Ray looked crestfallen, like a puppy with drooping ears. He hung his head low and puffed out his lower lip in a sulk.
"It feels like Dorothy hates me."
You only just realized that? You're so oblivious.
Still, she'd been trying hard not to make it obvious that she disliked him, so she supposed she could forgive him for not noticing.
She couldn't bring herself to say it aloud, but she secretly hoped Ray had figured it out on his own and would stop looking for her from now on.
"Prince Ray, it's time for you to go in."
Just then, the official in charge of the investiture ceremony came to escort Ray.
"...Dorothy, you'll come watch my investiture ceremony, won't you?"
If I could skip it, I would—but I can't.
She nodded reluctantly, and his face immediately brightened.
"If you're watching me, I think I'll do well."
"..."
If only Ray weren't Ray...
Maybe she could have liked him.
Maybe she could have simply thought of him as a kind-hearted fool and found him endearing.
Ray looked at her expectantly, clearly hoping she'd tell him to do his best.
But Dorothy ignored him until the very end.
Dorothy was relieved that her assigned place was in front of Theon.
If Theon had been standing ahead of her, she would have spent the entire ceremony staring at him, only to notice Julia beside him and sink into misery.
Her only complaint was that Karnon stood directly within her line of sight.
Officially, she was his daughter, so she had to stand near the front, close to him.
Since the appointment of the Crown Prince was one of the Empire's most important state ceremonies, Karnon wore a golden cloak that spread across the floor and carried the scepter symbolizing the Imperial House of Milanaire.
At the tip of the scepter was a carved spirit with its arms spread as though embracing empty air.
Originally, the Spirit Stone of Light was supposed to rest in its arms, but generations ago it had fallen into the sea and been lost.
They could have replaced it with another jewel, but placing an ordinary gem where the Spirit Stone belonged was considered an insult to the spirits, so the space had been left empty.
...Did they ever find a fragment of that Spirit Stone?
She vaguely remembered hearing, just before her execution, that part of it had finally been discovered.
But at that point she'd already given up on everything. Her memories from those final days were hazy and fragmented.
"The glorious light of Milanaire shall shine upon the entire Empire..."
As the ceremony began, Dorothy realized something new.
Karnon... was surprisingly small-minded.
Now that she was a child again, the ceremony seemed remarkably modest.
Not because it had been intentionally simple.
This was the official proclamation of the Empire's next heir. Preparations had thrown the entire palace into chaos for days, and nobles from across the realm—even Fried—had traveled great distances to attend.
When I was little, Ray's investiture looked magnificent.
Back then, Karnon, sitting proudly upon the throne, had seemed distant and terrifying.
He'd felt like an untouchable existence.
As though being acknowledged by him was the only proof she truly existed.
But now...
Karnon meant nothing to her.
His accessories looked gaudy.
The chandelier hanging from the ceiling looked small and shabby.
The hall felt cramped.
The flowers were ordinary.
Her standards had simply become far too high.
She had once held banquets where flames burned so brightly it seemed as though the sun still shone at midnight.
The finest wines.
The finest delicacies.
Flowers and trees carved entirely from jewels.
Dancers summoned from distant kingdoms.
If she had held an investiture ceremony...
It would have been far grander.
Far louder.
Far more extravagant.
...Like a true tyrant.
Only a tyrant who bled the people dry could afford such excess.
So perhaps Karnon was the one doing things correctly.
At that moment, everyone rose as Ray entered along the crimson carpet.
A majestic pipe organ echoed through the hall.
Thousands of candles shimmered.
Everyone present bowed as he passed.
Around Ray floated tiny Spirits of Light, buzzing like fireflies.
The proof of the Crown Prince.
The qualification of Milanaire.
The requirement to become Emperor.
...I don't need that kind of power.
I'd beaten Ray even without it.
Pushing those memories to the back of her mind, Dorothy watched him approach.
His tense face made her want to laugh.
His stiff shoulders.
His trembling hands clutching the ceremonial reliquary.
He looked as though he'd trip over his own robes at any moment.
Then, instead of looking ahead...
Ray rolled his blue eyes around until he found Dorothy.
The instant their eyes met—
He broke into a huge grin.
What are you doing?! Watch where you're walking!
This was a solemn ceremony!
Why was he smiling like an idiot?
But it didn't stop there.
As soon as he smiled, the Spirits of Light circling him suddenly began wobbling wildly out of control.
You idiot! Can't you even control your spirits properly?!
Look forward!
She silently mouthed the words.
Ray immediately understood.
He nodded enthusiastically.
The reliquary shook in his hands.
The spirits danced along with it.
No! Why are you nodding during the ceremony?!
