Chapter 29

Thanks to that, Amber was acutely aware she was reuniting in a foreign land. Dieldo was the Prince, and she was meeting him in the Empire—a place she’d never dreamed of seeing royalty. It was like a dream, especially since she was just a daughter of a normal family, while those two were royals of their countries.

…But before that.

Amber felt lost between a man and woman who, despite being engaged, seemed more like enemies facing off on a battlefield. At the same time, she wondered if this was their way of showing affection. Maybe it meant they were that close. Just like she used to scold George, and he’d act sly.

So, without meaning to, she spoke up.

“You two… really seem to suit each other.”

It was true, and as a subordinate, she felt she ought to say something about her superior’s engagement, but the two immediately protested.

“No way, Amber!”

“Miss Serentano, please don’t say that.”

‘Did I say something wrong…?’

While Dieldo argued with the Princess, he slid a plate in front of Amber.

“Please, have this.”

With a gentle voice, a neatly sliced steak appeared before her. It made Amber wonder if Dieldo had received etiquette training.

Amber felt strange. Truly strange.

Whenever she glimpsed traces of his past, it made her stomach churn as much as when she boarded the ship to the Empire. She wanted to forget, wanted to let go, hated herself for not being able to. Amber’s hand tightened.

“I’m fine.”

She tried to focus on the meal, but once her heart was shaken, it was hard to steady herself. It was no longer easy to ignore him.

“If it’s not too rude, may I excuse myself…?”

In the end, she spoke with a choked voice, and the Princess nodded. As for Dieldo…. Amber couldn’t bear to look at his face, didn’t know what expression he was making, and didn’t want to know. She just wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

She thought running away would solve everything.

“Amber.”

Until she heard his voice calling behind her.

In the middle of the hallway outside the drawing room, Amber stopped like a sailor enchanted by a siren’s song. Not just because Kingdom language was rare in the Empire, but because she simply recognized it. Even though he called her ‘Miss Serentano’ at other times, now it was unmistakably Amber….

“Amber. Just a moment.”

Footsteps followed behind, but Amber did not turn around. He had told her to do so.

But that didn’t mean she wanted to say something as cold as “don’t ever appear before me.” She just didn’t want to.

And the moment she faced him, Amber realized it wasn’t just disappointment she felt toward him…

She simply never wanted to lose herself again. She hated these feelings, this sensation. She didn’t even want to show that she was shaken. Whether he was in front of her or not, she wanted to show that it didn’t matter to her. Whether she wanted to show it to Dieldo or prove it to herself, she wasn’t sure.

“Take this.”

The reason Dieldo stopped her was none other than the shawl Amber had left behind. She almost made a terrible mistake, not knowing that… Amber wanted to crawl into a mouse hole.

“Ah… Thank you.”

As Amber accepted the shawl, Dieldo suddenly spoke.

“I don’t suit the Imperial Princess.”

“Excuse me?”

“There’s no way I ever will.”

“But you two are engaged…”

“We’re nothing.”

Amber replied, caught off guard, “Ah… okay…” Dieldo opened and closed his mouth with a dissatisfied look. Soon, he sighed and spoke.

“I just don’t want you to misunderstand.”

“……”

“More than that.”

His gaze lingered on Amber’s hand holding the shawl. Amber lowered her eyes too, but his next words made her look back at his face.

“Do you always eat so little? Is that why you’re so…”

The moment Dieldo’s image reflected in her brown eyes, he stopped speaking.

‘Was it because it had been so long since we’d been alone, in the light, up close…? D*mn, why is she so thin?’

His handsome brows furrowed. She’d always been noticeably slim, but today, she looked so frail it seemed she might blow away in the wind. Especially her wrist. He’d been worried about it since the meal. When they first reunited, it was dark, and he was just happy to see Amber, so he hadn’t noticed—but now, in the daylight, it was impossible to miss.

Amber had grown gaunt. Because of him. Because of someone like him.

