No matter who we met along the way, the journey continued.

Throughout the trip, Leoprick and I slept in the same room and woke up in the same room.

My complaints to Beatrice about the inconvenience gradually decreased, and I became accustomed to sharing a room with him.

…… Of course, being accustomed to it didn’t mean I was completely comfortable with it.

It just became as natural as Beatrice being my exclusive maid, if that makes sense.

And it seemed the same for Leoprick.

No, it seemed like he was like that from the beginning.

It appeared perfectly natural for a married couple to share a room and wake up in the same bed.

I thought of the pre-regression Leoprick, more aristocratic and polite than anyone else in the empire, and shook my head.

When he gave me a bright smile as I woke up in the morning.

“Good morning, Amelia.”

“…… Good morning to you too, Your Highness.”

When I saw him smiling with a distinctly different face and gaze compared to before the regression.

I thought once again that Leoprick might have acted differently depending on my choices even before the regression.

I had these thoughts when the journey he asked for a chance at was almost coming to an end.

“Even in the morning, you are still beautiful.”

…… Otherwise, there would be no way to explain his consistent attitude from the beginning of the trip right after our marriage until now.

He was unfailingly kind like this.

So kind that it was melting.

Even though Beatrice and I were excellent riders, no less skilled than decent knights, and the reason for hastening the journey was because of me, he never forgot to be considerate throughout the trip.

Just like a caring husband who truly loves his wife.

Indeed, that’s probably why he keeps hearing that people look forward to him becoming the emperor, as someone who knows how to handle people well despite being in the position of the crown prince.

With a slightly more relaxed heart than before, I smiled back at him as he flashed a dazzling smile at me.

“You flatter me, Your Highness. You yourself are shining even in the morning.”

And now I could even retort to his words quite well.

The result of repeated thoughts and practice was meaningful as always.

“We’ll be entering the capital today, right? Have you had breakfast?”

“Actually, I was waiting to eat with you.”

“I see. Shall we go down together then?”

I couldn’t understand the reason behind his slightly sullen expression every time I responded like this.

I got up from my seat, tidied my hair, and briefly washed my face with the water Beatrice seemed to have brought.

“It looks like everyone else is already up.”

Even though I woke up quite early, seeing the water Beatrice brought, I thought everyone else must be awake by now too.

However, to my surprise, Leoprick shook his head.

“Only a few knights are probably up. Most are still sleeping.”

“Really? Then who……”

I tilted my head, looking at the water I just washed with.

If not Beatrice, who brought this?

As I was making that inference inwardly.

“I brought it.”

He approached me quietly and said, making eye contact with a somewhat awkward expression.

…… The crown prince of a nation brought water to wash with?

As I looked at Leoprick with a dumbfounded face, he smiled brightly.

His expression seemed to be holding a bit of anticipation in some way, making me inadvertently chuckle.

He looked like someone expecting praise.

“Your Highness, this…… while I appreciate it……”

“I won’t object even if you say it’s a thoughtless act, but I don’t really regret it.”

As if he had guessed what I was about to say, Leoprick shrugged his shoulders.

It’s fortunate that he knows what he did isn’t something he can confidently say was a good thing to do……

“I’m grateful for the sentiment, but I hope this doesn’t happen again after today, Your Highness.”

The image of the crown prince of a nation carrying a washbasin back and forth.

It’s fine now since he’s in disguise, but if anyone noticed that he’s the crown prince, it would become a laughingstock.

I let out a small sigh.

When I looked at him with an expression that had a lot to say but couldn’t bring myself to say it all, he laughed softly and said it was alright.

“I was careful to the best of my ability so no one would catch me doing something reproachable. I’m tempted to do it again because it was more fun than I thought.”

“I’m glad you found it…… fun, but still, Your Highness. It’s only possible because this isn’t the imperial palace.”

He found it fun.

I pondered where to begin addressing this and tried to end it with a brief reminder of his position.

However, contrary to my expectation that he would readily nod in agreement, his eyes strangely lit up.

Don’t tell me he’s going to do this again?

“Now that you’re looking at me like that, I’m getting fired up even without trying. Shall we really try it once?”

“…… I’d appreciate it if you would stop joking, Your Highness. Don’t we have a lot to do instead of getting worked up over this?”

Leoprick looked at my face and laughed lightly.

The laughter echoing in the room was excessively refreshing.

