If someone were to ask me what the closest yet most complicated relationship in the world is, I would answer without hesitation that it is blood ties.

    As the word suggests, blood ties are relationships that are inseparable, but ironically, they can also be relationships that are worse than those of others. It is also a rule that there are virtues and responsibilities that must be observed even among family members, like the word “paelyun” (immorality) suggests. The moment one violates this, they become “immoral” and commit a great sin as a human being.

    Unfortunately, there are countless people in this world who abandon their responsibilities to their families. Furthermore, in the medieval period where the characteristics of a class society and the concept of human rights were rare, this point is even more pronounced. It is common to discard a child who is not of one’s own blood and to engage in family infighting in order to inherit a title.

    From ancient times, people have tried to avoid fighting among blood relatives as much as possible, but when blinded by greed, blood ties mean nothing.

    Like this, family ties can become a target of hatred, even worse than others, and unfortunately, there are often cases where lingering attachment remains in such situations.

    ‘I had a rough idea, but...’

    I looked at Adelia’s face, who was beyond nervous. Her sky-blue eyes and even her lips were trembling uncontrollably.

    From the cold sweat pouring down her face, anyone could tell that she was experiencing a serious anxiety attack. Considering Adelia’s normally carefree personality, it was so different from her usual self that it seemed like a completely different person.

    And the reason why she was shaking so much was because of the three men and women facing us. They were probably the royal family members of the Ters Kingdom who attended the exhibition.

    Their eyes, as well as their hair, were sky-blue, reminiscent of the blue sky, and their noble demeanor naturally flowed out.

    “Red hair... Are you from the Michelle family?”

    The man murmured first when the subtle confrontation continued, and I couldn’t even speak. But thanks to him murmuring loud enough for me to hear, I was able to get an opportunity to speak. So I let go of Adelia’s hand gently.

    Of course, I didn’t forget to check her condition even as I let go of her hand. I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t get any words out, so I kept opening and closing my mouth repeatedly.

    From this, it was clear that there were complicated circumstances between her and the Ters royal family members.

    “Pardon me. I am Isaac Ducker Michelle, the second son of the Michelle family, who organized this exhibition. It is an honor to meet the sky of Ters Kingdom.”

    “Hmm. I am Laos Dukeard von Kurchers, the rightful heir to the Ters Kingdom.”

    Following etiquette, I greeted the man politely and he introduced himself in a confident and assertive voice. Even as he introduced himself, his gaze was fixed on Adelia.

    Next to Laos, the woman also introduced herself in a deep and monotonous voice. “Hiliya Dukeard von Kurchers. Lara, come on.”

    At the same time, Hiliya, who had been holding onto the girl’s shoulder, called out her name. The girl, with her doll-like appearance, opened her eyes wide at Hiliya’s call and quickly took action.

    “Oh, yes! Nice to meet you. I am Lara Dukeard von Kurchers, the 3rd princess of the Ters Kingdom.”

    She politely greeted us while lifting the edges of her dress slightly.

    Her melodious voice and adorable appearance combined to make my heart race, but what really caught my attention was her proper etiquette. Even though she was a noble from another country, Lara was of royal blood and therefore didn’t need to be overly polite in her greetings like Laos and Hiliya. It seemed that Hiliya knew this, as he rolled his eyes but then quickly closed them. It seemed like this wasn’t the first time Lara had made a mistake.

    “Issac, right? The exhibition was very well-organized considering it was put together in a hurry.”

    Laos approached me and spoke in a friendly manner after all the introductions were done. He still kept glancing over at Adelia.

    I was momentarily surprised and nervous when he approached me with such confidence, but using informal language didn’t bother me too much since Laos was of royal blood. It was only in official situations that royalty used formal language when speaking to foreign nobility.

    This exhibition is more of a festival rather than an official occasion, so there is no diplomatic loss even if we speak freely.

    “Thank you. Actually, our family didn’t contribute much, since we received support from the palace.”

    “It’s nice to be honest. You’re like half a tourist, aren’t you?”

    “It’s not half, it’s just a tourist.”

    “You have a wit, unlike your blunt tone.”

    “If it’s a compliment, I’ll take it warmly.”

    “Hahaha, good. Good. But...”

    Laos smiled warmly, but then subtly shifted his gaze to Adelia.

    Now, it seemed difficult for them to meet each other’s eyes as Adelia lowered her head and didn’t say anything.

    Her facial expressions were fully visible due to her short haircut, and it wasn’t much different from before.

    Hesitation, fear, concern, tension, and so on.

    All sorts of complex emotions were mixed together, making it impossible to define them lightly, and she was sweating profusely like rain.

