“Lady Scarlet! What were you talking about with Princess Gwenhwyfar?”

“I’m afraid such a subject would only serve to bore you. Perhaps we could discuss your trip to the tailor instead? I do hope my recommendation was satisfactory.”

†

“Lady Scarlet! You look as wonderful as ever today, but... is everything alright?”

“Of course it is. For what reason do I worry you?”

“Oh! I saw Captain Verdia escort you to her office... I thought perhaps she might have found fault with you.”

“Of course not. We were simply discussing something of a more private nature. I’m afraid the details would only bore you. I’m sure you would much prefer we plan out next week’s tea party together, yes?”

†

“Lady Scarlet! I heard you and your father haven’t been getting along recently... Is there anything I can do to help?”

“It’s quite alright. I’m afraid the particulars of my family matters would be nothing but boring for you, but I thank you for the offer nevertheless. Now then, I must inquire about the flowers you brought me the other day. They were quite delightful. Did you perhaps cultivate them yourself?”

†

“La—” I bit my lip this time.

I wanted to call out to her like I usually did, but I knew it would simply be a fruitless attempt. Despite the two of us growing up together, she had never allowed me into her heart even once. Through her words, she had told me I was a precious childhood friend, but her actions dictated otherwise. I only ever wanted to get closer to her, but every time, she would simply push me away.

I knew her meetings with the princess and Captain Verdia weren’t merely casual encounters for the purpose of maintaining connections or building friendships. I knew her disputes with her father weren’t as simple and boring as she made them out to be. Yet, regardless of how much I reached out to try and help her, she would never allow me to support her.

Was there any point in continuing to try?

The sharp sound of heels against the Imperial Academy’s marble-tiled hallway reached my ears, dragging me away from my train of thought. With my gaze still fixed on the ground, I saw my favorite pair of red heels even before I laid eyes on my favorite person.

“Lady Volutia,” Lady Scarlet spoke before I could greet her first. “What an auspicious meeting on this fortuitous day. You were just the person I was looking for.”

She fixed me with her usual dazzling smile as I looked up, freezing at the sight of her beauty for a moment. It was silly, really. We’d been friends for so long and I’d seen her so frequently over the years, but every time I saw her was like the first time.

Of course, I blushed uncontrollably, but it wasn’t just from her presence alone. Rather, it was more of the fact that she’d said I was the person she was looking for! I don’t think I’ve ever heard her say that, and quite honestly, my heart skipped more than just a beat.

“R-Really, Lady Scarlet!?” I beamed at her, ready to fulfill whatever she would request of me. At long last, she was entrusting something important to me. I would finally be able to help relieve some of her burdens!

“Of course.”

In truth, I already had an inkling of what she wanted from me. Thanks to my very own intelligence network, I was well aware of the fact that something sinister had been brewing in the empire for quite a long time, and Lady Scarlet was working quite hard to counteract it. Like a game of chess played in the shadows, Lady Scarlet and her mysterious opponent traded moves and gathered pieces, each preparing to checkmate the other.

I knew she had been gathering troops and currying favor with various nobles in her home duchy, not that it took much effort. Though the nobles of Avimorne duchy should have pledged their loyalty to her father, Lady Scarlet’s intelligence and genius statesmanship was widely known, garnering her widespread respect and authority despite her age.

In fact, she was one of the few individuals in the entire empire who did not have to kneel before imperial royalty. That alone spoke volumes of the sheer skill and political acumen that she possessed. Of course, she wasn’t perfect.

Even I had to admit that. For starters, the situation with her knight was highly unusual. Though her official knight was Sir Lucas, she had taken Dame Eris—a filthy knight-errant—as her champion for several matches in a row, citing Sir Lucas’ severe injuries as an excuse. While it was true that Sir Lucas still remained confined in the infirmary, there was absolutely no excuse for Lady Scarlet to completely disregard tradition and pair up with a lady knight.

