At the Imperial Palace Magic Department Research Lab.

Rosenia decided to correct her misconception in front of her desk that she hadn’t used in just a few years. She’d prided herself on being fairly tidy. 

But proving how hectic her work had been, the desk was a mess with various papers, pens, books, and teacups with dried tea stains scattered everywhere.

Rosenia, who sighed briefly, rolled up her sleeves. She first roughly swept personal items like ink, pens, and cups into the blue box on the left. Then she put research notes, books she hadn’t returned to the imperial library, various materials full of notes, and unsubmitted reports into the gray box on the right.

Just that made it clean enough that the previous chaos was unimaginable. She was looking at the desk cleared of her traces with relief when she suddenly felt a presence behind her.

It was her junior, Brian.

Brian, who had been making a long face from the moment he heard about her leave of absence, pointed at the juniors he’d dragged along and shouted.

“You’re really leaving so suddenly like this? Abandoning all of us?”

“Yeah.”

The day she resolved to find Chartia, Rosenia declared her leave of absence to her mother. The reason was that she couldn’t juggle excessive work like before with searching for her sister. 

Of course, it was serious timing since the Grand Duke had figured out ‘the secret,’ but Olivia encouraged her decision, saying she didn’t need to be bound by that problem anymore.

His Majesty the Emperor also frowned in difficulty but ultimately accepted her leave. That’s how she ended up packing somewhat suddenly.

When she’d been tormented by work and pushed around by the Emperor’s orders, she’d dreamed only of this moment. But now that she was actually packing, wistfulness rose between the relief. Even more so in front of the juniors looking at her pitifully.

“…Senior, can’t you stay with us just a little longer?”

A junior who’d been with her since being a newcomer carefully grabbed her sleeve. Rosenia gently comforted the tearful junior, contrasting with how she’d firmly cut off Brian’s whining.

“I’ll return soon, so don’t worry.”

Because she’d find Chartia quickly. The return wouldn’t take long either.

But whether it was a brief farewell or leaving forever, it seemed unbearable for the kids. Several juniors eventually even teared up.

“Sob, but still… How can we handle Senior Brian among ourselves without you? We want to quit too…”

“Hey, I’m right here… And I’m a senior too, isn’t this treatment too harsh?”

“Sniff, strictly speaking, you’re not the same kind of senior.”

“Just because you’re crying doesn’t make harsh words not harsh, you know? This is really too much.”

“You brought it on yourself.”

Rosenia, who dismissed it, handed the gray box to Brian.

“Here, keep my stuff safe.”

“…Yes. You really have to come back quickly, okay?”

“Yeah.”

That’s when she finished the brief farewell. A senior who’d been watching this situation from the doorway suddenly raised their voice.

“Um, Rose. Sorry to interrupt while you’re packing, but, um, you have a visitor… I think you need to meet them right now?”

“A visitor?”

When she turned toward the entrance the senior had gestured at, a familiar blonde, blue-eyed man came into view. The mages’ faces turned pale when they discovered the visitor—no, their future superior.

“W-we greet His Highness the Crown Prince!”

“Mm, good morning, everyone.”

Perhaps he hadn’t intended to cause such a commotion either, as slight awkwardness showed through his uncomfortable smile.

“…Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Rosenia ground her teeth at the unexpectedly distinguished visitor. Since this kind of attention wasn’t the first time, she felt more flustered than surprised. Rosenia cleanly gave up on a few items she hadn’t packed yet and strode toward him.

“Let’s go outside first.”

It was a first greeting that completely ignored etiquette. Before even hearing an answer, Rosenia dragged him to the deserted back of the building. A cold wind swept between the two people standing side by side on the shadowed grass.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Mm?”

“I’m pretty sure I told you not to come directly to the magic department.”

It was a sharp rebuke, unbelievable that it was directed at the Empire’s Crown Prince. Noah, whose shoulders flinched, stealthily gauged Rosenia’s mood and made excuses.

“Sorry, I heard you submitted a resignation and was so surprised…”

“It’s not a resignation, it’s a leave of absence.”

“Ah, I see.”

Noah, whose eyes widened, finally smiled in relief. Then he stopped smiling abruptly, perhaps realizing that either way, the fact that she was leaving wasn’t wrong.

“But why the sudden leave? Could it be… related to your sister?”

“Tsk, I guess the rumor reached the palace.”

“Well, you did release all the imperial mages to find that person…”

“…”

Rosenia, who received the correct point, shut her mouth tight. She’d been blind at the time, but it was an uncharacteristic mistake. She hadn’t even found Chartia as a result, had she?

Thinking of Chartia who’d disappeared without a trace, something hot seemed to surge up again from deep in her heart.

That’s when Rosenia was trying hard to regain her composure. Noah, who’d been staring at her subtly changing expression, carefully opened his mouth.

“Rose, if you’re not uncomfortable, may I help?”

