Whether they had a partner by their side or not. Whether they were old or young. Even gender was meaningless. Everyone at the party was busy stealing glances at Axel.

Naturally, there were also people who mustered up the courage to approach him.

"Oh, really? Do you happen to reside in the capital later on? I have some business to visit the capital. Since meeting like this is also fate, wouldn't it be amazing if we met again there?"

"My goodness, Your Majesty is doing this personally! How incredible."

"How did it feel to cross the border? Wasn't it burdensome to lead this many people?"

Axel only occasionally dealt with familiar people with an indifferent face, but the crowd gathered around him showed no signs of diminishing.

Jade quietly watched others approach him.

And feeling jealous yet unable to do anything, or rather unable to do anything, finding her shabby self despicable, she took a sip of alcohol and turned her body to go outside.

Of course, taking two more new glasses with her. This wine is truly precious, so she must drink what she can.

The connected garden was humble. Certainly, as it was a castle used as a fortress, the interior space was large and straight, but it was undoubtedly lacking in other decorative elements, focusing only on the functional aspects.

Still, walking along the well-paved stone path, there was at least one humble fountain. Although there was no movement like water shooting up in reverse, the sound of water trickling made the barren feeling better.

Jade sat on the marble platform and sighed.

The party seemed to be reaching its climax. The laughter of people who became merry after drinking could be heard clearly even from a distance.

The musicians also seemed to be getting more and more excited, passionately conveying their own personal interpretations.

Tilting her head back while supporting her body with her arms, she saw a slender moon and stars studded around it. As befitting the season of the earth where all things awaken, the constellations related to it were twinkling and embroidering the entire sky.

"What was that... Benji, I think."

The animal that offered the first flower bud bloomed in the world to God. Perhaps because it was said to have a bluish fur color? The star located at the head part always shone bluish.

The twinkling blue light amidst the darkness was beautiful. But such a thing wasn't necessarily only in the sky. She also had it in her pocket.

A small lazulite sat on her white hand.

The small stone she always carried throughout the hunt.

The memory was still vivid. The ore he handed over, saying he got it from a hunter. The embarrassed face. The playful laughter spreading. The reddened ears.

It's a secret, but it was one of the prettiest moments in Jade's life. The kind that made her feel good every time she recalled it.

No matter how much effort was put into engraving it, the quality of the ore was not good, and after dozens of uses, the spell lost its power, and the inside of the lazulite lost its transparency long ago.

She knew it had lost its utility but couldn't throw it away. It didn't simply serve the role of a magic stone but also performed the role of a flint that evoked that pretty memory.

Should she throw it away? The flint will continue to create sparks.

Jade, who was briefly lost in thought, stroked the smooth part.

She was in the process of sorting out her feelings for him, but that didn't mean she could erase all memories. Do lovers stomp on all their memories and stuff them somewhere when they break up? There are days when they slightly recall them when flower rain falls.

Of course, it's not a perfect example since I wasn't his lover....

Then she flinched and tilted her head.

"No...?"

Come to think of it, she seemed to have seen some mercenary cry and throw away all the things when they broke up with the person they were dating. Saying not a single medium that can be recalled should be left behind.

Jade, who was confused, blinked awkwardly and picked up the wine glass next to her.

Holding it up to the sky, the stars seemed to have fallen into the clear liquid. It sparkled and shone like the moonflower wine she had one day.

"Because memories are not guilty."

Well, it wouldn't be bad to be immersed in this feeling a little longer. It's not harming anyone.

After deciding so, she poured all the remaining wine into her mouth.

Although she grumbled in the Zichen Kingdom, she seemed to have adapted to some extent, as the Milburn territory felt much warmer and was fine even on a dark night. Jade tapped her feet on the stone floor in time with the sound of instruments coming from afar.

When should she go back to the party hall?

Looking to the side, on the fountain platform, there was one lazulite, one empty glass, and one glass filled with wine in order.

Let's spend time savoring it and return to the party hall when people's voices gradually decrease. By then, Axel, tired of the crowd, would have left his seat. Then I'll just give a proper greeting to the people I've built connections with and go to my room.

