“……What are you trying to do?”

“Why? Isn’t this enough? I thought you liked this kind of thing……. If you really want, should I have refreshments prepared now?”

Talia burst out laughing at the sharp-edged response. She knew the other didn’t think well of her, just as she did of Rahelika, but she hadn’t expected such an confrontation from the start.

She waved her hand to dismiss the surrounding attendants. Even if she had thrown dignity to the dogs, she couldn’t show such a sight to those around her.

As if she had some sense of tact, Rahelika also dismissed those around her. It seemed she hadn’t brought many to begin with.

When they were finally left alone, Talia approached her elder sister who was staring at her with violet eyes. She looked the other up and down without softening her hostility.

“Really…… You always show your lowest side.”

It was a statement where pure amazement preceded sarcasm. Not that it didn’t make her blood boil, but it was more that surprise at the other’s conduct outweighed pure anger.

Rahelika only fanned herself slightly without answering. Though her lips weren’t visible, Talia could roughly guess what expression her stupid and not-even-cute elder sister was making.

It would be that usual smug face again. The face she always made when casually trampling on others.

How could she be so consistent?

But unlike her unchanging elder sister, she had changed. Letting someone trample on her was the same as allowing that person to take the upper hand. After all, one wouldn’t be trampled if they didn’t place the other above them to begin with.

And Talia had long since pulled her elder sister down from above her.

“Yes, I don’t intend to face you for long either.”

In truth, there was only one reason she had come to meet her unwelcome elder sister. Talia spoke to the woman who was blinking innocently as if she knew nothing of her wrongdoing.

“Don’t interfere unnecessarily with my plans.”

It was during the recent family meal.

Talia had deliberately participated in what was closer to a time spent among royals living in the palace. It was to request a private audience, as she had something to ask Levenen.

Though she could ask fairly ordinary questions even to an unfamiliar father, the reason she specifically wanted a private audience was because she knew the question would irritate Levenen.

For that kind of question, it was advantageous to ask where there were as few eyes as possible, even for later’s sake.

It was then that Rahelika intervened, somehow knowing.

“By the way Father, I have something to ask.”

“Speak.”

And her idiotic elder sister blurted out what she had been carefully planning to ask from behind, onto the dining table that was pretending to be peaceful.

“Why did you permit that child’s departure from the country?”

‘That child’ referred to the illegitimate child who had recently been banned from entering the capital.

The dining table froze instantly at the single question that sounded pure and clear, without a trace of malice.

No matter how unusual Rahelika’s case was, talking about the illegitimate child in front of Iris was taboo. Even if it wasn’t Iris, Levenen disliked that kind of question.

Especially when heard in front of others, even more so.

As everyone watched the powerful man’s reaction, it was Iris who salvaged the situation.

“Please answer her. It’s not as if our daughter asked an impermissible question.”

The mother, always devoted to her eldest daughter, seemed to find even her husband’s past that she so detested palatable if it meant proving her love.

“……I thought ‘it’ might disturb you if present.”

Levenen, answering his wife, turned to Rahelika and added.

“And it wasn’t departure, but banishment. That’s why I let them take all their assets. Is this enough to satisfy your curiosity?”

“Yes, Father. Thank you for answering.”

Her elder sister, who seemed capable of nothing but smiling, grinned widely as if she had been waiting for this.

However, Levenen, who would have normally let it go at that, spoke again.

“And from now on, don’t bring up that kind of topic at the dining table. No matter how important your curiosity is, it’s not as important as the other family members’ right to eat in peace, wouldn’t you agree?”

Even if not in a sharp tone, it was clearly a rebuke. Unlike usual when he overlooked whatever Rahelika did, it was a clear drawing of the line.

Rahelika responded with “Yes, Father” even to those words, and Iris snorted and rose from her seat.

“Rahel, are you finished eating? Let’s go for a walk with your mother.”

Whether Levenen’s answer had irritated her or she was displeased that her cherished daughter had been scolded, her bad mood was clearly evident.

