The smile that seemed to gather all the light in the world quickly faded.

“… who dares.”

Once, words were shattered into pieces between his teeth.

“Who said such a thing?”

I closed my eyes tightly at the severe anger.

Countess Rocard said, “Perhaps Charlotte…,” while talking about the holy trial.

That clue was enough. The Holy Trial and Mom.

The three most extreme possibilities: to judge, to be judged, or to be irrelevant.

But if she was completely irrelevant, Countess wouldn’t have reacted that way.

And…

‘Even if she lost her magic, if a mage got involved in the holy trial, it would only be to be judged.’

Mom said she wanted an apology from the Pope, the Cardinals, Duke Sisana, and Lady Diclamen.

Now at least I knew the Pope and the Cardinals were guilty.

They must have dragged Mom into the holy trial to punish her.

But without much time to dwell on this, my father urged me softly and sensitively.

“Claire, who told you that?”

I answered compliantly like a falling leaf.

“No one told me, I just… somehow found out.”

“….”

“Really.”

If Mom had really stood before the holy trial, she wouldn’t have survived.

My whole body shivered.

I had guessed it was a serious mistake for which my mother wanted an apology, but still…

Then, my father’s cold words shattered the silence.

“Because of that incident, the Pope and Cardinals of that time were almost all deposed. The current high officials in the temple are all people who know their place.”

His tone was sharp enough to pierce flesh and break bones.

The more he suppressed his boiling anger and soaring heat, the more violent his words became. It was not anger that could be hidden just by trying.

But the hand that gently brushed my hair remained calm.

“That will never happen again.”

Never.

Dad pronounced the word with emphasis. His low, calm voice rose intensely.

I looked quietly into his eyes.

‘To ensure that, he replaced the Pope and Cardinals with people who would mind him.’

My father was not someone who cared about status, power, or wealth.

If he did, he wouldn’t have threatened Duke Sisana. He wouldn’t have pressured the temple to appoint people who suited him.

But Duke Sisana was still powerful, and the temple remained steadfast.

‘Flowers should not overflow, and the sword should not be lacking.’

Dad’s sword was never lacking, but it didn’t strike the innocent.

So… if someone was innocent, they wouldn’t be swept away just by standing next to Nathan Colta.

That alone reassured me somewhat.

But Dad still had a stern face. The joyful and peaceful expression from earlier had vanished.

After a moment of thought, I spoke.

“Dad. I briefly went outside the mansion today.”

“I know.”

“I bought you a gift on my way back. I also bought ink for Eciel.”

“…. what?”

Despite the surprised reaction, I continued firmly.

“Eciel is learning to write letters from Louis lately, and she said she wants to write to you.”

“….”

“But since she’s only learned how to respond to invitations, she wants you to send her an invitation first.”

His violet eyes, shining like stars, stared down at me.

If this were when we first met, I might have been a little scared… but now, seeing his inner turmoil reflected in every word I said, I couldn’t be afraid at all.

“But she insisted you write <Beloved Eciel> instead of <Dear Eciel>.”

“There’s not much difference between <dear> and <beloved>.”

“I told her that too.”

“And?”

“She asked if that meant you didn’t love her.”

Dad laughed helplessly.

He couldn’t dismiss Eciel’s words, and he couldn’t stay angry for long in front of me.

In the end, a gentle promise blossomed from his lips like a flower.

“Tell her I will.”

“Okay. Then Eciel will reply with <To my beloved father>, even though it’s usually not allowed.”

A breath mixed with a sigh, laughter, and joy escaped him slightly.

“So, is the gift you prepared for me in that box?”

“Yes.”

“You got ink for Eciel, so what did you get me? A pen nib?”

“Something similar.”

“Can I open it now?”

I hesitated slightly before speaking.

“If I may ask one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“I heard that Lady Sisana is giving writing instruments as a gift for His Highness the Crown Prince’s birthday.”

His elegant eyes lowered deeply.

It was just a glance and a casual action, but it suddenly felt chilly.

