When he said he wanted to marry Mom.

Bang.

It felt like I had been hit on the head.

‘I knew this would come up eventually.’

Hearing it in person left my mind blank.

I had to do my best not to let my face show anything.

On the contrary, maybe my reaction made her sure that I knew the context. The Countess did not bother to explain why.

“They say His Excellency just sat there and listened. And at the next assembly, the person who despised Charlotte the most wasn’t there.”

I felt a chill run through me.

A coldness that didn’t suit the bright summer afternoon slowly crept up my back.

But what would follow after this. Though I didn’t know that person’s appearance, others knew him as Dad.

I wanted to know even that part of Dad.

“…… why?”

The Countess’s posture as she lifted her  teacup was perfect. She now appeared calm and composed.

“Claire. What do you think His Excellency did?”

“The person who disliked Mom the most?”

“Yes.”

I lowered my gaze slightly. My thoughts were tangled fiercely in my mind.

What would Dad have done?

‘Could he have killed them? Someone who could attend the assembly?’

…… no. Let’s think rationally. Rationally. The assembly required a quorum to convene.

If he killed all the opposing people and didn’t meet the quorum, he couldn’t get the marriage approval.

‘…… if not murder, then kidnapping? Confinement?’

As my guesses kept leading to dead ends, I took a deep breath.

Let’s focus. Tracking Dad’s logic needed to be orderly and reasonable.

Even if the process wasn’t normal or legal.

After thinking hard for a while, I eventually gave up reconstructing Dad’s logic. The Countess had been waiting patiently until then.

I tried not to sigh as I spoke.

It was more a passing thought than what Dad might actually have done.

“Well…… you said they weren’t <there> during the assembly, so here is what I thought.”

“Yes, Claire. Please continue.”

“He somehow caused a minor accident, so that person couldn’t come to the assembly.”

“And then?”

“Then, after making others speculate for a while, once the recess ended and that person appeared…….”

I hesitated a bit, but finally answered honestly.

“Wouldn’t he have said, <You were lucky>?”

That was my best guess. The most I could deduce by following Dad’s logic.

You were lucky.

A plausible thing to say. To someone involved in a minor accident.

‘But if the person who caused the accident said this…….’

It was not a plausible statement, it was chilling. As if asking if they would test their luck again next time.

Countess Rocard smiled instead of shuddering at my words. It was a smile as if seeing a top student.

“Very close.”

“Pardon?”

“Of course, His Excellency’s abilities are particularly suited to that kind of thing, so it’s a bit different from your answer.”

Abilities? …… possession?

‘I thought it wasn’t an ability to be exposed in public…….’

The Countess took a sip of  tea and spoke calmly.

“I’m not part of the assembly, so I don’t know exactly. But I’m almost certain. No one knows how, but they say His Excellency <possessed> many of that person’s belongings.”

“…….”

“At first, a carriage window shattered. With no impact.”

From the start, it was chilling.

I swallowed hard. The Countess didn’t care at all.

“And a little later, I heard that person’s glasses broke.”

A carriage window…… fine. But when did he touch the glasses?

Before I could chew over the shock, the Countess continued speaking.

“A bit later… feeling something was strange, that person took out a handkerchief. Or rather, what was once a handkerchief, but was now in pieces.”

“…….”

“Perhaps an ordinary person would have given up there. That person eventually arrived at the assembly hall.”

Incredible nerve.

‘Well, they must have had the guts to say that in front of Dad…….’

While I forced myself to understand, the Countess sipped her  tea leisurely. Infinitely composed.

I was not as composed as the Countess. I finally urged her.

“And?”

“Next time, may fortune be with you. It is certain that Lord Chelsiers smiled and greeted them like that.”

I lightly bit my lower lip.

‘…… Dad almost never smiles at people outside the family. And it would be even rarer for him to wish someone luck.’

And yet, he was the prime suspect.

A person with the abilities, motives, and personality to commit such an act.

