As Deon hadn’t been in attendance, the feast ended earlier than in previous months. I was fairly certain that Charlotte’s purpose in hanging around was in hopes of talking to Father about the new toy. It was hardly a mystery after the ruckus she made with the dungeon guard. In a way her eagerness was understandable. This had been the longest father had ever forbidden anyone from “paying a visit” to a captive.

“But that’s not right. I called dibs on him first,” she cried, obviously quite upset that I had been awarded the role of “teacher” this time.

I actually still hadn’t received Lante’s approval, but I saw no reason to explain that to Charlotte. It was truly a shame that her interest in Cassis hadn’t just been a mere whim. But even I could see that he really was Charlotte’s type. I couldn’t help internally clicking my tongue as I cursed that boy for checking all the boxes that appealed to her.

“Sheesh, since when have we ever called dibs on toys?” Jeremy smirked as he remarked sarcastically.

But it was just as he said. There was no such rule. However, little Charlotte was already riled up, so that fact was beside the point.

“But you’ve never shown interest in the toys father brought home before, Roxana. You coming between me and my newest toy now is just plain unfair.”

Good grief... At that point, she was starting to get on my nerves.

“When exactly did the toy in the dungeon become your property, little sis?”

I couldn’t fight the compulsion to explain to my immature little half-sister just how foolish and mistaken she was.

“Honestly, Charlotte, what are you basing your claim on? As far as I know, the only reason you’ve been able to play with all those so-called toys as you pleased was because I had no interest in them before. Surely you aren’t under the impression that everything that walks through here belongs to you. I thought you were smarter than that, little sis.”

I spoke to her with deliberate calm, but the warning nature of my tone was clear. Being both rash and temperamental, Charlotte had a habit of going overboard and making things awkward.

“I won’t give him up to you, Roxana. I want him for myself. Anyone who tries to take him from me will be sorry.”

She practically spat the words at me while her stare seemed to be shooting daggers at me.

“Charlotte...” I was so very disappointed. “I suppose I’m just wasting my breath trying to explain all this to you.”

I was speaking rather quietly as if sighing, but she must have sensed what lay beneath the calm in my voice because she clutched her whip.

Smiling at her stupidity, I said icily, “Very well, my dear little sister. I will try to make this quick and easy for even your simple mind to understand.”

* * *

It didn’t take very long.

“You know what, Charlotte? I despise anyone—even a child—who doesn’t know their place.”

I spoke in a low tone while flicking the blood from my fingers. It splattered onto the wall of the white hallway.

“Why would you pick a fight you couldn’t even hope to win and annoy me in the process?”

All I had needed to deal with Charlotte were the ornaments I had used to decorate my hair. Since all five of my gemmed hairpins had served as my weapons, my hair had fallen over my shoulders and spread across my back. With her spirit broken, she lay spread out in front of me bleeding.

I stepped on her chest as I continued to scold her.

“Charlotte? Do you still insist that I need your lousy permission to play with a toy?”

“Ugh!”

“I didn’t think so.”

I wouldn’t have gone that far if I could have avoided it. Usually, I tried my best to be understanding since she was still so young and was equally cursed to have been born into such an awful household. But she had taken my kindness for weakness and actually had the nerve to get in my face.

Even after suffering such a humiliating defeat, her glower still had plenty of fire and venom behind it. No matter, Charlotte was merely a pain in my neck who seemed to forget who she was dealing with from time to time. Even stomping on her was more of a hassle than a pleasure.

“When I get to be your age... I’m gonna be a whole lot more powerful.”

Hearing such sharp words coming from such a cute girl with baby fat still plump in her cheeks, I couldn’t help but laugh. The sound of my cackle seemed to make Charlotte flinch. That made me think that she probably did fear me to some extent, or perhaps she just had more guts than her little body could contain.

“Sure, that may be. But who could say after seeing the shape you’re in now?”

My voice was emotionless as I removed my foot from her chest.

“Why don’t you go on ahead, sis? I’ll take care of her.”

Jeremy had been leaning against the wall and watching as his sisters battled. But as he looked upon Charlotte’s bleeding body, he seemed to wish to appease me. I stared at the two of them for a moment, then left as he had suggested.

* * *

Jeremy continued to stare down at Charlotte with an icy gaze. She was in the process of getting up, but Jeremy wouldn’t have it. And without warning, his foot flew straight at her.

Pow!

“Agh!”

Having taken the blow directly to her shoulder, Charlotte was on the floor again.

“Honestly, Xana is far too kind. I would never put up with a little witch like you.”

Stepping in closer, Jeremy lifted Charlotte from the floor by her already disheveled hair. Despite it all, she glowered from beneath his grip in defiance. Even he couldn’t help but admire her spunk. It was just like Roxana to attack Charlotte at precisely the most vulnerable points in order to defeat her with minimal force.

It had obviously been an uneven fight in terms of skill from the start, but had the two sisters been similarly matched, avoiding more severe injuries would have proven quite difficult. Charlotte seemed to become even more mortified after such encounters with Roxana, but Jeremy was of the opinion that his older half-sister shouldn’t be so lenient.

“Damn it, Charlotte. When will you quit being such a royal pain? I’m already at my limit with that jerk who’s staying in the dungeon.”

Jeremy’s eyes shot a glare at Charlotte as he delivered his sharp rebuke, which caused her to wince.

“What did I say that was so wrong?” she asked weakly.

“Shut your mouth, moron. A nobody like you challenging someone like Roxana... How could you not be at fault?”

“Why do you always take her side, Jeremy? Like with this new toy. You know how much I wanted it.”

Charlotte was practically wailing as if she had been terribly wronged. It failed to move her brother, but he did eventually release her hair. He did so coolly as if he were pushing away a worthless piece of junk.

“Listen, if you wanna vent, go take it out on that jerk in the dungeon. If you really think about it, all this trouble is because that freak caught Roxana’s attention.”

Just talking about Cassis seemed to incense Jeremy. If he hadn’t already promised Roxana that he would leave the captive Pedelian alone, he would have already dealt with that Blue Heir or whatever he was. Having already forfeit his right to the toy in order to stay in his older sister’s good graces, only to learn that her interest in it was real, made Jeremy feel downright rotten.

“I’m not kidding. It’s really all that Blue son-of-a-bitch’s fault.”

Feeling murderous, Jeremy ground his teeth as he thought about the Pedelian in the dungeon.

“‘Blue son-of-a-bitch’?” Charlotte asked in shock.

“That’s who it’s supposed to be. The Blue Heir, Cassis Pedelian.”

At hearing the identity of the boy revealed, Charlotte’s eyes were aflame. It was clear that hearing the new toy’s identity came as more than a shock to her. Sensing the rage in his little sister’s eyes, Jeremy realized he might be able to use her to his advantage.

Sure, I can’t touch him, but what’s to stop someone else from doing my dirty work?

Of course, he had to make sure there was no way for Roxana to trace the crime back to him. He spoke to Charlotte almost sympathetically. “Shame, isn’t it? He really is your type.”

As Jeremy mocked her, Charlotte bit down on her lip.

“But what can you even do? There’s only one toy.”

He sneered as he saw just how effectively his words were causing his sister to boil with greed, envy, and hatred.

“I mean, it’s not like you’d go and break it just because you can’t play with it. Right, Charlotte?”