Chapter 03
Thanks to him, the atmosphere inside had turned chilly, but Diana ran out of the banquet hall as if fleeing, leaving a flustered Ian behind.
Once she reached the garden, she wrapped her arms around herself against the surprisingly cool air. The full moon still hung high above.
Of all days, she had to be born on the night of a full moon—there was no place to hide. In the moonlight that illuminated every corner, she felt as if her weaknesses would be exposed one by one.
“Princess Diana.”
At that moment, she heard Ian’s voice calling her from behind.
As his footsteps drew closer, Diana hurriedly wiped away the tears that had escaped.
“The party went on all night, so you must be tired. If you don’t mind, would you like to take a short walk with me?”
“I have no intention of walking with you.”
Without looking back, she replied coldly.
“…I suppose I have been rather rude today.”
He only spoke as if seeking forgiveness and said nothing more.
Thinking he had returned to the banquet hall, Diana was about to continue walking when a blanket suddenly draped over her shoulders.
“…”
She looked at him with a mix of resentment and surprise and started walking along the neatly maintained garden path, trying to escape.
Yet, before long, she couldn’t help but glance back again.
“I told you I don’t want to walk with you.”
“I’m just taking a walk alone. I’m not fond of noisy places.”
“…”
“Please, Princess, don’t mind me. Watch your step on the stone path ahead.”
Ian spread his hand to politely indicate the path in front of her.
His behavior—whether polite or teasing—made Diana frown.
But she knew that the longer the argument went on, the more she would get drawn in, so she decided to ignore him.
“Careful… there.”
“…”
“Right… right path. Right… right.”
“…”
However, Ian continued to follow her, clearing his throat as if to strike up a conversation. Eventually, Diana could no longer ignore him and spun around sharply.
“Stop it already…!”
But, unexpectedly, Ian wasn’t looking at her.
He was simply staring at the faintly disappearing full moon in the distance. They must have walked quite far, because the dawn was beginning to break.
As the morning light brightened, his figure became clearer.
“Your Highness.”
Finally facing Diana, Ian asked,
“Why… don’t you look happy?”
“What do you mean…?”
A small ripple formed in her deep, ocean-blue eyes.
“…Diana.”
“Princess!”
As Ian unconsciously spoke her name, Jerome’s voice calling for her could be heard faintly in the distance.
“…I suppose I should go. If I linger, I’ll be scolded for a whole month.”
“Your Highness.”
Ian called after Diana as she turned to leave. A confident smile spread across his face.
“Next time we meet, I’ll make you smile.”
On her way to her bedroom, Diana couldn’t shake off the memory of Ian’s confident expression.
The arrogance in his posture, as if he could make her succumb at any moment—it was infuriating.
But Jerome didn’t give her a moment to dwell on it.
He followed her, making sure she didn’t stray again, never stopping his nagging.
“Ah, your Highness. About the stables…”
Diana pressed her hands tightly over her ears and rushed into her room before Jerome could finish his sentence.
“Most of the outdated facilities have been repaired. You may report this to His Majesty.”
Hearing this, Diana thought of her dearest friend, Yan.
“Is Yan alright? I need to check on him.”
“Who is Yan?”
Jerome asked, looking genuinely confused.
“I mean… my horse.”
“A horse?”
“Yes, a horse. White fur with a black mane… don’t you know?”
“I don’t think there’s such a horse in the royal stables… I’ll check.”
Jerome still looked puzzled.
“When did you even give it a name? You’ve always disliked horses.”
“…Who said I disliked horses?”
“You, Your Highness.”
“Me?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Jerome’s tone was firm.
“…Since when?”
“Are you asking me now?”
“No… I just didn’t realize. I didn’t know I disliked horses until now.”
“…”
With a look of exasperation, Jerome gently pushed Diana into her room.
“Go in and rest. You look exhausted.”
“Ah, alright. Don’t push me!”
“I’ll wake you according to your afternoon schedule. Sleep well. Sleep well!”
After Jerome left, the room fell completely silent. Diana lay in her familiar, much-missed bed, reflecting on everything that had happened today.
Though she had returned to the past, things were already different from what she remembered. She needed to figure out what had changed.
