“The palace is not completely organized yet. It wasn’t enough because it was prepared in a hurry, Prince.”


  Kylus apologized, unable to lift his head as if he had no face.

  "From dinner, I’ll prepare properly. I’m sorry, Prince."

  Even Caitlyn, who packed tableware alone, didn’t look good because she didn’t like Perez’ first meal at Poirak Palace to be like this.

  Perez was still standing in front of a stone tablet in the garden with an unfamiliar face.

  I was looking at the flowers in the garden, and I was worried at the moment.

  Still, it’s the first meal Perez has at his own new palace, but how would you feel if the food brought was below standard?1

  No matter how dull he is, he would be very disappointed.

  Besides, it was Kylus who went inside the Poirak Palace, which is still being organized and brought a meal.

  It’s a big deal if I’m disappointed with Kylus, who will have to care for Perez right by his side in the future.

  What is so messed about?

  I stopped doing and ran straight to the table.

  By the way.

  "What?"

  I was honestly surprised.

  It wasn’t because the meal on the table was too messy.

  Rather, I was surprised that it was too much bread.

  However, Kylus and Caitlyn’s thoughts seemed different.

  I’m more sorry for my reaction, and I can see it with my head down.

  "I’m sorry, my lady. If you don’t like it too much, once you’re eating this food, we’ll go to the Imperial Palace and bring more proper food."

  Looking at the expressions of the two, this wasn’t a joke, it was sincere.

  “It’s much better than I thought? Isn’t that right, Perez?"

  When I asked him, Perez nodded a little.

  The lunch Kylus prepares is a sandwich topped with red jam, a salad with lots of fresh fruit, a grilled chicken dish in a sweet sauce, and roasted vegetables cooked together and freshly prepared hot steam.

  It’s full of bread.

  I don’t know what it tastes like yet, but this was a great appetizer for lunch.

  Even at Lombardy’s mansions, of course, there are times when I get a more fancy lunch, but when I ate alone, most of the meals were simple and affordable.

  I just wanted to ask Kylus.

  "Is Your Majesty’s lunch much larger than this table setting?"

  Kylus nodded firmly and replied.

  "Your Majesty eats all three meals a day in a prepared dinner course. Each time, three or more main dishes are prepared to suit his taste, and four or more, especially before and after meals."

  “I can’t eat all of them. Did you choose the food His Majesty usually likes among them?"

  "Yes, that’s right."

  "Wow……"

  My house was a lot frugal.

  Of course, Grandpa hates wasteful food.

  So naturally, Lombardy’s chef cooks a small amount of food with all his heart.

  Other members of the family are also accustomed to the way they eat.

  "How about the 1st Prince?"

  When the word of 1st Prince came out, Perez, who couldn’t take her eyes off at the prepared food, turned to me.

  Are you still aware of the competition?

  The face of the guy looking at me was harder than usual.

  "As far as I know, at the order of Her Majesty Empress, magnificent dinners are prepared each meal. "

  "But since he still young, there must be a lot of wasted food?"

  “.…… She said that, because he’s growing up, we need to pay more attention to his meals.”


  I heard and knew the Empress’ love for her son, but it was truly unusual.

  I sat down while shaking my head.

  Perez also looked at me and I took a seat in the chair that Kylus had prepared.

  I grabbed my fork and knife and rushed towards the chicken dish.

  There were other pre-dinner foods like salads and sandwiches, but the first one is meat!

  When I cut the softly cooked chicken and put it in my mouth, I felt a wonderful balance of taste in my mouth.

  This wasn’t bad.

  One piece of meat, two salads, and then open the bread before a meal, and after that a large bite with plenty of butter.

  I’m having such an exciting meal, and Kylus, who stands behind Perez’ chair across from me, doesn’t look good.

  I looked at Perez.

  “Why not eat?”


  Perez held a fork in one hand just staring at the food.

  “You don’t like the food?”


  The guy shook his head.

  "Then don’t you know what to eat first?"

  He shook his head again.

  Well, maybe.

  “Are you scared of food?”


  "……Huh."

  The answering voice is small.

  But it must have been heard from Kylus and Caitlyn’s side standing next to us.

  Caitlyn squeezed her lower lip because she knew the reason, and Kylus tilted his head because he couldn’t understand.

  And I brought a plate of chicken in front of Perez.

  After dividing it into pieces to make it easier to eat, I cooked one of them and put it in my mouth.

  “.…… Ah!"

  Surprised Perez screamed quietly.

  However, I looked at Perez straight ahead and chewed the food more tightly.

  "Okay, okay?"

  "……Don’t do that in the future. It’s dangerous."

  "Why? Maybe the food you eat is poisonous?"

  The guy nodded.

  Only then did Kylus look upset about the reason for Perez’s action.

  It wasn’t because the new person was suspicious of himself.

  He just realized the reason why this little child had such fear.

  I said while putting the plate back in front of Perez.

  “Don’t worry about that in the future. Caitlyn and Kylus are people you can trust. They’re people from Lombardy that our grandfather sent to protect you.”


  "However…… .”


  He still hesitated.

  I know the heart.

  When his mother fell ill and died, there was no one to help, and after that, even he was left alone, eating the poisonous food that the maid brought him once every few days.

