Alfred informed her, “More precisely, he’s an old acquaintance of our grandfather.” He gave a bitter smile. “I’m sure many will share your shock when they hear. Ever since Eli was named the prince’s betrothed, she has taken a firm stance against relying on the military. If people knew from the beginning that the general was supporting her, none of her statements or efforts would have had any meaning.”

  If people knew I had the backing of a man who’d used military might to defend our country in the past, my advocacy for pacifism wouldn’t have held much weight.

  “And so...” Alfred continued, reaching a hand toward me. I was lost in thought when his fingers pushed my hair back. It surprised me at first, but I found his warmth soothing. “That’s why I think the prince never mentioned Grandpa Teddy even when faced with the military’s harsh criticism. Though, I’m sure part of it was his agreement with our grandfather as well. The prince must not have wanted to make it public until it was firmly implanted in everyone’s minds that your biggest supporters are the people. I think the reason he called the general was partially to silence the opposing faction, but also because he wanted the best protection possible for you. Especially because he won’t be able to go with you when you leave.”

  I was at a loss for words. It was all I could do to nod. The prince was always protecting me.

  Alfred wore a pleasant expression on his face as he stroked the top of my head.

  Lady Anna, seeming to have only now recalled what he was referring to, said, “Oh, that’s right, Lady Elianna. Your royal duties will be taking you to the Ralshen Region soon, correct?”

  “Yes, although my primary objective in going is to visit the sickly Lord Bernard. I think I’ll just miss Maldura’s delegation as I’m leaving.”

  I was the one who had spoken so strongly about fostering good relations with Maldura, and yet I wouldn’t be present when they came to the capital. That weighed on my mind, causing a resurgence of anxiety.

  Prince Theodore gave a small, bitter smile as he said, “Under normal circumstances, it should be one of the members of the royal family visiting him. Instead, I’m afraid the burden must fall to you.”

  “Oh, it’s no burden,” I assured him, shaking my head.

  Lord Bernard was the younger brother of the former king, making him Prince Theodore’s uncle and Prince Christopher’s great uncle. Said former king (as well as the former queen) had already passed on to the next world. Lord Bernard was now the oldest surviving member of their family.

  As Prince Theodore mentioned, originally it should have been Prince Christopher paying the elderly lord a visit, but instead he was going to remain here to deal with Maldura’s delegation. Thus, the duty had fallen to me. I would be his proxy, to put it in simpler terms. The anxiety I felt about fulfilling this duty was decidedly different from my apprehension about Maldura’s visit.

  Nonetheless, I steeled my determination and said, “I will be a member of the royal family as well come spring. It’s only natural, given my status, for them to send me to visit Lord Bernard.”

  Prince Theodore blinked at me a few times before flashing his charming smile. “Girls emerge from their shells to become beautiful butterflies so quickly. Can’t even turn your eyes away for a moment.” I stared back at him, puzzled by those words, but he just grinned teasingly and added, “I was looking forward to stealing you before you completely finished your metamorphosis, but alas, I value my life too much.” He chuckled.

  After a moment, his voice turned more friendly and inviting. “Eli, even without you here, the things you have advocated for—a peaceful approach and friendly relations—have already begun to take root in the palace. Especially in the archives. Ever since you became the prince’s betrothed, you have been laying the foundation for Sauslind to be a civilized nation, and that’s become our ideal as well. We won’t let your efforts be in vain. We will lead the country forward, toward friendship with Maldura.”

  There was a strength in his eyes so comforting I could feel it worm its way inside my heart. The warmth from my brother’s hand also brought me reassurance, and that relief was only further reinforced when Lady Anna nodded at me in agreement. I smiled back at them, grateful I had such trustworthy people I could count on. As long as they were here, there was nothing the capital had to worry about.

  Even still, a shadow of unease continued to lurk within me, one I fought desperately to quell.

