“……What did you say?”

Howard turned to look at Arasila with a stiff face. Arasila did not avoid his gaze and spoke clearly.

“I understand that you hate Duke Vandermir and resent the Vandermir family. But isn’t it shameful to take out those feelings on an innocent child?”

“Don’t speak so carelessly about things you don’t know!”

“That’s what I want to say to you, sir. Do you know how Demian grew up? You don’t know why he lives estranged from his family, do you?”

Arasila’s voice trembled faintly at the end. Who else would have been in pain from Monica’s death besides Howard?

Still, he was an adult who could support himself, but Demian was left all alone in a house where everyone except his mother was an enemy, with nowhere to lean on.

When Howard was steeped in grief over losing his daughter, Demian couldn’t even do that.

“The Vandermir family did many terrible things to young Demian. They abused him countless times and tried to kill him several times. Demian fought lonely battles alone even when his mother was alive, and after she passed away, he devoted his entire life to revenge.”

Yet Howard distanced himself from Demian, treating him as one with the Vandermir family. Simply because he inherited their bloodline.

Because of this, Demian lived hating the blood flowing through his body, endlessly doubting himself and unable to love himself.

This was what angered Arasila the most right now. Howard spoke as if only he had been hurt and suffered, but she knew that the truly miserable one had been the neglected child.

“Did you really not know all of this, sir? Or did you know and choose to ignore it?”

The question flew like a spear and struck Howard’s heart. He could only stare silently at Arasila, unable to say anything.

After his daughter died, he knew the atmosphere in the Vandermir family regarding Demian was not good. But he didn’t want to get involved.

He thought everyone of that bloodline was guilty.

He couldn’t stand to look at a grandchild who didn’t resemble his beloved daughter at all.

However, in truth, Howard knew deep down that this was wrong behavior. Arasila painfully probed at the fact that he knew but ignored it.

“The adults committed the crimes, so why did you hate that young child so much?”

“……”

“Why did you leave young Demian to live alone in hell? For whose sake?”

Moist breaths escaped between her words. The area around Arasila’s eyes turned reddish.

When he realized that even his maternal grandfather and that family hated him, how much more must Demian’s already wounded heart have been hurt.

Her heart ached automatically thinking of the young boy who had to swallow his pain and sorrow alone because none of the adults around him helped.

“You despise Duke Vandermir, but in my eyes, you’re both equally selfish and cruel. You only cared about your own feelings and emotions, didn’t you?”

“What…!”

Howard’s lips quivered as if to retort against the one-sided criticism, but he stopped. He couldn’t deny Arasila’s words.

“If you were truly an adult, you should have hated the Vandermir family but not resented an innocent child.”

“……”

“Your daughter would surely be saddened if she knew about Count Rond’s past actions. Despite various excuses, in the end, you abandoned both your daughter and grandson for your own sake.”

The final words sharply clawed at Howard’s heart. It felt like his heart sank.

In truth, the real reason Monica couldn’t return to his arms was not because of Demian.

It was because of Howard himself.

He had once acted coldly towards his daughter who left with the Duke despite his opposition, feeling betrayed. That’s why Monica couldn’t open up about her failed marriage and endured it all.

But what if he had respected his daughter’s wishes from the beginning? Then, at least, she wouldn’t have felt so lonely as if she and Demian were left alone under the sky, struggling by herself.

Of course, Howard’s opposition turned out to be right in the end, but it was true that it isolated Monica more.

“I… I…”

Howard finally dropped his head, unable to continue speaking. The realization that he may have hated his innocent grandson because he didn’t want to feel guilty about his daughter’s death stingingly washed over him.

Instead of comforting or rebuking him, Arasila silently opened the box and showed him the jewelry box.

“I want to make a deal with you using this.”

“…It’s Monica’s jewelry box.”

Howard immediately recognized the jewelry box as he raised his eyes with a dejected face. Arasila’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“How did you know?”

“Of course I’d know, since her mother and I gave it to her as a gift. That eagle emblem is the symbol of the Rond family.”

