5:15.
In the vast estate belonging to the Coldhearts family, a young girl put down her pen. It was almost time; she needed to prepare for the usual family dawn meal—a long-standing tradition of the royal family she could not yet abandon.
Today was different from other days, however. It was not every day that all her siblings joined her for this little meal.
"I must be more careful than usual," she thought, gazing at her reflection in the mirror of her vanity. Seized by a sudden doubt, she stared at herself for a moment, trying to summon the shortest possible version of her status.
[Status]
Path: Blue
Level: 3
Health Points: 100/75↓
Name: Spinel
…
Effects: Human, Living, Blue Blood, Fatigue
[/Status]
She let out a deep sigh. She had expected to be afflicted by the "Fatigue" status effect given her recent sleepless nights, but her frustration stemmed from her inability to make only the "Effects" tab appear when summoning her status.
"It's not like I'll ever reach Bell's level," she murmured.
For now, the priority was to prepare as best she could. A shower, light makeup, a dash of perfume, a graceful outfit that wasn't too extravagant—this was her well-practiced routine. By 5:59, she was ready, hand on her door handle, mirror in her pocket.
At 6:00, the cathedral bells rang out as usual, marking the sudden appearance of the morning sun. Opening her door, Spinel came face-to-face with three guards who had likely been waiting there for an hour.
"Good morning, Princess," they said in unison, as if they had rehearsed this greeting for hours.
One of them handed her a vial—it was an energy potion, a quick remedy for fatigue.
How had he known she needed it? That was a question she didn't bother asking. Servants were required to possess a high-level [Implicit Communication] skill if they wished to serve their masters well, particularly in the royal family.
Yet this small, perfectly natural gesture from her servant unsettled her slightly. It reminded her that nobles often didn't learn this skill—foremost in her mind was the image of a certain young girl.
"..."
She probably frowned a little—she wouldn't know, and her servants would never point it out to her anyway.
Oh well, it didn't matter. She downed the potion in one gulp, its glass container disintegrating once empty, and strode decisively toward the common dining hall.
–––
"Oh, Snow, you're late! What kept you?"
As Spinel entered the room, a familiar voice called out to her. It was her elder brother, the second prince, Uzalil.
"Good morning, dear brother," she replied in an emotionless tone.
Seemingly ignoring his younger sister's cold hostility, Uzalil gestured for her to take the seat next to him.
"So? I heard you and the prince of the Eastern Demons got slapped. Is that why you're sleeping in?"
He let out a barely stifled, mocking laugh.
"I'm not the one who's late; you're just early, dear brother. And what? The criminal returns home and thinks he can hide behind the sole little blemish in his younger sister's record? Pathetic. I have but one disgrace to my name. Shall we count yours? Like the servant you attacked in her sleep last year? Or the liquors you hid under your bed?"
For a moment, she wanted to retort like this but quickly calmed down. In a way, it was a blessing that nobles didn't possess the Implicit Communication skill—she wouldn't be able to pretend to be calm and composed otherwise.
"Not 'Eastern Demons,' dear brother. Verhaalians. The inhabitants of the Verhaal kingdom are not demons," she responded instead, moving toward the chair he indicated.
"Hmph. Of course. You do recite your lessons well."
He shrugged.
"Fine, why not. What do we call them now? Red Path users? Are you going to tell me you support such nonsense?"
"It's just a name. You are getting worked up over nothing, dear brother," she replied calmly.
"I'm getting worked up over nothing? Well, you're harsh with your elder brother! And I'm the only one willing to sit next to you since your curse!"
"..."
Of course, he had to bring up that incident. That was probably his goal all along.
"Stop pestering your little sister, Laz," said a young woman entering the room in her wheelchair. It was Alpis, the kingdom's second princess and Uzalil's twin sister.
"What? You wanted the little one to slap you too, Lapin?" she continued with a sly grin. "You're even hanging out with the Muddy Tongues now? Wow. That southern boarding school really didn't do you any good, huh?"
