Hearing someone calling for her, Ophelia turned towards the sound. A man was looking around near the ship. Realizing he was the one who had spoken earlier, Ophelia approached him and said.

“I am the princess of Reden.”

The man then asked for her permission and boarded the ship. Ophelia realized he was wearing the servant’s attire of the Egelbamont imperial family. It was clothing that had been hard to see from afar, hidden by the outer garment he was wearing.

The man, who seemed to be in his mid-thirties, bowed as soon as he faced her.

“Greetings, Your Highness. I am Bahamal, servant of His Highness the Second Prince of Egelbamont, Lord Netepel Runtalis. I have come by my master’s order to deliver a letter to the Princess of Reden.”

Netepel was a friend she had known for a long time. Though they didn’t communicate often, he was one of the few people in her life she could call a friend.

But in her previous life, she had never received a letter from Netepel during this time. Ophelia frowned.

“Netepel wrote me a letter?”

“Yes, actually, His Highness the Prince was heading south to Reden, but when he heard that the ship Your Highness was on was heading north, he sent me.”

“Is that so?”

If one went up the canal between Reden and Aglante, a large river between Egelbamont and Aglante appeared. Netepel’s servant must have come from there.

Had Netepel gone to Reden during this time in her previous life as well?

Ophelia tried to recall her memories. Nothing else came to mind.

And Ophelia realized that in the past, she had not been able to leave the Reden palace until the carriage came from Aglante.

Since she didn’t have loyal servants to bring her news from outside, it was possible she didn’t know Netepel had come to Reden.

But if Netepel had come to Reden, why hadn’t he come to see her? He had been so eager to see her face that he had visited her several times even when she was in Aglante.

She wasn’t given much time to ponder this question. Soon, a shadow fell behind her.

“I greet Your Highness, the Gongwang of Aglante.”

Seeing the servant hurriedly bowing his head in greeting, Ophelia turned around. Idren was standing behind her, holding an outer garment in his hand.

He slightly furrowed his brow and gestured to the servant. At the clear sign of dismissal, the servant retreated from the ship.

Ophelia turned to look at the man who had needlessly approached to be petty. She had something to say to him anyway. She turned her head, looking for the table where the evidence, the candy wrapper, would be placed.

“You, earlier…”

But before she could finish her sentence, the garment that had been draped over her body was removed. At this give-and-take behavior, Ophelia frowned.

Just as she was about to say something, Idren draped something else on her. It was the new one he had been holding until just now.

“New clothes.”

And the man lightly tapped her frown with his finger. He was telling her to stop frowning.

“If you keep looking at me like that, you’ll bore a hole in my face.”

Ophelia glared at the man who was worried about something that wouldn’t happen even if she swung her fist with all her might.

“Did you just hit me?”

“Can’t I even touch the face of my spouse? If you’re dissatisfied, you can touch me too.”

And Idren tilted his head as if to give her the opportunity to do so.

Ophelia didn’t touch his face. If she were to touch his face, her hands were too weak, so she would need to use a tool.

Instead, she grabbed his shoulders and whispered.

“You and I aren’t married yet. Don’t be mistaken.”

Idren raised an eyebrow once and replied.

“Strictly speaking, it’s as good as done. Recall the content of the marriage vow.”

Ophelia tried to recall the content of the vow as he said, but the wedding at Sigrasal Castle wasn’t well-remembered in her mind.

She had just recited what she was told to recite, and did what she was told to do. While she might remember Reden’s marriage vows, there was no way she would remember vows made in Aglante’s dead language.

Ophelia confessed in a small voice to the man who was looking down at her as if expecting something.

“I don’t remember.”

“…What did you say?”

“I said I don’t remember.”

At that, Idren closed his lips tightly and glared at her. Ophelia thought he might shake her back and forth. It was a reasonable guess, given his expression that looked like he was boiling inside.

But Idren was more composed than she expected. He grasped the clothes draped over her shoulders instead of her shoulders themselves.

“This is really too much, even for you.”

