The office was quite modest for its size, featuring a large table in the center, three visitor chairs, and an old leather sofa with an additional stool on the opposite side.

The woman who appeared to be in charge didn’t look up from her documents, even when she sensed our presence, remaining sunk into the sofa.

As I hesitated, trying to gauge the situation, a man who seemed to be an assistant approached and pulled out a chair slightly for me.

“Please have a seat here. And kindly present your identification badge.”

Seeing the neatly stacked documents made me feel increasingly intimidated. I had no idea what the principality’s identification badge looked like, but I strongly suspected it wasn’t a bracelet.

“Um, it’s this…”

What if they didn’t recognize the seal after coming all this way? Surely, an administrative officer would recognize something that even a checkpoint guard could identify…

“A… bracelet?”

Before the bracelet fully touched the table, the woman snatched it up. Her previously tired expression gradually transformed into one of interest. Then, suddenly, she stood up.

“Oh my, how did such an esteemed guest end up here? You could have gone straight to the royal palace.”

Her reaction was friendlier than I had expected, and I replied with relief.

“I didn’t know. The checkpoint guard directed me here.”

“Well, ordinary soldiers might not understand the diplomatic weight of this. Even I am seeing the Emperor’s seal in person for the first time. Oh, I’m Mariela, the person in charge and the administrator here.”

After her brief introduction, Mariela continued to examine the bracelet’s pattern carefully.

She wasn’t the only one reacting this way. Before traveling, I hadn’t known that items bearing the Emperor’s seal were so invaluable that their worth couldn’t be measured. There was even a rumor that just seeing one brought good fortune.

According to a noble I had once spoken with, only five seals were made whenever a new Emperor ascended the throne, each engraved with their name. They were crafted as a bracelet, ring, necklace, dagger, and brooch, differing in size and shape so they couldn’t be perfectly replicated, yet the basic pattern was officially documented for all nobles to recognize.

With a smile full of goodwill, the administrator met my gaze.

“I’ll send someone to the palace right away.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the man beside her left his post.

“The Grand Duke will be very pleased to meet you. By the way, if it’s not too much trouble, may I ask about your companion’s relationship to you?”

Mariela returned the bracelet to me and immediately shifted her gaze to Derrick, staring so intently that it made my heart sink a little.

“Oh, Derrick is my assistant. Unfortunately, he lost his identification badge on our way here. We stayed overnight in a village near the border, and it disappeared along with some money during the night.”

As I smoothly spun the lie, Derrick, perhaps unable to withstand the prolonged gaze, slightly lowered his head.

The woman, who seemed kind-hearted, asked with concern, “Oh dear, that must have been quite an ordeal. Were you hurt at all?”

“Not at all.”

“That’s a relief. If you remember the name of the village or the lodging, please let us know.”

“The names were unfamiliar, so I don’t recall any of them.”

“In that case, finding clues will be difficult. I’ll instruct them to increase patrols for now. How much money was stolen? The state will compensate you.”

This moment made me understand why lying is discouraged. The situation kept escalating into bigger lies, and I was startled, waving my hands to dismiss it.

“No, it’s fine; it was a small amount!”

“Even a small amount is still money.”

“Really, it’s fine, so please don’t worry about it.”

At my plea, which had taken on a tone of supplication, Mariela tilted her head slightly, looking puzzled, but she didn’t press further.

“I apologize for any disrespect towards such an esteemed guest from the Empire. Please accept my apology and try to calm your mind.”

She bowed respectfully. Although embarrassment lingered, I attempted to change the subject as smoothly as possible.

“Yes. More importantly, when might we have the honor of meeting the Grand Duke?”

As I considered that I should at least offer them a potion before leaving, Mariela pulled out a pocket watch from her coat to check the time.

“Usually, at this hour, unless there’s something special, he’s busy with paperwork. He should be in his office, and once he receives the report that you’re a guest from the Empire, he’ll likely accept the audience request right away. It’s an exceptional situation.”

“That’s a relief. So, should we wait here?”

“Please wait for a moment in the reception room at the end of the hallway. Since it’s close to the palace, you’ll get a response soon.”

Just as she said, it wasn’t long before a majestic carriage arrived from the palace with the acceptance message.

