Knock, knock. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Kayden, thinking it was Monsieur Drong returning, responded without much thought. “Come in.”
But the next moment, Kayden’s expression hardened at the figure entering the room.
“…Older Sister?”
The person who entered the room was Second Princess Carlotta, her face stained with tears. Kayden momentarily doubted his eyes.
“Kayden…” Carlotta called his name with an unusually unfamiliar look as she stepped into the room.
Click. The sound of the door locking behind her was heard.
Kayden flinched, standing up and stepping back, his eyes sharp with caution. “What is the matter? Why are you locking the door?”
Kayden readied his magic to summon Elfand at any moment, remaining tense. But Carlotta did nothing but burst into tears. She stammered as she spoke.
“C-Come with me…”
“What?” Kayden’s voice was filled with disbelief. He frowned in confusion. “What do you mean… I have to attend the founding festival parade soon. If you’re here to stop that…”
“Please, I’m begging you. Come with me.” But Carlotta stubbornly blocked the door, refusing to move.
As Kayden watched her with difficulty, his eyes shifted to her neck. His eyebrows twitched. A magical tool…? Though partially hidden by a lace choker, there was a thin ring-like object around Carlotta’s neck. Strange magical energy fluctuated around her neck.
Kayden, unable to hide his suspicion, asked. “What is that on your neck?”
“Sob… sob…”
“Older Sister. Please, say something.” Kayden called out to her in frustration, but Carlotta, seemingly unable to answer, just kept crying.
In the end, Kayden cautiously approached her, not letting his guard down. As he reached out to touch her neck, Carlotta flinched back, shaking her head frantically.
“N-No. If you touch it wrong, my neck will be cut off immediately.”
“What are you talking about? Who would…” Kayden shouted in shock at her horrifying words.
Carlotta’s eyes welled up with tears again at his outburst. Through her blurry vision, she saw a familiar face. Mother…
“You must not end up like your brother.”
“You must not…”
Since the day the second concubine first hugged Carlotta, she had noticeably become affectionate towards her. Carlotta feared what might happen to her, but she couldn’t reject her mother’s affection. The maternal love she received for the first time was irresistibly sweet.
This morning, after being immersed in the second concubine’s affection for some time, Carlotta finally took notice of her mother’s mood. It was understandable, as today was the day of the founding festival, a day where Kayden, not Rebecca, was the main character.
Carlotta worried that the second concubine would be in a foul mood because of this and kept glancing at her. But the second concubine only calmly brushed Carlotta’s hair. She felt relieved by it. However, the moment the second concubine, with a calm face, fastened something around her neck, it felt like being thrown out of a dream.
“M-Mother? What is this…”
“There, it’s done. How lovely.”
Carlotta called out in panic, but the second concubine just smiled gently and kissed her hair.
Carlotta felt the cold touch of metal from the lace choker. Blinking in confusion, she raised her hand to her neck. But she stopped abruptly at the second concubine’s chilling words.
“Don’t touch it carelessly. If you’re not careful, your neck might cut off immediately.”
“…What? You’re joking, right? Why…”
Carlotta forced a smile and turned to meet the second concubine’s eyes. At that moment, it felt like she was struck by lightning.
“Ah…”
The kindness she believed in all along was actually madness wrapped in a facade of kindness. Realizing this brought a surge of fear. But by then, the magical tool was already around her neck.
The second concubine lovingly cupped her trembling daughter’s face and forced her to meet her gaze. Her gentle smile was terrifyingly eerie.
“Lottie, my dear daughter.”
“Sob, M-Mother. Why are you doing this to me…”
“The third prince is foolishly stubborn and won’t be able to just watch you die, even if you’re my daughter.”
The second concubine spoke in a serene tone, stroking Carlotta’s cheek. Carlotta wanted to escape her touch, but fear had paralyzed her, leaving her unable to move a finger. The second concubine, gazing lovingly at her daughter, gave her an order.
“So go and bring the third prince. Quietly, discreetly. So no one knows.”
“Sob…”
“So that even if he disappears from this world, no one will know his whereabouts.”
That’s why Carlotta had come to find Kayden before the parade. With the help of a low-level spirit, she had managed to sneak past people’s eyes and make it here, her legs shaking all the way. It was to survive.
“Ha…”
Though Carlotta didn’t explain, her behavior and the magical tool on her neck gave Kayden a rough idea of the situation. He let out a bitter laugh and covered his face with one hand. His face, hidden beneath his palm, twisted in anguish.
How cruel…
Kayden Seirik Bluebell couldn’t ignore Carlotta, who had been caught unaware, simply basking in her mother’s love. The second concubine knew this all too well, just like how Rebecca had burned down an innocent village to lure him in before Diana’s regression.
“Please, come with me…” Carlotta sobbed, clutching the edge of Kayden’s sleeve.
Kayden looked at her with a troubled expression. “… I’ll go, but don’t be surprised…”
From the hallway outside, he could faintly hear Patrasche reminding the knights of the Fourth Order of the precautions to take during the parade. Once the knights were briefed, Patrasche would come looking for Kayden.
“Don’t be conspicuous.”
The image of young Carlotta, who had once looked down at him with contempt, overlapped with the crying Carlotta before him. Patrasche’s voice and Carlotta’s cold voice swirled chaotically in his mind.
“Kayden.”
Above it all, Diana’s smiling face suddenly appeared in his mind. Kayden closed his eyes tightly.
Ah. The moment Diana’s face appeared, the first thing he said to himself was, ‘I’m sorry.’ His mind was endlessly complicated, but his heart had already made a decision.
“…Damn it.” Muttering a small curse, he grabbed Carlotta’s arm and jumped out the window.
This happened two hours before the founding festival parade was set to begin.
* * *
About an hour and a half before the parade started, Diana was sitting in front of the podium, chatting with Elliott and Fleur.
“This isn’t a dream, right? It’s hard to believe Prince Kayden is really leading the founding festival parade with His Majesty…”
“Sniff…”
“Elliott? Are you crying?”
“But… seeing Kayden all grown up and leading the parade brings tears to my eyes…”
…It was less of a conversation and more of Diana listening to the two of them doting on Kayden.
Diana tried to calm them with an awkward smile, but their genuine affection for Kayden warmed her heart. Especially Elliott, who couldn’t stop crying even though nearby nobles were giving him odd looks.
Kayden…
Hi, now you can purchase 5 advance chapters in here.
