“Sir Ares? What brings you here?”
He couldn’t contain his excitement about finally being able to leave the Palace infirmary.
While this wasn’t the Palace infirmary, I believed that as a knight of the Crown Prince, he should be at the Crown Prince’s residence.
Ares answered my question with a bright smile, looking quite pleased.
“His Highness Julion has issued an order for me to return as your personal escort.”
“My personal escort?”
“Yes. In fact, even before the unfortunate incident, I was assigned to be your escort. It seems I can finally fulfill that role properly now!”
For a moment, I recalled our first encounter when he enthusiastically asked me to entrust him with guarding duties.
“Your Highness, have you forgotten?”
As if it was evident in my expression, Ares pouted his lips with a hurt look on his face.
“Well, there were so many things going on that…… Anyway, please escort me again, Sir Ares.”
I extended my hand for a handshake, and Ares, with a relieved expression, shook my hand.
“Yes, please entrust me with anything!”
No, he is more like an errand boy than an escort.
As I thought about it, Ares’ expression soured again.
“Your Highness, you thought of me as an errand boy, didn’t you?”
It was so spot-on that I was left speechless.
Maybe he should consider another profession.
For example…….
“Your Highness, you don’t seriously think that I’m better suited for a different profession than being a knight, do you?”
…I shouldn’t have said anything.
No, just stop thinking.
When I couldn’t deny it, Ares rambled on, asking how I could think of such a thing.
Surely, he didn’t send him to me because he found him too noisy to keep around himself, right?
××××××××××××××××××××××
I had just returned to Garnet Palace after making eye drops and sending them to the Empress when Julion came to see me.
“I apologize. I lost my temper yesterday.”
As soon as Julion arrived, he bowed deeply, looking genuinely apologetic.
His apology was so polite that anyone would think he had lost his temper greatly the day before.
“You don’t have to apologize so much. I wasn’t really upset.”
“Still, it was an act that was inconsiderate to the patient.”
“Anyway, I’m fine.”
I replied cheerfully, but his expression turned sour.
“You always say you’re fine.”
“What do you mean?”
I asked, confused by his words. However, Julion lowered his head and changed the subject.
“…It’s nothing. More than that, did you take your medicine today?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Good, please don’t forget to take it.”
“I won’t. Don’t worry.”
The atmosphere between us felt strange somehow.
Julion seemed to have a lot to say, but he remained silent, as if waiting for something to happen.
The silence between us formed a ring of discomfort. We didn’t talk about anything.
‘Should I speak first?’
Perhaps Julion had come to have dinner with me.
But why come to my room and create such uncomfortable silence?
‘Oh, right, he used to come to my room often.’
He would often come to my room to have dinner together.
But today, it felt unusually awkward.
“Well, it’s about time…….”
As I was about to break the silence, a knock on the door interrupted me, followed by the voice of a servant.
“Your Highness, what you requested is ready.”
Both Julion and I turned our attention to the door simultaneously.
The chief attendant didn’t enter, but stood still outside the door, waiting.
Julion extended his hand to me and said,
“I’ve ordered a different food for you. It’s a nutritious yet light soup.”
“Different…?”
I held Julion’s hand and tilted my head in confusion.
This is Garnet Palace, my palace.
How did Julion manage to order food here?
“This way.”
The doubts didn’t linger for long.
As we exited my room, the servant greeted us with a kind smile and led us to the garden.
Once outside, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Everything was perfectly set up: a makeshift table, screens to shield us from the wind, a small campfire, scattered scented candles, and a tray of food.
“What is all this…?”
I couldn’t find the words, my astonishment was too great.
When I looked at Julion, he was beaming with satisfaction, nodding as he surveyed the setup.
“Because it seemed like you didn’t like feeling confined, I prepared this in my palace.”
“No, you could have just called me to the dining garden.”
“Isn’t it quite a distance? I heard you went for a walk this morning too. You’re not completely recovered yet. Too much movement may not be good for you.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond.
Of course I was grateful.
I was grateful, but suddenly, it felt like it might be too much.
I wondered what the servants from the prince’s palace were thinking when they brought all of this from there to set up in the garden.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I turned away from the servants.
However, Julion seemed quite satisfied and led me with a contented smile.
“Please have a seat.”
“Ah, yes…….”
The atmosphere was undeniably pleasant, and it seemed like I could enjoy a leisurely meal, even if it was just a bowl of soup. Well, that is if it weren’t for the attendants and maids surrounding us.
“Please, everyone, give us some space. We’d like to have some time alone.”
“Yes, your Highness.”
As if he had read my thoughts, Julion gestured for them to withdraw, and the attendants and maids retreated a good distance away.
Feeling awkward about the situation, I cleared my throat and picked up a glass.
