Cedric Pavel Celestine.

Who was he?

Now departed from this world, he was the Queen’s son and the only legitimate opponent to the throne, making him Odette’s stepbrother from a young age.

And to add a fact only known to Valtor, he was an extremely unpleasant brother to Odette.

“Since Brother Cedric will be returning soon, should I prepare a welcome gift?”

After meeting Anne-Sophie, Odette was contemplating this as she returned to her palace.

Of course, that idea was promptly discarded.

“Although I am currently assisting Brother.”

It wasn’t that they were particularly close.

It wasn’t that Cedric had a particularly high-handed attitude, or that he ignored Odette.

Simply, there was a significant age gap between Cedric and Odette, and therefore they naturally didn’t cross paths much during their younger years.

Even those like Blake or Riza, whom she had to see frequently as they moved around the Queen’s palace, were more familiar to her.

Nevertheless, it was Cedric that Odette had clung to.

There wasn’t any particular reason for it.

“The only hand I could reach out to was Brother Cedric’s.”

Cedric had always grown up without any deficiencies, a person without any flaws, so to speak.

Although he had a unique indifferent expression and cynical impression.

Warmth flowed through his voice, and one could often see a gentle smile on his lips.

Of course, one couldn’t entirely understand Cedric just by his exterior, but compared to Blake or Riza, who arrogantly claimed to understand others, he was a person of excellent character.

“Still, it’s difficult.”

Odette mostly communicated with Cedric through letters, and only met him in person when necessary.

During those times, she would always hear similar questions.

The question about her changing her mind was a continuation of Odette having said before that she “wanted nothing.”

So Odette always gave the same reply.

She said.

“Maybe those questions are to test me.”

Or perhaps a warning to not harbor other thoughts.

Odette did not entirely trust Cedric, separate from her own feelings.

Nor did she believe that every smile he showed was genuine.

Holding onto the crown prince’s position in the palace without any major crises indicated that Cedric was not as gentle as he seemed.

“Brother is… a ruthless person.”

Helping Cedric, Odette had often seen him coldly cut off traitors he had laughed with just yesterday, and ignore those who had once held hands with him even when they begged for help.

And she had always vowed not to become like that.

“If I were to show ambition or excessively ask for help, Brother would ruthlessly cut me off.”

Not that she planned on doing so, but she didn’t want to seem like it either.

So even in the situation where arranged marriages were being discussed, Odette said nothing special to Cedric.

Because if she did include such things in her letters reporting on the state of the palace, it would certainly look like she was asking for help.

“And there’s nothing Brother could really do in such matters anyway.”

But now that she had decided to proceed with marrying Valtor…

Wouldn’t it be okay to mention it in a letter to Cedric?

“Is it too personal?”

I should ask Ellie for her opinion.

With these thoughts, Odette passed through the corridor leading to her palace.

And just when the lights of her palace began to appear,

Odette realized that a stranger was waiting for her.

“Out late, aren’t you? Odette.”

“…Brother Blake?”

The figure turned out to be the Second Prince, Blake.
When he returned from Belfort, it was already after sunset, so Blake, leaning against the wall, was barely visible as a silhouette.

But Odette was not one to miss that cold tone.

‘Why on earth did he come?’

Having spent a night at Ertman Duke’s residence, right after attending Xavier’s soiree, Odette couldn’t help but feel tense.

Managing the hot-tempered and short-sighted Lise would have been easy enough, but Blake was always so unpredictable, making him difficult to handle.

However, Blake seemed to let out a snicker, as if amused.

“It’s dark, so I thought you might be startled, but you recognized me right away.”

“Do you want to come inside?”

“You still make empty remarks quite well. Don’t people usually ask about the matter at hand first?”

“I thought you had something to say since you came. If I’ve made you uncomfortable, I’m sorry.”

Though Blake taunted Odette with sarcasm, she managed to dodge it skillfully.

With a slight drag at the end of her sentences, she displayed a typical subdued demeanor.

It was how she usually acted in front of Blake and Lise.

Especially since Blake didn’t enjoy picking on weak opponents, he would quickly lose interest and leave when he saw this behavior.

However, for some reason, that didn’t work today.

“It’s not about discomfort. You’ve been quite active lately. Even attended Xavier’s soiree yesterday, didn’t you? Did you have fun?”