《You Have to Repay Your Savior》 CH 1 ¡°That, Your Highness.¡± Pristin cautiously called out to Claret, who was walking ahead. Upon hearing Pristin¡¯s voice, the young princess immediately stopped and turned around to look at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Pristin hesitated and struggled to continue speaking, prompting Claret to urge her. ¡°If you have something to say, feel free to say it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± After hesitating once again, Pristin finally spoke up about what she wanted to say. ¡°No matter how much I think about it, it just feels excessive for me to meet His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°Excessive?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything extraordinary¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything extraordinary!¡± Claret shook her head, opening her eyes wide as if it were nonsense. ¡°You deserve more than enough compensation for what you have done for me!¡± ¡°Compensation? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I even wanted to ask my brother to make you a duke or something.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really too much, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Pristin.¡± Claret, who was only eleven years old, said, holding Pristin¡¯s hand seriously. ¡°You¡¯ve been by my side throughout my exile.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And you saved my life recently. Did you forget?¡± ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t really¡­¡± ¡°Hush, don¡¯t say any more, Pristin. Don¡¯t keep saying that what you¡¯ve done for me is insignificant. It¡¯s like you¡¯re belittling me.¡± Claret spoke to Pristin in a voice that was not at all stern, contrary to what she said. ¡°Pristin has done something extraordinary, no matter what others say. So, my brother told me to bring you, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Pristin has done something truly remarkable. You can believe that.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The princess answered in a confident tone. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t everyone give the same answer as me? So don¡¯t worry about unnecessary things. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Pristin nodded her head helplessly. And she started walking behind Claret again. Pristin was now on her way to meet the newly crowned emperor, in recognition of her efforts to take care of the princess during her exile, and for saving the princess¡¯s life recently. This wasn¡¯t something planned from the beginning. Claret initially called Pristin under the pretext of showing her around the palace. And coincidentally, it turned into an opportunity to meet the new emperor. At first, Pristin refused, saying that she didn¡¯t do anything extraordinary. But she couldn¡¯t reject the repeated requests from the princess. ¡®But, as expected, it¡¯s burdensome.¡¯ The mere involvement with the princess made Pristin feel undeserving enough. Now she was going to meet the emperor of the empire. ¡®I heard that he exudes an aura of power.¡¯ Pristin couldn¡¯t help but worry if she would appear insignificant in front of him. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± During their conversation, they had already arrived at their destination. They stood in front of the reception room where the emperor resided in the central palace. Pristin nervously bit her lip, and noticing this, Claret gently held her hand. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be nervous at all, Pristin. I will be with you!¡± ¡°Thank you, princess.¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s go and report.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± After a while, the voice of the attendant announcing their arrival echoed through the reception room. ¡°Your Majesty, Her Highness and Pristin Lamont are here with you.¡± Pristin followed the princess into the room through the open doors. Even though she didn¡¯t fully step in, she could feel the vastness of the room clearly, as if indicating that it was indeed the emperor¡¯s reception room. The room glimmered with the reflection of light from gold and gemstones. Nervous, Pristin lowered her gaze, only looking at the tip of her shoes as she followed the princess. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Claret.¡± ¡­What? Pristin felt strange instantly. His voice was¡­ familiar? ¡®It¡¯s an illusion.¡¯ When had she ever heard the emperor¡¯s voice before? Pristin forcefully pushed aside the rising intuition. It must be a coincidence; there were many people with similar voices in the world. ¡°Say hello, brother. This is Lady Lamont.¡± ¡°The one who helped you throughout your exile?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all. She even saved my life.¡± Claret said to Pristin with a smile. ¡°Pristin, raise your head and say hello to my brother.¡± Pristin hesitated and slowly raised her head. Due to the emperor¡¯s tall stature, she had to raise her gaze slightly higher than usual to see his face. And when she finally confirmed the emperor¡¯s face¡­ ¡®¡­No way.¡¯ Pristin¡¯s face completely hardened. She looked at the man in front of her, motionless with a stiff face. She wasn¡¯t the only one. The emperor also looked surprised as soon as he saw Pristin¡¯s face. Pristin muttered unconsciously. ¡°¡­Jerald?¡± Immediately Pristin realized that she had made a big mistake and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. But it was already too late. ¡°Oh? You know my brother?¡± Claret asked in a puzzled voice. Everyone had already heard the name. Pristin couldn¡¯t answer, but just looked at the face in front of her with a blank expression. The emperor also couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Pristin, without saying a word, but with an expression of equal surprise. ¡®Do I know that man?¡¯ There¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t know. That man¡­ Pristin swallowed dry saliva without realizing it. Jerald was Pristin¡¯s ex-boyfriend. A year ago. ¨C Bang! Pristin, who was preparing lunch at the sound of a rough knock on the door, frowned with wonder. She lived in a remote mountain range from a crowded village. Therefore, few people knocked on the door of the house where she lived. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ Pristin, who had been thinking for a moment, walked to the door, then unlocked the latch that had been locked and opened the door. A large man stood there armed. Pristin shrank instinctively. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Do you live here?¡± When Pristin nodded her head silently, the man¡¯s expression softened, showing relief. ¡°I need you to take care of Princess Claret.¡± It was very out of the blue. Pristin looked at the man with an expression asking if she heard him wrong. ¡°What do you mean, princess?¡± ¡°The house beyond that oak tree has been designated as the place of exile for the princess.¡± Pristin had been surprised twice. Once at the news of the royal daughter¡¯s exile, another at the news that the exile was very close to her house. Indeed, Pristin lived in a place so remote that it was safe to say it was a place of exile. ¡°From now on, you will have to take care of the princess.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± ¡°There is no pay, but if you are a citizen of the empire, you should, right? I want you to take care of her lunch first.¡± It was a bewildering situation. Suddenly, he appeared and said she would take care of the exiled princess. ¡°Why would I¡­¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be wise to go along with it while someone is being kind to you? I¡¯m not feeling particularly happy about suddenly ending up in this rural area.¡± Pristin flinched once again at the strangely threatening tone. ¡®¡­Sigh.¡¯ What a hassle. ¡®Well, I was in the middle of preparing lunch¡­¡¯ Pristin, who glanced at the kitchen, asked the soldier. ¡°Where exactly is the princess?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ??¡î?? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ What Pristin prepared for lunch that day was a sandwich made of scrambled eggs and juice made from squeezed tomatoes. Pristin put all the lunch she had made that day in the basket. It was originally made for one person, so she had to come back and make her share separately. After leaving the house, Pristin began to walk with the soldiers toward the oak tree. ¡®The princess is exiled.¡¯ The current emperor of Limburg, Albert III, seized the throne last year by rebelling against his predecessor, Ferdinand IV, who was bedridden. It was aimed at when Crown Prince Jerald, son of King Ferdinand IV, visited the Perk Empire. After Albert III ascended the throne, the crown prince went missing, and Princess Claret, who was said to have been exiled here, was the younger sister of the crown prince. ¡®Though it¡¯s a natural procedure to send a political opponent into exile after ascending the throne in a coup.¡¯ What made her feel bad was, of course, that the princess was only eleven years old. ¡®She¡¯s too young.¡¯ It seemed that even the nanny who would take care of her didn¡¯t come with her. The way Albert III was treating Claret, despite being a part of the emperor¡¯s bloodline, was excessive. This was because under imperial law, women could not become emperors. ¡®Perhaps it is to provoke the hidden crown prince.¡¯ If the crown prince wasn¡¯t dead and was actually in hiding, then Claret, as his only twin sister, would likely be treated in such a manner to elicit a response. However, it was too cruel to send an eleven-year-old child into exile alone with no one by her side. ¡®¡­You¡¯re not much older than my brother.¡¯ The situation of the princess, who was left alone with no one to rely on, reminded her of her missing sister. Before she knew it, pity began to arise in Pristin¡¯s heart. ¡®Yes, I should take good care of you.¡¯ And with that thought, Pristin arrived at what appeared to be the princess¡¯s place of exile. Pristin looked up and looked around the house. ¡®Is this the place?¡¯ To be exact, it was a place where the expression ¡°hut¡± was more suitable than ¡°house.¡± Pristin was quietly appalled by the appearance of the ¡®house¡¯ which was more shabby than she thought. ¡®No matter how reclusive, it¡¯s still unthinkable to have the young princess live in such a shabby place.¡¯ The surroundings were filled with soldiers, forming a tight circle. If there was any fortunate aspect to this situation, it was that the princess was an unarmed woman, so the level of alertness wasn¡¯t as high as one might expect. Pristin cautiously walked towards the main gate. ¡°The princess is known to be a very strict person, so you must be careful not to offend her.¡± It was kind of funny to say such a thing after sending a royal into exile to a house where even a simple person would be offended. But Pristin nodded without expression. There¡¯s nothing good about provoking. Arriving at the gate, Pristin knocked carefully on the door. Even though she didn¡¯t knock on the door with all her strength, with how old the house was, there was a creaking sound. Oh, my god. ¡°Princess, may I come in?¡± Pristin asked in the most gentle voice. But there was no answer from inside. ¡®Well, I wouldn¡¯t feel like giving any response at a time like this either.¡¯ Even Pristin didn¡¯t feel like responding to anything. ¡°I¡¯m coming in.