(Y/n) was surprised when she was called to meet with the regent. Of course, that didn't mean she was happy to be invited. Rather, for the past few days, she had been rejecting all messengers nonstop, finally leaving it to Sona to ward them off. If it were up to her, she would have kept rejecting the requests, even if it made all the servants hate her. She really didn't care what they thought. Why would she?

Yet, as always, it seemed, things did not go her way. A day after she thought the letters stopped coming, she found Kazuya slumped over in the living room. Though she had intended to ask him what the issue was, he was spacing out. Something had devastated him, and, as a result, he was trying to calm himself to solve the issue. Later on, Sona informed her that he had been banned from entering the palace. Though neither of them knew why he had suddenly become ignored, things became clear as one last letter found its way into her hands.

She intended on throwing it away as she did the others, but the royal guard delivering it said something that struck her as odd. As a result, she opened it up, skimming over the words with a blank face. The girl was unsurprised at the hidden threat that lay within the letter, gazing up at the guard. They likely knew nothing of the letter's contents but she could not deny she wanted to kill them. It was only because they were a royal guard that she stopped herself. It was not out of respect for their position. The reason was that she knew she would be one of the first suspects.

Throwing the letter back to the guard, she slammed the door on their face, watching as a frown tugged down at their lips. Still, she did as Mica Trewin wanted, and moved to get herself ready. There wasn't a lot of effort that she put into her appearance, doing the bare minimum. Before long, she was sitting in the carriage she was provided with Sona, having her ear talked off by the guide. Then she was moved to the palace, the guide continuing to blab on and on about how great the royal family was and all the history involved in each and every little thing.

"The Akahito family has its fair share of treasures, too," Sona peeped up, giving a challenging look to the guide, "Some more expensive than the oldest relic here."

"What a funny joke! I didn't know that robots could be programmed to tell jokes. Do you like comedy, Miss Shiratori?"

"I'm not a robot."

"Again! I might die of laughter."

Sona glared at the guide, not only for her snide arrogance but for the way she talked past him towards the (h/c) haired girl as if he was not there. Annoyed, he murmured all the things that made the Akahito family better than the Vethelan royal family. Of course, the guide shot back all of the things that made the Vethelan royal family better. Neither of them were right. They both sounded like idiots to (Y/n), which was odd because she knew Sona to be intelligent. Though, she supposed he was human in the way that his emotions got the best of him. She could very much relate.

"What could the respectable Akahito family possibly have that would exceed the limitless value of sacred artifacts?"

"Things worth actual money, maybe, instead of theoretical value. Like the many companies owned by the Akahito's."

"Mortal companies have nothing on the godly bodies of the royal family alone."

"They are only mortal as well. Didn't your previous Queen die in a car crash? Would a demigod die like - "

"Sona."

The teal-haired male paused as the girl spoke his name. He had anticipated she would agree with him. After all, when he was created, he was told she was to be the wife of the next head of the Akahito family. She should cherish it as much as he did. And, yet, she glared at him as if he had said something against her personally. For a moment, he couldn't say anything. It was like his entire concept of language disappeared, leaving him with a tingling feeling in his fingers. It was not pleasant.

The younger girl brushed past him to the servant guiding them. She apologized bluntly, explaining that he didn't have a concept of religion yet. Of course, it was a blatant lie. He had full understanding of all religions. It was just that he didn't believe in any of them, being very confusing for him. It was like believing in the creator of one's creator, a thought that could go on forever. The android became very quiet after that, deliberating wordlessly on what had occurred and what could be done about it.

Either way, sooner or later, the (h/c) haired girl was presented with the door to a private study. She entered as the door was opened for her, revealing the silvery-blue-haired man sitting in a chair elegantly. Across from him was the same kind of chair, and between them, a chess board. She had heard the man liked to play chess often, having done so with Kazuya. The thought made her scoff. It seemed he had no loyalty to anyone that didn't have his own blood. Though, what did that really mean?

"I didn't think you would come, Miss Shiratori. Please, have a seat."

The girl lifted a brow. She then sat down as he had requested, placing one leg over the other and staring at him quietly. He didn't talk for a while, staring at her with a kind smile. She doubted the authenticity of the kindness, but, for the time being, she just remained silent. If possible, she would have very much preferred the time to pass just like that. She was in no mood to speak to anyone, let alone a privileged ass.

