“…… Prince Chase?”

Far away.

Standing in the passage leading from the back courtyard of the prince’s palace to another path, the person secretly looking at Elaina was none other than Prince Chase.

Still, just as seen during the founding festival and the conference, his spirit was completely crushed.

Unsightly disheveled red hair, hideous pockmarks covering his cheeks as if they had swallowed them whole, a diminutive body. Yet despite that, a face that subtly resembled the emperor.

So lacking in presence, even the imperial citizens hardly knew of this last prince of the generation.

Like Sinclair, receiving no treatment whatsoever from the imperial family……

But why was that Prince Chase watching me? Elaina called out his name and carefully took a step, and Chase lowered his head with a face as red as an apple. He looked like a child who had committed a great sin.

“I, I……”

As Elaina approached him before he knew it, Chase began to take faltering steps back, unable to do anything.

Elaina silently looked at Chase like that, then slowly parted her lips.

“You were trying to use the path up ahead, right?”

“……”

“I was blocking Your Highness’s way without even realizing it. I apologize.”

Only then did Chase slowly raise his head that had been deeply bowed. Then he faced Elaina who was looking down at him.

In her beautiful face shining like the sun, there was no disgust that had seeped out from others whenever they faced him.

Rather, she was even kindly smiling and striking up a conversation with him.

“N-no…… it’s fine, it’s okay.”

So surprised by that fact, Chase unknowingly stumbled over his words.

“Rather, I-I’m the one who should apologize more. I could have, could have just taken another path.”

Why is this prince so discouraged? Is it perhaps because my husband is Sinclair?

But saying that didn’t seem quite right, for she had never seen Chase in such a state at official events until now.

“I, I didn’t mean to catch an-anyone else’s eye…… I really just wanted to return to my palace.”

And Elaina soon realized why Chase was so cowed.

“If you were dis-displeased because of me…… I sincerely apolo-”

-gize.

Chase’s weakly cracking voice was unbelievably pitiful.

He’s always been treated like this. In the imperial palace.

It was obvious that Hister would have tormented Chase to no end, and even if he was the emperor, he wouldn’t have protected his youngest son. In the first place, his only real son was none other than Hister Butler.

Sinclair also wouldn’t have particularly looked after Chase. Perhaps that was rather considerate.

If word spread that he had ties with ‘that’ Sinclair, Chase, whose position was already precarious, would have incurred Hister’s hatred and ended up in an even more wretched state than now.

Moreover, she had heard from Judith and Anna before. Chase’s mother had passed away long ago in an accident.

But was it really an accident? Could it be that it was staged as an accident, just like with Sinclair’s mother back then?

Knowing all those facts, perhaps Chase had grown up watching everyone’s reactions like this? Thinking that if he made a mistake, he would meet the same fate as his mother.

“……”

Elaina silently looked down at Chase for a moment. He was probably only about fourteen or fifteen at most now. The emotion felt from the young Chase’s face was only one thing. Fear.

What wrong had this child committed to be treated like that? Suppressing the surging anger welling up inside her, Elaina continued in a gentle voice.

“Your Highness, I am not the slightest bit displeased. So you don’t need to worry about that.”

“B-but……”

“In addition, you don’t need to go out of your way to take another path at any time. I already know that the path ahead is a shortcut leading to Your Highness’s palace.”

Chase fidgeted, not knowing what to do.

What caught her eye was the cold sweat starting to form on his face covered in pockmarks.

He was sweating so much that Chase looked like he would faint at any moment. Is he really alright? Elaina hesitated for a moment, then carefully took out a handkerchief from her bosom.

Then with that, she meticulously wiped the sweat drenching Chase’s face.

Chase flinched greatly but simply stood there frozen.

“You’re sweating a lot. You should return to your palace quickly. You might catch a cold if the sweat cools like this.”

“……”

“Or would you like to rest a bit at our palace before leaving? We will be having dinner soon anyway, if it’s alright with Your Highness……”

“It’s di-dirty.”

“…… Pardon?”

“So, so don’t touch me like this.”

Chase muttered softly, then retreated a few steps back from Elaina.

Then he ran away without even looking back.

Before Elaina could even attempt to stop him.

“……”

Left alone in a fluster, Elaina looked down at the handkerchief in her hand with a dumbfounded expression.

When he said it was dirty so don’t touch, was he referring to his own face?

