“Still no contact?”

“Could you please tell me what kind of contact you’re waiting for? You’ve been asking every 10 minutes. I need to know what kind of contact…”

Crown Prince Vairen put down the pen he was holding at his aide’s words. Who was he waiting for?

Vairen coldly curled his lips.

But his eyes sparkled softly. Seeing that peculiar expression, his aide couldn’t help but realize who the Crown Prince was waiting for.

“Could it be… Lady Ires? Does Lady Ires have a reason to contact Your Highness? Um, why?”

For the aide, who knew that Vairen had been circling around Ires both knowingly and unknowingly, this was quite surprising.

Ires contacting him directly?

At his aide’s question, Vairen made an uncharacteristically embarrassed expression. Vairen rubbed his cheek.

“Well. Something happened.”

Just recalling the previous night gives him goosebumps of pleasure. It felt like a dream, perhaps because it was something he had wanted for years.

But.

Vairen stared at the ribbon tied around his wrist. A deep pink ribbon. Ires had tied it herself.

〈…A promise to contact you. Let’s meet again tomorrow for sure.〉

If it weren’t for his urgent schedule, he would have waited until Ires woke up. A morning with her would have been truly wonderful.

But there are many days ahead.

“Anyway, if there’s any contact from Ires, make sure to inform me immediately.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Vairen picked up his pen in a good mood.

But his wait continued.

※※※

The next day.

Vairen raised his head with an anxious face. Right now, even the documents couldn’t properly register in his eyes.

“Still no contact today?”

“You’ve been waiting for five years, so please wait a little longer.”

That’s true. It had been five years since he recognized Ires and circled around her.

She was a strange and unique person.

They had only known each other by face since childhood. But things became special five years ago.

For the past five years, Ires had been like a blessing to Vairen.

With that prim expression of knowing nothing, she would approach and catch him off guard.

Ires not only spoke uniquely but also had a way of thinking different from ordinary ladies. That’s what caught his attention.

That day at the temple was even more special.

It was Vairen’s turn to drink the holy water during the ceremony. If Ires hadn’t subtly extended her foot to trip the priest, Vairen would have drunk the holy water.

The holy water that Vairen should have drunk soaked the floor instead.

〈Oh my, I’m so sorry. My legs are too long. What should I do?〉

Ires was shameless even after ruining the ceremony. If the priest hadn’t been trembling and pale, Vairen would have suspected Ires’s intentions. Investigation revealed that the holy water he was supposed to drink had been mixed with poison.

How did Ires know?

〈I saw someone putting something strange in it. That’s all.〉

He couldn’t keep suspecting someone who had helped him. Moreover, as similar incidents repeated and he owed his life to Ires more and more, Vairen became convinced: Ires was sent by his deceased mother to save him!

But strangely, she didn’t want to stand out. Rather, the more Vairen approached, the further she ran away.

As he circled around Ires, he began to notice her. Things like her hair, the dimples that appeared when she smiled, or the way her eyebrows curved whenever she was deep in thought.

After only simmering with feelings for Ires, he finally got a chance to approach her recently. No, to be precise, Ires approached him directly.

Into his carriage.

Vairen didn’t miss that opportunity.

How could he? He had only been waiting for a long time.

〈We must meet again. Can you promise?〉

〈Sob… Yes, yes. I understand. I promise.〉

That night, he secured a promise from Ires. He thought she might need time to organize her thoughts, which is why she hadn’t contacted him immediately.

It was an exciting time. After waiting for five years, what’s a few more days? Vairen decided to be a bit more patient. Ires might be hesitating out of shyness.

“What’s a good place for a first date?”

“A first… date?”

“A place to spend time with Lady Ires.”

“Ah.”

His aide spoke with a serious face.

“I’ll prepare a list for you.”

“And what would be good to eat?”

“I’ll also create a list of that and show it to you.”

“What should I wear?”

