"Mm." Roland smiled. "Well, she is my precious younger sister."
Marisa paused. "How much younger is she than you?"
"She's 14 this year. Her debutante ball was this past summer, just before our semester began." Roland's brow furrowed. "...It's partially why I'm a bit anxious. There were quite a few invitations after her debut, you see. And while my family is not in a position where we are desperate to accept any engagements..."
"Your parents might because they are worried about her. I understand." Marisa nodded, shifting her emerald eyes into the distance. "...Parents do what they think is best for their child, after all."
Roland was confused at Marisa's shift in tone. Then he remembered the situation her parents were in. "Mari..."
"Don't worry about it, Rolo." Marisa gave him a bright smile and said, "We can talk about that later. After all, I still need to introduce you to my parents."
"Hm? Ah, I suppose I would enjoy meeting them... but what for?"
Marisa stared at Roland for a long while. Then she slowly said, "Are you seriously this dense, or are you pretending?"
"Pardon?"
Marisa sighed. "Never mind. In any case." She smoothed her dress down and said, "Since we don't have to show up early, do you want to go over things one more time?"
"Yes." Roland focused and said, "We should." He rested his hand on his ornamental sword hilt and said, "We're quite fortunate. Although only ornamental equipment are allowed at the ball, both our abilities allow us to use them. Unlike most, we will be properly armed."
Roland's Talent of [Sword Saint] allowed him to utilize any sword as a proper blade, even if it was made of pure gold and gemstones like the one he currently had at his side. Moreover, even if he didn't have that, his grandfather's sword style that he received allowed him to cut with anything that had an edge. In the worst case scenario, he could simply grab a knife from the table.
Marisa nodded. "Right. Since you can fight as long as you have something sword-like, we're covered there. And as for me... well." She tapped her golden wand. "Our friend never properly explained how he made his blood-gold alloy that conducted magic, but I reverse engineered it. While not perfect, it should serve as a proper magical focus in a pinch."
Roland blinked. "Pardon? Alex did what?"
Marisa paused and then facepalmed. "...Just how many things does that man have? Did he never show it to you? His ridiculous ring? Or his mana amalgam that molds to his will?"
"...I was more focused on the fact that he was rapidly improving in swordsmanship and other fighting skills, so I never asked."
Marisa sighed. "Well, we can interrogate him properly for everything he knows and forgot to mention to us after we save Eve. Now." She held out her arm to Roland. "Escort me properly to the hall, Sir Lionheart."
Roland smiled and took her arm in his. "As you wish, Lady Sagewind."
Marisa smiled back and said, "Good. Now just remember to make it Lady Lionheart in the future."
"...Pardon?"
"...Tch. Never mind." Marisa grumbled and took the lead. "Come on, we're going to be arriving later than most, but we shouldn't be the last guests. Unless you want to risk showing up in the middle of chaos instead of being there to stop it."
"R-Right. But... Just what did you mean by Lady Lionheart-"
"ASK ME LATER! GO NOW!"
"Y-Yes? I-I mean, of course. To the ball we go, Lady Sagewind."
===
The Winter Solstice Ball was a formal affair.
As such, proper decorum and formalities were followed. Even though it took place at Starlight Academy, it was still, on paper at least, an Imperial formal affair.
Consequently, Evelyn was expected to follow procedures.
Headmistress Lux would begin with an opening ceremony, thanking his Imperial Majesty as well as the visiting guests. Then she would sit at the head of the table as the host while the other important guests arrived.
Ordinarily, the first to arrive would be Evelyn's father, the Emperor. But since he was unavailable for some reason... Maximilian hadn't informed Evelyn of anything other than the fact that he wouldn't be coming.
But in any case, since the Emperor wouldn't be arriving, Evelyn's brother would be the first guest to be announced.
And to that end...
"Announcing, Crown Prince Maximilian vi Eternia and his esteemed guest!"
Evelyn stood by a pillar in the waiting room, watching as her older brother walked into the main hall, some random beauty from a lesser house held in his arm.
If it was even a few months ago, Evelyn would have been in a rush to interrogate him and that woman on their relationship. Her brother deserved to have the best, after all...
Or so she had once believed. But now...
A sharp pain in her chest. One that she knew wasn't jealousy or envy, but a tangible malady. An unknown energy that had insidiously woven itself into her body and assimilated with [Mana Body] before she even realized it.
And one that she knew had to have come from only one person.
'...Do you want the throne that much, Brother?'
Evelyn took a slow breath, doing her best to endure the throbbing pain in her chest and the faint chill spreading out from it.
It hurt.
Both the fact that she couldn't do anything about her situation, and the fact that the one responsible for it was the person she had adored and respected the most all her life.
'...If you had wanted, you could have just asked.'
There had been nobles vying to place Evelyn on the throne. There were factions who thought she was the better heir.
And Evelyn had been striving to meet those expectations.
But even so...
'If you had simply asked...'
...Maximilian was her dear older brother.
If he asked her to abdicate, she would have. If he declared his intention for the throne, she would have supported him.
It was burdensome, after all. And now that she had found love, she would have been more than willing to set aside her claim to the throne to be with Alex instead.
But.
'...You thought it fit to take it instead. Both the throne and even my life...'
Evelyn took another slow exhale, deliberately relaxing her clenched fists.
*See? You were always expendable.*
"Shut up." Evelyn hissed at the voice in her head. The one that had grown louder since the sun had begun to sink.
*You can tell me to be quiet all you want. But you know it's true.*
Evelyn's heart throbbed.
But before she could say anything in response to the voice, a soft warmth spread through her body from her chest. Alex's pendant.
*Tch. That damned-*
The voice suddenly cut off.
Evelyn exhaled and placed her hand over the glittering amethyst star pendant. "...You truly know me too well, my love."
As always, her beloved Alex came to her rescue. Even when she didn't know about the dangers she faced.
But...
Evelyn's grasp on the pendant tightened a bit.
Despite the warmth, it didn't erase the chill through her body. And while it dulled the ache in her chest, it didn't cure it either.
'...What is going to happen to me?'
Evelyn wanted to know, but she also didn't want to know.
She wanted to ask Alex since he seemed to know. But she didn't want to burden him with the weight of that question.
...And, if she was truthful...
Evelyn already had a feeling she knew what was happening. Especially after she had looked through those archives.
But-