We briefly thanked Mariela and boarded the carriage. As soon as the sound of hooves echoed, Derrick finally spoke up.

“Phew, I thought they’d catch the lie. Hazel, did you notice? The administrator kept staring at me.”

I nodded silently. Indeed, Mariela’s gaze at Derrick had held a hint of curiosity.

“I’m already nervous enough as it is. Ugh. Hazel, what if I faint from being too tense?”

He looked genuinely worried. While I had never heard of anyone fainting from nerves, I reassured him as one would comfort a child.

“Don’t worry, I’ll wake you up. I’m a healer, remember?”

“That’s right! I’ve got Hazel with me… Still, I can’t believe it. Family… It still feels like a dream… If it is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.”

Watching him struggle to contain his excitement helped calm my own mind. I soothed Derrick with the same care I once had for Jayden during my childhood.

“It’s not a dream, so you won’t wake up. How about trying some deep breathing? It might help.”

He nodded vigorously and began taking long, deep breaths.

Soon, the carriage passed through the low iron gates and stopped on the central avenue of the palace.

Several officials and knights who had come out to greet us welcomed us warmly. However, while their faces smiled at me, they turned serious upon seeing Derrick. It was then that I realized something I hadn’t considered.

What if Derrick’s family was a noble family not welcomed in the principality? Perhaps they had fallen out of favor with the king or, worse, had been purged for rebelling… If they resembled him, they wouldn’t fail to recognize him.

Feeling uneasy, I casually asked one of the officials who had come to greet us.

“Um, is everything okay in the principality? I suddenly worry that we might have visited at a bad time, considering the political situation might be unstable. It was a sudden request for an audience, after all.”

One official, walking a step ahead, turned slightly and replied with a gentle smile.

“His Majesty is a very wise ruler, so it has been quite peaceful. However…”

He glanced at Derrick and continued.

“However?”

“Ever since Prince Raphael, the only heir, went missing, His Majesty has been trying to delegate everything to Marquis Aaron, which is concerning.”

“The prince went missing?”

Surprised by the news, I looked at Derrick, but he shrugged, indicating that he didn’t know either.

The official seemed even more taken aback by our reaction and asked with wide eyes, “You don’t know? It’s quite a famous story, even in the Empire.”

“Oh, I’ve mostly been at the academy, so I’m embarrassingly ignorant of foreign affairs.”

I tried to ignore the slight blush on my cheeks and forced a smile.

The official stroked his beard, nodding once before continuing his explanation slowly.

“I see. It’s been almost ten years now. Back then, the prince went on a picnic to the coastal cliffs and jumped into the sea… He disappeared without a trace after that.”

Derrick and I halted in our tracks and exchanged glances. If what he said was true, Derrick wasn’t just a high-ranking noble; he was the king’s son.

***

As Leopold began to take charge, Fojetta quickly started to organize things. However, his heart grew more chaotic with each passing day. All he could do was study the map and guess where Hazel might be by now.

He had ordered the small villages along the road to D’Agnon to treat the silver-haired healer with respect, so her safety shouldn’t have been an issue, but unease lingered.

Just then, as if to fan the flames of his anxiety, he heard the sound of a horse galloping urgently from afar. Leaving the meeting behind, he stepped outside.

Even as Jayden reached the village outskirts, he didn’t slow his horse, which annoyed Leopold excessively. What could be so urgent that he had to rush like this?

“Duke!”

The young knight, still displaying signs of youth, waved his hand vigorously from atop his horse, calling out to his lord without realizing his rudeness. He nearly fell off the saddle as he dismounted, struggling to catch his breath while speaking in broken phrases.

“Huff, huff, Duke, your sister, your sister, huff, has disappeared!”

Leopold stared at Jayden with his usual cold gaze.

Since Hazel cherished him, Leopold tried to do the same, but failing to keep an eye on things and spouting nonsense like this was unacceptable.

He exercised as much patience as possible and asked again, “Hazel, what? Speak clearly.”

Jayden, trembling all over, extended his right hand instead of answering. In his palm was a crumpled silk handkerchief, as if he had clutched it tightly the entire way.

“Here, here, blood, blood…”

Without even glancing at Jayden, who still couldn’t speak properly, Leopold slowly picked up the handkerchief.