“How is life in the First Prince’s palace?”

Floria asked, putting down her teacup.

“There are rumors he’s quite eccentric. Isn’t it difficult to serve him?”

“Yes, he’s so picky that it’s not easy to please him at all.”

I answered with an involuntary sigh. Though I had disparaged Cahirun to gain Floria’s favor more than once before, this time I was sincere.

“Oh, there’s one more thing I’d like to tell you, Your Highness.”

“What is it?”

“It seems the First Prince has no intention of marrying the Princess of Etra.”

I brought up the topic she would be most interested in.

“But last time you said the First Prince seemed interested.”

“Yes, I thought so, but when the Princess of Etra visited the First Prince’s palace, it didn’t seem that way. He even firmly told the princess he had no intention of marrying.”

“Now that you mention it…”

Floria tilted her head as if recalling something.

“The First Prince didn’t come out on the day Princess Isola returned to her country, did he?”

I nodded, remembering Cahirun’s genuinely puzzled expression when I asked if he shouldn’t go see Isola off, saying “Why should I?”

I wanted to ask why he went to greet her when she first arrived in the kingdom, but I kept my mouth shut, lacking both strength and courage.

‘Did he have thoughts of marriage then, but not now, or what?’

“I’m not sure if His Majesty the King will force the marriage, but it’s certain that neither of them has any intention now.”

Floria hid a satisfied smile behind her teacup. She seemed pleased that Isola wouldn’t be entering the palace.

But of course, things won’t go as she thinks.

The marriage between the two, which seems unlikely now, is one of the important settings in the original work. Moreover, the King’s chronic illness will soon worsen, so Cahirun will have no choice but to find a marriage partner.

‘But if those two really don’t get married, how will this novel unfold?’

I recalled the two showing displeasure towards each other like a dog and a monkey. It wasn’t at all the atmosphere that should flow between a couple about to marry.

“Could it be that the First Prince has another woman in his heart?”

“I don’t think so.”

I immediately shook my head at Floria’s question. Though I was by his side from dawn to late at night, I never saw him meeting with any woman.

I glanced at Floria’s expression. The subtle look of scrutiny had subsided. Seeing signs that she was pleased with the information I brought, I inwardly sighed with relief.

But Shana still had a displeased expression. As I blinked innocently at Shana, who was silently glaring at me, she narrowed her brows. Then she asked with a suspicious look.

“Are you taking good care of the pigeons?”

“Of course. Why do you ask so suddenly?”

“They have a strong homing instinct, so I thought it strange that it’s been so quiet, as they should have returned to the palace at least once by now.”

“His Highness sent them with me out of consideration. I’m treating them very preciously.”

I answered with a slight smile and picked up my teacup. But I was a bit surprised too. As Shana said, I thought they would have flown here several times by now, detailing my every move.

‘Are they afraid of Cahirun?’

Well, with him glaring as if he might snap their necks at any moment, it’s no wonder they’d be traumatized. I nodded inwardly, recalling the pigeons trembling with their wings.

“Maybe it’s because I keep the cage door closed.”

“They’re smart enough to easily open and close a cage door.”

Shana looked me over with a skeptical expression.

‘Why is she so suspicious? Even Floria is staying quiet!’

Should I leave the cage door open a bit? It should be fine since there’s nothing particular to confess anyway.

“Heys! Heys!”

Oh name that I call but has no owner, name that I’ll die calling.

Damn it, at this point, just answer even if you’re not here.

As I was digging and filling the ground in the annex, calling the name of the first queen so that the gentle Silvia wouldn’t get angry again, I suddenly sighed, wondering what nonsense this was. It seemed endless, not even like finding a needle in a haystack.

When thinking of ‘nature’, the first thing that comes to mind is earth, so I’ve been digging mindlessly, but is that all that falls under that category? The stars in the sky above are nature, and the air I’m breathing now is nature too. Damn it.

‘If I knew exactly what the fairies’ source was, it might be less daunting.’

Feeling at a loss, I sat down on the ground and leaned against a tree.

Thanks to my diligent cleaning so far, it had a cozy atmosphere… or not. A quiet stillness flowed through the annex. Suddenly feeling scared to be alone in this vast place, I got up again.

