After coming outside, Pristin deliberated for a while. Should she go to the emperor first, or was it too late? Despite such thoughts, her feet faithfully followed the path toward the central palace.
As a result, she found herself too deep into the journey to contemplate further. Pristin entered the central palace with a nervous expression.
“Is His Majesty inside?”
“Ah, Countess Rosewell.”
The servant who recognized her greeted warmly.
“You’ve returned.”
“Yes. It’s only been a few hours.”
“You must be tired, but you’re not resting.”
Upon hearing the servant’s words, Pristin couldn’t bring herself to say, “I came to see His Majesty.” However, considering how odd it would be to turn around after coming this far, Pristin quickly shook her head.
“Well… now that I’ve returned, I thought I should greet His Majesty.”
“Oh, I see. But you must be tired; it would be fine to come again tomorrow.”
“…”
Why was he so tactless? Pristin awkwardly smiled inwardly and spoke.
“But since I’m here, I’ll say hello briefly.”
“Oh, yes. Please go ahead.”
Fortunately, the servant was no longer tactless.
“Your Majesty, the Countess Rosewell has come.”
After a while, the door opened, and as Pristin cautiously entered the room, she encountered a slightly surprised Jerald.
“…Pristin?”
He was dressed in sleepwear. It seemed that he was about to fall asleep. Pristin belatedly realized that she had come too late. She spoke with a slightly embarrassed expression.
“It’s… I returned from Vaylern, and I thought I should greet you. However, it seems too late, so I guess I’ll leave for today…”
However, before Pristin could finish her words, Jerald approached her and embraced her warmly. Pristin, with eyes widened in surprise, hadn’t said a word.
As Jerald drew her into a hug, he nestled his face low on her shoulder and mumbled.
“You came, where are you going?”
“Ah…”
“I’ve missed you so much.”
It was an expression of affection that was not unfamiliar, but Pristin couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. Her cheeks were dyed pale pink.
“I missed you too.”
Jerald looked at Pristin with a look of surprise at her confession. Pristin asked him with a slightly bewildered look at the reaction.
“Your Majesty can tell me that you missed me, but am I not allowed?”
“No, no, it’s not that…”
Jerald shook his head fast, his face even redder than Pristin’s.
“I’m happy. I’m very happy…”
“But?”
“I didn’t expect you to say that.”
“…I see.”
Indeed, thinking about it, Pristin rarely initiated such expressions. She felt a bit awkward.
“I’ll try to make an effort from now on.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It felt like Your Majesty was the only one expressing feelings for a long time.”
“Looks like you knew all along.”
“… Of course. I knew.”
She just hadn’t said it. Pristin cautiously inquired,
“Is it too late now?”
“No. It’s never too late.”
Jerald said with a smile.
“I’ll be waiting no matter when. So you don’t have to worry about being late.”
“You waited for a long time.”
Pristin whispered with a faint smile.
“You don’t have to wait anymore.”
“Did something happen in Vaylern?”
“What? Why?”
“I think something has changed.”
Jerald made a sharp analysis.
“It seems like something has changed. It wasn’t like this before you left.”
“…Can you tell?”
“Something must have happened. Am I right?”
Certainly, something had happened in Vaylern. However, that was unrelated to…
“Just, after we met again, I realized it felt different from before. I thought about His Majesty a lot.”
That was also undeniable. Pristin smiled slightly, and Jerald responded with a strange smile.
“I’m glad you went. I didn’t expect it to have such a good effect.”
“Regardless, something did happen.”
“Something? What happened?”
“…”
Pristin spoke after a moment of silence.
“Do you remember Iris?”
“Iris?”
“Yes, the child you rescued while Your Majesty was busy saving the imperial throne after it was taken away by the former emperor and building up your strength.”
“Iris…”
Scratching his head with a puzzled expression, Jerald suddenly snapped his fingers as if he remembered.
“Ah, I remember. I named her.”
“Do you recall now?”
“But what about her?”
“I found my younger sister.”
Pristin confessed with a slightly nostalgic expression.
“The child that Your Majesty saved.”
“What…?”
“Iris is my sister.”
“Oh my God.”
Jerald opened his eyes wide with a surprised look on his face.
“Really? Iris is your sister?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I never imagined that I would find my sister in the far northern land where Your Majesty saved her.”
“That’s great.”
With a smile on his face, Jerald asked Pristin,
“So what about your sister? Did she come with you?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, but…”
“What’s wrong?”
“There is a small problem.”
“A problem?”
“She lost her memory. As you know.”
“Oh… right.”
Jerald nodded as if recalling it a bit late.
“When I first rescued her, she couldn’t remember anything. Not her name, family, or hometown.”
