Chapter 04
Meanwhile, Arthur froze in place, surprised.
What’s gotten into the princess? Last time she cried, laughed, and even cursed… Could she really be as crazy as the rumors say?
Protecting the princess was his primary duty, but lately, so many days had passed without incident that he almost forgot it.
To put it nicely, it had been peaceful. Otherwise, it was downright boring.
Princess Sienna was an extreme homebody, going back and forth only between her bedroom and the garden.
Since she never went outside, he naturally had nothing to do.
This isn’t why I became a knight.
After three years, a sense of dissatisfaction and a desire to transfer had begun to grow.
He had planned to request reassignment from the Knight Commander soon.
“Protect her…?”
Suddenly, it felt like a heavy responsibility had been thrust on him.
And surveillance too?
This was the first time in three years.
Dazed and momentarily stunned, he realized Sienna had already moved ahead.
“She… Princess!”
Arthur finally chased after her, clanging his sword lightly against his hip as he ran.
Sienna glanced back briefly.
Did Pierre assign someone to follow me?
If so, that was somewhat reassuring.
If the surveillance was that sloppy, it meant he wasn’t particularly interested in her.
Shaking her head, Sienna entered the library.
The distinct scent of old paper hit her.
It seemed a little smaller than it looked from outside, but the shelves were filled with books, and a few classical paintings hung on the bare walls.
No one was using it, and the librarian was dozing off.
As the rumors suggested.
Sienna made her way to the history section without waking the librarian.
“History of Stern,” “Hestia Empire Chronicles,” “Khan Empire Records.”
She picked a few books with straightforward titles and sat at the desk by the large window.
There were two major empires on the continent: Hestia and Khan.
Between these empires were a few kingdoms and small tribes, forming this world.
Stern was a neutral state between Hestia and Khan.
A buffer zone untouched to prevent meaningless conflicts between the two empires.
In short, Stern was treated as a wide border territory between the two powers.
Previous kings had leveraged this geographic advantage to the fullest.
Particularly, they facilitated trade between the empires, merging cultures and promoting commerce, accumulating great wealth.
One could say Stern survived thanks to its ancestors’ strategic choices.
However, this prosperity also laid the groundwork for wars of conquest with surrounding minor states.
The conquests initiated by King Seonseon were ongoing.
Recently, there had been battles near the northern Valonia Kingdom.
In the end, Stern emerged victorious.
The nation’s prestige rose, and the cities were intoxicated with their success.
The world seemed peaceful, but…
Not really.
Though the borders expanded, the fatigue and scars of war remained.
Stern was in a state where anything could happen at any time.
She didn’t need to see it firsthand to imagine.
The borderlands, ravaged by war, were likely desolate, and discontented people would surface eventually.
Not everyone could support the war.
When she first came to this world and lay in bed, Sienna had overheard Anna and the maids’ conversations.
Sometimes, they sighed about rising prices. Other times, they gossiped about bizarre con artists.
Rumors of secret organizations working against the royal family circulated quietly.
Is this country really safe? There hasn’t been a major war until winter, but…
She had to avoid any chance of conflict if she was planning to flee abroad.
“Haah…”
After reading books in the same position for a long time, her body ached.
Her focus was fading.
Time for some fresh air.
Sienna opened the nearby window wide and closed her eyes, letting the sunlight pour over her.
She stayed like that for a while, eyes shut, then reached out toward the sun she couldn’t grasp.
Warm.
Warm, cold, heart racing, stumbling, and realizing it all over again—this was her reality.
With her eyes closed, she leaned out to feel the gentle breeze, and slowly opened them.
Her blurred vision gradually sharpened, and she froze at the view before her.
The garden behind the library.
A man was sitting against a large tree, holding a dandelion in one hand.
He blew softly, and the seeds drifted lazily in the wind.
Sienna watched, captivated, until she realized he had noticed her.
Their eyes met.