¡± Immediately after that, Pristin opened the door. CH 2 It was very narrow and dark inside. It was a structure in which the size of the window was so small that not much sunlight could enter. Pristin looked around and lit the candle. Then the room became much brighter. ¡°¡­¡± The princess was curled up in the corner of the room. The obscured appearance really reminded Pristin of her missing sister. Pristin approached in front of Princess Claret and squatted down on her knees. ¡°Please have a meal, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not eating.¡± ¡°You should eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not eating.¡± ¡°You have to eat.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m not eating!¡± The princess finally raised her head and shouted, perhaps annoyed by the repeated requests. Only then did Pristin identify the face of the princess for the first time. Princess Claret, with her blonde hair and good looks, had a reputation since childhood for her beautiful appearance, which closely resembled her mother¡¯s. Claret had a beautiful appearance like a doll. This was Pristin¡¯s first time seeing her face, but she strangely felt that she was no stranger. ¡°¡­You have to eat. Are you going to starve to death?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Claret cried. Pristin stared at the princess in silence. Claret¡¯s eyes were red before she knew it. ¡°My father is dead, and my brother is missing. I don¡¯t even know if my brother is alive or dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In a situation where the throne was taken from my father, what meaning is there for me to survive alone?¡± ¡°There is no meaning.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said, there is no meaning.¡± Claret looked stunned at first, as if she expected Pristin to claim that there was meaning. Pristin¡¯s dry expression further confused Claret. ¡°I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m alive.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But still, I keep living. The dead don¡¯t come back, but¡­¡± Pristin pursed her lips and concluded her words. ¡°You never know. The missing may return.¡± ¡°¡­Are you waiting for your missing family?¡± ¡°Yes, anyway.¡± Pristin declined to give a clear answer, but added later. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she will come back or not.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was a moment of silence between the two at the end of that remark. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± First, it was Princess Claret who broke the quiet atmosphere. Pristin replied, embarrassed. ¡°No. There¡¯s nothing for the princess to be sorry about.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you feel sorry for me, then please have your meal. Don¡¯t make me worry about you.¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± Pristin thought Claret would argue back, but she surprisingly compiled without resistance. Pristin felt a sudden sense of relief at how things had become easier. As Pristin pulled out the sandwiches and juice from the basket she had brought, Claret asked, showing interest. ¡°What kind of sandwich is it?¡± ¡°I just crushed eggs.¡± After answering like that, Pristin was belatedly worried. ¡®Will she be able to eat something like this?¡¯ As a princess, she must have eaten all kinds of exquisite foods within the palace. ¡®So, she probably won¡¯t be interested in such a simple dish.¡¯ Pristin was about to carefully open her mouth to offer to prepare another food if it didn¡¯t suit her taste. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Without hesitation, Claret picked up the sandwich and took a bite. Claret¡¯s eyes widened as she chewed on the sandwich. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s delicious!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Did you make it yourself?¡± ¡°Yes. I, myself¡­¡± Pristin asked in a bewildered voice. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes. Is it really only eggs? It¡¯s so delicious!¡± ¡°Oh, I put in the sauce I made myself. That¡¯s why.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. You must be good at cooking.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not good enough.¡± Pristin shook her head with an embarrassed expression. ¡°But I can make food for the princess in the future.¡± ¡°Are you going to take care of me from now on?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they asked me to do.¡± When Pristin answered in a calm voice, Claret, noticing her lack of enthusiasm, quietly spoke up. ¡°If it¡¯s bothersome, you don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s bothersome, you don¡¯t have to do it. I can manage on my own.¡± Pristin hesitated for a moment, as if finding it difficult to accept such a suggestion. ¡°And you¡¯ve grown up in the palace, receiving someone¡¯s care for your whole life. It¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°I thought you would find it bothersome to suddenly be burdened with taking care of me.¡± ¡°If I said it¡¯s not a complete bother, it would be a lie.¡± Pristin answered with a light smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like I would leave a young princess alone. And it¡¯s not something that requires a lot of effort, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re kind.¡± ¡°Perhaps someone showed the same kindness to my younger brother.¡± Pristin said, her voice tinged with a hint of longing. ¡°I hoped for that. So, I believe I should do the same.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Claret, sensing something in Pristin¡¯s response, looked at her again and asked cautiously. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t touch on something unnecessary?¡± ¡°No. Not at all.¡± Pristin seemed to think her answer was too curt, so she quickly added a smile. ¡°I¡¯m nonchalant about it now.¡± ¡°Just because you¡¯re being nonchalant doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not in pain.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The remark made Pristin pause for a moment. Claret was looking at her with a pitiful expression. It felt like she was being sympathized with, but she didn¡¯t hate it. Instead, she felt a sense of camaraderie. After all, the princess was in a similar position as her. Pristin offered her hand to the princess with a warmer smile. ¡°Anyway, we both have someone waiting for us, so let¡¯s get along well from now on.¡± ¡°Yeah, sounds good.¡± Fortunately, her voice had brightened considerably since earlier. It was when Pristin¡¯s smile deepened even more than before. ¡°But by the way¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be seeing each other for a long time, and I think I should at least know your name.¡± ¡°¡­Ah. My name.¡± The ordinary question aroused nostalgia for the past. ¡®¡­There was a similar situation last year.¡¯ Pristin hesitated for no reason before opening her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s Pristin Lamont.¡± ¡°You have a last name?¡± The expected question reached her ears. ¡°Are you nobility?¡± ¡°If a fallen noble is also a noble.¡± The prestige and happiness that the surname once brought had long ended. Pristin¡¯s expression naturally darkened. Seeing her like that, Claret quickly changed the subject, thinking she had brought up an unnecessary topic. ¡°Let¡¯s eat quickly. I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°All of this is your share, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Huh? What about Pristin if I finish this?¡± ¡°Actually, I prepared it in a hurry, so I originally only had my share.¡± ¡°Oh, so that was it¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry. I have more ingredients left at home.¡± As Pristin shrugged her shoulders, Claret asked carefully. ¡°Can¡¯t we just eat here together from now on?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You live alone, Pristin, don¡¯t you? Do you have any other family?¡± ¡°¡­No. I live alone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s lonely eating alone. It doesn¡¯t taste as good.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± ¡°So let¡¯s eat together!¡± After saying so, Claret added cautiously. ¡°Of course, if Pristin is okay with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but¡­ I was afraid that the princess would be uncomfortable.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. After all, it¡¯s difficult for me to leave this place.¡± Claret¡¯s expression quickly darkened as she reminded herself of her own situation. Pristin swiftly changed the subject. ¡°Your Highness, try the tomato juice as well. I personally squeezed and made it.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Fortunately, Claret quickly recovered from her melancholy mood. Pristin sighed with relief to herself and looked at Claret drinking tomato juice. ¡®¡­I won¡¯t be bored.¡¯ A golden princess suddenly intervened in the achromatic daily life. At the time, Pristin could not have imagined what the outcome of today¡¯s meeting would lead to in the future. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ??¡î?? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Contrary to Pristin¡¯s worries, ¡®Will the noble princess survive the exile?¡¯, Claret has adapted well to the exile. Most fundamentally, Claret emptied the food that Pristin brought to her every meal without complaining. ¡°What is this, princess?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sandwich. I made it myself! I wanted to share it with Pristin.¡± ¡°Oh, for me, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Yes. But I can¡¯t guarantee the taste.¡± ¡°Oh no, thank you. It looks delicious.¡± She even cooked for Pristin from time to time after time. ¡­Of course, the taste fell far short of that made by Pristin. Still, Pristin thought sincerity was important, so she emptied the plate without complaining. It wasn¡¯t that bad that she couldn¡¯t eat it at all. ¡°A bird flew into the yard today!¡± ¡°Bird? What kind of bird?¡± ¡°It was a blue bird, but it was a bird I had never seen before in the imperial palace.¡± ¡°So did you catch the bird, princess?¡± ¡°No. I tried to catch it, but it ran away¡­¡± Claret shook her head with her lips sticking out with regret. Pristin said, consolingly. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll come back here.¡± ¡°How can you be sure of that?¡± ¡°I think you saw a bluemond bird, but it comes back to the house once it finds it.¡± ¡°Wow, I see! That¡¯s amazing.¡± Claret asked, her eyes twinkling. ¡°How does Pristin know all that?¡± ¡°If you go to the mountains often, you will naturally come to know them. Bluemond birds are mountain birds.¡± Claret¡¯s expression became brighter and more talkative than when she first came to the place of exile. Most of this was due to Pristin, who visited Claret at every meal and had a conversation with her. People tend to go crazy when they don¡¯t have anyone to talk to. Pristin prevented such a situation. In particular, being together for a certain amount of time, rather than being together every second of every hour, helped Claret to become stronger. ¡°How long do I have to be here¡­¡± Although she occasionally expressed severe depression about her current situation, Pristin saw it as a natural phenomenon. Rather, considering her past appearance, the princess belonged to an axis where she was now incredibly adaptable for her young age. So whenever she heard that, she just kept saying, ¡®There will definitely be a day when you will see the light of day.¡¯ Even that parrot-like consolation was comforting to Claret anyway. It was one day when she went about her day without any special incident. CH 3 ¡°Pristin, I¡¯m bored.