After reading the letter, Aris looked into the envelope she had placed on the side table. Inside was a piece of jewelry she hadn’t noticed because it was so small. It was a necklace with a small, round green gemstone.

Aris was putting it around her neck with gratitude when she suddenly fell into doubt again.

‘Wait. It really seems like the letter I sent yesterday reached Mr. E…’

Could the exchange of letters be this fast? Moreover, the time she mailed the letter wasn’t even yesterday morning, but after work.

Aris kept wondering and then looked at his letter again. The warm fuzzy feeling he gave her made her smile without realizing it.

‘Since he’s an amazing person who readily helps me, he might have used a special method.’

Whatever it was. Aris was happy to be able to receive his reply so quickly.

After hurriedly finishing her preparations for work, she arrived at her research room with a lighter step than usual.

To prepare for her departure, she started gathering tools one by one in her research room. Maps, books, notebooks, a clock, a compass, and all sorts of magical instruments.

While Aris was packing her research items, she suddenly felt a pang of regret.

‘I wish other people would join the department soon. It’s still scary to go alone…’

Strictly speaking, that place was a battlefield. It was easy to imagine how barren the land would be after a war, even without seeing it. Aris suddenly missed Belle. And Dr. Andre too.

Feeling downcast, she shook her head to cheer herself up.

‘Maybe next time, I’ll be able to investigate with Belle.’

It was while she was carefully packing her luggage that someone knocked on the research room door. Aris opened the door and was surprised.

“Good morning, Miss Aristena.”

“…Your Highness the Crown Prince?”

After a moment of confusion, she let him into the research room. Kalaian’s visits were not uncommon. Usually, it was to increase her workload, so it wasn’t particularly welcome…

Aris stopped packing, seated him on the reception sofa, and served him tea.

“There’s no need for such hospitality, but thank you.”

“It’s hardly worthy of being called hospitality.”

It was just hastily brewed tea, after all. Aris responded humbly. He drank the tea Aris had served with a hint of a smile. Aris thought as she looked at him,

‘Has he been in a good mood lately?’

A person who only smiled formally in her past life was now curving his lips into a smile every time Aris’s gaze fell on him.

‘I wonder what he’s here for…’

Aris sat across from Kalaian and silently waited for him to speak.

If it were the usual him, he would have just handed over some work and left. But this time, he readily accepted her hospitality, and it didn’t seem like he had brought any documents.

Kalaian put down the cup he had been sipping slowly, as if it were some rare tea from a foreign country.

“You’ll be leaving in two days, right?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“It would be dangerous alone, so I’ll assign a trustworthy knight to accompany you.”

“Ah, thank you…! I was just thinking it would be nice to have someone to go with.”

Relief bloomed on Aris’s face. So this is what he came to talk about.

Kalaian gazed at Aris’s face intently, and when she showed a puzzled expression, he slightly averted his gaze.

“Isn’t it boring to just drink tea? Shall I bring you some cookies?”

“It’s alright. I don’t intend to stay long. But… that necklace suits you well.”

“Ah! Does it?”

Aris’s face, which had been showing slight discomfort, suddenly brightened. She touched the necklace and said,

“A precious person gave it to me as a gift. The necklace is so pretty that it stands out more than me, so I’m very…”

“That can’t be. To my eyes, you stand out more.”

Kalaian sharply cut off her words. Aris was taken aback by his comment and replied,

“Pardon? Well, that’s probably because I’m physically larger… isn’t it?”

“…That might be true, but. I meant that you are prettier than the necklace.”

“What…?”

She hadn’t even considered that he might be complimenting her. Aris was dumbfounded. An awkward atmosphere crept in between the two who had been having a serious conversation.

Kalaian, perhaps finding it difficult to stay any longer, stood up.

“Since it’s a necklace given by a precious person, you should wear it well. It suits you.”

“Thank you… Are you leaving now?”

“Yes, I suppose I should.”

