Yohan and Francia strolled through the streets of Imperial Palace, their hands tightly clasped together.
Unfortunately, the festival wasn’t taking place, so there were few people, and there wasn’t much to see, but the meaning was in the fact that they were together.
“Now that I think about it, I haven’t really given Francia a gift,” Yohan said as he glanced at some jewelry through a shop window. The array of sparkling accessories in the display caught his eye.
“A gift?” Francia tilted her head, puzzled.
“Like a pendant or a ring, perhaps?”
“Ah, something like that…”
Francia turned her head in the direction Yohan had been looking and observed the jewelry on display.
“Since it’s a special occasion, how about we get something? I’ll give it to you as a gift.”
“Hehe, anything from Yohan would be great,” Francia said with a bright smile. After all, in a romantic relationship, the sentiment behind a gift is what truly matters. Francia was more than happy to accept whatever he gave her.
“Let’s go inside,” Yohan said, stepping into the jewelry store and looking around. The shelves were filled with intricately crafted rings and pendants.
Among them were also raw gemstones, used for custom-made jewelry.
‘Since it’s a keepsake, should we go for something custom-made?’ Yohan thought as he looked at Francia once again. She was smiling happily, tilting her head as if enjoying the moment.
“Is there something you’re looking for?”
“No, I was just thinking about what color would suit you, Francia.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Please stay still. I need to find the right color for you.”
“Yes, yes.”
Yohan’s gaze was fixed on Francia, his deep blue eyes locking onto her.
After a few seconds, Francia’s gaze wavered. Her eyes couldn’t find a place to rest, avoiding Yohan’s intense stare. Her heart raced, and she felt as though she couldn’t breathe.
It was still difficult to grow accustomed to the overwhelming feeling she had whenever she looked at him.
“U-um…”
Not knowing where to look, Francia nervously glanced around before quickly turning her head shyly.
“If you turn your head like that, I won’t be able to see you properly, Francia.”
At Yohan’s deep voice, Francia’s face flushed even more.
“Ugh… Please think about my side too. It’s embarrassing when you stare at me like that.”
Francia mumbled quietly as she turned her face away and covered her mouth with her hand. Her cheeks were flushed bright red.
“There’s no need to be embarrassed. We’re lovers, and it’s just your face. What’s so embarrassing about it?”
Yohan chuckled softly and leaned in closer. Perhaps because her reaction was so cute, he couldn’t resist teasing her a little more.
“It’s all because Yohan is so handsome. When I make eye contact, my heart races, and I can barely breathe…”
Francia kept pulling away, stepping back as Yohan’s face came closer. The closer his face got, the more her eyes trembled with nervousness.
“Is that so? Then I should thank your parents. After all, they gave me the opportunity to make your heart race like this,” Yohan said with a mischievous grin.
Francia, who had always lost in these playful exchanges, pouted her lips in a way she thought was the best defense.
“Ah, I’ve made up my mind. I’ll pick the jewel.”
“Which one?”
“Iolite.”
Iolite. A gemstone with a range of colors from dark blue to violet.
Yohan, with his dark blue eyes and navy hair, and Francia, with her black hair and ruby-like red eyes—both of them suited this color perfectly.
“Let’s make a ring and pendant out of this.”
“A couple’s set?”
“Of course.”
“A couple’s set…!”
At the mention of a couple’s set, Francia once again turned red, shyly smiling. Seeing her innocence like this was adorable, and Yohan couldn’t help but smile warmly.
“Please make a simple design for the ring and a small pendant, both in the same shape.”
As Yohan pointed at the iolite, a quietly waiting saleswoman approached.
“Yes. How would you like the delivery arranged?”
“To the Imperial Palace Mansion,” Yohan said.
“To the Imperial Palace Mansion?”
The saleswoman’s eyes widened in surprise when she heard the name, but she quickly regained her composure and smiled.
“Understood. How would you like to settle the payment?”
“Under the name Yohan Harssen,” Yohan said, pulling a piece of paper from his wallet. It was a certification check that could be used to withdraw money from a bank under his name.
“Understood.”
The saleswoman nodded politely and went to fetch the iolite.
“Isn’t that expensive…? Iolite… the source of it is…”
Francia asked, worried.
“It’s fine. It’s a gift for you, Francia.”
Yohan, unconcerned, gently patted Francia’s hair, and she smiled faintly, enjoying the soft touch.
“Thank you. I’ll accept it gladly.”
“Then you know what to do if you’re thankful, right?”
Yohan bent down slightly and offered his cheek.
“Ah…”
Francia, realizing what he meant, looked around nervously. When she saw no one was watching, she quickly kissed his cheek.
“Is… Is that okay…?”
Francia’s face was bright red after the cheek kiss. She wasn’t used to showing affection in public, and she felt extremely shy.
“It’s a bit lacking. How about the other side? Wouldn’t that be…?”
Yohan grinned mischievously, his hand brushing against Francia’s hair.
“I… I can’t do any more… It’s too embarrassing…”
Francia bowed her head, her face flushed all the way to her ears.
“I was just kidding,” Yohan said, seeing how embarrassed she was. He smiled, standing upright again.
“… I think I lost again.”
