William Aerielle's Point Of View

I cannot believe Soleil would humiliate me publicly like that! Who is unsuited for the role of future prime minister?!

No, he's always been arrogant and looked down on people, but for him to look at me like that! Like I was an ignorant fool. You pompous, arrogant peacock! If you weren't so rich I'd put you in trouble for this! The ignorant one here is you!

I know I made a mistake and acted rashly, but there's no need to humiliate others in such an arrogant way. That attitude is what makes people hate you.

Even so, why is Lily the only one of us he doesn't act like a snob towards?! Why does he have more respect for her than me. Other than insulting people she's good for nothing. She's cold, doesn't smile, can't embroider, doesn't sing, doesn't sew, doesn't cook, doesn't make anyone smile and by god, she is cruel too!

Is it really only because both of you are so arrogant that you speak the same language?

Even Lionel seemed like he'd realized this and was steering clear of her, so why would you even try to support her, Soleil? Didn't you like Claire just like me? Did you give up on her?... or... are you trying to make Lily Alstair's wife so that she can be yours?

That would make sense.

No, I'd never let Claire end up with someone like Soleil. It would be bad for her. Being with Soleil would make her suffer. She deserves better. Alstair is better. I cannot take her hand, so she can only be by Alstair's side. It is the only place where she can remain innocent and pure.

—-*—-

I've spent a couple of days checking up on House Celeste's finances. It took a bit of convincing to make my father let me see some of the more recent finances, but he gave in more easily when I said I just wanted to find proof of House Celeste's innocence.

The papers I ended up looking through isn't the entirety of House Celeste's economy, but it quite clearly states all their regular sources of income, as this is what we are taxing. I dug through years of these to find irregularities, that is, places where inflation doesn't fit the expected and calculated cost, or places where market fluctuations doesn't properly affect the number.

In a moment of spite I checked house Listere's too... however, when I went to return the papers I found someone unexpected reading quietly in the archives.

"Soleil? How unexpected seeing you here. What are you doing?"

He's not wearing his uniform, so he's wearing that white suit with gold embroidery. Loaded peacock. Don't you have better things to spend money on?

What is he doing here anyway?

Soleil looks up from the papers after a moment. His eyes narrow, and for a moment he raises his chin a bit to look down at me as... he always does, especially when he is in a bad mood. Then without a word he ignores me and looks back to the papers in his hands.

It's old employment records for house Listere.

"Wh-" I'm about to scold him for ignoring me and even help him out if needed, but all I'm met with is:

"It is personal business. Please, keep your nose out of it, William."

...he doesn't look me in the eyes. He doesn't greet me. He even moves a bit to turn his body away from me to end the conversation like that.

His 'please' is but a false pretense of politeness. A pretense that sadly not only reason he can get away with being a snob and in the end, hypocrite. I hold in a huff and decide that throwing a spiteful line back is appropriate.

"The royal family has had a lot of excellent servants. It's good to see you aren't favored as much as you used to."

I'm about to move when Soleil unexpectedly responds to my words.

"What do you mean by servants of the royal family?"

I can't help but to raise an eyebrow. I was sure that they knew.

"Servants to your house is usually transferred from the royal family. How ignorant can you be not to know of the favors the royal family does for you?"

Soleil stares at me now rather intensely. Despite the arrogance of his, neither his body size or shape or his blonde hair sticks out. He's a bit more handsome than the usual guy, but this guy just clearly doesn't have any other interest than looking good and being popular. You notice so even at parties where he spend the entire evening small talking with people rather than discuss subjects in depth.

"...hmmm~"

A mocking hum with a stare of disapproval is cast my way.

"And how do you know? Do you even have proof, or are you just trying to make up for your display of incompetence yesterday by taunting me with more unconfirmed gossip?"

You want to see proof so bad?

"Fine, I'll show you."

I continue down the hall towards the section where I found these papers last time. This is a good chance to bring Soleil down a peg.

To find what we're looking for we have to go to the section for employment for the royal family. I don't recall the number of people lessening during the last ten years, but the employment lists from the past were less than I expected. Still, we were children back then so I may just have gotten a wrong impression.

It takes me but a few minutes to pull out every single book we have on the transfers in the last 20 years. Honestly it is a minor effort. I display it all and spend time on pointing out the employment transfer rate dropping once in a while, then rising 17 years ago until about 10 years ago. That last year it dropped entirely.

To my great satisfaction Soleil goes quiet. He looks quite pale. Still, he looks to me with a stubborn look in his eyes.

"Without proof from the last 9 years you have no evidence."

He slowly regains his composure. I click my tongue.

"Fine. Stay there."

It was employment for house Listere, so it would be fine, right?

—-*—-

When I return Soleil is flipping through more of the same records. Judging by the year number, it's from 40 years ago.

