---

「W-where are you Young Miss?! It won't do for you to miss your equestrian lessons!」

Tucked betwixt two peony bushes, Melyn hid as Wista's calls resounded from within the manor.

And as the noise of the scrambling servants dispersed, she sidled her way towards the gazebo on the opposite side of the estate, occasionally peeking over the row of colorful flowers and shrubs to check if anyone was coming.

Rarely had the young noble ever skipped out on classes, but there was a reason she was so keen on running off.

And that reason was accompanied by the sound of crying.

She snuck up to the gazebo and clapped her eyes on the group of people talking inside. Among them was the purpose of her furtive absconding.

An infant Soryn, wailing in his mother's arms.

Melyn's thoughts were consumed by her little brother's well-being ever since she met him. And the only way she could lay her mind to rest was by seeing the young boy.

The girl's love for him was second to none.

「At any rate, it's good to see you again... friend.」

Quickly, Melyn took cover behind a wall of tall bushes nearby as her father's voice reached her ears.

「I've been waiting to hear those sweet words, pal! So, how's fatherhood treating you?!」

Sitting across from Arnou was a man Melyn had never seen before. His bulky build and mane of ashen gray hair were unlike anything she'd ever witnessed.

And his gruff voice was powerful enough to drown out Soryn's cries.

「Well, as you can see... it's not exactly a walk in the park.」

「Haha! It doesn't get easier with experience does it, Arnou? Not that I'd know! Only brat I had to take care of is this steely-eyed vixen next to me, and she was more than capable of fending for herself.」

Beside him was a girl, around Wista's age. She donned a dark shawl that barely concealed her green tresses.

The young woman quietly stared off into the garden, uninterested in the conversation.

「Oh, so this is the apprentice of yours you've mentioned in your correspondence... I was wondering why you'd bring a stranger along...」

「Yeah... she's actually in the final week of her apprenticeship. The Hlanu District Master is planning on ceding control of his territory to her.」

「My, my, she must be quite the go-getter to inherit a slum-dweller district at such a young age.」

「Honestly, she's caused me no end of trouble over the years...」

The man placed his hand on his apprentice's head and sighed.

「But despite our constant bickering, I still consider her my dear apprentice... I'm going to miss her no doubt.」

The girl annoyedly slapped his hand away and rose from her seat.

「Are we done here, Rysef? Or are you going to continue patronizing me?」

She glared at her master with a smoldering countenance.

「You have somewhere to be, Seyna?」

「Yes in fact... I do. I spotted an apothecary by the foot of the estate. I find that leagues more entertaining than this aimless small talk.」

The girl stomped away from the gazebo. On her way out, she briefly glanced at the tall bushes Melyn was crouched behind.

The hiding noble's heart rate skyrocketed as she felt Seyna's stare on her back.

「Tsk!」

And with a click of her tongue, the apprentice was gone.

Melyn collapsed to her knees, utterly relieved yet totally aware of the danger that came with her surreptitious eavesdropping session.

But she soldiered on, motivated by the sight of her baby brother.

「I apologize for my protégé's impudence. The pressure must be getting to her...」

「A-ah... no worries. Even I understand the struggles of having a daughter. Why just the other day Melyn gave me the cold shoulder because I wouldn't buy her a third book!」

「Haha! We may be spoiling these kids too much, Arnou...」

Their laughter was interrupted by the arrival of a maid carrying a tea set. She gently set it down on the table before them and poured everyone a cup of Earl Grey.

Upon taking a sip of his drink, Arnou's face darkened. And he fastened his eyes on the Ashen Thief.

「Say, Rysef... how long do we have to live in fear..?」

「Dear..!」

Betriss scolded her husband, just as the baby was calming down.

「T-that will be all, Jaz. Return to the house.」

「As you wish, Madame Lotierre.」

And the maid gracefully did as told, paying no heed to the grim inquiry mouthed by her master.

「I... can't say...」

Rysef planted his cup firmly on its saucer.

