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There were countless people attending the ball.

But among them, two caught my eye.

Count Korod and Robert Rondore.

Count Korod, as suggested by his title, started as a household servant of the king.

Their family has been rooted around Roktana, always keeping an eye on the Rondore family to ensure their power doesn’t grow too great.

Of course, with such a long history, the Korod family’s sense of purpose might have faded, but they were born to rival the Rondores, so small conflicts never ceased to arise.

Problems over territorial boundaries, taxes, vassals, debts, and interest… you name it.

Vivian was particularly wary of Korod.

It’s said that the late Treasurer Brinden was close to Count Korod, and Scholar Krellyn was also suspected of having connections.

Anyone who has been close to Count Korod is pretty much on the hit list.

A middle-aged man nodded in Vivian’s direction from afar, greeting her.

Vivian returned the nod, but only slightly, as if reluctant to engage.

Then came Robert Rondore.

Originally, he was supposed to be the regent after the death of the Duchesses of Rondore.

Even his retainers were clamoring for him to be elevated to regent.

That plan fell apart solely due to the late Duchesses’ last will.

She told me there was no one in the family to trust.

Perhaps that was why the regency was forbidden. To prevent Vivian from being used like a puppet.

Thanks to that, Vivian had to walk a thorny path, but now she could say she was at least on a somewhat better trajectory.

Robert Rondore approached.

As Vivian was about to confront her retainers, Robert had also been called into the castle for assistance, so I had crossed paths with him a few times.

“Vivian.”

He greeted her with a genuinely pleasant smile.

“It’s amazing. You’ve decorated this hall so beautifully. Your mother would be proud.”

“Thank you, Uncle.”

The two engaged in small talk for quite a while.

Until Robert shifted the topic.

“So, what do you think about my previous suggestion? Marrying my son…”

What in the world?

I bit my lip while looking at Vivian, who was also clenching her jaw.

Vivian replied with a smile.

“I don’t want to marry my cousin, Uncle.”

“Why not? My son is handsome and capable. He’ll be the one ruling Nerumport after I’m gone.”

“As I said, I dislike marrying within the family.”

“It’s not that weird to marry a cousin, you know.”

“…”

Vivian remained silent in response to Robert’s proposal, and realizing she’d been offended, Robert laughed lightly, brushing it off.

“…Well, if the person dislikes it, there’s nothing more I can do. I was just so sad I had to suggest it again. Don’t make such a scary face already. It’s your 17th birthday ball; you should enjoy it!”

…”

Robert then turned to look at me.

In his eyes, a lingering light of disdain still shone bright.

It resembled the disdain Vivian directed toward me.

“Allen.”

He spat out my name as if it were a curse and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“…I heard you’ve been protecting my niece.”

“…”

“For that, I thank you, but it would have been dangerous without you. I never would have thought Brinden would do such a thing.”

I stared into Robert Rondore’s eyes.

…Determining his sincerity was incredibly hard. I couldn’t tell if he was being genuine.

“Isn’t it funny? You seem like the one who would be in danger the most, yet it’s you protecting Vivian.”

He asked, balancing between mockery and intrigue.

“…Just one question. As I said, it’s lucky for us that you protect Vivian, but… what are you thinking? Why are you acting like that? Given the amount of blood that flows between us, your family back home would probably weep blood if they knew what you’re doing.”

I could sense the crowd’s anticipation for my answer.

Vivian also looked up at me, knowing the answer.

I could spit in Robert Rondore’s face but… I made a simple promise to Vivian.

To not make a fuss and to behave.

So I released an excuse that wasn’t hard at all, right there in front of everyone.

It was better to say it now than to face the same question later.

“…I feel guilty about it.”

“…Do you feel sorry at all for leaving my niece alone? Ha, you know full well what your father did, yet you dare to be shameless…”

“If you’re disappointed, help me not get involved. Stop scheming to take something away. What’s with marrying a cousin? Who’s the barbarian here?”

“…Kyle.”

As I snapped at Robert, Vivian intervened.

Both Robert and I let out a resentful sigh, suppressing our emotions.

There was no need to continue this conversation verbally.

Robert and I exchanged silent glares before he slightly bowed his head and left.

…”Hmph.”

And as he walked away, a stifled laugh could be heard right beside me.

I turned my head, and Vivian was desperately holding back a laugh.

Seeing her enjoy it calmed the fire of my anger down quickly.

After battling laughter for a while, she let out a sigh and relaxed her expression.

“You need to hold back in the future.”

She whispered.

“…And thank you.”

“…”

At that moment, the chattering in the hall froze.

In that instant, Vivian and I turned together to look back.

Two figures were approaching us with steady strides.

