Tervan approached Ryan with slow steps and bowed his head in greeting.

“I pay my respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Despite Tervan’s greeting, Ryan gave no response.

Tervan raised his head and took a deep breath, then exhaled softly. At that moment, Ryan stepped closer to him.

“Why did you follow me?”

At Ryan’s direct question, Tervan nodded.

“So you knew.”

“How could I not? If you follow someone so openly without even trying to hide, wouldn’t it be strange not to notice?”

Ryan placed one hand on his hip as he questioned.

“I came to greet Rachel since she’s at the imperial palace.”

“For someone who came for that, you were quite reluctant to show yourself.”

Tervan couldn’t answer this accusation. Even he felt that following Rachel and Ryan while concealing his presence wasn’t honorable.

When Tervan maintained his silence, Ryan frowned. It was natural, considering Tervan appeared to be ignoring the Crown Prince’s words. Yet instead of getting angry, Ryan recalled what he knew about Tervan.

Ryan’s gaze scanned Tervan up and down. Then, narrowing his eyes slightly, he spoke.

“I heard you and Rachel are friends. Is that true?”

Tervan was about to answer Ryan’s question automatically when he suddenly felt something odd and slightly furrowed his brow.

“That’s correct. Rachel and I are friends. But Your Highness, did you just call her ‘Rachel’?”

Addressing someone directly by name was difficult unless the two people were close.

As far as Tervan knew, Rachel and Ryan had no prior relationship. They must have just met at this banquet.

For Ryan to call Rachel by her name struck Tervan as distinctly odd.

“Why do you ask?”

Ryan raised an eyebrow seemingly wondering what the problem was.

“Is that an agreed-upon form of address with Rachel?”

“…”

Ryan suddenly realized that Tervan’s question was unusual.

“You’re making me ask twice. Why are you curious about that?”

Ryan was bewildered that Tervan wouldn’t answer his question and instead asked something unpleasant.

“I’m asking because it seems you haven’t known Rachel for long, and I wonder if you’ve become close enough to address her by name.”

“What if I told you I received Rachel’s permission?”

“…”

Tervan hesitated at Ryan’s words, then nodded.

“I see. I was just… concerned that you seemed to have grown close rather quickly.”

“Concerned?”

“Yes.”

Ryan let out a scornful laugh.

“Your behavior seems difficult to attribute to mere concern.”

“…”

“Or do you consider secretly following and spying on a friend to be acting in their best interest?”

Ryan’s question hit the mark.

Tervan was momentarily speechless as he reflected on his behavior. Indeed, his actions were not normal.

Only after belatedly realizing this did Tervan bow his head toward Ryan.

“If I’ve offended you, I sincerely apologize, Your Highness.”

“I hope this doesn’t happen again.”

“…Yes.”

Ryan turned away after hearing Tervan’s response. Tervan watched him walk away, still feeling unsettled.

Strangely, his heart beat irregularly. He felt anxious and uneasy, but Tervan couldn’t possibly understand where these feelings originated.

* * *

“Wow! So you’re now an imperial mage, sister?”

Erika’s eyes sparkled as she clasped her hands together, looking at Rachel.

Rachel smiled wryly at Erika’s expectant gaze.

Erika had been the most curious about why Rachel was meeting with the Emperor.

During dinner with the whole family, Rachel announced that the Emperor had offered her a position as an imperial mage, which she had accepted for a limited time.

And Erika’s excited response followed.

Realistically, the position of imperial mage wasn’t more prestigious than being a formal mage of the Magic Tower.

But to Erika, everything about Rachel seemed impressive.

“That’s right. Just for a year for now. After that, it’s my choice what to do.”

“Sister, you’re so amazing!”

Erika exclaimed in admiration. Her enthusiasm alone brightened the dining room’s atmosphere.

“Congratulations, Rachel.”

“It seems His Majesty the Emperor has recognized your true worth.”