“I don’t think that’s something for you to worry about, Your Highness.”

“…And your memory?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you mean.”

“No need to apologize.”

She still acted as if she didn’t remember, and he shook his head. Maybe that was good news for Amber. Bad memories should be forgotten.

But… he wondered when, how she lost her memory, and if she really had. She tried to run from him, and looked away whenever their eyes met. Even now, her gaze wavered when she looked at him. Maybe she was just fed up with the Prince’s rotten behavior…

Dieldo grinned and changed the subject.

“Do you have time?”

“No.”

“Can I walk you back?”

“I said I don’t. And the Imperial Princess will be left alone…”

“I was asking you.”

He left out the words, “The Princess will just throw a fit,” and smiled.

“I’m fine.”

Dieldo took those words as permission to walk her back. So he held out his hand, and Amber looked troubled.

“I meant I don’t need to be walked back…”

“Let’s go.”

Dieldo pretended not to hear her grumbling. Even as she tried to pull away, his shameless attitude made Amber unconsciously click her tongue. If she’d known this would happen, she wouldn’t have pretended not to remember. If she hadn’t, she could have pushed him away for any reason—but as long as she had no memory, Dieldo was just the Prince to Amber. Maybe a bit of a jerk, but still a Prince. Without a special reason, she couldn’t push him away.

Amber awkwardly fiddled with her hands and started walking with him.

“How long are you staying in the Empire?”

“Me? The project’s over, so Professor said I’ll probably go back soon… but why?”

“I need to prepare to leave too.”

“…Why?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

That shamelessness was astonishing.

“You wouldn’t ask if you didn’t know…”

“If you don’t know, I’ll tell you.”

“I know! Very well!”

Her quick retort made him laugh softly—a laugh that tickled her insides.

Amber pressed her lips together, and as the man leaned his head toward her, they found themselves in front of a room. In Dieldo’s sight appeared the figure of a strange man. He was instantly wary, but Amber’s face lit up with obvious joy.

“Professor!”

Professor? Dieldo easily guessed the man was Professor Hesington. D*mn, the middle-aged man had a gentle impression and looked quite neat.

“Amber, I was just waiting for you.”

Professor Hesington greeted Amber, then noticed Dieldo and his eyes widened.

“Isn’t that the Prince?”

Apparently, the Professor had gotten used to seeing him around the palace. Dieldo nodded curtly.

“You must be Professor Hesington.”

“Yes. What brings you here, Your Highness? Walking with Amber…”

“We had a meal together.”

“Together?”

Amber quickly explained to the puzzled Professor.

“The Imperial Princess invited the Prince.”

So, it wasn’t anything special, Amber clarified. Then she asked the Professor,

“But what brings you here?”

“Ah. I have something to discuss with you. There’s been a bit of an odd reaction in the nucleus part of the Rabigarden… I think we need to refer to your case using Mandrake’s new sprout toxin as medicine.”

“I have that material.”

The two quickly fell into a scholarly discussion in front of Dieldo. Rabigarden, nucleus, Mandrake, new sprout, toxin, Fabragini… Words he’d never heard flew back and forth.

Dieldo’s expression went blank.

‘D*mn, what are they even saying? Are there really that many plants in the world…?’ 

If it were someone else’s business, he’d have just tuned out the nonsense, but this was Amber’s work.

For the first time, he felt a thirst for learning.

He saw a liveliness in Amber he’d never seen before. She was completely different from the Amber he’d known, and seeing another side of her was indescribably strange.

“…So, could you come to the lab with me now?”

When the Professor asked that, Dieldo realized he needed to step back. He was like a foreigner who didn’t understand the language—he was an intruder. D*mn it.

‘Right, don’t cling so much. This is enough for today, isn’t it?’

He bit his lip and let out a bitter sigh.

“I hope I see you again, Amber.”

Of course, it was only a temporary parting; he didn’t plan to end things after one meeting. He just needed to prepare a bit.