*Knock, knock*

I knocked at the door and the face of Prime Minister Carl Jansen greeted me. He had a blatantly displeased expression.

"Oh, if it isn't Aine-sama. Have you come to smooth over your mistakes to His Majesty again?"

"No, I have a request today..."

"Request? You're a very vile person, aren't you? Aine-sama had never matched against those two no matter how much time passes because you always take advantage of another person."

O-Oh... What terrible words... I instinctively stepped back.

"U-uhm, I was impressed with the Reverend's story this morning..."

"Do you intend to take advantage of the Reverend? You really are-"

Ah, this guy repeated it again! What a pain!

"I want to leave the castle!"

Carl froze when I said so. I waved my hand in front of the frozen Carl to ascertain if he's still conscious.

"Wh-what... did you say?"

"I'd like to leave the castle and learn agriculture. I want to live and learn at the site itself."

"To do such an approach... to not be recognized and having only that method to become a prospect for successor, you're a pitiful thing aren't you?"

Why is this guy's way of thinking like this?!

"I am not interested in being a successor candidate."

"Hou, I cannot trust your words."

"That is fine, conversing with you is pointless. I will leave. Convey that to Father as well."

"What foolish thing are you- wait, Aine-sama!"

The guy yelled from behind me, but I'll ignore, ignore and ignore it!

I saw Father from the opposite side of the door looking over some documents behind his desk, seeming uninterested. I'm really unloved, huh...

Since I already proclaimed that declaration, I will leave at this instant!

I went back to my room, grabbed the jewelries that I spent all my money on to adorn myself, and then went out of the castle.

Straddled on my personal horse, I left the castle behind.

'I will never return to this home full of malice!' I thought as I let the horse travel in a random direction.

"Oi, is that idiot not here?"

The day is just about to end. When I asked about the Second Prince who did not come to dinner, the waitperson only returned an ambiguous answer.

He appeared odd during breakfast so I feel a little bothered about it, that's all there is to it.

It feels refreshing for that noisy fool not to be here, I pondered as I reached for a bread.

Three days had passed when I realized that I never saw him again. Did he not appear because he collapsed again for three days and three nights? In the old days, I always thought that that man's body is frail...

After dinner, I decided to visit his room reluctantly.

Thereupon, nobody was in the room. Him and the waitperson, too. The state of the room have not changed so I supposed he is somewhere in the castle.

However, three days after that...

"Elder Brother."

My youngest brother came into my room. Somehow, his complexion doesn't look good.

Unlike that fool, Yuan is intelligent and excels in military arts so I do not dislike him. He is a good conversation partner, too. That is why every time Yuan and I discuss about sophisticated matters, that idiot is stumped. Moreover, he makes a fool of himself when he shouts in fluster - it's unbearably amusing.

"Elder Brother, Aine-niisama's horse is missing."

"What?"

"Not long ago, I went to the stable to groom my horse, however Aine-niisama's horse had disappear."

"Did that guy left the castle?"

"I can only think of that possibility."

"If that is the case, where could he possibly..."

"..."

The face of that idiot came into my mind.

Fair-skinned with raven hair and eyes, the little brother who always looked sullen and not cute at all. The little brother who always looks back with flattering eyes intending to curry favors, strangely just reserved for Father.

And then, that sole gentle, laughing expression during breakfast on that certain morning.

In the end, it was impossible for me to sleep well on that day.

1. The brothers address their father as chichiue (父上), a very archaic and formal way of saying 'father'. Literally means, honorable father.

2. Yuan addresses Leichel as aniue (兄上) which is a very formal way of addressing an older brother. Literally means, honorable elder brother.

3. I decided to retain all honorifics so -sama (様) and -niisama (兄様) will be retained as it is. -niisama a very respectful honorific for an older brother. While -sama is a general honorific indicating respect or that the one being addressed is of a higher status. As they are royalty, they speak and are spoken to formally, so the aspect of 'respect' may or may not be present.