They may have walked for about 5 more minutes. With each step, the floral scent grew thicker and the sunlight that had been obscured by the densely thick trees gradually began to reveal itself.

Where on earth was this place? What could be here? Elaina looked around with wide eyes.

And Sinclair’s destination was in the middle of an incredibly beautiful forest.

It was a place where various kinds of flowers bloomed in profusion, where butterflies danced, and where the sunlight shone so warmly.

“This place is…”

“This entire area is my land.”

Sinclair said with a grin.

“To be precise, it was land bestowed by the Emperor to my mother long ago. After her passing, it was nearly taken back by the Imperial Palace, but I managed to protect it tooth and nail. Along with that villa.”

It was a meaningful place that he had desperately protected. To think there was such a place in Edenbell. While the forest itself was beautiful, the spot they were currently standing in seemed the most beautiful of all the places they had passed through while walking in the woods.

“But the center is empty.”

Elaina tilted her head slightly and pointed to the vacant lot.

“It looks like it was artificially cleared…”

There seemed to be no need to go through such trouble, so why did they do it? It was at that very moment when Elaina’s eyes widened.

“Do you like it?”

“Pardon?”

“Do you think your mother would like it too?”

“……”

“In my opinion… it seems quite nice.”

[I was hoping you could relocate my mother’s grave.] [Grave?]

The words that suddenly crossed her mind were…

[Melvin will be imprisoned for the time being, but not for life. If I show even a bit of defiance, he always threatened me. Saying he would dig up your mother’s grave at any time to show you. Asking if you didn’t want to see it too.]

It was a conversation she had with Sinclair some time ago.

[So I’m worried. He will definitely hold a grudge against me…] [You should handle that yourself. Demolish the Aswald family’s mansion and build a new structure there. Then, it would be good to relocate your mother’s grave to that place. Or you can move it somewhere else entirely. Melvin was a man obsessed with power and wealth, so he will have left you with a lot.]

Elaina finally realized belatedly.

Why Sinclair had brought her to this place.

“I said I would return all of the Aswald family’s assets to the Imperial family, right? Of course, even if I hadn’t returned that money, it would have been nearly impossible to acquire this land, but still.”

Sinclair continued with a grin.

“This is undeniably Imperial land, so you don’t have to worry about someone desecrating the grave.”

“……”

“Also, the distance is much closer than before, so it will be easier for your mother to watch over you, don’t you think?”

Sinclair’s long, outstretched finger pointed down below.

Elaina naturally shifted her gaze to follow his finger and unconsciously made a blank expression.

From this hill, the Imperial Palace of Edenbell could be seen very clearly.

“I don’t think it’s bad.”

Especially Sinclair’s Prince’s Palace.

“If it’s fine with you, we can bring your mother here right away.”

“……”

“There are people who have been guarding the cemetery even after driving out the Melvin family. They should be on standby now.”

The flowers in full bloom.

The refreshing breeze blowing.

The warm sunlight shining down.

Everything Mother had loved so dearly.

And…

[Our Ellie has such quick feet!]

It was a very old memory now, but before her mother passed away.

Elaina’s mother often took her out of the mansion. In a way, it was only natural. She wanted to minimize the time her young daughter had to eat her meals in discomfort at the Count’s house.

So the mother and daughter would sometimes leisurely walk through the forest hand in hand and run on sloping hills.

[Running like this makes you feel really refreshed, doesn’t it?] [Yes!]

And she would always come back, covered in sweat just like her daughter, facing the wind and asking.

[I like this. The scent of flowers, the warm breeze, the gentle sunlight… After running for a while and sitting like this, it feels like I can go anywhere.] [Then shall we go together?]

At her daughter’s childish words, her mother laughed bitterly.

She couldn’t understand it then, but now she knew. Melvin’s obsessive fixation on her mother would have endlessly pursued them no matter where the mother and daughter tried to escape to.

[I don’t think I can do that… But Ellie, you’re different from me.] [……] [You can go anywhere, you can travel anywhere. I promise. You take after me and have very quick feet.]

