‘Now I understand a little.’
Why I used to hate Bianca so much when we were young.
It was true that I hated seeing her follow me around everywhere. It was annoying how she teased me without even knowing her place.
But even though she was in no better situation than I was, that girl grew up receiving our grandfather’s love.
Ricardo knew nothing about love. Just thinking about emotions he’d never received made his insides churn. Sharing that with someone else was even more impossible.
He simply knew that staying by the side of someone who had grown up loved only made him feel more pitiful.
The affection sent by that tiny girl felt almost like abuse, and it was unbearably hard to endure.
“Wow, our Duke had this kind of taste, huh.”
That’s when Elliot’s exclamation was heard. He was grinning as he showed a snow-white doll to him.
“What is this?”
It was a round doll with white fur. Ricardo furrowed his brow, then soon realized it was the doll he’d briefly seen in Bianca’s bag.
……Why is that here?
He had only a moment of suspicion before Elliot’s next words snapped him to attention.
“It’s cute. Can I have it as a gift?”
“Get lost.”
Ricardo spoke without hiding his weariness. Elliot pouted his lower lip and left the room.
Only then did Ricardo let out a sigh and approach the doll.
“…….”
Somehow, it looked just like that woman.
Ricardo tapped the doll’s head with his finger and unknowingly let out a laugh.
“So damn ugly……”
* * *
[There were originally two suns in the Empire.
But do you know why there’s only one now?
Because the other one is you, Bianca.
I always think about it.
How could such a lovely lady be my friend!
Is there anyone happier than me?
I’m sure the people of the world look up to me. And even if they don’t say it out loud, I bet they’re all wondering inside.
How did you become friends with Bianca? Please share your secret.
I can feel their burning curiosity just from the way they look at me!
So make sure you eat well, and I’m sending a few drawings you like.
With love, Rayler.]
Oh wow, she’s really playing around!
I scowled as I looked at the letter.
“That friend of yours?”
At Leon’s question, I quietly nodded. He fell into thought for a moment before tilting his head with a puzzled look.
“Then after your friend left, you were in Dians alone?”
“Not exactly……”
I trailed off.
First of all, I hadn’t told Cedric or Grandpa that I’d met Ricardo. It wasn’t exactly a topic I wanted to bring up anyway.
“Hmm……”
Leon’s eyes narrowed as he stared at me.
Ah, I really can’t lie to Leon after all.
In the end, unable to withstand his gaze, I raised both hands in surrender.
“……Please don’t misunderstand and just hear me out first.”
“Okay.”
“I was with Ricardo. I know it sounds suspicious, but we really met by chance.”
“I won’t misunderstand. I mean, it’s not like you stayed in the same room!”
Leon said, delivering a verbal blow with a bright smile.
“……Anyway, I heard Brother Cedric contacted you.”
I added cautiously, glancing at him. Leon mumbled with a disinterested look.
“Oh, right. I thought the bastard had finally decided to kill me.”
“Ha ha……, such a joke.”
“Does it sound like a joke to you?”
Apparently not.
Well.
Leon was always kind to me, but when it came to Cedric, he was always on edge.
He clearly had no intention of making up with him.
I didn’t really know what had happened between the two of them. But one thing was certain—it seemed like a quarrel caused by a misunderstanding, no matter how I looked at it.
Cedric claimed Leon had stolen something from him. On the other hand, Leon argued that he had simply taken what was rightfully his.
But the Leon I knew wasn’t the kind of person who would sneak around and steal someone’s belongings. That didn’t mean Cedric would have any reason to possess Leon’s things either.
‘……There’s definitely a misunderstanding here.’
I wanted to ask what had happened between the two of them, but when it came to that matter, both were stubborn. They had no intention of making up, so they seemed to think there was no point in even bringing it up.
Thinking back to when they were close, their relationship had actually been quite good. So only those who had watched over them from the sidelines were left feeling regretful.
People like me and Grandpa……
Just then, Leon flicked his fingers lightly in front of my eyes.
“More importantly, you should focus, Bianca.”
“Ah, sorry.”
“I brought the materials you asked for, but I’m not sure if they’ll help.”
The House of Count Owen had long-standing ties with the temple.
If you were to pick the family closest to the temple in the social world, most would confidently name the Owen family.
“……Brother, there’s something I’m curious about.”
I asked as I skimmed through the materials.
“What’s the reason the temple grows the World Tree? I mean, beyond the symbolic meaning, I’m curious about the fundamental reason.”
If I had asked that at the temple, they might have branded me a heretic and dragged me away.
So this was a question only Leon could be asked!
“The World Tree isn’t something grand. It started from the wish to protect something.”
To protect something……?
“The origin of the World Tree in the Drimokan Forest was about using magic to benefit humans. Though now, it’s considered heretical.”
I was glad I asked Leon. He would explain things in the neutral way I wanted.
“But at some point, the World Tree of Drimokan began to rot from within. If that continues, it’ll definitely cause problems for the magic currently used in the empire, right?”
“……Right.”
Like my grandfather.
“To stop that, the temple grew another World Tree. By using the concept of ‘protect’ a bit differently, they’re trying to seal the one in Drimokan.”
“Seal it?”
“Yeah. If they just extract the benefits of Drimokan, everyone can be happy.”
Leon stretched as he said that.
“But why are you suddenly interested in the World Tree?”
“No reason. I was just wondering if the Drimokan curse really exists……”
“There were rumors about it after the war.”
Leon paused for a moment in thought.
“……Since something similar happened to the House of Hessen, you could definitely call it a curse.”
I didn’t know the details of the Hessen family. I figured there was no need to care in the first place.
But what I did know was that Ricardo, like me, had lost his parents early on. However, it wasn’t certain whether that was the price in blood Elizabeth had mentioned.
‘……Did they say his mother committed suicide?’
I remembered it was just briefly mentioned in the original story as part of Ricardo’s tragic family background. It wasn’t treated as something important—just a device for the female lead to comfort his wounds.
“Well, I understand why you’re concerned about Drimokan…… but it’s best not to get involved if you can help it.”
Leon cautiously offered his advice while watching my reaction. He must believe, like Elizabeth, that the curse was real.
A curse……
“Thank you. I’m not planning to dig too deeply, so don’t worry.”
That was a lie. It was already too late to turn back now.
“……Well, that’s a relief.”
Leon hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a casual tone.
“There’s been a rumor for a while. On the night of a full moon, the World Tree’s barrier weakens.”
“……”
“Who knows. Maybe on that day, the empire’s hidden secrets might be revealed.”
The day of the full moon.
It felt like clues were beginning to faintly emerge through the hazy fog.
“I didn’t expect you to share this kind of information.”
“It’s just a rumor. No credibility.”
If we were going by credibility, there were a million things in this world that wouldn’t pass.
“It’s just that……”
“……?”
“I wanted you to know that there’s someone who’ll be there for you when you need help.”
Leon lifted the corner of his mouth in a faint smile.
“It’s even better if that person’s close by.”