****

Vivian froze upon seeing the appearance of Princess Reina.

Her hair as black as Kyle’s.

Her eyes as dark as Kyle’s.

Gorgeous looks and an air of elegance radiated from her.

Vivian had not encountered many princesses, but she instinctively thought that this one looked like a princess.

Next to her was Prince Thread of the Delum Kingdom, who seemed to fade into the background.

They approached slowly, arms crossed, and offered their greetings.

Prince Thread spoke first.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Duchess. You truly are as beautiful as the rumors say.”

Reina followed suit.

“I see the sun of Rondore.”

With a slight bow, she delivered her perfect greeting.

She didn’t even give Kyle a glance.

Feeling a strange relief from that, Vivian let go of Kyle’s arm and spoke.

“Your Highness, welcome to Roktana. I hope your journey was comfortable.”

Prince Thread replied with a bright smile.

“Well, the Rondore Knights have been guarding us, so there were no issues. Of course, our knights have had quite the hard time too. Was it Baelor? He’s a fine knight.”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

Reina chimed in.

“The scenery is so beautiful; I had no time to feel discomfort.”

Vivian had endured rigorous training under Lady Linne, so she could vaguely infer how harsh that education must have been.

From that perspective, Princess Reina seemed flawless.

She too had been brought as a hostage to a foreign land, yet she exuded such grace, it made one admire her.

The atmosphere was so welcoming that even the walls Vivian had unconsciously erected began to crumble.

For a while, pleasantries and small talk were exchanged.

Meanwhile, Kyle stood quietly in the corner, silent as usual.

Neither Prince Thread nor Princess Reina spared him a glance.

It seemed the Dubos family’s daughters had spread rumors well, and the prince and princess were keen to observe etiquette.

Perhaps neither of them had any interest in Kyle.

Then, at last, the prince’s gaze swept over Kyle.

He stretched his neck and spoke.

“…By the way, Duchess, if you are with that man due to our marriage talks, you don’t have to. While we seek peace with the East Kingdom, we anticipate some resistance.”

…”

“So, you don’t need to maintain our facade by getting along with our enemy…”

…”

Vivian responded only with a smile to that.

“…Ahem.”

Then, the prince stretched out his hand toward Kyle.

“Prince Thread of Delum. It’s a pleasure.”

Kyle took his hand, shook it.

No introduction was made.

Just as I was about to let out a sigh at his poor etiquette, this time Reina looked at Kyle.

And in that moment, Vivian realized.

Reina was not disinterested in Kyle.

She had been patiently waiting for the right moment to look at him.

The prince’s greeting was a signal for the princess.

“…Kyle.”

Reina whispered affectionately.

It was the first time anyone had approached Kyle so comfortably.

It was the first time someone had called his name so affectionately.

The elegant expression Reina wore cracked slightly, morphing into something reminiscent of a longing for family.

“…Kyle, it’s been a while.”

It was as if she were seeing a friend she missed dearly.

Kyle also smiled gently as if trying to soothe her tearful expression.

“…Your Highness. It’s been a while.”

“You’ve grown quite a bit… I think you were shorter than me when I last saw you.”

“I grew late.”

Their conversation was devoid of awkwardness.

It was as if an unspoken depth existed between them.

Particularly in Reina’s tone, there was an undeniable fondness that was hard to hide.

It was a sentiment that went beyond simply sharing origins.

“…”

Vivian’s heart clenched.

Even though she shouldn’t be so surprised, her heart sank.

Princess Reina knew of Kyle’s past, of which Vivian was ignorant.

It felt as if no matter how lightly they conversed, the two looked closer than she and Kyle.

“I never thought you would become such a great knight. You always said you didn’t want to be a knight.”

“You remember that?”

Kyle’s face was full of affection.

Vivian had never seen him like this before.

When he looked at any woman, whether it was Serena, Lani Dubos, or Kelsy… he always wore that indifferent expression.

He sometimes even seemed slightly irritated or annoyed.

But what’s this now?

With a warmth he had never shown to her, he gazed toward Reina, who had only known him as a child.

He seemed to harbor love for her while showing a tender demeanor to someone he wouldn’t love.

Reina continued.

“Well…! You called knights stupid, that sacrificing for others is foolish. I thought, ah, if Kyle becomes the head of the Allen family, there will be some trouble wielding power… or I thought he would become a terrible knight and be useless.”

Did Kyle say such things when he was a child?

 

Knowing him had kindled a flame in her chest.

Kyle was hers, yet somehow, others knew him better.

Meanwhile, Kyle easily laughed at Reina’s teasing.

“You can’t predict anything in this world.”

“…I missed you, Kyle.”

“I missed you too, Your Highness.”

