Rose’s back, lying prone and dozing lightly, undulated in strange shapes under the lamplight.

Shallen gazed for a moment at her hair scattered messily over her shoulders, then covered her with a blanket.

He drank a glass of lukewarm water, put on a robe, and went to the small living room attached inside.

Aster was standing with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Are you perhaps the one who told the Queen about the location of the tower?”

At this sudden interrogation-like question, Aster tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

“How could that be possible, Your Majesty the respected King.”

“Then why did she come toward the tower today? She almost discovered Kasallin Robepon’s existence.”

“I merely spotted Your Majesty heading toward the tower from a distance. The Queen said that Your Majesty hasn’t been showing your face lately and found it strange. You should have been more careful.”

At his cautionary tone, Shallen felt a surge of irritation for a moment, but quietly acknowledged that his words weren’t wrong.

It was true that he had been so preoccupied with Kasallin Robepon that he hadn’t paid attention to Rose lately.

“Anyway, Aster, your contribution in this matter is the greatest. Honestly, I didn’t expect much, but you handled the situation perfectly.”

Aster bowed his head respectfully and politely.

“Not at all. It’s only proper to obey the commands of Your great Majesty.”

“Since you safely brought Kasallin Robepon, I should give you an appropriate reward. Is there something you want?”

“No. I’m fine.”

“Come now. When a superior shows goodwill, a subordinate should simply say yes and accept it gratefully. What do you want? Just tell me.”

“In that case…”

After brief consideration, Aster continued.

“Please grant me a title.”

“A title?”

“Yes. I need neither gold nor silver treasures, fertile land, nor splendid houses. The high society called the playground of the chosen ones. I dare to request the minimum condition to enter there – a count’s title.”

Shallen swirled his brandy with one hand and sank into the sofa backrest.

A troubled expression clearly appeared on his face.

“I’d like to grant your request if I could, but everything in this world needs justification. If you, who were a baron, suddenly get promoted to count, other nobles will find it strange, won’t they?”

“As a matter of fact, I was about to speak to you about that very justification. Do you perhaps remember the day when Miss Kasallin Robepon suddenly appeared at her own funeral?”

Shallen let out a deep sigh with a troubled expression and rubbed his temples.

“How could I forget? Thanks to the spectacle Kasallin Robepon caused that day, I still can’t properly show my face before the nobles. I need to hold a royal banquet soon, but I’m already worried about how much gossip will circulate behind my back. But why bring that up suddenly?”

“I’ve thought of one way that could restore the damaged royal honor to some degree while providing justification for my title promotion.”

“There’s such a method?”

Shallen’s eyes lit up as he straightened his body.

Brandy that resembled Aster’s flame-red hair overflowed from the glass, thoroughly soaking Shallen’s hand.

“Yes. However, to use this method, we must break one old rule of the Kan Kingdom.”

“Tell me first.”

“‘The Kan Palace is a sacred and holy temple, and only those permitted by God may enter.’ Break this ancient regulation and invite children from the slums to hold a grand banquet.”

Shallen’s brow furrowed deeply.

“Hold a banquet for slum children?”

“After all is said and done, the absolute majority that makes up the nation is ultimately the common people. A king who is like a kind father, taking the hands of pitiful children and feeding them their fill. There’s no better means to restore reputation.”

Shallen couldn’t hide his reluctant expression and fell into contemplation for a moment.

It was certainly a fairly good method, but Shallen had only heard of places called slums in words throughout his life, never having made eye contact with people who lived there.

To bring those poor people with their unclean aura into the palace, hold a banquet, and let them look around freely.

“For reference, the Rnel Empire has been implementing a designated Palace Open Day annually for 200 years. Moreover, Emperor Parnes Escalo often tours the entire country to personally examine the people’s actual conditions, doesn’t he?”

When Aster spoke while subtly reading the mood, as expected, Shallen’s jaw twitched.

Aster had long since figured out that Shallen’s only complex was Emperor Parnes Escalo.

“…Fine. I understand. Count Aster, you take the lead in scheduling and pushing forward with this work. It’s time for our royal family to change too.”

“Everyone will be moved by Your Majesty’s grace. I will work hard.”

Shallen’s gaze turned toward the clock.

“It’s almost two in the morning. I should retire now. The Queen has been waking up frequently in her sleep lately. I need to be by her side.”