And only then did she seem to clearly know. What kind of things Chase had heard growing up in the imperial palace……

“…… Ha.”

Elaina let out an empty laugh without realizing it. It was an utterly absurd situation. No matter how poorly he was treated, no matter what, for an imperial prince to be like that……

Elaina’s eyes looking ahead were filled with a sorrowful emotion.

But the fleet-footed Chase had already run far away, and she sighed heavily several times before putting the handkerchief back in her bosom.

[This is the timeline separator]

It went without saying that Hister was in a foul mood.

With his lips tightly pursed as he walked, a distinct fury had settled on Hister’s face. While returning to the crown prince’s palace with his brow deeply furrowed, he repeatedly mulled over what Liam, his escort knight, had said.

[Prince Sinclair has obtained the ledgers of the Reinhel Mercenary Corps in the Casta region and the Winham and Kahel Orphanages. Along with witnesses.]

“……”

[Although Your Highness the Crown Prince made excuses with appropriate logic, it’s impossible to predict how things will unfold going forward. Moreover, the movements of the Ducal House of Heswin and the Count House of Wilter are suspicious……]

“Damn it!”

Unable to contain his anger, Hister kicked a small stone embedded in the ground with all his might.

Stopping in place, Hister clenched his fists tightly while exhaling ragged breaths, just as Perin had done earlier in front of Elaina.

‘These son of a…… bitches……’

Everything was going wrong. He had never once imagined a situation like this. The split of the Five Shining Families of Edenbell. The consequent division among the nobles. The scandal about Crown Princess Elaina Butler that had become a non-issue.

But most unexpected of all was the emperor’s betrayal.

‘That old man dared to…… betray me……?’

The emperor, who was said to be recovering after regaining consciousness, very absurdly refused to grant an audience to Hister.

That wasn’t all. All the people Hister had planted were driven out. Then, led by the knight order serving only the emperor, new individuals were stationed around him.

That meant the emperor was no longer on Hister’s side.

And the main culprit behind these infuriating incidents was none other than……

‘Sinclair Butler……!’

The sound of teeth grinding could be heard from between Hister’s lips as he mulled over his half-brother’s name.

Just what trick did he use to manipulate the emperor, and just what trick was he using to keep escaping from traps and growing his influence? This was a preposterous story.

At best, a lowly bastard who had only wandered battlefields……

It was right at that moment when blue veins bulged on Hister’s forehead.

“Looks like something unpleasant happened, Hister.”

The voice he absolutely did not want to hear at this very moment came from behind.

“Otherwise, you wouldn’t be standing in the middle of the imperial palace with that kind of face.”

Turning around, he saw Sinclair gazing at him with a face full of ridicule.

“Were you not taught to never show your emotions outwardly and always maintain a calm appearance in any situation? That is the most basic education for a crown prince who will become emperor.”

“……”

“It’s curious. I received that education though?”

Sinclair snickered and lightly tapped Hister’s chest.

“Or…… could it be that they didn’t even give you that level of education because they never actually considered you a real crown prince, Hister?”

“…… What did you say?”

“I was just joking to make you laugh, but you’re reacting so seriously that it’s quite embarrassing.”

“You slipped away quite like a rat.”

Hister glared fiercely at Sinclair and spoke in a mocking tone.

“I don’t know how you got your hands on His Majesty again. It’s so absurd that I’m starting to think you’re more suited to being a swindler than a prince, Brother.”

“Well, I do have outstanding talent in that area too.”

Sinclair approached Hister closely and continued.

“But you know what, Hister?”

“……”

“I have many different talents, but my most exceptional talent is that I’m incredibly good at fighting.”

What kind of insane nonsense is he trying to spout now? He no longer wanted to listen to such mockery. Right now, he needed to return to the crown prince’s palace and discuss upcoming matters.

With eyes looking at Sinclair as if he were an insect, Hister slowly turned around.

No, to be precise, he tried to turn around.

If Sinclair hadn’t suddenly grabbed his collar and……

“Aack!”

Punched him in the face.

“Wh-what are you doing……!”

“What else?”

Sinclair, who had yanked up the collar of Hister now rolling on the filthy ground, brought his face close and spoke in a low voice.

“I’m personally showing my beloved younger brother my exceptional talent.”

Bam!

With another loud noise, Hister’s face whipped to the side.