Probably, when Evan promised my father the right to amnesty, he likely spoke first.

Since this was the magic powered by Charlotte, because you are dependent on me, I decided to trust you and promised to grant amnesty.

There must have been a significant reason.

It could be seen as a seemingly rational reason to grant generous amnesty to the daughter of a traitor at first glance.

‘But maybe, even without that magic, this person might have eventually granted amnesty to Mom.’

With such conjecture, my thoughts calmly flowed.

Many emotions that I hadn’t understood before now seemed transparently clear in my hands.

Affection, remorse, pain, sorrow…

Harmless emotions with their edges worn down, rolling like beads in Evan’s heart.

‘At first, he might have tried to suppress and confine them.’

He would have tried to neatly pack them into drawers of his heart.

But whenever he thought of Mom, his heart would sway abruptly.

Each time, they would spring back, scatter, sink into an abyss where they could not be found…

To the point where they could no longer be suppressed alone.

Sitting amidst the sadness overflowing from Evan, I raised a teacup for the first time and sipped the lukewarm tea appropriately.

It must be the crown prince’s taste, since it was the reception room of the crown prince’s palace. Unlike a child’s taste, the flavor was neat and sophisticated.

Like Mom’s taste.

Evan also raised his teacup and took another sip.

He was now watching the side conversation between Eciel and the prince.

The two children, who hesitated at first, now whispered lively voices that could be heard until here.

“Fermata is really not hot at all. You can even touch it.”

“Whoa! Did you touch it?”

Watching that peaceful conversation for a moment, Evan suppressed a smile.

A belated response that returned calmly.

“… yes, you’re right. The magic circle is <recorded>, so no matter what you do now, you can’t erase it.”

A voice permeated with deep despair.

He probably tried all sorts of things to break it.

However, the authority of the <Record> could only be intervened by the current owner. Depending on the owner’s ability, the medium through which <records> could be made varied, but once completed, it never changed.

You couldn’t erase the <record> no matter how much you tried to burn, break, or tear the medium.

That was the essence of the authority called <record>.

Leaving behind a fact that would last forever.

‘… then Mom can never retrieve her magic power in her lifetime.’

Though I had already suspected it, I closed my eyes with renewed bitterness.

Evan said gently.

“Anyway, my story ends here. Is that enough of an answer for you?”

“Yes.”

When I nodded, he looked at me with a slightly curious expression. Similar to when Louis decided that I was different from Dad.

He recognized my differences from other Astariol.

“Perhaps you’ve already met Tara?”

“No.”

Dad said I would know as soon as I saw him. But I’d never felt that kind of feeling before.

When I firmly shook my head, the Emperor tilted his head in puzzlement and suddenly muttered to himself.

“Is it because they’re twins?”

I looked at him in puzzlement, what did it matter if I was born a twin?

“What changes if I’m a twin?”

“Usually, Astariols cannot be born as twins. The fragile human fetus cannot withstand the divine nature of the demigod twins.”

… it was fortunate that I put down the teacup long ago. If I had held it, I would have definitely dropped it.

“But… Eciel and I… We’re twins.”

I argued hesitantly.

While realizing Dad’s gaze was gradually becoming sharper, I couldn’t help but hesitate.

The memory of us holding hands alone in Mom’s womb was still vivid. Was I almost killing Eciel there?

Evan looked at my confusion and said with a slight smile.

“That’s why you’re quite extraordinary.”

“… me?”

“Even so, there are records about twin Astariols, so if you get a chance, you should look it up in the temple later. You haven’t been able to go because you’ve been urgently receiving only necessary education for the banquet.”

Now his face was animated again with mischief. An attitude that clearly indicated he wouldn’t answer directly.

I nodded helplessly.

… with such a relaxed attitude, it must be no big deal.

“Now that Ashel seems really upset, can you tell him it’s okay?”

He reclined again with a nonchalant attitude.

I also glanced at Dad.

Dad couldn’t stand it any longer and was walking this way. Even when I waved my hand saying it was okay, he didn’t hesitate at all.

Before I knew it, Eciel and the crown prince’s gaze also turned in this direction. It seemed that my father’s mood was very unusual.

… to be honest, I was curious as to how Evan was still so relaxed.

‘Was that because of the Emperor’s authority? Or do you believe it will be okay because you were best friends?’

