When we returned, the other three children were already sitting around the gazebo.

I stepped back a bit and signaled to Artair. He also immediately bowed to the Crown Prince.

“I apologize for causing a disturbance, Your Highness. This will not happen again. I will accept any punishment you deem fit.”

A neat apology.

The kind-hearted Crown Prince waved his hand without pressing the issue.

“No, it’s fine. If you wish to go back, should I call a separate imperial carriage for you?”

I looked at Callen with a bit of concern.

Did he think Eciel alone could handle the two Astariols?

Even though my social skills were below average, Lady Sisana was even worse.

However, before Artair could respond, the young Astariol displayed her severe lack of social skills.

This time, towards me.

“Lucy. Is that boy your Tara?”

For the first time, Callen raised his voice.

“Lucrezia!”

My sister, who had just taken a sip of tea, choked and coughed repeatedly.

Meanwhile, Artair had a mixed expression of overwhelming fear and disgust.

‘… I see. Since his parents abhor magic, he would only know Tara from the scriptures.’

Didn’t the scripture describe Tara as nothing but a demon?

If Astariol pointed to him as a demon, even the most steadfast person would feel a chill.

I spoke with a light sigh.

“For now… Your Highness, may we sit?”

The round table had two empty seats, one on each side of Lady Sisana.

Callen hurriedly nodded.

… it wouldn’t be surprising if the Empress and the Crown Prince went on a sudden retreat after today’s meeting.

I felt a slight regret as I sat next to my sister.

I gently patted my sister’s back, who was still coughing painfully.

“There, Eciel. Calm down. It’s okay.”

With Lady Sisana’s known lack of social skills, she might have immediately asked another blunt question… but she didn’t.

Only after my sister had somewhat calmed down did I lift my head.

Everyone was looking at me.

Artair, hesitantly sitting next to Lady Sisana, Callen watching my sister with concern, and even Lady Sisana herself.

Among them, I met the most ambiguous golden eyes.

“You care for your sister.”

The tone was very unexpected.

But I didn’t get particularly angry. I understood well how bizarre the sight must have been to them and the other children.

My sister, now able to speak again, responded on my behalf.

“Claire likes me.”

Lady Sisana tilted her head slightly.

Black hair, golden eyes, and features that were inhumanly well-arranged. The face of the beautiful girl was enough to render people speechless.

But Eciel continued without hesitation.

“Claire likes me, likes our family, likes books, and likes blowing dandelion seeds into the wind.”

Her firm voice hopped across the table to Lady Sisana.

“She doesn’t like meeting people, but she goes with me if I ask. She doesn’t like sweets, but she eats them if I want to.”

The unemotional golden eyes began to waver slowly.

Staring at Eciel, then me, and finally at Artair, who had ended up sitting beside her.

A very clear and firm incomprehension.

I almost laughed out loud.

I understood the myriads of questions likely surfacing in that child’s mind.

Of course, it must have looked like a Tara.

Astariol, emotionally stirred by someone, despite knowing it wasn’t rational, went and brought them.

Even I, who caused it, didn’t understand it yet.

Neither would she.

But an Astariol who simply cared for his twin sisters was also beyond that child’s understanding.

If Artair were really my Tara…

‘If Artair were my Tara, I wouldn’t have just calmed my sister knowing he’d be uncomfortable sitting next to Lady Sisana.’

Lady Sisana, going through a similar thought process, asked awkwardly.

“Who is your Tara?”

I lowered my gaze a bit.

I could lie or make up an excuse. It wouldn’t be hard to deceive the naïve young Astariol.

I knew better than anyone.

So, in the end, I chose honesty.

“If you mean someone like my mother, I haven’t met him yet.”

Lucrezia looked even more puzzled.

“But…”

Yes, of course.

However, it wasn’t Eciel or Artair.

That was certain.

The father I knew… the father who loved my mother wasn’t like this.

My mother’s despair didn’t become the reason my father was drawn to her.

My father loved even my mother’s pain but never wanted her to be in despair and pain.

‘He said he would rather go back to the time when my mother was at the magic tower if he could.’

