The Gloucester Duke and Duchess, who were watching the two waltzing, smiled contentedly.

When the Duke wiped away tears with a handkerchief, the Duchess lowered her arm holding the handkerchief, embarrassed.

“Why, my lady. I’m doing this in gratitude. Living to see my son dance the waltz.”

“That’s true. Seeing it at a ball is a rare occasion.”

“Isn’t it fortunate, my lady? He seems to lead quite properly.”

“Oh, come on. He was taught properly since he was young, and it’s a compulsory subject at the military academy. No need to worry.”

However, the eyes of the Duchess, who spoke like that, were fixed on Eric and Alicia, showing a contented expression.

‘She really can’t remember anything.’

On the other side of the ballroom, Harry was watching Harry with a different atmosphere.

Alicia was surprised by the empress’s subtly brought up story but didn’t react much to the empress’s attitude.

‘Of course, I thought it would be like this.’

Harry laughed with self-derision.

It was true that Alicia couldn’t meet him freely because of his mother, the empress.

Knowing his mother’s personality well, Harry didn’t have any intention of causing harm to Alicia by deliberately provoking his mother.

So Harry had been carefully watching over Alicia.

When she needed to find a job due to family circumstances, he secretly sent a letter of recommendation under the prince’s name. When Alicia needed recommendations, he even sent experts to help solve the problem.

All in secret. All without revealing his true identity.

‘Even if I could repay her in some way.’

Unfortunately, now that she had a reliable fiancé, there was almost nothing he could do.

Moreover, he felt uncomfortable approaching her because she seemed to dislike him.

“You’re here, Harry.”

The empress, who came close, whispered subtly.

“Are you just going to keep watching her like that?”

“…Mother.”

“Go and ask Miss Lancaster for a dance or something. Since you used to say you were friends when you were young, she probably won’t refuse.”

“I don’t feel like it.”

“I guess so.”

In any case, Harry’s response to the empress’s words was already determined.

After a tired sigh, Harry tried to leave the spot.

“Decide quickly. There’s not much time, more than you think.”

“… ”

As if urging Harry’s shoulder, the empress patted him and left the spot.

Alone, Harry continued to watch the empress’s retreating figure with a complex expression.
The emotions that surfaced on his face seemed to be a mix of resentment, anger, and sympathy.

“This is something.”

A man on the second-floor balcony of the palace chuckled while looking down at the garden.

A red ring sparkled on his neatly dressed finger.

“As expected, you’ve shown up. I wanted to talk, but if I approach, you’ll probably run away. It seems like they have no power over there either.”

The man hesitated for a moment, then smiled.

It seemed that, just like before, they were still at odds after all these years.

However, this time, there was no intention to overlook it and move on just because it seemed cute.

He had done that before and suffered a lot.

“What are you doing?”

“Surprise. Didn’t I tell you last time? Show some presence.”

“…”

The man approaching the man with the red ring was also neatly dressed.

“Indeed, it’s better to see without a robe.”

“Shouldn’t you come down now?”

“Sure thing.”

Glancing at the palace garden below, the man with the red ring turned his head towards his subordinate while fiddling with the red ring.

“Do we have any sorcerer available right now who can be of use?”

“There should be. What are you planning to do?”

“What am I going to do? I just want to have a conversation.”

After smirking for a moment, the man looked toward his subordinate.

It seemed he had already made up his mind, so there was no way to stop it.

All he could do was handle things so that the situation wouldn’t escalate.

“As you wish.”

“Good boy, as always. Different from that one. As always.”

The palace garden wasn’t as dark as expected.

Moonlight gently illuminated it, and lanterns were lit here and there for the convenience of the banquet guests, making it safe to walk.

Moreover, perhaps because it was summer, the rich scent of trees filled the air, making it a pleasant evening.

Inside this atmosphere, Eric was walking, holding Alicia’s hand.

After dancing two songs in a row, Eric immediately led Alicia out of the banquet hall.

If he continued to stay at the banquet, he would have to go through the trouble of greeting his parents again or be forced to work by William.

Walking, Eric glanced briefly at Alicia.

Her lush eyelashes, straight and high nose, and the red lips below all captured Eric’s gaze.

The empress had told him not to monopolize her for Alicia’s sake, but how could he not?

Moreover, there was no reason to listen to the empress’s words, which he had never paid much attention to before.

“At night, the feeling is different again.”

“Yeah.”

It felt different from the garden party in the past and the rose garden they saw last time.

The garden spread out widely from where they stood, forming a maze-like pattern with green walls bending in different directions.

And at the end, the imperial tomb they had seen before was clearly visible even at night.

It was as William had said.

Even with the light from the arranged lanterns below, the tomb sparkled distinctly.

Then, a familiar blue color caught Alicia’s eye.

“Oh, that butterfly. It’s here too?”