“According to imperial tradition, the Crown Prince will be attending classes at the Academy for a while to take courses on state administration after the Investiture Ceremony. Why doesn’t the Crown Princess go with him and take a class too?”
When the word ‘Academy’ came out of the Emperor’s mouth, Edith reacted like a girl hearing the name of her first love.
“Is that really okay?”
“Of course. I heard you’re particularly interested in medicine, so I thought it would be nice if you could attend a few theoretical lectures on public health and medicine.”
“Oh my…”
“If the Crown Princess is interested in that field, it will definitely be reflected in the policies. Then, everyone in Agnas can receive more appropriate medical benefits.”
Feeling like her voice might tremble, Edith just nodded slightly.
When she found out that Walter was the Emperor’s son, the biggest problem was related to admission to the Academy’s Medical Department.
Once she ascends to the position of Crown Princess, she could seek out teachers and learn anything she wanted. However, she was aware that if she made a mistake, she might derail from her primary duties.
Considering the heavy responsibility that came with the position, she had been wondering to what extent she should put aside her academic pursuits. The Emperor’s proposal, however, was precisely the compromise she had hoped for.
At the same time, it was somewhat amazing that the Emperor acknowledged her interests and dreams.
“I will do my best, Your Majesty.”
“It seems that the medicine developed through research on Walter’s blood and magic works well for me. I should have plenty of time. The Academy is also a place to build friendships between nobles, so it will be a good experience.”
By the end of the tea time with the Emperor, Edith was all smiles.
The same thing happened while she was taking a tour of the Crown Prince’s Palace, where they would soon be moving. Walter, with a smile, tidied Edith’s tousled hair.
“I knew you would enjoy taking classes at the Academy, but I didn’t know you would be happier than you were at our wedding.”
Edith chuckled and added apologetically.
“Working in the palace has been my dream for a very long time. I can help even more people here than in a clinic.”
She’d always dreamt of one day working in the palace to help the sick, but becoming the Crown Princess was beyond what she could have imagined.
The feeling of everything she had wanted since she was a child slowly coming true was indescribable.
Walter’s eyes squinted as he looked at her, satisfied.
“Ah, yes, didn’t I tell you that having a handsome crown prince would be good for your pleasure and also for your well-being?”
“Hmm, hmm.”
Edith pretended that she had never heard such a statement and got into the carriage with a coy attitude. She couldn’t believe that soon she would be living here in the Imperial Palace.
──────────✿◦•
The Crown Prince’s Investiture Ceremony was scheduled to take place in the temple within the palace.
Walter, who had finished preparing early, was still in the unfamiliar office of the Crown Prince’s Palace. Cassius, who had come to report and meet him, was unable to speak.
Walter, dressed in formal attire befitting his authority as the Crown Prince, was showing off a splendor and authority that had never been seen before.
The midday sunlight poured in through the large window behind him. The epithet “Little Sun of the Empire” seemed to fit perfectly with the young Crown Prince of Agnas.
It was a strange change from what Cassius was used to seeing, but somehow, the sight of him in luxurious formal attire also felt familiar.
The strange sense of intimidation Cassius had felt when he first discovered the boy attempting to escape from Fortrion Manor seemed to have found its rightful place now.
“Greetings, Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
When Walter meets Cassius’s gaze, he also finds himself captivated by Cassius and is overcome by an unknown feeling.
Dressed in a uniform that only knights belonging to the Imperial Family, especially commanders, could wear, his appearance was incomparably more dependable than before.
“Report, Commander of the Second Knight Division.”
“Why address me so formally… Ahem, then I will give you my first report as the Commander-in-chief of the Second Knight Division directly under the Crown Prince.”
“If you’re the commander, you’re the commander, but what’s this about… commander-in-chief?”
“Thanks to Your Highness, out of long-standing friendship and loyalty, who has bestowed upon me all possible titles.”
Cassius looked satisfied for a moment, then resumed his serious attitude.
“Setting that aside, I’ll report on the execution of the Gerturks.”
“Was it carried out?”
“Yes. Count Gerturk and his wife were making excuses until the very end of every crime until their heads were blown off, and Gilbert… that dimwit kept babbling nonsense till the end.”
“What about Patricia?”
“I thought she would be laughing like a mad person, but she was hanged in an uncharacteristically dispirited state. According to the knights, it seems her mental state deteriorated significantly since Lady Edith visited her the other day.”
“So, she finally realized the reality after being trapped in her own world. What about Claude?”
Walter pondered until the end about what to do with Claude, who inherited Patricia’s blood.
The usual course of action would have been to kill him, in case he tried to retaliate in the future.
But every time Walter saw Adrian smiling at him, he couldn’t help but think again about Claude’s execution.
“As you ordered, Claude has been transferred to a strict convent where he cannot leave until he dies.”
“…”
“Right now, he seems to be in agony over the fact that the Empire is in chaos because of him and the fact that Patricia is dead, but it won’t be long before his memories are erased with the help of a potion. He will feel better.”
“As soon as the mages of Lexion have perfected the potion, have it ready for use.”
Walter did not backtrack on his decision to spare the young Claude. It was a mercy that he, in his younger years, would never have shown.
Suddenly, Cassius became a bit curious about what form the Empire of Agnas, led by him, would take. At least, it didn’t seem like there would be any coldness.
“I will do as you command. But…”
Cassius looked at Walter’s desk. More precisely, at the pen that Walter had been holding for several tens of minutes and the empty letter paper.
“I think it was already a few days ago that you said you were writing a reply to the letters you received from the Crown Princess.”
