“Your Highness, are you feeling unwell?”

“No.”

“You’ve been looking rather ill since earlier. Is it just my imagination?”

Instead of answering, Ian picked up the book in front of him. Nathan’s eyes narrowed even further, as if that was more suspicious.

“What’s the matter?”

“…I miss her.”

Nathan’s mouth fell open.

‘Now you say such things so casually.’

Then again, recalling Ian who went on the subjugation to slay the beast for Rosebelia, there was nothing particularly surprising about it.

“Then why don’t you go see her?”

“It’s not that easy…”

“Why not?”

“I like her, but she doesn’t like me yet.”

At Ian’s blunt words, Nathan jumped up from his seat. Then he suddenly exclaimed in a loud voice.

“Lady Rosebelia dislikes you, Your Highness?”

“I didn’t say she disliked me.”

“But she didn’t say she liked you either.”

Ian furrowed one eyebrow, then smoothed it out, rubbing near his brow bone as he asked.

“She didn’t reject me, so if we had to choose, wouldn’t that be a bit closer to liking? If she really disliked me, wouldn’t she have rejected me?”

“I suppose that’s true. For now, you should approach her slowly. If you rush, Lady Rosebelia might run away.”

“…That’s why I’m holding back, to not burden her.”

“But you still need to appear before Lady Rosebelia.”

“Your words seem contradictory.”

Ian frowned as if he couldn’t understand at all. Nathan sighed deeply and thumped his chest in frustration as he retorted.

“What I mean is, you should keep lingering around Lady Rosebelia’s sight, but don’t be burdensome. You need to create situations where you naturally run into each other.”

“Naturally?”

“You’ve already confessed, right? Then Lady Rosebelia will be more aware of you than before, so you need to be in places where she’ll notice you. Of course, you absolutely can’t be pushy or burdensome.”

As Ian mulled over Nathan’s words, his pupils slowly dilated. When they met in the square, Rosebelia did seem to be much more conscious of him.

“Can I really trust what you’re saying?”

“Of course.”

‘I’m not an inexperienced novice in love like you, Your Highness.’

“What did you just say?”

“Huh? I didn’t say anything.”

Ian forced a smile, twisting his lips. Unable to say that he had heard Nathan’s inner thoughts, he could only swallow it down.

The mandatory rest Gabriel had given to the knights who went on the subjugation would end in two days, so if he just waited a little longer, he could see Rosebelia at the knight’s order.

Just a little longer and he could see her, but just thinking of her brought on a terrible thirst, like someone who hadn’t had a drop of water for days.

He wanted to see Rosebelia right now. He wanted to face those eyes full of concern.

Even if it was just pity for now, he didn’t mind. Aside from the refreshing energy she gave off, he wanted to hold her hand again, to feel that warm touch.

“Your Highness, come to think of it, isn’t there a banquet at the Ilyzer family tonight? Perhaps Lady Rosebelia might be there…”

Before Nathan could finish speaking, Ian jumped up from his seat.

‘Rather than sitting still waiting for time to pass, it’s better to hope for even the slightest chance.’

Because he couldn’t bear to do nothing.

*

“Mother!”

“Enoch, I believe I told you not to raise your voice inside the Imperial Palace…”

“This is no time to be leisurely admiring flowers!”

At Evelyn’s signal, the maids around her discreetly left their positions.

“What’s the matter that you’re causing such a commotion?”

“His Majesty…”

“I told you to call him father… Have you forgotten already?”

Enoch flinched and waved his hand in the air as if to say that wasn’t important right now.

“Father is rumored to be appointing Ian as Crown Prince!”

“Is that so?”

Enoch was rather taken aback by Evelyn’s nonchalant response.

“You knew?”

“Enoch.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“You just need to keep your place.”

“Pardon? But… Do you have some plan, Mother?”

Evelyn, who had been leisurely surveying the flowers blooming all over the garden, spoke in a gentle tone as if to soothe Enoch.

“I simply believe things will flow naturally.”

Evelyn glanced at Enoch, who was scratching his cheek as if he didn’t understand, and spoke again.

“It would be good to start proceeding with the marriage to Lady Camilla soon.”

“Marriage?”

“It’s been quite a while since your engagement.”

“That woman is not to my taste, Mother.”

It was then that Evelyn’s eyes, which had maintained a gentle smile throughout, hardened.

“You will become the Emperor of the Fonnes Empire. Therefore, your match should be someone suitable for the position of Empress… Your personal preferences are not important in this matter.”

