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His voice was so low that it startled me.

“What a coincidence to meet you here.”

The man sounded quite surprised.

“I didn’t expect you to be a noble.”

Well, I did look pretty shabby back then.

“I didn’t expect to see you here either.”

He noticed Roan beside me and looked at us with unmistakable interest.

“So, the husband you were buying gloves for was Duke Bannister.”

Hearing that, I suddenly became curious about his identity. Judging by his title, he seemed to be almost equal in rank to Roan. Only members of the imperial family or other dukes could address Roan like that. Who exactly was he?

“Nice to meet you, Your Grace. We’ve had many opportunities to meet, but oddly enough, we never really got acquainted.”

“…Indeed, Your Highness.”

…Did I just hear him correctly? Prince?

As soon as I realized this, I thought of someone with similar eyes.

Yes, the Empress. Those eyes were just like the current Empress’s. No wonder her face felt so familiar.

So, the crazy guy from back then was the Second Prince. Wow.

The world felt really small. I met a member of the imperial family not in the palace but in the middle of the capital.

The Second Prince noticed my bewildered expression.

“Oh dear, I only heard your name back then and never introduced myself, which was quite rude of me.”

He smiled broadly.

“My name is Jafflin Alain Astrid, as you might already know, the Second Prince.”

Hearing his name directly from him felt unfamiliar. In the original story, the Second Prince was a minor character. I only knew that despite being a member of the royal family, he often disappeared, abandoning his duties in favor of wandering around. Now that I saw him, that description seemed very fitting.

“However,”

Roan’s chilly voice suddenly cut in.

“Why did you call my wife Del, Your Highness?”

The Prince sensed an unexpected wariness in Roan’s gaze.

Although he wasn’t well-versed in palace gossip, he knew that the rumor of the Bannister couple’s strained relationship had long spread beyond the palace. But what was with Roan’s current demeanor?

Duke Bannister, known for his unmatched coldness. A man at the pinnacle of power who must have mastered the art of concealing his emotions. And yet, he reacted like this just because his wife was called by a shortened name? Interesting. Jafflin, who had lived his life seeking fun and intrigue, felt a surge of curiosity.

The Prince’s smile only grew sharper as Roan’s expression turned more severe. Sensing the tension, I intervened.

“When I met him, I didn’t know he was the Prince, and I introduced myself as Del. I was worried he might recognize me if I gave my full name.”

“…Did you give him permission to call you that?”

“It was more of an informal introduction. Just on my part.”

“Indeed. There was no cause for concern, Duke.”

The Second Prince, Jafflin, reassured Roan, who looked somewhat dangerous. The atmosphere was so tense it gave Jafflin goosebumps. He rubbed his arms, glancing at Roan.

Although Roan remained as expressionless as usual, his eyes still seemed sharp and tense.

What was this about?

***

The hunt was about to begin. Roan, with my handkerchief tied around his waist, looked completely unruffled.

“Roan. Do well. Don’t get hurt! You have a vacation anyway, so don’t overdo it. Health is the most important thing, okay?”

“Understood.”

I transformed into his personal health advisor, listing all the things he needed to be careful about.

After all, a hunting tournament was bound to be full of dangerous wild animals. While the chances of Roan getting hurt were close to zero, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.

I felt like I was chattering quite a bit, but I wanted to say everything I needed to.

“They say if you go too deep into the forest, you might encounter magical creatures.”

“Of course, they prevented it from going that far, but you never know, so be careful. And… what else was there…”

I was searching for the words I needed to say when Roan’s hand suddenly rested on my head.

“Don’t worry.”

Roan’s expression, rarely, seemed to have a hint of a smile.

“Oh… no, I just wanted to be extra cautious…”

His hand gently stroked my head as if soothing something precious.

It might be a misunderstanding, but it felt like he really cherished me. Despite thinking that, I couldn’t help but feel a buoyant sensation.

“Now, everyone, please prepare for the hunt!”

At the perfect timing, the announcement of the hunting competition’s start echoed.

“Do well!”

The cheering voices of the young ladies who had given handkerchiefs to their chosen participants filled the forest. Roan, who was on horseback, nodded once in acknowledgment.

***

“Del?”

When he heard that moderate voice, neither too thick nor too thin, Roan von Bannister felt a strange discomfort.

Just because someone called his wife by a nickname, what was that about? Why did it bother him so much?

She had simply said it was a shortened version of her name.

And yet,

“…….”

Why did it make him feel so uncomfortable? Roan himself couldn’t understand this odd feeling. He had rarely ever called her by her name, let alone a nickname.

While it was common for noble couples to address each other by their first names, he had never felt the need to build such intimacy.

So, the fact that someone who hardly knew her called her by a name he himself had never used made his blood boil.

He couldn’t understand his own unusual behavior that had been ongoing for some time now.

Why?

Why did he find her chatter not unpleasant, perhaps even somewhat enjoyable?

Why did his focus waver if he didn’t hear from her, like a child left by the water’s edge?

Why did he have this irrational desire to give her whatever she wanted?

No, he didn’t want to understand. He might have wanted to ignore all the answers to these questions.

The feeling of a spring filling a well he thought had dried up—it might have been something he wanted to turn away from. He vaguely realized it was too late to deny it.

Yes, in truth, he might have realized it long ago.

‘Roan!’

Hearing her voice, which confirmed his existence, he might have once wanted to respond, calling her name that rolled so softly in his mouth.

Delis.

He was drawn to her. Using her past actions as an excuse to run away from this emotion was no longer feasible.

The awareness, which he didn’t know when it began, had already started.

But why did it turn out like this?

Roan felt an unpleasantness in the presence of the Second Prince, Jafflin, who was laughing as if finding it amusing next to him. He no longer felt the need to maintain the courtesy he had barely managed to keep so far.

“Duke, did you know? I was the first place in last year’s hunting competition.”

Roan vaguely remembered hearing that the Second Prince had considerable talent in magic.

“I see.”

Roan curtly cut off his words. Jafflin seemed unconcerned as he continued.

“Do you have any intention of coming in first this time?”

“Do I need to?”

“Well… if you have no particular interest in hunting, then there’s nothing to be done. Women generally like big animals, don’t they?”

Despite Jafflin’s words, Roan indifferently surveyed the forest.

“Didn’t you know? This time, I plan to offer my catched animals to your wife.”

What? Roan’s eyes instantly sharpened.

“Don’t make such a scary face. It’s simply out of respect for our past acquaintance that I’m giving it to her.”

Regardless of the respect or whatever, he didn’t like the idea of him offering something to Delis.

“Well, if you don’t intend to offer her anything, there’s nothing to be done. In that case, I’ll just give her plenty.”

Who said I wouldn’t offer her anything?

It was true that he had no particular intention of coming in first. However, his thoughts were quickly changing.

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories