Chapter 15

I politely bowed my head and greeted him using court etiquette. He looked at me with a relaxed gaze,

"It's been a long time, Y/N."

I almost frown at his friendly greeting. He and I aren't close enough to share such personal greetings. Of course, I can't be upset because of the difference in our statuses, but Arnulf isn't in such a dire situation that he needs to pretend to be close to me or even Lehan.

So right now, he's not doing this to please me.

I could tell what he wanted because of the way his soft eyes looked at Rupert with a smirk of disdain.

No one said their greetings to each other.

Rupert hadn't even looked at him, so I answered right away.

"Yes, Your Highness the Prince, how are you?"

"I didn't know Lariette wanted to become a maid in the palace. If I knew, then Nigelle and I could do something for you."

It wasn't funny. Arnulf gently grabbed my shoulder as if to show off our friendship to Rupert and say, 'The maid beside you only came for me in the end.'

What a joke.

Arnulf is the oldest son of the Emperor. He's nine years older than me, so he is now twenty-three. Come to think of it, he's too old to mock his half-sister, who is only fourteen.

This made me angry. I just shook my head because I knew I couldn't do anything even if I wanted to.

"No... it's fine."

"Nigelle would be so sad if she found out because she likes House Bellua a lot."

Arnulf smiled seductively as he ruffled his shoulder-length red-blonde hair. I was horrified to find that a man his age could do that, flirting with a girl half his age.

'Fucking womanizer.'

I need to strengthen my ties with Rupert. I was reluctant to, but I needed to speak up, so I opened my mouth a little imprudently.

"I'm sorry. Please tell Her Highness Princess Nigelle that I will still continue to serve Her Highness, Rapherette even if I was offered a position."

Rupert, who was only looking at the air when I spoke, quickly turned his head. I looked at his large green eyes, which seemed to not believe me. Even if I told him many times until my mouth was worn out, it seemed like he wouldn't believe me.

"What?"

Arnulf was the one who asked the question, and I continued while looking at his wry face.

"Going forward, I will continue to work for her Highness Rapherette ."

"... Is that what House Bellua wants? Is the Count that foolish?"

"Prince, I'm only fourteen years old... how could this be House Bellua's will?"

Since he's been raised in a position of power, I'm sure he would interpret everything with political intent. I bowed my head to avoid his scrutiny.

To him, it may look like I - or House Bellua, is trying to cross the line between the Queen, who has been good to us. However, no one will take me seriously because I'm not a man like my father, or Lehan, who will one day inherit a title.

I was determined. My future isn't set in stone, but the promise of a good future seemed so far away because I'm also holding House Bellua's future in my hands.

Rupert held my wrist when he saw it shaking.

My hand was behind my back.

But I was shaking it because it was starting to be numb because of the cold.

I shook my head in disbelief as Rupert stepped forward and stood before me, blocking my view of Arnulf.

In front of me, I'm now witnessing that four months' worth of effort wasn't in vain.

The boy, who was half a head shorter than me, has grown at a frightening rate and is now about my height. His voice is also getting lower, so he won't be able to hide that he's a boy easily as well. That's probably one of the reasons Rupert hides in his palace.

"What?"

Arnulf's formal smile disappeared when Rupert asked him a question. Both brothers' faces were blank, but not in the same way. Arnulf's expression changed first.

"I had to walk here personally because you're not answering my messages."

"I've read all of them… 'Don't talk to the Emperor alone.' I know."

"If you remember, then why aren't you doing it?"

"His Majesty's order comes first."

Rupert's words were cut short for a moment. He scratched his neck as if he was annoyed by Arnulf and tightened his grip on my wrist.

Arnulf laughed at Rupert's response, raised his large hand, and slammed it down before Rupert could react.

Rupert's little face swelled up within moments. It seemed natural for that twenty-three-year-old man to slap a child on the cheek. Even though he hit a face smaller than his hand, it's as if he didn't care and didn't show any hesitation.

Rupert, the victim who got hit, also didn't show any emotion.

'This wasn't the first time.' I thought out sadly.

"You've become much more carefree. I thought you were a bit more reserved these days."

"I don't want to see you anyways."

"You bitch… how did you seduce the Emperor with that half-blood face of yours?"

'Seduce?'

'How could he utter such a despicable accusation of criticism towards a father-and-daughter relationship?'

I knew Rupert was being neglected, but I didn't think he was being treated so badly and openly. When Rupert was quiet, Arnulf smiled with satisfaction.

"You should be thankful that the Imperial Family accepted you even though it isn't certain if you're His Majesty's child. Ah, Vellelum's greatest mistake: making a prostitute as the Empress, the mother of the nation."

I was bothered by Arnulf's rudeness, even going so far as to insult the Empress.

The Empress doesn't have much power. The location of the detached palace, which was tucked in the corner of the Imperial Palace as if it had been forgotten and left to rot, started to make sense.

Arnulf wasn't arrogant because he had Duke Arnbach's backing; instead, he just had a deep hatred of Rupert. There was no explanation for why hatred was so intense that he treated his half-sister coldly, the same one who couldn't even properly fight for the throne.

"Did you know… the Empress of Vellelum came from a Brothel in Ardel… She's not the Count's adopted daughter. She's just a lowly prostitute."

Arnulf took his eyes off Rupert, who stiffened and looked like he was going to pass out and said something crazy to me.