  Chapter 4: Waiting for Spring

  Lady Anna and my brother returned to work, and Prince Theodore and I launched into a discussion about books.

  “You’re asking for a catalog of religions that have spread through the continent’s main highways? If we’re speaking about the period during the empire’s reign, I think Ryzanity is the only one you’ll find. You’re looking for ancient religions like the Gaelga?”

  “No, not quite,” I said.

  Something was niggling at the back of my mind, and I wasn’t entirely sure what it was when I decided to ask Prince Theodore about it. I figured if anyone would know the answer to my uncertainties, it would be the curator of the royal archives.

  “A little bit ago, we spoke about Furya’s Jar and that led to talk about the medical text, Ryza’s Guide. Folk remedies at the time would have had a strong relation to their religion’s doctrine, so I wanted to look into it a bit...”

  “Aha.” He nodded, despite my rather vague explanation. “Ryza’s Guide, hm? Then you’ll need a record of the merchants who traveled the highways during the empire’s reign. Those are kept in the vaults. I’ll be back in a moment with them.”

  “All right.” I nodded, thanked him for his assistance, and then turned to browse the religious texts.

  Strong gusts of wind rattled the glass on a nearby window, drawing my attention, and I struggled to suppress the unease that only continued to swell within me. It had all happened so fast; when the year started, news came of Lord Bernard falling ill, and talks began of Maldura sending a delegation to the capital shortly thereafter. They prefaced it as a courtesy visit to express their gratitude for the assistance we’d offered them when the cold front came through before. I suspected the internal situation there was just as my brother had surmised, but those not privy to such information were understandably shocked and anxious about the arrangement.

  Excitement had been mounting in the capital as our spring wedding date approached, but Maldura’s visit had cast a shadow over that anticipation. There was a restlessness in the air as people hurriedly rushed to prepare. The archives felt far removed from all that hustle and bustle, wrapped in tranquility. Yet for as peaceful as this place was, that coil of dread I had fought so hard to erase reappeared, winding tighter and tighter.

  Maldura, to our northwest, was a warmongering nation. Thanks to the influence of the neighboring Kai Arg Empire, Ryzanity had proliferated there. Their country had a vast number of mines but the quality of the soil was ill-suited to farming. They relied entirely on their dealings with the empire and trade with the western countries and archipelagos, sending ships through the bay to reach them.

  The bay was their only way to reach other countries; Sauslind stood in the way of a direct route to the open sea, and just beyond us stood the Miseral Dukedom. Besides, due to their isolationist policies, Maldura didn’t possess naval expertise. Rather than trying to take on the Miseral Dukedom at sea, they instead proactively launched invasions on Sauslind, which was blessed with fertile land and was also connected to the main highways running through the continent.

  During the previous king’s reign, Sauslind and Maldura had gone to war countless times. People were worried that this same pattern would continue, either under the current monarch or his successor. Maldura wasn’t the only one with a thirst for war. The militant faction in Sauslind was more anxious to battle our neighbors than befriend them, though I had openly expressed my condemnation of such actions.

  Now that the prince had publicly revealed I had General Bakula backing me, he’d effectively reined in the militant faction. They might have otherwise tried to thwart our attempts at establishing peaceful relations. That was what my brother was trying to explain before. It certainly was an effective way of handling our political opponents—take one of the military powers they believed in and use it to talk them down.

  A quiet sigh slipped past my lips.

  I understood it would take every method at our disposal to establish peace with a neighbor we’d had hostile relations with for decades. Still, right now I felt utterly powerless. I didn’t want to rely on military might to accomplish my goals, but I was helpless by myself. My opinion alone wouldn’t be enough to stymie the militant faction. Prince Christopher had agreed with my opinions on fostering friendly relations, but in turn, that had caused him enormous hardship and trouble.

  Before I could let another sigh spill out, I shook my head.

  I have to get myself together. I can’t let my insecurities get the best of me.

