To be cautious, guards were stationed at the gate when Kai entered Verdura Castle.

The guards assumed they were being relieved by others, but in truth, it was Kai’s shadows who took over their duties.

“Royce, it’s been a while. Did you enjoy the hunting festival? You didn’t get hurt, did you?”

Feeling like they shared a secret that no one else could see, Stella experienced a sudden sense of closeness with Royce, as if they were confidants.

“Did you take the handkerchief I gave you?”

Before he could respond to the first question, she asked another. Stella’s eyes were filled with anticipation as she looked at him.

The moment Kai met Stella’s gaze, he realized that his previously uneasy heart felt as if it were being soothed in warm water.

Realizing this, Kai unconsciously took a step back.

He had never retreated, even when facing an enemy on the battlefield. Yet, the fact that he stepped back because of a princess who was merely a hostage left Kai feeling both embarrassed and wounded in his pride.

“Yes. I carried it on my sword during the hunting festival.”

He deliberately replied in a stiff and formal tone. He didn’t want Stella to notice how her small actions affected him, nor could he admit it to himself.

“Really? I’m glad at least one was tied to your sword. It wasn’t a complete waste then.”

“At least one?”

It sounded as if there were other handkerchiefs. Kai imagined Stella handing out handkerchiefs to knights other than himself and felt somewhat displeased.

“Yeah. I embroidered six handkerchiefs.”

Not just two, but six.

Suddenly, he felt foolish for coming all this way to repay a favor for a single handkerchief with a carrot embroidered on it. The existence of the silver coins didn’t even cross Kai’s mind at that moment.

“I gave four to the earth fairies to use as blankets, and one to you, Royce.”

“Is that so?”

Learning the recipients of some of the handkerchiefs unexpectedly lifted his spirits. However, he was still curious about the last one. Who on earth could it be?

“Who did you give the last one to?”

Kai hesitated for a moment before asking. It wasn’t in his nature to brood over things alone.

“I sent it to His Majesty the Emperor. They say princesses taken as hostages are required to send embroidered gifts. At first, it was bothersome, but thanks to that, I was able to make handkerchiefs for the earth fairies and you. The handkerchief with the eagle embroidery was taken by Milla, but I doubt the Emperor even knows I sent it.”

Mentioning the Emperor brought back memories of the formal dinner. The brief moment of stepping forward with the lineage scroll in hand had felt like walking to her death.

Recalling that moment sent shivers down her spine, and Stella unconsciously rubbed her arms as she trembled.

To Stella, the Emperor was a terrifying figure who could tear her life apart like a piece of paper. Considering that, she felt grateful that Verdura Castle was far from the capital.

Kai couldn’t dispute the idea that the Emperor might be unaware of the handkerchief. In reality, he didn’t know.

The numerous handkerchiefs embroidered by princesses rarely reached him, often tucked away somewhere. Of those, only about half a dozen, embroidered with exceptional skill, ever made it to the Emperor.

Judging by the embroidery of the carrot, Stella’s handkerchief was unlikely to be among those select few.

If she hadn’t told him it was a carrot, he would never have guessed. Stella was not naturally skilled at needlework.

Yet, somehow, he felt better than before.

Out of the six handkerchiefs, four went to the earth fairies, and the other two ended up with him.

He would need to find out where the one with the eagle embroidery was, but at least among humans, no one else had Stella’s handkerchiefs except him.

Somehow, he was certain that the eagle Stella embroidered would look like a sprouting potato.

Kai thought he felt better because, as the Emperor, he wasn’t treated the same as others.

He was accustomed to being treated specially by everyone, so perhaps this moment felt a bit different.

“So, what brings you here? Did you hear about the spinach harvest?”

Kai shook his head, as he had no idea about it. At least he didn’t have high expectations like he did with the carrots. Spinach was one of the vegetables Kai didn’t like.

Therefore, he thought there was no chance he would become irrationally obsessed with it like he did with the carrots.

“No, I’m here because it seemed like I’ve only been receiving, so I wanted to offer something in return.”

Kai found himself talking more than usual as he responded.

“You really don’t need to repay me.”

Stella genuinely meant it. She had no desire to take anything from a low-ranking knight who was already struggling to make ends meet.

Moreover, just knowing there was someone else who could see the earth fairies was a huge comfort. She no longer felt alone in the world. This, more than anything, was a great gift to Stella.

“No, I insist. I feel better if I repay you.”

