“…Aren’t you two supposed to be friends?”

“Friends for the sake of being friends, only to backstab and use each other, sure. But he’s not exactly a friend.”

Roen’s response was glacial. Violet’s eyes narrowed. As they say, ‘birds of a feather flock together,’ and there were indeed many similarities between Roen and Rajaden.

“I see.”

“It’s not just that. What exactly is he thinking? He keeps bumping into things as he walks, and in situations where he would usually get angry, he just smiles and lets it go… I wish he would get angry instead, but him just laughing it off makes it seem like he’s really gone insane.”

Speaking frankly in a way that could be reported as blasphemy against the crown, Roen remained serious throughout. Violet slightly furrowed her brows upon hearing that she had seen less of the strangeness.

“Is he being that strange?”

“Yes, that strange. Even people around me have been asking me what’s wrong with him, saying they’re curious too…”

Roen sighed.

Roen was quite perceptive. This trait often worked against him due to his temperament, but it was undeniable.

Therefore, if he had ever felt love even once, he would have immediately realized that his friend’s symptoms were of lovesickness.

However, he was unfamiliar with the realm of love and, even if he knew, would have dismissed it with ‘that crown prince?’

As a result, whatever Rajaden did in front of him, Roen remained clueless.

Seeing Roen disgusted by the crown prince’s undue friendliness, Violet also sighed.

She hoped this would be an opportunity for her to keep a suitable distance and be moderately friendly, all the while keeping the line firmly between them.

At the same time, she wished that Roen would also realize how creepy it was—that part about being overly kind without thinking.

Unfortunately, Roen seemed too preoccupied with the crown prince’s odd behavior to consider such thoughts.

The best answer Violet could come up with was this.

“Ask him directly.”

“About what?”

“About why he’s acting so strangely.”

“……”

Roen fell silent at Violet’s suggestion.

In a society where cunning manipulation and not revealing one’s true intentions were seen as skills, such a straightforward approach was something he had never considered.

Roen, about to reflexively object, barely held back and pondered.

What would be the appropriate response?

“He’s not someone who would answer even if I asked.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. If he was the kind of person who’d talk about such things, back when we were at the academy, he would have…”

“But you said this is a first.”

Grinding his teeth, Roen faced Violet’s calm statement. He almost yelled, ‘But you don’t know him like I do…!’

Violet simply looked at him with a serene expression.

“Even if he doesn’t answer, you could deduce something, right? That’s your specialty, isn’t it?”

“…Sometimes, I don’t understand what you’re thinking.”

“Thinking you can fully understand others is arrogance, Your Lordship.”

Violet gave him a small smile. Roen knew there was no sincerity in that smile.

You might know the depths of a river but not the heart of a person. Without asking, you’ll never know.

This was unfamiliar territory for Roen, who prided himself on his astute skill of understanding others.

“…Is that so.”

Roen grimaced.

In any case, he should just ask the crown prince directly. Whether he probed subtly or asked outright didn’t matter.

Whatever the response, Roen could simply tell him, ‘Instead of worrying about this and that, you should properly attend to the state affairs.’

Roen had gone through days of contemplation, now coming to this point. Roen looked at Violet with an ambiguous expression.

She appeared no different from usual, despite having kept to herself for a while.

“Violet.”

As he called her name, Violet slightly frowned.

It was a very subtle change, but Roen—true to his sharp perception—caught it immediately.

The silent protest to not call her name so affectionately made Roen exhale quietly.

There was still a long way to go.

“What?”

“Are you going to continue being like this with Cairn?”

Roen’s blunt inquiry caused Violet’s brow to furrow once again, this time more noticeably.

“Why are you bringing that up?”

“It’s painful to watch.”

When Violet shot back, Roen just replied with a bitter smile.

Unresolved past issues, lingering resentments from time gone by. Roen knew these times all too well and had decided not to meddle in his younger siblings’ affairs.

However, the thought that he might be making the same mistakes as their father had started to gnaw at him.

He knew all too well the outcome of leaving things be, thinking they would resolve themselves.

But as one of the parties involved, Roen felt he shouldn’t interfere.

Despite keeping silent up until now, he was reaching his limit. He’s getting fatigued from gauging his siblings’ feelings and waiting for the ambiguous situation to unfold.