“Dian! Come over here! There are so many fascinating things!”
“Your Highness, please watch your step. The road isn’t paved.”
The sight of Luke trailing after Lylaina, who was darting around like an excited puppy, was almost comical. Kian had to make a conscious effort not to laugh out loud.
Seeing them like this, he couldn’t help but think that the pairing of the princess and the commander of the royal knights wasn’t such a bad one after all. The finest sword in Martina was now being helplessly dragged around like this. Even the rule-abiding Sir Luke Benedict seemed powerless in front of Princess Lylaina.
Hmm… This time, it’s a jewelry shop, huh.
Luke, who was far too sturdily built for anyone to even joke about him being small, followed close beside Lylaina with the care of a shadow, entering the jewelry shop with cautious steps.
“Your Highness seems to be enjoying herself,” Dianther commented.
“…I thought this outing was supposed to be for you,” Kian replied dryly.
Walking a few steps behind them, Kian found himself beside Dianther. Disguised and wandering around the capital city—somehow, every place they visited seemed to match Lylaina’s taste perfectly. Feeling awkward about his sister’s behavior, Kian muttered.
“I appreciate that Her Highness is so considerate of me.”
Dianther only responded with a textbook answer, and Kian looked up at her. Her beautiful, clear, water-colored eyes remained calm and steady, fixed on Lylaina and Luke ahead of them.
Kian bit his lip. The collar of his shirt suddenly felt too tight.
This wasn’t the kind of conversation he had wanted to have.
This isn’t what I wanted to say.
Dianther was right beside him. Here, at least, he wasn’t a prince. They stood in the bustling city, surrounded by commoners who didn’t recognize his face. They didn’t have to worry about other nobles’ watchful eyes—or about Leon’s gaze. And yet, the only thing he could manage to say in such freedom was this.
Just like always—hiding his true feelings behind formality. A prince of the realm and the daughter of a duke.
“…It feels like we could speak freely now.”
“……”
“There’s no one else here. Just us. Like before.”
It had been years. And yet, the words came out as naturally as if it had been only yesterday.
Dianther turned to look at him, her expression unreadable.
“What should we talk about, Your Highness? Perhaps I should ask if you received my letter safely?”
“……”
“Or maybe you’d like to accuse me of insulting the royal family, based on its contents?”
“Dian.”
Kian said her name—an instinctive interruption. Of all times, it had to be now that he used the name his sister called so freely, but he had never dared to utter again since that day.
It had taken far too long for him to say it again.
Dian’s letter.
In her letter, there had been only one word:
“Fool.”
Everyone here knew exactly what that word meant.
“If Your Highness has made up your mind,” she said softly, gazing at him,
“then act on it.”
With that, Dianther brushed past him.
Kian watched her back in silence. Her long, silver hair fell to her waist—just as he remembered. If he reached out, he could almost touch her.
If I just reached out, maybe I could hold her again, like before.
Maybe he really was a fool.
“Dian, come look at this! Isn’t this brooch beautiful?”
“Yes, Lily. It suits you perfectly.”
The door of the small jewelry shop opened. To keep their true identities from reaching the shopkeeper’s ears, Dianther used the alias she had chosen beforehand. Lylaina, still holding the brooch, turned toward Luke.
“What do you think, Luke? How do I look?”
“…It suits you.”
He barely managed to leave out the Your Highness.
The shopkeeper, who had been nervously watching these obviously distinguished customers, could only wring his hands and glance their way repeatedly.
Ding.
Another customer entered the shop. The shopkeeper’s eyes lit up instantly. The newcomer was a stunning young man—golden-haired and blue-eyed, so striking that even the finest blue sapphire in his shop seemed dull in comparison.
Golden hair and blue eyes… He looks just like our prince,
the shopkeeper thought. He must be a nobleman of similarly high birth.
“Brother, what do you think of this brooch?”
Ah, so the young lady who just spoke is his sister. The shopkeeper, catching that small clue about their relationship, put on his professional smile and approached them.
“My lord, my lady—have you found something you like?”
“I like this brooch!”
“You have an excellent eye, my lady. It’s adorned with fine Garnadé garnets.”
“Do you have another one with the same design?”
“Indeed.”
The shopkeeper quickly took out another brooch. This one, set with small aquamarines, was identical in design, only differing in color.
Lylaina examined it under the light, then turned toward Dianther. Without hesitation, she pinned the aquamarine brooch to Dianther’s collar.
“Let’s each have one, Dian.”
