“Is there something specific you wanted to talk to me about?”
“No.”
“Then…”
Letier still looked completely clueless.
Facing her innocent expression, Dante suddenly felt a flicker of guilt—he hadn’t invited her with purely innocent intentions. He tossed out the first words that came to mind.
“You’re really careless and completely oblivious.”
“…What?”
Letier bristled at that.
He kept saying that—from last time, too. But she had never in her life been called careless.
What exactly does he think I’m so oblivious about?
“…There was a need to clear your carriage.”
“What does that mean?”
“You really didn’t notice?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The relationship between your assistant and your escort knight.”
I have no idea.
Dante’s words, thrown out with an “oh well” attitude, caused Letier’s face to slowly shift in expression.
Her eyes widened as if she’d just heard something unbelievable.
“Lucy and Ephron?”
“That’s right.”
Lucy and Ephron… have some kind of relationship?
They had been by her side since childhood.
So… sometimes like friends, sometimes more like siblings… that kind of bond.
Was there a deeper, romantic feeling between them she didn’t know about?
“You really didn’t notice, huh.”
“I— I did know!”
Letier blurted out quickly.
“So, so… you invited me to ride with you so Lucy and Ephron could ride together. That’s what you’re saying, right?”
“Exactly.”
“I knew that already, and that was my plan too. But thank you for offering first.”
She rattled off her words fast.
She couldn’t let it slip that she hadn’t known.
She refused to be branded as careless and oblivious.
“Right. So you’ll be riding with me for the time being.”
“Of course.”
Letier nodded emphatically.
Lucy and Ephron… really?
She glanced out the window toward her carriage, thinking she’d have to ask Lucy about this the moment they reached the palace.
I had no idea… Lucy, Ephron…
At this point, she had to admit—maybe she was a little oblivious in some ways.
Meanwhile, Dante, watching Letier glance repeatedly out the window, felt awful.
He couldn’t believe he’d resorted to such a childish, transparent lie.
Why would I care what kind of relationship her assistant and escort have…?
As he scowled at himself, noise stirred outside and the carriage began to move.
“Looks like we’re off.”
“The border with Eustian isn’t far from here. We’ll be going through inspection soon.”
“Okay.”
Letier took the entry permit from her bag and held it in her hands.
Dante was right—the border wasn’t far.
Just minutes later, the carriage stopped, and voices could be heard outside, talking to them.
Peeking out the window, Letier saw guards standing on either side of a wide road.
In front of them, people holding long documents were moving from knight to knight, speaking to each in turn. They must be border control officers.
The murmuring voices grew closer until one stood directly outside their carriage.
“There will be a brief inspection.”
With those words, the carriage door opened.
Letier, ready for this, immediately held out her permit.
“Here—”
But before she could hand it over, the officer’s eyes landed on Dante’s permit—and grew impossibly wide.
“Y-Your Highness…! I-I greet the Little Sun of the Empire…!”
He quickly bowed deeply and shouted the greeting without looking up.
“We hope your visit is a pleasant one!”
“Thank you.”
As Dante’s voice rang out, the officer finally raised his head—completely ignoring Letier’s outstretched hand—and shut the door behind him.
Uh… that’s it?
Letier stared at the firmly closed door, then turned her head.
“They’re not going to check my documents?”
“They know anyone I bring is cleared.”
Dante replied casually.
Letier looked down at the entry permit she’d taken such care to bring all the way from the Lenever estate.
“I guess… having this doesn’t matter when I’m with you…”
“You’ll probably need it on the way back to the Empire.”
Letier thought to herself: Only if I’m not in the royal carriage again.
She didn’t say it out loud, but it lingered in her mind.
“We still have a little way to go before we reach the royal palace. Just sit back and rest.”
Dante said gently, his eyes warm.
Letier nodded and sank deeper into the seat.
Dante, watching her shift her posture, let out a soft chuckle.
“Your Highness.”
Letier, looking out the window, spoke up.
Dante, who had been watching her the whole time, didn’t turn his head.
“When we get to the Kingdom of Eustian, how exactly will the investigation into Her Majesty be conducted?”
“Good question.”
Dante uncrossed his long legs.
He paused to collect his thoughts, then answered slowly.
“There will be a series of meetings related to the alliance treaty once we arrive. That’s the official reason. But to be honest, there are parts of the agreement that do need adjusting.”
