It was a humiliating situation, but at least it was better than going insane.
And that wasn’t just a figure of speech—people with weak minds truly had lost their sanity before.
“I heard the Viscount of Saxen ended up like that.”
They said his mind came and went like someone with dementia.
He had been an annoying person who ruined a family trip, but no one had wished for him to fall apart like that.
That made it even more frightening.
What if Seiayana ended up the same way?
Of course, even if she did, the Count would still love her.
“But wouldn’t her life become unbearably tragic?”
The Count only wanted his children to live ordinary lives.
According to his eldest, Sincere, Seiayana seemed fine even when facing the Fourth Prince…
“But maybe that was just a coincidence that day.”
When their gazes didn’t meet, he could see their hands clasped together.
Even just seeing their hands filled him with disgust and rage.
He wanted to cut them apart, but he couldn’t act rashly out of fear.
It was a small relief, at least.
“Even if he’s lost his succession rights for being an Esper, he’s still a prince.”
If he’d acted on instinct, he might have become the knight who cut down the son of his sovereign.
The Count had a headache.
Why, out of all people, did it have to be my child?
Of course, his daughter was the kind of child anyone would love—adorable, beautiful, and perfect in every way.
“But she didn’t have to end up with the Fourth Prince, too.”
He could already see the future his daughter would suffer through, and tears welled up.
If only she had rejected the prince—then he could’ve used that as an excuse to keep him away.
“But to Lovey, he just looks like a cute boy. Ugh, why does she give up her seat next to her so easily? Lovey! Though even that generosity is part of her charm…”
Thinking like the doting father he was, the Count was troubled.
How could he drive away the Fourth Prince without hurting Seiayana?
In his heart, he’d imagined resigning from office and taking the whole family into exile—but that wasn’t easy either.
“Even then, the Fourth Prince doesn’t seem like he’d give up…”
Flee to another country?
He’d probably just follow, saying, “Then I’ll go too.”
As the Count pondered all this, Raymond quietly spoke to Seiayana.
“Seiayana, I’d like to speak with the Count alone.”
“Talk?”
“Yes. I came here recklessly because I wanted to see you. I’d like to apologize for that.”
“But that’s because my dad… your letter… mm, okay. I’ll go inside.”
Seiayana looked uneasy leaving the two alone, but when Raymond said he wanted to apologize, she left without complaint.
Watching her go, the Count’s feelings grew more tangled.
He was glad Raymond was parting from Seiayana, but didn’t like that the boy would now be alone with him.
Only when she slipped into the mansion did Raymond finally turn to the Count.
The Count trembled as the young boy—who barely came up to his waist—looked at him.
Even though Raymond wasn’t directly staring at him, the very idea was terrifying.
Luckily, that fear quickly subsided.
Raymond pulled out a black robe from somewhere and draped it over his shoulders.
Immediately, it became easier to breathe.
Interest.
“The disgust you feel should be a bit subdued now.”
With those words, the Count realized the robe wasn’t an ordinary item.
Though the revulsion hadn’t completely vanished, if it had felt like seeing thousands of crawling insects before, now it was just dozens.
“With something like that, I guess he could hide the fact that he’s an Esper.”
It made sense, but it also made the Count angry.
If he’d worn that from the start, the Count wouldn’t have been so shocked by his visit.
Now wrapped in the robe, not even Raymond’s face was visible—only the tip of his chin peeked out.
It was clear he had deliberately left it off earlier to appear more attractive to Seiayana.
“What a nasty personality.”
From what his daughter said, the boy seemed kind and gentle—but that must be a side he only showed to Seiayana.
Though the Count worked at the Imperial Palace, he had never seen the princes in person.
Royal children, except the Emperor and Empress, were not allowed to appear in public until adulthood.
He had guessed Raymond might resemble the Emperor or Empress in temperament, but that wasn’t the case at all.
He didn’t like people who behaved differently depending on whom they faced, and his opinion of the boy dropped further.
“I know what it is the Count fears.”
“Do you, now?”
At that sarcastic reply, there was a slight movement under the hood, as if Raymond was smiling.
“I’ve lost so much, unintentionally. No matter how much I struggled, I couldn’t get it back, so I gave up.”
“To someone like me, Seiayana is like a miracle. And that’s why I’m sorry. Because I can’t give her up.”
