“My brother simply liked the color green, so he picked the green apples, but those apples were actually very sour.”

Remembering the taste of unripe apples, Delia grimaced.

“Oh, have you tasted them too?”

When Delia nodded, Ashlene laughed even more.

“Lady Rant made my brother eat those sour apples as punishment whenever he did something wrong after that.”

Delia remembered Kaiel making her eat those unripe apples as punishment for trying to steal them. It was Lady Rant’s doing. The thought made her feel suffocated.

“Seeing your green eyes reminded me of that.”

Ashlene continued to share stories from Kaiel’s childhood. Some were familiar to Delia.

Listening to the stories, Delia found him endearing to the point of death, but her heart sank whenever Lady Rant was mentioned.

“Delia, it must be tough, but please hang in there for Lady Rant and my brother. Lady Rant is… the most precious person to him.”

“Yes, I will.”

By the time the conversation ended, Delia’s complicated thoughts were as clear as the empty glass Ashlene had set down.

Yes.

Granting one wish before dying is fair, right? Isn’t that right, system?

Kaiel, if I have to kill you, I’ll do something for you first.

Delia mentally repeated to the system.

‘This is the author’s stubbornness.’

***

When the conversation was in full swing, a servant arrived with a box of medicine.

Following Ashlene’s instructions, the servant carefully applied the medicine to Delia’s exposed ankle.

The cool, refreshing sensation was similar to modern-day patches.

“Ashlene.”

As the servant finished applying the medicine, Kaiel entered the drawing room.

He looked at Ashlene as he entered, then his eyes met Delia’s.

“Ka…”

Delia almost called his name out of habit but quickly closed her mouth. With Ashlene, Kaiel’s sister and the imperial princess, right in front of her, she couldn’t address him as casually as usual.

In the end, Delia bowed her head slightly in greeting. Ashlene turned to Kaiel and greeted him warmly.

“Oh, brother. I was talking with Miss Delia.”

“Hmm.”

The servant, who had just packed away the medicine, bowed respectfully to the princess and the grand duke before leaving the drawing room. Kaiel approached and looked between the two of them.

“Are you hurt?”

“She hurt her ankle when she bumped into me in the garden. Are you feeling better now, Delia?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

Kaiel’s gaze moved from Ashlene to Delia. His eyes lingered on her a bit longer than usual.

“…How are you feeling?”

“Sorry?”

Talking about feelings out of nowhere?

Delia looked at him, puzzled, and Kaiel spoke in a frustrated tone.

“Earlier… you didn’t look well.”

Earlier…

Was he talking about when she saw Lady Rant?

She must have unconsciously shown her guilt on her face when she saw Lady Rant.

The fact that he noticed made Delia feel deeply touched by her favorite character’s attentiveness.

But Delia played it off casually. She couldn’t show her emotions in front of Ashlene.

“Did I…?”

Ashlene, noticing Delia’s worried expression, gently placed her hand over Delia’s.

“Delia, it seems you are struggling. Brother, I was just about to…”

“Ahem…!”

Delia coughed awkwardly, sensing that Ashlene was about to discuss improving the treatment of the servants at Tranade Castle with Kaiel. Ashlene patted Delia’s back.

“Oh dear, do you have a cold? Should I get some medicine…?”

Ashlene seemed to be even kinder than Delia had described in her novel.

Ashlene’s kindness was partly due to her high favorability score, but Delia didn’t realize that.

“I’m really fine, Your Highness. Truly.”

Delia emphasized and then looked at Kaiel.

“I haven’t felt bad for a single moment today, Your Grace.”

Delia smiled at Ashlene.

“After all, I got to meet Your Highness.”

Ashlene returned her smile warmly.

“From now on, whenever my brother visits the imperial palace, please come along with him, Miss Delia.”

Then she covered her mouth with her hand and added playfully.

“Don’t forget, you promised to be my drinking buddy.”

As Delia and Ashlene giggled together, Kaiel finally averted his gaze from her.

Seeing her smile now, it was hard to imagine how downcast she had looked earlier when she had met his mother.

Delia’s excited voice still reached his ears as she continued talking.

Kaiel stood there for a moment, then walked over to the opposite sofa and sat down, crossing his long legs. His cold gaze remained fixed on her, but Delia didn’t notice.

