The Duchess of the Attic

Entering the Great Hall at the head of the samurai, many people had already gathered.

Everyone seemed to be as busy talking rumors as ever, but admitting what the Opals looked like kept their mouths shut.

But soon he started talking hiccups, so the whole venue was on purpose.

People aren't rumours of Opal running down from what they hear leaking, but to Erik, who came in later - they're talking about Erik's family, to be exact.

I guess someone heard the morning commotion of the Bapot family from somewhere and spread it quickly.

"You still love other people's scandals,"

'Cause I feel like I can be at the top.'

"Naja was sorry, but you're right not to come to a place like this. Something that gets me into poison."

"Is Opal really okay?

"That's the pimple."

Opal was guided to a chair - a chair sitting on the upper side of the altar where the king was seated, letting his hands spread gently.

That exaggerated trick caught my eye, but Claude laughs small without worrying.

Still, both Opal and Claude went right back to their faces because they were worried about Naja.

Naja got involved in this one, so I wanted her to see it through to the end if she wanted to.

But I couldn't let him, and he left the mansion promising to tell Naja exactly later.

Opal glanced around at the gathered people.

The listener stands by because no chair is available regardless of his or her identity.

It was still only the aristocrats who were forming right next to the Kingsguard knights who stretched semi-oval around the altar to consolidate their protection.

And Erik stood on the innermost side, even though he came in late.

But no one tries to talk to Erik, who was all that popular.

(Palm back in no time...)

Those who have been in a slight mood until yesterday easily turn their backs and throw words of contempt and glances at them.

Opal himself has been through it and has seen it many times.

Erik was considered the best bridegroom candidate alongside his brother Tulli.

That's now the distance between criminals and - even though Erik himself is considered irrelevant so far - everyone is distancing themselves with a disgusting look on their face as if they were criminals.

"Do you want me to get you out?

"No. He will soon realize that this is real.... I'm sure."

Erik stares at those who whisper and whisper as he rolls away, and he stares again and again at the people who say it's Opal's fault.

I guess Erik still doesn't want to admit that the world is so cruel.

When Opal took his gaze off Erik, a great deal of yawning spread through the hall.

And it was Terri, the Marquis of Bapot and Viscount Amadi, considered masterminds of this commotion, who showed up, followed by several nobles.

Plus I can see Connally and Cole.

They had their hands tied in front of their bodies, with an expression of humiliation.

Only Marquis Bapot and Tulli stood dignified forward in it.

But when Tulli sees Claude, he is much more breathtaking and hurried away from his face.

(You knew Claude was back with rumors...)

Opal was sad, even though he knew the friendship between them was false.

I'm sure Claude believed in Tulli at first.

Due to Claude's character, there couldn't have been a glitch.

Claude lay his hands on Opal's hand, which seemed depressed to think about it.

"I'll be fine. I moved on my beliefs. I guess they had something of theirs."

Nodding small to Claude's whispers, Opal turned his attention once again to the nobles who were rebels.

Apart from Tulli, who moved as an Alessandro in the earlier civil unrest, both Marquis Bapot and the other nobles were neutral.

This riot was set up by Alessandro and his men to defeat the anti-Kings.

(You cooperated with the man-test development four years ago because, as Your Majesty, I noticed the connection between the Marquis of Saimes in the Kingdom of Socieux and the anti-Kings.)

Given what Alessandro even knew about Omar, I guess he was going to let Opal cooperate on this one, even if he wasn't isolated.

Of course I don't think Claude has assisted me for all that.

Either that or I'd like to think it contained quite a bit of personal feelings.

(In short, anti-Alessandro factions have been twitchy hunted down for over four years now)

After all, everyone was dancing on Alessandro's board.

That's not just the rebels, either.

Opal, Claude and Hubert were dancing like Alessandro thought they would.

Thinking about it makes me angry, but it's also reliable.

As our own kings, we have never been more comfortable.

I guess that's why Claude has also supported Alessandro for years.

(I'm also angry that it was used as a good idea, but if that makes everyone happy at all, there's nothing wrong with it. Besides, you can be proud to have more evidence than your majesty assumed. One shot thanks to you)

He remembered Alessandro's astonished face when he thought he was going to be flat-handed, and Opal laughed a lot inside.

When I was a kid, I used to have a fight with my brother.

Opal, who remembered those days, was upset again.

I haven't sleighed with my brother for a long time.

How many times has Trevor and Marcia scolded me harshly because of my brother and made my mother look sad?

"Opal, are you okay?

I was just remembering when I was a kid.

"Oh, I see"

It was Claude who worried me about understanding Opal's change of heart, but he seemed convinced that he understood it was about his brother.

Claude knows very well that his siblings are not close.

I always failed to mediate between them.

When Claude suppressed his laughter and exhaled loudly, the door near the altar was opened.

That door is only allowed to be used by royalty.

As is customary, it was King Alessandro the man who came in through the door.