Arasila blinked, not knowing the jewelry box had been used by Monica since before her marriage. So there was a reason for engraving it despite the Vandermir family symbol not being an eagle.

Showing the inside of the jewelry box containing a notebook and glass bottle, Arasila said:

“I heard you cherished your wife dearly but didn’t receive proper keepsakes.”

“……”

“I’ll give this to you. In exchange, please help Demian. The Vandermir family is calling for his execution. Please stand against this.”

Howard’s eyes wavered greatly. At the time of Monica’s death, the Vandermir family firmly blocked any contact from the Rond family.

So they couldn’t retrieve any of her belongings, which remained a lingering regret for Howard as well.

Arasila confirmed his wavering expression and put the jewelry box back in the box. She didn’t want to make a deal using a dead person’s belongings, but this was the only way now.

“This box has magic on it so not just anyone can open it. If you help Demian, I’ll come and undo the magic for you, regardless of the outcome.”

“…Is that all you want?”

“Yes, I just need to be able to save Demian.”

Arasila spoke in a firm voice as she pushed the box towards Howard. Howard looked at her with complex eyes before slowly nodding.

There was no way he could give up his daughter’s keepsakes, whose traces were already fading.

“Alright, I’ll do as you ask.”

When trapped in an underground prison with no light, it’s impossible to sense the passage of time.

Demian opened his eyes, not knowing if it was day or night. How long would he have to be submerged in this deep darkness?

He let out a tired sigh and closed his eyes again. Then a white face appeared in his mind.

Arasila Vandermir. His wife.

Demian let out a hollow laugh seeing Arasila’s letter that Colin had delivered during his visit.

‘Just how strong is your sense of responsibility to do this?’

No, can one do this much out of mere responsibility?

He clenched his fist, recalling Arasila’s last appearance leaving with hurt eyes. If he sensed a different emotion from her who refused to leave his side despite being pushed away harshly…

Was he going mad with death right before him?

“I want to see her one more time.”

Demian muttered unconsciously. He knew the Crown Prince and Vandermir family had joined forces to push for his execution.

And that Arasila was working hard outside to prevent this.

But it wouldn’t be easy for Arasila alone to overcome that alliance. Because of that, Demian rather hoped she would give up moderately, so the aftermath wouldn’t be too severe.

That she wouldn’t be very sad after he was gone.

‘I hope she doesn’t cry because of me.’

As he held such a small wish, he suddenly felt an uncomfortable doubt.

When exactly would his sentence be clearly decided? He thought it would be handled quickly since it was a collaboration between the Crown Prince and ducal family.

There was no news, as if it was encountering more difficulties than expected. To the point where he worried he might be abandoned in this underground prison forever.

But fortunately or unfortunately, the next day, Demian left the prison to receive a private trial.

It was called a trial, but in reality it was closer to a simple ceremony where the Emperor would pass down punishment to him with the concerned parties gathered.

Entering the hall with an indifferent face, Demian flinched as he discovered unexpected faces.

He had of course anticipated the presence of the Vandermir family and Frederick, but he never thought the Grand Duchess of Kiston, Prince Lucas, and the former Count Rond would be sitting there.

Especially the last person.

‘How did they…’

Demian cast a gaze unable to hide his bewilderment at the three people.

A few days ago, Arasila immediately informed the Grand Duchess of Kiston after obtaining cooperation from the Rond family. And right at that time, a response also came from Lucas, another royal figure she had requested help from.

He ultimately couldn’t turn a blind eye to his friend’s hardship, even knowing it would be a great political burden to get involved in Oscar’s murder case.

That’s how the three helpers to save Demian gathered.

“Now that Demian Vandermir has arrived, let us begin formal discussions on his sentence.”

The Emperor solemnly declared from the head seat.

The first to speak was Duke Vandermir. He walked up in front of the Emperor, spread his arms, and pleaded:

“Your Majesty, please execute Demian Vandermir! I don’t even want to call that bastard a Vandermir anymore!”

The Duke shouted desperately, pointing at Demian with contemptuous eyes.

“Even beasts recognize their own blood, but he brutally murdered his own brother! Such a cruel bastard must not be allowed to live!”

