Theodore reached for the cloth uncertainly.

But before he could pull it away completely, the iron cage shook violently once more, toppling over with a loud crash. The impact sent the cloth flying into the air and briefly obscured his vision before it fluttered to the ground.

Theodore sucked in a sharp breath.

At most, he had expected to see some kind of rare animal.

But what was inside the cage was nothing of the sort.

“…What are you?”

A girl of about the same age was staring back at him with wide, sky-blue eyes.

Before he could register the shock, he was suddenly pulled forward. She had thrust out her arm and grabbed him by the collar.

“Hey, can you get me out of here? Please!”

Just when he thought he’d finally found a moment alone, what kind of situation was this now?

Annoyance crept in as Theodore tilted his head slightly.

“What’s with you? Why are you in there?”

“I didn’t go in. I was locked up.”

Theodore studied the girl, who was still clutching his collar.

She had a pale face, eyes so large that they looked as though they were about to spill over, and silver hair threaded with waves of sky-blue that flowed like ripples. She looked no older than ten and was undeniably beautiful.

Tsk.

Theodore narrowed his brow.

From the looks of it, this girl must be the entertainment that Piggy Evans had arranged. To think someone would present a person as a gift!

Piggy’s taste was truly astounding.

“Honestly. There isn’t a single thing I like about this place.”

Once again, his irritation toward this backwater village surfaced.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Theodore tapped the small fist gripping his collar.

“All right. How about you let go of this first?”

“Oh—sorry…!”

It was as if she had grabbed him out of instinct. The girl jumped and immediately let go.

Judging by her reaction, she had no idea that he was the Second Prince. This was probably because he had taken off his rain-soaked outerwear and was holding it in his hand. Besides, he didn’t favor flashy clothes, and the plain shirt underneath was hardly noticeable.

Either way, it worked out.

If his identity were revealed, it would only cause more trouble.

Casually rubbing his now-free neck, Theodore noticed the padlock hanging from the cage.

“Do you happen to know where the key is…?”

“Huh?”

“…Never mind.”

When she looked at him blankly, Theodore shook his head. If she knew where the key was, she wouldn’t still be trapped here.

Rather than wasting time on pointless questions, he scanned the area. He picked up a sturdy-looking rod and hit the lock a few times. The joint loosened almost immediately.

Clang.

After tossing the broken lock aside, Theodore bent slightly.

“All right. You can come out now.”

“…Thank you!”

Moments ago, she had looked on the verge of tears. Now, as she stepped out of the cage, she brushed the dirt off her knees and smiled brightly, her eyes curving into cheerful crescents.

Theodore found himself staring at the deep dimples that had formed in her cheeks.

Had she always been so unbothered? Considering she’d just been locked up, her reaction was remarkably spirited.

But his mild curiosity didn’t last long.

“Thank you so much. I’ll definitely repay you for helping me!”

“There’s no need.”

He hadn’t done it expecting anything in return, but if she insisted…

After a brief moment of thought, he extended his index finger and pointed towards the entrance of the tent.

“If you really want to repay me, how about leaving? I’d like to rest quietly on my own.”

“…What?”

“I’ll consider that repayment enough.”

The girl was taken aback by the unexpected request, her long eyelashes fluttering rapidly.

Nevertheless, Theodore settled back down and closed his eyes. He had helped her in the first place because he didn’t want to ruin this hard-won moment of rest. After all, she could only leave this place — wherever she chose to go — once she was out of the cage.

To be honest, he was mildly curious about how she had ended up locked away like a gift. But that was all. Even that curiosity cooled quickly.

They were only going to meet once, after all. So what was the point in finding out the whole story?

“As long as you don’t go near the cabins, you’ll be safe. All the young nobles are gathered there. Piggy Evans, for example.”

Even so, Theodore didn’t forget to offer a bit of advice.

‘That should be enough.’

Once he had finished, Theodore interlaced his fingers and rested them behind his head.

