Ruby decided to draw attention for Lionel's sake.
Actually, she was not the type who liked to stand out either.
It was just that she did not like it; it was not that she could not do it.
Well, if it was to help Lionel.
Tap.
When Ruby, wearing adorable shoes, moved toward the curtains.
Children her age followed one by one behind her.
It was only natural.
Because in this place, aside from the imperial family, she was the highest-ranked child.
The sole heir of the Doloris Ducal Family... no, now one of two heirs.
For the children of most respectable families, even striking up a conversation first was cautious.
"My Lady, whose Ranker's Tower climbing lecture are you taking these days?"
"My older brother always says you must prepare diligently for five years before climbing the Tower."
Ruby deflected the words pouring in from all sides appropriately.
Ruby did not take lectures from instructors, nor was she preparing diligently.
Such talk was neither fun nor interesting.
She just planned to stall for time appropriately.
But that Lionel kid is only eating chocolate.
'...Sigh, what would he do without me.'
He is a child who requires a lot of attention.
Rustle.
Just then, a boy pushed through the crowd and stepped forward.
He was the eldest son of the Valmon Count House, with a flashy family crest embroidered on his chest.
"Lady Ruby. It is truly an honor to meet you like this."
"...Yes."
Her answer was short, because she had nothing else to add.
However, the boy did not mind and spoke to her warmly.
"By the way, my Lady. I heard Her Grace the Duke has taken in a new child."
"......"
The eldest son's gaze turned to Lionel, who sat alone over there.
"Oh my... it seems he is unfamiliar with places like this. Seeing how he is out of place..."
Ruby's eyes narrowed.
His tone was polite, and the content, well, seemed concerned.
She was not young enough to not know what meaning was hidden inside.
Ruby knew the best way to handle this situation.
Namely.
"......"
Indifference.
Not answering at all was also a good method.
Because talking about Lionel would instead end up dragging him into this place.
And so the most exhausting kind of conversation began.
Just as Ruby was half-absentmindedly letting it all slide.
"......?!"
A young lady looked to the opposite side and covered her mouth.
Ruby turned her head and looked that way.
Lionel had already coaxed the Imperial Princess and gotten the necklace into his hands.
He's quite clever.
How long has he been attached to the family, and he's already extracting an imperial family's item.
And then.
The Imperial Princess, who had been staring at Lionel for a while, turned as if she had decided something.
Then she walked straight to the Imperial Prince.
Whisper.
The Imperial Princess whispered something in the Imperial Prince's ear, and his face hardened.
The Imperial Prince shook his head, but...
Clatter.
In the end, not long after, the necklace around his neck was taken from him.
The Imperial Princess held the necklace as if it were contaminated, pinching it with her fingertips like tongs, and returned to Lionel.
'What?'
But before Ruby, a 13-year-old kid, could grasp the situation.
The Imperial Princess, necklace in hand, took Lionel with her... and left through the back stairs of the Banquet Hall.
Murmur murmur.
In an instant, the Banquet Hall stirred.
Not only the hall of heirs was murmuring; attention focused on the main hall as well.
Because the Imperial Princess, the star of today's event, was leaving the Banquet Hall with a child of the Ducal Family.
"Your Highness..."
"Where is she taking the Duke's child...?"
Ruby forced herself to look away and muttered inwardly.
'It worked.'
But why did her head throb and her stomach churn?
Ever since she began living with Lionel, there had been nothing but things she couldn't understand.
But among them, this matter in particular, for some reason, she did not want to understand.
***
The Imperial Princess, having heard that the Imperial Prince's necklace was in a more serious state, suddenly ran somewhere.
'Where is she going?'
For a moment, I wondered if she was about to tell the Emperor everything.
She approached the Imperial Prince and got the necklace back after just a few words.
He seemed a little reluctant to give it, but she got it from him in an instant.
"The stares are uncomfortable, aren't they?"
"Yes, a little."
Actually, it was not just a little.
The stares that had been gathering since earlier were too burdensome.
"Follow me."
"Yes?"
"If you go out through those stairs, there's a corridor and a terrace. Let's talk there."
Seeing her about to take the lead, I suddenly remembered something.
Was I supposed to escort her? I think I heard that somewhere.
That when walking with a lady at an event like this, it is proper to offer your hand.
I naturally tried to offer my hand, but...
[Don't offer your hand!!]
I stopped at Yuna's command.
Instead, the Imperial Princess lightly grabbed my wrist and pulled me along.
"?"
"Hurry, follow me."
Do imperial family members usually drag people around like this?
[...No]
Yuna's answer was firm.
[Maybe it's because you're young]
Anyway, I was caught by the hand of the Imperial Princess, who looked hurried, and climbed the stairs.
