The Fate of a Promise
I set out alone toward the Imperial City upon receiving the summons.
Even my older sister, who usually complains and follows me whenever I go to the Imperial City, remained quiet today as she saw me off.
Given it was a summons from the imperial family, I borrowed a carriage from home and wore the dress sent along with the letter.
The dress in Arthur’s hair color was simpler than usual—so simple, one might say it was plain—but I actually prefer it this way.
It is comforting to know he understood my preference, yet my heart grows heavier all the same, for surely the rumors surrounding this summons cannot be absent.
The room I was directed to was one heavy with the air of an office, solid and solemn.
I glanced around the unfamiliar interior, waiting quietly for Your Highness to arrive.
Uncharacteristically, he was already late—far past the appointed time, as he never fails to be on time when we have agreed to meet.
As I waited, filled with unease and a sense of vulnerability, I grew acutely aware that it had been far too long since I last saw him in person—since the summer past. Though we had continued to exchange letters, now that the moment had come, I found myself at a loss for what words to use. I began to reproach myself for having been so consumed by the thought of meeting him last night that I had not considered how I might greet him. At that very moment, the door opened.
Two figures entered the room: Arthur, his expression edged with anger, and Count Colloid, utterly worn down.
I bowed in greeting, but Arthur motioned me to rise and directed me to take my seat.
As soon as I had settled, Count Colloid bowed deeply before me, one knee touching the floor, his head lowered.
“Forgive me, my lord—my failure has caused you great inconvenience, and I am truly ashamed.”
Ah, so this is the famed apology, I thought, and understood.
"Lord Colloid, please raise your head. I have heard from Lady Marle, the daughter of the Border Lord, of your own efforts to dispel the rumors. The persistence of those rumors, however, is my failing. You need not be rebuked—only thanked."
He remained confused, his expression heavy with the weight of his own helplessness, as I smiled. Then Arthur Your Highness said, "Are you satisfied, sir? If so, I would prefer we speak alone from now on," and gestured for him to leave.
He bowed silently and stepped out through the door, leaving it slightly ajar—a custom observed in private conversations between young, unmarried men and women.
I paid it no mind, but Arthur Your Highness seemed to regard even that narrow gap with resentment.
"Are you… were you not the one who accepted my proposal?"
After a pause, he twisted his fingers together, and then spoke.
Yes, Your Highness, I have answered your heart with my sincerity. The Sacred Stone here is the clearest proof of that.
I said this, then withdrew the Sacred Stone from a leather pouch at my chest.
It remains unworked, as my father has not yet granted his permission.
Then why has this letter come?
Your Highness drew from his sleeve a letter, white paper sealed with blue wax. The seal bore the image of a kelpie and a sailing ship—the crest of our family, and thus the mark of my father, the head of the household.
I placed it upon the desk and asked, May I read it, Your Highness?
A nod granted me permission.
I took the letter in trembling hands and began to read. The contents stunned me so deeply I nearly dropped it.
I lifted my eyes from the parchment, and met Your Highness’s gaze—his sorrowful eyes met mine, and my chest tightened.
This… is truly so, is it not?
I forced my trembling voice into speech, and Your Highness answered with visible pain.
“Ah… my formal betrothal to you has not been approved.”
Indeed, this letter contained the agreement between Your Highness and the Emmental family regarding marriage.
In summary, it read as follows:
To send my daughter of the Emmental house to the imperial family is a great honor, a most auspicious matter.
However, the daughter you have named is currently suffering from unjust rumors and ailments of body and mind, making it difficult to send her as consort.
Therefore, I shall gladly accept a betrothal to your eldest daughter, Stella von Emmental.
And after a three-year grace period following this marriage, I shall prepare to receive your younger daughter, Spica von Emmental, as a secondary consort.
To this end, Your Highness shall treat my eldest daughter, Stella, as a public wife.