"Very funny," Uzalil replied, crossing his arms and slumping in his chair. It seemed his beak had finally been shut.
Alpis gestured to the chair on her right. Spinel hesitated for a moment, but Alpis insisted.
"It's an order! Come on, Snowdrop, I have so much to tell you since it's been a while."
Spinel glanced at her elder brother as if to apologize. He responded with a simple, annoyed wave of his hand, effectively releasing her.
"See? It's not just you who's willing to sit with me after that. Hmph, I suppose you don't even have the guts to admit it, do you?" she thought.
She had to restrain herself from displaying a smug smile as she took her seat across the table. For a moment, however, her brother's mood seemed to sour even further, though he hadn't looked in her direction.
"Implicit Communication?" she wondered.
No, a noble, especially one with as much ego and as little intellect as her brother Uzalil, could never master that skill to the point of grasping such clearly mocking thoughts unless they were minimally concealed.
"I'd better be cautious," she concluded.
Her internal conversation was cut short, however. The young woman with the long golden braid sitting beside her was already tugging at her sleeve with childlike excitement.
"Hey, hey, Snowdrop! I heard you've caught Ivan's eye! Clever girl! I see your fencing lessons had another goal, huh?"
"Hm? Uh... No, of course not," she defended herself, shaking her head. "Ivan and I don't have that kind of relationship."
"Sure."
Alpis displayed one of her signature sly smiles.
"I believe you," she added.
"And you're right to," Spinel replied. "Ivan and I are just fencing partners. Nothing more."
"Yes, but you've beaten him in every duel, haven't you? Believe it or not, men often like women who are better than them! Especially if they're as pretty as you," she said, gently pinching Spinel's cheek.
"Stop it. Besides, it seems to be the opposite, doesn't it? Don't you remember that little noble girl who played the violin better than Uzalil?"
"Oh, that!"
Alpis let out a small laugh, ignoring her twin brother's piercing gaze.
"Oh, but you know, the little rabbit isn't a good example! He's the type who wants a girl to worship him just for his handsome face and bedroom skills! Ah, oh my, excuse my language, Snowdrop, but that's just how it gets with him."
"It's... It's nothing," she replied, hastily looking away.
Seeing this reaction, Alpis couldn't hold back any longer. It had been so long since she'd teased her younger sister that she'd forgotten how much fun it was.
"But I see, you know?" she said with feigned disinterest. "You've clearly thought about it. Whether he'd still like you if you beat him in his field of expertise. Ah, youth."
"I haven't— I mean, I haven't thought about it that much. It was just obvious," she replied, furrowing her brow.
"Oh? Then why such an immediate answer? Admit it, Miss Spinel, you have an interest in the handsome Mr. Ivan of Novel!"
"Stop it, Alpis," Uzalil interjected. "Now you're the one bothering her. Do you think our dear little sister wants to be a political gift for the Novel kingdom like you were?"
His tone was mocking and acidic as usual, immediately wiping the smile from Alpis' face.
"I'll have you know that Graham and I get along very well."
"Says the one who cried for days when she was told about her marriage."
"Graham is less of a brute than he looks. He even built me a laboratory to continue my research."
"So it's about money?"
"I love my husband, Uzalil," she concluded. "But I suppose love is a foreign concept to someone as... sociable as you?"
"It's rather hearing a maiden who's only ever known one man—a man imposed on her, mind you—hearing such a person talk about love, it surprises me, dear sister."
"In our time and age, knowing only one partner in one's life is still considered virtuous. I can't say the same for you, dear brother."
"Virtues change with the lord," he replied with a smile.
She raised an eyebrow. "And you will be our lord?"
"Perhaps not yours, daughter of Novel, but Berattelse is an option."
"Nonsense."
Uzalil crossed his legs, a small laugh shaking his impeccable collar.
"Come now, dear sister, have your studies taken the last remaining intelligence points you had? If father has summoned us all to the capital when no major event warrants it, it can only mean one thing: the selection is about to begin."