Zaro Aventine? Iria Alewine raised a brow when her best friend was mentioned.

"What's with the Crown Prince?" she asked Rion.

Shaking his head, Rion sighed. "You are quite good at spotting Jolene's feelings but... you always amaze me, Commander. Have you ever thought of this? That His Highness might also look at you as more than a friend."

"You're talking nonsense," Commander Iria brushed Rion off. "His Highness is a family to me."

"I know you feel that way," Rion said. "But the Crown Prince might not think the same."

Noticing his Commander's dumbfounded face, he added, "Think about it, Commander. Though His Highness is the future King of our Jerivia with only the King above him, he never stops taking care of you. He always looks out for you and he always takes your side before the officials. He never -"

"That's what friends do for each other," Iria argued, still standing firm on her ground.

"I know, but His Highness often went out of line just to help you. Many things he did for you aren't suitable for a Crown Prince but he isn't bothered by it. He only cared about you," Rion stated in a serious tone.

Iria Alewine was well aware of what Rion just said but... Zaro always looked after her and do those things for her ever since they were a child. Growing up, she had become accustomed to those actions of his. So, she never thought much.

Now that she thought about it, she realized that many of his actions were indeed not suitable for someone like him who was the heir apparent to the throne. However, she still ruled out the possibility of him having feelings for her.

"I think I should set things straight. I don't want people to see him in the wrong way," she said after remaining silent for almost a minute.

When his Commander maintained her silence, Rion thought that she started to understand his words but... what she just said proved him wrong. She won't believe it.

"You're hopeless, Commander," he remarked with a sigh. Then he walked away from the pavilion.

Iria Alewine stood still for a while, thinking of what Rion said. After a few minutes, she briefly entered her tent and then left for the palace.

* * *

When Commander Iria entered Crown Prince Zaro's room, the latter was quite busy, reading the reports that came in from every province of the kingdom. Nevertheless, he still greeted her with a smile.

"Iria, I don't know that you're coming today," he said as he put down the scrolls and rose from his seat. "Did my father summon you again?"

"No. I came to see you," Iria Alewine responded and glanced at all the reports on the Crown Prince's table. "Are you busy? I can leave if that's the case."

Zaro Aventine observed her with a slightly raised brow. "What's with you today?" he asked. "It's not like you to say that."

The Commander recalled what Zaro said but she shook her head. "It's nothing."

The Crown Prince finally smiled again. Putting both his hands on her shoulders, he pushed her towards the couch and made her sit down.

"I'm glad that you came," he said as he took a seat opposite her. "It's very suffocating these days."

Iria knew what her friend was talking about. After they returned from Nardodia a few days ago, the death of the Princess was finally announced officially. The whole kingdom mourned the death of their Princess and it just ended the day before yesterday.

It was quite hard for her friend to deal with the atmosphere and she wasn't much different.

"I try to gather some clues on Iria's case and I also meet some people," she said to the Crown Prince. "It's not easy but I'm sure that there will be some progress soon."

"I never stop investigating ever since she was poisoned," Zaro Aventine muttered. "Sometimes, I think I'm at my wit's end. However, I can't stop. I don't want to fail my late sister."

"Don't worry, Your Highness. I believe that things will be better if we don't give up. Besides, we aren't alone in this," Iria Alewine reassured the Crown Prince.

"What do you mean?" Zaro promptly asked. They aren't alone? What was she trying to say?

"I will tell you later," Iria quickly said. It seemed like the King didn't inform him about Nico Petrus and there must be a reason. So, it's better for her not to spill the truth.

When Zaro didn't say anything and only nodded, her conversation with Rion crossed Iria's mind again.

"Zaro." She called the Crown Prince, making him shift back his gaze to her. "Have you ever thought about the difference in our status?" she asked.

Taken aback by her strange and sudden question, Zaro Aventine stared at her for a while. Slowly, she noticed the displeasure on his face. He wasn't happy with her question.

"What are you trying to say?" he asked, unsure of her intention.

"You know, we grew up together and because you're two years older, you always take care of me. You do many things for me and I even grow accustomed to it. However, I realized today that things will be different one day," Iria Alewine explained.

"Why do you think that it will be different?" Zaro asked, his displeasure was still evident in his voice.

Iria Alewine wondered if he really didn't know the answer. However, she still answered him. "One day, you will become the King and if I live to see that day, I bet I will still be the Commander of Alewine Army. I will be bound to serve you and obey your orders."

"So?"

"Shouldn't we prepare for that time so that we won't struggle too much when the time comes? You always take care of me to the point where it leads to some misunderstandings," Iria Alewine said to the already displeased Crown Prince.

"Misunderstandings?" Zaro Aventine asked. What was she talking about?

The Commander nodded. "Even my soldiers claimed that you look at me as more than a friend," she explained.

"Why must you care about that?"

"What they think is not what troubles me the most, Your Highness. I only want to get prepared so that it won't be too hard for me once you become the King. You know better than anyone that I rely on you a lot."

"Why do you think that I will stop taking care of you once I take over the throne?"

Iria Alewine felt tight-lipped. Why did he have so many questions? He threw question after question at her and it made her mind went blank.

"It won't be appropriate anymore," she finally said after a few seconds. "Even now, it's not appropriate but I was thoughtless. It never crosses my mind."

When she narrowed her eyes, Zaro's gaze was still on her. His face was unreadable and that made Iria confused. Little did she know the Crown Prince was debating on the inside.

"Then... why don't you just stay by my side so that it won't be considered inappropriate anymore?" Zaro suddenly asked which made her raised a brow.

"What do you mean?" Iria Alewine asked him back with confusion written all over her face.

After thinking twice, Zaro Aventine met her gaze and said, "Your soldiers aren't wrong, Iria. I indeed develop feelings for you and... " He paused when he noticed the amazement in her eyes. "It's already been years," he concluded with a mixture of regret and relief.....