Aris prepared to see Kalaian off as he headed towards the research room door. Seeing Aris following him closely, he let out a small chuckle and then called her with a serious expression.

“Miss Aristena.”

“Yes.”

“Please be careful and return without getting hurt. I’m worried you might get injured.”

His gaze was deeper than usual. Aris, looking up at him, unconsciously fidgeted with her clasped hands.

“I’ll… keep that in mind.”

No matter how much she was a part of the department he carefully oversaw, his unfamiliar concern always felt strange to her.

Kalaian gave a light greeting and left the research room. Aris stared at the place he had left and fiddled with her necklace.

Then she started busily preparing for her trip again.

* * *

Aris left her house carrying a large bag as big as her body that she had prepared in advance. After stuffing it with all sorts of things, the bag had become surprisingly plump. Although it was quite heavy, Aris headed towards the imperial palace with vigor.

Hadn’t Kalaian said he would assign a knight? Aris was filled with anticipation, wondering what kind of person she would meet. And so, with an excited heart, she passed through the main gate of the imperial palace.

“I see you again, Doctor!”

Soon, a familiar voice greeted Aris. Facing an unexpected person, Aris’s eyes widened.

“Lord Clane…”

Seeing his eyebrow slightly raise, Aris hurriedly corrected her form of address.

“Sir Mishuan?”

At that, Mishuan smiled with a look as if he might pat a puppy and said, “That’s right.”

“Yes, it’s me. I’ve received orders from His Highness the Crown Prince that I would be in charge of protecting you during the investigation.”

“Is that really true?”

“Why would I lie about something like this?”

Aris let out a short laugh at Mishuan’s words, which mixed sincerity and playfulness.

“I’m glad it’s someone I’ve met before. Actually, I was a bit worried… that I might be a burden.”

“How could someone as great as you be a burden?”

“I, I’m not that great…”

“Ah, I’m not that great either. His Highness the Crown Prince isn’t that great either.”

Aris’s eyes widened at Mishuan’s nonchalant words.

“What? What do you mean! Both of you are excellent people…!”

“You think so? I think the same when I look at you, Doctor.”

Aris opened her mouth needlessly at Mishuan’s hearty words. He smiled, pulling up the corners of his mouth, and extended his hand to her.

“Let’s go without worry.”

“Yes…”

Aris took his hand and got into the carriage. Being acknowledged by others was truly embarrassing yet unbearably tickling.

The carriage Aris boarded with him soon began to run towards their destination.

“Sir Mishuan.”

Aris called while looking at a map in the carriage. His gaze, which had been looking out the window with his arms crossed from the opposite seat, turned to Aris. The dull red eyes of Mishuan quickly sparkled with interest.

“What is it?”

“Do you know about the crack that appeared in the Altre Mountains?”

“Ah, if it’s that place, it’s one of the places I went to subjugate directly with His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Then, you know the way there too, right?”

Aris looked at Mishuan with her bright green eyes full of vitality. He nodded lightly and added,

“It’s been a while, so I don’t remember well, but I do know.”

Aris tilted her head.

“It was just a month ago. It doesn’t seem that long ago…”

At that, Mishuan, who looked momentarily caught off guard, spoke again.

“Um… I’ve been so busy that I can’t remember well.”

Then he turned his gaze back to the carriage window, as if he had nothing more to say.

Aris understood his position in her own way. She knew how busy the members of the knight order were from what she had heard.

Since they never knew when and where the cracks that were producing monsters would appear, their daily life was being dispatched here and there almost every day to prepare for dangers.

Moreover, this person probably receives love letters pouring in from women wherever he goes, making him even more distracted. The rumor was that if you piled up all the marriage proposals he had received so far, you could build a mansion — this was none other than Mishuan Clanef.

The impact of his beauty, as if an angel had fallen from the sky, was that intense. So, just dealing with that would probably be enough to make one’s head spin.

Aris marveled once again at having made a connection with this person she had only heard rumors about, and looked down at the map.

* * *