"Still, I'm quite surprised she hasn't tried to torch that man to dust." Murmured Howard softly.

"You know what, that sounds so sad, coming from her own brother, don't you think?" I shook my head.

"It's because I am her brother that I get to say stuff like this, Alex." Argued Howard lightly.

I sneered, "Can you tell her that when you're in front of her, though?"

While Howard and I exchanged harmless banter, Alyson, on the other hand, called out to Damian, who was standing alone with a destitute look on his face. "Sir Grey. Please, join us."

"Leave him alone, Alyson. Even though I told him so many times not to get too close to that shady fellow, he just waved me off. Now, for once, he gets what he sowed, thanks to his stubborn skull. It's a good thing." Sarah tried to dissuade Alyson, but the latter merely smiled playfully in response.

"A mistake is indeed a great teacher, Sarah. But I personally think he has learned enough. Look at him, standing all alone, looking pitiful like that. Don't you feel sorry for him?" It may have started out kind and merciful, but Sister's words had a totally different meaning at the end.

Damian's face burned red, having his ego scratched. With his head hanging low, Damian bit his lips and drew closer to us.

So, the context behind why the two girls were being so harsh at the boy was because of Robert and Helena. In return for him to do Helena a favor, he asked her for some guidance in magic. Hence, we were outside in the mansion's backyard, watching the event take place.

To be fair, Damian must've found this whole shenanigans unfair. It was not like he was the one who started this whole mess, either. All he did was try to be a good friend to the wrong person and at the wrong place.

Howard, seeing Damian approaching, opened his mouth. His voice was not loud but projected clearly enough to the other onlookers beside us.

"Lady Alyson speaks the truth indeed. Sir Damian surely has done nothing to persuade my sister to agree with this arrangement. Even though he is responsible for inviting Count Grey's son to this ball, I don't see any fault there."

Then, from there, his tone turned colder and sharper, locking the visage of Damian, who was frozen in place with a stunned look on his face.

"If both of them are trying to plan a scheme against my sister, the fifth Princess of this Kingdom, then it might be different. Fortunately, that isn't the case here, is it?"

Sarah's earlier facades dissipated in the blink of an eye as she jumped frantically in front of Howard, pleading sincerely for his brother's case. "F-Fourth Prince. Please forgive my brother! As an aspiring Knight, my brother does nothing but hold his sword every day, oblivious to the way of the world. I can swear on my honor that he harbors no ill pursuits against the throne. Please, believe me, Fourth Prince!"

'That explains why she acted as though she was about to ditch her brother so mercilessly...It will do more harm to him if she let this pass.'

Howard had been docile so far, laughing and joking whenever he was with us. But I kept forgetting how crafty he really was.

His act might seem like a harmless query at best, but from the recipient's point of view, seeing Howard the Fourth Prince acting like this must be terrifying. The implication hidden in there wasn't exactly light, and Howard knew it.

'What's with this mess...The show hasn't even started, and that poor Damian looks like he's about to faint.' I sighed inside for the umpteenth time.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Things like this wouldn't happen if Adam was there to distract Howard, but unfortunately, the little goblin was having the time of his life, feasting on desserts on top of Alyson's lap.

Ignoring the plea of the trembling Sarah, Howard kept his unperturbed eyes dissecting Damian.

"Alright. That is about enough, isn't it, Howard?" I decided to take matters into my own hands before things became even uglier. "Damian, can you push me there? I want to take a closer look at both of them. We're too far, and there are too many people here."

"Leave him. I'll go with you." Replied Howard sharply.

"No. He'll come with us." And I answered back without giving in.

"...Tch. Fine." Stated Howard begrudgingly as he pushed my wheelchair.

"Hey, clicking your tongue is definitely a twins' thing, isn't it?" I giggled and whispered amusedly.

"Shut up." Remarked him, annoyed.

After a while, I started, "...For the record, he did try to pull that dude away from Helena right from the start. This is something she decided to do, Howard."

"Don't say that. Don't you say that, Alex! Is she the type to get swept along just because someone was pushy? I know what you're saying, but I hate seeing her in these situations...I've seen too much of it and am sick of it. And hey. I don't show it often, but I can be angry too!" Howard decided that he wasn't having it.

Seeing him like that, I couldn't help but realize something. 'Yeah, who am I to tell him otherwise? I have done something way more horrifying when I'm angry, after all...'

"Apparently, we're still kids, Howard," I admit it was a bit out of a tangent, but still, I felt he needed to hear it somehow.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Queried Howard, confused.

"So, it might be good for us to throw a tantrum like a kid from time to time...In this crazy world, it might be good for some things to stay normal, or so I've been told..."

"...You sound like an old man, Alex. It doesn't suit you. It really doesn't suit you at all." Scoffed Howard after a long pause.

I didn't need to see his face to figure out just how disgusted his mug was.

"Bastard...I just quoted someone. And he is an old man!" I hissed, biting my lips.

"That's a relief. I'm sorry to break this to you, but you don't have what it takes to play the wisdom card, man...My insides have been tingling because of you. It's just that bad...Don't do it from now on. I beg you."

'This ungrateful slimy punk!! Should I teach him a lesson?' I felt my blood rush upward, contemplating hard whether I should conjure a spell to slap the back of the punk's head or not.

"What are you doing, Sir Damian? Aren't you coming?" Howard then stopped briefly before shouting to the back.

"H-Huh? Ah! Yes!" A high-pitched answer came in reply.

It may be me, but I think Howard's steps felt slightly lighter.

"What are you doing here?" Out of the blue, a familiar face appeared inches before me. Her hair swayed forward due to the girl sprinting, brushing at my chest while carrying the scent of fresh jasmine. And somehow, she was smiling...

"Woah! You scared me, Helena!" Yelped Howard in shock.

"It's too far from there. So we came here to get a good look." I answered for the three of us, pondering inside. 'The other reason is to mediate between these two...'

Mumbled Helena, throwing her gaze sideways in a bashful manner. "Hm...It isn't that far..."

Was it a smile, a smirk, or a frown on her face? It was hard to tell.

'What's with her?' I threw a confused look at Howard using my eyes.

"Say something nice!" Whispered Howard.

There's this urgency buried deep in his tone, beckoning me to open my mouth ASAP.

'Nice? Something nice!?' Unfortunately...He expected too much out of me... "Um...It's nice that you haven't torched him to dust yet...?"

Crack!

I heard a crack. Something broke. It was the wheelchair's armrest, which had just been fine and dandy in Helena's grip just a second ago.

"Tch!! You're too close. Back away some more!" Barked her harshly, leaving us behind as she drew away.

"...You know you're an idiot, right, Alex...?" Quipped Howard, pulling me back slowly.

'Oh, piss off!'