“Why, you...”
“What? Does my standing up for myself make you mad? Doesn’t take much, does it, even though you pretend none of this bothers you.”
When Joshua moved to raise his arm, Arcus continued.
“Gonna beat me again to vent your anger, huh? In the middle of the palace? Sure, go ahead. Ruin the Raytheft name forever.”
“I would merely punish your impudence. To do so would have no effect on the family name.”
“Wouldn’t it? It’d definitely cause a commotion. I could help, if you wanted. Cry like the little boy I am and make sure everyone pays attention to us. I wonder what’d happen to your house if you ruined the party like that?”
“There would be negative consequences for you as well.”
“Okay. I don’t care, as long as I get to take you down with me. How does an early retirement for the head of the Raytheft House sound?” Arcus glared at Lecia’s father. His gambit was to use the setting and his lack of status against Joshua.
“Your brother’s really something,” the demon remarked. Lecia could hear the grimace in its voice.
Indeed, it was at times like these that Arcus’s daring side came out, no doubt because he was used to highly volatile situations. His courage and resolve went far beyond that of a regular child.
With his house at risk, Joshua could no longer lay a finger on Arcus.
“How dare you!” her father snapped.
“How dare you?!”
Neither of them was making any attempt at defusing the situation. The sparks were still there, colored red by bloodlust. The intimidating air that Joshua emitted was impressive, but so was Arcus’s. While her brother had no choice but to yield to the pressure before, now he could endure it. The problem was that they were clashing with so much force that the people around them were liable to notice.
If I do nothing to intervene, this could lead to disaster...
“Why, if it isn’t Raytheft!”
Out of nowhere came a woman’s voice. It lacked the refinement that one would expect from an esteemed guest of the palace.
Lecia turned to see Louise Rustinell, whom she had formerly met at Arcus’s house. Though she retained her eye patch, she was wearing her uniform properly today, aware of the public eye.
“Lady Louise...” Brought back to his senses at last, Joshua gave a quick bow. “Please allow me to apologize for my disgraceful behavior.”
“Something doesn’t feel quite right here. Is there a problem?”
“Not at all, My Lady. It is a private matter regarding my family, so I ask that you overlook it.”
“Really? Sorry to stick my nose in. But you should keep in mind who your hosts are. And, as a vassal to His Majesty, it’s my duty to make sure nothing threatens the occasion,” Louise said, sounding rather prickly indeed.
“Of course. I am frightfully sorry, My Lady.” Joshua bowed his head, but no more deeply than he would to greet someone.
The smile Louise gave in return was pregnant with warning. “Anyway, I do hope you’re enjoying the party. It feels to me that today marks the dawn of a new era in the kingdom’s magic history. As a magician, I’m sure you feel the same.”
Joshua hesitated, eventually saying, “Yes, My Lady,” as Louise’s smile impelled him to. That smile went on to warn him not to cause a commotion, lest he face the consequences. He averted his gaze then, and bowed his head.
Once she seemed sure that she had warded off trouble, Louise turned to Lecia. “You look well, Miss Lecia.”
“It is a pleasure to see you again, My Lady.”
“You have met Her Ladyship before, Lecia?” Joshua asked. “Where?”
“It was quite recently,” Louise said. “She came to see me with Lady Charlotte.”
“I see...” he stuttered.
Nothing the Rustinell leader had said was technically untrue. That said, if Lecia was going to intervene, now was the time.
Shooting Louise an apologetic look, she turned to Joshua. “We ought to pay attention to the presentation, father.”
“Yes, indeed. Do make sure to keep the family’s reputation at the forefront of your mind,” he warned Arcus, but the boy kept his face turned without uttering a reply. No doubt that angered Joshua enough to want to make a remark, but Louise’s presence barred him from it. He obediently walked back to their original spot.
Arcus shot Lecia a grateful glance, and she bowed her head before following her father.
“Was your father always like this?” the demon on her back pondered.
“Yes.”
This was far from the first time it had observed Joshua, but it had never seen him act like this. Naturally, it was curious about the Raythefts’ circumstances.
“That boy is your brother, isn’t he? But he isn’t living with you. Why not?”
“Mother and father disdain him for his lack of aether.”
“Oh, yes. Aetheric supremacists. I didn’t realize they were still kicking around. Although I suppose it makes sense. And that line of thinking is what makes your family’s relationship so complex, yes?”
“Yes,” Lecia admitted.
“I see, I see.” The demon chuckled. “It must make things all the more unpleasant when it’s your own child you’re trying to shun. Enough to make you forget their humanity.”
“Is that not an exaggeration?”
“I wouldn’t say so. Humans are prone to such things. Little is as close to them as their family; to harbor such unpleasant feelings for someone in that circle can drive them to despair—because they see them every day, whether they like it or not. That just makes the resentment build ever further.”
“I wonder if that is how my parents feel about him.”
“Probably. Take my advice and forget about the sentimental stuff, just because he’s your brother. You’re a noble. It’s common for families like yours to be at each other’s throats over money or power. The ‘love’ that real parents may hold for their children is nothing like what you’d read in fairy tales.” At that, it burst into laughter.
Lecia was not nearly as amused. In fact, its words served only to frustrate her greatly. She wanted to dispute what it said, but deep down, she knew it was right. She knew that her parents would never lift a finger to reconcile with Arcus.
“Come on, don’t sulk now. All I did was tell you the truth.”
“You truly are a wicked creature.”
“Thank you. I suggest you don’t hope too hard that we might one day understand each other. The more you hope, the more you’ll suffer if you end up betrayed. The pit of darkness you fall into will be ever deeper for it.” On that note, the demon fell quiet.