This was, strictly speaking, a lesson from Theon.
He said that in business, the most important thing was to greet and show appreciation to your partners. Neglecting such things could easily lead to resentment or retaliation.
So the ribbon was a gift in return for Calista’s investment of 1 gold last time.
It was small and trivial, but what else could I do? I only had a copper coin. I figured it was better than giving nothing at all.
Calista’s eyes widened when she heard what I said. On closer look, the blue in them was trembling slightly.
Was she angry?
Was she bewildered that I had returned her favor with a ribbon?
“W-Where is it?”
She asked in a trembling voice.
I hurriedly searched my waistband.
“Here… Huh?”
It was gone.
“M-Maybe here?”
Still nothing.
The ribbon I bought with my precious coin was missing. I must have dropped it while running away from Gale.
“Uh… I think I lost it.”
All the strength drained from me. The only thing I bought in the royal capital had just disappeared like that.
Suddenly, all the difficulties of today flashed through my mind.
The memories of my painful past life resurfacing, Zion nearly getting seriously hurt by Gale’s men, various people throwing up while passing through the portal and ruining my water bottle and shoes…
The only pleasant things had been the shopping and the brief chat with a boy my age. And now, one of those happy memories had disappeared.
My eight-year-old body couldn’t just poorly regulate appetite—it couldn’t handle emotions well either.
My shoulders started to tremble against my will. I tried to keep my eyes wide open to hold back the tears, just like Zion did earlier in the day, but it didn’t work.
Ah, crying doesn’t help anything…
“I’m sorry…”
I spoke in a voice that barely came out. I should’ve said I’d make it up to her later, but my voice wouldn’t come out.
“I-I’ll make it up to you lat—”
“It’s fine.”
Calista’s voice reached my ears as I hung my head low. Strangely, she sounded brighter than before.
“What?”
Poff—
Before I could ask again, something touched the top of my head. No—it didn’t just touch it, it rested there.
When I looked up, surprised, I forgot I was about to cry.
Swoosh—
“It’s alright.”
Calista—Calista was stroking my head.
“I’m happy you thought of me, Harper.”
She bent down to meet my gaze as she spoke.
It was a facial expression I’d never seen before. Those slightly narrowed eyes and faintly upturned lips… was that… a smile?
No way. The world must have flipped upside down.
Calista was smiling at me.
“That’s enough.”
She softly stroked my hair again and again.
“So don’t cry.”
She didn’t stop her hand. Her always-cold touch now felt warm.
It was a strange sensation.
Even her deep blue eyes, which once froze me solid, now looked warm.
Back in my room, I slumped onto the couch and thought about the day.
We went through the portal, paved the way for Zion, met an unusual boy, got chased by Gale…
But the strangest thing of all had just happened moments ago.
“Don’t cry.”
Calista had said that while patting my head.
With warm eyes I had never seen before and a warm hand I had never felt.
She had sent Aramis to bring us back. She seemed relieved that I was safe.
…Why?
Was she really worried about me?
That couldn’t be true. But… could that expression really be fake?
“Don’t cry.”
I recalled Calista’s voice again. Low, calm, and soothing.
It felt sincere. But…
I closed my eyes and brought back another memory—one with the same voice.
“It doesn’t matter.”
The last words I heard from her in my past life. Followed by the sound of her sword cutting through the air.
I opened my eyes again. A small sigh escaped my lips.
Could the woman who tried so hard to kill me in my past life now be genuinely concerned for me?
In the darkness, I closed and opened my eyes again.
The Calista who killed me and the Calista who patted my head alternated in my mind. At some point, they began to blend together until they became indistinguishable.
In the midst of that mental fog, the only thing that remained clear was the hand stroking my hair—and her faint smile.
“You’ve returned, Your Highness.”
Nell jumped up.
“I’m back.”
Her eyes, full of worry, scanned Killian thoroughly.
“I’m barely hurt. Someone showed me a way to return without being spotted by Gale.”
Killian rolled up his sleeve for her to see.
“How on earth…”
Nell let out a sigh of relief but then froze, staring at his right forearm.
