispatched more assants than Alesia. She nearly despaired at the vast gap in talent, but there was no time for that right now.


    The sight of the bleeding third son of Everett being carried by Lady Leshan was odd to anyones eyes.


    Even so, those who witnessed them thought, Is there a strong monster nearby? and nothing more.


    The knights who were guarding the area tried to stop Alesia as she headed towards the crown princes camp, but they quickly stepped aside upon seeing the gravely injured Cairn.


    A few who realized something was wrong ran to report to the crown prince. They hurried to call a physician as well.


    Inside the tent, instead of the crown prince, there was Roen, known as the princes left arm.


    Lady Leshan? What happened all of a su Cairn?


    Its serious. Lady Violet is!


    Alesia, who hadid the injured Cairn down, quickly summarized the recent events.


    They were walking inside the forest where the huntingpetition was taking ce when suddenly, several masked assassins attacked.


    In the process, Cairn got injured, and Violet was kidnapped.


    It was a clean summary but omitted the before and after exnations.


    The physician called by the knight gasped upon seeing Cairns condition and quickly disinfected and bandaged his open wounds.


    Alesia was also in a severely injured state. She initially refused treatment but began receiving it quietly after the physicians reprimanded her.


    Thoughtfully mulling over the overly brief exnation, Roen asked a few more questions.


    Why was Violet with Alesia, and why were they strolling in the forest?


    Alesia refused to exin. Roen became furious.


    Amotion soon ensued.


    Knights hurriedly searched for the crown prince, who had formally gone to participate in the huntingpetition with a knight in tow.


    The sudden stir unsettled the waiting nobles, but it was soon dismissed as, A big monster must have appeared. Itll be resolved soon.


    Soon after, the crown prince, the empires sole heir to the throne, even if apanied by a knight, arrived upon hearing the news.


    Fortunately, there seemed to be no attack directed at the crown prince.


    Under hismand, the search discretely divided into several groups, following Rajadens directive not to ruin the atmosphere of the national event.


    Following orders, the knights headed to the location strewn with the corpses of the masked individuals.


    Silence filled the barracks amidst the chaos.


    The atmosphere inside was even more intense as they had just been discussing war with a foreign prince.


    And once again, Alesia had to exin the situation in front of the imperial crown prince.


    With each word she spoke, Roens anger deepened. However, no matter how angry he was, he couldnt direct it at Alesia.


    Cairns condition was more critical, and she too was severely injured.


    Im sorry. Its my fault.


    What fault of yours could it be now? This isnt the time to discuss right and wrong.


    Roen replied, gritting his teeth, his words saturated with palpable anger.


    In an instant, his younger brother was seriously injured, and his younger sister had gotten kidnapped.


    His anger, with nowhere to direct, wandered for a while before turning inwards.


    If only I had insisted on being careful


    The situation was a result of his preupation with Aileen and Vaughns arrival and failing to take care of his siblings.


    He felt responsible, although there was no actual fault on his part.


    So, rry. If only I, followed in, time


    Just then, Cairn tried to get up, causing the physicians attending to his wounds to panic andy him back down.


    Whats your fault in this? Rest.


    If Cairn had been by Violets side, this might not have happened.


    Instead of rolling to defend and getting injured, he would have parried the iing de and swiftly eliminated the enemy. If only he hadnt just stood there stupidly after being dismissed


    Why they specifically kidnapped the Ducal Lady I dont understand.


    Rajaden muttered with a serious expression. If Violet isnt found today, the seriousness of the situation will double by tomorrow.


    It was better to resolve it quickly.


    Someone interrupted the grave atmosphere.


    Right~ Is there anything I can help with?


    And who might you be?


    Alesia was surprised by the unfamiliar face, a remarkably beautiful person with a captivating presence.


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 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193


    <i>Haha. </i>Just listening here, it seems like something major has happened. Personally, I think the original target might not have been His Highness the Imperial Crown Prince.


    I agree with that, but I cant understand. Why single out the Ducal Lady instead of me?


    Well, she holds an important position in the country too. Maybe theyre nning to use her as a hostage or a bargaining chip.


    Lady Everett?


    Because shes a safer bet than the empires sole heir, perhaps. And the other two with her can wield swords, so it might have just been easier to kidnap her, right?


    Everyone fell silent at the usible logic.


    Indeed, it would be audacious for someone from the empire to orchestrate such an event at an event hosted by the imperial family.


    It was already a significant problem domestically, but if it would spread internationally, the situation would be much more severe.


    Duke Everett and Margrave ise might personally get involved. If that happens, this would truly be beyond control.


    Weve released the knights for now, so lets wait and see. The informants are out too.


    In the end, all they could do was wait.


    Cairn, still an injured patient, got scolded with a p on the back for trying to get up forcefully. Even though it wasnt on an injured part, everyone was aghast to see a physician striking a patient, and they hurried to stop Roen.


    Alesia, recognized for her merits and as a courtesy to the patient, was allowed to rest in the crown princes camp.


    Meanwhile, as much as the unpleasant news was controlled, the atmosphere couldnt bepletely sealed off.


    The barracks were abuzz, the air smelling of blood. The nobledies lowered their voices at the mention of a possible appearance of a strong monster.


    A strong monster, huh.


    Aileen, who had beenughing and mingling naturally among them, turned her gaze to the sky outside the tent.


    The air was ominous.


    * * *


    The drug used on Violet wasnt very potent. It wasnt long before she woke up.


    She assessed her condition. The kidnappers must have underestimated her, not even bothering to tie her up.


    Four whispering voices with strong ents.


    Violet calmly gripped a hidden second dagger.


    The small dagger, more akin to a knife than a self-defense tool, was better than nothing.


    Seems like shes awake?


    Did we bring the right one? Its just a girl.


    I heard her being called ducaldy. Must be of high status.


    Violet frowned at their conversation. It was in themonnguage of the continent, so she had no trouble understanding.


    Why did you kidnap me?


    <i>Heh,</i> you think wed tell you that? Just stay quiet and your life will be spared.


    Everything but my life, you mean?


    The kidnappers snickered in a low tone. Violet showed no particr reaction to their words.


    What? Shes no fun.


    There must be a specific reason why Ive been kidnapped, but you cannot handle me any way you want. They wouldnt want to diminish the value of a hostage.


    <i>Haha.</i> Is she trying to think this through?


    Hardly. Shes just stating the obvious situation.


    The kidnappers began tough at Violets words. As they had boldly orchestrated such a thing in the midst of an event hosted by the imperial family, they all seemed fearless.


    There were four in total. It didnt seem like they were nning to leave immediately.


    Would it be the right move to cause a disturbance here?


    She didnt trust her judgment.


    But it was better than not acting at all.


    Either way, it was going to be the same disaster.


    Violet suddenly rose and stabbed the nearest mans thigh with her dagger. A short scream of Ah, you crazy bitch! scattered in the air.


    This bitch is insane!


    Someone shouted harshly. He was holding a club, not a sword, which made his menacing appearance even more threatening.


    Violet distanced herself from them.


    What, what is this!


    The man, though having avoided major arteries, was deeply stabbed and cried out in pain, his eyes shing dangerously.


    Hey, dont touch the hostage


    Shut up. Right now, I want to break at least one of her arms.


    Violet knew well the type of madness in his eyes. As she took a step back, the man advanced.


    It was toote for regrets. The deed was already done.


    Donte any closer.


    Ha, you think I wonte if you say so? Where did all that boldness go, huh?


    The situation was tense.


    The kidnappers were grossly underestimating Violet.


    She was nothing but a fragile noblewoman. Even if she had a dagger, that was all. She couldnt have learned proper swordsmanship, so she was no threat.


    That judgment was half right and half wrong.


    I told you not toe closer.


    Violets dagger, which she had been pointing threateningly at her opponents, now turned to another direction.


    Now, she was pointing the weapon at her own throat.


    Ha! You tryna be clever? You think we cant touch you because of that?


    Thats what Im thinking.


    Dismissing her determination as mere stubbornness, the kidnappersughed and approached her.


    At the same time, blood began to trickle from Violets neck.


    Itll be quite interesting if I end up dying here, wont it?


    Put that down right now!


    Hey, high and mightydy. You wont die so easily. Lets go easy, shall we?


    They spoke leisurely, but there was clear tension among the kidnappers.


    Violetughed at them.


    And even a tiny little shock can easily kill a human. Donte any closer.


    It was unlikely that the kidnappers would release her just like that. It would only be a pointless stalemate.


    Violet knew that. The sensation of the de touching her throat was prickly. The flowing blood was warm.


    She was nning to create a small opportunity to escape. Even buying the slightest amount of time would be good.


    If Alesia had immediately reported the situation to Roen, knights should have been dispatched right away.


    Thats what she thought.


    Take that knife away right now!


    <i>Keugh!</i>


    Whos there?!


    Shouts and screams rang out simultaneously. Someone, appearing out of nowhere, had kicked another, leaving him gasping for breath.


    Violet saw the man who had barged in.


    How dare


    There stood Aldin, eyes half crazed.


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 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194


    * * *


    Though he himself wasnt aware of just how popr he was, Aldin was quite well-liked.


    Despite the stigma of being a bastard.


    Regardless of his illegitimacy, he had been entered into the registry of a ducal household. And he even graduated top of his ss from the academy, oveing all odds.


    With the level of his swordsmanship skills, he was called a naturally gifted genius. His unique aura created a mysterious atmosphere around him.


    A man reminiscent of the night.


    Despite training under the sun every day, he had starkly pale skin contrasted by jet-ck hair. His deep purple eyes were filled with mncholy.


    Aldins inherently somber aura made him all the more enigmatic.


    A handsome man with a mncholy impression. He didnt easily open up to anyone except his friends.


    An unbreakable fortress.


    Aldins followers couldnt easily approach him, but they supported him nheless.


    They tried to encounter him by chance, and on the days of big events like the huntingpetition, they stayed up all night embroidering handkerchiefs for him.


    ? Thank you.


    However, the reaction they receivedeven after handing him a handkerchiefwas nothing but dry. Still though, his followers liked even that dry response.


    Aldin was aware of the many people following him but didnt care.


    After all, they werent important to him.


    But this time was different.


    This year, he received a handkerchief from Violet.


    Therefore, he feltpelled to produce results he wouldnt be ashamed of.


    It was a simple conclusion.


    Especially since Violet seemed uneasy after Aileens appearance, he wanted to create a pleasant memory to make up for it.


    After Violet left, Aileen approached him, but Aldin immediately dismissed her.


    It was amusing to see her gossiping with other youngdies, saying, <i>Ah, youre Aesirs</i>


    She said such a thing, leaving thetter half of the sentence to ones imaginationa sweet smile adorned upon her lips the entire time.


    How ironic, especially when she herself couldnt really speak on the matter of lineage.


    He kept other girls handkerchiefs out of courtesy, but tied only Violets handkerchief carefully around the hilt of his sword.


    Then, as usual, he drew out his senses and started his hunt for monsters.


    Aldin generallycked interest in other peopleexcept for matters rted to Violet. As long as it didnt cause him harm, he typically ignored what was happening around him. So, he disregarded hispetition in this hunt.


    As he was intensely focused on hunting, amotion erupted from somewhere. Curious, he moved towards the noise and spotted something rushing away in the distance.


    They were clearly suspicious.


    ck masks, attire unlike that of the nobles participating in the huntingpetition.


    Infiltrating and causing chaos in an imperially hosted hunting event


    Those responsible would face execution for treason if caught.


    I should report this.


    While observing the suspicious figures, Aldins pupils suddenly dted.


    Had he only seen the suspicious ones, he would have reported to any imperial official and continued his tasks.


    But his excellent vision also caught sight of one particr thing.


    Silver hair, fluttering among those suspicious figures.


    Masked ruffians and the person they were carrying like a piece of luggage.


    Although he couldnt see the womans face from this far away, he hadnt heard of any other silver-haireddies participating in the huntingpetition.


    After that, any kind of logical thinking was impossible.


    Without even confirming the exact situation, he impulsively followed the trail without reporting.


    It was quite a distance, so he couldnt catch up immediately, but his running feet didnt hesitate.


    The fact that this abduction was happening at imperial grounds was a significant issue, but something else irked him.


    <i>Who dares, to you.</i>


    Though he was here today to participate in the huntingpetition, officially he was a knight. Standard procedure dictated that he must have first informed the knight order managing the event.


    Yet, Aldin didnt hesitate in his actions.


    His primary concern was just one thing.


    Violets safety.


    Once he finally caught up to the ruffians, they were seemingly waiting for theirpanions, tossing the hostage aside as they chattered among themselves.


    Approaching to verify what they were talking about, he realized they were confronting Violet.


    Just the sight was enough to make it hard to control his anger.


    But to make matters worse, blood was trickling from Violets neck.


    The moment he confirmed that fact, without assessing the enemys skills or numbers, Aldin lunged forward.


    <i>Keugh!</i>


    Whos there!?


    The person kicked by Aldin struggled to breathe. Suddenly, swords and clubs were directed at him.


    How dare


    As he growled low in his throat, a cold silence fell. The raw anger in his voice made at least one of them tremble.


    Its obvious that they had to take down this unexpected opponent, and they knew that reinforcements wereing soon.


    But that fact didnt lend them an ounce of strength.


    Like a razor-sharp de, Aldins eyes glinted ferociously.


    Do you think youll get away from this <i>unscathed?</i>


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 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195


    Only Violet remained unaffected by his murderous intent.


    One frightened ruffian, overwhelmed by the pressure, yelled and swung his weapon wildly in panic. It was a sloppy move, hardly worth dodging.


    Alec didnt need to pay deep attention to the movement patterns of his opponents.


    The only mercy he could show here was not to strike at their necks immediatelyand this consideration was borne for the sole reason of sparing Violet from a cruel scene.


    A group that seemed to be with the kidnappers arrived in a swarm.


    Regardless, those reinforcements were quickly dealt with.


    Some tried to use Violet as a shield to save their lives, but they met their end with a dagger imprint on the back of their hand.


    Are you alright?


    Having cleared the added group in just a few minutes, Aldin approached Violet with a near-tearful expression.


    His gaze was still fixed on her neck, where blood continued to flow down.


    Seeing his distorted expression, Violetughed.


    Sir Aldin.


    Yes.


    I think Im about to faint.


    What?


    Sorry


    Hitting her mental limit, Violet announced her impending faint.


    Her voice was so calm that Aldin wondered if she was joking.


    She had lost quite a bit of blood and was mentally exhausted.


    Perhaps feeling relieved seeing Aldin, Violet rxed as soon as she felt safe.


    Simultaneously, her body slumped down like a puppet with its strings cut.


    Lady!


    Aldin rushed to catch her.


    That was thest thing Violet saw before her vision darkened.


    * * *


    It was just a brief loss of consciousness due to the sudden release of tension, so Violet woke up sooner than everyone expected.


    The physician wrapping her neck with a bandage was startled.


    Where am I?


    Ah, this is Spinel Pce. We moved you here for proper treatment and safety.


    May I know what happened?


    Well


    The physician looked uneasy at Violets question.


    Feeling a throbbing in her head, Violet sat up and sighed, prompting the physician to urgently advise her to rest.


    The situation she heard afterward wasnt much different.


    Regardless of everything, the huntingpetition continued as nned, confusion and all. Knights were patrolling everywhere for safety, and the ces where Aldin found Violet and where Cairn and Alesia defeated the assants were now restricted.


    The surviving kidnappers were all taken away.


    A few who possessed crucial information would be spared, but the rest would likely be executed. They had foreign ents, so the intensity of interrogation would undoubtedly be high.


    Cairn and Alesia were also receiving separate treatment and resting in the tents. Cairns injuries were especially severe, but he was just taking it easy after supposedly getting hurt by a monster.


    Violet clicked her tongue upon hearing that Cairns wounds had reopened several times due to his restlessness.


    Aldin, who had rescued her, had gone to report the situation. He insisted on staying to watch her treatment, but he was dragged away by the orders of the crown prince and his seniors from the First Knight Order.


    All this happened during the huntingpetition.


    Violet clicked her tongue and touched her bandaged throat.


    The knife she had pressed against her own throat was only meant to be a threat, but it had caused a deeper wound than she thought. She had bled more than she realized.


    She was the victim of this kidnapping, Violet didnt consider this incident any of her damn business. It wasnt her job to identify the forces that had attempted to kidnap her.


    So, Violet thought,


    I want to go home.


    She desperately, intensely, profoundly wanted to go home.


    To her, the physician applied precious medicinal herbs to her neck and handed her a recovery potion.


    Violet obediently drank the tasteless red liquid. Her wound would heal soon.


    Despite the long day, the sun hadnt even set yet.


    Her wish to go home was easily dismissed by the physician and the maids. They kept parroting that she needed to rest.


    After waiting quietly for a short while, Violet perked up at the sound of a knock from beyond the door.


    This time, she would insist on going home.


    Are you feeling any better?


    It was the crown prince. Violet quickly tried to sit up to greet him.


    Forget it. Im not so callous as to expect formal greetings from a patient.


    At Rajadens motion to be at ease, Violet promptly sat back down. She had no intention of disying unnecessary courtesy.


    Thanks to you, I was safe.


    Give your thanks to Sir Aesir. Hes the one who rescued you.


    Rajaden sat down opposite her with a smile. Violet didnt refute his words.


    Her eptance without denial slightly furrowed Rajadens brow.


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 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196


    Truly, Im relieved youre safe. The culprit behind this incident will soon be revealed.


    Is that so?


    Its truly regrettable you had to go through this on such a good day. You wont be left with a scar, so dont worry. Your older brother was extremely worried about you.


    I see.


    Violets responses were consistently calm. Her tone revealed her exhaustion.


    Rajaden observed her.


    Is there something you want to say?


    I wish to go home, Your Highness.


    Violet seized the opportunity to speak her mind. A bright smile appeared on Rajadens face.


    No.


    <i>Haa.</i>


    Is it that unpleasant? The imperial pce is ufortable, huh? I should take more care of such a precious guest.


    Violets expression soured even more at his seemingly joking words.


    On the other hand, Rajaden couldnt help but be surprised that Violet S. Everett wasnt even trying to manage her expression.


    Im doing this for your safety. The only people who know about todays incident are me, the people from Everett, Lady Leshan, and Sir Aesir. You dont need to worry about rumors spreading.


    Alright.


    That sounded reluctant.


    I just want to rest.


    Despite having rested, she expressed her desire to rest once more.


    It was impossible to truly rx in a ce that wasnt home. Its only natural that Violet would ask to leave, but it was a request difficult for the crown prince to understand.


    You want to leave that badly?


    Yes.


    Quite adamant.


    The imperial pce makes me antsy.


    The woman who spoke her mind even in front of the crown prince of the empirethe man destined to be the master of this very imperial pce.


    Pondering, Rajaden stroked his chin.


    Then, you may leave after the huntingpetition ends.


    You wont detain me any longer?


    Its not polite to detain someone so exhausted. Id like you to restfortably.


    Surprised at the crown princes easy concession, Violet looked puzzled.


    His usual arrogance was gone, reced only by fatigue. His eyes were slightly shadowed, perhaps from ack of sleep.


    <i>I just wish hed leave now.</i>


    Internally, Violet thought this.


    Still, talking was better than this awkward silence. She soon spoke up.


    Has something been troubling youtely?


    Youre asking me that, Ducal Lady? Thats unexpected. What makes you think so?


    You seem particrly tired.


    At Violets words, Rajaden smiled. It was more of a small grin than a wide beam.


    I havent been sleeping well recently.


    Goodness.


    Violets response was a simple goodness.


    Seeing her nonchnt attitude, the crown prince wore an uncertain expression.


    <i>Arent you going to ask more?</i>


    Even as his expression seemed to demand it, Violet calmly thought to herself.


    International affairs must be troublesome. He must have a lot on his te.


    Rajadens expression became more awkward.


    Arent you going to ask?


    About what?


    Why Im not sleeping.


    Ah. I have no intention of prying into your personal matters.


    Despite being prodded, the reply she gave was utterlyposed.


    Observing her, the crown prince rubbed his face with one hand in a self-deprecating manner.


    It wasnt a gesture typical of a self-assured man.


    Curiosity faintly sparked within Violet, but it wasnt a significant matter of interest. As she met his gaze, his self-mockery deepened.


    You dont seem to be bothered at all by my presence.


    His words sounded like his usual arrogance, but his tone was uncharacteristically subdued.


    Touching her bandaged neck, Violet met his gaze and replied without a trace of tremor.


    I know youre not a tyrant, Your Highness.


    Those words were quite far out of context.


    The crown prince meant to ask if she wasnt nervous being alone with a handsome man like him, yet Violet replied that she wasnt scared because she knew he wouldnt oppress her with his power.


    It was a confirmation that she hadnt even been conscious of him from the start.


    Rajaden felt a brief pang of despair.


    All his appeals towards her had been mostly political suggestions, aimed at consolidating his power. Even if she had been swayed by such offers, Violet wouldnt have been concerned about him.


    There had never been a chance from the beginning.


    Still, he felt despair.


    Rajaden finally realized what had been troubling him throughout those countless sleepless nights.


    Knowing further denial was pointless, he let out a wry smile.


    Violet wondered why the usually smug crown prince was putting on such a tragic act today.


    Pretentiousness suited Rajaden, but mncholy did not.


    For whom exactly had he lost sleep?


    The unused words stayed at the tip of the crown princes tongue.


    Nevertheless, Violet seemedpletely unaware.


    Do you really have no interest in bing the Crown Princess?


    None at all.


    Even if you could easily be the Empress?


    I dont need it.


    Even if I could give you love?


    That would just be an act, wouldnt it?


    The back-and-forth questions and answers were as nd as a mundane conversation theyd have any other day.


    The difference was that the crown prince now had feelings.


    Because of that, this dry conversation gued him with a multitude of emotions.


    His golden eyes wavered.


    His gaze shifted from Violets eyes, to her injured neck, then back to the floor.


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 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197


    When Rajaden saw the sight of the ducaldy so bloodied, though now the bleeding had stopped, he felt his stomach turn for the first time in his life.


    It was an emotion he had never experienced, even in his most furious moments.


    Violet, bloodied in Aldins arms, maintained aposed demeanor, but her eyes were like those of a fierce wild animal. The crown prince, who had never failed to obtain what he desired, finally understood what jealousy was.


    He wanted to snatch her from that mans embrace immediately. To earn the right to be hurt and feel anguish over those wounds.


    But there were too many eyes watching for him to act.


    Its good that you chose to move to a secluded ce. I will call the imperial physician immediately for treatment.


    And the Lady?


    Shell be fine. Even if shes not, Ill make sure that she will be, so dont worry.


    Yes.


    The knights response seemed reluctant but epting.


    Aldins gaze on Violet was profoundly deep. Rajaden had been aware of this fact from before but hadnt paid it any mind. He hadnt found it bothersome.


    No, he had thought so.


    I will stay until she has received treatment.


    Despite being ordered to return to the huntingpetition to avoid confusion amidst the other nobles, Aldin was adamant about staying.


    His gaze on Violets peacefully closed purple eyes was filled withplex emotions, thergest being unrelenting anger and concern.


    Rajaden dismissed him with an order, forcefully sending Aldin back to thepetition.


    The knights sword was adorned with a handkerchief painted with special pigments. Rajaden immediately recognized who had given it to him.


    When he first saw it, amidst the attention of many, the only thing the crown prince could do without drawing any eyes was to clench his fist.


    To calm a hysterical Roen. To control the situation. To summarize necessary information for his father, the emperor. To ensure that the huntingpetition would end without any issues.


    There was much to be done.


    Despite the chaos in his mind, his body moved efficiently,manding and directing his subordinates.


    After handling urgent matters and going to check on Violet, who resembled the night and moon, all she said was that she wanted to go home as if nothing was wrong.


    She must have been shocked mentally, but she said she couldnt restfortably in the tense atmosphere of the pce.


    Do you truly believe its all an act?


    Forgive my frankness, Your Highness, but I dont understand what you mean.


    Violets response was sincere and so calm it was unsettling, pricking him like a thorn. Rajaden knew this but couldnt speak further. This was the product of his own actions.


    But the man born to be the sun was proud and had never failed to obtain what he wanted.


    A crooked smile formed on his lips.


    Is there really no chance for me?


    Violet still didnt grasp the intention behind his question.


    She assumed that the crown prince couldnt possibly be fond of heror anyone, for that matter. Normally, her judgment would have been sound.


    I dont understand what chance you are referring to.


    Ducal Lady, since I was born, I have never failed to obtain what I desired since.


    <i>Of course, you havent.</i>


    But the sarcastic response never left the tip of Violets tongue.


    The crown princes smile deepened. He was now wearing his usual dazzling expression.


    From Violets perspective, it meant she was very unlucky.


    If theres no chance, Ill make one.


    Your Highness, are you perhaps


    But, no. Violet stopped herself from asking a certain disrespectful question.


    As if regaining his usual unpleasantness, Rajaden approached Violet, lifted Violets hand.


    Well, her re certainly turned disrespectful.


    When the crown prince kissed the back of her hand, the question she refrained from voicing could be read clearly from her expression alone.


    Are you insane?


    However, the crown prince paid no heed and pressed his lips to the back of her hand.


    You must be tired, so rest. If you need anything, just ring the bell.


    Violet looked at him with a nk expression, as if unable toprehend what had just happened.


    The crown prince then left, the single word, Rest, lingering behind him. and left the room, leaving Violet still staring into space with a dazed expression.


    A gentleman kissing adys hand is a perfectly eptable act, even if it is the crown prince and thedy in question was Violet.


    It wasnt the first time, but she was still taken aback. The way the crown prince looked at her seemed different than before.


    Violet had seen a simr look before.


    From Aldin.


    It was strange that twopletely opposite people had the same look in their eyes.


    She entertained one possibility. Maybe However, she quickly dismissed it, finding just the thought of it unpleasant.


    She didnt want to deal with the implications if that feeling turned out to be true.


    So, she decided to just rest. She was tired.


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 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198


    * * *


    Despite acting nonchntly, the mental shock Violet had suffered couldnt possibly disappear overnight.


    While money could heal physical wounds and fatigue, the mind was a different matter.


    Even though she said she was fine, Violet couldnt shake off the feeling of fatigue while receiving imperial treatment in the pce.


    They used every medical technique to treat the wound on her neck, leaving only a faint trace.


    If one didnt look closely, it wouldnt be visible, and it wouldnt affect her daily life.


    Since she had been unconscious for a short time, Violet spent that time, bored out of her mind, until the end of the huntingpetition.


    Thepetition concluded without further incidents.


    Despite the mental fatigue and boredom, Violet dered her intention to return to the site of thepetition.


    And despite the maids and servants protests, the crown prince, having heard of it from elsewhere, permitted it saying, Let her do as she wishes.


    After receiving suchvish treatment, Violet returned just in time for the closing ceremony of the huntingpetition.


    Cairn was not there. Violet chalked it up to the fact that he had gotten injured.


    Aldin was among the favorites to win, but due to the kidnappingmotion, it seemed he had unfortunately settled for second ce.


    The winner was a stranger to Violet. Not so muchpletely unknown, but rather not an acquaintance.


    The huntingpetition concluded with the winner dedicating the trophy to their lover of three years.


    Everyone was conscious of Violets presence, given that she had disappeared and reappeared amidst themotion. Even so, there was no overt chatter following after her.


    The atmosphere was subtly subdued, perhaps controlled by the crown prince.


    Violet, pretending not to notice the nces thrown her way, found Roen. He looked more haggard than Violet, who had been kidnapped. She approached him, or rather, intended to.


    Where have you been?


    She would have, had someone not stopped her. Upon seeing a small, doll-like girl, half a head shorter than her, Violet grimaced.


    She was too tired to deal with Aileen at that moment. Violet wore a listless expression. Aileen, now certain that Violet didnt care about her at all, spoke in an even more displeased tone, audible only to Violet.


    <i>Hmph.</i> You must really dislike me. But its useless. Everything you have is mine.


    How truly childish.


    Violetpletely ignored Aileens words, letting them go in one ear and out the other.


    Nheless, Aileen continued to chatter, but Violet didnt register a word. There were enough things besides Aileen toplicate Violets thoughts at that moment.


    Yes, yes. I see.


    Whats with that half-hearted attitude?!


    Aileen responded indignantly to Violets answer.


    Both had kept their voices low enough to not be heard over the noisy award ceremony.


    Meanwhile, someone was watching them with an odd gaze.


    When Violet nced sideways, she noticed Lady Tolofia quietly observing them, but her focus was particrly on Aileen.


    Thats strange. Violet dismissed it with a thought of possible animosity.


    Oh,e to think of it, Aileen. Arent you officially enrolled at an academy abroad? You came here without the Dukes permission. So, dont expect any support from House Everett.


    This was the only thing Violet responded to properly. Like brushing off an annoying nuisance, she spoke dryly.


    Aileen started to bristle in fury again, but by then, Violet had already moved far away.


    * * *


    The eventful huntingpetition came to an end. For the first time that day, Violet saw Roen half out of his mind.


    Outwardly, he was smiling and congratting the winner. But he couldntpletely hide his turmoil.


    Cairn, the third son of the House of Everett, had been seriously injured but his life was not in danger. Unlike Violet, who received treatment at the pce, he refused the treatment and stayed an extra day after thepetition ended.


    When Cairn conveyed this decision, Roen nkly stared for a while before absent-mindedly responding, Huh? Huh. Alright


    Consequently, the carriage ride back home was filled with silence.


    Roen, who usually made light-hearted jokes, just stared nkly at the floor of the carriage. Violet thought to herself, Hes bound to snap soon.


    Although he couldnt make sound judgments at this moment, the moment Roen woulde to his senses, he would definitely seek out those who had tried to kidnap Violet and make them pay.


    Even if it involved foreign organizations and could lead to diplomatic issues, he would find a way to vent his frustrations.


    Thus, the hunting season ended as they returned home.


    Cairn arrived a dayter than the others after receiving treatment from the imperial physicians, and at that, he returned in high spirits. He seemed the same as usual but was somehow more subdued.


    The rtionship between Cairn and Violet became ambiguous after that day. Violet did not initiate conversation with Cairn, and likewise, he did not approach her.


    It would have been easier if they had acted as they always did, but since this change urred after the incident, Violet was the one who felt ufortable.


    She knew her younger brother had saved her life. She was aware he wasnt just apologizing with words.


    And she also knew that, as a matter of human decency, she should at least thank him but it felt awkward to initiate conversation right after being angry with him.


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 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199


    It was aplex emotion. Violet still disliked Cairn, but at the same time, she harbored feelings of remorse.


    It was a sense of guilt towards her younger brother who, despite her anger, had suffered major injuries while trying to protect her.


    Humans were indeedplicated beings.


    And so, she decided to just let things be. Violet thought it was better to leave the situation as it was.


    She had no intention whatsoever of resolving her long-held grievances just because of this one incident.


    Roen, caught between them, seemed ufortable despite his outward smiles.


    He justughed, watching his two siblings sit in silence during a meal together.


    Busy beyond belief, he hardly had the time to worry about them.


    The duke, learning that his son and daughter had faced a major ordeal at the huntingpetition, showed tremendous anger in the letters that he sent.


    The emperor was equally furious, but not to the extent of the duke.


    Upon receiving the dukes letters, the emperor secretly ordered an investigation. The incident was kept known only to the imperial family and a few high-standing households. This was to keep any rumors at bay.


    But the duke did not put his full confidence in the imperial familys investigation. He, too, ordered his people to gather information.


    Already nning to do so, Roen smiled slyly.


    He told Violet about this, but despite being one of the concerned parties, she remained indifferent.


    Days had passed since the huntingpetition ended, but her mental fatigue had not faded.


    Days went by in this state. Cairn was frequently absent from the mansion, and Roen, having escaped from the crown prince, sat at the tea table, drinking tea while reviewing documents.


    Without taking his eyes off the papers, he asked Violet.


    What should we do about Aileen?


    About her?


    Ill handle it as you wish. We can impose her under official procedure and send her across the continent this time.


    Hmm.


    Knowing Roens words were out of consideration for her, Violet smiled.


    It doesnt matter. Let her be. Lets see what she does.


    Really? Is that okay?


    Just dont let her into this mansion.


    If you say so.


    Violet answered simply.


    Her honest feelings were half annoyance, half amusement.


    It was amusing to her how Aileen had clung to a prince from another country, determined to reim what she thought was rightfully hers, and even made her way up to the imperial capital.


    She was curious about what Aileen could do.


    But, really. At this point, she couldnt care less about what Aileen might do.


    Violet disliked Aileens very existence, and if she crossed the line this time, Violet was fully prepared to crush her.


    In fact, she rather hoped for it.


    Back in the Everett domain, Violet suffered from severe lethargy and wanted to stay out of everything. Even if it was directly rted to her.


    So, she didnt care.


    It wasnt much different now, but at the same time, she felt a bit more rxed and curious.


    Violet knew she was different from her former selfbefore her two egos had merged. She now understood how to deal with Aileen and how to respond to her actions.


    Thus, such thoughts urred to her.


    <i>Lets see you try. Ill watch.</i>


    Such an attitude was something Aileen would intensely abhor.


    She continued to think.


    With what audacity did shee?


    She wondered whose side that girl nned totch onto this time.


    Or perhaps, she intended to melt the imperial crown princes heart with her charm and win him over.


    Either way, it wasnt a good choice.


    If that were the case, then Aileen would have to face not only Violet, but the entirety of high society.


    Watching his younger sisters reaction, Roen smiled.


    Then, shall I create a suitable excuse?


    Do as you like.


    If Aileen, bearing the name of Everett, couldnt use it, the me would inevitably turn back to Violet.


    Since she obviously wouldnt care, Roen had to act preemptively on her behalf.


    Currently, Aileen was staying at the imperial pce. Precisely, she was there because the prince she followed was receiving royal treatment, and she was serving as his aide.


    Roen chuckled as if he had a good idea.


    We could say she wanted to focus more on serving the Royal Prince. That its also part of her foreign education. Its half-true anyway.


    Heughed heartily. Fabrications be more credible when mixed with parts of the truth.


    Violet responded for him to go ahead. It was of no concern to her.


    * * *


    More days passed by.


    The empress, aware of the ordeal Violet had gone through, postponed themission for the imperial princesss portrait, telling her to rest. Violet gratefully epted the suggestion and continued her recuperation at home.


    Sometimes, she ran into Cairn around the mansion.


    On those asions, her younger brother would simply nod at Violet and leave.


    His rigid nod was full of awkwardness, and Violet thought of him as being overly dramatic.


    Not that his reactions werent valid, but the harsh words Violet had hurled at Cairn that day were nothingpared to what she had endured.


    Hence, in her perspective, his reaction seemed truly excessive and surprisingly new.


    She didnt want to think about it too deeply.


    And nor did she want to feel guilty.


    So, Violet decided not to dwell on it.


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 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200


    During this time, Violet didn¡¯t pick up a brush or pencil.


    It seemed what she thought was fine was actually not, and she needed time to recover from the mental shock.


    But her days weren¡¯t all easy-going and full of good news.


    ¡°I heard something, Mdy. It¡¯s, um, about Miss Aileen. She¡¯s making appearances at every party. Even though the Prince of Liran isn¡¯t officially attending those social events.¡±


    Mary, ever-informed, had gleaned some information from somewhere. It seemed she had learned a lot from her new friends after she had started to take cosmetology sses in earnest.


    And as she was in such close proximity to high society, it was inevitable that she would hear such rumors.


    ¡°People are saying all sorts of things. Some dislike her, others don¡¯t. Oh, and there were lots ofments about how shabby and pitiable she looks, even as an esteemed daughter of the Everett Duchy. Do you know what I thought when I heard that, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°You must have felt conflicted.¡±


    Marie¡¯s feelings were easy to guess.


    The rumor that Violet, the Ducal Lady of Everett, was harassing Aileen was widespread.


    The more pitiful Aileen appeared, the more me Violet would receive, and this put Mary, who was Violet¡¯s attendant and House Everett¡¯s employee, in an awkward position.


    Violet patted Mary¡¯s head while she applied oil to herdy¡¯s hair.


    The lessons seemed to be paying off. Her touch was as skilled as a professional¡¯s.


    ¡°Obviously, they know that I serve you, Mdy, yet it¡¯s annoying how they still say such things around me. Good grief. Lady Aileen must be doing it on purpose¡ªto tarnish Mdy¡¯s reputation. Really, I can¡¯t understand her.¡±


    In any case, public opinion about Aileen was divided.


    Half of them sympathized with her, while the other half criticized her.


    Violet clicked her tongue. All that girl did was go around parties and made her presence known, yet here they were.


    Still though. After having dered that she would not marry, Violet was unaffected by such matters.


    Especially since she had received a proposal-like offer from the crown prince of the empire.


    In fact, Violet would be amused to see Aileen try to woo the crown prince.


    She was somewhat curious about how that insufferable crown prince would treat Aileen.


    Fortunately, or <i>un</i>fortunately, there was no news of Aileen and the crown prince meeting.


    Inwardly, Violet was somewhat disappointed.


    Other than that, there continued to be some talk about Aileen¡¯s background being circted behind the scenes.


    ¡°You can¡¯t get a handle on it, but you can feel that there¡¯s something unusual in the air. No matter how much gossip there is, after all, one can¡¯t just insult someone to their face. The Second Ducal Lady is slyly using that, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    Mary¡¯s vivid narration caused Violet to click her tongue. Aileen¡¯s acting skills were rmingly improving.


    Despite being the subject of so much gossip, Aileen gritted her teeth and attended every gathering where notable people were present.


    The Aileen that Violet knew was not a person who would simply endure insults. She was cunning, always twisting situations to appear as the victim, making others look bad.


    Her nature was to grate at one¡¯s nerves whenever she could while maintaining an angelic image, so the fact that she was enduring amidst continuous battles of wits was no joke.


    Violetughed, considering the atmosphere of the gatherings Aileen attended.


    So she thought, maybe she should visit one sometime. As she yed with the idea of doing so, Mary suddenly paused mid-sentence in her chatters and nced at her.


    Violet sensed that there were more insults about her that Mary had not mentioned.


    The first ducaldy of Everett, who walked the social circles in dazzling clothes. And the second ducaldy, dressed poorly and drifting from banquet to banquet.


    The stories of the two were naturally treated as a set. Both Violet and Aileen were well aware of this.


    But to Violet, it held no great concern. There was nothing more trivial than pouring passion and emotion into something <i>worthless.</i>


    ¡°It¡¯s better to just let it be for now.¡±


    ¡°Umm, okay! If Mdy says so!¡±


    So, she decided to ignore it. It was the prevailing choice.


    * * *


    The only thing that bothered Violet now, with Aileen out of the picture, was about painting.


    Specifically, about the preparations for an exhibition.


    Truth be told, Violet was still skeptical about presenting her paintings.


    She wanted her art to be seen yet, at the same time, she didn¡¯t. She wanted to be praised but not judged.


    It was contradictory. So, while she hesitated, Roen actively pushed forward with the preparations.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found a nice venue. It¡¯s under construction right now.¡±


    He recently purchased a prime location in a bustling area and promptly turned it into an exhibition hall.


    Luckily, it wasn¡¯t toorge a scale.


    Seeing Violet¡¯s lukewarm response, Roen asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem too pleased.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m tired, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Truthfully, she wasn¡¯t happy about it. Violet considered herself quite vulnerable, really. She feared she might crumble under detailed criticism.


    Thus, if she were to have an exhibition, she wanted it in a small, secluded ce. Somewhere not well-known, where the event would just be small and quiet.


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 Chapter 201

    Chapter 201


    Trying to subtly suggest this to Roen would only have led to opposition. Above all, it wouldn¡¯t uphold the dignity of the ducal household. She just tilted her head slightly, feigning disinterest.


    Aileen was no longer a concern, and as for Cairn¡­


    If he didn¡¯t want to talk, why should she care? Roen had volunteered to handle the exhibition preparations himself.


    Still, Violet faced many issues¡­ She hadn¡¯t yet thanked Aldin. And she still couldn¡¯tprehend what¡¯s going on in the crown prince¡¯s head.


    She had tried to put aside the issue with Cairn, but it continued to gnaw at her numerous times when she least expected it.


    The portrait of the princess was another lingering problem, too.


    As Violet closed her eyes, Roen, noticing her, asked with a smile,


    ¡°Tired?¡±


    ¡°A bit.¡±¡°It¡¯s understandable. Oh, I¡¯ve sent a letter of thanks to Sir Aldin on your behalf. But it might be better to thank him personally. Can you find time for that?¡±


    ¡°¡­Busy as always, aren¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about me, it¡¯s your matter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I mean. You must be busy taking care of my affairs.¡±


    ¡°Do you feel positively about it?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s vague response made Roen burst intoughter.


    He was well aware of the ongoing cold war between Violet and Cairn. He believed this conflict was necessary and had left them to it, but as days passed, the situation between his two younger siblings seemed to grow stranger.


    He couldn¡¯t do much. Violet no longer reproached him for past events with anger and contempt, but that was it.


    He couldn¡¯t intervene and say, ¡®Try talking to Cairn. He must have his own concerns, too,¡¯ considering he hadn¡¯t been fully forgiven himself.


    ¡°Tired?¡±


    ¡°What could possibly tire me?¡±


    The same question returned a different answer, one that clearly meant she was extremely tired.


    Roen clicked his tongue to himself, seeing Violet¡¯s overt disinterest in conversation.


    He spoke like a caring older brother.


    ¡°If you¡¯re tired, go up and rest.¡±


    ¡°Fiiine¡ª¡±


    Violet didn¡¯t feel much from his kindness.


    Without trying to hide her fatigue, she went up to her room.


    From tomorrow, she had to resume painting the princess¡¯s portrait.


    The sketch was done, so now it was time to contemte how to bring the princess¡¯s world to life with colors.


    Even while resting, she kept pondering how to portray the princess¡ªcrisply in yellow, softly in light green, adding vitality with light pink, and blending in blue to avoid being too garish¡­


    Even though she imed to rest, her mind was busy withplex thoughts, and this inevitably made her sigh.


    Having not painted for a while, she felt her hand had stiffened and spent much time doodling on paper.


    The doodles, which would never be finished works, wriggled and took shape at the tip of her pencil, only to remain iplete.


    As long as she didn¡¯t lose her touchpletely.


    Violet, taking it lightly, drank some tea reputed to be good for headaches. Calming down didn¡¯te easily.


    * * *


    The work on the princess¡¯s portrait resumed.


    The young princess, seeing Violet for the first time after a long while, ran to her and embraced her. The maids were surprised and tried to dissuade her, but the princess was stubborn.


    ¡°Your Highness, Ducal Lady Violet might be inconvenienced.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Violet, stopping the maids from intervening, gently stroked the girl¡¯s head. After a long embrace, the princess finally let go and smiled brightly.


    ¡°You look happy. Shall we y together today?¡±


    Understanding Violet¡¯s words, the young princess nodded vigorously and sat in her designated spot. Violet also went to her ce, smiling.


    <i>Scratch, scratch.</i>


    The sound of the pencil crossing the canvas and the strokes of the brush filled the quiet room.


    The princess asionally swung her legs but didn¡¯t make any big movements.


    Her unusually calm behavior seemed so joyful that Violet couldn¡¯t help but smile along.


    ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Just normal. Nothing special.¡±


    Violet had asked the princess without expecting a response, but surprisingly, the response came from somewhere else.


    Violet¡¯s expression soured.


    Rajaden had arrived, as usual, with his arrogant smile, looking at her.


    ¡°Ah, greetings to the Empire¡¯s small sun¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. No need to greet me every time you see me. Right, Celi? Come here.¡±


    As Violet stood up to greet him, the princess happily jumped into her older brother¡¯s arms.


    The crown prince, doting on his sister as usual, seated her next to him and looked intently at Violet.


    ustomed to the crown prince¡¯s shamelessness, Violet let it slide.


    ¡°The princess did miss you, but she¡¯s been well otherwise. She seems eager for your visits even after the portraitmission has ended.¡±


    The crown prince finished his earlier response. Naturally, Violet had thought he was talking about himself, but it turned out to be about his sister.


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 Chapter 202

    Chapter 202


    In any case, she half-ignored his answer.


    ¡°Oh. You don¡¯t want to talk to me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing like that. I just didn¡¯t answer because it was disturbing my concentration.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> such professional dedication.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡±


    With Violet¡¯s reply, the sound of the brush on the canvas resumed.


    The yellow paint shone brightly on the canvas,yered several times.


    Violet, who had been purposely leaving a rough texture, suddenly felt a gaze and looked up.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±Rajaden was staring at her, very intently.


    Feeling ufortable under his gaze, Violet subtly hid behind the canvas. A soft sigh echoed.


    ¡°Why are you staring like that?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re pretty.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Really. I was looking because you¡¯re pretty.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re also handsome, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s just ttery, but it¡¯s nice to hear from you, Ducal Lady.¡±


    Caught off guard by his unexpected response to her perfunctorypliment, Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed. Of course, as she was hidden behind therge canvas, Rajaden couldn¡¯t see her narrowed eyes.


    He kept talking, seemingly enjoying the conversation.


    ¡°What have you been up to?¡±


    ¡°¡­I need to concentrate, Your Highness. You¡¯re disturbing me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to leave soon anyway, so just keep mepany for a bit. Celi¡¯s also getting a bit bored.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been restingfortably.¡±


    ¡°Really? I heard that. I wish you hade back sooner. I missed you.¡±


    <i>ck.</i>


    Finally unable to bear it, Violet put down her brush.


    Her fingertips were trembling slightly. How could she handle this without being rude to a member of the imperial family?


    After a long pause, Violet took a deep breath and asked.


    ¡°Pardon me, Your Highness, May I ask if you had perhaps eaten something bad for breakfast?¡±


    But her attempt at answering without being rude ended up failing.


    Nevertheless, the response to that was unexpectedly positive.


    Rajaden, with a face as beautifully depicted as in a novel, burst into grandughter and wore a look that said he found her endearing.


    In other words, it felt a bit cheesy.


    ¡°I did eat a little less than usual. Why, are you concerned?¡±


    ¡°No, just wondering if you ate too many butter-soaked dishes.¡±


    ¡°If you want, I can treat you at the crown prince¡¯s pce.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to decline. Aren¡¯t you busy?¡±


    ¡°I am, but I have to make time to see you, Ducal Lady. It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    <i>Are you out of your mind?</i>


    Violet nearly blurted out something disrespectful but managed to swallow it.


    Her eyes betrayed her though.


    ¡®Are you insane?¡¯


    Despite her disrespectful gaze, Rajaden justughed.


    ¡°Is the portrait going well?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    <i>If only someone wouldn¡¯t disturb me.</i> Violet swallowed such words once more. Despite her insolent gaze, Rahaden seemed only pleased, his voice light.


    ¡°I¡¯d like tomission you for my portrait once this is done.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary for you to request me specifically.¡±


    ¡°But I like your paintings. They capture fantasy, not just reality.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    About to resume painting, Violet looked at the crown prince with an incredulous expression.


    Stepping out from behind the canvas, she saw his face still shining brightly, which only baffled her more.


    But suddenly, a sense of bitterness crept onto Rajaden¡¯s face, perhaps a hint of autumnal mncholy.


    Violet marveled internally. Such remarkable acting skills. Better than Mary¡¯s.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t want to?¡±


    Rajaden, who had been feigning sadness, asked. Violet admired again. His acting could put the most famous theater¡¯s lead actor to shame.


    ¡°¡­If youmand it.¡±


    As she conceded, a spark of interest shed in the crown prince¡¯s eyes. He was smiling again.


    ¡°Then you would dislike it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be disliked anymore. I don¡¯t want to do things you¡¯d hate.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    Confused by his yful smile, Violet was puzzled.


    Watching her, Rajaden simply stroked his sister¡¯s hair.


    ¡°You¡­ care about such things?¡±


    ¡°What do you think of me? Normally, I wouldn¡¯t bother. But for you, I do.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    No matter how dumbfounded Violet was, the crown prince did his best to express himself.


    However, Violet found it difficult to understand his intentions.


    ¡®I should ask Roen if the crown prince has lost his mind.¡¯


    She suspected that the crown prince, craftier than Roen, must have some ulterior motive.


    It was a moment of reckoning for Rajaden.


    ¡°So, would you paint me? ¡­Is it not possible?¡±


    Unaware of her thoughts, Rajaden asked again. He looked like a dog waiting for a walk.


    Violet touched her forehead.


    Thinking it best not to offend him, she sighed and replied,


    ¡°I¡¯m currently painting Her Highness¡¯s portrait, so it¡¯s not possible right now.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll do it after you¡¯re done?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    When Violet agreed, the crown prince smiled.


    It was a different smile from his usual arrogant one¡ªa genuinely happy and radiant smile.


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 Chapter 203

    Chapter 203


    The man, as radiant as the sun, smiled so brightly that it was almost blinding.


    Violet subtly retreated behind the canvas.


    She really didn¡¯t think he was smiling out of genuine happiness. What odd scheme was he plotting now?


    Thinking that Rajaden would sulk for days if he heard her thoughts, Violet resumed her painting.


    ¡°Well¡­ I was hoping you could spare some time next week.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Violet frowned again as the crown prince continued to talk, disrupting her focus on the painting.


    Unaware of her irritation, Rajaden¡¯s voice was filled with excitement.


    ¡°There¡¯s a beautifulke behind the crown prince¡¯s pce. If you go there at noon, the sunlit ripples shatter like jewels. I¡¯d like to go there with you.¡±


    His voice carried a hint of awkward shyness.


    Listening to him murmur that he would arrange everything and she just needed toe, Violet struggled to keep her brush steady.


    Why was he acting like this¡­?


    Violet began to tremble, not expecting a pure invitation to a date from him.


    Something scary was happening. It really felt like that to her.


    Could Roen have provoked the crown prince, possibly endangering their family with some nonsense talk? Was that why he¡¯s doing this to her now?


    Violet agonized internally several times.


    She didn¡¯t catch even a hint of shyness in Rajaden¡¯s voice.


    ¡°I apologize, but I would have to decline.¡±


    ¡°¡­Howe?¡±


    His voice returned, sounding dejected. Violet looked at Rajaden, bewildered.


    Why was he asking so seriously?


    The very fact that he chose theke already doomed the idea. Violet almost asked, ¡®Of all ces, why ake?¡¯ but stopped herself.


    Luckily, she had a perfect excuse.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t yet thanked Sir Aldin. I won¡¯t be free next week.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to meet him personally to express your gratitude?¡±


    Rajaden¡¯s voice and demeanor suddenly changed, subtlyced with jealousy. But again, Violet did not catch onto this. She narrowed her eyes.


    If she had known, she would have thought of him as being ridiculously possessive.


    Unaware that she considered his behavior pitiful, Rajaden asked again,


    ¡°Are you that close to him that you need to meet and talk?¡±


    ¡°He saved my life. It is only natural that I need to express my gratitude.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right, of course. So it¡¯s not possible then¡­¡±


    His voice trailed off into gloom. Violet decided she really needed to ask Roen what might have happened.


    Unaware of her thoughts, Rajaden smiled bitterly.


    He remembered the day Violet¡¯s blood flowed freely from her neck.


    Even while acknowledging it was natural for her to thank her savior, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a gut-wrenching sensation.


    Imagining their conversation, Rajaden inadvertently frowned. The change in his demeanor was so distinct that even the princess looked up at him in question.


    Even someone who had just drunk unsweetened coffee concentrate wouldn¡¯t make such a bitter face.


    It¡¯s said that love drives people mad; he was the epitome of that.


    The man, who had never lost even once in his life, thought of the clich¨¦.


    ¡®The one who loves more loses¡¯.


    He asked cautiously.


    ¡°Then, is there another day when you¡¯re free?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re asking me this.¡±


    Violet¡¯s response was utterly indifferent.


    It made sense that Violet couldn¡¯t really figure out Rajaden¡¯s intentions. He was a man who could get whatever he wanted without resorting to such tactics.


    As she pondered, Violet realized something.


    ¡®He¡¯s changed his strategy!¡¯


    She thought he had chosen ¡®a bitter expression¡¯ as a tactic to ce her in the position of the crown princess. Ridiculous.


    It seemed he had taken on some of the miserable traits of his friend.


    Violet decided. Rather than witnessing more of this pathetic act, it was better to agree.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll send a letter when I am avable.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Rajaden¡¯s face brightened again.


    On the other hand, Violet remained expressionless, thinking how utterly unfortunate it was to deal with someone like Rajaden, who seemed to be acting from start to finish, unlike Roen who at least had a spoonful of sincerity.


    Unaware of her thoughts, the crown prince spoke like an excited boy.


    ¡°Great. Then on that day¡ª Ah, do you have any favorite foods? I¡¯ll tell them to prepare it all.¡±


    ¡°Just prepare somethingfortable.¡±


    Her answer was dry. The crown prince asked again about what she might like to eat, but Violet just responded with ¡®anything is fine¡¯.


    Thinking about how this would add more fodder to the rumors circting in high society, she inwardly clicked her tongue. Their different thoughts shed.


    Only the princess, oblivious to what was happening, looked on curiously at the two.


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 Chapter 204

    Chapter 204


    Well, I must leave now. Please take good care of my sister.


    Having gotten the answer he wanted, the busy crown prince, who had forced time out of his schedule, carefully detached his sister and smiled.


    Violet briefly rejoiced at the news of his departure, but her expression soured again as the crown prince approached confidently.


    May the blessings of the Sun God be with you always.


    The crown prince knelt before Violet and gently kissed the back of her hand. He didnt mind that it was a hand that had been busy with brushes and paint.


    Violet was startled by the soft touch on her hand. It felt out of ce. He was leaving, but not before dropping a bombshell.


    Meanwhile, the maids, regardless of Violets astonishment, just smiled contentedly.


    * * *


    During a leisurely afternoon in the townhouses garden, Violet sighed. The tea garden, suitable for a rxing afternoon, wasnt much help for her worries.Looking at Roen, who maintained a gentle smile but seemed tired, she knew she had to ask.


    Has something happened to the Crown Prince?


    Roens expression hardened at Violets direct question.


    It was rare for his sister to initiate conversation, and it was about the crown princes well-being, of all things.


    But even Roen had to admit it. Indeed, Rajaden had been acting strangelytely.


    Not sleeping well, starting the day with bloodshot eyes, staring nkly into space, or suddenly hitting his head on the desk.


    Each time, Roen thought, Whats with him? and subtly avoided him.


    Recalling these moments, Roen responded with a smile.


    Theres nothing going on with him.


    He thought it best to nip any misced concern in the bud.


    Unaware of Roens intentions, Violet sighed.


    The crown princes recent actions were too strange to be dismissed as nothing. They were very strange indeed.


    It just seemed odd.


    Odd? How so?


    Its hard to exin. He suddenly asked me out on a date.


    A da A <i>date?!</i>


    Roen lost hisposure at Violets explosive revtion.


    Seeing Roen stutter, which was uncharacteristic of him, Violet shared a few more shocking details.


    Yes. He was acting as if he had eaten a whole tub of butter. Its a relief if nothings wrong with him.


    His astonishment was evident.


    What did he do exactly?


    If theres nothing wrong, it doesnt matter. Oh, he did ask about my favorite food.


    Violets response was indifferent.


    For someone to ask about another persons food preferences, it quite definitely seemed trivial. However, for the crown prince, as self-assured as he was, it actually quite shocking to hear this.


    Roen realized that Rajaden had been talking about Violet more frequently ofte, too.


    Catching a thread of his friends unusual behavior, Roen smiled wryly.


    Seems like he changed his n after realizing that wooing her would be difficult.


    This older brother thought only for the best of his younger sister.


    And so, he was determined to interfere.


    You refused, right?


    I tried, but he was persistent. Maybe its better to just meet him once, although I dread the unnecessary rumors that might follow.


    If it bothers you, I can intervene. Or I could apany you.


    Uh.


    Imagining being caught between Rajaden and Roen, Violets expression hardened.


    Observing his sisters reaction, Roen looked distant.


    It seemed best to abandon the idea of going together.


    Ill handle it myself. He cant keep acting weird forever.


    Alright


    Violet lowered her gaze. Noticing her reaction, Roen tilted his head.


    Is there something else bothering you?


    There is, but its not something I should consult you about.


    Her blunt answer was enough of a clue for Roen.


    Its about Cairn.


    If it was about Cairn, indeed, there was little Roen could advise. However, there was someone else who could help.


    Come to think of it, you havent yet thanked Sir Aldin yet.


    At the sudden mention of that name, Violet looked up.


    Talking to Aldin about Cairn might be a better idea. She still owed him thanks for the huntingpetition as well, and that provided a suitable excuse.


    Ive prepared a gift that you could give to him, so go and thank him.


    I have my own gift in mind, thank you. Ill send a letter.


    Is that so? Then Ill send what Ive prepared with your letter as a courtesy from our family.


    Violet nodded in agreement to Roens casual suggestion. It was good to be generous with gratitude.


    Thus, the teatime meant to discuss the crown princes strangeness concluded with ns to convey thanks to Aldin.


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 Chapter 205

    Chapter 205


    * * *


    Aldin immediately responded to Violet¡¯s letter. He said he would make time to meet her even if he didn¡¯t have any free days.


    Violet couldn¡¯t help butugh at the prompt reply, as if he had been waiting for it until now.


    The letter was filled with questions about her well-being and concerns about whether anything else had happened since.


    ¡®If you were so worried, you should have asked first.¡¯


    Violet, somewhat upset, decided to set a date instead of responding sullenly. If she teased him, Aldin would be surprised to be teased.


    Roen¡¯s gift was rejected once. Persistent, Roen sent it again, this time with an even morevish gift.


    And it was rejected again.


    Undeterred, Roen sent even more splendid gifts.


    It was an unspoken threat. If Aldin wouldn¡¯t ept, he would send an even <i>bigger</i> gift.


    Yet, it was rejected again. Thus, the fourth gift included a building, which was astonishinglyvishpared to the first gift, which was just a decorative sword. Still though, that decorative sword alone was worth as much as the building anyway.


    Aldin eventually surrendered, agreeing to ept only the first gift.


    Just like he said in the letter, that he would make time somehow, he quickly arranged a meeting with Violet.


    The two of them, scions of great noble families and practically celebrity in their own right, surprisingly chose a peaceful and quiet street in the bustling area as their meeting ce.


    As always, the escort personnel were there but hidden among the crowd.


    Violet dressed simply for their casual meeting. A simple dress that didn¡¯t hinder movement, a blue bo over her updo, light makeup, and no jewelry. She looked more like a nobledy out for a stroll than a daughter of this empire¡¯s dukedom.


    Despite her efforts to blend in, people nced at her because of her innate aura, but no one gossiped.


    ¡°Have you been waiting?¡±


    Even though she arrived early, Aldin had been waiting even earlier and hurried over when he saw her.


    Violet, who had been waiting quietly in the shade, smiled broadly at Aldin, who rushed over with a worried expression.


    Perhaps because of her simple attire, or maybe the shadow cast by her bo, Violet looked especially pure and innocent that day.


    ¡°No, I just arrived too.¡±


    ¡°Nheless¡­¡±


    His reply was formal. The knight frowned, apparently dissatisfied with such a formal response.


    Violet looked at Aldin and smiled. Compared to people who always hide their expressions and have hidden agendas, he was easy to deal with.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    There was much she wanted to say, but it seemed she needed to feed him first.


    And so, their ordinary date began.


    .


    .


    .


    The date, a mix of gratitude and consulting on worries, wasposed of utterly ordinary activities.


    Aldin was greatly surprised when Violet booked a restaurant they had visited before. Violet was nonchnt.


    ¡°This is the least I could do.¡±


    With that one sentence, she dismissed any of hisints and handed him a well-wrapped something after the meal.


    It was a painting she had made herself.


    ¡°Is it really okay to give this to me?¡±


    ¡°I painted it with the intention to give it to you.¡±


    During the slump when she couldn¡¯t draw well, she had taken the time to create this small painting.


    Aldin, receiving the painting, looked as if he had found a treasure, overwhelmed with emotion.


    For Aldin, the only regret was that he couldn¡¯t open Violet¡¯s gift right there and then.


    The painting Violet gave to Aldin depicted the night sky, transitioning from deep navy to silver-mixed blue, a scene where stars shone brighter than the moon.


    Despite being filled with dark and gloomy colors, Violet was fond of the painting, especially the stars illuminating the pitch-ck sky.


    Aldin, having received a custom painting, which not even the crown prince could receive, carefully stored it away.


    He would keep this painting for a lifetime.


    After Violet gave him the painting and after they finished their meal, they took a casual stroll.


    Walking through a wellndscaped park, Violet smiled.


    Aldin, on the other hand, seemed to have had something to say throughout the meal, but he ended up not voicing his thoughts.


    What did he want to say so badly? They had already exchanged many words through letters.


    While waiting for him, Violet ended up speaking first.


    ¡°I am grateful for what you did that day.¡±


    ¡°I just did what needed to be done.¡±


    ¡°Still, if it weren¡¯t for you, I might not be here today.¡±


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 Chapter 206

    Chapter 206


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s words were sincere and true, and Aldin was well aware of it.


    Though she was smiling now, unscarred, Aldin couldn¡¯t forget that day.


    Violet being dragged away by a man in a ck mask, he fiends they encountered when he followed, Violet threatening her own life with a dagger.


    Aldin closed his eyes tightly, recalling the blood flowing freely.


    Even knowing Violet was safe, he often had nightmares.


    What if he hadn¡¯t seen her by chance, or hadn¡¯t been able to rescue her? What if Violet had been seriously injured?


    He remembered the expression the crown prince wore as he saw Violet injured.


    What were his feelings at that moment? When he refused his request to see her safe just once, what expression did the crown prince have?


    The knight, tormented by nightmares while unable to send even one letter to inquire about her safety, frowned.


    Violet, noticing his expression, asked with a hint of concern.


    ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    It was an unexpected question for him. Aldin opened his eyes, furrowing his brow, unaware of his own expression.


    What he saw were Violet¡¯s purple eyes.


    The flustered knight opened his mouth stiffly, the wrinkles on his brow still prominent.


    Violet pressed and rubbed Aldin¡¯s brow.


    The more she did, the more intensely his expression contorted.


    Violet quickly withdrew her hand before she found too much amusement.


