"Um, Sir Aiden was originally His Highness the Crown Prince's escort knight, right?"
At my sudden question, Aiden looked down at me and nodded.
"Yes, that's correct."
"I don't think His Highness the Crown Prince attended the banquet today..."
In fact, one of the reasons I attended this banquet was to see the Crown Prince again, so I couldn't help but care.
"Does Sir Aiden know the reason?"
At my sudden question, Aiden seemed to hesitate before carefully answering.
"I understand he is not feeling well."
"Not feeling well?"
Surprised by the unexpected answer, I widened my eyes and asked again.
Aiden nodded.
"Yes, he is naturally frail."
Then, he asked as if testing the waters.
"Are you worried?"
I hesitated and nodded slightly.
"He is my savior."
Then, Aiden smiled faintly and replied.
"You don't have to worry too much. It happens from time to time. He will be fine soon."
"Yes..."
The conversation ended there.
I looked ahead and walked, thinking.
'Sick?'
It's a well-known fact that the Crown Prince is naturally weak.
So it wasn't that strange that he suddenly felt unwell and didn't attend the banquet.
But...
'He didn't seem like it.'
The last time I saw the Crown Prince, he was completely different from what I knew and what was rumored.
He was full of life and solid.
So, somehow, I couldn't believe that he was not feeling well.
'So what if I don't believe it?'
Nothing would change just because I didn't believe it.
I found out why he didn't attend the banquet, but somehow I felt even more frustrated.
So I deliberately thought about something else.
'By the way, that was unexpected.'
I recalled the moment when I was talking to the Duke.
'I thought he would ask about the fire.'
He must have already found out that the cause of the fire was a magical tool, and I wouldn't be able to obtain a magical tool, so I thought I wouldn't be a suspect.
But it was unexpected that there wasn't even a word about it.
'Well, it's good for me.'
I decided not to think any deeper.
I was too tired to do that.
I just wanted to go back and rest as soon as possible.
But I didn't know.
Who the arrow of suspicion that had missed me would be aimed at.
What kind of results that would bring...
A room where even the clouds obscured the moonlight, and darkness prevailed.
A black figure wandered aimlessly around the room.
Then, the moment he heard footsteps beyond the door.
Click.
At the same time as the movement stopped, the door opened.
A large shadow entered the room.
And...
"Estio Rodbel."
A heavy male voice filled the room.
At the same time, a ray of moonlight seeped into the room.
Thump, thump.
Footsteps grew closer.
Then, the intruder's appearance was revealed under the moonlight.
Pure white hair and violet eyes, stern eyes and a large, solid body.
The eyes of the room's owner, Estio, who discovered him, wavered.
"...Father."
The voice scraping out of his throat was rough.
Estio looked at the Duke standing tall in front of him with trembling eyes.
His figure, with deep shadows cast upon it, was like a grim reaper come to take his breath.
Then the Duke spoke quietly.
"Estio Rodbel."
"Yes."
"I clearly told you. The opportunity is only given once."
The even tone was calm.
But to Estio, it was conveyed as a reverberation greater than thunder.
Estio barely suppressed the impulse to squeeze his eyes shut and answered.
"Yes."
"But you disobeyed the order."
"...! What are you talking about...!"
"You have once again tarnished the name of Rodbel."
"I don't know what you're talking about-!"
The moment he hurriedly shouted and looked at the Duke, Estio realized.
"..."
He had not come here to listen to Estio's words.
"Estio Rodbel."
He had.
"I will retract the name of Rodbel from you for the next five years."
He had come to sentence a criminal.
"...!"
Estio's eyes bulged as if they would burst.
He would rather die.
Retracting the name of 'Rodbel' from him was a more cruel punishment than capital punishment.
Even if it was only temporary.
The Duke, having finished speaking, turned around immediately.
Estio stood blankly as if his soul had left his body, and soon jumped forward.
He blocked the front of the door and shouted desperately.
"Just listen to my story...!"
"Get out of the way."
"I really didn't do anything."
"I said get out of the way."
"Someone must be framing me. If you find the culprit and reveal the truth...!"
"This is the final warning."
"......!"
No words could undo the punishment that had already been handed down.
"..."
A terrible sense of powerlessness, a terrible sense of humiliation, and a maddening fear clouded his mind.
But Estio did not collapse.
He could not collapse.
The heir to Rodbel would not be like this...
Grip.
Estio's hand tightened.
Well-groomed nails pierced the flesh and caused injury, but the Duke's gaze remained unchanged, only cold.
That finally broke Estio.
Estio asked.
"If it had been Bansis or Miracle."
"..."
"If I had been Father's biological son, would you have treated me so heartlessly?"
He raised his head.
Violet eyes clearer than any other Rodbel, eyes that looked exactly like Ego Rodbel's eyes, were clouded dully.
Hidden by disillusionment.
Estio Rodbel laughed.
Daringly, something that the previous Estio Rodbel could never have done.
He was a thoroughly perfect son.
But now, the bare face hidden beneath that desperate mask was revealed.
"Is that why you're treating me so heartlessly?"
He laughed and sneered.
Estio was eight years old when he learned the truth.
But even before that, he had vague questions.
Why isn't my light blue hair as pure white as Miracle's or Bansis's?
Why didn't I inherit Rodbel's magic, or even ordinary magic?
Having inherited the blood of the first head of the family, who was said to be the greatest archmage since the beginning, all of Rodbel's direct descendants had strong magic.
Bansis, as well as Miracle, had already started to handle magic despite their young age.
On the other hand, Estio, who was called a genius and received everyone's expectations, could not even squeeze out a drop of magic, let alone magic.
The teacher, who tried to find his magical talent in any way possible, eventually sighed deeply and declared.
'Unfortunately, Master Estio was not born with magic. Due to congenital problems, he will not be able to properly inherit Rodbel's magic...'
Listening to those words next to the teacher, Estio predicted the Duke's anger.
But.
'I see. I understand. You may leave.'
Those were all three words.
After that, Estio did not attend magic classes.
To fill the absence of magic, Estio devoted himself to other studies.
Fortunately, instead of magical talent, Estio was born with excellent intelligence and sword talent.
'You are very excellent!'
'You are the best of the children I have taught!'
'You must be a genius, Young Master.'
'As expected of Rodbel...!'
The teachers admired Estio's rapid development and lavished praise.
He filled the void of not having magical talent with their praise, and Estio inwardly expected the Duke's reaction.
But...
'I see.'
The Duke was still indifferent.
No matter how good his grades were, or sometimes even deliberately messing them up.
'I understand.'
The returning reaction did not change.
I knew he was originally like that, but that day the reaction was so disappointing.
So, under the pretext of being sick, I skipped class and was sulking in the corner of the garden.
'Big brother? What are you doing here?'
Miracle appeared.
Thinking that he had shown an ugly appearance, Estio hurriedly wiped his eyes and turned his head away.
'It's nothing. Why are you here? Where's your maid?'
'Uh-huh. I got lost.'
'What?'
Estio looked at Miracle with a bewildered expression.
Then Miracle smiled brightly and said.
'Hehe, brother. You're finally looking at me?'
'......Let's go. I'll take you.'
Estio, who didn't even have the energy to deal with her, was about to get up from his seat.
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