Then, pointing to her own red garnet brooch, she smiled brightly. Dianter’s lips curved in a gentle smile in return.
“Thank you, Lily. I’ll treasure it.”
“Good! It’s a symbol of our friendship!”
Pleased, Lylaina looked toward her brother, clearly expecting him to pay. Even though Kian had already settled the bill, her smug expression left him speechless. The delighted shopkeeper watched them go with a beaming smile.
Kian glanced at his sister and said wryly,
“Doesn’t this mean I’m the one buying it?”
“Oh, come on, it’s the same thing. You and I are one, right?”
“Do you agree with that, Lady Dianther?”
“I agree with the princess, Your Highness.”
“See, Brother? Dian agrees with me!”
Kian chuckled helplessly. It wasn’t as if he had said it to start an argument. He just couldn’t resist teasing her.
Lylaina’s city exploration continued endlessly. She dragged Dian from one place to another—bookstores, cafés, even street stalls. Just as Kian was starting to wonder when it would end, Lylaina suddenly froze.
“Oh no! My handkerchief! It’s gone!”
“Your handkerchief?”
“Yes. I had it when we bought the brooch. I must have left it there! I’m going back.”
“I’ll escort Her Highness,” Luke offered.
Kian nodded, and Luke followed after the princess like her shadow. Left behind were only Kian and Dianther. Standing idly in the middle of the street felt awkward, so they too began walking slowly toward the jewelry shop.
Under the gentle sunlight, the brooch on Dianther’s collar shimmered—a soft watery hue, much like her eyes.
Lylaina does have good taste,
Kian thought.
When the shopkeeper had shown the brooch, he too had thought of Dianter immediately.
Sensing his gaze, she spoke.
“Thank you… for the brooch.”
“…I thought you said you agreed with Lylaina?”
“The princess said you and she were the same. I agree with that. So, I’m thankful to you as well, Your Highness.”
Kian laughed softly. Then, his eyes fell to her hand.
He remembered what he hadn’t been able to give her five years ago. He had never forgotten it—not for a single day. And he had never thought he could give it to anyone else.
“…It was the same color as the brooch.”
“……”
“The same color as your eyes.”
He didn’t understand why he was saying this out of nowhere. He didn’t expect her to understand either.
“I used to imagine you wearing that ring every day.”
A ring that matched the color of her eyes—one he never managed to give her.
“One more time… would it be all right?”
Would I be allowed to, just once more?
To not give up on you again?
________✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧𓉞___________
“Your Highness, please don’t run like that. It’s dangerous. Allow me to find the handkerchief instead—”
“No, Sir Luke. This is something I must do myself!”
Retracing their steps, they went through each shop again. Luke’s tall, armored frame looked completely out of place in the narrow stores selling ice cream and orangeade. Doing this all over again would have made anyone sigh, but the loyal knight followed his princess without a word of complaint.
When they reached the jewelry shop—the most likely place where she’d left it—the shopkeeper recognized them immediately, his face lighting up. Luke stood by the door, looking visibly uncomfortable.
“Oh, my lady, I kept your lost item safe for you!”
“Oh my, how did you know it was mine?”
“With such fine quality, I knew it could only belong to someone as distinguished as yourself, my lady.”
“You’re right! This was a gift from my mo—ah, from my mother.”
Lylaina smiled sweetly. The shopkeeper blinked in disbelief, but wisely kept his expression neutral—especially with the intimidating knight glaring at him from the door.
“Thank you, Gerard! We’ll be going now.”
“Y-yes, please come again!”
He barely managed a farewell before the radiant young lady hurried off to the man waiting outside. As they left, Gerard wiped the sweat from his brow, his mind spinning with wild guesses.
“Dianther!”
As they exited the shop, Lylaina spotted her brother and Dianther approaching from afar. She waved.
“I found my handkerchief! It was at the jewelry store, just as I thought—”
Her cheerful voice suddenly stopped.
She froze where she stood.
Lylaina was no longer looking at Dianther. Her gaze had shifted slightly—to something else entirely.
“Your Highness?” Luke asked carefully.
“……”
“What’s wrong?”
“…Dian, wait. Don’t come closer. I’ll go to you. Stay there.”
Her voice trembled.
Because down the street, near a small alley by the jewelry shop—
What she saw was something she couldn’t believe.
Lylaina clenched her dress tightly in her fists.
And there, before her eyes—
Edward Edwin Callinan was kissing an unfamiliar woman.