The annex, dimly lit with just a few lanterns for fear someone might find it strange, was quite dark.

It would be good to search a bit more while Cahirun is away, but it seems better to come back when it’s brighter. Just as I was hurriedly turning around, my shoulder suddenly felt heavy.

“Ahhh!”

Startled out of my wits, I screamed and reflexively spun around, swinging my arms. My flailing hands were firmly caught.

“My, I almost got hit.”

Hearing the familiar voice, I came to my senses and looked up. Cahirun was looking down at me with an amused expression, holding both my hands.

“You have a habit of lashing out first.”

“Y-Your Highness?”

Seeing a familiar face, my constricted heart suddenly relaxed.

“Why are you here… Please let go.”

As I tried to calm my pounding heart, Cahirun didn’t release my hands. Looking at him wondering why, I saw his twinkling eyes that were clearly teasing me again.

‘This guy…’

No matter how much strength I put into pulling, Cahirun didn’t budge. His amused look, as if daring me to try again, sparked my competitive spirit. Though it didn’t hurt, I became strangely conscious of my hands caught in his large ones.

Cahirun suddenly let go. The momentum made me stumble backwards.

“Eek!”

At the same time, Cahirun’s large arm wrapped around my waist. Suddenly pulled in to stand too close, I looked up at him in surprise. Cahirun grinned with a relaxed face.

“You’ve been saved by me again.”

“…Yes, thank you.”

I wanted to shout, ‘If you had just let go of my hands in the first place, I wouldn’t have almost fallen backwards!’ but as the subordinate, I could only keep my mouth shut. Even if I had objected, I had never won against that smug face anyway.

“But how are you here? Weren’t you supposed to return tomorrow?”

As I stepped back two or three paces and asked, Cahirun tilted his head.

“Did you forget what I said?”

“Huh? What did you say?”

I quickly racked my brain, afraid I might hear something like ‘You can’t concentrate because you’re in front of someone you like?’ again like yesterday.

“I told you I don’t like staying out late.”

Then what about all the night walks and training you’ve been doing? As I looked at him skeptically, Cahirun smiled.

“I worked without rest to finish quickly and came back, but you weren’t in your room, so I came looking for you.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“It’s obvious where you wander around. But did you put honey on this annex or something? It seems like you’re here whenever you get the chance.”

“Well, I’ve grown attached to it. But is it okay for you to come and go here so freely?”

Before, I didn’t think it strange to encounter Cahirun in the annex since I thought he was the Second Prince’s attendant, but not anymore.

Even the Queen sends notice before visiting, so if someone catches him here, it could cause problems.

‘Well, he’s such a willful man anyway.’

“Are you worried about me?”

“No, that’s not it…”

“Right, it’s natural to worry about someone you like.”

“…”

Let’s stop talking. Let’s just ignore it, I thought, shaking my head, when Cahirun looked around the annex and asked.

“Won’t you tell me what kind of honey is hidden here?”

“Pardon?”

“You’re looking for something now, aren’t you?”

I flinched at Cahirun’s serious expression as he looked down at me. He looked as if he knew something.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

I denied it for now. Cahirun nodded in response.

“Denying it after digging up all the ground. You really are brazen.”

I bit my lip as I turned my gaze to where he was pointing, seeing the clumsily covered mounds of dirt. It really looked like someone had just rummaged through it.

“What are you looking for, digging up the ground in the middle of the night? Or are you just acting out some strange resentment?”

Cahirun brought his face close, subtly coaxing me.

“Tell me. I might be able to help you.”

He looked like he could solve everything if I just told him.

Gently curved eyebrows. Lips curled up like a painting. As I stared, mesmerized, at the purple eyes gazing softly at me, I tightly closed my lips that were about to move on their own. I almost spilled everything, falling for that appearance.

‘So this is how you get conned in an instant.’

I secretly glanced at Cahirun, who showed outstanding talent in bewitching people.

I couldn’t talk about the first queen’s source in a situation where I couldn’t fully trust him. What if he took it all away?

As I was vowing not to let my guard down in the future, I heard Cahirun click his tongue shortly.