In truth, Kale wasn’t in a good mood that night. Understandably so. Who would appreciate a superior shaking their shoulder to go look outside when they were trying to sleep?

Having gone along with sneaking out through dormitory windows to see the downtown area since their academy days, this was how things remained even at twenty-four. Helio enjoyed wandering around without letting others know his whereabouts, and Kale was invariably sacrificed for this hobby.

This coltish habit persisted even in a different city. Kale and Helio committed the outrageous act of climbing down trees and scaling walls to avoid being caught by the mansion’s butler or head maid.

At this point, it wasn’t about hiding from servants or gatekeepers, but rather a sort of refined young master’s entertainment. Kale seriously wanted to smack the back of Helio’s head, but as always, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“Your Highness. Do we really have to do this? Why ignore the perfectly good door……”

“I can’t trouble the poor gatekeepers.”

“I’m more pitiful. How is it that Your Highness hasn’t changed since our student days?”

“Stop complaining and go ahead.”

Thankfully, Helio had good athletic abilities.

“Can’t I use that ladder too?”

And he knew how to use tools.

“Time is precious. You can climb up well enough without this.”

Though his intelligence didn’t extend to his guard.

While Helio climbed comfortably up the ladder he’d taken from the garden shed—Kale had fetched it—Kale was climbing up by carefully stepping on vines and crevices in the wall. His form resembled either a giant flying squirrel or a frog.

“This is really too much.”

“It’s because you handle it so well.”

“Your Highness should be grateful for my patience.”

While Helio received greetings from various people and merely waved his hand before collapsing in his mansion bedroom, it was Kale who directed all the miscellaneous tasks. While Helio might be fresh from lying down until mealtime, Kale, who had been awake since dawn, was utterly exhausted.

“Why do we need to climb over walls when this villa is practically Your Highness’s property anyway?”

“Because it’s mine, I climb the walls. Shouldn’t one avoid climbing the walls of others’ homes?”

“That’s true, but……”

Alas, he’d been drawn in again.

The guard, having unwittingly fallen for the prince’s logic, couldn’t say another word until he stepped outside the mansion by climbing over the wall.

Flowers entangled in the plastered wall glistened luxuriantly. They shone brighter when touched by human hands, just like jewels heated in candlelight. When touched, indescribable colors fell at one’s feet.

Apricot, raspberry, lapis lazuli……

Having climbed over the wall at the back of the mansion, the two walked slowly forward. They secured their vision with light leaking from the east wing where the servants stayed and the glittering roses ripening on the plastered walls.

“One moment, Your Highness.”

“What is it?”

“I hear something.”

Was there a bold thief trying to rob the mansion where the prince was staying? Kale doubted this briefly, then completely dismissed his suspicion.

“I apologize, Your Highness. Our Miss is quite curious, so she has… committed a great impropriety.”

Looking at the maid who bowed in place of her Miss, Kale felt a strong sense of kinship. And when she raised her head—he knew instantly.

Though she stood in the shade away from the light, he couldn’t help but recognize her. Kale had sharp eyes and equally sharp perception, along with exceptional memory.

She was the person who had caught his eye during the procession. Kale stared at the expressionless Julie while self-praising his undiminished memory.

Julie had more freckles and was smaller than he had glimpsed while on horseback. Her green eyes moved slowly, soaked with fatigue.

“I’m so happy to spend this night with Your Highness.”

“The honor is mine to share such a summer night with you, Lady Violet.”

While the Miss and prince exchanged words of love as if surrendering to fate, Kale and Julie stood blankly waiting for them.

For a moment, their eyes met. His narrow eyes formed an arc. As she slightly tilted her head, her sturdy hair like an old tree flowed down. The scent of flowers touched by dawn dew was strong, and the slanting light just before daybreak settled roundly on Julie’s shoulders.

Their eyes met.

※※※

Julie doesn’t believe in love at first sight. This is an era where neither fairy tales nor myths sustain nations. People rely on rulers and discipline instead of romance and faith. Kale also knows well that relationships like Helio and Violet’s are exceedingly rare.