Though there were no real rules barring such a development, I simply didn’t like it.

Other than that, Lady Scarlet was certainly shouldering burdens a lot heavier than someone her age should bear alone. That was why I wished so passionately to lend her a helping hand. She was my dear friend after all, and it seems that I would finally be able to do so! Be it providing troops, gathering intelligence, or even something as simple as giving her some advice, I was willing to give it my all!

I gazed passionately at Lady Scarlet, eagerly preparing to receive her request. “Whatever do you ask of me? I shall do my best!”

“Your enthusiasm certainly is commendable, Lady Volutia.” She said, her low and gentle voice caressing my ears. I nearly shivered from the pleasure of hearing her melodious compliment, but I somehow managed to suppress my excitement. “Very well then. My request is actually quite simple. I wish for you to join me today for a tea party.”

I nodded, waiting for her to continue with bated breath. It was only when she continued to remain silent even after several seconds did I dare speak. “A-And...?”

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“Hm? That was all, Lady Volutia.”

I stared at her in disbelief, my eyes blank as I berated myself for being such an idiot. Of course she wasn’t going to rely on me. Why would she? It’s not like I’ve worked tirelessly over the past few years just to be the person she could always lean on.

“What’s wrong? I was hoping that you would accompany me and ease some of my stress.” Lady Scarlet said, her expression looking almost sullen. “Are you perhaps unavailable today?”

“H-Huh? No I... I was just hoping that...” My voice trailed off. I honestly didn’t even know what I was supposed to say. Just what was I hoping for? That she would let me in on her plans? That she would perhaps give me an important role to play in the game of chess she was so focused on all the time? What a fool I was.

“Lady Volutia.” Lady Scarlet frowned. I hated that expression. She deserved to smile, not have her beautiful brow blemished by a crease. The fact that I was the cause of such an imperfection, however minor, simply made me hate it all the more. “Is something the matter...?”

I hastened to shake my head. “No, of course not. I would be delighted to join you.”

“I’m glad to hear you say so, but your eyes tell me a different story.” Scarlet said. “Though it was not my intention to do so, I have displeased you.”

“...You haven’t, Lady Scarlet.”

“As your dear friend, am I not someone you can confide in?” Lady Scarlet stepped closer toward me. I flinched, not at her approach, but at her words. “Please, Lady Volutia. What is it that you hoped I would ask of you?”

How... How can you even say that, Lady Scarlet? How can you say that when you’re the one who’s been keeping secrets from me!? I was close to tears at this point, but I didn’t want to cry. Not in front of her. Never in front of her.

I took a deep breath and collected my thoughts before speaking. I had a sneaking suspicion that she wouldn’t allow me to worm myself out of this one, so if there was ever a chance for me to get everything off my chest... It was now.

“...I thought... I thought you were finally including me in your plans,” I managed to force out. “I thought I’d finally become someone you could rely on. Someone you could trust... But it turns out that was just my own delusions.”

“...Volutia.” Scarlet reached out, grasping my hands gently. That was the first time she’d spoken my name without an honorific ever since we were kids.

Regardless, I wrenched my hands free and turned my face away from her. I just couldn’t bear to let her look at the ugly expression on my face nor the tears beginning to pool in my eyes. I couldn’t let her know the depths of my envy. She didn’t deserve to look upon the ugly me.

Lady Scarlet deserved to look only at beautiful things.

“Volutia, listen to me.” Lady Scarlet said firmly, catching me by the wrist before I could run off. “I do trust you. You are my closest friend and I wish nothing but happiness for you. These plans you speak of... They are not things you must involve yourself in.”

“...Why?” I asked, my voice warbling disgustingly. I hated that I was showing her such a pitiful side of me. “Why must you exclude me from something so important, Lady Scarlet...? I only wish to be of use to you!”

“You... wish to be of use to me?”

