Chapter 12
“‘S-sorry, Your Highness. It’s just… I was so hungry….’”
“You said you couldn’t come to dinner because your stomach wasn’t feeling well… Was that just an excuse?”
That day was the monthly family dinner. Even the busy Grand Duke and Grand Duchess made time for the evening meal. With both princes gathered in the grand dining hall, Karia had used a stomachache as an excuse to skip the family gathering.
And now, rummaging through the kitchen at this hour—Alcard, who would have beaten any intruder senseless, was left speechless with disbelief.
“You, you know… I get it that you’re scared of Father and Mother, but you can’t avoid them your whole life. I get scolded all the time too! Today alone, Mother lectured me endlessly about neglecting my studies for swordsmanship…”
Alcard scolded the little sibling who slyly dodged a painful moment, annoyed by her cheekiness. He had always been simple-minded, indifferent to the chatter about illegitimate children or scandalous rumors.
All he knew was that suddenly, unexpectedly, a younger sibling appeared—and that sibling was small, timid, and frustratingly awkward.
“Ha, at least ask the servants to bring you a snack. What is this, acting like a little mouse?”
“—I-I’m sorry.”
“I’m not asking for an apology!”
He didn’t know how to deal with Karia, who was so completely different from him. She was his sister in name only; the only resemblance between them was the royal blonde hair. That was it.
“I’ll leave now, so eat slowly. Don’t choke.”
It wasn’t that he disliked Karia. But ever since childhood, she had always flinched whenever he approached due to his size, so Alcard had avoided getting close.
However, even someone as slow-witted as him gradually began to sense something strange in the atmosphere over time.
“Why are you tucked away in the corner again? Come, have some tea with me.”
“Oh, no. I’m fine.”
Whenever she had to visit the palace to meet their uncle, the Emperor, or to see her cousins, Karia would always stand apart, at a distance.
Even if she nervously fiddled with her nails, nobody paid her any attention.
Her elder brother and cousins could sometimes be irritating, but they were not cruel by nature. Yet, they never offered even small gestures of kindness to their blood relative, Karia.
“I… I’m comfortable here.”
“But…”
If it were because she was shy around relatives, she could have taken the initiative to speak first and ease the tension. Alcard tried to take the lead to ease the discomfort between them—but it didn’t go that easily.
Only after quite some time did he understand the invisible wall between them: the fallen honor of their father, the troubled heart of their mother. The arrival of illegitimate Karia had brought many wounds to the family.
Alcard did not hate Karia. But even if it wasn’t her fault, he couldn’t force his wounded family to love her.
Time passed sluggishly. Alcard joined the royal knight corps and became busier than ever, leaving no chance for meaningful conversation.
Eventually, Karia married and left the Grand Duke’s residence, and their relationship remained largely the same as in childhood.
“Long time no see.”
Yet Karia’s memory was slightly different. She had liked Alcard as a child. How could she dislike someone who had been kind to her in the otherwise harsh Grand Duke’s residence?
But whenever Karia tried to approach him, there was always an obstacle.
For example, during her first royal hunting tournament, she had courageously accepted his offer to accompany her.
“Alcard, brother!”
Before she could even finish speaking, a tiny girl in a bright red dress adorned with jewels ran up and linked her arm with Alcard’s.
The girl, always dressed in the finest outfits in the capital, was Princess Servis, the Emperor’s youngest daughter. She would wiggle her chubby cheeks and give Karia the most cunning look, pulling Alcard toward her.
“Come on, the hunting festival is about to start!”
“I know, but…”
“The Royal Knight Corps will be demonstrating swordsmanship!”
“Oh, right!”
Alcard hesitated between the timid, boring younger sister and the Royal Knight Corps’ sword demonstration. But the outcome was decided before it even began.
He was effortlessly dragged away by the tiny princess, who was half his size, without any resistance.
“K-Karia! Then, come when you want, okay?”
It had always been like that. Alcard acted as though he cared for Karia but never took her side when family issues arose. The weakest among the royals, she was always sidelined, reduced to a tiny, sand-grain-sized girl.
“Hypocrite.”
A conscience that doesn’t act sides with evil. Of course, Karia would not resent Alcard—he had no obligation to care for her. But she would reclaim the trust and affection she had once given him. After all, he had only given her empty hope and never truly been there for her.
To Karia, the man before her now was merely someone half-related by blood.
“What brings the Grand Duke’s son to the Pandeon estate?”
“My father said he had documents to deliver to the Duke of Pandeon, so I brought them. For some reason, he missed the ceremony. So, what do you mean by raising your hand? And…”
Alcard gave Karia an awkwardly friendly smile. But the moment his gaze shifted sideways, the smile vanished. His massive figure, already larger than most men, exuded a threatening aura as his expression stiffened.
Lamia, receiving that gaze, turned pale.
“Is the young lady always so disrespectful to her mother?”
“Eek!”
Lamia quickly hid behind Karia’s skirt. Whenever she acted defiantly, she now cleverly used Karia as a shield.
Karia didn’t bother removing the trembling girl but rebuked the immature man in a clearly annoyed tone.
“I didn’t realize the captain of the Royal Knight Corps was meant to threaten children.”
“Hey, but—”
“Don’t call me ‘hey,’ Your Highness. Even so, I am the mistress of the Pandeon estate.”
Karia’s clear boundary left Alcard pouting, slumping his shoulders. Anyone familiar with his usual dignified knightly demeanor would have been shocked at this ridiculous display.
“If you’ve delivered the documents to the Duke, you may leave. I know you’re busy.”
“That’s all you have to say to a brother you haven’t seen in three years?”
Though they lived in the same capital, it had been years since they last met.
The Grand Duchess had prevented Karia from participating in social events, worried she would tarnish the Pandeon family’s reputation. In reality, she just wanted to exert influence over the aristocracy as the de facto lady of the estate.
After her marriage, Karia was sent to her domain immediately. She could only return to the capital for Prince Robert’s coronation—her first and last family gathering since marriage.
Alcard, having no interest in her situation, shamelessly complained. Karia felt the urge to punch his strong jaw.
“If you have time, have some tea. And stop using endless excuses about being sick. I brought you something.”
“-An excuse about being sick? Me?”
“Yes, every time!”
‘Every time,’ he said. That meant he had come for her at least twice.
Yet Karia had never received any notice of his visits.
And an excuse about being sick? She had been perfectly fine until a few months ago. Minor colds aside, she had never pretended to be ill. And now, refusing visitors because of sickness? Clearly, the Grand Duchess had interfered.
“Ha… so what is it you brought?”
Though infuriating, Karia sighed internally. How deep and irrational could the Grand Duchess’ grudge be? What was so great about that indifferent man?
Yet Karia didn’t lash out. She wouldn’t let it slide entirely, but this was only adding a line to the list of the Grand Duchess’ past misdeeds.
“Tch, you’ve gotten cold since I last saw you. Here, take it.”
“-What is this?”
“A birthday present.”
Alcard clicked his tongue at her cold attitude and pulled out a small box from his chest, no bigger than his palm.
Karia studied the box, which looked luxurious even beneath the velvet, and reached for it.
Inside was a ruby ring, as red as her own eyes. The large gemstone was set into a gold band engraved with the royal crest—a remarkably extravagant piece.
“But… a birthday present? I don’t even know when my birthday is.”
“Exactly. Since you never held a birthday celebration, at least take a proper gift. Soon, it’ll be the day you arrived at the Grand Duke’s residence.”
