“It’s from the Fourth Prince,” Hazel said.

“Oh.”

Now that I thought about it, he had asked if he could send a letter.

I reached for the envelope, but then paused.

“Wait... why is it so fancy?”

The letter had golden decorations. When I opened it, it smelled lovely. The folded paper was covered with pictures of flowers.

It really felt like spring.

Hello, Rubian. This is Licht.

How are you? Sorry for the cheap paper.

(Why is he calling this cheap? I must be bad at reading the Empire’s language.)

The Academy semester is about to start here. I’m moving up to middle school, but I don’t know if I’ll join the autumn camp. My father wants me to study in the palace.

So... are you coming to the autumn camp?

It’s very important to me, so please write back.

I hope to see you soon.

Actually, I’m worried you’ll forget me.

—Licht (12 years old, blond, met in the capital and Ipsen)

The last line was pressed down extra hard. I tilted my head.

“Why would I forget? He’s going to be the Crown Prince.”

He was underestimating himself...

And I’d never forgotten the original story.

I thought for a moment, then took out some paper.

Licht, hi!

Thanks for your letter.

I’m not sure about the autumn camp.

Well... fighting!

—Rubian

P.S. I have never forgotten you. I probably never will...

“Is this too short?”

I bit the pen, thinking.

‘Come to think of it, this is my first time being pen pals with anyone.’

But I couldn’t think of anything else to write.

“I guess I’m just not very good at writing letters...”

I put the letter in an envelope and asked Hazel to send it. Then I finished my milk.

Just then, the door slowly opened again.

“Daughter, what are you doing?”

My face brightened immediately.

That voice—!

“Mom...!”

But I stopped, surprised.

“Who are you?”

The pink hair was gone, replaced by a lady with black hair.

“What do you mean, who? That’s so mean!”

Mom smiled playfully and squeezed my cheeks.

“Mom’s cotton-candy hair is gone...”

“How do I look? Is it bad?”

I shook my head quickly.

Mom had her hair pinned up and looked very different, but very beautiful! She looked much more like Dad.

“You look just like Dad. You’re so pretty!”

“Haha, my daughter is the best.”

“Are you playing hide-and-seek again?”

“No, I just wanted a change.”

“Oh...”

But knowing her, I couldn’t trust that. Maybe Mom wanted to cause trouble since Dad wasn’t home?

I decided to keep a close eye on her.

“How about going out with Mom today?”

“Yay, let’s go!”

(If I want to keep an eye on her, I have to stay close! I’m not excited! Not at all!)

As she dressed me in a yellow dress and bonnet, she asked:

“I heard you go to the magic stone shop a lot these days?”

“Yeah, I was just bored...”

“What about Khalid? He doesn’t play with you anymore?”

The moment she said his name, my lips stuck out.

“You look like a little duck.”

“Khalid...”

Mom pressed my cheek. I looked sulky in her blue eyes.

I’ll be back.

He left in the early morning, after installing all the bells in the watchtowers.

Just a note. That’s it.

‘Why couldn’t he write a longer letter, like Licht?’

Or just say goodbye in person!

I felt hurt, upset, and even angry.

“He left me! So cold! So mean!”

“Oh my...”

“When he comes back, I’m not talking to him!”

(But actually, we hardly talked anyway...)

That’s the way he always was.

He acts like my best friend, but then puts up a wall at important times.

It’s strange.

But I knew that.

“Mom! I’m going to eat 15 cotton candies and drink 30 strawberry sodas today! I’m going to go wild!”

“My wild daughter is charming, but no way.”

His coldness is just too much these days!

Scene switches to Khalid:

Khalid stood at the edge of a cliff.

He looked out over the rough, cracked land with a blank expression. Then he turned away.

“Huh. I thought you’d gotten fancier at the Zebbert place, but you’re the same?”

Allen, from the mercenary group, slapped his shoulder. Khalid brushed him off and kept walking.

“Ah, this brat...”

Khalid wore the same old cloak he’d had when he came north. With a sword in his hand, he looked just like a wandering mercenary.

‘Is he being bullied because he’s so cold and rude?’

Allen grinned and followed behind.

“Hey, why don’t you just come back to the mercenary group? You fit in better there.”

“Did you find out what I asked?”

Allen spat out a chewed-up fruit.

“Who do you think I’m talking to?”

“Did you find out?”

“Geez. What’s the point? I checked, but «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» it’s not something easy. Even your smart princess doesn’t know.”

The cold wind blew.

In the far northeast of the continent, it was always winter here.

Allen pulled his clothes tighter.

“Why do I have to look into something like a mage’s curse...?”

He’d tried to find out if there was a way to erase Rubian’s curse, but he hadn’t expected much.

‘Guess I’ll have to figure it out myself.’

Honestly, if Allen found out something Rubian didn’t know, that would feel weird too.

Allen looked up, squinting.

“But... is your princess doing okay?”

‘Your princess’?

Khalid frowned.

“Don’t talk about her.”

“What? Come on, I’m sort of a protector behind the scenes too, you know? Shouldn’t I get to meet her, at least once?”

Khalid sneered.

“You’ll never see her. Don’t think about it. Don’t mention her. Just—”

“...”

“Don’t open your mouth.”

“You brat... Then don’t ask me questions, either!”

Khalid turned and walked on, ignoring Allen’s whining.

They took the hardest path up the jagged mountains, the fastest route to the top.

Khalid thought as he walked.

‘Did she see the note?’

He did leave a message saying he’d go. She’d probably just read it and not care.

She was always busy and surrounded by people, so she’d go back to normal quickly...

“Hey, slow down! I’m dying back here!”

Allen stumbled after him, out of breath.

“You’re so petty!”

“What! Why am I petty?!”

Khalid ignored him and kept walking.

The cave was just as before.

Near the mountain peak, under the cliffs.

“Ugh, what is this place?”

Allen shivered from the cold.

“A prison? What are these bars?”

Khalid entered the barred cell inside the cave.

He hadn’t come back since leaving with Rubian.

“Why are you going in? It’s so dark... Is there a monster here? You’ll protect me, right?”

“Just be quiet.”

The echoing voices were dizzying.

Khalid moved a bit of magic—basic magic he’d learned from Rubian. A blue light appeared on the wall.

The cave was a little brighter. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

“Oh...”

Allen relaxed a little.

Khalid looked around slowly.

‘Nothing stands out...’

Something old touched his foot.

“What’s this? A really rusty shackle. Was someone kept here?”

Allen bent to look and then froze.

“Wait, that shackle... Is there a skeleton here or something?”

“Didn’t know you were afraid of dead bodies.”

“Skeletons are worse than bodies!”

(What’s the difference?)

Khalid almost asked, but closed his mouth.

‘It does look really old...’

Allen was right—the shackles and chains looked like ancient relics.

Khalid’s eyes darkened.

Maybe I really...

“The price for touching a human soul is harsh.”

Maybe he had broken a taboo.

Maybe he’d been punished here for a very long time.

‘What am I, really?’