    ¡°Ah, my apologies if I was rude. Your expression just seemed so troubled¡­ I worry I might have tired you unnecessarily.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve been having nightmares recently, it seems.¡±


    ¡°Nightmares?¡±


    ¡°But I think I won¡¯t have them tonight. Because I have the painting you gave me.¡±


    Finally, Aldin¡¯s expression rxed. Momentarily admiring his looks, Violet questioned his following statement with curiosity.


    ¡°The painting isn¡¯t a talisman.¡±


    ¡°A talisman¡­?¡±


    ¡° There¡¯s no power in that painting to ward off nightmares.¡±


    Aldin suddenlyughed at Violet¡¯s response, hisughter clear and pleasant to hear.


    Violet¡¯s expression turned curious at his first such reaction of the day, and Aldin hastily added,


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just that now there¡¯s no reason for me to have nightmares anymore.¡±


    ¡°No reason for nightmares?¡±


    ¡°¡­Something like that.¡±


    Violet followed Aldin with her gaze at his overly vague answer.


    Aldin subtly avoided her gaze. It was better to block difficult questions in advance.


    Trying to change the subject, Aldin asked in return,


    ¡°How have you been all this time?¡±


    He still didn¡¯t meet her gaze. Violet kept her eyes on him, though it was unlikely her curiosity would be satisfied.


    ¡°I took a break for a while. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant time.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I hoped that incident wouldn¡¯t remain in your memory.¡±


    The subject inevitably came back, making Aldin flinch.


    It¡¯s natural for such an experience to leave behind trauma. Both Violet and Aldin knew this.


    Yet, Violet dismissed it without much thought. In reality, she was more concerned about the rtionships she had with the people around her rather than the kidnapping itself.


    Unaware of this, Aldin cautiously began.


    ¡°By any chance, if my face is ufortable to see¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Why would your face be ufortable to see?¡±


    ¡°Well, that day wasn¡¯t a good memory. If seeing me reminds you of it¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Realizing why the man had be timid, Violet stopped in her tracks. Unable to burst intoughter, she trembled slightly.


    Aldin was the only one confused by Violet¡¯s sudden behavior.


    It was only a bitter that Aldin realized Violet wasughing. His ears turned bright red.


    <i>¡°Ahahaha!</i> Were you really worried about that? No way. I¡¯m actually grateful to you, my lifesaver.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Really. You¡¯re so much cuter than I thought. Or are you just being shy?¡±


    ¡°¡­Um.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s fine. So please feel free to send me letters. There <i>is</i> something that¡¯s bothering me, but that¡¯s another matter.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    This time, the knight began to tremble. Violet considered teasing him a bit more but then let it go.


    The afternoon promenade was quiet. It was time for work for everyone else. In that atmosphere, the sound of birds chirping was clear.


    Walking down the peaceful boulevard, Violetughed. Her unbound hair fluttered in the breeze.


    Laughing in the cool wind, Violetughed again and again. Aldin, ncing at herughing with the sunlight behind her, held his breath.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually about a different concern. That day, Cairn was seriously hurt because of me.¡±


    The topic Violet broached was neither about the kidnapping nor about Aileen.


    Aldin shifted his gaze to Violet. Even though she wasughing, her expression seemed somewhat bitter as she looked into the distance.


    Recalling his recently mature-acting friend, Aldin looked back at Violet.


    ¡°What do you think of Cairn?¡±


    ¡°I consider him a good friend. He doesn¡¯t cling to status or lineage, and he always speaks his mind. Though sometimes he¡¯s too reckless with his words.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so. But I dislike him.¡±


    ¡°I can guess why.¡±


    ¡°I still dislike him. Not just simply disliking, but I find him detestable.¡±


    Closing her eyes, Violet admitted this. Even though it amounted to bad-mouthing a friend¡¯s friend, she couldn¡¯t stop.


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 Chapter 207

    Chapter 207


    Aldin swallowed hard as he looked at Violet¡¯s closed eyes, unsure of how to react.


    ¡°I wish he hadn¡¯t apologized.¡±


    Violet opened her eyes and smiled at Aldin¡¯svender gaze.


    She believed this person wouldn¡¯t spread the words she¡¯s speaking in confidence. With that trust, she decided to reveal why she disliked Cairn.


    ¡°You know how fiery his temper is. That¡¯s why he often pointed his sword at my neck.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Aldin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, his pupils trembling, showing his shock without filter.


    ¡°He often said if I ever appeared before him again, he would sever my head from my shoulders.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±It was reason enough to hate someone. Violet added a few more stories.


    Though she was grateful for being saved, it wasn¡¯t enough to mitigate her resentment.


    After sharing, Violet felt relieved. She looked back at Aldin, whose eyes were coldly settled.


    ¡°¡­Sir?¡±


    ¡°I knew he had a fiery temper, but I didn¡¯t realize it was to that extent. Hm¡­¡±


    Aldin spoke as if a murderous aura surrounded him.


    ¡°That guy has asked me for advice a few times. Asking what he did wrong, how he should apologize.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    ¡°I told him that his attitude was the problem, but it seems more serious than I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°Apologizing itself is the problem.¡±


    ¡°Should I beat him up for you?¡±


    ¡°Pardon me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to challenge him to a duel right now¡­ But the most I can do is this.¡±


    Love triumphed over a long friendship. Aldin was seriously considering beating up his friend.


    Though he thought of doing more, he didn¡¯t reveal his inner thoughts to Violet.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go that far. I was just wondering what to do.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s seemed off thest few days. In my opinion, you don¡¯t need to bring it up first. Let him realize what the problem is. If he doesn¡¯t know, then there¡¯s no need to talk any further.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s harsh for a friend.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s a friend that I¡¯m being harsh.¡±


    Aldin fiddled with his scabbard. Violet couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter.


    He seemed eager to draw his sword.


    It wasn¡¯t her ce to interfere in matters between friends.


    She decided not to worry about the repercussions of today¡¯s conversation and appreciated the advice.


    ¡°Thanks for the advice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s his fault, not something for you to worry about.¡±


    Aldin smiled at Violet, enhancing his already mncholic beauty.


    Just then, the wind blew, tossing his hair like a painting, intensifying his allure.


    Reaching out impulsively to fix his disheveled hair, Violet herself was startled by her own actions and withdrew her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s alright.¡±


    The atmosphere, which had just rxed, tensed up again. Violet was puzzled by Aldin¡¯s reddened ears. What did this reaction mean?


    The answer was close, but certainty was hard toe by.


    They continued to chat, mostly about trivial things, until Violet suddenly remembered something she wanted to ask.


    ¡°Oh, and if it¡¯s possible for you¡­¡±


    Aldin epting Violet¡¯s request turned the day of gratitude into one filled with even more reasons to be thankful.


    * * *


    The empress came to see the ongoing portrait of the princess.


    Having rarely faced the empress directly due to her busy schedule with state affairs, Violet was nervous. The tension she felt was akin to when she had to present her graduation exhibition n to her professor.


    The empress said nothing while looking at the still-unfinished portrait of the princess.


    Violet wished she would take into ount that it wasn¡¯t the final piece, but a non-specialist wouldn¡¯t know to do that.


    Violet lowered her eyes and closed them. She would have preferred criticism over silence, which made her feel even worse.


    The empress made noment about the painting. After a while, she naturally brought up a topic Violet hadn¡¯t expected.


    ¡°Recently, there¡¯s been quite a buzz about the second Ducal Lady of Everett.¡±


    Violet was taken aback by her words.


    She would have preferred if the topic was about the painting, but the subject the empress broached was far removed from it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that things aren¡¯t good between you two, but the stories are so varied. My longtime friend, Countess Halse, often shares such stories with me.¡±


    The empress chuckled and walked leisurely. Violet followed her through the pce.


    The empress headed towards the garden.


    ¡°Would you mind having a cup of tea with me?¡±


    In the end, the painting was not brought up at all.


    Violet concealed her expression as she responded.


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡±


    Her answer was steady without a hint of tremor.


    .


    .


    .


    Even as the fragrant tea was poured, the empress remained silent.


    Violet drank her tea expressionlessly. Perhaps theck of conversation meant she was somewhat satisfied.


    The only thing troubling Violet¡¯s mind was rted to the portrait of the princess.


    Whether the empress knew Violet¡¯s inner thoughts or not, she just smiled kindly and sipped her tea gracefully. Violet followed suit and took a sip.


    ¡°Right, I heard the younger Ducal Lady Everett is staying in the capital, apanying the envoy from Liran.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk aboutplicated matters like international politics or war, which are enough for state council meetings. I¡¯d rather talk about something personal¡­¡±


    A mischievous smile appeared on the empress¡¯s lips as she looked at Violet.


    In turn, a sense of defeat washed over her.


    ¡°All the famousdies are gathered at the capital anyway, so I was thinking of holding apetition to find the next Crown Princess.¡±


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 Chapter 208

    Chapter 208


    Violet froze. She had maintained a simr expression throughout, but now her disapproval was clearly visible.


    Anticipating such a reaction, the empressughed out loud.


    ¡°It would be quite interesting, don¡¯t you think? Given my son¡¯s character, if apetition were held, he might end up choosing between you and Aileen Everett.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet managed to maintain herposure and put down her teacup.


    She nearly made a spectacle of herself in front of the empress byughing inappropriately.


    She looked at the empress with a calm smile.


    ¡°I have no intention of participating.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d say that. Even if that child were to hold it, I nned to stop it.¡±The empress smiled gently at Violet¡¯s response. It was a question with a predetermined answer from the start.


    One must only tease so much. Violet dared to look at the empress with a hint of irreverence in her gaze.


    The empress simplyughed, amused.


    It¡¯s not for nothing she¡¯s the empress. Violet had to constantly keep herposure in check. She could see just how much a certain insufferable man resembled the woman in front of her now.


    ¡°It¡¯s really just a joke. Besides, my son has been quite unusualtely, so I think there will be enough entertainment without having to hold such apetition.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The empress said with aughter-infused voice. Violet¡¯s response was calm.


    The empress widened her eyes at the younger woman¡¯s return to the previous calm response. Despite being so taken aback just moments before, Violet paid no mind as she looked down and drank her tea.


    The more indifferent Violet appeared, the more the empress was filled with astonishment.


    ¡°Perhaps you don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I am aware that something has been going on with His Highness recently¡­ I don¡¯t know the details, but I guessed something had happened from the stories I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    The empressughed out loud at her candid response. Now, Violet¡¯s face was filled with questions. Why was sheughing?


    Regardless of Violet¡¯s confusion, the empressughed heartily, finding something very amusing. Violet decided to just go along with it.


    <i>¡°Hahahaha!</i> Seeing you ask like that, it seems you really don¡¯t know. Well, this is going to be even more interesting.¡±


    The empress¡¯s eyes sparkled as she spoke.


    It seemed like she was taking a break and having a good timeughing, but she was, after all, the ¡®empress¡¯¡ªthe mother of a nation.


    Even if she spoke lightly and pleasantly, it couldn¡¯t bepletely transparent without any ulterior motives.


    Violet knew this.


    She had some guesses but decided not to get deeply involved. Above all, ¡®love¡¯ didn¡¯t suit that crown prince.


    Seeing Violet¡¯s unaffected reaction, the empress, still amused, set down her cup.


    ¡°Anyway, yes. Holding apetition to find the Crown Princess might be too much, but I was thinking of having a small tea party.¡±


    ¡°A tea party, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t paid much attention to such matters as the Empress, trusting that those below would handle them well. But I thought it might be nice to hold a tea party in the name of the imperial family for once. You will ept the invitation, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course, Your Majesty.¡±


    Violet epted the empress¡¯s verbal invitation.


    Even if Violet had declined almost every invitation until now, she couldn¡¯t easily refuse an invitation from the empress.


    It was hard to grasp the empress¡¯s intentions precisely, but it was possible to read into them to some extent.


    Until now, Lady Tolofia had held the top rank in the capital¡¯s social circle.


    However, Violet¡¯s appearance had toppled her status, and the emergence of Aileen had been causing turmoil as well.


    The first Ducal Lady of Everett, who declined all banquet invitations. The second Ducal Lady of Everett, who came as a foreign envoy and attended <i>every</i> social gathering for ¡®diplomatic purposes¡¯.


    The queen of the existing social circle. And many other nobledies.


    The intention behind this tea party was clearly to re-establish rtionships among them. Violet inwardly clicked her tongue.


    How much dignity must be shown to satisfy the empress was uncertain.


    They¡¯re not even children, so what was this about sorting ranks? To Violet, it seemed like a needless power struggle.


    Whether the power struggle was needless or not, she had to attend.


    Aileen would surely be there. Anticipating this, Violet sighed inwardly.


    She hadn¡¯t even faced her directly yet and already felt a headacheing on.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare for it earnestly, so you can look forward to it.¡±


    The empress smiled. Her smile was strikingly simr to the crown prince¡¯s. And, truly, beautiful.


    Violet fiddled with her teacup.


    She had something else she wanted to say, but got swept up in the empress¡¯s pace. In the end, she didn¡¯t get to bring it up.


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 Chapter 209

    Chapter 209


    Deciding it was time to broach the topic she had been contemting, Violet opened the conversation.


    Looking to shift the topic, she felt it was easier to just ask directly.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°¡­How do you find the portrait of Her Highness the Princess?¡±


    At Violet¡¯s words, a spark of interest shed in the empress¡¯s eyes. She smiled back at Violet.


    ¡°It seemed you had something you wanted to discuss, was it about that?¡±


    ¡°¡­You hadn¡¯t said anything.¡±


    As Violet looked down and spoke, the empressughed heartily again.Somehow, thatughter felt mocking, causing Violet¡¯s ears to redden.


    Had she not learned to keep a neutral expression, her face would surely have contorted significantly.


    Regardless of Violet¡¯s embarrassment, the empress only looked amused.


    ¡°I thought it wasn¡¯t my ce toment on an unfinished work.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°But it seems you were curious about my feedback. Yes, to be honest, it intrigues me.¡±


    The empress¡¯s expression softened again. In herughing eyes, Violet saw genuine affection.


    ¡°There was a time when it was said that your paintings capture not reality but fantasy. That¡¯s why Imissioned you to paint Celi¡¯s portrait, not another artist.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°I was curious. How Celi appears through your eyes, and how she looks to you.¡±


    Unconceble affection seeped through the empress¡¯s gaze.


    It was an affection that was neither worried nor sad but purely loving.


    ¡°Even though it¡¯s an unfinished painting, the child you see is like thenguid afternoon sun. Like this garden, sparkling under sunlight.¡±


    She extended her hand, and shards of light settled upon it.


    The garden, mixing shades of yellow and light green, was a painting in itself.


    Within it, the scene of the empress and Violet, enjoying their tea, was picturesque.


    ¡°¡­Because she resembles the light.¡±


    Violet replied with a soft smile.


    Both the princess and the crown prince resembled the light, being descendants of the Sun God.


    Yet, their atmospheres were quite different.


    If the crown prince was like the harsh noonday sun, the princess was the gentle light filtering through leaves on azy afternoon.


    That¡¯s why Violet used a lot of yellow when painting the princess¡¯s portrait.


    Thinking of the warm sunlight from spring to early summer.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m really looking forward to thepletion. I didn¡¯t want to pressure you by saying anything, but it seems my silence did just that.¡±


    The empressughed out loud. Violet felt she somewhat understood what the empress was thinking.


    Thezy afternoon sunlight bathed the garden.


    * * *


    The empress was swift in her actions. The tea party was quickly scheduled and announced to the noble houses.


    Those invited were high nobility, and even if they had other ns, the invitation was made in such a way that not attending would be a loss. It was a tea party that necessitated the cancetion of any prior engagements.


    Being a gathering of the daughters of noble houses, it was somewhat fortunate. Even if they had to cancel existing ns, it wouldn¡¯t turn their houses upside down.


    Violet honestly found it bothersome.


    There was no explicit requirement to attend, so for a few seconds, she considered making an excuse so she could just stay home.


    But she couldn¡¯t really skip it, especially since the empress had personally expressed her desire for Violet¡¯s attendance.


    Unlike the usual evening banquets, a tea party was to start in the afternoon, meaning she had to wake up at dawn to prepare.


    ¡°Do we really have to do it this way?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. Please bear with it just a little more.¡±


    The news of the tea party hosted by the empress herself sent the household staff of the Everrett residence into a frenzy.


    The Everett name was on the line.


    Bound by a sense ofpetition and unwilling to be outdone, together, they attempted to dress Violet in only the finest. This was against Violet¡¯s preference forfort over extravagance.


    Nevertheless, Violet emerged as the winner of this intense silent battle.


    Still, even if she was in the mostfortable attire, the cost of her clothes was anything but ordinary. It was theck of discernment in the observer, not Violet, who might find fault in her attire.


    Dressed in a shirt that shimmered like ground pearls, Violet pondered if there was a kind of paint that could capture this imagery.


    Opting for trousers once again, the ducaldy tied her hair back and added a final touch with a splendid purple brooch.


    She intuitively knew that her attire would stand out at the tea party, yet she remained undeterred.


    Apanied by Roen for escort, as he too had business at the pce, heplimented her outfit with a simple, ¡°It suits you,¡± much to the dismay of the hopeful servants.


    Regardless of hisment, Violet wouldn¡¯t have changed her clothes anyway.


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 Chapter 210

    Chapter 210


    The tea party saw a gathering of prestigious families, more distinguished than those invited to the crown prince¡¯s birthday banquet.


    Despite its sudden organization, the attendees were dressed impressively, all hoping to make a favorable impression on the empress.


    The empress greeted them with a kind smile, urging them to rx. This gathering was an opportunity for everyone to vie for her attention, though she announced she would only stay briefly, disappointing many as she left the scene promptly.


    The swift departure of the empress left many wondering why the tea party was organized in the first ce.


    Recalling her attire at the crown prince¡¯s birthday party, Violet noticed a burgeoning trend towards mermaid or empire line dresses among the attendees, likely influenced by her past fashion choices.


    This shift in the social circle¡¯s dressing style, distinct from Aileen¡¯s mimicry of Violet, was intriguing.


    Violet observed the nobledies, who, despite their shyness, couldn¡¯t help but steal nces at her.


    ¡°From what I heard, I couldn¡¯t imagine¡­¡±


    Whispers spread among close circles.Among all the fluttering dresses, only three individuals chose trousers.


    The first was Violet, for herfort.


    The second was Alesia, who couldn¡¯t refuse the empress¡¯s invitation despite her independent streak.


    And thest one was Aileen, who had been eagerly following Violet¡¯s style for many years now.


    ¡°Long time no see, Sister. I¡¯ve wanted to meet you again since the huntingpetition, and now I finally have the chance.¡±


    It was Aileen, mimicking Violet to the death.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I didn¡¯t expect you to be invited here as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, are two sisters really going to act so coldly toward each other?¡±


    Aileen blushed shyly. Violet inwardly scoffed.


    Aileen seemed to have made a plethora of friends at every social gathering she attended, judging by the group of girls giggling beside her, which only added to her smug demeanor.


    Violet snorted in disdain.


    <i>Are you seriously thinking that all those ¡®friends¡¯ you¡¯ve made are truly on your side?</i>


    It was a disdainful thought Aileen was blissfully unaware of, as she just smiled shyly.


    ¡°I wish we could meet more often, but it¡¯s sad. Since I came as a diplomatic envoy, I can¡¯t see you unless I attend these kinds of gatherings¡­¡±


    Aileen spoke with a voice feigning sorrow and regret. Violet swallowed her boredom with an indifferent gaze.


    ¡°But the Ducal Lady isn¡¯t interested in these kinds of gatherings, is she? She¡¯s got <i>other</i> hobbies to enjoy.¡±


    An unexpected person came to Aileen¡¯s defense. It was the youngdy of the Tolofia County.


    The other youngdies gathered around,ughing at her words.


    To Violet, they were nothing but two foxes.


    ¡°It is rare for the Ducal Lady to attend such gatherings. I heard she has someone else she meets with¡­¡±


    ¡°Still, wouldn¡¯t it be nice to have asional gatherings? Conversations among women can be quite enjoyable.¡±


    More support chimed in.


    The intentions of the two foxes were clear. They had found amon enemy and had temporarily formed an alliance for this asion.


    Especially since this was a small gathering hosted by the empress, they calcted that Violet wouldn¡¯t be able to act out as she did at thest banquet.


    Violet found their schemes genuinely trivial.


    Gossiping about others as if it were the pinnacle of diplomacy seemed utterly petty to her.


    ¡°Right. If I knew it would be like this¡­ Even if you refused, I should have done my best to bring you back home. Aileen, to think you would dress like this¡­¡±


    Violet spoke with uncharacteristic emotion, delivering a performance worthy of an actor¡¯s envy. Aileen¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Huh? Refuse? What do you mean¡­¡±


    Aileen¡¯s voice rose in confusion. Regardless, the smile that spread across Violet¡¯s face was radiant.


    ¡°Then, have you invited Lady Aileen before, Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°Ahh, of course. Those invited as envoys by the pce couldn¡¯t possibly be neglected. I did invite her a few times, but my dear younger sister, being too kind, refused. She said she was doing fine, but I didn¡¯t know she wasn¡¯t doing well¡­¡±


    Violet casually spun a lie, causing Aileen¡¯s face to flush with embarrassment as whispers spread around them.


    ¡°Ah, so Lady Aileen¡­¡±


    ¡°How thoughtful to consider both the ducal household and the imperial family.¡±


    Violet lifted her teacup with a smile and took a sip. Aileen quickly regained herposure and smiled like a bright young girl.


    ¡°However, I¡¯m well taken care of at the pce¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please understand. My younger sister is just naturally frugal.¡±


    Violet¡¯s smile deepened as thedies around her looked on, enchanted.


    Somehow, information had spread, and today Aileen was dressed simrly to Violet, but the quality was noticeably different.


    Although she tried to cover it up with her inherent charm, the inferior quality of the fabric was apparent.


    Thanks to Violet, Aileen was quicklybeled the frugal youngdy, and she could do nothing but manage an awkward smile.


    Watching Aileen like this, Lady Tolofiamented gracefully.


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 Chapter 211

    Chapter 211


    ¡°Etiquette is necessary in a ce like this. Of course, one¡¯s attire is a part of that etiquette.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re saying that wearing something too shy all by yourself couldn¡¯t possibly be good. This is a ce for everyone to share tea together after all, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­I am only speaking of how one may dress ording to proper etiquette.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then ultimately, the attire that pleases Her Majesty the Empress, who has graciously hosted this asion, would be the most fitting form of etiquette for this gathering. Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Violet retorted with a smile.


    Lady Tolofia pitted Violet against Aileen and gave thinly veiled criticism about her attire through the underlying message, ¡®You are the only one who¡¯s overdressed.¡¯


    However, since the Empress hadn¡¯tmented on this at all, Violet implied she should just keep her opinions to themselves.


    At this rebuttal, Lady Tolofia merely looked down without changing her expression.


    Inadvertently, Violet¡¯s statement also ended up defending Aileen¡ªwho, of course, did not show any sign of gratitude.Violet had no intention of receiving thanks from her anyway.


    The atmosphere, once on the verge of turning chilly, quickly warmed again. Of course, this warmth was only superficial as everyone was figuratively kicking each other under the table.


    The rest of the tea party wasden with passive aggressive energy and proud boasting. Violet asionally responded to those who spoke to her, but mainly, she kept to herself and observed.


    Despite this, many of the youngdies were wary of her.


    ¡°Come to think of it, Lady Aileen, you and the Ducal Lady are dressed the same today. Is it a coincidence?¡±


    Someone brought up the topic of clothing again. Given that Alesia¡¯s attire was closer to riding apparel or a uniform, the conversation naturally revolved around the two individuals aside from Alesia.


    Indeed, this topic was btedly raised.


    Not mentioning it earlier was a wise move, as everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells around Violet. A few youngdies had to pause. This was a bold¡­ yet <i>tactless</i>ment.


    They, too, were imitating Violet¡¯s previous attire at this gathering, but there was a clear distinction between simply wearing simr styles and outright mimicry¡ªespecially within high society where people would typically take issue with wearing the same design from the same boutique.


    As Aileen was about to speak, Violet preempted her.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s because Aileen adores me too much.¡±


    <i>¡°Huuuh?¡±</i>


    Aileen looked bewildered, suddenly cast as too fond of Violet.


    Violet smiled warmly back.


    <i>You¡¯ve built a public image of adoring your older sister, but are you trying to contradict yourself now?</i>


    If Violet¡¯s words were to be refuted now, Aileen¡¯s image alone would crumble.


    Biting the inside of her cheek, Aileen smiled.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I adore my older sister so much. I wanted to look simr to her, but maybe it doesn¡¯t suit me?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. It suits you too, Lady Aileen.¡±


    What an obvious ruse.


    Violet smirked at Aileen. Still, it was a natural enough smile that it was difficult to detect the derisive scorn behind it.


    Indeed, their positions were distinct from the start.


    Lady Aileen and Ducal Lady Violet.


    Despite holding the same title of ¡®Ducal Lady¡¯, as Aileen was regarded to be of inferior birth, she was never able to receive proper acknowledgment as a true ducaldy.


    This alone was enough reason for Aileen to feel inferior to Violet.


    Regardless of the reason, Violet particrly disliked Aileen, who never failed to act like a sly fox towards her.


    And that sentiment remained, even as she looked down on Aileen now.


    ¡°Suits her, you say¡­ To be honest, I feel sorry for Aileen.¡±


    ¡°Your Ladyship feels sorry? But why?¡±


    Thedy sitting beside her asked. Violet¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°Aileen has often imitated my wardrobe throughout the years. But as you can see, from our appearances to our general atmosphere and even our figures, Aileen and I are quite different. ¡­So naturally, what suits us differs. Yet, she continues to wear designs tailored for me.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, is it so?¡±


    ¡°When did I ever¡­!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I truly feel sorry. Haven¡¯t I advised you a few times before? That my outfits don¡¯t really suit you. I even tried to encourage you to wear something else. You continued anyway, and seeing that, I might have directed a few harsh words here and there towards you. ¡­You must still be harboring that in your heart.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Aileen forgot to manage her now-thoroughly incredulous expression. Violet casually lifted the corners of her mouth, regardless.


    Her past of pouring wine, pping faces, spewing venom without restraint, and frequent ps was summarized as ¡®harsh words¡¯.


    Aileen was the first to provoke, yet she ended up being on the receiving end now. She was at aplete loss for words.


    She couldn¡¯t argue back. Arguing here would onlybel her as ¡®the younger sister who inappropriately imitates her older sister¡¯s attire.¡¯


    Interest already sparked on several youngdies¡¯ faces, including Lady Tolofia.


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 Chapter 212

    Chapter 212


    As the bait was thrown, thedies who took it began to chatter excitedly.


    ¡°Indeed, Lady Aileen. Bright-colored dresses would suit you very much.¡±


    ¡°Your current outfit¡­ Indeed, it suits Her Ladyship much better given her height.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s only because I adore my sister so much.¡±


    Aileen clenched her teeth, trying to salvage the situation. Even if she managed to, rumors would spread regardless.


    Aileen nced at Violet.


    Green met purple.


    <i>¡®Why are you like this? Just throw a tantrum as usual.¡¯</i>


    <i>¡®I¡¯d be insane to act as I usually do, wouldn¡¯t I? Better watch </i>your<i> own behavior.¡¯</i>A silent battle ensued. There was no winner, but there was a losing side. To Violet, this confrontation was too trivial to even consider a victory.


    Unaware of this, Aileen managed to force out a smile again.


    ¡°Aileen, you have clothes that suit you, so rather than imitating me¡­ I hope you find your own style.¡±


    And Violet smiled kindly back. Which, to Aileen, appeared as nothing but a cruel sneer.


    It was frustrating to just agree, but she had no choice but to respond politely.


    ¡°¡­What kind of clothes would suit me?¡±


    ¡°Lady Aileen would suit¡­!¡±


    Several jumped into the topic eagerly, starting a lively discussion.


    Given their reactions, it was no different from treating Aileen as a doll.


    Violet scoffed. All that confidence toe back just to be treated like this, hm? This was enough to know that she didn¡¯t need to bother.


    As the tea party continued, various conversations ensued.


    ¡°Definitely, warm pastel tones suit you. Yellow, or perhaps light green.¡±


    ¡°How about clothes of fluffy material? I know a boutique I can introduce you to.¡±


    The voices were excited.


    Without the Everetts¡¯ backing, Aileen was utterly unable to spend much. To their enthusiasm, only vague responses were given.


    Cold nces were exchanged elsewhere. In this tiring battlefield of passive aggression, there was exactly one person without a care.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we just wear what we want?¡±


    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    It was Alesia.


    Until now, she had only responded when directly spoken to and otherwise indifferently nibbled on her tea snacks, but finally, she spoke up and made ament.


    <i>¡°Ohoho.</i> That¡¯s true. But we all want to wear beautiful clothes, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to force yourself into clothes you don¡¯t like. If there¡¯s a big gap between what suits you and what you want to wear, I think it¡¯s about finding a middle ground.¡±


    ¡°Umm. Now that you mention it, that¡¯s true too. <i>O-ho-ho!¡±</i>


    It was an incredibly tactless remark.


    Did Alesia leave her tact in another world? Alesia seemed genuinely puzzled about what the issue here was, and her reaction was throwing off everyone else.


    From the start, Alesia was not the appropriate person to discuss fashion with.


    Was Alesia truly clueless, or was she pretending to be because she disliked the idea of paying attention?


    Violet briefly reconsidered this, but she soon dismissed the thought.


    Either way, as long as she was happy, that was what mattered.


    Violet rationalized that not caring about others¡¯ opinions is genuinely such an attitude.


    Of course, Violet herself was the same when it came to not caring about other people¡¯s opinions.


    The conversation that followed was devoid of any substance.


    Aileen and Lady Tolofia engaged in a battle of wits and attempted to target Violet together.


    Having learned a great lesson from Alesia just moments ago, Violet pretended to be clueless and just smiled.


    Realizing that their attacks were futile against Violet, who chose tough off everything, Aileen and Lady Tolofia internally exploded with frustration.


    Regardless, Violet leisurely enjoyed her tea and snacks.


    She asionally made pointless conversation with Alesia, who responded with either disinterest or sincerity¡ªit was actually hard to tell.


    There were those who watched these two, girls with fluttering hearts.


    ¡°Seeing those two together, why does my heart ache so?¡±


    <i>¡°¡­Haa,</i> Ducal Lady Violet.¡±


    ¡°Did you hear? Lady Alesia has expressed her desire to be a knight.¡±


    Watching Violet and Alesia from a distance, those girls clutched their hearts, suffering from dangerous emotions. Truly, they were from different worlds.


    Since the banquet, Violet¡¯s followers had begun to form their own gatherings.


    Though following her yielded nothing in return, the girls adored the ducaldy all the same.


    Contrary to her reputation as a malicious viiness, Violet was very elegant and kindly responded with a smile.


    Seeing her deep smile, the girls giggled and blushed.


    Noticing their flushed cheeks, Alesia looked concerned.


    ¡°Are you ill? Shall I call a physician?¡±


    The girl who received Alesia¡¯s concern swallowed a silent scream of delight.


    Ever since she had cut her hair short, Alesia had also gained many followers.


    They chattered and giggled nonstop, delighted by something or another.


    Catching the nces of the girls and Alesia¡¯s reactions, Violet sipped her tea, internally clicking her tongue. Her earlier guess of Alesia¡¯s tact being lost to the world might just be right. It must be floating aimlessly in outer space right now.


    Violet¡¯s followers couldn¡¯t take their eyes off her despite this.


    Thus, a strange dynamic was formed.


    Violet and Alesia, along with their female admirers.


    Aileen and those wrapped around her. Then, Lady Tolofia and those who had always been part of her faction.


    In this bizarre battle of wits, there was no winner. Instead, the situation created numerous followers for those intended to be demeaned, leaving only the frustrated losers to simmer in their defeat.


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 Chapter 213

    Chapter 213


    The tea party concluded peacefully.


    On the surface, it appeared to end without incident,


    No one stormed out in embarrassment, no tea was spilled in chaos.


    ¡®Given the circumstances, not bad,¡¯ Violet assessed.


    Perhaps it was the impending end that emboldened Aileen, who approached Violet.


    Violet¡¯s brows slightly furrowed.


    The room still had a few attendees, showcasing Aileen¡¯s boldness. Violet internally scoffed.


    ¡°Enjoying yourself?¡± Aileen asked in a whisper.


    Her hushed tone carried a tinge of frustration. Violet, with a benign sisterly smile, gently stroked Aileen¡¯s head.¡°What¡¯s there to enjoy? You¡¯re overly self-absorbed, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Her tone was gentle, but the words were sharply mocking, straightforward in their criticism. Aileen¡¯s face twisted even more at the directness she received.


    ¡°Smile, Aileen. What would others think seeing you like this?¡±


    Indeed, nces from some remainingdies were still directed at the Everett sisters.


    Violet¡¯s touch became moreforting, and Aileen managed a forced smile, though dissatisfaction lingered on her face.


    ¡°How long can you maintain this fa?ade?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you and Mikhail¡­ so stubbornly unchanging¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    Aileen looked perplexed.


    ¡°Nothing much. Ah, right. I just heard someone utter the very same line. Perhaps she¡¯s more your older sister than I am?¡±


    Violet let out a low chuckle.


    Watching Violet, Aileen closed her eyes in resignation, her demeanor still as radiant as spring flowers. Violet inwardly sneered.


    ¡°I <i>will</i> take back what¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°Really? Can you, just because you want it?¡±


    Violet withdrew her hand from Aileen¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Would¡¯ve been better if you stayed there forever. Might¡¯ve been less miserable.¡±


    Violet whispered these final words in Aileen¡¯s ear before standing gracefully.


    Her every movement observed enviously by a fewdies, Aileen gritted her teeth. The difference that emtion couldn¡¯t bridge was painfully clear.


    .


    .


    .


    After she stepped away from Aileen, Violet now only had to wait for Roen. Right then, Alesia approached with an unexpected remark.


    ¡°It¡¯s not something I was expecting, but Ducal Lady, you¡¯re quite the heartthrob, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Thement was out of the blue. Why mention such a thing here, of all ces?


    Feeling wronged by an usation for something she absolutely couldn¡¯t understand, Violet felt unjustly targeted. Unaware of Violet¡¯s feelings of injustice, Alesia continued,


    ¡°¡­Do you know why Her Majesty the Empress organized this event?¡±


    Following one inexplicable question with another, Violet stared intently at Alesia, who remained unppable.


    ¡°Not really. Maybe it¡¯s meant to encourage dialogue among notable figures?¡±


    But when Violet answered, Alesia shook her head in response, dismissing the idea.


    If not to reestablish the social order, then what purpose did gathering these individuals serve?


    Violet¡¯s curiosity was piqued.


    ¡°In the era of the emperor two generations ago, women held bureaucratic roles, but it was all lost under the so-called tyrant¡¯s rule.¡±


    ¡°And this rtes to the tea party¡­how?¡±


    Violet asked, confused.


    ¡°The roles of noblewomen are overly restricted. If not for the position of ducaldy, it would be rare for a woman to find her own tasks or roles.¡±


    Not quite grasping Alesia¡¯s words, Violet frowned. In turn, Alesia smiled gently.


    ¡°Right, well, that¡¯s all I mean to say.¡±


    <i>Maybe the day wille that women can do what we want to do, find something we want for ourselves without having to be so heavily scrutinized by the eyes of others.</i>


    Alesia swallowed the rest of her words.


    The youngdies whose eyes shone as they watched Violet today were not just chasing her beauty.


    It remains to be seen what impact Violet¡¯s actions will have on them, but Alesia smiled, sensing signs of change.


    Indeed, what did gathering noble daughters in one ce have to do with women holding bureaucratic positions in the past?


    Though thinking herself to be somewhat enlightened, Violet was not so conscious of the things happening around her. And so, she failed to connect the two premises easily.


    People follow what they like or admire.


    Violet had be such.


    Unbeknownst to her, many paid keen attention to her clothes, essories, makeup, hairstyles, even the food she ate and the tea she drank.


    Had Violet known, she¡¯d have wondered why they were so interested.


    But it didn¡¯t stop there.


    Though not officially recognized as a court painter but receiving legitimatepensation from the imperial family for her work, Violet had stirred some nobledies¡¯ hearts.


    The possibility that there was a way to live other than marriage had emerged.


    Although Violet was unaware, the times were slowly changing.


    While Alesia pondered this, Violet still continued to stare at her with a narrow gaze.


    Still, Alesia did not add any more exnation and went her way.


    Left with a lingering unease, Violet decided not to dwell on her any further.


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 Chapter 214

    Chapter 214


    ¡®Come to think of it.¡¯


    A fact she had forgotten surfaced.


    Surely, Violet had given Aileen a hard time today. It could be passed off as obliviousness due tock of sensitivity, but Alesia knew Violet disliked Aileen.


    Even if the misunderstanding was cleared, Alesia was not one to tolerate injustice before her.


    Yet, it was strange she said nothing about it.


    Was there a change of heart?


    Ultimately, Violet sighed with the persistent unease left behind.


    Afterwards, she had no specific ns and went straight home.


    Only Roen, who had made an early exit using Violet¡¯s excuse, was all smiles.* * *


    Violet asionally pondered the empress¡¯s intentions as time passed.


    Fortunately, the progress on the princess¡¯s portrait went smoothly. The empress did notment much on the painting, but Violet, knowing there were noints, proceeded nonchntly.


    Thest tea party by the empress might have proceeded without the hostess herself, but it provided the gathered youngdies with a dreamlike time.


    Hence, various gatherings became even more fiercely organized afterwards. Violet scoffed at the flood of invitations she received despite her constant rejections.


    Even so, not all invitations were declined. Violet, holding an invitation with gold embossing, gulped.


    The art social gathering invited by Count Larsen was not for young, unmarried nobledies or noblemen. In short, a gathering Violet wouldn¡¯t normally be invited to.


    Mostlyprising individuals in their 40s and 50s, this gathering was truly a meeting of a group supporting artists.


    Far from being politically motivated, only those genuinely loving art could receive this invitation. So, she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about encountering annoying leeches there.


    There might be some who slyly attempt to arrange a meeting between her and their children, but it¡¯s just a matter of tactfully refusing them.


    Certainly, it could broaden one¡¯s horizons and offer various insights into the art world. That fact made her somewhat want to go, yet at the same time, maybe she didn¡¯t want to go.


    Truthfully, Violet¡¯s social acumen wasn¡¯t significantlycking.


    Before falling into theke, Violet had a penchant for showing off.


    Of course, that was only possible if there were people to brag to, and she was quite good at captivating others.


    On the other hand, the current her distrusted humans.


    If asked whether she didn¡¯t trust anyone at all, she could say no. But if asked if she has a lot of doubt in humans, she¡¯d say there were more people she distrusted than not.


    It was natural, given that most people she had met were dark-hearted snakes.


    Thus, Violet, thinking shecked sociability, was wary of meeting new people.


    Whether her concerns deepened or not, Roen was thrilled.


    He said it was the perfect ce to promote her exhibit.


    Violet firmly refused to let him apany her and dered she would attend alone. Even when Roen gave a grand, sulky performance, she paid him absolutely no mind.


    After he had nned to take a day off from his busy schedule to spend time with his younger sister, Roen genuinely became sullen.


    In any case, Violet¡¯s concernsy elsewhere.


    She¡¯d have to dress to suit the tastes of the elders.


    Though it¡¯s a thing from her past, the ethic of respecting one¡¯s elders had carried over for Violet. She sighed deeply as her thoughts became increasingly tangled.


    If things were the same as before, Cairn would have followed, iming to be her escort knight, but the situation had changed.


    Well anyway, Cairn could fend for himself.


    Instead, with Cairn absent, the number of escorts increased.


    She nned to go alone. However, Aldin, having somehow heard about it, volunteered to apany her.


    When she asked if he was avable, he said he was, so Violet dly epted his offer.


    What she didn¡¯t know was that this day was supposed to be a day Aldin couldn¡¯t miss due to joint training with another knight order.


    And further, in exchange for being absent, Aldin promised additional training. That¡¯s the only way he managed to skip the training altogether.


    So, on the day of the gathering.


    Violet chose a moderately ssic and elegant dress. She also requested her makeup to be done subtly, as if she wasn¡¯t wearing any.


    Despite the absurd request, Marie, who was a fervent student of beauty, did a fantastic job dressing her up.


    Aldin was waiting for her at the appointed ce.


    ¡°Your Ladyship.¡±


    ¡°Have you been waiting long?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve just arrived.¡±


    Aldin, dressed as simply yet stylishly as she was, faced Violet. Truth be told, he had just picked up suitable clothes he had, but being a good model, he looked quite dashing.


    With his tall stature, good proportions, and a knightly physique, anything he wore looked good on him.


    His face still had a youthful look, but over time, he would mature just right to move the hearts of many. Violet admired Aldin¡¯s appearance anew.


    Aldin let out a smile, cleverly using his good looks without Violet catching on.


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 Chapter 215

    Chapter 215


    Given his usual reserved expression, the faint smile suited him even more.


    Small talk continued as they moved.


    ¡°What do you know about Count Larsen?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only heard stories from time to time. My older sister has some interest in the field of art.¡±


    ¡°I thought so before, you must be close.¡±


    ¡°¡­Because she takes care and looks out for me.¡±


    Aldin smiled, eyes curving up. The conversation had a good start.


    He had managed to secure tickets to a y. Obtaining front-row tickets for the y was a challenge in itself, but he was driven by a strong resolve.


    Aldin usually doesn¡¯t initiate contact, but when he suddenly asked for help from his older sister¡ªthe former Lady Aesir, now a Countess¡ªshe readily agreed. Just as he was about to speak.


    ¡°By the way, does Cairn still frequently participate in the imperial knights¡¯ training?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Violet changed the subject first. Aldin responded a bit sullenly, having missed the chance.


    ¡°He doese often.¡±


    ¡°Does he say anything in particr?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure. It seems he¡¯s matured a bit.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Then, even if he was sulking, he must not be making it too obvious.


    As Violet was lost in thought, she lowered her eyes, and the light cast down upon her drew shadows beneath her eyshes.


    In the end, he was still her younger brother, so she might be a bit worried.


    Aldin, who had been ignored by the people of Aesir, not even treated as family or human, wondered internally.


    ¡°He should just quickly go back to the academy.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°A kid who hasn¡¯t even graduated was sticking around the capital to apologize to me. At this point, it might be easier not to see each other for a few years.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    This was Aldin¡¯s only response to Violet¡¯s words. Unaware of what he meant by that small exmation, Violet continued in a grumbling tone.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter if we didn¡¯t run into each other, but every time we do, that expression¡­ It might be better not to see each other until our feelings are sorted out.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Violet usually didn¡¯t share personal stories with others. Due to distrust of others who might distort and spread her stories. Even if they seemed friendly on the surface, one could never know when they might turn on her.


    However, there was some kind of bond with Aldin.


    Should it be called a bond? Nevertheless, one thing was certain¡ªAldin was someone she could trust.


    Or perhaps she had grownfortable around him.


    Aldin smiled again at this change. Rtionships slowly evolve over time.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s with the stubbornness. Have you heard anything by any chance?¡±


    ¡°No. He¡¯s just silently training so far.¡±


    That was a lie. There was a lot he had heard.


    Cairn, known to be odd in a different way from Violet, surprisingly had many friends. However, trusting them was another issue, and among them, Aldin was considered a trusted friend.


    So, it was perhaps natural for Cairn to choose Aldin as a confidant.


    ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡±


    Cairn would never show such a gloomy expression, which was quite amusing.


    If Aldin didn¡¯t know the details and wasn¡¯t secretly in love with Violet, he would have taken Cairn¡¯s side.


    But that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°Are you really asking because you don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°¡­What exactly did I do wrong?¡±


    A sensible person would have clearly understood their mistake. Cairn was asking because he truly didn¡¯t know.


    Aldin sighed inwardly.


    If Cairn hadn¡¯t been his friend, Aldin would have thrown down the gauntlet and, under the guise of a duel, would have beaten him to a pulp.


    Whether he had the skill to do so was secondary¡ªhe would have done it anyway.


    Cairn¡¯s past actions were so deplorable that even as a friend, Aldin couldn¡¯t bring himself to cover for the guy¡¯s actions.


    Still, Aldin knew full well that Cairn wouldn¡¯t understand even if it was exined to him one by one. So, he exercised the utmost patience in exining what the issue was.


    Normally, Cairn would have retorted with <i>¡®What¡¯s the problem with that?¡¯</i> but instead, he listened with a sullen face and responded, <i>¡®I see.¡¯</i>


    ¡°Then, what should I do?¡±


    He showed a surprisingly mature response.


    Violet had already given much thought to Cairn¡¯s situation and felt guilty about how he had been heavily injured while saving her from getting abducted.


    If pushed to do so, he might have been able to force himself to apologize.


    But as Cairn wasn¡¯t particrly known for conventional thinking but having a keen intuition, he must have been aware of this.


    Instead of forcing an apology, he chose to reflect on his own, considering what he had done wrong and what he needed to apologize for.


    The more he pondered, the greater his self-loathing grew, leading to an unprecedented depression in his life.


    Aldin, watching Cairn with a perceptive gaze, provided an answer.


    ¡°If it were me.¡±


    ¡°If it were you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d just avoid seeing you for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    ¡°You might not understand, having never experienced it, but from the victim¡¯s perspective, those times aren¡¯t easily forgotten. It¡¯s better not to see each other at all.¡±


    <i>Seeing my oppressor would only make me want to strangle them. </i>


    Aldin bit back the rest of his words, but Cairn could guess what he meant.


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 Chapter 216

    Chapter 216


    It was quite extreme.


    <i>So, the solution is not to see each other? To stay silent until it doesn¡¯t affect her anymore, is that it? </i>


    Cairn swallowed his question, torn between rationalizing his actions as not that bad and being more understanding.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair.¡±


    Watching him silently, Aldin threw in,


    ¡°That¡¯s what I would do anyway. It¡¯s up to you to figure out what <i>you</i> want to do.¡±


    They had such a conversation aroundst week.


    Since then, Cairn seemed to have kept to himself.


    As Violet said, Cairn still hadn¡¯t returned to the academy, likely still contemting what he needed to do next. The man, who was infinitely gentle and tender in the presence of his beloved but cold in the presence of a friend, quickly dismissed Cairn from his thoughts.


    Having received that much advice, Cairn should figure it out on his own.


    Violet, unaware of these details, suggested,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you encourage him? Suggest he finishes graduating from the academy. Since you¡¯re friends, at least that much¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s too stubborn to go just because I might say so. It seems he¡¯s thinking about something, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    Aldin had already suggested the same thing before, but he pretended it was not his ce to say.


    Violet sighed softly, knowing better than to overstep her bounds.


    Though she tried to put it out of her mind, if she were to cross paths again with him, the encounter would inevitably bring it all back.


    Just today, she ran into him as she was leaving. Perhaps he was deliberately lingering in front of her.


    Violet pondered whether past coincidences were actually intentional. Aldin, too, found himself in a different kind of dilemma.


    ¡°Um, Your Ladyship¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Just as he mustered the courage to ask her on a date, they arrived at the venue of the art enthusiasts¡¯ gathering.


    ¡°Huh? Were you about to say something?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    It was a remarkably sullen reply for ¡®nothing¡¯. Violet tried to gauge Aldin¡¯s mood. She¡¯d have to ask him again after the gathering.


    Inside, Aldin struggled with how to seize the missed opportunity.


    Amidst their mixed feelings, the two entered the building amiably.


    * * *


    ¡°Ah, the guest of honor has arrived!¡±


    As expected, the atmosphere of this gathering, befitting a meeting of middle-aged and elderly folks, was markedly different from previous tea parties.


    Those who were discussing the artists they were supporting and the future of the art world weed Violet. Among them were those interested in visual arts and others who preferred music or theater, but they all greeted her with courtesy.


    Since everyone supported or was interested in different fields, the groups conversing were quite distinct. Still, overall, they blended well and the mood was serene.


    Both Violet and Aldin were used to being the tant topics of conversation¡ªthe former for all the rumors surrounding her, and thetter for being a widely-gossiped illegitimate child of a high noble family¡ªthere were no pointed murmurs going their way this time.


    Fitting for people who had stepped back from the political sphere, there were no power struggles over political issues in this ce.


    The closest thing to a power struggle was ¡®My taste is superior¡¯, or ¡®The artist I support is more sessful¡¯.


    ¡°Arcandro¡¯s reputation has skyrocketed these days, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Well, he has been shining since his days as an unknown actor, so it¡¯s only natural.¡±


    Of course, these were people of experience, so it was hard to discern their true intentions.


    ¡°Now now, let me introduce you. This is Lady Violet of the Everett Duchy.¡±


    Violet, being a painter, was invited to the gathering, and Count Larsen, the organizer, had a particr interest in art. So naturally, Violet found herself among this group.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you recently, but unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t see your paintings at the banquet due to othermitments. Do you have any ns to exhibit them separately, maybe at an auction¡­?¡±


    ¡°My skills are still toocking to consider auctioning them off.¡±


    With Violet at the center, people gradually began to discuss new topics.


    ¡°Oh, about the painter, Leonardo.¡±


    However, the topic happened to be about Leonardo, so Violet just smiled and began to drift on the edges of the conversation.


    Even those who noticed her reaction soon got engrossed in the new topic. Perhaps because it was their field of expertise, everyone quickly dove into the discussion.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame what happened this time, considering he was a talented person.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of talent? Art is supposed to reflect a person¡¯s character.¡±


    ¡°What! There have been many painters who eventually became such terrible people, but still produced magnificent art!¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t those people only recognized after their death?¡±


    The general consensus was that what happened to Leonardo was ¡®karma¡¯. A few defended him, saying ¡®But he was talented,¡¯ but theirments were quickly buried.


    Perhaps because Violet did not actively join the conversation, it smoothly continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s still regrettable, though. He had the talent to go far¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better to take this chance to discover new talents. I already have my eye on someone.¡±


    Even with the person who trampled over Leonardo right there, they spoke freely.


    Violet, the person in question, sipped her drink and observed the situation without a word.


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 Chapter 217

    Chapter 217


    <i>¡°Tsk, tsk. </i>Perhaps he was destined to end up like that. Full of envy towards a genius without the talent to back it up¡­¡±


    Someone clicked their tongue as they spoke. Violet, suddenly a ¡®genius¡¯, merely sipped her non-alcoholic champagne without missing a beat.


    ¡®It might be better to pretend I don¡¯t exist.¡¯


    She thought so as she watched thedies and middle-aged gentlemen.


    Each one of them was engrossed in discussions about the trends in the art world, all wearing pleased expressions.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s time for art to take a new direction. Reinterpreting mythology is good, but something a bit more new in the realm of painting¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Just like the painting of Ducal Lady Everett we saw that day!¡±


    The voice was loud in the presence of the person in question. Violet considered the possibility that they might not know she was there.


    But they had exchanged greetings with her earlier, so there was no way they didn¡¯t know.The moment she narrowed her eyes, someone said,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Ducal Lady Everett?¡±


    They knew. Despite knowing, they continued to talk, which was bold in several ways.


    ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s right. We were together! <i>Haha</i>, my apologies. We¡¯re so used to the same people gathering that I forgot a new face had arrived.¡±


    And there were also indeed some people who had genuinely forgotten her presence here.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been quietly listening because the conversation is interesting.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha</i>, now that I think about it, you would know a lot about this topic!¡±


    A middle-aged gentleman with a heartyugh smiled warmly. Violet offered a polite, social smile back, wondering how one could forget someone they had just been introduced to.


    It was a situation Violet could not understand.


    Regardless, they were unabashed in bringing up interesting topics, endlessly chattering.


    ¡°Being invited here directly, your painting must have been remarkable?¡±


    ¡°It was incredible, and she¡¯s enough to be called a rising star in the art world. Her artwork¡¯s concept itself was miraculous.¡±


    ¡°I still dream of the painting I saw that day. How one coulde up with such an idea¡­¡±


    ¡°There are rumors of a deal with the devil, it¡¯s that intriguing.¡±


    Curious eyes gathered on Violet.


    Although she had nned an exhibition, Violet, stillcking confidence in her paintings, brushed off the praise with augh.


    Her modesty prompted the nobles to joke that too much modesty wasn¡¯t good either.


    They were as direct as they were affable.


    ¡°Fortunately, I heard that the Ducal Lady is going to hold an exhibition soon. <i>Haha!</i> I¡¯m really looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t it so?¡±


    ¡°Young Duke Roen mentioned the exact schedule hasn¡¯t been set, so it¡¯s still a secret for now. Oh dear, I guess it¡¯s not a secret anymore!¡±


    ¡°Oh my, oh my. Finally, we¡¯ll be able to see the Ducal Lady¡¯s skills!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Someone pped their hands in excitement. Violet massaged her forehead.


    Certainly, promoting in this manner could spread the word without any marketing costs. Roen had chosen a smart approach.


    However, as Violet was now hearing their expectations firsthand, she felt tormented.


    The gazes on Violet mixed with simple curiosity, but the anticipation seemed to dominate.


    Especially when Count Larsen, with his brightly shining eyes, casually inquired,


    ¡°So, when exactly is the exhibition scheduled? Hmm?¡±


    ¡°¡­There are still many things being prepared, so the schedule isn¡¯t clear yet.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha</i>, as much as I¡¯d like to see Your Ladyship¡¯s exhibition soon, I wouldn¡¯t want to impose any undue pressure.¡±


    The pressure was already there. And it was immense.


    ¡°Is Her Ladyship¡¯s art <i>that</i> new?¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be anything <i>but</i> new. You wouldn¡¯t know since you haven¡¯t seen it¡­¡±


    The conversation that started with Violet¡¯s painting eventually expanded into macroscopic themes, including the history of the art world, the current state of affairs in the art scene, progressive versus conservative interpretations, directions for future development, and even the dark ages.


    While new attempts were good, tradition shouldn¡¯t be ignored either, some asserted. But clinging too much to tradition could lead us into another dark age in the art world, another countered. Didn¡¯t the most terrible art flourish when outdated temple ideologies prevailed? Even those are reinterpreted in a modern context as beautiful art.


    So on and so forth¡­


    The discussion even ventured into various painting techniques and whether paints made using alchemy were of proper quality.


    The recently trendy ¡®Ste Paint¡¯ derived from modern acrylics and firstmissioned by Violet, naturally became a topic of discussion. Again, Violet chose to remain silent.


    After many such discussions, the conversation circled back to the original topic¡ªViolet¡¯s exhibition.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s about time for a new wind to pass through.¡±


    ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince is not one to easily reveal his possessions, so seeing the painting he owns will be difficult. We have no choice but to look forward to this exhibition even more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really an exaggeration. The exhibition could open at the end of this year or perhaps early next year.¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­ how do you n to extend invitations, Ducal Lady?¡±


    It was a question directly for Violet.


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 Chapter 218

    Chapter 218


    Though experts, they seemed closer to critics than artists who painted, showing a lot of curiosity towards Violet.


    From the exhibition schedule to what words encourage an artist the most, what discourages them, how the current art world appears from a new artist¡¯s perspective, and when inspiration strikes, etcetera.


    The hierarchy between the patrons and the patronized meant they poured questions onto Violet that they couldn¡¯t ask directly to the artists they sponsored.


    She had to answer, always prefacing with ¡®Not everyone may feel the same as I do.¡¯


    Initially ufortable with their interest, Violet gradually found herself immersed in conversation. There was a lot to be gained.


    Even she, who had thought it impossible to forget the presence of someone right next to her due to being engrossed in conversation, found herself doing the same.


    ¡°There are many admirable people here.¡±


    <i>¡°Hoho,</i> as expected, you really know your stuff, Ducal Lady Everett.¡±


    After much talking, they realized quite some time had passed.Only then did she remember that she had forgotten something. And that the person she had forgotten was somewhere sweating profusely in difort.


    ¡°It was a beautiful session, but it¡¯s a pity what happened.¡±


    ¡°This is why one shouldn¡¯t recklessly clip wings.¡±


    Aldin was caught up with people who adored theater and opera. With limited social skills, he was seen responding bluntly and brusquely, enduring theirpany.


    Despite clearly being ufortable, those holding him didn¡¯t seem to care.


    ¡°Just a moment, mypany is over there.¡±


    ¡°Company? Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that Aesir¡¯s¡­¡±


    As Violet excused herself to go to him, a mixed group of gazes gathered on Aldin. These gazes were different from the pity often shown towards ¡®the illegitimate child of a prestigious ducal family¡¯.


    Pity for a crushed passion, a child left behind, and despite it all, admiration for blossoming talent.


    ¡°I suppose I can understand why they act that way.¡±


    ¡°Huu, she was a truly talented person. What a shame.¡±


    The same topic casually made its way through the art gathering. Violet astutely picked up on their conversation.


    It must be about Aldin¡¯s mother.


    Given the talk of her beauty, she might have been a famous actress or opera singer.


    Deciding to keep out of other people¡¯s painful family affairs, Violet stepped lightly away.


    ¡°Sir Aldin¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Startled by Violet¡¯s call, Aldin jerked his head up. There was no significant change in his expression, but considering his usual demeanor, it was as if he had seen a savior.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°¡­Talking to some people who knew my mother, for a moment.¡±


    Half out of his wits, his face flushed red as he rambled. Violet burst intoughter seeing Aldin like that.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve been imposed on yourpany.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you are¡­¡±


    The arrival of a new figure piqued some people¡¯s curiosity.


    It wasn¡¯t just because she was a new face. Not even a leading primadonna could garner such an atmosphere.


    <i>¡°Haha</i>, it¡¯s an honor to meet someone famous.¡±


    Greetings followed again. It had been quite a while since the gathering started, and now to have a first greeting, it certainly was not an ordinary meeting.


    ¡°The two of you standing together make a beautiful picture.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The two of you together. Hmm¡­¡±


    There was even a ywright among them. It seemed they got some inspiration from seeing Violet and Aldin stand side by side.


    ¡°¡­Oh, yes, this will be my next masterpiece!¡±


    Although it wasn¡¯t illegal for nobles to earn money from artistic endeavors, and Violet herself was a painter, it still felt odd.


    Violet had only nned to pull Aldin away, but she now found herself caught up in this new predicament. Then, she had to listen to a lengthy discourse on the power of a ¡®story¡¯, the euphoric allure of assigning roles, and how magnificent it was for those taking on these roles to elevate them into an art form.


    Thanks to being among enthusiasts who loved their own field, once the conversation started, it was hard to stop.


    ¡°Make sure to see ¡®The Crimson Tragedy¡¯, the most famous y recently. Ah, such a beautiful ending¡­¡±


    ¡°How is that a beautiful ending! It¡¯s a <i>tragic</i> ending. How could such a thing happen to the two of them¡­¡±


    The conversation cleverly danced around the plot without directly mentioning the ending.


    In actuality, ¡®The Crimson Tragedy¡¯ was the y that Aldin had managed to secure tickets for, so right now, he was anxious about possibly hearing major spoilers. On the other hand, Violet remained indifferent.


    ¡°Ah, talking to the same people every day gets boring. If only there were some new opinions¡­¡±


    ¡°Goodness, what are you saying!¡±


    It was clear they wanted to promote their own field. Violet smiled and responded appropriately.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to watch it if I have the time.¡±


    It was a nomittal answer, but thedies and gentlemen were satisfied with even that level of engagement. Moreover, hearing her say this made Aldin even more delighted to have secured the tickets.


    Suddenly, Aldin¡¯s eyes widened in happiness, and without thinking, Violet gently stroked his head.


    <i>Really, you¡¯re just like a puppy.</i>


    Seeing this, someone eximed,


    ¡°Inspiration! Inspiration ising¡­!¡±


    Startled, Violet withdrew her hand.


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 Chapter 219

    Chapter 219


    Once again, the stage for conversation opened.


    Regardless, Violet¡¯s interesty more in paintings than theater. She was gradually looking for an excuse to slip away.


    Just then, Count Larsen, the host and a figure with extensive connections in the art world, announced loudly,


    ¡°Let¡¯s move on, shall we? It¡¯s about time we changed the scenery!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a call to end the party but to relocate. People stood up and elegantly walked somewhere else as if it was the most natural thing to do. Their steps were familiar.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Come along, Ducal Lady Everett. Sir Aldin, who came with thedy, let¡¯s go together as well!¡±


    Being a gathering of experts each renowned in their field, the choice of restaurant was also exceptional.


    There, deep and extensive discussions about cuisine ensued, almost to the point of bleeding ears. Of course, a gentle smile never left Violet¡¯s face.Thus, Violet ended up dining in a restaurant booked entirely for the asion.


    The fact that Aldin and Violet got separated again was just an added twist.


    The eagerness not to miss out on famous figures from their respective fields was indeed remarkable.


    Surrounded by proactive middle-agers, by the time the conversation ended, the sun had set, and stars began to twinkle.


    It was almost time to apologize to the waiting knights for the dy.


    Violet gazed emptily at the night sky. The stars sparkled brightly.


    Stepping out of the banquet hall with Aldin, Violet sighed and said,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it would get sote.¡±


    ¡°I will ensure your safety.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean¡­ Did you have a good time today?¡±


    ¡°¡­It was alright.¡±


    His expression said otherwise, but Violetughed, looking at him.


    ¡°They were interesting people, weren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they good people?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. That needs a bit more thought.¡±


    A light-hearted joke was exchanged. The knights guarding Violet still kept a respectful distance, allowing their conversation to be more private.


    It was a good opportunity to talk, just the two of them.


    Aldin finally took his chance to break the silence.


    ¡°¡­Ducal Lady, um.¡±


    ¡°Sir Aldin¡ª¡±


    However, they ended up speaking at the same time, interrupting each other. At this impable timing, they looked at each other.


    Suddenly, Violet burst intoughter.


    ¡°You go first.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°I was going to ask if you had something you wanted to say to me.¡±


    Violet spoke as if amused, causing Aldin to exhale slowly, almost like a sigh.


    ¡°Are you interested in theater?¡±


    ¡°Theater?¡±


    ¡°The y mentioned earlier¡ª¡¯The Crimson Tragedy¡¯. It¡¯s the most famous y currently.¡±


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s been a lot of talk about it. Hmm.¡±


    Having heard quite a bit about it already, Violet pondered briefly.


    Her deliberationsted only a few seconds, but in that time, an anxious Aldin discreetly rolled his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not particrly interested in it. Their stories about it were fascinating, though.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Aldin¡¯s face fell at Violet¡¯s thoughtful reply.


