Naturally, I found myself leaning closer to Leopold, ending up in his embrace once again. This had already happened several times, something that hadn’t occurred even once in the past five years…

More than being nervous about others watching us, I trembled simply from being in contact with him. The fresh scent he exuded tickled my nose with excitement, and the strong heartbeat echoing in my ears subtly hinted that he might feel the same way as I did.

It hinted…

At that moment…

Thump, thump.

Suddenly, I snapped back to reality. I was just about to bury my head into his chest and press my ear against it without realizing it.

“Healer!”

From afar, Alendia waved both hands and called out to me loudly. At the same time, Leopold gently held my shoulders and slowly stepped back.

I stood there, glancing back and forth between the two, unable to decide what to do. What I had just heard was definitely…

“I heard the prince called for me, but I didn’t know the healer was with you.”

“You heard I called for you?”

Raphael looked at Leopold incredulously. Although Leopold maintained a nonchalant expression, he couldn’t completely hide the anxiety lurking beneath it.

Endless questions came to mind. However, it wouldn’t have been polite to continue being rude in front of Alendia, who had approached to speak. Since we were going to meet again at the palace anyway, we could take our time discussing things then…

Unable to completely shake off the uneasy feeling, I finally spoke up.

“Alendia, let’s return to the palace together.”

At the sudden suggestion, she seemed to assess the situation by glancing around.

“There’s nothing more to do here. I checked all the injured earlier.”

“Yes, sounds good! Let’s go quickly.”

It felt a bit awkward to explain in detail that it was at Leopold’s request, so I simply added a brief comment. Fortunately, she responded cheerfully right away.

Soon, Raphael and Alendia boarded the carriage one after the other. As I followed and placed my foot on the step, Leopold stopped me with a low voice.

“Hazel.”

I paused and met his gaze. Your eyes seem sincere, but why does your heart feel like it’s speaking lies?

I hoped he would understand my unspoken question, but instead, Leopold simply leaned down and placed a brief kiss on the back of my hand.

“See you soon.”

“Yes. Please… take care.”

I swallowed the words trying to escape and slowly released his hand. As my feet finally left the ground, the carriage set off as if it had been waiting.

***

The journey back to the palace was anything but peaceful. Children heading out to school shrieked at the sight of bloodstains on the street and hurried back inside, while merchants gathered in small groups, unable to fully open their shop doors, deep in conversation. Broken arrows, scattered helmets, and the massive carcasses of horses littered the area, remnants of the recent battle were everywhere.

Soldiers, who appeared to be from the royal army, roamed the streets with vigilant eyes, seemingly searching for remnants of the rebellion.

Meanwhile, several people dressed in the attire I had seen at the administrative office were busy posting notices on bulletin boards. From the words I could vaguely make out, it seemed to be a simplified proclamation announcing Raphael as the successor. Seeing him sitting right in front of me was a relief, but the memory of the marchioness who chose death following her husband kept surfacing, weighing on my heart.

“Healer, what are you thinking about so deeply?”

I reluctantly pulled my gaze away from the window. Both Raphael, who had been silent the entire time, and Alendia didn’t look pleased. Given that we had been observing the same scenery, their feelings likely weren’t much different from mine.

“Ah… My mind is just a bit cluttered.”

“Tell me about your husband. I heard you’re newlyweds?”

Trying to change the mood, she asked brightly on purpose. I wanted to play along with her considerate attempt, even though it was a topic I wanted to avoid right now.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I thought so. The way the Duke looks at you is quite intense.”

“Oh, no, it’s not like that…”

Alendia narrowed her eyes and slightly raised one corner of her mouth. Her face was full of affectionate teasing and playful jealousy.

“Isn’t it though? Don’t you agree, Your Highness?”

Raphael finally tore his gaze away from the unsettling scene outside. Without answering, he suddenly leaned forward toward me.

“Hazel. If you ever feel that gaze change, come to the principality. I’m confident I won’t change.”

“Raphael!”

“I’m joking, just joking.”

Of course. You can’t let your guard down for even a moment with this mischievous rascal.

I was pondering whether to give him one last serious warning when Alendia clicked her tongue and began to scold him.