  Now, if someone else comes up and says he will take good care of you in the future, you can’t believe it, right.

  But don’t refuse food.

  "Do you believe me?"

  "I do."

  It was a quick answer that could not be compared to before.

  "Then, why don’t you give these two people a chance?"

  Perez raised his red eyes and looked at Kylus and Caitlyn.

  What are you seeing?

  After staring at the two for a long time, Perez raised the fork again.

  And carefully, he put the chicken I had cut into his mouth.

  "Ah."

  From the back, I heard Kylus’s relief.

  "Is it delicious?"

  “.…… Uh."

  My lips moved faster and faster.

  Then, after that, I put the warm bread before the meal, and then the jam-applied sandwich without hesitation.

  It was a messy dining etiquette for the Prince to see, but no one pointed it out.

  For that, the appearance of Perez, who seemed to have eaten in a long time, was very desperate.

  I said and pushing the sandwich in front of him.

  “Don’t mind what you want to eat in the future. You don’t have to be afraid anymore."

  The guy’s mindlessly taking food to his mouth stopped moving.

  Then, after a while, he nods his head once.

  The face of the guy who started eating silently again was a little brighter than before.

  I felt like he was enjoying the taste of the food.

  I too began to eat slowly next to Perez.

  When lunch was over, he ate over three servings by himself.

  Caitlyn and Kylus smiled happily while looking at Perez’s action of patting the stomach to see if it was hard.

  Soon after, the empty plate was removed, and a simple refreshment was prepared on the table.

  After a meal that has never been eaten before, Perez suddenly asks Caitlyn for tea and a sumptuous dessert.

  "Is the 1st Prince living like this?"

  Neither Caitlyn nor Kylus, who was smiling, couldn’t answer.

  “Are you living in such a comfortable way for the first time?”


  But Perez did not rush to answer the two.

  Without touching the teaware, I just kept looking at something reflected in the clear tea water.

  I couldn’t find anything I could say this time either.

  After a while.

  By the time the tea water had cooled down, a voice was heard looking for me.

  "Florentia!"

  "Grandpa!"

  I got off the chair where I was sitting and ran to my grandfather.

  Said the grandfather who patted my head when I ran.

  "Now let’s go back home, Florentia. Your father must be worried a lot."

  If I’m father, I may not even go to work and maybe waiting for me at home.

  The Imperial Palace was a very reluctant and tense place for my father, and since my grandfather and I go to such a place, he couldn’t be comfortable.

  Then grandfather approached Perez.

  “Sooner or later, teachers will come to teach you. Learn hard."

  “.…… Yeah."

  "Academic and swordsmanship should not be neglected either."

  "Yeah."

  The relationship between Grandpa and Perez is drier than I thought.1

  Perez didn’t even see my grandfather’s face properly, and he treated Perez with a different cold attitude than when he treated me.

  I helped by pulling my grandfather’s hem.

  "Grandpa! Perez is so smart! He read herbal books on his own and he was very good at swordsmanship!"

  “Is that so?”


  "Yes! So Perez will do well! The new teachers may be surprised because he good at studying and good at swordsmanship too!"

  Not only did he use his head but he was different from Prince Astana, who had no spiritual talent for swordsmanship!

  Perez already has a different bud.

  He’s the guy who showed such a tremendous appearance in his previous life, who was as big as a wild dog left alone in that forest in a separate palace.

  Now, how great would Perez be if the great teachers picked up by my grandfather to teach him?

  Just thinking about it made me all tremble.

  Moreover, I was very excited about the distorted faces of the Empress and Astana.

  “Is that right, Perez?”


  "……Huh."

  Perez replied, blinking her eyes slowly.

  “I will do my best.”


  The future of a genius who strives is inevitably bright.

  I approached Perez and greeted him, patting his head.

  "I’ll write you a letter. See you next time."

  It’s time to say goodbye.

  He will be able to grow up safely, at least for the time being, until he goes to an academy where he will grow up and meet his people.

  Safe, in a much better environment than before.

  And if I exchange letters from time to time, at least Perez will not forget me.

  I reached out one hand to shake my hand.

  "Goodbye Perez. Eat well and grow up……!"

  Shit.2

  He pulled my hand out and hugged me tightly.

  “Don’t say goodbye.”


  "What, what?"

  "Goodbye, don’t tell me that."3

  “Oh, I see. Then……”


  However, what should I say?

  I thought while pushing him a little.

  The man who hugged me as if he would never let go of me, I gently pushed him out of my hand.

  Right, that’s what I should say.

  I said while looking at Perez with his gloomy eyes.

  "See you again, Perez."

  His face bloomed in an instant.

  A dent on the cheek and a hidden dimple came out, and the tail of the mouth, which had always spoken gloomy words, rose slightly.7

  There was also something like ’joy’ in his red eyes that was empty of emotion.+

  He replied with a face that looked like a small rosebud that had just emerged.

  "Yes, see you again."

  On the way out of Poirak Palace I holding my grandfather’s hand.

  And that night, after bathing in warm water with soft foam, I lie in my bed and put my head on a fluffy pillow.

  Looking back now, his smile has remained in my mind for quite some time, like a strong rose scent that I have never smelled before.