No further explanation was needed.

  I shouted at my grandfather and stretched out my two hands.

  “Okay, wait for a second! Wait a minute, Grandpa!”


  "Huh?"

  Leaving my grandfather tilting his head, I hurried back to my room.

  "Dad! Bag! Bag!"

  "Huh? Uh yeah, yeah……"

  My father, who was standing blankly, was also busy because of me.

  I found a square leather bag in the corner of the room and spread it on the bed.

  Then I throw the things I think Perez will need and use into the bag.

  “This book and that one too! And cookies, candy, writing tools…… .”


  For a while, I ran around the room and the house packing my things.

  It didn’t seem like much, but the bag immediately filled up.

  "What are you doing, Florentia?"

  My grandfather, who was waiting in the parlor, finally came into my room and asked.

  “I packed some of the things I needed! It won’t take long, so wait a minute, Grandpa!"

  Suddenly there was a small garden on the bed.

  “You need them right now?”


  Grandfather tilted his head because he couldn’t understand.

  I looked back at grandfather and answered.

  "To bring to Perez!"

  "You give it to him?"

  For some reason, my grandfather’s eyes wriggled.

  "Are you doing that because you don’t use it anymore?"

  "I didn’t bring much……"

  But I didn’t think that my grandfather’s frown would open.

  "When we meet Perez, grandpa will understand my heart too!"

  If you see that thin child, you will probably want to feed and take care of anything.

  I am telling the truth.

  "…… Okay. Let’s go."

  My grandfather’s voice was a little weird, but I shrugged once.

  Then I take the leather bag and lifted it with one hand.

  No, I tried to lift it.

  "Wow!"

  The bag is quite heavy so my body swaying.

  I have a lot of stuff. My father sighed a little next to me and tried to pick up my bag.

  But I shook my head a little and said in a voice as lively as my grandfather.

  "Now I’m ready to see Perez, Grandpa!"2

  * * *

  I wrapped my bags around happily, then after a while, we left the mansion.

  "No matter how much you want to see him, are you try to go to the Imperial Palace in pajamas……"

  My grandfather shook his head and said as if I was absurd.

  “Now, it’s because I got up while I was sleeping and I’m so busy…… .”


  Oh, it’s embarrassing.

  If I had found out, I would have laughed a little less confidently.

  I looked out the window, pretending to be calm and casual.

  It was still before the sun came up, so the sky and the road where the carriage was running still dark.

  Our group was very simple to say that the Lombardy Lord was moving.

  It was all about the carriage and the knights of Lombardy who followed.

  It is all silent except for the sound of a horseshoe and the sound of carriage wheels rolling on the road.

  I looked back at my grandfather sitting next to me.

  Perhaps because of the faint light in the carriage, the wrinkles of the eyebrows looked deep today.

  When he talked about Perez last night, he seemed to have a lot of thoughts.

  ’Let’s come and talk together before the morning sun rises’, so what has changed his mind?

  I couldn’t ask my grandfather directly, but I could feel vaguely from the deep wrinkles, indicates that the reason wasn’t good.

  The carriage ran without stopping when we go out of the Lombardy territory, and when we run through the fields and pass the gate.

  The soldiers from a distance saw the carriage approached quickly which only the Lord of Lombardy could do.

  The enormous castle gate, which would have been firmly closed until dawn but the curfew was released and gave away too easily in front of the Lombardy pattern.

  The wagon we boarded didn’t even need to slow down.

  And finally, we reached the front of the Imperial Palace.

  I was a little nervous.

  There was also a case last time because the Imperial Palace is still the Imperial Palace anyway.

  When the wagon slowed down, I changed my posture and sat down thinking that someone might open the wagon door right away.

  However, grandfather’s posture of looking out the window with his beard on his chin remains unchanged.

  Then he turned his head to see my sudden gaze, and our eyes met.

  And at that moment, the carriage started moving again like a lie.

  Even the owner of the Castle was not yet awakened from sleep, we walked straight from the front gate of the Imperial Palace.

  Grandfather looked at me a little surprised and said, reaching out and stroking my head.

  "Did you think we would be check like last time?"

  "I know it’ll be okay because I was with Grandpa. But, it’s still Imperial Palace……"

  Lombardy’s Lord knows that he can walk into the Emperor’s office if he wishes, without anyone’s restraint.

  However, it is a separate story from what I know in my head.

  Grandpa patted my head and said soothingly.

  “You are Lombardy. Lombardy is not afraid of the Imperial Family."