“Still, I thought she might remember when she saw me, but she couldn’t recognize me at all.”
Pristin murmured with a bitter expression. Seeing Pristin like that, Jerald embraced her without saying a word. Pristin looked slightly surprised and glanced at Jerald.
“It’s okay. The important thing is that we found her. Right?”
“Yes…”
“Congratulations on finding your sister, Pristin. I’m happy because you’re happy.”
“It’s all thanks to Your Majesty. You are the savior of my sister’s life.”
“We’re bound by the fate of saving each other’s sisters.”
Come to think of it, it was true. Pristin had saved Claret, and Jerald had saved Christine. Smiling at the amusing coincidence, Pristin chuckled.
“Anyway, thank you so much. I’ve been wanting to say those words throughout my return.”
“I’d rather hear something else than words of thanks.”
“Yes?”
Pristin looked at Jerald with a puzzled expression, but he just showed a meaningful smile without saying anything. Only then did Pristin realize what Jerald wanted, and she couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Your Majesty, in a situation like this…”
“Why, am I too opportunistic?”
“You seemed to have done that intentionally.”
Pristin chuckled at the amusing nature of the situation, and Jerald wore a sulky expression.
“Even in a situation like this, if I don’t seize the opportunity, you’ll never…”
Mwah!
At that moment, Pristin’s lips touched Jerald’s cheek and then quickly pulled away. Jerald turned to Pristin with a slightly surprised expression. With a mischievous smile, Pristin whispered,
“I love you, Your Majesty.”
“…Surprising people is not nice.”
“So you don’t like it?”
“No.”
Jerald raised the corners of his mouth as if to say, ‘As if I wouldn’t.’
“It’s so nice.”
“That’s a relief.”
“It would have been better if the location was more central.”
“Central… Ah.”
Pristin, who belatedly realized what Jerald wanted to say, smiled profusely.
“I don’t know. Anyway, it’s over this time.”
“Too bad. I should have turned my head.”
“Try again next time.”
“Does that mean there will be more of this in the future?”
“…I don’t know about that.”
Blushing, Pristin turned her head away quickly.
Jerald smiled as if the sight was cute.
“At any rate, I’ll take my leave, Your Majesty. …Ah.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I forgot to ask you one thing.”
“Ask whatever you want.”
“Is it okay if I let my sister work as a maid in Camer Palace?”
“Pristin.”
Jerald looked at Pristin with an amused expression.
“Do you think I would refuse that?”
“Are you giving me permission?”
“Of course. She’s your sister, and how could I refuse such a thing when you found her?”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
With a wide smile, Pristin bowed her head.
“Good night.”
With that farewell, Pristin left Jerald’s room as if escaping, and Jerald continued to watch her departing figure with a regretful look.
“Sweet dreams, Pristin.”
Even after she disappeared, for quite a while.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
The next morning.
“You woke up quite early.”
Aruvina said in an astonished voice when she saw Pristin, who woke up earlier than usual.
“I’m sure you haven’t been able to relax from your travel fatigue yet.”
“Ah, Christine keeps popping up in my head.”
Pristin said with an awkward look.
“I was constantly worried that this might be a dream.”
“Oh dear.”
Aruvina, who listened to Pristin, looked at her with a mixed expression of pity and surprise after hearing her words.
“If you’re that worried, go and see her.”
“…Should I?”
Though it was a question, Pristin was already preparing to go outside. Wearing only a shawl, Pristin cautiously headed toward Christine’s room.
—Knock, knock
A short time after the knock, Christine’s voice was heard.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me, Chris.”
“Oh, come on in!”
Hearing the welcoming voice, Pristin opened the door and entered.
Christine, who had not been awake for long, looked slightly disheveled, and her face was a bit puffy. Christine greeted her sister with a sleepy smile.
“Countess.”
“Hi, Christine. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes. The bed is so nice… and the room is so spacious!”
Christine spoke in a slightly excited voice.
“I’m not sure if I can use such a nice room.”
“Now you’re staying here as my maid. His Majesty gave permission.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. So, feel free to stay comfortably.”
“Then, what should I do…”
“Nothing special. I spend my daytime in the herbal garden, you know.”
“Herbal garden?”
“Yeah. Although I came in as a friend of the princess, I’m also working as an herbalist.”
Pristin said, patting Christine on the shoulder.
“So, rather than thinking of something special to do, just be my friend here.”
“Okay. I’ll do that.”
“Want to have breakfast together?”
“Is that okay…?”
“It’s okay. Since His Majesty allowed it, you don’t have to ask every time we do something together.”
Pristin smiled and patted Christine’s shoulder.
“So, get ready and come to my room. Let’s have breakfast together.”
Thanks for the chapter!❤️🔥