Callid’s greatest ally was the Tessa ducal family.

Recalling that Callid was preparing something until the very end, there must surely be some hidden power in the ducal family as well.

“Grandfather is truly a typical follower of chivalry.”

Come to think of it, when Raul was made emperor, Callid stepped down too naturally, and Duke Tessa did not become a threat. So at that time, Bellia only had a slight wariness about Duke Tessa and did not pay much attention.

Raul particularly disliked talking about Callid, and since the emperor openly favored Raul, Bellia remembers only focusing on making public opinion among the nobles and imperial citizens positive. Raul was a man who had a lot.

“What do you plan to do in the Tessa duchy?”

“I’ll look around the knight order, and meet grandfather after a long time.”

Bellia tilted her head quizzically.

Why was he trying to meet Duke Tessa now of all times? He should have already passed through the duchy and reached the Kingdom of Ronica. Yet he plans to stay there again.

‘Is there something else he’s preparing?’

She didn’t know much about Callid.

Surprised anew by this fact, Bellia leaned towards Callid and asked.

“What did you usually do in the imperial palace?”

“Well. Just spent time idling around. No one pays attention to the second prince anyway.”

Bellia felt a distance in Callid’s answer. It was as if he was deliberately avoiding answering. This was a first.

It was disconcerting that Callid, who always spoke as if he would give her everything, was hiding something from her like this.

“Still. You must have had many duties, you couldn’t have just played around.”

“Well.”

“…Don’t you want to answer?”

Callid traced Bellia’s slightly stiffened expression with his gaze, as if enjoying it.

“I’m glad you’re showing interest in me.”

“…Callid.”

“Yes. Just call my name like that.”

Bellia let out a long sigh at Callid’s behavior of constantly bringing up other topics without answering her questions.

“I don’t want to doubt you.”

As Bellia’s expression turned gloomy, this time Callid’s heart sank.

“When I leave for the empire, you’re the only one I can trust, Callid. If you hide things from me like this, I have no one I can rely on.”

Bellia bit her lip firmly.

She felt hurt. Just, her emotions were dyed with infinite sorrow.

‘What should I do with you?’

Callid covered his face with one hand.

“Bellia.”

“It might seem ridiculous for me to say this while I have things I’m hiding from you too, but…”

“No. I was wrong.”

Callid got up from his seat and approached Bellia.

Then he knelt on one knee in front of Bellia and grabbed her hand to kiss it.

“…When we arrive in the empire, I’ll tell you everything then. Really. So please wait until then.”

“Alright.”

It was already too late to bargain with his heart.

Laying everything bare and preparing together is the right thing to do.

That is the correct path.

Bellia stretched out her arms and hugged Callid’s neck.

Callid slowly descended the stairs.

And there, Raul, who had already prepared to leave, was conversing with the King of Ronica.

“I will make sure to convey this well to Father when I return.”

“Thank you. Please return safely.”

Raul, who was chatting intimately with the king, noticed Callid.

Following his gaze, the king turned his head and said with a warm smile.

“Ho ho. Then I’ll let you brothers have a conversation.”

“…Thank you for your consideration.”

The King of Ronica disappeared with other nobles and attendants.

Callid approached Raul.

“It’s just the two of us now, Callid.”

“Indeed. It feels like it’s been a while since we met like this.”

The two exchanged greetings as if they were not at all pleased to see each other.

After all, they were on terms where they tried to avoid even accidentally running into each other in the empire as much as possible.

Anyway, the emperor rarely called for Callid separately, and Raul went in and out of the emperor’s office almost daily to check in. That actually made Callid’s actions freer, which was a good thing.

“You’ve used your head quite well this time?”

At Raul’s words after a long silence, Callid raised just one corner of his mouth crookedly.

“Not really? If you say I used my head for this, wouldn’t the head attached to me feel disappointed?”

Raul didn’t like anything from Callid’s tone to his expression, but he still forced a smile for the sake of appearances.

“Don’t think this is the end of it.”

My goodness. He’s worrying over nothing.

Callid showed a very warm smile similar to his.

Then Raul’s expression hardened.

“…You don’t think anything will change with just one gold mine, do you?”

“Of course not. I haven’t even started yet.”

‘I will be the one to become emperor.’

Callid and Raul smiled while harboring the same thought in their hearts, hiding a very sharply honed knife in their chests.

For the day when they would someday stab that knife into the back of the person in front of them.

“Princess Bellia, the gold mine, and subjugating magical beasts… Yes. You were lucky this time. I’ll admit that.”

Since Callid himself felt that he had been lucky, he affirmed Raul’s words for the first time in a very long time. Of course, they weren’t close enough to laugh and chat happily about it, so he asked a bit sarcastically.

“Your attitude doesn’t seem like you’re admitting it though?”

“Haha. What are you talking about?”

Raul laughed heartily.

As if leisurely implying that someone like you is no match for me.

Callid, who found that sight unpleasant, said with a very deep smile.