When such a person smiled and said, ‘Next time, may fortune be with you,’ it was……

‘It’s a blatant threat. What else could it be?’

Who would take those words at face value? At least those in the assembly would have realized it.

I had nothing to say. I just drank my  tea.

Whether she knew my confusion or not, the Countess’s next words were extremely mundane.

“And His Excellency received a majority’s consent that day.”

“…….”

“It was an extraordinary event where something that most initially opposed ended up passing with a majority’s approval.”

Who could have dared to oppose? It was more surprising it wasn’t unanimous.

No, more than that…… was that all? What happened to the person who opposed? Was he still alive?

‘I just wanted to know how Dad retaliated…….’

I had relieved one worry only to take on a new one. I nervously asked.

“What happened to that person?”

A peculiar expression flickered across the Countess’s face. She seemed to be contemplating or perhaps disconcerted.

“I understand why you’re asking, but don’t worry.”

After a pause, she lowered her voice even more.

“Duke Sisana and his family are doing very well.”

I blinked.

‘…… what? Duke Sisana?’

So…… Dad did that to Duke Sisana?

I was more frozen than the Countess had been a moment ago. Unable to control my expression.

Dolores Rocard spoke in a neutral tone.

“You’ll understand who Duke Sisana is when you meet them. I have only one thing to tell you.”

Barely managing not to stutter, I asked.

“…… what is it?”

“He is a loyal servant of Rom, but also the most <solid> Astariol. A rational person. He will not treat you unfairly because of that incident.”

Then, what about Mom?

I swallowed the lump of unspoken words.

The Countess surely noticed, but said nothing.

She just gave me time to organize my thoughts, elegantly straightening her body and sipping her  tea.

Thanks to that, I realized again.

‘Dad is really…… someone who shouldn’t be judged by common sense.’

Someone attending the assembly would be a distinguished noble. I had guessed that.

‘But to think it was Duke Sisana.’

One of the greatest contributors to the current Emperor’s ascension. The mother of the Empress. An Astariol of truth.

Duke Sisana was undoubtedly one of the most powerful people of this era.

Yeah. Dad respectfully said, <Next time, may fortune be with you>. There was no one else Dad would respect other than Duke Sisana.

I forced myself to suppress the shock.

Even though I had heard so much, my memory would neither vanish nor distort.

‘I’ll have plenty of time to reflect on this later alone.’

What I needed to focus on now wasn’t Duke Sisana. It was the northern nobles and related knowledge.

As soon as I pulled myself together and resumed the lesson, the Countess began listing the northern families I needed to remember.

‘I’ve noticed before…… no matter what happens, she stays on schedule.’

I looked at her, slightly dazed, but she only returned her characteristic gentle smile.

Because tonight, the whole family was unusually having dinner together.

 

* * *

 

Honestly, I ate dinner rather hastily.

Perhaps because what I heard earlier was so shocking, the food wouldn’t go down easily.

‘But I didn’t show it that much…….’

When I looked up, I met Dad’s gaze. It seemed he had been watching me for a while.

“Claire, is something bothering you? Or does the food taste strange?”

He asked, as if waiting for this moment.

At his calm question, the attendants tensed up.

‘If I hesitate even a little here, the kitchen will be in an uproar.’

I shook my head firmly.

“…… just. I don’t have an appetite.”

It was kind of funny for a nine-year-old to say she didn’t have an appetite.

I was thinking absentmindedly when Mom reached out and touched my forehead. Just like she always did when she thought I might be sick before seeing Dad.

The slightly cool touch pleasantly cooled my forehead.

‘Oh, I have a slight fever.’

I realized it only after Mom’s touch. If I could feel it, Mom would have known.

“Claire, you have a bit of a fever…… since when?”

How heavy, deep, and swift was her worry.

Mom’s voice gradually faded, and Dad’s composure was also disappearing.

This was the face of the crazy person who supposedly threatened Duke Sisana.