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Anyway, Ren returned safely. I calmed the startled beating of my chest. He said he was late because it took time to capture the commander of the Holy Knights.

“Because he was an important witness.”

Even amid the urgency, I couldn’t help but give Ren a thumbs up for his cool-headed judgment.

“What are you doing here?”

Seeing Aidan beside me, Ren couldn’t hide his displeasure. But Aidan shrugged and answered nonchalantly.

“I paid off the debt from last time.”

“That’s laughable.”

If I explained how much Aidan had helped, things would clear up quickly.

The matter had grown bigger than expected. We quietly and swiftly dispersed to our own homes, promising to meet again soon before the temple people all woke up.

“Are you okay? Is anyone hurt?”

“Fortunately, we’re all unharmed.”

The manor’s servants — Olgard, Julie, Marcella, Rio and others — watched Ren, the priest Nora, and me, all covered in dirt, anxiously. We had small scrapes here and there, but no fatal wounds. Considering the situation at the time, it was truly a miracle. But there was something more important to me than that.

“I recovered it.”

I produced the ‘Ring of Protection’ I had been hiding in my bosom and held it out to Olgard. He picked up the relic and examined it closely.

“It feels like the same power that was on Rio’s body.”

He filled his hand with divine power. Strangely, it was clearly different from what I had felt from the deputy priest a moment ago. It seemed closer to Lemer’s power….

When Olgard brought a strongly concentrated light to the relic, sparks flew back from the strong repulsion. Deep furrows formed between his brows. A brief standoff continued. A crack began to spider across the gem set in the ring.

Crack.

In no time the fissure split the ring completely. The shattered relic turned to dust and blew away without a trace.

“It… destroyed it.”

My gaze went straight to Rio. Rio simply blinked with wide-open eyes.

“Is Rio all right now?”

At those words, Olgard examined Rio’s body with divine power. Then he smiled and nodded.

Everyone cheered.

Tension drained from me and I nearly sat down, but Ren, who stood behind me, naturally gathered me into his arms.

“It’s done now….”

“Ria, congratulations.”

Marcella hoisted Rio up and put him on her shoulders. She delighted in the joy, playing a rough prank she wouldn’t normally dare.

Marcella and Julie had worked so hard. Seeing them embrace made my eyes well up too.

“You’re going to cry on such a good day?”

Ren pulled a handkerchief from his chest. His clothes were caked in dirt, but strangely the handkerchief was clean. I took it, wiped my tears, and spoke.

“This is the start of everything for me. I originally thought I’d only stay here until Rio’s illness was cured… because I didn’t think they were truly my family.”

But through many trials we grew close, and now I truly consider them family. When I think of home, I naturally think of them.

“Perhaps your family is what brought us together.”

“Maybe so. If I had left right away, I can’t even imagine what I’d be doing now…”

Thinking back to when I only planned to leave home and become independent made me laugh. Then Rio tugged my hand.

“Sister, I’m all better! Let’s celebrate together!”

“We’re already celebrating, aren’t we?”

“Hold hands and celebrate!”

Rio pulled me toward where Olgard, Marcella, Julie, and the priest Nora were. I took Ren’s hand and brought him along. He looked surprised, but when I smiled he awkwardly played along.

We hugged and cried together for a while, spun around in our places, and rejoiced wildly. The steward ordered the servants to prepare a celebratory banquet at once.

It had been a tiring day, but the joy continued late into the night.

It was truly, truly fortunate.

“Strange.”

Lawrence had been in unusually good spirits lately. It was because he could enjoy the amusing sight of those two brats bowing before him. He expected that soon they’d come with tasty bargaining chips and cling to his coat.

‘This is taking longer than I thought.’

He thought that if it were his younger sibling’s affair he’d be furious, but there was complete silence. Even asking the attendants returned the answer ‘there has been no contact.’ The deputy priest said that a junior cleric had been consistently making treatments, so there was nothing suspicious.

‘The relic is functioning properly… so why?’

After brooding for a while, Lawrence let out a short laugh.

“Ha, I see now.”

They’re engaging him in a battle of wills. They won’t bend easily.

“How presumptuous.”

Perhaps his younger sibling needs to be truly ill before he comes to his senses.

That didn’t seem so bad. The thought of the Chancellor coming running, sniveling, seemed entertaining. It would be even better if that Vespera bastard came along. The way he flaunted himself as if those tied to an engagement were his people annoyed him.

