Given his usual reserved expression, the faint smile suited him even more.

Small talk continued as they moved.

“What do you know about Count Larsen?”

“I’ve only heard stories from time to time. My older sister has some interest in the field of art.”

“I thought so before, you must be close.”

“…Because she takes care and looks out for me.”

Aldin smiled, eyes curving up. The conversation had a good start.

He had managed to secure tickets to a play. Obtaining front-row tickets for the play was a challenge in itself, but he was driven by a strong resolve.

Aldin usually doesn’t initiate contact, but when he suddenly asked for help from his older sister—the former Lady Aesir, now a Countess—she readily agreed.

Just as he was about to speak.

“By the way, does Cairn still frequently participate in the imperial knights’ training?”

“Pardon?”

Violet changed the subject first. Aldin responded a bit sullenly, having missed the chance.

“He does come often.”

“Does he say anything in particular?”

“…I’m not sure. It seems he’s matured a bit.”

“Hmm…”

Then, even if he was sulking, he must not be making it too obvious.

As Violet was lost in thought, she lowered her eyes, and the light cast down upon her drew shadows beneath her eyelashes.

In the end, he was still her younger brother, so she might be a bit worried.

Aldin, who had been ignored by the people of Aesir, not even treated as family or human, wondered internally.

“He should just quickly go back to the academy.”

“What do you mean?”

“A kid who hasn’t even graduated was sticking around the capital to apologize to me. At this point, it might be easier not to see each other for a few years.”

“Ah.”

This was Aldin’s only response to Violet’s words. Unaware of what he meant by that small exclamation, Violet continued in a grumbling tone.

“It wouldn’t matter if we didn’t run into each other, but every time we do, that expression… It might be better not to see each other until our feelings are sorted out.”

“I see.”

Violet usually didn’t share personal stories with others. Due to distrust of others who might distort and spread her stories. Even if they seemed friendly on the surface, one could never know when they might turn on her.

However, there was some kind of bond with Aldin.

Should it be called a bond? Nevertheless, one thing was certain—Aldin was someone she could trust.

Or perhaps she had grown comfortable around him.

Aldin smiled again at this change. Relationships slowly evolve over time.

“…I don’t understand what’s with the stubbornness. Have you heard anything by any chance?”

“No. He’s just silently training so far.”

That was a lie. There was a lot he had heard.

Cairn, known to be odd in a different way from Violet, surprisingly had many friends. However, trusting them was another issue, and among them, Aldin was considered a trusted friend.

So, it was perhaps natural for Cairn to choose Aldin as a confidant.

“Did I do something wrong?”

Cairn would never show such a gloomy expression, which was quite amusing.

If Aldin didn’t know the details and wasn’t secretly in love with Violet, he would have taken Cairn’s side.

But that wasn’t the case.

“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”

“…What exactly did I do wrong?”

A sensible person would have clearly understood their mistake. Cairn was asking because he truly didn’t know.

Aldin sighed inwardly.

If Cairn hadn’t been his friend, Aldin would have thrown down the gauntlet and, under the guise of a duel, would have beaten him to a pulp.

Whether he had the skill to do so was secondary—he would have done it anyway.

Cairn’s past actions were so deplorable that even as a friend, Aldin couldn’t bring himself to cover for the guy’s actions.

Still, Aldin knew full well that Cairn wouldn’t understand even if it was explained to him one by one. So, he exercised the utmost patience in explaining what the issue was.

Normally, Cairn would have retorted with ‘What’s the problem with that?’ but instead, he listened with a sullen face and responded, ‘I see.’

“Then, what should I do?”

He showed a surprisingly mature response.

Violet had already given much thought to Cairn’s situation and felt guilty about how he had been heavily injured while saving her from getting abducted.

If pushed to do so, he might have been able to force himself to apologize.

But as Cairn wasn’t particularly known for conventional thinking but having a keen intuition, he must have been aware of this.

Instead of forcing an apology, he chose to reflect on his own, considering what he had done wrong and what he needed to apologize for.

The more he pondered, the greater his self-loathing grew, leading to an unprecedented depression in his life.

Aldin, watching Cairn with a perceptive gaze, provided an answer.

“If it were me.”

“If it were you?”

“I’d just avoid seeing you for the rest of my life.”

“…Why?”

“You might not understand, having never experienced it, but from the victim’s perspective, those times aren’t easily forgotten. It’s better not to see each other at all.”

Seeing my oppressor would only make me want to strangle them.

Aldin bit back the rest of his words, but Cairn could guess what he meant.