¡± Pristin, who was eating a small tomato she brought for dessert, turned her head. Claret had a slightly displeased look on her face. Pristin stopped trying to stuff the tomato into her mouth and asked Claret. ¡°Did you read all the books I brought you last time?¡± The only thing the princess could do in exile was to stay inside the house and read books. Even that was made possible only with the kind cooperation of the soldiers, and ultimately, it became Pristin¡¯s responsibility to attend to the princess¡¯s pastime. Of course, it was absolutely not an obligation, but Pristin already cared deeply about Claret, so naturally, she extended her kindness and assistance. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ If you find it boring, shall I bring you another book? Or perhaps some drawing paper for you to sketch on¡­¡± ¡°No, Pristin. I¡¯m not talking about that.¡± In response to Claret¡¯s words, Pristin looked at her with a puzzled expression. And a bewildering answer came back. ¡°I want to go outside.¡± ¡°¡­Princess, that¡¯s¡­¡± Pristin looked perplexed. Going out was not an area that Pristin could decide on. Claret said as if she knew that fact as well. ¡°Can¡¯t Pristin ask the soldiers just once? I don¡¯t even know if my brother is dead or alive, but even if I run away, where would I go? I¡¯m not running away, Pristin. If I run away, more than anything else, Pristin will be in danger, so how can I run away¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you go through the mountains to gather herbs every day?¡± Pristin¡¯s occupation was that of an herbalist. She would often introduce herself as simply someone who gathers herbs, refusing to accept the title of an herbalist, considering it to be too grand for herself. ¡°I want to try it, too. I want to go outside a little!¡± ¡°Princess¡­¡± ¡°They said my face shouldn¡¯t be recognized, but if I just stay in this area, it should be fine, right? If they¡¯re worried about me running away, the soldiers can keep an eye on me. Huh? How could it go wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much not to let me take a walk. This is not exile, this is confinement!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, but¡­¡± Pristin asked in a voice that she was not sure. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for the princess to ask directly rather than me?¡± ¡°¡­Everyone doesn¡¯t listen to me.¡± Claret said, biting her lips. ¡°My authority has long since fallen. Who would notice the princess in a country like this?¡± ¡°¡­Princess.¡± ¡°It might work better for Pristin to talk about it. Because you¡¯re a third party. Huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How could it go wrong? Huh?¡± Claret asked Pristin with pleading eyes. Pristin found it difficult to say no. She wore a perplexed expression for a few moments before finally nodding, as if conceding that there was no other choice. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ??¡î?? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ First, take responsibility for the princess and take care of her so that she does not get hurt. Second, keep an eye on the princess so that she doesn¡¯t engage in nonsense. Third, don¡¯t go down the mountain. Pristin was allowed to go out with Claret on the condition that she kept these three conditions. Claret complained that they were being too picky, but in Pristin¡¯s eyes, the conditions weren¡¯t that difficult to abide by. ¡®It¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t take you on a tour of the city, but¡­¡¯ It was a matter of caution. It was impossible to predict what would happen if anyone knew the face of the princess. Pristin also thought it was right to be careful for Claret¡¯s safety. As they roamed through the mountains, Pristin asked in a worried voice. ¡°But are you really okay with this?¡± ¡°I never even expected to go out into town in the first place.¡± When Pristin couldn¡¯t say anything to that remark, Claret added playfully. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for the mood to get dark.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried because it seems like you¡¯re not enjoying it.¡± ¡°Why? I¡¯m actually looking forward to it!¡± Claret continued in a cheerful voice. ¡°It¡¯s also a first-time experience for me since I was born. When else would I have a chance to explore the mountains like this?¡± It was a rare positive look. Pristin, considering it a good thing nonetheless, carried the basket and continued walking. Her eyes constantly sought out herbs. At one point, a herb caught Pristin¡¯s eye. ¡°Resper.¡± It was a good herb for respiratory diseases. Pristin quickly approached the tree and began to dig for herbs. Claret, who was watching from behind with a curious look, asked. ¡°Is this a herb, too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an herb called Resper. It¡¯s an excellent herb for respiratory diseases.¡± ¡°Wow! You¡¯re so smart, Pristin.¡± Pristin smiled awkwardly at Claret¡¯s compliment. ¡°If you wander in the mountains for a few months, even the princess will know.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not smart enough.¡± Claret shook her head and asked, with shining eyes. ¡°Is there anything I can do for you?¡± ¡°Here, right now? Do you know anything about herbs?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know a thing.¡± The embarrassed voice made Pristin perplexed. She was about to suggest that Claret simply stay put, but quickly changed her mind. ¡®It¡¯ll be boring if she just follows behind me.¡¯ She needed to provide some activities. Pristin spoke gently. ¡°Try picking any plant. I¡¯ll see if it¡¯s an herb or not.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Claret¡¯s eyes rejuvenated upon the mission. Claret broke away from Pristin and ran to the other side. Pristin concentrated on her original work again only after confirming that Claret was concentrating on digging herbs. Then it was at some point. ¡°Kyaaaagh!¡± Claret¡¯s screams came from somewhere. Pristin quickly looked for Claret with surprised eyes. And the sight that caught her eyes made her stiff. A large, slender snake was rushing toward Claret. ¡®Of all times¡­¡¯ Seeing that the head was triangular, Pristin was certain that it was venomous. She quickly thought about what to do. ¡°T-The snake¡­!¡± ¡°Stay where you are, princess.¡± Pristin quickly found a branch with a split end around it. In the meantime, the venomous snake was advancing toward Claret without stopping. At last, it was the moment when the venomous snake was about to rush to Claret. Pristin used the split end of the stick to press the snake¡¯s head tightly. Then the serpent couldn¡¯t move and struggled on the spot. Pristin didn¡¯t miss the chance and quickly stabbed the venomous snake with a knife. The venomous snake wriggled for a few seconds and soon drooped. Only then did Pristin run straight to Claret. ¡°Princess!¡± ¡°Pristin¡­¡± Relieved from the tension, Claret sat down on the spot. Pristin asked urgently. ¡°Are you hurt? Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine¡­¡± However, as if she was very surprised, Claret immediately began to hiccup. Pristin opened her mouth with a serious expression, as if to say that they should go back now. ¡°It would be better for us to head back for today.¡± ¡°B, but¡­!¡± ¡°There will be another chance to go out next time. It¡¯s hard the first time, but it¡¯s easy the second time, right?¡± Pristin tried to reassure Claret by speaking in a soft voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. You¡¯re very surprised right now, so if you overdo it, your body may suffer later on. I think it¡¯s better to stop here today and go back.¡± ¡°¡­All right.¡± There was a look of regret on Claret¡¯s face, but she nodded without any particular defiance. She couldn¡¯t send the surprised princess back to her house alone, so Pristin naturally went back with her. Throughout the journey back, Claret kept apologizing, feeling like she had only been a hindrance to Pristin¡¯s work, while Pristin continued to deny it, sweating to convince her otherwise. When they finally arrived at Claret¡¯s house, Claret looked slightly flushed as she spoke to Pristin. ¡°I¡¯m really grateful for today, my savior.¡± ¡°¡­Your savior?¡± ¡°You saved my life today!¡± ¡°It was no big deal.¡± Pristin replied with a slightly awkward expression. ¡°And strictly speaking, what happened today is my fault. I should have paid more attention to you¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. What happened earlier was just an accident.¡± Claret shook her head and said to Pristin. ¡°The important thing is that Pristin saved my life today! Thank you very, very much.¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay today. You must have been very surprised, but rest well today, princess.¡± ¡°Thank you, Pristin.¡± In any case, their first outing ended without much incident. So Pristin never expected what would happen in a few days. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ??¡î?? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ On that day, Pristin, as usual, packed breakfast and went to Claret¡¯s place. But a different atmosphere greeted her. ¡°You can¡¯t get in.¡± The soldier blocked Pristin from entering Claret¡¯s house. Pristin asked with a bewildered look. ¡°Why are you blocking access?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go in today. It is the order of His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°What do you mean by His Majesty¡¯s orders? I¡¯m sure when you first came to see me, you asked me to take care Her Highness.¡± Pristin was taken aback. ¡®Following the ban on going out, is it now also a ban on visits?¡¯ It was a bad sign. Pristin¡¯s expression changed dramatically. ¡°Is contact with the outside world forbidden at all?¡± ¡°There was an order from His Majesty the Emperor not to let you meet Her Highness the Princess.¡± The soldier responded, his tone resolute. Pristin¡¯s bafflement grew. ¡°Why on earth¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why. Anyway, the imperial decree has been issued, so don¡¯t come here anymore. If you don¡¯t listen and continue to act recklessly, we won¡¯t be able to stay still either.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to do this, you shouldn¡¯t have come to me from the beginning.¡± Pristin said in a voice that rattled with anger. ¡°Are you saying that the princess should live there alone, without anyone¡¯s help? For who knows how long, during an exile period with no clear end? She¡¯s still young. She¡¯s just eleven years old!¡± ¡°You¡¯re noisy. We are only following the orders of His Majesty the Emperor.¡± The soldier spoke in a stern and blunt voice. ¡°You¡¯d better leave now while I¡¯m speaking nicely.¡± She had enough of the same threatening tone as the first time. Pristin looked at the soldier with a bewildered look. However, the soldier¡¯s expression was as expressionless as in the beginning. ¡®He means it.¡¯ Only then did Pristin realize that this situation was no joke. And she began to think as realistically as possible. After a while she opened her mouth. ¡°All right. I won¡¯t ask you to see the princess.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But let me bring her meals every day. His Majesty didn¡¯t order you to stop that.¡± Pristin asked, looking persistently at the soldier. ¡°Can¡¯t you?¡± At Pristin¡¯s request, the soldiers hesitated and began to stir for a while. And they whispered something into each other¡¯s ears. After a while. ¡°Fine. We can arrange for the food to be delivered, but meeting in person is impossible.¡± ¡°I understand. That¡¯s all right. Just deliver the food properly.