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ーーーA lake on a mountain that reflects only the blue of the sky.

Reminiscent of this, from the time when he was still a child, Alexei had an air around him that made it hard for people to approach him. Children close to his age would shy away from him because of the intense isolation his whole person exudes.

However, behind that cold and hard front, he was infinitely kind to those whom he once took in.

When they became friends and went back and forth to visit each other’s houses, Alexei would always take Vladimir’s hand when showing him around the rose garden. He was afraid he’d get lost, just like the first time they met.

Actually, when they first met, Vladimir was not lost, but he did not say so. That decision made him very, very happy because it made him see how Alexei truly cared for him.

…But now every time he remembers it, his heart aches, and weighs down like lead.

Those days, when he could still cry and laugh, seem so distant now.

Seven years ago, when he was nine, wavering between life and death, he was desperately crying out unreachable apologies until his throat broke. He cried and cried until his tears ran dry, and since then he has not cried once.

How hurtful it must have been for Alexei to see him suddenly change his attitude. But it was impossible to talk to him the same way as before, as if nothing had happened.

With a heavy sigh, Vladimir turns his gaze back to the garden.

In the past, when Yurimagna was rich, when the daffodil season was over, all the flowers would be replaced and replanted. But now, Magna cannot afford that.

The fact that they were rich from the start must have been their downfall. In contrast to Yurinova, which had resources but no farmland at first, and focused on cultivating land from generation to generation until they accumulate wealth.

Compared to the time of the founding of the country, the income of the current Duke of Yurimagna has not decreased. However, the expenditure has increased, until it became insufficient compared to the income generated.

The ideals of Pavel, the founder, were highly ambitious. Considering the circumstances at the time of the founding of the nation, it would have been natural for him to maintain and teach his family to serve the empire with military strategy. However, times have changed. Yurimagna was not able to keep up with the times.

The Order and Astra Research Institute are now nothing but a mass of vested interests. Major positions are handed down from generation to generation, regardless of ability, and they have colluded with merchants consuming huge sums of money. They have been engaged in internal power struggles, but are united against external enemies, and have fiercely resisted several attempts at reform and managed to evade them.

Giorgie, his father, is supported by the Order because he has no intention of reforms or downsizing.

It is not that there are no good-minded people in the Order or in the Institute. But the thickness of the walls is too much for them, and they leave.

“Yurimagna is a giant. A distorted giant with a swollen head and fists.”

“It’s dragging its distorted body and finally crawling, but doesn’t realize it.”

It was Anatori Mardu, born into a branch of the Magna family and fully capable as an Astra researcher, who said this. He, who was unable to turn a blind eye to the rampant corruption, fought but was ostracized.

“Will Vladimir-sama’s generation reform Yurimagna?”

When asked this question, Vladimir shook his head.

Anatori would have taken that as a sign that he had no intention to reform. Or, perhaps, a resignation that reform was impossible.

What he didn’t know was that such a day would never come at all.

Vladimir thinks about the May sunshine in the garden.

When will the Duke of Yurimagna die?

And when will I, Vladimir Yurimagna, die?