Suddenly, he sensed the presence in the tent was still there. He opened his eyes.

Sure enough, the girl was still standing at the entrance, hesitating.

“You’re not leaving?”

“Well, it’s raining outside. I can’t get wet— ngh!”

As if she’d realized she’d misspoken, the girl snapped her lips shut. Then, pretending nothing had happened, she waved both hands hastily.

“Could I stay here just until the rain stops? I—I’m really quiet! I won’t disturb you while you rest! I’ll leave the moment the rain lets up!”

As she spoke, the girl clenched her fists as though determined not to get wet.

Her face was so pale that one might have thought she was suffering from a fatal condition triggered by getting wet.

Seeing her intense reaction, Theodore sighed. He simply wasn’t heartless enough to chase away someone who was clearly so distressed.

“If you can stay quiet, then fine.”

“Yes! I promise!”

As if afraid he might change his mind, the girl quickly clapped her hands over her mouth and let out a sharp sound.

Seeing her innocent reaction, Theodore, who had been watching with half-open eyes, couldn’t help but laugh.

“Pfft.”

“Huh? You laughed.”

“…I didn’t.”

Embarrassed, Theodore cleared his throat as if nothing had happened, but it was already too late.

It felt awkward to keep lying there pretending nothing had occurred, so he propped himself up. The girl smiled shyly, her eyes curving into crescents.

“Hey—what’s your name? I’m Ayla!”

“Teo.”

“Teo…! That’s a pretty name.”

Perhaps because he hadn’t given a family name and she assumed he wasn’t a noble, Ayla’s tone relaxed noticeably.

“Then, Teo, did you come from the capital for the banquet? I’ve never seen you around the village before.”

“Something like that.”

Sitting cross-legged, Theodore rested his cheek against his palm.

“And you? Why were you locked up?”

“Um… well…”

Apparently troubled by the question, her sky-blue eyes rolled around uncertainly.

“It’s just… people think I’m creepy and don’t like me, so sometimes they bully me. Haha…”

Theodore frowned slightly at her vague answer.

Could someone really look at a face like that and describe it as creepy? He couldn’t help but question it.

But before he could resolve his doubts, he was interrupted.

Piggy Evans was approaching the spot where he and Ayla were standing.

“I’m telling you, I definitely saw him! The Second Prince went in here! He must be curious about his gift and wanted to see it early!”

“…!”

Recognizing Piggy’s voice, Ayla startled violently, her shoulders trembling.

He wasn’t alone. Another voice followed immediately after.

“Perfect timing. Father’s been nagging me to get close to the Second Prince anyway—it’s been a pain. I’ll just greet him while I’m at it!”

Tch.

This time, Theodore’s face twisted in irritation.

Whoever it was, he could already picture how annoyingly persistent they would be.

“Let’s go this way.”

Discovery would cause trouble for both of them, so Theodore took Ayla with him to an exit at the back of the building.

Shhh—

The rain had grown heavier, pouring down relentlessly. A short awning extended over the exit, sparing them from complete saturation — for now, at least.

Beyond the small opening, the exit led directly onto a narrow strip of land next to the railing. One wrong step and they could easily slip and fall straight into the sea.

“Huh? There’s no one here. Hey, Piggy. Didn’t you just imagine things? That story about preparing some amazing gift was a lie too, wasn’t it?”

“No! I’m telling you, he was definitely here. Ayla—that monster!”

Piggy’s shrill shout echoed as he came rushing in a beat too late.

At the word monster, Theodore lowered his gaze.

Ayla’s face had gone deathly pale.

“Are you alri—”

“Ah…!”

He had only meant to check on her — she looked unwell, but nothing more. However, startled by fear, Ayla’s body shrank back sharply.

This sudden movement took Theodore by surprise, causing him to lose his footing.

The waves, already swelling in the wind and rain, surged violently, causing the ship to rock harshly.

It happened in the blink of an eye.

Having lost his balance, Theodore’s body tipped over the railing and disappeared beyond it.