¡± Pristin responded, slightly relieved that she could at least have meals. However, she couldn¡¯t hide her bewilderment at being unable to meet with Claret. Pristin frowned, her expression serious. CH 4 In the end, Pristin had to return home after delivering only the food basket to the soldiers. ¡®How far are you planning on isolating Her Highness?¡¯ Did he want his niece to die alone from insanity? The thought sent shivers down her spine. ¡®I guess he wished for something like that.¡¯ Pristin tried not to think negatively. However, no matter how much she thought about it, it was hard not to see the current situation negatively. If it was only temporary, it might not be so bad, but the uncertainty of being trapped alone in a small house for a long period was concerning for the young princess. As Pristin¡¯s thoughts reached that point, she became extremely anxious. ¡°For now, I can only observe the situation.¡± Unfortunately, that was all she could do at the moment. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ??¡î?? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ It has already been about fifteen days since Claret was blocked from contact with the outside world. Meanwhile, Pristin never skipped a single visit to the princess¡¯s house. As if to make up for her absence, she put more effort into her diet than usual. It was hoped that her sincerity, which was not a big deal, would be a little comforting to Claret. ¡°Well¡­¡± And one morning, Pristin woke up in bed from a bad dream. ¡°¡­with a sense of foreboding.¡± It was a nightmare about the soldiers setting fire to Claret¡¯s house in the evening when the dusk fell. Pristin, who was sitting absent-mindedly on the bed for a moment, murmured, shaking her head. ¡°It must have been just a bad dream.¡± But even when making meals or gathering herbs in the mountains, Pristin couldn¡¯t concentrate because of the dream she had today. She almost cut her hands with a knife when chopping vegetables and accidentally nicked herself with the pickaxe while gathering herbs. ¡®It seems like I can¡¯t go on like this.¡¯ Finally, Pristin decided to visit Claret¡¯s house once again. Thankfully, when the three meals were delivered today, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, the image of Claret¡¯s house burning against a dark backdrop in her dream was still vivid. When the darkness fell to the point where it was slightly uncomfortable ahead, Pristin left the house. And with a strained look on her face, she headed to Claret¡¯s house. When she finally arrived at Claret¡¯s house¡­ ¡°Ah¡­¡± Nothing was happening. A sense of relief flashed across Pristin¡¯s face. It was when she turned around casually and was about to go back home. ¡®¡­Wait a minute.¡¯ Something was off. ¡®Why aren¡¯t there any soldiers on guard?¡¯ The soldiers were always standing by the door of Claret¡¯s house. They had never been away on twenty-four-hour shifts. But now, not even an ant was seen. It was a time when Pristin was standing there, embarrassed by an unusual situation. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Suddenly, flames began to soar from one side of the wall. The embers spread as fast as oil in the house. Pristin was so surprised that she couldn¡¯t move on the spot. The embers were spreading as she had seen in her dreams. Only then did Pristin realize why the soldiers were away. ¡°The princess is in danger.¡± When the thought flashed through his mind, Pristin only thought that she should save Claret. Her legs moved faster than her head. Pristin quickly ran toward Claret¡¯s house and called out to her. ¡°Princess, princess!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Come on out!¡± However, no matter how much she screamed, there was no movement in the house. Pristin kept running toward the house with a frustrated heart. And when she finally arrived, she opened the door without delay and went inside. ¡°Princess!¡± Claret was sleeping as if she were dead. She was frightened when she saw it. Pristin quickly approached Claret and shouted at her to wake her up. ¡°Princess, you must wake up. Princess!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Princess! Shit.¡± Even though she shook her and shouted, Claret didn¡¯t get up. ¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense for her to be able to sleep through such a situation.¡¯ Pristin was convinced. ¡®They must have put sleeping pills in the food.¡¯ Since she had prepared the meals herself, Claret would have eaten them without suspecting anything. Pristin swiftly surrounded Claret. Fortunately, Claret was much smaller in height and build than Pristin. However, it was still no easy task to move Claret. But as the fire spread rapidly and Pristin felt the threat to their lives, she tapped into a supernatural strength. With all her might, Pristin carried Claret out of the house. ¡®The fire is too strong.¡¯ Soon the whole house was going to collapse. If they didn¡¯t escape in time, they would both be dead. Pristin struggled to get out of the house with wobbly legs. And not long after the two had fled the house, the wooden house began to collapse at an alarming rate with a strange sound. With a sigh of relief, Pristin gently laid Claret on the ground, looking at her with a face that showed both exhaustion and concern. ¡°Keugh, keugh!¡± Shortly afterwards, Claret woke up with a cough. She looked around in astonishment at the chaotic scene around her and called out to Pristin. ¡°Pristin?¡± ¡°Are you awake, Princess?¡± ¡°How did we end up here? And what on earth is happening¡­?¡± ¡°The soldiers gave sleeping pills to the princess and set the house on fire.¡± Pristin explained the situation to Claret with a serious look. ¡°The emperor must have instructed them to kill the princess.¡± ¡°Oh, my God, then¡­!¡± After hearing Pristin¡¯s explanation, Claret looked very flustered. She trembled and opened her mouth, shocked at the fact that she had just been in a near-death situation. ¡°Thank you very much, Pristin. If it weren¡¯t for Pristin, I wouldn¡¯t be here right now.¡± ¡°I came here because I had a bad feeling about my dream today¡­ and now all this is happening. Your Highness, we need to get away from here immediately.¡± ¡°Away? But where?¡± ¡°Anywhere. We can¡¯t stay here any longer.¡± ¡°But this is Pristin¡¯s home.¡± ¡°This may be my home, but it¡¯s not my true home. While I¡¯ve grown attached to it, that¡¯s not the most pressing issue right now.¡± Pristin stated in a composed tone. ¡°For now, you need to get yourself to safety, Your Highness. We can deal with the aftermath later.¡± ¡°But where exactly¡­¡± Clop, clop. Then she heard the sound of horse hoofs from the other side. Naturally, Claret stopped talking, and Pristin, startled, wrapped her arms around Claret¡¯s shoulders. ¡°We¡¯d better hide first.¡± The two quickly hid behind nearby bushes as they heard the sound of approaching footsteps. After a brief moment, several masked individuals revealed themselves in front of them. ¡®They couldn¡¯t possibly be sent by the Emperor¡­¡¯ Pristin whispered with a tense expression as she scrutinized them. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Claret made a startled sound of surprise. Startled, Pristin asked in a heightened voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°That person¡­¡± ¡°Do you know them?¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± At that time, the man in the vanguard shouted loudly as if he had heard the voices of the two. Pristin froze on the spot. If that person was indeed a close aide of the emperor, the two were dead. However, Claret slowly rose from her spot. Pristin was startled and tried to stop her, but it was too late. With an incredulous expression on her face, Claret approached the man. Pristin, watching this unfold, was unable to move, her face pale with shock. ¡°¡­General Brian?¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± Wait¡­What? Pristin looked at the two alternately with a bewildered expression. Both of them were looking at each other with a surprised expression, it seemed like they already knew each other. Besides, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t bad, and Pristin instinctively realized that the situation was not threatening to them. ¡°Pristin, it¡¯s all right to come out. They¡¯re on our side!¡± On our side? ¡®But how?¡¯ All of the close aides of the previous emperor either defected or perished¡­ ¡°We greet Your Highness!¡± ¡°We greet Your Highness!¡± All the men got off the horses and knelt before Claret. Pristin finally came to believe that they were allies of Claret but still felt dazed from the situation. What the hell was going on here? ¡°He¡¯s General Brian of the royal guard, Pristin.¡± ¡°I am glad you are safe, Your Highness.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s part of the royal guard, then isn¡¯t he serving the current emperor?¡± Pristin asked, with lingering caution. ¡°Your Highness was just about to be attacked in your own home. Someone tried to set it on fire.¡± ¡°And we rushed here after realizing that the dethroned emperor had instructed something horrible against you.¡± ¡°The dethroned emperor¡­?¡± ¡°Albert III has been driven out.¡± At General Brian¡¯s words, Pristin asked in a bewildered tone. ¡°Then the general is now serving¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± General Brian nodded and replied. ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince has regained his place.¡± ¡°Is brother alive?¡± Claret, who had been quiet until the day before yesterday, asked in a trembling voice. General Brian nodded once more. ¡°Now he is the emperor of this country.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ My brother is alive!¡± ¡°I will explain everything in detail on our way back. His Majesty wishes to see you.¡± General Brian said, looking at Claret with an affectionate expression. ¡°Please accompany me to the palace. I have come to escort you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± Then Claret called Pristin. ¡°Pristin.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pristin¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t as bright as Claret had hoped. Just as she was about to ask why, Pristin¡¯s voice reached her. ¡°I cannot go with you right now, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Huh? Why¡­?¡± ¡°I need to take care of things around here first.¡± Pristin went on in a quiet voice. ¡°You should go ahead. Right after the coup, the palace will surely be chaotic. I won¡¯t be able to contribute much so my presence will only be a burden.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Claret furrowed her eyebrows, showing her surprise at the unexpected situation. However, she quickly understood Pristin¡¯s perspective and nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to pick up Pristin later. So¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, you must stay here. Understand?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Of course, Your Highness.¡± Pristin replied with a slight smile on her face. ¡°Have a safe journey.¡± ¡°Pristin, you too. Take care of yourself until we meet again.¡± Claret said, her eyes slightly filled with tears, embracing Pristin. Pristin, with an affectionate expression, hugged Claret in return. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you a lot.¡± ¡°Me too, Your Highness.