Demian impassively watched his father calling for his execution right in front of him. Perhaps because he had no expectations to begin with, he felt nothing.

Following the Duke, Frederick added in a gentle but trustworthy voice:

“Your Majesty, since ancient times, patricide has been severely punished. Yet Vandermir committed such an outrageous act at the New Year’s festival with foreign dignitaries present. If Your Majesty does not punish him harshly, other countries will gossip.”

“That’s right! No matter how much he coveted the duke’s position, a madman who killed his brother with crazed eyes must be severely punished as an example!”

As the Crown Prince lent his support, the Duke grew even more excited and spoke unrestrainedly.

Howard frowned at the sight of him pushing his son to his death, spitting as he spoke. Even to him, it was truly too much.

Howard stepped forward and spoke before the Duke could:

“Your Majesty, there are some unclear points in definitively concluding that Demian is the culprit who killed the young lord Vandermir. Executing him when the crime is uncertain would rather cause great controversy.”

Duke Vandermir, who stared at him with a shocked face for suddenly taking Demian’s side after treating him like a stranger, angrily retorted:

“Count Rond, have you gone mad? The sword with my son’s blood was found in Demian’s room! There were traces of that bastard sneaking into our Oscar’s room at dawn!”

But Howard calmly refuted the Duke’s words:

“Can you be certain that blood truly belonged to the young lord? And anyone could have placed the sword there. Thinking calmly, isn’t it strange that someone who became the youngest Sword Master would leave evidence scattered everywhere like that?”

“W-What?!”

As the Duke stumbled over his words, momentarily flustered and unable to respond properly, Lucas seized the opportunity and stepped in:

“From what I know, there was recently someone in the Red Hawk Order who lost a sword identical to the murder weapon. How can we know the culprit didn’t happen to pick up that sword and use it?”

“Your Highness Prince, why are even you doing this? Are you saying someone killed our Oscar to frame Demian?”

The Duke inadvertently hit upon the truth as he questioned in a dumbfounded tone. Frederick’s eyebrow twitched subtly.

He thought his son didn’t take after him much, but it seems he was mistaken. Seeing how they both blurt out unnecessary things, they were exactly the same in that aspect.

As he glanced at the Duke with coldly chilling eyes, the Grand Duchess of Kiston elegantly nodded and said:

“Isn’t that possibility quite plausible, Duke? I rather find it strange that you’re unconditionally pushing Demian as the murderer. Normally, parents would want to protect their child.”

Her eyes flashed with a sharp light.

“It’s almost as if you want your only remaining son to be framed as the culprit and executed?”

The Duke flinched greatly at the pointed question that couldn’t be entirely denied.

It was true that while he desperately wanted to catch Oscar’s killer, he also had a desire to eliminate Demian with this opportunity.

Perhaps if someone other than Oscar had died and Demian was pointed to as the culprit, the Duke would have supported execution just the same, though not as zealously as now.

“Aunt, isn’t that too much speculation against Duke Vandermir who lost his son?”

Frederick intervened with a faint smile.

He didn’t like her very much, as she had clearly come at Arasila’s request. He had wanted to be on the same side as his aunt if possible, so it was truly regrettable.

Knowing how much his father cherished his youngest sister, he felt even more so. Frederick glanced at the Emperor, who was quietly listening to the exchange with an unreadable expression, and said:

“If we start doubting, everything can seem infinitely strange. Isn’t it right to believe the clear evidence before our eyes rather than nitpicking words?”

It was a statement that suppressed the hypothesis that Demian might not be the culprit. One that the other side couldn’t strongly refute without concrete evidence.

Frederick added, looking around at the three people who were suddenly at a loss for words.

“Moreover, in a way, this is a family matter. It’s difficult for us in the imperial family to interfere excessively.”

It didn’t matter if this would also limit his own right to speak. Instead, he could drag down the Grand Duchess of Kiston and Lucas like a water ghost.

As the two hesitated, unable to actively oppose, Howard, who had been staring at Frederick with a calm gaze, moved his lips.