Wanting to know the reason, Namie asked around everywhere, but no one gave a satisfactory answer.

All Namie knew was what one of the maids who had been taking care of him secretly whispered.

“It’s because we lost the war.”

“What war?”

“The war between Brinwell and Aglante.”

Aglante was his father’s country. And Brinwell was where he was now, his mother’s country.

The relationship between the two was clearly very good, so why did a war break out?

Wars happened between countries that were not on good terms. Although his studies were temporarily suspended because the scholar who originally taught him couldn’t come from Aglante, Namie knew that much.

But when he tried to ask the maid a bit more about the war, she fled.

After that, no one explained the situation to him, so Namie eventually became more and more subdued. Anyway, the palace people didn’t like him much now. It was clear that if he caused trouble, he would be hated even more. He couldn’t even see his uncle who used to take care of him and play with him every day anymore.

It was while he was staying quiet like that that he met his great-grandfather.

“Your Highness, I am Randin, the Prime Minister of Brinwell. His Majesty is calling for you.”

And Randin took him to a bedroom filled with strange smoke. There, Namie met the King of Brinwell, his great-grandfather.

It wasn’t actually their first meeting, but since Uncle Masa was the only one among the Brinwell royal family who was close to him, Namie tensed up as soon as he saw the old man lying on the bed. Unlike him, his great-grandfather reached out his hand as if he had known him for a very long time.

“Come here.”

But the smoke-surrounded bed was not a place he wanted to approach. When Namie hesitated, Randin, standing behind him, pushed his back.

“His Majesty is calling you.”

Finally, Namie approached the bed hesitantly. It was then that the wrinkled hand grasped his.

Surprised, Namie unconsciously stepped back, but his great-grandfather didn’t let go of his hand.

“You look a lot like Isde.”

When the old man moved his dry, wrinkled lips to say that, Namie smelled a musty odor that could have come from a dust pit. It was somehow an ominous smell.

After that day, his great-grandfather often called for him. Namie went without knowing why and sat in the still smoke-filled bedroom. Randin, who had brought him, conversed with his great-grandfather. It was a conversation Namie couldn’t understand even if he heard it.

Still, since his great-grandfather was calling for him, the people in the palace gradually started treating him well again. Although he didn’t like entering the bedroom full of smoke that stung his eyes and made him feel strange, it seemed bearable when he thought about that.

As a result, even Uncle Masa came to see him again.

But unlike the palace people who listened to him again and smiled well, the uncle’s face was still cold. Namie slightly tucked in his chin, avoiding the man’s gaze looking down at him. Meanwhile, his eyelids, past their bedtime, were getting heavier and heavier.

It was then that the uncle who had been looking down at him opened his mouth.

“I heard the king has been calling for you often these days.”

“Yes.”

“I also heard that the Prime Minister is present as well.”

That was true too. Namie nodded once more. Yes.

“What do they talk about?”

“I’m not sure about that.”

At that, the uncle frowned. Seeing the face that clearly showed displeasure, a nervous Namie hurriedly tried to recall. He didn’t want to disappoint the uncle who had come after a long time.

Fortunately, there was one word that came to mind. Namie quickly opened his mouth.

“They talked about regency.”

“Regency?”

The frowning uncle tilted his head slightly towards him.

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know that either. I only heard the word regency.”

His great-grandfather’s voice was hoarse so his words were hard to hear, and Randin would lower his voice and look towards where he was even in the middle of conversations. It was already a situation full of difficult words, and being treated like that made it impossible to eavesdrop.

Namie slightly raised his eyes to gauge his uncle’s mood. The uncle was still deep in thought with a cold face.

Seeing that expression, which was no different from before, or rather seemed even more serious, Namie regretted what he had done. He had meant to make a good impression, but it seemed he had only incurred more dislike.

It was then that the uncle opened his mouth.

“I’ve been very indifferent to you lately, haven’t I?”

“Wh-what?”

“Please understand. I’ve been busy.”

