“Enough.”

Bang, Aspeiran lightly slammed the table.

The effect was quick and definite. Research Director Prom and First Matapju Romie, who were fighting like dogs, shrank their shoulders and meekly got down from the table to take their seats.

Aspeiran stared intently at the purple hair in Prom’s hand and the light blue hair in Romie’s hand, then spoke.

“We cannot force Academy’s School of Magic graduates to compulsorily serve at the research institute, Prom.”

“But, Your Majesty!”

“Instead, let’s create a new scholarship program. On the condition that the students who receive the scholarship must serve a mandatory period at the Beltraum Research Institute after graduation.”

From the research institute’s perspective, it was not a bad proposal. Prom nodded his head with a face as docile as a well-fed and well-argued puppy.

“I understand.”

“Good. Then, let’s discuss the Academy issue again next time by summoning the deans. The conversation got sidetracked for a moment. Now, let’s return to the main purpose of today’s meeting, the budget discussion.”

“Yes.”

“Yesss—.”

After that, an arduous discussion lasting two hours followed.

Only after taking up the entire lunch break, the tedious meeting finally ended.

Aspeiran immediately expelled the research director and the first Matapju, whom he didn’t even want to see for the time being, from the conference room and rubbed his brow.

“Kiara, what’s the next schedule?”

“You have a regular appointment with lady Shuria at two o’clock sharp.”

“…Is that so.”

Aspeiran straightened his upper body that had been leaning against the chair’s backrest. Recalling the wavy wheat field-like light brown hair dancing in the air, his heart became joyful.

Two days ago, on the day he had a dream of being buried in countless Shurias, he was so bewildered that he wandered for a while, but Aspeiran soon realized.

That Shuria had somehow sprouted a small bud in the deepest part of his heart without him even knowing.

When Shuria smiled brightly at him, when Shuria laughed while talking to other guys, when Shuria made a sullen face because of him, at all times related to her, the wind blew from somewhere and brushed past the bud.

And the little bud swaying in the wind kept tickling Aspeiran’s heart. Constantly.

Aspeiran could not stand that strange sensation at all. While trying to calm his heart to get rid of the ticklishness, he unknowingly stepped into the momentary impulse.

This was an unacceptable appearance for a monarch of a nation. To be so shaken by just one woman.

So Aspeiran tried to get rid of the bud. It was impossible to pull out the deeply rooted bud entirely, but if he didn’t give it water or sunlight, it would soon wither and disappear.

But at the moment of determination, Shuria grabbed his sleeve. She said that sometimes it’s okay to give in to the impulse, to walk as the heart desires.

Because he is also human, so it’s okay, she said.

Human, she said.

To Aspeiran Roakin, the hero of Roakin, the savior of Roakin, the monarch of Roakin, she called him human.

It was the first time he had ever heard that. It was so unfamiliar and embarrassing that he even laughed.

And at the same time, those short and simple words were…

irresistibly fascinating.

Those golden eyes that pierce through to the deepest part of my heart.

To the owner of these eyes, I was always just a person named Aspeiran, not the monarch of Roakin.

The bud that bloomed in the heart, the strange tickling sensation, maybe it’s okay to just leave them alone.

Maybe it’s okay to impulsively collide with her, to approach her as I want.

And at the end of it, if the bud does bloom into a flower.

On that day, I will run to you without hesitation.

I don’t know what name the flower I will give you then will have. But she will not be able to refuse.

Because on that quiet banquet day, she personally allowed me to nurture the flower.

‘Although she seemed to not understand well what I was saying.’

Aspeiran lifted the corner of his mouth with a smirk. He looked forward to that day that would surely come someday.

Now then, it was time to go give the bud some sunlight and water.

Aspeiran gestured to call the attendant.

“Go and prepare walnut pie and milk warmed with honey.”

“Yes. Shall I prepare it in the office?”

“No, I’m thinking of going out to eat. I will carry it myself, so put it in a basket and bring it.”

“…! I will obey your order.”

The attendant, Garin, quietly left the conference room walking backwards.

The corners of Garin’s mouth were smilingly hooked up to his ears as he turned around and headed for the kitchen of Printia Palace.

Upon arriving at the kitchen, the head chef ran out in one step to greet the monarch’s attendant.

“Garin! I heard His Majesty is having a meal today, even if it’s late?”

“Unfortunately not, Head Chef. Instead, he told me to prepare walnut pie and milk with honey added.”

“Walnut pie and milk with honey? His Majesty?”

The head chef frowned. As the head chef of Printia Palace, he knew all about the tastes of the monarch he served.

According to the information organized in his head, His Majesty did not like sweet foods at all.

The head chef narrowed his eyes and asked.

“Are you sure? You didn’t mishear it? I’m not doubting you, but this is the first time for such an order, so I’m just startled.”

“I fully understand your feelings, Head Chef. But I heard it clearly with my two ears. It’s definitely walnut pie and milk with honey.”