Within three years, entrust the younger daughter, Spica, with assisting the elder daughter, Stella. When the elder daughter bears children, grant custody and guardianship to Stella, and entrust the upbringing and education to Spica. Please promise this.
Understand that we of this household find it difficult to recognize marriage under any other condition.
Though adorned with other excuses and elegant phrases, the substance remains this…
Even if I am to be united with Your Highness, it shall be after the marriage of my elder sister and Your Highness…
And even then, it is absolutely stipulated that my elder sister shall be the public partner in official duties and social engagements—thus, I cannot stand at Your Highness’s side…
And yet, after my elder sister’s arrival, I must manage all the duties of a mistress? What is this but a deliberate torment?
From Your Highness’s current conduct and beliefs, I can well perceive that while such arrangements might be feasible within a lesser noble household, they are far too difficult for a family connected to the imperial line. Yet to impose this upon me—this is beyond mere recklessness…
Even if Your Highness is of royal blood, You are the third prince, and unlike the Crown Prince, Your Highness is likely to descend into commoner status. To take a second wife is scarcely different from taking a mistress…
To stand by and watch another woman—someone not oneself—stand beside the one I care for… merely as a spectator…
And to be required to raise the children of the first wife, in the position of a mistress—how can this be anything but humiliating?
Above all, to be subjected to such treatment without so much as a word of consultation—this is not merely anger, but utter disbelief.
“Your Highness… are You truly accepting these terms?”
Your Highness gently held me, soothing my fear, yet the answer was…
If there is no other way to claim you… perhaps it is unavoidable…
I am deeply, deeply grateful for Your Highness’s kindness in desiring me… yet I cannot bring myself to rejoice openly.
“Your Highness, I shall persuade my father! Please… please wait just a little longer…”
“I shall speak to the Count once more. I summoned you today solely to confirm your feelings.”
After that, I remained in Your Highness’s arms for as long as time allowed.
And as we parted, I handed him the Sacred Stone I had long kept warm in my hands.
He gently placed in his palm the Sacred Stone, its blue now deeper than when first made, white swirls like clouds against a summer sky, resembling sea glass.
“Your Highness… if I fail to persuade my father, please… do not accept his conditions.”
My heart remains with Your Highness. Therefore… I beg you, do not take my elder sister as your bride.
At that time, it would be better for my heart to find peace if Your Highness were to wed another noble lady…”
I do not know why I spoke such words—I only know that my true feelings spilled from my lips without restraint.
“Is it not a cruel thing to say, coming from this mouth? Perhaps I should seal it shut…
I do not approve of words that foretell failure before the deed is begun. I shall strive to earn your recognition, just as I am.”
With that, she pressed a single kiss to my forehead, then once more embraced me gently. We parted then, without another word.
In the carriage on the way home, I clutched Arthur’s Sacred Stone, unwilling to let go of that warmth, again and again.
When I arrived at the Emmental estate, I immediately requested an audience with my father.
After dinner, I exhaled in quiet relief, at last granted the time I had waited for.
When I had spoken of receiving Your Highness’s favor at the end of last summer, I had hesitated, uncertain whether I could truly persuade my father, whose joy had been so great then, to change his heart.
At the appointed hour, I knocked upon the door of my father’s study.
The aged steward, alerted by the sound, admitted me inside.
“Father, I thank you most sincerely for granting me this precious time this evening. Though it is early, may I proceed directly to the matter at hand?”
My father gave a slow nod, his expression like that of one who has swallowed something bitter.
“Today, I was informed by Arthur that the betrothal between us had been refused. That it would be accepted only if it were your elder sister, and that if I were to accept it, I would be permitted to send her away as a second wife, several years hence. May I ask for your explanation?”
My father opens his mouth as though resigned to this matter.
“That is correct. I will not marry you off under any other condition.”
“Why?!”
I strike my palm against my father’s desk, the sound sharp against the silence of the room.
The numbness in my palm cruelly confirms this is no dream.
