Chapter 3

I think I’ve just learned another truth I never wanted to know.

It was only because his hair color looked vaguely similar to mine that my gaze drifted toward him naturally.

And honestly, wasn’t this an even greater revelation than my sister having regressed, or my future self dying young, or Minabel being able to see something called a status window?

This was a secret capable of determining the future of the entire Empire.

“Bell, do you know what red eyes usually signify?”

“Ah—even if I came from another world, I know that much. According to the divine oracle, only someone with red eyes has the right to inherit the throne. Right now, only the First Prince has red eyes.”

“That’s what people believe, at least.”

Though throughout history there had been many who painted their own eyes red to usurp the throne, and many more who rebelled because they resented not being born with red eyes.

There was even a saying that the redness of those eyes came from the amount of blood spilled before ascending the throne.

“But why bring this up all of a sudden? Don’t say things so ominously. Whenever you talk like that, Tie, it feels like you’ve uncovered another terrifying secret.”

Instead of answering carelessly, I stayed silent.

That only seemed to deepen Minabel’s fear, but if I said this aloud, I might actually die.

Crown Prince Vincent had brown hair and red eyes.

Anyone looking at him would think he appeared neat and warmhearted, yet his gaze alone felt hollow, as though he had already lost everything.

But people never noticed that emptiness in his eyes. Instead, they praised his legitimacy and cold judgment.

They claimed his gaze revealed the qualities of an emperor capable of commanding the masses.

Anyway, one thing was certain: Crown Prince Vincent had brown hair.

But the person I had just seen clearly possessed hair so pale it was nearly silver-white.

“Tie, what are you staring at so intently?”

“…I suddenly have something I want to ask my sister.”

“Hm?”

“If I can confirm it, I’ll tell you too.”

Minabel nodded solemnly as though I were preparing some grand conspiracy.

* * *

“Which is harder with magic—changing hair color or changing eye color?”

“Mm.”

“Why? Did someone covet your hair or eyes? Who was it?”

The joyful expression my sister wore simply because I had come to visit instantly hardened.

She was probably already murdering some imaginary criminal in her head for daring to desire her younger sister’s eyes or hair.

Before some innocent person was quietly executed, I hurriedly waved my hands.

“No, not me. I think someone else is doing it.”

“Someone is hiding their identity and approaching you? Trying to hurt you?”

My sister looked ready to draw a sword and overturn the Empire on the spot, so I grabbed her wrist and shook my head desperately.

“Tie.”

“With you protecting me like this, what could possibly happen? Don’t worry. The person I’m asking about has absolutely nothing to do with me. No—I’m asking because I want them to have nothing to do with me. Please just answer the question.”

Only after my frantic explanation did she finally begin thinking seriously before reaching a conclusion.

“The eyes.”

“So changing hair color isn’t difficult?”

“Not unless you want to permanently alter it. Temporarily changing hair color with magic is basic-level stuff. But changing eye color is dangerous. If something goes wrong, you could go blind. And the effect doesn’t last very long either.”

So that meant I had happened to meet his gaze at the exact moment the spell wore off.

“……”

Right. This really might be entirely my problem.

This world keeps trying to reveal every hidden truth to me, so how could people possibly conceal them through mere human effort?

Perhaps my expression had darkened visibly, because my sister hurried toward me.

“Why do you look like that? There is a problem, isn’t there? If you don’t know the name, then describe the face. I’ll take care of everything myself.”

“No, unni.”

If something like this counted as a “problem,” then her enemy would become the world itself.

Though perhaps she had already fought that battle once before.

“There’s only one silver-haired royal in the Empire right now, correct?”

My sister frowned slightly, as though wondering why I was suddenly asking something so obvious.

“The Third Prince, Lucian Aedvain, has silver hair. He inherited the Empress’s hair color exactly.”

“And his eyes are blue, right?”

“Right.”

I had only seen him from very far away, so I couldn’t make out his face clearly, but the circumstances made it obvious enough.

