An engagement that was long overdue, considering our ages. A marriage that must be fulfilled as the next Duke.

It was really not something to be taken lightly, and I felt dazed as if suddenly confronted with a forgotten fact.

How bittersweet was it to see a child I had adored since childhood now fully grown? I couldn’t easily define this discomfort.

“Ah, our Reyna is so angelic. I have no one else to rely on but you.”

The Duchess, holding my hand, sighed.

“If Kyrion were someone else, he wouldn’t listen to a word, but if it’s you, maybe he’ll listen a little.”

The Duchess’s words contained trust in me and some faint hopes.
They always looked at me with warm eyes, but for some reason, it felt burdensome, and I couldn’t bring myself to meet their gaze.

I fidgeted with the fingers held by the Duchess.

“Why did you suddenly come up with this plan… May I ask?”

The Duchess let out a deep sigh again. The slightly wrinkled eyes seemed filled with worries more than when I first came to the Duke’s residence.

“Today, Kyrion said he has no intention of getting engaged.”

Suddenly, Kyrion, who was urgently summoned to the Duke’s office in the morning, came to mind.

Since the sole heir of the Duke’s family declared that he would not get engaged, it was natural for the Duke and Duchess to be concerned.

“I’ve known it since he was young, but now that it’s confronted with reality, my feelings are complicated. I feel like I should give up on Kyrion, but it’s not that easy.”

The Duchess, who touched her forehead, lowered her head.

“I’m not asking for much. I just want him to live an ordinary and simple life like others.”

‘Just live an ordinary and simple life like others.’ Those words pierced deep into my heart.

The Duchess, who had been silent for a while, smiled faintly at me.

“Have I been too talkative? Oh well, really.”

Then, she gently stroked my hair.

“If it’s too burdensome, you don’t have to do it. Just think of it comfortably.”

“Oh, no.”

In the end, I made a choice. Whatever discomfort it may bring, I decided to ignore it for the sake of those who truly considered me as their ‘daughter.’

“I will do it…, Mother.”

My fist involuntarily clenched. When the Duchess embraced me, it was suffocating, yet the warmth I wanted to lean on enveloped me.

“Thank you very much. After all, there’s only you, my daughter.”

As we walked out into the corridor, a sigh burst out involuntarily.

My heart was still pounding uncomfortably.

However, there was no change in my belief that my choice was the right one.

It was something I had prepared for anyway. Sooner or later, as the only successor of the Istira Duke’s family, Kyrion had to marry a suitable lady from a noble family.

Although it was just a pretense of being a sister, I had to sincerely congratulate Kyrion when that day came.

But the more I thought about it, the more an inexplicable reluctance crept in.

“Is it because I’ve known him since he was so young…?”

Even though I wasn’t his real sister, Kyrion treated me quite well.

My feelings kept getting ambiguous.

Suddenly, I had such thoughts. Could I really watch Kyrion get engaged and married?

“Reyna.”

Someone called me straightforwardly from behind.

“Heath!”

“Reyna, if you’re not too busy right now, could you spare some time? I have something important to talk about.”

Heath smiled kindly, but there was an inexplicable determination in his eyes.

“Of course. I can always make time.”

But instead of starting the conversation, Heath hesitated. Glancing at the servants passing by in the corridor, Heath finally opened his mouth.

“Not here… Could we talk somewhere else?”
I carefully nodded, even though Heath’s cautious appearance seemed a bit perplexing.

The place Heath led me to was an abandoned labyrinth garden, the very garden I had explored behind Esmeralda.

“I’m sorry, Reyna. Is the location a bit unusual?”

Heath seemed concerned, probably worrying that I might not adapt well to this challenging environment, not knowing that I had been wandering through the bushes here a few days ago.

“I was planning to find another place, but the Duke forbade everything.”

“Considering the location, is it something important?”

Heath’s eyes, which had faintly smiled, tensed as if with nervousness.

“You’ll know when we get there.”

Finally reaching the center of the maze, I was surprised by a completely different scene than a few days ago.

The fountain, once covered in moss, now spouted a clean stream of water onto pristine blue marble.

The overgrown central grass field had been neatly arranged, and a small picnic table was set up for us.

“Let’s sit for now.”

Still taken aback by the changed scenery, I cautiously sat down when Heath pulled out a chair for me.

“Did Heath prepare all of this?”

The table was filled with refreshing lemonade and snacks. As I sucked in the lemony beverage, a cool lime flavor filled my mouth.

Heath, who hadn’t been seen for a while, must have been busy preparing all this.

Heath extended a plate full of biscuits toward me.

“It’s really important. It took a while to prepare.”

Before picking up a biscuit, I hesitated for a moment. While a crispy biscuit would have been more fitting for the lemonade, something sweeter and chewier, like the brownie on the opposite side of the table, would have been even better.

But I couldn’t refuse Heath’s kind offer, so I grabbed one and crunched it.

“What’s this important matter?”

In response to my questioning look, Heath took out a letter from his pocket. The already opened letter bore the royal seal of the Krysia royal family.

“My father has made a decision. I will be appointed as the Crown Prince.”

“Heath…! Congratulations!”

It was the news I had longed to hear. I felt relieved at the thought of repaying even a little of what I had received from Heath. As a result, a bright smile naturally spread across my face.

“So, our contract is undoubtedly a success.”

Heath chuckled slightly as he lowered the letter.

“Our contract…”

Heath, with a vague end to his words, slowly stood up.

“In fact, that’s why I called Reyna here.”

Then, he knelt down and took out a small box from his pocket.