    Just by looking at her, it was clear that her condition was not just bad, but serious.

    And Laos looked at Adelia surreptitiously, and then asked me with a mischievous smile, as if he had thought of something amusing.

    As if to prove their family ties, it was identical to Adelia’s smile.

    “I’m sorry for the first impression, but what’s your relationship with this woman? You were holding hands just now and seemed close... maybe?”

    “No, she’s just a close older sister to me.”

    “Even if that’s the case, you were holding hands affectionately.”

    “Our relationship is not like that.”

    Since it really wasn’t like that, I was able to draw the line sharply. The reason I held Adelia’s hand was simply because her condition was not good.

    “Hmm... I see.”

    Laos looked at me with a blank expression after hearing my firm response. I don’t know whether he believed me or just let it go, but it seemed like there wouldn’t be any harm coming to me.

    “Got it. So you’re saying there’s no relationship at all?”

    “Yes. By the way, would it be okay for me to ask what kind of relationship you have with Adelia noona?”

    “Well...”

    When I asked the question, Adelia raised her head abruptly as if she was surprised. Then she started looking back and forth between me and Laos with trembling eyes.

    It was too pitiful to see her opening and closing her lips repeatedly as if she wanted to say something but her throat was blocked. What on earth could have happened between them to make Adelia react like this?

    “What kind of relationship is it?”

    It didn’t seem like a good question for not only Adelia but also Laos. As soon as I asked, Laos put on a friendly smile and then frowned.

    It was a very unpleasant expression, as if even being involved with her was displeasing. His expression was so bad that it seemed like I had stepped on a mine. Sensing that something was wrong inwardly, Laos turned his head and looked at Adelia with the same displeased expression. Just then, Adelia also turned her head towards us and our gazes met.

    “... ...”

    Facing Laos head-on, Adelia froze stiffly like a mouse standing in front of a cat. She was sweating cold and her mouth, which had been quivering, was tightly shut.

    I was worried that she might faint. It was at that moment when I was thinking about such things inwardly.

    “... It’s not like we have any relationship, do we?”

    Laos replied, looking at me after turning his gaze away from Adelia. The unpleasant expression was completely gone and only a mischievous smile remained.

    However, unlike Laos, Adelia’s expression... It was not enough to say that her world had collapsed. Her heart dropped and her complexion turned pale, and her eyes began to lose focus.

    This alone would have been enough, but Laos’ cruel words did not end there, even though Adelia was right next to him.

    “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but neither I nor we know this woman. Didn’t we just meet her today? She seems like a commoner, so why don’t you play around with her a bit? Even though you are a nobleman of the Empire, there is something about you that I like.”

    “...I see.”

    Would there be anyone who could express their refusal in front of royalty? Laos nodded satisfactorily when I gave a positive answer and looked at Adelia. Although Adelia’s focus had already completely disappeared, Laos continued to pour out his tirade to her.

    “You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?”

    “...”

    Thanks to that, Adelia regained her composure and her focus returned. But before long, something astonishing unfolded before my eyes.

    “Sob... Ugh...”

    As if a rush of emotions that had been held back in her chest were released all at once, tears welled up in her sky-blue eyes.

    Even her tightly pursed lips suggested that she was trying to hold back, but she had already crossed the limit and couldn’t control her emotions.

    There is nothing as shocking as being denied by your own family. Adelia, who was denied by her family, especially in front of me, must have been shocked beyond measure.

    Adelia didn’t explain any further. Frankly speaking, there was no need for an explanation. With Laos treating her as non-existent, and Hiliya blocking Lara’s approach, we can infer how Adelia was treated.

    Although she managed to avoid the life of a prostitute, she may have endured a life of disdain and contempt from her family. Perhaps she even suffered from abuse. It’s truly a heartbreaking thought.

    Meanwhile, Adelia spoke with a trembling voice, her head hanging low.

    “That’s why I enrolled in the Halo Academy when I became of age, like running away. They say they will recognize me as part of the family if I graduate with good grades, but...”

    “I have a feeling that won’t be possible.”

    “Right. But if they see me making an effort... they’ll recognize me... admit it... turn around...”

    While speaking, Adelia’s emotions seemed to overwhelm her as she closed her lips and began to shed tears. Tears flowed down from her clear, sky-like eyes in droplets.

    “I just wanted to... be a normal family... sniff. To play and have fun like everyone else...”

    “... ...”

    “Is it even that hard for them to call me ‘noona’ or ‘unnie’? Those bastards...”

    Tap, tap..

    Tears flowed down from her eyes onto the cold ground, without any intention of wiping them away with a handkerchief. Seeing her clenching her fists in anger, her wretched life seemed to be agonizing.