And the uncle smiled at him again. Surprised by the gentle smile like before, Namie blinked. He didn’t dislike the uncle’s suddenly changed attitude, but he couldn’t understand the reason.

“You, you were busy?”

“Of course. Are you curious about the reason?”

The attitude seemed even more gentle than before.

It was true that he had hoped to become close to his uncle again like before, so he should quickly agree, but the words wouldn’t come out readily. Namie nodded his head a bit fearfully.

“Actually, there was a war between Brinwell and Aglante. Did you know?”

“Yes, I’ve heard about it.”

“It would have been good if Brinwell had won, but unfortunately we were defeated. And you’re still young so you might not know, but a country that loses a war has to pay reparations to the winning country.”

And the uncle heaved a deep sigh. Namie thought it was somewhat theatrical, but he didn’t voice that thought.

“But Brinwell doesn’t have that much money. So we’ve been busy trying to raise that money. That’s why I became indifferent to you too.”

It was a rather flimsy explanation for the coldness so far, but Namie didn’t realize that fact. There was too much new information to catch and consider all of that.

He didn’t understand well the relationship between winning and losing a war and reparations, but he understood this one thing.

It seemed his uncle had needed a very large sum of money all this time.

Having never worried about money in his life, Namie didn’t know what that felt like, but he knew what question people usually asked when someone said they needed something. He asked.

“So did you find that money?”

“No.”

And the uncle sighed again.

“We don’t have that much money now.”

“Then, what are you going to do?”

The uncle said he had been cold because he didn’t have money. Then it didn’t seem like that attitude would change unless the needed money was found.

At that, the uncle stared at him for a moment. Namie lowered his gaze slightly, avoiding the green eyes that looked just like his own. Somehow, a chill ran down his spine.

It was then that the uncle asked.

“Actually, there is one way to resolve the situation even if we can’t raise the money. But this method is something only you can do.”

“What is it…?”

“Before that, answer me first. Will you help your uncle?”

Hearing those words, he suddenly remembered what his father had told him when he was young.

“Namie, my son. You shouldn’t accept proposals with unclear conditions. When people are not upright, they tend to speak vaguely.”

But his father had also said this:

“Family is the only thing you can trust in this world.”

Though less close than his mother, father, or uncles who had disappeared at some point, Uncle Masa was still his family.

Having made his decision, Namie swallowed dryly.

“Yes.”

Only then did the uncle smile brightly.

After learning the secret that the Duke of Aglante had been hiding, Netepel did not see Ophelia’s face again.

She did not show her face again until he left Sigrasal Castle. Even though he still hadn’t fully accepted Ophelia’s changed appearance, Netepel didn’t like that.

However, the current situation was too confusing to focus on that displeasure, so he couldn’t respond properly.

He thought he had experienced all sorts of things in life, but it was the first time everything had hit him like a whirlwind. It was shocking to realize he hadn’t actually grasped the hand of a god, and the words of the Duke of Aglante still lingered in his mind. Remembering that he couldn’t return what the man had done to him filled him with shame and anger simultaneously.

However, among all those events, what confused him the most was Ophelia’s attitude.

Even what happened with the duke felt small compared to the surprising behavior Ophelia had shown him.

Where did the innocent, kind, and delicate Ophelia go? In the carriage leaving Sigrasal Castle, Netepel thought endlessly. Where did that timid girl who was swayed this way and that by her brother go?

In fact, Netepel knew the truth. Ophelia had changed. The woman he knew no longer remained.

After coming all this way for what purpose, how could she fail to manage her own appearance and cause him such disappointment?

He felt betrayed and angry. He wanted to make the one who disappointed him feel the same emotion.

However, he couldn’t say that what was boiling inside him was only anger from betrayal. While clearly thinking he wanted to punish the woman, Netepel still desired her. Unlike in the past when he wanted to possess her in her pure state, now he mainly wanted to grasp her in his hand and completely crush her.

Netepel wiped his face at the rising heat.

It was then that the smoothly running carriage shook.