It was a morning like any other on his way to work, yet an unusual tension lingered in the mansion. Dressed in uniform after changing, Kyle adjusted the final details in front of the mirror. He, too, noticed the subtle shift in atmosphere.

As he straightened his cufflinks, he caught sight of his butler Milton’s hesitant expression in the reflection. Unlike usual, the man’s lips parted and closed as if he were holding back words.

“Say it, if you’ve something to say.”

Kyle turned toward Milton.

“A letter, Your Grace. Lady Maude has already sent four.”

“Reply to them yourself.”

The curt dismissal left Milton’s face clouded with worry.

“She seems to know already that you’re not actually on holiday, Your Grace.”

“Does that pose a problem?”

Kyle tilted his head slightly. Milton would send a polite refusal, and that would be enough. The lady would eventually back off. If a firm rejection required a harmless lie, so be it.

Milton, however, could only sigh inwardly. His gaze lingered on the pale green envelope resting at the edge of Kyle’s desk—the same spot where he had placed it two days ago, untouched since.

“She has repeatedly requested a meeting, knowing that you’re here in Bergen.”

Milton’s face darkened as he stared at the neatly stacked letters, not a single one out of place.

“She’ll give up soon enough. Just refuse her politely.”

As always, Kyle was resolute—and indifferent.

“Yes, Your Grace…”

Milton could only bow out quietly. He had, of course, heard much of Lady Maude, the duke’s daughter whose name was constantly praised in society. But never once had he imagined he might one day see such a woman come seeking his master. That made his disappointment all the sharper.

She insists she has something important to say… yet His Grace won’t so much as grant her a reply.

Milton had plenty he wished to say, but could not bring himself to speak them aloud. Instead, he could only swallow his sighs as he watched his master’s tall figure.

Meanwhile, Kyle’s strides quickened slightly as he entered the first-floor hall. Passing through the lines of attendants in the Rise Hall, he exited with his brisk, confident pace. Without pause, he climbed into the car waiting at the entrance.

Seated, he raised his gaze toward the sky beyond the window. Checking the weather each morning was an old habit of his.

Not a cloud in sight.

Bergen’s summer day glittered brilliantly. After a glance of appreciation, Kyle pressed the pedal. His car slid smoothly out of the mansion grounds. The season was dazzlingly blue.

Because it was still early, the coastal road was quiet. The drive took him to the naval base faster than usual.

“You’ve arrived, sir.”

At the entrance, a guard greeted him with impeccable formality. Kyle exchanged a brief word, parked, and entered the base.

Due to the overlap of summer leave and the start of the social season, the base felt noticeably empty. The echo of his footsteps along the corridor was the only sound breaking the silence.

At the far end lay his office. There, Kyle once again checked the already-prepared documents to ensure nothing had been overlooked. Forgetting was not in his nature, yet this ritual gave him peace of mind.

Though burdened for years with the Crown Prince’s hysterical duties, Kyle had never once complained. He simply endured each day with steadfast composure.

It would soon be time.

In about an hour, his aide, Azel, would arrive to collect the documents. Kyle had already arranged them neatly on the outer left corner of his desk. Rising, he moved toward the cabinet near the door.

Though he had never been one to idle by nature, he tried at least to honor his summer leave. Tomorrow would be the start of his holiday, and barring unforeseen events, it would be a long one. He had already packed clothing into a Boston bag, which now sat on the low table beside the cabinet, ready to be taken as soon as he left work.

The morning was still and unhurried. A summer breeze slipped through the window, making the white curtains flutter. Kyle savored that tranquility. It reminded him of the first time he had faced the boundless sea at seventeen—when he had felt freedom in its purest form.

“Phew…”

He returned to his desk, leaned back in his chair, and released a long breath. Slowly, he rubbed his face with both hands, still heavy with the remnants of sleep, then closed his eyes.

***

From the center of Bergen, where Maude’s hotel was, it was only a ten-minute drive straight down the coastal road to the naval base. The golden waves gleaming under the sunlight stretched in breathtaking vistas.

It was a splendid course that stretched before her eyes. After taking a moment to admire the scenery, Maude soon found herself at the entrance to the base.

“You’ve worked hard. Since we’re right in front of the base, it’s best to move the car out of the way for now.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Driver Thompson got back into the car after replying, and only after he had swiftly reversed, turned the car around, and disappeared did Maude finally take a step forward. The checkpoint was barely ten paces away.