    He was so taken aback that he even stammered. When Violet looked at him curiously, he quickly averted his gaze.


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Was your question about the y?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir Aldin~?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The more Violet spoke, the redder Aldin¡¯s ears became. He seemed like someone fun to tease. Violet thought. Maybe she should tease him a bit more.


    ¡°Was the thing you wanted to talk about the y?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Aldin appeared to resort to silence when cornered.


    The silence,yered over his stoic image, made him seem aloof, but Violet quickly figured him out.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to be a bit interested¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­You are?¡±


    ¡°Yes, about the y. Since I¡¯ve been told many times that it¡¯s interesting, I¡¯ve be curious about it too.¡±


    Upon hearing Violet¡¯s words, Aldin¡¯s face lit up with excitement. Though his expression hardly changed, his demeanor visibly brightened.


    He looked so much like an eager puppy that Violet had to struggle to keep herughter in check.


    ¡°But I heard that tickets are hard toe by¡­¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I happen to have a ticket for this time, would you like to join me if you¡¯re avable?¡±


    ¡°You managed to get tickets?¡±


    ¡°My sister helped me get a couple¡­ but you canfortably refuse if you¡¯re tired.¡±


    Despite his brave words, he looked like he would sulk like a disappointed puppy if she declined.


    Violet almost yed a joke by pretending to refuse but then decided against it.


    ¡°That sounds great. When is it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah!¡±


    He had managed to secure a ticket but had not even checked the date, which was quite careless.


    After all, Violet would have been fine with any date, intending not to refuse unless it shed with a schedule involving the crown prince¡­


    Of course, she could always postpone or decline the crown prince¡¯s engagements.


    ¡°Well, um¡­¡±


    He was awkward in so many ways, especially inept at leading conversations and managing rtionships.


    ¡°Any day is fine, so please pick a date at your convenience.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Even in the darkness, his face glowed a distinct red, making the streets under the stars and moonlight seem all the more romantic.


    The empty streets might have felt deste to some, but the atmosphere was distinctly different for them.


    At this point, it was impossible not to notice.


    <i>Ah, this person likes me.</i>


    Violet looked at Aldin and smiled, thinking to herself that this wasn¡¯t bad at all, truly not bad.


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 Chapter 220

    Chapter 220


    * * *


    The ticket Aldin had secured turned out to be, fortunately or unfortunately, for a date after her appointment with the crown prince. It must have taken some effort to get such a hard-to-find ticket.


    Violet buried her head in her pillow, recalling that night.


    She had been restless and unable to sleep well these past few days.


    If asked whether she liked Aldin, she couldn¡¯t definitively say yes.


    Nor did she dislike him. There was an attraction, but it was insufficient tobel her feelings as anything more.


    She wondered if she was being too indifferent.


    Having often been told she was indifferent to those around her, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if this was another such instance. Yet, she hadn¡¯t confided this worry to anyone.


    High society was all too gossipy. Words flew lightly in social circles, and there was no one around her known for their discretion.This was separate from whether Violet liked or trusted that person.


    Unable to grasp her own feelings, Violety buried in her pillow all day. All this time, unbeknownst even to herself, had she been ying with Aldin¡¯s feelings?


    Was she giving him false hope? Like a true viiness¡­


    Various concerns came to mind, but like with her ruminations on Rajaden, no clear conclusion was reached.


    Once the worry started, endless thoughts flooded in.


    Aldin¡¯s words and actions came back to her, and she reevaluated her own responses.


    Violet agonized over her many embarrassments.


    <i>Why did I act that way then, why did I say that? It must have seemed so clueless.</i>


    No matter how much she regretted it, the past was impossible to change.


    ¡°Maybe he doesn¡¯t like me. Maybe I¡¯m just being too self-conscious?¡±


    To torment herself with such doubts all night might be offensive to him if he knew.


    Thinking further didn¡¯t lead to any resolution.


    Above all, Aldin rarely showed his feelings. This was a reason why, in a different sense from Rajaden, Violet thought, ¡®There¡¯s no way he likes me.¡¯


    So, without a confession from the person himself, it would be premature to judge.


    <i>I shouldn¡¯t unnecessarily distance myself.</i>


    That was the simple and clear conclusion Violet could reach, being someone who couldn¡¯t quite grasp the nuances of human rtionships or romantic feelings.


    Yet, the unease didn¡¯t easily fade away.


    Still, she managed to go about her usual activities. Violet diligently prepared for her exhibition, painting and organizing her artwork, and assigning titles to each.


    She thought it would be good to add descriptions to the works, but for the paintings she hadpleted long ago, she could barely remember her thoughts at the time, making it difficult to add anything.


    While Violet was lost in her thoughts anding to conclusions on her own, Roen ate alone in solitude.


    This wasn¡¯t a metaphorical expression¡ªhe literally had to silently consume cold meals by himself.


    His younger sister, who usually approached him with unfounded familiarity, now wouldn¡¯te out of her room even when called, and his younger brother suddenly started acting mature and barely showed his face, responding indifferently to any question.


    Waiting for his siblings meant his food was bound to get cold. It was inevitably a lonely and bitter time.


    During this, Violet emerged from her room.


    Recently getting a taste for exaggerated expressions of emotion, Roen greeted his sister too enthusiastically. Violet looked at Roen with a cool gaze, but he paid no mind to the iciness.


    Only after receiving a disdainful look from Violet did Roen return to his usual expression.


    ¡°Right, um, what have you been up to these days?¡±


    ¡°Nothing in particr.¡±


    Violet drew a line. Presuming her troubles were due to her issues with Cairn, Roen just said, ¡°I see,¡± and did not probe further.


    The conversation then shifted to another topic.


    ¡°His Highness has been acting strangetely.¡±


    ¡°His Highness?¡±


    Under normal circumstances, Roen wouldn¡¯t have addressed Rajaden formally in front of Violet. There was something different in the way Roen smirked this time.


    A profound fatigue could be felt in his smile.


    ¡°I believe I asked once before, yet you told me there was nothing unusual.¡±


    ¡°He was a bit strange even then. But nothingpared to now.¡±


    Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°¡­You lied.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t on purpose! It seemed like you were starting to take an interest in that punk¡ª um, I mean¡­ in His Highness¡­ so¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what, are you saying I¡¯m allowed to take an interest now?¡±


    ¡°No. He¡¯s just be so weird that I couldn¡¯t <i>not</i> say anything.¡±


    Roen, uncharacteristically raising his voice, then pressed his hands to his forehead in frustration.


    Was it really that strange? Violet thought of Rajaden and soon understood.


    She agreed that Rajaden¡¯s behavior as ofte was undeniably odd. The problem, if it could be called that, was his unending enactment of these mysterious actions.


    Violet asked with a bit more caution.


    If there was truly something amiss with the empire¡¯s one and only crown prince, it was a serious matter.


    ¡°What kind of strange behavior?¡±


    ¡°Lately, he¡¯s been acting overly familiar with me.¡±


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 Chapter 221

    Chapter 221


    ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you two supposed to be friends?¡±


    ¡°Friends for the sake of being friends, only to backstab and use each other, sure. But he¡¯s not <i>exactly</i> a friend.¡±


    Roen¡¯s response was cial. Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed. As they say, ¡®birds of a feather flock together,¡¯ and there were indeed many simrities between Roen and Rajaden.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just that. What exactly is he thinking? He keeps bumping into things as he walks, and in situations where he would usually get angry, he just smiles and lets it go¡­ I wish he would get angry instead, but him justughing it off makes it seem like he¡¯s really gone insane.¡±


    Speaking frankly in a way that could be reported as sphemy against the crown, Roen remained serious throughout. Violet slightly furrowed her brows upon hearing that she had seen less of the strangeness.


    ¡°Is he being that strange?¡±


    ¡°Yes, <i>that</i> strange. Even people around me have been asking me what¡¯s wrong with him, saying they¡¯re curious too¡­¡±


    Roen sighed.Roen was quite perceptive. This trait often worked against him due to his temperament, but it was undeniable.


    Therefore, if he had ever felt love even once, he would have immediately realized that his friend¡¯s symptoms were of lovesickness.


    However, he was unfamiliar with the realm of love and, even if he knew, would have dismissed it with <i>¡®that</i> crown prince?¡¯


    As a result, whatever Rajaden did in front of him, Roen remained clueless.


    Seeing Roen disgusted by the crown prince¡¯s undue friendliness, Violet also sighed.


    She hoped this would be an opportunity for her to keep a suitable distance and be moderately friendly, all the while keeping the line firmly between them.


    At the same time, she wished that Roen would also realize how creepy it was¡ªthat part about being overly kind without thinking.


    Unfortunately, Roen seemed too preupied with the crown prince¡¯s odd behavior to consider such thoughts.


    The best answer Violet coulde up with was this.


    ¡°Ask him directly.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°About why he¡¯s acting so strangely.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen fell silent at Violet¡¯s suggestion.


    In a society where cunning maniption and not revealing one¡¯s true intentions were seen as skills, such a straightforward approach was something he had never considered.


    Roen, about to reflexively object, barely held back and pondered.


    What would be the appropriate response?


    ¡°He¡¯s not someone who would answer even if I asked.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Positive. If he was the kind of person who¡¯d talk about such things, back when we were at the academy, he would have¡­¡±


    ¡°But you said this is a first.¡±


    Grinding his teeth, Roen faced Violet¡¯s calm statement. He almost yelled, ¡®But you don¡¯t know him like I do¡­!¡¯


    Violet simply looked at him with a serene expression.


    ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t answer, you could deduce something, right? That¡¯s your specialty, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Sometimes, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    ¡°Thinking you can fully understand others is arrogance, Your Lordship.¡±


    Violet gave him a small smile. Roen knew there was no sincerity in that smile.


    You might know the depths of a river but not the heart of a person. Without asking, you¡¯ll never know.


    This was unfamiliar territory for Roen, who prided himself on his astute skill of understanding others.


    ¡°¡­Is that so.¡±


    Roen grimaced.


    In any case, he should just ask the crown prince directly. Whether he probed subtly or asked outright didn¡¯t matter.


    Whatever the response, Roen could simply tell him, ¡®Instead of worrying about this and that, you should properly attend to the state affairs.¡¯


    Roen had gone through days of contemtion, nowing to this point. Roen looked at Violet with an ambiguous expression.


    She appeared no different from usual, despite having kept to herself for a while.


    ¡°Violet.¡±


    As he called her name, Violet slightly frowned.


    It was a very subtle change, but Roen¡ªtrue to his sharp perception¡ªcaught it immediately.


    The silent protest to not call her name so affectionately made Roen exhale quietly.


    There was still a long way to go.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to continue being like this with Cairn?¡±


    Roen¡¯s blunt inquiry caused Violet¡¯s brow to furrow once again, this time more noticeably.


    ¡°Why are you bringing that up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s painful to watch.¡±


    When Violet shot back, Roen just replied with a bitter smile.


    Unresolved past issues, lingering resentments from time gone by. Roen knew these times all too well and had decided not to meddle in his younger siblings¡¯ affairs.


    However, the thought that he might be making the same mistakes as their father had started to gnaw at him.


    He knew all too well the oue of leaving things be, thinking they would resolve themselves.


    But as one of the parties involved, Roen felt he shouldn¡¯t interfere.


    Despite keeping silent up until now, he was reaching his limit. He¡¯s getting fatigued from gauging his siblings¡¯ feelings and waiting for the ambiguous situation to unfold.


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 Chapter 222

    Chapter 222


    Violet¡¯s gaze drifted downwards.


    Though caught in between the fight of whales, Roen wasn¡¯t a shrimp that was getting its back broken. Still, he was indeed the one who suffered the most in these delicate situations.


    Yet, this was already a long stretch of patience, having watched uncontroble situations unfold from up close for so long.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Violet started to answer in a nonmittal manner. Knowing well how she felt, Roen did not press for a more definite answer.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯d be better not to see each other for a few years.¡±


    At her response, Roen looked down and smiled bitterly. The white table had not a single stain.


    ¡°Maybe that would be for the best. You two are just too different in personality.¡±


    Violet preferred to calmly organize her thoughts before discussing when upset, whereas Cairn wanted to resolve things on the spot.This was something even Roen had only recentlye to realize. The Violet of the past would express her anger immediately, whether by breaking objects or attacking the person in front of her.


    In any case, it was true that their temperaments didn¡¯t match.


    Roen had expected things to explode much sooner. Violet¡¯s patience was longer than he thought.


    ¡°That guy has his thoughts too, so maybe he¡¯ll have changed a lot in a few years.¡±


    ¡°¡­Was he ever someone with thoughts?¡±


    Violet looked incredulous at the suggestion that Cairn might develop more consideration after maturing a bit. That¡¯s how disastrous Cairn¡¯s actions had been in the past.


    If Cairn had been born to another family, he would have been branded a troublemaker and cast out from the household long ago. If not for Violet¡¯s notoriety overshadowing him, his infamy might have been even greater.


    Knowing how much Cairn has matured recently, Roen smiled subtly. The process was rough, and he even got seriously injured, but it was something that had to be experienced at least once.


    ¡°It¡¯s not unreasonable to say that, but just wait a bit longer. If you really can¡¯t stand it, I¡¯ll send him back to the academy soon. Then you won¡¯t have to see him for at least a year.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet didn¡¯t respond to Roen¡¯s words.


    Even if he was sent away, whether he would obediently return to the academy was secondary¡­ she doubted whether it would really mean not seeing him for a whole year.


    Violet disliked Cairn, but Roen had a soft spot for him in his own way. Cairn was the youngest among the siblings, and Roen had no reason to hate or despise him.


    Violet knew that Cairn sometimes soughtte-night conversations with Roen. She could only remain silent.


    If there was a problem with him though, it would be simple to kick <i>Roen</i> over to the countryside during the holidays.


    Quietly thinking of kicking out the duchy¡¯s heir himself, Violet put down her empty cup.


    Teatime came to an end.


    * * *


    The princess¡¯s portrait was nearingpletion.


    Even as it entered the final stages, the most crucial aspect of a painting was enhancing its finish. Violet¡¯s contemtion deepened day by day.


    She pondered how to achieve an appropriate level ofpletion that would befit the princess.


    She was troubled by how she couldn¡¯t seem to make a significant difference between a personal project and amissioned work, so thepletion of this painting in particr was dragging on.


    While looking at the nearly finished painting, the maids of the princess¡¯s pce expressed their doubts. But since the artist herself dered it unfinished, they epted it as such.


    Violet entered the pce as usual.


    The pce servants, now ustomed to her presence, paid her no mind.


    If today¡¯s visit was revealed not to be for the portraitmission but for a personal visit to the crown prince, the social circles would be abuzz for at least a month.


    Given that she had no intention of impressing the crown prince, Violet dressed simply and modestly. Of course, by her standards, it wasn¡¯t shabby enough that she¡¯d be criticized by others.


    Who would think, seeing Violet¡¯s current attire, that she came to meet the crown prince?


    The person in question, Violet, had no particr thoughts. Precisely, she was more concerned about how to depict ¡®the portrait of the crown prince¡¯ with the right feel.


    ¡°©¤Ducal Lady Violet.¡±


    The crown prince greeted her with a bright smile.


    Passersby, regardless of age or gender, couldn¡¯t help but admire his beauty as he expressed a sincere and clear smile.


    The recipient of that smile, Violet, said,


    ¡°Greetings to the Empire¡¯s small sun. You must have been waiting. Were you unable to sleepst night?¡±


    ¡°I was up early today to put some thought into my outfit. Do I look okay?¡±


    ¡°It suits you.¡±


    She responded tly.


    The sun was already ringly bright out right now, and the crown prince being so dazzling as he was made this ce <i>excessively</i> brilliant.


    Unlike Violet, who dressed just enough to fit the asion, Rajaden had chosen his outfit deliberately.


    With his hair and eye color, face, physique, and the time put into his look today, he wore clothes that would make him shine brightest. Who wouldn¡¯t be charmed by such a person as he was smiling brightly?


    Therefore, Violet discreetly shifted her gaze elsewhere.


    Something ¡®dazzling¡¯ could also hurt someone¡¯s eyes.


    Looking directly at the sun could damage the eyes, too. And Violet, maintaining her usual expressionless demeanor, removed her gaze from Rajaden.


    ¡°You also look beautiful today, Ducal Lady.¡±


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 Chapter 223

    Chapter 223


    Rajaden, with his ever-sunny smile,ughed with his eyes as he spoke, not bothering to conceal it.


    As they stood side by side, anyone could see that Violet was wearing a rather dark attire, yet it was of no concern.


    To any onlooker, Rajaden¡¯s gaze towards Violet was so fervent, it screamed of unrequited love.


    Fortunately, or unfortunately, there were people around. The maids and servants, now aware of what had changed Rajaden, hastened their steps.


    The crown prince seemed to have no intention of hiding his feelings.


    Violet, avoiding his gaze, failed to see the burdensome affection in his eyes.


    ¡°Today, I will escort you with all my heart and soul, Ducal Lady©¤¡±


    With an innocent and boyish smile rather than one filled with arrogance, Rajaden extended his hand to Violet.


    His gaze and touch were tender. Yet, to Violet, it was merely burdensome.She wondered why he had to be so overwhelmingly attentive, beyond just a change in tactics.


    Remembering Roen¡¯s words about how the crown prince had be strange, Violet sighed and took Rajaden¡¯s hand.


    Rajaden smiled again, as if he found everything delightful.


    ¡°It¡¯s theke that the Fourth Emperor made for the woman he loved most. Thanks to the beautifully maintainedndscape, it remains a renowned spot to this day.¡±


    Violet did not respond much, but Rajaden talked incessantly as he escorted her.


    Both wore gloves, so there was no actual skin contact, yet he smiled like a boy experiencing his first love.


    At this point, Violet could no longer just smile.


    She still believed there was no chance Rajaden liked her, thinking he had merely ¡®changed his tactics¡¯.


    Thus, she arrived at a single conclusion.


    ¡®Repulsive¡­¡¯


    What was merely annoying before now seemed <i>utterly</i> repulsive. By a long mile, she would have preferred to endure Roen¡¯s unbearable roley of a caring older brother.


    ¡°I hope you like it.¡±


    Rajaden smiled again, unaware of Violet¡¯s feelings.


    The ce Rajaden had led her to was indeed worthy of being called a scenic spot.


    Under the bright sun, the water¡¯s surface glittered like jewels.


    The water, through some enchantment, was incredibly clear and boasted a vivid emerald hue. The surroundingndscape was perfect, and it would surely be packed if it were open to everyone.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    Violet¡¯s response was calm, despite her inner admiration.


    She had several reasons to suspect Rajaden was toying with her emotions.


    And choosing ake, of all ces, as their meeting ce contributed to that belief.


    If he had chosen the ce to mock her, it was indeed the perfect choice.


    Having almost drowned in ake before didn¡¯t mean she feared water or dislikedkes. At least, that¡¯s what Violet believed.


    Nheless, she couldn¡¯t help but admire this person¡¯s audacity of bringing someone who had experienced such an ident to ake.


    Rajaden led Violet towards a small boat.


    Prepared in advance, the gond-like boat was as intricately beautiful as theke itself.


    ¡°This way.¡±


    Rajaden extended his hand. Violet took it.


    ¡°Ducal Lady, you have such small hands.¡±


    He made ament that seemed out of the blue, causing Violet¡¯s expression to sour immediately. The shadow cast by her hat blocking the sunlight probably hid her scowl.


    Violet was taller than the average imperial woman, and ordingly, her hands were slightlyrger.


    It wasn¡¯t right topare her hands with Rajaden¡¯s, who towered over her height, but they were by no means <i>small</i>.


    This must have been why Roen went on and on about how strange the crown prince had be.


    Seated in the gond, Violet kept her gaze outward. The light reflecting from theke¡¯s surface was hurting her eyes.


    ¡°vius II, the Fourth Emperor of this Empire, is said to have loved only one person throughout his life and never took a concubine. This has led him to be remembered as a tyrant by posterity, though there¡¯s much to tell of his tragic love.¡±


    Rajaden started a well-known tale among the citizens of the empire, following Violet¡¯s gaze to theke.


    Since history was one of the subjects Violet had studied diligently, she wore an unimpressed expression.


    Can a life spent blindly in love, only to be remembered as a tyrant in the history books and leaving no heirs, be spoken of positively? Still, it¡¯s hard tobel him simply as a tyrant given his contributions to the renaissance of art.


    ¡°If possible, I¡¯d like to watch a y with you¡­¡±


    Violet then realized why Rajaden had brought up the old emperor.


    He had previously asked her to see a y with him and been turned down.


    ¡°It is ¡®The Crimson Tragedy¡¯, a story inspired by the Fourth Emperor.¡±


    But she soon replied, her tone even.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already promised to watch it with someone else.¡±


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 Chapter 224

    Chapter 224


    The words came out without much thought from Violet, but they caused more of a stir than expected.


    ¡°¡­Someone else? Who?¡±


    The voice carried a hint of anger.


    Violet¡¯s gaze remained on the sunlit surface of the water, so she didn¡¯t see Rajaden¡¯s distorted expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to report that to Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­You mean you won¡¯t tell me?¡±


    He was severely misunderstanding this. Even if he was the empire¡¯s crown prince, there was no need for her to report her every move to him.


    Annoyed, Violet turned to look at Rajaden.


    The man who had been smiling brightly all day now wore a sunken expression, the smilepletely gone.¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Who are you going with?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The voice asking the question carried a chilling tone.


    It was a side of Rajaden that Violet hadn¡¯t seen before. She swallowed the words of royal insult that rose to her throat.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Rajaden remained silent to her counter-question, then ran his palm over his face.


    ¡°So, we¡¯re still at just this stage¡­¡±


    He then pretended to be lost in distant thoughts, causing Violet¡¯s expression to turn odd.


    Truthfully, there was no reason she couldn¡¯t tell him.


    If being the subject of gossip was the issue, she should have declined the invitation from the Crown Prince from the start.


    Yet, something bothered her.


    Violet sighed. She had realized quickly that Rajaden was quite guarded against Aldin, though she didn¡¯t know exactly <i>why.</i>


    ¡°Your Highness, if I may ask, has something happened recently?¡±


    Violet¡¯s questionplicated Rajaden¡¯s expression.


    He was pleased, thinking she was concerned about him, yet his face also showed a mix of feelings, knowing she wouldn¡¯t worry about him so easily.


    ¡°There are always many things happening. But more importantly, I¡¯m curious why Your Ladyship would ask me that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you haven¡¯t been in good conditiontely. I was wondering if something had happened.¡±


    ¡°¡­Who told you such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Just here and there. That you haven¡¯t been sleeping well, bumping into things, suddenly smiling, or often doing things you wouldn¡¯t normally do.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Rajaden fell silent, having guessed the informant.


    Indeed, he had heard the same from Roen a few days ago.


    <i>Did I really act that strangely?</i> he thought, without much self-reflection.


    Unable to confess that it¡¯s ¡®because of my feelings for you,¡¯ Rajaden smiled without hiding anything.


    Violet thought that his smile alone proved that he had be strange.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing serious. Rather, I¡¯d like to hear about you instead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been well too. Her Highness¡¯s portrait will soon bepleted, and it¡¯s about time to schedule the exhibition. I¡¯ll be busier soon.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve heard about that. It¡¯s already famous. Count Larsen has been spreading the word.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Rajaden quickly changed the subject, and Violet epted it calmly.


    Although the conversation proceeded smoothly, Rajaden¡¯s emotions fluctuated. He barely swallowed the words, ¡®And, I heard you attended an art society gathering with that guy, Aldin.¡¯


    Instead, he made a slightly spitefulment.


    ¡°¡ªDo you have time to paint my portrait?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    Violet answered promptly.


    Their eyes did not meet, making Rajaden even more uneasy.


    ¡°You seem displeased.¡±


    ¡°When you were around while I was painting Her Highness¡¯s portrait, you talked endlessly. I¡¯m worried about how much you¡¯ll talk during your own portrait.¡±


    In other words, it meant she expected him to be a nuisance.


    Rajaden, who had hoped to use the time to win over Violet, wore a baffled expression. He thenughed out loud.


    Ordinary nobles would do their best to tter him, the crown prince, to not offend him.


    However, Violet had never shown such a demeanor towards him, from the first time they met to now, despite the changes in character she had gone through.


    Perhaps he liked that more. Stopping hisughter and squinting his eyes with a smile, Rajaden looked at Violet with a fond expression.


    For the first time, Violet faced Rajaden¡¯s affection-filled gaze directly.


    Faced with an expression she never thought he would make, she stiffened in surprise.


    ¡°¡ªYour Highness?¡±


    ¡°What if, hypothetically.¡±


    Just as Violet was about to ask if he was really in his right mind, Rajaden spoke first. Startled, she quietly closed her mouth.


    ¡°What if I truly do love you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Would you still reject my proposal?¡±


    His golden eyes asked the question tenderly, yet they also harbored something dark and murky.


    A feeling too stifling to be love, yet too sweet to be called obsession.


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 Chapter 225

    Chapter 225


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to understand. Just give me an answer for now.¡±


    ¡°Without understanding your intentions, I cannot give an answer. Your Highness, I am a person, not someone¡¯s property or a chess piece.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    His response was far from what he had hoped for.


    And at the same time, it was an answer born from the certainty that Rajaden could never truly love another.


    Rajaden reflexively wanted to argue that wasn¡¯t the case¡­ However, he fell silent.


    Truly, was that the case?


    The man, born with arrogance, possessed a strong sense of ownership, and this extended to people as well.Could he truly be confident that his desire to be with Violet was not mere possessiveness, when even trivial things could spark the same intensity?


    He could not answer the question he posed to himself.


    Violet¡¯s gaze indifferently shifted to theke. Rajaden still had no answer to the question.


    As a gentle breeze blew, ripples formed on theke¡¯s surface.


    Violet¡¯s gaze remained steadfastly on theke, never once resting on Rajaden.


    He was well aware of this fact.


    If hemanded it, making Violet the crown princess wouldn¡¯t be impossible.


    Of course, there would be opposition, and there was a risk that Everett, a household steadfastly loyal to the imperial family, would turn against them. But still, it was doable.


    However, Rajaden didn¡¯t want to proceed in that way.


    A feeling too murky and suffocating to be called love, yet too devoted to bebeled as obsession.


    Acknowledging his feelings for her, yet unable to let go of hisst shred of pride, Rajaden looked directly at Violet.


    Her hair shimmered under the sunlight, a silvery white.


    Beneath the hat, her baster skin was shadowed.


    Her eyes, a clear and deep purple.


    There wasn¡¯t a single aspect of her that wasn¡¯t beautiful.


    ¡°¡­Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°Why do you call?¡±


    The wind rustled gently.


    Despite his soft call, Violet did not look at Rajaden.


    Her gaze remained on the clear and blueke, especially beautiful as the light scattered across it.


    ¡°Do you remember what I said about creating opportunities?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Rajaden repeated the words he had said to Violet, causing her to turn naturally.


    As Violet was about to ask what he meant, she froze at the sight of Rajaden¡¯s golden eyes, now perilously close.


    Their breaths could almost mingle. The small boat offered no space to retreat.


    Unable to push away the crown prince¡¯s noble person, Violet barely managed to raise her hand in front of her.


    ¡°You¡¯re too close.¡±


    ¡°¡­Even this elicits no reaction?¡±


    Rajaden slightly furrowed his brows at her attempt to push him away and avoid his gaze.


    A hollowugh escaped him.


    He hadn¡¯t expected her to actually push him away, a thought saturated with self-deprecation.


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    His question was less about seeking an answer and more self-deprecating.


    Despite not wanting to force anything, having boasted to a friend with good intentions, and being optimistic due to his confidence in himself.


    <i>Why?</i>


    It was a question that didn¡¯t reach Violet, yet haunted him without rest.


    Rajaden, unable to act on his impulses any further, winced with a bitter smile.


    <i>Can¡¯t we stay like this, even for just a little while?</i>


    The words that should have been spoken remained unvoiced, swirling in his throat.


    Rajaden buried his head in the crook of Violet¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    At the same time, Violet pushed Rajaden away.


    If she had to describe her feelings, it would be, ¡®Why is the Crown Prince acting like this?¡¯


    Even if she couldn¡¯t fully grasp his reasoning, the principles behind the crown prince¡¯s actions had always been simple up to now.


    To act in a way that would ultimately benefit him.


    Whether it was out of personal interest, other objectives, or even if it led to temporary losses, Rajaden¡¯s actions were always aimed at securing his own advantage.


    Thus, she presumed his current actions were no different.


    However, Violet couldn¡¯t imagine what Rajaden could possibly gain from his behavior right now.


    Even without doing this, House Everett was of the imperial faction, and Roen was Rajaden¡¯s close friend.


    He even had the option of marrying a princess from another country.


    Thus, Violet saw no reason for the crown prince to cling to her like this.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The face that had been resting on Violet¡¯s shoulder moved away. The golden eyes seemed to tremble, as if hurt.


    The boat rocked once. The vessel was so small that even slight movements caused it to sway significantly.


    ¡°Ducal Lady, I just¡­.¡±


    With eyes wounded like Cairn¡¯s, the crown prince tried toe closer to Violet again.


    However, even as she had been sitting quietly, Violet abruptly stood up.


    The action was meaningless to her, but the fact that they were on a boat posed a problem.


    Violet¡¯s movement caused the boat to rock once more.


    ¡°Ducal Lady©¤!¡±


    Simultaneously, Violet, unable to keep her bnce, tilted.


    The outstretched hand failed to catch hers.


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 Chapter 226

    Chapter 226


    * * *


    In truth, Violet had not taken her previous fall into theke seriously.


    One might think it careless not to take a near-death experience seriously, but she thought it was fine since she hadn¡¯t died.


    Thest time she fell into the water, she didn¡¯t resist on purpose.


    She didn¡¯t even try to float to the surface¡ªshe just closed her eyes, hoping to sink indefinitely.


    But this time was different.


    The fear of death overwhelmed her.


    She tried to move her arms and legs to swim, but her body wouldn¡¯t respond as she wanted.


    She could do nothing. Fear rose from the depths of her emotions, stealing her breath away.She thought she was okay, but she wasn¡¯t, really.


    ¡°©¤!¡±


    Someone called out to her desperately.


    As she struggled to breathe and her consciousness faded, Violet saw a hand reaching out to her.


    .


    .


    .


    When Violet regained consciousness, the first thing she saw was the sun still high in the sky.


    It seemed not much time had passed.


    As she sat up, she felt the cloth covering her body. Next to the well-kept grass, the azureke shone as if nothing had happened.


    ¡®I¡¯m all wet.¡¯


    Violet thought calmly for someone who had nearly died.


    The wind felt cold, probably because she was wet.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    As Violet nkly stared into space, a familiar voice came from the side.


    Turning her gaze, she saw Rajaden, simrly soaked, chin on one hand while looking at her.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve called for people toe, they¡¯ll arrive soon. I¡¯m sorry, that¡¯s all I can offer.¡±


    With that, Violet looked down at herself. A coat wasid over her body.


    Such extravagant clothing belonged to few, so it surely was Rajaden¡¯s.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Looking away from Violet, Rajaden spoke with a voice that seemed to have lost its strength.


    ¡°I just wanted to show you the beautifulke¡­ There was no other intention.¡±


    Violet, unsure of what he was saying, briefly met his gaze and sighed softly, ¡°Ah.¡±


    Bringing someone who had already nearly drowned in ake before was indeed foolish.


    ¡°Really, there was no other meaning to it. I just thought it would be nice to look at theke together¡­.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    At Violet¡¯s response, Rajaden¡¯s gaze lingered on her before hastily looking away.


    Violet responded matter-of-factly, knowing there was no deeper meaning, but his condition seemed anything but simple.


    He appeared anxious and downcast, not at all characteristic of a man who had lived believing himself to be above all others.


    Was he acting this way out of guilt?


    Violet pondered as she observed Rajaden closely.


    Shedding his outerwear to reveal just a thin shirt was not a typical appearance for the crown prince.


    Exploiting someone else¡¯s guilt would be something she might expect from him, but Rajaden wasn¡¯t the type to harbor guilt himself, This deepened Violet¡¯s confusion even further.


    Rajaden dropped his head andughed, a bitterugh.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to mock you.¡±


    His manner of speaking seemed precarious.


    Violet was puzzled by his seemingly guilt-ridden appearance.


    ¡°Why are you saying this to me?¡±


    It was a truly innocent and naive question without a hint of ulterior motive, and he wished she hadn¡¯t asked.


    Rajaden swept his face with his palm at Violet¡¯s question, an action unbefitting the arrogant crown prince, causing her eyes to flicker slightly.


    ¡°Are you asking because you truly don¡¯t know why?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t say it directly, your true feelings won¡¯t be conveyed.¡±


    At her response, Rajaden roughly rubbed his face with his hands again.


    If his intent was to make someone miserable, Violet had chosen a very effective method.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    What came out of his mouth was another meager apology.


    He had already apologized once and made excuses, but he said it again.


    Listening to the crown prince like this, Violet couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly.


    The answer she sought wasn¡¯t an apology.


    Why was he acting this way. Why was he behaving strangely. What she wanted to know was the reason behind it all.


    Violet, who was not the type to presume to understand others¡¯ hearts through conjecture, looked down.


    Seeing this, Rajaden grimaced andughed hollowly.


    If he were to express his feelings for her now, the future would predictably be bleak.


    It would be no different from sabotaging any chance he might have had.


    He was clear about his feelings towards her.


    The name this emotion would eventually take was predetermined.


    If he confessed his feelings now and was rejected by her, even he couldn¡¯t be sure of what would follow.


    Unless he was a fool, he wouldn¡¯t waste the scarce opportunity he had just managed to find.


    His already scant score seemed destined to be further reduced.


    Rajaden looked back to the moment Violet fell into theke.


    How eternal and terrifying that brief moment felt.


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 Chapter 227

    Chapter 227


    He reached out but failed to grasp her hand.


    As her body swayed, the expression Violet wore clearly conveyed her emotions.


    And seeing her like this, his heart sank.


    Rajaden, who had been in turmoil over his infatuation, never doubted that Violet would eventually be his.


    He was that confident. Hecked nothing, be it in appearance or status.


    Thus, he thought to enjoy the present moment.


    But how could he possibly do that?


    His emotions were in turmoil over even the smallest gesture or movement she made.


    He attributed all sorts of meanings to her innocuous actions, inting his hopes only to berate himselfter.And in the moment Violet fell into theke, his body moved before he could think.


    For the first time in all his life, he acted on pure emotion, not calction.


    What thoughts crossed his mind as he gazed at Violet, peacefully unconscious?


    That he must protect her? That he didn¡¯t want to torment her?


    No, it was something more fundamental than that.


    He might not be inclined to im a person as his possession, especially the Everett Duchy¡¯s esteemed daughter, but he found himself wanting to keep her by his side.


    At the same time, he entertained the idea of being bound to her.


    He longed to experience the innocence of not calcting, to feel what it means to live together with someone else¡¯s emotions.


    Jumping into theke to rescue Violet was an action unbefitting of the empire¡¯s crown prince.


    He himself could have been in danger by leaping into the water. How dare he take such a risk?


    Violet quickly lost consciousness.


    Because of the dread of a death once narrowly escaped, because it was an experience she had already endured.


    Only then did Rajaden realize what he had done. He fell silent.


    He did nothing more than call for help, notying a finger on her.


    Though this was not his intention at all, she must have misconstrued his choice of location.


    Rajaden feared the disdain Violet might hold for him because of this incident.


    The old him might have thought, ¡®Who are you to dare despise the crown prince?¡¯ but this time, he felt an immeasurable fear.


    Had Violet been in a worse condition, he could never have forgiven himself.


    Fortunately, Violet showed no signs of distress and breathed evenly.


    Rajaden gentlyid her down on the grass beside theke and ced his unsoaked outer garment over her.


    He couldn¡¯t bear to look at Violet sensibly.


    It was just that kind of emotion.


    While he was entangled in his thoughts, Violet fiddled with the coat covering her body.


    Returning while she was still in this state was not an option¡ªshe had to borrow clothes from somewhere.


    Being in the imperial pce, securing a set of clothes should be manageable, but she was not keen on the idea.


    She didn¡¯t want to expose her skin through the soaked fabric.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    An awkward silence followed.


    It was unlikely for those working in the imperial pce to move slowly, yet this brief wait felt prolonged.


    Violet did not find this awkwardness ufortable. Rajaden, however, felt differently.


    <i>¡°Ah¡­haha¡­</i> Roen¡¯s going to give me an earful.¡±


    Fearing being despised and hated, yet unable to endure the silence, he made a weak attempt at humor.


    Still as ever, Violet¡¯s gaze remained indifferent.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°If Roen learns about what happened today, after already asking me if something was going on recently, he will definitely be angry. Did you know? Your older brother is terrifying when he¡¯s angry.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°¡­Your response seems half-hearted.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m answering you sincerely.¡±


    Proceeding cautiously now because she wasn¡¯t sure about the crown prince¡¯s true feelings, Violet responded indifferently as she looked at Rajaden.


    What she encountered in that moment was a pained expression.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just sad to have ruined what should have been a joyful day.¡±


    The moment she met his eyes, Rajaden¡¯s expression changed back to normal, making her feel even more unbnced.


    Only today did Violet realize her weakness for pained expressions.


    There could be variousplex reasons, but she could not overlook moments when someone showed signs of being hurt.


    She wouldn¡¯t me a bystander. Regardless of what might happen, an offender was worse than a bystander.


    Still, if even one person wouldn¡¯t just stand by and would extend a hand to someone who¡¯s hurt, that person could be saved.


    That person could ovee their wounds and stand up again.


    Perhaps she herself wouldn¡¯t have been driven to the brink.


    <i>If someone¡ªanyone¡ªhad reached out to me¡­</i>


    She still harbored that feeling inside.


    That¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t ignore Cairn either.


    After all, Violet was weak to wounded eyes, and Rajaden was showing such eyes right now.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why he was acting like this, but it bothered her.


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 Chapter 228

    Chapter 228


    Unable to say anything to the crown prince, she just blinked.


    But still, despite her unchanged expression, Rajaden noticed this shift in mood and smiled.


    ¡°I apologize once again for today¡¯s incident.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t intentional, so it doesn¡¯t matter. As for Lord Roen¡­ you¡¯ll have to sort that out yourself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. If possible, I would like to have the chance to make it up to you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet remained silent as Rajaden said that, implying she would decline if it meant meeting alone again.


    However, he paid no heed and took a step closer to Violet.


    It was a simr situation to the one on the boat, but this time he maintained a respectful distance.Violet reflexively tensed at his reaching hand, slightly furrowing her brow.


    ¡°But rather than Roen, I want to earn a chance to make it up to you.¡±


    Rajaden carefully grasped her long silver hair and gently pressed his lips to it.


    It was a scene of devout beauty, literally like something out of a painting.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a position to answer that.¡±


    Violet¡¯s response was vague. Rajaden smiled bitterly.


    Attendants from the imperial pce rushed from afar to manage the situation. Since the conversation could not continue in this state, today¡¯s meeting ended there.


    * * *


    Just as they had expected, Roen was furious.


    It¡¯s almost like he was about to start a rebellion to bring the crown prince to his knees.


    Violet thought about whether Roen¡¯s anger was a mere act, or if it stemmed from familial affection. In the end though, she decided it didn¡¯t matter.


    She had already received an excessively apologetic response from the crown prince.


    It was up to Roen to escte the matter, but she had no intention of further discussing that day¡¯s events.


    ¡°That guy seems to have an ulterior motive. But will things really go that punk Rajaden¡¯s way? <i>Hah.¡±</i>


    Leaving behind a sinisterlyughing Roen, she went up to her room.


    * * *


    If there was a piece of news that could be considered regrettable for Rajaden, it would be about only one person¡ªthe object of his affection, ¡®Violet S. Everett¡¯.


    And if it had been anyone else, they might have been swayed by either his looks or his status rather quickly.


    Unfortunately for him, his charm did not work on Violet at all.


    It wasn¡¯t that she hadn¡¯t pondered over his actions. It¡¯s just that her thoughts simplyy elsewhere.


    The radiant sunshine, a man forged from molten gold by the sun itself.


    Devout gestures beneath the light. A scenery more beautiful than any painting.


    Everything seemed just like a painting.


    Yes, just like a painting.


    Thus, Violet¡¯s mind was filled with thoughts on how to capture the crown prince¡¯s image in a portrait.


    Theposition needed to be caught at the right moment.


    Rajaden¡¯s face was as beautiful as he was confident in himself.


    It was so splendid it could captivate anyone at a nce, to say the least.


    There was a bit of pressure on whether she could encapste his beauty within the confines of a canvas.


    Violet spent the entire night producing several sketches.


    While Rajaden wasn¡¯t exactly a ¡®muse¡¯ that endlessly provided inspiration, he did influence her.


    Though even if Violet thought this way, in Rajaden¡¯s perspective, it wouldn¡¯t exactly be beneficial.


    .


    .


    .


    Days passed.


    Inspiration and tranting it credibly into a painting were two different matters.


    She excused herself for a few days, iming to be unwell. Since the portrait of the princess was nearly finished, the empress pardoned her easily.


    The incident of Violet falling into theke was not discussed. Even though rumors spread of her and the crown prince meeting alone, nothing was said about the ident.


    Whether Roen worked some magic, or he found the day¡¯s apologiescking, Rajaden sent a lengthy letter along with gifts.


    Inevitably marked with the imperial family¡¯s crest, Violet couldn¡¯t ignore it and scoffed after reading the letter.


    To summarize, it read, ¡®I¡¯m truly sorry about that day. Therefore, I hope we can meet again so I can make it up to you.¡¯


    Perhaps because they could be called friends, given how they shared many unnecessary simrities.


    The gifts sent by the crown prince were primarily clothes and essories, with a clear intention of ¡®I¡¯m sorry your clothes were ruined because of me.¡¯


    Additionally, Violet¡¯s known unique taste made the variety of designs quite apparent.


    It was obvious how much trouble he must have gone through with the designers and seamstresses over such a matter.


    Regardless, rumors about her spread rapidly.


    That the eldestdy of House Everett is predestined to be the Crown Princess.


    That this was the reason why she¡¯s so arrogant.


    That she¡¯s manipting His Highness the Crown Prince like a viiness.


    That she must be using her beauty to seduce His Highness. Or that she might be casting wicked spells to keep him from regaining his senses.


    So on and so forth.


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 Chapter 229

    Chapter 229


    The venomous rumors about her were simple at heart.


    She was a viiness who could sway the future emperor with just a simple flick of her skirt¡¯s hem and shake the entire empire.


    A monster that would devour the nation.


    A beauty that could upheave a country, her title not merely for her beauty but imbued with intent.


    And those rumors reached even the people who should have remained untouched.


    ¡°Why¡­ is it always you¡­¡±


    * * *


    Rajaden was aware of the gossip swirling around him but did not pay it much heed.


    Rumors could be advantageous if manipted correctly.The immediate concern that upied his mind was different.


    The empress smiled gently as she looked at her son.


    ¡°What could it be? It¡¯s rare for Your Highness to ask for an audience with me.¡±


    The empress, guessing why Rajaden had requested the meeting, feigned ignorance and sipped her tea.


    ¡°I seek your wisdom, Mother.¡±


    The matter Rajaden broached was not the main point.


    Despite being the first to speak, he hesitated to bring up the topic.


    How could he exin the situation he found himself in?


    Unsure of how to start, he lowered his gaze and merely fiddled with his teacup.


    The empress did not rush her son, instead patiently waiting for him to speak.


    After much deliberation, his story was simple.


    ¡°I wish to ask what I should do.¡±


    <i>There¡¯s someone I¡¯ve been concerned abouttely, and I can¡¯t seem to handle my duties properly because of it. I¡¯m not sure how to proceed.</i>


    <i>Moreover, I wonder what this person thinks of me.</i>


    <i>From their usual behavior, it seems they don¡¯t like me much.</i>


    In the end, it turned out to be a love consultation¡ªalbeit much context was lost.


    The empress guessed the omitted details with her experience.


    If he¡¯s not handling his duties well because he¡¯s so distracted, he must really be smitten.


    Rumors had already been circting that the crown prince was acting oddly.


    Knowing the rumors, the empress easily surmised there was more to her son¡¯s exnation.


    ¡°What would <i>you</i> like to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    That¡¯s what he hade to ask the empress, but the question was turned back on him.


    Rajaden¡¯s lips twitched, and a gentle smile formed on the empress¡¯s lips.


    One ought to know one¡¯s own heart best.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Yet Rajaden answered with uncertainty, which caused the empress¡¯s eyes to narrow.


    Deceiving oneself about one¡¯s own feelings was indeed a difficult task.


    ¡°Then let go. If that person has said that she has no particr thoughts about Your Highness, there is no need to force it.¡±


    ¡°That is¡­!¡±


    ¡°Not something you agree with?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The advice was necessary, but the reaction was quite vivid. The empress, having rightly gauged her son¡¯s heart, smiled gently.


    Rajaden made a peculiar expression at that. As if sighing, she said,


    ¡°I knew it woulde to this.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness resembles His Majesty greatly. Thus, I anticipated this would happen.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    At the empress¡¯s words, Rajaden fell silent.


    There was no one else besides the empress who could dare speak so disrespectfully about the emperor and the crown prince.


    Unable to retort to his mother, Rajaden maintained his silence. Observing her son, the empress¡¯s eyes moistened.


    She already knew who Rajaden was speaking about.


    Moreover, she knew that this person¡¯s preferences were far removed from Rajaden.


    He was her exceptionally talented son, but what could she do if he was not to that person¡¯s taste?


    It would be good if this opportunity helped correct his haughty nature.


    He was a son she could not bear to hurt, and she was proud of him, but this aspect was truly regrettable.


    He was too much like the emperor and always thought he was right.


    Having never experienced failure, how could he understand its pain?


    If he had ever been rejected by someone, he wouldn¡¯t have kept all that suffering only to himself.


    ¡°If you desire it, then take it. You have the power to do so.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t want to, do you? It¡¯s not about owning that person by force, but winning her heart as well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re teasing.¡±


    Only then did Rajaden realize the empress was teasing him and frowned.


    The empressughed as if his reaction amused her.


    ¡°Then do your best. So that you have no regretster, earnestly face and act upon what you desire.¡±


    Finally, proper advice was given.


    After much roundabout discussion, Rajaden realized he had not exined himself properly and his expression soured.


    Seeing this, the empress¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°Do not earn the dislike of others. You must understand what consideration is. Do not insist and push forward only your will just because you want something. You should not force something she dislikes. Everything should be because you want to do it, so you must not me her if she does not reciprocate.¡±


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 Chapter 230

    Chapter 230


    The most crucial advice was delivered.


    And the most difficult thing was demanded of a man who had lived as the empire¡¯s one and only crown prince.


    A man who had been used to having his way without consideration for others barely opened his mouth.


    Perhaps a rtionship with clear mutual benefits would be easier.


    Rajaden broke the silence after a short time.


    ¡°Can I win her heart that way?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    It was important advice, and Rajaden was determined to follow it, but his expression fell.


    The empress chuckled softly.If winning someone¡¯s heart were that easy, politics would be easy too.


    A despondent voice came from the crown prince.


    ¡°Even without certainty, such¡­¡±


    ¡°Winning someone¡¯s heart is the most difficult feat in this world. If it doesn¡¯t work even after all that, it¡¯s not meant to be. You¡¯ll have to give up.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Despite the importance of the content, the crown prince¡¯s expression remained stubborn.


    The empress internally clicked her tongue at her son, who still wore the expression he had in his youth.


    He was well and truly hooked. She hoped Rajaden wouldn¡¯t do anything more foolish.


    There was also a rumor circting. The empress gently asked,


    ¡°Do you wish to be a tyrant, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°No. Not at all.¡±


    Rajaden shook his head in dismay at her question.


    No matter how tumultuous his emotions, bing a tyrant was not an option.


    He was born to be the emperor, with no other siblings.


    Born solely to stand at the pinnacle of this nation, he had lived for that very purpose.


    Rajaden was a man poised at the peak, and his duty was not to dally with women but to govern the empire steadily and prosperously.


    He was well aware of this fact but chose to ignore his true feelings.


    Intellectually, he understood this coldly, yet emotionally, it was hard to ept.


    If it¡¯s not meant to be, he must let go.


    ¡®Is there anything in this country that <i>isn¡¯t</i> mine?¡¯


    Confusing thoughts cluttered his mind.


    He also thought,


    ¡®Why do I have to worry about this?¡¯


    He was so struck by the fever of love that he was nearly losing his senses.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°I trust you.¡±


    As if reading his thoughts, the empress delivered a pointed remark.


    Rajaden, understanding her words, smiled bitterly.


    After all, his goal was to be a wise and just ruler, not to engage in foolish acts.


    Several more discussions followed.


    The advice from the empress was helpful but difficult for Rajaden to put into practice.


    Determined to educate her son in character, the empress emphasized ¡®consideration¡¯ and ¡®putting oneself in others¡¯ shoes¡¯ several times while smiling.


    Given the crown prince¡¯s nature, even if he took the advice, he was unlikely to bepletely obedient to it.


    He was skeptical about the usefulness of the advice but epted it all the same.


    Thereafter, they also discussed a portrait.


    Once Violetpleted the portrait of the princess, the crown prince¡¯s portrait would also be scheduled, and this matter would be widely publicized.


    For Rajaden, who had to impress Violet, this was good news.


    Watching her son¡¯s expression brighten at just a few words, the empress internally clicked her tongue.


    The effort Rajaden would need to win over Violet, whose tastes in men didn¡¯t quite line up with Rajaden himself, was likely greater than he would anticipate.


    After that fruitful time, Rajaden left to resume his duties.


    But then, he suddenly realized he hadn¡¯t heard the answer to his earlier question about what Violet thought of him.


    * * *


    The portrait of the princess was nearing itspletion.


    Standing before the finished painting, Violet alternated her gaze between the princess and the canvas, a satisfied smile blooming on her face.


    Although it wasn¡¯t perfectly executed as she had envisioned, it was a fine result.


    Of course, since the client was the empress, Violet would need to receive Her Majesty¡¯s evaluation.


    There was no guarantee that a piece appreciated by the empress would be well-received by others.


    The empress said nothing but simply smiled.


    Admiration instead flowed from the maids of the princess¡¯s pce.


    ¡°Could this be what thend of fairies looks like?¡±


    ¡°How beautiful¡­¡±


    Colors not seen in reality made the princess¡¯s painting appear even more ethereal.


    Like the beginning of spring, the princess in the painting smiled brilliantly, as beautiful as a fairy.


    The young princess also seemed to love the painting, her eyes sparkling nonstop, unable to tear her gaze away.


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 Chapter 231

    Chapter 231


    The princess gave Violet a big hug.


    The maids stepped in to stop this breach of etiquette, but Violet gestured that it was alright.


    Now that her work with the portrait was finished, Violet knew she would never see the princess again.


    The thought brought a wave of sadness.


    The chief handmaid of the princess¡¯s pce, having seen her painting, had long since stopped suggesting Violet assume such a position.


    Her talent was too precious to be confined to the pce.


    Violetughed, attributing her skill more to memories of a past life than to innate talent.


    ¡°Someday, if therees a day when this child is presented before many, or even if such a day neveres, her portrait will hang in the exhibition hall, among those of the imperial lineage.¡±


    Just then, an uninvited guest intruded as if it were his right.The princess, who had been clinging to Violet¡¯s side, quickly detached herself and ran to her older brother.


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    The crown princeforted his sister with familiar ease and smiled.


    It was a smile still full of affection.


    ¡°History is prone to change, as is the history of art. Your painting will resonate on its own, giving rise to many imitations.¡±


    ¡°Greetings to the Empire¡¯s small sun.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for such distant formalities.¡±


    Despite Rajaden¡¯s changed attitude, Violet remained as she had always been.


    Seeing her unchanging, rxed demeanor, he continued.


    ¡°Already there are imitations following the style of your paintings, even though your finished work has never been revealed. After the exhibition, it will only get worse. There will be fakes and forgeries everywhere.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you came?¡±


    ¡°I just want you to be prepared for the inevitable criticism. They will try to belittle you out of jealousy.¡±


    ¡°I shall take Your Highness¡¯s advice to heart.¡±


    Violet responded calmly.


    The stories of human ugliness driven by inferiority were nothing new to her, but it was different when it came to her paintings.


    ¡®Maybe I should stay away from the newspapers. Perhaps withdraw from art social gatherings too.¡¯


    Violet was lost in thought.


    ¡°Ducal Lady Violet.¡±


    Rajaden quickly closed the distance between them, calling her in a low, deliberate voice that was unusually soft. The maids covered their mouths and watched them.


    ¡®It seems the rumors are true.¡¯


    Signals passed between them.


    Startled by Rajaden¡¯s sudden approach, Violet managed to step back calmly.


    ¡°Do you have anymands?¡±


    ¡°You will be painting my portrait next.¡±


    Still keeping his voice a half-tone lower, Rajaden folded his eyes into a smile.


    His golden hair sparkled unusually brightly due to the light. It was clear he was determined to use his looks to the fullest.


    As he did so, even the hearts of bystanders ignited.


    Seeing Rajaden like this, Violet smiled.


    Truly, this man was most beautiful under such radiant light.


    ¡°That is true, yes.¡±


    Rajaden felt momentarily taken aback by her smile.


    ¡®Perhaps my appearance <i>does</i> have some effect?¡¯


    Just as a hopeful thought blossomed, Violet produced something. It was a sketchbook.


    ¡°Your Highness, you possess a visage akin to a hero from the legends. So, with that in mind, I¡¯ve sketched a draft for the portrait.¡±


    ¡°A sketch?¡±


    ¡°If traditional portraits capture the subject in a static space on canvas, this portrait will suit Your Highness in a manner fitting¡­¡±


    Rajaden looked incredulous as he nned his appeal.


    Nevertheless, Violet continued her detailed exnation faithfully.


    ¡°If you permit it, I will work on it like this.¡±


    Details poured out about how the background should be handled, how the light should be managed, and how colors should be used.


    As she spoke, Rajaden¡¯s expression increasingly twisted.


    ¡°Since you were most beautiful under the light, I wish to maximize that feeling in my work.¡±


    ¡°Is my presence really just this trivial?¡±


    Violet spoke, and Rajaden responded in a way that she couldn¡¯t understand.


    Violet looked at him, questioning the meaning behind his words. Rajaden let out a hollowugh.


    It was absurd. His presence was so intense, the images it conjured were powerful.


    The more heughed hollowly, the more poker-faced she became.


    His appeal had worked, albeit in a strange direction, and he didn¡¯t even seem to be aware of it.


    She only admired the subject¡¯s face, without any sign of affection.


    If only admiration for his face could trante to winning her heart¡­ but there was no sign of that.


    ¡°My mother hadmissioned this, but she has delegated this task to me. So you can paint it however you wish.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for permitting me to do so.¡±


    ¡°Will you paint me as beautifully as Celi?¡±


    ¡°I will try my best.¡±


    It was not easy.


    Violet¡¯s response was not straightforward, causing Rajaden to click his tongue inwardly.


    If it had been easy from the beginning, he would not have fallen for her.


    Having finished her exnation, Violet was about to leave, however Rajaden stopped her.


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 Chapter 232

    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk about something other than the portrait.¡±


    ¡°What would you like to discuss, Your Highness?¡±


    There really wasn¡¯t anything else for them to talk about.


    If it wasn¡¯t about the portrait, they had no other connection.


    He was a friend of Roen, but that was Roen¡¯s connection, not Violet¡¯s.


    But Violet held back on voicing these harsh thoughts. With her work finished here, she really just wanted to leave now.


    This was the princess¡¯s pce. She thought it would be better to at least change locations.


    Unaware of Violet¡¯s thoughts, Rajaden said,


    ¡°The National Foundation Festival ising up soon.¡±¡°I would have to decline.¡±


    Rajaden, not having even broached the main topic yet, looked incredulous at the swift rejection.


    Regardless, Violet prepared to leave.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even mentioned the main point yet.¡±


    ¡°If Your Highness is asking me to attend the Foundation Festival as your partner, I refuse.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It was a sharp rejection. Rajaden quickly spoke in desperation,


    ¡°Before that! Wouldn¡¯t you join me at the temple to pray for the festival to proceed smoothly? Just spare me one day.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Rajaden gave a desperate yet bitter smile.


    It was an attempt to exploit a vulnerability.


    Violet sighed. There was still plenty of time until the festival.


    So, the day to go to the temple for prayers was still quite far off in the future. Yet, epting felt ufortable.


    First of all, the idea of a man and woman going alone to pray at the temple was a problem in itself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Your Highness is doing this to me.¡±


    ¡°Do you really not know?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet spoke suspiciously, and the answer came quickly. Her gaze naturally drifted towards his golden eyes.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Never mind, I don¡¯t want to hear the answer now.¡±


    Before she could speak further, the crown prince cut her off.


    Violet¡¯s brows slightly furrowed.


    ¡°You¡¯re taking this too far.¡±


    ¡°Do you think this is just a joke?¡±


    ¡°There is no other conclusion to draw.¡±


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you say, then this is my karma.¡±


    Karma was indeed karma. If he had been more cautious with his actions or words, their rtionship might have gone smoother.


    The consequences of arrogance were cruel.


    Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed again. She still suspected that the crown prince was merely pretending to be sincere in his attempts to woo her.


    ¡°Rather, please speak your true intentions. It would be simpler than uttering cryptic words.¡±


    ¡°Then, as you always would, I will only hear words of refusal from Your Ladyship. No matter what I say, you n to refuse, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You already know this, yet you continue to persist?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If there wasn¡¯t a reason for me to do this, I wouldn¡¯t be clinging desperately like this.¡±


    ¡°Clinging?¡±


    ¡°Yes. One must confront and resolve past mistakes.¡±


    Rajaden¡¯s eyes softened.


    Talking about past mistakes, he still appeared arrogant.


    ¡°So, I hope that Your Ladyship will stop testing my sincerity.¡±


    <i>I¡¯m not foolish enough to confess to you here and now.</i> The words he couldn¡¯t voice were bitterly swallowed.


    Violet¡¯s eyes naturally looked down. If this was a ploy to pique her interest and make her nervous, he had seeded.


    She suppressed the considerable irritation surging within her.


    ¡°So, I would like to ask again. Will you apany me to the temple?¡±


    The crown prince knelt down. He did it so naturally, as if he were a knight presenting himself before hisdy.


    His gesture of asking for Violet¡¯s hand was so careful that anyone watching might misconstrue it as courtship.


    In reality, it <i>was</i> his sincere attempt at courting her, but Violet remained untouched by his sincerity.


    He kneeled, beseeching, and kissed the back of her hand.


    The ensuing gesture was truly like something out of a painting.


    Even though it was a situation straight out of a romance novel, Violet¡¯s expression did not change.


    Rajaden chuckled as if he had anticipated this.


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You have no reason to be so persistent with me. If you truly desire me, you could formally submit a proposal. No matter the power and influence a ducal household may have, we cannot ignore a proposal from the imperial family.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. Then you would ept the formal engagement for now, then look for an opportune moment to break it off or flee abroad. Others would have to deal with the aftermath.¡±


    ¡°¡­That is mere conjecture.¡±


    ¡°Yet, your face looks like I¡¯ve hit the nail on the head.¡±


    Still wearing a soft smile, Rajaden got up and dusted himself off. Violet slightly furrowed her brow as she watched him.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take that as your consent.¡±


    Though she never answered, Rajaden smiled mischievously and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear with a careful touch, contrary to his expression.


    Violet did not swat his hand away.


    ¡°You mean to say you won¡¯t allow my refusal.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. If I truly wish for it, what couldn¡¯t I do?¡±


    ¡°Then please look elsewhere. There are many who desire you and fit the type you seek.¡±


    ¡°Yes. If I look, there might be one such person like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°But what can I do? My heart has already been stolen.¡±


    Stolen, but it has yet to be taken.


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 Chapter 233

    Chapter 233


    Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Noticing this, Rajadenughed and kissed her forehead.


    It was too sudden. The touch on her forehead felt unfamiliar.


    Before she could respond to the situation, Rajaden had quickly moved away.


    ¡°Then, I look forward to our next meeting.¡±


    From start to finish, he had done as he pleased. Moreover, his parting words only added to the confusion.


    * * *


    The crown prince was being strange.


    And finally, Violet could now pinpoint why <i>exactly</i> the crown prince was being strange.


    ¡°But what can I do? My heart has already been stolen.¡±It was clear as day.


    Suddenly, all the contradictions made sense.


    Everything fell into ce rapidly. Why hadn¡¯t she thought of this before?


    She berated herself as she stared nkly into space.


    Why, indeed. It was because the other party was none other than Rajaden.


    As he had said, it was indeed his karma¡ªthe consequences of his words and actions. Everything he said and did up until now had led to this.


    Rajaden¡¯s non-confession confession did not impress Violet much.


    <i>He has feelings for me? I see.</i>


    It was neither more nor less significant than that.


    Perhaps because she had already discussed conclusions with Marchioness Leshan, her thoughts were neatly organized.


    She had denied it before, buttely, she had been thinking of fleeing abroad.


    With Aileen also making a fuss, perhaps it would be better to move to a quiet vige in a foreign country and spend the rest of her life painting.


    Language would be a challenge, but there wasn¡¯t much that money couldn¡¯t solve.


    Suddenly, there was no reason for Violet to be moved by Rajaden. She had her own non-negotiables, and he had hit too many of them already.


    <i>¡°Haa.¡±</i>


    All she needed to do was to ensure he wouldn¡¯t formally propose. With that thought, Violet decided to focus on other immediate matters.


    After the princess¡¯s portrait was finished, the empress announced it would be unveiled.


    The atmosphere was quite different from when the empress had confidentiallymissioned Violet for the princess¡¯s portrait.


    With a gentle smile yet a charismatic voice, the Empress said,


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be wise to just keep it hidden, would it?¡±


    With that, she was also saying that the princess¡¯s existence would no longer be hidden.


    Violet decided to understand her.


    After the princess¡¯s portrait work waspleted, the portrait work of the crown prince awaited.


    She wasn¡¯t inclined to ept themission work from the start. It really would have been better if she had just refused firmly when it was first mentioned.


    It was hard to concentrate on painting amidst all this awkwardness.


    Violet thought it simple and conveyed her feelings to Rajaden the day they met.


