Episode 113

 

Despite my acting, it was clear that my brother hesitated to speak. His eyes were filled with uncertainty.

At this point, it would be right for me to give up.

Normally, if it wasn’t urgent or important, I would have. It isn’t polite to pry into my brother’s private life, even as family.

But I had to know what the princess meant in my dream.

And no matter how many times I thought about it, only Jade could provide the answers.

I hid my impatience and waited without pushing him further.

Fortunately, after a moment, Jade looked like he had made a big decision and began to speak.

“Actually, I ran into her by chance a few years ago.”

“By chance?”

I had assumed they had known each other since childhood, so I was surprised from the start.

“Yes. But at the time, I didn’t know she was the princess.”

The more I listened, the more I realized it was different from what I had thought.

I signaled him to continue with a small gesture.

“It really was a sudden meeting, and just as suddenly, we stopped meeting.”

“I don’t quite understand… What do you mean?”

I asked cautiously, not fully understanding his words.

Jade paused, as if recalling that day, then began to speak again.

“Do you remember a few years ago when the festival lasted quite long, like this year?”

“Yes, I remember. It was for His Majesty’s 40th birthday, right?”

“That’s right. The festival lasted a week. I first met the princess on the first day of that festival.”

With that, Jade started recounting his story in his usual calm voice.

* * *

Late in the evening, after finishing his duties at the imperial palace, Jade was mentally exhausted as he made his way back to the Anaïs Manor.

On the way, the noise outside the carriage grew louder, with people chattering and shouting.

‘The festival starts today.’

At first, he intended to go home and rest.

But then he thought of his sickly sister, who stayed at home all the time, and decided to buy her a gift.

So Jade got off the carriage and headed to the bustling market where the festival was in full swing.

‘What would be good?’

He wondered what would make Ayla smile.

To see his sister’s bright smile, Jade quickly moved through the market.

For him, the items in the shops on both sides of the street were more interesting than the people enjoying the festival.

While looking for a gift, he was browsing through a jewelry stall when someone bumped into him.

“Ah!”

The light impact and the scream indicated it was a woman.

Jade turned his head from the stall to the person who had collided with him.

Unlike him, who remained unmoved, the small, delicate woman had fallen to the ground from the impact.

“Are you alright?”

Jade quickly extended his hand to the owner of the luscious red hair.

“Ouch.”

The woman groaned in pain as she raised her head, having hurt herself in the fall.

At that moment, her eyes, redder than her hair, met Jade’s.

For a moment, they silently stared at each other.

The noisy surroundings seemed to fall silent, as if they were the only ones there.

The woman’s voice broke the spell.

“Oh, I’m sorry…”

She apologized as she took his hand.

When Jade helped her up, they ended up standing quite close to each other.

She smelled faintly of sweet flowers.

“I was looking at the ground and didn’t see you. I’m very sorry.”

Jade alternated his gaze between the woman and the surroundings.

Although she was wearing a large cloak, her appearance and attire suggested she was a noble, yet she had no escorts.

“It’s alright. Are you hurt?”

“No. I think I just scraped my knee a bit, but it’s nothing serious.”

She said this with a genuinely untroubled expression and a bright smile.

 

“Well, then…”

“Wait a moment…”

“Yes?”

Just as the woman was about to leave, Jade called out to her.

“I will escort you home.”

She looked about the same age as Ayla, maybe a year or two older.

Thinking of his sister, Jade couldn’t let her go alone.

“No, I can go by myself.”

“Even though the streets are bright due to the festival, you must always be careful at night. Besides, you’re hurt. It would be better if I escorted you.”

“It’s really fine…”

“Please wait for a moment. I’ll buy something quickly and then escort you.”

At first, the woman tried to refuse Jade’s kindness, but for some reason, she didn’t resist any further.

After seeing her nod, Jade turned back to the stall he had been looking at.

“Are you buying a gift?”

He was pondering what to buy when her voice came from beside him.

“Yes. I’m buying a gift for my sister.”

“How old is she?”

“She’s around your age.”

“Oh… then how about this?”

The woman picked up a hairpin from the stall and handed it to him.

The small green jewels in the shape of leaves would suit Ayla perfectly.

“It seems like it would suit her well.”

“Right?”

Watching her smile with satisfaction, Jade immediately paid for the hairpin and carefully put it in his pocket.

“Shall we go then? I’ll escort you.”

“…Yes.”

Jade led the woman to where his carriage was waiting.

The carriage bore the family crest, indicating which noble house it belonged to.

The woman seemed a bit surprised when she saw the crest.

“I’m Jade Anaïs.”

Jade introduced himself to the surprised woman.

“Oh… you’re from the Anaïs family.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“I’m Dia… Daina Letis.”

“Letis?…”

Hearing the unfamiliar family name, Jade looked at her quizzically.

“It’s a humble family with a small estate in the provinces, so you might not know it.”

Daina introduced her family with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s alright.”

When Jade apologized politely, Daina waved it off with a smile.

“Did you come up to the capital from the provinces to enjoy the festival?”

“Yes, that’s right. This is my first time at such a grand festival. It’s amazing and so much fun.”

“Where are you staying now?”

“At an inn.”

“Are you alone?”

“No, I came with others, but I snuck out by myself.”

Daina hastily explained.

“I see. I’ll take you to the inn you’re staying at.”

“Thank you…”

Jade extended his hand to help her into the carriage.

She hesitated, staring at his large hand for a moment before taking it and getting into the carriage.

The inn where Daina was staying was only a short ride away.

After arriving in no time, they got out of the carriage.

“Thank you for escorting me.”

“It’s nothing. May I offer some advice?”

“Yes? Sure.”

“The capital is not safe enough for you to walk around alone. Please make sure to have an escort with you next time.”

“I will… thank you.”

“Good night.”

“Thank you, Sir Anaïs.”

Just before boarding the carriage, Jade looked back at her once more.

He felt a strange reluctance to leave.

But he quickly steeled himself and headed back to the Anaïs Manor.

Ayla was thrilled with the gift Daina had chosen.

Seeing his sister’s delighted face, Daina’s face resurfaced in Jade’s mind, occupying his thoughts.

“Brother?”

Ayla called out to him with a puzzled look while examining the hairpin.

“Huh?”

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

“Nothing, really.”

“This hairpin is so pretty! Thank you, brother.”

“Next time, let’s go to the festival together. I’ll buy you even better things.”

“Yes! Next time, let’s definitely go together. Promise?”

“Promise.”

Jade smiled, finding his ailing sister both pitiable and admirable for her bright smile despite her condition.

The next day, after finishing his duties at the imperial palace, Jade passed through the bustling market on his way back to the Anaïs Manor.

Feeling a sudden urge, he got off the carriage to explore the festival again.

While walking through the crowd, he encountered Daina once more, as if it were fate.