¡± With that farewell, the two parted ways. Pristin watched in silence as Claret and her companions gradually moved away, declining the offer of the soldiers who offered to escort her home. The princess occasionally turned back, attempting to meet Pristin¡¯s gaze, leaving a lingering impact on Pristin¡¯s heart. Finally, when Claret completely disappeared from sight, Pristin let out a sigh, her expression filled with complexity. ¡°Phew¡­¡± She didn¡¯t want to get involved any further, especially with the forces that should not be tangled with. The feeling of being deeply entangled was overwhelming. ¡°What should I do?¡± But it was already too late to withdraw. She had already immersed herself too deeply. In fact, it had been like that for a long time, but Pristin didn¡¯t know that yet. CH 5 [TN: I read back to see which pronouns were being used and the ML¡¯s name is actually Jerald, not Jerald! Sorry, everyone. I¡¯ve fixed this in the previous chapters as well as the summary.] The news of the coup d¡¯¨¦tat and the coronation of a new emperor was heard only after going down to the village. Pristin led a life as usual in the mountains where Claret left. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Pristin murmured with a frustrated expression. ¡°There¡¯s no one to eat with now.¡± Except for the fact that she often made the mistake of not getting the portion right when cooking. ¡®Absence makes the heart grow fonder.¡¯ It was surprising that it would be so noticeable. Pristin looked at the egg sandwich, which she had made more than usual of, with a puzzled look on her face. It would be impossible to finish it all in one meal, and it seemed like she would have to eat only that throughout the day. Just as Pristin was about to make peach juice as a finishing touch. ¨C Knock knock She heard a knock on the door. Pristin turned her head, looking puzzled. ¡®Who could it be?¡¯ There was no one to visit now. Pristin wiped her hands on the apron and walked to the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± As she opened the door, there stood a stranger. Pristine looked at him questioningly, and the man spoke. ¡°Are you Lady Pristin Lamont?¡± ¡°¡­¡± How long has it been since she had been called that name? Pristin¡¯s heart sank at the memory of the past. She nodded quietly without expressing her feelings. Then, the man opened his mouth again, this time with a relieved expression, as if he had found the right person. ¡°I have come upon the summons of the princess.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the princess¡­¡± ¡°Princess Claret is looking for you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Please come with me to the palace.¡± Only then did Pristin recall Claret¡¯s promise, which she had forgotten for a moment. ¡®But I didn¡¯t expect her to actually call for me.¡¯ Pristin thought Claret must have forgotten her. It was shocking in a good sense that it wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Please respond to the call of the princess. She really wanted to see the lady.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment. I can¡¯t go like this.¡± If she was going to the palace anyway, she needed to dress accordingly. The man nodded as if understanding. ¡°¡­¡± Pristin, who closed the door, looked confused. She didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this. However, she soon moved to the closet as if she had made up her mind. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ??¡î?? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ After a long journey, Pristin arrived at Lunachest, the capital of the Limburg Empire. She was reunited with the princess and ended up touring the palace. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± But she never expected such a situation. ¡®To think I would attend the coronation of an emperor.¡¯ No, that emperor happened to be her ex-boyfriend! ¡®Well, his name is the same, but¡­¡¯ Jerald was a common name. It wasn¡¯t like Pristin didn¡¯t notice. While facing Jerald, Pristin absentmindedly played with her teacup, wearing a serious expression. In her head, memories of the past and current situations were intertwined and complicated. ¡®Then Jerald finally¡­¡¯ ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Pristin, who was preoccupied with her own thoughts, raised her head in surprise at the voice coming from in front of her. However, soon after realizing that the person in front of her was not the Jerald of the past, but the Emperor of Limburg, she bowed her head again. Jerald¡¯s eyes became a little sharp when he saw the sight. ¡°Why are you avoiding my eyes?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s upsetting.¡± While saying that, Jerald persistently tried to meet Pristin¡¯s gaze. Feeling burdened by his stare, Pristin unknowingly tensed her jaw. However, she couldn¡¯t completely shake off the feeling that his gaze was following her tenaciously even after avoiding it. Eventually Pristin gave up and made eye contact with Jerald. While maintaining a calm expression as much as possible. ¡°You¡¯ve never avoided my eyes before.¡± ¡°That was the case.¡± In a voice of regret, Pristin nodded without denying it. ¡°In the past.¡± Stretching the latter words, Pristin went on. ¡°Things are different now. Aren¡¯t you the emperor of the empire?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for deceiving you about my identity. At that time¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to justify yourself. Whether it was me or Your Majesty, we both deceived each other.¡± She also hadn¡¯t been truthful about her own identity to him. So, even if he had something to hide from her, she couldn¡¯t allow herself to feel betrayed. Nevertheless, Pristin already realized that there was an inevitable sadness in the back of her mind. No, perhaps it was resentment. Pristin unknowingly bit her lower lip and opened her mouth. ¡°Anyway¡­ I¡¯m glad it worked out well.¡± Having nothing to say, Pristin concluded so. Jerald in front of her unknowingly narrowed his brows at such an attitude. ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have any more questions?¡± Jerald¡¯s voice trembled slightly with anticipation. ¡°At least some kind of interrogation or resentment?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking me anything? We didn¡¯t part ways in a normal manner.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± Pristin said, looking at Jerald with an expression of unease. ¡°Your Majesty left without any explanation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a normal breakup, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. Let¡¯s just leave it at that.¡± He said, still sharing his gaze with Pristin. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯ve forgotten about me.¡± ¡°I have forgotten, Your Majesty. I have forgotten about you.¡± Pristin asked, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s been a little over a year, hasn¡¯t it? Since we broke up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. More than enough to forget someone who left without a word.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty told me to resent you, but I don¡¯t hold any resentment towards you.¡± However, in facing the unexpected reality, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there was even a hint of resentment in her heart. ¡®But even if that¡¯s the case, what difference does it make?¡¯ He was the emperor, and she was a fallen noble. Pristin¡¯s gaze toward him grew deeper. ¡®Now that things have turned out like this, I can understand why things happened the way they did back then.¡¯ It seemed like she now knew why he had to leave so abruptly back then. Pristin understood. It somewhat diluted the resentment she had harbored. However, it didn¡¯t mean that there were lingering emotions towards Jerald. Pristin spoke sternly. ¡°But we ended back then. Naturally.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never once thought that we ended.¡± ¡°¡­So you thought that way, Your Majesty.¡± In fact, Pristin thought so for some time. And she had eagerly awaited the day she would reunite with Jerald. However, due to a series of unexpected events that occurred afterwards, she had come to the conclusion that waiting for him was no longer meaningful. Pristin shook her head slightly. ¡°Unfortunately, not me, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Pristin.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯ve gone through a lot. I¡¯m curious about how you¡¯ve managed to survive¡­ but I won¡¯t ask. After all, you¡¯ve become the ruler of the empire.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re only concerned about the outcome, then focus on the fact that we¡¯ve come across each other again.¡± ¡°¡­Surely you don¡¯t have any intention of starting a relationship with me again?¡± ¡°Why would you think otherwise?¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I keep telling you. I never thought it was over with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you, too. The two of us are already done.¡± ¡°Pristin.¡± ¡°Leave brief relationships in the past as memories, and put aside the thought of beginning again.¡± Pristin quietly closed her eyes and muttered. ¡°Memories are the most beautiful when they remain as memories.¡± ¡°If anyone were to hear, they would think we¡¯ve already seen everything there is to see.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we spent such a short time together. Is it possible that the time I remember and the time you remember are different?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± Pristin fell silent for a moment before speaking again. ¡°That brief time, it was only a few months.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In the grand scheme of life, it¡¯s practically nothing. So¡­ just forget about it.¡± ¡°Pristin.¡± ¡°I was glad to see that you were unharmed. I always¡­ wanted to know at least if you were alive or not, and today, that wish has been fulfilled.¡± Pristin decided that she couldn¡¯t stay in this place any longer. And she tried to quickly wrap up the conversation. ¡°I hope you will become a righteous ruler from now on. And please make Limburg a better place to live.¡± ¡°Pri¡­¡± ¡°Well then, I will take my leave now.¡± Without giving Jerald a chance to stop her, Pristin quickly stood up from her seat. Then, after the greetings, she left the drawing room. ¨C Thud As the sound of the door closing echoed, Jerald was left alone. He sat there, unable to move, wearing a grave expression for a long time. In the midst of the unexpected encounter with Pristin, it was already bewildering, but to hear her explicitly tell him not to even think about starting again, it was an unbearable shock. After a while, low words escaped his lips. ¡°Who is agreeing?¡± Having met again like this, he couldn¡¯t just give up. With a deep gaze, he stared at the spot where Pristin had disappeared. Unfortunately, he had no intention of moving as she wished. CH 6 ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Naturally, Claret did not understand this situation at all. ¡°Did you know my brother?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Pristin.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Pristin answered at last. In fact, there was something deeper between the two of them to be saying ¡°knowing each other.¡± But it was questionable whether that fact should be said here. She made a temporary visit here. And she was going to leave again soon. Everything would return to normal, just like before. So why should Pristin bother telling Claret? ¡°I should be getting back now, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Go back? Where to?¡± ¡°The place I was originally.¡± Pristin answered gravely. ¡°You mean you¡¯re going back to that house, now?