Chapter 1
Pro.
“Did you know? I used to like you.”
At the lively and bold declaration, a handsome blond young man, impeccably dressed in a pristine uniform, flinched and blinked in surprise.
The pure white uniform, spotless from head to toe, perfectly encased the man’s sturdy frame.
With broad, straight shoulders that every woman in the kingdom secretly wished to throw herself into, well-defined limbs adorned with lean muscles, and above all, that face.
His dazzling appearance, as if blessed by the gods, had caused many a woman to pine for him. Some had even tried to seduce him with fleeting flirtations, but the man had firmly rejected every temptation.
Dante Igniel.
The second son of the Igniel Marquisate and the man hailed as the kingdom’s greatest genius knight.
For a man who rarely lost his composure, his face stiffened noticeably. Meanwhile, his childhood friend, the one who had spoken those words, let out a soft chuckle.
“You really didn’t know, did you?”
“…Not at all.”
There was, of course, a reason why Dante was so taken aback.
“Is it that shocking? I said I used to like you.”
“Ah.”
“Don’t worry. It was just for a little while.”
The beauty in a blue dress curled her lips into a bright smile.
Her silky black hair cascaded softly, and a ring engraved with the royal crest of the kingdom gleamed on her bejeweled finger.
Fay Lorensia.
The third princess of the Lorensia Kingdom, now twenty-two years old, and Dante’s childhood friend.
And tomorrow, she would set sail across the sea to the Venzel Kingdom to become a bride.
“Ah, that feels so refreshing!”
Unlike Dante, who was visibly flustered, Fay stretched her arms with a cheerful laugh.
In the marquis’s garden, meticulously tended by the gardener, spring flowers in full bloom swayed gently in the breeze at their feet.
It was an utterly beautiful and vibrant scene. Far too lovely for a moment of farewell.
“But I wanted to confess at least once. If not now, I felt like I’d never get the chance.”
As if merely speaking the words was enough, seeing her face would soon become nearly impossible. The Venzel Kingdom was a five-day journey by sea, and once she became royalty of another nation, even a casual outing would be fraught with caution.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Sorry, I’m just a bit shocked.”
“Shocked that I liked you?”
“Wondering what about a guy like me could have caught your eye.”
When he spoke honestly, Fay looked at him with exasperation before letting out a deep sigh.
“Dante, you really—then and now—have no idea about yourself.”
“But didn’t you say a stiff guy like me was boring and dull?”
“That was…!”
Fay started to respond but stopped, her cheeks flushing slightly. When he looked at her curiously, she shook her head and added,
“Anyway, I’m saying this now because I’ve moved on. Starting tomorrow, saying things like this could cause big trouble, you know.”
Seeing Fay act so nonchalant made his chest feel a little tight. As Dante tilted his head inwardly at his own reaction, Fay extended her hand.
‘Dante, let’s play!’
Just like when they were children, she held out her hand. When Dante only stared at it blankly, Fay teased playfully,
“Not going to take it?”
“Uh, sure.”
As Dante hurriedly grasped her hand, Fay grinned and winked at him.
“Let’s dance, just one song.”
“Dance?”
Here, in the middle of a garden, not a banquet hall?
“What’s wrong with that? You skipped the graduation party, didn’t you? And then you went straight to the temple.”
“I still feel bad about that.”
“Forget it. What’s the point now? Anyway, since it’s come to this, I want to do everything I’ve always wanted to do. And just so you know, you don’t get to say no.”
“…Even if I had the option, I wouldn’t refuse a request from you.”
Fay’s eyes flickered with complex emotions as she gazed at him, his words filled with sincerity. Regret, reluctance, and even the deep-seated feelings buried beneath it all.
But only for a moment. The woman smiled brightly and began to step to the rhythm.
And so, with the midday garden as their backdrop, the two danced gracefully. Their movements, perfected by mastery of etiquette, flowed seamlessly, her dress fluttering lightly with each step.
Dante suddenly thought to himself: Was Fay’s frame always this delicate?
Ever since childhood, she had always been strong, unshakable, and bright, so much so that the shy boy he once was struggled to keep up with her. Even after she grew smaller than him, he had never thought of her as frail.
So why, at this very moment, was his gaze drawn to her eyes, now lower than his, her pale neck, and the strangely forlorn look in her eyes?
A strange emotion kept stirring within him. To shake off the intrusive thoughts, he tried harder not to look directly at Fay.
When the dance ended, Fay stepped back, fiddling with Dante’s hand as she smiled.
“Now it’s really goodbye.”
“I guess so.”
“You have to live well without me, okay?”
Her words carried a hint of worry, and the moment he heard them, Dante pressed his lips shut.
A heavy emotion pressed against his eyes. A sense of loss, as if a corner of his heart had been hollowed out, swirled within him.
But instead of naming that feeling, Dante slowly nodded.
“Okay.”
* * *
Even after she left for her marriage, Fay sent him letters regularly.
The letters, arriving about once a month, contained updates about her life and tales of the Venzel Kingdom.
He was relieved to think she seemed to be doing well, but his heart wasn’t entirely at ease. Instead of acknowledging those feelings, Dante replied to her letters only about one out of every three times.
No matter how close they were as childhood friends, a man writing too frequently to a foreign kingdom’s princess could only stir trouble.
Even for someone like him, who had devoted his life to the gods and was out of touch with worldly matters, that much was common sense.
But at some point, the letters from Fay began to dwindle. What had come every two weeks slowed to once a month, and there was even a time when the next letter didn’t arrive until three months later.
He felt something was off, but instead of pressing her, Dante chose silence. Perhaps, he thought, she had grown tired of keeping up with a childhood friend so far away.
“…What is this?”
Three years later, until horrific news reached the Lorensia Kingdom.