After that, the atmosphere at the table completely sank and everything ended halfheartedly. Levenen also got up not long after, and Orien and his wife didn’t seem to want to stay seated either.

Without Levenen, there was no reason to remain, so Talia also stood up. Her mood was much fouler than when she first sat down. Because she knew why Rahelika had mentioned the illegitimate child she normally showed no interest in.

When the answer came from her father’s mouth, those violet eyes identical to her mother’s had clearly swept over her.

Rahelika had deliberately asked such a question during mealtime for her to hear.

She had a guess as to how Rahelika found out what she was curious about. Until sitting down for the family meal, Talia had been inquiring here and there about why the illegitimate son had left Egelbamot. It wouldn’t be surprising if some of those actions had reached Rahelika’s ears.

But Rahelika interfering in her affairs was a separate issue.

Just like when she had called merchants to the banquet held in place of the conference, Talia found her elder sister’s help too disgusting. Because she knew there was no way she would reach out with good intentions.

Still covering more than half of her face that only bore a refined expression, Rahelika said,

“Did you wait a month just to say such a thing?”

“……”

“You too……. You could have just let it go, but you came all the way here to confront me about it. I thought you were just ferocious, but are you childish too? Wasn’t it enough that it benefited you?”

“To your eyes, it may seem like what you did benefited me.”

At that, Rahelika raised an eyebrow as if daring her to refute. Talia informed the woman, who clearly had no conscience, of a fact she seemed unaware of.

“But your actions have never helped me. No, your very existence is like that. Think back to when we were young.”

Words alluding to the past were always almost taboo between them, but it wasn’t bad to use at times like this. Because she could inflict greater damage on the other by reopening her own wounds once.

As expected, Rahelika shut her mouth. Talia felt a strange satisfaction seeing her furrowed brow. Because her hatred for the other was greater than her self-preservation.

In fact, she hadn’t lied. Rahelika had never been of help to her.

The recent incident was no exception. Rahelika may have thought she was helping, but because it had put Levenen in a bad mood, Talia couldn’t request a private audience.

She couldn’t irritate his mood again after he had already heard what Rahelika said, so Talia ended up having to write a letter with only partial information to the Duke of Aglante.

That man with a dark interior and poor manners was unsatisfied with just that, as expected. He made a second demand through the mouth of his confidant, and Talia, who already had information from him, couldn’t ignore it. In the end, things had only become more troublesome.

Talia spoke to her elder sister who was glaring at her as if she had been struck.

“Live under the palace walls as you always have. Don’t interfere in my life and become an unnecessary hindrance.”

And with that, she turned her back. Her steps were very light, as she could imagine what kind of expression Rahelika would be making behind her.

As Talia was leaving the Empress’s Palace, she encountered an unexpected person.

“I greet Your Highness the Princess.”

A man between youth and middle age bowed his head before her. It was Tanel, one of the attendants of the Empress’s Palace.

Waving her hand to make him raise his head, Talia asked,

“Tanel Rocks. Did you return safely from Aglante?”

Recently, on the date of the Grand Duchess’s birthday, gifts and an envoy had departed from the Empress’s Palace representing the royal family. This man was one of them.

Tanel bowed his head.

“Yes. I returned without incident.”

It was then that the communication from Aglante’s side flashed through her mind.

Originally, she had planned to approach it in a different way, but… it seemed like she might be able to resolve it all at once now.

After briefly sizing up the man before her, Talia said,

“You are Her Majesty the Empress’s personal physician and attendant, correct?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“From what I know, you are the highest-ranking doctor among those in charge of Her Majesty’s neurosis, yet quite young. What is your predecessor doing now?”

“If you are referring to Bahamal Sirt, I believe he recently relinquished his title and left the country following His Highness the Second Prince.”

“He was in charge of Her Majesty the Empress’s condition?”

Talia knew about Bahamal Sirt as well. He was originally a descendant of an old family and had gained much public trust through his involvement in many charitable works.