I spoke slowly, adding more words.

“I don’t exactly understand what it means, and I don’t know why it was told to me… but there must be a reason why it was mentioned to me.”

“….”

“Dad. What does that mean?”

His long, graceful fingers tapped lightly on the table.

But instead of evading like I did, he answered directly and swiftly.

“It means exactly what it says.”

A beautifully crafted smile suddenly appeared on his face.

A splendid smile that seemed to carve through a glacier with a north wind.

“Charlotte and His Highness the Crown Prince have birthdays quite close together. And at the Crown Prince’s current age, he invites children around his age to play.”

“….”

“It seems Lady Sisana’s first gift for that occasion is writing instruments.”

Lucrezia Yere Sisana.

The name I memorized flashed in my mind.

There were other children who could be called <Lady Sisana>, but the one Dad and Leah Fawcett were referring to was certainly her.

The eldest granddaughter of Duke Sisana.

‘She is Astariol.’

But there were still many unresolved questions, so I asked carefully.

“Then, Dad…”

“Are you and Eciel not invited?”

The reason Lady Sisana was invited was clear.

Similar age, niece of the Empress, high status. There was no reason not to be invited.

But all those conditions also applied to me and Eciel.

If Lady Sisana was invited, there was no way we wouldn’t be. Leah Fawcett must have thought so too, which was why she warned me not to accidentally give the same gift.

But it was the first time I had heard of it.

“… why didn’t you tell me in advance?”

“Because I didn’t plan to send you and Eciel there.”

Dad’s answer was dry and straightforward. It was at least within the range of expected answers.

I lowered my gaze slightly and then met his eyes again.

“But it’s an opportunity that would benefit Eciel and me.”

“Well…”

His calm voice dropped a tone.

His voice, dramatically gentle and chillingly elegant, lent credibility to his arrogant words.

“Is that <benefit> really necessary?”

“….”

“You’re my daughter, and you’ll be the next Duke Chelsiers. You’ll lead the East. You don’t need anyone’s help for that.”

I was overwhelmed by his certainty.

As I was unable to speak for a moment, Dad whispered to me soothingly.

“Of course, even if <help> isn’t absolutely necessary, it could still be meaningful.”

His straight fingers gently stroked the box on the table.

“The gift you gave me made me happy on its own, and there could be help that’s valuable in its own right.”

Dad then paused to think. Perhaps he was considering how to explain this calculating world to his nine-year-old daughter.

But if there were a way, I would have already used it with Eciel first.

In the end, Dad spoke reluctantly.

“But help here is just a transaction of interests… in the end, they won’t truly be <friends>. There’s no reason to meet them in advance.”

Mom said something similar.

– In that place, <friendship> isn’t personal; it’s an exchange between families.

And then she said I would become the heir of this great family.

I sighed softly.

I still felt uncomfortable meeting new peer groups, I respected Louis, and I couldn’t be as certain about my future as Father was.

I hadn’t changed at all, but everything around me had, which felt somewhat difficult.

Dad must have known my feelings all along.

‘… so, he thought there was no need to force me if I didn’t want to.’

If it were Mom, she would have told me and given me a choice. Dad always seemed to think it wasn’t enough just to give me good things, things I wanted, and sweet things.

But that dedicated attitude didn’t seem strange.

Just as I saw my father for the first time, he also saw me for the first time.

Everyone was clumsy at first, making mistakes out of a desire to do better, and gradually improving.

I impulsively asked.

“Dad, do you love me?”

He laughed.

As if my words were pearls rolling and roses blooming, welcoming a miracle over the rainbow, without a moment’s hesitation.

“I loved you even before I knew you would be born.”

Love was sweet, soft, warm, and sparkling.

Thus, it was precious.

People enjoyed sweet things, chose soft things, cherished warm things, and valued sparkling things.

Knowing I was receiving such a precious heart, I still wanted something slightly different.

“Then, please believe in me a little more.”

“….”

“You designated me as your heir, so I need to go there.”