In this situation where only Callein, Nigel, and the Crown Prince’s guard knights outside the reception room were present, the choice Nigel could make was to erase the worst outcome.

The moment the unique power structure of the Crown Prince changes to two, the confusion and anger of the Crown Prince that would form must be suppressed. Only with the head properly attached can one use divine power to save one’s life.

Even as Nigel bowed her head and knelt waiting, no answer came from Callein. Guessing that the Crown Prince’s anger was greater than expected, Nigel hastily added words.

“If Your Highness needs it, it would be good for both of us to write a contract from the temple to solidify the promise.”

At that moment, platinum blonde hair fluttered in Nigel’s view. Next, blue eyes filled with affection met Nigel’s gaze side by side.

Finally, Callein reached out his hand.

“The conversation seems like it will be long, shall we stand up? I don’t want to talk with my kin while at different eye levels.”

Nigel slowly closed her eyes and opened them. The gently curved eyes under the platinum blonde hair and the hand extended to her were still there.

“Come on, elder sister.”

At Callein’s urging, Nigel took his hand and stood up.

“I finally get to hold this hand.”

As strength entered Callein’s hand, Nigel instinctively pulled her body back.

“What do you mean by that……”

“You’re looking at me again like I’m an armed ruffian, elder sister. It hurts this younger brother’s feelings.”

“Younger brother, Your Highness the Crown Prince, please take back those words. That title is undeserved.”

Callein’s heart ached seeing Nigel’s head buried to the floor, stubbornly refusing.

She always remembered her family, while at the same time harboring anxiety.

I didn’t understand the master’s words that being too intelligent sometimes becomes poison, but now it’s come close.

If she had known nothing about family or the throne, she wouldn’t have shown such a defensive attitude.

Callein couldn’t even begin to grasp what burden these fragile shoulders had been carrying, living alone swallowing secrets apart from family.

It was my hypocrisy and selfishness to try to become close suddenly just because we’re family.

Callein closed his opened mouth and hugged Nigel. Warmly, so that Nigel wouldn’t have room for other thoughts.

“……I should have said this first, I’m sorry.”

“……”

“Thank you sincerely for not dying and staying healthy, for remembering us.”

Nigel raised her head.

“I have no intention of harming you, elder sister. Everyone has been waiting for you without forgetting you for a moment. Please, may the gracious elder sister show mercy on this lacking younger brother’s rudeness.”

Callein, slowly separating from Nigel, knelt and extended his hand to Nigel.

Even though they were this close, his hand did not reach Nigel.

Pushing back the desperate desire to grab and cling tightly to the cousin who seemed like she might disappear again like a mirage, Callein focused on the current joy of meeting Nigel again.

Then Nigel’s eyes, which had been above, became level with Callein’s.

As Nigel then extended her hand, Callein’s eyes widened.

“……I also don’t want to talk to family while making them kneel.”

It was the same warm purple eyes as aunt’s.

“If Cal… lein wishes to keep the secret alone, I am willing to show mercy for the rudeness committed……”

At Nigel’s awkward blushing face, Callein bit his lip to swallow the rising tears and leapt into her embrace. Despite his efforts, being held in the warm embrace made tears leak out.

Nigel flinched at the sound of crying coming from within her embrace.

She hadn’t meant to make him cry, but ended up making the empire’s Crown Prince cry.

‘Is the soundproofing magic here really reliable……?’

Nigel vividly recalled the guard knights’ sharp glares directed at her and the large sword at their waists throughout the journey to the reception room.

“Thank you……, thank you.”

Oh well, whatever, Nigel soon let out a faint sigh and patted Callein’s back until his crying stopped.

“Elder sister, about today……”

“Let’s keep it a secret between us.”

Callein, rubbing his reddened eyes, nodded.

Seeing him like this, he looks more like a child than the Crown Prince. Nigel let out a chuckle, as it was exactly the same as how she acted with her younger siblings at the orphanage.

“……For your information, I don’t usually cry much. It just came out involuntarily due to the special circumstance of meeting my elder sister after 17 years.”

“Ah, yes. I understand.”

Nigel, finished speaking, ruffled Callein’s messy platinum blonde hair.

“Your actions are mischievous, contrary to your words.”

“Even so, you won’t kill me, right?”

“……Why does elder sister say such obvious things, making my mouth hurt?”

Seeing Callein grumbling with pouting lips was so cute, Nigel once again ruffled his fine platinum blonde hair. Callein, with a reddened face, surrendered his head to Nigel’s touch.