When he looks up at me it's with a conflicted expression.

"Oh. You're back?"

He closes the book and puts it back.

"What are you looking through such old records for?"

He didn't have permission to do that.

"Just wanted to prove to you that we've been in favor for long time..."

I raise an eyebrow. He seems to be surprisingly stuck up about this. A bit too much... and he is pressing his lips into this stiff line. Is he... uncertain?

"And the result?"

Soleil looks to the rows of record books with an awfully gloomy expression.

"...the royal family... surely blessed every child born..."

He looked at me and then down to the books I was holding. Every child? Did the transfers overlap with births?

"Ah, that would make sense. Your family has a rather weak constitution so you need the help."

I end up letting out a sigh. How disappointing. That means they didn't lose favor anyway. In other words, I can't take Soleil down a peg anyway. Mmm? But then why was Soleil being weird?

"I will be heading back now, William."

Eh?

Soleil walks past me while looking like I told him the best insult I've ever come up with. He looks pallid and nauseous as he covers his mouth with a hand. Then pauses for a moment and walks back, looking at me with intense eyes I'm not used to from him. No... I mean... he usually looks intense when he looks down at you, but this time he is looking at me directly.

"You've never talked with Lady Lily about any of this, right?"

What is with that weird accusation?

"Of course not. I cannot keep a conversation going with her, I wouldn't use something like this to brag in your place."

He puts his hands on my shoulders and squeeze for a moment. His jaw tenses up and his pale yellow eyes glisten with frustration.

"Once she asked me whether or not children in my family had a weak constitution. My mother always made sure Lily didn't meet my sisters so she had no chance of knowing."

What? Lily asked something like that?

"Why would she ask something like that? It would make sense if she asked about if you were poisoned as a kid, but asking about constitution out of the blue is weird."

I end up speaking out as I think, but Soleil keeps watching me rather intensely. He stares with this almost pleading look. How am I supposed to deal with something like that. Is this really Soleil? Him being like this is... a bit scary. I prefer is annoying peacock act over this.

"Soleil? What's wrong?"

His hands are still squeezing my shoulders, but at my words he clenches his hands hard enough to make it hurt. His eyes light up with that weird frustration again.

"Isn't it-...." he raised his voice for a moment but then pulls back. He lets go and then rushes out of the archives without another word and leaves me behind. The only things left are the candles on the table and the endless silence of the archive.

—-*—-

It has been two weeks since. I haven't seen Soleil around much. He's usually 'busy' studying or doing work for the fief. When not one of these he is spending quite a lot of time just talking with people to calm them down and reduce fear. I am pretty sure he is avoiding me, but he hasn't been to the castle ever since the incident at the archives.

"Come in, William."

I don't have time to worry about Soleil's odd behavior at gaining favors from the royal family.

I step into Alstair's office. He's old enough to take the throne, but for now he's just gradually taking on more and more of the work from his father. This is tradition. When Alstair is done at the academy his father will retire and take the place as advisor. His father will still have a great deal of power in decisions made though, but he has no further responsibilities that I know of.

As a proof of said power, the father can veto a law, or something like that. It's a bit of a messy situation, but we've never had any fights for succession, the throne or anything like that. Indeed, Ristaze is a kingdom in perfect harmony. Our royals don't fight each other, and they grow up kind and considerate. Our borders have been safe for more than three hundred years. We have no internal wars at all, and crime is low. The internal borders never shift either so the peasants never have to worry about that or to who and where to pay their taxes.

The only problem we usually have is the amount of people that end up getting sick and dying from the complications. I am of the opinion that we should look further into health measures and medicine in the future, and I intend to make that my first initiative as the prime minister. I'm sure Alstair would accept it too.

It may sound reckless of me to consider this in these times, but I am sure we will make it through. Lionel and the rest of House Tepet will keep the enemy at bay, and Gil's lands have never been breached since the Great War. I'm only nervous about House Celeste. Lionel May have said they were in trouble, but I'm sure they're just being humble. There's no way House Tepet would fall after never losing a war once for three hundred years.

I've even followed my father to talk with the minister of war, and I've been a part of making the logistic troubles for resources work. They should have no problems whatsoever with resources. This, at least, I am proud of.

Still... it's a shame Gil already returned, I was hoping for it just to be Alstair and I for a while. For once Gil actually looks exhausted. I guess even Gil can't be happy go lucky all the time. Perhaps I should have a dessert brung to the dorms after dinner to cheer him up.

—-*—-

When I left the palace that day a blonde girl was waiting for me outside. It was one of Lily's childhood friends, the gaudy one.

If I remember correctly then she too had been very suspicious about house Celeste.

"William-sama! Please let me work under you!"