“We’re childhood friends. Since we were little, we’ve often gone back and forth between the hotel and our homes.”

Whenever Grinelda talked about Dale, she couldn’t keep her eyes or hands still. Diana couldn’t help but smile as she watched her.

“Unpacking will be quick enough. So, what should we do for fun now? I haven’t had much experience playing around.”

Diana asked with a cheerful smile.

“Would you like to start with a meal? I’ll take you to the best table in the restaurant.”

Grinelda looked as if she didn’t understand why Diana was smiling, but as if it didn’t matter, she responded with an even brighter smile and led the way to the restaurant.

When they arrived, Jerome and Dale were already seated and chatting. They warmly greeted them. Once Diana and Grinelda sat down, the meal began in earnest.

The table was filled with the chef’s signature dishes. One exotic dish after another appeared, surprising both Diana and Jerome.

Diana particularly liked a dish where a special sauce—thick with golden powder—was drizzled over tender chicken and fluffy grains.

“Your Highness, you must try this one as well. It’s the chef’s proudest creation.”

Dale placed a freshly prepared dish in front of Diana, his voice brimming with excitement.

“The chef here is someone Grin personally scouted all the way from the Oron Republic. He’s said to be the best on the continent.”

“You went all the way to Oron yourself?”

Diana asked in surprise, turning to Grinelda.

“Yes. I personally seek out the talents or items essential for the hotel.”

Grinelda answered shyly.

The more Diana learned about Grinelda, the more intrigued she became by her.

She was gazing at her with bright eyes when her gaze suddenly met Jerome’s.

‘What? What is it?’

Feeling oddly embarrassed, as if she had been caught, Diana frowned at him, but he only shrugged and smiled knowingly.

“How long have you been serving as Her Highness’s aide, Sir Jerome?”

At Dale’s question, Grinelda also looked at them curiously, her eyes gleaming.

“Hmm… It’s already been over five years now. My goodness, where has the time gone? When I first started serving, she was such a small, shy, and precious little princess… But now she’s grown up and doesn’t listen to me anymore, and everything I say sounds like nag—”

Jerome’s complaints stopped abruptly when he met Diana’s cold gaze.

“What? Go on, finish.”

“Hahaha… I guess I nag a bit too much, huh? Hahaha… I’ll just go to the restroom for a moment…”

Fleeing her sharp stare, Jerome slipped away to the restroom as if running for his life.

“By the way… Lord Ian isn’t here?”

While waiting for Jerome, Diana finally gave in to her curiosity and asked.

“Oh, that guy’s already here. He arrived hours before Your Highness.”

“What? He’s been here?”

Diana was surprised—and a little indignant. He had been here and didn’t bother coming out to greet her?

A strange feeling surrounded her. She didn’t want to admit it, but what she felt was disappointment.

After the meal, she spent some time admiring the exotic plants in the hotel’s garden and trying a peculiar massage said to be popular overseas.

When she returned to her room, the sun had already set. After taking a bath, Diana collapsed on the bed.

“Even having fun is hard work…”

She murmured as she gazed at the beautiful night view outside her window.

“…Is it really okay for me to relax like this?”

Drawn by the night scenery, she eventually stepped out onto the balcony. The cool night breeze brought a smile to her face.

“Well, for a day or two… it’s okay to let go of my impatience, right?”

She knew that running around frantically wouldn’t change the future, but the unease of needing to do something always followed her.

The next three years—long if long, short if short—would pass quickly. Only one year remained before she would officially be named crown princess.

Perhaps there would come a day when she would miss this very moment.

“Even though I’ve returned to the past, the uncertainty of the future hasn’t changed.”

For a long while, Diana took in the sight of the Elten River, sparkling under the clear night sky, and the quaint little villages lining its banks.

“…?”

Just then, something glimmered below the building.

“…Did I see that wrong?”

Leaning over the railing to find the source of the light, Diana tilted her head when all she saw was an empty patch of grass.

And at that moment, a familiar head of black hair suddenly popped out from the balcony below. 

It was Ian.

It seemed that his room was directly beneath hers. Like Diana, he must have stepped out for some fresh air before bed, wearing comfortable clothes.

The night breeze kept brushing through the thin, single-layered nightgown he was wearing, briefly revealing glimpses of his bare skin.

She debated pretending not to see him but, glancing down again, found Ian staring back up at her.

“Ah! You startled me!”

Diana put a hand on her chest in surprise, while Ian leaned casually against the railing, looking up at her with a grin.

“Why are you secretly spying on me?”

“S-spying? I’ve been out here for a while!”

“Well, let’s just say I’ll overlook it, as someone who’s experienced being wrongly accused myself.”

Ian deliberately tightened his robe as he narrowed his eyes at her.

Diana let out a helpless laugh, feeling wronged.

“You seemed to be having fun today.”

“…Were you watching me?”