  "Woww……"

  Cool.

  My grandfather muttered softly as he stared at the cuteness that made him laugh.

  "Cheeky things. Don’t worry about your grandfather, child. Your grandfather is going to be very angry today."8

  I don’t know exactly who you’re punishing, but I nodded vigorously.

  In the meantime, the carriage entered the Imperial Palace.

  Like in the rest of the world, it was a quiet place, except for the sparse lights along the way.

  "Where should we go?"

  The coachman opened a small window and asked.

  “I only know how to walk from here.”


  “Then it can’t be helped.”


  My grandfather, who seemed embarrassed for a moment, opened the door of the carriage and got off.

  I also jumped down while holding my grandfather’s hand.

  The coachman said he would follow us with my luggage, but grandfather shook his head and carry my bag in his hand.

  It must have been a judgment that he couldn’t show Perez to anyone.

  "Let’s go, Florentia."

  Grandpa reached out to me.

  Unlike my father’s hand, I walked on a path in the invisible forest holding a slightly more crude and warmer hand. Fortunately, the eastern sky was gradually brightening.

  Relying on my memory, I arrived at the place where Perez was plucking and eating herbs.

  And I realized.

  I only know it’s way west, I don’t really know where Perez lives.

  "Grandpa, that’s it……"

  “Why?”


  "Because I saw Perez here last time. And I couldn’t hear anything outside that he lives in the woods west of the Empress’s Palace……"

  Contrary to my expectation that it would be in trouble, my grandfather seemed to have a point somewhere.

  "Is it there?"

  My grandfather muttered an unknown word and looked at a faraway place where only dense trees could be seen.

  "It’s nastier than I thought."

  My grandfather’s grasp of my hand.

  "From here on, grandfather knows the way, so let’s go."

  My grandfather walked first with a hardened face.

  And after a while, we stood in front of a small palace.

  It was an old building that looked close to ruins because it was not managed.

  When the wind blew even a little, the sound of the window beeping rang out.

  "You must be crazy……"

  The curse came out without my knowledge.

  No matter how it is, she leaving a child alone in an abandoned house like this?

  The storehouse of the Empress is more comfortable than this.

  My grandfather said while looking at the palace with a serious eye like me.

  “One of the concubines of the Late Emperors live here……”


  Grandpa couldn’t speak all the words he has and shortened his words, but he seemed to know everything.

  The Empress’s wish made Perez and Perez’s mother live in such a place.

  "Maybe, nobody will be here. Even so, this is too……"

  "Did you say that he was in the west of the Empress Palace? There is only this one palace in the western forest, and this is the place where the Second Prince lived with his mother?"

  “Well, then really…… .”


  Honestly, the building looks like it wouldn’t be strange even if a ghost pops out right away. Living here alone for years. I wouldn’t be able to withstand one day, don’t think about a year.

  I realized again how viciously Perez survived.1

  "Let’s go inside."

  I was just about to go inside at the words of my grandfather.

  Bang-!

  There was a loud sound, and the door opened with full force as if it were falling apart.

  And the little boy who pushed the door came out toward me.

  His black hair fluttered every single step he jumped on the floor, and his white skin shone like clean porcelain even in the twilight of the dawn.

  "Pe, Perez…… Ow!"

  Perez, who arrived in front of me in no time, immediately hugged me.8

  The body hitting me with a humming sound was painful, but I couldn’t push him away.

  The hand of the guy leaning his head on my shoulder and holding me tightly was so desperate.

  "Florentia."

  The voice of the thin guy calling me is trembling.

  "Hey, let go of this. I can’t breathe."

  I said deliberately in a deep voice.

  Then the guy who seemed not to let go of no matter what happened gently withdrew from my words.

  But it was just half a step.

  He only stepped back and stared at me.

  With his right hand still gripping the sleeve of my clothes.

  It was still an expressionless face, but his red eyes were only looking at me.

  Why is he doing this?

  Well, since he was alone in a place like this, it would be nice to see anyone.

  "I said I will coming again. Why are you so fussed?"

  "Because I thought you forgot me."1

  My conscience was a bit stabbed, but I said with a nostril.

  "Did I look like I couldn’t keep my promises?"

  Bung Bung.

  Instead of answering, Perez shook his head vigorously.

  It was then.

  A large hand approaching grabbed the back of Perez and put him down.

  "Stay away from my granddaughter."20

  It was my grandfather looking down at Perez unfavorably.