At this point, I knew this had something to do with my Sister. It looked like she and Helena struck some sort of a deal, but it was unclear what it was.

"How often do you get to go outside?"

'Like, every day?'

"Is it true that Sir Lodrick is your teacher? How is he? Is he as demonic as they say he is? How often does your nose bleed due to his homework?"

'Demonic? The hell are you smoking? The man is one of the most chill people I've ever met...'

"They say the fifth Princess can craft her own spell already and is a step short into the realm of Master Class Magician. Is that true?"

'Yea, true, true. But she's been spending her time learning Martial Magic, though.'

"What food do you eat to have such an appetite?"

'Just say I'm fat, will you?'

"Can you tell me what lady Alyson likes? Her favorite colors, What kind of desserts she likes, or her favorite poem."

'You. After this, wait for me, and don't go anywhere, you punk.'

Thanks to Helena's needless request, I was being bombarded by question after question. Some were polite and came with goodwill; some sounded more like a mockery; the last one was just outright trying to ask what my Sister liked shamelessly.

Most of the questions they threw at me took like five percent of brain cells to answer. Of course, I didn't answer them with the first thought that popped into my mind. That'd be disastrous.

There were also those who beat around the bush and tried to pry me about what I think of Adam's position in the family, and when they failed to fish out any useful information, they went on to ask about the true nature of my relationship with Helena.

Well, since they beat around the bush, I just returned the favor. Playing around with words, wearing the facade of being dense while ultimately giving out nothing but crap to their prying ears.

In the distance, I could see Sister Alyson's occasionally troubled looks when she glanced over here.

Quite similar to my Sister, Howard was also trying his best to suppress his growing frown while he was with Adam.

And now, to the perpetrator herself, Helena was standing not too far away, looking as though she had chewed something bitter. She locked her eyes on me the entire time and turned away, grumbling, whenever I looked back.

To her side, there was Damian, who appeared weary for some unknown reason. And then there he was, the fanboy who was head over heels with her...Robert the simp.

'Well, at least he ain't messing around like that dude from the last time...What's his name again...Dang, I forgot it...'

Thus, the clock ticked on, and time flew by. Realizing that it was the chance to make some connection with the mysterious Dawson's eldest son, people kept coming at me.

Sir Lodrick said the gatherings of a noble were more akin to a war of nerves rather than a time where one could relax. Sure enough, he was right yet again.

When they figured out that questioning me would get nowhere, they changed their scheme meticulously.

One of them tried to demean me, saying how talentless I was only to learn one specific spell at my age. Apparently, in their eyes, I looked nothing more than a disabled brat with obesity who did nothing but eat and sleep. He concluded by saying it might be better for me to put all my effort into management training instead of magic. He specifically stressed the point of my lack of talent as a magician while subtly implicating that to become a knight would be even more outrageous of a dream.

What a piece of fucking shit this bastard was...Still, it is what it is...

Because I knew the truth and knew what I was capable of, it was even hard to get angry, to be honest...So, I just played along.

And the more I played myself to be the dense and innocent type, the stupider they believed I was. 'Well, I ain't a genius, but I'm pretty sure I am above average...'

After putting it out as if they were concerned for my well-being and telling me how harsh and unforgiving of a journey it would be in the future, they dished out promises of tomorrow in droves at me.

'They will support me as companions.'

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'Everything will be alright.'

'They will help me a ton in the future, so let's be close friends.'

Things like that...

'Truly a bunch of asswipes scammers these brats are...' It was so ridiculous that it was hard for me to keep up my act even a minute longer.

So I shut my mouth. I got so sick of the bullshit after bullshit they kept saying, so I ignored them altogether.

Those who failed to read the mood kept on going, though, as if to spite me right in the face. They even offered me the company of their Sister or relatives.

They didn't actually tell me to forget my engagement with Helena; instead, they made a careful but piercing remark that the engagement would most likely fail due to political reasons in the future. Something they heard from their parents, I suppose.

But yeah, that's basically the gist of it.

And my response to that was to treat them like air. They called out and said something, but how could air speak? It's not like they were humans, right?

They got skittish and anxious soon before long. Maybe they realized I was not that dull and tried to amend their blunders, but these packs of hyenas kept throwing excuses or changing topics after that.