“There are several reasons.”
My father rises from his seat and turns away from me, standing by the window without looking at my face.
“The foremost is the imperial decree. The Empress has issued a firm command that the bride must come from our household… and that the consort must be a maiden of miraculous grace. Yet Stella’s natural brightness does not sit well with Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. The Dowager has expressed her desire for you instead.”
She had known that the Empress and the Empress Dowager held opposing views. The Empress, driven by innovative ideals and the creation of new order, stood in contrast to the Empress Dowager, who valued custom and tradition. Their rivalry was well known throughout the realm.
It seems we have become caught in this proxy conflict.
“This matter had been discussed before, but we were at a loss as to which of the two daughters to offer as consort. Then Spica—you collapsed. Rumors of unknown origin spread swiftly, reaching even the royal household. It became impossible to send a daughter tainted by such disgraceful whispers to the palace as consort.”
“Then why not bring only your elder sister into the palace? I... why...”
Her immediate retort came not from the heart, but from reason.
“An official document, issued at the behest of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, confirming your innocence—this is the price for the rumors surrounding you to be laid to rest… and also, a mother’s heartfelt wish, that you may live without further scandal, unharmed, alongside the one you hold dear. This arrangement honors the royal family’s will, and preserves our household’s dignity. Please understand.”
“Such… such words from you—surely they are not spoken for my sister’s sake at all! Is it not only fear, that you would send her forth alone, still unskilled in the ways of high nobility, untrained in the duties of a consort, lacking the grace of a lady of the house? Are you not merely indulging her, shifting all her duties onto me? Then why, when my own name was dragged through the mud, did you not use the family’s name to set the record straight? Was it not your sister who first spoke of me in such a way? I am no fool, and I have borne the consequences of her actions enough already!”
The source of the rumors was already known by the day after my return to school.
It began when my elder sister publicly declared that I had been attacked by thieves during my leave, that my beloved steed—my unicorn—had been revealed in a display of conduct, and that I had been carried to the church because I was unable to keep food down, weeping as she told the tale. Such facts, easily discovered even without inquiry, were matters that should have drawn immediate attention from home if anyone had cared. Correction of the rumors could have been made then and there.
Yet no one acted. Not out of negligence, but for the sake of the miracle maiden… for the true daughter…
My father, at a loss for words, flushed crimson with fury and began trembling violently.
“That’s right! That’s precisely it! If you hadn’t done such things that brought forth those rumors in the first place, there would have been no issue preparing for the wedding at all! And Stella’s still inexperienced—surely that’s because you, consumed by jealousy, neglected her education from the start!
How dare you forget the kindness I showed you, clinging only to your own happiness, you ungrateful wretch!
And yet, despite all that, why can’t you understand the heart of a parent who still wishes you well, who still prays for your happiness…?”
And thus she continued:
“This plan was originally Stella’s idea, you know? With such disgraceful rumors spreading, your future marriage would be difficult—why not have her marry at the same time, but at a different time? That way, she could make up for your shortcomings, learn from you, and together strengthen the family line, so that both of you might find joy…
If she takes on the public duties, she could shield you from the glare of society… Can’t you see the noble intention behind your elder sister’s heart?”
And you have already walked the border between life and death. To begin with, you have become a flawed vessel, one incapable of bearing flesh—how could you possibly bear a child in such a body? If that is so, then raising Stella’s child would make no difference, so why reject it so vehemently? It would bring everything to a harmonious end…
I cannot comprehend this, but perhaps my father cannot either.
My words reach him as though spoken to a great wall—cold, indifferent, unheard.
That day, I left the study as if expelled.
For the past week, I have come to my father’s presence, but have not been allowed to see him. Today, once again, I was turned away.
With a sigh, I turn back along the path I came, only to meet, at the landing, the one person I do not wish to see.
It is the hour when she should be at the academy… the one person who should not be here…
Yes, Stella-sama.
