Rights come with responsibilities.
Throughout history and across cultures, few have been able to escape this truth. When the balance between rights and responsibilities starts to tilt, the spark of revolution is inevitably ignited.
Thus, the privileged classes of a stable society do not hesitate to impose responsibilities on themselves.
At least, even if it is just a mere facade.
The imperial family of the Empire was no exception.
From this perspective, the fifth princess, Sien, could be regarded as a model royal.
Her life was like a tightrope walk between rights and responsibilities.
Was a ‘princess’ not a status that draws the attention of those around her by mere existence? Moreover, her innate beauty and the special power known as the “Eye of the Dragon” allowed Sien to experience an early awakening.
She was a girl loved simply for being of dragon bl**d. Once it became known that she could peer into the hearts of others, the countless scornful gazes directed her way were enough to poison the heart of a child who had not yet turned ten.
At that moment, the girl realized.
That love and hate were like the two sides of a coin, easily swapped at any time.
Even the noble birth of a ‘royal’ was no different. In childhood, one could enjoy all kinds of wealth and splendor without a thought, but what would happen when the struggle for the next imperial throne began in earnest?
The tightrope between life and d*ath would commence.
And so, the girl became cunning.
She did not hesitate to take advantage of others’ hearts and desires, and though she did not aim for the next imperial throne, she worked hard to become a useful card in the game.
After gathering the attention of those vying for the next imperial throne for several years while forming her own independent faction.
With everyone’s expectations and suspicions on her back, Sien enrolled in the Academy, only to be drastically changed after just one year.
“……Sien, what is this?”
In front of Sien stood a beautiful woman with silvery-blue hair.
The fragile skin hinted at the woman’s sickly past. The woman’s skin, which had survived numerous brushes with d*ath in her childhood, was so pale it seemed almost ghostly, enough to make her appear as a resident from another world in the bright midday sun.
However, just because she had endured a frail childhood did not mean her character had become frail.
On the contrary, her sharp gaze, aloof gestures, and cold complexion hinted that she was not someone to be underestimated.
After all, how could one survive in the treacherous political arena without such traits?
The woman was one of the heirs to the throne, reputed to be the closest to the next seat of power.
The Empire’s second princess, Iris.
She was also one of the two people Sien feared the most.
However, the reason Sien’s body trembled was for another reason as well.
“Elder sister, that, um….”
Swallowing hard, the sound of Sien’s dry throat echoed.
At the end of Iris’s look of scorn was a doll that Sien had been fiddling with.
It was a doll modeled after her childhood crush.
Initially, it had just been a hobby, but as it unexpectedly gained popularity among many, Sien became engrossed in this secret creative activity. There were countless times she had commissioned skilled tailors, spending money for it.
And Sien had one principle.
She would do the finishing touches herself.
Sien was a companion of I-an, and her sharp eyes and manual dexterity were far beyond the average person. This talent revived the charm of the dolls that others could not see.
Today, she was in the midst of finishing yet another doll.
But luck was not on her side. Of all people, she had been caught by Iris.
Behind Iris, Sien could see Lady Airen, who, like her lord, was fumbling and hesitant. Naturally, a mere knight would have no way of stopping a prominent heir to the imperial throne, but Sien could not shake her resentment.
Lady Airen, so incompetent!
As she inwardly blamed her subordinate, Sien thought of a last resort to escape this situation.
“……Ehe.”
With a foolish smile, the girl tilted her head.
However, the expression on Iris’s face, facing this trivial and harmless younger sister, remained cold. In fact, she looked so pained that she rubbed her forehead, as if suffering from a headache.
A sigh involuntarily escaped Iris’s lips.
“How did it come to this, Sien… You were so astute and ambitious, and now you’re just like any other girl, holed up in a corner playing with dolls.”
Sien felt disheartened by Iris’s blatant scorn.
Thinking back, there had been many changes over time. The old Iris had harbored a subtle expectation towards Sien while watching her with wariness.
