Alexei, who took after his father in appearance, had instead inherited his grandfather’s serious personality. His grandmother had always been strict with him. She’d forced him to study day in and day out so that he might take over the work his father despised as soon as possible.
It was his duty, she’d often told him. Alexei had only just turned ten when he’d been forced to take on part of the duchy’s workload in the wake of his grandfather’s death.
Despite his mature disposition, Alexei had been a child, and he’d often wished his mother could be by his side.
In the end, his dear little sister, so much like his mother, had been the one to gift him the words he’d dreamed of hearing—despite him deserving nothing but her contempt for having let them suffer for so long.
Until he’d laid eyes on them for the first time, Alexei had never imagined they’d been treated so poorly. In truth, the one who’d sent them to that manor wasn’t his grandmother, but his grandfather, Sergei. He’d done it for their protection.
As the influential prime minister, Sergei had been the only man with enough power in the family to stop his wife from acting out. However, while he’d been a respectable man, he’d seldom left the capital and hadn’t the reach to stop his wife from doing as she pleased in the dukedom. That’d been what prompted him to move Ekaterina and her mother to a different home altogether. He’d given them money to live well while protecting them from his wife. However, after he’d died, Alexei’s grandmother had surreptitiously fired their servants and slashed their budget, forcing them to live in misery, imprisoned away from the world.
Alexei should have stepped up to care for them after his grandfather’s death, but he’d been too young and preoccupied to notice their struggle.
The moment he’d first laid eyes on them was burned into his mind.
His mother, bedridden on the verge of death, and his sister, Ekaterina, an emaciated child. The old clothes she’d been wearing had been too small even for her thin frame, threatening to rip at the seams. How could the young lady of a noble house have looked like that?
He also remembered the fear in her eyes when she’d looked at him.
The next time he’d seen her, six months later, she’d become so beautiful that he’d hardly recognized her. She’d looked far more mature too. However, she’d refused to say a word to him.
That’s only natural, Alexei had thought.
When he’d brought her to the capital and she’d fainted, though, he’d thought his heart would stop. He couldn’t believe it when she’d extended her hand to him as soon as she’d woken up. She’d even asked for it when he’d let go.
Even though Ekaterina had forgiven him, Alexei had no intention of forgiving himself. He knew there was nothing in this world he wouldn’t do for his sweet sister.
“She is a gentle soul,” Novak agreed. “I’ve only exchanged a few words with her, but her high spirits and wit were clear. Besides that, her mana is plentiful, and her beauty is beyond words. Her eyes and hair shine with the noblest color in the empire, blue.” The subjects of the empire were born with a variety of hair colors, but since most of the children of the imperial family had blue hair, it was known as the noblest color of all.
Novak continued. “She’ll undoubtedly bloom as the blue rose of Yulnova, much like the rose on your crest.”
The family crests of each of the three Grand Dukes bore flowers—the rose of Yulnova, the lily of Yulsein, and the narcissus of Yulmagna. This was why the power struggle that’d long simmered between these three houses had been dubbed the Feud of the Blue Flowers.
Novak was clearly drawing to a conclusion. “Besides, His Highness Mikhail is her peer. They’ll have many occasions to get to know each other at the academy. Not to mention, the young lady of House Yulmagna, Elizaveta, is only ten. Lady Ekaterina has a good shot at becoming empress.”
Alexei shook his head. “Never,” he said harshly. “I will not let the imperial family have her. Yesterday, she said to me that she wanted to stay away from the imperial family—away from our grandmother’s family.”
“I heard that His Highness will enter the academy at the same time as I. Mother wanted me to become close enough to him that I could become the empress and force grandmother to bow to my will, but neither of them are here now. Honestly, I wish to live freely, without the burden of such a heavy position. I’d rather focus on my studies and avoid entanglement with the cold imperial family.”
Novak shrugged. “Marrying for her family is the duty of every noble lady. You ought to have scolded her.”
“Novak, she’s far too frail to rule. In that sense, Magna wasn’t wrong; his daughter has the upper hand. Anyway, I’d love to see him drown under the wedding expenses. Instead of competing to crown an empress, I’d much rather lend him dowry money at an astronomical rate. That way, I can keep his house in check even after Vladimir inherits.”
Alexei was far chattier than usual, Novak noticed.
While Alexei had always disliked Georgi and his eldest son Vladimir, who was only one year younger than him, Novak had no doubt that his true motive was elsewhere. He didn’t want to let go of his sweet sister, especially not now that they were getting along like normal siblings.
“What a thorough plan,” Novak said with a nod.
Despite his confidant’s gesture, Alexei could tell that he wasn’t convinced. He raised an eyebrow, awaiting his next words.
“But who knows? Once she meets the prince, Lady Ekaterina’s feelings may shift. His Highness is a dashing man,” Novak said, “or so I’m told.”
Alexei hmphed and grimaced, unable to object.
“That’s fine. If she comes to want His Highness, I’ll fight Magna to the bitter end. I’ll place her on the throne even if it costs my life. Anything Ekaterina desires shall be hers.”