“I apologize, Your Majesty. May I ask just one more thing before that?”

Shallen looked at Aster while rubbing his tired eyes.

As if to say, if you have something to say, say it quickly.

“How long do you plan to keep Miss Kasallin Robepon in that tower?”

“Well. I’ll have to watch for a while. If I grant everything she wants and gently coax her while catering to her moods, she’ll eventually understand my heart.”

“…And after that?”

Aster asked with coldly gleaming eyes in the darkness.

“After that, I’m thinking of moving her to a more cozy place. Building a small separate palace not far from the royal palace and setting up a household wouldn’t be bad either. Why do you suddenly ask?”

“…No. I was just curious. Then, have a comfortable night.”

After Shallen crossed over to the bedroom, Aster, left alone in the moonlit living room, stood by the window.

He looked down at his hands and slowly clenched and unclenched his fist.

The sensation of her delicate shoulders when he supported her as she swayed, barely breathing, was still vivid.

The tower standing lonely beyond that vast forest.

The image of her withering away inside, swallowing cold tears, kept stirring his heart strangely.

“Everyone show respect to Her Majesty the Queen of the great Kan Kingdom!”

The formal dining room where warm midday sunlight streamed in like fine silver curtains.

People invited to the palace opening banquet could not close their mouths at the feast being prepared one by one.

Rose, who came to personally oversee this luncheon, smiled with utmost kindness.

“I tried to show off my skills after a long time for all of you. I hope it suits your taste.”

“Did Her Majesty the Queen personally prepare all these dishes for humble people like us? My goodness, how can we be so honored…”

“Don’t say such things. All citizens of the Kan Kingdom are no different from my parents and siblings. I hope you eat your fill and enjoy yourselves comfortably before returning today.”

Thanks to Rose’s kindness and consideration, the luncheon continued in a lively yet quite warm atmosphere.

Of course, all those seated near Rose were people of some social standing with neat appearances.

Even so, Rose only barely sipped a few mouthfuls of white wine and only pretended to eat by picking at the food.

She was only enduring it because of Shallen, as sharing a meal seated together with non-nobles was an unimaginably terrible thing for her.

“Oh, my treasure!”

Just then, a small incident occurred that would change everything.

Some seven or eight-year-old snotty-nosed child had dropped something and crawled under the dining table.

The soldiers who were vigilantly guarding the surroundings immediately restrained the child and picked up the dropped object.

At the same time, the soldiers couldn’t help but gasp.

“Wait. Isn’t this a ring? Good heavens, how precious this is! You tell the truth. Where did you steal this?”

People stopped eating and began to murmur.

Since an obviously expensive-looking ring was found in the hands of a child from the slums, everyone couldn’t help but be suspicious.

When the adults interrogated and pressed him with scary faces, the child was startled and began to sob.

“No. I didn’t steal it… I found it in the forest…”

“You call that an excuse now!”

“Stop it.”

Rose let out a quiet sigh and put down her wine glass.

This was why she didn’t want to associate with uncultured people.

“He’s still a young child who doesn’t know the ways of the world. You could have asked gently and kindly, don’t raise your voices on a good day.”

“We apologize, Your Majesty.”

There were many watching eyes around.

Rose approached the child, personally lowered herself to his eye level, and showed a benevolent smile.

“Child. God bestows forgiveness upon honest and truthful children. So tell me. Where did you steal it?”

“No! I didn’t steal it. I found it in the forest, I tell you!”

These lowly creatures only lie whenever they open their mouths.

Rose desperately forced strength into her face that was growing cold.

She was about to open her mouth to ask one more time, gathering the last fragment of her remaining patience.

“It’s true. I really found it near the old tower in the north!”

The child cried out as if wronged, spreading his tiny hands to show the ring in detail.

The all-too-familiar sapphire ring sparkled like a morning star under the chandelier light.

Rose’s expression hardened coldly.

“You found this, where?”

“Near the northern tower. It was far so I couldn’t see well, but there was someone there. I’m sure the princess living in the tower gave me a gift.”

“Someone was there.”

The northern tower.

The place His Majesty Shallen had said was just an old empty warehouse and told her not to worry about.

“No. It can’t be.”

Rose kept denying it with her mouth, but before she knew it, she had rushed out of the dining room and began running breathlessly toward the tower.

Praying that the person she was thinking of wouldn’t be there.