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nSuddenly, an episode came to my mind. While the emperor was very kind and generous to me, he was unusually strict to him. I wondered why he was so strict to his only son. At that time, I thought the emperor weird because I didn’t think about the reason deeply.

n‘However… ‘

nWas that the best option for the emperor?

nI remembered an episode that I experienced before my return from the past. He was drinking tea quietly while I was chatting with the emperor. I also remembered his face that I saw in the mirror room in my dream, in which he stared at me with his father.

n“Well, I called you because I wanted to talk with you. I still think you are the best empress candidate. Although I haven’t seen them yet, these princesses won’t beat you.”

n“…I’m honored to hear that, Your Majesty.

n“By the way, it looks like the knights are very busy as there are more people you have to protect. I can’t hold you too long. You can leave now.”

n“Yes, Your Majesty. Then, let me take my leave now. ”

nAfter getting out of the palace, I looked back at the inner palace late in the evening.

nI felt heartbroken when I thought about how hard it was to understand the heart of others.

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nSince that day, the knights division has been busy protecting new VIPs. There was little change in the Royal Guard Division in charge of protecting the imperial family members, but the 1st and 2nd Knights divisions were busy protecting the princesses from many countries, coordinating with their bodyguards and other VIPs. Unless they had any compelling personal reasons, even those who were off duty were summoned to help. As the assistant to the Captain of the 1st Knights Division, I was also very busy.

nWe all had to work all through the night for several days. We went to work early in the morning and came back home late at night. No matter how much we planned in advance, things changed oftentimes. It took at least seven days for us to get accustomed to working normally.

nI sank exhausted in my office. I was torn between a desire to go back home for a full rest and a desire to sleep here in the office as I had to come to work early next morning. When I was blinking my eyes, leaning against the window, I suddenly heard someone knocking on the door.

n“Come on in.”

n“Hi, Tia.”

n“Allen? What business has brought you here?”

nI thought it might be Duke Lars or somebody else, but it was Alendis who opened the door and came in. He looked as exhausted as I was, but he smiled at me. His light green hair as well as his soft, white face also looked haggard, his emerald eyes glowed warmly. He said with a warm smile, “I came here, expecting you were exhausted.”

n“I know.”

n“As you know, knights and officials alike are all in emergency mode. I’m so tired, but you might be more tired than me. It’s not good for a grown-up lady to fall asleep in this place. ”

n“Yes.”

nI barely nodded and leaned against the window. When I was about to barely walk from the window, he held me and gave me a small box. .

n“Okay, take it.”

n“What is this, Allen?”

n“Well, I’m repaying your gift from the other day.”

nI received the box and untied the green ribbon. Inside the tiny silver box were lots of colored hair ties.

n“Wow, they’re pretty.”

n“What do you think? Like it?”

n“Yes. But you don’t have to give me so many like this…”

n“Because I didn’t know which one you would like,” he said, taking out a green hair tie from the box.

n“Don’t you know the polite thing is to try it when you receive it? Let me see. I’ll tie it for you.”

n“Huh? Okay.”

nAs I was about to tie my disheveled hair again at the moment, I turned around and unhooked the black hair tie. My thick silver hair fell down all at once. He grabbed my long hair gently and put it together. Somehow, I became drowsy.

nI slowly blinked my eyes as I felt sleepy, but suddenly I was surprised by the unexpected scene reflected on the window. Bowing his head, he was putting his lips on my silver hair. I suddenly felt wide awake.

nMy heart bled. ‘What should I do with you, Allen? Your affection for me seems to be getting deeper and deeper, but what should I do as I can’t repay you? I’d rather feel the same toward you. Whenever I try to say something to you, I feel so sorry and heartbroken to see you trying to turn away from me with a bitter smile. Allen, every time I look at you, I remember what I was like in the past, so I really don’t know what to do.’

n“…Allen. ”

nAllendis, who looked at me hesitating, just smiled, but I couldn’t smile either because his smile seemed so bitter.

n“Don’t look at me like that, Tia. I haven’t said anything to you yet.”

n“Allen.”

n“Stop there. Let’s stop talking about this. You have to go home now, my lady. ”

nFor the past few months, Allendis cut me off like this every time I hesitated.

nWhenever I felt guilty because I had to turn away even though I knew how he felt toward me, or whenever I tried to tell him I was sorry because I knew how painful it was to wait indefinitely, he just smiled and cut me off as if he was okay. The more he acted like that, the more nervous I was. What should I do? I couldn’t open my heart to him, nor could I turn away from him.

nI came out of my office with a heavy heart with Allendis. Tired, I trudged along the road leading to the wagon storage center. When I almost arrived at the destination, I saw a man and a woman walking across the street. A young man with blue hair, the crown prince, and a woman who I don’t know. I thought she was probably one of the princesses who arrived as one of the crown prince’s fiancee candidates.

nPretending to ignore them, I wanted to pass by, but I was too close to them. I stopped with a sigh and showed due manners, “I’m honored to see you, the Little Sun of the empire.”

n“I, Alendis de Verita, am honored to greet you, the Little Sun of the empire.”

n“… It’s been a long time. Are you on your way home?”

n“Yes, Your Majesty.”

nOriginally, he was cold, but his voice felt so cool today. He looked at me and Allendis with subdued eyes.

n“Oh, you have silver hair and golden eyes… May I ask if you are Lady Monique?”

n“Ah yes, I am.”

nThe moment the woman standing next to him tried to speak to me gladly, the crown prince cut her off and said, “You look very tired. So, go home and rest. ”

n“… Yes, I will, Your Majesty. Then, I’m leaving now.”

nI paused for a moment and expressed gratitude by bowing silently. He nodded lightly and turned. The woman who looked back at me wistfully before taking short steps to catch up with him.

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nI was puzzled by his weird attitude these days, but I was too tired now to think about it.

nI got in the wagon with Allendis and headed for my house.

n“How about the status of knights’ deployment?”

n“Well, as for the security of the princesses from each country, their own knights decided to protect them. Half of our knights are currently assigned to defending each palace. I think there will be about 30 knights and 70 apprentice knights for each palace. ”

n“And?”

n“For the event of a crisis, we doubled the guards at the Central Palace and the Imperial Palace. I think we have to expect some tough work for the time being.”

n“Right. Nice job, Sir Monique.”

nAbout ten days after the foreign princesses arrived in the capital, I toured the inner palace with Duke Las and checked the status of the security around major places. When I looked around the Central Palace and the crown prince’s palace and headed to the places where the princesses were staying, I saw a woman walking across from the other side.

nWith red straight hair and green eyes, she was dressed in a gorgeous green dress and walking towards the crown prince’s palace. Just like the woman I saw the other day, she was probably one of the princesses who came here as a candidate for the crown prince’s wife.

n“Hi, sirs!”

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