“Well, if you’re upset, why don’t you go crying and clinging to His Majesty? You’re good at that, aren’t you?”

Running to His Majesty tattling whenever something happens.

“Callid.”

“Being the beloved prince. It’s really comfortable and nice, isn’t it?”

“Your words are harsh.”

“Only as much as elder brother. I’ve learned and seen it all from you.”

Raul couldn’t hold back and opened his mouth to say something.

“Princess Bellia…”

“Stop. Don’t carelessly mention my woman.”

Callid was extremely annoyed that Raul would bring up Bellia with such a face full of lingering affection.

“Look, elder brother, you usually get bored of everything quickly. It’s not good to see you obsessing just because you weren’t chosen.”

Callid mocked while patting Raul’s shoulder.

So now lose interest in Bellia.

“…I’ll go to the empire first.”

Raul bit his lip, apparently upset.

Callid didn’t forget to grate on his nerves until the very end.

“Travel safely. Don’t carelessly waste the life I saved for you.”

“…”

Without any reply, Raul turned his body abruptly. Then he strode out of the castle, leading the knights. Callid, who watched that sight without taking his eyes off until the end, tilted his head slightly.

A clear smile was etched on his face.

It had been a while since they went on a picnic to the forest near the royal castle, so Bellia was in a very excited state. It was the first time she had come here since regression. From Bellia’s perspective, it had been over 10 years since she last came to this forest.

“You’ll fall like that.”

Callid held out his hand towards Bellia. Then Bellia laughed gaily and grasped that hand.

“I have to be able to cross this much!”

Then she stepped forward with all her might to step on and cross over the next rock. Callid followed her with a face full of laughter, shaking his head as if he couldn’t help it.

“Bellia. How is it, coming out after a long time?”

“I’m really so happy.”

“You’re happier because I’m by your side, right?”

Callid asked playfully.

Then Bellia smiled broadly and ran forward pitter-patter.

Normally she would have just laughed it off, but soon she affirmed with a bright smile.

“Yes. Thank you for coming with me.”

Callid felt like it was the first time he had seen Bellia smile so brightly. That expression of just smiling purely focused on emotions, as if truly happy without any other thoughts, kept entering his eyes and leaving an afterimage.

Seeing Bellia’s smiling face made him realize anew that she hadn’t been smiling out of true happiness until now.

“Before you leave for the empire, I wanted to spend time like this.”

Callid stopped by Bellia’s side, taking large strides.

Then as he slightly extended his arm, Bellia laughed out loud and grabbed that arm.

“If I had known it would be like this, I should have come out often.”

“That’s right. I hadn’t thought of going out together outside the castle.”

“When we return to the empire, we can go out together. I know many good places here and there.”

It felt strange to Bellia to hear the words “go out” come from his mouth. Perhaps it felt even more pleasant because she knew it wouldn’t actually happen.

“Sounds good. Let’s go out to various places. At a leisurely pace.”

Callid and Bellia walked through the forest for a long time, holding hands. They watched the sunlight come down between the trees creating pillars of light, and quietly listened to the sound of a small stream flowing.

Then they spread out a slightly thick cloth on a low hill and sat comfortably on top of it.

“Ahhh.”

Bellia stretched out her arms and lay back.

Her mother, the queen, would surely nag that this wasn’t behavior befitting a princess if she saw this, but right now she just wanted to be comfortable.

Seeing Bellia flop down on her back, Callid chuckled and lay down beside her.

“The sky is pretty, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve looked at the sky like this.”

Somehow the clouds moving slowly seemed leisurely. Just entrusting themselves to the wind and flowing along as they were.

“The sky was always this blue and clear…”

Why had she been walking in such pitch-black darkness?

“Bellia?”

“Ah. Just… Suddenly I feel like floating slowly like a cloud.”

Bellia laughed emptily.

She had said she would tell him everything, but she needed time to prepare her heart step by step until then.

Preparation to fully accept the past and further strengthen herself.

Preparation to reveal her miserable pain to someone.

Preparation to grasp hope that she could paint a better future.

That’s right. Bellia needed preparation.

“I have a house in the empire.”

At Callid’s sudden words, Bellia turned her head sideways.

“It’s my own house that I prepared myself. A truly complete house of my own, not received from the imperial family.”

“How did you prepare it?”

“I do many things. Most notably, I operate a merchant group. At first I thought I was going to lose everything, but somehow I established myself well and made quite a lot of money.”

“Did you buy the house with that money?”

Callid grinned.

“Yes. It was the first thing I owned for myself.”

A mansion built on the outskirts of the capital of the Ingot Empire.

Callid explained enthusiastically that it was a very luxurious and beautiful villa built by a great noble family that had fallen long ago, and above all, the garden was much larger than the house, so it felt endlessly open. Being on the outskirts of the capital, it was very good for staying quietly, he said.

After talking about that house for a long time, he suddenly smiled deeply and stopped speaking. Then he turned towards Bellia and slowly opened his mouth.

“Let’s live there, Bellia.”