  I glanced up at the shelves above me and plucked a few volumes I’d had my eye on. There was one more I spotted on a higher shelf, as well. Once I left the palace, I wouldn’t have much time to enjoy reading. It was as though I thought picking these out and studying up on areas of knowledge where I was lacking might somehow erase the budding unease within me.

  Standing on the tips of my toes, I stretched as far as I could, but my fingers were frustratingly too short to reach the book I desired, brushing only the tip of its spine. Suddenly, another hand shot out over my head and retrieved it for me.

  “Is this the one you wanted?”

  My heart jumped into my throat at his unexpected appearance. As I stumbled, he caught me in his arms. Before I could even glance back to meet his gaze, that familiar scent flooded my nose and my pulse quickened.

  “Did I surprise you? I’m sorry.”

  I looked back to find him smiling gently at me, his blue eyes warm with affection. Blood rushed to my cheeks. “Not at all... Thank you, Your Highness.”

  The prince always kept his guard up in public. Even when wielding that sword earlier, he’d had a bold, impenetrable smile on his face. As he stood before me now, he looked completely different. His golden hair had been neatly combed through, and the collar of his shirt was properly folded. The grace and composure he displayed made it impossible to imagine he’d been drenched with sweat before. His smile was so handsome it would send any woman’s heart pounding.

  Even I thought it was high time I grew accustomed to his appearance and stopped acting so flustered. Every time I saw him, my heart would start pounding no matter how much I willed it not to. The novelty of it remained the same as when I first discovered my feelings for him.

  I accepted the book from him and tried to move away, but the hand that had supported me moments ago kept a firm hold. He slid his arms further around me, wrapping me in his embrace. I tried to say his name but the words died on my lips. I could tell he had no intention of letting me go.

  His voice was soft and quiet as he said, “You had such a troubled look on your face. If something is bothering you, talk to me about it.”

  I wondered how long he’d been watching me for. I felt so embarrassed and awkward that I couldn’t say anything. Worse yet, my mind went blank when I realized we were pressed so closely together that he could feel my pulse.

  He chuckled. “Am I troubling you again?”

  “N-No...”

  Obviously, my answer wasn’t entirely truthful, and he laughed again before releasing me. As he moved away, he took his warmth and smell with him. I grabbed his arm without thinking.

  “Eli?”

  I jumped with surprise as I realized what I’d done, but at the same time, I didn’t want him to leave, so I kept hold of his arm.

  Still standing behind me, he chuckled again, sounding genuinely happy this time as he pulled me back into his arms. I could feel his lips press down against the top of my head. “The political world has been restless since the year began. I haven’t been able to take much time to rest because of that. If I’ve made you anxious as a result, I apologize.”

  “Not at all.” I juggled the books I was carrying in one hand so I could use the other to caress the arm he had wrapped around my waist. The tension left my body as I felt the reassuring rhythm of his heartbeat against my back. “The reason the political world has been in such a state is partially because of me.”

  “You’re talking about Maldura?”

  I sucked in a breath, unable to say anything.

  His gentle voice turned firm as he said, “Hey, Eli... You’re not going to cheat on me, are you?”

  “What?!” I squeaked back, sounding like Jean had earlier. I whipped my head around to look at the prince, but his arms only tightened around me. “Wh-Why would you ask something like that?”

  “Hmm...” His voice sounded eerily serious as he continued, “I have a bad feeling, that’s all. There’s a high probability that cretin will come along with the rest of Maldura’s delegation. General Bakula also said he wanted to choose your partner from his Black Wing Knights. Then there’s your first love whom I knew nothing about.”

  “G-Grandpa Teddy wasn’t being serious, I’m sure. A-And I’m not really sure what my first love has to do with any of this.”

  “No,” he said very decisively, with a gravity that implied this was a national concern. “This is a very alarming issue, Eli.”

  “Huh...?”

  Is it truly?

  As the prince’s betrothed, did possible marriage talks from the past have any impact now? I couldn’t recall any princesses from history encountering issues because of their first loves.