    ¡°Well, I got rejected without even confessing.¡±


    Rajadenughed. It looked like he wasn¡¯t impacted by it.


    He added,


    ¡°So this matter is null and void.¡±


    What Violet hadn¡¯t considered was that Rajaden was not as cool as she thought, and his one-track mind was intense.


    He had no intention of letting go of the one he had fallen for.


    Exhausted, Violet half-heartedly finished the painting.


    Had Rajaden even instigated a quarrel under the guise of a conversation, she might have responded. But Rajaden just kept smiling brightly at Violet throughout.


    It was a desperate attempt to use his looks, but it didn¡¯t work on Violet.


    As Violet familiarly cleaned up her painting tools, Rajaden asked seriously.


    ¡°Why do you dislike me so much?¡±


    ¡°I never said I disliked you.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t dislike me, does that mean you like me?¡±


    What a leap in logic. Violet sighed deeply.


    ¡°I have no personal feelings. I simply do not feel anything towards you.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t dislike me, right?¡±


    ¡°May I speak frankly?¡±


    ¡°No. Just filter it and tell me moderately.¡±


    ¡°Then I will hold my words.¡±


    An inconsequential conversation ensued.


    Despite Violet expressing her disapproval, Rajaden continued to smile, seemingly pleased.


    Having no personal feelings didn¡¯t mean dislike, and not disliking presumably meant liking. This line of logic would shock schrs into fainting.


    Violet consistently ignored him. She was the only one getting exhausted because he kept taking her rejection nonchntly.


    After starting the portrait work of the crown prince, Violet was harassed both inside and out.


    As rumors spread that she and the crown prince had been seen together, it became an epted fact that Violet S. Everett would be the crown princess.


    Among those concerned was Roen.


    ¡°Are you really okay?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to not be okay about?¡±


    ¡°Violet. That guy is more cunning than you think. Let¡¯s stop the portrait work now. I¡¯ll talk to Her Majesty the Empress.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really alright. Rather, I¡¯d appreciate it if you looked for a ce where I could seek asylum.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±Continue reading


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 Chapter 234

    Chapter 234


    A drastic solution popped out of Violet¡¯s mouth.


    Knowing the crown prince¡¯s character as a close friend, Roen was not inclined to believe the rumors that he had fallen for Lady Everett.


    But if such words came from Violet, there had to be more to the story.


    ¡°What if that guy forcibly touches you?¡±


    ¡°Surely, the Empire¡¯s Crown Prince wouldn¡¯t stoop so low.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡­¡±


    ¡°He made a confession, or rather, something like one. I thought it was a joke, but it didn¡¯t seem like one.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As Violet said this, Roen froze up.He felt as if he had been thrown into a vast universe.


    ¡°A confession? Rajaden? To you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What kind of confession? Perhaps he nted spies in Everett or confessed about state secrets¡­¡±


    ¡°He said he likes me. Though he didn¡¯t say it directly.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s pretending to like you to use you, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°I thought so too, but he seemed entirely sincere. So, I might as well consider seeking asylum abroad.¡±


    Roen¡¯s expression turned serious.


    Though he acts foolishly, Roen has a naturally cunning nature. He liked to control everything and ce it in his own hands.


    He wouldn¡¯t enjoy this situation going against his wishes.


    Knowing this, Violet sighed softly.


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you refrained from any strange behavior.¡±


    ¡°What kind of strange behavior?¡±


    ¡°Just take it easy. I¡¯ll look for a country to flee to on my own.¡±


    A deep sigh was heavy in her voice, and Roen, understanding its meaning, just smiled.


    Since the other side was the crown prince, doing nothing this time would just be helping him.


    Knowing Violet¡¯s worries, Roen pondered briefly while resting his chin in his hand.


    Ducal Lady Everett of House Everett had no intention of managing the rumors, so he had to take care of the circting rumors himself.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±


    Violet stood up to leave, and Roen did not try to stop her.


    He had been avoiding actions that would earn him further enmity, but his nature hadn¡¯t changed.


    A bitter smile yed on Roen¡¯s lips.


    He had all the information and movements of Aileen at his fingertips. If Violet wanted, or even if she didn¡¯t, he had plenty of opportunities to secretly deal with the matter.


    Yet, he had taken no action because was uneasy about it.


    Aileen was a cousin he had cared for in his own way, Mikhail was the older brother he somewhat respected, and Cairn was his foolish younger sibling who was endearing.


    And Violet was¡­


    ¡®How did ite to this?¡¯


    Nothing had gone his way from the start.


    But still, there must have been a time when they had been happy.


    When had that been?


    Roen covered his face with his palm and sighed softly.


    What could he do? He deserved this.


    Given how things had turned out, all he could do was curse his past self and try to atone and fix the present.


    * * *


    Violet had no interest in rumors, but Mary was different.


    She had keenly felt what stories were circting in the social circles over several days.


    Mary¡¯s storytelling skills had improved day by day.


    ¡°Recently, I heard that the daughter of Count Tolofia and the younger Lady Everett have be quite close. Lady Tolofia even gifted Lady Aileen various essories¡­¡±


    ¡°So it seems.¡±


    Despite Violet¡¯s indifferent response, Mary chattered excitedly.


    As she was getting her hair done, Violet thought,


    <i>It¡¯s surprising that such likely xenophobes have be friends.</i>


    Mary deliberately avoided discussing rumors about Violet.


    For instance, the malicious rumors that had spread because people assumed Violet had solidified her position as the crown princess.


    And that Aileen and Lady Tolofia had formed a temporary alliance to enact a scheme to break off Violet¡¯s supposed engagement with the crown prince.


    The idea that Violet had be a public enemy number one in the social circles, too.


    Etcetera, etcetera.


    Violet yawnednguidly. She wasn¡¯t even interested in the marriage market, let alone being high society¡¯s public enemy.


    Not a single engagement proposal even been exchanged between the households, so how could she and the crown prince have secretly gotten engaged?


    Mary was cautious with her words, but Violet could roughly guess the contents of the rumors.


    ¡®Aileen¡¯s aim is to keep me in check, and Lady Tolofia aims to be the crown princess herself. Their interests are aligned.¡¯


    And given Aileen¡¯s nature, she would likely approach the crown prince soon.


    Predicting the future, Violet faintly smiled.Continue reading


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 Chapter 235

    Chapter 235


    If that happens, it would indeed be an interesting spectacle.


    In truth, she was already done researching about how and where she could seek asylum, so there were no worries even if problems arose.


    Violetughed at the thought, carefree. Mary, unaware of what Violet was thinking,ughed along with her.


    ¡®She seems to be in a good mood today.¡¯


    However, her mood soon soured.


    She worried about what mischief Rajaden might be up to today, especially since an unexpected figure had made his entrance.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> please be at ease. Just befortable.¡±


    How should one greet a prince from another country?In terms of status, wasn¡¯t a duke of the empire and a king of a foreign nation somewhat of simr standing? Then, who holds the higher position here?


    Violet¡¯s mind raced, whether Vaughn knew this or not, he just kept smiling.


    ¡°I apologize for inviting an uninvited guest, Ducal Lady.¡±


    Rajaden did not hide his displeasure.


    Was the Liran prince nning to stay until a real war broke out? He seemed to be enjoying life in the imperial pce quite casually.


    His radius of activity might have been somewhat limited, yet he seemed happy enough.


    Rajaden, whose private time with Violet had been stolen, did not bother to hide his displeasure and crossed his arms, clearly annoyed.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡± Violet asked.


    Meaning, ¡®Why don¡¯t you just leave already?¡¯


    ¡°I heard that Your Ladyship would be painting today, so I thought I might observe¡ªif that¡¯s alright with you.¡±


    Vaughn answered with a smile.


    Meaning, ¡®I intend to stay put until I¡¯ve seen everything.¡¯


    ¡°I see.¡±


    If words could make him leave, he would have left the imperial pce long ago.


    Having finished assessing Vaughn¡¯s personality, Violet tidied up her easel.


    Rajaden was expecting Violet to say something more to drive away the unwee guest, but when the opposite happened, he could only watch the two people in front of him with dumbfounded eyes.


    ¡°You use quite unusual paints.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve especiallymissioned these from an alchemist. If you¡¯re interested, I could share some with you.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> what would I do with paint? But thanks for the thought.¡±


    They even exchanged an idle chat calmly.


    They seemed to get along quite well.


    Green with jealousy, Rajaden growled in a much lower voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re being disruptive. I would appreciate it if you would leave.¡±


    Sketching now, Violet did not hide her incredulous expression.


    Who was it that most disrupted her when she was painting the princess¡¯s portrait?


    ¡°Am I being disruptive, Your Ladyship?¡±


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t block my view directly, it should be fine.¡±


    ¡°So it is.¡±


    Vaughn asked innocently, and Violet responded.


    Rajaden¡¯s expression crumpled even more.


    Being alone with Rajaden was ufortable enough¡ªadding another unwee guest here made no difference.


    Violet rxed her mind and focused on her sketch.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that your paintings are as if made in a pact with a demon. They seem ordinary so far.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well¡­¡±


    Her attempt to empty her mind failed.


    Vaughn talked a lot.


    ¡®He¡¯s just like Roen.¡¯


    Rather than purely pursuing gains, he was driven by interest. Violet reassessed her opinion of Vaughn and tried to empty her mind again.


    Rajaden grumbled, but Vaughn smoothed it over withughter.


    It must not be forgotten that this was the man who had brought Aileen back to the empire.


    <i>Snap!</i>


    The moment Violet¡¯s thoughts reached this fact, the lead of her long pencil snapped.


    Startled, Rajaden called out.


    ¡°Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°I apologize. I applied too much pressure.¡±


    Violet calmly responded as she reced her pencil.


    Noticing the brief sh of anger on her face, Rajaden felt inexplicably intimidated.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong? Did I do something wrong?¡¯


    Regardless, Violet just continued sketching.


    ¡°Did I interrupt you?¡±


    ¡°Frankly, you¡¯re distracting me.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> thinking of meeting the beautiful ducaldy again made me so excited that I couldn¡¯t sleep, which led me to chatter. I will restrain myself from now on.¡±


    ¡°I would prefer it if you went elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already visited everywhere I can. Wow, I knew the imperial pce wasrge, but I didn¡¯t realize it was <i>this</i> vast.¡±


    ¡°I heard you brought someone with you. Why not go around with her?¡±


    ¡°That child seemed to have her own interests. It¡¯s not good to meddle in others¡¯ affairs, right? And isn¡¯t she your sister, Ducal Lady?¡±


    It was terribly annoying how he never conceded a single point.


    His feigned nonchnce was also infuriating.


    While watching Vaughn and Violet converse, Rajaden blurted out,


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re treating me as if I don¡¯t exist.¡±


    ¡°Why would you think that, Your Highness? Ah, please look up a little.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s response was mechanical.


    The foreign prince, having no intention of making the empire¡¯s crown prince see him in a favorable light,ughed out loud at Rajaden¡¯s dumbfounded expression.


    That refreshingughter somehow felt gratingly obnoxious.


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 Chapter 236

    For a while, they exchanged various bits of small talk.


    Given their high social standings, they should have been careful about their conversation topics, yet Vaughn treaded recklessly despite this situation being no different to a minefield.


    He innocently asked with his clear and bright voice,


    ¡°So, you two, when is your engagement ceremony going to be held?¡±


    And at that¡­


    <i>Snap!</i>


    Violet broke her pencil¡¯s lead a second time. Rajaden choked as if caught off guard, coughing for a long time.


    Violet rified that it was just a rumor, and only after Rajaden appeared crestfallen did the conversation topic change.


    ¡°What do you think about the existence of witches?¡±Rather than avoiding the vtile mines, it seemed as if the prince was actively and deliberately stepping on them one after another.


    Violet wondered if he knew her nickname was ¡®The Witch of Everett¡¯ and was mocking her in a roundabout manner.


    ¡°The term ¡®witch¡¯ is usually in reference to a woman who has made a pact with a devil. However, from what I know, actual cases of devil¡¯s pacts during the witch hunts were very few.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very formal answer. To add another perspective, most of those who were unjustly killed were actually considered to be loved by God. People took their lives out of envy for God¡¯s love.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not entirely uninterested in that viewpoint. It¡¯s usually considered a heretical theory, but most women called witches were said to have special powers. If those powers were divine blessings, that would be usible.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, please don¡¯t move.¡±


    Violet said, not wanting to delve deeper into the topic of witches.


    Feeling slighted that Violet didn¡¯t criticize the foreign prince and scolded him instead, Rajaden expressed his feelings of injustice through his expression.


    Violet captured that expression directly into her sketch.


    The sketching session ended albeit sluggishly.


    With continuous interruptions, it was distracting.


    Violet could multitask, but it was mentally exhausting.


    As the atmosphere seemed to disperse, Vaughn approached Violet and, with a suave smile, kissed the back of her hand.


    ¡°Today was a fruitful time. I hope we can have even more conversations next time. Perhaps with others too? <i>Haha.¡±</i>


    Seeing this, Rajaden straightened his clothes and walked over aggressively, his eyes zing.


    His grab at Vaughn¡¯s wrist was filled with urgency.


    ¡°Do not be rude.¡±


    ¡°Hm? But isn¡¯t kissing the back of ady¡¯s hand part of the empire¡¯s etiquette? Did I make some mistake?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Rajaden gritted his teeth but did not take any further action.


    Vaughn knew that the crown prince could not act rashly and was provoking him.


    Violet sighed in dismay at the behavior of the two men.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be going.¡±


    As she quickly dered her exit, Vaughn called out to Violet.


    He still wore that same inscrutable smile.


    ¡°Wait, I have something to tell both of you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you not forgotten what I just said? Those who crave divine love are often jealous of those who receive it.¡±


    His voice was so low it almost sounded like a whisper.


    Rajaden¡¯s expression darkened.


    Was there a need to speak so cryptically about being cautious because something strange was happening at the temple?


    Still showing his difort openly, Rajaden growled.


    ¡°Are you going to keep talking?¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> seeing both of you reminded me of another story. I¡¯ll tell it to you first, and then I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    Vaughnughed lightly, taking the crown prince¡¯s jealousy as nothing more than a child¡¯s tantrum.


    ¡°It ismonly known that the Sun God and the Moon Goddess are lovers. But do you know why day and night were separated?¡±


    Vaughn spoke smoothly, smiling. Another theological story.


    One not written in the scriptures.


    Violet, knowing where Vaughn was headed with his story, slightly furrowed her brow, and Rajaden scowled.


    The tale that the Sun God and the Moon Goddess were lovers is a legend.


    In that story, the love between the two deities ended in tragedy.


    Thus, day and night were forever separated, and while the moon was left with stars, the sun rises alone in its majesty.


    What was the purpose of him telling this story? Violet rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be leaving now, so please let go of my hand.¡±


    Rajaden was still holding onto Vaughn¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°How can I leave if you keep holding on to my hand? Unless, Your Highness, you have feelings for me¡­¡±


    He spoke boldly.


    A new kind of madman, this guy.


    Startled, Rajaden released his hand.


    Violet had already left the scene without even saying goodbye to the crown prince.


    He had said there was no need for farewells, so he had no grounds toin.


    And if he were to speak up about this, it would only drive a wedge thousands of miles deep between him and Violet.


    ¡°Anyway, you would do well to remember my words.¡±


    Having failed in all his ns for Violet to notice him more, Rajaden watched Violet¡¯s retreating figure in dismay.


    Beside him, Vaughn chuckled softly.


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 Chapter 237

    Chapter 237


    Time indifferently passes by, regardless of the chaos surrounding it.


    It was the same when Violet shuddered under the infamy of being called a viiness, and it remains so now.


    Indeed, it was absurd to say that the current Violet was living peacefully.


    Her much-detested half-sister was foolishly indulging in her stubbornness and wreaking havoc¡­


    ¡­And she was in a cold war with her own blood brother.


    Amidst this, she also received an unwee confession.


    If her life were to be depicted as a series of undtions, this period would certainly be the most tumultuous.


    Nevertheless, there was a sense of stability.


    There were many things to be concerned about, but not to the extent of beingpletely overwhelmed. Of course, this was entirely Violet¡¯s own perspective.


    With nothing from her surroundings affecting her, how could she be swayed?


    Many were worn out by her indifference.


    One of them was Aileen.


    Violet clicked her tongue as Mary ryed information about Aileen.


    ¡°Where on earth do you pick up such information?¡±


    <i>¡°Hehe,</i> I have my ways.¡±


    No matter how rife with rumors high society was, there had to be a limit.


    Yet Mary had managed to gather some incredible intel.


    ¡°Do you think His Imperial Highness will really fall for Ai¡­ um, Lady Aileen?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    What Mary had dredged up this time was the information that Aileen had approached Rajaden.


    Where Mary obtained such information was a mystery, but the fact that Aileen had already approached a foreign prince before lent this rumor some credibility.


    Knowing Aileen¡¯s character well, Violet thought indifferently,


    ¡®I wonder when she¡¯ll finallybust.¡¯


    If Violet had been as aggressive as before, Aileen¡¯s tactics might have been sessful.


    But that was no longer the case.


    Violet hoped that Aileen would self-destruct soon, allowing the debris to drift away on its own.


    Approaching the empire¡¯s crown prince of all people was a shallow move.


    Did she believe she could melt his heart with her charms and ensnare him?


    Violet thought that Aileen¡¯s attempts would have failed.


    Had this situation been a romance novel, one might consider the possibility that Rajaden would genuinely fall for Aileen.


    But the likelihood seemed remote.


    ¡°Really, the Second¡­ <i>Lady</i> is peculiar. Does she really need to behave like that?¡±


    Mary gritted her teeth each time she referred to Aileen.


    It was a clear deration of unwillingness to use honorifics, yet if she really omitted them, it would be seen as a challenge to the social order.


    So, she forced herself to use them, which was obvious.


    Violet patted Mary on the head.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I understand why she behaves that way, but it¡¯s amusing nheless.¡±


    Aileen was a greedy child.


    She wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until she had everything Violet possessed.


    Whether it was people, talents, or knowledge.


    And now, rumors about Violet and the imperial crown prince had upset her.


    It was either foolish or brave to approach the sole heir to the empire so recklessly.


    To Violet, it seemed more foolish, but she couldn¡¯t be certain.


    Still, the situation had be entertaining.


    What was the reason for Lady Tolofia and Aileen bing friends in the first ce?


    Their goals did not precisely align.


    Now that Aileen had begun approaching Rajaden, she had turned those she had barely made allies into enemies.


    Could the crown prince truly fall for her?


    Considering his famously charming appearance and his protective instincts, it was possible.


    Violet furrowed her brow slightly at the thought.


    If he did fall for her, Violet could simply flee and go into hiding.


    If Aileen continued to pursue her, and Rajaden, utterly smitten, decided to dere war¡­


    Then a rebellion would surely erupt within the empire.


    The path to the nation¡¯s ruin was clearly visible.


    Violet chuckled at these absurd thoughts, but then she suddenly became serious.


    As Mary chatted about various other topics, including Aileen¡¯s activities, she suddenly saw Violet¡¯s serious expression and hupped.


    ¡°Ah, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Continue. Was it Anne at the fruit store?¡±


    Mary¡¯s eyes quivered. It seemed Violet had heard everything, and so she was wondering whether it was okay to continue the conversation.


    Violet stroked Mary¡¯s head.


    She had suddenly be serious for a reason¡ªshe had imagined something.


    It didn¡¯t matter to her that Aileen was approaching the crown prince or even if she managed to turn the people of Everett against her again and cast her as the viin.


    She could just leave if it came to that.


    But, what if.


    ¡­What if Aileen approached Aldin as well?


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 Chapter 238

    Chapter 238


    That, Violet somehow disliked. The reasons were not hard to find.


    A sense of kinship, or bond.


    Perhaps trust, reliance.


    Aldin liked Violet for who she was. He didn¡¯t care about the status she held.


    He understood her regardless of her circumstances and asked for nothing in return.


    Rather than being entangled in some mutual interest, he was simply a friend with whom she could share a conversation.


    Despite theplex circumstances¡­ Yes, it was just that.


    Aldin did not intend to befriend Violet with any ulterior motives.


    What if even such a person was taken from her, and she was betrayed? Her calm eyes roiled coldly. Just the thought was displeasing, let alone if it actually happened.


    Violet wasn¡¯t certain that Aldin would start harboring feelings for her, but she believed Aileen would approach him too.


    Violet¡¯s lips twitched unevenly. Was she merely waiting for Aileen to self-destruct?


    Watching Violet, Mary expressed her confusion.


    ¡°Mdy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m a bit tired today, could you prepare for me to go to bed early?¡±


    ¡°Oops, I was keeping you for too long. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll have everything ready in a jiffy!¡±


    Mary dashed off with a lively stride.


    Watching her leave, Violet cast her gaze downward. Neither Mary nor Aldin would do that. How strange, this possessiveness she was feeling.


    Could this be how it felt not wanting to lose a new friend?


    She tried to figure out what her emotions were but gave up. Her head throbbed.


    It didn¡¯t matter. That¡¯s what she thought when suddenly an epiphany struck.


    Although she considered him a friend, she hadn¡¯t seen Aldin recently. There was still time until the date they had promised to go to the theater. It was rare for him to not contact her first, considering his nature.


    Originally, he was Cairn¡¯s friend, and their meeting had happened through Cairn.


    So, in this situation where Cairn and Violet were in a cold war, meeting was indeed awkward.


    Could there really be no contact like this?


    ¡°Could it be¡­¡±


    Holding on to an unpleasant assumption, Violetid down.


    It felt like she was in the eye of a storm masquerading as peace.


    * * *


    Violet¡¯s social circle had grown more than before. Although it was just one new friend, even this was significant progress.


    She had casually watched Alesia¡¯s hellish training at the Leshan manor, where she had gone under the pretext of hanging out. The beads of sweat dripping down showed her effort.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for just leaving you here¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I was the one who came to see you.¡±


    After finishing her training session, Alesia wiped the sweat off with a towel and apologized to Violet.


    Violet, skilled at sketching in the training yard, was unfazed. Considering her own sweaty smell, Alesia grimaced and quickly went to shower and change her clothes.


    The time it took was unbelievably short for a nobledy¡¯s dressing time.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to hurry¡­¡±


    ¡°I usually take about this long.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Did she wash properly? Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    A scent of soap wafted from Alesia. Well, she must have washed properly.


    Quickly shaking off her worries, Violet drank her tea and looked at the sky outside.


    Seeing Violet like this, Alesia quickly finished her own drink with a puzzled look on her face.


    ¡°What brings you here today?¡±


    ¡°Just hanging out.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I came to hang out with a friend. Was I not supposed toe?¡±


    It¡¯s rude toe uninvited. Of course, Violet had exchanged letters with the marchioness and had been formally invited, but for Alesia, it was still bewildering.


    Just as she was about to point this out, Violet mentioned the word ¡®friend¡¯, and like magic, it melted Alesia.


    <i>¡°Ahem, ahem.</i> Well. Friends can meet up suddenly, I suppose. <i>Ahem, ahem.¡± </i>


    She seemed unusually happy. It was clear she had lived a friendless life.


    From Alesia¡¯s point of view, it wasn¡¯t that she hadn¡¯t made friends, but rather that she hadn¡¯t chosen to. Violet¡¯s sympathy was therefore meaningless.


    They exchanged various pleasantries. Their greetings about how they had been were met with responses of getting by.


    Alesia¡¯s answer was unremarkable, but her appearance was not.


    She seemed satisfied with her life, noticeably more muscr than thest time they met.


    The topic then shifted back to Violet. Alesia suddenly dropped a bombshell.


    ¡°I heard that you are engaged to His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    <i>¡°Pffft¨D! Cough, cough!¡± </i>


    Violet choked on her drink, coughing violently at the shocking statement.


    rmed, Alesia handed her a handkerchief. After some time, Violet recovered, her eyes glinting dangerously.


    ¡°Where did you hear such a thing?¡±


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 Chapter 239

    Chapter 239


    ¡°Huh? Um, I just overheard it. Did I get it wrong?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯spletely off the mark. It¡¯s all just baseless rumors. Baseless rumors, I say.¡±


    ¡°Baseless rumors¡­ I see.¡±


    She agreed surprisingly quickly. At this rate, everyone she meets might ask about her engagement to the crown prince. Violet frowned.


    At least Alesia was a decent person. If she had been more persistent, she might have pried even more into Violet¡¯s personal business by now.


    Violet covered her face with her hand as she watched Alesia back away gracefully.


    ¡°Where did you hear such a thing?¡±


    ¡°My mother told me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Alesia¡¯s clueless response seemed all too serene. It seemed like the rift between mother and daughter had healed, and they were conversing more frequently.


    A person of Marchioness Leshan¡¯s stature wouldn¡¯t believe rumors so easily, so Violet immediately knew that this was just her teasing Violet.


    Her fingertips twitched slightly.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°¡­Should I go and tell her it¡¯s just a baseless rumor?¡±


    ¡°No, the Marchioness already knows whether it¡¯s true or not. This is just¡­¡±


    ¡°Just?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet mmed up. Anxious, Alesia pressed her, but no answer followed.


    What could it be that made her react this way?


    Violet had no intention of telling Alesia that her mother was quite yful.


    ¡°Alesia, you seem to be enjoying yourself these days. Tell me about that instead.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not much to tell¡­¡±


    Violet smoothly changed the subject. The clueless Alesia was quick to follow.


    ¡°Lately, I¡¯ve been receiving an unusual amount of invitations. It¡¯s awkward to decline each one. How do you handle it?¡±


    ¡°Well, I just do it. Casually, I guess?¡±


    Violet, who neither refused nor even responded but simply ignored them firmly,ughed casually. Watching her, Alesia smiled ambiguously and then suddenly grimaced, sighing.


    ¡°No matter how I think about it, high society just doesn¡¯t suit me¡­¡±


    It was obvious. It seemed the marchioness couldn¡¯t let go of her ambitions and was pushing her daughter into something.


    Violet smiled and took the posture of a proper listener.


    It was clear from her posture that she could listen to anything well.


    Seeing Violet like this, Alesia hesitated for a moment before sighing again and said,


    ¡°The thing is, actually¡­¡±


    Violet chuckled at Alesia¡¯s continuation. Even while talking, she seemed ufortable, as if wondering if she was gossiping about others.


    ¡°I may be clueless, but it was strange.¡±


    To summarize her words:


    Being more cool and attractive than everpared to most young noblemen, Alesia had recently gained admirers, and thesedies had sent her invitations.


    Alesia found it annoying and wanted to reject them all, but due to her mother¡¯s insistence, she ended up attending a fairlyrge gathering where even Aileen Everett was present.


    Aileen seemed like the star of the gathering.


    It was evident that manydies were nervously trying to cater only to Aileen¡¯s whims, and those who disliked this grumbled¡­ to which Aileen would immediately adopt a hurt gesture, and then ady next to her would defend her.


    Then Aileen would say, ¡®It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sure they have their reasons, right?¡¯


    It was all too familiar¡ªit¡¯s the same old behavior wherever she went.


    It was tiresome.


    But the problem was what came next. Aileen always managed to turn the topic to Violet.


    ¡°How can I reconcile with my sister? I like her, but she¡¯s always too much.¡±


    Starting cunningly with mentioning Violet, the conversation soon turned to sharing gossip about her among those present.


    When that happens, the very person who started the conversation disappears, and only those around start badmouthing Violet.


    It¡¯s as if watching some kind of cult in action.


    People unite when they have amon enemy.


    Aileen seemed to understand this psychology very well, pulling the strings effectively.


    ¡°I believe all the rumors about Sister are false. Since she hasn¡¯t spoken out directly¡­ I wish she would exin, but she doesn¡¯t respond at all. <i>Hiic¡­¡±</i>


    In essence, she was saying this:


    <i>The news of Sister¡¯s engagement with the Crown Prince ispletely false, so do not be rmed, everyone. </i>


    <i>But still, no matter how many invitations I sent to Sister, she just kept ignoring me. It¡¯s so, so bad.</i>


    It was bold of Aileen to insinuate as such, considering that there were rumors about her approaching the crown prince too.


    Alesia recalled that Aileen seemed quite outstanding even in a society rife with cunning rhetoric.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t heard your side, I might have sympathized with her too. Her way of speaking is quite peculiar.¡±


    ¡°You held back quite well.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never held back, though?¡±


    Violet smiled faintly in response, prompting Alesia to look at her with questions in her eyes.


    Looking at what that meant, Alesia boldly said,


    ¡°If she truly loves and cares about her family, she shouldn¡¯t talk behind her family¡¯s back like this. Speaking about everything like that in a gathering full of so many people as if seeking their sympathy feels insincere. And I also believe it¡¯s foolish to believe things that you¡¯re personally not certain of. I was really about to explode in anger, so I¡¯ll just left.¡±


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 Chapter 240

    Chapter 240


    Violet¡¯s eyes fluttered in astonishment.


    This is what happens when a clueless person acts so boldly.


    Moreover, Alesia remembered exactly what Violet said that day, word for word.


    As Alesia¡¯s eyes seemed to seek validation, Violet inadvertently stroked the other girl¡¯s head.


    ¡°Ducal Lady Violet?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry. It¡¯s a habit.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Violet, startled, quickly withdrew her hand as Alesia¡¯s ears turned red.


    ¡°Uh, um. You did well¡­ But try a different approach next time.¡±¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If you keep talking like that, you¡¯ll be the next target.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Such gossip isn¡¯t new, and I can¡¯t ignore the situation in front of me just because I¡¯m afraid of what they¡¯ll say about me. Ah, but I always think about whether my actions and words are right.¡±


    Alesia added hastily.


    Violet burst outughing at that.


    She had been concerned all along. Truly a righteous person.


    There should indeed be such people in the world.


    With theforting thought that she had made a good friend, Violetughed again.


    Alesia hastily averted her gaze at Violet¡¯s genuinely heartfelt smile.


    Of course, Violet would not have stayed silent in such a situation either.


    She would have boldly yed the viiness, pouring tea on the instigator¡¯s face and asking, <i>¡®Is this fun?¡¯ </i>


    All the while crushing their self-esteem and sanity with <i>just</i> her words.


    Underestimating herself, Violet was internally pping and pleased that her newly made friend was so righteous.


    However, she still advised Alesia not to step forward recklessly, but Alesia¡¯s will was strong.


    Since then, she¡¯s been outright rejecting most invitations, but she said she would speak up without hesitation if such a situation arose again.


    Violet thought she would check Alesia¡¯s reputation once she returned.


    She didn¡¯t care about her own bad reputation, but she disliked hearing her friend spoken ill of.


    They went on to have a more pleasant chat while enjoying some tasty treats, and Violet also encouraged Alesia to model for a sketch.


    Then, Alesia suddenly brought up a topic.


    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor going around that Margrave ise hase to the capital. Do you know anything about it?¡±


    ¡°What? Margrave ise?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. If you are not aware, it must be just a rumor¡­¡±


    The news from her maternal home, known as the guardians of the borders, instantly hardened Violet¡¯s expression.


    If even the socially oblivious and secluded Alesia knew about it, it meant the news was quite widespread.


    But why was this the first time she was hearing of it? Violet became visibly upset.


    Unaware of Violet¡¯s feelings, Alesia cheerfully offered her snacks.


    * * *


    The first thing Violet did when she got home after ending her peaceful day was to confront Roen.


    ¡°Tell me. Now.¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡±


    ¡°Everything you¡¯re hiding.¡±


    ¡°Um, Violet?¡±


    Roen, mentally exhausted from dealing with many concerns, froze upon as his younger sister¡ªemanating a dark aura¡ªstarted confronting him at home.


    Being asked to reveal everything he was hiding was too much¡­ He didn¡¯t even know <i>where</i> to begin.


    It took a while before he realized what Violet was talking about. Almost spilling trivial gossip, Roen sighed softly and exined the situation.


    ¡°I only found out today too. It¡¯s true that Margrave ise is staying in the capital, but this is confidential information.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Who benefits if the Margrave is away from his post?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Any unguarded border was ripe for an attack. It made sense to keep it confidential.


    Nheless, something didn¡¯t sit right with Violet, and her brow furrowed.


    Roen smiled tiredly, trying to hide his fatigue.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re not hiding anything else, are you?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh. <i>Haha</i>, there wouldn¡¯t be anything like that.¡±


    Roen¡¯s response was too natural, almost unnaturally so. Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Margrave ise will be returning soon. Before that, it seems he¡¯ll only call us¡­ You, me, and Cairn.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°It seems the cousins will stay in the capital for a while once the Margrave returns and makes the announcement¡­ Violet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°You look tired?¡±


    ¡°The same goes for you.¡±


    ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±


    ¡°¡­You think we¡¯re friends?¡±


    ¡°Violet?¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    It was often said, ¡®When you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas,¡¯ and Roen had a knack for resembling Rajaden in peculiar ways.


    For example, trying to elicit sympathy by ying the victim.


    Roen, younger but more adept at hiding his expressions than most, now wore a dejected look.


    Knowing even that expression was an act, Violet clicked her tongue. She warned him in a low voice.


    ¡°I only hope you¡¯re not hiding anything I need to know about.¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course.¡±


    After a brief pause in response to Violet¡¯s question, Roen gave her a refreshing smile. <i>Go up and rest if you¡¯re tired.</i> Violet did not decline.


    ¡®Hiding something¡¯ and ¡®hiding something you <i>need</i> to know¡¯ were two different matters.


    Well aware of Aileen¡¯s behavior, Roen sighed as he roughly swept a hand over his face.


    Did it really have toe to this?


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 Chapter 241

    Chapter 241


    Whether he liked it or not, Roen met with Aileen periodically.


    Well, he says it¡¯s ¡®periodically¡¯, but in truth, it was actually quite infrequent.


    Given the family name they carried, a minimal amount of attention was deemed necessary¡ªan excuse to meet his younger cousin whose real face was more unfamiliar than expected.


    ¡°So you harshly cast me aside, and now you find yourself missing me? That¡¯s why you flip your attitude like the flip of a hand.¡±


    The child who always smiled was more irritable than expected.


    <i>¡°Hiic, hii.</i> It¡¯s too much. I, I said I disliked that¡­ I always think of our family, of you, Brother¡­¡±


    She suddenly burst into tears.


    ¡°Still, even after everythiiing, I¡¯m still fond of Brother.¡±


    She approached with a soft smile. It was somewhat amusing to watch.


    It was clear how she was gauging how she might unsettle Roen the most.


    If he hadn¡¯t been monitoring and had already been aware of her movements, he might have really believed her repentance and mistakenly let it slide.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly disgusting or irritating.


    Though thoroughly familial, Roen¡¯s affection didn¡¯t extend a shred of sympathy to ¡®outsiders¡¯, and for him, Aileen was an ambiguous figure straddling between family and stranger.


    When she behaved kindly and gently, he found it endearing, but such light fondness was far from true familial love.


    Aileen must have known this too. Overwhelmed by inferiority, she fiercely tried to bring down Violet.


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything you might need, just tell me.¡±


    A cornered mouse will bite the cat. To keep her manageable, it wasn¡¯t wise to push her too far.


    No matter how Aileen behaved, it was for Violet to decide, and Roen should not have been deeply involved.


    He had to act within his role, ensuring no issues arose without overstepping his bounds.


    That was his n.


    But then.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I am Aileen Everett!¡±


    He hadn¡¯t expected her to approach the crown prince so foolishly.


    Though not cornered by anyone, Aileen was quite headstrong.


    In Roen¡¯s view, Aileen was in a prosperous state.


    You¡¯d think that she was acting this way because she had much to lose, prompting her to protect herself at all costs. Roen could notprehend why his cousin was now acting as if she¡¯d been cornered.


    Through Prince Vaughn of Liran, Aileen was introduced to Rajaden, who she approached with a clear and gentle smile.


    Even with Roen beside her, and even though it was not a time for such a meeting, her brashness was quite remarkable.


    Due to her actions, Roen would now end up taking the me. He sighed and addressed Rajaden.


    ¡°I apologize, Your Highness. I have always taught her manners¡­¡±


    ¡°Let it be. I have no intention of criticizing her for a mere greeting.¡±


    Was it a problem that she was overly indulged during her upbringing?


    Although the Everett siblings were all taught the same manners and etiquette, Aileen always acted cluelessly.


    Not considering the possibility that this was ¡®deliberate¡¯, Roen swallowed a sigh.


    Looking around and gauging the atmosphere, Aileen cautiously asked.


    Or rather, pretended to seek an answer.


    ¡°Um, did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Yes indeed, you made a mistake with your greeting. Maybe a noble from a different ss or culture wouldn¡¯t know the etiquette, however¡­¡±


    Rajaden, not one to easily let things slide, fixed Aileen with an arrogant smirk.


    ¡°For a noble of our country to make such a greeting, one could only surmise that this is <i>intentional</i>. I¡¯ll let it go this time, but do practice caution next time.¡±


    Since no one besides Violet had openly rebuked Aileen, her face flushed red with embarrassment.


    Why the crown prince, of all people¡­


    Well, it was only as ofte that Rajaden had been acting out of character due to his fall into love. But originally, he was a man harboring a thousand snakes within him after all.


    ¡°I apologize¡­ I just really wanted to greet you¡­¡±


    Aileen slightly bowed her head and covered her mouth as she pretended to wipe away tears, a sight that would make most men uneasy.


    ¡°Then, next time make a formal request for an audience and present yourself properly. I am a busy man.¡±


    Though he would never agree to meet her, Rajaden casually said this. Aileen¡¯s eyshes fluttered nervously.


    ¡°Is it not possible to meet outside of an official audience¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It seems sending her to study abroad in Liran turned her head into a flower garden.


    There was now a real danger for people to presume that the Everett Duchy¡¯s home education was a mess. Taken aback, Roen tried desperately to calm his twitching left eye.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to start pointing out the issues. And Miss, strictly speaking, we are not meeting for the first time.¡±


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 Chapter 242

    Chapter 242


    ¡°Not the first time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite saddening that you do not remember¡­ That means our meeting was insignificant to you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Rajaden feigned sadness. It was obvious it was just an act. Their meeting was nothing more than a brief encounter at arge banquet.


    ¡°Then, what brings you here?¡±


    ¡°P-Pardon?¡±


    ¡°There must be a reason you wanted to see me.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I just really wanted to meet you. I wondered what kind of person Sister loves¡­¡±


    <i>It¡¯s because she never tells me anything,</i> she added, looking utterly forlorn. Seeing this, Roen almost shouted. However, he had to step back because Rajaden intervened.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Still problematic, but not quite right to point out. How should he respond?


    An order to dismiss Roen was given.


    ¡°Roen, you may leave.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    ¡°Clearly, she wants to be alone with me.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    A certain smile crossed Rajaden¡¯s lips, which Roen recognized and resignedly stepped back.


    ¡°This child is still my sister. Surely, no problems will arise.¡±


    ¡°Of course. What do you think of me?¡±


    With Roen¡¯s dismissal, joy spread across Aileen¡¯s face.


    At first nce, it was an utterly charming smile.


    Unaware of the crown prince¡¯s perception, Aileen probably thought that he was viewing her positively.


    This was, of course, her own favorable interpretation.


    Watching that smile bloom upon her face, Roen vacated his spot. What followed, Roen only heard from Rajaden. Nothing special was said.


    The conversation started with <i>¡®Sister is amazing. That must be why you admire her too?¡¯</i> and went on to small talk, but Rajaden shared that her rhetoric was all aboutparing herself to Violet.


    At first listen, the humble words might seem to reflect low self-esteem, but Rajaden mentioned that getting too involved in offeringfort might lead to an endless cycle.


    ¡°She asked that I help her reconcile with Lady Violet. She pleaded with me as such. It was quite an amusing spectacle.¡±


    A twisted smile yed on Rajaden¡¯s lips as he spoke.


    Any slight change in expression or gesture was all intentionally designed to elicit a reaction from the other party.


    Rajaden willingly yed along.


    ¡°¡­Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Youck faith in me. You shouldn¡¯t worry. ¡­Or, <i>should</i> you?¡±


    A sardonic expressionnding upon his features, Rajaden covered this by wiping a hand over his face.


    The crown prince¡¯s uncharacteristic behavior led Roen to question his words.


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m worried about?¡±


    ¡°Your younger sister. More specifically, Ducal Lady Violet.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Listen, Roen. ¡­What was Lady Violet like back in Everett?¡±


    ¡°Why would you like to know?¡±


    ¡°You ask even though you know why. You¡¯re just like your younger sister, hm? ¡­Well, that¡¯s just a thought that urred to me. When I received reports, or no, up until a few days ago, I hadn¡¯t thought much about it.¡±


    Rajaden, stroking his chin with his hand, spoke in a sinister tone.


    ¡°What a truly bothersome emotion.¡±


    It was almost a murmur to himself.


    It would be better to sink into a clinging swamp than to be submerged in such feelings.


    He revisited stories he had heard long ago.


    Violet S. Everett had once been unfairlypared to her younger sister while wearing the undeservedbel of a viiness.


    Yet.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°¡­Never mind. Go back. I hope you won¡¯t inform Lady Violet about today¡¯s incident.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I never intended to in the first ce.¡±


    Roen¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked at Rajaden, whose expression remained purely gentle.


    Rajaden could tell just from the short conversation he had exchanged with Aileen today.


    Words that seem to demean oneself but ultimately deny and hope to belittle the other.


    He had read about it only through documents until now, but today, Rajaden felt firsthand what his unrequited love had suffered.


    Despite it being an inexperienced realm and apart from understanding it, he was furious.


    His insides twisted and he struggled to breathe properly.


    Realizing that the expressions from literature were not merely idiomatic, all Rajaden could do was smile and observe Aileen.


    The affection he harbored was indeed a bothersome emotion. The joy that surged upon seeing his beloved was as intense as it was brief.


    He was confident in obtaining what he wanted, but he despised being unable to control himself.


    No matter how furious he was inside, he had to appear calm on the outside.


    Meanwhile, Roen, knowing such aspects of Rajaden¡¯s personality, could not trust him.


    .


    .


    .


    Amidst this calm before the storm, the guardian of the borders had taken a step into the capital.<hr>


    <em><small>t/n: i forgot to schedule the chaptersst week, sorry about that >.> </small></em>


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 Chapter 243

    Chapter 243


    Violet sighed upon hearing Roen¡¯s somewhat abridged exnation.


    Margrave ise. Some uncouth nobles dismiss him as merely a lord of the hintends, but it was a position that should not be overlooked.


    Located on the border and responsible for warding off enemy invasions, the margraviate held substantial autonomy and military power that could not be ignored.


    A true guardian of the borders. The atmosphere was elevated with the margrave¡¯s visit to the capital.


    He entered the imperial city with his immediate family. The imperial family openly weed their visit.


    Meanwhile, among the nobility, there was a prevalent attitude of disregard. The guardian who should be most respected quickly became mere gossip fodder.


    Just a noble from the countryside. What power could a lord governing barrennds possibly hold?


    A noble without influence in central politics¡ªwhat could be remarkable about him? The atmosphere of belittling the margrave¡¯s stature spread not only through social circles but also throughout the political arena.


    In the midst of this, Violet received an invitation. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡±


    Thete Duchess Everett had been Margrave ise¡¯s daughter. The grandfather had sent a request wanting to see his grandchildren¡ªhow could that be ignored?


    It was an invitation from the maternal side of the family, with whom Violet had no contact except for some forgotten childhood memories, but she epted it.


    Three people were invited. Mikhail was out of the question, so only Roen, Violet, and Cairn were invited to the ise family¡¯s townhouse.


    Aileen, though she bore the Everett name, was excluded from the invitation.


    Not being of the ise bloodline was the reason given for her exclusion, but being called merely ¡®Lady Aileen¡¯ instead of properly being treated as a ducaldy stirred strange feelings within Violet.


    It was a thoroughly external treatment. And that treatment was also what Violet had once experienced within the Everett household.


    Regardless, the telegram was quite sudden. And it was also disconcerting.


    Violet was not close to her siblings.


    To put it simply as ¡®not close¡¯ was an understatement. They were not the type to casually go out together under the guise of family.


    Even if she ended up going with Roen, going with Cairn was a bit much.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    An indescribable uneasy feeling swept over Violet. She became lost in thought, not even sure what was bothering her.


    Before visiting the ise family¡¯s townhouse, work on the crown prince¡¯s portrait proceeded as usual.


    With one less nuisance, it was quite peaceful. Surprisingly, Rajaden was very well-behaved too.


    It was unfamiliar for him to be quiet when he was usually noisy. Precisely, it was Rajaden that was unfamiliar. He was being weirdly subdued.


    After finishing the greeting and meticulously adjusting her sketch, Violet nced at Rajaden.


    He was absorbed in his own thoughts, like a statue lost in thought.


    <i>Scratch, scratch.</i>


    The sound of the pencil crossing the canvas softly echoed.


    After focusing on her painting for a long time in silence, Violet suddenly looked up to find Rajaden watching her.


    There was no sound, but his gaze was incredibly intense.


    Violet spoke nonchntly.


    ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to say?¡±


    ¡°Only now do you speak to me first.¡±


    ¡°I believe I greeted you earlier, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    A bitter smile circled Rajaden¡¯s face.


    What was he thinking to make such an expression? Violet slightly furrowed her brow.


    ¡°I heard you met Aileen.¡±


    She had merely asked quietly. It was a casual inquiry in her usual tone, yet what returned was silence.


    Puzzled by this, Violet looked up at Rajaden, from whom a menacing aura was emanating.


    Their eyes met, and he spoke in a low, resonant voice.


    ¡°¡­Who did you hear that from?¡±


    ¡°I just heard it in passing. Seeing your reaction, it seems to be true.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing her mention of the rumor, Rajaden considered other possibilities.


    If Roen had deliberately informed her¡­ Thirty-eight ways to torment Roen surged in his mind.


    A crooked smile appeared on Rajaden¡¯s face. Violet quietly observed him, measuring something.


    ¡°Do you have an intention?¡±


    ¡°Intention?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have met that child without a reason.¡±


    ¡°¡®That child¡¯?¡±


    His voice was noticeably displeased.


    ¡°You speak quite affectionately of her. I was under the impression you weren¡¯t close.¡±


    Rajaden asked this then turned his gaze away as if he didn¡¯t expect an answer.


    Violet¡¯s face was etched with confusion at his absurd question.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you jealous?¡±


    ¡°¡­Jealous?¡±


    ¡°If you were jealous, I could dly look only at you, Violet.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    An outrageous statement was made. Violet sighed softly.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¨DI¡¯m listening. Continue speaking.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what rumors are currently circting about you?¡±


    Violet¡¯s words, nothing like what Rajaden wanted to hear, made his eyebrows rise.


    Before he could ask, she continued.


    ¡°Well, I hope you will be a wise and just emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


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 Chapter 244

    Chapter 244


    Violet¡¯s statement was concise. These words were deliberately phrased to provoke.


    She was hoping that he would not be a tyrant like the rumors suggested. Her intent was straightforward yet irrelevant.


    Watching Violet stop speaking mid-sentence, Rajaden wore a visibly displeased expression. She didn¡¯t care.


    Telling the truth was out of the question.


    From everyone¡¯s perspective, the imperial family had marked Ducal Lady Violet S. Everett as the next crown princess. But the crown prince is said to be meeting the second Ducal Lady of Everett.


    So, in the eyes of others, he was weighing between the two sisters.


    Unless the imperial family intended to be at odds with House Everett, such behavior was unlikely. Yet, the rumors spread quickly.


    People chattered daily about others¡¯ gossip and love triangles for amusement alone.


    The content, being lowbrow, circted only among certain people. Even Mary was hesitant to speak of it without being pressed.


    If the crown prince was indeed meeting Aileen, there must be another motive.


    Violet knew the fact, but the very act of being discussed alongside Aileen in public was displeasing.


    No matter the motive, if the rumor was intentional, it could only be more displeasing.


    Using rumors in such a low manner was not the behavior of a wise and just emperor.


    Unaware of Violet¡¯s thoughts, Rajaden stroked his chin. Some timeter, the words he uttered were not an exnation prompted by her request to ¡®be a wise ruler¡¯.


    ¡°Tell me about yourself.¡±


    His response was equally irrelevant.


    ¡°About me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    The change in topic was jarring. It was baffling how his line of thought had reached this point. Astonished, Violet was speechless, while Rajaden, closing his eyesnguidly, continued speaking.


    ¡°Just, anything is fine¡­. Talk about themoner child you¡¯ve been looking after, or¡­ I¡¯d even like to hear some old stories. How you¡¯ve been and such.¡±


    Violet was reflexively about to refuse, but she closed her mouth.


    The sunlight poured down, scattering light over the two of them.


    The light made his blond hair sparkle like jewels. With his eyes closed, Rajaden looked particrly tired.


    Though it was a tant change of subject, Violet decided to respond.


    Though countlessplex thoughts flitted through her mind, she chose to speak of anything.


    The ensuing topics she could included tales not befitting a highborn ducaldy, the kind you might hear in a marketce.


    They were not the usual rumors or informationmon in high society, just really trivial everyday chitchat.


    Of course, Violet wasn¡¯t particrly adept at maintaining such light topics, so the conversation ended quickly.


    Even though Rajaden didn¡¯t get the story he wanted or wished to know, his eyes gleamed with apparent enjoyment.


    The day¡¯s portrait session ended without significant progress.


    * * *


    As nned, the three Everett siblings were to leave for ise¡¯s invitation in the early evening.


    Amidst this, there was one unusual detail.


    ¡®Aldin Aesir¡¯ had been invited.


    Since he was neither a blood rtive nor rted to the ise family, Violet found this puzzling and asked Roen, who replied,


    ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re curious because he graduated as valedictorian, surpassing Cairn. The current Margrave ise is also a powerful figure in our empire, so¡­¡±


    Though she was a rtive, Violet had almost no information about House ise, knowing only what wasmonly known.


    As they were about to depart together¡­


    ¡°Sorry, I have urgent matters to attend to, so I need to bow out. I¡¯ve sent the gifts ahead, so go and enjoy yourself without worry.¡±


    Roen dered his absence, leaving Violet bbergasted and speechless, yet Roen faced her with a consistently mild and gentle smile.


    The thought of going alone with Cairn, with whom she had not reconciled, was far from pleasant. Uncharacteristically, Violet grabbed onto Roen, but was rejected.


    ¡°¡­Sorry, I really am busy.¡±


    His ability to sneak away was so adept that, indeed, Roen was genuinely busy.


    Of course, he also didn¡¯t want to be singled out as a schr among warriors.


    Ultimately, Violet was left to apany Cairn, who only emitted a gloomy aura. The entire ride ensued inplete silence.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The silence wasn¡¯t awkward or ufortable.


    However, Cairn¡¯s attitude was.


    He would try to gauge Violet¡¯s mood, but would soon quickly shut his mouth in a sullen manner. It was rather irritating. If there was something to say, he should speak up directly instead of walking on eggshells like that.


    With Cairn acting as such, Violet just left him to his own devices.


    The ise family¡¯s townhouse was not asrge as she had expected. While it was indeed a luxuriouslyrge mansion, it was smaller than Violet had anticipated.


    As they were guided into the mansion by the butler, Violet saw Aldin who had just arrived and greeted him warmly.


    Startled at the sight of her, Aldin stumbled over his words.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s been a while¡­¡±


    It was a rather abrupt change in demeanor.


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 Chapter 245

    Chapter 245


    Violet wondered why he was acting like this, then clicked her tongue as she saw Cairn following behind. Now that she thought about it, theirst conversation hadn¡¯t ended well.


    Aldin¡¯s face was as expressionless as ever, but if you looked closely, you could see his emotions fluctuating.


    Maybe that was why. Normally, Aldin would have offered to escort her first, but this time he silently walked without making any such offer.


    It was definitely strange. At least to Violet.


    She was already ufortableing to her maternal family with Cairn alone, without any information, and now even the one person she was happy to see was acting awkwardly, which fueled her discontent.


    Lost in herplicated thoughts, she momentarily stumbled.


    Violet¡¯s body swayed.


    As she lost her bnce, Aldin hurriedly caught her.


    She almost had the embarrassing experience of tripping on a perfectly smooth path. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nothing.¡±


    Aldin quickly stepped back, startled, as if they had gone back to the day they first met.


    Violet gave him a small smile. Despite his awkwardness for the first time in a long while, Aldin was still Aldin.


    She could see the tips of his ears turning red. Worried that Violet might stumble again, he offered to escort her.


    It was just a momentary trip due to her wandering thoughts, yet he was treating her like a child.


    Violet didn¡¯t refuse.


    Cairn nced at the two of them.


    Even though he had met a friend only now again, he still remained silent.


    * * *


    Violet¡¯s first impression of her cousins was as follows.


    ¡°I challenge you to a duel!¡±


    ¡°Sonia, at times like this, you¡¯re supposed to throw a glove.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? Then, again. I challenge you to a duel!¡±


    One of the children, who looked like they were twins, with short-cropped hair threw off a glove.


    The glove was thrown forcefully to the ground.


    ¡°Hurry up and ept my challenge!¡±


    ¡°¡­You should probably decide who you¡¯re challenging first.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who! Yes, you, the one who just answered, duel me!¡±


    ¡°Sonia, that¡¯s Ducal Lady Violet. You should be respectful.¡±


    ¡°What does that matter! What¡¯s important to a knight is conviction!¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not a knight, nor have I ever formally learned swordsmanship, so I will decline.¡±


    ¡°What? How can you not have learned swordsmanship!? Are you even part of the ise family?¡±


    ¡°Sonia¡­¡±


    There were countless things that needed correction. Violet had thought Cairn was the only one who behaved so wildly in noble society, but the world was wide. She wondered how to respond to her cousin¡¯s unteral duel challenge.


    Until now, Violet had always used respectfulnguage with people she was meeting for the first time.


    This was her own way of remembering Yeon Ha-yoon, who respected people as people, rather than as the notorious Violet who treated everyone harshly.


    However, there were exceptions. If someone looked down on her first, she would mercilessly respond in kind.


    ¡°Hurry up and ept my duel challenge!¡±


    The child called Sonia was raging. She looked no older than fifteen. It was hard to tell if the child, whose glove she picked up and threw again, was a girl or a boy. This time, the glovended in front of Aldin.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°ept it quickly! I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s someone hailed as a genius of the century besides me. I¡¯ll duel you to show who the real genius is!¡±


    She seemed to be mistaken about something. Of course, Aldin was also called a genius, but the one Sonia was aiming for was probably Cairn.


    Aldin picked up the glove and politely returned it to Sonia.


    ¡°¡­If you wish, I will spar with you, but do you know my name?¡±


    ¡°I know. You¡¯re Cairn. My older brother told me.¡±


    ¡°My name is not Cairn.¡±


    ¡°What!? Then who is Cairn? Come out! Let¡¯s duel!¡±


    ¡°Um, are you Sir Aldin Aesir? If you don¡¯t mind, could I ask for your advice? Oh, I¡¯m Hayes ise!¡±


    It was utter chaos. At the same time, a new realization dawned. Violet had always wondered from whom Cairn inherited his temper in this family.


    And today, she found her answer.


    ¡°You brats! What do you think you¡¯re doing, being so rude!¡±


    At that moment, someone appeared. A man with light tinum blond hair grabbed the twins by the back of their heads and made them bow. Hayes, who had been timidly exining next to Sonia, was also made to bow.


    The neer appeared to be in his early twenties at most. He bowed his head along with the twins and offered a heartfelt apology.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about my younger siblings¡¯ behavior¡­ I¡¯m Delta ise. I apologize for their rudeness.¡±


    Finally, a normal person appeared.


    Sonia and Hayes, thoroughly scolded by their eldest brother, continued to receive a barrage of scolding. Of course, Sonia seemed to let it go in one ear and out the other. The child, undeterred by the scolding, argued back against Delta and ended up getting a good whack on the head.


    Though the butler was standing nearby, he did not intervene. It seemed this was a frequent enough scene.


    While Violet was too stunned toment, the actual head of House ise arrived.


    ¡°You brats!¡±


    With his arrival, the situation quickly settled down.


    The troublemakers couldn¡¯t even think of defying their father and grandfather.


    ¡°¡­I apologize. No matter how much we educate them, we can¡¯t seem to change their fiery tempers.¡±


    The twins¡¯ father sighed, pressing his temples.


    Violet understood his feelings all too well and nced at Cairn.


    Normally, he would have stepped up to say something, but he remained unusually quiet. A sign of maturity, perhaps.


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 Chapter 246

    Chapter 246


    Since the main purpose was dinner, they were led to a prepared banquet. In the meantime, Sonia continued to provoke and loudly demand a duel, but no one paid her any mind.


    The banquet was modest by Violet¡¯s standards.


    Unlike the starkly quiet dining atmosphere of the Everett family¡¯s dining hall, the ise family members chatted endlessly.


    The main focus was naturally on the swordsmanship geniuses, Aldin and Cairn, both of whom gave sinct answers. Yet the conversation flowed effortlessly, a testament to the others¡¯ conversational skills.


    Violet was also asked a few questions out of formality, mostly about her age or life in the capital, which she answered lightly. The focus then shifted back to Cairn, but one pair of eyes remained fixed on her.


    The man had wrinkled skin and white hair, yet his robust physique suggested he was still active.


    Violet immediately recognized him as her maternal grandfather.


    She felt no special emotion toward her grandfather.


    Just a bit ufortable. After the mildly awkward dinner ended, Cairn and Aldin were dragged to the training ground for a duel, not just because of Sonia¡¯s persistence but also due to the margrave¡¯s desire to see their skills. Despite being unfamiliar with swords, Violet was also brought along to watch.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry if it was ufortable for you.¡±


    Just as she was about to move, a voice apologized. Turning, Violet saw it was the margrave.


    ¡°You remind me of Lacia from the old days. I heard you resembled her, but I didn¡¯t realize just how much¡­¡±


    With those words, Violet realized he was talking about her grandmother.


    It was true that she felt ufortable, but it wasn¡¯t unpleasant. So, she responded in a refined voice.


    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve heard a lot about her.¡±


    ¡°Yes. This is the first time seeing you since you were very young.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    A gentle smile reached Violet. It was a story from a time she couldn¡¯t remember, yet Violet felt a curious, ticklish sensation.


    ¡°Judging by your reaction, it seems you don¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. It seems you¡¯ve had a tough time.¡±


    ¡°What hardship could I have gone through?¡±


    ¡°Of course you have. I¡¯ve heard you had a tough time under that rascal, Valder. If you ever want toe to ise, you¡¯re always wee, my dear.¡±


    The old man referred to the Duke of Everett as a ¡®rascal¡¯.


    A rascal named Valder¡ªwas there really such a person above her? For a moment, her face turned pale.


    Soon, heughed cheerfully, saying it was a joke, but Violet couldn¡¯t take it as one.


    The word ¡®rascal¡¯ lingered in her mind until they reached the well-maintained training ground.


    * * *


    The sparring match proceeded in order. Sonia got her wish and sparred with Cairn.


    Since it was a real sword duel rather than a mock sword fight, the spectators¡¯ roles became significant. Violet sat in a position where she could clearly see them and watched the duel that started immediately.


    Although Cairn was particrly subduedpared to usual, his skills, hailed as those of a genius, were not diminished. His swordsmanship was sharp, likely due to his recent experience in realbat.


    Of course, to Violet, it simply looked like they were moving quickly.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Except for Violet, everyone watching had tense expressions. They watched the duel with stern faces, not uttering a single word of admiration.


    To her untrained eyes, Cairn seemed to be winning. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t understand why they were reacting that way.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    The margrave¡¯s briefmand halted the duel. Sonia stomped her foot in frustration, but Cairn merely nced at her and stepped back.


    ¡°Acting like that will only anger your opponent¡­¡±


    Standing next to Violet, Delta muttered. Before she could ask what the problem was, he was called.


    ¡°Delta, it¡¯s your turn next.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Though he appeared delicate, Delta was also a swordsman. Violet had vaguely thought he was a schr like Roen, so she was surprised. Seeing her reaction, Deltaughed once and headed to the center of the training ground with his sword.


    The second duel began.


    ¡°He was toying with me¡­!¡±


    ¡°He probably didn¡¯t intend to toy with you. Calm down, Sonia.¡±


    Unable to ept her loss, Sonia fumed and sulked throughout the match.


    The seemingly even duel ended with Cairn losing as he dropped his sword. It was an anticlimactic defeat for someone called a genius.


    Both had exceptional skills, so there were no injuries, but the atmosphere remained somber.


    ¡°¡­Were you mocking your opponent?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Maintaining a smiling face, Delta sheathed his sword and asked Cairn. Cairn avoided his gaze.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to mock you. ¡­Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Even so, not giving your all is disrespectful to your opponent.¡±


    Cairn did not respond, instead walking weakly and sitting far from Violet.


    Whether it was true or not, he certainly seemed to be in poor condition.


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 Chapter 247

    Chapter 247


    As several more sparring matches took ce and conversations continued, Violet thought about Cairn.


    To be precise, she couldn¡¯t get Cairn¡¯s expression out of her mind.


    Even while Violet was distracted, the sparring matches continued diligently.


    The final winner was Aldin.


    The iron-blooded old knight, who had been silently observing the results, picked up a sword himself. Although their future was promising, he deemed it necessary to teach the still inexperienced geniuses.


    Though she could have left, Violet deliberately stayed to watch them.


    It was at this moment she fully realized why Roen had slipped away. Feeling a sudden surge of irritation, she let out a deep sigh.


    The margrave¡¯s ploy to make the imperial knight and the third son of Everett the guardians of the borders was obvious, but it was not Violet¡¯s concern.


    In the end, after Cairn was quite practically given a beating by the margrave, he gritted his teeth and stared at the ground¡­At that moment¡ª


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk, you idiot.¡±


    Violet couldn¡¯t hold back and finally spoke.


    * * *


    ¡°Talk about what? If it¡¯s not something urgent right now¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°What? Do I have to listen to that just because I lost a sparring match?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I called you here to talk about your loss in the match? Fine. You must be feeling all sorts ofplicated emotions. But why? What are you suffering from?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I know that you¡¯ve been avoiding me for a while now. I was the one who told you to get lost in the first ce.¡±


    The more Violet spoke, the more Cairn¡¯s expression crumpled. Calling someone out just to say such iprehensible things.


    Gritting his teeth and looking at the ground, Cairn shouted.


    ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ve been staying out of your way like you wanted! So what else do you want from me?!¡±


    ¡°You might as well have gone back to the academy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Or you could have chosen to leave the capital and return to the estate. Yet you insisted on staying here. You came up with nothing but a sword, so you could have just gone back down.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you still here, just watching everything? It¡¯s like you¡¯re staging a protest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m <i>not</i> staging a protest.¡±


    Cairn¡¯s expression looked like he was about to cry at her criticism. However, Violet¡¯s face remained unmoved as she looked down at her younger brother.


    ¡°¡­Do you now understand what you did wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems you do. Then why don¡¯t you say it yourself?¡±


    Every time Violet¡¯s voice dropped coldly, Cairn¡¯s shoulders trembled. With his head down, she couldn¡¯t see his face, but she was certain he was crying.


    His shoulders quivered with a myriad of emotions. Violet quietly waited for him to speak.


    ¡°¡­I was reckless and violent.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°I got angry without listening to the full story, cursed at you, and¡­ acted entirely ording to my whims.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    After this, a string of confessions continued to spill out.


    Rather than exining his wrongdoings, it was more like an apology that¡¯s drowning in self-criticism. <i>Sorry, I¡¯m sorry.</i> The words, delivered in a faltering voice, were not pleasant to hear.


    A person who had thought highly of himself all his life was now confessing how ipetent he was.


    His apology, steeped in self-loathing, eventually turned into ament about what he felt sorrowful about, before devolving into more confused apologies.


    After listening for a long while, Violet finally opened her mouth to speak.


    ¡°¡­Yes. Now you understand what the problem is.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The head of the crying person drooped down. Like a sinner who couldn¡¯t face the sky, Cairn just stared at the ground.


    Watching her brother, Violet tilted her head slightly.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not entirely your fault. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve lived apletely righteous life either.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever the case, just stop. I don¡¯t want to keep seeing you walking on eggshells like that.¡±


    There were still many unresolved feelings, like tightly tied knots, but she didn¡¯t point them out.


    He was already drowning in guilt and self-loathing. She had no intention of adding more fuel to the fire.


    Was she being a bit petty? As Violet swallowed herplex emotions, Cairn cautiously spoke.


    ¡°¡­Then, are you forgiving me¡­?¡±


    Asking this, Cairn finally lifted his head. His face, covered in tears and snot, looked utterly pathetic.


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 Chapter 248

    Chapter 248


    Meeting his eyes, which were brimming with tears, Violet responded shortly.


    ¡°I never said I¡¯ve forgiven you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The years of resentment wouldn¡¯t vanish in an instant. Although seeing Cairn cry and apologize had eased her heart somewhat, she couldn¡¯t make any promises.


    If she forgave him now and then felt a sudden surge of anger someday, having to suppress that emotion because she had already forgiven him would be incredibly frustrating.


    Knowing this, Violet did not say she forgave him, just as she hadn¡¯t with Roen.


    Roen, being smart, understood her meaning immediately, but Cairn, being somewhat dense, did not.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Seeing him bow his head again was almost amusing. Violet sighed. ¡°You can at least talk to me.¡±


    Their rtionship might be worse than that of strangers, but this was a significant step forward.


    Cairn looked up at his sister again. Violet, having said what she wanted, turned away.


    ¡°I left in the middle, so I should get back. Before youe, clean up that mess of a face. ¡­And from now on, take care of yourself. Don¡¯t make me worry.¡±


    Her words, spoken with her back turned, were still cold, but Cairn understood what she meant this time.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    He nodded earnestly. Violet didn¡¯t see the expression he had behind her.


    * * *


    Walking alone after leaving Cairn, Violet thought briefly about the conversation she had with her grandfather.


    The old man had reminisced about the past. He spoke of the moment he met his cherished daughter¡¯s children shortly after Cairn was born.


    His expression, as he looked at Violet who resembled histe wife and daughter, was nothing short of kind.


    A knight is not merely someone who trains in martial arts. As they engage in the act of ending others¡¯ lives, only those prepared toy down their own lives can be knights.


    Thus, they must constantly cultivate their minds with the same level of vignce.


    This was a determination that should be possessed by anyone dealing with human lives, not just knights.


    Pointing this out, the old man expressed regret that nowadays, knights seemed to believe that strength alone was enough.


    Violet naturally thought of Mikhail and Cairn.


    Both Mikhail and Cairn were knights. They considered themselves knights and honed their martial skills.


    Originally, Violet would have thought that Cairn and Mikhail were equally foolish. However, this incident had changed her opinion.


    Cairn was clearly changing.


    This deeply impressed Violet.


    Constantly striving and refining one¡¯s spirit¡ªthis applied not only to knights.


    ¡°Those who wield weapons must always remain vignt, dear.¡±


    The margrave¡¯s expression as he said this to Violet was incredibly kind.


    Violet understood why her grandfather was saying such things.


    The Violet in the rumors was a viiness who trampled on others and wielded power recklessly. Some of it was indeed true.


    Though words and swords are different, they were simr in the sense that they could kill people. Debating which was stronger between the pen and the sword could beplex, but it¡¯s clear that words can be a weapon capable of killing.


    Whether it¡¯s a lightmand or a sharp rebuke that cuts deep.


    So, Violet could never bepletely free from her past.


    Realizing what her grandfather was trying to say, Violet could not bear the momentary shame.


    ¡°I believe in what I see and judge for myself.¡±


    He borated extensively that he does not blindly believe in rumors.


    However, Violet, who could not im to be an innocent victim, chose to remain silent.


    Under normal circumstances, she would have boldly asserted, <i>¡®I had no other choice.¡¯</i>


    It was a truth that deeply resonated within Violet and was the underlying emotion she held.


    Yet, for some reason, she could not say that to her grandfather.


    Seeing Violet like this, the old man smiled kindly and patted her head.


    ¡°My offer for you toe to ise is not a mere joke.¡±


    <i>If you stand proud, I will support you. </i>


    His voice was calm as he said this.


    The peace that Violet currently enjoyed was not easily won. It was peace built uponyers of past tears¡ªhow could it not be sweet?


    However, now that she was at the eye of the storm, could she confidently say that it would remain peaceful in the future?


    If it were the margrave¡¯s territory, which had its own military system, not even the crown prince could easily meddle with it.


    The drawback was that it would be the first battlefield if war broke out, but that did not matter.


    Violet, having obtained a better option than exile, cherished this fact in her heart.


    ¡°Did you have a good conversation?¡±


    When she returned to the training ground, Delta immediately greeted her.


    Violet awkwardly smiled. He had shown a demeanor far from being gentle during the recent sparring.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Her cousin, older than her by a few years, was a truly unpredictable person.


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 Chapter 249

    Chapter 249


    Violet quietly observed the movements of those training in the sparring ground. Just as Sonia was getting hit with a wooden sword after her noisy chatter, Cairn returned after having tidied up.


    His eyes were red and swollen, making it obvious he had been crying. He seemed to have washed his face, but as usual, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to his appearance, resulting in a sloppy clean-up.


    ¡®Looks like he cried.¡¯


    Everyone present thought the same. He had left to talk with his older sister and came back with swollen eyes, leaving them to wonder what conversation could have caused him to cry so much.


    A few nces discreetly shifted towards Violet, but she paid them no mind.


    Despite hearing the ardent pleas of properly learning swordsmanship, Violet, who remained unmoved, didn¡¯t pay any attention to Cairn either.


    ¡°I apologize. Please teach me again!¡±


    As soon as Cairn arrived, he requested another sparring match with Delta, whom he had previously lost to. Delta responded, seemingly troubled.


    ¡°Hmm, we¡¯ve already sparred once, and it doesn¡¯t have to be me¡­¡±¡°Oh, are you worried you might lose?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Cairn, having regained his usual demeanor, provoked Delta. It was clear he was doing it on purpose.


    ¡°Spar with me again¡ª with me!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no fun winning against a kid like you.¡±


    ¡°What, you¡¯re a kid too!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, at least I¡¯m older than you. Show some respect.¡±


    Moreover, his personality seemed to have changed somewhat.


    Delta sighed as he watched Cairn, who got along particrly well with Sonia. In their second sparring match, Cairn won.


    After that, he was pestered for quite some time by the noisy twins, Sonia and Hayes, a boastful Cairn, a quiet but keen Aldin, and the adults trying to guide them.


    Delta appeared the most fragile, and true enough, he looked the most exhausted.


    Nevertheless, they seem to be having fun. Violet observed them, thinking they belonged to a different world than hers.


    Eventually, Delta, who had to sneak away from those eager to train all night, apologized to Violet, who had stayed out of it from the beginning.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Haha¡­ They don¡¯t usually have such rough personalities. Um. They must be a bit excited.¡±


    He was really gentle, quite different from the fierce look he had during the sparring session. <i>Is this his true personality? </i>Violet thought, watching Delta smile softly.


    ¡°¡­It must be tough.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. And you can speak informally to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. B¡­ Um, Sir Delta. You too. You can speakfortably.¡±


    ¡°I think you used to call me ¡®Brother¡¯ when we were younger¡­¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    <i>¡°Haha.¡±</i>


    When Violet reflexively questioned, Deltaughed it off.


    ¡°I¡¯m just morefortable this way. Um, then let¡¯s both speak how we¡¯refortable.¡±


    It felt strange to hear formalnguage from a cousin, especially an older one. Although in a hierarchical society, age doesn¡¯t significantly determine rank¡­


    Violet decided to go with what felt natural. She had no memories of her cousin anyway.


    As Delta watched Violet, he cautiously spoke up.


    ¡°More importantly, what did you talk about? He seems to have changed suddenly¡­¡±


    Violet paused briefly, not expecting such a direct question about their conversation.


    What should she say? After contemting, she gave the simplest answer.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t talk about much. That¡¯s just his nature.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s just his nature?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Delta¡¯s sigh was particrly long. It was as if he couldn¡¯t believe there was another personality like Sonia¡¯s. Reading his thoughts, Violetughed out loud.


    Delta, volunteering as a guide, shared various stories with Violet.


    His tone was soft and gentle.


    ¡°I may be considered a prodigy, but not quite a genius, so I guess I don¡¯t meet Father¡¯s expectations. But protecting the border isn¡¯t just about having one outstanding individual. While individual ability is important, it¡¯s themander¡¯s skill that truly matters, so I¡¯m satisfied in my own way.¡±


    Sonia, however, seemed to disagree. Her added remark was slightly sulky.


    Understanding the hardships was not something Violet couldn¡¯t rte to, so she responded with a smile.


    ¡°In that sense, Sir Mikhail was an excellent talent. How things turned out like that¡­ Violet?¡±


    Before she realized, the topic had shifted to Mikhail. Violet paused at that moment.


    If it were a solitary recollection, it would be one thing, but every time Mikhail¡¯s name was mentioned by others, she flinched. It was practically at the level of trauma.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°People who say they¡¯re okay don¡¯t make that kind of face.¡±


    Anyone could see Violet¡¯s expression was far from okay as she waved her hand. Delta¡¯s expression remained calm as he watched her.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you and Sir Mikhail family?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Violet, calm down and take a slow breath. Yes, just like that.¡±


    The soothing words from someone with such a gentle and mild demeanor made it hard for Violet to resist.


    Her feelings towards Mikhail were separate from those towards Aileen. She might dislike someone she wouldn¡¯t see again more than someone right in front of her. Hating someone to this extent was quite remarkable, if anything.


    Gritting her teeth and exhaling slowly with a frown, Violet clenched her jaw.


    Delta simply stood there, watching Violet. He didn¡¯t react, though he might have been impressed by Violet, who usually maintained a neutral expression, now revealing intense emotions.


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 Chapter 250

    Chapter 250


    Eventually, once Violet showed signs of havingpletely calmed down, Delta spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t judge people based on rumors. Both my father and our grandfather taught me that. ¡­So, I wanted to see and judge for myself regarding you and Mikhail.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand the purpose behind your words.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ at the very least, I understand that people don¡¯t usually react like this in normal rtionships.¡±


    But one must also consider the other person¡¯s opinion. Violet¡¯s expression hardened at Delta¡¯s added words, which seemed to match the expression of the wicked woman of the rumors, yet Delta kept smiling.


    ¡°Do you want to talk about him?¡±


    ¡°¡­I really don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to spread gossip.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about him because even thinking about that person is horrifying.¡±Even though Violet¡¯s voice had be harsh, Delta remained unperturbed. Naturally, he reached out and patted Violet¡¯s head. It was a gesture of familial affection, but Violet found it only bewildering.


    ¡°What is this¡­¡±


    ¡°You must have had a hard time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, Grandfather is fond of you, Violet. So, it¡¯s worth considering his words seriously.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you even know what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I would say something like this without knowing anything?¡±


    Even someone who seemed the most normal in the ise family had a knack for speaking nonsense.


    Giving up on maintaining her expression, Violet openly showed her astonishment. The ever-bright smile did not provide any answers.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I should be Violet ise?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so. Of course, only if you want to, Violet¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°As you can see, Sonia has a rather rowdy personality¡­ I¡¯ve always wanted to have a quiet sibling.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hayes seems pretty quiet.¡±


    ¡°He may seem calm, but he¡¯s the one who causes the most trouble.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t something one would say just because they wanted a quiet younger sibling. Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed. Deltaughed out loud as he saw the look she gave him.


    No matter how she thought about it, no noble with amon mindset would say such things. Even to Violet, who had memories of a past life, it felt absurd.


    It¡¯smon among nobles without children to adopt rtives.


    However, wasn¡¯t the current situation different? Moreover, Violet was at an age where she could soon marry and take another surname.


    Delta¡¯s words, even if they echoed those of the old man who missed his daughter and wife, carried a different weight. Violet sighed deeply.


    ¡°What if I have the personality that the rumors say?¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯d just have to reform¡ªno, educate you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    An offhand question was met with a fresh response. If she had a bad character, they¡¯d educate her, he said.


    Delta, still smiling brightly, patted his younger cousin¡¯s head a couple more times.


    ¡°Well, anyway. If it gets really tough, you can alwayse here.¡±


    His words were kind and warm, and the meaning behind them was gentle, but Violet simply thought this:


    <i>This person is really out of touch with reality¡­</i>


    * * *


    That day, Violet and Cairn ended up staying at the ise estate.


    Now more spirited, Cairn energetically challenged the margrave several times, only to be soundly defeated each time. With each loss, Cairn¡¯s determination burned brighter, and he sought guidance throughout the night.


    He was truly talented. A genius in swordsmanship coveted not only by the imperial pce but also by the margrave, his maternal family.


    It was impressive to be so highly regarded purely for one¡¯s abilities.


    Violet tried to sleep in an unfamiliar room but couldn¡¯t, so she went out to the balcony and looked up at the sky.


    She reflected on the conversation she had with Cairn during the day and thought about her talk with Delta.


    The current rtionship, where she hadn¡¯t fully forgiven him, felt just right.


    If Cairn once again overstepped his bounds, she could address it then.


    Delta¡¯s words, which had seemed absurd during their conversation, made more sense the more she reflected on them.


    If just hearing someone¡¯s name made her tremble, the things she experienced in that family must have been significant, so offering a way to escapepletely made sense.


    It was something only someone who had faced her directly could say.


    It was unlikely that someone trained to be the next margrave wouldck practical sense.


    So, it was a gesture of extending a helping hand despite theplicated procedures and numerous documents involved.


    It was a kind gesture, but for Violet, it was already in the past.


    Her immediate concerns were not about Everett, so it could be seen as missing the point.


    Who knows? Just as Aileen returned, Mikhail might shamelesslye back and im she was the one entirely at fault.


    Of course, these were only Violet¡¯s spections. Delta might have simply wanted a quiet younger sister.


    Her emotions didn¡¯t settle easily. Giving up on sleep, Violet put on her coat. Since she wasn¡¯t going to sleep tonight, she decided to take a walk.


    As she stepped into the garden to enjoy the night air, she found someone had arrived before her.


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 Chapter 251

    Chapter 251


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, huh?¡±


    The unexpected visitor was startled when Violet spoke. Looking around, he soon bowed his head and greeted her as usual.


    ¡°I was just looking around.¡±


    The clear moonlight shattered on his jet-ck hair.


    Aldin, who was invited to the ise estate solely because he was the only one who had defeated the prodigy, was impably dressed even though it was nighttime.


    Violet¡¯s gaze followed Aldin¡¯s into the garden.


    The garden, with its neatly trimmed grass and trees, looked pleasing.


    ¡°Congrattions on your engagement.¡±<i>¡°¡­Cough.¡±</i>


    Violet, who had been aimlessly looking around the garden, choked and coughed at Aldin¡¯s sudden remark.


    Seeing her coughing breathlessly, Aldin hurried over, panicked, and iled his hands in confusion.


    Once Violet managed to calm down, she spoke with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.


    ¡°Engagement? What engagement?¡±


    ¡°I heard you were¡­ engaged to His Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°Do you seriously believe that nonsense?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    When Violet expressed her shock at the news of her engagement spreading without her knowledge, Aldin was the one who looked surprised this time.


    ¡°Is it a rumor¡­?¡±


    ¡°Of course! If it were truly an engagement with His Highness, it would have been officially announced rather than spread as a rumor!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    After a short sigh, Violet finally calmed down and let out a deep breath.


    ¡°His Highness has summoned me a few times. It seems those encounters were misconstrued and spread around.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Of course, she had received a confession, but Violet left that part out and maintained aposed expression.


    ¡°Could it be that you¡¯ve been avoiding me because of this?¡±


    ¡°¡­I thought it might be unpleasant for you.¡±


    ¡°Even if I were actually engaged, there¡¯s no reason for me to be unpleasant towards you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Aldin remained silent, avoiding her probing question.


    Violet, narrowing her eyes and observing him, suddenly asked,


    ¡°Do you like me?¡±


    It was a question thrown into the atmosphere, half-joking and impulsive, but the answer didn¡¯te for a long time.


    Sensing something odd, Violet looked up at Aldin. Even in the dark night, she could see his face turning bright red.


    ¡°Well, I¡­ I mean¡­¡±


    He was excessively flustered. Violet, in turn, started to feel embarrassed.


    Aldin opened and closed his mouth several times, choosing his words carefully. Violet felt a bead of cold sweat trickling down her back.


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    The eventual answer was in. Although his face had returned to its usual color, his ears remained red.


    His purple eyes, which resembled Violet¡¯s, still couldn¡¯t meet hers, but his reaction was enough to confirm it.


    Hearing his clear answer, Violet was stunned. Seeing her reaction, Aldin spoke slowly.


    ¡°Even so, I always strive to ensure this feeling doesn¡¯t be a burden to you. ¡­I don¡¯t wish for anything else. I just want you to be happy¡­¡±


    ¡°Why do you like me?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Do you have any reason to like me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Aldin was silent for a moment in response to Violet¡¯s bewildered question. The sound of nighttime insects blended with the still moonlight.


    The cold night air carried a pleasant grassy scent, but Violet had no time to notice such things.


    Aldin¡¯s purple eyes slowly turned towards her. Looking directly into her eyes, he smiled brightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you remember, but¡­ your words saved my life.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet had thought it unlikely that his admiration was based on her appearance, but his answer was unexpected.


    And that clear smile was one he had never shown before.


    Had they met before? What had she said to him? Violet¡¯s mind raced, aware that her past personality wasn¡¯t always pleasant.


    As she pondered whether she had made a mistake, Aldin knelt on one knee.


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    Violet was startled and called out to Aldin, but he remained still.


    ¡°I understand that this sudden confession might be disconcerting for you. I also have no intention of forcing my feelings upon you.¡±


    Though Violet was the one who asked, Aldin ended up apologizing. Unable to predict his actions, Violet called out to him a few more times, but instead of answering, he spoke in a calm voice.


    ¡°Instead, would you ept my pledge as a knight?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    cing his sword on the ground, his words were sinct.


    Only then did Violet understand what he wanted to do, and she sighed briefly.


    A pledge of loyalty to a lord ordy.


    A deration of honor to protect her for life.


    If she epted this vow, Aldin would forever strive to protect Violet.


    As if he hadn¡¯t already.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    A short bout of silence followed. The steadfast knight showed no signs of anxiety, quietly bowing his head.


    Violet looked down at him.


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 Chapter 252

    Chapter 252


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything though.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°And yet you wish to protect me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Aldin remained silent, even though he nned to protect her regardless of her refusal.


    <i>He just ms up when things don¡¯t go his way, huh?</i> Violet swallowed a silentugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Violet said.


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Thus, the words that came from Violet¡¯s mouth were the beginning of a refusal.Aldin, who had hoped for nothing more than to protect Violet by her side, looked downcast at her words of rejection.


    ¡°I can¡¯t give you any answer right now. Can I put off my response for a bit?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to give you such an answer. Would you like to stand up now?¡±


    Aldin¡¯s head shot up at her answer, which was not a rejection but a postponement. Violet stood with her back to the moonlight, extending her hand.


    Aldin, almost instinctively, took her hand and stood up, looking dazed. Violet dusted off her hands and smiled, still with her back to the moonlight.


    ¡°Depending on your efforts, my answer might change. So why not try a little harder?¡±


    Aldin gaped at her words, smiling in a daze. Violet seemed relieved.


    Though the question had been impulsive and the situation embarrassing, it was better to have addressed it directly. It was an ambiguous answer that might seem like she was hedging her bets, but for someone who couldn¡¯t be sure of her own feelings, it was the best she could do.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    Aldin seemed unable to grasp her answer.


    It would take him quite some time to fully understand her words. Violet patted him gently.


    ¡°Shall we go inside? While moonlit exercise is nice, sleep is also important.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    After sending the seemingly broken man back inside, Violet also returned to her assigned room.


    Under the moonlight, the romantic knight¡¯s vow ended in such happenstance.


    * * *


    As if he had never been downcast at all, Cairn showed a desire to stay longer at the ise estate.


    He was still walking on eggshells around Violet though. Violet left Cairn there and returned home first.


    The first thing she did upon returning home was to question Roen. It would have been more satisfying to punch him in the gut, but unfortunately, her imagination could not be realized.


    Roen¡¯s smiling face was the same as always, but that day he was especially cheeky.


    Violet¡¯s voice carried a sigh.


    ¡°Were you aware and decided not to show up?¡±


    ¡°Aware of what?¡±


    His response was nonchnt. Violet sighed. So he knew and decided to stay out of it.


    ¡°Haha, did you have a good time with Grandfather? I should have greeted him personally, but it wasn¡¯t possible¡­ Anyway, it seems like you reconciled with Cairn.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quick with the news.¡±


    For a brief moment, Violet considered pouring tea over Roen¡¯s smiling face. With his exceptionally bright expression, Roen kept rambling anyway.


    ¡°How could I not know about you two? I deliberately stayed out of it so you could have a chance to talk. It seems things went well. Did Cairn say he would stay for a few more days?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Knowing everything yet still asking was truly infuriating. Violet clicked her tongue. She couldn¡¯t just spit in his smiling face.


    To be precise, it was more that she found it tiresome to get angry.


    Whether Violet sighed or clicked her tongue, Roen¡¯s demeanor remained elegant.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Cairn said he would return to the academy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask more about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not particrly curious.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve reconciled, but you¡¯re still awkward with each other¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think a brief conversation will suddenly make us close? And to be exact, it wasn¡¯t even a reconciliation.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, well. Alright. But it doesn¡¯t matter. He¡¯ll be a better adult than he is now.¡±


    Roen intertwined his fingers and rested his chin on them, lowering his voice a notch.


    ¡°More importantly, Violet, it seems your problem is more serious. Has His Highness given you any hints?¡±


    ¡°Hints?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Like why he¡¯s meeting with Aileen.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Seems not. He¡¯s not the type to act without a reason¡­¡±


    <i>This is worrying.</i> Roen swallowed hisst words like a mutter.


    Given that Rajaden considered Roen to be his future advisor, he shared various information with him.


    Their rtionship was subtly bnced, not entirely trusting each other, but things changed significantly with Violet and Aileen involved.


    Setting aside matters concerning Violet, Roen had been troubled recently by Aileen¡¯s regr meetings and his refusal to exin their purpose.


    Violet pretended not to care about Aileen, but it was clear she harbored such resentment.


    Thus, Roen found himself having to gather information and draw boundaries. However, the information linked to the crown prince was elusive, which was turning out to be a problem.


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 Chapter 253

    Chapter 253


    Violet knew that he was working behind the scenes, but she didn¡¯t realize he was struggling this much. So she gave a straightforward answer.


    ¡°He must have fallen for her.¡±


    ¡°¡­The guy who just confessed to you not long ago?¡±


    Roen quickly added.


    ¡°He¡¯s not someone who falls in love that easily. If he were, this country would be in trouble.¡±


    ¡°It seems the country is already in trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Just talking to myself. And it doesn¡¯t really matter what he¡¯s nning.¡±


    Violet¡¯s eyes showed no sign of wavering as she spoke. Roen held back a sigh while looking at her. Perhaps a different answer would be better here.¡°Well then, where do you think is a good country to seek asylum?¡± Roen asked.


    ¡°Instead of that, the name Violet S. ise doesn¡¯t sound so bad.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just kidding.¡±


    ¡°Kidding?¡±


    ¡°Yes, kidding.¡±


    ¡°¡­Kidding, really?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m <i>kidding.¡±</i>


    What on earth did they talk about? Roen¡¯s face was filled with astonishment. Although Violet insisted it was a joke, her calm expression made it seem otherwise.


    Roen looked bewildered. At the same time, many calctions ran through his mind.


    ¡®Indeed, if it¡¯s ise¡­ But that would mean severing tiespletely, wouldn¡¯t it? No, it¡¯s better to stay in our own country than being abroad¡­¡¯


    Even seeing his reaction, Violet remained unmoved. Saying she was going to go upstairs, she disappeared like the wind. She didn¡¯t give Roen time to say goodbye or hold her back, leaving him feeling even more bewildered in her absence.


    ¡°¡­I had a lot of work, so I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±


    Leaning towards the thought that he should have epted ise¡¯s invitation, Roen rationalized and turned to tackle his pile of work.


    * * *


    Violet had finally resolved her emotions with Cairn and cleared up the misunderstanding with Aldin. Meanwhile, the day to watch the performance with Aldin had suddenly arrived.


    Cairn, who tantly showed his preference for ise over Everett, visited ise¡¯s townhouse whenever he had the chance.


    It was nice to see his determination to eventually win.


    On the other hand, Roen was troubled by the fear of losing the family¡¯s talent until ise¡¯s people returned to the margrave¡¯s territory.


    Although Cairn dered he would return to the academy, various issues such as the academic term remained, so he decided to stay in the capital for this semester.


    He had matured and no longer acted recklessly, but Cairn still had a fiery temper.


    For instance¡­


    ¡°Sister, why are you going to see a y with that guy?¡±


    ¡°I already epted the invitation a while ago.¡±


    ¡°When exactly?¡±


    Like this.


    Knowing that Violet disliked shouting, Cairn lowered his voice whenever she showed signs of difort.


    However, a lower volume didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t picking a fight.


    ¡°When you were digging around by yourself.¡±


    ¡°Why did you ept it! Something might happen when you¡¯re alone with him!¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not really something for you to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Just answer me this. What the hell are you¡­ No, sorry, what are you even thinking?¡±


    Knowing his friend liked his sister, Cairn fretted inwardly.


    He clearly didn¡¯t want to get involved in some love affair, but Violet, unaware of this, only looked at him as if to say, ¡®What¡¯s wrong with you?¡¯


    ¡°What am I thinking?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean¡­ That is¡­ Hah¡­¡±


    Unable to say, ¡®That punk likes you¡¯, Cairn mumbled and fumbled with his words.


    Violet looked intently at her younger brother and wondered seriously if he hadn¡¯t matured yet. Her concern was valid, as Cairn seemed a bitcking.


    ¡°Anyway, if you have no intentions, don¡¯t meet with him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I have no intentions. At the very least, if I received a confession, I should give a clear answer¡­¡±


    ¡°What! A confession?!¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    ¡°He confessed? To you, Sister?¡±


    The usually perceptive guy seemed strangely oblivious, but his persistent questioning was no joke. Violet avoided his intense green gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, sister. Did that guy confess? When?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have any obligation to report that to you.¡±


    ¡°Why not! You¡¯re my sister and he¡¯s my friend!¡±


    He was hopping around like a frog. Violet turned her bodypletely away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me! Did he really confess? How did that happen? He¡­¡±


    He never seemed like the type to confess. Cairn, who had been about to say something, immediately shut his mouth. His sharp instinct kicked in.


    ¡°You asked him first, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°So, what did you decide to do?¡±


    ¡°This is tiring¡­¡±


    ¡°The sun just rose. Don¡¯t pretend to be tired. Please, just answer me¡­ I have trauma from being ignored.¡±


    Violet swallowed a sigh at his whining. He was definitely still immature. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have switched stances so quickly just days after causing such a fuss.


    She decided to ignore her brother.


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 Chapter 254

    Chapter 254


    Three hours went by since Violet started ignoring Cairn. Like a puppy needing to relieve itself, he hovered around her, anxiously following her every move.


    It was amusing to see him flinch and make timid faces at her smallest actions while never daring to speak.


    If their eyes met, he would quickly look away and stomp his feet in frustration.


    It was a silent protest. It would have been easier to handle if he had just nagged and argued. Violet sighed.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to behave like this, you might as well disappear from my sight forever.¡±


    ¡°¡­But I want to know too.¡±


    ¡°How long has it been since you apologized, and you¡¯re already acting up again? If your goal is to make me ufortable, congrattions, you¡¯re doing a mighty fine job.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Despite the sarcastic tone, Cairn did not back down easily.Violet expected that countless thoughts were swirling in his small head. As she predicted, Cairn was deep in thought.


    ¡°¡­You need to learn moderation. I¡¯ll answer your questionster, so stop being a nuisance right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    ¡°What did I just say?¡±


    ¡°You told me to be moderate! Okay, you mean during tea time, right? I¡¯lle back then!¡±


    Maybe because he was still young, his resilience was high. He was easily hurt but just as easily recovered, perhaps due to his stubborn nature.


    Violet wondered if resolving her emotions with Cairn had really been a good thing. It felt like she had gained a new nuisance.


    She realized that both Roen and Cairn had changed a lot from what she knew. Roen, who used to pressure people with his constant smile, showed a surprisingly vulnerable side to his family, while Cairn, who used to be a wild colt, now had a puppy-like demeanor.


    Perhaps these were their true natures.


    Things that had been broken and misunderstood in their rtionship were now being discovered anew.


    Just as they did not know Violet well, Violet did not know them well either. Did Mikhail have another side too?


    A bitter smile tugged up on the corners of Violet¡¯s lips as she briefly recalled her eldest brother.


    It¡¯s a futile thought. The assumption that there might have been good parts if you got to know them better is just an assumption.


    Even if miraculously the rtionship were to be restored and they became close, the traces of the past would not disappear. Imagining how it would have been if they had been friendly from the start was meaningless now.


    ¡®Mikhail, that blockhead. He doesn¡¯t deserve even this luxury.¡¯


    What good would it do to imagine getting closer to someone who, just by thinking about them, made her blood run cold and her mind go numb?


    Violet decided to stop tormenting herself with these thoughts and focus on her tasks.


    * * *


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what happened. I decided to postpone the answer.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you really thinking of dating him?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on in my own head.¡±


    Cairn had waited patiently until tea time, which was essentially their time for conversation. Of course, by his standards, he barely managed to train until three in the afternoon before he went to find Violet. With eyes sparkling, he asked her all sorts of questions.


    Eventually, when Violet mentioned that Aldin had talked behind his back, Cairn trembled slightly.


    ¡°If it was that punk Aldin, he probably really tried to kill me¡­¡± he said, clutching his arms. Of course, since he had brought it upon himself, Violet didn¡¯t say much.


    ¡°Are you scared because you¡¯re not as good?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s scared! I¡¯m much stronger than him!¡±


    No, he was picking a fight.


    In any case, they talked about various things, including what had happened with Aldin and even the incidents involving the Crown Prince.


    Violet wondered if she was the one gossiping now.


    ¡°What? Why would His Highness the Crown Prince court you?¡±


    <i>That¡¯s what I¡¯m more curious about.</i> Violet silently muttered. Cairn then ranted for a while, shouting Rajaden¡¯s name.


    ¡°It¡¯s crazy to get engaged to the Crown Prince! No way! I oppose it!¡±


    While others might see the Crown Prince¡¯s proposal as an opportunity to secure power for the empire, everyone in this household hated it.


    Violet couldn¡¯t suppress a sudden curiosity.


    ¡°Why do you dislike it so much? If it¡¯s the Crown Prince, he¡¯s not a bad match. Actually, he might be the best match.¡±


    Despite rejecting the idea herself, Violet said that. Cairn¡¯s response was straightforward.


    ¡°¡¯Cause he¡¯s a lil shit.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It was an absurd reason, but Violet also did not consider Rajaden for a simr reason. Her expression turned peculiar.


    Blood is thicker than water, she thought. Of all things, they were of one mind on this point.


    ¡°Anyway, if the opponent is from the imperial family, I¡¯m against it. Do you think I¡¯m just saying this because I find him annoying?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say, I have no intention of listening to you, and I¡¯ve never seriously thought about bing the empress, so let¡¯s drop it. It seems Aileen¡¯s aiming to be the empress, so go and scold that girl instead.¡±


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 Chapter 255

    Chapter 255


    ¡°¡­What? Why her?¡±


    Without thinking, Violet mentioned Aileen¡¯s name and immediately regretted it. Cairn¡¯s expression darkened ominously.


    Still just a child, Cairn had only learned how to lower his voice. He asked again.


    ¡°Why did you bring up her name here?¡±


    ¡°¡­Forget I said anything.¡±


    Currently, Roen was wary of Aileen and supported Violet. He had always been someone who only cared for those close to him and had little sympathy for others, so his sudden change in sides wasn¡¯t surprising.


    However, Cairn was naturally affectionate. Despite his fiery temper, once he gave his heart, he couldn¡¯t easily detach from it.


    This trait was bound to affect his rtionships with others as well. His simple, ck-and-white thinking divided the world into good and bad. Afterbeling Violet as the victim, he deemed Aileen to be bad. But who knows what might happen.


    There hadn¡¯t been any clear incident to drive a wedge between Cairn and Aileen. In other words, it was too soon to talk about Aileen to him.Violet nced at Cairn. Though he was often angry, this time his expression was different.


    ¡°¡­You always leave me out of the conversation.¡±


    His gritting teeth were an unusual reaction. Violet lowered her eyes and sighed.


    ¡°Fine. If you don¡¯t want to talk to me, then don¡¯t.¡±


    Cairn, who always wore an angry face, now showed an uncharacteristically cold demeanor. His anger, contrary to Violet¡¯s expectations, had another source she didn¡¯t foresee.


    It seemed his frustration stemmed from being left out of important conversations because he was the youngest¡ªor simply considered a fool.


    Though she was still uncertain of how he might react, Violet tried to keep her mind upied. She went to choose an outfit for watching the y.


    * * *


    Violet picked a light dress in a fresh, bright color. She wore a wide-brimmed hat to shield her face from the light, looking like a youngdy out for a stroll.


    When she arrived at the meeting ce, Aldin, who had arrived first, smiled brightly as soon as he saw her.


    Even though she had experienced someone smiling brightly at her before, Violet hesitated at his smile.


    Numerous gazes followed them. His tall stature and undeniably beautiful face attracted attention, but Violet felt ufortable.


    ¡°Have you been well?¡±


    ¡°We saw each other just the other day.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. That¡¯s true¡­¡±


    Her reply came out coldly without her intending it.


    Aldin was flustered by her unexpectedly sharp response. Violetughed aloud at his reaction.


    ¡°I¡¯m just joking. Cairn is returning to the academy soon, so it¡¯s been a bit noisy at home.¡±


    ¡°¡­Finally, that idiot is going back.¡±


    As soon as the conversation shifted to Cairn, Aldin¡¯s expression turned serious. It might have been a reaction from a friend, but Violet, who had few friends, found it hard to understand.


    ¡°You¡¯re particrly harsh on Cairn.¡±


    ¡°¡­Am I? I thought this was being friendly¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    For a brief moment, Violet reflected on her own friendships. Mary felt more like a younger sister than a friend, and she didn¡¯t have this kind of rtionship with Alesia, who she considered a friend. Wasn¡¯t he treating Cairn more like a younger brother than a friend too? Her eyes narrowed slightly.


    ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t heard much about you. Do you have any friends besides Cairn?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Her question was met with silence. Just as Violet was contemting asking again, Aldin finally responded.


    ¡°¡­I have no intention of associating with people who aren¡¯t worthwhile.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    So he¡¯s the type of person who¡¯d iste himself from the world. Violet suddenly realized that all her friends were also people who isted themselves and walked alone. Despite her simr circumstances, Violet firmly believed she maintained normal rtionships. She asked quietly again.


    ¡°Then what about me?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Am I someone worth talking to?¡±


    ¡°Well, that is¡­ I mean¡­¡±


    It was mischievous to ask such a question just days after being confessed to. Violet chuckled softly. Aldin¡¯s face turned bright red.


    He was amusing, reacting just as expected when teased.


    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s not good to be overly selective about who you associate with.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s all the same in the end. Fools who think there¡¯s superiority among people when the blood running through their veins is all the same red.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Violet let out a short reply and, after a brief contemtion, asked again.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that include me as well?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Not now, but in the past. I don¡¯t think I had a particrly good personality.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Nobles are a breed that firmly believes a person¡¯s value is determined by their lineage. In the past, she likely thought the same way, which is why she found it surprising that Aldin treated her like this.


    ¡°¡­You were different.¡±


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 Chapter 256

    Chapter 256


    ¡°Was I?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Even when asked again, Aldin avoided answering. His tightly closed lips and somewhat sullen expression conveyed his stubbornness.


    Was it a question that¡¯s hard to answer? Violet pondered internally but couldn¡¯t find an answer either. It was such an unexpected reaction that she didn¡¯t press Aldin any further.


    Whenever she tried to recall her past actions, all she could think of were grievances or wrongdoings.


    If she had met such a beautiful person, she would have remembered, but she had no memories of Aldin.


    Maybe they never actually met and Aldin was mistaken. As Violet¡¯s thoughts wandered, Aldin spoke.


    ¡°Still, I will escort you properly today.¡±


    With a determined look, Aldin offered his escort. Well, if she couldn¡¯t remember, it didn¡¯t matter. Violet smiled and took his hand..


    .


    .


    The y was held in a grand theater known to everyone. Naturally, the tickets Aldin had painstakingly obtained were for the VIP seats. Violet settled into the VIP section and looked around the theater.


    The architectural style felt familiar yet strangely new. She no longer distinguished between her past self and Violet, but moments like this felt fresh.


    ¡°Lady, here¡­¡±


    Aldin escorted Violet as if he had read a romance novel, but some of his attempts fell short, leaving him momentarily disheartened.


    For instance, he tried to ce a handkerchief on her seat beforehand, but she had already sat down by herself.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­The y is starting.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    With his oddly dejected voice, the curtain rose shortly after.


    ¡®The Crimson Tragedy¡¯ was a tragic yet beautifully romantic story that people were enchanted by.


    The tale of the fourth emperor, who was so beholden by his lover that he couldn¡¯t leave behind even one child with the empress, had been adapted in various ways to suit modern tastes.


    It was amusing to spot the differences between the historical content of the empire and the actual y.


    Meanwhile, Violet gazed at the stage with a somewhat indifferent heart. Just then, the actress ying the heroine was singing a beautiful song.


    ¡°A one-on-ten duel? Why would the emperor personally pick up a sword and fight?¡±


    Adapting it to suit people¡¯s tastes meant incorporating unrealistic elements. Despite having experienced the most unrealistic event, she couldn¡¯t focus on these unrealistic elements.


    Still, it was quite watchable. It wasn¡¯t called a masterpiece for nothing.


    The actress was beautiful, but the actor didn¡¯t quite appeal to Violet. Didn¡¯t he look too greasy? The face of an actor who captivated many women¡¯s hearts in the empire was quickly undervalued by her.


    If they were in the same category, Rajaden¡¯s face was far more beautiful.


    ¡­When the name suddenly popped into her mind, Violet frowned. Why was she thinking of that name here?


    Violet sighed inwardly. Beside her, Aldin seemed focused on the y, unable to take his eyes off the stage.


    Indeed, Aldin was definitely prettier than the primo uomo. And since his expressions rarely changed, it was fun to spot the subtle changes whenever there were any.


    That held true even while watching the y. Violet enjoyed observing Aldin¡¯s seemingly unchanging yet freely shifting expressions.


    Finally, the story reached its climax. The heroine¡¯s character met her death. No matter how many times it was adapted, this part of the story didn¡¯t change. As Violet casually turned her gaze, she noticed other nobles in the VIP section.


    She quickly turned her head away.


    They were some of the people she had met before at the artists¡¯ gathering. They weren¡¯t strangers, but it was awkward to say hi to them.


    One of them was even a ywright. They weren¡¯t bad people, but Violet had a feeling that running into them would be bothersome.


    She pulled her hat down as much as possible to hide her face.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Though deeply focused on the y, Aldin sensed something strange and looked puzzled. Violet smiled softly and pretended to be engrossed in the y.


    Suddenly realizing how close they were, sweat began to trickle down the back of Aldin¡¯s neck.


    He was inexplicably tense. Despite the open space and the many people, they were alone in this VIP section.


    From that moment, Aldin couldn¡¯t focus properly on the y anymore.


    The y ended with the two protagonists promising to meet in the next life. The open-ended conclusion left a lingering curiosity and made one ponder continuously.


    Of course, the continuation of the story was not important to Violet at that moment. She had more pressing matters.


    ¡°It was truly a beautiful story. Especially when De¡­¡±


    ¡°It was fun. But you said you¡¯d properly escort me today, so it¡¯s not just about watching the y, right?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Shall we go enjoy something else then?¡±


    Just as Aldin was about to share his thoughts on the y, Violet took his arm and hurried out of the theater.


    The unexpected physical contact made Aldin freeze like a stone.


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 Chapter 257

    Chapter 257


    Violet acted naturally. From behind, they looked like a couple who had just started dating.


    Fortunately, they didn¡¯t run into the noisy people from the arts social gathering.


    If they had met, the next time it would be a long conversation starting with, ¡®Oh, I also watched that y. It¡¯s a pity we didn¡¯t run into each other. It would have been nice to chat!¡¯ ¡ªBut that was for another time.


    It wasn¡¯t until they werepletely out on the street that Violet let go of his arm.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    By then, Aldin¡¯s face was fully flushed. His expression was even more intense than when they danced together at the banquet, as if he was about to cry.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine¡­¡±


    Even if it¡¯s someone you have a crush on, this kind of contact would be flustering, especially after confessing. It was the perfect situation for giving false hope since Violet hadn¡¯t responded to his confession yet. Though Aldin might see it only as a vow of loyalty, it was still the same.¡°It¡¯s alright, so you don¡¯t need to apologize anymore.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    Violet looked up at Aldin. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to meet her eyes and turned his head away.


    Looking up at him, she suddenly felt the height difference acutely.


    Violet slyly nced down at Aldin¡¯s hand. She wanted topare their hand sizes but thought he might faint if she did, so she refrained.


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes!¡±


    Even after a long time, he remained as flustered as ever, so she carefully called out to him, and only then did he respond properly. Violet smiled softly.


    He clumsily led Violet to the next ce.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    However, the restaurant he led her to was closed for the day.


    ¡°Don¡¯t people usually make reservations?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s my first time at such a ce. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Aldin looked like he wanted to hide in a hole. Violet, on the other hand, found it amusing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find another ce.¡±


    ¡°Famous ces are hard to get into without reservations, you know? Well, mentioning either of our family¡¯s names might help¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­¡±


    He wasn¡¯t someone who had dated before, let alone made friends besides Cairn, so there was no one to advise him.


    He did get some help from his sister, but only to the extent of location rmendations. Aldin was at a loss now that things had turned out this way.


    Violet smiled and led him to the market street.


    Although markets everywhere were simr, the bustling energy of the street markets had its own charm.


    Of course, the market in the capital was harsher due to high water costs and it was hard to find generosity, but the lively haggling had its own appeal.


    Seeing the busy market, Violet suggested they go to any restaurant. Aldin hesitated, but it seemed he had a favorite spot. Violet,ughing, assured him that any ce would do.


    They ended up having a simple meal at a shabby restaurant that Aldin led them to.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly a ce suitable for ady born and raised as a high noble.


    Throughout the meal, Aldin seemed burdened with guilt, while Violet was quite satisfied.


    The food here had a different tastepared to the dishes seasoned with rare spices.


    ¡°You two make such a lovely couple.¡±


    The restaurant owner jokinglyplimented them, saying they looked good together. Each time, Aldin¡¯s expression subtly changed. Eventually, he closed his eyes and wore an expression that clearly said ¡®Kill me now¡­¡¯ which made Violet burst intoughter.


    Walking around the marketce after leaving the restaurant was truly enjoyable. When Violet tried to buy some street food and realized she only had gold coins, she was briefly disheartened. Seeing this, Aldinughed and paid for her.


    ¡°Did youugh just now?¡±


    Violet questioned Aldin, asking if he found herck of money amusing. While it was fine for her to tease him, being teased was uneptable.


    Aldin, flustered by her question, bowed his head deeply and apologized.


    Violet brushed it off lightly and continued to lead Aldin.


    She stopped in front of a jewelry stall.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really not teasing you.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know.¡±


    ¡°Really, I¡¯m not.¡±


    After buying a cute bunny-shaped pin and fastening it to Aldin¡¯s hair, Violet spoke nonchntly.


    With his bangs, which had been slightly covering his eyes, now pinned up, his clear forehead was revealed.


    Violet had bought the bunny pin purely to tease him, but it ended up suiting him so well that she couldn¡¯t say anything more.


    ¡°How can one even look like this?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Unaware of the nces from people around them, Violet continued to admire Aldin.


    His forehead, eyebrows, and eyes were all beautiful.


    His face, situated somewhere between ¡®handsome¡¯ and ¡®pretty¡¯, looked even more beautiful with his hair pushed back.


    ¡°¡­Do you like this pin that much?¡±


    Violet was talking about Aldin, but he misunderstood her.


    Not used to having his entire face exposed, he kept fidgeting with his hair.


    Violet looked up at him, somewhat exasperated.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s beautiful, not the pin¡­¡±


    Honestly, the pin was a cheap and crude essory, making it hard to say it was harmonious. As Violet trailed off, Aldin¡¯s mouth opened slightly.


    ¡°I knew it, you were t-teasing me after all¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, look at that! They sell those too.¡±


    Quickly changing the subject and walking away, Violet left Aldin with a bewildered expression. Not wanting to leave thedy alone, he hurriedly followed her.


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 Chapter 258

    Chapter 258


    ¡°This is fun.¡±


    Having discovered a new amusement, Violet continued to tease Aldin. She would give him cutesy items that didn¡¯t suit him and made him try experimental foods sold at street stalls.


    Each time, Aldin would be at a loss and jump at every poke. Violet found this even more entertaining.


    After wandering around for quite some time, it was near sunset.


    By then, Aldin¡¯s hands were full of small items.


    ¡°These things really don¡¯t suit me.¡±


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t they look even cuter because they resemble you?¡±


    Hearing that he resembled a cute little bunny doll, Aldin bowed his head deeply.


    Since Violet said so, he figured it must be true. He couldn¡¯t argue against her words. Moreover, he felt guilty for not properly reserving a restaurant today, so he was even less inclined to speak up.<i>If she finds me cute, then I should be grateful¡­</i>


    Even though he was now an adult and taller than most, beingpared to a cute bunny was somewhat humiliating.


    ¡°You too, Lady¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Unable to bring himself to call her adorable, he lowered his head even more. Nevertheless, Violet quickly caught onto what he was trying to say, and she just smiled and pretended not to notice.


    It had been a day full ofughter and genuine joy.


    * * *


    Upon returning home, having been escorted properly, Violet found Cairn looking quite sullen.


    Though their rtionship was still awkward, Cairn¡¯s attitude had noticeably changed from before.


    ¡°Where did you go today?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to report to you every time I go out?¡±


    ¡°You could at least tell me!¡±


    Cairn¡¯s expression made it clear he was sulking.


    Was he jealous that his sister and his friend went out together without him? Violet found it bothersome and felt no need to answer.


    She intended to ignore him and finish her day¡¯s activities.


    Despite that, Cairn persistently bombarded her with questions. The more she gave vague answers, the more detailed his questions became.


    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°Brother, look at her! She was out until this hour and won¡¯t even say what she was doing!¡±


    ¡°Violet will take care of it herself¡­ You should go and look over the documents you need for your return to the academy.¡±


    ¡°Brother!¡±


    Roen, who had been bothered all day, looked exhausted.


    Cairn had always been a nuisance, but ever since his rtionship with Violet improved, he became <i>even more</i> bothersome.


    Ignoring their younger brother, Violet asked Roen,


    ¡°Is there something you need to tell me?¡±


    ¡°No, not at the moment. I¡¯ll pass on any information as soon as ites.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go upstairs and rest then.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Are you really not going to say anything? When Ie homete, <i>you</i> always ask what <i>I¡¯ve</i> been doing!¡±


    Violet ignored her brother and went up to her room. She didn¡¯t dwell on how much more annoying Cairn had be.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare your bath water, Mdy! Today, I¡¯ll use rosemary.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Mary, who had be quite adept at anticipating Violet¡¯s needs, prepared the bath water smoothly. Sending away those who usually assisted with her bath, Violet submerged herself in the water and reflected on the day¡¯s events.


    It had been a delightful day. She hoped tomorrow would be just as warm, peaceful, and uneventful.


    However, her reflections were different from before. Violet wondered why she felt so differently.


    Then she realized what had changed.


    The sense of alienation was gone.


    After almost drowning in theke, everything about her had flipped. Her personality, disposition, even the smallest preferences had all changed.


    When someone expressed curiosity about her transformation, she would curtly and very bluntly reply, <i>¡®I almost died, so I guess that¡¯s why.¡¯</i> But in reality, the one most confused by the changes was Violet herself.


    She once thought she was inherently wicked and selfish.


    ¡®I thought I hadpletely changed.¡¯


    But upon reflection, she realized she had been different when she was very young. Little Violet loved to chatter, was affectionate, and behaved like a tomboy.


    Recalling the days when her mother was alive, Violetughed out loud.


    She had changed, but the essence of her soul had not.


    It¡¯s just, the loneliness she once felt was gone.


    Violet no longer felt like an outsider in this world.


    So, she could live freely, doing what she wanted.


    She realized that she had already epted this world as her own.


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 Chapter 259

    Chapter 259


    ¡°Did you have a good time the other day? I heard ¡®Crimson Tragedy¡¯ is quite entertaining. It¡¯s the talk of the town.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did you put a tail on me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I just heard some rumors about it. Since it¡¯s considered a masterpiece, I thought I might take some time to watch it myself.¡±


    During today¡¯s session of painting the crown prince¡¯s portrait, Rajaden was being particrly moody. He kept his taut smile fixed on Violet.


    Though it wasn¡¯t enough to disrupt her painting, his continuous moodiness led Violet to neatly organize her sketches and put down her pencil. She didn¡¯t hesitate to sigh in front of the crown prince.


    ¡°Despite being an adaptation based on historical facts, It was enjoyable to watch. The lead actors were quite memorable.¡±


    Of course, that was a lie. Violet didn¡¯t really enjoy the y.


    ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°The actress was beautiful.¡±¡°I see, that¡¯s good¡­¡±


    For some reason, Rajaden¡¯s voice sounded bitter. Violet felt uneasy. Had he eaten something bad?


    ¡°You rejected my invitation, yet¡­¡±


    Rajaden muttered to himself. Violet ignored him and refocused on the canvas.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m d you had fun.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    At that moment, a vague memory surfaced in Violet¡¯s mind. Had Rajaden asked her out to see the y with him? Her sigh deepened.


    ¡°If it had been an order, I would haveplied.¡±


    ¡°You never miss a chance to get thest word in.¡±


    ¡°I was just expressing my thoughts¡­ Shall I conform to your wishes?¡±


    ¡°No. Just be yourself. That¡¯s more natural.¡±


    Switching gears rapidly, Rajaden abandoned his displeasure and adopted a tender expression.


    ¡°I will be the one who adjusts to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡±


    It really didn¡¯t suit him. Violet responded without hiding her distaste, but Rajaden just kept looking at her with that same tender expression.


    Even after that, the trivial conversation continued, but Violet focused on her painting. Despite her half-hearted responses, Rajaden persistently asked her various questions.


    When asked about her preferences, she answered absurdly, like saying that she enjoyed a dish made with dragon meat, its heat neutralized with a poisonous frog¡¯s secretions.


    Of course, dragon meat didn¡¯t exist in the current era, so her words were nonsense.


    Even so, Rajaden praised her, saying, ¡°Your sense of humor is remarkable.¡± Violet diligently mixed colors and painted.


    The key to the crown prince¡¯s portrait was capturing ¡®light¡¯ from beginning to end.


    Descendant of the Sun God, son of the light-enshrouded imperial family.


    While she couldn¡¯tpletely capture his likeness, the painting on the canvas gave off a simr atmosphere.


    Rajaden, bathed in holy light, appeared more reverent in the portrait than he did in real life.


    She incorporated yellow, white, andplementary colors like blue and a simr light green to enhance the color palette.


    Though it was difficult to create depth by adjusting saturation instead of brightness, the painting turned out even clearer because of it.


    Her painting resembled a depiction of a deity from a holy book rather than a traditional portrait.


    The painters of this current era, who prioritized realism, might not acknowledge a painting such as this. As she half-heartedly answered Rajaden¡¯s questions, Violet thought to herself,


    ¡®What exactly do I think of him?¡¯


    Human emotions were indeed fickle andplex. She didn¡¯t like Rajaden, but it was hard to say she outright disliked him.


    He was just fundamentally ipatible with her. His heavy-handed approach to things especially brought up unpleasant memories.


    Her first impression of him had been terrible. How could she forget the time he went on about that ¡®poisonous rose¡¯ nonsense?


    Yet, as a person, she didn¡¯t find him utterly repulsive.


    Violet sighed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day, Your Highness.¡±


    Despite repeatedly thinking that he wasn¡¯t the one for her, it was inevitable that Violet¡¯s thoughts kept circling back due to Rajaden¡¯s persistent advances.


    This was precisely Rajaden¡¯s strategy.


    No matter how hard he tried, Violet remained consistently lukewarm.


    Those seasoned in politics and high society were all ustomed to maintaining a poker face, but even considering that, her reactions were undeniably indifferent.


    ¡°¡­It seems I really mean nothing to you.¡±


    In the end, Rajaden had to admit this. His gloomy expression was so pitiful it was hard to tell if he was acting or genuine.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet nced at him while tidying up her art supplies. Rajaden looked at her and smiled again.


    ¡°I can adjust to you. In every way. ¡­So, please, give me a chance.¡±


    As Violet finished organizing, Rajaden kissed the back of her hand and spoke imploringly.


    .


    .


    .


    On her way home, Violet repeatedly pondered Rajaden¡¯s words.


    She could see the ulterior motives behind his golden eyes.


    Even if there was some sincerity in his words, it was hard to believe that was all there was to it.


    ¡®This is why¡­¡¯


    This is why, no matter how hard he tried, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to fall for him.


    A corner of Violet¡¯s lips went up as she gazed at the sky outside the carriage window.


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 Chapter 260

    Chapter 260


    Preparations for the exhibition continued. In the meantime, numerous letters kept pouring in for Violet.


    Anyone who was a part of high society envied her. She was not someone to be easily subdued but rather someone who reigned above all.


    Even without her showing much interest in them, Violet¡¯s admirers constantly sent her letters.


    That day, too, was spent sorting through necessary letters from the pile.


    Violet couldn¡¯tpletely ignore people¡¯s efforts, so she never threw the letters away, always keeping them stacked in a corner.


    Any letters containing even a hint of disrespect were promptly used as kindling.


    But today, she felt a different impulse.


    Perhaps it was because Rajaden¡¯s true feelings had left her feeling unsettled.


    Picking up a letter she normally wouldn¡¯t have read, Violet¡¯s expression soon grew somber as she read its contents.¡°¡­¡­¡±


    After finishing the letter, another impulse surged within her.


    Perhaps it was spurred by having witnessed raw emotion that¡¯s rarely found in this world full of pretenses.


    After reading the letter to the end, Violet decided to reply to the author¡ªa youngdy from an unknown baron family.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Silence hung between them. Violet sipped her tea calmly, waiting for the young woman to speak. The woman, unable to utter a word, merely sat immobile with her eyes darting around.


    Since this meeting had not been arranged formally, the two of them were in a private room of a teahouse.


    And despite having written so confidently in the letter, the woman had such a cautious demeanor that the contrast was almostically extreme. When Violet let out a chuckle, the woman¡¯s face turned bright red.


    ¡°If you were going to be so self-conscious, why did you write that letter?¡±


    ¡°Because I never thought Your Ladyship would actually read it!¡±


    Well, her response this time was bold. Violet¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest.


    The young woman, Lady Schwarze, looked utterly embarrassed.


    The letter Violet received was more like a diary entry disguised as a letter. Filled with raw emotions, it was hard to tell if it was apliment or an insult.


    To summarize, it said:


    <i>I have no choice but to live like this. There are so many things I want to do, yet I can¡¯t. Maybe my life¡¯s just meant to be this way.</i>


    <i>But you. How can you live so freely? How does it feel to live that way, is it nice? Is being born a duke¡¯s daughter the end all, be all¡­? Ah, I¡¯m so jealous.</i>


    While the words were softly put, it was more of a long-winded rant than a string ofpliments. Violet decided not to question why such a letter had been sent to her.


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t think Your Ladyship would read it. You don¡¯t respond to every letter, after all.¡±


    ¡°Just because I don¡¯t reply doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t read them.¡±


    In reality, she usually didn¡¯t read them. But she lied effortlessly.


    Lady Schwarze¡¯s head lowered more and more as she listened. Violet narrowed her eyes to read her emotions. Was she feeling remorseful?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But¡­ I was just so, so envious.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    It was too weak to be an apology and too crude to be an excuse.


    This sentiment of envy wasn¡¯t new. It had already filled the letter.


    She had written how envious she was of Violet, how she longed to do what she wanted, and how she wished she could be like Violet, doing whatever she desired.


    She even mentioned wanting to write her own stories.


    Violet spoke in a gentle tone.


    ¡°You said you wanted to write fairy tales.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What motivates you to write?¡±


    ¡°¡­Usually, people ask why you can¡¯t, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s important to me.¡±


    Her exceedingly calm tone surprised the other woman, who looked up at Violet. Violet¡¯s expression was elegant, haughty, yet kind.


    Seeing her face, Lady Schwarze began to speak as if entranced.


    ¡°¡­My father¡¯s stricter than most, especially with family members.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°My older sister experienced it, then I did next, and so too will my younger sister. A daughter who can¡¯t continue the family line is just meremodity. To be honest, I don¡¯t mind getting into a marriage of convenience. I always thought of it as my role.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ve liked fairy tales since I was little. I loved listening to my older sister read them by the candlelight¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I simply wanted to write stories like that.¡±


    As Lady Schwarze spoke, her face turned red with embarrassment, and she couldn¡¯t lift her head. For the first time, she revealed her deepest hopes, which she had never shared with anyone.


    Violet took the bashful confession in stride.


    If it were truly a shameful passion thedy didn¡¯t want anyone to know about, she should have kept it buried. Instead, she revealed her feelings of inferiority to someone else.


    Violet seeded despite the eyes of others, while Lady Schwarze did not.


    That was all there was to it.


    Though Violet thought about it casually, she didn¡¯t speak on that part. Instead, she responded like this¡ª


    ¡°Then, why not? Why don¡¯t you just write?¡±


    ¡°What? But my family would surely oppose¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you really need their permission?¡±


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 Chapter 261

    Chapter 261


    It¡¯s not like Violet couldn¡¯t understand her at all. Even she had to get permission from Duke Everett when she first started painting.


    As she watched the youngdy¡¯s face flush with bewilderment, Violet idly traced the rim of her cup with her finger. A smile bloomed on her lips.


    ¡°What do you think is the biggest obstacle when attempting something new?¡±


    ¡°That, of course¡­¡±


    ¡°Money.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about whether you fail or seed. Ah, the oue is important, of course. If you start a business with arge investment and it fails, you¡¯ll need what to recover? Money again.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It was an understatement to say that Lady Shwarze did not expect this conversation to swing over to this direction. Her eyes widened.¡°So, if you have money and enough funds to recover from failure, there¡¯s no need to fear trying.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is this¡ª You could sell just a couple of the ornaments you¡¯re wearing and have enough to write your fairy tales.¡±


    Violet continued calmly.


    Actually, there was no particr reason she wanted to meet this youngdy who had so tantly disyed her inferiorityplex.


    She just found her more interesting than those who hid their inferiority behind a fa?ade.


    Though Lady Shwarze¡¯s envy was stark, so was her admiration. Violet decided to find her behavior endearing.


    ¡°Is the world really that easy for you?¡±


    Lady Shwarze gritted her teeth as she looked at Violet. The corners of Violet¡¯s lips curled up higher.


    ¡°Do you think I got to where I am easily?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Her words carried a certain weight.


    Lady Shwarze couldn¡¯t know if Violet had an easy life or not. She wasn¡¯t Violet.


    However, she assumed that someone like Violet¡ªwho seemed to live freely with wealth and power¡ªmust have led an easy life thus far.


    While Lady Shwarze was feeling confused, Violet smiled again and spoke.


    ¡°Give it a try.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to regret it whether you try or not, it¡¯s better to try and then regret it. You¡¯ll regret whatever choice you make anyway, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°There are many ways to try¡ªwrite and submit your work, orpile your pieces into a book and go down the road of self-publishing. If your family opposes it, do it secretly and anonymously behind their backs. Or, you can try after you get married.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easier said than done.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re already considering trying, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    A weak smile fell from thedy¡¯s lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Not trying and still regretting it would be too unfair.¡±


    Finally, she showed a relieved smile.


    Only then did Violet understand what the empress had wished for.


    That Alesia noticed this first made a bitter smile cross Violet¡¯s lips. She thought she was perceptive, but she realized she needed to sharpen her skills further.


    .


    .


    .


    Later down the road, in a future perhaps near or far, a certain nobledy of the empire would ask to meet Violet once again to request illustrations for her written work. It is yet to be known to either of them that these illustrated stories would be passed down to children for generations toe.


