She was clearly asking out of frustration rather than genuine curiosity. I watched Lady Eleanor’s expression nervously and gave an awkward smile.

“……Did you decide to go in the same direction as Marquis Ferol?”

Noel also kept saying strange things whenever he got the chance, telling me not to date someone like Kyle.

When I compared her to Noel, Lady Eleanor straightened her back and adjusted her glasses like her pride was deeply wounded.

“I respect His Majesty as my superior. I also like him very much as a childhood friend. But becoming family is a different matter, isn’t it?”

“I don’t see what’s different.”

Whether friends or family, the type of person I like has to be similar, doesn’t it?

And if I had to pinpoint Kyle’s good qualities, I’d want to say this.

“Kyle is someone who fills in what I lack.”

Somehow I was just born with holy power far superior to others, but I’m still an ordinary human with many shortcomings. And Kyle’s refreshing personality fills in those shortcomings of mine.

Though I spoke sincerely, for some reason Lady Eleanor seemed deeply moved and clasped her hands together.

“Lady Cioranne is truly positive. Most people would say exactly the opposite, every single one of them.”

“But it’s the truth.”

I’m always worried that I’m not being helpful to Kyle at all.

While we were having this gentle conversation, a maid brought breakfast. It was a simple plate perfectly suited to me with my habit of eating small portions – a little bread with a salad topped with scrambled eggs.

After I said grace and was diligently munching my breakfast, Lady Eleanor, sitting across from me, asked with a serious expression.

“What would you do if His Majesty confined you to the imperial palace and told you to look only at him?”

She really knows him well for being Kyle’s childhood friend. Kyle actually said exactly that.

I answered with the fork still in my mouth.

“I’d have to tell him no.”

“What if His Majesty doesn’t listen to the Holy Maiden?”

“I’d have to tell him no again.”

“……”

Lady Eleanor, who looked bewildered for a moment, wiped away tears with the back of her hand.

“Just trust me. I’ll protect you.”

I tilted my head and then nodded readily. She sometimes said things that were hard to understand like this, but Lady Eleanor was truly a reliable person.

After finishing our meal, we headed to none other than the reception room in my palace. They said I needed to do the final fitting for the wedding dress that had been basted recently.

“The royal wedding date has been confirmed for the week after next.”

Though it was my own wedding, I listened half-heartedly like it was someone else’s wedding and came out the door to find Richard standing there, someone I hadn’t seen in a while.

“Oh, Richard.”

When I acknowledged him, Richard bowed his head. Since other people were present, he maintained proper boundaries instead of treating me casually like usual.

‘It feels like I haven’t seen him in a long time. His face looks a bit worn too.’

When I first heard he would be dedicated to my protection, I was happy thinking I’d be able to see Richard often even after coming to the imperial palace. But I actually couldn’t meet Richard as much as I expected in the imperial palace.

‘I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but he seems to receive duties other than guarding frequently.’

Things like finding the Pope’s correspondence documents last time weren’t really a guard knight’s duties, were they?

‘Kyle isn’t secretly tormenting him or anything, is he?’

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Richard. Richard tilted his head and looked back at me. His kind eyes held not a shadow of darkness. He was someone who wouldn’t tell the truth even if things were really difficult.

‘Maybe it would be better if I took the initiative to be considerate.’

With that thought, I first suggested Richard take a break.

“Since we’re just moving around inside the palace anyway, you probably don’t need to follow along.”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Didn’t you just return from an external mission? Rest for a bit. I’ll call you when I go outside the palace. I’m just going to change clothes.”

“It’s fine.”

Richard stubbornly insisted on following me. When I nodded helplessly, Lady Eleanor unexpectedly looked back at him with a pitiful expression.

“……Would it be alright for you to come along?”

“I’m fine.”

“Huh?”

I tilted my head at their conversation. Lady Eleanor was someone who would go on and on about imperial palace protocols and insist that Richard should follow everywhere.

‘Maybe it’s because I have to change clothes.’

Thinking that, I obediently followed Lady Eleanor to where the completed wedding dress was.

The wedding dress I chose after much deliberation had an elegant design with short sleeves that covered the entire neckline. I thought long sleeves would be fine too, but Lady Eleanor opposed it.

‘She said it looked too similar to priest robes.’

A dress with short sleeves. It felt very unfamiliar, but seeing the completed dress, I was glad we went with this design. Thanks to my fierce opposition, small glass beads were attached in wave patterns instead of jewels, and that was beautiful too.

‘I’ll have to be careful not to break them.’

While I was thinking that, Simons called me.

“Please come this way. I’ll help you change.”

Not only was the dress inconvenient to put on alone, but there were many things to wear underneath to make the skirt puff out as beautifully as possible. Having always worn comfortable and simple designs, I was a bit perplexed.

‘Did everyone dance while dragging around such heavy clothes? That’s impressive.’

Thinking that, I slowly walked out of the dressing room. The glass beads clinked against each other making clear, tinkling sounds.

When I walked out, Richard’s eyes, who had been standing quietly, widened.

While Richard stood speechless, Lady Eleanor circled around me. Then she sharply pointed out various aspects of the dress.

“Isn’t the waist a bit big? Are you sure it was sewn properly?”

“She seems to have lost weight since we last took measurements.”

“This needs to be fixed. The lace layers should be changed like this……”

Since the two suddenly started having an in-depth discussion, I ended up standing there blankly even though it was my own dress. Richard approached me and whispered in a small voice.

“You’re beautiful, Cioranne.”

Suddenly I felt reassured when Richard spoke to me. I twisted my waist slightly with an embarrassed expression. The dress skirt and petticoat were so heavy that it was hard for me to even look behind myself.

“Really? It’s not awkward?”

“Not awkward at all. You’re as beautiful as I imagined.”

Richard’s eyes looked distant, like he was seeing some far future.

“Cioranne.”

Richard, who had twitched his hand slightly like he wanted to hold mine, ultimately didn’t raise his hand. Instead, he spoke in an affectionate voice.

“You have to live happily. If you’re not happy, tell me anytime.”

“What would you do?”

“I’d carry you on my back and run away.”

Richard answered immediately. At his cheerful response, I couldn’t help but burst into giggles.

“Thanks for saying that at least.”

Richard carrying me on his back and running away. Imagining that scene made me laugh again. Richard, who had been quietly watching my profile, spoke in a slightly subdued voice.

“You found your own family.”

“Huh? What do you mean? I already had family.”

I smiled broadly and extended my hand to Richard.

“Richard, you’re like family to me too.”

“……”

“Thank you always, Richard. I don’t think I felt lonely in the temple because you were there.”

Richard, who had been dazed for a moment, smiled and took my hand. We ended up shaking hands somehow.

‘Huh? This isn’t right.’

I had meant to hold hands like children do when walking. Richard, who gently shook my hand, smiled peacefully and answered.

“I felt the same way, Cioranne. No matter what I do for you, it will never be enough to repay what I received from you.”

“What do you mean?”

Richard only smiled without answering. When I tilted my head and was about to ask again what he meant, a large hand intervened between us, and I naturally let go of the hand I was shaking with Richard. The large shadow that came between us snatched my hand and kissed the back of it.

“Ran.”

“Kyle.”

Kyle, who wasn’t originally scheduled to visit here today, had come.

His black hair was slightly disheveled, perhaps from rushing over. I reflexively reached out to tidy it. But that hand ultimately couldn’t reach his hair because Kyle pulled me into his embrace.

Holding me tightly like trapping me in his arms, he spoke to Simons, who had been speaking passionately, in a cold voice.

“Change the dress to something else.”