I carefully cradled the unexpected gift I had received.

It was an item no different from a family heirloom to me.

An object imbued with Dad’s pride as an Elementalist.

“His Majesty says he looks forward to seeing you wearing the gold band, my lady.”

I lifted my head abruptly at Briton’s words.

Looking forward to seeing me wear the gold band means…

‘Is he telling me to work hard and become a Great Elementalist like Dad?’

“To be honest, I felt conflicted when I received the gift to deliver.”

Briton’s following words made me feel embarrassed.

“I might have even felt a bit spiteful. I thought the first imperial treasure I’d deliver to you would be the crown of the Crown Princess.”

“….”

“But this is a gift with special meaning. So I’ll support you in developing your abilities.”

He says such embarrassing things with such a calm face.

“I’ll also become a husband you won’t be ashamed of.”

Feeling my heart flutter slightly for some reason, I opened my mouth.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, my lady?”

I was about to say, ‘Isn’t it premature to talk about the crown of the Crown Princess, given that we can’t predict the future?’

But Briton’s expression was as beautiful and pure as a smiling fairy.

‘Ugh… I can’t say it…’

How can even this appearance resemble Parmes?

Even back in Galnem, when Uncle Zimmer made a pitiful expression with his handsome face saying, “So, won’t you treat me?”, I couldn’t refuse.

“Thank you for delivering the gift.”

Deciding to save my rebuttal for later, I thanked Briton for bringing me Dad’s heirloom.

“I don’t know when I’ll be able to use this myself, but…”

I said, tracing the gold band with my finger.

“It’s truly a special item for me.”

Briton nodded with a bright smile.

“I’m glad you like it. His Majesty the Emperor will be pleased as well.”

And a few seconds later, the boy opened his mouth again.

“Um, by the way, my lady.”

“….”

“If you don’t have any other plans this afternoon…”

The boy’s blue eyes held a radiant light.

“Would you like to go somewhere with me?”

“…Where to?”

Briton suggested kindly with a smile on his lips.

“I heard a spot for lovers has emerged in the Chebella region.”

A spot for lovers…?

Hearing it from Briton somehow made the phrase embarrassing.

But Chebella… where had I heard that before?

“They say a hot spring has erupted in the cave there.”

At Briton’s words, a dry cough burst out.

I had inhaled sharply and choked.

“Cough, cough.”

“Are you alright, my lady?”

Briton hurriedly poured water into a cup and held it out to me.

Only after grasping the cup he offered with both hands and gulping down the water did my cough subside.

“Ah… I did hear… that a hot spring had appeared in Chebella…”

“The outskirts where Elementalists used to go for tests have become a famous tourist spot because of the hot spring. Since you’re an Elementalist, my lady.”

Briton continued with a smile.

“I thought you might be interested.”

That hot spring… I’m the one who caused it to erupt.

“Your Highness! Um, rather than the hot spring… wouldn’t somewhere else be better?”

“Somewhere else?”

“Yes, after all, places with too many people are crowded.”

“Ah, so you prefer quiet places, my lady.”

I didn’t want to see that hot spring again, which was proof of my overpowered ability.

***

“This is…”

I didn’t know such a place existed in the capital.

The cypress forest located behind the imperial palace was quite large. And as if no one ever came here, it was very quiet.

“During imperial events, we sometimes release game animals and use it as a hunting ground.”

Briton immediately answered my curiosity.

We walked side by side along the path through the cypress forest.

Small bits of soil and stones hit and were crushed under my shoes.

“And… I spent much of my childhood here.”

“Here?”

As I opened my eyes wide, Briton nodded.

The sound of leaves rustling underfoot could be heard.

“My mother passed away right after giving birth to me, and I have no memory of my father’s face. He left for Galnem not long after I was born.”

“Ah…”

I recalled a conversation I once had with Uncle Zimmer.

He had talked about his son.

“Everyone treated me like a ghost, and since no one was by my side from the beginning, I never felt loneliness. I just grew up quietly, like a child who was alone from the start. But sometimes…”

We went deeper into the cypress forest.

The sounds of birds and insects could be heard nearby.

“…I think I felt a bit melancholic. It seemed like I wasn’t important to anyone.”

“….”

“So when I felt empty, I would come here and wander around. Unlike the imperial palace made only of hard stone, this place felt like a living space.”

My gaze wavered as I looked at Briton.

We had met several times before, but until now, Briton had never opened up about himself like this.

Always gentle and soft like sunlight, I had thought he grew up in a comfortable and bright environment like a greenhouse.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

I stopped for a moment and called out to Briton.

“Yes, my lady.”

He answered kindly with a faint smile.

“When I was in Galnem with Uncle Zimmer… I mean, His Majesty the Emperor. We sometimes talked about his son.”

Most of it was along the lines of ‘You’ll end up marrying that guy later,’ but.

“At that time, I had no idea that Uncle Zimmer was the Emperor, or that Your Highness was Uncle Zimmer’s son, but…”

“….”

“His Majesty’s eyes always held longing when he talked about Your Highness.”

It was an expression similar to when I think about my late mother.

That’s why I could tell that uncle loved his son and missed him.

“….”

As if it was unexpected, Briton’s blue eyes wavered at my words.

“Although you were apart, it seems His Majesty always thought of Your Highness. So even to me, whom Uncle Zimmer cherished…”

It was embarrassing to end with this story.

“…He said he would definitely have me marry Your Highness later.”

Several seconds of silence passed.

Briton’s gaze deepened as if in deep thought.

The boy moved his lips and spoke.

“You are…”

And Briton’s hand reached out towards me.

He embraced me lightly and whispered.

“Truly a kind and gentle person.”

I felt a warm sensation in Briton’s embrace.

What did I…

I just wanted to comfort Briton a little.

And then,

Rustle-

Hearing the sound of grass being stepped on nearby, I separated from Briton.

And where we turned our gaze, someone appeared.

It was a boy not much different in height from us.

“…?”

The boy wearing a high-quality uniform that nobles would wear gradually approached us.

He had warm brown hair and gray eyes, with a cool and intense gaze that was striking.

His face was on the pale side, giving off the air of a handsome and proud noble youth.

And I had seen this child before.

‘That handsome kid I glimpsed passing by in a carriage, who left a strong impression because he felt familiar!’

“Eden Siegfried greets Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

I couldn’t help but be surprised by his greeting.

Siegfried? Siegfried was the surname of the Minister of Economy.

The Impregnable House Siegfried that I had read about in the original story!

Huh? Even if he was from such a family, why did he feel so familiar when I shouldn’t have had any chance to meet him?