One week passed, and there was still no news of Helene.
Ilya never asked about her, nor did he make any effort to find out where she had gone or what had become of her.
Whether she had managed to escape that life or had sunk even deeper into it was no longer something he allowed himself to dwell on.
Then another week passed.
Still nothing.
Ilya busied himself in training instead, spending nearly every waking hour preparing for his eventual transfer to the Magic Department. The more exhausted his body became, the less room there was for unnecessary thoughts, and that suited him just fine.
By the third week, his days had become no different from before.
He woke before sunrise, trained until his muscles ached, attended his classes, returned home, and repeated the same routine the following day.
No news of Helene ever came, and Ilya made no attempt to change that.
"...."
...Or perhaps it was because he had made certain that no news would ever reach him.
"...."
Then, as the fourth week came to an end, a letter finally arrived.
One of the household servants entered the living room carrying an ornate envelope on a silver tray before stopping in front of him with a respectful bow. Embossed upon the crimson wax seal was the crest of the Imperial Family.
"Young Lord," the servant said as he presented the letter with both hands. "This was delivered for you."
"Hm?"
Ilya accepted the envelope and broke the wax seal with little interest. As his eyes scanned the contents of the letter, he paused for a moment before letting out a sigh.
"...It’s finally here."
Had this letter arrived several weeks earlier, it might have become the trump card he desperately needed, and perhaps things could have turned out differently.
While he had neither the authority nor the influence to involve himself in Helene’s situation, he might have been able to strike a bargain with the Imperial Princess in exchange for whatever it was she wanted from him.
Whether she would have agreed was another matter entirely, but at least he would have had something to gamble on.
Still, dwelling on that possibility served no purpose.
In any case, this was the meeting his father had arranged with the Imperial Princess, Liselotte, dangling it before him as though it were part of the agreement for approving his transfer to the Magic Department.
Looking back on it now, there was little doubt that he had been manipulated into accepting the meeting from the very beginning.
Folding the letter in half, Ilya slipped it back into its envelope before turning toward the servant, who remained patiently awaiting further instructions.
"I’ll need to trouble you for a moment," Ilya said as he rose from the sofa. "Could you help me get dressed? Something formal."
"O-Of course, Young Lord!"
The maid bowed before quickly making her way toward the upper floor, already thinking through which suit would be most appropriate for an audience with a member of the Imperial Family.
* * *
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Ilya."
The young woman seated across from him offered a graceful smile before inclining her head with impeccable etiquette.
The pavilion had been reserved exclusively for the two of them. Beyond the open windows, the lake reflected the setting sun, while servants replaced empty teacups and plates without interrupting the conversation.
"I am Liselotte Aenne Bismarck, Third Princess of the Empire."
There was little reason for an introduction. Her cyan-blue hair alone was enough to reveal her identity, while the attendants standing behind her confirmed her imperial status.
Every movement she made, from the way she held her teacup to the way she addressed him, had the refinement expected of an Imperial Princess.
"It is an honor to meet Your Imperial Highness," Ilya replied, offering a courteous bow of his head. "Ilya Valentinovich Belozersky of the House of Belozersky. Thank you for granting me this audience."
"There is no need to be so reserved, Lord Ilya. If anything, I should be the one thanking you for accepting my invitation despite such short notice."
Ilya took the seat opposite her after receiving her permission to do so. The servants poured tea for both of them before withdrawing several steps, leaving the two alone inside the pavilion.
Neither of them spoke immediately, allowing the customary formalities to run their course before the conversation truly began.
"I must admit," Liselotte continued, "I had expected the son of the Northern Grand Duke to be... somewhat different."
"And what were Your Imperial Highness’s expectations?"
A laugh escaped her lips.
"I shall refrain from answering that for now," she replied. "After all, first impressions are often wonderfully misleading."
Ilya regarded her expression. Before him was Liselotte, Siegfried’s younger sister, whose every movement carried an air of grace. Yet having read the original novel, Ilya already knew that under that flawless etiquette was a personality far less dignified than the one she presented to the world.
Liselotte gently set her teacup back onto its saucer before resting her hands upon her lap.
"Lord Ilya, I imagine you’re wondering why I invited you here today."
"I would be lying if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind."
"That certainly makes things easier," she replied with a pleasant smile. "I have never been particularly fond of speaking in circles."
"That surprises me."
"Oh?"
"I had assumed members of the Imperial Family preferred making others guess their intentions."
"My, what a dangerous assumption to make before an Imperial Princess."
"I’ll consider myself fortunate if Your Imperial Highness chooses to forgive it."
"I suppose I can overlook it... this once."
The exchange ended with a brief silence as Liselotte scrutinized the young man seated across from her.
Unlike the reports she had received, there was little arrogance to be found in him. He answered her calmly, never once trying to flatter her or shrink before her status.
"...That saves us some time."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Lord Ilya, I shall be frank with you. The reason I invited you here today has very little to do with you personally, and everything to do with my father."
"Hm."
"His Majesty has recently become... rather enthusiastic about arranging marriages for his daughters. Naturally, these are not decisions made out of affection, but politics. He wishes to strengthen the throne by tying the Imperial Family to houses he believes will never betray the Empire."
"And House Belozersky happens to be one of them."
"Exactly."
She nodded her head.
"The Northern Grand Duchy has guarded the Empire’s borders for generations, and despite the influence your family possesses, your father has never shown the slightest ambition toward the Imperial Throne. To my father, that makes your house one of the safest choices imaginable."
Ilya remained silent, allowing her to continue.
"I, however, have no desire to become a prize to be exchanged for political stability," Liselotte said with a sigh. "I understand my responsibilities as a princess, but understanding them and accepting them are two very different things."
"And so Your Imperial Highness wishes to make a deal."
A trace of surprise crossed her face before she let out a laugh.
"You truly are quick."
"I assumed this conversation wasn’t simply an opportunity to share Your Imperial Highness’s frustrations."
"No, it isn’t."
Liselotte leaned forward.
"There is another reason I wished to meet you, Lord Ilya." Her blue eyes remained fixed on him. "You were there during my brother’s final moments."
The smile disappeared from her face.
"You were the last person to see Brother Siegfried alive."
"...."
"I have already read every official report submitted to the Imperial Palace," Liselotte continued. "I know what the knights claimed happened, and I know what the investigators concluded. What I wish to hear... is what you saw."
Her fingers tightened around the handle of her teacup.
"So allow me to ask you not as an Imperial Princess, but as Siegfried’s younger sister."
"...."
"What were... my brother’s final moments like?"