Seeing how pitiful and desperate they appeared, I decided to elevate their status from air to assholes and gave out a half-hearted smile from time to time.

Today, I learned sometimes a smile could serve as a punishment, too.

And, truth be told, it felt somewhat nice to dish it out myself to these assholes of nobles that ganged up on me minutes prior.

"Are you having fun, Alex?" Out of the blue, my Sister appeared, caressing my cheek.

"Yes, Sister. I have a great time today. They told me it'd be best to learn management from now on and forget about magic...Ah, someone said that the pope might be of help if I wanted to become a knight. I don't get it, though..."

"Is that so..." Sister's cheerful tone took a plunge down, scanning and burning the looks of the onlookers around us to her memory. "Dawson gives its regard for all the kind intentions you have given. We'll be sure to pay them back when we have the chance in the future."

'Now that's what I call a threat. From now on, I need to learn how to throw my weight. Shit, that looks dope...' I was more than impressed seeing their face drained out of color just by a single remark from her.

"Why isn't she with you?" Inquired Sister softly.

"Hm? Who, Helena? She's right there." I gestured to the side.

She pinched my nose playfully. "I know where she is. I'm asking why she left you alone here and stood there with those two."

"She says something about her being in the way of me talking to people." I was confused, too, as to why she was asking me. 'Isn't it because of you...?'

"Ha...What an idiot..." Whispered her weakly. "Let's go. I'll talk some sense to her when we get back."

She pushed my wheelchair towards the balcony, leaving the crowd behind.

Midway, she waved for Howard and Adam in the distance to join us while completely ignoring Helena and her two entourage, who decided to follow us nonetheless, albeit keeping their distance.

The sun had turned orange, and the early evening breeze gently welcomed us as we arrived at the empty balcony.

"You're gonna pick a fight with her again?" I quoted.

"I am not fighting with her, Alex!" Alyson raised her voice in reply. Feeling guilty afterward, she hugged me from the back. "It's just...complicated...I want everyone to be happy. But just like Father, I will do anything to keep our family safe. I want you to know that..." She hugged me tighter. "It's not fair...Why must Helena be the Princess of this Kingdom..."

My ears picked a series of movements behind us, and through my mind's eye, I could tell they belonged to Howard and Adam, who stayed still just outside the balcony.

He heard her. That's why he stopped.

"You worry too much, Sister." I patted her hands, feeling the weight of my Sister's adversity laid heavy on her arms. 'So you know...'

My Sister was brilliant, more than how she gave out. From her words alone, I finally know the reason why she disliked Helena so much. It was not because of Helena herself as a person but simply because she was the princess of this kingdom and all the risk she'd bring to our family the moment this marriage came to fruition.

On the other hand, maybe she was struggling because Sister did like Helena, no matter how she liked to admit otherwise.

All this time, all I cared about was whether Helena would survive the assassination plot and not make Howard crazy, but Sister's words reminded me yet again of how lacking I was in things like this.

"Sister! Brother!" Adam's cheerful voice rang crisply from the back.

He started sprinting and threw himself into Sister's arms, who launched him into the air, leaving the boy giggling from ear to ear.

"So, how does it feel like to deal with the brown nose posers by yourself?" Howard bumped me on the shoulder, smirking wide.

'Hm...' I knew for a fact that he heard what Alyson said. But now he appeared before us, smiling and joking like nothing happened.

It was just like him...

"Hah...And instead of helping me, you ran off with Adam? You traitorous punk! Do you even know the word loyalty?"

"Hey, don't blame me, Alex. I will not let those kinds of people corrupt our pure Adam. Not on my watch, they won't."

"What a load of crap."

I traded jokes with him, bantering back and forth. If he wanted to act like nothing happened, I wouldn't pressure him to do otherwise.

It's the least I could do.

"What are you doing? Will you keep standing there as if we chased you out, or will you stop being weird and join us?" Snide Alyson, calling out to the fidgeting visage that kept looking at us with the most jittery expression ever.

"Tch! Shut the hell up! Who's being chased out!" And our entourage was finally complete with the arrival of the bashful ruby-haired Princess.

Helena Demeria Boreas.