    * * *


    Ever since that day¡¯s spontaneous meeting, Violet gave much more thought to the exhibition she was preparing.


    It wasn¡¯t arge exhibition. From the start, there weren¡¯t many paintings to disy.


    Moreover, Violet didn¡¯t have much time to dedicate to the exhibition.


    She was busy enough as it waspleting the crown prince¡¯s portrait and attending necessary social gatherings, but she also had to continue working on her private paintings and thinking of titles and descriptions for them.


    The biggest problem¡ªAileen¡¯s presence at every social event she attended notwithstanding¡ªwas one particr thing.


    She couldn¡¯t exin the paintings she had worked on previously.


    More precisely, she couldn¡¯t recall the emotions she had while painting them.


    She knew she painted them in a state of depression¡ªthat feeling of misery pulling her down¡­ down to the bottom of ake. Each and every stroke of paint carried these emotions heavily.


    However, the exact feelings and what she wanted to express were now vague to her.


    Even now, she could feel that same misery weighing down on her as she looked at the paintings she made from the time she first picked up the brush.


    In a primarily dark blue color palette and with many bizarre expressions, it was clear why they had been called the paintings of a demon or a witch.


    Violet closed her eyes while contemting her paintings.


    As time passed, the colors in her paintings became more vivid.


    Muted colors turned into more saturated ones, and rough brush strokes became more refined.


    At the same time, the emotions of the painter were transparently visible all throughout.


    Of course, even with bright colors and clear execution, the paintings still held such oddity by this era¡¯s standards.


    Violet narrowed her eyes.


    There were a few paintings she needed to exclude. She didn¡¯t understand why these unfinished works and practice pieces were being disyed in the manor¡¯s private gallery.


    She couldn¡¯t recall the emotions or motivations behind those paintings either.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t an urgent issue at the moment.


    In the future, art historians might add various reasons to make them significant, but for now, they were just sentimental possessions¡ªnothing more, nothing less.


    Therefore, Violet kept the exnations simple.


    She picked up her brush, painted, poured her emotions into the work, and tried to remember why she had painted it.


    Much had changed. Both herself and her surroundings.


    And much more would change in the future.


    Violet smiled softly as she walked out of the gallery.


    While the preparations for the exhibition were progressing slowly, the Founding Festival was approaching quickly.


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 Chapter 262

    Chapter 262


    Banquets, feasts, and the whole festival thatsted for seven days. The nobles of the country used this asion as an excuse to enjoy the balls as they usually did.


    For themoners, however, the Founding Festival held a different meaning.


    It was a day tomemorate the founding of the nation and, at the same time, a harvest festival thatsted for three days.


    For those who worked, it was a public holiday, and for those who ran stalls, it was an opportunity to earn substantial ie.


    Thus, even though it wasn¡¯t the actual day yet, the streets were bustling with activity.


    A sense of anticipation filled the air, and subtle tensions simmered among the nobles aiming for influence in the empire¡¯s central politics.


    It was only natural since thergest banquet of the festival was held in the imperial pce.


    Some were eager to attend the banquet hosted by the imperial family, while others were worried about possible mishaps that might ur amidst all the excitement.


    Of course, there were those who remained unconcerned to all the hubaloo.Violet was one of them. She herself was too busy and preupied to think about any balls or festivals.


    The counseling she did for the youngdy a few days ago was giving her a bit of grief. Since then, she had been inundated with letters, likely due to yet another rumor spreading.


    At first, Violet was curious as to why she was receiving so many letters that weren¡¯t even invitations, so she decided to read a few of them.


    The letters were mostly fan letters, requests for advice, or diary entries containing secrets that they couldn¡¯t tell anyone else. What would they do if someone stole these letters and used them as leverage for ckmail?


    Although the content wasn¡¯t significant enough to be considered exploitable weaknesses, the personal details were so thoroughly detailed that it was both startling and entertaining at once.


    Obviously enough, she didn¡¯t reply to any of them¡­ yet the letters kepting.


    She didn¡¯t understand why and how she had amassed such followers. If it was purely based on her appearance, there were plenty of other beautiful people besides her.


    Meanwhile, as Violet¡¯s confusion grew day after day, there were a few people who feltplicated watching this all y out.


    One of those people was Rajaden.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite popr, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°Does it seem that way to you?¡±


    ¡°How popr must you be to reject my partnership request so often?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t see how that rtes to my poprity, nor do I think I have any obligation to ept.¡±


    ¡°¡­So you won¡¯t even give me a chance now?¡±


    Rajaden¡¯s wistful, resigned words made Violet frown. She knew her words might be considered disrespectful, but she didn¡¯t hesitate.


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite have the supernatural ability of reading people¡¯s minds, Your Highness. If you have something to say, please be clear about it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    In other words, <i>Just blurt it out already.</i>


    Rajaden didn¡¯t respond.


    Today, Rajaden was clearly agitated. There was no trace of his usual confident smile, joy, or arrogance.


    Reflecting on Violet¡¯s words, Rajaden frowned and spoke in a low but firm tone.


    ¡°What exactly is the problem? I told you I can adjust. I can give you all the love you want. I won¡¯t look at anyone else, nor will I take any concubines. ¡­If you just want it, you can ascend to the highest position. So why? Why can¡¯t you at least¡­ at least give me a chance!¡±


    In the end, his emotions got the better of him. With nothing to hold them back, his emotions nowy out in the open.


    The man who had everything was reacting like a child who just found out that there was something in this world that he couldn¡¯t have for the first time in his life.


    Was the pain sharper because this was his first failure? Violet sighed softly as she continued painting his portrait.


    <i>This is why we don¡¯t match.</i>


    When she quietly made eye contact, Rajaden¡¯s face showed a mix of his hopes, his desperation not to miss any chance, and some calction.


    And also, the despair of that possibility.


    What if even <i>this</i> gets rejected?


    Violet smiled. She knew what she was about to say would be false hope.


    ¡°If I were to be Your Highness¡¯s partner, what would you do?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I would¡­¡±


    Rajaden started to speak but then fell silent. Seeing his silence, the smile faded from Violet¡¯s face.


    ¡°Your Highness. You say you love me, but that is what <i>you </i>feel. That emotion can¡¯t seem to respect me as an <i>individual.¡±</i>


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Possession, monopoly, control, calction.


    These things were too dark and too oppressive to be called love.


    Rajaden said he loved Violet. And, indeed, that emotion was love.


    But the other desires hidden within that love were too obvious.


    Violet knew that she and Rajaden were fundamentally ipatible. Of course, if they loved each other, they could adapt and work through it together. They could suppress parts of themselves and dedicate themselves to each other.


    However, that process seemed much too excruciating.


    What she truly desired was something Rajaden couldn¡¯t give.


    ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned meeting with Aileen frequentlytely. What do you talk about with her?¡±


    ¡°¡­I cannot say.¡±


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 Chapter 263

    Chapter 263


    ¡°I expected as much.¡±


    Violetughed lightly at the expected answer.


    Bing the empress wasn¡¯t a bad choice. There would be losses, but the gains would be just as substantial.


    However, she was certain with that recent answer.


    Complete respect without alienation. Devotion in the name of love. Pure love without calction.


    It might be excessive greed. Violet knew that well.


    Rajaden, sensing the meaning of her words, clenched his teeth invisibly. His expression was vastly different from that in the portrait.


    Who would look at the current crown prince and call him a brilliant, radiant existence like the sun?


    Violet alternated her gaze between the Rajaden in the painting and the Rajaden before her, and sheughed again.Bing a true viiness wouldn¡¯t be so bad.


    ¡°Since you desire it so, I shall be Your Highness¡¯s partner for this Founding Festival.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Of course. In return, I will skip all seven days of the banquet.¡±


    As he had been staring nkly into space, Rajaden soon gathered strength in his voice and replied,


    ¡°¡­Even that much is fine.¡±


    ¡°Yes, even that much is fine.¡±


    His expression wasplicated as she answered. Violet put down her brush.


    Once this portrait was finished, the connection between them would vanish.


    Of course, they could meet under any pretext. With Roen between them, face-to-face encounters could be arranged. However, Violet was certain it wouldn¡¯te to that.


    She confronted the truth buried deep in her heart.


    <i>I hope you be a wise ruler, not a tyrant.</i>


    <i>I hope you don¡¯t be someone who forcibly takes and breaks others.</i>


    Though not a match as human beings, she respected him as the empire¡¯s crown prince. She thought he was unpleasant but still wished him to progress peacefully as the emperor.


    Violet briefly reflected as she put down her brush.


    Controlling others in the name of their well-being, not sharing any conversation, and proceeding as he wished.


    The situation where one pressured another, asking why their efforts weren¡¯t acknowledged, was the most dreadful she had ever experienced.


    ¡°I shall see you next at the temple.¡±


    ¡°¡­Take care on your way.¡±


    Rajaden¡¯s arrogance reminded her of her time in Everett.


    Could there be a possibility for change?


    He imed he would change for the sake of love, but could he truly forsake everything?


    <i>How far can you go for love?</i>


    Violet didn¡¯t ask, and Rajaden said no more.


    * * *


    Amidst the increasingly excited atmosphere, Aldin naturally asked Violet to be his partner. It was a significant improvement.


    Of course, Violet already had a prior engagement. When she declined, saying she had an earliermitment, Aldin immediately looked as if his world had copsed.


    She wasn¡¯t supposed tough, but as someone who rarely showed emotions, his reactions were always too funny.


    It wasn¡¯t through a letter but a direct encounter, making it impossible for him to hide his expression, which looked all the more miserable.


    Violet twitched the corners of her mouth but then spoke in a calm, unaffected voice.


    ¡°I have a prior engagement for the ball, but I¡¯m free at other times.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°I want to check out the street festival¡­¡±


    ¡°You will enjoy it¡­¡±


    He seemed deeply shocked. It was as if he wasn¡¯t even aware of the conversation they were having. Violet considered teasing Aldin but decided against it.


    ¡°Would you apany me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, then I will apany you to the festiva¡­ huh?¡±


    Violet couldn¡¯t hold back herughter anymore.


    Aldin was startled as he watched Violetugh quietly, clutching her stomach. He reyed their conversation in his mind.


    ¡°So, that means¡­¡±


    ¡°I asked you to apany me to the festival.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about going with me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, even though you¡¯re a knight who doesn¡¯t know how to make a restaurant reservation¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°But who would know the streets of the festival better than you?¡±


    Aldin¡¯s face crumpled in embarrassment with every word Violet said. He looked like he wanted to find a hole to crawl into.


    ¡°Truly, I am sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not looking for an apology for past events. So, will you apany me to the festival?¡±


    ¡°Y¡­Yes.¡±


    At that moment, someone interrupted.


    ¡°Me! I want to go too! I want to go with you!¡±


    It was Cairn.


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 Chapter 264

    Chapter 264


    ¡°¡­And why should <i>you</i>e?¡±


    ¡°I also know the festival well enough. I haven¡¯t participated in the capital¡¯s festivals all that much, but I at least know more about festivals than this guy!¡±


    That was true. Watchingmoners¡¯ festivals was one of his frequent activities.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a reason to bring you along.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unfair to go just the two of you! I¡¯ll tell Brother!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Did he really think threatening to tell Roen would work?


    Even if he ran off to tell Roen about this, it wouldn¡¯t affect Violet.However, it was easy to foresee him stubbornly insisting on going for various reasons.


    Both Violet and Aldin knew this well.


    As the two sighed in unison, Cairn raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°He¡¯s so oblivious¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Why? Why am I oblivious?¡±


    <i>¡°¡­Haa.¡±</i>


    It was the first time Cairn had ever been told he was oblivious, and he looked at Violet in confusion.


    Violet avoided his gaze. Cairn¡¯s questioning look then turned to Aldin, but Aldin also turned his head away.


    * * *


    Thus, Violet¡¯s schedule was settled clumsily.


    Despite giving several hints, Violet couldn¡¯t shake off Cairn. He seemed excited about watching the festival together.


    Roen, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t join them due to his obligations. He looked at his two younger siblings with envy.


    Violet secretly looked for ways to get Cairn back to the academy quickly. However, it seemed there was no way to send him back before the Founding Festival started.


    As she was fretting over this, a new problem emerged.


    The day to pray at the temple with the crown prince had arrived.


    If she had epted either the partner request or the temple prayer alone, it wouldn¡¯t have been so bothersome.


    She contemted whether she could excuse herself due to illness.


    However, escaping now would look very bad.


    Thus, Violet reluctantly chose in clothes.


    Should she still back out?


    Even after dressing up, she still wanted to bail. Violet decided to focus on something else as the meeting time approached.


    ¡°Could you bring me today¡¯s newspaper?¡±


    ¡°Which newspaper would you like, Mdy?¡±


    ¡°Any one of them will do. Just something good to read while I¡¯m bored.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Mary excitedly brought any newspaper she could find. Violet casually opened it.


    And as soon as she saw the contents, she couldn¡¯t help but bark out augh.


    Once again, Violet herself took up the biggest section of the newspaper. It was obvious that Mary had brought it because of this article.


    Violet found Mary endearing and continued to read the contents.


    <b>[ Unveiling the Flower of High Society, Lady Everett ]</b>


    To summarize the article under therge headline, it detailed how Violet S. Everett, reigning as the flower of high society, had be the leader of all trends. It meticulously outlined her clothes, makeup methods, and behavior one by one.


    From beauty tips to dress styles to emte her, the article also analyzed why her fashion was so popr and beautiful.


    Violet nced at Mary.


    It was filled with content that Mary, who was deeply into studying beauty, would really enjoy.


    Mary tilted her head with an innocent expression. Violet smiled, patted her head, and continued reading the newspaper.


    The paper, more of a gossip rag than an information sheet, contained a lot of other content as well.


    Most of it was about high society, and the uracy was suspiciously high, as if there was a spy among them.


    As Violet followed the small print, she suddenly clicked her tongue.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    ¡°Mdy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Despite Mary¡¯s curiosity, Violet simply brushed it off with a smile.


    Unlike her smiling face, her feelings became quiteplicated upon discovering a particr article.


    <b>[ Lady of the Radiant Spring Flowers Captures the Man of the Sun?! ]</b>


    Aileen, who already harbored feelings of inferiority towards Violet.


    It was expected that she would cause a fuss just because Violet appeared on the front page of a newspaper about high society instead of herself.


    Violet could almost see the girl¡¯s reaction and sighed, feeling both exasperated at Aileen¡¯s predictable reaction and astonished at her carelessness in feeding such information to the press.


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 Chapter 265

    Chapter 265


    The intention was obvious. She wanted to brag about her connection with the crown prince, but it was pointless.


    Did she really want to be the public enemy of all the nobledies just to be an object of envy?


    Violet, who was already both the public enemy and the object of envy, clicked her tongue inwardly.


    She recalled the appearance of Aileen at the social gatherings she asionally attended. She was literally overflowing with ¡®poisonous energy¡¯.


    She had deliberately provoked and taunted her, which seemed to have escted into hostility.


    A cornered rat might bite a cat, but had Aileen ever really been cornered? It was simply that the public¡¯s opinion didn¡¯t follow her desires.


    Violet sighed inwardly.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why Aileen was so excessively concerned with others¡¯ opinions and reputations.


    ¡°Even doing such things would amount to nothing. You¡¯ll never be able to reach me.¡±Violet smiled as she recalled the taunting words she had thrown at Aileen thest time they met.


    Seeing Violet smile, Mary asked curiously.


    ¡°Miss? Is there something strange in the newspaper?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just right for a little distraction. Mary, could you tie my hair?¡±


    ¡°Yes! How would you like it?¡±


    ¡°Just something that matches my current outfit.¡±


    ¡°Ah, then maybe with the pins we receivedst time¡­¡±


    ¡°But it has to be simple. What good is it to be shy when I¡¯m just going to pray at the temple?¡±


    <i>¡°Hiiing¡­</i> Alright¡­¡±


    Mary looked disappointed, but Violet didn¡¯t mind.


    ¡°I am already more than enough without extra adornments.¡±


    As Violet disyed her confident self-assurance, Mary hummed in agreement and tidied up her silver hair.


    However, Mary couldn¡¯t abandon what she had set her mind on. When Violet, dressed as if not dressed up, looked at herself in the mirror, she shook her head and climbed into the carriage.


    She felt uneasy the whole way.


    Is there a particr reason why she didn¡¯t want to meet him this much? Violet pondered. She just wished time would flow slowly.


    Unfortunately, the meeting came to pass.


    ¡°You¡¯re early, Ducal Lady.¡±


    Rajaden greeted Violet with a bright smile and confidently extended his hand to escort her. It was only upon seeing his smile that Violet realized why she didn¡¯t want to meet him.


    Rajaden was so dazzlingly beautiful today that it wouldn¡¯t be enough to repeatedly praise his appearance.


    His hair, as if spun from threads of the sun¡¯s rays, glittered like jewels under the bright light.


    Moreover, his face, which had been somewhat gloomy until just before meeting Violet, lit up as brightly as the sun the moment he saw her.


    This was why she disliked it.


    She hated being someone who instilled expectations in others. She hated the situation where she had to crush those expectations.


    It was a surprisingly tender thought for someone once called a viiness.


    Violet realized once again that she was weak to someone¡¯s goodwill and put on a smile like a mask.


    ¡°I just arrived on time. However, Your Highness seems to have arrived early.¡±


    ¡°This is quite normal for me.¡±


    Rajaden led Violet with the perfectly trained etiquette of the imperial family. With her hand ced atop his, they entered the interior of the temple.


    The temple was evidently a sacred structure. True to the symbolism of serving the Sun God, the building was designed to allow sunlight to permeate the interior, its marble construction shining brightly at a nce.


    How many times had she been to the temple in her life?


    Violet faintly frowned, recalling the day she first fell into theke. A priest had been summoned from the temple after donating an astronomical amount of money.


    She wasn¡¯t a diligent believer, so matters rted to divinity weren¡¯t particrly pleasant for her.


    As they entered the temple, all eyes turned towards the two of them. Rajaden and Violet merely maintained a kind andposed expression.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯ve heard that the recent movements of the temple have been strange.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°The reason we came here today is to pray before the Founding Festival, but also to personally observe the temple¡¯s activities.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous toe here to observe personally?¡±


    ¡°Are you perhaps worried about me?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one who wouldn¡¯t worry about the future of the nation.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> indeed. I am the future of this empire. Don¡¯t worry. Do you think I woulde here without any precautions?¡±


    Rajaden spoke with a cheerful tone. Violet blinked a couple of times without changing her expression.


    The fact that he had to take precautions even at his own country¡¯s temple showed how dire the situation was.


    While she was lost in thought, Rajaden looked at her kindly and wiggled his fingers.


    Was he reacting like this just because she expressed a smidgen of concern? It was hard to believe.


    Violet swallowed her astonishment at the subtle movement. She hadn¡¯t expected him to interpret such a trivial remark with such significance. Encountering the pure side of the arrogant crown prince was indeed bewildering.


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 Chapter 266

    Chapter 266


    Violet sighed inwardly and spoke.


    ¡°But what about me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°If Your Highness is safe, does that mean yourpanion is also safe?¡±


    ¡°¡­Who knows?¡±


    Of course she would be safe. There was no way the crown prince of the empire would endanger a nobledy. Even if not, Roen would have made arrangements to ensure Violet¡¯s safety.


    However, given his response, it was natural for Violet to feel irritated.


    She almost felt guilty for slightly trampling on his feelings. Violet wondered if apanying him to the temple was also a calcted move.


    Bringing someone he unrequitedly loved to a dangerous ce, using them for political calctions¡ªhis character was truly peculiar.Regardless, Rajaden just smiled as if teasing Violet.


    At that moment, she briefly considered bing the crown prince¡¯s lover. If she were his lover, she might get away with hitting him once.


    While Violet entertained dangerous thoughts, a bishop approached swiftly. It was almost as if he was running.


    ¡°Pardon me, but even as Your Highness is part of the Imperial Family, it is ever-pertinent to remain quiet under the protection of the Sun God.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    The bishop cleared his throat and began to guide them. It was impressive that he dared to engage in a power struggle with the future emperor. Meanwhile, he seemed very displeased when Violet didn¡¯t respond, but she lightly ignored him nheless.


    ¡°Ahem, ahem. In the temple, secr status does not matter. What truly matters is a devout heart in serving the gods¡­¡±


    It was amusing to hear such words from those who epted donations so secrly. When Violetughed, the bishop¡¯s face turned red.


    ¡°My apologies. I would like to hear the rest of your exnation.¡±


    <i>¡°Ahem, ahem.</i> The two of you have visited the temple to pray for the peace of the uing Founding Festival and theing year. The first thing to do is¡­¡±


    Since it wasn¡¯t her duty, Violet let the bishop¡¯s words go in one ear and out the other.


    The bishop¡¯s words weren¡¯t entirely wrong. Underneath the gods, after all, everyone is just a mere human being.


    However, if a devout heart was the most important thing in the temple, it implied that the bishop held a higher position than the crown prince in this ce.


    One who serves the gods and one who inherits divine blood¡ªwhich of the two would be closer to God?


    Comparing and pondering, the bishop¡¯s attitude was clear.


    ¡®He¡¯s looking down on the Imperial Family.¡¯


    <i>We serve our God with such devout hearts, so why should the imperial family, iming to inherit divine blood, rule the empire?</i>


    It seemed like an age-old grievance.


    <i>¡°Hoho,</i> the Sun God will always look upon the people of thisnd with a benevolent heart.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. The Almighty God, being the most noble, would never allow those who are not righteous to face the sun with open eyes and will lead them to the most miserable end.¡±


    ¡°Yes. For example, exploiting people in the name of the gods.¡±


    <i>¡°Fufufu.¡±</i>


    <i>¡°Hahaha.¡±</i>


    The silent battle of wills between the two men continued. Violet sighed quietly as she listened to their conversation. She thought that if they came to pray, they should just pray.


    After a long standoff, they finally exchanged formal greetings and prayers. Rajaden left briefly to meet with the archbishop. He told Violet to look around the temple, and she couldn¡¯t help butugh dryly at this.


    It meant that a noblewoman who wasn¡¯t even his fianc¨¦e didn¡¯t belong in such a ce.


    Even if he doubted the temple¡¯s movements, leaving her alone was too much.


    Violet entertained the possibility of the temple colluding with enemy nations but dismissed it. Despite everything, it was a national religion, and connecting it with a kidnapping plot was too much.


    Instead, she had another thought.


    ¡®¡­Surely, he doesn¡¯t n to use me as bait.¡¯


    If that were the case, it would be the worst. It would be better to suspect collusion with an enemy nation.


    Violet stopped her negative thoughts and slowly looked around the prayer room.


    Thanks to the open ceiling, sunlight poured into the prayer room.


    Except for the difficulty in cleaning when it rained, it was a space that boasted a sense of sacredness to the people.


    And at the center of the altar inside the prayer room, a marble statue of the Sun God could be seen.


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 Chapter 267

    Chapter 267


    The true appearance of the god was unknown, but the statue created by human imagination was exceedingly beautiful.


    Violet stared nkly at the sculpture.


    It must have been carved long ago, and it was astonishing that such techniques existed hundreds of years ago.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet quietly observed the statue in the prayer room before moving on.


    As befitted a ce with such a long history, traces of the past remained throughout the temple.


    Stained ss, ceiling murals, and intricately beautiful sculptures.


    It was, quite literally, a living history of art.


    She slowly walked, observing the remnants of history.Among these, what captivated Violet¡¯s interest the longest was the mural.


    Depicting a scene from mythology, the mural bore the wear and tear of time, with signs of retouching evident. Yet, even after centuries, it boasted a majestic grandeur.


    In those days, there wouldn¡¯t have been any alchemical paints¡ªeach color must have been created from individual pigments.


    As the era of legends passed, and the first emperor, the son of the Sun God, descended to thend infested with monsters to end the dark age and establish the nation, the divine bloodline had continued for over a thousand years.


    Whether it was a legend passed down through oral tradition and scriptures, there was no way to verify its authenticity, but the historical evidence inspired by it was extraordinarily beautiful.


    For Violet, who had only ever painted on slightlyrger canvases, such a colossal painting was simply magnificent.


    Soon, a mix of ambition and inferiority welled up inside her.


    Inferiority from the thought that she would never be able to create such a painting in her lifetime.


    Yet, ambition from wondering if, with time, it might be possible.


    Of course, Violet had no intention of painting stories of myth. Her faith consisted solely of believing that a god existed.


    ¡°¡­Someday.¡±


    She murmured this single word, holding meaning even she did not fully understand.


    As she was exploring the interior of the temple, Rajaden, having finished his conversation with the archbishop, came to find her.


    ¡°I did tell you to look around the temple, but I didn¡¯t expect to have to search for you like this.¡±


    He had a lot to say for someone who had left her behind. Violet greeted Rajaden with an impassive face.


    ¡°Did you finish your conversation?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We had a very enjoyable time discussing theology.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. The depth of Your Highness¡¯s theological knowledge is truly astonishing.¡±


    A voice she didn¡¯t expect to hear interrupted. Violet finally noticed the archbishop standing behind Rajaden and greeted him lightly.


    ¡°May the Sun God protect you and grant you peace always.¡±


    ¡°¡­I hope that peace and tranquility shall always dwell in a world protected by the god.¡±


    Rajaden¡¯s voice was tart as he received the greeting. Though his expression was still smiling,pared to his usual demeanor, there was a noticeably subdued air about him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave now.¡±


    It was uncharacteristic of him to be so impatient. Violet said nothing more to him and started walking slowly.


    Only after they had distanced themselves from the archbishop did Rajaden speak first.


    ¡°¡­It seems you enjoyed your tour quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°I regret noting sooner.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> then I¡¯m d I asked you to apany me. You didn¡¯t seem interested in theology.¡±


    ¡°I do have academic interests.¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t have faith.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. I¡¯m not a devout believer either.¡±


    The conversation was casual.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s been centuries since a pope was elected, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Rajaden started.


    ¡°A pope¡­ you say?¡±


    ¡°No, never mind. Has anyone suspicious approached you?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anyone strange.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    The conversation didn¡¯t flow well. Violet was certain something had happened to him. She quietly tried to gauge what Rajaden wanted to say, but it was hard to grasp.


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 Chapter 268

    Chapter 268


    Finally, Violet changed the topic with a faint smile.


    ¡°Your Highness, why did you ask me toe to the temple with you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I hope I haven¡¯t done anything to anger you, Your Highness.¡±


    Rajaden, who had been smiling along with her, suddenly hardened his expression at her question and hesitated.


    ¡°¡­There was no other reason. I just wanted to pray together. ¡­Did it bother you?¡±


    ¡°If Your Highness had no other intention, then it¡¯s fine.¡±


    At her reply, Rajaden let out a slow sigh. Hesitantly, he spoke.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d like it, since you hadn¡¯t visited the temple before. You liked the art gallery, too¡­¡±Violet chose silence instead of a reply. It wasn¡¯t that she deliberately didn¡¯t answer¡­ she simply couldn¡¯t find the words. Seeing her hesitation, Rajaden quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, how about touring other buildings in the imperial pce next time? Even if it¡¯s not the crown prince¡¯s pce. There are many old structures like the temple, with much to see.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Would they still have this kind of rtionship then? Violet didn¡¯t answer. Seeing her remain silent, Rajaden visibly shrank and quickly changed the topic again.


    After that, their conversation was filled with trivial matters.


    Exnations about the Founding Festival, how preparations for the exhibition were going¡ªnothing deep or significant.


    After parting with Rajaden and boarding the carriage, Violet closed her eyes and reflected.


    The temple¡¯s unsettling movements, the crown prince¡¯s wary conversation with the archbishop, the sudden mention of a pope¡¯s absence.


    In the end, it was a stagnant power struggle. The temple did not recognize the divine bloodline, and the imperial family despised the power-hungry temple, so conflict was inevitable.


    She didn¡¯t know what might happen next, but she hoped their squabbles wouldn¡¯t affect her exhibition.


    * * *


    The day of the Founding Festival dawned.


    Although the main ball would start in the evening, those who loved to socialize began to gather and have fun in the imperial pce¡¯s banquet hall.


    Though no one said it aloud, the current star of high society was Violet.


    She didn¡¯t seek to dominate, but countless young lords wished to dance with her, and youngdies admired and aspired to be like her.


    Naturally, this following included making her fashion the trend.


    Everyone followed Violet¡¯s lead, wearing the clothes she wore. The one most infuriated by this was Aileen.


    Even Lady Tolofia, who had been the flower of high society before Violet¡¯s arrival, only felt resentment, but did not harborplex ill feelings toward Violet.


    However, for Aileen, the situation was different.


    ¡®So annoying¡­¡¯


    As she greeted the people approaching her, she barely contained her irritation.


    Aileen, too, had once tried to emte Violet, but back then, Violet wasn¡¯t an object of admiration. Rather, she was constantlypared <i>to Aileen</i>, and her now-remarkable traits were deemed irritating and harsh.


    But now, how things had changed. Everyone praised Violet¡¯s beauty and imitated her style.


    Undeniably, Aileen felt bitter about this.


    She tried to quell the rising heat within her, not even knowing exactly what upset her so much.


    ¡®Why¡­ Just why is it always you!¡¯


    As herplicated emotions made it hard to even smile, she bumped into someone.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t looking¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    The voice was familiar to Aileen. Surprised, she quickly looked up to see Cairn watching her with aplicated expression.


    ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    As soon as she saw Cairn, a flood of thoughts filled Aileen¡¯s mind.


    Were they really on such casual greeting terms? Aileen barely recalled that Cairn hadn¡¯t been there when she felt isted.


    Quickly, she put on a fluttering smile and greeted him again with a charming gesture.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. How have you been, Brother Cairn?¡±


    ¡°More or less. You haven¡¯t changed.¡±


    Their conversation was as casual as if nothing had happened. The people around them found it curious to see Aileen and Cairn together, whispering among themselves.


    The higher one¡¯s position, the more forces try to bring them down. The Everett Dukedom had a prominent name, and even small indiscretions drew much attention.


    Thus, the meeting between Cairn and Aileen was seen as an interesting spectacle.


    Feeling the gazes of the people around her, Aileen looked at Cairn and smiled shyly.


    ¡°I¡­ actually haven¡¯t been well¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe because it was a foreignnd. I missed my family so much and felt really lonely because I couldn¡¯t see my beloved older brothers. But I learned a lot there and got to know a wider world. Surely, my brothers and Father sent me to study abroad because they wanted me to know this world, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    While Aileen prattled on with a mix of cuteness andint, Cairn silently listened to her.


    And as soon as she finished speaking, he gave a faint smile.


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 Chapter 269

    Chapter 269


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡±


    Aileen, who had been smiling shyly like a young girl, suddenly met Cairn¡¯s gaze.


    Their eyes, simr yet different, scrutinized each other. The coldness in Cairn¡¯s eyes made Aileen flinch involuntarily.


    ¡°Brother, I, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡­?¡±


    Aileen feigned ignorance, hiding her fear and speaking sweetly. Cairn patiently waited for her to finish her words and then asked again.


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡±


    It was the third time he asked the same question. Aileen took a step back.¡°Brother, y¡­you¡¯re scaring me¡­¡±


    Her voice trembled as tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing her, Cairn sighed deeply, a sneer forming on his lips.


    ¡°Did you really miss me? Me and our older brothers? ¡­Did you really miss us?¡±


    ¡°Brother¡­. Are you doubting Aileen¡¯s sincerity¡­?¡±


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s what your answer is until the end.¡±


    Cairn standing before her was different from the person in her memory. Aileen realized for the first time that even the simple-minded Cairn could make such an expression.


    ¡°Brother Cairn¡­?¡±


    ¡°You could havee to see us at least once.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°If you really missed your family and wanted to see us, you would havee. You could have said it was a misunderstanding, that you missed us.¡±


    ¡°It <i>was</i> a misunderstanding, Brother!¡±


    ¡°Right, it was like this.¡±


    His sneer turned into a bitter smile. Cairn looked much thinner than thest time she saw him, yet he let out a smallugh looking at his beloved younger sister.


    Sensing hisplex emotions, Aileen quickly spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what misunderstanding you have, but I really tried toe! But, Sister¡­ Sister Violet, she¡­¡±


    Clear tears trickled down from her pale green eyes. Someone nearby sighed at the sight. Critical nces were cast at Cairn, who had made Lady Aileen cry.


    Cairn paid them no mind.


    ¡°Did Sister tell you not toe?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, really. ¡­I really missed my family. But Sister didn¡¯t understand my feelings¡­¡±


    <i>¡°¡­Ha.¡±</i>


    Theugh that came from Cairn¡¯s lips was far from what Aileen expected. As she pretended to wipe her tears, she froze.


    Her words were half true. Violet had indeed told Aileen not to expect any support from House Everett. If she visited, she would undoubtedly be turned away at the door.


    ¡°Yes, I see¡­¡±


    But Aileen was not the kind of person who¡¯d be discouraged by such rejection. When Violet had been confined to the annex, hadn¡¯t she visited, carrying her own painting to unt?


    So her words were just poor excuses.


    Cairn, knowing this, called her in a gentle tone. It was a soft voice, one she had never used before.


    ¡°Aileen.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Live a good life.¡±


    With those words, Cairn left without looking back.


    ¡°Live a good life¡­?¡±


    Only Aileen remained, staring nkly at his departing figure.


    ¡°Live a good life, here. Here, you tell me to live a good life¡­?¡±


    <i>What more do you want me to do!</i>


    It was a cry that wouldn¡¯t be heard.


    She had always presented herself the way others wanted, refrained from actions that would annoy people, and strived to live in a way that others envied.


    Aileen had lived as a good and kind child. She had made someone else the bad person to maintain her own image as a good child, but she didn¡¯t think it was a big deal.


    So why did she have to hear such words?


    ¡®¡­Violet.¡¯


    Ultimately, the object of Aileen¡¯s anger was Violet.


    <i>If only you had remained the bad person, I could have continued being the good child and received everyone¡¯s love¡ª</i>


    .


    .


    .


    Leaving Aileen behind, Cairn paused in the hallway and sighed deeply, looking troubled.


    She didn¡¯t stop him. She didn¡¯t further say it was just a misunderstanding. She didn¡¯t ask questions. She didn¡¯t smile gently while speaking.


    ¡°Not once did she ask how I¡¯ve been.¡±


    Cairn felt like a sinner in front of Violet, but that was his burden alone. He suddenly thought that Aileen¡¯s side might be different.


    In fact, Cairn hade here to hear Aileen¡¯s side.


    Though he doubted any meaningful conversation coulde from such a meeting, he still harbored a sliver of hope¡­


    But in the end, he could onlyugh bitterly at the reality before him.


    No, Aileen had always been like this. He just hadn¡¯t realized it until now.


    The cousin he faced without his rose-colored sses was more of an open book than he had thought.


    His inability to see this earlier was his own foolishness.


    Ultimately, the line between virtue and hypocrisy is paper-thin.


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 Chapter 270

    Chapter 270


    The evening banquet had officially begun. The only interest of those attending the imperial ball was one thing.


    Who would be the partner of the crown prince, and who would be the partner of the ¡®Lady Everett¡¯.


    The rumor that Violet S. Everett was chosen to be the future empress was just that¡ªa rumor. However, it was a significant enough rumor that couldn¡¯t be easily dismissed.


    People wanted to see for themselves if the rumor was true.


    And so, the curtain of the night that signaled the start of the eagerly awaited banquet rose.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been gone since the afternoon, where have you been wandering?¡±


    ¡°Why are you picking a fight again? I didn¡¯t just go anywhere.¡±


    Violet, who unintentionally drew people¡¯s attention, received a snappy reply when she asked about her younger brother¡¯s whereabouts.


    Cairn looked like he was in a particrly foul mood. Violet wondered where he had been toe back looking like that, but she decided not to provoke him further.Cairn noticed his older sister¡¯s apparent disinterest after her initial inquiry and felt a twinge of disappointment.


    Violet, on the other hand, made it clear she was ufortable in her clothes.


    Normally, she would have chosen something reasonablyfortable, but today was different due to the nature of the event.


    The dress,yered with translucent fabric and ented with subtle hues, was nothing short of luxurious and elegant.


    The garment was meticulously stitched by the hands of a master artisan, and it fit her body perfectly. The essories, too, were worth as much as a mansion, gleamed with exquisite craftsmanship.


    She looked stunning to anyone who saw her, more than suitable as the crown prince¡¯s partner.


    At the same time, Violet thought of the dress as a shackle tightening around her.


    Meanwhile, the crown prince who greeted her was equally resplendent.


    In the imperial family¡¯s full dress uniform that gleamed pure and white, and with essories that paled inparison to his beauty, Rajaden was undoubtedly stunning.


    But the most dazzling of all was Rajaden¡¯s bright smile as he looked at Violet.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Rajaden whispered in a tender voice befitting a lover, leading Violet along.


    .


    .


    .


    The announcement of Lady Everett and the crown prince¡¯s arrival echoed in the bustling banquet hall. Everyone, gathered in small groups, turned their attention to the pair who entered together.


    The crown prince, hailed as the incarnation of the Sun God, and Lady Everett, revered for her beauty like the Moon Goddess.


    They appeared quite different from the prince¡¯s birthday banquet.


    ¡°My, how can such beautiful people exist in this world?¡±


    ¡°They truly deserve to be called divine incarnations.¡±


    Those who had been busy ndering Violet now praised her beauty as if they had never done otherwise, and the shrewd ones extolled the empire¡¯s future.


    It felt like a theatrical scene.


    How reactions could change based on appearances alone, how people ttered each other with only their interests in mind.


    Violet thought this ce resembled a well-orchestrated stage y.


    The main character was undoubtedly Crown Prince Rajaden.


    A y prepared solely for him.


    An excruciatingly dull y.


    ¡°Are you not enjoying yourself?¡±


    ¡°¡­A little.¡±


    Though she maintained a nk expression, Rajaden keenly sensed Violet¡¯s boredom. It was incredibly rude to show signs of boredom as a partner, but neither of them said anything more.


    ¡°You both look truly beautiful. The future of our country is so bright¡­¡±


    ¡°I expect next year to be even more prosperous than this year.¡±


    Prominent figures of high society approached the pair, offering words of blessing. Though their words differed, the underlying message was a celebration of the union between the imperial family and House Everett.


    Seeing their clear intent to ingratiate themselves with the nation¡¯s future leaders, Violet found the event even more tedious.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to hear that. This year passed without worry, and if next year is as good as this, it will be peaceful.¡±


    Rajaden responded adeptly as usual. Apliment should be answered with apliment. If the other person speaks in a roundabout way, one should reply in kind.


    No one directly asked if Violet had been chosen as the crown prince¡¯s consort, so Rajaden only spoke of the nation¡¯s well-being.


    Thus, it was endlessly tiresome. How could such a ce not be exhausting, with everyone hiding their true intentions and testing each other?


    Violet stood beside Rajaden, merely like a doll. asionally, someone would speak to her, but she gave perfunctory answers, believing she was fulfilling her necessary role.


    This was high society. Socializing without any real socializing. Or perhaps this could be considered as such, but it was merely the formation of flimsy rtionships that could flip at any given moment.


    In such a ce, Violet could barely endure. During this time, the music changed.


    Now, people began to take their partners¡¯ hands and dance.


    ¡°Shall we dance?¡±


    Just when she thought she might be able to catch a breath, Rajaden asked.


    Extending his hand to her, Rajaden looked every bit the perfect partner.


    ¡°With pleasure.¡±


    Violet took his hand.


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 Chapter 271

    Chapter 271


    As the music flowed, people moved their feet in time with the rhythm. The young people, dressed to the nines, each harbored their own romantic notions as they swayed with their partners.


    Among them, the two most dazzling individuals danced and conversed secretly, just as they had before.


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t step on my foot likest time.¡±


    ¡°Would I dare to harm the empire¡¯s crown prince?¡±


    As the music from the orchestra grew louder, the hem of her skirt spread out like a flower.


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> we had the same conversation back then.¡±


    ¡°I apologize. My memory hasn¡¯t been great recently¡­¡±


    ¡°Really? Then do you not remember promising me the future back then?¡±


    ¡°Do you understand the weight of your words, Your Highness?¡±¡°Ah, it didn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Did you really think such tricks would work on me?¡±


    ¡°Well, one thing is certain. It seems like you¡¯re gettingfortable with me.¡±


    ¡°If it displeases you, I¡¯d be happy to correct my behavior.¡±


    ¡°No, I like it as it is.¡±


    Rajaden¡¯s guiding touch was extremely skilled. Whether he had danced with many women or not, if his partner showed the slightest hesitation, his familiar hand would lead them into the next movement.


    <i>¡°Ohh,</i> Your Highness¡­¡±


    Seeing them, even the youngdies who harbored feelings for the crown prince had to admit it. The two looked perfect together.


    At the same time, the youngdies were curious about what the crown prince and Violet were talking about. In their imaginations, Rajaden and Violet were sharing sweet, fantastical, and secret conversations.


    In reality, their conversation was anything but exciting.


    The music changed once more. Those who enjoyed dancing continued by switching partners. Rajaden looked at Violet with a very disappointed expression.


    ¡°Shall we dance one more song together¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already tired, Your Highness.¡±


    Before he could even finish his question, Violet sharply refused. Rajaden looked at her with the pout of a stubborn seven-year-old.


    ¡°Just from one song?¡±


    ¡°My stamina isn¡¯t very good. I apologize for not being able to stay longer.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a rare asion. Or are you okay with me dancing with other women?¡±


    He was indeed persistent. Violet saw a glimpse of her younger brother¡¯s stubbornness in Rajaden and paused for a moment.


    ¡°For the sake of looking my best, I couldn¡¯t even have a proper lunch, and my feet hurt from these unfamiliar high heels¡­ But if Your Highness insists, I can dance one more song. Even though the weight of the essories is making it difficult for me to move.¡±


    ¡°In that case, take a re¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going. Please enjoy yourself.¡±


    Overwhelmed by Violet¡¯s admission, Rajaden awkwardly responded.


    He had simply thought she looked more beautiful today, not considering her difort.


    It was half an excuse and half the truth anyway. The high heels she hadn¡¯t worn in a while were causing her body to break down. She regretted not wearingfortable shoes, but it was toote now that she was already out.


    As he watched Violet leave, Rajaden still wore a look of disappointment. He saw the youngdies lingering around him with hopeful eyes, but his expression remained the same.


    Violet coldly ignored the lingering gazes clinging to her.


    Escaping the scene, Violet took a breath in a secluded corner. The pain in her feet could be solved by changing shoes. However, the mental fatigue from dealing with people had no remedy.


    Finding a spot where she wouldn¡¯t be noticed, Violet watched Rajaden continuously lead someone in dance. Women surrounded him without pause, and thanks to that, Rajaden changed partners with each new song.


    His expression while dancing was infinitely kind yet arrogant. Noticing a subtle difference from the face he showed her, Violet bit her lip in bitter reflection.


    <i>If only, even just a little, our meeting, our positions, our lives were different, things might have been okay.</i>


    Whether it was to invoke jealousy by dancing with others or simply because he enjoyed moving, Rajaden wholeheartedly enjoyed the ball.


    Seeing this, Violet felt an inexplicable loneliness.


    She had thought she was no longer a stranger in this world, but at this banquet, she felt like an outsider.


    ¡°Are you resting alone?¡±


    Someone approached Violet. It was a young man who appeared quite neat.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m resting because I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡°In that case, may I have this dance¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but my feet hurt. It¡¯s a shame.¡±


    Having just said she was tired, what kind of mindset led him to ask her to dance? The young man, who had mustered up his courage, retreated without achieving his goal.


    ¡°Beautifuldy, why are you alone in such a ce? Could it be that this is a ce ordained by the gods for us to share this enchanting night¡­?¡±


    There was even someone spouting nonsense. He seemed quite confident in his appearance, but he did not catch Violet¡¯s eye.


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 Chapter 272

    Chapter 272


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Maybe some other time.¡±


    Violet was cold to them.


    Wanting to rest alone, yet constantly approached by people. It was as if they were lining up one after another.


    They were brave. Considering everyone regarded Violet as the crown prince¡¯s lover and the future empress, they still kepting.


    Was it just youthful innocence driven by pure affection, or was it a desire for power?


    If it was the former, it was none of her business. If thetter, she was honestly impressed. Could they really think such ugly thoughts as wanting to be the empress¡¯s paramour someday?


    ¡®Well, none of that matters.¡¯


    Violet left ambiguous hints to those who approached her. Thus, her admirers retreated easily, promising themselves a future opportunity.


    Of course, Violet had no intention of conversing or dancing with them, even if given the chance.Perhaps if she had apanion, fewer would approach. As her thoughts flowed strangely, someone of a different sort approached her.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lady Everett.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    Though the face was familiar, Violet struggled to recall who she was due to her fatigue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll skip the formal greetings. Is that alright?¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    Violet responded arrogantly. Seeing this, the youngdy of the Tolofia Countdom chuckled softly again.


    ¡°I was worried since I hadn¡¯t heard from you. Have you been well? I received new silk from the eastern nation this time¡­¡±


    ¡°Continuing this conversation like this will only tire us both, so why don¡¯t you get to the point?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Attempts at normal socializing were futile in front of Violet. At her decisive attitude, Lady Tolofia¡¯s smile faded from her face.


    ¡°What makes you so proud?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lost count of how many times I¡¯ve heard that¡­¡±


    ¡°What makes you so haughty, standing alone in your nobility?¡±


    When asked to get to the point, Lady Tolofia did not hesitate to show her true colors. This seemed to be her main point.


    Violet was too tired to respond to that question. If she had a bit more energy left, she might have given a proper answer, but today that question seemedughable and absurd.


    Contrary to the otherdy¡¯s expectations, her life was always intensely lived. Not only for Violet, but everyone¡¯s life must be like that.


    Lady Tolofia did not know this fact, and she bit her lip and continued speaking. Though her tone was soft, her words were filled with spite.


    ¡°Being born as noblewomen, our ideals are the same. We want to marry the man with the highest status and thus be the most noble woman. My mother lived like that, and my friends will live like that. And my daughters will live like that too.¡±


    Living that way is only natural for noblewomen. That¡¯s what Lady Tolofia said.


    If that life is natural, then just live it. Without questioning, just live that way.


    But she posed a question to Violet.


    ¡°Everyone lives like that, so why do you act so independently?¡±


    Knowing the emotion in her eyes, Violet smiled. When they first met, Lady Tolofia had eyes like a doll, but now she finally looked human.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask the opposite. If you don¡¯t live that way, will something terrible happen?¡±


    ¡°What? What are you saying¡­?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t live as a demure and beautiful woman, as someone¡¯s essory, will you suddenly die?¡±


    <i>Die, you say. Even if you don¡¯t die, your ¡®reputation¡¯ will.</i> Lady Tolofia was about to respond like that, but soon realized who she was talking to and bit her lip.


    Such a response was useless to Violet, who lived freely despite any damage to her reputation.


    ¡°Baron Celettia inherited her father¡¯s title herself.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s just a mere baron¡¯s title!¡±


    A woman can inherit a family title too. It¡¯s just a rare urrence.


    Only when there are no sons or suitable rtives to adopt.


    But Violet questioned Lady Tolofia, who considered that an exception. Why do you think so?


    ¡°Is your life all about reputation?¡±


    ¡°What does that¡­¡±


    <i>Will you die if you don¡¯t maintain your reputation?</i> Violet asked, and Lady Tolofia fell silent. She had lived for her reputation and would continue to live for it. Her life was the exact opposite of Violet¡¯s.


    Violet understood the hidden meaning in her silence.


    ¡°Are you merely a being who stakes your life on reputation?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    <i>Isn¡¯t that quite futile?</i>


    Violet smiled.


    She did not answer. More precisely, she couldn¡¯t.


    Knowing that answering would make her feel insignificant.


    Lady Tolofia trembled, unable to acknowledge even that insignificance.


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 Chapter 273

    Chapter 273


    Violet walked closer to Lady Tolofia and smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been there too.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Then she started talking about something else. Lady Tolofia couldn¡¯t understand Violet¡¯s intentions. Regardless, Violet, in her arrogant way, continued speaking without caring about her reputation.


    ¡°I once staked my life on the evaluations of others and tried to fit everything to their expectations.¡±


    ¡°¡­You?¡±


    ¡°Why, does it not seem like it?¡±


    Lady Tolofia¡¯s question was valid.


    Not only was the current Violet indifferent to others, but even the past Violet, who was called a viiness, seemed far from someone who cared about reputation. If she had, she wouldn¡¯t have beenbeled a viiness in the first ce.Violet, reading her confusion,ughed again.


    ¡°Crushing someone else won¡¯t make you noble. You just have to think about yourself. Reputations made by others can easily crumble, but the value you build yourself won¡¯t.¡±


    It sounded arrogant at first. Yet, in another way, it was incredibly naive.


    Such words could only be spoken by someone like Violet.


    ¡°I am me. Not a being that sits quietly like a flower, waiting for someone¡¯s love, but a living, breathing entity.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you were born a high noble.¡±


    ¡°You are also the daughter of a count.¡±


    ¡°¡­My father would be furious.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you this¡ª If you strip away the lineage you¡¯ve inherited from your father, what else is left?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°In that case, a street shoeshiner would have more value than you.¡±


    ¡°How can you insult someone like this!?¡±


    ¡°Are you admitting you see yourself as worthless?¡±


    ¡°I am not worthless. I, I am¡­!¡±


    Lady Tolofia, who had been shouting while suppressing her voice, fell silent.


    The value raised by beauty would disappear the moment that beauty faded. Or, it would lose its light the moment someone more beautiful appeared.


    Having experienced this firsthand, Lady Tolofia could no longer find words to rebut.


    She just felt wronged. If asked what exactly was unfair, she couldn¡¯t answer, but she gritted her teeth against the rising sense of injustice.


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    ¡°Right. I don¡¯t know. Just as you don¡¯t know anything about me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you think I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°What do you im to know?¡±


    ¡°At least as much as I need to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only the image reflected in public.¡±


    ¡°I know enough to see your arrogance.¡±


    To the end, she denied Violet¡¯s words. Whether she was denying herself or Violet¡¯s life was unclear, but she did.


    Watching Lady Tolofia, Violet gave her onest piece of advice.


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried it, and living as a viiness isn¡¯t so bad.¡±


    <i>If someone who doesn¡¯t yield to others¡¯ evaluations is called a viiness, then living as one isn¡¯t so bad.</i>


    Of course, it was something she could say in retrospect. The days when Violet lived as a viiness were like living in hell.


    But, even so.


    Violet was still a viiness. Not because she wanted to be, but because there were still those who continued tobel her as one.


    Because she was arrogant. Because she was proud. Because she did things her way. Because she didn¡¯t adhere to tradition. Because she captivated the crown prince with her stunning beauty and seemed likely to manipte national affairs to her whims.


    They tore Violet apart, judged her, sometimes idolized her, and shaped their opinions as they saw fit.


    All for their amusement.


    ¡°Of course, whatever you do, it¡¯s your choice.¡±


    The answer was already set. Still, having options was better than having none.


    Lady Tolofia gave up on arguing with Violet any further.


    * * *


    ¡®This is so boring¡­¡¯


    Having said all she wanted to Lady Tolofia, Violet wandered the banquet hall, hiding her fatigued expression.


    It was a trivial conversation. In the end, she had poured out everything she wanted to say in response to the im that she was selfish and wicked for living as she pleased.


    She set aside numerous contradictions. She was simply tired of those who were terrifyingly indifferent to the pain of others.


    As Violet wandered the hall, she found Roen, who also seemed to be hiding his fatigue.


    Although she didn¡¯t particrly like Roen, dealing with him was better than with the persistent admirers. So, she quickly greeted Roen.


    And Roen responded with a gentlemanly smile.


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 Chapter 274

    Chapter 274


    ¡°Are you enjoying the banquet?¡±


    ¡°Does it look like it?¡±


    ¡°You certainly seem more dressed up than usual.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I mean, you look ufortable.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    He still had the knack for toying with people with his words. Violet briefly pitied the woman who would be Roen¡¯s wife, whoever she might be.


    ¡°I heard you were partnered with His Highness.¡±


    <i>So, where¡¯s your partner?</i> Roen¡¯s unspoken question made Violet smile. She had used the excuse of being tired to leave unterally, but the me would fall on Rajaden anyway.¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡°Hang in there a bit longer.¡±


    ¡°You look tired too.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Should I smile more¡­?¡±


    Violet stopped herself from saying more. Instead, Roen brightly smiled and made another suggestion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let His Highness know, so you can go back first.¡±


    ¡°Is that really okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t do this much for my beloved sister?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed in a critical gaze. Roen smiled as if ustomed to such a reaction.


    <i>Let¡¯s see if you can say that to Cairn too.</i> While still ring, she epted his kindness.


    * * *


    In truth, Roen sending Violet back wasn¡¯t just because she looked tired.


    ¡°How can someone be so beautiful¡­ I thought His Highness was the most beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Of course, His Highness is beautiful too, but¡­ It feels different.¡±


    With everyone¡¯s admiration gathered in one ce.


    ¡°Hello, Aileen. How have you been?¡±


    ¡°B-Brother Roen?¡±


    There she was, the girl who hade to this ce to achieve what she most admired and desired.


    Roen decided it was better to send Violet back than to let anything happen again by having the two of them face each other.


    He smiled at his cousin.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    Aileen smiled ¡®shyly¡¯, clearly hiding her difort.


    ¡°Yes, I was worried since we hadn¡¯t heard from you. I¡¯m d you¡¯re well.¡±


    After casually engaging with Cairn, Roen, as usual, smiled at Aileen.


    His snake-like eyes narrowed.


    * * *


    The second day of the banquet, the atmosphere remained lively.


    Violet chose a less extravagant dresspared to the previous day. She had worn a morous dress on the first day to make an impression, but she had no intention of torturing herself throughout the entire celebration.


    In contrast, Rajaden was still dressed ostentatiously. Perhaps he thought that, given his striking appearance, his clothes needed to be equally adorned to match.


    He looked visibly disappointed by Violet¡¯s simpler attire.


    In a slightly petnt tone, he remarked,


    ¡°You left early yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I was tired,¡± she replied.


    It seemed his disappointment was not about her outfit but about her leaving early the previous day. Violet quickly adjusted her thoughts, gritting her teeth toward Roen, who had promised to handle it but hadn¡¯t.


    ¡°Do you n to leave early again today?¡±


    ¡°I will if I get tired.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even pretend to say you¡¯ll stay until the end.¡±


    ¡°As I said, I will if I¡¯m not tired.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Rajaden looked taken aback by Violet¡¯s indifferent response. Regardless, Violet expressionlessly asked him to escort her.


    In truth, Violet was now reproaching herself for allowing Rajaden to be her banquet partner.


    But what could she do about something that had already happened? All she could do was hope this day would pass quickly instead of wasting time regretting it.


    Unable to say anything more, Rajaden led her. His expression betrayed his disgruntlement, but he didn¡¯t voice it.


    There were no notable incidents on the second day of the banquet. If there had been any incidents the previous day, they would have been the talk of the hall today.


    ¡°My goodness, she really has no shame¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly. It seems she really is of low birth.¡±


    Or perhaps there was something to talk about. Violet looked around the more chaotic hallpared to the previous day and spotted a certain youngdy amidst the crowd.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    The girl who met Violet¡¯s eyes was smiling brightly.


    Aileen, dressed in a cute, fluffy outfit that barely adhered to the formal etiquette of the banquet, approached them.


    ¡°Hello!¡±


    The murmurs momentarily paused. Violet debated whether to point out Aileen¡¯s rudeness or her ignorance.


    Her dilemma was short-lived, as Rajaden acknowledged Aileen¡¯s greeting.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°I came early yesterday because I wanted to see Your Highness, but I couldn¡¯t find you. I¡¯m d I can greet you today! And, oh, Sister! I heard you became partners with His Highness the Crown Prince. You look beautiful today as well!¡±


    Violet doubted her own eyes and ears. However, the reality before her did not change.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Rajaden to entertain Aileen¡¯s conduct, whichpletely disregarded the proper etiquette toward the imperial family.


    ¡°If it¡¯s alright, would you dance with me today?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s rare for ady to ask for a dance first.¡±


    Moreover, these two seemed very familiar with such conversations.


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 Chapter 275

    Chapter 275


    Although she didn¡¯t know their exact purpose, Violet was aware that Rajaden and Aileen had met not just once or twice before.


    She could only guess that Rajaden had some hidden motive.


    However, witnessing them conversing peacefully like this was bewildering.


    ¡°But I want to give the first dance to my partner. Is that alright?¡±


    ¡°Geez, I heard you danced with Sister yesterday! How about dancing with me today?¡±


    Violet, who had been excluded from the conversation despite being present, slowly looked over the two of them.


    As always, Aileen¡¯s innocent smile was present. She naturally asked for a dance, not caring a bit about her surroundings, nor the shock she elicited. It was a lovely sight, but her attitude towards the crown prince of the empire was undeniably rude.


    Aileen deserved to be reprimanded for that fact alone. However, if Rajaden took her words in stride, there would be no reason to reproach her further.


    Rajaden smiled and overlooked the rudeness. Thus, Aileen could not be reproached.His gaze then turned to Violet.


    The moment she met his brightly shining golden eyes, Violet couldn¡¯t help but let out a faintugh.


    After begging for her love, what was he doing now?


    ¡°It¡¯s alright with me,¡± Violet said with a gentle smile.


    At that moment, the golden eyes searched for her true intentions.


    ¡°Truly? You¡¯re alright with it?¡±


    Violet smiled without answering. Aileen chattered about this and that next to her, but it didn¡¯t reach her ears.


    The look Rajaden gave Aileen was kind butcked any real human emotion.


    That was an act. A mask solely to lure the girl. Whether Aileen knew this or not, she remained cheerful.


    ¡°Then, please take care of me!¡±


    Aileen said with a spirited smile. She, too, was looking at Rajaden, but it was clear she was conscious of Violet out of the corner of her eye.


    <i>¡®I won!¡¯</i>


    Aileen¡¯s tant thoughts showed through her deep smile. Violet clicked her tongue.


    The music soon reached its peak. Trying hard not to react to Aileen¡¯s provocation, Violet couldn¡¯t help but take a few sips of champagne to swallow her annoyance.


    Until yesterday, those who praised the beauty of the Lady of the Everett Duchy and the Crown Prince now uttered exmations towards the lovely girl.


    The spring and the sun¡ªthey considered it a fittingbination.


    Of course, there were more people who were displeased, but no one directly caused a fuss.


    Probably because they didn¡¯t want to y the viin at this banquet.


    They seemed to hope that Violet would do the honors and drive the uninvited guest away like the viiness she¡¯d once beenbeled.


    But Violet just held her champagne flute and smiled without taking any other action.


    After finishing their dance, the two approached Violet and started chatting quietly.


    ¡°So, when I greeted the rabbit, it handed me a little piece of grass! It was really cute, you know?¡±


    ¡°The rabbits in the pce are wary, but you managed to tame one.¡±


    Aileen, seemingly without otherpanions, stuck to Rajaden¡¯s side, chattering away. When the silent Violet subtly asked if she didn¡¯t have a partner, she only received the answer that she came alone.


    ¡°Choosing just one among so many¡­ I can¡¯t do such a thing.¡±


    Aileen¡¯s answer was so cheerful that it was rather bewildering.


    Rajaden didn¡¯t rebuke Aileen at all. Violet decided to observe this ridiculous spectacle a little longer.


    When Violet responded indifferently, Aileen subtly tried to provoke her with topics only she would know.


    For example¡ª


    ¡°I lost the doll I received as a gift that time. It was really, really precious to me, and I really, <i>really</i> wanted to find it¡­ So, I asked for help, but the doll¡­¡±


    It was like this. It was absurd to even mention childhood matters.


    Violet did not react to Aileen¡¯s provocations. She now knew well that not reacting was the best way to irritate this girl.


    ¡°Sister, does my outfit suit me today? I took to heart what you saidst time and prepared ordingly¡­¡±


    Although it was a question directed at Violet, the answer came from Rajaden.


    ¡°It certainly suits you. I heard the Prince of Liran was concerned, but it feels like flowers have bloomed even though it¡¯s not spring.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Violet felt a sense of incongruity in the current situation.


    Even though deception and hypocrisy were rampant, a scene like this was just too much of a farce.


    Whenever Aileen said something, the crown prince would respond first. Violet was thoroughly excluded from the conversation, yet ironically, she remained at the center of it.


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    ( APV has been fully tranted~! )<hr>

 Chapter 276

    Chapter 276


    Those who wanted even a chance to speak to the crown prince simultaneously watched the three with interest.


    If only Roen were here to mediate this situation, the spectacle would beplete, however he wasn¡¯t present at the banquet hall.


    Violet did not feel the need to avoid the scene, and she continued to ponder. What was Rajaden¡¯s hidden agenda here?


    No matter what he was thinking, unless he spoke up, it was impossible to know.


    Violet decided to let this situation pass.


    ¡­Until the right moment came.


    And on the third day of the banquet, as the atmosphere reached its peak, Rajaden finally spoke up.


    ¡°I have something I want to tell you.¡±


    His expression was quite solemn as he spoke. Violet looked at the man who whispered that his love was true whilst hiding his inner thoughts.¡°Is that so.¡±


    ¡°There is a garden behind the banquet hall. Could youe there when the orchestra¡¯s third piece ends?¡±


    Rajaden looked quite disappointed at Violet¡¯s indifferent reaction.


    Violet guessed his feelings but just smiled.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll follow after you.¡±


    Perhaps the answer was already clear. Both of them knew it. However, no perceptive conversation followed.


    A promise to meet. Only that simple promise was exchanged.


    * * *


    Darkness settled gently. The stars shone brightly in the absence of a bright moon. The garden, without additional lights, boasted its elegance under the spread of the gxy above.


    Violet knew this ce. She also understood the meaning behind Rajaden calling her here. Yet, she said nothing.


    Not until he spoke first, not until the moment of certainty arrived. One defining moment muste first.


    Arriving much earlier despite asking her toe when the third piece ended, Rajaden smiled at Violet. Violet looked indifferently at the hand he extended.


    When Violet did not take his hand, Rajaden awkwardly withdrew it and spoke.


    ¡°This garden is only open to the imperial family. It¡¯s originally a ce one shouldn¡¯t enter carelessly.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you invited me here?¡±


    ¡°From your reaction, it seems you already knew.¡±


    ¡°I was called here, so I had no choice but toe to avoid any such discourtesy, Your Highness.¡±


    It meant she came despite knowing. Rajaden suppressed a smile at her words and began to say what he intended.