“I didn’t know you were such a good person, I was jealous of you for nothing.”

“What?”

As Nigel took her hand off Callein’s hair in surprise, Callein murmured with a slightly reddened face.

“Well…… Yenika was always singing Nigel, Nigel, so I wondered just how amazing a person you were and invited you. I suppose I should be grateful to Yenika for life and treat her well.”

“If Your Highness has finished reflecting, shall we go to the ballroom now?”

Nigel extended her hand to Callein as if escorting a lady. Callein stared down at that hand.

“Cal is enough.”

“That will be for the next time we meet, Callein.”

“Yes.”

Callein, smiling with satisfaction, grasped Nigel’s hand and returned to the ballroom.

As the two who had been walking awkwardly appeared arm in arm intimately, people’s gazes were drawn to them.

Among them were still dissatisfied peers, brightly smiling Yenika, and Noah and Meriel whispering with displeased faces.

“Elder sister.”

Then Callein whispered in Nigel’s ear.

Nigel took her gaze off Noah and Meriel and looked at Callein. Callein was smiling leisurely and playfully, as if he had never cried.

“You came to the ball I’m hosting for once, but this younger brother will be hurt if you don’t dance once with a partner.”

“What do you mean……!”

Being pressed down by rank in such a public place, Nigel couldn’t even make an excuse properly before being forcibly dragged away by Callein.

“Here we are!”

With a bright voice, Callein stopped in front of Noah and Meriel.

Noah and Meriel’s gazes, which had been seriously conversing, fell directly on Nigel.

“Lord Noah, I personally brought your partner. You only have friends after all, right?”

Then Meriel cut in between Callein and Noah.

“Wait, Cal. What did you talk about with Nigel?”

“Merri, in your eyes I must look like a neighborhood thug.”

“You’re worse than that. Nigel was being dragged along like a caught mouse behind you.”

“Come on, don’t be like that Merri, you join in too? Elder sister has been keeping Noah all day, so you two haven’t had a chance to be together.”

“Don’t try to climb up, you little one.”

“Oh, it’s the Crown Prince’s order~”

“You think I’m not royalty?”

Even as she was being dragged away by Callein, Meriel looked pitifully at Nigel who remained with Noah until the end. It felt like watching a young lamb caught by a wolf.

The reason she accepted Yenika’s words in the first place and danced with Noah while smiling and holding back nausea was because she didn’t want to see the two of them together.

Towards the end of the dance, she even deliberately stepped on Noah’s foot because she found it annoying and pathetic how he only looked at Nigel.

She was furious at just imagining her precious younger sister, whom she and her father hesitated to approach out of concern for burdening her, being completely snatched away by this childhood friend.

Worried that Callein, who didn’t even know who Nigel was, might be treating Nigel roughly, she was gossiping about Callein with Noah.

But the alliance was brief; watching that guy hide his black intentions and pretend to be pure while smiling at Nigel made her blood boil.

But even if irritation surged, one couldn’t change a person’s heart. Seeing Nigel’s cute ears turn red only when she was with Noah made her heart melt.

‘Treat her well.’

As she mouthed the words, her eyes met Noah’s. The fake look in his eyes as he gazed at Nigel disappeared, replaced by an annoyed look directed at Meriel.

Noah waved his hand at Meriel behind Nigel’s back. It meant to stop paying attention and just leave quickly.

‘Unpleasant bastard.’

Meriel mouthed the words clearly so Noah could read them well.

Yeah, prepare to grovel later when you find out the truth. Meriel resolved to show Noah the worst in-law experience as she retreated, pulled by Callein’s hand.

“Finally, we’re alone.”

“……I suppose so.”

Nigel’s heart involuntarily tingled at the gentle voice. She almost laughed at how thin the heart of someone trying to refuse was.

“You haven’t looked me in the face at all throughout the ball.”

“Don’t you know why?”

“I don’t know.”

Nigel couldn’t help but smile at Noah’s sly voice.

“Please just enjoy the ball without thinking about anything, Nigel.”

Suddenly, Noah’s clear blue eyes, brighter than Callein’s, were at the same level as Nigel’s, gazing at her.

“It’s the Crown Prince’s order, so I suppose I must follow?”

“……Right.”

Nigel cast a spell named ‘last time’ on herself, deceiving her own mind and covering her eyes.

As the two stepped onto the dance floor, a gentle 4/4 melody soon began.