“You were cut.”
“Gale didn’t hesitate to draw his sword.”
He chuckled and sat down.
“I found out what I wanted to know, so don’t make that face.”
“But…”
She began treating his wound but suddenly paused and looked up. Killian had an odd glow about him.
It wasn’t the exhaustion of someone who had a rough day.
“Nell, is the surname Luperne common?”
Killian asked. Unlike his usual cold tone, there was warmth in his voice.
“Pardon?”
Nell raised her head. The prince’s usually dark eyes were now sparkling.
“Luperne is… a ducal surname, so it’s not something just anyone can use. There might be similar names, but…”
“A ducal house…”
Killian closed his mouth and thought for a moment, then spoke again.
“Bring me the genealogy of the noble families.”
Looking puzzled, Nell stood and pulled a book from the shelf.
“Here it is…”
Killian took the book and quickly flipped through it. His eyes stopped at a corner of the page.
As he traced the letters, a small smile formed on his lips. He stared at a name in the book.
“…So she was from the Ducal House of Luperne.”
He murmured. His gaze fell upon the name and birth year of the second daughter of House Luperne.
In a quiet voice, he said the name of the girl with clear sky-blue eyes he had met earlier that day.
Reaching into his pocket, he felt the ribbon she had dropped. He held it carefully in his hand.
“Harper… Harper Luperne.”
Outside the suffocating imperial palace, there was someone who knew him. She said she would think of him.
And just with that—Killian could breathe.
“Good morning, my lady!”
Zion burst into the room, full of energy. It was the most cheerful he’d been in days.
“Hello, Zion. You look happy. Are you finally done dreaming about Iris?”
“Hmph, ahem, that’s ancient history!”
Zion awkwardly cleared his throat in response. I took his answer literally and responded after some thought.
“Ancient…? You cried in my room again two nights ago.”
Since returning from the capital, Zion’s emotions had been all over the place. He performed his duties just fine during the day, but at night, he’d become sentimental and teary.
Two nights ago, he listened to Lyra playing the harp and ended up crying quietly to himself.
“Well, that was… because the music was so moving! The sorrowful song really hit me…”
“But it was just a song about a squirrel and rabbit becoming friends in the forest…”
“E-Exactly! They became friends, but then the moon rose and they had to go back home! That’s so sad, isn’t it?!”
His face turned red as he passionately explained the “true meaning” behind the lyrics.
But honestly, Jenna and I just made that song up on the spot.
“Well, anyway, confessing to Iris is in the past. One must focus on the present.”
“Aha.”
I nodded. The rumor I heard yesterday was probably true.
Apparently, one of the cooks in the mansion had been flirting with Zion.
His wounded heart seemed to be recovering thanks to this unexpected turn of events. His face even looked brighter today.
And that was good for me—I had something I wanted to check.
“Zion, I heard something in the capital I want to tell you.”
Zion’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as I changed the topic.
“A story? What kind?”
“I heard it the day we went to the capital, but Jenna said it’s not something kids should talk about.”
I hesitated, which only deepened Zion’s curiosity. He instinctively had a good ear for gossip—even from kids.
“Please, go ahead and tell me.”
“Count Satil from the north is having an affair.”
I shared the actual rumor I heard—something between a fruit vendor and a customer.
“He’s been on dates with opera singer Lucy Amalia. In public, too!”
“You heard that…?”
As expected, his expression sharpened. I pretended not to notice and continued.
“Yup! Everyone said so. They even showed up together at all sorts of gatherings…”
This rumor had spread beyond the capital and throughout the empire. The knights and other staff likely knew as well.
But my goal wasn’t really to spread the rumor—it was to see how Zion would react.
“Then… will Count Satil get divorced?”
With an innocent expression, I asked the real question I was curious about and studied Zion’s face.
He was silent for a few seconds, stroking his chin. Then he carefully replied:
“Hmm… Actually, I heard that rumor too. Iris mentioned it that day. But…”
“But?”
“It’s probably a false rumor.”
Zion answered confidently, without much hesitation.