    I was worried that she might commit suicide someday if this continues. I bent down on my knees to meet her at eye level and spoke quietly.

    “Noona.”

    “Sniff... why...”

    “Is the reason you still care about those people because of your mother?”

    Adelia nodded her head to my question and then told me her story while sobbing.

    “Yeah... my mother said... sniff! That it would be much better than living like this... and even now, I don’t know what happened to her... If I became a princess, I wanted to find her... sniff. With dignity...”

    How miserable this life is. Adelia’s life is so different from mine, who was born a noble and grew up with nothing lacking.

    Perhaps the reason she played mean pranks on Nicole was because she was Adelia’s first friend. Before entering school, Adelia must have suffered physical and emotional abuse from her family, so Nicole is probably a very precious presence to her.

    If even Nicole loses interest in her, it will be difficult for Adelia to withstand the overwhelming loneliness. I glanced down while watching Adelia sobbing.

    It seems that her words that she has been trying hard are not in vain, her hands were filled with calluses and wounds.

    “What should I do now...?”

    “... ...”

    “I feel so lost. When I graduate from the Academy, I have to go back to the kingdom. And then...”

    Just the thought of the severe abuse Adelia suffered made her tremble. The fear and anxiety engraved in her mind were slowly eating away at her.

    I carefully held her hand, judging that it couldn’t go on like this. The sensation of my hand was so stiff and cold that it traveled through my hand.

    As warmth was conveyed through my hand while holding her hand, Adelia stopped trembling and lifted her head brightly. Her face, which had become a mess, was filled with doubts.

    “...Isaac?”

    “It’s okay. Don’t cry, Adelia.”

    I can understand Adelia, but I can’t sympathize with her. So any consolation I give her now will be of no use to her.

    But doing something is much better than doing nothing at all. In situations like this, just having someone there for you can bring great comfort.

    I know this from personal experience of losing my entire family in a previous life. When I was blankly staring off into space at the funeral home, friends who came to me became the driving force that kept me clinging to life.

    If those friends had not been there, I would have committed suicide long ago. People are infinitely weak when they are alone, but even a single support can make them incredibly persistent.

    I brought up a handkerchief for Adelia and gently wiped her eyes. Adelia didn’t resist and accepted my touch.

    “I understand that you have complicated circumstances, and there’s not much I can do to help. Right now, all I can do is comfort you.”

    “... ...”

    “Most of all, Adelia, your smiling face is so beautiful. So don’t cry. Even though I can’t do much to help, I will stay by your side.”

    Finally, after wiping away the tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes, I gave her a soft smile and concluded.

    “Do you understand?”

    “... ...”

    “So, let’s cry out all the tears from today, and starting tomorrow, I hope you can go back to being the Adelia you know, and call me your cute younger brother, as always.”

    Adelia looked at me with a dazed expression, her sky-blue eyes filled with deep confusion.

    After a moment, she pulled her lips tightly and forced herself to control her emotions. Her smile was weird, I couldn’t tell if she was crying or laughing.

    “Like this?”

    “...I think it’s better if you just cry for now.”

    “I’m sorry...”

    Adelia quickly became sullen. I chuckled at her various expressions and tried to put the handkerchief in my back pocket. I planned to throw it away later.

    “Just a moment.”

    “Yes?”

    “That handkerchief... I’ll wash it and give it back to you.”

    Adelia grabbed my wrist desperately before I could put the handkerchief in my pocket, and spoke in a hurry. I opened my mouth in confusion.

    “I don’t think you have to do that. There are plenty of handkerchiefs in the mansion.”

    “But it’s dirty because of me. At least I should take responsibility for it, right?”

    “Well, if you insist...”

    I nodded and handed her the handkerchief. Adelia’s expression brightened noticeably, and she held it tightly with both hands.

    “Thank you. I’ll make sure to give it back to you later.”

    “Okay.”

    “And... Isaac.”

    “Yes?”

    Adelia called out my name and gave me her characteristic energetic smile. Her eyes were swollen and her nose was red, but her smile, which I knew so well, was clear.

    As I was gazing at her face, she expressed her gratitude to me.

    “Thank you so much. I feel better thanks to you.”

    “No need to thank me. It’s nothing.”

    “Thanks to your thoughtfulness, I get why that child is dating you.”

    She must be talking about Marie. I shrugged my shoulders and said nonchalantly,

    “If Noona says so, then it must be true.”

    With my words, Adelia spoke with conviction,

    “That’s right.”

    She still held the handkerchief dear in both hands.

    Translators note:

    Woah. Wtf. Now I’m mad.