He looked like a mischievous young boy, making me chuckle and retort.

“You’re right. They say there’s nothing more foolish than bickering with your wife.”

Stating the unchanging truth that any married person would recite, he flashed a dazzling smile again.

That smile that was so radiant, I thought I definitely needed to be cautious of it someday.

Looking at that expression, I had to think one last time before entering the palace.

I absolutely must not be swayed by that person.

“Then I will go ahead and enter the palace first.”

“I’ll follow right behind. I’ll briefly stop by the trade guild and then head straight to the palace.”

Upon entering the capital, we decided to split into two groups.

Leoprick, who hurriedly came to the capital on the emperor’s orders, would quietly enter the palace, while I, who hurriedly came to the capital due to contact from the trade guild, would go to the trade guild.

It was thanks to Leoprick’s suggestion that since our return wasn’t officially announced yet, we should quickly take care of our respective matters while we had time.

“Are you sure you don’t need any escorts?”

And I decided to move with the bare minimum, taking only Beatrice with me.

“There will be plenty of people to entrust as escorts once I get to the trade guild. And it’s proper for Your Highness to take the knights with you in case of any contingencies.”

“Even if a few were to accompany you……”

“We discussed earlier that it’s best for the knights not to disperse, even to prepare for when people later find out how we entered the capital, Your Highness.”

I shook my head, seeing Leoprick unable to let go of his lingering attachment.

It was fine now since people weren’t paying attention to us quietly entering the capital.

However, in case it becomes known later how the crown prince and princess returned, I asked him to return to the palace with all the knights.

So that no one would think I parted ways with him to visit the trade guild.

“If the escort troops are divided, some will definitely judge that the two of us went to different places and try to track us down. Yes, I understand.”

Leoprick nodded, reciting what I had said earlier.

“But my concern for you is a separate matter.”

And he added in a small voice.

The current imperial authority was strong, but it wasn’t an absolute power.

There were definitely forces that opposed the current emperor who disliked war, advocated for peace, and was more interested in the welfare of his own people than the fertile territories of neighboring countries.

What if they found out that I headed to my trade guild instead of the palace as soon as I entered the capital?

They would undoubtedly try to disturb His Majesty the Emperor’s peace of mind with absurd words.

If you ask if I can easily leave the palace and go to the trade guild after entering, well.

Once inside, it would be difficult to completely avoid the eyes of others and leave.

Leoprick knew that too, and he knew how much I was concerned about the trade guild’s matters with no contact throughout our return, so he made this arrangement.

I gave a faint smile, seeing him say he would discreetly meet with His Majesty while the others in the palace were unaware, as I took care of the trade guild’s business.

“I appreciate the sentiment, Your Highness. But if you worry about me any more, we’ll have to worry about each other in the future.”

When I gently reassured him, Leoprick gave a wry smile.

“I know what you mean. I’m equally worried about you, but I also know it’s an unavoidable situation.”

“Then……”

“But just worrying and doing nothing like this will be the last time today.”

He spoke with a somewhat determined face and then smiled brightly.

His expression was gentle beyond compare, but his eyes seemed to hold a silent pressure as if he had made some kind of resolution.

But well, his resolution is his resolution.

I have to go do my own business.

I gave him a brief thanks and adjusted my reins.

“Then I’ll see you later at the palace.”

“Yes. Be careful.”

And I turned my horse with Beatrice and headed towards the trade guild’s headquarters in the capital.

“Did you receive any contact from Hayley on the way here?”

“If there was, there would be no need to go directly to the headquarters like this, would there?”

“We have to go anyway. What about Jennifer?”

“No contact. The last contact you received was the final one.”

Beatrice and I had a short conversation as we rode.

But all we found out was that there was strangely no contact from the trade guild.

If it was Hayley, she definitely would have made contact by now.

“It is strange. While it’s possible for Lady Jennifer not to contact us as she continues to collect data there……”

As if reading my thoughts, Beatrice raised a question.

“Lady Hayley definitely contacted you because there was a problem, right? Then shouldn’t there have been an immediate reply?”

I nodded in agreement with her voice full of doubt.

She must have contacted us because there was a problem, so why hasn’t any related information arrived?

If she used the trade guild’s communication network, she definitely could have contacted us without the risk of anyone else finding out.

“…… We’ll find out when we get there.”

Looking at the trade guild building getting closer, I replied like that.