Yet Kale finds himself revisiting the phrase “love at first sight.”

He could explain it as a light attraction, shallow curiosity, or vague kinship, but Kale was confident it wasn’t such a common emotion. If it were that simple, he wouldn’t particularly notice her neatly trimmed nails or watch her retreating figure as she hurried away.

“D*mn……”

He had fallen in love.

In a way the person herself would find least credible.

Though her face while whispering fairy tales was infinitely gentle, Julie was someone who had lived with her feet firmly planted in reality.

Like Kale before meeting Julie. That is, like someone who had never staked their life on personal emotions.

“Do you hate fairy tales, Julie?”

“I like them. They’re romantic. Unrealistic.”

Kale and Julie met ten times more often than their two masters. Though their conversation topics were limited, Julie became accustomed to Kale during that time, occasionally grew nervous, and often laughed.

Each time, Kale wanted to confess how serious his feelings were. Even while guessing she might dismiss it as “nonsense” or mere flattery, he wanted to throw himself at a miracle and deliver an awkward confession.

I fell for you at first sight—what a romantic and incomprehensible excuse!

So Kale began searching for reasons Julie would find acceptable. Reasons that would make anyone nod and say, “That makes sense,” so that Julie herself wouldn’t doubt Kale’s sincerity. To establish the plausibility that would satisfy readers even in a romance-filled fairy tale.

Looking at her carelessly flowing chestnut hair, he thought:

I like those stray strands and the bulging marks left when she ties and unties her hair.

Watching her walk away with steady steps, he thought:

I like her upright posture that walks without wavering.

Seeing the bread in her reddened hands, he thought:

I like these things about her……

These things.

The way she casually pats the seat beside her, gesturing for him to sit. The way she smiles so widely her entire mouth is visible, as if receiving an enormous reward when he merely handed her the promised apple jam. The way she glances at Kale while pretending not to. The way she acts composed while doing so, and yet—

“You’re so kind.”

Testing him with a casual tone.

“Weak to affection.”

Being blatant as if wanting him to notice, yet making it sound like an ordinary compliment.

“You’re kind to everyone.”

So I…… wish you would be more certain.

Swallowing his desire that he couldn’t possibly express, Kale whispered playfully:

“You’re the first person I’ve told these old stories to.”

You’re the only one I’ve told these stories to.

Just as Julie calculated Kale’s kindness, Kale measured Julie’s feelings. Whether she would accept even if he blurted out “love at first sight”—words that would sound like nonsense by Julie’s standards—whether she would accept him, the knight who prided himself on his silver tongue……

“Then—should I consider it an honor?”

“I’d be grateful if you thought so.”

Julie still didn’t seem to trust the notion of love at first sight. So Kale endlessly thought of her merits. It seemed more likely to explain that certain aspects of her had made his affection bloom, rather than trying to convince her she was someone worthy of love at first sight.

“How did you end up here?”

“Must be the fairies’ mischief.”

“You’re not just bad with directions?”

Because I fell for you at first sight—I keep losing my way, repeating stupid mistakes, and making pointless jokes……

Resisting the urge to pour out his unrefined confession, suppressing the desire to kiss her flowing hair and recite words of adoration, abandoning the thought of gathering all the world’s jewels and flowers to praise her, Kale smiled innocently.

“My goodness, Julie. Despite appearances, my sense of direction is excellent. I have good intuition too.”

“So that’s why you came the wrong way?”

“Since I met you, wasn’t my intuition correct after all?”

Whether the flushed cheeks belonged to her or him, how he should react if the fool reflected in those green eyes seemed like someone else, with so many reasons to fall for her, perhaps he shouldn’t hesitate any longer……

Kale traced his feelings hundreds of times and estimated Julie’s thoughts thousands of times.

“If it’s alright with you…… I was wondering if we might have dinner together next Wednesday.”

Only then could he finally manage a tentative sentence.