No matter how lavish and charming the destinations they had visited, any new place was special to them.

Since the imperial palace was located in the capital of the Empire, it was difficult to explore the outskirts.

The bustling capital with its human warmth was lovely, but sometimes appreciating the natural landscape was a charm of its own.

According to the wishes of Lerianne and Yuri, the carriage stopped in a village. Acting on the villagers’ suggestion that a lake was nearby, they headed straight for it.

Since their dresses couldn’t get wet, they had to be content with dipping their fingers or toes in the water.

The cold sensation felt foreign but pleasant. The tingling in their fingertips from the unfamiliar cold, the occasional debris that brushed their fingertips—all of it.

The three who had fun like any other girls returned to where the coachmen were waiting.

“Hehe, you all look disheveled.”

“It looks like you had fun!”

The coachman, who was sitting in the bushes and resting, smiled as he saw them. Soon, the other coachmen resting with him chimed in.

Just then, another coachman who had been resting in the shade of a tree approached Chloe.

“It seems a messenger pigeon has arrived.”

“A messenger pigeon?”

“It appears to be from the imperial palace.”

As the coachman whistled, a pigeon perched on a tree branch flew down to his shoulder.

Tightly folded paper was wrapped around the pigeon’s slender leg. It was presumed to be a note from the sender.

Chloe cautiously reached out to the pigeon’s leg. She unfolded the small paper, and surprisingly, the pigeon wasn’t startled.

“How pretty.”

It was fascinating how obediently the pigeon extended its leg. She had read in books that they were intelligent birds, but who knew they were also docile?

“What is it?”

Chloe had been hesitating to board the carriage, making Yuri and Lerianne curious enough to come outside.

“It seems like a letter has arrived from His Majesty.”

“His Majesty? How do you know?”

Lerianne stared at the note still folded in her hand. Although the imperial crest was stamped, it was too soon to conclude it was from the Emperor.

“It’s just…a feeling.”

Always sharp, Lerianne was baffled by Chloe’s keen senses. Chloe sidestepped the issue, attributing it to her sensitive intuition.

Growing impatient with Chloe, who was merely fiddling with the paper, Lerianne soon demanded that whoever the sender was, the contents should be checked quickly.

‘A letter…’

It was more accurate to call it a note, but the fact that it came from him—

Just like ‘Kun’ had once done.

Even though their childish play had long ended, and the friend with whom she had maintained correspondence had disappeared like a mirage, Chloe’s heart still raced.

In part, it was amusing.

Did her friend really intend to master all kinds of letter games? Sending a messenger pigeon all this trouble for her.

“Hello, Princess. You must be tired from your long journey.

I would like to introduce you and your friends to the empire. Would you accept my invitation?

If yes, tie a ribbon to the bird’s leg.

If not, simply give it some valuable fertilizer to carry back.”

There was no doubt the sender was Kun.

Contrary to the Emperor’s usual formal tone, today’s message was tinged with playfulness.
Inside the note was a ribbon, resembling the color of Chloe’s eyes and a shade lighter than Kun’s, the color of the summer sky.

This should suffice to reveal the “intent” the other party wishes to convey.

“What did they say?”

Chloe was startled by the sudden appearance of two people. Instinctively hiding the note, the two sensed the odd atmosphere and narrowed their eyes.

“What are you hiding?”

“As if you received a love letter.”

“…A ridiculous misunderstanding. It was nothing.”

Despite the misunderstanding, Chloe firmly hid the letter.

Why? She couldn’t even explain it to herself.

She felt a sudden urge, an instinct she couldn’t resist.

To dodge her friends’ piercing gaze, Chloe hastily changed the subject.

“His Majesty wants to introduce you to the empire.”

“His Majesty? Why?”

Yuri was visibly surprised, almost as if asking why such an important person would bother with such trivialities.

Indeed, the Emperor of the empire playing the role of a travel guide was ludicrous even to Chloe.

“Well…”

Come to think of it, why?

She had been so amused by the letter’s content that she didn’t delve into the deeper aspects.

“Why bother thinking about it? I’m happy with it! Yuri, what about you?”

“…Me? Sure, I’m fine with it.”

Thanks to Lelianne’s quick decision, a long debate was thankfully avoided. It would be highly inefficient to stand idly under the strong autumn sun.

“Alright. I’ll send it then.”

Chloe tied the ribbon around the bird’s leg with delicate fingers. The bird chirped lightly, seemingly pleased with its new accessory, before flying off into the sky.

The three who had been seeing off the distant bird soon returned to their carriage.

“…A series of wonders. I’ll even get to see His Majesty’s proposal up close.”

“Who knows, maybe the old fox will be overjoyed when we get home.”

While Lelianne and Yuri were conversing, Chloe was blankly staring out the window.

And secretly, she wrote under the hem of her dress. Each letter crafted carefully, even though they’d never reach the recipient.

“The fertilizer, eh? It’s too much for the nearing end of the farming season.

As per Your Majesty’s wish, I tied a pretty ribbon on a good listener. The bird won’t untie the ribbon on its way.”

Should I stop writing the letter here?

But there’s one more thing I’m curious about.

Pointless worries filled a letter that would never be sent.

Her previously cringed fingers started moving again after a long contemplation.

“P.S: Who did that ribbon symbolize?”

A ribbon that sometimes resembled Chloe’s eye color and at times reminded her of her friend Kun.

Was it intended for Chloe Argen, the recipient?

Or could it be…,