Bastian was having the time of his life. He got to see new things, eat new foods, and, most of all, make new friends. Though his brother wasn't all that keen on him interacting with strangers, he would do all he could to wave at or ask the name of a new person. It might have been one of his favorite things to do. However, since his father was busy making connections with the royal family and Haru never trusted his safety to a caretaker, when the older of the two didn't want to go outside (which was always), neither would Bastien.

The younger girl caught him staring wistfully at some other ambassadors, the boy tearing up dramatically as if that would help him get what he wanted. To his credit, it did. She escorted him outside and let him talk to whoever he could lay his eyes on. More often than not, there was a language barrier, preventing him from listening to what they had to say. However, that didn't really seem to matter to him. After all, he just chatted on and on about his own experiences that day before picking them a blade of grass, a leaf, or a flower and departing to his next new friend. Bastian was really innocent that way.

After a long day of their adventuring - which took place in a radius of fifty feet from the Echalian embassy - the boy's father returned. He must have spent the entirety of the day entertaining the regent or chatting intellectually with Satoru Hoshino. Though he wasn't a member of the royal family anymore, she would have suspected it would be pointless to build up a good rapport with him. Yet, lo and behold, despite the divorce, the blonde was very much highly regarded within the family. Maybe that was why they let him stay and freeload off of them.

Kazuya gave a large sigh as he returned, his energy depleted even as Bastian rushed with all his might to give him a hug. Usually, seeing one of his children did the trick in restoring his willpower. This time was different, though, the man barely having the strength to lift the toddler up. Still, the brunette insisted, his father the only parent he thought he had. It was probably why he loved him so much, their relationship stronger than any the younger girl had yet to see. Even Haru, who admired and respected his father, didn't show that much enthusiasm when merely seeing his face. Then again, he didn't show much enthusiasm in the first place.

"Was it tough today, too?" she questioned, the man giving a despairing look, "I'll take that as a 'yes'."

"I don't know that I'm getting through to them how important their support is. Rather, I think they're just trying to brush off the subject by keeping me occupied."

The girl sighed. If she were being completely honest, she expected that. A country as powerful as Vethela didn't really have to listen to anyone, especially with the amount of loyalty their citizens had. It came from the theology-like structure of the nation, but that, in itself, could be seen as an entirely different problem. Rather, it was because of their power and their wealth that they could ignore any requests. Even if the request was coming from Echal, a global superpower, all they had to do was bide their time and pretend to listen.

She'd gotten word that the most that the man in front of her had been doing was playing chess with Mica. At least, that was what that day's rumors brought in. It might have been something completely different the day before. The more she heard about it, the more she pondered just what the regent was actually doing. He seemed to have far more time on his hands than he should have, and if he wasn't discussing business or politics with Kazuya, what was he really doing at all?

"Today was another failure, I'm afraid. I couldn't even get the word 'trade' out before I was shut down and interrupted."

The girl didn't really know how to console the man. He was working hard, particularly for the sake of the oppressed citizens in a dictator-run country. And, sure, he could have just gone and attacked Umayena without any regard for consequences. After all, he was the head of the Akahito family. However, he was a kind man with a soft heart. If at all possible, he wanted to spare as much blood as he could, and that meant making sure that the Vethelan army didn't get involved. It would mean more casualties for all sides, so he was reluctant to part with the idea of negotiation.

She patted the man awkwardly on the back and told him to keep his head up for a little while longer. He seemed to appreciate the gesture, giving her a bright smile in return before heading into the embassy to surrender what remaining energy he had to his youngest child. However, even as they ate dinner, she could see the bags under his eyes forming. After two weeks, he was exhausted, and there was still no end in sight. She wondered how much longer he could go on.

. . .

"Are they serious?"

A humorless chuckle came from Kazuya as he watched box after box of valuable rocks be presented. Mica stood at the forefront of the process, his eyes sparkling with each one that graced his presence. But Kazuya nor the younger girl could see any enjoyment in the ordeal. After all, the jewels had just been imported from Umayena. It was like a warning, in essence, telling Kazuya all he needed to know about their stance on the issue. They were very keen on staying close allies with the country. Bribery worked wonders.

