Chapter 66: Handkerchief

“…..”

Edelweiss glanced at him, speechless, even though she already knew the answer.

“So, why did His Majesty summon you?”

Damian scratched his neck and laughed for a while before replying.

“I have to depart in three days.”

“Depart?”

“Our relations with the Kingdom of Astrian have soured due to a trade blockade. His Majesty said he’s irritated by the provocations through the smuggling ring.”

To think the Emperor would order his newlywed son to war just because he was irritated by some provocation.

‘Come to think of it, the navy did go to war and win around this time, didn’t they?’

And to depart in just three days—preparations alone would require quite some time.

“Does His Majesty truly… does it have to be you, Your Highness?”

As Edelweiss’s expression grew serious, Damian simply looked at her in silence. Then he broke it with quiet words.

“I’ll be back soon.”

His calm acceptance, as if this was nothing new, made something ache in her chest.

Even if he said he’d be back soon, she knew there were limits. She knew they would win, but that didn’t mean he’d return unscathed.

Edelweiss had seen the many scars on his body the night before. The thought that more would be added made her heart sink.

***

The next morning, Damian had left early to prepare for departure.

“Sister, can I come in?”

Princess Charlotte knocked softly on the door.

“Of course, Lady Shasha.”

Princess Charlotte pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and held it out to Edelweiss.

“I stole brother’s handkerchief.”

Edelweiss took it instinctively, tilting her head in confusion.

“A handkerchief… why?”

“Well, navy men usually take a handkerchief embroidered by their wife, lover, or sister.” Princess Charlotte giggled and continued.

“But I’ve never been able to give him one because every time I tried, it turned out terrible. So this time, you embroider it and give it to him at the departure ceremony!”

Edelweiss examined Damian’s handkerchief. True to his personality, it was plain aside from the gold-threaded border.

“Shall I? What design would you like?”

“Lily of the valley, and… Lorendel! So it means come back to Lorendel where you belong! How’s that?”

It was a good idea. With the departure ceremony so close, they’d have to hurry.

But if Edelweiss focused on embroidering alone, Princess Charlotte might get bored.

“All right. I’ll help you, so let’s do it together.”

Princess Charlotte quickly lost interest and gave up, organizing the threads instead. Then she let out a long yawn.

Before long, she was nodding off, so Edelweiss laid her across her lap and continued stitching the lily of the valley and the initials of Lorendel into the handkerchief.

That evening, when Damian returned, he asked if she had seen his handkerchief. Edelweiss simply shook her head, pretending not to know.

She briefly locked eyes with Princess Charlotte, and both smiled silently.

Time passed quickly, and the day of the departure ceremony arrived.

As the dawn broke, a thick fog covered Lumentia Port.

The ships preparing to depart glowed faintly in the dark distance.

Warship flags fluttered in the sea breeze, and the military band played a heavy, low tune.

Boom!

A powerful cannon blast from the warship echoed through the harbor.

Navy soldiers in blue uniforms stood in perfect formation at the sound.

A tense atmosphere filled the cold air.

Those who had gathered early stood still, holding their breath as they gazed at the warships at the far end of the pier.

‘The weather’s not good… of all days.’

Edelweiss stood at the end of the pier, her fingertips trembling slightly.

The wind was unusually strong, and the crashing waves roared violently.

She kept biting and releasing her lower lip.

“Sister, what’s wrong?”

Perhaps sensing her unease, Princess Charlotte, rubbing her sleepy eyes, clung to her and whined.

“It’s just the wind… I’m worried whether the ship will sail safely. What if it rains?”

Princess Charlotte sniffed exaggeratedly and then shook her head firmly.

“No rain!”

“How do you know?”

“Because it doesn’t smell like rain yet! Don’t worry, sister!”

“Really? Okay, I’ll trust you, Lady Shasha.”

Thanks to Princess Charlotte, Edelweiss managed to calm her nerves and smile a little.

In the distance, Damian was giving orders to his officers.

Blue accents draped over his black uniform, and his platinum-blond hair fluttered in the sea wind.

When his eyes met Edelweiss’s, he gave a slight signal to an officer beside him.

The officer nodded and stepped aside.

In response to that signal, the navy soldiers all moved in unison, taking one step back.

As the gold-trimmed coats fluttered in the wind, the soldiers shifted in perfect coordination.

Damian said nothing as he stood there, silently facing Edelweiss.

His blue eyes approached her slowly through the path cleared between them.

Edelweiss held her breath.

She couldn’t take her eyes off him.

He was still wearing the brooch and silver cufflinks she’d given him at their wedding.

With unwavering eyes, Damian stood in front of her.

“…Do you have something to say?”

“No, it’s not that—”

Edelweiss’s heart kept shrinking whenever she tried to hand over the handkerchief.

She couldn’t understand why a handkerchief that had seemed fine when she finished the embroidery now looked so shabby the moment she tried to give it to him.

“No! Sister, you have something to give Brother! Hurry, Sister!” Princess Charlotte, thoroughly worked up, scolded Edelweiss. Because Damian also looked curious, she hesitated for a moment, then took out the handkerchief and held it out.

“…Lady Shasha said it would be nice if I embroidered it and gave it to you, so I tried making one.”

“You said you didn’t know where the handkerchief went.”

A faint smile curved at the corner of Damian’s lips as he accepted the handkerchief, enclosing Edelweiss’s fingertips.

“Did you do this yourself?”

“I had to rush, so it isn’t very elaborate. If… if you don’t like it….”

Since she had taken his handkerchief and done as she pleased with it, he might be displeased; the thought made her uneasy.

“…No, I just didn’t expect to receive one. I like it.”

“…….”

“I’ll keep it safe.”

Somehow, seeing how much he liked something so trivial embarrassed her, and she lowered her gaze.

“……Please don’t get hurt, and come back safely.”

“Are you worried about me?”

Edelweiss, startled by his question, raised the head she had bowed.

Thinking it over again, she felt the emotion in Damian’s voice.

Damian’s eyes held a faintly puzzled look, not mocking or anything like that.

It was as though, receiving genuine concern from someone for the first time, he found the feeling unfamiliar and awkward to accept.

It meant that, since going to war at fifteen, he had never once been worried over like this.

Each time Edelweiss discovered that loneliness, her heart ached. In any case, Damian was now her husband, her family; his reaction upset her, and tears welled up.

“Of course—”

“…..”

“Of course I worry; Your Highness is my husband.”

Damian repeated the word husband over and over.

As though realizing a forgotten fact,

“…Right. You are my wife.” Over and over.