If I hadn’t taken the time to deliberately seek out Bercheria this morning, I wouldn’t even have known that such an uncomfortable situation was created.

Lakrahan thought he had expressed his firm intentions to Kelita a few days ago, but she seemed to have taken it completely differently.

Surely, he wouldn’t be sitting here giving Bercheria absurd advice.

The princess, who always smiled brightly, made Lakrahan feel distant.

Perhaps in her nature, there was a pure desire to understand what kind of woman Bercheria was.

Or maybe she was hiding something.

Whatever it was, Lakrahan was certain she was a tiring style of woman.

Lakrahan tried to converse with Loren to quickly end this gathering.

“How do you find the North?”

“I thought it would be desolate, but the expressions of the people are better than I thought. The recovery from the war seems to have been quite fast.”

Lakrahan and Loren began to talk about political matters.

Kelita looked up at Bercheria, who was sitting as still as if she had been sculpted.

A force involuntarily entered Kelita’s hand, clutching her dress.

The beautiful golden hair of the woman shone more warmly inside the greenhouse.

Kelita’s smile was not at all present today.

The voice of the old man she met in the forest kept echoing in her ears.

‘You will never find out who made you eat this.’

The old man had clearly told Kelita at that time.

‘Feed it to the person you want to get rid of with confidence. Then everything will turn out fine.’

“Everything will turn out fine.”

Kelita’s muttering eyes met Bercheria’s.

“Ah.”

Instead of smiling, Kelita just nodded her head.

Then the woman in front tilted her head slightly and smiled.

Despite being a woman like herself, she couldn’t take her eyes off that white face.

The pretty eyes, sprinkled tightly with stars, seemed to exist to enchant people.

Kelita, who had never been intimidated in front of any nobles, had never felt this way before.

Feeling like a loser when she had done nothing wrong.

‘I cannot be robbed of the Duke’s side, having waited futilely for 10 years.’

Kelita reached out in front of Bercheria.

“I’ll pour the tea for you.”

A maid who had been waiting approached, but Kelita showed she was fine with a shake of her head.

She pushed the cup full of tea aside and filled a new cup with hot tea.

While she was moving like that, Bercheria was looking around the greenhouse.

Here, not only the northern plants but also those existing in the empire were growing.

Every pot, every small tree growing there looked strong, wellmanaged.

There were also plants that had bloomed.

Having lived only in the north, Bercheria was fascinated by the flowers she had never seen before in her life.

The beauty of the color gradually spreading from white to light, deepening to purple at the end of the petal.

It was a wonderful feeling contained in a single small petal.

“Pretty.”

Bercheria was completely captivated, just as when she saw Loren’s lizard.

A symptom of having been trapped in a tower with nothing for her whole life and then coming out into the world.

Seeing the flowers of summer in the north, where it is winter all year round, was a wondrous thing.

Humans find ways to live without gods, pursue beauty, and love someone.

Perhaps the gods were not necessary for them.

An unnecessary existence.

Bercheria often felt like she wasn’t fulfilling her role fully, both in the tower and after coming out.

Especially now that she hasn’t regained her ability.

“Here, drink this.”

Kelita suddenly extended the filled cup to Bercheria.

Loren, while talking to Lakrahan, kept his eyes on the tea cup placed in front of Bercheria.

Unable to refuse the kindness, Bercheria took the tea cup that she had poured.
Drinking tea wasn’t what I desired, but I couldn’t just leave it to cool again.

As Bercheria lifted her teacup, Kelita gulped, swallowing her dry saliva.

The edge of the teacup, decorated with gold leaf, almost touched Bercheria’s lips.

Suddenly, a long finger intervened, blocking between the teacup and her lips.

Across the dining table, Lakrahan’s arm was holding Bercheria’s teacup.

His deep eyes slowly encircled her.

“It appears too hot to drink right away.”

His tone was imperative, as if refusal was not an option.

“Shall we switch?”

He naturally placed the cup he was holding in front of him, and switched the teacup that was in front of her with Bercheria’s.

“The cup in front of me hasn’t cooled yet.”

Lakrahan switched the teacups as if nothing happened, continuing his conversation with Loren.

Beside him, Kelita’s face was gradually turning pale.

Lakrahan clicked his tongue inwardly.

How could she be so transparent?

While Loren was observing Bercheria, Lakrahan was watching Kelita.

Her anxious hand, her wavering eyes.

And the awkwardness she showed when pouring tea for Bercheria.

Lakrahan couldn’t help but recall the moment when Gerard assassinated his own brothers to take their place.

“Prince Loren. Do you know what those flowers growing on that shelf are?”