¡± ¡°Is there a problem¡­?¡± ¡°Of course there is!¡± Claret suddenly grabbed Pristin¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Pristin.¡± ¡°Princess¡­¡± ¡°I need you, Pristin.¡± ¡°You were the only one there for me in exile.¡± Pristin gently released Claret¡¯s hand. Claret looked at Pristin with a devastated expression. ¡°Not anymore. His Majesty is here, and there are many servants around you who will support you¡­¡± ¡°But none of those people are you, Pristin.¡± Pristin flinched for a moment as she included Jerald in the category of ¡°those people.¡± Tears welled up in Claret¡¯s big eyes. Pristin became more weak at the sight. ¡°I need you, Pristin. So don¡¯t go, okay?¡± ¡°Your Highness, but I¡­¡± ¡°I know. Pristin can live well without me. You¡¯re a strong person, unlike me.¡± ¡°You are strong too, Your Highness. You are a truly magnificent person.¡± Pristin smiled and this time, she reached out and held Claret¡¯s hand first. Claret stared at Pristin with tear-filled eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving because I don¡¯t like you. I just¡­ want to return to where I originally belonged.¡± As she said that, Pristin¡¯s heart ached as she remembered the memory of the past for a moment. However, she kept her composure and continued speaking. ¡°What I offered you, Your Highness, was just kindness, nothing more and nothing less. Please don¡¯t consider it as something special.¡± ¡°But I doubt others would see it that way.¡± ¡°Your Highness, I¡­¡± ¡°Just stay by my side, Pristin. Please don¡¯t go.¡± Claret continued to persuade Pristin in a pleading voice. ¡°We¡¯ve been together for a whole year. Are you really going to abandon me like this? Really?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Abandon you? That¡¯s an exaggerated metaphor. How could I, a fallen noble, dare to abandon the empire¡¯s princess? Pristin stared at Claret with a puzzled face. Jerald¡¯s earlier appearance overlapped strangely from her pleading face. ¡­Was it because siblings were indeed siblings after all? ¡°Don¡¯t go, Pristin. I can¡¯t bear to part ways like this.¡± ¡°I will visit the imperial palace often.¡± It was a lie. It took a very long time even by carriage to get from Pristin¡¯s house to the palace. And the princess was not young and stupid enough to not know that. Claret cried, frowning. ¡°Don¡¯t lie!¡± Once again, it didn¡¯t work. ¡°Live here, Pristin. This is a very, very nice place. The meals are delicious and warm, and there is plenty of beautiful jewelry too!¡± Claret spoke enthusiastically at Pristin, who was in a hurry. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go around collecting herbs every day like before. Pristin, you¡¯ve taken care of me throughout my exile. You¡¯ve done something important and remarkable. Brother will surely reward you. Definitely!¡± ¡°As I mentioned before, Your Highness, I don¡¯t need any rewards. Besides, I prefer the simple life I had before.¡± ¡°Are you really going to continue like this?¡± ¡°When there is a meeting, there is also a parting, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give up on Pristin like this!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The conversation seemed to be going in circles. Claret refusing to let go and Pristin determined to leave. ¡®Actually, when it comes to not letting go, it includes His Majesty as well.¡¯ Pristin had a feeling that the journey back home was going to be quite difficult. ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± Suddenly, Claret began to shed tears like chicken droppings. When the princess burst into tears suddenly, Pristin was naturally embarrassed. Claret didn¡¯t cry easily even in exile. Pristin hurriedly soothed Claret. ¡°P, princess. What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden¡­¡± ¡°Pristin is leaving me behind¡­ I can¡¯t stand it because it is really sad and painful.¡± After saying so, Claret began to sob much more sadly. The louder the cry from the princess¡¯s mouth, the more embarrassed Pristin became. She was naturally a woman who was weak to tears. ¡°I thought we had a very special relationship¡­ I trusted and followed you like you were my real sister¡­ sniff! Was it only me who thought that way? Was Pristin only precious to me?¡± ¡°Your Highness, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I never thought you would say that you were going to abandon me like this. I thought Pristin would be happy if I asked you to live with me¡­ Waaah!¡± Claret¡¯s cry grew louder and louder. And Pristin¡¯s heart began to weaken as she listened to Claret¡¯s sorrowful sobbing. In truth, during the year or so, Pristin had developed affection for Claret. It began with her thinking of her missing younger sister and wanting to take care of Claret. Without realizing it, Pristin had come to think of Claret almost like a younger sister. Moreover, due to her naturally affectionate personality, Pristin found it increasingly difficult to resist Claret¡¯s pleas. ¡°If you abandon me like this, sob sob, how am I supposed to live¡­!¡± ¡°P, Princess, please calm down.¡± ¡°When we were briefly separated, I was so sad¡­ I really can¡¯t do anything without Pristin¡­!¡± ¡°I understand, Your Highness. I understand.¡± At that, Claret stopped crying as if she had never cried. And with a flickering gaze, she looked at Pristin, waiting for her to continue. Pristin sighed deeply, and then asked Claret. ¡°I can¡¯t stay forever, but I¡¯ll stay at the palace for a while. Just for a little while. Would that be okay?¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Until when?¡± ¡°Until Your Highness no longer likes me.¡± Claret almost burst out laughing at that moment. How could she stop liking Pristin? ¡®That moment will never come.¡¯ So if she was thinking about her stay at the imperial palace like that, it was not enough to say that she would live in this palace for the rest of her life. Claret asked with keen eyes as if she had never shown a vulnerable appearance. ¡°Can you take responsibility for those words?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I mean, you¡¯ll stay here until I don¡¯t like Pristin anymore.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Of course.¡± Pristin answered without being able to read Claret¡¯s dark intentions. ¡°If Your Highness no longer needs me, then there would be no reason for me to stay here.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s write a contract!¡± ¡°If you wish¡­¡± In her naivety, Pristin simply thought that the princess was asking for a contract to easily dismiss her if her interest waned in the future. Pristin was about to say, ¡°If you wish, I will return to my place anytime, even without such a contract,¡± but she stopped herself. ¡°Good, good. Let¡¯s write the contract!¡± Claret recovered her original brightness so quickly that she could not believe that she had cried so far. She led Pristin to the reception table with a smile on her face. While waiting for the pen and paper that she had instructed the maid to bring, Claret decided to ask about something she had been curious about since earlier. ¡°But, Pristin.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been curious about.¡± ¡°Yes. Please continue.¡± But immediately after this answer, Pristin regretted it. ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with my brother?¡± Pristin flinched unconsciously at the unexpected question. In fact, it wasn¡¯t a surprising question, since Claret had already asked it once before. However, it seemed that no matter how many times she heard the question, she couldn¡¯t help but be startled. Pristin hesitated as she searched for an answer. ¡°As I mentioned before¡­ we are just acquaintances¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like just acquaintances.¡± Claret was young, but she was not naive. She astutely grasped the nature of their relationship. ¡°Brother was a crown prince even before he became emperor. He held a very high status.¡± Pristin silently nodded, realizing that she couldn¡¯t hide the truth any longer. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°However, Pristin, you casually and unconsciously use my brother¡¯s name so naturally. To the point where it seems almost second nature. That¡­¡± ¡°I apologize, Your Highness. It was impolite of me¡­¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not trying to nitpick about etiquette.¡± Claret trembled slightly as she spoke, expressing what she wanted to say. ¡°In my opinion, the two of you seemed quite close.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Am I correct?!¡± She was right, damn it. Pristin intuitively sensed that the moment where she could no longer hide behind vague words was approaching. It was the moment where she had to open her mouth despite hesitating. ¡°Actually¡­¡± ¨CKnock, knock Then, someone knocked on the door outside. Naturally, what Pristin was going to say was cut off. Claret frowned and asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± And what came next was quite unexpected. CH 7 ¡°His Majesty the Emperor has given an imperial decree.¡± ¡°A decree? What kind of decree?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about giving Lady Lamont a palace.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pristin almost blacked out when she heard the servant. ¡®What did I just hear?¡¯ Granting a palace? Not a title or a land, but a ¡°palace¡±? Pristin, with a bewildered expression, was unable to say anything. But Claret, who had been listening to the conversation, clapped her hands. Pristin¡¯s gaze naturally turned towards the princess. Claret had a very satisfied expression on her face. Pristin had a foreboding feeling. ¡°As expected, my brother is so smart!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°To grant a palace, of course!¡± Claret said, smiling. ¡°To the benefactor who cared for and saved his younger sister, a mere title or estate would not be enough, right?¡± Strictly speaking, even Claret couldn¡¯t add the adverb ¡°mere¡± to what she had just said. A title or estate was not a trivial matter, and it would be difficult to bestow such honors unless there had been significant contributions. ¡°So, where is this palace being granted? Is it the Kreslin Palace? Or perhaps the Morpha Palace? It would be nice if it were near here.¡± ¡°Y, Your Highness.¡± Pristin interrupted Claret before she could say more. ¡°This seems a bit inappropriate.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°To grant a palace. It is too extravagant for me.¡± ¡°But Pristin, surely you said you would stay at the imperial palace until just now?¡± Claret asked with a voice of doubt. ¡°Did you change your mind? You said you¡¯d write a contract, but¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. What I meant to say was that I would temporarily stay here.¡± ¡°I see. So you can stay in the palace granted by Brother.¡± ¡°But¡­ Are you telling me to use an entire palace?¡± ¡°Yes. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not of noble blood. It¡¯s impossible¡­¡± ¡°But you are a valuable guest, Pristin.¡± ¡°Even so¡­¡± ¡°I think Brother¡¯s decree is very appropriate. It¡¯s not excessive at all. Not at all.¡± ¡°Princess, but¡­¡± ¡°As I said earlier, Pristin has taken care of me throughout my exile. You even saved my life recently. Do you know how remarkable that is?¡± ¡°Of course, I cannot deny such contributions, but still¡­¡± ¡°One must repay their savior.¡± Claret cut off Pristin¡¯s words. ¡°This is the principle of our family, Pristin.