Callid whispered to lay out a cloth on the wide lawn of the garden and watch the sky. He suggested placing delicious food nearby, reading books if bored while gazing at the sky, and eating when hungry.

The story was so warm that Bellia closed her eyes and smiled.

“It sounds like a dream.”

It was the last time they were spending together before Callid returned to the empire.

Bellia did not want to upset his mood. At least for now, she wanted to go along with him.

She was grateful that he had not forgotten her casual mention of often having picnics in the forest behind the palace as a child and had prepared this setting, and Bellia also enjoyed having such trivial conversations with him.

It had been so long since she had imagined a happy future without any worries that she couldn’t even remember when the last time was.

“We’ll be happy in that house.”

She knew he was being very considerate of her. Although Callid was quite attentive to her, she also knew that this was not his usual nature.

Seeing him become so affectionate just for her, many thoughts suddenly crossed Bellia’s mind.

“…I want to go see it.”

Bellia was curious about the future he had painted.

All the time spent in the empire had been terrible, but it seemed like only happy things would happen there. Although she had hated the empire so much, that house Callid was talking about felt like a different space.

“Please make sure to take me there.”

“Of course.”

Callid answered as he slightly raised his body and lightly kissed Bellia’s forehead.

Callid naturally climbed on top of Bellia. His knees touched Bellia’s knees. As Callid looked down at her while supporting himself with his hands on the ground, the sunlight shining on Bellia was naturally blocked.

“Your Highness. Move aside.”

“How can you speak so coldly in this situation?”

Callid narrowed his eyes.

“What situation is this exactly?”

Bellia shook the leash of her hunting dog. But as if Bellia wasn’t the only one holding that leash, Callid licked his lips with a relaxed expression. Very slowly and seductively.

Since revealing his feelings to Bellia, he had been throwing such blatant flirtations at every opportunity.

“The situation where I’m about to kiss you?”

“What are you…!”

Bellia was momentarily at a loss for words at his shameless and confident demeanor.

He keeps doing this because I let it slide a few times, but this time I absolutely must not give in…!

“Mmph!”

Bellia’s breath was taken away by Callid’s lips suddenly covering hers.

Again! Like this!

Bellia pounded on Callid’s chest. But he didn’t budge at all.

Is kissing all he thinks about when we meet?!

Although Bellia was inwardly complaining, her eyes slowly closed at the gentle touch of Callid caressing her cheek.

“…”

As the sensation of lips touching disappeared, Bellia slowly opened her eyes. Callid was smiling. He removed the hand that had been gently touching Bellia’s cheek and smoothed her hair that had stuck to her face.

“Callid.”

“Shh.”

Their lips met again. This time it was an even softer and warmer kiss than before.

Bellia unknowingly grasped his collar tightly. Even though it wasn’t the first or second time, her heart pounded every time she kissed him. As if all her determination not to waver had been in vain.

After the brief kiss ended, Bellia blankly stared at Callid.

“I wish you would be tied to my side forever. I want to keep you unable to go anywhere else, only by my side.”

Is this something to say from someone who just talked about living together in a warm house?

“That’s a crime.”

Bellia glared at Callid with a sullen expression.

Callid raised one corner of his mouth in response.

“I think it would be fine if you said you loved me.”

Callid constrained Bellia with his gaze. He stared at her persistently, not letting her escape from his eyes.

Bellia couldn’t break away from that gaze of her own will, as if someone was controlling her.

“Callid…”

“I’m waiting. Very patiently.”

Callid smiled bitterly.

Bellia’s heart ached at his expression. But even so, the words “I love you” wouldn’t come out until the end.

Even though she could have just said it as an empty phrase. Her tongue felt as if a heavy weight had been tied to it, stiffening and refusing to move.

“Don’t make that face.”

Saying that, Callid turned to the side and stood up, brushing off his clothes. Then he extended his hand to Bellia, who was still lying down and blankly staring at him.

“It’s late. Let’s go back now.”

On the day Callid left, he said goodbye with a very bright smile.

He left without any lingering attachment, saying he would be waiting for the day Bellia comes to the empire.

Bellia had thought Callid would look back at least once as he passed through the castle gates, but he never turned back even once. Feeling somewhat disappointed by this, Bellia continued to watch Callid as he departed.

Even though she would see him again in a month, she couldn’t understand why she felt so regretful.

“Sister. Do you already miss the Second Prince?”

“…No.”

Closet, who had come to see him off together, grinned meaningfully.

“You say no, but…”

“Hmph.”

Closet had become mischievous lately.

She kept looking at her with half-closed eyes and letting out strange laughs.

Bellia placed her hand on Closet’s head and patted it.

“Closet. Is it fun teasing your sister?”

“Teasing? I’m just…”

When Bellia asked kindly, Closet gradually calmed down and continued hesitantly.

“It’s just interesting to see you really seem to like the Second Prince.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a bit amusing to see you so excited and flustered like someone in love for the first time…”

That’s teasing, isn’t it?

Bellia raised an eyebrow slightly.

“I didn’t mean anything bad by it! It’s just…!”

Closet tried to explain earnestly.

