Author: Nikss

“Mmm…”

 

The bright light streaming into the room caused her closed eyes to tremble.

 

Slowly, her lids lifted, revealing violet eyes that were still wet with slumber.

 

Sitting there dazed, my mind still half asleep.

 

Rustle—

 

The familiar rustling of the duvet as I shifted my body.

 

“…Bed?”

 

My mind, finally starting to awaken, realized that I was sitting up in bed.

 

“I think I fell asleep at my desk last night…”

 

I don’t know exactly when I fell asleep as I was crying myself to sleep, but I certainly don’t remember climbing into bed with my own feet.

 

‘Did I get up without realizing it because I was uncomfortable in my sleep?’

 

Well, I guess so. It had happened so many times before, so I nodded, thinking nothing of it.

 

When I asked Mary, she said she hadn’t been in my room before dawn, so I guess I must have walked.

 

“I feel better than I thought I would, and…”

 

My eyes weren’t puffy or stinging from crying for so long, and my body, which had been curled up in a ball, felt fine.

 

“Well, I’m glad, anyway. At least Dad and brother won’t know I cried yesterday.”

 

After all the crying yesterday, my heart was lighter today.

 

It’s not like there’s anything I could do about it, even if I kept holding on to what had already happened.

 

I still felt fearful and indebted to Ayla for her disappearance, but apart from that, I had a solid goal to accomplish.

 

‘First, I need to find out if the Empress was really a dark wizard.’

 

If my assumptions are correct that it was the Empress who killed Queen Asilla eight years ago, and that she used black magic in the process…

 

‘…Then I’ll have to inform my father and brother.’

 

That was not something I could deal with alone.

 

Besides, if it was confirmed, my father might be less likely to side with the Empress.

 

“I hope so.”

 

If that were to happen, I would have accomplished seventy percent of my goal.

 

However, I couldn’t rule out the possibility that my father and Aaron would eventually side with the Empress, as the original story goes.

 

After all, we still don’t know why they turned against Callian.

 

“I’ll just do what I can.”

 

Maybe then the path would be clear.

 

💫

 

But none of this was part of my plan.

 

‘What was this…?’

 

I blinked, my pupils fluttering at the person standing in front of me now.

 

Light blue hair that cascaded down to her waist. And a pretty face with slightly upturned eyes that gave the whole thing an innocent look.

 

“I want you to become my friend.”

 

“What?”

 

The word tumbled out from between her full lips, and I blinked like an idiot.

 

Seeing me like that, she repeated herself again, a little more precisely, in a very confident tone.

 

“I, Violet Xavier, would like you to be my friend, Grand Duchess of Krovachatz.”

 

So, what the hell was going on here…!?

 

💫

 

The beginning of this absurd case goes back to a little while ago.

 

Today was the third day of a week-long banquet.

 

After a full day of rest yesterday, I had attended the banquet in hopes of spying on the Empress, and now I was looking down from the floor of the banquet hall.

 

My target, the Empress, did not attend today’s banquet, but there were other reasons why I was depressed.

 

“My brother knows what this business Father was talking about.”

 

“Umm…”

 

I asked, puckering my lips in frustration, and Aaron just laughed, avoiding answering in embarrassment.

 

Father had originally planned to come with me, but because of ‘something’ that happened last night, he couldn’t attend.

 

“It’s a shame. It’s always so secretive, only my father and brother know.”

 

I wasn’t in a position to say anything because I have a lot of things I keep from them, but I was disappointed anyway.

 

“Erita, it’s not like that…”

 

“Then are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

 

When I asked him again, he fell silent again and averted his gaze, folding the corners of his eyes slightly in embarrassment.

 

“…It’s okay. I’m not curious, either. I’m not going to ask you, so go and dance.”

 

At first, I asked in jest, but after three rejections in a row, I felt a little bitter.

 

In a sense, the Empress who I wanted to see didn’t attend, and my father and Aaron exchanged secrets without me.

 

‘I shouldn’t have asked. I wish I hadn’t asked.’

 

Leaning my arms on the railing, I turned away from the stares I felt beside me.

 

As far as I was concerned, it wasn’t a big deal, but who cares? People do what they want.

 

‘…If my brother’s acting was a little better, I wouldn’t have known.’

 

That’s because he had a knowing look on his face. I muttered to myself, blaming Aaron for the tantrum.

 

“Erita… Are you mad?”

 

Aaron sounded twice as sweet as usual next to me, but I kept my eyes firmly fixed on the first floor.

 

It was then.

 

“Oh, Minor Grand Duke! The Grand Duchess!”