"They didn't even sugarcoat it," Sona hummed.

When they had been delivered a formal invitation to a "small gathering", none of them expected that. There were hundreds of guests in attendance, most nobles of the country, though there were a few wealthy commoners there as well. Everyone was adorned with the most expensive things possible, showing off their own jewelry as if to establish a place within the court. Peacocks. That was how she would describe them. She winced a bit at the thought of someone similar before pinching her wrist hard and focusing.

The girl didn't know the names of anyone there. The most she could make out was that there was a clear hierarchy. People circled around the more influential figures of their society. The more people around a person, the higher their status. At least, that was what she figured, but she knew fully well there could be outliers here and there. For instance, a beautiful woman would be sure to have people crowding around her whether she was high in status or not. And money always talked more than some title, so Kazuya had his fill of people, too.

There was tons of food, probably to occupy the guests in attendance when they didn't want to look at the performers or chat with others. That being said, from what she noted, most didn't take advantage of the snacks. The country was one she would classify as socially extroverted. Everyone was talking with anyone, and, if you weren't, you weren't "anyone". She was fine with that, though. It just meant she could have some peace and quiet if she chose to observe rather than interact.

And, perhaps, thankfully, another reason behind her being primarily left alone was because of a very grumpy brunette. He hated parties. He didn't even go to his own family reunions most years, so he obviously would be very discontent with the idea of going to a gathering outside of his home country. Still, he had gone along simply because he more so hated the thought of her going alone. It wasn't that he was threatened by whatever pathetic individuals would try to flirt with her, but, just like with Bastian, he was overprotective by nature. That was why Haru ushered her and his baby brother to a corner of the party, standing in front of him with a massive pout.

"Hey," Bastian mumbled, tugging on her hand lightly, "Where's all the tiny people?"

For a moment, she had to decipher what he was trying to say. Her first thought was if he was asking where dwarves were, but that idea was quickly scrapped. It then hit her that he still had a struggle going from one language to another, torn between Echali and Athainian. She didn't know very much Echali herself, so she could only assume the word for "child" literally translated to "tiny people". She chuckled.

"I think this party is for adults," she explained, watching as he bit down on his lip in discontent, "Are you lonely?"

The boy paused for a moment before he looked over at his brother. He then "discreetly" moved to grab onto his hand before using his free hand to take hers. For a moment, he waited for some kind of circuit to be finished. Then he felt a great spark of energy and smiled real wide, shaking his head and giving a very proud "nope". Though it was cute, it would have been nice to have some kids his age to play with. He was probably the only exception for the party because he was an Akahito. It was a formality.

Still, she tried to make things a bit more exciting for him. Since most people were focusing on the gems, he had to sit back and bide his time. To occupy him, she tried feeding him sweets and all, but his tummy could only get so full. When he could no longer munch on sweets, he gave a big sigh. The next thing she tried to do was attempt to dance with him. She let him step on her feet while waddling, the brunette bouncing with her. Even then, that could only entertain him so much.

"Can we go look at the things they're looking at?" he murmured, tugging on her dress and pointing to the crates of jewels, "It looks fun."

"Well, I don't know if that's such a good idea. It makes your father a bit upset, so maybe we should just watch from all the way over here."

"How come père is mad?"

"I guess...It's like when you're playing with a friend, but that friend keeps doing something you don't like. Maybe they keep stealing your toys. And you really like your friend, but when they don't listen to how sad it makes you and keep stealing your toys, you're not so sure if you can be friends with them anymore."

Of course, the metaphor wasn't perfect, and, truth be told, Bastian had likely never encountered a situation like that before. In the first place, all of his friends tended to be older in age, so if he ever did have a younger friend, they would be very strictly monitored. Trying to steal from an Akahito was one way to be forever ruined, after all. She doubted anyone but Haru had ever taken something away from him. Even their father never had the heart to take away electronics or toys, and their mother wasn't really well enough to be there for them.

"They stole père's toys?"

Sighing, the girl figured there was no way to elaborate on the complex political scene before him. He might learn when he was older, but as it stood, with him as a toddler, it was best to just brush it off and smile. Still, Bastian was very smart, so even if she did that, he would fully understand if there were unpleasant feelings involved. After all, he had absorbed all of the empathy Haru was supposed to get in the womb, or so people liked to say.