Kai thought that after giving Stella the gift he had prepared, he would avoid getting further involved with her. But then…

“If you really want to repay me, could you teach me swordsmanship?”

Stella surprised him with an unexpected request. Swordsmanship? Was that even appropriate for a princess? When Kai frowned at her, Stella quickly waved her hands and added, “I’m not asking for daily lessons. Just once or twice a week? Or even just once. I’ll practice on my own the rest of the time.”

“Can’t princesses hire private tutors?”

Kai knew that princesses often discreetly spent their own money to hire various people. He had no intention of interfering with their personal hobbies unless they posed a threat to him.

“That’s true.”

Stella also knew, from information she had gotten from Esmi, that she could hire a tutor for anything she wanted to learn, as long as she had the money.

But the problem was, Stella didn’t have enough money to hire a tutor. She had brought only about ten dresses and some jewelry from Amalrune.

To consistently attend the various events hosted by the Credion royal family, she needed multiple dresses. Although she never wanted to attend such events, refusing invitations was a privilege for those with some power. Stella, of course, had no choice.

So far, she hadn’t attended many events, so she could wear a different dress each time, but she might not be able to do so for future events.

Moreover, she had no desire to spend her hard-earned money from farming on dresses or jewelry. She didn’t have enough money to buy dresses anyway, and she couldn’t waste money she had earned through sweat on worthless things.

Stella’s top priority was finding out Rudina’s whereabouts. She didn’t even know how much it would cost to commission a guild for this information. Her plan was to save as much money as possible and then approach the guild.

Fortunately, the farming had gone better than expected, so she thought she could gather the necessary funds without too much delay.

Even at that moment, the thought of Rudina suffering somewhere alone made her anxious. Rudina was more than just a maid to Stella.

“I don’t have enough money to hire a tutor.”

After much thought, Stella decided to be honest with Royce about her situation.

Throughout her explanation, Royce wore a look of disbelief. It made no sense that a princess of a country couldn’t afford to hire a tutor.

“Why doesn’t the Kingdom of Amalrune send you money?”

Kai’s question carried a sharp edge. Stella was surprised by his confident response, as she didn’t know Royce was aware she came from Amalrune. She had never mentioned it.

“How do you know I’m from Amalrune?”

Kai flinched at Stella’s wide-eyed question but quickly replied with a nonchalant expression.

“It would be strange for anyone in the royal castle not to know.”

Of course, this wasn’t true. Kai glanced at Stella, slightly nervous that she might find it odd, but fortunately, she seemed to accept it and nodded.

“I see.”

Stella didn’t want Royce to know that she had been practically abandoned by Amalrune.

Even though Royce felt much closer than before, she couldn’t reveal the secret of her illegitimacy, so she awkwardly smiled and turned her head.

“It’s just how it is. Anyway, I don’t have money, and you said you wanted to repay me, Royce, so I think this is a reasonable deal.”

Kai, watching Princess Stella shift the conversation, responded in a disinterested tone.

“It seems like I’m getting the short end of the deal.”

Stella flinched as though she was caught off guard by Kai’s response. But she couldn’t back down now.

“I’ll let you be the first to taste the crops I grow. You can come by anytime and eat to your heart’s content.”

Kai seemed to misunderstand that she thought he was starving. But he couldn’t reveal his identity.

“I’m well-fed, well-rested, and doing fine. I don’t go hungry.”

“Sure, of course. But you must know that the produce from here is on a different level than elsewhere. Remember the carrot? Have you ever tasted a carrot that delicious in your life?”

Kai pressed his lips together. It was a ridiculous statement, but not entirely wrong. Still, he couldn’t justify taking time from his busy schedule to become Stella’s sword teacher just for some vegetables.

“I’m a busy person. I can’t offer that kind of help.”

“Okay, I understand. Sorry for asking. Anyway, since you’re here, take this. I brought it because I thought you might come.”

Royce’s response was so firm that Stella couldn’t insist further.

She handed him a basket she had prepared especially for him. Inside were a salad made from freshly harvested spinach and a steak garnished with carrots and spinach.

“Oh, and this too.”

“What is it?”

What Stella handed to Kai was a purple horn she had obtained from the hunting festival.

“It’s a purple horn. Isn’t it pretty? In the daylight, it sparkles like a jewel.”

—

T/N: Not Kai feeling jealous over some fairies and himself! LMAO