To a time when she lost nothing and was not hurt.

But I was drawn to Artair’s despair and indifferent to his hope.

This wasn’t normal.

This… couldn’t be called a Tara.

It had to be.

I reaffirmed.

“Just because you’re an Astariol doesn’t mean you can only be emotionally moved by meeting your Tara.”

“…”

“You just learned that way, Lucrezia.”

She slightly flinched.

In contrast, my voice flowed quietly and clearly without wavering.

“Have you ever actually seen an Astariol who met their Tara?”

“… no.”

“I have.”

A man in the good weather and blooming flowers of May, overwhelmed by the joy of reunion to the point of appearing rather pained.

He said he loved even arrogance and downfall because of love.

If you were truly sorry to me, he urged, give me all your pain, guilt, and time.

I had seen Tara, and I had seen an Astariol who met his Tara.

And Lucrezia knew that too.

She was silent for a moment, then asked in a tone that could not understand.

“… then what is your sister, what is this child to you?”

Lucrezia was certainly naive about emotions and relationships between people.

If she had known people a little better, or had a bit more time to dig into me…

She might have noticed my dilemma.

But I always had my sister who supported me.

Then Eciel, staring at Lucrezia, cut in decisively.

“I’m Claire’s twin sister.”

“…”

“You wouldn’t understand because you don’t have a twin sister.”

Despite being the most sociable and friendly child here, her words were rather cold.

Of course, Lucrezia wasn’t particularly hurt by the harsh tone.

From the beginning, she wasn’t developed enough to be hurt by cold words.

She just acknowledged her ignorance and delved into a new question.

And finally, Artair, who had been silent, opened his mouth.

“… so, what exactly is Tara?”

Fortunately, he realized it wasn’t about demons.

It was unfortunate that he started with a question that Lucrezia wouldn’t answer, Callen couldn’t explain well, and I was reluctant to address.

After a moment of silence, Eciel replied grumpily.

“Our mother.”

It wasn’t wrong, but… it was insufficient to make Artair understand.

In the end, I spoke.

“You already know.”

“I, I do?”

I quietly looked at him. Until the moment understanding dawned on the initially perplexed boy’s face, stirring a wave of realization.

– Your father spent fifteen years fighting the Duke Sisana and the Great Temple for your mother, but not everyone cherishes their wife so dearly.

He had said it himself earlier.

That was Tara.

Someone Astariol irrationally cherished and was devoted to.

Even if it meant turning the whole world against them.

 

* * *

 

“It’s time to return to the Empress’s palace, Your Majesty. We’ve taken too much of your precious time.”

After enduring the troubles between her unkind mother and greedy, incompetent brother, the Empress had reached her limit.

Charlotte suggested the Empress flee.

“Ah…”

However, the Empress hesitated, worried that Charlotte and Duke Sisana would clash in her absence.

Understanding the Empress’s legitimate concern, Charlotte decided to disappear from the scene for her sake.

“If you permit, I would like to escort Your Majesty to the Empress’s palace.”

Only then did the Empress smile and nod.

As the disheartened Marquess Levantas tried to hide his disappointment at losing a vulnerable prey, Duke Sisana gave a brief, indifferent farewell.

“I’ll see you later. Take care, Your Majesty.”

“Yes. See you later, Mother.”

Then Duke Sisana’s gaze shifted to Charlotte.

Their eyes met.

Before the dangerous silence could break, the Empress urgently intervened.

“Duchess, let’s go now.”

Without another word to the remaining individuals, Charlotte turned away. Duke Sisana, equally, did not say any farewell.

After walking for a while, in a deserted area, the Empress cautiously looked around and stopped.

Naturally, Charlotte followed suit.

“Duchess, I… have something to tell you.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’m listening.”

The Empress, after sending away even her attendants, whispered quietly.

“I’m not entirely sure, but… my mother seems to be interested in your second daughter.”

… Eciel? Not Claire?

Charlotte looked at the Empress in momentary confusion.

However, the Empress’s face, filled with fear and misunderstanding, was too genuine to be deceitful.