Raymond’s words weren’t a reassurance.
They were a declaration—he would not give up on Seiayana.
The Count was speechless.
But he could understand.
Even an adult would struggle if suddenly everyone feared and hated them.
“Even more so if their own family did.”
Could he remain unbroken?
Especially since Raymond was still so young.
It was cruel for a child to endure such things before their identity had even fully formed.
“Seiayana is the only one who treats me like a human being.
Like how things used to be.
Only now do I feel like I can breathe again.”
“So, for my own survival, I’ll do whatever it takes to stay by her side.”
There was an obsessive intensity in his voice.
Even if they ran to the ends of the earth, he would follow.
The Count pondered: What can I even do now?
“If only I could…”
A murderous gleam flickered in the Count’s eyes.
For Seiayana’s safety, it might be best to eliminate Raymond.
But the risks were too high.
Standing before him was both an Esper and a prince.
He wouldn’t go down easily, and if the Count killed him, the Emperor’s wrath would follow.
“It was supposed to be someone else who inherited the powers…”
Originally, another child had been meant to inherit the Esper powers.
The plan was for the First Princess, born three years ago, to be the one.
The Emperor, who didn’t want the Empress’s children to become Espers, had arranged a contract pregnancy with another woman…
“Everything was going according to plan, but then an accident happened…”
The previous Esper died—just one week before the princess was born.
And so, the power went to the youngest of the born children: Raymond.
In any case, the Emperor loved his Empress’s children so much he had created a contractual heir to bear the burden in their place.
Even if his feelings for Raymond had diminished because of the Esper powers, he still cared for him.
Which meant killing Raymond would lead to catastrophic consequences.
The Count gave up on trying to drive him away.
Raymond wasn’t someone who could be pushed aside…
It would be better to maintain dialogue and seek cooperation, at least while he was still willing to talk.
“You must make sure that my child doesn’t get hurt in the process.”
“Of course.”
“Not just physically—emotionally, too.”
The Count looked at Raymond.
He was still young, so it wasn’t yet a problem—but when he grew up, there could be serious consequences between a man and a woman.
For example, if Seiana came to love someone else and not him, and Raymund forced himself on her…
If something like that were to happen, the Count would never let Raymund get away with it — even if he were the emperor’s son.
“Promise me.”
The Count, demanding an answer firmly, was silently watched by Raymund, who then let out a short laugh.
Even if the Count was worried, Raymund knew he could never force Seiana into anything.
Hadn’t he just pretended to be pitiful earlier to avoid being rejected by her, even going as far as turning his own brothers into trash to gain her sympathy?
And even that hadn’t been enough — he’d had to act cutesy, which didn’t suit his personality at all, just to beg her to show him some affection.
“You needn’t worry, Count. I could never go against Seiana’s will.”
Because if he ever acted too aggressively and ended up being hated by her, or if she ever felt fear and tried to distance herself from him, he wouldn’t be able to stay sane.
At those words, the Count looked slightly relieved.
Even though Raymund had a difficult personality, he didn’t seem like the type to lie just to avoid a situation.
In any case, the biggest worry was resolved — but there was still one more remaining.
“Have you found out who was behind the attack?”
The Count asked cautiously.
He didn’t know who had orchestrated the crime, but if they discovered Raymund and Seiana were close, they might naturally target her — which was a serious concern for him.
Raymund remained silent for a moment, as if choosing his words, before speaking.
“There is no one behind it.”
“…What?”
What did that even mean?
The Count couldn’t understand.
Was he saying the guards attacked Raymund just because they wanted to kill him?
To think even the guards hated him… the Count began to wonder if Raymund’s personality was worse than he thought.
How horrible must he have been on a daily basis for his own guards to try and kill him?
Seeing the Count’s doubtful expression, Raymund looked dumbfounded.
“The knights who guard royal espers are special. They must undergo mental discipline, and they aren’t recruited from just any order — they’re carefully selected through a special process.”
They listen only to orders from the esper royals and the emperor.
They have no time to interact with other orders, nobles, or even other royals.
“There’s no one they could have been influenced by. Their private lives were clean.”
They were people who, even if they feared him, took great pride in serving an esper.
That was why their betrayal that day had been so shocking — and why his reaction had been delayed.