✠

After the knights left the chapel, I tidied my ceremonial robe and smoothed my hair again.

The official schedule was over, but there was someone I wanted to look good for.

[‘The Scales Judging Souls’ impatiently asks when the formal meeting will be.]

[‘The Eye Watching the Chaos of All Things’ gnaws on a tear-stained flower-embroidered handkerchief.]

[‘The Manager of Creative Economy’ urges me to quickly buy a genre change trial.]

[‘The Cliché Gourmet’ wants to see the aftermath of the melodramatic family regret story.]

[‘The Balancing Critic’ yawns, asking if there’s any dungeon burst planned.]

I ignored these familiar messages from the gods, each absorbed in their own interests. Reacting would only invite teasing.

Leaving the chapel, I crossed the palace grounds with deliberately slow steps, aware of others’ eyes. Gradually, my pace quickened to the edge of protocol.

<Just run, Ayleth.>

“That’s better, Agnes!”

Who cares if others find it unseemly? I stomped the ground hard with both feet. My heart, full of excitement, pounded wildly as if it had been waiting.

I was now running toward the person I truly wanted to meet.

✠

“It’s done. Report to His Majesty.”

Bianca’s words as she stacked the last document made the royal secretary blink repeatedly.

Only after a while did he seem to understand and gape open his mouth.

“Y-you already finished all that? Impossible.”

“So, are you saying I’m lying now?”

“Ah! A slip of the tongue! Sorry! I’ll report to His Majesty immediately!”

The secretary hurried away, leaving Bianca alone in the study. She revealed her fatigue by pressing her eyelids firmly.

She didn’t know how long it would take for the busy king to send word. Wanting to wait more comfortably, she propped her chin on her hand and turned to look out the window.

Only after finishing her work did she realize the view from the study was quite lovely. A vibrant crimson rose, just like her eye color, boasted rich petals.

The gentle summer breeze carried fresh floral scents all the way to her. The soft tickling feeling as it brushed her hair was pleasant too.

That sensation felt like a gentle caress, and Bianca’s eyes narrowed slightly.

‘Sleepy.’

Having had almost no deep sleep for weeks and just finished a brutal workload, relaxation was inevitable. Her foggy mind demanded sleep.

‘Stay awake...’

Unfortunately, it was hard to obey.

As the strength drained from her chin and arms, her head slowly tilted. It didn’t take long for her balance to completely shift.

But Bianca’s head didn’t drop. Instead, it was supported by something warm. Drawn by comfort, she unknowingly leaned.

‘...Huh?’

Of course, her self-control didn’t leave her unguarded for long.

“Ah!”

The sudden warmth on one cheek awakened her. Startled, Bianca immediately straightened up like a roly-poly.

‘I dozed off!’

She was the impeccably flawless Viscountess Gillette. Sloppiness in the king’s aide’s study, a battlefield in its own right, was utterly unacceptable.

Blushing, she focused on the presence near her. Rolling her eyes alone couldn’t reveal who it was.

‘Who on earth...! Please not Sir Prinz...!’

Heat seemed to rise to her nape. Embarrassed but brave, she lifted her head and glanced sideways.

“...”

“...”

Diagonally across the desk, her gaze met someone looking down at her.

“...Ah.”

Suddenly, all her earlier shame flew away. It was as if her mind had been completely vacuumed out.

Shiny black lashes lifted as far as they could. Rose-colored eyes fully rounded like a full moon.

“Long time no see.”

“...”

The late afternoon sun backlit him dazzlingly. His face was barely visible—only a silhouette.

Even that silhouette had changed greatly, no longer resembling a child, making him unfamiliar.

Still, Bianca recognized him immediately.

“Ai!”

Like leaping into the light, Bianca hugged Ayleth tightly. Ayleth gladly returned the embrace.

“Sorry I’m late, Bia.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to say that.”

They held each other for a long time before, as if by mutual agreement, loosening their arms to see each other’s faces.

Their expressions, crafted with all tenderness and joy, met.

“I really missed you so much.”

“I missed you more.”

“No, I did. I ran all the way here.”

“Took you two weeks.”

“...Sorry.”

“That’s nonsense. You’re my only friend.”

“What, Bia? You said you’d make many friends at the palace and introduce me too.”

“I couldn’t. I just need you, Ai.”

“Bia, you’re something else.”

They laughed, forehead to forehead like when they were children. Even the feeling of their tousled bangs tangling was enjoyable.

✠

Walking through the palace gardens while seeing Bianca off, we talked.

The garden was noisy with various flowers vying for attention, but we had no time to look away.

‘Our Bia is so beautiful!’

My little lady, once an intelligent bob, had grown into a noble viscountess with long flowing hair.

Mesmerized, I didn’t take my eyes off her as Bianca plucked a white flower and tucked it into my hair.

“That suits you, Ai.”

I immediately picked a luscious red flower to place by Bianca’s ear.

“My lady, you’re so beautiful I worry someone might steal you.”

“Such a strange thing to say.”

We exchanged flowers that suited each other like gifts and laughed again. Just watching made us smile naturally.

[‘The Eye Watching the Chaos’ happily laughs along.]

[‘The Eye Watching the Chaos’ suddenly grows serious and monitors a 50-meter radius for intruders.]

Fifty meters was excessive, but I wanted a quiet, intimate conversation with Bianca.

I slumped my shoulders and glanced cautiously.

“You must have suffered a lot. Sorry it took me so long to come.”

“Ai, this is the seventh time you’ve apologized, you know?”

“But...”

“There was a reason. It’s okay.”

Understanding Bianca didn’t even ask why, as if she knew everything.

Perhaps unhappy with my hesitant reaction, she persuaded me from an unexpected angle.

“Ai, think the other way around.”

“The other way?”

“If I did that much wrong to you, would you forgive me? I’d be upset.”

“What? Never.”

“See? Being late because of circumstances isn’t a big deal. And, Ai.”

“Yeah?”

“I could even put up with your scheming.”

“...!”

I was startled.

[‘The Balancing Critic’ is shocked by the master tactician’s unexpected remark.]

[‘The Tower Builder of Trials’ says it’s like an aura master shielding an aura beginner’s sword.]

[‘The Language Command Creating the World’ pokes tears away from the beautiful friendship ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) with a handkerchief.]

[‘The Eye Watching the Chaos’ flashes eyes and declares this true love.]

“B-Bia...!”

I couldn’t help but hug Bianca again.

The ‘Eye’ who promised to monitor a 50-meter radius must have been all talk.

Since Bianca and I had left the quiet garden area, whispers soon followed our emotional embrace.

“Eek! Look at that, the sacred priest hugging Viscountess Gillette!”

“Viscountess... appointed royal aide and close with the sacred priest too!”

“But I’m more shocked by the viscountess’s reaction.”

“Same here. I’ve never seen the viscountess so close to anyone before.”

“R-Really close, huh...?”

Hearing the gossip, I thought it was for the best.

“Yeah, watch closely. Let them see and vow to treat our Bia well from now on.”

Dragging my head in Bianca’s arms to stall, she immediately understood my intent.

“Ai, you really are something.”

“So you don’t mind?”

“No.”

We looked at each other and smiled again.

When we were somewhat away from others, I fixed my expression seriously and stopped.

“Bia, wait a moment. I have something to say.”