Sezh couldn’t help her exhausted appearance.

“Princess, did you not sleep all night? Your complexion doesn’t look good,” Kaen, who came carrying her meal, asked anxiously. “Perhaps it’s because your bed suddenly changed. Do you want some tea for insomnia?”

“It’s not like that… last night, Bro—”

“…Are you talking about His Highness?” Kaen’s face became painted with dread.

Sezh then hurriedly spoke, “No, nothing. You’re right. It must be because the bed has changed.”

“I knew it. In that case, I’ll serve you tea in the evening. If you drink it, you’ll get a good night’s sleep.”

“…Yes. Thanks, Kaen,” Sezh smiled unnaturally.

Kaen was still afraid of Raytan. In a way, it was natural. Now, who in Denhelder doesn’t fear him? Besides… Sezh thought it would be better not to tell Kaen that Raytan came here to sleep last night.

Didn’t Sezh also wonder why he left his bedroom and instead went to hers to sleep? And why did he come at such a late hour too?

Sezh eventually decided to keep that a secret.

“Please eat your meal soon, Princess. You must be hungry.”

Sezh was suddenly aware of her grumbling stomach. She then picked up a knife and fork to start eating her breakfast.

The extravagant food was different from the humble food she previously ate in her old palace: a large shiny steak, grilled lamb, deliciously roasted fish, cheese, and milk-rich soup… There was also a sour-spicy dish she had never tried before.

Desserts were also varied. Not only Sezh’s favorite strawberry cake, but there were also creamy eclairs, truffle cakes with rich chocolate flavor, and bite-sized cookies.

“Princess should eat a lot today! You only finished half of your meal yesterday.”

“… I’ll try.”

‘But Kaen, if I eat all of this, my stomach might burst, and I will die,’ Sezh thought to herself.

“And it’s snowing again. It seems the snow has piled up already.”

At Kaen’s words, Sezh looked out the window.

“I was going to ask you to take a walk if the weather was nice…”

“A walk?”

“Yes. The escort from His Highness came early this morning.”

“Oh, Sir Philip?”

Sezh recalled the man who greeted her during Raytan’s coronation.

“The soldiers will remain as they are, but you are free to move around in the Imperial Palace.”

“… Really?”

“And please feel comfortable to tell us whenever you want anything. It seems that His Highness is concerned about the Princess feeling lonesome.”

So even if she couldn’t get rid of the soldiers, she could still wander around.

Now, she didn’t have to stay locked up in the palace watching others roam freely anymore. Wherever she goes, no one will say anything.

A lot of things have changed.

Sezh still couldn’t believe the day would come when she would receive proper treatment like this.

“But the snow has piled up so much, so I think it would be better not to go for a walk. It’s a big deal if you catch a cold.”

“Y-Yes…”

Kaen looked disappointed, but Sezh was fine. Things have always been like this. However, once the snow has stopped, she will be able to go for a walk as she pleases. That alone was good.

… And truthfully, Sezh had a different schedule in mind for today.

***

Sezh walked down the hallway with careful strides.

The maids she met on the way bowed their heads to be polite, but Sezh felt embarrassed because she hadn’t fully adapted to it yet. She had never been served by so many maids before. Plus, Lillian and Bern’s maids used to ignore Beggar-like Princess Sezh.

“This isn’t that good either…” Sezh drawled.

Well, it was better than being ignored outright.

“Where should I go from here…”

Since her last visit was four years ago, Sezh’s memories have blurred a little. Thanks to the adventure of getting lost in many hallways, she was successfully drenched in sweat. She was sure she had found the correct path when no maids appeared anywhere.

Shortly after, a familiar door stood before her.

“Eh-hem. Eh-hem,” Sezh cleared her throat then knocked on the door carefully.

“Eton,” she called softly. “It’s me, Sezh. I’m coming in.”

The door opened smoothly without any resistance.

“Welcome, Sezh,” Eton said with a carved smile while sitting on a chair.

“I knew you would come.”

As if to prove his words were not lies, there was a steaming cup of milk on the table with a strawberry cake too.

It’s been such a long time since Sezh saw this familiar meal served by Eton.

“Good morning, Eton,” Sezh greeted as she took a seat in front of him. “How did you know that I was coming?”

“I heard the sound.”

“Sound?”