The party got into full swing when a much smaller jewelry box was presented. It was filled with more exquisite gems, these ones uncut, but still clearly above the rest. The box itself was obviously going to be presented to the royal family, of which the girl was surprised to see Celith involved in. To her understanding, he didn't have any of the royal family's blood, not a Trewin in name either. Still, he was very much beloved by them like he was a son of the crown, even allowed to choose the first gem himself.

She didn't know much about the country's culture, and she knew even less about the royal traditions and whatnot, but apparently, jewels were a bigger thing than she realized. Sure, she had heard a bit from Kazuya about how many gems they imported from Umayena on a yearly basis. She also had an understanding of how lavish the royal family could be with them and that nobles were in on it, too. However, as the regent made a speech about the importance of the gems, she was somewhat fascinated.

"I know, I know," Mica started, holding up an empty glass provided to him by a very happy, somewhat tipsy Satoru, "There are no new kiddos in this palace. We had three boys. Where are they now? I swear, those rascals - "

A man leaned over, whispering something to the man before his face turned very somber. He corrected himself, saying "We had four boys" and repeating the last two words with a bitter taste in his mouth. The man took a while to compose himself but the look of despair in his eyes was still evident. There were four princes, not three. That was how it was, but it didn't feel any better to say it.

"I...Where was I?" he choked up, passing off the involuntary action as a laugh that got stuck in his throat, "One is in Pasnad, being a muse to two great Vethelan talents. The other two are in Athain, one of them running his own business and the other doing photoshoot after photoshoot. That is why it has been decades since - "

The man next to him moved slightly, wincing once again. That being said, he must have decided against it, stopping himself from stepping forward in favor of remaining still. Mica could still see, though, and it was visible that the regent, himself, understood why. Once again, he had erred. There were four boys. Four, four, four, four. There were still four, right? Could anyone confirm?

"But even so, let's enjoy it now. And to many of you, we'd like to formally introduce Celith Viro. Though our Oracle is away at the moment, he'll be back soon. However, Cadmus has given me permission to introduce this precious boy as the next official Oracle of the Sun God sect!"

The ballroom burst into raucous applause at the news. It seemed like a massive deal, almost to the extent of hearing the news of a pregnancy in the royal family. People began to crowd around the white-haired boy, all clamoring for his attention despite his clear shyness. He hid behind Mica quite well and since there were guards there to ensure a proper distance, he wasn't backed into the corner. Still, even as the man moved to start the tradition and people backed away respectfully, the boy was still very nervous.

"So loud," Haru growled, plugging his ears up with a sneer.

"I apologize for the inconvenience," Sona mocked, receiving a glare from the brunette.

The male was not at all enthused about the loud chattering in the room nor did he care for the pompous traditions of the Vethelan royal family. Still, only because (Y/n) had a vested interest in it, he watched. The boy was led to the smaller jewelry box, given much encouragement by Mica, who urged him to pick out the gem he liked the most. He took a lot of time doing so, the brunette irritated by his slow pace.

Supposedly, since the royal heirs were born, they were made to choose one gem each year. They would amass their own collection of gems in preparation for their future spouse. For the royal heirs that would not rule, they would use those gems to make different kinds of jewelry, such as rings, necklaces, cufflinks, etc. However, for the crown prince or princess, they would design their spouse's own crown out of the gems. Though, for Celith, who knew what he would do with such gems.

"I want one," Bastian hummed, kicking his legs off of the chair playfully, "I bet they're pretty."

"They probably are."

Haru narrowed his eyes at (Y/n)'s agreement, quick to grab onto her hand enviously. After all, if things had been different, she would have received the gems from another royal heir. Granted, she knew she was better off with him, and she was the one that initiated their relationship from the start. Still, he didn't like that she was attracted to the idea of the royal family's power instead of being wholly focused on his own family's power.

"I promised you a ring, so don't even think about wanting one from someone else!"

"Relax."

