Rustle, rustle, the sound of examining documents broke the silence.

Though it was a bit dark, Bellia was intently examining documents about recent demonic beast movements, as if it were no problem at all.

‘……There are no reports of sightings.’

It was clearly not long after the talk of engagement with Raul had passed.

Around this time, reports of demonic beast sightings should have come in from those searching the gold mines.

Could there be an error in her memory?

Bellia carefully looked again for information on recently subjugated demonic beasts or sightings.

‘What is going on here?’

Finally closing the documents she had been looking at, she picked up a pen next to her and organized her memories on blank paper.

There is a mountain range that crosses the Kingdom of Ronica and the Ingot Empire. That was exactly where everyone was desperately trying to find gold mines.

There was a wide and large river crossing between mountains in that range, and there were reports of demonic beast sightings around it.

Among those searching the mountain range for gold mines, the number of people who had seen these demonic beasts was gradually increasing.

When the situation became unusual, a subjugation schedule was immediately set. Of course, Raul was at the forefront.

Not only could he achieve merit by defeating demonic beasts, but if lucky, he might even obtain magic stones. There was no way he would miss out on such an opportunity.

‘But now there are not even reports about those demonic beasts.’

Why has it changed?

The only thing that had changed from the past during the period when reports should have come in was that Bellia and Raul had not become lovers.

“Suspicious……”

Bellia considered all possibilities.

‘Did the demonic beasts not appear?’

That couldn’t be.

Then were the reports omitted?

The reports coming up from the investigation team were basically managed by Raul.

It was natural since he was the representative of the investigation team dispatched from the Empire.

‘He’s up to something.’

There’s a high probability he intercepted the reports midway. He’s trying to monopolize the information.

If not for that, there’s no way there would be no reports like this.

Even if the people from the Ingot Empire try not to share information, they can’t hide it perfectly. After all, there were also people from the Kingdom of Ronica among those dispatched as the investigation team.

Surely they would have submitted reports too, and there’s a possibility those were intercepted by Raul.

‘What’s his intention?’

Is he planning to monopolize the magic stones by himself?

If she didn’t have information about the future, she would have passed by without knowing anything about such demonic beasts at all.

That fact made her so angry.

Just how many things had been hidden from her in her previous life?

“……”

In the past, Raul had left to subjugate demonic beasts, leading his knights.

But that first subjugation…

‘……was a complete failure.’

Bellia remembered the situation from that time very accurately.

After seeing Raul off, she couldn’t sleep properly every night worrying about him.

In the end, she threw a tantrum to her father for the first time and left to meet Raul, taking knights of the Kingdom of Ronica with her.

And then she was barely able to rescue Raul, who was being miserably defeated by the demonic beasts.

‘Are you alright?’

‘……Bellia. Leave me alone for a while.’

He seemed very hurt in his pride at the fact that he had failed to subjugate the demonic beasts and had to be rescued. Feeling guilty for hurting Raul’s feelings, Bellia tried to be of help somehow.

The terrain here, types of demonic beasts, current military strength, possibility of subjugation……

She remembered trying her best that day, combining all the knowledge she had for Raul’s sake.

‘Raul. I have a way.’

Bellia awoke from her reverie.

If Raul is really blocking information about the demonic beasts, there’s only one reason.

Raul is being greedy again now without knowing his limits.

Just like then, he probably wants to take all the credit for himself.

‘I won’t let that happen.’

In her previous life, Callid had never come to the Ronica Empire. Moreover, she had become lovers with him then, as the princess of the Kingdom of Ronica. Everything would have flowed smoothly according to his thoughts.

But now, nothing he had planned had come to fruition.

Bellia had rejected Raul, and Callid, who should have been in the Ingot Empire, unexpectedly visited the Kingdom of Ronica. Moreover, he insists that he is lovers with Bellia, whom he had proposed to.

The gold mines they had been searching for still hadn’t been discovered.

From his perspective, it was understandable to be impatient as he hadn’t achieved anything.

“Is he trying to subjugate alone?”

While overestimating his abilities like back then.

“Hmm.”

The corners of her mouth kept rising.

Perhaps things could become easier.

After all, Bellia had no intention of going to rescue Raul this time.

‘But it can’t be helped.’

If he were to die while visiting the Kingdom of Ronica, it could become a major diplomatic issue.

Moreover, it could become a justification for the Empire to attack the Kingdom later.

She couldn’t allow that to happen.

‘And I won’t let him die so easily.’

Bellia intended to watch as Raul became increasingly miserable.

So this time, she planned to have Callid, not herself, go rescue him.

To owe his life to Callid, whom he dislikes so much, wouldn’t that greatly hurt Raul’s pride given his personality?

With this incident, the 1st Prince would become known as the foolish prince who failed trying to recklessly subjugate.

Bellia’s hand moved cheerfully as she wrote a letter.

‘First, I need to confirm if Raul is really diverting information.’

And then she needed to prepare thoroughly so that Raul couldn’t escape.

Bellia decided to entrust that task to Callid.

Having thought this far, Bellia’s hand paused for a moment.

‘More than that, why on earth……’

Thinking about his recent behavior made her head throb with pain.

‘It would be good to send him away for a while, killing two birds with one stone.’