The moment she nodded at the perfect plan, the sound of calm footsteps could be heard from somewhere.

The exact interval, wide stride, fast pace.

She knew the owner of that familiar footstep sound. She hurriedly got up, but he had already passed the turning point and spotted Jade. Their eyes met like that.

"You should have secured a good escape route."

Walking towards her without stopping, Axel remarked sarcastically in a low voice.

"Since you only ran away through openings every time, you couldn't pay attention to such things? There's no knight to hide behind here either."

Jade put strength into her wobbling legs and stood straight.

She managed to face him, but it was still scary to make eye contact. She was afraid she might scoop up the heart she had given up again. The always tempting, beautiful gray is even more stunning in the dark night.

When she fidgeted her toes anxiously, a cold voice was heard.

"Raise your head. I'm tired of only seeing the top of your head now."

"...Now that the hunt is over, is there any reason for me to listen to Sir Leon's words?"

Jade grasped at straws pathetically. It was true that it was her fault that their relationship turned out like this, and there was no room for excuses. So she could only retort like this.

It's not like she could honestly confess that she definitely likes him, but it seems they have no possibility of being connected, so she's keeping her distance on her own.

"I have the freedom to do as I please...."

"What the hell is the problem?"

Axel's tone was extremely fatigued. It was a feeling she had never heard even on the busiest days in the forest, so Jade felt like needles were poking her insides.

"If something upset you, say it. I really don't understand."

"Nothing upset me. I, I should get going now. Blake might be looking for me...."

"That wizard is already long gone from the party hall, dead drunk. Too bad it can't be an excuse."

Inwardly, Jade repeatedly called out Blake's name. No matter how delicious the food was, you should have drunk in moderation! Shouldn't you be my excuse!

Of course, on the outside, she made the maximum effort not to show it.

"Well, it's cold, so−"

"Jade."

At that soft call, she eventually closed her eyes tightly.

How can he call someone else's name in that voice? The feeling of gently permeating the darkness was soft. As if deliberately trying to make people misunderstand.

Her insides flipped on their own. Jade glared at her toes and retorted coldly.

"Putting all excuses aside, this situation is uncomfortable, so I want to go inside now. I avoided you because I don't want to be with you, and I will continue to do so. That's all."

A terrifying silence fell. Only the sound of water trickling from the fountain decorated the stillness. She couldn't even imagine what kind of face he was making, so she didn't have the courage to raise her head.

Axel slowly opened his mouth.

"You said it's uncomfortable."

"Isn't it about time you noticed?"

"Without telling me the reason, you just don't want to be with me?"

"That's why I ran away. I thought it was fortunate that the hunt ended at an appropriate time−"

"Without throwing this away, even bringing it with you to the party hall, and making such absurd excuses?"

What he picked up was the lazulite she had completely forgotten about. Even in the faint light of the distant lamp, the blue sparkle was vivid.

Jade quickly snatched the lazulite from his hand and hid it behind her back. Both cheeks felt hot as if they had been burned.

Silence flowed once more.

The longer the silence lasted, the more it proved that his words were true. She had to spit out some nonsense.

"It has a spell engraved on it...."

"Really? Did you bring it because it has utility value? Then try using it."

Axel, who had spent a lot of time with her as a temporary pair, naturally didn't fall for that lie. A valueless magic stone with already lowered transparency. But if she cherished it all the time.

Jade squeezed the lazulite tightly. She felt the protruding part of the lazulite stabbing her palm.

"Jade. What's the problem?"

She disliked people who cried or got angry at any time. It was true that emotions running high was something that happened to anyone regardless of age.

But as one grows up, she believed one should know how to control the amplitude without showing it. Especially if it's a negative emotion. That was the price of becoming an adult.

But today, Jade realized that there are also moments when she can't control herself.

"You don't tell me anything either!"

Jade finally raised her head and shouted. She glared straight at his gray eyes that showed subtle shaking as if cracked.