The person I saw was the Third Prince.

And he was hiding his eye color.

Keeping this secret to my grave wouldn’t be difficult.

But there was one thing all the people whose truths I discovered had in common.

Somehow, in one way or another, I always ended up entangled with them.

So what would it be this time?

If a prince was hiding his true eye color, wasn’t this enough to destroy the Empire I lived in?

“Tie?”

My sister called my name seriously, as though she sensed the darkness swallowing my thoughts.

“Why are you suddenly asking these questions? Before you waste away from worry, it’s probably better if I eliminate the source of the problem.”

No. If we eliminate the cause right now, that becomes treason.

…Or perhaps if we succeeded, it would count as a revolution instead?

Ah, no. Stop thinking about it.

“No, it’s just that Minabel and I thought we saw him passing nearby earlier! There’s no reason someone like him would come here suddenly, right? But maybe I was mistaken!”

Only after I desperately defended myself while waving both hands did her expression finally soften.

“Ah, I see.”

Thankfully, my sister tended to accept my explanations rather generously.

After that, we lay side by side on her bed, chatting idly until we fell asleep.

Well—more accurately, my sister fell asleep first, while I stayed awake watching her sleeping face.

Perhaps because I had learned such an overwhelming truth, sleep refused to come easily to my heavy body.

The more I thought about it, the stranger it became.

The fact that he wandered around near the ducal estate without purpose could simply be dismissed as the reckless Third Prince searching for taverns or women.

But shouldn’t the real question be why nobody noticed anything suspicious?

Still, my life had always been like this.

Everything passed vaguely under the name of coincidence.

Besides, since my sister was the young duchess, I had assumed she would report this to Father immediately after hearing it.

Yet instead, she focused entirely on reassuring me—as though she had expected this all along.

And the words she mumbled before falling asleep lingered uneasily in my mind.

“Don’t worry, Tie. No matter what happens, our family will be safe. Preparations to leave are almost complete.”

Preparations are almost complete.

Those words echoed endlessly in my ears.

Didn’t that sound like she intended to spirit only our family away before some coming disaster?

I needed to know what was going to happen.

But how?

My thoughts began spinning wildly.

“Forget my sister’s plans for now. First, I need your help.”

At times like this, there was a simple solution.

Ask someone smart for help.

Though before that, I’d need to make a few preparations first.

* * *

The next day, I invited Minabel for tea as usual.

Minabel Cherita—the very first person I could turn to for help.

“Tie, did you not sleep? You look exhausted.”

“A little. Is it that obvious?”

“Mmm… sleep deprivation. Lots of worries. The Third Prince’s secret… Huh? Tie! Don’t tell me—you saw the Third Prince’s eye color? Lucian Aedvain’s red eyes?”

That magical blackboard of hers really was absurdly useful.

The reason I had called Minabel before asking my sister for help was precisely because of this.

“So you did know all along and kept your mouth shut?”

“Ah—ahhh—!”

Because she was the only person who could confirm the truths I deduced through instinct alone.

And because—

“I want to apologize… for hiding the truth from you all this time. Even so… can I still remain your friend?”

Because she worried about and loved me sincerely, almost as much as my sister did.

“No matter what you tell me, our friendship won’t break, Minabel.”

“Then I’ll tell you. Actually… this Empire is destined to fall, and your sister is preparing an escape plan to save you.”

I had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed still stunned me.

“I approached you because I wanted to survive by relying on your sister. I know it was selfish, but please don’t hate me.”

Because of you, I finally learned what my sister was preparing—how could I hate you for that?

“Everyone wants to live. I understand.”

Maybe it was because I smiled sincerely, but Minabel seemed to relax a little and began spilling out more information she knew.

This world was actually the setting of a book.

And in the original story, my sister had never regressed.

“But your current sister returned through time! Because of that, she has the title ‘Regressor Who Refuses to Regret.’ Your maid Elian has the title ‘The Royal Family’s Secret.’”