In the novel, the three’s close relationship ended during their childhood. It didn’t last long. Eventually, Kaiel killed Nior after many conflicts.

‘In many ways, it’s a meaningful tree.’

Delia tried to ignore the heaviness in her heart once again.

Instead, she looked at the tree more closely. It seemed to have been neglected for quite some time, yet it was full of bright red apples.

One particularly ripe apple caught her eye.

‘Hmm.’

Delia glanced around.

The tree was in such a secluded spot that it was hardly visible, and other trees surrounded it.

Her stomach had been growling for food for a while, so it was hard to leave the appetizing apple behind.

‘Should I pick it?’

After a moment’s hesitation, Delia gulped.

‘I’m just helping to pick the owner’s fruit. One for Kaiel, one for me.’

Delia stood on tiptoe and reached for the apple hanging a bit high.

Stretching her body as much as possible, she barely touched the surface of the apple with her fingertips.

Just as she was about to grab the apple with her fingers,

Flap!

A bird perched on the branch flapped its wings, shaking the branch. Startled by the unexpected visitor, the bird quickly flew over Delia’s head.

Surprised, she stepped back.

In the bird’s wake, an unripe green apple fell to the ground. Fortunately, it landed on the grass and didn’t break.

Delia quickly picked up the apple and wiped it on her skirt.

Of all the apples, it had to be an unripe one.

She intended to pick a ripe one for Kaiel, so she looked up again.

By then, the sky had already turned dark.

Looking around the intensely colored sky, Delia almost screamed.

Kaiel had been standing behind her, watching.

‘I didn’t even hear his footsteps…!’

The shadow that had been behind her for a while was not from the tree but from Kaiel.

His cold gaze reflected in the red sunlight looked even more terrifying.

“Uh… You’re here, Your Grace?”

Delia awkwardly smiled and offered the apple.

“Would you… like some?”

When he didn’t respond, Delia added.

“This… wasn’t picked by me, but by a bird… a bird….”

Even then, Kaiel just stared at her, so Delia trailed off and retracted the apple.

Delia fixed her gaze on the unfortunate unripe apple.

“Yes, I’m sorry. Actually, I was hungry and tried to pick one to eat. Do you see that one up there? I originally aimed for that one but failed. That one was meant for you….”

Feeling guilty, her words became longer.

“Eat.”

Kaiel spoke indifferently. Delia looked up at him in surprise.

Instead of repeating himself, Kaiel lightly nodded, signaling her to eat.

Contrary to her expectation that he would scold her, he said nothing. Delia guessed there must be a reason behind his unexpected leniency.

“It’s not… a poisoned apple, right?”

Of course, it wasn’t. But why was he acting this way?

“You said you were hungry, so eat.”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll eat it well!”

Delia took a bite of the apple. The fresh scent of the apple filled her nose. It still had a grassy smell since it had just fallen from the tree.

However, she soon couldn’t enjoy the flavor. Her face scrunched up. She almost spat out everything in her mouth before even swallowing once.

Seeing her reaction, Kaiel asked.

“How does it taste?”

“Ugh.”

The taste of the unripe apple was overwhelming. It was the sourest and most astringent apple she had ever tasted. It wasn’t the kind of sour and tangy unripe apple she knew.

“…It’s sour… and astringent… sour… and astringent….”

While Delia struggled with the sourness in her mouth, Kaiel leisurely watched her.

Since she couldn’t speak properly due to the lingering taste of the unripe apple, Kaiel slowly walked to the apple tree. He reached for the apple Delia had failed to pick earlier.

Unlike her struggle, he easily picked the apple without even raising his arm much.

“The apples from this tree are inedible before they fully ripen.”

Delia looked at him with a betrayed expression.

“Who gives something knowing that?”

But as soon as she saw his face shadowed in the sunset, her heart melted again.

Kaiel gazed at the apple tree as if he was reminiscing about his childhood.

Feeling her gaze, Kaiel spoke.

“Even if it’s neglected, everything in the palace garden belongs to the imperial family. You tried to steal from the imperial family.”

He turned his eyes back to Delia.

“…This is your punishment.”

“I told you, the bird picked it!”

Ignoring her excuse, Kaiel headed towards the carriage. He stopped and looked back at the apple tree before walking again.

Throughout the walk, Delia silently cheered inside, thrilled to be walking in the Sheriton garden with Kaiel.