「Then on what basis am I holing my family up? A gut feeling?」

「No, I'm certain the other houses are after your head. I just haven't figured out the method they'll resort to. I've told you this, right? I've crossed out poisonings, stabbings, shootings, and every damned assassination plot I know of. None of them triggered my prescience.」

「Are you sure you aren't being paranoid?」

「I would never subject you to these kinds of measures if I wasn't serious!」

「I'm not doubting your sincerity, Rysef. I'm doubting the veracity of your concerns.」

Arnou's tone was stern, and in some ways, desperate.

「Arnou, if anything were to happen to you or your family, I'd regret it for the rest of my life. So please, trust me on this one.」

The Ashen Thief solemnly bowed his head.

The patriarch of House Lotierre took a moment to consider his warning. Eventually, he caved to the Ashen Thief's sincere request.

「Alright, fine. I'll continue to trust in your judgment. This better not have been for nothing though... you hear me?」

And Rysef slumped in his seat, relieved.

「Jeez... you had me going there for a bit... Are you always this scary in parliament?」

「I'm only looking out for my kin, Rysef. Just as you've been looking out for yours.」

「Haha! I'm not the one who's been planning on recognizing the Kuumna as human... You've done more for my people than I have for them.」

「Hey now, the Church is losing its influence in Beafroux. It's not like I'm doing anything bold. Besides, it has been a longtime goal of House Lotierre to do away with these outdated values...」

Arnou shifted his gaze to his son who'd fallen fast asleep. He smiled and brought his cup to his lips.

「Still... can you imagine? My grandchildren will very likely live in a world that harbors no hate towards your people. Beafrouxians and Kuumnas will stand side-by-side as equals, not as enemies. Soryn will bear witness to a Velatya none of us grew up with. That's pretty amazing don't you think?」

Arnou emptied his cup and grinned at the impressed Ashen Thief. The sparkle in his crimson irises was brighter than the ideals he was striving for.

His infectious beam got Betriss to crack a smirk.

「I think you're the one that's amazing here, pal... haha!」

Rysef downed the last of his tea in a single gulp.

「Oh... and uh... by the way...」

The Ashen Thief craned his neck to see the tall bushes behind the couple.

「Someone's been listening in to our exchange for the past few minutes...」

「W-what..?!」

Arnou jumped to his feet and scanned the area.

「Who's there?!」

At this point, Melyn knew she was the one Rysef was talking about. Unwilling to arouse the ire of her father though, she maintained her silence.

「Kid, it's over! There's no reason to delay the inevitable. Just show yourself.」

「Kid..?」

The two men exchanged stares as their little spy revealed herself.

Shuffling out of her hiding place, Melyn guiltily clutched the hems of her dress shirt as she cast her gaze downward.

「M-Melyn?!」

Betriss loudly exclaimed, waking the young Soryn up.

「What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be at your lessons!」

The patriarch rightfully chewed his daughter out, as the baby began wailing again. This chaotic scene was definitely not Rysef's idea of a friendly visit.

Swiftly, he decided to intervene and restore harmony.

「Now, now, Arnou, cut her some slack. She is going to be the future monarch of Beafroux. She should be present for this discussion of ours.」

「But Rysef..!」

The Ashen Thief beckoned the young girl to his side and gestured Arnou to sit back down.

「That being said, look at you! I can never quite grasp how fast youngsters grow. You're one step away from being a spitting image of your mother, haha!」

He directed his attention to the crying infant and thought of something.

「Betriss, do you mind if I hold the child?」

「U-um... Melyn or Soryn?」

「The one that's bursting our eardrums.」

「Sure... I don't mind but...」

And Rysef carefully transferred the baby from his hands into Melyn's arms.

In an instant, Soryn's tears ceased, and instead, a smile appeared between his pudgy cheeks. Betriss and Arnou looked on in astonishment.

「W-well I'll be..! How did you know that would work? Prescience?」

「Ah... no, it's a breathing technique from Qianwei. I can't really get into the details but... She wanted to catch a glimpse of her little brother I bet.」

Melyn looked as though she was in peace. This was the first time since the boy's birth she was able to carry him like this.

She blocked out the noise around her and focused on this child she thought the world of.

「You two really are spoiling these kids too much...」

Betriss flippantly remarked.