He did not relax. Instead, he puffed up like a cat threatened by something bigger. And though he tried to "protect" her by squeezing her until she popped, it wasn't like it stopped Celith. The blank-looking boy moved to choose a particular gemstone, fascinated by it. He then turned to look over at her, Haru puffing up a little more as if sensing his intent. And though, try as he might, the brunette was not successful in warding off the nine-year-old.

Rather, Celith, looking from the girl to the stone, began to think. He thought for a while, the little wheel in his head spinning. When he finally came to, the boy put his idea into action. Everyone watched with bated breath as a bright light shone from the boy's palms. Though Vethela was warm (despite its position on the map), the room became even more so, the (h/c) haired girl even beginning to sweat. Haru very much despised the feeling, much as if it were real sunlight.

If the younger girl didn't know any better, she would have thought it was actually divine power or something. After all, in Vethela, Celith was revered as an almost god-like figure. Though the worship of mortals was solely for the royal family, as descendants of the nature goddess, Celith was, in many ways, considered a circuit through which the sun god could work through. Of course, that depended on who you asked. Some people in Vethela didn't recognize the Sun God's Oracle, and as a foreigner who didn't believe in any such religion, the (h/c) haired girl couldn't see the appeal.

"Magic?" Haru scoffed, glaring his eyes at the display, "That's not a thing. It's just lights. These people are idiots."

"You think everyone's an idiot."

"Because they are."

"Well, alright, but...who knows?" the girl smirked, her eyes darting to the side slyly, "Magic might exist."

The brunette bit his tongue to avoid saying something he knew he would regret. He also thought she was a fool for not immediately turning down the thought of magic. However, he couldn't say that. She would win any argument either way, so there wasn't much to do about changing her mind. She'd believe what she wanted to believe and he didn't get to be in charge of that. Though, it didn't mean that he couldn't feel discontent about it. He was practically burning a hole into her back with how much he was staring.

She watched as Celith kept shining but there was no telling what he was trying to do. Instead, she only got to make assumptions about his intent, especially as he quickly approached her, his small legs moving rapidly to get to her promptly. The boy, against anyone's expectations, presented the gem to her, but she did not take it. For starters, the audience stopped her from breathing, let alone moving to take the gift. Secondly, after knowing what the tradition was for, she wasn't able to accept it. He was just a kid.

"Get. Lost."

Haru glowered down at the nuisance in front of him. It didn't matter to him whether Celith was a boy or a girl or a royal or not. All he saw was someone trying to intrude on his already set-in-stone family. Whether it was Bastian or the younger girl, they were his. It didn't give anyone else the right to talk to them, look at them, or give them strange glowy rocks out of the blue.

Still, the blank-looking boy moved to try to give it to her regardless. He seemed enthusiastic about it, too, with a bright smile on his face. Honestly, aside from one facet, she didn't know why he liked her. They had barely exchanged words, she didn't have a reputation for being kind, and she definitely didn't know him more than his status as a religious figurehead. And though the gems were meant to be given to future spouses, it was clear that wasn't his intent with her. It seemed more like an offering of some sort.

"Celith?" Mica questioned, placing his hands on the boy's shoulder with concern, "This is for you to - "

For the first time, the boy began to speak, but it wasn't in a language that (Y/n) knew. She hadn't ever heard of it. At first, she suspected it to be the special dialect of the Vethelan royal family, but as the silvery-blue-haired man's face contorted with confusion, it was clearly not the case. Instead, though the boy looked around, no one understood him. Perhaps that was why he was silent most of the time.

"A-Aureolin?" the boy mumbled, gazing up at the girl with puppy-dog eyes before trying to present the gem again.

The girl tensed but turned away nonetheless, pretending as if she had no idea what he was talking about. At this, the boy was momentarily despaired. He looked as though he'd been scorned, very submissively putting his hands behind his back and moving away respectfully. People began to murmur, wondering what the boy was trying to say. But, as most knew, the only one that could understand him was Cadmus, and he was away at the moment. It was then the younger girl let out a harsh sigh. If she had known something like Celith would be in Vethela...Well, quite simply, she wouldn't have come.

And then she saw another one of them, her entire body going stiff. But something about him was...different. Artificial?