Upon arriving at the Queen’s Palace, Whitney was guided to the reception room by a maid.

‘But why are they all wearing black clothes?’

Perhaps because of this, Whitney’s attire stood out. For some reason, she felt she had made a mistake and swallowed hard with an uneasy feeling.

“Have I come dressed inappropriately?”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it, it’s not something you need to be concerned about.”

The atmosphere in the Queen’s Palace seemed unusual, as if something had happened. However, the maid’s expression was the very picture of calm, not quite reflecting that.

‘Something must have happened last night.’

Whitney immediately thought of Cheston. She always seemed to be involved in matters concerning him. Perhaps something had happened to him.

At that thought, Whitney gripped the hem of her dress tightly. Cheston would once again be wary of her because of this absurd, fate-like situation.

She thought he might even truly believe her to be the Queen’s spy.

“Young lady, don’t be curious about what’s happened in the Queen’s Palace. Not asking any questions is the way for you to win Her Majesty’s heart.”

“…Thank you.”

Jane was the daughter of Viscountess Anser. Lady Anser had been by the Queen’s side for a long time, coming with her from the Kingdom of Carul. She had passed away while staying in the Kingdom of Leowen due to poor health, and the Queen had taken her daughter as her maid.

Adequate compensation followed, and it was said that Jane thought of the Queen as her own mother, handling all tasks she was given.

As they entered the reception room, the Queen’s face came into view. Unlike the maids, she was wearing a splendid red dress, and Whitney straightened her posture.

“Your Majesty, Whitney Belle Orlean has arrived.”

“Very well. Everyone else, leave us.”

The Queen smiled broadly as she looked Whitney up and down. Whitney sat down and looked at the refreshments placed before her. A song that didn’t quite match the mourning attire filled the reception room.

“What a sweet melody, isn’t it? I love this song.”

“Yes, the piano sound is pleasant to hear.”

“The reason I called you is because I’ve heard rumors that fashion trends have changed recently. Seeing you today, I can understand why everyone was so stirred up.”

Whitney smiled and stood up from her seat.

“It’s a small salon, but their skill is quite good. The colors and lines are unlike anything seen in the capital, so everyone seems to find it interesting.”

“Indeed, it’s something women would like. I’d even want to invest, if only it weren’t blue.”

There was a barb in the Queen’s words. As soon as she saw the blue color, she frowned, thinking of Cheston.

“Did you notice anything unusual on your way here?”

“No, nothing. As always, the garden of the Queen’s Palace is beautiful, and Your Majesty is even more beautiful.”

“The more I see you, the more I like you. I actually called you here today because there’s someone I want to introduce you to.”

Whitney felt strangely uneasy. As the doors to the reception room opened, the piano music stopped. The sound of heels on the floor approached, and then a familiar voice reached her ears.

Everything seemed to stop as Whitney’s mind went blank. She didn’t want to turn her head. The tips of her clasped hands trembled.

“Mother, did you call for me?”

How could she forget that sweet voice that had once seductively whispered to her? She vividly remembered the dirty words whispered intimately with her sister, who had driven her to the brink of death.

Whitney hid her trembling and bowed her head.

“Yes, you’ve come at the right time. I trust you didn’t see anyone else coming here.”

“Of course not. But I didn’t know you had another guest.”

“I called you here to introduce you to a guest. Say hello. This is my son, the heir who will succeed to the throne as the first in line to be the King of the Kingdom of Leowen.”

“Your Highness. Allow me to greet you. I am Whitney Belle Orlean, young lady of the Orlean Duchy.”

She gracefully curtsied, gently grasping the hem of her dress. With her eyes lowered, she didn’t have to see Karl’s face.

“Sit down. I called you here to have a cup of tea together.”

“If Father finds out, it might cause trouble for you, Mother. I think it would be better to meet properly another time.”

At Karl’s words, the Queen looked disappointed as she added sugar to her tea and stirred it.

“If that’s your wish, I understand. You may go.”

“Lady Orlean. I hope we can have tea together next time.”

It was the same tone as before. Whitney slowly raised her head to look at Karl. Red eyes, an unpleasant gaze.

His eyes shone with satisfaction as he looked at her. He took Whitney’s hand and lightly kissed the back of it.

“…I would be delighted to accept if such an opportunity arises.”

