Absurd. I have no need for a merely healthy child! Despite his slight weakness, Aishes has never acted like you. It's natural, given the difference in bloodline!

Father.

Lenore called to the Duke with a face gone pale. The mother of the current heir and the first-born son, Aishes Shand Apeto, was of noble lineage, originating from the Tain Dukedom, one of the four ducal families standing shoulder to shoulder with Apeto.

However, Lenore and Revlin were born to the woman whom Duke Apeto had remarried after her death, a daughter of a count's family. That family wasn't weak, but they didn't match up to a ducal one. Duke Apeto would often remind Lenore of this fact, stoking his feelings of inferiority.

Go convince your brother. If you can't, be prepared to give up all the things you've been doing!

After being driven out by the Duke, Lenore immediately went to see Revlin. He desired nothing more than to kill the brother before his eyes on the spot, but the thought that he would surely forfeit any chance of being the successor if he did so held him back.

He strained to maintain an air of calm and affection as he tried to convince Revlin.

"You surely don't want those guys to trample the lands of Apeto with their dirty boots, do you? Eh? Why do you like a group of jesters from Duke Peletta's Cavalry so much? Do you really think Duke Peletta likes you?"

"..."

"No. He is simply using you to mock Apeto. Please, come to your senses. I will give you anything you want. Ok?"

Lenore rattled off the names of things that he thought his brother might desire. However, neither the sword, nor the jewels, nor the famous horse could open his brother's mouth.

Lenore, who already had a short fuse, eventually reached his limit.

"Damn it. Do you know what I had to hear from father because of you? If I can't become the heir because of the foolish thing you've done, do you think you will be safe, Revlin!"

The vase he threw shattered against the wall. He proceeded to smash the objects around Revlin before falling into a chair, panting for breath. Surprisingly, Revlin was still calmly looking at him, showing no signs of fear. The boy finally opened his lips slowly with a cold look in his eyes.

"You finally seem like the brother I know."

"What?"

"It was strange when you suddenly started being nice. You're not the type to hold back your anger, so I feel relieved now."

Lenore was momentarily at a loss for words.

"You..."

"Do you know what? Among all the things you mentioned, there wasn't a single thing I wanted. Not from father, not from the uncle, everyone's the same. They either get angry or treat me like a fool, keeping me locked up, and no one listens to me."

"So, you mean that man is different? Duke Peletta is different?"

"Yes. He is."

Revlin responded nonchalantly.

"He listened to what I wanted right from the start."

"Ha. Really? What is this thing you want, exactly? Let me hear it too!"

"I've already told you. Many times."

"Told me? When did you?"

Lenore thought his younger brother was lying. However, when he caught sight of his brother's icy glare filled with hatred, he was suddenly at a loss for words.

"I've told you countless times. I've pleaded desperately, over and over! If anyone can't remember, it's you, not me! Stop bothering me and go strive to secure the heirship you so desire!"

Lenore was rendered speechless in the face of that rage and mocking gaze.

'When did Revlin start wearing such an expression?'

In Lenore's memories, Revlin was always a frail boy who seemed perpetually on the verge of death. While Lenore was largely indifferent towards his pitiful younger sibling, he would occasionally show him some sympathy, due to their shared brotherhood. However, the boy before him was different. The Revlin of the present didn't appear weak at all. He had grown enough to hold his stand against Lenore.

Having realized this, a deeply shocked Lenore exited Revlin's room, only to be approached urgently by a servant who reported that their uncle Beltrail, an Elder Priest, was looking for him.

"The Elder Priest is seeking me? Why are you only telling me this now? You fool!"

Letting out his anger that he had garnered because of Revlin on the innocent servant with a slap to the face, Lenore headed towards the annex. The basement of the annex was no different from the last time he was there, but the expression on Beltrail who awaited him there was starkly different.

"Your Grace, as long as your father still bows down, it seems that the arrival of Duke Peletta is a done deal. Therefore, should we not make preparations, Second Prince?"

"What preparations are you talking about?"

"You surely don't plan to leave the people here as they are."

Only when Beltrail surveyed the surroundings did Lenore realize what he was implying.

'I wondered what he was talking about.'