Letier nodded slightly.
“Royal families tend to care way too much about pointless formalities and procedures, so there will be a lot of meetings. Often, and frequently.”
“Are there many clauses that need amending?”
“Even if there aren’t, they’ll act like there are.”
Dante raised a hand and rubbed at his thick brow, already exasperated.
He hated pointless waste of time and resources.
“After attending the first few mandatory meetings, the rest will be handled by staff. That’ll leave me with free time.”
“I see.”
“During that time, I’ll personally visit the village where the empress was born and raised. I’ll check out everywhere she stayed before she came to the Empire.”
As she quietly listened to his plan, Letier thought of Dante’s hands-on approach—how he was always running around in person.
Even when he was the masked prince, or the fake ‘Leuter’ in the capital.
“Don’t most people assign that kind of fieldwork to subordinates?”
“People with more trustworthy subordinates probably would.”
“Oh…”
Without thinking, Letier glanced out at the knights escorting their carriage from all sides.
Are they… all loyal to the Empress?
“And I just prefer roaming around on my own.”
Seeing her serious face, Dante smiled mischievously and added the line lightly.
“What about Leuter? Why didn’t he come this time?”
“He had business to handle at the palace.”
“He must be disappointed not to come with you.”
“Why would you think that?”
Dante looked genuinely confused, red eyes narrowed.
Honestly, he was enjoying not being nagged for once.
If Leuter had come, he probably wouldn’t have been able to travel with Letier like this at all.
“Well… I mean, he is one of the few people you trust, right?”
Dante rested his chin in his hand and looked at her.
Letier found her gaze drawn to his handsome face, softened by a gentle smile.
“But now I have you.”
“Then… does that mean I’ll be joining the investigation too?”
“No. Definitely not.”
He replied like it was obvious.
Letier was objectively brilliant, especially in her knowledge of ingredients.
But he hadn’t brought her because he needed help.
“Oh… then will I be assisting you at the palace?”
“Hmm… probably not that either.”
As Dante’s vague replies continued, Letier tilted her head in confusion.
“Then what am I here for?”
“For my mental and emotional peace.”
…What?
Letier frowned.
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“You just need to stay by my side. That’s all.”
“……”
Letier gave up trying to understand him—again.
She figured, in time, he’d probably give her something to do.
“Well… okay then…”
She replied, voice tinged with uncertainty.
****
“Wow…!”
Inside the carriage as it entered the royal palace of Eustian, Letier couldn’t take her eyes off the breathtaking view.
It had a different charm compared to the grand and towering imperial palace of the Trillante Empire.
Though smaller in scale, the Eustian palace exuded a calm and peaceful aura, blending beautifully with the surrounding trees that enclosed it naturally—without the need for imposing stone walls.
“It’s beautiful!”
Up ahead, near the palace gates, a group of people was gathered.
They seemed to be members of the Eustian royal family, standing there to greet Dante.
“Everyone’s come out to greet you, Your Highness.”
“So it seems.”
Dante’s expression barely changed as he looked toward the group.
“We’ve arrived!”
At last, their carriage stopped in front of the palace.
As the knight standing like a statue in front of the royals opened the door, Dante stepped out first.
Then, the attendant standing beside the knight who opened the carriage door extended his hand toward Letier.
She took his hand and slowly stepped down from the carriage.
“We welcome the Little Sun of the Empire!”
At the shout of King Peres of Eustian, who stood at the front and center, everyone else immediately bowed their heads.
Letier stood silently, just one step behind Dante.
“King Peres. It’s been a while.”
“Welcome, Your Highness!”
“It’s good to see you again, Your Highness!”
As Dante accepted the greetings, voices of welcome rose from all directions.
With all the casual smiles and warm words, it seemed the Kingdom of Eustian had a much more open and relaxed atmosphere.
Just then, someone suddenly stepped forward from the crowd and rushed up to Dante.
She was a woman in a clearly luxurious dress, with wavy brown hair tied neatly at the back.
“Prince Dante!”
Her eyes sparkled, and a wide, bright smile curved her lips as she walked briskly toward him.
Standing right in front of him, she looked up with bright green eyes that blinked eagerly.
Her face gave off a cheerful, lively energy, charming, straightforward, and refreshingly unpretentious.
