Elaina returned to the prince’s palace quietly with Sinclair.

Nothing special happened. They did not continue the conversation they had in the northern forest, nor did they bring up any uncomfortable words by drawing out each other’s emotions.

They simply fell asleep in a way that had somehow become familiar.

Lying facing each other, quietly.

And peacefully again.

Then, an unexpected guest came to see Elaina around noon the next day.

“You don’t know how worried I was! But I’m so glad things worked out like this.”

In the backyard of the prince’s palace.

Sitting in front of a luxuriously decorated table, Perin Ilain was still unable to completely hide her agitated tone as she continued speaking.

“So, did you come to see me because you were worried, young lady?”

“Of course. When I first heard that absurd scandal, I actually had a dilemma. I thought I should quickly inform the prince and punish the one who spread the rumor… Oh, excuse me. Anyway, I thought it should be dealt with.”

This was the first time a girl of her age had been concerned about her. But she didn’t dislike it. Rather, she was excited as if she had made a friend.

So Elaina looked at Perin with a smile.

“Actually, others were very worried too, but I came here secretly alone. Sometimes there are conversations that only work between women, don’t you think?”

“By others, you mean…”

“You saw it that day too, right? Duke Voltaire, Viscount Dwayne, and Duke Ryan were there together.”

Suddenly, as if recalling Ryan’s words that day, Elaina paused briefly.

“Of course, Lady Regas also made a fuss, but of all days, she had a terrible stomachache? She must have drunk too much wine. I always tell her to drink in moderation, but she never listens.”

Perin kept chattering on.

“Ah, right. Did you all return safely that day? I was quite touched that you came to see me. It felt like I had my own support.”

“Of course! We are naturally on your side, Elaina. I don’t know why, but even though things were resolved well, Duke Ryan didn’t seem to be in a good mood… The duke is not one to reveal his inner thoughts, so I don’t really know the reason either.”

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t figure out why the only son of the Henade family, who never got involved in political strife, acted that way that day and why he returned in a bad mood.

“But it seems the prince is away at the moment.”

“Ah, yes. He went to meet with the knights. There was something he needed to confirm.”

To be precise, he had gone to meet with the Rainhel Mercenaries, Winhel, and the ledgers and managers from the Kahel Orphanage. To check exactly how much Hister had laundered so far, and also to examine how he had been expanding the scale of his private soldiers.

“But you said you’ve been on expeditions with the prince before, young lady?”

“Yes. Not only in the last war, but about five times if you count by number. Of course, that doesn’t mean the prince was particularly grateful to me.”

In any case, the Ilain family was a family that had protected Edenbell for generations with their excellent martial arts skills.

The fact that Perin, the only bloodline and only daughter of such a viscount family, had joined the war together meant that she was not following the will of the current royal family but giving strength to Sinclair.

He must have known that. In the midst of it all, Elaina laughed, thinking that Sinclair’s behavior of acting upright was just like him.

“Well, it’s not like I want that kind of special treatment. Because…”

Perin lowered her voice and whispered.

“If the prince is a scoundrel, I’ve been called a female scoundrel a lot. If rumors spread that I’m even getting special treatment, wouldn’t the prince and I be lumped together and get even more criticism?”

She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at this. But Perin’s expression as she said those words was so serious that Elaina couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Perin was the same.

“Come to think of it, you must have a lot of questions about the prince, Elaina.”

“The nickname ‘scoundrel’ was given to him when he was young, but nicknames like ‘murderer’ originated on the battlefield.”

“…Was there anything special that happened on the battlefield?”

“Actually, there’s nothing really special. As you know, on the battlefield, if I don’t kill the enemy, I’ll be the one to die, right?”

Perin continued speaking.

“The prince simply fought hard. Of course, thanks to His Majesty, the situation was never good, so he must have been more desperate, but…”

“…”

“To be really honest, I could understand the nickname ‘scoundrel’, but the nickname ‘murderer’ was a bit puzzling.”

“Why?”

“I had the chance to guard him a few times with Schuler, so I saw it several times. The prince getting hit by a sword and hovering between life and death for days.”

He always returned alive with news of victory, but it would be a lie to say he was never injured.

She knew such facts, but this was the first time hearing the story directly from someone who had been there, so Elaina pricked up her ears and listened intently to Perin’s words.

“Sometimes it was just minor injuries, but there were times when his life really hung in the balance. But every time, he would say strange things.”

“…What did he say?”

“That there was something he had to do.”

“…”

“So he absolutely could not die like this. He muttered it like a spell, even though he was barely conscious.”

Perin still vividly remembered. The words that Sinclair, intoxicated by potent medicine and excruciating pain, had ceaselessly uttered while not in his right mind.

“But well, I thought it might be related to the throne.”

After checking that no one was around, Perin spoke in a small voice.

“If it’s something the prince says he ‘must do’… there can’t be anything else, right?”

Elaina quietly imagined it. In the middle of a battlefield full of pools of bright red blood and dismembered corpses, Sinclair muttering to himself that he couldn’t die like this.

Sinclair, who had been so lonely by himself like that.

“Although his reputation wasn’t good, whenever he went to the battlefield, all the soldiers followed the prince like a god without exception. It was probably because they had faith that they could win if they were with the prince. I was the same.”

“…I see.”

“Yes. Anyway, what I told you today is a secret. Actually, the prince still can’t remember my name properly. He still calls me Parin or Pirin. I don’t really want to let him know I have a loose tongue and make him memorize my name.”

“He often gets confused with the maids’ names too. He calls Judith and Anna Andina and Jus. I don’t think he does it on purpose to you, young lady.”

“I thought he only did that to me, but I’m quite relieved to hear he does it to everyone. It’s good news amidst our conversation.”

Perin nodded and muttered, and Elaina smiled faintly. Perin’s honest display of emotions was cute and also amusing.

After that, Perin continued talking endlessly.

From “Those bastards who attack women in such a petty way should all be killed to come to their senses”, to “If you want, Elaina, I can do that for you anytime”, to “May I visit you often like this next time?” It was quite hectic.

“Then I will take my leave now, Elaina.”

It was late afternoon when Perin got up from her seat. She smiled brightly after finishing almost all the luxurious desserts and refreshments prepared by Judith and Anna.

“It’s almost dinner time, so you should have a meal with the prince, Elaina.”

Elaina marveled at Perin’s digestion, eating that much food with that thin body and still having dinner.

“Ah, and the next gathering hasn’t been scheduled yet. I think it’s because there have been many noisy incidents here and there. But when a date is set, Lady Anellie will send someone, so let’s go together that day too.”

“Yes, let’s do that. But even if the gathering date isn’t set, I would be thrilled if you visit me like today. Next time, Lady Regas can come together too.”

At Elaina’s kind words, Perin smiled brightly. Then, for some reason, she asked for Elaina’s understanding and gave her a tight hug before starting to leave.

‘…I should head back too.’

Since it was about time for Sinclair to return, she thought it would be good to go to the prince’s palace now. Moreover, her legs felt slightly swollen from sitting for a long time, so Elaina slowly got up from her chair.

And it was at that very moment.

“…Huh?”

Turning her head, Elaina discovered someone she never expected to run into like this.

As soon as their eyes met, that someone was startled and stood frozen in place.

“How did you get here…?”

With a puzzled expression, Elaina began to slowly approach him with a limping gait…

“Prince Chaz.”

…Chaz bowed his head deeply with an even redder face than usual.