    ¡°I thought a lot about what to say, but I guess being honest is the best way to go.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    A garden allowed only to the imperial family. The people who could enter this garden were limited.


    Violet looked at Rajaden¡¯s actions with indifferent eyes. Her gaze naturally lowered. She watched as he knelt on one knee and kissed the back of her hand.


    ¡°I swear to look only at you for the rest of my life.¡±


    His voice was reverent.


    ¡°I will grant you anything you wish for.¡±


    Desperate.


    ¡°I will give you the noblest and highest position in this country.¡±


    And sweet.


    ¡°Please, ept my true heart.¡±


    The sudden confession under the starry night was somewhat pitiful but beautiful.


    His shining hair under the sparkling light, and eyes filled with both sweetness and desperation.


    A man who could have everything in the world looked pitiful as he clung to one woman.


    Begging for her love, asking her to be his bride.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    But Violet was not moved.


    No, saying she was not moved would be a lie. However, her expression betrayed no reciprocity.


    The man¡¯s expression was earnest, while Violet¡¯s was calm. Knowing that she rarely showed much change in expression, Rajaden tried even harder to hide his own emotions.


    Eventually, Violet responded.


    ¡°If you promise to grant me anything I wish for¡­¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s what you desire, anything.¡±


    His response was resolute. Violet repeatedly pondered the meaning behind the words of the man standing in the position of the sun.


    She wondered if he truly understood the meaning of his words.


    ¡°Then, can Your Highness give up the position of Crown Prince for me?¡±


    Her question was so cruel.


    ¡°What¡­ did you just say?¡±


    Rajaden, bewildered, responded a beatte. However, Violet¡¯s tone and expression remained as calm as ever.


    ¡°Your Highness, do you love me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet slowly knelt down, following Rajaden. Her dress got dirty from the grass, but she didn¡¯t care.


    She slowly knelt, looking directly at the man in front of her, and removed the ring.


    ¡°If you are willing to give up the position of Emperor for love between us to prosper, I will dly ept your proposal.¡±


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    ( APV has been fully tranted~! )<hr>

 Chapter 277

    Chapter 277


    ¡°Why are you saying such things? Are you denying the fact that I¡­ that I love you?¡±


    ¡°No. Your sincerity has been conveyed enough. I understand how you feel about me and what you think of me.¡±


    ¡°Then why!¡±


    ¡°Because Your Highness loves something else more than me.¡±


    As Violet¡¯s calm voice continued, Rajaden, who had been revealing his emotions, finally averted his gaze.


    <i>I love you.</i>


    This was an undeniable fact. Moreover, hadn¡¯t he promised not to look at any other woman and to give her anything she wanted?


    Then why?


    The man standing at the pinnacle of the empire,manding the world, was loved by all. Reverence for him was natural, and his future shone brilliantly.Thus, it was understandable that he wore a look of iprehension.


    Violet smiled as she looked at Rajaden.


    ¡°Because what Your Highness loves most is the throne and this country.¡±


    Violet slowly ced the ring back into Rajaden¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I do not need a position tomand the world, nor gold and silver treasures, nor the most splendid life.¡±


    She had already experienced such things as a duke¡¯s daughter. Even if she gained a higher position, it wouldn¡¯t fill her loneliness.


    Violet knew what her loneliness was.


    ¡°Your Highness, you are the one and only person who will lead this country in the future. I will cherish and serve you as a loyal subject, but I do not dare to think or hope for anything beyond that.¡±


    As Violet¡¯s words continued, Rajaden couldn¡¯t say anything.


    He loved his country deeply.


    He was the crown prince. Born as the crown prince, he had lived only to be the emperor.


    He had never felt burdened by that position, nor doubted his abilities. And he loved his country just as much.


    As a person, here and now, he was merely a man confessing his love to Violet. However, as the crown prince, mere love was not enough.


    Thus, tears fell silently from Rajaden¡¯s eyes, unable to say anything.


    If he wanted, he could appoint Violet as the crown princess right here. There would be no opposition, given her lineage, manners, and knowledge.


    If he did so, Violet would enter an unwanted marriage, and Rajaden would get what he wanted both as an emperor and as a man.


    But he couldn¡¯t do that. Violet said she would cherish and serve him with a loyal heart.


    She had asked him not to trample others with power.


    Finally understanding the meaning of Violet¡¯s words, Rajaden shed the emotions he would have to let go from now on.


    Violet slowly approached him and gently wiped away his tears.


    Then she cupped his cheek and softly kissed his forehead.


    It was not a kiss mixed with romantic emotion, but one of affection. A deration that she did not dislike him, and a blessing for his future.


    The gesture was reverent. Tears continued to fall from Rajaden¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°¡­You are.¡±


    His voice broke.


    If only he could be a tyrant, he could take what he wanted.


    If only he were not so kind.


    ¡°You are truly cruel.¡±


    Lowering his head to hide his tears, Rajaden said so. Violet handed him a handkerchief and left.


    Alone, Rajaden held the handkerchief and wept silently.


    ¡°¡­It hurts more than I thought.¡±


    He epted the fact that he had been rejected.


    As Violet turned away from Rajaden, she looked up at the night sky.


    The stars, densely packed, flowed like a river.


    It was a romantic scene, much like what had just happened to her.


    She thought her current self wasughable.


    To say that she hadn¡¯t been shaken even a little would be a lie.


    Unless one was devoid of emotions, there was no way to remain unshaken by someone of his stature clinging to them.


    But Violet had drawn a line. Each time she was shaken, she steadied her heart and calcted the issues between them as he whispered sweet love.


    Rajaden loved Violet, but it was ultimately a personal desire.


    If he had to sacrifice his love for the greater good, he would willingly do so.


    An emperor must be like that, and the love whispered to a woman was ultimately fleeting.


    Violet left the garden without any regrets.


    She left behind all unfulfilled emotions¡ªin search of what she truly wanted.


    Under the same moon, different emotions intersected.


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 Chapter 278

    Chapter 278


    If the air could have a taste, the current atmosphere would taste like sweet dessert.


    On a day when a national holiday and festival were approaching, many people went about their daily lives, suppressing their excitement.


    Roen¡¯s day was no different. As he carried on as usual, he couldn¡¯t resist his curiosity any longer and asked,


    ¡°Violet, did something happen between you and the Crown Prince?¡±


    ¡°He proposed to me, and I turned him down.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°He even prepared a ring, so it seemed he was serious. I made sure to refuse clearly.¡±


    Roen had noticed something strange these past few days, but it was only today that he found out why exactly Rajaden¡¯s condition had visibly deteriorated. Through Violet, he finally understood the reason and asked again, doubting his ears.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±¡°¡­His Highness confessed his love and proposed to me. I asked if he loved me enough to give up the position of Crown Prince, and when he said no, I refused.¡±


    Roen, who asked again and received the same answer, fell silent. The image of Rajaden he had seen at dawn kept reying in his mind.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Violet¡¯s tone was as calm as if she were discussing the weather.


    This made Roen have to rub his forehead.


    ¡®That was rash.¡¯


    Marriage for a daughter from a prestigious family rarely includes her own will. It has been this way since ancient times.


    There were asional exceptions, but generally, this was the case here.


    Therefore, Rajaden¡¯s proposal was inappropriate for his position.


    A pure proposal based on the feelings of the person involved.


    Roen quickly thought through what should have happened for something like this, which should be achieved in the name of love.


    Now was too soon for a proposal. Rajaden should have taken his time to win Violet¡¯s heart gradually. If he had done so, there would have been more hope than there was now.


    This was a fact that Roen, who had been by Violet¡¯s side, knew best.


    Rajaden must have known this too, so why was he in such a hurry? He seemed to have made some effort to win her heart, but the result was this.


    It didn¡¯t matter anyway. Roen liked Rajaden as a friend and a monarch, not as a brother-inw.


    ¡°I looked into countries that are safe to seek asylum to. I¡¯ll hand over the reports to youter.¡±


    He respected his sister¡¯s choice. However, if the imperial family formally sent a marriage proposal, Violet¡¯s refusal would be nullified.


    Roen, Violet, and Rajaden all knew this well.


    Knowing Rajaden¡¯s arrogance, Roen seriously shortlisted countries suitable to run away to. A mix of jokes and earnest suggestions was made once more in the midst of this situation.


    Understanding the reason for the talk of seeking asylum, Violet thanked him.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not nning to attend the banquet from today onwards?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not shameless enough to do that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Though she was his sister, he couldn¡¯t help but think she was quite cruel. With this, Roen looked at Violet with a gentle smile.


    Of course, if she attended the ball with him after rejecting his proposal, she¡¯d only give him a flicker of torturous hope. The other party might even prefer that torturous hope, but Violet decided to respect her own limits.


    Roen only heard about the proposal through Violet and so he wouldn¡¯t be able to read the many emotions that might have been there during the proposal itself. But still, he could vaguely understand Rajaden¡¯s feelings.


    And he muttered faintly.


    ¡°I guess it makes sense why he hurried¡­¡±


    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t hear what you said.¡±


    ¡°Nothing, nothing. If you¡¯re not going to the ball, do you have other ns?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a festival starting this evening, so I n to go see it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Violet nned to visit the festival, apanied by Cairn¡¯s insistence. Roen sensed anotherpanion from that statement.


    Ah, that¡¯s why Rajaden was in a hurry. He didn¡¯t have time to wait when there¡¯s a strong rival around.


    Roen swallowed these thoughts instead of muttering them to himself.


    Then he suddenly remembered and spoke lightly.


    ¡°Oh, by the way. The group that tried to kidnap you has been caught.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re being interrogated now.¡±


    ¡°That type of information shouldn¡¯t be shared carelessly, should it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ssified, of course. Even the fact that they were caught is a secret, but I¡¯m telling you because you¡¯re involved.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it <i>not</i> supposed to be shared?¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> just keep it a secret.¡±


    Violet briefly wondered if Roen was really fit to be a duke and the emperor¡¯s aide.


    Unaware of her thoughts, Roen pondered something before speaking again.


    ¡°And.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°No, never mind. Enjoy the festival.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not nning to enjoy it, are you?¡±


    ¡°¡­If you would take over being the duke for me, I¡¯d go out and have fun.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m rooting for you. Stay strong.¡±


    ¡°Heartless¡­¡±


    Violet left Roen behind and stood up.


    Though she felt a bit bothered about what he stopped himself from saying, if it were really important, he would have said it by now.


    With a vaguely trusting belief, Violet began preparing in earnest for the festival.


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    ( APV has been fully tranted~! )<hr>

 Chapter 279

    Chapter 279


    Foundation Day was a national holiday, but for some, it was a day to work without rest. As festivals tend to be.


    Violet remembered that enjoying a festival wasn¡¯t possible with just gold coins, so she prepared silver and copper coins as well.


    And even in the spirit of romance, she also considered the possibility of encountering a pickpocket and packed some emergency money separately.


    ¡°Are you all set?¡±


    Cairn, more excited than usual, bounced around in front of Violet like a puppy about to go for a walk. The moment Violet saw him, she let out a deep sigh.


    <i>¡°Haah.¡±</i>


    ¡°What, again?!¡±


    Cairn, who had been eagerly preparing for a fun festival outing with his recently reconciled sister, jumped at Violet¡¯s sudden sigh. Looking at Cairn, Violet sighed once more and muttered in a low voice.


    ¡°Who would ever think you¡¯re a nobleman¡­?¡±¡°Why are you picking a fight again?!¡±


    It was no wonder she said that¡ªCairn¡¯s appearance was rather wild.


    Although his basic features were those of a handsome youth, his yful demeanor made him look more mischievous than dignified, and his shabby clothes only made him appear more casual.


    ¡°And you, are you going out looking like <i>that</i>?¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ <i>haa.¡±</i>


    In contrast, even though Violet was dressed inmoner¡¯s clothes, she still gave off the air of someone who was undeniably important.


    At a festival, someone who appeared as a noble was an easy target for all sorts of trouble. Of course, Cairn thought there wouldn¡¯t be a problem with him by her side, but for some other reason, he sighed deeply.


    Thus, the siblings, who resembled each other in appearance but not in demeanor, set out to enjoy the festival together.


    * * *


    ¡°How fascinating.¡±


    ¡°So tacky¡­¡±


    ¡°If you like this, there¡¯s another alley over here¨D¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s <i>so</i> tacky.¡±


    Though it was still early in the day,ughter filled the air, and the atmosphere was already lively, despite the smaller crowds.


    Violet was thoroughly enjoying the scene.


    Even though she had recently crushed someone¡¯s heart, leaving her with a lingering emptiness, a festival was still a festival.


    Watching her, Cairn clicked his tongue the entire time.


    Violet stood out more than he had worried about, and protecting her became the role of both Cairn and Aldin.


    Keeping an eye out for pickpockets, hawkers, and swindlers, Cairn spent the entire festival grumbling.


    Everyone seemed bold enough to constantly try tricks on nobles.


    ¡°Oh my, you have a sharp eye! That stone holds a very special meaning, passed down from the ancient An Kingdom¡­¡±


    ¡°People just sell all sorts of things, huh.¡±


    For example, they peddled bracelets that supposedly improved the body¡¯s energy flow or stones that brought good luck.


    Of course, Violet wasn¡¯t fooled. She had the memories of Yeon Ha-yoon and knew the tricks of street vendors all too well.


    Even though the items were questionable, the stories from the swindlers were entertaining. They were skilled with their words.


    So Violet simply enjoyed browsing. Watching her listen to the peddlers intently without being deceived, Cairn spoke in amazement.


    ¡°You¡¯re not falling for it.¡±


    ¡°Imagine the day when even a fool is treating me like a fool.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Violet clicked her tongue.


    ¡°So¡­ that means it was a lie?¡±


    Meanwhile, Aldin, who had been duped into buying a bracelet that supposedly granted wishes, hesitated. The siblings looked at the gentle-faced knight in unison.


    Of all people, he should have been the one who understood the nature of street vendors best. Yet here he was, having made a purchase. Violetughed.


    ¡°But it¡¯s fun to buy it, no?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Aldin lowered his head, trying to hide his reddening face. Violetughed again.


    ¡°Did you have a wish?¡±


    ¡°¡­I did.¡±


    ¡°Eh? How surprising. You¡¯re a punk who usually hates superstitions like this.¡±


    ¡°Well, having something you wish for is a good thing. I hope your wishes true.¡±


    They exchanged small talk. Aldin didn¡¯t borate further on what his wish was. Although it was a mystery, Violet felt like she had a sense of what it might be.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lovely day, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Aldin¡¯s response was dyed, as if he was lost in thought. Violet wandered the streets with a cheerful expression.


    It was just one of those days.


    A day to set asideplicated emotions and worries and rx fully.


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    ( APV has been fully tranted~! )<hr>

 Chapter 280

    Chapter 280


    Some time in the middle, Violet even bought a flower crown made by a youngmoner girl at a high price and ced it on the heads of the two men as a yful gesture.


    It was a truly enjoyable day.


    Despite being an autumn festival, the air was sweet, as if it carried the freshness of spring and the rity of summer together.


    Today would be an unforgettable day for someone.


    Even while wandering around, Violet diligently teased Cairn.


    She would buy him essories that didn¡¯t suit him, making him look ridiculous, or send him off to participate in small events, only to mock him afterward, saying, <i>¡®Of course, fools are only good at using their bodies.¡¯</i>


    If he happened to win a prize, she¡¯d ce it right on top of his head.


    After enduring all the teasing, Cairn finally realized just how much his sister loved to torment others.


    Well, with a personality like that, it made sense she had ruled over other people. If she had been weak, she would have run off to the countryside in fear long ago.Suddenly, memories of the past came flooding back¡ªwhen he had pressured her until she had no choice but to confine herself in the annex.


    Sometimes, when those memories resurfaced, he felt the urge to bury his face under a nket in unbridled shame.


    At a festival booth where they applied makeup for fun, Cairn, who had been made to look ridiculous, trembled and asked,


    ¡°Hey, you¡­ No I mean, Sister, don¡¯t you usually hate things like this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re watching your tone, wow¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?! I¡¯m asking seriously!¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m working on it, okay? So could you just answer the question?¡±


    Cairn, pleading in an unusually meek tone, was met with a smug response from Violet.


    ¡°Things like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly. You used to look down onmoners¡¯ festivals and all that¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Rejecting the makeup but picking out a mask instead, Violet sighed briefly at Cairn¡¯s words.


    ¡°Maybe my preferences have changed.¡±


    ¡°What does that even mean¡­¡±


    It was an indifferent reply. Violet turned away from him, showing no further interest in the conversation.


    Watching her back, Cairn was left bewildered.


    Just then, Aldin returned with street snacks and paused twice¡ªfirst at the sight of Cairn¡¯s face, now painted bright red with lipstick, and second at the slightly heavy atmosphere between the siblings.


    Violet mulled over the time Cairn had mentioned.


    There had been such a time.


    Out of mere defiance. Out of the sense of exclusion from not fitting in.


    Violet had drawn a line by elevating herself above everyone else. She convinced herself they were fools, while she was the mature and elegant one.


    It was all in the past. There was no point in bringing it up and ruining the fun atmosphere now.


    Casting aside herplex thoughts, Violet continued to enjoy herself, wandering the streets. Without realizing it, she muttered under her breath.


    ¡°Will tomorrow be as fun as today?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow is the main festival, so the scene will be different, but it should still be enjoyable.¡±


    To her surprise, a serious answer came back to what she had thought was just idle musing.


    Turning to the person who answered, Violet let out a smallugh.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. There will be new things to see tomorrow, won¡¯t there?¡±


    Before Aldin could respond, Cairn broke in with a grumble.


    ¡°You never even liked festivals in the first ce.¡±


    Violet sighed and shot a sharp look at her brother. Startled by her familiar re, Cairn flinched.


    ¡°W-What now?¡±


    He asked, confused, but Violet¡¯s gaze only grew colder.


    Even Aldin sighed beside her, prompting Cairn to finally reflect on his words.


    The time when Violet refused to go out was when Aileen was still beloved as the sweet princess of House Everett. Cairn, half-joking, had once suggested Violet go out with them and y, to which Violet had fiercely retorted, <i>¡°No.¡±</i>


    It was before she had earned the title of a ¡®viiness¡¯, but that incident left a deep impression on Cairn¡¯s subconscious.


    Since then, Violet never attended festivals, and no one had suggested she go to one.


    The topic, which Violet had brushed off, resurfaced thanks to Cairn.


    Not realizing the sensitive nature of the subject, Cairn apologized weakly.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Only then did Violet¡¯s piercing gaze soften.


    ¡°Make it a habit to think before you speak.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    After her reprimand, Cairn¡¯s voice lost even more strength. He now looked like a puppy anxiously watching its owner¡¯s every move.


    Watching the siblings, Aldin swallowed his awkwardness. This process of socialization was truly strange.


    While it wouldn¡¯t harm Cairn, the troublemaker of Everett, to remain as he was, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing if he learned how to be considerate to others.


    Thinking that it was better this way, Aldin spoke before the atmosphere grew more awkward.


    ¡°There¡¯s supposed to be an illusion spell fireworks disy tonight. Would you like to watch it? I know a great spot with a good view.¡±


    ¡°Illusion spell fireworks?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are cast annually by the court mages¡­¡±


    ¡°That sounds nice, but I¡¯m feeling a bit tired right now.¡±


    ¡°Ah, then I¡¯ll find a ce where you can rest.¡±


    Aldin wasn¡¯t exactly one to talk aboutcking awareness either, but he was still better than Cairn.


    ¡®Such poor stamina¡­¡¯


    Cairn, observing the exchange, muttered internally. The fact that he didn¡¯t say it aloud was already a great improvement.


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    ( APV has been fully tranted~! )<hr>

 Chapter 281

    Chapter 281


    The three of them found a ce to rest. Luckily, the second floor of a teahouse was avable. It was an expensive ce to rent just to take a break on the first day of the festival, but money was no issue for them.


    Violet spent generously to rest without any interruptions.


    From the terrace, she looked down at the bustling streets, which were filled with people. Each person had a different expression, but their faces were all lit with joy as they went about their activities.


    ¡°You came all this way just to sit? That ce over there looks fun, let¡¯s go together.¡±


    ¡°If you want to y, go ahead and do it.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you really going to just sit here?¡±


    ¡°¡­Go have fun by yourself.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s boring alone!¡±


    ¡°Then go with Sir Aldin.¡±¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°How could I have fun with a stiff board like this guy? I¡¯m asking <i>you</i> toe with me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­¡±


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t mind me¡­¡±


    As Cairn pouted, Violet¡¯s expression grew weary. Caught in the middle of their sibling squabble, Aldin awkwardly excused himself by offering to order snacks.


    Realizing that Violet had no intention of doing anything but sitting, Cairn quickly gave up and settled quietly in his seat.


    He sighed, wondering what was so fun about just sitting and watching people.


    Following Violet¡¯s lead, he observed the streets below, but soon let out a sigh. His body practically itched to move.


    Violet, on the other hand, found herself studying Cairn¡¯s face rather than the people in the street. His delicate features, inherited from their father, twisted into a scowl with every moment, which she found amusing.


    If he wanted to y so badly, why didn¡¯t he just go? What was keeping him glued to his seat?


    Pondering this, Violet eventually turned her gaze away from him.


    To Cairn, Violet now seemed like a child left unsupervised by the water¡¯s edge. Curiously poking around everywhere, potentially getting involved in any number of incidents.


    If something were to happen to Violet, the person most troubled by it would be none other than him. That was why, despite his obvious annoyance, Cairn couldn¡¯t bring himself to leave her side.


    On the other hand, Violet thought Cairn was just being dumb.


    Soon, Aldin returned, having ced the order for tea and desserts. He said nothing, merely sitting quietly between them.


    Time passed by slowly after that.


    Cairn alternated between looking at Aldin and following Violet¡¯s gaze outside.


    To him, it was a familiar scene. People enjoying themselves, the festival streets bustling with activity, and various incidents unfolding.


    Yet, despite the familiarity, it wasn¡¯t entirely boring to watch. People were excited by the festival, but others were also getting into fights after bumping into each other. There were public confessions of love, and then scenes of someone leading away the girl who had received the confession¡ªevidently caught in a love triangle.


    ¡°Hey, that person¡¯s crying.¡±


    ¡°Guess he got rejected in the end.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    Cairn spoke first, followed by Violet, with Aldin adding hisment btedly.


    The drama unfolding on the street, more riveting than any y, ended when the man who had made a public confession was rejected. Both Violet and Cairn clicked their tongues.


    Soon, the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of twilight.


    Suddenly, Cairn seemed to have an idea and spoke up.


    ¡°I just remembered something I need to check out. You two stay right there!¡±


    Before they could ask what he was up to, Cairn had already disappeared.


    Violet¡¯s expression clearly said, ¡®Up to no good again, I see,¡¯ her annoyance apparent. In contrast, Aldin appeared unfazed.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    An awkward silence settled between them. The absence of just one person made the quiet suddenly noticeable.


    It was then that Violet realized Cairn had yed a role in maintaining the flow of conversation between them. She sighed inwardly, but it was toote now.


    Aldin, who had been silently watching until then, tried to break the silence.


    ¡°So¡­ Did you, um, enjoy thest banquet?¡±


    The awkward silence continued. Of all the things to ask, he had stepped on andmine.


    Violet wondered whether she should mention that she had turned down the Crown Prince¡¯s proposal so bluntly that she was now considering exile as an option.


    ¡°¡­It was fine, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°My older sister mentioned that during the banquet¡­¡±


    Unaware that he had touched a sore spot, Aldin fumbled through the conversation, trying his best to keep it going despite hisck of skill.


    Violet briefly considered changing the topic but found his efforts somewhat amusing, so she decided to let it continue.


    Even as he spoke, Aldin kept ncing at her, nervously gauging her reaction.


    The picturesque sunset didn¡¯tst long before disappearing. Soon, the stars began to appear in the sky.


    ¡°So, uh, the captain of the knights¡­¡±


    Before she knew it, Aldin continued the story he heard from his older sister. Apparently, the knight captain had fallen in love for the first time. It was quitete considering his age.


    In many ways, Aldin was clumsy. Normally, he didn¡¯t talk much, but today, he was clearly making an effort to bring up every possible topic, hoping to keep Violet engaged.


    It wasn¡¯t bad. In fact, the way he tried so hard was almost endearing.


    As Violet listened to his stories while ncing at his face, she suddenly interrupted with a nonchnt remark.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to see the illusion spell fireworks?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Aldin, who had been babbling without even realizing what he was saying, looked startled. Then he quickly answered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


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 Chapter 282

    Chapter 282


    The two of them stood up and headed for the spot with the best view.


    Cairn would probably feel lost when he returned to find them gone, but oh well. It was his fault for leaving his spot unattended.


    Bright fireworks exploded across the night sky, filled with stars like the Milky Way. Though they were illusion spells, they were indistinguishable from real fireworks.


    In fact, they were even more vivid in color and form than ordinary fireworks. It was a sight that could only be seen in the capital, where mages were avable.


    Staring nkly at the sky, Violet suddenly turned her head.


    And there, right next to her, Aldin was focused on the fireworks as he looked up at the sky.


    Under the night sky, his profile, illuminated by the light, was beautiful. If Violet¡¯s hunch was right, she now understood why Cairn had left them alone.


    She asked,


    ¡°Sir. Why do you like me?¡±¡°Pardon?¡±


    It was an incredibly unexpected question. While he was still watching the fireworks, Aldin froze up at the suddenness of the topic.


    But Violet¡¯s expression was dead serious. Aldin¡¯s face flushed red.


    ¡°W-Well, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve given me your reasons before. But I don¡¯t remember any of it. It¡¯s strange to think someone would like me after such trivial words. Besides, we didn¡¯t even meet again after that.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s alright as long as I remember.¡±


    Violet¡¯s words were sharp, but Aldin remained unfazed.


    ¡°More importantly¡­¡±


    Aldin paused for a moment before continuing.


    ¡°It left a deep impression on me, how someone like you, someone born noble, said such things.¡±


    He briefly closed his eyes before opening them again with a small smile.


    ¡°Back then, I was very different from how I am now. I hated everything in the world, acted out rebelliously¡­ I thought it was ridiculous to measure a person¡¯s worth based solely on their bloodline. That¡¯s why I hated the very existence of nobles.¡±


    Except for hisst words, Violet could rte to much of his story. She had felt something simr before.


    Aldin spoke slowly, as if he knew that she understood.


    ¡°But then I heard what you said. Someone who had no reason to envy anyone, saying that you, too, needed to hone your worth and stand in a ce where no one could look down on you.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Why she had said such things back then, she didn¡¯t know. Was it out of sympathy for him, or was it because she rted to him?


    ¡°Those words changed my life¡­ Even if you don¡¯t remember them, and even if you¡¯ve changed since then, the fact remains that you were the one who said them to me.¡±


    His expression, as he said this, was purely sincere.


    Faced with this unexpected confession, Violet was silent for a moment before asking,


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how much would you be willing to give up for me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Everything.¡±


    Despite the sudden question, Aldin answered without hesitation.


    ¡°Would you even give up being a knight?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s for you, nothing would be too much to sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that be a shame? You¡¯ve worked so hard for it. Even with talent, it¡¯s not a position you could have reached without effort¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Even if I¡¯m no longer a knight of the Imperial Order, my existence doesn¡¯t change, nor does my skill disappear.¡±


    His words were filled with such confidence that they almost seemed arrogant.


    He had always been this way. Even when he seemed tock self-esteem, he possessed an unwavering pride in his abilities.


    ¡°If you can give up everything like that, is there nothing you desire from me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. As long as I can protect you until the end¡­¡±


    Violet slowly closed her eyes at his answer.


    ¡°If you think of me so much, why won¡¯t you ask for anything?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve saved me multiple times, so you could have asked for something in return.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well.¡±


    It was a simple question out of curiosity. Aldin hesitated briefly, his ears turning red as he averted his gaze.


    Finally, he gave an honest answer.


    ¡°¡­Saying I don¡¯t desire anything would be a lie. But if my feelings make you ufortable or be a burden, it would be better to sever them. That way, I can still stay by your side.¡±


    It was a desperate response from someone who would rather remain by her side as a friend than ask for anything more. It was a profound, pure-hearted devotion that Violet couldn¡¯t quite understand.


    And so, she couldn¡¯t help butugh. A soft chuckle escaped her lips.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    If there was one thing she always appreciated, it was honesty.


    ¡°Shall we go for a short walk?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    At Violet¡¯s smile, Aldin blushed again.


    Nevertheless, withoutint, he obediently followed her lead.


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 Chapter 283

    Chapter 283


    The two of them walked slowly, watching the never-ending illusion magic from the spot with the best view.


    A brief bout of silence passed. Violet quietly admired the beauty of the scenery before speaking again.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t a good person in the past.¡±


    Aldin listened to her words attentively.


    ¡°Even if I did say those things to you, I¡¯m sure I had ulterior motives.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    It was a simple response to what had been a difficult confession for her to make. Violet nced at him, surprised.


    ¡°¡­You know that and yet you feel moved? You must have been truly isted.¡±


    ¡°There was someone who pitied me.¡±¡°Was it your older sister?¡±


    ¡°¡­Back then, even that sympathy didn¡¯t feel wee.¡±


    Violet gave a small smile, feeling like she understood what he meant.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, could you tell me more? About the past, or whatever you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not the kind of story someone like you should hear.¡±


    ¡°Is it something you¡¯d rather not talk about? If so, you don¡¯t have to.¡±


    Violet¡¯s calm voice prompted Aldin into a brief silence. But soon, he began to speak again.


    ¡°My childhood was ordinary. Except for the fact that I didn¡¯t have a father.¡±


    Despite his initial hesitation, he spoke about his past with surprising ease.


    He told her about growing up with his mother, a famous actress and singer. Although they had no financial troubles, he faced ridicule and scorn because he was a fatherless child. And then, when it was revealed that he was the illegitimate son of Duke Aesir, everything changed.


    Violet listened quietly, taking in his story. It was almost amusing¡ªhow could one truly understand the life of another, especially when they hadn¡¯t lived it themselves?


    Yet, within his story, Violet keenly felt the loneliness Aldin must have experienced.


    If they were going to ridicule and scorn him, why bring him into their lives at all?


    Why allow him to be humiliated by mere servants? How did it feel to live in a mansion where no one stood by his side?


    Violet understood why he had grown to hate the world. She knew all too well what it was like to be unable to ept kindness, to see everything and everyone as an enemy.


    What she couldn¡¯t understand was how her words had somehow saved him.


    Don¡¯t let bloodlines rule you. Elevate yourself so that no one can look down on you. Stand above them.


    It was a sentiment that¡¯s so typical of Violet, really.


    The words she had said to fortify herself had somehow saved someone else.


    Ridiculous.


    In reality, after those words, Aldin had lived with determination, creating a value for himself that wasn¡¯t tied to his bloodline.


    Once he realized he had a talent for swordsmanship, he threw himself into training, working tirelessly. And with a favor from his older sister, he had even started attending the academy.


    ¡°If not for what you said, I wouldn¡¯t be anything today.¡±


    His voice was filled with kindness as he said this. Violet knew that at his core, Aldin was a kind person.


    ¡°No¡ªthat was all you. You did all of it yourself, so you can take pride in it.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have changed without that turning point.¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of people who don¡¯t change, even when they have the chance.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    They circled around the same conversation. Violet smiled gently and responded differently this time.


    ¡°No one chooses to be born into this world. Children deserve to be loved, regardless of bloodline or family.¡±


    She spoke words that were different from what she had once said.


    In a way, she was talking to herself as well.


    She wanted to whisper to that child who had felt so isted at eight years old that they were worthy of love, even without all that desperate striving.


    ¡°¡­Is that so.¡±


    Aldin neither confirmed nor denied her words, giving a vague answer.


    Both the young her and the young him deserved to be loved simply because they were children. Even if the time had passed, even if that time had shaped who they had be, it was still a time that should have been met withfort.


    Violet didn¡¯t continue the same line of thought.


    But a sudden question arose in her mind.


    What if¡ªjust what if Aileen had known she could be loved unconditionally? Would their rtionship have been so twisted?


    If she hadn¡¯t fallen into that sense of inferiority, denying her own bloodline and her mother¡¯s, and thinking she could only receive love by pushing someone else out of the way?


    It was a pointless thought. Even if that were true, Violet would have still disliked Aileen. They were too fundamentally different.


    Violet closed her eyes slowly, ending her train of thought.


    What did she think of Aldin? It was a feeling she hadn¡¯t clearly defined, something she had left unresolved after much thought.


    Even though she hadn¡¯t given an answer to his feelings, Aldin had waited. He had even said that it didn¡¯t matter if she rejected him, that if his feelings became a burden, it would be better to sever them.


    And he had worked hard on the unfamiliar, too. He said he could give up everything for her.


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 Chapter 284

    Chapter 284


    Finally, Violet opened her eyes and looked at Aldin.


    ¡°Sir Aldin.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Perhaps it was the seriousness on her face, but Aldin answered with a firm tone.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    Unfortunately, Violet couldn¡¯t finish her sentence.


    Because¡ª


    ¡°Where did you go?! It took me ages to find you!¡±


    An interrupter had appeared.¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Why do you both look like that? Do I have something on my face? Huh?¡±


    <i>¡°¡­Haa.¡±</i>


    ¡°Why?¡±


    The timing was truly frustrating. Violet¡¯s sigh deepened.


    ¡°Never mind. Where have you been wandering off to¡­?¡±


    ¡°I told you I had something to check out! Was I not supposed toe back?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Hey, did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­Just keep living like you do.¡±


    No matter how baffled Cairn was, the two of them simply sighed in unison.


    And so, the festival came to a close.


    As the festival was wrapping up, a piece of ominous news reached Violet¡¯s ears.


    A rumor had spread through the marketce that war was soon to break out in the empire.


    * * *


    The entire nation was abuzz with rumors of war, though nothing had been confirmed yet.


    People were filled with unease and fear. Every time they gathered, the conversation inevitably turned to war, and some even went so far as to investigate the validity of the rumors themselves.


    Even if the rumors were true, it wasn¡¯t as though their lives would change immediately.


    Instead of investigating the truth of the rumors, Violet focused on what she had to do. She steadily worked on finishing the crown prince¡¯s portrait.


    She knew she should officially reject him once the portrait wasplete. The air between them was already unbearably awkward.


    And above all, Rajaden¡¯s expression was enough to pierce anyone¡¯s heart.


    ¡°¡­I suppose it won¡¯t work with me, after all.¡±


    Forcing a calm expression, he asked her to finish the portrait, telling her not to worry about the confession. Violet wanted to ask how she could possibly ignore that expression but chose to remain silent.


    At least he wasn¡¯t clinging to her pathetically. Other than asionally looking at her with an inexplicable expression, Rajaden said nothing more.


    ¡®He¡¯ll sort it out on his own.¡¯


    Violet decided to think more lightly about it. She didn¡¯t know his true feelings, but it seemed like the option of exile could be taken off the table.


    With the international situation in chaos, exile wouldn¡¯t be a good choice.


    ¡°I hope my painting pleases Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯ve painted it, how could it not be beautiful?¡±


    Violet¡¯s expression grew slightly awkward at the unexpectedpliment, but the crown prince¡¯s wistful expression didn¡¯t change. She only hoped the painting wouldn¡¯t end up burning.


    In the end, the final touches werepleted without incident, and the crown prince¡¯s portrait was finished. Regardless of how Violet personally felt about him, Rajaden had been a striking subject and muse.


    The portrait, bathed in light, resembled a god more than a human being. If someone were to see it, they might cry out that depicting a human as a god was sphemy, but Violet didn¡¯t care. She had already been called a witch who had made a pact with the devil, so what did it matter?


    The empress said nothing about Violet¡¯s painting, and Rajaden only wore that wistful expression, so the work waspleted without further issue.


    With the portrait finished, Rajaden no longer had an excuse to meet with Violet. The rumors that had once surrounded them had mostly died down, so they would no longer be the subject of gossip.


    Rajaden was diligently moving on from his feelings. There were more important matters for him to focus on.


    Meanwhile, Violet had begun preparing for her exhibition in earnest. She had a clear goal of holding the exhibition before the winter ended, so she threw herself into her work.


    There was much noise surrounding Violet¡¯s exhibition.


    Because she was a noblewoman, or because she was a female artist, she was surrounded by countless prejudices. She also had to endure usations that her paintings were so close to sphemy that she must have made a pact with the devil.


    Amidst the noise, she steeled herself.


    It¡¯s okay to fall into a slump. Oveing it was all that mattered.


    It¡¯s okay to fall apart. As long as she could stand up again, no matter how slowly.


    Violet liked her own paintings. No matter what anyone said, she loved the world she created through her art. At times, she wondered if she really had made a pact with the devil without even remembering it.


    As Violet continued preparing for her exhibition, a rumor quite different from the news of the war began to spread.


    ¡­The rumor was that Aileen Everett had copsed after ingesting poison.


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 Chapter 285

    Chapter 285


    There were several falsehoods mixed into the news of Aileen copsing after ingesting poison.


    And given the recentplicated rtionship between Violet and the crown prince, the rumors quickly became vulgar.


    Naturally, the person who was used of the crime was Violet.


    Roen, delivering this news, looked like he wanted to bite his tongue, but Violet was surprisingly calm as she listened.


    ¡°The situation has beplicated. Violet, there¡¯s a witness iming you¡¯re the culprit, so it seems a trial will be held.¡±


    ¡°It must be a false witness.¡±


    Roen let out a small sigh. She hadn¡¯t even had much contact with Aileen recently, so how had things be so entangled?


    The rumors generally went like this: Ducal Lady Violet had aimed for the position of Crown Princess, but Aileen had interfered. The crown prince had supposedly fallen deeply for Aileen Everett, and out of jealousy, Violet had lost her mind.


    That¡¯s the reason behind why she had ¡°hired someone to poison Aileen¡±.The rumors, on the surface, seemed usible. Although fabricated evidence could be refuted, the problem was that people weren¡¯t interested in the truth¡ªthey wanted something entertaining to chew on.


    And to top it off, all of this was happening right before her exhibition.


    Roen ran a hand over his face and spoke in a despairing voice.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but for now, please stay at home and do nothing.¡±


    ¡°Are you suspecting me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen didn¡¯t respond to Violet¡¯s question. He was simply astonished at how all of this had unfolded in just one day.


    Looking at Violet, who asked if he doubted her, Roen gave a bitter smile.


    ¡°How could I possibly suspect you?¡±


    It was an answer tinged with regret. Violet considered guessing his feelings but decided against it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remain in confinement.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for your protection.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°The rumors have be extremely vile. It¡¯s no longer just gossip in high society¡ªthemoners in the streets are all talking about you now¡­ There¡¯s no way these rumors could have spread this fast unless someone was deliberately spreading them.¡±


    Roen muttered ominously. The more he spoke, the more his words seemed like a monologue.


    ¡°It seems they needed a public enemy.¡±


    Violet responded nonchntly. It was easy to spread rumors using agitators. People always cheered for someone¡¯s downfall.


    Turning someone into a public enemy and fostering unity through it¡ªit was a childish tactic, but in times of fear, like the current situation with the looming war, it was effective.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡±


    ¡°Not worried? How can you say that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m truly innocent. And I trust that you¡¯ve already gathered the necessary evidence.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you trust me?¡±


    ¡°I see no reason not to.¡±


    At Violet¡¯s words, Roen smiled faintly. As she had assumed, Roen had already gathered evidence to refute the rumors.


    Rumors could easily be turned back around with a counter-narrative.


    Aileen¡¯s schemes had be more cunning, but there were still plenty of gaps to exploit. The problem was the stigma that would be ced on Violet just by having the trial.


    ¡®It would be best if I could settle this before the trial even takes ce¡­¡¯


    Frowning, Roen handed over the documents he had collected to Violet. She let out a quiet sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to resolve it before the trial.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s frustrating that I can¡¯t do anything to help.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if there¡¯s a trial, it won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    If it came to that, he was ready to bribe the judges. Violet smiled again as she watched him.


    * * *


    Violet was ustomed to being confined. She didn¡¯t find it particrly sad. In fact, being alone in her room made it easier for her to sort out her thoughts and clear her mind.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    But Mary was different. She looked upset, almost on the verge of tears.


    ¡°Why are you making that face?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s upsetting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not! This happened before, too¡­ I hate it. I hate how you¡¯re being treated, Mdy, and I hate the baseless usations¡­¡±


    As she set down the tea and snacks that she brought, Mary trailed off, her face contorted with emotion. Violet smiled at the sight.


    Unlike Violet, who remained in her room, Mary had likely been hearing the nder about herdy wherever she went. It seemed she had been deeply troubled by the raw, unfiltered remarks she overheard.


    Even while attending to Violet, Mary had an expression as if she might cry at any moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­But Mdy, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong and yet they¡¯re all ming you. Just like in the past.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°It is! Everyone just talks carelessly just because it¡¯s not their problem¡­¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Violet listened quietly to Mary¡¯s words. Though Mary left out the more unpleasant things she¡¯d heard, she couldn¡¯t hide her frustration.


    Surprisingly, Violet found herself in a good mood, rather than upset by Mary¡¯s words. Was there anyone else who cared about her this much?


    After listening to Mary for a while, Violet put down the documents she had been reviewing and looked at her.


    ¡°The fact that my exhibition has been dyed is a problem, though.¡±


    At this, Mary¡¯s face scrunched up.


    ¡°Mdy¡­¡±


    ¡°If I hold the exhibition now, people will probably throw eggs at my paintings, won¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Seeing Mary finally shed the tears she had been holding back, Violetughed.


    Violet suddenly recalled her first meeting with Mary. This small girl had feared her yet hadn¡¯t backed down. After opening her heart to Violet, she had always been her staunch supporter.


    Perhaps it was because of this that Violet wasn¡¯t afraid of the criticism directed at her. As long as this small girl remained on her side, nothing else mattered.


    ¡°Things will get better.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course. And if they don¡¯t, I¡¯ll <i>make</i> it better.¡±


    ncing again at the documents Roen had given her, Violet smiled.


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 Chapter 286

    Chapter 286


    However, contrary to Violet¡¯s bold assurance, the situation only worsened.


    This was because the temple had stepped in, and the ims they made were outrageous.


    They insisted that Ducal Lady Violet Everett had made a pact with the devil and that the current instability in international affairs was due to the devil¡¯s descent spreading evil.


    It was hard to understand what they were thinking.


    In truth, this attempted poisoning incident should never have escted this much.


    A tragedy among nobles, and within a single family at that¡ªthat¡¯s all it should have been. But with the temple¡¯s involvement, the matter rapidly grew out of proportion.


    When the request came to escte the trial to a holy trial in order to expose the truth, Violet scoffed.


    In this day and age, talking about devils and witches? Nonsense.


    The temple wouldn¡¯t have intervened unless there was something in it for them. They must have had another goal in mind.¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet¡¯s eyes grew cold as she stared down at the document.


    She closed her eyes and thought calmly. Did the temple have a reason to involve themselves in this matter? If the emperor didn¡¯t approve, it would only damage the temple¡¯s reputation.


    Or had the temple been involved from the moment Aileen copsed? If that were the case, this situation was moreplicated than Violet had initially thought.


    With no clear understanding of what the temple truly wanted or why they were taking such extreme measures, she couldn¡¯t act rashly.


    And if the case were truly referred to a holy trial, it was obvious they¡¯d sentence her to the stake.


    Naturally, Duke Everett had rejected the request, and His Majesty the Emperor also refused it.


    People weren¡¯t foolish. They would recognize that the temple had overreached.


    Nevertheless, the idea had taken root from this seed, and suspicion began to spread quietly.


    As if this was the n all along.


    * * *


    Days of silence followed.


    The servants in the mansion seemed to be holding their breath, not daring to speak. Even the usual chatter was absent.


    Violet nced indifferently at the people who were tiptoeing around her cautiously.


    <i>¡°¡­Haah.¡±</i>


    Roen, who had been reading documents, furrowed his brow and sighed. The dark circles under his eyes showed he hadn¡¯t slept well.


    ¡°Did you not sleep?¡± Violet asked.


    ¡°¡­I slept a little. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s a relief¡­¡±


    As Roen pressed his forehead, he didn¡¯t look relieved at all. Violet started to say something but held back. Nothing she could say would suit the current situation.


    ¡°¡­Sorry, you¡¯re probably having a harder time than me.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Roen sighed again as he looked at Violet¡¯s expressionless face.


    Violet thought that everything happening around her felt like one big theater y. Like it was happening beyond an invisible wall, just out of reach.


    Roen handed Violet a stack of papers. She silently epted them and skimmed through the contents.


    ¡°The temple sent another official document.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re being insistent that the trial must be conducted as a holy trial, huh.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, this request was denied as well.¡±


    ¡°The real issue is what the temple wants.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    After reviewing the documents, Violet ced them on the table. Roen rubbed his face with a weary expression.


    ¡°Do they want to restore their authority by dragging a daughter of the Everett Duchy into a holy trial, or is there another hidden motive? We¡¯re still investigating, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you find anything?¡±


    ¡°Some clues are starting to surface, which is making things moreplicated.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Roen spoke through gritted teeth. Violet thought of Cairn, who had been summoned to the academy the moment the poisoning attempt became public.


    If he hadn¡¯t been taken to the academy immediately, it was clear there would have been a disaster. Or worse, he might <i>already</i> be wreaking havoc at the academy.


    Seeing that Violet¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t changed, despite the gravity of the situation, Roen cautiously asked her a question.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the details?¡±


    ¡°I am, but since you haven¡¯t told me right away, it seems there are issues with revealing it at the moment.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s uncertain information, that¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right.¡±


    Roen¡¯s responsecked energy. They exchanged a few updates, but the heavy atmosphere never lifted.


    After answering Roen¡¯s question about whether she was frustrated with a simple <i>¡®I¡¯m fine¡¯, </i>Violet nodded slightly before leaving his office. She also reminded him to get some sleep.


    Walking through the silent halls, Violet pondered. Aileen couldn¡¯t possibly have had the power to involve the temple.


    She was more likely being used.


    The cracks had been forming for a while, and now they were breaking wide open. It was just unfortunate that Violet had been caught up in it.


    Talk of witches, devils, and even a holy trial¡ªwhat woulde next?


    A crusade? Perhaps ¡®<i>The imperial family has been corrupted for protecting a witch¡¯</i> or <i>¡®Punish the false children of God¡¯</i> would be their next slogans. It seemed like a usible scenario, given the ongoing talk about war and international instability.


    ¡®¡­Surely, it won¡¯te to that.¡¯


    It was a far-fetched thought, but Violet dismissed it as she made her way back to her room.


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    ( APV has been fully tranted~! )<hr>

 Chapter 287

    ¡°Ah, Mdy!¡±


    As soon as she returned to her room, her personal maid, Mary, greeted her brightly.


    She had just finished drawing the curtains. Violet, standing in her now-brightened room, was about to say something but quickly closed her mouth.


    ¡°A letter arrived for you, Mdy. I haven¡¯t checked the contents, but judging by how it came, I think it¡¯s safe!¡±


    Violet often received various letters, including invitations. Recently, even anonymous letters filled with insults had arrived.


    Briefly concerned it might contain something problematic, Violet soon had to smile faintly as she glimpsed the familiar handwriting.


    <b>[ Dear Ducal Lady,</b>


    <b>I hope you are well and without any worries. As it¡¯s difficult to see you in person, I write you this letter instead. ]</b>


    The handwriting was elegant, though there were many faint indents of crossed-out lines, showing how much the writer had agonized over the opening. Violet chuckled, imagining how many sheets of paper must have been wasted just to write that one sentence.Despite being caught up in this unfortunate situation, the letter tried to maintain aposed tone, starting with small talk about daily life and training routines. It was just like Aldin.


    As Violet turned to the second page, she thought about how much she wanted to see Aldin in person. She wanted to read the letter aloud in front of him and watch his face redden with embarrassment.


    ¡°I heard about recent events. I believe it will be resolved without issue¡­¡±


    Violet began reading the letter aloud without realizing it.


    By the third page, Aldin¡¯s concerns for her were written in great detail. This, it seemed, was the real purpose of the letter.


    At the very end, he wrote,


    <b>[ I swear to stand by you, no matter what happens. ]</b>


    The next line had been heavily crossed out, as if he¡¯d written [ Even if it means¡­ ] and then decided against it.


    Violet wondered if the scratched-out part had said, <i>¡®Even if it meansmitting treason.¡¯</i> A knight pledging to follow her even as a rebel¡ªit was quite romantic, wasn¡¯t it?


    The sentiment expressed in the letter stirred something deep inside her.


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    She had thought the letter was filled with mundane content.


    Yet now, she longed to see him.


    The feelings she had at that moment were indescribable.


    Folding the letter neatly, Violet looked up at the sky beyond the window.


    As long as there was someone like him who would say such things to her, everything would be alright.


    * * *


    The deteriorating situation was overturned by an unexpected figure.


    Violet frowned slightly as she gazed at the person who hade to visit her, despite her confinement.


    ¡°Haha, it¡¯s been a while. How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯ve been well?¡±


    His smiling face was irritating. He knew all too well about her situation, yet still asked how she was. His transparent gaze was hard to read.


    ¡°You do look a little worn out. Shall I send you some tea with healing properties? It¡¯s a famous type of floral tea from Liran¡ªjust one cup guarantees a peaceful night.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why did you want to see me?¡±


    ¡°Well, I wanted to discuss your beautiful artwork.¡±


    Prince Vaughn of the Liran Kingdom, who was officially staying at the imperial pce as an envoy, was a shameless man. Violet¡¯s expression naturally soured.


    He had imed to have important information, so she had let him in, but it didn¡¯t seem like this conversation would be fruitful.


    ¡°I doubt you came all this way just to discuss my artwork while I¡¯m under house arrest.¡±


    ¡°Of course that¡¯s not the only reason, but it <i>is</i> true I¡¯m curious about your paintings. They say they¡¯re the work of a witch who made a pact with the devil, after all.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, but don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t believe the temple¡¯s nonsense. I¡¯m just intrigued.¡±


    Violet suddenly wanted to walk out of the room. If he hadn¡¯t mentioned having information that could turn the situation around, she would have left immediately.


    ¡°¡­Come to the exhibition when it opens.¡±


    ¡°I intend to. If I¡¯m still in the country by then, that is.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Vaughn just smiled, even as he noticed Violet¡¯s expression darken. After some more trivial conversation, Vaughn¡¯s smile never wavered, and Violet couldn¡¯t help but think she wished she could learn his shamelessness.


    ¡°Well then, shall we move on to the secondary topic?¡±


    After engaging in idle chatter for a while, Vaughn finally broached the main subject, casually referring to it as ¡®secondary¡¯.


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem thrilled. In any case, could you take a look at this?¡±


    He pulled out a small ss vial from his coat, its contents a clear liquid that shimmered as it sloshed inside.


    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±


    Violet asked weakly. Her energy had been drained, and her voicecked its usual sharpness.


    Unbothered, Vaughn maintained his cheerful demeanor and pulled out some documents he had prepared.


    ¡°Please take a moment to read this.¡±


    ¡°I do hope that this is worth my time.¡±


    Grumbling, Violet slowly scanned the papers he handed her.


    As she read, her eyes widened in surprise.


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    ( APV has been fully tranted~! )

 Chapter 288

    ¡°¡­Is it really true?¡±


    ¡°If it were a lie, I wouldn¡¯t havee all this way to meet you in person, Ducal Lady. It¡¯s the undeniable truth.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Violet stared at the vial on the table with aplicated expression. The liquid inside shimmered brightly in the light, clear and transparent.


    ¡°Pardon me, but may I ask how you identified this poison and why you have it in your possession?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, feel free to ask. As for your questions, I can tell you that this poison exists only in my homnd, and that¡¯s how I knew.¡±


    Vaughn answered Violet¡¯s question cheerfully.


    The vial he had brought out contained none other than the poison Aileen had ingested. The documents he handed over contained detailed information about the poison¡ªits name, symptoms, and even how to counteract it.


    It was extremely valuable information in the current situation, yet it was also quite strange.Vaughn had brought a poison that even the most renowned imperial physicians couldn¡¯t identify, iming it only existed in his homnd.


    ¡°Judging by your reaction, you truly had no idea. This makes me confident you¡¯re not the culprit behind this incident.¡±


    ¡°¡­How unpleasant.¡±


    ¡°Apologies, but it was necessary to confirm.¡±


    Vaughn slipped the vial back into his coat. The fact that he was carrying around such a dangerous substance made Violet suspicious that Vaughn himself might be behind the incident.


    ¡°For the record, it¡¯s not me. I have nothing to gain by targeting Aileen Everett in this situation.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember when I told you to be wary of the temple?¡±


    Violet nodded slowly, recalling the temple¡¯s attempt to have the case tried as a holy trial. The thought made her frown.


    ¡°Where do I begin¡­ To start, did you know that the temple was somewhat involved in the poisoning attempt on the second daughter of House Everett?¡±


    Violet didn¡¯t respond. Vaughn continued with a smile, as if he hadn¡¯t expected an answer.


    ¡°The temple¡¯s involvement in the poisoning attempt, as well as their ties to certain factions in the Liran council, is already known. While the main nations preparing for war are the southern allied countries and a small kingdom, they¡¯re not the only ones to worry about.¡±


    ¡°You seem well-informed.¡±


    ¡°A political rival happens to be tied to them.¡±


    Despite the gravity of what he was saying, Vaughn spoke in a light, almost dismissive tone, which made Violet increasingly ufortable.


    ¡°Their objectives align. They want to destabilize the current imperial power and strike during the ensuing chaos¡­ That much makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You must think I¡¯m a fool.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> my apologies if it came across that way. In any case, I have information about the temple¡¯s alliance with certain factions in Liran, including details on the poison.¡±


    Violet considered asking whether Vaughn himself was behind all of this but decided against it. If what he was saying was true, then Vaughn, too, had something to gain from seeking her out.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying I shouldn¡¯t worry too much about my situation?¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Exactly as I said. I can tell you¡¯ve been fretting over this.¡±


    Violet was momentarily speechless, letting out a short sigh. Vaughn remained a highly suspicious figure to her.


    ¡°¡­What does that have to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°You want something more concrete, I see. It¡¯s simple¡ªI have all the evidence needed to turn the tables on them and clear your name.¡±


    That was certainly reassuring, but it seemed odd that Roen wouldn¡¯t already know about it. And it was even stranger that Vaughn hade in person.


    ¡°Then, why did you feel the need toe here yourself?¡±


    ¡°It seems you can¡¯t trust others easily, though I can¡¯t say I me you.¡±


    Vaughn smiled as he met her suspicious violet eyes.


    ¡°Would it suffice to say I couldn¡¯t act until I was certain? Information has likely already reached both Duke Everett and the Young Duke by now. It will take a bit of time to verify, however.¡±


    In the end, it was clear that Vaughn hade to observe Violet¡¯s reaction in person. Her expression soured as she let out a soft sigh, frustrated that she couldn¡¯t just throw him out.


    In recent days, Violet had been emotionally drained and found it exhausting to deal with people. She didn¡¯t have the energy to carefully craft her words.


    What could she say that wouldn¡¯t sound too sharp? Before she could figure it out, Vaughn spoke again.


    ¡°As I mentioned before, I was born with a rather unique eye. Part of the reason I wanted to meet you was to deliver information, but I was also genuinely curious about your artwork.¡±


    He casually sipped his tea before continuing.


    ¡°People say that your paintings are the work of a witch who made a pact with the devil, that they should never be seen by the world. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªwhat does a painting by someone who has died ande back to life look like? What kind of world does someone whose soul has been shattered and mended create?¡±


    Once again, the conversation turned to her paintings.


    Recalling that Vaughn had little to no knowledge of art, Violet furrowed her brow slightly.


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    ( APV has been fully tranted~! )

 Chapter 289

    Chapter 289


    ¡°It¡¯s unclear to me what exactly your main point is, sir. Is this your way of asking for a reward?¡±


    Violet asked directly, wondering if Vaughn wanted one of her paintings in exchange for the information.


    If that was the case, it was a bargain for Violet. Given the situation, asking for just a painting when he could have asked for much more seemed like a fortunate oue.


    Vaughn smiled at Violet, his expression yful.


    ¡°It seems you still don¡¯t realize the true value of your art. But let¡¯s set that aside for now¡­ Shall we move on to another topic?¡±


    Even though his business appeared to be finished, Vaughn lingered.


    Feeling pressed for time, Violet wanted to quickly dismiss him and further investigate the information he had brought. But for now, she let him continue.


    ¡°Once upon a time, there was a bloodline blessed by the gods, and they have been granted special powers.¡±


    ¡°You seem to enjoy old stories.¡±¡°I read ancient texts from time to time. <i>Haha.¡±</i>


    Vaughn chuckled lifelessly before continuing.


    ¡°They could see glimpses of the future¡ªthrough divination, prophecy, or dreams, though the methods varied.¡±


    Violet furrowed her brow slightly.


    ¡°And what do you think happened to them?¡±


    ¡°They must have been hunted down and killed, used of heresy.¡±


    ¡°Correct. Despite their special abilities, they became targets of rejection and persecution. Most of them were branded as heretics and killed, and very few remain. Even though their bloodline has thinned over the generations, and their ability to see the future has vanished, they are still shunned.¡±


    The irony wasn¡¯t lost on Violet.


    Loved by the gods, yet branded as heretics. Could they really have been loved by the gods?


    ¡°Do you know what distinguished them?¡±


    ¡°¡­Red hair.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Red hair, a trait of the wandering pixie tribe, who were cast out and rejected by society.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s your point in bringing this up now?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, did I offend you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha, I apologize.¡±


    Though Vaughn apologized, his tonecked any true regret.


    Red hair. By now, that bloodline had thinned, and few remained with vivid red hair. Violet recalled that Aileen¡¯s mother had been one of the few with such hair.


    ¡°These days, it has faded to pink. I observed that child closely just in case, but it seems she didn¡¯t inherit any of their abilities. What a disappointment.¡±


    <i>¡°Haa¡­¡±</i>


    Violet let out a sigh, somewhere between exasperation and frustration.


    Aileen had always believed she was discriminated against for not having noble blood, despising her mother¡¯s lineage. That inferiorityplex had shackled Violet throughout her life. How ridiculous.


    ¡°You dislike Aileen, I know that.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s best not to mention her name in front of me.¡±


    ¡°Nheless, you pity her at the same time.¡±


    Vaughn¡¯s eyes were never truly serious. From start to finish, he made light of weighty truths.


    Violet took a deep breath, closing her eyes. When she opened them again, she spoke in a calm tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. What¡¯s your purpose in telling me all of this?¡±


    Her gaze was sharp and direct. Vaughnughed as if amused by her determination.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to know than to remain in the dark, isn¡¯t it? I thought you needed to be aware of this.¡±


    ¡°¡­Does Aileen know this?¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> didn¡¯t you just ask me not to mention her name?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know. I never told her, just in case.¡±


    Violet wondered, <i>What use is this information to me?</i> Knowing this didn¡¯t bring her any relief, nor did it seem relevant to the current situation.


    ¡°Whether you tell Aileen or not is up to you,¡± Vaughn added casually.


    Despite his flippant tone, Violet couldn¡¯t shake the thoughts of Aileen from her mind.


    Aileen, who had tried to diminish her cousin out of a deep-seated inferiorityplex, and the poisoning incident that had been its culmination. If she hadn¡¯t been so envious of Violet, none of this would have happened.


    Aileen was still unconscious, so that issue would have to be dealt withter. For now, there were more immediate problems.


    ¡°Let¡¯s return to the main topic. What do you want in exchange for this information?¡±


    When Violet finally asked outright, Vaughn thought for a moment, resting his chin on his hand.


    ¡°First, a painting¡­ and the rest, I¡¯ll consider a debt to be settledter.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make unreasonable demands.¡±


    His words left her with a bitter taste in her mouth.


    He hade without invitation, offered up information, and now dered it a debt without her even asking. How presumptuous. Still, Violet decided to ept.


    ¡°I hope your demands truly won¡¯t be unreasonable.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Whatever it will be, it won¡¯t be something that harms you.¡±


    Violet was eager to rid herself of this unwee guest.


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    ( APV has been fully tranted~! )<hr>

 Chapter 290

    After Vaughn left, Violet knew exactly what she needed to do.


    Theption of evidence was done swiftly, and in the process, several other crucial pieces of information were uncovered.


    Proving her innocence was easy enough, but the other pieces of information that came to light posed a bigger issue.


    This was no longer just Violet¡¯s problem.


    As she organized the documents, Violet sighed, realizing that her trial would be a political spectacle.


    The risk was high, and Roen opposed the idea, insisting that there were plenty of other ways to resolve the situation without going to trial.


    But Violet dered that she would go through with it.


    It was an opportunity to catch everyone in one sweep. Those using the war to bolster their power in the temple, those profiting from international conflict, those foreign nationals infiltrating the empire.


    It was the perfect time to expose them all.Her trial would draw their attention, allowing her to unmask them in one go. The imperial family was already on board with the n.


    If she let the matter fade away quietly, suspicions would remain. The rumors that she, the so-called viiness, had tried to poison her cousin out of jealousy would follow her for life.


    Though Violet was weary, she knew this was the only way to put an end to it all.


    * * *


    On the day of the trial¡ª


    As she was still under house arrest, Violet was escorted to the court as a defendant. Her hands were bound, but other than that, she was treated leniently for a criminal.


    She stood before a courtroom filled with people.


    Soon, the performance of a lifetime would begin.


    Despite the gravity of the situation, Violet couldn¡¯t suppress a sense of anticipation.


    The crowd in the courtroom mored restlessly for the viiness to be executed. The rumors had be twisted and malicious, with insults that couldn¡¯t even be spoken aloud.


    She saw some familiar faces among the mob¡ªthe leading figures of the temple, nobles who had been swayed by shallow political maneuvers, and more.


    Seeing them shout so brazenly now seemed almostughable.


    Even though the trial wasn¡¯t a ¡®holy trial¡¯, it was obvious why the temple had insisted on being involved.


    No matter the verdict, it would work in their favor.


    If she was found guilty, they would demand the trial be escted to a holy trial. If she was found innocent, they would spread rumors that the imperial family was protecting a witch.