“Your Highness stands out no matter where you are.”

“That’s the first time I’ve heard someone say that…”

‘The one who stands out is Louis, not me.’

But she swallowed the words.

“Why didn’t you show up at all today? After all that fuss about wanting to come along with us.”

He stayed silent for a moment, then suddenly asked,

“Did you miss me?”

“Ha! Of course not. I was just curious because I expected you to be here, and you weren’t.”

The question had come so unexpectedly that she tried hard to hide her flustered reaction, but when she saw his quiet chuckle, she knew she had failed.

“…What are you laughing at?”

She asked, annoyed.

“Hmm, now that I’m seeing you like this… I like it.”

Not understanding what he meant, Diana furrowed her brow.

Ian, facing the night breeze, stared off at the river flowing westward. Traces of deep thought were etched into his profile.

“You look like you have something on your mind?”

She asked softly.

Perhaps her heart’s voice—that she wanted to know more—had reached him, for he curved his lips into a mischievous smile.

“Who knows. Would you listen if I told you?”

“Well, I could at least listen…”

He quietly looked at her sulking expression, then asked in a low voice,

“Can I come up?”

“…What?”

Before she could finish her thought, Ian had already climbed onto the railing.

“What are you doing? That’s dangerous!”

Diana cried out in alarm.

But with agile movements, he grabbed the balcony fence where she stood and climbed up in an instant.

She quickly looked around, worried someone might see them, and whispered harshly,

“What are you doing, really? Get down right now!”

“I can’t get down.”

Ian turned his head to glance below.

“What if I fall?”

He spoke in a pitiful tone, pretending to be on the verge of tears.

“…Just get down from there first.”

Rolling her eyes at his shameless expression, she gestured for him to come inside. He grinned and hopped lightly onto the balcony.

But Ian soon turned his head with a slightly awkward look.

“Were you about to go to bed?”

At his words, Diana tightened the nightgown draped over her slip and glared at him.

“Oh, right.”

As if suddenly remembering something, she hurried back inside.

“Since you’re here, take your vest. I brought it back.”

When she returned to the room a moment later, Ian was still standing on the balcony, letting the breeze wash over him. Diana tilted her head.

“Aren’t you coming inside? The night air’s chilly, and that thin nightgown doesn’t seem enough.”

“…I know I have no right to say this after climbing up here, but is this really okay? Aren’t you letting me in a little too easily?”

He frowned slightly as he asked. Diana let out a small laugh.

“Are you trying to say it’s improper for a princess to let a man into her room so freely? What an outdated notion.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“Do I look like someone who would just let any man in?”

“…”

At those words, Ian blinked, momentarily speechless.

“Of course, if it ever got out that a princess let a man into her room—one who even climbed up the wall—no title, not even that of Lord Leheits, would save him from punishment. I’ll let you imagine what kind of punishment that might be.”

“Haha. That sounds rather chilling.”

But despite his playful tone, his expression showed none of his usual ease.

Ian’s intense gaze kept following her every move.

“Come inside. You said you wanted to talk.”

He seemed to think it over for a moment, then let out a faint, dry laugh.

“No. I’ll save my troubles for another time.”

Leaning languidly against the railing, he said,

“What’s this? You climb up the wall and now you’re backing out?”

Diana crossed her arms, her tone tinged with irritation, but he only gave a self-deprecating smile.

“Exactly.”

“…”

“…I’ve just been feeling strange lately.”

He spoke as if to himself, his eyes fixed on Diana.

In the end, Diana stepped out onto the balcony again and handed him the vest.

“Thanks for the vest. It made the trip back a little less embarrassing.”

She said with gratitude, recalling that moment.

Even though his vest hadn’t completely covered her soiled clothes, its warmth had felt like a wordless comfort, as if telling her she had done well.

“I was impressed that day too,” Ian said as he took the vest.

“When you rushed to Dale. Everyone else just stood there, not knowing what to do, but you immediately took command of the situation. It was admirable.”

Diana quietly met his gaze as he looked straight at her.

“If people learn that the princess of this kingdom values every single life so dearly, they’ll have no choice but to love you.”

“…”

“Anyway, how am I supposed to get down…?”

“Lord Ian.”

Diana called him softly.

Ian, who had been mumbling while peering down at the steep drop, turned back to her.

“Stay by my side tomorrow.”

His eyes widened as if caught off guard by the unexpected words.

“…It’s just a bit overwhelming being alone between Lady Grinelda and Lord Dale. Jerome just keeps laughing.”

When she heard no reply, she glanced at Ian again—only to see him smiling like a sly fox. She suddenly regretted saying it.

“Ha, I shouldn’t have said that… Fine, just get down safely.”

“Princess Diana.”

As she rolled her eyes and made to leave the balcony, he called out to her. With a gentle smile, soft as the river breeze, Ian said,

“I don’t climb into just any woman’s room.”