“How can it be suitable for my lunch if royal chefs cannot obtain the ingredient? How can they cook without the ingredients? Meanwhile, rice is abundant in the palace.”

“Your Highness, please don’t worry about that. We can send bacon regularly.”

“I cannot impose such a burden.”

“Not at all. Presenting our family’s exclusive food to Your Highness would bring us infinite joy.”

Eloise persisted stubbornly, but the Crown Prince put a final end to his decision with one last answer.

“Besides, there’s one more problem. The romaine lettuce placed on top of this soup. Since it needed to decorate hot food, it seems you cut and placed the firm stems rather than tender leaves. When I eat salad for lunch, I specifically request one thing. To remove the romaine. Especially the stems. Don’t people also call romaine stems ‘sleeping medicine’? Because they induce drowsiness.”

Eloise’s face turned bright red. Her trembling lower jaw suggested that the taste of her first defeat was extremely bitter.

Nevertheless, the Crown Prince remained resolute and composed. As if unconcerned with her feelings, he stared blankly at Eloise and slowly leaned back in his chair.

“It’s regrettable that you’ve become the loser, but I’d like you to consider my position too. Resisting drowsiness is a torture-like pain for someone like me who must maintain dignity.”

***

“What was your name again? Ah, have we not been introduced yet?”

The Crown Prince, having announced the results, looked up at me standing beside him. He appeared about to present the gold coin as a reward.

“Come to think of it, only you haven’t introduced yourself. I heard you’re the Viscount’s daughter and the sister of that adorable child. What’s your name?”

Everyone focused on me at the Crown Prince’s kindly question. The Count with his narrowed eyes, the Countess with her displeased downcast eyes—all waited for my answer.

But I was only focused on my sister’s signals from afar, along with the gold coin that danced between the Crown Prince’s fingers.

So I said:

“I’d like to state my wish first.”

I ultimately made a mistake. Out of a sense of duty not to accept the gold coin, I committed a breach of etiquette.

“I’m sorry. I just…… feared you might give me the gold coin right away.”

Fool. This too is a mistake. How dare I say “right away” to the Crown Prince.

“Ahem. I like your honesty. Indeed, gold coins aren’t interesting to young ladies. Perhaps if it were a glamorous dress or expensive jewelry. Then shall I grant your wish first? I hope it’s not too extravagant.”

The Crown Prince’s eyes shone mysteriously. He stared at me intently, somewhere between suspicion and curiosity.

“My wish is……”

I took a moment to breathe.

It was burdensome enough that his pupils were fixed on me without the slightest wavering. I also had no idea how to phrase it so he would think I was sane.

In truth, I needed to ask for the wish that Lou had been begging for since morning.

As soon as she heard about the luncheon with the Crown Prince, Lou had urged me that this was a golden opportunity.

It was to obtain something flowing with the steadfast royal energy……

“I want Your Highness’s silver coin.”

To receive a silver coin.

The scattered gazes of people in bewilderment. The movements of those filling the reception room froze like wooden statues.

In a space without any movement, empty stares concentrated on me.

Tap, tap, tap.

The Crown Prince’s expression also became complexly entangled as he looked at me. Slightly parted lips and furrowed brows. Additionally, his pupils began to take on a strange light.

He seemed to be pouring all his mental energy into exploring my intentions. In the continuing silence, he repeatedly struck the gold coin in his hand against the table.

After contemplating for a long time whether to ask for my reasons, the Crown Prince’s conclusion was simple.

“Alright then.”

The Crown Prince soon opened his palm to his attendant and issued an order.

“A silver coin.”

The attendant was flustered by the sudden instruction.

He frantically waved his hands, directing a lower-ranking attendant to take out a pouch.

Soon the pouch opened, and the two men rummaged inside for quite some time. They seemed to be looking for a silver coin but appeared troubled as things weren’t going as planned.

“I apologize, Your Highness. Not anticipating this situation, we failed to bring silver coins.”

Sweat beaded on the forehead of the attendant who bowed his head. When a ready answer didn’t come from the Crown Prince, his fingers moved even more restlessly.