“Your Highness, why?”

The words came out sharper than intended, though that wasn’t her plan. It was a kind of habit. Even knowing the other person absolutely wouldn’t hurt her, she’d bristle up.

So there was no wavering even before the mistake. At the dry gaze that reached him plainly, Noah’s eyes drooped a little sadly.

“I can do that much as a friend.”

‘Friend.’

Rosenia quietly mulled over that word.

There had certainly been a time when she’d acted casually with him. When she still called him Noah. 

Their childhood when she constantly expected, was disappointed by, and was hurt by her sister, and he by his father. 

The first friend she’d made by chance while frequently visiting the palace following her mother had been quite special to her too.

But Rosenia was the one who first realized their positions could never be equal. Right before entering the academy, she drew a clear line between him and herself. That’s when the way she addressed him became cold, and when she stopped sharing trivial inner thoughts with him.

A very long time had passed since then, so it would be natural to act distant now. But when he occasionally still acted like a friend from the past, Rosenia felt discomfort that she was doing something very wrong and an indescribable frustration.

Like now.

“I didn’t bring it up to make you feel burdened. Just, you look more exhausted than I thought…”

She’d never uttered weak words in front of him, never revealed the anxiety, nervousness, and guilt she actually hadn’t completely shaken off.

The friend from the past who’d been amazingly perceptive about a friend’s sadness or gloom and silently stayed by their side didn’t hide his worry, just like back then.

Rosenia turned away from the gaze that lingered gently. His kindness easily penetrated no matter how high she built walls and how firmly she reinforced them, making the other person weak.

She absolutely didn’t want that.

“…I’m not struggling. I’ll find her quickly on my own.”

“Yeah, you’re a strong and amazing person, so you definitely will.”

At the confident voice, her head that had been turned toward the wall found its place. Noah smiled white like the first snow falling sparsely and said slowly but clearly.

“But still, I just want to help. If there’s a burden I can carry for you, I want to share it.”

Rosenia bit her trembling lips hard. Even though cold, harsh words to create distance filled her mouth, even though she knew she had to spit them out, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

What finally leaked through her lips was a faint sigh, no different from acknowledgment.

That the words her friend offered had been quite comforting.

They say 70% of Earth’s surface is covered with water. Including the water permeating Earth’s interior, it amounts to over 10 to the 21st power liters, circulating as oceans, rivers, underground water, clouds, and rain.

Then was this world the same? Was the surface of this planet whose name she didn’t know filled with water just like Earth, circulating and spreading before her eyes right now?

Chartia sat on the low windowsill and gazed blankly at the gravitational pull of the moon—or what she assumed was a satellite. Beyond the window with sparse dust and water stains, the deep blue sea was captured like a painting.

It was the biggest reason she’d bought this remote house on the cliff.

They say it’s darkest under the lamp.

In the end, the place Chartia had fled to was Tritan, the only region where she knew there was an ocean. When hiding on the opposite side of the continent wouldn’t be enough, it was practically next door. 

Cain clicked his tongue at her narrow perspective, but looking back, it had been an appropriate move. She hadn’t been caught yet.

Either way, this house built of limestone with white walls and ceiling was an impulse purchase made three days after arriving in this most remote village within Tritan. 

She loved the small garden that fit in one glance, the old but charmingly rustic mailbox, and the location with a full view of the sea.

Of course, there were disadvantages—it was far from the village’s downtown area and too large for one person to live in, making it difficult to manage—but all complaints melted away before the view outside the window.

Chartia, who’d been tapping her feet to the faintly audible sound of waves, leisurely stood up. The weather had become quite chilly to stay by the window in just indoor clothes for long.

She casually draped the shawl hanging on the chair and took out the kettle heated on the brazier to brew flower tea. 

As the shriveled, dull-colored petals bloomed yellow again, a sweet and fresh fragrance rushed in. Only after holding the warm cup with both hands did Chartia return to her designated spot.

‘This winter might really be incredibly cold.’

[Since this summer was cooler than last year, this winter will be freezing cold!]

Those were words from Joan, one of the few village residents she interacted with. Joan was the owner of the largest fruit shop in the village. Regardless of her inherited family business, her hobby was knitting, and she’d make a couple pairs of gloves a day. 

Perhaps that’s why one day, after thoroughly scaring her with such groundless-seeming talk, she suddenly held out a muffler and gloves she’d knitted herself.

[Two baskets of peaches plus this set for one silver coin, how about it?]

It didn’t really matter that it had been midsummer that day, or that she’d come to buy cherries, not peaches.

In conclusion, she bought the peaches, muffler, and gloves, and her fingertips were already cold even though it was still early autumn. Perhaps she really would need to take out that muffler and gloves soon, Chartia thought.

‘Come to think of it, it’s already autumn.’

It was the third autumn she was spending here. It meant a full three years had passed since she’d impulsively left the capital.