Especially the color of his eyes.

Though he doesn’t look like one at all. Maybe he resembles a rabbit in his cuteness.

“Then……”

Serena opened her mouth, half impulsively.

“Until we find your memories, shall we call you Nyx?”

“Serena!”

Magnus’s voice was heard. The child flinched at that.

“What are you saying all of a sudden? Serena.”

“Just… somehow I felt like calling him that…… His eyes are red too.”

Serena said, giggling, and Magnus’s eyes slightly furrowed.

Magnus slowly rolled his eyes to look at the child. There was no sign of danger, and his frightened expression seemed genuine.

‘…It’s strangely unsettling.’

But he had never seen an ancient book saying that Darkness had taken human form.

“For now, it would be best to stay here for about a day and observe the situation before moving.”

“……”

Magnus glanced at the Crown Prince with a rather displeased look, but he knew there was no malice in him.

In fact, thinking rationally, the Crown Prince’s judgment is correct.

If someone is suspected of attempting to assassinate a member of the imperial family, especially the Emperor, it would be right to restrain them first.

But who cares about that?

Magnus didn’t want to bother with such trivial things. What he wanted to protect was Serena, not particularly the imperial family or the Crown Prince.

‘…I don’t like it.’

From the beginning, he didn’t like that they brought up something that had already been apologized for and forgiveness discussed.

Regardless of whether Serena forgave them or not, he couldn’t help but be irritated.

“Alright, then let’s stay together for just one day. After that, it would be better if we go our separate ways.”

“Magnus, let’s not do this. It’s okay to be angry, but let’s talk after we resolve this situation.”

“It’s because I’m narrow-minded.”

Magnus answered calmly and then grabbed Serena’s armpit, who was crouching in front of the child, and lifted her up.

“Serena, let’s find a suitable place to settle down for now.”

“I don’t mind. But what about him?”

“It would be best to leave him to the Crown Prince. After all, it’s the job of the future Emperor to take care of all his subjects. It seems I’m the only one who can protect you anyway.”

Magnus said, jabbing sharp bones while speaking.

The Crown Prince sighed and held his head.

“This is driving me crazy.”

Who would have thought that man would be so narrow-minded?

No one thought so. Even the Crown Prince and Rosia, who had known him since their days at the academy, had never seen Magnus like this.

He was indifferent and apathetic to everything. He seemed uninterested in everything and never showed great joy or anger at anything.

He said he had been educated from a young age because if he couldn’t control his emotions, he would sometimes lose control of his power and go on a rampage.

Maybe that’s why he was always blunt and indifferent, and in not-so-good words, he was a man not particularly suitable to be a friend or a lover.

He didn’t get close to anyone, but he didn’t push away those who approached him either.

He didn’t treat people well just because they treated him well, nor did he particularly react when bullied.

Well, he was a man without discrimination in many ways.

He treated the outcast the same as air, or just as a classmate, and he treated the bully who tormented that outcast the same way.

He could be said to be without prejudice, for better or worse.

“Serena, aren’t you hungry? Are you cold or anything? Tell me if there’s anything uncomfortable.”

“Oh, I’m not sure. Maybe because I’m too nervous……”

“I see, then let’s go inside somewhere and rest for now. Drukan, what will you do?”

“I’ll escort you and then take a look around the area.”

Drukan answered, reading the atmosphere.

It was because Magnus was staring at him with wide eyes, sending him a look that said he should answer well.

“Hmm, alright. Take your time. Take your time. If you find anything to eat, it would be good to bring it back.”

“……Understood.”

Drukan showed an expression that said ‘what a fuss’ on his face before quickly hiding it.

Only then did Magnus nod solemnly with a calm face. Though his solemnity had long since disappeared from the beginning.

“Is that really Magnus?”

The Crown Prince muttered quietly.

“They say people change when they fall in love. Huhu, why? I think it’s only good that he’s changed.”

“Rosia, you… I’m worried because you seem to see the world too brightly. He shouldn’t be swayed by such trivial emotions.”

At the Crown Prince’s words, Rosia’s eyes widened slightly. She smiled faintly with a somewhat awkward expression and then opened her mouth.

“Why is love trivial, Your Highness?”

“Hm? He’s a duke. He’s someone with many things to do and protect, but he can’t distinguish and even raises his voice at me, the Crown Prince, and even now he’s not grasping the situation and acting selfishly. I’m just worried as a friend.”

The Crown Prince said, scratching the back of his head.

It’s fortunate that he found a sanctuary to feel at ease, but this seemed a bit excessive.

As soon as the thought ended, Magnus quickly embraced her and started walking briskly somewhere.

There were probably servants’ quarters in that direction.

“Then is it okay for Your Highness, the Crown Prince, to love?”

“Huh? What are you saying, Rosia?”

“Or does it mean that Your Highness doesn’t love me that much?”

At the voice that sounded deliberately hurt, the Crown Prince quickly shook his head.

He raised his voice saying how could that be, but Rosia had already turned her head and was looking at Magnus’s back.

“I love Your Highness, but… sometimes Your Highness makes very self-centered, selfish remarks……”

“Rosia?”

“At times like that, I actually get a little angry, Your Highness.”

Rosia said with a smile as bright as the sun on her lips.

The Crown Prince watched her turn and approach the child, then hurriedly followed after Rosia.

“No, Rosia. It’s not like that. I just meant that he’s forgetting his position as a duke and to me, the Crown Prince……”

“That’s probably because Your Highness didn’t offer a sincere apology, don’t you think?”

“You know it was an unavoidable situation, Rosia. If even you do this, it’s hard for me.”

The Crown Prince said, drooping his eyes downward, seemingly quite disappointed.

At that tone that seemed to be whining, Rosia tilted her head while crouching in front of the child.

“I understand that. But, from what I see, the reason Magnus keeps getting angry might be because Your Highness broke a promise, don’t you think?”

“…That, I didn’t know.”

The Crown Prince roughly ran his hand through his hair.

Magnus had already disappeared far away, laughing happily.

Seeing his friend changed like that was surprising and a bit strange. It was also true that he was concerned.

Who would have known?

Who would have thought that the man who showed no interest in the Crown Prince or the many young ladies who flocked to him during their days at the academy would fall so deeply for the duchess, with whom his relationship was so bad that divorce papers were exchanged?

Who would have known?

Unlike Magnus who made neither enemies nor allies, who would have thought that the fierce woman who only made enemies everywhere would open her heart only to Magnus, whom she had growled at and disliked?

No one would have known.

In fact, even now as they watched, it was an unbelievable fact. It might be more reasonable to say that someone had hypnotized them or something.

“The position of Crown Prince can’t stop a person’s emotions.”

“I’m not saying he shouldn’t fall in love……”

“Huh, I hated looking down on people because of their rank, but somehow it seems like the man I love is doing that, so I’m a little disappointed.”

Rosia shook her head. The Crown Prince’s lips protruded.

He couldn’t help but complain as she kept talking like this. Why does she keep taking Magnus’s side in this situation?

“This is really too much, Rosia. If even you do this, what am I supposed to be……”

Rosia silently smiled at the Crown Prince’s words.

“Alright, let’s go to where those two went for now. That was the servants’ quarters, right? Then there should be several rooms. Child, come with us too.”

“……Y-Yes…!”

The frightened child nodded. Rosia took the child’s hand and turned around first.

The Crown Prince followed them, letting out a long sigh.