“Then there’s no choice.”

Finally, the Crown Prince rose to his feet.

As the tall man stood up, a shadow fell over my head. I briefly looked up to examine him.

For some reason, his pupils, emitting various colors, were shaking wildly before me.

“I cannot break a promise, so I’ll use what I carry with me.”

The determined Crown Prince rummaged through his clothes and opened his palm to me. A shining silver coin lay on his hand.

Simultaneously, the attendant watching this didn’t know what to do.

He stuck close to the Crown Prince’s shoulder as if trying to dissuade him and whispered in a low voice.

“Your Highness. Isn’t this silver coin a keepsake left by the late Queen? Therefore, please reconsider and perhaps present the competition prize later? If you provide a promissory note, the Viscount’s daughter will surely wait gladly.”

“No. I want to give it now. Right now.”

“Your Highness, you must be cautious.”

Despite continued persuasion, the Crown Prince merely twisted his head to dismiss the attendant.

“Stop bothering me and step back. This isn’t the only coin my mother left behind.”

The attendant fidgeted his knees but soon retreated far away. I looked up at the Crown Prince, wondering if I should withdraw my wish even now.

It wasn’t the Queen’s keepsake that Lou wanted, was it? She said she needed a silver coin imbued with royal energy.

“The attendant’s advice is correct. I don’t even need a promissory note. You can give me another silver coin later……”

“I don’t want to.”

“Pardon?”

“I want to know your name right now. You’ve been postponing it from the beginning. The food will get cold, you’ll state your wish first, there’s no silver coin—these reasons.”

Despite his indifferent tone, the Crown Prince’s eyes curved warmly. The surprisingly handsome mischievous boy smiled while focusing only on me.

“But this silver coin……”

When even I tried to stop him, the Crown Prince took my hand and placed it over his palm where the silver coin lay. I tried to quickly pull my hand back, but he firmly pressed my hand with his thumb, making it impossible to withdraw.

“This silver coin is a keepsake from my mother, the Queen. Moreover, it’s an item that suits you.”

“What do you mean……”

“Everyone who brings me food invariably explains only the specialness of the ingredients. Only my mother. She was the only one who considered me special, not the food.”

“……”

“My mother was like you. When she served food, she said she made it just for me. Exactly like you today. So I think this: Perhaps this keepsake came to me first so that it could eventually go to you.”

The man took a moment to catch his breath and then continued.

“What do you think? Will you accept it?”

I couldn’t understand what was happening.

The man who had been maintaining strict courtesy was now using informal speech with me. Despite meeting for the first time today, he called me “you” like an old friend.

Because of this, I was completely bewildered. I completely forgot where I was and who else was present besides us.

My lips merely trembled, and my hand caught by him shook frivolously.

“Ahem. Why are your hands shaking like this? It makes me want to keep holding them.”

“No……”

“Will you still not tell me your name? I’ve been waiting for a long time.”

“Ah. My name is……”

The eyes of the man holding my hand elongated. They looked mischievous, as if full of playfulness.

“Your name is?”

“Lea. Lea de Ruargo.”

“Lea. Such an expensive name. It took a long time to learn it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Where did you learn the recipe for the potage you gave me? Rice is an ingredient that even the royal chef doesn’t know how to handle and can’t touch.”

“That was from my grandmother.”

“Ah, your master chef grandmother. Who passed away five years ago. You’ve remembered her teachings all this time?”

That grandmother isn’t this grandmother, but anyway.

“Yes. I remembered the cooking method my grandmother taught me.”

“I see.”

The man looked at me again with twinkling, playful eyes.

He applied a lot of pressure with his thumb, causing our palms to press closely together with the silver coin between them.

“Then I’ll do the same.”

Do what?

“Just as you’ve remembered your grandmother’s cooking method until now, I’ll remember your name for a long time.”

The man bent his waist and lowered his upper body. His lips lightly pressed against the back of my hand, and his playful eyes gazed intently into mine.

“Respected, Lea de Ruargo.”