Chapter 38
Because of the sight of her clutching Marquis Rizzern’s hand with such a precarious look on her face, I hurriedly ran over to the two of them.
TheoWin had only wanted to check on Rizzern’s condition. He already knew what state the man was in, and because he also knew what had become of others who shared the same condition, he couldn’t help but worry.
After all, this man had once been his swordsmanship teacher… and now he was the father of the crown princess.
Yet somehow, when he sought out the training grounds, he found her there as well.
Since their wedding night, he had thought she would feel uncomfortable around him. So he hadn’t asked her to attend any official gatherings, instead letting her freely settle into palace life.
Of course, to avoid facing her directly, he had often shut himself away in his office or gone outside the crown prince’s palace to handle affairs.
“Somehow, I feel like I’m seeing you here more often.”
Not expecting to run into her in such an unguarded way, TheoWin had blurted out his presence in a louder-than-usual voice. It was his way of gauging her reaction first.
But Aneth’s reaction was strange. Though she sometimes grew serious, she was usually a lively woman, and speaking with her had always been pleasant.
Especially now, looking so solemn in front of Marquis Rizzern—that was a problem. She was a woman who dearly loved and cherished her one and only family: her father.
“You’ve come, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Rizzern greeted him with an easy smile. He wanted to ask what was going on, but somehow… he felt it wasn’t the right moment to intrude between father and daughter.
Still, when their eyes met and Aneth’s ears flushed bright red, he felt a small sense of relief.
“Her Highness said she wished to see her father, so she came out for a walk. It gives me great strength during my training.”
Rizzern was clearly trying harder than usual to sound cheerful. Of course, part of it was because Aneth was there, but having known Rizzern longer, TheoWin could read his thoughts better than hers.
“Come to think of it, Rizzern, that necklace of yours is rather striking.”
Not yet comfortable enough to speak to her directly, he chose to comment on the necklace instead.
Though the gemstone pendant looked different from his own… something told him she had given it as a gift as well.
“This too is a gift from Her Highness. Don’t you think it suits me well, as a man who’s worn silver armor his whole life?”
The way he proudly lifted the pendant up to eye level made it obvious—even without words—that it was indeed from her.
TheoWin himself wore a necklace, a gift from her as well. If Rizzern had noticed it… then surely he would have guessed.
Just then, something caught TheoWin’s eye.
Around the gemstone of Rizzern’s necklace, a faint ripple flickered.
When he had set the pendant down to clasp Aneth’s hand, nothing had been visible. But when he lifted it again to show it off, the air around it shimmered as though disturbed.
A pale amber aura moved around it. It was unmistakably… Rizzern’s mana.
Why was his mana condensing visibly around the stone every time he touched it…?
Since his mana was unstable within his body, TheoWin had to be sensitive to every little change. He studied it closely, then shifted his gaze to Aneth.
“Where did you buy this necklace?”
Startled by his sudden question, Aneth looked up at him with wide eyes.
Ah… He hadn’t spoken a single casual word to her, and then suddenly asked this? Depending on how it was taken, he might look incredibly petty. He found it distasteful even to himself.
“I only wish to know where it was purchased—don’t misunderstand.”
“I didn’t misunderstand. What misunderstanding?”
Apparently recovering her spirit, Aneth immediately retorted. He was oddly glad she responded that way.
“Well, I’ve no reason to misunderstand. The necklace… you bought it in the marketplace?”
As if half-joking, he asked again more seriously. Rizzern also turned to look at Aneth.
Having set aside her earlier seriousness, she answered without hesitation.
“Yes, that’s right. I bought it in the marketplace. There was a jeweler who displayed flashy pieces outside, but in the drawers, he kept lovely necklaces and bracelets like this one.”
At the mention of gems kept in drawers, TheoWin’s eyes flickered strangely. Aneth, sensing some dissatisfaction, looked puzzled.
“Is there something wrong with that jeweler?”
“Hm? I’m not sure exactly where it was.”
But then he brushed it off so easily that she was taken aback. He had looked at the necklace so intently, asked so seriously, and then, after her simple explanation, wore that unsettled expression.
The way he acted suspicious only made her less willing to let it go.
“You seem interested. Want to go there together, to that jeweler?”
“No, that won’t be necessary.”
She had tossed the words out, expecting their usual back-and-forth banter. But TheoWin cut her off firmly, far more serious than she expected.
She blinked up at him, startled.
Seeing her eyes, TheoWin bit his lip. He shouldn’t have asked and then dismissed it so brusquely. Foolish words.
“If you decide to buy one of those flashy necklaces from the window displays, then I’ll go with you. No—if you want one, I’ll gift it to you myself.”
He tossed the remark lightly, hoping she would accept it as a joke. If not, he would have to apologize properly.
“Well, perhaps someday I’ll have a day when I feel like wearing such a flashy necklace.”
Neither Aneth nor even Rizzern noticed TheoWin sighing in relief inside. He was simply glad she hadn’t let the moment turn awkward.
“Aneth. You won’t be worrying over your father anymore, will you?”
Rizzern spoke as if to draw things to a close. Catching his meaning, Aneth hesitated for a moment.
At least the man before her looked healthy. Exercising daily, he even looked more robust than when she first arrived.
And for now, he was here.
“Mm. Yes. I think I can stop worrying for the time being.”
For his daughter’s sake, Rizzern showed his most vigorous face, and Aneth gladly accepted it.
If she worried, she could simply come more often. And knowing that Caesar was striving to prevent the worst, she only had to find her own way to keep it from ever happening.
Once you know the cause, you look for the solution. Even if it isn’t easy, she couldn’t rest until she tried.
Her own life span was uncertain anyway.
“Then, Crown Princess, will you return to the palace with me?”
The same TheoWin who had just been bickering with her now extended his hand with utmost formality.
Under Caesar’s fond gaze, Aneth chuckled softly and naturally took his hand as she rose.
“Then, Father, take care during the rest of your training and return safely.”
“Oh, by the way, as I said before—why not come live here? I can’t accommodate everyone from the mansion, but I can make arrangements for you to stay here as long as you wish, or go out whenever you please.”
She remembered that he had once suggested the same: instead of commuting from the mansion under the knights’ protection, it would be easier to stay within the palace.
Back then, innocent Aneth had still been at the mansion, so he had declined the offer and chosen the harder path.
But now the situation had reversed. The daughter he worried about so dearly was already here, the Crown Princess.
“Would my coming to the palace not get in the way of the time you two spend together?”
He smiled slyly, glancing between Aneth and TheoWin. The two, knowing full well what he implied, instantly turned cold-faced toward each other.
“You look like you’d love for me to intrude.”
“And what does it mean to project your own expression onto me, Crown Princess?”
Yet even while exchanging such words, both curved their lips in a faint smile.
Though the heaviness in Aneth’s heart hadn’t vanished completely, she was at least bright again. The rest, TheoWin could help her carry.
“I’ll come again soon!”
Waving goodbye, she walked away hand in hand with TheoWin, leaving Rizzern’s heart beating louder in his chest as he watched them go.
He prayed, with sudden and desperate earnestness, that only good things would lie on the road ahead of them. That his one and only daughter would be kept safe, no matter what.