Kaiel let his sister and Delia chat for a while longer. When the sunlight streaming through the window began to dim, he finally stood up.

“Let’s go.”

“Ah, brother.”

Ashlene stopped Kaiel as he was about to leave.

“That…”

“Your Highness, thank you for spending time with me today. I’ll take my leave now.”

Before Ashlene could ask for permission, the quick-witted Delia politely excused herself. Ashlene saw her off with a look of fondness, as if she were seeing off a dear friend.

Once Delia left, Ashlene turned back to Kaiel. The smile she had been wearing faded, replaced by a look of concern.

“You won’t say hello to our… eldest brother? Or to the Imperial Father…”

“Ashlene.”

Kaiel’s low voice cut her off.

“I understand, I was just asking.”

Though her expression was troubled, Ashlene didn’t show it and saw Kaiel off. The dreamlike days of their childhood were long buried in her memories.

The eldest brother, who had always been bright and full of laughter, and the second brother, who appeared cold but was endlessly kind, were no longer there.

“Take care, brother.”

Watching Kaiel’s departing figure, Ashlene called for a servant to bring a few more bottles of alcohol and then disappeared into her room.

As Kaiel exited the drawing room, Delia approached him cheerfully.

“You’re here. This time, I waited patiently without running away.”

Delia hurried to keep up with Kaiel who started walking ahead of her. When she finally caught up, Kaiel spoke.

“You addressed my sister as ‘Your Highness’ quite well.”

He looked puzzled, though this was just Delia’s perception. To others, Kaiel always appeared expressionless.

Delia shrugged as if there was nothing wrong with that.

“And you called her name so kindly, Kaiel.”

Kaiel’s expression crumpled. Not caring, Delia tilted her head playfully.

“What did you say again…?”

Recalling what Kaiel had said before, Delia mimicked his tone as best as she could.

“Hmm, ‘I don’t call names affectionately!’ Right?”

“……”

“Isn’t that right! Right? Are you going back on your word?”

Delia clapped her hands and laughed, finding Kaiel’s silence amusing. Her long hair swayed with her laughter.

“You never call my name, so I thought you had a disease that would kill you if you did.”

Delia knew very well that Kaiel had never called anyone’s name except Ashlene and Nior.

Still, she teased him because she was eager to provoke him.

“Why don’t I change my name to ‘you’? Then you’d call my name all the time.”

“……”

“Then I’d hear it all the time.”

Just as Delia was about to burst into laughter again,

“Do you want to hear it that much?”

Kaiel’s low voice made Delia stop in her tracks.

When she stopped, Kaiel also leisurely halted and turned halfway towards her.

She never expected him to ask like this. She thought he would ignore her as usual. His sudden question made her blush.

If someone else had said it, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but coming from Kaiel, it felt very unfamiliar.

“Of course! Absolutely…”

Ignoring her racing heart, Delia looked at Kaiel with hopeful eyes.

“…Will you call me?”

A gentle breeze passed between them. A moment of quiet stillness ensued. The wind played with Delia’s auburn hair before moving on.

That annoying auburn hair.

Was it the same playful wind that had blown her hair into his face that day at the tavern?

Remembering the sensation of her hair tickling his cheek, Kaiel frowned.

“…No.”

Delia, deflated by his answer, muttered softly.

“Unfair. Unfair. Unfair.”

Ignoring her grumbling, Kaiel resumed walking. Despite her complaints, Delia hurried to keep up with him.

They crossed the wide garden towards the carriage.

No matter how fast Delia walked, she couldn’t keep up with Kaiel’s pace and began to lag behind. Moreover, her injured ankle started to throb again.

“Ah…”

Whether he heard her small exclamation or not, Kaiel eventually slowed his pace.

“Slower than a snail.”

“And you’re faster than an ostrich.”

Delia retorted, catching her breath. Thanks to him slowing down, she could now walk through the garden more comfortably.

“Oh!”

As they neared the carriage, Delia suddenly turned her head towards the palace.

“The box…!”

She realized she hadn’t brought the box out of the drawing room. The thought of walking back through the vast garden to retrieve it made her ankle ache again.