“I can’t believe you’re getting angry about something as little as this. You’re quite immature, Sir.”
“W-Why are you talking to me like that! Ah. Hey, no way— Sister, do you also like that punk Aldin more than you like me? Seriously? For real?”
“……”
When Violet didn’t answer, Cairn became so sad that he couldn’t even get mad about it. This was his own karma.
“Violet, why don’t you go to the exhibition tomorrow? Sir Aldin said that he has time, after all.”
“Brother, are you that guy Aldin’s friend? Why do you seem so buddy-buddy with him, huh?”
“What kind of exhibition will it be?”
“It’s an exhibition at the national gallery. In commemoration of the crown prince’s birthday banquet, anyone can attend as long as they pay a small admission fee.”
“Hello? Am I not here? Excuuuuse me?”
“That doesn’t sound bad.”
“Right? Then, I’ll let him know and prepare everything.”
“You seem to have gotten close to him.”
“There’s no harm in making friends with the next knight commander of the imperial guard. Of course, it’s for your sake as well.”
Roen smiled casually, but seeing this, Violet narrowed her eyes while trying to gauge just how much sincerity there actually was in his expression.
Meanwhile, as Cairn was still unable to participate in the conversation, he stomped angrily.
“Seriously! Why does it seem like you guys trust that punk more than me!”
“Are you asking because you really don’t know?”
“You’re asking because you don’t know, really?”
Roen and Violet’s voices overlapped. Violet’s expression became distorted as she felt displeased, while Roen slightly pressed his lips together.
He added a bit more of an explanation for their stupid little brother.
“You still can’t control your emotions, and that’s why you have yet to graduate from the academy. Being honest isn’t a bad thing, but it’s quite a problem when you don’t have a single ounce of impulse control despite your high status and remarkable skill. If you really get furious, there’s no one who can stop you.”
“And what the heck is the problem with that?”
“It’s simple. If you ever go wild, the only person who can stop you is Sir Aldin.”
“Fine, but why?!”
“Because Sir Aldin is the only one that can protect Violet if you ever decide to change your mind about her and attack her yet again.”
Just like what happened that day.
With a smile, Roen did not say the latter out loud.
Catching on quickly, Violet immediately understood what Roen was trying to say, but Cairn still could not. So, he just became more indignant.
Cairn had vowed to be her guard to atone for his transgressions against her, but in the end, he still failed to break out of his habits. This was evident with what happened just earlier, when he called Violet a ‘witch’ so unhesitatingly.
Even if one would say that it was just ‘teasing’ between siblings, the word ‘witch’ had terrible implications that Cairn should not dare to say to Violet.
Roen cared about his younger brother, but he had no faith in him. Because using people was second nature to him, Roen tended not to trust others easily.
Thus, Cairn did not gain any trust from both his older brother and older sister. The only reason he had yet to be kicked out from the townhouse and shipped back to the Everett estate was because Roen and Violet knew Cairn’s temperament like the back of their hands.
As someone who was more like a maverick than anyone else, even if he would get kicked out, Cairn would just crawl back to Werchen carrying nothing but his sword.
“Tch. I can’t even speak up or anything… Even if I do, everything I say is bad, huh!”
In the end, Cairn burst into sadness and ran out of the gallery.
Puzzled, Roen looked at Violet, who just turned away indifferently and looked at her paintings.
It’s not as if she couldn’t understand Cairn’s feelings, but it was quite funny to Violet. Look at him, running out like this.
In fact, she felt a bit elated, too.
Cairn, that simpleton, returned as soon as evening came. Then, he confidently talked about the routes Violet would have to take for her outing tomorrow.
Violet marveled at the thick iron plate that her younger brother had placed over his face.
* * *
“You’ve become quite busy these days, Milady.”
“It can’t be helped. Under normal circumstances, I’d be busier than I already am right now.”
“Hiing… Of course, since it’s you, Milady…”
Marie was sulking because she had less and less time to chat with Violet. Still, Violet just chuckled quietly as she left her hair in Mary’s care.
Mary was improving by the day and was now skilled enough in this task. Violet had a hunch that this little girl had a gift for being a beautician.
“Why don’t you learn hairstyling in earnest while I’m away?”
“Huh? You don’t like your hair right now, Milady?”
A small conversation ensued.
Violet laughed contentedly, making up her mind that she would indeed send Mary to a famous hair salon so that she could learn.
Finding talent was always fun.
“As expected! Milady always looks so good in everything. I might really have a crush on you!”
“Really? Then Mary, what do you say to getting married, you and me?”
“Goodness me. You’re good at telling jokes.”
Mary acted shy as she laughed at Violet’s words, which she threw in half-jokingly. At the sight of the cute girl who she thought of as a younger sister, Violet laughed.
For this outing, Violet chose to wear pants.
It was still a common notion that pants were for the exclusive use of men. Many people felt awkward seeing women wearing pants outside the sport or hobby of horseback riding.
However, with her silver hair tied up in a ponytail, as Violet was now wearing a coat and white pants, nobody could deny that she looked absolutely wonderful.