“Since his leave starts tomorrow, I should be able to see him.”

“Do you think he’s come in to work…?”

“Who knows?”

Maude gave a nonchalant reply as she stopped before the checkpoint. A step behind her, Sarah kept sneaking glances at her mistress. She seemed more nervous than Maude herself, her face pale with tension.

“Hello, I’ve come to see Captain Kyle Rizewell. I don’t have an appointment.”

Maude smiled warmly and met the guard’s eyes.

“How shall I deliver the message?”

“Please tell him it’s Maude Hablein.”

At that name, the soldier’s gaze wavered noticeably. He stared at Maude in a daze for a moment before realizing his rudeness and quickly bowing his head.

“M-my apologies! I’ll deliver the message immediately.”

Maude gave a gentle nod to show she wasn’t offended, which only made the guard’s face flush an even deeper red.

After finishing her exchange with the soldier, Maude slowly let her gaze wander around the surroundings. The first place her eyes fell was the vast expanse beyond the iron gates.

At the end of a wide, straight road stood what appeared to be the main building. To either side of it were twin buildings, giving off an imposing, orderly atmosphere that seemed well-suited to the navy.

From where the coastal road ended, rows of leafy trees stretched inward toward the main building, their shade casting a gentle frame over the grounds. It looked as though the rear of the main building opened onto the sea.

Most naval bases were situated along rivers or seas to allow docking, after all. Even the capital headquarters faced the rail river, which flowed to the sea. Maude recalled the view she had seen at her cousin’s commissioning ceremony at naval headquarters.

‘This place must be just as magnificent…’

The weather was so fine that she regretted not being able to go inside.

***

As Azel made his way toward Kyle’s office, still bleary-eyed, he noticed a soldier with a flushed face hurrying along. He stopped the guard just before he entered Kyle’s office.

“What is it?”

The guard jumped at the sudden question, then saluted nervously. Azel nodded lightly, waiting for an answer.

“There’s a visitor.”

“A visitor?” Azel tilted his head.

“Lady Maude Hablein is waiting at the checkpoint.”

Good heavens!

At the name of the visitor, Azel’s jaw nearly dropped. The guard, seeing Azel’s shocked face, also looked restless and tense for reasons he himself couldn’t quite name.

“She says she came without an appointment.”

“I… I’ll deliver the message myself.”

Lady Maude Hablein, here to see the Captain? The thought had Azel’s head spinning.

“Yes, sir!”

The guard saluted briskly and strode away, leaving Azel to cover his mouth in disbelief. Lady Maude Hablein—the youngest daughter of the Duke of Hablein, the most beautiful woman of the age, the shining diamond of high society. All those dazzling titles belonged to her.

How many young men had fallen hopelessly in love after just one encounter at a ball?

‘But why is she here for the Captain? Could it be…?’

After the Pink Diamond affair, rumors had spread through society that the Empress had her eye on Maude as a potential Crown Princess. Azel couldn’t stop the flood of question marks in his mind. He hurriedly knocked twice on the office door, pressing his ear close to catch any sign of movement inside.

“Come in.”

Azel opened the door swiftly. Inside, Kyle, who had been resting his eyes, straightened at the sound of the knock. After Azel saluted, he simply stared at him in silence. Kyle’s brow furrowed faintly. Then, with his usual composure, he gestured toward the stack of documents neatly placed to his left.

“Take them out quickly.”

Judging by his reaction, the Captain clearly didn’t know.

Azel scooped up the documents, stalling for time, then cautiously spoke.

“Sir, you have a visitor.”

Kyle’s gaze flicked over to him, but his expression remained as flat and detached as always—no surprise, no curiosity, just that same dry, businesslike look.

“Lady Maude Hablein is waiting at the checkpoint.”

At that, Kyle’s face immediately twisted. In the next instant, he shot up from his chair and strode out of the office without a word.

Left alone, Azel blinked, trying to piece together what had just happened, but quickly abandoned the effort and rushed after him toward the checkpoint, his heart pounding.

It was certain now. There was something between Lady Maude Hablein and the Captain!

Azel was convinced that whatever unfolded from this moment on would be the most thrilling event since he had enlisted in this dull, gray navy.