Yes, he had threatened her to come. He had said it in a roundabout way in the letter that, if she continued to avoid his invitation, he would not keep hearing Kazuya's plea. Perhaps she was overcome by affection for the man, or perhaps it was just out of annoyance for the man in front of her. Either way, she had come, though she wasn't so sure that she would never be called back again. There was also no guarantee that the regent would actually take Kazuya's request into consideration.

"Do you play?" the man finally asked, gesturing to the chess board.

"No."

She bluntly rejected him. Whether she knew chess or not, she definitely didn't want to play with him. Nothing was worse than being controlled by another person unless there was an additional compulsion along with it. Though, she supposed the royal family would never have had to be subject to such a thing. Even as a monarchy, they answered to no one. There was no secondary governing body. It was the royal family that had the last word on everything, so it came as no shock that, even as a non-Vethelan, she would be pulled around like a puppet on a string.

The silvery-blue-haired man just smiled. Before long, probably out of concern for the long pauses that lingered between their "conversation", one of the servants stepped forward to pour tea. (Y/n) had never asked for any, but there it was. She glared at the woman serving her, observing every part of her uniform. The standard uniform had the addition of a light blue hydrangea. That confirmed the servant was his. The shade used on the broach matched his own hair to a tee. As her eyes darted from the hydrangea to the regent, he gave a small smirk, lifting his cup to his lips elegantly.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he whistled, pride radiating off of him, "When I was younger, I threw a fit about the flower. My sister had a rose, you see. It's a very elegant and regal flower, so I was jealous. I thought 'Why should I be stuck with a hydrangea when she gets a rose?', and I pouted and pouted. Even when I became an adult, it was the same. And then she died."

The man suddenly stopped smiling, staring at Sona silently. He took another sip of tea before setting it down. For a while, he was lost in his thoughts, a distant gaze glossing over his eyes despite the clear animosity he showed towards the android. Word certainly got around quickly within the palace. She assumed his hatred sparked from the teal-haired male's words earlier about the woman being only "mortal". To no surprise, as she turned around to face her secretary momentarily, he held a poker face. As she moved back to see the regent, he now had a smile on his face.

"Her funeral was the worst day of my life. Despite my immaturity and her constant grace, I admired my older sister more than anyone else. And wouldn't you know it? All around the funeral were beautiful hydrangeas. Now whenever I see them, I think of her."

"You must always be thinking of her then."

"Yes."

The man sparkled at the sentiment. It was true that he was always thinking about his sister. How could he not? Every single day, he would gaze upon the hydrangea broaches and walk in her palace. He lived in the country she ruled over brilliantly. But, most importantly, he was always coming face to face with the children that she had put into the world. Those children meant the world to him. Past that, the entire palace knew of her special love for two of them, and, just as she did, he held them close to his heart.

"Do you have siblings, Miss Shiratori?" he questioned, not expecting her to jolt back slightly in some foreign emotion, "Yes, I'll assume, but...perhaps there is bad blood between you? I suppose you wouldn't understand my feelings then."

"I guess not."

"Ha," the man chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye, "You have the same personality as my sister. Perhaps I shall call you by her name?"

The (h/c) haired girl didn't know the name of the previous queen, but she should have. If she knew, she probably could have kept her emotions in check and continued shielding her weakness. Either way, the man stewed in silence once more. She anticipated he was buying time for something, but it wasn't as if she could have left just yet. Rather, she was at the mercy of his patience, as was Kazuya. She started to understand why the man would come back exhausted after every interaction with the regent.

"The color is also very special," he finally continued, giving the same fake smile he had led with, "In all the world, this silvery-blue shade only appears in the Vethelan royal family. My sister shares the same color with myself and one of my nephews. Do you know why?"

"...No."

"Legend has it that our ancestor, Ezdia, the eternal flower, and the goddess of nature, had this color. Her father, the god of the mist, imbued his power into her hair to give her the gift of beauty. Nothing else in nature even comes close except for Ezdan. It's a very special flower that is said only to grow where Ezdia stepped millennia ago. I heard Celith gave you one. You should be honored."

The man continued to elaborate on why it was that she should have been flattered. Beyond receiving it from the next Oracle from the Sun Sect, the flower itself was supposed to only be in the possession of the royal family. He hummed as he told her she must have been the first person in five generations outside of the family to have even touched a petal of the flower. Still, she gazed at him with a blank face, remaining quiet.

