Harchen’s smile quickly faded.

“Patrick, don’t strain yourself to match our schedule. Rest more before moving.”

“Let’s go together, I won’t be a bother.”

“Denied! Your very existence is a bother. I’d rather do your business for you.”

“I have no choice then. I’ll have to ask through Risha.”

“Your level of blackmail is improving by the day.”

“Harchen. This is the price for falling for my lovely younger sister.”

Harchen glared at Patrick, who was smiling brightly.

A pleasant breeze blew.

Patrick, holding a book in his hand, left the bedroom and went out to the garden.

In the garden, where fine yellow soil was packed down, there were two short flowering shrubs with a fresh scent wafting from them. Patrick examined the small white petals under the flowering shrubs.

“My lord, you’re up early?”

“Eden. Risha was right. The Karsik wind is clean.”

“You look good. Would you like to try holding a sword then?”

“I haven’t improved that much.”

“I’ll make sure you realize a sword is lighter than a book one day.”

Patrick reluctantly put down his book under the flowering shrub and picked up the sword Eden handed him. The moment he pulled the sword from its sheath, a pale green lace parasol entered the garden.

As the maid’s lace parasol tilted back, a lady with neatly combed black hair revealed herself.

One of the crows, huh.

Patrick smiled, remembering that Harchen had nicknamed his younger sisters Crow 1, 2, and 3.

“Ah. I didn’t know there was a guest in the garden.”

She was so flustered that she forgot to greet him properly and blushed.

“I, Tane Crown Prince Patrick Calian Evas, greet the Imperial Princess of Karsik. May I ask your name?”

“Carolina Eint Carl Berk.”

“A beautiful name. Did you come to see me?”

“No. I came to the library to find a book at my younger sibling’s request.”

“I was curious about the Notos Palace library. May I ask for a tour?”

“Eh? Yes.”

Carolina did not hide her flustered expression. She walked about five steps ahead of Patrick.

“My lord. What about swordsmanship?”

Eden, knowing that Patrick would sit like a wall in front of books once he entered the library, didn’t want to follow him in.

“Eden. Practice on your own.”

This was what Eden wanted. He turned around, grinning as he pulled his sword from its sheath.

Eden hoped for a chance to have a pure sword match with Sir Calip whom he met yesterday. He must be a skilled swordsman who wouldn’t disappoint his expectations.

Eden sliced the clear Karsik air with his sword reflecting the sunlight.

Carolina turned around near the Minerva statue.

“This way.”

Patrick’s gaze fell on the dress hem that flowed calmly without being puffed up by a pannier, then he unconsciously looked up, thinking how charming the glossy black hair swaying under the parasol was.

He was startled when his eyes met hers as she turned around.

Carolina turned away from Patrick’s reddened face and coldly entered the building made of old natural stones stacked in a circular shape. It was the circular library Patrick had briefly examined yesterday.

Carolina walked along the edge of the circular wall. She stopped in front of a spiral stone staircase. In front of a stone washbasin, she took off her white lace gloves and handed them to her maid.

She placed her hands in the water gushing like a fountain under the owl statue and washed them, then looked up at Patrick.

“There are some sensitive rare books, you see.”

Patrick took this as a cue to wash his hands too and rolled up his shirt sleeves.

He placed his hand next to her white one. His hand, with its even bones and visible blue veins, looked splendid even without wearing any rings.

Her white hand lightly touched his through the water. She quickly pulled her hand away and dried it with the handkerchief offered by her maid.

“Wait here.”

Carolina slowly climbed the spiral stone staircase, as if Patrick washing his hands was of no concern to her. Without holding the stair railing, she kept her back straight and gracefully turned her body along the gently curved line.

“Your Highness. Please dry your hands.”

Patrick dried his hands with the soft cloth offered by the maid. A noble fragrance wafted from the cloth.

As he climbed the spiral staircase, Patrick watched the princess maintaining her alluring demeanor and thought of Patricia.

She always acted bright and cheerful in front of Eden and Patrick. He had only seen her grabbing steel wires to climb down the west tower wall or wielding a sword, rather than drying her hands with a handkerchief.

Harchen had three such elegant sisters. He might have fallen for Patricia after seeing her unexpected side compared to such sisters.

Would he ever get tired of her? Would he compare her if Risha made a mistake? Patrick suppressed his anxious feelings as he approached Carolina.

She searched for the book she wanted, lightly touching the edge of the bookshelf with her fingertips and slightly raising her toes. Before long, she pulled out a mushroom guide and a book about root plants.

Holding the two books in her left arm, she moved a few steps further and pulled out another book, flipping through its pages before putting it back. Patrick pretended not to steal glances at her while looking around the bookshelves installed on the circular inner wall.

Though incomparably smaller in scale compared to Tane’s central library, the antique atmosphere was overwhelming. Patrick turned around and went towards Carolina.

She seemed to have found the book she wanted, as she was walking towards the stairs holding three books together. She looked up at Patrick standing in front of the stairs.

“Well then, have a look around.”