Whitney awkwardly pulled up the corners of her mouth and smiled as if pleased.

Cheston stood with his arms crossed, staring at Whitney. He hadn’t expected her to come to the palace so quickly. And she had appeared just when he was in desperate need of help.

On the way back to the carriage, he wore an unpleasant expression and rubbed the back of his hand vigorously with a handkerchief. Once again, she had appeared in his line of sight as if to show off, looking around as if searching for someone.

Her green eyes still held life. Unlike his own, her eyes shone attractively, filled with hope. His feet were drawn to those unforgettable eyes.

As he slowly followed behind her, he carefully took in her appearance. He worried that if she held his hand, those hopeful eyes might become tinged with despair like his own.

Was there really a need to share the pain? If she had caught the Queen’s eye, she wouldn’t have to fight such a difficult battle as he did.

‘What am I hesitating for? I just need to take the outstretched hand.’

That was his way to survive.

Whitney, who had been looking around for a while, suddenly stopped in her tracks. Cheston also halted his steps.

“Your Highness Cheston?”

She asked as if she knew he was there, even though she couldn’t have sensed his presence. Cheston inadvertently revealed himself at her call.

“…I really can’t figure you out. You never fail to surprise me.”

He didn’t even want to ask how she knew. She remained calm, without a hint of surprise, as if she had merely kept her word. Yet, her eyes were filled with concern.

“You were waiting, weren’t you? Didn’t you believe I would come?”

She approached him with a smile. This was the courtyard of the Queen’s Palace. He took her hand and immediately started walking.

“Your Highness?”

“If we talk here, we might catch the Queen’s eye. Let’s move to a different location.”

He walked straight ahead. Soon they arrived at a separate palace, and he released Whitney’s hand. The warmth of her hand lingered on his palm, and he clenched his fist.

“Tell me what you want.”

At those words, she blinked. The gaze that met his was unwavering and straightforward. She stood firm, as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“Can I really say what I want?”

“Yes. We agreed to talk when you came here again.”

She stared at her own hand for a moment before raising her head. Then, extending her hand towards him, she said,

“Please become my fiancé.”

Her clear voice rang out. Cheston looked at the hand extended to him, then chuckled and said,

“It seems you’re not the type to be the Queen’s spy, and there’s no reason for the young lady of Orlean to make such a proposal to me.”

Cheston slowly stroked his chin at the unexpected proposal.

“I want to protect you, Your Highness.”

“It seems Lady Orlean sees me as a fool who can’t even protect his own life.”

It wasn’t a look of pity. He couldn’t understand why she was so desperate to protect him. Why would she go this far when she didn’t even have feelings for him?

“That’s not what I meant. Then what about Your Highness’s mother?”

Cheston’s lips pressed into a straight line. It seemed she had figured out that it was his mother who was taking Libenia.

“How can I believe you? It sounds like you’re saying you can cure my mother’s illness. Even I haven’t been able to find Bellonia, which is difficult to cultivate.”

“I can do it. I have a desperate reason. If it’s a lie, I’ll gladly accept the punishment for insulting royalty.”

“…That reason.”

He wanted to ask if it was him. But it felt like those words shouldn’t come from her mouth. Cheston swallowed his words and said something else instead.

“It sounds like you’re saying you don’t mind dying.”

“Yes, I’m prepared to that extent. So please believe me. If I’m willing to stake my life on it, you’ll believe me, won’t you?”

Cheston firmly grasped the hand extended to him. A hand so delicate and small it could fit in one of his, yet warm enough to make even his heart feel warm.

“I’ll be in your care then, Lady Orlean.”

“I’ll be in your care as well, Your Highness.”

He thought he didn’t want to let go of this hand. Whitney took out a handkerchief from her bosom.

“I thought you might need this. It’s a small gift from me.”

Cheston accepted the handkerchief she handed to him.

“If you have any questions, please contact me anytime. Your Highness, please don’t get hurt.”

Whitney smiled brightly, curtsied, and then turned to leave the separate palace without hesitation. Cheston opened the handkerchief to check its contents.

‘Bellonia.’

He looked up at where she had disappeared. The blue dress glimpsed through the bushes looked like the sky.

At that moment, Cheston felt as if he had found his own sky. A blue sky worth remembering for a long time to come.