She pondered every event, afraid of missing even the smallest difference, until her heavy eyelids finally closed.
And just as she was about to sleep, the face of Ian smiling at her appeared in her mind once again.
In the afternoon, she had to meet the dean of the Royal University. Facing Princess Erden’s rigorous schedule again made the fact that she had returned feel more real.
Suppressing a yawn, Diana knocked on the dean’s office door.
An elderly man opened it—Dean Lampman.
“You’re ten minutes early.”
“It’s better than being late.”
“No! It would have been better to be a little late! When waiting for someone, they must be worth your time. Otherwise, waiting can inflate their arrogance! Understand?”
He seemed to have more to say, rattling off rapidly.
“Of course, arriving right on time is best. It gives the impression that you are extremely punctual!”
As Diana sat at the desk prepared for her, Lampman began scolding her again.
“As the esteemed historian of Erden, responsible for royal education for over twenty years, I have never seen such behavior as last night. Are you aware of that?”
“…”
Lampman was referring to her disappearing during the banquet, or more precisely, pushing aside Ian Leheights in the middle of a dance and fleeing.
“Princess, if you behave so recklessly, how will you support Crown Prince Louis in the future?”
Diana said nothing, and Lampman, thinking she had reflected enough, immediately began the lesson.
“Do you know today’s topic?”
“Today… we are learning about the oppression of the Ops.”
“Yes. But that’s incorrect.”
The class was discussion-based, but Diana often couldn’t speak against Lampman’s authority. Most of the time, she was too intimidated to even open her mouth.
Lampman paced briskly around the office, his movements quick despite his age.
“It’s not oppression.”
He said firmly.
“Nor is it discrimination! Some use those words, but the correct term is ‘segregation policy.’ It aimed to classify Erden’s peoples and implement appropriate policies for each. It was a brilliant policy by the late king.”
Diana wrote down the policy’s name on her paper, but no more. She could not write that it was her grandfather’s great achievement or that it wasn’t discriminatory.
“You seem to disagree with me.”
Diana looked him straight in the eyes.
Had this been the Diana from before, she might not have been able to argue. But now, she knew the future that lay ahead.
If something could be corrected, it had to be done before it was too late.
“Erden has already endured two wars. Thirty-eight years ago, a war with Kargen began, lasting a full ten years. Our late king passed away, and my aunt, Queen Isabella, ascended the throne.”
Lampman seemed to notice Diana’s changed attitude and raised his eyebrows.
“The segregation policy your grandfather clung to should have been abolished right after the war with the empire. Or even now, it must be corrected. Holding onto it led to another civil war.”
Diana pleaded earnestly.
“Though those two wars now seem like distant history, they aren’t. Even now, enemies exploit those divisions, spreading treachery both inside and outside our borders. They wait for our division and self-destruction.”
“Are you holding the late king accountable for past decisions? As I’ve always said, this policy had nothing to do with the civil war.”
Lampman stood firmly, arms behind his back.
“Why won’t you admit that this policy ultimately caused civil war? Do you really think the Ops deserve discrimination? Are you afraid not of their power or magic?”
“They are…”
“…”
“They are naturally like that! Cunning, using their powers to seize every opportunity! Always ready to rebel against the royal family! Why… why do you defend them? They took your father, Edgar, from you!”
Lampman’s anger grew, his whole body trembling.
Diana looked past his quivering shoulders to the portrait of her father, Edgar.
Since she had started history lessons here as a child, the portrait had always watched her from above.
In fact, it watched over Lampman too. There was nowhere in the room where he could hide from its gaze.
“…Today’s lesson is over. Goodbye, Princess.”
Diana left Lampman behind, troubled, and exited the office. Through the closing door, she caught sight of Edgar’s portrait, his sunken eyes staring down at her.
After leaving the dean’s office, Diana headed straight to the main gate. Jerome would be waiting there with the vehicle.
As expected, through the massive iron gates, she saw Jerome. The moment he saw her, he quickly opened the car door.
“Shall we go straight back to the castle, Your Highness?”
“…”
“…Your Highness? Where are you going?”
But Diana, slowing her steps, suddenly turned in a different direction.