    Violet saw through their n clearly.


    ¡°Burn the witch! If she isn¡¯t executed, disaster will strike thisnd!¡±


    ¡°Burn her at the stake! Burn the witch!¡±


    The trial hadn¡¯t even officially begun, but the usations were relentless. Violet didn¡¯t so much as nce at those hurling insults her way.


    Seeing how unfazed and dignified she appeared only made the crowd click their tongues in frustration.


    Meanwhile, the judge sat behind a screen, hidden from view. The crowd, too caught up in their excitement, didn¡¯t find it strange.


    ¡°Silence.¡±


    The judge¡¯s gavel came down, and the courtroom instantly quieted.


    ¡°If the witch isn¡¯t burned, terrible things will surely happen,¡± someone muttered again.


    The man speaking was seated in the witness box, someone Violet vaguely recognized.


    <i>A high priest? Or maybe a cardinal?</i> She remembered seeing him when she visited the temple with Rajaden, though the details were fuzzy.


    The trial officially began. As herwyer took the lead in defending her, Violet sat quietly.


    ¡°The witch has, in the past, ordered the tongues and hands of innocents to be cut off! Her wickedness is beyond words, and the seed of discord must be uprooted with her execution!¡±


    ¡°Please refrain from bringing in irrelevant usations that have no basis in fact, and do not speak of unverified ims during this trial!¡±


    ¡°She is a threat to the innocent! Blinded by her desires, she sought to take a life! How can you possibly defend such a person?!¡±


    ¡°Refrain from framing her for a crime she didn¡¯tmit! Ducal Lady Violet has never engaged in any illegal actions!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been bought off, haven¡¯t you! How do you exin the massacre of hundreds of children? Surely, it¡¯s evidence of her summoning the devil! If we don¡¯t execute the witch soon, our nation will never know peace!¡±


    ¡°Can you take responsibility for such ims? When none of it can even be proven?¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t it be proven? Her mere existence is evidence enough of evil! How wicked must one be to kill their own blood and act out of selfish desire?¡±


    ¡°Do refrain from irrelevant remar¡ª¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s allowed to live, the world will surely fall under the dominion of evil! She must be executed <i>NOW!¡±</i>


    ¡°Yes, she must be executed!¡±


    A barrage of senseless arguments filled the room. It was almostughable.


    Violet genuinely began to wonder if these people had any sense left in their heads.


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    ( APV has been fully tranted~! )

 Chapter 291

    One of them, Count Lasfoden, shouted for Violet to be executed, dering her guilty.


    ¡®Barbaric.¡¯


    It was utterly barbaric.


    What kind of gain could they hope to achieve from such unscrupulous actions?


    Violet¡¯swyer calmly refuted the usations, but they refused to listen.


    Thus, the verbal battle continued.


    ¡®They remind me of someone¡­ those people¡­¡¯


    As she watched those spouting nonsense, Violet suddenly recalled the events that had unfolded in the past, at the Everett Duchy.


    Back then, Aileen had copsed after consuming poison, and Violet had been falsely used, with Mikhail shouting in outrage.How could the situation now be so eerily simr?


    The duke who yed the role of judge already knew the entire truth.


    The judge presiding over this trial was no different.


    Therefore, the oue would likely be the same.


    ¡°The ledger presented as evidence has been proven to be falsified. It has been confirmed that the Ducal Lady was at her residence when the ledger was created, and the witnesses who testified¡­¡±


    Thewyer continued to calmly present his counterarguments, but those filled with malice simply shouted that it was all lies.


    Violet thought the entire situation seemed like a y.


    Yes, this was a y.


    ¡°¡ªTherefore, I find Violet Everett not guilty.¡±


    A y meant to deceive people.


    From behind the screen, the judge dered her innocence.


    Despite the overwhelming evidence, the opposing side raised their voices in disbelief.


    ¡°This is absurd! How can that viiness be found not guilty!¡±


    ¡°Considering those who have suffered at the hands of the witch, this verdict cannot be allowed!¡±


    In the case of Aileen¡¯s poisoning attempt, the evidence clearly proved Violet¡¯s innocence,


    so they were trying to dredge up other past events to attack her.


    Even if it was difficult to prove immediately, Violet¡¯s reputation had always been consistent.


    They likely thought it would be easy to exploit any real crimes she might havemitted to their advantage.


    How foolish, these people.


    ¡°Are you saying that my judgment is wrong?¡±


    With that voice, the screen was lifted.


    The judge seated on the bench was the emperor.


    The man who had stained the imperial pce with blood and now stood at the pinnacle of the empire.


    His face, much like Rajaden¡¯s, was marked by a heavy dignity, with a faint trace of anger.


    ¡°Arrest all the traitors, including Count Lasfoden, Baron Epsilten, and Cardinal Halleton!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    In an instant, the situation was reversed.


    As soon as the order was given, the imperial knights stormed into the courtroom, subduing the people.


    If anyone resisted, they did not hesitate to wield their swords.


    One of the captured men shouted.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this!¡±


    ¡°Do you take me for a fool?¡±


    The emperor responded.


    There was no emotion in his expression, but a few in the room understood its significance.


    It was an expression that had been seen decades ago.


    The same look he had when he executed his rtives and ascended to the throne.


    The emperor, who had led the nation by cleansing it of sin with more sin, now signaled the end of this ridiculous y.


    At the emperor¡¯s gesture, the man beside him quickly handed over the documents.


    Those who had been shouting in rage froze.


    The words that soon left the emperor¡¯s mouth were enough to plunge the courtroom into chaos.


    Forces colluding with enemy nations, those who had sold the country¡¯s secrets, and the atrocitiesmitted by those who had allied with them in the temple.


    Among the documents held by the emperor was one bearing the seal of the current cardinal.


    The papers detailed the conspiracy of imperial nobles with the southern principalities, the involvement of Liran officials, and several prominent figures in the current political arena.


    ¡°This is nder! <i>nder!</i> The imperial family has been blinded and is siding with evil! How can such vile acts bemitted under the sacred heavens!¡±


    ¡°That¡ª that document is a forgery created by the witch! It must be a vile trick!¡±


    ¡°Indeed! Surely the emperor cannot be deceived by the witch¡¯s nder!¡±


    ¡°I heard Lady Aileen has not yet awakened! How can this be brushed aside so easily!¡±


    The agitated people began shouting recklessly.


    Their desperate outbursts were pitiful.


    The emperor¡¯s eyebrow twitched.


    Selling the country¡¯s secrets to an enemy was a crime equivalent to treason.


    Even if they were beheaded on the spot, they had no grounds forint, yet they continued to plead their innocence.


    They either underestimated the emperor or were simply that foolish.


    Before them, someone appeared.


    ¡°Hmm? I delivered the antidote, but you¡¯re telling me she still hasn¡¯t awakened?¡±


    ¡°You scoundrel¡ª!¡±


    Vaughn smiled as he looked down at the bound cardinal.


    The one who had stamped the seal on the documents sent by the Liran official was the cardinal.


    There was no way he wouldn¡¯t recognize Vaughn.


    ¡°Since when have you been here!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been here from the beginning. I attended as a witness¡­ didn¡¯t you notice?¡±


    ¡°This is nder!¡±


    Despite it all, the word ¡®nder¡¯ came out once more.


    Well, with their lives on the line, it would be disastrous if they grew tired of making excuses.


    Violet continued to observe the situation, as if she were watching a y.


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    ( APV has been fully tranted~! )

 Chapter 292

    ¡°Lady Violet S. Everett is not a witch. I testify that she is blessed by the Sacred Tree.¡±


    ¡°How could a mere blessing from the Sacred Tree be considered evidence! Present proper evidence!¡±


    The cardinal, who had scorned foreign traditions, shouted in anger. Vaughn, who had anticipated this reaction, smiled knowingly.


    ¡°Of course, the evidence has been submitted. The judgment is His Majesty¡¯s, and a verdict of innocence has been dered.¡±


    ¡°This, this is a conspiracy!¡±


    The bound Count Lasfoden struggled. The knight restraining him stepped on his back. Short cries of pain and phrases like <i>¡®Do you know who I am!¡¯</i> were exchanged, but no one came to his aid.


    Who could possibly oppose the emperor in this ce?


    Amidst themotion, the doors of the courtroom opened. The person who entered was a pale young man.


    ¡°T-This¡­!¡±The young priest, who was about to shout something, froze as he saw what was happening. The emperor gave a slight nod, allowing the priest to approach the cardinal and speak to him.


    The young man¡¯s face was filled with sorrow.


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    The cardinal had maintained hisposure even after being restrained, but his expression now suddenly contorted.


    The young man facing him couldn¡¯t help but cry.


    ¡°¡­Yes, it is true.¡±


    The news he brought was that the imperial knights had surrounded the Grand Temple. The search had already begun, and most of the priests had been forcibly taken for questioning, causing the cardinal¡¯s neck veins to bulge with fury.


    ¡°How dare you! Do you think you can escape divine punishment for this?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The emperor remained silent, his expression indifferent. The cardinal, his bloodshot eyes filled with rage, shouted again.


    ¡°Do you think the imperial family will survive after turning the temple into an enemy?¡±


    ¡°It is not I who should worry about divine punishment, but the corrupt priests steeped in power.¡±


    At the emperor¡¯s gesture, the cardinal was dragged away. Those passing outside the courtroom murmured as they saw someone other than the silver-haired beauty being escorted out.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°I heard today was the trial of Ducal Lady Everett, but what¡¯s going on¡­?¡±


    The ones being led away were high-ranking priests or middle-aged people dressed in fine clothes.


    Those murmuring would soon learn the truth¡ªthat the entire temple had been taken over by the imperial knights, and that all the priests of the Grand Temple had been arrested.


    Of course, there might be innocent priests who hadn¡¯t colluded with enemy nations. They would be released soon enough, but¡­


    ¡°Hear me, all of you! The temple has dared to betray the empire, attempting to sell it out andmit treason! In the process, they attempted to frame Ducal Lady Everett and tried to deceive foolish eyes! Therefore, I will thoroughly root out and punish these traitors!¡± ??¦­?B§¦??


    It was a deration that a bloodbath would ensue.


    * * *


    In this trial, Violet¡¯s role was nothing more than that of a puppet. A convenient piece. A pawn to be discarded if it failed.


    Though Violet had willingly taken on this role, she couldn¡¯t help but feel despondent as she watched the situation unfold.


    She hadn¡¯t nned this y from the beginning. The temple¡¯s involvement in Aileen¡¯s attempted poisoning naturally reached the emperor¡¯s ears, and he was furious. The emperor had been ready to order arge-scale investigation, but the crown prince had stopped him.


    It was he who first proposed using the trial to their advantage.


    Violet had sighed at Rajaden¡¯s suggestion, but she had no choice but to go along with this absurd n. He was, after all, an extraordinary man in many ways.


    Lost in thought for a moment, Violet looked around the now-emptying courtroom. She saw people leaving in a daze. Complex emotions clouded Violet¡¯s eyes.


    Now she could go home. The false charges that had been ced upon her had been cleared. But the public¡¯s reaction was still unknown.


    Some might sympathize with her, while others might im this was all part of the witch¡¯s scheme.


    It was a situation where the oue was uncertain.


    Even though she had confidently spoken to Lady Tolofia, in the end, people¡¯s gazes would still bind her.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    <i>Well, let them think what they will.</i>


    She had long been ustomed to being hated, she told herself, brushing aside herplex emotions. Being hated didn¡¯t mean she would die or that she would be unable to paint, so it didn¡¯t matter.


    There were still people who would stand by her side no matter what.


    At the same time, Violet thought of a certain man. The man who asked her to ept his loyalty as a knight, even if she wouldn¡¯t ept his confession of love. If she had epted his loyalty, how would he have reacted now?


    Would he have taken the lead in sorting out this situation, enraged that the honor of thedy he served had been tarnished?


    The Aldin she knew was generally quiet andposed, so it was hard to imagine. With a faint smile, Violet tucked her thoughts away.


    Just as she was about to leave the courtroom as well, someone appeared before her.


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 Chapter 293

    ¡°¡­Your Highness.¡±


    Violet briefly wondered whether she should formally greet him with proper etiquette. Fortunately, Rajaden did not point it out.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°¡­I saw you in the witness stand.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    Rajaden smiled. It was a bittersweet, yet somewhat relieved smile. It was strange to see such a once bright man wearing such a sorrowful expression.


    Though he seemed to have let go of much, Rajaden still spoke with a trace of lingering attachment.


    ¡°I just wanted to exin why I met with Aileen Everett onest time¡­ I needed information. She didn¡¯t seem to realize it, but there was a possibility she was connected with the rebel forces¡­ I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t tell you sooner.¡±


    ¡°It was ssified. I understand.¡±¡°¡­But¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±


    Trying to clear up a minor misunderstanding, he was truly a foolish man. Violet smiled as if to show that she really was fine.


    It was a smile she hadn¡¯t worn during their time together. Seeing this, Rajaden momentarily froze before lowering his head.


    ¡°¡­I also want to say that¡­ I wish for your happiness.¡±


    It was all a rejected man could say.


    ¡°And, may you be someone so wonderful that you¡¯ll regret not choosing me.¡±


    Had he not added that, Violet might have considered this a beautiful end.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see when the timees.¡±


    Was that a request to reconsiderter, or a deration not to regret? It was impossible to know in advance.


    Violet bowed to the crown prince with proper etiquette.


    * * *


    Even after themotion had passed, Violet remained in seclusion.


    She had only halted her public activities until all the chaos settled, yet Mary had been on the verge of tears the entire time.


    ¡°Those people are all idiots. Fools!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°They seem incapable of thinking. They just parrot what others say.¡±


    She knew she should have been used to it by now, but Mary couldn¡¯t ept the raw malice. Violet simply chuckled.


    Though she called it seclusion, her life hadn¡¯t changed much. She had never been one to respond to invitations frequently, and rarely went out, so she didn¡¯t feel confined. ?


    More importantly, she had to push ahead with preparations for the exhibition.


    As long as her paintings weren¡¯t pelted with eggs, it would be fine. No, even if they were, that could be part of the art itself.


    As long as there was no immediate threat to her life, Violet remained utterly unbothered.


    Thus, until the imperial family issued an official statement regarding the incident, Violet focused solely on her painting.


    She was quietly pleased with the smoothly progressing exhibition preparations, though those around her were too busy tiptoeing around her to notice.


    In the meantime, the imperial statement was straightforward. Corruption in the temple, evidence of treason¡­


    People who had been unsure after the uproar in the courtroom were shocked when they heard the news.


    Those who had heard the rumors and condemned <i>¡®that¡¯</i> ducaldy were stunned to learn that the true evil had been hidden elsewhere, or that someone they knew was involved in the incident.


    It was an event that shook the entire nation. Those who had persisted in criticizing the imperial family disappeared without a trace.


    ¡°Even though they know the current Emperor isn¡¯t soft-hearted¡­ They¡¯re brave.¡±


    Violet clicked her tongue as she observed the unfolding situation. It was unfortunate, but it wasn¡¯t something she could involve herself in.


    Meanwhile, Mary began acting strangely.


    ¡°Mary? Why are you hiding the newspaper?¡±


    Mary, who had been stealthily removing a few pages from the newspaper Violet was reading, looked close to tears.


    ¡°Those people are all idiots¡­ and fools¡­¡±


    Hearing Mary repeat herself, Violet looked puzzled. Even though Violet knew what was going on through other information sources, she couldn¡¯t understand Mary¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s all been resolved, hasn¡¯t it? Even so?¡±


    ¡°¡­They all changed their attitude in an instant. Now they¡¯re saying they always believed in you, even though they were the ones who criticized you the most.¡±


    Only after hearing Mary¡¯s suddenly harsh voice did Violet realize why Mary was reacting this way. Having experienced it once before, Violet felt little emotion.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t know what they said about Mdy, which is why you can say that. Just getting angry isn¡¯t even enough¡­¡±


    ¡°People¡¯s attitudes can change at any given time.¡±


    ¡°I just hate that you¡¯re the one they¡¯re targeting. They don¡¯t even know you, Mdy.¡±


    ¡°People often pretend to know things they don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Even so, it upsets me!¡±


    ¡°But I think as long as I have you, who tells me when you¡¯re upset, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Mary¡¯s face turned bright red at the sudden remark. Unable to find a ce to look, Mary quickly shouted,


    ¡°T-The chef said he¡¯d make blueberry tarts. I-I¡¯ll go get them right away!¡±


    As Mary hurried out, her earlobes were red. Moments like this reminded Violet that Mary was still young.


    Violetughed as she watched Mary run out of the room.


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 Chapter 294

    Chapter 294


    The everyday life she had finally regained, along with these small moments of happiness, was truly precious.


    Along with it, a certain thought grew stronger in her mind.


    ¡®I miss him.¡¯


    A single letter, written with words that pressed down on her emotions, had moved her so deeply.


    Violet smiled gently as she looked at the letter she had carefully stored away. Despite how fervent her feelings were, it still wasn¡¯t the right time.


    She decided to hold onto these feelings, anticipating the moment they would meet again.


    * * *


    As Violet added exnations to her existing paintings and worked on new ones, she received new information every day. Most of it wasn¡¯t particrly useful and was filled with distressing news, but she listened to it all.


    News about the war, spies hidden within the empire, and the political views and interests entangled in between.¡®I¡¯m not even this household¡¯s heir, so what good would it do to know all this?¡¯


    The face of Roen, who had to deal with these matters directly, grew older by the day. As she observed the increasing wrinkles on his once fair and smooth skin, Violet wished for Roen¡¯s strength.


    The young king of the south was ambitious, expanding the power of his alliance. The ruler of the northern duchy, with its barrennd, was building military strength, coveting fertile territories. There were even countries looking to make a fortune from the war.


    The news that arrived daily was so serious that it made one wonder why war hadn¡¯t already broken out. The signs of deep-rooted decay were evident not only in the temple but across the continent.


    The empire was the biggest prize. If it could be brought down, that is.


    Continental war was not just a local skirmish. An unprovoked attack would likely turn the alliances against the aggressor.


    Thus, now, with the vtile state of affairs, seemed the perfect time to strike the empire.


    The current emperor was a man who had seized the imperial family through brute force. They believed that imperial power, established through blood, would be easy to topple.


    But the reality was different. The imperial power was strong, and the empire had many talents. So, with the current military strength, victory was certainly achievable.


    Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be entirely without loss. The anxiety along the border was indescribable.


    What would happen if war truly broke out? The lives of the empire¡¯s citizens, and Violet¡¯s life as well.


    As she painted, Violet looked up at the sky, which was a clear blue.


    Soon after, Violet decided to paint a picture about the war. Some might call her a hypocrite for painting from a safe ce.


    Even so, she decided to paint what she wanted to paint.


    Capturing the horrors directly on canvas would make it easier to convey the terrors of war to everyone.


    It was a harsh thought if ever there was one.


    While she was making such ns that would shock anyone who heard them, news came that Aileen had woken up.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    The poison Vaughn had brought was a special kind of poison.


    It wouldn¡¯t actually go as far as taking a life¡ªit would only make the one who ingested it appear dead. It was strange that Aileen hadn¡¯t woken up after staging such a ruse for so long.


    By now, Aileen must have been informed of the current situation. Whatever her reason, Aileen¡¯s n had failed.


    What expression did Aileen wear when she realized her n had failed? Did she feel despair? Or did she just find it all futile?


    Violet gazed down at the paper containing the news of Aileen¡¯s awakening, gently stroking her chin.


    There was no point in pondering why things had turned out this way. The sentiment of ¡®everything used to be fine¡¯ no longer mattered. The past was simply the past.


    In this situation, there was no need for Violet to meet Aileen.


    Aileen no longer held a significant ce in her life. There was no need to pursue revenge, as Aileen had be almost irrelevant to her.


    If rumors spread that the two had met, it could lead to more misunderstandings.


    But despite all this¡­ Violet paused her preparations for the exhibition and went to see Aileen.


    To bring a definitive closure to the time that had passed.


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 Chapter 295

    Before meeting Aileen, Violet ran through many different scenarios in her mind of what the girl might do.


    Whether she wouldsh out, screaming and causing a scene, or cry and y the victim, Violet had prepared herself ordingly.


    But it was all for nothing.


    In other words, she had never considered a situation like this.


    ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡±


    Staring nkly into space with lifeless eyes, Aileen spoke without even looking at Violet.


    When Violet had requested to meet, Aileen didn¡¯t even express any intention to refuse. More urately, it would be fair to say she was in no position to refuse, given her current circumstances.


    ¡°How unexpected. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be the one to ask that question.¡±Eyespletely devoid of light, gazing into an unknown distance. Her skin had be dry, and shadowsy beneath her eyes fromck of sleep.


    Violet understood well enough. She knew exactly when a person started to look like that.


    ¡°If you have nothing to say, then leave.¡±


    Aileen spoke in a voice that seemed to convey death, as though she didn¡¯t even have the strength left to argue.


    Watching her, one corner of Violet¡¯s lips tugged up.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I have nothing to say. I was merely curious to see what you had be.¡±


    ¡°Well, now your curiosity must be satisfied.¡±


    It was a clear signal for Violet to leave. Her smirk deepened.


    <i>¡°Hah,</i> you were always the one who came to me first, and now you tell me to leave when I finally grace you with my presence.¡±


    Aileen turned her head away, as if she couldn¡¯t bear to even look at her anymore. Predicting the unseen expression on her face, Violet chuckled once more.


    She felt no sympathy. Although she could understand Aileen better than anyone at this moment, that was all there was to it.


    With a soft, gentle expression, Violet approached Aileen.


    And she whispered.


    ¡°I was worried when I heard you¡¯d copsed. I¡¯m relieved to see you¡¯re quite all right.¡±


    At Violet¡¯s words, Aileen suddenly turned back to her, shouting in outrage.


    ¡°Are you mocking me right now?! <i>Ha! </i>Who¡¯s worrying about whom? Don¡¯t make meugh. You? Worried about me?¡±


    It seemed she had finally gathered the energy to shout. Violet responded with an even more exaggerated expression of concern.


    ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s only natural to worry about family¡­ Even if you don¡¯t seem too happy to see me.¡±


    The words Violet spoke now were the same ones Aileen had once said to her: that she was oh so very worried about her dear older sister, that it was natural to worry about family.


    Of course, Aileen probably wouldn¡¯t remember.


    ¡°¡­You always have to be the superior one, don¡¯t you.¡±


    Aileen gritted her teeth, ring at Violet with a venomous look.


    The situation was aplete reversal. Aileen, who had copsed from poison, and Violet, who hade to visit her out of concern. Even now, as the elder sister was offering concern, Aileen spat back with venomcing her words.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, if only you hadn¡¯t existed, I would have¡­¡±


    Before Aileen could finish her words, Violet answered softly.


    ¡°If that were the case, then you would have been even more of a nobody.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure? You were born with everything, how could you possibly understand how I feel?!¡±


    ¡°Then, do you understand how I feel now?¡±


    For a moment, Aileen was lost for words. She grabbed whatever was closest and threw it. It was a soft pillow, so it didn¡¯t hurt much, but it was still irritating.


    ¡°Get out! Get out of my sight!¡±


    Even her outburst felt familiar. Violet, wondering whether it was time to end this childish act, simply smiled again.


    ¡°It¡¯s sad. To think you¡¯d say such cruel things to a sister who loves you so.¡±


    With a face that appeared as gentle as her words, Violet watched as Aileen turned her back andy down, covering her ears.


    Unfazed, Violet continued speaking.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll answer the question you asked earlier. I came here to see you like this. To see the great Aileen, once renowned for her angelic kindness, now called a viiness, trembling andshing out beneath her sister¡¯s shadow¡­¡±


    Whether Aileen was listening or not, Violet kept speaking until she suddenly stopped.


    ¡°¡ªTruly.¡±


    Though she had been covering her ears with her hands, Aileen slowly lowered them.


    ¡°I feel truly satisfied.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ha.¡±


    Violet felt no sympathy for Aileen. Even in the face of the girl¡¯s pitiful state, Violet did not soften. In fact, she felt nothing but amusement.


    Taking pleasure in someone else¡¯s misfortune might seem vile to some, but Violet didn¡¯t care.


    After all, the suffering she had endured up until now had been far too severe to let a moment like this soften her resolve.


    Not a single shred of sympathy touched her heart.


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 Chapter 296

    ¡°Please, just disappear from my sight¡­¡±


    On the verge of tears, Aileen pleaded desperately. Violet was nning to leave soon anyway, and so she responded with one final act of mercy.


    ¡°Fine. Since what happens next is no longer my concern, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±


    Even as she was about to leave, Violet gently patted Aileen¡¯s head. With her head lowered, like a sister offering genuine encouragement, she whispered softly.


    ¡°Do you know? Even if you were to die ande back to life, you could <i>never</i> be me. Aileen, you are only you. You carry the blood of the mother you so deeply despise¡­ But, do you know? The bloodline you look down upon is one blessed by the gods.¡±


    Aileen shouted back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! You were born noble¡ªwhat do you know about me!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ironic, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re the one who taught me all of this. You say I was born noble, and it¡¯s easy to think that way. But the bloodline blessed by the gods, the one that should be considered the noblest, was passed down from your mother to you. Aileen, if you had realized this sooner, wouldn¡¯t your life have been different?¡±


    <i>¡°Hah, haha¡­</i> Are you lying to me now? Just to see me suffer?¡±¡°Who knows? It¡¯s up to you whether to believe it or not. It¡¯s your choice¡­¡±


    As she recalled her own past life, her blood in that world not of noble lineage, Violet whispered in a sing-song voice.


    ¡°If you had known that, you could have at least lived a life with <i>some</i> pride, right?¡±


    For a moment, Aileen wore a nk expression, as if she couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning behind those words.


    Violet patted Aileen¡¯s head again.


    ¡°I had hoped you would never learn the truth, but it¡¯s something you should know.¡±


    <i>¨DSo live as yourself, not as an imitation of me.</i>


    This was Violet¡¯s final act of kindness to her once beloved cousin.


    In the struggle to sit up to ask what she meant by her earlier words, Aileen found that Violet had already left.


    As she looked around the empty room and remembered her situation under constant surveince, Aileen gripped the nket tightly.


    ¡°What am I supposed to do now¡­?¡±


    Foolishly, Aileen never came to realize the truth. It was toote. No matter what she did, she could never return to the life where she was loved as before.


    ¡°¡­I hate you.¡±


    Even so, as long as she didn¡¯t die, life would go on, and as long as she lived, there would be something she could do.


    Aileen recalled the final words that Violet had whispered towards her.


    ¡°I <i>hate</i> you. I dearly hope that I never have to see you ever again.¡±


    Even when such words were said, Aileen would return again and again.


    While ming every single thing on Violet, the person she loathed to the very core, all she was doing was making her own life even more miserable.


    This was the only resolve Aileen could cling to in order to keep living.


    * * *


    ¡®I wonder what she¡¯s thinking right now.¡¯


    In the carriage on her way home, Violet tried to imagine what Aileen might be thinking. She had hoped that Aileen would give up and live her own life, but Aileen, who had stubbornly returned from her studies in Liran, was likely to think otherwise. ?


    Of course, what Aileen wanted was never going to happen.


    She was now under suspicion as a spy for a hostile nation, and without the protection of the Everett Duchy, at minimum, the undeniable possibility of the death penalty loomed over her future.


    If not that, escaping execution only meant she would lose all her rights as a noble of the empire and be exiled.


    For a girl who had lived her entire life as a noble, never learning how to work for herself, it was tantamount to a death sentence. If she ever returned after being exiled, she would immediately be executed for breaking thew.


    Violet¡¯s prediction turned out to be correct. When she heard the news that Aileen had been stripped of all her rights as an imperial citizen and exiled, Violet couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    Whether she wanted it or not, Violet¡¯s life had always been entangled with Aileen¡¯s. The feelings Violet had for her weren¡¯t just hatred¡ªthey were far moreplicated than that.


    Whether Aileen was executed or exiled, if they parted like this, thoseplicated emotions would remain unresolved forever.


    That¡¯s the reason why Violet had gone to see Aileen, revealing a truth she hadn¡¯t nned on telling.


    Violet did not wish for death upon Aileen. It was in stark contrast to how he felt about Mikhail, towards whom she wished a pathetic life of wandering the streets, before he¡¯d eventually die in that same state¡ªpitiful and lost.


    Instead, Violet wished for Aileen to live and suffer. Just as Violet had, she wanted Aileen to survive and be crushed by the weight of her own misery.


    It might have been a hypocritical, self-serving thought. Perhaps, after spending nearly half her life so close to Aileen, Violet couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her dying because of her.


    Like the relief of having a rotten tooth pulled, Violet hoped that the lingering emotions wouldn¡¯t torment her any further, holding onto that hypocritical wish.


    In that sense, hearing that she was exiled instead brought her relief. After all, Aileen would live a life more miserable than death.


    But the public reacted differently.


    They reveled in discovering fresh gossip. People ridiculed Aileen, calling her the ¡®true viiness¡¯ who had hidden behind an innocent mask, and they spent all day imagining what might have happened if she had be the next empress. The fervor over an event that never even urred was astounding.


    Moreover, the mockery directed at her often crossed eptable lines.


    They told her to survive by selling herself to some nobleman, like her mother had, or toe to them, where they would forgive her past sins. Her once-beautiful face, which had been her shield when she was called an angel, was now no protection at all.


    In any case, the excessively vulgar rumors were beginning to tarnish Everett¡¯s reputation, so they had to be addressed.


    It was Violet¡¯sst favor to Aileen, who she would never meet again.


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 Chapter 297

    Just when Violet thought everything had finallye to an end, Vaughn showed up to see her again.


    Violet, having nothing left to discuss with him, refused the meeting, but Vaughn was persistent. He kept bringing up the matter of debt, and in the end, Violet had no choice but to see him.


    Yet, there he was, sitting in silence, only drinking his tea, which was utterly infuriating.


    Narrowing her eyes, Violet mentally ran through the possible things Vaughn might ask of her.


    ¡°The tea has a lovely aroma.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a special import.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> I suppose it must be expensive.¡±Indeed, it was expensive. After all, it was tea imported from his home country, Liran.


    Feigning ignorance to this extent was a crime in itself. Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed further.


    Rather than letting herself get caught up in his pace again and waste time, she decided to get straight to the point.


    Putting down her cup, she asked,


    ¡°Why did you want to see me again?¡±


    ¡°I simply wanted to meet you onest time. I¡¯ll be returning to my home country soon.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°If I had been born in this country, I might have genuinely fallen for you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a funny joke, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? It¡¯s not a joke¡ªI¡¯m serious.¡±


    Either way, she was getting caught up in his words again. Violet thought it was a deplorable joke, but she stared directly at him.


    ¡°Well, it seems the situation didn¡¯t turn out as you feared. I suppose that¡¯s a relief.¡±


    ¡°Feared?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about you and the crown prince of this country.¡±


    Violet debated whether to dismiss his unnecessary concern or to scold him for speaking about the crown prince without proper respect.


    Before she could decide, Vaughn spoke again.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of taking your sister with me. Given her rare bloodline, we should at least explore the possibilities.¡±


    Was it the nature of leaders to exploit everything they could? Violet sighed, thinking of Rajaden as she responded.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re eerily simr to him.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> is that apliment?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an insult.¡±


    ¡°I see. So, would it be all right for me to take her?¡±


    Unlike his usual self, Vaughn didn¡¯t ask who this ¡®disgusting man¡¯ was. Violet clicked her tongue internally and maintained her poker face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re asking me of all people.¡±


    ¡°Because you want Aileen to be ruined, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­As long as she doesn¡¯t show up in front of me again, I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be sure to uphold that condition. Who knows, if she grows up properly, she might evene back to sincerely apologize to you someday.¡± ?


    Violet honestly didn¡¯t want to give Aileen that chance. She tilted her head to the side, considering whether to reject Vaughn¡¯s request.


    ¡°And if I refuse?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I suppose that means you don¡¯t want an apology. If that¡¯s the case, Aileen Everett will be exiled and live a miserable life, likely dying from illness.¡±


    ¡°Is <i>that</i> a joke?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just stating the facts.¡±


    ¡°And the chance that you¡¯ll get caught up in her problems and break the promise you¡¯re making to me now?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Are you suggesting that I might fall for Aileen? Now that would certainly be interesting, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m joking, so please drop that menacing re.¡±


    <i>Could something as unpleasant as that really be a joke?</i> Instead of pointing it out, Violet simply looked at him silently. Meeting her cold purple eyes, Vaughn shook his head with a softugh.


    ¡°It seems I made quite the unpleasantment. I apologize.¡±


    ¡°¡­So, what¡¯s your answer?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no chance of that happening. I can¡¯t fall in love¡ªliterally.¡±


    What kind of joke was this now? Seeing Violet¡¯s puzzled expression, he added with a grin.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mean it in any other way. I just meant I¡¯m incapable of feeling romantic emotions. Though I suppose I can feel interest.¡±


    In some ways or another, he was worse than Rajaden.


    ¡®So when he said he might have fallen for me, that was just nonsense.¡¯


    With that cold conclusion, Violet opened her mouth to rid herself of this unwee guest.


    ¡°Do as you like. Let¡¯s consider the debt repaid with this.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too easy a decision?¡±


    ¡°In exchange, if you show up in front of me again, I¡¯ll use everything in my power to crush you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Doesn¡¯t sound like a joke. But don¡¯t worry, that won¡¯t happen, so there¡¯s no need for such a scary face.¡±


    <i>¡°Haha,</i> even I know how to value my life, despite seeking entertainment.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye. Fair travels.¡±


    Vaughn seemed like he wanted to continue the conversation, but Violet had already dismissed him. As she quickly headed up to her room, she heard him call out btedly, ¡°What about the exhibition invitation¡­?¡±


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 Chapter 298

    By the time Vaughn had been all but chased out of the estate, Violet finally had some time for herself after a long while.


    Sitting alone, she thought deeply.


    About her conversations with Aileen and Vaughn. About the circumstances that had once surrounded her. Even about the emotions she had when she first started painting, and why she had picked up the brush in the first ce.


    One task had beenpleted, and now it was time to move on to the next.


    She envisioned her future as a painter¡ªwhat she wanted to do, and what she hoped to achieve in this new chapter of her life, so different from before.


    Whenever she thought of the future, a certain face would always follow.


    When the image of him suddenly surfaced, Violet was startled and nced around, as if to check if anyone else was there.


    ¡®Why am I thinking of Sir Aldin here¡­¡¯


    She had to sort things out in order, but her mind wasn¡¯t cooperating. Violet forced herself to focus again on her life as a painter and on her art.The negative emotions that had driven her to pick up the brush in the first ce hadn¡¯t entirely disappeared. They still lurked beneath the surface, waiting to drag her down.


    The helplessness that nothing would ever change, the despair of being forced to live as a viin for the rest of her life, the anger that had driven her to embrace the role just to meet those expectations¡ªeven if it meant bing the viin they wanted her to be.


    The fear that she might step wrong and fall back into the abyss, and yet the hope that things might turn out better this time.


    Violet slowly made her way to the gallery where her paintings were disyed, where the exhibition would soon take ce.


    The paintings, scattered across the walls, seemed to embody human ¡®mncholy¡¯.


    She understood the emotions she had felt while painting them. But now, she no longer resonated with those feelings.


    And so, she knew she could never paint something like this again.


    No, even if she could, she wouldn¡¯t.


    This was a promise she made to herself. Even if she fell into the depths again, she wouldn¡¯t merely flounder. Even if a day came when she suffered through another slump, she wouldn¡¯t drown in sorrow.


    Viewing her paintings from a distance gave her a special feeling.


    The rough brushstrokes, the haphazard strokes with no real technique behind them, just the marks of a brush wielded without care. The paintings gradually grew more refined, more precise, yet traces of hesitation still lingered in the strokes.


    These paintings were a record of Violet¡¯s life.


    * * *


    Just as she was starting to define her rtionship with her art and her future, another task arose.


    But it wasn¡¯t something that could be resolved immediately.


    Despite her newfound rity, there was so much to be done in preparation for the exhibition. Truthfully, she wanted to delegate the work to someone else or handle it half-heartedly, but Violet decided to take it step by step.


    ¡®I miss him¡­¡¯


    Violet muttered to herself as she thought of Aldin.


    If it weren¡¯t for that trial, the response wouldn¡¯t have been dyed this long.


    Even as she tried to focus on her tasks, Violet found herself bowing her head, overwhelmed by intrusive thoughts.


    Should she call him? If it were Aldin, he would surelye. Even with war on the horizon and his duties as a knight of the imperial guard would hold him back, she knew he woulde. ?


    But knowing this was precisely why she couldn¡¯t call him.


    <i>Are you thinking of me too? Have I disappointed you? Has the dy in my response caused you to feel the same frustration? Am I unable to say anything because I¡¯m toote?</i>


    <i>Are we of the same mind?</i>


    Pushing aside the relentless wave of thoughts, Violet forced herself to focus on the tasks at hand.


    As Violet prepared for her exhibition, the public¡¯s criticism of her continued unabated.


    They called her vulgar for behaving like an artist instead of a noblewoman. People were on the brink of dying because of the war, yet here she was, a noblewoman of the highest rank, leisurely preparing for an art exhibition.


    The disdain aimed at her came from all levels of society, each with their own reasons. But Violet cleanly ignored it all.


    She already had enough to deal with¡ªtaking care of the matters at hand and worrying about the people she truly cared about. Why should she bother matching the rhythm of people who only wanted to see her falter?


    What they truly wanted was to see Violet stumble, so there was no reason to give them the satisfaction.


    In any case, the exhibition was nned to be small in scale. As they said, how many people would evene to view paintings during such uncertain times?


    Contrary to Violet¡¯s expectations, however, the invitations to her exhibition were being traded at a high price in secret.


    The more criticism one receives, the more attention one attracts.


    Fueled by that attention, many sought to obtain an invitation. Yet, despite their interest, the invitations were in extremely limited supply.


    It was never meant to be arge gathering, not a grand ball or a tea party. Just because a family was prestigious or familiar with her own didn¡¯t mean they would automatically receive an invitation.


    Even the handful of invitations sent for the first day were so few that it was unclear who had received them.


    Meanwhile, unaware of the brewing situation, Violet stood alone, gazing at her gallery, which had yet to open.


    She felt a swell of nervousness, though she didn¡¯t understand why.


    Soon, Violet took in her paintings and the entire view of the exhibition hall.


    ¡°Seriously¡­¡±


    The building, which Roen had spared no expense in constructing just for Violet¡¯s exhibition, was a work of art in itself. It could have just as easily hosted a grand event, not just a simple exhibition.


    Without realizing it, a smile crept onto Violet¡¯s face, though she quicklyposed herself again. Then she began examining every detail of the exhibition hall.


    The building had been designed and constructed with care by an architect who poured his heart into the project.


    The marble floors gleamed, and the walls were adorned with framed paintings. The paintings themselves were peculiar and somewhat unconventional.


    As Violet walked slowly through the empty corridors, her eyes wandered over the space.


    The sound of her heels echoed on the marble floor.


    The building was far toorge for a small exhibition, with much of it still left empty.


    <i>Will I ever be able to fill this gallery entirely with my paintings? ¡­What will I be like then? Will you still be by my side?</i>


    Lost in her thoughts as she wandered, a silhouette appeared in the distance.


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 Chapter 299

    The exhibition had not officially opened yet. There was no way an outsider could have entered so freely.


    Yet, the person who appeared before her was someone Violet knew very well.


    ¡°The exhibition hasn¡¯t officially opened yet. How did you get in?¡±


    ¡°I-Is that so? I just¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. Today is the date on your invitation.¡±


    The invitation sent to Aldin had deliberately listed today¡¯s date, not the official opening day of the exhibition, which was tomorrow. She had intentionally set a different date to have some time alone with him.


    Unaware that he had been tricked, Aldin lowered his head, clearly embarrassed. Imagining what kind of expression he must be making, Violet chuckled softly.


    ¡°You were invited today. Don¡¯t worry. Go ahead and take a look. There¡¯s no one else here, so wouldn¡¯t it be morefortable?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, if it is as Your Ladyship says.¡±¡°You really are too naive, aren¡¯t you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing. Why are you so flustered?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    After that, they exchanged some light conversation, though it was mostly Violet teasing Aldin.


    Aldin, despite everything, was a sincere man.


    Even though the paintings were unfamiliar and strange, he examined them with the kind of focus one might give to a once-in-a-lifetime view.


    Moreover, the painting he was looking at was the very first one Violet had ever painted.


    It wasn¡¯t an attempt to depict anything specific¡ªjust random sshes of color. A painting that hadn¡¯t even been given a name, simply left as ¡®Untitled¡¯, and with no clear shape or meaning to linger on.


    Curious about Aldin¡¯s reaction, Violet asked,


    ¡°What do you think of it?¡±


    ¡°¡­I think it¡¯s beautiful and impressive.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t paint anything at all, though.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s why. You expressed everything by painting nothing.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Aldin averted his eyes from Violet¡¯s. The conversation trailed off.


    Suddenly, Violet realized that this was their first meeting in quite some time.


    Was thest time at the founding festival? They hadn¡¯t even been able to finish their conversation properly because of Cairn¡¯s interruption, and then Violet had been ced under house arrest due to Aileen¡¯s poisoning incident.


    She hadn¡¯t engaged in any public activities since then, so it was bound to feel like a long time.


    In a way, it was rather heartless.


    ¡°Have you thought about me at all until now?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Aldin, startled by the unexpected question, showed signs of flustered confusion. Still, his thoughts were written all over his face, so Violet smiled and asked again.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t asked me how I¡¯ve been or what I¡¯ve been up to. Not even once.¡±


    Not even when the prince of a foreign country had visited her twice, while Aldin hadn¡¯te at all.


    Of course, Violet understood his situation. She knew it wasn¡¯t easy for him to move around freely. As a member of the imperial guard under the orders of the emperor and the crown prince, he had to help suppress the rebellion in the capital, so he must have been incredibly busy.


    But her feelings were a different matter.


    She wondered if he felt the same way she did.


    Unaware of the meaning behind her question, Aldin, clearly flustered, raised his voice slightly.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s not like that¡­! Well, I¡­ I just thought you had been through so muchtely, and I didn¡¯t want to bring back bad memories¡­¡±


    That level of concern was almost excessive. In reality, Violet had spent several days stewing over her own troubles, but she had long since put those unpleasant memories behind her.


    Still, her voice took on a slightly grumpy tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing just fine. And it seems you¡¯ve been well too.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you epted my invitation.¡±


    ¡°I felt I had toe. I apologize for not being able to contact you sooner, but¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know you¡¯ve been busy.¡±


    For some reason, Aldin fell silent again, as if guilt-ridden. His obvious hesitance made Violet sigh.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re going to war.¡±


    ¡°¡­You heard?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re with a knight of the Imperial Guard, so of course you¡¯ll be joining the fight. Do you think you¡¯ll return safely?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m confident I¡¯ll bring victory as well.¡±


    Despite seeming so timid at times, he could be unexpectedly arrogant. It was a sign of the pride he had in his abilities.


    The same age as Cairn. He was still too young to be going to war, and far too delicate to witness the horrors of battle firsthand. And yet, he dered his confidence. He would bring back victory, as if to offer it to Violet.


    Looking up at Aldin, Violet let out a small sigh. This conversation wasn¡¯t going to lead to the ending she wanted.


    Seeing her sigh, Aldin flinched, freezing when he felt her soft hand reach out to him. Though he could have easily pulled away, he didn¡¯t.


    Momentster, Aldin felt something light and gentle brush against his cheek before pulling away.


    For a moment, Aldin couldn¡¯tprehend what had just happened. He stared nkly into space.


    Violet remained in the same posture, her head lowered slightly after pulling him closer.


    He had reacted so quickly to the trajectory of a sword, yet now he was unbelievably slow to respond. Violet waited patiently.


    ¡°W-What was that¡­!¡±


    Aldin¡¯s pale skin flushed a deep red. Even a rose wouldn¡¯t be as vibrant. Watching him panic, Violet couldn¡¯t help butugh softly.


    Really. Once someone starts looking cute to you, there¡¯s no turning back.


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 Chapter 300

    Aldin slowly processed what had just happened, bringing his hand to his cheek. His face was still filled with bewilderment.


    ¡°I told you I would give you an answer. If you return safely, perhaps our rtionship will change.¡±


    ¡°If I return safely¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to give you a definite answer now. If I am to wait, only to hear bad news, I don¡¯t think I could bear it.¡±


    Violet spoke calmly, almost as if joking, but as she continued, Aldin¡¯s expression shifted.


    Finally grasping the meaning behind her words and understanding what had just happened, he spoke with newfound resolve.


    ¡°¡­I will.¡±


    His face was still flushed, but his determination made him all the more endearing.


    ¡°I will return and bring you glory.¡±It was the sentiment he had wanted to express most during the hunting tournament. Words he had failed to convey back then had finally been spoken today.


    Hearing this, Violet smiled softly.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    <i>If I can stay safe until then, too.</i>


    She also made a quiet resolution of her own.


    And thus, change inched one step closer.


    * * *


    Afterward, Violet¡¯s exhibition became a great sess. It began with those who had received invitations, and soon word spread quietly but widely.


    There was curiosity surrounding the artwork created by a duke¡¯s daughter, a high nobledy of the empire, and intrigue in the new direction her paintings showcased.


    Those who visited the exhibition and viewed Violet¡¯s paintings shared a variety of impressions. However, onemon sentiment emerged¡ªthat her paintings were said to have stemmed from ¡®the mind of a demon¡¯.


    They were described as groundbreaking, shattering conventions, and heralding a revolution that could overturn not just the realm of painting, but the entire world of art.


    Some criticized it as being too radical, while others celebrated it as a necessary break from tradition and weed the change.


    This was just the beginning.


    One day, her paintings would be considered priceless works, admired by countless people. But that was still far in the future.


    .


    .


    Meanwhile, concerns about the war had significantly diminished within the empire. After rooting out all the internal enemies who had been sowing chaos, there was nothing left to hinder the people¡¯s growing confidence.


    There was no way they could lose this war. Victory was inevitable. Their way of life wouldn¡¯t change¡ªsuch were the beliefs that took hold.


    In reality, aside from a slight increase in taxes, life continued as usual. Some of the poorer citizens enlisted in the army, but tragedy still seemed distant.


    Or rather, everyone believed that tragedy was far away.


    .


    .


    Before long, arge-scale battle, so significant it wouldter be called the Continental War, took ce. News of victory boosted the morale of the empire¡¯s citizens, and the presence of the enemy only served to strengthen their unity.


    Stories spread, such as how Lady Alesia of the Leshan Marquisate defied her parents¡¯ wishes and personally joined the battle, leading her forces to victory.


    Tragedy, oredy. Sorrow, or joy. Despair, or hope. All were swirling together on the battlefield.


    Amid all this, Violet dered her intention to travel.


    Given the current state of affairs, her deration was met with opposition from everyone. Her desire to witness the horrors of war firsthand and record them in her art was dismissed outright.


    So, she ran away.


    The Duke of Everett was so shocked he nearly copsed from a fit of rage, leaving Roen to take on the household head¡¯s duties as well for a time.


    To make matters worse, even Cairn P. Everett, who was studying at the academy, disappeared, further amplifying the shock.


    Those two imed that they didn¡¯t like each other, but now the brother and sister were acting exactly alike.


    Roen, utterly exhausted by the situation, decided to keep Violet¡¯s escape a secret.


    Although he had opposed her n, he respected her wishes. Rather than causing more chaos by sending out soldiers to search for her, he hoped she would return safely on her own.


    In her escape, Violet saw things she had never encountered in her life. Although she was eager to capture the scenes of war in her art, she had to work hard to avoid reducing their lives to mere shallow depictions.


    She sincerely hoped that the paintings she would create would not deceive or trivialize their experiences.


    .


    .


    And thus, this became the story of an artist whose name would be remembered in history.


    It¡¯s said that a mural, painted by her while waiting for her lover, would go on to be recognized as a national treasure for its invaluable preservation, even centuriester.


    Despite the many negative critiques aimed at her, her painting ¡®The Horrors¡¯ is still said to move the hearts of many.


    As for her personal story, it¡¯s well known that her lover returned from the war victorious, bringing the glory he promised back to her.


    There are also ounts that he was deeply shocked upon learning that she had traveled through the war-tornnds herself during his time at the front.


    In any case, both of them made their mark on history in their own ways, and the Ste family remained a prominent household due to their recognized contributions to the war.


    Among the tales passed down, there are rumors that the emperor, while still the crown prince, was involved in a love triangle with her. Some even say that after bing emperor, Rajaden Elifos K. Liddell proposed to her again, only to be rejected.


    The truth, however, remains unconfirmed.


    .


    .


    Once upon a time, an artist said,


    <i>My life is captured within my paintings.</i>


    That life was so dark and bleak that those who looked upon her work felt a strange, unsettling sensation.


    And yet, she kept painting. She spent her life depicting how her world and her experiences changed over time.


    May those who look at these works findfort.


    Even in the darkest of times, may there one day be light in your life.


    And though you may not have been loved, may you know that you can still love, and that your life <i>can</i> be brilliant.


    ¨D<i>A Painting of the Viiness as a Young Lady,</i> the end.<hr>


    <em><small>t/n: we still have side stories toe! im sobbing already, but let¡¯s leave the sappy final notes forter ;;-;;</small></em>


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 Chapter epilogue%201

    There are times when, even knowing something isn¡¯t yours, you still can¡¯t give it up.


    The brilliant sunlight and the cheerful chirping of birds¡ªit was undeniably a beautiful, blessed day. Yet, for one man, the day felt nothing but bitter.


    First love should remain as first love. The moment reality oveys fantasy, the illusion loses its meaning.


    Lost in such thoughts, the man, who resembled the sun, was overwhelmed by a sense of self-loathing as he buried his face in his hands.


    What tormented him stemmed from the recent news that had shaken the entire nation.


    Was it because of the disappearance of the Everett family¡¯s famous daughter and the third son?


    No. Though that had been a major issue, it had been smoothed over by Roen, the second son of the Everett family and the heir apparent.


    Perhaps it was the news that Aldin Aesir, the renowned war hero, had been granted a new title? It was rted, but if that were all, the man wouldn¡¯t be suffering like this.


    No, the event that rocked the nation was none other than the announcement of the marriage between the Ducal Lady Everett and Count Aldin A. Ste, who had just been granted his new title.Boldly, they had kissed in front of everyone on the day of the crown prince¡¯s birthday celebration, making the announcement before all eyes.


    The details were as follows¡ª After returning victorious from the war, Aldin had been granted the title of count by the emperor. Around the same time, Ducal Lady Violet Everett, having returned from her travels, frequently met with him. Despite Aldin A. Ste¡¯s mental exhaustion from the war, he had initially declined these meetings.


    Rumors spread quickly that they had be lovers.


    For the nobility, marriage was merely a tool. While some asionally married for love, most rtionships were dictated by considerations of gain and loss.


    Therefore, everyone expected the two to break up quickly¡ªthere was nothing to be gained for the Everett family. Of course, there were those who believed their rtionship mightst. Yet, no one expected the pair to reach the point of marriage.


    Except for this man, Rajaden.


    <i>¡°Haa¡­¡±</i>


    It had already been several years since Violet had rejected him.


    He had long since resolved his feelings, leaving only the sentiment of friendship, or so he had thought. But now, hearing the news of their marriage, unease and restlessness began to gnaw at him.


    ¡®No, this is just my pride being wounded¡­¡¯


    Still, it was too much. They had stolen the spotlight from Rajaden on the day when he was supposed to be celebrating his own birthday.


    Atst, Rajaden had no choice but to admit the truth.


    Just as a lingering cough remains after a fever subsides, emotions linger like remnants in his heart.


    .


    .


    And then, the day finally arrived.


    It was a bright morning, and the weather had everyone in high spirits.


    Today was the day Ducal Lady Violet Everett and Count Ste were to be wed.


    Shockingly, the wedding date had only been announced only ten days prior. It was originally meant to be a private affair known only to close rtives, and Rajaden couldn¡¯t help but bitterly joke about whether this was fortunate or unfortunate.


    As the day of the wedding arrived, his unease only grew stronger.


    In truth, there was no reason for Rajaden to be this perturbed about Violet¡¯s wedding. As a direct member of the imperial family, he had experienced plenty of meaningful rtionships and would continue to do so.


    Even so, his mood was unsettled. After not seeing such a change in Rajaden¡¯s demeanor for years, the attendants who served him were on edge, unsure of how to respond. Meanwhile, Rajaden was preupied with the decision of whether to attend Violet and Aldin¡¯s wedding.


    It was said the wedding would be surprisingly modest.


    There would be no engagement ceremony, nor would there be any of the grand festivities typical of such events. Only a handful of guests had been invited.


    Rajaden was among those few. Of course, excluding a member of the imperial family would have been impossible. Still, it left him puzzled.


    Why? Why send a wedding invitation to someone who had once confessed his love to the bride? Even if the feelings had long since been buried¡­


    Countless thoughts swirled in his mind, but the conclusion remained the same. It was infuriating.


    Still, in the end, he decided to congratte the couple in person. Whether it would be a blessing or a curse, however, remained to be seen.


    * * *


    Aldin, the war hero, had secluded himself for some time after receiving the title of count. The once youthful-looking man who had departed for battle returned with the demeanor of an adult.


    Where he had once appeared fragile at times, he now exuded a dangerous atmosphere. The kind and quiet persona he had once disyed was gone, reced by something far closer to a predator.


    Violet was initially taken aback by his transformation, but she felt reassured upon hearing that the family name associated with his new title was ¡®Ste¡¯. Even the air of danger surrounding him now felt tinged with sorrow.


    ¡°Ducal Lady, you have a visitor.¡±


    In the bride¡¯s waiting room, decorated brightly, Violet had been thinking about her soon-to-be husband when the voice calling her brought her back to reality.


    ¡°Allow the visitor in.¡±


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 Chapter epilogue%202

    Chapter epilogue%202


    The person who entered wasn¡¯t someone she was expecting. His brilliant blond hair gleamed under the light. His white suit suited him better than anyone else.


    It was clear he had dressed with care, as his appearance was exceptionally striking. He had always been handsome, but today he looked as though a god had descended to earth.


    Violet thought briefly. Was that the proper mindset of a guest who shows up to a wedding in a white outfit? Was he exacting revenge for the birthday celebration incident?


    Regardless, the guest spoke in a cheerful tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, but you¡¯re still as beautiful as ever. No, I should say you¡¯ve be even more beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Your Imperial Highness¡­¡±


    ¡°No need for formalities. I¡¯m here simply as a friend to offer my congrattions, so let¡¯s skip theplicated greetings.¡±


    ¡°Well, okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±Violet quickly adjusted her attitude, causing a slight shift in Rajaden¡¯s expression. Her face, as always, remained calm andposed.


    ¡°Still as ever, you switch your attitude quickly.¡±


    ¡°How long do you think I¡¯ve known you, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ well, fine.¡±


    ¡°You arrived early.¡±


    ¡°I rushed here to be the first to congratte the most beautiful bride.¡±


    It was a lie. He had agonized all morning, debating whether to attend or not, but now he spoke with confidence.


    Looking around the empty waiting room of the bride, Rajaden smiled.


    Although Violet¡¯s social circle was small, she had a few close friends, so he had expected some of them to be here. Yet, somehow, they were alone, and he wasn¡¯t sure whether that was fortunate or not.


    Unaware of his thoughts, Violet smiled serenely, her expression as graceful as ever.


    The moment he saw her smile, Rajaden felt a jolt, as though his heart had dropped.


    And in that instant, he understood why he had been so unsettled by the news of Violet¡¯s marriage.


    Violet had been Rajaden¡¯s first love. And he had kept that feeling preserved, tucked away in a corner of his heart, believing that it would remain beautiful as long as it was left unfulfilled.


    But emotions he once thought he had buried couldn¡¯t remain quiet forever. At the sight of Violet, the feelings he had relegated to memories whispered to him again.


    So, he smiled.


    ¡°If your husband ever gives you a hard time,e to me.¡±


    Violet looked at Rajaden silently. Her eyes, as deep as ake, sparkled like violet gems as she gazed at him.


    She tilted her head, as if pondering his words. Was it just friendly advice, offering to be there for her, or was there a deeper meaning behind it?


    Violet soon smiled in return.


    ¡°I must be the only one who would dare seek counsel from the future emperor.¡±


    ¡°Your brother does the same thing, after all.¡±


    ¡°Does he?¡±


    In a world where true friendships among the nobility were rare, the two shared an honestugh. Whether they truly understood each other¡¯s hearts was uncertain, but at that moment, theyughed together. If Aldin had seen them, he might have been consumed with jealousy.


    Just then, other guests arrived to congratte the bride. Rajaden exchanged a brief nce of acknowledgement and stepped aside. Violet made a polite gesture to hold him back, but the crown prince only responded with a smile, knowing it was a mere formality.


    .


    .


    Soon, the wedding began.


    Whether the Crown Prince offered his congrattions or his curse as he watched the ceremony, no one could say.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­I now pronounce you husband and wife.¡±


    After a long and tedious speech by the officiant, the deration that officially united Violet and Aldin as family was made. Violet smiled softly as she gazed at the man in front of her.


    The temple, decorated solely for the wedding, was bathed in brilliant light from the heavens. The sight was awe-inspiring.


    Standing beside her, Aldin was no less beautiful.


    He was a man more like winter than summer. Not like a clear sky, but more like a cloudy, overcast one¡ªcalm and serene, like the sea in the dead of winter.


    And that same man was now gazing at her with a radiant smile.


    How many trials had they endured to reach this moment?


    It was a moment she had longed for, and it was more brilliant and beautiful than any other day.


    So, Violet decided to set aside the memories of the past and focus solely on the present.


    * * *


    The wedding, though seemingly modest, was filled with vibrant moments.


    The knight who caught the bride¡¯s bouquet was teased endlessly with calls for her to hurry up and marry, and at one point, a stray cat wandered into the ceremony, causing a brief, adorablemotion.


    After the ceremony, when Violet and Aldin arrived at the seaside vi, she paused for a moment, lost in thought.


    ¡°Aldin.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Ducal Lady.¡±


    ¡°Are you still speaking so stiffly?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I can dare to call you by your name so easily.¡±


    ¡°Even though I¡¯m no longer a ducaldy?¡±


    ¡°Th¡­ That, well¡­¡±


    ¡°Would you like to try calling my name properly?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    By now, after everything, what was there to be embarrassed about? Yet, this man, so prone to shyness, blushed all the way to his neck and avoided Violet¡¯s gaze.


    ¡®Really, this unexciting man.¡¯


    Violet smiled, reminding herself that it was precisely thisck of excitement that had led her to choose him.


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 Chapter epilogue%203

    Violet finally shifted her attention from Aldin and took in the surrounding scenery. The cool breeze and the scent of the sea mingled in the air. The simple yet beautiful view of the white and blue ind brought back memories.


    As Violet¡¯s gaze moved away from Aldin, his eyes naturally lingered on her. Noticing this, she quickly grabbed his face with both hands, holding him in ce.


    ¡°Again with this, you.¡±


    Aldin¡¯s expression tensed, knowing exactly what she was about to do. It wasn¡¯t the first time, after all.


    With a yful smile on her lips, Violet leaned in and kissed him.


    The moment of shock quickly faded, and hisrge hands gently cradled her head and waist. A faint lc scent floated around them, and Violet, setting her shyness aside, leaned into him even more.


    As they shared their warmth and breath, time seemed to pass, and their eyes eventually met. Violet smiled, seeing the faint heat in his gaze as he looked at her. She lightly kissed the bridge of his nose, and the warmth in his eyes faded.


    ¡°Ducal Lady¡­!¡±¡°My name.¡±


    ¡°¡­Violet.¡±


    ¡°Yeees, did you call for me?¡±


    ¡°If you keep doing this¡­¡±


    <i>Enjoying it while acting shy, are we?</i> Violet kept the thought to herself, not voicing it aloud.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be doing a lot more than this from now on, won¡¯t we?¡±


    If there was such a thing as a silent scream, this was it.


    Violetughed, watching Aldin turn red, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly.


    <i>Teasing him really is a lot of fun.</i>


    The gentle waves chased the wind, crashing against the rocks and sand before breaking apart. Just watching the sea seemed to have a calming effect, easing her mind.


    Of course, there was still a subtle tension in the air, knowing they were newlyweds who had just finished their wedding ceremony.


    Sitting in the shade, Violet asionally stole nces at Aldin as he stared off, deep in thought. He wore an unreadable expression, focused intently on something. The tension was pleasant at first, but as time passed, Violet started to feel uneasy.


    <i>What could he be thinking about so deeply, sitting here in silence? We¡¯re on our honeymoon, couldn¡¯t he focus on me a little more?</i>


    As these thoughts filled her mind, Aldin finally spoke.


    ¡°¡­Violet.¡±


    ¡°Hm? What is it? Yees¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Are you really not going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Tell you what?¡±


    Aldin gazed at her intently.


    Realizing what he was referring to, Violet let out a yful smile, feigning ignorance.


    She hadn¡¯t expected him to bring up that topic in this moment. He was asking her to finally tell him what had happened when she had run away.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it time you told me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°¡­Violet.¡±


    ¡°The sky is beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    His eyes, soft and pleading like a puppy¡¯s, were fixed on her. Violet couldn¡¯t meet his gaze.


    It had been years since that happened. She had heard enough scolding about it already. Besides, she didn¡¯t want to worry her lover¡ªno, her husband¡ªany further. Violet did her best to steer the conversation away.


    Seeing her avoid the topic, Aldin narrowed his eyes for a moment.


    Whether it was a matter of trust or a reflection of their feelings for each other, Aldin had thought that now, on the day they had be one, she might finally share the full story with him. His heart, which had settled down, began to stir once again.


    Sensing his growing frustration, Violet leaned closer to him.


    ¡°Aldin.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not nning to stay upset, are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not upset.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Reeeally?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well.¡±


    ¡°We got married today, remember?¡±


    ¡°Ducal Lady¡­¡±


    ¡°Ducal Lady?¡±


    ¡°¡­


    In the end, things yed out exactly as expected. Why stir up unnecessary trouble? Violet smiled, finding her beloved¡¯s reactions endearing and sweet.


    No matter what, there were things she could share and things she couldn¡¯t.


    And so, Violet decided once again to bury the memories that had resurfaced.


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