I didn’t understand why she sounded so shocked. Had she never noticed my efforts all these years...?

“O-Of course I do! I’ve worked so hard to gain your attention all this time! I’ve spent sleepless nights perfecting my intelligence network and brushing up on etiquette! I’ve even disobeyed my mother’s orders and studied military strategy endlessly, all in the hopes of one day being chosen by you!”

“I... Volutia...” Lady Scarlet shook her head, her frown only deepening. She tugged me towards her, and despite my best efforts to resist her allure, I simply couldn’t. “Do you know why you are of no use to me?”

“W-Why...?” Truthfully, I didn’t want to know, but I asked anyway. If I was going to be discarded like an unwanted toy, then I wished to know the reason behind her decision at the very least.

“Because those who are ‘of use to me’ are those who I consider pawns.” Lady Scarlet tightened her grip on my wrist, her eyes locking onto mine. “You are my closest friend, Volutia. I could never see you as nothing more than a mere pawn.”

While her answer might’ve stolen many a heart away, it wasn’t the one I wanted to hear. I was touched, but at the same time, I felt so useless. Was she telling me to just watch as she suffered, then? I remembered all those times when she put on a tough face, but she was slowly breaking on the inside. Despite being heralded as the greatest noblewoman in the history of the empire, she was still just a young girl like me.

No matter how hard she tried to hide them, she had her own limits, and it was clear that she wouldn’t be able to bear all her burdens alone. So why can’t you let me help...?

“Lady Scarlet, I... I want to help you! As your friend! Can only your pawns help you?” I pleaded with her desperately, knowing that my words would be fruitless. “This is my sole request! I will never ask anything of you ever again!”

“...Volutia, I...” Lady Scarlet’s sparkling violet eyes dropped to the ground, staring intently at the marble tiles beneath her feet as if she were searching for an answer hidden in the polished stone. “I shall reco—”

“Lady Scarlet! Lady Scarlet!” Captain Verdia’s steel-shod boots echoed loudly through the Imperial Academy’s halls. “This is extremely urgent! We need you at the war room immediately!”

At once, Lady Scarlet’s head snapped up. She released her hand from mine, turning away as her eyes sharpened and became clear once more. It was like she had completely forgotten about my presence the moment Captain Verdia arrived.

“What is the matter, Captain Verdia?” Lady Scarlet clicked her tongue in annoyance. “I’m in the middle of something important here.”

“There’s no time to explain! We’ve discovered something horrifying beneath the Imperial Academy!”

“...Is that so? So Lady Rose’s men have finally found it. Excellent.” Scarlet nodded, clearly satisfied by whatever Captain Verdia was saying despite the look of horror that the Knight-Captain was wearing. “Let us inform Lady Rose immediately. We will need to destroy the Seed before it sprouts.”

“At once, Lady Scarlet.” Captain Verdia nodded, beginning to turn around already. Scarlet was quickly hurrying to follow in the Knight-Captain’s wake.

“Volutia.” Scarlet said, turning to me once more as she paused in her step. “Come to my room in the evening. We shall discuss the matter further over tea.”

I nodded slightly, not trusting myself to speak. Again, she was leaving me behind while she placed more and more burdens on herself. And yet, I could do nothing but stand idle yet again. I stood in the middle of the hallway, crying and undignified as I watched Lady Scarlet’s form vanish into the distance.

†

...I knew I was to blame for this outcome, but it was already too late for regrets.

I had let my rage and hurt cloud my judgment. I had given in to the honeyed words that spilt from those black lips. I was a fool. I hated her as much as I loved her. All I wanted to do was make her look my way at last, even if it meant playing the villain.

By doing so, I had forced her to consider me in her plans. I had forced her to look at me and only me. Forced her to dance along to my moves just as I danced to hers.

But now look at me.

As rose petals surrounded my accursed form, there was only one thought that still lingered in my mind.

If I had gone to her room that night... Would things have turned out differently?