Having finished her deliberation, Bellia quickly finished writing the letter she had been working on and sealed it.

“Princess. It’s time.”

A maid approached and said carefully.

Bellia handed the written letter to the maid and said.

“Please deliver this to Prince Callid.”

Today was the day of a tea party with the noble young ladies.

Though she didn’t like such occasions, due to her status as a princess, she had to make time for them once in a while. Bellia rose from her seat and headed towards the garden with light steps.

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The noble young ladies participating in the tea party chattered incessantly about the imperial princes who had recently visited the kingdom, as they seemed to be very popular.

“Princess. How did you meet His Highness Prince Callid?”

“We were connected by a very chance opportunity. I’m sorry I can’t tell you the details, as we agreed to keep it our secret.”

“Oh my, not at all! We asked too personal a question. We’re sorry.”

Bellia smiled and accepted her apology.

“Rather than that, I heard a new dessert came out at Marian’s shop.”

Bellia naturally changed the topic. Thus, the conversation flowed on various subjects for quite some time.

Bellia, who originally didn’t like such occasions, was a bit tired, but maintained a smiling face till the end and listened attentively to their words.

“Bellia.”

Just then, a low and deep voice that shouldn’t be heard here rang out.

All the noble young ladies participating in the tea party turned their heads to look in the direction the voice came from.

There stood Callid, smiling and holding a bright bouquet of flowers.

Bellia, upon discovering this sight, let out a small sigh that no one could notice.

‘Right. I knew this would happen.’

One of the things that had been getting on her nerves lately was this very behavior of Callid’s.

Ridiculously, as soon as she decided she should distance herself from him, Callid’s attitude changed in an instant.

‘Even before, he was quite kind for dealing with a contractor, but……’

Recently, his demeanor of treating her like a truly beloved lover kept bothering her and made a corner of her heart uncomfortable.

Bellia first rose from her seat with a leisurely smile and approached him.

“What brings you here, Callid?”

“I wanted to give you this.”

Callid held out a beautifully wrapped bouquet.

“Lilies?”

“They were blooming beautifully in the garden. Seeing them made me think of you. Since you’re having a tea party, I thought it would be nice to decorate this place with them.”

Callid said with a brazen smile.

Bellia looked alternately at the bouquet and Callid. Of all flowers, it had to be lilies.

The pure lilies and Callid’s sharply honed atmosphere had very contrasting auras.

Somehow, it was an extremely ill-matching combination.

“Oh my.”

“Prince Callid……”

Though they might have thought they were speaking quietly, the noble young ladies’ whisperings reached Bellia’s ears.

Bellia, holding the bouquet, leaned against Callid’s chest and hugged him.

As if she was so touched she didn’t know what to do.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

Callid replied thus and tightly embraced Bellia who was leaning on him.

Then he smiles as if pleased.

“……That’s enough now.”

“How cold. I came all this way with a bouquet of flowers thinking of you.”

Callid whispered into her ear in a voice so low only she could hear.

Bellia was dumbfounded.

She thought she had clearly drawn the line the moment she felt herself wavering towards him. After that, she distanced herself even more thoroughly.

But looking at the bouquet, which was already who knows how many times, she couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.

Her heart pounded again at his figure that instantly narrowed the wide gap she had created. This was dangerous.

“Callid.”

She needed to send him away quickly.

If she let him stay here, who knows what he might do.

But this time, Callid was faster than Bellia.

He grabbed Bellia’s shoulders to separate her from his embrace and spoke to the nobles attending the tea party.

“I’m sorry for taking away the ladies’ time. Then, have a good time.”

What?!

Bellia looked at him with a bewildered face.

“Bellia. I just dropped by because I wanted to see you. Now that I’ve seen your face, I’ll be going.”

Callid bid farewell with a clean attitude, as if without any lingering attachment, and brought his face close to Bellia’s ear.

“I received your letter well. I’ll look into that as quickly as possible.”

Then he skillfully retreats, putting distance between them again as much as she wanted. Somehow that behavior felt a bit annoying.

But everyone was watching them. In the end, watching Callid turn his back and disappear, Bellia could only bid him farewell with a kind greeting.

[This is the timeline separator]

Callid’s face, which had been wearing a smile, quickly hardened as soon as he left the garden.

He had smiled kindly in front of Bellia while hiding his impatient feelings, but in truth, he too was already at his limit.

“Ha……”

Callid ran his hand over his face.

Even to himself, his behavior that didn’t suit him felt unfamiliar.

When he first saw her, he never thought he would end up behaving like this.

The intimate scene with another man that he had seen by chance kept bothering him. It was just interesting to watch, and it slightly bothered him, but…… After that day, that scene dominated his mind all day long.

Moreover, what angered him most was that after proposing dating and marriage first, she immediately distanced herself as soon as they became emotionally entangled.

“Am I a fool or what.”

There’s no way she doesn’t know what this feeling is, right?

Once realized, the emotion crashed relentlessly like angry waves.

He wanted Bellia to smile only at him. He wanted her to focus all her attention only on him.

‘But the moment I reveal my true feelings, she’ll surely run away from me.’

He won’t let that happen.

Callid’s eyes settled calmly.