“… You’re so noisy.”
“At this rate, it’s not worth buying and transporting boxes of different types of paper sold in the capital.”
“…”
Walter, looking somewhat embarrassed, began to move the pen.
╭══════
To Edith.
══════╯
However, after writing a few more words, the pen stopped again.
『 I don’t know what to write.』
After recovering his memory, Walter read most of the letters Edith had written to him and noticed an important fact.
All the letters she sent him, expressing her longing for him, indicated that she was waiting for a reply.
So, he wanted to write a reply. He wanted to write down his feelings towards her, just as she did while thinking about him.
『 I never thought I would be so bad at writing.』
When he thought he was conveying his true feelings to the woman he loves, the sentences stopped flowing. Walter wanted to mess up his neatly combed hair.
In the end, he momentarily forgot who he was writing the letter for and looked for the name that made him feel comfortable just by pronouncing it.
“Any news on Edith?”
“M’lady—… sorry. The Crown Princess is in an unusually nervous state.”
“Nervous?”
“Not everyone is as bold as Your Highness. I’m sure she’s not used to the Imperial palace servants yet.”
Thinking that Edith, who seemed strong-willed, was nervous due to the formalities, Walter couldn’t help but laugh for some reason.
“If M’lady is nervous, I should help her relax.”
He got up after confirming that there was quite a bit of time left until the Investiture Ceremony.
“Cassius, tidy up these letters and come to fetch me when it’s time.”
Walter had already memorized which hallway to go down and which stairs to take to get from his office to the room where Edith was staying in the shortest amount of time.
After knocking and opening the door, Vivian, who was inside, bowed and greeted him.
“How is Edith doing?”
“She’s not even dressed yet, and she’s already pale.”
“When should she start preparing so as not to be late for the Investiture Ceremony?”
“She should start preparing about five hours in advance… Well, I think starting in two hours will be perfect.”
Wearing formal attire for five hours would make even an ordinary person’s face turn white.
With that thought in mind, Walter approached the sofa where Edith was sitting. There was Edith, sitting there in a white gown, reviewing a book of etiquette as if she were memorizing it.
A fresh and warm scent emanated from her lush, repeatedly combed golden hair, and the tiara placed on her head complemented her blue eyes fantastically.
“I heard you aren’t ready yet, but you look beautiful.”
“Walter…”
She looked wilted as if she were about to face an exam that would make her head explode, not as if she were receiving the honor of being appointed Crown Princess.
Walter knew it was his job to ease her tension.
“Edith, would you like to ride a horse for a moment?”
“What?”
Edith looked at Walter with her eyes wide open.
She wondered if the idea of going horseback riding for a while before an important event would be something the person who would become the Crown Prince in just a few hours would say. However, at the same time, it seemed like no better action suited him.
Besides, now that he had his memory back, Walter had a much better understanding of Edith.
“The servants and nobles’ attention is still focused on the ceremony venue, which is far away from the Crown Prince’s Palace.”
“…”
“It won’t take much time if we just quickly go around the garden of the Crown Prince’s palace.”
“Then sure…”
At his insistence that it wouldn’t be a problem, Edith rose from her seat.
As he mentioned, they still had some time to spare, and going into the temple in her current state might lead to mistakes due to her nervousness.
Walter smiled and took her hand, leading her. Edith followed him, holding the hem of her temporary white dress with one hand. Unconsciously, she found herself smiling.
As always, it didn’t take much time for Walter to find a dashing, clean horse.
With his assistance, Edith mounted the horse. As he mounted the horse as well, and his firm chest touched her back like a rock, strangely enough, all the tension disappeared.
As he pulled the reins, a refreshing breeze passed through her stiff body. Whenever she caught a whiff of her scent mixed with her breath, Walter urged the horse even more vigorously.
“Walter…!”
The surprise causing her to momentarily hold her breath was just a fleeting moment. Her body quickly adjusted, as if it was already familiar with his rough and swift handling.
Even in her childhood, and even now, Edith couldn’t tell whether the reason her heart was pounding as if it was going to burst was because of the speed, the pleasure, or because Walter was holding her tightly from behind.
However, one thing was certain.
“This is nice!”
As the Crown Prince’s palace came closer, and he began to slow down, Edith found herself murmuring unknowingly.
When she cried or was tense, Edith loved how Walter would quietly approach her and take her outside.
Edith understood why she hadn’t forgotten him and their memories for so long.
As they neared the Crown Prince’s Palace, Walter dismounted first, took the reins, and walked. Then he picked a white wildflower, twirled it for a while, making a small ring, and slipped it onto her hand.
“This is exactly what I imagined when I left Lowell Manor, Edith.”
“…”
“Bringing you to the capital, dressing you in beautiful clothes, and occasionally riding horses like in our childhood.”
Walter lightly kissed the back of Edith’s hand.
“Though it’s a bit late, from now on, I’ll make sure you wear this happy expression every day.”
Edith could tell that she was smiling brightly at him.
At the same time, she realized that the vague happiness she had envisioned while missing him and writing letters was exactly like this moment.
“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh―!”
As a fierce wind blew, Cassius’s scream echoed from the direction of Walter’s office window, sending dozens of letters he had apparently missed flying in all directions.
Walter looked bewilderedly at the chaotic sky, then chuckled, as if saying it didn’t matter.
Once again, his lips touched the back of her hand.
“I love you, Edith.”
“I love you too, Walter.”
Edith responded with a bright smile.
In front of her were the responses she had been waiting for a very long time.
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