“But…”

“There’s a banquet at Duke Ilyzer’s tonight, isn’t there? Go and take good care of Lady Camilla. Do you understand what I mean?”

Her voice was as kind as could be, but her eyes looking at Enoch were more unyielding than ever. As Enoch pressed his lips shut at that gaze, she kindly reiterated.

“It means to end your game disguised as deviation there, Enoch.”

*

After giving my congratulations to Agnes and turning away, I paused for a moment. The banquet hall was so crowded there was no room to step.

I’ve met Agnes, so I should just see Daisy and go back.

I wonder if Edwin didn’t come?

I looked around busily. As I was earnestly searching for red hair, someone came up and tapped my arm.

“Rose.”

I raised my head at the familiar call, and red filled my vision.

“Edwin?”

“You look pretty today.”

It was Vivian’s work from head to toe. From the dress to the accessories, Vivian’s taste was evident throughout, making it a bit more glamorous than usual.

“You… What happened?”

“What?”

“I mean Lady Daisy. Did you confess already?”

“Ah, that… I didn’t exactly confess… It’s more like words I’d been thinking in my head just popped out without me realizing.”

I can’t live like this, really.

The fortunate point was that Daisy’s reaction seemed quite positive. At least it didn’t seem like Daisy disliked Edwin, so from now on it was up to Edwin.

“How’s your leg?”

“They made a new medicine for me and it’s working.”

“Really?”

Edwin grinned as if to say not to worry and replied.

“Yes. They say I just need to keep taking the medicine consistently. By the way, this subjugation seemed to end unusually quickly. What happened?”

“This isn’t the place to talk about that…”

Just then, I spotted Daisy and was about to call her name. I noticed Daisy’s expression didn’t look good, and sure enough, Camilla and her entourage were with her.

“Lady Daisy, have you not received any marriage proposals?”

“Pardon?”

As I carefully approached them with Edwin, Camilla and Daisy’s voices became clearly audible.

“I’m going to marry the one who will soon become Crown Prince, but I was getting worried about Lady Daisy who still doesn’t even have a fiancé.”

“You don’t need to worry about me.”

“Oh my, did I offend you? I suppose it might be a bit uncomfortable for Lady Daisy to hear, since you don’t even have the usual marriage talks going on.”

Daisy let out a faint sigh and raised her gaze to look straight at Camilla.

“Lady Camilla, are you happy about your upcoming marriage?”

“Pardon?”

“I asked if you’re happy about marrying the one who will become Crown Prince.”

It was a pointed remark with sharp thorns. She was asking if Camilla was just happy to marry someone who would become Crown Prince, even if he was a man who flirted with other ladies despite having a fiancée.

“O-Of course I’m happy. Naturally.”

“Then that’s good. I’ve been having a lot of happy things lately too, so why don’t we focus on our own happiness instead of engaging in this meaningless dispute?”

Is this the Daisy I knew? How can she speak so articulately?

My admiration was short-lived as I saw Camilla hastily grab Daisy as she was about to turn away.

“Happy? Why?”

“That’s an odd thing to say. Am I not allowed to be happy?”

“No, I mean… You’re a duke’s daughter, but you don’t have a fiancé and I haven’t heard of any marriage talks… I was a bit worried that Lady Daisy might not be popular.”

What is she saying? How could Daisy not be popular?

I remember that in the original story, marriage proposals flooded into the Ilyzer family.

Back then, Daisy was in one-sided love with Ian, so she flatly refused every proposal that came in.

“What good is being popular with others? I won’t get engaged or married unless it’s to someone I love.”

“Lady Daisy, you’re unexpectedly naive. Love, that’s…”

“I’ll take care of my own happiness, so Lady Camilla, you should just take good care of your own happiness.”

Daisy spoke firmly, shaking off the arm Camilla had grabbed.

“What? And here I was worrying about you.”

What does she think this place is, acting like that?

As I shook my head, I noticed Camilla’s expression hardening ominously and turned to look at Edwin.

“Ed?”

I was going to signal him to quickly go to Daisy, but Edwin wasn’t there. No, he was already making his way towards Daisy.

He’s always quick on the uptake, that one.

The music had changed by now. A somewhat slower tempo flowed softly through the Duke’s main hall.

“Beautiful lady.”

At Edwin’s gentle voice, Camilla and Daisy turned around simultaneously. Edwin knelt on one knee, cleverly turning his back to Camilla.

For that moment, it seemed as if a brief silence fell over the bustling main hall. Then Edwin carefully extended his hand towards Daisy and said:

“Would you grant me the honor of a dance with you?””