A year ago, while investigating this crystal mine, Olivia had walked not only through thirteen passages but also to the deadend of the tunnels several times. From protruding parts to slippery ones, everything was clearly visible.

“Watch your step, Olivia. It’s slippery down here.”

But Edwin knew the crystal mine as well as Olivia.

Edwin, who had slowed his steps before Olivia spoke, smiled softly.

Was it because of the echo of the mine or because the narrowed field of vision made other senses more sensitive?

Edwin’s laughter sounded much more enchanting than usual. Olivia became tense in an instant from his languid laughter, enough to make the hairs on her ears stand on end.

Somehow, Edwin’s hand felt much larger and firmer.

Olivia swallowed dryly and spoke as calmly as possible.

“……You know the mine well, Edwin.”

“Sometimes, I knew this day would come, so I refreshed my memory whenever I had time.”

How much effort was hidden under that calm voice, Olivia couldn’t even guess.

Cursing her careless question, Olivia blamed herself.

Anyway, before it got too late, Olivia wanted to tell Edwin that I followed the imperial command to investigate this mine. Not knowing how to say it, Olivia closed her mouth again.

The sound of shoe heels mingled with the regularly falling water. In a little while, the beginning of the thirteen branches of the tunnel should appear.

It was then.

“Ah.”

At the same time as the sound of hitting something hard, Edwin’s body tilted momentarily. Hearing Edwin’s soft grunt, Olivia reflexively grabbed Edwin’s hand tightly.

Just before the branching tunnels came into view, she remembered that scholars and wizards had fixed wooden stumps on the floor to mark the distance.

“Be careful. There are wooden stumps around here,”

Olivia, who was talking unconsciously, closed her mouth with a start. And she looked at Edwin. Edwin opened his eyes wide in surprise for a moment, then smiled broadly without giving anything away.

“Thank you, Olivia. I didn’t know about this.”

Edwin muttered as he tapped the wooden stump under his foot. Then he looked back at Olivia.

In his red eyes, there was only affection for me. At that moment, Olivia realized that now was the time to confess the truth.

“……When was the last time you were here?”

“It’s been more than ten years since I was nine.”

Edwin answered calmly.
Over a decade’s time, time too vast to quantify, Olivia spat out the words with a trembling voice.

“A year ago. That’s when I came to this crystal mine.”

Expecting astonishment but unexpectedly, Edwin calmly comforted the back of Olivia’s hand.

As if he had guessed it all along.

.

.

.

“About this time last year, I investigated this crystal mine by the princess’s order. Along with several wizards and scholars.”

Amid the echoing sounds, Olivia whispered everything.

That she investigated the crystal mine by the princess’s order, that she wrote a report about this abandoned mine and presented it to the emperor.

Even that she visited Vicander territory once while investigating the mine, she told everything.

The more Olivia revealed, the lighter her heart felt.

Edwin, who heard the entire story, looked at Olivia with the same eyes he had before hearing it.

“……I have many things to say, but the first thing I want to say is.”

The voice dropping faintly was so warm that Olivia put strength into the corners of her mouth. She knew, even in the midst of confusion and trembling.

That now, what Edwin is saying will make me cry.

“……You must have really suffered, Olivia.”

I knew this would happen. How many people wouldn’t cry when spoken to so tenderly?

With her nose feeling piquant, Olivia puckered her lips. And she pretended to be fine, jesting,

“I now know what kind of report went to His Majesty. There’s nothing peculiar about this mine, I reported as such. Thankfully.”

“Truly, I’m grateful. Thanks to Olivia, the emperor couldn’t doubt anything about this crystal mine.”

With a sincerely admiring voice, Olivia nodded. Edwin, who was looking at me kindly, paused for a moment.

“……Since I’m really grateful, just say if you want something.”

“What?”

“If you want the princess’s neck, I’ll bring it to you in two days.”

At Edwin’s serious words, Olivia was truly shocked. The eyes that were looking at me affectionately just a moment ago sparkled coldly.

“I don’t need anything like that!”

Olivia shouted in alarm.

When the humming sound spread through the mine, Edwin chuckled slightly. Only then did Olivia think that it was a joke, and she laughed along.

“Don’t joke like that. You understand?”

Edwin seemed momentarily regretful as he licked his lips, but he didn’t show it. Instead, he tightened his grip on the hand of this brave and sturdy lady.

Though he had much to say, he swallowed all the words, and Edwin suggested,

“……Shall we walk further in?”

“Are you alright with that, Edwin?”

“Of course.”

Olivia grinned and nodded. It was late, but she didn’t feel tired at all.

Rather, she felt as refreshed as if she had slept deeply.

(This is a time separator.)

Late at night, when the cold moonlight shone through the glass window, in Duke Olivia’s room.

Bessony, who was lying dazed, slowly got up. The maidservant next to the bed was startled and stopped Bessony.

“Bessony, lie down. Didn’t the young lady command you to lie down, restfully and still?”

“I have to lie down in my room. How can lying in the young lady’s bed be comfortable?”

“But still…….”

Before the maidservant who momentarily empathized with Bessony’s words could say anything else, Bessony moved.

Entering her room and locking the door, Bessony didn’t lie down on the bed but went to the reception room on one side of the room. She walked to the place where the banner was hung.

With trembling legs, step by step, Bessony approached and lifted the banner.

The longing in Bessony’s eyes, looking at the portrait in the banner, filled up.

A blonde woman in a lush white dress.

Her face was not visible, reflecting the moonlight. But without looking at her face, Bessony, still vivid in her memory of her, spoke with a quivering voice.
“Princess, the crystal mine has returned to Duke Vicander.”

Bethany choked up once again, looking at the portrait that gave no reply.

“A very precious, treasurelike lady has come to Duke Vicander with your treasure, Princess.”

At that moment, the moonlight shone on the lady’s face. With a face strikingly similar to her master, the lady’s eyes, vividly green, were smiling brightly with a beautiful face.

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.

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That night, the bedroom of the imperial palace.

“…What?”

The Emperor, who had been in bed, hastily got up. The chief servant couldn’t dare to lift his head at the Emperor’s face, devoid of blood.

The Emperor, who had been glaring at the chief servant, strode deep into the bedroom. At that moment, the Emperor swallowed his breath.

“This is, really, why.”

The portrait that should have been wrapped in the splendid banner symbolizing the Franz Empire had fallen to the floor.

That the portrait, even preserved with magic, had fallen. It was something that had never happened before.

In the portrait that had fallen under the banner, a beautiful blonde woman with an expressionless face. Her cold green eyes seemed to send a smile towards the Emperor for a moment.