She was a woman who would be second to none when it came to being devious.
Perhaps it was especially her younger sister, who closely resembled her own temperament, that seemed particularly endearing.
Yet, in just one year, she was now no different from other girls her age.
It was no surprise that Iris felt disgust as well as disappointment.
Iris did not hide her disdain even until the end.
Luckily, there was one truth: Iris was not someone who moved without reason.
If Iris had come to the Academy, there must have been a purpose.
And Iris did not like to waste time.
“……Follow me.”
It was a command thrown out without even an explanation.
Sien could only respond with a dazed expression, tilting her head.
“What?”
“I said to follow me, Sien… You can listen to the explanation along the way.”
With even a hint of irritation in her voice, Sien had no choice but to drag her feet like a slaughtered animal being led to slaughter.
Iris, by nature, did not get angry easily. Since she generally did not trust people, there were few around her deemed worthy enough to elicit such a reaction.
Rather than waste anger, she would simply discard someone cleanly.
That was Iris’s way. Conversely, interpreting it this way, Iris’s annoyance now indicated that Sien still had some value to her.
Whether to laugh or cry.
Sien was already missing I-an and felt despondent.
If Sir Ian were here, he would have stood up more confidently.
It was at that moment that Sien’s knight, Airen, attempted a timid protest.
“Um, Princess Iris. I apologize, but Sien also has her own schedule…”
“By imperial decree.”
Of course, it was a statement that would not hold any weight.
Just two syllables, a magical word that made Airen sweat bullets and lower her gaze.
“Lord Lupemion, what schedule could possibly take precedence over an imperial command? I am currently carrying out a special mission from my father.”
“……I-I’m sorry!”
“It’s good to see you realize your mistake.”
With a cold scoff, Iris did not hide her contempt.
“I heard you got severely punished for messing around with the son of a rural baron, didn’t you? Because of that, my sister was humiliated right in the middle of the Academy, and now she’s reduced to merely knitting for a few months. Ha!”
“Elder sister!”
Rarely did Sien raise her voice in anger.
It was a strikingly different response than when she had been trembling like a mouse before a cat. Iris’s cold gaze naturally turned towards Sien.
Airen looked somewhat moved.
After all, as a lord, perhaps she was trying to protest against such over-the-top ridicule.
It was partially correct.
Sien was trembling, tightly clenching her little fist. She looked incredibly angry.
“How dare you refer to Sir Ian as just ‘the son of a rural baron’! He has conquered the minions of the evil deity and achieved the rank of ‘High Expert,’ can he really be belittled like that?!”
“Well, yes… that might be true… but back then, it wasn’t.”
Though it was her utmost brave rebellion, Iris’s reaction was just as cold.
Eventually, Iris sighed and scolded Sien again.
“Sien, please come to your senses… Whether or not you have a crush on that womanizer with all those scandals, I have no interest. But do not forget that to us, everyone is merely a tool.”
“No matter what, he is a hero representing humanity…!”
“A very useful tool, that is.”
With a swift motion, a fan that Iris had been holding unfolded.
The way she deliberately covered her mouth with the fan made her gaze all the more piercing. Iris maintained a sardonic tone.
“We simply need to place useful tools in positions where they can achieve the maximum results. No matter how talented someone is, they cannot exert power without the strength of organization and information.”
That was the last shred of patience shown by Iris.
She began to walk lightly again, and after a moment’s hesitation, Sien had no choice but to follow her closely. Once outside the building, the guards were already lined up.
As expected, they looked every bit like heirs closest to the next imperial throne. The armament and skill of the guards were fearsome.
Regardless, Iris merely cast a fleeting glance at Sien.
“……Don’t make such a discontented face. If you listen to me well, it might even help with that ridiculous crush of yours.”
What on earth did that even mean?
Sien’s eyes widened in surprise at Iris’s words, which she had listened to silently.
