“It’s the name of the lizard, Owl. He likes it when you call him that.”

Loren gazed at the lizard lovingly as he approached Lakrahan, leaving Bercheria behind.

It was just a few steps away, but the look in his eyes was so intense that the short distance seemed fearful.

“I was on my way to meet you, but it seems you have already adapted to the north, Prince Loren.”

Loren laughed heartily and jovially.

“I adapt well wherever I am placed. I’m not picky.”

He winked at Lakrahan, adding,

“Whether it’s an environment or people.”

“Yes, it seems so.”

The two men laughed heartily at each other as if they were old friends.

At first, Lakrahan had thought that Loren had simply wanted to show himself to Gerard.

But, having him in front of his eyes, he was surprisingly foxy.

He didn’t seem the type to bend over backward to please someone.

Could Bercheria be the purpose?

Lakrahan forcibly ignored the thoughts that had popped into his mind.

“It’s a relief that you’re not picky. I hope the north becomes a good memory during your stay.”

“Certainly, beyond doubt.”

Loren looked back at Bercheria, who was playing with Owl.

“It will be a good memory. Surely.”

Bercheria suddenly lifted her head and, blinking slowly, asked the two men,

“Can I sleep with this lizard tonight?”

Loren and Lakrahan answered simultaneously.

“You can’t.”

“No!”

Lakrahan was surprised at his own words that had popped out unconsciously.

It was just a small lizard, but it somehow irritated him.

Maybe because Loren treated it as part of himself.

Anyway, since Lakrahan was the only one who knew Bercheria’s inner thoughts, he had to be careful beforehand so that the innocent girl wouldn’t be entangled with a playboy like Loren.

“If the lizard escapes or gets lost, it might complicate things, so it’s better if the owner keeps it.”

At Lakrahan’s words, Loren shrugged his shoulders as if there was no other way.

Owl, who had been quietly watching, flicked his tongue and plopped down on Bercheria’s palm.

Kellita was walking down the forest path alone, without even a maid.

“I’ve never been hated in my life.”

Tears dropped, splattering on her gorgeous dress.

The hem of her always clean skirt was dirty with mud.

Kellita had always thought of herself as a flower.
Wherever she went, she blossomed beautifully, and people couldn’t help but praise such a Kelita.

There was no need to strive or find a difficult answer.

Simply by existing, Kelita was a person who had no reason to fail.

‘I have been interpreting the fact that the princess has said nothing for 10 years as a sign of denial.’

Lakrahan’s voice rose, and again she was overwhelmed with emotion.

She had simply waited as she usually did.

Until those around her told her to marry now.

Whenever he came to the north, he was kind, and whenever the subject of engagement was brought up, Lakrahan replied that he had no thoughts of marriage or engagement now.

So she asked him if there was someone else.

Lakrahan always denied it.

So she waited.

Until he found her again.

Emperor Gerard wanted that too.

“It’s unfair.”

It was clear that the crack in her relationship with Lakrahan, which had been going well until now, was because of the blonde woman with golden eyes.

“Heuk.”

Tears burst forth again at the thought of Lakrahan kissing that woman.

She saw the way he looked at the blonde woman.

“I shouldn’t have looked. I shouldn’t have gone.”

Then she wouldn’t have felt this way.

‘Is that woman Bercheria?’

“Don’t even say that.”

Why did the weather goddess Bercheria come to mind at that moment?

Knowing it couldn’t be.

‘Princess Kelita seems to be in no condition to make a proper judgment right now. Let’s take a moment to get some fresh air. We’ll talk again afterwards.’

“Haah. What should I tell His Majesty, the Emperor?”

Kelita walked out of the castle in that direction and headed for the forest surrounding the back of the castle.

Perhaps the nonsense was because there was a tall tower known to be where Bercheria lived in this northern region.

Years ago, when she had come to the north, Kelita recalled intending to visit the tower with her maid Rosie but giving up and returning.

“It looked peculiar, shrouded in mist.”

Kelita, glancing around, wiped her nose with a twist of her head.

“Why is the tower gone?”

The tower that had stood tall for over half a century was nowhere to be found.

“Eh?”

In Kelita’s view, a strange old man was spotted, staggering alone.

With quite a large load in his hand, the old man was hobbling towards her.

Kelita reflexively looked behind at Lakrahan’s magnificent castle.

“Euheuuuh.”

The old man groaned and glanced at Kelita.

Kelita just stared at the old man, blinking.

“Aigoooh.”

The hobbling old man, slapping his back, made an obvious gesture asking for her help as he came closer.

Kelita quietly watched his figure before finally opening her mouth.