“……That’s…… no, Your Highness. You’re having your first love…… it’s your first time experiencing this, right?”

Vairen sighed softly. His heart was pounding so much that he couldn’t focus on his work at all. He felt like everything would be alright if he could just see Ires’s prim face.

“Huff. Waiting is so difficult.”

“Perhaps you should contact her first……”

“That might burden her.”

Vairen’s understanding toward Ires was broader than the sky. He fidgeted with his hair.

“What about getting my hair done? Do you know what hairstyle Ires likes?”

“How would I possibly know that!”

Vairen touched his cheek. She seemed to like his face, at least.

〈Mmm. You’re so handsome…… who do you take after?〉

〈Do you like it?〉

〈Yes. Ah. Your original face…… face has continuity…… you’re handsome and I like it.〉

He calmly asked his aide.

“Tell me. When do I look most handsome? Or when do I look most beautiful?”

The aide stared at Vairen with a bleak expression. Something must have happened at the banquet the other day, but could he have been poisoned?

“Huff. I need to be handsome to attract a lady’s attention. How about this expression, or this one?”

His aide thought that while the Crown Prince was usually rational and capable, he turned into a fool whenever Ires was involved. At this point, Lady Ires might as well be the Crown Prince’s poison.

Vairen played with his hair with a dejected face.

He should have looked more handsome that night. The more he thought about it, the more regrets he had.

After thinking for a moment, Vairen gave an order to his aide.

“I need a skin treatment.”

“What?”

“I need to look more handsome.”

His aide shook his head at Vairen’s truly exasperating words. He really loses all reason when it comes to Lady Ires.

“How about getting new clothes as well? And a new hairstyle. Would you like new shoes too?”

His aide was being as sarcastic as possible, but Vairen’s expression brightened.

“Indeed, that would be good, wouldn’t it? I was thinking the same thing. Cancel all of today’s appointments and book the tailor first. Which tailor made the clothes I wore at the last banquet? I think they brought me luck. Book an appointment there immediately.”

His aide clicked his tongue.

However, after a long wait, the news that came to Vairen after three days was not so thrilling.

※※※

A shocking rumor spread throughout the Sellophel Empire.

The news was that Lady Ires had lost her life in a carriage accident at a young age. This devastating news also reached the ears of Crown Prince Vairen, who was working in the imperial office.

“……What? What did you just say?”

“Lady Ires has passed away. The Duke’s family is currently preparing for the funeral, Your Highness.”

Vairen slowly rose from his seat. The pen in his hand dropped with a thud. His lips trembled.

“What? Say it again.”

Vairen muttered.

“Your Highness……”

Vairen grabbed his aide’s shoulders.

“That can’t be right. Just recently…… no.”

Vairen released the aide’s shoulders and laughed coldly before raising his voice.

“Stop talking nonsense and tell me again. Properly. The truth!”

How could this be possible?

Ires, how could you, who was in my arms so recently?

After promising to meet again, how could you.

Vairen’s expression crumbled.

And his wait also collapsed into ruins.

Ires won’t come.

No, she can’t come.

※※※

Let me say it again, I always knew a moment like this would come.

I was already planning to leave on my own before being kicked out. Staying there would have been nothing but wasted effort.

After all, the real daughter of Duke Liberk was the protagonist of this novel. It was much better to leave cleanly like this than to stay at the ducal family and torment the female lead while accumulating bad karma.

So I had prepared.

The Duchess coldly cut me off, clearly not wanting to be involved in any rumors or suffer any damage.

〈You are no longer Ires. Don’t even think about pretending to be a lady of Liberk!〉

The voice shouting at my back contained not a single trace of affection.

I never intended to do that anyway. Though I didn’t expect to have my name taken away too. I mean, Ires was originally my name. But I guess money and status are the real bullies here.

What’s the point in fighting back?

That’s why the first place I visited was the district office.

I wore my hat low and covered my face with a veil.