Esmeralda raised the lizard box.

“Could you teach me?”

It was a question without a subject, but Esmeralda’s gaze was fixed on Kirian for some reason.

“P-Please, Master Kirian.”

Kirian glanced down at me for a moment, then slowly turned his gaze toward Esmeralda.

“Oh… that might be a bit difficult. I’m a bit busy with errands right now.”

Kirian nodded toward the bucket full of lizards.

“I’m quite busy because of the errands.”
After that, without a moment of hesitation, Kirian left with broad strides. Esmeralda watched Kirian’s quickly disappearing figure with a frustrated expression.

Alone with Esmeralda, I awkwardly gestured towards the lizard box.

“Oh, um… Should I show you?”

When Esmeralda didn’t respond, I awkwardly smiled again and asked.

“Even though it might not look like it, it’s been over 10 years since I flew lizards.”

I mimicked pulling the lizard’s tail.

“I can teach you properly.”

Esmeralda remained silent for a while, looking down at the box. The joints of the fingers clutching the ends of the box were turning white.

“Never mind.”

The words that came out at the end of the silence were incredibly cold.

“I didn’t ask Lady Reyna for a favor, did I?”

It was a tone I had never heard before from Esmeralda, who had always been gentle with a clear smile. It felt cold and even resentful.

I seemed to know what caused this change. Even though I didn’t want to know…

As I silently stared at her, Esmeralda’s eyes quickly filled with tears. In the moist gaze, emotions like regret, surprise, and embarrassment swirled.

“Oh, no, that’s not what I meant…”

Esmeralda forced a smile, but it seemed somewhat awkward, like shattered and glued glass.

“His Highness Prince Heath was looking for Lady Reyna, so you should go see him.”

“Oh, yes…”

Esmeralda hurriedly lowered her head and stepped back.

“I, um, I should probably find someone else. The shopkeeper seems to know a lot; I’ll check over there.”

Watching Esmeralda hastily disappear, I turned my steps toward where Heath was.

“Heath, I’m sorry. Have you been waiting for me?”

As I hurried back, Heath was still in the place where we flew the lizards. Despite telling him not to wait, he seemed to have waited for me all this time.

Still, Heath just nodded, smiling faintly.

“No, I was so absorbed in watching the night sky. Did you see Reyna? A really beautiful golden firework just passed by. It was the biggest and most splendid firework I’ve seen today.”

“Oh…”

It was undoubtedly about Grandfather Anliki. But with Heath looking at me again with a clear smile, I couldn’t distinguish whether he knew or was just talking.

In the end, I awkwardly averted my gaze.

“It’s a shame. It must have been beautiful.”

Heath let out a small chuckle.

“Let’s go now. It’s getting late, and the festival is starting to wind down.”

As always, Heath extended his arm to me with a mild smile. While I would have accepted Heath’s escort without hesitation before, now it felt like I shouldn’t clasp his arm.

“Let’s go!”
As I looked around, Eliza quickly caught my eye. I hurriedly waved towards Eliza.

“Eliza! Do I need to carry all that?”

Eliza held the empty lizard cage in both hands.

“I’ll help!”

Even though it was an opportunity to pass the situation without revealing that I didn’t want to clasp fists with Heath, Eliza firmly shook her head.

“No! How can the young lady carry this heavy thing? My delicate arms might break straight away.”

During the vacation, thanks to the Duchess’s meals, her arms had become quite solid.

“I’ll help you.”

Heath, extending his awkwardly turned arm towards Eliza, spoke willingly.

He had a friendly smile, but there was a slight wrinkle in the corner of his eye, indicating that he noticed I was avoiding him.

It didn’t sit well with me for some reason.

“Oh! Indeed, our Prince Heath. Be a gentleman.”

Eliza chattered and cheerfully handed the lizard cage to Heath. Due to the sudden weight, Heath swayed for a moment, but Eliza just chuckled.

My mood soured even more.

“Oh… I’m sorry, Heath. Is it too heavy?”

“Why are you apologizing, Reyna… I wanted to carry it.”

Heath chuckled pleasantly.

But even he seemed to keenly feel it. That I was avoiding him.

Until we reached the Duke’s front, Heath’s gaze did not leave me. As if he was staring at me persistently, seeking an answer.

Unable to face the tender green eyes where I could vaguely read his inner turmoil, I immediately turned to Eliza with a question as soon as we entered the Duke’s presence.

“By the way, Eliza, did you teach Esmeralda how to fly lizards?”

Eliza tilted her head.

“Esmeralda, the young miss? I haven’t seen her.”

“You haven’t seen her at all?”

I was surprised and looked outside. I thought Esmeralda might be delayed because of flying the last lizard, but she was nowhere to be seen.

There was no trace of lizard fireworks in the darkening sky.

My heart sank heavily.

“It seems like Esmeralda has disappeared.”