“Oh dear, Your Highness! You shouldn’t even joke about such things when you have plenty of good marriage prospects lined up.”

Raphael, who seemed impervious to any scolding, furrowed his brows in disbelief.

“Even Alendia is saying that… Do you know how much I’ve been pestered at the palace lately?”

“I’m part of the royal family too, you know. Oh, by the way, speaking of which, the Brown family is absolutely out of the question. Because they…”

The lesson on the relationships between the royal family and the noble houses continued until we arrived at the palace. Even as someone not directly involved, I couldn’t simply ignore the detailed and extensive information being shared.

What was particularly interesting was the range of jokes Raphael, as a prince, could and couldn’t make with young ladies. There were so many things he shouldn’t say that, as an outsider, I could only laugh.

Finally, the carriage came to a stop, and as soon as the door opened, Raphael dashed off, looking utterly drained. The waiting attendants followed him, clueless about what had transpired. Watching this, Alendia spoke with satisfaction.

“Well, I suppose he won’t be making jokes so carelessly from now on. As a member of the royal family, I apologize on behalf of His Highness for his rudeness.”

“Oh my, did you do that on purpose?”

“Yes. Even if it was a joke, he crossed the line. He still has a lot to learn about the weight of his words.”

I admired her consideration and firm stance, though I also felt a bit sorry for Raphael. Pirates and royals are at opposite ends of the spectrum, so he’s bound to have a tough time ahead.

“Raphael really… has a long way to go.”

Of course, I couldn’t deny feeling somewhat relieved as well.

“Healer, take my hand.”

She extended her hand after getting off first. Despite being smaller than me, she was a remarkably sturdy woman. I had no reason to refuse, so I took Alendia’s hand as I stepped down.

“The message that the carriage has arrived should have already been sent, so the maids will be here soon. Please wait just a moment.”

“Sure. Oh, by the way, I really enjoyed the book you lent me. I learned a lot from it. Thank you.”

I recalled how I hadn’t properly thanked her due to the sudden invitation from the marquis. Although I had sent a short thank-you note with the book when returning it, it was only right to express gratitude in person if possible.

“Don’t mention it. In fact, it’s knowledge that will soon become obsolete. Writing about a power that doesn’t exist anymore is nothing more than an old tale, isn’t it?”

“How can you be so sure that such power doesn’t exist, Alendia?”

I had no intention of debating, but I was curious about her indifferent attitude. I even had some basis to challenge her theory.

She tilted her head slightly, seemingly organizing her thoughts.

“To be precise, it’s a near-certain assumption. Such rare power wouldn’t go unnoticed. Once it’s known, it’s only a matter of time before rumors spread. But I’ve never heard even a passing whisper of it, so I assume it doesn’t exist. Have you ever heard anything, healer?”

A flood of memories came to mind. The tireless praises of the knights, my mother’s jokes about it being a disadvantage not to fall ill, my childhood confessions about the power I once had, and even the kingdom’s army that claimed they couldn’t do without him.

But Leopold had denied having any power left without a moment’s hesitation. And since I hadn’t truly encountered the essence of that power myself, I couldn’t affirmatively answer her question.

“No, I haven’t.”

“See?”

Alendia smiled broadly, a hint of triumph on her face.

Soon, several maids bustled in, and after promising to meet for tea, we headed to our respective rooms.

***

As soon as Hazel left for the palace, Leopold sought out the medicine Isabel had given him. He thought he had taken enough to hide his symptoms for at least a week before confronting the marquis, but he was mistaken.

The army of Marquis Aaron was formidable, and he had expended more power than anticipated. The more power he used, the more the effects of concealing his symptoms diminished, so he should have taken the medicine immediately. However, he was so captivated by Hazel’s newfound warmth that he couldn’t think of anything else.

By the time Leopold realized this, Hazel was already nestled against his chest, and he was quite taken aback. If the mage hadn’t arrived just in time, she might have discovered his condition, and it would have been difficult to avoid the ensuing interrogation.

In truth, he hadn’t expected his relationship with Hazel to progress this far. Moreover, if the young prince of the principality could truly be a comfort to her, he was even prepared to let her go. Even when he embraced Hazel, thinking it might be the last time, he hadn’t expected her to accept him.

But Hazel did not reject Leopold.