 

A voice I’ve heard from somewhere called us.

 

“…Xavier Confucius?”

 

Turning to see if it was him, we saw Jerome Xavier, his face beaming with amusement.

 

“Haha, I’m glad you remembered.”

 

He smirked out of the corner of his eye at my unexpected call.

 

Despite only seeing each other for the second time, his demeanor was affable.

 

That didn’t mean he was rude or impolite.

 

When I glanced to the side, Aaron didn’t seem too pleased and turned his head away, sighing.

 

‘Well, it’s a bit like the way my father treats Fern.’

 

Whenever Fern frowned, Father would sigh with that same expression. Like he couldn’t be bothered.

 

“Dear Grand Duke,  it’s always a little hurtful when you sigh so openly, even in my presence.”

 

He didn’t look offended at all. Perhaps Aaron thought so too, and he lightly ignored Jerome’s words.

 

“Oho! That coldness is part of your charm. You think so too, don’t you, Grand Duchess?”

 

“What? Well, yes…”

 

I nodded my head in disbelief at the question that came out of nowhere.

 

“But I do know. The fact that the Grand Prince may look so cold on the outside, but on the inside, he’s warmer than anyone else.”

 

Jerome looked like he was putting on a one-man show.

 

‘I don’t know what to say, but I think he’s a little strange…’

 

Glancing to the side, Aaron looked unfazed, as if he was used to this sort of thing.

 

“Oh, no.”

 

Luckily, Jerome seemed to regain his composure and returned with a straight face.

 

“I’m sorry. I was rude. Actually, there’s a naughty little girl I’d like to introduce you to the Grand Duchess…”

 

That’s when he opened his mouth to laugh hysterically.

 

“Hey!”

 

Rushing over, the water-colored-haired woman promptly stomped on Jerome’s foot with the pointy back of her shoe.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Jerome’s face contorted at the same time. He couldn’t scream and twisted his body in pain.

 

“Oh, are you all right, Xavier Confucius?”

 

Having suddenly witnessed a human foot being trampled on in front of my eyes, I looked at him with a puzzled expression on my face.

 

“Haha, it’s okay…”

 

“He got what he deserved, don’t worry about it.”

 

Aaron interrupted Jerome, who nodded with a forced smile.

 

I wonder if it’s just my imagination, but it looks like tears are forming in the corners of Jerome’s eyes.

 

“It’s been a long time, my lady of Marquis Xavier.”

 

As I stared at Aaron in disbelief, he greeted the woman at Jerome’s side calmly.

 

It was a gentle gesture, not at all in keeping with the rumors of his walled garden with women.

 

“It’s been a while. My Lord.”

 

Aaron’s greeting was answered by a clear voice. I tore my gaze away from Jerome to look at the azure-haired woman.

 

“It’s Violet Xavier.”

 

The face was someone I already knew.

 

The Marquis Xavier’s second daughter, now making her debut along with mine.

 

When our eyes locked, she smiled gracefully and smoothed the hem of her dress as if she had never stepped on Jerome’s foot.

 

“How nice to meet you, Grand Duchess. I am Violet Xavier, daughter of Marquis Xavier.”

 

💫

 

‘I didn’t realize you were such a character back then…!’

 

Shortly after I returned her greeting, Violet dropped the bombshell of asking me to be her friend.

 

— What…?

 

— Would you like to be friends with me?

 

I blinked in confusion, and Violet stared at me intensely.

 

— Wow. Even though she’s my sister, she’s really another X-ed.

 

And Jerome, who giggled, and Aaron, who just sighed.

 

I couldn’t bear the embarrassment, so I grabbed Violet Xavier’s arm and pulled her out of their sight.

 

The result was this.

 

‘Why is she doing this to me… We’ve never even met…’

 

As I stood there, I glanced over at Violet, who was staring at me.

 

When our eyes met, her potentially stern face crinkled in amusement.

 

“And you, Xavier?”

 

“Please, call me Violet.”

 

No, I said, we have never met!

 

But Violet, who was looking at me with eyes that were a little exaggerated and a little glazed over, seemed to be wanting it badly.

 

‘Why do you have such bright green eyes…’

 

Her face reminded me of a cat in boots, and I couldn’t help but ask her why, since I had never met her before.

 

It was more like a cat in boots, rubbing its head against my hand in affection.

 

I was also exceptionally weak to animals, and by extension, to people who resemble animals.

 

Typically, Thane and Sean being prime examples.

 

“Umm, do you know me, Lady Xavier?”

 

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Note for Male Lead

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