“It’s not that impressive.”

Rachel responded humbly to her parents’ congratulations.

“What do you mean it’s not impressive? You’ve been recognized by the Emperor himself.”

“Being humble is good, but being too harsh on yourself isn’t good either, Rachel.”

Rachel smiled awkwardly at Count and Countess Pluret’s words.

As Rachel finished her meal and was about to leave the dining room, Erika hurried after her.

“What is it, Erika?”

Rachel bent her knees to sit down, finding her little sister who followed her adorable.

“Sister, will you go to the imperial palace tomorrow too?”

“Of course. Since I’ve agreed to become part of the imperial staff, I’ll need to for a while.”

According to what Ryan had told her, even though she had become an imperial mage, there wouldn’t be any work for her to handle for some time.

Still, it was best not to create any issues during the promised period.

When Rachel nodded, Erika’s face brightened.

“Then can I come with you tomorrow?”

“You too, Erika?”

“Yes! I really want to go!”

Erika exclaimed with eyes full of anticipation.

Rachel shrugged her shoulders at the child’s typical admiration.

“Sure, let’s go together. There’s no furniture yet, but I’ll show you around the imperial palace while we’re there.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

Rachel smiled gently at Erika.

“We’ll go in the morning tomorrow, so go to bed early. Understood?”

“Yes! I’ll go to bed right now!”

Erika waved her hand at Rachel.

* * *

From breakfast time, Erika bubbled with excitement about going to the imperial palace with Rachel.

Rachel held Erika’s hand as they boarded the carriage.

Erika kept expressing her amazement as she looked through the carriage window at the imperial palace she visited for the first time.

Rachel smiled faintly, thinking that in some distant past she too must have been like Erika, though she couldn’t remember.

Bringing Erika to the imperial palace proved a good choice. Rachel felt like her original self only when she was with Erika.

Rachel suddenly recalled her conversation with Creon.

The conversation about whether she wanted to have the same emotions as before.

At that time, Rachel had said she liked her current state, but to be precise, she feared regaining her former emotions.

Only after spending so much time did she realize it herself. That Tervan would never look back at her.

To the Rachel of the past, Tervan’s presence outweighed anyone else’s.

She had been his friend at the academy and had one-sidedly loved him all along.

Even while knowing it was a one-sided love that would never be returned, she had held onto a sliver of hope that someday Tervan might see her.

But now she faced the reality she had been avoiding.

Tervan did not love Rachel. What he liked was Rachel as a friend.

That’s why he had pretended not to know anything even while knowing that Rachel liked him.

It was fortunate that at the end of her regression, her feelings for Tervan had dried up.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to accept the reality that there was nothing after all those sacrifices.

She didn’t even want to think about how much deeper despair would have bound her.

“Sister!”

“Yes?”

It was Erika’s voice that woke Rachel from her contemplation.

Erika looked at Rachel with a worried expression.

“Are you sick, sister?”

“No, not at all. Why?”

“I kept talking to you but you didn’t answer.”

“I’m sorry. Your sister had some things to think about.”

“It’s okay. Oh! We’ve arrived at the imperial palace. They say we can get off now!”

“Already?”

Rachel turned her head to check outside the window. As Erika said, they had arrived at the imperial palace.

Rachel got off at the imperial palace with Erika. Then, holding her hand, she slowly began heading toward the Rose Palace.

Because she was sightseeing with the curious Erika, they were bound to be quite delayed.

Still, thanks to their early departure, they managed to reach the Rose Palace before lunch.

“Oh? Someone’s there.”

Just as they climbed the stairs and reached Rachel’s research room, Erika made a small sound.

Rachel raised her head to check the door. As Erika said, there was a familiar person in front of the research room door.

“After hearing from His Majesty the Emperor, I came hoping I might meet you, and it seems I was right.”

Duke Bermund approached Rachel with a look of pleasure.

“It’s been a while, Lady Pluret.”