“What is this?”

I pointed at the sky-blue pouch with my right index finger. Poppy seemed interested too, unable to take his eyes off the pouch.

“It’s a seed.”

Lilith responded just as my hand reached out to untie the pouch.

“Interesting. You carry something like this around.”

Even though he helps and takes care of me, my preconceived notion led me to think he’s planning another prank.

“Isn’t this a sunflower seed?”

As soon as I untied the white knot tightly securing the pouch, several familiar-looking seeds spilled out.

“People often mistake them for sunflower seeds due to their appearance, but they are actually seeds of a very rare flower.”

“Really?”

Impossible. I muttered disapproving words under my breath and gave a half-hearted reply.

“Why would I offer something common to Your Highness?”

Lilith shrugged, a smile touching the corner of his eyes. I still felt suspicious as I toyed with the seed in my palm.

Sigh—

“That seed was something I obtained while wandering the world before becoming your aide.”

Lilith, who had settled beside me at some point, began to divulge his unsolicited past.

“To be exact, it was a parting gift. When I decided to follow the Empress, my traveling companions at the time gave it to me.”

In short, before Hecate recognized Lilith’s talents and persuaded him to come along, he lived a nomadic life.

“I envy you.”

“Why would Your Highness suddenly think that?”

“No, it’s just… unlike me, you weren’t trapped in the cycle of reincarnation. You were free.”

“You’re discovering an unexpected side of me~.”

I had spent hundreds of years reincarnating in different bodies, seeking God’s answers. And I never found them. My life was so focused on finding the answer to God’s question that I had no leisure to explore other things.

That’s why, suddenly, I envied Lilith, who lived as freely as a bird soaring in the sky, unburdened by anything. I blurted out my thought.

“Shall I share another secret with you?”

I’m not particularly interested, but Lilith eagerly continued.

“I even have a lute, carefully stored away in silk, since becoming your aide.”

“You don’t have to tell me that.”

Regardless, Lilith, the oddball, had mastered all kinds of unusual skills that didn’t suit him at all.

I couldn’t even imagine Lilith playing a musical instrument.

“If Your Highness agrees, I’ll demonstrate my lute-playing skills when the opportunity arises.”

“Do as you wish.”

Do it or don’t. I responded curtly, but secretly hoped he’d bring it to a lesson. Even if I don’t particularly enjoy music, it would be a way to pass the time and maybe learn a little.

‘This guy is a complete omnivore. He doesn’t dislike anything.’

Meanwhile, I glanced sideways and saw Poppy salivating over the chocolate cake I had set aside, which made me chuckle.

“But what am I supposed to do with such an old seed?”

I felt the need to find out why Lilith was doing this, so I met his eyes and asked the question.

“If you got it when you decided to follow Hecate, it must be quite old. Can it even sprout?”

“It’s not impossible. That’s why I’d like you to grow it for me.”

Could it be that he doesn’t want to throw it away but finds it too troublesome to care for, so he’s passing it off to me?

“Water it every morning until it sprouts, and then water it once every two days.”

As I listened, such a thought popped into my head, and it made me uncomfortable.

“Actually, Her Majesty the Empress was bragging about Your Highness’s maturity and asked if she could ask you for a favor… I thought you’d come to me soon, so I prepared.”

However, as the conversation went on, I felt somewhat embarrassed to hear that I hadn’t asked him for any favors, unlike what the Empress had implied.

“You never came to me alone, Your Highness.”
Frankly, Lillith wasn’t a big deal to me, and it was annoying to ask about everything, but saying that outright was awkward.

“Uh, anyway, it’s in the past.”

Why do I feel like the bad person? I cleared my throat a few times and quickly changed the subject.

“Isn’t it better for you to grow a seed that means something to you?”

I wasn’t sure why, but ordinary folks usually cherished things they had received when giving up their comfortable old lives to make big decisions.

Not that Lillith was ordinary, but she seemed more sentimental than me, so it made sense for her to keep it to herself.

“I’d like to, but I’ll be leaving the castle for a while.”

What the hell does that mean? I looked up at Lillith, surprised.

“Why are you leaving the castle? What’s the reason?”

“It’s a secret mission from the Empress.”

Lillith winked disgustingly, pulling out the heavy topic with a happy face.

“If it’s a covert operation ordered by Hecate, it’s no small matter.”

“You’re smart, Your Highness.”

Lillith pressed her index finger to her lips and made a shushing sound.

“But even if you’re clever, Your Highness, I won’t reveal the mission details.”

Was she signaling the end of the business? Lillith subtly rose from her seat, placed her hand over her chest, and bowed.