“And so, are you saying that you two just happened to meet on the street?”


  Valer, looking at us, asked. Ahin had a stiff expression on his face while I turned away from Valer’s gaze.

  “In this spacious Lorlang! In a vast country! In the bloody vast Northern Continent!”


  Fine, okay, man, stop trying to confirm it. Even if I didn’t show it, I was feeling quite upset.

  As he watched me turn away, Valer smiled and sighed. The others were surprised as to why he was acting like that but knew why. He was holding in his laughter. I had seen him doing that once or twice.

  I held myself back, but eventually, Valer did what he did best, irritating me.

  “Ah, How crazy this is! It’s amazing! I need to laugh. Wait, I’ll be done! Oh, wow, are there any other humans with such rotten luck?”


  Bastard.

  Now he was just laughing out loud. Although I kept on glaring at him, he just didn’t care. I was annoyed seeing Valer laugh while stomping the floor.

  Ah, what a bastard, why would he laugh like this!? What the hell was so funny!

  “Don’t laugh!”


  As I screamed, whether he was laughing or crying, Valer wiped away the tears from his eyes.

  “You really have no luck. On such a broad market, no, right at the beginning of your visit in a large country of S…… pfft!”


  “You must have a death wish, huh?”


  “Not at all; I still want to live.”


  The knight of the Winter Moon, a knight of the nation, laughed like a maniac before a princess.

  Sigh.

  It was stupid for me to expect Valer to act dignified, ah. After all, he always did what he wanted to; once he was done laughing, he sat down. I really wanted to punch him to a pulp. Uh, if Ahin weren’t there, I surely would have done that.

  “Hyung, it has been so long!”


  “Right, long time no see!”


  Ahin nodded and greeted Valer back. No, even if they were cousins, I was shocked to see Valer addressing Ahin, a country’s heir, casually.

  Valer was outright embarrassing me and my country!

  I looked back at Assisi to do something, but Assisi just bowed his head.

  ‘Assisi, your nephew is doing shameful things. Huh? Assisi, can’t you take some responsibility for his actions? Hello?’


  “But, hyung, you are supposed to be in your Palace; why are you here?”


  When he was done smiling, Valer shot the question.

  Oh, that guy!

  I was also curious about it; I was trying to be considerate, but Valer just asked. I could totally see the priests and paladins behind Ahin turn red, but I ignored them.

  I wanted to tell them that I didn’t know Valer.

  “After completing a pilgrimage tour once a year, he is returning to the Imperial Palace.”


  An elderly priest, standing behind Ahin answered.

  Based on how he responded, I guessed that the priest must have been an archbishop.

  Why did I leave Sanse and bring Valer with me? I got him to tag along with me because I knew his tongue would slip in front of my dad; maybe I should have left him. Man, Valer was such a bastard.

  Valer, who heard the explanation, laughed again.

  “Ahh, in a word, my brother, who had nothing to see in the Imperial Palace, left for a pilgrimage and looked around Lorlang before meeting us?”


  Another laugh.

  This bastard…… he’s really……!

  I allowed him to do whatever he wanted before, but not this time.

  I immediately stepped on Valer.

  “Ack!”


  I wasn’t wearing high heels, which was unfortunate, but since I pressed my heel on him, it must have hurt. While Valer was grabbing his foot and whining, I smiled at Ahin.

  “It has been very long. I apologize for not being able to greet you properly before, hehe.”


  “It is fine. I didn’t greet you either. It has been a while, princess.”


  A familiar gentle smile, the first time I met Ahin, I must have been around ten years old. Ahin hadn’t changed since then. Oh, right, there were a few things new with him; he grew taller, more masculine. What was it? He still seemed as warm as ever.

  If it weren’t for his eye color, I wouldn’t recognize him. The one thing constant about him was his eye color and the warm feeling he gave me.

  His wavy grey hair, which covered his ears, was bright and even looked like silver. His blue eyes, which held mine, were crazy. Still, he was fascinatingly beautiful to look at; it really felt nice to see him there.

  His hands were slimmer, but he felt a little different from Havel.

  How should I put it?

  If Havel is a warrior, Ahin is…… noble-like.

  Right, it felt like that. Ahin grew up well. When I took a closer look at him, it felt very much like the atmosphere we had when we were kids.

  Back then, I used to be shocked, seeing Ahin all calm, but it felt different now. Well, it felt nice. Something familiar, but I wasn’t sure what it was.

  As I stared at him, Ahin smiled.

  “If I knew you were here, I would have come over right away.”


  ‘Huh, this is a bit extreme.’


  I shook my head.

  “No! it is fine! Really fine!”


  Ahin’s expression changed after hearing me say that.