Kyle replied with a smile.

Vivian found herself biting her lip without even realizing it.

…Don’t smile so easily.

She thought.

You’ve never smiled like that at me.

From the moment they started their conversation, it felt like they stepped into their own world.

As if a tent had arisen, they hardly glanced this way as they carried on their dialogue.

Both had black hair.

Both had dark eyes.

Both were from the north, and both bore that characteristic pale complexion.

Princess Reina.

…Kyle’s original owner.

If not for the war, would Kyle have given all that he did for Reina?

In taking care of her, would Kyle have loved her as he loved Vivian?

Would he have hugged her, taken the blows, and asked for a kiss?

If she had not been here, would that have been the case?

From somewhere, an onlooker muttered.

‘…They do look good together.’

That comment stoked the flames within Vivian.

She understood the reason perfectly.

Because they truly matched well.

A knight and princess who could have stepped out of a fairy tale stood before her.

In that moment, Vivian understood why she felt like an obstacle.

Reina had stepped in, and now she felt as if she had intruded between Kyle and herself.

And she hated that feeling.

Kyle was hers, and that was no one else’s business.

…He’s mine. Kyle is my property.

Vivian thought.

Among the things she possessed, it was the only thing she couldn’t let go of.

Unknowingly igniting jealousy, she felt an overwhelming blaze of envy erupt within her.

Vivian knew she had to suppress that feeling, just as she did every other day.

This wasn’t a matter of facing powerless folks anymore.

This was the prince and princess of a kingdom.

She couldn’t afford to create a powerful new enemy.

“I can tell you’re thrilled to meet an old friend… but I think it would be good to look around, Your Highness.”

Vivian forced a smile and offered her suggestion.

Was there any other group of people who looked more empty-headed than a girl giggling beside her future husband?

Reina seemed to come to her senses, covering her mouth in surprise… and soon resumed her poise from earlier.

Now it felt as if even she wore a mask.

It was the moment her anxious heart hit the target.

Reina composed herself and said.

“…Thank you, Lady Vivian. I got a little carried away with meeting an old friend.”

“…Old friend, huh? When you spoke with Kyle, he mentioned you were merely acquaintances.”

Though I threw that line to provoke, Reina didn’t bat an eye.

She turned back to Kyle and asked.

“Is that so? How disappointing.”

“…I didn’t think it appropriate to act so familiar.”

“What are you thinking so deeply about? Kyle hasn’t changed one bit.”

Vivian quietly grasped Kyle’s arm.

She pinched his arm hard enough to bite.

Kyle also appeared unconcerned with Vivian’s attack.

In the end, Vivian had no choice but to change the subject.

“Prince Thread, Princess Reina, I think we should wrap up our conversation here. Everyone is gathered now, so it’s best to start the ball.”

Prince Thread thankfully nodded.

“Indeed.”

Vivian grabbed Kyle’s arm and turned sharply, signaling to the minstrel.

Simultaneously, the mood of the music shifted, and the people parted in the center of the hall.

Vivian nodded to Prince Thread and Princess Reina once more.

This was a stage prepared for their marriage talks.

After a bit of hesitation, Prince Thread and Princess Reina struggled against the atmosphere and took each other’s hands, gracefully starting to dance before the gathered crowd.

At first, it was their solo stage.

And at the moment when everyone was captivated by their dance, Vivian let her pent-up fury spill over onto Kyle.

…”Did meeting your hometown friend make you so elated?”

Kyle scoffed.

“What, you think I wouldn’t be?”

He showed no effort to deny it.

“What? You—”

“—are you forgetting how many years it’s been?”

“…”

“Vivian, you keep forgetting this… this place is like a foreign land to me. No matter who I am, I’ll miss my hometown. Must I keep being so uptight?”

He wasn’t wrong with his statement.

But my heart was uneasy.

Ever since Reina appeared, his perfect day seemed to fall apart.

There were few opportunities for us to enjoy time together—no, this was the first time in four and a half years… Did it have to unfold this way?

“…Still…”

Vivian found herself muttering.

…”Do you still miss your hometown? Do you want to go back?”

Kyle looked down at Vivian with a bewildered expression.

Vivian knew it wasn’t a rational question.

But her heart was asking Kyle.

Kyle responded.

“Are you kidding? If it were you—”

Vivian interrupted him with a question.

“—even while I’m here?”

“…”

Kyle’s breath hitched for a moment.

The serene music continued to fill their background.

Amidst the throngs of people, they forgot their original relationship and only gazed into each other’s eyes.

She asked again, as if seeking confirmation.

“Kyle, even with… me here?”

“…”

…I—

Vivian swallowed the words she couldn’t express.

…I can’t let you go now.

 

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