¡± It was a signal for Pristin to stop speaking. Pristin looked at Claret, at a loss for words. Not only had the decree been given, but it seemed that Claret greatly approved of it. Even if Pristin were to somehow convince Jerald to revoke the decree, Pristin had a feeling that Claret would oppose it. Pristin couldn¡¯t hide her expression of frustration and a headache as she spoke. ¡°I had only planned to be a lady-in-waiting to the princess or stay here. What maid would use an entire palace for herself?¡± ¡°There are always exceptions.¡± Claret had an attitude of indifference, as if it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I want to do whatever I can to make Pristin¡¯s stay here as enjoyable as possible, just like how you took care of me during my exile.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s how I feel. Let me repay you, too.¡± To that extent, even Pristin had nothing more to refute. However, the idea that ¡®this isn¡¯t right¡¯ still lingered in her mind. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯ll have to meet Jerald and talk about this in person.¡¯ If it is known that a whole palace was being used, unnecessary rumors may arise. Of course, she didn¡¯t care what bad rumors about her would go around, but she was afraid it would cause trouble for Jerald or Claret. Wasn¡¯t it the beginning of his reign? It was not a normal succession to the throne, so he should be more cautious. ¡°Your Highness, I have brought what you have asked for.¡± Just in time, the maid brought paper and a pen. Claret picked it up with a grateful look and handed it to Pristin. Pristin asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°So, what should I write here?¡± ¡°Until I give my permission.¡± Claret smiled and stared at Pristin. ¡°You just need to write a contract stating that you won¡¯t leave my side.¡± It was the agreement they had reached earlier. But now, as Pristin reached out to take the paper and pen, she felt a strange unease. It felt as if writing this document would bind her to the palace for the rest of her life¡­ ¡®No way.¡¯ Pristin believed that Claret¡¯s affection for her was merely a fleeting bond formed during her time in exile. Therefore, she had only agreed to a temporary stay (according to her own thoughts). But suddenly, she felt an unnecessary sense of anxiety about whether the princess might actually have long-lasting feelings for her. It was during this hesitation that Claret, observing her hesitation, cautiously asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t changed your mind, have you?¡± Pristin snapped out of her reverie. ¡®¡­It can¡¯t be.¡¯ Pristin couldn¡¯t fathom such a thing happening. Soon enough, Claret would show that she would be fine even without her. ¡®She¡¯s still young, after all.¡¯ Moreover, young children get bored easily. So, it was just a pointless thought. So, concluding that it was a useless idea, Pristin moved her hand gracefully on the paper. ¡°There, I¡¯m done.¡± After a while, Pristin gave Claret a contract that she had finished writing. ¡°Wow!¡± Claret, who received the contract, looked pleased. She instructed her maid to store the contract separately, then clapped her hands and said to Pristin. ¡°Well, now that we¡¯ve sorted things out, why don¡¯t we decide how to spend our time from now on?¡± ¡°Oh, wasn¡¯t I supposed to stay here as Your Highness¡¯s lady-in-waiting?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be staying here as my guest and friend. So, yes, you¡¯ll be a lady-in-waiting, but¡­ that term doesn¡¯t feel quite right. After all, I didn¡¯t hire you, Pristin.¡± ¡°In that case, what will be my role during my stay here¡­?¡± ¡°You just need to enjoy delicious meals prepared by the chef, listen to beautiful songs performed by talented musicians! And have fun, eat well, and sleep well with me!¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± However, Pristin¡¯s expression was not just happy. Confused by the sight, Claret asked. ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just.¡± Pristin began to say, but she swallowed her words just in time. It was unnecessary to mention the fact that she couldn¡¯t remember the last time she had such a leisurely lifestyle. ¡°And, occasionally, just talk to me.¡± ¡°I can do that every day if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you said so. I was worried you might find it bothersome.¡± ¡°I would never, Your Highness.¡± ¡°But you said you would leave.¡± Claret said, in a slightly sullen voice. ¡°That¡¯s why I thought so. Am I being a bother?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± Pristin shook her head in a hurry. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve written a contract, you can rest assured.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Claret, who responded bravely, changed the subject as if she had forgotten for a moment. ¡°Oh, by the way, there was something I wanted to ask earlier.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°So, what kind of relationship did you have with my older brother?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ah, the princess had a subtle persistence to her. Pristin swallowed her dry spit with a look of bewilderment. ¡®It will be difficult to hide any longer.¡¯ Pristin was forced to open her mouth. ¡°The thing is¡­¡± ¡°The thing is¡­?¡± ¡°¡­In the past.¡± Pristin went on with great difficulty. ¡°A few years ago, for a brief period¡­ We dated.¡± ¡°¡­With my brother?¡± The princess¡¯s expression transformed into shock. Pristin nodded. Claret murmured with an expression of disbelief. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of my brother dating anyone.¡± Naturally, their meetings had taken place in a foreign country, which was why there had been no word about it in the royal court. ¡°Was it a secret romance?¡± ¡°Well, kind of¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I guess I wouldn¡¯t have known then.¡± Claret quickly came to terms with it and nodded her head. ¡°More than that, my brother is Pristin¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s an ex-boyfriend?¡± ¡°Yes, well¡­¡± It was like that. As Pristin nodded, Claret¡¯s face brightened quickly. ¡°Pristin!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You were going to become my sister-in-law!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Pristin asked, realizing that Claret had misunderstood something. ¡°Si-, what do you mean sister-in-law?¡± ¡°My brother¡¯s wife is my sister-in-law, right?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s right.¡± The title was correct, but¡­ ¡°I ended my relationship with His Majesty the Emperor a long time ago, Your Highness.¡± ¡°The relationship ended?¡± ¡°It means we broke up.¡± ¡°Why did you break up?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Strictly speaking, Jerald was at fault for their split. But Pristin didn¡¯t want to tell the truth. She fully realized the circumstances on why Jerald had to do so when she reunited with him today. Apart from the hatred and resentment that accompanied the process. ¡°It just happen to¡­ That¡¯s what happened.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Somehow, Claret, who had been expressing a hint of sorrow, asked Pristin with a hopeful tone. ¡°Do you have any intention of trying again?¡± ¡°With whom are you referring to? Surely not¡­¡± ¡°With my brother.¡± ¡°¡­How can I dare.¡± ¡°¡®How dare you?¡¯ You must have known before that he was the crown prince.¡± Claret asked Pristin in confusion. ¡°So, being a crown prince is acceptable, but not being an emperor¡­?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not the issue.¡± Pristin answered, shaking her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t know his identity when I met His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± Claret widened her eyes in disbelief, as if questioning how that could be possible. Pristin, realizing that the story was getting too long, quickly concluded the conversation. ¡°The important thing is that I have no intention of resuming the broken relationship with His Majesty.¡± ¡°Well, my brother can be as cold as an icy wind, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But he would treat his woman very well. Trust me, Pristin!¡± Pristin knew that better than anyone else. However, getting involved with him again was out of the question. Not after knowing who he truly was. And not after she had fallen so far. ¡°And if you marry my brother, you can become an empress. You will become the most noble woman in the empire, Pristin.¡± ¡°I do not want a position like that, Your Highness.¡± Pristin said sternly. ¡°I would appreciate it if Your Highness would stop talking about this.¡± ¡°¡­All right.¡± Feeling the reluctance to continue the conversation, Claret took a step back with a crestfallen expression. However, her mind was already spinning in a complex web ever since she learned that the two of them had been in a romantic relationship. ¡®They were like that¡­¡¯ Realistically, it was impossible to keep Pristin in the palace without any official position. There was a time limit to her services, after all. Above all, Claret disliked uncertainties. ¡®If Pristin marries my brother and becomes empress, she can stay with me in the palace for the rest of her life.¡¯ It was a wonderful plan. In her heart, she wanted to make Pristin a lifelong maid in the princess¡¯s palace. However, seeing Pristin¡¯s resistance to even a temporary stay, it was unrealistic. ¡®The important thing is what my brother thinks.¡¯ Although she had not yet asked, Claret predicted Jerald¡¯s inclination would be highly positive. ¡®If that¡¯s not the case, what is the point of giving Pristin the palace?¡¯ He obviously hasn¡¯t forgotten his ex-lover. Therefore, it is not to lower the title or the castle, but to lower the palace and live in the imperial palace. So instead of changing her rank or status, he was letting her reside in the palace itself. ¡®And Pristin didn¡¯t blame herself for the break up.¡¯ Claret knew that, due to Pristin¡¯s character, she would have confessed honestly if they had broken up due to her fault. However, seeing that she evaded answering, there was a high possibility that they had broken up due to Jerald¡¯s imputation. ¡®I don¡¯t know what that reason might be, though.¡¯ For now, she would have to subtly pry into the matter. ¡°Your Royal Highness.¡± At that time, a servant who had come from the central palace called out to Claret in a hushed voice. ¡°If it¡¯s not an inconvenience, would it be all right to have Lady Lamont accompany me for a moment?¡± CH 8 ¡°Pristin?¡± Claret asked, widening her eyes. ¡°Why? For what?¡± ¡°His Majesty said that there is something to discuss about the palace.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Claret said to Pristin, as if to be glad to hear it. ¡°Go and come back, Pristin. Let¡¯s have dinner together when you come back. Yeah?¡± ¡°Yes. Dinner is fine, but¡­¡± Pristin asked in a bewildered voice. ¡°Do I have to go to the central palace again?¡± ¡°Yes? Do you not feel like it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She didn¡¯t feel like it. But it was hard to answer honestly, so Pristin just lied. ¡°¡­No, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Go and come back, Pristin. See you later!¡± Claret sent Pristin off with a bright smile. Eventually, Pristin followed the servant of the central palace and found herself once again meeting with Jerald. ¡®Since I had something to discuss regarding the palace issue anyway.¡¯ Pristin thought to herself, not to feel burdened, and finally stood in front of the same door she had entered earlier. ¡°Your Majesty, Lady Lamont has arrived.