“Go ahead.”

Castor urged me while stretching his hand out more firmly. His hand was white and straight even without the glove. Unlike Rashid’s hands that gave a solid impression, his were delicate like a musician’s.

Trembling, I put the ring on the hand he held out. On the left middle finger.

“Not bad. So this is what wearing a ring feels like.”

Castor held his hand up to the sun to look at the flower ring. Watching his face as a faint smile bloomed, I let out a short sigh. Relief and bewilderment mixed in my exhale.

He said,

“Duchess.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I answered, extremely tense.

“Are you happy in your married life?”

“What?”

My body stiffened at the unexpected question. I just blinked my round eyes and gaped like a goldfish for a moment.

“As you know, I too must decide on marriage soon. I’m no end of worried.”

“Ah, I see……”

“About which lady I’ll be matched with, how to live safely and peacefully, things like that.”

His gaze scattered to one side of the garden. I turned my head following Castor. The sound of insects crept between his words.

‘Even though he’s the Crown Prince, Castor has such worries.’

I felt surprised.

Marriage between royalty and nobility is naturally dominated by political marriages based on mutual interests. Looking thoroughly through Alisa’s memories and everything I’ve seen and heard so far, cases of nobles marrying for love were extremely rare.

So usually people either endured living with someone they didn’t like, or kept lovers on the side. Because that was easier and more comfortable than trying hard to make the marriage work.

That’s why Castor’s worry was surprisingly new to me.

‘And to confide this to me of all people.’

Maybe because I’m married.

Married….. Though it’s true, becoming aware of it like this somehow feels awkward.

‘How should I answer?’

I definitely wanted to get divorced, and I’ve been laying the groundwork for that until now.

The Crown Prince is the Emperor’s closest advisor who influences divorce decisions. So if we seem close, it might cause trouble later. Since I don’t know what he might say to the Emperor. Though I won’t be anxious about it now, I need to be careful with every word since I don’t know what will happen.

Even if I end up not getting divorced, I didn’t feel like talking to him about my married life with Rashid.

“It seems difficult to speak about.”

While I was hesitating, Castor provided the answer instead. Since it was ambiguous whether to agree or disagree, I just substituted words with a smile.

“It’s not easy to maintain such a marriage smoothly. Duke Penvernon is quite heartless, isn’t he? It wouldn’t be strange if you’re not happy.”

He seemed to interpret my smile as denial.

‘But this makes Rashid look bad.’

It’s fine if I get criticized, but I didn’t like the Crown Prince thinking poorly of Rashid. I didn’t want him to bear unnecessary words and gazes he didn’t need to endure because of me.

“About happiness…… Have you heard this story, Your Highness?”

I started speaking softly. It was to appropriately smooth over the situation.

Walking slightly ahead with Castor behind me, I moved to where I had picked the clover flower earlier.

“People trample and push through three-leaf clovers to find four-leaf clovers.”

Bending my knees to sit, I looked at the clover colony. Castor slowly followed and stood behind me. In the shadow he cast, the clovers swayed gently with the wind.

“But do you know? They say the flower language of three-leaf clover is happiness. It means people miss and neglect the happiness nearby while searching for luck.”

I picked a random clover within reach. It had three leaves.

“Isn’t happiness something like that?”

Like the blue bird, always nearby but unnoticed when present… only realized after it’s gone.

“Then are you saying you’re happy now?”

“I think happiness always stays by my side. What’s important is realizing and feeling it.”

As I turned the clover this way and that, the small leaves twisted following the direction of my fingers.

I wondered what I was even saying. It was the result of trying to make my words as vague as possible.

I worried what to say if Castor asked once more whether I was happy or not, but fortunately he closed his mouth.

I watched the clover for a while, listening to Castor’s silence. The plant that always bloomed in the summer garden like background scenery suddenly seemed special. When I raised my head, I saw roses blooming beyond. A butterfly flew and landed softly on top. It was a peaceful scene.

Around when that butterfly started fluttering its wings again, Castor spoke.

“Look, there’s a four-leaf clover.”

“What? Where?!”

I turned my head in surprise, urgently. My eyes moved busily searching for the four-leaf clover.

‘Oh.’

