Allen
“Mother, how could you just let that man go to Ed!”
Lirith had every reason to be furious.
That so-called older brother of hers—who had run away from home and never once sent so much as a letter back to the family—had suddenly, out of nowhere, returned. And from the look of him, he was about to spout some absolute nonsense at her little brother.
So she started with her fists.
Uwaagh! Stop it, Lirith—you’re actually going to kill me! Hiiiek! Mother too?!
Just let me see my little brother once! Please stop her, Mother!!
She could have beaten him a little longer and buried him for good, but Camilla—whom she had fully expected to join in—had instead stepped in to stop her.
Because of Camilla’s mediation, Lirith had no choice but to quit thrashing Allen.
Camilla then ordered Grace and Emma, who had come along with them, to go handle other duties elsewhere so they would not interfere with Allen’s conversation with Edward. The two of them were far from convinced, but Camilla managed to talk them into leaving.
Lirith, however, still remained, still unconvinced, and still seething.
“...Lirith. He is still your older brother...”
“Mother, you nearly had a stroke yourself when that man left without a word!”
“Haa... True. I’d love nothing more than to thrash Allen myself right now...”
In truth, the moment Camilla had seen Allen’s face again, she had fully intended to scold him. If she had joined in as well, he might genuinely have died. He had already been beaten that badly—which was precisely why she had stopped Lirith.
But there was another, more important reason.
Camilla knew that although Allen had run away on his own, he had never abandoned House Frigid.
She had sent people after him again and again, trying to drag her runaway son home, yet she had never managed to catch him. Even with an intelligence network and manpower that rivaled the Imperial family’s within the Empire, every time they located where Allen was supposed to be and arrived, he was already gone.
And every single time, a note had been left behind.
Mother! I have not abandoned Frigid! I simply left with my true love, so please do not worry!
Mother! You need not worry. Your son is doing well! Your daughter is about to hit puberty, so you ought to keep her a little farther from her little brother! That girl is dangerous!
Mother! Please do not interfere with our elopement! I heard Father is curious who my beloved is! She is the same age as you, Mother, and...
Mother! You sent people much faster this time! Oh, and just so you know, I did not plant any spies! I simply take a great interest, so I already know everything!
...
Thinking back on the contents of those notes, Camilla almost wished she had simply joined her daughter and beaten him to death after all...
But judging from what he had written, the eldest son who had run off and never returned had never once lost interest in Frigid. If anything, he had kept himself meticulously informed.
Camilla guessed that Allen had somehow learned his little brother’s condition was poor, and that was why he had suddenly come to the manor.
“I sent him because I thought... what Ed needs right now might be his older brother.”
“No—why on earth would that man be necessary—”
“Lirith. You know, don’t you? I never saw it myself—your father only told me—but...”
“...That Ed used to smile for that man more than anyone else?”
“Yes. He smiled for your father too, of course, but he smiled most of all when he was talking with Allen.”
“...I know.”
How could she not?
From the time she was small, Lirith had never once seen Edward’s smiling face. But she had heard his laughter.
He had laughed so loudly it carried clearly through the door.
Hahahaha!! Brother, isn’t that a bit much?!
Little brother! That’s only natural for a man!
If she opened the door right then...
She might finally see Edward’s smiling face. So she had timed it carefully and flung the door open.
Clack!
Ed♡~!
...Is something the matter, Sister?
As if nothing had ever happened, the only face waiting for her was the usual blank, expressionless one.
Oh dear! Little brother... can’t you show that smiling face to your sister as well?
What are you talking about, Brother? I never laughed.
Khuhuhuh... No matter how many times I see that deadpan face of yours, it’s always hilarious!
Allen... no, Older Brother. Shall we speak later...?
Ah, Sister! You must have business with Brother. Feel free to take him.
Ahem! Uh... little brother~?
Yes, Ed! I came because I have business with Older Brother! I’m taking him~♡
Little brother!!
Brother, that was fun. Let’s talk again next time!
No—I’ll keep talking right now!!
Let’s go. Ol.der.Bro.ther!
Hiiiek!!
As she recalled the past, Lirith remembered that she had, only last night, finally seen Edward’s smiling face.
But that smile...
“I wanted to see my son’s smiling face... but the face Ed wore last night is one I never want to see again.”
As if she had read Lirith’s thoughts, Camilla spoke the words for her.
“Yes. I never want to see it again either...”
It was not that Edward’s face itself was unpleasant to look at. How could that beautiful face ever be unpleasant? Even the face that had smiled through tears of sorrow had been heartbreakingly lovely.
But no matter how beautiful it was, she never wanted to see him look so sad again.
“Let us trust Allen. He seems to have come after roughly grasping the situation.”
“Yes... I suppose we have no choice. But...”
Lirith agreed with Camilla’s words, yet something still sat uneasily with her. She turned her gaze to Charlotte and spoke.
“The look on Her Highness’s face next to you makes me rather reluctant.”
“Ahem! Whatever do you mean? More importantly—so you’ve heard Ed’s real laughter before, not the kind from last night?”
“Don’t change the subject... Worry, or anticipation... pick one. It’s written all over your face, Your Highness.”
Charlotte cleared her throat at Lirith’s words and tried to deflect, but she showed no intention of answering the pointed remark about her complicated expression.