‘It wouldn’t be bad to set conditions: break off the engagement with Vespera and then be engaged to me. By the way, the deputy priest’s discipline has become very lax.’

He had expected to showcase outstanding trainee clerics yesterday, but they didn’t appear without notice. To insolently disregard the Crown Prince like that could not be overlooked. He had been lenient recently because he was in a good mood. They didn’t know by whose favor they occupied their posts.

“Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince, His Majesty the Emperor requests you.”

“His Majesty?”

Lawrence sneered at his old father, thinking of course he would be called before Raven, since he was the eldest son.

He walked lightly toward the imperial palace. But what awaited him was an unbelievable upset.

Crash!

As soon as Lawrence entered the reception room the Emperor hurled the plate in his hand. He was flabbergasted.

“F-Father!”

He had rarely seen the Emperor this enraged.

“Do you… do you know what you’ve done?”

“W-what do you mean?”

Crash!

The Emperor threw a decorative potted plant at Lawrence again. Lawrence squeaked and barely dodged it.

“How dare you use the life of the Chancellor’s family, whom I cherish, as leverage to blackmail?”

“…!”

So in the end it had already reached the Emperor…?!

Lawrence thought that upon returning to the palace he would instruct the deputy priest to halt even the junior clerics. In addition, he would order all priests to suspend their healing activities for the time being….

Before that thought had even finished, the Emperor cut him off.

“I know exactly what you were thinking. You used the relic to prevent the illness from being cured, didn’t you? Yuno, the deputy priest and brother of the Chancellor, came and cured the illness. And with Raven’s help they found and destroyed the relic!”

“…!”

Lawrence couldn’t believe the sudden rush of shocking news.

“What? That’s impossible. I definitely… ah!”

It was practically a confession. The Emperor’s words did not end there.

“The commander of the Holy Knights has confessed everything. About your filthy pastime. How dare you lay hands on a trainee cleric of the temple? Are you truly mad? If you want to meet women, meet them properly — I’ve turned a blind eye to many things until now, but to go this far?”

He had to manage the damage. He had to manage it.

“F-Father! It’s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding! Please listen to me!”

Contrary to his words, Lawrence’s knees felt light. Prostrating himself in supplication, he couldn’t come to terms with the torrent of bad news in such a short time. But the Emperor’s gaze was cold.

Clack.

A book was thrown down in front of him as he knelt.

“The… Book of Atonement?”

He swore he had never seen it before.

Yes, someone was surely trying to frame him. Surely that conniving Chancellor….

“It was found in the deputy priest’s quarters. It’s a record of you diverting political funds from the offerings.”

“…!”

Lawrence’s eyes widened as if they might pop.

‘How dare they… stab me in the back?’

The Emperor clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“If you’re going to gather political funds, you should do it in secret. The moment it’s discovered, you provide a tasty prey. This father is truly disappointed in you, Lawrence. The newspapers have already begun reporting it. Yet, as my loyal subject, you came to me first to confess — even though I could press charges immediately.”

“F-Father!”

He was a father who had always let things pass with appropriate punishment.

Lawrence thought that if he flattened himself and showed contrition things would be easily smoothed over again. Watching him roll his eyes, the Emperor sighed.

“Do you not understand what this situation means? It’s not about me punishing you.”

“F-Father?”

The politically seasoned Emperor was beside himself with frustration at his son, who looked exactly like him and whom he cherished.

“The Chancellor will henceforth be loyal to Prince Raven. That capable loyal subject I once even considered as a marriage match for you! What subordinate would ignore someone who saved their kin? I’ve repeatedly told you how important it is to create capable people…! Did you stir up this mess just to indulge your petty hobby?”

The Emperor heaved and gasped with his aged body.

“And on top of that, you even touched Vespera… How can I face the Grand Duke? How can you be so lacking in judgment! You should have stopped! Taking the Chancellor’s family hostage is the same as attacking Vespera’s partner — don’t you know that! How long will you remain stuck in childhood, wallowing in jealousy!”

“Father! Please forgive me!”

Lawrence intended to beg and grovel until his father relented. He firmly believed that would work. He was his father’s spitting image. And his father had liked him for that.

After a moment of silence, the Emperor spoke in a stern voice.

“From this day forth, I strip Lawrence of the title of Crown Prince.”