The moment I saw her face, revulsion rose from the deepest part of my heart.
Only then did I finally become aware… no, I had merely buried the feeling, telling myself I must not harbor such thoughts toward a family member, but perhaps the ideology I had carried all along had finally taken shape within me.
I truly hate my elder sister.
As I tried to pass by her as though nothing were amiss, she called out to me.
“Disgraceful… trying so hard, it’s pitiful.”
“I do not find effort on the side that seeks affection to be disgraceful.”
Her eyes widened in surprise—she had not expected me to reply. Her expression shifted abruptly, like a predator turning its gaze upon prey, swift and merciless.
“You really are beyond saving. You should simply step aside and fade into my shadow.”
And leaning her face forward abruptly before me, she continues in a whisper.
I’ve hated you from the very beginning. You were the one who received all the blessings that were meant for me—luxuriously nurtured as a lady, while I was left to endure hardship.
I had always possessed what I desired… the love from my father and mother, the love from my elder brothers—everything was meant for me. Yet even on nights when I shivered with cold, and days when I suffered from hunger, you must have spent warmth within these halls…
So then, I intend to have everything returned to me by you.
She continues, turning to face me, her body pivoting as she does so.
Your family's love, your betrothed, your position—should have all belonged to me. But since you are pitiful, I shall allow you to move only in my shadow, for my sake alone.
A tale where the virtuous maiden of miracles reaches out to the false noblewoman who scorned her—wouldn't that be a new kind of story, one favored by the common folk?
The soft chuckling of her laughter grated on the nerves.
Even regarding this engagement, I asked Father, and he acted at once.
I said I wanted to be united with His Highness, and it truly happened right away—of course, the protagonist must be united with His Highness!
But isn’t the mistress’s duty a heavy burden? If you say you wish to entrust it to me, I shall rejoice—indeed, I shall be overjoyed. I shall not allow you to find happiness in places unknown to me. I shall watch you wither in shame, right here beside me, until the end. Of course, if Arthur should marry you, I ask only that it be a white wedding. I shall never let you pass into your own hands—understand that clearly. This is my punishment for stealing my family from me. So you shall live in misery, a wretched figure, unloved by any soul, and die at my side, without ever being cherished.”
Her words are poison… a poison without proof, leaden words that slowly crush the heart.
Even though I would not let a single drop enter my body, my ears still catch her voice.
“Lady… did you care for any prince at all? Even if it were not Arthur?”
She looks at me with a blank, dazed expression.
It’s not that it doesn’t matter who—of course it’s someone you love! But I’m glad it was Your Highness, really.
Her laughter rings out again…
“How cruel… Do you think so little of Your Highness’s heart? To drag Arthur into this, even if you despise me…”
This has long passed beyond the bounds of family quarrel. Yet she does not seem to understand.
Though this is no opera, no tale—it feels to me as though she lives in another world…
Why must we, who love each other, suffer so deeply because of such a selfish woman?
“Do you have no heart at all? How can you be so merciless?”
She glances briefly toward the depths, then smiles.
“Because I hate you, Spica. No one in the family will stand by your side anymore. I’ll teach you that, from now on.”
She said that, then seized my arm with all her strength…
“Spica! Stop! It’s a misunderstanding! Please, listen to me! No—let go…!”
As she spoke, she flung my arm aside and sent me tumbling down the stairs…
Smiling with that hideous grin only I could see…
“Stella-sama!”
Turning, I saw the middle-aged steward running toward me.
Responding to his voice, Father emerged from the study as well.
I felt, instinctively, that I was done for—but it was too late.
Before I could react, servants, Elder Brother, and Mother had all arrived. Based on the evidence, they concluded that I had pushed Stella from the stairs.
By the grace of my kind-hearted sister’s intervention, I was spared injury beyond bruises. Still, I was ordered to remain under house arrest.
Yes, thanks to my gentle sister…