Arnou and Rysef couldn't help but chuckle at her words.

「You know... there's a saying among my people.」

「Hm?」

「"Brum wey Gatus, Tum wey Malei"...」

The husband and wife looked at one another.

「"Bound by crimson, cursed by fate"..?」

Arnou returned with a perfect translation.

「As expected of House Lotierre's patriarch! Your understanding of Ancient Velatyan is flawless.」

The Ashen Thief watched over the siblings, his expression changing into despair.

「Its true meaning was lost to time. Yet... it had come to mean the tragedy that follows those related by blood.」

「Well... that's a grim outlook...」

「If the cronies from Dubois, Basse, or Cuerin so much as touches a hair on any of your heads... I promise I won't even spare their children.」

「You needn't go that far, Rysef. I respect the other families as much as I do my own.」

Arnou folded his arms and turned to his wife.

「Betriss and I will await your findings in the coming weeks. I hope to put an end to this game of cat and mouse.」

「Mm... I'll try my best. Make sure no one but you reads my letters. For all we know, the staff could be feeding info to the other houses.」

「I trust those maids with my life, Rysef.」

「And I'm saying you're too trusting, pal.」

An awkward lull followed before Rysef stood up.

「It's a war out there... Merulea's getting desperate. Pelcazzi has fallen, and I hear Jazga's next. The global stage is reaching its climax, and the factions are becoming more and more defined with each passing day.」

And he looked Arnou straight in the eye.

「Let's hope you're on the winning side, pal.」

---

The years flew by, and the siblings were older.

Soryn could now stand on his own two legs as a four-year-old and he would frequently play with his older sister when she was free.

As he gravitated towards more boyish games, Melyn would adopt these rowdy mannerisms herself, much to her parents' displeasure.

After all, she was to be a prim and proper lady fit for the throne.

Putting that aside, these two were like two peas in a pod; never apart. The maids could never join in on their playtime, as they lacked the stamina.

So... caged within the bounds of their estate, they spent their days together in bliss. Sharing in their happiness, sadness, and anger.

But this distance, or lack thereof, was not without its own set of issues...

While Soryn appreciated the love and adoration of his older sister, there were instances where the constant doting became too much to handle.

Alas, Melyn's clinginess prevented him from enjoying some time alone. And the rift between these two widened, unbeknownst to the older sibling.

The games they played had also changed. Where Melyn once held back against her little brother, she now showed no mercy. The size and age difference became wholly apparent.

The final straw came, during a simple game of tag.

Crunch!

Soryn collapsed to the ground and shrieked as pain consumed his nether region. Betriss and Wista rushed over to the crying child who lay by Melyn's feet.

「Melyn, what did you do?!」

The mother then noticed her daughter's pale and petrified expression.

「I-I didn't... mean to...」

Wista got on her knees and consoled the young boy. Tears and snot ran down his cheeks, and he wouldn't calm down.

Once he was helped up, he hastily ran behind his mother and gave Melyn a wide berth.

「Melyn, apologize to your little brother!」

「I-I'm... sorry I kicked you, Soso...」

Soryn buried his face in his mother's dress and refused to look at her.

「Soryn, do you forgive your big sister?」

「...her away...」

「What was that darling?」

And he loudly made it clear what he was saying.

「Get her away from me...」

「Eh..?」

「I hate her!」

Melyn staggered back, her aching heart split in half. The guilt running through her mind was only offset by the intense feeling of regret etched in every fiber of her body.

And she too began to cry.

「Awawawa..! W-what do we do Madame?!」

The flustered maid turned back and forth between the two wailing siblings.

「Vel almighty... why can't Arnou be here when it matters the most..?」

Betriss scratched her head and led the young boy away.

「Take Melyn to her room Wista. She'll be grounded there until her father gets back. I'll take care of Soryn till then.」

「U-understood Madame! Let's go Young Miss! The sun is a lady's enemy as they say!」

She wouldn't budge. And the clumsy maid spent hours convincing her to resign herself to her punishment.

One would think this was a standard argument between siblings. But in truth, this was the first time they'd ever fought this badly.