Dad stopped behind the chair I was sitting on and spoke quietly. I clearly felt the backrest being held behind my shoulders.

“… I believe you have now finished speaking. Can I take my daughters with me?”

After looking at my father blankly, Evan didn’t even pretend to listen and just said what he wanted to say.

“You know you’re really overprotective, right? Let’s say it’s Eciel. But what are you going to do when Claire meets Tara later?”

Dad’s purple eyes glanced down at me.

A look of concern briefly passed over his cold face. He couldn’t hide his shaking just hearing those words.

Although he soon returned to his usual cold indifference… the look on my father’s face just now was clearly agitation.

Evan, who had unexpectedly taken aim at the right weak point, blinked and then asked a little confused.

“… hey. I told you, she’s only nine years old. Are you already worried about that?”

For a moment, Dad glared at Evan in annoyance. However, the other person did not give in and tilted his head.

“No, it’s really like that. Your daughter is only nine years old, and you’re already worried about having a son-in-law you don’t like.”

Eciel and the crown prince, who were looking at this way, looked away as if they thought nothing was going to happen.

However, it seemed to me that the real conflict began now…

“Your Majesty only has His Highness the Crown Prince, so it can’t be helped if you feel that way.”

Dad’s voice was cold.

The people in the banquet hall earlier might have been contemplating upon hearing this voice, but Evan answered, almost slouching on his chair.

It was leisurely and even tone.

“Won’t your daughter feel different? She’s different from you.”

As soon as my dad heard that, he laughed briefly. It was close to ridicule.

“… why not?”

“I committed a discourtesy. As far as I know, it’s funny that someone who doesn’t have a daughter would say something like that.”

“… why is there <as far as I know>?”

“Maybe it already exists without you knowing it? So, I said that.”

… dad. Dad was a truly unique case.

Just before Evan got angry, my father returned to a completely expressionless expression and spoke briefly.

“Could you please just send the children away? Charlotte is in the banquet hall, so I have to send the kids away and return soon.”

After hearing about my mother, Evan seemed to have lost all sense of playfulness.

He sat down on the chair again with a listless attitude and gestured.

“Go, go. Go away. Just live like that for the rest of your life with your wife and daughters.”

“Thank you. It’s my wish.”

Why was it that Dad couldn’t say pleasant things when others were listening and said annoying things so well?

Shouldn’t both require some understanding of ordinary people’s psychology?

‘One is skillful, but why is the other…’

“Whoa, that, whoa…”

Even Evan stumbled over his words, but Dad looked at him quietly with a refreshed face and called Eciel.

“Eciel, let’s go home. Come here.”

What the Fermata looked like, what sound it made, and how bright its heart was.

Even as she was in the middle of talking with the crown prince, Eciel stood up without any hesitation. The crown prince looked just as disappointed as he did when he first met me.

The hesitant crown prince followed Eciel and asked Dad.

“Lord Chelsiers.”

Dad looked at him silently.

It seemed difficult for him to ignore the crown prince as he did with others.

The crown prince’s expression as he received his calm purple gaze was not fear but anticipation.

“Could you, perhaps, show me Fermata next time, if the opportunity arises?”

“I don’t even know where it has been lately.”

Eciel looked up at Dad intently. Green eyes that were not much different from the crown prince’s.

After briefly meeting Eciel’s innocent pupils, Dad immediately responded as if he were shedding dead leaves.

“… but when the time comes for it to return and stay, I’ll mention it separately.”

The child’s face, which had turned into a pout at the beginning of a refusal, brightened dramatically. Eciel’s face also brightened.

I smiled slightly.

Eciel had always quickly become close to others.

It was always so common and everyday thing for others to show kindness to Eciel.

‘It was always amazing, and I wondered how it could happen…’

Perhaps all of that was because Eciel first showed kindness to those people.

As Eciel had persuaded Dad with just one glance.

That was how we left the crown prince’s palace.

Now the night had deepened even more, but the faint music and sparkling lights flowing from the banquet hall were vivid even from a considerable distance away.

Eciel happily walked in sync with the music, holding Dad’s right hand.

Footsteps that were not at all like the daughter of Duke Chelsiers.

It was like a young child who used to roam small villages, picking flowers in meadows to make flower rings.