“Must you always win?”
“I feel like I’m the only one completely taken by you.”
Francia pouted again, and Yohan chuckled, brushing her bangs to the side.
“Not at all.”
Yohan kissed her forehead, and Francia shuddered, pulling her face into her hands to hide her flushed face.
Her heart was pounding as if it would burst.
“… No matter how I think about it, I’m so weak against Yohan.”
Francia muttered quietly, her face still red. Yohan smiled and gently ran his hand through her hair.
“I think so too.”
“You’re teasing me again, huh?” Francia puffed up her cheeks, narrowing her eyes at him.
“It’s not teasing,” Yohan said with a grin.
“Liar.”
Francia puffed her cheeks, and the sight was so cute that Yohan couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“You only make me smile, Francia.”
“Well, I do feel the same way,” she whispered, gazing at the iolite.
* * *
Imperial Palace
In the Imperial Palace, there were three main palaces.
To the left, the Royal Palace symbolized nobility and authority, while in the center was the Emperor’s Palace, where the emperor, empress, and crown prince lived. It was the most central and powerful palace, representing the country’s power and legitimacy.
To the right, the Diamond Palace symbolized purity and fortitude, housing the most sacred members of the royal family.
In the garden of the Diamond Palace, a woman sat enjoying her tea, her face radiating boredom.
“Hmm, I wonder if there’s anyone interesting around?”
It was the third princess, Laryana Rogino
“Are you feeling bored again?” asked the woman sitting across from her with a neutral expression.
Her name was Zevela Highlander, from a prestigious knightly family that had close ties with the royal family.
“Zevela, I told you. I’m out here looking for something fun, as always.”
Laryana put down her tea and shrugged, her playful expression evident.
Zevela accepts it with grace.
The two of them had grown up together since childhood. Despite addressing each other formally, their relationship was essentially that of close friends.
“Anyway, I wonder if there’s anything fun going on?”
Laryana rested her chin in her hand with a bored expression. This was the kind of behavior that came out when she was truly bored.
“I have some interesting news,” Zevela said.
“News? What’s it about?”
“A new special-grade wizard in the civil service.”
“A special-grade wizard just arrived?” Laryana tilted her head, confused, as she looked at Zevela.
Without waiting for Laryana to respond, Zevela continued leisurely,
“Not only did he achieve the rank of special-grade wizard with overwhelming scores, but he also single-handedly eliminated a special-grade beast during his first reconnaissance mission.”
Laryana’s eyes, which had been dull with boredom, suddenly sparkled with interest. Zevela glanced at her reaction and continued speaking.
“And that’s not all. Recently, there was a beast outbreak in the Eckarshi Count’s domain, and he managed to stabilize it all by himself. Isn’t that incredible?”
It was definitely impressive. For someone who had just become a special-grade wizard, his accomplishments were remarkable, enough to capture Laryana’s interest.
“That’s interesting. What’s the name of this officer?”
“Yohan Harssen.”
Laryana’s eyes gleamed.
“Yohan Harssen? The trophy of the social scene?”
“That’s right.”
Laryana smiled, leaning forward with the look of someone who had just found an intriguing toy.Â
The “trophy” of the social scene was extremely famous, and since Laryana had a particular fondness for handsome men, she knew about him well.
“Amazing. He’s not just a looker, but also highly skilled? He must have been born to be my future husband, right?”
As Laryana fantasized about a sweet future, smiling like an innocent child, Zevela shook her head.
“Unfortunately, that won’t happen.”
“Huh? Why not?”
“Because he already has a lover.”
“Eh, so what?”
Laryana shrugged casually. The fact that someone had a lover didn’t bother her in the least – being born into royalty, she could have him for herself with just a word.
“If I say so, he’ll have to break up with her, right?”
“Unfortunately, that’s also impossible.”
“Eh? Why?”
“Because his lover is Princess Francia Ferbache.”
“…Ah…”
If it were someone else, Laryana might not have cared. But Francia Ferbache was no ordinary woman.
She was one of the great noble families, the Ferbache family, and a rare authority on healing magic. She was regarded as the “saint” of the empire, even recognized by the royal council.
“Hmm, it looks like the competition is pretty strong.”
“Are you planning to go after Yohan Harssen?”
“I’m still considering it.”
While Zevela’s expression stiffened, Laryana remained calm, even shrugging as if there were no problem.
Laryana added with a playful smile, “If I’m interested, doesn’t that already mean fate has decided?”
“…I suppose that’s one way to look at it.”
Zevela sighed deeply at the thought of an impending love rivalry, but she didn’t show it.
“By the way, I’ve only heard of him being called the trophy of the social scene, but I’ve never actually seen his appearance.”
Laryana tapped her red lips with her index finger. Though she was of a similar age to Yohan, the princess of the empire and the third son of a baron’s family rarely crossed paths in the social scene. She had never had the opportunity to see him in person.
“How handsome must he be to be called the trophy of the social scene? What’s his personality like? Can he make my heart race?”
The thought of him filled her with anticipation. The more she thought about it, the more her curiosity grew.
“Hehe, I’ll have to see him sometime.”
A deeper smile formed on Laryana’s lips as she imagined meeting him.