#090. Whatever Choice You Make, I’ll Support You
“Actually… I’m scared.”
I lowered my gaze, my long eyelashes shading my eyes.
“I was prepared for people to despise me. I even thought my life might be in danger.”
I noticed my hands trembling slightly as I clasped them together, and I continued speaking slowly.
“But I guess that still wasn’t enough.”
“Blanche…”
I lifted my head at the sound of my name. It might have had a stronger effect if my eyes were wet with tears, but since I rarely cried, my eyes were dry and brittle.
“I’m scared, Your Majesty.”
So I spoke in a trembling voice. The reasons were different, but the fear itself was real, making it easy enough to express.
“I was prepared for assassins. Your Majesty, the Empress, taught me well enough to defend myself, so I thought I could resist. But poison… I never considered the poison.”
Here, I lowered my gaze again and let my shoulders slump.
“It’s not just the poison, is it? There are things I haven’t anticipated.”
Liana remained silent, listening to my words as if she were at a loss for what to say.
“I’m afraid if it continues like this in the future.”
Truthfully, this wasn’t the thing that scared me the most. I tried hard to recall the end of my previous life, so my lie would sound genuine. A voice carrying real emotion would sound more convincing.
“At least, I want to think about it again after I graduate from the academy.”
If I said outright that I wanted to break off the engagement here, she might insist I reconsider. Saying I’ll think about it later would give Liana no choice but to step back.
“Could you help me?”
I lowered my voice further, speaking softly to Liana, and her expression softened as if melting.
“If that’s what you want.”
Liana slowly reached out and brushed my cheek, a cheek without a single tear.
“Blanche.”
Her quiet voice was pleasant to hear. I met her gaze as I listened.
“I supported your engagement because you seemed to get along well with Melchizedek.”
Her following words were gentle.
“So, if that feels burdensome, you don’t have to go through with it.”
Her hand moved upward from my cheek to stroke my head. It was rough from calluses, but the touch was kind.
“Whatever choice you make, I’ll support you.”
How relieving that was. To receive the goodwill of the empire’s second-highest-ranking person!
“…Thank you.”
And how fortunate it was that someone I respected wouldn’t be disappointed in me.
I answered sincerely. We couldn’t return to our previous relationship, but I hoped at least this level of distance could be maintained.
Of course, I shouldn’t expect too much. So I etched Liana’s smiling face into my memory, knowing this might be the last time I’d see her smile.
While the two women comforted each other, the brothers’ dining room was gloomy. Not for any particular reason, but because the younger brother seemed so dejected.
He had tried to appear cheerful when Liana was around, at least pretending. Berken clicked his tongue inwardly.
Still, he didn’t feel like forcing him to cheer up. Sometimes it’s important to let someone express their feelings fully.
Releasing everything naturally allows moods to improve, but forcing happiness doesn’t solve anything.
Berken cleared the room so Melchizedek could complain freely, and he gently tried to console his younger brother.
“Alright. What’s so unsatisfactory? We even dealt with all the people spreading rumors.”
It was true. Berken and Lacia had worked tirelessly for that.
Of course, Melchizedek’s own debut in high society was dazzling.
Berken had even revised his previous assessment: Melchizedek had his looks, but his inner nature resembled Lacia more. That gave an idea of how powerful Melchizedek’s media influence was.
Still, since Melchizedek was just a newcomer to high society, Berken’s authority and Lacia’s cunning had played major roles in controlling public opinion.
Even though he had attended every party, sometimes to exhaustion, his carefully nurtured younger brother still looked glum, which worried him.
“Besides, there’s a problem between Blanche and me.”
Berken almost dropped his knife. If it weren’t for the strict etiquette ingrained since childhood, he might have missed it entirely.
“…Princess Blanche is actually terminally ill?”
Melchizedek’s words shocked him. In the past, when there had been conflicts, Melchizedek would insist that his personal problems were separate from Blanche. Yet now he said this.
Berken couldn’t even begin to imagine the situation.
He also wondered why Blanche had suddenly consumed poison so boldly—was she really terminally ill? Had she done that as a final act to help Melchizedek before leaving?
“Don’t say things like that unless you’ve confirmed it.”
Fortunately, his younger brother’s first love appeared healthy.
Why a thirteen-year-old had thought of drinking poison publicly remained a mystery. But not knowing was better than losing his first love.
“So, what’s the problem?”
“We just… can’t be together.”
Berken stayed quiet for a moment, slicing the meat. Only after finishing roughly half of the main dish did he speak again.
“Is it your own mindset, or is it Princess Blanche’s problem?”
If it was Melchizedek’s own heart, Berken could do nothing but advise him to pull himself together.
But if it was Blanche’s problem, then there was room for action. Berken could propose a “deal” to Blanche again.
Melchizedek seemed hesitant, not wanting to anger Blanche, but Berken was ready to use more forceful methods if necessary.
“Don’t do anything, brother. You won’t get what I want your way.”
Melchizedek’s warning replaced an answer. Berken smirked and took a sip of water.
“So, your way might work?”
“…I don’t know.”
As heir to the empire, capable of seizing wealth, power, and people, this was an unusually weak answer.
Considering Blanche was easy to communicate with, Berken couldn’t understand why this young boy seemed so powerless. What could have gone wrong between these two children?
Of course, since his brother seemed reluctant to speak, he wouldn’t pry.
“But at least I’m more likely to succeed.”
Berken shrugged at his decisive tone. If Melchizedek thought so, then so be it.
“So, what’s your plan?”
“Send Blanche to the academy.”
Ah. He planned to give her what she wanted. Berken listened with interest.
“And I’ll go north.”
Berken blinked, sensing a communication gap between the brothers.
“North? Why suddenly there?”
“My territory is there.”
Right, that was true.
“The land runs smoothly even without you because there’s a governor. It was given to a prince without succession rights to keep him away from the capital. You know you don’t really need to care for it. If you wanted, you could go anywhere—even a resort—and it would immediately be yours.”
Melchizedek gave a dry smile.
“Yes, as you say, I could go anywhere if I wanted. Even another country. I know you’d let me go.”
“I know. So why the north specifically?”
“Because I want to go there.”
There were no words left. If he wanted to go north, then Berken would send him.
Berken truly intended to give Melchizedek what he wanted, no matter how trivial.
“Alright, then go.”
The not-duchess duchess would go to the academy, while the next crown prince would be left in the remote northern land, historically given to keep secondary heirs occupied.
Gossip magazines would be delighted, but Berken and Lacia would handle it. Thinking of Lacia, constantly dealing with her sons’ antics, Berken felt a twinge of guilt—but that was easily solved with a sincere apology.
Melchizedek, sensing Berken’s thoughts, called him in a slightly subdued voice.
“Brother.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
Berken’s voice was lively in contrast to his brother’s heavy tone.
“…Thank you, always. I’m so lucky to have you.”
“Just knowing is enough.”
Berken grinned and ruffled Melchizedek’s hair.
Though he didn’t fully grasp the weight of his brother’s words, it didn’t matter in the dynamic between these two siblings.
