Aristie climbed into the carriage and leaned her head against the window. As the carriage started moving, a gentle vibration transmitted through the door to her head.

With a face like a soulless doll, she thought.

How lonely it was.

That she alone had to fight against Estelle.

And how powerless she felt.

That no matter what she did, she couldn’t make Khalid see the truth.

Her whole body felt as heavy as water-logged cotton. As she closed her eyelids, too weary to even lift them, Khalid’s voice echoed in her mind like an auditory hallucination.

—I’m seeing her.

A sudden sense of injustice welled up.

Like Khalid, she too had never properly met another man until she was twenty-two. Having been designated as the crown princess from an early age, she had been instilled with the importance of modest behavior since she learned to speak.

Now Khalid had found a new connection, and she alone was left behind.

What are my dreams and values?

That is, what are the dreams and values that I alone desire, excluding being an empress or an ideal wife and mother?

‘I want to experience it too.’

She wanted to feel freedom too. She wanted to meet someone like Khalid did.

It felt like she would feel less wronged if she could at least enjoy a date with a man who didn’t know her identity.

As just an ordinary woman, not the future empress. Even if just for one day.

—She’s a woman I came to know by chance. I ran into her on the street, and even though we only exchanged a few words, I felt it was fate.

‘The street…’

Aristie quietly opened her eyes. Harboring a certain resolve.

A spark of life had risen in her blue eyes that had seemed about to crumble.

Chapter 3

On a clear afternoon with a refreshing blue sky spread out, the streets were more lively than usual to mark the beginning of the Harvest Festival.

Shops were wide open, actively soliciting customers, and people gathered in groups, willingly opening their wallets.

Various events were held outdoors, and it was so entertaining that time flew by just watching, let alone participating.

“You can go back now.”

Aristie said to the guards as she reached the square.

“From here, Miss? Then what about you…”

“I’m supposed to meet His Majesty the Emperor. He will escort me back when we’re done.”

This was actually the first time for such an arrangement.

On days when she had an outing with the emperor, he would always send a carriage to the duke’s residence or visit in person.

It was also rare to set a meeting place in such a commoner’s street. Usually, they would meet in bustling areas frequented by nobles or the middle class.

“Understood. Then we’ll take our leave first.”

Thinking there must be some circumstances, the guards followed her order. Aristie quickly hid herself in the crowd, lest they try to hold her back.

She felt miserable for lying that the emperor would escort her back when she had actually come out to the streets after being hurt by him. But it was the only method she could think of to shake off the private soldiers.

She just wanted to wander aimlessly alone today.

Enjoying freedom without any constraints. To hopefully ease her stuffy feelings a bit.

‘…But where should I go first?’

Left alone in the square, she suddenly felt at a loss. But she wasn’t a greenhouse flower unable to venture out alone.

She often roamed the streets by herself even normally. Meeting friends, going to her favorite cafes, shopping, and so on.

But each time, the ducal carriage and guards would be waiting nearby, and people who recognized her always made her behave with decorum.

This was her first time exploring an unfamiliar place mingling among bustling crowds like today.

“Buy some candy. It’s delicious!”

Aristie looked down as someone tugged at the hem of her skirt. A child was holding out candy to her with a basket in hand.

It seemed the child had come out to earn some pocket money for the festival. Aristie asked the cute little merchant about the price.

“How much is it?”

“It’s 30 ers for one. But two for 50 ers.”

The child said, showing two chubby fingers. The little one knew how to do business quite well.

“Give me two, one of each.”

Aristie smiled gently as she took out coins from her purse.

“Two, one of each? Hmm, but it’s more expensive if you buy them separately?”

“That’s alright. I want to buy them that way, hehe.”

Aristie handed over 60 ers and received two candies. It was out of a desire to contribute a little, finding the hardworking child admirable.

The child, seemingly pleased, shouted “Thank you!” and ran off. Aristie put the candies in her handbag and looked around.

It wasn’t just the child who seemed to be in a good mood. All the passersby looked happy.

Despite being a commoner’s street, there were no signs of starving people or vagrants. Even though the city had been unsettled everywhere during the war with Cordio three years ago, anxiety had disappeared and peace had settled in.

It was the result of focusing on welfare administration. A scene that made one realize how great the emperor’s reign was.

As the image of Khalid immersed in state affairs came to mind, she suddenly missed him. Even though she felt hurt… even though she was wounded, the years spent together couldn’t be ignored…

‘…Khalid!?’

As Aristie turned her head absentmindedly, she spotted Khalid passing by in the distance.

Her eyes widened in extreme surprise.

‘Why is Khalid here!’

She could recognize him despite the hood thanks to his noticeably tall stature and Zephyros following behind. And the glimpse of his side profile.

However, she was surprised not just because of Khalid. It was because she witnessed the woman walking alongside him.

The woman was also covering her face with a hat, but just seeing the fluttering hair, one could tell who it was.

If it was a red-haired woman who could dare to walk casually with the emperor of the great empire.

‘Estelle… So they were meeting.’

Her heart ached. The unpleasant feeling even made her nauseous.

As always, she tried to understand rationally.

‘It’s okay. I already knew this. Since Estelle was a commoner, they probably met often in places like this before. For festivals like the Harvest Festival, they’d want to enjoy it together even more. So it’s not really surprising…’

Damn it! At least don’t appear before my eyes! Go enjoy yourselves in hiding!

‘……!’

Aristie was terrified by her own emotions that had exploded. Fearing that Khalid might look this way, she hurriedly left the spot.

She couldn’t bear any of it.

Neither her own state of being indignant at her fiancé and his woman. Nor her fiancé who might inadvertently witness her pathetic state.

Absolutely not the villainess who would mock her from beside that fiancé!

To avoid the horrifying situation that was terrible just to imagine, Aristie walked aimlessly in the opposite direction. Walking mindlessly, she soon found herself on a bridge over a river.

‘This isn’t why I came out…’

Aristie leaned on the bridge and looked down at the river listlessly.

Her heart was more complicated than ever.

If she had known she would run into Khalid, she wouldn’t have come out in the first place. She would rather have taken one more day of bridal lessons.

What was I trying to do today?

To freely enjoy the festival… To savor myself without any pretenses… And then, like Khalid did, if I happened to meet someone by chance…

“Ah!”

Suddenly, a river breeze blew her hat up. As she reached out to grab it, a stronger wind puffed up her dress greatly.

‘Oh, no!’

Aristie’s body swayed. It happened in an instant.

Her mind reeled, and she was overcome with the fear that she might fall into the water. Just as it was about to become reality, a sturdy arm reached out from somewhere and swiftly wrapped around her waist.

Her body, which was about to fall forward, instead fell backward and ended up being embraced in a young man’s arms.

“Are you alright?”

A voice flowed down from the crown of her head along with breath.

It was a gentle, melodious voice.

Along with it, she felt something like a unique scent. Aristie, who had felt the other person’s voice and body odor before even seeing their face, raised her head this time and encountered the man’s face right in front of her nose.

“……!”

“……!”

The two were silent for a moment.

As if time had stopped.

In Aristie’s case, it was because she was surprised that the man was handsome beyond, no, surpassing her expectations. But judging from the young man’s expression, he seemed to have forgotten what to say for the same reason as her.

In other words, it was a situation where they were both speechless, surprised by each other’s appearance. It was even more so because the distance was close enough for a kiss to be possible.