  “Is that so?”


  A blunt question. Seeing that face, unknowingly, I started to curse myself.

  Well, I said it out of good intentions, but I made it sound like I was rejecting him.

  I felt horrible after seeing his expression change. I had never refused someone’s face, at least not like this; I really didn’t mean it……

  “We’ll meet up later, later.”


  With that, Ahin smiled.

  Such a sweet smile, seeing that smile, I swallowed my bitter tears. How could this person be so pretty? Such beauty was unneeded.

  He smiled. It looked like he would be beautiful even if he cried; suddenly, I heard a sharp voice from my side.

  “You are quite idle for a country waiting for its next successor. Do you still have time left on your hands?”


  The voice belonged to Havel. How long had he been standing there? I didn’t know why, but I began to think about what would happen. Ahin seemed to be a lot sharper than I thought.

  “The Emperor of Pretzia?”


  How did he know? I was shocked. Havel smiled.

  “And your reason for coming to that conclusion?”


  Ahin smiled.

  Both were smiling, but I felt weird like some tension was building up between us. How did it come to this?

  “I could just feel an energy, a different one, which didn’t fit with the Northern Continent. You aren’t suitable for this land.”


  “What is that supposed to mean?”


  “Take what I said literally.”


  I didn’t know how to solve it. Havel seemed grim while Ahin smiled.

  No, could everyone just calm down?

  What was all this? I was in the middle of them, and I knew this wouldn’t go down quickly.

  I looked at Assisi to ask for help but it didn’t seem like he wanted to interfere.

  No, Assisi knew that this would start a war!

  “Brother, aren’t you supposed to be leaving soon?”


  Nice save, Valer!

  Valer, I didn’t know what I would do if he weren’t there; he pointed into the dark and spoke. I was thrilled that Valer said it, for he didn’t care what anyone would think.

  Even this guy could help me in life.

  Fortunately, the tension between the two subsided, but on the one hand, it was shocking to see Valer’s insensitivity to others.

  Amazing guy.

  Fortunately, the problem was down; at least, that was what I thought.

  “But princess.”


  “Yes, yes?”


  “Are you here with Your Majesty?”


  There it was. Why was I here? Even I wanted to know that.

  I was wondering why he hadn’t asked me. I tried to turn away my gaze.

  “Ah, that, well……”


  I couldn’t say that I was rebelling against my dad. I didn’t know what to say; I couldn’t think of a proper answer.

  Ah, I should have thought of something!

  I had nothing to say if he asked for my sudden rebellion. Ah, I was feeling bad.

  All that time, Ahin’s gaze was still on me. I smiled because I could feel myself losing confidence.

  “Uh…… well. I was just wandering around, and you found me, and so.”


  For some reason, I couldn’t think of anything to say, not about the trip. Maybe it was my expression. Ahin frowned.

  I couldn’t see if he doubted me or not; maybe he just didn’t understand what I was saying.

  Well. Even I didn’t understand what I said. I looked away from Ahin’s eyes and asked Valer to explain it to me, who said.

  “Ran away.”


  What?!

  I was shocked to hear what Valer said out loud.

  Even if they were cousins, he couldn’t say my secret out loud!

  However, Valer didn’t seem to find it troubling; he just casually answered.

  “My dear Ria, no, my princess left Agrient; she ran away.”
……

  why am I alive?

  Why did I believe him?

  “Sorry?”


  They looked at me, and I realized how people could die from shyness.

  Ah, I was ruined!

  Ahin looked at me, asking me to confirm what he just heard. I placed my hands on my face and turned away.

  Ugh. Ugh!

  I mediately looked at Valer with resentment; he seemed so confident despite what he did. He was done! My status and prestige as a princess were in ruins!

  Ahin was shocked and in horror at the news but managed to regain his composure quicker than expected.

  He knew how horrible my decision was. I couldn’t even get myself to look into his eyes when Ahin looked at me.

  “Then, you won’t be able to stay.”


  “.…… I guess so.”


  If I moved with Ahin, my dad would catch me. The chance of getting caught might be huge if I proceeded with Ahin. My ears were turning red.

  Why was my cheek hurting?

  How long did Ahin intend to look at me?

  “It’s getting dark; I will head back.”


  “Yes……”


  “I will return tomorrow.”


  “Yes”


  For some reason, I felt like my mom just scolded me. I couldn’t say anything, nor could I think of responding rashly to him.

  Ahin smiled as he walked away; I had no idea why he did so.

  What? Why was he laughing?

  That was when Ahin spoke.

  “Princess hasn’t changed much from childhood.”


  What was that supposed to mean? Before I could ask, Ahin walked away.

  “Then, let’s meet tomorrow.”