Edwin, blinking in the warmth, slowly closed his eyes.

(This is the time separator.)

“We’ve arrived.”

At some point, the carriage had stopped entirely. At the sound of Howard’s voice knocking and speaking outside the door, Olivia briefly looked at Edwin.

“……Shall we get out?”

Edwin cleared his throat with a voice completely closed off, awkwardly. Olivia wanted to smile at his attempt to break the tension but managed only to lift the corners of her mouth.

As soon as they got out of the carriage, Olivia let out a deep breath. The white crystal mine in front of her looked exactly as it did the last time she saw it.

As if untouched by human feet, the trees at the entrance were still withered and twisted. When the wind blew, the sound of branches clashing was eerie.

As Olivia touched her magical stone necklace, recalling the chilling wind from inside the mine, she thought,

With this magic stone, I’d feel warm now. Thinking to give it to Edwin, Olivia hurriedly tried to unclasp the necklace.

“Just a moment…… I’ll go in first.”

Before she could unclasp the necklace, Howard spoke in a stiff voice. Tension loomed over his emotionless face.

“It’s okay.”

Edwin said, shaking his head.

With faces like they were entering a forbidden place, both Edwin and Howard looked determined. Olivia bit her lip for a moment.

“……Is there a rule that you can’t enter here at night?”

There was no need to be so firm about entering if that wasn’t the case. Instead of answering, Edwin just smiled, and Howard hesitated before speaking.

“……When the Emperor owned the white crystal mine, he placed resistance magic over the entire Duke Vicander’s territory through a magician.”

“Resistance magic?”

It was unbelievable. Resistance magic that blocks unauthorized access was something only highly skilled magicians could perform.

The magic that was on the highestsecurity safe in the palace was on this mine.

Completely unaware of this fact, Olivia stared at the mine. Howard added,

“Yes. Since several layers of magic were placed, even Lady Bethany couldn’t undo it, and we’ve been restricted from entering.”

“Since my lady took ownership, we can enter now.”

Edwin playfully winked, striding towards the mine. Surprised by the word “resistance magic” and without time to calm her astonishment, Olivia shouted out to Edwin.

“Edwin!”
If resistance magic denies approach, that person suffers enough to die, Olivia recalled the words she had heard in passing, and in an instant, ran to Edwin’s side, terrorstricken.

Could it be, did the princess know this fact and trap me? Please, Edwin has to be safe.

With a desperate wish, Olivia grabbed Edwin and passed through the entrance of the cave. It was when Olivia tightly closed her eyes with her firmly held hand.

“……I’m in, Olivia.”

Edwin looked at Olivia as if he couldn’t believe it.

He stood still.

Even though he had entered this white crystal mine, where he couldn’t give up due to the pain of being burned to the bone as if struck by lightning, he was not even repelled, but stood still.

Olivia, who had tightly closed her eyes, slowly opened them. And only after thoroughly checking that Edwin was safe, she became angry.

“Where do you think you’re just barging in! Don’t you know how scary resistance magic is? It’s a magic that burns people to death,”

At that moment, Edwin hugged Olivia tightly. He could feel the scolding anger from underneath her much smaller and softer body, but Edwin couldn’t bear this chestfilling feeling.

“……A very long time ago.”

Edwin muttered, holding back his chokedup emotions.

“……Mother often told me about this place. My mother, who valued this white crystal mine very much, always said that there was a tremendous secret here.”

“It’s a secret that has been handed down only to the royal family of Lowell who have come of age. I hope the day comes quickly when I can tell you this secret.”

The image of his mother, jokingly speaking, was vivid.

The unbearable sleepiness that had washed over him, the singing of his mother’s canarylike beautiful voice for the drowsy young him, even the gentle touch that carefully stroked his head.

He had vaguely wished to turn eighteen quickly. But when I finally turned eighteen, I couldn’t even pass the entrance here.

He had hoped that he could enter someday, swallowing the pain that was burning as if scalding.

Edwin dropped Olivia’s shoulders from his arms for a moment. Worried, teary green eyes met Edwin’s.

At that moment, Edwin recalled the sentence that this brilliantly shining lady had sent to me.

“……My, best has been achieved.”

Looking at Olivia’s face, who didn’t understand what he was saying, Edwin said again.

“Olivia made my best come true.”

A trembling, soft voice. There was a momentary chill in Edwin’s words, but Olivia didn’t ask anything.

Instead, she firmly embraced Edwin.

Whatever happened, it was fortunate that Edwin’s best was achieved. The soft laughter that sounded good to hear, and that tickled, was all Olivia wished for, for this moment to continue for a lifetime.