She looked uncomfortable walking while holding the necklace, so I took it and carried it for her.
As we climbed the stairs, a long corridor appeared.
It was a colonnade lined with rows of pillars.
Below them, lights cast their glow at regular intervals.
The sun had set before we knew it; moonlight came through the windows and shone on us.
The noisy clamor faded with each step.
And so, at the end of the colonnade.
Rustle.
When I drew back the curtain, the night wind brushed past my face.
It was a wide-open terrace.
And only then did I notice.
[Someone keeps following us from behind?]
That behind us, an extremely tall man was quietly following us.
It was really scary; walking along the shadow of the moonlight was quite oppressive.
"Don't mind him. He's my Guardian Knight."
"Ah, I see."
Perhaps noticing my gaze, the Imperial Princess spoke calmly.
"Of course, as long as you, Lionel, don't do anything... anything at all?"
"Haha."
"I'm joking."
The Imperial Princess raised the corners of her mouth and joked.
Sorry, but if I were going to do something bad, I wouldn't have bothered telling you about the necklace.
If I had kept my mouth shut, the Imperial Princess would have withered away on her own.
The Guardian Knight passed the terrace entrance and came right next to us.
For a moment, it was a bit burdensome. Like a test proctor standing right beside you.
I didn't think I needed to worry; after all, a Guardian Knight of the imperial family didn't seem likely to have loose lips.
It was just burdensome.
Only then did his face come into view.
His black hair was swept back carelessly.
Perhaps because he had his back to the moonlight, his face was sunk in shadow, but the eyes that were visible were sharp.
"Richard, don't tell anyone what you saw here."
"...I will do so."
With the Imperial Princess's request.
The three of us walked toward the terrace railing.
A small table was placed near the railing.
I naturally set the two ornaments down on the table.
Clink.
"Now, would you explain? What exactly is wrong with these two ornaments, and why my brother's necklace is more serious?"
"Of course."
Her tone was calm, but the Imperial Princess looked quite urgent.
I reached for the necklace on the table.
Well, it doesn't matter if there's anyone besides the Imperial Princess. If that scares you, it's because you're a fraud.
I only speak the truth.
"The principles of the two ornaments are similar. In that they restore the wearer's vitality."
"But why...?"
"However, Your Highness, where does that vitality come from?"
Tap tap.
When I tapped the Necklace of Moonlight Essence.
Hum.
The necklace hummed as if it were throwing a tantrum.
"Let me explain in more detail. The two ornaments use the 'essence stored inside' to restore the wearer's vitality."
"......"
"And essence is bound to be consumed eventually. And that is where the difference between the two ornaments arises."
Tap tap.
Huuum!
This time, the necklace vibrated much more strongly than before.
"The Moonlight Essence, from the moment the stored essence runs out, draws out the wearer's essence to fill itself."
"...My brother's."
"If it only took back as much as it restored, that would be one thing... but instead it drains all of the wearer's vitality as well."
I gave her a moment to understand.
That sensation of being fine at first, then gradually getting worse.
Even if there was a difference between the Imperial Princess and the Imperial Prince, she had probably felt it too.
"Then what about the pendant?"
Tap.
The Imperial Princess asked as she touched the Sun Rising.
This one is a bit difficult to explain.
If I tried to explain it in words, I would have to go on and on about the Sibling Deities and Mutual Antagonism, which would be boring and pedantic.
Since showing it through action seemed best.
I organized my thoughts briefly and immediately began the experiment.
I picked up the Moonlight Essence.
And placed it exactly over the Sun Rising.
I hoped there would be some immediate reaction.
Just as I waited for a moment.
Huuuuum!
Suddenly the Moonlight Essence shone blue.
Whoosh!
A red aura unraveled like thread from the Sun Rising and was sucked into the Moonlight Essence.
Hum.
Soon, the Moonlight Essence that had swallowed the red aura vibrated once as if satisfied.
Hum... hum...
Meanwhile, the Sun Rising trembled.
Wow.
I didn't expect such a blatantly easy-to-understand scene.
It was quite intuitive. The essence from the Imperial Princess's pendant was sucked into the Imperial Prince's necklace.
What further explanation was needed?
The Imperial Princess could not say anything and merely looked down at the sight.
Her expressions are quite varied; it must be hard to hide them.
Separate from her, the Guardian Knight looked down at the current situation with an expressionless face.
I couldn't tell what he was thinking on his side.
"You said the two ornaments were a sibling pair. That they would have synergy."
"Uh... they are indeed a sibling pair."
I answered while scratching my head.
I don't have a younger sister, so I don't really know if siblings are normally like that.
[????]
Ah, of course Yuna is an exception.
[...😭]
Because you're my Soul Partner.
[!!]