Elaina still vividly remembered. The warmth of her mother who had held her tightly in her arms while saying those sad yet affectionate words.

This hill seemed to resemble the hill from that day.

“Yes…”

So Elaina parted her lips slightly with a choked voice.

“I think… she would like it very much…”

But what should I do after leaving Edenbell? This is Imperial land, so I won’t be able to come here easily once I step down from being the Crown Princess.

It was at that moment when she was having such thoughts.

“Shall I teach you how to ride a horse next time?”

At Sinclair’s words, Elaina’s blue eyes shook greatly.

− The best thing about this year was learning to ride a horse. Someday when I grow taller, I might be able to give Mother a ride. But Mother told me to give a ride to the woman I love instead. Saying it would make a better picture…

That diary.

− I’m not sure what love is, but if I ever have a woman I love, I will teach her how to ride a horse instead of giving her a ride. Then, even when I’m not around, that woman can ride a horse whenever she wants to. Without waiting for me. I don’t like someone waiting for me. Because waiting is too painful.

As if that passage was vividly crossing her mind.

“Then, even if I’m not here, you can comfortably come whenever you want to.”

“……”

“Of course, I don’t mind if you ask me. But I feel like you would needlessly feel sorry about it.”

Strangely, Sinclair seemed to be…

Like someone who had made a promise about the future with her. As if he had completely forgotten about the 1-year contract period.

Or did he want to pretend not to know?

…Why?

“……”

His golden eyes, filled with sunlight, were shining brightly as they held Elaina.

He was well aware that his petty desire to keep her from leaving was too shabby and shoddy.

But.

Living a lifetime of atonement like this…

Wouldn’t it not be so bad?

Couldn’t it be said that it’s not too terrible?

The selfishness of wanting to keep Elaina by his side in any way possible had already begun to sprout deep within Sinclair’s heart without him even realizing it.

Various unfamiliar emotions that had begun to dampen his heart, which had been as dry and crumbly as a midday desert, scattering meaninglessly.

The joy, happiness, and sense of stability that Sinclair thought he would never experience again.

Using Elaina’s increasingly dampening heart as soil and the ever-deepening emotions as nutrients, they grew more and more.

He couldn’t possibly let go of Elaina again, whom he had finally managed to grasp even just the hem of her clothing.

Elaina was still a warm person who shone like the sun.

There was a time when he had lost that warmth, the only thing that had melted his frozen body and heart, forever. Now that he had miraculously regained that warmth, Sinclair never wanted to lose it. It was clear that he would no longer be able to live if that happened.

It wasn’t that he wanted to keep her by his side because he wanted to live, but he had no confidence in living without her.

If I ask you to stay by my side, to remain with me, what would you answer?

Would you readily say you would do so? Or would you make a troubled expression, saying it would be difficult?

Would I lose you forever like that time? Again?

“If…”

And it was after a considerable amount of time had passed that Elaina slowly parted her lips.

“If only someone had told me that there was a person like you in this world…”

“……”

“Then I might have been a little less sad.”

Then I wouldn’t have cried until both my eyes were worn out.

I wouldn’t have lost all of my cheerful self from those days.

With Elaina’s words, the two didn’t utter any more words for a long time.

It was because they had a vague understanding of what they were feeling for each other at this moment, even though they hadn’t directly expressed their hearts.

Also, what they feared the most.

Perhaps voicing their true feelings was itself frightening. Because if they did, they might truly be unable to turn back from anything.

The reason my heart keeps being tickled like this, making me unable to endure myself, is surely because of your existence. Elaina thought.

What should I name this emotion? No, should I rather not name it? If it gets a name, it will never disappear and I won’t be able to pretend not to know.

Wouldn’t it be too irresponsible for me, who can’t do a single thing for you, to do such a thing?

So Elaina couldn’t utter any words. As if understanding her feelings, or perhaps because he felt the same way, Sinclair didn’t ask anything further.

Yet, they never let go of each other’s hands that they were tightly holding.

Because that was the only thing they could grasp from each other for now.