Though she didn’t show it, just walking beside him made her feel giddy and happy. Even if he kept a certain distance, she was satisfied with this proximity.

She refrained from bothering him to raise the plausibility score because today was their first meeting, and this much was enough.

They walked silently through the long garden path, each holding an apple.

Delia with the bitten unripe apple, Kaiel with the ripe red apple.

By the time they reached the carriage, the sky was already dark.

Coachman Ian sighed in relief, seeing Delia safely return with the Grand Duke.

He worried whether it was okay for her to wander off into the garden while he was briefly away.

He had been anxious due to the Grand Duke’s cold gaze when he asked where she was.

“Get in.”

Ian opened the carriage door.

“Wait a moment!”

Delia held out the unripe apple to the Grand Duke.

“Please split this in half.”

“……”

Kaiel glanced at the apple and then glared at her.

His expression clearly said he wouldn’t do such a thing.

“Haha… Never mind. I’ll do it myself.”

Delia smashed the apple against the carriage door, splitting it in half, and immediately fed one half to the horse.

The horse snorted contentedly.

“Oh, it’s eating well.”

However, after chewing a few times, the horse spat out the apple chunk roughly and began to snort. Ian, who was standing behind the horse and nearly got kicked, asked in a startled voice.

“Oh my, what did you feed it?”

Delia hurriedly calmed the horse.

“Sorry, sorry. This really isn’t… edible, it seems.”

She gently stroked the horse’s snout with her small, soft hand.

Ian, who had been watching Delia with a pleased smile, looked at the chunk on the ground.

“It’s an apple? This one usually eats anything….”

Then, curious, he asked,

“But where did you get the apple? Weren’t you in the garden?”

Kaiel, who had been silent, slightly turned his head to look at Delia in response to Ian’s question.

“Now that I think about it, you found that tree quite well.”

“I found it while wandering around. It was a bit hidden, though.”

Feeling the chill in the air, Ian prepared to depart.

“It will take quite a while to reach Tranade….”

Coachman Ian muttered to himself.

Before climbing into the coachman’s seat, he glanced back and forth between Delia and Kaiel. Will they ride together again this time…?

As someone who had lived his whole life as a coachman, having to seat a person of high status in the coachman’s seat was unacceptable. Ian shook his head slightly.

At that moment, another carriage arrived with the sound of hooves.

The carriage stopped right behind Ian’s. Delia glanced at the door, wondering who would get out, but no one did.

“Get in.”

At Kaiel’s words, the coachman of the newly arrived carriage got down and opened the door. The coachman bowed respectfully to Delia, waiting for her to board.

Delia’s eyes immediately turned to Kaiel.

“Am I riding this? Separately from Your Grace?”

Kaiel responded indifferently with a concise nod. Delia burst into laughter at his typical solution.

“What is this! The belly button is bigger than the belly¹meaning: the costs outweigh the benefits!”

He didn’t want to ride together, but it was awkward for anyone to sit in the coachman’s seat for a long distance, so he called for another carriage. Only someone as wealthy as the Grand Duke of Tranade could afford such a solution.

Kaiel watched her laugh heartily with an expressionless face. Delia stopped laughing and waved her hand.

“Oh, come on, Your Grace. Let’s ride together! Why go through the trouble of having two carriages…?”

“I’d rather not ride with an apple thief.”

Delia’s face turned red at his words.

Leaving the stunned Delia behind, he climbed into the carriage.

Ian, who had been worried about having to ride beside the high and mighty Grand Duke, was secretly relieved and quickly closed the carriage door.

“See you in Tranade.”

Ian greeted Delia and headed to the coachman’s seat. Delia also boarded the carriage, following him.

As she stepped on the footboard, her eyes showed a mix of determination and concern.

Under the pitch-black sky, the two carriages left the Sheriton Palace and headed for Tranade.

“Unripe Apple.”

Out of nowhere, Kaiel called Delia by a strange name just as they arrived in Tranade, and she was being shown to her room by a servant.

Delia, who had been dragged around by the enthusiastic servants without a moment to look around, was called out by Kaiel as soon as she set foot in her room.

“Unripe Apple.”

What kind of strange nickname was that?

“…Yes?”

“Your name.”

Seeing Delia’s wide-eyed confusion, he dryly said,

“What’s your name?”