“Mm-hmm, the sound of your footsteps,” Eton said as he sipped his tea. “I have very sharp and sensitive ears. That’s why I can hear the sound of your footsteps even if mixed with the sound of others.”

“… Isn’t that something you just made up?” Sezh responded somberly.

“Hm, you still have that bright personality.”

“What- Whatever.”

Eton, as always, loved to tell such mischievous jokes like that.

“You have become a real princess, Sezh.”

“What?”

“A princess finally esteemed by everyone. You are not harassed anymore.”

“Ah, that… .”

“It must be because your brother became the Emperor, right?”

“… I didn’t expect you would come to the coronation.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you should know how surprised I was when our eyes met.”

“There was honestly no need for me to go. I knew that child was going to be an emperor.”

“How could… you know about that?” Sezh’s eyes fluttered a little.

Eton looked at Sezh silently, then switched topics.

“You’ve become the owner of this palace, Sezh?”

“Ah, yes. I just moved here recently.”

“That’s great. I can be a little more relaxed. It will be easier to meet you again.”

“What… It would be, but—”

Sezh stopped talking when she realized what Eton did: every time she spoke to him, he kept deflecting the topic to other things.

Honestly, Sezh wanted to satiate her curiosity about Eton today. Where did he come from, how old is he, and how did he know how to use magic?

He left without a trace four years ago, and right after he came back… she hadn’t been in a situation to ask such things.

“Eton, who are you?”

“Hm?”

“Now is the time for you to tell me. It’s been years since we’ve known each other… ”

“Why so sudden?”

“Can’t I ask that so suddenly?”

Eton seemed to be weighing his thoughts for a moment. Soon afterward, he opened his mouth again.

“I am an existence that will soon become nothing.”

“… You are going to be nothing?”

“You will find out when that time comes. Do you have more questions?”

“How old are you?”

“I don’t know about that. It’s been too long since I counted.”

“Don’t tell me that you’re actually 50 years old?”

“I won’t answer that.”

Sezh thought it was impossible. How many times has she scrutinized that face? He looked approximately in his mid to late twenties, like when she first saw him.

“You… do not get old, do you?”

“…”

“You haven’t changed a bit while I grew up like this.”

“Maybe it’s because I have a babyface.”

“Ha…”

“I’m telling you. I tend to look pretty young. It’s beyond your imagination,” Eton chuckled.

Well, it wasn’t a lie.

“Then what about magic? How did you learn magic? You also use fire. I heard that’s something only high-ranking wizards can do… Even the archmage doesn’t have such ability…”

“You have tons of questions today, Sezh.”

“It’s not only today. I’ve always had plenty of questions.”

“Magic… Hm, I never learned it.”

“Then how?”

“Magic is actually like that. You will know how to do it without having to learn anything. In other words, learning is of no use to those who have no ability.”

“But I learned it from you before I knew I could do it.”

“That’s because you’re an unusual case.”

“… What?”

“You know that too, right?”

Eton’s eyes curved, making them into identical half-moons. Sezh only stared at him without giving any answer.

“Anyway, that’s not important. Hm… that’s right. You said you can handle the wind pretty well now, right?”

“Ah, yes. But…”

“But?”

Sezh paused for a moment.

She suddenly recalled the blasting wind the night the coup took place.

However… she wasn’t the one who did it that day.

“What’s the matter?”

No matter how much she concentrated, she could only barely manage to create a wind less than half of that.

“Sezh.”

“…”

“Sezh?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Sezh decided not to talk about what happened that day. It had to be a coincidence. There had been a coup d’etat going on, so maybe someone intentionally broke the glass.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, never mind.”

Eton looked at Sezh with a puzzled expression lingering on his face. However, he didn’t take long to bring up another conversation piece.

“I’d like to introduce you to someone who can teach you magic.”

“Is there anyone other than Eton who knows how to use magic?” Sezh’s eyes widened.

Is he talking about the priests of the temple or the archmage?

“But I like Eton…”

“Thank you so much, Sezh. But, in the future, he will be more helpful than me.”

That person will be a much greater help than him, a being who was losing strength.

“Who are you talking about? You already said it back then. Proper wizards have already disa—”

“He’s here.”

“What?”

“Your new teacher.”

As soon as Eton replied, the door swung open.