“Of course I’m worried about Ed first!”
The reason Charlotte’s expression was so ambiguous was the question Allen had asked Camilla before going to find Edward.
Mother, I intended to ask you this before going to see my little brother anyway...
Ask what?
You were planning to proceed with an engagement to Her Highness, correct?
That’s right, Young Master!
Allen! You need another beating, don’t you?! And Your Highness! What ‘Young Master’ is this man supposed to be!
...For now, yes.
Understood. If I stay here any longer my little sister will thrash me again, so I’ll go find him at once.
“...I let him go because I’m worried about Ed, but I am completely against it.”
Lirith had a bad feeling. That was why she intended to drive a stake into the ground with Charlotte.
“How can you be against it when you don’t even know what Young Master Allen intends to say, Lady Lirith?”
But Charlotte feigned ignorance and answered lightly.
“...”
“Ahem! For now, the important thing is... I just hope Ed can recover his spirits, no matter who helps him...”
Under Lirith’s silent stare, Charlotte cleared her throat, turned her head, and spoke. After all, the most important thing right now was for Edward to regain his strength.
“Indeed. I hope Allen can be of help to Ed right now...”
Camilla agreed with Charlotte and looked in the direction Allen had gone—toward Edward.
“Ed...”
Lirith also called her little brother’s name and clasped her hands together.
They all prayed...
That Edward would no longer be sad.
That even if he went back to scowling and frowning, he would simply return to the way he used to be.
Just as Camilla had thought, Allen had run away at a young age—but he had never abandoned House Frigid.
He had continually sent people to keep track of Frigid’s affairs, and he had used that same information network to evade the people his mother sent after him.
Keeping track of the situation had never been only about escaping pursuit.
He had been forced to leave home for the sake of love, but Frigid was still the house that held the family and people he loved. Loving his parents was only natural, and he loved his little brother Edward most of all.
Of course, he also loved his little sister with the terrible habit of using her fists.
Truthfully, I was planning to make a surprise appearance at the debutante and startle my little brother...
Allen thought as he walked toward Edward’s room.
He had already attended his little brother’s debutante in disguise. He had wanted to appear suddenly and give him a shock, but the throng of noble young ladies swarming around Edward had made it impossible.
As expected of his little brother.
Even after more than ten years apart, Allen had always believed Edward would grow into someone extraordinarily beautiful. That was why, when they were children, he had heaped praise on his little brother’s looks.
Little brother! You’ll take after this older brother of yours and become a peerless beauty!
What’s so good about a man being a peerless beauty, Brother...
What are you talking about? A man ought to be beautiful!
I refuse.
But every time he praised him, the little brother who usually smiled while talking with him would scowl instead—so at some point Allen had simply stopped.
Even so, because that face made a hard road ahead all too easy to foresee, he had given earnest advice.
Little brother! I know you hate being praised for your looks, but you must remember this one thing!
...What is it, Brother? And it isn’t that I hate being praised for my looks, it’s...
Beauties attract a lot of women! So!
Ugh... I don’t want anything to do with women.
Don’t tell me my little brother’s tastes are... You mustn’t look at this older brother with those eyes!
What strange things are you saying, Brother!
Then... why do you say you dislike women...
That’s... for a separate reason.
Haa... I don’t fully understand my little brother’s thoughts, but you will definitely suffer among women.
I absolutely refuse any such situation.
Then it would be best to find someone you love and bind yourself to them as soon as possible.
...Love, is it... Brother, do you know how old we are? Especially me, I’m still...
Love has no age! The sooner the better!!
...Yes, I understand, Brother.
He had given that advice earnestly even the day before he left home.
Unfortunately, his little brother did not seem to have taken it properly to heart.
Even in the year he turned fifteen he had not attended a debutante, and Allen had never heard any news of an engagement. Then, when he finally heard that Edward would attend a debutante this year—at the age of twenty—Allen had thought, At last he’s looking for a partner, and had secretly attended the debutante both to celebrate and to give him a surprise.
And then.
Some crazy bitch...
Grind.
A madwoman who intended to threaten his beloved little brother had appeared.
Calling herself a Hero.
“Haha. That goddess bitch.”
Anyone who overheard would have called it blasphemy, but he too was a man of House Frigid. Allen always wore a smiling face that made those close to him take him lightly—yet the moment a blade was pointed at someone precious to him, he could become colder than anyone.
Little brother... this is no time to be crushed.
Allen had watched everything from a distance—from the debutante banquet all the way through the night’s chaos.
It may be hard because of your sister as well...
The Hero would definitely target his little brother and drive him toward ruin.
With Frigid’s strength alone...
Even with their mother Camilla still in her prime, it would be difficult.
Then there was only one way to stop it.
The Imperial family and Frigid must be joined.
It was a simple matter of increasing their power.
But Edward was never going to nod along easily. Especially not in his current wretched state—it would be extremely difficult.
Even so, for the sake of persuading the little brother he loved, Allen steeled himself and stood before the door.
The moment he reached for the handle—
Sssrrk...
Flinch!
He was certain no one had followed him, yet Allen felt a killing intent he could identify at once.
Whose killing intent it was... how could he not know?
If it’s what I think it is, I will never forgive you...
Even if I manage to persuade you... it may still be hard because of your sister.
Allen touched his swollen face and steeled himself once more.