Chapter Text
Today was the best day ever, I thought.
Now I feel like I can forgive all the unreasonable days that have happened up until now.
As we walked back to the northern annex, I walked beside my sister's mount.
I really wanted to escort her, but my sister is weak, so it can't be helped. I couldn't help but smile when I thought that I would be the one to escort my sister to the upcoming banquet, not my brother.
"My sister, may I invite you to a tea party tomorrow?"
"Yes. I'll prepare some new sweets. They were very popular at the Noble Academy."
"I'm looking forward to it. Please tell me about the Noble Academy."
My sister is busy at the castle, so I don't get to see her often, but now I can tell her without hesitation that I want to see her, and I felt happy.
My sister's expression was so cute that I couldn't help but look into her eyes.
When she sees me, her eyes sparkle and she has a soft expression. As if she was happy to see me.
"You two get along really well. That's unfair, Rozemyne has never shown me any kindness."
"That can't be helped. It's because of your everyday behavior."
"But Charles is cute. Wilfried isn't cute."
"Hm."
We said goodnight on the stairs and parted ways.
You're causing too much trouble for your sister. I definitely deserve to be next to you.
When I returned to my room, I was surrounded by my aides. They told me to give a proper report, their eyes frightening.
"I don't know what's going on... I'm surprised."
"So this is why you were called to the lord?"
"Yes. Father personally spoke to me about the engagement."
I told him about my conversation with Father in the lord's office. In order to prevent the story from being overturned, he made sure to keep his brother a secret, and then proposed marriage to her in a place where the lord's family and their entourage were gathered.
"Lord Wilfried was also called, wasn't he? What did Lord Wilfried say?"
"It seems that your brother doesn't want to get engaged to your sister. He has been helped so much by your sister, so it's strange that he doesn't like her, right?"
My entourage laughed at my words, with a troubled but amused look on their faces. It seems that I said something strange.
"Lord Charles really does favor his sister."
"So does that mean that Charles will be the next lord? Congratulations on your engagement."
"From the looks of things, Lady Rozemyne seems happy about the engagement. It's really a joyful thing."
"Congratulations. I can say that this engagement was the best thing for both of you and for Ehrenfest."
Everyone was celebrating, and I once again thought that today was the best day in the world.
I'll never feel so rewarded again.
"I was happy about my engagement to my sister, but I was also happy that Father gave me a choice, not just my brother."
A solemn atmosphere drifted through the room.
Until Grandma was replaced, everything revolved around my brother. My brother was given everything a lord's child could have, and I had nothing.
Grandma is gone. Things aren't what they used to be. I thought to myself.
"Lord Charles, Lord Wilfried requests permission to enter."
"At this time?"
I'm used to my brother's unexpected visits. Older brothers seem to confuse their younger brothers with their aides or something, and they manipulate them as they please, whenever they please.
While being stopped by the guardian knight, Wilfried shouted at Charles in the room.
"Charles! Come to my room!"
"What is going on?"
The aides gave me a displeased look, but I went outside and found my brother's aides waiting for me.
I was shaken and agitated, unlike the lord's child, and stopped dead. But my brother pushed me from behind.
"Oswald is being noisy. You should tell him too."
"What are you doing...?"
"Charles is saying that he stole Rozemyne from me."
Stealing her?! I couldn't understand why we were talking like that.
"You don't own my sister, do you?"
"That's right. I told my father that I have no desire to be engaged to Rozemyne."
Oswald came swiftly in front of me.
He looked down at us with a smile and said. His eyes were the only ones that weren't smiling.
"But Sir Wilfried, Sir Charles is not yet old enough to have entered the Noble Academy. He is probably not yet able to make wise decisions. The eldest son, Sir Wilfried, is more suitable for Lady Rozemyne, who is renowned as the Saint of Ehrenfest. Don't you think so?"
My feet trembled. I took a step back and bumped into my brother who was standing behind me.
My aides panicked behind me. They were my allies. Oswald was Grandma's subordinate, and my enemy.
Everything that had happened up until now came back to me.
I must never surpass my brother. I must give in. I must not appear before my brother.
"I am the one who is more suitable to be with my sister, not him!"
Oswald's eyes widened at my first rebuttal, as I had always been scrutinizing the expressions of those around me.
Grandma was gone. I would never be poisoned again, and I would never have my father's presents stolen.
Things are different now. Brother and I are equally the lord's children.
My hands and voice were trembling.
"I'm going to marry you! I won't give in to you!"
"Charles, say more."
Brother encouraged me. His palm was warm as it gently rested on my back.
"What?! What should I say?"
"Why not just state here how much you love Rozemyne?"
Why not?!?!?!
... Brother, give me your strength!
When I close my eyes, the image of my brave sister and Lesser comes to mind.
"When I was kidnapped two years ago, my sister flew off into the night sky on her beast mount. Ever since she fell asleep, I've been working hard to take her place. I'm the one who loves her more than anyone else. I'll stand beside her and repay her!"
"You really like Rozemyne, don't you?" My brother said, sounding exasperated. I hope you like my sister a little too! No, I'd be in trouble if you did!! I honestly don't understand why my brother is so indifferent to my sister, even though she's saved me from the threat of being dethroned twice.
"Lord Charles." My aide called out to me, and I remembered the usual warning. My confused head calmed down a little.
That's right. Like the son of a lord, I didn't bow my head, and I smiled confidently. "Both the person involved and the Aube have agreed to this engagement. Don't you think it would be unseemly to try to overturn it after the fact?"
He smiles.
"Isn't it enough now?" Lamprecht says to Oswald.
His brother intervenes.
"Okay, so you understand now? Charles loves Rozemyne. As his brother, I have to support Charles. After all, the woman he is marrying is Rozemyne."
He's saying something I can't stand to hear!
His brother's aides leave one after another, and I am surrounded by my own aides.
I crouch down on the spot, completely exhausted.
"Lord Charles, you have spoken well."
"I really don't like Oswald's methods. I will report this matter to Lady Florencia."
I wonder if he will be alive until the spring celebration after doing something like this.
Too many things have happened today.
I felt like a different person had begun to become.