“Um, Julion, I appreciate this, but…”
Julion paused, his gaze fixed on me as he continued sipping his drink.
In the dim light, his golden eyes shimmered like candlelight. I cautiously continued.
“Next time, wouldn’t it be better to just eat in the dining garden?”
“……Don’t you like it?”
Julion lowered his glass and furrowed his brow.
Worried that he might take offense, I hurriedly continued waving my hand.
“No! I really like it! But, um…”
“You like it so what’s the problem?”
“Did the servants set all this up?”
“Yes.”
“It’s just that I feel so embarrassed… they went through so much trouble just for a bowl of soup.”
“They say that even when eating a single bowl, one should do so comfortably and enjoyably for good health.”
I realized that if I said that I wasn’t comfortable in this situation, he would be disappointed.
Unsure of what to say, I just smiled awkwardly and sipped my water.
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? We’re deeply in love with each other, after all.”
At Julion’s words that flowed out so casually, the water that was going down my throat almost jumped out in the opposite direction.
I barely swallowed it with a gulp of air, but Julion laughed and added an explanation.
“Wasn’t that how it’s supposed to appear? Your strategy, I mean.”
In other words, he’d arranged this to show off the fact that we were now Mr. and Mrs. Lovebird.
So, this setup was to show that we were a loving couple. From that perspective, it didn’t seem so bad.
“Well, at least don’t do it twice.”
Since the stage was set like this, I might as well enjoy it this time and ask him not to do it again in the future.
“Thank you for all this.”
“What’s there to thank me for? You’ve been an outstanding Crown Princess, taking on so much responsibility. I should be the one thanking you. Consider this my way of showing my gratitude.”
“Well, okay, if you say so.”
I took a spoonful of the soup. It was smooth and rich. The savory flavor came from deep within. The salty taste at the beginning and the sweetness at the end lingered on my tongue.
It was so much better than I expected, I ate it in a frenzy, and then opened my mouth to ask a question.
“By the way, Julion, is Blanche still not confessing?”
“Yes. She claims she’s innocent and has been wronged.”
“She’s quite shameless.”
“Now that it’s reached this point, I almost find the one who confessed, the chief physician, quite decent.”
“He must be feeling desperate after coming back from the brink of death. When people are pushed to the edge, they’ll do anything.”
He had been sentenced to twenty years of forced labor in western labor camps.
“What about the other prisoners? What happened to them?”
“Their fate is similar to that of the chief physician. They were stripped of their titles and sent to labor camps as well.”
For someone who dared to manipulate the royal family, it was quite a lenient punishment.
“So it’s really over now.”
“It’s all thanks to you.”
“But we couldn’t capture the mastermind.”
“But you revealed the existence of the mastermind. Now it’s my job to catch them. You should focus on recovering your health as much as possible.”
“What……, I’m fine, really.”
Avoiding eye contact, I took another mouthful of soup.
I heard Julion chuckle softly.
After a few more bites, I found myself staring at the bottom of the soup bowl. Maybe it was because the soup was too delicious or because of the sound of the crackling campfire in the cool breeze, or the flickering orange light of the candles that made it so enjoyable.
I savored the remaining soup very slowly, enjoying the moment.
Julion too, was eating at a much slower pace.
Perhaps because he was full or perhaps he felt the same way, but I didn’t feel the need to ask.
××××××××××××××××××××××
I had just finished dinner with Julion and was getting ready for bed when Dr. Barmid sought me out quietly.
“I greet you, Your Highness. I apologize for coming at such a late hour. The affairs at the Palace Infirmary kept me occupied.”
He said with a warm smile, his eyes showing a mixture of emotions as he looked at me.
I returned his greeting warmly and invited him to take a seat.
“It’s quite alright. I was expecting you, Dr. Barmid. Please have a seat.”
“Thank you, your Highness. How are you feeling?”
“Good. There is no pain anywhere. Zenid, please prepare some tea.”
He seemed like someone with a lot to say, but his lips trembled as if he couldn’t find the right words.
“Rooibos tea.”
Zenid brought the tea, filling the room with its fragrant aroma.
Finally, Barmid slowly began to speak.
“Your Highness…”
Whatever he was about to say, Mr. Bamid stopped talking again and stared at me.
His deep blue eyes were filled with curiosity.
I, too, had questions for Representative Bamid. If he was from the Yalon Kingdom, did he have any knowledge of my mother? If so, what kind of person was she? I wanted to ask about the person I missed so dearly, even if it was just a little.
The words that came out of Barmid’s mouth were like a ray of hope for me.
“You look a lot like your mother, Shahadna.”
Shahadna Chefer Yallonstanya.
My mother’s name, a name I had yearned to hear, even in my dreams.