As they had no experience in resolving these issues, the weeks continued without any real development.

Melyn was too afraid to face her younger brother, while Soryn had no idea how to approach his older sister after admonishing her in such a manner. A deadlock was reached.

That was until one day, the Lotierre Family received an unexpected visitor.

While cleaning the stables, the maid Jaz had stumbled upon a young Beafrouxian boy sleeping on the hay piles. He was in a scruffy condition, dressed in rags and covered in soot.

When brought before Arnou and Betriss, they were conflicted as to how to deal with the vagrant.

「Do you have a name, boy?」

「Mm... Hazkyl.」

Arnou sat across from him at the dinner table. They'd graciously provided the child with food and water.

「I see... and do you have a home, Hazkyl?」

The boy about Soryn's age shook his head, as he quietly bit into the loaf of bread in his hand.

「Well, regardless of your circumstances, you were trespassing on our property. Had you done so in another estate, you would have been unquestionably hauled to the city prison.」

「I don't care.」

Hazkyl's hollow response shook Arnou down to the marrow.

「I have nowhere to go. At least in prison, I'll have a roof over my head and a meal every day. Only reason I haven't done so is that I don't want to purposely hurt anyone.」

His scarlet eyes penetrated the depths of Arnou's conscience.

「So what will you do, Monsieur? Kick me out or send me to prison? Whatever you do, I intend on surviving this shithole of a world. That's what my mother wanted, and I plan on seeing that through...」

And hesitancy was brought forth from the boy's declaration. The patriarch was now left with a decision he had no strong opinions for.

Abruptly though, his son's voice snapped him out of his deep rumination.

「Don't send him away father!」

Soryn ran to Hazkyl's side and confronted Arnou.

「S-Soryn... you were watching..?」

「Please don't kick him out, father! Don't you think he's been through enough?!」

「I get that he's living through hell right now but... To reward a criminal would simply be—」

「Father!」

Vehemently defending the impoverished child next to him, Soryn stood his ground and was not willing to back down.

「Allowing a stranger to live with us isn't something we can do with everybody, Soryn. Why should he get in and not the thousands of homeless here in Beafroux?」

「W-what if he worked for us..! As a butler! He could earn his keep through that! And the servants' quarters aren't full right?」

「Soryn that's... What does he have to say about this?」

Hazkyl got off his chair and kneeled before Arnou.

「I'll gladly take up the job... if you're offering it...」

Arnou let out a heavy sigh and glanced over at his wife standing by the entrance.

「Let me talk it over with the household. In the meantime, I'll have you wait outside with a guard.」

「Understood.」

「And uh... you can stop kneeling.」

The patriarch proceeded to call all members of the household over, from the maids to the butlers to Melyn herself.

And following a thorough discussion, Hazkyl was ultimately inducted into the House Lotierre workforce, as an apprentice butler.

Soryn was of course happy with this outcome. For not only was this unfortunate soul given a second chance in life, but he now also had someone he could call a friend.

The bond between brother and sister, however, was hanging by a thread.

Melyn would muster up the courage to make amends and visit Soryn's room, only to realize he was frolicking elsewhere with the young butler.

On the rare occasions she did bump into him, the boy would avoid her and scurry away, looking for his friend.

The hole in her heart deepened as the weeks went on.

And what arrived was that fateful day.

After another unsuccessful attempt to reconcile with Soryn, the young noble girl gave up and flumped onto her bed. The moonlight was just about covered by her curtains.

Drifting off to sleep, she was immediately awoken by a loud noise downstairs.

She described it as fruit repeatedly getting crushed.

Thinking it to be Soryn and Hazkyl goofing around, she shambled out of her room and tottered towards the source of this strange sound, still groggy and tired.

She figured she'd use this as an opportunity to make up with her brother.

But... not everything went the way she thought it would.

Seeing a puddle of red seep through the entrance to the living room, she knew something was wrong.

The only thing between her and the horrible truth was a flimsy wooden barrier.

So shakenly, she opened the door.

And that was as much as she'd tell me. That was where her story ended.

In silence. Deafening silence.

---