“Make sure you tell the one currently crashing at your place. Watch out for that old fox whose specialty is stabbing people in the back.”

...Yeah. The Imperial Palace really didn’t # Nоvеlight # suit her. Why did this kind of thing happen every single time she came here?

Without caring in the slightest about Consort Jabiela’s stare, he said everything he wanted to say, then smiled as if nothing had happened.

And somehow, that made him look infuriatingly smug.

“We’ll be taking our leave now. Enjoy the rest of your time.”

As if nothing had happened, he even offered a slick farewell, then took her hand and simply walked them out of the garden.

Haah.

Should she be grateful he wasn’t leaving her behind alone, at least? What if she’d been left by herself in that icy atmosphere?

Led along by Crown Prince Edsen’s hand, sigh after sigh leaked out of Camilla’s mouth as she walked.

*****

“It doesn’t seem like you have any place that’s unwell.”

“Then why do you collapse so easily? Examine her again.”

Crown Prince Edsen knitted his brow at the Imperial Palace healer’s words.

The healer’s face tightened with discomfort at Edsen contradicting him so bluntly.

“Hmm... overall, you do have fatigue built up, but there’s nothing that looks like it would become a problem. You simply need plenty of rest.”

Listening to the two of them, Camilla let out an awkward smile. What on earth was this situation?

Just a moment ago, after being led out of the garden by Crown Prince Edsen, Camilla had been made to head somewhere immediately.

And where they arrived was none other than the Imperial Palace infirmary.

“My household has a healer as well.”

“Not like the Imperial Palace’s healer.”

“That may be true, but......”

Being examined by a healer was something she was very used to.

Of course. While guarding the Guardian’s Sword, she’d collapsed again. After Zeno came into her body and then left, she inevitably had to lie in bed for days, suffering through it.

And because it had been happening so often lately, the Duke of Sorpel and everyone else were unusually attentive to her condition as well.

It wasn’t once or twice. She kept collapsing and dragging herself around, so they started wondering if something was truly wrong with her body.

Edsen seemed to be thinking the same thing. The moment he had an opening, he’d dragged her straight here.

“I’ll prepare you a medicine that’s good for fatigue.”

You really don’t have to.

She was already taking dozens of medicines as it was. The Duke of Sorpel had gathered every remedy he’d heard was “good for the body.”

“Thank you.”

But Camilla couldn’t be bothered to explain all the details, so she ended the situation with a simple thanks.

“Hm.”

Edsen still looked unsatisfied, staring after the healer as they left to prepare the medicine.

“Are you sure there isn’t anything that hurts?”

“I’m perfectly healthy.”

Whip!

Her pupils widened at his sudden move, snatching her wrist.

“You look thinner than before.”

“I’ve been busy lately.”

So let go of my hand. Camilla pulled away with force. His gaze was still displeased.

“How about cutting down on work?”

“That’s not really possible.”

“I don’t like women who are too thin.”

What are you even saying? And why are you saying that to me?

A smile curled at his lips as he stood.

“Have the medicine sent to the estate.”

“Yes, I’ll take it. Thank you.”

“Are you returning home right away? I’ll take you.”

“No, it’s fine. My carriage is waiting.”

“It isn’t.”

“...Pardon?”

“I sent it back. I figured the examination would take a while.”

No, why are you deciding that on your own?

“So I’m telling you I’ll take you.”

Camilla stared at him with a stunned look for a moment, then let out a short sigh and shook her head.

“I have to go to the Academy.”

It was the day for club activities. She’d missed too many, and she intended to attend today no matter what.

“Then we’ll go.”

Watching Crown Prince Edsen leave the treatment room first, Camilla quietly followed after him.

*****

CLICK.

Opening the volunteer clubroom door and stepping inside, Camilla looked toward one spot with a puzzled expression.

Arsian and Laila were staring at something with intense focus. They were so absorbed they hadn’t even heard the door open.

What are they doing?

“How about this one?”

“Good. That one too.”

“That one’s not allowed!”

...When did they get that close?

Camilla watched them for a moment as they leaned their heads together, chatting intimately.

“I worked really hard to get these, you know.”

“Just print them again.”

“I don’t have the original Video Stone—”

“What are you two doing?”

“Kyaaah!”

Only then did they whip their heads around to look at Camilla.

“Ah, it’s nothing!”

“When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

Laila hurriedly swept something away. That looked like photos. Why are there so many?

“What photos?”

“It’s nothing!”

“It’s not nothing!”

“.......”

Camilla started to step closer, then stopped short.

At the same time, both of them reached out to block her from coming any nearer.