¡± ¡°Please send her in.¡± When the emperor¡¯s permission was given, the servants from both sides opened the door. Pristin stepped inside with a slightly tense expression. Jerald, who was enjoying his tea, smiled warmly and greeted her. ¡°Welcome, Pristin.¡± ¡­It seemed like now all formalities were thrown out the window. Pristin looked at Jerald with embarrassment. But she soon greeted him casually. ¡°I greet Your Majesty the Emperor, the sun of Limburg.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need such formality between us, Pristin.¡± ¡°That was the case before when I didn¡¯t know you were the emperor.¡± Pristin went on calmly. ¡°But not now.¡± ¡°¡­Are you treating me like any other man?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not treating you like any other man, Your Majesty. I¡¯m treating you as you are, Your Majesty.¡± Pristin, who approached Jerald, asked. ¡°Why did you give me the palace?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a reward for taking care of the princess in exile and for saving her life.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much, Your Majesty.¡± Pristin said, shaking her head. ¡°I will reside in the princess¡¯s palace. Just one room is enough. I believe that is what the princess would prefer as well.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Jerald asked with a smile that seemed to hold a hidden meaning. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°That is to say that Claret may prefer to comply with the decree I have given.¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s easy to call and meet if we were in the same palace¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s true in the short run.¡± Jerald continued with cryptic statements. Pristin narrowed her brows as if she could not understand him. Then she soon redirected the conversation back to the original topic. ¡°In any case, take away the decree, Your Majesty. It¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°Are you completely disregarding what I said initially? The value of the princess¡¯s life is even greater than that.¡± ¡°I understand, but I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jerald, who asked the question, rose from his seat. Then he began to approach Pristin with slow, deliberate steps. Pristin, realizing that she was at the end of Jerald¡¯s gaze, pulled herself back in an involuntary panic. Seeing her reaction, Jerald asked. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Caught off guard by his ambiguous question, Pristin couldn¡¯t answer and only bit her lip. Meanwhile, Jerald continued to advance towards her. Before she knew it, the distance between Pristin and Jerald became very close. Feeling overwhelmed, Pristin unconsciously took a few steps backward. Despite Pristin¡¯s retreat, Jerald continued to close the distance between them, resembling a predator closing in on its prey. At last Pristin¡¯s heels, which had kept backing away, touched the wall, which meant that she could no longer run away. Pristin made a dry sound, embarrassed by the unexpected wall. ¡°Ah¡­¡± With nothing more to do, she finally looked up. There was Jerald, who looked at her with a gaze that seemed unrecognizable. His eyes seemed to be longing for the answer to the question he had asked earlier. Pristin made eye contact with Jerald for a moment, and soon, unable to bear the burning gaze, opened her mouth; her voice feeble. ¡°Whatever it may be, I am afraid, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because Your Majesty is Your Majesty.¡± Pristin hesitated for a moment and then opened her mouth. ¡°You may have guessed, but I am a fallen noblewoman.¡± Even if it wasn¡¯t the case when they first met, it was undoubtedly true now. ¡°The reason we were able to have a relationship as a man and a woman in the past was purely because I thought you were a servant of the imperial palace.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I do not take issue with the fact that you deceived me. I also deceived you, and considering Your Majesty¡¯s status, it is not unfathomable to act in such a manner. However, if I had known then that you were the Crown Prince of Limburg, I never would have¡­¡± ¡°Stop.¡± At that moment, Jerald interrupted Pristin. She stared at Jerald with no sign of displeasure. It was less painful to accept his eyes than before. But that was also brief. As the burning eyes of desire turned into a pitiful, wounded ones, it became difficult to see. In whatever way, his gaze made her suffer. If that was the ending, then it was the ending. ¡°Stop it, Pristin.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The important thing is that I¡¯m not completely unappealing to you as a person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°If I was unappealing to you as a person, you wouldn¡¯t have even tried to establish a relationship at all. Right?¡± In the questioning voice, there was a kind of sadness. It seemed like each of his actions was trying to find positive clues in their relationship. His feelings were conveyed so well that Pristin couldn¡¯t answer for a moment. And after a long while, she finally spoke again. ¡°Is that important now?¡± ¡°It is important.¡± Jerald nodded and said in a voice of certainty. ¡°It¡¯s not because I¡¯m unappealing that you¡¯re pushing me away.¡± ¡°While Your Majesty may find that more important, there are other things that matter more to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a noble anyway. So any disqualification for our relationship¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Pristin interrupted him, quietly calling Jerald. Jerald, with a somewhat dazed expression, stared at Pristin. His face was expressionless, and in an atmosphere that seemed even colder than before, Jerald couldn¡¯t easily continue speaking. ¡°Do you think I am simply trying to cut off my relationship with Your Majesty because of the wall of status?¡± Various emotions were revealed on the face that asked that question. Disillusionment, bitterness, resignation, and affection. Too many emotions were mixed and intertwined, making it difficult to discern which one was the essence. Perhaps they were all the essence. Jerald replied, narrowing his brows. ¡°It sounds like there¡¯s another reason.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Tell me. What is it?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to answer.¡± ¡°Pristin.¡± ¡°There are many noble ladies in the court, and the majority of them want Your Majesty.¡± Pristin spoke to Jerald in an emotionless voice. ¡°You won¡¯t have a hard time finding a new woman.¡± At Pristin¡¯s words, Jerald stared at Pristin with a somewhat shocked face. Pristin deliberately turned away from his eyes. It was obvious what he would look like even if she didn¡¯t look. A face filled with disbelief, as if asking how she could say such a thing. A face that was deeply wounded, making her feel incredibly weak. Knowing this, Pristin avoided looking at his face even more. If she did, her resolve would weaken. That was certain. ¡°So please withdraw the edict for the palace, Your Majesty. I¡¯m afraid it will only give rise to negative rumors about Her Highness and Your Majesty because of me for nothing.¡± ¡°There is no one daring enough to utter such disrespectful words towards the royal family, unless they want to be thrown out of the empire.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since you rose to the throne.¡± Pristin went on, disregarding Jerald¡¯s calm demeanor. ¡°Although you have ample legitimacy, there have been significant incidents along the way. It¡¯s better to be cautious and prevent anything from happening.¡± ¡°¡­Seems like you¡¯re not completely indifferent to me.¡± Jerald said with a faint smirk. ¡°Seeing you have such worries.¡± ¡°It¡¯s merely loyalty that I have as a citizen of the empire towards the royal family.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is neither more or less, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re cruel.¡± Jerald murmured in a slightly trembling voice. Pristin, who had been looking elsewhere the entire time, turned her gaze. And as she confirmed Jerald¡¯s eyes, which were trembling as much as his voice, she unconsciously bit her lip. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re deliberately trying to hurt me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I heard that you wrote a contract with the princess stating that you will stay in the palace for the time being, right?¡± Still staring intensely at Pristin, he spoke with eyes that seemed slightly more bloodshot than before. ¡°I have no intention of withdrawing the edict.¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°If you want that edict to be rescinded, reconsider our relationship.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I want from you.¡± There was not a smile on Jerald¡¯s face, as if to show the truth of the words. Pristin was speechless and looked at Jerald. And after a while, she opened her mouth in a nonchalant tone. ¡°Then grant me the smallest palace, Your Majesty. I don¡¯t want to waste it.¡± It was a waste of her to use the palace alone, who was already not even an imperial family member, but in the current situation, there was no choice. Pristin added with a dry voice. ¡°Furthermore, there¡¯s no need to assign maids to me.¡± ¡°There are maids assigned to each palace as basic management.¡± Jerald asked in a voice full of despair. ¡°¡­Do you dislike starting over with me that much?¡± Pristin did not reply. Silence was positive. In such a situation, Jerald let out a hollow laugh and muttered softly. ¡°Fine. There will be plenty to see in the future anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aruvina.¡± And immediately, he called out someone¡¯s name. After a moment, the door opened, and a middle-aged lady entered. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Did you summon me?¡± ¡°From today, you will be in the service of Lady Lamont, not me.¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± It was a lady of high rank who came inside. Moreover, it was highly likely that she was the closest to the emperor, considering that she resided in the central palace. Pristin looked at Jerald with bewildered eyes, as if it couldn¡¯t be possible. ¡°Assist Lady Lamont in her stay at the palace and ensure her comfort.¡± But he went on coldly. Just as Pristin did to Jerald earlier. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I shall fulfill your command.¡± The lady, who had never even heard of someone named Lamont, replied casually. Pristin felt uneasy at Aruvina¡¯s excessive loyalty. Shouldn¡¯t she at least ask who she was and why she was to serve her? As she was caught up in such thoughts, Jerald¡¯s voice followed. ¡°From today onwards, you will reside in Camer Palace. Help Lady Lamont prepare the necessary things.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of her without any inconvenience.¡± Aruvina replied in a polite voice, and immediately turned to Pristin. ¡°Follow me, young lady. I¡¯ll take you to Camer Palace.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pristin had nothing more to say to Jerald at that moment. She gritted her lips, glancing at him for a moment before finally turning away. Jerald watched the back of Pristin leaving the room with Aruvina until the end, and only after the door was closed did his composure appear to falter for a moment. ¡°Hah¡­¡± A deep sigh came out of his pursed lips. It was true that the ending had not been ideal, and the price to pay would surely not be insignificant.