Lenore had assumed that Beltrail would suggest a solution to his current predicament. However, all his uncle wanted was to ensure his research wasn't damaged.

'How can he only care about his own interests in this situation?'

On reflection, the direct cause of this whole mess was Beltrail himself. If Beltrail had not vacated his seat and kept a close eye on Revlin during the Sharing of the Sacred Flame Ceremony, none of this would have happened. Yet, Beltrail evaded responsibility under the pretext of being a priest, leaving Lenore to bear the brunt of Duke Apeto's fury.

And now he had the audacity to summon the busy Lenore without a word of apology, asking him to hide his research subjects from the eyes of Duke Peletta.

'Initially, the only reason I helped my uncle was because I thought it might help me secure the position of heir. I'm in such trouble, but instead of repaying the assistance he's received, he's only thinking about his research.'

It was unfair. It was exceedingly unfair.

'If I fall, it won't just be the end for me. This useless research he's been funding thanks to me will also go up in smoke!'

"Second Prince?"

"Yes, Uncle."

Lenore answered Beltrail's call, maintaining an expression no different than usual.

"So... you wish to move these people before Duke Peletta arrives?"

"That's correct. Rumor has it there are individuals within the Cavalry who can sensitively detect the presence of Awakeners. If Duke Peletta brings such a person and they discover this place, what will become of us?"

That rumor had been a deliberate leak by Kishiar, but they hadn't considered that far.

"What does it matter. If things get tough, they'll just push it onto me again."

Once suspicion set in, Lenore couldn't stand to see even the benevolent smile on Beltrail's face. He turned his gaze away from his uncle's face and opened his mouth in a heavy tone.

"Understood. The Duke of Peletta is coming tomorrow, so let's have the servants move them out before then."

"They must not be allowed to escape. They could run away."

"So, what are you suggesting?"

Beltrail was taken aback by the unusually sharp retort. Utilizing his sense, honed by internal power struggles in the temple, he quickly grasped that his young nephew was growing irritated with him.

"Second Prince. I ask this of you for your own good. Don't you understand?"

"I wonder. I'm not sure if you really intend to help me. If you wanted to help, you would have produced a decent result during the year or so that's passed."

"I understand your frustration. But us falling apart due to internal mistrust is exactly what the Duke of Peletta wants. You must protect the Third Prince from falling into their hands and keep this place safe."

Beltrail didn't particularly like the cruel and selfish Second Prince Lenore, but he knew all too well that his research could only continue if Lenore was there. Reluctantly, he had to placate and persuade him.

"And besides, our research is at a critically important juncture. Three of the test subjects here entered their mating period yesterday. I've discovered that an Awakener in heat exerts an involuntary influence on Awakeners who haven't manifested their second genderCough, Cough!"

Beltrail, who had been speaking faster than usual, suddenly broke into a fit of coughing. When he removed his hand from his mouth, his white priestly robe was stained with blood in several places.

"Phew."

Seeing this, Lenore frowned and let out a sigh. It wasn't surprising to see him coughing up blood; it was a sight all too common in the Apeto household.

The 'Blood of Blessing' of the Apeto family affected Beltrail, who had become a priest, long before leaving his family, without exception. He, too, had been terribly frail since childhood, much like Aishes or Revlin.

"In any case, trust me, this time we will make progress."

In truth, Lenore knew that Beltrail was so dedicated to his research because of his frailty. His trust in his uncle wasn't unfounded.

"I'll send the servants tomorrow morning. When they arrive, please take the test subjects and follow the food supply tunnel to the western forest. Even if the Duke of Peletta comes with his entire Cavalry, they won't be able to find you there."

At Lenore's words, Beltrail nodded without hesitation.

"I understand."

"Please keep your promise to make progress. This might be the last time."

With those words, Lenore left the annex without looking back.

The beautiful main house of the Apeto Duchy was enveloped in an eerie silence and remained uneasy throughout the aftermath. Even the servants moving between the buildings couldn't manage their usual cheerful expressions.

And finally, a day passed.

The Duke of Peletta, riding a horse with a crest that combined symbols of the sun, tree, and fire, finally appeared before the Apeto family.