Suddenly I felt Castor’s gaze on my back. Only then did I realize my mistake.

“…Neglecting happiness, you say?”

His gentle tone mixed with laughter. An indescribable embarrassment washed over me like a wave, slapping my cheeks.

“Hahaha…… Well, luck is important too.”

When I turned my head awkwardly, Castor was looking down at me smiling with the sun at his back. The sunlight was dazzling.

* * *

I thought Castor had lied, but he hadn’t. I left the palace firmly holding a four-leaf clover in my hand.

Then I took one of Rashid’s books from the ducal library and pressed the four-leaf clover flat between its pages.

‘I should show it to Rashid later.’

When I find something good or interesting, I keep wanting to show him too. Even imagining what his reaction would be was quite enjoyable.

Time passed steadily while waiting for the four-leaf clover to dry well.

Then I ended up completely forgetting about its existence.

Meanwhile, the Great Blooming season gradually came to an end. The temple garden where countless camellia petals had fallen revealed a desolate beauty.

At the same time, Castor held a banquet in the Crown Prince’s name. It was to celebrate the Great Blooming of camellias, and only the couples of each ducal family and their direct descendants were invited.

It was rare for the Crown Prince to personally host a social event. As the Emperor’s eldest son with a firm position, he focused more on handling affairs than building relationships with nobles.

People unanimously praised such a Crown Prince and believed he would become a wise ruler.

“He’s making us come and go troublesomely.”

On the way to the palace, Rashid grumbled unusually much. He seemed quite displeased with this occasion.

“It’s good that he’s being considerate.”

Though it’s a bit strange for me to soothe him like this, he kept muttering so much that I naturally ended up comforting him.

“At the palace……”

“Yes?”

“Don’t leave my side.”

“What about tea time after the meal? Men gather with men, women with women to talk.”

After keeping his mouth shut for a moment, Rashid carefully spoke as if finding an answer after much deliberation.

“I think we could say we’re taking a garden walk together.”

What is he talking about.

“We see each other every day, do we need to again?”

“We’ve never walked the palace gardens together.”

“That’s true, but everyone will think it’s strange.”

“I don’t care what others think.”

What’s bothering him so much?

When he’s stubborn like this, Rashid is just like a child. Do other people know he has this side to him?

‘They definitely don’t.’

So, it’s something only I know. Only I.

I smiled softly and slowly stroked his arm. Through the stiffly ironed uniform fabric, I could feel firmly woven muscles.

“Even if you don’t like it, please endure it a little. Since only ducal families are coming, nothing will happen. It won’t take long either.”

“Hmph.”

It felt like petting a tamed black panther. More like a giant cat than a panther… Though panthers are felines too of course.

While coaxing and soothing the pouting Rashid, the carriage arrived at the palace.

“Duchess Penvernon, have you been well?”

As we entered, Duchess Chrysante who had arrived earlier greeted me.

“It’s been a while, Duke Penvernon.”

“Duke Ailan, have you been well?”

Rashid who got out of the carriage had returned to being the cold Duke of Penvernon as if he had never complained. He wasn’t intimidated at all even among dukes ten or twenty years his senior.

Sharp honed presence, cold eyes, arrogant expression. He was that Rashid I first saw.

While exchanging pleasantries briefly, the Limnike family arrived. The Duke and Duchess with their son Derek and daughter Patricia.

When I glanced at her, our eyes met. Patricia’s purple eyes coldly glanced at me and passed by.

‘What’s with her, I’m the one who should be upset….’

I composed my expression primly and took my seat.

The seat prepared for me was to Rashid’s left and…..

‘It’s close to Castor’s seat.’

The seats for the Duke and Duchess of Penvernon were right next to the Crown Prince’s seat of honor.

Castor, though the host, appeared last. In a way, it was fitting behavior for a Crown Prince.

Standing at the seat of honor, he looked around the room. He seemed to be examining who was present.

Then our eyes met directly. Castor smiled gently and gave me an eye greeting. I responded by slightly lowering my head.

“Dukes, and Duchesses. As well as young lords and ladies. Thank you all for accepting my invitation.”

The smile spread across Castor’s face was infused with the confidence of one born and raised in the world of light. The majesty of being the leader of those present here dripped from the end of each word he spoke.