"Though not as rare, there is another color that has its roots with our eternal flower. When the goddess was freed from the demon, Zydon, she met her husband. Some say it was a human, but it would be more accurate to call him the sun god. He had brilliant orange hair that sparkled like the sun, and since his appearance, that same orange hair was bestowed on the most capable prophets. The more radiant the hair, the greater divine strength you had in you."

At once, Sona's and (Y/n)'s poker faces vanished. The direction of the conversation was far more obvious now, as what he was stalling for. Either way, nothing changed. She still could not leave, though the android did his part in contacting Kazuya. He feared reaching out to Haru would have foiled everything the younger girl was trying to achieve. As such, he could only metaphorically hold his breath as things unfolded - a passive observer.

"When my sister married, it was for love. She had fallen for a medium-ranking prophet in the Sun Sect, a man with somewhat dull orange hair. I thought it was stunning, but then Verona came in with the newly ranked Oracle - the leader of the Sun Sect and the closest to the sun god. Cadmus has such gorgeous orange hair. It sparkles and shines no matter if he's inside or out. And, to my surprise, their child had that same hair. It was a first for the royal family. That child has always been special."

The (h/c) haired girl thought about what the man in front of her said. But, perhaps, like the warmth the sun provided, that child shone brilliantly but flickered out just as quickly. A spark before embers, and finally just ash, she wondered just how special he would be then. She continued to frown, a feeling of tightness welling up in her chest at the irony in her thoughts. After all, she, too, would burn out if she did not take constant steps to fuel the fire that gave her life.

"My sister saw it in him, too. He was loving, kind, and gentle - completely innocent."

Past tense. Tap.

"So she coddled him every chance she got. I did the same."

Past tense. Tap, tap.

"Even though he was destined to die, he never stopped being that innocent child."

Past tense. Tap, tap, tap.

Sona kept tapping on her shoulder, alerting her to what they had anticipated since the topic had been brought up. She supposed the regent hadn't noticed, but she heard the small, painful cough on the other side of the door. It sounded like it had been hidden purposefully. "That child" had already arrived, waiting patiently for his great-uncle to finish speaking. How it must have hurt, she thought.

As Mica stopped talking, his eyes bathing in a bittersweet emotion, a knock on the door sounded, blunt and unyielding. It then opened, revealing one of the royal knights guarding the door, who proceeded to announce the smallest Trewin behind him. The silvery-blue-haired man stood up and offered his arm to the boy, making sure he didn't have to exert any of his energy (not that he had any to begin with). And though there was a split moment where no one moved, Orion was quick to take his great uncle's arm, giving a thankful smile before being seated in between the man and his guest.

For a while, the orange-haired boy placed his sleeve over his nose and mouth, embarrassed and shy. It was like he didn't expect her presence. Every now and then, he would look over at her, timidly catching glance after glance. After he accidentally made eye contact, he jolted a bit and hid further behind his sleeve. She then heard him mumble something quietly under his breath, but could not translate it. His great uncle, however, laughed in response, the boy becoming even more mortified.

"I think there's been a misunderstanding here, my dear."

"How so?" she questioned, watching as the younger male took in a sudden breath.

"Orion had sent gifts to you in order to show you how much your help had meant to him, but I think you had misinterpreted his pure actions. I even heard...you had threatened him."

The man's voice became somewhat dark, his eyes hollow as he stared at the girl. A glimpse of his true thoughts on her became clear. He hadn't called her to get to know her as a person or to get them to meet again. It also wasn't his intent to show her Vethelan culture and religion and what it means within the palace. No, it was to show her that she was nothing in the face of Orion Trewin, a male touched by both the goddess of nature and the sun god. He was putting her in her place.

"Don't make that face, silly boy!" the man suddenly laughed, pinching playfully at the younger male's cheek, "I know it was nothing serious. Be that as it may, I would like to see you two become close friends just like Kazuya and I."

There was no choice that the man offered despite the boisterous chuckle in his voice. Instead, she was presented with another threat, though one that she considered calling his bluff on. Then again, there were no consequences to pay should Mica choose to be a child. Essentially, he was saying "play with my nephew or I'll send you back to your country". She supposed the man wasn't kidding about his own immaturity. Her eyes darted over to the orange-haired demigod, watching like a hawk as he flinched and then turned pink under her gaze.

As she observed him, she noticed the traditional attire he wore. And though Mica wore jewelry, there was a distinct lack of it on the younger male. For a moment, her heart raced at the thought of him wearing gems with the innocent gaze he was making at that moment, looking up at her with awe and obedience. Then she stopped herself, biting down on her lip to stop the intrusive thought.