  While my mind spun in circles trying to decipher the meaning of his words, the prince finally burst out laughing behind me. That cooled my head instantly.

  “Your Highness...” My voice was chillingly cold.

  His arms squeezed around me. “Sorry, Eli. You are always so serious about everything. I couldn’t help myself.”

  I’d noticed this before, but the prince had a sadistic side to him at times.

  While I felt increasingly disgruntled by his teasing, I heard a small chuckle trickle into my ear as he said, “I wasn’t being entirely dishonest though. Your first love has been weighing on my mind. I thought I knew everything there was to know about you.”

  Those words stabbed me right in the chest. I squeezed his hand in mind. “I felt the same way. That was my first time seeing you act so close with anyone besides Lord Glen. Though when I thought about it, it shouldn’t have been all that surprising...”

  Since becoming his fiancée, I had spent a lot of private moments with the prince outside of our royal duties. I knew who he was and wasn’t open with, what policies and principles he advocated for, and what future he envisioned for our country. I knew he had a habit of thinking two or three steps ahead of everyone else. Spending every day at his side, I thought of myself as almost part of his inner circle—that I knew everything there was to know about him. However, there was no way you could know everything there was to know about a person. How could you when you were two completely different people?

  I stood up straight and glanced behind me, expression earnest. “It’s also weighing on my mind, actually. How did you, Lord Ian, and the rest of the Black Wing Knights become acquainted? How did you spend your time before the two of us became engaged? I want to know you more intimately. Could you share more of yourself with me?”

  He swallowed hard, eyes wide. After a moment, he pulled one of his hands away from me to cover his face. Then a groan slipped out of his lips. “Why do you have to be so viciously tempting...? Who taught you that?”

  Pardon?

  “Don’t tell me that pervy old fa—I mean, nasty elder—ahem, Glen’s old professor, Doctor Harvey, hasn’t been filling your head with anything strange, has he? You haven’t...been playing doctor with him, right?”

  Excuse me?

  He sounded completely serious as he made his query, but I was so confused I had no idea what he was referring to.

  “I don’t think Doctor Harvey has taught me anything of that nature. Um, Your Highness, did he play doctor with you?”

  That dazzling smile returned to his face instantly. “Of course not.” He spoke as though he were completely chaste and uninterested in such activity. “That would be ridiculous. I’ve merely heard details from Glen. You needn’t familiarize yourself with such matters either, Eli. When the time comes and you want to learn, I’ll be happy to teach you.”

  “Aha,” I said vaguely, nodding. Seeing how motivated he was, I got the sudden desire to run but decided to change the subject instead. “Um...so where was it you became acquainted with Lord Ian and the Black Wing Knights?”

  He stared at me for a moment. “Oh yes,” he said finally, realizing that was the original topic I’d brought up. “Actually, my meeting with Ian had nothing to do with the Black Wing Knights. I only learned he’d joined them after the fact. As for the Black Wing Knights themselves, we became acquainted through my public duties. I would never have called them to the capital if not for our current situation.”

  The knights were the cornerstone of our eastern defenses. They were only ever called to the capital for essential affairs, such as the crowning of a new king. Their most elite members had been summoned to the capital in part to welcome Maldura’s delegation. They served as a precaution and were imposing enough to discourage our potential new ally from doing anything rash. As for the Guardian God of the West, Earl Hayden, he was busy keeping the rest of Maldura in check at our border.

  I went quiet. For diplomatic and political purposes, I understood why the prince had sent for them, but I couldn’t bring myself to approve of his decision. My gaze dropped to the floor.

  The prince’s next words were like an arrow that went right to the heart of my growing anxiety. “You’re worried that people are becoming increasingly reliant upon our military power, aren’t you?”

  I swallowed hard, squeezing my hand around the arm he still had wrapped around me. He’d hit the source of the apprehension I’d been feeling since the year began.

 

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