Recently, Adel was well aware that Valentine was indifferent to the affairs of Ansgar Castle. The scope of matters requiring her confirmation had significantly expanded.

No matter what, she heard that he did not neglect training at the military camp. Nevertheless, it wasn’t something Adel had to concern herself with. She calmly nodded.

“Alright, I’ll check it now. Please hand it over.”

Adel received a parchment with names from Yanik’s hands. The name of Knight Commander Gunter was missing, but the names of the knights Klaus and Joahim, who had offered her trout, were on the list.

“It seems Knight Commander Gunter’s name is missing. Was there no message from Sir Herman?”

“Oh. Sir Gunter will stay at the castle this time. I think it’s because you didn’t recruit many new soldiers this time. It seems they need more time to train them adequately.”

“Does the Knight Commander have to handle the training of the soldiers personally?”

“Well…”

Yanik seemed hesitant to respond to her remark and trailed off.

Adel understood why they didn’t include his name on the escort list if his determination was so firm. It was a well-known fact that His Highness the Crown Prince detested the Grand Duke of Ansgar terribly, but the events they attended were not some secret back-alley gathering but gatherings within the palace.

Even if they were conscious of the watching eyes, at least within the palace, they couldn’t openly challenge each other.

‘Although Sir Gunter put it nicely, he probably plans to observe the training of new recruits personally and weed out any troublemakers. There were many applicants whose status was unknown.’

Reinforcing the military was an urgent matter, an unavoidable choice. Still, if Gunter personally inspected each one, she felt reassured.

Adel carefully signed the bottom of the parchment with a fountain pen dipped in plenty of ink. After spreading it out until the ink dried, she rolled it up and handed it back to Yanik. He received the parchment, tucked it away carefully, and hesitated a little more.

“…Um, there… Your Highness.”

While Adel accepted worn-out clothes from Margaret and examined them in the sunlight, Yanik glanced nervously at her.

“Do you have more business?”

“Oh, there, well…”

Yanik scratched his head as if in great trouble.

Seeing his hesitation, Adel’s expression gradually disappeared. Simultaneously, with a click, the door to the study opened.

Adel froze like a small animal meeting its predator. On the other side of the open door was a face she hadn’t seen in a very long time.

“…Golden eyes.”

She could feel those golden eyes persistently following her reactions.
In an instant, the hidden breath, the fluttering pulse, and trembling fingertips. The gaze, which had slowly lowered, collided once again as it rose.

In the breath-taking confrontation, Yanik belatedly entered with a voice that crawled into the intense atmosphere.

“His Grace is here.”

The maids preparing luggage and even Yanik retreated from the inner room, making it unusually silent.

No one dared to speak first, creating a tense standoff, at least from Adel’s perspective.

The fact that he rushed to the study indicated that Valentine’s patience had run dry.

Adel cautiously observed him, pretending not to notice.

“…”

He hadn’t properly eaten or rested during the whole time, and his gaunt face strangely exuded a decadent feeling.

Even though he was already excessively beautiful, his appearance was now pitiful, bordering on repulsive.

“…What’s the matter?”

Sensing an impending lifetime of glaring at each other’s faces, she finally spoke first.

Valentine, with a quick sweep of his eyes, surveyed the spots the maids hadn’t tidied up yet.

The bag laid open, revealing its contents without hiding anything, along with neatly stacked clothes, an old belt, and gloves…

Although she recently matched her wardrobe and accessories, she still felt comfortable with the items she had been using for a long time.

Adel realized his gaze lingered on the worn-out gloves.

“Are you packing up?”

“You didn’t have to come all the way to the study if you came to say that.”

“I can pack just enough. I can buy what I need from the capital.”

He continued as if he hadn’t noticed Adel’s cold response.

“It’s okay.”

“…”

“Strictly speaking, Your Highness, you have no reason to buy me such things.”

Valentine, trying to force a smile, overlooked her refusal several times.

In truth, he still looked repulsive.

As the voice asking if he wasn’t pitiable echoed in her mind, what was the true meaning of those words?

“Adel, I…”

As her eyes sharply rose, he hastily opened his mouth.

“I don’t want anything from you. If there’s something you want or desire, really anything…”

“What I want is Your Highness’s answer.”

“That is…”

“How honest have you been with me so far?”

He fell silent again. Adel coldly observed his efforts to smile.

“Adelheit. I…”

“Whatever you plan to do in the future, I won’t find you pitiable. So please use a comfortable communication method.”