All of a sudden, Orion flinched, his innocent look remaining but warping into pure concern. With the sleeve hiding the lower half of his face and just the gorgeous eyes staring at her with bewilderment, she felt her heart race again. It was like he was trying to seduce her. Or, rather, her mind was preoccupied with what he would look like if she really gave him something to be concerned about. Choosing to quickly gaze away from the male, she composed herself, pinching her thigh to get her resolve back.

"Is that so?" she questioned, no trace of emotion in her voice.

"Unfortunately, I have always worried about this child. He never lived a normal life. Years of worry have only resulted in Presley. But, if he had been able to make a friend...Well, perhaps I could focus on things more important."

After speaking, Mica immediately directed his attention to his great-nephew. Orion began coughing violently though he tried to hide it desperately. He even hid his face from the older girl, fearing that he would be seen as undesirable. The man offered him a handkerchief and grimaced, only able to really pet his head as a form of support. After a while, the younger male was able to recover, but he looked like he was on the verge of passing out.

The man gave that same kind smile to her, anticipating she would only give one answer. After all, he was offering to lend his ear to Kazuya's request, something that he would not have done otherwise. He wouldn't have gotten anything out of it. Yet, she decided almost instantly on the opposite, crossing one leg over the other and asking if that was all he needed from her. Orion flinched yet again.

"If you feel that we have nothing more to discuss, I suppose you can leave, but I would recommend against it."

"Then, please excuse me."

The (h/c) haired girl stood up, fully prepared to leave. She straightened out her attire and hair before murmuring into Sona's ear about if Haru knew where she was or not. Though he denied it, they both knew it was only a matter of time before he woke up. Obviously, it would be easier to quell his anger if she was there with him. As such, she planned on returning to him. Even if Kazuya's noble request fell on deaf ears, it wouldn't have done any good to have had Haru run rampant in the Vethelan castle. Though, the thought was interesting; a war between Vethela and Echal. She couldn't have said for sure who would have won.

Orion began to panic as the girl started walking to the door. An emotion of unknown origin tightened his chest and squeezed his heart and mind to the point of him feeling light-headed. He held his hand up and opened his mouth to say something - anything - to get her to stay or listen to what he had to say, but the only thing that came out was blood. A moment passed and then two, and then the male collapsed on the floor, writhing in complete agony while being as stiff as a corpse.

"The doctors!" Mica screamed, quick to pick up the boy and hold him protectively.

Something in (Y/n) clicked. She didn't want it to, and she certainly didn't want to have it hold any sway over her, but it did. After all, given the day, that would have been her. She also had seizures, and she understood the terror of not feeling pain and the helplessness of it all. As Sona took a step forward, unable to stand by while a person died, she kneeled down to the male before he did.

She did not ask to touch the royal; she just did. The girl took Orion from the man holding him, glaring daggers at him when he did not immediately release him. However, eventually, she was able to lay him down comfortably away from any nearby objects and support his head with her lap. She saw tears pour down his eyes, but no sound escaped him. With Sona's help, they monitored his condition, the android handling the physical aspect and the girl handling the emotional factor of it. He was conscious during the entire thing.

When he finally stopped seizing up, she was still sure to make small reassuring gestures on his body. More tears poured out of his eyes, but far more came from Mica, the composed man completely falling apart. Even as the doctors came and placed him on a stretcher, he stuck close to the younger male, though, not as close as he would have liked. (Y/n) wondered if the man would still speak in the past tense, though, of course, she knew the answer just as well as Orion did.

While she attempted to slip away, knowing she was no longer needed because of the presence of the medical staff, she found her hand was suddenly squeezed. Turning back, she saw the orange-haired male crying, using all of his fading strength to hold onto her hand. He was pleading with her to stay with him. Sona tried to warn her against it, but when he had that look on his face - a look the girl knew herself to have made in the same situation - she could do nothing else but honor his plea.

As a result, Sona was made to wait for Kazuya's arrival, hoping that perhaps he could talk some sense into the (h/c) haired girl. He observed her as she watched over the male, becoming hyper-sensitive to every little thing. If he would stir in his sleep, she immediately assumed he was in pain and stood up in concern. The girl would comfort him as best as she could, whether his subconscious state was aware of it or not. All of a sudden, she became a caring, loving person with no restraints. And yet Haru...Sona didn't like the look of it.