But as she spoke, she seemed to feel somewhat wronged and shouted defiantly.

“Ugh! You’re leaving for the empire soon too, can’t I even joke around this much?!”

Bellia found it ridiculous, but understanding Closet’s feelings, she burst into laughter.

“Why are you going so soon anyway? You could stay a bit longer. If you go now, we’ll only see you at your wedding.”

Bellia hugged Closet lightly.

“I’m sorry. I know you’ll feel upset. But I have to go.”

“…Okay.”

Closet answered obediently.

Seeing Closet’s gloomy face, Bellia also felt dejected. So she deliberately released her arms from hugging her sister and said with an even brighter expression while clapping her hands.

“Do you remember I told you to keep your afternoon schedule open tomorrow?”

“Yes. What’s it for?”

“There’s someone I want to introduce you to.”

It was time to start wrapping up the things that needed to be finished in Ronica.

After finishing her morning schedule, Bellia organized her thoughts as she walked down the corridor. She had a month left until her departure for the empire.

During that time, she needed to lay the groundwork to prevent the Kingdom of Ronica from easily collapsing like before.

The first step was to connect Closet and Derek.

‘Even in my previous life, Closet did her best.’

The letters that adult Closet occasionally sent contained descriptions of the things she did for the kingdom, and looking at the contents, Closet had been working more than diligently, to the point of excess.

She had taken on many tasks helping Herald and handled external affairs as the person in charge. But it would have been difficult for Closet alone to grasp the international situation.

She probably didn’t know anything about her sister’s life that Raul had thoroughly controlled. She wouldn’t have thought that the empire would try to overthrow the Kingdom of Ronica.

‘Who would have thought they would invade the Empress’s home country so mercilessly.’

Bellia clenched her fist.

If she introduces Derek to Closet now, she will surely be able to judge the situation more comprehensively in this life.

Even if she and Callid fall to Raul, Closet will be able to devise ways to protect the Kingdom of Ronica from the empire.

‘Next is brother.’

She had to make Herald tougher, even if it meant digging into his weak heart and hurting him. For the sake of the Kingdom of Ronica, a ruthless heart that could cut off even herself in an instant was needed.

Her family was too weak to emotions.

If it were peaceful times, she would have left them be, but if they were to face the full impact of the chaos in the empire, it would certainly have a negative influence.

‘I should also leak some information to brother…’

After that, she needed to tell him to be greedy in the negotiations for dividing the gold mine shares.

Callid had decided to divide the gold mine shares between the two countries and notified them of this.

Callid, the discoverer of the gold mine, the Kingdom of Ronica where the gold mine is located, and the Ingot Empire, Callid’s home country.

After the negotiations, these three would divide the shares into three parts, allowing each to claim ownership of the gold mine.

At this time, the Kingdom of Ronica needed to be a little greedier.

‘We need to push the fact that Callid is a prince of the empire.’

It’s a gold mine located in the Kingdom of Ronica.

So they should demand at least 45 percent of the shares.

Even then, if the empire’s and Callid’s shares are combined, it would exceed 50 percent, so they wouldn’t be able to oppose completely.

Moreover, since the empire hadn’t helped at all in the process of discovering this gold mine, the Kingdom of Ronica’s demand was not at all unreasonable.

‘Well, Callid’s shares won’t be transferred to the empire anyway.’

Bellia continued to draw in her mind the things she had to do over the next month.

“…have. That’s…”

“Sister.”

“…then, it won’t…”

“Sister!”

“Huh?!”

Bellia was startled by the loud voice calling her and looked around.

“What are you mumbling to yourself?”

“Huh?”

Goodness. It seemed she had been walking around muttering to herself without realizing it.

As Bellia looked at Closet in embarrassment, Closet gave her a strange look.

“You’re not feeling depressed because the Second Prince left, are you?”

“What? Haha. No.”

“Then why are you standing in the hallway muttering to yourself?”

Closet narrowed her eyes more and more.

“Ah. I just had something to think about. Come on, let’s go in. The guest will be waiting.”

Bellia grabbed Closet’s shoulder and headed to the reception room where Derek would be waiting. Derek was already there, leisurely drinking tea.

Hearing Bellia enter, Derek put down his teacup and stood up to greet them.

“Princess Bellia. And Princess Closet. Nice to meet you. I’m Rain.”

Bellia smiled at his polite greeting.

“Shall we sit down first?”

At Bellia’s words, everyone sat down, and immediately maids approached to clear away the tea Derek had been drinking and set up a new refreshment table.

“First of all, the reason I arranged this meeting today is because I really wanted to introduce Rain to Closet.”

Closet gave Bellia a look as if urging her to reveal his identity.

“Rain is the branch manager of the information guild Lunes in the Kingdom of Ronica.”

“Lunes?”

Closet’s eyes widened as if she had heard of it before.

Then she turned a meaningful gaze back to Derek.

‘So he’s the branch manager of an information guild…’

Even with her favorite tart in front of her, Closet fell into deep thought. There must be a reason why Bellia was introducing this man to her.

Eventually, Closet noticed that her sister was making an unspoken request to her and smiled very brightly as she spoke.