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n“To the village?”

n“Yes. When I saw the festive village on my way to the palace, it looked a lot of fun. I heard that the street festival will continue three more days after the banquet is over. ”

nWhen I heard that, I suddenly recalled the outside scenery while I was going to the palace on the first day of the festival. I wanted to go out on the street crowded with people, but I gave up, just thinking I could have a chance one day.

n“Sure. In fact, I was curious, too.”

n“Great. You promised me, okay?”

n“Yes.”

nWe were already at the end of the song even when we didn’t seem to have talked much.

nI made two turns to the left, then grabbed the edge of my skirt to show manners.

nHe also bowed to me as an etiquette.

nAfter I stepped out of the dance floor, I looked at the place where the princesses were chatting.

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nBut there was only Princess Moira, surrounded by the ladies of the noble factions, and two princesses staring at her from a distance. I couldn’t find the crown prince. As I couldn’t find him anywhere in the banquet hall, it seemed that he left.

n“Are you going back there, Aristia?”

n“No, let me come back after walking outside a bit.”

n“Can I go with you?”

n“Um…” I shook my head while pondering for a moment. Officially, I was the crown prince’s fiancée, so I felt it was not good to slip out of the hall with Allendis.

nI came out of the banquet hall and got some cool night air. I walked through the garden of the Central Palace while exchanging silent bows with the knights on sentry duty here and there.

nThe bright white autumn flowers shone in the moonlight. When I saw them, I suddenly recalled the silver flower tree in the garden of Ver Palace.

n‘I think I saw it last spring. Are the buds there blooming now?’

nI wanted to go see it as I came out for a walk, so I headed there..

nWhen I arrived at the garden, I saw the knights in white uniforms guarding the entrance.

nWhen I stopped, I saw a young man with blue hair, sitting in an untidy condition, with his back towards the silver flower tree in the distance. Surprised, I forgot to feel uncomfortable for a moment and quickly approached him. He was always neat and clean, so I wondered what happened to him.

nHe was sitting there, with the tie of his black suit loosened. His disheveled suit was strange, but his face also looked pale.

n‘What’s wrong with him all of a sudden? Is he sick?’

nAs I couldn’t keep looking down at the next ruler of the empire, I squatted in front of him, asking me carefully, “Are you sick, Your Majesty? Your face looks pale.”

n“… Well, I’m fine.”

n“I will call a royal doctor. Please wait a moment…Your Majesty?”

nI felt nervous when I heard his subdued voice, so I stood up quickly. When I tried to turn my body to call a doctor, he suddenly grabbed my wrist tightly. As I looked back in surprise, he said with a sigh, “I’m fine. I don’t feel any pain in my body. So, you don’t have to call a doctor. ”

n“But Your Majesty.”

n“Can you just sit next to me?”

n“… Yes, Your Majesty. ”

nAs I couldn’t call a doctor when he said he didn’t need one, I sat down next to him carefully as he requested. He looked a bit better than I saw him first, but I was bothered by his unkempt appearance

n‘I think I should call a doctor. It looks like he is afraid they are going to make a big fuss.’

n“By the way, did you attend the banquet yesterday?”

n“Yes, Your Majesty.”

n“You didn’t have to. I wish you took a rest.”

n“Originally I wanted to, but…”

n“So, did you enjoy the banquet?”

n“… Yes, Your Majesty. ”

nWhen I remembered what happened yesterday, I felt blue, but I immediately calmed down.

n‘Hey, it’s just your useless pride. Even if she were not Princess Moira, you would have to bow to the crown prince’s wife anyway, whoever she is, if you become the successor of your family. You will have to bow to Jiun, too.’

nCome to think of it, I felt sooner or later Jiun would arrive soon, maybe two years to go.

n“You told me I looked pale, but you look pale, too.”

n“… ”

n“Did anything bad happen at the banquet yesterday?”

n“No, Your Majesty.”

n“Hmm.”

nWhen I made a forced smile, he nodded silently after staring at me for a moment. He was silent. He sighed after shaking the loosened tie and said, “Now, I can breathe freely.”

n“Pardon, Your Majesty?”

n“Oh, nothing. By the way, the weather is so nice.”

nI instinctively looked up at the night sky. Yesterday, there was no starlight in the sky, so it was dark, but today’s night sky was full of twinkling stars everywhere, and the trees in the garden were shining under the bright moonlight. Fallen leaves fluttered in the wind.

nI raised my head and looked up at the silver flower tree. I saw the silvery buds on the trees shimmering in the moonlight. ‘Oh, you still haven’t bloomed. When will you bloom?’

n“The buds haven’t yet…”

n“Um?”

n“They haven’t bloomed yet.”

n“I see.”

n“When will they bloom?” I asked unconsciously.

nIt was a question that I asked casually. But he pondered over it and replied, “Well, don’t you think they will bloom when they’re ready?”

n“Pardon?”

n“I guess they have not yet recovered from the shock of the fire. So, I guess they’re not yet ready to bloom.”

n“Ah… ”

n“I think that as long as the buds are there, they will bloom one day when they are ready.”

nI nodded because they could. After looking at me with eyes that I couldn’t read, he stood up, reaching out to me. I hesitated for a moment, then grabbed his hand and stood up.

nHe asked after adjusting his disheveled suit.

n“Are you still thinking about becoming the successor of your family?”

n“… Yes, Your Majesty. ”

n“Oh, I see.”

n“…. ”

n“Let ‘s go back. I think I spent too long here.”

n“Yes, Your Majesty.”

nHe turned with a deep sigh. I walked behind him. He and I headed for the Central Palace, escorted by guards in white uniforms shining in the moonlight.

nThe weather was so good yesterday, but today it was very cloudy.

nAlthough I was on vacation leave, starting yesterday, I went to the office in the afternoon to take care of something urgently.

nAfter reviewing the document, I dropped it in the captain’s office. Then, I classified the documents piled up on the desk as those that needed immediate approval and those that could wait. I came out of the office after placing the memo on the sorted documents on his desk.

n‘As I took care of urgent things, I won’t have to come back tomorrow.’

nI returned to my office and was about to pick up the uniform jacket I had taken off to work, when I heard somebody knocking on the door. Who is it?

n“Come on in.”

n“Glory to the Empire. Hello, Sir Monique! ”

n“Loyalty to the Lion. As a royal guard, why did you come here?”

n“Are you busy?”

n“No. Not really. ”

nI thought he was either Carsein or one of the 1st Knights Division, but the one who came in was a royal guard that I had never seen before. I tilted my head. Has a royal guard visited the 1st Knights Division? I don’t think the Royal Guards made any special request to us for cooperation.

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n“Perfect timing! The crown prince is currently inspecting the knights divisions. He said if you are not busy, he would stop by briefly.”

n“Are you sure?”

n“That’s right. Then, let me tell him that you have no problem.”

n“Oh, you don’t have to. Let me go with you. I can’t have the crown prince take the trouble of coming here.”

nI hurriedly stood up. While I was walking down the hallway, I suddenly realized that I was wearing just a shirt. Oh my god! If he saw me, he would reduce my salary because of my untidy clothes. But I couldn’t go back to get the jacket. When I arrived at the training field, hoping he would not notice, I saw the young man with blue hair walking across from the other side.

n“I am honored to see you, the Little Sun of the Empire!”

n“Did you get back home safely yesterday?”

n“Yes, Your Majesty.”

n“Well, shall we walk for a while?”

n“Yes, Your Majesty.”

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