Garin, who confidently tapped his chest, added with a subtle smile.

“Perhaps… it seems to be for eating with lady Shuria.”

“With lady Shuria?!”

At the single name Shuria, the assistant chefs and kitchen maids scattered around the kitchen doing their own tasks showed interest all at once.

A few assistant chefs didn’t stop there and ran over to ask.

“Is that true, Mr. Garin?”

“It seems highly likely. His Majesty told me to put the walnut pie and milk in a basket and bring it. He said he would carry it himself.”

“It’s definitely to meet lady Shuria!”

The kitchen staff cheered.

Aspeiran and Shuria were unaware of the fact, but actually, all the people working in Belloi Castle were now pouring all their attention on Shuria.

That’s because she was the woman His Majesty personally rescued from Beltraum.

The scene of His Majesty returning to the castle with an anxious face while carefully holding a woman in his arms was still vivid. The whole royal castle was abuzz with stories about that woman for the whole day.

Then, a few days later, news came that His Majesty had taken in that woman as a vassal and cherished her. They even said he had given her the name ‘Shuria’.

At the surprising news, people’s faces flushed red. Of all names, ‘Shuria’!

Every Roakin citizen grew up reading the fairy tale ‘Shuria, the Fairy of Snow’ when they were young.

The beautiful fairy tale in which the Fairy of Snow visits the lonely Great Mage Nix and teaches him warmth, and Nix gifts her the name ‘Shuria’ and they love each other forever.

The story of the respected monarch and ‘Shuria’, whom he rescued, really resembled that fairy tale. The hearts of those who held romance began to beat wildly.

Moreover, lady Shuria, who walked around the entire castle, was really small, lovely, and kind like a fairy!

A fateful encounter, a fairy tale-like love. The hearts of cold Roakin people were heated up by the romance of the century unfolding before their eyes.

‘And our monarch is in a hurry to get married too.’

Aspeiran was twenty-six this year, and it had been 7 years since he ascended the throne as the monarch. But there was still no news of an engagement, so the vassals couldn’t help but be impatient.

As a result of such various circumstances overlapping, most of the people working in Belloi Castle earnestly prayed for the monarch and Shuria to come together.

Some, including the monarch’s exclusive tailor Christa who was eager to make a dress, were already treating Shuria as a potential royal.

Anyway, in such a situation, the news of the monarch and Shuria’s date was enough to excite people.

“I’ll bake the pie in a heart shape right away!”

“What kind of dress will lady Shuria wear on the national marriage day!”

“For the first time in my life, I’ll hear the blessing bell ringing!”

The blessing bell, it was a special bell that rang only at the national marriage of the current monarch or the next monarch.

Dang, dang dang. Everyone in the kitchen swayed their bodies to the imaginary bell sound.

“I have prepared what you ordered.”

“Yes. Good work.”

Aspeiran, who had finished preparing to go to Shuria, took the basket of snacks from the attendant.

The attendant’s face was oddly flushed as he handed over the basket, which was strange, but it was not something to pay attention to one by one. Aspeiran withdrew his interest.

It was the moment he was about to go out of the palace and use teleportation magic. A middle-aged man approached Aspeiran.

“The new Alexei Jest greets Your Majesty.”

“Duke Jest.”

Aspeiran withdrew the magic circle and faced the man. He was currently the Prime Minister of the Royal Household of Roakin, one of the meritorious officials who had greatly helped in overthrowing the deposed king Keimelium.

Looking at the direction the Prime Minister had walked from, Aspeiran spoke.

“I see you are redecorating the garden.”

“Yes. Belloi’s short summer will return in a few weeks.”

“You always work hard.”

“It’s something I should do.”

The Prime Minister smiled with a kindly wrinkled face. Aspeiran quietly looked down at him.

He had known Prime Minister Alexei Jest for quite a long time. He was also one of the trusted vassals.

Therefore, he could see at a glance that he had some other business.

“Speak.”

“Please forgive my rudeness for daring to block Your Majesty’s steps.”

The Prime Minister, who bowed in apology, shone his eyes sharply. Aspeiran folded his arms and waited for his words.

Soon, the words that flowed out of the Prime Minister’s mouth were, for Aspeiran, a topic he had not expected at all.

“Are you aware that stories about the woman Your Majesty took in as a vassal about two months ago are rampant within the royal castle recently?”

“…You mean Shuria?”

At Aspeiran’s grumpy question, Alexei Jest smiled amiably.

“Yes, I mean the one Your Majesty cherishes so much.”

Most of the people working in Belloi Castle were friendly to Shuria and wished for her to be tied to Aspeiran as soon as possible.

But as with any group, where there are people who like someone, there are also people who dislike them.

In Belloi Castle, there were also those who looked at Shuria with displeasure and felt uncomfortable that their monarch was keeping such a woman close.

And the Prime Minister Alexei Jest here was like the leader of them.

In other words, the Prime Minister had come to offer this advice to the monarch.

Your Majesty! Don’t get close with that woman!