“That’s why I told you we can’t do this here.”

“You could’ve just given everything to me.”

Arsian and Laila started whispering again.

Throb.

‘...Huh?’

Camilla froze, staring at the two of them in silence. A sharp, aching feeling had suddenly pierced her chest.

‘What is this?’

It felt like her stomach was turning, like she was choking on something, too.

‘Am I actually sick?’

She’d just gotten examined by the Imperial Palace healer.

Camilla tilted her head, looking at them. By then, they had already cleared away everything they’d been looking at.

“Camilla! It makes me so happy to see you in the clubroom again after so long!”

Laila beamed like always, grabbing Camilla’s hand and bouncing in place. Camilla smiled back.

“Where is everyone else?”

“They’ll be here soon. Arsian and I had something to do, so we came early.”

“When are we seeing each other again? We still haven’t finished that—”

“Shh, shh!”

Laila hurriedly covered Arsian’s mouth. When she scolded him with her eyes, Arsian took a reluctant half-step back.

“.......”

Camilla stared at the two of them blankly, feeling that inexplicable sting in her chest.

“You almost let Camilla catch us!”

“Shut up. That’s why I said from the start you should’ve just given me everything.”

“Wow, you have zero shame! I barely managed to get these too!”

After club activities ended, Arsian and Laila met separately. In a secluded place with no one around.

On the table between them was a mountain of photographs.

And the subject in every single one was Camilla.

“From here to here, I got those from Elisha too! I can’t get a second set!”

“Elisha?”

The instant her name came up, Arsian’s brow twisted sharply.

Lately, she kept squeezing herself between him and Camilla, interfering at every turn, and it had already been scraping his nerves raw.

“If you want them that badly, go ask her yourself. She has the original Video Stone.”

“You think she’d give it to me?”

That brat was always yelling at him to stay away from Camilla the moment she had the chance.

“Anyway, these are off-limits.”

“Then give me that one at least.”

Arsian pointed at a small cushion.

One embroidered with Camilla’s face.

“I told you this is off-limits too!”

Laila snatched the cushion to her chest and glared at him.

This whole mess today had started because of that cushion.

Laila had been stitching it alone in the clubroom before anyone else arrived, and Arsian—who’d slipped in without a sound—had caught her red-handed.

“I’ll give you a hundred gold.”

“No. I’m making good money these days too. Our café owner pays me a really generous salary.”

“Then a thousand gold.”

Gasp! A thousand gold. For one cushion...!

Laila’s face flickered with shock, but she quickly shook her head.

“That’s not the point! No.”

“Then what the hell is allowed!”

“This, this, this. Take only these.”

“Fuck.”

A rough curse burst out of him in the end. Of course, Laila—already accustomed to his mouth—didn’t even react.

“If you don’t like it, then do—”

“Who said I don’t like it!”

In the end, Arsian grabbed the few photos Laila offered and shoved them away fast.

*****

Despite being massive, the room was bleak to the point of emptiness, furnished only with the bare essentials, as if reflecting the owner’s personality.

Crouched in the middle of it, completely absorbed in something, was Arsian.

“Damn it!”

A moment later, he flung himself back, temper flaring.

“Why is this so hard!”

In his hands was a small cushion with Camilla’s face faintly stitched into it.

After failing to steal the one Laila had, he’d started making his own, but even after days, there was barely any stitching done properly.

He kept repeating the same cycle: about to throw it across the room, then seeing Camilla’s face and setting it down again with care.

“What are you doing.”

“......!”

At the voice of the Duke of Sephra, Arsian’s entire body went rigid.

The Duke of Sephra’s gaze dropped to the cushion in Arsian’s hands.

“For a mage, you’re awfully clumsy.”

“Fuck! What does hand skill have to do with magic! Why are you always on about hand skill!”

“Oh! It’s Big Sis Camilla!”

Only then did Arsian notice Rio standing there, holding the Duke of Sephra’s hand. Arsian flinched.

“Don’t tell me you plan to give that to the girl as a gift.”

“It’s mine!”

Arsian shouted without thinking, then cursed under his breath and pressed a hand to his forehead.

“Why are you even here?”

“Looks like you’re busy with embroidery.”

“Fuck.”

He tried to avoid swearing in front of the kid, but he couldn’t help it.

Leaving Arsian behind with his ears turning slightly red, the Duke of Sephra sat down.

I told you to leave, so why are you sitting? Arsian glared at him with his eyes wide.

“You’re aware her biological father has appeared, aren’t you.”

“What are you trying to say?”

Arsian immediately understood who the Duke of Sephra meant.