And Idren tightly pulled the strings of the garment he had draped over her shoulders. Ophelia watched the man tie a knot at her neck with hands full of personal feelings. Every part of him except his mouth was saying he felt wronged.

Although she hadn’t intentionally forgotten the vow, there was still a long journey ahead to leave the other party sulking. Ophelia softened her voice and asked.

“What was the content?”

“Never mind. Figure it out later.”

Why bring it up if he wasn’t going to tell her when asked? Ophelia blinked at his bewildering attitude.

Regardless, the man who had been looking ahead with a grumpy expression asked.

“Why is Runtalis’s servant here?”

“A friend sent him.”

“…Your friend?”

Instead of continuing the conversation with him, Ophelia got off the ship. As she approached, the servant who had been standing with his waist slightly bent held out an envelope.

“His Highness the Prince said he would like an answer as soon as possible.”

After opening and reading the letter, Ophelia could understand why Netepel had said such a thing.

The letter asked if she could meet him for lunch tomorrow. It suggested floating a boat in the middle of the canal before fully entering inland and having a meal together.

It was a perfectly reasonable proposal between friends, but her schedule now wasn’t hers alone. Ophelia turned around. Just then, Idren was disembarking from the ship behind her.

Ophelia showed the contents of the letter to the man who had come up behind her. After quickly scanning the letter written in Reden language, Idren asked.

“Do you plan to meet?”

“If the schedule allows.”

“…What if I say it doesn’t?”

Ophelia stared blankly at the man who seemed intent on being difficult. They were moving much faster than originally planned, so it was unreasonable to say they couldn’t spare enough time for one meal.

Idren, too, seemed to notice her gaze and shook his head. It’s a jest.

“I can’t interfere with what might be your only friend. But you can’t go alone.”

At this, the servant who was still bowing his head spoke.

“If it’s a matter of safety, you need not worry. His Highness the Prince…”

“I didn’t give you permission to speak.”

Idren coldly cut off the servant’s words and bowed his head towards her. His star-like eyes, shadowed, turned to her. He called her name. Ophelia.

“Nowhere in the world is there a woman who dines alone with another man while leaving her partner behind.”

“…”

“So choose. Either go with me, or don’t go at all.”

In the evening, as the sun was setting, a small boat sailed up the Saha, the canal between Reden and Aglante.

The boat soon entered the Manos, a river connected to the Saha. A luxurious ship bearing the seal of Runtalis was anchored in the Manos.

As the small boat approached the side of the imperial ship, which was the mother ship, a rope ladder was lowered from the mother ship. Bahamal, who had been on the small boat, climbed up that ladder.

When he finally reached the deck of the mother ship, Bahamal realized that his master was there. He hurriedly bowed.

“I have completed the task you mentioned, Your Highness.”

Then he heard footsteps approaching him. Knowing it was his master’s sound, Bahamal looked even more intently at the ground. Soon, a sweet, beautiful voice was heard.

“Well done. You may raise your head.”

Moved by the voice that was too gentle for a mere servant, Bahamal raised his head. A beautiful young man with dazzling golden hair stood before him.

The young man’s eyes were red, befitting a descendant of Runtalis, with a gentle smile on his lips. Bahamal stared at his master’s face as if entranced.

While all descendants of Runtalis were said to be beautiful, his master was different from other royals. He had a power that drew people in. Like a red, luscious fruit…

“Is there something wrong with my face?”

“I, I’m sorry!”

Realizing that he had committed an unthinkable rudeness, Bahamal hurriedly bowed his head.

As he apologized over and over, the young man waved his hand with a benevolent smile. It’s fine. I was just wondering why you were staring so intently.

“More importantly, what did Ophelia say?”

It was a familiar way of addressing her, as if calling an old friend. Bahamal hastily replied.

“Her Highness the Princess of Reden has accepted the proposal.”

“Really? I’m glad. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her face.”

And the young man truly smiled brightly. Bahamal saw his smile shine so brilliantly as if it could light up the whole world.

However, he also had news that his master might not be so pleased with.

Feeling a bit of pain at having to shatter the young man’s joy, Bahamal added.

“However, she said she couldn’t come alone and would come with her betrothed.”