Carolina gestured to Patrick, who was staring intently at the books in her hands while blocking the stairway entrance.

“Your Highness. Please make room so I can go down the stairs.”

“Oh, my apologies.”

As Patrick stepped aside, she grasped her dress hem with the hand not holding the books and slowly descended the stairs.

Patrick walked towards the bookshelf where the princess had been standing. Most of the books on the shelf were about a woman who challenged the gods. Arachne, which the princess had been holding, was also from here.

Arachne, huh. A book about a woman who challenged a goddess and incurred her wrath, turning into a spider.

Is the princess secretly rebellious, contrary to appearances?

He quickly went down the stairs. She was about to exit the circular auditorium.

“Princess Carolina.”

Carolina, who was putting on the gloves she received from her maid, turned around.

The auditorium where Patrick stood was dark, while intense sunlight fell outside. Patrick’s heart clanked like metal scraps scratching as he looked at the beautiful woman standing at that boundary.

“Let’s meet again.”

Carolina gave a faint smile, then turned around and walked into the sun-drenched courtyard.

Patrick passed through the stone entrance and went down to the courtyard, gazing for a long time at the black hair swaying under the pale green lace parasol. He felt dizzy.

Patricia was receiving preparations from her maid and Eva in the rest room while listening to Anna about her schedule.

“The imperial guests coming up from the kingdoms and territories staying at the detached palace will be received by Her Majesty the Empress Dowager with the princesses in the central banquet hall on the first floor of the detached palace. Oh, wait a moment, Mary.”

Anna grabbed the hand of Mary, the rest room maid who was putting a diamond tiara on Patricia, who was wearing a milky satin dress.

“I think all diamonds are a bit much with a satin dress. Let’s change to milky pearl drops.”

At Anna’s direction, the maid quickly removed the diamond drops from the tiara and replaced them with pearl drops.

“Shortly after His Majesty arrives, you will move together to Boras Palace to meet the King and Queen of Heya Kingdom and the Crown Prince for a brief greeting. Heya Kingdom recently proposed marriage to Second Princess Carolina. Expecting a potentially aggressive response, Boras Palace was designated for a longer stay.”

“Do we not know Princess Carolina’s thoughts on this?”

“No. She hasn’t given an answer yet. Next, you’ll go to Duse Palace, where His Majesty the Emperor of Tane Empire, the Empress, and the Second Prince are staying. As it’s Your Highness’s natal family, we’ve designated a particularly quiet and spacious palace. You’ll have time for light refreshments and tea there.”

Patricia had no desire for that at all. Could she maintain her composure while facing the Emperor and Empress? Hoo, Patricia swallowed a low groan. She decided to greet the Emperor together and leave quickly.

“What’s next?”

“After meeting the King and Queen of Torun Kingdom at Anatole Palace, you’ll have dinner in the banquet hall at the main palace and then come to White Palace for a massage. We’ve arranged to move within the palace by carriage.”

“Anna. Will there be no time to go to Notos Palace?”

“You mean where the Tane Crown Prince is staying? His Highness has been invited to the evening banquet.”

Patricia’s face instantly brightened. In her heart, she wanted to go to Notos Palace and spend time with Patrick and Eden.

“Oh, Your Highness. Today, on the eve of the royal wedding, there will be a reception for guests and fireworks in Moonlight Garden between the Karsik main palace and detached palace.”

“Wow, really? I want to see it. I’ve never seen fireworks before.”

Anna saw Patricia’s deep blue eyes sparkling and shimmering, and shook her head resolutely as if she had expected this.

“Your Highness. You’re scheduled not to attend the reception.”

“Eh, why?”

“If you get caught up in it, it will be difficult and tiring to escape the crowd. You have a lot to prepare for tomorrow after your bath.”

Patricia fell silent at the word ‘tomorrow’. Right, tomorrow I’ll have the royal wedding with this empire’s emperor and become empress. She put on a resolute expression.

“The empire often has fireworks at events, so you can see them then. Oh, you can see them well from White Palace garden too, Your Highness.”

“Mm, alright.”

After the maid’s announcement, the Emperor entered the rest room. He crossed the room with large strides, took Patricia’s hand, and kissed the back of it.

“My princess is beautiful today too. I am…”

Excited, nervous, anxious.

He offered his bent arm to her, slightly bending his knee. Patricia took the Emperor’s arm.

The carriage circled White Palace, passed the main palace, and went north.

After passing an artificial lake with long-hanging willow branches and a grove of ash trees, Boras Palace appeared among dense fir trees. The carriage turned a corner.

As the carriage tilted, a lukewarm breeze flowed in through the open carriage window like waves.

“Patricia.”

The Emperor called her name.

“Yes, yes?”

Patricia was startled by how naturally the Emperor called her name. The Emperor was equally surprised, as if he had called it unconsciously.

His green eyes widened, and he clenched his fist to cover his mouth, then reached out his arm.

“Your hair touched your lips.”

He pulled away the hair blown by the wind that had gotten between her lips and held it to his nose.