You fool!
Thankfully, Ray finally faced forward again and reached the platform without falling.
Watching him made Dorothy feel like someone anxiously watching a child wander too close to the edge of a river.
That idiot is going to become Emperor...
I never would have made mistakes like that...
No.
She had no right to think that anymore.
She shook her head.
Still...
If someone had to become Emperor instead of her...
She only wished he'd become a wise ruler remembered throughout history.
There was another reason Dorothy disliked being a Milanaire.
The imperial family always had to maintain the appearance of being one harmonious household.
At the banquet following the ceremony, she had no choice but to remain beside Ray and Karnon simply because she was a princess.
"Your Highness resembles the late Empress so very much."
"She looks exactly like Empress Alice did as a child."
"What pointless chatter."
Karnon cut them off before anyone could continue speaking about Dorothy.
The conversation quickly shifted back to Karnon and Ray.
Dorothy simply stood there like one of the decorative candleholders mounted on the wall.
The adults gathered together gradually blocked her from view until she seemed to drift completely outside their circle.
This is exactly why I hate this.
They dragged her here...
Only to treat her like part of the background.
Yet because she was a Milanaire...
She wasn't allowed to leave.
Before her regression, she would have desperately forced herself into the conversation.
Trying to prove how intelligent she was.
How valuable she was.
At the same time, she would have pointed out Ray's flaws and criticized him.
But now...
She remained silent.
Waiting only for the evening to end.
"Dorothy. Come over here."
Surrounded by adults, Ray occasionally turned around to call her over.
Yet as the center of attention, he was immediately swept away again.
Just then, someone stepped beside her and offered her a glass of juice.
"Bored?"
It was Theon.
He held out a glass of ruby-red pomegranate juice.
Its clear crimson color suited him perfectly.
Dorothy froze and stared.
Theon... is talking to me?
She couldn't hide her surprise.
Theon was always polite, but he kept everyone at arm's length.
It was as though an invisible fence surrounded him.
No one approached him easily.
Except Julia Delevine.
Yet now...
He had come to her first.
Could it be...
Did he bring this juice specifically for her?
Just imagining him thinking about her long enough to fetch it made her heart race uncontrollably.
"Please drink it. You haven't eaten anything since earlier."
Since earlier...?
Does that mean... he'd been watching me this whole time?
Whenever it involved Theon, she became like a little girl again.
Every tiny gesture made her heart flutter.
Trying to steady her trembling hands, she accepted the juice.
But she couldn't bring herself to drink it.
Not while Theon stood beside her.
Besides...
This was the first time he'd ever taken care of her.
The juice suddenly felt far too precious to consume.
I can't drink this.
I'd rather take it back to my room and display it forever.
She wished the crimson liquid would never evaporate.
Never spoil.
Never disappear.
"His Highness Raymond talks about you a lot."
"He does?"
"He says you're incredibly smart. A genius."
"Ray?"
"Yes. He said you've already memorized all of your imperial studies."
The praise left Dorothy completely flustered.
Compared to Ray, she really was smarter.
Not simply because she'd regressed.
Even in her previous life, she'd always learned faster than he had.
Despite being two years younger, she'd surpassed him in geometry, philosophy, history, and many other subjects.
She'd believed she had to be better than Ray at everything.
Only then would someone finally love her.
She thought if she learned the stars before he did...
Someone would cherish her.
If she answered every question before him...
Someone would acknowledge her.
Instead...
All she gained were chains.
"We'll probably meet at Episteme."
Theon's words forced her to compose herself again.
Episteme was the Empire's greatest academy.
A school where the most gifted students were educated.
A place where noble heirs built lifelong connections.
Not only nobles from Ubera, but princes and aristocrats from foreign kingdoms graduated from Episteme.
Many even formed political factions based on their academy ties.
Ray, as Crown Prince, had naturally been allowed to attend.
Dorothy, however...
Was forbidden.
She wasn't allowed to outshine the Crown Prince.
Was I born only to make Raymond look better?
If I went to Episteme, everyone would finally see how capable I really am.
So why couldn't I go?
Back then...
She simply couldn't accept it.
After all, even nobles who couldn't see spirits were admitted.
Why couldn't she, an imperial princess, attend?
The injustice had driven her mad.
In the end...
She rebelled.
She snuck out of the palace and hurled a stone at Episteme.
The rock shattered a window...
And struck the eldest son of Duke Bronte in the head.
His injury enraged the Bronte family.
Karnon imprisoned Dorothy in the palace again.
For an entire week, she was denied all food except water.
Their already fractured relationship never recovered.
So now—
"...I'm not going to Episteme."
